Showing posts with label Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis


Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Second Chance Summer from NetGalley. As always all opinions here are my own.

Book Blurb
Cedar Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and pine-scented breezes. And it’s the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But she needs a job, and there’s an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown. What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist that devastating smile…
The Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home. Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago. If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . . .

Book Review
One of the things Jill Shalvis does incredibly well, is creating characters that are wonderful and unique in their own way, but all feel endearingly familiar...like old friends you've just reconnected with. And that's one of the true joys of reading her Lucky Harbour and Animal Magnetism series, they're filled with friends that you get to catch up with and delicious, sweet, erotic love stories that you feel like you're a part of. But this time, with Second Chance Summer, I felt out of place and the first time I read it I really struggled to get into it. In fact, for the first time ever, I found myself putting the book down repeatedly and watching Warehouse 13 re-runs instead. But then I shook it off, grabbed some cookies and dove in again...and I fell in love.

Second Chance Summer, at times, feels slow and bulky because it's a brand new series and we got to meet almost all of the main characters, a ton of incredible supporting characters, a whole lot of backstory and a whole heap of intrigue. It's a lot to cover in a standard-length novel while also investigating an achingly sweet, teasingly delicious romance. But once you realise that you're getting nifty little tidbits of an intriguing backstory laid out before you, you kind of just roll with it and realise that Second Chance Summer is just the day-to-day life of Lily and Aidan as they fall in love. And while it did feel a little bit disjointed, it also feels incredibly real and I absolutely loved meeting the characters of Cedar Ridge and by the end of the story, I was completely in love with Lily and Aidan.

Aidan is a badass. But he's a teasing, funny and kind of adorable badass. He's sweet and loving and so very protective. His relationship with his mum, brothers and sister were incredibly well written, the dynamic is so realistic and all kinds of hilarious. Also, I'm pretty sure I want to be his mum when I grow up. There's a lot of intrigue and heartbreak surrounding this family and the more you find out, the more you fall in love with them, and the more you'll admire Aidan and want to do very naughty things with the man.

Lily is a hard nut to crack. She's so tough but also so vulnerable. She's suffered such great losses and her pain reaches out and grabs you from the page. She returns to Cedar Ridge
after a betrayal and huge, public embarrassment and watching her struggle as she fell in love with her old town was deeply moving. I adored her determination and her strength but I loved her sass and snarkiness more. Lily is the kind of chick I want to hang out with. She's funny, full of sass, determined, and complicated.

The characters, as always, reach out and grab you. You'll want to spend time in Cedar Creek, you'll want to meet the neighbours, and watch all the craziness, you'll want to hear the gossip and the scandals and you'll want to see all the drama. The sex scenes are a delicious mix of teasingly sweet, deeply erotic and ridiculously hot. The plot is engaging, intriguing and I honestly can't wait to learn more.

Second Chance Summer is not without it's problems. But overall, it's an incredible book and once you take a trip to Cedar Creek, you're not going to want to leave. And I grantee, you're going to fall deeply in love (and lust) with Aidan and Lily.

Second Chance Summer is available now in all formats from wherever you buy books. There are plenty of ways you can keep up with Jill Shalvis and her upcoming works:

Thursday, 26 March 2015

Pre-Release Blitz: Deep by Kylie Scott

I have a very special treat for you today! One of the most anticipated books of 2015 releases on Tuesday and as part of the Pre-Release Book Blitz, we have some awesome teasers and excerpts for you! Enjoy your mini-preview of Deep!!

Book Blurb
Positive. With two little lines on a pregnancy test, everything in Lizzy Rollins' ordinary life is about to change forever. And all because of one big mistake in Vegas with Ben Nicholson, the irresistibly sexy bass player for Stage Dive. So what if Ben's the only man she's ever met who can make her feel completely safe, cherished, and out of control with desire at the same time? Lizzy knows the gorgeous rock star isn't looking for anything more permanent than a good time, no matter how much she wishes differently.

Ben knows Lizzy is off limits. Completely and utterly. She's his best friend's little sister now, and no matter how hot the chemistry is between them, no matter how sweet and sexy she is, he's not going to go there. But when Ben is forced to keep the one girl he's always had a weakness for out of trouble in Sin City, he quickly learns that what happens in Vegas, doesn't always stay there. Now he and Lizzie are connected in the deepest way possible...but will it lead to a connection of the heart?
Excerpt
His laughter, it didn’t really sound the smallest bit amused. “Christ. You’re done here.”
“Ah, no. I’m actually not. Now see, this is where we have a problem.” I folded my arms. Then unfolded them because like fuck I’d look defensive. He was the one in the wrong, not me. “You’re not prepared to take me, or my feelings, seriously. What you want is to hide away in Mr. Too Cool for Commitment land and just play with my affections when it suits you. Okay, I’ve accepted that. But none of that means it’s okay for you to come in here and act like you’re the boss of me. None of it.”
“That so?” he asked, leaning down so that we were almost nose to nose.
“That’s so, baby.” I play-punched him in the shoulder, which it should be noted, I barely came up to. Okay, so maybe the alcohol on a mostly empty stomach had made me slightly/lots braver/sillier. “So why don’t you take your little caveman jealous tantrum bullshit somewhere else. See, I do this funny thing I like to refer to as whatever the fuck I want. Understand?”
He just stared.
“And as pretty as you are with your beard and your muscles, you are too damn tricky and . . . complicated and shit for me.”
“I am?”
“Yes, you are. Are you finally seeing my point here?”
“You bet.”
“Excellent. So take your hotness elsewhere, kind sir. I want no part of it!” Huh. I had so told him. Drunken bravado was the best.
 
Deep releases Tuesday 31st of March and is available for pre-order in both ebook and print format.

About the Author:

Kylie is a long time fan of erotic love stories and B-grade horror films. She demands a happy ending and if blood and carnage occur along the way then all the better. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and one delightful husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.

Kylie is represented by Amy Tannenbaum at the Jane Rotrosen Agency, New York.

Stalk Kylie Scott: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Thursday, 1 January 2015

