ARC REVIEW: Holly Lane by Toni Blake

"The weather outside is frightful, but kisses by the fire are so delightful . . .

Sue Ann Simpkins is working hard to rebuild her life and find some holiday spirit. A weekend away from Destiny in a cabin on nearby Bear Lake seems like the perfect Christmas gift to herself—until her ex’s best friend, Adam Becker, shows up at the door, claiming the cabin is his! And if that’s not trouble enough, how had she never noticed how gorgeous he was? 

Alone for the holidays and forced to play a reindeer at the local department store, Adam’s been feeling rather Scrooge-ish himself. But finding the smart, sexy woman he’s admired since elementary school waiting in the house he rented is helping to brighten his humbug mood. And when a sudden snowstorm strands them together in very close quarters, leading to one very hot night together, Adam soon realizes that what he really wants for Christmas is a second chance at love. Now all he has to do is convince Sue Ann . . ."

Review:

This is the first book I have read in the Destiny series and I loved it!!

Sue Ann is still recovering from her recent divorce, is not in the Christmas spirit. A getaway is in order and it just so happens she has picked the perfect place at a lake resort. Sue Ann is hoping this will help her get back in the holiday frame of mind. What she didn’t expect was to end up snowed in with her ex-husband’s best friend, Adam.

Adam is really in the Christmas spirit as well. Spending the season without his kids is really getting him down. He was just as surprised to find Sue Ann in the cabin he thought he booked.  Mutual attraction has them looking for ways to entertain themselves while being snowed in.  But when they return back to their town things tend not to be so simple. Adam will not stop trying to convince Sue Ann that this could be a good thing for them. Will Sue Ann jump at the chance to find happiness again?

I really did love these two characters. Sue Ann was trying to be strong and not just for herself but for her daughter. She is learning to try and trust again, but that just seems so far away. She is determined to make this holiday season a normal and memorable one for her daughter.  Adam is giving his friendship and all his support to her to help her along this season. And the Christmas present he gives her daughter is the most memorable one yet. Finally Sue Ann learns that putting faith and trust into that one person isn’t as bad as she thought it was going to be.

Holly Lane is one of the best Christmas romances I have read in a really long time. It’s not only about romance, but trust, love, forgiving and moving on to the next best thing in your life. There were parts of the book where I would tear up and have those moments of wow this is a really great book. A good book to me is one that you can feel every emotion and Holly Lane did that for me. I am so excited to start this series from the beginning and venture into the world of a down called Destiny.

Happy Reading!!!!!!!

ARC REVIEW: Kismet: A Serendipity Novella by Carly Phillips

"Elisabetta Gardelli thought she'd spend her days serving coffee and writing obits for the town paper. But then an unexpected opportunity results in her dream job as a real journalist for the (name of paper). Now, divorced and determined to make it on her own, Lissa is assigned to write a series of interviews about entrepreneurs who’ve made their mark at an impressively young age. First up? Wall Street mogul Trevor Dane - Lissa's first love. Lissa hasn't seen Trevor since he left the small town of Serendipity to earn his spot on the right side of the tracks. Ten years have passed but neither has really moved from their super-passionate teenage affair - or the heartbreak that followed. This reunion can be their second chance or it can provide much needed closure. It all depends on Trevor. Can he forgive Lissa or will the past continue to stand in their way?"



Review: 

Finally after landing her dream job as a journalist, Elisabetta Gardelli is very much determined to make it on her own. With serving coffee and a divorce behind her, she has a series of interviews about entrepreneurs who have made it to the top at a young age. The one thing Lissa wasn’t expecting was to have to interview her very first love Trevor Dane.

Lissa hasn’t seen Trevor since he left Serendipity. The only issue is that they both really haven’t moved on from the teenage love affair. Now this reunion could be their second chance of true love or closure they both need to move on. Can Trevor finally forgive the woman who broke his heart?

You get to meet Lissa in the first book of the series and although I didn’t enjoy her then I have to say she is one of my favorite characters now. After reading about her story I can finally see why she was the way she was. It all makes sense. She gets the chance to reconnect with her past love she never quite got over which I happened to think was bitter sweet.

Carly Phillips writes an outstanding short story about love, heartbreak and forgiveness. It was more than enjoyable to read. Kismet was well written and I didn’t feel cheated out of a story because it was short. It started and ended in a way that is unforgettable and all of it was actually wrapped up perfectly. Phillips has a special way of making you fall in love with her characters. Kismet was really a special treat to the Serendipity series and I can’t wait to continue on reading. This is a must buy for all those who believe a happily ever after can actually happen.

Happy Reading!!!

ARC REVIEW: A Little Harmless Submission by Melissa Schroeder

"For a tough as nails Dom hunting a sadistic serial killer is nothing compared to losing his heart. 

Rome Carino is hunting a predator. One who likes to hurt submissives and the most popular BDSM club’s patrons are being targeted. With each fresh kill, he gets more brazen. Rome knows he just needs one little break, but before he can make headway, the FBI shows up. Worse, the uptight, buttoned-down Special Agent Maria Callahan suggests a plan that is dangerous, but worth it because it might just catch the killer. If Rome can keep his mind on the case and off the beautiful FBI agent, he'll be just fine. 

Maria is still trying to step out of her legendary father's shadow and knows just how to do it. Luring the killer by posing as Rome's new sub seems like a good idea. That is, until undercover becomes real life and she finds herself tangled up with a man who amazes and scares her at the same time. Her growing attraction to the Honolulu Police Detective is a little too much to handle. Even knowing that, she can't help falling in love with the tough Dom and losing herself in the games they play in the bedroom. 

Rome is overwhelmed by his need for Maria. He has never had a sub respond to him the way she does and no matter what he does, he feels himself slipping off that cliff into love. As their relationship starts to unfold, he realizes that he will do anything to win her heart, to convince her to become his sub for a lifetime. But before he can do anything, the killer turns his attention on Rome and the one thing he holds dear: Maria."

Review:  

I am a huge fan of Melissa Schroeder’s Harmless series and I think this one may have been one of my favorites.  Rome is not only a strong Alpha male but just an amazing hero who any girl would love to get their hands on.  Maria is actually an FBI agent and pretty kick ass herself.  When Rome and Maria get together in the bedroom he realizes that she is the perfect sub to his Dom. This isn’t just another sex story but a wonderful romance in its own and has suspense that will have your heart pounding. 

These two are working together to solve a major serial killer case. The killer is out killing subs so Maria has decided to go undercover and become partners with Rome, who works for the Hawaii Police Dept. Rome knows Maria can take care of herself but that doesn’t stop him from him worrying about her and wanting to protect her.

The scenes were very much believable and had a lot of details that kept the story pushing through.  The way Schroeder explains every detail is absolutely outstanding. I loved that fact that you had emotions, suspense and an actual story to get lost in. The characters are very well developed and strong in their own ways. They were honestly the perfect match for each other.  

This is a must read for all those who love a strong heroine and hero. The best part is that you can read these as a series or a stand alone. I haven’t read the first few books but as this series goes on I will have to make it a point to go back and start from the beginning.  I can’t wait to see what else Melissa Schroeder will have in store for her fans. 

Happy Reading!!

Guest Post & Giveaway with Author Laura Kaye

The Musical Inspiration Behind North of Need

Music always plays a big part in my writing, and my contemporary fantasy romance, NORTH OF NEED, was no different. While I have trouble listening to music when I write—too distracting, I like to sing! LOL—I always make story playlists that inspire specific scenes, or remind me of the characters, or embody the emotion between the characters. I mainly listen to these playlists in the car, which for me is a great place to brainstorm and free associate story ideas. I’ve never had Stephenie Meyers’ luck—no dreams of meadows that would lead my stories to become international sensations! LOL No dreams about my stories at all. But music gets the ball rolling every time, and music plus driving equals gold!

So here’s the playlist for NORTH OF NEED, and from it you can gather several things: the characters go through some tough emotional times, and grief is a central emotional conflict. Dreaming with a Broken Heart gets me every time—there’s no better song of loss to my mind. And, with I’ll Be Home for Christmas, talk about your sad Christmas songs, this has got to be up there at the time. When I See You Smile just totally makes ME smile—first, because I’m a complete child of the 80s, second because it SO reflects how Owen feels about Megan. It’s So Hard to Say Good-bye coming on the heals of Feels Like Home is the very definition of heartache, in my book, and reflects well the highs and lows around the story’s black moment. Oh, and the Marry Me is just new-love happiness in a song and gives you a pretty big clue there’s an HEA in your future! *winks* Take a listen:

So, some questions for you:

If you’ve read NORTH OF NEED, any songs you associate with the story?

If you’re a writer, do you use music as inspiration, and how?

For everyone, any thoughts on these songs?

As always, thanks for reading!

Laura Kaye

Leave a comment and win A $10 iTunes gift card! Contest is open to US & Canadian residents only!

Buy Laura's Books

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

WANT TO WIN NORTH OF NEED? The North of Need Book Launch Blog Tour runs through November 20. A giveaway everyday!

About North of Need:

Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves...

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she's recreated the very thing she'll never have.

Called to life by Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration--before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.

About Laura Kaye:

A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura is the author of the bestselling contemporary romance and award-nominated HEARTS IN DARKNESS and the bestselling and award-winning paranormal romance FOREVER FREED (NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011), as well as an erotic romance novella, JUST GOTTA SAY. Her fourth book, contemporary fantasy romance NORTH OF NEED, is the first in the 4-book Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day

 

Guest Post & Giveaway with Jillian Chantal

Today I want to welcome the awesome  Jillian Chantal... take it away Jillian

First I want to say thanks to my awesome hostess for letting me guest blog today. I love to check out this site and see what’s up and I’m thrilled to be here again as a guest.

Halloween is my favorite time of year. I love everything about it. The crispness in the days(well, some of the days anyway as I live in Northwest Florida), the colors changing, the scary movies on all the channels (so many to choose from), the corn mazes, haunted houses, caramel apples, and all that other good stuff. 

Speaking of scary and creepy, I learned a really funny thing about my hometown when my son started driving. He found a short-cut to his best friend’s house and was telling me about it. He described how dark and creepy this road was at night because there are no street lights and there’s one house that has a green glowing light somewhere on it that’s all he can see as he drives around the curve of the road. When he told me the name of the road, I thought it was awesome and had this picture in my head of a raven or black crow swooping around the area.

The other day, I asked him to show me this road I’d never been on or heard of before he told me about it. I want to write a story with this road and the scariness he talked about and I needed to visualize it so I could have the whole picture in my head. I was delighted when we got there to take the photo I’m attaching here. I love it. Could it be more appropriate?

Leave me a comment about your favorite part of Halloween or your favorite costume you’ve worn and I’ll pick a winner to receive a Halloween surprise package from me.  

You can find me on the web here: http://jillianchantal.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal

Thanks for letting me come by to visit. 

Jillian is giving away a Halloween goodie package to one commenter. Good luck and thanks for stopping by again Jillian :)