September 25, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Review Round Up – September 2014

Hi readers, since the summer holidays Tina and myself have been burying our head in books, catching up with our blog posts and planning ahead for Halloween!

Yes, I said “Halloween”!! I cannot believe it has come around so quickly again!

But while you wait for some super cool reviews over the oncoming scary period here are thirteen fab stories that we have reviewed over the past few weeks! As usual there is a great range of genres, from contemporary romance to erotic romance, historicals to sci-fi’s and dystopians!! (To see our review please click on the book title).

Happy Reading 🙂

Caroline and Tina xx

Back to Storafalt (Finally Ever After) by Holley Trent, contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: He stood her up. Now she’s standing out.

The last time Justine Eklund had heard from Gray Voss was when he’d agreed to take her to her sister’s wedding. He stood her up. Twelve years later, he’s back in Wyoming as the new owner of Storafalt’s only pharmacy. He didn’t come alone, though. He brought along the small cowboy town’s best-kept secret—his preteen son, Danny.

Gray wants to pick up where he left off. He never stopped loving the beautiful rabble-rouser, and thinks she’ll fit seamlessly into his little family. Justine yearns to reignite that old torch, but she’s wary. She’s not convinced her high school sweetheart will stick around.

Storafalt’s only school is on a rapid decline, so Gray may have no choice but to return Danny to the life they built in Austin. If he goes, there’s no way Justine can go with them. Unlike Gray, she’s rooted too deeply to leave.

Unlovable (The Case Files of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist) by Cynthia St. Aubin, paranormal, romance, fantasy, humour (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: It isn’t every day a sexy demigod throws a pissed-off Cupid onto psychologist Matilda Schmidt’s couch and informs her the fate of the world depends on her ability to get him off his diapered ass and back to helping people fall in love. Just when Matilda convinces herself she’s not hallucinating, in walks a Vegas hit man with a big gun and a bigger threat: pay back the million dollars she owes a notorious casino mogul, or wind up as fish food in Lake Mead.Rocketing across country with a gun to her head, Matilda has a dysfunctional love-god in her laptop bag, a million dollar debt she has no knowledge of, and must convince the seductive hit man he’s snatched the wrong woman before he convinces her he might be the right man—for a night. Can Matilda stay alive long enough to keep love from becoming history?

The Medea Complex by Rachel Florence Roberts, historical, psychological thriller, mystery (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

****BASED ON A TRUE STORY***

1885. Anne Stanbury – Committed to a lunatic asylum, having been deemed insane and therefore unfit to stand trial for the crime of which she is indicted. But is all as it seems?

Edgar Stanbury – the grieving husband and father who is torn between helping his confined wife recover her sanity, and seeking revenge on the woman who ruined his life.

Dr George Savage – the well respected psychiatrist, and chief medical officer of Bethlem Royal Hospital. Ultimately, he holds Anne’s future wholly in his hands.

The Medea Complex tells the story of a misunderstood woman suffering from insanity in an era when mental illnesses’ were all too often misdiagnosed and mistreated. A deep and riveting psychological thriller set within an historical context, packed full of twists and turns, The Medea Complex explores the nature of the human psyche: what possesses us, drives us, and how love, passion, and hope for the future can drive us to insanity.

Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1) by Pepper Winters, dark erotic romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: “I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments.

After Wimbledon by Jennifer Gilby Roberts, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, chick-lit (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: A British chick lit / romantic comedy novel about tennis, romance, family and having the guts to move on to a new phase of your life.

After 12 years on the pro. tennis tour and four years with her sort-of boyfriend, Lucy Bennett has had enough. She wants real life… and real love.

Her life, her decision. Right? Well, no one else seems to think so. With opinions on all sides, Lucy’s head is spinning. And she’s stumbling right into the arms of long-term crush and fellow player Sam. Shame her boyfriend – his arch-rival – would sooner smash a racquet over their heads than agree to a simple change of partners.

As the Wimbledon Championships play out, Lucy fights for her life on and off the courts. The question is: what will she be left with after Wimbledon?

Primary Fault (The Schattenreich Series #1) by Sharon Kae Reamer, fantasy romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Caitlin Schwarzbach has left home. For good.

Separated from her beloved brother Gus at age seven, Caitlin exchanges small-town Texas for Cologne, Germany to be with him. But upon her arrival, a man resembling her brother attempts to kidnap her.

At a university reception, Caitlin feels intimidated by one of her brother’s former colleagues, only to have the conversation interrupted by a dangerously attractive man, Hagen von der Lahn. She learns her seismologist brother Gus has included her in a research project with the amateur archeologist and stylish aristocrat. When Gus is called away to his institute by an earthquake, the deranged Gus doppelgänger again tries to drag her away. Hagen rescues Caitlin and secures her in his castle near the Rhine.

Gus vanishes, sought by the Cologne police for multiple sexual assaults. As Hagen and Caitlin begin the investigation into her brother’s disappearance, her feelings for Hagen grow. But before she can follow up on a promising lead, a blow to the head lands Caitlin in the hospital. An unwanted visitor appears by her bed; someone she feared since childhood, the being she thinks of as Death. His appearance can only mean one thing: her brother is in mortal danger.

A novel of supernatural suspense, Primary Fault is a delightful mixture of science meets magic set amidst a backdrop of Celto-Germanic Otherworld.

Desired (True Alpha #1) (short story) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Mia is just a college girl trying to earn her business degree and dig out of the poverty she was born into—being a shifter is something she hides, hoping her secret won’t sabotage her dreams.

Lucas is a broken alpha, a wolf who lost his mate, his pack, and almost himself—he wasn’t looking to rescue a girl or start a pack war. But now he has to keep her safe or it won’t just be her life, but his whole family at risk… only his inner wolf can’t seem to keep its paws off a girl who has secrets of her own.

Guarded (True Alpha #2) (short story) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

As Lucas fights his instinctual attraction to Mia, focusing instead on guarding her and keeping her safe from the Red pack, Mia tries to discover the truth about Lucas’s dead mate.

Guarded (True Alpha 2) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the second of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

Hunter Betrayed (Wild Hunt #1) by Nancy Corrigan, erotic fantasy, paranormal romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Tainted from birth, Harley lives a life cloaked in darkness and temptation. She resists the lure of her evil legacy by holding the memory of her ghostly savior close. Every night without him is agony. She fantasizes about him and yearns for his body, but he’s not the protector or lover she’s envisioned. He’s a Hunter bred to eliminate her kind. He’s also her only hope of salvation.

Calan, the leader of the Wild Hunt, was created to protect mankind from the Unseelie Court. For a millennium, he’s sacrificed to ensure the horrid creatures remain in the Underworld, but his strength wanes. He must rely on his enemy’s daughter to save him, but he doesn’t expect the intensity of their lust or love. Her touch calms his wild nature and ignites his carnal desires. He’ll risk all to save her, but doing so forces him to make the ultimate sacrifice, one that’ll damn him to suffer forever in his own living hell.

Soul Rebel by C.J. Pinard, paranormal romance suspense (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: When 21-year-old Nolan Bishop meets a seductive woman named Eva at a dark club in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana, little does he know his soul will be gone as soon as she is. Realizing she’s taken something from him, he finds out he has a very limited time to destroy her before he turns into something sinister and inhuman. In a race against all that is holy, Nolan has to find Eva and get his soul back while trying not to fall in love with Charity, the twin sister of the succubus who took his soul – all in 7 days.

Her Vengeful Scot (Highland Chronicles #2) by Christina Phillips, historical romance, erotic, slight paranormal (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Ordered to remain in Pictland, Cameron MacNeil fights the lust that consumes him whenever he encounters the aloof princess, Elise. Not only is she a cursed Pict, she’s married to the man responsible for his sister’s death. In order to avenge his sister, he must destroy the woman he wants most.

Despite her reputation, Elise has no interest in men until she meets Cameron. Lacking the famed Scots charm, his blunt ways enchant her and he ignites a passion in her she thought long dead. When she is freed from her difficult marriage, Elise places her trust in the tough warrior who stole her heart.

Bound by blood oaths, the only way Cam can protect Elise from political schemes is to make her his bride. When Elise discovers the truth of her husband’s death, she wonders if everything she knew about Cam was a lie. All she can do is trust that her goddess was right and Cameron is her true love.

Too Much to Lose (Dirty Little Secrets) by Samantha Holt, contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Have you ever been so desperate you made a decision that would haunt you forever?

Jess has.

She became a porn star.

Jess is on the run from her past. She has no friends, no life. She tries to forget everything that happened to her all those years ago. After changing her image, leaving her home and getting a new job, she’s determined it won’t happen again. If that means never being close to anyone ever again, then so be it.

If only Hunter O’Reilly didn’t make her wish things could be different.

Hunter needs this job. After being screwed over by his partner—make that ex-partner—his investigation business is on the line. Already in debt, he eagerly takes on the job of finding some stolen money at triple his going rate and all leads point in Jess’s direction. He expects problems at that price. But he doesn’t expect to fall for her.

However, no job is ever that simple. When he’s forced to spend more time with her, the lines between business and pleasure are blurred. And once Jess’s life comes under threat, they have to make a decision, can they both overcome Jess’s past?

Here Lies Love by Dan Thompson, dystopian, romance, New Adult (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: Would death be less painful than life?

When she is sold by her father, Abbey discovers that nightmares can occur when you’re awake. Trapped inside a wooden cage, Abbey is forced to listen to the horrors and atrocities above; time ticking down until it is her turn. But Abbey isn’t prepared to become a victim; she will escape.

Although, what Abbey isn’t prepared for, is how harsh and unfair the world can be. With the sun turning its back on humanity long ago, life gives no opportunity. The only thing Abbey can do is learn to survive. To exist. And that means stealing any opportunity that comes her way. Haunted by the unpleasant memories bestowed upon her only nurtures Abbey’s paranoia, until she realises that to truly live in the world, she must confront the person who was responsible for her misfortune – her father.

Here Lies Love is a New Adult tale of actuality, of facing up to the fact that love comes in many guises. Can Abbey find the one glimmer of hope or will she be overcome with the darkness of revenge?

September 24, 2014 by Tina Williams

COVER REVEAL ~ LOVE AT THE END OF DAYS ~ by Tera Shanley (includes super giveaway)

Romance with Zombies!!!

Check out this zombie-riffic cover for Tera Shanley’s Love At The End of Days!

Congrats to author Tera Shanley for such an awesome book and cover – I mean JUST LOOK AT IT! We are planning on making the coming weeks extra fun in the run up to Halloween by joining with Tera and her friends to celebrate zombies and all things dark! Scroll on down to find out more about Tera’s book and further fun and frolicks. You can also click to enter the Goodreads giveaway to win a copy of Love at the End of Days PLUS comment on this blog post for a chance to win an e- copy of the previous instalment, Love In The Time of The Dead. Good luck! Tina and Caroline ❤

Love At The End of Days

ISBN:9781623421557

Release Date: October 14th, 2014

Book Blurb

Romance and zombies collide in the riveting sequel to Love in the Time of the Dead. Year four into the Dead outbreak that ended the world and Vanessa Summers has been so burned by love, she swears she will never trust a man again. But Sean Daniels, guard leader of Dead Run River, isn’t just any man. When past lovers return to the colony, things get complicated. Desperate to rid herself of the heartache, Vanessa signs up for a supply run that will test her mettle as a guard in training. Sean volunteers to lead her team, and his hungry looks say it’s more personal than professional. Danger comes from all sides as they scavenge Dead infested cities, and as her attraction for Sean deepens, Vanessa finds her head and heart at war with each other. He clouds her judgment, and any misstep could spell disaster outside of the safety of colony gates. A race back to Dead Run River could save a team mate’s life, but trouble has been brewing back home. Laney Landry, the woman who broke Sean’s heart, is in trouble, and Vanessa must decide whether to take back the Denver colony beside the man she’s falling in love with, or bow out of an attraction that terrifies her.

Weathering Dead hybrids, betrayals, battles, jealousy, and soul consuming love, Vanessa must find her place in the team she’s found. And if she can, she might just master survival at the end of days.

Connect with the Author

http://terashanley.blogspot.com/

Further Zombie Themed Fun and Frolicks!

Don’t forget October 14th (release day), when you can join a Twitter Party, with lots of fun and prizes. Follow #OmniZombies on October 14th!

To win a copy of Tera’s book enter on Goodreads (US and Canada only): Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/107005-love-at-the-end-of-days

To win a copy of Book One, Love In The Time of The Dead through us at A Reader’s Review Blog all you need to do is comment on this blog post with your name and email address by midnight GMT on October 5th. The winner will be selected at random and the book will be dispatched by OMNIFIC PUBLISHING after we have informed them of the winner. ❤

September 22, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW & Kindle e-book GIVEAWAY Here Lies Love by Dan Thompson

A Reader’s Review Blog are excited to host our review and fantastic giveaway of Dan Thompson’s New Adult Dystopian ‘Here Lies Love’! Be warned – there are some dark and adult topics and therefore, it is not one for the faint-hearted!! (Please scroll down for details of the e-book giveaway!)

Blurb: Would death be less painful than life?

REVIEW

Wow! There are some very dark topics in this New Adult dystopian, Here Lies Love, and it is definitely not for the faint hearted! Not only is it one of the darkest novels I have read for some time, being set in an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it survival narrative but it also deals with captivity, violence and sexual abuse, where the victim considers suicide as it may be preferable to carrying on. There is also the presence of betrayal and loneliness surrounding the main character, Abbey. Be prepared for an intense, emotive adventure, where the reader truly cannot predict what will happen on the following page, let alone at the end of the story!!!

The reader is introduced to Abbey at a time when the sun hasn’t shone in the sky for many years. The human race is barely surviving and Abbey has been sent away by her father to live with Stefan, a man who offered Abbey a chance of minor housework to earn her keep and food. Little did Abbey know that she would be under lock and key and only taken out when Stefan, the monster, wanted to play. Abbey not only has to live with the fear of what this guy will do to her, but she can hear the screams of other girls. She cannot let him carry on doing this to her.

The reader feels every sense of terror, anxiety and tension, longing for Abbey and the others to escape. This story takes you places that you would not really want to venture to from the beginning. However, by doing this the reader is hooked on hoping for Abbey to make it out. For a New Adult novel, Dan Thompson writes so carefully, explaining the depths of desperation that Abbey is at, allowing every moment to be clear to the reader without being completely graphic as a more mature read could be. This shows a level of sensitivity and the author helps create the horrific scene with atmospheric descriptions just as much as the abusive situation in which Abbey is in.

Abbey’s emotions towards her father are mixed. She was close to him and her gran when she was younger but she cannot understand how her father could just give her away to a monster like Stefan. Abbey feels angry and betrayed by her father. She wants answers and he is the only one that holds them. Her father and her home at the lighthouse are all she knows and so her objective is to face her father to find his truth and possibly seek revenge.

Here Lies Love also keeps the reader on their toes just as much as Abbey is. I find dystopians in general are dark reads and concentrate on surviving, and this is no different in many ways. There is a lack of trust in people, the need for food and warmth, etc, but Abbey is also struggling with the coming of age at the same time as having her innocence robbed and then to top it all off she falls for another survivor of the apocalypse in Tristan.

Meeting Tristan, although careful and cautious of him at first, provides Abbey with a certain feeling of affection that she has long forgotten. She has only had to think and care for herself, and now meeting Tristan and his best friend, Ryan, she begins to feel connected with people again, if just a little. However, due to her young age and trying to deal with what has happened to her makes it very easy for Abbey to become paranoid and concerned about the true intentions of Tristan and Ryan. The reader does question, ‘Is there hope for Abbey’s future?’

Towards the end of the novel the answer to that question is still one for the reader to possibly judge for themselves. And where does it leave Tristan? I want to know so much more about these characters and, although the story is pretty well wrapped, I would still like to follow these characters into a sequel to find out exactly what becomes of both of them and whether or not they are together? Despite the seriousness, darkness and sheer desperation that Abbey felt, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. If you are a dystopian fan and enjoy a dark read this is definitely one for you!!

A copy of Here Lies Love was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win an e-book (mobi version for Amazon Kindle) of Here Lies Love all we ask is for you to leave your name and/or a comment in the comments box below before Monday 29th September 2014.

Alternatively, you can leave a comment on our Facebook page post at www.facebook.com/AReadersReview before the closing date, Monday 29th September 2014!

The winner will be randomly selected and notified as soon as they are selected.

Good luck to all those who enter. We wish you every success!!

Caroline & Tina 🙂

And if you are unlucky, or simply cannot wait then here are the purchase links:-

Here Lies Love is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

September 21, 2014 by Tina Williams

~COVER REVEAL~ CELT by London Miller (includes giveaway)

SYNOPSIS:

Amber Lacey lived for paint and canvases, as was the life of an artist. When she accepted the position in an art gallery as an art restorer, she never expected to get caught up in a world of high-end art theft, or become the target of a ticked off cartel leader…

A single name. His entire identity.

From the time Celt accepted the brand of his organization, he more than happily signed his identity over, not giving a second thought to his handler scrubbing his identity from the world.

It was the price he had to pay.

With a new contract, he expected it to be cut and dry, even if his new employer could get a bit grabby, but what he didn’t expect to find was the girl caught in the middle of it all…and worse, his growing attraction to her.

There was no room for love in the life he led…

But he had never been one to follow the rules anyway…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18634855-celt

AUTHOR BIO:

With a degree in Creative Writing, London Miller has turned pen to paper, creating riveting fictional worlds where the bad guys are sometimes the good guys. Her debut novel, In the Beginning, is the first in the Volkov Bratva Series. She currently resides in southern Georgia where she drinks far too much Mountain Dew, and spends her nights writing.

AUTHOR MEDIA LINKS:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/londonmillerauthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LMAuthor

Website: http://londonmiller.blogspot.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7246705.London_Miller

COVER REVEAL HOSTED:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

September 20, 2014 by Tina Williams

~TOO MUCH TO LOSE (DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS)~ by Samantha Holt BOOK TOUR & REVIEW

We are delighted to be taking part in the book tour for Samantha Holt’s latest release Too Much to Lose, an edgy and smexy contemporary romance. Scroll down for the book blurb, an excerpt, my review and also the link to the rafflecopter where a $25 Amazon gift card and two e-copies of the author’s military romance Not Another Soldier are up for grabs. Tina ❤

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Too Much to Lose
SERIES – Dirty Little Secrets
AUTHOR – Samantha Holt
GENRE – Contemporary Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – 5th September
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 75000

BOOK BLURB / SYNOPSIS

Have you ever been so desperate you made a decision that would haunt you forever?

Jess has.

She became a porn star.

If only Hunter O’Reilly didn’t make her wish things could be different.

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – GOODREADS

EXCERPT

“If you’re in trouble, I know some people who can help.”
“I’m not in trouble. Really, I’m not. I mean who would want to kill me? I know bankers aren’t exactly popular—” she lets loose a shaky laugh “—but I’m harmless.”
Harmless? Not sure about that. Jess sends my heart racing, makes my skin clammy. She’s driving me insane. Harmless? No way.
“What do you want me to do?” I ask.
“Do?”
“Shall I stick around?”
“Oh. No, you don’t need to do that.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I’m fine. Seriously. Thank you for today. You must be tired and I bet your side hurts.”
It does, but I’m not going to admit to that. “It’s fine.”
“Look about that kiss….”
“That was my fault.”
“I kissed you.”
“You did.” I can’t resist letting my mouth curve upwards. She kissed me, but I don’t know if that’s a bad or a good thing. While my pride basks in it, the voice inside that keeps pulling at my gut wants to scream at her to run while she still can. I’m no good for her. “But I kissed you back,” I point out. “And I should not have been… er… touching you out there.”
She draws her bottom lip between her teeth. “It’s okay.”
Hell, how do those two tiny words send an arrow of need straight to my cock? It’s okay that I was kissing her? Or touching her up? It’s okay that I want her so badly I nearly bent her over my bike to fuck her?
Before I can dwell on it anymore and make an even bigger fool of myself, I get to my feet. “Will you let me stay?”
“I don’t think so. It’s too risky.”
A hard knot forms in my throat. I’m more dangerous to her than a crazed gunman it seems. She might be right. If—when—I find that money, her whole life is going to come crashing down.
“Don’t answer the door to anyone. Be careful. Call me if you need me. In fact, call me tomorrow.” She follows me to the door. “Please?” I add as uncertainty dashes across her face.
Jess opens the door and I step out. “I’ll call you,” she says when I turn to face her.
“Promise?”
She rolls her eyes and her mouth curves. “I promise.”
Those lush lips snare my attention and my own smile drops. My skin feels hot and itchy, my pulse urgent. This is insane. I rest an arm against the door frame, my feet still firmly planted on the other side of the threshold and bring my mouth slowly down on hers. She softens but doesn’t touch me. We’re divided by the invisible line between the corridor and her room. I can’t help thinking of it as symbolic. We’re divided by secrets and lies.
Not that any of that matters once our lips connect. I swear I’ve never wanted to kiss a woman so much. Kisses are about the end game. But not with Jess. I want to drown in her kisses, to kiss her all day and see if I ever tire of them. I suspect it’s unlikely.

MY REVIEW

A panty melting, emotional and suspenseful read!

* * * * *

Samantha Holt has excelled herself with yet another super contemporary read, complementing her military romance Not Another Soldier, Her Dream Cowboy, a short erotic read (part of the Buckle Down Anthology) and her collection of sensual historical romances.

Too much to Lose is edgy and oftentimes dark, featuring a Private Investigator who is in desperate need of money and an ex porn star who is equally desperate to forget her past. I just LOVED the premise of this inventive story and smexy plot from the outset!

Jess is a woman with a tragic past, events having compelled her to enter the porn industry, albeit for a short time. She deeply regrets this decision, trying to escape its consequences and make a respectable life for herself, avoiding men and the heartbreak that they can bring once they discover her secrets. When Hunter all but bursts onto the scene she is determined not to become involved, but circumstances draw them together and their lives become entangled. Will he be her saviour or is he a threat to more than her heart?

Hunter is under instructions from his client to find out what Jess has done with a significant amount of money she stole. To do so he must get close to her, this woman whose past is an enigma to him. He finds it difficult to believe that she is a criminal but he needs the money the contract can bring. Can he turn her in, given his growing feelings for her and the danger she increasingly appears to be in?

I loved that the hero and heroine have a strong and immediate mutual attraction and that despite their reservations cannot help falling for each other. They are extremely well matched and I became more engrossed in their romance the more I read. I wanted to see what would happen when Jess realised Hunter’s deceit. There was also the burning question of how Hunter would react when he found out about Jess’s time spent in the porn industry.

Hunter is a totally swoon worthy hero and I fell for him very quickly! It helped that he is a Harley riding drop dead gorgeous Private Investigator, with a strong sense of honour, not afraid to get his hands dirty when protecting the woman he is growing to love. Oh and did I mention he is also Irish ? – for me a definite plus! There is a good cast of supporting characters and plenty of nail biting scenes. Emotions between the couple run high as the plot and the truth unravels and the increasing danger and suspense build to a super climax.

I adored this read and strongly recommend it to readers who love a fast paced, suspenseful read but which also has plenty of action in the love and passion stakes.

A copy of this novel was given to me for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

AUTHOR BIO

Samantha lives in a small village in England with her gorgeous twin girls and husband who is a trained bodyguard and ex-soldier. She traditionally writes historical romances involving chivalrous knights and hot highlanders, but occasionally dabbles in contemporary romance.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

1 x $25 Amazon Gift Card
2 x ecopies of Not Another Soldier

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was proudly organized by

September 20, 2014 by Tina Williams

COVER REVEAL ~ BEND, DON’T BREAK by Skye Callahan (includes excerpt)

After reading Skye Callahan’s Irrevocable, one of this year’s top dark erotic romances, I’ve been SO looking forward to finding out more about Kirk and Silver’s story. We are therefore delighted to be playing a part in the cover reveal for Bend, Don’t Break, its sequel! Tina 🙂

Title: Bend Don’t Break

Sequel to IRREVOCABLE

Author: Skye Callahan

Genre: Dark Erotic Romance

Release Date: November 18, 2014

Presale: Amazon US|UK|CA|AU

Check with your local Amazon, preorders are available internationally.

Nook | iTunes | Kobo

Goodreads

Synopsis

I thought I was done.

my End

I couldn’t take my eyes off her as the bullet tore through me, leaving me with nothing but the hope that I had done enough to save her. The darkness tried to engulf me—to brand me as its own and drag me to my fate.

my Darkness

Waking to see her tear-stained face above me was enough to make my heart stutter. I was alive and free from that place—but not from the toll it had taken on my mind and body. My story should have ended, but one woman kept standing in the way of that.

my Strength

The only way I could have her was to find a way to put the darkness to rest.

Warning: This isn’t your rainbows and love sonnets kind of romance. This story explores topics of abduction and slavery, and contains explicit scenes of dubious consent, graphic violence and sex.

About The Author

Skye Callahan is an Ohio-girl who has spent a lifetime chained to the imaginary worlds of the characters who live in her head. Although it was her interest in paranormal that originally inspired her to pick up the pen, she has recently followed her interest in BDSM and dark romance to venture into other realms of fiction. She currently lives with her husband and two ferrets, who keep her plenty busy when she’s not writing.

Mailing List for releases and updates: http://eepurl.com/UW1ET

Join Skye’s Reading Hangout for more interaction with Skye and other readers, as well as exclusive events and news.

Excerpt

“How many women did you have sex with while you were there?”

It was the third time Dr. Combs had asked me that question. And for the third time I wanted to avoid it.

I had just gotten out of that hell, and I still had the bullet hole in my chest to prove it, but it didn’t stop my boss on pushing the psychiatric evaluation.

Dr. Combs cleared her throat, and my jaw clenched.

I didn’t even want to admit the number to myself even though I could se every one of the girls in my head.

Kat, the red-headed braggart who thought she owned every man who walked into the retreat.

Gabby, the indignant curly haired brunette.

Raini a gorgeous but frail girl who was transferred in right after I went undercover. I had feared that one more night in Ross’ bed would kill her before her first week was up.

Alley, a blond sweetheart who belonged to Miles, my unconventional friend.

Silver, the girl who simultaneously ruined and saved me.

She was the only reason I was alive, and the only reason I had what was left of my soul—except she wasn’t real. Like my undercover alias, Kirk, she was forged from necessity and determination.

And somewhere out there Rose was learning to live her own life again.

At least that’s what I hoped. The day after I was shot in the raid on the “sex retreat”, my superiors had me transferred to another hospital and put under protective custody until they were sure I was safe.

I was fairly positive they were more concerned that any real threat to my life would come from me, since there were very few people who knew of my undercover involvement in the operation.

The only company I was allowed was Dr. Combs, my new shrink. I didn’t want a shrink. I wanted the woman who saved me—the only person who stood a chance of bringing me any kind of peace.

The woman I could never have.

First in the series: Irrevocable

Sometimes when you can’t go back, the only way out is to descend into the darkness.
my Captor
When I woke in that place, I just wanted to survive. But survival came at a cost, for which they demanded my will and body.
my Master
With pain came acceptance. Fully-dependent on the man who claimed me, I learned to appreciate what I had-life and relative safety.
my Protector
I watched him spill blood and tend my injuries. With betrayal came a revelation.
The only way out was to bring them all down or die trying.

Amazon US | UK | CA | AU

Even your country isn’t listed above, it should still be there.

Barnes & Noble | ARe

September 19, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Guarded (True Alpha #2) (short story) by Alisa Woods REVIEW

New Adult Paranormal Romance serial

THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

As Lucas fights his instinctual attraction to Mia, focusing instead on guarding her and keeping her safe from the Red pack, Mia tries to discover the truth about Lucas’s dead mate.

Guarded (True Alpha 2) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the second of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

REVIEW

Whereas book one was a very intense and hot read, Guarded (True Alpha #2) focuses on the emotional tension between Mia and Lucas. After a passionate night with Lucas, Mia’s inner wolf knows that he is right for her and that she belongs with him but Lucas is still in a great deal of heartache and pain from the death of his mate. The reader remains gripped to these characters and will question whether Mia will ever be able to help him come to terms with his deceased mate and allow her to belong with him.

Lucas battles his feelings for Mia, knowing that he can’t go there again. He can never be as close to anyone as he was with his mate. And, as much as he will protect and guard Mia from the Red Pack, he will not take her again or even come close. Guarded actually breaks down these two great characters where the reader will see Lucas’ more darker, serious side, his sorrow and pain, as well as his desire to keep Mia from this.

As a result he puts his defences up and distances himself. This makes him a little cold and impersonal with her at times, although it is also clear that he doesn’t want her to think bad of him. This in turn makes it more difficult for Mia to be with him and know how to respond. Book 2 certainly holds more emotional tension as opposed to sexual tension.

The reader can certainly empathise with both characters, making it unpredictable on the outcome of these two. There are twists and turns, a strong attraction, and danger from the Red Pack, as they will do anything to keep business going their way. (The Red Pack own a rival company to that of Lucas’, and threatening Mia may seem like a good idea to them – especially as they sense the connection between Mia and Lucas and his need to protect her.)

Mia’s character is strong as she feels that if she can help Lucas to open up and face what happened then she is in with a chance. She has much to understand about packs, mates as she has never been raised by one. At times this can make her seem a little naïve to Lucas. This makes the reader just long for Lucas to take Mia under his wing and teach her all he knows, guard her, protect her and love her! But will it all be too much for Lucas to bear?

Lucas’ dad has a strong impact on Mia as he is accepting, gentle and protective – all the things that a father should be that she has missed out on not having her own around. This scene was relatively small and yet had such a deep meaning, especially for Mia. I would like to read a little more about these two in the subsequent books.

The reader doesn’t miss a thing as Guarded (True Alpha #2) picks up where we left off in Desired (True Alpha #1). There are reminders of what happened previously, allowing the reader to easily remember and continue the story without having to keep checking back to the last episode. I cannot wait for the third instalment, Hunted. This series is a strong one for many a paranormal fan to follow. You will not be disappointed with the power and depth that these short stories provide!

Guarded (True Alpha #2) was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Guarded (True Alpha #2) is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

You can also check out our review of Desired (True Alpha #1) (short story) by Alisa Woods here.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

September 17, 2014 by Caroline Barker

That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White and Zombies by Rob Boley SPOTLIGHT

We simply cannot wait to read That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White and Zombies! This horror has a twist on the Snow White fairytale and is to be read as a sequel to the original, tying in nicely for a Halloween review!! This is, author, Rob Boley’s debut novel, published earlier in 2014 by StoneGate Ink.

BLURB: The zombie sequel to Snow White begins where the classic fairy tale ends, with the Prince’s kiss waking Snow from her cursed slumber. Snow wakes up, but she doesn’t wake up right.

Now a deranged zombie, Snow infects both the Prince and the seven dwarfs’ leader. That leaves the young dwarf Grouchy, who is secretly in love with Snow, to find a cure for her malicious curse. So begins an epic journey that pits the lovesick Grouchy against dwarf-hating human soldiers, Snow’s ever-growing zombie horde, and his own bad temper. But when Grouchy and his motley crew of survivors escape Snow’s clutches and seek refuge in a nearby human village, he soon finds that her affliction has spread faster and further then he ever could have imagined. Snow is hell-bent on spreading her horrid curse across the land, and it’s up to Grouchy to stop her before it’s too late.

So begins THE SCARY TALES, a dark fantasy series featuring mash-ups of traditional fairy tale characters and classic horror monsters.

THAT RISEN SNOW trailer (please click to visit the YouTube trailer)

Author Bio:
Rob E. Boley is author of THAT RISEN SNOW: A SCARY TALE OF SNOW WHITE & ZOMBIES, the first in THE SCARY TALES series of dark fantasy novels published by StoneGate Ink. He grew up in Enon, Ohio, a little town with a big Indian mound. He later earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. His fiction has appeared in several markets, including A cappella Zoo, Pseudopod, Necrotic Tissue, and Best New Werewolf Tales, and his stories have won Best in Show in the Sinclair Community College Creative Writing Contest (2013) and the Dayton Daily News/Antioch Writers’ Workshop Short Story Contest (2012). He lives with his daughter in Dayton, Ohio, where he works for his alma mater. You can get to know him better online at http://www.robboley.com.

Author Website: http://www.robboley.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/robboley
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RobBoleyAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4097555.Rob_E_Boley
Instagram: http://instagram.com/robboleyauthor#

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Advance Praise:
“Part delicious dream, part nightmare, That Risen Snow is an aberrant fairytale that is just as much a horror story. Boley has a knack for dark comedy and witty prose, and he blends it with a nearly-hardboiled voice uncharacteristic of (and therefore pleasantly unique in) dark fantasy fiction. It’s a story you’ll want to tear ass through but will equally want to slow down for, so you can savor the prose.”
—Brady Allen, author of Back Roads & Frontal Lobes

“In 1912, the Brothers Grimm published an old German fairy tale they titled Snow White. Little did they know that a guy named Rob Boley would come along a hundred years later to reveal the ‘true’ and adult story of Ms. White, or ‘Snow’ as she was known in real life… No one could have possibly foreseen what would become of Snow in the hands of a diabolical, maniacal imagination like Boley’s… Such a nice boy… with such a fevered mind. Read this with the lights on and a baseball bat or shotgun handy… you’re gonna be glad you did. This is a Snow White you ain’t gonna find in the middle school library… Get it, read it, and try to keep the screaming down.”
—Les Edgerton, author of Hooked, Just Like That, and The Bitch

“That Risen Snow and That Wicked Apple make a deliciously diabolical tale—part Walking Dead, part turned-on-its-ear fairy tale. Rob Boley strikes the perfect balance of depth, drama, and dark humor to keep readers devouring the pages and leave them hungering for more.”
—Linda Gerber, author of the Death by Bikini Mysteries

September 17, 2014 by Tina Williams

DIMITRI ~ PRE-ORDER BLITZ & GIVEAWAY ~ by Kim Grosso

We are SUPER excited to be taking part in this pre-order blitz for Kim Grosso’s erotic paranormal romance Dimitri #6 in the Immortals of New Orleans series to be released on 30th September. It looks full of darkness, danger, passion and suspense! Scroll down to read the book blurb and find out more about the series and the author. You can also enter the Rafflecopter where a $25 gift card is up for grabs. Tina 🙂

Dimitri
by Kym Grosso
Immortals of New Orleans #6
Publication Date: September 30, 2014
Genres: Erotica, Paranormal, Romance

An erotic paranormal romance…

Dimitri LeBlanc, sexy and charismatic beta of Acadian Wolves, survives a brutal attack after his wolf succumbs to a dark force, threatening his very existence. Waking up, tied to a bed, his amusement transforms into lust as a beautiful stranger heals his beast. Intrigued by his mysterious savior, the tables quickly turn, when in the heat of a dark desert night, he rescues her from a barbaric Alpha. Dimitri is inexplicably drawn to the alluring woman, and the discovery that she’s his mate rouses his hunger to claim her as his own.

Gillian Michel, a New York City photographer, conceals a secret hybrid past and mystical abilities. An entire lifetime, she’s deliberately avoided wolves, but a seductive encounter with an irresistible beta leaves her craving his touch, his lips on hers. Passion ignites her desire, leaving her yearning to submit to the powerful wolf who tests her sexual limits.

Deep in the heart of New Orleans, Dimitri and Gillian seek a cure to the parasite maligning his mighty beast. Still on the run from a malevolent force, they lure their enemy into the bayou. Will Gillian sacrifice her gifts to save the man she loves, destroying her own immortality? And will Dimitri eradicate the evil that has invaded his soul while protecting his mate from an adversary who threatens to kill them both?

Warning: This book contains several erotic love scenes and is intended for adult readers only.

About Kym Grosso

Kym Grosso is the award-winning author of the bestselling erotic paranormal romance series, The Immortals of New Orleans. The series currently includes Kade’s Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1), Luca’s Magic Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2), Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 3), Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4), Léopold’s Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5) and Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6).

In addition to romance, Kym has written and published several articles about autism, and is passionate about autism advocacy. She writes autism articles on PsychologyToday.com and AutismInRealLife.com. She also is a contributing essay author in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.

Kym lives with her husband, two children, dog and cat. Her hobbies include autism advocacy, reading, tennis, zumba, traveling and spending time with her husband and children. New Orleans, with its rich culture, history and unique cuisine, is one of her favorite places to visit. Also, she loves traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow-covered mountains. On any given night, when not writing her own books, Kym can be found reading her Kindle, which is filled with hundreds of romances.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Immortals of New Orleans by Kym Grosso

Learn more about the Immortals of New Orleans Series HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

September 16, 2014 by Caroline Barker

To Hear the Rest More Clearly by Anne V. Pyterek SPOTLIGHT

Check out our Anne V. Pyterek SPOTLIGHT update of To Hear the Rest More Clearly. With a fantastic additional author post, I’m sure many of our readers will find this intriguing! It’s always lovely to hear from the author themselves as they open up to what really brings them to write the way they do! Enjoy! – Caroline & Tina

areadersreviewblog

Genre: Literary Fiction, Magical Realism

Synopsis: Calliope Braintree has a lot working against her, but the forces of Nature and Love conspire to make her an instrument in the liberation of her fellow humans and the Wildness they have suppressed and perverted.

Aided by the Muse of Epic Poetry, an urban coyote, and the Chicago River, Calliope saves herself from the ravages of abuse, self-loathing and sexual humiliation. It’s not easy for her to remember the plan she and Muse had made for this life, but memories do come, in confusing fits and starts. A homeless orphan, sure of nothing but her urge to write, she ignores the mind-numbing conventions of civilized society, preferring to listen to her Muse. She follows Coyote, who leads her away from the degrading and harsh brutality of her life, into a haven of safety. Calliope goes to live in a hidden pocket of Wildness…

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