Showing posts with label Contemporary Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contemporary Romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: Lost and Found by Karey White


Tour Schedule

Lost and Found by Karey White

Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she’s done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it’s time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home.

Blake feels like he’s been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he’s on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he’s going home, and that’s that. But that’s before he discovers his flight has been cancelled.

When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.

This was such a fun, fast read! I don't generally have enough time to read a book straight through, but I just couldn't put this one down. Cambri offered Lydia her condo in North Carolina for the summer so she could go somewhere new and have adventures and excitement! However, Lydia wound up staying inside and reading and eating instead of getting out. While at the airport waiting for her flight home, she meets Blake, who's also from Colorado. He's a workaholic trying to make partner in his law firm who came to North Carolina to fulfill his grandfather's wish to get a box from a woman named Gladys. He wasn't able to find her so he's heading back home. Their flight got canceled at the last minute, so they decide to stick around a few days and see if they can track down Gladys.

I loved watching Lydia and Blake's relationship progress. They had great chemistry and Blake definitely helps Lydia have the adventure she had wanted all summer. They each do things that are way out of their comfort zones and enjoy their time together. Blake is able to learn the lesson his Grandpa wanted him to understand before it was too late. Lydia learned the importance of being brave and allowing someone into her heart. The ending put a huge smile on my face and this is a book I will definitely read again and again!

We also meet Francie, who we'll get to know better in the next book, Second Chances 101. I'm looking forward to it!

My Rating=5 Stars

*I received a copy from the tour host for review. My opinion is 100% my own.*

Excerpt:

Blake and Lydia stayed in their seats as the area around them cleared and a line formed. Finally, Blake stood, picked up his duffel bag and briefcase, then waited while Lydia gathered her things. They took a spot at the back of the line. After a minute, Lydia spoke.

“Since you have to change your flight anyway, maybe you should stay another day or two and try to find the box.”

The corner of Blake’s mouth twitched. “Maybe you should stay a couple of days and have an adventure.”

“Touché. I guess if the plane had gone down, I’d have had an adventure to tell about. Or not tell about.”

The line moved slowly. “You know,” Blake said. “Maybe your adventure could be staying and helping me find my grandfather’s box.”

Lydia nearly choked on her last bite of brownie. Was he joking? They didn’t even know each other.

“I have to be back for teacher’s meetings. And I need to get my classroom ready for school to start. The desks are all stacked up in a corner of the room and I need to get them set up and organized and I’ve got to put up a couple of bulletin boards. And I have to get papers for the parents copied for back to school night and…” Blake’s smile widened as she spoke. “And I’m babbling, aren’t I?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I should get back to the office anyway. It was a crazy idea.”

“Yeah,” Lydia said, relieved. A few minutes passed, and they neared the front of the line. A voice in Lydia’s head wouldn’t be quiet. You’re a coward. You don’t really want an adventure. You’re all talk. You could kill two birds with one stone. Have an adventure and help this guy find the box from his grandfather. But you’re too big of a wimp. She wanted to tell the voice to mind its own business, but it wouldn’t shut up. Chicken. Scaredy cat. But this wasn’t about adventure. This was about good, common sense, right? It wouldn’t be smart to stay with this man she didn’t know. And yet her instincts told her this guy was safe, that she didn’t need to fear his intentions.

It seemed the only way to stop the nag in her head was to speak. “It wasn’t a crazy idea. It was an adventurous idea. And I came here for adventure. I need something to tell Cambri when I get home, right? And you need to find that box or you’ll miss out on something important. And I don’t technically have to be back until Wednesday morning, so...”

“Really? Are you just talking a big game?” Blake teased.

“You’re not a psychopathic killer, are you?”

“No. But I certainly wouldn’t tell you if I was.”

“That’s true. That would really up the whole adventure factor, though.”

“See, you’re braver than you thought.”



Author Karey White 

Karey is a USA Today best-selling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist.
She loves to travel, read, cook, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four wonderful children.




The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series 

Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors.

“Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.”

Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford

Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson

Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White

Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver

Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith


Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/12/14

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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: The Weather Girl by Amy Vastine

A themed tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to my stop for the April Showers Book Tour for
The Weather Girl
by Amy Vastine

The Weather Girl

The Weather Girl

by Amy Vastine

Clean Adult Contemporary Romance

January 1st 2014 by Harlequin



Turbulence is in their forecast.

Summer Raines knows when it's going to rain. She can feel it. That's why the local weather girl's so good at her job. Too bad she couldn't have foreseen the tumultuous arrival of Travis Lockwood, everybody's favorite star NFL quarterback. Make that former star NFL quarterback. Sidelined back to Texas after an injury, the golden boy is trying to steal her precious on-air time. Summer is reduced to reporting from…football games. It's enough to make her quit and become a storm-chaser like her parents. She's stuck with a career that's going nowhere and a man who delights in her refusal to be charmed. Falling in love isn't nearly as easy as predicting the weather.

This is a fun, clean read! Summer Raines works at KLVA as a meteorologist. Her parents were storm chasers but were killed in an accident that left Summer an orphan at 16, so she's lived with her grandparents ever since. She's passionate about the weather and is working on a new segment to share her interesting weather facts with the viewers. Then Travis Lockwood shows up. He's a former NFL quarterback who is the new evening sports anchor. Summer appears to be the only one unimpressed with him, but to make matters worse, her boss, Ken, gives Travis 30 precious seconds of her weather segment so he can connect with the audience. That's just one more mark against him as far as she's concerned. Travis starts talking to her and has the nerve to call her "Weather Girl." She's determined not to like him but that's a problem when he's charming and likable. However, there are opportunities for each of them that make a relationship between them difficult.

I fell in love with Travis! Summer is quirky and funny and sweet and I certainly like her, too, but Travis made the scenes come alive. He's persistent and funny and doesn't try to mold Summer into his "perfect girlfriend." Part of that could be because he had the "perfect girlfriend," who wound up dumping him when his career as a quarterback ended and he now has a better sense of the kind of girl he should be looking for. When Summer gets nervous, she spouts off random weather facts and Travis is the only person that doesn't get scared off by that. There are some great moments between Travis and Summer.

There are amazing job opportunities available for each of them that, if accepted, will take them far away from each other. The solution seemed obvious to me, but their lack of communication meant they had to live through some pain and heartbreak first. It also added a wonderfully dramatic ending, which I absolutely loved! I haven't read a Harlequin in years, but this is now the second book I've read in the Harlequin Heartwarming line in the last couple of months and it won't be the last. I love this clean line of romances and look forward to reading more!

My Rating=5 Stars



Amy VastineAmy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read.

In September of 2012, she saw a tweet about Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write contest. She entered, hoping for nothing more than a little feedback from some people in the business. Amazingly, The Weather Girl made it into the semi-finals, thanks to the many wonderful voters out there! The manuscript didn't make it to the finals, but the editors over Harlequin were still interested. A few revisions later and The Weather Girl was contacted for publication with Harlequin Heartwarming - a dream come true!

Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.

Tour-Wide Giveaway


- Grand Prize: $25 Amazon gift card, red umbrella, signed copy of THE WEATHER GIRL, umbrella bookmark, and decorative box (US Only)

- 5 ebooks of The Weather Girl (INT)

- April 21 - May 11

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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: Righting a Wrong by Rachael Anderson


Tour Schedule

Righting a Wrong by Rachael Anderson

Seven years ago, Cambri Blaine fled her small hometown of Bridger, Colorado after her senior year ended in a fiasco. Only Jace Sutton knew the real reason why—that she was a spineless coward. Now, seven years later, her father’s been in an accident and needs help, and Cambri has no choice but to return home. So with trepidation, she takes a leave of absence from the landscape architecture firm where she works and boards a plane, hoping against hope that Jace is no longer around and that the past can stay where it belongs—in the past.

If only life worked that way.

Jace never expected to see Cambri again. After she’d led him on, bruised his heart, and left town without a backward glance, he was forced to pick up the pieces and try not to hate her for it. Eventually, he put it behind him and moved on, creating a life for himself in his beloved hometown. But now that Cambri is back and looking more beautiful and sophisticated than ever, some of those old feelings resurface, and Jake instinctively knows, for the sake of his heart, that he needs to avoid her at all costs.

If only it were that easy.


We first met Jace in Silver Linings, where he was dating Eden but their relationship didn't seem like it was the best for either one of them. Eden wound up with his buddy, Drew, and as you can imagine, they're not currently close like they used to be. The Prologue starts 10 months later, and Jace is looking to purchase a home that reminds him of a girl he couldn't seem to get out of his system.

Chapter One starts five months after the Prologue, with Cambri coming to town. It doesn't take long to find out that she's the girl that Jace loved all those years ago. She's come back to town to help her grumpy father who just had a heart attack. She's a landscape architect living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is appalled at the condition of her father's yard. She heads over to the hardware store, where she runs into Jace, who happens to own it. Things are a bit awkward between them and as the book progresses, we find out why. Cambri likes to run away and, after Jace stirs up some old feelings inside her, she is ready to run again at her first opportunity.

This is another fun read! I liked Cambri and Jace together. It was nice to see him in a relationship that was more suited for him. There is a scene with Eden and Drew, where Jace showed his maturity in being happy for them even though he felt empty inside. It was also fun to get a glimpse of Eden and Drew and see how they're doing.

I liked watching Cambri's growth as she realized what she really wanted in life and decided to take a chance. Cambri's dad and Jace's grandpa added a lot to the story and were fun to read about. We also got to meet Lydia, Jace's sister, and we'll get her story next in Lost and Found. I'm looking forward to it!

My Rating=5 Stars

*I received a copy from the tour host for review. My opinion is 100% my own.*


Author Rachael Anderson

A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.




The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series 

Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors.

“Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.”

Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford

Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson

Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White

Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver

Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith


Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/28/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: What Goes On Tour by Claire Boston


A themed tour with Prism Book Tours...

Welcome to my stop for
The Rock Star Tour
for What Goes on Tour by Claire Boston

What Goes on Tour

What Goes on Tour

by Claire Boston

Adult Contemporary Romance

Ebook, 282 pages

February 11th 2014 by Momentum Moonlight



What goes on tour, stays on tour … or does it?

Few people know that socially awkward Adrian Hart is actually rock god Kent Downer, and that's the way Adrian likes it. His privacy is essential, especially now that he has guardianship of his orphaned, ten-year-old niece, Kate. But when the nanny quits in the middle of his tour Adrian finds himself in a bind.

Until Libby Myles walks into his life.

Libby has only ever wanted to become a full-time author and prove to her parents that she can make it on her own. On the surface, the temporary job as the nanny for Kent Downer's niece looks perfect—the pay is fabulous, the hours are short and Kate is a big fan—it's the rock star that's the issue.

Arrogant and way too attractive for anyone's good, Kent Downer has enough swagger to power a small city. But when he's out of costume he's different—shy and uncertain. For Libby it's a far harder combination to resist. She needs to find a balance between work, writing and ignoring her attraction to the rock star, because if she falls for him, it could mean the end of her dream.

But when a horrible scandal is unleashed—putting young Kate in danger—there's more heat between Libby and Adrian than just sexual attraction. Libby must figure out if Adrian ever cared for her, or if it was all just part of the show …

I liked this book! It takes place in Australia. Libby is an author and meets Kent Downer when they're both guests on a talk show. Kent is an American rock star and has no personality when they're in the Green Room but turns on the charm when he's in front of an audience. Something happens during the talk show which reveals one of Kent's fears and Libby helps him get through it.

Then we get to know Kent as Adrian Hart who is shy and sweet and takes care of his niece, Kate, since her parents were killed in an accident. Her nanny, Emily, propositions Adrian and quits in a huff when he rejects her so he needs to find a new nanny fast. Libby is able to fill in and, since Kate is already a huge fan of her books, they become fast friends. Libby and Adrian are attracted to each other, but he and Kate will be returning to America soon so what they have is only temporary. Or is it?

