Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Review: His to Keep by Katee Robert



His to Keep
Katee Robert
Entangled Brazen
100 pages
4/28/2014



He’s always wanted her. Now’s his chance to claim what’s his.

School teacher Marceline Bellini gave up everything—men, sex, anything resembling a social life—to raise her young daughter. To be the perfect parent. But when she attends an engagement party in her standard stick-in-the-mud mode, her friends begin plying Marcy with shots. Just enough to convince her that a little fun doesn't sound like a bad idea... and having some naughty fun is an even better one.

Like finding herself deliciously pressed against a dark alley wall by the very familiar and very hot body of her best friend's older brother.

After years of waiting in painful silence, police officer Aaron Robinson finally has Marcy’s attention. And man, does he have it. But nothing could have prepared either of them for the rush of fiery lust between them. So he’ll just have to convince Marcy he’s for real. And that a rainy, lust-fuelled romp is the first step to a lifetime of completely imperfect happiness…

Laura's Review:

I have to say I'm a sucker for nearly all the romance tropes, but falling for the brother's best friend or the best friend's brother is one of my favorites. Katee Robert created chemistry between Marceline and Aaron that sizzled off the pages and definitely did justice to the "Brazen" imprint. And for a novella, both the main and the secondary characters were surprisingly well-developed. But, there was something lacking to make me feel like these two were meant to be for the long run. It just felt a little too quick and easy - but I guess that might be more the novella-length than the author to blame here.  Overall, a quick and sexy read that fans of the Brazen line will surely enjoy. 


His to Keep: 3.5/5 stars

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

Monday, April 28, 2014

Review: Always on my Mind by Bella Andre

Always On My Mind
(The Sullivans, #8)
Bella Andre
April 29, 2014
304 pages
Can you find forever…a second time? 

After a tragic loss three years ago, Grayson Tyler leaves his life in New York City behind and starts over in the rolling hills of the California coast. He's convinced himself that all he'll ever need again is the blue sky, a thousand acres of pasture and the crashing waves of the ocean. 

That is, until the day Lori Sullivan barges into his life and promptly blows his emotionless and solitary world to shreds. Her passion and fire drive him crazy, as only a woman nicknamed Naughty can. But will Lori be able to convince him that it's safe to love her…and that forever isn't actually out of reach?


Laura's Review: 

I've yet to be disappointed by a Bella Andre romance. I especially love all those Sullivans, but throughout all the previous books, my least favorite sibling was Lori aka Naughty, so I wasn't really looking forward to her story all that much. Boy, did Ms. Andre exceed my expectations big time here. I LOVED Lori and Grayson's story! Naughty gets stripped of all her pretenses when she leaves her big city environment where she's the star and comes to work in the mud at Grayson's farm. There's just something about a grumpy hero who is so resistant to love and fights it every step of the way. The only negative thing I have to say is that I felt it "peaked" too early and the end lacked drama as it all fell into place too easily - even for a romance novel! But, I still read it all in a day and I'm so happy there are more than just the 8 Sullivan books to keep me reading for a while!

Always On My Mind: 4.5/5 stars

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Review: Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna

Her Best Laid Plans
Cara McKenna
Harlequin
April 15, 2014
85 pages

Experience Ireland—the dramatic beauty, the warm hospitality...and the smoking-hot local guys!

Imagine nursing a pint in a cozy, authentic country pub, far from Cork City’s busy pulse. Getting here took you a plane, bus, taxi, and...erm, bicycle. But just as you’re resigning yourself to drinking beside gray-haired farmers, you see him—a man with the looks and charm to soothe any heartbroken girl.

He’s your bartender. Your really, really gorgeous bartender.

For American Jamie Webb—recently dumped and housesitting for two weeks—Connor Kelleher is like a six-course feast after a 23-year starvation diet. But it’s gotta be casual. She’s just begun re-routing her life after an extended, man-related detour. Still, a sexy romp (or twenty!) with Sexy McBartender? 

But what about when Jamie's best-laid plans for no future plans with any man begin to change?



Laura's Review: 

The description for Harlequin's "Cosmo Red-Hot Reads" is "fast-paced, passionate romances for today's fun, fearless females!" And Her Best Laid Plans is exactly that! There wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. And for a romance novel, it felt surprisingly real. Instead of the typical couple falling into bed and knowing exactly what they were doing and what pleased the other, there was a (at times awkward) learning curve here - just like there is in real life. Both characters seemed younger than their stated ages, but that was okay - I think it just endeared them to me more. I would have liked the conflict and tension to have been explored a little more, but I get that's not what these books are really about. Overall it was exactly what it was supposed to be: A quick, fun romance.

Her Best Laid Plans: 4/5 stars



Monday, April 14, 2014

Cover Love Giveaway!




My Hunger - Inside Out 3.2
An Inside Out Novella in Mark's POV
While Chris and Sara have traveled to Paris to avoid the chaos of press and police after the tragic night we’d shared, I have stayed to face the reality of what has happened. But there is no peace to be found in facing the truth, and no truth to be found in the confessions that have been made and retracted. I am a Master, all about control, and yet right now, facing great tragedy, I feel as if I have none. With my club and my relationships of the past in the spotlight, I find sanctuary in the one place I’ve promised I will never be again, but cannot seem to resist. Her arms.
***Mark and Crystal's story begins in the novella Master Undone



My Control - Inside Out 4.1
Mark's POV novella
I have lost the man I once was, letting guilt and heartache define who I am. Darkness has controlled me, and one woman has seen what no one else has seen in me, what I do not wish to exist. My hunger for her has driven me to the edge of sanity, but no more. She's about to find out that the Master has returned.




Lisa's Bio:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland, Austin Powers, Must Love Dogs) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today and USA Today lists.

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 40 books translated around the world. 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 at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.


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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Just Can't Get Enough GIVEAWAY!




The generous folks over at Harlequin are giving away this great gift basket filled with three of their newest titles releasing this month AND a box of Godiva chocolates! Read about the books and then enter to win them using the rafflecopter at the end of this post. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents! Good Luck!

April – Billionaires:

Description: Description: https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover42072-medium.png




Estranged from his adoptive father, Sage Lassiter earned his own billions. But when J.D. Lassiter leaves a fortune to his private nurse in his will and cheats his own daughter of her rightful inheritance…Sage is enraged, to say the least. He's sure nurse Colleen Falkner isn't the innocent she appears. And he's willing to go to any lengths to expose her…even seduction. 


But using sex—crazed, incredible sex—to find out what she knows could backfire. Because Colleen is not what Sage expected. And like it or not, she's about to demolish all the barriers he's carefully constructed around his heart.



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Oil magnate Sakis Pantelides always gets what he wants—after all, he's drop-dead gorgeous, powerful and wealthy beyond words. But the one thing he can't have is his stunning assistant, Brianna Moneypenny—because she's the only woman this cynical Greek can trust. 


But when an international crisis throws them together 24/7, intriguingly buttoned-up Brianna reveals a sensual hunger that rivals his own, and he realizes just what he's been denying himself for so long. But when his perfect PA's secret is discovered, will he pay the price for taking what he wants?



Description: Description: https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover43163-medium.png


Charged with the care of the newly orphaned heir to the Kardana throne, nanny Katrina Vicente finds herself faced with an even more formidable task—working alongside the boy's uncle, the devastatingly handsome Prince Julian, the prince regent. 


Desperate to keep the secrets of her past under lock and key, getting involved with a prince is the last thing Katrina needs, particularly with the world watching. But it's hard to ignore their instant chemistry—especially after one stolen kiss! Could her royal assignment be about to transform into the most magical of fairy tales?





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Saturday, April 5, 2014

Review: Tied With Me by Kristen Proby


Tied With Me
With Me In Seattle, #6
Kristen Proby
Ampersand Publishing
264 pages

A man whose lifestyle is so different from her own…

Nic Dalton’s cupcake bakery is thriving. She serves both rock stars and locals alike, content with her growing business. But one adventurous night out with her best friend, Bailey, turns her life upside down. She meets a handsome stranger who makes her skin sizzle and her heart race. Their one night together is explosive and unexpected, but when he has to suddenly leave without taking her phone number, Nic resigns herself to never seeing him again.

…What will it take to trust and submit to his every desire?

Matt Montgomery is one of Seattle’s finest. He works hard, loves and protects his family fiercely, and is loyal almost to a fault.

And he has a penchant for bondage.

Matt enjoys the way a woman looks wrapped up in his ropes, and makes no apologies for his preferences. When he meets Nic at a fetish festival, the small, beautiful woman catches his eye, drawing him to her. His one night with her was everything he’s ever looked for in a partner, but is cut short because of a family emergency. Even before he sees her again weeks later, he knows he’ll never get her out of his system.

And he’ll do whatever it takes to make her his.

“Give in to this, Nic. Let me prove to you that I will be one of the best decisions you ever make.” –Matt Montgomery



Laura's Review: 

In her With Me in Seattle series, Kristen Proby has built a family of heroes and heroines that remind me of many of the Nora Roberts' families - filled with beautiful, strong, likable people - only way sexier. And of the books in this series I've read, Tied With Me is by far the hottest. Honestly, I'm not sure how my nook didn't overheat just from me reading it! From the very beginning, it lured me in with the sexiness, and then hooked me with characters that I instantly loved. Matt and Nic are one of my favorite couples I've read recently. And kudos to Ms. Proby for taking a risk and having Nic deal with some medical concerns that aren't always the most romantic subject. I haven't read all the previous With Me in Seattle books, but after reading a couple before and now Tied With Me and absolutely LOVING it, I'm definitely going to go back and fill in the missing pieces.

Tied With Me: 5/5 stars

Thanks to Author Emily Snow for gifting me this book as part of a great giveaway! 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Review: Clipped Wings by Helena Hunting


Clipped Wings (Clipped Wings, #1)
Helena Hunting
March 4, 2014
Gallery
400 pages
An emotional love story that follows the touch-and-go relationship of Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

As Hayden and Tenley navigate their newfound but slightly unstable relationship, they want to trust each other, but Hayden is hiding a dark and shameful past that he doesn't ever want Tenley to find out about. And Tenley has secrets of her own that could make Hayden run away forever. When Tenley asks Hayden to put a beautifully elaborate tattoo across her back, the two form what they thought was an unshakeable bond. But when Tenley's past shows up on her doorstep, will Hayden stand by her side...or run?


Laura's Review:

This book should be called "Clipped Book" instead of "Clipped Wings." I would have liked it a whole lot more if I weren't left with the feeling that it wasn't a complete story. I received a copy from NetGalley and nowhere there was an indication that it was not a stand-alone. And even knowing it is a series, I'm a little tired of this new sort-of trend where people take a full complete story arc and chop it into pieces and then call it a "series" - that's not a series, those are "serials." After reading 400 pages, I feel like I'm owed some kind of resolution.

With that said, up until the end, I did enjoy this book. It follows a changing POV, which I normally feel is a distraction, but I thought was very well used here. I loved Hayden - he's one of those heroes with a bad-boy exterior, but truly is a warm, caring person. His relationship with Tenley felt real and not as rushed as a lot of the NA genre seems to be. The pseudo-family of the tattoo shop is a perfect blend of personalities. There was a bit too much drama - much of which felt forced - and I felt that lowered the credibility of the book a bit. It felt more like it was set in a high school age group than with twenty-somethings. And Tenley was great, but seriously needed to grow a pair. I didn't understand where all the self-doubt came from, and I just wanted to shake her and tell her to stand up for herself! I hope she gets a chance in the next book, but I don't think I'll be investing another 400 pages of time to find out.

Clipped Wings: 2.5/5 stars

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