Sunday, April 30, 2017

Dr. OB by Max Monroe


  • Rating: 5 out of 5
  • Recommend: YES!
  • Release Date: April 25, 2017
  • Triggers: none
  • Read Time: 2 days
  • Genre: Romantic Comedy
  • Series: YUP! It will continue, but with different characters as always
***Received ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Book Blurb: (Courtesy of Goodreads,)

It’s just a docuseries about your career as an OB/GYN, they said.
It won’t interrupt your life during or after filming, they said.
It is a great opportunity for the hospital and your practice, they said.

Well, they—the television executives who seem intent on ruining my career and personal life with a fair number of creative liberties—lied.
Now I’m stuck dealing with the consequences of believing them.

Instead of being known as Dr. Will Cummings, Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Luke’s Hospital, I’m now being called Dr. Obscene.

What devotion I’d hoped to earn in respect, I’ve instead received in patients flashing me seductive smiles and flirtatious winks during their exams.

How’s a guy supposed to convince the most perfect woman he’s ever met that he’s not as much of an idiot in real life as he appears to be on camera?

With all of the show’s side effects taking root like parasites, it’s going to take a lot to persuade Melody Marco to be anything more than my new nurse.
But I can’t get her out of my head.

I want her.

Good thing I’ve never been one to back away from a challenge…

Get ready, Melody.


****
Max Monroe has done it again folks! This undercover duo has taken Will Cummings, a minor character from The Billionaire Bad Boys Series, a sweet, sexy, thrilling story. Can we say HOT and SEXY. After reading this, everyone will want their very own Will Cummings! 

I can not wait to read the next stories they have up their sleeves. At times, when reading a story by two authors, you can tell that the writer has changed. Not with this one. Or any of their other books. And that makes my heart swoon. Read it. Love it. Share it! 

Dr. OBscene can be purchased HERE.

Paper Fools by Staci Hart


  • Rating: 5 out of 5
  • Recommend: YEEEESSSS
  • Release Date: April 17, 2017
  • Triggers: None
  • Read Time: 2 days
  • Genre: Multiple (Romance/Fantasy/Greek Mythology) 
  • Seems as though it will be apart of a series.

Blurb: (Courtesy of Goodreads)

Aphrodite knows love — just don’t ask her to figure out her own mess.

Rather than deal with her sticky love life, she toys with the hearts of unwitting humans. It’s a little game she plays, and the stakes are high. Lucky for her, she’s just found the perfect match.

Lex is everything Dean needs, but he can’t have her.

It doesn’t matter that her eyes speak to a long forgotten part of him, or that her art and poetry touch his shredded heart. She’s off limits — crossing that line would implode his band and everything he’s ever cared about. There’s only one option: stay away from her, no matter the cost. Even if the price is his heart.

Dean is everything Lex wants, but she can’t take the risk.

The second she meets him, she knows her heart is in danger. She’s convinced it’s only attraction that has her hung up on the dark, quiet lead singer, but with every day that passes, she knows it’s more. It’s just that she can’t put her heart on the line. She won’t — love has never been worth the sacrifice.

If only they knew they were just pawns in a much bigger game. And in the game of love, Aphrodite never loses.

*Formerly titled Deer in Headlights, Paper Fools has been rewritten and reedited for your enjoyment.*



****
It took me a long time to process and figure out what I wanted to say in this review. I was hungover. I wanted more. I hope there is more. What a beautifully written story. And I hate to do this, but that is all I really have to say about this one because I suck and it left me wordless. 

