Monthly Archives: September 2018

Easy Going /Going Down Easy (Boys of the Big Easy .5 & #1) by Erin Nicholas-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway Tour

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EASY GOING / GOING DOWN EASY (Boys of the Big Easy .5 &  #1) by Erin Nicholas-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 28, 2018

As far as flings go, single dad Gabe Trahan is pretty sure that Addison Sloan is his best bet. Once a month, Addison comes to New Orleans and then…It. Is. On. Until Addison returns to New York, it’s just hot, happily-no-strings-attached sex. And beignets. And jazz. But lately for Gabe, it isn’t nearly enough.

Sure, maybe Addison’s gotten a bit hooked on Gabe. After all, who can resist a guy who’s so sexy, so charming, and so…available? But maybe he’s too available for her right now. Addison’s just moved to New Orleans, and relationships are definitely off the table. Besides, guys always bail when they learn her secret: she’s a single mom.

Only Gabe’s not running. Worse, he’s thrilled. But Addison never signed up for ever-after romance, and Gabe won’t settle for anything less. Now it’s a battle of wills—and when it comes to the woman he’s falling for, Gabe isn’t above playing a little dirty

•••••

REVIEW: GOING DOWN EASY is the first full-length instalment in Erin Nicholas’ contemporary, adult BOYS OF THE BIG EASY erotic, romance series. This is bar owner and single father Gabe Trahan, and architect /single mother Addison Sloan’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Addison and Gabe) GOING DOWN EASY follows the building relationship between bar owner and single father Gabe Trahan, and architect /single mother Addison Sloan. For months, New Yorker Addison Sloan and New Orleans’ bar owner Gabe Trahan kept up their once monthly affair when Addison returned to the Big Easy for work and play. No personal information was exchanged by our leading couple; no history no stories, just time together one weekend per month. With Gabe and his brother Logan’s Trahan Tavern due for an extensive historical overhaul Gabe had no idea that the woman with whom he had was having a fling is part of the architectural firm about to renovate his bar. Enter Addison Sloan, and the woman with whom Gabe will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship and love between Gabe and Addison, and the potential fall-out when Gabe’s life as a single father begins to spiral out of control.

Throughout their earlier affair Addison and Gabe never revealed intimate details about their personal lives including that inevitable reveal that each was a single parent to a five-year old child. Addison Sloan is a reluctant single mother whose life changed the moment her daughter was born. A successful architect, Addison struggles to be the kind of mother her daughter deserves but a mother who has taught her child to be independent and strong. Gabe Trahan has always had the support of family and friends when it comes to his bar, and raising his five-year old son but an incident at school has Gabe questioning his parenting abilities, questions that may threaten his relationship with the woman he loves. An over-protective father Gabe may have done his son a disservice in his attempts to protect him against outside harm.

The relationship between Addison and Gabe is one of immediate attraction that started out as a monthly affair, and soon grew into something more. With Addison’s move to Louisiana, Gabe saw the opportunity to pursue our heroine for a full-time relationship. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. Gabe likes to talk dirty both in and out of the bedroom.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and charismatic secondary and supporting characters including a number of single parents at a local single-parent club. We are introduced to Gabe’s five-year old, quiet and unassuming son Cooper, and Gabe’s brother Logan Trahan; Addison’s exuberant five-year old daughter Stella; and the members of the Single Parents Support Group: Roxanne, Dana, Bea, Lexi, Ashley, Caleb and Corey. I did question the ‘maturity’ level of two five-year old children-a maturity level that, at time, outstripped the maturity of their parental guardians. Logan and Dana’s story line is next in TAKING IT EASY.

GOING DOWN EASY is a story of family, friendship, romance and love. Addison’s attitude and earlier behavior was a bit of a turn off but our heroine quickly realized that her opinions about motherhood and children weren’t necessarily wrong but difficult to acknowledge. The premise is engaging and heart breaking; the romance is seductive and intense; the characters are numerous, dynamic, flirty and animated. GOING DOWN EASY is a captivating, spicy and realistic look at family struggles, and building love.

