BookSparks PR Presents: Never Said

Title:  Never Said
Author:  Carol Lynch Williams
Format:  Print
Length:  256 pages
Publisher:  Blink
Rating:  4.5 Stars

For as long as she can remember, Sarah’s family life has revolved around her twin sister, Annie—the pretty one, the social one, the girl who can do anything. The person everyone seems to wish Sarah—with her crippling shyness—could simply become.

When Annie suddenly chops off her hair, quits beauty pageants, and gains weight, the focus changes—Annie is still the star of the family, but for all the wrong reasons. Sarah knows something has happened, but she too is caught in her own spiral after her boyfriend breaks up with her and starts hanging out with one of Annie’s old friends.

Annie is intent on keeping her painful secret safe. But when she and Sarah start spending time together again for the first time in years, walls start to break on both sides … and words that had been left unsaid could change everything.  -Goodreads


My Thoughts
This is the story of two sisters. Two lives lived as closely as two lives can be, and the secrets that keep these lives miles apart.
They are twins...Annie and Sarah.  One sun and one moon.  One seen, the other ignored.
Annie, the beautiful, outgoing, popular, pageant queen.  
Until...
She is not.
Until...
She hides herself.
Covers herself pound by pound, mouthful by mouthful.

No one bothers to ask why.
They just bully and criticize.
Make cruel jokes, and say that she would be so pretty if...
  
No one bothers to really see.
No one, that is except Sarah.
The one that no one sees.
The other.
The one who is not Annie.

Written in dual viewpoints.  This book tells the story of a family full of secrets, denial, and miscommunication.  Obsessed with chasing the specter of Norman Rockwell perfection; they are blind to cracks and flaws that, if left unaddressed threaten to destroy their most vulnerable members from the inside out.

This book is not what one expects, and so much more than what one may be tempted to assume.
The plot unfolds very much in the way that a mystery does.  Giving the reader clues as to what may have happened to Annie, but never giving the full explanation until book's end.

Along the way however, we get to see the dynamics of both the sisters' relationships both with each other, and with others close to them. We also get to see how said dynamics change as their relationships and perceptions of themselves and each other evolve.

Because the chapters are relatively short and alternate between free verse and prose. The medium paced plot seems to fly by.  The alternating styles of writing also gives each girl her own very unique voice.
While it is true that this story does deal with very difficult subject matter.  It does so in a way that does not make lend said subject matter any more importance than the evolution of the personal relationships which lie at the heart of the read.
The one and only detraction to be found is the rushed feel of the resolution.

*Reviewer's Note*
This book can be read by younger teens.  In fact, this reviewer strongly suggests this book as a read that parents read with their teens.
I do caution that this work contains scenes that could function as a trigger for to those who have weight, sexual abuse, and/or bullying issues.

I was provided with a copy of the referenced work in exchange for the honest review provided.

About Carol


About the Author: Carol Lynch Williams, a two-time winner of the Utah Original Writing Competition, is the author of several books for children, including two novels about the Orton family of New Smyrna, Florida: Kelly and Me and Adeline Street. A starred School Library Journal review of The True Colors of Caitlynne Jackson praises Williams as she "again demonstrates her facility at mood and character development... Truer colors are hard to come by."


Her most recent novel, If I Forget, You Remember, is a moving intergenerational story that stresses the bonds that hold families together through difficult times--a help since over 19 million Americans have a family member with Alzheimer's disease.

                                                          Find Her: Web / Goodreads 


 

InkSlingerPR Presents: Sinful Desire Release Blitz + Giveaway

 

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for SINFUL DESIRE by Lauren Blakely, the second full-length, standalone novel from her bestselling Erotic Romance Series, Sinful Nights! This new series is a new erotic romance series written in the high-heat, high-stakes, high-glamour style of the Seductive Nights series that readers know and love, but heading in a new direction with a new family that’s full of drama, checkered pasts and dangerous life-and-death secrets.

This book contains Lauren Blakely's hottest, dirtiest, and most dominating hero ever! Panties optional when reading this sinfully sexy STANDALONE novel in the NYT Bestselling Sinful Nights series!

He gave her the most mind-blowing night of pleasure ever. He made her want to get down on her knees. He dominated her in ways she'd only dreamed of. And she didn't even know his name... 

Control.

It's what Ryan Sloan values most. Control of his business, control of his secrets, control of his days and nights. With the way his life spiraled in the past, he needs to stay in charge of his present.

Giving up control.

It's what Sophie Winston craves. After a wildly successful career, she's stepped away from the business world and is now focused on her work as her city's most noted philanthropist.

When she meets Ryan Sloan, the chemistry is scorching, and utterly undeniable. Their desire for each other runs red hot. He wants everything she's willing to give him in bed, and she wants him to take her to new heights as only he can.

Soon, he has to have more. All of her -- heart, mind and body.

The only trouble is, he hasn't been honest about how he met her and the dangerous connection he has to her brother.

When the truth is revealed, he'll have to give more of himself than he's bargained for or risk losing the only woman he's ever let into his heart.

SINFUL DESIRE is book two in SINFUL NIGHTS, a four-book series. Each full-length novel features a new couple. This high-heat, high-stakes sexy romance series follows the Sloan family as each sibling falls madly in love against the backdrop of sin, money, greed, passion, mystery and suspense...

Lauren Blakely is well known for writing sexy, heartfelt and humorous contemporary romance as well as deeply emotional new adult stories --one commonality in all her books is the scorching hot sexy times. And the Sinful Nights series is absolutely no different! First, there was SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS, and now Lauren brings you the passionate and suspenseful SINFUL DESIRE filled with sexy moments that will keep you up all night!

Lauren Blakely does it again and brings readers more smoldering, sexy nights in her new Sinful Nights Series with her newest novel, SINFUL DESIRE.

SINFUL DESIRE is a full-length, standalone erotic romance novel that follows the love affair of a new couple, Ryan and Sophie. It’s currently priced at $3.99 across all retailers for a limited time only.

  

 Amazon  ||  iBooks US   || iBooks UK   || Barnes & Noble   || Google Play   || Kobo   

 

✮✮✮TWO BOOKS FOR ONE PRICE! ✮✮✮

Buy One Get One Free This Week Only!

This week ONLY when you buy SINFUL DESIRE (or if you preordered it!) you can get a FREE copy of Lauren’s USA Today Bestseller PLAYING WITH HER HEART. Every eBook of SINFUL DESIRE includes a link in the back of the book to redeem your free copy of PLAYING WITH HER HEART! All you have to do is simply click the link in the back of the book, follow the instructions, and you will be able to download a copy of PLAYING WITH HER HEART readable on any eReader. ONE-CLICK and get two books for one price! If you already read PLAYING WITH HER HEART, there is a paperback giveaway to enter. The link to redeem your free copy is in the back of every e-book of SINFUL DESIRE this week only...

And that’s not all!

    

And that’s not all!

Feeling the Desire to have a Sinful night of your own? Then you’ll want to take the Sinful Nights quiz and answer fun trivia questions about the Sinful Nights series! To celebrate the release of SINFUL DESIRE on September 22^nd, Lauren is giving away a $500 gift card for a stay at the Ritz Carlton nearest you!*

Everything you need to turn your fantasy into reality and enter the Sinful Nights contest during release week can be found in the back of the SINFUL DESIRE eBook, including the short quiz in the book that you have to complete to enter the contest. The SINFUL DESIRE eBook is the ONLY location with the link to the quiz. The release week contest runs through Saturday, September 26, ONLY, so you’ll have to make this read a quickie to enter to win this awesome prize! In addition to the grand prize, there are several other great prizes in the giveaway!

So grab your copy of SINFUL DESIRE today! Get ready to ignite your passion and dive into SINFUL DESIRE on release day! 

*Please note: If you are the winner and there is no Ritz Carlton near you, you may opt to receive a $500 gift card to any Marriott property, or Marriott-owned hotel.

** If you purchase the paperback and would like to participate in the contest, please contact me at lauren@laurenblakely.com for instructions. 

“From the moment I met you, I knew I’d have my hands on you. You knew it, too. Felt it, too.”

She nodded as she trembled from the trace of his finger. “I did feel it.”

He brought his mouth to her ear and spoke softly. “If I ever do or say something you don’t like, tell me. Or smack me. I only want to bring you pleasure.” His words were both sexy and earnest. The combination sent flutters through her belly. “Immense pleasure.”

“You already are. So tell me something else that’s true. Something else you know,” she said, loving the hot, dirty way he talked to her as he touched her.

“I’m going to look into your eyes like I want to take you,” he said, his eyes blazing with desire. “That look will drive you wild. And you’ll swallow nervously because you don’t know me, and it’s odd wanting a stranger as much as you do.” He was reading her like a teenage diary. On the one hand, she was nervous. She didn’t know him at all. But she was also aroused beyond words. Beyond reason. Beyond any normal limits.

For that same reason—because she didn’t know him.

“Then, you’ll run a hand down my tie,” he told her, and she reached out instantly, doing exactly as he said, loving the directions he gave. Sophie craved this kind of interaction. She wanted a man to command her. So much time was spent deciding, and doing, and planning. It drove her brain batty, and she longed for this kind of release from her days.

“Do you know why you’re so fascinated with my tie?” he asked huskily, his eyes pinned on her. He practically fucked her with his gaze. It was so intense. His confidence set her on fire. It torched a path across her body, sizzling her skin.

“Tell me,” she said, eager for more of his words. “Since you seem to know me so well. Tell me.”

He brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek. Oh God, she was dying for him to kiss her. She was so eager to feel those lips. To taste him.

He grasped a wrist with one hand, yanking it up his chest and loosely wrapping the end of his tie around her hand. “You want me to tie you up.”

“How do you know that?” she asked, her voice stripped to the bones. He knew her. He read her. He could sense everything she wanted. He crowded her against the wall. Heaven Leigh belted out her song on stage. The inky black of the backstage cloaked them.

“Am I wrong?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. “If I’m wrong, tell me and I’ll walk away.”

She shook her head. “Are you going to take it off? Tie me up?” she asked in a voice that hardly sounded like hers. It belonged to the part of her that had been untended for years.

He grinned wickedly. “No. I have other ways to tie you up,” he said, and in a flash, he gripped her wrists in his big strong hands, wrapping his fingers around her, binding her as he yanked her hands behind her back. Heat flared in her body, spinning through her, settling between her legs. Her gorgeous, sexy panties were so damp right now they were useless.

She ached for his touch. And she could do nothing but wait for it since she was his hostage.

He was so strong she couldn’t wriggle away if she wanted to. His thumbs dug into her wrist bones, pinning her hands above her ass, rendering her helpless. The pressure from the twist in her arms bordered on pain, and felt oh so good.

There was no space between the two of them. Only breath. Only words and his bare, husky voice. “Do you know what else I’ve been thinking about all day?”

And don’t miss the first title in the Sinful Nights Series,

SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS!

 Amazon  || iBooks || Barnes & Noble  || Kobo  || GooglePlay

Add it to Goodreads here!

SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS Series on Goodreads

 

And be sure to watch for the next titles in the Sinful Nights series!

SINFUL LONGING - November 17, 2015 

Preorder SINFUL LONGING Here!

Add SINFUL LONGING on Goodreads!

SINFUL LOVE - March 2016

Preorder SINFUL LOVE Here!

Add SINFUL LOVE on Goodreads!

About Lauren Blakely: Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and she has had eight books on the New York Times Bestseller list and fourteen on the USA Today Bestseller list. Like the heroine in her novel, FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers! Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire. She recently released SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS, the first novel in her new sexy romance series Sinful Nights that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. Her new adult forbidden romance, 21 Stolen Kisses, hit e-readers in May and landed on the USA Today Bestseller list. In September, she'll release SINFUL DESIRE, her next title in the bestselling SINFUL NIGHTS series. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, text BLAKELY + your email address to 678-249-3375 (please use the actual + sign).     

Website | Facebook | Twitter | SINFUL DESIRE Goodreads | Lauren Blakely Goodreads

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Find All The Right Words In "Tempted By Mr. Write"

Title:  Tempted By Mr. Write
Author:  Sara Hantz
Format:  ERC
Length:  TBD
Expected Date Of Publication:  September 25, 2015 
Publisher:  Entangled/ LoveStruck
Rating: 3 Stars

After losing out on a plum assignment, a romance book conference is the last place journalist Sheridan Farlow wants to be. Love is a myth—like flattering changing room mirrors—and she has the past relationships to prove it. Her editor wants a story? Fine. She’ll write an entire exposé...only it doesn't go quite according plan.

Bernard “Mac” Mackenzie is something of an anomaly in the romance-writing world—a man who writes romance and believes in it. And until he met Sheridan, Mac’s never felt anything close to the love he writes about. He needs more of her. In his arms, and in his bed.

Their attraction is explosive; even as Sheridan’s cynical side battles her growing feelings for Mac. But can she handle writing a biting exposé with an exposed heart on the line?  -Goodreads

Tempted by Mr. Write by Sara Hantz Copyright © 2015 by Sara Hantz. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher. Chapter One “What the hell?” Eyes bugged, Sheridan Farlow gripped her cell phone and stared at the email detailing the week’s assignments. The job destined to elevate her career to the next level had been taken from her at the last minute and replaced with the worst gig on the planet. She marched to her editor’s office, gave a single knock on the glass window, and walked in without waiting for a response. The room was small and bare of anything personal, with a light wooden desk in the middle. On every wall were shelves heaving with files. Jane was sitting behind an open laptop, her head lowered and her metallic red glasses perched precariously on the end of her nose. She glanced up from under her dark bangs. “Let me get this straight,” Sheridan said, glaring at her editor. To hell with pleasantries. “You’ve decided you don’t want me to cover the president’s visit on Monday, and instead you’re sending me to the”—she glanced at the email again—“The Romance Lovers Convention in Las Vegas. You’ve gotta be kidding me.” She drew in a long breath and released it slowly, which eased the tension in her muscles and injected an element of much needed control into her demeanor. “Someone’s got to do it, and that someone’s you.” Sheridan’s stomach plummeted to the floor. How could her editor sit there so complacent, as though this was no big deal? “Who’s got the president’s visit?” She’d thought all her birthdays had come at once when they asked her to cover the opening of the Minneapolis Summit by the president. She’d worked her butt off the last three years, even postponing her European travel plans, to follow in her brother’s footsteps and finally impress her father. And it was just about to pay off. Until now. “Peter.” Her stomach clenched. Peter had only been on staff for twelve months. Granted he’d been reporting in the UK before he joined The Chronicle, but surely that alone didn’t make him a better choice. “My father’s not going to be happy about this.” Sheridan hated pulling the father card. Most people she worked with weren’t even aware they were related, since she used her mother’s maiden name as her by-line. A wise move because she’d bet her last dollar that she’d lose much of her cred if her colleagues found out. Some of those who knew the truth thought she was crazy to remain anonymous. Having a father who owned the media group that owned the newspaper seemed to them like a gift from heaven. But they didn’t know her father. “He knows.” But didn’t do anything about it. She wasn’t surprised, though. He probably thought she wasn’t up to it. He might have insisted that she joined The Chronicle, but he never missed an opportunity to compare her with Drake, her brother, a top political journalist who had died several years ago while reporting from a war zone in Africa. “Since when do you consult him on the allocation of work?” It didn’t make sense. Her father wasn’t involved in day-to-day operations. He often said when he appointed a new Managing Editor that they would stand or fall on their own merits. And they did. Not that it mattered. She certainly wasn’t going to confront him about it and be subjected to his successful-journalists-don’t-cherry-pick lecture. “I don’t. It came down the line that management didn’t think you were ready to cover the president’s visit. They want to feed it to the rest of the group, so they decided Peter would be a better person to do it. You have to take his assignment.” “And do I have any say in this?” The thought of covering any convention hardly filled her with excitement, especially one that focused on romance. She was the least romantic person she knew and for good reason. It was a load of fantasy crap that bore no relation to real life. She knew from firsthand experience with men, and from witnessing her parents’ chaotic marriage, that romance was a media and retail invention designed to make money. You only had to listen to the ker-ching in all the stores on Valentine’s Day to work that one out. “No. But think of the fun you’ll have in Vegas. All expenses paid. Have you been before?” A memory flashed in her mind of the surprise trip one of her exes had booked. She was all packed and ready to go, but a last-minute work emergency had come up, and she’d insisted that he go without her rather than lose all the money he’d spent on reservations. Big mistake. Because that was the last she saw of him. He was only there for a week, and by the time he returned, he had met someone else and married her in front of an Elvis impersonator. “I haven’t been to Vegas, and I don’t want to go now.” “Sheridan,” Jane said softly, clearly trying a different approach. “It’s only for a few days. Surely you can suck it up and deal with it.” “Easy for you to say,” Sheridan muttered. “I do say. And remember to talk to the organizers. According to sales, they’re good advertisers. We don’t want to upset them.” Sheridan bit down on her bottom lip. “Since when do you care about advertisers? I thought you were all for editorial integrity.” At least that’s what Jane had always said when she was just a reporter, like Sheridan. They’d worked well together then. Had a lot of laughs. Sheridan had looked up to the older reporter, learning a great deal from her. Since Jane had become editor, things had changed. Jane went red. “I am. But we still have to remember it’s advertising that enables us to put out the stories we want.” Sheridan knew that. How could she not, living with her father? But for Jane to be concerned about it could mean only one thing. The rumors were true. Jane was out for a promotion to Managing Editor. “Whatever,” she muttered. Sheridan slipped her cell into her jacket pocket and then turned and headed out of the office, in shock that the day, which had started out so good, had turned into such a nightmare. … “Thanks, Caitlin, I owe you one,” Sheridan said as she hurriedly threw her bag into the trunk and then hopped in beside her best friend, who’d offered to give her a ride to the airport and also to take care of Pickles, the obstinate cat. “Anytime. You’re so lucky. I could do with a few mindless days in Vegas.” Caitlin let out a long sigh. Sheridan envied Caitlin’s laissez-faire attitude at times, and wished she could be more like her. But she couldn’t; she wasn’t made that way. “Be my guest. Although I can assure you it will be far from mindless with what I have in mind.” She laughed. “Tell.” Caitlin grinned as she turned the key in the ignition and pulled out. “And remember best friends don’t count in the adage ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.’” Sheridan winced. “Ouch. Using that cliché alone means you deserve to come with me. Unfortunately, I’ll be working. I’ve been wondering how to slant my story. Whether to take a sympathetic look or to go to town and make it a real doozy. Whatever. My first job will be to check out the convention delegates. I mean, who are these romance lovers and what makes them want to attend a convention? It beats me.” “And did you tell your editor that romance isn’t your thing?” Caitlin asked. “No. It’s not like it would’ve changed anything. I’d still have to go.” Caitlin laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with a bit of escapism every once in a while. I enjoy reading a good romance. Or watching a chick flick, if I’m in the mood.” If Sheridan wasn’t so pissed about it still, she’d have laughed with her. “Well, I’m never in the mood,” Sheridan replied adamantly, her jaw jutting out in defiance. “Anyway, I’ll give you a rundown on everything when I return.” “I’ll hold you to that,” Caitlin said as she pulled onto the highway leading to the airport. “And remember, it might be work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make time to fit in some fun.”

My Thoughts

But...it all happened so fast!"
Accompanied by the exclamation of a bewildered, "Huh?"
A check of my kindle and a rather confused stare-down with the clock on my computer,to convince myself that I had indeed read the entire novella in less than 30 minuets.
Coupled with a memory check to confirm that:

A. Leading lady, Sheridan and leading man, Mac had met, exchanged pleasantries, had dinner, had sex, had a crisis of sorts, resolved said crisis, fallen in love, and gone traipsing off into the sunset.
B. Everything happened in Vegas.
C. There was absolutely no drunk marriage, texting, sexing, dialing, sexting,or any other shenanigans of any sort to explain, or justify any of it.
D. There just needed to be more.

This is the type of story that sends reviewers everywhere into fits, making us want to throw ourselves out of the nearest collective window.
There is so much here to love; it's just not enough to justify falling in love, or even lust yet.
The premise of "ambitious news hound meets sexy male romance novelist" is more than enough to pique reader interest, and serve as the perfect road to "happily..."
What said premise is not however, is a license to race down said road at lightening speed. Leaving all the sights, sounds, and creativity that audiences crave, as little more than impressionistic nuance in the rear view.

The story that we have here would be great as-is if the sex had been HOTTER!
This story is one that needs to simmer and build in character and sweetness over pages filled with heart-stopping romance, and a once in a lifetime merging of souls.
These are things that just don't have the time to happen over the course of a few stolen moments in Vegas.

 About Sara

I was born in Northampton, England, the eldest of 4 children (I have 3 younger brothers), and I took my eldest child responsibilities very seriously. When I said jump, they asked how high. They’re all a lot taller than me now, so I’ve had to change tactics for getting my own way.

School and I weren’t a match made in heaven. I was bored a lot of the time, and it seemed much more fun to dream up ways of disrupting lessons than to actually pay attention. Which could explain why I was always in trouble! But I redeemed myself later, when at twenty-one I went back to full-time study. Except, I got carried away and became a bit of a qualification tart. I even worked in education for a number of years – lecturing.
But all the time I was never content. I knew there was something missing, just didn’t know what. 

Until I discovered writing.
I wasn’t one of those people who wrote from being a small child. I did read though. I’ve always been an avid reader. And it took me a few years of thinking about writing before I actually started. But now, I wouldn’t do anything else, and I never get bored!

I moved to New Zealand (a beautiful country) from the UK twelve years ago, with my husband and two children. After working at a university for three years I left to work in our motel and devote more time to my writing. I wish I’d done it sooner! Two years ago we moved to the Sunshine Coast in Australia. Another perfect place to write.

In my spare time I love going to the movies, watching TV, walking on the beach, and playing with our gorgeous Labrador.

 Find Her:   Web / Instagram / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook

My Currently Reading Pile: 9/23/15

Everyone who knows me, or reads my blog knows that I read a lot!

Because  spend so much time reading, I don't always take the time to 

let people in on what it s that has me so enraptured.

Until now...

On My Kindle

Title:  Butterfly Dreams

Author:  A. Meredith Walters

Expected Publication Date:  November 24,2015

Publisher:  Loveswept

In a powerful romance for fans of The Fault in Our Stars and If I Stay, New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters tells the story of a troubled young woman and the unforgettable guy who teaches her to live—and love—to the fullest.

She’s waiting to die. . . . Corin Thompson is paralyzed by her obsession with mortality. Having lost both of her parents, she is terrified by the idea that she too will die young, and she loses control at any sign of illness. But when Corin connects with someone who has survived a very real brush with death, she begins to see the world in a whole new way.

He’s learning to live. . . . As Corin struggles under the weight of her neuroses, Beckett Kingsley is attempting to rebuild a life that feels all too temporary. With the ever-present threat of heart failure never far from his mind, he just wants to make the most of whatever time he has left. And that means pursuing the girl he never expected to find.

Together, Corin and Beckett finally learn to let go of their fears and take solace in everyday pleasures. Who knows what the future holds? After all, nothing lasts forever—the only promise they have is right now.

In Print

 

Title:  Baby, It's Cold Outside

Author(s) Emma Chase, Melody Anne, Kristen Proby, Kate Meader

Expected Date of Publication:  October 28, 2015

Publisher:  Pocket Books

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling indie authors Jennifer Probst, Emma Chase, Kristen Proby, Melody Anne, and debut author Kate Meader come together to write a sizzling romance anthology.

Outside it may be frosty, so turn the heat way up with these stories of desire!

Searching for You

Can a determined woman executive and a playboy billionaire survive being stranded together in a snowstorm? Jennifer Probst depicts an encounter almost too hot to handle...

It's a Wonderful Tangled Christmas Carol

Drew and Kate play an encore to Tangled in this sexy take on a "Christmas Carol" by Emma Chase. When a Christmas Eve argument condemns Drew to a troubled night, three dream women teach him that no gift could be more tantalizing than Kate...

Saving Grace

With Kristen Proby, ski slopes are quite delightful. Grace Douglas is sure she'll never learn to ski, but instructor Jacob Baxter could teach her lessons of a different kind...

Safe in His Arms

Can a southern California transplant survive Montana's deep snows? Melody Anne, author of the bestselling Andersons series, melts the icy drifts completely away with the heat between sexy Hawk Winchester and brand-new teacher Natalie Duncan...

Rekindle the Flame

What could be hotter than a firefighter? Kate Meader shows how, as Beck Rivera and heiress-turned-tattoo-artist Lucy Cochrane discover, nothing ignites holiday flames like rekindling a lost love...

On My Phone Via Overdrive

Title:  A Whole New World

Author:  Liz Braswell

Publisher:  Disney Press

 

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version of Aladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

 

"Sarah's Surrender"Is Where Passion and Forever Live

Title:  Sarah's Surrender
Author:  Lavinia Kent
Format:  ERC
Length:  96 pages
Publisher:  Loveswept
Rating:  4 Stars

In Lavinia Kent’s scorching new eBook original novella, two wounded hearts find that only the sweet release of temptations long denied can heal the pain of past sins.

Five years ago, Miss Sarah Swilp had been deeply in love with Jonathan Perry, the second son of an earl. But when Jonathan inherited his aunt’s lands and money, he turned cold, demanding Sarah’s maidenhood and uttering those unforgettably cruel words: “You do know I won’t marry you.” She refused, of course, and that spoiled everything. Now, just as she’s agreed to a marriage of convenience, Jonathan reappears—and after Sarah gets one look at his lean, hard body, the embers of desire burst back into flame.

Over time, Jonathan has learned quite a bit about the art of pleasure—though nothing has ever given him so much joy as the husky timbre of Sarah’s laugh. It had hurt to leave her, but what other choice did he have? Perhaps he’d been too afraid of ending up like his brother, targeted by a woman seeking a title. Seeing her again, Jonathan can’t help wondering what might have been if only Sarah had surrendered to red-hot lust. Fortunately, judging by the wicked look in her eyes, it may not be too late to find out.

Sarah’s Surrender is intended for mature audiences. Don’t miss a preview of the next novel in the Bound and Determined series, Ravishing Ruby.

My Thoughts
When a single glance across a crowded ballroom brings Sarah Swilp face to face with Johnathan Perry; she is immediately reminded of all the things that she both loves and hates about the man.
More importantly however, she is reminded of all the things that she desires.

Yes, as much as it pains her to admit.  Even a heartbreaking spat between the two and five years of separation, with nary a word exchanged, has done little to quench the flames of unchecked passion that burn only for him.

Her dilemma... 

Both he and she are slated to be wed to others.  He, to the young and very well heeled Miss Bliss.
She, to the much older Mr. Meyers.
Adding insult to injury in her case, is the fact that hers is far from a love match.  It seems that she has, for all intents and purposes, been sold to the man in exchange for the repayment of her father's gambling losses and other debts.

With mere days left before her betrothal to Mr. Meyers becomes official, and mere feet standing between herself and her heart's greatest yearning.  Sarah knows that the time has come to choose.  One night of bliss or an entire life filled with want.

Though the premise of this tale leaves a bit to be desired at the outset. (The bits preceding the sex, to be exact.)
The descriptive nature of authoress Kent's prose coupled with the intense longing that seems to radiate from the pages of every scene that the two share, turn reader attention away from the rather lack-luster beginning.
While sex rules this read, there are also plenty of surprise realizations, revelations, and recriminations being tossed back and forth between the two between orgasms.

As is often the case with Historical Romance, Sarah plays the untried ingenue, to Johnathan's worldly plunderer.
Borderline kink with a BDSM bent for Mr. Perry prefaces a rather abrupt, but well deserved 'happily...'

About Lavinia

I live in Washington, DC with my husband, kids, two cats and a changing menagerie of other small beasts.

I worked in both the arts and in the business world before giving into my love of story telling after the birth of my oldest -- although it wasn't until after the birth of my youngest when I suddenly had full-time childcare that it all came together for me.

I love discussing books -- almost any books at any time.

One of my great joys is having my children get old enough that we can all read the same things and talk. I am so happy that YA is the flourishing world that it is.

And of course I love Romance. I started back with Kathleen Woodiwiss and Johanna Lindsay and have never given them up since -- although there were a few slow spots along the way.
  

Find Her:  Web / Twitter / Facebook / Goodereads 

Feel The Forever of "One Night With The Billionaire"

Title:  One Night With The Billionaire
(Men of the Zodiac #9)
Author:  Sarah Ballance
Format:  ERC
Length:  151 pages
Publisher:  Entangled/Indulgence
Rating:  4 Stars

Sign: Sagittarius

He's the perfect kind of trouble...

Zoe Davenport is on her way to a perfect, idyllic, private resort, where there's no ex-fiancé and definitely no public scandal involving said ex-fiancé. But one look at the exceptionally sexy resort owner, and Zoe wonders if she's escaped scandal just long enough to land herself in even hotter water...

Except that Ryder Nash isn't exactly a stranger. He and Zoe used to live next door to each other. She was the sweet little temptation who couldn't stand him-the bad boy with a loud car and a new girl every weekend. What Zoe doesn't know is that all those years ago, her father paid Ryder off...to keep him away from her.

And if Ryder gives into the fiery attraction that rages between them-even for a moment-he'll lose everything all over again...  -Goodreads

One Night with the Billionaire by Sarah Ballance Copyright © 2015 by Sarah Ballance. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher. Chapter One One man’s paradise…was so not her reality. But it came close. Zoe Davenport stepped off the gleaming Dassault Falcon and inhaled deeply. The tarmac warmed her feet through her shoes, the sudden heat in the absence of the plane’s air conditioning immediately prickling her skin. A hot tropical sea breeze whisked away the lingering scent of the buttery-soft leather upholstery, a luscious preview to the crystal clear waters glimmering silently beyond a wide strip of blinding white sand. Palm trees curved, their fronds lazing against a brilliant sky. Just off the runway, a sleek white limo waited. It did not bear Latitude 13’s corporate logo, as did the aircraft, but there was no mistaking its purpose. It was there for her. She dropped her sunglasses to her nose and shook her head. The postcard-cliché beauty of the newly constructed resort couldn’t be any more distant from the real life she’d left behind. After her so-called fiancé had been caught sexting the interns who worked under him—literally, as it turned out—in his congressional office, she’d landed on the front page alongside him, in no small part due to her high-profile position in her father’s top DC law firm. The scandal had left her more politically driven clients skittish and worried for their own reputations, and between that and the swarm of reporters that followed her everywhere, her ability to perform her job had been torpedoed. Though she’d taken the hit both professionally and socially, she had no inclination to play up her role as the jilted bride-to-be. If anything, she was glad to be rid of the jerk, and she had no desire to pretend otherwise. Here, at a near-empty and not-yet-open resort and traveling under an assumed name, she wouldn’t have to. An old friend of hers, Moose Callahan, whose work in law enforcement left him with associates in interesting places, had called up after hearing on the news that she’d refused to “stand by her man” at his apology press conference. She’d helped Moose polish his application to the police academy during their senior year of high school, and he’d never forgotten the favor and wanted to repay her in her hour of national humiliation. So he’d promised to draw on his connections to get her an exclusive getaway where the sleaziest of reporters wouldn’t have a chance of finding her. Her appearance at Latitude 13, two weeks before the resort’s official opening, was as a representative of the resort’s interior designer, there to ensure the decorative pieces were in place. It was an easy cover, and only the resort’s owner would know otherwise. Intriguingly, the man had supposedly attended Fairfax High School with her and Moose, though she couldn’t imagine who she knew who owned a private island. That sort of news tended to get around, but she hadn’t a clue who the proprietor might be. Then again, Fairfax High had been so enormous she hadn’t known all of her classmates when they’d graduated. What Moose had told her was that the owner was a retired bodyguard who’d hit it big in real estate, which only stirred up more questions than answers. Moose had gotten called out to a scene before he’d given her the owner’s name, but he’d promised she’d receive an email with all the particulars. Said email had her travel info and the resort’s name, but not the owner’s. A uniformed attendant approached with her luggage. Rather than handing it over, as she expected, he offered a friendly smile and gestured toward the limo. “Right this way.” She followed him to the car and slid into yet another display of luxury. More leather, more champagne, and endlessly stunning views enhanced the scenery on either side as the car slipped silently toward a palatial resort in the distance. When the ride drew to a stop, she exited to discover the huge building sprawled in every direction at once, its stark white façade so at one with the landscape that it appeared part of the beach itself, like a giant sand castle surround by lush tropical fauna. And men. Hot, shirtless men. She studied the small group that stood with their backs to her, noting that the arrival of the limo hadn’t yet drawn their attention. One man was clearly the ringleader of the group, not just because he radiated power, but because he held the full attention of the others. And the magnetism went well beyond his captive audience, because even from a distance he snagged her attention. Or maybe it was the fit of his jeans. She had always preferred a power suit, but she had never seen anything sexier than the way that particular ass molded denim. The man attached to the ass in question stood shirtless, droplets of moisture skating in rivulets down his back. Sweat-darkened hair hung two weeks past time for a trim, but the rear view was all the more enticing for it. Get a grip. It was the heat. Had to be the heat, because she was so not standing there trying to surreptitiously take back the breath he’d stolen. She was a grown woman. One who hadn’t seen anything so sexy in ages. A full moment passed before she realized the view had changed. She blinked into focus a set of eight-pack abs. A line of hair traveled south into a waistband that had settled tantalizingly low on lean hips. She’d have been content to let her gaze languish there, if not for the fact that the construction noise had ceased. Her attention shifted upward, hitching to a pair of blue-green eyes that put the Caribbean to shame. Gorgeous eyes. Eyes that raked over her like she was on the dessert menu. He straightened, his cerulean gaze taking a lazy tour of her body, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Corded arms shifted easily, the muscles there as defined as those of his back. She caught a glimpse of a single tattoo marking one bicep. Strands of dark hair fell across his forehead, and below it, a five o’clock shadow framed sensual lips. Lips that eased into a smile. “Miss Elliot, I presume?” A beat passed before she realized he spoke to her. The fake name sounded unnatural in his deep, husky drawl—about as unnatural as she felt standing in paradise wearing sensible heels and tailored pants. She itched to get her hands on the sundresses she’d packed. She itched to get her hands on that man. Though her heart beat unevenly and she had broken a sweat that had nothing to do with the equatorial sun, she pasted on a bright smile. “You presume well.” He set down his hammer and wiped his hands on a nearby towel. A backward glance at the other men sent them back to work, setting off a cacophony of noise as he walked the short distance to join her on the path. He paused in front of her, his gaze touring her unapologetically. And she gave as good as she got. She may have been back on the market less than a week, but her fiancé had insisted on marriage before sex, a fact made all the more interesting after his recent exposure. Zoe hadn’t exactly been broken up over the idea of waiting, and now that the sordid pictures were circulating the Internet, she realized she hadn’t missed much. In retrospect, her affection for her ex had been constructed more from a need to please her father than of her own interest. She and her ex-fiancé shared similar, if disconnected, goals that made them oddly compatible. Both were driven to grow their careers—she was to inherit her father’s law firm, while he wanted to climb the political ladder—which they were content to pursue separately. Now she realized their primary connection had been that neither of them needed to connect deeply at all, but between her father pushing hard for her to secure his interpretation of the ideal son-in-law and her ingrained desire to prove herself to her dad, she’d been blind to that. She wasn’t blind anymore. Her disinterest in her ex aside, the way this man in front of her had her vibrating put her battery-operated phallus to shame. Her former fiancé wouldn’t have stood a chance. And neither did she. She was just imagining her tongue touring the grooves of his abdomen when the man shifted, drawing her attention upward over sweat-slicked skin, past flat nipples and a chest that made her thighs clench with need. His square jaw that had just enough of a shadow to look dangerous, and her nerve endings danced when she thought of those lips closing over any part of her body. If there wasn’t a supply of batteries somewhere on this island, she was in a world of trouble. He leaned close. So close that his mouth brushed her ear when he spoke. “Let me show you to your room, Zoe.” Zoe jerked back, her eyes immediately hitching to his. Only then did she realize why they were so familiar. Ryder Nash. Former boy next door. Killer eye candy, but if he’d ever bothered to speak a word to her, she hadn’t heard it. Hot as sin back in high school, and the grown-up version even more so. The fact that he was also the proverbial last man on earth with whom she should get involved did absolutely nothing to dissuade the need ricocheting through her at a cataclysmic pace. She stared at the work-roughened hand he held before her, realizing after an awkward moment that he expected her to give him her suitcase. She did, though not without a rush of memories. As a teen, he’d had a new girl every weekend and probably a new set of heel marks in his upholstery to match. But he hadn’t wanted her. Being ignored by a notorious playboy seemingly without standards had been humiliating enough. That it still stung more than ten years later was knowledge she could do without. “The guest rooms are still being finalized,” he said. “So I’m afraid you don’t have much choice with your accommodations, but I can vouch for your suite. Best one on site.” “I’m sure it will be fine.” As if she had room to complain. Her little impromptu vacation hadn’t exactly been her idea. Whether that made the world less or more cruel that she’d end up on the same sparsely populated island as Ryder Nash had yet to be determined. She followed him along a beautifully tiled pathway. To one side, blooming hibiscus lent a shock of color to the crisp landscape. On the other, plush loungers surrounded a deep blue pool with what appeared to be a swim-up bar. Unmanned, of course, since the place hadn’t yet opened to the public. She could use a drink. The room to which he led her appeared to be a cabana-style suite. The outside was starkly modern luxe, the full glass walls on the ocean side allowing an endless view of the water. An expansive open-air patio under a permanent roof hosted an entire living room set, complete with loungers and a private pool just steps from the Caribbean. Even through the glass, she could tell the kitchen, with its white cabinetry and gleaming gray stone countertops, would be completely at ease in a luxury apartment. It wasn’t until he opened the door for her that she realized something was wrong. The room—which hadn’t been locked—appeared…lived in. Not a mess by any means, but there were a couple of rinsed dishes in the sink. A mug on the coffee table. Shoes on the floor. Men’s shoes. Where her mouth didn’t form words, her expression must have spoken volumes. His lips twitched. “Your room is the one to the right. If your driver wants to keep his job, the rest of your bags are already inside.” “My room?” He straightened, all mass and muscle and sex appeal. He stared at her, one corner of his mouth upturned as if he found something funny. The Ryder she had watched through her bedroom window had never found anything funny. Not ever. He wore a scowl like no man’s business, but a smile? He’d be devastating in a smile. Don’t go there. “You weren’t expecting a room?” Expectations. The thought took her in a direction she thought she had long left behind. One in which she had stared into those exquisitely blue-green eyes and had begged with every star in the sky for him to want her. She tore her gaze from his lips. “I didn’t realize I’d be sharing.” “I hate to break it to you, princess, but most of the rooms aren’t finished for a few days yet and are in the process of being painted. You can either asphyxiate on paint fumes, bunk with the guys in the staff quarters, or you can stay here.” His expression softened. “For what it’s worth, you have your own bathroom, and the locks are fully functional. You’ll have your privacy, and I don’t bite.” “You?” She nearly swallowed her tongue. Aside the fact she had spent countless hours fantasizing about his teeth on her skin, and she had rather hoped he did bite, there was the very small matter of proximity. And that he had just indicated he would be a presence in hers. “I was under the impression I would be…working directly with the owner.” She had nearly forgotten her cover as an interior consultant. After ten years apart, the man managed to unravel her in minutes. His lips formed a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Was he as tormented as she? She doubted it, but it was a nice thought. “You can work as closely with the owner as you would like,” he said. “But if you want me out of here, you’ll be sorely disappointed.” Great. “Are you his…assistant?” He smiled, all languid and sated. Post-coital. “No, sweetheart. I’m him.”

My Thoughts
One Night With The Billionaire is about so much more than the title implies.
It is the story of a bad boy who made good.
The princess tarnished by scandal.
The righting of old wrongs.

The fact that Zoe and Ryder feel the need to be so very unnecessarily 'cloak and dagger' about her identity from the start, is enough to throw one for a loop. He does own the island after all, so what he wants to get out will etc...etc...

The real fun of this read doesn't start until all the formality of reintroduction and the logistics of "I'm sleeping where and doing what" end.
Ryder is the consummate Sag. Confident and sure of who he is and what he wants. He is unafraid to to pursue Zoe. Taking care all the while to be sure that she is comfortable with the progression of things.
Also very much in keeping with the traits of his star sign, is the fact that he has chosen to surround himself with the people that have meant the most to him throughout his life.

Though the romance between Zoe and Ryder is very hot and sweet. It is the backstory and blackmail that Zoe's father resorted to, in order to 'protect' his daughter, that provides the dramatic hook for the reader and make that past bargain relevant to the scope of their futures.

About Sarah
Sarah and her husband of what he calls “many long, long years” live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they’re asleep. She never dreamed of becoming an author, but as a homeschooling mom, she often jokes she writes fiction because if she wants anyone to listen to her, she has to make them up. (As it turns out, her characters aren’t much better than the kids). To learn more about her work in contemporary, historical, and supernatural romance and romantic suspense, please stalk accordingly.

FIND THE AUTHOR HERE:   @SarahBallance     Facebook      Website     Good Reads     Pinterest  

 

BookSparks PR Presents: The Looney Experiment

Title:  The Looney Experiment
Author:  Luke Reynolds
Format:  Print
Length:  208 pages
Publisher:  Blink
Rating: 5 Stars

Atticus Hobart couldn't feel lower. He s in love with a girl who doesn't know he exists, he is the class bully's personal punching bag, and to top it all off, his dad has just left the family.
 Into this drama steps Mr. Looney, a 77-year-old substitute English teacher with uncanny insight and a most unconventional approach to teaching. 

But Atticus soon discovers there's more to Mr. Looney's methods than he'd first thought. And as Atticus begins to unlock the truths within his own name, he finds that his hyper-imagination can help him forge his own voice, and maybe just maybe discover that the power to face his problems was inside him all along.  -Goodreads


My Thoughts
Atticus Hobart is 'that kid'.  The bullied, the ignored, the invisible boy, who just can't seem to be invisible enough to those who would seek to make his life more of a hell than it is.
With drama on the home-front reaching DEFCON levels after his father leaves the family, and the ever present specter of Danny, the class bully, always looming somewhere in his personal horizon; Atticus just can't seem to find any room in his life for himself.  Or should I say, his self worth.

That is until the day that a wacky old teacher, by the name of Mr. Looney enters his life.  Bringing laughter, lessons, and To Kill A Mockingbird along for the ride.

The Looney Experiment is a little poignant, a little funny, a little maddening, and a whole lotta inspiring.
It only takes one person, just one, within the course of a life...to change that life.
For Atticus, that person just happens to come in the form of his aged English teacher.
Well, him and Atticus Finch.
  
As a reader, I have to say that I am very impressed that this book's author chose to incorporate literature into his book in such a direct way.  Atticus Hobart is effected by his namesake in the book, in such a way that he comes to realize positive truths about himself in the process.

Though this book is short in length, it is packed with emotionally evocative content.  As a reader, you find yourself wanting to throttle someone one moment, and hug someone else the next.  This works well when it comes to keeping middle school aged readers engaged.  There are a few swear words in this read, and it can be a trigger for those with issues around bullying.  This is however a very honest and uplifting book, that is a heartfelt joy to experience.    

About Luke

Here's the thing: I would eat garlic bread as a side dish to any main course every single meal of the day. And my favorite after-dinner dessert is a bowl of cereal--preferably a healthier cereal on the bottom (Shredded Wheat Spoon Size, Grape Nuts, Wheat Chex) and an overwhelmed-by-sugar option on the top (whatever is cheapest that week).

That says a lot, but here's even more:

Why I Love Writing: "I learn by going where I have to go." --Theodore Roethke; "In order to discover new lands, one must be willing to lose sight of the shore for a long time." --Andre Gide; "One man loved the pilgrim soul in you / And loved the sorrows of your changing face." --W.B. Yeats; "Growing up, poetry had been the sanctuary, that space in words where longing could be spoken." --bell hooks; "I saw the angel in the marble and carved him out until I set him free." --Michaelangelo

On My Wife, Jennifer Reynolds: Someone who makes future dreams a part of the present; a poem who isn't afraid to roll up her sleeves and do the hard (and sometimes fun) work; laughter like rain, Tears like sunshine; a mom with incredible love and a PhD candidate with incredible brain-prowess-ness; a wife who inspires and invigorates

On Our Son, Tyler: A five-year who loves Legos, loves mountain hiking, loves imagination, and loves stories, stories, stories

On Our Son, Benjamin: a four-month old who loves giggles, his big brother, sunlight, and the relief that comes only after a massive, productive fart.

Where I Live: 40 Minutes outside of Boston, MA.(Previous locales include: growing up in Windsor, CT, college in Wenham, Massachusetts, early married life in New Britain, Connecticut, Early-ish married life in Flagstaff, Arizona, Less Early-ish married life + Parenting in Marlborough, Massachusetts, Early-Mid-ish married life + Early-ish Parenting in York, England)

Favorite Activities: Singing Songs That Do Not Exist and Yet Often Rhyme and Yet Do Not Have Any Musically Redeeming Qualities Except the Joy They Bring Me as I Make Them Up; Dancing; Reading; Writing; Great & Long Conversations; Movies; Fountain Pens; Basketball; Puddle-Jumping; Traveling; Encouraging.