Wednesday, May 31, 2017

**Cover Reveal** Weight of Life by Whitney Barbetti


Mila

“Don’t let go.” Those were my first words to him, as I hung over the side of a London bridge. The words I would soon say again, in a moment that didn’t involve bridges, but something much more fragile: my heart.

He held onto me for three weeks, in a time when I needed to be held. Needed to connect to someone who understood how loss tunneled unrepentantly through the fabric of your soul.

Although he said he'd stay, we both knew he wouldn't. I had already survived one loss—I didn't know if I'd survive another. 

Ames

She spun into my life like a tornado of smiles and chatter and everything else I'd long avoided, with a persistence that I admired, albeit begrudgingly. She broke down each neat wall I’d constructed without even trying. Her presence alone caused me to remember what it felt like to smile, to look forward to what the day would bring.

But it was only supposed to last three weeks.

“Don’t let go,” she’d pleaded.

I’d promised her I wouldn’t—but I would. I didn't have a choice.
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Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Rescue Me by Sara Schoen


  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommend: yes!
  • Release date: May 15, 2017
  • Read time: couple of days
  • Genre: Contemporary Romance 
  • Series: Book 
  • Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
Blurb:

Mia Daniels is running away. 

She's leaving her family, her job, and her life behind, all to get away from her past. With no plan, she packed her suitcase and took off for a town where she thought she'd be safe. She should have known she wouldn't be safe anywhere...

Gage Greystone is running from his family name. 

His family has owned the town for generations, but he doesn't plan to take it over from his father. He has a dream to save others; from the treacherous hiking trails or from themselves. Maybe that's why he's so attracted to the newest resident of Escape, Mia. She seems to be silently begging to be rescued. From what, he doesn't know, but he'll do anything to rescue her.

But this rescue may be impossible for the decorated emergency serviceman...

****
I finished the book a few days ago and it left me hungover. I really couldn't formulate how I felt about it. But I truly loved it. The errors didn't come until the end. Maybe it was rushed to meet a deadline, but hopefully she caught them in time before her release!

If it weren't for the rushed ending, I am sure I would have given in a 5. It had all the elements that a good book should have. 

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
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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*