Wednesday 30 September 2015

Review - Unwrapped by Katie Lane


Title: Unwrapped
Series: Hunk for the Holidays #3
Author: Katie Lane
Release Date: September 29, 2015


Good things come in sexy packages...

Jacqueline Maguire has a problem tying the knot. After fleeing the altar (again), the runaway bride drives off with no particular destination in mind. Which is how Jac finds herself stranded in a snowstorm with a hot, hard-bodied stranger who treats her to the naughtiest night of her life... but come morning, he's long gone.

Contractor Patrick McPherson is deeply committed to his bachelor lifestyle. No strings, no rings. As the Christmas season approaches, however, Patrick still can't quite forget his curvalicious one-night stand. Then Jac shows up unexpectedly, and all holiday hell breaks loose. Because this year, Patrick is getting the biggest Christmas surprise of his life...






Vampire (or not), a mysterious hobo and mysterious accidents mix with family and love during the holidays…

Two things caught my attention at first, the eye-catching cover and the author. I’ve read, and loved, many of her cowboys and couldn’t wait to dive into this holiday story.

On the surface, Jac Maguire seems to be all about the money. Running away from wedding number two, which would have assured her future, she finds herself at the mercy of the weather and a handsome stranger. 

Patrick McPherson, enjoying his peace and quiet, is bowled over by his unexpected guest. Is she just another “fix up” arranged by his great aunt Wheezie? Despite suspicions on both sides—where did those fangs come from—they quickly come together in a definitely un-stranger-like way. Thus begins an unlikely non-courtship as the two, surrounded by family and friends, work to find out what their relationship really is all about.

I enjoyed this story, though for different reasons than I initially thought. I warmed up to Jac eventually. On the surface, she came across as superficial and materialistic. She made herself more at home in Paddy’s place than I felt comfortable with (when you read it, you will know what I mean). My opinion changed though after slowly finding out more about her need for money and why it was so important to her. 

Paddy was easier to like with his upfront style and easy-going nature. His burst of the romantic was a very nice touch, and the kilt didn’t hurt either! Aunt Wheezie was a hit for me as her need to see her family settled and her own vulnerability, and crankiness, was beyond endearing. Throw in a mysterious Santa-like hobo and I was hooked! 
~ Review by Diane

It's the holiday season! Add in a dash of crazy relatives, a meddling, matchmaking aunt, and a New Year's Eve deadline, plus the fact that Jacqueline "Jac" Mcguire is a runner, and you have the promise of a fun story. 

Jac's running out on her second wedding. Through a crazy set of circumstances, Jac ends up running into Patrick McPherson and ends up having the night of her life. 

Patrick is happy with his lot in life. He's living a bachelor life, loves his job with the family business and doesn't feel the need to have a permanent woman in his life when there are so many to choose from...until Jac crashes into his life. One night isn't enough—but after a night fueled with passion, Jac is gone when he comes back from a quick trip to the store.

Fast forward on month later, Jac is back and she's not alone... So what happens now? Will Jac and Patrick reignite the flame or are they destined to burn out with when the truth comes out?

Oh, how I wanted to love this book! The premise of their story hooked me in, but unfortunately it fell very flat for me. I adored Patrick and his family, especially his cray Aunt Wheezy. Patrick seemed genuine and real, but most importantly, he was likeable from the start.

Jac, though… Wow, I struggled to get into the story because I really didn't like her character—especially in scenes with Gerald. She came across as spoiled, phony and flighty. This book had so much potential, but it just didn't quite work for me. 
~ Review by Missy




Katie Lane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Deep in the Heart of Texas and Hunk for the Holiday series. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she isn't writing, enjoys reading, going to the gym, golfing, traveling, or just snuggling next to her high school sweetheart and cairn terrier Roo.



Review - A Bad Boy for Christmas by Jessica Lemmon


Title: A Bad Boy for Christmas
Series: Second Chance #3 
Author: Jessica Lemmon
Release Date: September 29, 2015


'Tis the Season to Be Naughty 

Connor McClain knows what he wants. And after four harrowing years in Afghanistan, that's a quiet life in the lakeside town of Evergreen Cove. But coming home has land mines of its own-the most dangerous of them being long-legged bombshell Faith Garrett. Now getting her into his arms this holiday is going to require more than mistletoe... 

With a cheating ex behind her, all Faith wants is a relaxing holiday free from man drama. And even though every moment with gorgeous Connor is a sweet temptation, Faith is determined not to give in. But Jack Frost has other plans, and soon Faith and Connor are snowbound in a winter wonderland with only the sparks flying between them to keep them warm. As one hot kiss leads to another, they'll have to decide if they're ready to give each other the best gift of all-love.






A sweet friends-to-lovers story…

This is a gentle and sweet friends-to-lovers story in keeping with the great writing style of this author. There is always a depth of emotion combined with humor and steam in her books and this is another great example of that. This time out it is Connor and Faith’s story.

“Afternoon, Cupcake.”
“Good afternoon to you, Beefcake.”

Connor McLain embodies so many of the qualities one would want in a friend and lover. Compassionate, loyal, selfless, he has a sense of humor and hunky sexiness that is one incredibly attractive package. Ex-military, he has been back from the Middle East for a number of years but has not been able to put all his demons and nightmares to rest. Working with nature has given him a sense of peace but there is still something missing. And enter Faith…

Faith is still recovering from a cheating ex as she rebuilds her sense of self and life. She is settling into her new home, her new everything, but her friends are going to help her through it. It’s great to see again the couples from the previous books in this series—Donovan and Sofie, and Charlie and Evan—as they again provide a haven of friendship and love to each other.

It’s late September and I admit it’s a bit strange reading this book that’s set around Thanksgiving and Christmas. But when else would there be an opportunity to be snowed in?! The road to romance for these two is a gentle build-up with a few bumps encountered along the way. Faith has been really shaken up by her ex’s betrayal and she dwells on that quite a bit (well, a lot, really). Connor doesn’t want to mix business with pleasure or jeopardize the solid friendships he has.

“Sleeping with the girl who was his buddy’s girl’s best friend was the jewel in the crown of Stupid.”… “So, Cupcake was a demilitarized zone.”

Overall, it was a great read full of interesting and likable characters and a story with an HEA that gave me the warm and fuzzies. Definitely a book I will pick up again when the snow sets in and Christmas lights are twinkling from the firelight. So many hints on stories that are coming up next—I can’t wait! 
~ Review by Diane

Seriously Evergreen Cove, why do you get all of the swoonworthy men? I love coming back to this town every story!

In A Bad Boy for Christmas, Connor gets his turn. He is a former soldier turned landscaper and has a major protective instinct. He does have a hard time opening up and letting people in though, from his time in the military as well as a past girlfriend. When he finds out that Faith has a potential burglar his protective instinct kicks into high gear and he goes to great lengths to keep her safe. 

Faith is just out a bad relationship when her ex-fiancĂ© cheated on her. 

“The last thing she needed, the very last thing she wanted, was a relationship. Been there, done that, cleaned the toilet with Michael’s T-shirt.” 

And though she is strongly attracted to Connor, she keeps it to friendly flirting. But she can admit that it is nice having a big, strong man around to protect her. 

When the two finally give in to their attraction it is sexy. 

“Giving it to you hard,” he announced. “You want it different, you’ll have to be on top.” 

It is also sweet. Connor is always putting Faith first, no matter what. It takes Faith a long time to open up and he gives her the space she needs. 

“He makes me feel things in parts other than my physical parts.”

This story was equal parts sweet and steamy. I absolutely adore Connor and his protective ways; the way he is with his family; and how great of a man he is. He might just be my favorite, at least for the time being! 

I loved visiting the entire crew and seeing how they are doing as well. We saw a lot of Sophie and Donovan this time, and a bit of Charlie and Evan. I hope Gloria and Asher get their book next. I can’t wait to read their story!

While this is my first Christmas story as I don’t usually do holiday reads, A Bad Boy for Christmas was so much more. There was a bit of heartfelt Christmas in the story, but I felt like it wasn’t just a Christmas read. 
~ Review by Tiffany




A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

Jessica is a social media junkie who loves to hear from readers.



Release Boost - Savage Town by Kathleen Kelly




Title: Savage Town
Series: Savage Angels MC #3
Author: Kathleen Kelly
Genre: MC, Contemporary/Erotic Romance
 Release Date: September 25, 2015


Blurb

Tourmaline is set to host the wedding of the century.

Everyone is in town to witness rocks' wild child, Kat Saunders, marry Savage Angels MC President, Dane Reynolds.

Love is in the air, and even the VP, Jonas, has been roped into helping with the impending nuptials.

For a time now, Jonas has kept quiet about his attraction to the beautiful Adelynn but now he's making it his mission to convince her he's a changed man.

With all hearts set on a happy ending, all are oblivious to the danger lurking on the outskirts of town.

The Savage Angels MC are fierce, loyal and will do anything to protect their own, but what if 'anything' is simply not enough?

Visit Tourmaline to experience the gut wrenching, unimaginable danger that threatens to destroy everyone's chance of a happily ever after.







Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK






Also Available


AMAZON US / UK



AMAZON US / UK






Author Bio


Kathleen Kelly was born in Penrith, NSW, Australia. When she was four her family moved to Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Although born in NSW she considers herself a QUEENSLANDER!!

She married her childhood sweetheart and they live in Brisbane with their two furry kids. A British Short Hair called Grace and a Burmese called Jack.

Kathleen enjoys writing contemporary, romance novels with a little bit of erotica. She draws her inspiration from family, friends and the people around her. She can often be found in cafes writing and observing the locals.

If you have any questions about her novels or would like to ask Kathleen a question she can be contacted via e-mail: kathleenkellyauthor@gmail.com or she can be found on Facebook.



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Series Blitz - He Wants Me by Julia Swift



Title: He Wants Me Books 1-8
Series: A Dark Billionaire Romance #1-8
Author: Julia Swift
Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: August - September 2015



Series Blurb

He was supposed to be a one-night fling. Landon Blake: hot tech billionaire, and the wildest sex of my life. Until I find him standing over my boss’s dead body - with a bloody knife in his hand.

They say he’s dangerous. He swears he’s not to blame. Somebody’s setting him up, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.


I don’t know who I can trust. I should stay away.

But he wants me.









Links to Buy

PART ONE
AMAZON US / UK

PART TWO
AMAZON US / UK

PART THREE
AMAZON US / UK

PART FOUR
AMAZON US / UK

PART FIVE
AMAZON US / UK

PART SIX
AMAZON US / UK

PART SEVEN
AMAZON US / UK

PART EIGHT
AMAZON US / UK



Excerpt

“Excuse me!” I wave a twenty-dollar bill in the air. I may be single and here with my drunk friend who is spewing ex-boyfriend-related vitriol, but at least I’ve got the money to do it. I work for one of the biggest biotech conglomerates in the world, although unfortunately, being the executive assistant of Harley Royce is basically being a glorified secretary to the world’s biggest douchebag. Let’s be honest—in the corporate world, “billionaire” equals “bastard.” The money’s great, but the work sucks. I’m surprised I’m not a bigger drinker after all.

“Hey!” I yell out again, but no dice. This is what I get for wearing work gear to the bar—what twenty-two-year-old do you know decides to rock a black blazer to happy hour? I feel like my mother. Or my grandmother. Or both.

“Let me see if I can help.”

I turn at the sound of the voice but, when our eyes meet, I’m rendered momentarily stunned. Like elephant-dart-to-the-brain stunned.

Hello, gorgeous.

The beefcake bartenders—sure, they’re hot in a conventional, Magic Mike sort of way. But this guy? He’s hot-hot. Universally hot. Ryan Gosling hot.

He’s wearing a dark suit—well-cut, grey wool, probably designer—and his dark-brown hair is neatly cropped, but he’s got a day or so of sexy scruff along his jawline. He looks like he just came in from a board meeting, but that he could have been rebuilding a carburetor yesterday. Put him in coveralls and he’d be your mechanic.

(Your sexy as hell mechanic who you’d want bending you over the hood of your car after he changed the oil…)

“Yo, Bradshaw!”

He calls out at one bartender who’s leaning halfway over the bar with his face an inch away from being buried in a blonde girl’s cleavage. Bradshaw’s head pops up, one eyebrow raised.

“Landon—dude. Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” He sidles down to our end of the bar. “What can I get you?”

Landon gestures to me. “Ladies first.”

I blink at him. The words won’t come. My mouth and lips feel parched and unable to ask for the one thing they want—a drink. Or Landon’s tongue in my mouth. Whichever comes first.

“Hmm.” He presses his index finger to his lips—his full, gorgeous, sensual lips. “You look like a martini drinker.”

Honestly, I’m not—martinis are more of my boss’s kind of cocktail—something with one hundred dollars’ worth of vodka and at least a dozen olives.

“Dirty?”

My eyes fly back up to his and his dark brow is cocked.

“Excuse me?” I manage to say. It’s more like a squeak.

“Dirty?” he repeats. “A dirty martini?”

Oh. Because that was totally what I was thinking when he said that word. Sure.

“Um, yes. Please. Thank you.”




Author Bio


Julia Swift is a New York native who loves sizzling, suspenseful stories and dangerously sexy men. She's turned her love for reading into a new career as an author and insomniac. You can find her writing in her local Starbucks with an iced coffee and an ear for gossip!



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Release Blitz - The Art of Stealing Hearts by Stella London




Title: The Art of Stealing Hearts
Series: Love and Art #1
Author: Stella London
Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: September 30, 2015



Blurb

“The bid is at five million dollars. Going once…”

This morning, I was waiting tables and dreaming of an internship at San Francisco’s most famous auction house. Now I have my paddle in the air, bidding more money than I can imagine for a priceless painting – and all because of him.

“Going twice…”

Charles St. Clair is a famous British billionaire, and the most seductive man I’ve ever met. I can’t get him out of my head, and he’s not letting me get away. He’s offered the chance of a lifetime, all I need to do is say ‘yes’.

“Sold, to the lady in the front row!”
 

Things like this don’t happen to girls like me – or do they? All I know is, I’m going to enjoy the ride.






Purchase Links

99c

AMAZON US / UK






Coming Soon









Author Bio

Stella London is a romance lover turned newbie author. After a childhood spent traveling in Europe, she now calls New York City her home - but still keeps a flame burning for those sexy foreign accents. She loves strong coffee, new shoes, and handsome men in a well-cut suit.



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