Blog Tour ~ Firebird by Jennifer Loring

Book Title: Firebird Author: Jennifer Loring Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: October 20, 2015 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Stephanie Hartwell is a journalist chasing the story of her career...

When superstar hockey player and notorious bad boy Aleksandr Volynsky is traded to the Seattle Earthquakes in a blockbuster deal, Stephanie demands the opportunity to prove herself by scoring an exclusive interview with a man with no love for the media...the same man she once though, as a naive teenager, she'd someday marry. An Olympian and Stanley Cup Champion, Aleksandr has achieved every goal he's ever set... Now expected to carry a failing team on his shoulders, Aleksandr's troubles deepen when he encounters Stephanie after a season-opening loss. His lifestyle of drinking and random hookups has been a futile attempt to forget the beautiful tomboy who stole his heart nine years ago. And worse, fame and fortune have made it impossible for him to trust anyone--especially Stephanie, who is engaged to another man. Romance rekindles, but tragedy reveals Aleksandr's dark side... Being with Aleksandr in the first place jeopardizes Stephanie's journalistic integrity and threatens her career, and when he spirals out of control, it reawakens fears from her own history, making her unable to commit to a future with him. When Aleksandr discovers the truth behind his self-destructive behavior, will his newfound self-awareness be enough to convince Stephanie to give him one last chance...

Stephanie Hartwell marched into her editor-in-chief’s office, flung the door shut, and slammed her stained coffee mug on his desk. “No. Give me that story, Dave. Those assholes out there have had the chance to prove themselves. A million chances. I didn’t go to USC to write theater reviews.”

Dave failed to suppress a smile. “Nothing personal, Steph. The Volynsky trade is a big deal, and I need someone familiar with Seattle sports to cover it.”

The veins in her neck throbbed, and a flush burned her face. She’d never been good at controlling her emotions, especially anger. Especially when he was underestimating her because she had tits. “I’ve been here three years. You want experienced? Volynsky has played all eighty-two games for the past four seasons. Eighty points or higher in each of those seasons. Leads the league in shots on goal and is top ten in assists. He’s a plus-three, plays at least twenty-one minutes a game, and averages forty-eight goals per season. Shall I go on?”

Dave’s eyebrows inched toward his receding hairline.

“You know what they call me behind my back, Dave? ‘Puck bunny’. I played hockey most of my life. I know the game. You show me a puck bunny that does.” She stabbed her finger at him. “Give me the story.”

“All right, all right, Jesus.” Dave waved his palms at her like two white flags. He clacked out what she presumed was a follow-up email relieving Shawn of his Volynsky duties. Stephanie tensed in a preemptive, involuntary defensive posture to the expected verbal onslaught once she left Dave’s office.

“How do you know all this, anyway?”

“Would you ask any of the guys that?”

“Not everything is an attack on you, Steph. I’m on your side. I know you feel like you have to be better than everyone just to be considered average.”

Stephanie let her shoulders sink and her fingers uncurl. The muscles in her neck ached. She expelled a long breath and shifted her gaze to the window’s view of Puget Sound. The past compromised her objectivity, but it would not compromise her job.

“Steph? You still with me?”

“Yeah. Sorry. Just thinking of the right lead.”

“That’s why you’re the best. Okay, the season opener is tomorrow night. You’re on it. Get him to agree to an exclusive story. I’ll see what I can do on my end. Rumor has it he’s difficult.”

She’d heard all the stories. Everyone had. The hard-drinking, womanizing bad boy. A modern-day Derek Sanderson and stereotypical star athlete, feeding rising public disgust with pro sports salaries, personal conduct, and Seattle’s own taxpayer-funded three-hundred-fifty-million-dollar Amazon Arena. The Seattle Earthquakes had struggled from day one two years ago, in a market with an inexplicable lack of hockey fans, fewer than even Arizona or Florida. Giving away the farm for Volynsky—eight years, ninety-two million dollars, and two top prospects—volatile as he was, became a last-ditch effort to avoid the fates of the Predators, Coyotes, and Panthers, all relocated to Canada.

“I deal with bullshit from entitled man-children every day. I can handle him.” She’d done it before. In another life, when he’d been someone else.

Dave chuckled and shook his head. “I almost feel sorry for him. Now go. Do me proud.”

“You got it.” Stephanie plucked her mug from his desk and left the office. Her spine stiffened when she saw Shawn glaring at her over the long table, lined with computers on either side, at which the staff worked. No privacy unless she earned her coveted promotion and an office.

“We all know why you wanted that story.” His gaze landed on her chest, which wasn’t large, and she crossed her arms. The mug dangled from her fingertips. She stifled the urge to smash it over his head. That was all the ammo he’d need to prove he’d been right all along. She was too irrational, too emotional, to handle the job.

Too female.

“Oh? Do tell me, Shawn. I mean, we’ve had so many deep, meaningful conversations. It couldn’t possibly be because I played hockey from age five until I graduated from college, and still play adult league.” She lifted her chin and drilled her stare into him, hoping his head would explode Scanners-style. “Why don’t you spend less time worrying about me and more time figuring out why you’re such a whiny, self-absorbed, spoiled little shit?”

A chorus of chuckles and “oohs” rose from the table. Shawn’s jaw muscles tightened, his eyes like an overcast day on the lake, reflecting her hatred back at her.

“Bitch,” he muttered as she walked away. Her back to him, she pretended to let the word roll off her like a raindrop, unimportant and unworthy of her attention. She slid into her chair, furious when tears pricked her eyes. She distracted herself with the mail left beside her monitor during her meeting. The latest People, their “One Hundred Most Beautiful” issue. Mindless eye candy. Just what she needed. She opened the magazine and skimmed the list.

Her heart stopped, skipped, restarted.

Number ninety-eight.

Aleksandr Volynsky: With his GQ looks and killer body, this twenty-five-year-old power forward has been setting the NHL on fire for seven seasons already. The six-foot-five Russian stud, as notorious for his off-ice antics as for his puck-handling skills, is surprisingly coy about his love life. “There is someone, yes,” he says. “We’re just not in the same place right now.”

Naked from the waist up and clad in his hockey gear from the waist down, holding his stick in his right hand. They’d Photoshopped the scar on his right cheek, where four years ago an errant puck had split his face open, broken his jaw, and shattered several of his teeth.

God, he was beautiful.

Firebird (Book One) from JenniferLoring on 8tracks Radio.

Jennifer Loring's short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, webzines, and anthologies. In 2013, she won Crystal Lake Publishing's inaugural Tales from the Lake writing competition; in 2014, DarkFuse published her novella Conduits, and in May 2015, Omnium Gatherum released her debut novel, Those of My Kind. Jennifer holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction and is a member of the Horror Writers Association as well as the International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband, a turtle, and two basset hounds and is at work on the sequel to Firebird.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Review ~ The Fall Up by Aly Martinez

eARC received via the tour company in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 26th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
I wanted to jump.
He made me fall.

As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.

Until he found me.

Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.

But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.

Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?

Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.

My Opinion

I didn't know what to expect from this book. In fact I spent around fifteen minutes staring at the cover because it played with my head. I also nearly didn't read it because of the bad experience with the tour company. However, I didn't think it fair to punish the author for something she didn't control and I'm glad I didn't.

The Fall Up was an intriguing and captivating read. Although it deals with serious subjects such as suicide, depression, and over working one's self, it didn't feel heavy. There were some moving moments, but I think the author did a good job of balancing these with humour. The Fall Up both tugged on my hearts strings and made my smile.

I thought the characters were also engaging and easy to relate to. I'm glad the author didn't go down the route of spoiled, arrogant pop star. I found Levee to be a down to earth and caring person. She cared to the point it damaged her own health. It was refreshing for a book with links to the music industry.

Similarly, I thought Sam complimented her perfectly. With her comedic phrases, sweet heart, and stubborn personality he was just what Levee needed. He kept her in line and was an all round sweet guy I could easily fall for. The passion between them was also hot and it lead to some steamy scenes that broke up the tension in the book well.

The only thing I wanted more of was Levee's back story. It needed fleshing out more.

Overall this book surprised me. I didn't really know what to expect, but it was a book that dealt with serious issues, but made it feel more like an uplifting story rather than a depressing one. I'd definitely recommend it.

4.5

Review ~ His Lullaby Baby (The Baby Saga, #5) by Airicka Phoenix

eARC received via the author in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 16th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Nothing ever happens by accident.

Ex-combat search and rescue officer Toby McClain had seen all aspects of humanity in his ten years of service until friendly fire took him out of action. But bitterness was something Toby could never do. He was alive. He had his family and, after being ambushed by a door, he had his eyes on the sexy new innkeeper.

Adelaide Nixon had felt the burn of love once already. It was a mistake that cost her six years of her life. It was a punishment she never wanted to feel again, especially when there were two little people who depended on her to keep them safe. The last thing she wanted or needed was the attention of a guy whose family kept the gossip mills turning.

But no secret ever stays hidden in a place like Willow Creek. Even as Toby breaks through Addy’s walls, a new threat comes to town, leaving her no choice but to put more than her heart in Toby’s hands and trust him not to destroy her.

My Opinion

I have no idea what it is about this series that has captivated me and kept me coming back for more. In theory I should hate it because of the kid angle. I'm not a fan of small towns who are up in everyone's business, young children, and relationships between parents. However, in this series each book is more endearing than the next and so I've been excited to read His Lullaby Baby.

Just like all of the other books in this series it held my interest and had me unable to put it down. It was a cute read that although has its tough moments, was mostly a heart-warming read of a woman overcoming her past and learning to love.

I admired Addy. Although her past is a little predictable, she's a hard character not to like--and so were her kids. Their little family was isolated until Toby enters their life and turns it upside down. I like that even then she still wanted to do things for herself and not take advantage of him or his family.

Similarly, I enjoyed reading Toby's persistence. He slowly broke down Addy's walls and gained her trust. Just like all of the other guys in his family he had a good heart and was an all round good guy. I will admit it took me until around 20% to remember who he was. The McClain's family tree is confusing as hell, but I got there in the end...I think. Just don't ask me to explain it, you're on your own for that.

As for the story, it's a heart-warming read. Some of it is predictable, but it's a gentle book that I got swept up in. The whole life of the town, closeness of the family, and tightness of the relationships drew me in.

Overall another great instalment. If you like sweet reads you'll want to check this series out.

 4.5

Blog Tour ARC Review ~ Playing with Seduction (The Players Club Book 3) by Erika Wilde

eARC received via a tour company in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 19th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Kendall Shaw loves her job as a boudoir photographer. When she enlists hot, gorgeous, 100% alpha male, Jase Burns for a custom photo shoot for a romance novel cover, she quickly discovers that he only took the job to get close to her. But her painful divorce has made her wary of men, and especially one who is eight years younger than she is.

The moment Jase sets his sights on beautiful, sexy Kendall, he wants her. Despite their mutual attraction, she's rejected his every advance. But Jase loves a good challenge, and one steamy, seductive night at The Players Club changes everything between them.

Kendall has never experienced such overwhelming passion, or been pursued so tenaciously. Jase is addicting, in every way, and she soon finds herself falling for a man who doesn't fit into her ideal future.

Can Jase convince Kendall to let go of her past and take a risk on a second chance at love—with him? 

My Opinion

This was another great continuation of the characters in this series. It felt like a shorter read than the rest of the books, but it was just as enjoyable.

Playing With Seduction held my interest well. It was a quick easy read with plenty of passion and I couldn't put it down. I thought it was sweeter than the rest of the book and slightly more tame with the sex scenes. However, that's not me saying it was a bad thing.

Jace just felt like a good guy. I believed in his emotions for Kendall and that he genuinely cared for her. He also had a dirty side though and it felt like he was in control. Similarly, I understood Kendall's reasoning for everything. She wanted stability and a family she'd been denied, but she couldn't ignore the spark with Jace.

This plot does move quickly. There is an element of insta-love and insta-lust about it, but it's an easy read to get lost in. It was an enjoyable read, although I didn't want slightly more drama and more pages.

Overall a great continuation and I'll be looking for more by this author.

4

Review ~ WANT by Emma Rider

ebook received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 14th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Savage in the cage. Savage in the bedroom.

Powerful. Brutal. Mixed Martial Artist, Ryland “The Savage” Cole doesn’t play by the rules. He wants it. He takes it. And he wants Jade.

Professional cuddler Jade has not only been hurt but also deceived by the one she once loved. She’s not going to make a mistake again by giving her heart to a man. Especially since she’s now free.

When a motorcycle club threatens her best friend, she puts her life on the line in order to save him, but in order to do that, she must spend every night in Ryland’s arms. 

My Opinion

As many of you who follow my reviews know, I have a high standard when it comes to fighter romances. Having read so many, I know what I like and what I don't. However, I can't get enough of them and the biker twist the blurb hinted at in this book intrigued me further.

I will admit that Want had a rocky start. The writing was a bit confusing and it wasn't very clear what was going on. It felt like the author was trying to keep back certain information to create mystery, but the answers are in the blurb so it wasn't necessary.

Anyway, of course that made me wary as I continued, but I was pleased to find it soon picked up and got better as it went on. When Ryland started changing the game things became interesting and I liked the tension and spark between him and Jade.

With regards to the characters in general, I liked Ryland. He was the typical alpha/caveman fighter who fought for what he wanted in and out of the ring. He didn't always use words, but his actions were hot. As for Jade, she was feisty. I'm not sure I connected with her fully, but I liked her enough to care what happened. I enjoyed her stubbornness and the reactions it provoked from Ryland. She was unconventional, but I believed in her.

The one thing I'm not totally convinced about is the ending. I get what the author was trying to do, but it all seemed a little unbelievable. I needed more details for me to buy into it because I was left asking too many questions. <spoiler> How did Ryland know where she was? Why did Maverick help? What was in it for him? Where did Ryland get all of the gear? How did a bullet only gaze her of it was pressed right against her head? </spoiler>

As you can see things just didn't add up for me. Up until that point I was really enjoying the book, but I did roll my eyes at this. I think it would have been better without all of the guns and gangs. It was too over the top and out of nowhere.

Overall though the majority of this book was a good read. I thought the author did a good job with the MMA side of things and the chemistry between characters was interesting to watch develop.

3.5

Blog Tour Review ~ Roped In (Armed and Dangerous 2) by L.P Dover

Title: Roped In

Series: Armed and Dangerous

Author: L.P. Dover

Genre: Romantic Suspense Stand Alone

Release Date: October 19, 2015

Photo by: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design and Photography

Who says a wild heart can’t be tamed?

For years, I lived for the job and let it control me. Violence was all I knew. I protected, killed, and served. My name is Blake Evans, one of the best undercover cops in the country. I thought I was about to live a quiet life on my ranch in Wyoming until an old friend showed up and changed everything. He brought me her, Hadley Rivers, country music sensation and the one woman I couldn't have. I didn't want her but she had me completely roped in.

My job is to protect her, to keep her away from some psycho who wants her for himself. However, there's more to her story than I was led to believe. I promised to keep her safe and I won't back down . . . even if I have to die trying. I can't let him have her.

My Review

Sigh ... She's done it again.

I'm not usually a fan of cowboy romances, but I could read about LP's characters non-stop. I seriously don't think there's a type of male lead she could write about I wouldn't love.

Although I was hesitant about Roped In because of the cowboy element, I think it's in the top 5 of my favourite books by LP. Her fighters will always hold the top spot, but Blake was a good match for them especially with the undercover cop element. He was strong, sexy, in control, and moved from a jackass to a sweet but possessive alpha male. I enjoyed watching him come to terms with his feelings for Hadley and in turn how they were drawn together. I thought it was a well paced romance that kept me entertained. I especially loved bet, but you'll have to read Roped In to find out what that's about.

As for the story, it kept me engaged and I had to read it in one sitting. In a way I wish this author would make her books less thrilling because they're over within a day and I can't get enough. Her writing is just brilliant. Sure, there are times in the story where you know what's going to happen ahead of time, but I never quite figured it all out for once. There were some surprising twists.

I won't say anymore, you'll just have to read this book for yourself. I love LP's work and can't recommend her highly enough. Any book by her will entertain you and her male characters are second to none. Now to try and wait patiently for the next release.

5

Review ~ Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills

ebook purchased by myself.

Release Date: October 12th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
A scarred fighter.
A girl with rules.
One night of unbridled passion.
There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more.

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

*a modern love story inspired by Pride and Prejudice*

 

My Opinion

I won't lie, I bought this book for the cover alone. Because, seriously? It's a great cover. When I found out it had links to fighting I was even more excited. I was also intrigued by the British element, however, I'm really not sure what to make of Dirty English now.

Parts of this book were great and then parts really irritated me. I think I wanted to like it more than I did. It was okayfor the most part, but I have read better in this genre.

This book started off strong. It did pull me in and you instantly feel sympathy towards Elizabeth. Similarly, Declan is intriguing when he first comes on the scene and I did like their romance. When the couple were together things were intense and there was a spark.

However, for me, I didn't fall in love with the writing style. At times it felt very wooden and stilted, while at others there were major over shares. For a guy who's supposedly as strong as Declan he sure spilled his guts quickly about his parents and the likes of. I didn't find that very believable and it left little room for development.

Similarly, although Elizabeth was a little more reserved, she also cracked too easy. None of the issues felt like a big deal. They just blurted them out and if it was me I'd be more wary of a stranger if I supposedly had rules about fighters, drunks, and good looking men.

The other problem I had was the stereotypical British language. For God's sake, not everyone in the UK talks like Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones!! Yes, us Brits use 'bloody' and 'bollocks' but they are not the only words we use. I also detest the word shag and in twenty-one years I can honestly say I've never heard one Brit use it unless they were in a movie. It drives me insane when American authors dump every stereotype in a book. I understand the need to make a distinction, but the are hundreds of accent in the UK and the stereotypes needed to be used with caution and sparingly. It made Declan sound like a posh twat and didn't fit with his character.

Overall this was an okay read. I think I expected too much going in and it didn't meet the level of standard I have for fighter romances. I'm not sure I'll read more by this author since this is the second book I've read and not totally connected with.

2.5

ARC Review ~ Double Down (Cassidy Jones #1) by Victoria Pratt

eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 26th 2015

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Description:

She’s catching bad guys–one lap dance at a time…

Small-town-girl turned big-city-cop Cassidy Jones, is a fast-driving, sharp-shooting, man-loving ball buster with a loud laugh and boundary issues. She’s also really great at her job–a fact that is completely irrelevant to the good ol’ boys at the station.

When a local mobster ends up dead, Cassidy is on the case. Unfortunately, if she wants to catch the killer, she’s going to have to do it in a G-string and five-inch heels. Oh, and there’s the little problem that she’s fallen hard for the mobster’s brother, who might also be a murder suspect.

Cassidy has to save her man and her reputation or risk losing it all.

My Opinion

Ugh ... I really should have given up on this book when I first started to lose interest. Sadly, I continued with the hope it would pick up or the reveal would redeem it. Needless to say it didn't.

The cover and blurb were what intrigued me into reading Double Down. It sounded like it would be an action-packed, edge of your seat read with a forbidden romance thrown in. However, I think the blurb greatly oversold it and was slightly misleading as this book didn't live up to any of that.

For one, Cassidy only gets up on stage once. Sure she has a series of slutty outfits, but the implication that she has to strip to solve the case isn't delivered upon. Secondly, where the hell was the romance? It was a feeble, wet relationship that didn't have any spark. There wasn't even much interaction between Cassidy and Lorenzo. It was definitely the biggest disappointment.

