Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Best Fake Day by Tracey Rogers

Well, I don't do a lot of reviews anymore... It's hard being an author so I tend to only pick and choose those that appeal to me...

Today, though, I have a treat for you.

The Best Fake Day
Tracey Rogers

Izzy Latham is restoring her former home before her father comes home from a nursing home, when Jack Carter, her former crush, turns up on her doorstep. What happens next is a series of events that rapidly spiral out of her control.

Izzy is such an idealistic character, working as a wedding photographer, she believes in love and forever, a total counterpoint to Jack who has nothing positive to say about marriage. He’s embittered by his childhood experiences and is so determined to get the one thing he wants that he’s prepared to do just about anything to get it. But as the story moves along, there is a very definite change in his character.

I loved the fact that she held onto her dreams in the face of his intransigence at the beginning. Every girl needs her dreams and Izzy was no different. I was also pleased that the idealistic view she had of her parents marriage was challenged, otherwise it would have been a high and (in my opinion) unrealistic bar for any married couple to achieve.

Jack seemed lonely and unable to accept that he could change that by embracing what was offered. At times I found his reactions were confusing, but in this situation I think that would be the overwhelming emotions that he would experience - so that added a believability factor.

As is always the case in a good romance, the guy gets his girl in the end, though there are highs and lows in getting there, including a very traumatic event.

This is a lovely story, with an updated version of a classic storyline with some red hot passion thrown in.




Blurb:

Faking it never felt so good.

Wedding photographer and romance lover Izzy Latham dreams of finding her own happily-ever-after. When her former teenage crush arrives at her doorstep, looking sexier than ever, and asks to marry her, it should be her dream come true, right? Wrong. It turns out he doesn't want to actually marry her—he only wants to pretend to marry her.

Marriage hater Jack Carter will do anything to close his latest business deal, including finding a wife. The only person who can help him is his childhood friend, Izzy. Except Izzy isn't a little girl anymore. She's definitely all woman, and there's an attraction between them that's hard to ignore.

Jack has to convince Izzy to fake it, but the problem is that she hates to lie. However, she can't deny her feelings for him either. So when Jack makes her an offer she can't refuse, she reluctantly agrees to help him out.

Faking it is the easy part. But what happens when fake starts to feel so real?


Content Warning: contains sensual sex and occasional strong language

Author bio:

A devourer of books from an early age, I spent much of my childhood stepping into wardrobes, searching for that magical snowy world where conversing with animals would be expected. When I wasn't searching for those worlds, I wrote about them instead. My first step into the world of romance was when I stole sneak peeks into my nana's books. I'm still in that world and refuse to leave.
I live in Staffordshire, UK, with my husband and three wonderful children. An avid reader and writer of romance, I strongly believe that words make the world go around.

You can find me here: http://traceyrogers.wordpress.com/
Or email me at: traceyrogersaut@gmail.com


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Reviews: Tamaria Soana - Southern Embrace

Southern Embrace by Tamaria Soana

Savannah is utterly destroyed when her husband is killed in a car accident and at the beginning of the story we see her at rock bottom, in the graveyard in the rain.  If not for her friend Nikki we are sure she would have given up. Enter old flame, Lance.

This book is a total roller coaster from Vann’s own emotional ups and downs to how she copes with the vagaries of her mother, somehow managing to come out on top.

I really liked that the character believably did not fall into the ex’s arms in the first 5 pages... instead there was the build up  that is far more realistic than many you see in romance books.

The sex is super hot too... not overwhelming the story, which could be easy to do in such a short story.  Well done Tamaria Soana. This is another example of how the contemporary romance genre is continuing to evolve

ISBN: 9781937325602 
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: April 15th 2013 

Can a long lost love mend a grieving heart?

Widowed at twenty-three, Savannah Grant is devastated and consumed with grief, a grief that she can't seem to move past. When her high school sweetheart, Lance Peterson, re-enters her life, Savannah struggles with the feeling that she would be betraying her deceased husband by moving on. Plus, she can't forget the way Lance broke her heart all those years ago.

Lance never stopped loving Savannah. He wants a second chance, and he's willing to do anything it takes to convince her to give him one. Will she give in and let Lance love her, showing her a passion beyond anything she thought possible?

Content Warning: adult language, explicit sexual situations and sexually explicit play

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Reviews: Jaye Shields - Addictions Of A Sex Demon

Addictions of a Sex Demon by Jaye Shields

I’m going to start with praise for the extraordinary cover – featuring a hot pink haired succubus and her steely dragon lover.

The story was fan yourself scorching hot!  Oh man!  It succeeds in presenting a little bit for everyone’s reading tastes – which gives it such broad appeal.  I love that the heroine isn’t just a single sided cardboard cutout of every other female.  Sephina is a steel spined, straight talking and kick butt material heroine.  But as with many a good story, the twists and turns include details of how she got to where she is, rounding out the story.

On the other hand Axel is a good guy/bad guy enigma and he’s so much more than you see at the beginning of the book, starting with the healing of Rosey.

Jaye Shields presents a totally new look at some old character concepts and breathes life into her tale.


Addictions of a Sex Demon by Jaye Shields
Genre(s): Erotic Paranormal Romance
Digital ISBN: 9781937325510
Publication Date: February 18, 2013


Sephina is about to trade one addiction for another—and his name is Axel.

Sephina Antara has gotten into a lot of trouble as a sex demon with a drug addiction. Moving to a new village was supposed to help her get clean. But when she relapses, it comes with a side of hot dragon man.

Axel Stavros may be a drug dealer, but he's also the town healer. Half-human, half-dragon, his blood can cure just about anything, but it has some erotic side effects for its user, as the new beauty in town is about to find out…

Content Warning: graphic language, hot foreplay, and even hotter sex, including light bondage and some girl-on-girl action.

 Imogene

Monday, May 14, 2012

The Forbidden Claim by Kelly Gendron (+ Giveaway!)



I don’t mind a good Romantic Suspense, so I put my hand up to review this title, little did I know I was going to find a seriously sexy title landing in my inbox!

US Marshall Jinx Collins is an outspoken, free-spirited, and fearless woman. It’s that same fearlessness, however, that tends to get her into trouble. Jinx has lots of questions about her life including the man who could be her the key to her past. 

Jed Kane has worked undercover in the human trafficking ring for years. When Jed accepts a job to disguise himself as one of his worst enemies and take a ride from the correctional facility to a secured location, he certainly had not planned on being abducted by Jinx Collins.

There was nothing about the relationship that did not immediately explode into life.  From the first encounter of Jinx and Jed we were left in no doubt that this couple would be ending up together by the end of the book.  The interludes are regular and very very hot.  So make sure you wear oven mits when reading the intimate scenes!

There was a range of themes contained throughout the story, including assumed identities, abducted children, reunited sibling, well you get the idea, anyway.  I did think the suspense came very secondary to the character/couple development throughout the book, which is a shame, because I do think it would have strengthened the tale a little and by the end I was a little let down that it really felt almost unfinished.  I ended up asking myself if there will be a follow on book?

Verdict:  At the end of the day, it is an erotic tale that should leave you warmed on the inside.  I would suggest it for those looking for a weekend or holiday read with the added benefit of a little naughty pleasure.

4 stars

BLURB

US Marshall Jinx Collins is an outspoken, free-spirited, and fearless woman. It's that same fearlessness, however, that tends to get her into trouble. Jinx questions her life prior to being adopted. When those questions lead her to a murderer who's about to be transported into the witness protection program, Jinx decides to kidnap him to see if she can uncover the truth.

Jed Kane has worked undercover in the human trafficking ring for years. When Jed accepts a job to disguise himself as one of his worst enemies and to take a ride from the correctional facility to a secured location, he certainly had not planned on being abducted by Jinx Collins. Jed's uncertain as to how he feels about her touchy-feely hands and loose lips-unsure if they irritate him or if they are awakening his badly behaving desires. Jed knows he must first find out what the fanatical little lady wants with a murderer before he can act on whatever he's feeling.

Straight away Jinx is attracted to the resilient and enticing Jed Kane-the only man who hasn't backed down from her candor. While Jinx discovers that the questionable criminal may be able to assist her in finding out the truth about her past, Jed vows to save Jinx from her daring self. Once Jinx starts to understand what Jed feels for her-he wants to own her-she demands that he succumb to the raging frenzy. Jed allows himself to seduce her body, submitting himself to that dominant need. But haunted by a world of unlawful ownership, Jed forbids his cold heart to stake its dangerous claim on Jinx Collins.

Locked away in a dark basement, a little boy is waiting to be rescued-and Jinx's past holds the key to his prison. If Jinx can finally find the truth which holds her fears, and if Jed can forgive himself for his past, then not only might they be able to save the boy, but they might also discover that their carnal desires really derive from their own prison... an inescapable prison of love.

EXCERPT 

Instinct told him to remove his hands from her hot little body. But Jed stood motionless. He needed to let go-and should have-but as her smile dissolved, he became lost to the kittenish gleam in her canted eyes. She feathered her fingertips lightly over his chest and Jed stiffened.

"Well," she lifted a hand and slipped it around to the back of his neck, "I'm patiently waiting for that other shock... the one you personally were going to give to me if I tried to escape." She scrapped her nails along his neck. A rush of goose-bumps rippled right down to Jed's toes.

He glared at her. Anger surged through him from her foolish but bold act, and from his reaction to it. He wanted to grab her and shake her. Although he may not be Aztec, Jed certainly was a killer, and this Jinx was too daring for her own damn good. He wanted to teach her a lesson and give her another well-deserved scare. He snatched her hands and slammed her into the wall. "Don't try to seduce me. There's no way I'm letting you go," he warned.

"Seduce you?" She tossed back her head and giggled as if it was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. "Jed," she sobered, but the fearless minx didn't shrink back from him, instead, she pressed her body up against his, "don't mistake my curiosity for seduction."

Jed pinned her hands to the wall. If closeness was what she wanted, then he'd give it to her. He thrust his body forward, hitting his pelvis, hips, and his growing erection into her soft form. She tensed beneath his firm hold, and his action was rewarded by the flicker of fear he caught in her eyes.

"Don't' mistake this GQ guy," he pushed her hands harder to the wall, "for a man who wouldn't hurt you to get what he wants."

Trepidation slipped from her. "And what exactly is it that you want, Jed?" She glimpsed down at their molded bodies, drawing attention to his hard male heat, and then glanced back up at him.

Fuck! Jed could feel his self-control slipping. He needed to back away. Discerning his insubordinate rod was almost ready to surrender to her sexual advances, ready to take what she was offering in return for her freedom.

"Right now, what I want," his mouth was so close, nearly brushing hers, "you couldn't handle it."

"Try me," she purred, her warm breath feathering upon his lips.

Damn! She made him hard. He inched closer to her tempt. Her small firm breasts pressed into his chest and her breaths quickened as he rounded to her ear. "I think I'll wait until you tell me just who you are," he lowered his already rasping voice, "before I satisfy your curiosity and play with you, little lady." He drew back, determining if he didn't retreat, the disloyal throbbing hardness between his legs would stop at nothing to get what it wanted- her. And with that knowledge, Jed did what he should've done when she fell into his body- he let her go. Seeing the flash of relief in her eyes reassured Jed that he'd made the right decision. It appeared, for all the purring the kitty was doing, her nails weren't actually ready to give him a scratch, yet.

Jed went over to the window to close it. While latching the window, he caught her reflection in the mirror. She was going after his gun. "Don't even try it," he advised the little lady, who apparently hadn't learned not to touch something when it was hot.

She grimaced. Her head turned, and she met his reflection. "Wouldn't think of it," she smirked and crossed her arms over her heaving breasts...
BUY LINKS


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly has been faithfully writing for three years but did write her first book ten years ago. She put it down to raise her son as a single mom and then picked it back up when she and her son finally grew up. That's when she settled into her adult life and started to seriously write again. She's dabbled with paranormal stories, but recently she's been on a Romantic Suspense kick. The recipe for the men in her stories: dark and mysterious, strong and confident and, of course, besides magnificent bodies, and shameless aptitudes, they must have a heart you want to rip out of the pages (or your e-Reader) and take to bed with you at night.

VBT Schedule:
May 14: Imogene Nix (Giveaway/Review)
May 15: Delighted Reader (Book Feature)
May 16: Black Hippie Chick's Take on Books & the World (Interview)
May 17: Harlie's Books (Interview)
May 18: She Who Blogs Behind the Rows (Interview)
May 19: Bookin' It Reviews (Giveaway)
May 20: Full Moon Bites (Interview)
May 21: Avril's Blog (Book Feature)
May 22: The Romance Writer's Reads (Interview)
May 23: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess (Giveaway)
May 24: Simply Ali (Interview)
May 25: Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More (Giveaway/Review)
May 26: Intoxicated by Books (Book Feature)
May 27: Turning The Pages (Review)
May 28: ReadingDiva's Blog (Review)

To Win!

Simply tell us why you would love to win this title in 25 words or less!  Don't forget to add your email address (with spaces) so I can email the PDF to the winning writer!

Good luck - the winner will be drawn Close of Business Friday 18th May Queensland Time. 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

5 Stars....

Yeah...I know.  I got up at 6 am today, while hubs took the dog out for his little walk, and wandered into my office to find....

A review!  Giving me 5 stars (or crowns!!)  Sad isn't it.  The little things that give us joy :D

Having been too sick to write for a week, it certainly got me down, so this was just the boost I needed.  So...below, check it out :D



When you find yourself in possession of a futuristic handbook anything can happen.
This was a very enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat. I loved all of the characters in this story and thought they were really well written and seeing how these two very different people interacted with each other was interesting and fun.
Mellissa is your average bookstore owner/aspiring romance author and I found her to be a very relatable. It was really fun to get to know this character and see how she handled all of this sudden chaos in her life.
Duvall was an interesting character who I thought was a great match for Mellissa because he brought just the right amount of excitement to her life. He was also very noble and you could tell he would be a great captain. I loved the relationship between these two characters and felt it grew at a realistic rate instead of just insta love.
This is a great new fantasy story that alien romance fans are sure to love!
So, there is now a giveaway on the site...go check it out for yourself!  Enter the draw to win the prize!

http://curseofthebibliophile.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/starline-by-imogene-nix-reviewgiveaway.html#more

Oh and because I'm feeling very happy, I'm also giving away a copy of The Star of Ishtar.  To win, use the rafflecopter thingy below :D

Thursday, February 2, 2012

February has arrived!

Wow. It seems like yesterday we were in the run up to Christmas and January is already gone. Happy February!

Yeah...I know, I'm already late. *sigh* But life seems to be like that all the time for me right now. But, I do have every intention of improving this year. I have a diary and I am forcing myself to use it. Most days anyway. In fact I have been so good, I have used probably every second day or there abouts. Sometimes the comments are just "edited chapter 1" but hey, you have to start somewhere right?

February is already shaping up to be busy, so here is an overview:

Feb 2 - Raine Delights blog
Feb 9 - Paul Martin is visiting here
Feb 16 - Cynthia Arsuaga is visiting here
Feb 23 - Marie Rose DuFour is visiting here

  • Somewhere in amongst all these opportunities, I have school photos to get ready for
  • A daughter starting a new school based traineeship which means more running around 2 days a week
  • My business to run
  • 2 partners I'm critiquing for
  • 1 novel and 2 short stories to tidy up (thinking about a couple of competitions
  • Starbust waiting for me to write; and
  • Starfire has been submitted so I'm waiting to hear from the publisher.

Somewhere in this morass I hope to read more books. I had 16 turn up in the last month and I have 250+ unread books on my Kobo. I think I'm ready for a holiday already. Not that I really mind all that much. It just keeps me on my toes


Quick Bites:

  • If you haven't visited the website lately? I have a new link called Saucy Bits. That is where I am starting to put details of the short stories I am working on.
  • Starline is now available at Amazon & Barnes and Noble - I will update as it is available in more places.
  • I got my first 5 star reader review! Just click on the Review tab to read it!
So, remember to come visit regularly, I try to update my status at least weekly and have a weekly visitor too.

Anyway, it is nearly time for Mum's Taxi to be pulled out of the carport and make the daily run.

Imogene