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Saturday, July 2, 2016

Weekly Winners

Below is a list of all of the winners from last week.

Marcy
Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen

Jacinda
That Chesapeake Summer by Mariah Stewart


**Monthly Newsletter Giveaway Winners**

Beth Ann
Swag Pack

Amy F.
Print Book from RFTC Stash

Jessie
Kindle copy of Wallbanger and Rusty Nailed by Alice Clayton

KV
Kindle copy of Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Louise
Kindle copy of Tangled by Emma Chase


All winners have been notified via email and are posted on the Rafflecopter form from that giveaway post. Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered. =)

ARC Review: Into the Nothing by BT Urruela


Into the Nothing is the first solo novel from BT Urruela, and I couldn't wait to read it! I loved his collaboration, A Lover's Lament, with KL Grayson and I was really curious to see how his voice would be on his own. I am happy to say that I really enjoyed Into the Nothing, and I look forward to reading more from BT in the future and seeing how his talent continues to grow as he writes even more.

Xander Evans has spent the last several years traveling working towards his end goal of winding up in Washington. His childhood was painful, spending most of his time in foster care after a tragedy cost him both of his parents. When he stops in Truman Valley, Missouri, everything changes. There he meets Paige and her family, and after standing up for Paige her father offers him a job at their winery. Xander quickly finds a home with the Watsons, but fights his attraction to Paige so as not to disrespect her father. But soon they can't stop the feelings between them and things appear to finally be going well for them. But then one night changes everything, and Xander finds himself in prison for life. 

I liked both Paige and Xander. I felt like they were great for one another and I loved how Paige and her family welcomed Xander right away. They didn't judge him or look down on him and they were really genuine and kind people. I felt the chemistry and attraction between Paige and Xander from the start, and I loved getting to see them open up to one another as they got to know one another better. I believed in their connection right away, and they just fit really well together. The one thing I will say though is that I wished for a bit more depth to their characters. While we did get some of Xander's past and there was a connection forming, at times things felt surface deep. They got a bit lost in everything going on, and I would have loved to have seen more of their emotional connection explored.

I really did like the story though, and the characters were great. I liked the secondary characters as much as the main characters and felt like they added a lot to the story. I was surprised by the big twist and will admit that I did not have it figured out. I though I knew exactly what was happening and it turns out I was wrong, which I absolutely loved! The only other criticism I had here was that the ending felt a bit rushed to me. It all seemed to wrap up a bit quickly, and I would have liked to have seen a bit more of their future and how things all played out after all that had happened. That said though, this was a solid effort for BT Urruela on his first solo novel and I think that he has a really great writing career ahead of him. I look forward to reading more from him in the future and can't wait to see what he does next. If you are looking for something a bit different, this is definitely one worth checking out!

**ARC Provided by Southern Belle Promotions**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | 





Feature and Giveaway: Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing by Terry Spear


First in a BRAND NEW SERIES from USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear, queen of shapeshifter romance.

Real estate mogul werewolf Rafe Denali didn’t get where he is in life by being a pushover. When sexy she-wolf Jade Ashton nearly drowns in the surf outside his beach house, he knows better than to bring her into his home and his heart. But there’s something about her that brings out his strongest instincts…

Rafe has good reason to be suspicious. Jade Ashton and her baby son are pawns in an evil wolf’s fatal plan. How can Jade betray the gorgeous man who rescued her? But if she doesn’t, her baby will die, and her own life hangs in the balance…

To get to the truth, Rafe is going to have to gain Jade’s trust. If he can do that, he just might be her last—and best—hope…

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

Friday, July 1, 2016

ARC Review: Seared on My Soul by Cole Gibsen


I couldn't wait to read more from Cole Gibsen after reading and loving Written on My Heart. I think my expectations might have been a bit too high here with Seared on My Soul, but I was disappointed with this one and it didn't live up to what I was hoping for. While there were some things I liked, ultimately this one was hard to get through and I found myself skimming more than I should have. 

Emily Garret doesn't want or think that she needs to be rescued, and she definitely don't want it to be by a guy that looks like Reece Montgomery does. While Emily has tattoos and piercings, Reece is clean cut. But after Emily finds herself in a situation where she needs help, Reece is determined to get beneath her surface. He never planned on becoming anyone's hero, but he is convinced there is more to her than meets the eye. Can Reece let Emily in and see where things go, or will there be too much in his past for them to have a future? 

I will admit that I really struggled with Emily's character. I didn't really like her, and that didn't change much until the very end of the story. At that point it was a bit too little too late for me and I didn't much care at that point. She was immature and irritating, and I hated the pity party she was constantly participating in. She used it as an excuse to drink excessively and there was really nothing for me to like with her. I felt like we never really saw much progress with her, and I think that was a big part of my problem here. I did like Reece more and I felt more sympathetic towards him because of all that he had been through. While I didn't agree with everything he did, his PTSD and being a disable war vet had a lot to do with the person he was. While I did like him more, I still felt like couldn't quite connect with him either. Both of these characters seemed to lack much depth, and I wanted to dig deeper with them than surface deep. I thought that they had chemistry, but I was just wanting more and felt like there was something missing. 

Beyond just the character issues though, I just never felt like their relationship was entirely believable considering how they were the whole way through. Both of them were messed up, so their coming together felt a bit unrealistic in the way it happened here. It came off as rushed and I just couldn't buy into it fully. Sadly, this wasn't what I had been hoping for or expecting after WOMH, and this isn't one that I would recommend. I do plan on reading more from Cole Gibsen in the future since I loved WOMH so much, but this one just didn't work for me.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | 





ARC Review: Profited by Lacey Black


I think this was my first book by this author and I really liked it. I’m a sucker for a “baby you didn’t know about and now you want both of us” book but it has to be done in the right way. The right way is a way that gives us a plausible reason why the dad did not know about the kid that does not make us want to drop kick the Mom.

In Profited Dani and Reid hook up one night when they are both beginning as adults. Right from the beginning of the book there is some indication that Reid has somehow sold his soul to the Devil. I liked that the issue was kind of mysterious though and we didn't completely know what was up with Reid until closer to the end of the book. I loved the instant chemistry between Dani and Reid. Even though their night together was just a hookup, I felt the intensity of their feelings for one another and I was into it.

So fast forward about 8 years, Reid has taken over the world, Dani is the mother to his son and Reid has no idea his world is about to get turned upside down. Reid was a complete A hole when Dani re-entered his life but I really liked his aholeishness. Reid was bossy and in charge and he could not resist Dani. I don't know what weird childhood issues I suffer from but I love an alpha hero who is rude but also obsessed with his woman. I really enjoyed the get to know you phase between Dani and Reid. Dani is strong and independent but not ridiculous about it. Dani wants what is best for her son and right away starts facilitating the relationship between him and his Dad. As if Reid's personality wasn't enough, his relationship with his son is just so endearing. He was seriously making my womb tremble with how much he loved his son.

It was kind of crazy that Reid and Dani really didn't acknowledge that a relationship was happening between them and yet it was. I knew Reid was hiding some crazy ish and I kind of guessed what it was. Of course Reid handles everything horribly. Hey he was an emotional cripple. However, I appreciated that he pulled it together in short order and we got our HEA. This book is well worth the read, especially for those of you who already like these themes!

**ARC provided by InkSlinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |


Feature and Giveaway: Profited by Lacey Black



One night. Let go. Be free.

Even at an early age, Reid Hunter’s future was already planned out. Though he was groomed to become successor of the family business, he quickly discovered his destiny wasn’t through his family’s legacy, but to build his own empire. His plan: takeover Vegas, one building at a time. Known as a hard, no-nonsense man, inside the boardroom and out, Reid isn’t prepared when he comes face to face with a woman from his past. The only one with the ability to make him question everything he stands for.

Raising a child is hard. Raising a child as a young, single mother is downright difficult. Yet Dani Whitley has managed to put herself through college, purchase her own home, and raise the unexpected, but greatly adored son she created while in college, after one night with a gorgeous stranger. Knowing nothing but his first name, Dani has managed to push all thought of Reid out of her mind until one day, nine years later, she is forced to face the man himself. Ruthless and callous, Reid Hunter is nothing like the young man she met at that music festival all those years ago. Yet Dani is still drawn to him, more than she was before.

Sin. Money. Success. Profits. That’s the foundation of Las Vegas. But what happens when one day you realize that it’s not enough? When the greatest thing you could profit is bigger and better than money: love.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

Thursday, June 30, 2016

ARC Review: Saddle Up by Victoria Vane


Saddle up for another hit by the talented Victoria Vane! The fourth in the Hot Cowboy Nights Series stars Keith (Two Wolves) Russo, the sexy horse whisperer who has a talent for flare and bedding the ladies. For years, he spends his time on the road as an Equine Behaviorist, using his Native American background, and his undeniably good looks to draw in the crowds. By doing so, he is able to teach people about proper handling and interaction with horses. What he didn’t expect, however, is that his interests in fame, women, and power would come back to bite him in the ass.

Enter: Miranda Sutton. She’s a sweet girl, an aspiring filmmaker, and one who wants to make a difference. Under the direction of her boss, she films Keith during one of his clinics, only to find out that said boss Bibi decided to use the recording to her own advantage. Once Keith loses all credibility, he is forced to go back to the beginning. He’s angered his family through his exploitation of his heritage, and is trying to find himself again. Keith is a drifter, a wild, yet simple man. However, he has no intentions of falling in love for the woman who comes back into his world unexpectedly. Especially the one who he feels helped destroy his reputation.

Miranda may have filmed Keith, but she wasn’t the one doing the editing or videography. The thing is, Miranda is tired of feeling useless, of not helping anyone, or making any changes through what she actually gets to film. Bibi uses her, and Miranda wants to prove her worth. So she sets off on her own, determined to make a documentary about Wild Mustang roundups, hoping to make a difference and possibly establish her career. She heads to Nevada to do her own work, and take a risk. Guess who’s there? Keith, the Mustang Wrangler, the former Native American Gigolo (as he was dubbed after his fallout thanks to Bibi), and he has no intention of making Miranda’s life or attempt at filmmaking any easier after her part in his demise.

These two clash. They fight. They have a fire between them that is undeniable. A huge triumph for Victoria Vane and her ability to make passion and connection steam up the pages no matter the circumstances. Keith shot to the top of my list as my favorite cowboy read this year. I love the Native American references, and I love his gift with the horses and how well the author presented them to the readers. Miranda, I couldn’t get enough of either. Why? Well, because she has heart. Heart is at the core of any character that any reader may fall in love with. If I can love the male and female lead, then I get to experience a wonderful story by watching them grow together.

Keith changes. He learns. He grows. He finds himself, and Miranda finds where her heart belongs. Their adventure in the desert was fun, steamy, and oh-so-sexy. Once Miranda sees and learns about the issues surrounding Wild Mustangs and how these Wranglers and Ranchers are trying to save them, she becomes a lover of horses more than she ever thought possible. She also finds that being a part of helping and saving them is what she is meant to do. Keith realizes that while Miranda might be stubborn, a little naĂŻve, and a lot sweet, she really is just a great woman with a big heart.

The two of them embark on a journey that brings them together while saving the Mustangs, and tears them apart through their differences of beliefs, only to help them mend and find one another in the end. Keith realizes that as a Horse Whisperer, he will always be happy, that he is meant to help them, and guide them. The way they come together to build a sanctuary is remarkable. I applaud Victoria Vane for the whirlwind of emotions she creates throughout the book. I also applaud her ability to be detailed, honest, refreshing, and factual. I learned interesting facts about my home state that I never knew. I also enjoyed every minute of reading the book and seeing the story unfold.

Every character was rich, and played their part perfectly. The villains in the book were nasty (as not just because some of them were relatives of Miranda), and I had no idea what to expect. Tonya and Huttsi, and Kenu (Keith’s family) always had his best interests at heart and gave him great advice that he needed, even when he wasn’t sure how to interpret their wise words at the time. Jo-Jo, Miranda’s grandmother was a firework, and I just loved her. I honestly cannot wait to see what’s next. Maybe we will get a spin-off? Maybe we will see some of these wonderful characters again? I don’t know, but one thing is for sure, I will always be attached to each and every one of them. I even had the waterworks drawn from me at the conclusion of this story. As usual, the author gave me another reason to love her work.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | Kobo |


Review: Third Base by Heidi McLaughlin


After finishing Third Base by Heidi McLaughlin I don't really know where to begin. There were things that I liked here, and several things that I didn't. My feelings are so mixed that I feel like I am still trying to figure out exactly how I felt about this one overall. This book is a standalone story with no cliffhanger and is the first in her Boys of Summer series.

Ethan Davenport is a major league baseball player for the Boston Renegades. While he is a starter, he hasn't quite reached superstar status yet. That doesn't stop him from getting what he wants though, and he has never had an issue getting the girl. But there is one girl that he wants to know more about, and she always sits along the third base line behind the enemy dugout. When it becomes more than he can stand, he asks the usher to bring her to him after a game. Daisy Robinson intrigues him, and the more he learns about her the more he wants her. But Daisy has secrets and they could change everything. 

I loved that this book is told from Ethan's POV. I happen to really love when an author gives the hero's POV whether by itself or told along with the heroines. I felt like it really fit this story to be told entirely by Ethan's POV, and I am not sure that I would have liked it done differently. I did have a bit of trouble with Daisy here though, and even though I liked her and Ethan I didn't really feel like I was that invested in them. I wasn't really feeling the emotional connection between them, and that had me struggling to stay interested at times. There was also some things that bothered me when it came to Ethan's behavior with his ex/best friend that I felt were cheating and he didn't seem to feel guilty or sorry at all. In fact he seemed more concerned with her feelings than he did with Daisy's and I didn't like that at all. While I did feel his chemistry with Daisy and I do enjoy some angst, I didn't like how it all went down and it made me mad.

I did think that this book was slow at times too, and that didn't help with my already waning interest. There were times that I found myself wanting to skim or put the book down and walk away, and I didn't expect that here at all. I did like that Ethan wasn't in college about to make it big or a huge superstar though like you often see with sports romance stories. It was nice to see him already in the bigs, yet not a huge star. The other thing that I will say is that for me, Daisy's secrets weren't hard to figure out. I had pretty much guessed everything early on, and while that didn't stop me from continuing it did change the way I experienced this story. There were things that I liked here, and I am a fan of Heidi's. This wasn't my favorite story by her though, but I know I will read more from her in the future.

**Review Copy Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |





Feature and Giveaway: Happy Ever After in Christmas by Debbie Mason



It's beginning to look a lot like love . . .

As her thirtieth birthday approaches, deputy Jill Flaherty decides it's time to live a little. When she walks into Sawyer Anderson's bar in her sexiest dress, she's not thinking that he's her brother's best friend or about the many women he dated during his years as a pro hockey player. All she's thinking is that it's finally time to confess to her longtime crush how she truly feels.

Sawyer is done being a player on and off the ice. Yet no one in the small town of Christmas seems to believe he's ready to settle down, not Jill, and certainly not Jack, who is determined to keep Sawyer from breaking his little sister's heart. But as Sawyer and Jill's relationship heats up, can he prove that he's her happy ever after?

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | Google | Kobo |

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

ARC Review: Seconds To Live by Melinda Leigh


This book is everything I love...well a little more kinkyness could not have hurt the situation but basically everything I love. This book has action, romance, a smart heroine, a mystery and a alpha male. It's like chocolate peanut butter hot fudge sundae.

This is the 3rd book in the Scarlett Falls series but its my first book. You can start reading here but I would certainly want to try the other books in the series as well. This book opens from the POV of the killer and the victim which I really like. The killer is targeting women with certain characteristics to send a message to law enforcement. It is interesting being inside the mind of the Killer and experiencing his frustration when the police did not immediately get his message. Stella is the detective assigned to head up the investigation in the book. The Killer immediately zeros in on Stella and starts directing his messages to her.

Apparently Stella's love interest in the book, Mac appeared in previous books. Mac has been in the jungle studying otters and doing other less obvious things. Mac Maybe a biologist but he is also talented with a machete. Mac is brooding and stubborn and the perfect match for Stella. Mac becomes involved in Stella's case after he believes that he has seen one of the victims on the road late at night. Mac is determined to find out what happened to the woman he almost ran over.

The mystery is intriguing but I think the best part of this book is the relationship between Mac and Stella. For this to be a mystery, romance, the author did an incredibly good job building the chemistry between the main characters and weaving it into the mystery plot. Mac has a long history of locking all his feelings deep inside and Stella is exactly what he needs to open up. It was nice to see Mac come to the realization that isolation was no longer what he wanted. I like Stella because she isn't pushy and was willing to meet Mac where he was.

The mystery in the book just keeps intensifying as the killer tries harder and harder to bring his message home. I was guessing throughout the entire book about what the killer wanted to prove and who the killer might be. The book is full of surprises and one that you won't want to put down.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |


ARC Review: Stealing His Thunder by Sparrow Beckett


Sparrow Beckett's books have been sort of hit or miss with me, but I was really excited to start this new series from them. I was expecting something of an erotic Fast and the Furious or Gone in 60 Seconds type of story here, and there were some things that I liked and felt similar to that. However there were also some things that didn't work for me, and unfortunately this one was just okay. 

Addison Kennedy loves the rush she gets from stealing cars. But when she gets knocked out while stealing a car, she comes to with the sexy Fox Larson standing over her. Fox never expected for the thief that he knocked out to actually be a girl, and a hot one at that. But he couldn't leave her unconscious and alone in a parking garage. Not only that, but he needed information from her and figured bringing her home was the best way to get it. Soon Addison becomes more than just a thief trying to get in with his group though and the attraction between them heats up. As Addison begins to submit in the bedroom, a big job goes bad and Addison gets her chance. But can Addison and Fox's relationship survive, or will her big chance ruin everything?

I had some trouble with the characters here. I expected them to be strong and deep, and unfortunately that wasn't the case. They felt very one dimensional, and I just wasn't invested in them. I was hoping for Addison to be stronger than she was, and she just came off as weaker than I would have liked. Her and Fox were a huge case of insta-love and this story quickly became more about the sex and instant connection than anything else. I just felt like it was super rushed and I wasn't buying into it. I love some hot sex scenes as much as the next girl, but these seemed to be extremely long and took over the story. I actually found myself skimming trying to get back to the story at times because they were repetitive and just weren't working for me. 

Overall, I was really excited about this one but it just didn't go as I had hoped for. While there were things that I liked, Stealing His Thunder wasn't what I was expecting. It was a lot lighter than I had been expecting, and I had trouble believing in the connection between Addison and Fox. Insta-love can work for me, but it didn't in this case. I just wasn't seeing it, and there seemed to be no real depth or substance to these characters or their relationship. If you are looking for something with a love of hot sex and don't mind that the story is light and surface deep, you might give this one a shot. But if you are looking for more substance with your erotic scenes, this one might not be for you. I have really enjoyed books by Sparrow Beckett though, so I know this won't be the last I read from them. This one just wasn't a favorite for me personally, but I recommend giving it a shot if it sounds like something you would enjoy.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | 





Feature and Giveaway: The Billionaire Bachelor by Jessica Lemmon



Manwhore. That's what the board of directors—and the tabloids—thinks of billionaire bachelor Reese Crane. Ordinarily he couldn't care less, but his playboy past is preventing the board from naming him CEO of Crane Hotels. Nothing—and no one—will keep him from his life's legacy. They want a settled man to lead the company? Then that's exactly what he'll give them.

Merina Van Heusen will do anything to get her parents' funky boutique hotel back—even marry cold-as-ice-but-sexy-as-hell Reese Crane. It's a simple business contract—six months of marriage, absolute secrecy, and the Van Heusen is all hers again. But when sparks fly between them, their passion quickly moves from the boardroom to the bedroom. And soon Merina is living her worst nightmare: falling in love with her husband…

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | Google | Kobo |

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

ARC Review: A Beautiful Sin by A.M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine


I couldn't wait to get my hands on A Beautiful Sin by A.M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine. Not only am I a huge fan of them as individuals and a writing team, but I LOVE forbidden romance stories. They are one of my guilty pleasures and who wouldn't be intrigued by a story about a hot priest! I enjoyed this one and I am already anxious for the next book from these two. 

Canaan has known since he was a boy that he wanted to marry the church. He loved God and was determined to dedicate his life to becoming a priest and serving Him. He never struggled with that until Haven. Never before has he touched or kissed another, but he finds himself drawn to Haven in a way that he has never felt before.

I liked Canaan and Haven, but I had a bit of a tough time relating to them. I could feel their attraction for one another and I did think that they were forming a connection. But things progressed pretty slowly here, and I felt like by the time we saw anything really happen the book was over. It felt rushed and as though these two had circled around one another for most of the book just to be thrown together at the end. As much as I was rooting for them to be together despite it all, there were times I just wasn't really feeling it between them. I think part of that was that things seemed too easy despite how difficult things actually should have been with Haven's feelings early on and their circumstances. Things might have moved slowly overall, but there wasn't a lot that really caused problems for them and that just didn't feel realistic. 

I also felt like the story was a bit predictable towards the end. I guessed what was going to happen and I wasn't entirely on board with it. Things got repetitive and I found myself bored at times, wishing that things would pick up and make progress. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed the story, I just felt like the second half was a bit too slow and lost some of the momentum from the first half of the story. I struggled a bit with what to rate this one, and I would say it is somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. I did like it though, and I think that A.M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine make a great team. I have enjoyed everything that I have read from them, and this was no exception. I am looking forward to seeing what else they write in the future.

**ARC Provided by Social Butterfly PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |