Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Cover Reveal - Blue Lines by Toni Aleo


Blue Lines - Cover Reveal
Toni Aleo
Contemporary Sports Romance
Date to be Published: August 13, 2013

Synopsis: 

Opposites do more than just attract in Toni Aleo’s latest Nashville Assassins novel about a very bad boy and the good girl he can’t resist.

The instant Piper Allen sees Erik Titov, she wants him—wants his rock-hard body, sure, but the strength and mystery that lies behind that superstar hockey jock demeanor, too. So when he sidles up to her at a bar and slinks his arm around her waist, she’s lost. What follows is the wildest night of her life . . . followed by inevitable heartbreak the next morning. And then, a few weeks later, a very big surprise: two blue lines on a pregnancy test.

Only a check to the head could make Erik fall for a nice girl like Piper. But since their crazy-sexy night together, he’s been trying to forget about her alluring body by falling into bed with every woman in Nashville, and it’s not working. So when Piper shows up at his house with a baby-bomb to drop, it doesn’t take much for Erik to suggest the nuclear option: marriage. While it’s supposed to be all for show, the second they say “I do,” the ice between them starts to melt into sizzling steam.

About the Author:

My name is Toni Aleo!
I am a wife, mother, and hopeless romantic.
I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it's cause of my intense love for hockey!
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena's glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn't pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son's hockey games, my daughters dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, and reading the latest romance novel.
I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, and did I mention I love hockey?


Get the first 3 books in the series:



Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Blog Tour: Jacobs Project by Samuel J.M. King



Sci-Fi
Collection of Short Stories 
 Jacobs Project and The First Angry 'Man' (a total of 15,000 words)

The mid 22nd century. It is in many respects a world we would recognize. Like our own,  it’s a world with instantaneous, worldwide communications, computers of ever increasing  sophistication and permanent human occupancy of outer space. But it is also a very different  world—a world where the riddle of “artificial intelligence” has been solved and our intelligent  creations live amongst us… And that’s the problem. Technology’s ability to create these marvels has outpaced society’s ability to cope with them.  Imbued with all of the characteristics that make us human, they are none-the-less not human,  and… they are sold in stores to anybody with the means to pay. The ramifications are obvious,  yet for some reason they weren’t seen in advance, and as SYMBIOSIS unfolds, that failure leads  to tragic consequences.


EXCERPT

23 June 2047
Office of Dr. Irwin C. Jacobs, Chairman
MIT Cybernetics Dept.

Irwin Jacobs, renowned cyberneticist, waited impatiently for neurologist Tom Wilson's
answer. "Well?"
Tall and impeccably dressed, Wilson shook his head emphatically. "They'll absolutely tear
you to pieces, Irwin."
"They'll have to catch me first."
The neurologist cast a dubious glance at his squat, balding and rumpled friend. "Well, that
should take all of three seconds," he said, laughing.
"Never mind. What I want to know is whether you'll join me or not. You're the best brain
man in the business, and I could sure use your help. It'll be one hell of a journey."
"Oh, I'm sure it will be—straight into professional obscurity. I just don't understand why
you're going down this path. It's not as if no one has ever experimented with neural arrays
before."
"Ah, but no one else has seen their full potential," Jacobs countered. "Annnd, no one else
has ever built an organic array."
"Right, and there's a very good reason for that. Nobody knows how. And even if you solve
that problem you've still got to interface the damn thing with your electronics. Another near
impossible task. So, I'll ask you again, why go there?"
"You of all people should know, unless you've got a line on hardware that can match the
networking and switching capacity of the brain. Throw in the ability to create new pathways by
rewiring itself, and I'd say you're on to some piece of hardware."
"You're insane."
Jacobs laughed. "Maybe."
"Maybe? You've spent your entire career establishing yourself as the go to guy in AI and
cybernetics. You're throwing it all away."
"What I've spent my entire career doing is failing, forty years of it. Forty years of
developing increasingly complex systems. Forty years of designing algorithms so elegant they're
virtual works of art but ultimately take me farther and farther from where I want to go. The
simple fact is, no matter how sophisticated we make the computers and the programs that run
them, they're still incapable of doing what a six year old child can do… think."
"By think, you mean self aware?"
Jacobs hesitated. His friend's question sounded very much like an indictment. "So?"
"So, nobody serious has thought about doing that for quite a while now, and you know it.
It's no longer the Holy Grail of AI."
"Well, it's still my Holy Grail. It's the reason I went into this field." He lowered his voice and
added, "I really want to do this, Tom. I always have, ever since I was a kid. Getting older hasn't
changed that."

My Review:

A Little Break from the typical for me here. I have to admit I really loved the premise of this. I liked how quickly the story flowed. They were short stories, but they got to the point and you dont feel like you are missing out due to the short length. I definitely see myself continuing with this series. Sci-Fi, AI's, a little bit out there, but definitely interesting! 





Samuel J.M. King was born in Boston, Massachusetts, grew up on the “South Shore” and
attended high school in historic Plymouth. Tired of school at the tender age of seventeen,
he joined the Marine Corps and after basic training, spent the next eighteen months—you
guessed it!—going to school. A stint at the Naval Communications Training Center in Pensacola,
Florida was followed by nine months at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California
studying Russian. He spent the remainder of his four-year enlistment in Japan.

After receiving an honorable discharge, he attended a computer programming school and
spent a number of years in computer applications, first as a programmer and then as a systems
analyst, designer and project leader. Later, he traded in his application’s hat for a more
technical role, becoming a field software support specialist for Digital Equipment Corporation,
the largest of the late, great mini-computer companies. After moving to New Hampshire, he
studied Computer Engineering Technology at the New Hampshire Technical Institute and went
on to design and program computerized industrial control systems for companies across New
England.

Having written a prodigious amount of technical documentation, he began to write fiction in
2002. In addition to Symbiosis, he has written a screenplay, as well as several other novellas
and short stories. He currently resides with his wife Donna in the heart of New Hampshire’s
“Lakes Region” where he is working on the final novel of the Symbiosis series: East of the Sun
and West of the Moon.


BUY LINKS 


GIVEAWAY



Monday, April 22, 2013

Blog Tour: Security by Mandy Baggot


Romantic Suspense
Date Published-  April 4, 2013

Synopsis: 
Autumn Raine is a pop vocalist at the very top of her game. She’s a style icon, the paparazzi’s darling and everyone wants to be her friend. But when her safety is threatened, her whole life starts to unravel.
Eluding kidnap and trying to stay alive, can Autumn find the strength to be the person she longs to be? And can two people, poles apart, forge something strong enough to survive anything?


My Review:
I love the yummy military alpha hero in my romances! 

Autumn is a pop star who has risen to the top, unfortunately with that comes often unwanted and even dangerous attention.  Enter Nathan, ex special forces, he is the perfect man for the job. 

Loved the chemistry and the development of their romance. I am blown away by the amount of emotions Mandy Baggot was able to evoke in her readers with this one story. There is a little bit of everything and you will be consumed by it from beginning to end.


BUY LINK


 

Mandy Baggot is a self-confessed Twitter addict who likes to sing on You Tube. She regularly guests on book blogs and is a featured author on the innovative website loveahappyending.com. She is also a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Mandy lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

Website: 

Twitter Handle: @mandybaggot
Facebook: 
Publisher Author Page




Sunday, April 21, 2013

Blog Tour: Girls Love Travis Walker by Anne Pfeffer


New Adult Contemporary
Date Published: 3/15/13

To nineteen-year-old high school dropout Travis Walker, women are like snowflakes--
each one different, but beautiful in her own way.
He can charm any girl he meets, and yet down deep he fears he'll always be a loser like
his jailbird father. As the landlady threatens to evict him and his sick mother, Travis
takes a job he hates and spends his evenings picking up girls at a nearby night spot.
When he enlists in a teen program at the local fire station, he finds out he’s amazing at
it. Then he meets the smoking hot Kat Summers, enlists Kat’s friend Zoey to help him
woo her, and falls in love for the first time ever.
But he keeps the details of his life secret. His girl will never love him back if she knows
the truth about him….


My Review:
This is New Adult, but it sometimes read more like a Young Adult book. While the characters did participate in certain activities, there was not a lot of detail and it remained quite chaste. 

I really enjoyed reading from Travis's POV. Sometimes reading from a girls perspective over and over can get a bit monotonous. So this one was refreshing. Honestly I think Travis was quite the jerk, but seeing the evolution from the inside out instead of from an outside perspective was really great. Anne Pfeffer did a great job with the execution of that! 

