Review: Catch and Release by Laura Drewry

The irresistible O’Donnell brothers return in a charming novel from the bestselling author of Off the Hook (“The perfect balance of sweet, sexy, and wonderfully romantic.”—Lauren Layne).

Hope Seaver is an up-and-coming TV producer tackling the hardest gig of her career: a reality show set at the Buoys, a scenic fishing destination owned by three handsome, stubborn brothers. Liam and Finn O’Donnell are willing to tolerate her crew for the sake of the business, but Ronan would rather chew off a limb than open up on camera. Somehow Hope has to convince him of her good intentions—and stop herself from swooning every time Ronan walks into the frame.

Ronan knows that he’s the reason his brothers gave up their old lives to run the Buoys, and he needs to make it worth their while. So if this out-of-towner with the kind eyes and dazzling smile wants to give them the free publicity they desperately need, Ronan can’t say no. He just won’t let himself get burned again by a double-dealing woman. But what if Hope’s good-girl routine isn’t an act? When Ronan lets his guard down long enough to catch a glimpse of the real Hope, he likes what he sees—enough to give love another shot.

Kindle Edition, 202 pages

Expected publication: February 28th 2017 by Loveswept
Series: Fishing for Trouble #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

Catch and Release is the third book in the Fishing for Trouble series but can easily be read as a stand alone.  Personally I feel readers should read the entire series from the beginning simply because the O'Donnell men are amazing and the Buoys is a spectacular setting.

After reading the first two books and getting to know two of the O'Donell brothers I didn't think it was possible to adore a third brother as much as the first two. Guess what? I was wrong. Ronan was just as easy to fall in love with as Liam and Finn. From his rugged good looks to his family loyalty and even his stubborn streak, I was a goner. I was also a big fan of Hope and I loved how she would shoot off little known random facts whenever she was nervous. It was really cute and something I could totally relate to. The two of them were super cute together.

Although this book was quite short, it dealt with the Maggie the absentee O'Donell mother. So not only did the reader get an extremely satisfying contemporary romance, the mystery (of sorts) behind her disappearance came to a conclusion.

I know I've said it before but the biggest thing for me about this series that made me fall in love with it was the setting. I loved everything about the Buoys. From the location to the family run, simplistic feel of it and the cosy vibe it gave off. I could visualise myself vacationing there and spending time out on the boats. I could see myself sitting in one of the mismatched chairs while having a drink and reading a book or playing a game. The sexy O'Donell brothers were just an added bonus!

For fans of the genre, this series is wonderful and not to be missed. Drewry has an amazing talent of creating really great characters in fabulous settings with stories of substance to back them up. Unfortunately there are no more O'Donell brothers so I fear this may be the last instalment in this series. I can't lie, this makes me a little sad. I'm not ready to leave the Buoys yet!

 

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Laura Drewry writes fun and sexy contemporary romances filled with heartfelt emotion and characters readers can relate to.

When she’s not writing, she likes reading, watching Marvel movies with her boys, Pinning recipes she'll never make, and cheering for the Yankees. Laura lives in southwest British Columbia with her husband, three sons, two dogs, a turtle, a handful of chicken and about 30,000 bees.

Connect with Laura

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads 

 

Release Blast & Giveaway: Perfect for You by Candis Terry

The Kincade brothers will do what it takes to protect their legacy--

but what happens when love gets in the way?

PERFECT FOR YOU

Sunshine Creek Vineyard #2

Candis Terry

Releasing Feb 28, 2017

Avon Books

Meet the Kincade brothers: they’ll do what it takes to protect their legacy--but what happens when love gets in the way?

Declan Kincade has spent so much time chasing success he’s almost forgotten how to just live. Lately though, his all-business routine has been thrown into disarray. Brooke Hastings is the best employee Dec’s ever had: polished, capable, and intelligent. After four years, he’s just realized that she’s also smoking hot. But their working relationship is too valuable to stake on a fling, no matter how mind-bendingly pleasurable it promises to be.

