Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Blog Tour: Without You by Julie Prestsater


Title: Without You
Author: Julie Prestsater
Genre: NA/adult contemporary romance
Publication: February 14th, 2014


When two people connect, they can make beautiful music together. But what happens when music is the thing that tears them apart?

Evan James had it all. Drop-dead sexy, brilliantly talented musician, a skyrocketing career and his high school sweetheart by his side. When he’s offered a golden opportunity to go on tour, he never imagined she wouldn’t go with him. Without her, he found his dream meant nothing. Three years later, bereft and alone, Evan stops at an open mic night and spots someone sitting in the audience, the beautiful face of a woman he’d never forget...Maddy, his one true love.

Madison Grey had only ever loved one man. When Evan broke her heart she had no choice but to move on with her life, start a career of her own, and she even finds a new love. Still, thoughts of Evan were never put to rest. And on one fateful night, she unexpectedly hears him pour his heart out into a new song. A song about broken hearts, lost love, and second chances. A song about her.

With the help of their scheming friends, Maddy and Evan are thrown into each other’s lives once more. While learning to love and trust again, there is only one thing left on both of their minds... Is life better with or without you?




I love Julie Prestater, she is a great author, and I love her Against the Wall series. I knew that I would love this one too, and I was right. It was a dual point of view, love lost and found, no cliffhanger, and a HEA. What more could a girl ask for? Yes, there was some angst- but overall it was a light, sweet read- that I recommend to everyone.

Evan and Maddie were together in high school and through college, but when Evan steps away to pursue his music game and Maddie doesn't go with him- things go sour. I love Maddie, but sometimes I wanted to smack her for not giving them a chance to work. And she could have but she chose to believe everything that was written in tabloids about him instead of asking him out loud if he really did do all the things they say he did.

That is when years later, Evan returns to their hometown to play a song he wrote for Maddie, the one that got away- the one that he would treat better, if given the chance. I have a strong feeling Julie really liked the song œ"If I were your man" by Bruno Mars and it probably influenced how Evan was written. It was definitely true to form on how he was feeling. I loved Evan- he was sweet and sensitive. And calling her Sunshine, he certainly knew how to woo.

"Words zoomed through my head, but I chose to stay silent. Instead, inch by slow inch, I bent down until our foreheads were touching. She didn't move. Our mouths were a mere centimeter apart and I could feel her warm breath on mine, the sweet scent of minty gum intoxicating my senses along with the delicious smell of her shampoo. My heart was beating fast and my breath quickened. Maddy's tongue peeked out, swiftly sweeping across her pouting lower lip. I wanted so bad to kiss her. I needed to kiss her. But Genna's voice kept ringing in my ears. It was too soon. Damn, Gen for getting in my head. So as quickly as it began, I ended it. With a soft press of my lips to her temple, I finally said, "See you soon, Sunshine." And I turned around and walked away. Only this time, I knew I would be coming back."

The secondary characters- Gemma and Luke, who get married in the book -what brought Evan back to town, are great
additions. Gemma schemes through the majority of the book to get the two crazies back together. And very well she should.  It seemed like the belonged together, and really nothing was stopping them from getting back together besides being stubborn asses.

Pick this book up for a light spring time read, you are sure to enjoy it.

___________________________________________________________


About Julie


I'm a mom, a wife, a teacher, a reader, and a writer. I'm also an lunatic when it comes to the NFL and playing Fantasy football, especially if I don't get my first pick quarterback: Tony Romo. When I'm not at home or work, you can probably catch me on the 15 freeway singing my heart out and dancing away in my car.  

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads



___________________________________________________________

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Cover Reveal: Familiar Ground by Michelle Lynn




 RELEASE DATE: MAY 19, 2014

SYNOPSIS:

ad·dic·tion noun \ə-ˈdik-shən, a-\
: a strong and harmful need to regularly have something or do something
: an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something


Leah and Adam have never met.
However, they live parallel lives.
Lives plagued by addiction.

When a tragic, but common demon, surfaces between their siblings, Leah and Adam’s worlds collide, never to be the same again.

Adam loses his sister forever.
Leah’s brother returns.
Both gain a niece, neither knew existed.

Now they face an obstacle to raise a niece together while Leah’s brother struggles to free himself from the grip of drug addiction as Adam’s family grieves for the sister and daughter they lost.

A commonality is discovered.
Deep wounds begin to heal.
Lines blur as their lives entwine.









MICHELLE LYNN BIO:

Michelle moved around the Midwest most of her life, transferring from school to school before settling down in the outskirts of Chicago ten years ago, where she now resides with her husband and two kids.  She developed a love of reading at a young age, which helped lay the foundation for her passion to write.   With the encouragement of her family, she finally sat down and wrote one of the many stories that have been floating around in her head. 

When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found playing with her kids, talking to her mom on the phone, or hanging out with her family and friends.  But after chasing around twin preschoolers all day, she always cherishes her relaxation time after putting the kids to bed.






Cover Reveal Hosted by:

Review: Back to You by Faith Andrews




SYNOPSIS

Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to be chased. Sometimes forevers change with one regret. But when it’s worth the fight—we always wind up back where we belong. Mia and Declan have struggled through infidelity, guilt, and betrayal. Declan wasn’t too proud to lay his heart on the line and show Mia that she is his everything, but can these two find a way to get past all the hurt, to heal old wounds, and get back to good?

I’ll do all I have to do to find my way back to you.

4.5 Star Review by Jen Skewes

Warning:  If you have not read Man of My Dreams yet then do not read this review.  You need to read that book first.

I loved Man of My Dreams, but I especially loved Declan.  To me he was just an amazing man, husband and father who made a mistake that he certainly paid for.  And for me personally I think he paid a little too much but that’s a story for another day.  Lol  I liked Mia I really did, but she completely frustrated me to no end in Man of My Dreams.  But in the end she figured it all out and made the right choice.

Back to You takes place where we left off.  Mia and Declan have found their way back to each other.  But that doesn’t mean that everything is all roses and unicorns.  After everything that they have been to you cannot expect for their relationship to miraculously be ok.  They still need to work on the pain that they caused each other, trust issues and work on becoming the couple that they once were.  They still had a lot of work to do but they were in it together.

Declan had planned an Anniversary getaway for him and his wife, in hopes of reconnecting and forming that bond again.  Declan wants to put the past behind him and work on the present and the future.  But Mia stil needs to deal with what happened.  She still has all this guilt that she is carrying over what happened.  They need to talk, clear the air, lay it all out on the table in order for them to move on.  While Declan knows this conversation needs to happen, a part of him just wants to live in the moment with his wife.  Will they be able to forget the past and reconnect and beome the happy and loving couple that they once were?

I loved this novella.  For one I completely fell in love with Declan all over again.  His love for Mia was always evident, even if his marriage started to crumble in part because of him.  But he loved her and fought for her and now wants to cherish every minute and make her happy.  He wants his wife back and I loved every minute of him in this book.  Mia actually redeemed herself in my eyes in Back to You.  She finally took responsibility and owned up to her mistakes.  She grew so much in this one.

Back to You is a short novella about two people trying to get back to that happy place.  To be able to reconnect on both a physical and emotional level.  This was their second chance at making it work.  I loved these characters and was so happy that Ms. Andrews gave us more of them.  It was the perfect conclusion to their story.



SYNOPSIS

Mia Murphy may be married to the man of her dreams. But the man in her dreams is the one that got away—her high school crush. 

Mia’s stuck in a rut, just like every other stay-at-home mom, and the only thing saving her from her monotonous routine is her perfect husband, Declan. He’s gorgeous, he adores her, and the man stole her heart with his sexy singing voice. Mia feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she discovers that Mr. Perfect is not Mr. Faithful. Mia is devastated. Everything she once believed about Declan and their marriage is now covered in a big cloud of doubt and regret. On impulse, she kicks the cheating bastard out, pushing them into a separation that could mean the end of the picture-perfect couple. 

