Release Day: ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashley

A Message from the author: 

Dear Reader,

I’m beside myself with glee that this prequel to my Rock Chick series has been unleashed! There was some time when I never thought I’d write it. When I couldn’t be in that terrible place with Daisy. But I’m oh-so glad that she called to me, demanding her story be told so she could give it to me and now I can give it to you! I loved every moment spent with Daisy and Marcus. And I hope you do too!

~Kristen Ashley

About ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING:

From New York Times bestselling author, Kristen Ashley, comes the long-awaited story of Daisy and Marcus, Rock Chick Reawakening. A prequel to Kristen’s Rock Chick series, Rock Chick Reawakening shares the tale of the devastating event that nearly broke Daisy, an event that set Marcus Sloan—one of Denver’s most respected businessmen and one of the Denver underground’s most feared crime bosses—into finally making his move to win the heart of the woman who stole his.

BUY LINKS:  Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

EXCERPT:

Her face was stunning. Wide smile. White teeth and a good deal of them. Big eyes. Elegant nose. Soft cheekbones. All of this she highlighted with the expert use of makeup from what was clearly a gift of superior genes into something that shone like a Hollywood starlet.

A starlet of a stripper who looked a good deal like Dolly Parton, who also likely got home the night before, earliest, three in the morning, and was right then, only hours later, back on the stage helping another girl by teaching her some moves.

“Marcus, brother,” Smithie’s voice came at him. “You got a problem with the way I do business, and I give you reason to have that problem, then we have a talk. I don’t give you that reason, we don’t have conversations like this one. That’s our deal.”

Marcus listened to him while he watched Daisy talking to the other girl and then she ran across the stage, doing it gracefully in platform sandals, her stone-washed jeans tight on her ass and hips and all the way down her legs. Still, after she ran the four steps, she launched herself high, grabbing on to the pole at least three feet higher than she was, her body swinging around by just her hands.

When the swing ended, she climbed up the pole, hand over hand. Doing this quickly, taking herself up another four feet, she flipped her bottom half over, wrapping her skinny legs around the pole. She dropped back, her hair flowing down, and with her only hold on the pole being her legs, she arched her back and slid down slowly, somehow circling the pole as she did it.

She ended this doing a layout with her hands on the floor, her legs in slow and controlled movements coming over her head one after the other. Her hands pushing off, she was up.

Standing straight with perfect posture.

Direct Link:https://video214.com/play/WNx2mKBbgjZWmY0hWUnX0g/s/dark

Book Review: THE GAME PLAN by Kristen Callihan

The Game Plan
by Kristen Callihan
Book 3 in the the Game On series

ABOUT THE BOOK:

s one of tA beard-related dare and one hot-as-hell kiss changes everything.

NFL center Ethan Dexter’s focus has always been on playing football and little else. Except when it comes to one particular woman. The lovely Fiona Mackenzie might not care about his fame, but she’s also never looked at him as anything more than one of her brother-in-law’s best friend. That ends now. 

Fi doesn’t know what to make of Dex. The bearded, tattooed, mountain of man-muscle looks more like a biker than a football player. Rumor has it he’s a virgin, but she finds that hard to believe. Because from the moment he decides to turn his quiet intensity on her she’s left weak at the knees and aching to see his famous control fully unleashed. 

Dex is looking for a forever girl, but they live vastly different lives in separate cities. Fi ought to guard her heart and walk away. But Dex has upped his game and is using all his considerable charm to convince Fi he's her forever man.

Game On

The Game Plan is one of the most romantic books I’ve read in a while.  It is filled with bold gestures, tender moments, and heartfelt confessions, including the iconic “kiss in the rain” moment.  Fi and Dex are off-the-charts endearing.  So perfectly paired that it is easy to believe in destiny. 

One of the best parts of the this story is that the author does not focus the relationship merely on how the couple "gets together".  These characters have met before and have been on the periphery of one another’s lives, but the bold and stark honesty that ultimately brings them together is refreshing.  There is no game plan, no overwrought indecision.  Sure there is some insecurity, but rather than make me impatient, it brings a welcomed additional layer.  

My favorite part of the narrative happens after they decide to attempt a long distance relationship.  They say that absence makes the heart grow stronger, but it also sends the sexual tension through the roof.  By its very nature, the distance creates a certain longing that Kristen Callihan conveys with high-wire tension.  

