Grounds for Seduction by Shelli Stevens – a Review

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Barb

Grounds for Seduction by Shelli Stevens – a Review

Grounds for Seduction Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Madison Phillips is focused on making her new coffee shop a success. She also wouldn’t mind if the sexiest cop in Seattle, Gabriel Martinez, would start seeing her as more than just his best friend’s little sister. When her shop gets robbed and she’s the only one who can identify the increasingly violent Espresso Bandit, Gabe’s there to keep her safe. Having Gabe act as her personal bodyguard is certainly no hardship, and Maddy’s ready to try anything to tempt him into providing some hands-on protection.

Review:

Grounds for Seduction by Shelli Stevens is the first book in her Seattle Steam series. Usual romance stuff…. girl fancies brothers friend, he won’t touch her because she is his best friends little sister. But …… the lady won’t take no for an answer, and as he is rebound guy, and she doesn’t want forever, and she won’t tell her brother, what’s the problem?

Madison had led a pretty nice life, a pampered and spoilt life if you ask Gabriel (Gabe) so he didn’t think her idea of a coffee shop would last for long. After tasting her mocha, he’s sure she won’t last long, but Maddie is out to prove her critics wrong, and after hiring a professional barista, the coffee shop is ready for business.

The espresso bandit (named by the media) is a nice twist, we have a little mystery as to who he is, also what is Gabe’s secret ? Why won’t he do long term ?

The thief is after Maddie when he robs her coffee shop, and he hits her with a gun. She is the only one to have seen him without his mask, so she needs to be silenced.

Gabe gets guilt tripped into babysitting Maddie, and that is where the fun begins, Maddie is determined to seduce the big, bad cop, and after a few failed attempts Maddie gets her man. But what next ? Will Maddie and Gabe want more than one night together ? Will the thief be caught ?

It’s a fun afternoon read, and a few laughs are guaranteed.

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Hard Truth About Sunshine by Sawyer Bennett-Review, Excerpt and Book Tour

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Sandy

THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SUNSHINE by Sawyer Bennett-Review, Excerpt and Book Tour

The Hard Truth About Sunshine

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /ibooks / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 28, 2017

Despite having narrowly escaped death’s clutches, Christopher Barlow is grateful for nothing. His capacity to love has been crushed. He hates everyone and everything, completely unable to see past the gray stain of misery that coats his perception of the world. It’s only after he involuntarily joins a band of depressed misfits who are struggling to overcome their own problems, does Christopher start to re-evaluate his lot in life.

What could they possibly learn from one another? How could they possibly help each other to heal? And the question that Christopher asks himself over and over again… can he learn to love again?

He’s about to find out as he embarks upon a cross country trip with a beautiful woman who is going blind, a boy with terminal cancer, and an abuse victim who can’t decide whether she wants to live or die.

Four people with nothing in common but their destination. They will encounter adventure, thrills, loss and love. And within their travels they will learn the greatest lesson of all.

The hard truth about sunshine…

Warning: This book deals with some tough issues including suicide and sexual abuse.

••••••••••

REVIEW: THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SUNSHINE by Sawyer Bennett is not a story of hearts and flowers; nor is it a story about billionaires and beautiful virgins, or temperamental hockey players and the women they love. THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SUNSHINE focuses on four people who met in a support group for depressed individuals or those suffering with terminal illness. What ensues is a cross country journey where each of our story line characters will come face to face with the realities of life-their own and that of the friends they make along the way.

Told from first person point of view ( Christopher Barlow ) our narrator is an angry US Marine veteran who lost a leg and part of his hand during a mission in the Middle East. Pissed-off at the world Christopher finds himself choosing a support group or face time in prison as his world continues to spiral out of control. Jillian Martel, the group’s optimist and perpetually happy cheerleader is going blind, and suggests a cross country journey as a buffer between the highs and lows; Barb Stiles hides behind a mask of indifference; an abuse victim who waivers between life and death; and Connor McCann, a seventeen year old boy with terminal cancer who uses the journey to complete his bucket list of things to do before he dies. THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SUNSHINE is their story; their journey to discover the truth about friendship, love, laughter and loss; an honest look at life and death and everything in between.

Sawyer Bennett looks at the brutality of death, disease, abuse and war. All four of our characters must face the reality that is their lives. Some will lose the battle while others will find his or her happily ever after-for now. The journey opens up a new prospective for Christopher Barlow –the potential for a future with new friends but also the possibility of more loss and heartbreak when death comes to call.

THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SUNSHINE is a story of one man’s introspection of his life; of his emotional and physical trauma; and of four people’s developing friendship throughout the miles, the tears, and the adventure of a lifetime.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

The Hard Truth about Sunshine teaser

excerpt

Jillian holds my gaze for a moment, her eyes drilling into mine before she gently tugs on the material of my jeans near the shin rod of my prosthetic. “What happened to you?”

She doesn’t look away. Not down at the fire, not down to my legs. She stares right at me. Although my gut is turning slightly at the thought of telling her what she asked, I forge straight ahead. For the first time, I tell someone who is not medical personnel or a shrink my story.

“I was driving a military Humvee and the right front tire ran over a roadside bomb,” I say, and Jillian makes a sound of distress low her in throat as her eyes turn sad. “It completely obliterated my buddy sitting in the passenger seat.”

To my surprise, Jillian scoots over closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder. She pushes her hand in between my ribs and my arm, curling her fingers over my bicep. It’s a show of support. Solidarity. That she’s settled in for the long haul of this story, and she wants to hear it all.

“It didn’t blow my leg off,” I tell her, and I can feel her body jerk slightly in surprise. Her fingers squeeze my bicep. “The fingers yes, the leg no. It just shattered and shredded it badly, but the doctors tried hard to save it.”

“Obviously, they couldn’t,” she whispers the obvious.

“They tried for three months,” I tell her, reaching down to grab my phone laying near my left hip. Jillian lifts her head up, watching as I pull up my pictures. I scroll backward, but it doesn’t take long to find what I’m looking for because I don’t take a lot of photos. I hold the phone out so she can see. “This was taken about a month after my injury.”

Jillian makes a strangled sound as she looks at the photo of me in bed. My eyes are half open because I was bombed out on so many heavy-duty pain medications, and I have a grimace on my face. I vaguely remember this picture being taken, and I think it may have been by my brother, Hank, when he came to visit once during that first month. He came a few more times after that, and then he didn’t.

Jillian’s eyes roam over the photo. My leg is encased in the external fixator with several rods leading from the outside of the cage right into my skin, where it’s drilled through and into the bone to hold the pieces together. The wounds on my leg are all open to the air, red and some of them dripping with puss and lined with blisters. I’ve got IVs in both arms and a PICC line in the right side of my neck to deliver the hordes of antibiotics and pain meds I needed to keep me alive and functioning. I took the maximum dosages they allowed me, preferring to try to be oblivious to what was happening. Yet, the pain was so great it just couldn’t be fully erased.

Jillian turns her head to look at me, and I lay the phone back down. “How long were you like that?”

“Three months. But they couldn’t get ahead of the infections, which were delaying the bones from knitting. I was in so much pain that I wanted them to amputate.”

“You had to make that decision?” she whispers.

I nod. “Yup. I mean… the doctors were at the point they felt it was the right way to go, although they were willing to keep trying if I wanted. But I wanted it gone. I was tired of being in the hospital and being in so much pain. I just wanted it gone.”

“Do you regret that decision?” she asks me bluntly, but with that still-sweet melody her voice makes. The question doesn’t bother me, because even her hard questions sound lovely.

“Yes,” I tell her without any shame. “I wonder what would have happened if I held on just a little bit longer. Not long after the leg came off, the pain receded and I became more lucid. Once I’d forgotten how bad the infections smelled, I regretted it.”

“Three months is an awful long time to be in pain like that,” she points out the obvious.

I shrug. “And the rest of my life is a long time to wonder ‘what if.’”

About the author

Best-Selling author, Sawyer Bennett, is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Website | Facebook | Twitter / Goodreads

Lost Souls (A Cainsville Novella) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Sandy

LOST SOULS (Cainsville) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

Lost Souls

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM /

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Ebook release: December 16, 2016
Paper Release Date March 31, 2017

The disappearing hitchhiker is one of the hoariest urban legends, and no one knows that better than Gabriel Walsh, a lawyer who grew up on folklore and myth. When author of books on the supernatural Patrick brings Gabriel a case of a hitchhiking woman in white who vanished on a country road after accepting a ride from a businessman, Gabriel knows the Cainsville elder is just trying to wheedle into his good graces. But Gabriel is a man in need of a mystery, one that will get him back into someone else’s good graces. His investigator, Olivia Taylor-Jones, has blown town supposedly on a simple vacation. But when she left there was a rift between them and…he misses her.

Gabriel is well aware the only thing Olivia loves more than a good mystery is a weird one, and this hitchhiker case more than fits the bill. As Gabriel digs into the story, he’s forced to face ghosts of his own and admit that the woman in white isn’t the only one who has lost her way.

