Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Review - ‘Kentucky Cowboy’ by Jan Scarbrough


Blurb 

Professional bull rider Judd Romeo is a contender for the world title. He defies death for a living. But now he must deal with the death of his mother by settling her estate. Returning home to Kentucky, the PBR cowboy runs smack dab into the arms of his high school sweetheart, a woman he’s never forgotten. Veterinarian Mandy Sullivan learned early on that risk-takers are trouble. Having custody of her sister’s child, she works hard to be both mother and father to the abandoned girl. When trouble shows up next door, Mandy discovers she can’t avoid her former beau. Will she take a second chance and risk her heart this time?

Review

Judd Romeo and Mandy Sullivan dated back in high school until he made a stupid decision and she dumped him without explaining why. Ten years passed and he’s come home to Eagleton, Kentucky to take care of his mom’s things after she passed. He’s a sexy, fun-loving professional bull rider up for the world championship and she’s an uptight veterinarian who’s also the overprotective legal guardian of her niece, Georgia.
My favorite character was Judd. I understood his motivation, his regret for past mistakes, the discontent with his estranged father, and his determination to win both the championship and the woman he loves. He’s the type of guy every girl wants. He’s fun, caring and considerate. Georgia was an adorable nine-year-old girl with a wild streak but a good head on her shoulders. I didn’t connect well with Mandy. She constantly blamed herself for her sister’s mistakes, worried about not being a good enough doctor and a ‘mother’ to her niece, and she criticized Judd far too much over his career choices even she couldn’t get over how attractive he was. It became tiresome after a while.
I’ve never read a story with a professional bull rider in the star role, or even a minor role, so I enjoyed learning about the sport. The author doesn’t hit you over the head with details, but she gives you just enough info so you can an idea of what the sport is like and what life is like for the riders and bulls.
I love second chance romances and this one had a great plot. The book is well-formatted and looked great on my Kindle, but the author wrote in passive voice and head-hopped without proper scene breaks which I’m not fond of.
Overall, this is a fun, heartwarming story and I’m glad I read it.
4 Stars

Disclaimer – I downloaded this book for free on Amazon on a Free Day. I am a reader. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Pre-Order - 'Reckless' anthology

BANNER
A SUPER SEXY ANTHOLOGY

ABOUT SEXY BAD MEN!
★★ RECKLESS ANTHOLOGY PRE-ORDER ★★
BUY LINKS

PROMO - PREORDER - COVER REVEAL 2 SMALL

BLURBS

LLOYD

USA TODAY ANDREA SMITH & BEST SELLING AUTHOR EVA LENOIR (M/M Romance)
My name is Lloyd Ledbetter and I am the best lawyer New York criminals can buy. My obsession to detail is their saving grace. I'm focused, determined and one-track minded. Nursing my broken heart for the last few months, I've stayed away from anything that could resemble a relationship.
Until Luke Gunner.
My name is Luke Gunner and I'm the best money launderer criminals can buy. With an IQ reaching the status of genius, I can practically make money without breaking a sweat. I'm fun, independent and a lover of life. Settling down was never a priority especially when I had so many options laid out in front of me.
Until Lloyd Ledbetter.

LUCAN

BEST SELLING AUTHOR KIM BLACK
I am a FBI agent, working undercover within the Petrov Bratva, Russian mob.
Swarm too much and you were killed. Seem too eager and you were also killed. The Bratva only has use for the best of the best. You must be lethal, brutal and show no mercy.
For 5 years I've played the part of loyal servant. Never bringing awareness as to my true identity. I am careful.
But one woman could be the downfall to everything I have worked so hard to accomplish. Can I walk away from everything if it means saving her life?

DILLION

BEST SELLING AUTHOR SUSAN WARD
I'm Dillon Warrick.
Ex-Special Forces. I have no memory of what went down on my last deployment, so when the opportunity came to resign my commission and sign up for a new gig I jumped on it.
Now I'm the personal bodyguard for the biggest celebrity on the globe and still living life on the edge.
I'm six feet two inches of blond-haired, blue-eyed Adonis, combat-fit body and fully loaded weapon.
My best friend, Graham, thinks I'm running too close to the edge and about to take a fall. And then there's Rachel, my former high school sweetheart turned fuck-buddy. As incredible as she is, I can't commit until I unravel the mystery of what happened on my final mission.

WADE

SCARLET WOLFE
On the surface, country boy Wade is a reckless partier and a player. The word relationship is not in his vocabulary. The feeling is mutual for Laney after being burned by a past relationship. The two meet at a bar, and there is something neither of them can shake about each other once Laney literally falls onto Wade's fit, handsome body.
Wade must repossess Laney's car, and she continues to be a thorn in his side as they set out on an adventure together. Can the two of them see past the surface and bring out the best in one another, or will Wade's bad habits send him back home alone?

MAVERICK

KIRSTY-ANN STILL
Some will call me crazy, but it's simpler than that - when you love someone, walking away is the hardest thing to do.
I've done it - twice - and I refuse to walk away anymore.
I'm Zane Maverick and its third time's a charm where Amelia Abbiati is concerned.
This fight isn't one I'll lose.

HOLT

A.M. WILSON
My alias is Brixton Holt. Using my real name could get me killed. When the FBI needed a man undercover, I was the perfect candidate. Unattached and an all-around badass. Two years of infiltrating the largest sex trafficking ring in the country, I feel as dirty as the monsters I work for. That is, until she catches my eye. I call her Brandi. Her real name is no longer significant. She knows the rules. Nobody leaves unless it's in a box--a shipping crate or a coffin. My first mistake was following orders. The second? Falling in love.

JAMISON

BEST SELLING AUTHOR LENA BLACK
I lived a simple life. I had my own apartment, a successful restaurant I ran with my sister, and my cat, Prue. I was ignorantly happy.
Until him...
I wasn't looking for anything beyond a place to hide the night I walked into Jamison's tattoo parlor.
By the time I'd left, he'd made an impression on my body...and my mind.
Jamison wasn't easy to get to know. He wouldn't let me get close enough to see who he really was. When he finally did, I was introduced to a world I'd only ever experienced in movies.
It wasn't the life he chose. It's the life he was born into. Leaving it behind meant there would be causalities...I never realized I'd be one.

TROY

XYLA TURNER
Savannah's life was on automatic as she still resided in the same sleepy town she grew up in with the same people and the same situations. Then she ran across Troy Bennet, the outsider, who didn't mess around with any of the townie women. Ever.
Until that fateful day, when she learned that her bedroom cravings were not foreign to the brooding man and he was willing to follow-through on his promise.
That was until Savannah found herself in the middle of a shoot-out, only to learn that the sexy Troy was a hired assassin.

ALL PROCEEDS TO BE DONATED TO:
The Hidradenitis Supprativa Trust

Blog Tour - 'Soul Struck' by Jacob Flores and the History of Yule *Giveaways*

Hi, everyone! I’m Jacob Z. Flores, and I’m thrilled to be here at Amber Daulton’s blog. This is my first time here, and I love visiting new parts of the Internet, so thank you Amber for allowing me to stop by today on my promotional tour for Soul Struck, the third book in my Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge series. These books follow the lives of three magical brothers, Mason, Thad, and Pierce, who have unearthed a dark conspiracy that threatens their world and the magical community. So far, the youngest Blackmoor siblings, Mason and Thad, have narrated their own books, where they have searched for answers and found love. In Soul Struck, the oldest brother, Pierce, takes over as the main character. His story brings the first story arc of this series to a close as well as introduces the young man who changes Pierce’s life.

Like the other books in the series, Soul Struck takes place during a Wiccan Sabbat. In book one, we celebrated Mabon, and in book two, we partook in Samhain. For the third book, we gather around the fire to celebrate Yule. We primarily know Yule as Christmas but not many of us know much about Yule beyond that, so I though I would share a bit about this Wiccan holiday with all of you.

The earliest people from the Norse to the Celts celebrated Yule with many of the symbols we associate with Christmas today. They too decorated evergreen trees and hung mistletoe and holly. They feasted, and they danced. They gathered as a family, they exchanged gifts, and life paused on this important day.

The actual day Yule takes place is also significant. Yule occurs on the shortest day of the year known as the winter solstice or the rebirth of the sun. This is an important turning point in what the Wiccans call the Cycle of Life. Darkness, which has reigned since after the summer solstice, wanes, and light returns. Yule is, therefore, a celebration of life. It represents light and renewal, which is why candles dominate most rituals associated with Yule.
Because of its association with light and restoration of life, Yule is considered one of the most powerful Sabbats. Spells or magic conducted under Yule’s powerful moon are capable of reshaping the world.

I hope you enjoyed this very brief summary of Yule, and I hope you enjoy celebrating the Sabbat with my characters.



Blurb:

Like the electricity he commands, Pierce Blackmoor streaks through life on raw power and pure sexual energy. His conquests on the battlefield and in the bedroom form his foundation, but that bedrock crumbles when his younger brothers’ abilities surpass his own. Pierce finds himself at an all-time low, and clawing his way back to the top becomes his only concern.

Pierce's plan to reassert his dominance, however, takes a backseat when he wounds Kale Aquilo, an emissary of the Beast King, lord of all shifters.

Kale’s beguiling nature shoots like a lightning bolt straight to Pierce’s soul, and when the soft-spoken Kale relays that a virus is killing his people, Pierce abandons his quest for power to do something he has never done before—protect someone other than himself.

As Kale, Pierce, and his brothers struggle to find the root of the magical virus spreading plague across Aeaea, the shifter island, they face a gauntlet of old and new foes. Soul struck, Pierce and Kale must uncover the truth behind the conspiracy gathering in the shadows.

Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7203

About the Author 

Jacob Z. Flores lives a double life. During the day, he is a respected college English professor and mid-level administrator. At night and during his summer vacation, he loosens the tie and tosses aside the trendy sports coat to write man on man fiction, where the hard ass assessor of freshmen level composition turns his attention to the firm posteriors and other rigid appendages of the characters in his fictional world.

Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse.

When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his daughter. They both represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.

You can follow Jacob’s musings on his blog at http://jacobzflores.com, his website dedicated to the Havenbridge series at http://www.havenbridge.me or become a part of his social media network by visiting http://www.facebook.com/jacob.flores2 or http://twitter.com/#!/JacobZFlores.
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jacobflores2/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5142501.Jacob_Z_Flores
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JacobFlores9595/posts


Ebook Giveaway
(ends Dec 31)

All you have to do is leave a comment to this post, and your name is entered to win a free ebook from his backlist. 

Rafflecopter Giveaway 

$50 Amazon Gift Card at the end of the tour 

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Review - ‘A Cajun Werewolf Christmas’ by Selena Blake


Blurb 

This is it! The answer to your Stormy Weather questions. This isn’t a traditional romance by any stretch, it's a glimpse of happily ever after or how the Cajun werewolves spend their first Christmas as a pack. 

A Cajun Werewolf Christmas 
(The Happily Ever After) 
paranormal romance – the final Stormy Weather story 
Join Deveraux Pack for their first Christmas together. With Angel and Jules’ wedding days away, the pack braces the snow and cold for an unforgettable day. The men place a bet to see who can come up with the best baby present. And Mother Nature provides one last surprise for everyone. 

Review

This short Christmas novella deals with the five werewolf Deveraux brothers and cousins. Although I haven’t read the previous five books, the author gives enough info on the main five couples throughout the novella to inform the reader of whom everyone is and the basic overview of how the couples met and fell in love.
Jules and Angel are getting married. They’re staying with Burke and Kendal for Christmas and getting married at their home. Sebastian and Amanda, the pack alpha and luna, are expecting their first child which is due any day now. Laurent and Violet are there, along with Andre and Juliette. I enjoyed watching the interaction between the pack members, the men with each other and with their mates, and found this story to be very sweet and heartwarming.
I’m definitely interested in checking out the previous books and the later ones in the series if there are any.
4 Stars


Disclaimer – I downloaded this book for free on Amazon. I am a reader. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Sale Alert - 'The Manhattan Bound' series by Juliet Braddock

Juliet Dec 2015 Sale copy
weakened cover

Weakened

Manhattan Bound Series #1
By Juliette Braddock

Synopsis

Against the glittering backdrop of New York City, budding theatrical publicist Maxine Kirk, fresh off the bus from a small Pennsylvania town, stumbles into the arms of her beloved teenage crush, unleashing desires that she never imagined.
Enter Drew McKenzie, a rising star on Broadway with dashing looks and talent to match, who masquerades behind the characters he portrays.
Instantly, Maxine finds herself lured into Drew’s high society world only to uncover a complicated man beneath the glitz and glamour of his public persona. As soon as the curtain falls, Drew sheds his stage costumes to reveal a daring Dominant side.
Titillated by his enigmatic life, Maxine clamors to discover a surreptitious and possibly perilous affair with Drew, all the while questioning her own preconceived notions on romance.
Secrets surface, revealing haunting truths that test both Maxine and Drew of their own intentions. But in this high-stakes game of trust, only the strongest survive.

amazon

wrapped cover

Wrapped

Manhattan Bound Series #2
By Juliette Braddock

Synopsis

Sweeping through the glitz and glamour of New York’s high society and the drama unfolding in the dressing rooms of Broadway, Wrapped, by Juliet Braddock, continues the journey of a young theatrical publicist’s foray into submission under the tutelage of a dashingly dark star of the stage. Wrapped—the much anticipated sequel to Braddock’s critically acclaimed erotic romance Weakened—is the second book in the Manhattan Bound series.
When Drew McKenzie presents Maxine Kirk with an ultimatum, challenging her to engage in his wanton brand of desire, she readily embraces her awakening hunger for a lifestyle that defies her perceptions of romance.
Entranced by Drew’s charming appeal and by his sensual assault to her senses, Maxine clamors to discover every nuance of this new relationship, ravenous to explore verboten fantasies that seem possible to fulfill only with Drew.
Along the way, he introduces her to his glamorous world of wealth and celebrity—where lavish galas and luxurious gifts are the norm—and entices her into his realm of control with his tender mode of domination.
All the while, however, they both grapple with painful emotions brought about by the extenuating circumstances of their separate pasts.
While Drew remains both confident and conscientious in his parlay of power over Maxine, his own tragic secret lurks in every shadow upon his path in life. Behind the façade of his stage persona and the origin of old Manhattan society, he struggles to hide the unforgiving reality he faced as a child.
Just as Maxine finds the strength to conquer her own torment with Drew’s patience and guidance leading her toward closure, terrifying truths begin to chip away at the surface of his composure.
As the nightmarish details of Drew’s unimaginable life emerge, he fears that this new world he’d begun to build with Maxine will crumble around him.
As Maxine finds herself embroiled in the battle to save Drew’s tortured soul from the atrocities that continue to stalk his every move, two lost souls struggling to find comfort and completion converge.
However, as Drew opens his heart to Maxine’s unwavering support, he questions his own bravery, wondering if she’ll take a bow and make her exit…or if she’ll stick around for the encore?
amazon
Knotted - final

Knotted

Manhattan Bound Series #3
By Juliette Braddock

Synopsis

Spiraling from the bustling streets of New York City to the opulence of Paris, KNOTTED, the third book in Juliet Braddock’s Manhattan Bound series, continues the steamy journey of Maxine Kirk’s whirlwind romance with star of the Broadway stage, Drew McKenzie. 

As their love continues to flourish, Maxine finds herself ensconced in Drew’s world, where power reigns in his all-consuming lust for her. From a blackout in Manhattan to a back alley in Paris to a castle in the Loire Valley, their passion knows no boundaries. 

