REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY!! In Love and War by Tara Mills (@Crimson_Romance, #GIVEAWAY)

March 3, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookworm22 Comments

BLURB:

Ariela Perrine refuses to consider a certain type of man. She watched how loving a self-sacrificing hero destroyed her mother and left her orphaned at a young age so yes, she does tend to go out with lackluster men with predictable results. But she’s safe. And bored, at least until an accident brings the interior decorator face to face with an unforgettable pair of blue eyes, a playful smile, and his overly affectionate dog.

Oh yeah, journalist Dylan Bond makes her sizzle but dare she risk it? After all, he’s just returned from Iraq – a war zone for crying out loud. With his assurance that he’s back to covering domestic stories, her fears are allayed and their relationship hits the tarmac at a dizzying speed. But then an unexpected phone call lures Dylan back into danger for one final, coveted assignment and he falls off everyone’s radar outside the green zone. Sensing something’s gone desperately wrong, Ariela’s ready to make a deal with the devil to find him and get him back safe. As she searches for the man she loves, Ariela discovers that she’s far more resilient than she realized, but will it be enough to preserve her as the days of fear and panic stretch on?

Click HERE to read the first chapter!!

GUEST POST:

I am always excited when an author agrees to do a guest post! It is a fabulous way to learn more about them!

Thank you for having me, Brandy, and allowing me to talk a little about In Love and War. As a writer, the question I hear most often is, “Where do you get your ideas?” Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer. That’s not the case with this book.

I started paying attention to the gritty side of covering conflicts when the US went into Bosnia, but when Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and executed while covering Iraq, I was truly shaken. Journalism is a calling; often thankless, certainly difficult, not to mention traumatic and heart wrenching. Yet brave men and women are driven to answer that call and keep the world informed, even when it puts them in danger.

That’s how Dylan Bond stepped into my consciousness. He’s a hero with a noble heart and an unwavering sense of justice — a truly compassionate individual. Who wouldn’t love a man like that?

Meet Ariela Perrine. With a past like hers, it’s understandable that she’d try to resist him. Heroic risk-takers are on her untouchables list; underlined, and in bold. But she’s not as immune to Dylan’s charms as she’d like to be. Internal and external conflicts arise and threaten the peace they find together.

In the end, they both need to come to terms with who they are and what they expect from one another. Compromise is key if their relationship is going to work. It isn’t easy, but it might be worth the risk.

REVIEW:

I was asked by the author to review this story and after I read the blurb, I was intrigued. Ariela is an interior designer that I took to right away. She admits she is flawed when it comes to relationships and I love that kind of honesty. She goes out with men she is sure she can’t get serious about so she doesn’t have to risk being hurt. We find out in the story that her father was a police officer and his death shaped her family and her life.

Dylan is a journalist that is out to save the world or what he can of it. He is floored when he meets Ariela and wants to investigate where this relationship is heading. Ariela is hesitant to begin anything with him until he is stateside for good and I don’t blame her.

My husband was Army and I told him that if he had been active, we would have never gotten together. Please don’t hate mail me for that statement. I dated military men for years before I met my husband and I have been the girlfriend waiting behind. I just didn’t want to do that to kids. I have the upmost respect for military (a LOT of my friends and family are military) I just know that it takes a special kind of person to be in that relationship and at 21 when I met my husband, I wasn’t that person. I related to Ariela’s fears for Dylan and the pain she felt when he went back to Iraq. Their messages back and forth were sweet and passionate. You could feel the love and longing.

I am not going to tell you the ending. I don’t like doing that with my reviews. If I tell you the “meat” of the story, why would you want or need to read it? I have to say that I freaking love MAX! This dog is the comic relief that makes a story. Ariela was going to fall victim to his charm eventually!

Take the time to discover Tara Mills and if you are not already a fan, you will be. 🙂

Comment on this post and one lucky person will win a copy of In Love and War from Tara Mills!!

