Monday, September 22, 2014

~Review and Giveaway: Stone of Thieves by Diane J. Reed~

Stone of Thieves (Robbin' Hearts Series #2)
Release Date: 05/08/14
238 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

The Stone of Thieves . . . for centuries its magnetic draw has twisted the hearts of ambitious men and women with the promise of power, passion, and intrigue until it fell into the hands of unlikely thieves Robin and her boyfriend Creek. But can they steal their destiny away from the curse that pursues this magnificent ruby heart? 

As the stone begins to spread its sorcery, Robin races to find her long-lost mother in Italy in the hopes of discovering the truth about her unique gypsy heritage and the ruby heart that is rumored to steal souls. Yet when the desire for this stone by powerful members of her family threatens their very lives, Creek decides to take matters into his own hands to protect Robin, his greatest treasure of all . . .

Stone of Thieves is a sensual, stand-alone new adult novel and the sequel to Robin in the Hood in the Robbin’ Hearts Series. Due to mature themes, readership is advised for ages 17+.


Buy Links:
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Robin and Creek have finally pledged their love for each other and are off to Venice to find Robin's mother, who may or may not be alive.  With only the ruby heart to guide their way, they must rely on each other in order to find answers.  They have barely stepped off the airplane when hit men are already on their trail looking for them.  How in the world did anyone know they were coming?  Forced into hiding they take refuge with a band of gypsies hiding in the woods.  Robin finds out more and more secrets about herself.  It seems her father has told a lot of lies along the way to keep both of them safe.  The gypsies give her clues to find her mother but it is all up to Robin to find her.  With her grandfather, the evil, Conte de Bargona looking for her, Robin and Creek must find her mother before her grandfather finds them.  

I have to admit I loved this book just as much as the first one in this series.  This book was set in Italy and had a totally different feel than Robin In The Hood.  This book is more New Adult and creates a darker aspect to the story.  Robin and Creek have been through so much and have grown up a lot during a short time. The chemistry between these two is smoking hot.  Looking for her mother, Robin will not leave Venice until she gets some answers.  She will learn how cruel family can be on her quest.  Having to fight not only her grandfather but also magical forces that want revenge, Robin and Creek are in for the fight of their lives.

Another wonderful book by Diane J. Reed.  I am so glad to be a part of this blog tour, otherwise I would not have got the chance to read these wonderful books.  Thank you to Diane for sending me copies of her books.  I will treasure them.  I impatiently look forward to the third book in this series to see how this amazing story plays out.


Book One:
Robin in the Hood (Robbin' Hearts Series #1)
Release Date: 10/01/12
300 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

“Is it any wonder I became a bank robber?” 
But she never dreamed she’d fall in love…

Wealthy high school student Robin McArthur thinks she has it all figured out when it comes to bilking her wealthy dad for guilt money as a substitute for his genuine affection. Until one day he suffers a stroke, and she learns the brutal truth:
They’re broke.
Her stepmom has skipped the country.
And everyone from bankers to bookies has lined up in her dad's hospital room to collect on the millions he's racked up in debt.

Panicked and desperate, Robin figures she has two choices. Either surrender to the pestering caseworker and live in a skanky foster home, or take a chance and sneak her dad out of the hospital to make a run for it. Little does she know that stealing a car and hitting the road means that before the day is through, she will rob her first bank.

Now an outlaw, Robin finds a backwoods trailer park to hide her dad from authorities. There, she encounters Creek, a local bad boy who also commits crimes to provide for their motley neighbors. Realizing she could use Creek’s help, Robin proposes an ingenious plan—they should team up to rob banks together. But when their partnership leads to a romance that turns Robin’s world upside down, she soon begins to discover that people are more precious than pocketbooks, and real love means opening your heart to the kinds of treasures money can’t buy…


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Robin McArthur has always had the perfect life.  She goes to the best private school, always has plenty of money and can have just about anything she wants.  Except for happiness.  When her father has a sudden stroke, things suddenly start spinning out of control.  Robin learns that they are broke from her father allegedly embezzling money from his company.  Her stepmother is AWOL, taking all of their remaining money with her.  With a threat of going to a foster home as her future, Robin does the only thing she can think of,  she kidnaps her father from the hospital and makes a run for it.

Desperate for cash and a place to hide, Robin turns to bank robbing to keep her and her dad safe from the police.  Looking for a secluded place to hide, they encounter the hidden, backwoods community of Turtle Shores.  Robin has only heard stories of this place but her father seems to know it very well.  It seems that Doyle (Robin's father) has been keeping huge secrets of his own.  A lot of it has to do with Robin's mother whom he will not speak of.  Will this magical secluded place hold the answers that Robin has or will it destroy their relationship forever?

The last thing Robin is hoping to find is love in Turtle Shores but when she meets the dangerous and mysterious Creek she is drawn to him.  Together they will embark on a life of crime to help the people in Bender Lake.  With a colorful group of characters  Robin feels more at home here than she ever did in her mansion on the hill.  Will Robin and Creek find a way to help the people they love most?

Why have I not heard of this book before?  From the very first sentence this book has me mesmerized.  Robin is the spoiled, rich girl who has always gotten what she has wanted.  She has to prove her strength after her dad's stroke and care for the both of them.  Robin also has to come to grips with her father's lies about his past and her mother.  She loves the people at Turtle Shores and will do whatever necessary to keep them safe.  Throw in the incredible sexy bad boy Creek and you have an amazing book with an amazing story line.  

This is the first book in the Robbin' Hearts Series.  There is a cliffhanger at the end of this book that will continue in the second book. Stone Of Thieves.  This story has magic, mystery and love.  It is the perfect combination.  I would recommend everyone to read this book.  It is so good!


About the Author

Diane J. Reed has a Ph.D. in English and a lifelong passion for books—both popular, forgotten & literary—as long as they touch her soul & make her want to tuck them under her pillow at night to remember them in her dreams. She writes novels that are infused with enchantment, where characters dare to break through boundaries and believe in true love. She also has a soft spot for artisans & outlaws of the heart, those who burn brightly to live each day as a gift—because it is! She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to visit Diane J. Reed's website at www.banditsranch.com or message her here to share the whispers of your spirit. 

Author Links:

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

~Review and Giveaway: Pulled by A.L. Jackson~




Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of, a love they believed bonded them together for life. 

When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions. 

For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side. 

Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart? 

Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have. 

"Okay, this one did it for me in a big way. I'm an angst-lover. And by that I mean, I'm a Thoughtless, Beautiful Disaster, Love Unscripted, Slammed, Fifty Shades of Everything, kind of reader. But there's gotta be an HEA. And not a half-done HEA but a real yeah-this-story-has-been-agonizing-but-look-it-was-all-worth-it HEA. So, that said, I earnestly recommend this book. If you're like me, you'll like this. Enjoy!" LitJunkie






How amazing is it to meet your soul mate at 16 years old?  That is exactly what happened to Daniel and Melanie it this wonderful, amazing book.  Daniel and Melanie have a wonderful loving relationship.  Even at a young age they know they want to spend the rest of their lives together.  Until tragedy strikes that ultimately separates them.  

Now it is nine years later.  Melanie is trapped in a loveless marriage and Daniel is trapped by a woman who wants his name and money only.  A chance encounter brings Daniel and Melanie back together.  Can they find the love that they once had without hurting the ones around them?  Can the past be put behind them and can they forgive each other?

I have read many books by A.L. Jackson and each is better than the last.  I really enjoyed reading this book!  There is so much pain and anguish between the two main characters and you just want them to find happiness.  Melanie has married the first jerk that came in her life after Daniel and he does not appreciate what he has with her.  Daniel goes from one woman to the next looking for fulfillment he will never find unless it is with Melanie.

The chemistry is so strong between Melanie and Daniel.  They had a rough start but hopefully they will finish strong.  No spoilers here!  This is an emotional roller coaster ride that will keep you up all night reading until the end.  If you are looking for a good love story with lots of drama, you should definitely read this wonderful book!

Thank you to A.L. Jackson and InkSlinger for sending me a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.  All thoughts are mine and in no way influenced my review.



BUY LINKS

AUTHOR BIO:

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due out January 7, 2014. 

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves. 
LINKS:

Website:



Monday, September 15, 2014

~Review and Giveaway: Damaged Goods by Nicole Williams~


The Outsider Chronicles, #2
(stand-alone)
New Adult/Adult Contemporary
Release: September 9, 2014
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

When Liv Bennett said good-bye to her sinkhole of a hometown, she planned to leave that chapter of her life behind forever. But forever turned out to only be three years.

After her addict of a mother up and disappears, Liv returns to what she considers her own personal hell smack in the middle of nowhere Nevada to take care of her two younger sisters, and she promptly reinstitutes the golden rule that got her through her first nineteen years of life without getting knocked up, roughed up, or messed up: don’t date the local boys and, god forbid, don’t fall in love with one of them.

It isn’t long before that golden rule is put to the test.

Will Goods grew up in the next trailer over, but the wild, careless boy who used to tear up the town with his three brothers has morphed into someone else so completely, he’s almost unrecognizable. The quiet, contemplative man who works on cars every night and takes care of his mentally ill mother every day is nothing like the local boys Liv grew up avoiding.

But when Liv considers suspending her golden rule just this once, she finds out something about Will that will change everything.

Will Goods isn’t who he used to be—he’s not even the man Liv thinks she’s gotten to know over the summer. He’s become someone else entirely.
He’s become . . .

Damaged Goods.



Liv Bennett is a 22 year old college student running from her past.  Leaving her hometown that she affectionately calls Death Valley, she is working and putting herself through college in California.  When she gets a disturbing phone call from her younger sister, she only has one option, to return home.  With her drug addicted mother missing, Liv must take over the motherly duties of caring for her two younger sisters.  She is going to make sure that they don't end up like their mother and fall in love with a deadbeat.  Death Valley boys are off limits!

Liv is surprised to find that the Goods' family still lives next door.  She is even more shocked to learn that the handsome and mysterious Will Goods has returned home from the military to take care of his ailing mother. 

With no jobs in this deadbeat town and bills to pay, Liv must take on a job to make some quick cash for her and her sisters, especially after one is found shoplifting necessities.  Liv will do what she must so her sisters won't have to.  What she doesn't expect is her instant attraction to Will Goods.  He is not like she remembered and she finds herself breaking her own rules not to fall for a hometown boy.  But Will is hiding secrets of his own.  Will his secrets tear them apart or bring them closer together?

What an emotional ride.  I enjoyed this book  immensely.  Liv is the tough girl, who has raised herself and never had anyone to depend on.  She drops everything to come back home and take care of her sisters, who have been abandoned.  Will is the bad boy next door, who grew up during his time in the military and now has to take care of his mother.  These two have so much in common even if they don't want to admit to it.  Will is amazing, so sweet, patient and kind.  He evens out Liv's trust issues and helps her to see that not all people are bad.

The surprise for me was Will's secret.  He wasn't exactly hiding it from her, he just didn't volunteer the information.  I was shocked!  I did not see that coming.  

Nicole  Williams is an amazing author and her Outsider Chronicles Series is a smash hit.  I would recommend everyone to read this incredible book and I am impatiently waiting for the next book in this series.

Damaged Goods is the second book in The Outsider Chronicle Series.  It can be read as a stand alone book.

Thank you to the author, Nicole Williams and Atomr Promotions for providing a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. 




About the Author

I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.




The author is offering a release giveaway! Visit her Facebook page to enter!

Monday, September 8, 2014

~$229 Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway~

Facebook and Twitter Blast Kindle Fire
Twitter/Facebook Blast $229 Giveaway
22 bloggers & authors have joined together to offer you 1 fabulous prize. The winner of this giveaway will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HDX 7" or $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 Paypal Cash! For all those who hate the long rafflecopters you should appreciate the fact that this one is much shorter. Just liking on facebook, following on twitter, a free entry and 2 options to share the giveaway make this much faster to enter.  
Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
Each of these bloggers/authors/publishers paid to help sponsor this giveaway. Sponsor List
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  Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Giveaway here: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups   Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). Ends 10/8/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Release Day and Giveaway: Melt For Him~

MFH RDL Banner  

We are so excited to bring the Release Day Launch for Lauren Blakely's MELT FOR HIM! MELT FOR HIM is the first full length novel Lauren's written in the Fighting Fire Series published by Entangled Brazen. Snap up this saucy read today! MELT FOR HIM releases on Sept. 8, and is $2.99 for pre-order and release week, and will then go to $3.99. Hernovella BURN FOR ME is free for a limited time!!

  Melt for Him Cover  

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** Google Play

EXCERPT:

“Why didn’t you tell me you were from here?” he asked, holding his hands out in question.

She furrowed her brow. “What?"

“I had no idea you were Travis’s sister,” he said, and he sounded pissed.

“And I had no idea you were a fireman,” she said, parking her hands on her hips.

He shoved a hand roughly through his hair, shook his head. “And I had no idea you were the photographer. You said you were an artist.”

“I am!” she said, her voice rising. What the hell? “I can draw, and I do tattoos. I also happen to be good at shooting pictures. Besides, you said you were a bar owner,” she pointed out, as if they could both redo this colossal mistake by rehashing the moments they both could have been more honest.

“Why didn’t you tell me more about yourself?” she countered.

He didn’t answer. He moved closer, maybe a foot away now. The anger felt like a pulsating life force, but there was something else between them, too. Heat. And want. The nearness was intoxicating. She could reach out and touch his chest. That broad, sturdy chest that she’d loved having her hands all over.

She was edgy now, nervous, as they stood like two sparring partners, tucked away in the back hallway of the coffee shop near the restrooms. She wanted him to touch her again, and she hated that she was still thinking of last night, and how they’d connected so deeply in bed. But also in their conversations all through the night and up to a few minutes ago when they were texting.

She was torn between needing to leave and wanting him to pin her against the wall and bury her in kisses that made her weak in the knees. Too bad she could never do any of those things with him

again. MFH Teaser 1

  Message from Lauren: I want to let you all in on a little secret about me. I love hotfiremen. I stare at hot fireman. I slow down when driving past thefire station to try to get a better look at the men inside. Whichmight explain why I wrote a sexy firefighter series! But all oglingand firemen lust aside, not only are firefighters sexy, they are alsobrave, courageous and active in their communities.

 As I wrote MELT FORHIM, I learned more about the work that volunteer fire departmentsaround the country do -- both in responding to emergencies and inhelping their communities. And because firefighters have given me somuch inspiration, I wanted to be able to give back with this book. That's why I will be donating half of all my proceeds from thepreorders and release week sales for MELT FOR HIM to the NVFCFirefighter Support Fund that supports the nation's volunteer fire andEMS departments. Together, I believe we can all make a difference andhelp support the men and women who serve our local communities andcome through for us when we need them most!

 xoxo Lauren

 About MELT FOR HIM: He knows exactly how to make her burn… Fire captain and bar owner Becker Thomas usually spends his nights alone, trying to escape painful memories from his past. When he meets a sexy, free-spirited brunette outside his bar, he knows he’s found the perfect way to forget for one night. But when he later discovers the woman he’s itching for another night with is his best friend’s sister, everything comes to a halt. Just out of a toxic relationship, Megan Jansen is only in Hidden Oaks to visit her brother, photograph the firemen’s calendar, and then slip off to another adventure. The brooding man who gave her the best sex ever is an unexpected surprise. The problem is, he’s her brother’s friend and a fellow fireman, and Megan’s rule is no firemen. She knows she’s going to get burned …but keeping their hands off each other is easier said than done.

50% of all preorders and release week sales will be donated by the author to the National Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund.

  burnformecover  

And don’t miss the novella in the Fighting Fire Series, BURN FOR ME!

Amazon ** iBooks ** Barnes and Noble

  MFH Teaser 2 Author PhotoAbout Lauren Blakely: Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.      

Website ** Blog ** Facebook ** Twitter ** MELT FOR HIM Goodreads ** Lauren Blakely Goodreads

 

~Blitz and Giveaway: Like by @JAHUSS~


LIKE (Social Media #2) 
By @JA Huss
Publication Date: September 10, 2014
Novella (115ish pages)
Adult Contemporary Romance

#WhatAD***

Vaughn Asher. I’ve stalked him relentlessly. I shaped and formed my lust into the perfect dirty hashtag…day after day… weekend after weekend. He was my prince. My fairy tale. My fantasy.

I gave him the best years of my online life and what did he do for me? 

Ruined my social media experience one tweet at a time. That’s what.

#Fantastic #BackToNatureF******
#MissingSomething #You


And now #TheDickWhoIsVaughnAsher thinks he can weasel his way back into this filthy blue bird’s Twitter account? He’s wrong.

His public fantasy is about to collide… ah, f*** it. He’s hot as hell, bitches. I need more than a free sample. This time I want it all. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get it.


Purchase:

Purchase book 1 -



AUTHOR BIO

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label). 

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links:



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Sunday, September 7, 2014

~Teaser Sunday: Rhett In Love~


Can Rhett get over his fears of being in a relationship with his best friend?

Rhett in Love is a new standalone book coming from J. S. Cooper on September 30th.

Preorder Rhett in Love Now!!


Friday, September 5, 2014

~Teaser: Rhett In Love~



☆ ✮ ✯Are you ready for Rhett in Love☆ ✮ ✯ 

What happens when two best friends fall in love??

Rhett in Love is a new standalone book by J. S. Cooper coming on September 30th.

Preorder Rhett in Love