Thursday 29 June 2017

King Of Clubs - Sandra Owens - Release Blast


Passions—and tempers—flare as one star-crossed couple gets a second chance at love.



KING OF CLUBS
Aces & Eights #2
Sandra Owens
Releasing June 27, 2017
Montlake Romance







In the second novel in acclaimed
author Sandra Owens’s Aces & Eights series, passions—and tempers—flare as
one star-crossed couple gets a second chance at love.


Covert FBI
agent Court Gentry loves his brothers, his job, and his Harley-Davidson. Once
he loved a girl, too, but when she broke his heart, he put his emotions on
lockdown…until she crosses his path again.


On vacation
six years ago, free-spirited Lauren Montgomery fell hard for Court Gentry. She
returned home happier than ever, only to descend into a spiral of abuse by her
ex-husband, Stephan. When Stephan threatened to kill any man who touched her,
Lauren cut Court from her life—but not from her heart.


When Lauren
and Court reunite after her friend marries his brother, Court guards himself
against the person who made him feel such intense passion and pain. Except the
undeniable spark between them is impossible to contain and heating up fast. Six
years ago, it was love. Now, it’s just lust. Keeping it merely physical is a
foolproof plan…right?



When Stephan is released from prison, Lauren can’t outrun her past anymore, and
Court vows to protect her. But with Lauren in imminent danger, Court must
question his heart and risk his life to save the woman he never stopped loving.



AMAZON | B & N 



4 Stars 

King of Clubs is the second title in the Aces & Eights series and features Court Gentry and Lauren Montgomery.  This story is a second chance romance, and a romantic suspense.  Although this is the second title in the series, it can be read as as standalone I haven't read the previous title and in no way felt lost throughout this title.

Ms Owens has created a pair of characters that are both flawed, whilst at the same time quite believable.   I had mixed emotions when it came to Lauren's character.   In some ways I found her really quite endearing, and I definitely felt sorry for what she had endured in her past.  I respected the fact that she is a survivor, but some of her doubts and resistance really frustrated me.  Court on the other hand I really adored, he's a sexy, bad-ass undercover FBI agent.  I felt in some ways that Lauren played on his vulnerabilities left over from his childhood.  Nevertheless she grew on me as she developed as a character throughout the story line. 

The plot is full of twists and turns that kept me completely engaged.   A great blend of action, intrigue, suspense and romance.  I would recommend this title to anyone who enjoys a second chance romance, combined with a suspense and intrigue. 






A best-selling, award winning author, Sandra Owens lives in the
beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Her family and friends often
question her sanity, but have ceased being surprised by what she might get up
to next. She’s jumped out of a plane, flown in an aerobatic plane while the
pilot performed death-defying stunts, has flown Air Combat (two fighter planes
dogfighting, pretending to shoot at each other with laser guns), and rode a
Harley motorcycle for years. She regrets nothing.



A member of Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll, Sandra is a 2013 Golden
Heart® Finalist for her contemporary romance, CRAZY FOR HER. In addition to her
contemporary romantic suspense novels, she writes Regency stories. 

The Way It Hurts - Patty Blount - First Look Celebration





Title: The Way It Hurts
Author: Patty Blount
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: August 1, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Pages: 352 pages
Format: Paperback and Digital
Print ISBN: 978-1-492632-788
Digital ASIN: B06XR172ZD






There may be two sides to every story, but sometimes there's only one way to set things right...

Music is Elijah's life. His band plays loud and hard, and he'll do anything to get them a big break. He needs that success to help take care of his sister, who has special needs. So he'd rather be practicing when his friends drag him to a musical in the next town...until the lead starts to sing.

Kristen dreams of a career on stage like her grandmother's. She knows she needs an edge to get into a competitive theater program--and being the star in her high school musical isn't going to cut it. The applause and the attention only encourage her to work harder.

Elijah can't take his eyes off of Kristen's performance, and snaps a photo of her in costume that he posts online with a comment that everybody misunderstands. It goes viral. Suddenly, Elijah and Kristen are in a new spotlight as the online backlash spins out of control. And the consequences are bigger than they both could have ever imagined because these threats don't stay online...they follow them into real life.


Add to your “Want to Read” shelf: Goodreads











"Blount writes authentically; both protagonists’ voices are distinct. The author explores the rapidly consuming world of social media and how it affects relationships online and in real life. A relevant read and must-have for all YA collections." – School Library Journal

"THE WAY IT HURTS draws our attention to the joy, heartache and confusing contradictions that arise as we try to find our place in the real world and the virtual one." Kimberly Sabatini

Elijah and Kristen’s personal evolutions through the novel, along with their chemistry, feel as authentic as the conflicts they face. A genuine plot filled with steady tension that will keep readers hooked.” RT Book Reviews


This book sensitively covers topics such as sexism, handicapping conditions, communication, and ageism. Agency is also shown when Kristen says she wants to pursue studying in a conservatory rather than continue in the band and the three young men acknowledge her wish. Talking about what bothers us rather than trying to guess another person’s feelings is demonstrated through the actions of the characters. The characters’ issues are eventually resolved through hard work and understanding, making this an interesting and informative read." School Library Connection



I shifted in my broken seat, wondering how many more minutes of the hell that was Bear River High School North’s production of Cats I’d have to endure. My fingers itched for my guitar and notepad. Melodies played in my head, begging to be put down on paper, and there were a dozen other things we should have been doing to promote Ride Out so we could get the band some notice.
The music rose. Beside me, Nick sucked in a breath. I didn’t know Leah. Nick met her at a concert a few months back, and they’d been hanging out whenever they could because, Nick claimed, Leah was the One.
I hid half a laugh and shook my head. I didn’t get the whole concept of the One, but I’d help Nick get what he wanted.
Leah raised her face. When she opened her mouth, I sat up a little straighter. Her voice... Jesus, it was astounding. Clear. Strong. Powerful but sweet. I watched and listened, the audience around me fading away. Her voice swelled, and she attacked the high notes without hesitating, making goose bumps jump out of my skin. What was the top note of her range? She glided across the stage; she never struggled or stumbled. The audience waited for the crescendo, and when she reached it, holy God, it was like a...a promise kept. She blew me away. The notes faded out, and the rest of the production was a blur. I had no idea Leah could sing like that and couldn’t take my eyes off—
My best friend’s girl. Shit.
The lights came up, and everybody got to their feet, applauding like mad. Nick held up this lame poster board sign he’d made. I used that time to get my hormones under control and put Leah and her amazing voice out of my head. The rest of the cast assembled on the stage for their curtain call, and I locked eyes with one of the actors— the White Cat. She was incredibly hot—a solid body with an impressive rack. Her solo dance was the best part of the show up until Leah’s song. She looked amazing in that white cat suit. So freakin’ hot.
Ladies and gentlemen, a moment please.” A teacher walked to the right of the stage and waved her hands. “Thank you all for attending our opening night performance! I am so proud of these kids. They made all their own costumes and designed the set themselves. And tonight, I want to share with you an amazing last-minute change-up to our program. Grizabella, played by Leah Russo, is ill and was unable to sing this evening. Her songs were actually sung by our White Cat, played by Kristen Cartwright.”
The teacher’s hand swung to my favorite cat, and my jaw dropped. That awesome voice was hers? Whoa. I stuck two fingers in my mouth and let loose with a shrill whistle while the audience roared their approval. The white cat’s eyes met mine, and I started to picture her in different clothes...maybe some black leather, studded bands on her wrists, hair long and wild down her back, strutting across a stage while I shredded the hell out of the guitar. If she could sing Broadway songs without breaking a sweat, what could she do with a hard metal rock track? I wondered—again—what her range was. Could she get low with some Halestorm or full-on mean with a Slipknot metal scream? I should put her in Ride Out right now. I grinned like a maniac because I knew that would really twist BroadwayBaby17 into a knot.
A brilliant idea struck. I pulled out my phone, snapped a photo of the white cat, and from the band’s Twitter account, posted this:
Ride_Out: This cat’s HAWT! And damn, can she sing.
It needed a hashtag. I tapped out “#CatCall.” Oh, this was awesome. My phone buzzed a minute later with a reply from a fan calling himself JJStix88.
Sweet! Get her to meow. #CatCall
I tapped out another post.
JJStix88: Make her arch that back! #CatCall
Ride_Out: Wanna hear her scream! #CatCall

Copyright © The Way It Hurts 2017 by Patty Blount





Patty Blount is offering one (1) lucky winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:


Native New Yorker Patty Blount is the award-winning author of several critically acclaimed internet issues novels for teens as well as a few adult contemporary romances. She is inspired to write by such greats as Judy Blume, JK Rowling, and Gayle Forman. In fact, Judy Blume is the reason Patty elected to write under her real name…so she’d appear on shelves next to her idol. Patty adores writing; she’s written everything from technical manuals to song lyrics (see THE WAY IT HURTS, coming August 2017). Patty wants you to know she loves chocolate…really, really loves chocolate.

When not crushing on actors Gilles Marini or Sam Heughan, Patty can be found sitting in traffic somewhere on the Long Island Expressway, listening to audio books or talking wildly to herself about plots and characters. Prone to falling madly in love with fictional characters, Patty suffers frequent broken hearts when they all invariably prefer the heroine to her… go figure. When she’s not writing, Patty loves to watch bad sci-fi movies and live tweet the hilarity, and scour Pinterest for ideas on awesome bookcases. Patty lives on Long Island with her family in a house that, sadly, lacks bookcases.









The Beard Made Me Do It - Lani Lynn Vale - Release Blitz & Review



Title: The Beard Made Me Do It
Series: The Dixie Wardens Rejects MC Series #5
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: June 28, 2017
Cover Mode: Jacob Wilson
Photographer: Furious Fotog





He’s only a friend. 

Those words had haunted him from the moment Jessie James had heard them muttered from the one girl, above all others, that he thought had his back. 

Sixteen years later, he still feels those words like a brand on his soul. 

Lucky for him he has a son to take care of, a full-time job that demands every single second of the day, and not a single moment to spare for the likes of a woman that won’t stand up for him when he needs her the most. 

He’s only a friend. 

The words had slipped out of Ellen’s mouth, and before she could recall them or better yet, explain, Jesse is gone from her life for good, taking her heart with him. 

She tries to find her way out of the pit of despair, but not one single person, no matter how much she tries, can fill the void that he left in his wake. Time heals all wounds. Or at least that is how the saying goes. It’s a crock of crap, though.

Sixteen years pass when Jessie and Ellen see each other again without the influence of the town and bad memories surrounding them, and it’s as if not a single day has passed. 

Ellen knows the instant that her eyes see her old love that she’s still just as much in love with him today as she was all those years ago.

The problem is that Jesse wants nothing to do with her. Or at least that’s what he keeps telling himself.


















4.5 Stars 

As soon as I read the excerpt revealed with the cover for The Beard Made Me Do It, I was eagerly awaiting to opportunity to read this title.  The Beard Made Me Do It, is the fifth title in the Dixie Wardens Rejects MC series and features Jessie and Ellen. 

This is a story of family, finding yourself and following your heart.  The Beard Made Me Do It, is a second chance love story, with a great blend of drama, humor and heat. 

Jessie and Ellen are an endearing pair of characters.  Jessie is a single father, dedicated, loyal and hard working.  I absolutely adored the relationship and bond shared between Jessie and his teenage son Linc. The banter this father and son share is often quite humorous, but also shows just how much they mean to each other.

Jessie and Ellen share a history.  Their chemistry is intense, and the love scenes are very hot and steamy.   Their banter is fun and flirty, and I enjoyed the way in which they communicate with each other. 

The story line runs parallel in some parts to the previous title in the Dixie Wardens Rejects MC, I'm Only Here For The Beard.  The twists and turns in the story line, kept me completely enthralled. 

Although this is not my favorite of the Dixie Wardens Rejects MC, it's a great addition to the series, which I recommend to anyone who has enjoyed the previous titles or enjoys an MC romance.  I will be eagerly anticipating the next book in this series. 








I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.