WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature created by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we get to flail about books we're dying to get our grabby hands on.

Tycoon, by Katy Evans
Publish Date: June 20, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) He wasn’t always this rich. This hot. This difficult.
Aaric Christos was a guy who protected me. Wanted me. Maybe even loved me.
That man is gone.
In his place is the most powerful real estate tycoon in the city.
He’s a cold, ruthless, aggressive businessman.
The only one who can save me and my startup from ruin.
It takes every ounce of courage to put my pride aside and ask for his help.
I didn’t expect him to offer it easily.
And he doesn’t.
Instead, he vets me harder than he’s vetted anyone.
Don’t invest in what you don’t know, he says.
He's assessing every piece of me, to the point I've never felt so bare.
I yearn for the boy I once knew, whose touch once craved me.
Putting it all on the line will be worth it, I tell myself.
Until I realize—too late—that some risks are not worth taking.

I am a super big fan of Katy Evans, so I always eagerly await her new releases, and Tycoon is no different. It sounds sexy and broody and completely awesome. I can't wait.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Commander in Chief (White House #2)

THIS BOOK. Seriously, it was so amazing. Talk about starting off my 2017 on a high note. Check out my review, and then go check out this awesome duology from Katy Evans!

Commander in Chief (White House #2), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: January 5, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: ARC, provided by the author and Social Butterfly PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) We fell in love during the campaign. The stakes were high.
Reputations could have been ruined.
Scandal hovered over us like a cloud.
Now the man I love is the President of the United States of America.
And its not my vote he is after.
He wants it all.
My heart. My body. My soul.
He wants me by his side.
In the White House.
Normalcy will be gone from my life, privacy forgotten.
I am only twenty three. I just wanted to play a part in history. But it seems like history wasn't done with me. The part where I lost my heart to Matthew Hamilton? It was only the beginning...

Commander in Chief picks up where Mr. President left off. It's been two months since the election and Charlotte has been in Europe this entire time with her BFF trying to find a way to get over Matt. She knows she can't be with him, but living in the same city and seeing him on the news all the time doesn't make that process easy. But, now it's inauguration day, and she wants to show him her support, no matter how difficult it is. 

He was never really mine.But I was all his. His to take. Body and soul. And I would have done anything he wanted me to.

For Matt's part, the two months apart from Charlotte were eye-opening. It should've been the most exciting time of his life, and in many ways it was, except he couldn't share that excitement with the woman he knows he loves. And Matt has decided to do something about that. He's decided that he's willing to risk it all as long as she is too - as long as they can be together in the end. 

I've stayed away and every inch of me wants to see her. I'll have the keys to the world, but turned my back on the key to the woman I love's heart. How can I be proud of that?

People, this book was Romantic with a capital 'R.' There is nothing more sexy than a man who puts his woman before everything - except for when that man is the president of the free world. THAT is the sexiest thing ever. And Matt really does put a lot on the line in order to claim her. He got elected as a "bachelor candidate," claiming he didn't need a First Lady to do his job. He's desired by millions, which increases his electability. To take himself off the market from nearly day one was a huge risk. 

But Matt wasn't the only one risking everything. Charlotte is only 23. To ease the public into the idea of he having a partner, Matt first makes Charlotte an honorary First Lady so that she has all the duties and the title in public, while in private, Matt is trying to woo Charlotte to be his First Lady in ALL things. There was a chance that the public wouldn't accept her, and Charlotte was terrified to be the one to mar his record. 

While Mr. President was very angsty and dramatic and almost heart-pounding at times (Will they get caught? Does Matt want her like she wants him? Will he win?), Commander in Chief is, by comparison, much more laid back. Truly, the questions asked in this book aren't as dangerous. There's no life-threatening situations. The focus isn't on Matt's dad's term (although the issue of his murder is brought up and answered). There's no question - EVER - as to Matt and Charlotte's devotion to each other. The real question is whether Matt and Charlotte can balance their work lives and their personal lives in order to have a happy life, especially when they have the most demanding jobs on Earth. 

I'm in over my head for this girl. Once I thought I couldn't do both, govern a broken country and have her. But I know now that I will die trying to do both. This is who I am. I'm the president and a man. She's the girl I love and the woman I want to spend my life with. 

I feel like this duology really is a perfect contrast and probably as close to reality as how I would imagine a situation like this would go. It's just not realistic for Matt to be dodging cheating scandals and assassination attempts, all while trying to thwart World War Three. That might make for an exciting read, but Commander in Chief was more of what I wanted for these two. Making adequate time for one another is a challenge in any relationship. I can't imagine what it's like when you're the POTUS. 

One other delightful change is that we get much more of Matt's POV in Commander in Chief. The chapters switch between Matt and Charlotte very regularly, whereas in Mr. President, it was only at the very end that we were able to get inside Matt's head. This was perfect, as part of the point of the book is Matt's desire to make Charlotte a permanent part of this world in which he lives, and how he plans to do it differently than other presidents before him. 

Commander in Chief was incredibly sexy. Matt's and Charlotte's chemistry and bond to one another is astronomical. It was also sweet and tender and, yes - terribly romantic. It was so much more than what I was expecting, and I loved every second of Matt's and Charlotte's story.

Katy Evans is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her debut REAL shot to the top of the bestselling lists in 2013 and since then 9 of her titles have been New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages across the world.

Connect with Katy:
Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans
Twitter @authorkatyevans

RELEASE DAY BLITZ: Commander in Chief (White House #2)

IT'S HERE! COMMANDER IN CHIEF by Katy Evans is the first book in 2017 that I could not wait to get my hands on. And now you can too! Learn about this incredible conclusion to the powerful story of President Matt Hamilton and the woman he loves, but can't have.

