Tuesday 30 August 2016

Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino ~ #bookreview #lovedit

http://amzn.to/2bArmeA
Swear on This Life

by

When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J.Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer.

Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio.

That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending.

The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?




https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23492533-swear-on-this-life?from_search=true



Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Atria Books via NetGalley
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Standalone


My Swear on This Life Review . . . 

I LOVED THIS BOOK!


Renee Carlino has yet again written an amazing book.  I love the way the Renee writes her story.  She doesn't follow the stereotypical formulatic pattern that is normal for this genre.  Instead she writes from the heart and makes magic with her words.

Swear on This Life is like a story, within a story, within a story.  It was a brilliant concept and so well done.
 . . . the girl with no past; the girl who wasn't real and didn't exist. . . 
Emiline is struggling.  She's stuck where she is and lost with her passion.  For her she has always wanted to be a writer but is afraid to show herself in order to really write.   She's has tried to run from her past.  She doesn't want to let her past define her, but to do this she becomes lost.  Truly lost.  Sure she has friends, and a boyfriend but she isn't happy.  Truthfully the who she is now comes across a bit bitchy and unloveable. 
  . . . the past would only fester and eat away at us if we tried to hold on to it too tightly. . .
Then by chance a story comes to the attention of Emiline.  At first she was hesitant to read it, but then gives it a go.  To only find her past staring directly at her.   Now filled with tons of emotions she finds Jase the author of this new story to confront him on why he's written their story. 
"I know you so well.  I know what you're doing right now.  You're trying to push me away."
Now reconnected with her lost friend, Emiline has to discover herself in order to make right in her world.  By reading this book, it sends Emiline on a cathartic journey to become whole again. 
   I wondered if maybe I was the one who wasn't being present in our relationship.  I guess it's hard to be present when you're busy denying who you are and shutting out the world.
 As Emiline is on her journey we get to see more and more of her true self behind her snappy bitchy exterior.  When she talks to Jase we get to see their beautiful friendship and how it brings out the best in these two.
"Well, you're beautiful.  So there."  I froze. "Then again, you always were. "  "Oh, don't charm me with your wordy magic."
This book is like a literary version of those Matryoshka Nesting Dolls.   It's set in the present but we get to find out about Emiline's past while reading excerpts from the book she's currently reading.   It helps create so much depth of the characters and how her present came to be.


From the first smirk of Jase when the reconnected I knew what I wanted as an outcome from this story.
"No.  I did. I swear to you.  I always knew we would be like this one day.  I think you always knew too."
We aren't always as we seem on the surface and this especially goes for Emiline.  As she starts to heal and truly move forward we get to see the gem that she truly is and the love that she is capable of giving.   In truth though, how can you truly love another, when your heart already belonged to someone else.
We can't always control our circumstances, who our parents are, where we live, or how much money we make, but in those rare moments when we can shape our fate, when we do have the power to make our own happiness, we can't be too scared to do it. 
First loves are often the most beautiful and the strongest, which is the case for these two but life has a nasty way of making things difficult.   Circumstances may have forced them apart but it doesn't mean you can turn off the love you have for another.  Thankfully that's what fate and second chances are for.  This way we can get the slice of happiness we all deserve.

I truly loved this book and how it was written.  It was so unique and thoughtful.  I loved the growth and journey Emiline had to go on while we all waited patiently for her to finish the book so she could find her heart once again.

So thankful for the opportunity to read this book and can't wait for more from this amazing author.

5 Magically brilliant thumbs up!

thumbs upthumbs upthumbs upthumbs upthumbs up

Lauren











Friday 26 August 2016

Cover Reveal! Night Shift 2 Anthology

NightShift2CRbanner

 

Today we are sharing the cover for NIGHT SHIFT 2. This book contains incredible bonus materials, deleted scenes, and sneak peeks from 10 authors! All proceeds go to charity and the book will be released September 6th. You can pre-order it now!

 

  NightShift2

NIGHT SHIFT 2

Pre-order it now!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

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The anthology that raised more than $16,000 for three charities in 2015 is back and sexier than ever. Ten authors are bringing you more of your favorite stories and sneak peeks at future books in Night Shift 2.



BLURB: 

Pucks, Sticks, and Diapers by Toni Aleo - First came love, then came the NHL, then came Baylor and Jayden with a baby carriage.

Secret prequel bonus scene by Kindle Alexander -- A man must reveal his deepest secret to keep the ones he loves.

Max excerpt by Sawyer Bennett -- The Carolina Cold Fury’s hot new star shows his bad-boy teammates that even nice guys can score big in this steamy hockey romance.

Nights With Him Bonus Epilogue by Lauren Blakey -- Life for Michelle and Jack in Paris is about to get busier...

Forbidden Nights Bonus Epilogue by Lauren Blakely -- The night before Casey and Nate's wedding...

Enshrine Prequel by Chelle Bliss - When the clock strikes Midnight on New Year’s Eve, two strangers share more than a toast.

Wicked Impulse Excerpt by Chelle Bliss - Bear, the bad boy silver fox, never thought he’d fall in love again. But when Fran DeLuca, a woman who’s known more for her track-suits, transforms into a vixen clad in skin-tight pants and a killer push up bra, he’s tempted to cross a line he swore he never would. There’s only one thing worse than dating his friend’s sister – sleeping with his mother.

Sweet Cheeks Excerpt by K. Bromberg - An all new second chance romance: When invited to her ex-fiance's new wedding, Saylor gets more than she bargains for when an old flame offers to be her date.

Read the final moments in Eden Butler’s Thin Love series in this deleted scene story, My Always -- Every marriage has a moment—it defines the future, it settles doubt. That moment comes for Keira Riley-Hale when her marriage is threatened and she forgets how to find her way back to her husband. Will a brief getaway to the Tennessee mountains bring Keira and Kona to the moment that changes everything in their marriage? Or will that moment never come?

Royally Deep excerpt by Virna DePaul -- A sexy quarterback and an adventurous princess turn some serious sexual tension into the romance of a lifetime.

Dirty Work bonus epilogue by Chelle Bliss and Brenda Rothert - Former political rivals Jude and Reagan seal the biggest deal of their lives with a kiss.

His bonus epilogue by Brenda Rothert – Andrew and Quinn are settled in to their happily ever after when a friend turned foe returns.

Rescuing Emily bonus chapter by Susan Stoker - See what happens when a Delta Force Operative, Fletch, takes single mom, Emily, and her daughter, Annie on an all-day date.

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AUTHOR LINKS:

Lauren Blakely Website | Facebook

Chelle Bliss Website | Facebook

Sawyer Bennett Website | Facebook

Virna DePaul Website | Facebook

Toni Aleo Website | Facebook

Susan Stoker Website | Facebook

Brenda Rothert Website | Facebook

Kindle Alexander Website | Facebook

Eden Butler Website | Facebook

Kristy Bromberg Website | Facebook

 





Wednesday 24 August 2016

Prisoned by Marni Mann ~ #releaseday #givewaway #bookreview #teasers

PrisonedeBook

Cover Design: MadHat Books
Release Date: August 24, 2016
 
Synopsis
When I opened my eyes, I was in a cell, my body covered in bruises. Not a jail. I’d been kidnapped and imprisoned. I wasn’t alone. I shared the cell with Garin Woods, the man I’d loved since I was a kid. The man I couldn’t be with because of the secret. A man who would kill me if he found out what that secret was. Someone wanted to torture me. Torture us. One of us deserved it. It wasn’t Garin.  
Goodreads
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Giveaway
$10 Amazon Gift Card & Signed paperback of Prisoned
 
 
 
On September 17th from 2:00-4:00PM EST at the Sarasota, Florida Barnes & Noble, Marni will be signing books. This will be the first place where signed Prisoned paperbacks will be offered. If you would like further information regarding address & phone number, please feel free to share this FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/805596276207399/
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About the Author
Bestselling author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Marni was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts sexy, titillating stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotions. A New Englander at heart, she now lives in Sarasota, Florida, with her husband and their two dogs, who have been characters in her books. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop, working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling, or devouring fabulous books.  
Connect with Marni
Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ayhI8u
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2aKxNe4
Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2arY2Yt
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2avbGb2 

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Source:  eARC for Honest Review Courtesy from Author and Sassy Savvy Fabulous PR
Genre: Adult Dark Romance
 Standalone


My Prisoned Review . . .

I wasn't sure what to expect from this story after reading the synopsis, but knowing it was in the same world as Wild Aces I needed to read it.  And after reading it . . . wow.  So many dark twists and turns that had me confused and second guessing so many details but also completely ensnared as I was trying to figure out what the holy hell was going on.

This was my prison.  He was my prison.

This is completely a standalone but we did first meet Garin in Wild Aces.  And Wild Aces arose from the world of Unblocked (Timber Towers).   The fact that they aren't related but yet are within the same world intrigued me.  

 Right from the beginning you're hooked when we get to briefly see into the childhood bond of Garin, Kyle and Billy.  Even from young Garin knew that Kyle was his heart.  Kyle was the girl that helped him survive the dark place of their bleak dark reality.

Now 12 years later and this childhood trio are not where they thought they would be nor are they the people they thought they would be.

I held a secret that should have been spoken from my lips many years ago.  Instead, I kept it inside, allowing it to fester and morph into so many different emotions that it caused panic attacks.

After a tragic loss, Garin and Kyle are brought back home.  Here's where Garin is hoping to get some answers to what went wrong 12 years ago.

"You're mine, Kyle.  You've always been mine."  Always yours.  I was his.  "Yes, Garin, I'm yours."

The book goes back and forth between time frames and also different POV's which helps build all the elements of what is happening throughout the story.

A lie.  Another one to add to the growing list.  

What we do know is something happened 12 years ago and Kyle is the key, but what we don't know is what she knows.  I have to admit that this lie/secret better be worth it.   At 55% of the book the lie/secret still wasn't revealed, which was starting to cause me some anxiety and potential frustration.

But how much longer could I let this eat at me?  

Now, that is a good question, this was at 83% of the book and the lie STILL hadn't been revealed, drawing it out . Because it was drawn out there were times I have to admit that I was getting a bit irked.  Although, the twists and turns have been fantastic, which helps counter the frustration of not knowing the lie/secret sooner.


For a huge part of the book I was thinking one thing and then BOOM huge twist that left me reeling.


 Now,  just as I was getting comfortable with the new twist my mind was warped again and I LOVED IT!   This book was dark and twisted but so so good.  What started as a childhood bond and first love ended up where it should have but with quite the dark journey to get there. 


4 Dark and twisted thumbs up! 
thumbs upthumbs upthumbs upthumbs up

Lauren


















 

Thursday 18 August 2016

Refrain (Soul #3) by Kennedy Ryan ~ #bookreview #romance

http://amzn.to/2b81e7Q
Refrain (Soul #3)


by



People dream of a love that runs deep. So deep it feels like it's always been with you, just waiting for the person who'll own your heart and soul forever. So few ever find it, but for Rhyson Gray and Kai Pearson, happily ever after was only the beginning...

One of the biggest rock stars in the world and one of the brightest rising stars make a life together. Sometimes it's glamour-filled days and blissed out nights, but it's mostly staying true in the too-bright glare of the spotlight. It's long stretches where the road is lonely and the work is hard. It's living in a love that's the safest place you know even while danger lurks at your door.

Book 3 of The Soul series is an emotionally-charged epic conclusion that had to be told and should not be missed for fans of this series and this couple!


 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30362372-refrain?ac=1&from_search=true



Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Part 3 of an ongoing series


My Refrain Review . . .

Once I heard there was going to be a third book in this series I wasn't sure to be excited or not about it.  I quite liked My Soul to Keep but Down To My Soul left me a bit annoyed with the character development but I thought it had ended well.  So when I heard there story was continuing I wasn't sure how it was going to play out.  And now I have to admit that I'm quite glad it continued because we got to see how Rhyson and Kai are growing after all their dysfunctional mishaps in the beginning of their relationship.

Refrain starts a bit after Down to My Soul ends with Kai now under Rhyson's label and the two of them living together.  Of course they both have some of their old issues but they are working through them so they can make their relationship work.   Plus of course this book is full of their usual steam.  These two know how to heat up the sheets.

"You might, uh, wanna just stand here for a second unless you want this boner poking Aunt Ruthie in the eye."

Things don't always go to plan, which is the ebbs and flows to life.  But it's when things go wrong and how we deal with it, is the true test.  What these two have learned, is the most important thing to do is communicate and be honest with one another.  Tested again these two make the effort and come out on top.


As Rhyson and Kai are trying to make things work personally,  Rhyson is also doing his best to make his label successful.  Balancing those things is tough enough, now add a cracker jack stalker in the mix and all hell is going to break loose.  Now these two have to find out what is the most important to them in this trying time. Is it success?  Is it family?  Is it each other? Or is it all of the above?  

"My heart and every other part of me says I'm yours.  I love you, Pep, more than anything in this world."
Like I said, I did quite like this book and I did like it better than Down To My Soul.  My real only beef with the story was the part with the stalker.  It started out strong but that story line ended up feeling too rushed and kind of felt out of left field with the whom and why.   Besides that issue, we do get to see Rhyson and Kai have their HEA and we also got to see more of Grip and Bristol.

Now that I'm completely invested in this series I can't wait for Grip and Bristol's story.  January 2017 can't come soon enough.   Plus there is so much potential for more with this series from all the other musicians that are under Rhyson's label.

3.5 Communication is the key thumbs up!

thumbs upthumbs upthumbs up  . 5

Lauren