Monday 31 August 2015

REVIEW - Some Kind of Wonderful: A Holiday Novella (Cupcake Lovers #3.5) by Beth Ciotta

The Book
Release Date: 23 October 2013
Goodreads Link

Have yourself a scrumptious, small-town Christmas with this special Cupcake Lovers holiday novella, Love on a Winter's Night!

Growing up in Sugar Creek, Maya Templeton and Zachary Cole were best friends. After high school, each went out into the world in search of adventure. Maya moved to Florida to explore her passion for baking and pastry-making, eventually establishing her own business: Cupcakes & Dreamscapes. Zach joined the military and became a Marine Scout Sniper. Now, after years apart, they’re both going home for the holidays. They don’t seem to have much in common anymore. In fact, Zach seems to have the hots for Maya’s business partner. But when the two get stranded together during a blizzard, they are forced to reexamine their connection. Are Maya and Zach better off “just friends”—just as they were when they were young? Or could it be that true love was there all along?

Look for Anything But Love—available now!—from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.

My Opinion  3 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a super sweet holiday novella about two friends turned lovers when they become stranded after trying to deliver some holiday cheer.

Zach is a Marine returned from war but has been medically discharged, whilst Maya has come back home for the Christmas holiday at Zach's aunt's request.

It has a Christmas Carol touch to the book that helps keep the book with that holiday feel, even Maya's love of holiday cheer is sweet.

It's a clean romance, so those of you that don't like explicit sex scenes then this is the book for you.

Saturday 29 August 2015

REVIEW - Substitute Bride (Beaufort Brides #2) by Noelle Adam

The Book
Release Date: 25 August 2015
Goodreads Link

For more than two years, Rose has been the nanny for James Harwood's daughters. She adores the girls, but she tries to maintain a professional distance with James—no matter how attractive she finds him. However, when his engagement falls apart and he starts to look at her differently, Rose no longer sees him only as her boss. James isn't the kind of man to fall for his nanny, so he doesn't know why he can't stop thinking about her in very wrong ways. He's determined to resist, to keep his life simple and to find an appropriate substitute for his wife who died. 

But with a manipulative ex-fiancée, two precocious daughters, Rose's interfering Southern grandmother, a short-lived fake engagement, and feelings that won't be denied, nothing remains simple for long.

My Opinion  5 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is another brilliant book from the author.

Rose is a very loving nanny who very much adores the two little girls that she has been looking after for the last two years, and always does more than required in her job.  However she has always know that the woman that her employer is to marry is not the right woman for either him or the kids.

James is a man looking for a woman to replace the whole where his dead wife was in both his and his girls lives, however he now regrets his current choice.

These is a specific moment in this book on which both party realise that actually they have feelings for the other and they both try to ignore it.  Of course it doesn't work.

We get to see a little more of Deanna from book one, along with Kelly and Grandmama.  Grandmama of course 'helps' along with the match between Rose and James and my heart just melted with the way the two little girls Jill and Julie were portrayed.  I really loved them.

We also get to see a tiny little bit of Kelly and who we assume will be the man for her Peter Blake, another wealthy man from a good respectable family.

I really can't wait for the next book in the series.

Friday 28 August 2015

RELEASE BLITZ (Review & Giveaway) Divine Domination (Bought by the Billionaire Book 4) by Lili Valente

DivineDomReleaseBanner(1)
The Bought by the Billionaire Series by Lili Valente is Complete!!
Lili Valente
Divine Domination
Bought by the Billionaire, book 4
Erotic Romance
Releases August 25, 2015

Divine Domination (Bought by the Billionaire Book 4)

WARNING: It's Book Four. You know what you're in for by now--more heat, more suspense, more head games, and more Jackson f*cking Hawke.
When Jackson gets his hands on the men who kidnapped Hannah, he's going to rip their hearts, still beating, from their chests.
Or worse.
No amount of pain or desecration seems sufficient punishment for the sin of taking Hannah away from him.
He won't stop until he has the woman he loves back in his arms and in his bed. But as the ugly truth behind his and Hannah's intertwined pasts is revealed, their love will face its greatest challenge yet.

* * Divine Domination is the 4th and final installment in the Bought by the Billionaire romance series. For maximum enjoyment it should be read after books 1, 2, and 3.* *

Googleplay: http://bit.ly/1ISnTQ4
DivineDomTeaser1

Divine Domination Excerpt 2015 Lili Valente WARNING: Contains spoilers for books one through three in the series.

  Hannah had no idea how long she lay on top of Jackson, catching her breath, only that when she finally opened her eyes the blue sky was stained with sunset light and the sea air had grown cooler.

“I wonder if that’s what heroin is like,” she rasped, her voice rough.
“If so, no wonder it’s so hard to quit.” Jackson’s fingers played gently up and down her stomach. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?” She turned her head, meeting his eyes over her shoulder, her heart flipping when she saw the vulnerable, open expression on his face.
“Make me want you more every day?”
She lifted her hand, cupping his scruffy cheek in her hand. “Dark magic.”
He smiled, and her flipping heart turned a cartwheel. “I believe it. There’s no other explanation.”
But there was another explanation.
It was love. Once-in-a-lifetime, only-gets-better, love-you-more-every-day-until-they-put-me-in-the-ground love. She’d known that for a while now and someday soon, Jackson would know it, too.
She didn’t doubt it, not even on those mornings when he stayed in his room until well after breakfast, hiding from her after a night when close had become too close for his comfort. There would come a day when he would realize that there was no need to hide and nothing to be afraid of.
He was safe with her. He could let his guard down and be the man he truly was, the man who was as sweet as he was Dominant, as gentle as he was controlling. She would never take his love for granted or betray his trust.
Never. No matter what.
“No matter what,” she said aloud, her brows drawing together as something ugly whispered through her subconscious. It was like a foul smell drifting through the air, familiar, but horrible, something she knew she didn’t want to recognize.
Once she named it, there would be no denying the existence of the filth smeared across the walls or the body rotting beneath the floor.
Once she remembered, she would never forget again.
“What’s wrong?” Jackson asked, his voice going deep and dangerous as the orange sky darkened, black and blue creeping in to bruise the undersides of the clouds. “Cat got your tongue, Harley?”
Before she could reply, or tell him that she wasn’t Harley, Jackson’s hands were back around her throat.
But this time, his touch wasn’t gentle. His fingers tightened like a vice and pain blossomed through her forehead, the pressure building suddenly, fiercely, until it felt like her eyes would burst from their sockets.
Panicked, she clawed at Jackson’s arms, desperate for breath, but his grip only tightened.
“You’re going to die, Harley,” he growled against her throat as the world went black. “I will end you if it’s the last thing I do.”

****

Hannah woke with a startled groan, hands flying to her neck. She gasped for breath, her throat still tight from the terror of the beautiful memory turned nightmare.
She swallowed slowly and blinked, willing herself to remember the way that day on the boat had really ended, with her and Jackson sailing home under the stars. She’d snuggled in his lap as he’d steered with one arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him with a gentleness that made it clear that she was precious to him.
Her heartbeat was nearly under control when the world pitched. A moment later, the plane touched down with a rough bump.
Startled, Hannah turned to look out the window, where pale light glowed on the horizon and unfamiliar palm trees—more sparse and scrubby than the ones back home—streaked past the window. For a moment, she couldn’t remember where she was, but then it all came rushing back—Adam in the doorway, the miracle of learning that her sister was alive, the pain of realizing Jackson planned to kill Harley, and then the terror of grasping that she had much bigger problems than a broken heart.
She had been kidnapped by Jackson’s father and he was going to kill her. Or Harley. But first, he was going to make her father choose between the daughters he’d sacrificed so much to protect.
Depending on how things played out, this could very well be the last sunrise Hannah would ever see.
 
Sexy passionate couple kissing on bed, lovers at night in hotel room
Bought by the Billionaire Series
Dark Domination:
Book 1, Bought by the Billionaire
Lili Valente
Deep Domination
Book 2, Bought by the Billionaire
Lili Valente
Release Date - June 30, 2015
Desperate Domination
Book 3, Bought by the Billionaire
Lili Valente
Release Date - July 28, 2015
Sexy couple at night in bed, milf with lace eye cover and young lover

My Opinion  5 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review.**

This is the last book of a series that must be read from 1-4 and cannot be read as a stand alone book.

The book starts off exactly where we left off in book three with Hannah having been kidnapped by Jacksons father. However Hannah continues to show us her inner strength as she battles for her life and her love for Jackson.

Jackson however comes to show us how the love of the right woman can change a man in all the right ways. Meh has turned his back on vengeance and turned into a sweet loving man, who woolly do anything to protect the woman he loves.

I loved the suspense that has built up over this series and am glad that the answers have been given, I also loved the twists that we're given to us. I really hope that there is a spin off series for Hannah's sister as I think that she too deserves a happy ending.


514VWHGKnWL._SS100_
Naughty and Nice Sexy Starter Kit ($40 value)


Lili Valente has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.
These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.
Lili loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her via email at lili.valente.romance@gmail.com

Thursday 27 August 2015

REVIEW - The Millionaire's Forever (Men of the Zodiac #3) by Sonya Weiss

The Book
Release Date: 31 March 2015
Goodreads Link

Sign: Gemini 

There are two sides to every Gemini guy...and one of them is red-hot.

Olivia Carter has a handsome, millionaire boyfriend. She's madly in love with him. The hitch? He doesn't actually exist. She told the lie to save Forever, her wedding design shop. And it worked-almost too well. As the media attention increases, so do the demands for Olivia to produce her "boyfriend." With both her reputation and career in jeopardy, Olivia is desperate enough to do almost anything...

Which is exactly what millionaire Mason Parker wants. Thanks to Olivia and her father, Mason went through hell during his teen years, and now it's time for a little payback-starting with the announcement that he's her one and only. Now the sexy Olivia has no choice but to do what Mason wants. But none of his plans for

My Opinion  3 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

I had a massivecase of deja vu when i read this story, as if i had read it before somewhere.  This in turn made me a little reluctant to read the story and i ended up reading books in between which is rare for me.

Olivia is a strong character, I just wish that she had not given into Masons demands quite so easily.

Mason on the other hand had his desire for vengeance, but was softening towards Olivia, until his friends interfered.  Both of his friends came across as quite cold people but were not in the story too much.

It wasn't a bad read, but this book just didn't appeal to me.

Saturday 22 August 2015

REVIEW - Together We Heal (Fall and Rise #4) by Chelsea M. Cameron




The Book
Release Date: 18 August 2015
Goodreads Link

Trish Grant is not a romantic. Okay, so she may read her share of romance novels, but that doesn’t mean she thinks that some fellow with a six pack is going to ride up on a horse and sweep her (literally) off her feet. Romance like that just isn’t for her. It belongs on the page.

Max Greene noticed Trish at his cousin’s funeral, of all places. She was hard to miss with her citrus-colored hair, violet contacts and fiery attitude.

Trish is just as captivated by Max. He makes her laugh, which is rare, and it doesn’t hurt that he rocks blue hair and isn't put off by her resting bitch face.

On the outside, their relationship seems sweet and perfect, but that's a lie. To say that Trish's childhood was rocky is an understatement. She's a mess of scars and hangups and is convinced that there's no way Max is going to stick around. He's determined to prove to Trish that she's a girl worth loving, flaws and all.

Will she let Max in? Or will she give up her potential fairytale to protect her already-scarred heart from further damage?
 



My Opinion  5 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

We find out how strong Trish really is in the book and how her past has shaped her life so far. A past that she would rather have left in the past, but it has come to haunt her.

Max is a very understanding boyfriend and has taken things VERY slowly with Trish in order not to spook her. He is willing to do what it takes to get Trish as his, and is there for her in every way.

Both end up helping the other be a stronger person and to face issues of their past and Trish being Trish faces her past strongly after a little wobble and an intervention by her friends.

Its a lovely story and you do wonder at the end if Simon and Brady are going to get a book too as there are a few scenarios that you can just imagine being put in the book as the rest of the characters evolve.
 



GIVEAWAY:
 Win a signed set of books from Chelsea M. Cameron or a $20 Sephora GC during the TOGETHER WE HEAL blog tour!

REVIEW - Devoured by Callie Wild

The Book
Release Date: 21 August 2015
Goodreads Link

Bedding the Bad Girl Book One

Because big girls like bedtime stories too (naughty ones)…

Take one hot, troubled sex toy mogul on the search for the perfect edible panty flavor. Add one big, beautiful wrongly accused candy maker with a heart of gold. Watch the sparks fly.

Heath and Bella find passion, love, and laughs in her cottage in the woods, but soon an ancient family curse threatens their future. Can they overcome their demons or will happily ever after remain out of reach? 

A sexy, stand-alone continuation of Hansel and Gretel. No Cliffhanger.

My Opinion  5 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This story has a sort of old world charm along side the present. There also is the background of Hansel and Gretel with a Demon thrown in.  

Bella is s strong woman, its just Hansel and Gretel's father is not a nice man and a court case is now ruining her sweat business.  

Heath on the other hand is quite something. Yes, he's a little bonkers, but he's also adorable, sweet and has a dislike of anything Watermelon flavoured.

Intent of getting Bella's help with his business, he gets far more than he bargained for, but in all scenarios presented to us, we do get a fitting HEA.

Sunday 16 August 2015

REVIEW - The Millionaire's Unexpected Proposal (Miami Lawyers #1) by Jane Peden

The Book
Release Date: 31 March 2015
Goodreads Link

His marriage of inconvenience… 
Camilla Winthrop is about to do something she's never done in her life—she's about to ask a man to marry her. Not just any man. She hasn't seen Sam Flanagan in almost five years, after he coldly walked away from a passionate and intense two-week affair. Now Camilla is widowed and desperate…and marrying Sam is the only way she can protect their son. The son he never knew about. 
A hugely successful attorney in Miami, Sam certainly never expected to see the stunning Camilla come through his door again. Nor can he ignore the desire heating his blood. But after she tells him her situation, Sam is furious. He'll marry her, but under his terms. And he'll take everything, including Camilla in his bed…unless she can find a way to thaw the millionaire's icy heart once more.

My Opinion  3 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

Although I liked this story, there were bits that I didn't like.

Camellia was a good honest character through out, but should have stuck up for herself a little more with Sam.

Sam however was a little hard to like in the fact that he was very judgemental and went about things in the wrong way.  Yes he came up good in the end but he had annoyed me a little too much by then.

Loved that his friend Ritchie tried to tell him he was being an idiot, yet his friend Jonathan helped in Sam's deception.

Loved the family of Camilla her son and her sister Olivia.


REVIEW - Loving Mindy (Lone Pine Lake #2.5) by Karen Erickson

The Book
Release Date: 28 July 2014
Goodreads Link

Previously released as part of the Stranded with a Hero anthology. Now available individually!

He's the one who got away. She's the one he can't forget…

Mindy McKenzie’s day has gone from bad to worse. First, her ex whisked her kids away to attend his elopement, leaving her alone for the holidays. And then the man whose heart she broke years ago winds up on her doorstep—stranded. Josh Powers still has a body that can make her mouth water, but unfortunately, she’s sure she missed her chance with him.

Waiting out a storm with an attractive woman isn’t normally a bad thing. But when it’s the woman Josh Powers has never been able to get out of his head, it’s pure torture. Especially since he knows she’ll never feel the same way. Mindy is just as sexy and tempting as he remembers, but he can’t risk his heart a second time.

My Opinion  4 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a very light and soft novella that can be read as a stand-a-lone story from the series.

Josh and Mindy are old friends that reunite over the Christmas holidays when Josh's car cannot be moved after swerving to avoid a cat.

Years of avoiding each other come to a head with a very fast heart-warming story, perfect for those who like a clean romance.

Sunday 9 August 2015

REVIEW - A Lesson in Temptation (Stanton Family #4) by Audra North

The Book
Release Date: 14 July 2014
Goodreads Link

Adam Harkness pulled himself out of poverty to become one of the world's most respected Finance professors, but at the cost of his personal life. When a well-meaning friend gifts him with a dance course, Adam decides to attend one class out of courtesy, but no more than that. He has work to do, after all - or at least, that's what he tells himself.

After being bullied in high school, Julie Stanton took refuge in her studies. But now that her hard work has paid off and Julie has found success in her job, it's time to focus on finding the same happiness in the rest of her life.

When Adam walks into the same tango class that Julie signed up for, she recognizes him immediately as the professor whom she had a crush on in college. Both Adam and Julie have proven themselves to be excellent scholars. But when the attraction between them turns into something more, will they be able to open their hearts and learn a new lesson - how to love.

My Opinion  4 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This was a very fast paced novella that spanned a period of 5-6 weeks and Tango classes.

A former student and her TA find themselves in a Tango class for two very separate reasons, however the attraction they had a few years ago is still very much there.

Both have their reasons as to why they work so hard, but whilst he excludes the fun, she is determined and works hard to make sure that she has some.

It's a sweet and fun and enjoyable read that seems to finish very quickly.
 

Wednesday 5 August 2015

REVIEW - More Than Fashion (Chasing the Dream #3) by Elizabeth Briggs

The Book
Release Date: 30 July 2015
Goodreads Link

They’re enemies who will do anything to win...including each other.

When pre-med student Julie Hong wins a spot on a fashion design reality TV show, she celebrates by picking up a hot English guy in a hotel bar. But too many drinks leads to a night of embarrassment and a major hangover, and wow is she glad she’ll never see him again.

Until the show starts, and he’s on it too.

Julie quickly realizes she’s out of her league among the other designers, and Gavin Bennett, with his cocky grin and sexy accent, is her biggest competition. Julie can't decide if she wants to kiss him or kill him. Or both.

After she’s almost kicked off, Julie convinces Gavin to pretend they’re sleeping together for the camera. The ploy works, but as they get closer to the show’s finale their fake relationship starts to become too real. But only one of them can win the show—and they might both end up heartbroken.
 

My Opinion  5 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

Being a Brit myself it was great to see an English man portrayed with our American fashion beauty.

It's another very well written book in the series that has you turning page after page, staying up longer than you wanted as you think, just one more page or just one more chapter.

Although its another book based around another TV show it's also completely new. The producers do throw spanners in the works, there are people that rub each other the wrong way, but there is also really good chemistry between the two characters. The love hate relationship works well in building up the story.

Certainly a book that I would reccomed and I greatly anticipate the next book in the series, Carla's story.

REVIEW - Beware of Me (Dark Obsession #4) by Cynthia Eden

The Book
Release Date: 28 July 2015
Goodreads Link

Walk on the wild side with New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Cynthia Eden's dark new romantic suspense, BEWARE OF ME.

Criminal. Killer. Monster. Ethan Barclay has been called many things in life, and he usually doesn't care what people say about him. He's tough, hard, and brutal when he needs to be. But even the most dangerous of men can have a weakness. Ethan's weakness has--and always will be--Carly Shay.

Their pasts are tied together--twisted and melded by blood and death. Walking away from Carly was the hardest thing that Ethan ever did, but it was also his one good deed. He knew Carly deserved far better than him, and he wanted her to have a perfect life, a life that didn't involve paying for Ethan's sins.

Only now the secrets from their past have been revealed, and Carly's life is on the line. Ethan's enemies, Carly's enemies--the predators are closing in on them. But Ethan isn't going to let Carly be threatened. He will move heaven and hell to protect her. He won't lose Carly, not again, and for those foolish enough to try and take her from him...they are about to see just how deadly Ethan truly can be.

Author's Note: BEWARE OF ME is a complete, stand-alone story. All of the books in the Dark Obsession series are stand-alone titles.

Dark Obsession Series:

WATCH ME - Book 1
WANT ME - Book 2
NEED ME - Book 3
BEWARE OF ME - Book 4
 

My Opinion  5 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Hocus Pocus Publishing Inc, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

We have seen signs in the previous books in this series that Ethan had a heart, especially at the end of book three.

However in this book we find out how much further Ethan will go for the woman he has always loved and what he is prepared to do for her.

He has always kept an eye out for Carly and now that she is back in his life he will not let her go.

Carly is a very strong character and always stands up for who and what she believes in, even when others try to sway her opinion. she too will do anything for those that she loves, especially Ethan.

She sticks to her convictions and shows that you can battle and get past your demons coming out as a much stronger person.

Saturday 1 August 2015

REVIEW - Baby's Got Bite (Take It Like a Vamp #2) by Candace Havens

The book
Release Date: 28 July 2015
Goodreads Link

Some consequences bite . . . big time.

Bennett Langdon has a firm no-relationships policy. Still, it doesn't stop her from hooking up with a super-sexy bad boy at her best friend's wedding. After all, it's only one night—what harm could it do? Ten weeks later, a pregnant Bennett has her answer...

Linc Monahan can't believe it. This wasn't supposed to happen. He's a werewolf, and shouldn't be able to father a child with a human. Now Linc has to find some way to tell Bennett that not only do werewolves exist, but she's about to have a baby with one.

But when word of their surprise conception gets out, the fur hits the fan. There are people who don't want this baby to be born—even if it means killing. Now Bennett and Linc aren't just fighting each other . . . they're fighting for their lives.


My Opinion  0 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This book has witty come backs, characters that you will want to read more of and hot alpha males.

Link and Bennett hook up at the wedding of Casey and Nick (from book one).  Unfortunately Linc's super sperm works its magic and ten weeks later Bennett finds herself a mother to be.

Neither wanted a relationship or children, however find themselves thrown together as enemies would rather the child does not live.

Bennett also gets a family surprise.

Although we had to wait awhile for the second book in this series, it was worth the wait.