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY! HER MASTER’S KISS BY VIVIEN SPARX (@viviensparx)

March 1, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookworm3 Comments

EXCERPT FROM AMAZON:

When Renee decides the only way she can save her relationship with a hurtful boyfriend is to become submissive, she enlists the expertise of a dark and brooding master.
However, Renee’s training soon has her falling for master Stefan, and as she becomes immersed in the spellbinding erotic world of domination, Renee realises she’s infatuated with a man who remains mysteriously out of reach; a man who refuses to be loved.
Behind Stefan’s cold, remote facade is a man dealing with his own past and his own pain.

TEASE:

“I am aroused. I’m very aroused.” Renee could feel her face flushing red.
“And does that surprise you? Are you shocked that being stripped to your underwear and then tied with your arms and legs spread in front of me should prove to be such a sensual turn on for you?”
“A little.”
Stefan sighed. “Be honest.”
Renee bit her lip. “I’m not surprised that I am aroused,” she admitted. “Because being restrained like this, and being… vulnerable… like this has been a secret fantasy of mine,” Renee blurted. “What surprises me is that I am more aroused than I have ever been in my life.”
“Ever?”
“Yes.”
Stefan considered this. “And I still have not touched you Renee. I have not caressed your body, nor have I dragged my hands across your breasts. I haven’t kissed along the inside of your thigh, or pulled your hair back and bitten your neck. I’ve merely left you there… anticipating such things…. wondering… what I might do.”
“I know.”
God! I know!
“And how is this arousal affecting you?”
“What do you mean?” Renee asked softly.
“You know what I mean,” Stefan’s voice grew harder. “Describe how your body feels. Exactly.”

Q&A SESSION WITH VIVIEN:

I had the pleasure of requesting questions from my followers on facebook and having Vivien Sparx answer them!

Did you always want to write in the erotic genre?

No. I initially wrote a fantasy story. But my partner has a lot of experience in BDSM, and when I started to think about it I realized I had a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips. He has become one of the sources for my stories to ensure authenticity.

How do you get in the zone to write your sex scenes?

I wish I could say something intriguing here, but the honest truth is that it’s not any different to writing any other scene. It’s all just hard work!

Has it ever affected your personal life?

Life is getting pretty crazy now. With the ongoing success of the books, I feel a constant need to keep supplying my readers with fresh stories. I am writing almost constantly to keep up with reader demand. That makes life challenging sometimes…!

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

The storylines often come from my partner… and then I add my own ingredients and twists. I have a pretty vivid imagination, and I also have several submissive ladies around the world who I refer to. They have a lot of great, sexy stories to share.

Do you find that the misconception of weak women is found in all levels of erotica/BDSM or just in mainstream fiction?

It is a misconception that I feel runs right across the board or mainstream literature. It is especially true in BDSM stories, but I don’t feel that a woman who enjoys submitting sexually to a man is weak! She can still be a strong independent woman, and enjoy the thrill of surrendering herself…

How do you meet the subs and Doms that you talk to as resources?

My partner is easy to talk to. He is always there. He had several good connections when he was involved in the lifestyle and he has put me in touch with a few of them who have been most helpful. But I also get an amazing amount of fan emails from submissive women from all around the world who offer their encouragement and suggestions.

Your love scenes are scorching. Are you writing from experience?

No comment! I am a happy girl.

Where do you picture your next story taking you?

My next story is going back to genuine BDSM. It’s what most of my readers seem to want. I got away from that a little bit with ‘The Falcon Falls’. Well now Vivien Sparx is returning to what she knows best- BDSM, with perhaps the best, sexiest storyline I have yet to develop.

Do you plan on stepping outside of the erotic genre or are you content with the breathtaking stories you create in this field?

I don’t know if my readers would follow me if I stepped too far away from what they expect a Vivien Sparx story to be. But if I ever could write in another genre… it would be horror!

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions from the readers! Oh, and the handwritten manuscript thing is awesome!

It helps me feel connected to the story. Re-writes are dreadful(!) but even though the process is a little longer, I some how feel closer to the characters and the action when I write that way.

REVIEW BY BRANDY:

I was given a copy of the book in return for my honest review. I was not compensated. Hery Master’s Kiss was broken into 4 stories and I read them all for this review.

This is probably one of the most believable sets of erotica books I have read. I mean how many Billionaire Doms and virgin subs can we read about?

Renee was just like us. Scared, unsure and desperate to keep the man in her life satisfied. She was searching for something and found…Stefan. My toes are curling because this man makes me want to explore the lifestyle.

Stefan knows that Renee is going to be difficult and he tells her from the beginning that she is training for all the wrong reasons but something convinces him to try it. He is angry when he realizes that this woman has managed to get under his skin and does his best to get rid of her.

Master Larry is a “friend” of Stefan’s and I use that term loosely. He is the type of person that feels you owe them and it is easier to go along with it to an extent. This character is all the dark and twisted that people can sometimes relate to BDSM. He hurts and brutalizes and his treatment of his sub, Tink, broke my heart. That girl deserves more than the life she has been forced to live.

When Larry (sorry, I don’t think he deserves the respect of Master) takes his brutality out on Renee that is when we see the Stefan that we knew he could be.

I fell in love with this cast of characters. I have read a lot of erotica from Michelle Hughes and Karl Jones, to E.L James and Sylvia Day. They are all wonderful writers and I enjoy their work, but Vivien has real characters that reach deep into your soul and pull out the emotions that link you to them. These are everyday people that you could look at and say that is my neighbor or that is me. You can bet that this talented lady is on my kindle and will stay there. Enjoy, Kittens!

Vivien has agreed to participate in a giveaway for the complete ebook set of Her Master’s Kiss! Click HERE to enter!

~Brandy~

Rated 4 Bookworms

REVIEW BY SHAE:

This is a short story, erotic romance full of emotions. I experienced anger, sadness, excitement, pride, the “oh hell no,” and sensuality. I love a good book that brings it all out. Her Master’s Kiss is different from any BDSM books I have read. It shows a different position of the Master/Slave relationship that seems more fitting for the name.
Stefan and Renee are intriguing and refreshing. They evolve during this first book in the series. Sparx takes the characters from what at first appears to be the simplicity of each into greater depth. I was completely entranced and felt as if I was learning along with Renee. The ending is a definitely a cliffhanger making her second book a must read as well.

Shae’s Review of Her Master’s Kiss Book 2

Wow oh Wow! It is common that the sequels of movies and books are not as good as the first. Not in this case! Vivien Sparx’s, Her Master’s Kiss 2, is better than the first. The emotional journey she takes you on is phenomenal. I wanted to jump into the pages and help out Stefan.

“Find her mind, grasp her heart and her body and soul will surrender.” I read this line in the book over and over again. It is so profound.

Stefan and Renee’s relationship as Master/Slave continues to grow as well as their feelings and commitments to one another. The challenges and trials they face has the ability to bring them closer together or rip them apart. What do you think the Master will do?

Rated 4 Stars

National Self-Injury Awareness Month

February 28, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookwormLeave a comment

Hey, Kittens. Today is National Self-Injury Awareness Day. I was contacted by the incredible blogger/author, RaeBeth McGee-Buda over at The Writing World. She asked if I would be willing to spread this incredibly important information and I agreed. Please take the time to read and share! Thanks!

~Brandy~

Welcome to The Writing World and our way of bringing awareness to such an important day. For those who don’t know today is National Self Injury Awareness Day.

What is Self Injury (Self Harm)?

Self harm is any deliberate, non-suicidal behavior that inflicts physical injury to a persons body. It’s essentially a way to cope that enables one to deal with intense emotional distress and creates a calming sensation. It can also be used as a way to “awaken” a person who feels numb or dissociated with the world around them.

Self harm has an immediate effect which creates an instant relief but it’s only temporary. Any underlying emotions still remain. Over time, self injury can become a persons automatic response to ordinary strains of life and the severity of self harm can increase.

Self injury can affect everyone from all types of lifestyles. The age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or personal strength doesn’t matter.

There are certain forms of self injury that are talked about more than others but if one has found a unique way to hurt themselves, it’s still self injury. When one self harms, there’s not a severity level or scale. Any type of self harm is “bad” enough for a person to get help. Every person who suffers from self harm deserves help. Some people often feel they don’t deserve help and it can feel scary. It is essential to get immediate medical attention if a self inflicted wound seems serious.

Please be aware that self injury is normally a non-suicidal behavior and is NOT a way for a person to get attention. It’s an emotional condition that deserves attention. Emotional distress and stress can lead to self injury and can eventually lead into suicide if not treated professionally.

Ways to Get Help

If you self harm and are thinking of seeking help it can be really hard at first. One moment it may seem like it’s easy to talk about at one moment and much harder the next. The first step you can take is to talk to someone you trust. This can be a close friend, family member, teacher, or counselor. Remember when talking to this trusted person, it may upset them to hear that you self harm. They aren’t judging you. It may upset them because they care for you and it hurts to know that you’ve turned to self harm for your emotional support. Give your trusted person time to “digest” what you are telling them. Then the both of you can create a plan for recovery. As an example, where to go for medical attention before a more serious problem occurs.

My Child Self Injures….What Next?

The first discovery of your child using self harm as their coping mechanism can be hard. You may feel a mixture of shock, anger, guilt, worry, and this can upset you. Try to remember not to panic or over react. Your initial reaction will have a great impact on your child. It may affect how much they’re willing to tell you or even stop them from opening up to you. Each situation is different. The way you react can depend on several factors, which include your child’s age, reason behind their self harm, and the way you found out. (Example: They came to you or you discovered their self injury by accident.)

You may want to consider educating your self as much as you can on the subject to get a better understanding. Remember not to show disgust or anger, which can increase your child’s emotional distress. From the start of you finding out, remember that you are NOT to blame for your child self harming.

Be sure you make it clear to your child that you are there to support him/her in any way. Acknowledge that self injury is a secretive behavior and the fact that you know about it can be overwhelming. Your child may need time to get used to the idea that you know before talking to anyone else.

Remember to focus on the underlying problem and not the self harm. Self harm takes time to give up. Be prepared for many months of recovery and don’t ask them to stop. Do not prevent them from self injury by forcing them to stop and removing the tools they have come to rely on to cope. Before this can be done, a healthier coping mechanism must be found first.

Offer to take your child to a doctor and even suggest your support by showing you’re willing to go with them. Do not force your child. If they decline the offer of your presence at the doctor, respect their privacy and confidentiality. Never ask your child to see their self harm injuries unless you think it may need medical attention. This will embarrass them and cause them to become more secretive about their situation. Remember you want them to open up, not push you away!

Do not treat your child any different. They are still the same person you knew and loved before you found out about their disorder. Never treat your child any different around others. This too can embarrass them. Encourage your child to seek healthier ways once a medical professional is involved and their openly talking about their self harm.

To learn more about Self Injury please visit the following website.

National Self Harm Network

Looking to help spread the word about Self Harm? The following are great books to look up and recommend to someone who may self harm or to anyone dealing with self harm in their family.

1. Silenced by RaeBeth McGee-Buda

Paperback Available on Amazon.com


Ebook Version available for Nook and Kindle

Amber Brown spent her entire existence believing Dave was her father. When her mother reveals this is untrue, she goes through an emotional spiral with depression. It’s hard for her to believe her mother had lied to her all this time.A move to a new home and town causes Amber to be consumed by her “darkness” and reverts to cutting to free herself from her pain.

When Casey, her new friend enters her life, she introduces Amber to parties, drugs, and Amber’s new boyfriend Landon. The secret of cutting begins to take affect on Amber as she tries to hide it from her friends and family. In the midst of everything, Amber has the desire to find out who her biological father is.

Follow Amber through her trials of depression and cutting, along with the discovery of love.

2. Cut by Patricia McCormick

Available in Paperback and Kindle

A teenager’s attempt to maintain psychological integrity—the maladaptive coping mechanisms she uses as a way to stay alive and her path to recovery.

3. Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

Available in Paperback and Kindle

Kendra, a sexual abuse survivor, cuts to cope with the pain, but she doesn’t remember the identity of who abused her. Kendra makes a friend in Meghan, and falls in love with her. When Kendra’s abuser starts threatening her, she must find a way to face her past and stop hurting herself–before it’s too late.

Original Post can be found here: The Writing World

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GIRL, LISA!! (@TastyBookTours)

February 28, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookworm3 Comments

Happy Birthday, Lisa!!

Tasty Book Tours

BOOK TOUR BLAST AND GIVEAWAY! TEMPTATION BY K.M. GOLLAND

February 28, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookwormLeave a comment

EXCERPT FROM AMAZON:

This book is for mature audiences 17+ It contains explicit language and sexual content.

