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 Release and Review: SEXY LIES AND ROCK & ROLL by Sawyer Bennett

Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll
By Sawyer Bennett

When you’re a rock god, fame and fortune are your two best friends, but they can be fickle bitches. Everyone wants a piece of me and I have no clue how to deal with it all. I’m being sued, pressured to sign contracts, and fending off rabid women who want to steal my virtue.
Well, not that I really have any virtue, but still… my life has turned completely bat-shit crazy.
That’s why I need Emma Peterson. She got me out of a bit of a jam once, and I know she can do it again. The only problem is that sweet, prim and totally straight-laced Emma doesn’t want anything to do with me. Not professionally, and certainly not personally.
It’s not that I want her in that way. Let’s be realistic… it would take a crow bar of epic proportions to get her to spread those legs for me.
No, I only want her legal expertise and for her to make sense of my crazy world. It’s a good thing I have just the leverage to make her do my bidding, because her refusal is not an option.

*Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll is a hot, romantic comedy stand alone.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon |  B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

REVIEW:
Slurp….that this sound of me getting sucked in again.  Having read most of Sawyer Bennett’s other books, I thought I knew what to expect, but she drew me into the vortex, gave my emotions a little rattle and spit me out to a happy place.  Sexy Lie and Rock & Roll features Evan Scott, a rising indie music star.  With his first album a bonafide hit, he is learning to deal with the joys and pains of fame.  Emma Peterson is a straight laced attorney at one of the most maverick law firms out there.  She feels out of place and out of her league with the other attorneys, but is none the less assigned a special case by the firm’s principle partner.  She can’t exactly say “no”, can she?

This book is vintage Sawyer Bennett.  It reminds me so much of her earlier work where it leans more toward romance and less erotica.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of steamy scenes, but the story is driven more by the relationship than by the sex.  The other interesting aspect of this story is that this is not your typical rock star romance.  Evan and Emma’s conflict are less rooted rock and roll conflicts, but are driven more by inner turmoil.  Sure, there are some familiar themes, namely insecurity and betrayal, but it does not emanate from the star.  Evan is a regular guy finding himself in an extraordinary circumstance doing the thing that he loves most.

I’m am always just going to be a normal man who happened to step into a very abnormal kind of existence.  But the one lesson Midge drilled into me during my formative years is that you have to stay genuine.

This is Sawyer Bennett’s hallmark.  You can find the good guy in most of her books.  When I’m done with all the alphaholes and just want a good book boyfriend - a character that is self-possessed, self-aware, patient, kind-hearted - I look to Sawyer Bennett.

If I could ask for more, I would want to know more about Tyler.  There is a conflict involving this character and I want to know how it started, when things changed.  I feel like there are more layers to the character and I want more explanation for his behavior.

IN A NUTSHELL:
Want a feel good romance featuring a rock god with a regular joe heart?  This is the book for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

About the Author:  Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions. A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone. Sawyer likes her Bloody Mary’s strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two. 

VISIT THE AUTHOR ONLINE

Website | Facebook | Twitter  | Instagram | Goodreads

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.  

Book Release: EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID by M. O'Keefe

 

Today we are celebrating the release of EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID by M. O'Keefe. On our top 5 reads of this year, this is book one of the Everything I Left Unsaid series, an adult contemporary romance. Check out the buy links and giveaway below for a chance to win some fabulous phone cases!

Everything I Left Unsaid
By M. O'Keefe

ABOUT THE BOOK: 
I didn’t think answering someone else’s cellphone would change my life. But the stranger with the low, deep voice on the other end of the line tempted me, awakened my body, set me on fire. He was looking for someone else. Instead he found me. And I found a hot, secret world where I felt alive for the first time. His name was Dylan, and, strangely, he made me feel safe. Desired. Compelled. Every dark thing he asked me to do, I did. Without question. I longed to meet him, but we were both keep-ing secrets. And mine were dangerous. If I took the first step, if I got closer to Dylan—emotionally, physically—then I wouldn’t be hiding anymore. I would be exposed, with nothing left to surrender but the truth. And my truth could hurt us both.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Praise for Everything I Left Unsaid:

“Exquisite, thrilling, and toe-curlingly sensual . . . a delicious guilty pleasure I never wanted to end!”—New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans 

“I am head over heels in love with Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O’Keefe. Everything about this book hits the mark—the exceptional prose, the brilliantly defined characters, the delicious plot, and all the wonderful, dangerous secrets. It’s an absolute must-read keeper-shelf book!”—New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner 

“I couldn’t put this book down. Annie’s story is heartbreaking, liberating, sweet, and sexy—I want more!”—New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy 

“Sweet, sizzling, sexy, and heart-wrenching, Everything I Left Unsaid broke my heart and left me yearning for more.”—New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart

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Molly O'Keefe has always known she wanted to be a writer (except when she wanted to be a florist or a chef and the brief period of time when she considered being a cowgirl). And once she got her hands on some romances, she knew exactly what she wanted to write. She published her first Harlequin romance at age 25 and hasn't looked back. She loves exploring every character's road towards happily ever after. Originally from a small town outside of Chicago, she went to university in St. Louis where she met and fell in love with the editor of her school newspaper. They followed each other around the world for several years and finally got married and settled down in Toronto, Ontario. They welcomed their son into their family in 2006, and their daughter in 2008. When she's not at the park or cleaning up the toy room, Molly is working hard on her next novel, trying to exercise, stalking Tina Fey on the internet and dreaming of the day she can finish a cup of coffee without interruption.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

RELEASE DAY BLITZ: "Cold Fear" by Toni Anderson

Cold Fear 

(Cold Justice #4)

By Toni Anderson 

Welcome to the Release Day Blitz for the latest in the Cold Justice series, and I don't mind telling you how excited I am for this release.  Ever since I discovered Toni Anderson last year, I have devoured her books. So join me, put on your reading glasses, settle yourself into your favorite reading place and crack open this book!

A relentless FBI profiler hunts a vicious killer.

When old evidence turns up on a fresh corpse, ASAC Lincoln Frazer is determined it won’t delay the execution of a convicted serial killer. But when more young women are brutally slain, it becomes clear—this new killer is intimately familiar with the old murders.

A dedicated emergency physician hides a dark secret.

Former Army Captain Dr. Isadora Campbell helped her mother hide a terrible crime. After her mother’s death, Izzy resigned her commission and returned to the Outer Banks to raise her rebellious teenage sister. But it doesn’t take long for Izzy to suspect that someone knows exactly what she did, all those years ago.

If they work together, maybe no one else will die.

With pressure mounting to reopen the old case, Frazer will use any means possible to catch the killer. Thrust together during the investigation, he and Izzy find themselves reluctantly attracted to one another, and begin an affair. Meanwhile, the killer is much closer than they think. Izzy’s confession of her secret drives Frazer away as he struggles with her deception. By the time he realizes he’s fallen in love with the stubborn woman, the killer has her. Now the race is on to save Izzy, and any chance of a future they might have together. 

Available for purchase at 

            

Izzy grabbed sheets, towels and comforters, battling with the towering pile as she headed toward the door. The sound of Kit’s sobs drove nails of grief through her heart but she kept moving. Izzy was used to stressful situations and coped with disaster by keeping busy. Maybe that’s why she’d gravitated toward emergency medicine. Maximum chaos, minimum time to think.

She grabbed the keys off the rack next to the door. “If the Feds can help catch Helena’s killer this has to be a good thing. Tell them everything you know.”

“But I don’t know anything,” Kit wailed.

With one exception Izzy was a big believer in following the rules, which had made her a damn good Army officer. She opened the door and there stood the federal agent, Frazer.

He was one of those individuals who was so ridiculously handsome you could barely look at him. Worse, he knew it.

“Kit,” she shouted. “The FBI is here, baby.”

Barney came to meet the newcomer. Izzy expected the man to be too self-important to greet the dog but he went down on his haunches and gave Barney a good scratch on the neck. After a few moments of mutual adoration the guy stood. The blue of his tie matched the ocean in his eyes. “What’s his name?”

“Barney—or barmy, depending on the day.” She held his gaze, and he took it for the challenge it was. “You can talk to Kit alone, but if she decides she doesn’t want to speak to you anymore she doesn’t have to.” She called over her shoulder. “Did you hear that, Kit? I’ll be at the cottage. If you get uncomfortable with Agent—” She turned back to the guy. “Sorry, what was your name again?”

“ASAC Frazer.” His eyes glinted, obviously not used to women forgetting details. Or maybe knowing she’d lied about the fact to give herself a little power when she felt so powerless.

“If you don’t want to talk to ASAC Frazer, come over to the cottage and get me, okay?”

Kit mumbled something that could have been anything from “bitch” to “sure.” It certainly wasn’t “thank you” or “I love you.”

Her sister’s lack of appreciation and general sense of entitlement was staggering and Izzy swallowed the hurt and the resentment. Their mother had spoiled the younger girl, and Kit’s lack of consideration for others drove Izzy crazy. Another reason she’d spent so much time away from home.

The sharp-eyed Fed didn’t miss her momentary loss of composure. She buried her reaction, something she’d always been good at, but the military had honed the skill into a mask no one could penetrate. It made for a hell of a game of poker. “Upset her and you’ll find out where I conceal my weapon.”

His eyes creased at the corners, but he didn’t fool her for a moment. “Left shoulder holster, so you’re right-handed. Looks like a Glock-17, but tricky to say for sure without getting a better look.” The guy’s gaze slid over her chest with glacial indifference, but suddenly she knew that was an act too. A wall. His own defense mechanism.

His eyes landed on her mouth, on the mole that sat just above the left side of her upper lip. She resisted the urge to touch her face self-consciously. Warmth filled her, and she knew she was blushing. As a physician and a former soldier, blushing was not in her repertoire. She moved past him, heart beating frantically as she went out the door.

Emotions were high, that was all. She was not attracted to this guy. She’d rather date Hank, and he’d given up asking her months ago. Her dog stayed behind, and she left them to it. She wanted ASAC Frazer to find the killer and leave them alone. She had enough problems in her life without adding a tall good-looking federal agent into the mix.

New York Times and USA Today international bestselling author, Toni Anderson, writes dark, gritty Romantic Suspense. Her novels have been nominated for the prestigious Romance Writers of America® RITA® Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence, and National Readers' Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense. Some of her books have been translated into German & Romanian.

A graduate of Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool, and the University of St. Andrews, Toni was a Post-doctoral Research Scientist for several years, and travelled the world with her work. After living in seven different countries, she finally settled in the Canadian prairies with her Irish husband and two children. Now she spends her time talking to the voices in her head and making things up. Toni has no explanation for her oft-times dark imagination, and only hopes the romance makes up for it. She’s addicted to reading, dogs, tea (never travels without it), and chocolate. She loves to hear from readers.

Toni donates 15% of her royalties from EDGE OF SURVIVAL to diabetes research--to find out why, read the book!

You can find Toni at 

            

Presented By

ARC REVIEW: "Game Changer" by Melissa Cutler

Game Changer

Book 3 in the Bomb Squad series

by Melissa Cutler

Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of Bomb Squad—an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has the team captain packing his bags for greener pastures, but saying good-bye to the woman who’d captured his heart is easier said than done…

After being wounded in combat, Brandon Theroux lives every day as though it’s his last. He never could have imagined that the sleek mechanics of his prosthetic leg would open so many doors, including minor celebrity status as a fitness model and a well-earned reputation as a rakish playboy. The only door it hasn’t opened is the one to Harper Johnson’s bedroom.

Harper has too much self-respect to join the ranks of Brandon’s “carpe diem” conquests, but when she needs someone to keep the peace in the tavern she owns, Brandon offers his help—as long as she agrees to a very tempting trade. It isn’t long before the two realize that a deal struck between friends who can’t keep their hands off each other has the potential to be a whole lot hotter than either of them is prepared to handle…

Brandon Theroux

Harper Johnson

I discovered Melissa Cutler’s books last year. I completely devoured her Catcher Creek series and have been a huge fan of the Bomb Squad books. Her ability to get emotionally deep with her characters captures me.  This book has me hooked in so many ways, but what I love most about this story is Harper. 

In so many stories that feature a sports character, you can imagine the hero as larger than life.  Don’t get me wrong, Brandon is.  A personal trainer, model, amputee, veteran, and now star bachelor on a new “Bachelor”-like series, he is a hunk.  But Harper is the standout hero of this book.

Harper is one of thousands of women who carry a gene that makes them more at risk for cancer.  With a mother and aunt who died from the disease, she has to make some tough decisions in her life.  Does she take preventative steps or take a chance that she won’t get the disease? In the midst of this heart-wrenching decision, Harper has to decide whether she wants to take the next step with Brandon. He’s leaving soon to start his new tv career and she has the opportunity to have the fling of a lifetime. 

What is both sweet and bittersweet is how both Harper and Brandon deal with her diagnosis. Harper goes through the gamut of emotions from denial to defiance. For Brandon, he confronts the possibility of losing, not only a potential lover, but also a recently realized best friend.

This book felt very personal to me.  My mother was recently diagnosed with cancer and I watch her go through a kaleidoscope of emotions.  And I understood Brandon’s position.  He is someone who is standing on the outside, wanting to do whatever he can to help.  I empathized with  his feelings of helplessness and determination to “be there” for her. For the first time in forever, I cried in a book.

The romance in this book doesn’t hit you over the head.  Sure, the attraction is there from the beginning, but the true romance develops slowly, sweetly.  It is the opposite of insta-love.  And it is a pleasure.

In a Nutshell:

What can I say, I simply loved this book.  Melissa Cutler scores a hat trick with this one. I was utterly slayed.

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

Melissa Cutler knows she has the best job in the world, dividing her time between her dual passions for writing sexy contemporary romances and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense for Harlequin, Penguin, and Kensington Books. She was struck at an early age by an unrelenting travel bug and is probably planning her next vacation as you read this. When she's not globetrotting, she's enjoying Southern California's flip-flop wearing weather and wrangling two rambunctious kids. 

Find Melissa at: website | Facebook | Twitter

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.

Connect with Sawyer:

Facebook | Twitter | Tsu | Instagram | Goodreads | 

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