Tuesday 30 April 2013

Nicole Edwards Week ~ Nicole Interview Day 2

What do you do when you come down with a case of the infamous ʺwriterʹs blockʺ? ;-) I think that term should be a bad word. Because I used to write as a hobby, I didn’t really know what it meant until I decided to go about this full time. I mean, previously, I would write when the urge hit me. Now, well, now I attempt to make myself write every single day. That doesn’t happen the way I envision it on some days. I’ve found the best way for me to deal with it is to walk away from the book. Sometimes that means I can move on to another one that I am working on and sometimes it means that I have to spend my day stalking Facebook just to entertain myself. I can’t force the words on paper and I can’t make the characters do anything that they don’t want to do. They are stubborn like that. If I’m not writing, I’m reading, which is inspiration all on its own because I find myself falling in love with characters and that inspires me to want others to want to fall in love with mine. And, when none of those work, I spend a lot of time mentally hashing things out with my characters. It helps me to get a better understanding of who they are.

What’s the best thing about being an indie author? Considering I know absolutely nothing about traditional publishing or the like, it’s not like I know anything different. For me, being an independent author means I get to control the reins. I take the direction I choose to take, when I choose to take it. It’s a gamble, I’m sure. The fact that I own the process from beginning to end and have a hand in all of the decision making is probably the best part of it all. That and working with my husband.

What's the worst? What difficulties do you face? On the flip side of wanting to own the entire process is knowing that I can’t do everything myself. Publishing a book requires a lot of effort and I’ve heard numerous times that some independent authors opted to go traditional because it allowed them more time to write. Sometimes I find that there are days when I only want to write and yet I can’t find enough hours in the day to make that happen. Being independent means I (or in my case, we: Colt is very much a part of this process) own the marketing, fighting the pirates, publishing, formatting, etc.

Although I wouldn’t change anything about what I’m doing, sometimes it starts to bog down my mind. That’s the main reason I have Colt. He has taken over a large part of the process which helps to ease some of the stress.

Was it hard to write about Luke and Cole? They were very intense and that came across beautifully in the book. No, actually, it wasn’t hard. I love Luke and Cole. Absolutely adore them. Their love is so real for one another although they aren’t perfect and have difficulty showing it. They have strong minds, gentle hearts, but they are hard headed and stubborn – both of them. I was scared to death to publish Temptation, fearful of how it would be received but I think that’s because I loved it so much and I basically told their story exactly how they wanted me to.

Has there been any scene you've found difficult to write? why? The most difficult scene that I have written so far would have to be between Luke and Cole at the end of Conviction. This scene meant everything to me and I wanted to express Luke McCoy’s true nature and show exactly how caught up he was with Cole, but he didn’t know how to express it. It took me several times to get that scene the way it ended up being, and as of right now, that is still my favorite scene in all of my books.

Temptation (Club Destiny 2) & Addicted (Club Destiny 2.5) By Nicole Edwards

Temptation (Club Destiny 2)  Reviewed by Donna 4.5 smoking hot Stars

If it could be possible, this book is even hotter than the first one and concentrates on the relationship between Luke, Cole and Sierra. This threesome is a permanent threesome, not just the odd night here of there, all 3 are in the relationship and they all want it for keeps!!

Luke is still in shock after what happened during the foursome in "Conviction" and basically went into hiding, he could not believe his depth of feeling for Cole and had to get away from it all.

Logan decides to do a bit of matchmaking and asks Luke to accompany the very sexy Sierra Sellars to a conference in Vegas as she is new in town and needs to be shown the area and of course Logan is too busy.. they instantly hit it off on the plane where Logan's matchmaking isn't finished as Cole is on it too!!

During the time in Vegas we get some truly hot, smoking love scenes between the three of them but ultimately this freaks Luke out again and what does Luke do best..he runs and hides. He is in shock about what happened between the three of them in Vegas and basically as the saying goes wants it to stay in Vegas.

In this book, Cole is the one that melts my heart, I feel for him I really do..this is a tortuously angsty read but also incredibly hot..Cole just wants to be loved, he loves Luke (has done for ages) and now loves Sierra too.. he just wants Luke to accept him and love him back, but is slowly being destroyed by Luke's continual rejection. Some of the hottest scenes during this book are Luke and Cole together, normally with Sierra watching..there is always a testosterone struggle between the two, with both vying for dominance, Luke feels that he has to be the aggressor to make it more mentally acceptable to himself whereas Cole just wants them to "love" one another...eventually Cole does manage to break Luke down and Luke accepts his feelings for both Cole and Sierra and even towards the end allows Cole to be the dominant. During this book I just wanted to get to Cole and give him a massive hug and say "I Love You" it was killing me to see him so upset and Luke being the typical ostrich that could not see what was right under his nose.

This is by far the best one in the series for me..it had everything and so so so much more...excellent job Nicole now for book 3!!!!


Addicted (Club Destiny 2.5) Reviewed by Donna 4 Stars

This is a short novella giving us a little more of the relationships between Logan and Samantha and Luke, Cole and Sierra.

Logan McCoy is enjoying the new hot and nympho wife Samantha that has been created during their relationship, in fact she craves another threesome..unfortunately for them their third "Luke" has selfishly fallen in love and Sierra has put her put her foot down and said no more..their threesome is exclusive to just Luke, Cole and herself. Logan now has the predicament of finding another third!! Cole puts forward a third....enter Tag Murphy...smoking hot bald, yes bald lawyer!!! He works for the company that employs Logan and Samantha and also Luke at the club so has the trust of both and slowly he is introduced to Samantha and what follows is some seriously hot scenes, Nicole Edwards are her best..M/M/F.

We also get to see a little bit of Luke, Cole and Sierra but this novella predominantly focuses on Logan and Samantha.

Once again a seriously hot read and this series is one of my all time favourites, I really cannot pimp it out enough. Hats off to Nicole Edwards.

