December 22, 2014

SPOTLIGHT, Review & Giveaway: Marked (Dark Protectors) by Rebecca Zanetti

Marked (Dark Protectors) by Rebecca Zanetti
Publication Date: December 22, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

Janie Kayrs has known Zane almost her whole life. He was her friend in the dream world. She trusted him. But that was before he kidnapped her, spiriting her away to an isolated cabin to learn what her dreams never told her. Like how dangerous he looks. How he got on the wrong side of the negotiating table. And how much sexier he is in real life…

Zane is a battle-hardened warrior, used to command and solitude. But Janie has drawn him from the minute they met. His need for her could destroy everything he’s worked for, but the risk is too sweet not to take it. They call her the Chosen One. But when it comes down to the questions of peace or war, life or death, safety or passion, it will be Janie who makes the choice…

Love is about to start conquering…

I love this series! Marked is the final book in Rebecca Zanetti’s Dark Protectors Series and is Janie and Zane’s story. Their story began as children in the first book and spanned over the entire series. The conclusion was perfect! Sometimes when you get to a final book in a series you love you’re afraid the ending won’t live up to your expectations, but I loved everything about it. I felt satisfied when I closed the book with updates on all my favorite characters and Janie and Zane’s story was my favorite. There will be a spin off series involving the witch protectors and I hope we get occasional glimpses into the Karys family’s lives. The Dark Protectors Series is an incredible PNR series that includes vampires, shifters, witches and demons. I adore the hot alpha male vamps in this series. Rebecca Zanetti created a unique paranormal world full of action, suspense, and scorching hot romance. I highly recommend you read this entire series. I can’t wait to see what Rebecca Zanetti has in store for us in her Witch Protectors Series.

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

Kindle $5.38: http://amzn.to/1bX0T6S
Amazon PBK $13.50: http://amzn.to/1xnenvM
B&N: http://ow.ly/FQDWt
iBooks: http://ow.ly/FQEiC
BAM: http://ow.ly/FQE05
Book Depository: http://ow.ly/FQE4C

Series Reading Order: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/dark-protectors/

✦DAY 11: CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY✦ Ebook Copy of Marked (Dark Protectors) by Rebecca Zanetti.
ENTER ON FACEBOOK POST: http://t.co/LnMeOetywq

MARKED by Rebecca Zanetti – Excerpt – PG-13 rated

Janie’s fine eyebrows arched. “Isn’t that how you do everything? Alone?”
The soft question held a sharp edge. “No. Soldiers follow me, and I have a mother and two brothers.”
Janie began shaking her head before Zane had finished speaking. “Do you work with them or around them? Protecting them without sharing what you’re doing?” Her eyes darkened. “What you’ve done?”
Either insightful or psychic, the woman had nailed him. He removed his hand and settled back in his chair. Away from her . . . and the truth. “I do what I have to do.”
She glanced down at her hand and frowned. Taking a deep breath, she pushed off from the chair and landed between his knees, her palms on his thighs. The fire lit her from behind, turning the highlights in her auburn hair into compelling flames. “Working alone gets you killed. The people in your life, the ones who love you, they need to share in the burden. To help and to plan.”
Did she consider herself one of the people who loved him? “That’s sweet, Belle.”
Her fingers dug into his legs. “I’m not being sweet. This is smart, and you have to trust somebody at some time. Duty doesn’t always have to be painful.”
“Doesn’t it?” His voice lowered as he leaned toward her, his senses on alert. “When was the last time you shared? Stopped being a reassuring smart-ass and told somebody, anybody, how scared you are? How overwhelmed by fate?”
Her eyes dilated, and her mouth opened and closed before she pushed out words. “That’s different.”
“Is it?” Taken aback and getting pissed at her accurately profiling him, he flattened her hands under his. “Look at the position you’ve put yourself in, trying to share. You’re on your knees, as vulnerable as a woman can be.” He could break her neck without flexing a muscle. The woman needed to realize her precarious position and back the hell off.
Instead, she lifted her head and stared him right in the eye. “I do understand my position, and I do realize how dangerous you are. Yet I’m willing to take the chance, to be fragile, to show you what trust looks like. What courage can look like.”
The calm statement burned his ears and sped up the blood in his veins. She was braverthan any soldier he’d ever met. Lifting his hand, he allowed himself one moment to touch the smooth skin along her cheekbone, humming at the delicate structure. “You’re so soft, Belle,” he rumbled.
She swallowed and leaned into his touch.
Heat flowed into his torso, expanding him into somebody strong enough to protect her. Determination slid just beneath his skin.
As if reading him, sadness filled her eyes. “You’re not listening.”
He helped her up and stood, backing her into the wall. “I listened.” One knuckle under her stubborn chin lifted her face. Her scent surrounded him, driving him to follow his plan. “I just didn’t agree.”
Temper brushed a muted red across her cheeks.
Ah, the pretty one usually got her way, now didn’t she? He grinned, even knowing he played with fire. “Thanks for the suggestion, though. For the record, any time you want to get on your knees, I’m there.”
The punch to the gut was expected and thus didn’t hurt. But it did deserve a response.
His mouth connected beneath her jaw, pressing a hard kiss to her neck. The simple touch nearly knocked him back on his heels. Soft and sweet, her skin felt too smooth to be real. Her head fell back, anchored by the wall, her legs parting to grant him access.
He’d conquered before, and the urge now held a resemblance to battle. To triumph and take. So badly he wanted her under him, pinned for good. Sighing his name.
He kissed down her jugular, feeling the pulse pounding. She slid her hands up into his hair, holding him in place as she plastered her soft body against his. The soft tug awoke the beast inside him. The one who scented his mate. Those incredible curves molded to his hardness, giving way and cushioning him. The driving urge to pleasure her forced him to slow down and explore. To taste and tempt, wandering up to the soft spot behind her ear.
He wouldn’t go near her mouth, because if he kissed her, he wouldn’t stop. One taste of that mouth, of her, would seal his fate.

The Kayrs family leads not only the vampire nation, but also the Realm, which is a coalition of vampires, shifters, and witches. Years ago, an evil vampire race called the Kurjans declared war on the Realm by creating a deadly virus that infects vampire mates. The virus attacks chromosomal pairs and takes mates from immortal to human, and maybe down to death. No cure for the virus has been found for mates, and the vampires, who are male only, know that time is running short.

DARK PROTECTORS SERIES BY REBECCA ZANETTI – READING ORDER:

Series Links: http://amzn.to/1bX16XJ | B&N http://bit.ly/1P8pCEt | Kobo http://bit.ly/1HycUJQ | iBooks http://apple.co/1IyJ5sP

✦ 1 – FATED: Talen and Cara’s book http://amzn.to/14LSYPF
✦ 2 – CLAIMED: Dage and Emma’s book http://amzn.to/17aHoOS
✦ 2.5 – TEMPTED: Max and Sarah’s novella http://amzn.to/1bBosQW
✦ 3 – HUNTED: Conn and Moira’s book http://amzn.to/17dXl5R
✦ 4 – CONSUMED: Jordan and Katie’s book http://amzn.to/16s3IXG
✦ 5 – PROVOKED: Kane and Amber’s book http://amzn.to/1e2UnHe
✦ 5.5 – TWISTED: Terrent and Maggie’s novella http://amzn.to/17icSDG
✦ 6 – SHADOWED: Jase and Brenna’s book http://amzn.to/14OL5IN
✦ 6.5 – TAMED: Caleb and Lily’s novella http://amzn.to/1GOsYav
✦ 7 – MARKED: Janie & Zane’s Book http://amzn.to/1bX0T6S

✦The Dark Protectors Box Set (Books 1-4) by Rebecca Zanetti
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1bX1mpF
B&N: http://bit.ly/10j586d
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1avvIPu
iBooks: http://apple.co/1bX2REf

DARK PROTECTORS SERIES BY REBECCA ZANETTI

I was finally able to binge read this series and I’m so happy I did. The mixture of demons, witches, shifters and vampires can sometimes get muddled but Ms. Zanetti managed to blend them all into a cohesive action filled series. I have to say that the way she described the witch’s powers was crafty and ingenious. It added such a fun aspect to the overall story. Now the true pulse pounding force of these books is the hot alpha males. I fell a little in love with each of them even while wanting to box their ears…and loved every minute of it . Yes I could have taken a break between books but I didn’t want to. I had to find out what happens with Janie, Zane and Kalin. Their story evolved through the series and I didn’t know where it was going, I just knew I wanted to go too. The overall series grabbed me from book one and never let go.

Website http://rebeccazanetti.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RebeccaZanetti.Author.FanPage
Twitter http://twitter.com/RebeccaZanetti
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/rebeccazanetti/

Posted in 5 Stars, Author Spotlight, Cori's Reviews, Giveaways, paranormal romance
Tagged Rebecca Zanetti, Review & Giveaway: Marked (Dark Protectors) by Rebecca Zanetti, Spotlight
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December 19, 2014

Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: Cut and Run (Phoenix Code Series) by LARA ADRIAN and TINA FOLSOM

Cut and Run (Phoenix Code Series) by LARA ADRIAN and TINA FOLSOM
Publication Date: November 17, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

Darkly gifted and dangerously skilled, they were once the nation’s most powerful asset. Betrayed by unknown enemies, unable to trust anyone—not even one another—the Phoenix hold the key to unlocking a conspiracy steeped in blood and fire. To survive, they’ll have to solve… The Phoenix Code

CUT by Lara Adrian

Community college professor Ethan Jones is living a lie. A precognitive agent known as Zephyr, Ethan is accustomed to subterfuge and deception, but when the Phoenix program is betrayed, he’s forced to cut all ties to the life he’s made and everyone in it—including smart, beautiful Tori Connors, the one woman who tempted the cold agent to let down his impenetrable facade.

A chance encounter years later and thousands of miles away thrusts the lovers together again, and this time Tori refuses to let Ethan deceive her. Although he is a dangerous enigma, Tori still desires him, and soon their inconvenient reunion becomes a temptation too strong to resist. With assassins closing in, Ethan and Tori embark on a desperate race for their lives—one that will put their tentative trust to the ultimate test.

RUN by Tina Folsom

Motorcycle mechanic Scott Thompson isn’t the laid-back loner he makes everyone believe. Three years ago, he was known as Ace, one of an elite group of agents in a top secret CIA program. However, the preternatural ability that made him invaluable to the government could now be his downfall, when his skill alerts him to a disaster bound to kill dozens of innocents unless he intervenes.

Journalist Phoebe Chadwick needs to persuade her editor to spare her from department cuts that threaten her job. When a mysterious stranger prevents an accident that would have killed her and many others, Phoebe goes after the story. But bad boy Scott is a reluctant hero unwilling to answer her questions, despite the sizzling chemistry that ignites between them. As his enemies hunt him down, Scott must decide if he can trust Phoebe—and how far he’s willing to go to keep her safe at his side.

For more information on the series, visit PhoenixCodeSeries.com

I loved this book! I’ve read paranormal romance books by both Lara Adrain and Tina Folsom and was really excited when I saw this book pop up on my Facebook newsfeed. Both authors are amazing and write hot romances with great alpha heroes. Together they created an amazing series. Cut & Run is a romantic suspense with a slight paranormal edge. The men in a top secret CIA program have preternatural abilities and when the program is betrayed the team has to go on the run. Each story in this book is about a different team member and the series will continue. Cut & Run is full of action, suspense, intrigue and steamy romance. I couldn’t put it down. It’s fast paced and each story is a quick read, but the stories still felt complete. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book and read stories about the other team members. This was a hot romantic suspense and I highly recommend you grab a copy.

Kindle $4.99 http://amzn.to/1GtNbjf | B&N $4.99 http://bit.ly/1y84unF | Kobo $4.99 http://bit.ly/1H5mSn7

Phoenix Code Prize Pack: Paperback and Swag
Enter on Facebook Post: http://fb.me/1xHwaZTA8

For more information on the series, visit PhoenixCodeSeries.com

LARA ADRIAN is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Midnight Breed vampire romance series and numerous other titles, now publishing independently. With nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide, and translations licensed in more than 20 countries, Lara’s books have been called “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “strikingly original” (Booklist) and “a must-read” (Fresh Fiction). She lives in New England with her husband, where she is currently at work on her next novel. To learn more about Lara’s books and to sign up for her email newsletter, visit http://www.LaraAdrian.com.

TINA FOLSOM is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She’s always been self-published and has found tremendous success with her paranormal series, Scanguards Vampires, Venice Vampyr, and Out of Olympus, selling more than 1.5 million copies of her 50 titles (which includes German, French and Spanish) in almost four years. Born in Germany, Tina has been living in English speaking countries for over 25 years, the last 13 of them in San Francisco, where she’s married to an American. Sign up for Tina’s newsletter at http://www.TinaWritesRomance.com to be kept apprised of new releases.

Lara Adrian Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaraAdrianBooks
Tina Folsom Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TinaFolsomFans
Phoenix Code Series Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PhoenixCodeSeries

Posted in 5 Stars, Author Spotlight, Cori's Reviews, Giveaways, romance reviews
Tagged Lara Adrian, Phoenix Code Series, Review & Giveaway: Cut and Run (Phoenix Code Series) by LARA ADRIAN and TINA FOLSOM, Spotlight, Tina Folsom
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December 19, 2014

SALE BLITZ & Giveaway – Spark Series by Jennifer Ryder

Entire series is on sale! Check the books out and enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post. /Cori

Title: Spark

Series: Spark #1

Author: Jennifer Ryder

Release Date: February 26, 2014

Synopsis

Not many people know
that I, Eevie Lawson, have a problem. An addiction to romance novels. I
eat them for breakfast. I hide it the best I can, but I need them to breathe. It’s how I cope.

I’ve had a swag of book boyfriends, but now that I’m free from the responsibility of caring for my three younger brothers, it’s time to find one in the flesh.

In real life, no girl meets their hero on page one, or even at the end of chapter one. I should know.

My journey is real. It’s not perfect, and it sure as hell isn’t easy—but the fight for something worthwhile never is.

ADD TO GOODREADS

ON SALE – December 16 through January 14

Links to Buy

FREE

iTUNES EXCLUSIVE

Title: Spike

Series: Spark #2

Author: Jennifer Ryder

Release Date: May 26, 2014

Synopsis

I, Aidan Stone, got the girl.

My beautiful Eevie is sweet and sassy, and she owns my heart like no other. I promised her, I’d always protect her, and I meant it, but shit just got serious.

Blackmail. Extortion. And Eevie is the target.

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt us. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to distance yourself from it, it comes back and bites you on the arse. And in walks Mr Hotshot Detective, Ryan Clark, thinkin’ he can save the day and take my girl.

Well, I’ve got news for him.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Links to Buy

99c

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iTUNES

Title: Strike

Series: Spark #3

Author: Jennifer Ryder

Release Date: August 30, 2014

Synopsis

Fast. That’s how I like
life, especially my two great joys: bikes and women. I’m committed to
exclusively riding one, but not the other.

Until April.

A sexy-arse freelance photographer who’s travelled the world, and doesn’t do long walks on the beach or romantic candlelit dinners. She enjoys running with the bulls and food spicy enough to make your hair fall out. If that weren’t enough to get me hard, she rides a mean mother of a motorcycle.

I’ve gotta have a taste of this wildcat.

~Spencer (Jones)

I don’t do fast. Not anymore. I’ve got my career, my independence, and since I fled Spain to come back home I promised myself that I wouldn’t be put second—or third, for that matter again.

Then I meet pretty boy Spencer.

He’s smooth, oozing the most potent pheromones probably known to modern science, and he’s making a move on me. One kiss was almost enough for my promise to dissolve.

My head says no—my treacherous body screams yes. I’m gonna make Spencer work for it. Make him fight for the chance to have me, because I know that deep down I’m worth it.

~April MacIntyre

ADD TO GOODREADS

Links to Buy

$2.99

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iTUNES

Coming Soon

Pre-order Now

iTUNES EXCLUSIVE

Author Bio

New Adult and erotic romance writer, and author of the Spark series.

A sexy imagination, a life-long love of books and a sucker for romance, Jennifer Ryder couldn’t stifle her creativity any longer.

Writing steamy adult romance has become her new focus. Living on a rural property in New South Wales, Australia, she enjoys the best of city and country.

Her loving husband is ever willing to provide inspiration, and her two young cherubs, and sheep that don’t see fences as barriers, keep life more than interesting.

Jennifer placed third in the International Stringybark Erotic Short Fiction Award 2013.

Author Links

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS
TSU

Giveaway

Ebooks + Signed Swag Packs

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Features, Blitz, Blasts, Free Ebooks & Deals, Giveaways
Tagged Jennifer Ryder, SALE BLITZ & Giveaway - Spark Series by Jennifer Ryder
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December 17, 2014

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Charlotte Chronicles by Jen Frederick

Check out this new release for only $0.99! Excerpt and Giveaway are included below. Grab it while it’s on sale if it captures your attention. /Cori

Meet Charlotte and Nathan!
ONLY $0.99

AVAILABLE NOW!

Kindle: http://geni.us/1eir
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1weZzCZ
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1AbzqEg
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1GaD4lI

SYNOPSIS

Charlotte and Nathan were supposed to be forever. They grew up together. Their families were intertwined. Charlotte was Nathan’s first love. Nathan was Charlotte’s first everything.
Until they weren’t.
How do you hold on to the person you know in your heart you are supposed to be with when everything and everyone in the universe is telling you it’s over?
How many times does a heart break?
When is enough…..enough?
How long is forever?

EXCERPT

But when I close my eyes, I can see him—and me. I can see me pressed up against the mirror in the bathroom, my hands making starfish prints as I brace myself against his thrusts. I can hear his harsh breathing, his commands to come, come now, Charlotte. There was that passage of time that felt endless when he was between my legs, licking me softly and leisurely as if there wasn’t anything in this world that gave him more pleasure than helping me find my own. I touch myself, but it’s useless. My body wants one thing: Nathan Jackson.
I’m on fire and the ache of want is so acute it’s like a knife in my chest. I’ve had multiple surgeries, chemo treatments, radiation but that’s nothing compared to what I feel now.
Time and distance had dulled my pain and that my desire and love for Nathan had actually started to ease only to be stoked into high, hot flames by his reappearance in my life.
He is the poison and the antidote.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.
Website: https://twitter.com/jensfred
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenFrederick
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jensfred
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/p3ptasx.

GIVEAWAY

Tiffany Knot Pendant Necklace

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Author Blog Tours, Giveaways, Teasers
Tagged Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Charlotte Chronicles by Jen Frederick, Jen Frederick
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December 16, 2014

Launch Day Blitz, Review & Giveaway: KALEIDOSCOPE by Kristen Ashley

Launch Day Blitz, Review & Giveaway: KALEIDOSCOPE by Kristen Ashley
PAPERBACK RELEASE: December 16, 2014
EBOOK RELEASE: February 4, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

When old friends become new lovers…anything can happen.

Sexy, gifted, and loyal, PI Jacob Decker is a tall, cool drink of perfection who had Emmanuelle Holmes at “hello.” His relationship with Emme’s best friend kept them apart for years, but things have changed. Now that a case has brought him to Gnaw Bone, Colorado, the road is wide open for Emme and Deck to explore something hotter and deeper than Emme dreamed possible. So why is she sabotaging the best thing that’s ever happened to her?

It isn’t easy to catch Deck off guard, but Emme does just that when she walks back into his life after nine long years. The curvy brunette had her charms back in the day, but now she’s a bona fide knockout . . . and she wants to rekindle their friendship. Deck, however, wants more. Emme’s always been the one; she excites Deck’s body and mind like no other woman can. But a dark chapter from Emme’s past overshadows their future together. Now only Deck can help her turn the page-if she’ll let him . . .

Loved it! I adore everything Kristen Ashley writes, but Kaleidoscope blew me away. It’s a beautiful love story about two people meant to be together reconnecting. I couldn’t put it down. Kaleidoscope has great characters, a great plot, and includes plenty of action, and lots of steamy romance. Kristen Ashley describes her characters and delivers their stories in a way that really makes readers feel like they know the characters and along for the ride. This is the sixth book in the The Colorado Mountain Series, but each book can be read as a stand alone. I love the entire series though and highly recommend you read them all. You can’t go wrong with any of Kristen Ashley’s books. When I’m in a book funk, which is what I call that depressed feeling readers get after reading a bad or boring book, I pick up a Kristen Ashley book and get swept into one of her stories. This is one of my favorites.

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

Kindle $3.79 http://amzn.to/LpcWvQ
Nook $3.99 http://bit.ly/1agtFxg
B&N Paperback $7 http://bit.ly/12ZftGd
Kobo $3.99 http://bit.ly/1bilRpM

COLORADO MOUNTAIN SERIES BY KRISTEN ASHLEY ~ READING ORDER
✦#1: The Gamble – http://amzn.to/HIGoM4
✦#2: Sweet Dreams – http://amzn.to/1exgBV4
✦#3: Lady Luck – http://amzn.to/17L2Sbl
✦#4: Breathe – http://amzn.to/1aeYa3d
✦#5: Jagged – http://amzn.to/16FYDJX
✦#6: Kaleidoscope – http://amzn.to/LpcWvQ

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I looked out my office window, down to the yard, my eyes to the bustling activity, and I did this tapping my phone on my desk.
I should be working but I wasn’t thinking about work.
I was thinking about Jacob.
More precisely, I was thinking about calling Jacob, had an overwhelming urge to do so.
I was also trying not to do so because I had a boyfriend, even though he was a boyfriend I wasn’t all that sure about. He was sweet, he was into me, but he was just… off.
Then again, I didn’t have a lot of experience so what did I know?
Additionally, after my dinner with Jacob last night, within an hour, I’d called him after ten at night and now it was only eleven thirty the next day.
I didn’t want him to think I was psycho, and calling him would imply psycho behavior. Further, when I called him last night, I’d asked him to dinner, which was dinner two nights in a row with a woman he hadn’t seen in nine years, a woman with a boyfriend, and that was semi-psycho.
Okay, maybe it was totally psycho.
I didn’t want Jacob to think I was psycho.
Ever.
But I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to connect with him on the phone. I’d missed him and I liked having him back. I liked it a great deal.
I also missed him a great deal.
And I needed to ask him something. Further, he was the only one I could ask.
I looked from the yard to my phone. My mind telling my thumb not to do it, my thumb not listening, I found Jacob’s contact and hit go.
I put it to my ear.
“I’m a psycho,” I whispered and luckily finished whispering two seconds before Jacob’s voice sounded.
“You okay?” he answered.
He kept asking that mostly, I figured, because I kept calling when I didn’t need to so he probably thought something was wrong.
Or that I was a psycho.
“I need to know if you don’t eat anything,” I lied.
Actually, it wasn’t a lie. Although I remembered a lot about Jacob (most everything, in all honesty), I couldn’t recall if there was something specific he didn’t like to eat.
I could recall how beautiful he was, how tall he was, how strong he was. I could recall how smart he was and how funny he was. I could recall how cool he was with me. I could also recall how much I missed him. But I couldn’t recall if he didn’t like chicken.
But that wasn’t the only thing I needed to know. I needed to know something else too.
Much like last night, when he didn’t make me feel like a psycho, in fact, the opposite and sounded like he was happy to hear from me and would be willing to talk all night, he again sounded like me psychotically calling him yet again in a precursor to stalker way was no big deal.
“I don’t eat it, I’ll pick it off.”
“You can’t pick it off if I cook with it in it or if the mainstay of dinner on the whole is what you don’t eat,” I informed him.
“You makin’ Indian food?” he asked.
“No. Don’t you like Indian food?” I asked back.
“Love it,” he answered.
“Then why’d you ask if I was making Indian food?”
“ ’Cause I hoped you were.”
I burst out laughing.
No, Jacob definitely didn’t make me feel like I was being a psycho.
When I quit laughing, I told him, “Sorry, honey, I don’t know how to make Indian food.”
“Shame,” he muttered, a smile in his deep, attractive voice, and if I was on an infrared scanner, specific parts of me would have shown up hotter.
You have a boyfriend, Emme! I told myself.
For a while, I answered myself.
Jacob is also your ex–best friend’s ex-boyfriend, Emme! I reminded myself.
So? I asked myself.
I shoved those thought aside, thoughts that, if anyone knew I was talking to myself in my head might prove I was indeed a psycho, and pointed out to Jacob, “You haven’t actually answered the question.”
“I’ll eat what you cook, Emme. Cook what you like.”
He was such a nice guy.
He always was.
Nice. Tall (very tall). Handsome (unbelievably handsome). Smart (so damned smart). Funny. Interesting. Gentlemanly. And a repeat of nice because it was worth a repeat since he was just that nice.
I liked all that about him. I liked that he wore his dark hair way too long. I liked that sometimes a thick hank of it fell over his forehead and into his eye. I liked that he was who he was and didn’t wear designer jeans or put gel in his hair. I liked that, even considering he was extortionately intelligent, in fact, a genius, he never made anyone feel less than him because they weren’t as smart. I liked that he never acted superior or arrogant and with all that was him,looks, body, brains, he was one person who could. And I liked that he liked to do what he liked to do, he did what he liked to do and wouldn’t get pushed into doing something he didn’t want.
Like Elsbeth tried to do.
He’d lost her to that and he’d accepted it. I knew it killed. He’d loved her to distraction. But he refused to be the man she wanted him to be and instead was the man he was.
She should have seen she had it all even if he didn’t make bucketloads of money and thus couldn’t give her the life she was used to getting from her daddy. Country clubs, tennis lessons, vacations in villas in Italy and beaches in Thailand, fabulous homes kept by maids and fabulous meals cooked by cooks.
She didn’t see all she had.
Stupid.

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Social Media Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

December 15, 2014

Spotlight, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Highland Dragon’s Lady by Isabel Cooper

The Highland Dragon’s Lady by Isabel Cooper
Series: Highland Dragons
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Historical Romance
Publication Date: December 2, 2014

He’s Out of the Highlands and on the Prowl…

Regina Talbot-Jones has always known her rambling family home was haunted. She’s also aware her brother has invited one of his friends to attend an ill-conceived séance. She didn’t count on that friend being so handsome…and she certainly didn’t expect him to be a dragon.

Younger son of a family of shapeshifting dragons, Highlander Colin MacAlasdair has lived a life free of both family duty and mortal cares. Moving in and out of human society as he wishes, he takes very little seriously—until Regina drops onto his balcony one midnight, catching his attention and his interest. She’s like no mortal he’s ever met, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to get her out of his head.

Bound by circumstance, drawn by the fire awakening inside of them, Colin and Regina must work together to defeat a vengeful spirit—and discover whether their growing love is powerful enough to defy convention.

Over the course of his life, Colin had been alone with young ladies in a variety of places: featherbeds, haystacks, and even the occasional riverbank in pleasant weather. Dusty attics had never featured. Yet these places also had never featured Reggie, with her dancing eyes and her hair falling down around her shoulders.
“You’ve got a bit of cobweb,” he said, noticing the strands at her temple. He knelt down and reached out. “Hold still. And, er, brace yourself.”
She closed her eyes and waited, patient for once in their brief acquaintance. Colin brushed his fingers over her temple, lifting the spider’s web away. Beneath it, the edge of her face was warm and soft, and her hair was like heavy silk. He swallowed, brushed his hand off on his trousers, and noticed that Reggie hadn’t yet moved.
Mostly, at least. Her breasts were rising and falling rapidly, and he could see the quick pulse in the hollow of her neck.
Colin touched his fingers to that spot, lightly, and felt the speed of her heartbeat. Desire was coursing through his own veins, collecting warm and heavy in his groin, but he kept his voice quiet. He could be playful for the moment. He could be human, as she was.
If she let him, at least.
“‘Exciting people,’ is it?” he asked. “You certainly don’t seem calm.”
Without opening her eyes, Reggie shook her head slightly. “No,” she said, drawing the word out.
Colin traced a finger along her collarbone, just above the neckline of her dress. “Are you afraid of me, then?”
Her eyes snapped open at the question. “No,” said Reggie, very definitely. Then she gave him an impish smile, one that went straight to his swelling cock. “Should I be?”
“That depends verra much on who you ask,” he said, and leaned forward to kiss her.

Kindle: http://geni.us/1YvS
Amazon PBK: http://geni.us/13V2
B&N: http://bit.ly/1A50rtw
Apple: http://bit.ly/1Drnuix
BAM: http://bit.ly/1nNEY6Q
Chapters: http://bit.ly/1tGmqr8
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1sArZAY

The Highland Dragons Series:
http://www.isabelcooper.org/books.html
Legend of the Highland Dragon
The Highland Dragon’s Lady
Night of the Highland Dragon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m a geeky Boston girl, who started writing when I was 12—mostly so that I would have something to do in math class other than math. Didn’t work out well for either the story or the long division skills. Over the years, my writing’s improved in ways beyond “not being in four-color pen”, to the point where Sourcebooks published No Proper Lady, my first romance novel, in September 2011. Two sequels are coming soon!

The long division, on the other hand, still eludes me.

I like exploring weird combinations of history, fantasy, romance, and (very very soft) science fiction. I have often been known to say that I come up with plots the way some people come up with cocktails: hopefully the next morning is better, though.

Oh, two of the four colors in that pen? Hot pink and turquoise. We were living in California at the time, and it was the early nineties, so I can’t entirely hold myself responsible for that one.

Posted in Author Spotlight, Giveaways, Historical Paranormal Romance
Tagged Excerpt & Giveaway: The Highland Dragon's Lady by Isabel Cooper, Isabel Cooper, Sourcebooks, Spotlight
3 Comments

December 15, 2014

✦DAY 4: CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY✦ EBOOK Copies of The King by J.R.Ward & Born in Blood by Alexandra Ivy

Win EBOOK Copies of The King by J.R.Ward & Born in Blood by Alexandra Ivy.

Comment on this Facebook Post to Enter: http://on.fb.me/12TIGSL

*Winner will be posted today (12/15) on Facebook by 5PM Central. Ebook copy will be gifted and paid for by Reading in Pajamas from Amazon or B&N.

December 14, 2014

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY: Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon Paperback

Enter on Facebook Post: http://t.co/is9chAxXzn

Posted in Giveaways
Tagged DAY 3 CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY: Paperback Copy Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Sherrilyn Kenyon
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December 5, 2014

Blitz & Giveaway: Out of the Box Series by Jennifer Theriot

Today we’re featuring the Out of the Box Series by Jennifer Theriot. Check out her books and enter the rafflecopter. Tammy from the Book Nook Nuts recommends these. /Cori

Book #1
Out Of The Box Awakening
Released – 5/5/2013

Olivia is a good woman, a good mother, a good wife. She’s got it made. She doesn’t want anything to change.

Of course, it does…

Swept from her perfect paper-doll life in Houston, Olivia finds herself in Chicago, alone, betrayed, and far from home. Soon everything she thought she knew about herself and her life will be challenged. She has only courage, love, and her passion for music to carry her through the maelstrom—or draw her further in.

Ash is the man who has everything—everything except healing from the losses of a lifetime. His only peace lies in the sweet flow of music pouring from his guitar.

What happens when the married woman and the handsome widower are thrown together by fate?

Out of the Box Awakening is a story of shared passion and shared joy. Jennifer Theriot has written a compelling book about what happens when two people find new life and new love for themselves and for those around them.

Out Of The Box Awakening
AMAZON: http://geni.us/36Jt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJp9fUMiedI&feature=youtu.be

Book # 2
Out Of The Box Regifted
Released – 4/7/2014

Betrayal, Lies, Loss, Truth, Secrets…

With a new beginning for Olivia and Ash on the horizon, what could possibly stop them from finding happily ever after?

In order to move on, Olivia must face the haunting demons from her past life with Alan, her ex husband. Demands and more betrayals will force her to come to grips with things she couldn’t change and practice forgiveness not only for those in her past, but for herself as well.

Faced with his own hidden secrets, will Ash allow Olivia to stand by him? In the midst of happiness, this blended family will find they will also have to trust in the love and family bonds to get them through what is coming next or they will self-destruct. How long can Ash keep parts of his life hidden from those who love him?

Will Olivia be able to gain the confidence she needs to explore the new life Ash is offering while staying true to herself? Can she let go of the need to know the whole truth and be willing to trust what she’s building with Ash?

Jennifer Theriot has given us the next chapter of Olivia’s journey as she discards the meek, obedient wife role and morphs into the free spirited, determined woman who not only deserves to be loved, but commands respect from those in her life. Can she maintain her courage to seek what she needs to be free from the past, while clinging on to what Ash offered her as a future?

Out Of The Box Regifted
AMAZON: http://geni.us/Oxh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmRgFncOTjs&feature=youtu.be

Book # 2.5
Toccata Obbligato
Released – 10/15/2014

Todd O’Malley has been called many things, from filthy mouthed jerk to legendary Rock God. With his outlandish cocky demeanor – tatted up and pierced, to his constant use of the F-bomb, and the seductive gyrations he performs for the ladies on stage, he is a man every woman craves. But there is only one woman who is able to capture his heart, Kyra Edwards.

That chance meeting at a little coffee shop in Evanston began their journey of compromise, pain, dedication and love.
From the night he took her virginity to Todd’s past sex-capades and consequences threatening their relationship, will Kyra be able to deal with it? With Todd and his band Avenue touring on the road, can he prove to Kyra that he is a changed man? Can he be faithful and avoid temptation?
Jennifer Theriot brings us yet another love story that will capture our hearts. This is truly a story of Beauty and the Beast, where we admire the beauty that is Kyra and adore the beast known as Todd.

You loved him in the Out of the Box series….see what makes him tick within the pages of Toccata Obbligato ~ Serenading Kyra and meet the woman who won his heart.

Toccata Obbligato ~ Serenading Kyra
AMAZON: http://geni.us/Q3T

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg4WXXGvqqg

Jennifer Theriot hails from the Great State of Texas. She is a career woman, working as CFO of a Texas based real estate investment firm. Working in her capacity as CFO, she felt something was missing and discovered her passion for writing novels–mostly at night and on weekends.

In her limited spare time Jennifer enjoys being outdoors; preferably somewhere on a beach curled up with a good book. Spending time with family and friends, watching a baseball game and enjoying a good bottle of wine are usually on her to-do lists. Jennifer is also ‘MiMi’ to three beautiful grandchildren and a mom to three grown children, all of whom she adores. Theriot is an admitted music junkie, loving every type of music, which takes up most of the memory on her iPhone. She listens to music from sun up to sun down and her love of music is reflected a great deal in her books.

Jennifer took a chance that there could be an interest in romance with middle aged couples who are finding themselves at a crossroads and wrote her debut novel Out of the Box Awakening, which centers on the hope of finding happiness and passion through unexpected heartache. It emphasizes the need for family and friends as Jennifer has learned in her own life. The book has been described as “Mature Sexy” by one reviewer.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Authors Website: http://www.jennifertheriot.com/
Twitter:@ JenTheRiot
Authors Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferTheriotAuthor
Google Plus Page: https://plus.google.com/104495640521056792604
Authors Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7082754.Jennifer_Theriot
Authors Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Theriot/e/B00D8SW61C

2 Swag Packs – USA Only
2 Amazon Ebooks Winners Choice of Jennifer Theriots Books

RAFFLECOPTER: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0c8d0c4b14/

Posted in Features, Blitz, Blasts, Giveaways
Tagged Blitz & Giveaway: Out of the Box Series by Jennifer Theriot, Jennifer Theriot
3 Comments

December 4, 2014

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

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

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…

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.

Kindle | Amazon PBK | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

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

✿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

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

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

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.

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

Posted in 5 Stars, Author Blog Tours, Author Guest Post, Donna's Reviews, Giveaways, romance reviews
Tagged Blog Tour, Interview & Giveaway: Hard to Come By: A Hard Ink Novel by Laura Kaye, Interview with Laura Kaye, Laura Kaye, REVIEW
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Reading in Pajamas

Romance Book Blog

Category Archives: Giveaways

SPOTLIGHT, Review & Giveaway: Marked (Dark Protectors) by Rebecca Zanetti

Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: Cut and Run (Phoenix Code Series) by LARA ADRIAN and TINA FOLSOM

SALE BLITZ & Giveaway – Spark Series by Jennifer Ryder

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Charlotte Chronicles by Jen Frederick

Meet Charlotte and Nathan!
ONLY $0.99

AVAILABLE NOW!

SYNOPSIS

EXCERPT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GIVEAWAY

Launch Day Blitz, Review & Giveaway: KALEIDOSCOPE by Kristen Ashley

Spotlight, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Highland Dragon’s Lady by Isabel Cooper

✦DAY 4: CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY✦ EBOOK Copies of The King by J.R.Ward & Born in Blood by Alexandra Ivy

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY: Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon Paperback

Blitz & Giveaway: Out of the Box Series by Jennifer Theriot

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

Meet Charlotte and Nathan! ONLY $0.99

AVAILABLE NOW!

SYNOPSIS

EXCERPT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GIVEAWAY

Meet Charlotte and Nathan!
ONLY $0.99