What’s worse than never meeting the right man? Finding him, and then working side-by-side every day while he remains absolutely blind to your existence. That is, until one temptation-packed road-trip changes everything. Teaching her gorgeous, driven boss how to cut loose and have fun is the toughest challenge Brooke’s ever faced. But it’s one that could give both of them exactly what they need, if Dec will take a chance on a perfect—and perfectly unexpected—love.

The sunlight caught like spun gold in the wavy strands of her hair. He liked that her face was makeup free, but mostly he liked that she didn’t need a mask to feel confident. Not that he ever planned to date Brooke, but he’d dated a lot of women who’d refused to leave the house until their makeup had been perfectly applied and every hair was in place.

In his mind, all that preparation took away an opportunity for spontaneity. With his busy schedule, sometimes that’s all he could manage—a last minute invite. Brooke had so much sexy going on she didn’t need all that stuff. And today she’d pretty much proved that she was game for the whole spur-of-the-moment thing. Impressive.

“How many business lunches and dinners have I sat through with you, Mr. Kincade?”

He shrugged. “Too many to count.”

“Bingo.” She pointed. “And do you know what you order almost each and every time?”

“No.”

“Seared ahi.”

“And the problem with that is?”

“Boring.”

“I like ahi.”

“Good for you. But why not expand your horizons? Eating the same old same old every day is like having missionary sex every time the mood strikes.”

And why did she need to bring that up? Because his imagination definitely didn’t need a push in that direction.

“Shake things up.” She waved her hands upward like she was about to take flight. “Be daring. Live a little.”

Damn she was animated. How the hell did someone get like that?

“I’m happy with things the way they are.”

“Are you really?” As she leaned into the table, the unyielding fabric of that tight white tank top across her breasts dominated his attention.

He didn’t respond.

Couldn’t.

He was too . . . distracted.

“You know what they say; all work and no play . . .” she said with a shrug, leaving the remainder of that statement hanging like a noose.

“So you’re saying that eating fish tacos is suddenly going to shake things up in my life?”

“Breaking your same old song and dance routine will. After you’ve opened up the door, anything can happen. Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

The server interrupted them to deliver a large plate of steaming soft tacos, bowls of salsa and sour cream, and two giant froufrou drinks with slices of pineapple and maraschino cherries speared by pink umbrellas.

Oh hell no.

He was not going to drink something that would immediately revoke his man card. But when Brooke plucked the cherry from her glass, dangled it in the air, and captured it with her tongue, he had second thoughts. By the time she settled the bright pink straw between the soft cushion of her lips and sucked the orange frothy drink into her mouth, he figured he’d be game for just about any damn thing. As long as he could watch her do that all day long.

 

Best-selling and award winning author Candis Terry entertains readers with contemporary romance the Library Journal Reviews calls uniquely satisfying. Both her Sugar Shack and Sweet, Texas series deliver witty and emotional stories about how love, family, and a small town community defines the characters’ lives. Born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California, Candis now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers and loves to escape to the breathtaking Idaho forests to energize her imagination.

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Book Blitz: Like a F*ching Lady by Quinn Author

-THEO SOLOMON- Talia Newman is a goddess who has curves any man would go crazy for. She's sassy, sexy and smart. She's also a pain my ass... I want her to warm my bed and share my life forever—but the minx is too stubborn to bend to my will. When my past comes back to haunt me, my integrity and our relationship are sorely tested. For once in my life, I fear that I may lose the most important thing to me. I'll do whatever it takes to protect what's mine and punish those who threaten it…

*In order to get the full sexy experience, reading the first book is highly recommended*

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/Like-cking-Lady-Office-Romance-ebook/dp/B01N5XHFOV

First book link: https://www.amazon.com/Like-cking-Boss-Office-Romance-ebook/dp/B01M5GDX96

   

 Excerpt:

(subject to edit)

   I unzip my trousers, my underwear and socks following after, and dump them next to my discarded shirt. After rolling my shoulders back, easing the stiffness that has started to settle, I lean down and press a kiss on her forehead. Again, I wait. She’s either going to wake up and scream profanities at me or if I try to get into bed without her realizing, she could kick me on the balls. Both of which have happened before. A twitch in my jaw reminds me of that one night she threw a right hook, which prompted me to see my dentist the next day.
Talia’s eyes flutter open, and I smile at her.
 “Theo,” she says in a sleepy voice.
“Hey, baby.”
Only then do I slip in bed with her, sliding my hand over her soft curves and burying my nose in her hair. My whole body aches but her warmth soothes me.
“Sorry I made you wait.”
She snuggles closer to me. “It’s okay. I took it out on your vintage collection.”
 “I saw,” I tell her with a smile against her neck.
What I really want to say is what’s mine is hers. But from early on, I’ve discovered Talia doesn’t want any talk of that kind. She continues to assert her independence, even though moving in with me makes perfect sense. Talia continues to argue otherwise.
“Is it morning?”
“Yes.”
I continue to explore her under the sheets and nearly lose my mind when I reach heaven on earth. And it’s bare. I stroke over her sex; she moans.
“I like this,” I whisper low and gruff in her ear as I circle her clit with my thumb. I’m hard and ready. Judging by the wetness between her thighs, so is she.
“I thought you’d like it.”
She nips at my lips while she lifts her back and pushes into my hand. I spread her slick heat over her folds and devour her mouth in a deep kiss as I plunge one finger inside. I want nothing more than to fill her with my cock, but it’s been quite a while since we’ve made love and I fear that as soon as I’m balls deep in her, it will be over too soon. She bucks when I add another finger.
“I missed you.” Talia’s lips curve into a smile and her eyes light up.
“Me too.”
She moans again as I thrust my fingers faster. I kiss along her neck, whispering against her smooth skin as I make my way down that I’ve missed every part of her. All of her. Her fingers curl over my shoulders, pushing me, guiding me, urging me for more. Each of my movements cause me pain and I groan, which she takes as a noise of appreciation. Any other time it would be. But I’m a man with a mission, and hell will have to freeze over before I let this moment pass us by. I must have her now, taste her on my tongue. Fuck her until she rolls her eyes back and her toes are numb from pleasure. I push the sheets aside and groan again. Except this time, it is one of blinding lust. Her pussy, pink, bare, wet waits for me.
“Have mercy,” I mutter under my breath.
My dick hardens even more at the beautiful sight. I’ll take Talia any way, any how, but that bare pussy is my fucking kryptonite. Before I can delve in, her phone beeps on the table next to the bed. Talia’s knee nearly misses my face when she moves up.
“Oh sorry.”
“Don’t answer it, babe,” I beg.
Everything is on pause.
“Let me just check who it is. It might be Anya waking me up. We’re supposed to meet today.”
“Talia,” I warn her, deepening my voice. My eyes narrowing at her. The minx just bites down her lip then smiles wide as she reaches for her phone.
“You asked for it.” I nudge her thighs back on the bed, spreading her legs and pressing them down with my shoulders as I settle between them.

 

Author Bio:

Quinn is a writer of romance bestsellers, according to her parents. However, they’ve never read her dirty books. Her stories are full of humor, sass, drama or angst. But guaranteed, they are filled with steamy scenes with hot Alpha heroes.

She has a healthy obsession with reading and writing romance, and an unhealthy addiction to red wine, bourbon, and dark chocolate with sea salt. She doesn't people until after coffee. When Quinn is not scribbling Erotic Romances, she loves to curl up with her puppy and watch foreign films.