But when Mia receives an invitation to her high school reunion, she finds herself abandoning the present for the oh-so alluring pull of the past. Although her heart still belongs to her husband, inescapable thoughts of her crush, Noah, resurface. And ten years later, Noah isn’t afraid to make his move. When the build-up of fantasies and ‘what ifs' comes to a head, sparks fly and it’s Mia’s turn to question if her marriage is everything she wants out of life. Searching for answers, Mia dives head first into dating Noah, falling further away from her husband and closer to her old flame. 

But Declan’s not giving up so easily. Mia is his one and only and he’s not about to let another man win her heart.


4.5 star review by  Jen Skewes

Man of My Dreams is Faith Andrews' debut novel and she did an amazing job!  It is a story of love, faith, betrayal and second chances.  

Mia had the perfect life, or so it seems.  She married Declan, her college sweetheart who was the man of her dreams.  They fell in love, got married young and now have two beautiful girls.  Declan is an amazing father and a good husband.  But he also travels a lot for work and it seems like him and Mia don't spend enough time with each other.  Mia loves her husband and her life with him but lately another man has been appearing in her dreams, her high school crush Noah, the one who got away.  When Mia finds out that Declan betrayed her, their marriage starts to crumble.  Mia starts to re evaluate her life and her marriage.  She thinks back to their life together to see if there were signs that maybe things happened to quickly for them, maybe this life is not what either of them wanted.  She starts to question everything that they have.  Mia needs space from her marriage and her husband, but Declan plans on fighting for the woman he loves and his family.  But the question is how hard will he have to fight and will Mia let him?

There is always that one guy in high school that you had a crush on.  The one that you were too scared to talk to, the one that would cause butterflies in your stomach every time you saw him.  The one who you still thought about years later and always wondered what if.  For Mia that person was Noah.  She had a huge crush on him all though high school and regrets never telling him how she felt.  Recently he has made several appearances in her dreams and she cannot figure out why.  With her high school reunion coming up she wonders if he will be there and what it will be like to see him again.  When she sees Noah after all these years the attraction that she had in high school is still there.  When she tells Noah of her feelings for him in high school he makes it clear that he wants her and wishes he had known and paid more attention in high school.  Mia has the chance to finally be with Noah.  With her marriage on the rocks and the feelings of "what if" still lingering in her mind, will she take the risk and be with him? 

I am going to be honest here and say that I had a love/hate relationship with Mia.  She completely frustrated me at times and some of the decisions that she made had me wanting to jump in and shake her.  I loved her in the beginning, she drove me nuts throughout the middle and by the end it was like she finally got it and then I grew to love her.  I can't really go into more detail without giving anything away.  But I will say that even though Mia managed to bring out all these emotions in me it never took away from how amazing the book was.  If anything it is one of the reasons that this book was so good.   Any book that can bring out that much emotion, and frustration with a character is a sign of a great book and excellent writing, which this book has.

Now lets move on to Declan.  I absolutely loved him.  I am 100% team Declan all the way.  I think I have a soft spot for him and at times I honestly felt bad for him.  He messed up but in my eyes it was totally forgivable. I never doubted the love he had for his wife and children.  He was an amazing father, a loving husband and was willing to fight for his family.  And the way he fights for her will melt your heart and make you smile. 

But the question still remains, how hard will he have to fight?  Will Mia give up her marriage for a chance with her high school crush or fight for the man she married and the father of her children?

Man of My Dreams was a fantastic read filled with a lot of emotions.  There was drama, angst, and moments where you had knots in your stomach.  There were a few moments where I honestly did not know which way the story would end.  It had everything that you look for in a story.  The story was mostly told in Mia's POV with a few chapters from Declan.  I loved going back in the past to see the key moments in Declan and Mia's relationship that lead them to where they were today.  We also get to travel back in time and see how her crush on Noah started.  Faith Andrews did a wonderful job with this story.  A must read!


Review: Hey there Delilah and Unmasking Charlotte by Andria Large and MD Saperstein







Hi, my name is Delilah Sampson, and I am a self proclaimed “frump girl.” My world came crashing down the day I walked in on my boyfriend having sex with my boss, rendering me single and jobless. A new job fell into my lap as the secretary of the gorgeous, rich, powerful, and mighty cocky controlling partner at Santino Law Firm. I spend my days trying to please a demanding boss, keeping my lustful thoughts to myself. Until one night, when my best friend drags me to a club, and I fall for a man whose true identity I will never know. 

See, at Club Masquerade, everyone wears a mask and a nametag with a fake name. Also, on your nametag is a number that you are assigned when you come into the club, which is linked to an in-house messaging system; no one is permitted to speak, which ensures that identities are kept secret. I meet my lover every Saturday at 9 pm sharp. We text and email constantly when we are not together, and I have somehow fallen in love with him. 

But, then there is Nick Santino. He is the partner that I can’t keep my eyes off. Unfortunately, the only reason he hired me is because he is not attracted to me and all my frump glory. Fortunately, for me, I am a kick ass secretary, so he keeps me around. Like many men in his position, Nick is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it; all without commitment, of course. 

So when he finds a woman that he is both physically and emotionally attracted to, he finds himself in unchartered territory – love. And I can do nothing but be jealous from the sidelines – lusting for a man I can’t have, and loving a man I can’t know.

Hey there, Delilah is book 1 of the Taboo Love series, in which we tackle the boss/secretary relationship. Each book will be a stand alone with a HEA, but will have a few reoccurring characters


4 Star Review by Jen Skewes



I loved this book.  I loved the humor and witty banter.  But most of all I loved Nick and Delilah together 


Delilah has always been known as the frumpy girl since she was in school.  She has always been well endowed and because of that she was so self conscious of how she looked that she would cover up what she had by wearing baggy clothes and not really caring about fashion.  She has been with her boyfriend for the last 8 years.  But lately things have been a little off.  And she soon discovers why, when he walks in on her bitch of a boss having sex with her boyfriend.   So now she is living alone, has no boyfriend or job.  When she interviews for a new job as a legal secretary she meets Nick, her new sexy hot as hell boss.  

Nick is a hot shot lawyer and the love em and leave em kind of guy.  He's had sex with many women but isn't one for relationships.  He has dated women but when he feels things crossing over that "just sex line" he breaks up with them before things get worse.   He is in need of a new secretary because things got a little too complicated with his last one if you know what I mean. So when "frumpy" Delilah walks into his office she seems to be the perfect fit.  Not only is she a good candidate for the job on a professional level but there is no attraction to her at all so therefore she is the prefect choice for the job. He needs someone that won't be a distraction and someone who is actually interested in doing their job instead of him.

Delilah is certainly attracted to Nick but she knows that she is just not his type at all, no matter how well they get along.  When her friend drags her to Club M one night she meets the mysterious Nico.  Club M is an anonymous sexy club where there is no speaking and faces are covered. So everyone's identity is a secret.  Nico completely rocks her world in more ways than one.  But how much does she really know about "Nico".  And while she finds herself falling for a man whose face she has never seen she is also falling for her boss.   Until Nick does something that causes her to not trust him any more leaving her completely heart broken. 

I loved Nick and Delilah together.  Nick hires her because yes she was a good worked but it also had to do with the fact that she wasn't his type and had no desire to be with her.  Until he started seeing what was really behind the baggy clothes and glasses.  When you took all that away Delilah was beautiful and definitely caught his eye. But it was more than that for him. Conversation flowed easily with her. He found himself thinking about her more than he wanted to admit.  I loved the witty banter between them.  Nick was sexy and controlling and just lovable.  

Delilah is the girl you can relate to.  Doesn't think much of herself as far as looks goes.  Never caring how she looked and always thinking she wasn't good enough for someone like Nick Santino. But she was also a very strong woman who didn't take crap from people.  Especially Nick. 

Hey There Delilah is a witty, humorous, and fun read.  I found myself smiling throughout this book. The sex  scenes were hot and sexy. There was just the right amount of drama.  Nick and Delilah were perfect for each other.  And I loved Delilah's best friend Charlie.  She was the best friend that every girl wants.  I am looking forward to reading her story. 






Some say that I'm cynical. Some say that I'm flippant. But I am neither of those things. I am just a realist, who through an unfortunate turn of events, learned the hard way that everything is in fact black or white. At least for me it is, and always will be. 


But then there is Calvin King. The thorn in my side, the pain in my ass. He is what some would call the perfect man - an imposing businessman, an even more impressive ladies’ man. Every man wants to be him and every woman just wants him. At least that is what I hear. I’m not admitting to anything beyond that. 

What I do know and will concede to, is that my resolve is tested as soon as I meet Calvin. He ticks every box off my checklist - sexy as sin, tall, dark, rich, intelligent, and funny. My body craves just the thought of him. How can I possibly keep him at arm’s length when he is the only man I want and desire? And it doesn’t help that he kisses like a god and sets my body on fire. Crap! Don’t ask me how I know that, he doesn’t play fair. 

Most importantly, I can’t let him unmask me, it’s my only defense. 

Unmasking Charlotte is book 2 of the Taboo Love series and picks up where Hey There, Delilah left off. As with Hey There, Delilah, it is a standalone - so don’t worry if you haven’t read Hey There, Delilah, yet - with a HEA. That means no cliffhanger! Oh, and expect to see some of your favorite characters.

4 Star Review by Jen Skewes



Unmasking Charlotte is book two in the Taboo Love Series.  This is charlotte and Calvin’s story, both of whom we met in Hey There Delilah.  While this one can be read as a stand alone I would recommend reading Hey There Delilah first.  Mainly because it is really good but the main characters also play a part in Unmasking Charlotte as well. 

Calvin owns Club M, an anonymous sex club.  At one point in his life he wanted to be a layer just like his father.  Until he overheard something that completely turned him off from pursuing a career in law.  He dropped out of law school and opened up Club M.  This is a sex club where everyone who enters wears a mask and is not allowed to talk.  Everyone’ identity is kept a secret.  Calvin has a rule though when it comes to women.  He never gets involved with a woman from his club.  And right now the only woman he wants is Charlotte, who happens to be best friends with his friend Nick’s Fiance.   But while there seems to be a spark between the two of them, Charlotte seems to have no interest in him.  At least that is what she is teeling him.

Charlotte definitely feels the attraction between her and Calvin.  But Charlie has demons from her past that she has been fighting.  And those demons are the reason why she is afraid of being with Calvin.  She likes him, this much she can admit, but her fear gets in her way.  Se comes to a point where she realizes that he needs to move on from her past and not let that fear control her.  She needs to live her life and decides to go for it with Calvin.  But she still holds onto her past by not telling Calvin what happened to her.  What will happen when her secret is out?

I loved Calvin and Charlie together.  Calvin is sexy but sweet.  You may thinkg that an owner of a ex club is this bad boy player, but the truth is that he is so different that the person you would expect him to be.  We first met him in book 1 and I loved him right from the start.  I loved his relationship with his best friend Nick and how easily he took to Nick’s girlfriend Delilah.  Charlie is Delilah’s best friend and I loved her.  I loved the banter between the two of them  she has been through a lot n her life but she has managed to get through it all.  And I loved her relationship with her father.  He is such an amazing and wonderful man. 

 Unmasking Charlotte was humorous and witty but there was also a serious side to it as well.  It dealt with some deeper issues but there was the perfect balance between the humor and the seriousness of that issue.   Calvin and Charlie was just hot and sexy and perfect together.  I love this series and love the friendship between Calvin, Charlie, Delilah and Nick.  Oh and let’s not forget about Parker.  He is Calvin and Nick’s best friend but has worked with Charlie and was such a great friend.  I cannot wait for his story. This series is a must read.  You will fall in love with these characters and feel like you are a part of their little circle.  A must read.  



