Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Release Day: Cuffed & Claimed Anthology


I received a copy of Cuffed and Claimed by Lynne St. James in exchange for an honest review of her story, House Arrest, which is included in the book. 

My Review:

Note: I have only read Lynne St James' story, House Arrest. My review and rating are based on that.

Ethan is a former airman and now small town detective. Anna is the CEO of the town’s leading real estate agency. Anna’s heart was broken when her former love was killed, so she guards her heart with a fierce determination. Until Ethan breaks down her walls and shows her it’s ok to love again.

This story features an edge of your seat suspense story, sweet and sexy love story, and characters who have ties and friendships some people only dream about. When a series of home robberies are tied to Anna’s real estate agency, Ethan and his partner, Steele, enlist her help trying to find who is behind them. I found Ethan to be sexy and sweet and Anna to be funny, a little high strung, but overall an overworked woman. Their relationship advances to a new place during this story and the sweetness and love between them is obvious and endearing. The robbery part of the story kept me wanting to read more about who was behind it. I was guessing along with the characters and did not anticipate the ending at all! I really enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more in this anthology.

*A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.



Links to the book:




Friday, September 30, 2016

Lyric and Lingerie by Tracy Wolff & Katie Graykowski - Blog Tour with Review



Hey Everyone! 
Today I'm featuring Lyric and Lingerie as part of the book's Blog Tour!



About the Book: 

From New York Times Bestselling author Tracy Wolff and International Bestselling author Katie Graykowski comes a sexy tale of love, laughter and lingerie …

Lyric Wright is an off-beat astrophysicist whose life is falling apart around her. After losing her fiancé to a hula dancing astrologer and losing her dress to an ill-fated leap of faith, she’s sure there’s nowhere for her life to go but up. At least until she sits down on a trans-Pacific flight next to the one man she never wanted to see again—the boy she’d lost her heart and her virginity too back before she’d learned that friendship and football don’t equal true love.

Broken down quarterback Heath Montgomery is on a plane ride to nowhere. Dodging the phone call he’s certain will end his professional football career for good, he might be Texas bound, but he knows there’s nowhere for him to go but down. But that’s before his childhood best friend and confidante plops back into his life wearing nothing but duct tape and a bad attitude. Determined not to lose her again (especially since he isn’t sure why he lost her the first time) and desperate to outrun his own shadowy future, Heath sets out to take Lyric on the ride of her life. Too bad she only dates men who actually know what her butterfly nebula is … and can find it without the help of a star chart.


Add in one passive-aggressive flight attendant with delusions of couture, a cherry red car with a crush on Neil Diamond, an over-protective sister with a black belt in Krav Maga, two parents determined to marry their spinster daughter off to the hometown hero no matter the cost, and a whole lot of lingerie popping up in all the right places at all the wrong times and you’ve got an unforgettable love story that fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Rachel Gibson won’t want to miss!

Excerpt:

Tre chose that moment to flounce down the aisle. He stopped at her seat, held a blanket out to her. “Here’s your cape, Wonder Woman. I thought you might be cold.” He glanced down at the shoes and purse she’d crammed into the seat pocket in front of her. “You need to stow those under the seat in front of you. In case of turbulence, the last thing Wonder Woman needs is a stiletto in the eye.”
 “I couldn’t bend that far. The dress is too tight.”
“Whining is so unbecoming. Don’t you know we girls have been suffering for fashion for centuries?” But he reached forward and pulled the shoes out. “We’ll just store these overhead. No bending necessary.”
 He flicked the blanket open, stood back debating his options, and then slid a corner into her cleavage like a huge napkin before tucking the rest around her. “Can I get you anything else?”
Lyric swallowed the lump in her throat, absurdly grateful for the fact that she’d somehow ended up on a plane with a flight attendant who was kind and benevolent in his own bitchy way. “A glass of water would be nice.”
He patted her shoulder. “Oh, honey, you’ve earned a lot more than a little H two uh-oh. I’ll be right back.” Beside her, the newspaper was shaking. She hoped it was laughter and not a seizure, but from this angle she couldn’t be sure. What was with this guy anyway? He made the Unabomber seem chatty.
 Tre came back brandishing an entire basket of liquor bottles in one hand and a glass of ice in the other. “I didn’t think one would be enough. What would you like?”
Lyric eyed the display, thought of the long flight in front of her, and said, “Yes, please,” as she scooped the entire basket right out of his hand. “And a glass of cranberry juice when you get a chance.”
“Great idea. Give your liver a vitamin infusion before hitting the hard stuff … like breaking the fall from a tenstory building with a pillow. Just for fun, I’ll bring you some tomato juice too. I’d hate to have to slap your forehead later because you coulda had a V8.” He glanced at the newspaper. “Can I get you anything, big guy?”
The newspaper didn’t so much as quiver, but a muffled, “No, I’m good,” did float over the top of it.
 “He’s famous,” Tre mouthed. He leaned down and whispered next to her ear, “Who knew a newspaper was so versatile? Reading material and shield from the hordes of comatose passengers who are even now leaping over the seats to get to him, pen in hand for autographs. It’s a good thing you’re duct-taped into that dress, Wonder Woman, otherwise you might jump him too.”
“Who is it? The Rock?” She would have eased up and peeked over the paper, but in this dress, easing was anything but easy.
The paper rattled angrily, and Tre’s eyes widened. “I don’t think he’s a WWF fan. I’ll get that cranberry juice now.”
Traitor. Lyric watched him hightail it down the aisle. Oh sure, he had no problem flouncing down here and riling up Mr. Uncongeniality, but the second things got a little tense, he left her to deal with the fallout. This was all she needed … a narcissistic, Rock-hating seatmate with a bionic knee and possession of HER armrest.
She opened a bottle of vodka. To hell with the cranberry juice. She couldn’t wait that long.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him lower the paper about halfway. She couldn’t see much from this vantage point, and after Tre’s latest stunt, she didn’t want to be too obvious. Famous people didn’t like being gawked at—or so she’d heard.
Under the guise of turning on her overhead light, she elbowed her way onto the armrest and tried to peek around the paper. It moved to block her view. This guy was cagey, but curiosity had been her guiding star—take that, Rob; she had stars too—for as long as she could remember. Since subterfuge wasn’t her strong suit, she shoved the basket his way. “There’s enough for two.”
 He snorted. “It looks like there’s enough there for half the plane.”
Lyric froze, vodka bottle halfway to her lips. She knew that voice. And not from a Hollywood movie or TV show. No, she knew it because it was the last thing she’d heard before her heart had shattered like Humpty Dumpty—into so many pieces it could never be put back together again.

My Review: 


Two childhood friends turned lovers is the theme of this story. Lyric’s father was rushed to the hospital after a massive heart attack and Lyric flies from Hawaii to Texas to be with her family. A series of hilarious events lead up and continue after she realizes her seatmate is none other than Heath Montgomery, the star football player of the Houston Wranglers! He also happens to be her former best friend and teenage love.
This story is so darn funny!! Lyric takes life seriously because she is an astrophysicist. Heath likes tall tales, jokes, and letting loose, so the sarcastic banter between the two kept me laughing and wanting to read more! It’s the perfect light rom-com book to take up an afternoon!

My Rating: 5 Stars 



*a copy of this book was provided in exchange for a honest review. 













Tuesday, August 30, 2016

SPOTLIGHT POST - FUR, FANGS, AND FELINES SERIES BY M.A. CHURCH


Today's post is a Spotlight Feature focusing on M.A. Church's Fur, Fangs, and Felines Series. 




A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.

Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.

Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.




Available now in FRENCH!




