Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Super Book Blast & Giveaway for Burn on the Western Slope by Angela Smith



Welcome to my stop on Angela Smith's Super Book Blast for Burn on the Western Slope.  Please leave a comment or question for Angela to let her know you stopped by.  Angela will be awarding one of three prizes: a car mirror hanger or key chain (a seashell as a tie-in to her book), an mp3 album by Pretty Little Blisters, a $10 Amazon gift card, to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour, please be sure to leave your email address with your comment.  You can follow Angela's Tour here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning. 

Burn on the Western Slope
by Angela Smith

Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: July 15, 2013

Genre: Romantic Suspense

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Book Description: 

On the ski slopes of Montana, deception turns deadly and seduction becomes more hypnotic than jewels.

Reagan McKinney is on a mission to discover more about a deceased uncle who mysteriously left her a sizable inheritance, a condo in the mountains, and a stash of stolen jewels.  With both her graphic design career and her love life in shambles, the opportunity to begin a new life couldn’t have come at a better time.  When she becomes involved with the sexy FBI agent next door, she finds her struggle is not only to keep her heart intact, but her life.
         

Grief stricken after an undercover investigation ends in the tragic death of his partner, FBI Agent Garret Chambers goes home to find solace in the arms of his mountain home.  That is, until his boss assigns him to investigate the spirited brunette staying in the condo next door.  He is assigned to investigate Reagan’s involvement with a large jewel fencing organization, but his investigation becomes comprised when his attraction to her heats up.  Will his discovery destroy everything he has come to love, including Reagan?

Buy Links


Excerpt :

“I’m not sure I’m ready for that,” Reagan said, running her tongue over her lips as she rested her glass on the counter. “Skiing, that is,” she quickly added. He would never know she’d been thinking of kissing him, but she had to force herself to look away from his mouth. Nudging Naomi, she stood. “It’s time for me to go. I need to settle in. I haven’t even unpacked yet.” And she had no intention of doing so now, but it was a good excuse to leave. She wiped her hands on her jeans before extending her hand to his, praying hers weren’t clammy. “It was great to meet you.”

Garret grasped her proffered hand and nested his other on top, engulfing her hand. She burned. Everywhere. “Meet me on the slopes tomorrow?”

Reagan bit her lip and glanced at the floor. “Tomorrow? I don’t know. I might need a little more time to get used to this place.”

“We’ll start with sledding. You can’t not like sledding.”

She didn’t know, seeing as how she’d never done it, but cozying up to him at a hundred miles an hour would probably be amazing.

“I’m safe,” Garret said as he dropped his hand.

“You’re what?” she asked, meeting his eyes. Maybe he was a good guy in most people’s standards, but he made her heart beat too fast to be anything but dangerous.

“I’m harmless. Several people in town will vouch for me.”

“But I don’t know them either.”


AUTHOR Bio and Links:



During my senior year in high school, I was dubbed most likely to write a novel because I always had my nose stuck in a book.   I would hide my romance novels under my history book until my teacher called me out on it.  Writing has been my dream ever since my mother read Brer Rabbit to my sister and me so often that we were able to recite it back to each other before actually learning to read.  I love reading about the adventure of love, and getting involved in the legal field developed my love of suspense. I believe love is a mystery that most people have trouble resolving.  While I don’t expect we’ll ever solve that mystery, I love to read and write about characters who work to solve their love’s mystery.  See more about me at my website www.loveisamystery.com or tweet me @angelaswriter



Don't forget to leave a comment or question for Angela to let her know you stopped by.  Angela will be awarding one of three prizes: a car mirror hanger or key chain (a seashell as a tie-in to her book), an mp3 album by Pretty Little Blisters, a $10 Amazon gift card, to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour, please be sure to leave your email address with your comment.  You can follow Angela's Tour here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning. 

Virtual Book Tour for Blind Allegiance by Violetta Rand



Welcome to my stop on Violetta Rand’s Virtual Book Tour for Blind Allegiance.  Please leave a comment or question for Violette to let her know you stopped by.  Violetta will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during her tour.  You can follow her tour stops here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning. 

Where I hope to be as a writer in five years…
by Violetta Rand

Great question, but I never really thought about it until now. With the June release of my debut novel, Blind Allegiance, I’ve been so caught up in the moment. I can, however, definitively say I have a goal of completing/releasing two books a year. One of the biggest challenges is keeping your name/work fresh on the minds of readers. With nearly 500,000 (approximate) new titles published a year, it would be easy to get lost in that quagmire. I’ve planned 6 to 7 installments for the Blind Series. I’m also working on a couple other projects. Of course there’s the dream of being a best seller … we all fantasize about that. Deep breath. In realistic terms, I’d prefer to make a living doing what I love. Writing.
If that means I need to simplify my life, be frugal, sell the second vehicle and stay home more to save money so I can afford to focus on writing, I’m up to the challenge. The most important thing is getting words on paper (onscreen). There are also a couple talented authors I’d love to collaborate on new projects with.

Approaching a historical romance with two unique perspectives excites me.

Another professional goal—mastering marketing. I’m savvy enough with Twitter and Facebook, blog tours and reviews, but I’d like to discover something unique and help new authors tap into that. This is a give and take profession. There’s no such thing as barricading yourself inside, completing your novel, and expecting it to sell. Friends and fellow authors nurtured and supported me through the process. Time to give some of that back.


Thanks for giving me something to think about.



Blind Allegiance
By Violetta Rand
The Blind Series, Book 1 

Publisher:  Soul Mate Publishing
Release Date: June 26, 2013

Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 219 Pages

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Book Description: 

She’ll always fight for what she believes in…

Betrayed by a brother she hardly trusted before the bloodthirsty Viking, Jarl Randvior Sigurdsson, attacks her home, Noelle Sinclair is conveniently bartered as a means to save her cowardly sibling’s skin. Forced to leave her homeland and accompany the petulant Viking to the untamed wilderness of central Norway, Noelle is ever-aware of the burgeoning dangers around her—including her weakening resolve to resist Randvior.

Should Noelle surrender to his resplendent charms and seduction, or fight with every ounce of strength she possesses to get home?

Buy Link: Amazon


Excerpt

She covered her face, blocking Randvior’s eyes from her own. She was only guessing—which never served anyone very well. She whirled, retreating full speed, heading directly for the cabin. She collided with a soldier. Noelle shoved him away in a huff, and tripped over her own feet as she stumbled through the door. She slammed it shut, barricading herself inside.

Confinement was the only escape at her disposal. But that only lasted a few minutes. Randvior tried to open the door. She braced her legs, hoped to keep the rest of the world locked out until they reached Norway. Randvior twisted the knob and pushed, but she stayed stubbornly locked in position. He banged on the planks and demanded she open the door. If she refused any longer, he’d probably just kick it down. She braced herself for what might happen when he came in and reluctantly stepped aside.
 
“What happened out there? Did you see a ghost?” he asked, entering the room.

“I would consider myself most fortunate if it was only an apparition taunting me.” She sat on the bed and wringed her hands nervously. “My conscience troubles me.” She raised her eyes to meet his.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. She couldn’t keep herself from sneaking admiring looks at his body. Only flesh and bone, she reminded herself, he’s only flesh and bone. His fine looks did little to relieve her; she was so helplessly riddled with guilt, she didn’t know what to do with herself any more. 
He closed the door and moved closer. “Remember the things I told you in England?”

“I remember too much.”


What she really wanted were assurances for her future. She wanted him to vow he would care for her life as loyally as he would his own kinswoman’s. If he wouldn’t make her his wife, he should choose someone else. She needed a husband to protect her interests now. Even an inexperienced adolescent or an old man would do. As long as he had a pulse and a respectable name, she’d accept it. This was the only bargaining chip she had left. 



About the Author

Violetta Rand holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy and a master’s degree in Environmental Management. Serving as an environmental scientist in the state of Alaska for over seven years, she enjoys the privilege of traveling to remote places few people have the opportunity to see.

Violetta has been “in love” with writing since childhood. Struck with an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, she wrote short stories illustrated by her best friend and sold them in her neighborhood. The only thing she loves more than writing is her wonderful relationship with her husband. She enjoys outdoor activities, reading whatever she can get her hands on, music, and losing herself in the ancient worlds she enjoys bringing to life in her stories.

Connect With Violetta:


Don't forget to leave a comment or question for Violetta to let her know you stopped by.  Violetta will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during her tour.  You can follow her tour stops here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning. 

Release Day Blitz for Nice Girl to Love by Violet Duke

VioletDukeReleaseBlitz-731


Welcome to my stop on the Release Day Blitz for Nice Girl to Love by Violet Duke.  Please leave a comment or question for Violet to let her know you stopped by. Violet is  giving away $25 GIft Card for the Grand Prize. And  ebook prize pack of Books 1 & 2 in series (Resisting the Bad Boy and Falling for the Good Guy) for every blog stop. Please make sure you leave your email address with your comment.  You can also enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. 


Nice Girl to Love
By Violet Duke
The Complete Nice Girl Collection

Publisher: Violet Duke
Release Date: July 31, 2013

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Book Description: 

NICE GIRL TO LOVE (The Complete Collection)

The • Nice • Girl n. 1. female of the species who never does anything or anyone bad: Hands-off, she’s a nice girl. 2. the woman that men take home to meet mom: Find my son a ‘nice girl to love.’ SEE ALSO: a good girl; girl scout; Abby Bartlett

This is the complete Nice Girl to Love serial romance collection, which contains: Resisting the Bad Boy (Book One), Falling for the Good Guy (Book Two), and Choosing the Right Man (Book Three).


THE ONE SHE NEVER THOUGHT SHE COULD KEEP…

Abby Bartlett is the quintessential nice girl. Between teaching, volunteering, completing her PhD, and helping her best friend raise his daughter, Abby never gets the chance to be anything but nice. That is, until the all-wrong-for-her man she’s only ever known from afar starts daring her to simply take that chance for herself. His sage advice? Try something wild and fast.  Preferably him.

An unbridled, hotshot attorney with a not-so-little black book, Connor Sullivan has earned himself quite the bad boy reputation. But in his defense, he’s a very conscientious one. He knows far too well that sometimes in life, love isn’t enough…or worse, not even a factor at all. To avoid that misery–and repel the drama–Connor has a firm ‘nothing over a month’ rule.  Who knew a nice girl would be the one to make him want to break all his rules?


THE ONE SHE NEVER HOPED SHE COULD HAVE…

Abby is well aware that everyone thinks she’s in love with her best friend Brian. He is, after all, the type of man a nice girl should be with—the polar opposite of the bad boy—the kind of guy who didn’t let his wife’s decade-long illness stop him from showering her with a lifetime of love every second until her dying day. But everyone’s wrong; she couldn’t possibly be in love with him.  Because she’s never once allowed herself that option.

It’s taken a while but Brian has finally come to terms with surviving the woman he spent half his life loving, a third of it losing. Truth is though, he wouldn’t have ‘survived’ any of it really had it not been for Abby—sweet, incredible Abby—the woman he’s never once had to picture his life without, never realized he couldn’t truly live without. Until now. Now that he’s finally able to love her the way she deserves, the way he knows she wants to be loved…by his brother.  Who’s giving him exactly one chance to speak now or forever hold his peace.


A DECISION SHE NEVER DREAMED SHE’D HAVE TO MAKE…

And now it’s up to Abby to decide between the bad boy wanting to start a life with her and the good guy fighting for the life they’ve already built.


Excerpt

Abby went mute as she felt Brian’s tongue lash across her skin, sensitizing the nerves to levels beyond pleasure.

If he didn’t stop, there was a good chance she’d pull the towel he was wearing right off.

“Do you want me to take it off?” he asked, his words tickling her skin.

Yes.  “No,” she stammered, unable to take her eyes off the portion of the towel that was tucked at his hipbone.  Just one good tug—

“I was talking about the ice, sweetheart.  But if you have other things in mind…”

Ice?  What ice?  “Oh!  Ow.”  The burning of the ice at her ankle finally filtered through to her brain.  “Yes, actually, can you take it off?  I’m a wuss when it comes to icing my injuries.”

Brian quickly pulled off the ice and rewrapped her ankle before resuming his massage.  “So back to the other things you wanted me to take off,” he teased.

Okay, seriously?  It was a really good thing the man had never flirted with her before because she was certain she’d never have survived it, especially not when his hands were kneading her muscles into butter.

“You’re impossible,” she complained thickly, though it came out more like a purr.  His massages should be illegal for how good they felt.

She blinked slowly at him and started wondering idly what was so wrong with him losing the towel.  A fuzzy smile drifted across her face.

“Damn, you’re going to fall asleep on me aren’t you?”  Brian’s voice floated over her hair softly as he pressed a smiling kiss to her forehead.  “Go ahead and rest, sweetheart.  You had a pretty eventful afternoon.”

With that, he stood and walked over to the linen closet for some clothes.

Shame.

He was heartbreakingly handsome.  Always had been.  But ever since he’d gone back to coaching afterschool to supplement his teaching income, he’d gotten even burlier from the added lifting sessions before practice.  It was almost unfair.  Superhuman, really.  His build was now more impressive than the average underwear model’s physique—a standard issue Sullivan trait it seemed—though every other aspect of him remained far gentler and way more mellow than Connor.

She’d never thought of mellow as being the new sexy.  But it so was. 

And nice was the new hot.  With two T’s.

Hearing Brian’s soft chuckles echoing in the room, she realized she must have said the last couple of sentences out loud.

“I think you’re ‘nice with two T’s’ too, Abby,” he whispered before kissing her on the cheek.  “Sweet dreams, honey.”




About the Author 

VIOLET DUKE is the pen name of Nina Nakayama, lovingly chosen in honor of her two adorably wacky kids.   

Nina blames her lifelong addiction to reading on the public library she all but lived in as a kid.  Now decades later, she's still a bonafide book junkie with a book-a-day habit she can't kick and nightly reading-by-flashlight binges.

You could say that reading was her gateway obsession, with writing being its natural progression.  And she couldn't be happier for it.  She gets to scramble after a bunch of untamed story characters in her head for a living, without the fear of men in white coats and butterfly nets coming after her—not for those reasons anyway.

Like the heroines in her novels, Nina has had her fair share of ups and downs in life...along with a quirky happily-ever-after she couldn't have written better herself.  Her dream house on O‘ahu is one that some crazy builder let her draw up the plans for via an old bargain bin architecture software readable only on WinXP or older.  And the hero of her romantic tale is a guy who, after getting her number from her former student, tricked her into nightly marathon phone calls while she’d been trying to focus on her doctoral dissertation.  She ended up falling in love with the sneaky man within weeks­—before ever meeting him in person—and marrying him a few months later.  Now, whenever folks ask what inspired (possessed) her to one day put a pin in her career as an English Ed professor to pursue her dreams of becoming a romance author, she smiles and points an accusatory thumb at him.

You can find a longer life story here with jucier details...and photos.





Participating Blogs


What's On the Bookshelf
Delighted Reader
We Love Kink
Musings From An Addicted Reader
Dear Brighton
Queen of the Night Reviews
The Muse Unleashed
Three Chicks and their Books
Simply Ali
Harlie's Books
Tattooed Book Review
Day Dreaming Book Reviews
Jelena's Book Blog
Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads
Love N Books
deal sharing aunt
Manic Readers Guest author Blog
The Bookwhisperer
Tiffany Talks Books
Book Reviews by Lexi
Fandom Fanatic
Reading Past My Bedtime
Becca Anne's Book Reviews
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews



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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Super Book Blast & Giveaway for Decadence by Karen Stivali



Welcome to my stop on Karen Stivali's Super Book Blast for Decadence.  Please leave a comment or question for Karen to let her know you stopped by.  Karen will be awarding one ebook from her backlist to a random commenter during the tour.  You can follow her tour stops here.  

Decadence 
by Karen Stivali

Publisher:  Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: July 5, 2013

Genre: Erotic Contemporary

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Book Description: 

A book in the Spice Rack series.

In eight years of marriage, Eric Carlson has never forgotten to kiss his wife Jessica goodbye—until this morning. As Jessica runs her errands, all she can think about is the missing kiss. When Eric calls to tell her he thinks he left the toaster oven on, she rushes home, annoyed and afraid her house may be burning down. Instead of smoke and flames she finds Eric, looking hot and sexy as hell as he prepares fresh waffles.

Eric knows he and Jessica have been drifting apart. He’s bought the hot new product everyone’s talking about—the Spice Rack, guaranteed to spice up your love life. The jar he opens advises them to “Spend a decadent day indulging all your senses.” With the whole day ahead of them, a fridge full of tempting treats and the house to themselves for a change, that’s exactly what Eric intends to do—in the kitchen, on the washing machine, wherever the mood strikes. And Jessica’s got a super-steamy surprise for him too.


A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Buy Links


Excerpt

He didn’t even kiss me goodbye. Jessica knew it was silly to get upset over something so minor, but she couldn’t help it. In the eight years they’d been married, she couldn’t remember another morning when Eric had forgone the farewell kiss. Sure, the kids were running amok, a sea of backpacks and lunchboxes, but that was normal. Eric saying goodbye with a wave was not.

“See you later.” He’d thrown her his trademark sexy grin. She’d stood still for a few seconds, holding the door open as the kids piled out of the house, waiting. And…nothing.
While queued in the drop-off line at the elementary school, she flipped open the vanity mirror. She didn’t look like a beauty queen but at least she’d showered. Her skin was clear, her cheeks even a bit rosy from gardening the day before. She grimaced. I should have brushed my hair. Dark hair, wavy and out of control, pulled into a loose ponytail paired with t-shirt and yoga pants. I look like a teenager. Not exactly sexy. Frowning at her reflection, she heard the car behind her honk.

“Mom, pull up, it’s our turn.” Timmy, though only seven, had been a backseat driver for nearly five years.

“Sorry.” She inched the car toward the orange drop-off cone and stopped. “Have a good day, guys. I love you.”

“Love you too, mom,” the chorus of three came from the backseat as they scrambled out the door.

Taking a last quick glance in the mirror, she snapped it shut and eased back into the parking lot. As she was about to turn onto the main road, her cell rang. XXXXX, Eric’s ringtone. She fumbled in her purse and slid the purple case open. Holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder, she pulled onto the street, not wanting to get beeped at a second time this morning.

“Hey, sweetie,” Eric said. “Can you do me a favor?”

Sighing, Jessica shifted to keep the phone in place as she changed lanes. “What’s up?”

“I know you said you were going to the grocery store, but I need you to stop home first. I think I may have left the toaster oven on.”

“Can’t you go check?”

“I’ve got a really important meeting this morning. I need you to do it. Please?” She could hear the smile in his voice. The charming, irresistible smile to which she’d never been able to say no.

“Fine.” Even if you didn’t bother to kiss me this morning.

“Thanks.”  
                  
Did he just chuckle?

She hung up and tossed the phone back into her purse. Great. Now I have to go all the way home, which means I won’t get to the store for another hour. Not that it was a huge deal. With all three boys in school this year she had her days to herself. She’d been looking forward to that for years, but it wasn’t as fun and freeing as she’d expected. All the same responsibilities were there. The house still needed to be cleaned, dinner still needed to be made, laundry was always piling up. And she always had a stack of work on her desk. Freelance graphic design was the perfect work-from-home job and she could do it any time of day or night, but lately she felt as though everything was getting away from her. Somehow she’d had more structure to her days when the kids were home than she managed to have with them in school all day.

As she turned onto her block she couldn’t help but look for signs of smoke pouring from her windows. God, I hope he didn’t really leave the toaster oven on. What the hell was he even using the toaster oven for? Eric ate cereal for breakfast, though now that she thought about it she hadn’t seen him pour himself a bowl this morning. She’d been too distracted by the fact that he was wearing only pajama pants as he plodded around the kitchen. She’d been so busy the past few weeks with back-to-school shopping and beginning-of-term projects they’d barely spent any time together. Seeing him bare chested, hair tousled from bed, reminded her that it had been a while. Too long. Her stomach fluttered from a combination of longing for Eric and fear that her house might be burning.

Jessica slammed the door of the minivan shut, breathing in deeply to see if she could catch any hint of smoke in the air. Nothing. As she opened the front door, another scent greeted her instead. The incredibly delightful aroma of…waffles. Why does the house smell like waffles? She rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw the waffle maker on the counter with Eric poised before it, faded jeans slung low on his narrow hips, a t-shirt clinging to his muscular back, dark hair still damp from a shower hanging loosely into his eyes. A wave of heat washed over her, settling between her legs. Her mouth watered from thoughts of more than just a bite of the waffle Eric was lifting out of the grates.

“Perfect timing,” he said, grinning so wide the dimples on his cheeks were positively cavernous. Blue eyes twinkled at her, full of mischief.

“What are you doing?” She tossed her purse onto the counter, mystified.

“Celebrating Mother’s Day.” He plucked a strawberry out of the colander in the sink, swirled it in a bowl of what appeared to be freshly whipped cream, and approached.

“Mother’s Day is in May. It’s October fifteenth.”

“I know.” He held the plump red berry close enough that she felt the gentle brush of cream melting against her lips. “I was thinking it was something we should celebrate more than once a year.”

She curled her tongue around the cream-covered berry and gave a quick suck before biting off a piece.

The moan Eric emitted sent a tremor rolling down her body, making her knees weak. His lips were on hers before she finished chewing. The sweetness of his velvety tongue blended perfectly with the fruit and cream. This was already better than any Mother’s Day she could recall.


AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking extravagant meals and serving them to family and friends, who never seem to mind the excessive quantities she tends to prepare. 

She attributes her ability to multitask to the fact that she rarely sleeps, which gives her more hours every day. Prior to deciding to write full time Karen worked as a hand drawn animator, a clinical therapist, and held various food-related jobs ranging from waitress to specialty cake maker. Planning elaborate parties and fundraisers takes up what's left of her time and sanity.

Karen has always been fascinated by the way people relate to one another so she favors books and movies that feature richly detailed characters and their relationships. In her own writing she likes to explore the dynamics between characters and has a tendency to craft romantic tales filled with sarcasm and sexy details. 

Although she writes in three genres (erotic romance, contemporary romance and women's fiction) all of her stories are love stories with happily ever after endings.
Karen has published several erotic romance novels with Ellora's Cave including two award winning stories: Always You (published September 2011, First Place Winner of the RWA Passionate Plume Award - 2012)Marry Me (published June 2012, First Place Winner in the NEC-RWA Bean Pot Reader's Choice Award - 2013) and Decadence (July 2013).
Her works of women's fiction, Meant To Be, and its sequel, Holding On, (published by Turquoise Morning Press in August and November 2012, respectively) both made the Best of 2012 list at Literati Literature Lovers.

Karen's contemporary romances Then, Again (May 2013) and Leave the Lights On (coming November 2013) are published with Samhain publishing.

To learn more about Karen you can visit her website karenstivali.com where she blogs original recipes, sassy commentary on The Bachelor, and tidbits about her journey in the writing world. Karen can also be found attempting witty banter on Twitter
http://twitter.com/karenstivali





Don't forget to leave a comment or question for Karen to let her know you stopped by.  Karen will be awarding one ebook from her backlist to a random commenter during the tour.  You can follow her tour stops here.  

Virtual Review Tour for Kiss It Better and How to Resist Prince Charming by Linda Kage



Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Review Tour for Kiss It Better by Linda Kage and How To Resist Prince Charming by Linda Kage.  Please leave a comment or question for Linda to let her know you stopped by.   You can follow Linda’ s tour here.  My review for Kiss It Better is below, my review for How to Resist Prince Charming will post later tonight. 


KISS IT BETTER
Contemporary Adult Romance*
Self-Published
ISBN : 978-1490471624
Legnth : 61,000 words - 209 pages
Available : July 2, 2013

In Ebook and Print

Add to Goodreads

A PAST TO PLAGUE HIM...

When his sister is sexually assaulted, memories of his miserable childhood haunt Reed Walker and interfere with his perfectly structured life. To add to the chaos, just when dating becomes the last thing on Reed’s mind, Sophia Eschell, the very woman he’s been dreaming about for the past three years, barrels into his life.

AND A WOMAN TO HEAL HIM...

After hooking up with too many troubled men, Sophia is determined to find a normal, average guy sans baggage. She turns her attention to Reed, only to discover he has more issues than anyone. But if he can learn to open up to her, can she honestly reject him or will she kiss it all better?

*Some Explicit Scenes and Language

Buy Links





My Review

A man with a miserable childhood and a woman with a magnet for the wrong man are the central characters in Linda Kage’s contemporary romance, Kiss It Better.  Well developed characters, good dialogue, plenty of emotional angst and an occasional touch of humor, kept me turning the pages to discover what was going to happen next. 

A successful businessman, Reed Walker is handsome, intelligent and secretly attracted to Sophia, one of the women who work in his office.  When his baby sister becomes the victim of a sexual assault, Reed blames himself and is plagued by memories of their miserable childhood.  Determined to care for his sister until she recovers and can take care of herself, Reed struggles to get his life back in order. 

Smart and beautiful, Sophia Eschell is the original magnet for troubled men.  Secretly attracted to Reed, who she thinks is out of her league; Sophia is determined to change her romantic outlook by avoiding men with trouble. Will her attraction to Reed end once she learns he’s a man who’s got secrets and troubles of his own?

The scenes between Reed and Sophia are well done and lots of fun.  They have good chemistry and their dialogue is entertaining.  As their relationship begins to grow, both Sophia and Reed will have to learn to trust each other with their secrets and learn what it really means to give and accept another person’s love. 

The secondary characters, from Reed’s sister and his best friend, to Reed and Sophia’s co-workers, all contribute something to the story and help Reed and Sophia on their journey to love.


Will Sophia learn to overlook all of Reed’s problems and accept him for who he is?  Will Reed take a chance on letting someone else into his heart?  You’ll have to read Kiss it Better; I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Kage’s work.  

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars







HOW TO RESIST 
PRINCE CHARMING
Contemporary Adult Romance
Republishing: Contemporary New Adult Romance*
Self-Published
ISBN : 978-1484932896
Legnth : 73,000 words - 285 pages
Available : July 2, 2013
In Ebook and Print
* currently on sale $.99

To resist the perfect man, please follow these simple rules:

Step 1: Never make eye contact.
Step 2: Never smile at him.
Step 3: Never agree to anything he suggests.

Or better yet, just follow Lenna Davenport's example and give in to temptation, sparking a whole tangle of passion, forbidden romance, mounting secrets and deceit. She meets her prince charming at her father’s company Christmas party. Problem is he happens to be her dad’s new boss. Worse problem is, her dad totally hates him.

But what Daddy doesn’t know…

Braxton Farris takes over Farris Industries out of family obligation and expects his new employees might resent his youth and inexperience. What he doesn’t anticipate is the level of contempt Tom Davenport carries for him. Nor does he count on falling for Tom’s daughter. When he and Lenna start a secret affair, a disaster of corporate proportions is bound to follow. But to be together, they must decide if the fallout is worth it.
*Sexually Explicit Scenes and Language



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Author Info

Linda grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now she lives in Kansas with her husband, toddler daughter, and their nine cuckoo clocks. She works a day job in the acquisitions department of a university library and feels her life has been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing's always been a major part her world, and she's thrilled to finally share some of her stories with other romance lovers.


You can find Linda on the web at:

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Virtual Book Tour for Trust Me by Anna Wells




Welcome to my stop on Anna Well’s Virtual Book Tour for Trust Me.  Please leave a comment or question for Anna to let her know you stopped by.  You can follow Anna’s tour stops here



Trust Me
By Anna Wells

Publisher:  Anna Wells
Release Date: May 24, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Length: 237 Pages

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Book Description:

Lawyer  Alaina  Simmons  never imagined  that  she  would  be  defending  her deceased father against accusations of terrorism when she agreed to protect his legacy, a group of  documents  he’d placed  in  an  archival  repository.  FBI  Lawyer Donovan Prentice insists that her father and the organization he worked for were terrorists and that crucial evidence is in the documents Alaina has sworn to protect.  Now she is forced to combat the FBI  and  her  compelling  attraction  to  Donovan Prentice  while  unaware  that  she  is also Donovan’s suspect. 

Special  Agent  Donovan  Prentice  is  working undercover posing  as  a  lawyer  in  an attempt to gain access to the evidence he needs to convict a group of terrorists as well as determine if Alaina Simmons is working with them.  Things become complicated as Donovan becomes more intent on getting his suspect in bed than putting her in  jail.

When the bullets start to fly and the lies begin to unravel Alaina and Donovan begin to explore their intensely sexual relationship, but the couple will have to learn to trust each other both in and out of bed before the terrorists’ game of intrigue can end.

Warning: This book contains steamy sex scenes and amusing banter.

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Excerpt: 

Alaina rushed out the door of her three-bedroom bungalow.  She had intended to be at the office earlier, but for some inexplicable reason she was running late.  She also had a splitting headache and not a single aspirin in her house.  She was going to have to make a quick trip to the drugstore, which was going to make her even later.  There was no way she was going to get through a meeting with opposing counsel with this headache.

Climbing into her new black Ford Focus, she made a conscious effort to relax by taking a calming breath and absorbing the California sunshine.  She was going to be late so she might as well accept it and stop worrying.  Besides, Californians were much less worried about being on time. Obviously she had yet to shed her east coast mentality.  It would take her about a half an hour to get to work since she lived in Chula Vista, a surrounding residential community of San Diego.  She chose a drugstore close to her home, quickly parked and rushed inside.  The store, a chain she frequently patronized, was quiet at this early hour of the morning and essentially empty of customers.  Alaina hastily made her away across the white tile floors in search of pain relievers and finally spotted them in aisle four. So intent on her quest, she didn't notice the tall dark haired man in her path until a very hard masculine chest halted her.

Alaina slowly lifted her head to find herself staring into deep blue eyes with thick black lashes.  Apparently the gorgeous eyes belonged to an equally gorgeous face.  Frankly the man was striking, and in that brief moment she wondered why her friends never tried to set her up with a hottie like the one before.  His hair was black and his sculpted features, reminded her of those guys in the cologne ads.  His tall and perfectly shaped frame filled out his well-tailored navy suit and from him emanated an unmistakable aura of strength and confidence.  As their eyes met there was an instant mutual awareness as the physical attraction vibrated between them.   Never had she felt anything remotely like this and certainly not with a complete stranger.  She realized she was staring and was completely mortified by the awareness that he had caught her doing it.  Alaina decided it was probably the time to apologize.

She opened her mouth and stammered, “I'm sorry, I'm late for an appointment and I was rushing. I didn't even see you.”
Gleaming white teeth appeared as he said, “It was my pleasure.”  The blatant sexual undertone sent goose bumps down her arms.  His spicy cologne wafted over her as she stared up into his penetrating eyes.  His eyes that seemed to know her most intimate secrets, what an absurd thought, Alaina chided herself.  This is ridiculous; he’s just some strange guy she would probably never see again and she was completely turned on.  She felt like a teenager being overwhelmed by his appearance.  It was not as if she had never seen an attractive man before, but this one was somehow different. She couldn't put her finger on it.  Okay so maybe it was because just looking at him was making her wet.  Well, she thought, two can play at the flirting game.  She returned his smile with a sexy one of her own, a smile that had a history of turning many heads. Her smile appeared to throw him a little off balance and she took advantage of his apparent discomposure, responding in her most sensual tone “Well, I'll make sure I look where I'm going from now on. Again, I really am sorry.”  Her statement had been innocuous but her tone and smile had let him know how attractive she found him.

“Don’t worry about it.  Like I said before it was my pleasure, and feel free to run into me any time you want.” He smiled revealing an engaging dimple.

Alaina thought that sounded like a great idea when she came to her senses and realized that she was flirting with a perfect stranger in a drugstore before nine in the freaking morning, who could, for all she knew, be an axe murderer.  On top of that she had been so caught up in their encounter that she completely forgot she was late for work and she still hadn't picked up any aspirin.  Suddenly she realized that she no longer had a headache.  A little sexual turn-on and the headache had disappeared. Maybe it had been caused by lack of sex?  If that was the case she definitely needed to get laid. 

She looked up at him with regret and almost sighed.  She really didn’t want to walk away from this one, but really you can’t pick up a stranger in a drugstore.  “As much as I’d like to take you up on that offer I gotta run. Sorry again.”

“Stop apologizing,” he said. “Are you sure you won’t change your mind?  We could go for coffee?” He flashed another sexy grin.

She couldn’t help but return his smile.  “I’m really tempted, but I don’t know you and I‘ve got to get to work,” Alaina said as she quickly grabbed a bottle of aspirin from the shelf.

He looked down at the bottle. “Why don’t you call the office and tell them you’re not feeling well?”  His voice was coaxing, seductive.

If she didn’t have such an important meeting this morning she would have actually gone with him.  She shook her head regretfully.  “I have an appointment I just can’t miss.  Maybe some other time?”  She turned and dashed to the cash register not giving him time to respond.    After making her purchase she quickly tossed the bottle in her purse while she rushed out of the store leaving her unexpected flirtation behind.  As she got into her car she wondered why she felt like she’d just made a big mistake.  Maybe she should have given him her number?

Donovan Prentice watched her walk away wondering what had led him to be so careless.  He had never let anyone he was following be aware of his presence, but somehow he hadn't been able to resist the opportunity to meet her before she knew who he was.  Unfortunately, he was extremely attracted to her.  When he first observed her running out of her house, he had noticed how much more beautiful she was in person than in the surveillance pictures he’d seen of her. The photographs had not done her justice: they had failed to capture that sway in her walk, the confidence she exuded, and the fresh citrus scent of her perfume.  Not to mention that fine ass and firm chest, a chest that he had the pleasure to feel bump up against him. Her features were soft and delicate: a small pert nose, large green eyes and a somewhat determined chin surrounded by a thick mass of dark brown hair. It was enchanting.  A small woman, probably not much more than 5'2”, but her shape was perfect.  Had they met in different circumstances he wouldn't have let her go, he would have  tried to find out more about her and definitely had her in his bed by nightfall. 

The problem was he already knew everything about her.  He knew where she was born, who her parents were, how many siblings she had, where she had grown up, where she had gone to school, what she had majored in, where she worked and lived.  He even knew what credit cards she had and what she purchased with them.  He was always thorough in his research and he probably knew more about her than her own mother.  The only thing he didn't know about Alaina Simmons was whether or not she was guilty.  That was something he was going to find out, after all it was his specialty.




My Review

Two lawyers deeply attracted to each other, a father’s secret documents, and the rule of government versus one’s personal privacy are all key elements in Anna Well’s Trust Me.   Well developed characters, scintillating dialogue, and plenty of chemistry kept me turning the pages to discover what was going to happen next.  I enjoyed the mystery and found the timing of Ms. Well’s topic apropos.

Young and attractive, Alaina Simmons is kept busy with her career as an attorney.  While her real life and legal cases aren’t as exciting as the attorney’s on TV, Alaina is satisfied with what she does.  It just doesn’t leave her much time for a personal life.  Meeting an attractive man by “accident” at the drugstore is a surprise, discovering he’s her morning appointment and is the opposing counsel on a personal case …….not so much.

Donovan Prentiss knows everything there is to know about Alaina Simmons.  He just didn’t’ realize she would be more beautiful, and intriguing, in person.  Unable to resist the temptation, Donovan flirts with Alaina during a “chance” meeting.  He just didn’t count on her ability to resist his charms or her determination to keep the FBI away from her father’s personal documents.

The scenes between Alaina and Donovan are full of lively dialogue and plenty of emotional and physical chemistry.  While deeply attracted to each other, they are both determined to prove they are right in their opposing beliefs and Donovan has the added pressure of needing to prove Alaina is not a traitor to the country.  Ms. Wells does a good job developing them both as individual characters and developing their romance.  Though I will admit that there were times I wanted to smack Donovan upside the head for all of his “lies” or “omissions” and I also occasionally wanted to hit Alaina for denying they had a real relationship.


Will Alaina be able to prove her father is innocent of what the FBI is accusing him off?  Will Donovan’s career and his devotion to his job ruin what could be the love of his life?  You’ll have to read Trust Me to find out.  I enjoyed it and I think you will too.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars




FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I was not given any additional compensation for my opinion of the reading material provided.





Author Bio:
I’ m happily married with two children. I love to cook, hike, bike, and hang with my girlfriends. I’m an avid romance reader and enjoy all types of romance novels including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and erotica.Oh and did I mention I have my own consulting business?I obviously had a couple of hours left in the day so I began writing romance.   I wanted to bring readers hot, sexy romances that are brought to life with compelling characters.  Who knew writing romance could be as fun as reading it! 

AnnaWel07914287 (Twitter)