Commander in Chief (White House #2), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: January 5, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) We fell in love during the campaign. The stakes were high.
Reputations could have been ruined.
Scandal hovered over us like a cloud.
Now the man I love is the President of the United States of America.
And its not my vote he is after.
He wants it all.
My heart. My body. My soul.
He wants me by his side.
In the White House.
Normalcy will be gone from my life, privacy forgotten.
I am only twenty three. I just wanted to play a part in history. But it seems like history wasn't done with me. The part where I lost my heart to Matthew Hamilton? It was only the beginning...

He looks devilishly handsome.

His hair is combed back and oh, how I love every chiseled inch of his face. He’s the first to move, prying his hands from his pockets, eyes flaring, inhaling visibly—his inhale stretching the fabric of that black tux.

Disbelief and a punch of longing to have all of this man, his love and his name and his babies, hits me as he approaches. I’m gazing at him walk to me down the hall of the White House residence, both of us ready to attend a social dinner. My first public event with him.

I need a moment, or a thousand moments, to adjust to this new role.

Matt continues advancing—with every step his eyes drinking me in, his lips curling in a seductive, appreciative smile.

“You ready?” He stretches out his hand.

I nod and look at that hand—the hand I’ve held so many times, and that held me. I slide my fingers down the length of his, and he grips them and leads me down the staircase with him.

Katy Evans is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her debut REAL shot to the top of the bestselling lists in 2013 and since then 9 of her titles have been New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages across the world.

Connect with Katy:
Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans
Twitter @authorkatyevans

REVIEW: Mr. President (White House #1)

Mr. President (White House #1), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: October 31, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Format: paperback, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) He's won the hearts of millions. But is he willing to lose his?

I met the president’s son when we were both young. Matthew Hamilton was handsome, polished, and intelligent. I’d never met a guy like him.

He promised me that he’d never run for president. I promised that if he did, I’d be by his side.

Three terms later, an invitation to join Matthew Hamilton’s campaign is the most exhilarating opportunity I’ve ever experienced. I'm determined to make a difference; he is determined to win.
Focused on his goal, Matt is steadfast, ruthless, and disarming. All eyes are on him and his popularity is surging. But soon, the next possible president of the United States is possessing me in more ways than one—and despite the risks, I'm helpless to resist.
We're stealing touches, stealing moments, and stealing away at night. But our chemical connection is quickly becoming dangerously combustive, putting not only my heart, but Matt's chance at the presidency on the line.
Winning will take everything. Walking away will be the hardest thing of all.

In the wake of all the presidential drama as of late that I am infinitely tired of, I wasn't sure if I could take on Katy Evans' new book about a man running for president. But, in the end, my love of her books, of which I've read many, won out over my desire to push all my political irritations under the rug. And, despite the strong political vibe of the book (and that's not a big surprise because, hello - MR. PRESIDENT), I really loved it. 

I loved it so much because I LOVE forbidden romances where the HEA seems completely elusive and impossible. And this was definitely that. Matthew Hamilton and Charlotte Wells met when she was just a kid, and neither forgot that meeting. More than a decade later, Matt is running for president  and Charlotte is trying to help him get there by joining his team. 

Matt is running as a 35-year-old Independent - something no one has ever done before. He's facing insurmountable odds, but he's charming and attractive and charismatic. And single. He's running as a bachelor, claiming that he doesn't need a First Lady in order to do a good job. And, when he does that, he effectively shoots any relationship he might have had with Charlotte in the foot. If he is seen dating her, it damages his credibility and weakens his image. And in this game - especially for him - his image is critical. 

It doesn't matter that he and Charlotte are very compatible. Or that their chemistry is amazing. Or that the moments they allow themselves to indulge in in secret are hot and sexy and meaningful. In another place, in another time, they would've been the perfect couple. But, here and now, Charlotte and Matt have to be content with stolen moments and sideways glances and feelings that they can't do anything about. Because it looks like Matt might win. And if that happens, the possibility of their HEA gets put on hold for four years. At least. 

This woman not only makes me want to be a great man, she makes me want to be the best goddamn president that ever lived. 

She's what I never knew I wanted and have discovered that I need.

I know full well I'm going to have to give her up soon - but I can't bring myself to give her up yet.

The angst level on this is high, but it's not like love triangle angst or anything like that. I mean, Charlotte is definitely competing for Matt's affections, but she's competing against every single American citizen. It's an impossible contest, and one she knows she'll lose. I felt her sadness, and her desperation, and her frustration. I felt FOR her, because I can't imagine loving someone like she does and having to see him every day, but not being able to act on her feelings. But, what made Charlotte so special is that she doesn't resent him. She believes in him and in his ability to do this job better than anyone else. And because of that, she's willing to sacrifice her own wants and needs. 

Mr. President ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I can't see how Matt and Charlotte can make it. But, I totally trust Katy Evans, so I just KNOW these two will find a way. I'm sure it will be a great story too. 

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Ladies Man (Manwhore #3)

Ladies Man (Manwhore #3), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: self published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Tahoe Roth. Irreverent, cocky, playful and naughty.
He’s not the guy you date.
He’s the one night stand.
The one your mother warned you about.

The one your body craves.

You’d think the man who called me succulent would want to strip me down and spread me out on his bed—like he’s done with countless others.

But he passed on my offer….
Just like I’d once passed on his.

He’s wary, like I am.

He’s broken, like I am.

And everyone knows two broken parts can’t ever make a whole.
Tahoe and I are strictly friends.

So I distract myself with other men.

He doesn’t think my new man is good enough. This blond blue-eyed beast doesn’t think any man is—himself included.

But the more time we spend together, the more confused I feel. I'm trying to open myself to love.

Yet I'm quickly realizing that the only man I want is Tahoe Roth. The one man who will surely break my heart.

Ladies Man absolutely wrecked me. Let's put a pin in the absolutely ridiculous amount of sexual tension that seeped off every single page. What really got to me was how two broken people put on completely different types of masks to hide their fears and guilt and sadness. And how those two people managed to find one another and wipe those masks away. 

We met Gina in the first Manwhore books, as she was Rachel's BFF and roommate. We also learned at that time that she had a hard time trusting men because the one man in which she put all her trust broke it in the worst and most callous way. Gina's never felt good enough for anyone - her parents, her ex, her friends... and now Tahoe. 

Tahoe really is a ladies man. He's this gorgeous billionaire who has parties and friends and lots and lots of women. Except Gina. For some reason, he doesn't seem to want her. And that hurts her deeply. Because she wants him. Just for one night. But, for some reason, Tahoe only wants to be friends. 

Tahoe and Gina's friendship was very bittersweet. They really were great friends. It seems that whenever one needed the other, he or she was there. No matter what. But, it was so obvious that both of them wanted it to be more. You know how I mentioned the sexual tension. Good gracious. It was EPIC. And it was constant. In every interaction between Tahoe and Gina, it was there, along with this underlying sadness that neither felt like they were worthy of the other.

I absolutely loved the theme of masks in Ladies Man. Gina wore makeup constantly. Like, even to bed. It was a very literal and figurative way of covering up someone she didn't like much and creating someone new that she thought everyone would actually like and accept. And it was so, so profound that Tahoe was always wiping her makeup away. It was like, he wanted to see the real Gina. 

Tahoe also wore a mask. The ladies man image wasn't really him. It was a front he put up so that no one knew the pain he had gone through years before. But, Gina was the first woman to ask questions and to make an effort to get to know him. 

"No one is the way they seem. We all hide little pieces, either because we don't want to be judged, or because we don't think we'll be understood, or simply because we don't want those pieces of us to belong to anyone but us."

I absolutely loved this book. It was poignant and heartfelt and sweet. It was sad at times, and I laughed at others. Tahoe's and Gina's relationship was so unique. Ladies Man spans an entire year in their lives, and a lot happens in that time. There was absolutely no insta-love here. In fact, if you're someone who needs lots of sex in your books, you should know you won't find that here. There's almost no sex in this book, but the PROMISE of sex will keep you going. Trust me on this one. 

The great news is, it appears there will be at least one more book from the Manwhore world. Even better, it will involve Tahoe and Saint's other friend Callum and Tahoe's little sister. Oh yeah - it's going to be so good. 

COVER REVEAL: Ladies Man (Manwhore #3)

I remember as I was reading the first 2.5 Manwhore books that I would really love a book all about Saint's BFF Tahoe. He's the loud-mouthed life of the party who is always quick to joke. You know those types are always the ones with a lot going on in their heads. Well, it looks like my wish is coming true this April - Tahoe is getting his own book! Check out the cover for LADIES MAN...

Ladies Man (Manwhore #3), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: iBooks

(Synopsis) He’s not the guy you date. 

He’s the one night stand.

You’d think this man who sent hot looks my way, who called me succulent, would want to strip me bare and spread me out on his bed like every other woman in Chicago.

Except, he passed on my offer….

Just like I once passed on his.

He’s wary, like I am.

He’s broken, like I am.

And everyone knows two broken parts can’t ever make a whole. 

So I try to distract myself with dating.

Tahoe and I are strictly friends. He doesn’t think my new beau is good enough—he doesn't think any man is, especially himself.

The more time Tahoe and I spend together, the more confused I feel. 

I'm trying to open up to love.

But I'm quickly realizing that the only man I want is the stubborn, cocky, unattainable playboy Tahoe Roth.

The one my mother warned me about.

The one my body craves.

The only one who will surely break my heart.

REVIEW: Manwhore +1 (Manwhore #2)

Manwhore +1 (Manwhore #2), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: July 7, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Billionaire playboy? Check.
Ruthless businessman? Check.
Absolutely sinful? Check.

Malcolm Saint was an assignment. A story. A beautiful, difficult man I was supposed to uncover for a racy exposé.

I intended to reveal him, his secrets, his lifestyle—not let him reveal me. But my head was overtaken by my heart and suddenly nothing could stop me from falling. I fell for him, and I fell hard.

Malcolm Saint is absolute Sin, and I've become a hopeless Sinner.

Now that the assignment is over, Saint wants something from me--something unexpected--and I want this wicked playboy's heart. But how can I prove to the man who trusts no one that I’m worthy of becoming his plus one?

Character growth is a wonderful thing, don’t you think? It’s one of the most satisfying and fulfilling things about books. I love watching characters start from one point and, through shared experiences and mistakes and successes, end up at a different place at the end of the book. I love reading about their catharsis – the “ah-ha” moment where everything changed for them. The character growth of both Malcolm and Rachel is absolutely my most favorite part of Manwhore +1. Both of them exhibited believable and profound change in themselves, and it was so incredibly satisfying.

At the end of Manwhore, Rachel had seen the error of her ways, but it was too little too late for Malcolm, and he had cut all ties with her until several months later, when he requests a meeting with her. Rachel sees her chance, and despite his obvious reticence to start things up with her again, she’s determined to not let him go this time. Job issues and family issues continue to threaten their path to happiness, though, and since the ground is already rocky, there is a constant question about what the final nail in the coffin will be.

Rachel is my hero. Seriously. I know in my review of Manwhore, I sort of blasted her for her wishy-washiness when it came to choosing between her job and Malcolm. Rachel’s indecision was completely quashed, though, when Malcolm left her in the wake of the revelation of her deception. In that moment, she knew that she would choose Malcolm over her job, but at that point, it didn’t matter anymore. In Manwhore +1, that choice comes up again, and this time Rachel doesn’t hesitate. She wants her man back, and she will do whatever is necessary to make that happen. Even give up her job at the magazine that she protected so valiantly.

My heart broke for this girl. I spent the first 30% of so of Manwhore +1 waffling between hand-wringing and tear-wiping. She was absolutely desperate to get Malcolm back, or at least to get him to hear her apologies. And she was so, so sorry for her part that she played in driving him away. Rachel has no problem accepting responsibility and admitting she was wrong. And, she does so repeatedly. But, she never crosses that line into desperation, which I was so thankful for. Rachel is a strong woman who made a mistake and is now trying to fix it and find her way back to the man she loves.

Malcolm is feeling a bit tortured. He misses Rachel. He understands why she did what she did, but that doesn't make the fact that she played him and hurt him any less impactful. And, yet, he's man enough to admit that his life was better with her in it. Malcolm and Rachel do a dance around each other for awhile while they each piece through their feelings - Rachel through her guilt and Malcolm through his anger.

Where Malcolm might have seemed a bit cold and distant at times in book 1, he is far from that man in book 2. Character growth, I tell ya. He fell in love with Rachel and she hurt him - you can't come away from that the same way you were before. In book 2, Malcolm is softer yet more intense. He's not ever mean to Rachel, but he doesn't make it too easy for her either. And, when Malcolm's father sticks his nose into their business, it gives them both a rally point and a commonality to come together on. And Malcolm's not too proud to admit that he wants Rachel to end up on his side this time.

Manwhore +1 is told entirely from Rachel's POV, and there were many times I found myself really, REALLY wanting to know what was going on in Malcolm's head. This is a sexy, sexy book. I mean - it's Katy Evans. Of course it's sexy. But, Malcolm and Rachel have such amazing chemistry - it made me have a lot of trouble putting this book down. Although Malcolm and Rachel's story comes to a close at the end, I find myself wanting so badly to read more. Luckily, the novella Ms. Manwhore will be out this fall, and then who knows? Perhaps, in the same nature as Katy's Real series, we'll see a few books on the side characters. Here's hoping. Because this book was perfection. Total, mind-blowing, sigh-inducing, Saintly PERFECTION.

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Manwhore (Manwhore #1)

Manwhore (Manwhore #1), by Katy Evans
Publish Date: March 24, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-ARC, obtained from the author
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Is it possible to expose Chicago’s hottest player—without getting played?

This is the story I've been waiting for all my life, and its name is Malcolm Kyle Preston Logan Saint. Don’t be fooled by that last name though. There’s nothing holy about the man except the hell his parties raise. The hottest entrepreneur Chicago has ever known, he’s a man’s man with too much money to spend and too many women vying for his attention.

Mysterious. Privileged. Legendary. His entire life he’s been surrounded by the press as they dig for tidbits to see if his fairytale life is for real or all mirrors and social media lies. Since he hit the scene, his secrets have been his and his alone to keep. And that’s where I come in.

Assigned to investigate Saint and reveal his elusive personality, I’m determined to make him the story that will change my career.

But I never imagined he would change my life. Bit by bit, I start to wonder if I'm the one discovering him...or if he's uncovering me.

What happens when the man they call Saint, makes you want to sin?

Oh this book... it kept me on edge and frustrated the living daylights out of me pretty much constantly. One of the worst feelings is when you are reading a book and an overwhelming sense of apathy is blatantly apparent. You don't really care one way or the other about the characters, the story or whether everything works out okay for anyone in the end. Apathy was definitely not a word I would use to describe my feelings as I was reading MANWHORE. So, that constant frustration I mentioned? It's a good thing. 

Rachel Livingston is a writer for a small magazine that is about to fold unless it can print an explosive expose. As such, Rachel is handpicked to woo Chicago's most eligible bachelor - the billionaire manwhore himself, Malcolm Saint. She's charged with getting into his pants and his mind and then writing about it all. But, the closer Rachel gets to Malcolm Saint, the more she realizes that Chicago has no idea who he really is. And, she may just want to keep that information to herself. 

If I'm going to be honest, Rachel was the source of most of my irritation as I was reading Manwhore. I get her situation. She loves her job and doesn't want to lose it. So, she takes this assignment thinking that Malcolm Saint is just a douchey player who throws his money around to get what he wants. She has no issues exposing him, especially if it means she gets to save not only her job but the jobs of all the others working on the magazine as well. Rachel has a very strong work ethic and a creative mind, and I admired that. 

I am in love with stories. How they shape our lives. How they mark people who don't even know us. How they can impact us even when an event didn't exactly occur in our own lives.

With every meeting with Saint, however, Rachel starts to figure out that there is a very specific reason why Chicago knows very little about this man. The people in the city only know and see what he wants them to know and see. It's very obvious that there is a lot to this man. There are so many layers, and he has ensured that 99% of the world only know the very top-most layer - the one he can control the most. 

"I'm not endearing to people, Miss Livingston. I'd say people respond to me on four levels and four levels only: They want to pray to me, be me, do me or kill me."

Rachel starts to see through this facade that Saint has built, and it starts messing with her head. It was at this point that I wished so much I could reach into the book and shake some freaking sense into this woman. She waffled so much between wanting to be with him just as a woman who wanted him and the reporter who was only with him for a story. She knew those two sides of her didn't mesh, and she didn't know which one to give more weight. One moment she decided that what she was doing was wrong, and that she was starting to feel real things for this man and didn't want to sell him out.

I want him so deep I'll end up broken. I want to forget there are a million reasons why this isn't a good idea - because it doesn't matter if it's good or even right, only that I give my body what it wants. And all I want right now is looking down at me as if he wants to give it to me too. 

The next moment, she decides they are too different, and she feels guilt weighing on her because of the people at her magazine that are dependent upon her and her story for keeping their jobs.

"We don't fit," I say. "I just want to find a spot warm not cold, with a nice view, everything I could want, and I want to stop moving and stay there - in that spot. And you will never stand still."

The question though the entire book is which path will Rachel take. And, what will Malcolm say if and when he finds out why she sought him out in the first place.

Did you see my interview with Katy Evans? Check it out and then enter the giveaway to win a copy of Manwhore (US only)!

An Interview With Katy Evans

Get ready, because Katy Evans, the wicked awesome talent that created Remington "Riptide" Tate, is back with a new man in a new city and a whole new set of problems. MANWHORE debuts on March 24. Get ready world, because Malcolm Saint is coming. Read on for a special interview with Katy Evans about this new series and what we can expect from it. Then, if you live in the US, you can enter to win a copy!

Thank you so much for talking with me today, Katy. I can imagine this is an exciting time for you, as you get ready to launch a brand new series. Back when you were getting ready to publish REAL, did you ever see yourself here? What has been the biggest surprise to you in your career so far?

Hey Krista! Thanks so much for having me today. Oooh, yes, I can't tell you how excited I am to share this new series. It holds a very deep spot in my heart and I'm hoping the readers will open up theirs and let themselves be just as enchanted as I was by this new couple!

I admit I am not much of a planner; I try to live in the present and take the future as it comes. So I never imagined this moment. Back when I self-published Real in 2013, I was blown away by all the book love I received and never, in my wildest dreams, did I expect that I'd be able to continue writing and sharing my stories with all of you. I'm truly blessed: thank you so SO much to everyone who has picked up one of my books.

Your readers are very familiar with Remy. In what ways is the Manwhore himself, Malcolm Saint, different from Remy? Are they at all the same?

I always try to be truthful to each of my characters and am proud that all of my heroes are different in their own way, but all very sexy. Saint has some similar traits to Remy: he's a man who knows what he wants and goes after it relentlessly. He's also a man who's a little bit misunderstood (but in a different way than Remy is.) Other than that, Saint is his own person and he truly won over my heart in the same way Remy did. I hope readers enjoy him like I do! :)

Describe Rachel Livingston, Manwhore’s heroine, in five words.

Hardworking. Self-contained. Modern. Inexperienced. Innocent.

How many books are planned in the Manwhore series? Will they all be about Malcolm and Rachel?

The first books will be about Malcolm and Rachel and I'm hoping to continue with stories for some of their friends. :d

Of your leading men so far – Remy, Greyson, Kenna, and Malcolm – which one most closely resembles your perfectly ideal book boyfriend?

I love my boys! I love them all so its hard to choose. They all have qualities I admire in a man and they all have flaws which endear them to me. Each of them has a huge chunk of my soul. But if I had to choose, the one I most love is always the one I'm currently "dating" which means, my favorite is always the one I'm writing at the time. He's always on top - the one consuming my mind and my heroine's heart.

So far you’ve written about characters in so many different professions – fighter, rocker, physical therapist, business man – the list goes on. How do you research your characters’ lives so that they come across so realistically? Was Rachel easier to write since she’s a writer of sorts?

Rachel is my favorite heroine to date. She is balanced and methodical, has clear goals about who she wants to be and where she's going, and she came across very clearly in my mind. I also love living in her world. I LOVE being in her shoes and feeling seduced by her man!

As for research, I am simply a very curious person. Sometimes between books I read autobiographies and investigate a topic until exhaustion. I love learning about new things, lifestyles, professions. I love to learn.

Does your husband read your books? How about your parents?

My husband isn't a big reader. He's my complete opposite in that respect. I'm dreamy; he's all facts. But we work! We've been married for 19 years and I still love him like a teenager. He's my rock, and I love that without reading a single word I write, he always assures me with a certainty that nobody can write my story better than me. :)

My mother does read my books sometimes. She's very proud. (Or so she says!) :d

One final question. Rollercoasters – yay or nay?

Used to be yay, but not anymore. My adrenals can't take them anymore! :)

Thank you so much, Katy, for taking the time to answer my questions about you and your new Manwhore series. I’m so excited to see what else you have planned for us!

Thanks so much for having me, Krista! I loved spending time with you today. :) XO

Katy Evans grew up with books and book-boyfriends until she found a real sexy boyfriend to love. They married and are now hard at work on their own happily ever after. Katy loves her family and friends, and she also loves reading, walking, baking, and being consumed by her characters until she reaches “The End.” Which is, hopefully, only the beginning…

Interested in owning a copy of MANWHORE by Katy Evans for yourself? If you live in the US, enter the giveaway below, and a copy could be yours!


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EXCERPT REVEAL: Manwhore (Manwhore #1)

Holy crap - Katy Evans has a new series coming out next month. And it's called... MANWHORE. You're as intrigued as I am, right? Read on for an excerpt from this new book!

Manwhore (Manwhore #1), by Katy Evans
To Be Published March 24, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iBooks

(Synopsis) Is it possible to expose Chicago’s hottest player—without getting played?

This is the story I've been waiting for all my life, and its name is Malcolm Kyle Preston Logan Saint. Don’t be fooled by that last name though. There’s nothing holy about the man except the hell his parties raise. The hottest entrepreneur Chicago has ever known, he’s a man’s man with too much money to spend and too many women vying for his attention.

Mysterious. Privileged. Legendary. His entire life he’s been surrounded by the press as they dig for tidbits to see if his fairytale life is for real or all mirrors and social media lies. Since he hit the scene, his secrets have been his and his alone to keep. And that’s where I come in.

Assigned to investigate Saint and reveal his elusive personality, I’m determined to make him the story that will change my career.

But I never imagined he would change my life. Bit by bit, I start to wonder if I'm the one discovering him...or if he's uncovering me.

What happens when the man they call Saint, makes you want to sin?

I look very different than the girl Saint met in his office. But I don’t feel any different. My nerves are frayed to the edges as I give my name to a bouncer at the entrance and I’m allowed into the club, every part of me snug and tight in my dress as my black heels hit the floor.

Whereas M4 was all museum-like, the Ice Box is pure dark decadence. Ice sculptures sit on pedestals around the room. Cages with body-painted dancers hang from the ceiling. A bar with white and blue lights stretches from one wall to another.

Strobe lights flash across the space as I get jostled by the crowd. The bass thumps as the song “Waves” by Mr. Probz plays for the dancing crowd. Drinks are flowing on shiny silver trays, and the drinks are so adorned—by fruits, olives, salt glitter or colorful liquid swirls—they’re like artworks. This isn’t a normal swanky club. It’s the rich boys’ club and everywhere you look are beautiful people wearing beautiful things.

“I met him! God! When he said hi I thought I’d faint…!”

My nerves eat at me as I hear that, because I know for sure they’re talking about him. Trying to breathe, I wind deeper into the club, wishing for Gina so bad I ache. The room is packed with women, some clearly on the hunt, others already paired with someone, a few hanging out with their friends. I breathe slowly, in and out, telling myself I can do this. It’s just a club. I can have some fun. It’s been a while since I’ve gone out to a club, and never a club like this, but it doesn’t matter. I can interview people, and if I’m lucky, I can do more than that.

After scanning the area and trying to find the best spy-spots, I go to the top level and that’s when I get the best look at what’s happening downstairs at the most crowded corner.

And speak of the devil. My heart stops a beat when I see that dark head of his, and that loathed, burning knot in my stomach squeezes with a vengeance. I swear no one in my life has ever made me this nervous.

He sits with his arms stretched out behind him, a wine glass and two women vying for his attention as he chats with his friends. His masculine face is illuminated in certain angles when the lights flash—his beauty unprecedented.

Okay. Breathing. Do I want him to know I’m here or not?

A watery sensation seems to spread down my limbs as I force myself to go downstairs. I wind a path to the ladies’ room and worm myself through the throng of bodies toward a wide mirror above a set of modernist floating sinks. A group of women preen at themselves while I look our reflections. To my right, a woman pouts her red lips, and to my left, her friend pouts her pink ones. Me? I’m still me, but I look extravagant, like I was born here. I look very different than the young girl in coveralls he met. Will he even recognize me like this?

“You going to the after-party?” Red Lips asks Pink Lips as they retouch their lipsticks.

“No key yet.”

“Lookie lookie.” Red Lips waves a keycard in the air.

There’s squealing in the room and she tucks the key into her bra. “Mine!”

“So there’s an after-party?” I ask them.

“At Saint’s penthouse,” one says, nodding.

“How do you get invited to this party?”

“A hundred keys are distributed during the evening.”

A sudden thought of stealing the very key she’s just tucked into her bra flickers through my mind. I mean, it’s just a key. It couldn’t possibly be a felony.

 “Babe,” she tells me, “stop giving my key the eye! I’ve been waiting three years to get a key like this. Go and work your ass out there if you want one. Only the finest asses make it.”

“Thanks,” I say, turning to look at my ass in the mirror questioningly. Gina says I’ve got a great ass. It’s perky and the perfect handful, some would say. But would Saint say that?

I sigh and lean against the wall, then I spot all the little writings on an open stall door. I narrow my eyes, forcing my focus.

Malcolm for my baby-daddy

I sucked Saint’s cock

Tahoe rammed me right here

Callan licks cunt like a caveman

I head back into the noise and try to find a good spot for spying when I see him again. The two women won’t leave his side and now my stomach for some reason feels jumpy, annoying me. One of the blondes takes a shot from the waiter, licks the rim, and then adds salt.

Saint edges back and watches her with an expression of casual boredom, but his lips are curled, as if he’s having some fun.

I’m so engrossed watching—a little too fascinated and a little bit disgusted—I don’t realize a guard has walked up to me until he’s right in my face. He signals to the back of the room—to where Saint’s best friends are now watching me. Saint isn’t even looking my way. Oh no, he’s too busy being entertained, still wearing that almost-bored smile. Maybe they need to take their tops off to get him excited?

All three men fit in perfectly with the lavish surroundings, but I can’t look at the other two. Only at Malcolm. Malcolm’s dark good looks blend with the shadows like Hades in his own little corner of hell.

Suddenly he laughs over something one of the blondes does and he turns a little, his eyes landing straight on me—and stopping there.

I feel his stare like a hit of adrenaline. I want to look away, but I can’t, I feel trapped. I don’t know if I made this up but I could’ve sworn his chest jerked as if he sucked in a breath.

Does he recognize me? 

Do I want him to?

Suddenly the atmosphere is so heavy I can’t breathe. My lungs feel like rocks and I really can’t breathe. As he rakes me in one fast, complete sweep of his eyes that makes my stomach grip nervously, he takes in my pumps up to my long blonde hair, and I become aware of my dress hugging the top of my thighs, my hips, my abdomen, my breasts and even my ass. Oh god. I force myself to follow the guard in his direction, every step accelerating my heartbeat. In that black suit and without a tie, the top button of his shirt open and his hair a bit rumpled, Saint is the embodiment of luxurious and decadent and sin. He is Sin Itself and I feel like an absolute…virgin.

He stretches his long legs out before him, his stare fixed on mine without any seeming inclination to move away.

 “Mr. Saint,” the guard clears his throat. “The gentlemen had me summon her.”

Although his smile doesn’t waver, the look on his face is completely remote and unreadable.

“Here she is, gentlemen,” the guard then tells the other two—the blond and the copper-haired men looking at me like lunch.

“Tahoe,” the blonde says.

“Callan,” the copper-haired says.

Saint merely pats the blondes on the butt and sends them on her way, then he reaches out to take my elbow somehow in an instinctive gesture that brings me a strange sense of comfort. I don’t know anybody else here, so when he tugs me to his side, I go down and sit next to him on the edge of the long booth.

And that’s when he leans his dark head over to me and murmurs, “Malcolm.” His voice is so deep and rumbling, I shiver.

 “Rachel,” I lamely offer.

He raises his eyebrow and stares at me. What are you doing here, Rachel? he seems to ask.

