Cricket Creek, Kentucky, is no Nashville—it’s a sweet, small town outside the big-city limelight. But here, two headstrong country music stars will need to rely on their Southern roots and explosive chemistry to top the charts together.
When Cat Carson drops her record label and signs with an independent label based in Cricket Creek, it’s a huge upset in the music world. But the residents of Cricket Creek are thrilled to have a real country music star in their midst. Everyone except Jeff Greenfield, that is—a local rising star himself, who’s been asked to record a duet with the stunning beauty.
Jeff grew up on a farm, but his smooth, soulful country style is starting to get him noticed outside Cricket Creek. And while a duet with Cat Carson could send his career skyrocketing, he doesn’t want to lose touch with his roots—or lose his head. Because sparks are flying every time he and Cat hit the studio. And it’s more than a little distracting….
When Cat Carson, a country star phenomenon with a Top 40 fan base leaves her big time label to relocate to a small town in Kentucky to find herself, she has no idea of how her life is about to change. Jeff Greenfield, wants nothing but to sing, to make a name for himself as a performer of traditional country songs. While he can appreciate the talent in a singer like Cat, he thinks that she’s better suited to pop radio stations than to the Grand Ole Opry. But Fate, in the form of the owner of their mutual record label, steps in, forcing them to put aside their differences and work together.
Sweet Harmony by LuAnn McLane is more than your typical opposites attracting sort of love story. Cat and Jeff are both strong characters who know what they want, at least professionally. They are both determined to make the kind of music that they want, the type that will define them as more than just one-hit wonders or Top 40 fan favorites. And that refusal to back down, to be other than they feel called to be, is what sparks the interest between the two of them as well, and draws them to each other. Their chemistry, combined with strong supporting characters like Maria, Pete, and Snake, are what make it such a fun read, along with the sense of community that comes from a small town full of people that know and love each other.
This is the seventh book in the Cricket Creek series, and while it is the first one that I’ve had the pleasure of reading, it will not be the last. I look forward to reading the previous books and to spending more time in Cricket Creek, Kentucky.
Author Bio:
Becoming an avid reader at a young age, McLane soon knew she wanted to be a writer. Encouragement from teachers led to creative writing classes on both the high school and college level. In the mid 1980’s she became a staff reporter and wrote human-interest stories for several local newspapers and at one point had her own award-winning column in The Kenton County Recorder. Fiction, though, was what she really longed to write. She joined an eclectic literary group called Night Writers and met romance novelist Nicole Jordan who invited her to join Romance Writers of America. With a handful of women, they founded the Ohio Valley RWA chapter that is now a huge national chapter.
Four children and a traveling husband, however, curtailed McLane’s writing career until a now-or-never mid-life crisis made her overcome her fear of computers and jump back into the crazy business of romance writing and she hasn’t looked back.
Darkness is the only thing I see. Ever since the day my life changed. The day that everything and everyone I held close to me ceased to exist. The day I lost it all and the demons of my past consumed my every waking moment.
I tried to keep others at arm’s length. Tried not to let my darkness taint them. Ruin them. Harm them. And whether I want to admit it or not, as much as I wish I could keep them locked out, they refuse to leave. Refuse to let me suffer alone.
If I hadn’t been so focused on keeping those demons from flying free, I wouldn’t have missed how one perfect angel was able to sneak her way under my skin—refusing to let go. Making me want things I don’t deserve.
She consumes me. Her beauty knows no end. The love she promises tempts me every time she’s near. But that pure heart that makes her MY Emmy is the one thing I’m convinced I’ll destroy if I ever let her close.
I’m a broken man. A broken man with too much darkness in his soul to ever let her light shine upon me. But even that doesn’t stop me from craving her with every single breath in my body.
**This is the final book in the Corps Security series. This book is not suitable for younger readers. There is strong language, adult situations, and some violence.*
I think reader’s have been biting at the bits for this book in the Corps Security Series by Harper Sloan. Locke has been a complete enigma since book one. His stand offish behavior and deliberate avoidance has intrigued the readers. We have seen glimpses of his softer inner self when it comes to the women in his circle being emotionally troubled. He is a warrior where they are concerned except for one woman. Emmy touches something deep inside and that is the last thing Locke wants. He has repeatedly spurned her, hurt her feelings, egged her on, and desired her throughout this series. He gives her mixed signals and keeps her emotions tangled. After the tragedy with Cooper in the former book, Emmy is done with Corps Security and Locke. She just can’t handle the emotional roller coaster Locke brings to the office. Most of all she can’t handle the memories from Cooper. It’s time to cut her losses, move on, and start another life.
She moves back home to Florida. Home is not a pleasant place. Her parents own the local slimy strip joint and they expect her to be their headlining princess. They have also found a despicable prince charming for her. Charming he is not. He is a volatile and ruthless monster that wants her only to gain her parents club. If she won’t give in to him willingly, he will take her by force.
Once Emmy is gone, Locke realizes that he has lost the only thing that is good in his life. He is done with running from Emmy. He plans to claim her for life and love her until death. He is going to Florida to get his woman.
As the rest of the story unfolds the reader’s will find out about the deep scars Locke has carried on his soul. It will break your heart. We will also see a man hopelessly in love and trying to do his best to make the changes Emmy needs from him.
Like all the books, the plot will have some intense action and seriously screwed up villain. Locke will not only have to prove his worth, he will have to protect her with his life.
Locke is a classic Corps Security book. The Corps Security Series is loaded with dynamic alpha men, smart women, sizzling romance, thrilling action, and Sway. What’s Sway… the sparkly golden glitter that glues all these characters together.
A Portion of the proceeds from Locke Sale will be donated to the Semper Fi Fund.
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husbands chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.
***PULL is the continuation of Claire Wallis’ sharp and shocking debut novel, PUSH. It is the second book in the series and is not intended to be a standalone.***
“It is impossible for someone like me—someone with a sin-list capable of wrapping itself around the world—to find redemption. To be repaired.”
David Calgaro has secrets, and the only woman he’s ever loved is about to pay the ultimate price to protect them. He’s spent a lifetime searching for purpose and control. And the only place he’s managed to find them is in a single, perfect moment; a moment in which he has absolute control over someone else’s life.
David is unredeemable, unfixable, unsalvageable. But Emma Searfoss has forced a tiny sliver of hope to penetrate his soul. Hope that, even though redemption is impossible, maybe life isn’t. Maybe he isn’t who he thought he was. Maybe he’s meant to be more.
This is a new adult novel with mature content for readers 17 and up.
I feel like I am wrapped in a cyclone. Everything is whirling around me, drawing the air out of my lungs and filling me with the best kind of turmoil. Every time his tongue slides against mine, a prickle in my gut tells me how right we are together. How much I need David. How much I need us.
I hope the cyclone never stops.
Emma Searfoss has spent a lifetime trying to escape her abusive stepfather. It’s why she moved far away from home. It’s why she’s kept no ties with her remaining family. And it’s why she’s got a major rage problem. When her neighbor shows up to fix the kitchen in her new apartment, his enigmatic charm calms the fire in her. David is cool and collected, and he makes Emma feel safe for the first time ever. But David has his own chilling past—his six previous girlfriends have all disappeared without a trace. Emma’s walking a dangerous line, but David’s pull is intoxicating. And impossible to resist…
Michel’s Review
*** I wrote this review in May 2014 when Push was first released. After 5 months and several books reviewed, I have not been able to forget this book. I am still blown away by the intensity and the emotional impact this book had on me. I have recommended this book to several of my seasoned reader friends and they have had the same kind of reactions. Claire Wallis delivered a unique story with a very untraditional writing style. There were two prologues and two epilogues are written from each character’s POV. The content of the book is mostly written in third person but has chapters throughout the book written in first person POV from supporting characters. It is choreographed in a very deliberate manner that stuns the readers. The writing is absolutely brilliant! ***
Push by Claire Wallis is getting a lot of attention in the reader world. There are discussion groups dedicated to this book. All the major review sites and bloggers are blowing up over this book. It has every reader reacting! How could I not read this book? I had to know what was causing this kind of hysteria.
Now that I have finished this book, I completely understand all the reactions and sensation this book is generating.
Everything about Push is completely original. The plot is intricately woven. The reader gets a look at both the characters pasts as well as their present. The book is mostly written from Emma’s point of view. We get to know David through their conversations, Emma’s point of view, past girlfriends’ point of views, the prologue and epilogue. The author brilliantly takes the reader into the complicated worlds these characters evolved from. She develops a story that will keep the reader consumed to the very last word. When all is said and done, all the reader can think is WTF! I had to peel my jaw off the ground. I felt like I needed a shot of whiskey to calm me down. I felt like I needed a whole bottle of antacid to get my stomach out of knots. I needed the next book….. like YESTERDAY!
Push is exhilarating, chilling, horrific, distressing, anguishing, tormenting and heartbreaking. At the same time, the reader experiences an unusual but beautiful relationship. A relationship that goes beyond the kind of love most relationships are based on. Everything about this couple worked. They were exactly what each other needed. But sometimes having that perfection is not enough. This is the case with David and Emma.
When I started this book I was immediately drawn in. There are two prologues, one from Emma’s point of view and the other from David’s point of view. The prologues made it very clear what was going to happen at the end of the book. I was flabbergasted! I had to know more. I had to find out how they came to this point. I was hoping that the ending would turn out differently.
Emma was a very impressive heroine. She had a horrible childhood. She was mentally and verbally abused by her stepfather. Her stepfather ruined her family. But despite her ugly past, she didn’t let it drag her down. She is feisty, independent, self sufficient, aggressive, tough, and hard. She doesn’t believe in love. She doesn’t trust easily. She never gives anyone a piece of her heart. She’s okay with who she is. When she meets David, pieces of herself that she locked away begin to surface. He accepts her for who she is. He wants to protect her and take care of her. He is tender, caring, and supportive. He is everything she never knew she needed. He is perfect for her even though he has a slew of hidden secrets. She is okay with that. She accepts him for who he is because like her he has been to hell and back.
David is one of the most complicated characters I have ever experienced. On one hand I absolutely loved him. He is compassionate, giving, tender, and loving in his own unique way. He has a mesmerizing personality that is hard not to love. On the other hand, deep down he is a monster. He is your worst nightmare. Your heart breaks when you find out how he evolved into this horrific person. You are hoping that his relationship with Emma will somehow change him. Some people are not fixable.
Somehow these two messed up souls are beautiful together. They give each other what they need. They bring out the very best and the very worst in each other. They embrace it all. They are chaotic perfection together.
When you reach the end, there are two epilogues. One epilogue is from Emma’s point of view and the other is from David’s point of view. The ending will leave you with your heart in your feet, stomach in knots, and ugly tears running down your face. It ends on a major CLIFFHANGER!
Push by Claire Wallis blew my mind! I cannot wait for the sequel. I hope the publisher does not leave us readers hanging for long. I don’t think I can get this book out of my head.
Push by Claire Wallis is clearly the book that is going to soar to the top of 2014 Book of the Year list.
Note: This review is based on my reactions and emotions. The writing was flawless. The plot was brilliant. The overall story to this point is heart wrenching.
Robin’s Review
It has been three weeks since I finished reading Push by Claire Wallis, and I still think about this novel. Or should I say obsess? This is the exception. Generally, my head shifts focus with each novel that I begin reading. Reviewing novels is hard. Sometimes it takes all of the fun out of reading when you have to focus on what you want to say when you write the review. When I read Push, I knew our blog had already covered this story. So, I read it for sheer enjoyment. And I can’t forget it. I can’t escape this story. Have you read the synopsis? Push is dark romance at its finest. Go read this thriller now because the sequel Pull is being published soon! 6 stars to Claire Wallis for her debut novel!
Author Bio:
Enamored with the process of creating messy characters filled with imperfections and wicked inclinations, Claire believes that you don’t actually have to like a character to fall in love with them – a good story, after all, is best served with a hearty side of evil (just ask Disney). Claire’s first New Adult novel, Push, was released by MIRA Books on May 1st 2014. The story speaks to her appreciation of enigmatic male characters, perfectly capable of charming themselves straight into your unwilling heart. She enjoys writing about characters that are, at any given moment, both loathed and loved. You know, the ones that refuse to be forgotten.
Claire Wallis has penned hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles over the last ten years, with science playing the lead role in almost all of them. Though non-fiction writing will forever be her first love, fiction has unexpectedly swooped in, hooked her by the soul, and become her true love. As a result of this coup d’état, Claire’s writing career has made a complete U-turn, and instead of rocks, plants, insects, and microbes, she is now putting human characters in the lead.
Claire’s previous jobs include working at a limestone quarry, hawking vegetables at a farmer’s market, clerking at the dollar store, and convincing new mothers that they need to renew their subscription to that parenting magazine in order for their child to survive. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly awesome husband and son.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . .
At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.
But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought shed left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.
Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from they moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.
As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he’d said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn’t understand.
“Why?” I asked.
There was a beat. “Why what?”
Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was now tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn’t. “Why are you here? You don’t know me and . . .” I trailed off, because there really wasn’t anything left to say.
A minute went by, and he hadn’t answered my question, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn’t even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here.
But then he moved.
Jax pressed against my back, and the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Getting comfortable.” He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. “It’s time to sleep I think.”
“But—”
“You can’t sleep when you talk,” he remarked.
“You don’t need to be all up on me,” I pointed out.
His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. “Honey, I’m not all up on you.”
I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he announced casually, as if he wasn’t holding me prisoner in the bed.
Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn’t letting me up. Not when he was getting all kinds of comfy behind me.
Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe?
“Sleep,” he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. “Go to sleep, Calla.” This time his voice was softer, quieter.
“Yeah, it doesn’t work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn’t hold the power to make me sleep on your command.”
He chuckled.
I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I . . . I actually settled in against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else—something I hadn’t felt in years.
I felt cared for . . . cherished.
Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.
Michel’s Review
Stay With Me by J. Lynn is another fine addition to the Wait For You series. It delivered an emotional romance that brought me to tears. This story showed readers the true meaning of unconditional love. It redefined the term “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It also showed how building ones self esteem and confidence can heal more than the wounded soul.
Stay With Me is quite different from the other books in Wait For You series. Unlike the other books, this book takes place off campus. It also has an edgier plot that has some violence. The background and undertones of this book are bit darker than campus life. It depicts the ugly underside of a failing small town. But in all it’s darkness the characters make this book shine brightly.
Calla has endured many ugly things in her young life. Her mother is a junkie and has brought the dregs of society into her home too many times. Calla finally thought she escaped her mother for good when she left for college. Her mother has managed to pull her back when she takes all of her college money and runs up her credit cards. Calla is forced to return home to get her money back.
When she arrives home, not only has her money gone missing, her mother has gone missing as well. Left destitute, she cannot return to college. She is forced to take a job as a waitress in the family bar. She is dreading going back to that hole in the wall where she spent many of her childhood years. But like most things in life, the bar has changed since she has been gone. It no longer seems as seedy as it once was. There is a better crew running the place in her mother’s absence. One of these people is the sexy bartender Jax.
Jax sends her world spinning with his sexy flirting, genuine concern, protectiveness, and fun personality. He gives her a chance to let her guard down and be the person she really is. He gives her the hope that she can finally find a real boyfriend, experience a real kiss, and maybe find a love loyal to her.
Jax fell for Calla the moment she walked through the door. She is the kind of girl he has been waiting for to share his life. He wants to see Calla healthy, happy, and at peace. He knows her history, he knows how her mother is, he knows the demons she fights, and he loves her all the more for it.
Calla’s mother has severely scarred Calla emotionally and physically. She has ruined their lives. She has brought trouble to Calla’s doorstep when she skipped town with Calla’s money. Her mother has buried herself deep with the dregs of society. She has burned the wrong people. She has stole drugs from the wrong people. They want their money back. They don’t care how they get it, who they hurt, or what consequences will be paid. They want retribution. That retribution is Calla. Jax will do everything in his power to protect Calla from her mother’s enemies. It looks like the only thing that is going to save them both is the reappearance of her mother. No one is holding their breaths.
Through all the threats and violence, Calla and Jax will find a love filled with beauty.
Stay With Me was loaded with suspense and mystery. It also had all the elements we love in a new adult romance. The wonder of new love, the recognition of self worth, and finding the inner strength to build a better life. Some of the old characters from the series put in their appearances and we met quite a few new intriguing characters.
I highly recommend Stay With Me. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.
Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio:
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
His life was never easy. Hers wasn’t supposed to be this hard. They come from different worlds, but fate lures them together in a way neither expected in Cecy Robson’s raw, steamy series debut—perfect for fans of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn.
Evelyn Preston’s future once looked perfect—until her wealthy father was caught in an embezzlement scandal and took his own life. Alone and struggling to pay her college tuition and bills, Evelyn finds a job as a waitress at the ultra-hip nightclub Excess, where she used to have more in common with the privileged private-school clientele than her fellow staff members. But something attracts her to the sexy six-foot-four bouncer and underground MMA fighter Mateo Tres Santos. Although they’ve led different lives, their troubled pasts bonds them in both survival and love.
Mateo is ex-army who wound up in prison for assaulting the man who harmed his sister. Now he’s feeling the same protective impulse for this petite blond waitress. When Evelyn experiences a panic attack at the club, Mateo comes to her rescue. And when Mateo is wounded shielding her from a brawl, Evelyn returns the favor and comes to his aid.
As their attraction intensifies, Mateo is determined to find out what nightmares are lurking in Evelyn’s past—even if that means tackling his own to save her.
Evelyn: the Riches-to-Rags cocktail waitress. She was once one of the social and financial elite then became a pauper when her father’s embezzlement scandal surfaced, the IRS confiscated everything, he committed suicide, any remaining family disowned her & her so-called friends dumped her. Now she’s struggling through school loans, trying to get a degree and pay the bills by waitressing in one of the most elite nightclubs in Philly – Excess.
Mateo: the head bouncer at Excess. Mateo was a stellar soldier in the Army until, while on leave, he nearly beat a man to death in the heat of passion. Dishonorably discharged and sentenced to prison, Mateo did his time. Now, he participates in the underground fighting circuit and is the lead bouncer at Excess.
Once Perfect is written in a first-person (Evelyn’s) POV style.
Mateo and Evelyn had both had a less-than-ideal upbringing for different reasons & their family issues play a huge role in the development of the story. Learning to accept and understand one another’s differences is the biggest challenge.
The characters are multifaceted. The plot flows smoothly. I was a little disappointment with the lack of dimension & wished for a little more conflict or plot diversity. I really enjoyed the secondary characters & find myself wondering what will become of several of them, BUT I did not care for the continuous racial jabs between friends.
Michel’s Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this new adult romance by Cecy Robson. I liked the originality of the characters backgrounds and family. Both of the characters had less than stellar family lives and upbringings. Although their experiences are on opposite sides of the spectrum. But opposites attract , Mateo and Evelyn prove this in sexy romance.
The chemistry between Mateo and Evelyn is sizzling. Their passion is contagious.
I thoroughly enjoyed Once Perfect and would recommend it to other readers. I am looking for some of the secondary characters to have their own book.
Go read Once Perfect by Cecy Robson
Author Bio:
Cecy (pronounced SESSY) Robson is the Penguin Random House New Adult author of Once Perfect, Once Loved, and Once Pure and the award-winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song despite her family’s vehement protests. A writer, registered nurse, and mother living in the South, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.
Jack Rossi is Dare Island’s new police chief. The laid-back North Carolina community is just what he needs to recover from a rocky marriage and a big-city police department. He’s learned his lesson: no more high-profile women or high-pressure jobs. The last thing he wants is an unconventional alt girl rocking his world.
Grad student Lauren Patterson made headlines when she kept a bank robbery from going bad. She’s fled to Dare Island to clear her head and focus on writing her story. However, sexy Jack Rossi is a distraction that’s too hot to ignore, and it’s igniting an affair too combustible to resist—or quit.
Jack Rossi, Philadelphia born and bred, is a cop and military veteran. Reeling from the ultimate betrayal, Jack has relocated to Dare Island, NC, trading a high profile professional life in his hometown for one where his duties revolve more around making sure that vacationers abide by traffic laws and finding out what is making the noise under Dora Abrams’ house. Lauren Patterson is a grad student and bestselling author. She’s come to Dare Island to try and find the inspiration to write the follow-up to her bestselling book Hostage Girl, and to escape the pressure of living a life under the magnifying glass of the public eye. And, while these two people have, at first glance, very little in common, it isn’t long before they find that they may be just exactly what the other needs.
I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit that I had no real idea of what to expect beforehand, having never read any of the previous books in the Dare Island series. What a pleasure to learn that Virginia Kantra writes such a great story, one that truly engaged me from the first page. The setting, the characters, the relationships, all of these things together made Carolina Blues a winner for me. Jack is jaded and just a little bitter, but not so closed off that he can’t recognize that Lauren’s openness and free spirit make him feel things that he thought he’d never feel again. And Lauren, although she talks a good game, is in need of some of the therapeutic wisdom that she so freely dispenses, and Jack is able to meet that need in every possible way.
I am a big fan of books that are not only sexy, but that bring a fresh take on things, and tell a story that makes me want to be a part of it. The community of Dare Island, and all its residents and their stories, make Carolina Blue, and the rest of this series, one that I would not only read, but would absolutely recommend.
Author Bio:
New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra has written over twenty books of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. Her deeply emotional stories have won numerous writing awards, including Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award and two National Readers’ Choice Awards. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three kids, she is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.
Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations.
Deacon has an ugly history, a history that broke him, leaving him a ghost of a man. Out of necessity, he left the normal world to descend into the criminal world and found he fit. So he stayed. Cold as ice and living off the grid, Deacon has no intention to connect, not with anyone.
Then he returns to some remote cabins in the Colorado Mountains and finds they have new owners. One of them is Cassidy Swallow, a young woman willing to work hard to live her quiet dream in a house by a river surrounded by aspen and pine.
Suddenly, Deacon finds he’s at war. Cassidy’s pull for him to connect is strong. He fights it, but he loses, always coming back for more. But when he does, he gives her nothing.
From the first time she sees him, Cassidy knows Deacon is dead inside. She knows he’s the kind of man who could destroy a woman. But one night when Deacon’s control slips, Cassidy takes a chance.
He might break her. He also might be her dream come true.
The Unfinished Heroes are back. Kristen Ashley’s rugged alphas that live on the edge, live by their own laws, and contain the dredges of the underworld have stolen the reader’s hearts. Throughout the series, there has been one of those alphas that has stood out among these bad boys. His air of mystery, intrigue, lack of emotions, unfathomable personality, and expertise in the dregs of humanity have had the reader’s in love with him before he uttered one word. We have been anxiously waiting for Deacon to open his mouth and tell us his story. We have been waiting to embrace this badass alpha and give him the love he desperately needs. It looks like Cassidy Swallow beat us to it and she is not letting Deacon go.
Deacon is quite a surprise. I don’t think any of us could see the man he kept behind closed doors. I can honestly say that I am head over heels in love with this man. He has one of the most beautiful souls. When he finally opened up his closed doors the sunshine he let out was blinding. The pure radiance of Deacon will warm the readers through and through. How can you not love a man that cleans gutters, BBQ’s, and uses songs that speak of the emotions he’s feeling?
What could bring the true Deacon out of hiding and appear to be an open book? Cassidy Swallow of course. She is a strong independent, caring, yet vulnerable woman that has always showed Deacon that the sun shines even on the dreariest day. He has been coming to her rental cabins for six years on his down time. Throughout these six years, she has stayed consistent with her bright personality, quit wit, and acceptance. She doesn’t push him to open up but leaves the invitation open at all times. She always makes him feel welcome.
When these two finally come together after skirting around each other for six years it is HOT! They are perfection together. They build a strong and steady relationship that not only burns passionately, but is also built on a foundation of acceptance and trust. Their passionate need for one another will have the readers fanning themselves. Their charming relationship will have the readers swooning. They may appear to have the perfect relationship but Deacon is still keeping some secrets. Those secrets will eventually tear them apart. Deacon will have to let go of all his secrets in order to have the sunshine in his life that only Cassidy can give.
Of course the badass alpha gang will make their appearance and lead the Unfinished Heroes into another adventure. It looks like Nick has dug himself into a hole. With that, Kristen Ashley left us dangling and dying for Nick’s book.
Deacon had all the special elements that only Kristen Ashley can conjure up. Her alphas with their badass personalities and unique charm never fail to have the reader’s falling hard. Her lovely leading ladies are strong women with enough humor to handle these badass alphas.
The one thing I will say is that the tone in this book was not overly original. It had the same kind of voice that all the other books have had. I found quite a bit of the dialogue and interaction predictable. The pacing was a bit dragging in areas. This book did not have the suspense and action that the other Unfinished Heroes books have had. Also some of the kinkier sex scenes were very awkward. They felt kind of mechanical rather than passionate. I don’t think Kristen Ashley has found her zone in writing this kind of kinky sex scene. There was something off in each of these scenes that just didn’t make my tummy tingle.
Because of these things I could not give the book a five star rating. I was expecting a little more originality and growth in the writing.
I still enjoyed the book. I love Deacon and Cassidy. I closed the book with the tingly feel good smile that Kristen Ashley always delivers. I would highly recommend the book and the Unfinished Heroes series. It will charm your soul.
Author Bio:
Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.
Nothing’s changed.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.
In the fourth sexy romance by the New York Times bestselling author of Tangled and Twisted, Drew and Kate can’t wait to tie the knot—if they can survive the pre-wedding festivities.
For most of my life, I never imagined I’d get married. But Kate did the impossible: she changed me. I think we can all agree I was pretty frigging awesome before, but now I’m even better.
The road to this day wasn’t all rainbows and boners. There were mistakes and misunderstandings worthy of a Greek tragedy. But Kate and I made it through with our inexhaustible lust, boundless admiration, and everlasting love for one another intact.
That being said, there were some unexpected incidents in Vegas last weekend that could have been a problem. It was kind of… my final test.
I know what you’re thinking—what the hell did you do this time? Relax. Let’s not judge, or call for my castration, until you’ve heard the whole story.
And hold on tight, because you’re in for a wild ride. Did you expect anything less?
What do they say about laughter? Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is good for the soul. If you are looking to lift your spirits or reduce stress in your life, laughter is a sure thing. I just finished the concluding novel of the Tangled series, Tied, and laughed out loud the entire time I was reading! Emma Chase is incredibly talented at writing romantic comedy. If you are looking for a fantastic series in the romantic comedy genre, I highly recommend you begin with her first novel titled Tangled!
Drew and Kate are finally ready to take the plunge in Tied – to dive headfirst into marriage! Our couple is already living together and raising James, their two year-old son. One week prior to their wedding, the entire gang is heading to Las Vegas for one last hurrah! Drew is joined by Matthew, Steven, Jack O’Shay and Billy Warren. Kate is joined by Delores, Alexandra, and Drew’s secretary, Erin Burrows. The group is traveling together and staying in the same suite, with Vegas-style bachelor and bachelorette parties on the agenda. Now, I know what you are thinking. If you have read any of this series, you can only imagine the high jinx and misunderstandings which are bound to happen in Vegas. And guess what? Tied is infinitely better than anything your mind can conjure up! Author Bio:
By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she toils away the hours bringing her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.
Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.
Stacey Jay’s MY SO-CALLED DEATH is being re-released today and it’s teh first time it’s available in a digital format! If you love light, fun, YA with just the right balance of romance and mystery, you have got to get your hands on it! Stacey Jay is also releasing a freebie prequel today, CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE ZOMBIE QUEEN.
About MY SO-CALLED DEATH
Just because you don’t have a pulse doesn’t mean you can’t be perky.
One second, freshman Karen Vera’s on top of the most fabulous cheer pyramid ever. The next, she’s lying on the pavement with seriously unflattering cranial damage. Freakishly alive without a pulse, Karen learns that she’s a genetically undead zombie.
Suddenly, Karen’s non-life is an epic disaster. She’s forced to attend a boarding school for the “death-challenged,” her roommate is a hateful wannabe-Goth weirdo, and she’s chowing down on animal brains every day to prevent rot (um, ew?). Even worse, someone is attacking students and harvesting their brains for a forbidden dark ritual. And it might be the hottest guy at DEAD High, the one who makes Karen’s non-beating heart flutter!
Armed with a perky smile and killer fashion sense, it’s up to Karen to track down the brain snatcher and save her fellow students from certain zombie death.
A light romantic mystery filled with gross-out humor and plenty of brains perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Robin Benway, and C.L. Stone.
When I heard that My So-Called Death by Stacey Jay was being re-released, it was a no-brainer (ha!) that I was going to have to read it. Stacey has written some of my favorite YA books, and, although this one is aimed at the younger end of the YA age group, it is still completely engaging.
Karen Vera, the heroine of this story, is a pert and sassy cheerleader, who, to put it politely, is Death-challenged, which means that she has a genetic mutation that prevents her from dying. But, when your entire school sees you tumble from the top of a cheer formation to your death, what is there to do but roll with the changes? Karen is whisked off to DEAD High School, so that she may better learn what it means to live as a member of the dead.
I have to admit that zombies are not usually on my list of paranormal creatures that I want to read about. All that blood and death and brain-eating, you know. But the characters in this book are not your typical zombies. Stacey has taken the stereotype and completely changed it, writing a story that is campy and fun, and, given the subject matter, pretty darned enjoyable. I found myself laughing out loud at the intros to each chapter. Entries from books like, ‘Total Health for the Death-Challenged, 5th Edition’ and ‘Zombie Poets Through the Ages, 2nd Edition’ were witty and entertaining. The mystery that pairs Karen and her boy zombie crush Gavin ties everything together nicely, making this a story that YA readers will very much enjoy, and, coupled with the snarky banter and typical teen angst, makes for a fast and enjoyable read.
Excerpt from MY SO-CALLED DEATH
“Respecting your new room mate is essential. Now that you are one of the Undead, you could conceivably live for hundreds of years. The relationships you begin now will be the friendships that carry you through the millennium. Remember that, and conduct yourselves accordingly.”
–DEAD High Dorm Handbook for Incoming Students
“Wanted: White noise machine, will pay any price. Would be awesome if it had one of those aromatherapy things too. My roommate snores and smells! Pleaz help! Am exhausted and nasally tormented!”
–Note on Girls’ Dorm bulletin board
“Clarice sucks butt.”
–Bathroom stall, girls’ second floor bathroom
“What are you doing? Is that a cheerleader on my wall?” The shriek from the doorway made me scream and then burst out laughing.
I always laugh when I’m scared. I probably would have laughed as I was falling off the cheer pyramid if there had been time. Admittedly weird, but my friends back in my human life thought it was funny that I giggled all the way through horror movies.
“What are you laughing at? That has to come down.” The girl in the door glared at the United Cheerleader Association calendar I’d hung on my side of the room and threw her sweater on the floor. Her greasy, shoulder length black hair twitched angrily around her shoulders and her heavily lined gray eyes narrowed as if she’d just spotted a maggot on her arm.
Maggots are a zombie’s only natural predator—aside from angry mobs of humans or supernatural slayer types. Principal Samedi had already warned me to watch out for flies that love to lay their eggs in Undead flesh because, once they get started, maggot infestations can be almost impossible to get under control.
Ugh. Maggot infestation. If there was a grosser combination of words in the English language I couldn’t think of it.
The thought made me laugh again. I was in a laugh or cry situation. I had to giggle or I was going to lose what was left of my sense of humor.
“Ohmygod, what is wrong with you?” the girl asked, wrinkling her upper lip.
Guess she didn’t share my human friends’ appreciation for ill-timed chortling.
All in all, it was a good day to die. If there really is such a thing.
You hear characters in movies say things like that sometimes, but does anyone really believe the words “good” and “die” belong in the same sentence?
Still, it could have been worse. It could have been a dark and spooky night instead of a beautiful Georgia evening in late October, with a light wind whipping across the Peachtree High football field, making zombies seem like the last thing anyone needed to worry about…
One second, freshman Karen Vera’s on top of the most fabulous cheer pyramid ever. The next, she’s lying on the pavement with seriously unflattering cranial damage. Freakishly alive without a pulse, Karen learns that she’s a genetically undead zombie.
Enjoy this prequel to the “welcome horror spoof” (Booklist) MY SO-CALLED DEATH, a paranormal romantic mystery perfect for fans of Ally Carter and C.L. Stone.
Grab CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE ZOMBIE QUEEN for FREE
Stacey Jay is a recovering workaholic (or at least working hard at recovering) with two small children, and a passion for playing pretend for a living. She’s been a full time mom-writer since 2005 and can’t think of anything she’d rather be doing. Her former careers include theatre performer, professional dancer, poorly paid C-movie actress, bartender, waiter, math tutor, and yoga instructor.
In her very limited spare time, Stacey enjoys cooking elaborate dinners and eating them very slowly, dressing up in costumes with her sons, and drinking wine with her husband. She loves to hear from readers and personally answers every single email she receives.
Holy cannoli, y’all! It’s finally here! We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for K.A. Tucker’s BURYING WATER! BURYING WATER is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel, published by Simon & Schuster and it will blow. You. Away! Check out the excerpt, teasers, and giveaway then run–don’t walk–to your nearest retailer!
The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.
Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?
Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.
The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.
BURYING WATER Excerpt:
Prologue
Jesse
Now
This can’t be real . . . This can’t be real . . . This can’t be real . . .
The words cycle round and round in my mind like the wheels on my speeding ’Cuda as its ass-end slips and slides over the gravel and ice. This car is hard to handle on the best of days, built front-heavy and overloaded with horsepower. I’m going to put myself into one of these damn trees if I don’t slow down.
I jam my foot against the gas pedal.
I can’t slow down now.
Not until I know that Boone was wrong about what he claims to have overheard. His Russian is mediocre at best. I’ll giveanything for him to be wrong about this.
My gut clenches as my car skids around another turn,the cone shape of Black Butte looming like a monstrous shadow ahead of me in the pre-dawn light. The snowy tire tracks framed by my headlights might not even be the right ones, but they’re wide like Viktor’s Hummer and they’re sure as hell the only ones down this old, deserted logging road. No one comes out here in January.
The line of trees marking the dead end comes up on me before I expect it. I slam on my brakes, sending my car sliding sideways toward the old totem pole. It’s still sliding when I cut the rumbling engine, throw open the door, and jump out, fumbling with my flashlight. It takes three hard presses with my shaking hands to get the light to hold.
I begin searching the ground. The mess of tread marks tells me that someone pulled a U-turn. The footprints tell me that more than one person got out. And when I see the half-finished cigarette butt with that weird alphabet on the filter, I know Boone wasn’t wrong.
“Alex!” My echo answers once . . . twice . . . before the vast wilderness swallows up my desperate cry. With frantic passes of my flashlight, my knuckles white against its body, I search the area until I spot the sets of footprints that lead off the old, narrow road and into the trees.
Frigid fingers curl around my heart.
Darting back to my car, I snatch the old red-and-blue plaid wool blanket that she loves so much from the backseat. Ice-cold snow packs into the sides of my sneakers as I chase the trail past the line of trees and into the barren field ahead, my blood rushing through my ears the only sound I process.
The only sign of life.
Raw fear numbs my senses, the Pacific Northwest winter numbs my body, but I push forward because if . . .
The beam of light passes over a still form lying facedown in the snow. I’d recognize that pink coat and platinum-blond hair of hers anywhere; the sparkly blue dress that she hates so much looks like a heap of sapphires against a white canvas.
My heart freezes.
“Alex.” It’s barely a whisper. I’m unable to produce more, my lungs giving up on me. I run, stumbling through the foot of snow until I’m on my knees and crawling forward to close the distance. A distance of no more than ten feet and yet one that seems like miles.
There’s no mistaking the spray of crimson freckling the snow around her head. Or that most of her long hair is now dark and matted. Or that her silver stockings are torn and stained red, and a pool of blood has formed where her dress barely covers her thighs. Plenty of footprints mark the ground around her. He must have been here for a while.
I know that there are rules to follow, steps to make sure that I don’t cause her further harm. But I ignore them because the sinking feeling in my stomach tells me I can’t possibly hurt her more than he already has. I nestle her head with one hand while I slide the other under her shoulder. I roll her over.
Cold shock knocks the wind out of me.
I’ve never seen anybody look like this.
I scoop her limp body into my arms, cradling the once beautiful face that I’ve seen in every light—rage to ecstasy and the full gamut in between—yet is now unrecognizable. Placing two blood-coated fingers over her throat, I wait. Nothing.
A light pinch against her lifeless wrist.Nothing.
Maybe a pulse does exist but it’s hidden, masked by my own racing one.
Then again, by the look of her, likely not.
One . . . two . . . three . . . plump, serene snowflakes begin floating down from the unseen sky above. Soon, they will converge and cover the tracks, the blood. The evidence.Mother Nature’s own blanket to hide the unsightly blemish in her yard.
“I’m so sorry.” I don’t try to restrain the hot tears as they roll down my cheeks to land on her mangled lips—lips I had stolen plenty of kisses from, back when I was too stupid to realize how dangerous that really was. This is my fault. She had warned me. If I had just listened, had stayed away from her, had not told her how I felt . . .
. . . had not fallen wildly in love with her.
I lean down to steal a kiss even now, the coppery taste of her blood mixing with my salty tears. “I’m so damn sorry. I should never have even looked your way,” I manage to get out around my sobs, tucking the blanket she loved to curl up in over her.
An almost inaudible gasp slips out. A slight breeze against my mouth more than anything else.
My lungs freeze, my eyes glued to her, afraid to hope. “Alex?” Is it possible?
A moment later, a second gasp—a wet, rattling sound—escapes.
She’s not dead.
Not yet, anyway.
Michel’s Review
K. A. Tucker’s writing always blows me away. Her gift of story telling has readers enthralled from the very first word to the very last punctuation mark. Her characters come to life and jump off the pages. Their stories keep the reader captivated.
Unlike the Ten Tiny Breaths series, Burying Water has taken K.A. Tucker in a new direction. This gripping novel has some darker undertones. Although the darker undertones set the pace for the story, the real focus is the kind of love that will be cherished forever.
Burying Water is thrilling novel packed with mystery, intrigue, violence, romance, and the importance of family ties.
I am not going to give many more details because there would be too many spoilers.
I found the characters, Jesse and Water, compelling. The secondary cast and their contributions were an integral part of this story. Their characters stood out and made the readers take just as much notice of their part in the story as the main characters did.
Burying Water played on every emotion. One moment I was laughing, the next I was cringing, crying, or overwhelmed with excitement. It is an intense book that engages the reader’s mind as well as senses.
The romance in the story was amazing. It was almost like two romances in one. There was the before romance that was consuming and forbidding. The after romance was a deep sensual slow build that slowly kindled into a blaze.
I was blown away with this book. K. A. Tucker has become one of my all time favorite writers.
I highly recommend Burying Water!
About K.A. Tucker:
Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader, and currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.
Becoming an avid reader at a young age, McLane soon knew she wanted to be a writer. Encouragement from teachers led to creative writing classes on both the high school and college level. In the mid 1980’s she became a staff reporter and wrote human-interest stories for several local newspapers and at one point had her own award-winning column in The Kenton County Recorder. Fiction, though, was what she really longed to write. She joined an eclectic literary group called Night Writers and met romance novelist Nicole Jordan who invited her to join Romance Writers of America. With a handful of women, they founded the Ohio Valley RWA chapter that is now a huge national chapter.
Saucy Southern Readers 