Just a Taste by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

Just a Taste by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

 

Just a Taste
O’Learys series – Book #5
by Shannyn SchroederRelease Date:  January 19, 2015

Just a TasteAmazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / BAM

Description:
Grief has brought them together again—will love open the door to their future? When it’s an O’Leary in the picture, finding out is just part of the adventure…

Carmen Delgado is left reeling when her father dies. Taking care of him has been her sole purpose for so long, she’s forgotten what it’s like to have dreams of her own. And with steady, sexy Liam O’Leary inheriting a share in her dad’s successful food truck, Carmen is suddenly free to explore her life’s possibilities. She never expected Liam to provide the kind of temptation she’s not sure she can resist…

A talented chef, Liam O’Leary has been itching to open his own restaurant for years—and the death of his mentor is a reminder that time passes too quickly. Gus’s Taco Taxi isn’t exactly what he dreamed of, but he can’t desert Gus’s daughter. Working side by side is an unexpected pleasure—and grownup Carmen is alluring in all new ways. Is love on the menu—or will old fears and insecurities drive them apart?

 

Review:

Just a Taste by Shannyn Schroeder is the 5th book in her wonderful O’Learys series. The O’Learys is a wonderful enjoyable series about a close knit Irish family, and in each book, we get to spend time with them all, as well as watch one of them find their mate.

Just a Taste belongs Liam O’Leary, who is a chef. Liam has always wanted his own restaurant, and is now working at high clientele establishment as the head chef. However, he is not happy, as he feels his boss does not appreciate him, and makes changes without his knowledge.

Our heroine is Carmen Delgado, the daughter of an old friend, who Liam worked for when he was young, and he taught him everything. We find out early on, that Carmen’s father, Gus has died, and has left his food truck to both Carmen and Liam. They need to run the truck for a year, before they can even attempt to sell. Needless to say, this brings Carmen and Liam together, as it has been years since they have seen each other.

What follows is sweet, slow to build romance between Liam and Carmen. It was fun to watch two friends work together, and learn from each other how the truck business works. While they end up enjoying their partnership, they begin to discover there is something more between them. Carmen has her own private issues, one being able to handle the loss of her mother and father in a short period. The other being her lack of self confidence in herself and her looks. When she was young, she was overweight, and though Carmen is now very beautiful, she does not see that. It will take Liam to show her how beautiful she is in every way.

I enjoyed the romance, as it was sweet, and soon became sizzling. I loved Liam, as he is exactly what every mother would want for their daughter. He was sweet, caring, loving and determined to win Carmen. They made a great couple. Most of all I loved seeing all the family again, as well as the fun of the truck. This really was wonderful story, and a great series. If you love romance, great couple, family atmosphere, then look no further than the O’Learys series. Just a Taste continues the trend of wonderful stories by Shannyn Schroeder.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Her Winning Formula by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

Her Winning Formula by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

 

Her Winning Formula
Hot & Nerdy series – Book #3
by Shannyn Schroeder
Release Date: November 24, 2014

Her Winning FormulaAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Chemistry major Felicity Stone can tell you everything about the way chemicals interact, but when it comes to social interaction, she needs schooling. Abandoned by her friends, Felicity is faced with spending spring break alone—unless she accepts a gorgeous stranger’s invitation to pose as his girlfriend at a family wedding. Not one to turn down a research opportunity, Felicity never expected it to produce such breathtaking results…

Teacher and baseball coach Lucas Tanner is fascinated by Felicity’s potent mix of spirit and scientist, not to mention her delicious curves. When Felicity asks him to return the favor by teaching her how to pick up guys, he can’t refuse—but he’s not at all happy with the idea of her using a formula for flirting on anyone but him. Can he convince her that together they have the perfect chemistry?

 

 

Review:

Her Winning Formula by Shannyn Schroeder is the 3rd book in her Hot & Nerdy series. I had enjoyed the first two books, but did have some minor issues. I was not sure if Felicity would interest me. However, I have to say that Her Winning Formula was the best one yet. I loved this fun, sexy and charming romance.

Felicity is our heroine, and she is the one who planned the spring break trip to Texas for her and her two friends. Layla and Charlie never made it, as we see what happened to them in the first two books. Felicity, who though smart and independent, is not confident in meeting men, and now that she is abandoned by her friends, she alone.   In the airport, she meets Lucas, our hero and she immediately rebuffs him. Of course, they end up sitting next to each other on the plane. Lucas is afraid of flying, and it is Felicity, who helps him relax during turbulence, which surprises herself, as she is not a conversationalist with the opposite sex. During their ride, Lucas, who finds himself attracted to Felicity, asks for her help. He is on his way to his brother’s wedding and his ex-girlfriend will be there too. Lucas wants Felicity to go to the wedding as his girlfriend, thereby stopping any attempt by his ex. After some persuasion, and knowing she is alone on this trip, she eventually agrees.

Lucas is a special-ed teacher & baseball coach; Felicity is a chemistry major at Harvard, where upon from graduation will work for her father. Using the suggestions and guidelines that Lucas taught her, Felicity was a hit with his family. Their chemistry between them became apparent quickly, and their sexual scenes were hot. Both have some minor issues, such as Lucas not wanting a relationship, and Felicity thinking no one is really interested in her. It was really fun to watch as Lucas teaches her the winning formula how to attract a man.

Her Winning Formula is a nice sweet charming romance between two people who are opposites, and yet perfect for each other. We got to enjoy watching their relationship grow, and how they get past those issues. If you enjoy novellas, romance, nice couples, and quick reads, I suggest to read Shannyn Schroeder’s Hot & Nerdy series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Her Perfect Game by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

Her Perfect Game by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

 

Her Perfect Game

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:

Spring break is supposed to be a week of fun in the sun for three childhood friends about to graduate from college. But one of them is ready to get her game on somewhere else…

Charlie Castle is an expert archer and a fierce warrior—in her favorite video game, anyway. But college life was a program she couldn’t quite master. To land a cybertech job without a degree, she’s entering a “hackfest” over spring break—where she also hopes to meet the sweet gamer who’s been flirting with her online. Instead, she runs into the hot guy who walked away years ago, and can’t fight the desire that comes rushing back.

Jonah Best has never gotten over Charlie, whose kisses were always as deliciously creative as her coding. But now that they’re face to face again, he doesn’t know how to admit that her online admirer is really him—or how to convince her that he’s offering her a job for her incredible skills, not her sex appeal. Can Jonah cut through their communication glitches and persuade Charlie that the next level up for them should be forever?

 

 

Review:

Her Perfect Game by Shannyn Schroeder is her second book in her Hot & Nerdy series. This is a novella series about three friends; the first book was about Layla, and in this book, the heroine is Charlie. The background story about gamers, and hackers. Charlie dropped out of college, and hasn’t told her friends. She wants a job, in the gamer field, especially in security, since she is good at hacking. Charlie learned all about how to hack from her ex boyfriend, Jonah, who up and left her three years ago. Charlie wants to go to Vegas gamer convention, and needs to win money at the hackfest she is attending. It is there she runs into Jonah.

Charlie finds out that Jonah works for a game production company, as their security expert to make the games hack preventive. Charlie happens to play the game that Jonah is in charge of, and unbeknownst to her, Jonah is Charlie’s online friend, under an assumed name. It doesn’t take long for both of them to rekindle their romance. Jonah regrets walking away years before, but at that time, he felt Charlie needed space to get over the death of a friend. Now he wants more, but will Charlie be able to forgive him or trust him.

This was an interesting story, being about gamers and hackers. The romance between Johan and Charlie did heat up the action, but Jonah still needed to come clean with Charlie about why he left her, as well as being the friend online. They were a likeable couple, but personally I did not feel the chemistry between them, though they did have hot sex scenes. It was a nice ending, though a bit rushed. Overall it was a fun, different and fast read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Her Best Shot by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

Her Best Shot by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

 

Her Best ShotAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:

With college graduation looming, three childhood friends vow to make spring break their last blast of pure fun. But at least one of them didn’t count on such incredible heat…

Layla Sharpe is definitely more math ninja than bikini babe, and her future has been calculated with razor precision. Convinced to let loose over spring break, Layla is finally ready to party—until her car breaks down halfway to her destination, leaving her stranded in Georgia with a mouthwateringly hot pool shark. She knows more than enough about angles to learn the game, but this week she wants him to appreciate her curves…

Phin Marks has never met a girl like Layla. She’s more Star Wars geek than seductress, and when he offers her a place to stay while her car is in the shop, he’s counting on the attraction between them to set the nights ablaze, no strings attached. But every moment he spends with Layla makes it harder to let her go. Can he persuade her to gamble in the most dangerous way possible…on forever

 

 

Review:

Her Best Shot by Shannyn Schroeder is the 1st book in her new Hot and Nerdy series. I love Shannyn’s O’Leary series, and couldn’t wait to see what she will do with this one.

Layla Sharpe is our heroine, and we meet her immediately. Layla is a math genius, and is just starting her spring break before graduation, by applying for an internship at NSA. She ends up being offered a job, and wants to celebrate with her two friends. Plans are made to meet her friend Felicity in Texas, but on her way, her car breaks down in Atlanta; she is low on money, and stranded. Layla goes to a bar to get a drink to calm down while waiting to see how long her car will take. She begins to watch a pool game ongoing, and a hot hunk catches her eye. Phin our hero, is a pool shark, who makes money winning against the competition; he is also a car mechanic. While Layla watches him, Phin begins to notice her.

With her car going to take a few days, Phin feels bad for Layla, as she does not have money to find a place to stay. He offers her to stay at his place, she could sleep on the couch. Of course, we know that the chances of that happening are slim. What follows is a sweet and sexy romance between Phin and Layla that started off as a one night stand. Felicity offers to pay for Layla to fly to Texas, but she decides to stay and have fun with Phin.

Layla gets anxiety attacks occasionally, and she is nervous about the job offer. She makes a quick decision to go with Phin to a tournament in California. I found this part to be somewhat far-fetched that Layla would decide to leave right before graduation to follow Phin.

Phin himself, a gypsy, found himself caring about Layla, but he did not want her to give up a promising career to follow him, so he pretends to make advances to another girl; which forces Layla to leave angrily and go back to school.

Layla graduates, accepts the job offer, and teaches herself how to play pool. Before she starts her new job, she attends the pool tournament, so she can be vengeful to Phin. Once Phin sees her, he forgets that he was really looking out for her, and goes all out to win her back. You will need to read the book to see what happens.

The story was a bit longer then a novella, but I did feel the ending was rushed, too abrupt. I thought it was a sweet romance, but I am not truly a fan of falling in love in a day or so. I liked both Layla and Phin, and thought they were a nice couple; though I felt something missing.   I plan to read the next two books in this series, as I do want to know what happens with Layla’s two friends.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Catch Your Breath by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

Catch Your Breath by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

 

Catch Your BreathAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
As kids they steered clear of one another–but now a beautiful, well-connected reporter and a sexy, driven detective are all grown-up and on the job. . .

Moira O’Leary’s work as a reporter gives her access to some of Chicago’s swankiest soirées. She knows how to navigate the jet-set crowd, and her style and confidence help her blend right in. But when her childhood crush starts popping up at posh events, her poise begins to falter–until she realizes she has the upper hand in a high-stakes game of secrets and seduction. . .

Jimmy O’Malley has always tried to avoid his friend Liam’s little sister. Something about Moira spelled trouble. But he’s out of his element working undercover in Chicago’s high society, and Moira is his ticket to the inner circle. As sparks begin to fly–and their chemistry heats up–Moira gets dangerously close to his investigation. Will Jimmy be forced to push her away to keep her safe–or will they surrender to a desire that could leave them breathless

 

Review:
Catch Your Breath by Shannyn Schroeder is the 4th book in her wonderful O’Leary series. This series is pure romance, and enjoyable fun books to read. The nice thing about this series is that even if you have not read the previous books, you can read anyone of these books as a standalone without missing too much. Shannyn throughout the book shows many of the O’Leary family members and you do not miss too much. Though it is always nice to start from the beginning.

Moira O’Leary is our heroine, and I loved Moira in this story. She is a strong, tough, independent and very passionate heroine. Moira is a reporter trying to get her big break, but is stuck at covering parties for the rich. At one of these parties, Moira sees Jimmy O’Malley, and wonders why he is at one of these parties. She has had a childhood crush on Jimmy, and even now she still finds herself very attracted to him. However, Jimmy wants nothing to do with his best friend’s (Liam O’Leary) little sister, even if she is now a gorgeous redhead.

Jimmy is a young detective, and he wants to move up the ladder. He is given an undercover job covering thefts at homes of the very rich. Jimmy is determined to use this as his stepping stone to help him rise up, and will let nothing stand in his way. Especially the familiar young lady who spots him at his first party acting undercover.

Moira jumps on the opportunity to get a big scoop, not to mention spend time with Jimmy and use her wiles to make him notice her. Jimmy though will be a tough nut to crack, since he considers her off limits because of his close relationship to her brother, whom he is afraid will not approve. But it will be easier said than done, as Jimmy finds himself unable to ignore Moira, and the sparks fly off the wall between them. In between this passion fill romance that sizzles throughout, there is a mystery. As Jimmy works to find the leaders behind the thefts, Moira begins to work on another angle for a story. This causes much conflict between them, as Jimmy doesn’t like her getting anywhere near his case, not to mention getting into danger.

As I noted, I loved the character of Moira. She was perfect in every way. Jimmy however, left me with mixed feelings. He was a hunk, and truly a nice guy, who really did care about Moira. But I also found him to be too macho or arrogant in his beliefs. He was one of the guys who wants full control of his woman, certainly not an independent one like Moira. A few times I wanted to smack him. I also thought the angst between them was a bit redundant. Will Moira, who has a lot of experience with her brothers at handling alpha males, be able to change Jimmy’s stubbornness? Is it possible that they can rise above their obstacles?

Catch Your Breath was a lighthearted, refreshing and fun read. The romance was sexy and hot, with a couple that despite their obstacles were perfect for each other. Shannyn Schroeder has written another wonderful storyline that continues with her O’Leary series, and I look forward to the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Something to Prove by Shannyn Schroeder – Review, Interview and Giveaway

Something to Prove by Shannyn Schroeder – Review, Interview & Giveaway

Something to ProveLinks to order Something To Prove:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Two ambitious people team up to prove themselves to their families—and find there may be more to their partnership than just business. . .

Elizabeth Brannigan is determined to show her father she’s capable of running the family business. Saving his struggling Chicago bar seems like the perfect project. But she’ll need a little help dealing with the rough crowd. Who better to assist her than the handsome co-owner of a thriving Irish pub? Of course, with so much work to do, there are bound to be a few late nights. . .

Colin O’Leary’s father passed away before he could prove to him that he wasn’t a screw-up. Now he wants to show his brother he’s responsible enough to own a bar of his own—and Elizabeth may be able to help him. But when their professional aspirations clash, tempers—and passions—flare. Are they mature enough to mix business with pleasure—or will they have to choose between the two?

 

Review:

Something to Prove by Shannyn Schroeder is the 3rd book in her O’Leary’s series.  I have not read the first two books in this series, as this is the first time I have read Schroeder.  After reading this book, I want to go back to the first two books and find out more about this great O’Leary family.  Don’t worry though, this book can be read as a standalone, as you meet most of the O’Leary’s throughout the story. 

Something to Prove is about Colin O’Leary and Elizabeth Brannigan.  Elizabeth, who works for her father’s business, has something to prove, as she is always in competition with her older brother.  She arrives in Chicago to take over an Irish Pub that is a disaster & falling apart.   Elizabeth knows that her brother owns the property, but she is determined to fix it up and make it a viable property to prove to her family that she can do this on her own and sell at a profit.  But it isn’t going to be easy, as she is faced with an impossible task, as well as incompetent employees.

Colin has recently returned to help his family with the family pub, which his brother Ryan runs.  Colin has to prove himself, as Ryan doesn’t trust him not to leave them again.  When Elizabeth does research on the bars in Chicago, she meets Colin and in a short time, Colin goes to work for Elizabeth to help revamp the Irish Pub.  He continues to work late at night for his family bar, but Colin wants his own place one day.  This time he wants the responsibility and to stay. 

There is immediate chemistry between Colin and Elizabeth, but they are two very unlikely people to make any kind of relationship work.  Elizabeth is uptight, a workaholic, and is obsessed with proving to her father that she is capable of taking over his business, as he nears retirement.  She resents her brother always being the favorite in her fathers’ eyes.  She wants nothing to stand in her way, and that includes the sexy fun loving, Colin.  He is most definitely a hunk, who is also a ladies man.  But even though Elizabeth will not mix pleasure with business, Colin finds himself totally attracted to her.  What follows is a wonderful contemporary romance that is against all odds,  

Besides the wonderful romance that slowly builds; the storyline of revamping the bar, sabotage, and meeting the other O’Leary’s was a lot of fun.  Watching Elizabeth slowly find herself unable to resist Colin, and part of her trying to fight it, as she plans to leave Chicago when her job is done, made this even better.   In comparison to Colin, with a wonderful family, Elizabeth was very much alone.  Her father’s tactic of putting the siblings in competition against each other was sad.

At times, Elizabeth was annoying, especially refusing to see how Colin felt about her, and her stubbornness in thinking she had to do this herself, even to the point of not seeing her brother trying to make amends.  Will Elizabeth allow herself to open up her heart to Colin?  Will she convince her father that she can run the company? Will Colin prove himself to have his own place?  Will they both end up together?   You must read this book to find the answers.  I really enjoyed this fabulous and unlikely romance that was a fast and enjoyable read, despite Elizabeth being annoying at times.  Shannyn Schroeder weaves a wonderful story of two people trying to prove themselves to their families, each with their own issues, and finding love along the way.  I wholly recommend reading Something to Prove.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher



Interview-Blueshannyn schroeder

We would like to welcome Shannyn Schroeder to The Reading Cafe today.  Shannyn is here to discuss her new release, Something to Prove, as well as to tell us what she has upcoming in 2014.

 

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

 

 

 

Hi Shannyn.  Thank you for taking the time today, to answer some questions for our members at The Reading Café.  We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Shannyn:  First, thank you for having me today. I’m a former teacher who discovered romance after deciding to stay at home with my kids. After reading hundreds of books, I decided to try my hand at writing one.

TRC:  Did you always have an interest in writing?  When and how did you first start writing?

Shannyn:  When I was younger, I wrote. Throughout high school and college, I often wrote poetry or short stories. I never considered writing as a career because I was sure I wouldn’t get a regular paycheck – and I wanted that paycheck. Once I started teaching, writing fell by the wayside, but I rediscovered it after staying at home with my kids for a few years.

TRC:  Something to Prove was released in January, which is the 3rd book in your The O’Leary’s series.  For our members who have not read this series, can you tell us the premise of The O’Leary’s?

Shannyn:   The O’Learys series is based around a large Irish-American family in Chicago. When I wrote the first book, I hadn’t planned to write a series, but by the time I learned about all the O’Leary siblings, I knew I wanted to write their stories.

Each book in the series is a standalone – only the supporting characters and the city of Chicago are the same. There are no cliffhangers or overarching plot elements. Each O’Leary sibling is getting his or her own story.

TRC:  Can you please give us a brief description of Something to Prove?

Shannyn:  Something to Prove is the story of Colin O’Leary, the oldest, and Elizabeth Brannigan. They team up to rescue a failing bar. These two are opposites. Colin is laid back and friendly, while Elizabeth is all business. However, they complement each other well, and they’re both working toward the same goal: to make the bar profitable to prove to their families that they are successful.

TRC:  You write contemporary romance. Have you thought about writing in other genres?

Shannyn:  When I started writing, my first 2 attempts at novels were romantic suspense. I love to read romantic suspense and as writers, we’re told to write what you know. The premise for these books was pretty good, but something was off. It was my voice. It wasn’t until I wrote More Than This that I found my writing voice is contemporary romance. I might try something else somewhere along the line, but I’m having a lot of fun right now.

TRC:  Can you please tell us what you working on now, and what you have upcoming in 2014?

Shannyn:  I just turned in the revisions for Catch Your Breath, the 4th O’Leary book – Moira’s story—which will come out in July. I’m starting Liam’s book now. In addition, I will have 3 non-O’Leary novellas coming out later in 2014.

TRC:  What is your writing process?  Do you like to outline your story before you start? Do you have a specific place you like to write?  Is there a special time of day that works best for you?

Shannyn:  My process starts with learning about the characters. I create collages with photos of famous people who look like my characters (or at least how I envision them). I also create a soundtrack for each book. Then I spend some time staring at pictures and listening to the music. I don’t outline or plot much of anything. I picture some scenes that I think will be in the book, but for the most part, I just sit down and write.

I do have a desk in the guest room where I write. My corkboard hangs nearby with my collages. I do most of my writing there, but I can write anywhere. When I started writing, I only wrote while my kids were in activities – an hour of ballet, an hour of writing. Now that I have deadlines, I try to have a better routine, but I still work around my kids’ schedules. I do my day job stuff in the morning and then write for an hour or 2 before I get the kids from school. Sometimes I write some more at night after they’re in bed.

TRC:  Many authors have friends or family, that they bounce ideas and information back and forth.  Do you have anyone you like to discuss your story with? 

Shannyn:  I have my critique partner, Paly. She is a lifesaver. She likes to plot, which is something I’m horrible at, so when I need to figure out where my story is going, I call her. She also reads my early drafts and lets me know when I’ve screwed up a character.

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: chocolate or popcorn

Favorite Dessert: chocolate cheesecake

Favorite TV Show: too many to choose from – Justified, Shameless, Criminal Minds,  Sherlock Holmes…I could go on and on

Favorite Actor & Actress (TV or Movies) I don’t have a favorite

Last Book You Read: Too Good to be True by Kristan Higgins

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye) will always hold a special place in my heart, even though I haven’t read him since I was 16. My favorite romance character changes too often because I fall in love all the time with the characters I read.

Milk or Dark Chocolate: milk, unless it’s sea salted dark with caramel

Dog or Cat: dog

Thank you Shannyn for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you the best of luck with Something to Prove.  Please keep us informed about your upcoming new releases, as we look forward to working with you again.
giveaway

Shannyn & Kensington Books are offering an ecopy of Something to Prove to one lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-In at the top of the page or by using one of our social log-ins.

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

3. Giveaway open USA only.

4. Giveaway runs from February 2, 2014 to February 6, 2014

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