Review: Line of Scrimmage by Desiree Holt

Sometimes it’s not about winning…

One bad tackle. That’s all it took to put wide receiver Jake Russell in a cast for the rest of the NFL season. From being a high school all-star to getting drafted by the Austin Mustangs, football has been Jake’s life for as long as he can remember. It’s what defines him—because he has a secret he never shares. But now that he’s laid up in bed with a nurse displaying a lot of distracting bedside manners, he’s discovering life on the sidelines might have its perks. . .

One last paycheck. That’s all Erin Bass has left to her name when the resort she works at shuts down. Desperate, she agrees to be a caregiver to hardass jock Jake Russell, who also happens to be a memorable one-night stand. Before long, caring leads to daring new ways to catch up in bed, especially with Jake still in a cast. But with football on the sidelines, this time the game is serious. . .

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: December 8th 2015 by Lyrical Shine

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is December 8th 2015.**

I am a sucker for a good romance that brings together a storyline with depth and a little bit of steam.  In the case of this story it delivered on one of the two aspects.  In this case it was the steam factor.  Even that though is one of my two major issues

There was definite chemistry between the two characters.  It rolled off of the page every time they were in the room together.  A case of lust at first site.  The first steamy scene between the two?  It certainly was hot and heavy and not for the faint of heart.  Fans of descriptive bedrooms scenes will appreciate this.  My issue was after the first time it felt a little bit like wash rinse and repeat.  The same descriptive words and actions.

My second issue was with Jake himself.  I can put myself in his shoes and I see how devastating it would be to suddenly lose the one thing that you felt defined you.  I felt for him for a bit but he kept crying and whining endlessly about how his life was over for way longer than tolerable.  By the halfway mark I was no longer in his corner, nor could I find anything appealing about his personality.  He simply lacked the depth I seek in my male characters.  While his backstory was good, the reader doesn't really see it.  I would have liked the story to explore the substance of his story a little bit more to add another element to the story.

It sounds like I disliked the story but that is not the case.  I picked up stories like this when I am in the mood for a quick read that does not require too much thought.  The book did do that.  I just find it left me wanting me just a little something more.

About the Author

Desiree Holt has lived a life of excitement that brings the color to her writing. She was a summer fishing guide, a summer field hand where she was one of only three women working, a member of a beginning ski team that skied in competition (and no, no broken bones!). She spent several years in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio, and is published by four different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Merry Blissmas by Jamie Begley

We Wish You A

Merry Blissmas...

MERRY BLISSMAS

Biker Bitches #3

Jamie Begley

Releasing Dec 11th, 2015

Young Ink Press

Naughty

What can I say? I’m not a nice person. When I walk by, people call me a slut, and I’m okay with that. I believe in calling a spade a spade. I am a slut.
With the holidays approaching, I miss belonging to The Last Riders. Drake’s keeping me warm, but he wants more than I can give. He wants me to trust him, to believe he can protect me. Doesn’t he know Santa put me on the Naughty List long ago?

Nice

What can I say? I’m a nice guy and have always done the responsible thing.
Bliss is everything I shouldn’t want, but it’s hard to resist a woman who stopped believing in miracles. She wants to be back with The Last Riders, whom she considers her true family. Doesn’t she know it’s Christmas, and miracles do happen?

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"I was born in a small town in Kentucky. My family began poor, but worked their way to owning a restaurant. My mother was one of the best cooks I have ever known, and she instilled in all her children the value of hard work, and education.

Taking after my mother, I've always love to cook, and became pretty good if I do say so myself. I love to experiment and my unfortunate family has suffered through many. They now have learned to steer clear of those dishes. I absolutely love the holidays and my family puts up with my zany decorations.

For now, my days are spent writing, writing, and writing. I have two children who both graduated this year from college. My daughter does my book covers, and my son just tries not to blush when someone asks him about my books.

Currently I am writing five series of books- The Last Riders, The VIP Room, Predators MC, Biker Bitches, and The Dark Souls.

All my books are written for one purpose- the enjoyment others find in them, and the expectations of my fans that inspire me to give it my best.”

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Review: Protecting His Assets by J.K. Coi

CEO Steve Nolan is wealthy, successful, and in danger. Now, thanks to his business partner, he has a bodyguard—a rigid, controlled woman with a smoky voice that invites steamy thoughts of rumpled sheets and oh-so-satisfying sleepless nights. So if Steve has to play the game, he's going to make damn sure he's in charge of the rules...just as long as no one finds out.

April Porter has met incredibly handsome, high-powered men before. Guys just as smooth, who didn't take her seriously, and who broke her heart. So she's just here to do her job and stay focused and professional.
Even if Steve Nolan isn't just another rich jerk.
Even if the sexual spark between them keeps getting hotter.
And even if protecting his business and his ass(ets) means April could lose her heart in the bargain...

ebook

Expected publication: December 7th 2015 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Indulgence) 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

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

I want to say that this book was an insta-love book but it was more of an insta-lust book. April was hired to protect Steve by his partner after he received a bunch of threatening notes that could jeopardise their company. There was an instant opposites attract/lust at first sight thing going on between the two of them. Both of them had pasts that jaded them and made it not so easy to trust each others intentions and the added suspense of a mysterious stalker made for some pretty quick turning pages. It didn't take long before the heat turned up and some serious steam was rolling off the pages.

This book was a fast and easy book to get through. It was a typical contemporary romance that didn't offer up any real surprises but was entertaining all the same. There was the usual denying of attraction and battle of wills and lets not forget their histories that complimented these behaviours. The stalker aspect did add some additional intrigue above and beyond the usual romance but it was a tiny bit anti-climatic.

Fans of contemporary romance will be sure to enjoy this book as I did. This was the first book by this author for me but it certainly won't be the last. It was exactly what I need to satisfy my romance fix.

 

About the Author

J.K. Coi is a multi-published, award winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance and urban fantasy. She makes her home in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and son and a feisty black cat who is the uncontested head of the household. While she spends her days immersed in the litigious world of insurance law, she is very happy to spend her nights writing dark and sexy characters who leap off the page and into readers’ hearts. When not writing, she loves to paint and create beautiful things with stained glass.

Connect

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Review: Broken Resolutions by Olivia Dade

LOVE BETWEEN THE LINES

Romance has never had a happy ending for librarian Penny Callahan, who could write the book on cheating, heartbreaking liars. So she’s made a resolution: no men for the next twelve months. If she can just get through the library’s New Year’s Eve singles night, she can return home to her pajamas and a good book. But when she finds herself checking out a hot hunk with an irresistible smile, an evening in the stacks becomes a lot more tempting…

Reclusive author Jack Williamson never should have trusted his mother. Even though he’s trying to avoid being recognized, she guilts him into attending a dating meet-and-greet—where an adorable librarian makes him question his lonely lifestyle. Is this just a fleeting, flirty scene? Or could love be the next chapter for them both?

ebook, 85 pages

Expected publication: December 8th 2015 by Lyrical Shine

 

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is December 8th, 2015**

Ok, I am not the kind of person who believes in love at first sight or even eternal love after a few hours.  In that sense this book fails.  Then again, most of this genre would also fail so I can say that I had fair warning going in to it.

I do however believe in lust at first sight and that is where this story does deliver.  The chemistry between Penny and Jack builds from the moment they meet until the moment they succumb to their attraction (a mere hours later).  The story went exactly where it was expected to with some rather steamy scenes.

So back to my original point.  I criticised the story because of how easily the word love was thrown around.  Let's be honest ladies and gentleman, that really isn't the reason we were reading this story now was it.  Sometimes you just want to get lost in the attraction and can be willing to forgive how easily the feelings become involved.

 

 

About the Author

 

Stolen from her Goodreads profile because it is the best one I have read yet and it made me giggle.

While I was growing up, my mother kept a stack of books hidden in her closet. She told me I couldn’t read them. So, naturally, whenever she left me alone for any length of time, I took them out and flipped through them.

Those books raised quite a few questions in my prepubescent brain. Namely: 1) Why were there so many pirates? 2) Where did all the throbbing come from? 3) What was a “manhood”? 4) And why did the hero and heroine seem overcome by images of waves and fireworks every few pages, especially after an episode of mysterious throbbing in the hero’s manhood?

Thirty or so years later, I have a few answers.

1) Because my mom apparently fancied pirates at that time. Now she hoards romances involving cowboys and babies. If a book cover features a shirtless man in a Stetson cradling an infant, her ovaries basically explode and her credit card emerges. I have a similar reaction to romances involving spinsters, governesses, and librarians.

2) His manhood. Also, her womanhood.

3) It’s his “hard length,” sometimes compared in terms of rigidity to iron. I prefer to use other names for it in my own writing. However, I am not picky when it comes to descriptions of iron-hard lengths. At least in romances.

4) Because explaining how an orgasm feels can prove difficult. Or maybe the couples all had sex on New Year’s Eve at Cancun.

During those thirty years, I accomplished a few things. I graduated from Wake Forest University and earned my M.A. in American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I worked at a variety of jobs that required me to bury my bawdiness and potty mouth under a demure exterior: costumed interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, high school teacher, and librarian. But I always, always read romances. Funny, filthy, sweet—it didn’t matter. I loved them all.

Now I’m writing my own romances with the encouragement of my husband and daughter. I found a kick-ass agent: Jessica Alvarez from Bookends, LLC. I have my own stack of books in my closet that I’d rather my daughter not read, at least not for a few years. I can swear whenever I want, except around said daughter. And I get to spend all day writing about love and iron-hard lengths.

So thank you, Mom, for perving so hard on pirates during my childhood. I owe you

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Review: Mayumi and the Sea of Happiness by Jennifer Tseng

Books may be Mayumi Saito’s greatest love and her one source of true pleasure. Forty-one years old, disenchanted wife and dutiful mother, Mayumi’s work as a librarian on a small island off the coast of New England feeds her passion for reading and provides her with many occasions for wry observations on human nature, but it does little to remedy the mundanity of her days. That is, until the day she issues a library card to a shy seventeen-year-old boy and swiftly succumbs to a sexual obsession that subverts the way she sees the library, her family, the island she lives on, and ultimately herself.

Wary of the consequences of following through on her fantasies, Mayumi hesitates at first. But she cannot keep the young man from her thoughts. After a summer of overlong glances and nervous chitchat in the library, she finally accepts that their connection is undeniable. In a sprawling house emptied of its summer vacationers, their affair is consummated and soon consolidated thanks to an explosive charge of erotic energy. Mayumi’s life is radically enriched by the few hours each week that she shares with the young man, and as their bond grows stronger thanks not only to their physical closeness but also to their long talks about the books they both love, those hours spent apart seem to Mayumi increasingly bleak and intolerable. As her obsession worsens, in a frantic attempt to become closer to the young man, Mayumi nervously befriends another librarian patron, the young man’s mother. The two women forge a tenuous friendship that will prove vital to both in the most unexpected ways when catastrophe strikes.

Paperback, 272 pages

Published May 26th 2015 by Europa Editions 

Genre: Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.**

I really, really struggled with this book. I had many issues with it but the biggest was the relationship between Mayumi and a teenaged boy. It did nothing for me. In fact, it kind of made my stomach turn. There seemed to be no moral dilemma for her even though she was married, had a daughter, and he was more than 20 years her junior. Not to mention that she flaunted her attraction to him by giving him "special" status amongst her librarian friends and coworkers. It was really quite disturbing.

The characters were quite flat. Boring doesn't even adequately describe how painfully dull they were. I felt no connection to them and just didn't care about them. This was most evident with Mayumi. There was nothing exciting or likeable about her at any time. I found her to be pretentious and creepy yet monotonous and sleep inducing at the same time. There were so many things that were wrong with that woman and her thoughts that I could fill a ton of pages on that alone but I won't. You get the idea.

I felt that the story was slightly over written but disliked the plot and characters so much that I feel it may have impacted my thoughts on it. Other than feeling nauseated over the whole relationship, the plot was as painfully dull as the characters.

It is obvious that this book was not my cup of tea so I will keep my thoughts short. Reviews are all over the map on this one so I encourage you to form your own opinion

 

Review: Let Me Be the One by Christa Maurice

A little matchmaking mischief…

She’s the girl of his dreams, but she belongs to another man. Still, that doesn’t stop rock star Brian Ellis from standing by Suzi’s side when she needs him most. Or offering her a strong shoulder to lean on when her relationship crashes and burns. But will Brian get burned by the beautiful writer when Suzi goes back to the man she believes she loves?

Suzi has always had a crush on Brian, which doesn’t mean she’s ready to risk everything for the sake of a fling. Yet the more time she spends with him, helping the sexy single dad with his kids, she knows there’s more between them than simmering sensual tension. An invitation to join him in the sweet mountain town of Potterville, West Virginia, may be too tempting to resist. But how can Suzi give her heart when she’s already promised herself to another?

Kindle Edition, 231 pages

Expected publication: December 8th 2015 by Lyrical Shine

 

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is December 8th, 2015**

I just realized that the cover of this book says book four and therefore this is part of a series.  The good news is that since I didn't realize that it does not impact the enjoyment of this story if you have not read the others.  On the flip side, it seems there were some back stories that could have shed some light on some of the secondary characters.

This is going to be a hard story to review as all of the main characters are messed up.  I mean all of them.  Suzi seemed to have some kind of dependency complex that she did not know who she was on her own.  Not really a flattering attribute.  Not to mention that she seemed to mistake sex with substance, although I could name many woman I have know over the years who have had the same complex.  Then there was Logan who was so insecure that he single handily ruined his relationship

  with Suzi.  Lastly there was Brian who pined for Suzi in silence foe years.  It made quite the dysfunctional love triangle.

This story was a little bit darker than I expected, a little less fluffy.  I though it gave an interesting edge to the story for the first 3/4 of the story.  It strayed away from the typical formula which is refreshing.

Where I struggled with the story was towards the end.  **potential spoiler**  The synopsis for the story which sounds like a plot of its own actually only happens at the very end of the book.  Although you know the story has been building to this from the beginning, it still felt like it happened too fast and almost randomly.  A carefully paced storyline seemed to have been sped up at the end which did not mirror the rest of the story. This unfortunately impacted my enjoyment.

If you are looking for a sexy read that is not all rainbows and unicorns, this may be an option for you.

 

About the Author

 

Born in Northeast Ohio, Christa has lived on four different continents (including both sides of Asia)and traveled extensively. She has an extremely elaborate fantasy life and has been known to forget that the bands she made up don't exist to the extent that she has shopped for their albums on iTunes.

Website

Review: Butterfly Dreams by A. Meredith Walters

In a powerful romance hailed as “heartbreaking, real, and breathtakingly beautiful” by Stacey Lynn, New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters tells the story of a troubled young woman and the unforgettable guy who teaches her to live—and love—to the fullest.

She’s waiting to die. . . . Corin Thompson is paralyzed by her obsession with mortality. Having lost both of her parents, she is terrified by the idea that she too will die young, and she loses control at any sign of illness. But when Corin connects with someone who has survived a very real brush with death, she begins to see the world in a whole new way.

He’s learning to live. . . . As Corin struggles under the weight of her neuroses, Beckett Kingsley is attempting to rebuild a life that feels all too temporary. With the ever-present threat of heart failure never far from his mind, he just wants to make the most of whatever time he has left. And that means pursuing the girl he never expected to find.

Together, Corin and Beckett finally learn to let go of their fears and take solace in everyday pleasures. Who knows what the future holds? After all, nothing lasts forever—the only promise they have is right now.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: November 24th 2015 by Loveswept 

Genre: New Adult/Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

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

Every sniffle or sneeze was enough to send Corin running to the doctor thinking that there was a deeper problem, disease or condition that was slowly killing her. She convinced herself that her latest ailments were a result of a heart problem so she decided to attend Mended Hearts, a support group for people with heart issues. It was there that she met Beckett who turned her whole world upside down. He was recovering from a heart attack in which he almost didn't survive and he was learning how to live again with a whole new set of rules and regulations that pretty much made his old lifestyle obsolete. This was their story.

What did I think?

I loved the idea of someone obsessed with dying and someone who almost dies connecting and trying to build a relationship. It of course meant all kinds of issues, complications and other good stuff that kept me glued to the pages. I wasn't the biggest fan of the almost insta-love between the two of them. It was a little too quick and I felt like I was playing catch up trying to get behind the two of them. Once I caught up to the romance though, I was all in.

Beckett was a book boyfriend dream come true. He wasn't an alfa male but a genuinely nice and decent guy. The kind of guy you want your daughters to bring home. I adored him and empathised with all of his struggles to rebuild his life. Corin wasn't as easy for me to like. I enjoyed reading about her struggles and progress as things developed with Beckett but I found her abrasive and selfish at times. Her selfishness was called out at one point in the book and I was really glad it was. It made it a little easier to like her.

This book was an emotional roller coaster and I found myself with a giant lump in my throat and stinging eyes at one point. There was no ugly crying but I came close. It is when a book makes me emotional, in any way, I know I have enjoyed it. I would be feeling nothing if I didn't like it and that was not the case with this book. Although somewhat predictable, combining the neurosis and heart attack made for a unique and definitely entertaining read.

  

About the Author

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and New Adult romances including the Bad Rep, Find You in the Dark, Reclaiming the Sand, and Twisted Love series.

Connect with A. Meredith Walters 

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads 

 

Release Blast: My Lady Gloriana by Sylvia Halliday

 

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Print Copy of MY LADY GLORIANA

MY LADY GLORIANA

Sylvia Halliday 

Releasing Nov 24th, 2015

Diversion

In this twist on the Pygmalion story, a duke makes a wager that he can bed the uncouth Lady Gloriana. But the bet takes on a life of its own...

The year is 1725. Lady Gloriana Baniard is a beautiful fish out of water. Brought up on the mean streets of London, she is a brash, blunt, obscene force of nature. But thanks to a brief marriage to a disgraced aristocrat, she is forced to live with his noble family and endure the humiliating process of learning to be a lady. Rebelling, she runs away to Yorkshire, where she intends to be a blacksmith, a skill at which she excels. She knows she’ll need a manservant to front for her. When John Thorne appears, she hires him, stirred as much by his irresistible attraction as by his strength.

John Haviland, Duke of Thorneleigh, is an arrogant, indolent gambler and womanizer. Having seen Gloriana just once, he yearns to make her his own. When he learns she has run away from her family, he makes a wild bet with his wastrel companions―he will find the lady and bed her. Disguised as a humble servant, he becomes her assistant, learning the blacksmith trade. The clash of wills between these two proud people creates more sparks than a blacksmith’s anvil, as Gloriana learns to be a lady, Thorne learns humility―and desire deepens to love.

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Award-winning author Sylvia Halliday’s first historical novel, written as Ena Halliday, was chosen by Pocket Books to launch their Tapestry line. She subsequently wrote for Popular Library/Warner and Harlequin Historicals under the pen name of Louisa Rawlings, the name of her maternal great-grandmother. She has written for Kensington/Zebra under the pseudonym of Sylvia Halliday. She has published 14 historical romances. Her FOREVER WILD earned 5 stars from RT Book Reviews and Affaire de Coeur, and was a RITA finalist for the Romance Writers of America. Her latest offerings, published by Diversion Books, are MARIELLE (The French Maiden Series, #1), LYSETTE (The French Maiden Series, #2), DELPHINE (The French Maiden Series, #3), DREAMS SO FLEETING, GOLD AS THE MORNING SUN, THE RING, and SUMMER DARKNESS, WINTER LIGHT. FOREVER WILD, STOLEN SPRING, and PROMISE OF SUMMER, written by her as Louisa Rawlings, are available from Samhain Publishing.

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Teaser Tuesday: I'll Be There by Samantha Chase

I'LL BE THERE

Montgomery Brother's #6

Samantha Chase

Releasing Dec 1st, 2015

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book #6 in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Samantha Chase's popular Montgomery series

This Montgomery Has a Head for Business

Working for Zach Montgomery is challenging on many levels-coming from a wealthy and powerful family, he lives by his own rules and doesn't answer to anyone. But Gabriella Martine has no intention of backing down. She's used to handling stubborn men, and it doesn't hurt that Zach is smart, charismatic...and gorgeous.

And a Heart for Adventure

Zach's perfect world is turned upside down when a climbing accident leaves him broken, angry, and maddeningly dependent. In his slow quest for recovery, Gabriella is always there to help...but as Zach comes to see his beautiful assistant in a new light, he is forced to re-evaluate what it really means to be a man worthy of Gabriella's love.

Pre-Order Today

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Reaching across the table, Zach took one of Gabriella’s hands in his and just marveled at how soft it was. He always wondered what her skin felt like and now that he knew, he wanted to feel more. “Don’t leave me. Please.”

Her blue eyes filled with tears and she used her free hand to quickly wipe them away before they fell and then studied their hands on the table. “Zach,” she said softly, “we’ve been over this.”

“I know, I know,” he replied just as softly. “I need another chance, Gabriella. I need a chance to make things right.” He looked up, his gaze meeting hers. “I need you.”

Deciding to be bold, he turned her hand over and twined their fingers together and gently squeezed. He was surprised she didn’t pull away and thought maybe—just maybe—they were making progress. “I know I can’t erase the things I’ve said and done, but if you’ll give me one more chance, Gabs, I promise not to screw up. If I do anything to upset you, you can walk away. Hell, you can slap me in the face, kick me in the shin or throw something heavy at me and I’ll take it. I just…I can’t do this without you.”

Her eyes never left their joined hands.

“I don’t want to do this without you,” he said quietly.

“I’m afraid to…believe you.” He barely heard her words, they were uttered so softly.

Everything inside of him clenched with pain. His always confident, ever-efficient assistant was now distrusting and uncertain—because of him. “I don’t know what to say to make you believe me. Tell me. Tell me what I need to do. Anything. Anything you need from me to gain your confidence, and I’ll do it.”

She looked up at him. “It’s not that easy. Every day I walked into the office, I gave you another chance. Every time you berated me or made me feel like I screwed up and I came back, I gave you another chance. From my standpoint, you’ve had two years’ worth of second chances. I think I’ve been more than generous.”

His other hand reached out to cup her hand in both of his. “I know you have and you have no idea how much I appreciated it.” She looked at him with disbelief. “It’s true! I know I never said it but every morning you were there, I was thankful. Every time you walked into my office, I was thankful. Please. I’m begging here, Gabs.”

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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Haven't Started the Series?

WAIT FOR ME/TRUST IN ME 

are now available in a duo!

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Review: Her Winning Ways by J.M. Bronston

GRAND PRIZE: $50,000 shopping spree for two in New York.
Includes makeover, photo shoot with Lady Fair magazine…and a shot at happily ever after.
 
