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His for Christmas by Skye Warren

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

His for Christmas (novella)

Skye Warren
Contemporary Romance/Erotica
Published in 2014

H/h - Gage Thompson/Angel Cole
Setting: Present time.

Read in December, 2014.
My rating:

                                                 [might be spoiler-ish]

I was looking for a Christmas-themed story when I found out about His for Christmas by Skye Warren. Since I never say ‘no’ to this author’s books, I went ahead. It was a typical novella-length story about two lonely souls (or so I thought) who harbored secrets, that, exposed, could destroy their lives.

Angel, has just gotten out of prison. She needs a job real bad, and ASAP. Unfortunately, each time she’d mention her prison time in the application, no reply would ever come. Desperate, Angel finally decides to skirt around the truth. And only then she gets a temp job just before Christmas. She’s going to be temping for the Big Bad Billionaire, Gage Thompson; a handsome, rich and undoubtedly ruthless man. His success sings his brilliance, portrays his determination. Angel doesn’t know what to expect since she has no experience whatsoever.

Promo Spotlight and Giveaway: Gone by Anna Bloom

Today I'm hosting Anna Bloom's contemporary new adult romance, Gone, as a part of the ongoing VBT. This is also the last tour of 2014. In the following, find a complete promo and an excerpt for your enjoyment.

Anna Bloom will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour
Gone
Anna Bloom
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22449068-gone

Rebecca Walters is haunted by past tragedies and the names that people call her. When her parents take her to Cornwall for two weeks and she meets local artist Joshua Adams, Rebecca starts to understand that her future is what she can make it. 

But when her past secrets start to catch up with her will Rebecca fight to remain the girl she's found or will she run from a past that won't stay Gone.

Buy Links:
Amazon | Amazon UK

Major Westhaven's Unwilling Ward by Emily Bascom

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Major Westhaven's Unwilling Ward
Westhavens #2

Emily Bascom
Historical Romance
Published in 2009

H/h - Major Daniel Westhaven/Lilliana Penvensey
Setting: London, 1781.

Read in December, 2014.
My rating:

                                                      [spoiler alert]

Major Westhaven’s Unwilling Ward, book 2 in the Westhavens series by Emily Bascom, proved to be a major improvement from book 1. This had much more to offer to me; a sexy and broody war hero and a feisty little heroine who won’t give up on him, even when I was getting exasperated with him. It made the whole affair sweeter, and I enjoyed watching the stubborn oaf fall.

Major Westhaven’s Unwilling Ward is set in the early 1780s. Major Daniel Weshaven has seen it all, even though he’s only in his early 30s. He sure feels like an ancient man! He’s a war veteran, whose career ended swiftly after an injury, though failed to take his life, left him maimed. This harsh reality, apart from the fact that he’d lost many of his good friends and comrades including Robert Penvensey, made Daniel’s life unbearable. The truth that he’d always have to be without a leg hit him hard. Daniel didn’t know if he’d ever be able to keep the promises he made to Robert about his younger sister, Lilliana, before his death. He always wanted Daniel, whom he held on high esteem, to become Lilliana’s guardian. The Penvensey siblings were orphans and she’d be basically left all alone in the world if Robert’s not there for her. But a broken, angry and frustrated with life Daniel returned home and became a complete recluse. He was recuperating at his family estate Oakridge with only a few faithful servants like the old butler, John, in attendance. He didn’t want anyone to know about his weakened state. The prideful man in him wouldn’t let him, for you see, Daniel was battling not only the demon’s of war, but also the depression of being made to feel ‘less of a man’ due to its adverse affect on his body.

Blurb Blitz and Giveaway: Running Away with You by Suzanne Sweeney

Monday, December 29, 2014

Today I'm hosting Suzanne Sweeney's contemporary romance, Running Away with You (Running #3), as a part of the ongoing blurb blitz tour. Find a complete promo and an excerpt for your enjoyment.

Suzanne Sweeney will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour
Running Away with You
Suzanne Sweeney
(Running #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22601966-running-away-with-you 
 
Juliette Fletcher’s life has been full of surprises ever since she began dating NFL superstar Evan “Big Mac” McGuire. He’s everything she could ever have wished for – strong and tender, and wrapped up in an exquisite package. She has experienced more happiness than she ever dreamed of, but she’s also survived enough pain and anguish to last a lifetime.

It’s Evan’s rookie season as starting quarterback with the NJ Sentinels, and it looks like he just might take the team all the way to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.  And now Juliette is planning her dream wedding in the dazzle of the paparazzi’s camera flashes.

But Juliette is about to learn how quickly a dream can turn into a nightmare. Dark secrets begin to emerge – the kind that wreck careers and break hearts. Is silence a betrayal, even when the truth could cause anguish to the ones you love? And when the past threatens to cast its shadow over the present, how far is too far to make certain it stays buried?

Running Away With You is the third book in the Running Series

Buy Link:

The Rogue's Kiss by Emily Bascom

Saturday, December 27, 2014

The Rogue's Kiss
Westhavens #1

Emily Bascom
Historical Romance
Published in 2007

H/h - Lord Christopher Westhaven/Lady Roisin Melville
Setting: London, 1741.

Read in December, 2014.
My rating:

                                                        [spoiler alert]

I have been meaning to read Emily Bascom’s The Rogue’s Kiss, book 1 of the Westhavens series, for quite a while now. And now that I’ve read it, have to say I’m quite disappointed. If it wasn’t the writing style, it was the lead characters that drove me bonkers. I never quite connected with Christopher or Kit and Roisin, neither did I feel their attraction to one another.

The setting is in the early 1740s. Roisin, who recently lost her Earl of a father, is in London for a season that basically her mother wants much more than her. Roisin is not really Irish, though they’ve made a home there. Ireland is more her home than England. She loved spending time gallivanting around their big estate with her older brothers. And this, her mother can’t stand. She wants her daughter to have a season, grab a husband and become a true lady, once and for all. But Roisin... well, she’s headstrong and right now, sitting in this shabby old inn, she feels bored and miserable, while her ancient chaperone doses in the other room. So she makes a plan to escape and return to Ireland. Silly I’d say, but that’s how she meets this highwayman, Ewan MacHamilton, who accosts her hired carriage bounding through the lonely road in the middle of the night.

Texas Mail Order Bride by Linda Broday

Friday, December 26, 2014

Texas Mail Order Bride
Bachelors of Battle Creek #1

Linda Broday
Historical Romance/Western
Pub date: January 6, 2015 (ARC review)

H/h - Cooper Thorne/Delta Dandridge
Setting: Texas, 1878.

Read in December, 2014.
My rating:

                                                [spoiler alert]

Last month, I was craving for a good Historical Western read, and Linda Broday’s Texas Mail Order Bride seemed to fit the bill perfectly. The author being a new-to-me prior to this, I didn’t know what to expect, but right now I’m glad I read this book. Texas Mail Order Bride, book 1 of the Bachelors of Battle Creek, had a lovely story with some down-to-earth characters who have known their share of hardship in life.

Delta, an orphan has never known the love of a parent. Her father never acknowledged her while her weak-willed mother always blamed her for her ‘fallen’ state. Needless to say, because of her illegitimacy, the society didn’t accept her either, she always being the brunt of one vile rumor or the other. The result? The poor girl has been battling heartbreak since her childhood. There is no detail accounting of Delta’s life in Georgia, before she set foot in the town of Battle Creek in Texas to become a mail order bride to a man she’d never known but for a few nice letters. Delta wanted to escape her past, and moving to a faraway place, with a dream to have her own family, seemed like the perfect solution for her miserable life. She’s beautiful, though she never was acknowledged as such before. But never in her life she dreamed that the man she thought to have been corresponding with for the past months directly rejecting her, not to mention completely denying the responsibility of writing of those letters! His reason? He wants to remain a bachelor forever. Oh boy, talk about more heartbreak. :(

Guest Post: Modern Day Millie by Loni Lynne, Author of Distilled Spirits

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Today, I'm super excited to be hosting author Loni Lynne, whose paranormal romance, Distilled Spirits, has just been released. Here is this lovely piece of writing, an interview of the lead character Millie Taylor from Old Town tavern of Kings Mill for you. Also find a promo on Distilled Spirits along with an excerpt. Hope you enjoy it as much as it did!

If you're interested in my review of Distilled Spirits, you can read it by clicking HERE

“Millie Taylor—Modern Day Millie”
Character Interview from Millie Taylor of Distilled Spirits by Loni Lynne

Having interviewed many characters for my sequel to Wanted: One Ghost, Distilled Spirits, I wasn’t looking to do anything with April Branford’s unique family of fun females just yet. So one day, Millie Taylor showed up in my office as I was working on another project. She sat down in my winged back chair in her ethereal state and gave me a look of interest and asked me why I hadn’t considered her story.

Millie: Are ye afraid I might be too saucy for your readers?

Me: No of course not. But you did have a relationship with the hero in my first book. How would people react to you coming back to haunt him?

Millie: I’ve read and seen your news from the Telly-vision and the Kings Mill Gazette, people are more acceptable to women and our lifestyles, so why not mine? (She shrugged.)

Me: How can I in all honesty have my readers enjoy your character if you are wanting to steal James Addison from April?

Millie: (snorting) Ye think I want James? Well, I do still have feelings for him but…I’m ready to move on. I’m not necessarily looking for a man. I’ve been takin’ care of meself for quite a while and even before me death. I’m not sayin’ I don’t enjoy a man’s company but they can be bloody fools, keepin’ us women all caged in corsets and slavin’ us to hostin’ their taverns and tendin’ their young.

Me: So you don’t approve of the woman’s roll in your previous society?

Millie: We were at best coddled. At worst we were no better than the cows given milk in the fields. (She stood and danced around my office, stopping to look at my various books on my shelves.) I want to read, did you know James helped me to read? But I also want to run the tavern. I’ve learned so much seein’ everything takin’ place over the years. I know it still belongs to Dave Rogers but I want to be an important member of the team.

Me: You are, Millie. You are the ghost, the legend that keeps people fascinated about the tavern.

Millie: No, I am a fascination because of my past with James Addison, Kings Mill’s founding father. (Her shoulders slump.) But I am so much more but no one really cares.

Me: That’s not true…or I wouldn’t have mentioned you at all in Wanted: One Ghost. But I understand. I haven’t painted you into very polite society.

Millie: Pshaw! I ain’t no lady! In fact, I wish I could wear those pants like you are wearing…

Me: Blue Jeans? Really?

Millie: I want to wear pants, drive an automobile, have an equal partnership in the business…James always told me I could cipher numbers really good! I had a head for business. He was one of the few who would listen to me and my dreams…but then… (She becomes sad.)

Me: I know. He was cruelly murdered. But Fate had plans for him…

Millie: And what if Fate has plans for me? What if I could be alive again? Could I do the things I’ve dreamed of?

Me: (Deep in thought.) You know, I think you could. I just don’t know how I could tell your story. (Reaching for my yellow legal pad to take notes.) First off, I’d need to know how you died.

Millie: I don’t know. I don’t remember. Am I supposed to remember though?

Me: I can’t answer that for you anymore than you can. (I put my pencil down but pick it up again as I begin to do a character sketch of Millie…blonde hair, wildly put up in a loose knot, tendrils hanging around her face, sassy with a body to match…colonial tavern serving wench clothes…) But maybe together we can figure things out. Tell me as much as you can remember and we’ll go from there.

Millie: Okay…but I have to be back soon.

Me: Where? Where are you going?

Millie: I usually just hang around the tavern. I’ll sit in the rafters and watch the goings-on, do a few things to see if anyone will notice. I used to steal Dave’s wife’s stapler and hide it from her. (She giggles, playfully.) But lately…

Me: Lately, what?

Millie: I can’t figure it out? I feel like something is about to happen to me, Kings Mill, I don’t know…something important, though.

(I nod, taking in her look of worry and consternation. She begins to fade.)

Me: Wait! Don’t go…

Millie: I can’t stop meself…but do me a favor. Write a story for me…”

Me: I’m a paranormal romance writer. It has to have romance and a Happily Ever After or at least a Happily for Now.

Millie: So pair me up with a handsome man…and make us happy. Only you can do that.

Me: I’ll try. Take care, Millie—and thanks for the inspiration.

Millie: Don’t thank me, yet. I can be quite a handful. (She winks.)

Me: (Laughing) Looking forward to finding out just how much of a handful you can be. You sound like a lot of fun. (Millie fades completely from my office.) Yeah, this is going to be a lot of fun.

Hope you all enjoy Millie Taylor’s story, Distilled Spirits, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Remember…Believe in Fate!

Loni Lynne


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Punya
I love to read in my spare time and do reviews the books I read. My blog Punya Reviews just turned 6 in 2017 and still going strong. I love music and traveling. Sometimes, I wish I could live inside a book, having my own HEA. :)
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