Monday, July 6, 2015

Bang Switch by Lani Lynn Vale & Giveaway


Title: Bang Switch
Series: Code-11 KPD SWAT #3
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: July 2, 2015


Lachlan Downy was a lover, not a fighter. 

Okay, he wouldn't lie, he was a fighter, too. But nobody had to know that. Especially not Memphis Tennessee Conner and her stuffy attitude when it came to cops and ‘men like him.’ 

Memphis knew cops. Her daddy was a cop. He was also the president of a motorcycle club. Needless to say, he’s about as alpha as they come, and she’s tired of overbearing men who think they know how to run her life better than she does. 

So when Downy comes into her life running his smooth talking mouth, she realizes that she’ll have to stand strong against his pretty words and promises to give her what she needs. 

Downy is determined, though. 

He’s the hostage negotiator for KPD SWAT, and he’s never met a person, man or woman, he couldn't talk around into his way of thinking. 

Although, Memphis is about to show him just how much he miscalculated.

Seems Downy may not be as smooth as he thought, and Memphis is just the girl to show him the error of his ways.

My Thoughts…

I am always on the lookout for a hot, alpha male and that is what I found in Bang Switch.     Downy is all that and more.    When Memphis and Downy meet the sparks fly.    Not all the sparks were good, they fought, they yelled, but oh when the sparks got hot they were burning.  
 
Bang Switch has a great storyline.    A motorcycle club princess is trying to live her own life, a life without her daddy having complete control over everything she does.   Then she meets Downy.   He is controlling also yet she is much more accepting of his control and accepting of it.   While I don’t doubt that Downy and Memphis fall in love, I believe there was even more lust.   I enjoyed watching them fight their feelings and keep each other at bay when all they really wanted was to be together.    They each had their history and reasons for keeping away, but it wasn’t enough.  

I struggled with the dog part of the story.  It was not easy to read about.   I am not naïve enough to believe that this is a pretend issue, but it was hard to hear about the abuse and neglect of animals.     Lani Lynn Vale did a great job of sharing this problem and it should be something we are aware of, doing what we can to stop it.    

This is a great book.    It may be part of a series but it is definitely a standalone story.   Check out Lani Lynn Vale and Bang Switch.  









Just thinking about today and how I’d had to reschedule with the contractor was only one such instance when having predictable hours would’ve been more convenient.

Our shoulders bumped as we both stepped over a crack in the uneven walkway, causing her to look at me, and me to look at her.

“Sorry,” I muttered, trying as inconspicuously as I could to move my dick into a better position.

It was getting hard to walk with a semi-stiffy. Especially since I’d been fighting a losing battle with it all day long. I needed a good lay, and by the vibes pouring off of Memphis, I wouldn’t be getting it from her.

Not yet, anyway.

“Shouldn’t your dog be on a leash or something?” She asked suddenly.

I turned around to look for Mocha and laughed when she was nearly fifty yards back from where we were.

“Yes, probably. But she doesn’t like leashes,” I explained.

I could tell she rolled her eyes even though I couldn’t see her face.

“And your dog gets what she wants?” Memphis asked in surprise.

I nodded. “What my girl wants, my girl gets.”

I could practically see her mind whirling as something sat at the tip of her tongue, only waiting to be released.

She wanted to say something, but I could tell she didn’t want to say it. She lost the battle, though. Curiosity winning out over propriety.

“So what about your woman…does she gets what she wants?” Memphis asked suddenly.

I turned to look down at her, studying her facial features before saying, “My woman would get what she needs.”

She looked horrified, and I had to physically stop myself from smiling. She probably wouldn’t find her discomfort as funny as I did.

She looked discombobulated as she said, “I cannot believe you just said that!”

I snorted. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“What about what she wants?” Memphis exclaimed.

I did lose my battle with laughter at her offended tone.

She crossed her arms, refusing to say anything more.

We turned around and walked the half-mile back to the apartment complex in silence. I could practically feel her anger simmering

Peter was now walking between us, I’m sure put there by an angered Memphis.

Mocha was now in front of us, her eyes scanning our surroundings as she moved.

I held the door open to the apartment complex once we arrived, and she walked inside, not offering me a thank you.

I smiled as she disappeared up the barely lit stairs. I followed closely behind her, making sure she felt me at her back, causing her to move all the faster.

When she came to a stop in the hallway, I reached into my pocket and withdrew the money from earlier.

Leaning in close, I slid my hand around her hip, moving it until my fingers were at the top of her ass so I could put the tip into her back pocket.