As a college librarian in Wyoming, shushing students and tending the family cattle ranch is about the most excitement Annie Cornell can count on. So when Annie wins an all-expenses-paid shopping spree at a high-end department store in New York City, she’s thrilled to trade wide-open spaces for fast-paced Fifth Avenue. But she never expected to be swept off her feet—least of all by an overconfident, horse-mounted police officer…

Sergeant Bart Hardin is instantly attracted to Annie. He’s not sure if it’s the way she handles his trusty horse or the way those angelic hazel eyes held his gaze during that rowdy protest outside the UN. Whatever it is, Bart quickly learns that this clueless tourist in need of his protection can handle herself just fine—in fact, she might just teach him a thing or two on these mean Manhattan streets…

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: December 8th 2015 by Lyrical Shine

 

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is December 8th, 2015**

The synopsis for this story is what drew me in.  What breathing female would not love the chance to have a $50,000 shopping spree in New York?  Seriously, imagine the purses and shoes that could be purchased for this.  Unfortunately the story did not live up to my expectations.

I had a hard time connecting with both Annie and Bart.  It felt like everyone treated Annie as a fragile child and in turn I started to visualize her that way.  I could not take her seriously as a young woman who was experiencing a chance of a lifetime and a romance at the same time.  Same goes for Bart.  Aside from his obvious attraction to Annie, I found his personality a little bit domineering.  I perhaps would not have seen it this way if Annie herself didn't interpret it this way.

As a result, I found the story did not flow for me.  It took me a really long time to get through this story with the only highlight for me being Lindy the horse.

Then enter the "bad guys".  It almost seemed random in an effort to stretch the plot along.  They were not well developed in my opinion and frankly a little bit annoying.  The whole storyline seemed far fetched for me.

It does not make me happy when I do not enjoy a story but I promised I would be honest.  There may be folks who appreciate the New York aspect and the shopping spree.  For me, even the shopping spree didn't win me over.  I would have at least purchased more clothing as opposed to jackets although that is irrelevant.

 

 

About the Author

 

     

Joan Myra Bronston grew up in New York City, married her college sweetheart, and went with him to Germany for a year while he was in the Army and where she worked as a telex operator and mail clerk. They then moved to Austria where Joan spent five years teaching at an international school. She is the mother of three wonderful girls and the grandmother of a super-wonderful grandson. Joan was also a secretary, social investigator, and psychiatric researcher, before entering law school and eventually becoming a corporate attorney.

In addition to her years in Europe, Joan has lived in Pittsburgh, Chicago, and, for 18 years, Salt Lake City. At last, she has closed the circle and returned to her first and most beloved - New York City.

Review: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Published November 10th 2015 by Atria Books 

Genre: New Adult/Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

Sigh...

Colleen Hoover gets me once again with this book. She has quickly become an author that I can count on to deliver each and every time, without fail. I look forward to the release of every one of her books as if they are an old friend coming to visit. I know that I will have a few enjoyable and entertaining hours ahead of me.

I finished this book in one sitting. It was that good and that easy to read. I don't think I will ever look at November 9th the same way again. In fact, keeping with the theme of the book, I think I may have to re-read it every year on November 9th because I will certainly be thinking about it.

I know I've said it a million times before but Hoover captures the emotions of her characters like no other. The reader is able to feel the emotions that are oozing off the pages. The attraction between Fallon and Ben is penned beautifully and as the reader you are drawn in from the very first word. I don't know how else to describe it. Hoover has the ability to really make you feel her characters. She also writes male characters like no other. Ben is no exception.

I laughed, I cried and I sighed a lot as I devoured this book. It was emotionally charged and there were a couple shocking twists as well. One I had figured out but I didn't see the other one coming. Man oh man...what a twist.

I also loved the whole book theme that was going on. The book related banter between Fallon and Ben was cute and it made me smile a lot. Book lovers will get a real kick out of it.

I loved everything about this book and I won't soon forget it!

 
  

About the Author

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. 

