Saturday, February 29, 2020

#BookReview – “Walking in Fire” by Cathryn Cade



Blurb

Nawea Bay, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is just the place Melia Carson needs to escape the chill of rejection. But she soon finds herself swept up in a tropical heat wave, fueled by her attraction to a handsome local.
Malu's big, powerful, hot enough to melt her defenses—and when he isn't rescuing her from trouble, he's poking fun at her naivete. But he’s no ordinary guy. How did he survive an injury that should have killed him… and why does she dream of him in traditional native finery and wreathed in flames?
David “Malu” Ho’omalu is out to find and destroy a cache of 'Kona Kula' before the deadly, addictive drug can be sold to his people. Fending off amorous tourists is part of the job. But one look in Melia’s blue eyes, and he wants to claim her for his own.
As they surrender to the passion burning between them, she discovers a man who'll descend into the molten heart of the volcano to protect his island. And he discovers a brave woman who will entrust her heart to him… if he can keep her alive long enough.

Review

In book one in the Hawaiian Heroes series, chef Melia Carson is vacationing in Hawaii after breaking up with her boyfriend. While attending a snorkeling trip with a group of fellow tourists, she’s immediately smitten with the huge, handsome Hawaiian hunk on the boat. The trouble is, she’s not the only woman there who’s interested in him and she’s not willing to compete for his attention.
David “Malu” Ho’omalu is used to women flinging themselves at him, and he would take advantage of that if not for two things: he’s on the trip to watch a suspected drug runner, and he’s found the wahine—the woman—of his dreams. Unfortunately, Melia doesn’t seem all that interested in him. After one of the partying tourists goes missing, Malu and Melia are thrust together in a bid for survival.
Malu and Melia are wonderful, strong, stubborn characters.
He comes from a long line of paranormally enhanced warriors, and his powers/abilities were awesome. This paranormal aspect didn’t overpower the plot, though. “Malu” is his nickname and what he normally went by, but sometimes the name David was thrown in, which was distracting.
The description of the Hawaiian scenery, people, food, and culture was very detailed.
I’m definitely interested in learning more about the secondary characters, especially Malu’s brother Daniel and their friends Keone and Leilani.
I didn’t find any typos, which was great. Even though I enjoyed this story a lot, I was a little confused with timeline. I thought the prologue had taken place about a year before the beginning of the story, but actually it took place in the middle of the opening chapters. The rest of the story flowed well, but the ending chapters dragged a little after the big showdown.
This is the first book I’ve read from Ms. Cade, and I would love to read more.
4.5 Stars

Thursday, February 27, 2020

#GuestPost - "The Cat’s out of the Bag" by Cynthia Terelst

Thank you to Amber for inviting me to your blog today.
My name is Cynthia and I am a new author from Australia.  My first novel, The Cat’s out of the Bag, was published two months ago. It is a contemporary romance with some comedy thrown in.  If you know Australians, you know that we like a good joke, and I hope this is portrayed in the book.
I chose to start the novel in a cat shelter for two reasons. The first was because it felt like it fit with the title of the book. The second is because I volunteer for a local rescue, fostering kittens.  Fostering is such a rewarding experience. By taking these unwanted babies in, we give them a second chance at life. We have had a kitten stay with us for less than a day (yes, that is a record adoption time) and others stay for a year.  Fraser Coast Cat Rescue is a no kill rescue, and we will keep the kittens and cats in our care until they find a forever home.
Here is a photo of Gimli, one of our foster kittens from a few years ago. He had a lick of ice-cream and was showing his appreciation.
Don’t worry, if you’re not a cat person, Mindy the pit bull makes an appearance as well. She certainly is a character.
While the animal characters make for good reading the book is ultimately about the love story between Evie and Jesse, and the push and pull as Evie learns how to trust. But Evie isn’t the only one who comes with a past, and we learn how Jesse needs to overcome his own fears.
I’m working on my next novel now, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Yes, there is a theme in the titles that will continue for some time. This book is a second chance romance, with a scavenger hunt the fabric holding the story together.
Hope you all have a fabulous day, with a dash or dollop of reading!
Cynthia



Blurb

One van. Two hearts. Thousands of kilometres.
Jesse’s a self-made billionaire who yearns to get away from his empty life and the money-hungry parasites who inhabit it. The plan? Go to Australia, tell no one about his money and find himself. Instead of finding just himself, he finds Evie, who is everything anyone should aspire to be. Now, what he aspires to be, is hers. But to be hers, he needs to tell her everything.
Evie has left her past behind. She has rebuilt herself, and her life, into one of happiness. After she meets Jesse, while volunteering at a cat shelter, memories of her past filter back in. She is stronger now and wants to trust him. But after all she has been through, is trust even possible?
The quest to find a cat a forever home leads them to travel across the country together. Can the close quarters drive them to open up to each other? Or will it drive them apart?

Excerpt

Jesse
The wave petered out, and I paddled back to the line-up. Sitting, watching, waiting. The constant breeze in my ears and the sound of waves breaking relaxed me. Lulled by the gentle rise and fall of the swells, I thought about Evie.
She was one of the most complicated people I’d ever met. Whatever she had been through had made her strong and independent. But underneath, she was all doubt. I could see her trying to be brave, but that could change in an instant as her insecurities took over. I felt like it was a fight between Nick and me, and I didn’t even know the guy. I didn’t know how to beat a ghost. But I would. I would figure it out, and I would gain Evie’s trust, bit by bit.
Her. Me. That’s what I would strive for.

Buy Link



Author Bio

Cynthia Terelst is a project officer by day and a writer by night. She is a contemporary romance writer who likes to share a little bit of history, some Australian scenery and a whole lotta love. Cynthia does not shy away from difficult topics, as she feels that they should not be ignored. 

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

#BookReview – “Dark Legend” by Christine Feehan


Blurb

Gabriel wakes deep within the ground, and the first sensation he feels is an overwhelming hunger for blood. But as he hunts the dark streets of Paris for prey, a voice calls to him, soothing, calming, giving him the strength to control his craving.

Francesca Del Ponce is a healer, a woman who radiates goodness as powerfully as the sun does light. Though Gabriel can only imagine what she will feel like in his arms, he knows the taste of her will be addictive. And yet he fears for her life and his soul if he gives in to his desire...

Review

In the seventh book of the Dark/Carpathian series, Gabriel Daratranznoff and his twin Lucian are legends among the Carpathian people. They’re the most powerful and the oldest of the old, and they made a pact with each other that if one of them turns vampire, the other twin will hunt and kill the vampire twin. Then Lucian turns, but only sometimes did he act like a normal, deranged, maniacal vampire. After years of fighting with no winner, Gabriel finally trapped Lucian in an underground Parisian cemetery.
Now, in the modern era, the cemetery undergoes construction, which wakes the twins. When Gabriel rises from the ground, he’s starving and out for blood. Luckily for him, a kind woman takes him home with her.
Francesca Del Ponce doesn’t realize the gaunt, hungry, homeless man she took pity on is actually a Carpathian warrior and her lifemate, presumed dead. She, too, is an ancient Carpathian and a great healer, but she’s given up her people and her homeland to live as a human in Paris.
She’s such a strong, stubborn, self-sacrificing woman. Like most of the heroes in this series, she’s ready to greet the dawn when she finally meets her lifemate. She doesn’t want a relationship with Gabriel, but he has other plans. Gabriel is more patient, amusing, and less of a chest-beating he-man as the majority of heroes are in the other books. Granted, Gabriel does have his moments of being overbearing, but it’s not that bad compared to some of the other men.
My favorite characters are Lucian and Skyler. Lucian is a great actor and isn’t the bad guy everyone thinks he is, but he is a lot darker and moodier than Gabriel. He’s lived a harder life than Gabriel has, but did so of his own free will. In that aspect, he’s more like Gregori, the twins’ heavy-handed younger brother. Skyler is the human teenager Gabriel and Francesca have taken into their home. She’s psychic and could possibly be someone’s future lifemate (I love Dimitri!), but she’s dealing with loads of personal trauma. Her past is heart wrenching.
Despite the friction between Gabriel and Lucian, they have a great bromance, and I love their sarcastic remarks to one another.
As with all of Mrs. Feehan’s writing, the POV jumps between various characters. I do like, however, how the heroes always sound so old-fashioned and respectable.
This book leads up to Lucian’s story, which is one of my favorites.
4 Stars