I’m wondering what to say, when Tahoe lifts his drink and drains it. “You’re up past your bedtime.” The Texan oil baby. Oozing charm, drawling out the words.

I don’t know why but I’m acutely aware of the position of Saint’s body in relation to mine. He just straightened fully in the booth and somehow shifted so his arm is very noticeably stretched out behind me.

“Like they say, no rest for the wicked,” I answer Tahoe with an extra-wide smile, my heart pounding over Saint’s nearness.

Suddenly I can smell him. Just him. Among all the mingled scents in the room, it’s Saint somehow in my lungs, in every breath. He radiates a vitality that draws me like a magnet. It unnerves me but something in his presence, so close to me, soothes me too.

“Apparently there’s a dress code—Saint had to drop his tail and horns at the door,” Callan jokes as a waiter sets a drink before me.

“Oh yes.” I tug the hem of my skirt self-consciously, “I had to drop half my dress.”

“Did you now?” Tahoe asks.

“T.”

One word, one letter, from Malcolm.

“Yeah, Saint?” Tahoe returns, lifting his eyebrows.

“Dibs.”

I almost spit out the drink. I cough and slam my hand to my chest, and Saint calmly reaches out to take my drink from my hand and sets it aside.  “Okay?” he asks, ducking his head and peering into my face.

I give one last cough and squeeze my eyes shut and nod, and when I open my eyes, Saint is the only thing I see. I find him staring at me in such a penetrating way I can feel the stare in my bones.

“Did you just get to the party, Rachel?” he asks.

As he waits for my reply, he reaches for my cocktail and extends the glass out to me. His wrist is thick and looks so strong, so golden, his skin smooth, his arm dusted with a little bit of hair as I cautiously take it from him, our fingers brushing.

Tahoe reaches for his coat pocket and waves whatever he extracted in the air. “Saint! May I?”

Excitement leaps in my chest when I realize it’s the key!

“Not happening, that’s not her scene,” Malcolm murmurs besides me.

“Aw! Come on, let me give her a key. She’s a dime, man,” Tahoe drawls.

I’m so disbelieving, I’m not even breathing as Malcolm slowly stands. I follow him up, staring up into his face in confusion.

“What do you mean it’s not my scene?” I demand. I feel like there’s no gravity when he stands so close to me. I’m dizzy. Confused. And unexpectedly hurt.

For the first time since we met, he looks at me like he’s actually losing his temper…with me. He leans closer and puts his lips close to my ear. “Trust me when I tell you, it’s not your scene. Go home,” he whispers. He sends me a look laden with warning and walks away, blending into the crowd.

Tahoe and Callan stare at me, speechless. “That’s a first,” Tahoe mumbles and heads away.

I feel myself burn in humiliation and confusion. Worse is that, when I go outside, the same man who drove us around the day before walks over to me.

“Miss Livingston, a pleasure to drive you,” he says, hanging up his phone as if Saint just called him. He is a huge man, with a bald head, an earpiece, and no expression. A second later, he’s opening the car door of the Rolls for me.

Seriously?

Did Saint call him just now and ask him to escort me home?

Aware of people staring and seeing me being led to Saint’s car, I climb into the back of the car and I murmur my thanks simply because it’s not this man’s fault.

The car smells new and expensive and, like him. A bottle of wine and water bottles ride with me. There’s music in the background and the temperature is just right. The perfect luxury of it all tempts me to run my hands down my dress and look down at myself in confusion. What is wrong with me?

I feel as if he pulled the rug from under me and reminded me what I’m up against. The top of the species. Somebody ruthless.

I can’t take the heat in the back of my ears and on my cheeks. I sag on the backseat and set my forehead on the window. Focus, Livingston! Exhaling, I grab my phone and try to write down all the details about what I saw, but I can’t right now. I just can’t do anything but ride here, in his car, wondering why I feel so vulnerable.

Hey! I’m Katy Evans and I love family, books, life, and love. I’m married with two children and three dogs and spend my time baking, walking, writing, reading, and taking care of my family. Thank you for spending your time with me and picking up my story. I hope you had an amazing time with it, like I did. If you’d like to know more about books in progress, look me up on the Internet, I’d love to hear from you!


Learn more about Katy --> Website * Facebook * Twitter

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Ripped (Real #5)

If you're a big Remy fan, then you really have to meet Kenna. Check out my review of RIPPED, Katy Evans' latest book in her Real series, and don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour, organized by AToMR Tours!

Ripped (Real #5), by Katy Evans
Published December 9, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-ARC, provided by AToMR Tours
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) The fifth book in the New York Times new adult series that began with Real. When an angry, heartbroken girl is forced to be near her rocker ex-boyfriend, only time will tell if the fire between them will consume them both.

Pandora, the gothic friend of Brooke (Real, Mine, Remy) and Melanie, thought that getting her heart broken by her bad boy rocker ex could only happen once. But now, he's back in town with the biggest concert of the year. Pandora hates him so much that she gets Melanie to come with her and play a prank on him at his gig. But when they are caught by security, and her ex himself is summoned, he decides not to press charges if she'll follow certain conditions. Pandora likes none of his rules, or that he's in charge of her, especially since they seem designed to make sure she's in close contact with him again. But the closeness reignites the passion they once shared, and soon no matter how much she wants to hate him, it's clear she's still hung up on him. And worse: he knows it too.

So, you know Pandora, right? Brooke's and Melanie's other friend from the other Real books? She's always been cagey about the man that broke her heart, and now, in RIPPED, we get the whole story about the man that brought Pandora down. 

When Pandora finds out that the ex that destroyed her is in town with his world-famous rock band, she decides to prank him. But, when she's caught, she's forced to do her time, which includes touring with the band and spending a ton of time around the man she loathes. But, eventually, she has to tell him the whole story about why she hates him and she also has to come to terms with the fact that she still loves him. 

Pandora has always been the angry goth girl who hates men. And, in Ripped, that really hasn't changed. She's still really mad at pretty much everything. We always knew it was because a man had broken her somewhere along the way, but we didn't have the whole story. 

People choose to fall in love because it makes them feel protected, safe. Not me. I choose hate. It makes me feel good. Protected and sane. Hating him means what he did to me doesn't matter. I can still feel something. I am not yet dead, because I can feel this hate corroding me. He's ruined me for other men. Stopped me from being the woman I could have been. He's broken every dream of a future with him I had. He was my first love and my first everything, including my first heartbreak. 

It seems from the first meeting (or, re-meeting) of Pandora and McKenna that he feels the same for her too. To be fair, she did throw rotten fruit at his head during his performance. But, He really doesn't seem much happier to see her either. In fact, her intense ire seems to feed him and his mega attitude. But, if you read between the lines, it's clear that both of them are still very much affected by one another. 

   
Passion can manifest in many ways, and it's clear these two have passion in spades. For awhile after Pandora joins his band on tour, the passion between them comes out as extreme irritation, anger and sadness. There's so much regret and misunderstanding between them, it's just heartbreaking. 

And, thank goodness Katy Evans made Ripped a dual POV, because Kenna's POV is the best part of this book. I couldn't wait to get his outlook on Pandora and how she acted. As it turns out, he's just as conflicted as she is. And even more confused. 

Their reconnection happens in stages. Once they get past the extreme hate, they realize that they can have sex without feelings. Except, when has that ever worked in the history of ever? It brings them closer together, but it also complicates things more, because they finally have to face what caused them to break up in the first place. 

I have to say, out of all the Katy Evans books I've read, Ripped was my favorite. Katy Evans brings the feels, and this book was even more feelie for me than any of the other ones. We get cameos from Brooke, Remy and Melanie, which was fun. And, Pandora's and Kenna's relationship was volatile and passionate and sexy and I was in love with these two from the first page. 

About the Author

Katy Evans grew up with books and book-boyfriends until she found a real sexy boyfriend to love. They married and are now hard at work on their own happily ever after. Katy loves her family and friends, and she also loves reading, walking, baking, and being consumed by her characters until she reaches “The End.” Which is, hopefully, only the beginning…

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Mine (Real #2)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Mine (Real #2), by Katy Evans
Published November 4, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) He's mine, and I'm his. Our love is all-consuming, powerful, imperfect, and real...

In the international bestseller REAL, the unstoppable bad boy of the Underground fighting circuit finally met his match. Hired to keep him in prime condition, Brooke Dumas unleashed a primal desire in Remington "Riptide" Tate as vital as the air he breathes... and now he can't live without her.

Brooke never imagined she would end up with the man who is every woman's dream, but not all dreams end happily ever after, and just when they need each other the most, she is torn away from his side. Now with distance and darkness between them, the only thing left is to fight for the love of the man she calls MINE.

Mine was frustrating. 

Brooke and Remy are together finally, but both still have to deal with the repercussions of the decision Brooke made to leave. And now Remy is involved in the next season and both of them are facing a new challenge that neither anticipated when they started out together. 

One of my biggest problems with Real was Brooke. She was seriously one of the most irritating female MCs I've ever read about. I was hoping that, after the events at the end of Real, that we would see a different Brooke Dumas. Alas, that wasn't the case. 

It wasn't her dedication to Remy that was my problem. It was obvious she had conquered that issue - she was never leaving again. One thing's for sure - Remy's and Brooke's love for each other was pretty epic. I truly believed that they would do anything for each other. 

For most of the book, though. Brooke was insufferable. She was constantly plagued with guilt over her actions. Rightfully so, for awhile anyway. But, there comes a time when you just have to get over it and move on. yet, doubt and indecision and insecurities became her constant companion. And I grew very tired of hearing her ruminations on the matter. Between those thoughts and her thoughts about how hot Remy makes her, she didn't have time for much anything else. 

Remy was the bright star in Mine. I loved that he was always straight with Brooke. He never padded his answers to make things easier for her. He loved her fiercely and completely. Although, I always have been a little grossed out by all the licking. 

There was a lot more in this book about Remy's condition, and how he deals with it, especially in the blackest of times. It was shocking and saddening. In those moments, Brooke was at her best. If she had to pick a time to reign in her crazy and be strong, it's good she picked those moments when Remy needed her the most. 

The ending really was the best part. I loved seeing how everything turned out for both of them. And, that Remy and Brooke finally found a good place to be. Despite my dislike of Brooke, I do look forward to reading Remy and find out how it all went down from his perspective.  

COVER REVEAL - Ripped (Real #5)

Can't get enough of Katy Evans' Real series? Are you DYING to know Pandora's story? RIPPED (Real #5) is due out in December, and I can't wait! For now, let's settle with finally taking a peek at the cover. Ready?

Is that a guitar I see? EEP! The rockers are my absolute FAVORITES! So, what do you think of the cover of RIPPED?

Ripped (Real #5), by Katy Evans
To Be Published December 16, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) - Every woman wants me -- except the one I sing for.

Seattle shakes with anticipation: they call it the concert of the year. They say girls are getting pregnant just thinking about Crack Bikini being in town.

But when you love a girl, you don't leave her with nothing but a ring and a promise.

Any man with half a brain should know..

So what did I expect my girl would do when she saw me again? Well, for starters, she loathes our music. Particularly the song I wrote about her. When I sing it, the stadium is in an uproar. Thousands of fans scream my name like I'm a god -- but yeah, not her. Crystal clear: the girl's not happy to see me.

Black hair, black boots, a bad attitude, that's her -- Pandora Stone is a freaking man-eater and she's out for my blood.

That's alright.

Let her come at me. Because I'm out for her heart and, this time, there's no way she can stop me.