Toutes griffes dehors, tome 1
Une  tempête de neige dans le sud, le jour du Nouvel An, est la recette parfaite pour une catastrophe. Après deux incidents dévastateurs, Kirk attend qu'un troisième désastre se produise lorsque, tout naturellement, deux chats errants arrivent sur son palier durant la tempête et décident de faire comme chez eux dans sa maison. Kirk et son grand cœur les laissent rester, même s'il y a décidément quelque chose de bizarre avec ces nouveaux félins bien trop amicaux.
À l'abri du mauvais temps et remplis de thon, Dolf et Tal sont contents d'être blottis dans la maison de Kirk. Mais ensuite, leur humain se rend à l'extérieur à la recherche de bûches pour la cheminée et fait une chute violente qui le laisse inconscient. Les deux chats n'ont plus d'autres choix que de révéler leur identité.
Kirk se réveille et découvre que les deux chats sont en réalité Dolf et Tal ; deux chats métamorphes qui sont ses partenaires destinés. Faire partie d'un trio félin est déjà suffisamment difficile à encaisser pour Kirk, mais il apprend rapidement qu'ils viennent d'un clan qui ne croit pas que les humains et les métamorphes devraient se mélanger. Kirk a conscience que ces deux chats sont sur le point de faire basculer sa vie. Cependant, il ne sait pas que les vraies difficultés se trouvent devant lui.



Also available in GERMAN!




Buch 1 in der Serie - Fell, Fangzähne und Feliden

Ein Schneesturm im Süden – an Silvester – das kann nur in einer Katastrophe enden. Nach zwei schweren Schicksalsschlägen wartet Kirk nun auf den dritten, als plötzlich zwei Katzen in sein Leben platzen und Schutz vor der Kälte suchen. Kirk nimmt die beiden auf, obwohl er es sich eigentlich nicht leisten kann und die Katzen sich sehr auffällig verhalten. Dolf und Tal machen es sich bei Kirk bequem. Als ihr Mensch beim Holzholen schwer stürzt und sich verletzt, haben die beiden keine andere Wahl, sie müssen offenbaren, was sie sind.
Als Kirk aufwacht, muss er feststellen, dass er keine Katzen, sondern Katzenwandler aufgenommen hat und nicht nur das, er ist ihr Gefährte. Eine Dreierbeziehung, noch dazu mit zwei Katzenwandlern, ist schon schwierig genug, aber bald muss sich Kirk auch noch mit feindseligen Rudelmitgliedern rumärgern, die der Meinung sind, dass sich Wandler nicht mit Menschen einlassen sollten.
Kirk hatte geahnt, dass die beiden Katzen, Dolf und Tal, Ärger bedeuten würden, aber er hat keine Ahnung, was wirklich noch auf ihn zukommen sollte.





Fur, Fangs, and Felines: Book Two 

A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a human: business owner Lawson Dupre. 

Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, and then he perks up and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings, misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.





Can two very different men find the love they need to survive?

Remi Ginn’s an easygoing werecat with a love of snarky T-shirts who would be perfectly happy with a human mate. Is that what the goddess Bast gives him? Of course not. Instead she gifts him with Marshell, a Vetala: a snakelike nonshifter who drinks blood to survive. A man who’s just as toppy as Remi—and even more powerful than the West Falls Clowder’s Alpha and heir apparent.

While Remi decides whether he can handle the fates’ choice, hunters attack Marshell. In an explosion of passion, Remi and Marshell mate and Remi declares Marshell his. Now they have to figure out how to make their relationship work as they dance around each other.

The clowder is in turmoil, and Remi’s acceptance of Marshell rocks the very foundation of the insular group. The consequences will be far-reaching. And if that isn’t problem enough, the situation with the hunters is far from resolved… as the appearance of an Alpha werewolf proves.




Purchase Links FOR eBook:


Teaser for Tango:


“So where are we going?”
“Place called Seafood Palace,” Lawson said. “Name might be a little cheesy, but the food’s to die for.”
We were still on the back road that led to the main street when I noticed lights coming up behind us—coming up fast. It could be a cop, except I didn’t see any flashing lights. I didn’t like it.
“Lawson—”
“Yeah, yeah, I see it. Man, they’re flying.” Lawson kept glancing in the rearview mirror. “You buckled up?”
“Yes. You?” I checked just in case as I turned around to look out the back window.
“Always. Damn, Marshell, I don’t like this.” Lawson gripped the steering wheel. “They’re still in my lane. Shit, they’re cutting it close.”
I noticed Lawson moved his truck closer to the shoulder and slow down. I had a bad, bad feeling about this. If this was that fucking werewolf, I was going to rip his throat out if I got my hands on him. My heart rate spiked as I watched the lights getting closer. They now were practically on top of us and didn’t look like they were going around.
“Fucking hell, get ready, Lawson. They’re going to—” The headlights clipped us. Metal screeched, and I grabbed the dash.
We lurched forward with a snap, and I damn near bit my tongue off. My neck screamed, and the seatbelt tightened against me as we fishtailed. Fuck ripping the were’s throat out. I was going to rip his head off. If Lawson got hurt, Heller would likely rip my head off.
“Aw fuck!” Lawson fought the wheel, cussing a blue streak as his hands flew over it. “Shit, shit, shit, they’re coming again, the fuckers. Brace yourself!”
“Son of a bitch!” This was no kid who’d lost control or some drunk out riding around.
Whoever was behind us had used the pit maneuver. Cops often used it to shut down car chases. Had the were been a cop at some point? Maybe he still was? Then I forgot everything as the other vehicle rammed us again. This time Lawson’s truck spun completely around, and the smell of burning rubber hit me like a ton of bricks.
Lights, trees, and smoke from the tires sped past us in a crazy twirling mass. The truck slowed noticeably, then stopped. My gums tingled as my fangs dropped, and my vision dramatically sharpened, which meant my eyes had changed to that eerie blue.
Lawson’s fear soaked the truck, and that pumped my adrenaline even higher. Whoever had scared Lawson so badly was going to die a slow death by my hand. The other vehicle, nothing more than a flash of black, pulled in front of us, blocking our way. I snarled at it.
“You okay?” I yelled at Lawson, keeping an eye on the other vehicle. Lawson’s truck lights shined on the Crown Victoria. Two shadowy figures moved in the cab of the car. Two? That’s odd.
“I’m fine! Shit, Marshell. What are we going to do?”
“You still carrying that knife?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Get it. Now!” The attackers leaped from the vehicle.
Had the werewolf brought backup? One figure was smaller than the other one, but that didn’t mean much to a shifter. That attacker approached Lawson’s side of the vehicle and struck the window with a baton.
A baton? Oh hell.
“Oh fuck,” Lawson yelled as glass shattered.
The window broke with one hit.
“Godda—” Lawson unbuckled his seatbelt, jerking away from the hands that came at him through the broken window.
A purely human scent flooded Lawson’s truck cab.
Roaring in anger, I flung my door open and jumped out. This wasn’t the werewolf who’d been stalking me. He wouldn’t be using a specially made baton with a cap on the end to break windows. He’d just yank the door off the truck or put his fist through it to get in.




About M.A. Church: 

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!
When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.
She was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, runner up in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, and is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Author Links:

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Release Day and Review: The Visitor by Amanda Stevens


Title: The Visitor
Author: Amanda Stevens
Series: The Graveyard Queen #4
My Rating: 5 Stars


About the book:

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm the Graveyard Queen.

Restoring lost and abandoned cemeteries is my profession, but I'm starting to believe that my true calling is deciphering the riddles of the dead. Legend has it that Kroll Cemetery is a puzzle no one has ever been able to solve. For over half a century, the answer has remained hidden within the strange headstone inscriptions and intricate engravings. Because uncovering the mystery of that tiny, remote graveyard may come at a terrible price.

Years after their mass death, Ezra Kroll's disciples lie unquiet, their tormented souls trapped within the walls of Kroll Cemetery, waiting to be released by someone strong and clever enough to solve the puzzle. For whatever reason, I'm being summoned to that graveyard by both the living and the dead. Every lead I follow, every clue I unravel brings me closer to an unlikely killer and to a destiny that will threaten my sanity and a future with my love, John Devlin.


My Review:

I have been a HUGE fan of the Graveyard Queen series, so I could not wait for The Visitor to be released! I’m so excited that I got an ARC and dove right in and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait!  In this book we learn that there is more to Amelia than just being able to see and sense ghosts. She is still seeing the sexy John Devlin, but their relationship has even more holes than a block of Swiss cheese thanks to his reluctancy to share the details of his life with her. It all puts Amelia on edge and that does not help when her home in broken in to and she ends up in the hospital with a head injury. The injury leads to even more paranormal activity and more questions than answers for Amelia.

There is so much creepiness and suspense in this story that kept me on the edge of my seat! Things in the wall, a doppelganger visiting her from beyond, and learning more about her powers creates such an intriguing and mysterious story. I LOVE IT! Of course, she has a new graveyard to work in and that, also, opens up new channels for Amelia to explore and learn about her past, her present, and her future. She and Devlin need to overcome their tension and work together to fight the darkness that lingers around the grave digger.


If you haven’t read the rest of the series, I highly suggest you do. Not because you will be lost, because you won’t. But, it is such a wonderfully, chilling, suspenseful, creepy, fantasy riddled set of stories that any fan of the genre is sure to love! This book did not disappoint me and I cannot wait for the next installment of this amazing series! 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Monday, March 14, 2016

Featured Today: Cassandra by JM Anton



Today I am featuring Cassandra by JM Anton. Make sure to read through to the bottom for the giveaway. Also, visit Goddess Fish Productions for a list of all of the other blogs participating in today's hop for even more chances to win! 

 ~ Kim ~ 



Title: Cassandra
Author: JM Anton
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense


Blurb: 

Cassandra Hoffman orphaned at the age of five was raised by her maternal grandmother. Two decades pass when she is confronted with a letter from her father’s Denver based attorney. She's shocked to learn that her dad lived through the car crash that took her mother and brothers in 1985. 



Casey’s haunted nights begin with the death of her father. Who is the shadow man in her dreams? Could it be her dad whom she had believed dead? She discovers he had another family, and some dark secrets Casey sets out to solve the mysteries of her abandonment, and find the answers to the nightshades that threaten her sanity.

Our heroine runs afoul of a previously unknown nemesis as she searches for answers, but she also finds the love of her life. He too abandons her, as he struggles with physical and mental wounds from multiple tours in the Middle East. Can Casey forgive him as they confront a mutual enemy?

Excerpt:

Rush hour in Denver was every bit as aggravating as rush hour in Cleveland. It was a frustrating fact of life everywhere that people needed to commute to a central work place. Traffic was at a standstill.

She overheard Ken call ahead to apprise Mr. Jackson, “We’re tied up in traffic, and will arrive later than anticipated.”

It sounded as if he were talking to someone other than Bob. Casey hoped the message would be relayed to him. As the thought flitted through her mind she gazed out at the passing cars and trucks also crawling along. Except for occasional glimpses of the majestic mountains, they could be stuck in traffic anywhere. The interstates were all the same and fairly uninteresting, especially within city limits. Casey found her mind wandering back to dinner the previous evening and her very brief encounter with Captain JD Gannon. She wondered where he was this morning. He’d been on his way to the airport when he left them, but that was all she knew. Well… not quite all—she knew that she could reach him through Bob Jackson, but she wasn’t sure she liked the feeling that he knew more of what was going on than she did. She couldn’t shake the idea that she should somehow remember him.

Finally, they reached their destination. Her nerves were already raw when she entered the elevator. As the doors began to close, a teenage boy thrust his arm through the gap, and they sprang back open. Casey watched him with a good deal of suspicion when he leaned against the frame of the elevator opening to keep the doors from closing. He grinned at her as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned his attention toward the lobby. Three stunning women entered the elevator.

Great, she thought, I’m trapped in an alien transport on my way to an alternate universe where all the women are tall, blonde, and have baby blues.  Or maybe, I’ve been cast in one of those films marketed to little girls that star the Barbie icon and her friends. The three were at least five foot ten, and—with the exception of the variation in age—they could have been cast from the same mold. The trio was regal, sophisticated, and aloof. Casey was sure the perfume they were wearing was every bit as expensive as their outfits, but she was fighting nausea from the scent within the close confines. The senior Barbie’s designer skirt hit about mid-knee; her navy-colored suit and pale blue silk blouse looked high end. The outfit probably cost more than Casey made in two weeks.

Aesthetically, she found the elevator hijacker a relief and a welcome contrast to the blondes with the heart-shaped faces and aristocratic airs. Nearly as tall as the women, he appeared to be in his early teens, that awkward, gangly, time of life. An engaging smile set off a mischievous twinkle in his hazel eyes. Outrageously long lashes and eyebrows of a slightly darker brown than his wavy hair enhanced those appealing eyes. His high cheekbones, square jaw, and a patrician nose with a sprinkling of freckles already commanded a second look. The freckles kept him from being a complete heartbreaker. She felt sorry for the teenage girls in his path; they wouldn’t stand a chance.

About the author: 

Author Jackie Anton lives in rural Ohio with her husband, two horses, two dogs, and abundant wildlife. Years of experience with horses and youth riders lend a unique perspective to her Backyard Horse Tales, and crop up in unexpected scenes in her adult works written with the pen name J.M.

Ms. Anton is the author of the award winning children’s series Backyard Horse Tales. In her 2015 award winning adult novel  "Wind River Refuge" she turns her attention to the difficulties in overcoming childhood abuse. Set in the turbulent sixties and early seventies. This romance / who done it comes from a time before child advocacy, cell phones, and PCs.

Cassandra Hoffman begins her search for justice in the early decade of the twenty first century in Anton's latest adult novel Cassandra: Night Shades.
           

Other Books by J.M.

2015 saw the release of the first two books in the Troubles in Love-Land Series. Book One: "Fateful Waters" was released as an e-book and paperback May of 2015. Book Two: "Panhandle Mayhem" was be released November of 2015. There is more to come in the series for 2016.
           
Author Links:

Writing Blog: http://jackieanton.com/
Author Website: http://talesbyjackie.com/

Book Buy Links:
Janton's Square Market: http://mkt.com/jackie-anton/

The author will be awarding a "Wind River Refuge" autographed paperback to a randomly drawn winner (US ONLY), or a Smashwords coupon for a "Wind River Refuge" E-book for an international winner, via rafflecopter during the tour.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Not a Gentleman's Christmas by Candice Gilmer


Title: Not a Gentleman's Christmas
Author: Candice Gilmer
My Rating: 4 Stars

About the book:

Saving her from her curse is a gentleman's job. He, however, is no gentleman.

Ruthie, cursed by a djinn, has been trapped in a recipe box for seventy-five years, and this Christmas is her last chance to break the curse. She assumes when Lee Reynolds opens the box, he will help her escape the djinn’s magic.

Because that's what a gentleman does.

She learns very quickly, though, that Lee is no gentleman.

Unlike the Drigan werewolves, Lee is tormented by his wolf-side. Nightmares plague him, leaving him barely civilized most days. It takes all his control to work as a sous chef, but cooking is really the only thing that has ever soothed him.

Then Ruthie pops out of his grandmother’s recipe box.

And his wolf side becomes positively beastly.

This story originally appeared in the USA Today Bestselling anthology A Very Alpha Christmas
 

My Review:

Lee has been plagued with nightmares since he lost his mate at a young age. Cooking soothes his soul, and as a sous chef he also does all of the family cooking for the Holidays. When he finds out that his sister has their grandmother’s recipe box, he asks for it to help prepare a traditional Christmas dinner. But, when he opens the box, a beautiful woman appears and needs his help preparing a perfect dinner in order to be released from the curse of a djinn. 

Ruthie is upset to learn that her friend, Lee’s grandmother, passed away a few years ago. She won’t have her help preparing dinner and thinks that her hopes of being free are over. But, Lee helps her and even suggests that she change a few things in order to improve them. While they cook, Lee shows how much of a gentleman he is not and feeds his attraction to the beauty. There is a twist within this story that I won’t give away. But, I found the way it went to be sweet and touching. Even though Lee is not a gentleman, he is everything Ruthie needs and she is everything he has ever wanted. This is such a sweet, touching, fun story read during the holidays or not. 


*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Featured Today: No Place Like Home by Jennifer Kacey




No Place Like Home
by Jennifer Kacey

Today I am featuring No Place Like Home by Jennifer Kacey. Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for her giveaway. 

~Kim~


BLURB: 

Coming Home, Book 1

In high school, Bianca Charleston was a nobody. An overweight wallflower, so invisible that Cole, the boy she had a crush on, never even knew she existed.

Things have changed, and she’s finally ready to show off her new bombshell look. Sort of. Maybe. After a one-sided pep talk with her cat, she takes a deep breath and flies home to help out with the annual hospital carnival. Cole is there, too—and he still has no idea who she is.


FBI field officer Cole Johnson doesn’t have an easy job, and his nights are usually booked solid. Then in walks Charlie, a blonde with killer…everything. Suddenly he’s mentally clearing his schedule for a rare night out. While Charlie doesn’t do one-night stands, somehow after-dinner dessert is served up against the wall of her hotel room. But happiness will have to navigate an emotional minefield of preconceived notions—and a couple of not-so-secret stumbling blocks.

EXCERPT: 

“You look beautiful. I’m glad you didn’t take my advice on casual. It’s…beautiful.” He shook his head after he stared at her for a few more seconds and then took a drink of what looked like water. They each had a glass in front of them.

“Kia made me buy it.” She blurted it out and then reached for her wrapped silverware to have something to do with her hands. She unwrapped it, setting the silverware on the table and the napkin across her lap.

“I’ll have to remember to thank her. I’ve never been that big a fan of the little black dress hoopla, but on you? Big fan.”

His smile. It melted her. “Thanks,” she managed with a hesitant smile. Attention from a man with his sex appeal threw her off. What she really wanted to do was put her chin on her hand so she could stare at him for the rest of the evening.

But she wouldn’t.

Not at all.

“So, how did the rest of the packet delivering go?”

She took a drink of water since her mouth had gone dry with him this close. “Good actually. It’s been a while since I was here to help with any of this. Since high school really. It surprised me how many people are still around. How many people never left. Or left and came back. Can’t believe it’s almost been ten years. Seems a lifetime ago.”

“And you’re sure we met in high school? You’re sure of it?”

Wanting to giggle and groan at the same time was a new one for her. “Only a few hundred times.”

“It just doesn’t seem possible. Surely I’d remember you.” He gave her a once over from head to waist. Everything he could see above the table probably.

Shaking her head seemed like the thing to do. “I was very different in high school. Popularity was the name of a very distant planet when I was a teenager.”

“Can’t imagine you being that different. Truly. Care to give me your name and I can look you up? High school yearbooks and all should be good for something other than killing spiders.”

“Nope.”

He chuckled and picked up his menu. “You do know what I do for a living, right? I could run your plates and figure it out within five minutes. I could show you my ID if that would help.”

“You wouldn’t.”


“Ha. If you could see your face right now.” He chuckled and she tried to wipe the panic off her face and probably didn’t do a very good job. “I won’t. I’d much rather figure it out on my own. I love solving puzzles.”


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her miniman in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. She’s the Amazon top seller/evil mastermind of the Elite Warriors Series and award winning author of the Members Only Series and the Surrender Series along with several standalone novels and novellas. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less. Connect with her on twitter @JenniferKacey and Facebook. And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter so you can hear about all of her new releases and giveaways!!




Giveaway Information:

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