The Reading Cafe 6th Anniversary Giveaway Celebration-Today’s Prize Package

The Reading Cafe 6th Anniversary Celebration Giveaway-Today’s Prize Package

NOTE: All giveaways require a comment to qualify

The Reading Cafe is offering a 3 paper/print ARC book prize package for today’s giveaway

Please be aware some of the books offered may be ARC copies from the publisher which may or may not have gone through final edits or final cover copy

ONE (1) commenter will receive all 3 books from The Reading Café

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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3. Please tell us to enter you into the giveaway.

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7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs until February 28 to March 4, 2018

IMPORTANT-Please Read

With increasing frequency, many potential giveaway recipients have not been responding to our winner’s email notifications, and we suspect that our emails are going to spam.
After 72 hours, and several attempts to contact the potential winners, in all fairness to the authors, publishers and other entrants, we are forced to choose another name, and the original intended recipient forfeits their chance for the particular prize.

To protect yourself against a possible loss of prize notification, please add the following emails to your ‘safe’ and approved list of senders in your email address books:

Please check your junk and spam emails often before sending anything to trash.

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The Devilish Duke by Maddison Michaels – a Review

The Devilish Duke by Maddison Michaels – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Devlin Markham, the notorious “Devil Duke” of Huntington, needs a woman. And not just any woman. If he can’t woo one of the most eccentric bluestockings of the Ton within the month, he can kiss his hard-earned fortune good-bye. But he’s always thought love a wasted emotion and marriage an inconvenience at best. And oddly enough, Lady Sophie Wolcott seems unmoved by his charm…

When Sophie learns her beloved orphanage is in imminent danger, she will do anything to save it. Even marry a ruthless rake who takes what he wants in business and pleasure. A man who’s everything she’s always feared most—but whom she reluctantly begins yearning for.

Then Sophie becomes the target of a killer lurking from the dark shadows of Devlin’s past. And they find not only their lives in jeopardy but their very hearts.

 

Review:

The Devilish Duke begins with Lady Sophie spying on a man with whom she’s been in love with for a very long time, only to see him to propose to another.  Heartbroken, her mind is whirling, but that’s not the most painful part.  That would be her falling out of the tree she had climbed to spy……….right in front of the Duke of Huntington himself, Devlin Markham.  Of course, Sophie knows the Duke, and his reputation, and is mortified.  Fortunately for her, Devlin is very discreet and aids her, even though the two trade barbs with each other.  Such as life…….

A year later, Devlin finds himself in a bit of a situation.  The Queen will not approve his proposed project until he has settled down and put his rakish reputation behind him.  Having always been able to talk himself in, or out, of any situation, he knows the Queen has him cornered.  The thought of falling in love and marriage is laughable for him, but he knows he has to do as the Queen directs.  Fortunately for him, he thinks that Lady Sophie might be just what the Queen ordered.

Sophie has come to the conclusion that she will never marry, much to her aunt’s dismay.  That doesn’t stop her aunt from trying to play matchmaker.  Once her aunt discovers that the Duke of Huntington has declared his interest in pursuing Sophie, she is more than pleased.  Sophie is trying her best not to succumb to the Duke’s charm, but when she finds out that her beloved orphanage where she tirelessly volunteers is in danger of being closed, she knows her hands are tied.  And, she would do anything to help save it, even if it means marrying someone whom she knows can shatter her heart.

The Devilish Duke is a wonderfully written story.  Sophie is a great character.  She is spunky, independent and very intelligent.  Devlin is great as well, even though he tries to convince everyone that he’s not.  He is very smart and very loyal to those he deems his.  The two of these characters together, as they navigate their histories and try to overcome them, have chemistry that leaps off of the page.  The secondary characters are well written as well.  The intrigue of this story grabs you pretty quickly and keeps you turning the pages.  For me, anytime that I read a story and I can “see” the scenes as I read them, is one of the highest compliments I can give an author.  Maddison Michaels, with this story, is one of those authors.  This is the first I’ve read by her, but it certainly won’t be the last.  Well done, Maddison Michaels!  Very, very well done!

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Darkest Night (Sons of Broad #1) by Tara Thomas-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

DARKEST NIGHT (Sons of Broad #1) by Tara Thomas-Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

DARKEST NIGHT
Sons of Broad #1
by Tara Thomas
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense, thriller
Release Date: February 27, 2018

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / iBooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27, 2018

SHE THOUGHT SHE’D LOST HIM FOREVER
Tilly Brock has learned—the hard way—how totake care of herself. Once a pillar of Charleston society, her family lost everything in the wake of a shocking scandal. And then Tilly lost the only boy she ever loved.

BUT NOW THAT HE’S BACK IN HER LIFE
Keaton Benedict is Charleston’s most notorious bachelor. But in spite of all his advantages—the money, the women,the family name—he longs for more: the heart of the young woman he still can’t forget.

THE DANGER HAS JUST BEGUN…
When Keaton re-enters Tilly’s life, after all these years, she is torn between feelings of doubt and desire. Can they put the past behind them and learn to love again? Tilly is willing to try. But Keaton is afraid that a vengeful enemy is watching—and waiting to destroy them. Can the rekindled flame of their love defeat the deadliest rival and light their way forward in the darkest night?

•••••••••••

REVIEW: DARKEST NIGHT is the first full length instalment in Tara Thomas’ (aka Tara Sue Me) contemporary, adult SONS OF BROAD romantic suspense series. This is Keaton Benedict and Tilly Brock’s story line. DARKEST night can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. There is a three –part novella serial-Shattered Fear, Hidden Fate, Twisted End-that introduces some of the characters and story behind the Sons of Broad series. Tilly Brock was first introduced in the Sons of Broad serial.

Told from several third person points of view including Tilly and Keaton DARKEST NIGHT continues to focus on ‘The Gentleman’s ‘ quest for revenge against a number of citizens in Charleston, and his latest target is our story line heroine, a part time bar-waitress, and university student whose connection to The Gentleman is currently unknown. While working late night at the local watering hole, Tilly will come face to face with her past, a childhood friend whose father destroyed her family and ruined the reputation of a very good man. Enter Keaton Benedict, heir to the Benedict Industries and the man with whom Tilly will fall in love. What ensues is the quick building, rekindling romance between Tilly and Keaton, and the on-going fall-out as a series of brutal murders, all with connections to our story line couple, find Tilly the next intended target.

DARKEST NIGHT follows several paths including the awkward introduction of a potential threat to our story line couple but a threat that reveals a sordid past that may have a close connection to the Benedict family-a connection that may be alive and well.

The relationship between Tilly and Keaton is one of second chances but there was no palpable sexual attraction. The relationship felt impersonal and detached as though the couple were only going through the motions in a dispassionate display of neutral devotion. In this I struggled with the overall relationship.

We are introduced to Keaton’s brothers Kipling and Knox; officer Alyssa Adams, attorney Bea Jacobs; socialite Elise Germain; hired assassin Jade, as well as a large assortment of secondary characters including a pair of exotic dancers in the wrong place at the wrong time; and the story line antagonist- a man known only as The Gentleman.

DARKEST NIGHT is a story of suspense but got lost in the numerous changes in points of view throughout each chapter. The constant jump in perspectives was not delineated or noted, therefore the reader must be observant in order to keep track of the alternating positions. The premise is intriguing; the writing style, language and text are uncomplicated; the romance is stilted and lacked the palpable sexual energy of most romantic suspense story lines.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
.5 Shattered Fear
.6 Hidden Fate
.7 Twisted End
Darkest Night

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Copyright © 2018 by Tara Thomas and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press.
 

Two scantily clad women strutted out onto the stage.
Keaton was too far away to see details. All he could make out were tiny bikini tops and even tinier thongs. Blondes. And pretty enough to make any red-blooded man fantasize about ripping the scraps of fabric off them. A movement to the side of the stage caught his eye. A server. He only saw her profile, but there was something about her.
He slid off the barstool to get a closer look.
“Hey, man,” Michael called after him. “Where are you going?”
Keaton didn’t reply.
“Where’s Benedict going?” he heard someone ask. “He’s interested in a dancer? Here?” someone else asked.
Keaton shook his head; it wasn’t a dancer that captured his attention. He wasn’t a stranger to the numerous clubs around the city that catered to wealthy men and their carnal needs. However, he’d never singled out any particular woman while at one. After all, he’d al- ways said, one half-naked woman was just as good as another. As made evident by the number of times his picture was in the society pages, but never with the same woman twice.
And yet, here he was, eyes fixed on the petite waitress at the side of the stage, currently trying to blend into the background and not take away from the duo on the stage. It was a horrible failure. He wasn’t sure why the management even felt the need to put anyone onstage with her working here. How could anyone look at those two with her in the room?
She moved with a grace that made the two blondes look like ducks swimming alongside a swan. She stretched out her hand to pass a glass to a man sitting on the far inside of a booth. Everyone in her vicinity turned to watch her lithe body.
“Drooling over a topless dancer?” Michael asked, coming up behind him. “I have to say, I’m a bit surprised. They look a bit rough.”
“Not a dancer,” Keaton let slip before he could stop himself.
Michael moved to stand beside him and followed his line of sight. His low whistle signaled he saw the woman in question. “Hot damn. Wait until a certain blonde hears about this. I’m sure Miss Elise Germain will love the fact that her intended is drooling over a half-naked barmaid.”
“Shut the fuck up.” Keaton didn’t shift his attention from the goddess taking drink orders. “I’m not engaged.” “Please,” Michael’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “You two have been promised to each since you were what? Fifteen?”
Keaton mumbled a curse under his breath, but right now, he couldn’t focus on anything other than the serving siren. It sounded so crazy, he couldn’t even verbalize it, but he thought he knew her from somewhere. Some- thing about the way she moved called to him. Pulled him forward for a better look.
He took another step toward her.
She was magnificent. And the way she moved continued to captivate the audience near her. Keaton’s eyes traveled over her body, taking in as many details as possible: her light brown skin, the curve of her hips, and the slope of her breasts covered by a tight cropped shirt. He knew they would be oh-so-soft to touch. His eyes drifted higher at the same time she turned her head his way and he froze.
Tilly.
He couldn’t breathe. It couldn’t be.
What was she doing in Charleston? The last he’d heard, her family had moved to Texas. Granted, they’d both been fourteen at the time, but he’d never forgot- ten the day he’d got home from school, walked into the eerily quiet kitchen, and discovered his life had changed forever.
Tilly always came over to his house after school to help him with his homework. Usually her mother would come over with her and gossip with his mom. But there was nothing that day. He’d looked out the back door to get a peek of their house and gasped. There were men all over the yard, carrying furniture.
He’d run back inside and up the stairs to his mother’s room and, with a stomach filled with dread, asked where Mama Ann and Tilly were. His mother arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. She didn’t like that her children called their neighbor Mama Ann, but every- one called her that. It was just her personality. She was so kind and loving, the name came naturally.
“They’re moving to Texas,” she said, and his world shifted out of focus.
“Why?” he managed to croak out. Texas was so far away. It made no sense why they would move away from their family like that and so suddenly.
“It’s been discovered that Mr. Brock has been embezzling money from your father.”
“What?” He couldn’t believe it. Not Tilly’s dad. He was stealing from them? Something didn’t sound right. His mother gave him a sad smile. “I’m afraid he was caught red-handed. The Brock family’s basically ruined now. Best they move and try to start over.”
His parents had always joked that he and Tilly would get married one day. Everyone talked about it and he didn’t even care because Tilly was smart and pretty. The week before, he’d kissed her for the first time. Her lips had been soft and sweet, and he’d looked forward to kissing them over and over. How could he kiss her if she were in Texas?
“Your father’s going to promote Howard Germain.
Isn’t his daughter in your class, too?”
Elise. Tilly’s best friend. Or was. He felt sick. He mumbled a half-intelligible answer to his mom and ran down the stairs to the living room. He had to call Tilly. Had to talk to her, even if it was only to say good-bye. But their phone had already been disconnected and when he went to their house, the men moving all the furniture told him they’d already left.

Tilly Brock put on her best plastic smile and muttered a soft, “Excuse me, please,” to the man blocking her path to her customer. She recognized the move for what it was: an attempt to make her reach across him. Two more months. Two more months. She grit her teeth and made sure the men saw just enough of her cleavage as she handed the drink to the waiting customer.
“Thank you, darling,” he said, eyes firmly planted on her chest, never once looking her in the eyes. “Why ain’t someone as pretty as you up onstage?”
Like she didn’t hear that ten times a night. Her mother might not roll over in her grave at the thought of her daughter serving drinks at a gentlemen’s club, but Tilly knew she’d come back from the dead for the sole purpose of telling her how disappointed she was if she even thought about dancing topless.
“Two left feet,” she told the guy instead.
“Trust me.” His laugh gave her chills. “It ain’t your feet we’re interested in.”
Two more months. I can do two more months.
Onstage, the dance was almost over. One of the blond twins glared at her and in doing so, tripped and almost fell. Several men booed. The other twin shot her a look that told Tilly they were blaming everything on her. Oh well, what else was new. It wasn’t a day that ended in “y” if she didn’t piss off the Wonder Twins.
She gathered several empty glasses and nodded as a few drink orders were given. Her tray was heavy, but she thought she could make it back to the bar. She turned that way and suddenly felt someone’s eyes drilling holes into her from the back of the room. Out of habit, she lifted her head to try and find who was watching her so intensely.
She scanned the crowd, but no one looked out of place. Then she saw him, standing slightly off to the side, watching her with an easy confidence, but with a tilt of his head that somehow seemed familiar. He recognized her at the same instant she recognized him.
Keaton Benedict.
Her tray and glasses fell to the floor.


 

Tara Thomas’s love of books and writing started as a child and though she wanted to be an author, she decided a degree in science was more practical. After fifteen years in the pharmaceutical industry, she returned to her first love and hasn’t looked back since.

She writes erotic romance as Tara Sue Me. Her Submissive Series novels have been on both the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists. Her novel THE MASTER earned a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, was awarded Best Romance of 2016 from Best Book Awards, and is a 2017 RITA Finalist for Best Erotic Romance.

Follow: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Tara Thomas’ publisher is graciously offering a print/paper copy of DARKEST NIGHT to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Tara Sue Me on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from February 28-March 4, 2018

IMPORTANT-Please Read

With increasing frequency, many potential giveaway recipients have not been responding to our winner’s email notifications, and we suspect that our emails are going to spam.
After 72 hours, and several attempts to contact the potential winners, in all fairness to the authors, publishers and other entrants, we are forced to choose another name, and the original intended recipient forfeits their chance for the particular prize.

To protect yourself against a possible loss of prize notification, please add the following emails to your ‘safe’ and approved list of senders in your email address books:

Please check your junk and spam emails often before sending anything to trash.

barb@thereadingcafe.com

sandy@thereadingcafe.com

mail@thereadingcafe.com

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Playmaker (Breakaway #3) by L.P.Dover-Review & Excerpt Tour

PLAYMAKER (Breakaway #3) by LP Dover-Review and Excerpt Tour

PLAYMAKER
Breakaway #3
by LP Dover
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, hockey,romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /ibooks / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27, 2018

He knows every play in the book. But she’s calling the shots.

I’m Maddox Ledger, all-star winger and the reason the Charlotte Strikers killed it in the playoffs. Yeah, the tabloids like to call me arrogant. A real hothead. All I see is a guy who plays to win. Wreaking havoc on the ice, breaking a few hearts—that’s all just part of the game. And I’m sure as hell not sitting on the bench.

When my teammate asks me to be in his wedding party, I can’t refuse—but that’s the only way you’ll see me walk down the aisle. Commitment is for suckers. Lucky for me, the bridesmaid I’m paired with is the definition of eye candy. Lacey Easton is totally irresistible . . . and weirdly familiar. A glimpse of bare shoulder takes me back to a steamy Vegas night I can’t forget. One I’m eager to repeat.

Suddenly our one-night stand is turning into the sequel . . . and so much more. Still, Lacey’s keeping secrets. She doesn’t trust me. And maybe I deserve it. But there’s no chance I’m letting her get away—or letting another guy take what is mine. This time, I’m playing for keeps.

•••••••••

REVIEW: PLAYMAKER is the third instalment in L.P. Dover’s contemporary, adult BREAKAWAY erotic, romance, hockey series focusing on the men and women of the professional hockey team the Charlotte Strikers. This is left winger Maddox Ledger, and twenty seven year old physician Lacey Easton’s story line. PLAYMAKER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Lacey is Dallas Easton’s sister, and Maddox is Callie Davis’ cousin (Blocked #2).