Ethan “Dex” Dexter’s background brings a level of maturity and purity to his interactions with Fiona.  As someone who knows his mind, his decisions feel confident and grounded. His words mean more. His desire for Fiona “all-in.” Geez, it made my heart flutter.  Dex is easily one of my favorite sports heroes for his heart both on and off the field. 

Since most stories have to introduce a conflict and for our fated pair, this one is a doozy, especially because they are at the mercy of other people’s dubious behavior and the public’s never-ending fascination with celebrity . Given how our world has evolved with the media, this reality is potentially every person’s nightmare.  Although forecasted early on, the impact is no less painful and alarming.  I could easily understand the despair. 

However, because of the way that the author introduced this pair and how she evolved this relationship, she masterfully gives us readers our Happily Ever After.  

IN A NUTSHELL:

Because her characters are fascinating with genuine depth, this kind of book where you sigh at the end and believe that love can prevail.  

Blog Tour, Review, Excerpt and Giveaway: RYKER by Sawyer Bennett

Ryker has intrigued me and I was looking forward to his story.  Fortunately for me, it went beyond what I expected.  Thank goodness for Sawyer Bennett!

Ryker 
by Sawyer Bennett
Book 4, Cold Fury series

The rugged men of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team are winning hearts once again in another scorching novel from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.

The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty shots—except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker gives him a fresh start.

As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to reclaim her man, the pressure’s on Gray to step up and save a tender new love before it’s too late.

Goodreads Series Link

Buy Links:   Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

Wow, this is my favorite kind of contemporary love story.  It is the best sports romance I’ve read in ages.  Ryker hits all the right marks – it features infinitely likable characters, relevant hockey passages, and introduces an interesting groundbreaking scenario.

Ryker is the best part of the story.  I love him because he is not only likable, but admirable.  I deeply appreciate his mature approach to looking at the issues and patience in taking action.  I adore his brand of protectiveness.  He is a man who knows his mind:

His dedication and loyalty. The way he loves deeply and surely. His joy and the way he just masters his life as if it’s effortless. He has such confidence in himself and doesn’t waste time on second-guesses once he’s given something careful consideration.

Gray is also worthy of respect.  She is a highly educated, experienced businesswoman with an intense love of hockey.  Her Ph.D. is in statistics and she brings that analytical skill to the front office of the Cold Fury, breaking new ground as the first female GM in professional hockey.  However, because of her early focus and success, she has never been in love…until Ryker.

Ryker is not interested in a one-night stand with Gray.  He’s a relationship man (this makes me swoon).  Yet, their relationship is complicated.  They both know there will be extra scrutiny because she is the GM and female.  Furthermore, Ryker doesn’t want to introduce a new woman into his daughters’ lives until there is a firm commitment.  Smart and mature.

What really seals the deal with Ryker is his willingness to look at the bigger picture and put her needs before his.  At a critical juncture, one of them is going to need to make a change. Given where he is in his career and where she is, he is willing to make the sacrifice: "I’ve reached all my goals and Gray is just starting to seek hers out. She not only deserves this chance more than me, but this team deserves her vision more than they need me.”

I also enjoyed learning more about what happens in the back office, a glimpse into the business end of sports. I have to wonder if Sawyer Bennett ever wanted to be a executive for a sports team.  She certainly knows her stuff!

In A Nutshell
I cannot recommend this story enough. Ryker hit a chord in me with exemplary, honorable characters and an arousing love story.  Best in the series, this one is not to be missed.

My father has never been one for pomp, sugar coating, or long segues. He cuts right to the chase. “I know you all have seen the news stories and I hate that it was leaked before I could talk to you. As of today, I have officially stepped down as the acting general manager of the Cold Fury.”

No one utters a word. Not a sound is made. This tells me that indeed, everyone has already heard the news.

“I’m appointing my daughter, Gray Brannon, in my place.”

And there it is . . . a distinct rustling sound as bodies shift in their seats. My father continues on, making firm and clear statements about my qualifications.

Graduated Princeton when I was nineteen.

Got my MBA from Kellogg at twenty-one.

Ph.D. in statistics from Berkeley at twenty-four.

Genius level IQ of 142.

Okay, Dad . . . that’s a little much. Get to the good stuff.

