Thursday, January 21, 2016

Hearts Afire Anthology ~ Cover Reveal

Genre: LGBT Valentine's Romances
Release Date: February 14, 2016

Limited Edition 

Plan to curl up with this 6-author, all new story, Valentine's Day anthology. M/M, F/F, Dark Erotica, Menage - want a sneak peek on what's inside?

My Men by Andrea Smith

Here you have the much awaited sequel to "These Men" first released in the BEND Anthology. Can be read as a stand alone, follow the bumpy road of Paige and her men, Cain Maddox and Eli Chambers! The trio is intent on having a baby, but when a non-stork delivery literally lands on their doorstep, someone from Eli's past puts a major wrinkle in those plans. It's a hot summer in DC in more ways than one! Will they be able to work through it? Will their dreams be realized? Let's find out!

Guns Blazing by Eva LeNoir & Andrea Smith

My name is Lloyd Ledbetter and I am the best lawyer New York criminals can
buy. My obsession to detail is their saving grace. I'm focused, determined
and one¬track minded. Nursing my broken heart for the last few months,
I've stayed away from anything that could resemble a relationship.
Until Luke Gunner.
My name is Luke Gunner and I'm the best money launderer criminals can
buy. With an IQ reaching the status of genius, I can practically make money
without breaking a sweat. I'm fun, independent and a lover of life. Settling
down was never a priority especially when I had so many options laid out in
front of me.
Until Lloyd Ledbetter.

Lovelorn: Demon Gate Series by Nicholas Bella

EPISODE 6: “It’s one thing to know that I’m a knight in King Adriel’s court, but it’s another thing to know what that really means.” 

I’ve had one successful mission that I managed to complete by the skin of my… well, let’s just say that I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Raphael’s help. He’s become a huge part of my life now and after learning even more about myself and what my role is in our relationship, let’s just say that I think I’m adjusting rather well, considering the circumstances. On top of my personal issues—and I have plenty—the Society has tasked me with another mission. No rest for the wicked, and I do find that I’m enjoying my wickedness even more now that I’m a demon. Nonetheless, I’ve been assigned to a case where a demon is killing and feeding on a bunch of innocent people who seemed to just be a little down on their luck in the love department. Well, that just doesn’t sit well with me and I’m making it my business to bring this demon to my dinner table. 

Dirty Red Doll by L.e. Chamberlin

Jemma's a former top-billed adult film actress whose on-screen sex life has always been far more interesting than her real romances. Nearing "retirement age" at thirty-three and still unsure what life after porn holds for her, she's looking forward to finishing one last film and heading off to Europe for an extended, soul-searching holiday. 

When Jemma's beautiful new costar shows up on the set, things heat up fast. But when Heidi makes it clear she's not available offscreen without a commitment, Jemma is forced to decide what's more important: the first taste of freedom she's had in 15 years or a chance at love.

The Manny by Susan Ward

My name is Graham. I’d spent most of my life in the military in the Special Forces until that career-ending bullet in I took in Kandahar. Now I serve as personal security for the most famous rock star on the planet. My life worked for me. I didn’t need more and I sure as hell didn’t need to have the heterosexual fantasy. 

I was living life full-throttle in every man’s dream—in the center of a sexual orgy that spanned the globe, without limits or judgment. Why would any man want to change that? Not me.
Until I saw him. And then it all changed. I knew he was the one for me. The one the term all was invented for. 

Hollywood Highlights by Jenna Galicki

Tyler Kennedy, renowned New York City stylist, has already made a name for himself among the Hollywood elite. An opportunity to work on the West Coast gives him a reason to leave everything behind, including the guy who broke his heart. He moves to Los Angeles where he’s determined to start his life anew.

Lorenzo Di Carlo is America’s number one heartthrob. He’s pitted against Hollywood’s most beautiful leading ladies, but often seen socializing with an array of handsome men. Speculation about his sexuality keeps his name at the top of every headline, so his manager and press agent won’t let him confirm or deny the rumors. When his new stylist walks in and knocks him off his feet, he has to decide what’s more important – his career or his heart.


Goodreads


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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Livin' Large In Fat Chance, Texas by Celia Bonaduce ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Livin' Large In Fat Chance, Texas
Author: Celia Bonaduce
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: July 19, 2016


From ghost town to growing community, it’s been a few years since a group of strangers inherited property in tiny, deserted Fat Chance, Texas. And besides creating businesses, they’ve developed friendships and romances too. But plans to pave the town may put Dymphna Pearl and her beau, Professor John, on opposite sides of Main Street. In his zeal for the project, he’s making great decisions for Fat Chance, but not for them as a couple. Disgruntled, Dymphna heads back to Los Angeles to collect the rabbits she’s created a special place for in the hot Texas climate. But the professor is in for another surprise…

Professor John didn’t even know about Dympha’s sister, Maggie, and when he meets her in a most unexpected way, he begins to understand why. In the meantime, Dymphna is off pursuing an exciting venture to let the world know about Fat Chance—one that will bring a talented new crew to the eclectic group. The kitschy little place they call home is clearly destined for bigger, better things—-but with so many changes a-coming will the same be true for everyone in Fat Chance, including John and Dymphna?


Meet the Author
Currently a Field Producer on HGTV’s House Hunters, Celia Bonaduce’s TV credits cover a lot of ground – everything from field-producing ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to writing for many of Nickelodeon’s animated series, including Hey, Arnold and Chalkzone.

An avid reader, entering the world of books has always been a lifelong ambition. The Merchant of Venice Beach, A Venice Beach Romance, was published August 1st, 2013 by eKensington. The dream continues with a brand new series called Fat Chance, Texas, which will be available

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig - Review



Title: The Forgotten Room

Author: Karen White, Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: NAL
Release Date: January 19, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 2
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

1945: When the critically wounded Captain Cooper Ravenal is brought to a private hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, young Dr. Kate Schuyler is drawn into a complex mystery that connects three generations of women in her family to a single extraordinary room in a Gilded Age mansion.

Who is the woman in Captain Ravenel's portrait miniature who looks so much like Kate? And why is she wearing the ruby pendant handed down to Kate by her mother? In their pursuit of answers, they find themselves drawn into the turbulent stories of Gilded Age Olive Van Alen, driven from riches to rags, who hired out as a servant in the very house her father designed, and Jazz Age Lucy Young, who came from Brooklyn to Manhattan in pursuit of the father she had never known. But are Kate and Cooper ready for the secrets that will be revealed in the Forgotten Room?

The Forgotten Room, set in alternating time periods, is a sumptuous feast of a novel brought to vivid life by three brilliant storytellers.
Three couples, one forgotten room, and love that is denied. The story of two families spanning three generations in the same house - but a house in different circumstances each time. We morph from sumptuous mansion, to boarding house, to military hospital. As the house itself changes, so do the couples that are destined to find heart break within its walls.

Each couple is faced with their own challenges and stands up to them in their own ways. It all begins with the classic story of a rich son and the maid. But what neither of them realize is that there is a third part working against them. The next generation is also torn apart and suddenly it is up to the third to try and find their happiness in this strange room.

The story jumps from generation to generation as their stories tie together in a very special way. At times they seem to overlap. A reader could easily begin to confuse the three story lines, but they were written so well that each period has its own voice that makes it impossible to mix them up.

As the final generation, Kate and Cooper, try to discover how their histories overlap the story even takes a bit of a turn towards a mystery. Uncovering secret hideaways and notes left decades ago that each point them in the direction of the truth.

An amazing story that is a romance, but not in the way you may think. There is plenty of heartache and unhappiness along the way . But the ending really makes it all worth the wait.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Right Kind of Mistake Book 2 by Rebecca Thomas ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Right Kind of Mistake Book 2
Author: Rebecca Thomas
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Leap Books
Release Date: July 19, 2016


Unlucky in love, Haylie Keene can’t believe she’s dating another hockey player--especially her ex boyfriend’s former teammate. Sexy as hell Cam Erickson is impossible to resist, but Haylie's doubts keep her from jumping in with her whole heart. And when her ex makes a play to win her back, she’s completely torn.

Cam doesn't know the meaning of giving less than a hundred percent, whether it's to win a hockey game or Haylie’s heart. So when it looks like she might choose her cheating ex over him, he’s unwilling to sit the bench while she makes up her mind.

When Haylie realizes she might lose Cam, she knows she must fight to keep him. But can she thaw the ice around his heart before the last buzzer sounds on their relationship?


Meet the Author
Rebecca Thomas has a love-hate relationship with Alaska, where she lives with her bush pilot husband and two teenaged sons. When she’s not reading, writing, or playing board games, she’s cheering for her sons at their hockey games and tennis matches.

A reluctant reader as a child, Rebecca didn’t become interested in books until her teen years when she discovered historical romance. Now she loves all sub-genres of romance and can’t decide which one is her favorite.

Rebecca earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Alaska and she was employed in the airline industry for several years before working in her current position as a program manager in higher education.

Follow Rebecca on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and her website.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Emerald Fire by Monica McCabe ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Emerald Fire 
Author: Monica McCabe
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: July 19, 2016


Chloe Larson is a historian obsessed with clearing the name of her grandfather, eight generations back. After his heroic exploits during the Prussian Wars his life slid sadly into oblivion and madness, taking with him the location of a queen’s priceless emerald jewels. But the discovery of a cryptic two-hundred year old journal written by a man history declared insane might offer a clue.

Finnegan Kane is a top-notch marine bounty hunter on the hunt for the Emerald Fire, a 120-foot Sunseeker yacht stolen by ruthless Caribbean pirates. It’s the kind of dirty work that keeps his antique ship restoration business afloat, but that doesn’t mean he has to put up with the fiery demands of an admittedly gorgeous historian. But when Chloe offers the one thing that practically guarantees success—the GPS coordinates of the Fire’s location—he has no choice but to forge into uncharted waters.

With danger at every turn, Chloe and Finnegan must battle against the odds to decipher a historical legacy and settle a score against a family gone mad.

 photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpgB&N292865-apple-ibooks-logo  

Meet the Author

Monica McCabeDo you like stories set in unusual or exotic locations? How about unique or interesting occupations? Combine both, wrap them around romance and adventure, and that’s the kind of reading that takes you places!

It’s also a style of writing for Monica McCabe. Always a bit of an adventuress, she’s lived in and explored places like Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Florida, Mexico, California, Maine, Washington, Canada, and yes, even Las Vegas. At every location she seized the opportunity to explore, hike, camp, raft, canoe, fly, ski, scuba-dive, or zip-line. She’s climbed glaciers and ancient Mayan pyramids, dived shipwrecks and reef caves, camped in sasquatch country, drove across the USA three times, and is now working on gathering as many official stamps in her National Park passport as she can. So far, nineteen and counting.

Also an avid reader, the writing bug bit her hard somewhere between Alaska and Montana. Slowing down enough to actually put words on paper took a while longer. She scribbled notes, played at writing a historical romance (her favorite reading), but it wasn’t until she landed in Tennessee that writing became a passion.

Now that she’s sprouted roots alongside her husband of seventeen years, tossed in two lazy cats and two happy dogs, she’s finally turned that wanderlust into crafting stories of adventure and romance. And all that travel and exploration lends realistic detail to her writing. Plus she’s been known to sneak in a bit of her own experience, and a pet or two, because they like the fame.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

New Releases in Romance - Week of January 17, 2016

One of these guys looks just like The Rock - can guess which one I'm looking at? Comment and let's see if we see the same things!

Paranormal

Science Fiction

Historical

Contemporary

Suspense

New Adult

Other

Friday, January 15, 2016

Dead Heat ( Alpha and Omega #4) by Patricia Briggs ~ Review


Title: Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega #4)

Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 324 pages
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 2
Reviewed by: Cerridwen

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

I have followed Charles and Anna from the beginning. The couple just needed a break. But if they got a break, we wouldn't have an action packed story to read now would we?