All the while, though, traces from their separate pasts continue to haunt, threatening to disrupt their happiness. 

Maxine must confront the harsh, emotional realities that she’d thought she’d conquered. However, she wonders if her courage will withstand the crushing heartache that has threatened to destroy her soul. 

As Drew continues to fit together the missing pieces of his childhood, danger shadows his every move. Drifting through the tumultuous events of their public and personal lives, Drew will stop at nothing to keep Maxine safe—and to guard their secrets from the world. 

Passion and peril collide, culminating in the explosive revelation of the enigma that’s followed Drew for years.
amazon

What People are Saying

Weakened - "Juliet’s writing style is just flawless and, ever since I began her book, I wasn’t able to stop. She managed to create a striking story that lures you in, with characters that seem so real, I felt like I knew every one of them."
~ Mikky's World Of Books
Wrapped - "An incredibly emotive read that will move with sadness, have you cheering with happiness with the successes, laughing out loud and much more."
~LBM Book Blog
Knotted - You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fist pump but most of all you will be grateful for this book series. I anxiously await the release of "Bound"
~Carol (Amazon Customer)

Author Bio & Links

Juliet Braddock loves eighties music, wine, food, theater and all things French. When she’s not exploring the big cities of the world—most notably Paris—she lives and writes in Manhattan, and is the proud cat mom to a very spoiled Russian Blue rescue.
presented by WLK Book Promotions

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Cinderella Countdown - The Thin Person Inside By Rochelle Weber

Interview - Lynette Sofras and her book 'Wishful Thinking'

Exciting news! 
I'd like to welcome my fellow Glass Slipper Sister, Lynette Sofras, to my blog! Lynette and I are part of a multi-author campaign to promote Cinderella-themed stories, holiday recipes and party ideas, and to meet wonderful readers who love happily ever afters as much as we do. 
It's great to have you here, Lynette. Lets learn a little bit about you... 



Tell us about your Cinderella book.
Wishful Thinking is a rags to riches story about a single mother (Jess) who encounters Christian the former lead singer of a successful band (Wishful) just before Christmas.  Here is the back cover description:
A high-speed blow-out in the fast lane of a busy motorway! Miraculously, Jess and her young son escape almost-certain death.

Then, like another miracle, Jess encounters Christian Goodchild, pop idol turned Hollywood A-lister and a man most women only ever meet in their dreams. Both are touched by the enchantment of the moment - leaving them longing for more.
But Christian is enmeshed in a relationship so damaging that Jess doubts their love can survive in the glamorous but complex world of celebrity. Could it all turn out to be just wishful thinking?

What kind of research did you do?
I didn’t need to do a great deal, but since Christian has to spend time in Hollywood, I did check out maps and hotel descriptions over there, since I’ve never been to the U.S., unfortunately.  With the rest, I was on fairly familiar territory.

Did any of your characters sometime take over and write the book themselves? Who?
I love this question because that almost always happens.  In this story Christian’s former girlfriend and fellow band member, Amber extended her own part quite considerably. On the surface she was a great role model for her teen fans, but beneath it, she was a real mess.  She’d had a tragic childhood and refused to let anyone forget it; but she also suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder which accounted for her manipulative behaviours.  None of this was planned, but it continued to develop as Amber took over her own role.  

What do you prefer: ebook or print? Why?
In the very early days of ebooks, I was one of those people who insisted that print books would always be preferable.  How wrong I was.  The sheer ease of using ebook readers, their portability, the flexibility of print size, the volume of great books you can store on them, and the lower cost of ebooks makes them one of the best inventions of the century.  I much prefer reading books on my Kindle to print books now.

How long have you been writing? When did you decide to become an author?
I decided to become an author as a very young child and wrote stories throughout my life.  However, I only began publishing them about four years ago, when I was able to give up my teaching career and follow my childhood dreams.    

What did you do when you received your first Acceptance Letter?
I almost fainted because it was so completely unexpected.  You see my first story, The Apple Tree, had been entered into a writing competition without my even realising it.  I received a notification that I’d won first prize along with an offer of publication.  Once I recovered from the shock, I was delighted.

All writers have suffered from writer’s block at least once in their career. What’s your go-to cure?
I have two cures: one is to read a great book because this can inspire you to your own efforts and the other is quite simply to sit at your computer and start writing.  Unfortunately, this is often very difficult to do and authors will usually find a multitude of chores to do to put off this moment, because they’ve allowed their block to take over.  If you just write anything that comes into your head, no matter how rubbishy it sounds, and keep at it, you can often work past the wretched block.  Another aid is to keep a notepad and pen handy at all times to jot down ideas.  These will come at the oddest times – perhaps late at night or in the early hours.  If you record them, you can revisit them and flesh them out more until inspiration strikes or the muse comes out of hiding.

Sometimes the romance genre gets a bad reputation for being cliché and full of Fabios. How do you respond to that?
To some extent it is the readers who shape the genre.  If you don’t meet their expectations, they soon let you know.  If your heroes aren’t alpha enough, your heroines feisty enough or your endings happy enough, you soon know about it.  For my part, however (and I know several romance writers who feel the same) a good romance should incorporate elements of other genres to add the spice.  I hate stereotypes and feel it’s important to give my characters weaknesses as well as strengths, and some very awkward obstacles, to make them as humanly realistic as possible.

Where can we find your books?
All titles are available from Amazon, using this link: http://www.amazon.com/Lynette-Sofras/e/B0084YN70O/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0; and Wishful Thinking can be found at all regular outlets.  
Readers can visit my website http://www.lynettesofras.com for more information and to read excerpts from all of my novels.

Thank you so much, Lyn, for stopping by my blog. I hope you had fun! 

Here's a little more about our Cinderella group... 
Come join the fun! 



Here's our Facebook Group page if you'd like to stay updated on all the Cinderella fun! 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/482493158588214/


Check out our Cinderella video to get a feel for all 15 stories... 





This compilation book of 15 Cinderella excerpts, recipes and party ideas will be out late December 2015. 



Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Audio Book Tour - 'Till Death' by Becky McGraw

Header - Audio Till Death copy

Till Death - Audio Cover
Till Death: Deep Six Security Series Book 1

Written by: Becky McGraw
Narrated by: Matt Haynes
Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:11-17-15
Publisher: Becky McGraw


WLK synopsis
Dave Logan, the owner of Deep Six Security, is stunned when Dallas FBI head, Susan Whitmore, darkens his doorstep accusing him of being the cause of her losing her job, and demanding he hire her. Even as his brain says no way, the Barracuda is a woman nobody can work with, his white-knight complex forces him to offer her a job as his very overqualified temporary secretary.
A wealthy couple who ordered a designer baby which wasn't delivered contacts Dave for help. To get answers for them, Dave has to get inside an overly-fortified fertility clinic going undercover with Susan as his temporary wife. The situation inside is worse than they imagined, and soon their pretend 'til death do us part could become very real unless the two alpha personalities learn to work together to stay alive.
©2014 Becky McGraw (P)2015 Becky McGraw

AUDIBLE US
Audible UK


Listen to an excerpt here:
DEEP SIX SECURITY SERIES by Becky McGraw:Till Death
Twisted Honor
Hell Bent
Coming in December - HELL BENT (#3, Deep Six Security)
WLK Author Bio
Becky McGraw
A Jill of many trades, NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Becky McGraw has been an optician, a beautician, a legal secretary, a real estate broker, web designer, graphic artist, and romance writer. She knows just enough to make her dangerous, and her humor-laced contemporary western cowboy, and military, police procedural romantic suspense novels varied and interesting. Becky resides in Florida with her husband of thirty-three years and her dog Abby.  She is a member of the Romance Writers of America Published Authors Network.
You can contact Becky McGraw here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/beckymcgrawbooks
Website: http://www.beckymcgraw.com
Twitter: @beckymcgrawbook
Email: beckymcgrawbooks@gmail.com
presented by WLKBookPromotions.com