As for the actual plot, I was bored. Something with the writing didn't mesh with me. I found the whole plot to be too easy. For an undercover cop, Cassidy sure took a lot of risks that could have blown her cover. I'd have thought someone investigating ex-mafia would have been a little more careful, especially with her questions. She sounded like a cop the whole way through and I found it really unbelievable that no one wondered why she was so interested. The twist/murderer was also predictable. I read on hoping I was wrong, yet I was just left disappointed.

Overall, this read was a big let down for me. I wish I'd stopped reading at 30%. For a romance publisher, I expected more.

1.5

ARC Review ~ A Friendly Arrangement (Friends First, #2) by Christine Warner

eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 26th 2015

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Description:
What happens when your plus one becomes "the one"?

Holly Haggerty and Roth Esterly are two besties with everything in common--they're neighbors, career-driven, and commitment-phobes. Tired of always being set up on dates by well-meaning friends and family, they take matters into their own hands: they will be the other's plus one--a little friendly arrangement between friends.

Easy…until a steamy night where they cross the line. But that's okay, they'll add an addendum--one that includes a little action between the sheets…on top of the sheets…and without the sheets. But there are rules. Dating and sex are exclusive until one of them decides to terminate the agreement. No slumber parties. And if either party becomes emotionally involved they will break things off with no hard feelings.

When unexpected news changes their plans and turns their fun arrangement into something more serious, Holly and Roth must come to terms with what's more important--what they thought they wanted, or what they really need.

My Opinion

This was a very different read to what I was expecting... Generally, I like reads from this publisher. However, this one missed the mark for me and for that reason I'm not going to go into too much detail.

The main thing I struggled with in A Friendly Arrangement was so it was cheesy. The entire relationship and conversations were over the top and had me cringing at times. It didn't feel natural. I wanted to like Roth and Holly but then they'd go and say something stupid. They also felt very immature and childish in their interactions.

Moreover, I didn't really fall in love with the story. I normally like the friend to relationship trope, but this one didn't work for me. I found myself skimming a lot. It was predictable and there wasn't much depth to it. Everything was summed up in large info dumps and I felt very little chemistry between the characters because of it.

Overall if you like your romances on the cheesy side you may enjoy this but it wasn't for me.

2

Blog Tour Review ~ Touch Me Not (Manwhore, #1) by Apryl Baker

eARC received via a tour company in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: September 22nd 2015

Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC

Description:
A past tragedy has left Lily Holmes burdened with a devastating secret… 

Since the death of her twin sister, Lily can’t bear to be touched. Not accidentally, not casually…and certainly not intimately. This makes it impossible for her to confess to her best friend Adam Roberts that she’s in love with him. She can’t give him the sort of relationship he needs, so she watches in silence while he plans his wedding with someone else.

Enter Nikoli Kinkaid, the campus manwhore…

 Nikoli is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of women, and he wants to add Lily to his list of conquests, but she wants nothing to do with him—until he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. He’ll teach her to enjoy human contact again, giving her a chance to win over Adam, while Nikoli uses all his considerable charm to seduce her.

But Lily raises the stakes…
 
Lily loves cars. Her late father was a racer, and she grew up under the hood of a car and on the racetrack. Nikoli has a limited edition 1970 Plymouth Barracuda she covets, so she informs him the terms of their deal also require he not sleep with anyone for six months. If he does, she’ll win the car. If she surrenders and ends up in his bed, his beloved ’Cuda is his to keep.

In an intricate dance of control and surrender, a reluctant friendship becomes something more. Lily begins to crave things she never believed she could, and Nikoli realizes there is more at stake than his reputation.

If Lily overcomes her phobia, will she crave Adam’s touch as she’s starting to crave Nikoli’s? Or will she only find pleasure from the touch of a semi-reformed manwhore?

My Opinion

Although I've seen this author around social media a lot, this is the first book I've read by her. Her other genres aren't really my thing, but I was intrigued to see how she'd cope with the move to a NA romance. I didn't know what to expect, but I definitely didn't expect what I got.

Touch Me Not was just one of those reads that drew me in and refused to let me put it down. I seriously stopped a lot of work that needed to be done and am going to have to spend tomorrow playing catch up. It was a sweet, endearing read and I felt for the characters every step of the way.

I thought the concept and Lily's problems were different. I liked her growth and thought it was believable. She was one of those heroines you can't help but love. She was sweet, slightly nerdy, yet held her own. She stood up for herself and wasn't afraid to be her true self. For that I respected her. Similarly I liked the games she played with Nik. I felt and believed in the connection between them both, and I thought the relationship was crafted well. I liked Nik's development and the kinder side I saw to him around Lily. He won me over and that slight hint of dominance gave him a little extra edge to balance out his good side.

As for the story, for the majority I really liked. I fell in love with the romance and characters and didn't what the book to end. There was only one issue I had, which is why this isn't a five star read for me, and that was the ending. The serial killer plot thread felt a bit out of place to me. I don't know if this is going to be a series, but I didn't feel it added anything. I won't give away the ending either but it felt a bit random to me. I had a gut feeling something was going to happen but the motives were so out of the blue it confused me slightly. When combined with the killer hints I just don't think it worked. For me it needed to be one or the other.

Overall though I really enjoyed this book. You wouldn't be able to tell this is the author's first time writing in this genre if you didn't already know. The story is well executed, put a smile on my face, and also tugged at my heart strings.

4.5

ARC Review ~ The Art of Seduction by Lorraine Wilson

eARC received via the author in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 15th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Laura Baker has a plan. She's going to make Jack McClaren, bad boy of the art world, face up to his responsibilities. Jack has a plan, to track down his elusive creative spark. When Laura ambushes him he's found it. Now to light the fuse, sit back and enjoy the fireworks...
"If you love a sexy, sizzling book that packs an emotional punch, you've just found your perfect next read. Five sparkly stars from me." Kitty French, USA Today Bestselling Author.

Laura:
'I live in London and work in a florists, though I do a bit of waitressing in the evenings as well, to make some extra money. With the mess my sister Sophie has got into we're going to need every penny and it's not like I can rely on Mum or Dad to help out.
It was through the waitressing temp job I finally found a way to turn things around, to make things right for my little sister. Going through the proper channels got me nowhere so I had to get...creative. The laws of right and wrong apply to everyone, or at least they should do. I admit Jack McClaren is super hot, after all I'm not blind, but he stands for all the things I despise - he's feckless and irresponsible and it's time someone made him pay. That someone is going to be me.'

Jack:
'I should be in a great place right now, commissions have made me rich and critics have named me as one of the greatest portrait painters of the twenty first century. Apparently I'm the 'bad boy of the art-world', or so my publicist would have you believe. But I've got a problem, my creative spark is ominously absent, it's been AWOL for a while. I'm busy procrastinating when Laura rockets into my life, bringing the elusive spark of inspiration with her. Sounds good, yes? Right up to the point when she opens her mouth and what she says...well, let's just say her accusation leaves me reeling. It's not long though before I realise I can turn the situation to my advantage. Seduction is an art and I've been told I'm a skilled artist in more ways than one. I'm all for taking opportunities to perfect my art. With Laura my plan is simple - light the fuse and then sit back and enjoy the fireworks.'

My Opinion

As most of you who follow my reviews will know, I love Lorraine Wilson's Chalet Girl series. They're sweet, short reads with just the right amount of cheesy to put a smile on my face and get me in the mood for winter. Therefore I was excited to follow this author as she ventured into self-publishing.

The Art of Seduction comes with everything I've grown to love about this author. Although it's longer than her previous novellas, it's still a short read I breezed through. It's a cute book and one that held my attention well. The writing was easy to follow and it flowed to create a simple story that immersed me in the art world.

I especially liked the art theme. I'm a very creative person who's always painting or doing some kind of craft, so I enjoyed the world the author created. It was a little different to other books I've read and it made for an interesting relationship with artist and muse.

As for the Jack and Laura, although I didn't think there was as much chemistry as in this author's others work, I did engage with them. Things didn't delve too deeply into a back story and there was probably more emotion and plot that could have been included, but like I said it was short and easy. It was what I needed for the day I was having.

Overall, her Chalet Girls are still my favourite, but this was a good read.

4

Review ~ Bait (Wake #1) by M. Mabie

ebook downloaded via Amazon for free.
  Release Date: October 13th 2014

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
He was trouble from the start, but I couldn't resist.
She was the best kind of trouble. The kind that was so wrong, it felt right.

I’ve tried and failed to stay away from him.
I’ve done everything in my power to make her mine and keep her.

He’s almost impossible to say no to.
She never tells me yes.

We’re always fighting.
When we’re not fighting, we’re… well… making up.

He makes me laugh so hard.
I miss her laugh the most.

I'm a liar.
She knows the truth, but won’t admit it.

Sometimes, I wish I'd never met him.
I wish we could meet all over again. I'd do better.

His girlfriend knows.
The guy she’s with is a fool.

I’ll never love anyone like I love him.
She doesn’t love me enough to choose us.

It was the wrong place.
It was the wrong time.

It should have been him.
It will always be her.

This book contains adult situations and is recommended for adult readers.

My Opinion

I'm going to keep this short.

Reads about cheating aren't usually my thing, especially when that's the entire plot. However, this author is attending a signing I'm going to and Bait was free so I thought I'd give it a go.

Whilst I ended up reading until the end, this wasn't a book I could love. Something about it made me read on--it reminded me of a car crash, you know what's coming and you know you're not going to like it but you look anyway. That's the feeling Bait gave me.

I couldn't root for the love interest between Casey and Blake, and I couldn't like Blake. To me she was a selfish asshole with no backbone. I can handle small cheating, but Blake never grew. She was weak in my eyes and the whole thing went on way too long. You don't hear much about Grant, yet you still feel for him. He was the only character I felt anything for. It was all kind of twisted and a hard book to like for that reason. I can't root for a main character who does what Blake does.

Overall, it's one of those reads I kept reading out of morbid curiosity. I couldn't like the characters or the situation, but the writing was good.

2

Cover Reveal ~ Not Enough by Mia Hoddell

Not Enough

by Mia Hoddell

Genre Upper YA/NA Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 16th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

Neve Colvin isn’t good enough. As an introvert, her life is a never-ending list of labels and criticism. Pressures to change come from everyone—including the one person she thought would love her unconditionally … her mother. All Neve wants is acceptance, but surrounded by extroverts it’s a wish that’s nearly impossible to fulfil.

For Neve there’s only one solution: anyone disapproving must go. Even if it means only one person will remain.

That person is her lifelong friend Blake Reynolds. He’s seen the fights with her mum, the breakdowns caused by attacks on her personality, and the battles for acceptance. Each time she is left shattered and questioning who she is, he’s the one to collect the pieces of her broken heart. Shielding her from the cruelty is his only concern. But how can he protect her when Neve is concealing a secret so dark?

Blake thinks he knows everything about her, and with their relationship developing, he assumes Neve trusts him fully. However, there is one memory Neve is too ashamed of to share. Revealing it will test Blake’s loyalty beyond what she could ever ask, and Blake is the only friend she can’t afford to lose. He’s the one person capable of dragging her from the darkness plaguing her, but with pressures to conform increasing, even Blake may not be enough to pull her back this time.

Add to Goodreads

 Buy:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo 

About the Author
Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading, loves anything paranormal or romantic, and has an overactive imagination that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning. 

By the age of nineteen, Mia had published nine books, including the Elemental Killers series and the Seasons of Change series. Since then, her books have charted on numerous Amazon Bestseller Lists, and she has also had poems published in many anthologies. With an ever growing list of ideas, Mia continues to create fictional worlds through her writing, and is trying to keep up with the speed at which her imagination generates them.

She also designs book covers and banners on her website M Designs 

Author Links:

Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Google+  |  Amazon