Told from dual first person points of view (Lacey and Maddox) PLAYMAKER follows the acrimonious second chance relationship between physician/intern Lacey Easton, and the Charlotte Strikers resident left winger and bad boy Maddox Ledger. Two years earlier, while on vacation in Vegas during spring break, Lacey aka Paige and Maddox spent two wild weeks together that culminated in a Vegas wedding only to have our heroine disappear the next morning with no forwarding address or personal information. All Maddox knew was that his new wife’s name was Paige but had no idea her connection to the team or the man who despised his very existence. Hiring a detective Maddox goes in search of his wayward wife only to come face to face, not once but twice, wherein our heroine refuses to acknowledge his existence or their prior relationship. What ensues is the rekindling romance between Lacey and Maddox, and the potential fall-out as Lacey struggles to trust a man she considers nothing more than manwh*re, and the threat of other suitors who have no idea that Lacey and Maddox have tied the knot.

Lacey and Maddox’s marriage must be kept on the down-low as Lacey’s brother and fellow Charlotte Striker’s teammate Dallas Easton despises the very ground upon which our hero walks. Lacey has known all along the who and what of Maddox Ledger but our hero had no idea about the woman to whom he married or her connections to the Charlotte Strikers. Maddox’s reputation as a womanizer continues to dog our hero in the face of his changed ways and newfound love but keeping their marriage a secret is far more difficult than they could have imagined.

The relationship between Lacey and Maddox is one of mutual attraction, mutual disdain, and mutual love that requires our couple to remain hidden from view and the professional paparazzi. Lacey fears her brother’s wrath when her relationship with Maddox is exposed but Maddox is desperate to claim Lacey for the world to see. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including most of the Charlotte Strikers players: Kellan and Kristen (Hard Stick #1), Callie and Dallas (Blocked #2), Justin and his ‘reality TV ‘ fiancé Miranda: Miranda’s friend Laura; Lacey’s best friend and Strikers player Braeden Wallace; Callie’s friend Hannah Martin; and Lacey’s co-worker Sophia. I am hoping for Sophia and Braeden’s story next.

The world building focuses on the team’s battle for the Stanley Cup; the friendship, camaraderie, and conflicts between teammates and family, as well as the Lacey’s earlier need to pull Maddox along for the ride.

PLAYMAKER is a bit of a frustrating read in the face of our heroine’s attitude and two year disappearance. Her flight from Vegas and subsequent refusal to acknowledge their marriage forces Maddox to remain on the side lines while those around him fell in love. For a smart woman Lacey is oblivious to her best-friends advances and attempts for something more; and her treatment of Maddox Ledger is questionable on so many levels. The premise is entertaining; the characters are colorful and charismatic although the heroine is exasperating for most of the story; the romance is provocative but struggles in the face of Lacey’s inability to trust, and her need to control our story line hero –a similarity she has in common with the previous story line heroine. Saying that, if I am unable to get past the main characters’ negative qualities, I have a difficult time with my enjoyment of the overall premise.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Hard Stick
Blocked
Playmaker

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“And we’ll be right back,” Maddox announced, grabbing my wrist.
He pulled me away, and I went willingly with him. I glanced back at Braeden and he started toward us, but I shook my head, stopping him midstep. Maddox turned the corner, his eyes burning like fire.
“I thought I could get through this, but I can’t. I’m so fucking tired of the lies. I know who you are, Lacey.”
My heart stopped. I pretended to be stupid. “Of course, you know who I am. Stop being silly. We need to get back to the wedding.”
He stepped closer, caging me against the wall, with his lips so close to mine. “No,” he growled low. “I mean, I know who you are . . . Paige.” Keeping his eyes on mine, he glided a hand down my bare back and reached inside my dress, circling his fingers around my strawberry birthmark. My whole body broke out in chills. “Did you seriously think I wouldn’t recognize you?”
“Took you long enough,” I snapped.
“Oh, I knew who you were right after you left me in Vegas.” My mouth dropped. “Yeah, that’s right, sunshine. A well-paid private investigator can find out anything.”

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

She loves to write, but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.

Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, the Society X series, the Circle of Justice series, and her standalone novel Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.

L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency and Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management for dramatic rights.

Website/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Google+ / Amazon / Goodreads / Newsletter

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Start Me Up (Man of the Month #4) by J. Kenner-Review Tour

START ME UP (Man of the Month #4) by J. Kenner-Review Tour

START ME UP
Man of the Month #4
by J. Kenner
Release Date: February 27,2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iTunes /Google Play

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Au0GEp

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27, 2018

Wicked days. Sinful nights.
Meet Mr. April.

A high school drop-out with only his twisted sense of humor and panty-melting good looks going for him, Nolan Wood has turned a small radio gig into a thriving career.

Now a local celebrity, Nolan never wants for female companionship. But he never gets too close. And he damn sure never lets them see the man—or the pain—behind the jokes.

Then a one-night stand changes everything.

Career-focused, goal-oriented, and buttoned-down accountant Shelby Drake isn’t the kind of woman who’d usually catch Nolan’s attention, but her soft mouth, hidden curves, and deep sensuality blow his mind. And after only one taste, he wants more.

But Shelby wants nothing more to do with him. And now the radio playboy is on a sensual mission to convince her that opposites really do attract.

Her pleasure is his passion.

•••••

REVIEW: START ME UP is the fourth installment in J. Kenner’s contemporary, adult MAN OF THE MONTH erotic, romance novella series focusing on a fund raiser for the popular Austin, Texas bar known as The Fix. This is shock jock DJ Nolan Wood, and CPA Shelby Drake’s story line. START ME UP can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Fix on Sixth, a local Austin hangout and bar, is in desperate need of renovations and a quick influx of cash so a plan is put into motion, by a group of regulars, a plan that includes a Man of the Month calendar competition, and a reality show aimed at rehabbing the bar.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Nolan and Shelby) START ME UP follows the building relationship between Austin shock jock radio DJ Nolan Wood, and CPA Shelby Drake. Shelby has her life planned out from the perfect job to the perfect husband but meeting DJ Nolan Wood found our heroine thinking about the possibilities of stepping out of her comfort zone. A chance encounter with Nolan Wood, at the Fix on Sixth, ended with a one-night stand that Nolan wanted to turn into something more. Shelby’s plans for the future didn’t include a radio DJ with an over the top personality-a personality that could jeopardize her career path, and the relationship with the people back home. What ensues is the secret relationship between Shelby and Nolan, and the potential fall-out as Shelby refuses to acknowledge the man with whom she is falling in love.

START ME UP focuses less on the man of the month competition and more on the developing relationship between two people at opposite ends of the personality and business spectrums. Their highly sexual relationship becomes anonymous fodder for the shock jock’s early morning drive in program, fodder that Shelby refuses to acknowledge fearing a loss of respect from her family, friends and co-workers. The premise is fast paced and energetic; the characters are colorful and sassy; the romance is quick to build, erotic and fun but once again, I take objection to the use of a certain four-letter word that the author some how adds to most of her romance stories.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Down On Me
Hold On Tight
Need You Now
Start Me Up

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YouTube | Amazon Author Page

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Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4) by Susan Stoker-Review Tour

CLAIMING FELICITY (Ace Security #4) by Susan Stoker-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27,2018

Former mercenary Ryder Sinclair’s stunning discovery that he has three half brothers in Castle Rock, Colorado, is giving them all the chance to color in the spaces of their tragic pasts. For Ryder, establishing roots is made all the more desirable by Felicity Jones. But if Ryder’s instincts are correct, this breathtaking beauty is in trouble.

Castle Rock isn’t Felicity’s home. Like her false identity, it’s just a cover. All she wants is enough cash to keep moving to another temporary hideaway—to stay on the run from a secret that’s haunted her for years. As safe as Ryder’s strong embrace makes her feel, she fears that falling for him, and staying in Colorado, will put everyone she’s come to love in danger.

The more Ryder learns about Felicity, the more determined he is not to let her go. It’s time for her to stop running—even as a relentless danger closes in, threatening their love and their lives.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: CLAIMING FELICITY is the instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult ACE SECURITY romantic suspense series focusing on the Anderson triplets (Blake, Logan and Nathan) and the family owned Ace Security. This is former mercenary and half-brother Ryder Sinclair, and gym co-owner Felicity Jones’ story line. CLAIMING FELICITY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE:  Due to the content of the story line including murder, emotional and physical abuse against women, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several third person perspectives including Felicity and Ryder using past and present day CLAIMING FELICITY follows the quick building relationship between former mercenary, and the Anderson triplets’ half-brother Ryder Sinclair, and gym owner Felicity Jones.

Ryder never knew his father or the half-brothers now living in Castle Rock, Colorado. Finding a kindred spirit in the world of protection and security the Anderson triplets reluctantly welcomed their father’s spawn from another woman-a woman they knew nothing about. Growing up with an abusive mother who murdered their father Blake, Logan and Nathan Anderson will soon discover Ryder’s mother may have been the missing clue to their father’s demise.

Felicity Jones is on the run from the man that not only destroyed her life but took
the life of her mother, and someone she once considered a friend. With an increase in threats and anonymous letters our heroine prepares to pack up and leave the quiet town of Castle Rock, Colorado to ensure the safety of everyone she loves. Enter Ryder Sinclair, former mercenary and the man with whom Felicity will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance between Felicity and Ryder, and the potential fall out as Felicity comes face to face with her past-a man who has taken away more than anyone could have imagined, and has threatened to take away so much more.

The relationship between Ryder and Felicity is one of instant attraction. Ryder immediately claims Felicity as his own in a desperate attempt to prove he is worthy of his brothers’ approval. Not wanting to stray too far from the woman with whom he is falling in love Ryder becomes Felicity’s personal guardian and protector as their relationship begins a slow-burn towards a happily ever after but saying that, the instant claiming and profession of ‘ownership’ is a little reminiscent of the stalker from who she is trying to escape. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Logan and Grace (Claiming Grace #1), Blake and Alexis (Claiming Alexis), Bailey and Nathan 9Claiming Bailey #3) Bailey’s ten year old brother Joel; Felicity’s business partner, and self defense instructor Cole; her former roommate Colleen and Colleen’s boyfriend Joseph Waters; as well as a large number of mercenaries for hire known as the Mountain Mercenaries. Susan Stoker has plans for a spin-off series focusing on the Mountain Mercenaries.

CLAIMING FELICITY is a suspense filled story of obsession and revenge. The premise is energetic; the characters are strong, engaging and passionate; the romance is spirited and provocative. CLAIMING FELICITY introduces the characters in the author’s new spin-off series focusing on Ryder’s former brothers in arms- the Mountain Mercenaries-Grayson (Gray), Hunter (Meat), Archer (Arrow), Lowell (Black), Kannon (Ball) and Ronan (Ro).

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Claiming Grace
Claiming Alexis
Claiming Bailey
Claiming Felicity

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all-American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.

She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.

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Secret Lucidity by E.K. Blair-Review Tour

SECRET LUCIDITY by E.K. Blair-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / iBooks

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33539943-secret-lucidity

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 26, 2018

(A forbidden romance stand-alone.)

This wasn’t supposed to happen.
But it did.
This wasn’t supposed to be my life.
But it was.

I was just a typical girl, living a typical life. Nothing was out of the ordinary until tragedy threw me into a turnstile I couldn’t see my way out of. That was, until him.

I never could’ve imagined my heart falling the way it did. Hard, fast, and with unbounding beauty.

The only problem?
He was off limits.
Forbidden.

But he became my everything, and I became his, so we risked it all. It was only a matter of time until I realized that our risk came with unimaginable consequences.

My name is Camellia Hale and his is David Andrews, and this is our love story.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: SECRET LUCIDITY by E.K. Blair is a stand alone, YA/NA forbidden romance story line focusing on the taboo relationship between seventeen-year old Camellia ‘Cam’ Hale, and thirty-one year old high school English Lit. teacher/swimming coach David Andrews.

Told from first person point of view (Camellia) with a closing chapter by David SECRET LUCIDITY follows the taboo relationship between thirty-one year old high school English Lit teacher and swimming coach David Andrews, and seventeen-year old Camellia ‘Cam’ Hale. Rising swim star Cam Hale had everything until the day she lost it all to a drunk driver that destroyed her sense of well-being and took the life of her beloved father. Unable to handle the grief of loss, and the harrowing aftermath of whispered pity and self-loathing, Cam struggles to find her place in a world turned upside down leaving her to battle her demons alone. The one bright spot in her life, swimming, no longer harbors the appeal until new swim coach and English Lit teacher David Andrews becomes her beacon in the storm. What ensues is the forbidden romance between David and Cam, and the fall out when their relationship is discovered.

The relationship between David and Cam is slow to build as both struggle with their growing attraction to one another; the taboo of the student/teacher romance; and the potential fall-out if and when their affair is discovered. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The mandatory YA story line characters are present: the adult figure in our heroine’s life is a mess; a lost cause, self-absorbed and without the capacity to parent. The requisite mean girls are alive and well; the best friend is caught between hatred and support; the one-time boyfriend is a lost puppy who is unable to let go of the girl he loves.

The dictionary defines lucidity as ‘clearness of thought’: a presumed capacity to perceive the truth directly and instantaneously, and with that in mind, perception is real when rumors begin to circulate. Our couple are well aware of the likelihood that if caught their lives and futures could be destroyed. Staying away from one another is a continuous battle, a battle they will lose in the end. Love and the heart know no boundaries including the taboo of a student/teacher relationship that will eventually damage and dismantle all thoughts of a happily ever after. The heartbreaking premise will captivate your attention; the characters are shattered and lost; the romance struggles in the face of the forbidden and the law. SECRET LUCIDITY is an emotional and powerful look at two people caught in a firestorm of controversy, disapproval and the taboo.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

EK BlairE.K. Blair, takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster with her dynamic and intense writing style. Noted for her ability to create fleshed-out characters that will evoke a realm of reactions, you can be assured that her stories will linger with you far beyond the last word.

A former first grade teacher with an imagination that runs wild. Daydreaming and zoning out is how she was often found in high school. Blair tends to drift towards everything dark and moody. Give her a character and she will take pleasure in breaking them down, digging into their core to find what lies underneath.

Aside from writing, E.K. Blair finds pleasure in music, drinking her Starbucks in peace, and spending time with her friends. She’s a thinker, an artist, a wife, a mom, and everything in between.

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Maybe This Time by Nicole McLaughlin – a Review

Maybe This Time by Nicole McLaughlin – a Review

 

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Description:
Jen Mackenzie has been knocked down more than a few times, but she always gets up and makes sure she has the last word. It’s the reason she now considers herself equal parts self-sufficient and free-spirit. But since losing her job and trying to help her mother beat cancer, real life―and her occasional careless choices―have begun to catch up with her. Her one saving grace: The Stag, a boutique distillery that has become Kansas City’s go-to wedding venue. The only catch: One of the owners, TJ Laughlin, happens to be the one man who somehow manages to make Jen feel inadequate.

TJ has secretly had a thing for Jen since high school. Now, as her new boss, it’s a daily struggle between revealing his feelings and wringing her beautiful neck. Only one thing is for certain: he can’t stand idly by and watch the woman he cares for struggle. She may be convinced that accepting TJ’s help is a weakness. But all he sees in Jen is beauty and strength, inside and out. As things finally heat up between them, can TJ find a way to convince Jen that love is about give and take―and having it all, together?

 

Review:

Maybe This Time by Nicole McLaughlin is the 2nd book in her wonderful Whiskey and Weddings series.  I really enjoyed the first book, and after finishing this one, I loved it equally as well.  

Jen Mackenzie, our heroine, is a tough and independent young lady, who barely makes ends meet.  She works at the Stag (whiskey distillery) as a bartender, and also fills in to help with bookkeeping and phones. The distillery has plenty of room to rent out space  for weddings, etc.  Jen lost her fun job as a lead singer in a local theater that closed down.  At the Stag, the three young owners like Jen and want her to stay, even when the girl on maternity leave comes back.  

TJ Laughlin is one of the owners, and has always had a secret crush in her back in their school days. Jen comes from the wrong side, always poor, and even now she finically has it hard, since she is trying to take care of her mother, who is undergoing chemo for cancer treatments.  Mother and daughter give each other a hard time.  TJ comes from money, and he doesn’t care where Jen is from.  He tries to be nice, but her independence and hiding her own secret feelings for TJ makes her always reply sarcastically.  She doesn’t believe that TJ would even look at her, and her behavior with s him is defensive

They both had their own family issues.  TJ did not have a good relationship with his father, who was not a nice man.  Jen also did not get along with her mother, but now she tries to help, but her mother is hard and giving up on life.  Despite their personal issues, they both are hard workers, and respect each other. 

What follows is a slow built romance between two people who have known each other all their lives;  each with different backgrounds and both unable to see what was right in front of them.  I really enjoyed a TJ and Jen finally act on their feelings. TJ was such a sweet & great guy;  I loved him from the start. Jen was fun and sassy, but s bit stubborn being unable to believe that TJ would really be interested in her.  

Nicole McLaughlin did a beautiful job bringing  both of them together; so well done, as I loved every moment.  The secondary characters were also great, especially Dean & Charlotte (previous book heroes). Maybe This Time was a fun, sexy, entertaining romance that also had some serious issues with families.  Whiskey and Weddings is a enjoyable and fun series that you should be reading.  I suggest you start with the first book, Maybe I Do.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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