Check out  EASY GOING for FREE-the prequel novella (see below) for Addison and Gabe’s introduction

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

_________________

EASY GOING
(Boys of the Big Easy .5)
by Erin Nicholas
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

 FREE ebook: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Apple / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 17, 2018

A sexy, New Orleans bartender with a panty-melting grin and a panty-dropping drawl.
A little jazz.
A few beignets.
And ONE hot weekend…

Yep, just one.

Supposedly.

••••••••

REVIEW: EASY GOING is the prequel novella to Erin Nicholas’ contemporary, adult BOYS OF THE BIG EASY erotic, romance series.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Gabe and Addison) EASY GOING is a quick introduction to Gabe Trahan and Addison Sloan. Gabe, along with his brother Logan, own and operate Trahan’s Tavern in the Big Easy. Meeting Addison Sloan, friend to Elena LeBlanc, an architect in the restoration of historic buildings, stirred something in Gabe long thought dormant. Propositioning Addison was easier than imagined, as both were down with a weekend of no-strings attached.

EASY GOING reveals some of the background and events leading up to Addison and Gabe’s introduction, as well as the build-up to GOING DOWN EASY. A very quick and sexy read EASY GOING will leave you wanting more.

Reviewed by Sandy

Developing My Hero and Heroine by Erin Nicholas

Going Down Easy is a hot, contemporary romance set in one of the sexiest cities in the country: New Orleans. I’ve loved New Orleans since my first visit there in 2011 and have been back multiple times. I never get tired of the place. There’s just something about the city that calls to me. The music, the history, the laid-back attitude, the food…there’s just so much to love. So finally, the right characters and stories came along and it was time to write a series set there.

Gabe and Addison were some of the easiest characters I’ve ever written about. Gabe is so…just everything I love in a hero: sexy, protective, funny, charming, a dirty-talker, loving, surrounded by friends and family. And then I added in being a single dad and like magic, Gabe Trahan was real just like that.

I love to write about heroes like Gabe. The strong, protective, hot guys who are very alpha but who also have this laid-back, charming, fun side. Him being a dad made that side very easy to show, but these laid-back charmers are very much my favorite guys to write and I have a lot of them 🙂 The main difference is the dad thing. I’ve written a few other single dads, but their kids were older so writing a guy who’s raising a little boy on his own and interacting with a five-year-old who is, actually, very different from Gabe was really a lot of fun.

Addison…oh, Addison…she is a mix of all the moms I know. She is tough and protective and in love with her daughter and totally fine with going it alone, yet vulnerable and never quite totally sure she’s getting it right. I love her honesty about that as well as her honesty about the mom thing not always being sunshine and roses. I know super moms and I know moms who struggle every day to get it right and I think ALL moms can relate to both really. That’s Addison for me—a real woman, a real mom, who’s doing her best, and not always getting it right, but loving her daughter more than anything. Which is what really matters in the end. Seeing her soften and open up with Gabe and Cooper was just so much fun.

I’ve written very strong, confident women before, but Addison, too, is unique in being a single parent. I haven’t done that with a mom before and I loved it. It was so fun to explore the thoughts and emotions of a single mom coming from her point of view. I’m a mom of two but have always had my husband, their dad, by my side. I’ve always admired single moms so much and this series is letting me really get into how amazing they, and really just parenthood in general, are.

In addition to my main characters, Gabe’s family, his brother and mom, are integral parts of the story because they’re integral parts of his life as a single dad. He’s also a part of a single parent support group (that also draws Addison in) and is made up of a number of awesome people who all need a story! So, the Boys of the Big Easy series is a very natural flow from this first book.

Erin Nicholas is the New York Times bestselling author of sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).

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If We Leap / If We Fall (What If Duet .5 & 1) by Nina Lane-Review & Excerpt Tour

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If We Leap / If We Fall (What If Duet .5 & 1) by Nina Lane-Review & Excerpt Tour

IF WE FALL
(What If Duet #1)
by Nina Lane
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: August 30, 2018

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 30, 2018

We fell in love. Then our world fell apart.

I wished so hard for Cole Danforth. And one day, he came true. He was my first boyfriend, my first lover, my first and only love. He should also have been my last.

But in a split-second, we were ripped apart, our lives broken, my heart shattered.

After ten years, I’ve returned to my hometown, the place of my greatest joy and darkest pain.

Cole is still here, but the beautiful boy I’d loved is gone. Now he’s a ruthless, unforgiving man determined to feed both my hatred and my lust.

Then our torturous past encroaches again, trapping us in a violent storm.

But this time, there is no escape.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: IF WE FALL is the first full length instalment in Nina Lane’s contemporary, adult WHAT IF Duet focusing on artist Josie Mays, and distillery owner Cole Danforth. For backstory and history I recommend reading the prequel novella-IF WE LEAP (see below).

Told from dual first person perspectives (Josie and Cole) IF WE FALL follows in the aftermath of a rekindling relationship between artist Josie Mays, and distillery owner Cole Danforth. Ten years earlier Josie Mays’ life was destroyed; her heart broken; and the boy that she loved walked away without looking back. From childhood best friends to high school / college sweethearts and lovers, Josie and Cole had been everything for one another but one night destroyed it all. Fast forward to present day wherein Josie May returns to her hometown of Castille, Maine in an effort to pay homage to the people she loved by painting a mural for the Castille Historical Society. Enter Cole Danforth, the only man that Josie has ever loved, and the man that broke what was left of her shredded heart. What ensues is the rekindling romance between Josie and Cole, and the potential fall-out as the truth about what happened years before may send Josie into a spiral from which she may never return.

IF WE FALL is a story of family, friendship, secrets and revenge. Cole has struggled all of his life to fit into the mould his father endeavored to present to the world. In private, Cole’s earlier years were a living h*ll but the public only saw what his father wanted them to see- a dedicated and respected businessman whose only son struggled to fit into his life. Years later, Cole’s actions begin to divide a town that was once dependant upon his father’s power, a power Cole is unwilling to propagate and pretend. Cold and damaged, Cole keeps secret the truth about the who, how, and why including what appears to be a calculated attempt to destroy the town. Josie Mays had fallen in love with the misunderstood Cole from the time she was nine years old, a love that has never waivered in the face of rejection, heartbreak and engulfing darkness. Returning to Castille, Josie suspected she would come face to face with her past but her past continues to push Josie out of his life.

The relationship between Josie and Cole is a friends to lovers/ second chance romance between two wounded souls who have loved one another for most of their lives. Josie knew that Cole’s home life wasn’t all hearts and flowers, and in this Josie was determined to be Cole’s anchor in an every worsening storm. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

IF WE FALL is an emotional, heart breaking and raw story line about love, lies and deception; hidden secrets and public perception. The premise is gritty and gripping; the romance is intimate and breath-taking; the characters are broken, tragic and lost. Nina Lane’s impassioned writing style is palpable; her characters and series come to life with every turn of the page. IF WE FALL ends of a cliff-hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

____________

IF WE LEAP
(What If Duet .5)
by Nina Lane
Genre: new adult,contemporary, romance

FREE ebook: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 18, 2018

Will he take the leap with me?

Cole Danforth was a troubled kid with a bad reputation. When I was nine years old, he rescued me from bullies trying to steal my Halloween candy. Thus began my decade-long crush on him.

Now, the summer after my freshman year in college, I discover the boy has turned into a gorgeous man who makes me melt. Every part of me wants him — my heart, my mind, my body. But Cole, struggling with the burden of his past, refuses to accept how good we are together.

I believe in us hard enough to take the chance. But will Cole take the leap of faith with me?

This novella prequel takes place ten years before If We Fall, Book One in Nina Lane’s What If duet.

••••••••

REVIEW: IF WE LEAP is the prequel novella in Nina Lane’s contemporary, adult WHAT IF Duet focusing on Cole Danforth, and Josie Mays.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Josie and Cole) IF WE LEAP takes place ten years (and more) prior to the events of book one IF WE FALL. The reader is up close and personal as seven-year old Josie Mays meets her would-be rescuer, ten-year old Cole Danforth, a trouble young boy who grows into a broken young man. From first love to heart breaking sorrow IF WE LEAP follows the building relationship and romance of two college age sweethearts whose lives are about to spiral out of control.

IF WE LEAP tells some of the backstory and history between our leading couple, and Cole’s dysfunctional family fall-out as a troubled reputation follows wherever he goes. The premise is revealing and inviting; the romance is passionate and tender; the characters are spirited, edgy and tragic.

Reviewed by Sandy

________

IF WE FLY
What If Duet #2
by Nina Lane
Release Date: September 13, 2018

Pre Order: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

We fell in love. Then our world fell apart.

I wished so hard for Cole Danforth. And one day, he came true. He was my first boyfriend, my first lover, my first and only love. He should also have been my last.

But in a split-second, we were ripped apart, our lives broken, my heart shattered.

After ten years, I’ve returned to my hometown, the place of my greatest joy and darkest pain.

Cole is still here, but the beautiful boy I’d loved is gone. Now he’s a ruthless, unforgiving man determined to feed both my hatred and my lust.

Then our torturous past encroaches again, trapping us in a violent storm.

But this time, there is no escape.

 

“Sir?” The security guard phones in from downstairs. “There’s a woman here insisting she needs to speak with you.”
“Name?”
“Josephine Mays.”
“Let her in.”
I turn off the intercom and unlock my office door. A few minutes pass before the door flies open. Josie barges in, her hands fisted and an angry light in her eyes.
“You are an asshole,” she snaps.
“I’ve been told.”
“How dare you pull that kind of stunt?”
“It’s the truth.”
“And we both know damned well you brought it up only because I’m involved.” She tosses her backpack and art portfolio onto a chair. She’s trembling with anger. “I don’t care what you think about me, but bringing the people of this town into our personal shit is low, even for you.”
My shoulders tense. “Even for me? What do you know about me?”
“Nothing anymore.” She slams her hands to her hips, her features twisting. “But I used to know everything about you. Do you remember that? Then you walked out on me right when I needed you the most, proving you were never the man I thought you were. Now I find out that you run this company like a dictator, you’re crushing independent businesses and putting people out of work, and you’re publicly trying to stop me from creating a mural that’s intended for both this town and my parents. What the hell happened to you?”
“You happened to me.”
The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. The pencil I’m holding breaks in two with the force of my grip.
Josie steps back, her eyes widening. Her dark hair is windblown, her cheeks flushed, her chest heaving under her old army jacket. I’d once had the right to comb her hair back from her forehead, slide my palm over her neck before edging my fingers into her V-necked T-shirt…
Anger crushes my chest. I shove away from my desk and stride toward her. Fear flashes in her green eyes, which pisses me off even more. When the fuck was she ever afraid of me?
I grab the lapels of her jacket, yanking her closer. Our lower bodies collide. She gasps, a little catching noise in the back of her throat that used to get me hot in a second.
It still does. My blood starts to boil. She tilts her head back, her eyes flashing. I lower my head to look at her, fighting to ignore her scent—goddamned summer leaves and cherry candy.
“I once would have done anything for you.” The words grate roughly from my throat. “And then I failed you in the worst possible way. I failed you, I failed Teddy, and I failed your parents.”
She stares at me, her eyes widening. “Cole, I—”
“When you left, I hoped with everything I was that you’d have a chance at a normal life.” I pull her closer, anger warring with the undeniable flare of lust. “That you could be happy again if you weren’t constantly surrounded by reminders of everything you lost. Everything I took from you.”
“Goddamn you, Cole Danforth.” Fire flames over her expression. She plants her hands on my chest and shoves herself away. “The only thing you took from me was you.” 


 

 

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she’s that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.

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