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Thursday, July 11, 2013

***Reaper's Legacy by Joanna Wylde Cover Reveal and Giveaway***


Blurb
Eight years ago, Sophie gave her heart—and her virginity—to Zach Barrett on a night that couldn’t have been less romantic or more embarrassing. Zach’s step-brother, a steely-muscled, tattooed biker named Ruger, caught them in the act, getting a peep show of Sophie he’s never forgotten.
She may have lost her dignity that fateful night, but Sophie also gained something precious—her son Noah. Unfortunately, Zach’s a deadbeat dad, leaving Ruger to be Noah’s only male role model. When he discovers Sophie and his nephew living in near poverty, Ruger takes matters into his own hands—with the help of the Reapers Motorcycle Club—to give them a better life.

Living with outlaw bikers wasn’t Sophie’s plan for her son, but Ruger isn’t giving her a choice. He’ll be there for Noah, whether she wants him or not. But Sophie does want him, has always wanted him. Now she’ll learn that taking a biker to bed can get a girl dirty in every way…
About the author
Joanna Wylde is a freelance writer and voracious reader. You can visit her website at www.joannawylde.net.
 Social Media
Twitter: @joannawylde
Order Links

***Lesley and Jenn's Reviews of White Trash Beautiful by Teresa Mummert***


Blurb
A word-of-mouth bestseller that’s captivating readers with its honesty, grit, and headstrong heroine, White Trash Beautiful is a story for anyone who has ever felt trapped in life, cheated by love—and longed for something more . . . 

Cass Daniels isn’t waiting for her knight in shining armor. She knows that girls like her don’t get a happily ever after. Not if you live in a trailer with your mom, work at a greasy spoon diner, and get leered at by old men. Maybe that’s why she puts up with Jackson—her poor excuse for a boyfriend, who treats her like dirt. Cass has learned to accept her lot in life. That is, until he walks into her diner. . . . 

His name is Tucker White, and he’s different from any man Cass has ever known. Tall, tattooed, and bad-ass gorgeous, he’s the lead singer of the rock band Damaged. From the moment they meet, Tucker sees something in Cass he just can’t shake. Something beautiful. Something haunted. Something special. And he’s determined to find out what it is—if only he can get her to open up and let him in. . . .  

Lesley's Review


White Trash- is an American pejorative term referring to poor white people, especially in rural and Southern United States....... The term suggests outcasts from respectable society living on the fringes of the social order who are deemed dangerous because they may be criminal, unpredictable, and without respect for authority whether it be political, legal, or moral.

Beautiful-having qualities that delight the senses, especially the sense of sight.

This book is clearly defined in those two terms.  It's not about the perfect life, with parents who take care of you or where your biggest worry comes from what to wear.  It's not a story about posies and ponies. White Trash Beautiful is a story about the shitty life that Cass has been dealt.  How Cass has to be the parent to her drug addicted parent because she's the only one who stayed. It's about how she has to bust her a$$ to end up with no money or food on the table. It's about her watching the two people she cares about destroy themselves and not care. No one cares about Cass or takes care of Cass ! Even the ones who swore to, everyone lets her down.  She can trust no one. Yes, Cass's life is shit. But how do you leave the only family you have?  Maybe Cass doesn't deserve to have more.  Maybe there's no escaping, she'll always be stuck in this and should settle for it. Cass believes these things.  If you are told that you are white trash enough, eventually, you believe it. Yet, she wants more. She is a fighter just existing in a hell she doesn't want.  Cass has built a tough exterior to protect her vulnerable interior. Mental demons caused from the abuse of this life, threaten to take her down. (Dare I say she has become co-dependent?) She just may be the one destroying her chance at a better ever-after.

"I became so good at pushing people away that I forgot who I was and let others' hatred consume me"

Especially, when a stranger walks into the diner, Tucker. He's hot as hell and looks like the typical bad boy that Cass needs to stay away from. She has an instant attraction to this man. However, when Jax (her drug addict boyfriend) comes into the bar asking for money and causing trouble, the new stranger sticks up for her. He continues to visit and as much as Cass wants to fight it ....oh she does try but she can't. She feels like Tucker sees the real her. She feels drawn to him unlike she has with anyone. Believing it's only temporary she jumps in and takes something for herself for once. A little piece of happiness. Damn the others, no one cares about her, just the money she can give them. They only worry about the next high they can find. He does protect her, he cares. OR is it just pity.

"Sometimes you have to fall before you can fly....and sometimes you need someone to catch you"

While, life is handing Cass some sunshine, Jax is getting shittier. When Cass gathers the strength to leave, Jax has other ideas. The nightmare unfolds before your eyes. Tucker her protector and savior comes to the rescue again. But can you rescue someone who doesn't want or feels that they don't deserve it? Can Cass overcome the beliefs and insecurities that plague her, to grab what she deserves?

Cass's story touched my heart because I can relate. Hell, I lived some of this ugly. Unfortunately, I didn't have the best teenage years. It was not nearly as bad as Cass's but it was enough for me to know exactly how she felt being trapped in a situation that wasn't you. The feeling that there is NO way out. To care for people who are trapped in their own hell and can't see past it, to the damage left behind. Feeling like the parent. Just wanting people care. This is a beautiful story of heart-ache, despair and strength. We meet one beautiful girl who fought to survive. We learn how perseverance and love are sometimes seen as the enemy.

I can not wait for the continuation of this story. It's going to be a rough ride but I have no doubt Cass will come out on top. I give this book 5+ stars !!!!

(White Trash definition courtesy of Wikipedia. Beautiful definition courtesy of the plain old dictionary.)

Jenn's Review

Cass has been dealt a crap hand. She works night and day, trying to save up for something better only to have it taken away. Her dad left when she was a little girl. Her mom and boyfriend, Jax, are only shells, wasting away from repeated drug use. She lives with this. They have no one to take care of them, so she has to. But who takes care of Cass. Easy, she takes care of herself. She needs no one and therefore, lets no one in.
But there is someone who wants to take care of Cass. Tucker. He wants to protect her, provide for her and care for her. If only she’d let him. But everyone she’s ever cared for leaves her. It’s safer to keep the walls around her heart closed. Just like it’s safer if she keeps her bedroom door locked. Tucker accepts the challenge she presents. He isn’t giving up on Cass. But Cass knows her life isn’t going to have a fairytale ending. Hell, she can’t even take a hot shower. She still does the best she can with what was given her. She can save her money again. It may take forever but she’s done it once before.
And then it happens. She lets Tucker in her heart and he wants to stay there. He wants to take Cass away from her shit trailer and her shit life. He wants to start a new life with her. Give her a home that keeps her safe and share everything he has with her. No one is going to stand in his way. Not even Jax when Cass goes to pack what little she has. Jax has other plans though and it leaves Cass in the hospital, suffering from a huge loss. Tucker’s dream may be to sing in front of thousands but his new love is Cass. However, Cass isn’t so sure she is worth it. She feels he is going to miss out on so much of his dream if she tags along. She lets Tucker know she loves him and quietly slips away.
Cass needs to get her life together on her own. She is used to taking care of herself and can do it again. Every time she hears Tucker’s voice on the radio, her heart still skips a beat. She will always love him but this is what’s best. Tucker can’t forget her though. He just has no way of finding Cass. Now that she goes by Anne, her mom’s name. I highly recommend White Trash Beautiful. This story of overcoming horrific obstacles and doing your damnedest to make something out of nothing will touch your heart and make you thankful for what you have, be it great or small. I am looking forward to White Trash Damaged, due out next year! 5 out of 5 stars!

Buy Links

About the Author
 I was a Russian spy at the ripe age of thirteen, given my uncanny ability to tell if someone was lying ( I also read fortunes on the weekends). By sixteen I had become too much of a handful for the Lethal Intelligence Ensemble (L.I.E.). I was quickly exiled to the south of France where I worked with wayward elephants in the Circus of Roaming Animals and People (C.R.A.P.). I was able to make ends meet by selling my organs on the black market for pocket change and beer money. At the age of twenty three I decided to expand my horizons and become a blackjack dealer in Ireland. I loved the family atmosphere at Barney's Underground Liquor Lounge (B.U.L.L.). People couldn't resist the allure of Liquor up front and poker in the rear. Eventually I became tired of the rear and headed off to the United States to try my hand at tall tales. That is what brings us here today. If you have a moment I'd like to tell you a story. 
(This bio is not to be taken seriously under any circumstance.)

Teresa Mummert is an army wife and mother whose passion in life is writing. She is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels White Trash Beautiful and Suicide Note. Born in Pennsylvania, she lived a small town life before following her husband's military career to Louisiana and Georgia. Check out her website for samples and updates! TeresaMummert.com




Wednesday, July 10, 2013

***Choices by Sydney Lane Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway***


Blurb:
Fate brought her here, but will her choices destroy her dreams?

Quincy Priest made all the right choices in her small town, black-and-white life. But being perfect is tiring. So. Very. Tiring. 

Wanting desperately to step out of her sister's shadow, Quincy jumps at the opportunity to attend college with her best friend. The quiet bookworm with family secrets comes out of her shell. But when Quincy meets not one, but two perfect guys, she has to make a choice. In doing so, she might forfeit the relationship she secretly longed to find. 

Declan. Sweet, handsome, and perfect. He makes her feel cherished for the first time in her life.

Brody. Sexy, hot, and irresistible. He could tear down her carefully built walls.

Before she can become the woman she wants to be, Quincy will make mistakes. And suffer one unimaginable loss.


Excerpt:
“I could stay here forever if you always looked at me just like that.” I don’t understand what he means, but I can’t take my eyes off him. “Everything.” His voice deepens while he looks into my eyes. “I like everything about you, Quince. I like the way those little wisps of hair frame your face. I love your eyes, so deep I get lost i...n them. Those lips I can’t resist. But I like you, Quince. The first time I saw you, I was drawn to you. I knew right then that you would turn my world upside down. It scared the hell out of me, but I knew I’d follow you anywhere.” He just made me feel beautiful, really beautiful, for the first time in my life.
There are no words for that. Instead, I wrap my arms around his neck and roughly kiss him. I twist my fingers in his hair and wonder why I haven’t done that before. Besides his eyes, his hair is the sexiest thing about him. But it’s what he hides on the inside that I so desperately want to see.

Jenn's Review:
I was both nervous and excited to read Choices. Excited because I love when I get to read from a new author. I knew I was going to like the story from just reading the teasers. But I was oh so nervous because this involved a love triangle and they tear me up! I know someone is going to get hurt but I’m afraid it’s going to be the one I really like! I know I can’t always get my way. But, I’m certainly glad I did this time! ;-)
I started the book and I didn’t stop until I was done. For this being Sydney’s first book, I thought she did an incredible job! I could feel the excitement, nervousness and even the pain from the characters. That is a big deal for me. Because for just a little while, I am in the story. And I love it when the book can play out like a movie.
Declan and Brody, both, take a liking to Quince almost immediately after meeting her for the first time. She was a natural beauty that didn’t know how beautiful she was. She’s unsure of herself, a little shy and didn’t mind to stay in her best friend Jenna’s shadow. Jenna is great. They are there for each other and are protective of each other. Jenna helps Quince come out of her shell. For years, Quince did everything she was supposed to do. Followed the rules, made straight A’s and never got into trouble. That’s because her sister, Katie, has bipolar disorder and when she was younger she was always in trouble. It didn’t make things easy for Quince but she did the best she could.
Declan and Quince get along seamlessly. They talk about anything and everything. He’s caring, funny and is crazy about her. Brody wants Quince and he lets it be known but he isn’t going to share and he also doesn’t want to hurt Declan. Being in the same fraternity and friends for a long time, he can’t hurt his “brother.”
Quince has a choice to make and it is not easy on her. Both men bring out different parts of her but she knows who she ultimately wants to be with. She just doesn’t want to break the heart of the other. When the ultimate tragedy hits her family and she suffers a huge loss she decides to go home and not return to school after the semester ends. She works to get herself back together and once it’s time to return to school, she’s ready to face the choices she left behind.
I really enjoyed Choices. I went through almost every emotion and was crying at the end. It does end in an HEA and I was very thankful for that!! I hope you like it as much as I did.


About the author:
Sydney Lane lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and children. Growing up in Smalltown, USA, Sydney dreamed of being a writer. After spending an obscene amount of money to go to college, Sydney finally decided to follow her heart. With her babies in bed and husband neglected, she worked by the light of her laptop and wrote Choices. Sydney is very active in charity work for anti-bullying and depression awareness groups.


Author Contact Links:

Buy Links:

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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

***My Unexpected Forever by Heidi McLaughlin Teaser Time***



Have you pre-ordered for The Naughty Mafia?

Not going to Vegas? Pre-Order Here:



***Kitchen Scandals by Brooke Cumberland Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway***


Synopsis
She finally found the one… but he has a hidden secret. Could this be the breaking point for Molly? Has she endeared too much?

Drake and Molly had instant chemistry in Kitchen Affairs, but when his secret goes all wrong, their relationship will be tested, feelings get hurt, and limits will be reached.

Someone tries interfering with their relationship keeping them distant; longing for answers in all the wrong places.

Can they recover their once intense, sensual chemistry? Will love be enough? Secrets, betrayals, and scandals…

Chicago’s hottest couple, Molly & Drake, go through big changes, hidden secrets, and tragedies.
Excerpt
Molly
“So, I have a little surprise for you,” Drake announced as I dried the last of the dishes.
“Does it involve… cheesecake?” I asked, really craving some sweet dessert.
“It could…” He rushed over to me and slammed me against the wall, taking me by surprise. He pinned my hands up behind my head with his as he smashed his lips to mine. I felt a sudden tingle between my thighs, ready to divulge into him at any moment. “If it did involve cheesecake, I’d set a piece right here…” He paused, kissing my shoulder. “And right here…” He paused again, kissing the other shoulder. “And possibly down here…” He then trailed his kisses down my chest, moving the fabric of my shirt out of his way with his teeth.
“Oh, sweet Jesus, please tell me we have cheesecake,” I pleaded, urging him down further. He released my hands as his mouth lowered down my body placing tender, sweet kisses on my bare skin. “If you keep this up, I’m going to be forced to take you right here and now.”
“That’d be an awfully sweet view for the neighbors,” he mocked, picking me up and carrying me towards the stairs. His lips locked on mine as he walked us up the staircase. I wondered how he managed up the stairs without looking, but after all the activity we normally had, he was a pro by now.
He slammed us against the mattress, frantically ripping my clothes off. I reciprocated by unbuttoning and unzipping everything off him. Fuck, he wears too many layers. He rubbed his hands over my stomach making me cringe every time he brushed a finger over my bare skin.
“You are seriously torturing me,” I amused, enjoying the sensual desires that were firing up within me.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m going to take good care of you,” he promised. He hovered on top of me, placing light kisses from one shoulder to the other. He spent the next hour taking his time with me, kissing me, and caressing his hands over my bare silky skin.

Lesley's Review
This is the second installment in the Riverside Trilogy. I was anticipating this release to find out how the story was going to go. However, I am having a hard time deciding how to rate this installment. For those who have read my previous review on the first book, you will note that I liked the story but felt somethings were lacking. So, I was excited to read the second book to see how the story came along.
In the beginning we take a trip down memory lane,this time from Drake's POV. We relive the moment he saw her, the moment they first met. Basically, all the key moments from the beginning of the first book. Then the book jumps in to Drake and Molly,where we left off, only they are now living together in the pent house.  They have moved things to the next level. Molly is starting her new position at the resturaunt and life is perfect. Or so they believe. Someone is leaving weird things around the pent house. Drake is keeping a secret that could mess up the good thing they have going. That secret has a plan of it's own. Some people aren't who we think they are. We see Molly and Drake struggle to keep their relationship together and strong. With all the ins and outs of life happening, big changes are in the works.  We discover that there is more madness then we knew. Someone dangerous is after Molly and Drake puts his life on the line.  Will Molly and Drake finally find their happy ending? Not quite or maybe lets just say the story isn't over and we have to wait for book three to have the final say in this story.
Okay, Okay! So, I will admit I fell into the story about halfway through. I became captivated by the story and was taken away. It took me awhile until I got to that point though. In the beginning, the story felt rushed and choppy. It was as if trying to fill you in on everything but in fast forward, and then would slow down for some sexy time. I felt like the scenes that went into detail were only the sex scenes, and well, there were a few of those. Almost to many, I kind-of felt uncomfortable with it. However, once we got past that point in the book, things started getting better and the flow flowed. The characters came alive and the action became real time. And this is where I come to my indecisiveness on the rating of the book. In the beginning it was a 2 for me,(eek..I know)but as the book progressed the style changed and I felt it was a 4. I want to give it a solid 4 but with the beginning plaguing me, I'm going to go in the middle.
3 to 3.5 stars for the second installment. (See I still can't make-up my mind) This book and the previous one are right on the edge for me, I'm so torn with it.  I encourage you all to read this one as I do with all the ones that leave me in the middle.

Author Bio
Brooke is a midwestern gal, from the cheese state of Wisconsin! Go Packers! She's a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful children (one daughter & two stepsons) and a black fury dog. She's studied psychology in college, and counseling and education in graduate school where she found her love for writing. Most days you can find her reading or writing, or just hanging out with her family! She loves movies, cooking, and shopping! She's addicted to Starbucks, Coach purses, and wearing yoga pants.
Social Media Links

Monday, July 8, 2013

***Jenn's 5 Star Review of Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover***


Blurb
In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

Jenn's Review
I was so excited to learn that Losing Hope was going to be written! I didn’t know what to expect, other than hearing the story from Dean Holder’s prospective. I didn’t care that it may be the same story as Hopeless just from his POV. Instead, I got so much more. It was still beautiful but Holder’s heartbreak was twofold. Losing his sister, which we go through with him and the loss of Hope when he was a child.

Holder learned to deal with his sister’s death in his own way and it broke my heart every time he opened the notebook. But he was so angry. We find out what happens when he get sent to his dad’s for a year and why he comes back. And that is when he’s at the grocery store and sees Sky. As he is getting to know her, he doesn’t want her to be Hope but he does. She has a good life and sees that she is loved by her mom. He doesn’t want to disrupt her life but we know at this time he has no idea why she was taken.

I loved being in Holder’s head, especially after he saw the bracelet. You all know what I’m talking about. It was so hard for him to learn the truth. This is another part when he just wanted Sky to be Sky. And he had to keep this to himself. This tore him apart and we also get to see Breckin in a new light. We all need a friend like Breckin! I love him even more.

Not every part of Losing Hope was a repeat of Hopeless and that made it even better. Ms. Hoover also added a little extra at the end that we didn’t get before. Just a little taste into their future and I ate it up! Once again, she has given us a beautiful gift and if I could rate it more than 5 stars, I so would. I am very much looking forward to what she gives to us next.

About Colleen

I love music. LOVE music. Namely The Avett Brothers, Lumineers, Pink, Eminem. I have eclectic taste? If you have any recommendations, send them my way!

I'm addicted to diet pepsi and could tell you in a taste-test which restaurant it came from. It's a serious addiction, I tell you.

I get stoked whenever I get a message from goodreads saying I have a new friend request...so request me, dangit!

If you want to know when I have new books out or just want to be inundated by random, pointless blog posts, follow me at www.colleenhoover.com

Avoid my Twitter at all cost. It's propaganda. 

Buy It



***Choices of Fate by S. Simone Chavous Cover Re-Reveal***


BLURB
On her own since the day she turned eighteen and left the group home where she grew up, twenty-five year old Alexa Ryan has made a comfortable life for herself. She has a great job, the perfect apartment, every material possession a girl her age could desire. Unfortunately, she also has an unusual condition that has forced her to keep everyone at a distance. 

Ethan Kellar has spent his entire life running from destiny. When he was just a boy, a powerful seer prophesied his role in events that would determine the outcome of the secret war his people had been fighting for centuries. A role he was determined not to accept, leading him to avoid letting anyone get too close, until the night Alexa fell into his arms.

Drawn to her in a way that he has never experienced, Ethan decides to take the ultimate risk by trusting Alexa and revealing to her all that he truly is. Thinking she is an ordinary woman, he believes that she could be his key to preventing the prophecy from being fulfilled and allowing him to live the life he has always wanted, one that he chooses. Having been so consumed with the desire to determine the course of his own life he wants no less for Alexa and knows he must tell her everything, give her a choice. Before that happens they surrender to the intense physical attraction between them and he realizes too late that in trying so hard to change his fate, he may have set the events of the prophecy in motion.
 

In that moment, Ethan makes the most difficult decision of his life and does the only thing he can to save Alexa. He walks away.
 

Consumed by grief, Alexa falls into a deep depression until she learns that her brief encounter with love resulted in a child and somehow finds the strength to put herself back together for the sake of her baby Chloe.
 

Nearly two years after Ethan walked out Chloe develops an unexplained illness that sends Alexa in search of anything that can help. Her pursuit leads her back to Ethan and thrusts her into his dark and mysterious world, unlocking the secrets of her past and revealing threats to their future. Together, Alexa and Ethan fight to protect Chloe and their love, but there is one battle Ethan fights alone as he struggles to choose his own path and avoid the choices of fate.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

S. Simone Chavous spent seven years as a tax accountant before deciding to pursue her true passion as an author.
Choices of Fate, the first book in the Fate Trilogy, is her debut novel.
She lives in northern Indiana with her boyfriend, two beautiful daughters and their rambunctious vizsla, Lily.