As I half listen to my father talk with pride about my two Olympic medals while playing for the U.S. women’s ice hockey team—one silver, one gold—I let my eyes roam over the group. The two front rows are composed of the coaching, equipment, and training staff. The players sit in clique-type groups based on what lines they play on. This isn’t by design, but I’m betting more because they have a unique bond and camaraderie. They almost have a sixth sense that enables them to read each other while on the ice.

My eyes pass over Ryker Evans, our team’s goalie, and then snap right back to him. He’s not watching my father but rather me, and I find myself unwillingly sucked into those silver-gray eyes. It happens every time I look at him, whether it’s in person or he’s giving an interview on TV, which is again proof that I am indeed a woman.

His lips tip up in acknowledgment of me and his eyes radiate congratulations. He gives me a nod of approval and then slides his gaze to my father, who is now lauding my scouting efforts for the Cold Fury. I’ve been the senior scout for the past two years and have scored some great players for the team.

I don’t immediately move my own gaze on, but rather take an unfettered moment to appreciate Ryker’s bold handsomeness. He’s called the Brick Wall in this league because he’s big. I mean really big for a goalie, but he’s still one of the most agile net minders I’ve ever seen. And still speaking as a woman for just a second, he has the face of a GQ cover model. In fact, I think he’s actually graced their cover twice if memory serves me. Dark hair, liquid silver eyes, and a beard of what looks like no more than three days’ growth that never gets shorter or longer, even during the playoffs. I’m quite sure when he’s ready to retire he could have a second career as a model if he was so inclined.

As it stands, however, I am far more interested in Ryker Evans for his athletic abilities than his face and I consider him to be one of my greatest acquisitions as a scout. I thought that even when our playoff hopes were crushed during Ryker’s first game in a Cold Fury jersey when he failed to stop a penalty shot, securing for us a big fat loss. I thought he was still a fantastic prospect even when the organization’s CFO, Bill Bowman, berated me in a staff meeting for insisting on such a pricey acquisition to the team.

I remember that day with actual fondness. Bill got all red in the face as he ranted at me, and my father just leaned back in his chair at the head of the conference room table and let me take it all on my shoulders. My father never fought my fights once I became an adult and I loved him for it. It meant he respected me.

It didn’t matter that it was wholly unfair to put that loss on Ryker’s shoulders. The fact is, the team—as a whole and with our regular starting goalie, Max Fournier—blew a three-game lead in the playoffs against Atlanta. Ryker came in cold off the bench when Max suffered a season- ending knee injury and was immediately placed in the net to face off against one of the best players in the league for a penalty shot.

And when he missed it, he became the pariah of the Cold Fury team.

At least for a little while.

But right now, it’s kind of hard to be the outcast when you have a .936 save percentage.

Yes, now my boy is back. He’s become a team leader—a man the younger guys look up to. He’s killing it on the ice, and I believe nothing is going to stop him this season. I can see it in his eyes, the tilt of his chin, the set to his shoulders. Ryker Evans, the Brick Fucking Wall, is going to lead this team—my team—straight into the playoffs. He has something to prove and that’s fine by me . . . whatever motivates him best.

“—which means that the only one who has to prove herself to you is Gray. I’m not even asking you to give her a chance because I know she’d never ask that of you either. I’m just telling you to watch and judge her on her own merits.”

My dad steps away from the podium and gives me a wink. He sweeps a hand out, indicating that I now have the floor. I didn’t have any expectations that I was going to be greeted with open arms. I didn’t expect applause, wolf whistles, or even metaphorical banging of hockey sticks to welcome me. In fact, I got more than I ever anticipated just from that quick nod of approval from Ryker Evans.

That’s fine by me.

Just makes this all the easier for me as I step up to the podium and prepare to cement my place in history.

Other Books in the Cole Fury Series

ALEX: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

GARRETT: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo 
ZACK: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

USA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.
Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her third book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, June 2015.

Follow Sawyer at: Facebook | Twitter | Website | GoodReads


Follow the Tour, click HERE.   

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ARC Review: NEED YOU FOR KEEPS By Marina Adair

Need You for Keeps

by Marina Adair

Heroes of St. Helena, Book 1

When it comes to caring for the furry residents of St. Helena, California, groomer and pet rescuer Shay Michaels can handle anything. Humans are another story, though especially Deputy Jonah Baudouin. He's the town's resident superhero: upright, uptight, and jaw-droppingly gorgeous, even when he's investigating complaints about Shay's beloved foster animals. And that spells danger for Shay, a free spirit who can't risk trusting the wrong person again.

Jonah and Shay have been circling each other ever since she came to town, and he's running out of reasons to "not" kiss her senseless. But this deputy is a straight shooter with his eye on the sheriff's badge. He can't afford to get involved with Shay, a chaos magnet with luscious curves who's liable to turn his career and his life upside down. He enforces laws. She breaks them repeatedly. Keeping her out of trouble is becoming a full-time job and it's one he hopes is never going to end.

Need You for Keeps is book one in the Heroes of St. Helena, a spin-off of the St. Helena Vineyard series. Marina Adair is a new author to me.  I chose this book on a whim and mid-way through, I stopped to go back and purchase all five books in the St. Helena Vineyard series. The Napa Valley region is one of my most favorite places in the world and I can easily imagine these characters living this kind of story there in the quaint town of St. Helena. 

Stories like these make me happy and remind me why I read contemporary romance. I fell in love with the writing, the characters, the plot, and the setting. After reading so many dark paranormal stories recently, Marina Adair’s story is bright and refreshing.  She expertly conveys the sweet nature of the characters.  No, they are not perfect, but they are, at their core, essentially good, and this is what binds Jonah and Shay together as a couple.  On the surface, their personalities seem to be opposite from one another.  She is the free-spirit, willing to bend the rules a little, animal lover.  He is the follow the rules, disciplined, hometown law and order hero.  We are just so different.  He is determined to walk the line, and I walk it until I find where it fades.   She grew up in the foster system where she learned that she never quite belonged: Even when she’d been in foster care she’d been forced to knock on the front door if it had been locked when she’d gotten home from school.  He grew up with solid family support and ties.  

Although their obstacles seem almost insurmountable, through misunderstandings develops a keen appreciation for each other’s strengths.  It’s a familiar story, but done so well with beautiful words and wonderful phrases that make me sigh: You are the color in my black and white world, and I love every shade that you are. 

St. Helena is a small town and, as expected, there are standout supporting characters.  The townspeople are intimately a part of the charm and humor of the story.  Northern Californians give Southerners a run for their money in the quirkiness department.  

In A Nutshell:
Sweet, adorable, humorous and infinitely re-readable, don’t miss this old-fashioned love story. 

Marina Adair is a National bestselling author of romance novels. Along with the St. Helena Vineyard series, she is also the author of Tucker's Crossing, part of the Sweet Plains series. She currently lives in a hundred-year-old log cabin, nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her husband and daughter.


As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive.

Don't Miss The St. Helena Vineyard Series. 

Goodreads

Kissing Under the Mistletoe | Summer In Napa | Autumn In the Vineyard

Be Mine Forever | From the Moment We Met

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.  

Blog Tour and Giveaways: SEARCHING FOR ALWAYS by Jennifer Probst

Welcome to the blog tour for one of my favorite reads of the year.  I hope you will enjoy the review. Help raise awareness for pet rescue shelters and enter for your chance at a prize pack in the Giveaway.  

Searching for Always
by Jennifer Probst
Searching For, #4
(June 30, 2015, Gallery Books)

About the book:
She’s an expert in helping others de-stress, but Arilyn Meadows is running on fumes. Along with her job counseling singles seeking soul mates at the Kinnections agency in Verily, New York, she’s a yoga teacher, animal shelter volunteer, anger management therapist, and helping hand to her beloved grandfather. No time to find Mr. Right—but after discovering her yogi boyfriend in a compromising asana, Arilyn would rather dog-sit for her honeymooning friend Kate than risk her heart on another downward dog.  And when police officer Stone Petty—radiating masculinity and bad-boy attitude—is sent to her for mandatory lessons in cooling off when the job gets too hot, Arilyn vows to ignore his seductive glances and sexy grin. But there’s no halting their sizzling flirtation—a red-hot, high-speed chase that’s breaking all the limits.

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo | iTunes

Jennifer Probst has brought her A-game with this latest installment in her Searching For series. Her witty dialogue and emotional depth is realized in her strong, but likeable, heroine and irresistible alpha male.  I loved the opposites attract trope.  It is done to perfection. 

Stone Petty has officially past Nate Dunkle as my favorite hero in this series.  Yes, I love an intelligent man, but I also love a strong, protective man who needs a strong-willed woman. Stone thinks he in control, but when confronted by someone authentic and genuine, he cannot respond in the same ordinary way.  Instead, he is transformed. Admittedly, I also kind of like the bad-boy persona as well.  He’s less refined and more edgy.  When he is interested in something, he is all-in.  Take his attitude toward quitting smoking:   “He could beat this nasty habit, even though he loved it so hard, he’d pick smoking over anything else.”  He’s dark and brooding.  He’s crude and crass.  He wears the perfect mask. 

In contrast, Arilyn is sunshine and light.  She is peaceful and calm.  She works at making herself emotionally available:  “She’d worked so hard in all aspects of her life to be a good person, to open herself to love, to become spiritually sound to engage in a relationship that would bring her joy.”   She lives her life trying to transcend the darkness, not deny it.   I really enjoy her journey in discovering her essential truth - she deserves to be respected and honored in a relationship. She begins by offering Stone stability and a safe place to be himself.  He shakes her down to her foundations, connects with her physical spirit as well as her intellectual and emotional self.  Once she realizes her love, she wants it all. The question is whether he is willing to risk with her: 

She was whole and good and had a ton of love to give to someone.  She wanted a man brave enough to leap with her and not blame his limitations on his inability to love, or commit.

Their relationship is like a chemical reaction.  Two agents that when combined create something more.  It is such a beautiful relationship personified by one of the best  “I love you” speeches ever:

I love you, body and mind and soul, and I love this rat fink dog more than I can ever say in just words.  So I’ll show you every damn day instead.  I want to be in this with you.  I know we’re gonna fight, and you’ll piss me off, and I’ll piss you off, but I think we were meant to be together the moment I first laid eyes on you and decided I didn’t like you.

IN A NUTSHELL: 
This book is sigh inducing. With lines like, "'I always knew you’d be extraordinary,' he murmured. 'But still the reality has me weeping,'" how can you resist?  I went out and bought another copy of the book.  Now Stone sits next to Nate on my bookshelf, right where he needs to be. 

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.
She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

Contact Jennifer at: 

Website | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter | Goodreads

Help pet rescue shelters by posting a picture of your rescued pet, or sharing your favorite shelter, and using the hashtag #SEARCHINGFORRESCUES. 4 shelters will get a $50 prize (winners choose) and 1 additional person will receive a prize pack from Jennifer Probst. 

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BLOG TOUR, REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: "Ride Steady" by Kristen Ashley

RIDE STEADY
by Kristen Ashley
Book 3 in the Chaos series

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The ride of her life . . .
Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy---until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling, single mom and stranded by a flat tire, Carissa's pondering her mistakes when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower.

Climb on and hold tight . . .
In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he's the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa's acting, it's clear she's falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker's secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa---or ride away forever . . .

BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | GooglePlay | Kobo | BAM

I HAD to read this book twice.  Meaning, I read this book two weeks ago and when it came down to writing this review, I felt compelled to read it again.  Yes, it’s that good.

Some of my favorite Kristen Ashley books feature really, really broken heroes – Vance Crowe from Rock Chick Renegades and Ty Walker from Lady Luck first come to mind.  Carson “Joker” Steele joins this list.  There is no use in comparing the pain between these broken men, they all suffered terribly.  However, what makes Carson’s story standout is that we get to be witness not only to his redemption, but also his self-actualization.

Carson comes back after leaving Denver before the end of his senior year.  He fulfills his dream of being a member of Chaos motorcycle club and to work at Ride, their custom made shop.  In a twist of fate, he runs into his high school crush, Carissa Teodoro.

Carissa has heavy burdens to bear.  She has been “thrown away” by her husband for a “newer model” while she was pregnant.  This is a staggering blow to her self-esteem.  With very little financial support and few friends or family to turn to, Carissa struggles to make it on her own.  Meeting Joker changes her life as she is brought into the Chaos fold.

The story between Joker and Carissa is sweet, exhibiting the kind of tenderness that makes you want to cry.  Both have such gaping holes in their lives and to bear witness to how they help each other fill that gap is beautiful.  Kristen Ashley has a special gift of identifying her character’s darkest fears and greatest joys and makes them completely accessible and relatable to the reader. This is why we cry and cheer with our characters.

But what I also like about this story is the evolution of Carson Steele.  Carson grew up in a very abusive household.  From this dark place, there were a few solid people who offered him a light. Even as a child, he wondered how he would be able to pay these people back:

So he’d forgotten how that felt.  How deep it ran.  How intense the desire was, how extreme the hope was that you’d one day be in a position to give back to those who put brightness in a dark life, cutting through the black.

But sometimes we cannot repay to those who have done for us and then Carson learns what life is really about:

The good he got from the people who cared for him set him up to return it, maybe not to them, but to people who deserved it. And that was what it was all about. The meaning of life. Why every person on the planet was there.

The change in his thinking from “paying back” the generosity of those who showed him kindness, to focuses it outward, paying it forward, to serve others, that is part of his self-actualization.  It is such a little line in the book, but for me, a huge comment for the real world.

If I had one small critique of this story, it would be the on-going drama with Benito  Valenzuela. Valenzuela is Chaos’ biggest rival and he periodically shows up – looming, threatening Chaos.  (On a side note, if you have read the Rock Chick series, you know this directly relates to Darius and Shirleen’s story.  Such a nice perk to the Rock Chick series fans). But Valenzuela has been looming for a while and although there is an interesting scene in this story, I’d like to see this thread/threat advance more seriously.  I have no doubt it will in the near future.  I just keep waiting for the shoe to drop!

IN A NUTSHELL:
Beautiful and brilliant, brimming with emotion.  I loved it and I’m sure I’ll be reading it yet again sometime soon.

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.  And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Social Media Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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BLOG TOUR, REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: "Yield: A Legal Affairs Story" by Sawyer Bennett

Yield:  A Legal Affairs Story

(Book #3 of Cal and Macy’s Story)

By: Sawyer Bennett

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Yield is the final book the Legal Affairs trilogy of Cal and Macy’s story. 

Clash and Grind, Books #1 and #2, are now available for purchase.

**Due to sexual content and heavy subject matter of an abusive nature, this book may not be suitable for all audiences. 

Yield (verb): to surrender or submit (oneself) to another Macy Carrington is broken. The strong, beautiful woman that I’ve unwittingly fallen in love with is all kinds of broken from a secret that she has carried for far too long. A secret so dark, she has gone to great lengths to protect it. A secret that I’m terrified will one day rip her away from me. The only time Macy frees herself from the darkness is when she is naked and in my arms. When I am deep inside her body, there is nothing she fears. When she wraps herself around me, she is at peace. If she would only yield to me completely, I know I can set her free.

I’m rather stingy with my top ratings. The book has to be memorable and the story has to be unique in some way. With the proliferation and popularity of erotica, there are a lot of books out there – unfortunately, many of the narratives are familiar.  Therefore, it is interesting to me, that the reason I love Yield is because it is an old-fashioned love story underneath the erotica. 

Because this is a short serial, each book brings us one step closer to understanding Macy’s ambivalence. I love how this story unravels.  Sawyer Bennett keeps us on the edge of our seats, and at the same time, makes us fall further in love with Cal.  I love Cal.  He is a seriously good guy. His selflessness is so attractive. It’s one of the best qualities in a book boyfriend. He’s also very tenacious.  He refuses to allow Macy to push him away and instead, makes himself indispensable in her life.  I wonder if Cal was a Boy Scout as a kid.

As a grown man, Cal has a healthy libido.  Cal and Macy both do.  This is a balanced couple in the bedroom. Macy is sexually uninhibited: 

“I love that she is makes her move when she wants and isn’t afraid to voice her needs. . . . I’m in an almost constant state of arousal around her, yet she assuages my needs in overabundance, keeping me well satisfied and happy.”

But despite Macy’s confidence in many other areas of her life, she also carries a certain level of sadness and insecurity that holds her back from fully giving herself to Cal.  Her past has damaged her to the point where she is currently surviving, not living.  But it is Cal that gives her hope, gives her a lifeline, gives her the courage to take a chance: 
“…[Y]our life isn’t about just merely enduring anymore.  It’s changed. You’ve changed. You’ve left survival far behind, and our life now is about thriving.”  Despite some Macy’s dark past, this story is about stepping out to take a chance.   

IN A NUTSHELL:

With genuine emotion and seamless writing, Sawyer Bennett brings a old fashioned love story with a modern edge of erotica.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate. Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series, the Last Call Series and the Cold Fury hockey series.

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