All That I Am (Men of Monroe #1) by Rachel Brookes

Blurb:

A kickass home décor boutique – tick
A sassy mouth and absolutely no filter – tick
A wall so strong no man could ever tear it down - tick, tick, tick!

Or so I thought.

Until I meet Detective Ben Hunt, the owner of exquisite blue eyes, a god-like physique and a seductive smirk that makes me weak at the knees. He charges into my life like a force of nature. No matter how hard I try to keep the walls up around my heart, he’s made it his mission to shatter them. I have no chance of resisting him, but I would make sure I won this tug of war.

Which was what I wanted.

Right? When did the idea of losing myself to him start to sound so good?

I wish Ben was the only battle I faced. There’s a reason this small town needs a good detective. One way or another I’m going to have to brace for impact, because no wall I build can stop the new threat thundering toward Monroe.

After all, secrets only stay a secret for so long around here.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2rDNoSr...
Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/ATIA-amazonUK
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/ATIA-amazonAU
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2r2DjRY.

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: May 2017.

When Rachel Brookes first spoke of All That I Am over a year ago, the thought of midtown American filled with these alpha broody men had me intrigued, I mean was it based on a real place, could I visit there?? The Author often teased that ATIA would be different to her previous books, and for a fan of her earlier work, statements like that could be met with equal parts eager anticipation and trepidation. Change after all is good, but there's often a healthy sense of fear that you may not love what comes next. In Brookes' newest release she shows a growth that even I as a seasoned reader wasn't anticipating, there's certainly a deeper realisation of her characters, one that is sure to resonate deeply with old and new readers alike.

"The scariest part wasn't what he said. The scariest part was how it made me feel."

For a self confessed lover of Alpha Hero's Brookes certainly created the strong, brooding type to a tea, Ben Hunt comes across as gruff and demanding, hard edged and tightly controlled, he commands a certain air of authority that his career belies. Hunt is clearly not a man to be trifled with, as a decorated Detective he is clearly a shrewd operator, determined to undercover the worst of society and put them behind bars where they can't hurt anyone else.

"My heart screamed as his words penetrated. How could I love what he said but in the next breath want to erase every memory I had of him."

On the outset Sasha Hamilton is all sass and bravado, she's strong, determined and independent, she's had enough knock downs and set backs in her life to have learnt how to look after herself, she's been meticulous in surrounding herself with a small group of people she trusts, to those outside her circle Sasha is the girl about town, who's carefree and loving life, but on the inside she's still weathering the effects of one too many past hurts to fully trust anyone or let them in.

"Give me the keys to your heart, Sweetheart. You won't regret it. Let me get in there and start clearing out the hurt. I don't want to keep losing you."

When the hot headed Hunt and smart mouthed Sasha collide both of their lives shift, it's a battle of wills, where they need to be prepared to bend and break to have a chance at something permanent and real. Brookes' flexes ability to create the kind of angsty, suspense that romance readers love, with a sense of foreboding that overshadows so much of this story, I felt myself simultaneously wanting to read more and savour what I was sure to be short lived moments of peace. With a heady mix of impending fear, and heart swelling joy, All That I Am struck all the right notes for a book that felt almost impossible to put down. For fans of Kristen Ashley, lovers of dirty talking, raw and masculine absolute alpha males, of strong and fiery heroines who seem to come back swinging no matter how many times the world seems to knock them down, for fans of steamy romance with a side of edge of your seat suspense, and most importantly, for readers who want to be immersed so deeply in their books that they don't ever want to leave All That I Am is for you.

"Let me be the man who gives you the life a woman as incredible as you deserves."

About Rachel Brookes:

Rachel Brookes is from the east coast of Australia and writes angst ridden love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance, and a bucketload of sexiness. With five novels currently published, she is constantly writing and getting ready to release her next hero and heroine into the world. An avid reader, Rachel can often be found with her kindle in her hand, and getting lost in a happily ever after. She has an unhealthy obsession with The Walking Dead, and social media, and loves hearing from readers.

Connect with Rachel on Facebook

The Way Back Home by Carmen Jenner - Cover Reveal

COVER REVEAL

Title: The Way Back Home

Author: Carmen Jenner

Genre: Standalone Military Romance

Cover Design: Be Designs

Photographer: K Keeton Designs

Models: Tessi Le'Anne & Dustin Adams

Release Date: February 2017

Blurb:

August Cotton shouldn’t be here. When a tragic accident calls him home to Magnolia Falls, this returned Veteran adds his parents to the list of things he’s lost in recent years, right along with his IED detection dog and his left leg. As the sole guardian of his four-year-old sister, August must rely on his Marine training in raising a tiny hellion who’s as stubborn as he is. But the Corps could never prepare him for this. Nor could they prepare him for Olivia Anders, a woman who’ll stop at nothing to get her way.


As owner of Paws for Cause, Olivia is no stranger to the broken men and women who return home from war. She’s no stranger to broken dogs either. In fact, she’s made it her mission to pair the two and enrich both of their lives, but pairing ornery and aloof August Cotton will take some work. The last thing August wants is some pushy southern woman occupying his parents’ bed and breakfast and forcing him to open up about the hell he narrowly escaped, but that’s exactly what Olivia intends.


They complete one another, and yet they can’t stand to be in the same room.


Can Olivia make this hardened Marine feel again and finally show his heart the way back home?

Find on Goodreads

About Carmen Jenner:

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture.

PUBLISHED TITLES TO DATE:

Welcome to Sugartown (Sugartown Series #1)

Enjoy Your Stay (Sugartown Series #2)

Greetings from Sugartown (Sugartown Series #3)

Now Leaving Sugartown (Sugartown Series #4)

Sugartown: The Collection

REVELRY (Taint #1)

KICK (Savage Saints MC #1)

TANK (Savage Saints MC #2)

Finding North

Toward the Sound of Chaos

Harley & Rose

Connect with Carmen:

Website: http://www.carmenjenner.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-Jenner/274005066033305

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarmenJAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6547659.Carmen_Jenner

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Jenner/e/B00GEUI8VI/

Chasing Spring by RS Grey - Review

 

 

 

Blurb:

 

 

I thought I’d left Blackwater, Texas behind for good. I didn’t belong in the small town, but my dad wouldn’t listen. He dragged me back home in his beat-up truck and dropped a bomb along the way: Chase Matthews was moving in with us. He was the golden boy of my high school, my former best friend, and the last person I wanted sleeping across the hall. His presence was too great a reminder of the ghosts I was trying to forget.

I didn’t ask for a hero. I don’t want to be saved.

To me, Lilah Calloway meant late nights sneakin’ out, moonlit hair, and sparklers in July. She was my best friend until the day she left and I’d assumed Blackwater had seen the last of her. Then, like a tempest, she rolled back into town for the final half of senior year. The chopped hair and dark devil-may-care attitude warned most people away, but I knew if I fought hard enough, I could find the lost girl.

I didn’t want to be her hero. Some girls don’t need to be saved. 

Find on Goodreads.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1RUVRu9
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1PKOY8e
Amazon AU: bit.ly/1nHe6aa
Amazon UK: amzn.to/1SSB3Dw


Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

Where do I even start with Chasing Spring, I had grown accustomed to Grey's quirky yet heartfelt romances, and I was expecting more of the same, I was expecting light and sexy, while still packing an emotional connection that I often find in her work, and instead I found so much more. Lilah left her old life in Blackwater Texas, sure that she would finally be free of the guilt, pain and sorrow she felt there, but when he father advises her that she has to return home to finish her final year of high school, the new carefully constructed life Lilah had created for herself looked to be slipping away, not only was she back home and struggling to hold on while the inner turmoil she felt was threatening to pull her under, but her once best friend, Chase Matthews was now living in her family home, with only hallway separating them, Chase had always been the golden boy, and Lilah was determined to steer clear of his light, instead preferring her own darkness.

Everything about Chasing Spring stole my heart, breathtaking in it's entirety, Grey's words eloquent and inspired, I left my preconceived expectations at the first page, and took the journey that Lilah and Chase begged me to take with them, Chasing Spring is a poignant, often times heartbreaking coming of age story, that showcases how resilient the human spirit is, with moments of sheer brilliance where Lilah can see past her mother's sordid past, past the lies and deceit, past the guilt and fear, to the golden boy that she's always loved, to the man that's standing before her now, begging her to give him a chance, to give them a chance, to cut the ties that bind her to a future that can only be filled with heartache and misery, as it threatens to shackle her to a past that is not her own. These characters may be young, but they have both faced more than most of us will in a life time, with a wisdom that surpasses their years, Chasing Spring's raw emotion, it's ability to sucker punch you right in the feels, to break your heart, and simultaneously piece it back together for me came from Grey's ability to show that dichotomy of not only Chase and Lilah and the way they face their collective pasts, but the warring sides of Lilah's mind as she seeks to protect herself, with almost a devil may care attitude, while also holding Chase above all else, her need to ensure his heart is protected is tantamount to a sacred oath she made with herself.

"I thought you said you wanted to give me a happy ending?"

"Maybe instead I have to satisfied with a happy middle." 

Grey shows her depth here, while I have LOVED every book of hers, the fun, the quirky, the sexy, the emotional, nothing has gripped me the way Chasing Spring did, the way Chasing Spring has, because it's been days since I finished, and I find myself idly reading quotes, smiling wistfully as I remember moments, that so perfectly detailed the joy and heartbreak of first loves, of love in general, Grey has publicly spoken about the two years that she's been working on Chasing Spring, the fear that she had of ever publishing it, and I have to say, Ms Grey, your fears may have pushed your limits, but Chasing Spring will stay in my mind for a very long time to come.

"Think about it. Does the ending even matter? Shouldn't the middle be the happy part? It's the biggest chunk of our life..."

About RS Grey:

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.




Facebook – http://on.fb.me/1P1szVn

Twitter – http://twitter.com/AuthorRSGrey

Instagram – http://bit.ly/1JqWEJc

Goodreads – http://bit.ly/1MK5MAq

Vegas Love by Jillian Dodd - Review

Blurb:

Hollywood actress, Ashlyn Roberts, just had the worst week of her life. Her ex released a sex tape of them and just when she was convinced her current boyfriend was a keeper for standing by her side, he breaks up with her at a friend’s wedding. She’s planning to drown her sorrows in booze when she meets a sexy stranger as she’s leaving the wedding and they end up in Vegas, married.

Cash Crawford is offered a dream job working with his brother as a junior talent agent. He’ll put his shiny new law degree to good use and make a bunch of money in the process. His first task is simple: Keep Ashlyn Roberts out of trouble and don’t sleep with her.
Which might be kind of tough, since they definitely consummated their Vegas wedding.

Will this one night stand end in the quickie divorce they promised each other? Or will they realize they got lucky in love?


A standalone contemporary romance by USA Today Bestselling Author, Jillian Dodd.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1YYjaHu
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1P99MGv
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Txor1O
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1Jn0Kcl
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1YYjk1J

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2015.

Ashlyn Roberts is a Hollywood star, the lifestyles of the rich and famous seem perfect right?? Wrong!! First her ex leaks their sex tape, things could be worse right...she's still got her
 boyband boyfriend sticking by her, sure things suck right now, but all is not lost, she's got love and her friends wedding to celebrate...until it is, when her boyfriend leaves her too at the wedding, she's finally has enough, this relationship stuff is too much, she's sick of playing the role everyone wants her to play, she wants to let loose and have fun and forget about paparazzi and leaked video's and the sexy stranger she's just met might just be enough to make her forget everything for one night.

Cash Crawford has a shiny new law degree, and the job offer of a lifetime working with his brother, his new job is simple, keep his brother's client Ashlyn out of the spotlight and safe, and don't sleep with her. Sounds simple in theory right?? Wrong again.

When Cash and Ashlyn's worlds collide they share an intense chemistry, one night of wild, unbridled passion and a marriage license meant more to them then either of them would like to admit, but then the morning came and Ashlyn snuck away like a ghost in the night, their connection should have ended, but life doesn't always do what one expects, and if has a bigger plan for them then Cash and Ashlyn expects. Do they proceed like the night in Vegas never happened or do they get to know each other, become friends and actually see if their marriage could work??

It's an interesting concept, strangers who end up married in Vegas, all of the things we look for in a relationship are already there, intense connection, sexual chemistry, the ability to just be with the other person, but Cash's brother is relying on him to do his job and keep his pants zipped, and Ashlyn is expected to do her job, keep her social profile high while keeping on the straight and narrow, there's friends, family and professional contacts in the mix, but for the first time in a long time Ashlyn has people who are truly on her side, and Cash can see himself settling down, with one woman and starting something real.

Vegas Love was my first book by Jillian Dodd, with references to her previous series I'm intrigued to dive in and read more, this was a super cute, fun, fast, sexy read, it has believable drama, heart-warming moments, and made me giggle with glee, sometimes you just need to pick up a book that makes you smile and that doesn't feel like angst overload, and Vegas Love was perfect for that. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the fun filled romp and would recommend it to anyone looking for something with a great blend of heart, heat and humour.

About Jillian Dodd:

Jillian Dodd is the author of The Keatyn Chronicles Series, The Captive Films Series, and the That Boy Series. She lives in sunny Florida.

Visit Jillian Dodd's Website: http://www.jilliandodd.net/

LEV: A Shot Callers Novel Belle Aurora - Review

Blurb:

From the moment Lev Leokov spots the young woman hiding behind her hair in the middle of the gentleman's club, he can't take his eyes off of her.
For the very first time in his life, he is affected. Having been told his entire life that he can't process or understand emotion, he considers it a big deal.

When Mina Harris gets caught red-handed with a wallet that isn't hers, she falls apart. She's tired, lonely and hasn't eaten in days.

Lev offers her an ultimatum... A nice warm bed, a hot meal and a job, or the cops.

Mina takes her chances with Lev.
After all, a person with nothing has nothing left to lose.

***This book enters the world of the extended Leokov family which are introduced in Friend-Zoned, however, is unrelated... release date TBA**

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1JQv6yV
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NYgJwm
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1OrTmNg
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1OBs5n0
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1NY8Tmn

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

“Being alive was easy. Living, on the other hand…well, that was a little harder.”  

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up LEV, actually that's a lie I expected something dark, gritty, it had been a long while since I'd dived into one of Belle Aurora's books, and my memories of RAW obviously left a mark. LEV started ominous enough, Mina Harris is cold and hungry, her very existence is so far out of my realm of experience that my heart ached for her, desperation and despair make you do things you never dreamt of, after narrowly escaping a fate that threatened to send her down a path she didn't want to travel, she finds herself in a gentlemen's club, her plan is simple, seduce a man, get his wallet, and take off with enough money to enable her to eat for the first time in what feels like forever. Mina finds her mark and immediately realises how easy it could be, no seduction needed, grab the dangling wallet, grab some money and run for it, that is until Lev Leokov is standing in her way, Lev seeing something in Mina, feeling something foreign to him, the need to save and protect, offer's her two choices, a place to stay, and a job serving drinks, or the police. Mina has been on her own for so long she's wary of the offer, but faced with a chance of salvation she grasps it.

“I’m not ashamed of who you are. And the only time I would look down on you is if I were helping you back up.”  

LEV was an easy read, the connection between Mina and Lev was fun to explore, her past should have broken her but when given the chance she flourished, and Lev's inability to feel emotional responses tempered all of his interactions, he has definite alpha qualities and yet he was almost an anti hero for me, which is strange in itself that I felt that way, because there's never a doubt in this story that Lev is a good guy, one better than most, he's ruthless when it serves his purpose, and yet he's a devoted family man. Mina and Lev made for an interesting coupling, but what grabbed my attention throughout the story was the romantic lives of Lev's brother Sasha and sister Nastasia, the briefest glimpses of their romantic entanglements had me desperate for more, and I'm excited to see where Aurora takes these characters in the future.

“Love,” he advised gently, “is a doing word. And sometimes the people who least deserve it are the ones who need it most.”  

Aurora writes some swoon worthy moments here, we see the emotional pull Lev has on Mina early on, he is no doubt her saviour and there was always that voice in my head that told me that Mina had no hope in not falling for her white knight, his unconventional way of addressing her, his inability to truly feel anything of consequence made me wonder whether he could be the kind of leading man I love, I shouldn't of worried, it was utterly pointless especially with lines like the one below, my heart was in danger of exploding right out of my chest.

“My arms around her waist tightened a little. I never wanted to let go. “I don’t know what love is,” I started quietly. “But if I could love anyone…” I pressed a gentle kiss behind her ear, pulling her close. “I would love you. Very much.”

LEV was surprisingly fun, for what I expected to be a dark and harrowing story, I was pleasantly surprised to find the perfect book to curl up with on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I read it in one sitting with a glass of wine in hand, slowly sipping away while Aurora reminded me to expect the unexpected, while this book didn't change the way I view the world, it was an entertaining easy read that was highly enjoyable, one that has ensured I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for other books in the Shot Callers series, I struggled with how to rate this one, I flipped in my decision, but so much of how I rate and review is based on not just how quickly I read them, but how desperate I am for more while reading, and in truth I devoured this, I blinked and I was finished, time ceased to exist and I sunk into Aurora's words.

 

 

 

About Belle Aurora:

When finding an author pick of this talented lady use your own photo

Belle Aurora was born in the land down under.
At an early age she fell in love with reading. Boredom one summer had her scouring the bookshelves at home. She stumbled across Sandra Brown’s Breath of Scandal and fell in love with romance.
Having been brought up in a loud and boisterous family of Croatian descent, she developed a natural love for dramatics and humor. Only some years ago had she discovered a new love.
Humorous romance novels.
Kristen Ashley and R.L. Mathewson had opened a brand new world where she could lose herself yet feel safe and at home in their stories. Belle has been known to become a screeching banshee while anxiously awaiting their newest titles.
Belle never thought she would write. It had never interested her until recently. Friend-Zoned began to form and in February this year Belle typed the words Chapter One. And she fell in love.
With words.
With writing.
With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.
Visit Belle Aurora on Facebook

Happily Ever Ninja (Knitting in the City #5) by Penny Reid - ARC Review

Released: 19th January 2016.

Blurb:

There are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer… I would tell you what they are, but then I’d have to kill you.

But I can tell you that Fiona’s husband—the always irrepressible and often cantankerous Greg Archer—is desperately in love with his wife. He aches for her when they are apart, and is insatiable when they are together. Yet as the years pass, Greg has begun to suspect that Fiona is a ninja. A ninja mom. A ninja wife. A ninja friend. After fourteen years of marriage, Greg is trying not to panic. Because Fiona’s talent for blending in is starting to resemble fading away.

However, when unexpected events mean Fiona must take center stage to keep her family safe, her response stuns everyone—Greg most of all. It seems like Greg’s wish has come true.

Except… not.

When all is said and done, can Greg handle this new version of his wife? Will his irrepressible cantankerousness push her away? Or can the couple find a way forward without either being forced to step back into the shadows?

This is a full length, 100k word novel, and is the 5th book in the Knitting in the City Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone except book #1.5

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2015

For followers of How I Met Your Mother they will remember the famous line from the show that "nothing good happens after 2am"... well I'm here to tell you they were wrong, you see last night while plagued by a case of insomnia I decided to pick up a book, at 2am, thinking soon enough my eyes would grow tired and I would finally fall asleep...I did grow tired, I fell asleep with my kindle clutched tightly to my chest and a smile on my face... at 4.30am.

I've been a long time fan of Penny Reid's work, her words have always had an incredible impact on my heart, her characters are always quirky, her stories always veer from the stereotypical romance, and Happily Ever Ninja was certainly no different, wrapped up in this wild ride of drama and angst and suspense was a story that I encourage anyone who's ever questioned their life choices to read.

"You're becoming invisible under the weight of unhappiness."

Fiona and Greg have created a life many would envy, they have a nice home, two healthy, happy, well adjusted young children, they have great loving and supportive friends, and after over a decade together Fi and Greg still look at each other the way they did when they first fell in love, their insatiable need for each other is still there, their sex life still rocking, the only problem is that Greg's career means that he is away for months at a time. Long distance relationships aren't new to them though, their relationship was built on a foundation of loving each other from a distance, it's was what it was, there was no point in complaining about things you couldn't change.

Happily Ever Ninja captured my attention immediately, and while Fiona recounts the hardships of living a semi single parent existence, struggling under the strain of being the sole provider for emotional stability in her young children's lives, to be the PTA mom she thinks her kids deserve, the role of Super Mom and Super Wife and Super Friend and...well you get it, Fi is juggling a whole world of balls right now, and the exhaustion and fatigue of that mentally is enough to bring someone to their knees, and if I'm honest I think the reason this book struck a chord so heavily is because so many of us have felt the need to wear each of those aforementioned capes, to be everything to everyone. Reid isn't done there though, she takes the reader on a action packed, adrenaline fuelled adventure, one I wasn't ready for, I expected a story about a couple weathering that stage of indifference in their marriage, where they took stock of their lives and decided if this was what they always wanted, instead I got both.

"Tell me the truth. Are you happy? With us? With kids and a wife..."

 "That's like asking me, 'Are you happy your heart beats?'"

Reid weaves a story of jungle trails, and weapons and criminal empires and clandestine operations, that left me on the edge of my seat begging for more, I was thrown into an episode of Covert Affairs and I was breathless with anticipation, I was hooked watching everything transpire, but more than anything I felt a kinship to Fiona, because I've felt some of those same things, regardless of the setting the hero of this story was very much their marriage. Life is tough, marriage is hard, it's a choice you make every single day to be present and to be an active member of it, it's about communication, it's about putting your dirty socks in the hamper, it's wiping down the counter after making a sandwich, it's still wanting to get naked with your partner despite the stretch marks and extra pounds, it's feeling wanted and needed, it's asking for help, it's sharing the load, marriage is so much more than just lofty ideals of loving the other person until death do us part, it's more than grand gestures on Valentine's Day, it's making a commitment every day of every week of every year and being willing to your partner what do we do now, where do we go from here?? I'm not ashamed to admit that I had forgotten that, that reading Happily Ever Ninja left me with tears in my eyes at times because I desperately needed to be reminded that standing before God and forsaking all others, was not code for making sure the house was perfectly clean, or the Mr's shirts were ironed or dinner was 5 star feast, my commitment to my husband was to be present in my marriage, to put us first, to build a life with him.

"Fi...

Yes?

 My heart keeps discovering new ways to love you."

 

Reid takes the reader on a fantastical journey, filled with kick arse hero's and heroine's, with snappy one liners, sharp wit, and a sense of quirk I've come to expect from her books, but more than that, Reid reminded me that life is what you make it, it's the people you surround yourself with and it's you believing in yourself enough to say I deserve this, I deserve you.

 

 

Purchase Links:

 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1YXIv4k

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1JmqnKk
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1O2nvyS
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/22Eq5F7
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/p7tkwae
Nook:http://tinyurl.com/nrukxu7
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/pmqzwgu


Read Ninja at First Sight: An Origin Story: http://amzn.to/1YXJzoT

About Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is a part time author of romantic fiction. When she's not immersed in penning smart romances she works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She's also a full time mom to two diminutive adults (boy-8 and girl-5), wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.


CONTACT PENNY:
Please feel free to drop her a line. She'd be happy to hijack your thoughts! You can find her on her blog or email her: pennreid at gmail dot com  

http://reidromance.blogspot.com/

The Storm (A Storm Novella) by Samantha Towle - Review

Blurb:

STORM (noun)—a turbulent disturbance; a disruption or dispute.

Jake Wethers’s life is perfect. He’s married to the woman he’s always loved, and they have three beautiful children. The Mighty Storm is still going strong, and his record label is thriving.

Jake has everything—a life he thought he would never have and one that he didn’t think he deserved.

Not so long ago, Jake’s life wasn’t perfect. The unexpected and untimely death of his best friend, Jonny Creed, sent an already out-of-control Jake spiraling down further.

Drug addiction. Alcohol. Women.

Jake was in the fast lane to following Jonny to the grave until Tru Bennett walked back into his life and changed everything.

But now, the past that Jake left behind has come back to find him. And what the past brings with it is going to be one of the biggest challenges he has ever faced.

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016. 

Once upon a time, long before Glass Paper Ink was born, I discovered the world of Rockers and Romance, The Mighty Storm was an immediate favourite of mine, with it's music references to Nine Inch Nails and that iconic scene featuring Mr Brightside Jake Wethers quickly stole my heart. I've been known to fall quickly and fall hard for a strong heroine, and Tru encapsulated everything I look for in my leading lady, she's strong and feisty, she has flaws and faults and she admits to her weaknesses, throw in the fact that Jake and Tru had the ultimate in childhood besties turned lovers, the friends to lovers trope is my crack... I adore it when it's done well, and The Mighty Storm was no exception, these two have battled the seemingly insurmountable, distance, drug addiction, death, they've weathered (no pun intended) Jake's highly publicised past, the women, the drug and alcohol fuelled benders, and living life in the spotlight but through it all, they survived every hurdle and every blip, and came out stronger for all of it, living the life they only imagined was possible.

Fast forward into the future, Jake and Tru have a happy marriage, three children and thriving businesses, without sounding clichéd life is perfect, until a phone call turns their entire world upside down, and everything they've worked so hard to built is threatened.

 

“There hasn’t been a single second in it when I haven’t loved you, and I’ll continue to love you until my fucking black soul is dragged from this earth, kicking and screaming to hell. Then, I’ll continue to love you from there.”  

I want to rave about The Storm, I want to let you in on every little secret, every twist and turn, but I want you to experience this the same way I did, I want you to rediscover some of your favourite characters and pray like I did that they can survive any obstacle that is thrown their way, everything about this story made my heart smile, even every moment of shock and trepidation filled me with a sense of certainty, a sense of surety because I knew Towle wouldn't throw anything at Jake and Tru that they couldn't weather. The dedication at the beginning of The Storm, speaks of how these characters feel real to the author, and slipping back into this story felt like coming home, like catching up with old friends, and I couldn't of wanted a better way to see them again.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1NX2RT5
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/fJw0Lp
Amazon AU: http://goo.gl/KshPVq...
Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/nfKt6d
iBooks US: https://goo.gl/ns6lMl
iBooks UK: https://goo.gl/WPyMyH
Kobo: https://goo.gl/lN1gnG
B&N: http://goo.gl/C8aGQa


About Samantha Towle:

New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and international bestselling author Samantha Towle began her first novel in 2008 while on maternity leave. She completed the manuscript five months later and hasn't stopped writing since.

She has written contemporary romances, THE MIGHTY STORM, WETHERING THE STORM, TAMING THE STORM, REVVED, REVIVED and TROUBLE.

She has also written paranormal romances, THE BRINGER and the ALEXANDRA JONES SERIES, all penned to tunes of The Killers, Kings of Leon, Adele, The Doors, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, and more of her favourite musicians.

A native of Hull and a graduate of Salford University, she lives with her husband, Craig, in East Yorkshire with their son and daughter.

Website: http://www.samanthatowle.co.uk/

The Score (Off Campus #3) by Elle Kennedy Review

Released: 11th January 2016.

 

 

Blurb:

He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di-Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over 

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love. 

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

Dean Di-Laurentis lives a charmed life, wealth, book smarts, talented hockey player, women throwing themselves at him, he seems to have the world at his feet, and in all honesty he does, there's not a lot the self confessed Manwhore has to complain about, life is good, it's even better when you live your life by your own code of never getting bogged down in what people think of you, never losing sleep over inconsequential opinions, it's good in theory but in reality for most of us we struggle to reconcile our own thoughts vs. the opinions of people around us. Seeing the world through Dean's eyes, seeing him impart his wisdom on living a life free of fear of judgement on Allie was both fun and insightful.

Allie Hayes life just went to hell in a hand basket, school is good, she has her future planned out, but after one too many arguments with her long term boyfriend Sean she's finally done with their relationship, the only problem is that she's been there before, Sean throws down an ultimatum or challenges her career choices and Allie ends it, until of course he apologises and #boom back together, Allie knows she needs to stay strong, that she's making the right decision in ending things, but reconciling herself from the role of girlfriend to single girl isn't easy.

When Allie and Dean's lives cross neither is prepared for what will happen, The Score isn't instalove, it isn't even instalust, the connection these two develop is organic, as they converse and get to know each other better than the limited contact they had previously had allowed, the reader can see something there, some spark of something more, something bigger begin to develop, and for me, here in lied the beauty of Elle Kennedy's words, because nothing here felt forced, nothing here had me scratching my head trying to figure out who Dean or Allie are as characters. Their chemistry was clear, their burgeoning relationship obvious, this soul deep connection that grew from Dean's flippant offer to help Allie move on from her ex, that ignited something ferocious and real for both of them.

What I loved so much here was that Allie begins The Score as this young woman who almost needs to be saved from herself, she needs someone to prevent her from backtracking, she requires someone to not only back her life choices but to believe on them with her, there's a sense that Allie is somehow the weaker one here, that she's the one who is still figuring things out while Dean has got his whole life mapped out, and yet there's so many times where Allie got to show her strength, her tenacity, her ability to look at the world around her when things are crashing down and still find the good there, but more than that her ability to know what she wants and what she deserves  and more importantly the things she needs to do in order to become the person she knows she's capable of being show's her growth throughout The Score. There's a definite sexiness to this story, one I've come to expect from Elle Kennedy, one that you would expect from Dean "man whore" Di-Laurentis, the man is known all over campus as a guaranteed good time, but more than just this inherent sexiness, the obvious chemistry, was the pure swoon worthy moments that made my heart smile, those moments when done properly make you sigh, it's those hints of first love, of a love that's bigger than you ever imagined it could be, one that makes you question everything, one that has the power to lift you up and tear you apart.

For me The Score is exactly what college romance is supposed to be, part coming of age, part romance, believable and relatable angst, not the kind that makes you want to tear your hair out while shouting "ohhh commmmmeeee onnnn..." a story that makes you giggle and swoon, one that when you turn the last page leaves a smile on your face, this series has fast become a favourite of mine, one I often revisit, it's everything I want from a college drama, a light hearted and sexy story that has depth, The Score was a great way to kick off my 2016 reading list, and that little tease Kennedy left readers makes me even more eager for what's to come for the Off Campus series.

Read GPI's Reviews of the Off Campus series:

The Deal (Off Campus #1)

The Mistake (Off Campus #2)


Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1PC4IyQ

Kobo: https://store....kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-score-10

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1050857569

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-score-elle-kennedy/1122824500?ean=2940152679663

About Elle Kennedy:

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!  

Connect with Elle Kennedy on Facebook

A Home For My Heart (Matters of the Heart #3) by Velvet Reed Review

Blurb:


A home is where love resides.
It's a feeling, more than just a physical place.
It's an environment that offers security, truth and happiness. It's the heart of a family.
Sam Evans and Ashley Brookes both know what it's like to lose their homes... their families.
When a stranger from Sam's past makes an unwelcome and unexpected appearance shattering everything he's always believed about his life, the emotionally inept doctor can't deal with the knowledge.
Left confused and brokenhearted, Ashley struggles to cope, and ends up leaning on an old crush for support. When Sam finally gets his act together, he knows he has a lot of fixing and apologizing to do. Aware he's going to lose Ashley, the only woman he's ever loved is not something he’s willing to let happen.
The only way he can get her back is to man-up and show Ashley exactly what she means to him.
To show her that the only home for his heart is with her.

 

Find on Goodreads

 

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: December 2015

 

From the very beginning of the Matters of the Heart series I was instantly smitten with Sam and Ashley, her feisty side had me intrigued, where she could of seemed one dimensional she wasn't, and where Sam was often brash and abrasive I sensed there was something deeper there, something more to these people who seemed like their main thrill was to antagonise each other.

 

In A Home for my Heart it seems like all of the upheaval and agony of the past year has finally passed Cole and Grace are happy, Ash and Sam have finally moved past the wanting to annoy and embarrass each other faze and are happily embarking on a whole new adventure together, each one fighting their own fears that a lifetime have instilled in them, everything about their burgeoning relationship makes other feel like they have finally found someone who makes them feel whole in a way they have never felt before, but as with everything that goes up, it must come down, and when Sam's world crashes around him, he's ill equipped to deal with the overflow of emotions, leaving him raw and unmanned and Ash, Cole and Sam's family are the collateral damage caused by Sam's total shut down.

 

A Home for My Heart isn't just a story about two people finding each other, nor is it a story about two people trying to navigate relationship potholes, it's about so much more than broken hearts and allowing time to heal, Velvet Reed takes us on a journey where two broken characters truly look inwards to address the issues that have affected the way their lives in so many ways they were never even aware of over the years.

 

I connected deeply with Ash, I understood her fears of abandonment, of rejection, I felt her fear, I felt her shame, I felt her longing for something more, something greater than what she had ever known, I felt her desperation as she fought her way out of her pain, her anger and her hurt, and while I was originally so excited to read Sam's story, the hero of this story was very much Ashley for me, there was a rawness to her, I love a strong heroine in my books, I love women who are tough and refuse to take sh*t from people, but what I love even more is when a character is unafraid to show her fears, her pain, her weaknesses, she can face the things that would normally cripple someone and yet find her way back out of the bleakness she feels. Ash captivated me from the first mention of her, her quirky personality intrigued me, her flaws and fault's made her more stunning to watch, reminded me why I love reading, why I'm drawn to stories about "normal" characters just trying to find what most of us want, a place to belong, a place to be, a home for our heart.

 

 

 

 

Purchase Links:

 

US Link: http://amzn.to/1R2EYNz
UK Link: http://amzn.to/1NtSfMT
AUS Link: http://bit.ly/1MBrHE3
CA Link: http://amzn.to/20whdAg
B&N: http://bit.ly/1mpfvkT
iBooks: http://apple.co/1kzrwT8
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1OUTB3V



About Velvet Reed:

Velvet Reed is an avid book lover, turned writer.
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia; she is a city girl at heart but loves the laid back lifestyle of living in country New South Wales. Married to her first and only love, she is a devoted mother of three who juggles her very active children and their many extracurricular activities, working in the middle of the night and writing.

Velvet's love of reading was realised after the death of her amazing father. She used the escape into the fictional world to help her through her grief and post natal depression, not releasing the great impact so many talented authors would have on her life.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VelvetReedAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Velvet_Reed1
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/VelvetReed1/
Instgram: https://instagram.com/velvet_reed/
Email: velvetreed@outlook.com