Love and Other Games 

by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller

My rating: 4/5

DRC provided by author for an honest review

Published: 10.1.2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Summary –

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze

Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.

Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium.

With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier

US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.

Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult. Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?

The Girl behind the Gold by Aria Kane

Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.

“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.

The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller

Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player.

Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.

When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.   (Thanks to GoodReads.com for the summary)

My Thoughts –

I thought all 4 stories were great!   I think they were well written, easy to read and smokin’ hot.  I liked how all of the stories had a tie into each other and you really see where this was happening and how these characters fell for each other.  My favorite 2 stories were Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier and The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane.

In Trouble with Gold, Ty and Nadia have an instant attraction to one another.  I mean who would get all hot and bothered by a nearly naked hunky man handcuffed to a railing on a cold, cold night?  I think this is a great start to the e-book and it really set up the rest of the novellas. 

Nadia seemed so sure and determined in the beginning, but realized that she wasn’t really doing what she was doing for herself and also that she wasn’t enjoying life as much as she could.  Ty is always looking for fun and a good time, until Nadia enters the picture and all of a sudden he’s thinking more long term and permanent.  They were a great couple and their shenanigans were entertaining and their love scenes were divine. 

In The Girl Behind the Gold, Lia and Brandon are the stars.  Both of the characters in this story are awesome.  They both have specific agendas at the beginning of the party, but afterwards and the few days that follow, they discover a new focus and exactly what they both were missing in life. 

I like how these characters instantly click with each other.  Lia is the girl at the party that no one talking to and Brandon is the guy who doesn’t belong there to begin with.  They take off, have an adventure looking for the torch and then have a different kind of adventure in Brandon’s hotel room.  Clothing s are thrown from a window, a man in a towel is seen wandering the hotel lobby and a girl finally smiles and does an interview.  Great writing, great couple and overall great story!!

My only issue with the ebook is the font.  I know the writers usually don’t have a choice in this, but the font is horrible and hard to read.

All Hallows Eve Indies Tour: Jessica Gibson Excerpt + Giveaway!!

Jessica Gibson

First and foremost, I'm a wife to an amazing man, and mother to a 2 year old little boy. I love to read when I can find the time, my Kindle is my best friend. I've read tons and tons of books. One of my favorite authors is Diana Gabaldon, her Outlander series is absolutely amazing. I also really enjoy Charlaine Harris' True Blood series. I'll read anything supernatural, I've blown through most of the good YA series' that are out there. I think my love of reading really helped me branch out into writing.

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HAUNTED U (School Spirits ~ Book One) 

by JESSICA GIBSON

Ezzie Lovegreen lives in a world where witches and ghosts are real. That doesn’t mean she’s not surprised when she’s suddenly being haunted by one at school.

With the help of her best friend Stella, her boyfriend Beau, and her grandmother Winifred, Ezzie must find out what happened to the ghost and set her free.

Secrets will be revealed that could change Ezzie’s life forever. Will Ezzie be strong enough to face the challenges set in her path?

Haunted U by Jessica Gibson on GoodReads

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Excerpt from HAUNTED U...

Ezzie pulled her Range Rover behind her dad’s vehicle.  Beau parked right behind her in
his truck. He was at her door in an instant and held a hand to help her out of the car. 

Addelyn was waiting for them in the open doorway, a huge smile on her face, and
looking perfectly put together in a lavender shirt-dress and black heels.

“Why, Beau, you are getting so handsome.  It’s been ages since we’ve had you over for dinner. How’s your mama?”

Beau smiled and kissed the cheek she offered him.  “Thank you, Mrs. Lovegreen.  You are looking as lovely as ever.  Mama is great.  I’ll tell her you asked after her.”

Addelyn nodded and turned back into the house.  “Let’s go eat.  Dinner should be ready right about now.”

“I need to drop my stuff in my room.  You can come, or go find my dad.  I’m sure he’s in his study.”

Beau gave her a look. “I think I’ll go with you.”

Heat bloomed in Ezzie's cheeks again.  The look he had just given her was anything
but platonic.  She smiled shyly and led him back to her room but stopped at the door.  He had never been in her room before. No boy ever had.  This was new territory for her.  She shook herself mentally and stepped over the threshold into her room.

Beau stood in the doorway for a moment, looking around.

“You can come in,” Ezzie said softly.

He smiled and walked in, running his fingers across the surface of her desk.

“That was my grandfather’s.”

He nodded.  “I remember seeing it in his study when we were kids.” Beau took a step toward her.   He bridged the gap between them with his hands, drawing her the last few steps.

“Beau...” Her heart pounded in her chest.

He tipped her chin up and touched his lips to hers lightly.  Ezzie lifted her hands up and around his neck, pulling him closer to her.  She pressed her lips more firmly against his.  She couldn't believe they were really having their first kiss in her bedroom with her parents just down the hall. Beau’s fingers wove into her hair.  He finally pulled away a bit and laid his chin against her forehead, his arms still around her.

“Just so we’re clear, I want to be more than just your friend, Ezzie,” he whispered.

If Beau hadn’t been holding her up, she would have fallen to the floor. “I want to be more than your friend too, Beau,” she breathed.

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review: Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez

Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez

My rating: 4/5

DRC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

Published: 8.6.2013

Genre: PNR

Series: Dragon Heat #1

Summary –

The last thing dragon shifter Stig Wyvern needs is his dead friend’s kid sister showing up on his doorstep. He’s just minutes away from entering a mating phase. Sharing his isolated house with the young woman he’s desperately lusted after for quite some time is a recipe for disaster.

But Cora Cardenas has nowhere else to go. She’s in deep trouble with some really nasty people and Stig is the only one who can protect her. That he’s deliciously sexy and makes her tingle with the simplest of smiles is just a bonus.

Cora quickly realizes Stig is hiding something from her. To make matters worse, she’s plagued with breathtakingly naughty dreams starring a shadowed lover who bears a startling resemblance to her host. And just what the hell is going on down in the basement at night?

Stig needs to get Cora out of his house but his inner beast has other ideas. He’s found his mate and she’s not going anywhere...(Thanks to GoodReads.com for the summary)

My Thoughts –

Dead Sexy Dragon is a wicked hot, quick, smokin’ read. So good, I read it in one sitting. The chemistry between Stig and Cora is so hot, I may have had to fan myself a few times. Stig is a stubborn, hot dragon and is determined to beat his mating phase but fails – in a good way. Cora is smart. She knows something is going on with Stig and she knows that Stig wants her the same way she wants him. I think this is a great, quick into to a new series that I think will be awesome!!

review: Stay With Me by Elyssa Patrick

Stay With Me by Elyssa Patrick

My rating: 4/5

DRC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

Published: 8.30.13

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Summary –

New Adult/Contemporary Romance - recommended for ages 17 and up.

With one look, I’m his . . .

With one touch, he’s mine . . .

With one kiss, it changes everything between us . . .

I’ve been famous since I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing—I’ve done it all. The tabloids cover my every move, but I don’t want that anymore. I want to be normal, whatever that is.

When I leave Hollywood for college in Vermont, I’m on my own for the first time in my life. This is my chance to figure out who I am and what I want in life.

But it’s a lot harder than I expected. I can’t escape my image. Classes are difficult, and I’m struggling. And then there’s Caleb Fox.

Sexy, intriguing Caleb Fox.

Caleb is the one man who doesn’t want to use me. He breaks down my walls. He challenges me. He wants me. And I just don’t know if I can give him the same—or if he’ll stick around when he finds out my shameful secret that the tabloids haven’t managed to uncover.

Dating him is risky enough, but loving him could break me. (Thanks to GoodReads.com for the summary)

My Thoughts –

Where does the story take place? A college town in Vermont

Is the title a good/bad choice for the story? Works good, I think

List the top 3 characters and 1 word to describe them each. Hailey – lost, Caleb – real, Daphne - awesome

Give the book an alternate ending…or were you happy with it? Happy with it

Did you cry, laugh, sigh, cringe, fume or feel nothing? A few – you see for yourself :)

Stay With Me is a sweet story about love, trust and believing in oneself. This was a great read that I couldn’t put down and didn’t want it to stop.

Hailey wants to starts over and really isn’t sure of herself as a “regular” person. She meets this guy and can’t really trust the feeling she’s having for him or him in general because in the past she’s only ever been used. Hailey was an ok character but not my fave.

Caleb meets this girl and instantly feels a connection to her. Yeah, he knows who she is – but that’s really not a factor in him wanting to get to know her better. He’s a great guy and has an awesome group of friends who accept Hailey for who she really is. Caleb is totally the boy I want my daughter to meet in college and end up with.

The instant connection between these two is sizzlin’. Their chemistry is smexy and heartfelt. This was a fast paced, easy to read story. The language isn’t hookey/corny and the characters are awesome. Great job!!

review: Wild Child by Molly O'Keefe

Wild Child ~ Molly O'Keefe

4 of 5 stars

Expected publication date: 10.29.2013

DRC provided by NetGalley

Perfect for readers of Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Rachel Gibson, this sizzling romance tells the story of a sexy small-town mayor and a notorious “bad girl,” who discover that home really is where the heart is.

Monica Appleby is a woman with a reputation. Once she was America’s teenage “Wild Child,” with her own reality TV show. Now she’s a successful author coming home to Bishop, Arkansas, to pen the juicy follow-up to her tell-all autobiography. Problem is, the hottest man in town wants her gone. Mayor Jackson Davies is trying to convince a cookie giant to move its headquarters to his crumbling community, and Monica’s presence is just too . . . unwholesome for business. But the desire in his eyes sends a very different message: Stay, at least for a while.

Jackson needs this cookie deal to go through. His town is dying and this may be its last shot. Monica is a distraction proving too sweet, too inviting—and completely beyond his control. With every kiss he can taste her loneliness, her regrets, and her longing. Soon their uncontrollable attraction is causing all kinds of drama. But when two lost hearts take a surprise detour onto the bumpy road of unexpected love, it can only lead someplace wonderful.

“Molly O’Keefe is a unique, not-to-be-missed voice in romantic fiction.”—New York Times bestselling author Susan Andersen  (thanks GoodReads for the summary)

My Thoughts -

I thought this story was cute. And kind of fluffy. It was a fast paced easy read that I quite enjoyed. I thought the dilemma of the town was unique and something that unfortunately is happening all over our country. I thought the idea of the TV reality show to pick the town the "nasty" cookie factory goes into was a great idea - the men of Alaska....what's that website address?

Jackson and Monica are great together and have decent chemistry. I didn't feel the tension in the air though when they got together...I felt it more with the art teacher and the slimbag. You do get to care about the people of Bishop though and really have to try a piece of Cora's Pecan pie as you go along though it.

Great story...more in this series??

A Step Away - Jocelyn Stover EXCERPT!! Check it out:)

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“Time…such a cruel mistress of fate. What we do with ours can either enrich our lives or destroy them, and we mortals never seem to have enough. The right time, our time, was too little and over much too quickly.”

When Gwen turns her back on a set of smoldering amber eyes in favor of a crystal blue pair, her plan is to sever all ties with the Wanderers. Her goodbye is short lived; however, when the investigation into Preston-Ward Pharmaceuticals reveals a powerful sylph has escaped. When Gwen is drawn back into the Wanderer brotherhood for her own protection she discovers she can no longer bury her feelings for Kade or ignore the growing gulf between her and Ben. As the unrelenting hunt for their ancient enemy heats up, Gwen’s attempt to straddle two worlds becomes tedious. She must choose, but when nephilim mysteriously begin to disappear her time may be up.

A Step Away - Wanderer Series #2

by Jocelyn Stover

Expected Release Date: October 4, 2013

A Step Away on Goodreads

Find it on Amazon!!

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Out of Reach - Wanderer Series #1

Out of Reach on Goodreads

Gwen Cohen has aspired her whole life to reach her current position of project manager at Preston-Ward Pharmaceuticals, but when she stumbles upon a dirty little secret everything changes. As she struggles with the reality of evil and her own powerful legacy, she gets pulled farther from the world she knows and closer to the one she can’t deny. Eyes finally open, Gwen struggles to unlock the dormant magic within herself before it’s too late. The lines between love and desire, and duty and commitment become exceedingly blurred and the ultimate choice to be made may not be between right and wrong but the head and the heart. 

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AUTHOR BIO

I'm a thoughtful, sarcastic, work-o-holic, mother of four. I must thrive on chaos because I've certainly built enough of it into my life already! I write during the stolen mintures of the day when the children are in bed or at school. When I'm not writing you can find me up to no good with my kiddos, or outside soaking up the sunshine. 

WEBSITE/BLOG TWITTER FACEBOOK GOODREADS
 

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EXCERPT: Z and Gwen’s run

“Change your clothes, we’re going for a run,” Z states.

“What? No!”

“Just indulge me.” His clipped tone lets me know there’s no getting out of this, and I can tell he’s trying very hard to keep the usual expletives and name calling that decorate his speech to a minimum.

“Fine,” I reply, not at all thrilled by the prospect of hanging out with Z. I bang around loudly while I don appropriate attire, like a toddler throwing a fit, and it actually makes me feel a bit better. Sullenly I keep my mouth shut and follow Z outside to the pavement, at which point he starts running and I have no choice but to truck it to match his long strides. 

“What are we doing?” I huff after several minutes of soundlessly pounding the pavement.

“We’re finally going to have that chat about the chip on my shoulder.”

“Oh.”

“Surprised?” he inquires, grinning.  

“Yes,” I admit, grateful that this isn’t going to be about me.

“Don’t look so smug, we’ll get to you.” Damn it. I knew it was too good to be true. “So go on, ask me,” he continues, ignoring the sour look on my face.

“What’s your deal? Why do you let that guy get to you? I know you were close when you two were Sylph but you’re an entirely different species now.” My joke about his ilk earns me a laugh.

“I was changed, yes, but my memories are still there. The angels didn’t start me off with a blank slate.”

“You guys never really talk about that, you just allude to it now and again.”

“Do you like to talk about all your mistakes?”

“Well no,” I reply floundering, the conversation steering me more than I’m leading it. “Wait!” I blurt out as a shred of higher reasoning comes to my rescue. “You feel guilty, don’t you?” 

  “Geez, you’re dense.” Z laughs and rolls his eyes.

“Seriously Z, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Oh really,” he says and stops running to confront me. “I’ve killed more people than I can count… many of them children.”

“That’s just it: you haven’t killed anyone. A long time ago there lived a monster, and yes he killed a lot of people, but his name wasn’t Zafir. How can you beat yourself up over something you didn’t do? That you had absolutely no control over?”  

“How can you?” he asks in return.

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