Nicole Edwards Week ~ Day 2

Welcome to Nicole Edwards Week Day 2

Don't forget to enter our Nicole Giveaway!

http://www.theromancecover.com/2013/04/nicole-edwards-week-giveaway.html


The Romance Cover's review of Temptation (Club Destiny 2) and Addiction (Club Destiny 2.5) will be up shortly, followed by the second part of our Nicole interview!


Yesterday we asked what your favourite Club Destiny cover was......



Temptation won by a landslide 

Todays fan/follower question is:

Who is your favourite Club Destiny Male Character?
Answer below!

Monday 29 April 2013

Nicole Edwards Week ~ Nicole Interview Day 1

Nicole Edwards has kindly agreed to do an interview for The Romance Cover's "Nicole Edwards Week"

 

We will post a part of the interview every day until Friday so don't forget to pop back each day!


What inspired you to write your first book? I like this question because it makes me think. When I try to reflect back on when I started writing, the earliest I can come up with is during my teenage years. Like many teenage girls, I kept a journal (the prettier the cover of the journal, the more inspired I was to write in it). I’ve always found writing to be a form of release or escape so to speak. Up to this point, I’ve written a number of books, many that will never be published, a few that I’ve considered possibly releasing, and others that I hope to one day finish. My imagination runs a little wild from time to time and I think that is what originally inspired me to write my first book. There were more before Conviction, but Samantha and Logan were the first two characters that I found a deep connection with.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? Hands down, J.R. Ward. The way she writes is awe inspiring and I try to envision myself being able to relay scenes and characters as well as I feel she does. If I could sit down and pick her brain for five minutes it would probably be a very quiet discussion because I’m not sure I would be able to get any words out.

Why did you choose Erotic Romance as the genre to write? I’d love to tell you that I chose Erotic Romance because I’ve got this peculiar infatuation with porn, but that’s really not it. I do, however, enjoy writing about the different aspects of sex and connection between people. It is this connection, IMO, that can sometimes be reflected better between their bodies and their hearts than in words necessarily. Whether it’s down and dirty or sweet and romantic, I get a better understanding of my characters at these points. There was a point when I attempted to tone down my writing, to take it on a more contemporary level but I felt as though I lost a part of myself that I was trying to express when I did so. Because of that, I went back to writing the erotic aspect and of course, my characters have a story to tell and above all else, I love a good happily ever after.

Some of our readers may not have read your books before. How would you describe them and can you give us an excerpt from one of your books that you think will entice them to? Happily Ever After? Check. Erotic, ereader melting, sinfully delicious sex scenes? Check. Open minded characters who love with everything that they are? Check. It’s all there. Be forewarned, my books are explicit. I don’t hold back when it comes to sex, and yes, my books have aspects of m/f, m/m, m/f/m, m/mf in them. My intent is to indulge the senses and take my readers on a journey that allows them to step out of their comfort zone. Just because you read my book doesn’t mean you have to be comfortable with what happens, it just means that you have an open mind. We are all unique, as are my characters, and even though you may never even dream about being in a relationship that obscures the natural boundaries that society has set on them, they do exist. People love who they love and that’s all I try to portray.

Excerpt from Temptation:

Sierra leaned in, hoping to keep her words between them. When Luke leaned in as well, Sierra breathed in the spicy musk of his cologne, his intriguing scent rushing through her bloodstream like a drug.

“I might look sweet and innocent, Luke.” Sierra whispered, then leaned just a little closer until her lips nearly brushed his ear. “I’m anything but.”

His deep inhale told Sierra what she needed to know. He was affected by her, and since he owned a club that catered to the sort of lifestyle she had always been fascinated by, she didn’t think he was turned off by her admission. When he gripped her wrist, hard enough to get her attention, but not hard enough to hurt her, Sierra moved back, her eyes locked with his.

“Honey, you might not be sweet and innocent, but I’m the one that needs to be handing out the warnings. Tread lightly when you try to tempt me.”

Sierra’s eyes went wide, and she tried to comprehend what he was telling her. Apparently he realized she needed further clarification because he leaned in so that his mouth was up against her ear, ensuring she was the only one who would hear him.

“I’m not some little boy you can toy with or one that you can tease with your so called needs. In case my brother didn’t tell you, I’m the real deal. I don’t have any qualms about stripping you naked right here in this seat and burying my face between your legs until you scream my name. You might want to think this one through because until now, until me, you haven’t met the man who will make you own up to those fantasies of yours.”

Sierra’s entire body went rigid; heat pooled between her legs and her clit began to throb just from the gruff sound of his voice and the words he said. And for the first time in her life, she wondered if she might have actually met her match.

“Do you understand what I’m telling you, Sierra?” Luke asked, his breath still warm on her ear.

She couldn’t speak, but she managed to nod her head in understanding. Oh, she knew what he was saying alright, and though she couldn’t tell him, those embers that had been glowing deep inside of her sparked to a full blown inferno.

“Answer me. That’s the only rule I have. You must always answer me because it’s imperative that I know exactly where you stand.”

“Yes.” Was that her voice? God, she was breathless. “I understand.”

Conviction (Club Destiny 1) By Nicole Edwards

Reviewed by Donna, Dawn & Willow

What Donna Says: 4 Stars

Wow, just wow, so glad that I stumbled across this author..I am just writing full reviews now for the whole series as I have devoured them..I absolutely loved this series and it introduced me to things that I have never read about before and was unbelievably surprised that I could read it and enjoy it!!

This first book is an opener to some fabulous characters, but mainly concentrates on the relationship between Logan McCoy and Samantha.

Samantha is a woman doing well in a career in a mans world..she works for a small satellite office and the invitation is given for her to move to their main offices. She meets her new boss on Skype (Logan McCoy)in the first instance and there is instant attraction between them..but being the consummate professional Samantha does not want it to go anywhere..she does not want to be known as the woman that got it all by sleeping her way to the top. Logan however, has other ideas!! He has never felt this way before about a woman and is adamant to make Samantha his. When Samantha finally relocates the heat is on in more ways than one!!

This book is seriously smoking hot!! I mean hose me down hot...I need to get my body in a wind tunnel hot and it is not just Logan and Samantha..this book introduces you to threesomes M/M/F and even foursomes M/M/M/F..this is where I became a bit shy...never read anything M/M before but this opened my eyes in a big way and I thoroughly enjoyed it!! It doesn't help that the 3rd in this relationship is Logan's twin brother Luke...yes there are two smoking hot McCoy's and Luke's story is the next one up and that I can assure you is my favourite of the series!!

Logan introduces Samantha to a different side of herself and slowly but surely introduces his more dominant alpha male side, Logan is also into voyeurism and this gets Samantha going too so makes for some seriously hot reading. Eventually he introduces Samantha to the club "Club Destiny" that he and his brother Luke own and run and that is where the fun begins...

I cannot recommend this series enough..if you love a hot steamy read then this is definitely the series for you..I read all the books one after the other and never tired of their antics, I can't wait for more from Nicole Edwards. Seriously, seriously amazeballs!!
 
What Willow says: 4 Stars

So many of my forum friends had read this book and were talking about it and I kinda felt I was missing out by not reading it, but part of me thought it was just going to be another sex filled book, with just sex for the sake of it, so I didn't jump to read it. With so much talk about it I finally caved.

 I have to say it was a lot different that I thought it was going to be. It wasn't just a book about sex, yes there is a lot of it and as Donna mentions some threesomes and even foursomes, but actually there was a lot more story to the relationship of Logan and Samantha. With work being an issue for Sam, not wanting to be known as the woman who slept her way to the top and Logan concerned whether Sam will understand his different sexual wants, its not plain sailing for them, they don't jump into bed together straight away and there is a tension that builds.  I loved that fact that Sam a strong character and wasn't afraid to explore, and for however briefly felt that perhaps she should feel guilty for liking it so much.

When I heard the threesome involved twins, I was a thinking that was a bit wrong, but actually reading it, it didn't come out that way and you certainly understand why its not weird for Logan. I will be interested to see where Luke and Cole go from here (two of the characters involved in the foursome)

I was a bit puzzled by it being called the Club Destiny Series because there was only a mention of Club Destiny in this book, but as Luke's book is next and he runs CD, I am assuming that we will hear a lot more of it in future books

What Dawn says: 3.5 Stars

Ok the girls have described most of the book so ill go with how I felt.....

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it however, I found it lacking in something but I can't put my finger on what. That's what is making me bring this down from a 4 or 5 stars because really, I liked it, I liked how Logan was trying to get Sam to lose some control she had on her life. And how I knew they made a great couple. He was obviously loving and caring and totally besotted with her so I'm wondering was it Sam that brought it down for me?!

The first 40 ish% of the book was a bit boring for me and I really struggled with it. There was more discussion of Samantha's job ambitions and Logan's outdoor pool layout than about either of their emotions. And as I have no clue about their field of work I was often a tad confused.
Then all of a sudden Pow.....a different book It turned into crazy hot sex scenes and a really good story.


 Although some of the description was a little disturbing, Logan described the sexual acts as entirely for Sam's pleasure, although  involved pleasure for everyone involved. And I once felt she was a little forced into it. I know she had her safe word but still she was new to this and never knew entirely what was going to happen. But in the end she liked it. Then the next day she would have an internal struggle with what she'd done. Which is what I would think was a normal reaction. The big finale was described as a "punishment," which was a little odd. A few times, I had to sit back and think about whether some of the acts were physically possible.

There was a lot of head talking. I also didn't like how Sam kept running, refusing to communicate with Logan, even by phone. This annoyed me and made me want to shake her and  tell Logan to find someone who was more deserving. I get she was hurt by a relationship in the past, I get she was cautious, but going back home for 2 weeks after everything they went through, especially towards the end of the book was not ok. The lack of communication during this and his weekend business trip then their hurt feelings didn't sit well with me.  He would then turn up they would say very little then he'd "show" her how she'd made him feel.

 I also had to wonder if this would all be ok in a loving relationship?!  I'm no idiot and I know these things happen but somewhere along the line if they kept on doing this with Luke surely feelings are bound to get involved. He is Logan's identical twin brother!! That was another thing I found odd for them being such close twins, Logan and Sam got married without him there? Really?

 All of that being said I read the whole book and I will definitely be reading the next books in the series. I can't wait to read about Luke he intrigued me.

Nicole Edwards Week ~ Giveaway!!

To celebrate Nicole Edwards Week we've got some awesome prizes to giveaway courtesy of Nicole.

As we are a UK based blog we have two giveaways running, one for our UK followers and one for our international followers. Please ensure you enter the correct giveaway!

The Giveaways will run until Friday (3rd May). We will announce the winners on Saturday 4th May.

FOR OUR UK FOLLOWERS:
 
FOR NON UK FOLLOWERS:  

Nicole Edwards Week ~ Day 1

Welcome to Nicole Edwards Week.

This week (Monday to Friday) The Romance Cover will be posting reviews for all of Nicole Edwards' Club Destiny Series, plus the first book in the Alluring Indulgence Series, Kaleb.
 
Nicole Edwards has agreed to do an interview for The Romance Cover and we will post a bit of that interview each day of Nicole week.
 
We are also having an amazing Nicole Edwards giveaway, details will be up shortly!
 
Each day we will also be asking our followers and Nicole's fan's a question. Today's question is:
 
Which is your favourite Club Destiny Book Cover? answer below and we'll tell you which the most popular cover is tomorrow!
 
 
 



Sunday 28 April 2013

Starting tomorrow Nicole Edwards Week!

Nicole Edwards Week will run from Monday 29th April until Friday 3rd May.

It will include:

  • An awesome Giveaway you won't want to miss!

  • An interview with Nicole Edwards

  • Reviews of all the Club Destiny books

  • A Review of Kaleb (Alluring Indulgence 1)


So make sure you come and join us!

Eyes Wide Open by Raine Miller Blog Tour

The Romance Cover is pleased to announce that we are part of the Eyes Wide Open Blog Tour.

 
You can check out the blog tour schedule here:

Breathe into Me by Amanda Stone

Reviewed by Donna 3.5 Stars

A fab debut book from Amanda Stone. I was hooked from the beginning and had to finish in one sitting…you knew something was building but you had to wait till the end…I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed but still really enjoyed it.
Kane…hmmmm yum yum yum..gorgeous, bad boy, biker dude with gray eyes, tats, piercings and has the most lovable grandparents ever!! My fave grandparents yet!! Kane was a bad boy, his parents died..he spiralled out of control, did lots of things he regretted including lots and lots of gratuitous sex with all and sundry, hence the player bad boy rep he has going. However, Kane has changed, he dragged himself up with the help of his grand parents, removed himself from the “bad” in his life, enrolled back in school, got a job, got a new apartment and was just trying to get himself back on track. As Kane finds out, as he keeps himself to himself now, people are not so willing to let his reputation disappear with the old Kane.
Kelsey is extremely damaged, she decides to move away from her past and the pity to go to uni with her best friend Jessie (and a fab best friend she is too). She wants to get the old Kelsey back and tries her best to make it happen..Kelsey has a lot of guilt over her mothers death, which her father was then put in prison for and this back story is revealed eventually. Kelsey keeps bumping into Kane around campus and they both cannot get each other out of their heads, eventually they speak, make friends and become each others confidantes..this friendship does not last long as they soon realise that it is a friendship they both want but a lot lot more..both have never dated so it is a learning curve for them both. As in any real life relationship there are ups and downs, angst, stupid decisions and misunderstandings..but will all be ok in the world????  You will just have to read and see.. throw in a really freaky study partner and the shock of all endings and you will be dragged into the book as quickly as I was.
The romance side was beautifully written could be very super sweet at times, but as Kelsey was a novice at all things male it was justified..Kane was so believable in this book, he took his time with Kelsey which is just what she needed and I think deep down he needed it too. Loved the tattoo, so sweet. Loved the relationship between Jessie and Landon and so glad that Landon stepped in when required to stand up for Kane, being best friends since diapers he knew that for Kane this was different and stood up for him when needed.
Great first book, cannot wait to read more from this author.

Saturday 27 April 2013

Giveaway winners ~ For you by Mimi Strong

Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway for an ecopy of For You by Mimi Strong.
 
The winners have been randomly selected via rafflecopter. They are:

 
Laura Mendez
 
Antoinette Stefani
 
Annetha Owusu
 
Winners will receive an email to the address they provided shortly.
 
We have an amazing giveaway starting Monday that you are not going to want to miss so stay tuned!

Rock My Bed (Black Falcon 2) by Michelle A. Valentine

Reviewed by Donna 4 shiny stars!! 

Must admit I was a bit nervous going into this one as in the first 2 books I did not like Riff. I thought am I going to be able to read about a character I detest??? Well the answer was yes and yes I did really enjoy his story. In fact, this made his behaviour understandable to a certain degree. It was fab to get his back story and such a sad story it was too. I felt for the poor guy, he is extremely broken, carries a lot of guilt around and believes that he is unlovable, as everyone he loves leaves.  
Aubrey was a great character anyway and she just made the book!! We knew all about her anyways so not much more was revealed but the way that she carried herself in this book was great. She does make a few shaky decisions that I could have throttled her for but then as usual, they come to their senses eventually. Why anybody thinks they should end up with somebody safe that they have no physical or emotional attraction to is beyond me, whether they are a bad boy or not love should be the most important.
Riff does not get off scot free either, he also makes some crazy decisions but luckily for him his band mates make him see the light!! The thing that made Riff for me during this book is what he asked Aubrey to call him when they were together..his real name..(sigh!!)..he wanted to make sure that she knew she was with him, not Riff the rocker and that just made him even more endearing, the fact that he needed and wanted the differentiation was super cute!!
The instant messaging and texting between the two of them is super sweet and at points hilarious and adds to their relationship. These two were meant for each other and you felt that coming off the page, Riff was greatly misunderstood in the first two books and I am so glad that we got to see the real Riff in this one.
The sex scenes in this book are sexier and a bit more risqué with some soft BDSM and kinky sex, but I feel that the sex scenes in all the books are not Michelle Valentine’s forte, she excels in the back stories, the relationships, the build up and drawing you in to the characters.
This book does not carry on from the last but actually from the Las Vegas concert, this is fab as we get some questions answered that were outstanding from the first book. Aubrey’s boss in this book is highly irritating and I was so glad he got his just deserts at Noel and Lanie’s wedding, couldn’t have happened to a nicer man!
So looking forward to the twins story too, we saw them a lot more in this book and they are highly entertaining and extremely interesting…think there could be a lot of fun to be had with these two, especially if Michelle is taking us down a more kinky side with her writing.
Cannot wait for the next instalment!!

Friday 26 April 2013

Giveaway reminder - last chance to enter for an ecopy "For You" by Mimi Strong

Dont for get to enter our giveaway of 3 ebooks of "For You" by Mimi Strong

Enter here: ttp://www.theromancecover.com/2013/04/giveaway-for-you-by-mimi-strong.html

Touch Me by Olivia Cunning

Reviewed by Donna 4 Stars

I love these short novellas from Olivia Cunning and this one was no exception. This book focuses on Owen of Sole Regret. Owen meets Caitlyn at a sex club, she is giving off all men are shit vibes and looks wildly out of place. Caitlyn has just separated from her husband and is going through a divorce, he has left her for a younger woman (a teenager) and she is feeling woefully inadequate and insecure. Owen is not for relationships, he just enjoys meaningless sex as a ways to relax and enjoy. He is always safe though!! Owen goes to the club with another member of Sole Regret, Kelly (Kellen), they have been best friends since childhood and have a fab relationship. Kelly is in a woman funk after his girlfriend died and has been abstaining much to Owen’s annoyance. However, they have shared some women before and obviously have shared a bit of themselves too and I would love to see their relationship developed. It did remind me a touch of Brian and Trey, however I do feel that there really is something between them, I can see a threesome coming along here..Owen, Kelly and Caitlyn…hmmmm interesting!!
Owen and Caitlyn with a little help from Kelly in the beginning have a fabulous night at the club, Owen even broke all his rules and took her back to the hotel for the night, took her to friends in the morning to get some clothes and then persuades her to join him on the tour bus and see one of their concerts. Everything is running smoothly until Lindsey from “Share Me”shows up making things look a lot worse than they are and without getting Owen’s side of the story Caitlyn runs!
This story does end on a little cliffie but it wasn’t too bad, I cannot wait to read the next instalment to see where this going. So glad that this is Olivia Cunning at her best as I must admit I did not really like Share Me at all, the gang bang on the bus in the snow, was just bleurgggh and I am upset that one of the characters from this book has reared her ugly head. I can only hope that all the members of Sole Regret are safe from Lindsey and that Tex is the bad boy!! If any of them at all!!

Thursday 25 April 2013

Pink Slips and Glass Slippers by JP Hansen

Reviewed by Donna 3 Stars

Thanks to JP for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.
I did enjoy this book, but felt the pace was really slow in the first half, I kept looking at the % on my kindle and couldn’t believe that I had only read 50% when it felt like I had been reading forever!
The characters in this book were fab, especially Brooke, she was such a strong woman, she had been through so much in life. Her mother died in child birth and she was raised by her dad who absolutely idolised her and tried hard to be both mum and dad. She fell in love at school with Tanner and after university they married and she fell pregnant, at the same time Tanner fell ill with a rare form of Leukaemia and Brooke lost the baby at 6 months..this was too much for Tanner to bear and he committed suicide..he knew that he only had months to live and did not want to prolong the agony and the miscarriage was the straw that broke the camels back. Brooke was left distraught and has never been able to recover from Tanners suicide.
She has a life coach called Shane, the way this character is incorporated into the book is brilliant, he is never there in person but because of all the phonecalls and emails you actually feel like you know him…novel idea!
Brooke worked for a company called Gensense and they were working on a cure for Leukaemia and were near getting the approval needed for rolling it out, the company was taken over by Pharmical and Brooke had to relocate to the new offices. There she meets her new boss Chase Allman, they both had a bit of instalust going on but did not act upon it due to strict no frat policy at work. Also Brooke thought that Chase was married as he always wore a wedding ring.
Chase was adorable if not misunderstood, however much of this is his own doing. He has a 3 year old son, his wife deserted them after a bout of post natal depression and becoming addicted to whatever pills she could get her hands on. Chase had paid for her to attend rehab but she broke out and went AWOL for years. He had been trying to find her with the use of a private investigator but had no luck until recently, he needed to get the divorce papers served once he found out she was living with a drug dealer and was still a user. Chase felt that he needed to keep up the pretense that he was happily married for his status as CEO of Pharmical so as far as everyone was aware he was happily married Chase. I am not sure if this is the case in the US as I am in the UK but I would hope that a board of directors does not hold that much weight that a CEO would be afraid to admit that his home life was less than perfect.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more meat on Chase, his character was a bit empty, for a big CEO type I would have liked to get to know him rather than just what he did everyday..little glimpses were shown throughout the book but I could not really relate to him as a person. I felt the book centered a bit too much around Brooke and her past, I think that some of this could have been reduced without detracting too much from the story.
As the book progresses so does Chase and Brooke’s attraction until they get it on one night..must admit the love scenes did not really do it for me in this book, I did get a feel but not an emotional feel. The following Monday the board decide Brooke is surplus to requirements and she is fired..then follows a whole load of miscommunication, lack of communication and just a “for gods sake what are you two doing kinda moment…just get together and TALK!!!!) episode.
There are plot changes involving Chase’s little boy and his soon to be ex-wife, the nanny, the board and a fun trip to Disneyland, this is where the book picks up the pace and becomes an easy read.
Enjoyed the plot and did really like the book but it wasn’t a love love love it for me.
I would read more from this author.

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Author Interview and Giveaway ~ Mimi Strong

To celebrate the release of Mimi Strong's New book, For You, Mimi has agreed to an Interview with The Romance Cover. She is also giving away 3 ebook copies to our followers (to enter see details here)
Mimi writes chick-lit, erotic romance, sex comedy, and new adult contemporary romance. Some of her books include The Borrowed Billionaire Series, The Ice Cream Series and Kissing Coach

What inspired you to write your first book?

I took a creative writing class and discovered I actually could write fiction. I'd always been an avid reader, but didn't understand where to begin writing something with a plot. After I finished a dozen short stories plus various exercises, I told myself it was time to write a book. This was in 2010.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

David Sedaris

Why did you choose to write Romance/Erotic fiction?

I started off writing YA fiction, and most of the stories had romance elements. I had to "dial back" the kissing scenes a few times, but I enjoyed writing them. As a total goof, I decided to write a naughty billionaire story. Just for fun. Zero expectations. It was so liberating to not have to censor anything! And then, to my surprise, people liked the story. I'm really drawn to comedy, and I think sex and comedy are a perfect match. I'm happily married to the sweetest guy, so I draw from that joy to write romance.

What do you do when you come down with a case of the infamous
ʺwriterʹs blockʺ?


Despair. Panic. Shallow breathing and wallowing on the sofa for a bit. Then I pick up the laptop and try a new location--usually a coffee shop, where I have to at least pretend I'm working. Turning off the internet helps a lot. So does having the document open.

When you are not writing what do you enjoy doing?

I love to take a long walk to the movie theater with friends or my husband, then enjoy a comedy while I eat yogurt with double rainbow sprinkles, then a long walk back while discussing the movie. I don't bake, I hate shopping, but I do love organizing other people's closets.

What is your favourite Movie at the moment?

Dirty Dancing

What is your favourite song at the moment?

Michael Bublé - "To Love Somebody"

Who is your favourite book boyfriend?

Ron Weasley

If you could have only one book with you whilst stranded on a desert island what would it be?

Alice in Wonderland

Which is your favourite book you've written and why?

I wrote a YA fantasy novel under my other pen name--Broken Shell Island. I think that book had been in me since childhood, and just writing it fulfilled a very old promise to myself.

Who is your favourite character from your books and why?

Smith Wittingham from Billionaire Novelist is my only author character, so that makes him extra special. It's very indulgent for us to write about writers, but so fun.

How about your least favourite character?

Oh, no. I love them all. Side characters, villains, every one of them. I even love Sharise, the trash-talking dog-kidnapper, but only as a book character, not as a person in real life.

If you could change one scene from one of your books, which one would it be and why?

I don't re-read after publication, and I move on quickly to the next project, so this saves me from the woulda-couldas.*

*However, I did add an extra chapter to the end of Pretty Girls when I re-released it. This is more of an extension than a change, though.

About For You:

Where did you get the idea for this book?

This book changed wildly from the original idea. I had this kooky premise about a big cash pool tournament and two love interests, and boy oh boy did things switch around when I started writing.

Are any of the characters based on personal experience?

Yes, every character has some connection to people in my life. It might just be one small detail, but they're all made of more than just imagination.

What's your favourite scene you wrote?

I was giddy with excitement when I wrote the sex scene with the maple syrup. I announced it on Facebook as soon as I'd written it.

Will it be a series?

For You was original planned as a series, called Runaway Lies, but I didn't feel good about my ideas for a second book. I lost a lot of sleep over it. Then I figured out how to resolve everything and make it a stand-alone book, and that felt right to me, as an artist. We sure don't get any guarantees in life, but we do get feelings, and I'm learning to trust my intuition.

Thank you Mimi

You can visit Mimi's website here: http://www.mimistrong.com/ to find out more about her books

You can see The Romance Cover's review of For You here http://www.theromancecover.com/2013/04/for-you-by-mimi-strong.html


Giveaway ~ For You by Mimi Strong

To celebrate the release of Mimi Strong's new book For You, Mimi is giving away 3 ecopies to our followers! Enter below for your chance to win a copy:



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines

Reviewed by Donna 4.5 Stars

Abbi Glines does it again however this had the added bit of HOT SMOKING chemistry and attraction.

Della is on a road trip to find herself, her best friend has just got married, gives her the car and tells her to go and find herself!! Della was a prisoner in her own home, her brother died her mum went loopy and kept her in the house, she was home schooled by her mother and was extremely lonely she knew no-one. When she hit her teens she started to brave her mothers dominance and used to sneak out of the house at night, even if it was just to breathe in the air and touch the grass, this is where she met her best friend Braden. She was her next door neighbour and wondered what went on at the house, she thought they were vampires!! After meeting a few times at night Braden gets Della out and about a bit more and eventually persuades her to go out to a party. However, when they return Della’s mother has committed suicide. After initially being arrested for her death, once her alibi checks out she is released and Braden’s family take her in and that is when their friendship becomes unbreakable. Even Braden’s husband knew that when he married Braden, he also got Della, they came as a package. The love that they both have for Della was beautiful and I for one would love a best friend like Braden.

On this road trip Della runs out of petrol, she coasts into a petrol station and then realises that she does not know how to put gas in the tank..she is there struggling and then along comes her knight in shining armour“Woods Kerrington”…I loved Woods in Rush’s story and he doesn’t disappoint in this book either..he does have a shaky moment until he finds his balls, but I forgave him, just a little bit!!

They have their night of fun after the gas station incident and Woods leaves her to carry on her road trip, however, their paths cross again four months later..is this destiny???

The chemistry that these two have is amazeballs, you can feel it oozing off the page and I had to think twice…is this Abbi Glines??? Giving us smoking hot passion and sex in a book??? Abbi did it really well, who knew that Woods had it in him?? There was me thinking he was this cutesy man, work-a-holic, Ivy league jock and he is actually seriously hot!!! He has alpha male tendencies and a filthy mouth that made me blush on more than one occasion!! But he also had his caring side and one that he needed constantly with Della.

Della suffers with panic attacks and night terrors..she does not think that she can be loved because of them and that people with think that she is crazy. She thinks that she will end up as crazy as her mother and does not really want to have children as she feels that she will pass the crazy gene on. Woods witnesses one of her panic attacks and it only makes him want to protect her more.

Tripp has been looking out for Della and pulls Woods aside to find out what his intentions are, when Woods admits that he is in it for the long haul Tripp asks him to come one night once Della is asleep so he can witness first hand the night terrors that she has every night…this scene was amazingly beautiful…I cried happy tears and sad tears all in one go!!

As usual the course of true love never runs smooth and as I said earlier Woods does make some stupid decisions based on peer pressure from his parents, but he soon sees the light..but is it too late?? Will his parents let him live the life he craves or will they ruin it all???

The ending!!!! Wow, although it was a little cliffie it wasn’t one that had me screaming as Woods and Della were back on track..but am I wrong in thinking that it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person??? I think I am, but hey I can live with it….I just hope that this latest development does not hinder Woods and Della’s relationship as guilt can eat you away.

Cannot wait for book 2!!

Monday 22 April 2013

Author Interview ~ M.J Lawless

M.J Lawless is the author of  The Crystal Fragments Trilogy,  Orfeo and The Long Last Summer. She regularly joins in on an Amazon UK forum thread that Willow started and has agreed to do an interview for the blog.


