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Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle – Dual Review & Giveaway

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Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle – Dual Review & Giveaway

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HOLD YOUR BREATH
Search and Rescue #1
by Katie Ruggle
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: April 5, 2016

 

HOld your breathAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
As the captain of Field County’s ice rescue dive team, Callum Cook is driven to perfection. But when he meets new diver Louise “Lou” Sparks, all that hard-won order is obliterated in an instant. Lou is a hurricane. A walking disaster. And with her, he’s never felt more alive…even if keeping her safe may just kill him.

Lou’s new to the Rockies, intent on escaping her controlling ex, and she’s determined to make it on her own terms…no matter how tempting Callum may be. But when a routine training exercise unearths a body, Lou and Callum find themselves thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who will stop at nothing to silence Lou-and prove that not even her new Search and Rescue family can keep her safe forever.

 

 

Barb’s Review:

Hold your Breath by Katie Ruggle is the 1st book in her Search and Rescue series.  What I enjoyed about this book was that it had a bit of everything;  romance, suspense, action, excitement and a mystery.  What can be better, especially if the author does it right, and Katie Ruggle did a wonderful job with this story.

In the prequel, we met Lou and Callum, and in Hold You Breath we get their full story.  Lou Sparks is our heroine, who recently moved to the Rockies and joins the Search and Resuce Ice Dive team.  Lou left her home to escape her demanding parents and an ex boyfriend for the freedom to live her life her way.  While in training, she finds herself attracted to the team captain, Callum Cook, who is our hero.

Callum is tough, no nonsense leader, and Lou is his opposite.  She is nervous learning the diving exercises, but she also is lots of fun, joking around with her teammates.  When she accidently comes across a dead body in the ice, it will be Callum who will step up and help her.  Callum will discover that Lou has had some incidents against her, such as tires slashed and he will begin to protect her against a possible stalker.  More incidents will happen that will raise the danger level, not to mention that Lou and Callum will be thrown together and a romance begins to blossom.

What follows is an exciting dual mystery.  Who is the dead headless man they found in the ice?  Who is stalking Lou? 

Callum and Lou take it upon themselves to try to find the clues to the identity of the victim, and as their relationship gets hotter, the stalker becomes more dangerous.  Callum will stay close to Lou, as the stakes escalate, with her life very much at risk.  The last third of the book was very suspenseful and exciting.  I could not put the book down, as I needed to know what would happen.  I really like Lou and Callum as a couple, as they were perfect for each other.  She was outgoing and lively; it was great to see him fall hard for Lou and enjoy her fun loving ways.  Hold Your Breath was a fun, exciting read, with lots of action, suspense, especially with some of the ice rescue scenes.  I wholly recommend you to read this series.

 

Rachel’s Review:

4 out of 5 for this reader folks!

That was a different read for me .. a really good kind of different that may have opened my eyes to a different kind of contemporary romance … mystery and suspense.

So a small disclaimer here .. I am an veteran Canadian army medic, so this book was extremely enticing and captivating from the first page.  I mean mix a hot guy with a hot girl, add in dashes of secondary characters that you know will get their own story, super mystery and suspense .. AND add rescue/medical/dive team .. ummmm …YES PLEASE!  LOL

Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle is the first book of her new series called “Search and Rescue“.  I will say that this book revolves more on the mystery/suspense side than it did the romance, and do not get me wrong, I loved the mystery, but I am a fan of hot smut in my romance books and this one kind of fell short on the heat.  I am always a glass half full kind of reader though, so perhaps the lack of smut made me concentrate of what I would call a slow burn, fun and quirky moments and a heart racing climax.  So you see .. smut would of been the cherry on the sundae, but the sundae was still very yummy!  LOL

Louise Sparks (“Lou” to most) has just moved to the Rockies and joined the Search and Rescue Dive team stationed there.  She is starting a new life away from a past she really wants to forget.  She is a hot mess at times while still being really good at what she does (serious oxymoron there, but it made her absolutely endearing).  If she messes up, it’s seems to always be in front of the one man she wants to impress … her leader.

Callum Cook is one straight up, neat freak, OCD, serious all the time leader of this dive team.  He is intimidating, stand offish, but very good at what he does as well.  He also does not know that this mess of a new team mate is about to change his life.  While he is protective in nature, it is extremely amplified when he learns that Lou is being stalked and may be in danger.

