"Falling Away" By: Penelope Douglas Review

Falling Away

By: Penelope Douglas

Synopsis

Jaxon is the guy she’s supposed to avoid.
K.C. is the girl he won’t let get away....
K. C. Carter has always followed the rules—until this year, when a mistake leaves her the talk of her college campus and her carefully arranged life comes crashing to a halt. Now she’s stuck in her small hometown for the summer to complete her court-ordered community service, and to make matters worse, trouble is living right next door.
Jaxon Trent is the worst kind of temptation and exactly what K.C. was supposed to stay away from in high school. But he never forgot her. She was the one girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day and the only one to ever say no. Fate has brought K.C. back into his life—except what he thought was a great twist of luck turns out to be too close for comfort. As the bond between them grows, he discovers that convincing K.C. to get out from her mother’s shadow is hard, but revealing the darkest parts of his soul is nearly impossible.…

My Thoughts

      K.C. has returned home after being away at college. After a misunderstanding and a violent outburst, K.C. now has to work on some community service hours. Being in her hometown isn’t like coming home, things can and will never be the same. One thing that has changed exponentially is her former crush and nemesis, Jaxon Trent.

    A story about redemption and second chances, Jaxon and K.C. each must create a new future and leave their hurts and past  trials behind them. K.C. must reconcile a terrible childhood at the hands of her parents and premature death of her sister. Jaxon finds it difficult to understand or contemplate the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.

     Penelope Douglas is a master storyteller and its never been more clear than in Falling Away. Taking these two deeply flawed characters and allowing them to find redemption within one another was both beautiful and well written. Full of temptation, redemption, and a happy ending, Douglas proves she can write a damn good story even when the odds are stacked against her characters.

Fall Away Series

1. Bully
2. Rival
3. Falling Away
4. Aflame (2015)

Book Details

Publisher: Penguin

# of Pages: 429

ISBN: 9780451472441

Date of Publication: January 6, 2015

Location: Illinois

Guest Review: Djinn & Tonic By: Jasinda Wilder

Hi all! 

My name is Courtney. 

I'm at stay at home mom with a love for paranormal romance. My best friend, the lovely Brunette Librarian, introduced me to the world book romances. 

I've been hooked ever since.

Djinn & Tonic

By: Jasinda Wilder

Synopsis

A strange and inexplicable attack in his favorite watering hole leaves Detective Carson Hale with stitches, bruised ribs, and a concussion but yet Leila, the bartender, is mysteriously uninjured. While her lies and evasions set off Hale's instincts, her body sets off other alarms. Dangerous secrets and a complicated past drove Leila Najafi to Detroit, where she hoped to escape her family. Now, she's been discovered by the one man who could destroy her. At the worst possible time, sexy Detective Hale blows into her life and forces her to make a decision that could cause both heartbreak and war.

Courtney's Thoughts
I love me some paranormal romance. But when you hear those words you think vampires, werewolves/shifters, and angels/demons. Jasinda Wilder has just expanded my horizons with a little bit of magic. 

This story starts off with Detective Carson Hale where we left him in Jack and Djinn. Dazed and confused about the case involving Miriam and Jack. He is working it out the only way he knows how, gin and tonic. The not so normal waitress, Leila Najafi becomes his sounding board. Not that she minds. She wouldn't mind if Carson did alot more. Before they know it a hat sexy kiss turns into a trip to the hospital. 

Leila is basically royalty in her world, with the pain in the ass family to prove it. Her father is forced to marry her off to a nasty man Hassen. Leila wants nothing to do with that but she wants to protect her family. She finds her self between a rock and a hard place because her heart belongs to Carson. They have a long hard fight to make love prevail. 

We get to see Nadira, who we met briefly in book one. This time she is kicking butt and taking names. I can only hope she has a book in the works. 

We also get to see Jack and his grandfather, Shawn. That old man is becoming one of my favorite fictional characters lol  

My favorite thing about Jack & Djinn and now Djinn & Tonic are the strong female characters. So many times I have read about weak women that need to be saved. I like it when the women do the saving. Jasinda Wilder knows how to make em tough :)

"Last Call" By: Alice Clayton Review

Last Call

By: Alice Clayton

Synopsis

Simon and Caroline are back for another round of baking, banging, and big life changes. Settling in, but never settling down, Caroline has finally struck a balance between the professional and the personal. As one of the top interior designers in San Francisco, she travels all over Northern California between nook time with Simon.

Perpetual globetrotter Simon has cut his frequent flyer miles in half over the last year, preferring to balance his professional and personal life, as well.

The next step in their lives seems preordained—toasts, veils, and the aisle of rose petals. But when an accident on a photo shoot in Southeast Asia brings Caroline the most terrifying phone call she could ever imagine, she has to ask whether “till death do us part” is a more realistic prospect than faces most couples.

It’s been a grand adventure, and Caroline and Simon wouldn’t go out without the best surprise ending ever. One part sexy, one part laughter, a dash of exotic locales, and one pink nightie, mixed with passion, and you’ve got Last Call. Served with a side of Clive.

My Thoughts

    Let’s be clear, this book absolutely cannot be read as a stand alone. The conclusion (or is it?) of Simon and Caroline’s story that began in Wallbanger, this book shows how life has changed for the couple and their friends. Everyone is either having babies or getting married, except for Simon and Caroline. Things are still good, just unchanged. When Caroline’s friends start hinting about a ring and Simon’s friends start having babies, they each begin to look to their futures and wonder what else is out there.

     A short story about Caroline and Simon’s life after the happily ever after, you can’t help but cheer for America’s favorite couple. Having loved Wallbanger and voraciously reading Ruty Nailed, I couldn’t help but be swept up in their world once again. I really enjoyed reading how everyone had changed yet stayed the same. Funny, sweet, and super sexy, Caroline and Simon’s finale is a deservedly wonderful finish to a great storyline.

Book Details

Publisher: Gallery Books

Date of Publication: January 6, 2015

ASIN: B00IWTWKH2

# of Pages: 176

Location: San Francisco, CA

"Four Nights with the Duke" By: Eloisa James Review

Four Nights with the Duke

By: Eloisa James

Synopsis

As a young girl, Emilia Gwendolyn Carrington told the annoying future Duke of Pindar that she would marry any man in the world before him—so years later she is horrified to realize that she has nowhere else to turn.

Evander Septimus Brody has his own reasons for agreeing to Mia's audacious proposal, but there's one thing he won't give his inconvenient wife: himself.
Instead, he offers Mia a devil's bargain...he will spend four nights a year with her. Four nights, and nothing more. And those only when she begs for them.
Which Mia will never do.

Now Vander faces the most crucial challenge of his life: he must seduce his own wife in order to win her heart—and no matter what it takes, this is the one battle he can't afford to lose.

My Thoughts

     Horribly embarrassed as a teenager by the future Duke of Pindar after a love poem that she has written is discovered, Mia swears that she will find a way to have her revenge. Over a decade later, Mia is in a bind. Her entire family has passed away and she is left trying to keep custody of her young, disabled nephew. In order to keep her nephew from the clutches of an evil uncle, Mia must marry someone powerful enogh to stand up to the uncle while also staying respectable. Who else does she turn to, except for her childhood nemesis, Vander, the future Duke.

     Eloisa James continues her newest series by delightfully delving into Mia and Vander’s story. Always a wonderful ride, James has exceeded my wildest expectations with Vander’s tale. With glimpses of previous characters, Vander and Mia don’t seem to match at all. Mia begins her relationship by blackmailing Vander with evidence that puts his father in an almost treasonous light. Yet, you can’t help but feel this desperate mood is called for when you see how desperate Mia is to save her only living family.

     Mia makes her living as a romance writer.  I thought it was incredibly clever how James worked in Mia’s work with the actual romance of the story. It gave me a little insight into the novel writing process and allowed us to get even farther into Mia’s head and motivations. Plus it was just really fun to read her novel and how it related to her current predicament.

     I adored Mia’s story but fell in love with Vander all over again. He truly came into his own and was absolutely one of my favorite James heroes to date. Delightful with plenty of witty banter, Mia and Vander’s story was worth the wait. There are even some subtle nods to Julia Quinn and Lisa Kleypas, so keep your eyes peeled. This may even be my favorite James novel to date and is an excellent addition to her canon.

Book Details

Publisher: Avon

Date of Publication: March 30, 2015

ISBN: 9780062223913

# of Pages: 384

Location: London, England

"Corrupting Cinderella" By: Autumn Jones Lake Review

Corrupting Cinderella

By: Autumn Jones Lake

Synopsis

I’m not CinderellaBut he's my Prince CharmingOur love story isn’t a fairy tale...
How can a lawyer and a criminal maintain an enduring romantic relationship?
Although Hope and Rock care deeply for one another, the truth is they come from completely different worlds. Add to that the fact that they are also both headstrong people, and they have a very rough road ahead of them.
For Rock that means introducing Hope to what it really means to be part of his brutal and shady world, where the Lost Kings Motorcycle Club is his main focus. For Hope it means accepting the things she can’t change, and understanding that Rock is a man who will do anything to keep her safe.
As Rock continues to draw Hope deeper into his world, painful misunderstandings and opposition from the members of his club will threaten to drive them apart.

My Thoughts

    A continuation from Slow Burn, Corrupting Cinderella continues Hope and Rock’s story and their continued relationship. Hope slowly is incorporated in the motorcycle world of Rock, yet he is still holding back and keeping secrets of what the club is truly doing behind closed doors. Hope has to decide how important those secrets really are or if Rock’s relationship trumps all.

     Some great scenes with secondary characters and a continuation of the first book, I think I liked the second book better. I really enjoyed the first book so that’s really saying something. Hope and Rock’s relationship grows as does their contact with the outside world. The author does a great job of creating enough tension and drama while maintaining a realistic story with really unique and fun characters. Plenty of sexy times abound and I read through the book in one sitting on a chilly winter morning. A great series, I’m looking forward to the finale of Rock and Hope’s story and really hoping for some Wrath soon too!

Book Details

Publisher: Author Self-Published

# of Pages: 266

Date of Publication: December 2nd, 2014

Location: New York State

"Slow Burn" By: Autumn Jones Lake Review

Slow Burn

By: Autumn Jones Lake

Synopsis

Forced to represent an outlaw biker, a married attorney must come to terms with her feelings for her client while avoiding the danger he brings into her sedate life.
President of the Lost Kings MC, Rochlan "Rock" North, hasn't managed to find a woman capable of making him want to curb his wild ways—until he meets sweet, innocent, married lawyer Hope Kendall.
Forced to represent the outlaw biker, Hope is rattled by her immediate attraction to Rock. Hope is a good girl in a good marriage. Rock thrills her, but she's not going to throw away everything she's built on a fling with her criminal client.
Rock respects Hope enough to leave her alone, even as he realizes he's become a little obsessed with her. When their connection endangers her life, he'll have to destroy her in order to save her.
After tragedy strikes, Rock is determined to earn Hope's forgiveness and convince her that even with their staggering differences, they're meant to be together.

My Thoughts

     Rock first meets Hope when he’s shackled and in court for a minor drug allegation. Needing an attorney, Hope is appointed by the court to represent Rock at a moment’s notice. This brief interaction leads into over two years of infatuation, flirtations, and ultimately a rocky road to romance.

          Hope is a lawyer, married at the beginning, who is somewhat naive at how the world works. Rock is the President of a local MC and is the king in his world. After tragedy befalls Hope’s marriage, she falls into a deep depression and finds herself alone in the world. Rock falls deeply in love with Hope but questions how much he can truly tell her about his life. Coming from completely different backgrounds, Rock and Hope struggle to find one another in this volatile world.

     I am incredibly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I haven’t had much luck with motorcycle club books lately and was delightfully surprised at how unique Slow Burn turned out to be. Super sexy but just a flat out good story, I loved both the hero and heroine. Rock is strong and steadfast, but loyal and utterly fallen for Hope. Hope is an attorney, highly educated and just out of a long term committed relationship. She finds Rock irresistible and steps into his world confidently yet a bit hesitantly. Simple, sexy, heartfelt, and fast paced, I fell in love with the world created and can’t wait to read what’s up next.

Book Details

Publisher: Self-Published

# of Pages: 200

Date of Publication: October 14, 2014

ASIN: B00NG97R4E

Location: New York State

"Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant" By: Roz Chast Review

Can’t We Talk About 

Something More Pleasant?

By: Roz Chast

Synopsis

In her first memoir, Roz Chast brings her signature wit to the topic of aging parents. Spanning the last several years of their lives and told through four-color cartoons, family photos, and documents, and a narrative as rife with laughs as it is with tears, Chast’s memoir is both comfort and comic relief for anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents.

When it came to her elderly mother and father, Roz held to the practices of denial, avoidance, and distraction. But when Elizabeth Chast climbed a ladder to locate an old souvenir from the “crazy closet”—with predictable results—the tools that had served Roz well through her parents’ seventies, eighties, and into their early nineties could no longer be deployed.