This Alpha and Omega did take me some time to get into. Once I was able to fall into the story I was happy to see that the couple hadn't changed but evolved. I love seeing the couple connect on a higher level. The story had a few new twists as well. There was a lot of action and it was fast paced. I had to re-read several times to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Wonder Lust by Lavender Daye - Review



Title: Wonder Lust (Somewhere, TX #5

Author: Lavender Daye
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 116 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: December 18, 2014
Source: Self-Purchased
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 4
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Max Travis loved his life. A great job, a nice apartment in NYC, and a thriving social life. Amazing how one little infraction, one slip into forbidden pleasure, could shake up a lifestyle. Delia Kelly enrolled at JCMU to study history and social work. She had a solid plan, one that didn’t include dating. Studying and working part time would fill her schedule and she'd already found a job at a local diner.

The Jackalope café wasn’t known for romance, but when Max and Delia met, the rules disappeared. Could a one-night-only affair be enough?
This is a low point in the series for me. The story of naive-ish college student hooking up with a womanizing history professor seemed a little cliche, but there were some nice highlight in it. The professor was always upfront with women about not being interested at least, so he was a good womanizer - sort of? There just wasn't a whole lot of meat to their relationship and the mini BDSM elements fell short of being very realistic. In fact, the part that I wanted to see them most - their trip to Dallas - was skimmed over in just a few paragraphs.

In order to beef the story up, a stalker was added, but he was never really part of the story. To be honest, I forgot about him until he had his next couple paragraphs later in the story, and then again towards the end. He seemed to be added just to give the reader something to read.

I'm also confused as to why Delia's family history was so important. We actually hear more about this than the stalker, but then it just went away and we don't hear more about it. I was very confused. There were some many good directions to go, but none of them were taken.


Somewhere, TX

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Heartland by Sara Walter Ellwood ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Heartland (Singing to the Heart #3)
Author: Sara Walter Ellwood
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 21, 2016



Sex, drugs, and country music. That was the lifestyle for Emily Kendall, a Texas girl who hit it big on the country music charts–until she found herself pregnant and battling addiction. Now out of rehab and seeking a new life for herself and her unborn child, Emily returns to her hometown of McAllister. The last thing she’s looking for is trouble, no matter how good it looks in uniform. . .

A widower, single father, and former Army Ranger struggling with PTSD, Sheriff EJ Cowley has his own demons to battle while keeping folks safe. The last thing he needs is a troubled celebrity speeding through town in her bright red Mazerati. But when someone from Emily’s past threatens her safety and the peace of McAllister, EJ has no choice but to protect her. And soon both will learn there’s more to the other than meets the eye. And that wounded hearts can love again. . .


Meet the Author

Although Sara Walter Ellwood has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published and international Amazon bestselling author of the anthology set Cowboy Up.

She also writes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name of Cera duBois. Susan has an undergraduate degree from James Madison University and a master’s degree (MSW) from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has used her professional background as a psychotherapist and corporate trainer to add authenticity to her characters.

Susan is a wife, a stepmother, and a dog lover. She and her family live near Raleigh, North Carolina where she is busy finishing up the third novel in the Willow Hill Series.



Review Better Than Catnip by Ruth J. Hartman



Title: Better Than Catnip

Author: Ruth J. Hartman
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 194 pages
Publisher: CleanReads
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Source: Publisher Request
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Laurie

Roxy Williams adores cats. Always has. That’s why she devotes her life to running her stray cat shelter. But is that enough? Isn’t there a man out there who will love her for who she is? A special man who won’t try to change her or ask her to choose between him and her cats? Max Weller has a problem. His son, Derek, must complete community service for fighting at school. The only available place is the stray cat shelter. But Derek is terrified of cats from a frightening childhood experience. How will they get through this traumatic experience? Roxy and Max feel the strong attraction pulling them together as Max volunteers at the shelter, too. Will they be able to keep the spark alive? Or will Derek’s fears come between them?
A great story for cat lovers.

