Carter Reed by Tijan

 

 

~blurb~

 

Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that weapon in the first place.

 

 



I do want to start this by saying I did enjoyed this book...now with that said, I did have a few problems with it.

 

We meet Emma as she is about to make a split second decision to end a mans life, not just any man, Mobster Franco Dunvan's son Jeremy... The same family that killed her brother AJ.

 

I was in LOVE with Carter, cause I love me some badass and we get that in spades with Carter. It is referenced a lot, and I mean a lot, but I wanted more details! 

Carter as a man was beautifully written, he was so sweet to Emma and once you found out everything he has done for her over the years, I swear I swooned! I mean we all know he is in the Mob, but his reasons for joining tugged at my heart...

 

"I've been protecting you since I joined the Mauricio family. You were why I joined them in the first place"

What? I-what? My eyes implored him for further explanation, but I couldn't speak.

He grinned to himself and moved to press a kiss at the corner of my mouth. He didn't move away like he had before. He stayed there and I felt his tongue brush against my mouth. "Those men were hunting you down after they killed AJ. They wanted his family wiped out. I killed them and then I went to Mauricio. Your safety was part of my condition to join his family. You will always be safe. That's bee my first priority, even over the family itself. My elders know that. Anything I do for you will always be cleared with my family."

 

 

I really enjoyed the interaction between Emma and Carter. Their history was really important to the story. BUT, and its a BIG but, I needed more.... More details, skimming the surface of his life didn't work for me. I wanted MORE. The fact that Carter was kind of a mystery bothered me. We get a brief glimpse of his childhood and that was at least something. But the constant referencing too " I have done some really bad thing, things so awful that you may hate me ." TELL ME,  I WANT TO KNOW!!! I want all the dirty details...

 

NOW, I will tell you what I LOVED! EMMA! She became this, little badass! I mean killing a man would probably do that. She changed right before our eyes, and I am so happy the author did this. She made her stronger, passion filled...

 

The supporting cast was rather interesting. I could have done without the constant blubbering of Teresa. She was "sorta" important, but god she annoyed me, but I think that was the point.

I think Mallory would have been more interesting to have around, sense she was the reason Emma killed Jeremy.

Amanda, was kind of a wet blanket, but came around in the end and I liked her.

I enjoyed the playfulness of the guards and Emma.

Noah, had me confused, he was her boss, but never really acted like it. He was friends with Carter, but was always talking about his mob life and not in a "friendly" way. I don't know, he just confused me.

and finally Ben, well I am just going to leave it at that, he was an asshole and I didn't care for him at all. You will understand this when you read it.

 

I also must add, the sex scenes were OK. I tend to be one who, likes it dirty and detailed... and well this was missing for me. I understand not all authors like to go into descriptive scenes, I really do!  Some books do not need it but I felt that this book needed it. It was sweet and lovely at times and that was appreciated, I just wished for more...

 

 I thought that story was really good, it was the lack of details of the main characters that I missed. If I had it my way this would have been 400+ pages. I am fine with a long book, details are pivotal for me and Carter Reed was begging for more.

 

 

 

 





I am giving this 3 clocks... agree or disagree, let me know! 

 

 

 

 



 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wager by Rachel Van Dyken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~blurb~

Lose a bet, lose your heart...

What is it about a junior-high crush that can send an otherwise intelligent woman into a tailspin? TV reporter Char Lynn wishes she knew. Jake Titus is too rich, too handsome, too arrogant: a trifecta that once lured Char into the best night-and worst morning-after-of her life. Now they've been thrown together in a wedding party. It's awkward, but survivable . . . until Jake stops acting like a jerk, and starts acting like the man she'd always hoped he could be.

If watching your brother marry your best friend is weird, being attracted to your best friend's other best friend is downright bizarre. Unfortunately for Jake, Char hasn't forgotten how he once tossed her aside. Worse still, Jake's already-nutty grandma is even crazier about Char. Cue meet-cute shenanigans and all manner of meddling, and somehow, Jake's falling. For Char. Now all he has to do is make her believe it . . .

This is the 2nd book in The Bet Series. You can read as a standalone but I would read The Bet first so you understand all of the characters and events that are talked about in The Wager. Jake Titus is great looking and he knows it. He is the ultimate playboy. Richer than god, sexy as sin, and commitment phobic. Women throw themselves at him left and right. He is Seattle's most eligible bachelor. He is also cocky and an ass. He needs to be "ruined" or so his Grandma Nadine says.

Then there is Char Lynn. She is a news reporter and best friend to Jake's soon to be sister in law. Oh and she is also one of Jake's one night stands. He slept with her and left a note. She thinks he is an Ass. He also is the guy she had a crush on in school.

"Sorry, it seems Jake Titus just peed his pants. Could you please help us?"
Snickering erupted around them, and Char smirked at a gaping Jake. He reached across the seat toward a striking elderly woman sitting next to him.
"Well, well," char leaned on the seat and whispered. "Looks like you're going for every type of woman these days,eh, Jake?"
"Oh,he truly does," the lady piped up. "Did you know that he had the balls to take a whore to his brother's engagement party?"
Holy crap, please let the elderly lady be talking about someone else and not referring to herself.
"I, uh..."Char took a moment to compose herself."Actually, I believe it."
"And you know what else?" The woman released Jake's hand and leaned forward over his seat. he rolled his eyes but otherwise kept silent.
"What?" Whoever this crazy lady was, Char liked her. A lot. Pity that Jake was going to break her heart. No judgment, but was he really the type of guy to go for women twice his age?
"His high school sweetheart is marrying his brother. He tries to pretend it doesn't bother him. But a Grandma knows these things."She patted Jake's hand.
Ah...grandma. Wait? Was this the infamous Grandma Nadine Kacey was always talking about?
Even though Char had grown up relatively neat the Titus family, she'd never actually met the old woman before...until now.
"So..." Grandma leaned back. "I'm going to fix him."
Jake groaned.
"You mean you're going to neuter him?"
"Oh, honey." Grandma choked on her laughter. "There would be nothing better for the boy than getting neutered. Did you know I even looked into a male chastity belt?"
Jake groaned again. "Dear Lord, save me from the female sex."
"Sex," Char snorted. " Kind of what got you in this predicament in the first place, wouldn't you say?"
The flight attendant chose that exact moment to walk up. "Where's the young man who wet his pants?" There was a nice pair of Depends in her hand.
Both Grandma and Char pointed to Jake.

Then there is Grandma Nadine..Let me say.. I want a Grandma Nadine in my life. I know there would be hours and hours of laughter. I think she makes the book. she has decided that the playboy needs to reform and she is going to "ruin" him till he does. she has fired him from the company and has made it her mission to settle down. She even has a "wager" with his brother. If she wins, she gets to sing at the wedding. No one wants that, so Travis and Kacey decide to set up Char with someone else at the wedding. Grandma has all sorts of wedding details that she needs help with so she enlists Jake and Char to do them. These include a mating dance to be preformed at the wedding and picking up cake topper from hell.

I absolutely loved this book. Was laughing out loud and even had to read some out loud to my husband. I had tears at some parts( from laughing so hard) If I could give this more than 4 clocks I would in a heartbeat. I can only hope that there will be a book 3 with Jace and Beth. Please Rachel, Please I am begging you must continue on with Grandma Nadine......

 

 
Review by Kathy Lee Herbst

Cold Day in Hell by Jerrie Alexander

Cold Day in Hell by Jerrie Alexander

~blurb~

Ex-Army Ranger Tyrell Castillo’s first mission for Lost and Found, Inc. goes awry when his contact is kidnapped, and he’s left scrambling for weapons and explosives. He’ll have to blow up a drug cartel’s compound, rescue the woman, and keep her safe while they cross the sweltering hot Colombian jungle.

Driven by the need for revenge, Ana Maria Vega Cisneros doesn’t want to be rescued. She wants revenge. She’ll risk her life to ensure the drug lord who killed her family suffers the same fate.

The cartel leaves a trail of blood on their hunt for Ty and Ana. When Ty receives the order to kill the drug lord with extreme prejudice, he and Ana will face the enemy head on. Can Ty protect the woman who’s hell bent on vengeance? The woman he’s grown to love?

This is the second book of the Lost and Found, Inc series. It can be read as a stand alone but does have reoccurring characters. The book starts off with Ty getting ready to blow up a drug cartels compound but he has to get Ana out before he can blow it. There first meeting is far from love at first sight. He is trying to get her out of the situation and she is madder than hell at him for not making sure that Ortega (the drug lord) is on the premises.

What the hell? The lamb had attacked the lion. He reapplied the pressure while keeping one eye on the door.
"Stop that," he commanded, impressed at her bravado.
Even through the lens on the night vision goggles, he spotted a bruise on her cheek. Heat sizzled up his spine at the bastard who'd hit her.
He'd expected fear or panic to be oozing from her every pore, but didn't sense either emotion from her. Waves of anger rolled off her.
"Do you understand?" he repeated. She nodded slightly, relaxed her tense muscles, and then tried to kick him in the nuts.
He didn't have time to reason with her. And from what he'd seen so far, sweet-talking her was out. "I'm going to remove my hand. If you fight me, I'll tie and gag you. Got it?"
This time he got a full nod. the expression behind her eyes made him doubt her honesty.
"I don't have time to argue, so you'll have to trust that I'm the contact you were supposed to meet in Bogota," Cautiously, he lifted two fingers from her lips and waited to see if she complied.
"I know who you are," she hissed. "And you've ruined everything."
"Me? I think you cornered the market on screw-ups." He quickly assessed her condition. Other than the bruise, she appeared to be unharmed.Long dark hair fell around her shoulders. She wore jeans and a T-shirt. all she needed was shoes, preferably a good pair of boots.
Damn she was a little thing. Beautiful, bruised, and pissed. Protecting her as they crossed the sweltering jungle wasn't going to be easy. This woman was going to make the next few days a living hell.
Ana is a very well thought out and tough heroine. She has experienced loss and wants her revenge against the man who caused it. Will Ty help her or is she doomed to failure? Can they make it out of the jungle with a drug lord and his army gunning for them? And are all the people helping them friends?

The action is fast paced and doesn't let up. They move from Colombia to the US and back. There are some especially disturbing parts with a large spider but, that might just be my own phobia at work. I loved that the heroine is able to shoot as well as the hero. She saves him, he saves her. Once they are in the jungle the attraction starts and doesn't let up. The book does have a couple of sex scenes but they are not over the top or especially graphic.

Ana is a very well thought out and tough heroine. She has experienced loss and wants her revenge against the man who caused it. Will Ty help her or is she doomed to failure?

I truly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The first in the series is  Hell or High Water and I would highly recommend that book as well, but as I said it is not necessary to read beforehand. I am anxiously awaiting the 3rd book No Chance in Hell.

 I am giving this book 5 clocks.

 

Review by Kathy Lee-Herbst

Welcome, Welcome , Welcome....

~I would like to welcome to my blog, contributing blogger, Kathy Lee-Herbst!

 

I know she is going to be a great asset to our little family~

The Final Cut by Catherine Coulter

The Final Cut by Catherine Coulter

Review by contributing blogger

Kathy Lee-Herbst

 

~blurb~

 

Scotland Yard’s new chief inspector Nicholas Drummond is on the first flight to New York when he learns his colleague, Elaine York, the “minder” of the Crown Jewels for the “Jewel of the Lion” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was found murdered. Then the centerpiece of the exhibit, the infamous Koh-i-Noor Diamond, is stolen from the Queen Mother’s crown. Drummond, American-born but raised in the UK, is a dark, dangerous, fast-rising star in the Yard who never backs down. And this case is no exception.

Special Agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich from Coulter’s bestselling FBI series don’t hesitate to help Drummond find the cunning international thief known as the Fox. Nonstop action and high stakes intensify as the chase gets deadly. The Fox will stop at nothing to deliver the Koh-i-Noor to the man who believes in its deadly prophecy.  Nicholas Drummond, along with his partner, FBI Special Agent Mike Caine, lay it on the line to retrieve the diamond for Queen and country.


 We start with the death of a New Scotland Yard agent Elaine York. She was the British "minder" of the Crown Jewels. With strict instructions to leave it alone, Nicholas jumps on the next plane to New York to assist his uncle Bo Horsley (former FBI SAC for New York) and security at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He learns that Special agents Savich and Sherlock are also there to look into a stolen painting and are helping his uncle.  Through his uncle and Savich, Nicholas is allowed to partner with Michaela (Mike) Caine.

They are looking for Elaine's killer and the infamous Koh-I-Nor Diamond that appears to be stolen from the museum. They find a body in Elaine's apartment. Why is Elaine friends with a former enforcer for the Russian Mob? Did she help steal the Diamond? Is that why she is murdered? How did they get past the security?  They must find the Diamond before the US is crucified in the press.

This book is a fast paced ride from one country to the next.  Nicholas and Mike race against the clock to not only find a priceless Diamond, the jewel thief who stole it, and the killer of a Scotland Yard Agent.  Nicholas must use his skills as a former Foreign Office agent in the pursuit of The Fox. They start the investigation at the MET. They find out that all is not what it had seemed. You are immediately thrown into the race with the characters to find the diamond and killer.  I loved the chemistry between Mike and Nicholas.

"I'm Special Agent Michaela Caine with the New York Field Office. Glad to meet you," and she opened a black leather case to show him a blue and white card stamped  "FBI." She stuck our her hand." You must be Bo's nephew."
 He shook her hand. "Yes. I was expecting someone older. And more male."
"Ah, yes. People do. And trust me, I've heard all the jokes."
"I daresay. I'm Drummond. Nicholas Drummond. Thank you for coming to gather me."
Her idiot mind said, Bond, James Bond. So this was Bo's super spy nephew. And didn't Drummod look the part, dark hair and eyes and Lord above, was that a cleft in his chin? He'd probably shaved long before he boarded the plane to come to New York, and he had a five O'clock shadow, or whatever o'clock it was in England. It made him look dangerous. she bet he was stubborn as a mule, and a player. The way he eyed her, sizing her up, yes, definitely.


 The book is a balls to the wall, all out chase from start to finish. Nicholas is not going to follow all regulations in his pursuit of the killer and the jewel. He has an attitude that I loved. He wants to get The Fox and is not afraid to bend some laws to get there. In the end he uses the talents that he has to find the killer, rescue the Diamond and impress Savich and the FBI. He is in a unique position to become a FBI agent and continue to work with Mike,Sherlock, and Savich.  Let me say now that Nickolas Drummond is my new favorite Special Agent.

Ms. Coulter has definitely got another amazing character with Nicholas Drummond. I can't wait to see what new adventures this British FBI agent will bring to the table.

 

I give this new series 5 clocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~A Quick Q & A with Author Dani Lovell ~

What do you make of the success of Sexy Berkeley?

I am blown away by the response to Sexy Berkeley .When I published, I thought I'd put it out there in the hope that maybe a few people might like to read my kind of romance story. I never thought I'd have sold hundreds of thousands of copies in just 3 short months. Incredible.

If you were any of your characters, who would you be?

Wow. This is a difficult question; I love them all. There's a little bit of me in all of them... does that count?

 

SB, was such a feel good book, are you looking to take a different route with Sexy Summers?

Sexy Summers is a very different story, although it still has the great, feel-good romance that I love to write. The structure of the story, however, is nothing like Sexy Berkeley.

Who would you date Daniel or Luke?

Can I take both? Is that allowed? If so... both. If not... hmm, very difficult... I am seriously in love with Luke right now... but my Daniel is my Daniel. Oh, and I also have a huge crush on Oliver right now...hmm.

 

How many books are you planning for the Sexy Series?

Definitely three. I am contemplating a fourth, however, I'm determined to end the series on a high, and conscious not drag it out longer than necessary. We'll see :-)

Do you have their stories in mind before you start to write or does it just come to you as you are writing?

I start out with a diary, and pencil in major parts of the story. Then I dot the smaller events I want to incorporate throughout that diary. Once I start writing, it's almost like a dot-to-dot drawing, filling in the blanks and connecting the events as I go. Some scenes come to me, literally as I write, creating whole new chapters and sometimes different endings, but I love it when that happens. It reminds me that although I know my characters inside out, there are still aspects of them to discover. I love finding out something new about one of my characters.

Who are some of your “must read” authors?

Gah! So many to choose from! The first book I read after a long period of time that got be hooked back onto reading, was Ruth Cardello's 'Maid for the Billionaire'. I have read her whole series and loved all of it. I enjoyed the love story of E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey, of course. The 'Beautiful' series by Christina Lauren, I loved Gina L. Maxwell - Seducing Cinderella, M. Leighton, Mara Jacobs, Sydney Landon... so many more! I can't wait to add to the list when I have a chance to read again after SS is published, my TBR list is endless!

Do you consider yourself a romance or erotica writer? And is there much difference between the two?

I would consider myself to be a writer of 'erotic romance'. I write romance, but I include real sex. I wouldn't say the purpose of the book is the erotic aspect - it's predominantly a romance, but I think - for me - the two go together. I think there is definitely a difference, I just like to combine the two.

What advice would you give to those looking into self-publishing?

If you're confident your manuscript is ready, I'd say go for it. It has changed my life entirely and I would never dissuade anyone from embarking on the journey that I have. Don't rush it, be sure your book is as perfect as it can be and seek help if you need it. I have given some of the little advice I can give to a few new authors, and I hope that it helped, even just a little. Good luck and enjoy the ride :-)

Being that you are self-published, are you wanting to remain an Indie author or is your goal to be picked up by a publisher?

Honestly, I haven't thought that far ahead. For the time being, I haven't been approached and I am happy as I am. I haven't come across any reason why self-publishing isn't right for me, so until such time - I will be happy to remain an indie author.

 

Music seems to play a part in your books, do you get inspired by songs?

Definitely. I love music. Songs really help bring the story to life for me, and some readers like to listen to the featured music as they read - I think they can really get involved in how the character is feeling at that moment. I often listen to a sad song and cry like a baby - relating the story in the lyrics to a situation that might arise for my characters.

 And one last question, do you think bloggers play a role in helping a book gain success?

Well, duh! Of course they do; absolutely yes! Spreading the word is key, and bloggers do this with such a fantastic enthusiasm. I am always thrilled when a blogger picks up SB & SS! (Thank you)

 

Let Love Heal by Melissa Collins....Cover Reveal!!

Other Books in the series

Book #1 Let Love In
What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change?

That’s exactly what happened to Madeleine Becker when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can't get hurt if she doesn't fall in love.

That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy's pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy's inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past.

http://www.amazon.com/Let-Love-ebook/dp/B00CPE10JY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380333183&sr=8-2&keywords=let+love+heal



Book #2 Let Love Stay

If you’re lucky, you’ll fall in love – truly, madly and deeply in love. But what happens when that honest and pure love isn’t enough to erase your fears? What happens when your past rears its ugly head and threatens your future?

Maddy and Reid had that kind of love – the all-encompassing, Earth shattering, once in a lifetime kind of love. Then life happened. Old wounds that were thought to be long healed and scabbed over are ripped opened and they are forced to face the possibility that, maybe, they are not strong enough to fight their demons and embrace the light.

Together, they found out what love is, but now they will each need to heal on their own before they can ever be together again. They must face their fears and beat down their pasts in order to find their way through this crazy uphill battle called love.

They’ve let love in, but now, they need to find out how to Let Love Stay
http://www.amazon.com/Let-Love-Stay-Series-ebook/dp/B00E5TQ0CY/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1