These two start off as team mates trying to solve a case when a corpse in uncovered during a training exercise.  There is a friendship that does bloom, and while a mutual attraction is there, both take this case very serious and make it a priority.  As time passes and mystery and suspense heighten, feelings, attraction and ultimate love comes to surface.  There were many moments I found myself chuckling at their scenes of crazy .. these guys compliment each other so well which made the story in my opinion.

This story was fantastic.  As I am a self confessed smut reader, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I loved the mystery and suspense here as opposed to the “let’s get it on” moments.  (GASP .. did I just admit that??  LOL) These two bloomed before us with every page flip and I admit I actually read the last chapters half way thru because I had to know what was what so I could enjoy the journey .. yes .. I’m strange!  LOL

Will absolutely read this entire series as it releases and I would recommend this book wholeheartedly!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

 

 

 

giveaway

Katie’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of HOLD YOUR BREATH to ONE (1) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

4. Please LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. Please LIKE us on GOODREADS  for an additional entry.

6. Please LIKE KATIE RUGGLE on FACEBOOK.

7. Giveaway is open to US / Canada only

8. Giveaway runs from April 5 – 9,  2016

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Seduction by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

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Seduction by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

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SeductionAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Tristan is a man who knows what he wants. And he wants Kat in his bed. All he has to do is convince her they belong together . . .

Kat knows the connection she and Tristan share is special. Her British bad boy is too much of everything: too hot, too arrogant, too irresistible to stay away from. He’s her addiction and one night with him isn’t enough.

That’s what hurts the most. They can’t date, can’t be a normal couple, not when their parents are getting married. Because now that she knows he’s going to be her stepbrother, no one can ever find out what they’ve done . .

Review:

4.5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

I REALLY love a well written serial series.   I have been fortunate in finding authors that are simply incredible at stuffing a whole lot of story in a small amount of pages.  You can bet this is a hard thing for an author to do, and Lauren Smith make it look effortless.  The way I see it .. they have to fit an intro, climax and either a cliffhanger and conclusion with each serial that is released, yet make it feel part of a huge story.  Seduction is the second book of Lauren Smith‘s “Her British Stepbrother” series and it sure has it all!

This book picks up where the first book left off.  Tristen (our yummy hot Brit) and Kat (our sweet American girl), have begun one hot romance only to discover that they are about to become step-siblings.  Completely shocked and resigned to stay away from each other for the benefit of their families, each tries to carry on with their lives.  Except, what do you do when your life was just jump started by someone who is likely “the one”?  These two really try and stay away, but this magnetic pull is just impossible to ignore.  So … do they carry on in a secret relationship of sorts (knowing full well that this could ruin many things for many people) until .. maybe … the inevitable happens??  You will have to read this serial to find out!

Lots of angst in this part of the serial.  You really feel the sense of obligation by both main characters.  I mentioned before in my previous review, that some people may find this kind of book taboo.  It is not.  They are not step-siblings yet, AND they met before they even knew of their parents relationship .. also they share no blood relation.  I also made mention that this genre has been really hammered in the romance world, but once again, Lauren Smith delivers some class and maturity that sets her apart from other authors.  The heat and steamy scenes intensifies and the story is absolutely believable,

You ABSOLUTELY must read the first serial to read this one.  Another small cliffhanger with this one, and I am so anxious to read the conclusion!  WRITE LAUREN WRITE!  LOL

HAPPY READING!

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

 

giveaway

Lauren is graciously offering an e-copy of one book (reader’s choice) from her backlist to TWO (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Lauren Smith on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway open Internationally

8. Giveaway runs from March 9 – March 13, 2016

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Wild Aces by Marni Mann – a Review

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Wild Aces by Marni Mann – a Review

 

Wild AcesAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

DESCRIPTION
Trapper Montgomery
His darkness drew me in. 
A mystery with a past I wanted to solve. 
He was cold, like ice, but set me on fire.
A heat I hadn’t felt in ages.
But when I saw his face, I burned…
In mourning
Again.

Brea Bradley
She melted from my voice–shuddered from my touch.
But trembled from the memories
That my face brought back.
She wanted more…
Maybe even him.
I wasn’t the hand she counted on.
But I was what she was dealt…
A Wild Ace with no way to win. 

 

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

OMG Marni Mann!  LOVED THIS!  I thought Derek was hot .. but Trapper .. OH MY!  LOL

Wild Aces by Marni Mann is a spin off of her Unblocked series.  It centers around Brea (Frankie’s friend) and Trapper.  I absolutely loved Derek and Frankie together so I knew that if Marni gave Brea and Trapper half of that kind of of chemistry, then I would be happy!  Well it was a heck of a lot more than half and I now have a new book boyfriend!  LOL

Brea is now partner to Frankie in the real estate world and seems to have taken on the attitude that life is all about all work.  It’s all she does.  Her BFF Frankie has fallen in love and is living the life that captures the best of both worlds, and Brea is envious and starting to think she needs this as well.  As much as she loves her work, she feels something missing and is restless because of it.

Trapper is a professional poker player, straight up hard ass and smexy as all hell and has some serious demons.  He is a dirty talker, makes no apology for who he is and as it turns out, he is quite taken with this mysterious woman he has met at Derek and Frankie’s masquerade party.

The chemistry is off the charts where Trapper and Brea are concerned, and while the masks remained on during their encounter it didn’t really matter.  As Trapper had to head out to Las Vegas right after the party, the encounters continued via technology but still without revealing their faces.  When the real “stripped of mystery encounter” happens .. OMG .. well done Marni is all I have to say!  LOL

This story is told from both Trapper and Brea, which I personally love as you get to peek inside both their minds.  Both are dealing with some serious  &^^&% personally, but when they are together it’s like they are given permission to heal.  I am sure you gather that they are off the charts sexy and let me tell you, Marni has a serious talent for build up lusty moments and then delivering the big bang.  LMAO!  I especially loved the snippets of Derek and Frankie that we get as well, and while I highly recommend that you read the Unblocked series, to enjoy this book you do not need to.  I happen to love that I got some personal jokes and meanings though because I had read the Unblocked series .. depends on what you like!

So Marni Mann was bumped on my “must read” list a while back and this only solidifies why.  Serious, concrete all around amazing story, that is full of all I covet in my contemporary erotic reading.  Page turning, captivating and “I just melted in a serious puddle because that was fricken hot”, I highly recommend this author and this book!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

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Her Wicked Proposal by Lauren Smith – a Review

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Her Wicked Proposal by Lauren Smith – a Review

 

Her Wicked ProposalAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

DESCRIPTION
He doesn’t need his eyes to uncover her true beauty.

The League of Rogues, Book 3

Cedric, Viscount Sheridan, is cursed. Once the ton’s golden boy, the loss of his sight has left him a reclusive shell of man. His days of womanizing, horse racing and pistol shooting lost forever.

Offered the chance to recapture a small part of his old life, he can’t refuse—even if it means accepting the shocking proposal of the infamous ice maiden, Anne Chessley.

Still reeling from her father’s death, Anne’s deepest wish is to avoid the hordes of fortune hunters who will soon be beating down her door. Proposing marriage to Cedric is an act of desperation, his unexpected acceptance a strange and wonderful dream.

His only stipulation: she must respond passionately and wantonly in his bed. Her agreement barely crosses her lips before he begins a sensual assault on the icy walls bitter secrets have built around her heart.

Yet even as they catch a glimpse of true happiness, betrayal is poised to sweep them away on opposing tides of danger.

Warning: Contains an outwardly aloof heroine with a secretly tender heart, a once-notorious rake who isn’t quite as rusty at seduction as he feared, and a band of rogues who join together to make sure happily-ever-afters do come true. 

 

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

OH MY WORD … this series gets better and better!  Lauren Smith .. girl … you knocked this one out of the park! 🙂

Her Wicked Proposal is the third book of Lauren Smith‘s “The League of Rogue” series. This series revolves around some feisty, rakish and most definite rogue gentlemen bad boys and their sassy kick ass lady loves.  Set in England in the early 1800’s, all these layers makes for a wonderful, adventurous and at time straight up naughty historical romance.

Cedric was once the golden boy/notorious rake of ton.  He lived his life out loud and without a care.  When he was blinded while trying to save his sister, all of that changed and he became quite the recluse.  Having to learn how to live life with no eyesight, Cedric has lost that spark that made him so vibrant.  The spark is still there a little however, and little does Cedric realize that it will be a cold block of ice that will set it ablaze.

Anne just so happens to be that block of ice.  Outwardly, she presents herself as a cold and aloof woman.  Inside, she is a whole lot of steamy woman.  Having turned down Cedric’s advances prior to his accident, she now believes that he may be the answer to her prayers.  Anne has come into a large inheritance and does not want the hassle of fortune hunters .. so she decides to propose marriage to a man that she believes will never be a bother her.  Only there is one condition to this marriage .. Cedric wants Anne’s passion in bed chamber.

Off these two go!  A smoldering romance blooms despite either of them truely believing love is possible.  Anne makes Cedric believe that life can go on despite his blindness, and Cedric gets to the core of why Anne is so icy.  Both their stories are heart shattering, and with danger lurking from the series villain Mr Jackass to the core Hugo, this makes for an exciting read.

This was absolutely my fave book of this series so far.  I just gushed and fell in love with this couple.  This book is told from multiple points of view which I loved.  It also brings back the previous two books heroes/heroines and villains.  I am in absolute love with the way Lauren writes historical romance.  I see every little detail clearly in my mind, I feel every emotion meant to be felt, and even the villain is perfect as I hate everything about him too!

If you are looking for a humorous  action pack, adventurous historical romance series .. this is it!  I strongly recommend you read this series in order for the full impact.  Get writing Lauren .. I am so excited for you next one! 🙂

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

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Forbidden: Her British Stepbrother by Lauren Smith – a Review

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Forbidden: Her British Stepbrother by Lauren Smith – a Review

 

Forbidden Her British StepbrotherAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

DESCRIPTION:
Kat has always been a good girl. She studies hard and never stays out too late. But when sitting in a pub on her birthday, she realizes she’s a nineteen-year-old virgin who’s never really lived. And she wants tonight to be the night that changes.

Then she sees him walk in. He’s tall, dark, handsome, and straight out of her deepest fantasies. His voice makes her knees feel weak, and when he smiles, she imagines him doing wicked things to her in bed. From the look in his eyes, she knows he’s imagining it too. So when he asks if he can walk her home, she hears herself whisper yes . . .
 
REVIEW
 
4 out of 5 for this reader folks!
 
Forbidden by Lauren Smith is part one of a three part serial called “Her British Stepbrother“.  Before any of you decide that right there this may not be the book for you, let me tell you that this is classy writing.  The couple finds out they are to become step siblings after the relationship has started.  In my romance reads. I do not consider this taboo.  I also found that Lauren writes this kind of genre in a very different manner than some of the other authors out there.  Some authors can get very cheesy and again .. love that Lauren writes a believable story and keep it classy.
 
Kat is a 19 year old good American girl who is attending college in Britian.  She is tired of always being the good girl and decides on the spot that she is going to take a chance and do something a little crazy and wild.  She kisses a perfectly hot stranger in the middle of a bar.
 
Tristan is the epitome of “has it all”.  He has the good looks, charm, body and he is also about to inherit a British title which makes him very .. uummm.. coveted.  He is also bored to all ends.  When he meets Kat in a bar and she plants the kiss of all kisses, something comes to life inside of him.  In her he finds some excitement.  Kat is something perfectly different, and will be the one to likely tame him, but except his wild side, all at once.
 
Off we go on a romance ride.  These two are smoking hot together, compliment each other so well, and of course have their typical relationship bumps .. well I guess finding out that you are getting involved with your step sibling may not be classified simply as a bump, but you get the picture!  LOL
 
I knew how this first part was going to end, and while typical, I have to say that it really didn’t matter to me.  I enjoyed every single character building scene that when the ending came I was like … “Bring on the next part and let’s get this party started!”  LOL
 
I am pumped for the next part .. can you tell?  Short, fantastic read, with the promise of more to come. Lauren Smith has turned into an “automatic purchase” author to me.
 
HAPPY READING! 🙂

 

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

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The Rake’s Irish Lady by Barbara Monajem – a Review

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The Rake’s Irish Lady by Barbara Monajem – a Review

 

The Rake's Irish LadyAmazon

DESCRIPTION
 
ONE WILD NIGHT . . . 

Widowed & lonely, Bridget O’Shaughnessy Black indulges herself in a night of pleasure. 
After all, she’s in disguise. And the baby girl? An unexpected blessing. . .until an old flame claims the child as his own to force Bridget to marry him. 

ONE DETERMINED LADY . . . 

Many women pursued Colin Warren, but only one climbed in his bedchamber window. When Bridget does it for the second time, she doesn’t have fun in mind. Colin is unfit to be a parent, and yet he has no choice but to acknowledge the little girl. 

RISKING EVERYTHING FOR LOVE 

Circumstances force Bridget and Colin together, yet grave differences divide them. Can love bridge the chasm that keeps them apart?
 
REVIEW
 
5 out of 5 for this reader folks!
 
I LOVED this book!  The Rake’s Irish Lady by Barbara Monajem is the second book in her Scandalous Kisses series.  I remember really enjoying the first book and this one absolutely delivered the same way.
 
Bridget O’Shaughnessy Black is half Irish/English but her stereotypical Irish side is prevalent in her daily life.  She is feisty and daring, but she also tones it down perfectly for polite English society.  Bridget is also a widower with a six year old girl.  She absolutely loved her husband but a few months after his death her loneliness gets the better of her, and she finds herself climbing into a mans window for a night of passion.  This passion created her daughter Sylvie, who she has introduced as her late husbands daughter
 
Colin Warren is one bored, lost, in a rut English gentlemen.  He just lives day by day, hoping for some excitement.  He gambles, is a rake with the ladies, but he moves through his life with no purpose, almost apathetic to the world in general.  
 
When Bridget is blackmailed by an old lover, she tracks down Colin to try and get him to claim Sylvie as his.  Colin wants no part of it, but out of the many unmemorable woman in his past, he sure does remember Bridget.  As they go through adventure, danger, time spent together and more, Colin realized he is coming back to life.  Will they both realize they have more to gain than to lose before it’s too late?
 
This was a page tuner for me.  I read it in one sitting (LOVE the holidays ..lol), and just basked in this romance.  The silliness, idiot moments were completely acceptable in this story as you can tell by the characters personalities that this is likely what they would do.  I loved Colin interacting with his daughter, although Sylvie really made him work for it.  Bridget’s determination to do everything she can to provide happiness to both herself and Sylvie is admirable.  She could of settled for a whole new life that offered stability, but trusting her gut was the best thing she could of done!
 
A wonderful historical romance, that flowed and had some yummy steamy moments, I am happy to recommend this series to anyone who likes this genre! 🙂
 
HAPPY READING and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🙂


Reviewed by Rachel


Copy provided by Author
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The Gilded Chain by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

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The Gilded Chain by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

 

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The Gilded ChainAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

DESCRIPTION
Explore a hidden world of erotic fantasies, where the greatest pleasures are stolen and the fiercest passions are untamed. . . 

For years, Callie Taylor has been obsessed with two things: a man she can never have and escaping to Paris where she can follow her artistic passions. But everything changes when Callie meets Wes Thorne, a wealthy, mysterious art collector and famous dominant. Despite all the nights she’s spent dreaming of another man, it is Wes’s predatory gaze that suddenly consumes her every thought and sets her body on fire. One touch from him promises unforgettable passion, but Callie knows that passion often comes with a price… 

From the moment he sets eyes on Callie, Wes is intrigued by her artistic talent and her delightful innocence of all things erotic. A stolen kiss leaves him aching and desperate to claim her in a way he’s never wanted any woman. But first he must convince her to surrender her control. And what better place to seduce an artistic soul like Callie’s than Paris? 
 

REVIEW
 
5 out of 5 for this reader folks! 🙂
 
The Gilded Chain by Lauren Smith is the third book in her Surrender series and the one that I was looking forward to the most so far.  I read this series all at once, so I felt like the build up for this third book was a long yummy tease as opposed to reading them on release days and letting time pass by.  I was completely immersed into this world where hot male Dom meets sexy sub, finds their way to each other through heartache, angst and odds.  I have to tell you though, these stories are all tied together perfectly so I do recommend you read this entire series.  There is way too much you will miss if you do not!  
 
Wes Thorne (swoon Wes), is a wealthy art collector, very sexy, unavailable for anything long term, playboy, guarded and a Dom.  No woman has ever kept his attention long term and life is for what he desires, when he desires it.  He makes no apologies for who he is and takes what he wants.  Right now … Wes wants Callie.
 
Callie Taylor is an artist, sweet, innocent, hardworking, talented and very heartbroken.  She has to come to terms with the man of her dreams falling in love with another.  She has sworn off men and decided to strictly concentrate on her art.   When she is literally swept away to Paris, she is completely blanketed in art and an attraction to a man she feels she has no right to be attracted to.  How can she feel this pull to Wes if he heart was supposedly given to another?
 
Thrown together with a dash of mystery, and a whole lot of passion, Wes and Callie explore a BDSM relationship.  Wes feels himself coming alive and well … FEEL!  Callie learns that her heart isn’t as shattered as she thought it to be.  Both learn to let go by indulging in passion via bedroom play and art.
 
HOLY HOT READ!  If you are into erotica and/or BDSM novels, please do yourself a favour and check this series out.  I was completely sucked into the awesome formula of  stunning bad boy and sweet innocent girl falling in love.  I loved the mystery story line that Lauren has included in each novel of this series as well .. AND I am in serious anticipation of  the next book.
 
If you are looking for an indulgent smutty read this holiday season, I highly recommend this one!
 
HAPPY READING! 🙂



Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

 

giveaway

Lauren is graciously offering a $15.00 Amazon gift card to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Lauren Smith on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on TSU for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway open Internationally

9. Giveaway runs from December 8 – December 12, 2015

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The Bite of Winter by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

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The Bite of Winter by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

 

The Bite of Winter Banner-Lauren Smith

 

The Bite of WinterAmazon / Barnes & Noble / BAM

DESCRIPTION
She is theirs to claim. They are hers to save.

Zoey Blake is about as far down on her luck as she can get. A car crash took her parents, leaving her destitute and on the street. When she’s attacked by another homeless person, her lifeblood drains away as her fading vision is filled with the face of a handsome stranger.

Ian Kennedy, a century old Irish vampire, never could resist rescuing a stray. As a few drops of his blood heals Zoey’s wounds, he realizes she’s a sweet, tempting, flesh-and-blood woman. But there’s one problem. Connor, who made Ian promise decades ago: no more mortal lovers.

After another vampire murdered his soulmate, Connor O’Shea swore never to let amortal woman pay the price for loving him. Until he feels Zoey’s skin and tastes her lips.She makes him want to break that vow.

Zoey finds herself caught in their web of seduction. But as Christmas draws near andher grief deepens, happiness seems far out of reach. And Ian and Connor join forces to prove their love is sacred, special…and forever.

Warning: This book contains two scorching-hot Irish vampires, one lady with plenty of pluck but zero luck, naughty lingerie, and enough Christmas cheer to redeem even the darkest creatures.

 

REVIEW

4 out of 5 for this reader folks! 

That was a quick and yummy read!  

The Bite of Winter by Lauren Smith is the first book (novella) of her Love Bites series.  Featuring two Irish Vampires and one lucky lady who is about to experience life in a whole new way, I have to say I was completely engaged in the story the entire time.  

Zoey is a little more than down on her luck.  Living on the streets, feeling hopeless and struggling to make sense of what happened to her life, there is no surprise when she finds herself brutally attacked and left for dead.   

Ian cannot stand to see this small woman suffer.  Out on the streets to feed, he finds himself wanting to save this wee mortal and decides to intervene and feed her his blood, healing her wounds. One small problem .. he can’t seem to leave her be, so he scoops her up and takes her home knowing he’ll have to deal with his friend’s wrath.

Conner, harden with time of mourning and loss, is floored that Ian would bring home another mortal … especially after losing their mortal mate many years ago.  Something about Zoey is calling to him however, and before he knows it, he is doing things he’d never thought he’d do .. again.

Off we go in a menage romance full of fun scary vampires and one girl who seems to have hit the jackpot.  Add in a dash of Christmas, danger lurking, true mates and some hot smexy scenes, and you are left feeling quite satisfied.  I am interested to see where this series is going, and what is coming next.

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

 

giveaway

Lauren is graciously offering a $15.00 Amazon gift card to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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