Paper Fools can be purchased on Amazon HERE.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

**New Release** Revelry by Kandi Steiner

Title: Revelry Author: Kandi Steiner Release Date: April 20, 2017 Add to TBR - bit.ly/RevelryGR Synopsis: From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey Wren Ballard is trying to find herself. She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t. Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her. Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost. He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them. Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home. Buy Link: Amazon US - amzn.to/2ozjLAm Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071Y1Q753 Amazon CA - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B071Y1Q753 Amazon AU - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B071Y1Q753 Excerpt: I had just grabbed my oversized hat and slipped my sunglasses on when I spotted Anderson walking up the drive with a large trash bag slung over his shoulder. He wore a simple, black V-neck and distressed jeans, an outfit way too dark and hot for the heat. A light sheen of sweat gathered on his neck as he made his way toward my cabin, his eyes hidden behind all-black sunglasses. "Change your mind?" I asked, not even fighting the grin on my face as I walked outside and leaned against the banister. Anderson squinted up at me, his boots heavy as they hit each stair. "About?" "Tubing?" I asked. That was why he was here, right? "Oh." He shook his head as he hit the top stair, shrugging the bag off his shoulders to hold it by the neck in one fist. "No, I have somewhere to be..." His voice trailed off, and even through the tinted shades of his glasses I felt his eyes on my chest. I'd strapped on my favorite boho print bathing suit and paired it with a dainty gold chain that wrapped around my neck once before dipping between my chest and crossing over my ribs. He sniffed, holding the bag out toward me. "I just came to drop these off. My clothes. Well, the ones that could probably use a little TLC." My eyes lit up and I reached for the bag, but Anderson snatched it back, brows shooting up into his forehead. "No frills, Wren." I threw my hands up in surrender. "I promise." He smirked, just slightly, and handed the bag over, tucking his hands in his front pockets. "Are you sure you don't want to come?" I asked, peering into the bag at my project before setting it just inside the cabin and locking the door behind me. "I can't," he said, lips pressed together. He was tense, the muscles on his forearms tight as he glanced around at pretty much everything but me. I opened my mouth to ask why but was cut off by the sound of a truck flying into my drive, tires sliding against the gravel. Tucker was in the driver's seat with Davie in the passenger. Sarah and Yvette sat in the back, laughing with their hands up as the truck skidded to a stop. They were both sprawled out on a pile of tubes, wearing bathing suit tops and tiny shorts. All of their faces froze when they saw Anderson. "Hey, you ready, Wren?" Tucker asked warily, his eyes moving from where Anderson stood in front of me, to me, and back again. "Yeah, one sec!" I called back. I turned to Anderson, but his eyes were hard on Tucker, jaw ticking under his skin. When he faced me once more, an anchor fell from my throat into the pit of my stomach, immobilizing me completely. Because even though I 'd tried to convince myself I was wrong, I recognized the look in his eyes. Possession. And when his nose flared and he took one big step toward me, our chests brushing, his hand reaching out to rest almost imperceptibly on my hip, the anchor in my stomach exploded into flames, burning a desire so fierce I inhaled a toxic breath and didn't let it go. "Be careful, okay?" His eyes locked on mine just before he leaned in and swiftly kissed my cheek. He turned on his heel and jogged down the stairs and past the truck. Sarah called his name, but he didn't acknowledge her, just kept his gaze forward until he'd disappeared from view. And then everyone looked at me. Author Info: Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal. An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs. When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order. Facebook - facebook.com/kandisteiner Website - www.kandisteiner.com HTML:
Title: Revelry
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: April 20, 2017
Add to TBR


From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey

Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.




I had just grabbed my oversized hat and slipped my sunglasses on when I spotted Anderson walking up the drive with a large trash bag slung over his shoulder. He wore a simple, black V-neck and distressed jeans, an outfit way too dark and hot for the heat. A light sheen of sweat gathered on his neck as he made his way toward my cabin, his eyes hidden behind all-black sunglasses.

"Change your mind?" I asked, not even fighting the grin on my face as I walked outside and leaned against the banister.

Anderson squinted up at me, his boots heavy as they hit each stair. "About?"

"Tubing?" I asked. That was why he was here, right?

"Oh." He shook his head as he hit the top stair, shrugging the bag off his shoulders to hold it by the neck in one fist. "No, I have somewhere to be..." His voice trailed off, and even through the tinted shades of his glasses I felt his eyes on my chest. I'd strapped on my favorite boho print bathing suit and paired it with a dainty gold chain that wrapped around my neck once before dipping between my chest and crossing over my ribs.

He sniffed, holding the bag out toward me. "I just came to drop these off. My clothes. Well, the ones that could probably use a little TLC."

My eyes lit up and I reached for the bag, but Anderson snatched it back, brows shooting up into his forehead.

"No frills, Wren."

I threw my hands up in surrender. "I promise."

He smirked, just slightly, and handed the bag over, tucking his hands in his front pockets.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" I asked, peering into the bag at my project before setting it just inside the cabin and locking the door behind me.

"I can't," he said, lips pressed together. He was tense, the muscles on his forearms tight as he glanced around at pretty much everything but me.

I opened my mouth to ask why but was cut off by the sound of a truck flying into my drive, tires sliding against the gravel.

Tucker was in the driver's seat with Davie in the passenger. Sarah and Yvette sat in the back, laughing with their hands up as the truck skidded to a stop. They were both sprawled out on a pile of tubes, wearing bathing suit tops and tiny shorts.

All of their faces froze when they saw Anderson.

"Hey, you ready, Wren?" Tucker asked warily, his eyes moving from where Anderson stood in front of me, to me, and back again.

"Yeah, one sec!" I called back.

I turned to Anderson, but his eyes were hard on Tucker, jaw ticking under his skin. When he faced me once more, an anchor fell from my throat into the pit of my stomach, immobilizing me completely. Because even though I 'd tried to convince myself I was wrong, I recognized the look in his eyes.

Possession.

And when his nose flared and he took one big step toward me, our chests brushing, his hand reaching out to rest almost imperceptibly on my hip, the anchor in my stomach exploded into flames, burning a desire so fierce I inhaled a toxic breath and didn't let it go.

"Be careful, okay?" His eyes locked on mine just before he leaned in and swiftly kissed my cheek.

He turned on his heel and jogged down the stairs and past the truck. Sarah called his name, but he didn't acknowledge her, just kept his gaze forward until he'd disappeared from view.

And then everyone looked at me.



Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.
 

***Currently Reading/Blog Tour*** Paper Fools by Staci Hart

SBPRBanner-Paperfools-BT

In the game of love, she never loses.

 

Paper Fools by Staci Hart is available now!!

cover-wrap-pf

Title: Paper Fools

Author: Staci Hart

Cover Designer: Quirkybird Designs

Photographer: Lauren Watson Perry

Aphrodite knows love — just don’t ask her to figure out her own mess.
Rather than deal with her sticky love life, she toys with the hearts of unwitting humans. It’s a little game she plays, and the stakes are high. Lucky for her, she’s just found the perfect match.
Lex is everything Dean needs, but he can’t have her.
It doesn’t matter that her eyes speak to a long forgotten part of him, or that her art and poetry touch his shredded heart. She’s off limits — crossing that line would implode his band and everything he’s ever cared about. There’s only one option: stay away from her, no matter the cost. Even if the price is his heart.
Dean is everything Lex wants, but she can’t take the risk.
The second she meets him, she knows her heart is in danger. She’s convinced it’s only attraction that has her hung up on the dark, quiet lead singer, but with every day that passes, she knows it’s more. It’s just that she can’t put her heart on the line. She won’t — love has never been worth the sacrifice.
If only they knew they were just pawns in a much bigger game. And in the game of love, Aphrodite never loses.
*Formerly titled Deer in Headlights, Paper Fools has been rewritten and reedited just for you.*

Excerpt:

She reached into her bag, digging around in the black hole for her book, but looked up, sensing someone in front of her. When her eyes locked on his, she froze. They were the greenest eyes she’d ever seen, shocking and bright, rimmed by thick, dark lashes. His long face was graced with an elegant nose and wide lips bent in a crooked smile. And he was tall, really tall, with ebony hair that fell forward as he looked down at her. He pushed it back without seeming to think about it, but it still looked perfectly tossed, like he’d just rolled out of bed. She realized she still hadn’t taken a breath and flushed as she fumbled and almost dropped her book. “Uh, hi. I’m Lex.” She tossed her hand in a wave, hoping she looked casual. He paused for a second, watching her with an expression she couldn’t quite place. The moment seemed to stretch on forever, and as she studied him, it dawned on her that he was amused. This unnerved her, even more so when it dawned upon her that it was exactly what he wanted. “Hey,” he said, the timbre of his voice deep and full. “I’m Dean.” Lex realized her mouth was open. And that he was smirking. And that he was dead sexy while he was doing it. She closed her mouth and cocked an eyebrow, putting on her snark to hide the fact that he’d gotten to her. “Dean, huh? I heard they call you Professor Panty Dropper.” His smile stretched wider. “Oh, is that what they say?” “They do.” A tall blond, who she guessed was Roe, stood at the microphone, glaring at them. “Mic check, Dean.” They stared at each other like idiots for a split second longer before Dean turned to pick up his guitar, and he took his place with the rest of the band. She watched him walk away and blinked a few times before turning to her bag again, not looking for anything in particular — she only wanted to keep her hands busy and her eyes off of Dean while she scraped her dignity off the floor. fb-now-live

Read Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/SggznE
teaser-break-you

About the Author

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics. IMG_8015

Connect with Staci:

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Queen Bee by Danielle Lewis


  • Rating: 3 out of 5
  • Recommend: Maybe (I mean that in the kindest way. It wasn't for me, but may be for you.)
  • Release date: April 7, 2017
  • Triggers: none
  • Read time: 2 days
  • Genre: Urban Fiction
  • Book recommendation from a friend of the writer.
Blurb: (Courtesy of Goodreads):

Ivy Parrish had always taken care of herself, never questioning anything and never asking anyone for help. At nineteen, she was kicked out of her home, onto the streets to fend for herself. She never expected to come across Derek Harris, one of the most dangerous and notorious gangbangers in Atlanta. When Ivy finds that Derek had a Robin Hood complex to his ever growing mystery, she becomes infatuated, and eventually, falls madly in love with him and becomes, as he affectionately liked to call her, his Queen.

Though as their love seems to blossom, sadly, Derek is no longer among the living and Ivy’s kingdom has seemed to shatter. Ivy now must find the strength she thought she lost when she is now, not only mourning the love of her life, but also taking care of their three-year-old son, Drew, whom she remains to claim as her world

It is through a surprising twist that she finds herself not just Derek Harris’s Queen of the streets, but as Ivy, herself, and it’s through the budding love of Julian Harris–Derek’s cousin and only other relative. He is determined to prove to her that he could love her and treat her how she should be treated, but will she yield to finding a new love or keep her loyalties to the one that she lost?

Through, grief, anger, love, confusion, and fear, Ivy Parrish not only demands to find herself again, but to love herself fiercely and unapologetically, and when Ivy demands it of herself, she expects the same attentiveness from others.

After all, She is the Queen.


****
I wasn't going to review this. I actually told the young lady that sent me a request for the book review that I was not sure if the writer wanted me to do it. Honestly, I gave up on Urban Fiction after not being able to stomach so many grammatical errors. Same was true with reading this book. The redeeming qualities were that the story-line was not terribly bad. But I just wish that more writers in the Urban Fiction community would take their time. Know the difference between "to" and "too". Know the proper structure of dialogue. And, my biggest pet pet peeve, know that the phrase is "I couldn't care less"!!! 

It saddens me that I have not much nice to say about this story. There was a point in the book where she may have went back to add more and the story just was not adding up. Or the flow was not right. Something was off about it. Her timeline wasn't adding up. There was names mixed up. I just want to ask if she reread this story or had beta readers who would be honest with her about her work? There were several points where she could have ended it and I would have been more than happy with the ending. I just hope, if she decides to publish more, that she takes her time with the story. Worry over the edits. Stress herself out over it. Read and reread lines. If they don't sound right, rewrite it.

Writing is no easy feat. I appalled Lewis for the effort. But I wish I listened to that side of me that screamed for me not to agree to review this. A small part of me hoped that it would make me want to read more Urban Fiction in the future.

Queen Bee can be purchased on Amazon  *Free for Kindle Unlimited Members*

Monday, April 17, 2017

***New Release*** Paper Fools by Staci Hart

SBPRBanner-Paperfools-RB.jpg

In the game of love, she never loses.


Paper Fools by Staci Hart is now LIVE!!

cover-wrap-pf

Title: Paper Fools

Author: Staci Hart

Cover Designer: Quirkybird Designs

Photographer: Lauren Watson Perry

Aphrodite knows love — just don’t ask her to figure out her own mess.
Rather than deal with her sticky love life, she toys with the hearts of unwitting humans. It’s a little game she plays, and the stakes are high. Lucky for her, she’s just found the perfect match.
Lex is everything Dean needs, but he can’t have her.
It doesn’t matter that her eyes speak to a long forgotten part of him, or that her art and poetry touch his shredded heart. She’s off limits — crossing that line would implode his band and everything he’s ever cared about. There’s only one option: stay away from her, no matter the cost. Even if the price is his heart.
Dean is everything Lex wants, but she can’t take the risk.
The second she meets him, she knows her heart is in danger. She’s convinced it’s only attraction that has her hung up on the dark, quiet lead singer, but with every day that passes, she knows it’s more. It’s just that she can’t put her heart on the line. She won’t — love has never been worth the sacrifice.
If only they knew they were just pawns in a much bigger game. And in the game of love, Aphrodite never loses.
*Formerly titled Deer in Headlights, Paper Fools has been rewritten and reedited just for you.*
fb-now-live

Read Today!

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/SggznE
teaser-obsession

About the Author

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics. IMG_8015

Connect with Staci:

***Cover Reveal* The Gravity of Us by Brittany Cherry

SBPRBanner

The Gravity of Us (Elements #4) by Brittainy C. Cherry

Release Date: April 13th, 2017 Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Designer: Quirkybird Designs

gravity-ebook

Book Four in The Elements Series

By Brittainy C. Cherry

Graham Russell and I weren’t made for one another.
I was driven by emotion; he was apathetic. I dreamed while he lived in nightmares. I cried when he had no tears to shed.
Despite his frozen heart and my readiness to run, we sometimes shared seconds. Seconds when our eyes locked and we saw each other’s secrets. Seconds when his lips tasted my fears, and I breathed in his pains. Seconds when we both imagined what it would be like to love one another.
Those seconds left us floating, but when reality knocked us sideways, gravity forced us to descend.
Graham Russell wasn’t a man who knew how to love, and I wasn’t a woman who knew how to either. Yet if I had the chance to fall again, I’d fall with him forever.
Even if we were destined to crash against solid ground.
Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/2UgSH7
SBPR-BCC-TGOU-Teaser5

Start the Series of Standalones Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

The Air He Breathes

The Fire Between High and Low

Amazon UK:

Who Needs Air by Cassie Graham


  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommend: yes
  • Standalone 
  • Release date: April 28, 2017
  • Triggers: none
  • Read time: 2 days

***Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***

Blurb (Courtesy of Goodreads. Add to your tbr HERE.)

They fell in love at thirteen.
He wrote a book about it at twenty.
She watched him walk away at twenty-three.
And he made the New York Times Best Sellers list at twenty-four.

Campbell ‘Cam’ Potter stood idly by as August Wyatt took over the world one word at a time. Chapter by chapter, people fell in love with the story he created – the events she lived. And now the book was being made into a movie, it was only a matter of time before August was back in their small hometown in Georgia.

The problem was, when August left five years ago, Cam made a promise to herself. The ending in his book would be the conclusion to their story. There was no sequel, no second chance, no possibility of ever seeing him again. He obliterated her heart and she was determined to never let it happen again.

That is, until Cam gets a late night text from the heartbreaker himself.
New chapters are written, fresh storylines are explored and Cam and August find a familiarity in one another.


Sometimes THE END doesn’t mean it’s over
.

****
I honestly would have given it a 5 out of 5 if it wasn't a little predictable. And Cassie Graham literally ended the book with "And they lived happily ever after." Maybe not literally, but those words were placed in there in some capacity. I cringed. I hate that. Someone else may love it. But not this book nerd. That is a little harsh, forgive me, but yeah. I also felt that it ended a little fast. Yes, it was a bit of a read, but I felt like the ending was a little rushed. 

Let me back up. I'm being critical. This was a lovely love story. It had passion and steamy sex scenes. I did enjoy reading it. I did have "just one more chapter" moments, but it was very predictable. But that is okay. The story was beautifully written and it did the job. And she added a nice nod to one of my favorite writers (Colleen Hoover) in the book. So, that was pretty neat.
Campbell and August are the epitome of boy meets girl, girl loses boy, girl gets cute boy back. It was definitely a page turner full of drama and steamy love. I say read it and formulate your own opinion.

Quotes that I highlighted: 
  • "Sometimes we have to suffer through misery to find what's real."
  • "Darkness can mewl out hushed cries of resentment or can shine a limelight on reality"
  • "Is that a Colleen Hoover book?"
  • "It's the Hoover Effect."
Who Needs Air is available to purchase on April 28th 
Send any book review request or suggestions to dotsdeets@gmail.com

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Revelry by Kandi Steiner

Rating: 5 out of 5
Recommendation: Heck yes!
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 20, 2017 (like my page on fb for updates on release and other goodies Dot's Dirty Deets)
Triggers: none
Read time: 2 days
**Received an ARC for an honest review**


Blurb (Courtesy of Goodreads. Add to your TBR list HERE.):


Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.



****
You know the drill by now. If you don't want spoilers, then do not read beyond this point. Because this one was a good one and I have a lot to say!


Well, Ms. Steiner, you have gone and done it again. I do not know why I torture myself and read your books. I really don't. This one will probably be on the top of my list of books that you have written. But I still have a few to play catch-up on, so the jury is still out. But...the feelings I felt when I read this one made me want to crawl inside myself and never come out. Why? No clue. I have suffered a loss. I have not suffered a big break-up like a divorce. I haven't run away to find myself (unless you count college, but nah). I guess the book was so real to me. All too often, when reading books, you think to yourself. "Come on, not in a million years would this happen." But this probably will touch so many hearts that it is so relatable. The word that poured out onto the pages, were brilliant. Beautifully written. Extremely heartbreaking. I have never rooted for two characters to stop worrying about outside forces and be together. Ugh.

Wren, Wren, Wren. I kept thinking in my head, "Who cares?!" So what you just got a divorce months ago. So what! So what! So what! She's just going to let this man who is giving her what she wants just walk out of her life? Anderson! I was having angry anxiety. I wanted him to just be like, "Shut up and be with me." That scene right before she left and the words Momma Von spoke to her ran through her head. She felt it. I felt it. The readers will feel this! OMG. Then Kandi Steiner pulls out the Morton's, grabs my shoulders and pours onto my open heart when Beau shows up at the end. Seriously? That entire story wasn't enough? You had to add that one last knife twist to make me hurt and feel more? Thanks. Thanks a whole effing lot.

