Review: Until You

Until You
by Jeannie Moon

Synopsis

When newly divorced Kate Adams is approached on the sunny deck of a California hotel by hockey star David Burke, and he invites her to dinner, she almost says no. He’s obviously younger than her. And charming. And drop dead gorgeous. But there’s also something sweet about David, so Kate—who hasn’t done anything spontaneous in a very long time—accepts his invitation. 

It is, after all, her fortieth birthday. 

However, a real romance with thirty-year-old David, whose picture is in the gossip pages as often as it’s in the sports pages, is out of the question. No matter how much she wants him, it’s just too risky. 
But meeting Kate has been David’s lightning strike. She’s the one for him, and he has no intention of giving up on her. 

So while Kate guards her fragile heart, David sets out to win her over with the same determination that drives him on the ice. 

And he’ll break every rule in the book if he has to. 

Review

I received an ARC of Until You by Jeannie Moon through Spark Point Studio in exchange for an honest review.

I hesitate to call contemporary romance books my guilty pressure. I don't think anyone should feel guilty about what they like to read. With that said, let me tell you my honest opinion about this book - I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The story was not the run of the mill, cookie-cutter kind of story. There were a lot of ups and downs and real character building happening in this story. The characters were very much like real people, making mistakes, having insecurities and wanting to be happy. I enjoyed the fact that the protagonist is a female fiction writer (best seller - thank you very much!) and that she wasn't so willing to be in a relationship. 

**********SPOILERS AHEAD************

This book also contains storylines that I usually hate in romance literature...and literature in general. For example: surprise pregnancy, more than 2 people's point of view, an engagement. I usually roll my eyes whenever any of these scenarios happens. They just irritate me. However, in this story? Not so much. Maybe it is because I came to like the characters, especially the protagonist Kate, so much. I wanted all the good guys to succeed and if that took some of these storylines to do it - so be it. I honestly just fell for the characters. 

Also, as a side note, I really don't like the covers of romance novels. I think this is why most of my romance titles reside in my Kindle/Nook/iBooks app on my tablet rather than on my shelf. I don't enjoy cheesiness. Regardless, this book is worth picking up in whatever format available. 

Verdict

If you enjoy romance stories, you'll enjoy this one. If you enjoy romance stories with an intelligent protagonist, you'll like it. If you like romance stories of the "major-sexy-times" persuasion...this book will probably not be enough for you.

Book Spotlight: Nashville Crazy

Nashville Crazy

by Bethany Michaels

Synopsis

When Harper Perry’s latest Hollywood debacle blows up the internet, the fallen starlet returns home to Nashville…and the man she left behind. She needs someone to make her Tennessee home livable--someone who will be discreet while she lays low and lets all the negative press blow over. Former lover Dan Ryan is just the handy man for the job.  With her personal life being primetime tabloid fodder, her career on the skids, and her concert tour facing cancellation, Harper has a lot to figure out. The last thing she needs is the irresistibly sexy handyman working his way back into her life…and her bed.

Dan Ryan has never forgotten the girl who left town the second he confessed his feelings for her ran deeper than the sizzling hot hours they spent burning up the sheets. And with half a dozen women on speed dial, he’s tried! But once he sees Harper again, he knows why no other woman has ever touched his heart--he gave it away to Harper years earlier. Now that she’s back in town, however briefly, Dan is determined not to let Harper get away a second time...even if he has to give up everything he’s worked for to keep her.

About the Author

Bethany Michaels is the author of over a dozen steamy contemporary novels as well as a few Regency-set historicals and light paranormals. The first book in her “Naughty in Nashville” steamy country music series, Nashville Heat, was a finalist in RT Magazine's Reviewers' Choice awards for Best Small Press Erotic Romance. 

She also creates cover art for indie authors through Dragonfly Press Design (www.dragonflypressdesign.com). 

When not writing, Bethany enjoys movies, travelling, the outdoors, volunteering with her kids' scout troops and visiting the cool places around Nashville where her books are set. A native Hoosier, she now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and children. 

Links:

Website: www.bethanymichaels.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethany.michaels

Twitter: @bmichaelsauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/bethanymichaels

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1C7us14

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1wY71oS

Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/1EAiQUy

Kobo: http://bit.ly/19cyfxx

B&N: http://bit.ly/1HDGPAu

Apple: http://apple.co/1b4SNIQ

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/526451

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake

Synopisis

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life. 

Anna Dressed in Blood is a 2011 Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year title. 

One of NPR's Top 5 Young Adult Novels of 2011.

Review

I am always on the look out for a good horror/thriller book. If you read my blog occasionally, you already know this. With that in mind, I have never NEVER read a book like Anna Dressed in Blood. I found it to be highly interesting, entertaining and unlike anything else I've read. I'm very much used to reading books from the female perspective because that is simply what I'm drawn to. This book, however, is from the POV of Cas, a teenage boy with the ability to see and get rid of spirits. 

Then one day Cas is called out to another city and with his mom in tow, he begins his research into the spirit story called Anna Dressed in Blood. What he finds, however, is unlike everything he has ever experienced. Anna is meticulous in how she those who enter her home - until she meets Cas. For some reason, Cas is different and is spared. The rest of the book is spent trying to unravel the mystery behind Anna Dressed in Blood and the connection her story has to Cas.

You know, dear reader, not to expect spoilers from this book blog and I intend to keep it that way. But listen when I say - if you like scary books, do not pass up on this one!

Verdict

Horror, with a little confusing romance, never hurt anyone - did it? 

Short Story Friday: The Hot Girl's Friend

The Hot Girl's Friend
by Lisa Scott

from Flirts Vol 1: 5 Romantic Short Stories

Review

It really hadn't occurred to me to find contemporary romance short stories. I've always thought of short stories as being about mystery or horror. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this collection. 

I like cliches sometimes. There are certain ones I like and I can't help myself. They are like the perfect brownie or a bowl of perfectly buttered popcorn. One of my favorite cliches is that of the "plain" girl, who is most likely brown-haired and described as somewhat chubby, and the awesome sweet guy, who chooses said brown-haired girl over her bombshell blonde friend. After some chasing and misunderstandings, there is a happily ever after. 

Is the story deep? No. Am I going to remember the story years from now? Probably not. Do I still enjoy them? Yes. Definitely. 

Verdict

If you like contemporary romance and want an even quicker fix - look no further! Don't like romance? Definitely skip.  

Review: The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1)

The Kiss of Deception
by Mary E. Pearson

Synopsis

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

The Kiss of Deception is the first book in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles.

Review

I started this book awhile ago and only just finished it yesterday. Why did it take me so long? I don't know! I really don't. I enjoyed the story and the same thing is happening to me with The Shining, which I'm also enjoying. I don't know what happens to me - I get 3/4s of the way through and then I just get distracted by all the other books and I start another one. 

Anyway, as I said - I really enjoyed this book! It was a mix of fantasy, romance and adventure. I was quite happy that the romance didn't overshadow everything else in the book. Also - it was really interesting how we read more than just Lia's point of view. We have chapters on Rafe, Kaden and even Pauline, Lia's friend. What I loved the most was not knowing who the prince and assassin were (you have to try and guess between Rafe and Kaden). I wanted so badly for a certain someone to be the prince (I'm not telling you who!) and I won't be telling you if I was right or not. 

BUT I was left wanting so much more :( I can't believe I have to wait for the second book - the end of this one left me completely NEEDING the next book. That's all I'm going to say. 

Verdict

Read it. If you're anything like me, however, you will get frustrated lol

Book Blitz! The Warrior

The Warrior (A Tainted Blood Novel) 
by LJ Halkett & RT Lucas

Genre - Urban Paranormal Romance
Dark Hollows Press Publication Date - 9/12/14 

There is a reason for everything and all actions have consequences. All Commander Xavier Raige wanted to do from the minute his world collided with Alicia Carberletti’s was to protect her.  Now, the biggest battle he has ever faced has just begun.  He needs to find a way back to Alicia and save her from the dark forces that are gathering against her and he won’t let the inconvenience of being dead keep him from her.

Lieutenant “Shuggie” MacAndrew, Ancient Scottish warrior vampire.  Mystery surrounds his past and puts his future in jeopardy.  Can he win the battle between his heart and head, or will he be defeated in his pursuit of the One?

Dr Teodora Valdez, skilled Surgeon/Scientist. She almost has it all until a dark secret resurfaces.  Can she heal the wounds or will she discover there is no cure for a broken heart?

The consequences of recent events unravel and battle for dominance in the mafia underworld intensifies.

Ambition…family…revenge…love... 

All become as tainted as the blood that ties them together.

About the Author

Both Scottish Authors are best friends and for years they have been developing these amazing and complex Characters.  Having suffered Strokes at a young age, within months of each other, they decided that life was too short and now was the time for Xavier and Alicia to be unleashed onto the waiting public. That was when the world of Tainted Blood and #XAli was born!

L J Halkett is 35 years of age, Mother, Wife and Housing Officer for Local Government.  She is a smart, sassy and superbly imaginative woman who devours books - especially in the paranormal genre!  She is the master at multi-tasking and she is always thinking ten steps ahead.  With her passion for creativity, she brings to life her imagination with vivid detail. Family is the cornerstone of LJ’s life, and her greatest achievement is her wonderful son.

Left Partially sighted after her Stroke, LJ has to write in what the Authors call ‘Nasa’ font and can only detect the colour red, which can be difficult when reading print on a daily basis - her determination is testament to her personality - as she says.... "Where's there's a will? There's a way!" 

Rhonda T. Lucas is 41 years of age, soon to be Divorced [Hurrah!] and had a very successful career in Recruitment and Business Development until it was cut short through illness.  Having worked in the Health Sector, Human Resources and Ministry of Defence, she has a myriad of experiences to draw from - and says that sometimes life can be stranger than Fiction!  Rhonda is an avid reader of the paranormal/romance genres but her first love will always be Science Fiction.  She says that she has far superior music taste to that of her Best Friend and Co-Author - and uses every available opportunity to tell her so! Rhonda lives alone with her #XavCat who faithfully lies by her computer whenever she wanders into the world of Tainted Blood.

You can connect with the authors at any of their social media sites

On Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Taintedbood88?fref=ts 
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/_TaintedBlood_
Or at their website: http://www.xali.net/www.darkhollowspress.com