How I loved this emotional roller coaster ride ~ Is This All I Want ~ Patricia Mann

 

Is This What I Want? by Patricia Mann

 

This is a contemporary romance novel (Rated NC-17)

 

 ♥♥♥♥1/2

 (Four and a half Wonderful Hearts)

 

 

Book Summary

 

Four difficult months have passed since Beth’s husband Rick discovered her affair with a former student. The couple has worked hard in therapy to salvage their marriage and understand their roles in everything that happened. Things are looking up until Dave reappears, awakening Beth’s fantasies of what could have been had she taken their affair to the next level. Now that she is faced with another opportunity, Beth battles an even more impossible dilemma than the first time she was caught in Dave’s web.

Amidst the trouble in her marriage and pressure to shield her children from the discord, Beth is also called upon to help her two best friends, both with serious problems of their own. The stress sparks temptation to seek comfort in her favorite vices. But she knows she can’t hide if she wants to save what matters most. The question is, what does she want?

 

 

My Review

 

Let me be honest. I hate cheating books with a passion. But there are some exceptions, Thoughtless (well at least beginning with the 2^nd book in the series) and this one. But otherwise, I’ll take a pass.

I’m even going to say that I was rooting for the other guy in book one. Like rooting hard. IDK. Call me fickle sometimes, but the way the story was told and unfolded, I felt for the semi stay at home mom. And the guy in that one, Dave, was all kinds of yummy.

But in this story we get to meet Rick and fickle me quickly changes sides. Although I admit the start of the story was a bit slow for me, it quickly picks up. And Rick became my knight in shiny armor. I loved him soooo much. Even more than Dave. But I still loved Dave and felt bad for a particular moment in the story. You must read to find out what happens. Still…

My emotions were all over the place. The author made my heart stutter stop several times. It was a wonderful read and I enjoyed every second once the story got going. And I was too invested in the story to stop reading even well past the witching hour and into the early dark of a new day.

If you haven’t read the first or enjoy cheating books, check this one out. I recommend highly.

My book boyfriend Rick. 

 

 

 

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*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.

Talk about HOCK Rockstar book! High Strung by T. Gephart

High Strung (Power Station #1) by T. Gephart

 

This is an adult contemporary romance (Rated NC-17)

 

 ♥♥♥♥♥

 (Five Knock 'em out the Park Hearts)
 

 

Book Summary

 

Ashlyn Murphy was not living the dream. Twenty-seven years old, college educated, up to her eyeballs in debt and yet she’d been relegated to pouring beers at a local bar. She desperately needed an out and was willing to do anything to get back into the corporate world. Well, almost anything. Dan Evans, Rock Star was NOT one of those things. In fact she despised him. Apparently he didn’t get the memo.

Dan Evans, bass player of international rock band Power Station had it all. He was rich, travelled the world, played to millions of adoring fans and had no shortage of beautiful women willing to share his bed. He didn’t need a moody redheaded knockout with a superiority complex complicating his life. Or did he?

When two people who couldn’t be more opposite cross paths, it’s bound to be explosive; sometimes all you can do is sit back and enjoy the show.  

 

 

My Review ~ By Terri ~ @mybookboyfriend

 

My first book by this author and I was highly impressed. It was recommended by a friend of mine who always recs books to me that knock them out of the park. Thanks Amy!

This was a great book without the needs of contrived plots to get the heart racing. This story was unpretentious and refreshing.  And guess what?  Laugh Out Loud funny! And I mean that. Because I didn’t find some other so called funny books, funny at all. I’ve read and seen too much to be easily brought to laughter by lines used by comics over the centuries. Not the case here. I was laughing my head off.

Let’s get to the characters. DAN, DAN, DAN. I love him. And guess what, his name is DAN, not some made up let’s try to be different kind of name. And that about sums it up. This book is good because it didn’t try to be anything but. Okay, back to Dan. Dan is a bad boy in a realistic, I don’t need therapy after reading kind of way. He was a bad boy who didn’t make bones about who he is or blame childhood drama on being a man. And he’s funny. His one liners are excellent.

And Ashlyn got points for not being dim witted, struck by hotness that she becomes a mess when he’s not who she wants him to be kind of girl. I like her strength.

And the story was a cold drink on a hot summer’s day and let me tell you. You will need that cold drink because this book gets hot. Anyway, READ already. So good. It’s worth it, promise.

My book boyfriend Dan.

 

 

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*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.

Man on the Run by Gail Hamilton +Excerpt

This reminds me of something my friend used to always say, 

"I like my coffe like I like my men, tall and black."  

Have to admit, this sounds like a fun read!

Lydia Marshall needs to round up the last samples of an unpredictable "relationship enhancer" created by her employer, NuGenn Pharmaceuticals. The last batch of the so-called potion is in the hands of a test subject, Damone Reid. But when Lydia finally tracks him down she's in for a shock. He is no longer the shy, awkward programmer she interviewed months before. Suddenly, she finds herself swept up in Damone's potion-fueled quest to live life to the fullest. They go kite flying.  They go whale watching. They go dancing in the moonlight.

Even though Lydia tries to keep things professional the former nerd's enthusiasm--and kisses--are infectious. As the tall, sexy adventurer takes her on a wild ride, Lydia finds herself falling for him. But is it the love potion that is igniting her feelings? And what will Damone do if he finds out her secret mission is to destroy the very thing that is changing his life? The discovery could destroy their blossoming romance.

OK... so, obviously, it's not hump day (when I usually post.)  Bad Alana!  But to make it up to you, I have an excerpt!

Lydia asked to see Damone right away but Mrs. Benson shook her head. 

"He's gone.  Packed a bag this morning and told me he was going on a trip to have some fun. Didn't know when he'd be back.  Whistling show tunes, he was, and said he meant to start at some place called Barrel-o-Thrills.  Took off before I could get another word out of him."

Hastily, Lydia thanked Mrs. Benson and rushed out to her car.  A quick search on her cell phone found Barrel-o-Thrills out on the edge of the city. It was a club specializing in bungee jumping. The website announced: Give yourself the thrill of a lifetime.  Your molecules will never be the same.  

Lydia remembered the 50-foot railing and tore out of the driveway.  What if Damone came to real harm because of NuGenn!  What if he'd used too much of the potion and it had morphed into a thrill enhancer instead of a relationship enhancer!

Oh, the lawsuit!  Oh, the bad publicity!

By the time Lydia got to Barrel-o-Thrills, parked and paid admission, her heart was pounding.  She raced over to bungee towers just in time to see a long, gangling body flying through the air, arms and legs wind-milling, yelling with delight.  When she finally got to where the crew were slipping the harness from Damone, she could see what his grandmother meant. He was grinning even though, wobbling and whooping, he could barely stand upright.

Could the potion have done this? Lydia wondered again.

Or had he just discovered common recreational drugs?

Moving swiftly and decisively, she rushed over and grabbed Damone by the elbow.

         "Let him go.  I'll take care of him from here," she told the crew chief.

Unclipping the last of the harness, the man shrugged and handed Damone over.  Reeling from the wild plunge, Damone staggered straight into Lydia.  Hanging on to stay upright, he blinked at her in disoriented, astonished surprise.

"Volta..." he gasped.

The next second, he flung both his arms around Lydia and started kissing her with a passion that curled her toes and shocked her at the same time.

In fact, Lydia was so shocked that she just stood there while Damone tightened his embrace even more.  His mouth feasted on hers with such total delight, and such complete abandon that the sensation swept away any resistance Lydia tried to muster.  The fellow was kissing her as though he hadn’t kissed a woman in ages--kissing as though he meant to claim every delicious pleasure he had missed living like a hermit in a basement.   Lydia could actually feel the determination rushing through him.

Gail Hamilton has been creating novels since the great romance boom of the eighties, writing for Harlequin and other publishers. She has been a farm hand, English teacher, ad copywriter, and once rode a British Bedford truck across the Sahara and back to see Timbuctu. All of it is fodder for her fiction. She is drawn to action, romance, adventure and characters with a distinctly odd twist. These show up in her many romance novels and her fast-moving historical novel, The Tomorrow Country.

After trying urban life in Europe and Toronto, Gail returned to live on the family farm where she grew up. In this rural corner hugging the north shore of Lake Ontario, Gail digs into the rich, raucous local history. She cherishes a secret passion for animated movies and loves snapping photos of nature all around her, reading the constant changes like a newspaper every morning. What better place to hatch brand new tales for everyone’s enjoyment.

Visit Gail’s website at www.gailhamiltonwriter.com.

Knossos by Laura Gill + Giveaway!

Title: Knossos
  Author: Laura Gill 
Genre: Historical Fiction – Ancient Greece



Knossos. 

The legendary Labyrinth. 

Go back millennia to a time when Knossos was the jewel of Crete, center of commerce and pilgrimage. A Neolithic sea captain is driven to find a new homeland for his people when the neighboring tribes turn against them. Proud, ambitious priests and priestesses rule Crete through its many gods. Daidalos, a wronged architect, builds the Labyrinth after a devastating personal tragedy; his successors, the priest-architects of Daidalos, are charged with expanding and glorifying his master work. A dutiful scribe attends the dead after a natural disaster of world-changing fury. A dynasty of Mycenaean conquerors changes Crete, for good or ill. And a crazed girl’s passion and the mysterious bull-man of the Labyrinth will change history.

In these ten stories of Minoan Crete, spanning a period of five thousand years, Knossos is at the heart of it all.



Find it on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22916400-knossos

Purchase Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Knossos-Laura-Gill-ebook/dp/B00KCC3EBS/ref=la_B005ANK48K_1_3?s=books&e=UTF8&qid=1407709661&sr=1-3

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About the Author:

I have a passion for Minoan and Mycenaean culture. I hold a Master's Degree in English Literature from California State University, Northridge, and have worked as a teacher, florist, and administrative assistant. I enjoy painting, dollhouse miniatures, jewelry making, and needlework as well as writing and spending time with my two cats, Molly and Ru.

Author bio site on Amazon is at: http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Gill/e/B005ANK48K/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 

I have my own blog with posts on the Mycenaean and Minoan world at http://helens-daughter.livejournal.com. I'm also on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/oresteshighking
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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out all of the stops on the Knossos blog tour!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22916400-knossos

Get Over The 'Hump' with The Donor! +Giveaway!

Happy Hump Day!

There are an entire bevy of books releasing yesterday and today... and it's all just SO exciting!

*And there was much rejoicing!*

Casey may have not known what was in store for her when she met Jonah Black on MyTrueMatch.com, but now that she’s with him, life has become even more unexpected. She's discovered someone else in the picture and now she cannot figure out how she fits into the puzzle.

Convinced that he doesn’t need her, Casey is torn between giving up and doing whatever it takes to help her family. But Jonah, it turns out, needs her more than she knows.

Time is something neither of them have.

Can they hold each other together as the clock runs out?

*Are you excited?  I know I am!*

Links:

Amazon

Goodreads

Twitter

Blog

Author page

Nikki Rae

Nikki Rae is a writer who lives in New Jersey. As an independent author, she has appeared numerously on Amazon Best Seller lists and she concentrates on making her imaginary characters as real as possible. Nikki writes mainly dark, scary, romantic tales, but she’ll try anything once. When she is not writing, reading, or thinking, you can find her spending time with animals, drawing in a quiet corner, or studying people. Closely.

Be sure to Check Out The Donor

Part One and Part Two!

The Donor (Part One)

Casey Williams and her family are poor. Her parents work non-stop and so does she, just so they can keep the trailer roof from leaking.
They’re getting by fine enough when the headaches start. Then there’s the nosebleeds. And the inevitable doctor’s bills.
Fortunately for Casey, there’s MyTrueMatch.com: an exclusive, quick, and almost easy way to pay it all back before her parents even have to know.
All she has to do is give a man she’s never met whatever he wants from her body.
Inside or out. 

The Donor (Part Two)

When Casey joined MYTrueMatch.com, she never imagined she would meet a man who not only helps her pay the bills, but has been nothing but a gentleman.
As the nose bleeds make way for worse symptoms, Casey can’t help the feelings she has for Jonah, despite how he may never return them. And he’s been keeping things from her. Big things. How does he make his money, and who is that girl in the picture?

With the clock ticking, can she find the answers she’s looking for?

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What If by Rebecca Donovan

 

This is a New Adult contemporary romance novel (Rated R)

 

 

 

 

Book Summary

 

A new novel by the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Breathing Series . . .

What if you had a second chance to meet someone for the first time?

Cal Logan is shocked to see Nicole Bentley sitting across from him at a coffee shop thousands of miles from their hometown. After all, no one has seen or heard from her since they graduated over a year ago.

Except this girl isn't Nicole.

She looks exactly like Cal's shy childhood crush, but her name is Nyelle Preston and she has no idea who he is. This girl is impulsive and daring, her passion for life infectious. The complete opposite of Nicole. Cal finds himself utterly fascinated-and falling hard. But Nyelle is also extremely secretive. And the closer he comes to finding out what she's hiding, the less he wants to know.

When the secrets from the past and present collide, one thing becomes clear: Nothing is what it seems.

 

 

 

My Review

 

This novel is like a budding flower. With each layer exposed, we see the beauty and fragility of life as the story unfolds itself with each turn of the page. A garden full of words blooms right in front of our eyes as four friends with different perspectives tell a story of friendship, life, love and loss.

It is in each telling that we are drawn into the lives of these characters who thank god are all flushed out. You will feel like you are another one of their gang involved from the very beginning knowing what drove and drives them forward. For like us, they all have secrets and dreams alike and we get the privileged uncover those parts of them.

I’ll admit I made my predictions as the tale was told. And I’ll admit I was right, wrong, wrong, right, wrong in no specific order. I will also admit, the need to know what happened drove me to read straight through the night. Many hours after starting, I finished at the ripe time of two thirty a.m. Saturday morning after receiving the book on a Friday.

Although at times this can me an emotional read, there are equally if not more moments in the book that make you smile or want to celebrate life, so don’t let that hold you back. This story will keep you guessing to the end what is and what if.

One other key thing for some of you readers to note, is that this book is a standalone. Could there be more? Maybe. One always hopes for more with compelling characters. But this book wraps up the story and I don’t think a sequel is planned. Thus, no need to wait to read this one.

I like the rest of you will, fell hard for Cal. He’s just my kind of guy.

Overall, if you loved the Breathing series by this author, I’m sure you will love this one. If you’ve never read a book by this author, this book is a fine place to start. You can’t go wrong with either.

My book boyfriend Cal.

 

First I'm giving you this teaser I posted earlier. I couldn't say anything before. But after you read you will see how this scene reminds me of something from the book. And below, my promised pics of Cal.

 

AND NOW FOR CAL and someone else...

 

 

 

 

PREORDER LINKS BELOW

 

AMAZON UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-If-Rebecca-Donovan-ebook/dp/B00KZ70A1C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1410287881&sr=8-2&keywords=what+if

BARNES & NOBLE: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-rebecca-donovan/1119703883?ean=9781455533091

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rebecca_Donovan_What_If?id=-YrEAwAAQBAJ

BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Donovan-Rebecca/Q659678049?id=6024946914736

iBOOKS (if you're an Apple user): https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/what-if/id887494102?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Romance that makes you feel good! Always Conall by Sibylla Matilde

Always Conall (Bitterroot #2) by Sibylla Matilde

 

This is an adult contemporary romance (Rated NC-17)

 

 ♥♥♥♥1/2
(Four and a half Conall Hearts)

 

 

Book Summary

 

***** Mature Content, Sexual Situations, Adult Situations, Strong Language *****

To him, I was only just Sage, Matt Nichols’ little sister. But I've worshiped Conall my whole life. My brother's best friend. My secret crush. My first and only love. Always hoping he’d really see... me.

And then, a torrent of circumstances ripped through my life. One by one, my family began to crumble. My dad's heart attack. My brother's tragic death. My mother's slipping sanity. And then Conall's abandonment. He took my heart when he left, but he gave me a reason to grow up fast, to be strong, and to live.

Now, just when things finally start looking up, he's back in Bitterroot. Standing before me, not the boy he once was, but a man. Just when I’m on the cusp of living again. Just when I’m starting to feel like I could let go of the past and be happy without him, the feelings I set aside for all those years are raging once again through my veins. My tight control is slipping. The future I've so carefully mapped out now seems so uncertain.

He’s changed, but he hasn’t. I hate him for leaving, but I love him for coming home.

But will he stay? And do I really, truly want him to after he shattered me before?

 

 

My Review

 

This story reminds me of mistakes we all make as teenagers. And honestly, most of us don’t have the opportunity to correct those mistakes.

Here we have a couple destined to fail with all the odds against them. And this story is the unlikely meeting between two people with baggage a plenty.  The question is can they come to an understanding? Can they beat the odds? And watching it unfold is the beauty of the story.

We’ve got a single mother and a solider returning home. What’s not to love in this one?

My book boyfriend is Conall.

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*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.