Thursday, May 30, 2013

Blog Tour: Welcome to Paradise by Rosalind James



Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 4/12/13
    
By the bestselling author of the Escape to New Zealand series— They’re going to party like it’s 1885.

Mira Walker is hoping that competing on a “living history” reality show will give her what’s missing from her real life. Maybe she’ll get closer to her boyfriend, who hasn’t been all that nice to her lately. Get fired up about her job again. Who knows, she might even win a million dollars.

Gabe Kincaid and his brother Alec are after that million too, though. Mira and Scott are no threat at all, not when everybody involved is going to want to kill Scott after the first day. And there’s no bond stronger than a twin’s. What could possibly go wrong?



BUY LINK


Rosalind James is the Kindle-bestselling author of four books in the "Escape to New Zealand" series. "Welcome to Paradise" is her first U.S.-based book. Rosalind is a former marketing executive who has lived all over the United States and in a number of other countries. Most recently, she spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries.

Rosalind’s website: http://www.rosalindjames.com

On Facebook: rosalindjamesbooks





Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Blog Tour: Laying Low in Paradise by Kristy K. James


Romance
Date Published: 5/14/2013

Laura Keane and her son have been spending summers at their chalet on Bois Blanc Island since her husband was killed in the war. She never let anyone else in after the chaplain delivered the sad news four years ago, so it’s just the two of them, and she wouldn’t change it for the world.

Cameron Rafferty and his friends were keeping secrets. Dangerous secrets, and they’d hoped the little island paradise would be a safe place to hide out. The plan to keep a low profile quickly unravels when an accident changes everything. Cameron soon finds himself becoming more involved with the Keane family than he’d intended -and wishing for things he shouldn’t.


My Review:
Okay, I really enjoyed this one. I liked the fact that both characters could relate to each others loss. I think that a lot of people who lose a spouse must go through a period where they think they will never love again, and when it is at a younger age, you hope for the best for them. I was so happy these two found one another. Not only do they have a shared loss, they both have young boys, who get along amazingly, and their personalities really do compliment the other. 

I think that Cam's secret was something I didn't see coming, so that was a little surprising. 

This was a heartwarming Romance with great characters and a smooth flowing plot. Plus, there was a little bit of Suspense and Mystery thrown in as well.




LINKS TO BUY
Kristy K. James' first goal in life was to work in law enforcement, until the night she called the police to check out a scary noise in her yard. Realizing that she might someday have to check out scary noises in other dark yards if she continued on that path, she turned to her other favorite love… writing. Since then, her days have been filled with being a mom and reluctant zookeeper (7 pets), creating stories and looking for trouble in her kitchen.

Website: http://kristykjames.net/ 

blog: http://kristykjames.net/blog/ 

Twitter: @KristyKJames

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


Monday, May 27, 2013

Book Review: Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman


New Adult Romance
Date Published: 5/14/2013

Maddie Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a fraternity party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents.

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face.

Until it doesn't.

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Winter Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up.

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing.

Weeks of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible.

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again.

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.

*Due to its heavy subject matter, this book is recommended for ages 17+*

My Review:
Maddie has been through an extremely traumatic experience in witnessing the man responsible for her Parents Murder leaving her house the night she found them dead. Unfortunately for her, not only did she lose her parents that night, but she also lost her best friend and the boy who she promised all of her firsts to. (I absolutely loved how the "firsts" play into the story. 

The mystery aspect of the story was well done. It keeps you guessing. 

I really liked how involved in music they both were, you could really feel their feelings through their playing and how it helped both of them to cope. 

I really enjoyed the flashbacks that allowed us to witness Maddie and Kyle's interactions when they were younger. I think they were great insight into how powerful their friendship really was. They are a great example of a love that started from such a young age. The mere fact that over the years and separation neither one of them has been able to forget anything about their moments together or connection speaks volumes, and it was very believable the way RaShelle Workman let the story unfold. 

I did however feel like the ending was a bit abrubt. I would have liked a smoother transition. It was kind of like bam, bam, bam. But overall a great New Adult read! 

*I Received a Complimentary Copy in Exchange for my Honest Review from RaShelle Workman via NetGalley*

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

PROMO: Riverbend by Tess Thompson


Riverbend - PROMO Blitz
By Tess Thompson
Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 5/14/13


“Tag. I found you.”

Just as Annie Bell’s reputation as one of the best chefs in the Pacific Northwest grows to new heights, she receives a threatening phone  from her abusive ex-boyfriend. Marco is out on parole and hungry for revenge, blaming her for his ten-year imprisonment. Fearing for her life and that of her young son, Annie reluctantly accepts help from Drake Webber, a cold and wealthy recluse hiding a dark history of his own. Supported by the gang of misfits from their restaurant Riversong, Annie forges ahead despite her growing terror that Marco will appear at any moment and make good on his threats.

Author Tess Thompson reunites the colorful cast of endearing small town characters from her bestselling novel Riversong and takes you on a journey that will renew your faith in love, friendship and the power of community – even in the face of seemingly insurmountable grief and fear. You’ll find yourself once again cheering for the residents of River Valley, especially the big- hearted and compassionate Annie Bell.

Escape with a blend of love, laughter, friendship, suspense and gourmet food while remembering it’s never too late for second chances.


EXCERPT

Two days later, the first Monday she was to start work for Drake Webber, Annie dreamt of a man chasing her down the streets of Los Angeles as she carried baby Alder in her arms. Was it Marco? She couldn’t be sure. At a bump in the sidewalk, she tripped and fell. Blood spilled onto the cement. Then, there was a phone ringing, an old-fashioned ring tone like phones from her childhood.

With a start, she awakened, sitting up in bed, the blankets tangled around her legs and her pajamas soaking wet from perspiration. The ringing continued; it was her cell phone. She’d recently changed the ringtone to that of the old rotary phones. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she reached for the phone on the bedside table. What time was it? Not yet six a.m. Who would be calling this early? It was probably her mother with news of another boyfriend who left her penniless and unable to pay rent. This happened every year or so and Annie always sent money. And her mother always found one more loser to move in with a short time later.

“Hello,” she said, fully prepared to be annoyed that her mother had awakened her so early.

“Tag. I found you.”

Her stomach, like it might during a sudden five-story drop in an elevator, sank below her knees. Marco. His voice was rough, hard—she would recognize it anywhere.

Was she still asleep? Please, God, let this still be my nightmare, she prayed silently.

She trembled, the sweat-soaked pajamas cold on her skin. Her hand twitched, as if in a move to hang up the phone, but he spoke again. “What? Cat got your tongue?” She continued her silence, frozen. “Listen, bitch, I know it’s you. You’re all over the Internet these days.

All you have to do is put your whore name into Google and there’s a dozen articles on you. You’re looking good, especially compared to what a cow you used to be. I’m coming to town. Shouldn’t be hard to find you. And then you’ll pay for what you did to me.”

She dropped the phone like it was hot and stared at it. Then she picked it up and punched the hang-up button before tossing it back on the bed. She folded her knees, wrapping her arms around them and rocking back and forth for several minutes. Oh no, no, no, no, a roar in her head.

Tess Thompson

Tess Thompson is a novelist and playwright with a BFA in Drama from the University of Southern California. Her first novel, Riversong, became a bestselling ebook in 2012, reaching #1 on Nook and spending over a month in Amazon’s Top 100. On May 14 she will release her third novel,
Riverbend, the second book in the River Valley Series. Tess regularly blogs about her journey as a mother, author and friend at www.tesswrites.com.
Like many of the characters in the River Valley series, Tess is from a small town in Oregon. She currently lives in Seattle, Washington with her two young daughters, Emerson and Ella, and their puppy Patches, where she is inspired daily by the view of the Cascade Mountains from her home office window. Tess is working on her fourth novel and regularly blogs about her journey as a mother, author and friend at www.tesswrites.com.
Author Links

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

 

Links to Buy

 **Special** 2 ebooks for only $2.99 (limited time only)*


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Blog Tour: The Long Way by Aaron Redfern


Young Adult
Fantasy/Adventure
Published by BookRix: 5/19/2012

In a move that defies all logic and likelihood, a young boy named Spiff is called upon to carry
out the most important quest that has ever been undertaken. His mission drags him headlong
across the face of the world, through a veritable pantheon of hardships and threats that are at once
chilling and baffling. Along the way he meets dragons and madmen, and learns that the lovable
and the monstrous are two sides of the same coin.

