New & Exciting Teasers!! Falling Sky - Lisa Swallow - Coming Soon!

Falling Sky

(Blue Phoenix #2)

by Lisa Swallow

Releases June 2014

Goodreads

Summer Sky

(Blue Phoenix #2)

by Lisa Swallow

Out Now!

Amazon AU

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Coming Soon - Enthrall Her - Vanessa Fewings

Enthrall Her (Enthrall Sessions #2)

Vanessa Fewings

 Enthrall (Enthrall Sessions #1)

Vanessa Fewings

 

Available Now.

Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon UK

My Review

Review - Asher (Inked Brotherhood #1) - Jo Raven

**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review**

With eighteen, Audrey returns to her hometown for the first time after the accident – the car crash that took her dad and scarred her for life. She’s here to start again. Go to college and have fun. Make new friends. Get over the past.
But the past won’t let go. Asher is here – her first kiss, her first heartbreak. More handsome and distant than ever, he’s still the boy who used to be her best friend. That was before he changed into someone she hardly knows anymore – the boy who started getting into fights and gave her the cold shoulder for years.
Asher isn’t what she needs. In fact, she hates him and should try her best to keep away from him.
Yet her body doesn’t seem to care about how she feels, and maybe, just maybe this time her body got it right. Not that she has much of a choice. Asher draws her like a bright flame, and if she isn’t careful, she’ll burn.
And that may not be such a bad thing after all...

So, I was given this book to read and it was like a little gem. I wasn't sure what to expect, The author (Jo Raven) is a new and upcoming author and asked me to have a read. I started it straight away, and Pow!! It was really good right from the first few pages. One thing that drives me barmy in books, Insta-love! One thing that is absolutely a treat in books, A couple who have known each other when kids or for years and reunited! Audrey and Asher grew up together as kids. They lived almost next door to each other and played all the time. They were inseparable until, reaching 14 they decide to have their first kiss! Then it all goes down hill and they drift apart and after some really horrible life events that involve both of them, Audrey moves away and they never see each other again. Until, Audrey moves back to her home town to go to College. Now, both Audrey and Asher have some serious baggage between them, some really horrific things that are truly heartbreaking. The sorts of things that are best left to find out for yourself, as I don't give spoilers! So let me just continue by saying, how perfectly the story was all put together. From their pasts being entwined to how they come to need each other, even if it takes them some time to realise it. What also makes it an amazing story Is the backing of all the other characters. From Audrey's best friend Tessa, to all the yummy guys. Which we find out that the 5 of them are part of brotherhood, that links them with a tattoo, all of them are together as they have been through some dark times, some are still in those dark times. We don't get to see too much of all 5 just yet, but the ones we do see Zane & Dylan are excellent and I can't wait to read their stories. There is a lot of secrets between everyone that are only hinted at in this book, which leaves me desperate to get my hands on the next book in the series. The way in which JR fills her book with such detail and emotion really had me gripped. I love to be able to fully visualise everything that's going on, and I had no troubles even practically smelling the scenes as they were happening. Yeh, that's not always pleasant. Lol. Anyway, I really did love this story and honestly think this will be a hands down winner when released! Can't wait to read book 2! 

'I swallow hard. This girl can see right through me. She takes every single bad thing in my life and makes it good. And she's mine.'

Goodreads
Facebook

Review - Unteachable - Leah Raeder

                                         

                                             

I was recommended this book to read and have had it sat on my iPad for a while. Right from the first page, I was absolutely captivated by LR's writing. The pictures she painted with her words were so full of life and colour it held my attention 100%.

'Maise O’Malley just turned eighteen, but she’s felt like a grown-up her entire life. The summer before senior year, she has plans: get into a great film school, convince her mom to go into rehab, and absolutely do not, under any circumstances, screw up her own future.

But life has a way of throwing her plans into free-fall.

When Maise meets Evan at a carnival one night, their chemistry is immediate, intense, and short-lived. Which is exactly how she likes it: no strings. But afterward, she can’t get Evan out of her head. He’s taught her that a hookup can be something more. It can be an unexpected connection with someone who truly understands her. Someone who sees beyond her bravado to the scared but strong girl inside.

That someone turns out to be her new film class teacher, Mr. Evan Wilke.

Maise and Evan resolve to keep their hands off each other, but the attraction is too much to bear. Together, they’re real and genuine; apart, they’re just actors playing their parts for everyone else. And their masks are slipping. People start to notice. Rumors fly. When the truth comes to light in a shocking way, they may learn they were just playing parts for each other, too.

Smart, sexy, and provocative, Unteachable is about what happens when a love story goes off-script.'

There's no way I could of summarised that any different, the back description is quite self explanatory and paints the story really good. Now, I have no problem with teacher/student story lines. I've read some good ones in the past. Yet, I did fumble and struggle a little on this one, to start with. It wasn't really the relationship as such, more the internal voice of Maise, the main character. I just couldn't fully believe in her saying all the things that she did, I know she is mature beyond her years but sometimes it didn't seem right to me. She is 18 and gorgeous, and always looking to live fully and never to end up like her mother. Now, I did find as the story went on, I actually started to enjoy her more and felt she was becoming more realistic although having a tiny bit of an ego prob, but sure of what she wants and how to get it. By the end of the book, I felt as though she had emerged from the story and what had happened, a different person and so much more believable. Someone I was backing fully. Now, Evan. He's very tricky. Far too good to be true, right from the start. No real fear of consequences and extremely secretive. We do learn some of why he is secretive and what has happened in his past, yet I still felt as if something was missing. So, despite my little niggles, this really was an amazingly well written book. I absolutely love LR's writing style, it's addictive, beautifully visual and I can't wait to see what else she brings out. Plus, I must add, I was getting pretty scared towards the end but......perfect ending! I was really pleased with how it ended. 4 stars. 

Review - Maybe Someday - Colleen Hoover

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yet another flawless story from Colleen Hoover. I don't even think, after reading this book that she's capable of writing anything less than amazing. Which is fantastic when you want to pick up a book that you know is going to be really good. The writing, characters and story or all so beautiful it's almost painful to reach the end.
Sydney, is a 21 almost 22 year old girl attending college, living with her best friend and blissfully happy with her boyfriend. That is until she finds out her room mate and boyfriend are also blissfully happy, quite a lot, behind her back.
Ridge is the gorgeous mystery neighbour, who lives across from Sydney and plays amazing guitar music every night at 8pm. On his balcony. Sydney knows this because she is there on her balcony every night at 8pm, watching, and singing along. So begins a friendship through text when Ridge realises Sydney is singing along to his songs with her own words.
From there on, I can't even begin to hint at the awesome story that unfolds from this beginning, Well, I can hint. As in the full on, typical Colleen Hoover emotional overload is ever present. The musical element of this book is also truly amazing. I could practically hear the music myself through the detailed scenes between the 2 of them. Yes, I now need to listen to the soundtrack that accompanies this, desperately.
The one thing I have always found with CH books is that I can never, ever, guess what is going to happen. It's always a whirlwind of crazy emotions and I'm still sat shocked at the end of it all. This book was no exception, I could never have guessed some of the pivotal facts in Ridge and Sydney's journey and I love that.
The un-putdown-able-ness (yep, great English :-s) of all CH books was ever present in Maybe Someday too. I literally couldn't stop reading, at all.
All her stories stick with you for a really long time. They are captivating and original and totally addictive. I'll be sat shell shocked over this book for days. Perfect as always. 5 stars.

Review - At Any Turn - Brenna Aubrey

*** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. ***

Wow!! Just Wow! I was not expecting this book to go the way it did at all. I loved At Any Price, book 1 in this series. It was different and exciting and gripping from page 1. So I was really excited to get my eager hands on book 2. 

The story continues a little further on in time. Adam Drake, Millionaire CEO and Mia Strong the brilliant geek girl blogger, are still together and loved up. Adam took a long break from his demanding lifestyle and career, as the CEO of a massive gaming empire, by doing an incredibly hard, yet life accessing hike through some of the highest mountains in California. A break from his career addicted lifestyle. After finishing the crazy hike, he wants nothing more than to reconnect with Mia and start their life together. 

As great as that all seems, it's a little too good to be true. Things are thrown at Adam and Mia right from the start. From Mia's fierce determination to follow her life long desire to be the best Doctor she can be, to Adams unreasonable need to control everything including Mia. This is just the start and nothing compared the the biggest hurdle thrown at them later on. I wasn't prepared to be so emotionally thrown by the sequence of events between Adam and Mia. Adam keeps on making crazy mistakes that pushes Mia further and further away, yet because the book is in his POV, we can see his reasoning and can't help but understand why he does it. No matter how wrong it is, everything stupid thing he does is just his way of dealing with how he feels about Mia. He's not used to dealing with the emotions he has. 

The hardest part of reading this book was, after following Mia's journey in Book 1, we never get to hear what's going on with her this time. It's great to hear it in Adams mind, yet I miss hearing things from Mia. Especially with everything that is going on, it was strange to not know why. 

Despite which POV the book is in, it is still full of emotion and we get to feel that so well through Adam. I never did guess the outcome, the big surprise I should say. I had so many ideas and guesses but never really got the right one. Yet when it got there, I wasn't quite ready for just how emotional it would be. I was already blubbering like mad by the end. Plus it ended in such an unknown yet heart wrenching way. I will be not very patiently waiting for book 3 to come out but I just know it's not going to be too easy to read. Adam and Mia's hard journey has only just begun. 4.5 Stars. 

Cover Reveal - A Need So Insatiable - Cecilia Roberts

Book Title: A Need So Insatiable

Series: Hearts #1

Designer: Najla Qambar

Genre: Contemporary romance

Book Synopsis:

“You've owned me from the moment I walked into that music room. You've wrapped yourself in my heart and mind. I can’t get you out. I don’t want to.” ~ Rafael Van Rees

Sophie Fisher’s life is on fire. If she’s not ducking around corners or slipping out of windows to escape the debt collectors her father's death has left knocking on her door, she’s dealing with her rebellious, fifteen-year-old sister, Lilli. And, as if that’s not enough, Rafael Van Rees crashes into her life—literally—bringing with him a past the public has no idea of. Can she unravel his mysteries before he unravels her, or will his presence finally force her to face the demons she's trying to outrun?

Rafael Van Rees prides himself on being in control of his destiny, music and women. As far as he is concerned, his past is a black cloud in the distance--until he meets Sophie, that is, and his world spins out of control in more ways than one. He knows the darkest sins and secrets eventually reveal themselves, but when it comes to Sophie, he'll stop at nothing to protect her from his past. Even if it kills him.

Author Bio:

Cecilia Robert writes YA, NA and Adult. She enjoys writing stories about people finding love in the most unexpected places, coupled with adventurous journeys, whether it's urban, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary or paranormal romance. There's always a happy ever after, no matter how long it takes to get there. When she's not working in my full time job, she dons her supermom cape, or in most cases finds myself trapped between the pages of a book in search for a hero who'll make her swoon with just a look or a word

Author Links:

Twitter

Blog

Facebook

Buy Links:

Amazon B&N Smashwords

 

My Review: A Need So Insatiable.

Review - Chocoate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe - Rebecca Raisin

This novella was such a sweet and lovely read. I wasn't entirely sure if it was my type of book before I started reading, but I don't think anybody who enjoys light hearted romance books with great characters could not find it their type of book. It was charming and funny with less than 100 pages long yet it felt so much longer. The writing and detail put in to this story was so rich, you lose track of how many pages it has. 

We're taken to The Gingerbread Cafe in a small town where everybody knows each other and each other's business. It's a community where a Chocolate Festival over Easter is big deal to everyone and something that everyone gets involved in. Everything seems perfect for Lily who runs the Cafe with the help of CeeCee a bubbly co-worker with a hilarious and light look over everything. She's now living with the droolworthy Damon who runs the shop across from hers, after finally getting over her ex who ditched her and took everything except her cafe with him, 2 years ago. Things couldn't be better, until Lily's conniving ex, Joel wanders back in to her life. We see Lily try and deal with the slippery and sneaky Joel whilst preparing for the spectacular Easter event. 

The massive amount of delicious and mouthwatering sweet treats that were being concocted in the cafe were literally making me curse my inability to make anything without strict instructions on the packet. I was practically craving something ginger & chocolate which is not unusual for me, but it certainly isn't usually a bi-product of reading! The detail that went into all the descriptions had me practically smelling everything that went on in that cafe.

The characters were all pretty colourful and addictive. From CeeCee the loveable mother figure with amazing talent in the kitchen, and in being an amazing friend to so many. To Sarah the bookworm in the bookshop down the road, who manages to provide some gritty romance reads to CeeCee & cookbooks to Lily in exchange for chocolate goodies. Everyone has a tale to tell and is really warm hearted and fun to read. 

I did read this was a standalone before I read it yet, I definitely feel like I want to read Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe. Everything about this book was captivating and made for such a light hearted and happy read, that I needed. I want to read how Damon & Lily first met up. This was a great Novella and I'm glad it's part of a series I can't wait to read more. 4 Stars.

Easter Sale - Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe - Rebecca Raisin

Great Sale Price!! (Amazon Links Below)

A Sweet Story To Get Lost In This Easter!

 

The Gingerbread Café is all a buzz! This Easter, Lily and the rest of the town of Ashford, Connecticut are planning a truly decadent Chocolate Festival. Cooking up a storm, CeeCee and Lily are not just baking a batch of their sinfully delicious chocolate-dipped gingerbread men, but an excess of chocolate truffles, squidgy, cinnamony hot cross buns and melt in your mouth chocolate eggs. The Gingerbread Café staff have definitely enjoyed the tasting process!

Add in Damon’s cute-as-a-button seven year old daughter, Charlie, up for a visit and Lily’s perfect Easter may just be around the corner. Until her ex-husband Joel turns up demanding twenty thousand dollars… Suddenly the future of the Gingerbread Café is not so clear…and Lily finds herself eating far more of The Gingerbread Café’s treats than her skinny jeans allow…

Can Lily concoct a brilliant plan to save her beloved café, convince Damon she has no feelings for Joel and still throw a Chocolate Festival the town will be talking about for years? There’s only one way to find out...

Welcome back to the warmth, cupcakes and hot chocolate of The Gingerbread Café – your home away from home

This is the second novella in The Gingerbread Café series

Christmas at the Gingerbread Café

Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Café

Coming Christmas 2014 look out for the next romantic instalment!


Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Goodreads



Review - To come.

Review - Sunshine (Sunshine #1) - Nikki Rae

                                                                         

***I was given a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest & fair review***

After reading the synopsis on this book, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I love the paranormal genre and pretty much enjoy most subjects within that genre. The only thing that worries me these days, is Vampires. They have been done to the extreme over and over in a multitude of ways. That's not to say I don't enjoy the subject, I do. I love vampire stories but worry when another one comes along. I just don't like to read a copy of something else already out. 

Anyway, I really didn't need to worry at all. This book is nothing like any other book I've ever read, vampires or not. It was fresh and different, and fit in so many different subject matters it was full to burst. Thus being incredibly hard to put down. There is some really sensitive and sad aspects of this story which are touched on pretty heavy but they are done perfectly and just added to how much I loved the characters. 

Sophie is an 18 year old in her final year of school. She is anything but your average American 18 year old. She has an allergic reaction to the sun, so she has to cover up totally and avoid it where possible. Her family life is confusing, but she has some amazing friends. She has also had some horrible things happen in her past which have helped make her the way she is now. Despite all that, she is quirky and funny, a really talented musician and in need of some good luck. In walks Myles, quiet and gorgeous with secrets. He's determined to be Sophie's friend and turns out to be an amazing friend and really good for her. They learn a lot about each other with some twists and turns along the way, but their friendship is really sweet and special. It grows in to more than friendship but that's where things get complicated for Sophie. With some really fast paced drama at the end, I was literally on the edge of my seat at one point. Sophie really does turn out to be quite invincible with everything that is thrown at her. I went from starting the sniffling, to panicking, back to the sniffling, then to sighing in relief. Crazy emotion there! 

I loved all the characters in this book and their was plenty of them. From her best friends Boo & Trei, to her brother Jade and his boyfriend Stevie. They were all so colourful and fun. Like I said before, when i started this I was panicking about it being another stereotypical school drama with some vampire action thrown in, but I couldn't have been more wrong and blown away. I can't wait to get started on book 2!! 

Review - Storm Ravaged (Storm Damages #2)

So, I decided to come back to this sequel after taking a break after the 1st book. This book takes off only 2 1/2 months after the end of the last book. It would appear Gabriel lost some of his memories in the accident. Some came back, but nothing of Elizabeth. So when they meet up again to close the deal from before. It's a very weird atmosphere between them. Elizabeth is now even further along in the pregnancy but as she never told Gabriel in the last book, and then he lost his memory anyway, he had no clue. His sister Brianna has updated him on everything, and he decides he wants part of his child's life. So begins a bizarre series of meeting between them. It's very cold and lacking the chemistry that they had before. There is obviously an attraction between them, and Gabriel is picking up on how he felt about Elizabeth before but it's still a fair bit off. Even with the decisions they make together for whatever reasons, it seems to have quite a cold and lacking feel to it. There is a bit of suspense thrown in and quite a lot of drama. But a fair few of the key points that happen are skimmed through, so the time seems to be flying by. Towards the end, when everyone is brought to Gabriel's family home in England, it gets quite exciting. There is a few family revelations, and some shocker moments. Also some drama and intrigue thrown in. Which actually picks up the pace and makes it quite unputdownable. The end is surprising and sad and makes me desperate for the next book in the series. This book was enjoyable and I'm glad I read it. I do want to see where Gabriel and Elizabeth end up. Yet I was a little disappointed with the way in which the characters lost a little of their chemistry and raw attraction. I didn't get the same feel from Gabriel that I did in book 1, he was totally alpha and addictive in book 1. Yet I feel in this book he was quite weak and had lost some of his potent, demanding, sexiness. Still good though. 3.5 stars. 

1 Crazy, Busy Week Old

 

 

So, it's been 1 week since this blog went live (plus all my attached social media accounts created) and it's been such a crazy, busy week! I've loved it of course. Starting them all up was mental, running between each one. Yet, when all were ticking over i could breathe a little, and attempt to catch up on actual reading. The main reason I actually started this in the first place. ;) So i have spent a couple of days breaking through my growing pile of books, and I'm spending today finishing my 'Saturday Series Catch-Up' read. So, if you have visited any of my sites and returned, Thank you!! It makes it so worthwhile for me. Right, so with that, I'll be off to finish my book. So I can be back with my review. Bye for now!! :) Lou. xx

Summer Sky by Lisa Swallow: Release Day Blitz

Book title: Summer Sky by Lisa Swallow

Series: Blue Phoenix #1

Genre: Contemporary romance

Release date: April 2014

Cover designed by:  Najla Qamber Designs

Hosted by: Forever Me Romance

SYNOPSIS

Sky changed her life for a man once, and she has no intention of doing it again - even if he is a six foot, tattooed rock god who makes a mean bacon sandwich.

Sky Davis is fed up of boyfriend Grant taking her for granted and when she comes home to find him wearing a girl, Sky suspects the relationship is over. She takes an unscheduled holiday and leaves the life (and guy) she hates behind. 

Rock star Dylan Morgan is struggling with fame and infamy, sick of his life being controlled by other people. Dylan cuts his hair and walks away from his role as lead singer of Blue Phoenix, leaving chaos and speculation behind.

Outside the English seaside town of Broadbeach their cars and worlds collide.

Sky decides Dylan is an arrogant guy with too many tattoos, and Dylan is amused by the smart-mouthed girl with no idea who he is. Dylan and Sky soon discover they’ve travelled to Broadbeach for the same reason - to escape from reality back to a place with happy childhood memories. 

Losing themselves in a world where they know nothing about each other, Sky and Dylan begin a summer romance that soon heats up their rainy English summer.

Fantasies can’t last forever and when reality crashes the party, Sky isn’t sure she wants to be more than his ‘summer Sky’ but Dylan doesn’t want to let her go.

Returning to the real world and public scrutiny isn’t their only problem. Blue Phoenix bass player, Jem Jones, has a reason for wanting Sky out of Dylan’s life, and is determined to come between them. Some things won’t stay hidden, even when they’re paid to ‘go away’.

Summer Sky is a quirky romance where occasionally more than the bacon sizzles. This is the first in the new ‘Blue Phoenix’ series of contemporary rock star romances.

Please note: this is a romance with a rock star hero, and not an erotic rock star book!

 

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon (US)

Amazon (UK)

Amazon (AU)

EXCERPT

"Sky! Waves!" 

I have my back to the ocean and a wave crashes against my legs, destabilising me. I regain my footing and attempt to move before the retreating water sucks my feet into the sand. At that moment a larger wave wipes me completely, dragging my body underwater. I panic at the confusion of being pushed and pulled out of my control, seawater swirling hair into my face and the bubbles rushing into my ears. The shell remains tightly gripped in my hand.

As water draws away, I push my head free. Dylan stands on the edge of the shore, water lapping his ankles, laughing. I spit out sea water and stagger to my feet. The weight of the damp hoodie threatens to pull me down again as I push hair from my eyes.

"That was fucking funny! You should see your face!" He wades towards me, arm outstretched to help.

Attempting to keep my footing, I lunge at him and slap his hard chest with both palms. "It was not! Screw you!” Dylan catches my arms as I make contact, and pulls me towards him.

Scrutinizing my face briefly, Dylan takes my cheeks in his broad palms and crushes his lips against mine. I gasp again, but it's not the sea snatching my breath this time. A new wave sways us, and Dylan holds my face tightly, his own footing steady as his mouth claims mine. A small voice in my head asks what the hell I’m doing but I ignore it - Dylan overwhelms all common sense the moment I have any physical contact with him. Losing myself in his mint-flavoured kiss, in the slide of his cool tongue, I yield to the power he holds over me. Dylan curls his fingers into my wet hair and pulls me closer; I respond with a deep kiss, tracing fingers across his stubbled cheek.

Fierce or gentle, his kisses mould my soul to his as perfectly as his body shapes with mine, as if we’re in a place created by our coming together. Kissing Dylan last night pulled me into his orbit, and when I see stars again, I swear his kisses will always take me to the edge of his galaxy. If Dylan can remove me from reality with just this, god knows what anything else he's skilful at would do to me. The thought of us skin on skin, united through more than a kiss, lights a fire deep inside that would take more than the cold Cornish sea to extinguish.

Dylan loosens his grip on my hair and slides his hands across my damp back. He closes the final gap between us as our bodies meet, and I wish the rain-soaked clothes weren’t in the way. “I have never met anyone so…” He grasps for a word then gives up and rests his forehead on mine. “I feel as if I’ve waited my whole life to meet you and then suddenly you’re here.”

For a moment I consider whether he’s teasing me again, but I guess I’m very different to the people in his real life. "I can honestly say I've never met anyone like you, Dylan Morgan."

He wipes water from my cheek with cool, damp fingers. "No-one’s met Dylan Morgan apart from you. Not for a lot of years, anyway.”

I stare at the truth reflected in his pale blue eyes, unable to believe any of this is reality. His grip on my back loosens, and I step back. Rain drips down his face, soaking through his T-shirt and clinging to his body in a way that does nothing to help my mounting desire to get my hands on him.

A subject change is needed rapidly, before I begin drooling.

AUTHOR BIO

Lisa is an author of new adult romance and writes both paranormal and contemporary, often with a side of snark. In between running a business, looking after her family and writing, Lisa sometimes finds spare time to do other things. This often involves swapping her book worlds for gaming worlds. She even leaves the house occasionally. Lisa loves all things from the Whedonverse and preferred vampires before they sparkled. 

Lisa has four books published: the ‘Butterfly Days’ series, and two in her urban fantasy series Soul Ties. She is currently working on a new contemporary romance series Blue Phoenix and the first book, Summer Sky is due for release in April. Lisa is originally from the UK but moved to Australia in 2001 and now lives in Perth in Western Australia with her husband, three children and dog.

AUTHOR LINKS

  

 Facebook

Twitter

Website

Goodreads

GIVEAWAY