Iris Blobel
Review: Jill Shalvis "Rumor has it" (Animal Magnetism #4)
Publisher: BerkleyISBN: 9780425255827
My rating: 4/5
He’ll help unleash the new woman in her…
Special Ops soldier Griffin Reid doesn’t exactly have happy memories of growing up in Sunshine, Idaho. He’s only come back to recover from a war injury, and while he refuses to admit he’s in a weakened state, he finds comfort in the last person he’d expect.
Kate Evans teaches fourth grade science in Sunshine, the place she’s always called home. Dreaming of graduate school and a happily-ever-after, she’s desperate to break out of the monotony of Sunshine. Luckily, a certain sexy man has just come back into her life.
To Griffin, Kate as always been his little sister’s friend, but now he’s finding her to be so much more. As both attempt to forge their paths, they must decide if their passionate connection can turn into something lasting…. (Goodreads.com)
My thoughts
She had me in tears!!!!
This has been a nice "finish" to the Animal Magnetism Series (or may we hope for more?). I loved the series, and I loved this one.
Griffin Reid (Holly's brother) returns to Sunshine, Idaho, after leaving the army behind. Recovering a wound injury, his intention is for his visit to be brief.
Kate's is everyone's best friend in Sunshine, but also Holly's BFF, a second grade school teacher, sister and daughter to a dysfunctional family after the loss of their mother. She's the kind of person you'd like to have in your life, reliable, kind, intelligent, patient ... and full of useless information when she's nervous (that cracked me up). Having a one-night stand with Griffin is all she wants and as she tells herself all she needs - but they end up needing each other in more than one way.
Although a bit slow at the beginning, you quickly get to find Shalvis' wit and humour. Her trademark. And the end ... well, let's say, it's been one of her best!
Kudos!
Animal Magnetism
Animal Attraction
Rescue me
May I introduce: Suzi Love "Embracing Scandal"
Embracing Scandal
by Suzi Love
I've got Suzi Love with me today, talking about her book "Embracing Scandal". Please make her very welcome.
Embracing Scandal
Embracing Scandal is an historical romance and the first in my scandal series with heroines whose scientific knowledge and intellect are an affront to increasingly prudish early Victorian society.
Five siblings battle against the strictures of British society to succeed in their chosen scientific fields. This story is about Lady Rebecca Jamison, Becca, the oldest in the family and how she and Cayle, the Duke of Sherwyn, embrace scandal as they battle to defeat an unscrupulous investment consortium.
In this book, Lady Rebecca Jamison saves her family from financial ruin by secretly investing in England's railway boom. But when a greedy investment syndicate discovers they are being outwitted by a woman, they threaten Becca and her family. Desperate to stop her peers before they rob more innocent investors of their life savings, Becca has no choice but to visit Cayle and ask for his help. He was her best friend but is now newly returned to London to take up the title of the Duke of Sherwyn after his father's death.
But Cayle worries that once the syndicate is defeated, he won't have an excuse for being in such close contact with Becca and that her independent nature may make her refuse to continue their relationship and refuse to become his duchess.
Places to find Embracing Scandal
Buy Links for Embracing Scandal
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
Author Bio
I’m Suzi Love, an Australian author
of historical romances from the late Regency to early Victorian years, with a
little bit of the Australian outback thrown in. I’ve had a lifetime fascination
with all things old, weird, and exotic.
I love to travel, visit historic
places, and talk to crazy characters. I also adore history, especially the
grittier and seamier side, so I write about heroes and heroines who challenge
traditional manners, morals, and occupations, either through necessity or desire.
Author Links
Suzi Love's Daily Gossip Newspaper
- http://paper.li/f-1350000229
Web - http://www.suzilove.com
Pinterest - - http://pinterest.com/suziloveoz
Suzi Love's Face Book Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzi-Love-Author/226478447412317?ref=hl
Twitter - http://twitter.com/suzilove
Review: Susan Mallery "Sizzling (Buchanan #3)
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 9780373771769
My rating: n/a
Reid Buchanan was always a fan favorite on the baseball diamond. A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. And the newspaper's just the first bad news. Reid's grandmother Gloria's broken hip means she needs constant care--but Reid hired Nurses 1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for Number 3 he chooses Lori Johnson, the first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.
Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile--and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them--chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!
My thoughts
I won't write a review as such, because the story wasn't my cup of tea, but considering that I posted my thoughts on Cal and Walker's story, I wanted to post this one for continuity sake.
After reading Buchanan book #1 & #2 I was disappointed that a "caring" Reid who was good friends with Penny, helped Elissa with the market, who said "Of course we did. You're Walker's girl" was now so terribly worried that his "manhood" was put into question in the paper.
Also, for me Lori's constant self-doubt was so over the top I was about to stop reading a couple of times. It was annoying to me.
May I introduce: Annie Seaton "Tangling with the CEO"
"Tangling with the CEO"
by
Annie Seaton
I'm delighted to have bestselling author Annie Seaton as my guest today. She released "Tangling with the CEO" last Monday and she still found time to come by. Please make Annie very welcome!
Tell us how you came up with the story of Tangling with the CEO?
About a year ago I was watching my grandchildren play with their iPads...yes we are a technology family...and I began to think about how independent young children are these days. The idea of a family of children being cared for somebody with no experience with children developed into the scene where Blake is left with his nephews and nieces.
Your story’s set in California. What makes California special to you?
About the same time, I travelled to California and fell in love with the coastline just south of San Francisco. In the strange way my writer’s mind works, it melded with my thoughts of the children, and Blake and Ana and all the secondary characters were born as I travelled around. I did extensive research on the area as I travelled.
(IB - Big Sur? I loved the coast as well when we went there in April!)
What’s in store for you in 2014?
Woo... a busy year. I have Books 2 and 3 in this Half Moon Bay series coming out in 2014 and I am halfway through writing Book 2 Book 1 in a historical continuity is called the Emerald Quest, and I am three chapters in. I have a time travel romance called Hot Rock being published in February. It is in edits. The prequel to Dangerous Desire called Seductive Secrets is approved, and in the plotting stage. I have another Indulgence due in July... oh and in my spare time, I am writing a single title set in the Outback.
(IB - 2014 certainly sounds very busy for you! Congratulations.)
Blurb:
Mixing business with pleasure never felt so right.
Blake Buchanan and Anastasia Delaney were roommates in college and could never see eye to eye about anything. The only time their walls came down was during one night of passion before Ana left without a word, never expecting to cross paths with Blake again.
Years later, Blake has made his millions. He comes back to Ana’s small California town to manage a corporate takeover that will close down the home restoration business she’s poured her heart and soul into. The fiery Ana is determined to convince money-minded Blake of her business’s worth, but when a family emergency throws them together, their walls come tumbling down once again…
Problem is, Blake’s business-first position hasn’t changed. And Ana can’t fall for the man who could become her boss—it’s not only her job at stake, but her heart.
Bio:
Annie Seaton lives on the edge of the South Pacific Ocean on the east coast of Australia and she is fulfilling her lifelong dream of writing, and has been delighted to discover that readers love reading her stories as much as she loves writing them.
Annie lives with her own hero of many years. Their two children are now grown up and married, and two beautiful grandchildren have arrived. Now they share their home with "Bob" the dog and two white cats.
Her debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a
contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled
Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and was an Amazon, and Barnes and
Noble bestseller. Since then Italian Affair, Outback Affair, Dangerous
Desire and Tangling with the CEO have been published by Entangled in
2013. Annie has more books lined up for 2014.
Excerpt:
With a soft groan, he’d lowered his head and
gently slid his lips across her cheek. “You drive me crazy, do you know that?”
With each word his mouth had gotten closer to
hers until they’d hovered over her lips. “The way you walk, your voice, your
laugh, that hippie perfume you wear. I can’t get you out of my head.”
She’d smiled at him and eased her arms from his
loose grasp, taking his face between her hands. “I can’t stop thinking about
you either,” she’d whispered. “And I’m sorry I called you a sexist pig.”
That first kiss they’d shared on the front
porch had been slow and soft. The fresh smell of his sweatshirt had surrounded
her as he’d held her close and to this day, the fragrance of clean washing
reminded her of that first kiss. The feel of Blake’s warm mouth on hers was
everything she’d dreamed of, and she’d closed her eyes as a delicious languor
drifted through her.