What got you interested in writing and when did you start?

I’ve enjoyed writing since I was at school and although I’d written short stories as a teenager, I decided to pursue a career in journalism after my education. Last year, however, I thought I’d try my hand at writing some of my own material, publishing something different to the types of article I have to write for a living and which would give me more pleasure.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
This one’s really hard to answer! There are lots of writers I like, and some of the new adult and new romance writers are really impressive (I find myself returning to Colleen Hoover, for example, for lots of reasons). As for a mentor, however, that’s very difficult to answer. I think, like a lot of current romance/erotica writers, I was inspired a little by the success of Fifty Shades of Grey, but I wouldn’t consider E. L. James a mentor - an inspiration, certainly, but not a mentor. If If there was a writer I’d love to write like, it would be Haruki Murakami (who has written some very romantic novels, but is not really a romance writer although he is a great author).
What do you do when you come down with a case of the infamous ʺwriter's blockʺ?
Until recently, I would have said I don’t suffer from writer’s block. I have to write regularly for a living and while there may be days when I don’t feel like tapping away on a keyboard, most of the time I set aside a few hours each day to work on something. However, producing articles that follow a brief is very different to creative writing and I’ve found the latter can be emotionally exhausting. When I started writing novels, I would be eager to start the next one but, having just finished The Long Last Summer, I put so much of myself into that it’s meant I want to take a longer break before beginning another title. That’s not so much writer’s block, I think, as the need for a “writer’s lull”.
Is Writing a full time job for you? If not what do you do?
Writing is a full time job, although not writing fiction. Most of the stuff I do is fairly humdrum (and I can say that because I write fiction under a pseudonym!), being articles for business magazines in the main part. I’d like very much to do more health and lifestyle stuff, but for the moment writing about businesses helps pay the mortgage!
When you are not writing what do you enjoy doing?
I love going out into the country and enjoying walks by the sea when I get the chance, and we live not very far from Bristol so I love going out in the city as well. I’m a bit of a culture junky, and will go to the theatre and cinema whenever I can. I also love spending time with my family - my husband has to travel a fair amount (which is unfortunate when I can’t go with him), but my boys are a source of constant pleasure.
What's your favourite book at the moment?
Ironically, since I’ve decided to write novels I’ve had less time to read! I try to keep up with some romance authors for pleasure, as well as other books of very varied types. Perhaps the novel I’ve got the most out of recently is Tabitha McGowan’s The Tied Man, because it took a very different direction to what I was expecting at the beginning.
What is your favourite movie at the moment?
I love loads of movies, so making a choice is very hard. I’ve left this question till last to answer because I kept writing down one title and then discarding it. The one I’ve decided on is perhaps the film that gave me the most pleasure in 2012 and hasn’t been surpassed (yet) in 2013 - Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson. It’s a very touching and funny story about first love, and I have a weird crush thing for Bill Murray.
What is your favourite song at the moment?
Though not quite as hard to answer as the favourite movie question, there are lots. But the one I listen to whenever I switch on my phone is by a Norwegian band, Royksopp, and is called “Happy Up Here”. It makes me smile whenever I hear it without fail.
Who is your favourite book boyfriend?
Is it a bad thing to say that I’m a bit of a tramp and book boyfriends come and go? Oh dear, that makes me sound very promiscuous, but I think some of your readers will understand. Actually, it did occur to me that over the years there has been one who has been very constant ever since I read about him as a teenager (and I can’t remember most of the heroes I read at that time!) Heathcliff out of Wuthering Heights ruined me - I’ve been looking for surly, passionate, impossible men ever since! While not a book boyfriend, I must also admit to having a crush that’s remained pretty constant for Christian Bale. I’m not sure I’m willing to explain all the reasons why, but he was the image I had in mind when I was writing the character of Daniel in The Crystal Fragments.
Crystal Fragments Trilogy: (TRC review can be found here)

