Friday, January 31, 2014

Starcrossed (Starstruck #2) by Brenda Hiatt Book Blitz + Giveaway




Starcrossed
by Brenda Hiatt
Starstruck #2
Publication: January 24th, 2014
YA Sci-fi Romance


The Starstruck adventure continues…

Marsha Truitt spent the first fifteen years of her life as a nerdy nobody before discovering her true identity as the long lost princess of a secret civilization. Now M is dodging extraterrestrial paparazzi while trying to keep the truth from her adoptive aunt and uncle and everyone at school. At least she can be herself with her boyfriend and literal soulmate, Rigel. Whenever they’re together, it’s easy to forget the responsibilities that will eventually come with her new status. But when a new boy arrives at Jewel High, everything M thought she knew about herself and her future is turned upside down. Now the very destiny that lifted her from obscurity threatens to tear her away from Rigel and their happy ever after. But when two planets conspire against you, where is there to run?

Available on:


Urgent MARSTAR Bulletin!

The Echtran Council is pleased to announce that Princess Emileia, long believed to have died as an infant in the Earth accident that claimed her parents, has been discovered alive in Jewel, Indiana, USA. Her identity has been positively confirmed by four members of the Echtran Council, along with two respected Echtran Scientists. The ancient and traditional foare rioga, smuggled from Mars by Council member Allister Adair, unequivocably proves her to be the daughter of Mikal, son of our late Sovereign Leontine, and Mikal’s Consort, Galena.

While the Princess was recently threatened by a group loyal to the murderous Nuathan dicator Faxon, we are happy to report that she was successfully defended by a small Echtran force led by Council member Shim Stuart and his family, and is now safe. Boyne Morven, leader of the would-be assasins, is in custody awaiting sentencing and questioning.

Many Echtrans will understandably wish to visit Jewel, Indiana to pay personal respects to our long-lost Princess, but we request that you act with all discretion to avoid arousing suspicions among the Duchas. Bear in mind that the Princess was raised Duchas herself and has only recently learned about her Royal identity. In due time, of course, she will be fully informed about the expectations and responsibilities of her future role. Meanwhile, we join you all in celebrating Princess Emileia’s survival and know you share our hope that she will become the rallying point our people in Nuath need to finally throw off the yoke of the vicious tyrant Faxon.


 



Brenda Hiatt

Her Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Brenda Hiatt has published fifteen novels with Harlequin and HarperCollins, including six traditional Regency romances, one time travel romance and eight historical romances, most set in Regency England. She is now indie publishing her backlist as she continues to write in these and other genres, to include mystery/suspense and young adult romance. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she recently achieved her 2nd degree black belt), hiking, traveling, and pursuing new experiences and skills. She is an active member of Romance Writers of America, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and Novelists, Inc, an international organization of multipublished novelists, where she served as President in 2006. For the past dozen years, Brenda has also collected data on writers' earnings, which she shares at her website. http://brendahiatt.com

$10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card {INT}
Event organized by

 photo Signatureforkevin_zpsbc37071f.png

[Review] The Warrior & The Flower [Tour + giveaway]

Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Warrior & the Flower by Camille Picott.  This is an adult high fantasy.

To celebrate Chinese New Year the tour is running Jan. 27th-31st with mostly reviews and only a few interviews and spotlight posts.  Be sure to check out the tour page with additional info and list of tour stops.





The Warrior & the Flower 
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Smashwords
Yi, a retired soldier, has lost everything he loves—his wife, his daughter, and his home. He seeks refuge from his heartache by plunging into a secret mission for the World Emperor. The assignment takes him to the doorstep of a brothel, where he witnesses the madam beating a young girl. Drawn by the child’s striking resemblance to his lost daughter, Yi rushes to her defense and negotiates for her purchase—after all, how hard can it be to care for one little girl? But between the child’s inquisitive nature and the dangerous secret she carries, he gets more than he bargained for.




Review
Well, this book simply blew me away. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. I adore fantasy as a rule. My favorite books ever are from the fantasy genre, so I was definitely excited about the aspect of the book and I am excited to say it definitely delivered. 

The book starts in a dark place and kind of broke my heart, but the warm and humorous characters I found in Yi and Tulip more than made up for it. Yi is sort of stern and -oh, yeah- totally badass! I mean.. the guy rides the coolest fantasy creature ever. I mean, the thing's name if Firefoot and it can absorb freaking LIGHTENING and get power from it. *thumbs up* I don't care who you are. That, my dear, is wicked cool. And Tulip is just walking trouble. You are barely introduced to her for two minutes in the book and she is already stumbling headfirst into trouble. Of course, after poor, somewhat uptight Yi "adopts" her, hilarity ensues. What with him being him and her being her. But their growing father/daughter- ish bond warmed my heart and sort of depressed me at the same time. You know, since he lost his daughter. *sad face* MOVING ON!

The villains rode around on CLOUDS and shot LIGHTENING. Mages, man. Mages. They were pretty bad all in all. *nods*

I quite enjoyed the author's writing style as well. (: Can't wait to meet the characters in the next book! Some parts were a little much for my tiny little brain to process, though. Hmm.. that may have been because I read the book at like 5am, but who knows.. Oh well! :D 

Would recommend to lovers of high fantasy, Asian themes, deep relationship stories, fantasy, heroes with bad-ass ninja moves, trouble-making heroines, and general awesomeness. 






Camille Picott
Camille Picott is a fifth-generation Chinese American. She writes science fiction and fantasy books with Asian characters and/or Asian settings. Camille grew up reading speculative fiction stories largely devoid of Asian characters and culture. This, coupled with a passion for her heritage, is the reason she strives to bring some aspect of Eastern myth, legend, culture, and ethnicity to all of her writings. To visit Camille, go to www.camillepicott.com.








Giveaway:



This tour was organized and put together by CBB Book Promotions.
 photo RyanFOXBIGGER_zpsebe33d61.png 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

[Review] Mirror Deep Blog Tour [Giveaway]



Welcome to my tour stop for Mirror Deep by Joss Landry. This is an adult/new adult romantic suspense and the tour runs January 13-31st with mostly reviews.  Be sure to stop by the tour page for the list of t
our stops.


Mirror Deep by Joss Landry
Genre: Romantic Suspense recommended for 16+ | 456 pages | Released: Oct. 2012 
Goodreads  Amazon Kindle  | Amazon Print  B&N  |  Kobo  | ebookpie | Scribd
Katherine Bonner with the golden eyes and a golden, enchanted life is well on her way to becoming a horse whisperer. Tall, athletic, she loves to ride, and she can usually exact good behavior from most wild steed, except from Pierce who bucks her at every crack of the whip.

Pierce is top honcho in charge of the fifteen hundred acre ranch, Bonner-Willow. Although he owns a Master’s in business administration, he loves to be around horses. He considers himself more of a cowboy than a CEO.

When Kat becomes the bearer of unexpected news about her past from ex-convict, ex-lawyer Victor Horn, she wonders how she will ever find her roots and manage to put the pieces of her life back together again. She turns to Pierce, the dark hair and blue eyed hunk whom Kat believes, thinks he is God's gift to women.

Pierce reluctantly agrees to help, partly for reasons of his own. He worries about his lawyerly father being involved with Victor's murder. As Pierce and Kat travel to Chicago together, they walk right into a criminal investigation headed by two bumbling detectives. Kat makes a date with a potential serial killer, and Pierce, whose affection for Kat is slowly changing to one of deeper commitment, worries about her safety. Meanwhile, Kat bumps into a doppelganger she believes is stalking her, only to discover that no one else ever sees her.

Mirror Deep uncovers many twists and turns designed to keep the reader guessing until the end. Through all the action, Pierce remains by Kat's side. Will he be able to hide from Kat his mounting desire? Will Kat find who this look alike is and why she is trying to warn her? Does Kat follow a stranger to Paris, France simply to put miles between her and Pierce or to avoid the threat of a potential killer?




Review
If you know me, then you know I absolutely adore Romantic Suspense (Especially with killers! What? That's normal). This book had a fantastic romance and the suspense was very well done. 

First off, let's talk about Kat and Pierce. The book is told in third person, focusing mostly on these two characters. I loved getting the individual perspectives and thoughts of these two wonderful characters as they worked to solve the mysteries surrounding Kat's birth and the serial killer as well as watching them navigate their evolving feelings for each other. The romance was slow and sweet and I felt like I really got a feel for who the characters were. Kat is a tomboy who adores working with horses (family business) and can be a bit petulant and rude (somewhat un-admirable characteristics), but at the same time strong- willed. curious, and very courageous (ah, the good characteristics). I really liked that she is an adult, but still works close with her family and friends. There is a very close feel to the family circle- which makes it all the more devastating when Victor drops his bomb on her (this is a saying. No, he does not actually drop a bomb on her. I hope the NSA does not flag this. My bad, guys.) 

Pierce is a hot cowboy, who has a strong protective instinct and love for his family- no matter how annoying they are. Kay and Pierce live to be at each other throats and argue constantly. It is rather ridiculous and childish- which you would expect if you had been raised with someone like they were raised together. This, in turn, makes it more real. 

Now, as I previously mentioned, there is a FREAKING SERIAL KILLER. How cool is that. Kat and Pierce have to watch their backs and work to figure out who is killing and why before one or both of them gets killed. Kat thinks she is going crazy and all kinds of characters show up out of left field. I was thoroughly engaged in this book. The mystery was interesting and kept me turning pages to see "whodunit" and the slow romance had me smiling at the duo as they tried to figure everything out. 

A pretty solid ending. Oh, and the book had just a bit of paranormal in it. The book was also pretty clean, so the sticklers can read it if they want. No offense. ;) Would recommend to lovers of suspense, slow romance, horses, and cowboys. There is a lot of horse talk in the beginning, which is very interesting as well.  (:  Well, it was interesting to me anyway. Also, the book was rather long compared to some, so the mystery had time to play out without feeling too rushed. It was quite the read. 

There is a bit of a love triangle, though, so if you can't stomach those, I would be just a wee bit cautious. 


4.2/5









Joss Landry
 Facebook | Twitter |  Pinterest    Goodreads 
Joss has worked as a consultant for more than twenty years, writing copy for marketing firms and assisting

Blessed with four children and five grandchildren, she resides in Montreal with her husband, a staunch supporter, and enjoys spending her time biking, rollerblading, playing tennis and swimming. She loves creating stories, as she says that it fulfills her need to think outside the box.


start-up companies launch their business. She recently made the switch from composing copy and promos, to writing fiction and prose. She is developing her style through courses and the support of other writers. A recent graduate of the Long Ridge Writer’s Group, she is a member of the Romance Writers of America and is presently working on honing three other novels for publication.






Giveaway:


This tour was organized and put together by CBB Book Promotions.
 
 photo RyanFOXBIGGER_zpsebe33d61.png

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

[Review] Rome by Jay Crownover [18+ Contemporary]

Rome
Marked Men # 3 | Goodreads
See my reviews of the previous 2 books
Rule (book 1) | Jet (book 2)
Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .



Review
I was so excited about reading Rome's story that I skipped Jet after reading Rule. What? I tried to read it, but my eyes kept wandering to my bookshelf where Rome was starting at me going... "Hey Girl. I'm a sexy wounded hero. READ MEH!" And who am I to say no to that. So I read it. And I loved it. (: 

I fell a little bit in like with Rome when I read his brother's book. I mean, where Rule was a petulant, insensitive asshole, his brother, Rome was understanding, levelheaded, and a big teddy bear protector of his entire family. That appealed to me more than his brother's horn- dogging and drunk for no reason ways. Don't get me wrong, I loved Shaw in book 1 and Rule was okay. I want to give the author props for being able to write such an incredibly and horrible flawed character on purpose. And then turn around and write another character so fundamentally different from him. (I did want to punch Rule in the face in this book for being such a hypocrite to Rome, though. I mean, in this book Rule is all, be a great guy and be perfect. I was rolling my eyes, saying, yeah because you weren't a completely unlikable person 2 books ago. Rome is just going through a rough patch. He has a reason to drink himself to sleep. You were just a dick. *Shrug* Sorry, I have not written a review for Rule yet, so I have a little bit of residual opinion from that book still in me... I shall focus on Rome now.)

I also really liked Cora from the first book and her crazy, caring ways. I found it interesting that both Rome and Cora had those protective tendencies towards their close- knit group of friends and was fascinated to see how they would mix. I liked that they are sort of the.. I don't know.. figurative big brother and big sister of the group. 

Well, this book takes place a bit after Rule's story, so there is a lot that has happened to Rome since then and he was not the snuggly understanding man I met in book one. But that man was under there somewhere and I enjoyed watching Cora find him. No, their love story is not perfect. No love story is perfect. It was paved with disasters, misunderstandings, and hot sex. Oh, wait. That's not a bad thing... (: Anyways, I loved the conflict and drama in this book. 

And omg, Rome was such a sweetheart. Where Rule and Shaw's story was [Rule trying not to be such a Dick and managing to somewhat do that every now and then, then Shaw being OMG yay!] Rome and Cora's story was about Rome and Cora finding out that there is no such thing as perfect, but there may be something just as better. And in this one Rome and Cora are great and talk things through and it is just a sweet love story (with hot sex) with the moments where the couple has real and understandable hiccups and disasters due to Rome's PTSD and Cora's past. Neither of the two main characters were complete idiots. They each had their own shit to get through and they each worked at it and tried to get through it independently of each other and with each others help. It was a splendid story with flawed, imperfect characters who were realistic and made the story work. 

Would definitely recommend to adult contemporary lovers. 


 photo RyanFOXBIGGER_zpsebe33d61.png

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

[3 Reviews] Coursodon Dimension Series [Special Attractions Tour + Giveaway] 18+

Paranormal Romance/Fantasy/ Urban Fantasy 
(18+; There is some adult language and sexual situations) 
Yay for adult language and sexual situations. ;) 



Special Offers
Coursodon Dimension #1 | Goodreads
Hailey Parrish is quick-witted, irreverent, and hasn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the "special offers" that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension. When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?




Review
Okay, may I just say that the author did a phenomenal job creating characters that contain flaws, but are still able to make you love them nonetheless? I adored Hailey, Sebastian, and Alex. 

Sebastian was thoroughly entertaining and I know the book would not have been the same without his commentary and holier than thou attitude. I love that, even as a character inhabiting Hailey's body, he still manages to grow and change for the better as a character. Also, he is charming and funny. Hehe. And a bit of a devil. Oh, Sebastian, you flirt, you. ;) 

Hailey was a complete doll. I loved reading the book from her POV. Her voice was original and refreshing and funny. I love the underlying sarcasm and attitude in which she tackles problems. I was highlighting the best ones from her and Sebastian like crazy. Those two just won me over completely with their wit and humor. And it was not overdone like in a few of the popular urban fantasy series I have encountered. Very nicely done. Hailey is also a very down to earth girl who we can all relate with. She is a bit of a dork, but she has good friends and is very realistic about the obstacles she has to overcome. Like I said, I adored her. 

Alex was a great character as well. (: He was more low key with the wit and humor, but it is there and he was just precious. He was sweet, thoughtful, and sexy. I did not get a deeper connection to him as I did with the other two characters, but I have an explanation for that. As a reader, I was inside Hailey's head in her first person POV. And since Sebastian was "inhabiting" Hailey, I got a front row seat to his emotions as Hailey experienced them. So it's not really Alex's fault that I failed to connect to him as well as I did with the other characters. He was still darling and I DID connect with him. (: Maybe I will get more in- depth knowledge in book 2! Which I am so excited to read. Especially after the ending for this book. I love books that have new ideas or problems introduced leading into the next book or next few books. 

The villain was pretty pretty tame as villains go. I mean, I have encountered some hard core crazy- a## bad guys in books. This guy.. meh. (: I mean, he wasn't a pansy or anything. 

The gore level  is basically low. Well, not counting that one part. (:  The romance is adult (yaaay! sex! lol) so if you do not read books with adult content, then you are really missing out. Er. I mean, then you should probably opt out. ;)  

I loved the characters, I loved the premise, I loved the alternative universe that was just touched on in this book. (Book two, perhaps?) I also loved quirky banter established between the characters. Oh, and I loved the ending! I felt that as far as the story went, the bad guy was sub par, but there is always book 2! The descriptions got a little bit confusing in a few small parts, but that may just be me. This book was pretty awesome. That coupled with the awesome ending has me my hopes pretty high for the second book!


4.4/5











Special Rewards
Goodreads | Coursodon Dimension #2


What would you do if you discovered there was a parallel dimension?

Hailey Parrish used to be an average, everyday human. Boring, in fact. After being possessed by Sebastian Kess, a magically inclined enforcer from the parallel dimension Coursodon, her life took a decidedly less mundane turn. Besides coming to grips with the existence of supernatural beings, she risked her life helping Sebastian and her heart falling for his protégé, Alex Sunderland. Now, Hailey has to deal with the bit of arcane power that Sebastian left behind when he returned to his own body and try to stay out of the crossfire when an unknown assailant seeks revenge against Alex.




Review
I love how the progression of the characters and their relationships is handled throughout the progression of this series. The romance is adult and awesome without moving too fast. It is very realistic. Well... if you don't count the alternate dimensions and the powers. (: 

I still adore Hailey and I have so many quirky, snarky, and inappropriate quotes highlighted in this book as well as in the previous one. She is just so fun and realistic. She deals with her unease and embarrassment the same way I do- by cracking jokes. I guess that is why I love her so dang much. Oh, and I also have a cussing problem. I am not a cat person, though. I am team dog all the way... but that's off topic. Ooh, and I loved getting more information on Alex in this book. I feel a great deal more connection with him in this book and I am so happy. He is sweet and protective, but has his ass-hat moments (I am glad, too. If not, he would have been too awesome) Hehe. I love him joking and the way he fits with Hailey's dorky personality and makes lame jokes along with her. He was awesome! And hot... (:  

Sebastard (I adore her mean nickname for him) is just as awesome in this book as the last one. I am not sure if I prefer him in Hailey's head constantly nagging her or if I like him in real form with his sexy smirk. He is such a proper, uppity, neat freak. But he is also a pervert. A hilarious combination, if you ask me. 

The alternate dimension was awesome! I am not going to even try to pronounce all the crazy names of people and places. I got to meet a lot more characters and got to see strange and.. um.. different sides of characters I already knew. ;)

I love the main theme in this book and enjoyed the suspense and intrigue in the second novel far more than in book one. I loved everything about this book. 

The villain was crazy, but nothing too major. I felt like I could have used a little bit more. I dunno.. villainy? Is that a word. The act of villain..ing? haha. Nevermind. Why can't villain be a verb. To villian: to wreak and or cause havoc or harm to the protagonists in an awesome book. Bam. Webster that mother. 

ANYWAYS, The characters, the villain, the suspense were all entertaining and well done. I am eager to read book three. It sounds like it is going to blow the first two out of the water. I hope I am not getting my hopes up too high. If nothing else, I know I will love my characters! :D 

Loved it. 


4.6/5












Special Attractions
Coursodon Dimension #3 | Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords | Createspace
The weirdness continues….

Thanks to a magical transplant from an inter-dimensional enforcer, Hailey Parrish can transform into a hawk. When someone begins dismembering hikers along the Appalachian Trail, the enforcers make use of her feathery talents to catch the killer. Unfortunately, like most things in Hailey’s life, there is nothing ordinary about the assignment. Their target turns out to be maddeningly elusive, they rescue a stray dog that makes a sewage treatment plant seem pleasantly fragrant, and stopping the murders turns out to be the least of their worries.

Special Attraction, the third book in the Coursodon Dimension series, combines paranormal romance, urban fantasy, a bit of science fiction and a healthy dose of quirky humor.





Review
I love how these books continue to grow and change book by book, slowly expanding the world in the individual segment. (: Each book is set in different places, so you don't get too bored "sitting" in one place. 

Also, I love how, true to the form of a good urban fantasy, there is a new story or conflict in every book that needs resolving. This was, by far, my favorite plot of the three. I can only assume I will love the individual story-lines even more as the series progresses. 

Hailey and Sebastard are back to their snarking and I still adore their banter and constant arguing. They are like brother and sister fighting all the time. 

Alex and Hailey are still a sweet couple who talk things through. I love that the personalities of all three characters have rubbed off on one another, especially their senses of humor. That makes for a very entertaining read. But again, neither the snark nor the romance are too heavy. I love love love love love that this series has a progression of the romance and it is not insta-love *gags*. This book takes place a few months after the series starts and I am really enjoying the pace.

I am a bit disappointed that I got to go on a reading binge with these three books and have to wait for the next book to come out. It hardly seems fair. 

The villains. *grins* As you can probably tell from the blurb for this book, there is a murder/ serial killer chopping people up and leaving little pieces behind. Um, yeah, this dude is a major step up from the previous villains. 
Maybe I just crave a little bit of psycho in my suspense novels (okay, there is no maybe about it. I'm sick. ) 

I am a huge fan of suspense novels and Urban fantasy, so I loved the whols "catch the serial killer" aspect of the story. I enjoyed this book immensely and eagerly await the fourth book in the series. (: 

4.8/5












M.L. Ryan

M.L. Ryan is a professional woman - which is not to say that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job that reflects her one-time reluctance to leave school and get "real" work – and she spends a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical material.

She has many stories rolling around in her head, and she finally decided to write some of them. She prefers literature that isn’t saddled with excruciating symbolism, ponderous dialogue or worldly implications. She also doesn’t like plots so reliant on love at first sight that it makes her feel like her head might implode.

She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and an adopted desert tortoise.






Series Review Recap
Okay, so the snark and romance were amazing. The concepts and story- lines were cool as hell. The suspense was good, the villains were okay, but they seem to be getting better and better. But that is saying a lot, because I hold my suspense novels to very high standards. All in all? I would recommend this series to animal lovers, snark- lovers, fans of slow- romance, Urban fantasy lovers, 18+ peoples (because of the sexy *wink, wink*), and fans of inter- dimensional travel (haha. didn't see that one coming, did you?).

While the pacing and characters are marvelous, the villains seem to go down just a little too easy. I could use some bigger, badder baddies. That was really my only problem. Oh! And all the Coursodon words, phrases, and names were a little much at times. I mean, I enjoyed then and they were super creative and cool, but I found myself skipping over them when I saw them after a while, as opposed to being fascinated with them and trying to figure them out when the series started. I think the second book may have given me a little bit of an overdose on the Coursodon..ness. (: But seriously, though. Loved the series and I told Tiffany she just HAS to read it. 

overall series rating?

4.8/5



Giveaway 

 photo RyanFOXBIGGER_zpsebe33d61.png 

Monday, January 27, 2014

His Wicked Dream [Promo + Giveaways]




His Wicked Dream

Haunted by scandal, Eden Mallory is determined to start over in a small Kentucky town. But she won't soon forget the sexy, rugged doctor who rescued her from an outlaw, then rode off into the storm. 

After losing his kid-brother to consumption, Dr. Michael Jones is obsessed with saving lives. He has no room for love or a wife. But the nights are lonely, and Eden haunts his dreams. 

When Eden becomes his backdoor neighbor, she turns his world upside-down with her unconventional healing skills and sweet temptations. Then outlaws return, forcing Michael to confront his past if he is to save the most precious life of all. 



Excerpt
The Kiss 

In that moment, Michael was lost. He couldn't help himself. 

He drove Eden’s spine into the wall, and she squirmed, her nipples hardening like pebbles against his chest. He reveled in the way she clutched his shoulders, in the way she gasped his name. He'd wanted to prove he was a bastard with this kiss, and so he had, but he hadn't expected her to respond like a prairie fire in the wind. He hadn't expected the pretty little maid to explode into the siren from his dreams. 

That she was yet an innocent, he had no doubt, for her caress was a tentative one, sliding along his spine, hovering uncertainly above his buttocks. But the fact that this blushing woman-child would stroke him below the belt fanned his fever to a maddening pitch. To hell with the fantasy, he wanted Eden. Eden. And nothing less than this paradise-in-the-flesh would do.

He swung her toward the settee, his mouth feasting greedily on hers. He was intent on filling his lap with her, on gripping those coltish hips between his thighs and liberating those straining nipples from their buttons and whalebone. Had he been given five minutes more, just five minutes come hell or high water, he would have had her stripped to her stockings and writhing in wanton delight. 

Unfortunately, God chose that moment to answer his prayer.

"Michael," Sera called, "for heaven's sake, didn't you hear the doorbell ringing loud enough to wake the—"

Her voice trailed to a gasp. Michael spun, his face burning hotter than his loins. There on the threshold stood his bug-eyed kid sister with a rain-drenched, but equally slack-jawed 11-year-old Jamie.

Abruptly, Michael released Eden. She staggered, and he had to grab her again so she wouldn't topple over the arm of the couch. Sera's grin broadened. Michael ground his teeth. In that moment, he didn't know whom he'd like to kick harder, his sister or himself.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" he demanded, turning his back on the red-faced Eden, who stood so delightfully disheveled and kiss-dazed. He was annoyed to find his breathing so ragged.

The boy looked past him, blinked suspiciously at Eden, then said, "I didn't know you had company."

"Nevermind that," Michael snapped. "What's wrong?"

"I declare, Michael." Sera snickered. "There's no cause for you to take your embarrassment out on—"

"Is it private, Jamie?" he interrupted, tossing his sister a daggerlike glance. "Man business?"

The boy nodded hurriedly.

"Very well. I'll get my medical valise."

"Man business indeed," Sera taunted as he swept past her.

He ground his teeth.  He wanted to wring her neck. 

But he wanted to flee the scene of his crime even more.







Adrienne DeWoolfe


Adrienne deWolfe is a #1 best-selling author and the recipient of 48 writing awards, including the Best Historical Romance of the Year for Texas Wildcat (Book 3, Wild Texas Nights) and Doubleday’s Book of the Month Selection for His Wicked Dream (Book 2, Velvet Lies.) Adrienne is excited to announce that she will be donating a portion of her royalties from the Velvet Lies Series to urban reforestation efforts.

Fascinated by all things mystical, Adrienne writes a weekly blog about dragons, magic, and the paranormal at http://MagicMayhemBlog.com to help her research her upcoming paranormal romance series. She also writes a weekly blog featuring tips about the business of writing at http://WritingNovelsThatSell.com. She enjoys mentoring aspiring authors and offers professional story critiques with her book coaching services.




Giveaway
Via the Rafflecopter LINK, below, Adrienne will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, a $15 Amazon Gift Card to another randomly drawn commenter during the tour, a TIN-STARS AND TROUBLEMAKERS (4 full-length ebooks in a box set by best-selling Western Historical Romance authors Adrienne deWolfe, Patricia Rice, Sharon Ihle, and Patricia Hagan) will be awarded to one randomly commenter during the tour, another randomly drawn commenter will win the best-selling WILD TEXAS NIGHTS series by Adrienne deWolfe (3 books, total) during the tour, and last but not least, the award-winning VELVET LIES series by Adrienne deWolfe (ebooks 1-3) will be awarded to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.



So follow the tour stops here and don't forget to comment, comment, comment! (: Good luck, my minions.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway





 photo RyanFOXBIGGER_zpsebe33d61.png 

Friday, January 24, 2014

{Review} Bad Kitty (Southern Shifters #1) by Eliza Gayle






If you think you've lost everything. Think again.

Kitty lost her father, her home and her clan. Clinging to what's left of her pride, she's forced into the neutral zone, the supposed safe haven for half-breeds and outcasts. An attack forces her to the wrong side of the treaty line and into an even more dangerous situation. Determined to greet death with the last of her dignity, she is suddenly rescued by a tall, gorgeous...wolf???

As the next alpha leader of his pack, Rafe Comyn has more than enough to handle with pack politics and precarious treaties. The last thing he needs is a pissed off feline landing in his lap, especially when her scent triggers his overwhelming drive to mate. While the daughter of a former rival is quite a conquest, she's both forbidden and dangerous.

But as the heat of desire threatens to consume them, their differences escalate and Rafe must keep his own pack from killing the one woman he can't live without.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18302867-bad-kitty?from_search=true


 

I received this from Netgalley via Gypsy Ink Books for my honest review


Bad Kitty is the first book that I’ve read by Eliza Gayle and I can’t wait to read more. The world she created is unique and very thought out. There are boundaries for the wolf and cougar clans. Then there is the neutral zone, where the half-breeds live and where the exiled live. And the Neutral zone is where Kitty finds herself exiled to. To bad she never steps in the front door of her new home. 

Rafe finds the panther shifter just in time, not that he wants any involvement with her. She is half dead and his pack mates were about to take advantage. He just couldn’t stand back and let it happen. Now he has her at his house and he knows instantly that he is in trouble. He can’t seem to leave her side. To bad that the ones that found her want her back.

Struggles will ensue and the best man will end up the victor.

What happens to Kitty is messed up. I don’t know what kind of trouble she made before she was exiled but no one should go through what she did. She just wanted to be accepted from what I could tell and the other girl shifters were jealous of her beauty. Bad Kitty was a really fast paced book that doesn’t slow in the action department. Something was always happening and I loved watching it all unfold. Kitty is special and it doesn’t really come to light until the end of the book. I was like No. Way. It’s flipping cool and I can’t wait for the next one.

Kitty: Sure she is a little self centered but from what I’ve read I’m surprised she is still alive. I mean seriously. Some men would have cracked with what she had to go through. I can’t even imagine. She didn’t have any friends so she flaunts her beauty around dying for attention. And there are some people who don’t take kindly to her flirting with their men.

Rafe: He is an Alpha in training and doesn’t want anything to jeopardize that. So he is a little hesitant with his feelings towards Kitty…well because she is a panther shifter. He thinks the pack will not accept him as an alpha if he is with her, but can’t seem to stay away from her. Other than that I think he was a pretty great guy. Pretty swoon worthy. He knows how to handle himself. *wink*

Overall: A fast and enjoyable read that will leave you thirsting for more.

4 Stars!









About this author

After growing up in the South and dividing my time between Florida and North Carolina, I decided that 2012 would be my year for change. I rented out my house on the East Coast and convinced my family to join me for a wacky trip across the country. Now I write my romance books from a small island in the Pacific Northwest while contemplating our next home renovation project on the fixer upper we bought.

When not writing, I'm likely to be found with my nose in a book or sitting in a darkened theater watching the latest blockbuster movie. Unless it's not raining, then I guarantee I'll be outside soaking up the sun or exploring one of the many nearby forests.

If you'd like to check out one or more of my books, I'd be tickled pink. I primarily write paranormal shifters and contemporary romance with BDSM elements. I dig reading and writing series, so you'll also find I have several. It's an addiction.

I love getting feedback so I look forward to any and all honest reviews as well as recommendations for good books. I am always on the hunt for a new favorite book.






 photo Signatureforkevin_zpsbc37071f.png