BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Easy Fortune (Boudreaux #5.5)

Any chance I have to delve into Kristen Proby's Boudreaux world is one I will gladly take. Check out my review of EASY FORTUNE and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Easy Fortune (Boudreaux #5.5), by Kristen Proby
Publish Date: May 30, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Sometimes the past is better left behind you…

Lena Turner has spent her life as the outsider. Thanks to her extraordinary gifts, she’s learned to be independent—especially when it comes to men. She’s content to live her life in New Orleans as a schoolteacher, dating casually and dedicated to her small family. Long term is not part of her plan.

Sometimes the past catches up with you…

Leaving Lena behind to pursue his career was the most difficult thing Mason Coulter ever did. He told himself that it was for the best, had even convinced himself that he had only Lena’s best interests in mind. But now, after six long years, he’s back in New Orleans to settle his late eccentric aunt’s estate. All he has to do is get in and out of the city without submitting to the need to see Lena. But to Mason’s dismay, his aunt made other plans.

And sometimes the future and the past collide…

Having Mason walk back into her life is something Lena never saw coming. She could refuse to help him, but she’s never been good at telling Mason no. So she’ll do what she can to get the estate settled and Mason out of her life for good.

At least, that’s the plan. But Mason has plans of his own…

While we're all waiting for the sixth and final book in her Boudreaux series, Kristen Proby was nice enough to give us a little something extra to sink our teeth into. In the 5th book in the series, Easy Magic, we got to know side character Lena pretty well. She was the best friend of main character Mallory, and with her own set of otherworldly abilities, she piqued my interest and made me yearn for a HEA of her own. Maybe Kristen Proby has some scary good intuition herself, because she has given we fans what we wanted. 

Six years ago, Lena's heart was broken when the man she loved left without an explanation. Now Mason Coulter is back, and he needs her help. As much as all the jilted women out there would love to shove something like that in their former lover's face, that's not Lena. She is compassionate and smart and desperate for a summertime adventure. So, when Mason tells her that his deceased aunt's final request is that the two of them go on a treasure hunt together, and only then will Mason inherit her estate, Lena agrees. 

I love second chance romances. And I love road trips. Easy Fortune brings those two tropes together and creates a sweet, poignant, sexy novella that ended up being perfect all around. Following a set of clues, Mason and Lena fly and drive to various destinations around the country. The places that they visit are now places I want to visit, as they sound so cool and are experiences that are absolutely one-of-a-kind. 

The best part is the whole reason why Mason's aunt chose those places. And when you read that part of the story, I dare you not to feel all the things. 

As far as Mason's and Lena's relationship, even as their shared experiences draw them together, Lena remains wary and cautious since their respective professions will continue to make it difficult for them to be together. I loved that Easy Fortune was in dual POV, because getting Mason's thoughts as to her reticence and his own ideas on the future was really good reading. 

It doesn't matter that this novella was a pretty short one - Kristen Proby's storytelling cred remain strong. I could accurately say that I would've loved more time with Mason and Lena, but honestly, I usually feel that way after a good story, regardless of length. There's a great lead-up to the main part of the story, good sexual tension, REALLY good fulfillment of that tension, and even some awesome conflict and resolution - all in a neat, sexy little package. 

I wipe the back of my hand over my forehead and glance at my notes when suddenly, the air in the room shifts.

It’s subtle, but I feel it. The hair stands up on my neck. I haven’t felt this in six years.

“You can get back in your Ferrari and go away,” I say casually without looking over at the doorway and do my best to ignore the damn zoo that’s come awake in my stomach.

“I don’t have a Ferrari,” he replies. His voice hasn’t changed at all. It’s thick like melted milk chocolate, and he still has his southern accent. I don’t know why that surprises me.

“Well, whatever horse you rode in on? Ride back out on it.”

I hear him sigh, but I refuse to look at him. Because just one look will suck me in, and I’ve vowed never to be sucked in by Mason Coulter ever again.

“It’s good to see you, Lena.”

“Mm hmm.” I pretend to study my notes, but I don’t actually see the words anymore. “Good to see you, too.”

“You haven’t even looked over here.”

I can hear the smile in his voice. It makes me cringe.

“What do you want?”

“I want you to look at me,” he replies.

“Well, we don’t always get what we want.” Yes, I’m being a bitch, and no, I’m not sorry. Mason was the one. The one that I fell head over heels for, the one that charmed the pants off of me, literally, and then he just left. He disappeared, and I was left here, wondering what in the hell happened. Wondering what I did wrong because I was twenty-two and naïve and so heartsick for him I thought I wouldn’t survive it.

But I did.

“So, you’re still mad?”

I blink rapidly for a second, and then I can’t help it. I turn and take him in, from the top of his gorgeous, dark head to the tip of his designer shoes, and my body immediately comes to life. Panties are singed. And if I thought it was hot in here ten minutes ago, it’s an inferno now.

Damn him. He just had to stay hot, didn’t he? I mean, couldn’t he have lost all of his hair? Gained a whole bunch of weight? Something?

“You could say I’m still mad,” I reply, proud of myself for sounding calm and indifferent to him, when I’m anything but indifferent. “So unless you came in here to tell me you have a terminal illness, you can just turn around and go. I’m not interested in chit chat.”

“You were always good at chit chat,” he says and flashes that perfect smile at me. But there’s something there, in his smile that tells me something isn’t quite right.

And I’m just a sucker because I’m about to ask him what it is. I should stay firm and ask him to go.

But first, I need to settle an old score.

“You know,” I begin and put the cap on the blue marker. I set it down and turn to fully face him. “The last time I saw you, you said you’d be right back.”

“I said I’d see you soon,” he says, the smile fully leaving his face now.

“And then you just bailed.”

He sighs and leans against the doorjamb. He crosses his arms over his chest and glances down at his shoes, then back up at me. “I owe you an apology for that.”

“Yeah. You do.”

“I’m sorry.” His grey eyes are holding my own, and I can see the sincerity there, hear it in his voice. “I am truly sorry, Lena.”

I nod and turn away. “Thanks.”

“And I need your help.”

Of course he does.

This couldn’t be a quick, I want to stop in to see how you are, apologize, and go on my merry way.

No, it has to be complicated.

“My Aunt Claudia passed away last week.”

“Oh, Mason.” I turn quickly, blinking rapidly. I’m so sorry. I liked her very much.”

He nods. “Thank you.”

Mason and his Aunt Claudia were very close. I believe that we all have that one special family member that we bond with, who is important in our lives, and for him, it was his aunt. He spent summers with her here in New Orleans when he was young.

“I hadn’t heard that she’d passed.” That must be what I see behind his eyes. I don’t have the psychic abilities that my best friend, Mallory, has. But I can sense things. I want to hug him, to comfort him, but I stay planted where I am because I know what his touch will do to me.

“I’d planned to come to town and quickly take care of her estate, but it seems Aunt Claudia had other plans.” He laughs humorlessly and shakes his head, looking at the ceiling. “The attorney informed me that she was very clear that you were to come with me to the reading of the will.”

“Me?” I frown. “Why? I only met her a couple of times.”

He shrugs and pushes his hand through his hair, in the say way he did six years ago. But now the muscles under his black T-shirt are more defined, tanner from all of the hours he spends outside digging around for old things.

Mason is a well-known and important archeologist.

“You know that she was a bit… eccentric.” He smiles. “It’s one of the reasons I loved her so much. She did what she wanted, and she wanted this.”

“I see.” I swallow and stare out of the windows at the trees. There’s a slight breeze today. I walk over and open the window, wiggle my fingers and feel the breeze blow in my room. “And if I refuse?”

“If you refuse, her estate will be donated to the city of New Orleans.” My head whips around to stare at him again. “I know, it’s a lot of pressure. I don’t need her money, Lena. Archeology has been good to me. But I loved her, and I’d like to do right by her.”

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. So, he’s not here because he wanted to see me. He’s here because his aunt didn’t give him a choice. He’s right, it is a lot of pressure.

“You can think about it,” he says. He pulls a business card from his pocket and sets it on the desk closest to him. “That’s my cell number. I need to be at the attorney’s office on Friday at 2:00 in the afternoon. If you decide you’re willing to go with me, I wrote the address on the back.”

I nod, staring at the small square of white paper.

“Lena?”

“Yeah?” My gaze finds his again and he smiles, as if remembering something especially sweet.

