Saturday 28 February 2015

Release Day Blitz - Sting by Jennifer Ryder




Title: Sting
Series: Spark #4
Author: Jennifer Ryder
Release Date: February 28, 2015


Synopsis


Going undercover has its challenges. When Detective Ryan Clark is sent to the sleepy coastal town of Fremantle to dismantle the country’s most lethal drug syndicate, it’s worth the risk. Even if he becomes a fatality, in the war against drugs.

Ryan finds himself coming back to the same coffee shop. Blondie, the local barista, has him hot under the collar and reaching for his piece. He knows the attraction isn’t just one-sided.

She’s trying to keep her distance.

It only makes him want her more.

Willow Asher left it all behind, but not by choice.

After two long years, she’s finally getting somewhere. Willow has a busy cafĂ© with her buxom business partner, Gabby, who is the closest thing she has to family.

Although Willow’s past still plagues her thoughts, she’s determined to have her happily-ever-after. As soon as her demons stop haunting her.

What she doesn’t need is the complication of Mr Sexy-Brown-Eyes, who seems to be drinking more and more coffee.

She doesn’t want the questions.

She’s still trying to get her story straight.








Links to Buy

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From 6pm EST on Saturday, February 28

Special guests include:

Lila Rose
Becca Lee
TJ Hamilton
Kate McCarthy
Stephanie Smith
Max Henry
EM Abel
Simone Nicole
Carmen Jenner
Kirsty Dallas
Lauren McKellar




Also Available


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 Author Bio


New Adult and erotic romance writer, and author of the Spark series.

A sexy imagination, a life-long love of books and a sucker for romance, Jennifer Ryder couldn't stifle her creativity any longer.

Writing steamy adult romance has become her new focus. Living on a rural property in New South Wales, Australia, she enjoys the best of city and country.

Her loving husband is ever willing to provide inspiration, and her two young cherubs, and sheep that don't see fences as barriers, keep life more than interesting.

Jennifer placed third in the International Stringybark Erotic Short Fiction Award 2013.




 Author Links




Giveaway

10 Days of CONFESS Excerpt Chain - Confess by Colleen Hoover


    

Title: Confess
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: March 10, 2015




From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping some major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…







  I just can’t believe it’s come to this. I haven’t even built up a clientele at the salon I’m working at, so I’m definitely going to have to look for a second job. I just have no idea when I’ll find time to fit it in, thanks to Lydia’s erratic scheduling.
            Speaking of Lydia.
            I dial her number and hit send and wait for her to pick up on the other end. After it goes to voice mail, I debate whether to leave or a message or just call back later tonight. I’m sure she just deletes her messages, anyway, so I end the call and drop the phone into my purse. I can feel the flush rising up my neck and cheeks and the familiar sting in my eyes. It’s the thirteenth time I’ve walked home in my new state, in a city inhabited by nothing but strangers but I’m determined to make it the first time I’m not crying when I reach my front door. My neighbors probably think I’m psychotic.
            It’s just such a long walk from work to home, and long walks make me contemplate my life, and my life makes me cry.
            I pause and look into the glass window of one of the buildings to check for smeared mascara. I take in my reflection and don’t like what I see.
            A girl who hates the choices she’s made in her life.
            A girl who hates her career.
            A girl who misses Portland.
           A girl who desperately needs a second job, and now a girl who is read the HELP WANTED sign she just noticed in the window.

Help Wanted.
Knock to apply.

I take a step back and assess the building I’m standing in front of; I’ve passed by it every day on my commute and I’ve never noticed it. Probably because I spend my mornings on the phone and my afternoon walks with too many tears in my eyes to notice my surroundings.

CONFESS

That’s all the sign says. The name leads me to believe it might be a church, but that thought is quickly dismissed when I take a closer look at the glass windows lining the front of the building. They are covered with small scraps of paper in various shapes and sizes, concealing views into the building, removing any hope of taking a peek inside. The scraps of paper are all marked with words and phrases, written in different handwriting. I take a step closer and read a few of them.

Every day I’m grateful that my husband and his brother look exactly alike. It means there’s less of a chance that my husband will find out that our son isn’t his.

I clutch my hand to my heart. What the hell is this? I read another.

