Saturday 28 February 2015

Review ~ Unblocked – Episode One (Timber Towers #1) by Marni Mann

Releases March 10th 

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 Stars

**ARC received for honest review**

“Real estate never looked so real…”

It is no secret I am a huge Marni Mann fan and I anxiously wait for any new release, her writing just evolves every time she puts pen to paper and her writing just gets better and better. It seems ages ago I first stumbled across her Seductive Shadows series and have been hooked ever since. In the past Marni has proven her ability to write erotica and she has also nailed the emotional contemporary. Her writing is magical, she always manages to captivate me, she pulls me into her stories and never lets me go until the last word and Unblocked is no different. For me, this book is a mixture of both the erotic and the emotional contemporary and for a first book in series my appetite has been whet and I am now extremely hungry for more.

This is going to be a series to watch out for!! In this book the foundations have been laid and the story is just beginning. Marni introduces us to two fantastic characters that are both flawed in their own way and it is this that makes them all the more intriguing. They are both strong on the outside but you cannot help but see what lies underneath, every now and again you see little chinks in their armour where they both you let see little glimpses of the real them. It is these little glimpses that keep you wanting more, wanting more for them, wanting them to let go, open up and most of all, see what really is right in front of them.

Frankie is a great character, even though she is jaded she is strong, even though you can see her weaknesses trying to peek through her inner strength comes back to fight. She works for her father’s real estate company and she has worked her way up the hard way…from the bottom. She is top in her field despite her age and is extremely professional, dedicated and motivated. She has obviously been hurt in the past but this only seems to spur her on, but on the inside you can see she is still hurting.

“She was acute and fierce, intriguing and stunning; her answers had captured my attention. It was rare that someone could compel me to look at nowhere but at them, yet she had me hanging on every word that came through those delicious lips.”

Derek Block, he is an enigma, for a man that is so fastidious in the building of his real estate, his personal appearance leaves a lot to be desired, but even through his outward appearance you can see the rugged, handsome man underneath. He has obviously been hurt in the past both on a personal and emotional level, through relationships and his father’s death and this has shaped the man he is today. I personally felt his outward appearance was a mask, a deterrent to prevent unwanted attention. He only wanted what he instigated but even he wasn’t prepared for what would hit him when his path crosses with Frankie.

“…was anything but polished. He was brutish and grizzled, and as he stared at me, a rough, raw intensity poured from his electric blue eyes. His gaze was as primal as his appearance.”


The Block real estate is a huge deal for Frankie to nab and would really make her career take off; it was a huge deal to her and her father. Block wants the best agency to market his properties and they all send in their best recruits. Frankie meets Derek, Derek meets Frankie…heat passes, the air is magnetic, the chemistry is sizzling but with both intent on keeping this professional could anything else be on their horizon? I cannot wait to see where this is going, both are polar opposites, yet together they click. These two could be just what the other one needs, but can they put their professional relationship aside to see the wood for the trees? The chemistry is explosive, the heat and attraction is palpable...bring on book 2.

“My breath just made you quiver. Can you imagine what my tongue will do?”

This is the first book of a five part series with each instalment releasing approximately every six weeks.

Pre-Order buy links:

Thursday 26 February 2015

Cover Reveals with Excerpt ~ Consolation and Conviction by CorinneMichaels

Consolation
Book One in the Consolation Duet


Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Okay Creations
Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography

Book Description:

Liam wasn’t supposed to be my happily ever after.
He wasn’t even on my radar.
He was my husband’s best friend—forbidden.

But my husband is dead and I’m alone. I ache for him and I reach for Liam.

One night with Liam changed everything. Now I have to decide if I truly love him or if he’s just the consolation prize.

Find it on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1wMUa4a

Consolation will be released on 18th March

Teaser:


Excerpt:

Today is the last day I will allow myself to feel sorrow, the last day I will shed tears, because tears don’t change anything. I need to harvest whatever strength I have and hold it tight. I’m a mother who has an infant that needs me to be both mom and dad.
One day, they say. One day this will stop hurting.
Lies.
This will never be okay or stop hurting.
I’ll never be the same. The woman I was before died the minute the knock on the door came. I’m a shell of the woman I was. The woman who was loving, open, and full of hope is gone. Hope is a weak bitch who couldn’t give two fucks about what you want. So I rely on faith. Faith that I’ll make it through this and find my heart again. 

Buy Links:

Preorder on iBooks: http://bit.ly/16nXT0k

Conviction
Book Two in the Consolation Duet


Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Okay Creations
Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography

Book Description:

I fell in love with Liam only to be left shattered into a million pieces. Again. The idea of being without him cripples me but the reality is, he’s gone.
 
He doesn’t understand and I can’t make him. 
 
If only he’d see the conviction behind my words—then Liam would still be here.

Find it on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1ISmhJ8

Conviction is due for release on May 27th

Buy Links:

Preorder on iBooks: http://bit.ly/1AjLE0d

About The Author:

Corinne Michaels is an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. She’s happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife. After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness.
 
Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were librarians, which only intensified her love of reading. After years of writing short stories, she couldn’t ignore the call to finish her debut novel, Beloved. Her alpha Navy SEALs are broken, beautiful, and will steal your heart.
 
Author Links:

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Blog Tour ~ Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ A Stone In The Sea (Bleeding Stars, #1) by AL Jackson


Book Description: 

He wanted nothing at all…

Until he found she had everything to give…

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but she's helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s past that costs them everything?


Excerpt:

I froze when I felt the presence behind me. The song slowly blinked out, the last note lingering in the dense air, before I slowly looked over my shoulder to find Shea. Thoughtful eyes met mine in all their warmth—covering me, pulling me in, dragging me under.
“You play,” she said, a statement rather than a question.
“A little,” I said with a shrug.
She scoffed. “I would hardly classify that as a little.” She shuffled toward me, barefoot, and still wearing that robe. “You have a beautiful voice,” she whispered, and again it took on that reverent tone, like she was recognizing something inside me I didn’t see.
She ran her fingers up the back of my neck and into my hair, and I lifted my head to it and tried not to moan like a girl when she pressed her hot mouth to my Adam’s apple, kissing me there like the temptress she was.
“Such a beautiful, beautiful voice for a beautiful, beautiful man.” The words vibrated against my throat.
“Shea.” My response was hoarse, uttered toward the ceiling as she kissed up and down my throat. With her daughter’s innocent face running like a reel through my mind, I searched inside myself for some kind of resolve. For courage. For a speck of integrity. “I should go. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have stayed. Shouldn’t have come back.”
Never should have come in the first place.
“You’re exactly where I want you to be,” she coaxed against my skin.
“Shea.” It was a plea for one of us to find reason.
“Please,” she whispered, hands sinking into my shoulders.
Weak.
Weak.
Weak.
That’s what she made me.
Groaning, I gave, because she already had me, and I swiveled a fraction, grabbed her by the hips, and pulled her onto my lap. She was quick to straddle me, a smile taking over her face as I palmed her ass, all those waves of shiny soft hair falling down around us.
“It’s hardly fair, you know,” she said.
“What’s not fair?”
“You…looking the way you do. Then you turn around and have a voice like that? Singing and playing that way?” She pulled back with a grin. “Tell me you don’t play guitar. You know what they say, a man with a guitar automatically becomes ten times sexier than any other guy in the room.”
I curbed a snort.
Didn’t I know it.
And that was exactly the shit I’d come to hate.
“Pair that with this face and this body…” she continued, purely playful.
Any other girl started talking like that and I’d have tossed her from my lap.
Instead, I kneaded my fingers deeper into the flesh of her ass, rocking her into my cock that was at the ready and begging for more.
Shivers rolled through her. “…and I would say you’re irresistible, Sebastian Stone.”
“Is that all you want me for…my body?” I teased, running my hands up her back, eliciting a pleasured whimper from her.
Fingertips played across my chest, and her expression turned vulnerable, that storm collecting speed. “Yeah. I do want this body.” Those fingers fluttered up to my jaw. “And I want this face.”
Eyes not leaving mine, she slowly leaned down and kissed me over my heart. “Most of all, I want this,” she murmured, hiding nothing, laying herself bare.

Our Review:

**ARC Received for honest review**

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 Stars

“I never needed anyone to love me until I needed you.”

All I can say is Sebastian Stone!! I do love a damaged guy, whether it be emotionally, physically or mentally, there is something about that vulnerability that just makes me love them all the more. You want them to come good, you want them happy and you just want to mother them and tell them that everything will be okay. It also helps when they are in a band and are devilishly good looking!!

Sebastian Stone (Baz) is the bad boy rocker, or so we are lead to believe, he is haunted and guilt infested but underneath all that, there was a heart of gold, not stone. He has a temper that ignites quicker than a match and sometimes when you are in the public eye day in day out, it has repercussions. Nothing lights his fuse quicker than someone that hurts his family or friends and for Baz this causes problems as he has many endearing qualities and being fiercely loyal and protective is his best one. The love and loyalty he shows to his younger brother was heart-warming and at the end of the day he was the only blood family that Baz needed. The rest of his “family” comprises of his band mates and these were a close knit bunch. They had each other’s backs and stood proud as a united front.

“My fucked-up family that consisted of a bunch of guys who were just as messed up as me.”

As Baz finds out to his own detriment using ones fists is not the ideal way to settle a score, especially within the music industry and so while the dust settles and the lawyers duke it out Baz and the band are sent away to get away from all the media and just have a time out. This is a time for reflection for Baz as he sits and ponders what the hell is going in his life.

Baz finds a little bar that has live music in the evenings, he just wanted somewhere to have a drink and have some alone time. It is here that he meets a waitress called Shea, this waitress has no idea who he is but he cannot help himself, she is alluring and all the more tempting because he can just be Baz with her, not Sebastian Stone, front man of Sunder.

Shea is hiding too, she has more than her fair share of secrets too and a relationship is something that she just isn’t looking for. There is something about Baz though that has her all a quiver and she cannot help but do something that she has not done for years, she lets him in. 

“And each time, he slipped a little deeper into my bones.”

Both Baz and Shea fight their feelings but it seems resistance is futile, neither were looking for love but it seems that cupid has just come up and smacked them in the face. Two broken souls together, could they be just what each other needs or will their pasts come back to haunt them?  Will Sebastian's past be the one that could destroy them or will it be Shea's?

“I don’t remember how to breathe without you.”

I loved this book; I read it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. I fell for Baz in a big way, he puts himself out there, something that he has never done before and I could literally feel his fear, his anguish and his guilt. He literally laid himself bare and you couldn’t help but fall in love with him. He was hurting so bad and was in a really bad place until he met Shea.

AL Jackson draws you into their story with flawless writing and you can help but be swept away with her words. This is a story that draws out every emotion and you cannot help but feel everything that these characters go through. Life is never smooth and you know that they have a bumpy road ahead but this is new for both of them and you cannot help but will them along. This is an emotional read, from the depths of raw pain and guilt to the highs of passion you will be put through the mill, but you will savour and appreciate every word you have read.

“…but you changed all that. You gave me hope. Something good to hang on to, and I’m not ever going to let it go.”

I cannot wait to see what happens to these two going forward, bring on the next book, I need it NOW!!


Buy Links:


About the Author: 

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Come to Me Quietly, Come to Me Softly, Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe! 


Tuesday 24 February 2015

Blog Tour ~ Excerpt, Review & Giveaway ~ The Limbo Series by Andrea Smith


Book 1 - Silent Whisper


Book Description: 

Parrish Locke is 27 years old, a successful model with a gorgeous boyfriend, and a loft in Manhattan. Little does she know that during a photo shoot in Chester, West Virginia, an unfortunate car accident will change her life . . . forever. Parrish discovers she's gifted in a very special way, and thus begins a suspense-filled journey that unravels secrets and mysteries from the past. Once her journey ends, it is just the beginning for Parrish, because only she holds the key that will bridge the past to the present, and allow wrongs to be righted from beyond. From mafia capos, to steamy romance, to solving the unsolved, her journey is one that provides the blueprint for her future--one she never imagined possible.


Excerpt:

"Baby," he said softly, "My life is what it is. I grew up knowing what I was and what I would always be, the same as my father, and his father before him in Sicily. It's not a career choice; it's simply a way of life that I was born into. But I can promise you that I will never allow you to become part of it. I will make sure that you are never at risk, and that you have no reason to be concerned about your safety or culpability in anything. Do you understand?"

His dark brown eyes were studying me, wanting to make sure that I knew he was my protector in all of this.

I swallowed nervously under his perusal, and nodded.

And that night, Dominic loved me with a passion that had been absent before, though I never would've guessed that he had been holding anything back. It was different that night. Haunting yet exciting at the same time and it felt dangerous.

It might've been because of our earlier mutual declaration of love; or it might've been because I now knew the extent of this man's power, along with his promise to be my protector. So let's face it, his power, along with his passion for me was a potent aphrodisiac for this girl from Chester, West Virginia.

But it also might've been because Dominic didn't permit me to put my diaphragm in before we hit the sheets that night.

"No Karlie," he said, pulling me gently back to him as I started for the bathroom to do what I always did before sex. His fingers tilted my chin, forcing me to gaze into his dark eyes.

"Not tonight. Not anymore."

And I didn't argue because it would've been pointless. Dominic had made up his mind as to what he wanted, and it was something that apparently he wanted from me.

A child.

He had never gone into detail as to the specifics, but I'd gotten the impression that having children was important to Dominic. He had never elaborated as to why they had no children, and I didn't think it was my place to ask.

After that night, I knew it was a conversation that we needed to have. Bringing Dominic Castellano's child into this world was something I wasn't sure that I could ever do.

And it had nothing to do with the fact that he was married. It was because having his child meant that he or she would be born into the same life that he had been born into, and his ancestors before him.

While I loved this man, I couldn't fathom allowing a child of mine to follow in those kinds of footsteps, and I wasn't all that sure that I'd have a choice in the matter.

Buy Links: 



Book 2 - Clouds in My Coffee


Book Description: 

When Parrish Locke, a 27 year-old fashion model, discovers she has a gift, she wishes it was the type that could be returned. That's not the case. You see, under the right circumstances, Parrish can help "stalled souls" pass beyond the pearly gates. That's right - she can communicate with their spirits. Well actually, she can do more than that, she can re-live the circumstances surrounding their untimely deaths, and as a result, right some wrongs along the way.

Clouds In My Coffee finds Parrish back in the 1970's, in a small Wyoming town where a high school cheerleader died as a result of a car accident one snowy night. But Parrish knows that isn't what really happened. After forty years, how will she convince authorities there is more to the story?

Enter Marco Trevani, Jr., a handsome, somewhat arrogant FBI agent that Parrish's father calls in to assist his gifted daughter. The chemistry between them is undeniable. But there's another surprise in store for Parrish.

One relationship fizzles, while another one sizzles!


Our Review: 

**ARC received for honest review**

Donna ~ 4.5 Stars

“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”

This is the second book in the Limbo series and I have to say is my favourite so far. This series is becoming highly addicting and I cannot wait to see what happens with Parrish going forward.

Clouds In My Coffee weaves a tale of past and present. The present is where we start with Parrish, she is staying with her father, slowly building that relationship that she never had and you can tell that these two are going to be tight. It is beautiful to watch as this turn of events is healing to both of them. If one good thing ever came out of their past it is this. Parrish is still coming to terms with her “power” and is apprehensive about her future assignments, but with her mother coming to her in her dreams she realises that she is stronger than she thinks and this “power” is a gift and she can use it to help those in limbo cross to the other side.

The latest assignment that Parrish is sent on is that of a young cheerleader called CeCe, she died in the 70’s and it is now up to Parrish to connect with her and find out the real chain of events that lead to her death. There must be a reason as to why she hasn’t crossed and it is now up to Parrish to find out what really happened and put the wrongs to rights. The blast to the past was a great read, the music and the setting bringing the scenes to life and made them easy to picture. I love the music from this era and found myself listening along as I read.

When Parrish connects with CeCe we are transported back to the 70’s and a beautiful yet heart-breaking story of young love, a love perhaps born too young. CeCe and Erik came from an impoverished back ground but it never shaped them as people. Although they were young they had that connection, but sometimes life gets in the way. With their interests taking different directions it slowly drifts them apart and at times I was heartbroken. It was easy to see that these two were meant for each other but sometimes pride comes first and what you see before you is clouded by insecurities and poor judgement. 


“All I have now are regrets and guilt over what I might’ve done to change things. And what might have been if I had.”


Parrish has to fight for this cold case to be re-opened and it is up to her to convince an FBI agent of her abilities. I mean, telling an FBI agent that you can talk to and see the life of a dead person is no mean feat and it takes a lot of convincing, it also helps that their fathers share a past and with the backing of her father and some interesting facts thrown in, Marco the said FBI agent is finally on side.

I loved the introduction of Marco, not only was he a sexy Italian stallion but he was just what Parrish needed. He literally breathed life into her and it was great to see her transform before your eyes. Their constant banter had me smiling from ear to ear at times and laughing out loud, yet their chemistry was sizzling hot. It is their relationship that really brought this story to life and made for a captivating read. It also helps that Andrea can write a mean love scene and these scenes really brought their relationship to life. Even though they are both unsure of what it is they feel, you can sense that connection and I cannot wait to see more from these two.


“You, my friend, are nothing more than a distant memory for her; a lapse in her judgment that I’ve managed to rectify with my cock…”


I was totally invested in this story, both past and present. CeCe and Erik’s story was captivating from start to finish and I couldn’t wait to see if the real culprit finally got their just desserts. I experienced a plethora of emotions ranging from like, to love, to hate, to despair, to hope, to happiness, to love and some huge sighs and swoons. This book was perfectly balanced with the suspense and intrigue and with the romantic interest both between CeCe and Erik and Parrish and Marco. I also love the way Andrea wraps these stories with the final connection at the end and it always brings their story full circle.


“Take care of your heart.”


I hope that Andrea continues with this series because I want to see Parrish happy in herself and feel that if any man is up to it then Marco is it. This could be the beginning of a deadly crime fighting duo and those hiding criminals...be scared. This series reminds me of Quantum Leap and I loved that TV show, it's a unique idea and Andrea executed this one brilliantly.

Buy Links: 



About the Author:

USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author Andrea Smith has a wicked sense of humor. No matter the genre, she is able to infuse laughter throughout.

Andrea is an Ohio native, currently residing in southern Ohio. She is the mother of two sons, and through the years has always held on to her dream of publishing fiction.

Andrea Smith is the author of "Past Tense Future Perfect" (formerly published as the Baby series), The G-Man series (Diamond Girl, Love Plus One, Night Moves, G-Men Holiday Wrap, and Taz) "These Men" (Novella that was part of an 8-author Erotica Consortium compilation entitled Bend).

Ms. Smith writes contemporary romance with suspense, mystery and an erotic tone.


Giveaway: 





Blog Tour ~ Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Slow Burn (Driven #5) by K Bromberg

slow burn - blog tour.jpg

Meet Becks & Haddie in SLOW BURN - the newest stand alone in the Driven Series by K. Bromberg!

Book Description: 

slow burn cover.jpg
ONE NIGHT. THAT'S ALL IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

Reeling from the sudden loss of her sister, Haddie Montgomery has sworn off relationships. All she wanted from Beckett Daniels was a sexy distraction to help her escape her pain for just a little while....There weren’t supposed to be any strings attached—so why can’t she shake the memory of that unforgettable night from her thoughts? Or the taste of his kiss from her lips?

No matter how hard Haddie tries to forget about him, Becks relentlessly tries to prove that she should start living for today. But she is determined to avoid romantic commitment, and she can always use her ex-boyfriend’s reappearance to help snuff out the slow burn within her that Becks has sparked....

Or will fate force her to realize that this kind of connection doesn’t come along very often and a chance at love is worth the risk?


slow burn teaser 4.jpg

Excerpt: 

“Yeah. That’s one way to put it. Is there something else you called for besides trying to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong?”

I open my mouth and then shut it, unsure how calling him because I just needed to hear his voice has devolved so quickly into this. Into me scrambling for words I can’t find to fix shit that doesn’t need fixing.

Because I don’t want this. Don’t want him.

“Well then, if you want to actually talk instead of pull this ridiculous bullshit, I’m here for you…but Had…? Whatever this is here…this passive aggressive crap? I don’t do too well with that. We had our one night. You made it quite clear you didn’t want anything more than that so you don’t get to call me up and question what I might or might not be doing with anybody else. You want no strings? Then cut the ties…but frankly I don’t think you know what the fuck you want so until you figure your shit out, I think it’s best that we say good night before we make a bad situation even worse.”

“Wait!” Desperation rings in my voice in the single word. And I hate myself for sounding like this but I’m so lonely, so scared and just want the comfort I know he can bring me right now.

I wait for the sound of the dial tone to assault my ears. Wait for the incessant beep that reaffirms why I have barbed wire wrapped around my heart – painful but necessary. But there is nothing for a few moments until I hear the phone scrape against the stubble on his face.

And I wait…my throat burning with the tears I want to shed but am so sick of. The ones that no longer bring me comfort.

“I’m here, Haddie. I’m not going anywhere, okay?” The timbre of his voice carries his concern and sympathy to me through the line.

The incoherent sound I make is all I can offer in thank you to him for not hanging up on me. For not giving up on me.

 
slow burn teaser 2.jpg
Our Review:

**ARC received for honest review**

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 Stars

“A life without passion and love is like slowly freezing to death.”

It is no secret that K Bromberg is one of my favourite authors and I was eagerly anticipating the release of Becks and Haddie’s story. After the huge success of Colton and Rylee I was anxious to see if Kristy’s writing would have the same effect, that intense draw into her characters, the emotional pull and the all compassing love for them you are left feeling at the end. Well after reading Slow Burn, I can say YES to all of the above.

We all know who Becks and Haddie are; they are both the BBF’s of both Colton and Rylee. Throughout the Driven series you could sense there was some underlying chemistry and attraction between the two but both seemed reticent to take it any further. I always wondered why and so I dove into Slow Burn anxiously awaiting answers.

Haddie always came across as the happy-go-lucky, slightly eccentric friend of Rylee, she was the go getter, the life and soul of the party, she was sassy, she had no filter and this only made you love her all the more. I never thought that underneath that façade the real Haddie was so very different.

“I silently chastise myself, tell myself to pull on my big girl thong and own it like a stripper does her pole.”

Haddie is still grieving for her sister, a sister that she lost to breast cancer, a sister that left behind an inconsolable husband and a devastated child. The breast cancer gene is hereditary and runs in her family and she is forever living under a cloud. A cloud of what if, a cloud of fear, a cloud of complete and utter devastation. It is because of this that she refuses to open herself up to love, after all, she fears her days are numbered and she doesn’t want to put a man through what her sister’s husband is currently experiencing.

Becks is the BBF of Colton, he is Colton’s right hand man, he has been there for Colton through thick and thin, he is Colton’s wing man, partner in crime and in charge of Colton’s racing team. Becks is the smooth to Colton’s rough, he is cool, calm and collected, he is meticulous, he is the guy that you would never be ashamed to take home to meet the parents.

The story starts the night of Colton and Rylee’s wedding. The best man and the maid of honour are left in charge…very drunk…very enamoured with the day’s events…feeling frisky…very hot…and so they embark on a night of passion, no strings, hot sex kinda night, a night that starts a connection that neither can deny, despite Haddie’s protestations. These two were friends, so that faze has already happened, Becks has admired and wanted Haddie from afar for a long time and he knew that this would be emotional suicide for him, but he was willing to go for it, for a taste, just to see if what he was feeling really was the voodoo pussy that Colton had always been so vocal about.

“Incredible, mindblowing, balltightening, toecurling sex, but sex nonetheless.”

This is one emotional rollercoaster, so be prepared and have tissues!! The one thing that Kristy writes well is emotion; she never fails to grip me with her characters. It is like she has bled onto the page and you cannot help but be sucked into the emotional vortex that her writing creates. The intense emotional pain and anguish that Haddie was experiencing comes to life and you feel it, every single fear, every single tear, I was scared for her, I cried with her and yet I wanted her to seek out the love and friendship that she desperately needed and wanted. That love and friendship that Becks was offering, what Becks was willing to give, what Becks needed to give, even if she wasn’t willing to admit it.

“The click was our initial connection. Now? Now it’s the clanking…”

There is a lot of push and pull from Haddie; I have to say that Becks has the patience of a saint. Any other man would have walked away, but Becks knew that the voodoo pussy had claimed him and he would fight tooth and nail for the end goal. At times it was frustrating but you could hear the cogs whirring in Haddie’s mind, her tumultuous thoughts trying to justify moving forward and then pulling her back again. The warring in Haddie’s mind though was real, it was honest and trying to picture myself in the same situation I feel I would have been the same. You never know how you would react in those circumstances but I personally felt that Kristy delivered that message, she hit home with an honest portrayal of Haddie’s mental anguish.

“Because he’s a forever. And I can only focus on todays.”

I loved that this book was written in dual POV’s, Beck’s voice was the calming one yet it was raw, it was brutally honest, extremely sensual and downright intoxicating at times. It was his voice that perfectly balanced this book. Haddie’s voice was full of despair, back and forth, crazy at times, yet you were still treated to her sassy, ballsy nature, she was sexy, she had her vibrant moments but she was in emotional pain and it seeped through her words.

“Time is precious. Waste it wisely.”

This is not all doom and gloom, this book is balanced with some witty dialogue, some insanely hot moments that we all know Kristy pens like a demon possessed. It will have you crying with sadness, laughing with joy and will have your panties combusting. But most of all you will have been on an amazing journey with two insanely loveable characters that will have embedded themselves into your heart and mind by the end. Our lovable duo, Colton and Rylee make their appearances but this is definitely Becks and Haddie’s story.

“Welcome to the oestrogen vortex, dude, where mindfucks are the norm and understanding them is as common as a fucking unicorn in your front yard.”

Once again K Bromberg has penned a fantastic story, one that will not leave me in a hurry and one that had me thinking for days. I just love this author’s voice, she always manages to suck me in hook, line and sinker and I was engrossed from the first to last word. I loved this book, totally and utterly loved it.

“I’m all for him ruining your lipstick, but if he ruins your mascara, you need to come let his mom know so I can put him back in his place.”

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About the Author:


kristy bromberg.jpgNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

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Monday 23 February 2015

Review ~ By Any Other Name (Forbidden #1) by JM Darhower

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 Stars

**ARC received for honest review**

“Their families didn’t just carry animosity - they were mortal enemies, hell-bent on destroying each other. The two of them were a disaster waiting to happen, and they had just been fooling themselves if they thought anything good could come out of this thing.”

There is no doubt in my mind that JM Darhower is the queen of Mafia, no matter the story JM Darhower always manages to draw me in to this corrupt underground and always leaves me salivating for more at the end.

There is nothing like a forbidden love story and throw into the mix that the end consequence is literally life or death, then the term “forbidden” takes on a whole new meaning. JM Darhower weaves a tale full of suspense and intrigue, a modern twist on Romeo and Juliet where the romance was condemned even before it began. A connection that was born as strangers but when identities are revealed the world crashes down, a connection and love so fierce and intense, that no matter the consequences they just couldn’t stay away. Could they get away with it or would this be the end for them and their families?

“It’s too late for me, though. I already looked the soul-stealer in the eyes.”

This book is centred around the Barsanti’s and the Galante’s, two Mafia families in New York that were once friends but their friendship turned deadly and toxic sixteen years ago. Through bloodshed, death and violence the families would never recover and an intense rivalry and mafia war was born.

“The only good Barsanti is a dead Barsanti.”

Matty-B (Matteo Barsanti) has tried to stay away from “the family business,” having been sent away for his own protection initially he has never wanted to be a part of his father’s business. However, a sick mother brings him back to New York and having been away for so long means that he is way out the loop and does not recognise anyone anymore. He went away a child and has come back a man.

Genna was the only Galante daughter and as such was intensely protected and sheltered. But when that protection becomes over bearing, she acts out as a small act of defiance against her father. Her father calls her bluff though and lets her take punishment for her misdemeanours. It is while stuck in an elevator at the court house that Genna and Matty meet.

Through Matty’s absence and Genna’s “protection” neither one recognises the other. Neither one realises that they are fraternizing with the enemy. With only being on a first named basis the penny doesn’t drop and over drinks and a coupling that goes totally against their norm a connection is born that is so strong and so magnetising, neither one can stay away from the other despite trying.

“He played her body like an instrument, plucking her strings and stroking her keys, leaving her a quivering mess yet again.”

While reading, you know that nothing good can come of this union, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, just waiting for the war to begin, just waiting for the repercussions and I was constantly dreading the fall out. I read as slowly as I possibly could so that I could devour every word, every emotion. While their connection was kind of insta lust in the beginning, their relationship develops slowly, all cloak and dagger and subterfuge. It is this lure of the forbidden that keeps those pages turning, that draws you into their relationship so deep that you cannot let go. I had an intense connection to these two characters; neither were interested in what the family did and what they were doing. This was the first time that either of them had found love and why should two surnames keep them away from what they both wanted? Why should a family war keep them from what they desired, keep them from who they love?

“But that’s all there is…The after. Every moment is just the aftermath of whatever came before it.”

This is a story about families, loyalty, loathing, turf wars, protection, trust and love. A story that could never have a fairy tale ending but would the protagonists die trying? Families so intent on destroying each other that they cannot see the bigger picture. Where that intense rivalry, clouds judgements and actions and can only end one way…the wrong way.

This was a rollercoaster ride; I ran the gamut of emotions, fear being the most prevalent. I was constantly anxious, my heart was beating erratically and I desperately didn’t want this book to end. I loved Matty’s fierce love for Genna, his protectiveness and willingness to put everything on the line for the one thing that he has forever desired, to be loved. Seeing that reciprocated only makes you warm to them even more, you cannot help but champion these two, you are constantly willing love to conquer all, even with that deep dread seated in the pit of your stomach.

“They were merely standing in the eye of the hurricane…and it only stayed calm for so long.”

Once again JM Darhower has nailed it and I cannot wait to read more of this series. Bring it on!

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Release Day Blitz ~ Excerpt & Giveaway ~ A Stone in the Sea by A.L. Jackson


Book Description: 

He wanted nothing at all…

Until he found she had everything to give…

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but she's helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s past that costs them everything?


Excerpt:

With a smile, I turned around, then froze when my sight registered the obscured figure leaning against the wall. A strangled gasp caught in my throat, and my heart took off at a sprint, blood pounding hard in my ears.

Pushing from the wall, he stepped from the shadows, his hands again stuffed deep in his pockets.

My heart rate only increased, the energy radiating from him almost as strong as the disappointment he’d left me with when he’d gone.

I pressed my hand to my chest to try to still the panic thundering against my ribs. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” The words were soft. “That’s the last thing I want to do.”

But he did. I was scared of what he was capable of doing to me, the way I knew he held the power to trounce all over this hammering heart, to hold it in his hand and crush it into a million unrecognizable pieces.

“What are you doing here?” I asked on a shaky breath.

He looked to the sky and exhaled heavily, before he leveled his gaze back on me. “The same thing I’m doing every night, Shea. Thinking about you and wondering why the hell I can’t stop.”

My stomach flipped, and I gulped for air.

“What do you want from me?”

He laughed, lifted his elbows out to his sides in a helpless gesture without pulling his hands free. “Dinner?”

Nonsensical laughter shot from me. “At three in the morning?”

“Breakfast?” he amended, a coy smile pulling at his full, crooked lips.

Tingles spread across my skin, and I ran my hands up my bare arms. “I already told you I don’t have time for distractions.”

“Come on, Shea. It’s just food. Go out with me. Just tonight.”

Somehow I knew it was a lie, even though he wanted to believe it was true.

Nervously, I glanced to the back door all the while being inexplicably drawn to this man I didn’t even know. I knew I should make a break for it, run for the safety of my little world and give him no opportunity to rip it apart.

“I am hungry,” I found myself saying. After a long night of work, it was true. But it had nothing to do with the reason I was giving in.

Because I just wanted to…

I shook my head.

That was it. I just wanted. I wanted to be in his space. I wanted to understand why he had this pull on me. I wanted him.

Even though I’d never allow myself to have him.


FACEBOOK RELEASE PARTY 4pm – 9pm EST: https://www.facebook.com/events/437176576441038/

About the Author: 

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Come to Me Quietly, Come to Me Softly, Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe! 

Blog Tour ~ Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Collateral Damage (Limelight 3) by Elisabeth Grace


Book Description:

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000037_00030]Now trending

Hollywood It Girl, Francesca Leon, has just landed the biggest role of her career…one that could clinch an Oscar nomination and open doors. If she’s going to move her career to the next level and work with top directors, she has to nail this part — and keep her sexy, but unreliable leading man from screwing everything up.

Team Calder

Bad boy Calder Fox is the son of Hollywood royalty and fresh out of rehab after his best friend’s death sent him on a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol. While his fans still love him and the paparazzi stalk him, he’s never taken life, or anything about his career, seriously. He may be charming and drop-dead gorgeous, but if he doesn’t stay sober, he could ruin Frankie’s future and expose her long-hidden family secret to the voracious media.

Behind the scenes

Things heat up during filming and have the potential to become hotter, deeper, and much more real. But can Frankie trust Calder with her secret? Or is he doomed to sabotage his own happiness yet again?

Find it on Goodreads here: http://bit.ly/1wzFJPv

Excerpt: 

Handing the paper back to Brock, I said, “Got it,” and rose from the couch, smoothing my skirt over my thighs when I was upright.

He led me down the hallway until we stood at the side of the stage to wait for my turn. We didn’t have long to wait. Calder came sauntering off stage, appearing completely relaxed and not at all like he’d just been forced to discuss what was supposedly one of the hardest times of his life.

His gaze inched slowly up the length of my body before he met my eyes, a small smirk forming on his lips. My traitorous nipples pebbled underneath my silk shirt, and I was sure he could tell given the fact that I wasn’t wearing a bra. Note to self—avoid backless shirts around attractive men. I pressed my teeth together, more irritated than ever that I found him so physically appealing.

“Have we met?” Calder asked me with that stupid grin still on his face.

I’m sure I looked like I was trying to catch flies with my mouth. Was he shitting me?


Our review:

**ARC recieved for honest review**

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 Stars

“She had been the one to believe in me when I was close to not believing in myself.”

Although Collateral Damage is part of a series these can be read as standalones. In this book we are treated to the story of Calder Fox and Francesca Leon. Both were childhood stars and both came from different upbringings. They worked together in their teens and now as adults their paths would cross again. Trouble was, one had gone off the rails, and the other was still waiting for their big break. Their big break was dependent on this film, so why would they cast a washed up alcoholic, drug addict?

Calder Fox was the child of a Hollywood “it” couple. He was born into wealth and the business and great things were expected of him. With the trappings of wealth and famous parents comes a multitude of temptation and Calder had tried them all. On a downward spiral his life as he knew it comes to an abrupt end when he is involved in a car accident (as a passenger) and his best friend is killed. With this comes the added complication of guilt. He was destroyed. After a stint in rehab, Calder is on the mend but the trouble is he has alienated the business against him, through drink and drugs he is black listed but now is the time to start the climb once again.

Calder was a complex character, his problems started from his family life. His parents got divorced and he stayed with his father as he wanted to become an actor and his mother was moving to Europe. His father was a busy director and so Calder was left to his own devices most of the time. If his father saw a problem, he just threw money at it, when really all Calder wanted was love. He had never felt part of a family and this is what first led him into the cesspit of alcohol and substance abuse.

Francesca (Frankie) took her acting seriously, after a run of indie films her name was finally getting out there and she finally had landed a part in a film that was already being touted as Oscar worthy. When the actor originally scheduled to play the leading man has to pull out and Calder is named as the replacement, she is incredibly upset, this was her chance and she knew that Calder Fox would destroy what she had worked so hard to build. Frankie also has her own problems too and this is one distraction that she really didn’t need.

I have to say, I loved Calder and Frankie, this movie was the making of both of them in a way. Although their start together was anything but civil it soon becomes apparent that these two have an intense chemistry and not just for the silver screen. These two complemented each other and could both relate to each other’s issues. They were the shoulder that each other needed; it was just up to them to take that leap of faith. I loved the way that Frankie helped Calder, although he thought she was just doing the “tea and sympathy” thing I am glad that he could see the wood for the trees. He needed to feel loved, he needed that connection and finally he had something and someone to look forward too. He had someone there for him, to finally help him fight his demons.

“Remember, we’re in this together. We sink or swim as a team.”

The relationship was not one sided at all, Frankie had her own demons and when she finally opened up to Calder and admitted her one secret that she had managed to keep away from the press, I could feel the pressure release off her shoulders. The way that Calder dealt with Frankie’s said issue bought tears to my ears. He could empathise, he knew what to do automatically and it was beautiful to read.

The way that addiction was dealt with in this book was sensitive and was true to life, it was not glamorised at all and the repercussions were at the forefront. I love how real the relationship between Calder and Frankie was, it was honest, and it was all about learning about each other, putting aside preconceived ideas and misconceptions. It was a voyage of discovery and seeing the person for who they were underneath, not what the paparazzi led you to believe. It was about giving people a chance, a chance to be genuine and a chance to fall in love.

“I beamed with pride at the man who had started out as an annoyance, turned out to be an anomaly, and ended up becoming my entire life.”

This book had me running a gamut of emotions, survivor’s guilt is evil and Calder had a bad case. This is a book about forgiving yourself, leaving the past in the past and trying to be the best person you can be going forward. This book was poignant; with many underlying messages and the over sensationalised Hollywood glamor was nowhere to be seen. I loved it.

“You have to forgive yourself.”
“I don’t know how.” 

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Sunday 22 February 2015

Review ~ Clear: A Death Trippers Novel by Jessica Park

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 Stars

“I love you so mush.”

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Jessica Park, she is insanely talented and I love her writing style. But what Jessica has given us in the past is humour and contemporary always with that underlying romance. Clear is way out of her normal, so I was apprehensive yet excited because deep down I knew that no matter what Jessica wrote, it would be fantastic and I was not wrong.

This is one of those WTF have I just read books. It has actually taken me a few days to digest and actually think about what I am going to say in this review. It is unlike anything I have read before and certainly leaves you thinking at the end, it is one of those books that you just cannot stop thinking about. You need to go into this book without any preconceived ideas, just read the book, take it in and make up your own mind.

I will say that “death tripping,” as the name infers is about dying and as such this book did get a little “bloody” in places so please be prepared, but it was not gratuitous or overkill (pardon the pun) but was used to complete the paranormal aspect of this book.

Stella Ford’s life is awful, feeling unloved and unwanted by her family, which was entirely warranted, she just survives day to day. On her sixteenth birthday her father and sister are involved in a car accident and are taken to hospital. Her mother ignores her, only having concern for her husband and daughter and blames Stella in every way possible for the day’s events. Just another disappointment then. Stella slopes off to get away from the feeling of loathing that rolls off her mother and while sitting at the top of a stair well she meets Sam Bishop.

“Everything will be okay. Good things last, and the bad things will fade away. So, go find your good.”

Sam Bishop comes to Stella’s aid and they have a good heart to heart but there is something about their meeting that screams fate, they were both in the right place at the right time. However, life goes on and after a discussion about life etcetera they go their separate ways.

Five years later and Stella’s life has not improved at all, in fact it is inherently worse. Not long after the accident her father left the family home and Stella’s mother and sister began to abuse her even more, both mentally and verbally. She lived alone, survived on meagre rations and the families mind games leave her constantly questioning her own sanity. Finally having had enough, she decides to up and leave and she heads to Maine, the place that five years ago Sam Bishop described so beautifully.

Maine was just as Sam described and it is not long before she has tracked down the B & B that Sam’s parents owned. Glad that Sam was still in Maine she could not wait to meet him again and see if he remembers their meeting many years ago. The Sam that Stella meets is not the same, he is broken and destroyed, there is a story to be told, he saved her once and now it was time she reciprocated.

“…As far as hallucinations go, you’re a pretty good one. So, come on in, and let’s see what my fucked-up head does with you next.”

This is where the story starts and from here on in my mouth stays zipped. This is where everything changes and life becomes and evolves around “death tripping.” Sam’s best friend Costa is also involved and the three of them begin a mission. Delving into the deep unknown of “death tripping” with one main goal.

“As suicidal as it sounds, it isn’t really dying, and it isn’t about trying to die. There’s no death wish. Ironically, it’s the opposite. We’re after an enhanced sense of life. We trip over death, but don’t take it…The intoxication is nearly impossible to fight.”

I will say that this book is dark, it is raw and is a complete mind fuck, but it is amazingly fantastic. Sam and Stella have an intense connection and chemistry and this leads to some insanely hot scenes especially when coming down from a “surge.” It seems that Stella, Sam and Costa’s friendship was more than fate and it is now up to this trio to work together.

“There are kisses that arouse, there are kisses that deliver love, and then there are kisses that transcend both of those things. That’s how Sam kisses me – with his entire soul.”

Jessica Park weaves an intense plot that will have you questioning your own sanity at times. I had plenty of WTF moments, jaw dropping moments, jump off your couch moments but that was perfectly balanced with some intense sizzling chemistry that had me glued to the pages. You will run the gamut of emotions, empathy, confusion, anger, sadness, pain, love but most of all you will be intrigued and captivated and you will not want to put this book down. I loved the characters and even Costa, who makes one hell of an entrance, grew on me. He is one character that I would love to know more about and if this is just the beginning of a series I am hoping that the same characters are developed going further.

“We came first.”

It is hard to believe that the same author who gave us perfect, beautiful Celeste can somehow turn her mind to something like this but she has executed it brilliantly. I am not a huge reader of paranormal but I have to say I LOVED this book.  Death has never been so addicting. When is my next trip…?

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