Tuesday, February 28, 2017

REVIEW - Throne of Truth (Truth and Lies Duet #2) - Pepper Winters





TITLE - Throne of Truth (Truth & Lies Duet #2)
AUTHOR - Pepper Winters








BLURB:


The thrilling conclusion to Crown of Lies from New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters

TWO YEARS
Since my life changed for the second time and not necessarily for the better. Two years since I traded prison bars for streets and hunted a runaway who I'd met in an alley.

TWO DAYS
Since I forgot how to lie, woke to fists, and chased after the girl who'd been stolen from me.

TWO HOURS
To save her, rescue her, keep my lies intact. She looks at me full of hate. I look at her full of confession.

TWO MINUTES
For our relationship to switch from mutual dislike to floundering with unknowns. I've hurt her. Now, she's hurt me. I guess we're even.

TWO SECONDS
For her to listen, to see, to finally know who I am. The answer comes with hardship. The answer isn't what she wants to hear.

TWO BREATHS
For me to walk out the door.

TWO HEARTBEATS
For it all to be over. 



REVIEW:




Well, still on the fence with this one. I absolutely adore Pepper Winters, she is one of my current faves, and I still love everything that she writes, as it's always got her 'feel' to it. But I have to admit, the Truth and Lies duet, hasn't been one of my favourites. 


Don't get me wrong, I loved the story and it was still a compelling read. But I think I expected something more, every time the story got to a part where it was getting a bit gritty or exciting, I think I was envisioning something more happening, as it's what I'm used to from PW's other books, but it never really jumped up another notch, or wowed me with a huge twist, or shocker. It just stayed on the same level of content. 

I actually did love Crown of Lies far more than Throne of Truth, the first part to this duet held all the main story, and juicy details. I found it exciting and enjoyed all the crazy hotness between Penn & Elle, but felt like it could of ended of been a one book story, not two. 
Throne of Truth is actually pretty gripping reading for the first chunk, maybe a 1/5th of the book, and I loved that part, but then felt like the rest dragged on. I really can't go into details without spoiling the story, so it's hard for me to back up my thoughts on this book, and I know I'm in the minority when it comes to my thoughts on Throne of Truth, maybe it's my book funk that is doing it. Usually PW can pull me out of my book slump, but I didn't feel this duo actually did it this time, which is a bit disappointing for me. 

Anyway, still a REALLY great book, and the story is gripping, sexy and full of action and angst. Just think it could of been one book instead of two really, with a bit of chopping around. I know that doesn't make much sense, but it's hard to explain. I do love this overall story, just not really sure how I feel about Throne of Truth overall. But I would still 100% recommend it, as it's a truly compelling story and very well written, as always with a Pepper Winters book. 



Star Ratings:
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Heat: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall: 3.5-4/5




REVIEW - Long Road Home - Marie Meyer



TITLE - Home 


AUTHOR - Marie Meyer




Pre-Order now, releases March 7th






BLURB:



Sometimes getting lost is the only way to find your way home . . .

I'm grateful for many things-my work, my apartment, my amazing friends. But after that night years ago, I'm left with an aching weight I can't escape. And it's keeping me from living and loving the way I desperately want. So when a ruggedly handsome cop pulls me over, I'm shocked by what just the sight of him does to me-stirring up feelings I didn't think were possible again.

Cayden Sinclair is undoubtedly one of the good guys. A former Marine who's so sexy I can't seem to keep my hands to myself. But there are things I'm not ready to share, things that could change everything between us. Cayden deserves to have the life he's always wanted-which means walking away from him. But I don't know if I'll ever find the strength to let him go . . .


REVIEW:

“Finding your North star, 5 stars”

Long Road Home is a reminder, a reminder to love completely, a reminder that your time isn’t guaranteed. That sometimes you need to slow down and stop saying you dont have time. Most importantly to stop and smell the roses or in this case see the good in front of you.


Cayden was first hit with the loss of his father, then his mother gets sick, causing him to leave his guys right before they deploy. Cayden was military all the way, the way Meyer described his feelings on getting out were on point. My husband is military and his thought process is the same every time the topic of getting out comes up. 


Cayden is so career oriented even now after joining the police force, that he thinks he doesnt have time or room for a woman. Until he pulls Ren over.

Ren is slowly healing after a bad experience three years ago. She has great friends and a job she loves. Only thing missing is a man and the family she's always dreamed of, but the family idea may not be a reality. A series of events lead her to realizing what she's missing in life, until she meets Cayden.


Cayden and Ren fall deep and fast. The relationship is as true as the North star. But is that enough? When Ren’s secret comes to light will Cayden be able to handle it on top of everything else life is throwing at him? Sometimes you have to take the Long Road Home to end up where you need to be.
I loved this story and definitely recommend one-clicking. 



Here are a couple quotes that hit me just right from Long Road Home;

“I never want to be the reason for your tears, but I want to be the one to catch them when they fall.”


“Hold tight to the treasures you have. Find peace in them, because they are your life.”


“The magnificence steals my words, and all I can do is marvel. So much beautifully organized chaos.”


“When I’m not touching her, I’m Odysseus, lost at sea, fighting to get back to his fair Penelope.”




Star Ratings:
Plot- 5/5
Characters- 5/5
Heat- 5/5
Writing style- 5/5
Overall- 5/5





Release Blitz & Review - Repossess - Jennifer Foor









From the award winning contemporary romance writer comes a new standalone romance, Repossess!

Grab your copy at the following retailers:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2leO39e
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2lwNBFV
iBooks: http://apple.co/2lAV19j
Nook: http://bit.ly/2miodC4
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2l52RXa




Full Blurb:

Raised by my four brothers, I'm the poster girl of a
hot-mess. A sucker for cheating assholes and shitty friends.
It's the reason I've come home.
The only reason!
I arrive to find the family business in shambles. My brothers have managed to run it into the ground. With new competition, the stakes are high, especially when I realize whose stealing all of the business out from under us.

Seeing him again isn't the hard part.
I'm over Crane Lord, his cocky, dangerous sex appeal, his criminal ways of getting by, and how he used to own every part of me.
He's the enemy. I don't want him.
I can't.
Shit!


Our Review:

Repossess is a book about second chances. I liked the idea of this book, but felt it could have been better. This book has mystery, betrayal, and lots and lots of drama. There are also plenty of steamy scenes and dirty talk. This book was a good book.

The plot of this book really intrigued me. A woman raised by four brothers comes home to find life as she knows it has changed drastically. Not only is there that, but her ex the one who caused all of this change while she has been gone. I loved the idea of this because I love hate turned love novels. This was my favorite aspect of the novel. I feel the author did a great job with following the plot and making it interesting for readers.

The characters of this book irritated me a bit. Raimey is the main female and we get to read the story from her point of view. At first I really liked her because she is tough and it is obvious she was raised by brothers. Growing up with two brothers myself, I felt I could relate to this. Unfortunately as this story continued, I liked Raimey less and less. At times I felt she whined too much and let her head get the best of her. I was getting whiplash from her constant back and forth thoughts. I also started to lose respect for her due to her relationship with her brothers. I can’t explain it exactly as to not ruin the story, but she disappointed me. Crane was an ok character. I really hated him at first. I was mad that the author was even making him a possibility, but as the story progressed I learned to love him. Funny how the two characters changed for me as the novel went on.

As I said before, there are plenty of hot sex scenes within this book. These characters love their dirty talk and hot and rough sex. With that being said, I felt the scenes were too much. I felt like every time there was conflict, there was sex to be followed. It kind of ruined the story for me because while I like a good sex scene as much as the next girl, I also like it to feel organic and not forced. In my opinion, it felt forced in this book at times.

The writing style of this book was ok as well. I honestly think if this part was touched up on, this would have been a 5 star book. I don’t mind the single point of view. That part was fine. What I did mind was the fast pace of the book. I felt I couldn’t keep up with all the drama unfolding. I also felt there was a lot packed into this book, which is what I believe caused the fast pace. Now I did like the conclusion of this book. I felt it tied up all the loose ends that were unraveled during the story. As I said before, the plot was wonderful, just a little bit less packed into the story and it would’ve been a 5 star for me.

Overall, this was a good book. I liked this story, but feel there could’ve been more done to make it a 5 star book. At this point I would not recommend this book to my friends as it gave me a headache trying to keep up with the fast pace. With that being said, if a friend asked me my opinion on this book, I wouldn’t tell them not to read it either. I really went back and forth with giving this book a 3 or 4 star rating so I settled on a 3.5.
Ratings:
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 3/5
Heat: 4/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5



About the Author



Jennifer Foor is an award winning Contemporary Romance Author. She's best known for the Mitchell Family Series, which includes ten books.
With over forty published titles, there is a story for every interest. Her books can be found on most platforms and in paperback.
She is married with two children and spends most of her time behind a keyboard, creating and writing stories straight from her heart.

Blog Tour & Review - A Broken Soul - Jessica Prince


Title: A Broken Soul
Series: The Pembrooke Series (Book 3)
Author: Jessica Prince
Genre: Contemporary Romance



He’s terrified of loving her.
She’s terrified of losing him.




He’s terrified of loving her.
Quinn Mallick already had his happily-ever-after, and in the blink of an eye it was ripped away from him. Now he’s content to walk through the rest of his life carrying the weight of that guilt on his shoulders. He’s convinced he doesn’t deserve a second chance. But when the town’s beautiful dance teacher turns her sights on him he finds himself questioning everything.
She’s terrified of losing him.
Lilly Mathewson’s once quiet, predictable life has been turned on its head. Feeling alone and adrift, she finds her comfort in the most unexpected of places. Falling for the town widower was never part of the plan, but there is just something about the temperamental man she can’t seem to let go of.
What started as two grieving people leaning on each other has quickly turned into something neither of them expected. Lilly is ready to take the next step, but how do you move forward when the man you love refuses to let go of the past?
He has a broken soul. She has a broken heart. And the only way for them to heal is if they do it together.
***This is Book 3 in the Pembrooke series, a spin-off of Wildflower. They are interconnected standalones.***

FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU




“So what about you? Have you always wanted to dance?”
Her voice went soft, her expression wistful. “Yeah. I’ve been dancing since I was about eight. I started a little later than most, but once my mom put me in classes, I was hooked.”
“You’re amazing,” I found myself admitting. “Why didn’t you go to New York or something like that?”
Her face flushed, and something told me it wasn’t from the wine this time. “You’ve seen me dance?”
“Yeah. Last week. I was getting in my truck after grabbing a coffee. The blinds to the studio were open and you were in there by yourself.” I stopped, thinking back to the sadness on her face that morning. “You were…”
“Crying,” she whispered, and although she still wore a smile, I could see the sadness had returned. “Yeah. You kind of caught me on a bad day.”
Suddenly I was aware of what I must have been putting my loved ones through, because even though I knew it wasn’t fair, I wanted to push her to talk about whatever was bothering her. Instead, I ignored that curious niggling in my gut and said, “You know, I might not be as good a listener as you are, but if you ever need to talk…”
“Thanks,” she smiled. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I just got some bad news the day before.” She stopped long enough to inhale deeply before she continued. “My dad’s sick. Cancer. I found out about it the day before.”
“Christ,” I hissed. “Lilly, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right. I was struggling with how to cope, you know? I couldn’t imagine…” Her voice cracked and her throat moved as she swallowed. “I still can’t imagine not having him, and knowing he’s going to die… it really fucking sucks.” When she let out a self-deprecating laugh, it took everything I had not to jump across the table and wrap my arms around her. I’d never felt more out of my element with a person before, yet, at the same time, I could relate to her better than most.
“I went down to the studio before it opened and put on the music and just… escaped for a little while. I’ve always used dancing as a way to escape. When I was little, I had trouble in school. I’m dyslexic and it took a while for the doctors to be able to diagnose it. I know it’s not really a big deal, but when you’re in elementary school and have trouble reading, well, let’s just say the kids can be real assholes.
“My mom enrolled me in dance classes and I discovered that when I was moving, when the music was playing, all the mean things those kids said about me just… disappeared. It was my escape, to this day it still is. So, to answer your question, that’s why I never wanted to pursue something like New York. It might sound weird, but what I do now, when I dance, even when I teach my kids, it’s all for me. If I tried to join a company, everything I did would be for them. Doing what I do now, I don’t have to answer to anybody. I don’t have to worry about the routines becoming monotonous. I get to leave my head for a while and not worry about the outcome. Does that make any sense?”
I hardly recognized my voice, the sound rougher, almost jagged as I said, “It makes perfect sense.” I had no clue what was coming over me, why I was reacting the way I was, but I couldn’t stand to see that heartache in her eyes any longer. Standing from my place on the floor, I held my hand out to her. “Come on. I want to watch you dance.”
“What? Now?” she asked incredulously. “You want to watch me dance right now?”
I gave a casual shrug and let my lips curl up in a grin. “Why not? You got other plans at the moment?”
“Well… no, but—”
“Perfect, so nothing’s stopping you.” She didn’t seem convinced, and for reasons beyond my comprehension, I wanted nothing more than to see this gorgeous woman dance. So, I pushed.
“Come escape with me for a little while.”

Review:

“heartbreakingly beautiful, 5 stars”

A Broken Soul should coming with a warning label, be prepared for heartache. I’ve been wanting Lilly’s story since I got a piece of her in Coming Full Circle. With that said A Broken Soul is a standalone but I completely recommend reading the others before it. Jessica Prince has a way with making you fall in love with not only the main characters but the secondary as well.

Anyways, I felt a kinship with Lilly from the get go. Pieces of her remind me of myself. Lilly is the sassy, loyal friend everyone loves. She can’t complain about much, until life gives her a big middle finger. At the same time she develops a friendship to Quinn.

Quinn is a broken man there is no other way to describe him. He’s a widow trying not to mess up his daughter while trying to hide his pain. Despite his efforts not to be, he's drawn to Lilly, who happens to be his best friends wifes, best friend. 

This whole story is about two broken people trying help each other, who stumble into love in the process. One willing one not. Your heart will hurt for both Quinn and Lilly. Is a Happily Ever After completely off the table for them or will they get what they both want? 

In Broken Soul you get new and old characters. You will laugh at the antics and shed some tears at the pain you’ll feel for those in the story. And chances are you'll fall for Sophia, who knows maybe we'll get lucky and Prince will give us her story when the time comes. 

Some quotes I loved:

“Whether this works out between you two or not, never forget, there’s someone out there worthy of everything you are. It may be him, or it may be someone else . But either way, the heartache will eventually dull and you’ll meet someone who will show you just how special you are.”

“You aren’t my dirty little secret. I’m not ashamed to be with you, I never was. I just had to learn how to let go of my past before I could give you exactly what you needed.”

Star Ratings:
Plot- 5/5
Characters- 5/5
Heat- 5/5
Writing style- 5/5
Overall- 5/5






FREE on Kindle Unlimited!
FREE on Kindle Unlimited!


Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. That’s why God created central air, after all.
Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boy–she refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.
In addition to being a wife and mom, she’s also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of books–romances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says it’s a passion…there’s a difference. Not that she’d expect a boy to understand.
Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.
Sign up for Jessica’s Newsletter




REVIEW - Mr Popular - Nicole London




TITLE - Mr Popular
AUTHOR - Nicole London





Blurb:


Rule #1: Do not vote for Mr. Popular.
Rule #2: Do not talk to Mr. Popular.
Rule #3: (Most importantly, and above all) Do not fall for Mr. Popular...

Liam 'Mr. Popular' Carter will always be the closest thing to the "walking plague" in my eyes. His cockiness seeps through his every move, and no matter how many state championships he wins with the basketball team, he will forever be a "loss" to me.

Because he's my older brother's best friend, I'm forced to tolerate him, and he's forced to tolerate me. In fact, unless my brother is around, we happily ignore each other every chance we get.

It wasn't always this way, though...

Several summers ago, we both attended the same summer camp. A place we returned to year after year. We became friends--close friends, but right when I thought he could possibly turn into my everything, he made it clear that what we had was nothing.

Now that's he's a senior, and I only have to deal with him for one more year, I've vowed to keep repeating the same set of rules to myself. Especially since he seems so hell-bent on wanting to talk to me for some reason, and especially since he seems to be staring at me every time we're in the same room together...

Rule #4: Always follow rules #1-3...
Rule #5: (OMG what the hell are you doing?) Do not KISS Mr. Popular...




Review:



Mr. Popular was a surprisingly wonderful novel. I say this because the description caught my attention, but I was weary after noticing the table of contents. It seemed like the book was different than it was, which was a great thing in my opinion. This book is a story about romance, second chances, perception, trust, and faith.
The plot of this book was a very interesting one. There is obviously history between the main characters, but the reader is not privy to what it is. Instead, this history is slowly unraveled like peeling back layers of an onion. This was interesting because we get to learn slowly about what is going on through flashbacks as if it is present time rather than the past. It also helps us in understanding the motivations of the characters as well.
The characters are developed wonderfully. Mariah has a lot of growing up to do. She is still pretty innocent and naive. I loved watching her get her toes wet into a little bit more of adult life. Liam had a bit of developing to do as well. While he was less innocent than Mariah, he still had to learn some important lessons including speaking up and standing up for what you are passionate about. I love following these two characters and watching them grow.
While this book contains young adult character, it has some pretty steamy scenes. I was surprised at how much detailed was included. For me that is not an issue, but for others it might be. I thought the buildup of tension between characters felt organic. I believe that this part of the book was done realistically and was very believable for me.
The author has a nice writing style. I liked the use of dual point of view and flashbacks. I also liked the steady pace of the book. The author did tackle a slightly serious topic in this book as well. Just be aware if you read this that it touches briefly on the topic of sexual assault. The only parts of this book I didn’t like was that while we get to read some flashbacks, I felt there were parts of the story we were missing. We know these two characters knew each other outside of summer as they live next to each other. I would’ve liked more information about how they interacted in between summers.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I was skeptical at first, but I am very happy I decided to give this book a chance. I loved the second chance romance and interactions between characters. I also loved the realistic vulnerability and progression of the story and characters. I would recommend this book to others.


Star Ratings:
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Heat: 5/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5






Release Blitz & Review - Mr Popular - Nicole London







Title: Mr. Popular
Author: Nicole London
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: February 27, 2017




Blurb

Rule #1: Do not vote for Mr. Popular.
Rule #2: Do not talk to Mr. Popular.
Rule #3: (Most importantly, and above all) Do not fall for Mr. Popular...

Liam 'Mr. Popular' Carter will always be the closest thing to the "walking plague" in my eyes. His cockiness seeps through his every move, and no matter how many state championships he wins with the basketball team, he will forever be a "loss" to me.

Because he's my older brother's best friend, I'm forced to tolerate him, and he's forced to tolerate me. In fact, unless my brother is around, we happily ignore each other every chance we get.

It wasn't always this way, though...

Several summers ago, we both attended the same summer camp. A place we returned to year after year. We became friends--close friends, but right when I thought he could possibly turn into my everything, he made it clear that what we had was nothing.

Now that's he's a senior, and I only have to deal with him for one more year, I've vowed to keep repeating the same set of rules to myself. Especially since he seems so hell-bent on wanting to talk to me for some reason, and especially since he seems to be staring at me every time we're in the same room together...

Rule #4: Always follow rules #1-3...
Rule #5: (OMG what the hell are you doing?) Do not KISS Mr. Popular...




ADD TO GOODREADS


Our Review:

Mr. Popular was a surprisingly wonderful novel. I say this because the description caught my attention, but I was weary after noticing the table of contents. It seemed like the book was different than it was, which was a great thing in my opinion. This book is a story about romance, second chances, perception, trust, and faith.

The plot of this book was a very interesting one. There is obviously history between the main characters, but the reader is not privy to what it is. Instead, this history is slowly unraveled like peeling back layers of an onion. This was interesting because we get to learn slowly about what is going on through flashbacks as if it is present time rather than the past. It also helps us in understanding the motivations of the characters as well.

The characters are developed wonderfully. Mariah has a lot of growing up to do. She is still pretty innocent and naive. I loved watching her get her toes wet into a little bit more of adult life. Liam had a bit of developing to do as well. While he was less innocent than Mariah, he still had to learn some important lessons including speaking up and standing up for what you are passionate about. I love following these two characters and watching them grow.

While this book contains young adult character, it has some pretty steamy scenes. I was surprised at how much detailed was included. For me that is not an issue, but for others it might be. I thought the buildup of tension between characters felt organic. I believe that this part of the book was done realistically and was very believable for me.

The author has a nice writing style. I liked the use of dual point of view and flashbacks. I also liked the steady pace of the book. The author did tackle a slightly serious topic in this book as well. Just be aware if you read this that it touches briefly on the topic of sexual assault. The only parts of this book I didn’t like was that while we get to read some flashbacks, I felt there were parts of the story we were missing. We know these two characters knew each other outside of summer as they live next to each other. I would’ve liked more information about how they interacted in between summers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I was skeptical at first, but I am very happy I decided to give this book a chance. I loved the second chance romance and interactions between characters. I also loved the realistic vulnerability and progression of the story and characters. I would recommend this book to others.

Ratings:
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Heat: 5/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5












Purchase Links


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited




Author Bio

Nicole London is a hopeless dreamer, author of Resentment and the co-founder of The Indie Tea, an inspirational blog for indie romance authors. When she's not at Starbucks chatting books with her best friend, she can be found plotting her next travel adventure with her husband.


Author Links

Monday, February 27, 2017

Release Blitz - Throne of Truth - Pepper Winters

SBPR-THRONEOFTRUTH-RB.png

Throne of Truth, the thrilling conclusion to Crown of Lies from New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters, is now LIVE!


throne-of-truth-cover

Throne of Truth by Pepper Winters
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance



TWO YEARS
Since my life changed for the second time and not necessarily for the better. Two years since I traded prison bars for streets and hunted a runaway who I’d met in an alley.
TWO DAYS
Since I forgot how to lie, woke to fists, and chased after the girl who’d been stolen from me.
TWO HOURS
To save her, rescue her, keep my lies intact. She looks at me full of hate. I look at her full of confession.
TWO MINUTES
For our relationship to switch from mutual dislike to floundering with unknowns. I’ve hurt her. Now, she’s hurt me. I guess we’re even.
TWO SECONDS
For her to listen, to see, to finally know who I am. The answer comes with hardship. The answer isn’t what she wants to hear.
TWO BREATHS
For me to walk out the door.
TWO HEARTBEATS
For it all to be over.



tot-availablenow

Read Today!

Google Play: https://goo.gl/IuXqg6

Start the series with Crown of Lies!

Google Play: https://goo.gl/a9A3nH

On Audio:



tot-teaser3

About the Author:

Pepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller.

After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 19 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-six times in three years.

Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.

Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian and Turkish. Audio Books for her entire back-list will be available in 2017.

Connect with the Author:

Twitter: @PepperWinters
Never miss an update! Sign up for Pepper’s newsletter today!