I haven’t spoken to my children in four months. They’ll call on holidays and my birthday, but never in between. I don’t blame them. I was a horrible father.           

I read another.

I lied on my rĂ©sumĂ©. I don’t have a degree. In the five years I’ve been working for my employer, no one has ever asked to see it.





Don’t forget to check out Once Upon a Twilight tomorrow for the next episode in the CONFESS excerpt chain, and follow along with all the other stops on the 10 Days of Confess chain!

10 Days of CONFESS Excerpt Chain Stops

Day 1 - 2/23: Maryse’s Book Blog
Day 2 - 2/24: Vilma’s Book Blog
Day 3 - 2/25: Aestas Book Blog
Day 4 - 2/26: Rock Stars of Romance
Day 5 - 2/27: Shh Mom’s Reading
Day 6 - 2/28: Give Me Books Blog
Day 7 - 3/1: Once Upon a Twilight
Day 8 - 3/2: Me, My Shelf & I
Day 10 - 3/4: Shameless  Book Club




Pre-order your copy now

AMAZON US / UK







I'll be the first to tell anyone, if you want a guaranteed great book, go buy something from Colleen Hoover. She has been and probably always will be one of my very favorite authors. Confess is Colleen's newest offering and as always she spins a unique tale full of angst, heartbreak and ultimately, love.

Holy mother of all prologues! If that doesn't suck you in right away, nothing else will. Because, WHOA! The beginning of Auburn's story will have you wiping away tears within just a few short pages. And our hero, Owen, OMG! Seriously! O-M-G. Owen is an artist and owns his own gallery. People slip anonymous confessions into his mail box and he draws his inspiration for his paintings from them.

Confession: I loved this storyline.

Confession: Colleen Hoover writes some of the most heart wrenching, unique books I've ever read. I hope she never stops writing.

Confession: Auburn and Owen just may just be some of my favorite characters from Colleen yet.

I can't wait for everyone to be able to read this amazing book. I absolutely loved it. Confess is written in the first person narrative, alternating in Auburn and Owen's voices. It's a full length standalone with no cliffhanger.

~ Review by Erin







Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Maybe Someday, Finding Cinderella, and Ugly Love. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Please visit ColleenHoover.com.



       

Friday 27 February 2015

Release Week Blitz - Soulbound by Kristen Callihan




Title: Soulbound
Series: Darkest London #6
Author: Kristen Callihan 
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: February 24, 2015



Once two souls are joined . . .
 
When Adam's soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After seven hundred years of searching, his true match would have ended the curse that keeps his spirit in chains. But beautiful, stubborn Eliza May fled-and now Adam is doomed to an eternity of anguish, his only hope for salvation gone… Their hearts will beat together forever
 
No matter how devilishly irresistible Adam was, Eliza couldn't stand the thought of relinquishing her freedom forever. So she escaped. But she soon discovers she is being hunted-by someone far more dangerous. The only man who can help is the one man she vowed never to see again. Now Adam's kindness is an unexpected refuge, and Eliza finds that some vows are made to be broken…







Soulbound is my first ever Kristen Callihan book, but I can definitely say that it will not be my last because this book was marvelous!! I loved how Ms. Callihan combined two of my favorite genres, historical and paranormal, and totally made them work. There was just a very unique atmosphere to this book that I haven't felt anywhere else; it was truly original.

Eliza May fled America and went to England to make a fresh start, and she made one alright. She managed to land herself in dangerous situations time and again! And the only person that she can turn to for help is Adam--the man who brought her back to life, but took her freedom from her before she took it back. Eliza wants to hate him, but it's not so easy to do when she learns more about him, and anything short of loving him is impossible.

I really enjoyed Eliza's character! She was saucy as Adam has said; strong, brave, and just bada*s! She's stubborn, compassionate, caring, and she wants to be free and good. Eliza resists Adam for quite awhile and even though I was telling her not to fight it, she was an awesome character!

Now Adam really took home the prize; he just completely and utterly stole my heart! He's irresistibly sexy, strong, possessive, and he has this sweet, sensitive side that had me swooning. I can't even describe all of who he is because I wouldn't be doing him justice.

"It felt as though you were mine... No," he amended, "it felt as though I was yours. . . . So many souls belong to me. . . . And yet I've always remained alone. . . . Let me believe it," he whispered against her skin. "That for one night you claimed me. . . . Let me believe that I am yours."

Adam just so badly wants to be loved and he made heart ache for him and brought tears to my eyes with his sincere desire to love and be loved. Adam touched my heart and I won't be able to forget him.

Soulbound is sensual, passionate, heartbreaking, and beautiful. I laughed, smiled, good sighed, ached, raged, and I felt ecstatic. It was spectacular, I loved it one hundred percent, and I can't wait to read the other books!!

Soulbound is a standalone with a HEA ending, and it's told mostly from Eliza and Adam's POV, but we do hear from a couple more. Sin is one of those characters and I'm so excited to learn more about him!

~ Review by Paige






Eliza sat back on her heels, while Adam merely stared at her as though he had all the time in the world. “Fine,” she said. “Three weeks. I free you and you help me.” She gave him a warning look. “I’ll need your word that you will help me, that this” she waved her hand between them, “isn’t merely a way to trick me into freeing you.”
“This business was your idea, woman,” he said with affront.
“Nevertheless, I’ll need your word.”
The demon’s nostrils flared with a sharp exhalation. “My word then.” Eliza did not look away from him, and he glared back in obvious exasperation. “What now?”
“I’m merely considering if I ought to trust your word,” she said.
A low growl rumbled in his chest as he bared his teeth. “I keep my word, whether I want to or not. My word is my bond. Honor, Miss May. Unlike you, I have it.” 
“How dare you—” 
“How dare you?” He craned forward, the muscles along his shoulders bunching. “Not so long ago you broke your promise of fealty. To me!” 
“Oh, yes, how quick you are to remind me.” Eliza leaned close, grinding her teeth to keep in a shout. “You enjoy being quick, don’t you?” 
His thick, dark brows furrowed. “What in the bloody blazes are you talking about?” 
“You gave me all of ten seconds to make a choice.” Eliza’s fists ached from clenching them. “And what a choice. I was dead, my body sliced open, my blood on the ground. I would have done anything, anything,” she thumped her fist to her chest, “to get back my life.” 
“So that makes it better?” he snapped back in outrage. “Desperation gives you leave to go back on your word?” 
“No. That is not what I meant.” 
“Then you agree that you bloody well have no honor—” 
“You never explained what was involved. You never said I’d be chained to you, like some animal, for the rest of my days,” Eliza shouted. “I was told I would be a GIM. I was ready to serve you in that manner. You knew full well that’s what I believed. If anything, you swindled me!” 
All at once, he sagged, though he still eyed her with resentment and distaste. Well, she had a healthy helping of those feelings for him too. 
“Tick, tock, Eliza,” she mimicked. “You rushed me because you didn’t want me to think things over.” 
When he broke eye contact, his hard jaw twitched. 
“I’m correct, aren’t I?” Ire and a red rage surged up within her. “And you have the brass to sit on your high horse and talk of honor. Well let me tell you something, demon. There is little honor in forcing a person’s hand. Or using your power to coerce those weaker than you.”
A black scowl twisted the demon’s face as he glared at some distant point. “Fine. May I continue, or have you more complaints to heap upon my head?”
“Please do continue,” Eliza granted.
His golden gaze flicked back to her. “I want to kiss you.”
“No.” The word burst out of her with force. “Absolutely not.”
Unfazed, Adam shrugged. “Unless you have something to offer in exchange for your freedom, Mellan and Mab will, as you say, merely hunt us down, and you’ll be back to where you started.”
“Then I shall find out what he wants.” Eliza straightened her back. She could do that. She must. Like hell was she going to kiss this demon.
Adam simply gave her a slow, wicked half-smile. “Fortunately for you, lass, I already know what he wants. What they both want. More than controlling you. More than torturing me, even.”
“Then why in blazes haven’t you used it to secure your own freedom?” Eliza blurted out.
“I’m only alive because they cannot break me into revealing where this item might be.” The belligerence burning in his eyes was gone in a blink, replaced by a look of pure cunning. “However, I might be persuaded to help you use the knowledge. All I require is— ”
“Fine,” she snapped, irritation getting the best of her. “I’ll kiss you.”
Silence fell, and Adam stared at her with those eyes of his. Devil’s eyes. Eyes that made a woman forget herself. Heat rose up over her breasts and crawled along the back of her neck. Eliza grasped her skirts, her fingers twitching. She would kiss him. Kiss a man who had brought her nothing but irritation. Maybe she’d bite him to boot.
His chest, gleaming with sweat, rose and fell in a soft pattern. A bead of perspiration broke free from the top of his shoulder and ran down along the firm rise of his pectoral muscles, straight toward the dark nub of his nipple. All this time arguing with him, she’d forgotten his state of undress. Not so now. She’d have to press up against those hard muscles, touch his skin. Eliza wrenched her gaze back to his face, and his sinful lips curled in a knowing smile.
“You know,” he said casually, “I believe I shall pass for the moment. I’d rather it be when you aren’t wearing such a sour face. Kills a bloke’s ardor, you realize.”
Eliza blinked. And then his meaning hit her. “Why you…rutting…cheap, trickster…”
He laughed, a flash of even teeth. “Come now, Eliza, fret not.” He stopped then, that obnoxious smile growing and heating with promise. “I’ll take that kiss soon enough. ”
She rose to her feet in a rustle of skirts. “And I’ll be sure to bite that wicked tongue when you do!”
She marched out of the cell, slamming it behind her, as he began to laugh again. Bastard. She might just leave him here to rot after all. His laughing taunt echoed through the dark. “Now that I know tongues are involved, I’ll be sure to collect.”



 

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she'd rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewers' Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book, Firelight, received RT Book Reviews' Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher's Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.




Reviews - Unconditional by Cherie M Hudson



Title: Unconditional 
Series: Always #1
Author: Cherie M Hudson
Publisher: Momentum 
Release Date: February 12, 2015



She has a future she can't escape. He refuses to let her face it alone.
 
Twenty-one. The age when adult life begins. In my case, it's the age I learned my future sucked, big time, and there was nothing I could do about it. Every minute of every day I face the fact my life is only going to get worse. Why? Because I have early-onset Parkinson's disease. I'm not going to let it get me down, but I also can't let anyone close. That's not fair to them, or to me. Trust me. So that means my heart and my soul are off-limits.

But then I traveled to Australia on a college scholarship program and life royally screwed me over. Again.

Raphael Jones is an arrogant Australian celebrity, the hottest guy on campus and a pain in my ass. Worst of all, he makes me ache for a life I'll never be able to have. Especially when he takes me in his arms and does wicked things to my body.

How do I have a hope of surviving ten weeks in Australia when it's not just the paparazzi who have me in their sights, but Raph as well? Because Raphael Jones is a man who always gets what he wants. And no matter what I say or do, he refuses to accept what I so painfully know: a life and future with me is no life at all.









Stop what you're doing right now and go one-click this book! Okay, well maybe read my review if you're so inclined and then go one-click this book. Have you ever just picked up a book thinking it sounded good only to start reading it and be completely blown away? That's this book for me. Cherie Hudson has officially made me a fangirl!

Maci is a graduate student in Australia by way of Ohio. Totally out of her element, learning the ropes from her dorm-mates. Maci also has early onset Parkinson's, which she tries really hard to hide from her new friends. She doesn't want any special treatment, to be coddled, or even worse, to be pitied.

A random bathroom encounter in the airport puts her on the radar of Raphael. Raph is the Pippa Middleton of Australia. Famous because his sister married royalty. He's got paparazzi hounding him everywhere he goes. Maci and Raph have a ton of chemistry but also a ton of obstacles in their paths. And she's leaving at the end of the semester.

Told through Maci's first person POV, Unconditional is an insightful look into the life of someone living with Parkinson's while navigating graduate school, falling in love and living in a foreign country. Maci's inner dialogue is not only a bit heartbreaking but also witty and full of humor. The love story is sexy and beautiful. Plus this book has koala bears, and I freaking love koalas! This book deserves a massive round of applause. It's spectacular.

~ Review by Erin



This book takes one exchange student traveling to Australia, a hot “celebrity”, Parkinson’s disease, and a bit of humor, mixes them together and makes awesome-sauce!

Parkinson’s Disease is no laughing matter; it’s a serious and deadly disease and tends to be one of the few things authors tend to shy away from, because there is no long term HEA. Cherie takes the bull by the horns and runs with it. She adds humor to keep the book light but the message she delivers is one thatm no matter the outcome, people will always be there to love us and help us (even if we don’t always want it).
 
The two main characters are real, and are both closed off to wanting a relationship. One because of their disease, the other because of “fame”. When they finally realize they are falling, it is too late and the game changes again. They deal with them the same way most of us would, turn tail and run the other way. FAST!

“Okay, you’re right. I was doing my bit to protect the Australian-American relationship. Wouldn’t want your country going to war against ours over copulating koalas.”

The whole book is full of one liners and conversations that will have you giggling like at 13 year old boy.

“Maybe I should call you farmer Bruce from now on?”
 
“Maybe. What have you been calling me up until now?”
 
“A--hole,” I answered honestly. Raph laughed.
 
“Yeah, let’s go with farmer Bruce.”

I think this is a RomCom you won’t want to pass up. Oh, and did I mention the sexy bits? No? I guess you will have to see what I mean by reading it yourself. Your vagina, and the copulating koalas, will thank me!


~ Review by Devlynn



When I read the blurb for Unconditional, I. Knew. I. Had. To. Read. It and am I ever glad I did, because this story shocked me, in an awesome way!

Maci Rowling travels to Australia on a college scholarship program when, unbeknownst to her, she gets the kiss of her life in a bathroom airport from none other than Raphael Jones. What lead up to that scorching hot kiss was hilarious, yet that kiss would forever change Maci's life. As Maci gets settled she makes sure to be careful around everyone because she doesn't want anyone to know her secret and feel pity for her.

Rapahel Jones is thrown into "celebrity” status when his sister marries the future king of Delvania and from there, his life would be a nuisance. Ralph can't forget the American girl he shared a powerful kiss with in the airport and yet, what a surprise to find her attending the same college as him! Ralph doesn't trust easily so when he sees Maci at the same school as him, he puts his guard up.

Maci really tries her best to not be attracted to Ralph by avoiding him but it seems the universe is working against her, because they keep getting thrown into each other’s lives. And the chemistry between them is HOT! This book had it all humor (lots of it), drama, sexiness and my favorite LOVE!!

I have to say that I loved Maci's roommate, Heather; she reminded me of one of my BFs who has ADHD and just like Heather, she has no filter, yet I still love her dearly!! Oh, and Brendon just had my heart swooning because of everything he did for Maci and how he cared for her in brotherly way. I. Can't. Wait for his story!!
~ Review by Kara


This was a fun, steamy, enjoyable read that dealt with a real issue and real concerns. While it did deal with a real issue, it was told in such an amusing way, making it easy and pleasurable to read.

Maci is a twenty one year old college student studying the effect of global warming on koalas. Getting a scholarship to study in Australia, the homeland of her father, was a dream come true. Immediately meeting two sexy Australian men made it even better.

“Because I was messed up? Confused? Conflicted? A skanky ho currently falling in lust with two hot guys?”

Only there was one small problem: she suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Unconditional took us through Maci’s journey in Australia and her life living with early on-set Parkinson’s. Since her mother also suffered from Parkinson’s disease, she has first class knowledge of what her life will become.

“For ten years, I watched him look after her, watched him insist he do things for her when she could still do them, solely out of fear she was going to hurt herself.”

She didn’t want to drag anyone through what her father went through with her mother. What she didn’t expect was to meet Raphael Jones. Deciding a fling was in order, she embarked on a steamy adventure with him.

‘He moaned, his hands on my breasts growing fierce. “I want to be inside you, American girl. Tell me you want that too,” he ordered.’

This book was emotional, it made you think, and it sure as hell made me laugh. I loved how the author was able to treat Maci as a young adult as well as a sufferer of Parkinson’s disease. I adored the secondary characters, Brendon and Heather, and simply cannot wait to read Brendon’s book. I also really appreciated that the author took the time to explain Aussie terms that I would have normally had to look up since I’m not from Australia.

~ Review by Tiffany






Cherie M Hudson is happily married to the man of her dreams, is a busy mum of two little girls (one nine going on sixteen, the other five going on twenty), a proud cat owner (although she suspect the cat thinks she owns her) and an insanely manic writer. She has written over forty erotic romances under the pen name Lexxie Couper. Along time ago she gave up trying to suppress the stories in her head constantly trying to escape and has been blissfully happy since.