Review: The Sweetheart Racket (Brash & Brazen #1) by Cheryl Ann Smith

They used to be on the sidelines. Now they’re out in the field…

Two years ago, Taryn Hall was a pro football cheerleader—until she left her lecherous boss with a bloody nose and a faceful of Mace. Now she’s part of a different kind of squad. An elderly billionaire named Irving has hired and trained Taryn and her two best friends to work as private investigators…

Taryn loves the job, though it sometimes involves boring stakeouts, dog bites—and listening to Irving talk about his golf shoes. Then tattooed, steely-eyed, straight-up gorgeous undercover DEA agent Rick Silva walks into the office and shakes thing up…

Rick needs help finding the con artist who’s taken his lonely mother for all she was worth. With multiple aliases and multiple victims, it will be a challenge to track down the coldhearted gigolo. And Rick insists on accompanying Taryn on the hunt, working closely, day and night.

This could be dangerous. And the case might be kind of risky, too…

Paperback, 232 pages

Expected publication: September 13th 2016 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.  Thank you!  The expected release date is September 13th, 2016.

I had a lot of fun with this story.  The way it spoofed Charlie's Angels with the PI's being three females and the boos being an eccentric old man.  In this case, the girls knew who their boss was so it was not a complete copy.

If I were to get really deep, I could dissect how this story/series is about empowered woman and showcases woman who can be both strong and beautiful.  It would be true...but really this story was more about the fun.  I don't think one is expected to look so deep.

On the plus side is the chemistry between Taryn and Rick.  Evident from the moment they met, with a lot of humor as they tried not to succumb.  These two characters just worked for me.

On the downside, the story was a little bit far fetched and unrealistic as far as the "gigolo" was concerned.  For me the pieces never really fit together.
But... who cares, I was in this for the romance and that is what kept me reading.

I can't forget the "bodyguard".  He had me in stitches.

If you want a story that you do not have to take too seriously, has sexy and fun characters and some funny moments, this just may the book for you.  I will be looking for the second story in the series!

About the Author

A fan of historical romance fiction, author Cheryl Ann Smith combines a love of history and all things English to create stories that link both passions.

She lives in Michigan with her family, two cats and a very hairy dog. She enjoys outdoor adventures and traveling, when she has the time, and hopes to make her first visit to England in the very near future.

Website

Review: A Living Grave by Robert E. Dunn

The first in a gritty new series featuring sheriff’s detective Katrina Williams, as she investigates moonshine, murder, and the ghosts of her own past…
 
BODY OF PROOF
 Katrina Williams left the Army ten years ago disillusioned and damaged. Now a sheriff’s detective at home in the Missouri Ozarks, Katrina is living her life one case at a time—between mandated therapy sessions—until she learns that she’s a suspect in a military investigation with ties to her painful past.

The disappearance of a local girl is far from the routine distraction, however. Brutally murdered, the girl’s corpse is found by a bottlegger whose information leads Katrina into a tangled web of teenagers, moonshiners, motorcycle clubs, and a fellow veteran battling illness and his own personal demons. Unraveling each thread will take time  Katrina might not have as the Army investigator turns his searchlight on the devastating incident that ended her military career. Now Katrina will need to dig deep for the truth—before she’s found buried…

Paperback, 268 pages

Expected publication: September 13th 2016 by Kensington Publishing Corporation 

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Kristine's Thoughts:

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

This book sounded like it would be full of twists and turns and that there would be enough excitement to keep me turning the pages. Early reviews (although I didn't read them) were all very positive so it was exactly what the bookworm in me was hoping to get.

I guess I must be the odd man out because I did not enjoy the book as much as others have. It felt like one giant identity crisis to me. I couldn't decide what kind of book it was wanted to be. Was it a murder mystery, an overcoming adversity story, a love story or a gang war story?

It started out quite strong with great writing and the discovery of a dead body. I was settling in for what I thought would be a great mystery. Just as quickly, the story got overpowered by the writing and rabbit trail after rabbit trail started appearing. It also felt like the dead girl was forgotten for quite a long time while numerous other plots appeared. In fact, the murder mystery was only a small part of the story and anti-climatic at best.

Throughout the entire book I felt totally disconnected from all of the characters. I really disliked Katrina and therefore found it hard to enjoy the book. She felt almost robotic and I couldn't relate to her as a woman at all. I did not feel that she was the tough heroine of the story that she was suppose to be. She had major issues and problems that were never fully dealt with and she got away with stuff as a cop that made me cringe. With everything going on in the news these days it was walking a fine line with the stuff she did and got away with. I didn't look at her as a good person at all.

This book was just too much yet not enough for me. However I do encourage people to form their own opinion. I seem to be in the minority (so far) with my opinion on this book. At this point I don't have the desire to read any more of this series.

About the Author

Robert E. Dunn is the author of the novels The Red Highway, The Dead Ground, and Behind the Darkness, as well as the novella Motorman. Before writing novels he spent more than twenty years as a film and video producer for both corporate and broadcast projects. A full-time fiction writer, he now resides in Kansas City with his daughters, an old truck, and an even older dog.

Connect with Robert

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Release Blast & Giveaway: Watch Me by Ada Frost

I am the Porn Prince.

WATCH ME

Ada Frost

Releasing Aug 29th, 2016

This is my world, my kingdom. I sit on the throne and control the empire I created.

My skill? Providing illicit pleasure to thousands. If there is a fantasy to fulfil, my company will provide it.

I am the Porn Prince.

The cold hearted producer at Stone Industries who creates the hottest porn in the business.

But every ruler has an Achilles heel, and mine is chaos.

Abigail Warner is chaos.

From the moment she entered my office my world was turned upside down. She is my passion, my fantasy and everything I never wanted in life. The chaotic infuriating mess of a woman is everything I hate and avoid.

So why can’t I stop watching her.

Why do I crave her?

One taste and I know she will destroy me.

BUY NOW

Amazon

So a little bit about myself. I love to read, and create stories for others to enjoy. I've always been told I have a vivid imagination, I just lacked the confidence to pursue putting it onto the written page. But finally I embarked on making a single dream come true.

I love to read, and write. I only read romance, any in that genre really. But it has to have a beautiful happy ending, I know reality isn't like that, but I read to excape real life not re-live it. Reality is too broken and jaded without having to live through the trauma and angst in a book for it to end unhappily.

I live in Yorkshire, England with my family, and many pets. When I'm not writing I am a very busy mummy and wife. My family is my world, my purpose and I am proud to be a part of their lives.

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Review: Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

A woman uncovers earth-shattering secrets about her husband's family in this chilling page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf

Sarah Quinlan's husband, Jack, has been haunted for decades by the untimely death of his mother when he was just a teenager, her body found in the cellar of their family farm, the circumstances a mystery. The case rocked the small farm town of Penny Gate, Iowa, where Jack was raised, and for years Jack avoided returning home. But when his beloved aunt Julia is in an accident, hospitalized in a coma, Jack and Sarah are forced to confront the past that they have long evaded.

Upon arriving in Penny Gate, Sarah and Jack are welcomed by the family Jack left behind all those years ago—barely a trace of the wounds that had once devastated them all. But as facts about Julia's accident begin to surface, Sarah realizes that nothing about the Quinlans is what it seems. Caught in a flurry of unanswered questions, Sarah dives deep into the puzzling rabbit hole of Jack's past. But the farther in she climbs, the harder it is for her to get out. And soon she is faced with a deadly truth she may not be prepared for.

Kindle Edition, 288 pages

Published February 1st 2016 by MIRA
Genre: Mystery

Kristine's Thoughts:

I've read quite a few of Heather Gudenkauf's books and I've really liked them all so I thought I'd pick up Missing Pieces when I found myself with the time to tackle my tbr pile.

I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this book as much as any of her other books that I've read. It wasn't terrible and I didn't hate it but I didn't warm up to it like I did her others.

Sarah and Jack returned to Penny Gate, Jack's home town, after being away for more than twenty years when his aunt had an accident and was hospitalized. Jack didn't talk much about his past or his family with Sarah so it came as a shock to her when she started discovering some of the truths from that time. Not only did she discover that her husband had lied to her but she also discovered some similarities between the death of his mother and his aunts accident.

There were many twists and turns in the plot but it was here that I was slightly underwhelmed. The finger pointed at different characters as the murderer but I had it figured out from the very first moment the actually murderer was introduced. I thought it was obvious and I didn't waver in my thoughts of who it was for even a second. I hoped that I was wrong so that it would get more exciting but I was spot on. There were no real surprises for me along the way.

I also found the characters to be a little dull. Usually there is at least one stand out character that grabs me but not in this book. They all seemed to lack in the personality department. I'm not sure if developing the characters more would have helped or not.

Don't get me wrong, the book was still entertaining. It was a quick and easy read. I think I am being overly critical because I loved her other books and although this one was good, it didn't compare to them. I remain a huge fan of Gudenkauf and will continue to seek out books of hers in the future.

About the Author

Heather is the NYT and USA Today Bestselling author of THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE and MISSING PIECES.

Connect with Heather

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Review: Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H Balson

FromNazi-occupied Poland to a Chicago courtroom Elliot Rosenzweig, a respected civic leader and wealthy philanthropist, is attending a fundraiser when he is suddenly accosted and accused of being a former Nazi SS officer named Otto Piatek. Although the charges are denounced as preposterous, his accuser, Ben Solomon, is convinced he is right. Solomon urges attorney Catherine Lockhart to take his case, revealing that Otto Piatek was abandoned as a child and raised by Solomon's family only to betray them during the Nazi occupation. But has he accused the right man? Once We Were Brothers is the compelling tale of two boys and a family that struggles to survive in war-torn Poland. It is also the story of a young lawyer who must face not only a powerful adversary, but her own self-doubts. Two lives, two worlds and sixty years all on course to collide in a fast-paced legal thriller. The author, Ronald H. Balson, is a Chicago trial attorney and educator. His practice has taken him to international venues, including small villages in Poland, which have inspired this novel.

Paperback, 379 pages

Published February 15th 2010 by Berwick Court Publishing Co.

Terri's Thoughts

I bought this book years ago and somehow it stayed on my shelf and I never got around to reading it.  I finally picked it up as I try to clean out my to read list.  I wish I had read it sooner.

As this is not a new book, I am sure there are thousands of reviews out there that will cover every aspect of this book so I will not even try to do it justice.

Two things to know before I go any further.  I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and I am an even bigger fan of stories that center around WWII.  You could pretty much guess that the odds were favorable that I would enjoy this book.  I also discovered this book based on a recommendation of other stories that I had given high marks to.  So...my thoughts?

Of course I was captivated from the very beginning.  Let's get the parts that didn't sell me right away.  It was the characters if Liam and Catherine in the present day (2004).  While not unlikable, I felt like I was supposed to know them already, that they were previously introduced to the reader.  This of course was not the case so it left me feeling like I was scrambling to play catch up with their storyline and back story.  That being said, in my opinion, they were not the stars of this story so I can easily forgive.

As you would expect, the story of Ben is a tragic one.  So much so that I have sat down to start this review and I couldn't because the story was still with me.  I could not set it aside to jot down any objective thoughts.  Although this is a work of fiction, based on all of the resources out there that describes the Holocaust, you know that these events can happen, have happened and worse.  I am absolutely flabbergasted that the human race is capable of such cruelty.  I am also mortified that we as humans have not learned our lesson from this piece of history.  Turn the news on at any time and there is further evidence of what horrors we are capable of.  I digress, however perhaps this is why this story, and others like it, move me so much?

I have read many wartime stories, each individual in their own right and some with striking similarities.  There is almost always a love story, as was the case in this book.  Ben and Hanna had me cheering for them from the beginning and you knew that the outcome of their story would be tragic.  Every time they dance together I was  anxious knowing that it could potentially be the last.

I didn't know how the story was going to end but I had my suspicions.  While the conclusion was as I thought, I was nonetheless glued to the story to see it played out.  There may even have been a couple of profanities uttered out loud.  I will not share these secrets, they must be read to know.

Ultimately I really enjoyed this book.  Although can I say I enjoyed it when the subject matter is so horrific?  Let me phrase it as this is a book that captured my attention, kept it and then left me thinking about it long after I finished it.  Since I think I may be late to the party on this story, any fan of WWII historical fiction should read it if they have not already.  I wish I had read it sooner.

About the Author

When he’s not writing books, Ron is a practicing attorney with the firm of Stone, Pogrund & Korey in Chicago. He has been a civil litigation attorney for forty-three years. He was an adjunct professor of business law at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business for twenty-five years and was a frequent lecturer in the federal bar certification course and in trial advocacy seminars.
The demands of his legal practice have taken Ron into courts all across the United States and Canada, and for deposition testimony all across Europe and Asia. A few years ago, Ron became involved in a commercial dispute concerning telephone service in Poland. Numerous trips to Warsaw and southern Poland provided the inspiration for his first novel, Once We Were Brothers. Ron’s love of history and his travels to the Middle East provided the motivation for his second novel, Saving Sophie.
During the Once We Were Brothers book tour, Ron was introduced to several survivors of the World War II concentration camps. Of all the stories of courage and determination, one woman’s story was so moving that it formed the basis for Karolina’s Twins, Ron’s third book due out in 2016.
Ron was a finalist for the Harper Lee Award for Legal Fiction in 2014 and a finalist for the Premio Bancarella Italian Literature Award in 2014. He was an honoree at the Chicago Public Library Foundation’s Carl Sandburg Literary Award dinner.

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https://twitter.com/ronbalson

Review: My Song For You by Stina Lindenblatt

At twenty-one, Jared Leigh had been prepared to give up the life of a touring musician to be a father after getting his girlfriend pregnant. When she told him that she’d gotten an abortion, Jared was devastated. Now at least he has the groupies to keep him company—until a blast from the past rocks his world.

Callie Talbert hasn’t seen her sister’s ex since high school. But after Callie bumps into Jared while she’s grocery shopping with four-year-old Logan, there’s a spark that wasn’t there before. Jared quickly realizes that her deaf “son” is the same age his own child would have been. When Jared demands to know more about Logan, Callie panics. There are things she just can’t tell him. Besides, Jared’s a bad-boy rocker, not a dependable father figure. He’ll move on to his next gig soon enough . . . right?

Trouble is, Jared refuses to be pushed away, and the more quality time he spends with Logan, the more he’s captivated by the woman Callie has become. When the truth is revealed, Jared only hopes that the three of them have what it takes to become a real family.

Kindle Edition, 224 pages

Expected publication: September 6th 2016 by Loveswept 

Series: Pushing Limits #2

Genre: Romance/Contemporary

Kristine's Thoughts:

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

My Song For You is the second book in the Pushing Limits series but can be read as a stand alone. Each book is about a different band member. I had the opportunity to read This One Moment first but it is not necessary in order to follow along.

I seriously think that this series is getting better with each book. This One Moment was decent but My Song For You was so much better. The characters were more likeable, there was more chemistry, the plot was easier to follow and it gave me way more feels.

The story was by no means unique or original but Lindenblatt made it feel like it was with the way she captured the emotions between Callie and Jared.  Finding love can be a complicated thing but even more so when you throw in secrets, lies and a 4 year old boy. I feel like she did a great job of capturing the turmoil that both characters were dealing with.

I adored Callie and Jared but Logan stole the show for me. Every part in the book where there was any kind of interaction with him I found myself smiling. Probably the reason that I liked Callie and Jared so much was because of how they interacted with him and the way that no matter how complicated things got, they never used him as a pawn. They always had his best interest at heart.

This book is a finish in a few hours kind of book filled with romance, misunderstandings, lies and a whole lot of heat. It has everything to satisfy the romance itch in all of us. In my opinion, this series is getting better with each instalment. I can't wait for the next one!

About the Author

Stina Lindenblatt lives in Western Canada, where she loves to dream up New Adult and Young Adult stories, especially those with romance. She loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina enjoys photography, especially the close-up variety.

Connect with Stina

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Review: Beyond Your Touch (The Dark Heart #2) by Pat Esden

She wants more than he can promise.
His desires could lead to betrayal.
But without each other, neither can survive the dangers ahead.
 

Annie Freemont knows this isn’t the right time to get involved with a man like Chase. After years of distrust, she’s finally drawing close to her estranged family, and he’s an employee on their estate in Maine. Though she never intended to stay on the estate for long, her father’s illness and the mysteries surrounding her family made leaving impossible. And now with the newfound hope of rescuing her long-missing mother, Annie’s determined to be involved with the family’s plans one way or another.

If only she could keep her mind off Chase and focus on the impending rescue. But there’s something about the enigmatic Chase that she can’t resist. And she’s not the only woman. Annie fears a seductive stranger who is key to safely freeing her mother is also obsessed with him. As plans transform into action and time for a treacherous journey into a strange world draws near, every move Annie makes will test the one bond she’s trusted with her secrets, her desires—and her heart.

ebook, 320 pages

Expected publication: August 30th 2016 by Kensington

Terri's Thoughts

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Kensington in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is August 30th, 2016.

This is the second book on the Dark Heart series.  This can not be read as a stand alone.  It is necessary to read the first story A Hold on Me first.  Otherwise the reader would have no clue what was going on as this story continues on from the first one.

This series would be labeled as a mash up of NA meets paranormal although the NA portion is a bit tame compared to most.  If you are not a fan of reading about genies and alternate dark worlds where the inhabitants are evil to the core than this would not be a good choice.  If you are a fan, this may be exactly what you are looking for.

Although I have been off of the paranormal genre for a while, I was curious about this story as I wanted to see where the romance of Annie and Chase would lead.  I was captivated by them from the first story and needed to find out if they would get their happy ending or not. 

This story spends more time on the dark side than the first.  As the synopsis suggest, it is all about trying to rescue Annie's mother and the romance is essentially set aside to accomplish this goal.  Although I wanted more of Annie and Chase, I believe it will be available in the next instalment.  With the way this story played out, there will be without a doubt a third story in the series.

While this story was entertaining and read much faster than the 320 pages, I was left a little wanting more.  This may be intentional in order to draw the reader in to the third story.  At this point I am more invested in what will happen to Annie and Chase than what will happen with Annie's mother.  I will need to read the next story to find out!

About the Author

PAT ESDEN would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her northern Vermont home writing stories about brave, smart women and the men who capture their hearts. An antique-dealing florist by trade, she’s also a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the League of Vermont Writers. Her short stories have appeared in a number of publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, the Mythopoeic Society’s Mythic Circle literary magazine, and George H. Scither’s anthology Cat Tales.

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Release Blast & Giveaway: With Every Breath by Maya Banks

A mesmerizingly sexy tale of a strong, brilliant woman who

 encounters the one man who makes her lose all control.

WITH EVERY BREATH

Slow Burn #4

Maya Banks

Releasing Aug 23rd, 2016

Avon

#1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks continues her suspenseful and sizzling Slow Burn series with this fourth book—a mesmerizingly sexy tale of a strong, brilliant woman who encounters the one man who makes her lose all control.

Eliza Cummings fought free of a monster who terrorized her when she was an innocent teenager and helped put him away for good. She took a job with Devereaux Security Services and devoted every hour to taking down the very thing she’d nearly become. No one, not even those closest to her, know her darkest, shameful secrets. But now the killer has been set free on a legal loophole and it’s only a matter of time before he comes for her. Eliza's only choice is to run and lead the monster away from the people she loves.

Wade Sterling has always lived by his own rules, a law unto himself who answers to no one. He’s never professed to be a good man, and he’s definitely not hero material. Wade never allows anyone close enough to see the man behind the impenetrable mask—but one woman threatens his carefully leashed control. He took a bullet for her and the result was more than a piece of metal entrenched in his skin. She was under his skin and nothing he did rid himself of the woman with the courage of a warrior and who thinks nothing of putting her life before others.

But when Wade sees a panicked and haunted Eliza he knows something is very wrong, because the fool woman has never been afraid of anything. And when she tries to run, the primal beast barely lurking beneath his deceptively polished façade erupts in a rage. She may not know it, but she belongs to him. This time, Eliza isn't going to play the protector. She was damn well going to be the protected. And as long as Wade breathes, no one will ever hurt what is his.

Eliza came awake with none of her usual crispness and ready- to-take-on-the-world attitude. She felt as though she’d been hit by a truck and her first instinct was to roll over and pull the covers over her head and sleep for several more hours. Even as she knew she wouldn’t do any such thing, it was still a nice thought. Still, she thought she could give herself another five minutes before stumbling out of bed and into the shower.
For once, things were slow at Devereaux Security Services after a veritable shit storm of activity over the last several months. She only hoped something popped up when she went into the office today, otherwise it was going to be another boring- ass day at work.
 
Just as she roused herself from her laziness and threw her legs over the side of the bed to stand, the landline on her nightstand rang. She glanced down at it, frowning. If it was Dane or anyone else from DSS, surely they’d call her cell. A quick look told her that her cell phone was on the nightstand charging and a glance at it also told her she hadn’t missed any calls. If this was a telemarketer calling her at oh-dark-thirty so help her she was going to hunt them down and shove her foot as far up their ass as she could.
 
If it weren’t for the fact that it could be one of her coworkers she would have simply ignored the ringing all together. With a sigh, she yanked up the phone and barked an unwelcome hello into the receiver.
 
There was a short pause and then the clearing of a throat. “Miss Caldwell? Melissa Caldwell?”
 
Eliza froze, her blood turning to ice in her veins. She hadn’t heard that name in ten years. Hadn’t been that person in ten years. And in two seconds flat, her past had slammed into her present like a speeding train.
 
“What do you want?” she asked in a dull voice.
 
“This is Clyde Barksdale, district attorney for Keerney County, Oregon.”
 
She knew damn well who Clyde Barksdale was. Like she’d forget that it was him she’d worked with to put Thomas Harrington away?
 
“I take it this isn’t a social call,” she said acidly.
 
“You’d be correct.” The DA emitted an exhausted sounding sigh. “Look, there’s no easy way to say this but Thomas Harrington won an appeal to overturn his conviction and he’ll be set free in three weeks’ time.”
 
Eliza’s knees folded and she landed with a hard bounce on the bed. She was utterly numb with shock, and she shook her head in an effort to dispel the fog and confusion surrounding her. Was this some fucked-up dream—nightmare—she was trapped in?
 

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Maya Banks is a #1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, Scottish historical romances. She is the author of the Breathless Trilogy, the KGI novels, the Sweet series, and the Colters Legacy novels.

She lives in the South with her husband and three children and other assorted babies, such as her two Bengal kitties and a Calico who’s been with her as long as her youngest child. She’s an avid reader of romance and loves to dish books with her fans and anyone else who’ll listen! She very much enjoys interacting with her readers on Facebook and Twitter as well as in her Yahoo! Group.

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Release Blast & Giveaway: Bedded Bliss by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott

A hot night in Vegas is just what the rockstar ordered... 

until someone ends up married.

BEDDED BLISS

Found in Oblivion #1

Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott

Releasing Aug 22nd, 2016

Rainbow Rage Publishing

Michael Shawcross is living the dream, opening up for his idols, Oblivion, on his band Warning Sign’s first tour. Until an overzealous fan goes too far and his hard-partying ways catch up to him in the form of an ultimatum from his manager, Lila Crandall.

Clean up your image—or else.

Single mom Chloe Adams is in Vegas for a rare girls’ night out. She wasn’t ever supposed to be attracted to another rockstar. In fact, she’s in rockstar rehab, and the cure for her addiction definitely isn't a sexy, smart-assed guitarist with wicked fingers.

She never expects to accidentally end up his wife. Or to have her new husband suddenly decide that she’s the solution to all his problems. And surprise…he’s happy to show his appreciation in a number of interesting, inventive ways.

Pretending their marriage is real might just be the hottest proposition she’s ever been given.

But what happens when a lie becomes the truth? 

BEYOND OBLIVION - A Rockstar Romance full of sexy fun set within the world of our Lost in Oblivion series! You never know who you'll see show up in the books. 

Michael swapped Jimi for his battered Gibson, letting Elle do her thing as he set it up to enter the song after her. She bent low, her blond hair streaming down her back as she made the strings sing. When he joined her, she flashed him a smile at a wattage he only ever saw from her on stage. High on it, and on the fact that his brother was playing behind him, and that somehow, somehow they were getting through the show, he let his gaze wander the crowd.
 
The redhead caught his eye immediately.

She was close to the front, dancing back to back with one of her girlfriends while the other gyrated against her side. They were definitely feeling the lyrics that Molly was rasping through as if she was fifteen seconds away from an orgasm. Ryan and West were doing the joint thing on the keyboards again, crossing hands and all kinds of tricks that only emphasized the erotic nature of the song. They pounded on the keys like he and Elle and Juliet were shredding their guitars. Like Mal was steadily drumming the kit, slow, sinuous. Building, building, building, until the final explosion.
 
Redhead turned and looked up on stage, playing with the strap of her halter top. For a second he thought she’d flashed him some damn nipple. On purpose or accidentally, he didn’t frigging care. All he knew was her big eyes were on him while she nearly fondled her own breast, and her lips were wet and parted, and he couldn’t stop strumming his guitar the way he wished he could play with her. He’d sit her on his lap and slip under her skirt, then push aside her panties and slide one finger between the lips he knew would be soaked for him. While she watched, open-mouthed and silently begging, he’d suck on the finger that tasted of her until she was squirming against his rock hard erection. Bouncing back and forth while he swelled against his zipper.
 
Christ, like he was doing right now.
 
Juliet came up behind him, sliding one hand in his front jeans pocket as Mal’s drums and West and Ryan’s keyboard faded. She jerked back and quickly shot over to the other side of the stage to set up for the next song, making him smother a laugh.
 
Guess she thought her onstage seduction routine with him had worked a little too well.
 
“What’s her problem?” Elle whispered, trading her Gibson for an Epiphone.
 
“Think she thinks I like her butt too much.”
 
“Oh. It is a cute butt, though.” Elle winked at him, and he laughed.
 
“Hers or mine?” he asked, unable to resist. Hell, he had a freaking hard-on onstage from some sexy as hell redhead in the second row, who he was trying not to look at until the next song started so he didn’t tear through his jeans.
 

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USA Today bestselling author Cari Quinn likes music and men, so she figured why not write about both? When she's not writing, she's screaming at men's college basketball games on TV, playing her music too loud or causing trouble. Sometimes simultaneously.

USA Today bestselling author Taryn Elliott is obsessed with rock stars, men, and her unending playlists--maximizing these things seemed like a very good idea. When she's not writing, she's losing hours to hot men on TV, and/or a graphic design project. Multitasking is her middle name.

They decided to combine forces and found that hey...this writing deal is even more awesome when you collaborate with your best friend.

And so Lost in Oblivion was born.

Website | Facebook | Taryn’s Twitter 

Cari’s Twitter | Taryn GR | Cari GR 

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Review: The Boyfriend Bet by Chris Cannon

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains multiple PDAs, after-school detentions, and gambling on the side. Warning: betting on a boyfriend is bad for your health.

Zoe Cain knows that Grant Evertide is way out of her league. So naturally, she kisses him. Out of spite. Not only is Grant her brother’s number-one nemesis, but he has zero interest in being tied down to one girl. She’s shocked—and secretly thrilled—when they start spending more time together. Non-exclusively, of course, but that doesn’t mean Zoe can’t change his mind, one PDA and after-school detention at a time.

Zoe’s brother claims Grant is trying to make her his “Ringer,” an oh-so-charming tradition where a popular guy dates a non-popular girl until he hooks up with her, then dumps her. Zoe threatens to neuter Grant with hedge clippers if he's lying but Grant swears he isn’t trying to trick her. Still, that doesn’t mean Grant is the commitment type—even if winning a bet is on the line.

Kindle Edition, 240 pages

Expected publication: August 22nd 2016 by Entangled: Crush 

Series: The Boyfriend Chronicles #2

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Kristine's Thoughts:

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

The Boyfriend Bet is the second book in The Boyfriend Chronicles but it can be read as a stand alone. I did not have the opportunity to read the first book and in no way did it affect my enjoyment of this one.

This book tackled the ever confusing and complicated issue of high school dating. You know...where rumours and gossip are abundant and status and opinions mean everything. In The Boyfriend Bet there was Zoe who was a local and considered a "hick", and Grant who was the popular "rich snob." It wasn't hard to see that they were complete opposites yet there was an underlying attraction from the very beginning. Of course, in high school it could never be as easy as two people liking each other. There are always outside influences and over thinking brains to contend with.

My initial thoughts were that this book was really cute. I liked that Zoe had spunk and what appeared to be a strong personality. She seemed like a no nonsense kind of girl. I wasn't sure about Grant but I was hopeful that Zoe would be a good influence on him. As the story progressed I have to admit that Zoe lost some of her appeal for me and I continued to be unsure of Grant. Zoe went from strong and quirky to a little whiny and a bit of a push over. Grant continued to make mistake after mistake and she would continuously get mad and then forget it. I completely understand that this is typical teenage angst but Grant was a real jerk on numerous occasions. It made it difficult for me to route for the two of them because I kept thinking that she could do better.

Perhaps I was over thinking the whole story. I remember what it was like to be in high school and how the simplest things could be complicated and cause drama. This book really showcased that and how difficult the dating game can be at that age. I didn't always agree with Zoe's actions and rarely ever agreed with Grant's but as a whole I think it was a pretty accurate depiction of the complicated thing known as high school dating.

**Side Note**  All the baking and talking about food made me hungry and had me digging through my cupboards to see what I could bake.

About the Author

Award winning author Chris Cannon lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and her three dogs, Pete the shih tzu who sleeps on her desk while she writes, Molly the ever-shedding yellow lab, and Tyson the sandwich-stealing German Shepherd Beagle. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures and snarky contemporary romance.

Connect with Chris

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads 

 

Review: I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain by Courtney Robertson & Deb Baer

Courtney Robertson joined season 16 of The Bachelor looking for love. A working model and newly single, Courtney fit the casting call: She was young, beautiful, and a natural in front of the cameras. Although she may have been there for all the right reasons, as the season unfolded and sparks began to fly something else was clear: She was not there to make friends.

Courtney quickly became one of the biggest villains in Bachelor franchise history. She unapologetically pursued her man, steamrolled her competition, and broke the rules—including partaking in an illicit skinny-dip that sealed her proposal. Now, after a very public breakup with her Bachelor, Ben Flajnik, Courtney opens up and tells her own story—from her first loves to her first moments in the limo. She dishes on life before, during, and after the Bachelor, including Ben's romantic proposal to her on a Swiss mountaintop and the tabloid frenzy that continued after the cameras stopped rolling.

For the first time ever, a former Bachelor contestant takes us along on her journey to find love and reveals that “happily ever after” isn't always what it seems. Complete with stories, tips, tricks, and advice from your favorite Bachelor alumni, and filled with all the juicy details Courtney fans and foes alike want to know, I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends is a must-read for every member of Bachelor nation. 

ebook, 272 pages

Published June 24th 2014 by It Books

Terri's Thoughts

Ok, I admit it.  You found me out.  The Batchelor franchise is my guilty pleasure, any of them be it Bachelor, Bachelorette or Bachelor in Paradise.  I know, I know. How can a professional business woman be drawn in to such nonsense.  I say easy, if you want the easiest way to see a sociological experiment of people's behavior, this has got to be it.

While I am not one to want to extend any of the participants of this shows 15 seconds of fame, I couldn't help but pick this up to see if I could learn any behind the scenes information about how the show is produced.  This read was to me the same as being stuck in a line at the grocery store.  I never mind because I grab the gossip rags and catch up on the latest rumours while I wait.

This is the biography of Courtney Robertson who was the winner of the 16th season of the show.  For fans of the show, she was the one that everyone hated.  Myself included, to a certain extent.  I did not like her and didn't want her to win but on the flip side, she cracked me up and I didn't want her to leave.  She made things interesting and as many people should always know, these shows are edited so much in order to spin things a certain way that you never know what is really true in the correct context.  For this reason I wanted to see what she had to say.

The beginning of the story was total fluff.  I didn't care, nor do I think anyone else does, about Courtney's sexual history prior to the Bachelor.  I only wanted to know what happened behind the scenes of the show.  Things such as what really happened in the ocean when they went skinny dipping.  This does get answered by the way.  For this Courtney loses points to think that people might actually care how she spent her high school years or how many people she slept with.  I also didn't care about the name dropping that occurred in the story

The story picks up when it starts talking about the show.  We hear Courtney's side of what happened with the other girls in the house.  She admits that she was a bitch to some of them.  This scored her a couple of points back since she owned her mistakes.  What we did see, should we choose to believe, is that the other girls were not as squeaky clean and innocent as they were portrayed.  I had suspected this.  Going back to my experiment comment, I don't care how nice you are, if you are in a competition in which there is only one winner and have to live with all of your competitors, the worst traits in everyone will come out.  I believe that the girls were nasty to Courtney and tried to make her life miserable.  I also believe as she admits to some that she was just as nasty back.

This story also dives in to what happened after the engagement ring was given and the couple went back to "real life".  If everything Courtney says about Ben is true, I can say I knew it, he was not in it for the right reasons.  Then again, how many season have there been so far, 20+?  I would say less than 5 were in it for the right reasons.  I also believe her take on this part of the relationship.  The reason is because she didn't seem to go too far in trashing Ben.  She told it from her aspect of the relationship and her needs.  I feel she actually went easy on him.

