BLOG TOUR REVIEW, GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: More (The Body Works Trilogy #4)

Sierra Kincade is back with... more from her Body Works series. MORE was an incredible follow-up story about side characters from the original trilogy Mike and Amy. And it was EVERYTHING. Check out my review and a guest post from Sierra Kincade! Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

More (The Body Works Trilogy #4), by Sierra Kincade
Publish Date: December 1, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Jean Book Nerd
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Amy has kept her distance from men after her sleazy ex took everything from her—everything but her daughter, Paisley, whom Amy would do anything to protect. She’s learned to keep her guard up, but it’s getting harder and harder to do around a man like Mike, whose penetrating gaze leaves her speechless. Mike is unlike any man Amy has ever met. He’s patient, kind, a loving father, ripped, and, amazingly, seeming way into her. Still, Amy makes it clear that she has no intention of the two of them being more than friends. But when threats from her past put Paisley in danger, Amy finds that more with Mike just might save her life…and her heart.

Do you have any idea how excited I was when I found out that Sierra Kincade was going to continue her Body Works trilogy so that Mike and Amy's story (which had been hinted at in the original trilogy) was going to finally be told?

And their story was absolutely everything I needed it to be. When the book opens, Amy and her young daughter Paisley are still living in Mike's house with him and his young daughter Chloe, even though the events and the danger that landed them there have passed. The girls love being near each other, and Amy has become comfortable with the living situation. But, the constant sexual chemistry between Mike and her are stressing her out, and Amy's considering moving back to her own place. 

I get why Amy is hesitant to start a relationship with Mike. He, of all people, would be the most dangerous to her. Because if things didn't work out, it wouldn't be only Amy's heart that would take the beating, but her daughter would feel the effects too. And Mike is more than just her roommate. He's her best friend next to Anna. There's a lot at stake, and Amy's not too trusting when it comes to relationships after her last two have been not only disastrous, but dangerously violent. They've not only literally beaten her down, but they've also squashed her self-esteem and Mike seems determined to help her find it again.

Life was hard, and frightening, and sometimes cruel, but she'd endured. And for the first time in a long time, she didn't consider whether or not she was worthy of him. She considered whether he was worthy of her. And he was.

When Sierra Kincade described Mike, I had this picture in my head of Luke Cage:

Talk about hotness on a stick. And on top of that, he's smart (he's going to law school), he's brave and he's good with his hands. Like, REALLY good. Not only that, but he's an amazing dad. And let's face it - that's one of the sexiest parts about him. He's determined to prove to Amy that he is nothing like the last two losers she's involved herself with. It's an uphill battle, but he's patient and focused.

I loved Mike in the first three books because he's a really good friend to Alec and has proven to be loyal. But, in More, my feelings for him moved way beyond love. Seriously, this guy is damn near perfect. But, he has just enough tarnish - because of his former wife - to make him real. And, even though he doesn't show it well, he's carrying some baggage that might threaten the good thing he and Amy could have.

Sierra Kincade does many things well, but creating realistic suspenseful situations that cause our characters to reach inward for strength they didn't know they had - that's her specialty. Although it's not as dark and dangerous as what happened to Anna and Alec, Amy still manages to find herself in some trouble, which is a different sort of tension altogether from what she feels with Mike.

Speaking of Anna and Alec, they show up, and prove to be the best babysitters EVER. Alec having a tea party with a bunch of little princesses is just as swoon-worthy as Mike putting the little girls to bed. Seriously - guard your ovaries, ladies. They're in danger of combusting while you read More.

Amy and Mike's story needed to be told. It wasn't always easy for them, especially given the two precious children in their lives. But, it was SO worth all the trials that they both went through to get to the other side.

What sort of research do you typically do for your books? Specifically for MORE - there are a lot of jobs represented: hair stylist, construction worker, law student, masseuse, single parent. How did you manage to get all the details just right?

Hi Krista!

Research is actually one of my favorite parts of writing a book. In order to make characters authentic and believable, an author needs to be able to imagine them as real people. It’s not just their decisions and reactions that make them real, but the things they encounter in their day-to-day life, like work.

In MORE, Amy’s a hairstylist, and a pretty dang good one. Because the book is from her point of view, I needed to make sure that I got the details of her occupation as close to correct as possible because the reader wouldn’t just see her cutting hair, they’d be in her head as she’s thinking about cutting hair—what to do, how to do it, etc. I believe the best research comes from talking to people, so I interviewed my hairstylist and took notes. She taught me about the different shears she uses, how she applies dye, what beauty school was like, and the logistics of her work, like how she gets paid and uses her station. All of this went into Amy’s character, hopefully not in an overbearing way, but with enough detail to make her job seem legitimate and not fabricated.

The same principles were applied for the other occupations in the book. I interviewed a masseuse for the Body Works series, and even had several massages to get the details right (I know, feel so sorry for me). I interviewed a lawyer friend about her experiences with law school. And though I’m not a single parent, I am a parent, and I see how hard my single parent friends work to provide everything they can for their kids. I hope I captured some of their amazingness in this book, because they impress me every day!

Research is just one of the many parts that goes into writing a book, but it’s one of my favorites. It (hopefully) makes the characters not just real to me, but to you, the reader, too.

Thanks for checking out MORE! Hope you enjoy it!

Sierra Kincade lives in the Midwest with her husband and son. When she’s not writing naughty books, she loves eating chocolate cupcakes, binge-watching cable series, and singing loudly in the car. She wholeheartedly believes that love stories are real, and you should never choose a partner who doesn’t make you laugh.

A few of Sierra’s favorite things:

Bad boys with dirty mouths – English Breakfast tea with two packets of Sugar in the Raw – any movie or show with a choreographed dance routine – cinnamon toast – kids who say funny things – friends who raid her pantry without asking – bootleg jeans – making lists – old Garth Brooks songs – and of course, massages.

WEBSITE: http://www.sierrakincade.com/
TWITTER: @SierraKincade
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7877331.Sierra_Kincade
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SierraKincade.author

* 3 Winners will receive an E-copies of The Masseuse by Sierra Kincade
* 1 Winner will receive a Swag Basket (Contains 3 Paperbacks - The Masseuse, The Distraction, and The Confession).

Giveaway is open internationally. Must be 13+ to enter.

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REVIEW: Forsaken (Deep Connection #1)

Forsaken (Deep Connection #1), by Sierra Kincade
Publish Date: October 18, 2016
Publisher: Intermix
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary/suspense romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Marsella Talent has been on the run for two years, ever since her father thrust a ledger into her hands and told her to run from the police swarming their family restaurant. Now, with the cops and her father’s men desperate to get their hands on the book, she knows she can never go home.

Jake never thought he’d see Marsella again, not after he helped her escape the night of the sting operation targeting her father, August Talent. So when he stumbles upon a mysterious woman named Cassie, the spitting image of Marsella, he knows he has to gain her trust to finally make up for the mistake he made years ago.

Only the closer he gets to her, the more irresistible he finds her. And soon he realizes he’ll have to make a choice—prove his loyalty by getting back the ledger, or save the woman that he’s growing to love...

Sierra Kincade is back doing what she does best - writing sexy, suspenseful stories that leave you on the edge of your seat and hot under the collar. 

Forsaken was dark and dangerous and, of course, incredibly sexy and romantic. How could it not be with a hero like Jake at the helm? A series of bad decisions and years of research have finally led him to a diner in the middle of nowhere where he has, at long last, found the elusive Marsella Talent, daughter of crime lord August Talent, and owner of a ledger that details her father's sketchy business deals. Jake's plan is simple (yeah, right) - grab the ledger by any means necessary and hand it over to the right people so he can start feeling a little good about himself again. And he has to do it before other super bad men get to it - and Marsella - first.

But, when faced with Marsella again for the first time in two years, Jake's plans go a bit awry. He wasn't prepared for how strong she was or how beautiful or how smart and resilient. Or how much she desperately needed a connection with someone again. And, luckily, Jake isn't a man too proud to admit when it's time for him to alter his plan a bit if it means protecting a woman who quickly comes to mean more to him than his reputation.

"If you need something, I'll do it. If you tell me to stop, we're done. Just because you give me some power, doesn't mean I'm going to use it against you. I'm just going to hold it until you take it back."

I can't imagine what kind of person I'd be if I had gone through what Marsella had. From the first chapter, I wanted nothing but the worst punishment for nearly all her family. Her father and sister are awful human beings, and they both treat Marsella like such crap. It's obvious that Marsella is the "good girl" in the family - the one who trusts too easily and loves too much. And she's taken advantage of because of that. Her family has ruined her ability to trust others, so be assured that Jake has to work very, very hard to gain it for himself. 

Then, Marsella spends years running, hiding and keeping to herself. She's afraid of going back because she doesn't want to be implicated in her father's crimes. But, she doesn't want to stay put because she's only living half a life in the shadows. She's stuck, and it takes Jake all but forcing her hand to get her to make a move in one direction or the other. 

Two things I can count on when it comes to Sierra Kincade - a good, suspenseful mystery and lots of steamy, sexy times. Forsaken does not disappoint in either area. Jake and Marsella are great together, with tons of chemistry and history and tension that make for crazy hot times together. And the mystery is pretty awesome too, with twists and turns that will blow your mind. 

Although Jake's and Marsella's story isn't quite over, book 2 - Forgotten - will cut from them to Marsella's brother Cole to tell the events of what happens next. I love this approach, and the fact that it involves two of the most intriguing side characters in Forsaken - Cole and MacKenzie. Bring it on. 

REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: The Distraction (The Body Works Trilogy #2)

The Distraction (The Body Works Trilogy #2), by Sierra Kincade
To Be Published February 3, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-ARC, provided by NetGalley
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Anna Rossi knows that opening your heart only gets you hurt. But Alec Flynn is just too good to resist…

It’s been three long months since Anna’s seen Alec, since he saved her life and lit up her soul with unquenchable desire. Being without him has left her on edge, but his bravery has motivated her to change her life and go after what she’s always wanted—a job where she can help people. She can’t wait to show Alec the woman she’s become in his absence, or to prove how much she’s missed him…

Three months away has done nothing to slake Alec’s need for Anna. Unfortunately, it hasn’t made his life any less dangerous. The last thing he wants to do is hurt Anna, but if giving her up is the only way to save her, he’s not sure he can do that either. He’s determined to have her for as long as he can. Except his past is creeping up on him faster than he knows, and this time he may not be able to keep her from becoming collateral damage…

I would say that if any couple I've read about could be described as combustible, it's Alec and Anna. Chemistry... well, that would put what these two have to shame. And with the connection that this couple has with one another, you want nothing more than to see them happy and settled together. Sadly, it seems that Sierra Kincade is determined to kill me slowly and make me wait for their happy. The Distraction sent me wildly shifting from fist pumping to panty adjusting to tear wiping. Ah - my kind of book. 

It's been three months since Alec has seen Anna. During that time, Anna has taken steps to better herself and to make things ready for when Alec returns. Despite their intense connection, when he does show up again, things are awkward and tense. Getting to know one another again and even better than before is hard, but love like they have can't be contained forever. Unfortunately, Alec is still playing a dangerous game and keeping lots of secrets, both of which make forging a healthy relationship difficult. As Anna tries to manage her new career and her big feelings for Alec, she begins to lose herself a bit. Just as she decides he's worth any price, she's faced with a price that just may be too steep after all. 

What would you do for love? What would you risk? It's an incredibly romantic notion to automatically assume that there is no price too great. Anna seems to be a woman of the world. I mean, with everything she went through in The Masseuse and all that she discovered through her association with Alec and his employer, it's understandable that she's a little jaded. And, yet, when it comes to Alec, her love and passion for him overtakes everything. 

Alec has a lot of his plate. He's being pulled in so many different directions by so many different people. I felt so much for him in The Distraction. It's obvious that he wants nothing more than to just be... with Anna. She is his rock and safe place amidst the craziness in the rest of his life. She supports him, cares for him and loves him completely. And he is so protective of her. After the danger they've already experienced together, he wants her safe more than anything else. He's even willing to walk away to give that to her if need be. 

You might think that the danger and subterfuge encountered in The Masseuse has passed, but in reality, it's only gotten started. Anna is constantly being put in danger, but no one is quite sure by whom. These two just can't catch a break! When they should be reacquainting, they instead are having their homes broken into, being followed on the street and attacked anywhere and everywhere. It sucks so much. 

But, when they are together, holy crap are they TOGETHER. The passion and chemistry leaps off the page and nearly brings you to tears. These two are sexy and hot and they set my lady bits on fire. There is no shortage of sexy times in The Distraction. 

Everything comes to a head at the end during a truly explosive and scary encounter. There are twist and turns that I never saw coming. And a finale that broke my heart. Thank goodness there is another book coming in this series, because now I need Sierra Kincade to put my heart back together. 

     Alec laid me on the bed, kissing me in a long, tender way that pulled at my heart.
     “Don’t move,” he whispered. He disappeared into the shadows and I rose to my elbows, brows creased in concern when I realized he’d gone into the closet. Surely he wasn’t there to get the rope. When I’d said I wanted to try again I’d meant I needed him, not that I was ready to be tied up.
     He returned with two silk neckties—things I’d seen him wear when we first met. A lump formed in my throat as he sat on the edge of the bed, holding them in his fist.
     “Alec, I don’t want to ruin any of your fantasies tonight.”
     His thumb whispered across my cheekbone.
     “You didn’t ruin anything,” he said. “I don’t have a fantasy where you’re afraid.”
     His words eased my mind but not my body; I still shivered when the tip of one of the neckties tickled my belly.
     “Stay with me a little longer,” he said. “I swear, I won’t hurt you.”
     I nodded, knowing that he didn’t mean physically, but mentally. Still anxious, I laid back down.
     “I did this wrong before.” His voice was soft and low, and wrapped around me like a warm blanket. “Let me try to fix it. If it’s too intense, just say the word.”
     I considered this. “Okay.”
     The silk slid up my shoulders.
     “I should have asked for your trust first,” he said.
     Goosebumps rose on the side of my neck as the tie passed lightly over it.
     “You have it,” I said.
     He trailed the material up the side of my cheek, and then slowly covered my eyes. As he reached behind my head to tie it, his lips found mine, and he kissed me for a long time, until the nerves scattered and in their place was something more demanding.
     He drew back.
     “I should have told you that I’ll bring you back from anywhere I take you. I won’t leave you, and I won’t let you go.”
     I gasped as he lifted my left wrist. He massaged the tender skin at the base of my palm, then kissed it. His tongue flicked over the red marks and I jerked, hypersensitive to his caress.
     I concentrated on my breath, but was unable to feel Bobby’s restraints binding me as the tie slipped around my forearm. I waited for him to lift my wrist over my head to fasten it to the bed frame, but he did not. As I felt through the darkness, I found that he’d tied the other side to his own arm, the knot loose enough to turn or slip free if necessary.
     His fingers wove through mine, feeling their way over the pads of my fingers. When our hands clasped, I shuddered, feeling somehow more joined to him than I did with him inside me.
     “Alec,” I whispered. My senses were more acute with the wrap around my eyes. I could hear every compression in the mattress as he moved, feel the heat of his body as he adjusted his position to sit beside me. Desire throbbed low in my belly. I became desperate to know where he would touch me next.
“I should have told you I love you, Anna,” he murmured. “Because I do. I love you so much it hurts.”
     I stilled.
     “I can feel you inside me.” He moved our clasped hands over his heart, squeezing tightly. “When you’re in pain, I can’t breathe. And when you’re scared, I want to kill the man who did it, even if that’s me.”
     What he said slayed me. I wanted to take off the blindfold, see his eyes, but I didn’t need to. The truth was right there in his touch.
     “Forgive me,” he said.
     I couldn’t speak, my throat was so tight. Instead I nodded, and he rested his forehead on my shoulder. He kissed my chest, right above my heart. And then my shoulder, and then higher—at the base of my neck.
I siphoned in a quick breath. The softest touch there was enough to ignite my senses.
     “Is this okay?” he whispered.
     “Yes.”
     He lightly pressed his lips just behind my ear and it felt like lightning zapping straight into my core. My back bowed, and my free hand squeezed the comforter. He shifted positions, and his tongue swirled just below my collarbone. The cool air did nothing to ease the heat rising inside of me. I began to pant, turning feverish as he held back what I needed. Feather-soft, his closed lips brushed over my shoulder, a brief whisper only. I quaked beneath him. My back dropped down hard enough to make the mattress bounce.
     “What are you doing?” I asked.
     He moved our joined hands, twisting his wrist so that my palm rested against the back of his hand. With our fingers overlapped, he drew a slow circle around my other breast. I pressed down, urging him to touch me more firmly, but he withheld.
     “Watching you,” he said.
     My cheeks flushed. “Do you like that?”
     He guided our hands lower, and switched positions again, so that his hand was behind mine. When we reached his jeans, he pressed my hand over him, so that I could feel his answer.
     His groaned as I reached for the button at the top of his fly.
     “Not yet,” he said tightly. “Just let me touch you for a while.”
     What happened next was like nothing I’d ever experienced. He felt me, every inch of me. With his lips. His tongue. His fingertips, and sometimes mine. Each kiss took me higher, drew me tighter. Time ceased to exist. All thoughts vanished. There was only my body, trembling from the inside out, throbbing with a need so powerful tears soaked the blindfold to my temples.

 
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REVIEW: The Masseuse (The Body Works Trilogy #1)

The Masseuse (The Body Works Trilogy #1), by Sierra Kincade
Published December 2, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Anna Rossi lives by one simple rule: don’t get attached, don’t get hurt. But Alec Flynn doesn’t play by the rules…

Anna never takes on a massage client without screening him first, but the paycheck offered by billionaire Maxim Stein is too good to turn down. Stein is the richest man she’s ever laid her hands on, and despite the risks, she trusts that she can take care of herself. After all, she’s handled difficult clients in the past. What she isn’t prepared for is getting caught in a compromising situation by Maxim’s tall, dark, and gorgeous bodyguard—or the desperate desires he awakens in her…

Alec is dangerous. The mysterious, hard-bodied man is completely irresistible and won’t be refused, no matter what walls Anna puts up to protect herself. But as Anna falls fast for his careful ministrations and mind-blowing skills, she begins to realize that giving herself over to a man with so many secrets isn’t just putting her heart at risk—it’s endangering her life…

I must confess that, at first glance, I dismissed THE MASSEUSE because it seemed like it would be a tawdry cheap thrill. Masseuses have that sort of reputation, right? 

What can I say? I'm an idiot. 

In The Masseuse, Anna Rossi's services are needed at rich sleaze ball Maxim Stein's home. While there, she gets lost and has a run-in with his bodyguard, the mysterious Alec Flynn. That brief meeting stays with Anna, as does their magnetic connection, and after a few chance meetings, Anna and Alec begin a hot affair. The burden of confession doesn't fall evenly though, as Anna shares her heart, body and all her dirty little secrets with Alec, and he shares almost nothing. The lack of balance causes problems, least of which is mistrust on Anna's side. And, the worst of which is that someone seems to be gunning for Anna now, and she has no idea why.

So yeah. I'm a dumbass. I had no idea this book had so much depth and suspense and intrigue locked within its pages. Yes - Anna is a masseuse. But, truthfully, that fact is not a major part of the story. I was very quickly - almost immediately, actually - caught up in Alec's secrets and lies and the near impossible task of discerning whether his apparent feelings for Anna were real. Anna's profession became almost an extraneous detail. 

Alec was my favorite part of The Masseuse. He was frustrating and infuriating and completely wonderful. There is a lot more to him than what meets the eye. In the beginning, he appears so aloof and uncaring. Like he's chasing after Anna just because he thinks she's hot. As in all the best stories, it may start out that way, but once they have some shared near death experiences, some ridiculously hot sex and some deep pillow talk, real feelings develop. 

And, that's when things get really messy. Anna falls hard and fast and has to come to a decision about Alec's lack of full disclosure. He allows her in just a bit, and she's so desperate for that connection with him, she clings to those details he offers up and uses them to justify his continued presence in her life. Except, there comes a time when even that isn't enough for her. And, that time comes when it appears he's cheating on her. 

Alec and Anna's relationship is passionate and intense. Their chemistry was wicked awesome, and something I could read about every day. The Masseuse is told entirely from Anna's POV, which is kind of a bummer. I mean, I get why - all of Alec's secrets would've come out so much sooner if we had his voice in the book as well as Anna's. But, this is one instance where I would love an eventual companion novel to showcase what's going on in that beautiful head of his.

There's a lot going on in The Masseuse. All the lines get blurred, and no one is sure who to trust. But, the one thing you are sure of by the end is that Alec and Anna love each other, and although things end a little on the hairy side, you feel good that they will come out of it all on top. Of course, this is only book one in a trilogy, so on the other hand, there's still plenty of time for one or both of them to screw things up. Thank goodness.