“You look fantastic. You’ve hardly changed at all.”

“Oh, I’ve changed.”

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW & EXCERPT: Falling Under You (Fixed #4.5)

I was so excited to finally get Norma and Boyd's story in this fantastically sexy 1001 Dark Nights novella, FALLING UNDER YOU. Check out my review and an excerpt!

Falling Under You (Fixed #4.5), by Laurelin Paige
Publish Date: May 10, 2016
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Inc.
Format: e-ARC, provided by Inkslinger PR
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Norma Anders has always prided herself on her intelligence and determination. She climbed out of poverty, put herself through school and is now a chief financial advisor at Pierce Industries. She’s certainly a woman who won’t be topped. Not in business anyway.

But she’s pretty sure she’d like to be topped in the bedroom.

Unfortunately most men see independence and ambition in a woman and they run. Even her dominant boss, Hudson Pierce has turned down her advances, leaving her to fear that she will never find the lover she’s longing for.

Then the most unlikely candidate steps up. Boyd, her much-too-young and oh-so-hot assistant surprises her one night with bold suggestions and an authoritative demeanor he’s never shown her in the office.

It’s a bad idea…such a deliciously bad idea…but when Boyd takes the reins and leads her to sensual bliss she’s never known, the headstrong Norma can’t help but fall under his command.

If you're at all familiar with Laurelin Paige's Fixed series, you should be familiar with Norma Anders. If you've also read Laurelin's Found duet (which is a spin-off of the Fixed series), I don't think there's any way you couldn't be curious about the alpha female, type A CFO of Pierce Industries. And her somewhat untraditional relationship with her assistant Boyd.

The best thing about Falling Under You was that we got to see what is underneath the Norma that we've seen up until now. And believe me - there's SO MUCH we haven't seen. Like, WHOA.

Norma feels responsible for everyone and everything. She has a high pressure important job working for Hudson. She's the oldest of three, and with their parents not in the picture, Norma feels like she needs to take care of her younger sister and brother. She has no time to turn off her brain and certainly no time to find a man who an help her with that.

As it turns out, there's been one under her nose for years.

Boyd - my goodness I love that man. He's so much younger than Norma, but so much older than her at the same time. He seems to know exactly what she needs, when she needs it, and he's willing to give it to her. And, holy smokes, does he ever give it to her good. But, Boyd has very strict rules, which is exactly what Norma needs from him.

Their relationship isn't easy, though, given the "no romantic relationships at work" rule at place at Pierce Industries. The secrecy starts to wear on both of them, and Norma is faced with a choice - her job or her boyfriend.

I loved delving into the Fixed world one more time to get the scoop on Norma and Boyd. Their story was surprisingly emotional and not surprisingly hot as hell. And their story was like the last piece in the Fixed puzzle. 

I groaned and threw the covers off of me, heading for the shower. Usually I ran first, and I still planned to, but I needed something to cool the fire in my veins. Hopefully standing under an ice cold stream of water would do the trick.

It didn’t.

I tried running next, opting for ten miles instead of my normal six, thinking maybe I could sweat out the lust like it was a cold. Or was that a fever? Whatever, I came back tired, achy and soaked in perspiration, and the buzz between my legs was stronger than ever.

I was distracted by it through the rest of the morning. Gwen and I caught up on America’s Got Talent before she planned to go to bed for the day—her job at a nightclub kept her on a strange schedule. Afterward, I couldn’t remember a single thing I’d watched, but I could recall with clarity every moment I’d spent with Boyd the night before. That wasn’t a subject I planned on discussing with Gwen, though. So most of my responses to her were nods and grunts. Then she’d gone to sleep, thankfully, except after that I was left alone with the agony of my desire.

The rest of the night was more of the same, and Sunday as well. By Monday morning, I’d run over twenty miles, cleaned my entire house, taken five showers, and not thought about Boyd Barrett about a thousand times. Maybe even two thousand times. And now I had to go to work and face him.

Help me God.

I decided to go in early. That way I could sneak into my office without having to pass him on the way in. It wasn’t until I was in the elevator on my way to my floor that I remembered I also didn’t want to see Hudson. Several years with a clean, respectable work record, and in one evening I’d shattered my reputation with not one, but two, colleagues. The two colleagues who were the most important to me, no less.

Jesus, maybe I did need to quit.

It wasn’t yet seven, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Hudson were already working. Often, he slept in the loft above his office, which made an early appearance more probable than one from Boyd. Anxiety rose in my chest, an odd feeling for me since I was usually composed and calm. As soon as the doors opened, I ducked my head and scurried down the hallway, letting out a sigh of relief when I made it past Hudson’s office without seeing him.

And then gasping sharply when I ran into him, instead, outside my own office.

“Norma, I was hoping you’d be here early. I wondered if I could have a few minutes of your time.”

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She's also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Learn more about Laurelin --> Website | Facebook | Twitter

RELEASE DAY NOVELLA REVIEW: Bomb: A Day in the Life of Spencer Shrike

Bomb: A Day in the Life of Spencer Shrike (A Rook and Ronin Spinoff), by J.A. Huss
Published February 17, 2014
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-book, provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Genre:  new adult/adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Spencer Shrike is a plotter. Known for his ingenious, albeit illegal, plans that keeps the Team running efficiently and out of jail, he carries this same love of order into his personal life. He’s kept his long-time main squeeze on the sidelines for years as he builds the Shrike Bikes empire.

Veronica Vaughn is an explosion ready to happen. Ronnie lives in the here and now. She lives for today. She knows what she wants, and she wants it now. And right now Ron the Bomb Vaughn wants Spencer shrike to leave her the hell alone. She’s done playing his game. She’s done waiting around. She’s moving forward with her own plots, plans, and dreams and she’s moving forward tonight. Ron the Bomb is finally—finally—gonna get some satisfaction.

Too bad Spencer Shrike is standing in her way.

J.A. Huss - the things you do to me. She has created this holy trinity of hot men, all of which make my legs turn to spaghetti and my lady bits tingle. First there was Ronin. The beauty. The model. And, he found forever with Rook. Then came Ford. The brains. The deviant. And, all it took to give him purpose was Ashleigh. 

And, now it's Spencer's turn. The brawn. The biker. And, the only girl for him is his Bombshell, Veronica.

In Bomb, we take a peek at a day in the life of Spencer Shrike, owner and operator of Shrike Bikes. Spencer is a really busy guy. He's building a new facility, getting ready for a new season of his reality TV show, and trying to keep his girl from dumping him for good. He's been together with Veronica Vaughn for the better part of three years, and now with the mess he's in with Ronin and Ford, he's just trying to keep her safe. Unfortunately, that means, he has to pretend like he doesn't care about her, and that is tearing him up. 

Bomb shows us that there is so much more substance to Spencer Shrike than you could've imagined. What do we already know about him from the Rook and Ronin series? Spencer is an artist. He can paint masterpieces on naked women. He can build beautiful custom motorcycles from nothing. He wears his art on his skin in the tattoos he designed. Spencer is also protective of his friends. He always has their backs, which usually means, he's willing to physically take out anyone that stands in their way, to hell with the consequences. 

Spencer is smart. He built his business from the ground up, and he runs it well. And, we know that Spencer Shrike loves Veronica Vaughn. What we didn't know was just how much. 

In Bomb, we see how the two of them met and how taken he was with her from the first time he saw her. We see how Ronnie's feisty spirit meshes so well with Spencer's intensity. But, the biggest surprise is the lengths that Spencer will go to to keep her in his life. He always fronted as a player - as someone who wouldn't be serious about any one girl. Like I said - Spencer is smart. Everyone has been thinking exactly what he wanted them to think. But, the truth of the matter is, he is serious about Ronnie. And, if he can just hold it together for a few more weeks, he can come clean to her and they can start their lives together. 

There was so much information packed into this Rook and Ronin spinoff novella. We get some backstory on Spencer and Ronnie's relationship. We get the lowdown on Spencer's current situations, both with his upcoming trial and with his biggest business competitor. And we see the framework being laid for his future plans with both his business and with his girl. 

Bomb is told entirely from Spencer's POV. It is exciting, funny, incredibly sexy, and believe it or not, really romantic. Although reading this isn't necessary to understand what will happen in Guns, Spencer's full-length novel due out in a few months, I definitely recommend reading this first. Guns will be the final book set in the Rook and Ronin world, and it promises to be absolutely explosive. Take all the time with these characters that you can now, because soon it will be all over. 

 

RELEASE DAY LAUNCH: Bitter Sweet Love (The Dark Elements #0.5)

 

Jennifer L. Armentrout's amazing novella in her new The Dark Elements Series, BITTER SWEET LOVE, is out now, and I am excited to join in the release day launch for it. You can read my 5-star review of BITTER SWEET LOVE here.

BITTER SWEET LOVE is the prequel novella for The Dark Elements Series and is full of Wardens, fantasy, and romance. The first novel in the series, WHITE HOT KISS, will be released February 25, 2014. Read an excerpt for BITTER SWEET LOVE below, and then tell me you don't want to go out and buy this amazing novella, like, NOW.

Moving lightning fast, Dez shifted and I was suddenly underneath him. His arms were on either side of my head, caging me in. Our bodies didn’t touch, but I felt him to the tips of my toes anyway.

                The teasing grin disappeared when I dragged in a deep breath and my chest brushed his. Everything changed in an instant. The playful mood faded, replaced by primal heaviness. Our gazes collided and locked. Neither of us moved. His closeness sent a series of shivers skittering across my skin and made it hard to take slow, even breaths. My body tensed when his gaze dropped to my mouth.

                He tilted his head to the side. “I… I honestly have no idea what we were talking about.”

                “Good. Neither do I.”

                He shifted his weight onto one arm, bring him closer. “Have you enjoyed your trip so far?”

                “Yes.” I felt as if I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs.

                “Good.” He lowered his head. His breath was minty as it moved across my cheek and then my lips. “I’m glad.”

                I wasn’t really following the conversation and I wasn’t sure that he was fully aware of what was coming out of his mouth. I searched my hazy brain for something to say and wet my lips. I-

                The sound that came out of Dez’s chest rumbled through me. A stuttered heartbeat passed and then his lips were on mine. There was nothing slow about this kiss. It scorched my skin and caused my body to stretch tight like a bowstring. The kiss deepened, spinning my senses. I shuddered when his hand curved over my shoulder and drifted down to my waist, his long fingers spreading out under the hem of my shirt, grazing the bare skin of my stomach.

                I gasped, floored by the raw sensations pounding through my blood. My skin felt as if I was about to phase. Maybe I was.

                “Jasmine,” he whispered, the word falling against my lips, and then his body was pressing mine into the mattress, heavy, sweet and hard.

*Amazon*     *Barnes and Noble*     *iTunes*

ABOUT BITTER SWEET LOVE (The Dark Elements #.5):

In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series The Dark Elements, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.

Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again…

Don't miss White Hot Kiss, book one in Jennifer L. Armentrout's The Dark Elements series from Harlequin TEEN!

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES 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, working out, 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. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Links:

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BITTER SWEET LOVE Goodreads

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WHITE HOT KISS Buy Links:

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NOVELLA REVIEW: Bitter Sweet Love (Dark Elements #0.5)

Bitter Sweet Love (Dark Elements #0.5), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
To Be Published December 1, 2013
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Format: e-galley, provided by the publisher
Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal Romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

Let's talk about gargoyles for a sec here. If you're like me, this is the first thing you think about when you hear about those things:

Well, actually, when I hear the word "gargoyle," pop culture maven that I am, THIS is actually the first thing I think about:

Either way - whether you're talking about the classics from Notre Dame or the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster, I think we can all agree that sexy is absolutely not one of the adjectives that you would pick to describe them. And, when I heard that Jennifer Armentrout was writing a new paranormal romance series about them, I must admit, I was skeptical. 

Leave it to Jennifer Armentrout to obliterate my preconceived notions.

Bitter Sweet Love introduces us to the world she has created in her new series from HarlequinTEEN, The Dark Elements. It's a prequel novella centering around 18-year-old Jasmine and 21-year-old Dez - both "Wardens," or gargoyles in laymens terms. Wardens are here to protect humans from demons, and six years ago, hell unleashed them enmasse upon the world for reasons as yet unknown.

Jas and Dez planned to be mated before Dez took off without a goodbye. Three years later, he's back and ready to pick up where they left off, but Jas isn't ready to unguard her wounded heart. Dez sets about trying to change her mind and win her back. All the while, Jennifer is teaching the reader about this new world she's created and the rules and characters in it.

We learn that Wardens have their true form which includes wings, horns and stone-like skin that is pretty impervious. Most of their time is spent in their human form, which allows them to blend in. Only their pale eyes make them stand out. Females are considered weaker - they stay home to have babies. But many die in childbirth, so their race is actually dying out. And, the males go out every night hunting the demons that threaten everyone's safety.

We are also introduced to Layla and Zayne, the main characters from White Hot Kiss (Dark Elements #1), and we learn a little bit about them and the type of relationship they have right now. The real stars, though, were Jas and Dez. I loved both of them so much, and I sincerely hope that we'll catch at least a glimpse of them in White Hot Kiss. The chemistry between these two was absolutely ridiculous. I loved every second of their crazy sexual tension.

Jennifer has this uncanny ability to make a novella feel like a full-length novel. It might be shorter than normal, but it is most definitely not short on character development or world building. It's sometimes hard for me to connect with a character over the course of a 400-page book. Jen manages to not only get me to connect with, but to genuinely get invested in her characters in only 100 pages. Although Bitter Sweet Love isn't essential to know what's happening in White Hot Kiss, I would absolutely recommend you read it first anyway. It's a perfect introduction to the series and to characters that are sure to blow your mind.

Want a sneak peak at Dez and Jas? Click on the picture and read an excerpt from Bitter Sweet Love. Then, jump to Goodreads and enter to win one of 20 ARCs of White Hot Kiss from HarlequinTEEN!

DOUBLE ARC REVIEW: Castle Hill: A Joss and Braden Novella & Before Jamaica Lane

Castle Hill: A Joss and Braden Novella (On Dublin Street #2.5), by Samantha Young
To Be Published December 3, 2013
Publisher: NAL (Intermix)
Format: e-galley, provided by NetGalley
Genre:  Adult Contemporary Romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Braden Carmichael never imagined he’d fall as hard and as fast as he did for Jocelyn Butler. He also could not have anticipated how difficult it would be to convince her to give in to love. But now that he has her, he’s never letting go. He’s got it all planned—the passionate proposal, the dream wedding, the sexy Hawaiian honeymoon—even the perfect family they’ll start.

After trying to flee from her painful past, Joss is finally allowing herself to embrace the future. But when things start moving faster than she anticipated, she finds herself panicking over something Braden can’t understand. After everything they’ve been through, Joss is sure that their love can survive even her worst fears. But, this time, she may push Braden too far—and risk losing everything all over again.

Castle Hill was, like, the PERFECT novella. It overlapped events in other books in the series (and, therefore, we see characters we know from those other books too), and enriched and added so much to Joss and Braden's story at the same time. It packed a powerful, emotional punch in a short package.

Castle Hill takes us from Braden's proposal through the wedding and honeymoon and into the weeks following. We've seen bits of this story in On Dublin Street, Down London Road and in the upcoming Before Jamaica Lane, and now they're all coming together to paint this tumultuous and romantic picture.

It only took me a few hours to read the entire thing, and I was completely lost in the story the entire time. The best part about Castle Hill is that it knocked Braden down from the pedestal on which I had set him. Trust me - that's a good thing. Guys that are too damn perfect are a fallacy - they don't exist, and therefore make stories seem less believable. For once, Joss isn't the one to make some bad choices. I was so mad at Braden for a good half of the story, and I LOVED THAT. It humanized him and made him come to life even more. Now - NOW - Braden really is the perfect guy. Bravo, Samantha Young.

The only problem with Castle Hill is, it left me wanting even more!! :)

********************

Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3), by Samantha Young
Published January 7, 2014
Publisher: NAL
Format: e-galley, provided by NetGalley
Genre:  Adult Contemporary Romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.

Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left broken-hearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever.

I think I will buy anything that Samantha Young writes. Seriously. Before Jamaica Lane is yet another homerun in the sexy, emotionally-charged On Dublin Street series. The men she writes about are complex and hot and... oh yeah. SCOTTISH. Yum. Their women are damaged, love-starved and desperately in need for someone to open them up and scoop their insides out. Before Jamaica Lane is a bit lighter than its series mates, but no less angsty and emotional.

Liv, having had to take care of her dying mother during her teenage years, missed out on the wild and craziness that goes along with being young. Now 26, she's terribly shy and inexperienced when it comes to guys. There's one guy in particular that she has her eye on, but she freezes every time she sees him. Liv decides to enlist the help of her man-whore BFF, Nate, to help educate her on the dating game. The lessons, though. go further than either of them had initially planned, and when commitment-phobe Nate finally puts the brakes on things, he becomes the personification of the saying, "you never know what you have until you lose it."

Olivia is slightly pathetic. She's painfully shy. I mean, PAINfully. It was embarrassing to even read at times. Hiding under restaurant tables, hanging with her boss to avoid the hot guy at the library - she is the queen of avoidance. But, when she's with Nate, she's totally different. Their banter is sweet and hysterical and endearing. They're super comfortable with each other. It's obvious that they're the very best of friends. But, it's also obvious that there's something else there too, ever since they first met.

Nate lost his first love to cancer, so he's determined that superficial hook-ups are the way to go from now on. The only real relationship he has with a girl is the one he has with Olivia. It's so obvious that he loves her, despite his efforts to keep her in the friend zone. But, when she propositions him. the temptation was too much. Soon, he and Liv are essentially boyfriend-girlfriend. But, when she points that out to him and confesses her true feelings, he freaks and this foreign, awful douchebag takes over. Gah - that scene between he and Liv was so emotionally-charged and sad. And incredibly frustrating.

Samantha Young has this uncanny ability to create these characters that just stay with you, you know? You have real feelings for them and you cheer for them and you want to throttle them and you cry with them. The characters are multi-dimensional and amazing on so many levels. Nate and Olivia were incredible characters, and their relationship with each other was so special.

Before Jamaica Lane is told from Olivia's POV. You know, I think this is my only complaint about Samantha Young. I love dual POVs, and most of her books are told from our female MC's POV. I love knowing what's going on in both MCs' heads. And I really would've loved to know what was going on in Nate's head during most of this book.

Although you could definitely get away with not reading Castle Hill: A Joss and Braden Novella (On Dublin Street #2.5) before reading Before Jamaica Lane, I really think it adds a lot to the backstory if you do. Events definitely do a lot of overlapping. And, there was one very important, pivotal scene in Castle Hill that we didn't get to see in its entirety. That complete scene is in Before Jamaica Lane, and I am so glad it was.

The sex is pretty hot, but there's not as much of it as there was in previous On Dublin Street series books. The story was the real star here. Make sure you block out a good chunk of time when you sit down to start Before Jamaica Lane. Because, once you do, you are not going to want to put it down.

NOVELLA REVIEW: Homecoming (Vampire Academy #6.5)

Homecoming (Vampire Academy #6.5), by Richelle Mead
(Part of the anthology, Foretold, edited by Carrie Ryan)
Published August 28, 2012
Publisher:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Format: hardback, borrowed from the library
Genre:  paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Homecoming is about Rose and Dimitri, the couple from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series.They are going back to Russia to see Dimitir's family, something that both of them sorely need. Dimitri had finally been restored into a dhampir, after being forcibly changed into strigoi. his family needs to see him for themselves, and Rose needs to go back to Russia and face her trauma from the trip she made before.

So, I was on Richelle Mead's blog a little while ago reading a post about the new Vampire Academy movie and the books, and she happened to post this little tidbit:

And, I was like, "What the WHAT?" A Vampire Academy novella that takes place after the last book? How is it that I didn't know about this sooner? Here I thought I was a crazy VA/BL fangirl who knew it all. So, what did I do? I immediately went to my library and checked it out. I couldn't wait another day knowing there was a piece of Rose and Dimitri's story out there that I had missed. 

Homecoming is included in the anthology, Foretold, 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction. It's rather short, even as far as novellas go, at only 40 pages. In it, Rose and Dimitri travel to see his family in Russia. You might remember that he never had a chance to go see them after the events in Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5). Rose had a chance to meet them all while she was there during Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4), though. While there, Rose and Dimitri are called upon to rid the area of a nasty strigoi. 

Honestly, it doesn't get much better than this. The way that Rose and Dimitri are together now that they're officially together is just so satisfying and sigh-inducing. They still bicker and snark at each other. Rose jokes around with him. Dimitri chastises her. It's them and yet... it's not. In addition to what we've come to expect, Dimitri is tender and romantic. There's talk of marriage and forever stuff. There's concern for each others' safety. It's exactly how I pictured they would be together once they really got used to being in a relationship. 

And, of course there's some kick ass action. Rose and Dimitri have always fought well together, perfectly complementing each others' moves. It was like a bit of nostalgia reading about them battling a bad guy together again. They're joined by Mark, who Rose met in Blood Promise, and is also a former Guardian. 

If you are a Vampire Academy fan, you really need to read this novella. It won't take you long, but the payoff is totally worth it. Now, we all need to ban together and convince Richelle to write about a certain wedding...

RELEASE DAY NOVELLA REVIEW: Keeping Her (Losing It #1.5)

I'm so excited to help the amazing Cora Carmack announce the release of her Losing It novella, KEEPING HER (Losing It #1.5), featuring my favorite college professor, Garrick Taylor. I may be a little biased, since I was an enthusiastic member of the Team Garrick Street Team during the NA Crush Tourney last month, but I've never seen so much awesomeness packed into so few pages. Read on for my full review and an INCREDIBLE giveaway! This release day launch was organized by Inkslinger PR.

Keeping Her (Losing It #1.5), by Cora Carmack
Published August 13, 2013
Publisher:  William-Morrow
Format: e-galley, provided by Edelweiss
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Garrick Taylor and Bliss Edwards managed to find their happily-ever-after despite a rather . . . ahem . . . complicated start. By comparison, meeting the parents should be an absolute breeze, right?

But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.

As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.

I didn't think it was possible for me to love Garrick Taylor any more than I did at the end of Losing It. I was wrong. 

Keeping Her is told in both Bliss's and Garrick's POVs. Getting inside Garrick's head was the absolute best part of this novella. The worst part - it was way too short. But, if I'm going to be honest with myself, a full length book from both Garrick's and Bliss's POV wouldn't be long enough. I just love getting inside that beautiful man's head. 

In Keeping Her, Bliss and Garrick journey to England so she can meet his family before they get married. Bliss is a mess - she's terrified of Garrick's mother. She's heard that she's a difficult woman, and Bliss wants to make a good impression. Meanwhile, Garrick is equally as terrified. Not of his mother and whether she'll approve or not - that doesn't matter to him. He's worried that Bliss will turn tail and run if she thinks she's not worthy of him. 

Hearing Garrick's thoughts as he worries about Bliss and her reactions to his less-than-loving family was so endearing and sweet. He loves this woman so much that he's willing to give them all up - give up everything - for her. 

I loved meeting Garrick's mates in Keeping Her. His relationship with them is so unlike any relationship he had with anyone in Losing It. He's kinda goofy and jokey with them - not all buttoned up and Mr. I-Need-To-Do-The-Right-Thing. They all four stop in a bar after Bliss and Garrick arrive in England and proceed to get wasted, and it's hysterical! It's a completely different side of Garrick, and I loved that. 

Although Bliss is still her insecure self, she's come a long way. She finds it within herself to stand up to Garrick's mom. And later when a difficult situation presents itself, she doesn't completely internalize it like most typical NA female characters do. She has her private freak out moment, then does the mature and rational thing and talks to Garrick. I know! Communication! In a new adult book! It's practically unheard of. 

After all this, I'm hoping against all hope that we get to see Bliss's and Garrick's wedding in Finding It (Losing It #3), due out in October. I want to see these two find their final HEA. They deserve it. 

About the Author

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Cora Carmack is planning to donate 20% of all her royalties from this book to the charity Planting Peace for the life of the book. You can find out more about Planting Peace here:  http://www.plantingpeace.org/. Planting Peace is a progressive nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of spreading peace in a hurting world. Although the organization operates on a global level, they emphasize the power of one; the ability that each person possesses to make a difference in the world.

Learn more about Cora Carmack here --> Website * Facebook * Twitter

Giveaway

Fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win one of two crazy awesome prizes! There will be two winners. One will win a set of signed copies of LOSING IT and FAKING IT and the other will win their name as a character in an upcoming novella by Cora Carmack scheduled to release in early 2014! This is an International giveaway! 

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