Quinn lives in a house that never stays clean, no matter how much she wishes it would. She also writes sweet, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and chick lit under a different pen name.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceAuthorQuinn/

Website: https://quinnauthor.wixsite.com/quinnromancebooks

Book Blitz: A Teaspoon of Trouble by Shirley Jump

Buy links

https://www.amazon.com/Teaspoon-Trouble-Bachelor-Bake-Off-Book-ebook/dp/B01N7QHWAW/?tag=tulepubli-20

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-teaspoon-of-trouble-shirley-jump/1125443475?ean=2940157205799

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-teaspoon-of-trouble/id1181707362?mt=11

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-teaspoon-of-trouble

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Shirley_Jump_A_Teaspoon_of_Trouble?id=_fjZDQAAQBAJ

Type-A chef Carolyn Henderson has walked away from her job at a trendy NYC restaurant after an abrupt family tragedy. Now, as a guardian to her four-year-old niece, Emma, and a very disobedient mutt – kids and dogs are so not her skill set – moving back to Marietta, Montana seems the best temporary option. But when confronted by her parents’ declining health, Carolyn has to face reality. And she’s going to need some serious help. So who better to ask than Matthew West, a blast from her high school past… and as hunky and helpful as ever.

Vet – and very eligible, if reluctant, Bachelor – Matthew West can’t believe his luck when his high

school crush stumbles through his door. Dogs, kids, and gorgeous damsels in distress. Carolyn

needs help with the pup, and he needs help whipping up delicious concoctions for the Bachelor

Bake-Off. So she wants to make a deal: dog obedience lessons for cooking tips… but Matthew

wants to broker quite a bit more…

SNIPPETS:

1. Matt kept on looking at the dog, because every time his gaze went to Carolyn, his heart did that same skip-beat. She had let her hair grow longer, and it curled around her shoulders. She still had the same elegant features he remembered. He knew if she put her hair up, that he would be able to see the long lines of her neck, the curve of her shoulders. When they’d been together, his favorite place to kiss her was in that small divot at the base of her neck. Just thinking about that sent his mind down some southern paths.

2. Damn. He still wanted her. Maybe it was the memories whispering through his mind, or the knowledge that they were both adults now, and anything they did together would be that much better, but desire started to simmer inside him all the same.

He shifted a little closer, inches away from her. “I really didn’t do anything.”

“You did a lot,” she said, but the words were a whisper. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, then moved back to his eyes. “Are you going to kiss me?”

“Do you want me to?”

“I think it would be…” her gaze dropped to his lips again and held there for one long, hot second “…an exceedingly bad idea.”

“Because…”

“Because we broke up years ago and I’m not staying here and we have to work together and…” She shook her head and backed up, shifting into serious Carolyn as easily as changing her shirt. “And I’m not getting wrapped up in this fairy tale again. We both know that’s not real life.”

Then she called the dog to her again, snapped on his leash, and said goodbye to Matt. He watched her go, and cursed himself for getting wrapped up in her spell.

Lesson learned. Again.

 Author Bio

When she’s not writing books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shirley Jump competes in triathlons, mostly because all that training lets her justify mid-day naps and a second slice of chocolate cake. She’s published more than 60 books in 24 languages, although she’s too geographically challenged to find any of those countries on a map.
Visit her website at www.ShirleyJump.com for author news and a booklist, and follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/shirleyjump.author for giveaways and deep discussions about important things like chocolate and shoes.

Release Blast & Giveaway: Delicious Satisfaction by Sabrina Sol

She’ll always leave him hungry for more…

DELICIOUS SATISFACTION

Delicious Desires #3

Sabrina Sol

Releasing Feb 27, 2017

Entangled Brazen

As LA’s hottest up-and-coming chef, Alexa Montoya is known for her ruby red lipstick, award-winning arroz con pollo and a penchant for falling for the wrong kind of men. And when a confrontation with a loser ex-boyfriend lands her in some legal trouble, she’s forced to call her long-time friend, Dante Perez, to bail her out. Only this time, Dante seems different, somehow. More gorgeous, more sexy, more…mouthwateringly irresistible. Suddenly she’s tempted to give the lawyer much more than a simple thank you…

Dante is tired of seeing Alexa with guys who only know how to steal her money and break her heart. He’s watched--and waited for--her long enough. Helping with her legal situation will finally give him a chance to win her over for good. His plan? He’ll seduce her into finally believing that there’s something deliciously right between them…

Despite their chemistry, Alexa can’t trust that Dante won’t leave. But Dante knows how to win a case. And he’ll do whatever it takes to convince Alexa that she’ll always leave him hungry for more…

“It’s just a massage, Alexa,” he said with a smirk. “Or do you not think you can handle it? I know I can.”
A challenge had been issued—triggering the reaction to prove him wrong. He knew her so well.
“I can totally handle it,” she said as she scooted her ass to the edge of the couch and turned around.
He sighed. “That’s not going to work. Stop being silly and let me do this right.” His hands gripped her arms, and he pulled her closer to him as he sank back into the corner of the couch and positioned her between his legs. “There. That’s better.”
It was better. It was also dangerous.
Her heart raced when his fingers rested on the tops of her shoulders. Gently, he began to squeeze and knead the taut muscles and nerves. His touch burned through the thin fabric of her T-shirt, and she swallowed her breath.
“You are tight,” he murmured as he spread his fingers up and down her arms and then back up to her shoulders.
It felt good. No, better than good. So much better than good.
“Mmm,” she mumbled.
“Just relax. Let all the tension melt away.”
She closed her eyes and leaned farther back until she was totally resting against his broad chest. With one deep breath, she inhaled his scent: woodsy, clean, manly. Her skin heated up a million degrees in response.
He deepened the pressure, and she melted even more.
“Oh, yes,” she moaned at the mix of pleasure and pain. His expert fingers worked the tightness steadily, and it began to dissolve into desire. It had been so long since he’d touched her like this. God, it felt amazing.
“Just like that,” she said on a sigh. “Please. Don’t stop.”
She felt him move behind her until his breath was hot against her ear. “Jesus Christ, Alexa,” he rasped.
A hardness poked against her hip, and she realized she wasn’t the only one on fire. Her hands moved from her own lap to his thighs, and she dug into the fabric of his pants. His breathing became more ragged, and she knew this was no longer just a massage.
He slid his fingers down her arms again, but this time they brushed the sides of her breasts. Her own breath hitched, and her nipples pebbled in response.
That was it. She was gone.
 

Sabrina Sol is the chica who loves love. She writes steamy romance stories featuring smart and sexy Latinas in search of their Happily Ever Afters. She lives in Southern California with her husband, three kids, two Beagles and one Bulldog, and is part of a larger, extended Mexican family whose members are NOT the source of inspiration for her characters. Or so she tells them.

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Review: Everything Belongs to Us by Yoojin Grace Wuertz

Two young women of vastly different means each struggle to find her own way during the darkest hours of South Korea s economic miracle in a striking debut novel for readers of Anthony Marra and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie.

Seoul, 1978. At South Korea s top university, the nation s best and brightest compete to join the professional elite of an authoritarian regime. Success could lead to a life of rarefied privilege and wealth; failure means being left irrevocably behind.
For childhood friends Jisun and Namin, the stakes couldn t be more different. Jisun, the daughter of a powerful business mogul, grew up on a mountainside estate with lush gardens and a dedicated chauffeur. Namin s parents run a tented food cart from dawn to curfew; her sister works in a shoe factory. Now Jisun wants as little to do with her father s world as possible, abandoning her schoolwork in favor of the underground activist movement, while Namin studies tirelessly in the service of one goal: to launch herself and her family out of poverty.
But everything changes when Jisun and Namin meet an ambitious, charming student named Sunam, whose need to please his family has led him to a prestigious club: the Circle. Under the influence of his mentor, Juno, a manipulative social climber, Sunam becomes entangled with both women, as they all make choices that will change their lives forever. 

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Expected publication: February 28th 2017 by Random House 

Genre: Historical Fiction/ Literary Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from Random House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

This book centred around three college aged people living in South Korea in 1978. Jisun never wanted for anything and came from wealth but had no interest in it. She was wrapped up in the political underground. Her best friend Namin came from a family that worked hard but struggled for everything they had. Their hopes and dreams were lying on Namin's shoulders to get the education that would get them above poverty. Lastly there was Sunam, a college boy that lacked ambition but craved prestige.

I have to say that I enjoyed getting to know a little about the history of South Korea. I was not very familiar with the area and its history. However, I found it really slow to take off. It took me longer than I would have liked to become really interested in the story and what was going on. It slowly gained momentum as I continued to turn the pages and at about the half way mark I was finally invested in the story.

My biggest struggle with the story were the characters. I wasn't overly fond of any of them and I strongly disliked Sunam. He was lazy and whiny and made every situation about himself even when it wasn't. he had no ambition or motivation and was generally selfish. In fact, I found all of the characters selfish but in different ways and for different reasons. Because of this, I really didn't care very much where the story went with them and what happened to them. The romance between Sunam and Namin was dull and lacked depth.

Even though I wasn't fond of any of the characters I still wanted to know how it played out. It was the setting and culture that was kept me turning the pages. Unfortunately I found the ending to be anti-climatic and it really let me down. I wanted to like this book way more than I did. It wasn't that I hated it, I just found it a little on the sleepy side with characters that I didn't really care about.

About the Author

Connect

Website/Twitter/Goodreads

Review: The Girl He Wants (No strings Attached) by Kristi Rose

It’s tempting to ignore your heart . . .
 
Boutique owner Jayne Grandberry may be great at getting customers to treat themselves, but she’s even better at resisting her own desires. For her, love is like a sinfully rich dessert—a fleeting pleasure that will just make her crash in the long run. She has no time for such distractions, especially since she’s trying to open up a second shop in Atlanta. But she finds herself tempted like never before when her friends set her up with Stacy Cunningham.

A financial wizard, Stacy gives off a definite nerdy vibe, but he has skills that a businesswoman like Jayne can appreciate—and an indulgent one-night stand shows her a wildly different side of him. There’s nowhere for them to go from there, since Stacy, a single father, has complicated written all over him. But he’s not willing to settle for second best. And he’ll have to wait for Jayne to discover what he’s known all along: that when you open your heart to love, there will be room in your life for anything . . .

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: February 14th 2017 by Lyrical Shine

Terri's Thoughts

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!  It was just released on February 14th.

This is the third instalment in the No Strings Attached series.  No worries if you have not read the first two, this can be read as a stand alone if need be. Although if you want my two cents, I recommend reading the whole series as it is entertaining.  I read the second story The girl He Needs however have not read the first one.  Each story has enough strength on its own.

I will not go in to too much detail about the plot as I feel the synopsis does a pretty good job of it.  I also feel that the story stays pretty true to the formula that is most common with this genre.  Add in a little bit of humor, particularly with Jayne, and this ends up being a pretty good read.  I wish I could hire Jayne to fill my closet for me!

At the end of the day, what makes this story stand out from others in the genre is the humor and how the story was written.  Jayne was not the picture perfect female by today's societies standards (yes they still exist).  This made her more real to me.  The fact that she couldn't/didn't cook appealed to my rebellion of everything domestic.  This story does not take itself too seriously.

I recommend this one!

About the Author

      Kristi Rose was raised in central Florida on boiled peanuts and iced tea. She’s been lucky enough to travel the world, has lived by an active volcano, almost fallen off a German Alp, and eloped in Arkansas. Today, as a wife and mother she's resigned to traveling to the grocery store. No matter where she is, she enjoys watching people and wonders about their story. That’s what Kristi writes about: everyday people, the love that brings them together, and their journey. Kristi is a member of RWA.

Website

Twitter

Review: The Spark by Sylvie Stewart

When your back is against the wall, can you change the person life’s experiences have molded you to be?

Fiona Pierce is many things to many people. Dutiful daughter to her loving parents, fiercely loyal friend to her very tolerant bestie, half-assed employee to her laundry list of bosses, and dedicated fashion goddess and spreader of good cheer to the world at large. But Fiona is hiding something behind her irresistible smile – something she’s determined to keep to herself.

Mark Beckett doesn’t do complicated. Saddled with lingering baggage from his childhood, Mark sails through life one girl at a time – with frequent gym breaks in between. He likes his life just how it is and doesn’t see any need to change his work-hard/play-hard attitude.

When an unexpected blast from the past threatens to turn his family's life upside down, Mark finds help in the unlikeliest of places – specifically the pint-sized princess who has a knack for pushing his buttons.

Can you overcome your fears and embrace the happiness you might just deserve? And, perhaps more importantly, can you really fall in love with someone who is so damn insufferable?

ebook, 385 pages

Published November 29th 2016 

Series: The Carolina Connections #2

Genre:  Contemporary Romance/New Adult/Romantic Comedy

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

The Spark is the second book in The Carolina Connections series but can be read as a stand alone. I have not had the opportunity to read the first book but it didn't hinder my understanding or enjoyment of it at all. In fact, now that I have read The Spark it has made me want to go back and read the first book.

First, I need to apologise because I read this book over a month ago and I am now just sitting to write my thoughts. I'm hoping that I can still do the book justice even though it is not so fresh in my memory. It accompanied me on vacation and I had it finished before my flight landed.

So what can I say about The Spark? It was everything I look for in a contemporary romance and more. It had a humour to it that I really enjoyed. In fact, I had a few laugh out loud moments on the plane and I was really glad that I was sitting beside my husband and not some stranger. It also took a bit of a different approach than most of the romance novels I have read of late. In The Spark it was actually the male lead, Mark, who (eventually) wanted a relationship first and the female lead, Fiona, who resisted. It was kind of a refreshing change.

What made me enjoy this book the most was Fiona. Her character was everything we think and feel but are too afraid, filtered or polite to say out loud. Not Fiona! There was a lack of filter with that girl that kept me smiling throughout the entire book. Stewart created a character that I think we all have a bit of inside. It was almost like our inner monologues had come to life in print. Her self talk was hilarious and so totally relatable. I was routing for her every step of the way and hoping for a "happily ever after" for her and Mark.

Just to make the romance a little more complicated, as any good contemporary romance does, there was a dead beat dad, some hit men, a medical history and misunderstandings galore. So if chemistry isn't enough, there was plenty of other stuff to keep the reader interested.

The Spark was just a fun, laugh out loud book that kept me thoroughly entertained. I enjoyed every minute of it!

About the Author

Hi, I'm Sylvie Stewart and I'm a spy. No, wait, I meant to say I'm an author of Romance and Romantic Comedy. Really.
Like the characters in my books, North Carolina is where I call home these days, and I love love love it here! You should totally move here.
When I'm not writing, I'm hanging out with my kids or arguing with my husband about which of us is funnier. It’s usually a tie. Reading is, of course, a huge hobby of mine, but I'm also getting into kayaking these days and, in case you were wondering, those two activities cannot be combined. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and my extended family, sharing some laughs and a glass of wine. I should note at this point that wine goes very well with both reading and kayaking so next time I talk about my interests maybe I should include some kind of Venn diagram or something. So that's about it. Now you know all about me.
P.S. I really am a spy but they told me not to tell anyone so, you know, can you keep it on the down low? Awesome!

Connect with Sylvie

Website/Twitter/Goodreads 

 

Release Blast & Giveaway: Sprinkled with Love by Jennifer Faye

What does one do with a matchmaking cat named Romeo?

SPRINKLED WITH LOVE

Bachelor Bake-Off #3

Jennifer Faye

Released Feb 21, 2017

Tule Publishing

What does one do with a matchmaking cat named Romeo?

Spirited and beautiful, Jillian Parker is one of Marietta’s newest business owners. Still, her mother worries about Jillian’s bare ring finger. So in order to give her mother something else to fuss over, Jillian adopts a cat named Romeo. He turns out to be anything but a docile lap cat.

One snowy night, Romeo makes a break for it. With Jillian right on his heels, they have a near miss with a passing pickup driven by Avery Wainwright, one of Jillian’s closest friends. A rodeo accident has the sexy cowboy returning home to recuperate, and he’s not happy about it.

So when Avery finds himself lassoed into the Bachelor Bake-Off, he turns to the one person who has always helped him out—Jillian. But will teaching him to take chances outside of the show ring have them both discovering that their feelings for each other run much deeper than they ever imagined?

They climbed in the sleigh and then Avery covered Jillian with a heavy lap blanket. “Are you ready?”

She nodded, clutching the thermos. “I am now.”

And then they were off, gliding over the snow. The snow muffled the sounds. And though the moon was hidden behind the clouds, it was still bright out. As they made their way through the field, Avery glanced over at Jillian. She was nestled beneath the plaid blanket and still clutching the thermos. She looked stunning. He should have brought her out here a long time ago.

“What are you smiling about?”

Jillian’s voice drew him from his thoughts. “Who’s smiling?”

“You are and you know it. So what’s up?”

“Nothing. I’m just enjoying the evening.” It was so much more than that, but he really didn’t want to risk ruining this moment. He’d worked so hard to pull it together. He wanted to savor their time together.



For a while they glided along in silence. He had a particular destination in mind. It didn’t have a name. It was just a spot where you could see for miles. And at night, it was like visiting a planetarium with all of the stars twinkling overhead.

“Are you warm enough?” he asked.

She nodded from inside her big, fuzzy hood. “I’m perfect. This is amazing. Do you take the sleigh out very often?”


He shook his head. “This is my first time. I usually come out here on horseback.” He slowed the horse to a stop before turning to Jillian. “I wanted to do something special for you. A way to thank you. You’ve always been there for me and my family, whether it was helping me with the Bake-Off or being the best nanny in the whole world.”

“You…you really think that?”

He’d obviously done a lousy job of communicating his thoughts in the past. He would have to do better going forward.

“I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear before.” He stared into her eyes. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me and my family.”

His gaze dipped to her lips. They were shiny and full. And he was overwhelmed with the desire to kiss her again. So what was holding him back?

They were all alone on this snowy evening. And as he’d come to discover while he was planning this evening, it was a very romantic setting. If he were ever to have a chance with her, it would start beneath the starlit sky. But should he risk it? Should he put himself out there again?


It wasn’t like he was asking her to marry him. It was a kiss—a simple, no-strings-attached kiss. It was a starting point.

He rested his arm over the back of the sleigh. His heart started to pound hard in his chest. He’d kissed a number of girls over the years on the rodeo circuit and he’d never put this much thought into it. But none of them had meant as much to him as Jillian. He leaned toward her.

Suddenly Jillian raised the thermos between them. “Hot chocolate?”

He settled back in his seat. Had he read the signs wrong? Was he that rusty where women were concerned?



 

Award-winning author, Jennifer Faye pens fun, heartwarming contemporary romances with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published with books translated into nine languages. She is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, named a TOP PICK author, and been nominated for numerous other awards.

Now living her dream, she resides with her very patient husband, amazing daughter (the other remarkable daughter is off chasing her own dreams) and two spoiled cats. When she's not plotting out her next romance, you can find her curled up with a mug of tea and a book.

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