Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Review: Dash of Peril by Lori Foster (Love Undercover #4)

Dash of Peril
(Love Undercover #4)
Lori Foster
March 25, 2014
Harlequin
384 pages
Blurb:
A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster... 

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6'4" of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter.


Laura's Review: 
I have been a fan of Lori Foster's work for so long, I'm always drawn to any new work of hers. I had a few disappointments lately though, and while this one and the previous one (Rowdy's story) are definitely a step up, they just aren't quite up to par with her earlier stories that I fell in love with. Here we have Dash, who is just about as perfect a hero as you can get, and Margo who typifies the strong female lead. I liked them both, just didn't feel the chemistry between them was there. Maybe that's because we miss their initial interactions (which were in earlier books) and then immediately go to them having sex and practically living together. I liked getting to see some of the old favorites and Cannon again, and am still looking forward to his story which I'm assuming is coming.

Dash of Peril: 2.5/5 stars

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Cover Reveal: I Belong to You by Lisa Renee Jones




I Belong to You - Inside Out Series - Book 5
Master...

Being that person, that man, is how I define myself, how I allow the
rest of the world to define me as well. And now, with a terrible loss
shredding me inside out and someone trying to destroy my family to
punish me, control is more important than ever. It is everything. It is
what I need. It is all I need. Or maybe I just need...her.


Will be available at all retailers soon. 

Now optioned to STARZ for cable TV — read about it HERE



INSIDE OUT EXCERPTS:

IF I WERE YOU
His fingers knot in my hair and I gasp at the unexpected bite of his grip, holding me steady. “Is that all you got?” I demand, shocked at how much I want more. How much I want whatever is beneath his surface.
I’m not scared. I’m aroused. I’m ready.
His eyes probe mine, his expression hard, intense. “I thought you were a good little school teacher.”
“You’re corrupting me,” I declare, “and I seem to like it.” I barely issue the challenge before he’s pulling my mouth to his, and he is kissing me with unrestrained, burning passion. I taste the part of him I want to know, the part he’s afraid of, and I burn to know more. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I am playing with fire, but I cannot stop myself. Beyond reason, I will push him until he reveals everything.


BEING ME 
My gaze lifts, and I watch him watching me, the grit of his teeth, the tightness of his jaw, the lust and fury in his hot stare. It’s arousing to have this powerful, sexy man respond to me, want me, need me. And he does. I have never been as sure of this as I am now.

REVEALING US
I twist around to find Chris standing in the doorway, his hair a damp mess, droplets of water clinging to the black Harley jacket he wears with the same ease he does his power. The en- tire room seems to suck in a breath at the same moment, waiting for what will come next. Waiting for him.
His attention fixes on me, and it’s as if no one else were in the room. He sees me. He’s dismissed them.
“I told you I was close, baby,” he drawls, seemingly unaffected by the situation. He saunters into the room, and while he’s all casual coolness and sexy swagger, there is a lethal, primal quality just beneath his surface. I might be trying to take control myself, and I want to, but it’s a beautiful thing watching Chris be Chris.




ABOUT LISA RENEE JONES
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT TRILOGY which has sold to more than ten countries for translation with negotiations in process for more, and has now been optioned by STARZ Network for a cable television show, to be produced by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland).
Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 30 books with publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, NAL, Berkley and Elloras Cave, as well as crafting a successful indie career. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.
Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her through her website and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.

Review: Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins

Waiting on You (Blue Heron, #3)
Kristan Higgins
Harlequin
March 25, 2014
384 pages
Synopsis: 
Colleen O'Rourke is in love with love... just not when it comes to herself. Most nights, she can be found behind the bar at the Manningsport, New York, tavern she owns with her twin brother, doling out romantic advice to the lovelorn, mixing martinis and staying more or less happily single. See, ten years ago, Lucas Campbell, her first love, broke her heart... an experience Colleen doesn't want to have again, thanks. Since then, she's been happy with a fling here and there, some elite-level flirting and playing matchmaker to her friends.

But a family emergency has brought Lucas back to town, handsome as ever and still the only man who's ever been able to crack her defenses. Seems like maybe they've got some unfinished business waiting for them—but to find out, Colleen has to let her guard down, or risk losing a second chance with the only man she's ever loved.



Laura's Review: 
I've read a few Kristan Higgins' novels before and found them enjoyable, light, funny romances. And I could see how that's what this one was trying to be, but it tried too hard and never quite got there. With the exception of the leads, everyone in this cast of characters felt like unrealistic empty shells. The story took WAY too long to move along - I was a good 15% into the book before my attention was grabbed in any way, and then I found myself skimming over the majority of the book just to get to any scenes with interactions between Colleen and Lucas. They were, by far, the only really enjoyable parts of the book - it's too bad they were so infrequent. A disappointing read from an author who is usually very consistent. Unless you are a die-hard Kristan Higgins fan, I'd skip this one. 2.5 stars.

Note: I was given a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Review: One Night With Her Ex by Lucy King


One Night With Her Ex
Lucy King
Harlequin KISS
March 18, 2014
224 pages


Can you honestly say you don't want me?

Lily Montgomery finds the perfect antidote to an anticlimactic New Year's Eve: a hot, up-against-the-door one-night stand with a sexy millionaire. Trouble is, the man in question is Kit, the ex-husband she's spent five years getting over.

For Kit Buchanan, the past few years have been hellish! He's conquered the business world, but when it comes to the bedroom he's had the mother of all dry spells. Clearly he needs to get Lily out of his system once and for all!

But one supercharged night later, Kit's not so sure. After all, why move on when he's having so much fun where he is?

Laura's Review:

Is it bad that I had trouble taking this book seriously at first simply because the leading man's name was Kit? Maybe this is a common nickname for grown men in England, but all I kept picturing was a shallow 80s male model-type. I was able to move past the name and see the man as lead potential, partly because Ms. King throws in some rather serious side-plots seldom seen in fluffy romances - infidelity, divorce, impotence, infertility - which is maybe one too many for my taste in what I consider escape fiction.
Despite all that, I did enjoy the second-chance relationship between Lily and Kit and how they grew as individuals and as a couple, but for all the complications thrown their way, I felt the conclusion was anti-climactic and summed up a little too tidily.

One Night With Her Ex: 3/5 stars

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Turn Up the Heat by Kimberly Kincaid




Turn Up the Heat
Pine Mountain #1
By: Kimberly Kincaid
Releasing March 4th, 2014



Blurb

"It's not you."

There are only so many times a girl can hear those words before she believes that it is, in fact, very much her. Unexpectedly jilted by her locally famous boyfriend and haunted by a boss who makes Attila the Hun look like a lap dog, Bellamy Blake does what any self-respecting girl in her shoes would do. She rounds up her two best girlfriends and makes plans to get the hell out of Dodge.

But Bellamy's escape plan takes a nose dive on the side of rural route 164 when her transmission self-destructs, leaving her in the middle of a cell phone dead zone with nothing but her wits. Oh, and Shane Griffin, the hottest mechanic who's ever checked under her hood.

Yet this small-town man isn't all he seems. Can Shane and Bellamy prove that sometimes the most unlikely ingredients make the most deliciously sexy mix?

Laura's Review: 

I have to admit, that after the introduction to this book, I was worried I wasn't going to enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I could see why Shane found Bellamy to be a bit on the "snooty" side in the beginning. But, just as Shane warmed up to her, so did I. Their somewhat bumpy road to romance had some fun side characters, who I'd love to see more of (and I'm sure we will), and some hot enough to melt the snow sex scenes which will keep you entertained through the typically predictable story. Overall, a nice warm romance. Looking forward to the next one from Ms. Kincaid.

Turn Up the Heat: 3.5/5 stars

Buy Links




Author Info
Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She has written two digital novellas, Love On The Line and Drawing The Line, about hot cops and sexy chefs, with a third novella, Outside The Lines, due this summer. She is also thrilled to have collaborated on a Christmas anthology with Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell, titled The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, to kick off her Pine Mountain foodie series with Kensington this October. Kimberly’s first full-length novel, Turn Up the Heat, will follow in February 2014. She resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.
Visit her any time at www.kimberlykincaid.com or come check her out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/kimberly.kincaid1) and Twitter (@kimberlykincaid).

Author Links



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Review: Stealing the Groom by Sonya Weiss

Stealing the Groom
Sonya Weiss
Bliss, An Entangled Imprint
March 10, 2014
210 pages


Friends don’t let friends marry the wrong woman…

Chad Walker may be a take-no-chances man with a plan, but there’s no way Amelia Snyder is going to let her best bud marry Mean Girl #1—even if the wedding is solely so he can secure the controlling shares in his family’s company. But free-spirited Amelia’s at-the-altar groomnapping scheme takes a surprising turn when she ends up as the blushing bride instead. 

Suddenly, with Amelia living in her handsome husband’s home—in his bedroom, no less—she starts to reconsider their strictly platonic arrangement. But Chad’s always been anti-risk and definitely anti-love, and betting a lifetime of best friendship on the chance at forever might be the biggest gamble of all.



Laura's Review: 

There is very little in this book that is believable and it requires a heavy dose of suspension of reality to read it, but I didn't care. I loved Chad and Amelia - their friendship was so easy and they fit so well together, you couldn't help but root for them. I love Ame's sisters and the set-up for their books was pretty obvious - the chemistry with their respective love-interests was already heating up the pages! Even the meddlesome grandfathers were endearing. The major flaw in the book is that the ending was too abrupt - the best part was the end and it just was wrapped up a bit too hastily. For a romance novel, the actual relationship was rushed and I would have enjoyed watching them work out the kinks a bit more. Even so, for those who are fans of light romances without a lot of sex or angst, this is a great book.

Stealing the Groom: 3.5/5 stars



Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Cover Reveal Blog Hop and GIVEAWAY: Nikki Duncan's Taste Me Deadly

TASTE ME DEADLY is the 5th book in Nikki Duncan's Sensory Ops series, and it releases digitally next Tuesday! To celebrate, we're having a cover reveal blog hop, and Nikki is giving away prizes. Don't miss the Rafflecopter below.


 I describe this cover as: 
(pay attention to this word, you'll need it later!)




 

Visit these blogs, make note of the word used to describe the cover, and then enter the RaffleCopter contest. ~ Reading Room Blog ~ Saph's Book Blog ~ Book Liaison Blog ~ Book Sniffers Anonymous Blog ~ Julie's Blog ~ The Revolving Bookcase Blog ~ Live Laugh Romance Blog

Here's the contest!
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, March 10, 2014

Book Highlight & Giveaway: Tall, Dark & Alpha





Title: Tall, Dark, & Alpha
Authors: Various authors
Genre: Multi-genre
Publication: March 8, 2014

He makes your heart pound and melts your resistance away. He promises you a world of passion and you find it impossible to resist his dark charm. When he catches your eye across the room, you know he means business. He could be an executive, cop, shape shifter, or a bad boy looking for a little fun. Once he has you in his sights, you can't get away—and after one sizzling night in his arms, you won't want to. He’s Tall, Dark & Alpha. The alpha male is the ultimate indulgence…the richest dark chocolate…and we’re offering him to you in abundance.

Delve into the sensual worlds of award-winning authors: Randi Alexander, Koko Brown, Sam Cheever, Delaney Diamond, Eve Langlais, Afton Locke, Dawn Montgomery, Farrah Rochon, Paige Tyler, and Eve Vaughn. Immerse yourself in the alpha male experience.


Purchase for just 99¢!
Amazon | B&N | Kobo




About the Authors

Afton Locke

Afton Locke is a multi-published erotic romance author who prefers romantic fantasies to everyday reality. Fantasies take her everywhere--from other worlds and races to the top of a corporate desk. She lives with her husband, dog, several unnamed dust bunnies, and a black cat that can be scary or cuddly, depending on the current book. When she’s not writing, Afton enjoys hiking, cooking, crafts, and reading. Visit her at Ellora’s Cave and http://www.aftonlocke.com.

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Dawn Montgomery

Dawn loves to write almost as much as she loves to read. She has traveled the world twice over. While her days were filled with long hours and hard work, her nights were left for dark, lustful fantasies in and out of strange hotels and cities.

Alaska and Texas are the places she calls home. She recently moved from the frigid North to Texas with her family and neurotic dog. It was tragic to leave behind the moose and bear for wide open plains and sexy cowboys.

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Delaney Diamond

Delaney Diamond writes sweet and sensual romance novels and is the site manager of Romance Novels in Color, where diversity in romance is celebrated. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. In her spare time she reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of non-fiction. When she's not reading or writing she's trying out new recipes or traveling to an interesting locale. Find free reads and the first chapter of all her books at www.delaneydiamond.com.

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Eve Langlais

Hello, my name is Eve, a Canadian mom who works full time as an author. In between juggling my three kids, hubby, and housework, I pen steamy romance--usually with shifters, cyborgs or aliens lol. I love to write, and while I don't always know what my mind is going to come up with next, I can promise it will be fun, probably humorous and most of all romantic, because I love a HEA.

If you'd like to know more, read some excerpts or find out what's coming next, then please visit me at http://www.EveLanglais.com
Or sign up for my new release email list at
http://www.evelanglais.com/newrelease

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Eve Vaughn

Eve has always enjoyed creating characters and stories from an early age. As a child she was always getting into mischief, so when she lost her television privileges (which was often), writing served as her outlet. Her stories have gotten quite a bit spicier since then! When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, Eve is reading, baking, traveling or kicking butt in 80’s trivia. She lives in the Philadelphia area where the love is brotherly and the cheese steaks are plenty.

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Farrah Rochon

Farrah Rochon, award-winning author of the popular Holmes Brothers series, hails from a small town just west of New Orleans. She has garnered much acclaim for her New York Sabers football series for Harlequin's Kimani Romance imprint. She has been nominated for the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America and an RT BOOKReviews Reviewer's Choice Award. She spends way too much money on chocolate and Broadway shows.

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Koko Brown

Koko Brown is a quintessential erotic romance junkie. Koko's writing career began at the tender age of nine when she self-published and distributed a newspaper to her fellow classmates. Unfortunately, her principal put her out of business after one best-selling issue. Undaunted, she continued to write and read everything she could get her hands on until she published her first erotic novel in 2007. When not writing or reading, Koko loves to travel, shop in thrift stores, ride motorcycles, and serving as a volunteer.

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Paige Tyler

PAIGE TYLER is a USA TODAY bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines who fall in love with them. Find her books at Ellora's Cave, Blushing Books, and Sourcebooks. She is represented by Bob Mecoy.

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Randi Alexander

USA Today Bestselling Author Randi Alexander  knows a modern woman dreams of an alpha cowboy who takes the reins, and guarantees they’re rode hard and put up satisfied.

Published with Cleis Press, Wild Rose Press, and self-published, Randi writes smokin' hot romance with heroes who'll have you begging to ride off into the sunset with them. When she's not dreaming of, or writing about, rugged cowboys, Randi is biking trails along remote rivers, snorkeling the Gulf of Mexico, or practicing her drumming in hopes of someday forming a tropical rock-band.

Forever an adventurous spirit with a naughty imagination, Randi is also family oriented and married to the best guy in the world, her own cowboy, Kick. Give in to the allure of erotic passion, strong but vulnerable heroines, and irresistibly seductive cowboys, as Randi's emotional love stories sweep you off your feet and leave you breathless with passion.

Saddle up! And prepare yourself for the sexier side of happily ever after.

Randi Alexander loves to connect with her readers! Say "Howdy" at https://twitter.com/Randi_Alexander, sign up for her newsletter at http://RandiAlexander.com/, and fall head over spurs for her cowboys at https://www.facebook.com/RandiAlexanderBooks

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Sam Cheever
 An award-winning author of 50+ books of romantic suspense and fantasy/paranormal, Sam’s books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy and The Swirl (interracial romance) Award; have been nominated and/or won several CAPAs; were nominated for “Best of” with LRC and The Romance Reviews; and have won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She’s published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; and Musa Publishing. Sam also publishes as Declan Sands, writing m/m fiction, and under her own imprint, Electric Prose Publications.

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Giveaway


Sunday, March 2, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Lost Tycoon by Melody Anne



Title: The Lost Tycoon
Series: Baby for the Billionaire #5
Author: Melody Anne
Publication Date: February 24, 2014

Summary: Fighting to survive, Mystic Elton takes one look at the man standing in front of her and knows she needs to make a decision – does she want to live? Discovering that her boyfriend is storing enough drugs to supply a small country, she looks for an escape route. He’s standing in the doorway – standing in the way of her freedom.
Mystic has nothing left – no family, no friends, no one she can rely on. She is all alone and frightened. Managing to get past her ex, she flees, running to the other side of the country, landing in Seattle, she changes her appearance, her name, her life.

After a year, she begins to feel safe. Her ex won’t find her. She’s beginning to pick up the pieces of her once shattered existence and carve out a new world for herself.

That is, until a tall, well-dressed man shows up at her job and tells her they need to talk – and he knows her real name. Fleeing to get away from him, she rushes to the back room and grabs her Taser. When she hits him with it, she thinks she’s home free.

She’s not.

All Mystic has done is really tick off Bryson Winchester, and all he’s trying to do is help her by getting her scum of an ex off the streets.

Mystic has a choice to make. Is this a man she can believe in? Is any man worthy of her precious trust? She’ll find the answers, though they may not be what she expects or wants – her entire world is about to be turned upside down, because not only will she find there are some men out there worth trusting – she will find out the secret of her birth – the reality of who she really is.

Some things should stay in the past – and others… Other things will come back with a vengeance.




Laura's Review: 
I read this without having read or even heard of the previous books in the series. I read the blurb in the tour invite and it grabbed my attention. As did the book - or at least the first half of it. I loved Misty (even though I hated her name) and her strength and patience shone from the beginning. I loved that in her first encounter with Bryson, she tases him! And Bryson...um... hot and super-protective FBI agent? What's not to love? The restraint he possessed when clearly attracted to Misty was admirable and the tension was glorious right up until they gave into it. Then the book just sort of fizzled for me. With that shift and loss of pressure, their relationship became lackluster, and other than a little almost non-fight, I actually found their romance boring from that point forward. The abusive ex plotline certainly kept the story moving even if it was a bit predictable. The book read just fine as a stand-alone, I never felt like I was missing something, and the introductions to previous characters made me want to go back and get their full stories.

Lost Tycoon: 3.5/5 stars
Cover:4/5 stars

About Melody Anne: Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon - Rise of the Dark Angel. She's been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.

When Melody isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.

See Melody's Website at: www.melodyanne.com. She makes it a point to respond to all her fans. You can also join her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne, or at twitter: @authmelodyanne.

Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway