Monthly Archives: December 2015

Guest Post + Giveaway: I’ll Be There by Samantha Chase

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I’ll Be There, book 6 in the Montgomery Brothers series by Samantha Chase, is now available! I’m happy to have Samantha Chase here on the blog today with a special guest post!

Swoonworthy Wounded Romance Heroes

Hey, everyone! I’m Samantha Chase and I’m so happy to be here with you today. So Zach Montgomery – my hero in my new release “I’ll Be There” – is a wounded hero in every sense of the word. He’s sort of been the golden boy of his family and always lived life to the fullest. His passion was traveling and experiencing all kinds of extreme sports. On his last adventure – climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska – he suffers a near-life-threatening fall and is partially paralyzed.

His story actually begins in Montgomery book five – “Meant for You” – and he’s already proved that he’s going to be difficult. When we catch up with him now in this book, three months have gone by since the accident and he’s still in pretty bad shape – mentally and physically. For a man who always excelled at everything, Zach felt that he was going to get through this recovery and be back on his feet quickly. He took the diagnosis of partial paralysis as a minor bump in the road. But when it becomes obvious that it’s not going away any time soon, he starts lashing out at everyone. He refuses to work (even though he’s the head of the company), he shuns his family and friends and he’s particularly harsh on his assistant Gabriella.

The two of them have sort of been dancing around one another for years. At one time they were close but eventually their relationship turned to being cold – and that was totally on Zach’s part. And now he’s being even harder on her mainly because he’s feeling inferior – he doesn’t want to appear weak to anyone. Especially Gabriella. So as his recovery sort of hits a wall, he doesn’t want anyone around him. Unfortunately for him – all of the people in his life have had enough of his foul mood and they’re ready to step in and do something about it. That’s where Gabriella mainly comes in. She’s there to make sure he doesn’t lose his company and the two of them butt heads more than ever during this time.

Wounded heroes are actually wonderful to write because you can totally see their transformation into the happily-ever-after hero that we all want. And in the case of Zach, he’s wounded and mean but you still have sympathy for him and that is KEY when writing a wounded hero. You want a man who you want to root for. His issues are clear and you watch him go from this angry, defeated man to one who finds love and has hope. Sigh.

Many, many years ago I read a book by Sandra Brown called “Adam’s Fall” and simply fell in love with it. I still have the paperback version! Her hero was injured in a skiing accident (I believe) and that was really the first book I read about a wounded hero and I was fascinated by it! No matter how badly Adam behaved, you still kind of felt for him and that began my love affair with that kind of hero. However, Zach Montgomery is my first hero with this kind of extensive wounds and issues and so far readers have really responded to him.

I’ll Be There by Samantha Chase
Series: The Montgomery Brothers #6 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 1st 2015
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This Montgomery Has a Head for Business

Working for Zach Montgomery is challenging on many levels-coming from a wealthy and powerful family, he lives by his own rules and doesn’t answer to anyone. But Gabriella Martine has no intention of backing down. She’s used to handling stubborn men, and it doesn’t hurt that Zach is smart, charismatic… and gorgeous.

And a Heart for Adventure

Zach’s perfect world is turned upside down when a climbing accident leaves him broken, angry, and maddeningly dependent. In his slow quest for recovery, Gabriella is always there to help… but as Zach comes to see his beautiful assistant in a new light, he is forced to re-evaluate what it really means to be aman worthy of Gabriella’s love.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • IndieBound

Reading Order: The Montgomery Brothers series

  
  

#1 ~ Wait for Me: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Trust in Me: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Stay with Me: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Return to You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Meant for You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ I’ll Be There: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

about the author button

Samantha ChaseNew York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

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Bundle of Montgomery Brothers Books!

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Audiobook Review: Omega by Jasinda Wilder

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Omega by Jasinda Wilder

Omega by Jasinda Wilder
Series: Alpha #3 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: December 1st 2015
Length: 11 hours and 14 minutes
Narrated by: Summer Roberts
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

When you make an enemy of a man like Vitaly Karahalios, there is nowhere on Earth you can go to escape his wrath. He’ll find you. He found me; he found Roth. He found Layla.

He found us, and now the unthinkable has happened. Someone I love has been kidnapped.

Again.

This isn’t a fairy tale.

Not everyone will get a happily ever after.

Sometimes we can’t just walk away from the past.

Love doesn’t always save the day.

The beast won’t always get his beauty.

But maybe, just maybe, we can get our happy ending.

Summer Roberts is a new-to-me narrator, but I’ve definitely become a fan. Even with two female POVs, since Omega is told first in Kyrie’s POV, then in Layla’s, Summer Roberts was able to make their voices distinct and unique, and I could tell whose POV it was just by her narration. She did a fantastic job narrating Omega, which is now my favorite of the Alpha series. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Kyrie and Roth, so when the story switched over to Layla and Harris, I really started enjoying this audiobook. If you’re a fan of the series, you won’t want to miss Layla and Harris’s story – their heart-pounding, intense, crazy hot story was so much fun to listen to.

Vitaly Karahalios is out for revenge for his daughter’s death, so Kyrie and Roth are out in hiding in the middle of nowhere on a boat, and they’ve take Kyrie’s best friend Layla with them for her protection. Harris is basically Roth’s bodyguard, there to protect the three of them, and there’s some delicious tension going on between him and Layla. I’ve always been intrigued by Harris in the previous books. He’s stoic, intense, quiet – so I loved that he actually gets his own romance with Layla of all people, the dirty-mouthed, sassy, independent, hilarious woman who is his opposite in every way.

I would’ve loved if Omega had solely been Layla and Harris’s story, because I really loved everything about them. They’re the definition of ‘opposites attract,’ they’re amazing and funny together, the chemistry between them is on fire, and I loved how they opened up to one another, when usually they’re the kind of people who keep things close to themselves. And they are crazy hot together! Jasinda Wilder knows how to write hot, dirty scenes, though I will admit that there might have been too much sex in Omega.

There’s also some great suspense and action in Omega, and the best part about it is Layla’s hilarious take on the craziness that’s happening around her. She’s a sarcastic girl, and I found myself cracking up sometimes at the inappropriate jokes she’d make.

If you’re looking for something hot, sexy, action-y, and fun, I would definitely recommend the Omega audiobook. Summer Roberts is a great narrator, and I’d definitely listen to another audiobook she narrates. Since Omega is book 3 in the Alpha series, you would need to read the first two books in the series, but Layla and Harris’s romance is definitely worth it. I found myself hooked onto their story, which I wasn’t expecting. It’s a great conclusion to the series – Kyrie and Roth’s story wraps up nicely, and Layla and Harris have their own perfect ending.

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Alpha series

Alpha by Jasinda Wilder Beta by Jasinda Wilder Omega by Jasinda Wilder

#1 ~ Alpha: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Beta: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Omega: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Omega!

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Release Day Review: Midnight Mass by Sierra Simone

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Midnight Mass by Sierra Simone

Midnight Mass by Sierra Simone
Series: Priest #1.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 8th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

We are told that God will punish the wicked. That sinful men will reap what they sow. We are told to scourge our souls with prayer and pain to become clean once again.

Well, here I am. Wicked and sinful. Desperate to become clean…even though it feels so good to be dirty.

But even I never expected what came next.

Even I never expected my punishment to come so soon.

***Midnight Mass is a novella and a sequel to Priest. It’s intended for mature audiences only.***

Holy crap, Midnight Mass is just as dirty – and downright filthy – as Priest was! For a novella, it’s a GREAT follow-up to Tyler and Poppy’s story. Priest was seriously one of the hottest books I’d read all year, and though I didn’t really LOVE it, I was still looking forward to the smutty goodness in Midnight Mass, and Sierra Simone didn’t disappoint. Her writing is absolutely stunning, and it’s one of the reasons why I really enjoyed this novella, right next to the smokin’ hot sex. If you loved Priest, you definitely won’t be disappointed with Midnight Mass!

I’d shrugged off my laptop bag and sank onto the bed, not even trying to quash the self-recriminating bitterness that squeezed my heart an repeated all the things I already knew.
You don’t deserve her.
You’ll never deserve her.
And the worst: You failed at being a priest. Now you’ll fail at being a husband.

This novella was such a treat for me, because when I finished Priest, I didn’t really feel that satisfied with Tyler and Poppy’s ending. But Midnight Mass has definitely settled some of my concerns about their relationship and we get an in-depth look at how they are now as a settled couple. Three years into their marriage, Tyler and Poppy are still as in love as ever, but they’re both incredibly busy, with Tyler’s dissertation and Poppy’s work. They’re spending less and less time with each other, and add on to Tyler’s guilt over leaving the clergy and jealousy over Poppy’s coworker, they’re going through a rough patch. I really liked the way Sierra Simone handled portraying Tyler’s penchant for guilt and the way he deals with his self-loathing over his supposed failures. It could’ve gotten over-the-top and annoying, but the author writes Tyler in such a way that I could sympathize with him and completely understand what he was going through.

Nothing about this novella felt unnecessary – the stress in Tyler and Poppy’s marriage was believable and also dealt with in a believable way. And, of course, there’s plenty of smutty goodness and LOTS of dirty talk from our former priest. Tyler is just… sinful. There’s no better way to describe him.

Thank you, I told God as Poppy’s body began trembling over mine. Thank you so much.
Is it weird to pray during sex? Maybe it is, but sometimes it happens. I’ve tried to accept that it’s who I am—a man who loves God, and who loves fucking, that I can be dirty and holy all in the same moment.

What I really liked about Midnight Mass was how Tyler and Poppy had much more depth in this than I felt like they did in Priest. They just felt more real to me in this novella. If you loved Priest, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on Midnight Mass, and not just for the dirty smut (although I’m sure that’s like 90% why you’ll read it, and I don’t blame you). You’ll get to see how married life is for this couple, witness them through their ups and downs but still coming out on top. And like I said before, Sierra Simone’s writing is gorgeous and unlike anything I’ve ever read. Priest fans won’t want to miss this novella sequel!

Father Bell was here instead. And church was in session.

4 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Priest series

Priest by Sierra Simone Midnight Mass by Sierra Simone

#1 ~ Priest: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Midnight Mass: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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Blog Tour + Character Interview & Giveaway: Corrupt by Penelope Douglas

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Click the banner to follow the tour.

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Corrupt by Penelope Douglas! I’m so excited to share an interview I had with the characters of Corrupt! Also make sure to check out the fantastic tour giveaway below ❤

On a side note, I freaking LOVED this book – my review will be up as soon as finals are done!

Character Interview: Rika, Michael, and the Horsemen from Corrupt

Hi everyone, thanks for being here today for an interview! As much as you all scare the hell out of me, I’m glad you’re here…
To start off, Rika and Michael, what’s the first thing that draws you to each other?

Rika: I guess it’s like Michael said in the catacombs. He saw the same thing in me that he saw in himself, and I think I didn’t feel so alone anymore. We were both hungry for a life we thought we couldn’t have, and no matter how both of us tried to cover it up, the need was always there. We validated each other.

Michael: Some things can’t be explained.

Rika and Michael, what do you think would’ve happened between you two if Damon, Will, and Kai never got arrested and sent to jail?

Michael: I would’ve claimed her a lot sooner, that I know. The morning after Devils’ Night, I already regretted what I’d said to her at the warehouse. I’d finally let myself get close, and there was no way I’d be able to withstand being near her and not wanting her.

For the Horsemen, what has been your most impressive prank?

Will: *laughs

Kai: *smiles

Will: You tell her.

Kai: No. We were kids. It’s stupid now.

Will: It was awesome!

Kai: Fine.

Well…we were playing St. James our senior year of high school. It was a home game, and it was a grudge match. There had been fights and some minor vandalism in the past, but that night we won and they didn’t take it well. They broke into our trophy case in the school and stole our shit. So we…

Will: *snort

Kai: We stole something of theirs. It was a Catholic school and they had this rule where the cheerleaders had to ride on a separate bus from the players, so we tricked the driver off the bus for a minute, and a…stole… yeah.

Will: *laughing* It was an EPIC night!

Kai: It was a hassle! Parents, coaches, cops…everyone was out searching for them.

Will: And they sure found them. ☺

For everyone, what’s your ideal date night?

Michael: Anything that doesn’t require sitting down.

Kai: Our own private box at a concert

Will: Hide and seek in a library.

Damon: Date night? Are you kidding?

What song best describes yourselves?

Michael: Love the Way You Hate Me

Kai: Jekyll and Hyde

Will: Bodies

Damon: *blows out smoke*

What’s the thing that scares you the most?

All: Nothing (They won’t answer that in front of each other or even admit it out loud)

Rika and Michael, where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

Rika: We have goals as far as our career goes, but the rest, we don’t think about it. Today is what matters. It’s certain. Tomorrow might not come. As long I’m with him, I don’t really care.

Will, can you tell us anything about Emmy Scott? Why are you in love with her?

I’m not. Who told you that?

Damon, can you give us a little glimpse of what goes on in your head? *bites nails*

We can discuss it in private, if you like.

Damon, what’s going on with you right now? What have you been doing?

What I’ve been doing isn’t nearly as interesting as what I’m planning. Maybe if you’re good, you’ll get to see.

Lastly, Kai, Damon, Will, do you think any of you will get a story of your own? Anytime soon?

Will: When we feel like cooperating, maybe.

Kai: Exactly. I’m enjoying my privacy a little too much right now.

Corrupt by Penelope Douglas

Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: November 17th 2015
Genre: Dark, Erotica, Contemporary Romance
Organized by: As the Pages Turn
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Erika

I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.

His name is Michael Crist.

My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.

But I noticed him.

I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid…For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.

Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.

Because he’s finally noticed me.

Michael

Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.

My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.

Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.

In my city.

Unprotected.

The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.

We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • B&N • Kobo • iTunes

about the author button

Penelope Douglas is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Fall Away series.

She dresses for autumn year round, loves anything lemon flavored, and believes there is too much blood in her Coca Cola stream. Or too much Coca Cola in her blood stream. Or…

You know what? It doesn’t matter. She loves Coke. Now you know.

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest • Instagram • Goodreads

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The giveaway is international and ends at 11:59 PM CST 12/15/2015.

  • (1) Signed copy of Corrupt + $100 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner’s choice (Intl)
  • (2) $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner’s choice (Intl)

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December Weekly Giveaways!

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If you follow me on Facebook, then you know that for the month of December, I’m giving away a book (or more) a week! Week 1’s giveaway, a paperback of BEFORE by Anna Todd, ends tomorrow night on Dec 8, so make sure to enter! This week’s giveaway for a SIGNED paperback of NOVEMBER 9 by Colleen Hoover is now up!

Click the images to enter!

WEEK 1

WEEK 2