Better Than Catnip, to me is more fiction than romance. The romance is there, it’s just the heroine’s shelter seems to take prominent over the romance. I would’ve liked to have gotten a deeper background story on both Max and Roxie. I would’ve also liked to have seen more passion between them. I know this is something that maybe hard to do in clean romance, but I have read some where you can really feel the passion between the couple without sex and to me this couple didn’t have that spark.

Derek is a great addition to the story. There were times I wished the author would have gone into more detail on what he were feeling and how he felt when he overcame his fear of cats.

I hope one day the author would be willing to write a follow up for this story. I would like to know how things are going for Roxie, Max and how Derek growing over his fear of cats by working at the shelter with Roxie.

Overall, if you love cats this is a great clean story with a touch of romance between Max and Roxie. I recommend this book to cozy readers and light romance readers that love a good story about the everyday cat shelter.

Monday, January 11, 2016

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon ~ Review


Title: Winter People
Author: Jennifer McMahon
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 317 pages
Publisher: Doubleday
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: 2
Reviewed by: Cerridwen

West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Searching for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara's fate, she discovers that she's not the only person who's desperately looking for someone that they've lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.
This was the first of Jennifer McMahon I have ever read. It came highly recommended from a co-worker.

It took me all of 1 night, with the lights on, to finish this book! If you like spooky tales with A LOT of great twists you've got to try this! The family ties that bind this family to the land and to the tale are creative and well thought out. You really wonder are there legends and folk tales about this stuff. 

This will not be the last of Jennifer McMahon's books I pick up. I'm eager to try another!

Friday, January 8, 2016

My Warrior Wolves by Krystal Shannan - Review



Title: My Warrior Wolves (Sanctuary, Texas #4)

Author: Krystal Shannan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: novel
Publisher: KS Publishing
Release Date: January 5, 2016
Source: Author Request
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 4
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Charlotte “Charlie” Mason struggles to put her pack back together after the horrifying loss of her parents. But her Uncle has other plans. Plans to turn the pack over to the one creature who ruined her life. She turns to the mates she sent away to help her salvage not only her broken heart, but what’s left of her family.

Travis and Garrett have been waiting not so patiently for Charlie to call. The mating heat between them is unbearable, but they won’t go back on their word to give her space to grieve. When she finally calls to ask for help, it might be too late. Can they save her from the very people she’s trying to protect? Or will they lose their mate before they’ve had a chance at all?
I really loved this story. Charlie and her boys are going to have to overcome a lot if they are going to be together. Her doubts about them and herself, a pack divided, and a murderous Xerxes with his attention on her. There's a lot going on in this story.

We get plenty of really good romance. Lots of growth in the relationship, which I really love. They are not only facing issues outside of themselves trying to force them apart, but there are some emotional walls that will need to be overcome before they can truly be a fully mated trio. And Charlie - I just adored her!! She was such a geniune character that I totally wish I could be best friends with.

There is also tons of action and we get to see a little of what the folks from Sanctuary are doing in the battle against Xerxes as well. While they may manage to strike a blow against him, there's still a lot more to be done. Great mix of romance with some heart-stopping action for quite the ride.

I think this is my favorite in the series so far!

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


More Sanctuary, Texas

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Omens by Kelly Armstrong ~ Review


Title: Omens (Cainsville #1)

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 486 pages
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Source: Library
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Cerridwen

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.
I actually picked Omens up because I picked up the sequel, Visions first. Dragging myself back to the library mad because I thought I had stumbled upon a new series only to find out I was behind, I snatched Omens.

I have read Kelley Armstrong before, but haven't really stuck to any of her series. Apparently it's been a long, long time because reading this made me go bad and bookmark several I would like to read.

So, stop rambling....from the very beginning this story grabbed me. My 100 page rule need not apply here cause at page 5 I couldn't put it down. So much so my fiance was taking pictures of me stirring a pot of spaghetti with one hand and reading the book with the other. (He has never witnessed such a feat, but I'm sure other fellow readers have done similar. )

This is more of a mystery, as Olivia navigates the secrets of her past by visiting people in the town and her imprisoned mom, although it does have several supernatural elements and some strange things going on. You get that vibe you're along for the journey with Olivia. You want to know the truth as bad as she does!