Blog Tour + Early Review & Giveaway: Chaos by Jamie Shaw

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Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Chaos by Jamie Shaw!

Chaos by Jamie Shaw

Chaos by Jamie Shaw
Series: Mayhem #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 21st 2015
Publisher: Avon Impulse
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From the moment she saw Shawn Scarlett perform at a school talent show, Kit Larson has loved two things: the guitar, and the gorgeous, green-eyed boy who inspired her to play. But one careless night in high school shatters her hope of ever being more than a notch on his bedpost.

Six years, two bands, and one mostly-mended heart later, Kit’s about to make her rock star dreams a reality as the new guitarist for Shawn’s band, The Last Ones to Know. He may not remember their reckless night together, but Kit has never forgotten… and she’s determined to make him eat his heart out.

The release of their new album means a month cooped up on a tour bus, sleeping inches away from the ridiculously sexy musician she’s never quite gotten over. And as Kit gets to know the real Shawn—not Shawn Scarlett, the rock god, the player—their attraction becomes too hot to resist. But the past is paved with secrets, and when they finally surface, Kit could lose everything: the band, the music, her dreams… and Shawn.

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

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Wow!! I’m surprised by how much I adored Chaos! I was expecting to enjoy it, since I enjoyed the previous two books, but Chaos took me by surprise with the way I fell so hard for the story and characters. This book truly made me FEEL, and it’s definitely my favorite of the series so far.

I’m a sucker for rock star books, but add in a second chance romance, and I’m a goner. I was absolutely swept away by Kit and Shawn’s fantastic romance – Jamie Shaw did an incredible job in balancing their history with their present. Six years ago, back in high school, Kit had the hugest crush on Shawn. He was the reason why Kit grew to love playing the guitar. She adored this boy and ended up giving her virginity to him – but he crushed her heart by never calling her or contacting her after their one night together. Six years later, Kit, with a mended heart, is determined to chase her dreams of becoming a rock star. So what if one of the members of the band she’s auditioning for is none other than the boy who broke her heart?

Just because I wouldn’t change what happened that night doesn’t mean I want to do it all over. I don’t want to fall for him again–not when the ground comes so quick, and not when it hurts so damn much.
I fell for Shawn Scarlett once.
And once was more than enough.

I adored Kit – she has her faults, but overall, I just really loved her character. She has so much passion and determination for playing in a band. She’s a girl who’s truly meant to be a rock star. And all while she’s chasing her dreams, she’s also going to make Shawn regret ever forgetting about her and breaking her heart six years ago. But… the feelings she thought she’d gotten over come rushing back once she sees Shawn again. The last thing she wants is to fall in love with Shawn Scarlett again, but it’s hard to resist when he’s so sweet and romantic towards her.

“You’re everything I never knew I wanted. I didn’t realize what perfect was until I got to know you…”

Shawn stole my heart. He’s a jerk at first, but I slowly warmed up to him. He’s grown up from that boy who went wild with women and the rock star life. He’s the self-appointed manager of their band The Last Ones to Know and it’s clear how much he cares and looks out for his bandmates. What’s also clear is how much he adores Kit – although Kit is rightfully angry that he can’t remember her, though she never mentions their first time together. Even though they both keep secrets from one another, they can’t deny the fierce, passionate chemistry between them. Kit and Shawn are seriously hot together – Chaos is more of a slow burn book, with tensions running high, lots of frustrations, but when Kit and Shawn get together, it’s so worth the wait. They are perfect and so meant for each other!

“You asked me if I was half a person, and I asked you how I’d know.” His thumb grazes my cheek, his eyes clinging to mine. “You. You’re how I know.”

My favorite part of Chaos, besides Kit and Shawn’s wonderfully sweet romance, was the secondary characters. Leti, Kit’s newest best friend, was a breath of fresh air and a much-needed conscience for Kit’s occasional stupidity. But who I really loved the most were KIT’S BROTHERS. Her four loud-mouthed, over-protective, hilarious older brothers. I was laughing my butt off and smiling so much in Chaos because of them – I kind of wish they’d get their own books because I could read about them forever.

Chaos is definitely a must-read for fans of the series or any fans of rock star books. I was impressed with how seamlessly the author wrote about the rock star life – I was definitely sucked into the Mayhem world. I liked seeing the other band members again (can’t wait for Mike’s book!) and I just really enjoyed the writing. I was hooked in to Chaos from the beginning and couldn’t put it down! Chaos had my emotions all over the place, but I can’t deny that I loved it. I highly recommend it!

4.5 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Mayhem series

Mayhem by Jamie Shaw Riot by Jamie Shaw Chaos by Jamie Shaw

#1 ~ Mayhem: EbookPaperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ Riot: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#3 ~ Chaos: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

about the author button

Jamie ShawBorn and raised in South Central Pennsylvania, Jamie Shaw earned her M.S. in Professional Writing before realizing that the creative side of writing was her calling. An incurable night-owl, she spends late hours crafting novels with relatable heroines and swoon-worthy leading men. She’s a loyal drinker of white mochas, a fierce defender of emo music, and a passionate enthusiast of all things romance. She loves interacting with readers and always aims to add new names to their book boyfriend lists.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

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Digital Download set of MAYHEM and RIOT (Books 1 & 2)

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Blog Tour + ARC Review & Giveaway: King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway

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Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway!

King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway

King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway
Series: Hearts #3 (full reading order below)
Release Date: July 16th 2015
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Welcome to the City, London’s most prestigious square mile, where finance reigns and Oliver King is a rising prince. 

I used to rule the world.

There might be wolves on Wall Street, but there were crocodiles in Canary Wharf. Some of us craved money. Some of us craved power.

I liked money, and power had its advantages, but what I really wanted was to excel, to surpass the men who came before me. I never cared much for love and romance until I met Alexis.

I could feel it the very moment she walked into the interview, with her outspoken charm and vivacious personality. She cast all the others in shadow, made me laugh when life held no humour. Our friendship should have remained professional, but it wasn’t long before the lines started to blur.

You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men? Well, I never foresaw where my plans would lead, and only in my darkest hour did I finally see the light…

You can have all the money and prestige in the world and still be the poorest man alive. And love, well, I hate to use a tired old cliché, but love can be the thing that truly sets you free.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • Barnes & Noble • iTunes • Smashwords

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“I never stopped loving you, not even in my darkest hour.”

Oh, how I adored King and Alexis’s story. I’d been so looking forward to it – from the moment I met Oliver King in Hearts of Fire, I needed to know how he became such a broken man who drinks away his pain. And L.H. Cosway absolutely doesn’t disappoint with King of Hearts. I was swept away by King and Alexis’s beautiful romance – I couldn’t put this book down!

King of Hearts is split into two parts – the before and the after. The before takes place six years prior to the start of Hearts of Fire, when Oliver King is a wealthy, successful businessman. He’s mysterious and intriguing, and his new assistant, Alexis Clark, finds herself fascinated by her new boss. But she places her feelings on hold so that she can do her job… even though the chemistry between them is incredibly hot and intense. I absolutely LOVED the banter between Alexis and King – Alexis herself is a feisty, funny woman, but the two of them together is like magic. The banter only ups the sexual tension between them, and soon enough, the lines become blurred, and King and Alexis can’t stay away from each other.

“I could lose the run of myself inside a woman like you, Alexis.” He paused before muttering under his breath, almost absently, “And I fear if I made you my queen, I could no longer be a king.”

I adored the way Alexis and King slowly fell for each other – they felt so real, and did I mention how HOT the chemistry is between them? They have a bit of a forbidden thing going on, since they are boss and assistant, but I was rooting for them from the start.

As much as I enjoyed the budding romance, I was also on the edge of my seat, waiting to get to the after. We find out how King tragically fell from grace, and my heart broke for both King and Alexis. Years pass, and Alexis manages to find her lost love, but he’s changed dramatically from the man she fell in love with all those years ago. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the fierce love they have that’s absolutely worth fighting for. I so admired Alexis’s strength and tenacity. King has always been IT for her, so of course she’ll fight for him, for them.

Even though it had taken years, finding him had been the easy part. Healing him would be the greatest challenge I’d ever faced.

King of Hearts was an absolute delight to read. I highly recommend this book, and series. Even though it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading Hearts of Fire first. Also? I just want to say that I’m SO GLAD that there’s going to be another book in the series! I can’t freaking wait for Hearts of Blue – I totally squealed when I saw who it’s going to be about!

4 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Hearts series

Six of Hearts by L.H. Cosway Hearts of Fire by L.H. Cosway King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway Hearts of Blue by L.H. Cosway

#1 ~ Six of Hearts: My Review • EbookPaperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ Hearts of Fire: My Review • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ King of Hearts: EbookPaperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Hearts of Blue: My Review • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Thief of Hearts: Goodreads (2016)
#6 ~ Hearts on Air: Goodreads (2016)

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L.H. CoswayL.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon Page

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The author is giving away one prize pack open international which includes:
Signed King of Hearts paperback, King of Hearts tote bag, King of Hearts key ring and L.H. Cosway swag

ENTER HERE


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Release Day Review: With a Twist by Staci Hart

With a Twist by Staci Hart

With a Twist by Staci Hart
Series: Bad Habits #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 16th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Love is somewhere near the bottom of Lily Thomas’ list of life goals, right next to competitive eating and underwater cave diving. She’s spent six years pirouetting and pliéing her way up the ranks of the New York Ballet with her eye on the prize and love in the back seat. But now that Blane Baker — Lily’s long time crush — is finally single, she’ll throw her rules out the window without thinking twice.

Reality with Blane isn’t as epic as the fantasy she imagined, and the truth sends her spinning straight into the arms of the man she never knew she’d always wanted.

West Williams has been friends with Lily since the day she moved into their building and he saved her armoire from a swift, sudden death by staircase. Their friendship has always been easy, the boundaries clearly defined. With neither of them willing to risk their relationship, they’ve drifted happily through the years as companions, never considering more.

That is, until they do. And that realization changes everything.

“You don’t get it, man. One day, you’re going to meet a girl who you can’t live without, and it’s going to fuck you up. Joke all you want, but when it hits you, it’s going to be like a glass door to the face.”

OMG!!! I freaking adored this SO HARD. WOW – what an incredible read!! This is seriously one of the sweetest, most heartfelt books I’ve ever read. And the writing is absolutely BRILLIANT! With a Twist is definitely one of the best friends-to-lovers romances I’ve ever read – and I’ve read A LOT, since it’s my absolute favorite trope! This book is just one of the more special ones out there. I literally could feel every emotion coming from West and Lily, who’s friendship-turned-love is just the most adorable, heartwarming thing ever. I loved this book!

“All this time, you were right here. You were right in front of me, and I missed it.” She searched my face, eyes soft with wonder. “How could i not have seen you?”

Staci Hart blew me away with her gorgeous writing and the depth of her characters in With a Twist. Lily and West felt so real to me – they were characters that I connected with and loved from the start. Lily is a professional ballet dancer whose passion for ballet came so clear off the pages. West is a TA for an English professor at Columbia with a love for books, writing, and his man bun and beard. Initially, when West and Lily first met, they were attracted to one another, but never pursued a relationship. Instead, they developed a profound, deep friendship that could never be questioned. And they thought they would never be more than friends… until now.

When Lily finally gets to be with her longtime crush and fellow ballet dancer Blane Baker, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot. Right? Except all Blane wants is sex… and he’s a jerk in the sack, too. So maybe Blane isn’t the man for her… but who has time to find true love when Lily is practicing nearly 24/7 for the production of Swan Lake, of which she’s the coveted lead?

West finds himself uncharacteristically annoyed and jealous when Lily seems to have stars in her eyes when she talks about Blane. He normally wouldn’t care who she’s with, but now… something’s different. He’s slowly coming to grips with the fact that he may possibly be in love with Lily, that he may have loved her from the very start. It’s very much an ‘aha’ moment for West, and I couldn’t stop smiling when West finally figures out his feelings for Lily. But when they both realize the depth of their feelings for one another, it’s not that easy to just fall into a relationship. They both have to risk their hearts and possibly lose a friendship that means everything to them.

“What if we end up hating each other? And what if everything is perfect? What if he’s my forever?” I slump in my seat. “All of those endings are equally terrifying. How can I choose?”

I’ll admit, I wasn’t a fan of the fact that both Lily and West sleep with other people during the beginning book, but honestly, I got over that pretty quickly, mostly because THEY got over that quickly. What made it up was the fact that the writing is just so eloquent and the characters are so well-written that everything felt real, honest, and believable. This is a light-hearted, funny book for the most part, with the perfect amount of angst mixed in to get my heart pounding. I was cheering so hard for West and Lily, because they are so perfect for each other – that solid foundation of friendship paved the way for a love that was always meant to be.

I do wish that there could have been a little more romance after they realize their love for one another. Most of the book sets us up to believe in their friendship, but I would’ve loved some more romance and sexy times. And I have to say it, but this book is so totally hipster… but I love it. And I loved the secondary characters in the book as well. Lily and West are part of a core group of quirky friends that hang out at a bar called Bad Habits, and I can’t wait to read more about them. I’m praying that Patrick and Rose get a book next!

I adored With a Twist. I’d recommend it on the writing alone, but it’s also got lovable characters and a well-developed story to make this book an all-around win. It’s a gorgeous friends-to-lovers romance that I highly recommend!

4.5 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: Bad Habits series

With a Twist by Staci Hart Chaser by Staci Hart Last Call by Staci Hart

#1 ~ With a Twist: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Chaser: My ReviewEbook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Last Call: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads


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Audiobook Review: Throb by Vi Keeland

Throb by Vi Keeland

Throb by Vi Keeland
Series: Life on Stage #1 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: July 7th 2015
Length: 7 hours and 47 minutes
Narrated by: Sebastian York & Molly Glenmore
Links: Audible • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

The rules:

No dating.
No sex outside of the game.
No disclosing the terms of the contract.

Rules were made to be broken, right?

Eight weeks ago I signed a contract. One that seemed like a good idea at the time. A handsome bachelor, luxury accommodations, and a chance to win a prize my family desperately needed. There were some rules though. Lots of them actually. Follow the script, no dating, sex, or disclosing the terms of the deal. After my self-imposed moratorium on men the last year, it wouldn’t be hard to live up to my end of the bargain… so I thought. Until I realized the deal I’d made was with the devil… and I was in love with his dirty-talking brother.

Hurray, this is my first audiobook review on the blog!! I only recently started listening to audiobooks a couple months ago – I never thought I’d enjoy them very much, but I do! Although it might be because the first audiobook I ever listened to was Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren and Sebastian York’s delicious LOVELY voice was narrating it. He’s also one of the narrators in this audiobook, Throb, so I couldn’t not love listening to this because of him.

The heroine, Kate, is a contestant on a new reality TV show that’s similar to The Bachelor. She agrees to the terms of not being with any man other than the bachelor, Flynn, during the show in order to win the prize money and help out her family financially. She finds herself actually caring for Flynn, but… then she meets Cooper. Kate and Cooper have such a hot, intense chemistry that no man can compare with him, sadly for Flynn.

I’ve never read a book by Vi Keeland before, but I really enjoyed Throb. It had great characters, the story was unique and fun, and the audiobook itself was easy to follow. I adored the hero, Cooper. He’s sexy and alpha and domineering, but also sweet and tender to Kate. He falls for her deep and hard, so it’s hard not to love the way he loves Kate and takes care of her and her family. Kate was also a good heroine – she’s likable and cares so much for her family. They were two characters with hot chemistry and I was rooting for them from the beginning.

I LOVE Sebastian York, so of course his narration is my favorite part of the Throb audiobook. His voice is just so nice and dreamy to listen to! I really liked Molly Glenmore’s voice too, though it took me a bit in the beginning to warm up to it. I really liked how she narrated the male dialogue though. I’ve come to realize that I prefer both male and female narrators in the audiobooks I listen to, because I love getting both POVs and listening to the male POV. Throb definitely made me happy with its dual narrators.

If you’re a fan of The Bachelor, I highly recommend giving this book a try. I liked the sexy, forbidden aspect to the story, since Kate, as a contestant on the reality TV show, can’t be with anyone during that time, but Kate and Cooper make their way around that rule 😉

Throb overall is an enjoyable, sexy book with great narrators. It was so much fun to listen to – I’m hoping the sequel, Beat, will also be available as an audiobook!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Life on Stage series

Throb by Vi Keeland Beat by Vi Keeland

#1 ~ Throb: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Beat: Ebook • PaperbackGoodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Throb!


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ARC Review + Paperback Giveaway: Toxic by Kim Karr

Toxic by Kim Karr

Toxic by Kim Karr
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: July 7th 2015
Links: EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

New York Times bestselling author Kim Karr turns up the heat in a smoking hot, emotionally compelling romance that takes you into the world of Manhattan’s elite. Meet Jeremy McQueen, a sexy, intense, brooding entrepreneur who goes after what he wants, and Phoebe St. Claire, a socialite-turned-CEO who’s been drifting through life searching for something she thought she’d never find again–the right man to share her future.

Phoebe St. Claire has devoted herself to saving her family’s hotel empire–but her best efforts have not been good enough. With her whole world in turmoil, the tenacious go-getter turns to the once love of her life. Far from innocent, Jeremy McQueen was the guy from the wrong side of the tracks who her parents would never have approved of. Their years apart have only made the sexy bad boy more irresistible than ever–and their reunion is explosive.

When she asks Jeremy to help her salvage her family business, he agrees immediately, with only one condition–he wants her in his bed.

But soon surprising circumstances leave Phoebe reeling. Was this fairy tale romance just too good to be true? Will Jeremy’s secrets pull them apart all over again?

I adore second chance romances, so Toxic was right up my alley. I was expecting Toxic to be an angsty but sweet romance about two people reconnecting, but it was surprisingly so much more than that. Kim Karr tells an excellent story about both the highs and lows of a relationship, and yes, the toxic parts of it, too. Kim Karr really nails the second chance romance aspect of the story as well – I was rooting for Phoebe and Jeremy to get their much deserved HEA.

Through everything, all the heartache, the loneliness, the sadness and sorrow, the one thing I never regretted was meeting him.
Him.
Jeremy McQueen.
He wasn’t just any boy–he was “the boy.” The one I never should have met, and the one I’d never trade meeting for the world.

Five years ago, Phoebe and Jeremy were very much in love, despite being complete opposites. Phoebe was the rich, high society girl while Jeremy was the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Phoebe, however, keeps the fact that she comes from a wealthy family a secret from Jeremy so that he won’t turn away from her. In the flashback scenes, I could easily feel the connection Phoebe and Jeremy had all those years ago. They formed a sweet romance that unfortunately didn’t last after the lies and misunderstandings.

I’d loved him once, even though I never told him I did. And as I looked at him, everything I’d ever felt for him came rushing back.

Now, just as Phoebe is in the midst of saving her family’s hotel empire, Jeremy comes back into her life, but now this bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks is a successful, wealthy businessman. Phoebe never truly got over her lost love, and it seems like neither did Jeremy. The connection they had five years ago is still going strong, if not stronger once they reunite. I loved how passionate Phoebe and Jeremy are together – they want each other like no other and the chemistry between them is explosive. They bring out the best each other, but they also bring out the worst. They both have to deal with their jealousy, self-doubts, and past mistrusts before they can ever truly move on and be in a relationship again.

Normally, I wouldn’t have enjoyed a book like Toxic – there’s a whole mess of misunderstandings and miscommunications, which made for a toxic relationship. But somehow, it worked for Phoebe and Jeremy. The misunderstandings and miscommunications weren’t gratuitous – they were very real issues that both Jeremy and Phoebe have to overcome. These characters have a history of distrust and uncertainty in their relationship, and throughout the course of their reconnected love, they find a way to get past these issues to form a stronger relationship.

“You know things won’t be the same as they were. They can’t be. Too much has happened.”
He sighed what sounded like relief. “I know. They’ll be better this time.”
“What if they’re not?”
“It’s not possible.”
“How do you know that?”
“I just do. I can feel it.”

There are lots of twists and turns in Toxic, which had me on the edge of my seat. I really couldn’t put this book down. The best part about this is the intense chemistry between Phoebe and Jeremy – their past relationship really heightens their connection and made me want them to get their HEA. The love between them comes so clearly off the pages, which did sometimes make me feel frustrated when the misunderstandings and miscommunications started up. These were two people who are clearly meant to be together, but the journey to their HEA is not an easy one. I definitely recommend this book to those who like sexy, angsty romances with a little twist to it.

4 hearts
lacey

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


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One paperback copy of Toxic by Kim Karr
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