This is definitely an emotional book and it will hit you hard towards the end, at least it did for me. 

Definitely a great addition to the New Adult genre! 


LINK TO BUY



Author Bio:
Anne Pfeffer is the author of Any Other Night and The Wedding Cake Girl.  She lives in Los Angeles, CA.

Contact Links
Twitter @AnnePfeffer1





Saturday, April 20, 2013

Blog Tour: Heroes and Hearts by Noemi Betancourt



Fantasy Romance
Date Published: November 24, 2012_by BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
 (Book 2 is set to release on May 3rd, at the end of the tour)


Isabel Kendra prides herself on being a strong independent woman.  She doesn’t fawn over men, doesn’t swoon and would rather take care of things herself than ask for help.  She has no use for heroes.  So when a dark stranger tells her of a kidnapped child who needs her help she approaches the situation in her usual practical manner.  Of course, with coming across her long lost father and gods and sorceresses who are constantly trying to kill her, Isabel soon realizes she’s out of her element.  Enter the dashing Prince Alaric for whom rescuing the damsel in distress is second nature, only this time the damsel doesn’t want to be rescued!
Together the two must thwart the evil forces that threaten their lives and their worlds while struggling against their own blistering attraction for each other. Can Isabel balance her aversion to the prince’s habit of coming to her rescue with the realization that sometimes it is all right to accept help from a man? Can Alaric handle himself around a woman capable of rescuing herself and learn to be simply the man who loves her?

The Crystal Palace Chronicles Part Two will be released at the end of the tour

My Review: 
I'm not ashamed to say that I like a little Romance in my Fantasy story. Noemi Betancourt definitely delivers on that account. I actually think the Romance in this story was better than that of some straight Romance Novels. I loved the development of the characters feelings for one another and especially how they had to learn to look outside what they were used to in the opposite sex. 

Don't get me wrong, the Fantasy is definitely there. I actually felt very drawn to the world she has created. There was a perfect amount of detail to really help me feel like I was experiencing it through Isabel's eyes. 


The plot flowed smoothly and the action/romance really made this book difficult to put down. 







Noemi Betancourt has been a lifelong fan of Fantasy, ever since her father introduced her to the works of Tolkien, Baum, and C.S. Lewis as a child. An avid reader, she has since developed her writing style over the years, and after becoming enamored with the Romance genre, Noemi began to blend a guilty pleasure with an old love. Her first novelette, Heroes and Hearts, is the first of many books and stories in which she interlaces the Fantasy and Romance genres.

Noemi lives in a seaside bungalow on Florida’s Sun Coast, indulging in her other passions: cooking, caring for her gallant husband (a disabled vet from the British Isles), and the three fur-babies who rescued them.


GIVEAWAY:
Enter to win a $100 Gift Card, Swag Pack, and Several eBooks @  BookRix !!!


BookRix Between the Lines

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Book Review: Reasons I Fell For the Funny Fat Friend by Becca Ann


Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 1/28/13

It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips. 

She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with. 

But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke. 

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.


My Review:
Okay, so I had seen this one around and kept seeing great reviews, so I had to try it out. I am so glad I did! I love the fact that we get Brody's perspective on why he fell for Hayley. I absolutely love Hayley through Brody's eyes. She is such a sweet and fun girl and really has major hang-ups about herself but viewing her through Brody's eyes, she is beautiful! We the reader see it, but Brody getting Hayley to believe it is something else entirely.  The evolution of the characters is beautiful!  Funny, Sweet, and Refreshing I think this is a perfect light-hearted teen read.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Book Review: Wild Child by Shelley Munro


Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 3/14/2013

Zoe Underwood is one sexy disruption.

From the moment her father married Matt’s mother, Zoe has tempted Matt Cantrell with her seductive curves and driven him crazy with her flirting and provocative manner. The thing is they have no future because Zoe is his stepsister. Determined to dodge trouble, Matt leaves Auckland to live and work in the Gold Coast of Australia. A sea between them should do the trick and let him move forward without the “Zoe” distraction in his life.

Matt Cantrell is one stubborn dude.

No one presses Zoe’s buttons like the tall, dark and gorgeous Matt. In fact, every other man pales in comparison. One last play. Zoe decides to invade Matt’s territory and make her move before some other clever woman snaps him up. She’ll bust through emotional walls and push boundaries. By the time she’s finished, Matt won’t know what hit him. Yes. Good or bad, she’ll stir things up and take a chance on love.


My Review:
Zoe has had a crush on Matt since her father married his mother. Problem was, Matt saw her as a young girl who was trouble. Matt has moved away, in part to put distance between himself and Zoe, but Zoe has other plans.

This one plays with more than one taboo topic. Step-siblings who start a romance and an older guy and younger girl. Both topics are executed well and add to the story as a whole. With the Step-Siblings aspect being the major detour for the couple to navigate. 

I loved their relationship from the very first encounter in Matt's bed. Their chemistry really does burn through the pages. I think that the fear of outside reaction really played a part in their relationship, but I love the way it unfolded. It added to the typical issues a couple would face and made things interesting. 

Review Copy Provided by Shelly Munro via NetGalley

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Book Review: The Practice Proposal by Tracy March


Contemporary Romance / Sports
Date Published: 3/11/2013

Liza Sutherland isn’t looking for love. Not from a charity-auction date she didn’t even bid on andespecially not with Nationals first baseman Cole Collins, the guy she obsessed over as an awkward teenager. She won’t get involved with a notorious player, no matter how attractive Cole is.
Cole Collins is up for contract renegotiation, but after too many late-night parties, he’ll need some positive publicity before he can make the roster. His agent, Frank, pitches Liza as the perfect prop…only Cole didn’t account for Liza no longer being just a teenager with a crush. She’s gorgeous and smart and he’s instantly hooked.
When Frank makes Liza a deal she can’t refuse—a bet she will fall in love with Cole or a cool half mil goes to charity—the game is on. But neither bet on the real feelings that surface. Could a fake fling turn into an official forever?
My Review
Another sweet Sports Contemporary Romance. As much as I love the alpha bad boys, I really do also have a soft spot for the celebrity/sports stars who have a bad rep with women and end up redeeming themselves. 
Was this story predictable? Well, yea, most of them are. I don't read these for the suspense and surprises, I read them for the light hearted sweetness. And this one definitely did not disappoint. 
Liza is definitely a victim of match-making thanks to her mom, but what a great set-up it ends up being. She ends up reconnecting with a guy she had a major crush on when she was younger and finds that he brings out parts of her she had long buried. Cole actually goes through a similar situation. Women always want him for his celebrity status and money, but Liza was his first true fan and always believed in him. 
I really loved how sports savvy Liza was. She really is truly a generous and loving person and her dedication to the program is heartwarming. Throw in meddling by Agents and Parents, secrets both from eachother and from those around them, and you have the makings of a great Sports Romance. 

Review Copy was provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC via NetGalley

Monday, April 15, 2013

PROMO Blitz: The Order of the Black Swan



The Order of the Black Swan
By Victoria Danann

Paranormal Romance / Fantasy
Date to be Published: 2/14/2013

Synopsis:

Synopsis:  Discover a world of adult fantasy where modern day knights of a secret society 
interact with an alien, a witch, a demon, a psychic, a berserker, a most unusual vampire, 
werewolves, elves, and fae. Fairytales intersect adventure, romance, and emotion proving 
that true love can find you in the strangest places, even when you're least expecting it, 
even when you're far, far from home.
This is a compilation of the first three installments of the Black Swan serial saga

Victoria Danann

BUY LINKS

Blog Tour: Dead Light by Mike Pace


Horror - Thriller/Suspense
Date Published-  4/4/13

…a matter of light and death…
                In the sleepy college town of Cumberton, MD, an old cemetery must be moved to make room for a new dormitory, and an ungodly Light, buried for centuries, escapes. A rash of gruesome student suicides rocks the town. Sheriff Estin Booker teams up with former Baltimore homicide detective Anna Tucci to investigate the deaths. What neither expects is to have all roads point to a 2000-year-old legend which, if true, could lead to the destruction of mankind.
                The most frightening account of the power of evil breeching our world since The Exorcist, DEAD LIGHT will teach you the most improbable lesson you will ever learn:
 FEAR THE LIGHT!




Mike Pace was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Illinois on an art scholarship, and graduated with a BFA degree. He taught public school inWashington D.C.’s inner city, while attending law school at Georgetown University. As an attorney, he prosecuted numerous cases, including those involving murder and rape. He resigned in order to practice law part time, thereby allowing him the time to devote to his first love, creative writing. He lives on the Chesapeake Bay with his wife and two dogs, Blueberry and Scout. DEAD LIGHT is Mike’s first novel.



Sunday, April 14, 2013

Book Review: The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston


YA Contemporary
Date to Be Published: May 14, 2013

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.


My Review:

This is such a great premise for a book. I really loved how strong Meg's character was. To go through all she did and take such good care of her sister when her parents really seemed like such train wrecks, that takes a lot. And to not know why you are in the situation you are in just adds to it. The mystery was definitely one that kept me reading til the end. 

I felt the romance, while believable, seemed to unfold a bit too quickly for my taste. The problem in their relationship was a little bit predictable. 

This is one of those stories that when I start reading it, I didn't think it would be a book #2, I was left with a lot of questions after I finished reading it, but I will definitely be waiting for and reading the next in the series. 

ARC Copy was provided by Disney Hyperion via NetGalley




Saturday, April 13, 2013

PROMO: Welcome to Paradise by Rosalind James



Welcome to Paradise
By Rosalind James
Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 4/12/13

Synopsis:
By the bestselling author of the Escape to New Zealand series—
They’re going to party like it’s 1885.

Mira Walker is hoping that competing on a “living history” reality show will give her what’s missing from her real life. Maybe she’ll get closer to her boyfriend, who hasn’t been all that nice to her lately. Get fired up about her job again. Who knows, she might even win a million dollars.

Gabe Kincaid and his brother Alec are after that million too, though. Mira and Scott are no threat at all, not when everybody involved is going to want to kill Scott after the first day. And there’s no bond stronger than a twin’s. What could possibly go wrong?

Buy Links
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Paradise-The-Kincaids-ebook/dp/B00CBZAI7M/


EXCERPT

Gabe began to haul out suitcases, then stopped in his tracks.
A couple spaces beyond, a young woman stood next to a glossy black BMW with its door open, her gaze turned up to the eastern skyline. Gabe could see why. The view was tinted with a rose pink that lay softly over the mountains, giving them an almost ethereal glow.
She sensed his presence behind him, turned with a warm smile that was a perfect complement to the light bathing the landscape behind her. “Alpenglow,” she told him happily.
“What?” he asked stupidly.
“That’s what they call that pink thing. Alpenglow. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Yeah,” he smiled slowly. “It sure is.”
She nodded, looked back at the mountains with a sigh, leaving Gabe free to take in the view that interested him most. She wasn’t especially slim—in fact, she was downright . . .rounded. Arms, breasts, hips, it was all there, all the good stuff. A nicely defined waist, too, in a slightly crumpled short-sleeved summer dress that flared out at the hem. Long, shiny brown hair caught on the side of her head in a simple braid that reached nearly to her hips, ended in a curly tail. All right, she was attractive. A pretty face, nice hair, a beautiful smile, but she certainly wasn’t gorgeous. So why was he staring at her?
“Cute,” Alec said quietly beside him.
“Yeah.” Gabe gave himself a shake and began to turn away.
“Hey.” The man was striding quickly across the parking lot. Light brown hair, parted neatly. Slim and tall, somewhere between Gabe’s six foot and Alec’s six-two. And, Gabe realized, the same asshole who’d flipped them off earlier, at the light. Frowning, now, as he came to join the woman. “What are you doing? I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Sorry,” she said. “I was just looking at the view.”
“Did you get the car cleaned out?”
“Not yet.”
He sighed impatiently. “I’ve got all our stuff inside already, and unpacked, while you’ve been standing here. Could you get a move on, please? I want to go to dinner.”
“Sorry,” she said again. “It’s just so beautiful.”
The man smiled tightly, still not acknowledging Gabe or Alec, who had come up to stand beside his brother and watch the pair. “All I’m asking for is a bit of focus here, sweetie. Eyes on the prize, remember? Can you do that for me?”
“Of course,” she said. Gabe could see the flush spreading up her cheeks, her embarrassment at the reproof in front of strangers. Not his business, he reminded himself.
None of his business at all.


Author Bio:

Rosalind James is the author of the bestselling “Escape to New Zealand” series.
“Welcome to Paradise” is her first book set in the United States. A former marketing executive, Rosalind divides her time between California and New Zealand.



Author Links