Saturday, December 31, 2016

Alisa's Review: Finding Promise by Aneesa Price

Finding Promise (The Promise Series, A Small Town Romance Book 1) by [Price, Aneesa]

Kindle Edition245 pages
Published July 18th 2012 by Aneesa Price




A woman striving for independence.

A man with a charmed upbringing.

A small town filled with welcoming and quirky characters.

Caroline had led the life of a high society daughter and wife, one that was filled with soul-destroying emotional abuse. When her husband unexpectedly dies, she finds herself broke and flees New York without a plan or destination in mind. Her travels lead her to Promise, a small town on the New England coast.

Following instinct, she settles in Promise and begins to explore her new found independence and the pleasurable side of love with ruggedly handsome local, Luke Edwards. Her contentment is shattered as past resurrects itself and she needs to find the courage to face it before she can truly re-build her life. 


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I have no words..... ok, yeah I do.
This book sucked me right in,  I wasn't into contemp romance up until recently, but I loved this book.
This is actually the very first book Mrs. Price wrote, yet it was the last (for now until she writes more) of hers that I have read.
Caroline, is shy and quite naive really.  That is until she "heals" after finding the town of Promise.  And making friends with Faith and Rachel.  Then she meets Luke, and she blossoms.
For me this was a great book to read at the end of the year.  
Its been a long time since the author published this book, but I do hope she revisits these characters and gives us more.  
*You can tell that the author is not from the US, where the story takes place.  She uses more European words verus our words.  But its not a big deal.  
**Yes, this is an earlier work from the author, and it does need to be re-edited and revisited for an update.  But none of that distracted me from the story.  Please give it a chance.

Friday, December 30, 2016

Wendy's ARC Review: The Widow by Lynn Winchester

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Kindle Edition101 pages
Expected publication: January 3rd 2017 by Dragonblade Publishing





Leo Watkins is an ill-tempered widower with a busy smithy to run and no desire to adhere to silly niceties. He likes his life just the way it is and doesn’t care what other people think. But when his son convinces him it’s time to remarry, Leo needs a crash course in wooing a bride.

Missy Piers is a school teacher, a young widow, and the only woman in town fiery enough to put a grumpy old blacksmith in his place. So when Leo asks her to help him catch a wife, she’s reluctant to do so.

Until she starts to fall for the awkwardly charming farrier.

Leo doesn’t know what to do about the infuriating yet intoxicating widow. She’s bossy, uptight, and…beautiful. And she makes him feel things he thought long buried.

Falling for Leo isn’t in Missy’s plans, he’s stubborn and entirely too handsome. So why does his presence make her weak and why does his touch make her yearn for something more?

When these two opposing spirits are offered a second chance at what they’ve lost, will they find love or will their hearts forever be lonely? 






Again I have to give a five star rating to Lynn Winchester's newest installment in the Dry Bayou Brides series. Missy and Leo's story was by no means a let down as I was pulled into the small dusty town and watched their love story unfold. I laughed at the two's antics and verbal banter back and forth with one another and enjoyed their characters immensely. And who knew under that rough gruff exterior was a hottie wielding a hammer! I wish there was an installment for all the characters that I have come to fall in love with in this series. I could read about this small town forever. I'm glad that Ms. Winchester hasn't fallen into the humdrum rut of today's writing and is taking her readers on a quaint path that entices a spectrum of readers. Best of all I was left with a teaser about Gaston and a possible bride for his future, YAY! Nothing but love from this reader!





Thursday, December 29, 2016

Rulers of Darkness Box Set by Amanda J. Greene Book Tour & Giveaway




Paranormal Romance
Date Published: 12/29/2015


Read 3 sizzling, dark, paranormal romance novels and fall in love with the Rulers of Darkness. 

Passion can be lethal...


Caressed by Moonlight
Dorian Vlakhos is no ordinary aristocrat. He is a vampire king, who will do anything to save his clan from complete annihilation, before an ancient curse can claim his immortal life.
Penniless and orphaned, Victoria Kingston has nothing to bring to a marriage, yet she must shackle an unsuspecting gentleman into marriage by the end of the month or forfeit her rights as guardian of her younger sister. With the help of her dearest friend, Victoria begins her hunt, and vows to stay far away from the dark, mysterious, Dorian Vlakhos.
After meeting the beautifully innocent Miss Kingston, Dorian had to have her. He would do absolutely anything to make Victoria his. One sweet stolen kiss would bring them together while a force, more powerful than any vampire, would bind them for all eternity, but treachery, war, and death rule Dorian’s dark world and Victoria would be fortunate to survive.

Caressed by Night
Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundred years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian.
Kerstyn Ingmar’s life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri. Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom.
While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.

Caressed by a Crimson Moon
Consumed by madness and tormented by dark memories of blood and death, Hadrian Lucretius, King of the Validus Clan, has returned after living in self-imposed exile for nearly three hundred and fifty years.
To maintain peace with the vampires, Eva Maldonado is offered as a sacrifice to the crazed vampire king by her father, the alpha of the Silveria Shifter Pack. Hadrian’s reputation is both legendary and lethal; he is ruthless, bloodthirsty, lusty, and soulless. When Eva arrives at the ancient fortress high in the Carpathian Mountains, she is shocked to find a ravaged man with dark burning eyes filled with loneliness and dangerous desire.
Would she be his lover…or his prey? His savior…or his victim? Would Hadrian lure her into madness or would their perilous passion be their redemption?

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Kerstyn fought her way through the mass of people. Denise had texted her, demanding she come home, something had happened. All kinds of horrible images played in her head as she struggled to gain her freedom. The apartment could have caught fire, someone could have broken in, or worse. She had to stay calm. It couldn’t be as terrible as she was imagining. Or it could be good news. Maybe Denise had finally broken up with Bobby. Denise had refused to go to the club, claiming she and Bobby had something important to discuss.
She smiled as she recalled what happened earlier that day. The pig had thought he was being sneaky while spying on her in the shower, but she spotted him in the mirror. She threw the shampoo bottle as hard as she could and laughed until her sides hurt when it nailed him in the head.
He deserved worse, she thought with an evil grin.
She finally broke free of the crowd and ran up the steps to the exit. Slipping between the two monstrous bouncers guarding the entrance to Dark, she rushed down the street. She had to find a cab. She hated being without her car, but she and her friends had all planned on drinking tonight.
Kerstyn began to walk down the street hoping a taxi would drive by or maybe she could get one at a hotel. The sound of footsteps thudding behind her sliced through her thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder, she groaned. The three men who had been trying to pick her and her friends up in the club were following her. Apparently, they didn’t know what “not interested” meant. She hated persistent out-of-towners who strongly believed in the “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” motto.
She crossed the street and quickened her pace when they followed. Her heart began to pound as her eyes darted across the parking lot searching for a cab. It was unlike cabbies to not be circling the area on a Friday night. She looked back again; the men were getting closer.
Kerstyn headed toward the mob of people standing outside the line of bars. She got tangled in one group of drunks. Once free, she glanced back. The men were closer. Not knowing what else to do, she rounded the corner. Kerstyn’s breath came hard and fast as she ran down the alley. She wished she had not worn her tallest heels. Her feet screamed with every step and sent painful shocks up her calves.
“Quit being a tease, honey,” one called out.
The men’s laughter echoed in her ears, they were getting closer. She tried to run faster, but her shoes would not allow it. One stiletto snapped and she went crashing to the ground. Panic choked her as she scrambled to her feet. Her heart thundered in her ears as she began to run again. There was one right behind her; she could hear his breathing and feel his menacing presence.
She took a deep breath, preparing to scream just as a meaty, cold hand clamped over her mouth.
“You smell so sweet, little redhead,” he hissed in her ear, “a delectable strawberry treat.”
Kerstyn blindly fought, striking out behind her. She kicked back and slammed the heel of her foot into her attacker’s groin. He released her and crumpled to the ground. Without looking back, she sprinted as fast as she could down the ally. The other men ran after her, shouting threats and taunts. Grasping, greedy fingers brushed the back of her jacket. She swung around. Hands fisted, ready to defend herself, and froze.
They were gone. All of her would-be rapists had vanished.
“Are you all right?” a man asked from behind her.
She relaxed when she realized the voice sounded nothing like her attackers; it was warm, deep, and comforting.
“Miss?”
“Y-Yes.”
Slowly turning toward the voice, relief flooded her body, her breathing began to slow, and her limbs went limp. She stumbled and prepared to meet the pavement again, but her rescuer caught her. He tenderly held her to him, supporting her. Kerstyn knew she ought to protest and shove him away, he was a stranger after all, but his touch was soothing and reassuring. She had never felt so safe and calm in her life.
Calm was the furthest thing from her savior’s mind.
Dimitri had heard the vampires’ thoughts as they followed the woman from Dark. He knew he had to protect her from the depraved creatures who intended to make a meal out of her. When he materialized in the alley, the weaker vampires caught his scent and fled, leaving him alone with the woman. Instead of feeling anger as he expected, an entirely different emotion settled over him.
Lust. It was no ordinary lust, but a heart racing, blood raging, sexual yearning, and it turned his body into a blazing inferno of need. Then hunger like he had never known slammed into him. It gnawed at him relentlessly as it mixed with his unmerciful lust. The torturous combination attacked both his body and his mind. He had never wanted any woman with this kind of intensity.
His body had been dead for so long, no longer responding to sexual stimulus or blood-thirst. Thousands of years had passed since the last time he had fed. The desire and necessity for blood had abandoned him. None of that seemed to matter now. His fangs sprang free as his pants grew tighter about his throbbing shaft. This woman’s blood sang to him, beckoned him to have a taste.
Dimitri ruthlessly fought the temptation to seize her mind and take what he wanted. The dread of not being able to pull away terrified him. Realizing what precious little control he had, he shut down his senses, driving away her intoxicating scent and the warmth of her soft body against his. He forced the color from his sight, only seeing in black and white with shades of gray. Though he knew he would never forget the light fragrance of her strawberry blonde hair, the feel of her in his arms, and the sapphire color of her eyes.
He took in deep breaths and focused on the cool bite of the air. It washed over his body, rinsing away his desire leaving him as always, cold and unfeeling, like death. He was death: a true, pureblood vampire.
“I was being followed,” she panted.
He peered over her head, his eyes scanning the alley. “I see no one.” The vampires were long gone.
Nausea twisted her insides as she thought of what almost happened. Thank God, this man was here. If it weren’t for him
“Do not think about it,” he said, his arms tightening about her. “You are safe now.”
She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his chest. He smelled absolutely wonderful, like dark spices. His voice felt like velvet brushing along her skin. She shivered and sighed in contentment.
“Do you need help with anything?”
His last question snapped her back into action. She stepped back, breaking the circle of his arms.
“I need a taxi.”
“A simple enough task,” he said with a shrug.
She scoffed. If it were simple, she would have been half way home by now. She turned her head up intending to face him and a broad chest greeted her eyes. She was forced to take another step back in order to get a proper look at him.
He was huge. Thick. Stacked.
He must be close to seven feet, she thought as her eyes traveled up his torso, over his wide chest, to his face.
Her heart stopped when their eyes met. They were a near colorless shade of blue. Like diamonds. His gaze was sharp, hard, filled with wisdom and strength. Intense. Warrior eyes. Yet, he could not be much older than her, around twenty-six. His golden hair glittered from the light of the neon signs and floated about his shoulders. His face was chiseled and impossibly perfect. His lips were full and Kerstyn wanted nothing more than to feel them against hers. Her eyes traveled back down his hard, honed body.
She stood, rooted to the cement, captivated by the Norse god before her.
Damn, he’s incredibly yummy.
Dimitri forced himself to remain still while she studied him. Again, he struggled against his urges, his heart thundering from the force of the shock of desire that still echoed in his mind.
He knew one day he would meet his mate, but he had underestimated the force of her seductiveness. He never expected she would spark such yearning deep within his soul. He wondered how Dorian had dealt with such overwhelming need when he had found his intended. Dorian had been the first and, until now, only vampire king to find his other half.
Dimitri’s breath caught as her small, pink tongue wet her lips and her sensual thoughts invaded his mind.
She had to go.
He forced the sexual haze from his thoughts, locking it away.
He waved his hand in the air and a cab promptly came to a stop at the curb outside the ally. He opened the door and Kerstyn slipped inside, her eyes never leaving his face.
“Goodnight, miss,” he said.



Amanda J. Greene creates paranormal romance for ravenous readers. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys escaping the rewarding but hectic world of writing by spending time in the sun and sand with her military husband and their two dogs.


Contact Links
Twitter: AmandaJGreene1

Purchase Links
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2gyfGtW


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Tangle of Strings by Ashley Farley #PreorderBlitz #Giveaway


Preorder Blitz

Book Title: Tangle of Strings (Sweeny Sisters Series, #4) 
Author: Ashely Farley 
Genre: Women's Fiction 
Release Date: January 18, 2017 
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

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book blurb




A nearly tragic accident leads to a discovery that rocks the Sweeney family’s world.


Some families never resolve conflicts. Not so with the Sweeneys. Their sense of family, their love for one another, and their willingness to forgive have always triumphed and brought them back together. Until now. The latest crisis threatens to tear the family apart and crumble the foundation that has always proved itself rock solid.

At the heart of the matter are sixteen-year-old Annie Bethune and her boyfriend, Cooper. At stake are their dreams for the future. As to these dreams, no one in the family holds back when asserting an opinion.

Annie soon begins to feel like a puppet on strings with all those she loves telling her what to do. When those strings become tangled and a family feud develops, Annie, unable to bear the pressure, runs away. Straight into the arms of danger.

 
excerpt


“God! You’re not listening to me.” Annie said, her face scarlet with anger. “I told you I’m happy here. I don’t want to move to Charleston. My life is here, in Prospect.”

Annie moved to open her car door but Heidi blocked the way. “You’d love Charleston, if you’d give it a chance. There are so many great restaurants. The place is alive with college kids your age. I hope to start my own business, but I can’t do it alone. I need you by my side.” Heidi brushed a stray strand of hair off Annie’s forehead. “You have to admit, it sounds appealing.”

Annie slapped her hand away. “I’d rather die than work in the same kitchen with you.”

“Please, baby. Don’t be this way.”

“I’m not your baby! You abandoned your baby sixteen years ago.” Shoving Heidi out of the way, Annie jumped into her car and struggled to fasten her seat belt. As she shot off down the driveway, she watched her mother slowly disappear in the rearview mirror. She careened onto Creekside Drive with barely a glance in either direction. Tears blurring her vision, she smacked her palms against the steering wheel. “Ugh! I hate her!”

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meet the author

Ashley Farley is the author of the bestselling series, the Sweeney Sisters Series. Ashley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her goal is to keep you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. If her story stays with you long after you've read the last word, then she's done her job.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions.
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Alpha Squad: Boot Camp by Lorelei Moone Tour & Giveaway

ALPHA SQUAD: Boot Camp

by Lorelei Moone Alpha Squad #1 Publication Date: December 23, 2016 
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Bear Shifters
alpha-squad-cover

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Synopsis: It has only been a few months since humanity has found out about the shifters that live in their midst. When the New Alliance leadership asks Eric King to join Alpha Squad, a joint taskforce supposed to promote cooperation between the shifters and human authorities, his loyalty to the cause doesn’t give him any choice but to agree. But is the squad actually supposed to be relevant, or is it just an eyewash, set up by the new Secretary for Shifter Affairs to make himself look good? And how is he going to concentrate on his training, when his inner bear is insisting that the squad leader is his true mate?
Major Janine Williams is not at all pleased when she is ordered to set up Alpha Squad. The initiative is just a gimmick, meant to pacify the shifter community, plus none of her male colleagues had wanted the job. But when she starts getting to know her team, especially tough East London bear shifter, Eric, she starts to wonder if perhaps it will be possible to make this task force a success, so long as everyone works together. And so long as she can manage to keep her relationship with Eric strictly professional...
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ABOUT LORELEI MOONE

Lorelei Moone
Lorelei Moone is an up-and-coming author of paranormal romance based in London. A lover of all things sweet, and caffeinated, when she’s not writing about sexy bear shifters and their strong-willed curvaceous love interests, Lorelei can be found baking cookies or cakes for her family.

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