Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Review: Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz


Publication Date: September 20th 2016 by Harlequin
Purchase Link: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Trick…or wicked treat!

It was a devastating dirty trick—Joey Silvia just found out her boyfriend of two years is married. What. A. Dick. Joey knows her best chance to get over one guy is to get under another. Of course, heading home to her family's remote cabin in Oregon poses some challenges in the "available men" department…until she discovers this cabin comes with its own hot handyman!

Holy crap, Chris Steffensen. When did her brother's best friend turn into a hard-bodied pile of blond-bearded hotness? He's the perfect Halloween treat—and a surprisingly dirty rebound guy. For a couple of weeks, anyway. Except that Chris has other ideas…like proving to Joey that this blast from the past is a whole lot more than a naughty Halloween hookup.

My Thoughts:
Joey had the shock of her life when she found out her boyfriend of two years is actually married.  Going home to the family’s lake cabin for her brother’s wedding provides the perfect getaway to lick her wounds. Meeting up with Chris, her brother’s best friend, who’s turned into a super hot lumberjack, makes forgetting her cheating, lying ex very easy.  How did she not know that Chris was such a bossy, sexy, dirty talker?

Chris was in love with Joey, the younger sister of his best friend, since high school, so hearing she’d be coming back for a visit, Chris wanted Joey’s family cabin fixed up just right. Chris is ecstatic that he’s finally caught Joey’s attention, and he’s determined to keep her!   

I love the idea of fixing up an old fashioned cabin by the lake, and from the description Chris was very talented in many ways *waggles eyebrows*!  Chris and Joey’s connection was easy and fast. Since they were together so much as teenagers they knew each other well even after all the years gone by.  Chris and Joey had chemistry to spare and together they were wickedly hot! Oh my, Tiffany Reisz can write some scorching scenes!

Fall is one of my favorite times year, with the crisp cold edge in the air, and the changing color of leaves, and Ms. Reisz made this setting come alive with her vivid writing! I wanted to bolt out of town to go stay in a woodsy mountain cabin! I could just about smell the pine as I read:

Sunlight trickled through the high canopy of towering Douglas firs and red cedar trees. Ferns and bear grass lined the edge of the trail like a soft green fence. The last week of rain had left the trails muddy and the air scented with pine and cedar and everything clean and alive.

Her Halloween Treat was a sweet and super hot second chance romance!  I was immediately hooked and could’ve easily read this in one sitting with it being 224 pages.  I can’t wait for the next Men at Work story: Her Naughty Holiday!

4 Suns




Connect with Tiffany Reisz:




Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Release Blitz, Review & Giveaway: Merry Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown


I'm thrilled to be part of the Release Week Blitz for Carolyn Brown's Merry Cowboy Christmas since I've loved this series from the beginning!  Be sure to scroll down for more information on the series and a giveaway of Merry Cowboy Christmas!



Publication Date: September 27th by Forever
Purchase Links: 

About the book:

"Jud with his slow, Texas drawl is one sexy cowboy who will have readers falling in love with him. His romantic connection with Fiona sizzles. Brown's modern storytelling and fun-filled plot will engage readers and wrap them up in this sweet, Southern holiday romance." --RT Book Reviews


THIS CHRISTMAS, SANTA'S WEARING A STETSON


'Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house is the presence of one wickedly hot cowboy who's come to stay for the holiday. Fiona Logan is downright shocked to return to her childhood home and find that the tall blond stranger who came to her rescue on an icy road will be sleeping just across the hall from her bedroom. Talk about temptation . . .

Jud Dawson never believed the Lucky Penny Ranch would live up to its name until now. Fiona is gorgeous, smart, funny, and everything he thought he'd never find. Now all he has to do is convince her to stick around town instead of hightailing it back to Houston. But with wild weather, nosy neighbors, and a new baby in the family, getting her to admit that she's falling in love might just take a Christmas miracle.

My Thoughts:
Fiona is back home in Dry Creek, Texas, not really by choice, but because she had nowhere else to go.  After a failed marriage that got her blacklisted in her line of work, and losing her job at a coffee house, she barely had enough funds to get her back home. However, being back feels more right than Fiona would’ve expected.  Could it be that Dry Creek is where she’s meant to end up after all? That sexy cowboy, Jud Dawson, staying across the hall from her in the family house is sure an incentive to stay, but will she miss the big city life if she settles down?

Jud Dawson has finally made his way out to Lucky Penny Ranch after buying into it with his cousins Blake and Toby. Bunking at the Logan family house while working on the ranch turns out to be a sweeter prospect when Fiona Logan comes back home.  Jud is looking to plant roots at Lucky Penny, making a place for the Dawson’s generations to come.  Could Fiona be the woman to help all those dreams come true?

While it seemed that Fiona wasn’t too keen on settling in (at first), the heat and passion between Jud and her made it real evident Fiona was going to think twice about leaving.  What is a high-powered job and big fancy city when you have no one you love to come home to?  

It was fun catching up with Fiona’s sisters, Allie and Lizzy, now married to Blake and Toby Dawson, and the Dry Creek town folk.  Some of the characters who’ve caused trouble in the past have a turn of fortune, and the Logan’s and Dawson’s show their big hearts by setting grudges aside and helping out.

Carolyn Brown's romances are always filled with sexy cowboys, strong families, and laugh-out-loud humor! Jud and Fiona’s romance was at the center of the story, but this was also about family and friends rallying together, enjoying the holidays, and making amends.  It will make you crave turkey, pies, biscuits and gravy, old-fashioned Christmas cookies, and hot-chocolate!  The food sounded delicious, and now I’m hungry all over again thinking about it!  Merry Cowboy Christmas is an easygoing, warm-your-heart kind of romance, a perfect read for a cold winter night!

4 Suns




Top 5 Books That Makes Great Gifts (Christmas/Holidays theme)

  1. Merry Cowboy Christmas (a little ego slipping out here). It’s got magic, healing and miracles for my readers.
  2. Mistletoe Cottage by Debbie Mason. It’s a special time of year with special circumstances but again love has the ability to jump over hurdles.
  3. Christmas Comes to Main Street by Olivia Miles. It might be the worst time of the year to be single but hey, Kara Hastings isn’t going to let her festive season be ruined. At least not until a very bossy city guy enters the picture.
  4. Christmas in Cupid Falls by Holly Jacobs. It’s a sticky situation that’s happening in Cupid Falls and time is getting away from Kennedy Anderson.
Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Marina Adair.  Regan Martin lost everything including her faith in all men when she fell in love six years ago. Now there’s a chance it might be restored





About the author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA® Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy-five books. She presently writes both women's fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title and contemporary series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. 



Connect with Carolyn Brown:



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Monday, September 26, 2016

Review:It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Published August 2nd 2016 by Atria Books
SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

My Thoughts
Emotionally charged book that seems to be CoHo’s style as of late.

To be completely candid, I feel like I’ve been having a rocky reader/author relationship with CoHo lately. My initial impression of this author in her early days was that she was a breath of fresh air to the new adult scene. However, as time has gone by, I sense a need from CoHo to flood the market with emotionally packed stories that include everything but the kitchen sink. I really don’t know anymore what her signature style is, and as a result it’s hard to predict if her stories will be a hit or miss for me.

Luckily for It Ends with Us, I was able to connect with the story. It’s a solid four stars in my book. However, I experienced this novel as an audio book, so there’s a good possibility the narrator Olivia Song had a lot to do with my experience.

In this novel, we meet Lily who is hard working, motivated and full of life. The story commences when she meets Ryle who happens to be an ambitious neurosurgeon who doesn’t have time for relationships. Eventually these two fall in love, and there begins their tumultuous love affair that ultimately leads to heartbreaking physical abuse.

There is so much to the story, which I feel can be overwhelming to some readers. For example, CoHo adds themes such as abuse, neglect, possible suicide, homeless teenagers, etc. to an already heavy book. Luckily, because I was listening to the audio, I never felt truly overburdened by the multitude of themes flooding the pages.

The characters were all distinct and relatable, which is one of CoHo’s strengths… her ability to create characters you want to get to know.

Overall, It Ends with Us is sure to be a hit for CoHo’s rabid fan base. Worthy story that will likely stay on your mind for some time.
4 Suns

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Review: Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs
Published May 26th 2015 by Mira
It's the beginning of another season in the seaside resort town of Winslow, Rhode Island, and Rosa Capoletti is given the chance to rediscover the pleasures of love and laughter, food and wine, friendship and romance…

With a little determination and a lot of charm, Rosa Capoletti took a run-down pizza joint and turned it into an award-winning restaurant that has been voted "best place to propose" three years in a row. For Rosa, though, there has been no real romance since her love affair with Alexander Montgomery ended suddenly and without explanation a decade ago.

But Rosa's life takes an unexpected turn when Alexander arrives back in town and asks for her help sorting through his late mother's affairs. Reunited at the beach house where they first met and fell in love, Rosa and Alexander discover that the secrets of the past are not what they seem. Now, with all that she wants right in front of her, Rosa searches for happiness with the man who once broke her heart -- and learns that in love, as in life, there are second chances. 

My Thoughts
Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs is a perfect beach side read. This is my first novel by Wiggs and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, so I was definitely glad I included it in my summer reading bundle.

In this novel, we meet Rosa Capoletti who is a successful restaurateur of Celesta by the Sea. It’s located in lovely beach town that has been Rosa’s home since she was born. As with most summer beach spots, the townies always seem to stand apart from the regular summer residents that occupy the country clubs and local stops. However, when Rosa was eighteen, she made the mistake of falling for Alexander Montgomery, which ended in heartbreak for Rosa.

Now, ten years later, Alex is back in town and hoping to rekindle a romance he mistakenly sacrificed for reasons that slowly unfold throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance novel. It was exciting to uncover the backstory that included slow and steady drama that was never over the top. I enjoyed how Susan Wiggs slowly, but purposefully, exposed the events that led up to Rosa and Alex going their separate ways.

Overall Summer by the Sea was filled with characters I enjoyed meeting and a storyline that was the perfect backdrop for a beach side read. I enjoyed this one quite a bit!

P.S. The recipes in this novel sound amazing and simple to make. The book inspired me to give a few of them a try. I'm quickly becoming hooked on food fiction. YUM!
4 Suns

Friday, September 23, 2016

Review: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Published August 23rd 2016 by Scribner
The years-long New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Best Historical Novel that is “irresistible…seductive…with a high concept plot that keeps you riveted from the first page” (O, The Oprah Magazine)—soon to be a major motion picture from Spielberg’s Dreamworks starring Michael Fassbender, Rachel Weisz, and Alicia Vikander, and directed by Derek Cianfrance.

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

“Elegantly rendered…heart-wrenching…beautifully drawn” (USA TODAY), The Light Between Oceans is a gorgeous debut novel, not soon to be forgotten. 
My Thoughts
This book was both emotional and unputdownable! The Light Between Oceans had me hooked and I could not let go. I was on a mission to finish this story before seeing the movie, and luckily I was able to do so because it’s not in my nature to see a movie without reading the book first… if I can help it.

Having experienced both the book and the movie, I have to say how amazing the author was able to tell this gripping story, and how meticulous the movie was adapted to the book. I truly enjoyed both.

In The Light Between Oceans, Tom Sherbourne embarks on a new journey after serving in World War I. He takes a station as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock and after a short time, falls in love and marries the lively Isabel. After a few years of marriage and several miscarriages, Isabel and Tom are heartbroken, but all that changes when a small boat washes up on their island with a newborn baby and a dead man. From that moment, their choices create devastating consequences.

Tom was an absolutely worthy character. From the moment he entered the scene, it was clear what a kind, meticulous and heavyhearted soul he was. I completely adored him. Isabel was the perfect, slightly wild balance to Tom’s steady nature, and together they portrayed a love I never doubted.

Throughout the book, I never lost sight of the impending doom that was to come as a consequence to keeping Lucy as their own daughter. As the story unfolded, I scrambled to think of an outcome that would accommodate all parties… but that was impossible.

The movie did an amazing job of bringing this story to life. Despite not having Tom’s full backstory outlined in the movie due to time constraints, I feel the audience was still able to appreciate why Tom made certain decisions.

Overall, if you’re looking for a story with heart and power, not to mention a beautiful Australian backdrop, The Light Between Oceans is sure to please. This novel will rank in my top five this year.
4 Suns

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Cover Reveal: Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher

Waves of Fiction is so excited to share the cover reveal for Tarryn Fisher's upcoming novel.  Enjoy!
Release: TBD
Almost every day is a very bad day when you’re thirty, your tits are starting to sag, there are lines creeping in around your eyes, and you realize that no one would like you if they actually knew who you really were. Fig Coxbury is fed up with her life: her cheating ex-husband, the excess fat around her waist, and most of all, her loneliness.


When Fig chances upon Jolene Avery, the embodiment of everything she’s ever wanted to be, Fig befriends her out of curiosity.


Fig soon begins to emulate all aspects of Jolene's life, because when you find someone who knows exactly who they are, you can't help but want to be just like them.


Or in Fig's case... become them.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Release Day Spotlight & Giveaway: The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn Brown

I am currently reading and loving The Lullaby Sky! Family, friendships, love and romance all rolled into one story.  Carolyn Brown's stories are usually filled with humor, heart and pearls of wisdom, and this one is no exception. Scroll down for a message from Carolyn Brown, an excerpt and a chance to win The Lullaby Sky! 




The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn Brown
Publication Date: September 13th 2016 by Montlake Romance
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

About the book:

After seven years of misery and abuse, it’s all over—Hannah O’Malley is officially divorced. Hallelujah. It’s like every Christmas in her life all rolled up into one glorious day. Not only does Hannah get to keep her grandmother’s spacious old house, but she has full custody of her sparky five-year-old daughter. All Hannah has to do now is put the past behind her.

And now that she’s free, she wants to make a difference. With the help of her warm, close-knit circle of friends—including her high school crush, Travis Wilson—Hannah begins turning her home into a safe house for other women who’ve endured the pain she’s known. But even as life and laughter return to Hannah’s home, she’s haunted by the memory of her dangerously unstable ex. With a second chance at love on the horizon, Hannah must face down her past in order to let the sunshine back into her life.


Message from Carolyn Brown:

Good mornin’, all y’all! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to me talk about The Lullaby Sky. I’m so excited about this book and hope that it touches the emotions of every woman who reads it. Hannah has found joy in giving back to others and has a brand new and budding relationship with Travis.

I asked her to give us some advice about second chance love. This is what she had to say: 

I’ve known Travis my whole life and down deep in my heart I knew he was a good person, had a heart of gold and was a wonderful man. But after what I’d lived through the past several years, trust was a major issue. I had to learn to trust my heart again, to open it up and give Travis a chance.

So I had a long talk with myself and decided that it was not fair to judge this good man, by another man’s short comings. It was time to let go of the past and move on to the future. Then I rememberd something that my grandmother used to tell me and applied it to my life: Never shut the door to an opportunity. It’s better to open the door, invite it in and feed it chocolate cake than to chase it down the road after it’s already a mile away.


If you’ve been blessed with a second chance, if opportunity comes knocking on your door and there’s a hero standing there with paint on his shirt, a quirky little smile and a twinkle in his eyes, just open the door wide and tell him to come right on it. Feed him chocolate cake and give him a chance. You never know, the second chance might be the stars that light up a lullaby sky.

Please enjoy this excerpt from The Lullaby Sky

Hannah had paid for her marriage to Marty in nerves, nausea and migraines. She wrapped her arms around her body and shivered--never would she have to worry about him arriving unexpected and finding things out of order. Never would she have to send Sophie outside to play so she wouldn’t witness his wicked temper.

“It really is over,” she whispered. “So why don’t I feel like it is?”

“Because it’ll take time,” Travis whispered.

Startled, she jumped and shivered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come out of the house.”

“It’s okay, Hannah. You never have to apologize to me.” He smiled.

The limo came to a slow stop in front of the house and Sophie shot out of the door and jumped into her mother’s arm for the second, or was it the third time that day? She wrapped her legs around Hannah’s waist and hugged her, planting dozens of kisses on her face.

“I liked the ‘tentious car, Mama, but it’s too big for us. I like our car and Travis’s truck and Aunt Birdie’s van better than the big princess car.” She leaned back and looked Hannah right in the eye. “Did I really get a new name today or was you teasin’ me?"

“You really did. So did I. We are now Hannah and Sophie O’Malley,” Hannah answered.

“Sophie O’Malley,” Sophie whispered. “I like it. Do you like it, Travis?"

“Oh, yes, I do. It sounds just like a princess name.”

“Sophie O’Malley, princess of Aunt Birdie’s castle and queen of Hannah O’Malley’s house.” Sophie’s pecan-colored eyes danced with merriment.

“Oh, no, you don’t, young lady,” Hannah said. “You might be princess of Aunt Birdie’s house and mine, but I’m the queen and don’t you forget it.”

Sophie hopped down and ran into the house, no doubt to tell Aunt Birdie all about the limo. Travis kept his distance but his eyes locked with Hannah’s.

“What?” She wiped her cheek. “Do I have chocolate pie on my face?”

“No, I was thinkin’ maybe you shouldn’t forget it,” Travis said.

“Forget what?”

“Who’s queen of your house,” he said.

“Are you saying that I spoil Sophie too much?” Hannah asked.

“No, I’m saying that you’ve been spoiled too little, Hannah O’Malley,” he grinned.





Author Biography
Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, as well as a RITA finalist. She has written several beloved and popular romance titles, ranging from historical to contemporary to cowboy-themed. She and her husband live in Davis, Oklahoma. They have three grown children, and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

Connect with Carolyn Brown:





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Friday, September 9, 2016

Spotlight & Giveaway:The One Real Thing by Samantha Young

I've enjoyed Samantha Young's romances for quite some time now, so I've been looking forward to the first in her Hart's Boardwalk series, The One Real Thing, which released Tuesday! I have a juicy excerpt as well as an INTERNATIONAL giveaway to share below!


Publication Date: September 6th 2016 by Berkley
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | BAM | Kobo

About the book:

Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts…
While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life.  Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.
Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations.  But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her.
Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for…

 Excerpt: 

Why did it feel like having sex had complicated things so much? Usually sex was complication-free for me.
But before that night I’d been completely sure that Cooper was interested in exploring something more with me, and now I was freaking out that his interest would wane now that he’d had me.
I shook my head slowly. “No. It was good.”
He scowled, his arms tightening around me so much there wasn’t an inch of space between us. “It was better than fucking good, Jessica.”
I scowled back and pushed at his chest for some breathing space. “Well, I’m sure you’d know all about that.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“You use the word ‘fuck’ a lot.”
“It’s a good fucking word.”
I was tempted to laugh at how disgruntled he sounded and he seemed to catch my amusement because his hold on me eased.
“What’s going on in your head, Jess?”
I thought about evading this conversation. I’d never had to have an adult, open conversation with a man about sex. However, I realized, somewhat reluctantly, if I wanted something more with Cooper Lawson I was going to have to give him more than I was used to giving.
I couldn’t change his past, but I could figure out what it was he wanted in the future by just being honest and asking the question.
“You still want something with me, right? This”—I gestured behind me to the table—“it wasn’t just about sex.”
“No,” he said. “It’s not just about sex.”
As I heaved a sigh of relief, he let go of my waist to cup my face in his hands, dipping his head down to mine so our noses almost touched. He stared deep into my eyes and I shivered. I felt like he was trying to see right into my soul.
“I’m in this for the long haul, Doc. I was before you walked into my bar tonight, but now, after the best fucking sex of my life, after how wild that was, there’s no way I’m letting you walk out of here without me.”
And there he went doing it again.
His words resonated deep within me along with giving me that deep, sexual belly flip of arousal.
My fingers curled into the top of his biceps. “Best sex of my life, too,” I murmured. “It stunned me a little. Confused me . . . I thought maybe . . . you . . . this was old hat for you . . .”
He gave me a crooked grin. “You think I make a habit of fucking women in my bar.”
“You could,” I said. “You are definitely a man who could pull that off.”
Cooper threw his head back in laughter and I pressed my body deeper into his to feel his joy.
And then he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me.
Just as I’d suspected, he was a really good hugger.
When he pulled back he was smiling gently at me. “You’re the only woman I’ve had in my bar.” He let me go only to take my hand in his. “No one sits at that table anymore.” He gestured to the scene of the best sex we’d both ever had. “It’s now a shrine.”
“You can’t do that!” I was mortified at the possibility of people finding out why there was a table in Cooper Lawson’s bar that no one was allowed to sit at.
“I can. It’s my bar. I think I’ll even carve ‘Coop and Doc were here’ on it.”
Finally getting that he was joking, I made a face. “Funny.”
“You’re slow on the uptake tonight,” he teased.
“My brain was just frazzled by the orgasm to beat all orgasms.”
He squeezed my hand. “You up for more brain frazzling?”
I shivered at the thought. “Definitely.”
His eyes darkened. “Let’s go back to my place.”
Exhilarated by the prospect, I followed him, and it wasn’t until we’d stepped outside the bar into the cool night air that I said, “I don’t suppose you know where my panties are?”
“I do, actually.” He led me to the back of his bar to the parking lot. A dark-colored GMC was the only truck there.
“Um . . . could I have them, please?”
He stopped me at the passenger side of the truck, pressing me up against the car. “Why?” he whispered against my lips before he kissed me deeply. He came up for air a few seconds later. “You’re not going to need them where we’re going.”
The nagging pressure between my legs increased. “You are so very, very good at stringing the exact right words together.”
He kissed me again.
“You’re just good with your mouth in general,” I murmured.
Cooper grinned and brushed his lips over mine. “In the truck, Doc.”


About the author: Samantha Young is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series, including Moonlight on Nightingale WayEchoes of Scotland Street, and Fall from India Place, as well as the standalone novel Hero. She resides in Scotland.

Connect with Samantha Young:


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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen


Publication Date: September 6th 2016 by Berkley
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

The first novel in a sexy new series featuring the hockey players of the Brooklyn Bruisers and the women who win their hearts—from the USA Today bestselling author of the Ivy Years series.
 
In high school they were the perfect couple—until the day Georgia left Leo in the cold...
 
Hockey player Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart, and succeed in the NHL. But on the first day he’s called up to the newly franchised Brooklyn Bruisers, Leo gets checked on both sides, first by the team’s coach—who has a long simmering grudge, and then by the Bruisers’ sexy, icy publicist—his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

Saying goodbye to Leo was one of the hardest things Georgia ever had to do—and saying hello again isn’t much easier. Georgia is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, but when a press conference microphone catches Leo declaring his feelings for her, things get really personal, really fast....

My Thoughts:
Georgia and Leo had a forever kind of first love in high school only to have things ruined when Georgia is a victim of a violent crime. She cut Leo loose after graduation day, and her heart was never the same. Six years later, Georgia has a her dream job as publicist for the Brooklyn Bruisers, an underdog sort of hockey team, when she finds out Leo has been traded into the team, and all the old hurt of letting go comes rushing back.

Leo’s just been traded to the Brooklyn Bruiser’s and runs into Georgia, the girl who broke his heart six years ago. As if that wasn’t enough of a shock, her father is the new coach and for some reason has it out for Leo. Seeing Georgia is a punch to the gut, but he’s determined to get Georgia, the girl he’s never forgotten, back. I absolutely LOVED Leo! Hot, muscled hockey god with a sweet, sexy center!  He was all in with Georgia and I admired his determination to make things work no matter what!

I can’t pretend to know how a victim of a violent crime feels, but I was a little upset that Georgia let Leo go all those years ago when he clearly loved her so much. She hurt them both, but sometimes things happen a certain way for a reason. As I read and got Georgia’s perspective it was easy for me to understand her actions, especially when she was only eighteen when all this happened.  My heart ached for both Leo and Georgia, but I was thrilled at their second chance.  Their romance heated up the pages both with flashbacks and present time scenes! Their easy, heated chemistry sizzled off the pages!

I just loved Rookie Move so much! I’m not a fan of angst, but this had just the right amount to pull at my heartstrings without pushing to the point of frustration.  The bumps here in the road for Leo and Georgia never seemed impossible to ride over, and some seemed necessary for their healing.  

Sarina Bowen knocked it out of the park for me with Leo and Georgia’s romance and I’m super excited for the next book!  The teaser at the end for Hard Hitter, which will feature Patrick O’Doul, the team’s serious captain, and Ari the team’s massage therapist/yoga instructor, already has me hooked!
4.5 Suns




Leo Trevi's Hockey Card
*drools*



Excerpt:

“Come right this way,” Georgia heard her coworker and roommate Becca say, the clomp of her Dr. Martens echoing through the grand old passageway. “Nate is excited to meet you.” Becca was the owner’s assistant, and Georgia lingered half a second to wave her down and offer her a donut, too.
But Becca didn’t happen to look in Georgia’s direction as she led a tall man down the corridor. Something about his gait snagged Georgia’s subconscious. So she took a second look.
And that’s when her heart took off like a manic bunny rabbit. Because she knew that man. She knew the chiseled shape of his masculine jaw, and the length of his coal-black eyelashes.
Oh my God.
Omigod, omigod, omigod.
“How was your flight?” Becca asked him, oblivious to the fact that Georgia was spying.
“Not too bad. I got in late last night.”
The sound of his voice fluttered right inside Georgia’s chest. It was the same smoky sweet timbre that used to whisper into her ear while they made love. She hadn’t let herself remember that sound in a long time.
Now it was giving her goosebumps. The good kind.
“Welcome to Brooklyn,” Becca said while Georgia trembled. “Are you familiar with the area?”
“Grew up about thirty miles from here,” he answered while chills broke out across her back.
Holding her breath, Georgia eased her office door further closed, until only a couple of inches remained. She could not be caught like this—freaked-out and speechless, hiding behind a door.
The movement caught Becca’s eye, though. Georgia saw her turn her head in her direction and then pick her out in the crack where the door was still open. Becca raised one eyebrow—the one with the barbell piercing in it.
All Georgia could do was close her eyes and pray that Becca wouldn’t call out a greeting.
There was a pause before Georgia heard Becca say, “Right this way, please.”
Quietly, Georgia stepped into her office and shut the door. After flipping on the light, she let her briefcase and pocketbook slide right to the floor. Only the folder that Nate had given her was still in her shaking hands. She flipped it open, her eyes searching for the new player’s name on the page.
But she didn’t even need the paperwork to confirm what her racing heart had already figured out. The newest player for the Brooklyn Bruisers was none other than Leonardo “Leo” Trevi, a six-foot-two, left-handed forward. Also known as her high school boyfriend, the boy she’d loved with all her heart until the day that she’d dumped him. And now he was here?
“Thanks, universe,” she whispered into the stillness of her office.



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Berkley has kindly provided a copy of Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen to one Waves of Fiction Follower. The giveaway is open to US residents only.  Just fill in the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.

Friday, September 2, 2016

Quick Update & Giveaway


Hi there readers! I hope all have had wonderful summer trips, lots of fun! Maybe visiting a beach like the one pictured above! 
I haven't been reviewing that much lately, just here and there so I thought I'd catch you up on some books I've enjoyed the last few weeks:

Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling, #1)  Gone Too Deep (Search and Rescue #3)   Smash Cut (Mitchell & Associates #1)  Moonlight Road (Virgin River, #10)

Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #5) Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane, #4) A Cowboy Christmas Miracle  Smoke Screen

So you can see, I've been all over the place with romances, from historical to romantic suspense/mystery to PNR.  I finally broke down and read a Nalini Singh! The first of the Psy-Changeling series (I guess there's 15 out now!) and I really enjoyed it!  I listened to the audio version, courtesy of the library and the narration was excellent. Actually, most of the books you see above were audio books for me, except for Cowboy Christmas Miracle and Gone Too Deep.  

Smoke Screen (5 Stars) by Sandra Brown was better than Smash Cut (3.5 Stars) for me.  The couple in Smash Cut (or I should say, heroine) didn't fully trust or confide until the very end so that was a mark against their romance for me. Still, it's hard to beat Sandra Brown's books even when its not her best work. She is the queen of a twists!  

I'm making my way through J.R. Ward's BDB series.  Lover Unbound was good, but I had just a tinge of disappointment over how she managed to make Jane and Vishous' romance a (Highlight for Spoiler) long term, given that Jane is human when they fall in love.  I know it had to be accomplished somehow, but I didn't want that.  Oh well. I've read later books and I would've never known, just thought she was normal if I didn't read this installment, so I need to stop bitching! (End of Spoiler).

I'm continuing on with Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series and the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr and loving both! I can't get enough of the Virgin River series, where I get to visit with all my favorite couples while enjoying a new romance with each installment.  Although, I must say I wanted to smack Mel a time or two in Moonlight Road! I need to be a little more understanding because it's not like I haven't had emotions that make me a bit crazy, too! 

A Cowboy Christmas Miracle is not to be missed by anyone who loves a sexy, sweet cowboy! Carolyn Brown finishes up her Burnt Boot, Texas series with this book, and I just melted over Declan! Betsy was a feisty sweetheart, too!  You can enter the giveaway for Carolyn Brown's One Texas Cowboy Too Many HERE

Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle is my favorite in the series so far! I've been on many a backpacking trip, so I could relate to all the hard work, and "enjoy" the beauty of untouched wilderness! It was a thrilling mystery, and I loved the sweet, innocent nature of the romance. My jaw just dropped with that ending! I'm reading the next one very soon.

I have a Paperback Copy of Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh to giveaway to one lucky follower.  US & CA residents only.  Just enter the rafflecopter below: