Shine Not Burn: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

IT HAPPENED IN VEGAS.

I can't be held responsible. Things that happen there are supposed to stay there, right? Right? Yeeeah. Not so much.

Andie's just days away from tying the knot, but there's just ooooone little glitch. Apparently, she's already married. Or someone with her name is married to a guy out in Oregon of all places, and the courthouse won't issue her a marriage license until it's all cleared up. Tripping her way through cow pies and country songs to meet up with a man who gets around places on horseback is her very last idea of how to have a good time, but if she's going to get married, make partner at the firm, and have two point five kids before she's thirty-five, she needs to get to the bottom of this snafu and fix it quick ... before her fiance finds out and everything she's been working toward goes up in flames.

Title: Shine Not Burn
Author: Elle Casey | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: July 01 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 360 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Tour Organized by: Love Between the Sheets

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Nice, but I picture Mack bigger
Point of View: Alternating 1st person following Andie and 3rd person following Mack

My Rating: 4 Stars

Junior partner at work, husband, then partner at the firm and finally 2.5 kids.  This has been Andie's life plan since she was fifteen years old.  So far everything has fitted into place perfectly... that is until one night in Vegas.  You know the old saying, 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas'.  Everything of course, except for drunken weddings nights that you wake up from remembering nothing about...  That is until you are are applying for a marriage license because you are now engaged, only to find out you are already married.

Awkward.

“Just because a person is obsessed with the idea of something, doesn't make it right or even good for them.”

Andie.  Focused, determined and hilarious.  I understood her as a character.  She took a tough childhood and focused on what she thought it would take for her to have a happy and successful life.  What she didn't realize is that it was sucking all the life out of her.  She was existing but not really living.  What would it take for her to finally understand this?  A sexy cowboy of course...

“I doubted at this point that I'd be able to string a coherent sentence together.  His beauty combined with his slow-talking cowboy sexiness had completely robbed me of any intelligence.”

Mack.  Wow.  He is a hot as hell cowboy and as sweet as can be.  There is just something about a hard working, down to earth, no holds barred cowboy.  From the minute Andie and Mack meet, you can feel their chemistry.  Mack never holds his feelings back.  I love that about him.  And as sweet as he is all the other times, he is a complete alpha in the bedroom, and in the shower, and in an open field... Wow indeed.

“Sexy.  Handsome.  Smart.  Sexy.  Magnetizing.  Compelling.  Muscles.  Good family.  Confident.  Polite.  Sexy.”

I absolutely adored every single interaction between Andie and Mack.  When they first meet in Vegas, the sparks are flying.  Then again when she has to go to Oregon to track him down.  Slowly but surely Mack breaks down Andie's walls.  That life plan she had?  Yeah, that's a thing of the past when she is finally shown what kind of future she could really have.

Shine Not Burn was exactly what I needed right now. It was light-hearted, sexy and a heck of a lot of fun.  There is still plenty of angst as Andie and Mack grow closer to each other, but there was also never a moment that I didn't understand the feelings they were each having.  Meaning, I never felt like throwing my Kindle across the room, which is always a good sign.  I found myself smiling while reading, and at the end we are gifted with a beautiful epilogue.  It was the perfect ending.

“Sometimes, we just have to go where the wind takes us and see where we end up.”

MORE QUOTES FROM SHINE NOT BURN

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Vendetta by Autumn Karr and Sienna Lane: Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I am not a good man.

I have lied and cheated and stolen. I've decided between life or death, like it was my due. None of it matters, not anymore. These are not my sins.

I see her raise her hands, the dark metal she's clutching reflecting the moonlight. Her finger trembles as she cocks the gun pointed at me. Her eyes are cold, determined, but I know.

I know her.

My name is Devon Andre and I confess my sin. I am not a good man because this is the woman I love.

She pulls the trigger.

Add to your Goodreads TBR    Expected release December 2013

First things first, that is one awesome cover.  Honestly, wow.

Now, let us talk about that synopsis... it blew me away.  I got honest to goodness chills the first time I read it.  I can't remember the last time a blurb has so successfully pulled me in.

I must have this book as soon as possible.  Make sure and add Vendetta to your TBR folks, I don't think we will want to miss this one.  Is it December yet...

Find Sienna Lane on: Facebook | Goodreads

Find Autumn Karr on: Facebook | Goodreads

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Two Roads: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

The only person poetry-loving Cali Monroe hates more than herself is Logan Waters, the geeky kid who lives in the dorm building next to hers.

Ever since Cali's parents told her she would amount to nothing, she has felt entirely inadequate. Friendless and alone, she takes on the mean girl role in hopes it will make her feel better--and Logan serves as the perfect target. He infuriates her with his obnoxiously long lashes, his all too perfect dimpled smile, and his complete lack of personality outside of his intelligence. It doesn't hurt that he's part of the reason her brother is dead, either. So Cali hates him, and he returns the favor. Thus, their prank-filled, insult-driven rivalry is born, and torturing Logan quickly becomes the highlight of her life.

But when Cali's parents set them up on a blind date, she begins to realize Logan might not be as boring as she always thought. He shares her love of poetry, takes a sadistic pleasure in making fun of crepes, and he makes her blush when he calls her smile pretty.

And hey, maybe those long lashes of his aren't that obnoxious after all…

Title: Two Roads
Author: L.M. Augustine | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Author Spotlight
Publication Date:
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 208 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Tour Hosted By: Shh Moms Reading

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Absolutely perfect, and I am loving the colors.
Point of View: 1st person, following Cali

My Rating: 5 Stars

Two Roads is L.M. Augustine's second published novel, however this is his first attempt in the New Adult category.  This is everything that a New Adult book should be.  It is full of witty dialogue, angst, and plenty of swoonworthy moments.

“Our rivalry is beautiful because it makes us both forget about everything else.”

Cali.  She is a complex character.  At first I wasn't a huge fan, but I think that is part of the point.  Cali is battling depression that has been brought on by a death of a loved one.  That loved one was her brother Ben, who was also Logan Waters' best friend.  When Logan enters Cali's life again in college, she turns up the mean girl act.  She starts engaging in an all out war of pranks with Logan.  It soon becomes clear that the outward hostility that is shown to Logan is all an act.  Cali is suffering inside, but feels that by picking on Logan, it is the only way for her to escape her own reality.

That is until she is forced to spend some real time with him, and she finds that they are not all that different.  And most importantly, they both share a love of poetry.

“Everything else fades away, and it’s just him in front of me right now, him and me in our own little world.  And I love it.  And I hate it.”

Logan.  oooOOOooohhh how I have fallen in love with Logan Waters.  He is so sweet and caring.  Logan is suffering also, but it is not as evident as it is in Cali.  Which is why she finds herself disliking him so much.  He laughs, he has real friends, he walks around in his geeky t-shirts... Cali despises that outwardly it would appear that Logan is perfectly normal, and that he doesn't miss Ben at all.

“There are not two roads when it comes to you; there is only the road that leads to your love.”

As the story unfolds, more secrets are discovered that help you to understand the deep hurt that both Cali and Logan have been carrying around.  Your heart will ache for them, but then as they slowly start to lower their walls, your heart will be bursting with love.  There are so many wonderful moments and quotes in Two Roads, but my favorite will always be Logan professing his love for Cali.  Talk about a swoonworthy moment.  You knew it was always going to happen, but it truly touched my heart.  *sigh*  He is such a romantic.

“And that's the thing about love; no matter how hard you search, no matter how hard you run, sometimes, just sometimes, true love is right in front of you all along.”

I strongly suggest that you read this book, you will fall in love with Logan and your heart will break for Cali as she tries to rebuild her life after the loss of her brother.  L.M. Augustine has proven he can write Young Adult with Click to Subscribe, and now New Adult with Two Roads.  I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.

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Stay With Me: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

With one look, I’m his . . .

With one touch, he’s mine . . .

With one kiss, it changes everything between us . . .

I’ve been famous since I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing—I’ve done it all. The tabloids cover my every move, but I don’t want that anymore. I want to be normal, whatever that is.

When I leave Hollywood for college in Vermont, I’m on my own for the first time in my life. This is my chance to figure out who I am and what I want in life.

But it’s a lot harder than I expected. I can’t escape my image. Classes are difficult, and I’m struggling. And then there’s Caleb Fox.

Sexy, intriguing Caleb Fox.

Caleb is the one man who doesn’t want to use me. He breaks down my walls. He challenges me. He wants me. And I just don’t know if I can give him the same—or if he’ll stick around when he finds out my shameful secret that the tabloids haven’t managed to uncover.

Dating him is risky enough, but loving him could break me.

Title: Stay With Me (With Me ~ Book 1)
Author: Elyssa Patrick | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: August 30 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 270 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: iTunes | Kobo | All Romance | Amazon US | Nook | Smashwords

Tour Organized by: Book Crush

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Love it, the colors are perfect.
Point of View: 1st person, following Hailey

My Rating: 4 Stars

I really enjoyed Stay With Me, was it perfect? No, but it was a very enjoyable read, with some really loveable characters.

“With you, there’s always music.”

Hailey.  It took me no time at all to warm up to Hailey.  I understood completely how difficult it is for her to actually trust somebody else.  When you have grown up in the world she grew up in, where your 'friends' sold you out for a magazine or tabloid articles, then how could you not have difficulties with trust?

“I am drawn to him, and everything is pushing me toward him, not away”

Caleb.  He is of course perfect.  Yet another example of how perfect book boys can be.  He is caring, honest, and respectful of Hailey.  Even though they are instantly attracted to each other, I would say they built up their friendship first.  It wasn't all hot and heavy right off the bat, they built up to that kind of relationship.  But, wow... once they were both on the same page, that page set on fire.  There are some pretty hot sex scenes in this book.  Would I still classify it as New Adult?  Yeah, don't most people have sex in college?  Why shy away from it here?  They are both adults, nothing wrong with it.

“And you were all dark and mysterious in the shadows.”

I also adored the side characters.  Caleb has some pretty funny, hot and sexy room-mates and I am happy to report that they will be getting their own books.  Those are going to be some great books as the With Me series grows. 

Now for the little niggles.  Again, I want to say I really enjoyed Stay With Me.  I read it in one sitting, and found it to be quite the page turner.  But there were little parts that made me question a few things.  I am all for Hailey completely dropping out of the Hollywood life, I get that part.  What I don't understand is how there is not more publicity around her at the school?  It was explained that she just wasn't as famous because she wasn't putting herself out there, but I would still have expected at least a few paparazzi around her.  At least toward the beginning, when she first started school.  I can just imagine them all clambering for that photo of her walking to class, or seeing if she had any new boyfriends.

There is also the big secret that is mentioned in the blurb.  I actually got why Hailey felt this secret was so big that people would hate her.  It's not the secret that I'm really referring to here, but it is how many times Hailey mentions it.  Every time she started to let herself get closer to others, she would think about the secret.  It was thought about so many times that by the time it came out, I was just happy that it was done and dusted.

However, I must give praise to the way the secret was handled by Caleb.  We all know that with these types of books we are waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop somewhere between 70% and 85%.  Some big misunderstanding that drives our heroine and hero apart.  I was thrilled with the way Caleb handled everything.  It showed maturity, and in all honestly it showed how much he actually cares for Hailey.

“I'm so glad you came here, Hailey.  So very, very glad.  You are my every heartbeat, and I love you.”

So in closing, I would suggest this book to anybody that likes these types of stories.  It was interesting to get into the mind of a celebrity that is trying to distance herself from that life.  You see their faces in the magazines, and on the TV and you believe everything that is being said.  It is a bit of a wake-up call to stop and remember that they are people, just like you and me, and to not believe everything that is said or even shown.

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Running in Place: Cover Reveal, Excerpt & Giveaway

SYNOPSIS

Tatum O’Connell:
Some call me a party girl. People see me as happy, full of life, with absolutely no cares in the world. They see what I want them to see. But no one knows me - really knows me. Not even Noah Reese. Mr. Perfect is always watching me, most likely judging every single imperfect thing I do. But, if Noah wants to keep an eye on me, that’s just fine. I definitely don’t mind. I just hope he doesn’t have any plans to save me from my new-found life of self-destruction because in order to save me, he will have to see me… And I’m never going to let that happen.

Noah Reese:
Perfect. That’s me. That’s the only acceptable way to be, according to my father. Perfect grades. Perfect manners. Perfect athlete. Perfect SAT scores. Perfect college. And recently, I was accepted into the perfect med school. My future has already been mapped out for me and there’s nothing that can change that. Not even Tatum O’Connell. That girl is out of control, yet for some reason, I can’t seem to keep my distance from her. I watch her closely, hoping that one day she’ll let me in, but watching her lead her life down the dangerous path she’s on right now isn’t easy… I have a feeling I’m about to find myself swept away by the hurricane that is Tatum O’Connell.

SERIES

EXCERPT FROM RUNNING IN PLACE

     Still laughing and not paying attention, I round the corner, only to run straight into a completely different kind of trouble. A brown-headed, blue-eyed, whirlwind kind of trouble. A trouble that looks unbelievably hot in a tight-ass, short black dress. A trouble wearing the highest black heels I’ve ever seen, heels that make her legs look unbelievable and should be outlawed judging by the bulge forming inside my dark Diesels. Damn. She’s also a trouble that I’ve formed a decent friendship with over the last few weeks, so any mental images I have of her doing certain things to me wearing those heels have got to go.

     “Hey!” she says laughing as she flips her hair off her shoulders. My eyes immediately land on her pouty lips, the clear shine reflecting off of them as she smiles. “What are you doing here?”

     I clear my throat and tear my gaze from her mouth. “Getting my check, you?”

     She looks me up and down as she nods her head. “Me too,” she says clearing her own throat. “Where are you going, looking all spiffy?”

     I chuckle because only she would say spiffy. “I’m taking Piper to that new club, Parallel. Where are you going looking all spiffy?”

     She claps her hands together excitedly before taking my hand. “We’re going there too! Yay!”

     I’m still surprised every time she touches me. It’s such a drastic change from the first day at the duplexes. As I think about the last month or so - all the times that we laughed together at something ridiculous that she said, or the fact that she insists on bumping hips with me every single time a song comes on the radio that she likes while singing at the top of her lungs, even the times she lightly brushes her hand across my arm while she’s speaking – there’s a level of comfort and ease about our friendship. Reason five hundred why I need to curb my inappropriate thoughts about this one.

     I smile to myself as she tugs me harder. “Where are you taking me?”

     “To the employee bathroom!”

     Well, that did absolutely nothing to fend off dirty thoughts.

     “Why?”

     She giggles. Obviously, she’s already started drinking. Great. Well, at least we’ll be at the same place so I can make sure Dickhead the Douchebag takes care of her.

     “Because, I’m gonna fix your hair. It looks too…perfect. It needs to be messy – sexy, like you.” She stops dead in her tracks. “Um…I mean, as sexy as you look now.” She exhales, frustrated. “Sexily dressed, that’s what I mean.” She bites her bottom lip nervously as she mentally tries to hook her words and reel them back in. I just laugh because she looks so damn cute.

     “So, you think I’m sexy?”

     Saying nothing else, she rolls her eyes and pulls me in the direction of the bathroom. Once we arrive, she flips on the light and points at the toilet for me to take a seat. Turning on the faucet, she sets her purse on the counter and pulls out a travel size hairspray. After digging around for a little while longer, she turns towards me.

     “Well, I guess this will have to do.” She tilts her head to the left and then scrunches her mouth to the same side, deep in thought. Nodding to herself, she leans over and wets her fingers in the sink before stepping in between my legs.

     She breathes in deeply before placing her fingers in my hair. Slowly, she distributes the water throughout, often leaning back to the faucet to get more. Her cool hands work from the sides of my head toward the top, where her fingers interlace to form a spiky section down the center. Then she bends at the waist, placing her face so close to mine, her breaths hit my mouth. I know I can’t have her, but damn if I don’t want to take some piece of her with me. So greedily, I take in her air with every breath she releases. Her eyes still focused on my hair, I watch her mouth. Still breathing with her, I lick my lips, the movement distracting her so that she brings her blue eyes to mine. In silence, we stare, only the shared breaths between us are heard.

     Taking her hand out of my hair, she places it on the side of my face and gently strokes my cheek with her thumb as we hold each other’s eyes. Before long, I watch a soft saddened half-smile appear on her lips. “Much better,” she says with one last soothing run of her thumb before she backs away. Reaching for the hair spray, she tweaks the top of my hair, pulling random pieces in different directions before spraying them. I fight the urge to put my hands around her waist and pull her into me. To hold her. To have her.

     Instead, I sit with my hands on my knees, wanting what I can’t have.

     After a couple of more sprays, she steps back. “All done. You’re good to go. To the bar. With Piper,” she says, the pitch of her voice getting higher with each incomplete sentence spoken. There’s no mistaking the heartache radiating between the both of us. It’s so thick I could slice it with a knife.

MEET THE AUTHOR  
L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds a degree in Biomedical Science. She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

Find L.B. Simmons on:  Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website

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Raising Ryann: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

Twenty-year-old Reese Johnson can finally leave her troublesome past behind. She enters college with her best friend, Gia, and spends her time doing what she loves—working as a self-defense instructor at a local gym. Then Luke Ryann enters the picture. He’s the tall, dark, and tattooed MMA fighter her boss hires to privately train her. One minute, he captivates her with his piercing brown eyes and boyish dimples. The next, he infuriates her with his relentless banter and cocky bad boy behavior. He’s the last thing she wants or needs, and she never expects to fall in love with him.

Luke’s jaded past has him keeping a safe distance. Despite what he feels, some things are better left alone. He has a dangerous secret—one that has the potential to risk their lives. As he fights the attraction between them, can he resist the growing tension and protect the woman he’ll never be able to have?

Recommended for mature audiences due to situations of abuse, violence, strong language and sexual content.

Raising Ryann, the first book in the Bad Boy Reformed series, isn't just a story about first love. It's filled with action, suspense, mystery, and a touch of humor.

Title: Raising Ryann (Bad Boy Reformed ~ Book 1)
Author: Alyssa Rae Taylor | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: August 6 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 275 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Tour Organized by: Shh Moms Reading

Source: eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: HOT.  Love this cover.
Point of View: Alternating 1st person between both Reese and Luke, however there is a bit more Reese than Luke.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Can you ever have too many tattooed bad boys?  Nope.  Never.  Good answer.  Throw in a confident, strong, funny female lead and you have yourself the perfect combination.

Reese.  She is such a strong character.  I love when the female is written to be strong, confident and hard working.  She had a troubled past, with an event that if it had been successful would have been more than most could handle.  She took the fear from that event and turned it into something positive.  She now teaches young girls self defence.  I have so much respect for that.  She does play a few games when it comes to Luke, but they were completely understandable.  He was completely giving mixed signals for a while, and to be honest I think I would have handled the situation exactly the same.

Luke.  Wow.  Luke is the perfect combination of bad boy and sweet romantic.  Once he gives in to the feelings that he has for Reese it is all systems go.  But, I think my favorite characteristic for Luke is that he is 100% an alpha character, however he allows Reese to be her own person.  When there are events that require her to stand up for herself, he stays to the side and allows her to handle it.  He is of course there if the situation goes South, but he lets her fight her own battles.  I really like that.  He is strong, supportive, sweet and caring.  However, he isn't an open book, so there is a lot to learn about him and his past.  He slowly starts to give information, but as the story goes you see just how much more there is learn about him.  He holds on to a lot of secrets.

I really enjoyed these two together.  They are playful and fun.  The banter is witty and it kept me smiling throughout the story.  And their sexual chemistry?  Off the charts.  The pages practically sizzle.  Being that they are training together at the gym a lot of the time, there are plenty of chances for them to have their hands all over each other.

So yeah… H. O. T.  --  H. O. T.  --  H. O. T.

I also like that even when things get confused between them, it is not all that terrible.  I didn't find myself getting frustrated with either of them, I felt the emotions and feelings they were having were justified and logical given the circumstances.

There are two storylines that are ongoing, but I think they are more connected than we know.  Slowly, all of the pieces start to come together… then BAM.  That ending.  Can I just start begging for book two right now?  I knew this was going to be a series, and I thought I knew how it was going to be ending but there is a twist, beyond all twists at the end that will leave you questioning everything you read in the last quarter of the book.  My mind was racing with thoughts and possibilities.  Honestly...  I just need book two.

As of the time of this review there has not been an announced release date for Resisting Ryann, but I am sure Alyssa Rae Taylor is hard at work on it.  But please, don't use the twist as a reason to wait to read Raising Ryann.  Honestly, everybody is in a safe position at the end, it's just a nice twist thrown at you, at a time when you think you have it all figured out.

So yes, go forth and read Raising Ryann.  I think you will fall in love with Reese and Luke, just as I did.  This is a strong debut novel, that I managed to read in one sitting.  In fact I just couldn’t put my Kindle down… the pages wouldn't turn fast enough for me.

MEET THE AUTHOR

I'm a mother of three, wife of one and caregiver to two English Bulldogs. I spend most my time taking care of my children or watching Sam & Dean Winchester, fight off scary creatures on the WB.

I'm also a big reader, and tend to prefer books that tug at my emotions. I'm a sucker for any love story that includes bad boys, alpha males, fighters, rockers, and tattoos. I also enjoy an angsty read, and am not a fan of the instalove type romance.

The first time I picked up a pen and started writing, I couldn't stop, which leads to the publishing of my first novel Raising Ryann, coming out August 2013.

I live in Phoenix Arizona with my husband, our three daughters, two English Bulldogs, two Holland Lops bunnies, & a Beta fish.

Find Alyssa Rae Taylor on:  Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website

GIVEAWAY

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Camp Boyfriend: Blog Tour Stop, Excerpt & Giveaway

SYNOPSIS

The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Add the Camp Boyfriend series to your Goodreads TBR

EXCERPT

     “That’s it?”  The words were torn from the deepest part of me, my voice ragged.  No arguments to make me change my mind?
     Seth put his hand lightly on my wrist and drew in a ragged breath.  “What else can there be?  Except--” his voice grew husky, “this.”
     I only had a second to wonder what he meant before he closed his eyes and kissed me.
     My thoughts went haywire.  But the pressure of his lips against mine sent my worries packing.  He kissed differently than Matt.  Slower.  My lips parted under his, welcoming the contact that I’d been missing.
     Our First Kiss of Camp.  If he still cared about that tradition, he must still care about me.  I lifted my hands to his shoulders to pull him closer, but he eased back instead.
     “God. I shouldn’t have done that.  I’m sorry, Lauren.”  He got to his feet while I stared at him, dazed.
     The sound of his retreating steps on the dock pulled me out of my romantic fantasies.
     “Seth!”  I jumped up.
     He stopped short of the beach and turned.
     “What are you doing?”  It was a dumb question.  What I meant to ask was, why are you leaving before we settle anything?
     “I need time to… figure things out.”  He stuffed a hand in the pocket of his cargo shorts, eyes sliding away from mine.  “I can’t go back to the bonfire tonight and see you.  With him.  In fact, it might take me a little while before I can handle seeing you together in places that hold all my favorite memories of us.”
     The ache in my chest twisted.  God, I didn’t want to hurt him.  The night air felt colder all of the sudden.  I wanted him to come back.
     “I’m sorry.”  I felt so helpless.
     He backed up another step.  “Don’t worry about me, Lauren.”  The corners of his lips lifted slightly.  “I’ve just got to wrap my head around this.”  His eyes searched mine.  “Will you be okay?”
     His concern for me was a knife in my heart.  I didn’t deserve such a good guy.  Tears burned the backs of my eyes.
     I must have nodded though.  Because with a last, long look, he turned on his heel and sprinted away.
     I raced after him, but the forest swallowed him by the time I reached the beach.  My heart pounded harder than the June bugs against the dock light, a cheery campfire song reminding me how tough it would be to pretend everything was fine.  Were Seth and I over?
     I gazed skyward and spotted Jupiter, comforted by its appearance in a world changing at the speed of light.  How could I have hurt the one person who understood me best, who knew who I was underneath the new clothes and new look?  I watched the loons land gracefully in the water and resume their circular trek around the lake.  Their calls floated back to me, the lonely sound mirroring the void Seth’s absence left behind.
     My eyes closed.  What had I done?

MEET THE AUTHORS
 
J. K. Rock is the pseudonym for YA writing partners - and sisters-in-law - Joanne & Karen Rock. Although they started out sharing an annual shopping trip, they ended up discussing their favorite films and books, joining the same book club  and talking about writing... a lot. Their debut novel, Camp Boyfriend, is the first in a three-book series that was plotted during family pool parties. Their creative partnership is unique in that they enjoy passing a book back and forth, each adding a chapter and fine-tuning the chapter before. Years of friendship has yielded a shared voice and vision for their work that makes writing a pleasure.

Find J.K. Rock on:  Facebook | Goodreads | Website

GIVEAWAY
 

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Paris Love Match: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

Piers Chapman had seen Paris, In pictures, In movies, In books.

What he hadn't seen was the mobster. Or the dictator. Or the trained killers. Or the diamonds they were chasing.

But it was Paris, The city of light, The city of love. And a girl had already stolen his heart. What could possibly go wrong?

Getting a taxi in Paris can be hell. Piers Chapman expected a boring business trip to Paris. What he didn't expect was to fight over a cab with a beautiful girl. After a bad meeting, Sidney Roux just wanted to hail a cab, go home, and have a glass of wine. She didn't expect to fight over a cab with some pompous British tourist. Neither of them expected another man to jump in their cab. Or to be involved in a gun fight. Or a car chase through the streets of Paris. Or for the man to die. But they're thrust together when the mob demands they return what the dead man stole. Will Piers and Sidney work together? Will they find what he had stolen? Will they stay alive? And will they do the last thing they expected? Will they fall in love?

Title: Paris Love Match
Author: Nigel Blackwell | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: May 2 2013
Publisher: Bandit Publishing  
Tour Organized by: ATOMR Tours
Length: 250 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Cover Love: Pretty much how I pictured both Piers and Sidney
Point of View: 3rd person, following mostly Piers

My Rating: 4 Stars

If I gave half stars I would say this was a solid three and a half for me.  However, I do not do halves so I have rounded up to four, simply because it did make me laugh several times and I love Piers.

I thought Piers was lovely, and I really liked his character.  He was believable and so funny.  Sidney... well she annoyed me.  I know at the start her character was all about herself.  And I understand that, I do.  It's just that there were times when I felt like she was a little over the top.  They were running for their lives, and she wants to stop to go shopping for new clothes?  Is this really the right time Sidney?

However, even in saying that by the end I warmed to her.  I didn't really get how Piers fell for her at the start though, because she was pretty self absorbed.  But by the end I wanted them together so that is all that matters.

The side characters, Little and Large, were also hilarious.  I couldn't help thinking of them as two bumbling bandits, and a lot of the laughs came from these two.

Overall, I recommend Paris Love Match to those who enjoy a good caper.  The banter and dynamics between Piers and Sidney is funny and well written, they bicker more than an old married couple.  The ending is smart and very well laid out.

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Leo's Chance: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

The follow-up to Leo, the USA Today bestselling novel by Mia Sheridan.

Does everyone deserve a second chance? Even someone who lies and deceives to get it?

Do we all have a second chance coming? Even if we play a part in our own destruction?

How hard would you fight to have a second chance at love? A second chance at life? Another chance to tell your own story?

Every love story has two sides. Evie told hers. This time it's Leo's chance.

Title: Leo's Chance (Sign of Love ~ Book 2)
Author: Mia Sheridan | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Author Spotlight
Publication Date: June 25 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Tour Organized by: Confessions of a Book Heaux
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Source: eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Love, love, love! Perfect companion to Leo's cover.
Point of View: 1st person, following Leo

My Rating: 5 Stars

When I read Leo I was blown away by the writing, the characters, the story... I loved every single thing about it.  To say I have been eagerly awaiting Leo's Chance is a huge understatement.  Then, when I was asked to be a part of the Blog Tour, I was over the moon excited.  I just knew that Leo's Chance was going to be amazing, and it makes me so happy to say I was right.  Leo's Chance is brilliant.  We not only get our favorite scenes of Evie and Leo together from his point of view, but we learn so much more about Leo himself.

Once upon a time, she had saved me by loving me, by believing in me.  Will she be able to again?  Even after everything?  I hope to God the answer is yes.

But the full details of Leo's past is not all we learn about him.  Mia Sheridan wrote this book in a way to not only bring us those alternate perspective scenes, but she also managed to expand the original story.  There is so much that was going on in the background of Leo, that we just never got to see from Evie's point of view.
A lot of Leo was from inside Evie's head, there are a lot of times that she and Leo were not together.  You will be stunned to learn what was happening during all of those times, honestly it felt like a brand new book, there was just so much more to be told.

After years and years of pining for her so intensely, she was right in front of me, and yet she was still a thousand miles away. 

Everybody who knows me, knows that I cry at books.  I cry happy tears, I cry sad tears, and quite a few times I cry ugly tears.  I experienced all of those while reading Leo's Chance.  This shows just how powerful Mia's writing is, and just how powerful this story is.  We already know the story right?  Why would we be affected by it again?  Because it is written so beautifully.

 Reality is so overwhelming that I can barely keep up with everything I’m feeling.  It’s as if all my emotions for her are in living color now and coursing through my body at light speed.   I’m home.

We all know how damaged Leo is, we thought we understood where his hurt, anger, shame and guilt were coming from.  Well, we knew the over all cause... but you just can't appreciate him and his story until you have seen it through his eyes.  And it is not only the heartbreak that you feel for his past, but also the passion and love he has for Evie.  His emotions are raw and unbridled.  Honestly, I could go on and on... Everything just comes together so perfectly, and if you thought you loved Leo before, you will fall even more head over heels in love with him now.