While the particulars are Chast-ian in their idiosyncrasies—an anxious father who had relied heavily on his wife for stability as he slipped into dementia and a former assistant principal mother whose overbearing personality had sidelined Roz for decades—the themes are universal: adult children accepting a parental role; aging and unstable parents leaving a family home for an institution; dealing with uncomfortable physical intimacies; managing logistics; and hiring strangers to provide the most personal care.

An amazing portrait of two lives at their end and an only child coping as best she can, Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant will show the full range of Roz Chast’s talent as cartoonist and storyteller.

My Thoughts

     I am so very moved by this little book filled with pictures. Simple yet so complex, Roz Chast explores a section of our lives we never wish to truly discuss; the end of life preparation and care of our parents. It’s a unique experience few of us think too much about but will all experience to some level.

    Roz shares her experiences with elderly parents and the inevitable problems of getting older. As an only child, Roz is tasked with taking care of her 90+ year old father and mother who live in New York. She discusses illnesses, child guilt, elder care and ultimately death in a serious yet comedic style. Told through pictures and words, Roz’s story is one we all can relate to, even if we aren’t at that point in our lives. Well written, you can’t help but empathize and giggle as Roz shares her experiences.

     Considered one of the best books of 2014, I can easily see why it would deserve the honor. Balancing comedy, kindness, and real life situations and feelings, Chast ultimately asks, can’t we talk about something a little more pleasant?

Book Details

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Date of Publication: May 6, 2014

# of Pages: 228

ISBN: 9781608198061

Location: New York

"Better When He's Bold" By: Jay Crownover Review

Better When He’s Bold

By: Jay Crownover

Synopsis

Some men are just better when they're bold.
Welcome to the Point...
In a dark and broken kingdom, a ruler has to be fearless to control the streets and the ruthless people who run them.
Race Hartman is just bold enough, just smart enough, and just lost enough to wear the crown. Places like the Point will always have bad things and bad people, but the man in control of all that badness can minimize the devastation. Race has a plan, but can he prevent total annihilation without destroying himself?
Brysen Carter has always seen her best friend's brother for what he is--too pretty, too smooth, and way too dangerous to touch. Basking in Race's golden glow is very tempting, but Brysen knows she'd eventually get burned.
When she starts receiving threatening texts and someone tries to take her out in parking lot, the only person interested in keeping her safe is the one man she can't allow herself to have.
Sometimes being bold is the only way to stay alive. But can she let Race save her life . . . if it means losing herself to him?

My Thoughts

    Race is the ultimate bad boy. He steals, he cheats, and he is always looking for ways to get ahead in the Point, filled with criminals and bad guys. Race revels in being one of the baddest of the bad. Considered almost royalty in the Point by his association with the other criminal element, Race loves only his sister and barely tolerates Bax, his childhood friend and almost brother in law.

    Brysen is as opposite from Race as you can be. She’s trying to go to school, attempting to take care of her little sister and dealing with her Mother’s health issues...all while trying to be a normal twenty something. When someone begins threatening Brysen at work, Race steps in and sparks explode between the two. Is Brysen ready to take on all that is Race and be his Queen of the Point or will she fear for the future?

     Jay Crownover is one of my favorite authors. She can write the absolute worst characters that you don’t think can be redeemed..and she makes them totally redeemable. At the end of the previous book, you hate Race. Seriously. He’s this egomaniac with a devil may care attitude. Yet, the minute Brysen needs him to be her knight, he steps up to the plate. He becomes the man that Brysen needs and I absolutely fell in love with him.

    Hot and captivating, Better When He’s Bold is my newest favorite Crownover book. She brings two wildly different characters and gives them the perfect story. Entertaining and super sexy, Crownover can bring the naughty unlike anyone else. A great story that only brings you closer to the edge, I can’t wait to read Better When He’s Brave, coming in June 2015!

Welcome to the Point Series

Better When He’s Bad

Better When He’s Bold

Better When He’s Brave

Book Details

Publisher: William Morrow & Company

Date of Publication: February 3, 2015

ISBN: 9780062351913

# of Pages: 400

Codi Gary's Guest Post - Rock Canyon!

Rock Canyon Book Tree

  

A few words from Codi...

    So, you’ve heard of family trees, right? Well, the thing I love about any series, is the way the books connect to each other. The way past and future characters pop up and give you a glimpse of what they have been up to or who they were before they found their happily ever after. It’s what makes series such a hit with readers.

    Which brings me to my Series Tree for my small town of Rock Canyon, Idaho. When I first wrote The Trouble with Sexy (Ryan and Gregg’s story), I knew I wanted to write Gemma and Gracie’s stories after, but it didn’t work out that way. Instead, Chase (who had also vied for Ryan’s affections and lost out to Gregg) and Katie, a briefly mentioned hairdresser in The Trouble with Sexy, came next and with it, a host of characters I could play like the puppet master I am. (Insert Sheldon Laugh) Muah-ha-ha.

    In the next book, Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars, I finally got to tell Gemma’s story. She is the single mother of a nine year old and best friends with Gracie, the coffee shop owner who gives Ryan the makeover in The Trouble with Sexy. She is reunited with her first love, Travis Bowers, and after a whole lot of drama, they get their second chance. Which leads us to book three, Bad Girls Don’t Marry Marines, whose hero is Justin Silverton, best friends with Jared Brown (the husband of Katie’s best friend Stephanie) and who was introduced to Chase in Things Good Girls Don’t Do. Justin pursues Valerie Willis, who has two sisters with the same perchance for trouble, Ellie and Caroline.

     Caroline was brought home at the end of Marines and her story, Return of the Bad Girl, picks up where Marines leaves off. It introduces one delicious bad boy, Gabe Moriarty (yes, I love Elementary), who is actually an old friend of Chase’s (from Things Good Girls Don’t Do.) Caroline becomes friends with Callie, the town dj, who was mentioned in Rock Stars and Marines. So, when Callie’s story picks up months after Caroline and Gabe’s story ends, we find her falling hard for Everett (Justin’s older brother who was introduced in Marines.) We don’t realize that as Callie and Everett are working through their issues, Mike Stevens is fighting his attraction to Zoe the veterinarian (introduced in Return of the Bad Girl) in Rock Canyon Number Six. Mike has been about since The Trouble with Sexy, and was totally in love with Gemma until he lost her in Rock Stars. After everything I put this guy through, I think he deserves a happy ending, don’t you?

     And last but not least (for now) Gracie McAllister and Eric Henderson, who have bickered and caused all kinds of speculation, will FINALLY get some air time in Rock Canyon Number Seven, but it’s not just the heroes and heroines that make Rock Canyon come alive. It’s Sam Weathers, the friendly, doesn’t know when to mind his business police officer. It’s bitchy Mrs. Andrews, who still hasn’t explained why she likes Gemma when she gives nothing but disdain to everyone else. And Miss Know It All, the town’s own Gossip Girl, who loves putting everyone’s secrets out there for the towns amusement. Many people have an idea of who she is, but we won’t know until she’s caught…maybe in book seven?

     So remember, as you read through this series, pay attention to the little things and every character…you never know when they will pop up again.

A bit more about Codi:

An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she's not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family.

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"Craving Resurrection" By: Nicole Jacqueline Release!

CRAVING RESURRECTION

 (Aces #4)

By Nicole Jacquelyn

Release Date: January 26, 2015

Amazon Purchase Link

Blurb:

Poet and Amy's story...

Patrick Gallagher’s future was mapped out—and it didn’t include Amy Henderson or the IRA.

She was everything he’d never wanted. Too young. Too naïve.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t help but be fascinated by the girl who took refuge in his old bedroom, staying with his mum more often than not.

She looked like a Renaissance painting and argued like a solicitor. He couldn’t resist her, and before long, he didn’t even want to.

Instead, he loved her unreservedly… then he married her.

But he couldn’t have prepared for what happened after.

Actions, no matter how large or how small, have consequences—and when the IRA comes knocking, he’s sucked into a life that he’d never anticipated.

Choices were made.

Hearts were broken.

Trust was shattered.

Lives were lost.

Through it all, he loved her.

It was a love that spanned decades.

Epic.

Intense.

Unquestionable.

Unbreakable.

Nicole Jacquelyn bio:

Nicole Jacquelyn is the mom of two little girls and a full time college student. She hasn’t watched television in well over a year, she still does things that drive her mother crazy, and she loves to read. At eight years old, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she told people she wanted to be a mom. When she was twelve her answer changed- to author. By the time she was eighteen, when people asked her what she wanted to do with her life, she told them she really wanted to be a writer- but the odds of that happening were so slim that she’d get her business degree “just to be safe”. Her dreams stayed constant. First she became a mom, then she went to college, and during her senior year- with one daughter in first grade and the other in preschool, she sat down and wrote a story.

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