Review: Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan

 

Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan
Published on October 7, 2012

About the book
Warning: This is not a "typical love story". This is an all-consuming, soul-crushing, tear-your-heart-into-pieces story. It’s intense, gritty and raw, dark and disturbing, and it doesn’t happen overnight. This is an epic love story that knows no boundaries and has no time limits. It grows and develops—with hurt, sacrifice, and heartache—over the span of a lifetime.

Eva Fox is the princess of the Silver Demons Motorcycle Club. Growing up with bikers in the club lifestyle is all that she knows. When she’s a young girl, Eva meets the reason for her existence. Deuce West is the sexy, biker bad-ass of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club. Like Eva, he was born and raised in the club—but that’s where the similarities end. Their first meeting is innocent, but as Eva matures into a woman, their chance reunions evolve into a fit of lust and love. Fate continues to bring them together time and time again, but their twisted journey is filled with pain, betrayal, and bloodshed that could tear them apart. Eva sees in Deuce what he cannot see in himself—a man worthy of love—and Eva spends her lifetime proving to him that her undeniable love is the one thing he can’t live without.

This is Eva and Deuce’s story.

It wasn’t easy.
Nothing worth doing ever is.
And love is worth everything

My Thoughts:
Let me start off by saying this book will not be for everybody, hell I'm still not even sure if it was for me.  It is dark, edgy, icky, raw and everything you would probably think of when you hear motorcycle club.  I expected all that, but what I didn't expect was actually rooting for the main character Eva and hoping that she would stay the same strong character throughout the book.  Sadly she didn't but my fierce hope for this girl never left.

Eva has grown up in the life since her father is the President of the notorious motorcycle club The Silver Demons. She doesn't know any other life and from the day she was born she had the whole MC wrapped around her pinkie.  We meet Deuce really early on in the story and this is where I think a lot of readers will go "umm yeah not for me"  See Deuce is I think 24 when he meets Eva and she is only 5.  Yes I said ick too, but I still kept reading.  I figured if I could get over a seventeen year old werewolf imprinting on a newborn then I could probably get over this too as long as nothing icky happened until she was of age.  Well she wasn't exactly of age but really with the way the book is written I probably should have expected it.  I will say that at least the author waited until Eva was eighteen to let Deuce have his way with her, not that that excuses what he did when she was sixteen but I have to pick my battles with this one.  Oh and I have to say too that what Deuce does to her at sixteen leaves him with two bullet holes woohoo!  A fitting punishment I think.

Okay moving on, Eva and Deuce have a very weird and rocky relationship if you can call it that.  That come together once every few years and completely destroy each other.  The big drama happens after they meet up way later in life and Eva is married to her fathers second in command, Frankie.  This guy was just straight up psychopath.  In every story I read I always wish I could read it from every characters POV, but with Frankie I have no desire whatsoever to read anything from his POV.  He truly scared the daylights out of me and I was so not happy when Eva finally gave in to him.  They grew up together when her father took him in and Frankie became obsessed with Eva.  It was beyond unhealthy and in the beginning she refused him.  That is when I liked Eva, she was strong confident, spoiled yes, but it was awesome seeing her have all these tough biker men under her spell.  That all changed when she got together with Frankie.  Eva was finally broken when that happened and I was not a happy camper.

Does this stop her from sleeping with Deuce..nope not even a little bit. That is another thing that will turn people off about this book all the sleeping around.  If you know me then you know that I am not a fan of sharing typically.  I understand certain circumstances and I can let certain things go, but for the most part I prefer my couples to be exclusive, well in Undeniable there is none of that.  There is so much sleeping around that I wasn't sure if they would ever get their mess straightened out.

Things go from bad to worse and then to just destructive.  By 3/4 of the way through the book I lost all respect for Eva and I just wanted Deuce to go to the ground.  Why wasn't he there for his woman??!!  He is a very flawed character and I had a hard time finding any redeeming qualities in him and the ones I found I don't think were enough to make me love him.

The ending is just crazy and I realize that I haven't said too much about the plot but honestly there really isn't one.  This book is all about the crazy life of MC's and what goes on behind the scenes.  We don't really get a look into all the illegal stuff just the insane relationships of the characters and how they treat each other.  All just craziness!  Oh and if you are offended by language in a book then this isn't for you either.  My friend looked it up and discovered that the f bomb was dropped over 1000 times...I am shocked that I could write this review without 30 f bombs since I think my brain has been reprogrammed to just let that word fly.

Anywho a very strange drama filled story that yes I am going to continue on with.  I am on the hunt for something different and well this fits so I'm game.