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

#NEBT - "Pirates, Passion and Plunder" anthology

PIRATES, PASSION AND PLUNDER

What's a lady to do when she's boarded by ruthless brigands and barbarous buccaneers, kidnapped on the lawless High Seas?
Stripped to the skin by piercing eyes. 
Captive and claimed by rough, strong hands.
She knows it's forbidden but how can she resist... a pirate's pleasure.

*Warning : Bodices will be ripped!*

  


 FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Discover seventeen wicked historical romances, in 'Pirates, Passion and Plunder'

Prepare for hair-raising shenanigans.
Pirates make their own rules.

**************************************************
THE CAPTAIN’S CAPTIVE
by Victoria Vale

RAVEN
by Ashe Barker

ROGUE BOOTY
by Golden Angel

THE BLOND DEVIL OF THE SEA
by Celeste Barclay

BOUGHT BY THE BUCCANEER
by Vanessa Brooks

TAKEN BY SIN
by Sky Purington

THE SEA WOLF
by Lee Savino

EDWARD’S LAW
by Felicity Brandon

PIRATE’S RUIN
by Marie Hall

OWNED BY THE PIRATE
by Sue Lyndon and Celeste Jones

TROUBLED WATERS
by Jane Burrelli

PURSUING HER PIRATE
by Jaye Peaches

HIS STOWAWAY
by Measha Stone

HIS WICKED WAYS
by S. Cinders

CUT AND THRUST
by Simone Leigh

PIRATE’S PLEASURE
by Mariah Stone

LADY EVANGELINE’S PIRATICAL PERSUASION
by Emily Tilton

**************************************************

And... to celebrate the launch of this gorgeous festive collection of historical romances, there's $25 of book money to whizz out to one lucky reader. Just click through to enter => http://www.lovebooksdaily.com/featured-read

Blurb for Edwards’s Law by Felicity Brandon

The Dexterity—designed to be the pride of the King’s navy, is mine.
Or, at least, she should have been, had the scoundrel Edward Law not waltzed into Christy’s auction house and stolen her from right under my nose.
But if Law thinks he can claim what rightfully belongs me to me, then he has another thing coming.
No man can make demands on me, be he gentleman, or otherwise.
I won’t concede to his dark, brooding eyes. I won’t surrender to his iron will.
Edward Law means nothing to me…

Excerpt from Edward’s Law

Edward smiled. “As you can see, I have news of my own.”
He tilted his head in the direction of Alice, and for an excruciating moment, both men turned and regarded her. Alice’s face burned with embarrassment, and instinctively, she lowered her gaze, her attention falling on the stiff ropes at her wrists.
“A woman, Captain?”
“Very observant, Carlisle,” said Edward with a laugh. “Yes, a stowaway by the name of Alice Jaggers.”
“But a woman, sir,” the other man repeated. “It’s bad luck to have a woman onboard.”
Alice lifted her chin with interest. Bad luck, huh? This could be her way off the vessel altogether.
“Only if you subscribe to superstitions,” countered Law in an amused tone. “Which as you know, I do not. It is not luck that has brought us good fortune in the past but our own fortitude.”
Carlisle raised his brows but said nothing to protest. “How did she get on board, sir? And what are we to do with her?”
Alice’s belly twisted at the last question, her gaze darting once more to Edward Law. Until today, he was a man she had barely even contemplated—the man at the auction, a name on a list at Christie’s, but nothing more. Now, it seemed Mr. Law held Alice’s destiny in his hands, and she was heady with the new reality.
“I found her hidden in my quarters,” explained Edward as he turned to face Alice. “As for your second query, Carlisle, we are not going to do anything with her. As captain, our guest is my responsibility.”
She gulped at the way he made that sound, suddenly unsure if she should be grateful or afraid—worse was the way Alice’s body was reacting to the tattered captain. Where she had previously been disgusted by the sight of the man, she was fast becoming compelled. The weight of his stare and his authoritative presence had affected Alice in ways she could never have foreseen, and as she met his gaze again, she was perturbed by the way heat pooled beneath her gown.
“I should like you to stand guard outside my door while I address the crew.” Edward’s focus was back on Carlisle now. “I am sure you can understand I cannot have any of the men stumbling upon her by mistake.”
Carlisle turned to look at Alice, his brown eyes drilling into her. “Aye, sir,” he responded after a moment. “I can understand.”
Law moved toward him, resting his hand on the shorter man’s shoulder. “I would trust only you with this objective, my friend,” he said solemnly. “Keep her safe for me.”
“You can count on me, Captain,” Carlisle smiled, revealing two crooked front teeth.
“Good. Then I must depart.” Law turned in Alice’s direction, fixing her with a hard stare. “I shall not be long, but until that time, behave yourself.”
Alice pulled in a deep breath as both men stalked from the room. She watched as the door slammed closed behind them, imagining Carlisle waiting just beyond. A potent myriad of emotions stirred as she heard what she assumed to be Law’s boots pacing away.
No man had ever spoken to her that way. Even her father had treated his only daughter with courtesy and respect when he addressed her.
Alice blinked, shaking her head as she processed what she was feeling.
On the one hand, she was embarrassed at her current predicament, entirely of her own making, and no idea how it would be reconciled, but on the other hand, she was seething with indignation at the way she had been treated. The way Law had spoken to her—dressing her down like a servant. Her face flamed as she recalled his proximity and the way he had touched her—the nerve of the man—then had somehow made her admit the error of her ways aloud. That was a feat no one had achieved before. Alice may have been guilty, but she would never have admitted such, especially to a stranger.
She sighed, eyeing the captain’s quarters as she struggled against the ropes. Being bound this way was intolerable—just like Law’s insufferable arrogance and the way he made assumptions about Alice. He assumed she would obey him and would be pliant to his plans. She snorted—the man had a lot to learn about Alice Jaggers if he thought she would remain compliant. She had not sneaked her way on board just to end up his bound captive, yet even as resentment burned in her blood, there was also something else. His commanding presence, just like the bondage, had stirred something in Alice.
Something she had not expected.
Something that felt like desire.

Monday, February 24, 2020

#TopTen with Sara from "Burning Bridges" by Anne Krist


My heroine in Burning Bridges, Sara Richards, is not the kind of woman who makes changes easily. Cases in point, she held on to a love she met in her teens and even though she’s believed him dead for decades, she hasn’t given up the memory of the feel of his love; her daughter in in her 30s and she still can’t accept that she might be moving farther than 70 miles from home; she’s still in the same business in the same location she’s had for more than 20 years. See? She likes things to remain the same. So, it’s not surprising when her favorite TV shows reflect her habit of not letting go. 
Here are her top ten vintage television programs.

  • Law and Order—you can’t beat the stories that follow the iconic da-da opening tones. A hard-hitting police procedural followed by the court cases that don’t always turn out the way you expect, Law and Order always had stellar writing and great characters.
  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King—a fun show featuring Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner that had plenty of humor and fun. Kate Jackson’s character was as far from a vamp as one could get, and her common-sense approach to both spying and motherhood contrasted well with Scarecrow’s by the book attitude.
  • Castle—what could be more fun than a child-like mystery/thriller writer and a police detective? This show always had lots of humor and the sparks literally bounced off Beckett and Castle, so there was plenty of sexual tension to enjoy. Sara has even read a few of the Richard Castle Niki Heat books. What a neat idea based on the series!
  • I Dream of Jeannie—this series probably wouldn’t make it in this somewhat jaded television era of today, which is why Sara has it in her top ten shows. Barbara Eden was sweet and innocent as Jeannie, and Larry Hagman was adorable. Surprisingly, to Sara, he carried much of his Captain Tony Nelson characteristics into his best-known character, J.R. Ewing.
  • Dallas—Sara would rather watch Dallas than attempt to drive through the city. Who can forget the twinkle in J.R.’s eyes when he pulled off some scheme, or the whole season that was wiped away in a few moments when Bobby stepped out of the shower and Pam awoke from her dream? The opening episode that revealed “Who killed J.R.?” was one of the highest rated in TV history and was a masterpiece of marketing.
  • The Mary Tyler Moore Show—a Saturday night must, this show had some of the smartest writing in TV. Mary Tyler Moore was both innocent and seductive—a hard thing to pull off. The whole cast was wonderful. Where can you find writing like that today?
  • The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart—two shows that starred Bob Newhart were comedies that didn’t need laugh tracks. In the first, Bob Newhart plays a Chicago psychologist whose patients and friends were as funny as he, and Suzanne Pleshette played his wife and foil. In Newhart, Bob and his wife (played by Mary Frann) were inn owners in Vermont. Who could ever forget Newhart’s deadpan delivery, or “My name is Larry. This is my brother Daryl and this is my other brother, Daryl”?
  • JAG—Sara grew up as a Navy brat and pretended to be a Marine Corps wife for decades, so of course she would be drawn to this military drama. And watching David James Elliott didn’t hurt, either!
  • Variety shows—three that come to mind that Sara always loved were Carol Burnett, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, but there were many others. These variety shows had, well, variety. Some singing, some dancing, some comedy. Sara wants to know why we don’t have shows like this any more.
  • Star Trek—though Sara did not watch the few Star Trek shows when it originated, she watched them avidly later when they came back as reruns. The original series was so obviously low-budget and kind of cheesy, but it was fun. Spock’s logic against Kirk’s emotion was done well, and the whole cast became iconic.
Sara likes her old TV shows—much more than so many of the shows that come on now. And is it any wonder? The writing was wonderful, the laughs truly funny, and the casting perfect.
What do you think? (Please comment at the end of this post.)



About Burning Bridges

Letters delivered decades late send shock waves through Sara Richards’s world. Nothing is the same, especially her memories of Paul, a man to whom she'd given her heart years before. Now, sharing her secrets and mending her mistakes of the past means putting her life back together while crossing burning bridges. It will be the hardest thing Sara’s ever done.


Buy Link: Kindle Unlimited mybook.to/BurningBridges



Author Anne Krist (aka Dee):

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.


Sunday, February 23, 2020

#NewRelease - "My Past, Your Future" by Gabbi Gray #Giveaway

My Past, Your Future
By Gabbi Grey

♥♥♥ GiveAway ♥♥♥

Gabbi is offering a $5 Amazon GC and 2 ebooks of My Past, Your Future during the giveaway. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win so be sure to follow along on the tour with us. 
You may find the tour locations here http://bit.ly/2OYUyh4


About My Past, Your Future:

Callum MacLaren, a professor from Scotland, visits Willow Springs, Vermont during the Winter Solstice to study and explore the rich history of St. Joseph's Cemetery. His encounter with a sexy soldier in a tattered Civil War uniform is a captivating puzzle, and the more he learns, the deeper his attraction.
A hundred and fifty years ago, Elijah Freeman was killed during the Second Battle of Fort Wagner and woke up in Willow Springs, the only home he'd known. Alone, he roams the town, unable to leave or interact with a single soul until an intriguing Scot addresses him. Even stranger, the man can see him, hear him, and touch him--a sizzling caress that leaves Elijah aching for more.
But will Elijah return to his ghostly form when the magic of the solstice fades, or is Callum's love enough to keep him in the land of the living? 

Genre: M/M Paranormal Erotic Romance 

Buy Links:

KOBO: (coming soon)
iBooks: (coming soon)
Publisher: (coming soon)

Excerpt My Past, Your Future:

“I’m not sure I have many answers.” And Elijah wasn’t. He’d figured a few things out over the years, but much of it was contradictory and nonsensical. Still, he relaxed a little, no longer on edge.

“Well, let’s start with you being able to touch people and them able to touch you.” As if experimentally, he placed his hand on Elijah’s. “You’re cold. Are you always cold, or is it the weather?”

Elijah cleared his throat. This was the first human touch he’d had in years, and it affected him more than he’d ever imagined. Not that he’d spent a lot of time wondering because he’d assumed it’d never happen. Should he have tried earlier, or was it, as he suspected, only this man?

Please don’t let go of my hand.

Cautiously, he curled his fingers, holding on tighter.

Callum reciprocated.

“As for temperature. I don’t understand. I don’t feel cold now, and I don’t feel hot in the summer. And summers around here can be brutal, despite how far north we are.”

Callum nodded. “Edinburgh, where I’m from, can get warm in the summer. But we’re closer to the northern point of the country, so it’s temperate as opposed to oppressive.”

His thumb caressed the juncture where Elijah’s thumb met his finger, and little zings shot through him. Like the sound he associated with the electric lights when they turned on at dusk. Of course, the whole concept of electricity was beyond him.

About the Author:

I live surrounded by trees, raccoons, deer, and other woodland creatures, on a mountain in beautiful British Columbia where my fur baby chin poo keeps me safe from nasty bears.
Working for the government by day, I spend my nights writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances…and while I firmly believe in happy endings, I also believe in making my characters suffer before finding their true love. 

Gabbi's Social Links:

Friday, February 21, 2020

#GuestPost #PreOrder - "Necessary Risk" by Jennifer Lowery

Hello fans and readers! I’m so happy to be here! Thank you Amber Daulton for having me today! I’m excited to share news about the preorder and release of the 4th book in my Wolff Securities series. Woot!

This series has been the most difficult I’ve ever had to write. Those Wolff brothers are very closed-mouthed and didn’t like talking to me most of the time, lol. Talk about pulling teeth! But, once I got into their stories and started figuring out why they were so quiet I found them to be quite intense. And, it wasn’t just the brothers who intrigued me. It was the entire Wolff family. You’ll find many points-of-view in this series, from the heroes and heroines to the parents. I fell in love with the brothers and brothers-in-arms theme. With a son and son-in-law in the Army this series touched an extra-special part of my heart. I hope you will enjoy reading their journeys as much as I did writing it.

Now on to the good stuff! The book! As I said before, this is the 4th book in the series and features Chris Wolff and Layla Scott. They had quite a time on the high seas! Please keep reading for the blurb and preorder links! The book will be delivered to your e-reader at midnight on February 27th! Yay!!


Blurb:

What was supposed to be a simple personal protection job turns private security specialist, Chris Wolff’s life upside down.

A pirate attack on the yacht owned by the woman he was hired to protect lands him and Layla in a desperate situation when they are stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.

Not only will they fight for their lives, they have to fight their attraction. Will they cross the line from professional to personal, or will their pasts get in the way of their happiness?

Preorder Links: Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo

Meet Jennifer: 

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author Jennifer Lowery writes heartfelt military romantic suspense. Her work has been nominated for the Golden Heart. She debuted her first book in 2012 which made her dreams of being a writer come true, followed by her SEAL Team Alpha series and she loves her job as much today as she did then. She is delighted to bring you stories from the heart and hopes you enjoy reading them as much as she did writing them.

Connect with Jennifer: 

Read more about her books on her website: http://jenniferloweryauthor.com/
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLoweryauthor
Please "like" her Facebook author page! https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferLowery/
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Join Jennifer’s Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jenniferstacticalteam/
Follow on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-lowery
Follow on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JenniferLowery

Love my books? Want to receive news, releases, giveaways, and more directly to your inbox? No spam, just the info you want to know! 
Sign up with your email today and don’t miss out on news from me! 

Thanks for reading! And, thank you Amber Daulton for having me! 
Happy Reading, 
Jennifer