"Knight of My Dreams" By: Lynsay Sands Review

Knight of My Dreams
By: Lynsay Sands

Synopsis

Originally appeared in the print anthology A Mother's Way, under the title "Mother May I?"
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lynsay Sands comes a classic short story of a knight in need of a bride …
Lady Alice knows she is not the type to entice a man. She's too voluptuous, too intelligent, too strong minded. Why, she even reads! But then Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, arrives at court. Tall, dark and handsome, the knight is any woman's dream. And he has just been ordered by the king to find a bride … and Alice is to help him!
Jonathan has been evading his mother's matchmaking schemes for years, so why does she insist that Lady Alice isn't for him? Alice is only to aid in his search for a bride, yet Jonathan can't help but be distracted by her glorious hair—the color of a sunset—and a figure that is like a lush berry about to burst to full ripeness … Has Jonathan fallen prey to love?

My Thoughts

     Jonathan has been ordered by the King to find a bride within two weeks. While he isn’t too keen on the idea, his mother is desperate to finally get him married. With his father’s death years before, he understands the need to marry and have an heir, but he doesn’t want to marry at all. So his mother puts a plan into place to put him in the path of several single ladies, and more specifically, Lady Alice.
      Alice is his Mother’s best friend’s daughter and although they have never met before, Jonathan’s mother is determined her son and Alice will make an adorable couple. So through a series of mishaps and intentional pairings, Jonathan and Alice are paired again and again. Suddenly, a flare of awareness sets in and Jonathan and Alice find that they may be perfect together after all.
     A super quick cute story, Lynsay Sands is known for her humor and it shines through loud and clear with this short story. Jonathan is your stereotypical bachelor but is absolutely dedicated to his Mother. Alice is sweet if a little naive. At under 100 pages, the story was paced rather quickly but it wrapped up nicely. Fans of Sands will enjoy this sweet short story, I know I did.

Book Details

Publisher: Avon

# of Pages: 100

Date of Publication: April 29, 2014

ISBN: 978-0062317247

Source: Edelweiss - for review

Challenges

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge?

2014 Historical Reading Challenge

"Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars" By: Codi Gary Review

Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars

By: Codi Gary

Synopsis

Gemma Carlson didn't plan on waking up married.

She also didn't count on running into her old flame—and her son's father-turned-country rock star—Travis Bowers, followed by a night of drunken dares. Apparently one of those involved a ring on her finger and a vow … neither of which she intends to keep. Now with a hangover from hell, this good-girl-gone-bad knows there's just one thing to do: run.

Travis has been all over the world, but Gemma has never been far from his thoughts. So when they had the chance to catch up over a few drinks, he didn't hesitate. Of course, he didn't expect it would lead to marriage, or a runaway bride! Travis finally has a second chance and doesn't plan on losing Gemma again—or the son he didn't know he had. He proposes, albeit belatedly, a date. Or rather, a few. If they can make this marriage work by starting over, he stays. If not …

Gemma's not interested; she's got a son to protect and a heart to heal. But having Travis around could make both a little easier. Still, good girls don't date rock stars . . . right?

My Thoughts

    Gemma finds out the hard way that some things that happen in Vegas, don’t stay in Vegas. When she wakes up with a ring on her finger put there by ex-boyfriend Travis, who just happens to be one of Country’s biggest stars, she panics and drives ten hours straight back to Idaho. How can she tell him she should have believed him and never have left him all those years ago? And the whole business of their son she never told him about is going to be a bit messy.

   So starts Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars, with a bit of a bang if you will. Travis, said rock star, fell in love with Gemma as a teenager. In and out of foster homes, he never had a true family and only two loves in his young life, music and Gemma. When life on the road gets the best of them, Gemma and Travis drift apart, with more than a few secrets held back from one another.

    Life has a way of getting the best of us, and with her newest novel, Codi Gary shows us how we can always find a way to make it work. Seemingly insurmountable odds are against both Gemma and Travis, but even through the paparazzi’s lenses, they find a way to love one another again and become a true family.

    One of my favorite things about Gary’s books are the secondary characters. Don’t get me wrong, the main characters are awesome (and some pretty amazing naughty scenes, meow) but she writes the background characters almost as fully as she does everything else. They have personalities, quirks, and you want to read as much as about them as anyone else. From the sassy barista down the road to the computer repairman with a penchant for trout fishing, Gary creates a rich backdrop for her characters to fall in love.

    Codi Gary is one of my new favorite authors. She writes sweets stories with the right amount of spice that are just plain witty and fun. This book can be absolutely read by itself, but if you fall in love with Codi Gary’s book as I have done, be sure to read Things Good Girls Don’t Do.

Rock Canyon Romance

1. Things Good Girls Don’t Do

2. Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars

3. Bad Girls Don’t Marry Marines (May 20, 2014)

Book Details

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Date of Publication: April 22nd, 2014

ISBN: 978-0062331717

# of pages: 300

Source: Edelweiss - for Review

Challenges

2014 Contemporary Romance Challenge

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge?

"Spin" By: CD Reiss Review

Spin
By: C.D. Reiss

Synopsis

Mafia capo, Antonio Spinelli blew through my orderly life like a cyclone.
Gorgeous and passionate, with a breathtaking brutality, he put me under his spell the moment he touched me, drawing me into his underworld of risk, violence and betrayal.
And I found, just as this sophisticated savage didn’t trust me, I didn’t trust myself. Something happened to me. Some alchemy from the heat between us.
I discovered I was a savage, too

My Thoughts
     Theresa is in a bit of a tailspin. Having just discovered her fiance has been cheating on her, Theresa isn’t in the mood for any new men in her life. Adrift in her romantic life with a job that is lackluster, Theresa finds herself transformed when she meets Antonio.

     Raw, violent, passionate and emotional, Antonio brings out facets of Theresa she never knew existed. When she discovers that Antonio may be more than just a pretty face, maybe even a crime boss in the mafia, she has to decide if having him in her life is worth the pain she may have to endure or the passion she knows will overrule.
    I have a hard time describing this book. While I finished it, I will admit I almost didn’t. The story itself held promise but the execution of the idea fell short of its mark. I had a hard time figuring out who was talking half the time, so I was continually flipping back to even understand what was happening.
     While the story was fast paced and a superb amount of heat if you know what I mean, the actual tale itself seemed choppy and uneven. It looks like the author is planning two more titles in the series and I’ll probably pick up number two to see what happens. I enjoyed the characters, just not the actual story telling.

Book Details

Publisher: Fido Publishing

Date of Publication: March 12, 2014

# of Pages: 240

ISBN: 9785214636

Source: Personal Purchase

Challenges
2014 Contemporary Romance Challenge
2014 New Author Challenge
2014 Ebook Challenge
2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge?

"Last Breath" By: Jessica Clare & Jen Frederick

Last Breath

By: Jessica Clare & Jen Frederick

Synopsis

Regan

I never really knew what misery was until the day I was kidnapped and sold for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Two months later, I'm at a brothel in Rio when I meet Daniel Hays. He says he's here to save me, but can I trust him? All I know of him are his sarcastic retorts and his tendency to solve every dispute with his gun. He's also the only safe thing in my world, and I know it's wrong to fall in love with him, but I can't seem to help myself. He says he’ll protect me until his last breath but I don’t know if I should believe him or even if I can.

Daniel

For the last eighteen months, I’ve had one goal: to find my kidnapped sister. I’ve left the Army, turned paid hit man, and have befriended criminals all across the globe. In every brothel I raid or every human trafficking truck I stop, her face is the one I’m desperate to see. In Rio, I find Regan Porter, bruised but not broken and still sane despite her weeks in hell. I should leave her behind or send her home because the last thing either of us needs is to get involved. But with every passing minute, I find I can’t let her go.

My Thoughts

     Last Breath begins a few months after the events of Last Hit take place. Regan is still being held captive in a brothel, yearning to go home but with no way out, she’s almost lost hope. Against her will, Regan fights every man that enters the room but she finds her humanity slowly slipping away. Until the day that Daniel (Nick’s friend from the first book) finds her and fights tooth and nail for her to escape.
     Daniel goes after Regan as a favor to his fellow Hitman, Nick. Daniel’s own sister had been kidnapped several months before, so he understands the ins and outs of how these terrible people operate. Seeking both Regan and his sister, he finds Regan in the slums of Rio. When returning Regan to the United States becomes complicated, they join forces to search Rio for Daniel’s sister.
      If anything, I think I might have enjoyed Last Breath even more than Last Hit and I really loved Last Hit. Daniel is so irreverent and cocky, so when he’s faced with the utter devastation that has become of Regan’s life, he’s at odds with everything he knows to do. I thought the authors did an excellent job of not so much as redeeming him, because he didn’t need that...but they definitely showed a different side to him that we hadn’t seen before.
     They absolutely do not shy away from the sexual abuse Regan receives at the hands of her captors. It was handled really well and I felt emotionally raw reading those torturous scenes. Regan’s mental health and eventual acceptance of her new life now were dealt with realistically. I thought that would scare me away from the story, but in fact it just made me realize the true power of the author’s words.
      Extremely emotionally captivating, Regan and Daniel’s desperate escape from Rio is strained, rife with sexual tension, and fueled by desire.The romance between these two flawed characters is sweet, very romantic, with the perfect amount of heat while dealing with the difficult past of sexual abuse. An excellent story that I read through like a crazy person, I can’t wait until the next as yet Untitled story has to reveal. The authors really need to be commended for bringing this fascinating world to life, something that is pretty hard to do.

Hitman Series

1. Last Hit

1.5 Last Gift

2. Last Breath

3. Untitled (Fall 2014)

Book Details

Publisher: Pear Tree, L.L.C.

# of Pages: 280

ASIN: B00ISLNYC4

Date of Release: March 24, 2014

Source: Personal Purchase

Challenges

2014 Contemporary Romance Challenge

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge

2014 Erotic Romance Challenge

"Raw" By: Belle Aurora Review

Raw

By: Belle Aurora

Synopsis

Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am.

Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street.

Best decision I ever made.

Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job.

My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved.

But the saying is true.

The world makes way for those who know where they are going.

That’s me.

I know where I’m going and I’ll get there eventually. On my own terms and at my own pace.

But then there’s him.

I feel his eyes on me. I see him hiding in plain sight. He watches me.

He makes me feel.

It’s unconventional.

But it’s real.

I’m sure you’re wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker.

So am I.

This isn’t a story.

This is my life.

My Thoughts

    Lexi, living in Australia, works as a social worker dealing specifically with children and teens. Having lived through a tough childhood and even spending time on the streets, Lexi now does what she can to ensure no other teen has to go through what she went through. Slowly, she has been noticing a man watching her from the shadows. Never really too concerned, until she is attacked outside of her apartment, Lexi’s stalker becomes her savior.

    Twitch has been watching Lexi for a long time. Attracted to her and thinking she’s in need of someone to save  her from herself, Twitch watches her from the shadows. Disreputable an less than law abiding, Twitch is intense and strong in his beliefs. When he finally makes his move to bring himself closer to Lexi, he can no longer keep himself away, even if it might be better for everyone involved.

“Monsters don't always lurk in the shadows. Sometimes they hide in plain sight.”― Belle Aurora, Raw      

    Raw is what I felt when I finished Raw. The ending is emotionally draining and absolutely shocking. I read hundreds of books a year and for something to surprise me this much really tells how different it truly is.

    Lexi and Twitch are both such strong and independent characters. I loved how each complemented one another, even though the story itself was so intense. You have to suspend belief a bit (Twitch had apparently knew Alexa when she lived in the US) but I was happily along for the ride. Super sexy and frankly hot, Twitch has got the gift of speech. A bit creepy with the whole watching thing, I was able to put it behind me because of the pure emotional intensity of the characters.

     Leaving the ending wide open for a sequel, Belle Aurora delivers with Raw. I actually teared up at the ending that was just emotionally jarring and so unexpected. I can’t wait to see what comes next. Excellently written, sexy, and just plain good, Raw was fantastic.

“Kissing her once more, I tell her without hesitation, "if you promise to never leave me, I will love you. And be good to you. I'll treat you like a queen." My queen. I heard somewhere that a king only bows down to his queen. And I'm bowing down to Lexi.”― Belle Aurora, Raw

Book Details

Publisher: Self Published by Author

ISBN: 2940148861119

Date of Publication: January 2, 2014

# of Pages: 333

Source: Personal Purchase

Challenges

2014 Contemporary Romance Challenge

2014 New Author Challenge

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge - Australia

2014 Erotic Romance Challenge

"Rock It" By: Jennifer Chance Review

Rock It

By: Jennifer Chance

Synopsis

Lacey Dawes is a total pro at the talent agency where she works, and it doesn’t hurt that IMO Worldwide Media represents Dante Falcone. The rock god has starred in her fantasies since she was sixteen—and remains her secret crush to this day. So when Dante picks her to be the interim manager on his Dream It tour, Lacey can’t believe her luck. Handling Dante is sure to be the most exquisite, spine-tingling, nerve-wracking mix of business and pleasure ever. Although Dante is grateful for the adoring fans who scream for one more of his full-throttle, soul-searing songs, being surrounded by a cadre of corporate types backstage is wearing thin. Then Lacey shows up. Yeah, she’s organized, smart, quick to get him what he wants before he knows he wants it—but Dante senses there’s something else going on with sweet, sexy Lacey. One kiss tells him what that “something” might be . . . and makes him hungry for more.

My Thoughts

     Lacey Dawes has it all, or so she thinks. Her dream job, in her dream city, with everything going right, Lacey is on top of the world. Her talent agency has just signed with Dante Falcone, one of the hottest rock stars on the planet and coincidentally, her crush since she was a young teen.

    Dante has been a rock idol for so long, its almost as if he’s forgotten how to be a normal guy. When he meets Lacey, he suddenly sees himself wanting to change and be different for her. He wants to be a better person for her and uses her crush for him as a catalyst for a relationship.

      I found this book on Netgalley and was incredibly excited just by the cover alone. Isn’t it gorgeous? Loving rock star heroes, I was sure I would love this book...unfortunately, that’s pretty far from the truth. Pretty cover does not equal pretty book.

     I found both Dante and Lacey to be poor characters. Dante is this mythical thing in Lacey’s mind, she’s followed him for years. Suddenly when faced with touring with him, she jumps at the chance. That part didn’t bother me, but the immediate jumping into bed with him without a how do you do drove me insane.

    Dante felt empty. We are supposed to believe he’s been this star for these many years, but he just seemed juvenile and devoid of character. Again, he’s super attracted to Lacey immediately and doesn’t find the fact she was a rabid fan before creepy at all. Not even enough to be a little cautious, they are just friendly in the biblical sense in the beginning.

    The book had promise and even the story itself isn’t that bad. I enjoy the idea of fan and star falling in love, but with this one it is just poorly executed. Not realistic in the least and the characters fell flat. Poorly executed and flat, this may be one to skip.

Book Details

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of Publication: March 4, 2014

# of Pages: 240

ISBN: 978-0553390957

Source: Netgalley - For Review

Challenges

2014 Contemporary Romance Challenge

2014 New Author Challenge

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Challenge - Boston, MA

2014 Erotic Romance Challenge

"Three Weeks with Lady X" By: Eloisa James Review

Three Weeks with Lady X

By: Eloisa James

Synopsis

Having made a fortune, Thorn Dautry, the powerful bastard son of a duke, decides that he needs a wife. But to marry a lady, Thorn must acquire a gleaming, civilized façade, the specialty of Lady Xenobia India.

Exquisite, head-strong, and independent, India vows to make Thorn marriageable in just three weeks.

But neither Thorn nor India anticipate the forbidden passion that explodes between them.
Thorn will stop at nothing to make India his. Failure is not an option.

But there is only one thing that will make India his—the one thing Thorn can't afford to lose...

His fierce and lawless heart.

My Thoughts

    Lady Xenobia India (a mouthful right) or better known as Lady X, fixes problems of the aristocracy. Left almost penniless by her free spirited parents, India travels to different estates in order to refurbish them to their former glories. Having worked for years, India is known for having that perfect eye for decorating while also earning her generous wages. Desperate to never return to her former life of scavenging for food and not having enough for basic necessities, India saves money where she cans and works independently, unlike many of the women of her time.

    Thorn’s stepmother, Eleanor, knows of India’s abilities and hires her to refurbish Thorn’s country estate. The illegitimate son of a Duke, Thorn (also known as Tobias) is brash, hardheaded, independent and smart, more from necessity than anything else. Spending much of his young life as a destitute ruffian, Thorn is now a successful businessman searching for his future wife. With a long list of desirable qualities, Thorn thinks he knows the perfect candidate, but as with everything in life, things never go as planned. Little does he know, India, his new decorator, may very well fit the bill.

    Eloisa James is one of my favorite authors. She writes smart books with clever characters and enticing stories. I stinkin’ love her. That said, Three Weeks with Lady X rocked my socks!

     My favorite thing about James’ books is how smartly written they are. Excellent use of words, they just are intelligent books that tell are really well rounded story. Thorn and India are polar opposites. She’s prim, proper, and believes everything has its place. Thorn is wild, has a devil may care attitude, but is intelligent and runs his own empire despite being a bastard. Steamy scenes and a completely believable ending round out an almost perfect story.

     James has strong character driven novels and this one is no exception. Featuring characters from A Duke of Her Own, its feels almost as if you are coming home. All of our favorite characters have fantastic cameos. I devoured Three Weeks with Lady X in a few short hours over a weekend and have already begun my rereading. Brava Ms. James, I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Book Details

Publisher: Avon

Date of Publication: March 25, 2014

# of Pages: 384

ISBN: 9780062223890

Source: For Review from Publisher

Challenges

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge

2014 Historical Romance Challenge

"The Plan" By: Qwen Salsbury

The Plan

By: Qwen Salsbury

Synopsis

Day of Employment: 359
11:05 a.m.
Location: Cubicles outside Canon’s office.Co-workers: Betting on how long Canon’s new PA will last.Me: No doubts. Ms. Gum-smacker won’t last the day. I need to place my bet.Manolo Blahnik’s New Fall Shoes: Mine. As soon as Madeline hands over my winnings.
Emma Baker has never spoken a word to Alaric Canon, nor has he to her. But she’s studied him every day across the office tundra for almost a year. Canon is hard and fierce, terrifying and beautiful. He’s also the most stern, unforgiving person Emma has ever seen. Emma’s co-workers run a betting pool for Personal Assistant terminations. There’s a separate pot for the day one leaves without crying. Not likely…Canon made a former Navy SEAL cry.
He has high standards and low tolerance. Everyone knows it. Everyone stays away. Everyone who can, that is. Except Emma. She can’t look away. Alaric Canon is the single most attractive man she’s ever seen. Bar none.
Canon has never noticed her. Not once in almost a year. She’s not even a blip on his radar. But she will be. His radar will be blipless no more.
It is a goal. Emma has a plan

My Thoughts

    Emma has worked at her job for a bit more than a year and is no closer to making the notice of her hottie coworker than she was on day one. Alaric Canon is one of the bigwigs at her work, but nothing she does will ever make him actually see her. He’s grumpy and known for being a bear at work, the long line of assistants that have been fired will attest to that, but Emma thinks she knows the real Alaric. She knows his favorite drinks, how he likes coffee, and his penchant for admiring women’s footwear. She isn’t prepared for his it though when she herself is assigned as his new assistant and he really does notice Emma.

     Written in a diary format and from first person, The Plan was really different than what I’m used to. The story format allowed for us to go back in time seamlessly and I enjoyed how the different segments were broken up. The author would preface each section with a time or a date and it almost felt as if I was reading it in real time.

   The characters were hilariously funny and incredibly sincere. Emma has an absolute crush on Alaric and you yearn for his attention as she does. When she  goes with Alaric on a business trip to Kansas City, you wince when you think he’s shooting her down and may even hate him a little bit. Alaric is just as confused and uncomfortable as Emma, he just has a different way of showing his attraction. Handsome and Alpha, I loved Alaric and probably could have read another hundred pages I loved them so much.

     All in all, The Plan is an incredibly cute story of a personal assistant falling in love with her boss. Sounds cliche I know, but its a new take on the genre and sweet. There were a few typos that threw me for a loop and the story dragged in a few places, but overall these small blips are easily overlooked. Qwen is  a fantastic new voice in the romance genre and one I will be following closely!

Book Details

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Date of Publication: February 11, 2014

# of Pages: 260

ISBN: 9781623420

Source: Personal Purchase

Challenges

2014 Contemporary Romance Challenge

2014 New Author Challenge

2014 Ebook Challenge

2014 Where Are You Reading Challenge - Kansas City, MO