Thursday 30 January 2014

Review - Captive by Brenda Rothert

 

Title: Captive (Book #2  Fire on Ice Series)
Author: Brenda Rothert
Release Date: January 27, 2014
 
 
 
Two years ago, Jason and Kate Ryker were brought together by grief and bound to one another by love. Now married, they’re confronting their fears together.

But heartbreak finds them again, and the ties that bind Kate and Ryke are tested as she struggles against fear and sadness. As a grief counselor, Kate understands all too well the pain of her clients. And while her husband’s career as an NHL forward is at an all-time high, he’s coping with the frustration of feeling powerless as his wife's hopes slip away.

Kate’s unexpected journey sheds light on the fear that imprisons her, and reveals that she is the only one who can set herself free


 

***4.5 Captivating Stars***


Blue or pink.. one line or two lines.. yes or no.. positive or negative... plus or minus…. the end result of a pregnancy test can either determine future mommy, happiness, sadness, relief or disappointment. For Kate Ryker, what if the result is what you least expected after so many disappointments and heartbreak. Does it make you a bad person?


 
Captive by Brenda Rothert is the second installment of the Fire on Ice series. This book chronicles the life of Jason and Kate Ryker as they survive the many ups and downs of married life.  So if you haven’t read Bound, then stop, go and one-click it. It is highly recommended that you must read the first book before reading Captive since it picks off where it last left off in Bound where Ryke and Kate are now married two years later.

 
There comes a time in every couple’s life where they must decide if they want to expand their mini family of two or not. For Jason and Kate, they knew that they wanted a family. So when Kate got pregnant, the couple were so excited. They couldn’t wait for the new bundle of joy that was growing inside of Kate. After what she went through in Bound, Kate finally found happiness with her husband and pregnancy. Well that all changed one horrible night. For any pregnant woman, the worst nightmare became a reality when Kate had a miscarriage.

Not once but two times Kate lost a baby. The heartbreak, emotional and physical loss became so unbearable for Kate that she fell into a state of shock and depression. As any loving husband, it broke Ryke’s heart to witness and see his wife so down and lost. If he could burden and shoulder all her problems, he would happily do it. When Kate became distant and fearful of getting pregnant again, their married life was in this state of in between. Kate found herself focusing more on work and Ryke buried himself with his hockey career. The only place he could take out his frustration was on the ice. The once lively and spirited Kate that he loved was missing.

 
After what seemed like an eternity for Ryke, he began to notice a little spark of light and hope in Kate’s eyes when she wanted to start a family through adoption. Ryke, being the loving husband, supported his wife’s decision for adoption. He too also wanted a family and knew that they both will love this child as if it were their own.  At a good place in their marriage, Kate and Ryke finally rekindled and ignited their love and passion for each other.

Ryke was at an all time high career wise with his team and Kate was over the moon with their plans for adoption, but there was one slight bump the couple least expected. Kate knew she didn’t want to get pregnant again after two miscarriages but here she was staring at a pregnancy stick that read PREGNANT. For some women, they would have been thrilled and call it a miracle but with Kate, she was battling with her emotions. Could she go through with the pregnancy? What if she has a miscarriage again? Her plan for adoption would no longer be an option since she was pregnant. The internal battle that Kate goes through is what draws and captivates the readers. It is as REAL as it can get when describing what most women with fertility issues goes through.  The struggle of can you do it again...the what ifs…and if it was meant in the cards for you to be a mom.  

When Kate tells Ryke of the pregnancy, the first reaction of Ryke was disappointment. Not disappointment in his wife being pregnant but hurt that she didn’t tell him right away. For Ryke, he wanted nothing more than to be a dad. With Kate being pregnant, she busies herself with work and befriends a little girl in one of her sessions.  When the reality sets in that she’s a couple of months into her pregnancy, hope begins to set in with Kate but there is still that lingering fear buzzing in the back of her mind.  What can I say about Ryke but I absolutely adore and love him.  Yes there were times he got frustrated with Kate and her reasons, but he was always there to support her. He showed her how much he loves and cares for her. The man would gladly sacrifice his life for Kate.  As Kate and Ryke start this new journey in their lives, there are uphill battles that they must face. Through this roller-coaster called life that is filled with many twists and turns, the best thing about this couple is that they did it together. There was never a time where one wanted to get off but instead they held onto each other and never let go. They may not have a perfect life but the most important thing that Kate and Ryke learned was that they did it together.
 
 
Captive is one of those emotional books for me.  Personally, this book captured as real as it can get of what women with fertility issues goes through. Life is not full of rainbows and roses once you get married. Marriage is a testament of two people who are willing to love each other for better or for worse, through sickness and in health, and for richer or for poorer. Ryke and Kate were a prime example of a couple who loved each other very much. When Kate and Ryke first met each other they were bound by their grief and loss and now their love and trust with each other held them captive as a united front. I thank Ms. Rothert for deciding to write Captive and allowing her readers to witness the love Kate and Ryke have for each other. I highly recommend everyone to read Captive because it truly captures the true essence of real love.
 
~ Review by Michelle
 
 
 




ALSO AVAILABLE

#1 Bound (Fire on Ice Series)






 
 
Brenda Rothert started her writing career as a print journalist. She now writes Romances, some Contemporary and others with a twist of dystopian society and adventure. Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three boys.

 
 
 

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Blog Tour - Finding Me by S K Hartley



 
Title: Finding Me
Series: The Bad Boy Series #2
Author: S K Hartley
Release Date: January 27, 2014

 
 
The lines are blurred between what is real and what isn't, the darkness that was once a place I feared was now a place of safety. If I stayed in the darkness, the hellish reality of what was truly happening no longer seemed real.

But I was about to be pulled out from under the consuming blanket of dark shadows, and plunged into the murky depths of my past. I was about to be shown my demons and all it's evil sides, all of it's pain and grief. I could only hope I survive it.

What happens when the world you once knew crumbles and falls at your feet?

Who will find me? Who will save me from my demons?

My dark prince or my white knight...

And will I find myself in the process.
 




I absolutely loved Finding you and as most everyone, I too was dying to find out what happened next in Finding Me after that cliffy left us hanging.
 
I loved the first three fourths of the book even though it broke my heart a few times and brought tears to my eyes more times than I can count.  This isn't your normal romance story.  Neva has been to hell and back, so of course it isn't going to be all sunshine and flowers.  I think S.K Hartley nailed in on that aspect and I loved the emotion and feelings that she drew out of me during the story.

I however was really disappointed in how short it was.  I also would have liked to have seen more of the end.. I cant really go into details without spoilers so the only way I can put it is..... I felt like it went from one thing to the next and then when she was where she should be...... BAM it was over.  I guess what I'm trying to say is, I felt the story was incomplete.  I know that there is more to come so I would be interested to see where it goes from here.

~ Review by Toshia





 
 
ALSO AVAILABLE
 
#1 Finding You

 
 

 
"Neva, don't walk away from me!" Logan spits.

He is angry. What right did he have to be angry with me? I wasn't the one flirting with another girl. Why was he even here anyway? "Go away, Logan!" I say, walking faster.

Suddenly my arms are latched to my back and I am being spun around. My heartbeat picks up around twenty notches as I come eye to eye with Logan.

"Why the hell are you always running from me? I can't take it when you run from me!"

"I'm not doing this now. Let me go." I say, trying to get my wrist free from his grasp.

"No, we are doing this now. Why the hell did you run?"

"We're all running from something, Logan." I spit, repeating Dex's words.

"You still don't get it do you? How much clearer do I need to be for you to understand that I'm not going anywhere? I have been in love with you for ten years, Neva! Ten years. It isn't just going to go away!"

"I never asked you to love me! Why are you doing this to me?" "Because I hate seeing you fall and not get back up. I want to be the one to catch you, but you keep pushing me away!"

"What do you want from me?" I whisper.

"You. Just you. All of you. Every broken piece."

I bow my head. He releases my wrists from behind my back, and they drop to my side. I can't give him what he wants. I just can't do it. I will break him. Christ, I break myself on a daily basis.

"I can't give you that." I say, taking a step back.

"I'm not giving you up without a fight, Neva. You can't just walk away from us!"

"I am protecting you the only way I know how."

"I don't need protecting. What part of me looks like it needs protecting?"

"Your heart." I whisper. I gulp back the tears that were begging to release. I would not cry. But every time I pushed back that feeling, it hurt just a little bit more.

"You're breaking it right now." He whispers, taking a step towards me.

"I will break it over and over again, Logan. My nightmares will hurt you, my fear of people being ripped away from me will gut you, and my anxiety will spike yours."

"I can take pain, Neva. I had dealt with it for the past three weeks. I would rather have the pain with you, than without you."

"I … I." The words are at the tip of my tongue. Waiting to release, but I know if I say them, everything will change. Nothing will be the same and I will drag him into the pit of hell where my heart lies and my nightmares are real.

"I can't."
 
 
 
 

S.K. Hartley is a mother, wife and a writer. Based in the not so sunny North West of England you can find her either glued to her computer desk, in the public library (Yes, they do still exist!) or floating around her favourite authors books signings.

S.K. Hartley has an unhealthy obsession with coffee, chocolate and retro computer games and a healthy obsession of stalking indie authors.


 
    

Book Blitz - Behind His Lens by R S Grey



 

Title: Behind His Lens

Author: R S Grey

Release Date:  December 22, 2013
 
What reviewers are saying about  BEHIND HIS LENS

"I have to say Jude got to me and those scenes in Hawaii, wowsers…..they were HOT!!!" - Totally Booked Blog

"What a wonderful book! I was entranced for the entirety of the read. Passionate, fiery, slow building and mesmerizing, this book tells the tale of two individuals both hiding behind a façade afraid to trust and completely let go." - Sinfully Sexy Reviews
"I implore anyone that loves a solid, sexually tension charged love story to read this book." - Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews

"I LOVED this book. Can I tell you, I LOVED it! The characters in this story are fantastic." - Stephanie's Book Reports

"I absolutely adored this book and fell in love with both Charley and Jude and everything about them from the start." - GR REVIEW

"R.S. Grey mastered her book, Behind His Lens. Words alone cannot describe how much feeling this romance evoked." - GR Review
"Behind His Lens was a poignant and deeply-moving read." - GR Review

 

 

Twenty-three year old model Charley Whitlock built a quiet life for herself after disaster struck four years ago. She hides beneath her beautiful mask, never revealing her true self to the world... until she comes face-to-face with her new photographer — sexy, possessive Jude Anderson. It's clear from the first time she meets him that she's playing by his rules. He says jump, she asks how high. He tells her to unzip her cream Dior gown; she knows she has to comply. But what if she wants him to take charge outside of the studio as well?

Jude Anderson has a strict "no model" dating policy. But everything about Charley sets his body on fire.

When a tropical photo shoot in Hawaii forces the stubborn pair into sexually charged situations, their chemistry can no longer be ignored. They’ll have to decide if they’re willing to break their rules and leave the past behind or if they’ll stay consumed by their demons forever.

Will Jude persuade Charley to give in to her deepest desires?

**Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.**
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The tropical sun pours over us and a bead of sweat runs down my neck, along the valley of my breasts. Jude pauses, pulls the camera away, and eyes me dangerously. It’s the kind of look he’d have before flooring a car down a long dirt road: impulsive and alive.

“Let’s move to the water,” Jude commands. My cheeks flush under his gaze, and I wonder what he thinks of the photos so far.

As we step closer to the slow-rolling shore, I shake out my hair and let it fall alluring around my face.

“Stay facing me,” Jude directs, “and walk slowly back into the water, like you’re inviting me in with you.” I keep my gaze on Jude and do as he says, letting the tropical waters lap up around my feet. With a seductive little wag, I draw him and the camera toward me and he keeps clicking away, stepping closer and closer. Once my ankles hit the water, I drop down onto my knees and part my thighs alluringly, trying to show off the bikini bottom. I’m hardly an inch or two into the water, but it feels so refreshing against my skin. I sigh happily and dig my toes into the sand.

“Good, Angel,” he whispers so that only I can hear.

I love moving for him, and I blossom under his positive appraisal, wanting to please him even more. I want him to remember this image when he’s alone tonight.

Playing off his confidence in me, I twine one hand through my hair and pull my head back gently while my other hand finds the strings on my bikini bottom. I tug down so that the bottom exposes another inch of my lower hip. The action should look sexy on camera, like I’m right in the moment of seduction— pulling the tiny string on my bikini and revealing everything. For Jude. He licks his bottom lip and I smile seductively into the lens before pulling another inch down.

“Charley,” he warns quietly, but his husky voice turns me on even more.

“Good!” Ryan yells from a few feet away, oblivious to Jude’s behavior.

But I don’t need Ryan’s encouragement anymore. I’m a woman trying to seduce a man and my body knows what to do. I lean back, letting the salty water drench my hair and bathing suit so that the material clings to my skin even more.

“Stay down like that, Charley,” Jude orders, stepping over my ankles and coming to stand above me. His foot hits my leg beneath the water and the touch electrifies my skin. I follow his instructions, letting my legs fall open a few inches so that he can see the thin material between my legs. I reach back and prop my hands into the sand, supporting my upper body. My back twists and I arch up until I see the muscles tighten in his jaw. I love affecting him like this, especially after how he left things last night. I’m exacting my revenge and driving us both insane. My eyes narrow seductively and my lips part, pleading with Jude to push me back into the sand and take me right here.

“Damn, Charley,” Ryan huffs.

I want to push the limits; I want to see how far Jude will let me go. It feels like a high-stakes poker game. Who’s going to fold first? With one hand still stuck in the sand, I reach up with the other and tug down the middle of my bandeau top ever so gently. I wouldn’t have revealed anything, just another millimeter of my skin, but Jude doesn’t let me.

“Enough,” he snaps, dropping the camera away from his face and revealing his losing hand.

“What! Are you insane?” Ryan huffs with wide eyes.

I drop down into the sand and sit frozen, volleying my eyes between the two men.

“We’ve got everything,” Jude responds sharply.

Ryan’s arm shoots out to gesture toward me. “She was completely working the camera!” he protests. Jude doesn’t look at him; he’s staring down at me with fire behind his blue eyes. He’s pissed and he’s not even trying to hide it from me.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Blog Tour - A Woman Gone Mad by Kimber S Dawn



 
 

Title: A Woman Gone Mad
Author: Kimber S Dawn
Release Date:  January 2, 2013
 
 
"I inhaled it! Yes I read it through the new year celebration I just couldn't put it down!!! This book spoke to me, not only is it real and raw, it is what every and I do mean every woman goes through at some point. We all go a little mad sometimes but we are sane and loved it is BEAUTIFUL. Yeah ladies we all have a Nick and a Leo in our lives, the point is which one do we deserve? This is in my opinion sort of every woman's anthology! Go on ladies inhale it, you know you want to!" 10 Stars ~ The Book Fairy
 
"Loved this story. It was so real and raw it was unlike anything I've read recently." ~ Rose's Book Blog
 
"Be prepared for swooning, bitching, laughing and ugly crying. My sweet baby mother on all that is holy Kimber SLAYED me!" 5 Stars ~ Sweet and Spicy Books
 
"Kimber S. Dawn has written a book that will make you want to scream, throw your kindle and be like WTF!? And I mean that in the best way possible. This intriguing journey of Lillian Shaw's self discovery is an amazing read. I am so glad I took a chance on this book and this author." 5 Stars ~ Erin, Give Me Books  
 
 
Forget everything you know about fairytales. There comes a point in a woman's life when she realizes not everyone gets a happy ending.

And no one knows this better than Lillian Shaw.

The safety of a small southern upbringing and a happy normal family couldn't keep life from chipping away at her.

And nothing leaves its mark like the bite of a broken heart.

Blow after blow, Lillian tries to stay optimistic, but when faced with a choice that could destroy her future, she gives in to the temptation.

When your first true love comes crashing into your happily ever after, you're supposed to walk away. Not fall back in love.

But saying no to Leo was something Lillian could never do...

Once lines are crossed is there any going back?

Or is the risk that Lillian Shaw takes going to leave her broken again...

And this time be enough to make her A Woman Gone Mad?

***Warning: This is not a shy and tender fairytale love story. It's a raw, tragic, and gritty story inspired by true events. This book is not for the faint of heart, it contains graphic language, sex, violence, and drug use. MATURE Audiences Only. Not intended for young adult readers.***
 
 
 
 
Every once in a while, a diamond in the rough comes along. This book, for me, was the diamond in the rough I have been searching for. I love author's that have the courage to step outside of the box and don't follow the normal romance formula. While I do love to read my romance novels, sometimes I feel like I am reading the same books over and over again with the names and places changed. 

This book, A Woman Gone Mad, steps waaayyyyy outside the box. And is exactly why I love the indie writer community. They take risks, they color outside the lines. And they breathe new life into a genre that I love and grow to love more each and every day.

Kimber S. Dawn has written a book that will make you want to scream, throw your kindle and be like WTF!? And I mean that in the best way possible. This intriguing journey of Lillian Shaw's self discovery is an amazing read. I am so glad I took a chance on this book and this author.
 
~ Review by Erin





 
 
 
Hey, I'm Kimber, and I really freaking hope you enjoyed AWGM! Visit my website www.authorkimbersdawn.com or Throw me a review up on my FB page, www.facebook.com/AWGMbyKimberDawn or Goodreads if you loved it! I am a whore for reviews. Ahh... let's see, what can I tell you about my self... Well, first of all I'm a straight up whore for many, many things. I'm a wine whore, some would say I'm a functional alcoholic, and I'm totally cool with that title. Now the day my cheese completely falls off my cracker and I lose the functional in that title, well yeah never mind. Even then I'll deny that shit. I'm a whore for Victoria's Secret, no seriously, like my VS Angel's Credit Card stays maxed out, hey, they got cool shit. I have a whole lot of hats, meaning I can be called a billon different things, daughter, wife, mother, labor unit nurse, I sell pussy on the side *coughs* that would be persian kittens, thank you you dirty minded scoundrel, I'm also compulsive blackjack addict, book blogger, book pimp, book whore, Jack Daniels is my favorite boyfriend and my biggest dream, the day I'll acknowledge that I've succeeded in life and can a die a happy woman is the day I get to go two stark naked hour round sexual bouts with Jason Statham. *Sighs* I started writing poems and short stories very early in my life, you know for the Michael's and Leo's and Nick's in my life. I've been a book hoarder since I was eleven years old, but then a couple years ago something wonderful happened! The 50 shades of Grey craze brought to life my inner smut whore where I commenced to read anything and everything smut affiliated. When reading wasn't enough any anymore and I noticed that so many of the authors of my favorite books weren't getting the exposure their work deserved I turned it into a mission, starting my own blog, buying their books and reading them one by one, I then wrote my reviews for my blog and didn't hold back in writing them. I've never done a single thing in my life half way, I always go all in. After the success of my Blog, and the insistence of one of my bestest friends, my sister from another mister, Trina Taylor of Bad & DirtyBooks I was ready to finally take the plunge and write the story that's been restlessly clawing to get out of my head and onto paper for a VERY long time. I'm a southern girl to my core, a self proclaimed smut whore, andI guess now we can add aspiring author to my hat collection as well.

Tattooed across my ribs are the words I have always lived by 'Aut viam inveniam aut faciam tibi' Latin for: If I can not find a way, I will make my own.