Blog Tour: Alpha by Jasinda Wilder







The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom's hospital bills. My baby brother's tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just "VRI Inc.," and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: "You." Just those three letters.

If you receive a mysterious check, for enough money to erase all your worries, would you cash it?

I did.

The next month, I received another check, again from VRI Incorporated. It too contained a single word: "belong."

A third check, the next month. This time, two words. Four letters. "To me."

The checks kept coming. The notes stopped. Ten thousand dollars, every month. A girl gets used to that, real quick. It let me pay the bills without going into debt. Let me keep my baby brother in school and Mom's hospice care paid for. How do you turn down what seems like free money, when you're desperate? You don't. I didn't.

And then, after a year, there was a knock on my door. A sleek black limousine sat on the curb in front of my house. A driver stood in front of me, and he spoke six words: "It's time to pay your debt."

Would you have gotten in?

I did.

It turns out $120,000 doesn't come free.







4.5 Star Review by Alison East

Holy hotness batman! This book was Jasinda's steamiest book to date. Trust me when I say this- one of the hottest
books I've read this year, for sure. I mean, hello, it is called Alpha, what did you expect. This book was one twist after another and I was not disappointed.

When we meet Kyrie, she is totally down on her luck- father had died seven years ago, mother in a mental institution and
her brother going to college. Meanwhile Kyrie is trying to pay to support her mother, her brother and herself. She just
got fired from her temp job and went home to find an eviction notice and no electricity. That's when she finds the envelope. This envelope will veritably change her entire existence. That is, if she chooses to spend the contents, $10,000. What would you do? I think given her situation, what other choice did she have, become homeless? Her brother and her mother would be in the same boat as well- their father's insurance money ran out long ago. She accepted those envelopes for a year- $120,000 richer- but totally in someone's debt

This was probably one of my favorites from Jasinda, right up there with Falling into Us, and Wounded. It had the right amount of sass from a heroine that I love. And a panty obliterating hero- with the dominance and spark that I really enjoy. Kyrie puts herself into this situation- so she has no choice but to be indebted to this mysterious benefactor. So when a car comes to pick her up to repay her debt, she has to get in- blindfolded. Until she meets the mystery man and there is more to him than she can ever imagine.

There were so many twists and turns to this book, I felt lost inside of the words. I stayed up until the wee hours of the night so I could finish this deliciously sinful novel. I wasn't satisfied, and I wanted more. I love the ending, don't get me wrong- but I am not totally ready to let go of them. They are very perfectly described, and I could see them for who they truly were. And that is a lot thanks to the delicate detail that Jasinda puts into all her books.  She is a fantastic author, and I find myself reading everything she's ever written. I don't even have to see the blurb anymore to know that I want whatever she writes. New book on Goodreads? Its immediately on my list.

And talk about the sex scenes- man. It's a little bit Christian, a little bit Gideon- and a whole lot Alpha. I knew she could write them- but dang, they were written so well. And typically when I read a book- while I love the sex, I love the story more. And while the story is phenomenal with so many "holy sh**" moments- the sex stood out to me as superb. No cliche phrases, just pure, unadulterated lust- and eventually, love.

I don't want to reveal to much about the hero, because you just need to read it for yourself, and I won't even give you a name- he didn't give Kyrie the pleasure of his name for a while anyway. But I will tell you this, he is hotter than hot. I picture- Alexander Skarsgard a lot. That will be helpful to you. Enjoy this book, and I promise you will.

I can't wait to see what is next from Jasinda, it is always a joy to read her stories, and I am just honored and lucky enough to get a firsthand account of them.




New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. When she’s not writing, she’s probably shopping, baking, or reading. Some of her favorite authors include Nora Roberts, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Liliana Hart and Bella Andre. She loves to travel and some of her favorite vacations spots are Las Vegas, New York City and Toledo, Ohio. You can often find Jasinda drinking sweet red wine with frozen berries and eating a cupcake.














  a Rafflecopter giveaway
How to Configure Numbered Page Navigation After installing, you might want to change these default settings: