the hostgator coupon Pingates.com tumbas lek: harlequin
Showing posts with label harlequin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label harlequin. Show all posts

Saturday, March 3, 2012

eARC Review: Kiss Me, I'm Irish by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis + Maureen Child

KISS ME, I'M IRISH by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis & Maureen Child
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Contemporary
LENGTH: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin (February 21,2012)

The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. Claire
For one incredible night, Kendra Locke gave Deuce Monroe everything she had. Then he walked away without a backward glance to chase his big-league dreams. Now after one too many daredevil stunts, he's back in his hometown ready to pick up where they left off—but Kendra has no intention of giving in so easily….

Tangling with Ty by Jill Shalvis
Dr. Nicole Mann, a child prodigy who graduated high school at the age of thirteen, has no room in her mind or her schedule for romance. But when the architect renovating her apartment turns out to have a charming Irish accent, all bets are off—and Ty Patrick O'Grady plans to use every trick in his book to stay in her life for good.

Whatever Reilly Wants by Maureen Child
Connor Reilly only has a few weeks to go in his "no sex for ninety days" bet with his brothers—and he figures no woman is safer to be around than his best friend, Emma Jacobsen. Until Emma shows up at a bar in a short skirt and high heels, and suddenly seems anything but safe!
Find Roxanne: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Find Jill: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Find Maureen: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt of The Sins of His Past
I love it.
REVIEW:

The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. Claire ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
That Deuce Monroe is something else. He's returned home due to being stupid and racing a car just to end up wrecking it. Now he's back and wonders what in the heck happened to Monroe's, the bar that has been passed on from father to son. Why is Monroe's spelled with a lowercase m and who put all these computers in it and why is the smell of coffee drifting from it's open doors? Oh Deuce, you've been gone far too long.

Kendra Locke has held a torch for Deuce since she was a little girl, listening through the heater duct for all her brother's conversations with friends. One night was all it took to change Kendra's life forever and a secret that only those closest to her know. She's put Deuce out of her mind but from the minute he walks through the front doors of monroe's, her heart begins to open again; old feelings resurface. Damn you Deuce Monroe!

Everything has changed for the better. The small seaside town of Rockingham, Massachusetts has become a destination place and the economy is picking up again. Kendra must at all costs keep her secret from Deuce all the while trying to fall back in love with him. Not that she ever stopped. Now, Deuce must not only fight for changing monroe's back into Monroe's but also try to keep himself from having a reason to stay in a town that he no longer knows.

Favorite Quote:
"...Do you have everything you need?"
No. She needed blinders to keep from staring at him, and a box of tissue to wipe the drool. Throw in some steel armor for her heart and fail-safe chastity belt, and then she'd be good to go.
Overall: Roxanne St. Claire, I need to read more of you. For real. The moment Deuce was introduced, I fell in love with him. He was the bad boy with the cocky attitude who got your heart pounding but your head asking you where the heck your sanity went because he was bound to be a total jerk. Deuce hit it and quit it. Just like that. He didn't even think about the consequences. Kendra had a right to be all sorts of angry and then some. Plus, if a guy ever came waltzing back into your life with the notion that things are going to be the same the way he left it should be made to beg on his knees.

Tangling with Ty by Jill Shalvis ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
An Irishman who has tried to distance himself from his horrible beginnings gets the surprise of his life in 1)a long lost half sister and 2)a workaholic doctor who has no time for a man in her life and lives by the mantra of "stay single". Ty Patrick O'Grady has been a drifter throughout his life. After getting taken in by a man he tried to steal from and getting an education, he's moved from place to place; wanderlust in his veins. He's been tapped to renovate the building that Dr. Nicole Mann lives in.

Nicole is a child prodigy. Straight A student, graduating early, not really a people person, annoyed by her mother and her perfect sister with the nice house, white picket fence, doting husband and 2.5 children. Ty sends everything she's ever thought about staying single right down the drain. He's funny, sexy as hell and has a sometimes accent. After Ty falls through her ceiling ogling her while she's rocking out in her mismatched underwear, she takes to nursing him. The fall brought out a caring side of her that goes beyond doctor/patient feelings. She forgets what's she's supposed to do and her friends have to help her. Um, she's a doctor for goodness sake!

As Nicole nurses Ty back to health, she realizes that there's more to this sometimes accented Irish man. She must decide whether she'll go the way of her friend Suzanne and allow herself to fall in love or follow in the footsteps of her sister in singlehood, Taylor. Meanwhile, Ty is getting mysterious emails from someone claiming to be his long lost half sister. He wants to deny that she might be it but knows that it's a possibility due to his mother's sexual promiscuity.

Favorite Quote:
She'd slept on her feet before, during med school, during the long nights of residency...
A sharp click had her blinking rapidly blinking at her...door? Ty Patrick O'Grady, architect, sometimes owner of a sexy Irish lilt, man of a thousand curses and one incredible smile, held up a credit card. "Handy, these things, aren't they now?"
"You...broke in?"
"Easily."
"Are you a criminal?"
He laughed, low and sexily, damn him. "Let's just say I've been around. You need a better lock."
Overall: I think I fell in lust with Ty the moment he popped Nicole's door open with a credit card. That's a very handy skill to have. Not that I'm confessing to have knowledge of said skill. He's rough around the edges and only the right woman could make him stay. Nicole staying single didn't seem doable to me. Sure, she pretty much lived by the whole "singlehood is good" thing but puh-lease. The moment a man with an accent takes interest in you (albeit, the accent may fluctuate), get him any way you can. Being single doesn't mean you can't have sex with someone. Being single isn't taking a vow of celibacy. Oh Nicole, you poor girl. You've been looking at singlehood the wrong way.

Whatever Reilly Wants by Maureen Child ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Emma Jacobsen and Connor Reilly have been BFFs for a while and so they can shoot the breeze anytime they feel like it. No sexual tension whatsoever. Emma is one of the guys and Connor shares everything with her.

A bet between the brothers Reilly already has one brother out of the running of winning a nice sum of money bequeathed by a deceased uncle. Last man standing takes all. One catch: last man standing has to be celibate for three months. Do you know how long that is in guy time? Ages and ages and ages! Brian has gotten back with his ex-wife so that takes him out. Liam has taken vows to the church so he'll probably win considering that he'll be celibate the rest of his life. Aidan and Connor still have a chance at that money, only 2 more months.

Emma's father left her Jake's Garage. She works there fixing cars and trying to convince a little old lady to sell her son's (who's been dead for quite some time) '58 Corvette so she can restore it to its former glory. She still has yet to convince her. Emma was hurt by a jerk named Tony who got to know her (cute feminine clothes wearing Emma) and realized that he didn't much like her the way she was (coveralls, car fixing Emma). She vowed to never again let any man in.

All it takes is Connor telling Emma that he doesn't see her as a woman but a mechanic to make her go ballistic. She'll show him. Dressed up to the nines in Short Skirt and Tiny Tank Topville, Emma sets out to make Connor lose the bet by getting him in bed. Warnings from Liam and her friend Mary Alice that the plan may backfire only makes her scoff at them. Bad idea Emma!

Once the line between friends (especially a guy and a girl) is crossed, there is no turning back. Nothing will be the same again. I guess Emma didn't see Friends with Benefit or No Strings Attached. It can't be done! Nuh-uh. No flipping way. For guys, sex is physical. For girls, it's emotional. You can keep telling yourself that it's only sex but your heart will tell you otherwise.

Favorite Quote:
As a Marine, he'd learned long ago to trust the impulses that drove him. He didn't question, didn't doubt. He just did. That confidence in his own subconscious had saved his butt more than once.
And tonight those instincts had brought him here.
To Emma.
"What are they telling you to do now?"
If he told her that, she'd probably run for the hills. Because it was taking all of his self-control to keep from tearing her clothes off and tossing her onto the cool, damp grass. He wanted her naked. He wanted her beneath him. Over him. Astride him. He wanted her in every possible way, and as they stood there in the starlit shadows, that want continued to pulse and grow. "You don't want to know."
Overall: Ah yes, the best friends to lovers trope. This one does it beautifully. I laughed my way through this one. Connor's antics and thoughts after seeing Emma in a short skirt, tiny tank top and heels definitely were all sorts of inappropriate. I loved that Emma had that 'I'll show him!' attitude but wanted to scream at her that she wouldn't come out unscathed by trying to get Connor into bed. I've seen this sort of thing play once or twice before my very eyes. It's not a pretty thing. Either both parties live to laugh about it after falling head over heels in love or both parties become so very bitter that no one is allowed to ever speak the other's name in front of them. Emma didn't have to change herself. She knew who she was and totally confident in herself. Connor should have thought before he spoke. Really? A mechanic instead of a woman? *shakes head*


***review copy from Netgalley***

Sunday, January 22, 2012

eARC Review: Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

LORD OF THE ABYSS by Nalini Singh
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 288 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Nocturne (November 15, 2011)
ISBN: 9780373618729

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.
Where To Find Nalini: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt
I really liked it
Other Books in Series(click on covers for more):

available now
available now
available now
REVIEW & Book Trailer:



Gah! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a little bit of The Ugly Duckling meets Romeo and Juliet meets 1001 Arabian Nights. 


It goes something like this:
  • Girl is the guide for boy who is the Guardian of the Abyss
  • Boy is angry with girl
  • Girl becomes cook and prisoner at boys castle after bribing him to tell him stories
  • Boy is slightly attracted to girl and is confused by feelings for girl
  • Girl is slightly attracted to boy even though he wears a black suit of impenetrable armor and is quite testy
  • Boy is a prince of a kingdom taken over by evil sorcerer
  • Girl is the daughter of said evil sorcerer
  • Girl must get boy back to kingdom to fight evil sorcerer with the help of his siblings
  • Boy and girl make The Sexy and everything changes
  • Girl tells boy stories of his kingdom but boy doesn't know it's his kingdom
  • Boy gets flashes of his past and soon begins to remember
  • Girl knows she must sacrifice her life so boy can defeat her father
  • Boy finds out girl has been lying to him and gets angry
  • Boy and girl must travel to his kingdom to defeat evil sorcerer once and for all
  • Boy and girl face dangerous obstacles along the way
  • Boy and girl must decide whether their giant misunderstanding is worth putting aside and living Happily Ever After
The End.

FAVORITE QUOTE:
A prince, regardless of his position in line for the throne, was expected to marry a certain kind of woman, a woman with an unsullied past, one who could carry the crown of princess with elegance and beauty.
Everything Liliana was not.
You could be his mistress.The sly suggestion came from the part of her that had no honor where Micah was concerned. She was sure she would do any terrible thing to be with him---but she didn't think she could stand to share him, to know that another woman had the right the bear his name and is children, to love him and hold him. It would break her.
OVERALL: I loved the fact that this was a fast paced read. Danger, betrayal, secrets, adventure, love, laughter and a dangerously sexy man. *sigh* Everything I look for in a great story. The ending wasn't was epic as I thought it would be but it still brought a tear to my eye and a smile to my face. I will be reading more books from Nalini Singh. Well, after I get this monster of a TBR pile down.

***review copy from Netgalley***

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Review: Sex, Lies and Midnight by Tawny Weber

SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT by Tawny Weber
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Contemporary
LENGTH: 224 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Blaze (January 1, 2012)

He's lying. She's lying. And before long, they're lying. Together. In bed.

Born into a con artist family, Maya Black abandoned the grifting life to live on the straight and narrow (and somewhat dull) years ago. But when her family is threatened---and the swindlers are on the verge of becoming the swindled---Maya swings into action. All she needs is a stand-in boyfriend, and the charming, tasty-as-sin Simon Barton will do quite nicely, thanks.

But Simon has a little lie of his own. He's FBI, and Maya is his inside track to her less-savory relations. It's a mutual using, which quickly turns into a scorching mutual attraction.

In fact, their naughty little sexcapades are the only things they aren't faking!
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read the 1st Chapter
I loved it.
Other Books in Series:



REVIEW:
Oh that Tawny Weber is quite the writer. Another super sexy read!

Poor Maya Black, she sure gets her life turned upside down. First with her brother Caleb calling to let her know he's back in their hometown of Black Oak as interim Sheriff AND he's getting married to the woo woo queen's daughter. Then she gets a call from an ex-best friend alluding to her father getting engaged to a woman his daughter's age. On top of all that, a sexy undercover FBI agent enters her life, using her to get to her family.

Not wanting to look like a total loser, Maya needs a super sexy man to bring back to her hometown to prove to queen bitch Lilah Gomez that she's got someone, Maya sets her eyes on a delicious, tall drink of hello handsome!

Simon knows that somethings brewing in Black Oak. It's the epicenter of illegal activity and the only way he can get close enough to uncover it is to make nice with Maya. Busting Tobias Black would help his career in so many ways. He'd make his way up the ladder in no time. Little does he know that he's in for the ride of his life. Poor guy.

Coming to a mutual decision, Simon would run interference with her family and pretend to be her boyfriend and Maya would find him investors for his new venture, they head off to Black Oak. After Lilah taunts her with texts alluding to the fact that Lilah may become her stepmother, she takes it upon herself to bring her father back to his senses. How is it possible that her father, ex-con artist, current motorcycle garage owner, has succumb to the gaudy charms of a lying, two timing, ex-high school best friend?

Someone in Simon's life comes to check up on him as his relationship with Maya becomes all too real. He's physically attracted to her and he's trying to keep it that way but the more time he spends with her, his emotions come in to play. This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to find pretend to be Maya's boyfriend while fending off town hussy Lilah, spy on Tobias, make the bust and climb up one more rung on that FBI ladder.

Maya came home to celebrate her brother's engagement and check up on her father but this southern fried sex muffin going by the name of Simon is a distraction. Heavy lidded stares, electrically charged caresses and sweaty, twisted up sheets are not what she was looking for when she made the deal with Simon.

With the appearance of a fellow FBI agent, Simon must choose between his feelings for Maya and whether or not a promotion trumps them. Simon must join forces with the Black family in uncovering who is behind the smuggling of illegal weapons through their father's garage.

FAVORITE QUOTE:
Breathing deep, mentally breaking down an AK-47 to try and distract his body from embarrassing him, Simon leaned back into the couch cushion.
OVERALL: That Black family is quite a hoot. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I did have to wonder at the sudden attraction between Simon and Maya. Starting with the night that they make a deal to the sudden "I want to touch you" in the car to the breath taking, super heated kisses, this couple has got it bad for each other. The slight touch of danger and mystery surrounding who has been smuggling guns into the town of Black Oak has be eagerly awaiting the final book in the series. This book is sexy. Super sexy. Seriously, who can resist a man undercover? *waggles eyebrows*

***review copy provided by author***

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Review: Sex, Lies and Mistletoe by Tawny Weber

SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE by Tawny Weber
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Contemporary
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 224 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin (November 15,2011)
ISBN: 9780373796601

He sees her when she’s sleeping…

Undercover DEA agent Caleb Black is home for the holidays—possibly to bust his own father. But maybe Caleb’s con-man dad isn’t the one running drugs through the small town of Black Oak. Maybe it’s the green-eyed goddess who runs the New Age shop and has Caleb under her sultry spell.

Pandora Easton saved the family store with two words: sex sells. And her delectable aphrodisiacs really work, as she’s proven with notorious bad boy Caleb again and again and again. Little does she guess that, in the end, her most potent potion will be the truth….
(source)
Where To Find Tawny: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Book Depository | Harlequin
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt
I loved it.
Other Books in Series(click on covers for excerpts):


coming January 2012
coming February 2012

REVIEW:

Whoa! Hellooo sexy prodigal son biker dude with a chip on his shoulder with a magic hoo-hoo that induces fourteen orgasms in one night.

Caleb Black ran wild when he was younger, pulling cons with his father and being a total badass with a reputation with his brother. He got tired of that life and joined the DEA. Before retiring, his friend from the FBI pulls the "owe-me card." Now he must go back to his home town (where his family pretty much runs the town) to find out who is responsible for the spike in drug trafficking. The FBI think it's his father but Caleb swears his old man is out of the business. He's gone straight and is running a bike shop (West Coast choppers style).

Pandora Easton has come back to Black Oak to run the New Age store that's slowly failing while her mother is away on a retreat. She's included a cafe where she sells aphrodisiac foods like four-layer Foreplay Chocolate Cake to help drive the sales to save the shop. There's a little something-something in there. The whole town is sexed up with these little morsels of goodness and Pandora gets feedback from the elderly citizens regarding their sex lives. Eww, no thanks.

The moment Caleb walks into Moonspun Dreams decked out in a leather jacket and butt hugging jeans, Pandora is physically attracted to him. He's all sorts of yummy and gorgeous but after getting burned by The Ex, she's cautious about who she hooks up with. The Ex was into some sort of shady dealing and she was implicated. Running away from it all, she heads to Black Oak.

The attraction is instant between Caleb and Pandora and hotter than the fire blazing in the fireplace during the coldest winter day. Caleb wonders if this woman is involved in something illegal, operating from the back of her shop. After a sizzling, panty melting, do-it-with-your-boot-on-cause-you're-too-far-gone night together, Caleb can't believe Pandora has gotten under his skin. His lust meter is sky high and Pandora feels the same. The town gossips have a new rumor to spread and happily do so. The good girl who turned down Sheriff McHottiepants and got together with Biker Bad Boy Caleb Black.

As Caleb and Pandora spent more time together, their feelings change. Caleb feels like an Asshole of The First Order for snooping around trying to find any incriminating evidence that would point to Pandora dealing drugs and using her store as a cover. After all, it's full of New Age woo-woo and people have been acting a little off since indulging in all the aphrodisiac-y treats. Pandora can't believe that she's falling for Caleb. Never again, she'd vowed to herself.

Caleb must clear his father's name as well as Pandora's while sneaking around making sure no one is the wiser about his intentions. Falling for Pandora only complicates things. He's not meant to feel tingly, sugarplum-y feelings. He's freaking Caleb Black, resident Bad Boy for goodness sake! *snort* Merry Christmas Caleb Black, you've just been hit with the magic of the holidays and her name is Pandora Easton.

FAVORITE QUOTE: 
"Are you looking for a hero?" he asked, mentally rolling his eyes. At the question, because wasn't that what all women were looking for? A mythical guy to sweep them away and make all their dreams come true? And at the idea of him being hero material.

OVERALL: A sexy, sizzling, oh my god!, laugh out loud read. A must add to your Christmas romance book reading list. My first Tawny Weber book and let me tell you, I was fanning myself when Pandora and Caleb were getting their aphrodisiac induced sexy on. This is the first of the Undercover Operatives series and I look forward to the other two Black sibling's books.

***review copy provided by Tawny Weber***

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

eARC Review: Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Andersen

LORD OF THE WOLFYN by Jessica Andersen
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 288 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin (October 18,2011)
ISBN: 9780373618700

Practical cop Reda Weston didn't understand how reading a sexy version of “Little Red Riding Hood” catapulted her into another realm—face-to-fang with the legendary wolf-creature who seduced women. A wolf who transformed into a dark, virile man . . .

Dayn cursed the Sorcerer that damned him to a lonely fate. As a beast, he mated with women to gain the strength he needed to rescue his royal palace. But as a man, he craved Reda’s touch. With little time left, Dayn had to either embrace his wolf to safe his kingdom…or fight to save his woman.
(source)
Where To Find Jessica: Author Site | Facebook | Goodreads
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N/Nook | Book Depository | Harlequin
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt
I loved it!
Other Books in Series (click on covers to learn more/read an excerpt):


available now
available now
coming 11/22/11
REVIEW:
Well, what a ride. A magical realm with a prince that looks like the woodsman from Red Riding Hood, shapeshifting wolfyn who enthrall and use women for their own pleasure, some sort of magical roofie, a cop who froze when her partner needed her the most and another realm that must be saved from an evil sorcerer before it's too late. Four days to get back to Castle Island, which sounds like it either belongs in a Super Mario game or a horror flick, once a guide is provided. Some vortex hopping, a little bow chicka wow wow along the trail. Hey! I don't remember that part in Red Riding Hood. Okay, so it's not the Disneyfied version you remember as a child. 

Once upon a time... in a realm far, far away lived three brothers and a sister with their King father and Queen mother. They were a happy little group. One day, an evil sorcerer decides that it was time to take over the kingdom at the cost of death and destruction. The King and the Queen scatter their children off to different worlds to one day finally get the call to take back the kingdom from the evil sorcerer. Legend has it, once a guide is provided for them, the siblings only have four days to get back to their kingdom. 

Prince Dayn has spend twenty years in the realm of the wolfyn, spending once a year with a lady wolfyn to satiate his needs as well as hers. It's a mutual arrangement and she is one of two of his only allies in that world. He is a blood drinker a.k.a. vampire but he keeps it hidden from the wolfyn by using Jedi-like mind tricks.

Reda Weston is a former cop, freezing when her partner needed her the most. She is in search of a book that her mother gave her as a child. When she finally finds it in a little shop, she realizes it's not another copy of the book her mother gave her but the book, complete with her name inscripted. Opening it up, she flashes back to her childhood and as she stares at the picture of the woodsman, something shifts and she wakes up in a field.

Dayn is at first wondering what this human is doing not only to his self control but what in the world she's doing appearing in the realm through a vortex. She couldn't possibly be his guide! Reda recognizes Dayn as the exact replica of the woodsman in her book and thinks she's having a dream. Sorry Reda, no dream, all man. A very hot man.

She is immediately attracted to him and he to her, at least physically. It could be the magical roofies. When the wolfyn find out that Dayn isn't one of them but a vampire, they start to close in. With the help of the woman he's been spending once a year with satiating his needs and hers, Reda and Dayn get away. As the path gets more dangerous, the touches get sexier and hotter, and their time together gets shorter as they near the vortex portal, Reda and Dayn must figure out how they really feel about each other and if they are willing to sacrifice anything to remain together.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "She traced the raised lettering. Rutakoppchen. A version of Red Riding Hood with the wolf as both sinner and seducer, the woodsman as the hero who saves the girl and takes her away from her old life to a new, better one." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: This story surprised me, in a very good way. From the first page until the last, it enthralled me like the wolfyn found within the pages of this story. The world that Jessica Andersen has created with three of her fellow authors is amazing! Dayn and Reda's journey towards the arch that will take them back to their respective worlds is cinematic worthy: the scary woods, the open fields, wide angle shots of the lake and castle as Dayn approaches it, the shifting of the wolfyn into human form and back and the fighting that breaks out. A note for readers: I suggest you read the books in order. I tore into this book like a pack of rabid wolves but was left wanting in the end. I felt like I might have missed something from the previous books but don't know what. I've got Lord of the Abyss from Netgalley loaded on the Kindle and am ready to make that final journey towards an EPIC conclusion.

***requested off Netgalley***

Friday, November 4, 2011

Five Friday Favorites

Ahhh!!! HAPPY FRIDAY!!! So many wonderful books came out on the first and I'm back to reading things on my Kindle. Thank you Netgalley. I didn't eat much Halloween candy but I indulged in a few pumpkin spice lattes. A fair exchange right? I've been reading quite a few holiday themed books and Glee returned after this World Series business. The house smells like cookies thanks to the candles and only 8 days until a (hopefully) naked Henry Cavill in Immortals.

Now on my Five Favorites for this week:

If You Give A Girl A Viscount by Kieran Kramer. *sigh* This made my day. I giggled, I guffawed, I belly laughed, I snorted, I laughed until I cried. There's a bitch of a stepmother who could use a bottle of Rogaine, a mean girl stepsister, another stepsister who could be a drag queen, a charming viscount instead of a prince and a Cinderella desperate for funds to restore her castle to its former glory. Oh, and the son of a son of a Highlander. You'll never look at kilts the same way ever again. Review coming soon...

source
Spinach. What?! I'm eating my leafy green vegetables. I don't know what's happening to me but I find fresh steamed spinach to be delicious with fish. I've been eating this combo a lot lately. Ignore the rice and the lemon in the picture.

source
Revenge on ABC. Some people are dubbing this as a new spin on The Count of Monte Cristo. I dub this my guilty pleasure. Murder, betrayal, love, adultery, revenge. It's got the girl from Everwood (yeah, you remember that WB show), the guy from Roswell (the sherriff's son), the kid from Gossip Girl (the one who played Serena's brother), the guy from Legend of the Seeker (he played the younger version of the wizard), the girl who played the younger version of Jennifer Garner's character in 13 Going on 30, and the chick who played Gerard Butler's woman in Gamer. Yup, a smorgasbord of "oh, I know you from somewhere" actors playing in the Hamptons.


Sourcebooks Casablanca on Netgalley. Squee!!! Another auto approval. No longer have to wait in line, wondering, anxiously crossing my fingers in hopes of getting approved for a galley that I want to read. Badly.


Harlequin on Netgalley. Another auto approval. Not that I'm bragging or anything but I had to tell someone before I burst in excitement. I get their Harlequin Historicals in the mail through the Reader Service and now, I might just go ahead and cancel that. The books are stacking up, gathering dust and just waiting to be read.



What about YOU? What has you jumping up and down in total excitement? A new movie, a new CD (Florence and the Machine, anyone?), a new book, a new restaurant? Remember, sharing is caring...

Thursday, August 4, 2011

eARC Review: Should've Been A Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Should've Been A Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Format: eBook via NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Harlequin- Harlequin Blaze (May 24, 2011)
ISBN: 9780373796229
Wanted: One hot cowboy...
Party organizer Tyler O’Connelli is on the fast track to her dream career. She’s so close she can almost taste it. But when she returns to her family and sees her one-night stand, Alex Keller, all done up in his cowboy gear, her self-control is stretched to the breaking point....
They’re worlds apart. She’s a busy career girl, and Alex is a cowboy. But while getting together might not bode well for anything longterm, it more than makes up for it in sheer hot chemistry! Problem is, this is one wrangler she might want to get tied down—and tied up—to...indefinitely!
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Harlequin | Book Depository
Where To Find Vicki: Author Site
Extras: Read an Excerpt from Vicki's Site | Read an Excerpt from Harlequin Site

REVIEW:



Wow, another Vicki Lewis Thompson book. I'm apparently on a cowboy kick. Which is a totally awesome thing. I haven't given cowboys the love that they deserve. The Stetson's, the boots, the tight butt showcasing jeans, the easy access snap button western shirts. *sigh* Ms. Thompson, you've once again made me put the book down and run to take a cold shower. This book, like the last one, is HOT, HOT, HOT! Like melt your panties hot (if panties could melt, edibles don't count).


Top 5 Reasons To Read This Book:

  1. Alex Keller. Can I have multiple book boyfriends? If so, he's the latest in my harem. This guy has legitimate trust issues. He's not willing to give his heart out to anyone since getting cheated on by his ex-wife Crystal. After a tumble in the hayloft with Tyler O'Connelli 10 months ago, she's all he can think of. A second chance with Tyler has him a bit confused and a lot in lust with her. He's one tough and broken cowboy who needs the right woman to capture his heart and give him the second chance he deserves.
  2. Tyler O'Connelli. Her sister has found love and is about to have a baby. She decides to visit for a few days not knowing Alex is actually living at the Last Chance Ranch. Surprise! The first glimpse of Alex Keller's butt brings back memories of hayloft sex. She's about to get a promotion that she's been working for for a while. She keeps telling herself that she's here to visit her sister and then she's off to see the world again. She's tough, independent and wanderlust is in her blood thanks to her hippie parents. A few days with Alex confuses her and brings out feelings of love, lust and thoughts of settling down. 
  3. Make you tingle down there sex. In the bed, in the truck, in the barn, on a rock. They have sex here and there, they have sex everywhere (almost). I'm surprised my Kindle didn't burst into flames while I was reading.
  4. Second chances. Alex and Tyler met 10 months ago at her sister's wedding. They had super hot sex in the hayloft and left it at that. Morgan, Tyler's sister, is about to give birth. Taking time off from her cruise activities job on an ocean liner, she goes to Wyoming to visit her sister. Lo and behold! Alex Keller has joined the Last Chance Ranch family. Hot sex plus hot DJ turned cowboy definitely makes her think twice about what settling down would feel like.
  5. The men of the Last Chance Ranch. What is there to say about these men? They're rough, tough and totally all about family and community. They're young, old, funny, serious, and they love their women.
Favorite Quote: "He wanted to chew on the furniture. How was he supposed to function today when he desperately wanted a woman who was now off limits? He needed her help, no question, but he hadn't counted on her wearing a fantasy costume that was burned into his retinas." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

Overall: Oh Ms. Thompson, another great, sexy, steamy, unputdownable (except to cool myself off) read. I may be working my way backwards in this series but it's still worth the read. If your summer isn't hot or steamy enough, pick up this book. Get ready to take a cold shower or have your panties melted off. Note of caution: if you read this at the beach, you may have to jump in the ocean to cool off. It was the perfect balance of raw passion and emotionally charged second chances. Ms. Thompson, you've got another winner on your hands.


***Book was requested off of NetGalley***

Saturday, July 9, 2011

eARC Review: Cowboys Like Us by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Cowboys Like Us by Vicki Lewis Thompson (10th Anniversary Collector's Edition)
Format: eBook via NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Harlequin- Harlequin Blaze (July 19, 2011)
ISBN: 9780373796342

Real cowboys aren't born. They're made…

Logan Carswell has just kissed his professional baseball career goodbye. Goodbye dreams, career and future. For now, though, he's working at the Last Chance Ranch and the town saloon, where sexy bartender Caro Davis is definitely taking his mind off his troubles…
Caro's days have been so hectic, she's forgotten all about the finer aspects of life. Like men. And sex. And really smokin'-hot sex with men like Logan. But when their two worlds collide—and boy, do they ever collide—they both realize that once the gear is off, a cowboy is still a cowboy!


Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Harlequin | Book Depository
Where To Find Vicki: Author Site 
Extras: Read an Excerpt on Harlequin Site | Read an Excerpt on Vicki's Site | The Making of A Blaze Cover 


I really liked it.
REVIEW:


My first book in Harlequin's Blaze line and I wasn't disappointed. This book left me wanting more of the people of Shoshone, Wyoming and especially the men of the Last Chance Ranch. Ms. Thompson took me on an emotional and VERY sexually charged ride that I never wanted to get off of but had to put the book down a few times to fan myself.

Top 5 Reasons to Read This Book:

  1. Cowboys! Nope, not those outfitted in the blue,white and silver from Texas. But real life, honest to god, boots and tight jeans wearing, 10 gallon hat donning, horse riding, calf roping type of cowboys. 
  2. Logan Carswell. Ex-baseball player, looks good in jeans and boots, has quite the sexual appetite and good with his hands (yes, THAT way and also builds things). He's also quite the bartender. He meets Caro who is bar tending during the wedding, and both come to a mutual agreement: no strings attached sex. Well, you know how that goes. His injured knee becomes his armor of sorts. He doesn't know what to do with himself now that playing baseball is no longer an option. Broadcasting doesn't appeal to him. 
  3. Caro Davis. Small town girl, bartender, faithful granddaughter, compassionate. Caro is the bartender at the Spirits and Spur's where she is tending bar during Alex and Tyler's wedding. Her grandmother took her in when her parents passed away. Due to her grandmother's failing health, she sold the house, moved her grandmother into a home and lives in an apartment above the bar. She visits her grandmother every day. She also puts others first. Choosing to have a one night stand with Logan Carswell changes her life forever.
  4. Steamy sexy. In the bedroom, on a bed, on the counter, against a tree, in the bathroom. Are you getting the picture? 
  5.  Cowboy Lingo/Metaphors. I'm still not sure how I felt about this. It made me giggle quite a bit and roll my eyes to the point that I thought they'd get stuck that way. 
Favorite Quote: 
"'Here.' A stout little lady shoved a paperback at him. 'You can autograph this.'
Logan looked perplexed. 'But I didn't write it.'
'Doesn't matter. You can still autograph it.'
'But--it's a romance novel.'
'And you look like a romance hero to me, so...'"


Overall: Well Ms. Thompson, you've convinced me to put your backlist in The Pile. I'm ready to take on some cowboys and perhaps give contemporaries a little more love. This book had me tingling in places I didn't know existed and maybe take a cold shower or two. I thought either I or the book would end up in flames, the sex was HOT! And yes, ex-baseball players can be cowboys too. And small town bartender's can capture the heart of a big city man. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. The end left me wanting more. 


***This book was requested off of NetGalley.***