Friday 31 October 2014

Review - All Broke Down by Cora Carmack



Title: All Broke Down
Series: Rusk University #2
Author: Cora Carmack
Release Date: October 28, 2014

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can't only fight for what you believe in... sometimes you have to fight for what you love.

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.
 




READ THIS BOOK! Ok, now that I've got that out of the way, let me tell you why…


All Broke Down is the second book in the Rusk University Series. We get the story of Silas, the running back and Dylan, the rich girl.


Silas, Silas, Silas! We were first introduced to Silas in All Lined Up. He was a Levi’s best friend and a jerk! He was the bad boy we loved to hate.  

“As a general rule, I prefer to do my talking with my body whenever possible. Football. Fighting. Fucking.” 

He is the typical jock; playing football, partying and sleeping with girls are the only things on his agenda. In All Broke Down we finally get to see the real Silas and why he is the way he is. We get a glimpse into his past and learn that things are not always what they seem. And believe me, you will no longer love to hate him, but rather just love him!


Dylan is the good girl who always does what is expected of her. She is interested in politics and fighting for what she believes in.  

“I don’t think I can change the world, but I can change one person’s world at a time. And that’s something.” 

She is always looking for the next cause that she can help with or fix. She had a hard childhood and rather than facing her past she finds other things to fix.


Silas and Dylan together are just perfection!!! They have so much in common that neither of them realizes because all they can see are their major differences. But once they form their friendship, they learn a lot from each other. They learn how to be the person they want to be rather than who they should be. And their chemistry is through the roof!!! 

“I’m going to watch you, Dylan. Just like this. I’m going to watch you come apart around my fingers, and it might be the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”
 

I absolutely LOVE Cora’s books! I read them in one sitting because they are just too good to put down. Her characters are so believable! You want to part of their group. All Broke Down is by far one of my favorites of hers! It was sexy, sweet, emotional, and real!
~ Review by Tiffany

I must admit that this is a tough review for me to write. I wanted to love “All Broke Down,” I really did. I am a huge fan of Cora Cormack’s and I love her writing style. “All Lined Up” was an amazing read, and I was so looking forward to “All Broke Down”! But therein lies the problem – it just didn’t live up to the hype in my head. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the read, because I did, or that the writing was bad, because it is amazing, but more that it fell flat. I realize this is a completely personal thing – I am sure many readers already have fallen head over heels for Silas and Dylan – but there was something missing.


So first, let’s look at all the great parts of the book. The plot is unique and unlike other New Adult books currently on the shelves. The intrigue and writing pull you in from the first page, and then Silas and Dylan keep you hooked. Silas and Dylan were wonderful characters – multidimensional, honest and real. They aren’t just pretty faces, but there are so many layers of emotion and personality beneath the facade. Ms. Carmack is gifted with the ability of creating characters that live, breath, and feel oh so real. Neither Silas nor Dylan disappoint in this respect, and their relationship is intense! The chemistry is palpable, the flirting is hot, and they have a wonderful dynamic.


Yes, this is definitely the steamiest book written by Ms. Carmack, but something was still lacking for me. The first half of the book is excellent, but then it seemed to fall apart. The ending felt rushed, too quick and completely unresolved. The story was very true to life in the sense of timing and the natural progression of Silas and Dylan’s relationship, but I felt like the book ended too soon. The real-time feel of the storyline left major plot points open that would necessitate more time for both the characters and readers to fully flesh out and explore. A couple of issues were even left mostly unaddressed, which left me feeling unsatisfied.


Overall, while I enjoyed “All Broke Down” and love Ms. Carmack’s writing, I didn’t love the book like I thought I would. But I do still recommend this read, as I am sure many readers will adore it.

~ Review by Alicia






Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.
 



Thursday 30 October 2014

Chapter Reveal - Filthy Beautiful Lust by Kendall Ryan




Title: Filthy Beautiful Lust
Series: Filthy Beautiful Lies #3
Authors: Kendall Ryan
Release Date: November 10, 2014

goodreads



From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Kendall Ryan, comes the third book in the Filthy Beautiful Lies series.

Pace Drake loves sex. He knows where get it, what to say, what to do, and he makes no apologies for satisfying his needs. But when he meets single mom, Kylie Sloan, he's enthralled by her, and begins to question his standard operating procedure. After all, there's no chase, no mystery when banging a woman in a nightclub bathroom. Kylie's depth and determination make the sloppy, drunken hookups that fill his weekends seem empty and shallow. She's the opposite of the desperate, clingy women he's used to. She doesn’t want or need anyone to take care of her and that only makes him want to care for her more.

Kylie's trust in men has vanished. The last guy she was with played ding-dong-ditch-it with her uterus and left her with a baby to raise. Now her infant son is the only man she has time for, even if she misses sex and intimacy more than she'd ever admit. Opening her heart up to a younger man who's best known for no-strings-attached sex and his casual lifestyle is probably the worst idea she's ever had. But Pace wants to prove to her there are still a few good guys left, and watching the sweet way he interacts with her baby makes her want to try…but she can really trust that his days of hitting it and quitting it are in his past?

Filthy Beautiful Lust is the third book in the Filthy Beautiful Lies series, however it can be read as a standalone novel (no cliffhanger). To understand the full growth and development of the characters, it is recommended that you begin with book 1, Filthy Beautiful Lies.


  



ALSO AVAILABLE

http://amzn.to/13iOBBs



CHAPTER ONE

 

Pace


The blonde on my arm is driving me nuts. If it weren't for her giant fake tits, that I very much want to play with later, I would have ditched her at the door.
We're at a fancy gala for Colton's charity, the five thousand dollar a plate dinner is designed to bring in the last of the donations they need to ensure the school and hospital Colton plans to open are fully funded in the years to come. It's a great cause. But all I want to do is leave.
"Pace," my date says, tugging on my tuxedo clad elbow. "Which one is your brother again?"
The one that looks exactly fucking like me, I want to answer. Instead, I point straight ahead to where Colton is standing talking with a group of benefactors. "Right there in the center. That's Colton. And his fiancé Sophie is beside him."
We've been mistaken for twins numerous times. He's three years older, but we share many similar features – tall stature, dark hair, deep blue eyes. The main difference – where Colton is hard edges and serious expressions – I'm friendly, open and relaxed. Life is too damn short to take too seriously. But apparently, grasping our similarities is beyond the capabilities of her three brain cells.
"Are you going to introduce me?" she asks.
She wants to meet my family? No. But rather than provide her with an answer she doesn't want to hear, I choose that moment to take a swig of my bourbon and pretend I didn't hear her.
I'd invited Sheena here tonight after meeting her at my health club. I didn't want to come to Colton and Sophie's big event alone and thought it might be nice to have someone to talk to over dinner. Unfortunately the only thing Sheena wanted to discuss was her recent enhancements and how the plastic surgeon convinced her to go to a bigger cup size and how she thought he only wanted to sleep with her.
Well no shit he wanted to fuck you sweetheart. Line forms to the left, gentleman.
After enduring two hours with the date from hell, all I want to do is fuck her in my car, and then drop her off at home. Classy, I know. But you try spending ten thousand dollars on dinner for the world's most annoying date. I deserve a blow job at the very least.
Something tells me that on Monday I'll be looking for a new health club…
I've changed gyms six times this year. The cancellation fees are killing me. Maybe it's time to rethink my pick up strategy. Nah. There are lots of places in town with treadmills and free weights, and I have no problem switching clubs just to avoid running into my former hookups. 
"Let's get you another champagne," I say, steering her toward the bar.
Once Sheena is situated on a bar stool, I slip away, making an excuse to use the men's room. Instead I head straight for where Sophie and Kylie are talking across the room.
My brother's fiancé, Sophie Evans looks great tonight. Long silky dress, jewels at her throat and her hair is twisted up in some type of knot. She looks happy.
"Hey, sis," I greet her with a kiss to the back of her hand.
I won't treat her any differently after her sister's passing, because I know she wouldn’t want it, but I do try to be sweet to her. After everything she's been through, she didn't break, and I'm so thankful. Colton needs a strong woman and Sophie is the perfect complement to him. I don’t plan to settle down anytime soon, but one day I hope to find a girl as good as Sophie. I still didn’t understand where he met Sophie, or why she was just living with him one day, but he was a lucky guy. At least he knew that.
"Hi, Pace." Sophie grins up at me.
Next I turn to Kylie, who I've been trying to figure out for the past several months. She works for my brother, running the office operations for his charity, and I'm pretty sure she's the one responsible for the gala tonight. She's stunning – in a deep purple gown that flows beautifully over her curves, fiery auburn hair that falls in loose waves over her shoulders and brilliant green eyes that sparkle on mine. The way she watches me sends tingles shooting down my body, pulsing in my groin. My cock begins swelling. What the fuck? She's exquisite and classy and put together. The complete fucking opposite of my date.
"It's a great event. Congratulations," I lift her hand to my mouth and whisper against the back of it while watching her eyes. 
She flinches at the contact and tugs her hand back, but treats me to a warm smile. "Thank you, Pace." The tone of her warm voice wrapping around my name is fucking sinful. I want to hear her moan out my name when she climaxes, I want to see her green eyes darken with lust, and watch her completely come apart underneath me.
I know she's a single mom, and I should just steer clear. She's nothing like the women I typically date, but something about her hypnotizes me.
"Where's your date?" Sophie asks.
"I'm not sure," I lie. I can see her from the corner of my eye, she's still at the bar and seems to be chatting it up with the bartender. Good. Maybe I can offload her on him tonight. I wouldn’t mind going home with the elegant and sophisticated beauty I see before me.
"I was hoping to meet her," Sophie says.
Sophie doesn’t understand there's a reason I've never introduced her to any of the women I'm seeing. They're all temporary. And besides, I doubt they'd hit it off. Sophie interests go a little deeper than nail polish and handbags. My brother chose well.
"Isn't that the woman you were with?" Kylie asks, pointing across the room.
I follow her gaze to Sheena.
Fuck.
Sheena's currently bent backwards over the top of the bar so that her tits are practically hanging out and she's letting the bartender pour shots of tequila down her throat. 
Christ. This isn't a college frat party. It’s an exclusive black-tie affair for millionaires and politicians and the nation's leading entrepreneurs. We're here for an important cause, not to get wasted and dance on the damn bar. But something tells me my date doesn't get that.
I don’t often feel embarrassed, and shit, I love to cut loose and have fun as much as anyone, but this is not the time, nor the place. My face flushes slightly and I clench my jaw. 
I like a woman who knows how to handle herself – someone poised and put together when she needs to be and freaky as hell in between the sheets. My eyes find Kylie's and something tells me she'd be that kind of woman.
"Yeah, Sheena's fun," I say, clenching my fists in an attempt to hide my true feelings.
Kylie frowns. "I introduced myself to her earlier, and she said her name was Trina."
"Shit. Is it?" I rub a hand through my hair. The look in her eyes tells me this is a piece of information I should have known.
Sophie excuses herself a moment later, and I'm thankful for the private moment with Kylie.
"Can I get you something else to drink?" I offer, tossing her a flirty grin.
Her answering smile is coy, guarded. "Shouldn’t you be getting back to your date?"
A quick look over my shoulder at Sheena, or Trina, or whoever the hell she is, tells me I have no desire to spend any more time with her. In contrast to the beautiful woman standing before me, my date is all but forgotten. I might have thought she was sexy before, but now, I see her for what she really is – her dress is too short and her breasts are too large, even for my big hands. Kylie, in comparison, is perfectly proportioned–soft and curvy–just like a woman should be. I wouldn’t mind exploring the valleys of her body for hours on end. With my tongue. And my cock. The bastard throbs at the thought.
"She looks pretty well taken care of right now," I remark.
The bartender is all but ignoring the other customers in his eagerness to talk to her. He can have her for all I care. Good luck, buddy.
Kylie sets down her empty wine glass on the tray of a passing waiter. "I'm actually not much of a drinker. A glass of wine or two is generally my limit."
Good to know. I file that information away. Remembering her little one, I ask about him. "Where's Max tonight?"
She smiles lightly as though thinking about her baby brightens her mood. I like that, and I don't know why. "His nanny stayed late tonight. I'm sure he's in bed by now."
I still recall that day in the pool last summer when I'd taken the crying baby from her and entertained him all afternoon. I couldn't' even be sure why I'd done it. I suppose, looking back, she just looked like she could use a hand. I never liked seeing a woman struggle. Although a damsel in distress, she is not. I get the sense she's the type to never back down from a challenge and has enough strength and determination to succeed at just about anything she tried. A sexy quality, to be sure.
As we stand there, me sipping my bourbon, and her grinning politely at the crowd, the silence between us grows. I feel like we have nothing in common, and I'm at a loss, trying to think of something to say, anything that will keep this beauty in my presence. There are so many things I want to know about her, but none of them are appropriate to ask. How she tastes, what noises she makes when she comes. I also want to know how she ended up a single mother, and if Max's dad is still in the picture. I tried asking Colton about it once, but he remained incredibly vague. The asshat. He's pretty much the worst wingman ever.
"Have dinner with me this week," I say. It wasn't what I'd been planning to say, but once the words leave my mouth, they just feel right.
"Pace, that's sweet of you to ask, but I can't…" She pauses, like she wants to say more, but doesn't. Her body language is all wrong too. Where women are normally vying to get closer, placing their hand on my bicep, or even brushing their breasts against my arm, Kylie stands straight and tall, like she wants to avoid physical contact at all costs.
"Are you here with someone?" I ask. It's absolutely none of business, but I'd happily shell out ten grand just to find out if she's fucking someone.
"No," she confirms.
"No boyfriend?" I press further. I need to know what I'm up against.
"There's been no one since Max's father," she says, quietly.
My inner alpha male beats on his chest in triumph. "That's quite a dry spell."
"Indeed," she murmurs.
"It's just dinner, Kylie. It's not like I'm offering to step in and raise Max." I treat her to a playful, crooked smile, my dimple out in full force. I've heard it's quite irresistible and that's what I'm banking on.
"That's exactly why I can't. I'm sorry."
Fuck. Why am I such a fucking idiot?
"Oh," I stammer, at a loss for words for the first damn time in my life. Christ. Grow a pair, Pace.
"Besides, something tells me if you're interested in a woman like that," Kylie tips her chin toward the bar where Sheena is making a spectacle of herself, "that you can't possibly be interested in a woman like me."
Hold the fuck on. Now that's where she's wrong. "Why's that?" I ask, meeting her fiery green gaze. If she's about to criticize herself, I will not hold back in proving to her how very wrong she is.
"Pace," she admonishes. "Look at her. They look…inflatable."
When I realize she's not tearing herself down, but instead chastising my taste in women, I almost want to laugh. "A woman like that is good for only one thing and we both know it," I say.
She raises her eyebrows, waiting for me to explain.
"Fucking once," I continue.
"You're crass." Her eyes light up, and her mouth twitches in an attempt not to smile.
"I'm direct, and I think you like it."
She shrugs. "At least you're honest. That's more than I can say for most men."
"Go out with me. One time, Kylie. What do you have to lose?"
I can practically see the wheels turning in her head, and for one brief, beautiful moment I think I might have a chance. "Bye Pace." She turns and walks away, her long legs carrying her across the room while my heart throbs.
Fuck.
"Kylie, wait."
She turns and tosses me a sexy wink. "Go have fun with Malibu Barbie.
This is not over.
I play to win.




Kendall Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels, including Hard to Love, Unravel Me, Resisting Her and When I Break.

She's a sassy, yet polite Midwestern girl with a deep love of books, and a slight addiction to lipgloss. She lives in Minneapolis with her adorable husband and two baby sons, and enjoys hiking, being active, and reading.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras