Friday 28 February 2014

Blakely Boys Feature - Come and meet Lauren Blakely's leading men


If you follow Lauren Blakely on social media you've probably seen the reference to her Blakely Boys. If you haven't met any (or some) of them yet we are happy to take the time to introduce you to them and explain why you want to meet them, like yesterday. So grab an extra pair of panties, a glass of wine and sit back and enjoy the show.
 
You're welcome!


 
Bryan Leighton from Caught Up in Us

Brought to you by Amber at The Geekery Book Review
 

For the Love of Bryan . . .

Bryan was my first Blakely boy love affair and still one of my favorites. Bryan Leighton is tall, dark, green eyed, sweet- talking and totally hot! He and Kat have this easy back and forth banter from the very start that I just was totally taken with; and despite the roadblocks to their happily ever after it was one of the things I loved the most about this couple. So since Kat’s jewelry line was My Favorite Mistakes and were charms to describe them; I’m gonna say that these are My 5 Favorite Endearments. If I were building and “I Love Bryan Necklace” these are what I would pick.
 
1. A Movie Charm – Kat also had a movie charm and looked at as a mistake, it was really I think a remembrance of one of the ways they bonded. For Bryan it’s the same, he loved movies as much as Kat and its one of the things I loved when he mentions how he should name “manly movies like Fast and Furious but his favorite was really Casablanca”.
 
2. Hands – I loved how Bryan always wanted to be touching Kat, but also how he would ask if it was ok to touch her first. Sometimes it was just him talking about how he wanted to touch Kat and other times it was how he actually did. But definitely got to have a hands charm!
 
3. Phone – Once again I reiterate how I loved the banter between Bryan and Kat. Their emails, calls, etc. were cute and sweet and downright steamy at times. But since they had to keep their budding romance on the down-low for a while this was how they re-connected and got to know one another again.
 
4. Padlock – The Lovers Bridge. Paris. Kat and Bryan both were connected in another way by their love of the City of Lights. I had never heard of the padlocks on the Lovers’ Bridge until them and now I can’t not think of Bryan and Kat when I see a picture of it! I was completely drawn by how Paris was such an integral part of these two coming together and finding themselves, so it has to be something I love about him!
 
5. Hello Kitty – I love how Bryan never made fun of Kat’s obsession with the cartoon character. It was yet another thing that drew them together I think, especially since Bryan had his own affection for Bucky the cat from Get Fuzzy!
 
So there we are 5 charms. 5 amazing things that make Bryan Leighton one of my favorite Blakely Boys, but then again don’t we always have a special place in our hearts for our firsts?!
 
 

 
Reeve Larkin from Pretending He's Mine

Brought to you by Yvette at Nose Stuck in a Book

 
There are many reasons why I love Reeve from Lauren Blakely’s Pretending He’s Mine, but I settled on the five reasons why he makes the perfect book boyfriend (and fake fiancĂ© for Sutton).
 
 "... I'm Reeve Larkin from Ohio. My dad's a cop. My mom's a teacher. I went to Ohio State."

1. He's versatile 

As an actor, Reeve’s job is to adapt to any situation. He isn't the typical Alpha male romantic hero. He's not distinguishable in a specific way, but instead adapts to a certain role, able to be clean cut and wholesome one moment, then sexy and spontaneous the next. Whatever role he assumes is approached with complete genuineness. "I just think you can't do this as a career if there's anything else you remotely can see yourself doing."

2. He's a one-woman kind of guy

"When I'm with someone I'm only with that someone." Reeve believes in committing to the woman he's with and doesn't condone cheating. Once he's interested in a woman, he focuses on her entirely. He pursues Sutton with a single-minded focus, seducing her with his words and actions.

3. He's a former Literature major.

What a coincidence. I majored in English. Insta-love! Reeve is well-read and intelligent, finding beauty in the written word. His favorite books are Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Great Gatsby. (Not because he likes Gatsby and Daisy, who are less than ideal literary characters, but because F. Scott Fitzgerald has a way with words.) 

4. He's a dog lover.

He recognizes that the way to Sutton's heart is through her dog, Artful Dodger so he makes an effort to care about the dog, going on walks and ensuring the dog's comfort. The mental image of Reeve going into a store to buy a tiny dog coat alone is enough to melt my heart. 
 
5. He's attentive - in and out of the bedroom.

Reeve is a passionate person and when the right woman comes along, he has no problem showing his desires. He puts Sutton’s needs above his own, gaining satisfaction from her happiness. Example: when asked his favorite sexual position: "The one you like best. That's my favorite. My favorite thing is making you feel good.” Sa-woon!

 


Chris McCormick from Trophy Husband
 
Brought to you by Kara & Sandra at Two Book Pushers
 

1. He's Hot.
 
Holy Mary Mother of Hotness. He is tall, trim, with light brown hair, kind of surfer boy length, and these crazy green eyes.  He has the kind of body that women driving cars slow down for. He's gorgeous in a California sort of way, like sunshine and blue skies, like the ocean and its tides.

2. He's Smart.
 
"I can pretty much  fix anything" he says. He built the Qbert arcade game from scratch. He's a software engineer and a video game designer.

3. He's Funny.
 
He quotes Dr. Seuss.  He says abso-fucking-lutely. If he had a band their name would be Pizza for Breakfast. "It's part of the guy code. All the cabbies in the world have this special alert to show up quickly when a guy really needs to be alone with his woman."

4. He's Sexy.
 
I lift his shirt up and over his head. I run my hands across his arms, his chest, his trim waistline with just the right amount of cut to his belly. I trace the outline of his abs with my finger.

5. He's Nerdy Cool.
 
He loves video games and wears awesome shirts. He can surf and find the best places to make out and round the bases. He designs video games and has an online show called Let the Wookie Win.

 

Milo Davis from Playing With Her Heart
 
 
 
For the Love of a Dirty Mouth!
 
While I have loved each and every one of the Blakely Boys Milo Davis was the one that really made me a Blakely Boy believer. That up there is Steve Boyd and he was on the original cover of PWHH and if those pictures alone don't sell you on Milo, well I can't say what I really think of you. In case you need more convincing I give you my top 5 reasons to FLOVE Davis Milo!!

1. He has a dirty, dirty mouth that I would love to clean with my own tongue. 

“Do you know why I want to have my hands in your hair?” I say in a hoarse voice. “Why?”
 
“Because I want to pull on your hair as I fuck you. I want to bend you over and take you against the wall, and I want to gather all your hair in my hands and hear you cry out.”


2. He also uses said mouth to spit out swoonworthy lines such as, 
 
"You are my sin." He brushes them gently against my earlobe. "And my heaven." Then the barest of kisses on my lips. "And everything in between."
 
Excuse me while I take a moment....

3. Milo is NOT your typical alpha male. He's not a biker, billionaire, or cage fighter. He is a renowned  Broadway director. Famous for  his impeccable taste and having the best eye in New York City while staying humble at the same time.
 
"The first rule of directing is you do not fall for an actress. The second rule of directing is you do not fall for an actress."

4. Did we discuss how hot he is? I mean really listen to this description from Jill.
 
"..dressed in jeans, a button-down shirt that fits him well, neat an tailored and tucked in, hiding what I suspect is a perfectly flat set of abs."
 
"...strong jawline, the thick brown hair, and blue eyes so dark they're nearly the color of midnight..."
 
I refer you to the above pictures. I know you wanna look again. I did!

5. Once he fell for Jill, he fell completely and he held no punches in letting her know.
 
"I want you, and I want you to be mine. But you have to know I only want you if I can have you, all of you. I want your body, and I want your heart, and I want your mind, and I hope you feel the same."
 
"Because we will hurt each other, and we will fight, and we will argue. And sometimes it'll be less than perfect. But it'll be real. Every second of it will be completely real."
 
*sigh*
 
 Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to read PWHH for the 4th time because clearly I can't get enough of Milo Davis.
 



Matthew Harrigan from Far Too Tempting

Brought to you by Tori at Give Me Books
 

Matthew Harrigan
 
Usually when asked what kind of boyfriend you crave, the options are Rockers, Bikers, CEOs, Solider or Teacher……well be ready to add Reporter to that list ladies! Meet Matthew Harrigan, an “eminently lickable” rock critic for Beat Magazine.
 
  Meet Matthew Harrigan
 
1. Flirty Fun Desirable

Matthew Harrigan is poster man of Charisma and Flirtatiously Enticing. This man can turn anything into an innuendo and it doesn’t repel you rather sucks you in farther. He is perfect mix of flirty and confident yet down to earth.
 
  #1
 
2. Deliriously Sexy

Wow at first Matthew’s innuendos may make you blush, or may you giggle but damn then he crosses the line of flirty straight into mouth gaping turn on in snap of your fingers. He is tasteful about how he talks to Jane in terms of what he’d like to do to her. In other words, you will want multiple tastes of this man and he will definitely curb your appetite
 
  #2
 
3. Heartmelting Swoonworthy

This man’s mouth is anything but clean. He can make you pant and turn you on at the flip of a switch, but he can also warm your heart and displays how considerate he is. Matthew is the epitome of a gentleman. He knows just how to comfort a woman and does all he can to help Jane overcome her insecurities.
 
  #3
 
4. Professional, Mature/ Honest, Respects Boundaries

The email exchanges between Matthew and Jane are endearing and at times humorous. But mostly they show development between these two characters. You really get a sense of the battle that Matthew is faced with. He struggles to separate his feelings for Jane from the work he writing on her for the magazine. He is upfront, mature and respectful about the whole situation. You can’t fault a guy for trying to designate boundaries in terms of maintaining an unbiased/fair perspective for the magazine article on Jane; if anything this character trait influences you to respect him and thus fall harder for this man! “Sometimes my questions might irritate you. As a journalist…but taking off my reporter hat, and speaking only as a man now, I am sorry if I upset you. Perhaps you think it’s easy for me to turn it off for you. I assure you, it’s not. I am desperately trying to focus solely on writing and reporting in the only way I know how—fairly. But I’m not going to pretend I want to erase that kiss in the elevator. Or the time spent with you in the kitchen. Even if I weren’t reporting about you, I’d want to hear them. The more I know you, the more I want to get to know you. I am fascinated by everything about you, and you have to know it takes all my resistance to stop at kissing you.”

 #5

5. Devotedly Committed

Matthew Harrigan is not afraid to confess his feelings. He wears his heart on his sleeve. And when he sets his sights on a woman, he only has eyes for her. He would rather give up job opportunities than lose Jane. He puts her feelings/ how something would affect her before his career success. He proves his commitment to her.
 
 

Trey Weston from The Start of Us, The Thrill of It & Every Second With You
 
Brought to you by Retta at Because I Said So Book Blog
 
 
The top 5 things I love about Trey…
 
-The way he loves Harley
-How protective he is of Harley
-His tattoos
-The way he was with his daughter
- His tenderness!!

I honestly love everything about him!!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Clay Nichols from First Night & Night After Night

Brought to you by Cara at A Book Whores Obsession

 
Why do I love Clay Nichols? Let me count the ways…..

1. He is uber hot – like, the pinnacle of male perfection.

Let me explain: tall, dark hair hair with dark, sinful eyes. He has a broad, stubbled jawline and the body of a boxer. Try to imagine the sexiness of Stuart Reardon and the class and sophistication of David Gandy. Yeah. Point made.

2. Clay is a remarkable mix of dominant and sensitive. 

“You tell me now if I’m fucking you too hard, okay?” he said firmly.
 
There was something different about him in moments like this. A tenderness shined through his hard exterior, a sweetness even.
 
"You are being rewarded for turning me on. But we’re doing it my way. You teased the fuck out of me, and now I want to watch you squirm. Crawl up on my bed and get on your hands on knees.”
 
Need I say more?

3. He has a FILTHY mouth. Let’s let Julia explain this one - 
 
“Ah, there he was in full force. Her dirty-talking, direction-giving man. She smiled privately, loving the way he used all his talents in the bedroom, his body, his tongue, his cock, and most of all his words.
 
“So, as far as I can see, you can leave your underwear here or I can take them from you at the restaurant."

4. Forget Justin Timberlake – it is CLAY that brought sexy back! 
 
“Gorgeous, I’m not your boyfriend. I’m your lover. The only one.” 
 
Swoon!!!

5. He boxes.

For real – there is no actual body better in the world than that of a boxer, so his eye candy rating skyrockets from this fact alone. Further, there is nothing sexier than watching a guy hit a bag or knowing that when shit hits the fan – he’s got you. That alpha male, dominant, I-can-so-totally-kick-ass side of him – total turn on!

 
 
 

 
 




 
Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.
 
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Thursday 27 February 2014

Review - Dream Series by Isabelle Peterson




#1 Ditching the Dream


Feeling dead in her marriage, Elizabeth Fairchild ditches the dream of her seemingly perfect life with her husband in search of who she really is.

She went from her parents' house to her husband's home and never really learned to stand on her own two feet. She decides to leave her comfortable life in Napa Valley in search of her inner fire in New York City. She certainly didn't leave her husband to find another man, but she soon finds herself involved with two: Jack Stevens and Kevin Parker.

Jack is older. He has heart-stopping good looks, is wildly successful, and is very much in control of everything around him - especially Elizabeth.
Kevin is younger. He is carefree with a heart of gold and loves Elizabeth's spirit.

While Elizabeth's old life still calls to her, she also finds what she needs in New York. But which dream will she choose?




Ditching the Dream by Isabelle Peterson is Elizabeth’s journey to find her independent self after 20+ years of marriage. She went from her parents’ home to living in a dorm to getting married. She never had to make it on her own. Greg, her husband has taken her for granted, though he’s not a bad husband. She wants to spread her wings and discover what else life has in store for her. She wants to ignite her inner fire and find her identity outside of being a wife and mother. Her three kids are old enough to not need her. So one day she wrote a letter and left her husband and her old life.
 
Her adventure took her to New York City where she met a hot, younger Spanish teacher named Kevin Parker, who ended up being her neighbor. She also recognized ‘Jackass Jack’ from her teen years when he dated her sister. Now, he’s a hot, older, dominant, successful businessman/ former model. I loved that Kevin and Jack were opposites romantically and sexually. Jack was dominant and introduced Elizabeth to BDSM. Kevin took her dancing and allowed her to take the lead at times.  The sex scenes sizzled… Greg even ‘gave her permission’ to sow her wild oats! But will she ‘ditch the dream’ for her NYC life or reclaim her dream and return to the safety of her old life?
 
The POV of Greg, Jack, and Kevin are included at the end of some of the chapters, which is different than other books I’ve read. It’s nice to have the other viewpoints, though the author doesn’t indicate in an obvious way that it is another POV. I liked that each guy had a different nickname for Elizabeth. Greg called her ‘Bets’ (annoying to me); Kevin called her ‘Lizzie’ (better); and Jack called her Beth (okay). Greg’s initial whining texts and voice mails did not endear me to him. I’d have left him! Her willingness to explore her sexuality was terrific. Her decision at the end threw me in a tailspin. I wasn’t sure how I felt until I found out that this is book 1 in the Dream series! I love that there is more to Elizabeth’s story… Next up Not In My Wildest Dreams (Jack’s story).

~ Review by Lisa




#2 Not In My Wildest Dreams


1979... When eighteen-year old Jack Stevens is spotted in his rural Colorado town by a scout from a New York City modeling agency, his life is flipped upside down. With little more than his looks, he heads to New York with a dream he didn’t know he had. Jack has a rough start, but finds his feet and embarks on an exciting life as a male model in the 1980s living in Manhattan.

2013... Thirty-four years later, a confirmed bachelor, and very successful, Jack is satisfied with his life, until he meets a breath of fresh air—Elizabeth Fairchild. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d find a love like he does with 'Beth.' It’s an instant connection.

Following wild dreams had worked for him in the past… Is this another wild dream he should follow?






In Ditching the Dream, I liked Jack a lot. I fell in love with Jack in this book. The ending of DTD tore me up and frustrated me. But any upset or surprise from it was explained and satisfied... COMPLETELY!

This book had my attention at the prologue.

"But his heart ached. A chunk had been ripped out leaving a gaping hole that continued to bleed, so he continued to drink."

From his friend's Becca text: "Go get your heart back."


I could feel Jack's pain and loss! This is Jack's story, and it is fascinating. From the small town in Colorado to his 'discovery' by Ford Models to NYC in the late 70's to present day, Isabelle Peterson weaves a great storyline. She reveals behind the scenes in the modeling industry, Jack's first love, his relationship with Becca, and how he became a Dom/Switch.

Wow! I couldn't put it down. Parts from DTD were included, this time from his POV. And by the time Jack's plane landed in Napa, it was ON! Such a terrific sequel to Ditching the Dream! If you haven't read DTD, do it. Then read this erotic romance!

~ Review by Lisa





 
#1 Ditching the Dream
 
 
 
#2 Not In My Wildest Dreams
 
 
 

I started out as a screenwriter - and still am - but after I started Fictional Boyfriends on Facebook, a story started growing in my mind.. one to be told in a book.

I am lucky to have an adoring husband & two extremely talented and bright teens & a scrumptious 9 pound dog. They are all so super supportive of all my writing and I couldn't do it without them.

I live about an hour from New York City.