Everyone's a winner!

Sadly, there were only three comments on the Alisha Rai book. Lucky for those three, I'm buying each of them a copy.  I'll be emailing you momentarily, ladies.  Thanks so much for your comments - I hope you'll check out Ms. Rai's other works!

PLAY WITH ME, new from Alisha Rai

I admit that Alisha Rai is a new author to me and when I requested a review copy of PLAY WITH ME (the first book in her new BEDROOM GAMES series) in response to a tweet she posted for reviewers, I did so a tad reluctantly. I found myself feeling hesitant, guilty even, because as I've often said here, I'm not a fan of strong BDSM. I never want to take a reading/review opportunity away from another reader/reviewer who will enjoy a book more than me and I like to think that I'm considerate of books I request for review. I absolutely loved PLAY WITH ME and I'm thanking my lucky stars that I did speak up and request a copy.

About the book:

Jewelry designer Tatiana Belikov may have matured enough to curb her impulsive nature, but wickedness is still her best accessory. When family troubles bring her to Las Vegas and face-to-face with the man who knows all her darkest desires, resisting temptation is futile. A night of no-holds-barred sin? Jackpot.

Once Wyatt Caine had nothing to offer Tatiana except his heart, but time has changed his fortunes. Now he’s the king of vice, and the king always gets what he wants. Especially when all he wants is her, all grown up and ready to play every dirty game he can devise.

They ignite like fireworks on the Strip, blazing hot enough to melt the best intentions. But their roll in the sheets turns into a roll of the dice, and when morning comes, Wyatt and Tatiana are left wondering whether to walk away…or go all in.

Game on.

You'll find an excerpt and ordering information here: http://alisharai.net/books/play-with-me/

My review:
Tatiana Belikov and Wyatt Caine were sweethearts in high school. Sweethearts that discovered a sexual preference for things a little dirty, sometimes rough even, and both knew what brought the other the most pleasure. Having been adopted, Tatiana has recently been introduced to her biological half-brother. He is faced with substantial debt and, having taken money from his employer, Tatiana wants to help him make things right. When she finds that his employer is her lost love, Wyatt, she is understandably nervous. Wyatt has been hugely successful in business and owns an exquisite casino in Las Vegas. Wyatt's demands for repayment from Tatiana aren't as simple as her just writing a check. He wants one night with her, and as the blurb says, it will be no holds barred.

It isn't the night with Wyatt that Tatiana is opposed to. Rather, she questions the feelings she will have for him and the pain she'll face when their time is through. Wyatt comes across as being cold-hearted and unfeeling, but readers will quickly discover that there is a surprisingly warm heart beating in his chest, a heart that feels more for Tatiana than he would ever admit to. I would point out that there is no  obvious HEA, but I felt it was implied that that's the direction they were going and I was not disappointed.

I look forward to the next book in Ms. Rai's Bedroom Games series, RISK AND REWARD, coming in June, 2013.  Alisha Rai is an author that I am thrilled to have found.

I'll give two copies of PLAY WITH ME (it's an ebook) for Kindle or Nook, winner's choice. Just leave a comment here and you'll be entered, but of course we would like to hear about your lost love reunions, if you have any. Or feel free to chat about any of Ms. Rai's work that you've read. I'll pull two winners from the comments on Saturday, May 11. Like always, don't be surprised if I'm a day or two late in drawing, I seem to be quite good at that.  Also, if you'd like to provide your email address, I'll advise you if your name is drawn. Otherwise, be sure to check back because I won't hunt you down!

Thank you for checking out PLAY WITH ME and special thanks to Alisha Rai for allowing me to read and review this book for her.

 

Alison Kent has a new series (Hope Springs) that begins with THE SECOND CHANCE CAFE.  It deserves a look by all romance lovers. Here's all about it!

Kaylie Flynn was just five years old when her mother abandoned her to the Texas foster system and vanished. But Kaylie was luckier than most, blessed with a foster mother who taught her the comfort of home…and the healing power of baking the perfect brownie.
Now two decades later, Kaylie has journeyed back to Hope Springs to open a café in the rambling Victorian she once shared with her foster family—and hopefully to find answers to lingering questions about her birth parents.
Yet Kaylie’s carefully laid plans quickly take a turn for the complicated. The house needs more work than she ever imagined, and handsome Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires for the job, is having an unnerving effect on her heart. Add an unexpected crisis to the mix, and Kaylie has all the ingredients for a perfect disaster—or a perfect love.

My review:
Alison Kent meanders down a slightly different path than in the past with her new Hope Springs series. While I have enjoyed her work practically from the very start, I’m finding this new series to be a breath of sweetly fresh air. This is my review of THE SECOND CHANCE CAFÉ, first in the series.

Life hasn’t always been fair to Kaylie Flynn. Dealt one bad hand after another, she easily could have made excuses, given up, and made nothing of herself. Instead, she takes her life experience and determined independence and puts them to use in opening her own café. Kaylie was just a little girl when she witnessed her mother’s grisly suicide attempt.  Between her mother’s subsequent imprisonment and not knowing the father who seemingly abandoned them, she’s tossed into the foster system, being tumbled around until she eventually landed in the home of Winton and May Wise. Being in their care was better than any dream Kaylie could have dreamt. Kaylie learns from May how comforting a warm, loving home can be, and that time spent in the kitchen can be healing and good for the soul, which is best described in the following passage referencing said kitchen: “It was this room, more than any other, where she’d come to terms with the life she’d lost and the one she’d been gifted in return”. Several years later, Kaylie purchases the home she shared with the now deceased Winton and May.  She hires highly recommended local handyman Tennessee “Ten” Keller to update the first floor for her envisioned cafe, and while you know there will be an attraction between them, it starts off as slow simmer, slowly showing the promise of building to a full rolling boil.

Ten Keller has ghosts of his own but is willing to face them in order to help Kaylie start her business. His attraction to her and her simple, unassuming way, has him loosening his tongue about his painful past and sharing deeply personal things with her that he has kept silent for many years. He finds himself smiling more and very much anticipating a future that looks to include Kaylie.

 
This book is almost poetic at times and readers are warmly welcomed to the story. Comfortable as an old shoe, it steadily gains intensity and even picks up a little intrigue on the way. The secondary characters and their stories add a great deal of charm and a wealth of raw emotion. I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series.  

Please do yourself a favor and click over to Amazon where you can get the paperback version for almost half price at $6.99 and the Kindle version for $4.99!  A real steal for a book this good!


 

Ooooops!

If it's not one thing, it's 271.  I'm working on review of Alison Kent's THE SECOND CHANCE CAFE because it's stellar and deserves high praise, but the past week and a half has been a little unsettled at Casa Damron.  Tim fell at work on 4/02 and broke his right elbow in two places and his left wrist. Wrist is casted with thumb up as if he's hitchhiking and elbow was in a splint until this past Tuesday when orthopedic surgeon told him to take splint off and start exercising arm, trying to straighten it. Well, my overachiever husband had it pretty much straight by Wednesday (he has a very high pain tolerance). The cast will be on the wrist for five more weeks. He should be back to work in a week or so, under light duty restrictions.

Interesting making drinks/food accessible for him while we're at work. I was showering with him b/c he couldn't get either hand/arm wet and we had to bag them in plastic. Difficult showering when you don't have workable arms/hands/thumbs! Showering together was a lot more fun 30 years ago when we were younger and didn't worry about falling and breaking something (else)!!

I hope you're all having a great spring - we're still waiting on it in Ohio, it's been a little on the chilly side.  Are you reading anything great?  Do many of you like to read series? If so, who do you recommend? Personally, I love them. Some good ones are by Jill Shalvis, Lori Foster, Pamela Clare, Kaylea Cross, Catherine Mann, Kristen Ashley, Dee Davis ...  I could go on and on!

Have a great weekend - and look for that Alison Kent review soon!

Laurie

And the winner is ....

Barb V!  Barb, please email me at ljodamron@gmail.com with your email info and whether you prefer a Kindle or Nook version of UNDENIABLE.

Thanks to all who commented!  I hope you'll check out Alison Kent's work - she has several books releasing this year, including a new "Hope Springs" series that I'll be talking about soon.

UNBREAKABLE, the latest in Alison Kent's DALTON GANG series

Alison Kent has a lot of irons in the fire these days and I have to admit that it makes me one happy girl! Her Dalton Gang series started with UNDENIABLE and was followed up by UNBREAKABLE. I already had the Kindle version of UNBREAKABLE when Romance Junkies put it on their review list, so of course I immediately volunteered to review it!
I can't stress enough what a fabulous, outstandingly kickass author I think Alison Kent is. I've loved her voice from the very beginning and never fail to feel the emotions of her characters deep down. Yes, I know I'm pouring it on rather thick, but I'm entitled to my opnion, right? If I were telling you this in person, I would be gesturing wildly and ending with my hands pressed into my chest. Okay, enough....

Here's about UNBREAKABLE:
THE DALTON BOYS ARE RIDING HARD…
The notorious Dalton Gang once ran wild through their home town of Crow Hill, Texas. Now they own the run-down Dalton Ranch—and they work hard to keep it up. But when the right women come along, they still know how to play hard too…
Casper Jayne turned his back on Crow Hill nearly 20 years ago for a career in the professional bull riding circuit. Now he’s back—and Faith Mitchell is having a tough time thinking about anything else. She’s had a crush on him since high school, when he was part of her brother’s gang—and off limits. Since then, Faith has learned not to take risks. And Casper’s reckless, hard-living ways are causing her to think twice about trying to make the fantasies she has for this powerfully physical man come true.
Casper said he’d wait for a sign—but Faith is determined not to give him the satisfaction. Then an unexpected encounter finally penetrates her reserve, and the two of them ignite an intense passion. Faith finds herself holding on for a wild ride that breaks all the rules. But when the hot affair burns out of control, Faith will have to learn to take the reins…

My (5 Blue Ribbon) Romance Junkies review:

Alison Kent’s name on the cover of a book always serves as a guarantee of goodness for any romance reader. She has gone above and beyond once again with UNBREAKABLE and the DALTON GANG series.

Casper Jayne is one of the “Dalton Gang” that was introduced to readers in Alison Kent’s October 2012 release, UNDENIABLE. Casper survived a severely neglectful childhood. The only things that helped make it a tad brighter would be his friends Dax Campbell and Boone Mitchell, and Tess and Dave Dalton, the Crow Hill, Texas ranching couple that nurtured and helped guide the boys. Casper knew his life would have been significantly different, and not in a good way, without them. When the Daltons are both deceased, “the boys” find that they’ve left their struggling ranch to them. With none of them tied down to anything or anyone, they decide to try to make a go of it.

When Casper’s mother unexpectedly gives him her pitifully rundown monstrosity of a house, he decides to make the necessary repairs, despite knowing that razing the hulking mess makes far more sense. Full of frightening childhood memories, one would wonder why Casper would want to step foot inside the house, let alone invest time and money to restore it.

When Casper shows up at the bank where Faith Mitchell works looking for money, he doesn’t have high hopes that the sister of one of his best friends will come through for him. Indeed, she turned him down for money from the bank immediately. Faith has had a crush on Casper since they were kids and seeing him again has her wanting. Her brother, Boone, practically put a sign around her neck to warn Dax and Casper off his sister. Now adults, Casper and Faith are free to see where their undeniable attraction goes. It leads them straight to a blistering affair. Faith has a boatload of money from an undisclosed source that she’s willing to loan to Casper, but he’s stubbornly reluctant to partner with her. Once he relents the two begin to explore an even deeper relationship.

Faith has a big heart and is saved from being too sweet by a bit of attitude and her ability to keep up with Casper’s touch of wildness. Underneath Casper’s wildness is a man who is caring and whose emotions run deep. Secondary characters, one in particular, add some of the most heartwarming scenes, show what a good man Casper is, and are crucial to the story.

This book isn’t all love and sweetness. Casper and Faith both have had ugliness in their lives and secrets from their pasts. Casper can be brutally blunt at times and while Faith sometimes feels the sharpness of his honesty, she knows that deep down he’s so much more than a wicked mouth.

 

Alison Kent can write relationships and honest emotion like no other author. She delves right in to the painful realities that sometimes arise between family and friends. This book has my highest recommendation, especially if you’re a reader who appreciates characters who are a little broken, but fiercely loyal, and a story that will catch you right in the chest. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, UNFORGETTABLE, which will release in October 2013.

I'll give a Kindle or Nook copy of UNDENIABLE to one commenter here. All you have to do is leave a comment, but of course I'd love it if you would share your favorite Alison Kent book, character, cover, whatever you wish. I'll pull the winning name on Sunday, March 24 (or thereabouts, you know I'm typically a day or so late). If you want to put your email address in your comment, it will be easy to let you know you've won, otherwise you need to be sure to check back. (If you've already read UNDENIABLE, I'll buy you a copy of UNBREAKABLE.)

Thanks for checking out UNBREAKABLE!

Laurie

ANYTHING FOR YOU, new from author Jessica Scott

About the book:
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams. But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that loving her might mean losing her forever.
Jen is a breast cancer survivor and with Shane, she’s found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive.
As their love grows, so does the risk to Jen’s life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves.

Author Jessica Scott has followed up her romance, BECAUSE OF YOU with a novella that continues the story of Shane Garrison and Jen St. James. BECAUSE OF YOU is a wonderfully romantic book and you really should (in my opinion) read it before reading ANYTHING FOR YOU.

Shane and Jen fall in love,  albeit reluctantly, and while their road to romance may have been a little bumpy, downright rocky at times, they persevered and love conquered all.

Or so they thought. This is where ANYTHING FOR YOU comes into play. Now that Shane and Jen have planned for a future together, he wants to know that their future is as solid as possible. Jen's recent battle with an aggressive form of breast cancer resulted in the removal of a breast. Her only having one breast doesn't bother Shane in the least. The idea that this particular form of cancer has a great possibility of returning during pregnancy scares him to death, especially because he knows that Jen wants a family once they're married.

Shane doesn't trust conventional methods of contraception and wants to take steps to be certain that Jen won't get pregnant. Because she's been though so much already, he has decided to have the procedure done himself. He worries about what Jen's reaction will be. Will she agree with him and be supportive? Will she be angry and think his fears are ridiculous and he's too weak to risk the ups and downs of marriage?

Jessica Scott is a wonderful storyteller and if you haven't read her work, you should - and soon!  She's military herself, ladies, and she knows what she's writing about. Her characters aren't larger than life or perfect by any means. They're just like our family, friends and neighbors and their flaws make them that much more realistic and lovable. Secondary characters are a priceless addition to the stories she tells and aren't there simply as filler.

I truly hope you'll check out her website and her books!

I will give one reader here a Kindle or Nook copy of BECAUSE OF YOU to get you started. Just leave a comment saying you're interested and you'll be in the draw. I'll choose a winner on Saturday - be sure to check back because as you know, I sometimes forget to draw for a day or two!  (If you want to leave your email addy with your comments, I'll email you if you're the winner and you won't need to check back.)

Thanks!
Laurie

A real love story

Have you read Shiloh Walker? I'll reluctantly admit that I'm hit and miss with her books, mostly because I'm just not into the kinkier stuff. I've known Shiloh for years and while she may act all tough and bad ass, truth be told she's a real softy, a sweetheart who is a dedicated wife and mother whose family is her life.
Shiloh has a new release (out today) titled BEAUTIFUL SCARS. I'd read excerpts from this book over the past couple of weeks and pre-ordered it.  It arrived on my Kindle early this morning and while I was home on a sick day today, I indulged and read it immediately. I'll admit that it's a little more kinky that what I typically prefer, but the love story that is the glue of the story is heart wrenching and made it easy to overlook those scenes that made me squirm.
If you like a romance with straightforward grit and edginess, you should give BEAUTIFUL SCARS a shot. Here's a link to Amazon to help you out!
If you read it, I hope you'll share your thoughts with us.
Thanks!

Anyone miss me?

I hope everyone's holidays were memorable and that your new year is off to a great start!  I've been dealing with an evil, nasty bitch better known as menopause. Yep, the big, mighty "M".  After a few months of overwhelming depression, anxiety attacks, insomnia, and just plain not feeling like myself the least little bit, my gynecologist (I love her) has been working with me to find an anti-depressant that will get me back to my old self. The problem with anti-depressants is that they don't work immediately and if one doesn't help, you have to be backed off of it before you can start another - meaning it takes weeks to find the one that's just right.  Sheer hell and a huge pain in the ass. Feeling like Goldilocks these days, and realizing that this won't be a quick fix - my Dr. indicates that we're talking  weeks to get to an acceptable place and years of medicating to stay there and get through it.

I do feel like we're on the right track with this last prescription and while there might need to be some tweaking on the dosage, my fingers are crossed that we're getting close to hitting the nail on the head.

Let me know what you're reading, whether you have any new authors to dish about, etc. While I've not felt like myself, one of the things I've taken solace in is reading lots and lots of romance!

I may have lost even my most loyal followers after this absence, but I truly hope not. Thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated - and I thank you for your patience!

Happy New Year!
Laurie

The winner of THE GIRL NOBODY WANTED!

The winner is Lori Meehan! Congrats, Lori!  Please email me at ljodamron@gmail.com with your mailing address and I'll pop your book in the mail!

If I don't hear from Lori by Thusday, Laurie G will be the winner.

Thanks, ladies!