As I normally don't read true stories, I don't really know how to rate this.  Who am I to judge Courtney for her life decisions?  I don't know her and have never walked in her shoes.  I wanted to read this due to a curiosity of what she had to say.  While the writing seemed underdeveloped in many spots and some thoughts never finished or returned to when it was promised, I was still entertained.  My expectations were never for a literary masterpiece and because of that my expectation were met.  So on that note, I have no choice but to rate the book according to my expectations which were honestly set quite low.  This story is getting a very guilty 4 stars because it filled by gossip rag, quasi celebrity curiosity.

 

About the Author

Review: The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine by Kate Angell, Jennifer Dawson & Sharla Lovelace

Welcome to Moonbright, Maine…Where the scents of donuts and cider waft through the crisp night air…with just a hint of magic.

It’s time for the annual Halloween costume party at the cottage on Pumpkin and Vine, the perfect place to celebrate the pleasures of the season. Guests return to the picturesque B & B year after year to snuggle up in its cozy rooms, explore the quiet, tree-lined streets and enjoy all the spooky fun of the holiday. But local legend whispers that it’s also a place where wishes have a strange way of coming true.

For three unsuspecting revelers, it’s going to be an enchanted weekend of candy corn kisses and midnight black kittens, along with some real Halloween surprises—the kind that make your heart skip a beat—for many more celebrations to come…

ebook, 320 pages

Expected publication: August 30th 2016 by Kensington 

Genre: Romance/Contemporary/Anthologies

Kristine's Thoughts:

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

The Cottage on Pumkin and Vine is an anthology of three different stories by three different authors with one cottage in Moonbright Maine in common. Each story is unrelated but they all share Rose Cottage and it's proprietor. Legend has it that the cottage is magical. One story takes place before Halloween, one during, and one after.

Charmed By You by Kate Angell  2 stars

Charmed by You took place before the big annual Halloween party at Rose Cottage and was my least favourite of the three stories. It involved the party planner and the mover. My problem was that I didn't like the characters very much and the chemistry seemed forced. When the pages heated up I found it a little awkward.

Mesmerized by You by Jennifer Dawson  4 stars

This one took place during the party and was a friends to lovers story. I am a sucker for these type of stories and I found this one quite cute. Jennifer Dawson is not a new author to me and I have enjoyed a couple of her previous novels in the past. She created a chemistry between the two characters that had me routing for them and she is a pro at heating up the pages. I enjoyed everything about this story.

Enchanted by You by Sharla Lovelace  4.5 stars

This one took place after the party and I think it may have been my favourite of the three stories. It was a second chance romance which I am also very fond of. It told the story of present and past through both points of view. I adored when either one of the characters reminiced back to when they were in high school. I thought the story was really cute.

Overall...

This book was a great way to get my romance fix and to get a taste of a few different authors. Each story was quick and easy to read with a lot of romance and perhaps just a little magical realism. The setting was a charming backdrop for three completely different stories.

 Kate Angell

I live in Beautiful Naples on the Gulf of Mexico, Florida. I love the sunshine, as well as the seasonal summer thunderstorms. I'm a morning person. I enjoy brunch. I'm an animal lover and avid reader. I laugh a lot. My birthday's in March, I'm an Aries. My favorite color is purple. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I can read Tarot Cards. My office has lots of plants: bamboo, Elephant Ear, and TickleMe. I buy a fresh bouquet of flowers each week. I enjoy going to the movies. Can make popcorn a meal. Love Starbucks. I still eat Rice Krispies for the 'snap, crackle, pop'. I spend hours at book stores. Like Saturday morning cartoons. Watch General Hospital. Favorite evening TV shows include: The Mentalist, Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI Miami, The Office, and Monk reruns. MY PHILOSOPHY: Out of chaos comes calmness. Appreciate the peace!

Connect with Kate

Website/Facebook

Jennifer Dawson

Jennifer Dawson is the author of the popular Something New series, spicy, small town romance released with Kensington, and pens the dark and edgy contemporary romance series Undone.

Jennifer Dawson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from DePaul University with a degree in psychology. She met her husband at the public library while they were studying. To this day she still maintains she was NOT checking him out. Now, over twenty years later, they’re married and living in a suburb right outside of Chicago with two awesome kids and a crazy dog.

Despite going through a light FM, poem writing phase in high school, Jennifer never grew up wanting to be a writer (she had more practical aspirations of being an international super spy). Then one day, suffering from boredom and disgruntled with a book she’d been reading, she decided to put pen to paper. The rest, as they say, is history.

These days Jennifer can be found sitting behind her computer, writing her next novel, chasing after her kids, keeping an ever watchful eye on her ever growing to-do list, and NOT checking out her husband.

Connect with Jennifer

Website/Twitter/Goodreads 

Sharla Lovelace

Sharla Lovelace is the Bestselling and Award Winning Author of five standalone novels, and the exciting Heart of the Storm series, all featuring sexy small town love stories with heat and humor. Being a Texas girl through and through, she's proud to say she lives in Southeast Texas with her husband, a souped up golf cart, and two crazy mutts.

Connect with Sharla

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads