Friday Reads #22: The Ladies Pocket Star E-books and Gallery Books Edition

It's Friday...What Are Your
 I often Tweet my Friday Reads,
but I have decided to change things up a bit.
There will also be a post on my blog as well.
I'm Spending my Memorial Day weekend with
none other than...


 32620341

Title:  Buns
(The Hudson Valley Series #3)
Author:  Alice Clayton
Length:  320 page
Publisher:  Gallery Books

Clara Morgan is living the dream, if you can call rebranding hotels that are desperate for a new life and running any kind of marathon a dream. Which she does. But the career she loves and the endurance races that keep her adrenaline pumping have kept her too busy to put down any roots. Growing up in foster care, she’s never been able to establish traditions of her own, which may be why she’s fascinated by the rituals that generations-old family resorts are known for. She’s especially interested in the Bryant Mountain House, and not just for their secret recipe for the yummy, gooey, can’t-get-enough-of Hot Cross Buns….

Archie Bryant, the man with the Buns, is fifth generation and one-day-owner of the charming yet run-down Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York. He’s determined to save his family’s legacy from the wrecking ball the old-fashioned way—by gritting his teeth and doing what needs to be done. There’s no way Archie will be influenced by the new hotel branding expert his father brought in to turn one hundred and fifty years of tradition on its head just to attract a faster, younger, slicker crowd. But when some of Clara’s ideas start bringing in new, paying customers, Archie can’t deny that she may have just given him a shot at keeping his resort open.

It’s sticky, it’s messy, it’s sweet, it’s Buns.

Buy The Book Here! 



32620390

 Title:  Corliss
 (The Girls of Spindrift #1)
 Author:  V.C. Andrews
Length:  120 pages
Publisher:  Pocket Star Ebooks
Expected Date of Publication:  June 12th, 2017

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina series, now Lifetime movies, comes a haunting new novella featuring a mysterious, highly intelligent teenaged girl as she struggles to survive high school and understand her place in this complex, sometimes dangerous world.

Corliss is not like other girls at her Los Angeles high school. Incredibly intelligent, shy, and a loner, she has difficultly in fitting in. What’s worse, a clique of girls is out to get her after she refuses to take drugs with them, leading to a violent confrontation. When Corliss is unknowingly drugged, her entire life is turned upside down and no one—not even the handsome valedictorian who had agreed to go out with her—looks at her the same way. Will she be able to return to her high school or is there another path she can take? And where will it take her?


Buy The Book Here!




 31302860
 Title:  The Queen of Dauphine Street
(NOLA Nights #2)
Author:  Thea DeSalle
Length:  219 pages
Publisher:  Pocket Star ebooks

 When one of the world’s wildest socialites is paired with a handsome Texan, neither has any idea that their lives are about to change forever in this sexy, sultry romance in the NOLA Night series from New York Times bestselling author Thea de Salle.

Madeline Roussoux has it all: money, a dozen houses, a private jet, a cruise ship, even a tiger. Everyone knows her name. Her every move is watched, absorbed, adored, and abhorred by the public. She’s a dazzling spectacle on the society scene—a beautiful, flamboyant poster child for American privilege and Hollywood celebrity.

And she’s broken.

All the wealth in the world can’t make up for Maddy’s losses. Her father’s suicide and her mother’s ensuing breakdown left her orphaned as a teenager. She survived, but barely. From stints in rehab to a string of failed marriages, her dazzling smile hides deep scars. Finally, losing Sol DuMont, the one person she ever truly loved, has her wondering what is the point of being surrounded by people when you’re perpetually alone?

Enter Darren Sanders. He’s a beautiful Texas boy with a big heart and a bigger smile; the type of man women go crazy for. Literally. When Darren’s ex stalks him and then makes an attempt on his life, circumstances find him off to New Orleans with none other than Maddy Roussoux. He thought he knew everything there was to know about her, but there’s more to the woman whose image graces the covers of magazines worldwide, and Darren finds himself drawn into a world of excess he never imagined possible.

Buy The Book Here!


We're Celebrating The XOXO After Dark's 4th Anniversary And Relaunch By Giving You The GIFTS!

We’re celebrating the 4 Year Anniversary and Relaunch of XOXO After Dark by giving you some great deals on your favorites reads!

We’re kicking off the celebration by offering our FREE reads
yes, FREE!!! Featuring 14, full-length reads such as:
And many more available here—but hurry!
These special deals will expire May 31st!

Single Player by Elia Winters
The Governess Was Wicked by Julia Kelly
King of Bourbon Street by Thea de Salle




 For only $1.99 you can enjoy new Gems from the Vault:
All available here plus more!!
 
Pretty Woman by Fern Michaels
Deep Waters by Jayne Ann Krentz
My Outlaw by Linda Lael Miller
Take Me by Bella Andre
Caged Warrior by Lindsey Piper




Our 4 Year anniversary celebration continues with an awesome sweeps where FOUR winners can win a tote FILLED with some of our favorite reads!
may-sweeps
For more information and complete rules visit XOXO After Dark here!

To top off our 4th Anniversary, we’re welcoming back Kresley Cole to the XOXO After Dark Podcast!

"Cougar Bait" Offers Just The Right Lure To Those Looking For New And Exciting Paranormal Perfection


34521795Title:  Cougar Bait
Series:  (Cougarville #2)
Author:  Evangeline Anderson
Review Format:  eARC
Expected Date Of Publication:  June 6th, 2017
Publisher:  Swerve
Rating:  4.5 Stars

Samantha Becker is a busy and talented trauma surgeon with no time for nonsense. Her sister may have a special Shifter Gene, but Sammie is fairly certain she doesn’t have it, and she’s happy with her life the way it is. She doesn’t need the complicated Shifter lifestyle, and she certainly doesn’t need Liam Keller: Alpha cougar, Mayor of Cougarville and undercover billionaire. She hates him, but Liam is unable to get the curvy surgeon out of his head.
But the Shifter world isn’t ready to let Sammie go. She’s being stalked by someone who’s desperate for Shifter hormones, and Liam takes it upon himself to protect Sammie from harm. Things begin heating up between Sammie and Liam, but will they have to succumb to their inner animals in order to save Sammie’s life?
Cougar Bait is fun, sexy and will take readers on an emotional thrill ride.
                                          

Wondering where all the shifter sexiness began?
Take a peek at this EXCERPT from Book #1.
Buck Naked
Review Link Here

Sadie looked at him critically from his huge size to his shaggy black hair and neatly trimmed black beard. He had olive skin and large well-made hands with very clean nails. Sadie liked that—she always noticed a man’s hands. For a moment she had a flash of what it would be like to have those hands caressing her body, roaming all over her naked flesh until she moaned for more.
Wait a minute—where did that thought come from?
She had no idea but suddenly there were more like it crowding her brain. It was as though one appetite had been satiated, and now another was growing. But that was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Stop it, Sadie, she scolded herself. He’s too young for you—way too young.
“Well?” Mathis asked and she realized she’d been studying him too long while thinking forbidden, lascivious thoughts.
“Oh, um…” She cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks get hot. “If it wasn’t for your green eyes, I’d say you look Italian. Or maybe half Italian and half giant.” She smiled at him to let him know she was joking and was surprised when he grinned back.
“Yeah, well, I can’t help that I’m not as itty-bitty as you.”
“What?” She gave him an incredulous look. “I am not itty-bitty, I assure you.”
“You are as far as I’m concerned.” His voice dropped to a soft growl and he leaned forward, looking at her across the table. “When I was holding you on the couch I was thinking you felt as light as a feather. Especially when you held on to my shirt and didn’t want me to let you go.”
“I… I don’t remember that. I just remember thinking that something smelled really good and I wanted … wanted to be close to it. To you, I guess.”
Sadie felt herself blushing again as she met his eyes. Why hadn’t she noticed how attractive he was earlier? Maybe because he was always scowling. And now the way he was looking at her, so intently …
She dropped her gaze, feeling unaccountably nervous. This was ridiculous—she was ten years older than him. They had a name for women who went after younger men, didn’t they? Right—cougar. She hadn’t moved to Cougarville to turn into some kind of a cougar.
Mathis seemed to sense her nervous confusion because he cleared his throat and got up to clear their plates.
“How about dessert?” His deep voice was slightly hoarse and there was a definite bulge in the denim of his jeans, but at least he was trying to act normal, which was more than Sadie could say for herself.
“Dessert sounds wonderful,” she made herself say, trying to get back to the cordial tone they’d had before things had suddenly turned weird.
“Great.” He got a glass casserole pan out of the refrigerator and scooped the contents out into two blue bowls, which he brought to the table.
Sadie looked at the dessert, which seemed to have three layers—blueberries in sauce at the bottom, a white middle layer, and crumbled cookies on the top. She took a bite and her eyes rolled up in delight.
“Oh my God, this is sinfully good! Is that middle layer cream cheese?” she asked, going in for another bite.
Mathis smiled. “Yeah, mixed with powdered sugar and whipped topping. The bottom is just homemade blueberry pie filling. We had a bumper crop this year so I picked extra.”
“You’re amazing.” Sadie looked at him in wonder. “I mean, you look like a lumberjack but you cook like freaking Gordon Ramsay.”
He grinned. “Nah—that guy’s an asshole all the time. I’m just an asshole until you get to know me.”
“Well, I’m glad I did—get to know you I mean.” Sadie smiled at him. “I thought after the way you looked at me this morning when I saw you through my window you’d hate me forever. I mean…” She trailed off, feeling mortified. Why had she brought up that morning and the fact that he’d seen her naked? They’d been doing so well and she had to go and ruin it.
“About that…” Mathis cleared his throat. “I thought… I mean, I had a wrong idea about you. And I want you to know I wasn’t, uh, spying on you. I was just getting firewood at the wrong time, I guess.”
“Oh…” Sadie felt a rush of relief. “I know that—I could tell by the look on your face you were surprised. And I want you to know I didn’t mean to, uh, flash you.”
“I believe you,” he said simply. “Not that I minded being flashed.”
“Um …” Sadie felt like her face was on fire. “Thank you but I’m not…  I mean…”
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his deep voice hoarse. When she looked up, she saw his eyes were half lidded with desire and he was giving her that same intense look he had been when she’d woken up in his lap.

My Thoughts

Samantha Becker may be all aces when it comes to saving lives.  But this talented trauma surgeon can't seem to make heads or tails of her magnetic attraction to the enigmatic and handsome were-cougar, Liam Keller.

For his part, Liam Keller would like nothing more to make the sexy surgeon his.  But she is more than determined that saving lives have a far more important place in her future; than settling down to create them ever could.
So, for now at least.  Liam must content himself less with his desire to claim his dream doctor.  Concentrating instead on keeping his promise to "guard her with his life".  As part of the "life debt"  that he incurred when she saved his.

What neither of the two could possibly know is just how soon he would have to pay that debt.
A debt that could cost the billionaire shifter both his life and his heart.

Authoress, Evangeline Anderson, really steps up her storytelling in a big way.  In this, her second offering of the Cougarville series.  Having gotten over the obstacles of having to in essence, craft what amounts to two worlds in her first book.  Due to having to design both a past and a present for characters in Buck Naked (Cougarville #1).  Ms. Anderson is now free to concentrate fully on crafting a truly unique paranormal romance...story wise.

Though the first and second titles in this series are companions to each other.  They are in no way birds of a feather.
The action and the drama here are much more intense.  With the male/female leads working in a far more alpha to alpha way.
Everything about this book is a test of wills.  With the control over whether their was progression on any front landing squaring in Samantha's "uber controlling" court.

It seems that the only thing that Samantha doesn't control in this book is the seemingly endless stream of impossible and life threatening near misses that plague her to no end in this read.
It is in fact, this relentless succession of "last minute saves" which both serve to add dramatic tension, and drive readers to distraction.
Not to worry though...
The push and pull that drives this book's plot is well worth any smattering of a bother that the "will they or won't they" that the plot may cause.

This book is a wonderful break from what has become the norm of shifter mythos .  In every sense of the term.  A true storytelling and romantic dream...just waiting to be unearthed.  

Reviewer's Note:  Cougar Bait is the second book in a closely related companion series.  Characters and plots introduced in book #1, are expanded upon in this second tale.  As such, it is highly recommended that this book be read in its intended series order. 




About Evangeline
Evangeline AndersonEvangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.

                   See Her Socially:  Web / Goodreads / Twitter

Buy The Book Here!

"I Need You Tonight" Hits All The Right Notes As A Seriously Readable Rocker Romance

32784941 Title:  I Need You Tonight
Series:  (Pushing The Limits #3)
Author:  Stina Lidenblatt
Review Format:  eARC
Expected Publication Date: July 11,2017
Publisher:  Loveswept
Rating:  5 Stars

Old habits die hard. But in this sexy, heartwarming romance, a musician who’s addicted to the temptations of the road falls for a good girl who makes him want to clean up his act.
 
Mason Dell’s band, Pushing Limits, is a sensation, and he’s having a blast on their biggest tour yet. Then he gets a call from his best friend, who’s in the Navy, asking him to find out why his sister isn’t answering her phone. The dude once saved Mason’s life from a suicide attempt related to a gambling problem—so the two-and-a-half hour drive from L.A. to her small town is nothing.

What he finds is a sweet, successful boutique owner who’s too busy to notice when her phone dies. Nicole McCormick has nothing better to do than work. She’s bored of all the men she’s been dating: stable, career-oriented guys who are nothing like her destructive father. Mason’s is a breath of fresh bad-boy air. Their sexual connection is explosive, and with her shop undergoing renovations, Nicole even joins Pushing Limits on the road. But when Mason falls off the wagon, that’s one path she swore she’d never go down again.

While Nicole picks up her broken heart and heads home, Mason misses her like crazy. Although he wants to forge a future with her, he just doesn’t know how to leave the past behind. But for love, it’s time to learn.


Don’t miss any of Stina Lindenblatt’s emotional Pushing Limits novels:
THIS ONE MOMENT | MY SONG FOR YOU | I NEED YOU TONIGHT



I knocked on Mason’s door. Logan and I didn’t have to wait long before it opened.
Mason’s gaze dropped to Logan. “Is there something you’ve been keeping from us?”
“Logan, this is Mason, the drummer,” I said. “Logan’s the son of one of my friends. She has to work and her babysitter is sick.”
Mason raised an eyebrow. “So you thought you’d fucking bring him to work, like one of those spend-the-day-at-your-parent’s-job events?”
“Fuckin’,” Logan repeated.
Shit. “Logan, we don’t use that word,” I gently admonished.
That caused Mason to snicker. “If you didn’t want him talking like you, why the hell bring him here?”
“Fuckin’.”
I grounded my teeth together. “I’m seriously going to kill you, Mas.” Right before Callie killed me.
He grinned at me. “You’re welcome.”
We entered the loft, Logan holding tight to my hand. Mason lived on the top floor, in one corner of the building. Large windows filled most of the space on the two exterior walls. Mason wasn’t much into furniture and went for the minimalist look, which meant there was plenty of room for our instruments and amps in the center of the room. Much like Callie’s parents, Mason had great taste in furniture. But unlike Callie’s parents, Mason’s taste ran more modern.
And yes, I’d finally pieced together why Callie’s furniture looked more expensive than what I would’ve expected a twenty-two-year-old to own, and why it had looked familiar. She had inherited it when her parents died.
“Hey, man.” Tomas gave me his standard head nod, his lips stretched into a wide grin.
“Congrats. I heard you’re now drumming for Burning Wire.” They were a new band that had started to generate buzz in the L.A. music scene. They weren’t bad, but Tomas was much too talented for the band.
“Thanks. They’re a great bunch of guys.” He peered down at Logan. “Hey, buddy.” He gave the four-year-old a fist bump, which Logan happily returned. Then to Mason and me he said, “I’ll let you guys get to work. See ya later!”
The introduction of Logan to the rest of the guys in the band went a little more smoothly than it had with Mason. Hailey had the day off and was sitting with Nolan on the black leather couch.
“Logan, this is Nolan, our lead singer, and his girlfriend, Hailey.”
“You have puppy, yes?” he asked them, his small body pressed against my legs.
“Would you like to see a picture of him?” Hailey asked.
Logan took a tentative step forward. “Yes. Please.”
She removed her smartphone from her purse and handed it to him. On the screen was a fluffy, nine-week-old golden retriever puppy, snoozing on Nolan’s shirtless chest. The puppy wasn’t the only one sleeping on the couch. Nolan looked pretty out of it.
“His name is Rocky,” she said. “He’s a golden retriever.”
“Why the fuck is our lead singer half-naked with a dog sleeping on him?” Mason asked. “Who the hell removed his nuts and gave him ovaries?” He laughed. I glared at him, my message clear. He abruptly stopped.
Kirk and Aaron looked from Mason to me, amused.
“My sister makes me cough up a quarter every time I swear around her kids,” Aaron said.
“Not a bad idea.” I pointed at Mason. “Every time you swear, you have to pay Logan a dollar.”
“Why the fuck do I have to pay him a dollar when Aaron only has to pay a fucking quarter?”
“Oh, look at that, Logan,” I said, doing everything in my power not to strangle our drummer. “Uncle Mason owes you two bucks. By the time practice is over, you could be a millionaire.”
The guys and Hailey laughed. All the guys but Mason, that is. He reached into his back jeans pocket and pulled out his wallet, then handed Logan the money. Logan’s face lit up.
“Do you wanna feel some music now?” I asked him.
“Don’t you mean f—uh, hear music?” Mason said, frowning. I had no idea if that was because not being allowed to swear would kill him or because my question confused him.

Meet The Men of PUSHING THE LIMITS

Pushing Limits series

My Thoughts
Mason Dell is living the dream, as the drummer in one of the hottest up-and coming rock bands to hit the stage.  But when he receives a call from his best friend, Zach McCormick, saying that Zach's baby sister Nicole is unreachable on her cell and has been so for a few days.  Asking if Mason could stop by her place and make sure that she's O.K.?  Mason is more than willing to drop everything and honor his friend's request.
What he can't know however, is that Zach's little sister, Nicole, is the woman who has just what it takes to make big changes in both Mason's life and his  heart.

I Need You Tonight offers readers that perfect blend of topical relevance and hot, steamy, romance.
Both Nicole and Mason have pasts touched by gambling.  His as an addict.  Hers as the daughter of one.  As such, both Mason's and Nicole's reluctance to share details of their lives with each other; before being so willing to readily share their hearts and bodies.  Becomes more of an issue as the store and their relationship progresses. 

When you add the stresses and temptations of life on the road, and the "no touching" clause in Nicole's contract.  Coupled with the newness of the experience of life with the band for the "small town girl."
And...
This is a "rocker romance" that begs to be read.

While there are many lighter moments in this book.  Authoress, Stina Lindenblatt's ability to weave reality into her tale, in a way that makes said realism natural and effortless.  Superb!

Reviewer's Note:  I Need You Tonight is the third book n a companion series.  As such, it may be read as part of that series.  Or as a stand alone.
About Stina
Stina LindenblattSign up for Stina's newsletter for updates on book news, info on new releases, exclusive cover reveals and sneak peaks, and a few surprises -- http://bit.ly/YU5rnn

Stina Lindenblatt lives in Western Canada, where she loves to dream up New Adult and Young Adult stories, especially those with romance. She loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina enjoys photography, especially the close-up variety.

InkslingerPR Presents: The Wright Boss Blitz

TWBoss iBooks         A new stand alone office romance from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde... I’ve always had one rule: Don’t mix business and pleasure. But then Landon Wright comes home to his family’s construction company with a broken back and a beaten heart and ends up as my new sexy boss. As the office gets heated, I’m thinking about throwing the rulebook out the window. If only there weren’t a million reasons this could never work. We may have shared a single perfect kiss, but I can’t let our intense connection cloud my judgment. Not with everything I’ve worked for on the line. Dating your boss is so very, very wrong…even if he feels so Wright.    

 





AmazoniBooksB&NKoboGoogle Play

      

 Just when you thought it was safe to read Contemporary Romance without losing your heart in the process.  Authoress, K.A. Linde, is back with a vengeance.  The second offering in her Wright Brothers companion series proving just as sexy and drama-filled as the first. 
We've always been told that mixing business with pleasure can be bad.  But with characters like Landon Wright and his lady love.  Authoress, K. A. Linde goes a long way in making that lethal mix read "oh so WRIGHT"!

 


Kyla K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifteen novels including the Avoiding series and the Record series. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, geeking out over Star Wars, binge-watching Supernatural, and dancing in her spare time. She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.






Love Has Never Been Tastier Than It Is In "Eye Candy"

34308352Title:  Eye Candy
Series:  (Real Love #1)
Author:  Jessica Lemmon
Review Format:  eARC
Expected Date of Publication:  July 25, 2017
Length:  NA
Publisher:  Loveswept
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Jacqueline: As an adult woman--and the vice president of a marketing firm--I shouldn't be waiting by my office window to ogle the mystery man who jogs by every morning at 11:45. Sure, he's a gorgeous, perfect specimen of the human race, but I can't bring myself to hit on a total stranger. However, my best friend-slash-colleague Vince Carson thinks I should do more than talk to the guy. In fact, he's borderline obsessive about "getting me laid." (His words.) But the more time we spend together, the more it's clear: The one I'm falling for is Vince.

Vince: Jackie Butler's got it bad for some pompous, over-pumped A-hole who struts his stuff past her window. That doesn't bother me. I know she deserves nice things. What does bother me is that she friend-zoned me big-time last year, so I can't ask her out myself. But what if I set her up with Mr. Steroids? Then, when he breaks her heart, I can swoop in and save her like the nice guy I am. Everything's going according to plan . . . until we share a ridiculously epic kiss. And suddenly anything is possible.


My Thoughts
Vince Carson and Jackie Butler are best friends.
You know...
Tell me how your date went?
Put your feet up on the coffee table.
See me in my Bore face mask.
Best friends.

But Jackie's fascination with the muscle bound Adonis, who jogs by her office window everyday at 11:45 is about to change all that.
In ways that these two friends could never have imagined, and ways that readers will never forget.

Authoress extraordinaire, Jessica Lemmon, gives readers a look at the lighter side of love; with this first story in her Real Love series.

Written with realism and an irresistible affability.  Leading lady, Jackie, and her best buddy, Vince, are two people that readers can't help wanting the best for.
Especially when their less than stellar romantic pasts come to light. 
The two are such a "lock and key" fit for each other from the start, that it is hard to understand why they haven't ventured down love's road before.
  
But Vince's offer to "coach" Jackie, in her pursuit of the seemingly "too good to be true" hot body known as "J.T.".  May just have Jackie thinking more about who she has in her dugout.  Than anything that may or may not be happening on the field.

This is a romance that is as sweet as a candy apple!
This is sex as hot as the fudge on the most decadent Sundae. 
This is a story as engrossing as the marshmallow center of a s'more.
Eye Candy is true romantic food for thought!
 


About Jessica
Jessica Lemmon A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

Jessica is a social media junkie who loves to hear from readers.

You can also find her here:
Facebook: www.jessicalemmon.com/authorjessicale...
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/lemmony



 
Buy The Book Here

"Oh Dear..Buck Naked" Is Definitely NOT Your Mother's Shifter Story

34507998Title:  Buck Naked
Series:  Cougarville #1
Review Format:  eARC
Length:  241 pages
Publisher:  Swerve
Rating:  4 Stars

Sadie Becker is not herself. A 40-year-old, divorced mother of two, Sadie wakes up one morning and realizes that she looks and feels like she did in her twenties. Suddenly she’s unable to walk around in her new town of Cougarville without men falling at her feet. Confused and alone, Sadie isn’t sure who to turn to…except answers to her problems might reside with her broodingly handsome reclusive neighbor, Mathis.
An alpha shifter, Mathis lost the love of his life, and he knows he’ll never find another mate. But his innocent new neighbor clearly doesn’t know the danger she’s in, and he's the only one who can save her.
But when the attraction pulls too strong, will Mathis’ animal nature be unleashed and claim Sadie for his own? Buck Naked is a sexy, emotional thrill-ride that will hook readers on this fantastic new series


My Thoughts
Just when you thought that all the shifters were out of the forests, come down from the snow capped mountains and tundra, and ready to trade oceanic homes for life on land.  Authoress Evangeline Anderson, turns the shifter-story in a fresh and very exciting direction with Buck Naked.  The first offering in her Cougarville series.

Meet Sadie Becker...
An ex-wife, mother of two grown children, and the new owner of a cabin left to her by her mother; in the town of Cougarville, North Carolina.  What Sadie doesn't know however, is far more intriguing.
Things like...
Why just after her 40th birthday her face and body are those of her 20 year old self?
Why all the men in Cougarville want her worse than a drowning man wants a life preserver.
Why the woman hate her.
And...
Why everybody keeps calling her "JUVIE"?

It seems that Sadie's sudden appearance in Cougarville is proving especially challenging for her neighbor, Mathis Blackwell.
A hardship that should, and probably would be of little or no consequence to Sadie.  But for the fact that circumstance, and an undeniable urge to mate him, continues to drive the "alpha shifter" and Sadie ever closer.

Meanwhile...
The charming and enigmatic mayor of Cougarville, Liam Keller, has Sadie in his sights.  But unlike Mathis, who is more than willing to let nature take its course in regards to his relationship with Sadie.  Liam is willing to do anything he has to, to assure that Sadie and the rare breeding ability that she possesses will be his.

The question here is...
Who will Sadie choose?
Or...more to the point.
Is the choice hers to make at all?

Buck Naked is a shifter story very much out of the norm.  Populated with neolithic bucks and cougars.  This story gives a whole new strata of shifter potential to the reader.  Sadie's story is one that will appeal to readers of every age group.  A rarity in a genre for which a hallmark is its concentration on the lack of aging.  At least outwardly.

As for leading man Mathis.  The heartbreaking tragedy of his past, coupled with its lasting effect on his present and future with Sadie.  Serves readers the perfect amount of romantic drama to counter the more comedic aspects of this rather light read.

The only thing standing between this book and 5 star glory is a very pronounced disconnect between Sadie and her past.  Particularly when it applies to her shifter origins.  Most of the important discoveries that she makes in this key area of her life and the story line, are made in her present.  Leaving both Sadie and the reader very unsettled about the who's, why's, and wherefores of her predicament.

What Buck Naked does offer readers in spades however, is just the right amount of funny, sexy, romantic, super, and natural.  A new and very eye opening take on a new and very eye opening shifter-verse. 

About Evangeline
Evangeline AndersonEvangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.
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