Friday, February 24, 2017

#Review Falling Into Forever by Elena Aitken


Title: Falling Into Forever
Author: Elena Aitken
Rating: 3 stars

This is the first book I've read by Elena Aitken and it's the second book in her The Springs series. Even though it was the second book in the series I didn't have any trouble following the story, although the characters from the first book do make some appearances in this story. 

I liked Rhys and Kari. Both had solid backstories that created drama, but I kind of wished we'd gotten more of them together. I'm not sure why since the story included several scenes between the two, but by the end I sort of felt as if something was missing or that I wanted more. 

While this was a solid story, I'm not sure if I will read more by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a small town romance with characters who have a lot of personal baggage. 

Amazon
B&N



Author Bio



Living in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in the foothills of Alberta, Elena spends her days chauffeuring her twins and writing stories - basically, living what she loves! 

Elena escapes to the mountains as often as possible and can often be found sitting by the water, plotting her next book. 

Be the first to know the latest about new book releases, get coupons for new books, and learn all the inside info on what Elena's working on next! Sign up at www.elenaaitken.com to stay in the loop!

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

#Review Reckless by Mallory Crowe


Title: Reckless
Author: Mallory Crowe
Rating: 4.5 stars

It's been a while since I've read a story by Mallory Crowe and after reading this I'm kicking myself for not finding the time to read more. I enjoyed Reckless better than I did the first book I read by this author, Teaching The Boss. 

Robert and Malia were such a great couple. I fell in love with them right away. The misunderstandings and conflicts between them were understandable once the full story of both their pasts came to light. There were also quite a few twists and turns in this one, some of which I didn't see coming. 

This is the second book in this series, but I was able to read it without having read the first book. That being said, after reading this one I want to go back and read Colin and Jean's story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a sexy romance with two characters that have a complicated past. 

Amazon
B&N



Author Bio



Mallory Crowe has lived in Michigan her whole life and has been in love with romance ever since she'd skip to the end of every novel, just to make sure the hero and heroine survived and ended up together. She lives with her husband and three dogs. When she's not writing, she's spending too much time in front of the TV, hiking, or working with various animal rescues.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Designing Samantha's Love by PJ Fiala #NewRelease #Romance


Release Date: February 14, 2017

They both have so much to overcome to realize their second chance.

Nothing terrifies Samantha Powell more than starting over, but after devoting three decades to a troubled man and an unhappy marriage, Sam finds the courage to seek her own happiness. She imagines a nice quiet life filled with friends, family, and a career that leaves no room for relationship drama. Unfortunately, no one told the alluring Grayson Kinkaide.

After escaping a bad marriage of his own, Grayson realizes his soul mate is still out there and his heart is set on Sam. Their instant attraction begins a steamy affair, but the women of Grayson's past aren't ready to let him go. Grayson must convince Sam that she is the only one for him.


Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play 




About the Author


I am a wife of thirty years, a mother of four grown children and the grandmother of four lovely grandchildren. When not writing a new story, I can be found riding my motorcycle and exploring this fabulous country of ours. My writing revolves around people anyone would love to spend time with. No self-absorbed billionaires for me.

Earning my Bachelor's Degree later in life fulfilled a dream for me. Then, I found the courage to write and I haven't looked back. I have several published books and continue to write daily. I have served as the VP of Communications for WisRWA and devote a large amount of my time to helping other authors slog their way through this thing called publishing. I love to hear from fans, so look me up and touch base.

I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather, father, brother, two of my sons, and one daughter-in-law are all veterans. Needless to say, I am proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

#Review Christmas Light by Jolyse Barnett


Title: Christmas Light
Author: Jolyse Barnett
Rating: 3 stars

This was my first time reading Jolyse Barnett. I'd originally started reading this story before Christmas, but life got in the way and I only recently got back to reading it. 

The story had a strong opening. I loved how the author introduced the couple. These two hadn't seen each other for ten years and to say Ben had grown up was an understatement. Jade didn't recognize him at first, which brought a wonderful awkwardness to their first encounter in the story. 

There were moments in the book that had me melting inside as these two reconnected after all the time that had passed, but there were other times when I was rolling my eyes at their lack of communication. If they'd been strangers, then I could have understood but they were supposed to be best friends. Considering what drove a wedge between them years ago boiled down to her not sharing her struggles with him, it felt as if she hadn't grown up and was still as insecure as she was as a teenager. 

Despite the communication issues, I did like this book. It was a nice holiday read full of friends, family, and community. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a quick holiday read about best friends who realize they are made for each other.

Amazon
B&N



Author Bio



A country girl at heart, Jolyse Barnett is living her happily-ever-after in Long Island suburbia with her real-life hero, two incredible children, and one very furry feline. Learn more about her by visiting http://jolysebarnett.com.

Friday, February 10, 2017

#FlashbackFriday Is There A Type Of Scene That Is Harder To Write?


This was originally posted as part of the Burning for Her Kiss Blog Tour in 2015.

Note: I did not make any changes to the article itself, so some things mentioned may be out of date.


Book Summary


Beth Davenport has no interest in getting involved with another man for the foreseeable future. To say her last relationship ended in disaster would be a colossal understatement. The only reason she agrees to put in an appearance at Serpent’s Kiss, a private kink club in downtown St. Louis, is because her best friend, Nicole, won’t quit nagging her. When she walks in the door that night, the last thing she expects to do is meet a man who will have her reconsidering her ban on men.

As a captain with the St. Louis Fire Department, Drew Parker is used to being in charge. His crew relies on him to make sure they know what they’re doing and return home to their families after every shift. It isn’t, however, what he wants in a relationship. Drew decides to join Serpent’s Kiss to see if what appeals to him in fantasy is something he wants to explore in the real world. He’s also hoping that he’ll be lucky enough to meet a woman with whom he can explore his desires. The night Beth walks into the club, he is intrigued. Drew has to get to know her better.

After what happened to her, Beth is reluctant to get involved with Drew. It doesn’t matter that he is sweet and charming. She’s been burned before and Beth doesn’t think she can survive having her heart crushed again. Drew, however, won’t take no for an answer. He wants a relationship and is determined to chip away at her defenses until she relents. Will she give him a chance, or did her ex leave her with scars too deep to heal?


~ * ~

  1. Is there a certain type of scene that is harder for you to write than others?  

Probably transition scenes. The things that need to be written to get the story to the next plot point, but don’t carry major significance to the story. It might be something as simple as the character driving home from work, or a few hours or days passing by. Those scenes don’t tend to have a lot of emotion behind them, which makes them much harder for me to write.

2. If you can cast your characters in a Hollywood adaptation of Burning For Her Kiss, who would play your characters?

Drew: Jensen Ackles
Beth: Neha Dhupia

3.  What are qualities, challenge, and significance that each of the central characters bring to the overall story that make them strong characters?

Drew is strong, confident, and in many ways very much an alpha male. It was challenging to then take him and make it believable that he would want to give up control and submit to a Domme. In real life, however, there are many men like Drew—men who in their daily lives are always in control—yet yearn to give up that control to their partner.

Beth is also a very strong character. She needed to be in order to be a good fit for Drew. Her biggest challenge was showing her vulnerability without making her appear weak. At the beginning of the story, she has major trust issues. I think that helped to balance out her character well and make her more relatable to readers, even those who don’t typically read Femdom.


4. What draws you to this genre?
I was drawn into writing BDSM fiction after reading some stories online. The level of trust and communication required in these types of relationships intrigued me.

5. Characters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

I’m in one of those situations right now. Along with BDSM, I also write contemporary romance. As I finished Beth and Drew’s story, I began looking forward to writing the final book in my Daniels Brothers Series. The only problem was that Trent and his lady weren’t talking to me. They’ve finally started to open up, but it’s slow going. I had to rewrite the first half of chapter one three times. Things are now moving, albeit slowly. It’s one of those times when persistence and patience is what’s needed.

6. What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Above all, keep writing. Like with anything else, you get better with practice. Also, get a good beta reader and hire a professional editor. They will help you put out the best story possible. You want to be proud of what you release into the world.

How can readers discover more about you and you work?




Friday, February 3, 2017

The Reader Love #Giveaway


Check out this latest giveaway through LitRing. Enter to win a 1 Year Audible Membership, a 1 Year Membership to Amazon Prime, or a Six Month Subscription to Owl Crate.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Fall In Love With Romance #ValentinesDay #Giveaway



The goal of this giveaway and contest is to get everyone to interact with one another, and in doing so, hopefully we'll come across some great books and authors in the process. 


Our prizes are: 

1 - Black and White Diamond Heart Necklace from Kay Jewelers
2 - $50 (winners choice) Gift Card
3 - $25 Visa or Mastercard Gift Card
4 - Nicolas Sparks Movie Night (2 DVDs, Popcorn and Candy)

5 - Ghost Movie Night (1 DVD, Popcorn and Candy) 


To become eligible to win any of these prizes you must enter by using the Rafflecopter link below, which does state that you have to leave a comment on the author's page. Now what that comment is, is entirely up to you. It could be "Sally sells seashells by the seashore" or something more personal like, "I loved your book ________". But you must leave a comment. That is the only way you'll gain an entry.

Earn bonus entries by commenting on the "pinned FB posts" you'll find with the above giveaway image on each of their pages. ALL entries will be confirmed, so please show these authors lots and lots of love!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway