GIVEAWAY: Ruthless (Lawless #1)

It's time for another giveaway featuring a book by an Apollycon 2017 author! In case you need another refresher on what Apollycon is, check out the Facebook page. And, in case you need to see all the amazing Apollycon authors, check out this awesomeness...

This week, I have an ARC copy of Lexi Blake's upcoming release, RUTHLESS. I just finished this book yesterday, and it was INCREDIBLE. It's coming on August 9, and trust me - you don't want to miss this one. Here's all the info:

Ruthless (Lawless #1), by Lexi Blake
Publish Date: August 9, 2016
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Genre: adult contemporary suspense romance

(Synopsis) The Lawless siblings are bound by vengeance. Riley, Drew, Brandon, and Mia believe the CEO of StratCast orchestrated their parents’ murder twenty years ago to steal their father’s software program. And there’s only one way Riley can find some solid evidence...

Heir to the StratCast legacy, Ellie Stratton hires a new attorney to handle a delicate business matter—and she’s shocked by her attraction to him. Over the course of a few weeks, Riley becomes her lover, her friend, her everything. But when her life is threatened, Ellie discovers that Riley is more obsessed with settling an old score than in the love she thought they were building. And Riley must choose between a revenge he’s prepared for all his life and the woman he’s sure he can’t live without...

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COVER REVEAL: The Sexy One

Ack! Lauren Blakely is continuing the magic that she's found with this wild and wonderful group of people we met in Big Rock and Mister O. We get to meet sexy single dad Simon in THE SEXY ONE next! Check out the cover now...

The Sexy One, by Lauren Blakely
Publish Date: October 17, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Let me count the ways why falling into forbidden love is not my wisest move…

1. She works with me every single day.
Did I mention she's gorgeous, sweet, kind and smart?
2. She works in my home.
Playing with my five-year-old daughter. Teaching my little girl. Cooking for my princess. Which means…
3. She's the nanny.
And that makes her completely off-limits…But it doesn’t stop me from wanting her. All of her.

***

The other nannies in this city don't call him the Sexy One for nothing. My boss, the amazingly wonderful single father to the girl I take care of every day is ridiculously hot, like movie star levels with those arms, and those eyes, and that body. Not to mention, the way he dotes on his little girl melts me all over. But what really makes my knees weak are the times when his gaze lingers on me. In secret. When no one else is around.

I can't risk my job for a chance at something more…can I? But I don’t know how to resist him much longer either…

Audiobook fans, get a load of this incredible news - The audiobook will release the same day as the eBook on October 17th and will be narrated by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt!

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that's full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With ten New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than fifty times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone romantic comedies like BIG ROCK and MISTER O, which were both instant New York Times Bestsellers. In the fall she'll release WELL HUNG, another romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter at laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Links:

Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3

Lauren Blakely Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Hell Breaks Loose (Devil's Rock #2)

After the end of All Chained Up, I knew the wait for Hell Breaks Loose would be... well... hell. But, it's finally here, and trust me. You don't want to pass this one up. Read on for my review and don't forget to enter the giveaway for a finished copy of Hell Breaks Loose (US Only)!

Hell Breaks Loose (Devil's Rock #2), by Sophie Jordan
Publish Date: July 26, 2016
Publisher: Avon Books
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: adult suspense romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about a book in which a hero is an escaped convict who was originally put in jail for murder. How can you love a character like that? He would have to be, like, the SUPER anti-hero. You would think that after All Chained Up I would trust that Sophie Jordan wouldn't steer me wrong. Because by the end of Hell Breaks Loose - heck, by the 25% mark - I was totally in love with Reid Allister.

Reid is being driven by reasons I can totally understand. And, Reid's expectations are not unrealistic. He's not gunning for Mexico or Canada. He knows that he won't go undetected forever, and he's okay with that as long as he checks the boxes on his to-do list first.

I got a vague impression from All Chained Up that Reid was inherently a good guy - that he had a code that he lives by. And, I was right. So, when he meets up with his former crew of guys and discovers that they've kidnapped the president's daughter, his protective instincts are kicked into high gear, and that code starts to drive his actions.

I would've been disappointed in Sophie Jordan if she would've had Reid and Grace fall into bed together right off the bat. If you think about it from Grace's perspective she doesn't know Reid from any of the other meth-heads that took her. Not to mention, he's bigger and scarier looking than the rest of them. She might be able to appreciate his good looks from a purely female perspective, but this man stands between her and her freedom, so sleeping with him is not on her agenda. And thank goodness for that, because if it had been, my opinion of the book would've dropped. It's just not realistic for any girl to do that, no matter how hot her captor is.

So, no. Grace and Reid have a rough go of it for a long while. Besides the situation in which they presently find themselves, they're also struggling with other things - Grace's feelings of neglect and inadequacy and Reid's bleak outlook on the rest of his life, not to mention the fact that his plans have gone sideways in a huge way. It doesn't have the best foundation on which to start any type of relationship. Or, perhaps it's actually a way for two people to get closer faster than under normal situations.

Hell Breaks Loose is a fast-paced, exciting story about coming to terms with mistakes you've made and being okay with the person you've become on the other side. It's about the length that people will go to for those that they care about. And that everyone can be redeemed.

Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.

Learn more about Sophie --> Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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EARLY REVIEW: P.S. I Like You

P.S. I Like You, by Kasie West
Publish Date: July 26, 2016
Publisher: Point
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

I have a total girl crush on Kasie West. Because she writes the best books that make me smile SO BIG. 

I adored the concept of P.S. I Like You. Lily has a secret pen pal, and she knows that this person is not only in the same grade as her, but also in the same high school. This person shares the same desk with Lily in a different period of chemistry, and every day they share a few words about their lives in a note lodged under the desk. Lily has no idea who this person is, but before she knows it, she's sharing more of herself with this stranger than she does with most other people. 

I loved the fact that Lily had no desire to discover the identity of her mystery pen pal. She recognized that part of the magic about the entire situation existed in the fact that neither of them knew who the other was. They were much freer with their words and thoughts and feelings. It was such a special relationship - and they didn't even know each others' names. 

P.S. I Like You was so much more than this budding relationship between Lily and her secret admirer. Lily's home life is happy, but crazy with lots of siblings that never give her any privacy. She's awkward and not at all in with the popular crowd. She loves music and writing lyrics, but she is dealing with writers block, along with an insufferable year in a chemistry class she hates. 

There's a boy she likes from afar who barely knows she exists and a boy she hates very openly who seems to make opportunities to irritate her. Both boys are very much not what she expected when she has a chance to get to know them, and they both play a part in her fantasies about who her secret pen pal is. 

I enjoyed everything about this book. It is witty and smart. The concept is fresh and new in an old school kind of way. The romance angle is sweet and completely adorable. It was the perfect book for me to read in between heavy, suspenseful emotional books. It was like a breath of fresh air, and I never wanted it to end. 

COVER REVEAL: Hear the Wolves

Get ready world - Victoria Scott is releasing a new book in March 2017! HEAR THE WOLVES will be released by Scholastic, and I'm so excited for this one. Victoria is masterful at writing books about animals and the relationship they have with special humans. If you don't believe me, then you obviously haven't read Fire & Flood, Salt & Stone or Titans.

So, do you want to see the cover for HEAR THE WOLVES? Check it out and enter to win an ARC!

Hear the Wolves, by Victoria Scott
Publish Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: middle-grade

(Synopsis) It's survival of the strongest in a contemporary, girl-versus-wild middle-grade debut from Fire & Flood author Victoria Scott! 

Sloan is a hunter.

So she shouldn't be afraid of anything. But ever since her mom left the family and she lost hearing in one ear in a blizzard, it's been hard to talk to people, and near-impossible to go anywhere or do anything without her dad or big sister within eyesight -- it makes her too scared to be on her own.

When they leave her home alone for what should only be two nights, she's already panicked. Then the snow starts falling and doesn't stop. One of her neighbors is hurt in an accident. And the few people still left in Rusic need to make it to the river and the boat that's tied there -- their only way to get to a doctor from their isolated Alaska town.

But the woods are icy cold, and the wolves are hungry. Sloan and her group are running out of food, out of energy, and out of time. That's when the wolves start hunting them . . .

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GIVEAWAY: Falling in Deeper (Wicked Lovers #11)

Have you heard about Apollycon 2017 yet? Jennifer L. Armentrout is bringing together all these amazing authors on March 24 and 25, 2017 to help her launch the third book in her Titans series - The Struggle. 

Now, if you're going and you're anything like me, you've already started making lists - which authors to meet, which friends to meet up with, which books to buy there, which books you already have that you need to pack... Yeah, honestly, that last one is going to be a problem for me. How will I ever fit all my books in my suitcase??

Well, I'm here to make that even harder for you. As I'm looking over my stack of ARCs, I'm realizing that many of the ones I have are for incredible romance authors that will be making an appearance at Apollycon. Want one?

We'll kick things off with a recent release from the amazing Shayla Black - FALLING IN DEEPER. If you love alpha males who flex their protective instincts for THE GIRL, you need to read this book. Check out my review here. I'm giving away an ARC of Falling in Deeper to one person in the US. Doesn't matter if you're coming to Apollycon or not (but, of course I hope you are). :)

Good luck!

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REVIEW: His Royal Secret (His Royal Secret #1)

His Royal Secret (His Royal Secret #1), by Lilah Pace
Publish Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Intermix
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult m/m contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) James, the handsome, cosmopolitan Prince of Wales, is used to being in the public eye. But he's keeping a king-sized secret...James, next in line for the throne, is gay.

He’s been able to hide his sexual orientation with the help of his best friend and beard, Lady Cassandra. Sometimes he feels like a coward for not coming out, but he daren’t risk losing the crown. If he did, the succession would fall on his deeply troubled younger sister, Princess Amelia. To protect her, James is willing to live a lie.

While on holiday, he meets Benjamin Dahan—a rugged international reporter with a globe-trotting, unattached life—who catches far more than James's eye. And when Ben is transferred to London, it seems fate may finally be smiling on James.

But what began as a torrid fling grows into something far more intimate and powerful. Soon James will have decide who he is, what he wants from life and love, and what he’s willing to sacrifice for the truth...

I love a sexy, impossible relationship. And this book featured the sexiest, most impossible relationship ever. Between a reporter and a prince. Actual freaking royalty.

James is the Prince of Wales and is in direct line to become King of England sooner rather than later. He's been groomed for this position since birth... and no one, save his sister and his BFF Cass, knows that he's gay. This is a huge problem since the king is the head of the Church, which is not a huge fan of homosexuality. So, James has remained in the closet his whole life, and it's made him miserable. 

Then, he meets Ben Dahan - a business reporter. They agree to a relationship in secret, which suits commitment-phobe Ben just fine. It was a relationship with severe limitations and no possibility of more. James gets to indulge his true self with someone he not only likes, but thinks is crazy hot too. It's okay for both of them for awhile. Until it's not. 

His Royal Secret had all the feels. It had hot and sexy feels - the chemistry and sexy times between Ben and James were everything this romance lover needed. It had desperate and emotional feels - James and Ben have to reconcile their growing feelings for one another and decide whether they're willing to risk absolutely everything to try and be together. 

One of the most amazing parts of His Royal Secret is Lilah Pace's attention to detail. Her intricate knowledge of the royal family and the ins and outs of royal protocol, royal properties, and royal household workings was incredible. She must've done so much research to prepare for this book. All the specifics just made it so much more perfect. 

His Royal Secret ends on a pretty big cliffhanger. I couldn't wait to get my hands on His Royal Favorite, which concludes Ben and James' story. I guarantee you won't be able to wait either. The good news is, it comes out next month, so you won't have to wait long. My review will post then, along with an interview with Lilah Pace in which she tells us about her research tactics. In the meantime, read His Royal Secret - you won't be sorry! 

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & EXCERPT: Hitched: Volume 2 (Imperfect Love #2)

I'm back with a review of volume 2 of Kendall Ryan's totally addictive HITCHED. Check it out and read an excerpt while you're at it!

Hitched: Volume 2 (Imperfect Love #2), by Kendall Ryan
Publish Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Arranged marriage? Check.

Cocky new husband? Check.

It's a marriage of convenience—one I’m determined to keep strictly professional. I can't be stupid enough to fall for this sexy playboy's charm or advances. I have to be strong, even if he is my husband.

Except he has a huge cock with an even bigger ego, and his main goal in life seems to be getting me to stroke both. The arrogant bastard is like sweet, sugary candy for my libido. I know he’s bad for me.

But I want to devour every wicked inch of him.

With his sexual prowess and experience, I know he’ll be explosive in the bedroom. And since we’re stuck together for the foreseeable future—keeping up this marriage charade long enough to turn the company profitable again—I deserve something to look forward to at the end of a long workday, right?

What could one little taste hurt?

Communication (kuh-myoo-ni-kay-shuh n): noun - the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else

For the love of doughnuts, someone please highlight and bookmark this definition in every dictionary owned by Olivia and Noah's company, and not-so-subtly sneak it onto every surface they come into contact with. All day long. Every day for a week. Or two.

In Hitched: Volume 2, I alternated between being monumentally pissed off at Olivia first, and then Noah later. I get that they were put in a difficult situation by their fathers. As I mentioned in my review for Hitched: Volume 1, the fact that they would make ownership of their company and the jobs of thousands contingent upon two people who barely know each other getting married, and then conceiving a child (hello? what about infertility?) is absolutely abhorrent. But, that's neither here nor there in Volume 2. 

But they're in this situation, so they should make the best of it. Right? Noah seems to have embraced that philosophy with abandon. He's happy to be married Olivia. He's not thrilled to be a dad so soon, but he's come to terms with it. Olivia, however, just can't bring herself to embrace her situation in any way. Despite the affection she clearly has for Noah, despite the attraction and the heat between them, and despite her status as his wife, she still keeps him at arm's length - literally and figuratively. She has reasons - both for why she initially bailed on him at the alter and for why she refuses to be his wife in every way - but, IMO, they are flimsy and weak. 

I, personally, think she's scared she could get used to being Noah's wife. That she could easily love him. And, what if he doesn't feel the same way? But, does she tell him that? Does he tell her how he really feels? Nooooooooo....

In fact, even after Olivia gives a little on her position, Noah is still keeping something from her. Something HUGE. And there were so many times he could've told her, and it would've been okay. But, his reasons for not telling Olivia everything she needed to know were also flimsy and weak. And, of course, it comes back to bite him in the ass in a big way. 

Hitched: Volume 2 was infuriating and frustrating. It was also sexy and had moments of extreme swooning. And a big cliffhanger ending. I can't wait for Volume 3 to see how Olivia and Noah will work out all their differences and pull their company out of trouble. 

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Just a little tight, is all.”

I inhale through my nose. I have to shove the pregnancy stuff to the back corner of my brain. We’re a long way off from Olivia letting me pump her full of my semen anyhow, so why am I stressing about it now? The first step is showing her how compatible we can be.

And that starts now.

I smile at her. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

I grab a bottle of massage oil from the hall closet and return to the living room. The soft jazz music seems to float in the air, creating a pleasant buzz in the atmosphere.

Olivia’s eyes widen when I rejoin her on the couch, but she doesn’t question me.

“I’ll give you a massage,” I suggest. “Take off your sweatshirt.”

Olivia flinches, chewing on her lip while she watches me. “But I’m not wearing anything underneath.”

That’s the idea. “I promise not to look.”

She hesitates for another second, then turns her back to me and pulls her shirt over her head, dropping it to the floor. The creamy canvas in front of me is one to be admired. The twin dimples in her lower back near the band of her leggings would make lesser men weep.

I warm a few drops of oil between my palms and rest my hands on her stiff shoulders.

“Relax. Okay?”

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Learn more about Kendall --> Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pintrest | Goodreads | Amazon

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Wanderlust

Wanderlust, by Roni Loren
Publish Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Intermix
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Restaurant critic Aubrey Bordelon is never at a loss for words to describe her meals in the fancy restaurants of New Orleans. But after her magazine’s high-profile music reporter falls ill, she finds herself out of her element and in a sea of screaming fans awaiting Wanderlust’s lead singer, Lex Logan. The sound of his voice gives her goosebumps, and the stage presence of the hard-bodied rock star takes her breath away. So when he pulls her onstage for a sexy stunt, she knows she’s in real trouble. 

Lex doesn’t want to pretend that the sparks on stage between him and Aubrey never happened, but it certainly makes the fact that she’s writing a story on his band all the more dangerous. The last thing he needs is some nosy reporter revealing their problems to the world. But the sexy Southern belle doesn’t give up easily, and soon he’s wondering if the best way to chase her off the story is to coax her into his bed…

I absolutely LOVED this book. It's about rock stars (which I love) and it's by Roni Loren (whom I also love), so I don't think there was a chance this could go sideways.

Aubrey is a buttoned-up restaurant critic who reluctantly accepts an assignment covering the hottest band of the moment, Wanderlust. Although she's a bit of a fish out of water among the wild band members and their fans, she's determined to do her job just as she always does. But, she didn't count on an explosive initial encounter with the band's frontman, Lex Logan, and how much that encounter would put her off balance.

For his part, Lex is just trying to keep his band from imploding. The last thing he needs is a nosy reporter hanging around just itching to write about all the in-fighting and the difficulty Lex is having writing songs. He had no idea that the chick he pulled on stage to do body shots with is that very same reporter. FML. 

Needless to say, the relationship between Lex and Aubrey to begin with is contentious at best. He schemes to get rid of her, and just ends up frustrating both of them. The chemistry between Lex and Aubrey was so well written. It was easy to tell that they were drawn to one another, even when they were acting like they couldn't stand each other. Passion is passion, and you just know that when two people so openly dislike each other that they'll end up rockin' the sack. LOL

I wouldn't have liked Aubrey's and Lex's relationship nearly as much as I did if it was all physical up until the end. Somewhere early on this journey, Lex got the inkling that there was more to Aubrey than what she let the rest of the world see. He was right. And when we all found out together what Aubrey's secrets were, it was heartbreaking and it made me furious at some others in Aubrey's life. How Aubrey has handled herself as an adult earns Lex's respect and causes him to see her in a new light. And then he just has todo the same for her. 

I know that Roni Loren wrote Wanderlust awhile ago, and that it wasn't necessarily meant to go beyond this one story. But, I really REALLY want to see stories from the other band members. We got to see a lot of Aubrey's occupation in Wanderlust, but I didn't get nearly enough time with the band. We got a bit of their backstories - some more than others - and it was just enough to whet my appetite. 

Wanderlust was a quick and easy read. I finished it in under 24 hours with very little difficulty. If Roni does hear her fans' pleas and writes some more stories from the Wanderlust world, I'll be first in line to buy them. 

BLOG TOUR BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: Bossman

Are you ready to meet Chase Parker in BOSSMAN?

A standalone Contemporary Romance novel by

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Vi Keeland

NOW LIVE

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/29F3jum

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2a8EaIY

iBooks: http://apple.co/1TYvovK

Bossman Paperback: http://amzn.to/29rhZrX

Nook:  http://bit.ly/29sL4H2

Kobo: http://bit.ly/29lW19I

Google Play: http://bit.ly/29NZ8bn

Sign up for Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified of releases! https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/l3t4l1

Join Vi’s Violets for early news of books, fun chats and giveaways!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup/

(Synopsis) The first time I met Chase Parker, I didn’t exactly make a good impression.

I was hiding in the bathroom hallway of a restaurant, leaving a message for my best friend to save me from my awful date.

He overheard and told me I was a bitch, then proceeded to offer me some dating advice.

So I told him to mind his own damn business—his own tall, gorgeous, full-of-himself damn business—and went back to my miserable date.

When he walked by my table, he smirked, and I watched his arrogant, sexy ass walk back to his date.

I couldn’t help but sneak hidden glances at the condescending jerk on the other side of the room. Of course, he caught me on more than one occasion, and winked.

When the gorgeous stranger and his equally hot date suddenly appeared at our table, I thought he was going to rat me out.

But instead, he pretended we knew each other and joined us—telling elaborate, embarrassing stories about our fake childhood.

My date suddenly went from boring to bizarrely exciting.

When it was over and we parted ways, I thought about him more than I would ever admit, even though I knew I’d never see him again.

I mean, what were the chances I’d run into him again in a city with eight million people?

Then again…

What were the chances a month later he’d wind up being my new sexy boss?

“Sorry, I wasn’t looking where—”

I froze.

The sight of Chase standing there was almost enough to knock me over. I’d secretly hoped to see him, yet never thought I actually would. What are the chances? I did a double take, sure I was seeing things. But it was him all right, in the flesh. And what flesh it is. Standing there shirtless and wet—wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung swim trunks—he had me stuttering. Literally.

“Ch…Ch…Ch—” I couldn’t get the word out.

Of course, Chase didn’t miss a beat. He smirked and leaned in. “You do a cute train impression, Buttercup.”

He remembers me.

I shook my head, attempting to snap myself out of it. But it was no use. He was so tall, and I was so short, I had no choice but to stare at his body. Water trickled down his abs. I was mesmerized watching it speed up and slow down as it crossed the rippled lines of his six-pack. Damn.

I cleared my throat and finally spoke. “Chase.”

I was pretty freaking proud of myself for getting that much out. He had a towel slung around his neck and lifted it to dry off his dripping hair, revealing even more flesh. His pectoral muscles were carved and perfect. And—oh, my God…is that… Holy shit. It is. His nipples were cold and erect, and one of them was….was…pierced.

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn't change for the world. She is an attorney and a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today Best Selling author.  Over the last three years, eleven of her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller lists and four on the New York Times Bestseller lists.  

Links

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Torn (Wicked Saga #2)

The wait is almost over - TORN releases tomorrow, and I promise you it's totally worth the wait. Prepare for some completely epic feels of all kinds.

Torn (Wicked Saga #2), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Format: ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: new adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon | iBooks

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same. 

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her.

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him?

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

The book hangover is real with this one, my friends. And, I wouldn't have it any other way. I didn't read Torn as soon as I got it. I needed some time to prepare myself for, what I knew would be, this epic tide of feels. No amount of time, however, could've prepared me for Torn. 

I don't feel like I can tell you much about the plot without giving away some major spoilers, so I won't talk about the plot much in this review, other than to say that Torn picks up immediately where Wicked left off - with Ivy recovering from her near fatal battle with the Fae Prince and dealing with some pretty intense feelings about Ren and her traitorous BFF Val. Ivy has some major decisions to make, and she's completely... well, torn... about what to do.

Torn is a fair bit darker than Wicked was, and with good reason. The death and destruction that was brought upon The Order at the end of Wicked set the mood as we go into Torn. That, along with Ivy's new information about her lineage and the implications that has on her budding relationship with Ren cast an ominous pall over the entire book. It's absolutely intense and completely effective. I was engaged and engrossed, and even during the times when I had to put the book aside for a bit of an emotional break, I still found myself thinking about it.

Jen Armentrout does villains like no one's business. In all the 1,000+ books I've read over the past five years or so, I don't think there is any character I've hated more than the Fae Prince in Torn. 

We only caught a brief glimpse of him at the end of Wicked, but that was enough to know that he was a special kind of evil. Oh, trust me peeps - you have NO idea. The things he does to the characters I love (and even the characters I don't love) had me dreaming of all the wonderful ways Jen could make him suffer in the end. And I totally trust her for that, too. I believe in her HEAs, and I also believe that Ivy's and Ren's HEA can not happen while this overconfident psychotic asshole still exists. So, I'm already looking forward to the day when these two measly humans kick his fairy ass. 

For as much as I hated the Fae Prince and his underlings, I conversely loved Ivy, Ren and Tink with every fiber of my bookish being. 

Your heart has no choice but to break over Ivy's situation. She's completely in love with a boy who was sent to kill her, only he doesn't know it yet. Does she tell him? Does she keep it a secret? Her struggle is very real, but my girl is brave and incredibly strong. Her choices - trusting Val, loving Ren, protecting Tink - they all have consequences, and she owns every single one of them. 

And Ren - there no words for how much I love this guy. It approaches Aiden St. Delphi love, which - trust me - is HUGE. His actions in Torn speak to his true character, so if you ever questioned his motives in Wicked, I assure you, those questions are answered now. 

Despite the darkness and intense feels in Torn, there are a few delightful surprises and moments of hilarity in Torn, and nearly all of them are delivered by Tink. Thank goodness for this creature. He was perfect for breaking up the seriousness, which was much needed at times. His continued love of Amazon Prime, beignets, and all things Ivy brought smiles to my face when I didn't think it possible.  

And now, we begin the long wait for the final book in the Wicked Saga, BRAVE. I would say you can't improve on perfection, but based on the choices made at the end of Torn, I expect that may be the case with the final book in this amazing paranormal series. 

#1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Learn more about Jen --> Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Author Goodreads