Search This Blog

Thursday, August 22, 2013

On Tour: Bachelor's Special by Christine Warner - Review


Christine Warner  is now on tour with CLP Book Tours with her book, Bachelor's Special . Please visit her tour page for more blog stops.

Bachelor's Special
by Christine Warner

Genre: Romance, Adult, Contemporary
Publication: June 2013
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tour
Jill Adgate wants three things from life: a successful catering business, a family, and the love of an exceptional man. What she has is no job, a mounting pile of bills, and her outspoken best friend—who sets her up on a blind date with the man who inadvertently ruined Jill’s life.

Chet Castle is a businessman who has everything, except the ability to trust. Burned by a money-hungry fiancée, he refuses to get involved in any relationship that has a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce.

Intrigued by her ambition—and determined to get her in bed—Chet offers Jill the chance of a lifetime: work as his live-in chef and he’ll help her get her catering business off the ground. When sparks fly in the kitchen, Jill realizes what’s cooking is a recipe for disaster…

I received a copy of Bachelor's Special by Christine Warner from CLP Blog Tours as part of the blog tour.

Jill lost her job as a chef in a restaurant and now she needed a new one. But it was not as easy as she think. Finding a new job was difficult due to the reputation she hold. Then her best friend set her up to a blind date. To her surprise, the one who was sitting before her was Chet – the reason why she was fired at the first place.

I'm a fan of books with chef in it and I adore Jill. Jill was a strong, independent woman who loves her job as a chef very much. I think it was cute how she got easily distracted when Chet is present.  The chemistry between the two was really good. I wish they would get together sooner instead of finding more excuses why they shouldn't be together. I definitely enjoyed this book. Bachelor’s Special was an easy read with a good sense of humour and some steamy moments. I would definitely recommend this one to any romance fan.


A bit about Christine:

Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.

Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.

A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on facebook, twitter and her website.

Friday, August 16, 2013

On Tour: Masterpiece of Murder by Evelyn Cullet - Review


Evelyn Cullet  is now on tour with CLP Book Tours with her book, Masterpiece of Murder . Please visit her tour page for more blog stops and a chance to win a copy of the book!

Masterpiece of Murder
by Evelyn Cullet

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Romance
Publication: August 2012
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tour
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Heartbroken American art student Charlotte Ross is so intent on locating her errant fiancé that she submits someone else’s painting as her own in order to gain access to a Master art class being held in the resort city of Bariloche, Argentina—the place her lost love was last seen. When the painting gets her accepted into the class given by a world-famous artist and womanizer, being a novice makes keeping up with the others nearly impossible as she struggles to fake her way though, while trying to win back the man she loves. But her fiancé has his own reasons for being in Bariloche that complicate Charlotte’s life and threaten her very existence as she stumbles into a downward spiral of deceit, art forgery, and murder. When circumstantial evidence begins to mount against her, the local police think she is the killer. Now, she must prove her innocence before she's arrested. Not an easy task with a smitten military police officer dogging her every step.

I received a copy of Masterpiece of Murder by Evelyn Cullet from CLP Blog Tours as part of the blog tour.

Charlotte Ross submitted someone else’s art to the Master so that she can be in Argentina and find her disappearing fiancé. It was during her stay with the Master, Ty Champion that she stumbled into a dead body of Ty’s wife. Now Charlotte has become the suspect of the murder. While trying to clear her name though Brett’s alibi, Charlotte found herself in another murder and forged paintings.

I have to say that Masterpiece of Murder succeed in gaining my attention through the prologue. I wanted to read more and find out what was happened. Masterpiece of Murder was definitely a great cozy mystery laced with romance and a little bit of humour. I definitely enjoyed reading this one. The writing was great. I love the mystery. I kept trying to guess who the murderer was towards the end. Evelyn Cullet managed to make everyone in the story sounded like a suspect.  I absolutely love the romance and chemistry between Charlotte, Brett and Tony. I kind of wish that Charlotte would end up with the other guy since their chemistry was much more stronger… 



Author's Bio:
Evelyn Cullet has been an aspiring author since high school when she enjoyed writing short stories. She began her first novel while attending college later in life, and while working in the offices of a major soft drink company. After taking early retirement, she finally has the chance to write full time. As a life-long mystery buff, she's a former member of the Agatha Christie Society, and is a current member of Sisters in Crime. When she's not reading mysteries, reviewing them or writing them, she enjoys playing the piano, is an amateur Lapidary, and an organic gardener

Sunday, August 4, 2013

On Tour: The Letter By Sandra Owens - Excerpt


Sandra Owens  is now on tour with ABG Reads Book Tours with her book, The Letter . Please visit her tour page for more blog stop and a chance to win a copy of the book!

The Letter
by Sandra Owens

Genre: Historical Romance, Regency
Publication: March 2013
Connect: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |
THE LETTER is the story of a betrayal that wasn’t. Even so, it still tore apart two lovers for eleven years.

On the eve of their wedding, Michael Jeffres, Earl of Daventry, found his betrothed— the woman who meant as much to him as the air he breathed—in bed with his cousin, Leo. Diana remembers nothing of that night. All she knows is that she was forced to marry Leo and then spent the next eleven years in hell.

When the two lovers are brought back together by a letter from Leo a year after his death, Michael and Diana must struggle through all the lies and secrets before they can find a love that far surpasses the one of their youth.
Book Excerpt

Reliving that night, telling her the sordid details, had left him raw and angry. He rubbed his palm over his chest. All these years he had blamed her for the almost unbearable pain in his heart. Seeing that night through new eyes took the shame from her and put it on him.

He had failed her, but the word didn’t seem right. One failed to show up on time for an appointment, one failed to repay a loan, one failed to wind a clock. To put the woman you loved, that you should have protected at all costs, in the hands of a monster was worlds beyond a failure, it was dastardly, and it was unforgivable.

Yet, after hearing how she had been humiliated and debased, then thrown out like the garbage, she’d absolved him. I forgive you. There, all better, everyone can go their merry way now. He wasn’t sure he could accept her forgiveness.

As she read, he studied her profile, marveling at how much healthier she looked with only a few days of adequate food and rest. There was color in her cheeks again, and the dry, cracked lips were now pink and soft.

How many times had he kissed that mouth? He should have counted so he would know. He jerked his gaze from her lips to her hair. Even though she still kept it in the tight knot low on her neck, it was now clean and sleek, a shimmering golden-honey. The muslin day dress was an improvement over her black rag but far from the height of fashion. He would have to do something about that.

Today, she smelled of vanilla.

As unobtrusively as possible, he pushed his feet against the floor and slid his chair away. How far did he need to go before he couldn’t smell her? What would their life have been like had they married? Would they have still been happy eleven years later? He wanted to think so, had once believed nothing could mar their joy, so great was their love for each other. Could they find that again?

Michael reared up from his chair and moved to sit behind his desk. He leveled his gaze on the letter in her hands, and off her hair, her cheeks, her pink lips. There was nothing more to find, except perhaps a long lost son. She must be nearing Leo’s claim that Michael might have sired Jamie. He waited for her to make some sound, some exclamation telling him she had reached that part, and was it too much to hope she knew the truth and would tell him? That truth being Jamie belonged to him? Please God.

She held the last page, her gaze at the bottom of the blasted thing and still not a word. It didn’t seem as if her eyes were moving. Had she come to the end? Why didn’t she say something? Was it possible for one to climb out of one’s skin? If no one ever had, he thought he might be the first to bloody try it. He suddenly realized that one leg was bouncing like an agitated tiger wanting out of his cage. He clamped a hand down on his knee.

Without one devil of a word, she stood, handed him the letter and turned to leave. Stunned, he stared at the thing. She had nothing to say? She was halfway across the room when he reacted, shooting out of his chair, the pages scattering over his desk. 

“Oh no you don’t,” he roared.

She cringed and at the fear in her eyes, rational thought ceased. Why was she afraid of him? Hadn’t he proved to her by now he wouldn’t hurt her? Christ Almighty, he wasn’t Leo!

Later, he would ask himself what possessed him to kiss her. Later, he would remember roaring at her. Christ, had he actually roared at a woman taught to be afraid of men? All of that would come later. Now, rationality had abandoned him.
Author's Bio:

Sandra lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Most days, you can find her with her fingers on a keyboard, her mind in the world of her imagination. It's a land where romance and happy endings exist, a land where anything is possible. When her husband can drag her away from her computer, she likes to travel with her very own hero in their RV, but she always brings her laptop. There are still stories to write, after all. A few highlights of Sandra's life she fondly recalls are jumping out of a plane, flying upside down in a stunt plane, and riding her Harley in the mountains of Southern California and along the coast of Maine. She's managed a private airport and held the position of General Manager of a Harley-Davidson dealership. Although those events in her life were great fun, nothing compares to the joy and satisfaction she gets from writing her stories.

Friday, August 2, 2013

On Tour: The Legacy of the Key by SL Morgan - Excerpt + Giveaway!


SL Morgan is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, The Legacy of the Key. Please visit her tour page on CLP Blog Tours for more blog stop and a chance to win a copy of the book!

The Legacy of the Key (Ancient Guardians, #1)
by S.L. Morgan

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy
Publication: December 2012
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Author Facebook | E-mail
Prepare to journey into a captivating new world…that will remove you from reality as you know it!

No matter where you are, facing your reality with passion and purpose will always lead down the path you were intended to go.

While Reece Bryant is making her way through this world on her own, she is suddenly confronted with the truth of her existence, and the reality of her future. It is when she encounters two alluring and mysterious men, that a series of extraordinary events takes place, putting Reece’s life in grave danger. With her life in the balance, Reece must blindly trust the two mysterious strangers; and when she does, she is brought into an enchanting world that is beyond her logical comprehension.

This captivating land reveals new worlds and new dimensions to which her existence is paramount. But it is once she falls in love with the stunning Levi Oxley that everything will change, and Reece’s life will be in more danger than ever before.

Forced to return to Earth and face a Council of Worlds, Reece discovers there is more to this enchanting dimension than she could have ever imagined.

At a moment’s notice, even thru the fog of our denial, our journey can become crystal clear. And within the revelation, once our fear subsides, we can find contentment and purpose if we focus on the things that matter most. Trust—Courage—Love
Book Excerpt 

Levi hustled Reece into the front seat, and got in the back seat, behind his cousin. Instantly, the car was in gear, and they were moving. The car went from a dead stop, to what seemed to be the speed of light; yet, it felt like they weren’t moving at all. The trees they were passing, a complete blur in her vision, were the only thing that gave relevance to the fact that they were moving. None of it made sense. Is this even a car? She looked at the driver, wondering how he was managing to keep the car on the road. He didn’t slow the car once, not even to take a sharp turn.

The driver looked over at Reece, his eyes were piercing in their light silver-blue color. “I’m Harrison, by the way. Relax, Miss Bryant—I drive rather well.” He looked out at the snow; it had gone from a light flakes to heavy clumps hitting the car. “Sorry we had to interrupt your lovely morning in the park.”

Reece nodded. Harrison was as superbly dressed as Levi. She questioned who these men really were. “Do you guys work for the government or something?”

Harrison glanced over at her and subtly grinned. “I suppose you could say that, yes.”

She looked back at Levi; he was intently focused on a transparent object in his hand. “Where are we going?”

Levi didn’t answer. Instead, Harrison responded. “We’re taking you to a safer place, Reece. I’m sure my cousin hasn’t explained much. Unfortunately, explanations take time. I can give you the lighter version of facts; however, I need you to promise you will not do anything crazy, like jump out of our car.”

Reece looked at him quizzically. Her anxiety soared, but she hoped her expression didn’t show it. “I won’t be jumping out of any cars; I understand basic physics, thanks.”

He chuckled. “We’ll see about that!” They were leaving the city and going into the more rural areas. “Tell me something, Reece; have you ever considered the existence of other worlds, apart from your own?”

Reece swallowed hard. “You mean, like Mars? Not really, why?”

“The man in your room—you thought he was a ghost, correct? Or possibly a bad dream?”

“I’ll admit, I’ve considered both options.”

He chuckled and glanced at her with a mischievous grin on his face. “Reece, he was neither. He was not of your world.”

Reece stared at him in shock.

“Maybe a little too much information?” He smiled sympathetically. “You should relax. Where you are going will be much more welcoming than where you were about to be taken.”

He looked into the rear view mirror. “Levi, we’re almost to the vortex. Make sure Javian has sent for Areion and Saracen. We should get Reece to Pasidian quickly.”

Did he just speak in a different language? Reece rubbed her forehead disbelievingly. The car grew silent, except for the low purr of the engine. The road they were traveling on was long, winding, and very narrow. Considering the high speed they were driving, combined with the sharp turns, Reece expected to have her body weight thrown all over the inside of the car; yet, gravity had no effect on her.

Even so, she started to feel sick to her stomach. She didn’t really trust the two men, but she’d burned her bridges. She decided to stop asking questions. The answers she was receiving were more than she could cope with right now.

The road curved around a hill, and as she watched, the car left the road effortlessly, heading straight for the hillside. It appeared as if they would crash directly into it. Reece took a quick breath, and was blinded by a bright flash of light.

The paved road they traveled on now was shiny black, and lined with trees unlike any Reece had ever seen. Their trunks were white, with vivid red leaves beaming on their incandescent white branches. She looked deep into the dense forest of these peculiar trees and noticed that they appeared to be glowing in the darkness. The bright, lime green grass that carpeted the grounds of the forest, took on a glowing quality as well. It was strange; it was as though the radiant grass and leaves illuminated on their own, in total darkness.
It appeared as if everything was glowing in color. A drop of water on the windshield sparkled like crystal. The sky had a sapphire quality to it. She felt as if her vision had changed entirely. What is this place? All she saw was the illumination of the nature all about her, and none of it seemed real. Wherever they were now, the skies were vivid, bright and sunny; a far cry from the snowy streets of Philadelphia.

She looked at Harrison, then back at Levi, to see if their appearances had also changed. Nothing was unusual about the two men. She held her hand up and examined her skin. Normal. It was very odd; it was only the nature around them that had shown this interesting radiance.

When she turned her attention back to the road, she saw a large, shimmering gate ahead. It was fashioned with beautiful patterns, circling throughout. She could see that there was no longer a road on the other side of it, and they would most likely have to stop. She wondered how they would manage to bring the car through, or if they would? As soon as she questioned the thought, Harrison turned the car into a dark area, which seemed to be a cave or something of that nature. As he parked the car, she noticed that the area they were parked in was filled with sleek black motorcycles, and other cars like the one she was in.

When the car shut off at Harrison’s vocalized command, Reece reached over to his arm to stop him from stepping out of the vehicle.Time for answers.

He looked back at her with concern. “Reece, we’re almost to our destination. I know a million questions are probably swirling around in your head, but you need to try to be patient.”

“Fine,” She took a deep breath. “But before we go any farther, I really need to know who you guys are. You should understand my apprehension about going any farther with you two. We should have crashed into that mountain a moment ago, and now I’m seeing trees and grass that seem to sparkle and glow. I’m sure you both know that I was well aware of what happened that day on the airplane, too. I know you both had something to do with it. I want answers before I concede to go anywhere else with you.”

Harrison sighed. “Levi and I are from another dimension known as Pemdas. For many years, our people have protected those on Earth, and many other dimensions as well.”


Author's Bio:

S.L. Morgan was born and raised in California. After 29 years of living in the Sierra Nevada Mountains there, she and her husband began their journeys of moving throughout the United States. She currently lives in Texas, where she and her husband are raising their three children. In October of 2011, S.L. Morgan became inspired to write her new novel series, “Ancient Guardians.” With her passion and love for Jane Austen and other classic romance novels, she was motivated to write a novel series of her own. The Legacy of the Key is the first book in her novel series, taking readers not only into a new magical dimension—but giving them a feeling that they have been transported back in time—into England’s seventeenth century. With her second novel in this series nearing its release date late this summer, S.L. Morgan is currently writing in the third novel of the Ancient Guardians series, and excited to bring her readers on more adventures and journeys with these characters.

Review: Catching Jordan

Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks #1)
by Miranda Kenneally 

Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Humor, Romance, Young Adult
Publication: December 2011
Format: Paperback, 281 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook
ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

Catching Jordan caught my interest with its simple cover and interesting synopsis. A girl who leads a football team as the captain AND quarterback? That sounded really interesting. Not that I have much knowledge on American football. But I was looking for a read with a bit of romance and sports. I thought that this was going to be a very interesting story. And I was right! Catching Jordan was not a disappointment. 

I definitely enjoyed Jordan’s voice. She was a strong, confident girl who doesn’t have many girlfriends. I thought it was exciting to see how Jordan, a tomboyish girl fell in love. Mostly the girl would confide in their girlfriends on their relationship, but it was funny to see how Jordan confided to the guys. 

I like the relationship between Jordan with the supporting characters – the guys in her team and her family (her father, to be exact). Although I thought that the book would be much better without any sex talk/scene in it. 

But still, Catching Jordan had a great plot. I absolutely loved the dialogues between the characters. Catching Jordan was such a fun, cute read. There were lots of laughs out loud moments and moments that make me can’t stop smiling. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves contemporary romance. I can’t wait to read the next book.

buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...