Conceived as a darkly whimsical loose retelling of the Tolkien saga, The Long Way poses the

question that high fantasy rarely cares to ask: Why?

My Review:
Fantasy to the extreme. There is not a lack of imagination used by Aaron Redfern in writing this story. I was blown away by the sheer detail used in bringing the reader into the magical world he has created. 

I loved the pacing in this story. It felt very believable and steady. The characters were plenty and well developed

This is the first in a series and sets up the world and characters very well. I will be interested to see whats in store next! 


Aaron Redfern has been reading and writing fantasy since a time when he could count his age on his fingers. He went to Williams College and studied English, a language in which he was already proficient, and although he learned almost nothing from the English professors, dead poets and novelists taught him a great deal. While at college, he fell thoroughly in love with New England. He has decided never to leave and currently resides near Northampton, Massachusetts.

Aaron has written three novels, including The Long Way and its sequel, The Forgotten Way. His short-fiction titles include Stories About the Rain and Crawl.


LINK TO BUY

PROMO Blitz: Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely



Adult Contemporary Romance (the author describes it as mid-20s Sex and the City vibe)

Sometimes you can't help falling in love, even when you try to do the opposite...Successful fashion blogger McKenna Bell has spent far too long protecting herself after the way her ex-fiancé left her at the altar for a college chick he met the night of his bachelor party. Loving again, trusting again, well, that's just not in the cards. Especially now that her ex is back in town with his new woman, demanding custody of McKenna's favorite creature in the whole world--her dog. No effing way. McKenna's had enough of him, and she decides to even the score by finding her own hot young thing -- a Trophy Husband. Sure, she's only twenty-seven, but doesn't that make it even more fun -- and infuriating to her ex -- to pursue a younger man? When she declares her intentions on her daily blog, her quest quickly skyrockets in popularity, and that's when Chris enters the picture, and he’s got all the assets. He's handsome, successful, and turns her inside out with a kiss to end all kisses, the kind that makes you feel like a shooting star. But loving again could mean losing again, and it's so much easier to focus on getting even, isn't it? Unless, you just can't help falling in love. Which means McKenna will have to come face to face with what she really wants in life -- protecting her heart from hurt, or letting go of her fears of a new beginning.


Purchase Links


EXCERPT

My timing is impeccable.
    I do not want to miss a chance to see Chris walk across the sand, so there’s no reason for me to be on time when I can be early.
    I park on Taraval Street along Ocean Beach, get out of my car, and wait. I try my best to look busy, fiddling with my phone, and checking compartments in my purse, but when Chris appears on the horizon, surfboard in hand, wet suit tucked under his arm, I freeze.
    And then I blush, remembering what he did to me in my mere imagination yesterday. I’m sure he’ll be able to tell, to read it in my eyes. I really should pretend I’m not watching him. But it’s impossible not to. I didn’t look away during that scene in Casino Royale either when Daniel Craig emerged from the water. He wears board shorts, low on his hips, and a pair of flip flops. I watch him as he walks through the sand, closer, closer and there, now I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I would like to lick all those water droplets off his chest and his abs and then run a hand down his body to sear into my memory the feel of that kind of firm outline.
    He’s lickable. He’s kissable. He’s chat-up-able. He’s precisely the type of guy a girl can fall into some kind of crazy crush for. He catches my gaze, and I should be embarrassed, I should act as if I’m not staring, but there’s this fluttery feeling inside me, and I want to hold onto it, especially because he’s looking at me and not letting go either. Those green eyes of his are the definition of dreamy, and if I were a writer, I’d find a way to pen a song about them, how they draw me in, romance me, entice me.
    Soon, he’s mere feet from me, scratched-up surfboard by his side, in all his glistening, ocean-ed up glory. Neither one of us says anything for a few seconds, and it’s the kind of silence that’s filled with unsaid things.
    With wishes, with hopes.
    Mine at least.
    “Hey.”
    “Hi.”
    “Thanks for meeting me here,” he says, as a wet shock of hair falls across his forehead. He pushes it back.
    “Thanks for being a surfer,” I say, then I want to kick myself for sounding so goggly-eyed.
    He flashes me a grin and walks to his car, a sporty red car that I recognize as being one of the newest hybrids. He stows the wetsuit in the trunk, then slides the board into the rack on the roof, stretching his arms to lock the board in place. I picture myself slinking into the narrow space between Chris and the car, the look of surprise on his face, then wicked delight, as he closes the gap between our bodies. He’s warm and wet from surfing and sun, and I’m warm and wet from him, and I imagine him lazily tracing a finger down my arm, enjoying the way the slightest touch sets me ablaze. I’d shift closer, my hips inviting him to become a puzzle piece that locks into place with me.
    I force myself to shutter those images, because they have no bearing to reality.
    He opens the passenger door, reaches inside and hands me a bag with the camera in it.
    “Good as new,” he says.
    “How did you fix it?”
    “I can’t give away all my secrets now, can I?”
    I smile. “I suppose not.”
    “But maybe you’d be willing to tell me your last name now that I’ve fixed your camera.”
    Another smile. Another nervous laugh. “McKenna. McKenna Bell.”
    “Well, thank you for letting me fix the camera your friend’s cat peed on, McKenna Bell.”
    “Maybe if I’m lucky, the cat will pee on my router next.”
     He smiles, then runs a hand through his wet hair. There’s something so effortless about the way he moves, so natural, that I don’t even think he’s aware of the effect he has on women.
    Of the effect he has on me. I want to run my hands down his chiseled chest, exploring the lines between his muscles, the way his stomach is outlined so firmly. I want to know what those arms feel like wrapped around me, pulling me in close. I want his hands on my hips as he teases me and taunts me with sweet kisses on my cheeks, my eyelids, my forehead. Then his tongue flicks across my earlobe, and I gasp with pleasure. He pulls back, a satisfied little grin on his face before he returns to my neck, burning up my skin in an instant with those lips that were made to mark my body.

AUTHOR BIO
Lauren Blakely is an unabashed fan of clever jokes, toast, and good guys in novels. Like the heroine in CAUGHT UP IN US, she thinks life should be filled with movie kisses and coffee drinks. Lauren lives in California with her husband and children, and spends her days writing both true stories and make-believe ones.

Links:

GIVEAWAY

Friday, May 17, 2013

Blog Tour: Blood in the Valley by JK Hogan


Paranormal Romance
Date Published-  5/2/13

The daughter of a Las Vegas hustler, Raven Sabatier grew up trusting nothing and no on  she doesn't even trust herself to stay in one place for longer than a minute. When her quest to find out the secrets of her past leads her to the mountains of North Carolina, she’s set on a collision course with the one man she thought she'd never see again.

In Appalachia consulting on an archeological dig, Anthropologist Dr. Drew Deveraux comes face to face with the indomitable beauty who broke into his apartment a year ago, tilting his carefully cultivated world on its axis.


Engaged in a fight with their demons, both imagined and real, the last thing either of them expected to find was love. Together, they must unravel the mystery of Raven's past and her connection with an ancient race of witches, in order to save their future—and all of the souls hanging in the balance.



My Review:

My Review will be posted later today, Read my Review of Book #1 HERE



BUY LINK



J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them.
J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives on a farm with her husband and young son, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading!
J.K. Hogan is a member of The Romance Writers of America.
Website- http://jkhogan.com
Twitter- www.twitter.com/jk_hogan
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/KristenHDavis?fref=ts

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Blog Tour: Dreamer by Patrick O'Scheen





Fantasy
Date Published: 5/7/13


Two gamers find solace from the troubles of reality in an alternate world filled with dragons. The book has a dual nature both fantasy and reality, two plots and two stories. The main character must deal with illness and alternately with the life of a great red dragon.


My Review:
This is a very imaginative tale about gamers who us an alternate world as their haven. They find solace in the friendship they build. 

I think the two worlds were done well and the contrasts between them were evident. The fantasy world Patrick O'Scheen created is wildly imaginative and descriptive enough to make us feel as though we are seeing it through their eyes. 


LINKS TO BUY




Author Bio
  I don't normally answer questions about my personal history....I'm painfully shy.   Who is Patrick O’Scheen? I ask myself this often. A sailor, a chef, a writer…even I’m uncertain. Patrick O'scheen is a bit of a mystery, even to me. I know that writing is more than an enterprise for me. I’s a calling. Books and stories touch lives like nothing else. I think there is more of me buried in my writing than you will find anywhere else. So who is Patrick O’Scheen…read and find out.

I'm very fond of cats and spaghetti ...not necessarily together.
  
      If I were to rewrite Dreamer, I see all sorts of things that I would do differently. I find all of the errors that escaped the edits. However, it is still a wonderful tale close to my heart. I hope you enjoy.

Contact Links
Facebook Fan Page:     https://www.facebook.com/PatrickOScheen



Blog Tour: The Tale of the Valiant Hero Kenta


Fantasy/Romance/Historical/Action-Adventure
Date Published: March 22, 2013

Kenta Takeyama is a 16 year old martial artist who possesses superhuman  strength and abilities and the Takeyama -ryuu fighting art. He desires to become the most  powerful shogun on the Nikkoujima (Sun Light Islands), as there are much more powerful  men in the world. He lives with his father Tesshin, who trained him in the martial arts, and  his mother Amaya, who is the former princess of a royal family and master fighter; his little  sister Mana, who wants to become a famous play actress and open her own production studio,  as well as his pet bear Kumomori, whom he had since he was 4. Kenta finds that it’s time to  follow his dreams of becoming a great and powerful shogun (using his power to protect people  and build more homes and villages, help the poor and starving, rather than just for pomp and  circumstance. He wants the people to live in peace and prosperity with no fear, as the world is  already entering another age of war. Essentially, he wants to change the country). And so, with  his parents’ permission, he decides to travel to Senkyou to enlist in the military and become  a true samurai warrior. He feels confident that the can do so after going through many trials  and travels through his childhood, and training under the tutelage of his father in his family’s  martial arts styles.
During the first part of the novel, after a little love fiasco with his childhood friend  Yumine who has a crush on him and sparring with some buddies, he travels the lush and vibrant  island and helps many different people out. As Kenta reaches Senkyou, he meets new rivals  and friends, such as Natsumi, a new love interest and Hayate, a mysterious ninja who wants  to raise up his own organization of ninja mercenaries. During basic training, he discovers that  the capital is being attacked by powerful youkai. The powerful beasts appear and disappear in  a flash, even the temple priests are having trouble. Does the Great Tengu King of the Gogonji mountain territory  know anything about these attacks? Do our heroes stand a chance against  these swift and powerful foes?  What is the reasoning behind all of this carnage?


My Review:

I can really see this being a hit with adolescent and teen boys or anyone who has had any kind of karate/martial arts training. The vast knowledge and detail that Ezra Johan Jacobs brings to this story is amazing. I was blown away with how descriptive the action was. Even myself, having no experience in martial arts, I was able to visualize the scenes thanks to his great detail. 

The main character is a heroic, brave, and easily likable guy. You become consumed in his journey and root for him the entire way through. The plot moves smoothly and may seem to drag in parts, but I think it really lends to the description. 

BUY LINK
Amazon