Thursday, July 31, 2014

Review/Giveaway: Reese's Cowboy Kiss by Kimberly Krey


A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

Reese's Cowboy Kiss

(Sweet Montana Bride Series #1)
Reese's Cowboy Kiss
(Sweet Montana Bride #1)
by Kimberly Krey

Adult Romance
Paperback, 307 Pages
May 13th 2014 by Candle House Publishing



Texan pageant winner, Reese Taylor, has a former classmate who wants her dead. Now she must leave her friends and family to enter a protection program on Emerson Ranch. A group of good­looking cowboys awaits her, but Reese has her eye on Blake Emerson, the one man too busy with the ranch to give her a chance.

Blake Emerson has no time to go lookin’ for love. He’s got a ranch to run, positions to fill, and an ache in his heart from love gone wrong. So when he agrees to harbor a witness to help on the ranch, Blake assumes his first two problems are solved. But he never dreamed his new guest would be a woman. One he was destined to lose his heart to.

With sparks burning hot and danger around the bend, one question lingers in his mind: Has he only added to his list of troubles, or has Blake just found the woman of his dreams?

*While this book is considered clean romance, it contains passionate kissing and a few mild curse words.* 

My Review: Reese is adorable! She is so sweet and naturally happy, that even a scary situation with a stalker doesn't keep her down for long. I loved the way she would interact with Blake and the ranch hands, having fun in the midst of tense times. She's a very likable girl, with her beauty shining through, both inside and out.

Blake is such a traditional man. He's very kind and caring, almost taking his role of protector too seriously, all the in name of being honorable, hard-working, and supportive. He's gruff and ruggedly handsome--I would even be intimidated by him! The battle he fought with himself over his feelings for Reese was very entertaining. Who could resist his charms?

I loved watching the romance blossom and the suspenseful element was fantastic! I was on edge reading through those parts--very romantic and very creepy. The author did a great job in drawing me completely into the story.

This is exactly the kind of story that I love to escape in. I absolutely adore a story that shows the way two people meet and fall in love! I especially love it if the book if filled with tender glaces, smoldering looks, sizzling kisses, and that's all. This book does have some passionate kissing, but everything beyond that is saved for marriage and after that, it fades to black and is left behind closed doors. Perfect!

Content: a few mild expletives; mild violence (talk of murder, stalking, attempted murder, but none of it is really graphic); passionate kissing.




Other Books in the Sweet Montana Bride Series:
Jade's Cowboy Crush (Sweet Montana Bride Series #2) Cassie's Cowboy Crave (Sweet Montana Bride, #1)
Amazon                       Amazon
Barnes & Noble           Barnes & Noble

About Kimberly Krey

Kimberly Krey I'm a writer of contemporary clean romance, a lover of home, family, & friends, & the ultimate hater of laundry.

A few of my favorite things: Diet Coke, Cafe Rio, and novels by Marcia Lynn McClure.

I do not go anywhere without: SoftLips Chapstick and Altoids Smalls.

Website ­  Facebook ­ Twitter ­ Goodreads

Come along for the ride!

July 21 ­ Launch
Tour­Wide Giveaway

­ $100 Amazon Gift Card
­ Open Internationally
­ Ends August 10th

Review/Giveaway: True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager

True Colors CoverTrue Colors
Landry Albright enters a modeling competition with her two best friends, but runs into jealousy when she advances to the next level without them. Enter the gorgeous Devon, who also makes the first cut of the modeling contest. Devon seems like the perfect new best friend, but can their friendship survive the competition? Throw in a new boy, jealousy and loyalty issues, and insults from hair stylists. How’s a girl to deal?
My Review
As I started reading this, I had to wonder--how old is the author anyway? Is she spying on my life? How can she possibly be spot on with all of this?! I thought Landry's voice was very realistic and true to a typical 8th grader. I have a 14 year old girl who just wrapped up her 8th grade year not long ago. I don't know how that happened, since I was just a 14 year old not too long ago (so it seems). All the details about everything from what she was thinking to what she was doing was so 14.

This story brought back so many feelings and experiences for me, such as the fickle friends, the insecurities, the fear of not being accepted, the impossible crushes, the day-to-day and on-again-off-again friendships and relationships. I remember all too well having friends who were mad at me for some silly reason and I couldn't understand why. A few days later, things were back to normal again...with no explanation. Thirteen and fourteen is such a tricky age and I felt that Ms. Hager captured the feelings and experiences very well. I think so many girls this age deal with these feelings and it makes it hard to be happy for your friends. Jealousy causes a lot of these issues.

I enjoyed watching Landry learn and grown through this difficult year. I loved the way she handled her friends--she was a pretty mature girl in some ways. Although she wanted to sing and shout about her successes, she was sensitive to her friends disappointments and tried hard to please them all. There were times when I wanted her to stand up to them, especially Ericka and Devon. She often let them dictate her decisions. Actually, that reminds me a lot of how I was, so maybe that's why I enjoyed the growth so much.

This is a fun, coming-of-age story for the young and young at heart!

Content: nothing really of note. Clean!

 

 add to goodreads
Excerpt #3
“Landry, they’re having modeling tryouts to be on the American Ingénue show,” Ericka said, showing me the ad she had torn out of the Grand Rapids Press. “The Ingénue judges are trying to find local teens to compete on their reality show.”
I watched every second of the last show. Talisa Milan won and got a Little Rose cosmetics contract and was on this month’s cover of Bright and Lively magazine. She was also a host on Hot Videos Now, a music video show. Melani Parkington, the runner-up, was the new spokesperson for Bouncy Hair conditioner. You were almost guaranteed to be famous if you made it to the final round of the contest.
“First you have to win in your city, and then your state, and then the regional competition,” Tori read. “Then you get to the tough part of the competition where they vote off someone new each week on national TV.”
“It’s an amazing opportunity to get discovered,” Ericka said, checking out her reflection in her spoon.
“Yeah, except for the fact the judges are known to be brutal when they’re honest. Like when they told Melani her gorgeous face was too pinched, her forehead was too low, and her eyebrows were too high,” I said. “They also told one girl she was pretty, but her lips looked like she had walked into a sliding glass door.”
“Well, they did,” Ericka said shrugging. They were holding auditions at the Perry Mall, which was the smallest mall in Grand Rapids. There weren’t a lot of stores there, so you usually just saw old people mall walking around there. Still, it had a decent bookstore and a cute clothing store, so I said I’d go watch while they tried out.
“No, we’re all trying out,” Ericka said, grabbing the ad back from me.


Krysten LAuthor Biography Krysten Lindsay Hager is an author and book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and also writes middle grade, YA, humor essays, and adult fiction. Her debut novel, TRUE COLORS, will be out June 17th from Astraea Press. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and currently resides in Southern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite shows.


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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 8/15/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Reign of Shadows by Melissa Wright--Grand Finale

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Happy release day to
Reign of Shadows by Melissa Wright!

We hope you enjoyed getting to read the first eight chapters of Reign of Shadows!! If you missed any of the excerpts, you can go back (click on each stop to read the full excerpt) and read them now or you can purchase a copy of the book for yourself!

Launch
What do you hope readers will take with them when they read this last book in the series? 
To me, things really come full circle with the characters, their relationships, and the dilemma of facing their lot in life. I think they've learned a lot, they've definitely been through some trials, but it was nice to give them that sense of understanding and the chance to see how things truly are. They had to either accept it or fight to the end, but it was nice to give them the choice.

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima - Chapter One

Heat pulsed through the warehouse, liquid fire pushed by some unseen force. Metal screamed and block crumbled, tearing away every protection she had from the gale. But it was not the light of fire that accompanied the wind, not the brightness of a flame. It was dark beneath the haze of fog.

It was a shadow...

Kelly P's Blog - Chapter One Cont'd
“No,” she whispered. “I’m sorry for what’s about to happen.” She tilted her head, drawing it from beneath his chin to look again at the amber of his eyes, the glow that was within them before suddenly stronger than she’d ever seen it. “I’m sorry for what I’ve set into motion...”

BookSkater - Chapter Two
“I’m ready,” the dark-haired man said, hands fisted at his sides. He was a complete contradiction to his audience, but he didn’t care. He wanted her. He would take her himself. “Let me at her before she has the chance to get any stronger...”

My Life, Loves and Passion - Chapter Three

Aern’s weight shifted, unconsciously moving toward her. He’d known the battle with Morgan was not the end. He’d seen it in Brianna’s eyes, felt it in her apology. They’d set some new chain of events into motion, brought some new fate down on them all...

Prism Book Tours - Chapter Three Cont'd

And here was the more Aern had thought he’d seen in Brianna’s expression. Because she’d known, once she’d found the connections to free herself and Emily, that they were not in place from centuries ago. Those binds, the ones that had kept their powers hidden, were put in place after they’d been born. And the only thing strong enough to do so would have been another shadow...

Book n Blog - Chapter Three Cont'd
“The thing is,” Brianna said, shifting just enough that her admission was directed to both of them, “the thing that doesn’t make sense is that she permitted us to be bound, chose this path for us, brought us to you.” She hesitated, eyes falling first to Aern and then lingering a heartbeat too long on Logan. “Because the shadows are the reason,” she wet her lips, “the ones who took the power from the Seven Lines to begin with.”

Mythical Books - Chapter Three Cont'd
Aern stared at her, everything that he’d learned in his youth rolling through his mind. The Seven Lines had once been powerful, able to do much more than simply use sway. Something had happened, something they’d called a thinning of the blood, that had slowly weakened their powers until no more than this remained. He wanted to not believe her. He wanted to keep thinking the stories they’d been told were true...

Christy's Cozy Corners - Chapter Four
But that slim blonde was gone now, taken when these men had invaded Westlake and destroyed the right half of her body. All that was left of her was the warrior, the daughter of a council elder with the blood of Sky. She was strong. She’d downed seven of their men before they’d strapped her into a truck and drove away from the fire and destruction that was the Division headquarters...

Book-Marks the Spot - Chapter Four Cont'd
His head hung, but he looked at Ellin from beneath his brow, swollen and bruised, cut and bleeding. She could still see the unhealed scars from the day he’d released Morgan. The day he’d tried to save their prophet. He wouldn’t give her now, not any single bit of information that would help them. He would never turn on Brianna...

Simplistic Reviews - Chapter Four Cont'd
He crouched beside her, fingertips rolling over his thumbs, and cocked one brow. “You know the rules Miss Walker. If you want to stop me from hurting Mr. Samuels, you’ll need to give me an answer in return.”

She swallowed against the thickness in her throat, new blood working free of her wounds. Her chest ached, fear and panic and unadulterated adrenaline.

Still, she managed to say, “Please, call me Ellin.”

He laughed. A short, shallow huff of air that said she’d surprised him, but it couldn’t have been true humor...

Wishful Endings - Chapter 5
He sighed. “We can’t leave him to …” He broke off, frustrated at their lack of information, and said, “Whatever he’s doing, Brianna, it’s wrong. We have to find him. He held you captive. He was working with Morgan.” His list stopped as he realized they had the key...

Katie's Clean Book Collection - Chapter 5 Cont'd
Brianna stood as well. “That’s not why you can’t go after him.” She’d been thinking about this for days, since before she’d known about Brendan. Since she’d realized what she and Emily were. She didn’t know if it was right, if it was the plan her mother had laid in place, but she wouldn’t be able to live with doing anything different. She had to protect them...

Nocturnal Predators Reviews - Chapter 5 Cont'd
Her eyes were closed, but she could feel him watching her as his hands stilled. A thumb rolled slowly up the side of her neck and she breathed deep, relaxing into the feel of his fingers as they came higher to trail feather-light over her cheek, her temple, barely brushing her eyelid. Logan's breath came out in what might have been a whisper, and then she felt him move, lips touching hers so gently that she couldn’t resist reaching for him, to pull him closer where he leaned over her...

Mary Terrani.com - Chapter 6
Aern stood in front of Brianna, hands clasped with hers as she searched his connections. He could feel Emily behind him from her spot on the edge of the sofa. He didn’t need to look to imagine her, hands twisted as she watched her sister work to restore some long-gone power within him. The bond was changing, becoming stronger—more real every moment—and it was as if he could sense her distress. This wasn’t some experiment to work toward a vague prophecy. This was Brianna’s last-chance gamble to try and save them from a vision she knew was true, a fight that was coming to them. A war they couldn’t escape...

My Devotional Thoughts - Chapter 6 Cont'd
“We think she’s trying to tell us about Brendan,” Eric said from behind them, his voice quiet. 

Aern watched as Ellin’s eye closed tighter. “No,” he said. “Brianna. She’s trying to warn us about Brianna.” A grateful breath escaped her and she opened her eye to close it again, in a long blink. A yes...

His thumb slid over her cheek. “Don’t worry, Ellin. We have her. She’s safe.” Her gaze moved to his, another warning, and he answered, “We know they’re coming for her, but she’s safe...”

The Written Adventure - Chapter 6 Cont'd
“And if they find us?” Eric said.

Aern glanced at the door that Ellin’s cart had disappeared behind, remembering her broken body. As if they had played with her, taken their time. Brianna’s face when she’d described Brendan, when she’d said the others were coming.

His gaze met Eric’s, tone even. “Pray...”

The Wonderings of One Person - Chapter 7
It was time. She was getting stronger, finding her own answers, and it was going to be too late. He couldn’t go to her, the shadows had warned him against that, but there would be no call for issue if Brianna found him. If she initiated the contact. Come to me, Brianna, he thought. Come to me and I will show you why your kind is hiding...

Dalene's Book Reviews - Chapter 8

Logan’s lips pursed. “Hot dogs are over rated.”

She shook her head, shifting so that her denim-covered leg touched his. “You’re cooking them wrong.”

He laughed, turning to see her. “How’s that?”

“You have to smother them in chili and that radioactive-yellow cheese sauce, and then you cover the whole thing with a bag of corn chips...”

Deal Sharing Aunt - Chapter 8 Cont'd
She smirked. “They’re going to be a bit like Morgan, I’m afraid. They’re very proud of their power.” Her eyes went unfocused as she studied the visions, a set of futures where the lesser shadows sought her out. She couldn’t see them, exactly, but she could glimpse the events, knew the way things would unfold. She was hunting in the darkness, searching for bits of light in fog. These shadows weren’t as quick and ruthless, not like the others, but she knew that was coming, too. “Not all of them,” she said. “The men behind this, they aren’t in it for the glory.” She shivered, finding the last of the visions, the scenes too hard to relive. “They only want the outcome...”

Reign of Shadows
(Descendants #3)
By Melissa Wright
YA/NA Urban Fantasy

Brianna can see her future, but it’s the past that haunts her. Plans laid in place centuries ago are threatening not only her and her sister, but all of the Seven Lines. As the shadows plot their way to old rule, the visions shift again. Her power has led to some hard choices—and the occasional stab wound—but this set of futures holds nothing but darkness.

Unable to bear the idea of losing the footing they've so recently gained, she turns the soldiers of the Seven. But with shadows hidden among the ranks, can she overcome the path they've set in place, or is she blindly following their lead?


The other books in the Descendants Series

Shifting Fate (Descendants Series, #2)Shifting Fate
(Descendants #2)
by Melissa Wright
YA/NA Urban Fantasy

According to prophecy, Brianna Drake was born to save the world. The trouble is, she doesn't have the slightest idea how. Her visions should have given her the answer, but they’re beginning to shift, making the danger too unpredictable, even for a prophet.

If she can just help her sister restore their hidden powers, she might be able to stop what’s coming. But an old enemy returns, and he’s got plans for Brianna and her visions.

What neither of them knows is that fate has given a stranger one chance to find her. He was trained to protect the chosen—but if he fails, the future will crumble.

Shifting Fate is the second book in the Descendants Series (following Bound by Prophecy) and focuses on Brianna and Logan.

There is a teaser posted here and the first chapter posted here, but beware, it's full of spoilers from the first book.

Purchase from Amazon , Barnes and Noble, and the Book Depository. Can also purchase in audio at iTunes and Audible.

Bound by Prophecy
(Descendants #1)
by Melissa Wright
YA/NA Urban Fantasy

Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan’s place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action.

What he really wants, is for things to go back to normal. But now he’s kidnapped a girl, and his brother’s men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it’s the last thing Aern is willing to do.


Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn't care about the prophecy, or realize what’s at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn't the only one who’s in danger.


Suddenly, they’re at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they’ll both have a sacrifice too big to make.


You can read an excerpt of Bound by Prophecy here.


Get the ebook for FREE on Nook and Kindle. Can also purchase from the Book Depository, and in audio at iTunes and Audible.


About the Author

Melissa Wright is the author of the Frey Saga and the new Descendants series. Melissa spends her time working on novels, but when not writing she can be found on Goodreads and Pinterest.


Tour-Wide Giveaway

Grand Prize: $15 Amazon Gift Card and ebook copies of all three Descendants' books
3 - ebook copies Shifting Fate or Reign of Shadows (winner's choice)
Open internationally
Ends August 7th

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Book Blitz: Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect bet by Marilyn Brant


Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet by Marilyn Brant
(Perfect #2)
Publication date: July 20th 2014
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

**Note: PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT BET is part of the "Perfect" series, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel**

The course of true love doesn’t always run smooth…

Everyone thought Beth Ann Bennet and Dr. Will Darcy had an unexpected romance in Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match (Perfect #1).

Now, Beth’s best friend, Jane Henderson, and Will’s first cousin, Bingley McNamara, begin their own unlikely love story in Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet (Perfect #2), which starts at the Bennet/Darcy wedding when the two of them find themselves in the roles of maid of honor and best man for the newlyweds.

Jane is an interning school psychologist and a woman who wears an angelic mask in public, but she’s not as sweet tempered as she’d like everyone to believe. Turns out, she may have just crossed paths with the one person who’ll unnerve her enough to get her to reveal her true self.

As for Bingley, he’s a wealthy, flirtatious, compulsively social guru of finance, who likes to wager on stocks and, let’s face it, on just about anything that strikes his fancy. But this dedicated ladies’ man may have finally met the woman who’ll challenge his bachelor ways!

Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet…where life’s biggest gamble is the game of love.


Excerpt:

Jane pointed an accusatory finger at the red smudge on Bingley’s shirt. “Slipped your mind

already, eh? The lipstick? Clearly, you’ve already found another victim, and you didn’t even

wait until after the bouquet toss.”

Bingley didn’t miss a step as they continued to dance, but he fingered his collar thoughtfully,

almost as if he were lost in a memory. To Jane, it was like seeing a mask drop from his face, if

only for an instant.

Then his expression changed.

His lips twisted into an absolutely devilish grin, which he paired with an 


eye-widening/eyebrow-raising movement that succeeded in giving him the most unsettling,  

most oxymoronic air of...rakish innocence.

What a conniving little rascal.

“You’re awfully curious about my whereabouts given that you want nothing to do with me

yourself,” he said with the measured, pleasing tones of a late-night radio host. “What do you

care about a—oh, how did you put it? Ah, yes, a ‘manipulative and insincere’ man like me? 


Why does it matter to you what I’m doing, hmm, chickie?”

“Do not call me chickie.”

His grin broadened as he did a little swivel step, spinning her around once. “Sorry, sweet 


pea. Is that better? Would you prefer plum cake? Honey bunch? Sugar bear? Darling Jane?”

“Just Jane.”

“As you wish,” he said with a laugh.



Purchase:
Amazon  || B&N

----

AUTHOR BIO
Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, romantic comedy & mystery. She was named the Author of the Year (2013) by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She loves all things Jane Austen, has a passion for Sherlock Holmes, is a travel addict and a music junkie, and lives on chocolate and gelato. 

Author links:

GIVEAWAY


Blitz-wide giveaway

Ends August 12th - open INTL

One signed paperback copy of the companion book from the series, PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH (Will & Beth's story).
One signed paperback copy of Marilyn's bestselling coming-of-age romantic mystery, THE ROAD TO YOU.
One Marilyn Brant t-shirt with musical notes.
One ACCORDING TO JANE canvas tote bag.
One A SUMMER IN EUROPE luggage tag.
And one Godiva ice cream cone magnet.
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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Review: The Pride of the Peacock by Victoria Holt

 

The Pride of the Peacock by Victoria Holt
Description: Victoria Holt demonstrates her mastery once again in her most exciting novel set in turn-of-the-century England where a young woman grows up in the shadow of the great estate - and privileged way of life - that was once her family's birthright. But a unique inheritance compels Jessica Clavering to marry the owner of a fabled opal mine and leads her to faraway Australia. There she will discover the mysteries - and evil - surrounding the greatest opal ever found. There she must confront the danger that lust for the stone has aroused even in her own husband - and there she must find love.

My Review: Victoria Holt is the pen name of Eleanor Hibbert and she used this name to write romantic suspense. In my opinion, she's a queen of the genre. She weaves an intriguing tale and has little twists and turns to keep the reader guessing right up until the end.

The first half of The Pride of the Peacock takes place in England. Jessica Clavering doesn't fit in with her family. She feels like there is more to the story than just a major financial ruin, yet she doesn't know what that issue is. The old family home was purchased by a man, Ben, who spends most of his time in Australia, mining opals, until an injury brings him back to England. They meet and become friends and the family's secret is slowly unraveled. Ben makes a deathbed demand that Jessica and Ben's son, Joss, must follow through with. I loved this first part--the mystery and unlikely friendship were fascinating to me. I could visualize the setting and really came to feel for the characters and for their situations.

The second half takes place after the wedding--in Australia. I didn't enjoy this half quite as much, even though this is where the story comes full circle and is resolved. I felt that Joss and Jessica were childish and extremely stubborn. Neither one of them could make the first move to be at least friends. They seemed content to hold a grudge towards Ben, taking it out on each other. I wish that Joss, especially, would have grown up a little, since he was about 14 years older than Jessica and she was alone in a foreign country. I did like both of their determination and the bravery that Jessica showed, especially in some of the situations she was put in.

Content: 
language--a few mild words
violence--mild (death, but nothing graphic)
romance--implied premarital relations (no details--very vague); kissing.

 


About the Author:
 Victoria Holt 
1906-1993
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia

Monday, July 28, 2014

Becoming Lady Lockwood by Jennifer Moore Tour/REVIEW/Giveaway

Becoming Lady Lockwood Tour 

Becoming Lady LockwoodBecoming Lady Lockwood
Amelia Beckett is delighted to be a widow. Married by proxy to a man she'd never met, Amelia recognizes that a fortuitous entry into widowhood frees her from meddlesome chaperones and matchmakers. Heiress to her mother's sugar plantation in Jamaica, she happily anticipates working in a man's world, with the additional credibility of her new title: Lady Lockwood. But with the arrival of Captain Sir William Drake, her plans quickly go awry . . . William has traversed the Atlantic with one purpose. If he cannot prove that Amelia's marriage to his brother was a fraud, she will be entitled to a sizeable portion of his family's estate. He is determined to return this duplicitous Lady to London for an official hearing, and he carries with him a letter that will ensure her cooperation . . . Left with no choice, Amelia joins the captain on his return voyage to England, and the two quickly find that ship life does not allow for evasion. Amelia and William are ceaselessly thrown together, and amidst fierce storms and ocean battles, what began as antipathy seems to be evolving quite unexpectedly. But as they draw ever closer to their destination, will the impossibility of their circumstances shatter any hope of a future together?

Praise for Becoming Lady Lockwood
"Moore does a lovely job of showcasing sizzle in this must-read for fans of regency and historical romance." ~ Foreword Reviews

My Review
There's something very fun about a romance aboard a ship. The typical Regency romance takes place in England and it was refreshing to read about another place during this time period.

William is convinced that Amelia is a gold digger and isn't happy to have to retrieve her from her plantation in Jamaica to return her to England. He has an idea of what she's like and she proves him wrong at every turn. Amelia's marriage to William's brother is on paper and by proxy only. She has her plantation and doesn't want or need more.

Basically forced to leave her home, Amelia shows that she is willing to make the best of things. She is more than willing to help out aboard the ship--sewing sails, caring for the sick and injured, showing the cook new recipes, etc. She is completely unselfish and such a sweet character. I love the way Amelia is able to find common ground with those around her. She becomes dear friends with so many of the crew and is very personable. I love her strength and grit, especially in tough times.

I enjoyed watching William soften up. He's so used to ordering a crew around and being tough, yet kind and having a woman on board is a whole new experience. I loved watching the romance slowly blossom.

I experienced a lot of different emotions throughout the story and was engaged throughout. I thought it was a great story, especially for a debut novel!

Content: no language; some war-type violence/fighting with mild descriptions of death, blood, and injuries; mild kissing. I would consider it clean for an adult.

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

  
Excerpt #2
He finally stopped and pulled his chair closer to her, raising her chin. “Amelia. I cannot begin to thank you for what you did. It was brave and brilliant, and it terrifies me to think that you put your life at risk for—”
“For my shipmates, Captain.” She kept her eyes lowered.
“I would never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you.” He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb.
“I would never have forgiven myself if I had not tried. These men, this ship, it has become . . . I care for them, William, for all of you.”
He raised her chin even higher, so that she was forced to lift her gaze his face. He stared at her for a moment. Then his eyes dropped to her lips, and Amelia’s pulse began to race. Would he kiss her again? They sat, frozen for a heartbeat, and then William stood, stealing with him all of the warmth in the room.

Jenny MooreAuthor Jennifer Moore Jennifer Moore is a Passionate reader and writer of all things romance, helping her find balance with the rest of her world, which includes a perpetually traveling husband and four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that are anything but romantic. Jennifer has a BA in linguistics from the University of Utah and is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family. You can learn more about her at authorjmoore.com. The author's first book, Becoming Lady Lockwood, is a regency romance centered on the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s.


Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 8/7/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Trailer Reveal: Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above by Robert A. Polk





Anaiah Press is revealing the trailer for OPERATION TREE ROPER: AN EYE ABOVE by Robert Polk today and we have it here on the blog!





Blurb:

Twelve-year-old Declan Parker was born with only one eye, but all he seems to have trouble seeing in proper perspective is himself.  All he wants is for kids to see him as normal before he starts a new school in the fall. To that end, he sets out to make money helping with his dad’s tree care business.

Unfortunately, when his dad lands in the hospital after a climbing accident, Declan’s surgery hopes are wrecked. His only hope remains in a neighbor girl and her uncle, a wounded army veteran. Can they help him save his dad’s business, or will Declan’s once-courageous drive turn into total despair?

Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above is a well-crafted story about a strong, dauntless young man who redefines the value of self-reflection. Declan is a character you won’t be able to forget.

Welcome to your new favorite book...


Release Date:
October 7, 2014


Book Links:



Author Bio:

Robert Polk lives in western Nebraska where he shares his love of books and the great outdoors with his wife and seven children. He is a former school counselor, business owner, and tree climbing arborist. Robert participates in his church and local community, currently serving on several non-profit boards.


Author Links:
Website: www.stmercy.com