Links:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tangling-with-the-ceo-annie-seaton/1117445690?ean=9781622660902
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tangling-with-the-ceo/id755271958?mt=11
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/tangling-with-the-ceo
Annie
Seaton
http://annieseatonromance.com
Review: Jill Shalvis "Get a Clue"
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 9780758211385
My rating: 4/5
All in one day, city girl Breanne Mooreland gets left at the altar, takes the flight from hell to her honeymoon--alone--loses her luggage, and ends up snowed in at a Sierra mountains lodge run by the kookiest staff this side of the Addams Family. Oh, and there just happens to be a gorgeous naked man taking a shower in her suite who says he isn't going anywhere. Burned-out vice cop Cooper Scott is in serious need of this vacation, and he's not about to give up the only available room during a bad snowstorm just because an upset, okay, make that insane, woman is having a conniption fit. They'll just have to make the best of it--her side of the bed versus his. But when Cooper wakes up kissing the long, leggy Breanne, he has other thoughts. Part of him wants to prove that not all men are scum, and another part of him entirely wants to show her exactly what that honeymoon suite is intended for. But that will have to wait, because a screaming Breanne has just stumbled on a very dead body. (Goodreads.com)
My thoughts
And dang! She's done it again.
In my humble opinion, there's no real story here, but it's the characters that make the book worth reading. Each single one of them. The banter between them, the tension, the attraction - the dialogue is what we're used from Shalvis, witty, full of humour and unique!
Breanne and Cooper are the main character being stuck in a holiday place including the staff. Thing is, with a raging snow storm, electricity is gone and scared to the bone, Breanne ends up in bed with Cooper. And so the story starts between these two.
The mystery in the book keeps the "story" rolling and is interesting, but the "whodunit" is a bit vague and for me it felt, yes, I have to admit it, unbelievable.
Still - worth the read if you're a Shalvis fan.
May I introduce: Amy Mullen "Redefining Rayne"
I've got Amy Mullen with me this week not only talking about her new book, but also about her passion to take photos of her family.
I've suffered from depression on and off throughout my life. At times, when a person is depressed, they feel like giving up. I think the focus of this book (other than the romance) was the heroine's journey past immense loses. Rayne lost more than most of us ever will and yet she still found a way to wake up in the morning. There cannot always be happy endings in life, but I hope Rayne can be a reminder to never give up no matter how drab and dreadful life seems to be. There is always hope and there will always be someone out there who will care. While Rayne's story is exceptional, she found hope in the end. When things looked the worst, her life changed. I guess the idea was to never give up because you never really know what will happen next. I wanted to find a way to tell that story and this book was the result.
1 – Tell us how you came up with the idea for Redefining Rayne.
I've suffered from depression on and off throughout my life. At times, when a person is depressed, they feel like giving up. I think the focus of this book (other than the romance) was the heroine's journey past immense loses. Rayne lost more than most of us ever will and yet she still found a way to wake up in the morning. There cannot always be happy endings in life, but I hope Rayne can be a reminder to never give up no matter how drab and dreadful life seems to be. There is always hope and there will always be someone out there who will care. While Rayne's story is exceptional, she found hope in the end. When things looked the worst, her life changed. I guess the idea was to never give up because you never really know what will happen next. I wanted to find a way to tell that story and this book was the result.
2 – The name Rayne has a special
meaning to you. Please tell us why.
My little girl, Rayna, has met some challenges in her life that
no one should face so young - or ever for that matter. She's as tough as nails
and while this can lead to some battles-of-will in our home, this trait will
suit her well later in life. When I thought of my heroine, I thought of my
Rayna. While her struggles are nothing like the heroine's in the book, and the
character is not based on my little girl otherwise, I felt the underlying
spirit of the heroine was the same. Redefining Rayne is a medieval romance. I
could not name the character "Rayna" because the name was not in use
back then. However, I found the name Rayne with a slightly different spelling
(Reine) that was used during this particular time period. I tweaked the
spelling of the name in honor of my little girl.
(Happy Birthday Rayna !!!! - IB)
3 – One of your past times is
“to snap pictures”. What do you like to photograph the most and why?
Most of the pictures I take are of my children, my husband, and
our extended families. I like to find unique shots that show off their
personalities. I do some nature shots, but most of mine are of the people that
mean the most to me. I have thousands of shots of my kids tucked away on CDs.
My son was a preemie, born three months early. It was touch and go for a while.
I think this was a huge reminder to me of how precious every single breath we
take is and how we should never take anyone for granted. I took pictures every
single day while he was in the hospital. Pictures freeze moments in time,
moments that will never happen again. This is why I take far too many pictures.
I lost my grandmother a few years ago. She meant everything to me. I have
a picture of her sitting where I can see it from where I sit and write each
day. When I look at it, I can feel her arms around me again. I can't think of
anything more wonderful than that.
Tag Line:
Will her most painful secret be the key to her greatest joy?
Blurb:
Rayne de Latham, cousin to King William
Rufus, should be enjoying a life of privilege. Instead, she has only known
misery. Her disastrous first marriage yielded nothing but pain, suffering, and
three stillborn children. She believes she is cursed and is certain another
pregnancy will end in another tragedy. When the king seeks to get rid of her by
sending her to marry one of his knights, she will do just about anything to get
out of her betrothal.
Widower Andre de Grelle is father to two
small boys who came to him by marriage. When his first wife jumps off the
castle walls in a fit of madness, he keeps the boys he has grown to love as his
own. When king sends him a new bride, the lovely but troubled Rayne, he vows to
have more patience with her than he had with his first wife.
Once Rayne arrives at Cuxton Castle, Andre
realizes there is much more to her than meets the eye. She does everything she
can to force him to send her away, but nothing works. Frustration grows as
Andre discovers his betrothed is hiding something from him about her past,
something so devastating she cannot speak the words out loud.
In the midst of a siege on nearby Pevensey
Castle, a truth comes to light that changes everything. As the real story of
Rayne’s past emerges, lives change forever. Will love be enough, or will it be
easier to walk away?
Author Bio and Links:
Amy Mullen is a freelance writer and romance author living in Corning, NY, with her husband, Patrick, her two children, and an orange cat named Steve. She has written two medieval romances called A Stormy Knight and Redefining Rayne.
Amy has been writing about love both lost and regained since she was old enough to have her first broken heart. Her love of history and her intermittent jaunts into amateur genealogy led her to a love affair with writing historical fiction. When not writing, she snaps pictures, gets nutty over football, enjoys the company of her family, and when time allows, loves to bury her nose in a good book.
Amy has been writing about love both lost and regained since she was old enough to have her first broken heart. Her love of history and her intermittent jaunts into amateur genealogy led her to a love affair with writing historical fiction. When not writing, she snaps pictures, gets nutty over football, enjoys the company of her family, and when time allows, loves to bury her nose in a good book.
She can be found online at www.authoramymullen.com or www.facebook.com/authoramymullen.
Buy Link: Amazon Barnes and Noble Astraea Press
Teaser/Excerpt:
Andre moved closer to her. His body was
mere inches from hers as he lifted his other hand and slowly tilted her face
toward his. Cupping her cheek, he wiped away a tear with his thumb. "You
have no idea how fascinating you are," he whispered.
Involuntarily, her eyes closed and she
tilted her chin up. She felt his soft lips brush hers and she started to
tremble. The short, light touch of his mouth stirred something in her. A young
maiden's dream of love, of being loved and cherished, welled up from a place
where she had hidden her hopes a long time ago. She returned his kiss, but just
for a moment.
Her eyes flew open, and she pulled her head
back. This was all wrong. This was not how this was supposed to happen. In a
rush to break the spell, she stammered out the first thing she thought of,
"Someone will see us! Odo may come."
An expression of disbelief washed across
his features and was replaced by irritation. "Odo? What has he to do with
this? He is my guest but hardly has a say in what I do with you."
"You…" she stumbled over her
words, "you… he is your…"
Andre stood and stepped away from her. He
stared down at her, but she could no longer read his face. "Do your
affections lie with Odo, Lady Rayne?"
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