"Lord's Fall" By: Thea Harrison Review

Lord's Fall

By: Thea Harrison

Synopsis from Goodreads

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them… Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom. In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…

My Thoughts
     I almost took a day off of work to read the sequel to Dragos’ and Pia’s love story, following Dragon Bound, but I’m sad to say it would have been a wasted day. Normally Thea’s books take me mere hours to go through as I devour each word. Unfortunately I felt this book was so mired in conflict that the original spark simply diminished.
     First off, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to people who have not read Dragon Bound or any of the others in the Elder Races series. I’ve read all of them and there were still parts where I had to go back to another book to find out exactly what was happening or who so and so was. It wasn’t a huge problem, but it was enough of one to become a bit distracting.
     Lord’s Fall begins as Pia is leaving New York and heading down south to where the Fae have their headquarters. She is going to try to negotiate a peace between the warring cultures. Pia is venturing out on her own, without her mate Dragos, due to the ongoing hostilities and because coincidentally the Sentinel games area also occurring at the same time.
     I’m ashamed to say it, but I almost didn’t finish this book because it was so boring for me. In Dragon Bound, I loved Dragos. He was so naughty, quick witted, and self-assured. Pia was smart and wasn’t about to let anyone boss her. In this title everything seemed to different. Very little of that spark was there since most of the time the couple spent time apart. Much of the novel dealt with internal squabbling between royals of the different species and I frankly lost interest.
     That’s not to say though, when Pia and Dragos finally reunite after what seemed like forever, it wasn’t explosive. I heaved a sigh of relief when they finally were reunited, because hey, that’s what I came to the party for.

As soon as her skin didn’t throb from the heat, she ran forward. She barely felt her feet touch the ground. As she approached him, Dragos shifted into his human form and raced toward her, his bronzed, machete hewn features thrown into dark shadow by the intense glow in his eyes.

When she was still a few yards away, she leaped. He snatched her out of the air and clenched her to him as she wrapped arms and legs around him. He went to his knees, holding her so tightly she couldn’t breathe, and his Power enveloped her. One tremendous hand cupped the back of her head. She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder as he put his face in her neck.

Neither one said anything. Their bruising hold on each other said it all.

     I feel somewhat bad for not enjoying the book as other reviewers have and at times it almost seemed like I wasn’t even reading the same book they had read. I did finish, after several days of faltering through and skimming much of the battling. Thea Harrison is normally a wonderful and dynamic author who is usually an autobuy for me, but for some reason Pia and Dragos’ followup fell flat. If you are a fan of the series I’d suggest reading this one, but otherwise please check out Dragon Bound. It’s sooooo much better!

Book Details

Publisher: Berkley

# of Pages: 281

Date of Publication: November 6, 2012

ISBN: 978-0425251065

Waiting on Wednesday - "The Seduction of Elliot McBride" By: Jennifer Ashley

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine


"The Seduction of Elliot McBride"
By: Jennifer Ashley

When Juliana finds herself stranded at the altar, she turns to an old friend, Elliot McBride, to help her out. Elliot rises to the challenge, but Elliot has recently returned from many years in India, where he acquired injuries, both physical and emotional, that have not yet healed. He has purchased a tumbledown house, sight unseen, has no idea how to be a proper Scottish laird, and brings with him a string of Indian servants, who themselves are having trouble adjusting to life in a new world. Juliana soon finds her hands full, especially of the delectable Elliot, whose thoughts turn often to seduction. But Elliot is a broken man now, Juliana still the lovely young woman he fell in love with as they were growing up. Can he prove himself worthy of her, or will Juliana believe, with everyone else, that Elliot is irredeemably mad? 

Expected Publication: December 31, 2012

What are you Waiting on this Wednesday??

Waiting on Wednesday - "The Officer Breaks the Rules" By: Jeanette Murray

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine


The Officer Breaks the Rules
By: Jeanette Murray

Captain Jeremy Phillips believes in doing his duty...both as a son and as a friend. This means that he should obey the "friend code" and stay away from his best friend's little sister. Too bad Madison O'Shay doesn't believe in his code and is ready to break all of the rules

As a Navy nurse, Madison is finally stationed next to the man she's been dreaming about for years. And she's ready to launch a full-scale attack to show this thoughtful, handsome Marine that they belong together

Expected Release Date: January 1, 2013

"The Lady Most Willing" By: JQ, EJ, and CB Review

The Lady Most Willing

By: Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway

Synopsis from Goodreads

During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from ...as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton. As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible.

My Thoughts
     A total fan girl for Julia Quinn and Eloisa James, I have been waiting for this book since I first saw the cover. So stinkin’ excited, you have absolutely no idea. While the story was a little bit different than what I thought it was going to be, I thoroughly enjoyed The Lady Most Willing.
     The tale opens as a Scottish Laird bemoans his two nephews and their never finding proper wives. What should he do but kidnap some suitable young ladies and deliver them to the said nephews? Naturally hijinks ensue and instead of kidnapping two ladies, four young ladies are kidnapped and a sleeping duke!
    The Duke and Catriona may have been my favorite couple, but not by much. I loved most of the characters truly but I did laugh out loud at one point. I’ll have you know, I may or may not sleep with a dog at the end of my bed, so it kind of hit home a bit. :)

He did not so much roll his eyes as flick them upward in impatience. “No, I meant here. At Finovair. I was shivering all night.”

"Didn’t you have a fire in your room?”

“Yes, but I fear it was a mirage. And it was dead by morning.”

Catriona gave him a sympathetic nod. “My father says it’s why Scots marry young.”  

At this, the duke paused. “I beg your pardon?” 

“For warmth,” she clarified. “It’s tremendously difficult to heat these old castles. I usually sleep with my dog.”

Bretton nearly spit out his tea.

"Laugh all you want,” Catriona said with an arch little smile, “but Limmerick weighs seven stones. He’s like a furry hot water bottle that never goes cold.” 

“Limmerick?” 

She turned back ot her food. “My Grandfather was Irish.”

     Within the story there are really two strong romances, a third so-so romance,  and a fourth if you stretch it a bit. The stories fit seamlessly together and I honestly have no idea which author wrote which portions. I do know though that I enjoyed the entire story arc immensely and instead of seeing three different stories, I see one story with six main characters. The only real bad thing I can say is the nature of the beast, the length of the stories left a little bit to be desired in character development. Not much in the naughty department but a solid romance by some of America’s most beloved authors that I would definitely recommend.      

I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Details

Publisher: Avon

Date of Publication: December 26, 2012

# of Pages: 384

ISBN: 978-0062107381

Other books you may enjoy

The Ugly Duchess By: Eloisa James

The Duke is Mine By: Eloisa James

It’s In His Kiss By: Julia Quinn

When the Duchess Said Yes By: Isabella Bradford

Love the Authors? Find out more!

Julia Quinn’s Website /JQ’s Goodreads

Eloisa James’ Website /Eloisa’s Goodreads

Connie Brockway’s Website /Connie’s Goodreads

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! -

What Are You Reading?

is hosted weekly on Mondays

by Sheila from
"One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.






What I Read...

Wallbanger
By: Alice Clayton

Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.

Adding insult to O-less, since her move, she has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Each moan, spank, and–was that a meow?–punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has, yep, you guessed it, no O.

Enter Simon Parker. (No, really, Simon, please enter.) When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has, well, mixed results. Ahem. With walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick…

In her third novel, Alice Clayton returns to dish her trademark mix of silly and steamy. Banter, barbs, and strutting pussycats, plus the sexiest apple pie ever made, are dunked in a hot tub and set against the gorgeous San Francisco skyline in this hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight.

(Terrible name but soooooo funny!!!)


The Duchess War
By: Courtney Milan

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly--so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don't get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention.

But that is precisely what she gets.

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he's up to, he realizes there is more to than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he's determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match..


MacKenzie Family Christmas
By: Jennifer Ashley
The Mackenzies gather for a clan Christmas and New Year's in Scotland. In the chaos of preparations for the celebration--the first of Hart and Eleanor's married life--one of Ian's Ming bowls gets broken, and the family scrambles to save the day. Daniel busily runs a betting ring for everything from the time Eleanor's baby will arrive to whether Mac's former-pugilist valet can win a boxing match to who will be the first of the many guests to be caught under the mistletoe. Ian begins a new obsession, and Beth fears the loss of one of his precious bowls has made him withdraw once more into his private world. 

What I am currently reading...

Let's Pretend This Never Happened
By: Jenny Lawson

Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In the #1 New York Timesbestseller, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.” Pictures with captions (no one would believe these things without proof) accompany the text.

"Rock Chick" By: Kristen Ashley Review

"Rock Chick"

By: Kristen Ashley

Synopsis from Goodreads

Indy Savage, cop's daughter, rock chick and used bookstore owner, has been in love with Lee Nightingale, once bad boy, now the man behind Nightingale Investigations, since she was five years old. No matter what ingenious schemes Indy used to capture his attention, Lee never showed an interest and Indy finally gave up. Now Indy's employee, Rosie, has lost a bag of diamonds and bad guys are shooting at him. When Indy gets involved, Lee is forced to help. Complicating matters, Lee has decided he's interested, Indy's decided she's not. But she can't seem to keep Lee out of her life when she's repeatedly stun gunned, kidnapped and there are car bombs exploding (not to mention she's finding dead bodies).

Indy's best bet is to solve the mystery of the diamonds before Lee. Lee's challenge is to keep Indy alive and, at the same time, win back her heart

My Thoughts

    If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you’ll have seen that I have went on a huge Kristen Ashley kick. While all of her books have a first person view, I found that “Rock Chick” had a different feeling to it. Less of a strict romance and more of a humorous suspense, “Rock Chick” is a fun romp that reminded me of Stephanie Plum of Janet Evanovich fame.

    Indy has been in love with Lee Nightingale her entire life, but he only sees her as his little sister’s friend. Tired of rejection, Indy has went on with her life but all the while keeping Lee in the back of her mind. Keep in mind that Lee has a mysterious, cop like job that no one really knows about beyond Lee is totally bad ass.

    So when people start shooting at Indy, who does she call but mysterious Lee? There is a whole mystery involving diamonds, crazy friends, drag queens, and stun guns. There is even a car blowing up, which is pretty much a hallmark event in any Evanovich book as far as I’m concerned. Funny and fast paced, but the part I enjoyed the most was definitely the character interactions.

    Lee is attracted to Indy, but has been biding his time until he has a stable home life...which is pretty much never going to happen, so when he finds the chance to get close and protect Indy, he takes it. Love me some Lee! He knows Indy is borderline crazy but totally accepts it and never tries to change her.

     While this Ashley book had a different feel than the other titles I’ve read by her, I absolutely loved the Stephanie Plum feel. I’m excited to read the rest of the series and am crossing my fingers that a lot of the characters cross over and appear again. At times a bit over the top, but the situations work perfectly in conjunction with the rest of the story. Haven’t found a Kristen Ashley book I don’t like yet, and for less than $3 a book they are a perfect price for a poor soul like me.

Book Details

Publisher: Kristen Ashley

# of pages: 412

Date of Publication: December 8, 2012

ISBN: 978-184923184

Waiting on Wednesday - "The Lady Most Willing"

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

The Lady Most Willing

By: Julia Quinn, Eloisa James & Connie Brockway

Step into the glittering world of Regency and prepare to have your hearts warmed by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway...

During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from ...as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton. As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible

Expected Publication: December 26, 2012

"The Sweetest Tattoo" By: Cameron Dane Review

"The Sweetest Tattoo"

By: Cameron Dane

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Tattoo artist Kelsie Cole cannot believe her brother would give his best friend use of his cabin the same week he promised it to her. She had been butting heads with straight-laced John McBride since they were kids. John McBride only takes one week of vacation a year, and there isn’t any way he’s driving down a mountain back to Raleigh just because Kelsie Cole is already standing on the porch staking her claim when he arrives. The cabin has two rooms, and they are adults. They can share a space for seven days. It’s not like they’re attracted to each other or anything, right?

My Thoughts  

   Are you tired of hearing about “Fifty Shades of Grey?” Well me too, we’ve all read it and know what its about, lets move on. Yet I find myself drawn to those wild lists on Goodreads or Amazon that promise, If You Liked Fifty Shades, You’ll Like This. Most of those lists are books that don’t appeal to me in the least, but I decided to try “The Sweetest Tattoo.”
    Kelsie Cole is a tattoo artist, a little on the chubby side, with pink hair and a pretty outrageous personality. Taking a vacation from her tatooing business, she heads up to her family’s cabin in the woods. Who does she find there but her brother’s best friend, John. John is about as straight-laced as you can be while also being a CEO of a business. Calm, collected and poise seems to be John’s way of life.
    “The Sweetest Tattoo” was an interesting take on two completely different people. Pink haired chunky tattooed girl vs. buttoned up CEO is about as opposite as it gets.  I’m going to be totally honest, I’m a chunky girl without the pink hair and it took some pretty big suspension of fact for me to see these two together. Besides the differences in their professions and mannerisms, their financial and just personalities seemed to really clash. It was fairly hard to suspend belief to see this romance with nothing in common except for a childhood crush. Hard to do, but no impossible.
      Dane writes a pretty basic romance with a twist. I enjoyed the heroine but John just drove me up the wall. He supposedly had has this crush on Kelsie for years and has never acted on it, but suddenly being near her for one day brings it to the forefront? Meh.  When I finished, I had a hard time imagining these two staying together in life.
     Kelsie and John have a sweet little romance within “The Sweetest Tattoo” but I found it pretty unbelievable. Short and cute, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t see these two characters loving one another in the long term. An ok book but probably won’t pick this author up again, I would suggest this romance for people who enjoy short romances with a little fluff.  

Book Details

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Date of Publication: 2008

# of Pages: 76

ISBN: 978-1595784773

It's Monday!! What Are You Reading??

It's Monday! -

What Are You Reading?

is hosted weekly on Mondays

by Sheila from
"One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.





What I read this week...

Dark Lover
By: J.R. Ward

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
 
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.


Close Contact
By: Cassandra Carr, Cindy Carr & Cristal Ryder

Hard-hitting contact sports don't have the only sexy professional athletes. Does the strength and grace of golf, tennis and fencing instructors extend to lustier activities? Find out as they turn these classic sports into full-contact steamy sessions.

Service Ace by Cassandra Carr

Callum Giovanni's professional tennis career is over. He's trying not to be bitter about it, even though it means teaching women more interested in not messing up their hair and nails than a good service. Then Adriana Macy appears, claiming to be a novice, but Callum knows there's more to her than meets the eye. How far does she want to take their personal match? The ball's in her court. 

Up to the Hilt by Cynthia Carr

Olympic fencing wunderkind Sebastian Como is Rina Rogers’ last resort to find someone who can instruct her toward her own Olympic medal. All her other trainers have balked, saying she is too impulsive, too unmanageable, too everything. Sebastian recognizes her talent and tells her he'll take her all the way. But does that include his bed?

Playing Through by Cristal Ryder

A relationship is the last thing Lexie is looking for, especially one with a hot cowboy wanting golf lessons. It's all she can do to keep her focus on the game and off Jay’s hard muscled body and devilishly sexy face. But the more lessons they have, the farther his sexy drawl gets under her skin. 


Lover Eternal
By: J.R. Ward

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the time when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant to Rhage's protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage's intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves..


Lover Awakened
By: J.R. Ward

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…


How to Misbehave
By: Ruthie Knox

What woman can resist a hot man in a hard hat? Beloved author Ruthie Knox kicks off her new Camelot series with this deliciously sexy original novella, in which a good girl learns how to misbehave . . . with all her heart.

As program director for the Camelot Community Center, Amber Clark knows how to keep her cool. That is, until a sudden tornado warning forces her to take shelter in a darkened basement with a hunk of man whose sex appeal green lights her every fantasy. With a voice that would melt chocolate, he asks her if she is okay. Now she’s hot all over and wondering: How does a girl make a move?

Building contractor Tony Mazzara was just looking to escape nature’s fury. Instead, he finds himself all tangled up with lovely Amber. Sweet and sexy, she’s ready to unleash her wild side. Their mutual desire reaches a fever pitch and creates a storm of its own—unexpected, powerful, and unforgettable. But is it bigger than Tony can handle? Can he let go of painful memories and let the force of this remarkable woman show him a future he never dreamed existed?


Along Came Trouble
By: Ruthie Knox

An accomplished lawyer and driven single mother, Ellen Callahan isn’t looking for any help. She’s doing just fine on her own. So Ellen’s more than a little peeved when her brother, an international pop star, hires a security guard to protect her from a prying press that will stop at nothing to dig up dirt on him. But when the tanned and toned Caleb Clark shows up at her door, Ellen might just have to plead the fifth.

Back home after a deployment in Iraq and looking for work as a civilian, Caleb signs on as Ellen’s bodyguard. After combat in the hot desert sun, this job should be a breeze. But guarding the willful beauty is harder than he imagined—and Caleb can’t resist the temptation to mix business with pleasure. With their desires growing more undeniable by the day, Ellen and Caleb give in to an evening of steamy passion. But will they ever be able to share more than just a one-night stand? 

What I'm Reading Now...

The Duchess War
By: Courtney Milan

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly--so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don't get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention.

But that is precisely what she gets.

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he's up to, he realizes there is more to than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he's determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match...

Blog Tour & Review: "Navy Seal's Promise" By: Soraya Lane

Navy Seal's Promise

By: Soraya Lane

Synopsis from Goodreads

With only 48 hours back on home soil for Christmas, United States Army Corporal Saskia Cullen is desperate to spend every minute with her young son. So when heavy snowfall closes JFK airport and she misses her connecting flight, she’s devastated. Until Navy SEAL Luke Gray offers to keep her company… and then personally finds a way to get her home. 

Luke is back in the US on leave, waiting to hear the details of his next mission, and Saskia proves to be a pleasant distraction. And when he hears that she needs to get home to see her son, he’s prepared to do anything to help the sexy single mom. Trouble is, he hadn’t planned on falling for anyone, let alone a beautiful soldier about to return overseas.

About the Author

As a child, Soraya dreamed of becoming an author. Fast forward more than a few years, and Soraya is now living her dream! Working as a freelance writer and now a professional author too, she writes every day and loves her job. Soraya describes being an author as "the best career in the world", and she hopes to be writing romance for many years to come.
 

Soraya loves spending her days thinking up characters for books, and her home is a constant source of inspiration. She lives with her own real life hero and son on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.
For more information about Soraya, her books and her writing life, visit www.sorayalane.com or follow her on twitter @Soraya_Lane. She would love to hear from you.

Website / Facebook

Excerpt

                “Luke?”

                He raised his eyebrows but didn’t look at her again, the snowflakes suddenly falling with more insistence on the windscreen, making it hard for him to see.

                “Shit, hold on.”

                She did as she was told, obeying Luke’s command. “How the hell can you see through that?” she asked.

                He grimaced. She could see a tightness in his face that hadn’t been there before.

                “I can’t, but I need to find somewhere safe to pull over.”

                Her heart dropped. They weren’t even half way there and the storm was coming in so bad she was starting to think they could be snowed in for the rest of the day. Or worse.         

                Luke had slowed the vehicle to a crawl, but now they’d come to a dead stop. He opened his door and jumped out before she could protest, disappearing into the whiteout without a jacket on, before reappearing and leaping back into the truck.

                “Luke you must be frozen.” She unbuckled herself and reached out to him, hand hovering before closing over his arm.      

                Luke stayed still, his body no longer shivering like it had been when he’d stepped back in. She hesitated, stayed still, wondering if she’d done something wrong.

                “I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere for a while,” Luke told her, his voice husky and low, turning away only to flick the hazard lights on.

                Saskia swallowed then nodded. “Okay.”

                They both stayed still, staring at one another. Until Luke reached out a hand, broke the silence and stillness and reached for her, his palm cupping her cheek. “I will get you home, Saskia. No matter what happens, I promise.”

                She gulped again, not able to break their gaze, staring into the depths of Luke’s dark chocolate eyes like a spider trapped in its own web. Saskia didn’t answer him, just slowly nodded. He still hadn’t moved his hand, and it was no longer cool, warming up from its connection with her skin.

                It seemed like she wasn’t breathing, like she couldn’t have breathed if she tried, as if there wasn’t enough oxygen to even make it possible. Until Luke moved closer to her, his mouth hovering over hers, and suddenly all she could do was suck back short, silent bursts of air.

                “Saskia…” As he murmured she leaned closer, couldn’t help herself.

                But it was Luke who kissed her. His lips grazed hers so gently, so carefully, that she thought she’d imagined it. She reached her hands up, cupped his face with one, mirrored his action, and clutched at his shoulder with the other. A shiver licked its way down her spine, made her lean closer into him, and Luke didn’t need any further encouragement.

                “Hey,” he suddenly said, pulling back slightly and looking down at her.

                Saskia knew she was blushing – her face was burning. “Hey,” she whispered back.

                They stared at one another again, like they had before. Not saying a word, but Saskia’s mind was racing. Was she actually doing this? Making out with a guy she’d known for less than 24 hours, and ready to rip her clothes off it meant staying close to him?

                “We might be stuck here for awhile,” he said, voice low as he glanced out the window. They were surrounded by white. “Maybe quite a while.”

                Luke cleared his throat, but Saskia didn’t miss what he was trying to hide. His eyes flickered past her, only for a second, but not fast enough for her not to keep up.

                She glanced over her shoulder, made certain there was nothing else there, that he was actually thinking what she was. That he was struggling to look at her for the same reasons she was struggling to look at him.

                Luke’s eyes said it all. They were inquisitive, mesmerizing… hungry. And her fingers were itching to touch his face again, her lips tingling, ready to be covered with his.

                She was having that problem with not enough air again. Because she wasn’t this kind of girl. She’d never had a one-night stand, never done anything reckless with a man before, never done anything risqué in her personal life. Not ever.

                Screw it.

                Saskia flicked her tongue over her lips, nervously moistening them, before closing the distance between Luke’s body and hers. She leaned in closer, kissed him full on the mouth, and pushed back his shoulders as she landed in his lap, straddling him.

                She’d flown halfway across the world for a 48 hour trip home, and she was damned if she was going to waste it. She might not be able to make it to where she was supposed to be going, but she sure as hell could make it a trip stuck in the snow that she’d never forget. 

My Thoughts
      A wonderful Christmas story that is equal parts romance, sweetness, and pure aww moments, Navy Seal's Promise definitely delivers! Luke and Saskia are both military and off for a few days for Christmas. Saskia is trying to make it home to her son and poor Luke doesn't have anyone to go home to. What else should happen than for Luke to move heaven and earth to get Saskia home, even through a snow storm? One of the reviewers on Goodreads said the only bad thing about this story was never wanting it to end, and I'd have to agree. Sweet, with great characters and a wonderful premise, I'd recommend Navy Seal's Promise to anyone with an hour or so to spend in this wonderful world that Soraya Lane has created. AND look at that cover, YUMMO! :)

Book Details

# of Pages: 79

Date of Publication: September 27, 2012

Author Soraya Lane - Goodreads Page 

Other Tour Dates in December

3 – Guest Blog & Review @ From the TBR Pile

5 – Review @ Me & Reading

6 – Spotlight & Review @ The Brunette Librarian

7 – Interview @ Books-n-Kisses

10 – Guest Blog @ Hesperia Loves Books

13 – Interview @ Claire Ashgrove

18 – Interview & Giveaway @ Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

20 – Review @ Reviews by Molly