Connect with Colleen

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads 

 

Review: Patterns of Change by Terri DuLong

New York Times bestselling author Terri DuLong turns a new page in breezy Ormond Beach, Florida, where a woman looking for a fresh start discovers her dreams coming true in ways she never imagined…
 
Chloe Radcliffe was ready to shake the dust of Cedar Key off her feet and sink her toes into the warm sands of Ormond Beach with her soon-to-be husband. But when tragedy struck, she found herself alone, unraveled—and unsure where she belonged…

A series of vivid dreams of a Victorian house with a beautiful fishpond convince Chloe totake a leap of faith andrent a condo in Ormond Beach. There, she makes fast friends with a group of knitters and the owner of a tea shop, who also happens to have a house nearly identical to the one in Chloe’s dreams—and she’s willing to rent her the property. Just as Chloe begins casting on her grand plans for the home, her tangled past comes back to haunt her—but her dreams and newfound friends just might point her toward the love she’s been missing all along…

Paperback, 260 pages

Expected publication: November 24th 2015 by Lyrical Press

 

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is November 24th, 2015**

I am going to get it out of the way right up front that I struggled with this story.  I swear it was a couple hundred pages more than suggested above.  Here is the reason why...

For me there were simply too many characters and I couldn't keep them all straight.  Between Chloe's old friends and family in Cedar Key to the new army of friends she makes in Ormond beach, I really did not know who anyone was half the time.  Add to that the sheer number of people with names starting with M, Mavis, Maddie and Marta.  It was too confusing for me.  Also every character was so nice and welcoming that it made it difficult for me to differentiate them by their character traits.  I found myself re-reading passages several times

If you can get past all of the names and keep them straight, this is a story of forgiveness, friendship and love.  It is a story about jumping off the deep end and starting over.  It is about forging a new path and new friendships.  This aspect of the story was endearing and gave me a little bit of the warm and fuzzies.

If you are a person who can keep multiple characters straight then this could be a good read for you as it truly has a great heart to it.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that one of the main characters is a dog?  I can always tell when an author is a dog person (and if not then kudo's to the realism) when they have one as part of the daily part of a characters life. 

 

 

About the Author

 

Website
Twitter

Feature and Follow Friday #74 (We're the Featured Blogger!)

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme that allows book bloggers to interact with each other and find new blogs! It has two hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The rules are...
 
(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog.

When did you start blogging?
We started blogging in 2011 but didn't get really serious about it until 2013.

What is your favorite part of book blogging?
That's an easy one...the books!

What type of books do you mainly blog about?
We both like a variety of genres so you will see all kinds on our blog. Historical fiction is a favourite for both of us but we blog about YA, NA, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers, you name it we blog about it.

What are your favorite books?
This is a tough question to answer. Terri would say anything by Kate Morton and I'm not sure if I can pick one. My favourite love story of all time is The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. I also loved The Fault in our Stars by John Green and anything by Colleen Hoover. You can never go wrong with Diane Chamberlain either.

What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?
The best thing has been connecting with all of the amazing authors and bloggers. The book blogging community is amazing and we are so glad to be a part of it!

This Weeks Question

If you could teleport into ANY story, which would you chose? - Suggested by Life Is Reading.

Terri's Answer:

 This is a difficult question to answer because I tend to gravitate towards tragic stories.  I really don't want to experience all of the tragedy I read about in the historical fiction novels I have read.  I think perhaps maybe teleporting myself in to Faking It by Leah Marie Brown.  The reason being that it takes place in Europe on a bike tour, the hot men are plentiful and the main character is such a mess that everything would be one disaster after another.  I think I would get more exercise from the laughter than the bike tour!

Kristine's Answer:

I'm with Terri on this one. A lot of the stories that I love are not the happiest of stories so I really wouldn't want to be a part of them. I think any story that takes place in an interesting setting or location would work for me. So thinking of books I have read recently maybe I'd teleport into Lone Star by Paullina Simons and get to see Latvia, Poland and Italy.

Which would you chose?

That is our Feature and Follow Friday for this week! Comment down below if you're a new follower of ours with a link to your blog and we will make sure to follow you back. You can follow us via gfc, bloglovin, email, facebook and/or twitter.