2.5 Suns

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Epiphany by Christina Jean Michaels

 

Today I'm thrilled to be part of the tour for Epiphany by Christina Jean Michaels.  This tour is hosted by AToMRT Tours.  Thank you for allowing us to participate!  Click HERE for a complete tour schedule.  Be sure and scroll down to fill in the rafflecopter for a chance to win one of 4 SIGNED print copies as well as 3 e-Copies of Epiphany up for grabs!

 

 

Epiphany (Legacy of Payne #1) by Christina Jean Michaels

Publication Date: July 19th 2013

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Book:

“I had my first psychic dream when I was nine. Psychic implied power, and powerful wasn’t a word I’d use to describe myself. I couldn’t foretell the future or conjure visions at will, but I couldn’t think of a more fitting word to describe what I sometimes saw in my dreams.”

For 23-year-old Mackenzie Hill, tossing her life down the garbage disposal is easy after a painful incident shatters her life. Her heart is bleeding, and moving to Watcher’s Point is a chance to start anew, only she isn’t prepared for the guy who walks out of her dreams and into the flesh. Literally . . . because she’s been dreaming about this sexy stranger for years.

Mackenzie is even less prepared to face the dark nature of her dreams. They’ve turned disturbingly gruesome, full of blood and murder, and when they begin to coincide with the media’s headlines, she and Aidan realize her visions might be the key to stopping a madman from killing again.

Only Aidan has painful secrets of his own, and perhaps the biggest danger of all is falling for him.

 

Excerpt

 

“I’m over there,” I said, indicating my beat up Honda Civic. I slid behind the wheel as he sank into the passenger seat.

“Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem.” The air crackled with awkward silence. I started the car and backed out, trying to come up with something to say to break the ice. Aidan's words went a long way toward the opposite.

“Why’d you freak out over a lighter?”

My hands tightened around the steering wheel. “What lighter?”

“And I’m the one with the concussion? You know what I’m talking about. That guy lit up and you lost it. You bolted the second you realized what you’d said.”

“Where am I taking you?” I asked, easing up on the accelerator once we approached the first turn-off into town. “I don’t know where you live.”

“Keep going south. I’m on the outskirts.”

I pressed down on the gas pedal and pushed the speed limit. The car hummed over the wet pavement. Neither of us said anything for a while, and just when I thought he’d let the subject drop, he spoke again.

“You know something, though I have no clue how or why.” His arm brushed mine, causing my stomach to roll. He was too close. The awareness was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

“You’ve lost me, Aidan. What am I supposed to know?”

“Did McFayden tell you?”

McFayden? He was speaking in riddles. “Who?”

“The sheriff’s son.”

“Judd?” I asked in disbelief. Was he serious?

“The sheriff isn’t stupid enough to let something like that slip. It had to be his son.”

I burst out laughing—the kind of laughter one faked in order to hide something. Like the truth. “You think Judd and I talk? I don’t even know him.”

“He knows you.” The weight of his stare heated my face. “I’ve seen him watch you. Makes his girlfriend bat-shit crazy.”

“You’re the one sounding crazy right now.” I sneaked a peek at him. “What happened tonight?”

His sigh filtered through the car. I heard his clothes rustle as he settled into the seat. “I don’t remember.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked, noticing how he’d closed his eyes and taken to massaging his temples.

He didn’t answer right away. “Yeah.” Another sigh. “Take a right at the next street.” I followed his instructions. “I’m all the way at the end.”

The pavement turned to gravel. His street was deserted, save for a few trees on either side. As we bumped over a pothole, I realized that if Aidan suspected me of knowing something, then there was something to know. And how did he know whatever that something was?



About the Author: Christina Jean Michaels was born in Paradise, California, but she has found the true home of her heart in Eugene, Oregon where she finds plenty of inspiration for storytelling.

When she was young, her mother said she hated words. Now she can't imagine not writing. She became an avid reader when she was thirteen and discovered the world of Sweet Valley High. About a year later she realized she could play God and write about her own characters. She has been writing in some form ever since.

 She lives with her husband and their four children—three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone’s attention.

 

Connect with Christina:

 

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

As part of this tour there is a giveaway provided:

(4) Signed Print Copies of Epiphany – US Only

(3) Epiphany ebooks (via Amazon)
 

Simply fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.  Thank you for visiting Waves of Fiction and good luck!

Promo Blitz: Ruin by C.J. Scott

Ruin by C.J. Scott

(A Summer in Winter Novel 1)
Publication date: August 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Amazon / B&N

Synopsis:Kate Bell isn’t perfect. Not even close. The things she got up to in college would cause her parents to fall off their pedestals in shock. Home for the summer vacation, Kate settles in for a long, boring break in the tiny backwater of Winter with folks who still treat her like she’s twelve.
Then Ben Parker arrives and suddenly Winter gets interesting. He’s hot, mysterious and good with his hands. Kate falls for him instantly, but her cop father warns her to stay away. But how can she stay away from someone as compelling as Ben? Someone who thinks she’s perfect just the way she is?
When Ben’s secrets catch up to him, not only is Kate’s heart in danger of being broken, but Ben’s entire future could be ruined.

Excerpt from Ruin:

He gave me a sad smile. "I'm not a monk, Kate. If you kiss me...I can't stop there."

His words probably had the opposite effect to what he wanted. It spurred me on, because now I knew he was on the brink of giving in. On the brink of falling into the abyss with me.

I touched his face. His jaw was rough from his stubble. A small muscle pulsed against my fingers.

"Kate, please," he whispered. But he didn't pull away. Didn't stop me getting closer.

I stroked his lower lip with my thumb, and he groaned deep in his chest.

"Ben," I murmured.

He brushed my hair off my shoulder. His fingers caressed my neck, sending tiny tingles racing down my spine. My heart hammered against my ribs to the tune of kiss me, kiss me, kiss me. I wanted this man. Wanted to know him intimately.

My head told me it was impossible that I could feel this way after such a short time, but my heart was ignoring it, lost in a mad, chaotic rhythm of its own.

Ben's hand cupped my hip, his other pressed against my back. It was all the encouragement I needed. I closed the final small gap between us until I was crushed against his body. It was hard and ridged, warm.

Our lips met in a kiss that turned my legs to jelly. My knees buckled, but Ben's arms circled my waist. He held me there, firm yet gentle, like I was something precious. I felt dizzy and weightless. The world spun one way and I the other, out of control. I didn't care. It was exactly what I wanted to feel. Exactly how I'd always imagined a kiss should feel.

Yet I wanted more. The kiss filled me with longing that clawed at my heart. It wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.

***To read the extended version of this scene and discover what Ben has tattooed on his shoulder, check out C.J.'s website http://www.cjscottbooks.com

AUTHOR BIO

C.J. loves reading stories that take her away to another world. If she’s in the middle of an amazing book, she’ll keep reading while cooking or cleaning (when she can be bothered doing either).

She likes interesting artwork but can’t paint, sketch or make anything more complicated than a snowman from plasticine. She enjoys beautiful gardens but hates gardening. She also hates housework, cooking (see above) and writing about herself.

C.J. loves connecting with readers. The best place to interact with her and other fans is via her Facebook page. That’s where she posts teasers and other stuff from her books.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook

Blog Tour: Beauty Bites by Mary Hughes & Giveaway (Kindle or Nook!)

 

Today I'm excited to be part of the tour for Beauty Bites by Mary Hughes hosted by Authors Angels.  Thanks for allowing us to participate!  Click HERE for a complete tour schedule. Be sure to scroll down below because as part of this tour the author is giving away a Kindle or Nook!  Awesome, right?!

 

 

Beauty Bites (Biting Love #6) by Mary Hughes

Publication Date: August 27th 2013 by Samhain Publishing

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 About the book: Beauty is skin deep…but the beast goes all the way.

Biting Love, Book 6

When top Minneapolis ad man Ric Holiday is asked to design a campaign for a quaint little town, his first reaction is absolutely not. Meiers Corners is too near Chicago, home of the vampire who turned him as an orphaned boy.

Then the city sends an angel-faced med student with a body made for sin to plead their case. Synnove Byornsson is the ray of sunshine Ric hasn’t felt since he was human.

Armed with determination and a micro miniskirt, Synnove is prepared to crash Holiday’s penthouse cocktail party—and to dislike him on sight. But Mr. All-Style-No-Substance turns out to have a deadly smile, a barely restrained, feral strength, and piercing blue eyes that look at her—not at her cleavage.

Unfortunately Synnove has competition in the form of a sly temptress with a counterproposal. For the first time in her life, Synnove must cash in her genetic lottery ticket and fire back with some sizzle of her own—or her beloved Meiers Corners could become the new Sin City.

Product Warnings
Contains a doctor with a bod for sin, an ad exec with a chip on his shoulder, sarcasm, sex, and a cabin full of annoying friends. Secrets are revealed. One heart-stopping, horrific moment leads to the ultimate of happily-ever-afters.

Excerpt:

I turned.

Ric Holiday in his full sizzling glory was right on top of me.

I stepped back, spine hitting the edge of the elevator shaft. My nipples reached out as if trying to stay in touch. *The erection of the mammary papilla is due to muscle contraction, like the pilomotor reflex which causes goose bumps*—Stupid nipples. “What do you want?” I spoke a bit sharply, but his heat and heady scent had goosed my frustration into borderline rudeness. I flushed but held my place. Well, fused against the corner of the shaft, I had to.

He stared down into my eyes, his own frustrated too. “I want to explain.”

“You made it clear enough. Me and Camille at the O.K. Corral, one week from today.” I looked away. The elevator was leaving.

“Synnove.” He slid two strong fingers under my chin and urged my face back to him. The blue had softened. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? There’s worse?” I scowled, but I had to work at it. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Why did his fingers have to be so gentle, so warm? “You’re going to make us bikini mud wrestle?


“Ouch.” He smiled slightly. “I deserve that.”

 “No,” I grumped. “You don’t. But you’re getting it anyway.”

The grin slowly widened, making his whole face edible. “The vaunted Byornsson honesty. I’m beginning to see the advantages.”

And I was beginning to see the advantages of hot sexy sizzle. But no way I was admitting that to him. Not lying, just omission, which is not a lie. Mostly.

When my lips parted to say something that was not a lie and definitely wasn’t about how sexy he was, his eyes darkened. “Shh.”

He replaced the two fingers on my chin with two cupping hands, holding my face gently, like it was something precious. Like I was precious.

My lips stayed parted but no words came out.

In that moment of silence, he lowered his head. Slowly, so I could have stopped him.

Should have stopped him.

 Did not want to.

*He’s nothing but image.*

*Image and intense pleasure.*
*The lips have one of the highest density of nerve endings in the body…*

*Argh. Shut up and kiss him.*
While I was arguing with myself his warm mouth settled on mine, tongue sliding deftly between my lips. It rasped my sensitive skin, rubbing my lips awake like a thorough toweling. A steamed towel, hot and wet.

Confused feelings fled. I gave a little moan and opened wider.

He swept inside, all spice and heat. He groaned, a sound of masculine hunger. His questing mouth, his hot kiss, said lust plain and clear. Yet his hands were tender on my face, his sweet caress speaking of something beyond sex, a closeness that transcended the physical.

Happiness blossomed in my heart. Our groans were intertwined, mutual. For this one moment, the battle was suspended and we were on the same side.
His fingers tunneled into my hair, holding me firmly while his tongue drove deeper. He pressed closer yet, pinning me to the edge of the elevator shaft with his body, imprinting me with every muscle, every bulge, every place he was hard and primitive under his worsted.

I rippled against him and moaned softly in response. If he could generate this kind of pressure standing, how would the weight of his body feel, pressing me into a mattress?

At the thought I nearly exploded.

He shifted me, his powerful hands urging me away from where the corner of the elevator was digging into my spine and guiding me onto the wall. There he pressed me into vinyl wallpaper and kissed me like he was starving for me. The honest hunger in his kiss undid me. I grabbed his head and kissed him back with everything I had.

A big hand slid up my ribs, sparking a trail of heat, stopping under my breast. The mound throbbed, waiting, wanting, yearning for that hot hand to slide up the curve, to touch my delicate and private flesh. To brand it as his own. My soft moans shortened to whimpers, and I arched to thrust my breast more fully into his hand.

A deep rumbling started, a lion’s purr. His hand moved, fingers barely brushing the bottom curve. I stopped breathing. His fingers skimmed higher, circling nearer, nearer to the hardening tip. I twitched in anticipation, greedy for his touch on sensitive flesh barely covered by a thin blouse and the wispiest scallop of lace. Bless Twyla’s endless supply of sexy bras.

Finally, finally his thumb scraped my nipple. I shrieked into his mouth, jerking against him. My nipple furled instantly, wordlessly urging him again, more, now.

He opened his hand and covered my breast, his heat searing. Slotting the nipple between two fingers, he began to pump and tug gently, rhythmically squeezing, pulling. I thought I’d go insane from the sweet soft tugging.

Until he replaced the hand with his mouth.
His lips closed on my erect nipple through thin blouse and bra, breath wetting the material until he could have been sucking directly on flesh. It was the dream become real; it was better. More aroused than I’d been in my life, I grabbed his ears and beat my hips into him, not thinking at all, just moving. A pressure built between my legs, a hot, heavy throbbing that made me want him on his back and me naked and clamping him between my thighs.

A ding startled me; my eyes flew open. The elevator, which had gone and come back again, disgorged half a dozen professional-looking people.

Bio:
I've worked as everything from a cleaning temp to project manager for global clients. Currently I'm an author, musician, and computer consultant. I live in the United States Midwest with a basement full of spare computer parts and several musical instruments including my husband's romantic cello and my flute for playing bird parts in orchestra...ask me to tell you that story sometime :)

Hugs!
Mary

 

As part of this tour Mary Hughes is giving away a Kindle or Nook!  Simply fill in the rafflecopter for a chance to win! 

 

Review: A Veil of Glass and Rain by Petra F. Bagnardi

A Veil of Glass & Rain by Petra F. Bagnardi

Published April 20th 2013 by Petra F. Bagnardi

Purchase Links: Amazon / B&N

About the book:
Brina and Eagan meet for the first time when she's nine and he's fourteen. They like each other from the very beginning, although their bond isn't immediate, but it grows over the years. What links them is the fact that their parents are photographers and are extremely devoted to their work and to each other; so much so that both Brina and Eagan have to learn how to take care of themselves from a very young age. Despite their differences, age, gender, nationality, Brina is Italian and Eagan is American, they find comfort in their growing friendship. Then Brina becomes a teenager, and her feelings for her friend start changing and deepening. New desires stir within her. As soon as Brina realizes how those feelings complicate her friendship with Eagan, she runs away from him.A few years later, Brina is twenty and Eagan is twenty-five, they find one another once again. Brina is studying cinema in Rome and she's also trying to become a musician. Eagan begins to work as an architect in the same city. Eagan wants to be a part of Brina's life anew. Brina, however, is still in love with him; she finds it difficult to act merely as a friend and she keeps pulling away.
Set in the beautiful Rome, this is a sensual and romantic story of friendship and love.

My Thoughts:

I love the premise of this book.  I'm a sucker for the friends to lovers story line.  And it was easy to be sucked into Brina and Eagan's story.

Brina and Eagan grew up together because their parents (travelling photographers) were friends.  They shared a bond because of their parents always being gone and became their own kind of 'family'.  But as they get older, Brina develops more feelings for Eagan, and scared that he doesn't feel the same way, she bolts.

Later on, they end up back in Rome together and Eagan is determined to have Brina back in his life.  But she is hesitant because she still has feelings and isn't sure where they stand.

What I loved about these two was their intense love and friendship.  Where some may think it's really unhealthy to depend on someone else - their dependence on each other worked for me. I understood the need they had to be together and how it felt for them to be apart.  Their relationship was really beautiful.

Add to that the suspense of them giving into their feelings for each other.  I love that in a book and there was quite a build up that kept me glued to my Kindle.  The story was very fast-paced and hard to put down!

My only major issue with the book was how much it jumped around.  I don't know if, because it was an ARC, I wasn't able to decipher where the breaks were very well.  The story was all over the place in the beginning with the flashbacks to their childhood, and there were many times I wasn't sure if I was in the present or the past.  I understood the significance of the flashbacks, but the first 1/4 of the book left me really confused.  Once I got past that - I devoured the rest of the  book in a day!


Overall, I enjoyed reading this very intense love story.  It says something when I devour a book in two days.  Thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of the book!

3.5 Suns

Review: No Romance Required by Cari Quinn

No Romance Required by Cari Quinn

Published August 12th 2013 by Entangled: Brazen

About the book:

Faking it never felt so good… 

Cory Santangelo is used to getting his way, both in the boardroom and the bedroom. Lately he hasn’t had much opportunity to do anything but work, but one unexpectedly sexy night in a gazebo with Victoria, his gorgeous and feisty interior designer, changes all that—especially when they’re caught on camera. Suddenly Cory’s sterling reputation is no longer above reproach. Since his impromptu encounter coincides nicely with his need for a girlfriend to get his well-meaning, meddling parents off his back, he decides to ask his lifelong frenemy for a favor.

To pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. No strings attached. 

The only problem? Vicky Townsend wants those strings tied all around her. She’s battled a long-suppressed crush on Cory, and their combative work relationship has only fanned the flames. When he suggests his needs are more than she can handle, she’s ready to up the ante. And her bargaining chip is lots of delicious, inventive sex.

Until they discover nothing feels as good as making it real…

My Thoughts:

Last year I picked up No Flowers Required and was blown away by the authors writing style and ability to suck me into her book. It was sweet, it was hot, and I loved it. One of my favorite reads of 2012. So imagine how excited I was when a rep for the author offered me an ARC of the next book in the series!

This book was everything I love - humor, romance, sex, angst - written so well that I could hardly put it down. I love when a book can suck me in like that and Cari Quinn hasn't disappointed me yet!

Cory is a workaholic in the worst way. Spending every waking minute taking care of the family business leaves him no time for a social life, let alone falling in love. It's so bad that his parents, who are retiring and moving south, have issued him an ultimatum - find a woman or you're out of a job.

Victoria is his interior designer/magazine co-editor. They've known each other since they were kids and have an unusual friendship that's mostly sarcastic and hostile. But they work well together, and there's an underlying attraction that neither one wants to address.

A situation presents itself where they end up in a compromising position that gets photographed and put in the paper, giving Cory the idea of asking Vic to be his pretend girlfriend, and get his parents off his back.

But what he didn't bargain for was how AWESOME she would be and how she'd make him feel things he never thought he could. Struggling to find a balance between work and the growing feelings he has for her, Cory and Victoria have to decide if what they are feeling for each other is worth risking their friendship over. 

I absolutely LOVED these two! I hate whiny, spineless women in books and Victoria never seemed that way to me. Of course she had her concerns with Cory that she didn't voice immediately - but that is part of the suspense that keeps you reading more. And I loved that! And Cory...all moody and brooding...and oh so swoon-worthy. I loved him. This book had my heart pounding every time these two had any contact with each other - it was that intense and hot! Not to mention their banter back and forth was hilarious and I love that in a book. 

An absolutely perfect addition to this series - Cari Quinn has done it again!

5 Suns

Waves of Sunday #43

Welcome to our weekly edition of Waves of Sunday where each Sunday we spotlight a book that has been making waves in the book scene or has simply caught our attention causing a riptide on our TBR. Don't forget if you let us know which book has caught your attention this week, you have a chance to win our new feature giveaway! Just leave us a comment or quote in the comment section. All new suggestions in the comments below will be considered for August's Winner, so please leave us your most anticipated ADULT read. Please refer to our "about" and "rating and review" page to see what genres are appropriate for choices. No Young Adult picks or previously reviewed picks. Thank you.

 

This week we are spotlighting:

 

 

Price of a Kiss by Linda Kage

Publication Date: August 15th 2013

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

About the book:

 

*new adult romance*
**explicit scenes and language**

I don’t care what my cousin says; I am not the queen of impossible relationships. I mean, just because my last boyfriend tried to kill me and left a bit of a scar on my neck, then forced me to move across the country and legally change my name to Reese Randall to escape him, does not mean—

Oh, who am I kidding? For a freshman in college, I have to have the worst dating track record ever.

It’s no wonder love is the last thing on my mind when Mason Lowe enters my life. But the chemistry between us is like bam! Our connection defies logic. And he’s just so freaking hot. Being around him makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before. I even like bickering with him. He could be my soul mate...except for one teeny tiny glitch.

He's a gigolo.

Boy, do I know how to pick them.

Rachel's Thoughts:
I've seen this book all over Goodreads the last few days, and I was a little hesitant because of the whole gigolo thing.  The thought of getting involved with a guy who's pleasing other women is not my cup of tea, BUT I have been assured that this is a minor part of the story.   Plus,  I want to know what happened to Reese in her past!  Anything with a hint of danger immediately piques my interest.

Brandie's Thoughts:
I saw this book for the first time this week getting a ton of buzz and great reviews on Goodreads. When so many are recommending a book - I immediately go to Amazon and buy it! Lately, a lot of NA books seem to run with the same theme but this one sounds different and interesting!! I can't wait to read it!

Review: Burn by Maya Banks

Burn (Breathless, #3) by Maya Banks
Published on August 6, 2013 by Berkley
Purchase Amazon

About the book 
Ash, Jace, and Gabe: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Ash, it’s the woman who changes everything he’s ever known about dominance and desire...

When it comes to sex, Ash McIntyre has always explored his wilder side—extreme and uncompromising. He demands control. And he prefers women who want it like that. Even the women he’s shared with his best friend, Jace.

But Jace is involved with a woman he has no intention of sharing. And now even Gabe has settled into a relationship with a woman who gives him everything he needs, leaving Ash feeling restless and unfulfilled.

Then Ash meets Josie, who seems immune to his charms and his wealth. Intrigued, he begins a relentless pursuit, determined she won’t be the one who got away. He never imagined the one woman to tell him no would be the only woman who’d ever drive him to the edge of desire.

My Thoughts:
Okay this is the book I have been waiting for!  If you have read my previous reviews of the Breathless series then you know I have a love/hate relationship with it.  The first book left me so raw and angry that I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue on and honestly if it had been more of Gabe and Mia I probably wouldn't have, but it was Jace.  I really loved Jace in Rush so I couldn't wait to get my hands on his story, but it let me down.  There were parts I liked but for the most part I was upset and unhappy with the events that took place.  Now you may be thinking why in the world did I pick up Burn??  Well for one thing I really do enjoy Ms.Banks and her writing even if I want to strangle her characters and for another thing this was Ash's story.  How could I not read it??  Out of everybody Ash intrigued me the most and I have to say his book was definitely the best out of the three.

In Burn we get to see what makes Ash tick and why he is the way he is.  I knew he was dark for some reason even though it is never said in any of the other books.  He was the most easy going of the bunch in the previous books, but if you read them then you will probably agree with me that there was just something with him that made you want to take a closer look and knew that when you did you would probably find lots of darkness.  I won't lie I was terrified to pick this one up because I didn't want to be disappointed and I was scared to see what kind of woman he be paired up with.  I am happy to say that his story turned out much better than I could ever have anticipated and overall I am a happy camper.

The story is kind of the same as the previous books.  Main male character bumps into beautiful girl and decides he wants her and will not take no for an answer.  Ash comes in with guns blazing and sweeps Josie right off of her feet.  They move quick but again this is a trend with this series so I was okay with it. Would I have liked Josie to put up a little more fight..yes, but I can appreciate the overall fairy tale feel of the story.  I mean really what woman doesn't want a handsome sex god taking charge and cherishing her??  So yes I can understand the fantasy part of this book and overlook all the things that normal woman would scream about.

Josie was a good match for Ash.  She was an artist and really all she wanted was to be loved.  She lost her mother and grandmother so she had no family until Ash came along.  He gave her friends and a life she never knew she wanted.  I think my favorite part of the whole book was the girls.  Mia, Bethany, Brittany, and Josie were a hoot and I loved their scenes together. Girlfriends are the absolute best and this was a wonderful addition to the story.

The one big point that bothered me was the villain.  I was not prepared for it to be who it was and I am not sure if it worked for me.  We get to see a really dark side of Ash in this one and his connections which for a fan of the bad boy was great so I liked that there was something that stirred this part of Ash, but I wish the overall bad guy wasn't who it turned out to be.  It's really hard to talk about this part too much since I don't want to give anything away.  I will just say that I think a certain other person would have been a better villain and the person who it turned out to be shouldn't have been in this book in my opinion. 

I am so excited that I decided to read this book.  Ash was definitely worth the wait and this book has inspired me to read more from Ms.Banks!

3 stars

Interview, Playlists & Giveaway: Love Me With Lies by Tarryn Fisher

 

 

 

If you visit Waves of Fiction with any frequency you know we are huge fans of Tarryn Fisher's Love Me With Lies series.  We jump at any chance to promote it especially when it involves amazing prizes for our readers! This tour is hosted by the Tarryn Fisher Street Team. You can connect with them on their lovely Facebook page: The Pressed Penny (click HERE to visit), and you'll find out all the up to date gossip and info on the series and Tarryn Fisher. Be sure to scroll down to the end of the post because there are TWO AWESOME prize bundles to enter! 

 

Today, Tarryn Fisher is answering a few music/series related questions, and I'll be sharing the official playlists, as well as my own for The Opportunist and Dirty Red.

 

INTERVIEW

 

 

Q: Taking us back to the Opportunist when they were in college, what song was Olivia dancing to when she caught Caleb's attention with her dance moves?

 

Tarryn: SOS by Rihanna 

 

Q: If you could choose one song to represent the entire Love Me with Lies series, what would it be?

 

 

Tarryn: Muse Time is Running Out

 

Q: What do Olivia and Caleb slow dance too when they are alone? 

 

Tarryn: Yellow by Coldplay 

 

Q: I find that songs and fragrances can be such a memory trigger, especially when it comes to love. Is there any particular song that brings you back to past heartache?

 

Tarryn:  Oh my. Yes. Edwin Mcain, I'll be. And Muse-Time is Running Out. That one kills me. Pink-WhoKnew

 

Q: Do you listen to music while you write? What are your top three favorite songs at this moment? 

 

Tarryn: Ohhh, this is a fun question. I've been listening to It's All Okay by Julia Stone, Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Tessalate by Alt-J

 

 

 Official Playlist for The Opportunist:

 

SOS by Rihanna (Song Link)

 

The Scientist by Coldplay (Song Link)

 

Yellow by Coldplay (Song Link)

 

Heavy in Your Arms by Florence+The Machine (Song Link)

 

Someone Like You by Adele (Song Link)

 

My Playlist:

 

You Look So Fine by Garbage (Song Link)

Olivia's feelings when she first spies Caleb at the record store

 

Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood (Song Link)

Olivia and Caleb in the Orange Grove ;)

 

Cup of Coffee by Garbage (Song Link)

Olivia's feelings once she realized she ruined everything (the chorus at 1:55 KILLS my heart!)

 

Thinking of You by Katy Perry (Song Link)

The Epilogue *sniffs*

 

Official Playlist for Dirty Red:

 

Save My Life by ZZ Ward (Song Link)

 

Medicine by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (Song Link)

 

My Playlist:

 

Afraid by The Neighbourhood (Song Link)

Leah's thoughts seeing Olivia on the news and just in general (hateful woman!)

 

Say (All I Need) by One Republic (Song Link)

My thoughts on Leah

 

It Ends Tonight by The All-American Rejects (Song Link)

Reveals with Caleb and Leah at the end

 

 

 

 About the author: I am a real life villain, truly. I drink sick amounts of Starbucks. Most of the time my hair smells like coffee. I was born in South Africa, and lived there for most of my childhood. I moved to Seattle just for the rain. Rome is my favorite place in the world so far, Paris comes in at a close second. I read and write more than I sleep. When I was eleven, I wrote an entire novel about runaway orphans, using only purple ink. I am addicted to Florence and the Machine and will travel to see concerts. I love scary movies and giraffes. I spend way too much time on Facebook. Meet you there?…

                                  Connect with Tarryn:

                                            Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest

 

 

As part of this tour there are two giveaway rafflecopters.  A big thanks to the Tarryn Fisher Street Team for hosting both giveaways! The FIRST rafflecopter includes:

Michael Kors Purse ($300 value--picture below:)

Pressed Penny Necklace (kissing penny from Jaxsons!!)

Team Cherry Garcia T-shirt

20 Amazon e-book copies of The Opportunist

6 Amazon e-book sets of The Opportunist and Dirty Red

3 complete Love Me With Lies Amazon e-book sets (The Opportunist/Dirty Red/Thief)

 

 

 

 

The SECOND rafflecopter includes  2 Amazon e-books of The Opportunist and 1 Amazon set of The Opportunist and Dirty Red.

 

Review: Love, Technically by Lynne Silver

 

 

Love, Technically by Lynne Silver

Publication Date: July 29th 2013 by Entangled Publishing

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Billionaire CEO and computer whiz Noah Frellish is a king among geeks. Women are attracted to his money, but he'd love to meet someone who's actually interested in him. When he helps the sweet and sexy Michelle Kolson with a printing problem, she confuses him for a help desk technician. Noah knows he should clear up this case of mistaken identity, but would she still like him if she knew he was the boss?

Michelle thinks life in Chicago is perfect, as is the whirlwind romance with her smoking-hot coworker. When she unexpectedly finds her job on the chopping block and the man she fell headfirst into bed with running the company, will she abandon her dreams?

Noah must convince the small-town girl to stay in the big city—and that he really is the man she fell for.

My Thoughts:
Lordy, I just love a hot geek! They have a brain, can carry on a stimulating conversation, are cute, but rarely know just how much so. Oh, my heart is already in a little flutter thinking about these types! 

Michelle is the small town girl looking to make it on her own in the big city.  Things are going according to plan when she gets hired on by a tech company, LiteWave.  While working late one night Michelle has some computer trouble, and a nerdy but oh-so-hot fellow employee (or so she thinks) helps her out.  They have an instant attraction and strike up a friendship.  Little does Michelle know that her hot geek, Sark, is actually the CEO and founder of LiteWave.  One thing leads to another and friendship becomes a swoony romance.  Mistaken identity is still a factor here even though Sark thinks he cleared thing up, Michelle didn’t quite get the message which leads to a little drama in the work place.  Can these two get past their positions and work things out?

Love, Technically was a sweet romance that you could easily read in a couple of hours.  Perfect for a quick fix!  In spite of this only being 127 pages there is no insta-love here.  Instant attraction, yes, but Michelle and Sark get to know each other before falling.  They share their hopes and dreams, their daily stresses, and lean on each other for support.  There are a few lusty kisses, and some hotter scenes that’ll get your heart racing, making this a satisfying little “love bite”! 

Cold was no longer the problem.  Spontaneously combusting could be, though.  Sark might act like the cutest member of The Big Bang Theory’s cast, but he knew how to kiss.

Yes, please!

Plus, who can resist a smoking hot man with nerdy glasses and not an ounce of ego?!  I can’t, that’s for sure!

3.5 Suns

 

 

 



 

A copy was provided by Entangled through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!