I liked Libby and thought she and Kate had some great scenes together. She's an author so it was fun to read about that aspect of her life. I also liked how her relationship with Adrian/Kent progressed. It was gradual and took time to develop, especially since they each started out not being impressed with the other one. Adrian's biggest rule was his privacy and when the scandal occurred, he made some rash judgments which affected his relationship with Libby. I was hoping she would fight back more but it made for more drama that she didn't.

The plot was more complex than I originally thought it would be and I enjoyed it. There were some twists and turns and I knew how I wanted it to end, but wasn't sure if it would turn in that direction. This book is close to being clean but has a couple of short scenes that might go beyond some people's comfort levels. If you enjoy contemporary rock 'n roll adult romance, this is the book for you!

Content: Mild language and a couple of short scenes which has some description of intimacy but nothing too graphic.

My Rating=4 Stars

*I received a copy from the tour host for review. My opinion is 100% my own.*

Excerpt:

This scene is at night when Adrian returns from one of his concerts and is in Libby’s point of view.

Ten minutes later Adrian walked into the room, all traces of Kent gone. His smile was genuine, as if he was happy to see her.
“How was your night?” she asked, holding on to the back of one of the dining chairs.
“The crowd was amazing.” His tone was one of awe. “They knew the words to all my songs and the noise was incredible.”
“It must be fabulous to know you’ve had an influence on so many people.” She should be making a move, not making conversation.
He nodded and then sobered. She knew he was thinking about the attempted suicide. “I made you a drink,” she said, gesturing to the dining table, and then, embarrassed by her need to be thanked, she turned to pack up her bag.
“Why don’t you join me?” He picked up the book she’d been reading and brought it over to her. “I wanted to thank you for talking to Kate with me today.”
He held out the book and she took it, shoving it into her bag.
“It’s fine. I’m glad she’s okay.” Fine. Okay. Great use of adjectives, Libby. Really creative. He got her so flustered, being so close. She turned to put some distance between them but stopped as he took her hand.
Heat rushed up her arms. Adrian drew her closer to him.
Her heart slowed and beat heavily in her chest.
“You’ve helped me a lot in these few short days.” He took her other hand so she was facing him directly.
What was he doing? She had to stop this.
“You saved my reputation on the talk show, you’ve become Kate’s nanny at short notice and you helped me broach a difficult subject with her today.” His voice was soft and he pulled her ever so slightly closer to him. Libby stared at him like a kangaroo caught in a car’s headlights.
He brought his hand up and brushed her cheek. “Thank you.”
Libby couldn’t answer. Every coherent thought in her head vanished with the sweep of his hand over her cheek. She had to say something, even if it was just a murmur in acknowledgement. She parted her lips to respond and suddenly his mouth was on hers.
His lips were warm and gentle and stole her breath away with their tender-ness. Heat curled in her belly and moved outward, suffusing her with longing as she wrapped her arms around Adrian’s neck and drew him closer. He groaned, deepening the kiss, taking her further until her whole body felt on fire.
All her doubts and fears vanished in the moment. She couldn’t think. Every nerve in her body was concentrated on the sensation as his hands slid around her body, cupping her bottom and pulling her closer still.
She held on, meeting his tongue with hers, pouring her passion into the kiss. “Uncle Ade?” Kate’s voice calling from the bedroom stopped Libby cold, as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over her. They sprang apart and turned to the door.
Kate wasn’t there but her voice came again. “Uncle Ade, are you home?” Adrian cleared his throat and stepped further away from Libby, not looking at her. “Sure am, kiddo. I’ll be right there.”
Libby blinked. What had she been thinking? She’d kissed her boss. She had to get out of there. Gathering up the rest of her things, she avoided Adrian’s gaze. “I should go.”
Adrian nodded, but didn’t say anything. He followed her to the entrance, and when she opened the door, he put his hand over hers.
“Libby, I –” He stopped, his eyes full of confusion, and she waited for him to continue.
“Uncle Ade,” Kate called.
He glanced toward Kate’s door. “I’ve got to go.”
Libby pulled her hand out from under his. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She tried to smile but it felt as though her face was cracking. He regretted what had happened, that much was certain.
Hurrying down the corridor, she didn’t look back.
Safe in her own room, she sank down on the bed and put her fingers to her mouth. Her lips were warm and swollen from his kisses. He had instigated the kiss but she hadn’t held back.
She’d never felt such a rush of tenderness before. It had flowed through her whole body until she felt she must be glowing and then it had ramped up to sparking.
If Kate hadn’t been there…
Libby refused to think of what might have happened. How was she going to face him tomorrow?

   
 

SALE! What Goes on Tour for $2 (50% off)!!
Purchase through Momentum's store from April 8-15.
Click on the "Buy Direct" button and use this coupon code:
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Claire Boston was a voracious reader as a child, devouring anything by Enid Blyton as well as series such as Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Baby-sitters Club and Sweet Valley High. Then one school holidays when she’d run out of books to read her mother handed her ‘Hot Ice’ by Nora Roberts and Claire instantly fell in love with romance novels.

The love of reading soon turned to a love of writing and she struggled to keep within the 1500 word limit set by her teachers for her creative writing assignments. When she finally decided to become serious about her stories she joined Romance Writers of Australia, found her wonderful critique group and hasn’t looked back.
When Claire’s not reading or writing she can be found in the garden attempting to grow vegetables, or racing around a vintage motocross track. If she can convince anyone to play with her, she also enjoys cards and board games.
Claire lives in Western Australia, just south of Perth with her husband, who loves even her most annoying quirks, and her two grubby, but adorable Australian bulldogs.


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$50 GC & ebook of What Goes on Tour

10 ebooks of What Goes on Tour

Ends April 20

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Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford


Tour Schedule

Home Matters by Julie N. Ford

According to her mother, Olivia Pembroke was born to be a star. But how is she supposed to be famous when she can’t even get a decent acting gig? Her lucky break comes when she lands an audition for a wildly popular home improvement show. Even though she has no design training and has never even held a power tool, she refuses to let that stop her. She’s confident that her destiny is finally within reach.

When her affections are torn between her heartthrob co-host and the irritating, yet somehow endearing lead contractor, does she continue to reach for the stars? Or does she design a new happily ever after? One that leads not to the fading lights of fame and fortune, but to a love that will burn forever.

I'm so excited for this tour! There are six novellas by six different authors in the Ripple Effect Romance series and I will review one every other week. Home Matters is the first book and the series is off to a great start!

Olivia is broke and really needs a break to keep her acting dream alive. She auditions for the popular home improvement show, Home Matters, and it doesn't go as smoothly as she had hoped. She gets the job, though, and is torn between her handsome co-host, William, and Pete, the lead contractor. Pete's part in her audition didn't get them off to a great start and he's just as irritating as ever, yet she also finds him attractive.

As the show progresses, Olivia wants to share her designs but she's just the face while someone else actually does the designing and she's not looking for any help from Olivia. Olivia has a decision to make towards the end: Does she follow her lifelong dream or her heart?

This is a fast, light, clean, fun read! There is definitely one guy that is the better choice for Olivia and it was fun to read her journey to discover who she would ultimately be happier with. I enjoyed reading her growth from being somewhat shallow to realizing what she truly wants in life. It's a short novella but there's quite a bit packed in. I'm looking forward to reading book 2, Silver Linings!

My Rating=5 Stars

*I received a copy from the tour host for review. My opinion is 100% my own.*

Here's an excerpt of part of her audition to get on Home Matters:

Pete scratched the scruff on his chin. “Olivia Pembroke,” he repeated, as if giving her name some serious thought. “Sounds like a character from a Jane Austen movie.”

Olivia responded with a dour look. “You a fan of turn- of-the-century romance films?”

Pete shrugged off her comment. “I have three older sisters,” he said, his eyes studying her from head to foot. “Except, the more I’m getting to know you, with that fiery disposition and those Bambi eyes, you’re reminding me more of a feisty little Disney fairy than a demure lady of class.” He lifted his thick eyebrows, curious. “Is that your real name, or some sort of made-up stage name?”

Just because a girl had a heart-shaped face, turned-up nose, and bow mouth, didn’t make it okay for people to tease her about resembling any sort of cute little pixy. She hated when people made the connection. He was really starting to annoy her, which was obviously what he intended, so she refused to allow him the satisfaction of knowing just how much.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but both.” She idly examined her manicure. “My momma named me Olivia because she thought Olivia Pembroke would look good all lit up on a marquee. She knew I was going to be a big star when I grew up.”

He huffed out a laugh. “You, and about a few thousand other pretty faces in this town.”

Olivia shot him a withering look. “What’s your point?”

Pete shrugged. “Why waste your life chasing what will likely amount to no more than two minutes of fame when there are nobler causes out there worth pursuing?” He almost sounded genuine. “After all, love and fame can’t live in the same place.”

Olivia’s hands curled into tight, angry balls. Who did this man think he was to lecture her on the nobility of her ambitions? The most infuriating man she’d ever met, that’s who. “Says the man who was obviously born to clean toilets.” Taking a step closer, she faced him straight on and planted her fists on her hips. “And just a tip, Socrates. The next time you go all philosophical on a girl, and you expect her to take you seriously, try not using movie quotes to prove your point.” She slid him a superior glance. “Like I wouldn’t recognize a line from Country Strong.”

Pete moved closer as well. Their noses were barely inches from touching. She could actually feel his breath on her face, and for some unconscionable reason, she found the sensation oddly tantalizing. Then he opened his mouth to say something else. But before he could get a word out, a voice from the near distance interrupted.

“And, that’s a wrap!”

Olivia jerked toward the casting director. “What?” she questioned, though she knew fully well what “that’s-a-wrap” meant. “I’m sorry, but unless I’m mistaken, we haven’t begun shooting yet.”

The director rolled his hand through the air. “Yes well, we’ve seen all we need to,” he said, his attention already diverted to the phone his assistant was handing him. “Thank you for coming down today, Olivia. We’ll be in touch.”

 




Author Julie N. Ford

Julie is a forty-something, dangerously close to becoming a fifty-something, graduate from San Diego State University with a BA in Political Science. In addition, she has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama, which has only made her better able to recognize the unhealthy, codependent relationship she has with writing. Professionally, she has worked in teaching and as a marriage and family counselor. She is the author of four women’s fiction novels, including Count Down to Love, a 2011 Whitney Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she entertains delusions of being a master gardener, that is, when she’s not killing the unsuspecting plants in her yard with her good intentions. She lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, two daughters, a Betta named Bob, and a Scottish fold kitten, Ardweal.




The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series 

Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors.
“Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.”

Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford

Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson

Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White

Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver

Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith


Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: Sun and Moon by Lee Strauss



Sun & Moon by Lee Strauss
(Book One in the Minstrel Series)

Coming January 26th!

If you’re a fan of the movie Inside, Llewyn Davis, ABC television’s Nashville or Colleen Hoover’s upcoming novel, "Maybe Someday", the Minstrel Series is for you!

The Minstrel Series is a collection of contemporary romance novels set in the singer/songwriter world. The books are companion novels, with shared settings and characters, but each are complete standalone stories with a HEA (happily ever after) and no cliffhangers!


Katja Stoltz is a risk-taking singer-songwriter hoping to make it in the indie music scene in Dresden, Germany. Micah Sturm's a brooding uptown banker on a quest.

Driven to the streets, Katja is picked up by Micah - but he doesn't want what she thinks he does. There’s an undeniable attraction between them, a gravitational pull they both struggle to resist. Katja knows she mustn’t fall in love with this handsome enigma. There’s something dark lurking beneath the surface. He could be dangerous.

And even if her life isn’t on the line, her heart most definitely is.


*not erotica - no explicit sex or coarse language

Katja is a singer/songwriter and she starts out down on her luck. She needs rent money by tomorrow and one of her roommates told her if she didn't want to be out on the streets, she better put her shapely legs and the rest of her youthful body to work. We learn what's happened to her in the past three days to bring her to the point she's at now and some of her background with her family to show why she moved. While she's flashing her legs, she keeps reminding herself why she needs to do this, even though she's also arguing hard against it. 

A car stops for her, so she gets in and is pleased to see he's young and good-looking. She had the impression this was his first time picking someone like her up. She introduces herself and learns that his name is Micah and he's half-American, half-German. Micah takes Katja back to his place and feeds her dinner. He then pulls out his sofa bed, tells her he'll still pay her but wants her to sleep there. She's relieved but still a little wary.

She finds herself drawn to Micah, but leaves and then ends up back at his place. They're attracted to each other but he keeps her at arm's length. One of the bedrooms in his apartment is always locked and Katja really wants to learn what's on the other side of that door. Will his secret tear them apart or bring them closer together?

When I first started reading, I had to check to make sure this wasn't going to go down a road I didn't want to travel. I was relieved when Katja met Micah and he was a gentleman. I LOVED their story! There was just enough revealed to keep me guessing and Micah's secret was a surprise to me. Katja and Micah's relationship grew over time which I liked and made me fall in love with them as a couple. I enjoyed their conversations and I totally fell in love with Micah. There were definitely obstacles for them to overcome and my heart broke for them at one point. 

There are some great side characters that add a lot to the story as well. This book is billed as an HEA (happily ever after) so the ending didn't come as a surprise, but I enjoyed the journey to get to that point. I recommend this to anyone that would enjoy romance between two unlikely people--an indie singer/songwriter and a banker. This book was hard for me to put down. I look forward to reading more in this series and hope there's more Katja and Micah to come!

My Rating=5 Stars

Content: Passionate kissing; they do live in the same apartment but sleep in different rooms. There might be mild swearing, but I honestly don't remember.

This series is an exciting collaboration between Lee Strauss as an Indie Author and several very talented Indie Singer-Songwriters. Four original songs produced by Norm Strauss are featured in Sun & Moon and are performed by award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Kim McMechan. MP3 links are included at the end.

Check out the music video!


All the songs from the Minstrel Series can be found at Bandcamp.

The Minstrel Series also has its own Facebook page. Go Like it to follow all the upcoming Minstrel Series news!

Pre- orders now available at the pre-release price of 2.99! 
(Price goes up after launch)


Lee is giving away prizes to celebrate the upcoming launch of Sun & Moon

Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card, MP3s of all four songs featured on Sun & Moon, and a 12 month calendar from Dresden, Germany featuring many of the settings found in Sun & Moon.

Dresden, Germany
About Lee Strauss: Lee Strauss writes romantic mixed genres set in the past, present and future for YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff as Elle Strauss. She divides her time between BC, Canada and Dresden, Germany, and enjoys drinking coffee and eating chocolate in both places. Find out more at www.ellestraussbooks.com.

Twitter: @elle_strauss
YouTube channel

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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: An Incurable Insanity by Simi K. Rao



The Review Tour for
An Incurable Insanity by Simi K Rao!

Join the #Talk daily on Simi's Facebook 

An Incurable InsanityAn Incurable Insanity

by Simi K Rao

Paperback, eBook, 376 pages

Published October 8, 2013 by Tate Publishing

Her heart fluttered when she heard the sound of the key turn in the lock. She quickly adjusted her maroon silk sari with the yellow border, the one that had caught his eye, and waited eagerly for his footsteps.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven... Yes, exactly seven steps before he stopped, hesitated for a few moments, then removed his shoes one by one and arranged them neatly side by side on the shoe rack.

She smiled. He had been mindful of taking his shoes off every day now. "I am not used to it, but I will if you want me to. It's probably a good thing to do anyway."

As he settled down, he would pick up the TV remote and, without looking at her, would say in his smooth baritone, "So how did you spend your day, anything interesting?"

Shaan Ahuja found himself bowing to tradition and agreeing to an arranged marriage to the beautiful Ruhi Sharma. He went through the motions but had no intention of carrying through on his vows. His last foray into matters of the heart with an American girl had left him scarred and unwilling to try again. Thoroughly disillusioned and disgruntled he wasted no time in making his intentions clear to Ruhi on their wedding night. But, he was completely unprepared for what his new wife had in mind.


Goodreads * Tate Publishing * Barnes & Noble * Amazon


Ruhi and Shaan are both from India. They got married a month ago and are now living in LA. Their marriage was arranged and Shaan dropped a bombshell on Ruhi on their wedding night--he can't make love to her because there's someone else. She's shocked but decides to stay for a couple of months so they can say they tried to make their marriage work, and it will be easier for her to start over. We also learn from a conversation he had with his father prior to getting married, that he can't marry the woman he's involved with, because she's already married.

The way Ruhi handles his news and carries herself surprises Shaan and he starts to look at her differently. He's lost her trust, though, and she's determined to leave as soon as she can. But now he's having second thoughts. Will they be able to get on the same page and decide to really give their marriage a chance?

I was excited to read this book and while I enjoyed it overall, I personally had a couple of issues with it. I  wish there would have been more of an explanation of the ceremonies that are referred to--the Mehendi, the Sangeet, the Haldi and the wedding ceremony itself. I don't know what those are and would have liked to have understood them better. I also like different POV's in stories but sometimes it changed too quickly for me, and we would get each of their thoughts as they were carrying on conversations with each other. Their first date, in particular, made me dizzy with all the back and forth. (This may not bother others--I'm getting older and slower, haha.)

There is lots of drama and they each change their mind a lot on whether or not they want to try to work on their marriage. Ruhi starts her marriage with one plan and when that doesn't work, she changes tactics, becoming more independent and more enticing to Shaan. She makes some new friends and it was fun to watch those relationships develop. She continues to amaze Shaan throughout the book and, even though she's frustrating at times, she's also very likable. I cut Ruhi some slack because she's quite young and was delivered devastating news and I honestly can't say I would have reacted any better than she did. I liked the cultural references that were included so I felt like I understood them a little more.

I wasn't impressed with Shaan at the beginning. We find out why he married Ruhi, which didn't paint him in the best light, either, but he shows a lot of growth and maturity as time goes on and redeemed himself to me in the end. There were some crazy, dramatic parts and also some calm, tender moments. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Rao's books in the future!

My Rating=4 Stars
Content: Mild swearing and some kissing.


You saw The Exotic Tour... you got a taste for the beautiful culture and the romantic attraction of our spunky young characters... now we're reviewing it and posting a new excerpt at each stop! Here's today's:



Read with us!



Simi K. Rao was born in India and has been living in the United States for several years. The inspiration for An Incurable Insanity came from what she has seen transpire among and within the immigrant community. Some of the experiences included are her own; some have been garnered from friends and casual conversations with acquaintances...

I am a physician–and to many I may appear serious and solitary. But once people get to know me better, they often think that I am frank, down to earth, with quite a quirky sense of humor. And that is what I bring to my writing—read and you shall see.

I was born in the dead center of India, but had the privilege of spending time both in the north and south. Therefore I have been able to sample and absorb to some extent the vastly diverse cultures and languages of both these regions (the very quality that imparts tremendous richness to our country’s heritage,) —a phenomenon perhaps not seen anywhere else in the world.

After immigrating to the United States in my early twenties and spending several years in this country, whenever I travel back to my homeland now, I find that I appreciate my roots a lot more. Still there is so much to see and learn, that a lifetime won’t suffice.


Tour-Wide Giveaway

January 13 - February 3, 2014
1 Taste of India Collection from World Market (US Only)
2 Signed Print Copies of An Incurable Insanity (US Only)
2 eCopies of An Incurable Insanity (International)

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