Most Anticipated Books Of 2015


Anticipation can be a frustrating thing but it can also be wondrous thing. If you’re an avid reader, like myself, you probably know the agony that is waiting for the next book in a series to come out or waiting for your favourite author to release a new book. So as we collectively cling to the sneak peeks and teasers that our lovely, sadistic authors share with us leading up to the release of their newest masterpiece, I thought I’d share the upcoming books I’m most excited about for 2015.
Now, I’ve been a lifelong nerd so I know the pain of being picked last for things (usually sports, because I’d really rather read than do the whole…hitting a ball with a blunt instrument thing), so this list is not in order of preference. It’s simply a list of fabulous authors with intriguing upcoming releases that I can’t wait to get my greedy little book-reading hands on. I hope you’ll find some books that interest you, and please feel free to comment with any books you can’t wait to read in 2015 as well! I’m always looking for new reading material and I’m always happy to give a shout out to excellent authors!
1. Cherry on Top by Karla Doyle
Blurb: Lindsay could write the book on falling in love—with the wrong guy. From bad boys to a married man, she’s made one bad choice after another, gravitating toward men destined to hurt her. Except at her brother’s wedding. This time, she’s drawn to a good guy—the pastor. Ben is handsome, single, and definitely interested. But with her past mistakes, maybe Ben is too good…
After two tours in the Middle East, Ben returned home needing peace and purpose. He found it as pastor of a laid-back, small-town church. There’s just one thing missing from his life—love. In a community of a couple thousand, his options are limited. Until Lindsay comes to town for a wedding. Sparks fly between them, but she’s skittish. If Ben wants her to stay, he’ll have to convince her that he’s more than a man of God—he’s the right man for her.
Why I’m Excited: I’m a huge fan of Karla Doyle. I’ve read all of her books and they never fail to amaze me. Cherry On Top is the third book in her Close to Home series and the first two were fabulous! It features Lindsay, the sister of Conn and Curtis (the heroes of the first two books) and Ben and ex-soldier and current pastor. Both characters had small parts in Icing on the Cake and I’m really excited to see what Karla does with the teasing and charming Ben and the snarky, but loyal Lindsay.And check out that brand new cover, isn't it gorgeous?!
Important Dates: Cherry On Top cover will be revealed 21st January so keep your eyes out for that! It will be released 5th of March but there’s a fantastic unedited excerpt on Karla Doyle’s website which you can find here.
2. Deep by Kylie Scott
Blurb:  One by one, the members of Stage Dive are falling in love. David, Mal, and Jimmy have all taken the plunge, and now it’s Ben’s turn—only he refuses to fall into that trap. The sexy bassist enjoys his no-strings-attached lifestyle. But when Ben is forced to keep the one girl he’s always had a weakness for out of trouble in Sin City, he quickly learns that what happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay there.
Why I’m Excited: There are many reasons to be excited for Deep. First, I’m a massive fan of Kylie’s work, she writes fantastic books with characters that are awesome but also real and flawed, her dialogue reaches out and grabs you and it’s so on point you can almost hear the characters saying each line. Second, Deep is the final in Kylie Scott’s absolutely phenomenal Stage Dive series and Play (the second book in the series) was my favourite read of 2014. Third, while it has been a long wait for Deep, Kylie has been incredibly generous with sneak peeks and teasers from the book and every single one of them suggests that Deep may be the best book in the series. And finally, Ben is described as a big, bass playing, beard owning, tattooed bad boy and Lizzie is smart, funny, sweet and sassy. What could be better than that?
Important Dates: Deep will release in March and is available for pre-order. Check out Kylie’s website for more details.
3. Still The One by Jill Shalvis
Blurb: Darcy Stone is game for anything—except sexy Navy vet and physical therapist AJ Colten, the guy who’d rejected her when she’d needed him most. Now the shoe is on the other foot and he needs her to play nice and help him secure grants for his patients. Unfortunately Darcy can’t refuse. She needs the money to fund her passion project: rescuing S&R dogs and placing them with emotionally wounded soldiers.

AJ admits it—Darcy is irresistible. But he’s already been battle-scarred by a strong-willed, vivacious, adventurous woman like Darcy, and he’s not making the same mistake twice—until he and Darcy are forced to fake a relationship. Growing closer than they’d ever imagined possible, Darcy and AJ have to ask themselves: how much between them is pretend? What’s the real thing? And where does it go from here?
Why I’m Excited: I’m ridiculous excited for this book! Darcy is the sister of Wyatt from Then Came You, she was actually one of my favourite characters in the story, and AJ is Wyatt’s best friend. Both characters really captured my attention in Then Came You. Wyatt because he came across as sexy, slightly bossy/slightly broody and gruff but also super protective and sweet, Darcy because I loved her bravery, her willingness to jump back into life after a terrible accident and her snark. They rub each other the wrong way and the friction practically caused steam to rise of the pages. I can’t wait to see what trouble they get up to and how Jill Shalvis develops Darcy’s character.
Important Dates: Still The One will release on the 7th of April and is available for pre-order in both print and eBook format. You can find details and an excerpt on Jill’s website here.
4. Master of Freedom by Cherise Sinclair
Blurb: Detective Atticus Ware gave up his beloved Idaho to start again in the mountains of California, close to his imprisoned brother. He has a rewarding job and friends, but the experienced Dominant wants more than the Do-Me submissives who flock around him. He needs a woman who will give her heart as well as her body.

Virginia, “Gin,” is damn good at her challenging career as a prison psychologist. However, one problem inmate is mired in misery and unable to overcome his guilt at causing a friend’s death. To clear her mind, she joins a friend’s kinky backpacking excursion, planning to hide in her tent during the evening BDSM pursuits. But Atticus lures her into the activities. She’s read about BDSM, but submission under the hands of a powerful Dom is beyond anything she’d imagined. She doesn’t trust men, doesn’t want a relationship, and yet…wants more from him.

Finally, Atticus has found the woman he wants in his life. In his bed. In his cuffs. But she’s not only his brother’s therapist, but also works in a prison. How can he tolerate his woman walking into danger every single blasted day?  Gin knows she has no future with Atticus Ware, but still, hope is rising in her heart.
Why I’m Excited: I usually wouldn’t include novellas in a most anticipated list because I’m not a huge fan of them (especially for BDSM stories which need some time to develop to feel authentic). However, with Show Me Baby, Cherise showed that she can rock the hell out of a novella so I’m very heavily anticipating this book! Master of Freedom is also a continuation of her Mountain Masters series, which is fantastic and it features Atticus Ware who had a short but very intriguing role in Edge of the Enforcer (which was amazing!). That’s a whole lot of goodness wrapped up in a little package.
Important Dates: Master of Freedom releases on the 14th of April and is available for Pre-Order. Check out Cherise's website for more details. 
5. Betting on Fate by Katee Robert
Blurb: This time, all bets are off... Penelope Carson loves to steal clients from Will Reaver. Yet something in her business nemesis's icy blue eyes makes Penelope...nervous. It certainly doesn't help that the man is the living embodiment of a Norse god. A controlled, powerful Norse god. Which she really should have remembered before she made a bet with him—because losing means becoming Will's personal submissive for a week.
There's nothing Will would like more than to have Penelope kneeling before him in complicit submission, her fiery dark eyes inviting him in. Challenging him. But their bet takes Will and Penelope deeper than either of them have ever been. Where control is an illusion, and boundaries are pushed aside. And where hearts become the stakes in a game that neither Dominant nor submissive can win...
Why I’m Exciting: I’ve read several of Katee Robert’s books and was never a fan until I read her latest release, Mistaken by Fate. It was a fantastic read; sexy, fast paced with excellent plot points and interesting character development. The dialogue was great and while it is BDSM themed, the kink is kept light enough that readers with a vanilla preference could still enjoy the book.  As such, I’m super excited to read her upcoming release, Betting On Fate which features Will, the brother of the hero in Mistaken by Fate, and the fantastically feisty Penelope who had a small role in the first book.
Important Dates: Betting on Fate releases on the 5th of January and will be available from all manner of online eBook retailers.Check out Katee's website for more details. 
6. Riskier Business and Risking It All by Tessa Bailey
Blurb and Important Dates: Since this one is a twofer, I’m going to cheat and just direct you to Tessa’s website for blurb and purchasing information. Riskier Business releases 5th of January and Risking It All releases 27th of January. Both are available for Pre-Order.
Why I’m Excited: Riskier Business features my two favourite Tessa Bailey characters. Troy is so freaking sexy and such a broody badboy and Ruby is feisty, sassy and all kinds of awesome. Risking It All features Ruby’s best friend, Bowen, who featured briefly in His Risk To Take. He’s sexy, sweet, loyal and a trying-to-reform-bad-boy. Those amazing characters combined with Tessa Bailey’s fast and sexy plots and dirty-talking dialogue insures that these two upcoming releases are going to be one hell of a ride.


Honourable Mentions
1. Dark Instincts by Suzanne Wright
Blurb: It happens whenever wolf shifter Roni Axton is near Marcus Fuller: a crackle of sexual awareness that’s intoxicating…and deeply annoying. Marcus is a pack enforcer who oozes power, but Roni is lethal in her own right—nothing like the flirty females who flock around him. Even still, his possessive gaze makes one thing clear. Marcus has singled her out for seduction, and he wants to make her sit up and beg.
No matter how aloof and unfazed Roni acts, Marcus can tell she wants him. When a brutal attack by a jackal pack forces them to work together, it’s the perfect opportunity for Marcus to chip away at her defenses—until he falls into his own trap, completely unprepared for the intensity of their connection. Roni is the only one who’s ever seen past his shifter charm and discovered the man hiding beneath it. And for Marcus, claiming Roni once will mean needing her forever.
Why I’m Excited: Dark Instincts is the fourth book in the Phoenix Pack series. I enjoyed the first three books, and I’ve always been intrigued by Marcus so I’m excited to see what trouble he can get into.
Important Dates:  Dark Instincts releases on the 7th of April and is available for pre-order. Check Suzanne’s website here for more details. 
2. Figure of Speech by Dana Marie Bell
Blurb: Chloe Williams has waited four long years for her mate to acknowledge her. Time and  again he has turned her away for being too young, even when she was hospitalized,  recovering from a beating that left lingering after effects. Now that he’s been turned into a Wolf, his mating instincts are kicking in big time. Chloe has to decide if it’s worth risking her heart yet again.

Ten years older than Chloe and dealing with issues she knows nothing about, veterinarian James Woods is about ready to howl in frustration. He’s been drawn to Chloe since she was a radiant nineteen-year-old college student, but the age difference held him back from making a move on her. Now his Wolf wants what’s his, and Jim is finally in a place where he can claim her.

Between meddling mothers, Hunter brothers, and a mystery that threatens to end Chloe’s life, they might find an opportunity to tell each other just how they feel. Or find themselves separated by more than just misunderstood words.
Why I’m Excited: Figure of Speech is the fourth book in the highly entertaining Halle Shifters series and features Chloe, a relative of several of the heroes in the series. Chloe’s story has been a core part of the series, and her story has been heartbreaking, so I’m really looking forward to her getting her very own happy ever after.
Important Dates: Figure of Speech will release 3rd of March and is available for Pre-Order. Check Dana Marie Bell’s website for  and unedited excerpt and more details.
3. Kristen Ashley: Multiple Releases
Kristen has announced the upcoming release of several books in 2015 but so far has provided very few details so I don’t feel that I can include them in my most anticipated section.  Mickey, (from The Will of The Magdalene series) will have his story released in March, and Joker (seen briefly in Own the Wind – the Chaos series) will have his story, titled Ride Steady, released in June. There’s no blurb, title or cover that I could find for Mickey’s story, but the blurb for Ride Steady is below. Check out Kristen's website for more details.
Blurb for Ride Steady: Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy–until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling single mom stranded by flat tire, Carissa’s pondering her mistake when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower.
In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he’s the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa’s acting, it’s clear she’s falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker’s secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa–or ride away forever…


My Favourite Books of 2014

Note: This is the second time this has been posted, I accidentally deleted the first one. 

I am most easily recognised by my glasses which are almost always slipping down my nose; a nose, which is almost always stuck in a book. I began a love affair with books when my Nana handed me a sparkly package adorned with ribbons on my fifth birthday. It was a beautifully illustrated book about the fairy queen and her life in the forest. In the two decades since that moment, the books I read have changed but my love affair with the written word has never dimmed.

As the New Year approaches, I thought it’d be fun to recount my favourite book adventures of 2014. 2014 has been a phenomenal year for books (I purchased and read a total of 263 books in 2014, not including gifts and prizes and ARCs), so picking favourites was a tricky endeavour.
  
My Favourite Books of 2014

1. Play by Kylie Scott   
Blurb: Mal Ericson, drummer for the world famous rock band Stage Dive, needs to clean up his image fast—at least for a little while. Having a good girl on his arm should do the job just fine. Mal doesn’t plan on this temporary fix becoming permanent, but he didn’t count on finding the one right girl. 

Anne Rollins never thought she’d ever meet the rock god who plastered her teenage bedroom walls—especially not under these circumstances. Anne has money problems. Big ones. But being paid to play the pretend girlfriend to a wild life-of-the-party drummer couldn’t end well. No matter how hot he is. Or could it?

Why It Rocks: Play is laugh-out-loud hilarious, steamy, melty and delicious, engaging and heart wrenching and completely amazing. The dialogue is phenomenal, it’s nearly impossible to pick a favourite line because they’re all just too freaking awesome. The storyline is fun and engaging but also has some surprising, and intense, plot twists. The characters are well thought out, realistic and relatable. Mal is hilarious, endearing, and adorable and a massive pain in the ass and Anne is an everyday girl living her life, she’s a good friend, a great sister but she’s also sassy and snarky and kind of awesome. You get to see characters from the entire series, as well as hints for the next books, Lead and Deep. Play is a book full of feels, it’s a fast ride but you’ll love every second of it. 


2.  Icing On The Cake by Karla Doyle  
Blurb: Nia and Conn’s wedding will be fairytale perfect…if their siblings can get along.

Free-spirited, anti-establishment Sara has always been on the outside of her family’s fairytale mold. Now she’s being forced smack into the middle of it at her sister Nia’s wedding. Alongside the cocky and annoyingly sexy best man—Conn’s cop brother.

Curtis doesn’t buy in to organized romance and fairytales. But for his brother, he’ll throw on a tux and fake it for a few hours. His flak vest would have been a better choice around the maid of honor. He should have brought his handcuffs too, because somebody needs to restrain the dark-haired spitfire—and he’s just the man for the job.

One night to indulge the spark between them, then goodbye—that was the agreement. Curtis isn’t looking for a relationship and he sure doesn’t want a troublemaker for a girlfriend. The last thing Sara needs in her daily life is a cop looking over her shoulder, no matter how hot he is. But giving in to their chemistry is much more fun than giving it up…

Why It Rocks:  Icing On The Cake is just like its namesake, rich and intense but still sweet and light. It’s erotic without being over the top, it has dark themes but is well balanced by hilarious and sassy dialogue and it flows beautifully.  It’s addictive and you won’t want to put it down. You can read my full review here

3. It's In His Kiss by Jill Shalvis  
Blurb: Becca Thorpe has uprooted her life and escaped to the beach. Now’s her chance to get away from city living, throw caution to the ocean winds, and live in the moment. Especially if the moment includes the deliciously sexy surfer she meets shortly after arriving in Lucky Harbor. Something about the dark intensity of Sam’s eyes and the thrill she gets at his touch convinces her to stay awhile.

Boatbuilder and investment genius Sam Brody is a self-made man who knows how dangerous it can be to mix business and pleasure. But he can’t resist offering Becca a job just to hear her laugh and have her near. Yet when her brother comes to town asking for help, will he tempt her back to her glamorous life in the city? Or do Sam and little Lucky Harbor have a chance to win Becca’s heart?

Why It Rocks:  So far Jill Shalvis hasn’t released a book that I haven’t absolutely loved, but It’s In His Kiss blew me away.  It’s erotic, it’s sexy and delicious. It’s funny, engaging and sassy. It’s heart-warmingly sweet, emotional and lovely. But more than anything, it’s a tantalising tease. And it’s a tease that more than lives up to its promise. And Becca Thorpe is one of my all time favourite book heroines. You can read my full review here.  

4. Edge Of The Enforcer by Cherise Sinclair  
Blurb: Fleeing false murder charges, Lindsey lands in San Francisco. There she builds a satisfying life until, in the notorious Dark Haven BDSM club, she encounters deVries. Moth, meet flame.

A security specialist and occasional mercenary, deVries needs an adorable submissive like a knife to the gut. Hell, she’s not even a masochist. But here she is, all big brown eyes and sweet body and sassy mouth. Loyal. Tough-minded. Honest.

Or maybe not, considering her ID is forged. If she thinks to lie to him, she’ll learn better. He’s the Enforcer of Dark Haven—his discipline is absolute, his punishments harsh, and his heart untouched...until now.

Why It Rocks: Edge Of The Enforcer isn’t your average BDSM read. It’s got intrigue; it’s got scary murderous plots and damsels in hiding, it’s got sweet, loving romance and deeply erotic scenes. It’s an incredible, fast paced read. DeVries is a sadist but he’s sweet and protective and Lindsey might be a submissive but she has a backbone of steel and an incredible strength. The sex scenes and BDSM are incredibly realistic (I was so excited to see a realistic Violet Wand scene in a romance book!) but still ridiculously hot. Their story is endearing, sexy and delicious and  all kinds of fun. 


Honourable Mentions