That First Kiss by J.C. Valentine

This author asked me to review this book and OH MY GOD so glad I was able to read it.. Here are my thoughts on: 

Mercurial and charming, Tate Larson is a rising author and playboy who has a different woman on his arm every night of the week. Focused on his work, Tate has no plans to settle down any time soon. That is until he meets his pretty new assistant, Piper Donovan.

Desperate to escape the promise of backwater living, Piper ditched her Alabama hometown and never looked back. That was almost two years ago. Now that she is out of a job and her bank account is running on fumes, she’s desperate to find a job, fast. She finds the break she is searching for when she lands a position at Bookish Temptations. A little dancing and a lot of drinks with the girls seem the perfect way to celebrate. After a brief but explosive encounter with a man she was never supposed to see again turns out to be the same man she will be bending over backwards to please, her every instinct tells her to run. But when running means leaving the life she has struggled so hard to create, Piper decides her only option is to continue working for the devastatingly sexy Tate Larson...even if it kills her.

Unable to deny their growing attraction, they struggle to keep their distance in a relationship that requires anything but.

*This book is intended for mature audiences.*

My Thoughts

Three words to describe this book... HOT HOT HOT!!! 

It was also delicious, funny, angsty, and I really enjoyed it!!

Piper was an amazing character full of humor, wit, intelligence, and a backbone. She told people where to go and was not afraid to tell them either. Tate was an asshole and not just any kind of asshole he was an asshole author.. 

He was temperamental, angry, HOT, and even  a little softy at heart. 

Piper and Tate meet in the most romantic of ways.. She spots him across the room, their eyes lock, her nether regions tingle with satisfaction and he eventually bends her over the bathroom sink, never tells her his name and leaves her just as fast as he fucked her.. 

Now this one night stand was supposed to be just a little fun and nothing more but when Piper lands her job as an assistant to a very mercurial young author, she never expects it to be the one and only Tate. She decides that they are both adults and can work past the awkwardness and they do...sort of.. 

They can't deny the fact they are both hot for one another and if it wasn't for the fact that Piper was his assistant he would have done her in more positions than even the karma sutra has invented ;)....

Working for Tate is hard work. He is always mad, throwing tantrums and calling her all hours of the night for stupid things that could wait until the morning. They fight more than they work but you see a certain amount of chemistry and passion with one another that you can't help but swoon at and wait patiently for it to completely explode. I was panting with need and want, waiting for these two to rip their clothes off and screw each other all sorts of ways..

I really liked this book. I loved the build up and sexual tension between Tate and Piper. Tate was my favorite type of book boyfriend, an asshole with a soft heart and Piper put him in his place but wasn't a bitch, she did it with class when I would have probably stomped on his balls. The story was great, they both had sketchy pasts with crazy EXes and they were a little jaded but eventually got over their fear to pursue each other. 

I loved Tate's mom she seemed like a winner and didn't feel as if the sun shone out of Tate's ass like most moms with sons feel. I just wish there was more background on both Tate and Piper but other than that this book was really good and worth the sexual frustration There is also an epilogue AND it is a standalone with no cliffys so it is one complete story!

I give this book a 4/5 **** and if you want to read about feisty characters with walking hard-ons for one another but also funny and a great story then pick up this book today!!! 

Here are the LINKS: 

BARNES & NOBLE

KOBO

Escaping Realty by Lisa Renee Jones

I was approved to read this from NetGalley and Julie Patra Publishing and I was initially intrigued because of the cover and the author is a well known badass!! This book is book one in the Amy Bensen series and here is what I thought

Infinite possibilities….
Infinite passion…..
Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes?

My Thoughts

When I saw this on Netgalley I just KNEW I had to read it. It intrigued my inner book whore and I was so excited when I got approved. With that being said, I just hate that I was disappointed in this book, it was good but I think it could have been better. I think the way it ended had me scratching my head thinking.. uhh ok we don't get anymore information besides that?

This book starts out with Amy being in NY and receiving a note saying she needed to leave NY ASAP because she has been compromised and needs to immediately move to Denver where there will be more information for her. While waiting for her flight she runs into Liam Stone and is instantly attracted to him and feels some kind of magnetic pull towards him that she can't explain. Liam is also wondering who this gorgeous, smart, witty, Amy is and must know everything he can about her. He senses an inner turmoil and wants to fix Amy, make her better, and make her HIS! 

The relationship was swoon-worthy, sexy, STEAMY, and I was sighing with complete lust with the two of them. It seemed a little rush but it was believable so that didn't deter from the fast pace it set. 

Now here is my hang up. 

There was so much to Amy, so many demons, and you don't get very much insight into her before the book just ends. 

I think we could have been given more information than we were. It could have left on the cliffhanger that it did but the author could have given us more information on who was after Amy, why, what the deal with her family was, was Liam involved? 

SOMETHING!

 It seemed like the whole book was the back and forth between Liam and Amy and Amy having small flashbacks that left me saying.. "huh, interesting". Also the author throws another character in there that is also very interesting and I think we might have a threesome/love triangle happening but even that didn't seem to progress very much before the book ended. 

Now, if the author wanted to make sure we read the second installment she definitely achieved that because I was seriously hanging on the edge trying to figure WTF was going on and I WILL read the next book to find my answers! I HAVE too!! My mind is coming up with so many different scenarios I want to see which ones are true or if any of them are. 

This is also why I do not like reviewing series before all the books are out because this first book frustrated me but hopefully the next one will answer my questions and then I can rate the whole series HIGH. 

So for right now I will give this 3*** and when the next book comes out I will finish this review and let you guys know how I really felt about the series.. This rating could go up or down.. we shall see! 

If you want to read the first installment of the Amy Bensen series go check it out on Amazon:

OH and it is only 99pennies

Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

I was approved to read this book from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Publishing). I was so excited that I got approved that I dropped every single book I was reading at that moment to dive head first inside this one and did not come back up for air, to eat, take a shower (no judgement zone), until I finished this book. The only time I stopped was when my body said eff you, go to sleep and I passed out!

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie

My Thoughts

This is going to be a small review because I do not want to give anything away to those of you who have not read it yet! This is the SECOND installment of The Artist Trilogy so if you have not read Sins & Needles yet then DO NOT read this review and go pick up S&N!! 

After reading Sins & Needles I thought.. FINALLY a book that is different from the rest of them, FINALLY an original concept with a swoon worthy boy with tattoos! I was so intrigued I was anxiously waiting for the second book to come out! I couldn't wait and then I see it on NetGalley and I just HAD to have it. I requested it and prayed to the holy gods that I get approved.. 

Well I did and I just couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. 

When S&N leaves off, Ellie gives up her freedom to protect Camden and his family so Javier takes her captive.

When Shooting Scars starts Ellie and Javi are headed back to their "home" in Mississippi. Ellie is trying to hold back her feelings for Javier and being that close to him doesn't help anything...at all. She knows he is dangerous and she is more scared of him now than before. I was really confused on what was going on in Javi's head I wasn't sure if he wanted to make Ellie suffer or just love her the only way he knew how.. Probably a little of both. But those of you that are team Javi will definitely enjoy reading this story!! 

This book was told in alternating POV's between Camden and Ellie. I LOVED that Karina Halle did this, I LOVED being inside Camden's mind, especially when I was getting really MAD at Ellie, it was a nice break. 

Camden was just as charming and sexy in Shooting Scars as he was in S&N but I started to see a change in him and I wasn't sure if Camden was going to be the same after he found his Ellie, there were things that he had to do that normally made other people completely cringe.

Ellie was just as frustrating in Shooting Scars as she was in S&N but this time we are seeing how she was with Javi and maybe why she can't leave him alone. There were times where I was completely overwhelmed with the emotions that were being portrayed and I couldn't figure out who/what I wanted from these characters. 

(of course I am team Camden all the way though.. I mean DUH)

We are also introduced to Ellie's "handler" the man who was there for her when she needed to change who she was. The one who Ellie told Camden he could trust, Gus. We find out more details about this guy and whoa it has to be foreshadowing for the third book and I can't wait to find out more.

I was left on a roller freaking coaster while reading this. It was so full of action on both sides of the POV that I was practically biting my nails off and hanging onto the edge of my seat. I was afraid of falling over or grossing myself out.. it really could have went either way! 

It leaves off much like the first one where I was cursing because October is sooooo far away and I want to know what happens with these characters and I want to know NOW!!!

I love these books because they are different, they are not just your regular love story/triangle and I have been intrigued with the drugs, sex, money and death! 

Call me morbid but I can't seem to put them down.. at all!! 

Oh and the sex is freaking HOT.. I was constantly getting riled up for no particular reason but damn if I wasn't enjoying every bit of it!

I give this book a 4.5/5 and I CAN'T wait for the next installment to find out what happens with Javi, Camden, Ellie, and GUS!! 

If you want to check them out here is the link to Amazon:

{Cover Reveal} for Trust in Me by J. Lynn

It’s Wait for You as you’ve never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

RAFFLECOPTER

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{Review} {Giveaway} Cutting Deep by T.A. Anderson

So many things I want to say about this book, I hope I can get them all down without editing this 9million times because I forget something. 
So let's get started...

Setting off on her dream of culinary school, Ande finds herself knocked senseless by her incredibly sexy Chef Instructor, Daniel, who also happens to have the brains and heart to match.With her plan to keep herself from repeating history, she attempts to deny what could possibly break her. Ande finds out she is not the only one with a torrid past when a bright light is shed on Daniel’s former years.

When ghosts from her past find her in the middle of her trek through culinary school and an impending relationship with Daniel, her life takes a disastrous turn. She must find the strength to push through school alongside a man that drives her wild with lust, all while trying to figure out her relationship with a stranger from years before.With help from her friends, and a tad bit of alcohol, Ande navigates her way through the pitfalls of falling in love, being broken hearted and making lasting friendships.

An amusing love story filled with steamy sex, heartache, and surprises at every turn.

My thoughts

"This was clearly the start of the biggest East Coast/West coast rivalry since Biggie and TuPac"

Comedy, sarcasm, love, sexual innuendos... frustration, heartbreak, steamy and every other damn emotion you can possibly imagine is in this book. It is a roller coaster ride that you ride blindfolded and backwards because you never see what is coming next and if you don't strap the fuck in you are going to fall the fuck out! 

You think I am being overdramatic but I'm not. Just when I got comfortable with this book it would take me head first into a loopy loop and I was sick, anxiety ridden and laughing all at the same damn time. I couldn't decide if I was loving or hating this book and yet I was eagerly turning the pages to see what was going to happen. I didn't stop until I got to the end and even then I was cursing the author that the second book was not out yet. 

Ande is a woman who is one hot mess when it comes to life and relationships. She was screwed over in her last marriage and she is now trying to get back on her feet, paving her own way in the world. She decides to take her passion to the next level and enroll in a very prestigious culinary school to become a chef. What she was expecting was hard work, training, new skills but what she was NOT expecting was a sexy as sin head chef, who makes her panties wet and  hyperventilate by just being in close proximity. 

She can't like this guy, he is her instructor and a certified "ladies man" or so she thought. 

"Ande, I'm glad to see you're doing well. I know I plowed into you pretty hard."

Along with this hotter than hell head chef making her school life crazy, there is one very colorful human being, Daisy, who was determined to make Ande's life a living hell. I didn't find out what her problem was until the end and I wanted to cunt-punch her all over the book. 

Stupid Crayola face. 

That is not the only thing Ande had to worry about though, Chef Delicious AkA Chef Daniel was in hot pursuit to get inside of Ande, very deep inside of her ;)! But Ande was adamant about taking things slow because she has too many demons she needs to overcome before this can happen. 

That is until Vegas when her EX-Husband, Blake comes back into her life. 

DUM DUM DUM

SO many up and down moments. 

Chef Delicious changes and starts to show that his demons might be the reason their relationship is ruined and then when a life changing moment happens, he completely becomes the asshole I was expecting Blake to be.

By the end of the book, I wasn't sure who I was rooting for. 

I wanted Chef Delicious to take his head out of his ass and see that he was losing something special but at the same time Blake was growing on me...

Blugh.. but can a tiger really change it's stripes?? 

The secondary characters, Ande's friends, were freaking hilarious and when they were all together it reminded me a lot of the movie Bridesmaids. Not the actions that happened but the vibe was there.  A bunch of bitches together causing trouble, getting wasted, sexual innuendos, and strippers. It was comical and when the book was intense it gave a nice relief. I was laughing at all the banter back and forth and I realized it is really relatable, especially with me, because of my personality and sarcastic ways, I felt like I was apart of the group

(also reminded me of The Chocolate Series by Tara Sivec the friendships and tight bond with one another, also the humor was of course there)

"I grabbed her face and laid a wet kiss on her lips while Charlotte snapped away. I pulled away when she tried to stick her tongue in my mouth, Charlotte egging her on"

This book was anything but predictable. You never knew what was going to happen next until it literally hit you in your face and you just had to sit there and take it. 

I was hit repeatedly with WTF moments and I was angry and so frustrated with the main characters I could barely see straight but I kept turning the pages, eagerly waiting for the next slap. 

One thing that bothered me was Ande and the way she claimed she wanted answers from Chef Delicious but when he tried to explain it to her she didn't want to hear it and would just run away and avoid him and not try to talk about it. It drove me a little crazy!! 

It's just like a woman to not know what she really wants and then being too scared to get it when it was sitting right there. 

But the best thing about this book is the originality. I am getting so burnt out with some of the books I have been reading lately, I feel like I am reading the same story over and over and this book wasn't like the others. It had its own flavor (pun intended) and I wasn't even sure where the book was headed until it smacked me in the face at the very end. It has so many things going on and god dammit I really want to know what was in that last package that was delivered to Ande from Daniel??!!! 

Well, while I go and cuss out the author (it will probably turn her on), I am leaving you with one last request and that is to READ THIS BOOK!! You will enjoy it and riding the roller coaster is fun yet frustrating, plus you will get a kick out of all the banter and funny moments that happens to Ande. You will swoon, become horny for no apparent reason, and then try throwing your Kindle at the wall because the ending is a dozy! 

I give this book a 4.5/5 and I am demanding the second book gets published ASAP!!! 

GIVEAWAY

If you comment below and tell me the most outrageous thing you have done with your friends by August 14th, I will pick the best response and gift this book to you on August 15th. You can even make it up, it's not like I will know, I just want to see what you guys come up with or actually have experienced 

;) 

About the Author

I reside in Sunny Southern California. I recently self published my first novel, Cutting Deep. I wrote this during a quarter life crisis, and never dreamed it would ever be finished or actually published.

When I'm not writing away, or enjoying a good book, I like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I am an avid baker, I roller skate at my local rink more then an almost thirty year old should. I have a sickness called "Disneyland obsessive disorder". I go almost every week, sometimes more. I never want to grow up, and Disneyland makes me feel like a kid when I walk through those gates.

I would say I have the worst sense of humor out of anyone I know, except my friends. I find things funny that others may find not so funny, but I cant help myself. I try to find the humor in everything in life. I have another sickness called "Jane Austen obsessive disorder". If I had a penny for every time I have read her books and watched the movies made from the books, I could buy The United States. I'm addicted to tattoo's, and I'm not sure I know one person in my massive family that does not have a tattoo. Crazy Right?

I will leave you with this quote "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing" -Ben Franklin. I truly believe that every person is capable of doing great things.

If you told me a year ago I would be self publishing my first novel I would have slapped you and called you crazy. But that is the point. We never think we are capable until we do the unthinkable.

Follow her, she loves stalkers!

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Here is the link to the book on Amazon for your Kindle.. 

{Cover Reveal} for Carolyn Aspenson's Unbreakable Bonds

Unbreakable Bonds

An Angela Panther Novel

By

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson 

 When Angela's best friend Mel thinks her husband is having an affair, she turns to Angela for help.   The two come up with the perfect plan to catch him in the act but to make it work, they'll need help from Angela's mother, Fran.

There's just one teeny, little problem.

Fran's dead.

And since Angela's psychic gift is currently out of service, connecting with Fran is a little complicated.

While Angela searches for a way to fix her psychic radar Fran and a multitude of other ghosts continue to try to make a connection. And it's driving Angela crazy.

But Fran won't let her daughter's problem stop her from helping someone she loves and she sets out to catch the cheater on her own, using a few tricks and tools from the afterlife to get it done.

Book two of the Angela Panther series will be available November, 2013 in e-book and paperback.

For more information

Visit

 www.facebook.com/unfinishedbusiness

www.carolynridderaspenson.com

Follow Carolyn on Twitter

@awritingwoman

Book Trailer

Win a free e-copy of the first book in the Angela Panther Series,

 Unfinished Business

An Angela Panther Novel

Angela Panther is an ordinary stay at home mom with a satisfying, albeit slightly mundane life.

Things get a little crazy for Angela when her mother dies and comes back as a ghost.

 It seems Fran's got some unfinished business on earth and she's determined to get it done, no matter what.

 But Fran's not the only ghost with unfinished business and her return opens a portal between Angela and the afterlife. Now every Tom, Dick and Harry ghost around comes knockin' on Angela's psychic door, looking for help.

 And it's a pain in the butt.

 Having her mother around is a double-edged sword for Angela. On the one hand, she's glad to still have the connection but on the other, death has given Fran some annoying abilities and she's seriously trying Angela's patience.

 When Fran tells Angela her teenage daughter Emily is in trouble, Angela decides to let her mother use her ghostly skills to keep tabs on the girl. 

 Well, not all of her ghostly skills.

 But that doesn't stop Fran from causing a little trouble - just to protect her granddaughter, of course.

 Now Angela has to find a way to keep her old life in tact and help the dead with their unfinished business, all while trying to keep her mother out of trouble.

 And it's a lot for one woman to handle. 

TO WIN THIS ECOPY  

Share this blog post on twitter and tag @writingwoman

or

Share it on Facebok and tag Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, Author in the post

Enter every day until August 15th!

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson 

www.carolynridderaspenson.com

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Unexpected Angel by Sloan Johnson

Tasha Skinner finally shed the baggage of a failed marriage. Now, she’s looking forward to a night of margaritas and man-bashing. Tasha’s friends have other plans, including Leather, Lace and liberation.

Dylan Caprese didn’t want to go to Marquee, but he and his friends were on a mission. They took it upon themselves to make sure things didn’t get out of hand when wannabe Doms mixed alcohol with playtime at the monthly Leather and Lace night.

From the moment he set eyes on Tasha, he knew there was something different about her. She wasn’t some bondage babe who thought she knew what it meant to be into BDSM. She was much, much worse; she was innocent and trusting. He can tell she is something precious.

When Tasha’s past threatens to destroy her, Dylan begins to realize that while their paths have never crossed, their lives most definitely have. Will he be able to save her before it’s too late?

My Thoughts

"Holy Angel of Fuckdom"

So I saw this cover and just HAD to review the book.. Can we say.. YUM??

I wanted to motorboat his chest.. all day long!

I liked this book but wasn't in love with it. 

It gave me everything I expected and I think that is what upset me a little bit, I figured out everything from the beginning so I was left disappointed when it ended.

 Plus the author didn't give me all the information I wanted but do I still think this book is good enough to read and fantasize about??.. 

why yes, yes I do.

I loved Dylan Caprese's muscular face off!! 

I believe he even made me purr like a lil sex kitten while he was "speaking".. 

Tasha on the other hand, annoyed the ever living shit out of me from the very first page to the very last but I did like her in the end, but just a tiny bit. I think the biggest thing that annoyed me is that she really didn't grow as a character she had more to be improved upon but that's just my opinion.

I also didn't like the way Dylan called Tasha "precious" it reminded me too much of "Silence of the Lamb" or the evil witch from a fairy tale "come here my preecciiouss" muahaaha 

but thats just me and Tasha hated it too but Dylan is a dom so he didn't care what she said ;) 

The author also left some information out that didn't let me connect totally with the characters. It was mentioned Dylan owned a tattoo business and then it was never mentioned again while he was working. It just seemed weird that the author would mention it but then never hear about it again throughout the story. 

Tasha mentioned going to see her mother for brunch and then her family was never mentioned again, was she close with her family? Did her family know about Nick's abusive ways? How did they feel about her marrying him at such a young age? All these questions I kept asking myself while reading and I think if there were more information on Tasha and Dylan's background the story would have blown me away but I feel a little cheated. 

Also, it is a BDSM book and although the sex was hot and steamy, it didn't scream BDSM. I needed more whips, chains, flogging, nipple clamps, it was more vanilla than what I was expecting

(Christian Grey ruined me for any other BDSM)

Now that does not mean I didn't enjoy the story because I really did. I was invested, it kept me turning the pages and I hope to read more about these characters in the books to follow. 

I liked the basic foundation of the book and I wasn't exactly sure where the story was headed at one point, whether it was going to be about crazy ex-husbands, best friend's backstabbing, relationship triangle, or just about being introduced to BDSM in general. 

There were so many different elements and when it finally took the turn that made me realize, "oh ok I know where this is going", I figured out the rest of the book before reading it. But it was still entertaining even if I did predict it, which made me happy. 

I liked the alternating POV's, those are always my favorite besides first person POV because it gives me both sides of the story without the author writing two different books. 

Dylan was everything I wanted in a DOM, alpha -I am going to own your soul- male. He was sexy as oh holy hell, smart, funny, confident, and a heart of gold. He took care of what was "his" and I just simply drooled over him. 

He tried to fix what was broken in Tasha and introduce her to his world. He wanted her beside him with everything in his life. Personal, business, everything! It seemed he wanted to control all aspects of her life but really he just wanted to make sure she was taken care of no matter what. It was sweet, I dug it!

"All I know is that when you got scared, I felt your pain in my chest. When I look at you, I want to make sure no one ever hurts you again"

I also loved Zeke and Tommy, and I am glad Tommy's book will be out soon because I want to know more about these characters and I am hoping the next book will provide more insight.

Overall I give this book 3*** and I am excited to read more from this author and hopefully the series 

Here is the link for the kindle version of Unexpected Angel, go read it for yourself!!