TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Austen Playbook

About The Austen Playbook (London Celebrities)

Series: London Celebrities (Book 4)

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Carina Press; Original edition (April 30, 2019)

In which experienced West End actress Freddy Carlton takes on an Austen-inspired play, a scandal at a country estate, an enthusiastic search for a passion outside of acting…and the (some people might say icy*) heart of London’s most feared theater critic.

*if those people were being nice

Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.

She can’t take her eyes off him.

Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.

Instead all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.

As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all.

“There’s more drama offstage than on, the writing is outstanding, and the bit of mystery blends well into the romance. Theater fans will devour this lovely contemporary romance.”-Publisher’s Weekly, starred review, on The Austen Playbook

“The London Celebrities series-some of the wittiest, smartest dialogue to come down the romance pike in years.”-Kirkus ReviewS of London Celebrities series

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About Lucy Parker

Lucy Parker lives in the gorgeous Central Otago region of New Zealand, where she feels lucky every day to look out at mountains, lakes and vineyards. She has a degree in Art History, loves museums and galleries, and doodles unrecognisable flowers when she has writer’s block.

Her interest in romantic fiction began with a pre-teen viewing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Firth-style), which prompted her to read the book as well, and the rest was history.

Connect with Lucy

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Review: The Austen Playbook filled me with such joy. This book was an absolute joy to read. See how much "Joy" I'm already using here? Freddy was such a great character and she was so easy to love. She was hilarious and well...a character I can't stop gushing about.

I grew up reading books like Hollywood Wives etc, so when I read about actors and actresses, I expect a lot of glamour, but that isn't always the same way in Britain. Oh not to worry there's intrigue and some backstabbing, but in a much different manner from the books I gobbled up in my high school days.

This novel was so fun and funny. I loved Freddy and Griff. OMG at Griff, especially in his reviews. And his family!!

There is so much quirky going on in Griff's family ...his brother and well, his parents have the market cornered on quirky.

I don't think I've ever read a book that made me so happy when I was reading it. It gave me all the right "feels." If you can read about Griff's aunt Violet and the whole drama around "The Velvet Room" and not get "the feels" well I'm sure you don't have any feelings at all.

I loved the idea of The Austen Playbook too. I think something done that way would be absolutely amazing to watch and loved the behind the scenes goings on with all the actors and actresses.

Lucy Parker is definitely a new favorite author of mine!  This book was a treat to read!

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Strictly Confidential

About Strictly Confidential (The Boardroom)

Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Carina Press; Original edition (August 28, 2018)

What’s your pleasure?

From Lynda Aicher, author of the bestselling Wicked Play books, comes an exclusive invitation to the Boardroom—where working late has its rewards.

Life is about power—who has it, who doesn’t.

Anyone who says otherwise hasn’t spent time in Kennedy Keller’s business-casual two-point-five-inch heels. A woman in a world very much run by men, Kennedy does whatever it takes to keep her power, in the office and outside of it.

Until she lets her guard down and decides to submit to a man for just one night. He’s everything she doesn’t usually let herself have: sexy, strong…dominant.

Matt Hamilton said goodbye to the Dom life years ago—power games and the delectable push/pull of dominance and submission might start in the bedroom, but it never stays there.

Reunited in the Boardroom, Matt and Kennedy test their desires and boundaries…and learn that one night is never just one night.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Lynda Aicher

Lynda Aicher has always loved to read. After years of weekly travel implementing computer software into global companies, she ended her nomadic lifestyle to raise her two children. Now her imagination is her only limitation on where she can go and her writing lets her escape from the daily duties as a mom, wife, chauffeur, scheduler, cook, teacher, volunteer, cleaner and mediator.

Connect with Lynda

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Review: I don't often make the foray into erotica. I don't know why erotica must always = BDSM. Something about this book caught my interest and when all is said and done, I actually enjoyed it.

What I really loved was that Kennedy wasn't a sub. You have no idea how happy that made me. I also liked that these characters weren't twentysomethings. That was absolutely amazing. I also loved that Matt was a father and that his kids are older, 15 and 19 respectively.

Oh and there was an actual plot, something I find lacking in a lot of erotic erm..romance.

So I was more than pleasantly surprised at this story. I loved Matt's kids and I liked Kennedy's issues. I liked that Matt's kids cared about him and his relationship and that they worried about him.  Even better, I liked that a relationship built between them, even though I wish there were some more mental connection between them. Yes, they both had high power jobs. Yes, they both were into a bit of kink. I just wish there was something real they had in common.

The sex was smoking hot in this book. REALLY REALLY HOT. It also started pretty early on in the book, from hotel rooms to a super sexy sex club called The Boardroom.

So if you are looking for erotica with a little more story, this is definitely a book to try.

Rating: 4 flowers

Great Escapes Book Tours Book Review: A Geek Girl's Guide to Arsenic

Author: Julie Anne Lindsey

Title: A Geek Girl's Guide to Arsenic

Publisher: Carina Press

Publish Date: March 7, 2016

Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

It's been three months since Jake Archer rolled into town, accused Mia Connors of murder and stole her heart. She hasn't heard from him since. So when a man collapses at the fall Renaissance Faire, she's surprised to see the US marshal arrive on scene. And shocked when he points the finger at her—again. Mia would sooner be able to resurrect the poor fellow than poison him.

Jake Archer's career has been rising fast, but it's about to come to a crashing halt. The Ren-Faire victim was in protective custody—Jake's custody—and they were painfully close to nabbing a major crime boss. If Jake doesn't solve the murder soon, he'll be fetching donuts instead of protecting his nation. A difficult enough task without the alluring Mia Connors in the way.

Working with Jake to catch the killer might push Mia into crazy-cat-lady territory. But with a murderer on the loose—and Mia's reputation on the line—they'll have to work fast to find the killer before the killer finds them.

Review: OK, this book was simply fabulous. I loved Mia and her grandma. I also loved that a good portion of the story involves a Ren-Faire. I'm that kind of geek girl. I love her awkwardness and that she is computer geek.

When one of Mia's Ren Faire guests ends up dead, after being handed a drink by Mia and given some hand lotion by Mia, well you can only guess the hot water she lands into, not to mention the problems that it causes her grandmother's business, Guineveire's Beauty Products which is trying to expand into bricks and mortar stores.

Enter Jake Archer, who has already accused Mia of murder before. (That would be book 1, which his now on my tbr pile). Apparently John was part of WITSEC and was key to a case. So Jake has to solve the murder or his career is kaput.

This was a great mystery will all kinds of geeky goodness from cosplayers to furries. I'm not sure why Mia was scared of furries, furries are awesome, so even her bad experience with him wouldn't have made me hate furries.

I love the cast of characters in this story, especially Mia's bff, Nate. He was fun, and I liked the business venture that he acquired in this story. I hope this plays a part in future stories.

The mystery is fast paced and it gets a little creepy when it seems like there's a stalker involved. I have to say, I had my suspicions of who the killer was, and I was right.

I adore this book and will be buying book 1 from this series.

Rating: 5 flowers

Historical Fiction Virtual Tours Book Review: Aiding The Enemy

Publication Date: October 7, 2013
Carina Press
eBook
ASIN: B00E1UY67I

Book three of War Girls

German-occupied Brussels, Belgium
December 1915

Rose Culver is in grave danger. For months the Red Cross head nurse has been aiding Allied soldiers caught behind enemy lines, helping them flee into neutral Netherlands. It's only a matter of time until she's caught. Which makes it the wrong time to fall in love with a handsome German military doctor as devoted to the sanctity of human life as she is.

The Great War has caused Dr. Herman Geoff to question everything he once believed. He knows Rose has been hiding British soldiers in her hospital—he's even treated some of them, refusing to go against his own Hippocratic oath. As a doctor, he admires Rose's skill and conviction. As a man, he can no longer deny his attraction to her. But when Rose is arrested for treason, Herman must choose between love for her and duty to his country...

For more tales of love and war, download Saving the Rifleman and Enticing the Spymaster, available now!

Review: This novella really wowed me. Rose is truly an impressive woman, who is a British nurse working behind enemy lines. To describe her, I think of some of the nurses/midwives from Call The Midwife to Hot Lips Houlihan From M.A.S.H. She is full of heart and compassion.

I wasn't certain how I felt about Dr. Herman Geoff at first. He felt very stodgy, at the beginning,  but as the events of the story started to unfold, I found myself warming to him.

I loved the plot of the story, as I've always been intrigued by The Great War era. My only complaint, other than this being a novella, were the sex scenes. They seemed too be too much for this book.

Other than that, I really loved Rose and Herman's story and really just wished there were more to read.

Rating: 4 flowers

About the Author

Julie Rowe’s first career as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the North West Territories and northern Alberta, where she still resides. She loves to include medical details in her romance novels, but admits she’ll never be able to write about all her medical experiences because, “No one would believe them!”. In addition to writing contemporary and historical medical romance, and fun romantic suspense for Entangled Publishing and Carina Press, Julie has a short story in the Mammoth Book of ER Romance (releasing Sept 15, 2013). Her book SAVING THE RIFLEMAN (book #1 WAR GIRLS) won the novella category of the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Her writing has also appeared in several magazines such as Romantic Times Magazine, Today’s Parent, and Romantic Times Magazine.

For more information please visit Julie Rowe's website.  You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Review: Dark Secrets

Author: Shona Husk
Title: Dark Secrets
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Feb 18, 2013
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & Carina Press in exchange for an honest review

Book Blurb: Six years ago, Haidyn Mast left his home and his betrothed Anisa to follow his magical calling. Too weak to join the Arcane Guild and too ashamed to return home, he has made a life as a prostitute—to all outward appearances. In truth, he sells his mind but not his body, using magic to let his clients experience their most secret fantasies while his hands stay clean. Even the Lawman, the arbiter of justice in Reseda, is one of his clients, but Haidyn would rather not know the extent of that man's depravity.

Though successful, Haidyn is shunned as a whore and his lack of formal training is causing his power to grow out of control. He's ready to retire and leave the city, but when he sees his Anisa standing at the Lawman's side, he knows he must rescue her from the abusive enforcer. Risking his life and his sanity, he devises a plan, knowing that failure will mean death for him, and a lifetime of torment for her…

For more Arcane stories, download Dark Vow today.

Review: I have to admit, the cover of this book is what really made me want to read it. I'm not usually influenced by covers in that way, but along with the blurb, I thought that this might make an interesting read, and I wasn't disappointed.

I love a book told from the man's point of view. Since I read a lot of romance that doesn't happen often. Now don't let that comment make you think that this is a romance novella, because it really isn't. Haidyn is the owner of a pleasure palace or lust house, so to speak. He's a prostitute, but he doesn't actually have sex with his clients, he uses magic and his mind to make them think he does.

Freaky, right?

Not many 90 page novellas can boast the action and character development that Shona Husk has done with Dark Secrets.

Haidyn was such an interesting hero. He did what he had to do in order to survive and he did it well, even though he had regrets.

I only wish we could have gotten to know Anisa a bit better, but in a novella, you can't go into the lives of all the characters, even though she's Haidyn's love interest.

Haidyn really took initiative when I saw that his former love is now married to the Lawmaker, who is not such a nice guy. (He has some nasty sexual proclivities)

If you go by the book's blurb you may think that this is going to be an erotic fantasy novella, but it really isn't. There's not a lot of sex here at all, just a pretty great story. I look forward to trying more of this series.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: No Mistletoe Required

Author: Jeanette Murray
Title: No Mistletoe Required
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Nov 5, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Book Blurb:Dan Beckins isn't sure how he let his best friend con him into volunteering to build Santa's Winter Wonderland at the local hospital. He's got no problems with charity work, but anything Christmas-related is off-limits ever since he lost his parents on Christmas Day years ago. The only bright spot is working with smoking-hot Anna Smith.

Anna Smith loves Christmas and volunteering at the hospital is one of her yearly highlights. She had leukemia as a teen and then a breast cancer scare in her mid-twenties, and is now operating under a self-imposed rule that she can't have a relationship until the doctors give her a clean bill of health.

A little fling might be permissible, though, and sexy lawyer-turned-carpenter Dan seems like the perfect candidate. But when chemistry flares and the two start forming a real connection, will Anna run away before like turns to love?

Review:  This is a short holiday novella from Jeanette Murray. It has all the elements of a great book, but it suffers because of the length. (Only about 70 pages). There's so much to Dan and Anna, that giving them such a short story doesn't seem to be fitting. Both characters have a lot of past baggage that is getting in the way of their relationship.

Its the baggage that really weighs the story down. Not bad writing, not even a bad story line. This plot would have been great if it were even about 90 pages longer than it was. I wanted to know more about the things Dan and Anna went through, not just a brief mention of her cancer scare or the death of his parents.

I guess all I can say is I wanted more.

I connected with the characters. I even understood the reasons for why they did the things they did, most of the time, but I really just wanted more time with them.

This story was good, but it had the potential to be great, it just didn't quite make it there.

I hope I get the chance to read something by Jeanette Murray again, and I hope it is a little bit longer.

Rating: 3 flowers

Novella Review: The Lion Of Kent

Author: Aleksandr Voinov & Kate Cotoner
Title: The Lion Of Kent
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Aug 30, 2010
Review Copy Received By: Carina Press & NetGalley
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Squire William Raven has only one goal—to finally receive his spurs and become a knight. When his lord, Sir Robert de Cantilou, returns from a five-year crusade in the Holy Land, William wants nothing more than to impress him.
After Sir Robert's return, noble guests arrive from France, bringing intrigue to the castle. William is oblivious to the politics, as he's distracted by nightly visits from a faceless lover—a man who pleasures him in the dark and then leaves—a man he soon discovers is none other than his master, Sir Robert.

But William can't ignore the scheming around him when he overhears a plot to murder Robert. He becomes intent on saving his lord and lover from those who would see him killed...

Review: This is a really short gay historical romance. Some might try to lump this in as erotica, but it really isn't. There isn't enough sex for it to be considered that. Mind you there's a bit of sex and in a story that's only a little over 80 pages, some might consider it more erotic, but when you compare it to some of the novellas put out by mass market romance it is pretty tame.

I found out after having read the novella that it is a a prequel to Aleksandr Voinov's story Deliverance from the anthology Forbidden Love. Once you read The Lion Of Kent, you'll be wanting to read the rest of William's story.

The two writers really pulled off the relationship between Robert and William well, especially as this was definitely a time when homosexuality was not as "out" as it is now. Both men are strong characters that are easy to like. A bonus is that the story is historically accurate.

It isn't easy to create characters that will draw a reader in, in only 80ish pages, but Aleksandr and Kate have done just that with The Lion Of Kent, plus they've left me wanting more

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: Naughty And Nice

Author: Megan Hart, Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, Lauren Dane
Title: Naughty And Nice
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Dec 6, 2010
Rating:  2 stars
Book Blurb: A famous singer reunites with an old flame. A couple explores their desire to be truly bound together. Newlyweds heat things up when they're trapped indoors. And sparks fly when the lights go out. Whether you are naughty or nice, you can still get what you really want for Christmas in this collection of four seasonal shorts.

Anthology includes nice novellas:

Holiday Sparks by Shannon Stacey

All She Wants for Christmas by Jaci Burton

And naughty novellas:

Unwrapped by Megan Hart


Believe by Lauren Dane

Review:  Four very short stories that have Christmas as a backdrop. Of the 4, only Jaci Burton's All I Want For Christmas really stood out as an excellent story. That story was one of the "Nice" stories, meaning that Riley and Ethan didn't spend the whole 60 pages in bed. In fact, Jaci really gave them a nice backstory and she brought closure to Riley's past without making the story. Plus the story was really focused on the holiday. The holiday wasn't just there. It was part of the story.

Holiday Sparks was super cute and super spicy. It was kind of midway between the nice and naughty. Chloe meets up with Scott Quinn, who isn't like the boy he was in high school, and she is still kinda like she was in high school. (You know, super gorgeous etc) Well they hook up but don't want anyone to find out to avoid matchmaking. (sigh) This story was a bit predictable, but Chloe and Scott were fun characters to spend some time with.

Now onto the "Naughty" stories. Megan Hart gives us Unwrapped and Lauren Dane gives us "Believe".  Both felt more like "sex stories" than erotica to me. I was really let down by both for many of the same reasons. There was more focus on kinky sex than plot. Oh and both seemed to have similar plots. Each couple went on vacation for the holiday so they could shag 24/7.

Brandon from Unwrapped was the only character that I remotely liked. He seemed to have a bit of personality outside of liking to be a submissive little boy.

These two stories are also continuations of other stories, though if you haven't read them, you won't notice. Though I felt that perhaps if I had read the other books, I might have felt more of a connection with the characters in the "naughty" stories. Since I haven't, they left me feeling a bit, meh, about them both.

All in all, I was more than a little disappointed in this one.

~ Review copy provided by NetGalley & Carina Press

Book Review: Lovely

Author: Kris Starr
Title: Lovely
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: June 21, 2010
Rating: 3 Stars
Book Blurb: They call me Lovely. But I know I am not.
Once I had another name. Now, as Angelique, I do what I can to please les messieurs. What would they say if they knew I felt no pleasure? To them I am wanton, insatiable. I alone know the truth.

So I am mystified by my reaction to my latest caller. Alexandre. Handsome. Well-bred. With an air of innocence that intrigues me. And true pain in his eyes. A mere kiss on the hand inflames me as never before. In moments this man disconcerts me like no other, and soon I can think of nothing, no one else. And yet, he barely touches me.

I know my true purpose is to mend his wounds, but I wonder what lustful appetites are buried deep within him. I will do what I can to discover his secrets...

Review: This is a super short ebook at only 53 pages, but it packs a lot of heat into those pages, though a lot of that spice isn't between Angelique and Alexandre.

It's not a rather inspired tale, but it is told well, it reads like Anais Nin light.

You get only Angelique's point of view, which at times leaves a lot out, particularly when they were out and about  after dark in Paris and Alexandre sees a woman that reminds him a great deal of his dead wife.  His actions really don't seem right. One minute he's ready to go the whole way with the courtesan he's paid for, and the next minute he's all apologetic.

It really would have been wonderful to have a little more backstory on him. Kris did give her readers a bit of Angelique's past, which made her easier to understand, but leaving Alexandre a mystery was a bit of a let down.

The ending was a bit rushed but it did suit Angelique. It wasn't the happy ending most would expect, but it wasn't sad either. This was a quick read, and a good beside the bed story. I'd like to see a full length by Kris Starr.

~ ebook provided by Net Galley

Book Review: A Rogue's Pleasure

Author: Hope Tarr
Title: A Rogue's Pleasure
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: August 16, 2010
Rating: 5 stars
Book Blurb: Miss Chelsea Bellamy is desperate!


Her beloved brother is being held for ransom! Impoverished after the deaths of her parents, Chelsea doesn't have five shillings, never mind the five hundred pounds the kidnappers are demanding. With no one to turn to, she resorts to highway robbery to raise the sum.

Lord Anthony Grenville is bored

Viscount Montrose's coach is overtaken by a highwayman—who turns out to be no man at all! Anthony hasn't been this intrigued by anything, or anyone, since his return from the war. And when he catches the flame-haired thief breaking into his London house to further fill her coffers, he comes up with a plan to rescue her brother—and resolves to seduce her into his bed!

Their passion is mutual

Chelsea accepts Anthony's aid, but she'll never become his mistress—even if the thought of it fills her veins with liquid fire...

Review: When it comes to historical fiction, you can't go wrong with Hope Tarr. Her characters always find their way into the reader's heart, and Chelsea and Anthony are no exception.

Chelsea is a strong heroine though at times she doesn't use the brain that it is quite obvious she has. When faced with the problem of her brother's kidnapping, she turns to thievery to raise the funds for his safe return.

Not very bright, but then again, if she hadn't done that she wouldn't have met Lord Melrose, and he's a hero you can't help but love.

He's a total rogue, willing to offer her carte blanche because he is to marry the Lady Pheobe in a month's time, actually on the date she was to turn over the money to the kidnappers.

Chelsea robs him, is caught by him and he decides to help her and her butler (the former highwayman) to find the men who kidnapped her brother. From there, love blossoms, but Chelsea is too scared and proud to admit it, especially as Anthony is betrothed and only wants her as his mistress.

Probably the most memorable character, is actually One Eyed Jack, the former highwayman. His protectiveness of her is wonderful and funny, especially when he discovers that she's been with Anthony. He really is the string that binds the two of them together.

They have a lot to get through before they can be together too and its the getting there that's the fun. Plus some of the secondary characters get a happy ending too, which makes this a fantastic book from start to finish, but those of you familiar with Hope's books, know that her books are all fantastic, and this is no different.