With Lost Souls, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong weaves an unmissable novella-length tale connected to her fan-favorite Cainsville series.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: LOST SOULS by Kelley Armstrong is a companion novella in the author’s contemporary adult, paranormal Cainsville mystery/suspense series. The time frame happens somewhere between the events of DECEPTIONS (Cainsville 3) and BETRAYALS (Cainsville #4) but can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and backstory especially the ongoing mythical dynamics between Gabriel, Olivia and Ricky. LOST SOULS is not a necessary installment to the series but does reveal some background about Patrick’s connection to Gabriel.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Gabriel and Patrick) LOST SOULS focuses on the urban legend of the ‘vanishing hitchhiker and the lady in white’ – in the case of CAINSVILLE everything happens for a reason, and an explanation is exactly what attorney Gabriel Walsh is hoping to explore. Whether a hoax or a happenstance, Gabriel is out to prove, one way or another, that the vanishing hitchhiker is more than an urban legend.

LOST SOULS follows Gabriel as he reluctantly teams up with Patrick –a man whose true identity to Gabriel is kept secret-but a man who has kept watch over our leading hero for most of his life. Patrick is trying help keep Gabriel occupied during his PA’s absence-Olivia Taylor-Jones-an absence Gabriel feels down to his bones. What ensues is the search for the truth, and the revelation of mystical and magical creatures that are up to no good.

LOST SOULS is a ‘spirited’ story line with witty banter, rapid back and forth conversations, and a time-honored mystery that appears to recycle every few years. The relationship between Olivia and Gabriel continues to be tested, not only with Olivia’s love for Ricky but by ongoing, repetition of history and fabled lore. The premise is entertaining and imaginative; the characters are animated, revealing and energetic. The final resolution and reveal was a little abrupt but it is a novella so long winded explanations are not usually forthcoming.

Previous Reviews
Omens
Visions
Led Astray -anthology
Deceptions
Lost Souls
Betrayals

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

After The Dark (Killer Instinct #1) by Cynthia Eden-Review and Book Tour

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Sandy

AFTER THE DARK (Killer Instinct #1) by Cynthia Eden-Review and Book Tour

AFTER THE DARK
Killer Instinct #1
by Cynthia Eden
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense
Release Date: March 28, 2017

After the Dark

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM / ibooks / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 28 , 2017

Four months after being fired from the FBI and retreating to her hometown of Fairhope, Alabama, former special agent Samantha Dark is still learning to enjoy the peaceful anonymity of small-town life. Her confidence shaken, Samantha avoids contact with others. After all, when monsters live in plain sight, it’s hard to trust anyone. But when her former partner, Agent Blake Gamble, the ultimate good guy and someone who’s always believed in her, comes to town seeking her help with his latest case, Samantha is torn. Her fabled instincts let her down once before, when the killer who ruined her career got away under her watch, and there are no guarantees they won’t again.

But Blake doesn’t believe in ever giving up…especially when it comes to Samantha. While they could never pursue their mutual attraction before, when they were partners, now there’s nothing standing in their way…except the specter of known serial killer Cameron Latham. Cameron always claimed he and Samantha both had a darkness within that connected them…until Blake came into her life. Samantha knows that darkness is real—that it’s what allows her to penetrate the minds of sadistic killers. The last thing Samantha could bear, however, is to reveal her dark side to Blake and have him recoil from her. Blake wants to prove to Samantha that he can handle all her secrets—she just needs to trust him. But Samantha learned to be careful about whom to trust. Those close to you can turn on you in an instant…

Blake’s current case turns out to be the work of a copycat killer—a psycho pupil of Cameron’s who is seeking vengeance for his former master by planning to kill Samantha. But it serves as a catalyst for something more venomous—a reason for Cameron himself to reemerge, deadlier than ever. The last person Cameron wants harmed is Samantha. He’s more interested in eliminating perceived rival Blake for good.

Two deadly killers are after them, but Blake and Samantha know every monster has a weakness. It’s just a matter of finding who it is before it’s too late…

••••••••••

REVIEW: AFTER THE DARK is the first full length installment in Cynthia Eden’s new, contemporary, adult KILLER INSTINCT romantic suspense series. This is former FBI profiler Samantha Dark, and FBI agent Blake Gamble’s continuing story. There is a prequel novella THE GATHERING DUSK that introduces the characters and sets up the After The Dark story line revealing some background between the leading couple and their latest serial killer.

NOTE: AFTER THE DARK contains graphic scenes of violence, brutality and torture that may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from several third person points of view AFTER THE DARK fast forwards the series four months from the novella The Gathering Dusk wherein our heroine former FBI profiler Samantha Dark has been fired from the Bureau for letting a killer go- a killer she knows intimately and a man who was once our heroine’s lover. With a copycat killer on the loose Samantha’s former partner at the FBI Blake Gamble comes looking for help and a second chance at a happily ever after. What ensues is the search for two potential killers who are playing a psychological game of cat and mouse with our story line couple, and the building relationship between Blake and Samantha.

Samantha Dark’s reputation as an FBI profiler was destroyed when it was discovered that their most recent serial killer investigation led back to Samantha’s former lover-a doctor, a professor, a man known to manipulate our story line heroine using her past as a form of psychological warfare. FBI agent Blake Gamble is a man determined to prove that Samantha’s past has no affect on their current situation but a man who has fallen for the woman that will control his heart. The relationship between Samantha and Blake begins as professional partners but their attraction to one another is immediate and intense but a sexual relationship between active Bureau agents is definitely against the rules. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There are a large number of supporting and secondary characters including a number first introduced in the prequel novella The Gathering Dusk: Samantha’s ex-lover and mentor Dr. Cameron Latham, and FBI Executive Assistant Director Justin Bass. We are introduced to a former student of Cameron’s Jason Burke, FBI agent and former SEAL Josh Duvane, reporter Janice Beautfont, and Captain Roger Lewis-a man Samantha considers a surrogate father.

The world building continues to focus on the hunt for a killer. Samantha is a profiler who gets into the mind of the person she is trying to uncover. The romantic relationship between Samantha and Blake is threatened by Samantha’s inability to let go of the past.

AFTER THE DARK is a story of suspense, mystery, murder and betrayal with a couple of twists and turns to the story line premise. The premise is intriguing and tangible; the characters are colorful and fascinating; the romance is powerful and alive, Cynthia Eden pulls the reader into a tragic tale of one man’s obsession with killing, and the resulting psychological power death holds over everyone concerned.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

After The Dark Teaser

__________________

THE GATHERING DUSK
(Killer Instinct .5)
by Cynthia Eden
Genre: Adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 1, 2017

When untried FBI profiler Samantha Dark is face-to-face with a killer, there’s no room for fear. Her best weapon is her instincts. Those same dark impulses that allow her to get inside the mind of a murderer, to locate victims—or to pull the trigger before she’s next. She can’t afford to have those instincts clouded by anything…especially her far-too-sexy new partner.

Former SEAL Blake Gamble plays everything by the book. Except, of course, when it comes to the increasingly simmering attraction between them. But when a vengeful serial killer targets them both, Samantha once again reaches into the sinister, shadowed part of herself. Even as she begins to fear that the only way to catch this killer is to become one…

••••••••

REVIEW: THE GATHERING DUSK is the introductory novella in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult KILLER INSTINCT romantic, suspense series.

Told from several third person perspectives THE GATHERING DUSK introduces FBI profiler Samantha Dark, and former SEAL and FBI agent Blake Gamble as they search for a serial killer and his latest victim. As a profiler Samantha was able to get into the head of the person responsible for destroying so many lives, and along with her partner Blake Gamble, the couple diffused a volatile situation before it could get any worse. What ensues is Samantha’s struggle with guilt and her past, and the realization that the serial killer may not have been working alone.

THE GATHERING DUSK is a very quick read; a story of suspense that reveals a little of the relationship dynamic between Samantha and Blake, as well as the friendship our heroine holds dear with former lover Dr. Cameron Latham. The premise is intriguing and sets the stage for the next installment AFTER THE DARK.

Own a copy

Reviewed by Sandy

About The Author

Cynthia Eden Follow Cynthia: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader bestseller. Cynthia is also a two-time finalist for the RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over thirty novels and novellas. Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

The Duke of Desire (The Untouchables #4) by Darcy Burke-Review,Book Tour & Giveaway

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Sandy

The Duke of Desire (The Untouchables #4) by Darcy Burke-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

THE DUKE OF DESIRE
The Untouchables #4
by Darcy Burke
Release Date: March 28,2017
Genre: historical, romance

The Duke of Desire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: March 28 2017

Ten years ago Ivy Breckenridge’s life was ruined. She had to reinvent herself, and now, after painstakingly making her own way in the world, she’s nearly forgotten the dreams of home and family she’d once nurtured. Until one man peers into her soul and awakens every one of her hidden desires. But no matter how good he makes her feel, she can’t trust him—alone by choice is better than alone by necessity.

With a notorious reputation for training married women in the art of passion, Sebastian Westgate, Duke of Clare, is reviled by some and celebrated by others. He doesn’t allow anyone close enough to see past his charming exterior. When Ivy uncovers the man beneath, the seducer is suddenly the seduced. Enraptured by her mind and spirit, he wants more but revealing his darkest secrets is a price he won’t pay.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: 4.5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

OK small disclaimer before I start in on the review. I have NOT read the first three books in this series. This is the reason I knocked off .5 and to be honest it’s not really fair to the author, but I feel like I was missing something by not knowing the back story of some of these characters. Thank goodness there is some “retelling of storyline”, BUT I hate that feeling of not knowing the little ins and out that I know would of made this book a solid 5. SO .. please go back and read the first three books before starting with this one, I know I will be for sure.

OK .. on with the review ….

The Duke of Desire by Darcy Burke is the fourth book of her “Untouchable” Series. A historical romance, it was a fantastic read, and a series I am eager to really dive into.

Sebastien Westgate is the Duke of Clare, but he is known as The Duke of Desire by a group of friends. Sebastien has a rather odd job, especially for a man from the 1800’s. He like to bed married woman with their husbands consent in order to teach her how to find pleasure and to enjoy the marriage bed. Yup you read that right! LOL Sebastien is quite handsome, a little aloof is the sense that he only let’s people get so close, and while I admit I was a little put off by his choice of occupation, he really is endearing and quite interesting to read about.

Ivy Breckenridge is our heroine and truth be told she kinda stole this book for me. I loved her. She is smart, beautiful in her own way, and so broken from a tragic past she has pretty much sworn off the possibility of a marriage. She is a companion and likes things proper. It’s her defence mechanism, and a crutch. Something about her however, screamed for me to understand her.

Crazy arse sparks/heat, chemistry and tension .. OH MY … are happening between these two and while it takes them a while to get their lives and hearts aligned together, at the same time, it is one wild ride while they try. Lots of smexy scenes in this book that kept the smut lover in me very satisfied and a perfect amount of romance/angst to keep the romantic in me happy. These two have personal obstacles to get over before either can even entertain a love match. Their stories are sad, and when the HEA comes it’s rewarding.

I LOVE Darcy Burke’s writing style. I am really looking forward to diving into the previous books and maybe check out her other books. If you are looking for a truely endearing story about two people who take the path least travelled to find the other, with a side of “YAH THAT’S HOT!” then this book is absolutely for you!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Copy supplied for review by Netgalley

Reviewed by Rachel T

The Duke of Desire Teaser

Excerpt

Ivy hurried downstairs and made her way across the hall to the drawing room, which was the center room at the back of the house. The group had started to thin—either to take part in some activity or rest before dinner.But because Ivy had the luck of the devil, she found Lady Dunn’s cane in a most inopportune place: the clutches of the Duke of Clare.

He stood near the chair Lady Dunn had vacated, her cane in his hand. His dark gaze swept toward Ivy. “It’s you.”

She resisted the urge to snatch the cane from his grasp and flee. “Yes.” She flicked a glance at his fingers. They were long and rather slender. Almost elegant. “I came for Lady Dunn’s cane.”

“You are her companion, then.” It wasn’t a question. He’d deduced the answer, and they both knew it. There was a cool confidence about him that was just shy of arrogance. His gaze raked over her, and she decided he wasn’t shy of anything.

“Yes. May I have it, please?” She held out her gloved hand.

“How about I offer it in trade for your name?”

She scowled at him. “How about you just give it to me and cease this preposterousness?” She kept her voice low, and the end of that word rushed from her mouth in an angry hiss.

He exhaled but didn’t look perturbed in the slightest. “I don’t know why you find my amiability preposterous.”

Because you’re a degenerate scoundrel. Instead of voicing what was in her mind, she forced a smile. “I am merely in a hurry. I am Miss Breckenridge. The cane, please?”

He set it in her hand but made sure to brush his fingertips along the edge of her palm.

Ivy closed her fist around the cane and yanked her hand back.

He arched a dark brow at her. “You’re a bit touchy, aren’t you?”

“And you’re more than a bit unseemly. Good afternoon.” She turned and marched from the drawing room, paying no attention to anyone who might’ve witnessed their conversation. She hadn’t noticed if anyone was close enough to hear them. No, she’d been too intent on him.

About The author

Darcy Burke

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, and three Bengal cats. Visit Darcy online at www.darcyburke.com and sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans.

Connect:
Site: www.darcyburke.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans
Twitter: twitter.com/darcyburke
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823441.Darcy_Burke

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If You Fight (Corrupted Love #2) by K.M. Scott-Review and Book Tour

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Sandy

IF YOU FIGHT (Corrupted Love #2) by K.M. Scott-Review and Book Tour

IF YOU FIGHT
Corrupted Love #2
by K.M. Scott
RELEASE DATE: March 29 , 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark romance

If You Fight

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon. uk / Amazon. au / B&N / KOBO /ibooks

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33003077-if-you-fight

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: March 29, 2017

If you fight, will we last?

Serena
All my life, everyone around me made sure I was weak. My father. My sister. And now the man my father forced me to marry. But Oliver doesn’t know what I know. Strength can come even in the hardest times, and if you’re willing to fight for love, nothing can stand in your way.

For the first time in my life, I’m fighting back, and with Ryder by my side, I’m never letting myself be weak again.

Ryder
They want us to be their pawns, but I won’t let them use her like that. I promised I’d protect Serena, and if it costs me everything in this world, I will.

Even if it means returning to the one place I swore I’d never go back to again.

•••••••••••

REVIEW : IF YOU FIGHT is the second installment in K.M.Scott’s contemporary, adult CORRUPTED LOVE erotic, romance series focusing on former underground MMA fighter Ryder Rhodes, and twenty year old Serena Erickson. IF YOU FIGHT should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately upon the events of book one IF I DREAM.

Told from dual first person points of view (Ryder and Serena) IF YOU FIGHT focuses on the forbidden relationship between Ryder Rhodes and Serena Erickson-a relationship forbidden by Serena’s father –a man who controls every aspect of his daughter’s life. Forced to marry a man she didn’t love, Serena mistakenly believed that her love for Ryder would be enough for her to handle whatever her father and husband had planned. What ensues is a disturbing series of events that reveals that true extent of Serena’s father’s power and hatred for the family he is supposed to love.

IF YOU FIGHT is a story of one woman’s struggle to gain her independence from a man who uses his power to control the people he claims to love but saying that our heroine is weakened by the disappearance of her mother, and the love of a man whose life is owned by the father she hates. Ryder Rhodes battles his feelings for the woman that calls to his heart but a woman whose embittered life revolves around heartache and loss.

KM Scott weaves of story of betrayal, revenge, power and control; a tale about two people whose love for one another is strengthened by their togetherness but weakened by the invisible bonds of a man who has threatened to destroy their lives. The premise is heartbreaking and tense; the characters are broken, passionate and fated; the romance is a tragedy as two disillusioned people struggle for their freedom when freedom no longer exists.IF YOU FIGHT ends on an epic cliffhanger; you have been warned.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one- IF I DREAM

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

If You Fight Teaser

about the author

A writer for years in other genres, K.M. Scott writes sexy contemporary romances like the ones that she loves. In love with love from the moment she picked up her first romance novel, she considers herself blessed that she has the chance to tell her own characters’ stories now. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading, feeding her addiction to TV, or cooking a new dish for family and friends. She loves to hear from readers, so drop by her Facebook page and say hi or e-mail me at kmscottauthor@gmail.com.

Author Contact Info:
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The Unyielding (Call of Crows 3) by Shelly Laurenston – Dual Review

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Barb

The Unyielding (Call of Crows 3) by Shelly Laurenston – Dual Review

The Unyielding
Call of Crows series – Book #3
by Shelly Laurenston
Release Date: March 28, 2017

The Unyielding

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM /

About the Book: Release Date March 28, 2017

Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems. The human Viking Clans of earth are in danger of being obliterated—along with the rest of the world—and the only one who may be able to save them is a super pain-in-the-ass Crow. Most people annoy Stieg, but this is the one woman he really can’t stand…

Erin Amsel loves being a Crow! Why wouldn’t she when the other Viking Clans are so hilariously arrogant and humorless? She’s not about to let all that come to an end! She just didn’t expect to be shoulder to shoulder in battle with Stieg. Then again, he’s so easy to torment—and also kind of cute.

With the future of the world riding on them, Stieg knows he’ll have to put aside his desperate need to kiss the smirk right off Erin’s face. Wait. What? He didn’t mean that—did he? No! They have one goal: To conquer the idiots. Because nothing bugs Stieg more than when idiots win. If only he can keep himself from suddenly acting like one….

••••••••••••

Barb’s Review:

The Unyielding by Shelly Laurenston is the 3^rd book in her Call of Crows series. This is a different type of series then Laurenston’s other two series that I read, but this one is equally as fun and wild crazy. I love Shelly Laurenston; she is one author I can’t get enough of, as her humor has you laughing so often, even if it’s totally crazy. Well in this case, I guess its fun to be crazy. LOL

The Call of the Crows series takes place in a modern day Nordic world with Gods, Goddesses, Vikings, Crows, Ravens, and Protectors. As I have said before, every character is wild, vicious, and crazy; but so much fun. This was an exciting action filled story about the world possibly coming to end with Ragnarok near. Whereas, much of this series is centered around the Crows, in this story, all the clans,and their gods play big parts.

The Unyielding belongs to Erin Amsel, one of the Crows we know so well. Erin is not liked by many, but she loves it that way; she is tough, obnoxious at times, enjoys being bitchy, but she is a great hardnosed warrior. Kera and Jace have been working long hours to find a way to kill the evil Goddess Gullveig, who is indestructible, before she causes the Ragnarok that will kill all humans and destroy the world. When all the clans meet, the conclusion is that Erin is the only one who can possible go into other realms and try to steal Sutr’s sword,which can kill Gullveig. The only problem, the chance of survival is slim, especially since she has to steal it from a mighty Dragon.

Erin is determined to save the world, even if she knows the odds are against her. Steig Engstrom is our hero, and a Raven, who also hates Crows, and Erin. But in a short time, Steig has been told to keep an eye on Erin, and keep her safe until she can go on the mission. Along the way, he slowly begins to respect and fall for her. It will be Steig, who will go with her to the forbidden lands, and they will help each other try to survive.

The first half of the book, is about Erin and Steig getting into all kinds of situations, but it also is about all the clans trying to come up with a plan. The last half is when everything is falling apart, for both the clans and Erin & Steig. The fighting on both sides were amazing well done, really violent, but hysterical at times, which relieves the tension. I can’t really tell too much more, since this is a difficult review to do, as despite all the tense action, great characters, bantering, and deathly situations, Laurenston has us laughing in between. Now how can I write about those crazy people? LOL You really have to read it to fully understand.

Laurenston has created a fantastic paranormal fantasy world, with her leading characters totally nasty or wacky, and we love it all. I will say the last third of the book had us unable to put the book down, and I loved the romance between two unlikely people, such as Erin and Stieg. They were great together. But then again, I loved Kera and Jace too, in the previous books. If you like fantasy, in a Norse mythology setting, filled with action, dangerous and crazy warriors or gods, and Laurenston’s unbelievable humor , then you need to start this series. Lastly, Thank God I found you, Shelly Laurenston (Thanks, Sandy).

Sandy’s Review

THE UNYIELDING is the third installment in Shelly Laurenston’s contemporary, adult CALL OF CROWS fantasy/paranormal romance series based in Norse mythology. The continuing story focuses on the upcoming battle of Ragnarok and the end of the world as we know it. This is Viking warrior Stieg Engstrom, and Crow Erin Amsel’s story line. THE UNYIELDING can be read as a stand alone but for cohesion, enjoyment and backstory I recommend reading the series in order.

For more information about Ragnarok follow this link: http://norse-mythology.org/tales/ragnarok/

Told from several third person points of view THE UNYIELDING continues to focus on Norse mythology-the birth, life, death and rebirth cycles-including the destruction of everyone and everything, known as Ragnarok. With the resurrection of the goddess Gullveig, the end was fast approaching and Erin Amsel-crazy, manic, and most hated of the Crows (the warrior clan of the goddess Skuld)-is tasked with retrieving a magical weapon to destroy the goddess before H*ll comes to Earth. Enter Stieg Engstrom, Viking warrior, and the man with whom Erin will fall in love but not before our leading couple must survive the Nine Worlds and all of the dangers wrought within.

Shelly Laurenston’s THE UNYIELDING is a story of action, suspense, adventure, humor and a mythological apocalypse with sass, snark, the Viking Clans, shifters, dragons, gods, goddesses, elves, dwarfs, giants, Maids, rotting corpses, a rabid squirrel, a dog blessed by the gods, and a goat-yep, a goat. Laurenston’s ability to weave humor, playfulness and comedy into a tale is amazing. The whimsy, wit and charm of the back and forth banter is fabulous, unique, insane and energetic. For fans of Laurenston’s Pride and Pack series, as well as her DragonKin series (written as G.A.Aiken) the humor is familiar, entertaining and seductive. You can never go wrong with a story by Shelly Laurenston !

Previous Reviews and Reading Order
The Unleashing
The Undoing
The Unyielding

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Dirty Filthy Rich Men (Dirty Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige-Review Tour & Excerpt

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Sandy

DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN (Dirty Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige-Review Tour & Excerpt

DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN
Dirty Duet #1
by Laurelin Paige
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: March 27, 2017

Dirty Filthy Rich Men

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM /itunes

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/24QQsM

About the book: Release Date March 27, 2017

When I met Donovan Kincaid, I knew he was rich. I didn’t know he was filthy. Truth be told, I was only trying to get his best friend to notice me.

I knew poor scholarship girls like me didn’t stand a chance against guys like Weston King and Donovan Kincaid, but I was in love with his world, their world, of parties and sex and power. I knew what I wanted—I knew who I wanted—until one night, their world tried to bite me back and Donovan saved me. He saved me, and then Weston finally noticed me, and I finally learned what it was to be in their world.

And then what it was like to lose it.

Ten years later, I’ve found my way back. Back to their world. Back to him.

This time, I’m ready. I’ve been down this road before, and I know all the dirty, filthy ways Donovan will try and wreck me.

But it’s hard to resist. Especially when I know how much I’ll like it.

••••••

REVIEW: DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN is the first installment in Laurelin Paige’s contemporary, adult, erotic DIRTY DUET focusing on Weston King, Donovan Kincaid, and Sabrina Lind.

NOTE: DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN contains scenes of sexual assault, fantasy rape and aggressive sex, and may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from first person point of view (Sabrina Lind) DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN follows Sabrina Lind- from Harvard Business School where she will meet the future rich and powerful men that will eventually control her world –to ten years later wherein Sabrina will face the truth about the man that calls to her heart.

DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN is a story line of one woman’s struggle to be accepted in a world dominated by men and one man in particular that refuses to admit his attraction and need. Torn between two men our heroine is caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse-sometimes the aggressor but always the prey.

Donovan Kincaid is a controlling, alpha male lead with demons so dark they control every aspect of his life. A secreted past buried so deep, his guilt eats at his emotions preventing our ‘anti-hero’ from ever falling in love. Weston King is a bit more laid back but a man on a mission that he claims is out of his control. And our heroine Sabrina Lind, who battles her attraction to a man who doesn’t want anything beyond the present-no relationships, no friendships, no falling in love or letting go. She is a willing participant in the dangerous game between Donovan and Weston but it is what she wants that is more difficult to understand or control

DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN is a story of power, control, money and greed. Weston King offers Sabrina his world but is unable to deliver everything that she wants. Donovan Kincaid offers up nothing in return but a heartbreaking reminder of what it is Sabrina has lost and wants. The premise is controversial and intriguing; the characters are intoxicating, damaged and lost; the romance struggles with demons from the past. DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN is a dramatic look at three people whose lives will collide between the present and the past.

NOTE: Dirty Filthy Rich Boys is a prequel novella that covers a few days in the life at Harvard Business School and is also available as the prologue in Dirty Filthy Rich Men therefore there is no need to order a separate copy to read or review.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

After she was gone, I walked over to the windows and drank in the scene. The Town Center was high enough that it had an unblocked view of downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and beyond.
Giddiness surged through me, starting like a pinprick at my center and moving out through my veins in all directions until even my fingers and toes felt warm.
I was really here.
I made it.
It wasn’t the way I thought it would be, but in the end, it still came out of my time at Harvard. I’d always known that connections made the difference in a career, and here I was. Finally. At the top of the world, looking out.
I couldn’t stop grinning.
“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” a male voice came from behind me.
Still smiling, I glanced up and caught his reflection in the window.
And everything disappeared.
The world that had buzzed below, the beautiful scene, the excitement that had unfurled through my body—all of it evaporated and all that existed in its place was a pale, hollow shell of myself and the man in the perfectly tailored suit behind me.
I turned to look at him directly. Our gazes smashed together, and my legs nearly fell out from under me.
“Donovan,” I rasped. It was a miracle that I managed to find enough voice to say that much.
And there was so much more that had to be said. So much more that I hadn’t prepared for. Which was ridiculous since I’d talked to him so many times in my head over the years, practiced so many conversations, but never did he show up out of the blue looking so dastardly handsome in a dark gray three-piece suit, his face rugged with scruff, his eyes hazel and earnest despite the playful smirk on his lips.
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I wasn’t even sure how to breathe anymore.
He broke our gaze to nod out the window at the skyline, walking toward me as he said, “I’m sure you found the Empire.”
Though his focus was now on the scenery, I didn’t take my eyes off him as he approached. He didn’t stop until he was right beside me. So close our shoulders would touch if I coughed. Tension ran off him like foam spilling over from a mug of beer. Good tension. Bad tension. I wasn’t sure if there was a difference when it came to Donovan.
Which was why I was screwed if he was here.
Why the hell was he here?
“I thought you were in Tokyo.” I couldn’t stop staring at him. He’d gotten more refined with age, and rougher at the same time. His hair was short and his curls gone, giving him a polished look he lacked before. The lines by his eyes were more defined and his expression seemed harder than I’d remembered. It made him sexier.
As if he was a man who needed to be sexier than the one I knew.
“I came back two months ago,” he said offhandedly. “That’s it right there.” He leaned his face in close to mine as he pointed to the famous structure. “Do you see it?”
Fuck if I cared about the Empire. I was in Donovan Kincaid’s orbit. What else was there in the world?

Dirty Filthy Rich men teaser

About the author

In 2013, Laurelin Paige self-published her first novel. Her husband was just laid off, she had three kids, one with special needs, and they had just filed for bankruptcy so she needed this novel to work. Less than 1 year later, her debut novel, Fixed on You, was at the top of the bestseller lists and was named one of the top ten selling books of 2014 by Publishers Weekly (the only self-published book to do so) and a Top Ten Favorite Read of 2014 by People Magazine. Her successive self-published novels have been smash hits with readers.

Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.

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Monthly Archives: March 2017

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If You Fight (Corrupted Love #2) by K.M. Scott-Review and Book Tour

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The Unyielding (Call of Crows 3) by Shelly Laurenston – Dual Review

The Unyielding (Call of Crows 3) by Shelly Laurenston – Dual Review

Dirty Filthy Rich Men (Dirty Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige-Review Tour & Excerpt

DIRTY FILTHY RICH MEN (Dirty Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige-Review Tour & Excerpt