Book Review: An Act Of Persuasion

Author: Stephanie Doyle
Title: An Act Of Persausion
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Publish Date: March 1, 2013
Buy: 
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: For all the wrong reasons.

Anna Summers has always been more than Ben Tyler’s assistant. She’s even been more than his best friend. Too bad Ben didn’t realize it until after she quit. Now that he’s more like his old self after facing off against a life-threatening illness, he’s ready to win Anna back.

Of course, it’s not simple. One night Ben broke his own rule about getting involved with an employee. And now Anna is pregnant. She refuses to let him use the baby as a reason for them to reconcile. It will take an act of persuasion to convince her they belong together…and not only because of the baby.

Review: This is a rather odd scenario for a romance novel. Anna is in love with her boss, who has cancer. The first round of chemo hasn't worked and he's at a crossroads in his treatment. For some reason, the site of his assistant/caregiver in yoga pants turns him on and boom! Hot and heavy sex.

Flash forward a day or two and things fall apart for them.

Flash forward again and Anna tells him she's pregnant.

Oye.

I'm not usually a fan of romance novels where the heroine is pregnant, and this one reaffirmed that for me, though it wasn't the pregnancy that turned me off of this one, it was Anna.

I loved Ben Tyler. I loved that he cared about her and the baby. I even liked his former comrade, Mark, but Anna had way too many issues with trust and relationships.

I get that she was part of the foster system, but her experiences weren't that bad. She just made them that way. She had the problems. I found myself screaming at her to get therapy, because she needed it, because as the story played out, she had two good sets of foster parents. She shouldn't be that screwed up.

I don't understand how she could love Ben and keep him at a distance so much, when it really became apparent he cared for her. This guy was bending over backward for her and she was giving him a tough time at every turn.

I loved the side story between Mark and Ben, though I wish they would have resolved the reason he was so competitive with him.

Not a bad romance, but too much conflict and not enough spice in this story for me.

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: Her Man In Manhattan

Author: Trish Wylie
Title: Her Man In Manhattan
Publisher: Harlequin Kiss
Publish Date: May 18, 2013
Buy:
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: Up close and personal-with her bodyguard! It seems mayor's daughter Miranda Kravitz has scored herself a new and very dreamy bodyguard! Apparently the fireworks between them are scorching, but will this tabloid darling really be willing to give up her newfound taste for freedom-no matter how gorgeous Tyler Brannigan is?

Rumor has it Brannigan hates playing by the rules and has used up all his strikes with the NYPD vice squad. So now this cop's paying his dues with a temporary assignment as babysitter. If anyone can keep this Manhattan princess in check, surely it's this tough-guy detective? Hopefully handcuffs won't be necessary!

Review: This is one of those books I'm on the fence with. It was cute at times, but at other times so unrealistic that I was shaking my head.

Miranda is the NYC mayor's 25 year old daughter, who has a security detail that is...well...very in your face. I can understand some of this, particularly a mayor not wanting his daughter out partying in clubs and getting her face all over the tabloids.

But what I can't understand is why the girl didn't have any life of her own outside of campaign functions. At 24/25 this girl should have some kind of job of her own. That's what didn't make sense to me at all.

Then there's our hero, Tyler. He's messed up, but in his own way lovable. He's always kissing her to get her out of trouble it seems. He's the tall and silent type with lots of secrets he doesn't want to tell. It is actually kind of fun watching him reveal things and watching him make Miranda behave herself. Its even more fun when she doesn't.

There's a scene in a boutique that's particularly funny.

I also liked Miranda's friend Crystal. She's a bad girl, turned good. She's a lot more grown up then Miranda, as you'll find out toward the end.

This is one of those books you can really read in about one sitting, its only 219 pages and it's a pretty breezy read.

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: Not Quite Mine

Author: Catherine Bybee

Title: Not Quite Mine

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Publish Date: May 7, 2013

Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: The author in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis: Gorgeous hotel heiress Katelyn “Katie” Morrison seems to have it all. But when she crosses paths with Dean Prescott—the only man she’s ever loved—at her brother’s wedding, Katie realizes there’s a gaping hole in her life. After the ceremony she gets an even bigger surprise: a baby girl left on her doorstep. Determined to keep the newborn until she learns who her mother is, Katie has her hands full and doesn’t need Dean snooping around…especially when his presence stirs feelings she thought were long gone.

Dean Prescott knows Katie is lying to him about the baby. He shouldn't care what the woman who broke his heart is up to…and he most certainly shouldn't still be aching for her. Yet Dean can’t ignore the need to protect Katie—or the desire to be near her every chance he gets. But when he and Katie solve the mystery surrounding the baby, their second chance for happiness could be shattered forever.

Review: Not Quite Mine is the 2nd book in the Not Quite series. I read Not Quite Dating last November and loved it.

I said in my review of that book that Catherine's writing reminded me of Debbie Macomber's. This time the feeling of the story is more One Life To Live then sweet romance. OK, not totally like One Life To Live, but the romance is focusing more on an heiress rather than a normal girl falling for a rich guy.

At first you might think Katie is like Paris Hilton. You read about parties, tabloids and reality tv shows, but Katie is more than that. Thank God! Or you'd never be able to take her seriously in a sweet romance.

I was a little bit concerned with the baby on the doorstep thing. There are a lot of legal issues that well...hey, it is fantasy and it is a romance novel, so I'm not going to quibble.

If an abandoned baby helps get a couple together and puts the focus on family, well I'm all for it! I really was surprised by who the mother of the baby actually was. I saw it coming, but it was a surprise.

The only thing I have to quibble about happened near the end of the book when the Morrison clan are visiting their estranged mom in the ICU. My gripe there, is the visiting friend Tina. In ICU in just about every hospital I know...friends aren't allowed, just family.

This was a great weekend read and one that I found I couldn't put down. I'm really loving this series, and I can't wait for the next book. Catherine Bybee is definitely on my must read author's list.

Rating: 5 flowers

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the novels Wife by Wednesday and Married by Monday. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

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Book Review: Kentucky Home

Author: Sarah Title
Title: Kentucky Home
Publisher: eKensington
Publish Date: April 18, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & the publisher

Book Blurb: 

In this warm and witty new series, author Sarah Title introduces readers to the down home Kentucky hospitality of the Carson family and their Wild Rose Farm and Stables. It’s a place where love is always possible—and sweeter than ever the second time around…

Mallory Thompson and Keith Carson are far from impressed with each other when she arrives at his family’s horse farm, fleeing an abusive marriage. Mallory sees nothing but a gruff man who’s as patronizing as her soon-to-be ex-husband, and Keith has no time for a city girl who’s afraid of dogs. But the struggling Wild Rose is too small to allow anyone to keep their distance…

As one by one, Mallory wins the hearts of his family, from his cranky father to his headstrong younger sister and three-legged dog, Keith finds himself more than a little attracted to her stubborn charm. And the longer Mallory stays, the more she realizes Keith is nothing like the overbearing bully she married—and the more she fantasizes about being in his strong, loving arms. Maybe some folks get a second chance to make a first impression after all…

Review: I wanted to like Kentucky Home so much more than I actually did. I found it difficult to connect with Mallory, in fact, at the beginning of the story, I wasn't sure who she was or what part she was going to play in the story.

I really thought Luke was going to be more of character here, since the prologue is told from his point of view, so when it changes to Mal's and Keith's, I have to say I was a little confused.

The Carson family is really dysfunctional, but in an almost good/lovable way. It was easy to like Keith and Katie. I wish I could say the same for Mallory. She was very, meh.

I understand how women in abusive relationships get pulled back in to them, but Mallory just seemed so unbelievably stupid, especially when it came to leaving her husband, Michael, who was a total jerk. (to keep things clean)

Why does she not have an attorney?

And then there was her relationship with Keith. I liked how they came together, but I really found myself shaking my head after they had sex shortly after Keith's father had a heart attack.

Their romance was sweet as it developed, but it would have been nice to see some growth in Mallory. She had no strength at all, even at the end when she has more gumption, there's still no strength to her character and with the situations she was put in, some strength would have been a good thing.

Kentucky Home is the first book in a new series, and I'm not sure if this book leaves me feeling infested enough in the characters to try another book, maybe if Katie or Luke get stories, I may have a go at continuing this one.

Rating: 3 flowers

Goddess Fish Book Tour Book Review: High Stakes

High Stakes

by Cheryl Douglas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Former party girl, Alisa Turner, made a deal with her daddy, Trey. He’ll provide the seed money for her new business venture as long as she promises to stay out of trouble. Too bad her good intentions tumble 30,000 feet when she meets a sexy stranger on a flight to sin city.

Hotel mogul, Liam Bryson, has never believed in love at first sight, but when a sexy little siren twenty years his junior tempts him into a night of high stakes Blackjack, he’s suddenly playing for keeps.

Alisa wakes up in Liam’s bed the next morning, cursing Tequila and the five carat diamond on her left hand. She demands an annulment before her over-protective father finds out she reneged on their agreement, but her new hubby isn’t prepared to let her go without a fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

“Good afternoon,” he said, beginning a lazy perusal that started with her bare, bronzed legs and ended where it had started, fixed on her eyes.

Alisa was too shocked by her physical reaction to his scrutiny to respond to the casual greeting. She was used to male admiration, but when a man was this obvious, she usually felt irritated, not warm and tingly all over.

His eyes zeroed in on her bare left hand, and he smiled, revealing a flash of white teeth and disarming grin so sexy it should have come with a warning label. No man had a right to be this handsome. It simply wasn’t fair to the poor unsuspecting girl seated next to him with no hope of defending herself when endless hours filled with nothingness stretched out before them.

“Your boyfriend must be crazy to let you travel to Sin City all by your lonesome.” His voice was low and raspy, filled with sexual innuendo and promise.

“I, uh…” Spit it out, damn it. “Don’t have a boyfriend.”

He licked his full lips as his intense eyes outlined her face. “Husband, fiancé… lover?” His voice deepened even more as he uttered the last word, sending thrill bumps skittering across her bare skin.

“No, no, and…” She drew a shallow gulp of air into her lungs, but the word still sounded breathless. “No.”

“Damn, I really need to fly commercial more often. I had no idea what I was missing out on.” He smiled again as he extended his hand. “Liam.”

She hadn’t expected his hands to be calloused or rough, and they weren’t. He was obviously accustomed to sitting behind a desk, and that suited her just fine. She loved elegant, refined men, and he more than filled the bill. “Alisa.”

Review:  Last year I read Trey and Sienna's story, so when I had the chance to read about their daughter Alisa, I jumped at the chance.

It was a great read, but it didn't blow me away quite like Trey and Sienna's story had.  I described their story as a read much like a soap opera. Alisa and Liam's story felt more like a reality show.

As always Cheryl's writing style is spot on. This is a book that you simply can't put down, but for some reason, it didn't work as well for me as some of her other works. Maybe because Alissa is a spoiled little rich girl who gets everything she wants even when she's being reprimanded by her father, or that Abby shows no sign of resenting her father's much younger wife. Or maybe because of Liam's offer to have sex shortly after a heart attack. My mom's had many and I have a book that says sex is a no no for quite awhile after heart attack, no matter how young, rich and handsome you are.

OK. 

That sounds like I didn't like the book and that wouldn't be the case. I gobbled this book up like it was candy.

Why?

I really came to like Alisa, though everything about her is not what I usually like in characters or friends for that matter, but the thing is, she grew up. She figured out what she wanted and she went for it and didn't let go, even when things weren't looking so hot.

The book had its ups and downs for me, but I enjoyed it and I definitely want to check out more of the  Next Generation Nashville series.

Rating: 4 flowers

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cheryl began her professional career as a nutritionist, but her love of books started at an early age. She studied writing for many years before she decided to pursue her passion as a full-time career. After receiving constructive criticism from several well-known authors, Cheryl finally had the confidence to write her first romance novel.

The first book in the Nashville Nights series, Shameless, was a book that had been dwelling in Cheryl’s subconscious for years. For her, the surprise came when the manuscript began taking on a life of its own. Characters came to life, secondary characters became more prominent, outlines were forgotten, and a single title evolved into an eight book series, and another eight book spin-off series entitled Nashville Nights, Next Generation.

One word would aptly describe Cheryl: workaholic. She lives and breathes her writing, when she’s sleeping, watching TV, driving, reading… it’s always in the periphery of her mind. Her imagination rarely takes a holiday, even when she escapes to a sandy beach with her husband and son, she’s planning, plotting, outlining, and daydreaming.

Cheryl feels blessed to be able to get up every day and do something she loves. The thousands of fans who have embraced the Nashville Nights have made that possible. She writes for the readers who ask for more, she writes to satisfy the muse residing inside of her, but most of all, she writes because she couldn’t imagine doing anything else with her life. It took her thirty-seven years to decide what she wanted to be when she grew up, but now that she knows, she’s convinced she’s found her purpose.

Buy Links:

AMAZON:

http://www.amazon.com/Stakes-Nashville-Nights-Generation-ebook/dp/B009O8N8CG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358601209&sr=8-1&keywords=high+stakes+cheryl+douglas

BARNES & NOBLE:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-stakes-cheryl-douglas/1113744569?ean=2940045037969&itm=1&usri=high+stakes+by+cheryl+brooks

Other Links

Website:

http://www.cheryldouglasbooks.com

Facebook:

http://www.cheryldouglasbooks.com

Cheryl will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host. She'll be awarding the following prizes to randomly drawn commenters during the tour:

* two $20 Amazon Gift Cards
* ten trading card/cover flat packs (US/Canada)
* ten eBooks from the Nashville Nights series (winner's choice)
* two sterling silver necklaces (US/Canada)

Follow the tour and comment at every stop for more chances to win!

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Highlander Most Wanted

Author: Maya Banks
Title: Highlander Most Wanted
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publish Date: March 19, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the publisher

Book Blurb: 

Genevieve McInnis is locked behind the fortified walls of McHugh Keep, captive of a cruel laird who takes great pleasure in ruining her for any other man. Yet when Bowen Montgomery storms the gates on a mission of clan warfare, Genevieve finds that her spirit is bent but not broken. Still, her path toward freedom remains uncertain. Unable to bear the shame of returning to a family that believes her dead or to abandon others at the keep to an imposing new laird, Genevieve opts for the peaceful life of an abbess. But Bowen’s rugged sensuality stirs something deep inside her that longs to be awakened by his patient, gentle caress—something warm, wicked, and tempting.

Bowen seizes his enemy’s keep, unprepared for the brooding and reclusive woman who captures his heart. He’s enchanted by her fierce determination, her unusual beauty, and her quiet, unfailing strength. But wooing her will take more than a seasoned seducer’s skill. For loving Genevieve, he discovers, means giving her back the freedom that was stolen from her—even if it means losing her forever.

Review: After reading Highlander Most Wanted, I have a new favorite author when it comes to Scottish Historical Romance.

Maya Banks, really knows how to craft an emotionally charged story.

This isn't a bodice ripper.

The heroine is a character that has been kidnapped, tortured and raped by the Highland clan she is with. The laird's son was brutal, disfiguring her face to mar her beauty so that no other man would want her.

She is emotionally numb and wants her freedom.

Enter our hero who is part of a clan seeking revenge on the MacHugh's who tried to do much the same to his brother's wife.

But there is more to Genevieve then meets the eye. Though she's numb on the outside, there's still a heart of a fighter on the inside who has done things she's not proud of in hopes of gaining her freedom.

It is hard not to ache for all the suffering that Genevieve has gone through. She's definitely not your typical romantic heroine. It isn't that she's flawed, its that she's broken.

Maya Banks brings the love between Genevieve and Bowen slowly, which is as it should be. I couldn't possibly expect her to really fall in love or hop into bed with him in the first few chapters. It made more sense that he felt an attraction as well as a desire to protect her, even when he wasn't sure her actions were in the best interest of his clan.

This isn't a light, airy love story by any means. I found myself near tears for Genevieve many times, but the story is beautifully written and you feel emotionally invested in each character that it was hard to put the book down.

I think I may have to pre-order the next book, which features Taliesan ASAP even though the book isn't due out til Sept!

Rating: 5 flowers

About Maya Banks

Maya Banks is the New York Times bestselling author of Highlander Most Wanted, Never Seduce a Scot, In Bed with a Highlander, Seduction of a Highland Lass, Never Love a Highlander, The Darkest Hour, No Place to Run, Hidden Away, Sweet Possession, Sweet Temptation, Colter’s Woman, and Colter’s Lady. She lives in Texas with her husband, three children, and an assortment of pets. For more information on Maya and her work, please visit her website, mayabanks.com.

Book Review: Undone By The Duke

Author: Michelle Willingham
Title: Undone By The Duke
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publish Date: Feb 12, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Book Blurb: Victoria has a secret... Reclusive designer Victoria Andrews hasn't gone outside in five years, though she yearns to escape the prison of her house. She designs sensual lingerie for the most exclusive dressmaker in London, although she has never known a man's touch.

A Duke in disguise... Wounded and stranded in Scotland, Jonathan Nottoway, the Duke of Worthingstone, is avoiding the murderous scandal that darkened his family name. As his wounds heal, he spends several sensual nights with the beautiful seamstress who knows nothing of his true identity.

A passionate awakening Can a woman trapped by her emotional scars be able to love a duke, when it means abandoning her safe world to embrace the life of a duchess?

Review: I've read several of Michelle's books from Harlequin Historical, so when this book popped up on Net Galley, I was excited and I wasn't disappointed either.

This story was different, very different. Victoria is suffering from agoraphobia as a result of a stressful even that happened 5 years ago.

Jonathan is in Scotland to look into some land he won, but when he arrives he's shot and brought to Victoria's home.

Some of the plot is old hat. Jonathan is a Duke that would very much like to be loved for himself rather than his title or money and there's a scandal in his family that keeps him from being in society. Victoria's family is of course, down on their luck. Her father is fighting in Spain, and her mother is struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile Victoria and her sister's are making gowns to help out, unbeknownst to her mother and at some point, Victoria starts making ladies "unmentionables." And not the plain ones either. Victoria is truly a Victoria's Secret kinda girl! or at least designer.

What made this story such an enjoyable read were how flawed both characters were, and both with a kind of neurosis. Victoria couldn't step out of her house and Jonathan was afraid the the violent temper his father had would be passed on to him.

Yet somehow these two fall in love, without wanting to. I loved how caring Jonathan was with Victoria, especially when he was trying to get her to overcome her fears. You could also understand why she never wanted to see a doctor about her problem. In those days, there really wasn't much done for mental illness. She would have likely been locked away in an asylum, which isn't a pretty place for anyone to be.

The other thing I liked was the sort of role reversal. As Victoria is starting to feel slightly more comfortable being outside of the four walls of her home, Jonathan is the weaker one. His feelings for Victoria seem out of control and he fears hurting her.

I love how both characters have a strong love of family and I especially love how protective Jonathan can be.

This is another great book by Michelle Willingham. I can't wait for the next book

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: Torch In The Forest

Author: Marcie Kremer
Title: Torch In The Forest
Publish Date: Feb 16, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Scandalous
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: The publisher in exchange for an honest review

Book Blurb: 

Eighteen-year-old widow Eleanor of Strathcombe is stunned to realize she has a powerful attraction to Hugh of Wykeham, the arrogant, neighboring lord returned from the Crusade. But he wants to marry her sister, and when he learns that poachers are running rampant he blames her and feuds with her over the control of their forest boundaries.

As she struggles to keep control of her forests and find the poachers, unsettling feelings confront her when she deals with Hugh, feelings she never felt in her brief, loveless marriage -- feelings she tries to fight, because she knows Hugh to be a cold, harsh man who may have murdered his faithless wife in revenge -- and who trusts no woman.

When she finds herself in the midst of a net of intrigue and lies, how will she find the courage to capture the conspirators, save herself and her sister, and overcome her feelings for Hugh?

Review: I have to start out saying, OMG the guy on this cover looks like Simon Le Bon. I'm glad this was an ebook, or I would never have been able to finish reading it, because I'd be too busy drooling on the cover.

Beautiful as the cover is, the story needed something. It was a little too short for a medieval romance and the romance never really took off. In fact, the fact that Eleanor and Hugh got together in the end is a huge surprise, because there was no sign of affection between them throughout most of the novel, except in their heads.

That's not to say that the story is a bad one, because it isn't. It is a good quick read filled with politics and intrigue and a woman's struggle to keep what is hers.

Eleanor is a strong heroine. She is trustworthy and loyal and didn't have a good time of it with her first marriage. She's only 18.

Yikes!

And she has the care of her sister Mary who is 14. She's doing her best to see that Mary isn't married off to  an old man in a far off country.

I found I liked Eleanor. She's the kind of person you'd want as a friend. She was intensely loyal to all of her people.

I just couldn't warm up to Hugh in the same way. He was too much the alpha male. He was right and everyone else was wrong. Plus there was also the way he planned on marrying Mary, while lusting after Eleanor. It seemed like the classic case of the virgin and the whore, at least in his mind. That is until he realized that Eleanor had never consummated her marriage to Edgar.

It was his attitude that made me not like him, yet he was the typical man of that age and he wasn't as smarmy as William.

Overall a great read and a good historical though the romance is very light here.

Rating:  3 flowers

Reading Addiction Book Tours Book Review: Playing The Maestro

Author: Aubrie Dionne
Title: Playing The Maestro
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 2/11/13
Blurb: She’ll have to play her boss to come out on a high note…

Melody Mires has sworn off dating musicians, but when the sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony, her hesitation almost flies out the window with the notes of her flute—until he opens his mouth. Wolf is arrogant, haughty, and seems to have a personal vendetta against Melody. Oh, and he’s her boss. If she wants to keep her job as principal flutist, she’ll have to impress Wolf while simultaneously keeping her undeniable attraction to herself.

Wolf came to America to get as far away from his past as possible, and to recover some of the swagger he had as one of the world’s best maestros. He never imagined being forced to reassess the entire orchestra’s talent—and potentially fire anyone who doesn't make his cut. Dating the attractive flutist is out of the question, but as their feelings reach a fever pitch, can they risk both their careers for a chance at love?

Review: This is a sweet romance and it was exceptionally good. It isn't often that you get a romance novel where the lead characters have such unique careers. Melody is a flutist in a symphony orchestra and Wolf is a German conductor.

I have to say that even in Wolf's worst moments toward the beginning of the book, when he comes off the most arrogant, I loved him. I could actually hear his German accent when I read his dialogue. Not the sexiest of European accents but still very sexy. And you had to feel bad for him once you realized what an evil witch his ex-girlfriend was.

Melody was a fun heroine too. She was real and down to earth and her character really helped show that though you might think being a key member of a symphony might be glamorous, it really isn't, especially it isn't in a huge city.

I loved her passion for the music.

The other thing that was fantastic about this book were the two characters interactions with children, Melody with her niece Violet and Wolf with the children at the hospital where he performed as Mozart. I have to say that part of the story was what really won me over with him. Wolf was perfect!

Melody's ex was the only downside to this great read. From the opening scene, you know that Blake's a baddie, and you have a clue that he's out to sabotage Melody, you just have to wait to see what it is, and that left me anxious as I read on. I mean this guy was a total jerk and when he's confronted with his jerkyness, the outcome isn't satisfying.

This was a great book that had some really good subplots that kept you interested, especially since the romance in this book is very light. It could pretty much be read by teens on up.

Playing the Maestro was a wonderfully musical read.

Rating: 4 flowers

Author Info: Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation--favorite character was Data by far--and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be "a concert flutist" when she grew up. She majored in flute performance at the University of New Hampshire on a full scholarship, then secured two teaching jobs at a University and a local community music school. While playing in orchestras and teaching, stories popped into her head, and she used them to make the music come alive for her flute students. Her students said they were so good, she had to write them down! Maybe they were right, who knows? Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now. She is represented by Dawn Dowdle and writes sweet and adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary romance.

www.authoraubrie.net
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com
@authoraubrie

BUY LINKS

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Entangled Publishing

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Bungalow Nights

Author: Christie Ridgway
Title: Bungalow Nights
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: Feb 26, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the publisher

Book Blurb: 

Return to USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway’s Crescent Cove, California, where the magic of summer can last forever… Combat medic Vance Smith made a promise to a fallen officer: to treat the man’s young daughter to an idyllic vacation at Beach House No. 9. One month, some sun and surf, a “helmet list” of activities to check off and Vance will move on. But the “little girl” he’s expecting turns out to be a full-grown woman. With silky hair, big brown eyes and smelling sweetly of the cupcakes she makes for her mobile bakery, Layla Parker is irresistible. And Vance shouldn’t lay a finger on her. Honor-and one heck of a scarred heart-says so.
To Layla, Vance is a hero who was injured trying to save her father’s life. She intends to spend their month of lazy days and warm nights taking very good care of the gorgeous soldier-inside and out…

Review: Bungalow Nights is the second book in Christie Ridgway's Crescent Cove trilogy. It is a stand alone novel so don't worry about missing out on anything from the first book.

The primary love story is Vance and Layla, but Vance has a cousin Baxter who had a fling with Addy 6 years ago, and when they find each other, things start to spark and then there's Fritz, the oldest brother, who is really a jerk, no matter how much they try to sugar coat things. Any brother that would  go to bed with his brother's ex-girlfriend, and ex-girlfriend that dumped him in a Dear John letter just isn't a good brother in my book. There's a code here, I'm sure.

So there's quite a few stories going on here and there are some characters you meet, like Skye, who you'll get to know better in the next book.

I absolutely loved the scenes on Picnic Day with Vance and his family. But most of all I love Layla and her food truck, Karma Cupcakes. I spent most of the time reading about the cupcakes with a growling stomach. I really want to try one or two of the recipes included in the back of the book, even though I'm not a huge cupcake person.

I really enjoyed this book and the two romances that were intertwined in the story, especially since the romances involved family members. I also liked the the mystery that was part of Addy's research, even though I felt things got explained away a little to easily.

The family dynamic is the one thing that while it provided some great subplots, it kept Vance and Layla's story from really going the distance. I wanted more of the Helmet List and less of the other stuff going around. You never really knew what it was about Vance that attracted Layla to him. At least with Baxter and Addy you had a past fling. That's what really kept this book from being fantastic.

Definitely a good HEA story to pass a quiet afternoon.

I can't wait to read the other books.

Rating: 4 flowers

About Christie Ridgway An avid reader, Christie began writing romances in the fifth grade when she wrote stories starring her teen idol (and herself as the heroine, of course!). These stories remain intact, in a locked box with a mercifully missing key.

After college as an English major, she became a technical writer in the computer field for a number of years. That led her into computer programming, a geeky profession that was not-so-surprisingly satisfying for the daughter and sister of accountants. Christie married her college sweetheart and gave up full-time programming when her first son was born. A visit from an old friend prompted her to take up writing again, and she joined her local chapter of Romance Writers of America two weeks later.

Thanks to the camaraderie and support she found there, Christie persevered, making her first sale to Harlequin. When another son joined her family, she continued to write, juggling motherhood, wifehood and the writing life. She makes her home in Southern California, doing work that she loves thanks to the support of her math-teacher husband and their two sons.

If Christie is not at her computer writing contemporary romances, she is washing clothes or folding clothes or washing some more clothes or folding yet another load of clothes. She does a lot of laundry due to active sons, as well as a husband who likes to surf, bike and fix things!

While the yellow Labrador retriever, the cat, the fish and the tortoise do not add to the laundry piles, they do add to the excitement. As often as possible, though, Christie escapes it all with — what else? — a romance.

You can keep in touch with Christie’s laundry-filled life at christieridgway.com.

ARC Book Review: Talk Of The Town

Author: Beth Andrews
Title: Talk Of The Town
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Publish Date: April 2, 2013
Preorder: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley 

Book Blurb: 

Shady Grove—where everyone knows your secrets Once, Neil Pettit was the only thing Maddie Montesano wanted. She tried every trick in the book to keep him, but no luck. It took some time—and a lot of holding her head up while the town gossiped—but she's made a good life for herself and her daughter.

Now, Neil's back and is trying to be the father he never was. Maddie so doesn't need this kind of disruption. Not when the crazy attraction she's spent years ignoring still sizzles between them. The temptation to give in and have Neil again is strong. And when he offers that dream of forever she'd abandoned, well, she might give this town something new to talk about….

Review: The superromance line is getting a bit edgier with their stories these days. There are a lot of topics I'd never expect to see in a Harlequin in some of the stories in this imprint and Talk Of The Town as a few.

First let me say, that while I enjoyed this story, it didn't wow me or give me any warm fuzzy feelings that I usually get when I read a Harlequin novel.

Allow me to explain.

What I liked about this book:

The characters, especially Maddie and Bree were very real. They did things that regular people do. Bree is 11 and overweight and Bree likes to be in control. Actually of all the characters in this book, Bree is the character you really come to love the most.

The romance really took a backseat here. I know its odd that I like that about this romance novel, but there were so many situations going on that too much of a lovefest would have ruined the story.

Can I get a Yay! for another book set in Pennsylvania in the area between Erie and Pittsburgh? Woo hoo!

I loved the family elements in this book but I think more time was needed for Neil and Maddie to get back together in a way that didn't feel rushed.

What I didn't like about this book:

Neil and Maddie's relationship just didn't work for me. I saw no reason for them to get together, when they were so far apart to start with and when they finally get together for sex, well..it didn't work for me.

I love hockey but I'd love a hero to not be super rich etc. Somehow Neil's being a Stanley Cup winning player took away from the down home feel of the book.

Oh and Neil didn't have a clue, he was such an idiot. I had a hard time liking him. Actually Maddie was hard headed too, and when you learn a little secret she was keeping, she's even harder to like.

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: The Downfall Of A Good Girl

Author: Kimberly Lang
Title: The Downfall Of A Good Girl
Publisher: Harlequin Kiss
Publish Date: Jan 22, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Book Blurb: 
"Why would you decide to seduce me? And why now after all these years?"
Southern debutante Vivienne LaBlanc can't believe bad-boy rock star Connor Mansfield is back in town for the New Orleans annual Saints and Sinners pageant. He has a reputation as wicked as his devilish smile, and Vivi has no intention of becoming one of his latest groupies!

He once crushed her high school heart, so playing the saint to Connor's sinner should be easy. But how can Vivi get those less than angelic thoughts out of her head—especially when Connor's so good at tempting her to be bad.

Review: I love Harlequin's new Kiss line. The stories are fun with a little bit of added spice. I'm kind of on the fence with this one. I love the plot of a good girl and bad boy getting together, but Vivi is just a hard character to relate to. I mean she was a debutante and a pageant queen. She's everything I usually hate in a woman, but she is sweet in some ways. That said, I had a hard time warming up to her. She was too superior and too snotty and her obsession with winning got on my nerves.

Its Connor that you have to love. He's not really a bad boy, of course. And he has a way of putting Vivi in her place, which makes their fights quite fun to read.

In fact, I kind of liked them fighting more than I liked them together.

Once the two of them hooked up, the story lost some of its luster for me. I liked the spark of their bickering and the only bickering that happened after they had sex involved misunderstandings.

~big sigh~

But back to Connor, he's a rock star, coming back to his home town. I mean, who doesn't dream of a sexy rocker falling for them! Plus he's really sweet.

This is the stuff of Mary Sue type fanfiction!

Now seriously, someone find me a piano playing rocker like Connor, cos I want one!

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: The Importance Of Being Wicked

Author:Victoria Alexander
Title:The Importance Of Being Wicked
Publisher: Zebra Books
Publish Date: Jan 29, 2013
Buy:Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Book Blurb: 

In this dazzling new novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander welcomes you to Millworth Manor, a delightful English country estate where love is always perfectly at home. . .
For Winfield Elliott, Viscount Stillwell, finding a prospective bride always seemed easy. Perhaps too easy. With three broken engagements to his name, Win is the subject of endless gossip. Yet his current mission is quite noble: to hire a company to repair his family's fire-damaged country house. Nothing disreputable in that--until the firm's representative turns out to be a very desirable widow.

Lady Miranda Garrett expected a man of Win's reputation to be flirtatious, even charming. But the awkward truth is that she finds him thoroughly irresistible. While Miranda resides at Millworth to oversee the work, Win occupies her days, her dreams. . .and soon, her bed. For the first time, the wicked Win has fallen in love. And what began as a scandalous proposition may yet become a very different proposal. . .

Review: This book's title is a little deceiving. Winfield Elliot wasn't all that wicked in this story. In fact, he was very much a pussy cat. Sure he has a string of engagements that were broken (If you want to read more about those, check out the novella Lord Stillwell's Excellent Engagements) but he wasn't the one breaking things off.

Lady Miranda is a strong, intelligent and argumentative heroine. I think she picks fights with Win, just for the fun of it. And actually that's half the fun of the story, Win and Miranda arguing.

This may be a Victorian novel, but it felt like a Regency at times. If it weren't for the modern conveniences that Miranda was looking to add to Lord Stillwell's country home that was devastated by fire. She is proposing to add ELECTRICITY! Oh my! But wait, Lord Stillwell doesn't know she's the architect, because, well, you know..women just don't do things like design buildings!

So Miranda has a secret to keep.

There relationship develops through their mutual desire to annoy the other and they do that a lot, sometimes at the expense of their budding relationship.

It makes for fun reading, but it also makes the romance slow going.

In fact, if you are looking for a hot, steamy romance, this isn't your book.

But if you like something a little more light, sweet and funny with just a touch of spice, this is your book.

Rating: 4 flowers

Reading Addiction Book Tours Guest Post & Review: Just For Now

I Hated This Book! Or, Coping With Negative Reviews

by Rosalind James

To be honest, I thought this one would be easier. In the first place, I haven’t had that many negative reviews (knock on wood). So I should be able to dismiss those I have received as outliers, or shrug and say, “can’t please everyone,” right? Alas, it’s not so easy. It’s like somebody telling you your baby is ugly. It still hurts. Here’s what I’ve found:

1.      People love it or hate it for the same reasons. For example, “Just for Now” is a tender, funny story about family, without a lot of external drama. It is many readers’ favorite of my books. But other readers haven’t been crazy about it, for the same reason. Too much family, too much about the kids, not enough excitement. It’s personal taste.

2.       An apropos quote. Bill Cosby said, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” It’s one thing to examine your negative reviews, or negative comments within positive reviews, for anything that is truly HELPFUL. Was the ending rushed? Do you have grammatical errors that need to be fixed? That’s helpful. That your book didn’t appeal to someone’s personal taste—not helpful.

3.      Your mileage may vary. I’ve written four books, and just in my little critique circle, there are four different favorites! My readers share the same diversity of opinion. When I think about my own favorite authors, I don’t love all their books equally. Some of them I don’t even care for very much. I’ve never been a huge fan of “Mansfield Park,” because Fanny Price is kind of a drip, isn’t she? And she and Edmund seem set to have a mighty virtuous and boring life. And yet I’ve read it at least three times, because Jane Austen writes so well. 

4.      It goes double for sex. Think people’s opinions differ about your heroine? Get reviewers going about the sex in your book! I’ve had people say, about the SAME BOOK:

“I loved . . . that the sex scenes weren’t so intense.”

“I found the sex scenes to be a little kinky for my taste.”

“Too much explicit sex.”

“Plenty of hot steamy sex.”

One reviewer thought that the hero putting his hand over the heroine’s mouth was BDSM (that would be the “hated it” category). Bottom line (so to speak), there is a huge variation in steam levels in contemporary romance. When your books are just getting known, people are finding out if they like the way you write, and in particular, the way you write sex. You are finding your audience. And that ain’t everybody.

5.      The acid test. I realized, after wrestling with the “ping-pong ball” effect, where I’d think: “It’s good!” “No, wait, it’s bad!” “No, it’s good!” after every review, that the REAL question was, “Did I write the book I wanted to write?” And in all four cases, I answered, “Yes, I did.” That is all I can do. And it’s all that matters. On to Book Five.

Contemporary Romance

Title: Just For Now(Escape to New Zealand #3)

Author: Rosalind James

Date Published: 8/30/2012

There’s no place like home . . .

For teacher Jenna McKnight, nothing spells “heartbreak” like finding her husband with somebody else–in her bed. Clearly, it’s time to reinvent herself. A new body, a new city, and a new job later, she’s done just that. This isn’t really her home, though. Or her family, however much she wishes it were. And playing house can be a dangerous game.

New Zealand rugby star Finn Douglas is just looking for a temporary nanny. Not a girlfriend, and definitely not a wife. He can’t resist Jenna’s cooking, it’s true. Who knew that he’d have so much trouble resisting her? He wants to do what’s right for his kids. But waiting is so hard . . .

Review: Rosalind James is one of my favorite discoveries of last year. She writes romance that give you those warm fuzzy feelings. This is the third book in her Escape to New Zealand series, but don't worry if you haven't read the other two, these are stand alone books.

You can compare her writing to early Debbie Macomber or something from the Harlequin Super Romance line. It is romance that is family oriented and not all about the sex.

Its great escape read, the kind that makes you feel good all over when you've read it.

What I like about Jenna and Finn are how real they are. They've had problems, they've got baggage, but they feel real. That's what really makes things work for me. I also love Finn's two children, Sophie and Harry. So cute.

Rosalind wrote the kid's well. Sometimes the children can come across too sweet or too obnoxious in romances, but I really loved Finn's kids. It would be easy to fall in love with them.

The relationship isn't without problems and issues and drama, but that's what life's all about. It also has a happy ending and that's what romance is all about!

Just a wonderful story, by a wonderful author! I can't wait for book 4!


Rating: 5 flowers

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