Making sure she felt the movement, I pressed my hard body into hers, pressing her against the wall beside her door.

“Here’s your tip,” I said, wiggling the money in her jeans before taking a step away from her.

It was hard. Both the actual act of moving and the state of my dick.

Her eyes were hooded, and I knew I had her. Not all the way…not yet. But I would. Soon.

“Goodnight, Memphis,” I said against the side of her head. My breath rustling her hair.

Then, turning my back to her, I walked slowly away.

When I had the door unlocked once again, I turned back to see her walking woodenly into her apartment.

Right when she got to where she was closing the door, I called her name, “Memphis!”

She stopped and opened the door slightly, poking her head out of the opening to look at me.

“When you’re ready to get what you need, and not what you think you want, come see me,” I said before closing the door to my own apartment.

“Wow, that was deep,” Miller said from the couch.

I flipped him off and walked away, not bothering to conceal the steep rod tenting up the front of my tactical pants.

Apparently, they needed to make a new weapon holder to keep my dick in check.

I had a feeling I’d be needing it for the next couple of weeks before I could convince her to give me a try.









I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.





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Friday, July 3, 2015

Healed by Love by Melissa Foster & GIVEAWAY


NEW BOOK RELEASE........
Book #1 The Bradens of Peaceful Harbor, Book #13 The Bradens series, Love in Bloom #25

Meet the Bradens of Peaceful Harbor and fall in love with Nate Braden & Jewel Fisher in Healed by Love.

Nate Braden has loved his best friend’s younger sister Jewel for as long as he can remember, but between their age difference and his respect for Rick, he’s always kept his feelings at bay. Now he’s back in Peaceful Harbor, and Jewel is no longer sixteen years old—but there’s an even bigger obstacle standing in his way. Nate and Rick joined the military together eight years earlier. Nate came home a hero, but Rick didn’t make it out alive.

THE BRADENS AT PEACEFUL HARBOR are one of the newest additions to the Braden series and the LOVE IN BLOOM family.

My Thoughts…

I love this branch of the Bradens.   They are the cousins of Hal’s family and just as scrumptious.   Nate is a military man, YUM!, and is dealing with the loss of his best friend, Rick.  After two years of being gone he has returned home to the place he has avoided, Peaceful Harbor.    I felt for Nate.  Nate and Rick  went to war together, Nate came home a hero and Rick did not make it home at all.    The guilt is overwhelming.   Add to that guilt that fact that you are in love with his little sister and it could do a weaker man in.    Thank God for his strong family.    The Bradens, no matter which branch of the tree they come from, all have that in common.   They are strong, loyal, and fierce in protecting each other.    

Jewel, Rick’s little sister, has loved Nate forever.   Now that he is home she knows that she has to have him.    She doesn’t want a one night stand she wants forever, until Nate shares his secret.   It could be enough to tear them apart or it could pull them together. 

Anyone who has read Melissa Foster’s books before know that they should expect strong characters.   Both Jewel and Nate are incredibly strong.    They have their beliefs, know what they want, and know where they want to end up.   The fun is how they got there. 


I cannot believe this is book #21 in the Love in Bloom series(#13 in the Braden part of the series), I have read them all and keep falling in love with all the characters.  I cannot wait for more from Melissa Foster.      

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Book available to buy from ...

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa at The World Literary Cafe or her personal website.
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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE LOVE IN BLOOM SERIES... 

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

Five lucky winners will each receive the Taken by Love ebook
Ending on Sunday 26th July at 11.59pm EST
Open Worldwide

Enter Below & Good Luck !!


Thursday, July 2, 2015

Bang Switch by Lani Lynn Vale


Title: Bang Switch
Series: Code-11 KPD SWAT #3
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: July 2, 2015


Lachlan Downy was a lover, not a fighter. 

Okay, he wouldn't lie, he was a fighter, too. But nobody had to know that. Especially not Memphis Tennessee Conner and her stuffy attitude when it came to cops and ‘men like him.’ 

Memphis knew cops. Her daddy was a cop. He was also the president of a motorcycle club. Needless to say, he’s about as alpha as they come, and she’s tired of overbearing men who think they know how to run her life better than she does. 

So when Downy comes into her life running his smooth talking mouth, she realizes that she’ll have to stand strong against his pretty words and promises to give her what she needs. 

Downy is determined, though. 

He’s the hostage negotiator for KPD SWAT, and he’s never met a person, man or woman, he couldn't talk around into his way of thinking. 

Although, Memphis is about to show him just how much he miscalculated.

Seems Downy may not be as smooth as he thought, and Memphis is just the girl to show him the error of his ways.








Just thinking about today and how I’d had to reschedule with the contractor was only one such instance when having predictable hours would’ve been more convenient.

Our shoulders bumped as we both stepped over a crack in the uneven walkway, causing her to look at me, and me to look at her.

“Sorry,” I muttered, trying as inconspicuously as I could to move my dick into a better position.

It was getting hard to walk with a semi-stiffy. Especially since I’d been fighting a losing battle with it all day long. I needed a good lay, and by the vibes pouring off of Memphis, I wouldn’t be getting it from her.

Not yet, anyway.

“Shouldn’t your dog be on a leash or something?” She asked suddenly.

I turned around to look for Mocha and laughed when she was nearly fifty yards back from where we were.

“Yes, probably. But she doesn’t like leashes,” I explained.

I could tell she rolled her eyes even though I couldn’t see her face.

“And your dog gets what she wants?” Memphis asked in surprise.

I nodded. “What my girl wants, my girl gets.”

I could practically see her mind whirling as something sat at the tip of her tongue, only waiting to be released.

She wanted to say something, but I could tell she didn’t want to say it. She lost the battle, though. Curiosity winning out over propriety.

“So what about your woman…does she gets what she wants?” Memphis asked suddenly.

I turned to look down at her, studying her facial features before saying, “My woman would get what she needs.”

She looked horrified, and I had to physically stop myself from smiling. She probably wouldn’t find her discomfort as funny as I did.

She looked discombobulated as she said, “I cannot believe you just said that!”

I snorted. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“What about what she wants?” Memphis exclaimed.

I did lose my battle with laughter at her offended tone.

She crossed her arms, refusing to say anything more.

We turned around and walked the half-mile back to the apartment complex in silence. I could practically feel her anger simmering

Peter was now walking between us, I’m sure put there by an angered Memphis.

Mocha was now in front of us, her eyes scanning our surroundings as she moved.

I held the door open to the apartment complex once we arrived, and she walked inside, not offering me a thank you.

I smiled as she disappeared up the barely lit stairs. I followed closely behind her, making sure she felt me at her back, causing her to move all the faster.

When she came to a stop in the hallway, I reached into my pocket and withdrew the money from earlier.

Leaning in close, I slid my hand around her hip, moving it until my fingers were at the top of her ass so I could put the tip into her back pocket.

Making sure she felt the movement, I pressed my hard body into hers, pressing her against the wall beside her door.

“Here’s your tip,” I said, wiggling the money in her jeans before taking a step away from her.

It was hard. Both the actual act of moving and the state of my dick.

Her eyes were hooded, and I knew I had her. Not all the way…not yet. But I would. Soon.

“Goodnight, Memphis,” I said against the side of her head. My breath rustling her hair.

Then, turning my back to her, I walked slowly away.

When I had the door unlocked once again, I turned back to see her walking woodenly into her apartment.

Right when she got to where she was closing the door, I called her name, “Memphis!”

She stopped and opened the door slightly, poking her head out of the opening to look at me.

“When you’re ready to get what you need, and not what you think you want, come see me,” I said before closing the door to my own apartment.

“Wow, that was deep,” Miller said from the couch.

I flipped him off and walked away, not bothering to conceal the steep rod tenting up the front of my tactical pants.

Apparently, they needed to make a new weapon holder to keep my dick in check.

I had a feeling I’d be needing it for the next couple of weeks before I could convince her to give me a try.







I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.





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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Ashes of Life by Erica Lucke Dean and Laura M. Kolar

Published April 28, 2015 by Red Adept Publishing, LLC

Married for just three months, Alex Barrett is stunned when her husband, David, dies in a tragic accident. And the absolute last thing the pregnant young widow wants is to take on responsibility for his teenage daughter, Maddie. Reeling from loss, Alex struggles to deal with her grief and her troubled stepdaughter, but one question haunts her: why was David with his ex-wife when he died?

All Maddie Barrett wanted was for her parents to get back together, but an icy road took that dream away. Afterward, Maddie is riddled with guilt that she can’t share with anyone. Feeling angry and alone, she lays all the blame on Alex.

Alex and Maddie must find a way to move past their pain—shared, yet separate. Thrown together in an untenable arrangement, they fight through a frozen landscape of sorrow and redemption while redefining love, forgiveness, and family.

My Thoughts….

I cannot imagine not recommending this book.   It intrigued me, made me sad, and had me cheering for the characters from the very beginning.   I felt for these characters, I needed them to find themselves and then find each other.    While this is a love story, there is so much more to it than that.    Ashes of Life start as a sad story.   A wife, Alex,  loses her husband while he is in a car with his ex-wife.    This wife is also pregnant and left to care for her dead husband’s wild teenage daughter, Maddie.     It may sound like a lot going on but Erica Lucke Dean and Laura M. Kolar tied it all together expertly and perfectly.   I felt like it was an honest story told from a widow’s point of view and a daughter who loses both parents leaving her alone in the world.  

When I pick up a book I find myself checking out the cover first.    This is a beautiful cover.   It grabbed me and made me want to check out what was on the pages inside.     It didn’t take long to figure out who the gorgeous dancer on the cover was depicting.  I love when I get a peek into the authors mind, seeing what they perceive the characters to look like.    

While I have been fortunate enough to not lose my parents, I cannot imagine at sixteen losing them both in such a tragic accident.    I have two teenage daughters and they rely on me and their dad (my husband) so much that for them to lose us would shatter their world.    Maddie is left alone.   No other stable family to raise her other than a step-mother that she never bonded with.   I was so thankful for her friends.    I could understand how she stumbled in her life yet her friends always seemed to have her back and guide her back onto the right path.     I did feel bad for Alex but Maddie was the one that truly tugged at my heart.  

Erica Lucke Dean and Laura M. Kolar wrote a great book.    I have a feeling that this is one that will stay with me, tug at my heart each time I think of it, and one that I cannot wait to share with my friends.  












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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Alicia by Dahlia Donovan BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY

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 photo Alicia.jpgTitle:   Alicia
Series:  Blackbird Series Book 5 (standalone)
Author:   Dahlia Donovan
Published:  April 15th, 2015
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Content Warning:  Explicit sexual content
Recommended Age:  18+



Synopsis:  Born into a Moroccan family both wealthy and well-connected, Alicia has wanted for nothing her entire life. Choosing to abandon her family business for fashion, she has built her own business and lives off the fruits of her own labour. Her traditionalist mother has longed for her to settle down with a good man.


Alicia has never wanted a good man until Josh Withers. Tired of meaningless flings, Alicia has found someone who challenges her in all the right ways. So what if he occasionally turns himself into panther?


No one’s perfect.


Now in a fight for her life as enemies from both her family’s past and her best friend Ivy’s recent nightmares come hunting for her. Alicia can only hope Josh’s military background and shifter strength will keep them safe.


On sale for just $.99 during the blast!
Free with Kindle Unlimited


Excerpt from Alicia by Dahlia Donovan:

“Such a naughty, teasing kitten.” Josh resisted the temptation to allow his hands to drift from her hips to grip her arse firmly.  He sensed Alicia wasn’t quite ready for anything other than a little lark to lift the oppressive sadness which lingered under the surface. “Going to play tour guide for me since the others have swanned off to entertain the whinging bint?”
“Sure.” Alicia eased into a pair of heels no one should’ve been able to walk in and smirked over at him. “Done looking at my arse?”
“Not a bloody chance.” Josh trailed behind her, making sure the balcony doors were locked and the cameras working before securing the front door to the suite. “You can never get enough of a beautiful piece of art.”
“Art?” Alicia’s laugh was like a sweet melody which resonated deeply in his soul and his groin.  Her gaze flitted down his front to the bulge in his trousers. “Honestly? How do you men walk around with it swinging out of control?”
“Who says it’s out of control?” Josh guided her down the stairs toward the lobby.


About the Author:
Dahlia Donovan started out working in the insurance world. After ten years, she morphed her love of investigating accidents and studying people into writing about them. She’s a bit of a hermit and despises being in front of a camera. Her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.


Her first novel Ivy started out as a crazy dream which she turned into an adventurous and suspenseful paranormal romance. It was followed up by Natasha, Masquerade, Twelve Days and now Alicia. A fourth main novel in the series, Lorcan, is due out late 2015.


Readers can find Under Fire, a free short story available to all her newsletter subscribers. See her website for more details.








Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • A $15 Amazon gift card.

Giveaway is International.
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Monday, June 29, 2015

Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams

Published June 23, 2015 by G.P. Putnam’s Son

In the summer of 1966, Christina Hardcastle—“Tiny” to her illustrious family—stands on the brink of a breathtaking future. Of the three Schuyler sisters, she’s the one raised to marry a man destined for leadership, and with her elegance and impeccable style, she presents a perfect camera-ready image in the dawning age of television politics. Together she and her husband, Frank, make the ultimate power couple: intelligent, rich, and impossibly attractive. It seems nothing can stop Frank from rising to national office, and he’s got his sights set on a senate seat in November.

But as the season gets underway at the family estate on Cape Cod, three unwelcome visitors appear in Tiny’s perfect life: her volatile sister Pepper, an envelope containing incriminating photograph, and the intimidating figure of Frank’s cousin Vietnam-war hero Caspian, who knows more about Tiny’s rich inner life than anyone else. As she struggles to maintain the glossy façade on which the Hardcastle family’s ambitions are built, Tiny begins to suspect that Frank is hiding a reckless entanglement of his own…one that may unravel both her own ordered life and her husband’s promising career. 

My Thoughts…

This is a peek into the lives of the rich and political.     I really believe that Frank’s dad, more than Frank the son, wants Frank to be a successful politician.   To do that Frank’s secret must be kept hidden.   Sometimes the easiest way to hide something is in plain sight.   That is why Frank and Tiny get married.    She is the perfect ruse to what Frank truly is.     It works… to a point.     I had no clue what Frank’s secret was.   I thought I knew, I had guesses, but I was wrong until the end and it was spelled out for me.    

I enjoyed watching Tiny come into her own.     Instead of being the timid mousy lady of the house she became someone to be dealt with.    The family could not just pacify her and pat her on the head expecting her to behave and do what is expected of her.   Cap, Frank’s cousin, is a huge part of her becoming strong.    He believes in her, sees in her what he wishes she could see for herself.     Their relationship was one that I was cheering for.   They needed each other more than anything else.
The historical items in this book fit perfectly into the story.    Beatriz Williams wove them into the story perfectly.     Yet, this did not feel too historical, where I was reading a history book.     The characters were realistic, with true feelings, and real reactions to what was going on around them.    I could relate to the characters, some of which I loved, some I wanted to smack.    


Tiny Little Things is a book for many people.   It is historical fictions, women’s fiction, and an all around great read.   I recommend checking it out.   

Book Links

Friday, June 26, 2015

A Week at the Lake by Wendy Wax

Published June 23, 2015 by Berkley

Twenty years ago, Emma Michaels, Mackenzie Hayes, and Serena Stockton bonded over their New York City dreams. Then, each summer, they solidified their friendship by spending one week at the lake together, solving their problems over bottles of wine and gallons of ice cream. They kept the tradition for years, until jealousy, lies, and life’s disappointments made them drift apart.

It’s been five years since Emma has seen her friends, an absence designed to keep them from discovering a long-ago betrayal. Now she’s in desperate need of their support. The time has come to reveal her secrets—and hopefully rekindle their connection.

But when a terrible accident keeps Emma from saying her piece, Serena and Mackenzie begin to learn about the past on their own. Now, to heal their friendship and their broken lives, the three women will have to return to the lake that once united them, and discover which relationships are worth holding on to . . . 

My Thoughts…

I picked this up hoping it would be a fun, light summer read.   The perfect book to take to the pool or the beach is what I was hoping for.    I would say it fit what I was looking for perfectly.   

It is the story of three friends, Emma, Serena, and Mackenzie, who have known each other for years.   They lost their friendship for a few years and are now getting back together.   I felt like the story started slow.   Emma is in the hospital and the friends are rally around to get her healthy again.   The hospital part of the storyline seemed slow and long to me.    I felt like the story could have moved along a little quicker.   The good part of this part of the story was that I got to know the personalities of Serena and Mackenzie.   I could see how much they cared for each other and Zoe, Emma’s daughter.  

The second part of the story, when the ladies are at the lake rekindling their friendships and helping Emma get her strength back, was the best.    The love, the understanding, the care was all so evident in their interactions.     I also loved that in this part you really got to know the other characters.  You got a good look at why Serena dated only married men.   Mackenzie was happily married to Adam, yet they had been apart and hardly communicating for over a month, was this a sign of things to come?     Then there is Zoe and her story, which I can’t tell about or it will give away too much of the surprise storyline.  


I wanted these ladies and Zoe to salvage their friendships, to become as close as they once were, and to be friends in the future.    I was invested in all of their lives.     I enjoyed A Week at the Lake and certainly recommend it as a great beach/pool/summer read.  

Book Links