If you all can't tell by this review, I loved this book. Revelry will have you all in your feelings. I almost gave it a 4.5 because she just made me feel way too much. It is definitely a can't put down book. I was up til 1am last night finishing it. Looking at my progress at the bottom of my app, thinking, "Just one more chapter...just 5 more minutes." Well, yeah...I'm tired. But this book...just read it. Yes. Please.

Release Blitz coming soon!


Friday, April 14, 2017

***Teaser*** Revelry by Kandi Steiner

Revelry, an all-new standalone from Kandi Steiner is coming April 20th!!

From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey

Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/nWojG3

**Currently reading. Review coming soon.**

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart


  • Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
  • Recommend: YES!
  • Standalone Book
  • Triggers: none that I could think of...
  • Release date: 2/9/2017
  • Read time: According to Goodreads, a whole month...lol 2 days. Sigh.
Blurb (Courtesy of Goodreads - add to your tbr HERE):

Sometimes your life is split by a single decision.
I’ve spent every day of the last seven years regretting mine: he left, and I didn’t follow. A thousand letters went unanswered, my words like petals in the wind, spinning away into nothing, taking me with them.

But now he’s back.

I barely recognize the man he’s become, but I can still see a glimmer of the boy who asked me to be his forever, the boy I walked away from when I was young and afraid.

Maybe if he’d come home under better circumstances, he could speak to me without anger in his voice. Maybe if I’d said yes all those years ago, he’d look at me without the weight of rejection in his eyes. Maybe if things were different, we would have had a chance.

One regretted decision sent him away. One painful journey brought him back to me. I only wish I could keep him.

*A contemporary romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion*


******
Two in one day? Yes! I have been on a reading spree playing catch up! And I should have sat down and written this, but needless to say, Staci Hart ripped out my heart, cut it up into little pieces then lit it on fire for good measure. With that being said, read this book and click exit from my blog now or I will ruin it for you.

My heart hurt from start to finish...well, maybe not finish, but the residual hurt poured out once I finished this book. Losing a father, mentor, friend, loved one is never an easy task. Now picture yourself watching yourself losing him over the course of a few days or weeks. Seeing his life slip away from him. And then add the one person that you wished you never walked away from to the mix. WOW! Talk about a love story. Honestly, I really can't sum it up better than that. Read it. You won't be sorry. 

Purchase on Amazon here > A Thousand Letters *Free for Kindle Unlimited Members*

Suddenly Us by Marie Skye



  • Rating: 4.5 out 5 stars
  • Recommend: YES! DOUBLE YES!
  • Standalone book, but we do see some of our favorite characters from previous books. 
  • Triggers: There is an attack in a dark alley that could possibly trigger someone.
  • Release date: 4/11/2017
  • Read time: 1 day
  • Received ARC in exchange for an honest review
Blurb (courtesy of Goodreads- add to your tbr here):

Gwen
Love. Who needs that? Who would want that? Who hasn't had their heart split in two, because they were never their first option, and damn sure their second. I have. But I stayed. Why did I stay? It was love. I wanted to finally feel that I was wanted. It didn't matter if he thought I was worthless. It didn't matter if he degraded me, because he felt like it. Any love is better than no love...right?

Hawkins
Every day, I'm haunted and tormented. When, I look in the mirror I see a failure. A failure that let people that needed me down. I worry that it will happen again. If it happens to the people I care about the most, I don't think I could live with myself. Can I put my torturous past behind me and start to enjoy life? Especially now that I have a reason to live it?
******
This is where I tell you that you need to walk away from this review if you do not want this book spoiled for you. But, before you close out of it, please do me a favor and buy this. I promise, it will entertain you, pull at your heart strings and have you cursing out the characters.

So, the plot of this story, right? Hmm..where do I start? Boy meets girl, girl and boy both chase each other away and then finally find their happy ending together. But there is so much more than that. I know, it is a typical plot and a little rushed for my liking (which is why I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars), but for what it is worth, the layers and complexity of the characters did it for me. And Marie Skye is climbing up to be a top 5 favorite author. Yes, that is pretty big, I know. And it kind of sounds weird that I gave this book a 4.5 and it is sealing her standing on my list, right? Well, I'm not to be understood. 

I just wanted a little more. What that is? I am not too sure. It took me a day to read it. So, that means I didn't want to put it down. (And NOT because my review was due!) I actually finished last night, but was too tired to type this out and needed a moment to process. Enough about me.

My new hashtag for this book is #canihaveaHawkinsplease 

Oh, layers...I love when authors write more about minor characters from other books (but only when I have read those books ha!). And I am getting the weird idea that we will see more of these folks. 

Purchase Suddenly Us on Amazon. *Free for Kindle Unlimited Members*


Saturday, April 8, 2017

***TEASER*** Revelry by Kandi Steiner




Revelry, an all-new standalone from Kandi Steiner is coming April 20th!!

From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey

Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/nWojG3

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Cole by Karla Sorensen



Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Recommend: YES!!
Standalone book, but is the 3rd book of Bachelors of the Ridge (You can read it by itself, but will understand the characters more if you read the first two books.
Triggers: infertility

Blurb (Courtesy of Goodreads):

Cole Mallinson has never been able to move on.

It’s been two thousand, three hundred and sixty-two days since he’s seen his ex-wife, Julia. He’s never stopped loving her, never stopped wishing she’d come back. Everyone thinks he’s lost his mind for never moving on, but they couldn’t understand. It was never a choice.

Seven years ago, Julia Mallinson left Denver, and even though it’s the last place she wants to be, she’s back. The years of infertility that she and Cole endured during their marriage wore her down past the point of breaking. And when she left, she didn’t look back, couldn’t look back, for the sake of her sanity, her heart.

Between an accidental run-in at the grocery store and a meddling pregnant sister, Julia is forced to face the man she walked away from. The man who still, after all these years, has never moved on. Though neither has she.

And in the end, she’s left wondering if the past is ever left in the past.



***Review and some things you may think are spoilers***
I received this book in form of ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. No, this doesn't sway my rating, but it helps! Kidding. I'm honest. And I can say, I loved it all. I decided to add a triggers section to my reviews because not everyone can deal with reading everything. 

Sorry this took so long, I don't like to feel like I missed out on anything, so I read the two previous books before reading this one. And what a funny and sweet series this is turning out to be.

So...Cole. Cole is a big, tall, ball of brooding man who has been caught up on his ex-wife for way too long. What the heck Cole, move on! I kept thinking this even while reading Garrett and Dylan, but I knew I would get backstory. But I still had the same thoughts. It truly was a beautifully written love story. I do think it was a bit rushed, but my rating won't be faulted in this. Cole's ex-wife, Julia...I just wanted to murder her. How could you leave someone who loved you so very much. Even with all your faults, how could you just pick up and leave without the decency to explain why? 

Sorensen's style of writing is witty, will leave you with a pile of emotions and make you think. I can't wait for what she has up her sleeves with the other Bachelors. 

Purchase Cole on Amazon Here. Free for Kindle Unlimited customers.

Monday, April 3, 2017

***Cover Reveal*** Revelry by Kandi Steiner

SBPRBanner-Revelry-CoverReveal.jpg

Revelry by Kandi Steiner Cover Reveal Date: April 3rd Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Designer: Kandi Steiner

Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography

Revelry Cover Reveal Banner-01

Revelry, an all-new standalone from Kandi Steiner is coming April 20th!!

Revelry Full Wrap_FINAL

From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey

Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.

            Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/nWojG3

 

About the Author:

Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer. Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies). When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order. KandiSteinerAuthorPic

Connect with the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KandiSteiner/

Twitter: @KandiSteiner

Stay up to date with Kandi by signing up for her newsletter here:  https://goo.gl/TLsut8

http://kandisteiner.com