I knew I would work hard every day of my life to give us more than what our parents had given us.  I was going to make her safe, make her happy.  I was going to make a home with her.

So, again... if I can stress anything it would that this is not just an alternate point of view retelling.  This is Leo's Story 100%.  Even the scenes you already know from Evie's point of view feel fresh and new as Leo tells the story.  And again, there are just so many new scenes that you never knew took place during the time frame of Leo.

There is also a new epilogue, written from Evie's perspective. This takes us into a nearer future than the epilogue that was at the end of Leo.  So for those that were wanting a continuation, you do get a further glimpse into their future.  I can not recommend Leo and Leo's Chance enough, I can easily say these are two of my favorite books.

She always had a way of soothing me, simply with her touch.  How did I doubt it would always be this way?  Then, now, a million lifetimes from this one.  My Evie, my heart, my savior.   My lion tamer.

MORE QUOTES FROM LEO'S CHANCE

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Animate Me: Blog Tour Stop, Excerpt & Giveaway

SYNOPSIS

She seemed far beyond his reach…could love draw them together? For years shy animator Nathan has carried a torch for Brooke, the beautiful and dynamic Director of Development at their animation studio, even creating B-Girl, a comic-book heroine in her likeness. When a new project throws the two of them together, lovestruck Nathan finally seizes his moment – only to find Arnauld, head of the animation studio, claiming exclusive rights to Brooke’s affections.

But Nathan, it turns out, is not giving up on his dreams so easily. With inspired determination, he sets out to be the super hero of wooing his girl. Threatened by his persistence, Arnauld plays dirty – only to spark an uprising at the studio that unleashes the sort of havoc only a building full of frustrated animators can create. While Nathan pulls out all the stops to win his B-girl, Brooke has to choose. Should she pursue the sparkling career that has taken her years to build…or follow her heart?

PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon US | Amazon UK

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EXCERPT

     She smiles and grabs the hem and starts to slowly pull it upward. Her torso is just as glorious as her back, creamy dreamy smooth. My fingers itch to glide over every plain and valley of her body. But when the shirt finally peels away from her chest, my heart stops. Mojo is clearly on crack because these are the most exquisitely beautiful, lusciously plump, bewitchingly bodacious breasts I've ever seen.
     "Oh, my." I state weakly. The sight of her without her shirt completely overwhelms me, and I'm rapidly losing my super powers. I'm now a mere mortal in the presence of perfection.
     "That's it? After all that build up?...Just an ‘Oh, my’?"
     Has she not noticed that my eyes are bugging out of my head and I'm swallowing every ten seconds to control my salivating?
     "Can we take this off?" I whisper, weakly pointing to her bra.
     She smiles. "You want to help?"
     I nod and as she reaches around to unhook the back, I gently slide the straps off her shoulders. She waits patiently for me, and my trembling fingers slide under that part in the middle that brings the two worlds together. I pull until the pale blue symphony of lace and straps falls away from her.
     I can sense that she’s fighting shyness, a temptation to fold into herself. But she stays strong and sits tall, with her shoulders pulled back.
     "Oh, Jesus," I moan. "Oh my God."  Evidently I've suddenly found religion.

MEET THE AUTHOR  
Ruth Clampett, daughter of legendary animation director, Bob Clampett, has spent a lifetime surrounded by art and animation. Graduating from Art Center College of Design with a BFA in photography, Ruth opened her own Design/Photography studio and also taught photography at UCLA. In 1993 she joined Warner Bros. almost fifty years after her father left the studio and worked her way up to VP of Design for the WB Studio Stores. Now operating her own studio as the fine art publisher for Warner Bros. she has had the opportunity to know and work with many of the greatest artists in the world of animation and comics.

After telling stories visually her entire life and a fan-girl at heart, Ruth was introduced to the on-line world of fan-fiction and started writing stories inspired by the colorful people and events in her life. Over two million hits, and thousands of reviews later, Ruth is publishing her first novel, Animate Me, a contemporary romance set in the animation world. She lives in Los Angeles and is heavily supervised by her teenage daughter, lovingly referred to as Snarky, who plans the summer around their yearly sojourn to Comic Con.

Find Ruth Clampett on: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website

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Visit ATOMR Tours to check out the other stops on the Animate Me Tour. There are many more excerpts, reviews and author interviews.