Giveaway Hop: Jumping Genres in June

Hello readers! I'm excited to be part of this giveaway hop because it reminds me to try other genres. Do you ever feel your stories are too similar and have no enthusiasm to read?  One way to cure a book slump is to switch genres! This giveaway is hosted by StuckInBooks. You can find the complete list of participating blogs by clicking HERE.

I rarely read Historical Fiction (with romance, of course!) but every time I do, I love it.  Here are a couple of examples of books I loved in this genre and I'll be giving away a copy of both, so be sure to scroll down to the bottom for a chance to enter and win! This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

Publication Date: September 25th 2012 by Ballantine Books

About the book:

Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.

Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

Publication Date: October 2nd 2007 by St. Martin's Paperback

About the book:

Their lives defy convention.

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Their desire consumes them both.

Wealthy beyond most men’s dreams, Cam has tired of society’s petty restrictions and longs to return to his “uncivilized” Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship—but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter…

A copy of Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks & a copy of Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas to one lucky Waves of Fiction follower.  The giveaway is International as long as The Book Depository ships to your country. Click HERE to see a complete list. I can give an e-Copy if you prefer to US Residents only through US Amazon or US Barnes & Noble.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows

Honor Reclaimed (Hornet #2) by Tonya Burrows

Publication Date: May 27th 2014 by Entangled Select

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About the book:

Former Marine sniper Seth Harlan is determined to prove that he can still do his job despite his ongoing battle with PTSD. When an old friend contacts HORNET to rescue a black ops soldier, Seth's stability is strained. He knows all too well what it's like to rot inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. And he's not about to leave a man behind.

Photojournalist Phoebe Leighton just stumbled into the middle of an arms deal. Teaming up with a ragtag team of mercenaries is the last thing she wants to do--especially when she realizes Seth Harlan is assigned to the mission. He may ignite a passion in her she thought long dead, but Phoebe's hiding a secret that could destroy him.

With a bomb in the mix, HORNET's mission is suddenly about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of the team struggle to stop a ruthless warlord bent on power, revenge...and death.

My Thoughts:

Honor Reclaimed is romantic suspense at its best: thrilling, sexy and fast paced. Seth Harlen’s story was emotional, moving and heartbreaking at times.

Seth is suffering from PTSD after being held captive and tortured as a POW for fifteen months. Nightmares and terrifying memories haunt him and Seth no longer feels human even two years after his ordeal.

“Are you…okay?”

He laughed, but it was a nasty sound.

“I’ll never be okay again.”

He’s discharged from the Marines but has signed on with the private security team, HORNET, as a sniper.  The rest of his team members don’t think he’s ready for a live mission, but the XO continues to support him when Seth isn’t even sure himself.  When Greer Wilde comes to HORNET for help extracting a friend and soldier, Sergeant Zak Hendricks, taken in Afghanistan, Seth must go back to the very place he was captured sending him spiraling into panic. Can he hold it together and not endanger the mission? He hopes so, because no one should be left to suffer the atrocities he did.

Phoebe Leighton used to be a cutthroat photojournalist going for whatever sensational story would up her ratings until her story dragged a Marine’s name through the mud. A man who never deserved the accusations and innuendo she inadvertently brought upon him.  After that Phoebe quit her job, changed her name and went about trying to redeem herself by using her photos and stories to advocate for women’s rights or other worthy stories.  Little does she know that her current project will lead her directly to the very man she wronged, Seth Harlan. 

Seth’s experience was seriously heartbreaking and I have no idea how someone could cope with those memories weighing on them. My heart went out to this brave survivor!  Seth screws up test missions for HORNET, and is so fragile I was worried he’d freeze up in Afghanistan, and it was a huge test for him. It turns out Seth was tougher than he even imagined, and his experience was an invaluable aid to HORNET’s mission to save Zak. Phoebe’s care and compassion went a long way in calming him.  Plus, her presence awakened desires and emotions he thought he’d never have again. 

Nothing could break her, and with that knowledge came a strange sense of peace. There was no way he could damage this woman or corrupt her with his darkness. And maybe…Was it possible the unbreakable had the ability to fix the broken? Christ with the way a simple touch from her lit him up, he almost believed it.

I immediately felt for Phoebe because who hasn’t made mistakes they regret? She didn’t realize the damage her article would cause until it was too late.  Working with Seth and seeing the emotional turmoil he goes through on a daily basis guts Phoebe and she can help but admire his honor and strength.  Seth is completely gorgeous (Tonya's casting pick), all male, hard body with intense blue eyes, so that combined with his beautiful soul makes it impossible for Phoebe not to fall head over heels for him.  She knows that once Seth finds out exactly who she is her heart is destined for one gigantic break. Still, she can’t help the powerful feelings Seth inspires.

The romance was absolutely lovely, a slow burn with a little ache thrown in, and oodles of chemistry, leading to steamy and intense sexy times! But the romance aside, this story was a complete thrill ride, filled with action and nail biting tension!  I was on the edge of my seat and stayed up much later than I planned just to finish.  The pages flew by and I read this in one sitting. If you enjoy romantic suspense Tonya Burrows is a total recommend!

4.5 Suns

The HORNET Series:

(click on cover for Goodreads link)

   

Wilde Security Series:

(click on cover for Goodreads link)

   

Connect with Tonya Burrows:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: The Raven by Sylvain Reynard

We here at waves are huge fans of Sylvain Reynard.  And we are so excited to be part of the cover reveal for this gorgeous cover of his highly anticipated new novel - The Raven!

The Raven 

by Sylvain Reynard

Blurb: 

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery…

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…

Release Date:

Early 2015

About the Author

I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself. 

I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

You can find Sylvain at 

         

Cover Reveal: ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

COVER REVEAL! ALEX: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel by Sawyer Bennett

 I’m excited to bring you the cover for Sawyer Bennett’s new upcoming series: ALEX because for one it’s as SEXY as sin, and because the story sounds awesome!  HOT bad boy in need of a little love and redemption? Sign me up!!

Loveswept (Random House) is thrilled to debut the cover of ALEX: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel by USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett! ALEX is the first in a sexy and exciting new series that’s hot enough to melt the ice…

ALEX (A Cold Fury Hockey Novel)

Loveswept Contemporary Romance

Written by Sawyer Bennett

On sale: October 14, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-553-39300-2

Purchase links:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Other retailers

About the book:

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett scores big-time with the first novel in a sexy new series hot enough to melt the ice.

Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy . . . not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships . . . or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

 About Sawyer Bennett:

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett is a snarky Southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Connect with Sawyer:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Street Team

Connect with Loveswept:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Street Team

Review: Lifers by Jane Harvey-Berrick

Lifers by Jane Harvey-BerrickPublished February 7th 2014 by Harvey Berrick Publishing

After eight years in prison, twenty-four year old Jordan Kane is the man everyone loves to hate.

Forced to return to his hometown while on parole, Jordan soon learns that this small town hasn't changed since he was carted off to juvie all those years ago. He is the local pariah, shunned by everyone, including his own parents. But their hatred of him doesn't even come close to the loathing he feels every time he looks in the mirror.

Working odd jobs for the preacher lady, Jordan bides his time before he can leave this backwards town. But can distance erase the memories that haunt him? Trapped in the prison of his own mind Jordan wonders if the pain of living will ever subside?

Torrey Delaney is new in town and certainly doesn't behave in a way the locals believe a preacher’s daughter should. Her reputation for casual hook-ups and meaningless sex is the talk of the town. Add that to her budding friendship with the hardened ex-con handyman, and the good Reverend is less than thrilled with her estranged daughter’s path.

As friendship forms, is it possible for two damaged people who are afraid to love take their relationship to the next level? Can Torrey live with Jordan’s demons, and can Jordan break through Torrey's walls? With the disapproval of a small town weighing heavily on them, will they find their place in the world? Can they struggle against the odds, or will their world be viciously shattered?

Is love a life sentence?

Due to scenes of a sexual nature, not recommended for under 18.

My Thoughts

Great story filled with lovable characters that captured my heart.

This isn’t the first time I’ve enjoyed a novel by Jane Harvey-Berrick, so I feel I can say this with confidence. There’s just something about Jane’s character casting where I’ve noticed she likes to pair strong female characters with young and in this case younger-like males. In this novel, Jordan and Torrey are both the same age, but the way Jordan carried himself at times compared to Torrey, she constantly felt like the more mature/older one in the relationship.

In Lifers, Jordan Kane returns to his small town Texas home after serving eight years in prison for the death of his brother. His welcome home is met with hostile townies that refuse to forget how Jordan stripped them of their golden boy. When he enters the local diner for a cup of coffee before heading to his parole assignment with the Reverend, he’s tossed out before he can even blink twice.

Jordan caught Torrey’s eye immediately when he walked into her diner, and she was absolutely shocked by how the patrons treated this guy. Being from out of town, and taking a dead end job in an effort to save up some money, she risks everything to befriend Jordan when everyone else seems to want to continue and punish him well after completing his sentence.

First off, I can see how Torrey Delaney can be a tough pill to swallow for some readers. She’s a fireball that’s in-your-face mouthy. However, when you pull back the layers of her strong personality, it wasn’t hard to miss the genuine, honest and caring character the lies beneath. As much as I didn’t like how she sometimes treated Jordan, I have to admit he needed a good shake-up everyone once in a while. Viewed individually, they are like night and day, but when these two come together they blend perfectly.

I struggled with a few of the characters, which was no surprise because of their choices and treatment toward Jordan, but I never wavered on how I felt about Torrey. I was glad Jordan was able to find a friend and protector in her and their relationship truly felt sincere.

The pacing of the novel seemed to have moments of small starts and stops, but overall I enjoyed my time with Jordan and Torrey. Jane Harvey-Berrick proves once again that she can pair up two unlikely people and make it work. Well done!

4 Suns

Kindle Fire Release Giveaway for Losing Control by Jen Frederick

I’m excited to be part of this Release Giveaway for Losing Control by Jen Frederick because the story sounds amazing! Check back in June for my review.  As part of this post we have an AWESOME and generous giveaway of a Kindle Fire e-Reader loaded with the complete backlist of Jen Frederick's titles, and you can sign up for Jen Frederick’s Newsletter and receive one chapter a day of Losing Control until it’s release for free! Click HERE to sign up.

Losing Control (Kerr Chronicles #1) by Jen Frederick

Expected Publication Date: June 16th 2014 by Pear Tree LLC

About the book: 

I’d do anything to keep my mother alive.

Anything, including ask Ian Kerr for help. I don’t know much about him, except that he has more money than some small countries. And he’s willing to spend it on me. Just one catch: there’s a string attached, and not just the one I feel pulling me into his arms and his bed. There’s also the plan for revenge he wants my help with.

Every time he says my name, it makes my body shiver and my heart stutter. I know he’s going to wreck me, know there won’t be anything left of me but lust and sensation by the time he’s done with me, but even though I can see the heartbreak coming towards me like a train, ready to crash into me, I can’t get out of the way. I want what he makes me feel. Want what he’s offering.

This may have started out as something to save my mother, but now…now it’s about what he makes me feel. I’m in danger of losing everything that’s important. Worse? Ian's whispered words and hot caresses are making me believe that's okay.

Excerpt:

“Bad morning?”

The question comes from a rich deep voice to my right. Some stupid actor, probably. The notes of his voice are perfectly modulated as if he spent years perfecting the tone and depth to reach the biggest audience.

“Yeah, what’s it to you?” I challenge because I’m not in the mood to be chatted up by some wannabe in an off, off Broadway production who wants to try out some new lines on a messenger girl.

My sneering gaze melts right off my face when it lands on the owner of the voice. Dark haired and dark eyed, the stranger gives me a slow smile as I take him in. He’s tall, much taller than my five foot four inch frame. I have to trek upward to see the entire package.

And there’s so much to appreciate from his trim waist to the wide shoulders encased in a gray wool suit coat that fits him so well I wonder if he was sewn into it. Tiny stitches on the lapel mark it’s expensive provenance. A dark tanned neck gives way to a firm chin and lush lips.

Bee stung is the description that I’ve heard used to describe the same look on super models. Those lips are about the only soft thing on his face. Those lips and a hollow on the side of his face that appears when those plush lips curve upward. The divot is too shallow and wide to be termed a dimple, but it’s just as devastating.

One hand is stuck in a pocket and his jacket is pushed behind the hand to reveal a flat stomach. No desk paunch on this guy. There’s an intense sexual aura about him. The nonchalant stance, the dark gaze, the lush lips are all an invitation to rip the buttons of his snowy white shirt apart and see exactly what lies underneath all of those fabrics.

I stick a thumb under my jaw under the guise of giving my chin a scratch just to make sure my mouth is closed. This guy? He can practice lines with me all he wants.

About the Author:

Bestselling author Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com

Connect with Jen Frederick:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Goodreads

Kindle Fire loaded with Jen Frederick's complete backlist of titles. 

Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win.

Review & Giveaway: Need You Tonight by Roni Loren

Need You Tonight (Loving on the Edge #5) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: March 4th by Berkley

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

About the book:

She’s making a wish list, and he wants to be on top.

From foster kid to trophy wife, Tessa McAllen is about to reinvent herself all over again—and defy every insult her cheating ex-husband ever used against her: Selfish? She’s championing a charity. Stupid? She’s getting her degree.

Boring in bed?

Kade Vandergriff can help her with that one. When they encounter each other at a singles event held at one of his restaurants, Tessa blurts out that kink is for girls who try too hard, and Kade instantly wants to show this sassy stranger how thrilling a night under his command can be…but when he learns her name, the game changes for both of them.

In high school, Tessa was the popular girl who stuttering, awkward Kade fell for. But she chose another. Now, as she eagerly learns lesson after lesson, he’s going to make sure she never forgets him again.

My Thoughts:

I think Need You Tonight should come with a WARNING: Panties my spontaneously ignite while reading this!! The story was fiery HOT, and yet there was an achy second chance romance at the heart of it.

Tessa McAllen is trying to get back to her true self after her marriage imploded. She was with the lying, cheating bastard since high school because Doug seemed to provide all that was lacking in her life: stability, safety and a solid future. What a crock! After catching him in the act with her best friend, Tessa eyes are opened to what she should’ve seen in him years ago. He’s a cruel, selfish jerk. Moving back to her hometown Tessa makes up a list of goals to better herself, and earn some self-confidence.  One item she has yet to tackle is “better in bed”.  Doug accused her of being boring in the bedroom and blamed his cheating on that.  When Kade Vandergriff sets his sights on Tessa it looks like she’ll be checking that off her list very soon! But she only wants one night. Tessa doesn’t want to be in a position of dependence, emotionally or otherwise.

Kade Vandergriff is a gorgeous, successful businessman who radiates sensuality and dominance. He makes no excuses about his BDSM lifestyle, being a dominant fills a deep need in him. When he lays eyes on Tessa he knows he can’t resist seducing her. When Kade finds out that Tessa’s the same girl he fell hopelessly and tragically in love with in high school, he starts making plans so that Tessa will never want to leave him like she did all those years ago.  He’s no longer the stuttering, insecure outcast he was in high school, but even though they share an amazing night, he can barely get her to agree to another. Will Tessa run for the hills when she finds out about his dark inclinations?

Tessa and Kade’s past were revealed in a few flashbacks throughout the story, and when I got all the pieces, it was heartbreaking. Bottom line: Doug was an appalling excuse for a human being. Tessa didn’t choose Kade because of her own insecurities.  Growing up in foster home after foster home made her crave stability and security, things she thought Doug represented, but she always felt guilty for how things turned out. Tessa didn’t have the full story of what happened back then, and that was completely horrible, because I doubt she would’ve married Doug with that knowledge!  It’s easy to see why Tessa is reluctant to get completely involved, especially when she feels like Kade would eventually break her heart, but she can’t help but be drawn to every part of him:

It was as if the universe had forced him to bloom late because high school girls wouldn’t have known what to do with this version. But she’d sensed it in him back then, beneath the stringy hair, hunched shoulders, and stutter. That quiet intensity and unshakable strength had always been there. She’d been drawn to it even when she hadn’t quite been able to pinpoint what was drawing her.

Kade was bullied in high school and ended up broken on many levels after Tessa, my heart went out to him.  But he picked himself up, got therapy and moved on to be a successful and powerful man.  Still, Tessa is his undoing; she was always the one for him even though he thought he moved past her.  I’m a sucker for second chance romances and when someone has their heart broken, like Kade did, it’s so gratifying to see them get what they always wanted.  This was a WAY kinkier version of the second chance romances I usually read, but it got to me even so.

BDSM reads are not my usual romance pick, but holy heck!!  I was a hot, tortured, throbbing mess while reading this!  I have a hard time picturing this type of lifestyle as anything more than a complete fantasy, but what do I know? What I can tell you is that Need You Tonight was highly addictive and had my pulse RACING from the hot adrenaline rush.  Roni Loren created a scorching, sensual, erotic romance with heart. 

4.5 Suns

Connect with Roni Loren:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

I enjoyed this story so much I thought I'd share my review copy with one lucky Waves of Fiction follower.  US Residents only.  Just fill in the rafflecopter for a chance to win.

Review: Snow-Kissed by Laura Florand

Snow-Kissed by Laura Florand

Published September 1, 2013

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

About the book:
Florand takes us to a snow-kissed Christmas cabin for this heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, forgiveness—and hope. After the utter destruction of her marriage and her happiness, Kai knew it was better to shut herself away from the world than to hurt and be hurt. Holed up in her mountain cabin, she planned to spend her Christmas alone. Until her not-quite-ex-husband shows up as the first flakes start to fall. Now should she send him back out into the cold? Or can she be brave enough to let this winter snow bind them back together?

My Thoughts:

I'm still thinking about this book - that is how much it affected me. It is the first book I've ever read by this author, but it definitely won't be my last.

Snow-kissed is about a married couple, Kurt and Kai, who are going through a heartbreaking crisis in their marriage. The issues they are facing are such a common and sad reality for a lot of marriages. After everything falls apart, Kai leaves Kurt, hiding out in her mother-in-laws cabin. A year has gone by, and Kai is starting to finally move past her grief and suffering when Kurt shows up at the cabin.

This story is told in both points of view, and that was so important to the story. To understand how broken they both felt, but how much they still loved each other so deeply. It absolutely broke my heart and brought me to tears. And the tender, intimate moments that they shared were breathtaking and gut-wrenching. I felt everything these two were feeling - it was the most emotional book I've read in a long time and packed quite a punch in 122 pages. Never did the story feel rushed or that I was reading a novella because of the authors ability to tell a story so completely and emotionally. I was totally blown away and left weeping at the end.

Will they be able to forgive each other and move forward? This is a must read and after thinking about it days later - it's one for my favorites shelf. If you're someone who's turned off by novellas or shorter novels (as I used to be) - please don't let that stop you from reading this amazing book. 

5 Suns

Review & Signed Book Giveaway: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Wallbanger (Cocktail #1) by Alice Clayton
Published November 27th 2012 by Omnific Publishing

The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she's gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor's nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy's athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly...

In a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight...

My Thoughts

You know those moments when everything is exactly the way it was meant to be? When you find yourself and your entire universe aligning in perfect synchronization, and you know you couldn’t possibly be more content?

Hilariously funny and romantic! I haven’t laughed this hard over a book since Seduction & Snacks. 

First off let me just say how much I regret waiting to read this book. When I looked at the title and the cover, my first thought was - crass much? I mean my friend and I couldn’t even say the name of the book out loud at work when we talked about it . I started calling it the Wall book, or we’d just mouth the title silently. HA! Anywho, I got over my prudish ways and decided to give this story a go AND what a treat!!

The characters… the dialog… the pacing… PURE DELIGHT!! I was laughing so hard from the very beginning that I knew this wasn’t something I could read in public because my cringing and guffawing would label me a loon. But I loved it!!
`
In Wallbanger, Caroline moves into her new San Francisco apartment that she just sub-letted from her boss. The place is great, and she and her cat Clive are just settling in. However, when the lights go off and it’s time for bed, Caroline is suddenly rocked off her bed by her very active neighbor Simon. The guy can sure shake walls with his harem of ladies until Caroline storms to his place after a few sleepless nights and demands he pipes it down… or would it be in? Anywho, after a heated encounter and some choice name calling, they storm off their separate ways until they meet again at a party. From that point, they call it a truce and begin to form a delightful friendship that slowly but surely turns sparky… and sassy… and sexy… and swoony.

I loved Caroline’s character! She’s mouthy, smart, strong-willed and confident, which is a perfectly crafted MC in my opinion. I enjoyed her take on how to handle compliments so much that I might have learned a thing or two from this girl. Her confident ways carried the book in a solid direction, and I didn’t mind shadowing Caroline as she stormed through life with her opinion and confident ways.

Simon was a pleasant surprise, especially considering my first impression of him. It was fun getting to know this character as his funny, sensitive and sincere side started to unfold. The way he handled Caroline was both hilarious and romantic. Pure bliss!

The dialog in this book is a sure win from beginning to end. I laughed, cringed, sighed and laughed some more every time these two characters interacted. I really enjoyed reading the text messages between these two. It could have gone on for chapters, and I wouldn’t be bored. Love!!

As a couple, Simon and Caroline’s sassy and sexy blended perfectly well. There was so much snark and spark between these too that I was in constant rapture. I have to say that the book was slightly frustrating at certain points, but when a girl loses something she cherishes well I guess I get it. The romance is always present from the beginning between these two, but what I enjoyed more was that Simon took his time to woo her. I mean really woo her!

Overall, Wallbanger is a romantic comedy between two very well-blended characters that are easy to fall for. If you’re in the mood to laugh and swoon, give this book a try. Fun.fun.fun!!

4.5 Suns

Waves of Fiction is giving away a Signed Paperback Copy of Wallbanger by Alice Clayton to one lucky Waves of Fiction Bloglovin' follower. This giveaway is open to US Residents only. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Whisper to Me by Christina Lee

I'm excited to be part of the tour for Whisper to Me by Christina Lee because I enjoyed Before You Break, the previous installment. As part of this tour I have my review, an excerpt as well as a giveaway of All of Me the first story in the series. So be sure to scroll down to the bottom to enter for a chance to win!

Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

Publication Date: May 20th 2014 by Intermix

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

About the book:

A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

My Thoughts:

Whisper to Me was a romance of unrequited love, filled with longing and emotion.  

Rachel is back in her hometown for the summer where the past she tries to forget through mindless hookups and a carefree façade comes slamming back to her.  None of her friends from college know that Rachel was in an accident that almost killed her requiring months of rehab or that her boyfriend, Miles, turned his back on her and left when Rachel needed him most. The only people who stuck with her were parents, and her two best friends: Dakota and Kai.  Dakota was the unrelenting cheerleader but Kai was the tender soul who brushed away her tears and held her when despair threatened to consume her.  Even with her heart in shreds over Miles, Rachel wasn’t oblivious to Kai’s appeal.  And now that she’s back, he stirs up a mix of emotions: intense desire, feeling of home, and fear.

Kai never had a shortage of girls after him with his looks, and the fact he played in a band.  But there’s always only been one girl for Kai: Rachel.  When she got hurt he helped nurse her back to health all the while falling a little more in love with her each day, knowing she didn’t feel the same.  When Rachel left for college Kai spent his years studying recording and messing around.  Now that they’re both back home their relationship has shifted into a powerful, needy attraction.

Rachel and Kai have this magnetic attraction for each other made even more intense from their close bond of friendship.  Unfortunately, both think their draw is only physical, and they’re insecure about letting on how deeply they really feel. 

But this was a different kind of weakness that I never would have guessed I would witness. She’d hoped I found her desirable. Me. The boy who she didn’t even fucking realize loved her. The one who already worshiped her, body and soul.

I really felt for Rachel.  The last book she came off as a no-strings-attached kind of girl, just looking for the next random guy to have fun with, but we get the full story behind her behavior here.  Returning home brings some clarity and closure to Rachel and she realizes she no longer wants to live a lie or keep others at arm’s length.

This romance was filled with so much tortured longing I felt my chest tighten up and ache in places! I just wanted Kai and Rachel to fess up and let each other in all the way.  Kai was protective and tender, but he could be a dirty talker, too, and they had some crazy hot encounters!  Lusty scenes full of sexual tension.

Christina Lee wrote a steamy romance full of emotions that will tug at your heart! 

I’m not sure who the next book, Promise Me This, will center on, but I’m thinking maybe Dakota and Shane? I guess we’ll see.  

4 Suns

Excerpt:

I padded to the kitchen and reached for a glass, unsure if Kai was even awake. As I turned 

the faucet on low, I heard it—the soft hum of his bass. My heart leapt in my chest. I didn’t know 

what the hell I was so anxious about. But the anticipation of seeing him, just talking to him alone, 

had revved my pulse to a feverish tempo.

But maybe he didn’t want any company tonight.

I wandered over to his door, unsure of what I’d say or even if I’d knock. Instead, I stood 

motionless, listening to him play. It was a low and drowsy strum, and I swayed against the wall, 

my senses dulled. During a longer pause, my knuckles tapped once and then twice against the 

wood.

I heard the sounds of what could have been his returning his heavy bass to its stand and 

papers rustling, and then the door slowly creaked open. Kai stood in front of me with his hair 

hanging loose at his shoulders. He had on those obscenely tight gray skinny jeans from earlier 

and nothing else.

My gaze followed the line of his neck, across his shoulder, to the muscular biceps propping 

the door open. I spotted the set of free weights resting beneath the stand of his bass. He’d 

definitely been working out in the three years since I’d last seen him. He wasn’t overly muscular 

like some athletes I’d been with, just lean and fit.

My gaze tripped over to his sculpted pecs and landed on his nipples. His pierced nipples—

that seemed to harden at my perusal.

Fuck, that was hot. Since when did I think silver hoops dangling from a guy’s nipples were 

sexy? But on Kai, they worked. Like fruit waiting to be plucked, they hung above the trunk of his 

sculpted abdomen, while a smattering of fine hairs branched from beneath the button of his pants. 

Hot damn.

“What’s up, Rachel?” He swallowed thickly. “Did I wake you?”

“I . . .” I finally met his eyes. “I couldn’t sleep and I heard you were up.”

“Yeah, me neither.” He moved aside to allow me to pass into the room. “I was trying to be 

quiet.”

“Actually, most of the time your music lulls me to sleep.”

“Yeah?” he said in a low and gruff voice. “Is that why you’re here—so I can put you to 

sleep?”

“No, you ass.” I grinned. “Well, maybe.” 

When his eyes turned dark, I mumbled, “Just kidding.”

Click on title for Goodreads Link:

      

Connect with Christina Lee:

Twitter | Facebook |Site |Goodreads

As part of this tour the publisher has generously provided a Paperback copy of All of Me, the first book in the series! US Residents only. Simply fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win.