Where did you get the idea for the Crystal Fragments trilogy?
I’ll come clean immediately with one thing. Like a lot of erotica/romance authors, I read Fifty Shades and thought, I could do something like that. At the same time, better or for worse, I had to spend a fair bit of time with high-fliers when I was working full time as a journalist (most of whom are as attractive as a wet blanket!), and I wanted to do something that was a little more “realistic” - ignoring the fact that Kris encounters a misanthropic self-made millionaire in the Scottish islands trying to escape it all. Okay, so a lot of the trilogy is anything but realistic, but when dealing with the fact that sometimes very wealthy men have to do morally suspect things to make their wealth I think I managed to represent that. In the end, The Crystal Fragments Trilogy is escapist fantasy, but it also has a moral point to it: in achieving his vast wealth, Daniel has begun to lose his soul and Kris is a way for him to find it again.
What is your favourite thing about Daniel?
I’ll get the obvious stuff out of the way: Tall (check). Dark (check). Handsome (check). Oh, wait a minute, he has also been in a terrible car accident, so his natural good looks have, for many people, been damaged, although Kris finds this more appealing (and I must admit to having a thing for scars - not too many, but the odd one is something I find very sexy). One thing that some readers picked up on, for better or for worse, is that in the first book in particular Daniel is not a very pleasant man: yes, arrogance is part of the drive of these books, but to begin with Daniel takes this too far - he is a bit of a brute. Actually, for me this is a sign that he has lost his moral compass: because he can buy anything he wants (or so he thinks) everything is for sale. Early on, however, we realise that this brittle exterior covers the real wound he received when he lost his wife, that he is suffering from emotional scars much worse than anything physical he has endured. By the end of the trilogy, however, he is quieter and braver in the face of apparently insurmountable odds, someone who no longer needs to force people to do what he wants but instead redeems himself by trying to do everything he can for the woman he loves.
What is your favourite thing about Kris?
As with Daniel, I tried to create a character who had some complexity. In some ways, the easier question to answer is what I don’t like about her - she does some pretty stupid things, especially in the second part of the trilogy! In her own way, she’s as much a lost soul as Daniel, but what I intended from the start is the fact that Kris wants much more from her life, and I’m not just talking about the material things. By the end of the trilogy, I wanted her to gain the confidence that comes not from simply being loved but also by doing things - such as fulfilling her dreams of being an artist - for herself. She doesn’t behave as dramatically as Daniel in some ways, but I wanted her to be a woman who finds her backbone and is not intimidated by men who are much more powerful than her.
What's your favourite scene of the books and Why?
This is such a difficult question! I have lots for different reasons. For example, I found the remote control sex toy scene very funny to write, though not all readers liked this, and some of the scenes in Lisbon were a real pleasure in that I was remembering places I’d been. I think if I had to pick a single scene, however, the one that stands out for me is when Kris picks Daniel up from the jail outside San Francisco. I had a very, very vivid image of what Daniel would look like at that moment - roughened up by his experiences inside prison (and I still have hot flushes when he springs to mind), and determined to start showing his opponents that he is still a force to be dealt with. At the same time, however, Kris, clearly pregnant at this time and tougher because of what she has had to endure, also takes more of a leading role, taking him away to a private place to show her love for him. It’s much less dramatic than many of the other scenes, but at this point I wanted to try and show that in the end it is these two people being together that is more important than anything else.
Your books are very descriptive about places, is that because you only write about places you have lots of experience of?
In The Crystal Fragments, the main locations are London, Lisbon and San Francisco. I lived in London for a while and I also spent some time in my early twenties in San Francisco (where I had the very glamorous job of being, effectively, a tea lady! I think they had a fancier title, like “food vending administrator” or something). As for Lisbon, that is one of my favourite places in the world, and I’ve spent many very enjoyable holidays there. Actually, another important setting is New York, but careful readers will notice that I tend to allude to that in passing, mainly because I have only visited the Big Apple once for a brief vacation. Maybe I need to go again and for longer for research on a future novel!
The Long Last Summer: (TRC review can be found here)
You can tell that this book was based on something personal to you, Did you find it more difficult to write because of this?
Yes, this was much more difficult in many ways. The Long Last Summer is a book I’ve been carrying around inside my head for a couple of years now, being a heavily-fictionalised account of three separate groups of people I know (some of them from my husband’s family, some of them from my own) which I brought together into one novel. Actually, the story behind Jake would have been even harder to write as biography in that it was not his father who died but his mother (though this was a few years after Mark’s illness), but I found it difficult to put myself in the position of a single father rather than a single mother. In addition, I was drawing on some personal experiences of a relative of mine who had an affair at about the time of the events in the book and was dealt with very badly by her family, so much so that she left the UK to get away from the rest of her family. Bringing together those stories into one and concentrating them on the character of Kitty meant that I felt for her very deeply as I was writing the novel.
What was the hardest part of writing the book?
Without giving any spoilers, the hardest part was writing the final two chapters. I’m not sure it’s a good thing for an author to admit to crying at her own work (“the writing is just so terrible!”) but I shed a few tears while finishing those two chapters.
What was your favourite thing about writing this book?
My favourite parts were most of the chapters dealing with Jake and Mark. There were a few tough ones (for example the one where Mark is being bullied at school), but I really enjoyed those where I described the simple pleasures they got up to, travelling in the fields around their home and engaging in all sorts of summer games. The sweetness of those parts probably makes some of the other chapters even harder to bear, but for me the whole book is a bittersweet novel.
The book is written from four points of view, which was your favourite to write from and why?
Mark’s, without a doubt. I tried to inject much of the humour into many of the chapters that are from Mark’s point of view. In some respects while he was based on a real person he was also a blank canvas because the memories other people have of him tend to be very idealised. I tried to give Mark greater depth by drawing on a lot of experiences with my own children - I must admit that some of the dialogue in the novel when they are playing or arguing would be very familiar to my own two boys (and I would guess that a lot of mothers would recognise something similar). In addition, being a very lapsed Catholic, it was also fun to put some of the thoughts I had on religion, and just how peculiar it all seemed when growing up, into Mark’s perspective.
Is there a message the book that you want readers to grasp?
All of the characters in the book are very normal people - and they make plenty of mistakes that, if the circumstances of Mark’s illness were not so severe, would be part of the daily part of life. If anything, it’s about learning to forgive those mistakes rather than becoming uptight and self-righteous. As Kitty says near the end of the book, too many of them have forgotten that showing a little bit of mercy, pity, peace and love to each other is what makes us human.
Future projects:
The Long Last Summer was very different from The Crystal Fragments series, what type of book(s) are you going to do next?
Although I intend to take something of a break from fiction writing for a while, there are three projects I want to do over the next year. I mentioned before that I’ve long wanted to write a book set in Japan, and so the next novel, Empire of the Senses, will be an erotic romance of two former lovers meeting up in Kyoto and throwing themselves into an intense, sexual affair at the expense of everything else they are meant to do. While this will have an HEA, it will probably be quite dark in some of its themes, so I fancy taking a change of direction and try my hand at a romantic comedy about a gentleman thief who seduces more mature women but finds himself having unintended feelings to a younger private investigator hired to track him down: I’ve sketched a plot outline for this and it will be called Baffled, but I’ll only probably start writing it in the autumn.
These will be fantasies or romances with quite a strong erotic theme. At some time in the future, though, I would also like to return to the story of the Doyle and Donahue family, taking them from events alluded to in The Long Last Summer dealing with Michael’s family and the Easter Uprising to the adulthood of Jake and his own trials and tribulations in the world.
Thank you so much M.J for taking the time to talk to us.

M. J. Lawless's book Orfeo will be available as a free download on Amazon from April 26 until April 30.
You can find M.J's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Lawless/364954863597022