Category Archives: Donna’s Reviews

BLOG TOUR, Review, Interview & Giveaway: Hard to Come By: A Hard Ink Novel by Laura Kaye

IMG_4723.JPG
Hard to Come By: A Hard Ink Novel by Laura Kaye
Publication Date: November 25, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 5 Stars

IMG_4720.JPG

IMG_4726.JPG
Caught between desire and loyalty…

Derek DiMarzio would do anything for the members of his disgraced Special Forces team—sacrifice his body, help a former teammate with a covert operation to restore their honor, and even go behind enemy lines. He just never expected to want the beautiful woman he found there.

When a sexy stranger asks questions about her brother, Emilie Garza is torn between loyalty to the brother she once idolized and fear of the war-changed man he’s become. Derek’s easy smile and quiet strength tempt Emilie to open up, igniting the desire between them and leading Derek to crave a woman he shouldn’t trust.

As the team’s investigation reveals how powerful their enemies are, Derek and Emilie must prove where their loyalties lie before hearts are broken and lives are lost. Because love is too hard to come by to let slip away…

IMG_4725.JPG
I was looking forward to Marz’s story and boy did it live up to it. The action and suspense kept me glued to the chair reading and when you add the hot steamy romance, well it was pulse pumping at it’s finest. Emilie was a great fit for Marz and I enjoyed how their romance blossomed and the easiness of their relationship. Even when things went bad for them. As always, the light banter and closeness of the group can choke you up one minute and laugh the next. It is one of those books that I couldn’t wait to see how it turned out but hated that it ended.

*Review copy provided by Avon in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_4727.JPG
Kindle | Amazon PBK | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

IMG_4718.JPG

IMG_4715.JPG
✿The Hard Ink Series by Laura Kaye✿
✦Book 1: Hard As It Gets ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/13UC9GX | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/1eebKEO | B&N http://bit.ly/1epPOY9 | Kobo http://bit.ly/17Ftsjz | iTunes http://goo.gl/ND4kSg
Review 4 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-QY
✦Book 2: Hard As You Can ➢ Kindle http://georiot.co/2eeV | Amazon Paperback http://georiot.co/43ks | B&N http://bit.ly/1jqTrzw | Kobo http://bit.ly/1pdXJ0S
Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-138
✦Novella: Hard To Hold On To (August 19, 2014) ➢ $1.99 Kindle http://georiot.co/12MC | B&N http://bit.ly/P621cf | iTunes http://bit.ly/1tbBqLg
Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1wB
✦Book 3: Hard To Come By (November 25, 2014) ➢ Kindle http://georiot.co/2Xga | Amazon Paperback http://georiot.co/3rHG | B&N http://bit.ly/SfqFcW | Kobo http://bit.ly/1tpQD85

Praise for Hard to Come By:

“Rough sex and explosive fights power Kaye’s third Hard Ink novel, a thrilling adventure that feels more like an action movie with a romantic subplot than a typical contemporary romance. New readers will head straight for Kaye’s backlist after powering through this installment.” ~Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“TOP PICK! If you’re looking for danger, gritty action, and sizzling passion, then Kaye has just the book and the series for you.” ~RT Book Reviews Magazine

IMG_4721.JPG

IMG_4731.JPG
INTERVIEW WITH LAURA KAYE
QUESTIONS FROM READING IN PAJAMAS/ Donna

Post for Reading in Pajamas 12/4/14
By Laura Kaye

I’m super excited to I’m very excited to be here today to celebrate the release of my new book, Hard to Come By! This book is part of my super sexy and suspenseful Hard Ink series about the surviving members of an Army Special Forces unit investigating the suspicious circumstances that got them dishonorably discharged from the military. Hard to Come By is about amputee hero and team techie Derek “Marz” DiMarzio, who finds himself falling for the sister of one of their known enemies.

Today, I’m answering some questions about writing the Hard Ink characters! Read on…

With such a diverse group of men and women in your Hard Ink Series (That I love immensely), I just have to ask: Have the characters deviated or stayed true to how you first envisioned them?

Yay! So glad you love them! *grins* Yes, mostly they have stayed true to how I first envisioned, with a few exceptions. First of all, Easy was a complete surprise. When I proposed the series, there were only four survivors. But when I started to write, all of a sudden there were five. And there was no changing that. He and Beckett were also super quiet characters to me through most of the series, making me worry a bit about writing their books. But as soon as I got to each of their stories, they finally started talking to me and telling me why they’d been so quiet. And it made me loving writing them even more. I think the other exception was that I had no idea how popular of a character Jeremy would become and how important of a role he’d play, so he probably surprised me more than anyone else!

Marz was a rather complex character, not only in how he viewed himself but how this teammates viewed him. You pulled in all the nuances of self-consciousness and guilt mixed with pride perfectly without overdoing it. Did you find his story difficult or were you able to pull from life experience to make it real?

Marz was actually an exceedingly cooperative character! LOL Sometimes a character fights you and you have to dig and dig to get at the heart of him. Not so with Marz. The only thing I didn’t realize about him at the beginning of the series was that he’d been orphaned. That clicked during writing Hard As You Can, the second book in the series. I suppose that is probably where I pulled most of myself into his characterization. My parents divorced when I was six and my dad was pretty much absent afterwards, so I could relate to some of his feelings. And once I knew that about Marz, I totally knew what his wounds were, and they didn’t have as much to do with his amputation as you might think on the surface…

From other authors’ interviews, I see that some stick with a strict order on storyline and character order but some let it flow as the series progresses. Where do you fall on that graph?

Mostly, I don’t plot or outline my books. I know all the big plot points, but not most of the connective tissue. Usually, I sit down to a blank screen and not much else. I haven’t been able to get away with that as much in this series because the suspense elements really do need to be plotted out, especially since they stretch over multiple books. I really did have to know, at a minimum, what questions they were trying to answer in each book and what answers would be revealed. So, I’m a reluctant plotter at best! LOL

Thanks for reading!
Laura

IMG_4735.JPG
SIGNED PAPERBACK COPY OF LAURA KAYE’S HARD TO COME BY
http://is.gd/1uE99N

IMG_4719.JPG

IMG_4729.JPG
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Hard Ink Puppy FB | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

IMG_4717.JPG
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE BLOG TOUR:
Dec. 1-Shh Moms Reading
Dec. 2-Vilma’s Book Blog
Dec. 3-Grownup FanGirl
Dec. 4-Reading in Pajamas
Dec. 5-Schmexy Girl Book Blog

IMG_4714

 

 

 

REVIEW: WOLF’S FALL (an Alpha Pack Novel) by J. D. Tyler

IMG_4636.JPG
WOLF’S FALL (an Alpha Pack Novel) by J. D. Tyler
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
Rated: 4 Stars

IMG_4634.JPG

IMG_4638.JPG
Still tormented by his recent captivity, Alpha Pack commander Nick Westfall isn’t sure he’s fit to lead—especially when he meets the one woman he can’t claim without reliving the torture he endured at the hands of a rogue vampire.

Vampire princess Calla Shaw has seen her own share of heartbreak, but she can tell that the wild attraction she and Nick feel for each other could turn into something significant—if only he’d let it. But Calla isn’t about to give up on her mate without a fight.

Time is running out, not only for Nick to claim his mate, but for Calla and her coven. A vampire war is on the horizon, one the Alpha Pack can’t hope to win if their leader can’t pull himself back from the abyss…

IMG_4637.JPG
This is another great Alpha Pack novel but parts seemed just a little rushed like the ending and a few moments between Nick and Calla when it came to her needing blood. I like Nick and there is something about a strong alpha struggling with personal demons that appeal to me. Calla is a strong self-assured woman but still very likeable so they were a perfect match. Her understanding and patience worked perfectly with his story. And boy the romance was hot. A very enjoyable book in keeping with the Alpha Pack tradition.

*Review copy provided by Berkley/NAL in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_4640.JPG
Kindle $7.99 http://geni.us/2bDd | Amazon PBK $7.19 http://geni.us/wVx | B&N $7.99 http://bit.ly/1rHWTho | Kobo $7.99 http://bit.ly/1FGQvaY

✦THE ALPHA PACK SERIES BY J.D. TYLER ~ READING ORDER✦
✦ Book 1~ Primal Law ➢ http://amzn.to/146L0QN
✦ Novella ~ Black Magic ➢ http://amzn.to/16amrmP
✦ Book 2 ~ Savage Awakening ➢ http://amzn.to/1do4Gc3
✦ Book 3 ~ Black Moon ➢ http://amzn.to/1fx11Ve
✦ Book 4 ~ Hunter’s Heart ➢ http://amzn.to/17WKHdB
✦ Book 5 ~ Cole’s Redemption ➢ http://amzn.to/141Pubh
✦ Book 6 ~ Wolf’s Fall ➢ http://geni.us/2bDd

http://www.jdtyler.com/books.html

IMG_4641.JPG
J.D. Tyler is an award-winning, multi-published author who writes for New American Library under three pseudonyms. Whether this is due to an overdose of ambition or a multiple personality affliction, she’ll never tell.

J.D. writes dark, sexy paranormal romance and has a huge thing for shifters, vampires, the Fae, and just about everything else that goes bump and grind in the night. She can’t get enough of those dangerous supernatural heroes, and the fun of creating her own was just too much temptation to resist… so she didn’t. J.D. doesn’t do self-denial.

When she isn’t writing, J.D.’s idea of a good time certainly isn’t cleaning house (sniff), bungee jumping (not in this lifetime, or the next), or camping (her idea of “roughing it” is a slow bellboy). She enjoys reading, being pampered like the diva she is, and spending time with her awesome family. She lives in Texas with her two teenagers.

IMG_4633.JPG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JD-Tyler/192403284107373
Website: http://www.jdtyler.com/index.html
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/JDTylerAuthor

IMG_4648.JPG

Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: FULL THROTTLE (Black Knights Inc.) By Julie Ann Walker

IMG_4543.JPG
FULL THROTTLE (Black Knights Inc.) By Julie Ann Walker
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
Rated: 5 Stars

IMG_4540.JPG

IMG_4548.JPG
Abby Thompson didn’t sign up to be the daughter of the President of the United States. The position was forced on her by the small matter of her birth. Preferring a quiet life of study, she’s content to leave the politics and the international intrigue to her father. Unfortunately, the most powerful man on the planet is sure to make enemies. When a group of armed thugs takes her hostage half a world away, demanding the U.S. government release prisoners in exchange for her safe return, she fears her father’s policy of “not negotiating with terrorists” means she’ll never see the shores of the Potomac again. Luckily, there’s one glimmer of hope. His name is Carlos Soto. And though she abruptly ended things with him years ago, she knows now he’s the only man who can save her…

Carlos “Steady” Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he’s tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved-who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he’s got. Plus there’s the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him… for the second time?

IMG_4545.JPG
Another great installment in the Black Knights Inc. story! Carlos is, well perfect and embodies all my points for a hot special ops member with a heart. Abby was so likeable and funny that it was a match made in heaven. I also need to mention that the fast paced heart stopping story started immediately and didn’t let up. This book was filled with humor, action, hotties, heroes and steamy romance. It hit all my checkboxes and then some.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_4552.JPG
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HLTEKn
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1vO67sN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/11CuRYo
iTunes: http://bit.ly/Z7gY3o

IMG_4547.JPG
Exclusive Excerpt

Sniff…wuffle…baraaaaaag!

The elephant was getting frustrated at their continued ability to evade its searching trunk, and Abby could only pray the advice she’d read in those articles was correct. It was bad enough to think of dying at the hands of militants, but getting snuffed out by a pissed–off pachyderm?

PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER DONE IN BY DUMBO…

Yep, she could see the headlines now. Definitely not the most respectable way to go and—-

Baraaaaaag! She jumped as another head–splitting trumpet blasted through the humid jungle air. Carlos tightened his arms around her, and she couldn’t help but think of what would have happened had the elephant not timed its arrival so precisely.

I mean, what the frickin’ sticks was I thinking? Oh, yes. She hadn’t been thinking. That was the whole problem. She’d simply been playing the part of Slutty McSlutNuggets, attempting to bang the one guy on the face of the planet she had no business banging.

Of course, in her own defense, it was a hard to say no to him when she’d been fantasizing about saying yes for most of her adult life. And then, as if that weren’t enough, there was the shock value of the thing. As in, Carlos Soto kissing her, caressing her, telling her to ride him and—-

She still had trouble believing it. Trouble believing he’d actually, factually wanted her. And, alrighty then, so maybe instead of seeing her as nothing more than that pesky undergrad who followed him and Rosa around like a lost puppy, she had, in fact, grown up in his eyes.

Still, you’re an idiot to have let things go so far, she admonished herself, even as she reveled in the feel of being held so tightly against his wide chest that she could hear his heartbeat thudding steadily beneath her ear. She wondered how it was he could remain so calm when they were ten seconds away from being skewered on a set of pointy ivory tusks. But then he moved his leg, just a little, and every thought in her head came to tire–squealing stop.

He was…hard.

***

IMG_4546.JPG
Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as “alpha, edgy, and downright hot.” Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.

IMG_4541.JPG
Social Networking Links:
Website: http://julieannwalker.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JAWalkerAuthor
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAWalkerAuthor

IMG_4550.JPG
a Rafflecopter giveaway

IMG_4647.JPG

REVIEW: Light My Fire (Dragon Kin) by G.A. Aiken

IMG_4490.JPG
Light My Fire (Dragon Kin) by G.A. Aiken
Publication Date: November 25, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 5 Stars

IMG_4493.JPG
The trouble with humans is that they’re far too sensitive. Forget you put a woman in the local jail for a few months–and she takes it so personally! And yet she is the one trying to assassinate the queen. And now I’m trapped with Elina Shestakova of the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight…gods! That endless name!

But what am I to do? I am Celyn the Charming with direct orders from my queen to protect this unforgiving female.

Even more shocking, this unforgiving female is completely unimpressed by me. How is that even possible? But I know what I want and, for the moment, I want her. And I’m sure that she, like all females, will learn to adore me. How could she not when I am just so damn charming?

IMG_4492.JPG
Yes, I have a weakness for these loud obnoxious ego-driven dragons. Their chaotic family bantering leaves me in stitches every time. This book was no exception and I was so glad to be back in their world once again. Their quick wit never falters no matter what is going on around them, thankfully Elina and her sister fit right in. Hot, sexy, exciting and laugh-out-loud humor makes for a very enjoyable time. I only hate that it ended.

*Review copy provided by Kensington in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_4494.JPG
Kindle $6.84 http://amzn.to/1EXIfql | Amazon PBK $$7.99 http://amzn.to/1IOArsJ | B&N (PBK $7.99/ Nook $5.84) http://bit.ly/1y7OdB2 | Kobo $6.89 http://bit.ly/1y5cGGj

IMG_4497.JPG

Light My Fire Excerpt

IMG_4498.JPG
DRAGON KIN SERIES BY G.A. AIKEN ~ READING ORDER
✦#1: Dragon Actually ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1iumaRv | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/1adXWWB | B&N http://bit.ly/1adYmfE | Kobo http://bit.ly/1bCXFPx | iTunes http://bit.ly/HfiqY7
✦ “Chains & Flames” from Dragon Actually
✦#2: About a Dragon ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/17sVKQJ | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/HssgXA | B&N http://bit.ly/1cqUFdY | iTunes http://bit.ly/1cqPKtK
✦ “Can’t Get Enough” from Everlasting Bad Boys ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/16m85mG | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/19SHZrV | iTunes http://bit.ly/17xo2rb
✦#3: What a Dragon Should Know ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/18CVng6 | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/17sW9Tg | iTunes http://bit.ly/16MJBjv
✦#4: Last Dragon Standing ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1cqQM8Y | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/18CVMzg | iTunes http://bit.ly/1gcCMAd
✦ “Dragon On Top” from Supernatural ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/17xp5Hz | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/17xp5Hz | iTunes http://bit.ly/19SHcaE
✦#5: The Dragon Who Loved Me ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1adZY8X | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/18CUHrd | iTunes http://bit.ly/1f454Kn
✦#6: How to Drive a Dragon Crazy ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/17sVuRM | Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/1iuq6Bx | iTunes http://bit.ly/19b84TK
✦ A Tale of Two Dragons ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1dcPfm4 | Nook http://bit.ly/1aNnYRi | Kobo http://bit.ly/1cl96jV | iTunes http://bit.ly/18CSmMT
✦#7: Light My Fire (Dragon Kin) by G.A. Aiken ➢ Kindle $6.84 http://amzn.to/1EXIfql | Amazon PBK $$7.99 http://amzn.to/1IOArsJ | B&N (PBK $7.99/ Nook $5.84) http://bit.ly/1y7OdB2 | Kobo $6.89 http://bit.ly/1y5cGGj

✦ http://gaaiken.com/reading-order/

IMG_4496.JPG
West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors books at http://www.shellylaurenston.com.

✦G.A. Aiken also writes as Shelly Laurenston and you can find a list of her books here: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-MN

IMG_4502.JPG

Review: VAMPIRE IN PARADISE (Deadly Angels) by Sandra Hill

IMG_4472-0.JPG
VAMPIRE IN PARADISE (Deadly Angels) by Sandra Hill

Publication Date: November 25, 2014

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis
imageIt’s been centuries since the Norseman Sigurd Sigurdsson was turned into a Vangel—a Viking Vampire Angel—as punishment for his sin of envy, but he’s still getting the hang of having fangs that get in the way when seducing women. Slaying demon vampires known as Lucipires and using his healing gifts as a cancer research doctor, Sigurd is sent to Florida’s Grand Keys Island as a resident physician . . . where he encounters a sinfully beautiful woman.

The only hope Marisa Lopez has of curing her five-year-old daughter is a pricey experimental procedure. When she meets the good-looking doctor, Marisa is speechless. Then Sigurd tells her he believes he can help her daughter. Could this too-hot-to-resist Viking doctor be an angel of some sort sent to bring a miracle for her daughter? Or is he just a vampire bent on breaking Marisa’s heart?

~*~*~*~

Donna 5 Stars
Ms. Hill once again brings a fun hot Vangel story that I had to finish in one sitting. How can I not like a Viking Vampire Angel? An almost wacky twist on a vampire story that once again pulled me into their world from page one. I was curious how Sig’s story would go since his deadly sin is envy but I needn’t have worried. Marissa is a strong woman desperate to help her child by any means and it takes Sigurd’s stubbornness to counter that determination. A perfect match made in heaven. This story had all the elements I’ve come to love in her books. Danger, slimy bad guys, laughter and hot romance. Sig and Marisa’s story also made me tear up a few times, which is a testament as to how far I was pulled into the story and how much I liked them. The only bad part of this book is having to wait until the next one.

*Review copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Buy Links

Amazon http://amzn.to/1fCE7SN | B&N $7.99 http://bit.ly/1yMj44w | Kobo http://bit.ly/1y7TRD6

~*~*~*~

IMG_4480-0.JPG
✦Deadly Angels Series by Sandra Hill✦
1. Kiss of Pride http://amzn.to/1fCED3q
2. Kiss of Surrender http://amzn.to/1fCExc2
3. Kiss of Temptation http://amzn.to/1NQGsFG
4. Kiss of Wrath http://amzn.to/1LwRcvw
Novella: Christmas in Transylvania http://amzn.to/1LwR534
5. Vampire in Paradise http://amzn.to/1fCE7SN
6. Even Vampires Get the Blues http://amzn.to/1EOIX67

~*~*~*~

About the Author
imageMy life and my books are a celebration of new beginnings.

Although I am a livelong writer–I’m the oddball who liked writing essays in school–it wasn’t until the early 1990s that my writing interest turned to novels. It was a new beginning for me…a totally different career path from the journalism I had been practicing. More than twenty novels later, I am still in love with writing…and with new beginnings.

No wonder all of my books deals with new beginnings in some way or another. In fact, my first novel, The Reluctant Viking, first published in 1994, was about a woman on the brink of divorce looking for a chance to start all over. A new beginning for poor Ruby Jordan. Fast forward more than ten years and you will find there is a theme of new beginnings in all my books. Doesn’t matter if it’s divorce, death, despair, time travel, loneliness, boredom or plain old dissatisfaction, readers want to know that there is a chance for…yep, new beginnings.

One of the greatest gifts we have in this world is to find work we love, which is appreciated by others. I have been especially blessed in that regard.

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: https://www.sandrahill.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraHillAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandraHillAuth

REVIEW: Cowboys for Christmas by Liz Talley, Kim Law, and Terri Osburn

IMG_4367.JPG
Cowboys for Christmas by Liz Talley, Kim Law, and Terri Osburn
Publication Date: November 18, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 3.5 Stars

IMG_4366.JPG

IMG_4372.JPG
3 cowboys…2 weeks…1 wedding!

Three all-new stories by Kim Law, Terri Osburn, and Liz Talley

Claire, Georgia, and Mary Catherine couldn’t be more different, but they promised they would be there for one another no matter what. And when they all gather in Holly Hills, Texas, for Mary Catherine’s Christmas wedding, they’ll find they have one thing in common: hearts that are about to be branded—by unforgettable cowboys.

In “Love Me, Cowboy” by Terri Osburn, wallflower Claire would be more excited about the wedding if it didn’t mean running into Mary Catherine’s brother—the bull rider she once had a scorching one-night stand with…

Ivy League volleyball coach Georgia never wanted to see Holly Hills—or another cowboy—again. But a sexy veterinarian is making her rethink her vow to never marry a Texas man in “Kiss Me, Cowboy” by Liz Talley.

Claire and Georgia both think that Mary Catherine is getting hitched to the wrong man, despite how perfect he is. And in “Marry Me, Cowboy” by Kim Law, a local rancher with a wild reputation gives Mary Catherine a glimpse of what might have been—and what could still be…

IMG_4368.JPG
“Love Me, Cowboy” was a cute love story revolving around past love rekindling. I liked Tyler and Claire and enjoyed reading how they worked through their misconceptions of the past to find the adults they have become. Terri Osburn has a nice easy flow to her writing that brought the characters to life.

“Kiss Me, Cowboy” is also a fast paced story that entwines perfectly to Love Me, Cowboy. How Georgia could expect to resist Reed for even five minutes was a mystery I enjoyed reading. Overall a smoothly written little romance about coming home and taking chances.

“Marry Me, Cowboy” was the finale of the wedding story and I loved it. I liked that the “marrying the wrong guy” didn’t feel like the same old story. It was well written and tied up the anthology quite nicely. And as an overall comment to this book: I liked that it was one story told from three different perspectives with three happily-ever-afters. It also helped that the three author’s writing styles complimented each other.

*Review copy provided by Berkley/NAL in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_4369.JPG
Kindle $4.27 http://geni.us/2OJb | B&N $4.99 http://bit.ly/1A4IqhM | Kobo $4.99 http://bit.ly/1t01Age

IMG_4370.JPG
Terri Osburn is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Anchor Island series. She makes her home along the coast of Virginia with an eye-rolling teenager, three fat tabbies, and a hyper yorkiepoo.

Liz Talley is a former English teacher who lives in North Louisiana with her high school sweetheart, two rough and tumble boys, and a gaggle of pets.

RITA-nominated and Golden Heart winner Kim Law is a former computer programmer, now spending her days writing happily ever afters. A native of Kentucky, she lives with her husband and a passel of animals in Middle Tennessee.

REVIEW: Holiday on Ice (A Play-By-Play Novella) by Jaci Burton

IMG_4334.JPG
Holiday on Ice (A Play-By-Play Novella) by Jaci Burton
Publication Date: November 18, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars

IMG_4332.JPG

IMG_4337.JPG
Superstar hockey player Patrick “Trick” Niemeyer and dancer Stella Slovinski have picked up where they left off a year ago, resuming their hot, uncomplicated affair. Stella refuses to call it dating, or a relationship. But lately, Trick is looking for more…

Stella’s been burned before—in a relationship she never talks about—not with her family, not with her friends, and definitely not with Trick. But now it’s the holiday season and Trick is determined to give Stella his heart wrapped up in a bow. He knows Stella is the right woman for him, but he’ll have to melt the ice surrounding her heart to keep her from walking away.

IMG_4336.JPG
This was an enjoyable quick read full of hot steamy romance. Stella and Trick made a great pair. Each of them respected the other’s career commitment and treasured the time they could spend together. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom with the pitfalls and warm moments. I will also add that it was a perfect length for a novella and never seemed rushed.

*Review copy provided by Berkley/NAL in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_4338.JPG
$2.99 Kindle http://geni.us/3TjK | B&N http://bit.ly/1A4F2Ug | Kobo http://bit.ly/1xFKbyF

SERIES: http://jaciburton.com/books/connected.php#play

IMG_4340.JPG
After spending too many years to count in the high stress business world, New York Times and USA Today Bestelling Author Jaci Burton is happy to be living her dream of writing passionate romance. She has written over forty-five novels and is contracted to write ten more. Jaci has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business that she is thrilled not to be using in the corporate environment anymore. She grew up in Missouri but migrated to California, where she lived for thirteen years, but now makes her home in Oklahoma with her husband and five dogs. She enjoys being outdoors in the summer and she and her husband are avid Harley riders.

Jaci writes in multiple genres, from erotic romance to romantic suspense to contemporary romance. She has won the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award, and has been nominated for the award four times. She has been a finalist in the Bookseller’s Best and National Reader’s Choice Awards, and has won The Romance Studio’s CAPA Award four times.

IMG_4341.JPG
Website: http://www.jaciburton.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jaci-Burton/143671592352390
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jaciburton

Release Day Blitz: Where There’s a Will by Stacy Gail

Title: Where There’s a Will
Series: Bitterthorn, Texas #1
Author: Stacy Gail
Publisher: Carina Press
 Release Date: November 17, 2014

Synopsis

Miranda Brookhaven returned to Bitterthorn, Texas to fix the past. Years ago, her father used her teenage romance with Coe Rodas to steal the prototype for a groundbreaking new automotive invention. Now her father’s dead, and thanks to the convoluted will he left behind, she’s stuck in town until she rights the wrong that lost her the man she loved.

Coe learned early on that life never goes according to plan. His dreams of hitting it big vanished when Miranda all but invited her father to take the only thing of value he ever had. But now the once-pampered princess is holed up in a condemned trailer on the edge of town…and everything he thought he knew about her—and about what happened between them back then—seems completely wrong.

Miranda’s determined to give back to Coe all that he lost. If she can do that, maybe she can move on from the past. But Coe seems to be more interested in their rekindled passion than claiming what she thinks he deserves. She’s got sixty days to convince him to cough up evidence that he’s the original inventor—after that, the only way to transfer the patent rights over to him would be to make him part of the family, and she’s not sure her heart can take another hit.

Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK
B&N / KOBO / iTUNES

Also Available

AMAZON US / UK
B&N / KOBO / iTUNES

AMAZON US / UK
B&N / KOBO / iTUNES

AMAZON US / UK
B&N / KOBO / iTUNES

Review


Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 3.5 Stars

The storyline was an interesting one and I had to keep reading to see how things would play out, I especially liked how the author managed the flashbacks without interrupting the flow. Their romance was smoking hot and yet Coe still managed to make it tender in his own way. I did get a little perturbed that Miranda kept wigging out on things but that was part of her backstory so I overlooked it. Thank heavens he was patient and tenacious. This was a very pleasant return trip to Bitterthorn and I can only wonder who is next.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.



Excerpt

“Shit like dirt and
grime don’t belong on you. Silk, diamonds…me. That’s what belongs on you.” His big feet were on either side of hers, and she drank in the heat pouring off his chest at her back as he went about sliding his soapy fingers through hers. It felt good, that slick slide of flesh against flesh. Too good. The heat sinking into every pore of her skin brought her back to when they’d been in this situation once before, and it made her bite her lip. She remembered the trembling, the excitement, and the crippling uncertainty of what she should do next.

Time really made all the difference in the world. Seven years later, she now knew exactly what to do.

Her soapy hands slipped over his, squeezing, caressing. Cleaning his skin as he cleaned hers, yes, but it was obvious her interests weren’t just in getting clean. But maybe that was because while she did that, she also nudged her ass back against him, hitching up just a bit so she could hit the money spot…

He sucked in a sharp breath.

Jackpot.

“Miranda.” His voice
was low and rumbling. It purred down the length of her spine to pool deep in her belly, where the sweet tension of need began to curl in on itself. That
masculine rumble shortened her breath and tensed her thigh muscles, because she knew what it meant. He wanted her, and soon he’d go for what he wanted just as hard and hot as she wanted him to. “Careful, babe.”

“I had you shut the doors. That’s careful enough.” She looked over her shoulder at him, just as she had when she was eighteen and almost dying from attraction. It was no less intense now, and she could only marvel at the hold he had on her. “I hope you have protection on you, because I won’t be satisfied with just a kiss this time around.”

“But you will be satisfied.” With the glitter of arousal building into a wildfire blaze in his eyes, he turned off the water. Then he braced her hands on the far lip on the sink before reaching for the front of her pants. “This garage guarantees satisfaction for all the work I do here.”

“Good policy.” The last of her retort fizzled on a hiss as his fingers dived past the barrier of her panties and into her cleft. Her head dropped forward while she pushed
against his hand, and the sinuous roll of her hips rubbed the hardness behind her. Her pleasure fed his, and soon their disturbed breathing was echoing through the garage.

Damn, but the man
knew what he was doing.

“I love how wet you get for me.” His voice was deliciously rough, exciting her all the more. Then the sound of a zipper and crinkling of packaging being ripped open reached her
ears, and she almost hyperventilated. “I’m going to make you come so hard your legs won’t be able to hold you for the rest of the day.”

Oh,
dear God…

Author Bio

A competitive figure skater from the age of eight, Stacy Gail began writing stories in between events to pass the time. By the age of fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a figure skating coach who was also a published romance writer, or a romance writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice with her students, and writing everything from steampunk to cyberpunk, contemporary to paranormal at night, both dreams have come true.

Author Links
Giveaway

REVIEW: Christmas in Transylvania: A Deadly Angels Novella by Sandra Hill

IMG_3793.JPG
Christmas in Transylvania: A Deadly Angels Novella by Sandra Hill
Publication Date: October 28, 2014
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 5 Stars

IMG_3782.JPG

IMG_3796.JPG
For the first time ever, the leader of the Viking Vampire Angels, Vikar Sigurdsson, has been talked into celebrating a traditional Christmas! The tree has been decorated, the gifts have been wrapped, and the stockings have been hung. And that’s mistletoe, not cobwebs, hanging from the ceiling of the creepy castle full of vangels … really!

The icing on the vampire cookie comes when vangel Karl Mortensen rescues Faith Larson, a battered young waitress, from her abusive boyfriend and hides her in the castle amidst the Christmas chaos. But what Karl thought was a frail young teenager is actually a very tempting woman. And she thinks his fangs are sexy!

But a strange “Christmas visitor” at the castle and demon vampires up to their old tricks could threaten the budding romance between Karl and Faith. It’s an impossible match—a human and a vangel—but Christmas is a time for magic.

Karl and Faith don’t stand a chance …

IMG_3795.JPG
This is a fun little story that will be enjoyed by Vangel fans or those new to their world. I really liked Karl and Faith turned out to be a perfect match for him. As always, the camaraderie between the Vangels and the showcasing of their different personalities makes me smile. This is a funny and hot romance with just enough action to keep you turning the pages. I only wish it were longer.

*Review copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

IMG_3797.JPG
$1.99 Kindle http://geni.us/3so7 | B&N http://bit.ly/1rLvftS | Kobo http://bit.ly/1wCdT6l

IMG_3791.JPG
✦Deadly Angels Series by Sandra Hill✦
✦Book 1: Kiss of Pride ➢ Kindle $4.74 http://georiot.co/4B9U | B&N $4.99 http://bit.ly/1owgiwi | Kobo $4.99 http://bit.ly/1tBWtFR
✦Book 2: Kiss of Surrender ➢ $0.99 Kindle http://georiot.co/2kVb | B&N http://bit.ly/1cUvev6 | Kobo http://bit.ly/KIYIFX
✦Book 3: Kiss of Temptation ➢ Kindle http://georiot.co/1L6M | B&N $5.99 http://bit.ly/1p80MsX | Kobo http://bit.ly/1owgX0D
✦Book 4: Kiss of Wrath ➢ Kindle $6.64 http://georiot.co/1gdH | Amazon Paperback $4.98 http://georiot.co/2nBo | B&N (Paperback $4.88/ Nook $6.99) http://bit.ly/1kfnLPS | Kobo $6.99 http://bit.ly/1jMjH9
✦Novella: Christmas in Transylvania ➢ $1.99 Kindle http://geni.us/3so7 | B&N http://bit.ly/1rLvftS | Kobo http://bit.ly/1wCdT6l
✦Book 5: Vampire in Paradise (November 27, 2014) ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1u9Cwui

IMG_3798.JPG
My life and my books are a celebration of new beginnings.

Although I am a livelong writer–I’m the oddball who liked writing essays in school–it wasn’t until the early 1990s that my writing interest turned to novels. It was a new beginning for me…a totally different career path from the journalism I had been practicing. More than twenty novels later, I am still in love with writing…and with new beginnings.

No wonder all of my books deals with new beginnings in some way or another. In fact, my first novel, The Reluctant Viking, first published in 1994, was about a woman on the brink of divorce looking for a chance to start all over. A new beginning for poor Ruby Jordan. Fast forward more than ten years and you will find there is a theme of new beginnings in all my books. Doesn’t matter if it’s divorce, death, despair, time travel, loneliness, boredom or plain old dissatisfaction, readers want to know that there is a chance for…yep, new beginnings.

One of the greatest gifts we have in this world is to find work we love, which is appreciated by others. I have been especially blessed in that regard.

IMG_3785.JPG
Website: https://www.sandrahill.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraHillAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandraHillAuth

Review: Twisted Mercy (Red Team Book 4) by Elaine Levine

IMG_3507.JPG
Twisted Mercy (Red Team Book 4) by Elaine Levine
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 5 Stars

IMG_3505.JPG

IMG_3510.JPG
Hope Townsend has spent long years searching for the brother she was brutally separated from when their mother was murdered. Now, thanks to help from a mysterious source, she’s found him deep in the Medicine Bow Mountains on the remote compound of the notorious White Kingdom Brotherhood motorcycle club and prison gang—a viper’s nest of drug runners, murderers, and thieves. The only person who can help her is one of the club’s most lethal members—a man who goes by the road name “Mad Dog.”

Colorado’s infamous Wall Street hacker, Max Cameron, served five years of his twenty-seven-year sentence before being recruited by the Red Team. Now a seasoned operative, Max has gone under cover in the motorcycle club of the white supremacist prison gang that befriended him in jail. His mission was simple until Hope Townsend, a female mechanic, came along and gummed-up the works.

Nothing about Hope is as it seems, and Max struggles to keep her out of danger…and out of his heart. When his team finds evidence she’s working for their enemies, Max will have to decide where his loyalty lies: with his team or with the woman he loves.

IMG_3509.JPG
I’m a fan of the Red Team and this book is my favorite so far. The mysterious bad boy Max was more than I hoped for. A hot, commanding sexy male with a painful past and I loved him. When a strong alpha male makes me cry, I just have to love him. I really liked Hope and their relationship built up smoothly and wow it got hot. I also liked how the members of the Red Team were woven into the story in such a way that it didn’t detract from the action. Their banter along with loyalty makes you believe they’ve been together for years. I just couldn’t put it down and just when I thought it was over, the last line had me jerking up in my seat. If you haven’t read the series, you need to. This book can be read alone but you would be lost with the side characters and the build-up to this point. Loved it!

IMG_3511-0.JPG
$4.99 Kindle http://geni.us/2yhB | B&N http://bit.ly/1FqLC8x | Kobo http://bit.ly/1vCbcU0

IMG_3512.JPG
I make stuff up. And I have fun doing it.

Genre fiction gives me the perfect medium to build worlds where readers can join me for fun adventures. Pick up one of my Men of Defiance historical western romances and slip your fingers around the Colt .44 of a legendary gunslinger, be a scout for a wagon train, or ride shotgun on a stagecoach. Pick up one of my Red Team romantic suspenses and join the battle against international druglords and home-grown terrorists with a hot team of counter-terror specialists.

Romance fiction lets you be, for a few sweet hours, something you’re not. Which is cool, because every time you look at life through someone else’s eyes, you learn more about yourself.

So read often–become who you were meant to be.

IMG_3518.JPG
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook Fan Page: http://on.fb.me/1739ex7
Facebook Profile Page: https://www.facebook.com/ElaineLevineAuthor
Facebook Red Team Readers Group: http://on.fb.me/19M1moR
Join the Men of Defiance Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502304323185866/
Twitter at @ElaineLevine
Booklist: http://www.elainelevine.com/book-list/