12.26.2016

Virtual Tour: In Your Arms by Shannyn Schroeder


A KNIGHT IN SHINING LEATHER


IN YOUR ARMS
For Your Love #2
Shannyn Schroeder
Releasing Dec 27th, 2016
Zebra Shout


A KNIGHT IN SHINING LEATHER

Sean O'Malley has never tried to hide who he is. He shows it in the motorcycle thrumming between the legs of his tight jeansthe shaggy hair that falls in his gorgeous eyesthe wicked gleam in his smile when he asks Emma out for a drink. Sean is a rebel, a bad boy, and a ton of fun: exactly the kind of guy she's sworn off forever.

Emma isn't just the prim kindergarten teacher she appears to be. And somehow Sean can tell. As soon as he pulls up to her overheated car he knows that a fast bike and a cold beer will fix her rotten day better than compliments or a bubble bath. Her straitlaced exterior and her wild heart light him up. But Emma wants to escape her past and settle downand if her desk jockey dates don't understand where she comes from, at least she doesn't worry about them bringing her back.

One weekend of intense connection can't change the paths Sean and Emma have chosen. But with a little space to be themselves together, maybe the rest of the world can wait...



Excerpt 
They climbed back on the motorcycle and left the parking lot. Sean drove them into a quiet residential neighborhood of single-family homes. Not an apartment in sight. Her radar immediately pinged. This was not a guy who had his shit together enough to own a house. 
She could write a book on how to pick up the man-boy. Sean parked and she shoved the thought away. This was about the weekend. About her getting what she wantedno, neededfor the moment. Then shed go back to her real life and look for what she should have. What she really wanted. At least find a guy who was adult enough to not live at home with mom. 
Sean held her hand and pulled her to the back of the building. When he moved toward basement steps, she pulled from his grasp. Where are we going?
My place. He hitched his chin in the direction of the door. My rooms in the basement.
What are you? Twelve?
My brother Tommy and I have it set up as our own place.
She sighed. Do you at least have your own bedroom? Or am I supposed to screw you with an audience?
He laughed and reached for her hip. His voice dropped into the sexy range. While I share a lot of things with my brother, a woman isnt one.
Then he turned and pushed her toward the steps leading upstairs. We can have a drink upstairs first so you can see Im not a crazy guy looking to lock you in my basement.
She laughed a little at that. For a bad boy, Sean was pretty adept at reading things. He opened the back door and flicked on the light, flooding the kitchen. As he locked up, she saw how beat up his hand was. His knuckles were red and swollen. 
She winced. You should ice your hand.
Sean reached into the refrigerator and handed her a bottle of beer. With his own bottle in one hand, he grabbed a bag of frozen green beans with the other. Emma took his beer from him and opened it. 
He flexed his hand and looked at it as if he hadnt noticed before. No big deal.
But it was a big deal. Shed been in similar situations too many times to recall. Her mom had taught her to smile and laugh it off, but Emma had never been able to do that. It rattled her every time. Memories of the guy pressing against her, trapping her, washed over her now. From deep in her bones, she felt every part of her start to tremble. To cover it, she gulped some beer.
She gripped the bottle tightly as she set it on the table and took a seat across from Sean. He watched her closely. You sure that guy didnt do anything to you? I mean, other than get in your face?
She shook her head and didnt like the way the room started to spin, so she answered, No.
You look really upset.
Im fine. Are we going downstairs or what? Right now, shed give almost anything to forget this day. She pushed off the table, wobblier than shed thought she was. 
Sean stood, still eyeing her, and tossed his vegetables back in the freezer. She finished her beer and suddenly realized the goldfish crackers shed eaten in her car were the closest thing shed had to dinner. No wonder the alcohol had hit so hard. Sean grabbed her hand and led her downstairs. 
The basement was mostly unfinished. Concrete floor and walls. A washer and dryer sat against one side. Sean pulled her toward the back of the basement. Actually, the front of the house. There, crudely constructed walls divided the space. 
He pointed toward the corner. Thats the bathroom. Tommys room is next to it. This ones mine, he added with his hand on the doorknob.
She snickered. This is your idea of having it set up like an apartment?
Its better than a mattress on the floor or sleeping on the living room couch. 
The last remark hit home because that was exactly where shed found Nicky more often than she cared to consider. So at least Sean was a step up from her loser brother.

Don't miss the other FOR YOUR LOVE titles!




Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the OLeary series, contemporary romances centered around a large Irish-American family in Chicago and the Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy friends finding love. Her new series (For Your Love) will release this summer with the first title Under Your Skin. When shes not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.



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12.12.2016

Review: The Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere
Published: October 18, 2016
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Format: via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Lauren Gabriel spent many years of her childhood in foster homes, wishing her mother would come back for her and be the family she needs. Now twenty-years-old, she still longs for a place that she can truly call home. Her work as a cashier is unfulfilling, and at Christmas it’s unbearable with the songs and carols and chatter of Christmas that she hears throughout the day.

When Lauren ends her shift one night, she finds herself driving aimlessly in order to avoid returning to her lonely apartment. And when she witnesses a car accident she is suddenly pulled into the small town of Grandon, first as a witness but then as a volunteer for the annual fundraiser for Glory’s Place, a center for single mothers and families who need assistance. Could this town and its people be the home she has always longed for?

My Thoughts
I fully enjoyed this tale of Lauren who after spending years in foster care finds herself on her own and wanting a real Christmas for once with a real family. She decides to put up an ad online and see if there are any takers, hoping someone genuinely wants to open up their family to her for the holidays.

One day an accident brings her to the small town of Grandon and while there she is soon swept up in this magical town and is accepted with open arms. She finds herself falling for the town and soon finds herself helping with Christmas festivities. She doesn’t know why she is so pulled to this town but in heart, it simply feels like home.

I love that this is a tale of hope and how Lauren while she has had a rough life still believes in it. All she wants is to belong and feel the unconditional love of a family and that no doubt touches your soul. You feel for her and want her to have all that and more. This is one read that confirms you should never give up.

12.09.2016

Christmas Book Bundle Giveaway!!

Just in time for Christmas, here's great opportunity to win six Christmas books by six bestselling authors! There's enough here to keep some for yourself and to share the love by gifting some to your friends and family! Enter to win A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe, Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews, The Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber, Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand, Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes, and A Shoe Addict's Christmas by Beth Harbison.
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Review: A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe

A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe
Published: October 25, 2016
Publisher: Gallery Books
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
A wounded warrior and his younger brother discover the true meaning of Christmas in this timeless story of family bonds.

As far as ten-year-old Miller McClellan is concerned, it’s the worst Christmas ever. His father’s shrimp boat is docked, his mother is working two jobs, and with finances strained, Miller is told they can’t afford the dog he desperately wants. “Your brother’s return from war is our family’s gift,” his parents tell him. But when Taylor returns with PTSD, family strains darken the holidays.

Then Taylor’s service dog arrives—a large black Labrador/Great Dane named Thor. His brother even got the dog! When Miller goes out on Christmas Eve with his father’s axe, determined to get his family the tree they can't afford, he takes the dog for company—but accidentally winds up lost in the wild forest. The splintered family must come together to rediscover their strengths, family bond, and the true meaning of Christmas.

My Thoughts
In A Lowcountry Christmas we get to see more the life of Taylor before he married Harper and we see him coming home from war and the effects that his PTSD had on him. We see the McClellan family as they go through some hard times and how things go once Taylor is back home and tries to adjust to life.

As a reader of the Lowcountry series, I love that we get to see how some of the characters were. We can see how they have grown and where they were and all the progress they have made. I also enjoyed getting to know the McClellan family more, we see how close knit they are and all the love and support they give to each other.

This a perfect addition to the Lowcountry series as it continues the tradition of family and unconditional love for one another. We all have tough times and dark days but its being surrounded by loved ones that will alway pull us through. I also love that in a sense this is a stand alone and could be read that way, so this is perfect for those who haven’t read any of the series can still read this wonderful tale.

12.08.2016

Review: It's Christmas Carol! by Sara-Lisa Andersson

It’s Christmas Carol by Sara-Lisa Andersson
Published: January 8, 2016
Format: free Kindle read
Rating: 5/5

Synopsis
Carol hates Christmas! As far as she is concerned, it is just another Thursday, just another day at work. But during her workday, between 4 PM and midnight on Christmas Day, she is haunted by the kindness of strangers and painful memories as she ponders the true meaning of Christmas - past, present and future.

Who is that man with the big white beard and the jolly laugh? And why does he care if Carol has a nice Christmas or not?
My Thoughts
Carol hates Christmas and tries to avoid all things related to it. However working on Christmas she forced to look back on why she hates the holidays and in doing so she must decide if she wants to overcome her pain and have new great memories or continue to live in the past. I enjoyed this read and was really feeling Carol’s pain in why she hates the holiday but was rooting for her to want to enjoy them again. This is a short but fulfilling tale that makes you believe in the magic of the season.

12.07.2016

Kids Corner mini Review: Harry the Christmas Mouse

Harry the Christmas Mouse by NGK and Janelle Dimmett
Published: July 29, 2016
Publisher: NGK Media
Format: free Kindle read
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Join Harry The Happy Mouse and friends as they save Christmas Day!

The follow-up to the bestselling children’s picture book ‘Harry The Happy Mouse’, all of the characters are back working together to help Santa on Christmas Eve!

Harry sets off on his short winter walk to discover Santa in trouble! Harry and friends work together as a great team to save Christmas! All set on Christmas eve, this book is a great story that conveys the magic of Christmas.

32 pages of full-color, beautifully illustrated pictures by award-winning illustrator Janelle Dimmett.
My Thoughts

This is the cutest kids read! I love that not only does it show the spirit of Christmas but it also shows kids the idea that Christmas is more than just toys and presents but about helping out others as well. The illustrations are beautiful and this is one read that the kids will fully enjoy!

12.06.2016

Release Blitz: Christmas with an Angel by Debbie Mason


CHRISTMAS WITH AN ANGEL: A Short Story by Debbie Mason
Series: Harmony Harbor, #1.5
On Sale: December 6, 2016
Publisher: Forever Yours
eBook: $.99 USD

It's been eight long years since Michael Gallagher has laid eyes on Shay Angel, back when he was a boy from the most prominent family in town and she was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. But he hadn't cared about their differences—until one bad decision landed her in jail.

That was years ago and now he's back in Harmony Harbor for the holidays. So when Shay goes missing, Michael is intent on finding her—and finding out if their sizzling attraction is still there. But he's now a district attorney, and it looks like Shay is once again on the wrong side of the law.

BUY THE BOOK HERE


THE SERIES
Mistletoe Cottage, #1
Christmas With An Angel, #1.5
Starlight Bride, #2
Primrose Lane, #3


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado and Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, three wonderful children, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella in Ontario, Canada.



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12.05.2016

Mini Review: Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber

Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Published: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
In a festive annual tradition, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber returns with another original holiday novel full of romance and cheer. This time around, a plucky young woman clashes with a real-life Scrooge—her grouchy, arrogant, annoyingly handsome neighbor—and tries to get even the only way she knows how: by killing him with kindness.
My Thoughts
Twelve Days of Christmas is what truly the holidays are all about, being kind and nice to others and making those around us feel loved. In Twelve Days of Christmas, we met Julia who started a blog about killing her cranky neighbor with kindness during the holiday season. Cain doesn’t seem like the guy who likes Christmas at all and seeing the bright and bubbly Julia doesn’t change his mind about it either.

Though she started her blog as an experiment of sorts she soon finds out more about Cain and finds out why he feels the way he does about the holidays. We all know from the start they are meant to be together but I enjoyed getting to see them go from foes to potential love interests. I loved the slow growing of their relationship which is a nice thing to see. This is a fun read one that will make laugh and root for these two to finally get together.

Virtual Tour: More Than Friends by Jody Holford

What happens when the best friend you’re in love with 
asks you to love him back, but only for pretend? 
MORE THAN FRIENDS
Kendrick Place #1
Jody Holford
Releasing Dec 5, 2016
Entangled BLISS



Owen Burnett planned on a quiet, easygoing Christmas, hanging out with his best friend and neighbor, Gabby Michaelson. So when his mom pressures him to come home for the holidays, he tells a little white lie…that he’s spending the holidays with his new girlfriend. But when his family shows up unexpectedly, Owen pulls the best friend card and asks Gabby to play his fake girlfriend.

Gabby’s been hopelessly in love with her best friend Owen for what feels like forever, but playing his "fake" girlfriend when the entire boisterous Burnett clan visits is easier said than done. The more she tries to deny the attraction between them, the more obvious their chemistry becomes. But even though she's not the only one feeling it, putting their friendship on the line is a risk she can’t take.




Jody Holford is a multi-published author who has a soft spot for happily ever after. So much so, she tattooed the words on her arm. She’s a mom and a wife, a friend, sister, daughter, teacher, and book-lover. Her stories have a little bit of heat and a lot of heart. And maybe, some swoon-worthy moments that will make you smile. 


Excerpt
Gabby groaned.
“How could I tell my mom it wasn’t true? That I made something up to stay home? I feel like a jerk, but I can’t tell her. Please, Gabby.”
Shaking her head, she began to pace again, her breath coming in short bursts. “Please what? Pretend to be your girlfriend for a week? No one will buy it. Half the time I’m not even sure you know I’m female.”
What? Sure, he didn’t think of her that way, but he wasn’t blind. She was definitely female. It’s not like he hadn’t noticed she had…breasts and curves and…damn, now he was thinking of both those things. He stared down at the ground, suddenly and uncomfortably aware of her…femininity more than ever before.
Even without looking at her, he could picture the elegant curve of her neck and the show of skin where her sweater hung loose, her gorgeous hair that made him think of rich chocolate and her pretty face with her endless, open smiles. Just because they were friends didn’t mean he was completely oblivious. Looking up, he saw she’d turned away, her hands gripping the counter.
He might not have thought too much about it, but he could damn well see she was a woman. And he didn’t need that knowledge or awareness getting in the way. He watched the rise and fall of her back, and then she turned and walked away from him. In the living room, she took over his spot by the window, staring out at the inky black sky. The stars were like little cutouts of light peeking in.
He leaned against the arch separating the living room and kitchen. “Look at me.” He waited until she did. “I know I’m asking a lot. It’ll probably be awkward. My family is loud and messy. Messier than you, if you can imagine.” She tried to scowl at him, but it had no heat, and that felt like a small victory. “I know you hate to lie and I hate asking you to. But you love Christmas and so do they. I don’t want to wreck it for them. It’s not a big deal—a few days with my family and no one will know otherwise. I’m asking you to help me and in return, I…I’ll give you something I know you’ve been wanting for a long time.”
Because he was staring at her so intently, he saw the way her eyes darkened and her chest flushed. Trying to avoid looking at her breasts, he caught her gaze again. Owen walked across the room once more, the scent of her shampoo catching him off-guard, kicking him in the gut with the delicious sweetness of it. Like candy or gingerbread. Maybe Christmas wasn’t so bad.
“What’s that?” she whispered, folding her arms so one hand rested on her biceps and the other rested against her mouth.
Closing the distance between them, he reached out a hand and stroked her hair. Her hands dropped to her sides. He trailed his finger down her jaw to her chin and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. She really did have gorgeous eyes. Knock-a-man-on-his-ass eyes that were watching him, full of an emotion he couldn’t name.
He smiled, bent his knees again, and then pinched her chin gently between his thumb and forefinger. “My apartment.”



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12.02.2016

Release Blast + Giveaway: In Mistletoe by Tammy L. Bailey

Never make the first move.
Never fall in love.
Never take anyone to Mistletoe’s Christmas Dance. 
IN MISTLETOE by Tammy L. Bailey
Releasing Dec 2, 2016
The Wild Rose Press


At twenty-five, Grace Evans is steadily picking up the pieces of everyone else’s life. So, when her younger sister decides to turn into a runaway bride just four weeks before the wedding, Grace, drops everything to chase after her and bring her back home. Only, when the trail leads to Mistletoe, Washington, she finds herself at the mercy of the town’s most handsome and emotionally unavailable bachelor.

Ex-Army officer, Ayden McCabe, has three creeds in life: never make the first move, never fall in love, and never take anyone to Mistletoe’s Christmas Dance. Wanting nothing more than to keep his matchmaking sister from meddling in his personal life, he agrees to help Grace if she agrees to play his girlfriend. Too brunette and meek for his taste, Ayden believes Grace can’t tempt him enough to break any of his creeds. He could not be more wrong.

Excerpt
“Do you like rum cake?” he asked to keep himself from having to reevaluate all the reasons again. He admitted Wilhelmina Hawthorne’s dessert was more alcohol than flour, but anything to keep Grace from leaving him to go check her text messages in case the damn wish somehow made it through…not that he believed in the folklore in the first place.

“Sure, but I’m not very good with liquor.” She tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ear.
He chuckled, imagining her getting wild and disrobing on top of his antique coffee table.

“So, what happens with you and alcohol?”

She smiled. “I don’t take off my clothes, if that what you’re asking.”

“Damn.”

She laughed but lifted a dainty finger as if to give him a warning. “I fall asleep, so I can have some cake, but keep in mind there’s a very good chance my face will fall flat into the plate after my third bite.”

“I’ll take that chance.”

“It’s your call.” She shrugged. He left her to retrieve Wilhelmina’s prized rum cake, deciding to
bring the entire Bundt-shaped dessert with two forks resting on each side. When he entered the room, he found Grace sitting in quiet contemplation, her attention focused on the dormant redbrick fireplace. Since he’d installed the gas furnace several years before, he’d not
had any desire to light the fireplace up again, even when his dates hinted several times of how romantic it would be to cuddle before a crackling fire.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

She peered up, startled. “No, I’m fine.” She tried to stifle a shiver, and he sat the plate down and ambled away to retrieve some logs from his deck. Despite not using the fireplace, he understood the importance of keeping it ready for emergencies. It took several minutes, but he managed to build a popping fire, the sweet aroma of sizzling sap filling the space with a comforting fragrance. She moved to sit beside him, bringing the blanket his mother made with
her.

“This feels wonderful.” Grace closed her eyes and let the flickering light kiss her cheeks.

“Yes.” He sat captivated by her entranced features, realizing how he’d reminisced about kissing her, every glorious inch of her. “Are you ready for some football…and cake?” He projected his voice above the tone of his own thoughts. Her lids flew open, and he wondered where she’d
been these last few moments, and with whom. The thought unsettled him.

“Are you ready to carry me up a flight of stairs?”

He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “Only if you’re fully naked.”

“How did I know you were going to say that?” She sighed and maneuvered around so the cake sat between them on the short coffee table. As he flipped the game on and muted the volume, she lifted a small bite to her lips when he reached out to stop her.

She gave him a quizzical look. “What’s the matter?”

“How about we make this interesting?”

She drew back, and he knew she didn’t trust his motives. “How…interesting?”




Tammy L. Bailey grew up in historical Appomattox, Virginia and moved to Ohio the day after she graduated high school. A third generation veteran, she joined the Army National Guard in 1988, served five years in the active duty Army, and retired as a Master Sergeant from the Ohio Air National Guard in 2011. She is a wife and a mother of two boys. She is a huge Jane Austen fan and loves watching Jane Austen movie adaptations.

When she's not writing contemporary or historical romance, she enjoys Star Wars movie night with her 10-year-old son and going to drumming practice with her 13-year-old son. Fall is her favorite season, the B-17 is her favorite plane, and Hawkeye is her favorite Avenger.




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