Sometimes being happily married and completely content is not at all what it seems.
This is what 35 year old, happily married mother of two, Alexis Summers finds out when she decides it is time to return to work. After being a stay-at-home Mum for the past nine years, Alexis now realises a complete career change is just what she needs.

She becomes a Concierge Attendant in a prestigious hotel in Melbourne, working for the owner, Bryce Clark. He resides in the penthouse, is extremely hot, and is a man who always gets what he wants, and what he wants is Alexis. She does a relatively good job at resisting Bryce at first but the undeniable chemistry, sexual tension and playfulness between the two of them is intense. He has copious amounts of money, sex appeal and above all else, is a genuinely nice guy. Bryce has been waiting for his one true love to come along, and he is positive that one true love is Alexis.
There is one problem, she is happily married to Rick, and no matter how strong her feelings are for Bryce, she is adamant she will not cheat. She draws a line in the sand but finds it increasingly hard not to cross. Will she succumb to Temptation?

REVIEW:

Now, I want everyone to remember that MY reviews are MY opinions and I am not going to like every book that is passed to me. I am human and what I may like you might not and vice versa. That being said it was SUPER hard for me to get into this book. The idea of a married mom having an affair is hard but could be considered acceptable if her husband was abusive or something like that. Alexis didn’t have those problems. She had what amounts to a good marriage.

Don’t get mad at me, Kittens. I didn’t think it was a horrible book or anything like that. The author, K.M. Golland, tells a good story and keeps the reader entertained. The passion is in the book and so is the equisite tension that you expect to see in this book. Will she, won’t she?

Alexis has been a stay at home mom for a long time and that can be very lonely. I think the attraction that she feels for Bryce is real but you can be attracted and not act on it. I am not going to spoil the story for you. This is one that I think you need to read and form your own thoughts on. I think that we feel a connection with Rick too. He hasn’t done anything wrong but seems to be getting a raw deal.

I am looking forward to seeing where this story develops and goes with the next book, Satisfaction.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVYL612/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AVYL612&linkCode=as2&tag=beyondwordsbookstours-20

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/264382?ref=bestbookslikefiftyshadesofgrey

AUTHOR BIO:

K.M. Golland was born and raised in Melbourne Australia. She studied Legal Practice for two years, and worked as a Land Conveyancer for four years before putting her career on hold to raise two beautiful children. She always had a love of reading, and decided rather than returning to the Legal Industry, she would become a Writer, publishing her debut novel Temptation (Book 1 in The Temptation Series).

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860161.K_M_Golland

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KellyGolly

Giveaway:

The author is giving away an ecopy of Temptation to a single commentor chosen from the tour.

REVIEW BY SHAE: SEDUCED BY PAIN BY KIMBERLY KINRADE

February 28, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookwormLeave a comment

EXCERPT FROM AMAZON:

“Their passion will destroy them. Only true love can save them.”

“Hope is a fragile thing, yet strangely enduring. It hides in the crevices of pain, burrowing deep until unseen, for fear that sorrow, in its rage, will devour hope’s desperate hold on the heart.

REVIEW:

This book was purchased by the reviewer and she was not compensated for her review.

Seduced by Pain is the second book in Rose’s story. It is hotter than the first. Kinrade creates hot erotic romance. This book starts just as the other book ended. There is no time lapse. The road for Rose and Derek is full of struggles and triumphs. Rose finds the answers to many questions she has about her life and her “darkness.” She learns what family means as the power source of the Shifters becomes threatened and new allies are formed. Rose begins to see what her future could be like if only she can make it through.

This second book has a cliffhanger just as the first and the third in this Trilogy is due out in March 2013- Seduced by Power (Rose’s Story, Book 3).

~Shae~

Rated 4 Stars

BLOG TOUR POST AND GIVEAWAY!! Falling For You by Heather Thurmeier (@TastyBookTours, #giveaway)

February 27, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookworm3 Comments

Blurb:

Newly single Cassidy Quinn is thrilled to be a contestant on the new reality dating show The One. But her excitement turns to horror when the gorgeous bachelor turns out to be her ex-boyfriend. Seeing Brad again makes Cassidy realize she might not be as “over him” as she thought—and then she meets hunky cameraman Evan Burke

After watching his brother lose his wife in a tragic accident, Evan vows never to fall in love. But following Cassidy around as her personal cameraman makes him question his decision, and resisting her gets harder with every sunbathing, bikini-wearing day.

Cassidy and Evan begin a forbidden affair while her ex-boyfriend tries to win her heart back one groping, awkward moment at a time. If Cassidy can manage to stop falling off horses (literally), stop falling onto her ex-boyfriend, the bachelor (yes, literally), and stop falling in love with backstage playboy Evan, she might still make it through the show without becoming a tabloid sensation.

But soon Cassidy must choose between the ex who broke her heart and the cameraman who might never love her back. For Cassidy, this reality show just got real.

EXCERPT:

“Stay still, Corona,” she pleaded, patting the horse on the shoulder. She swung her leg over the horse, determined to successfully complete one dismount before the challenge ended.

Her arms shook as she lowered herself carefully from the saddle, finally giving up their fight part way down. Gravity took her the last few feet and she hit the ground with both feet, stumbling backward a step before bumping into something solid.

“How, Cassidy? How do you always end up in my arms?” Evan’s voice rumbled in her ear, his warm breath on her earlobe making her girly bits tingle.

She found her footing and turned in his arms. She could see the dust and dirt clinging to his five o’clock shadow, his brow beaded with sweat. He desperately needed a shower and there was nothing she could have fantasized about more than being in one with him. Instead, she pushed herself back from him and swallowed her urge to climb him like a jungle gym.

“What can I say? I guess I just keep falling for you,” she said, before her brain caught up to her mouth and she was able to censor herself.

REVIEW:

I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this story. I am not a fan of reality shows and the dating ones are the worst, in my opinion. However, Cassidy and Evan’s story was hilarious!

Cassidy is a New York girl who, thanks to her sister, has landed a spot on the new reality show, The One. When she looks around she feels like she doesn’t meet the standards that the other girls represent. She is floored when she realizes that one of the staff guys is brutally hot and can only imagine what the bachelor guy looks like. Cassidy knows it’s going to be an interesting few weeks, when filming hasn’t started and the claws have already come out. Zoe, the front-runner for the contest, is very condescending in her opinion that Cassidy doesn’t belong in front of the camera.

Cassidy decided to do the show for the challenges and adventures. She is shocked when during the first challenge she is introduced to the bachelor and it is her ex-boyfriend, Brad! This was a blind-side she wasn’t expecting, especially with the brutally hot cameraman, Evan in her line of sight.

What is a girl supposed to do when confronted with a past love and a future love at the same time? Throw in a reality show, vindictive contestants, a love triangle and you have a kick-ass story!

AUTHOR BIO:

Heather Thurmeier is a lover of strawberry margaritas, a hater of spiders, and a reality TV junkie. She was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, but now lives in upstate New York with her own personal romance hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses. When she’s not busy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather’s hard at work on her next romance novel.

“Heather Thurmeier’s hunky heroes and feisty heroines will have you laughing out loud, falling in love … and coming back for more!” ~ Carly Phillips, NY Times Bestselling Author

“Heather Thurmeier writes sweet, funny romances that capture your heart!” –NYT and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst

Heather is giving away a $20.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N during the tour! Click HERE for the giveaway! Make sure you leave a comment and follow the rest of the tour HERE!

REVIEW AND INTRODUCTION OF SHAE! SEDUCED BY INNOCENCE BY KIMBERLY KINRADE

February 26, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookwormLeave a comment

EXCERPT FROM AMAZON:

Liquid fire poured into me, filling me with the intimate sense of him as he leaned in to claim my lips with his own. I reached for him, needing him closer, needing to feel his flesh against mine, but my arms couldn’t close the distance between us, which grew wider with each hitched breath. So close to finally feeling something real, something carnal and deep, I cried out in frustration, dropping my hands as he disappeared. My cries deepened into a frenzy of panic and my eyes flew open. I clutched my blanket and stilled myself to calm my racing heart.

Just a dream. Always just a dream.

***

Rose Wintersong didn’t have an ordinary upbringing. Raised in what most would call a hippy commune, but what is actually a powerful coven of witches, she never questions the life fate chose for her.

Until she meets Derek O’Conner.

Derek challenges everything Rose believes and forces her to see the secrets hidden beneath the whitewashed walls of her idyllic country life.

Rose knows she should walk away, that the sexy martial arts instructor is bad news bred to create discord in her tight community… but the animal magnetism between them is impossible to fight.

Caught between the passion of first love, and the steady beat of the life she’s always known, Rose must choose between the innocence of her youth or the pleasures of womanhood–but lost innocence comes at a price, and Rose harbors a dark secret that could destroy everyone she loves–including Derek.

INTRODUCTION OF OUR REVIEWER:

I have taken on a fellow lover of books to share the love of reviewing with me. Let’s show some love for Shae!

After 20 years, I redeveloped a love for reading or should I say “escaping.” I am a 39 year old Accountant who seems to work all the time. I enjoy what I do but it can be brain warping. In the evenings and weekends, I enjoy escaping into a new world. I fall in love with the characters; I laugh out loud; I cry; I get lost in their world.

I used to be a TV junkie and after receiving a Kindle Fire for my 39th birthday, I started reading again. I have 3 children; Rebecca is a senior, Grant is 7th grader, and Logan is 5th grader. Becca has been a reader since she was able to first read — Never watching much TV and always in a book. I used to wonder what in the world could be so interesting. Now I remember. She kept on me after getting my kindle to read some of the books that she had loved. I have to admit I have become addicted. I enjoy stand-alone books and series. If I am really into a book, I find myself waking up at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. sometimes wondering what the characters in the books are doing. I can’t help myself but I will have to read until time to get ready for work. Becca will come into my room at night and tell me, “Seriously mom, it is bedtime. Go to bed.” I laugh at her and tell her after I get to the end of the chapter which is what she used to tell me every night.

~Shae~

REVIEW:

A short story packed with intense and immeasurable scenes. This book contains mystery, drama, and romance. I was pulled in quickly and left intrigued throughout the entire book. Kimberly Kinrade writes this book from the different characters points of view. Each chapter is setup so you know what each character is thinking and feeling about the situations they find themselves in.

Rose is a young woman who feels like the “outcast” of her coven. She is surrounded by family and friends who are also witches, but chooses to live “apart” because she feels she is a danger to them. Her past haunts her. She is forced to deal with her “darkness.” Rose has dreams and desires that increase when she meets a Derek.

Can she overcome her “darkness” and find love? In the midst of a new relationship, her family is being attacked by their enemy, the Druids/Shifters. She must find hope and make decisions that will affect her life and could change it completely.

This story will leave you nail-biting and ready to download book 2 in this series. Seduced by Pain (Rose’s Story, Book 2).

Rated 4 Stars

REVIEW!! Immortal Ever After (Argeneau Vampires) by Lynsay Sands (@LynsaySands, @avonbooks)

February 25, 2013January 8, 2019 romancebookwormLeave a comment

This was an ARC that I received for review. I have been wondering when Anders was going to get his own story and this did not disappoint!

EXCERPT FROM AMAZON!

A kiss doesn’t mean eternity . . .

Valerie Moyer doesn’t believe in vampires—until she is kidnapped by a fanged psychopath! After escaping her bloodthirsty captor, she’s through with creatures of the night. Until she finds herself under the protection of the darkly handsome Anders. Not only is she expected to accept that Anders is immortal, but also that she is the woman destined to be his life mate!

. . . Or does it?

Anders felt a connection to Valerie from the moment he cradled her bruised body in his arms. But before he claims her, he must destroy the vampire who almost stole her from him forever. His job would be easier if Valerie didn’t fight him every step of the way. Still, Anders loves a challenge, and the green-eyed beauty is worth fighting for!

Anders has been an Enforcer for many years and has watched his fellow Enforcers fall victim to life mates one by one. When an unusual 911 call comes in that the Enforcers respond to, Anders is amazed to find he has discovered his life mate.

Valerie has literally just escaped from the house of Hell. She had been kidnapped and held in a cage with several other women for almost 2 weeks. She managed to stab one of her captors and call 911. When she is talking to her rescuers she doesn’t know how to explain to them that she was attacked by a psycho vampire. There is no such as thing as vampires, right?

When she is taken back to Lucien and Leigh’s house for recovery she doesn’t question the kindness of the ones who rescued her and finds that she is quickly falling for the sexy Enforcer, Anders. When they all realize that she is Anders life mate they attempt to show her what he really is like and a very pregnant Leigh makes a great matchmaker!

I don’t want to give away too much of this story because I am an avid Lynsay Sands fan and don’t want to ruin the story for others.

Rated 4 Bookworms and can’t wait to add the paperback to my collection.

REVIEW!! The Story of Rachel by K.D. McLean

February 24, 2013November 17, 2015 romancebookwormLeave a comment

Excerpt from Amazon:

Rachel Collins is praying. And not for world peace. Thirty six years old and single, her prayer is self-centered. “Kill me now, Lord,” she pleads during her latest attempt to meet Mr. Right via the internet.

She’s not hoping for a billionaire or even a millionaire, just a guy who can strike a spark to her tinder! Is she asking too much? She’s a great gal! Just ask her parents! She might be a bit naive about some things, but capable enough- she’s a correspondent for a major magazine, after all. So there!

On assignment she meets Michael, 42 years old, also a writer. The attraction is immediate and intense. Rachel, who sees vanilla as only a baking ingredient, enchants him. Michael can whip up some pretty hot delights himself, outside of the kitchen. He introduces a curious Rachel to powerful experiences of sensuality. Her Ladylike sense of propriety engages in a running battle with her now sparked Tinderbox desires.

Michael is an excellent cook and knows how to turn up the heat. Sampling the flavors offered, Rachel experiences humorous hiccups. On a date, Michael ramps up the risqué, resulting in a memorable skirt swirling salsa dance. Rachel’s “What the hell, I ain’t getting any younger” attitude spurs Michael to take her to the exclusive, adults only club Pandora’s. Here, Rachel witnesses even more variations of earthly delights, and begins a lifelong friendship with another guest.

Michael is a realist, convinced that within 90 days, his affair with Rachel will be but another painful memory of loss. He is neither willing nor able to yell ‘Geronimo’ and fall for her. He can’t, and that’s that.

Maybe he should just get a damn dog.

This modern, urban, grown up love story is a recipe –three cups romance and one cup of slapdash humor. Blend in spices of eroticism, and beat until smooth.

REVIEW:

I absolutely loved Rachel! She is the type of woman that everyone ends up friending. She has that combination of sensual innocence that makes us want to be around her.

Rachel is a writer working on a piece for her paper. Her assistant, Brenda, thinks it is hysterical that she is working on an erotic art show. While at the show, and exposed to art that makes her tingle, she meets Michael. Michael is everything her body has been craving and the stimulation that her mind demands. I have to stop here and say that I thought Michael was a total douche in the beginning. The whole love them and leave them in 90 days thing was a turnoff. However, as KD draws us deeper into Michael, I understand the devastation and the walls he has erected. I actually grew to like him by the end of the story, but he is still a douche sometimes! 🙂

Michael opens her mind up to new possibilities she has never considered and introduces her to BDSM. Not described in huge detail so my innocent readers ~wink, wink~ can relax. When she is introduced to the safe and basic steps of BDSM, Rachel is enthralled and amazed that she craves more. Michael, who has decided to take his time with Rachel and not rush into sex, is writhing in lust. Watching Rachel discover the pleasures he can give her is taking him to a whole new level of intimacy.

When Rachel convinces him to take her to Pandora’s, a BDSM club, Michael is not sure what to expect. Rachel is mesmerized by the sensual beauty of the club and people. Meeting Annik and Tom, she realizes they are normal people who just like a little more with their relationships. She discovers that her “tinderbox” loves the idea of what she is seeing.

This book was great and I really enjoyed it. I have read it several times now and it gets funnier everytime I read it! Besides, any book that can make me laugh and cry within moments, is a book that needs to be read.

FYI, Kittens. This needs to be added to your Goodreads list, Kindles or Bookshelf!

Rated 4 Bookworms