Monday, April 29, 2019

Review: No Other Duke But You by Valerie Bowman

Title: No Other Duke But You
Author: Valerie Bowman
Genre/Age: Historical Romance
Series: Playful Brides (Book Eleven)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: ebook via Publisher
Rating: ✺✺✺
SynopsisA lady with a love potion. A Duke who takes it by mistake. Romance and mischief ensues when plans go awry in No Other Duke But You by Valerie Bowman.


SINGLE LADY SEEKS DUKE

Lady Delilah Montebank has her marital sights set on the Duke of Branville. There’s just one problem: he barely knows she exists. But no matter, she’s got a plan to win him over with her charm, her wit—and perhaps the love potion she has in her possession wouldn’t hurt her cause...

Lord Thomas Hobbs, Duke of Huntley, thinks his best friend Delilah’s quest to become a duchess is ridiculous. He’s always said he’d rather give up all the brandy in London than commit to one person for life. Besides, he knows that Delilah’s love potion can’t possibly win over Branville…since she accidentally gave it to him instead. But perhaps this is the excuse he needs to show her he’s always loved her...

Delilah can’t believe she gave the potion to the wrong duke. Then again, Delilah could do a lot worse than win the hand of her handsome best friend. Could it be that the right duke has been before her eyes all along?





Delilah glanced up and down the dim hallway. It was well past three in the morning, she was still dressed in the pink ball gown she’d worn to the party, and she clutched the small vial of Cupid’s Elixir in her sweaty, guilty palm. She pressed her back against the shadowed wall not far from the Duke of Branville’s bedchamber. She could do this. More importantly, she would do this. She’d come this far, hadn’t she? What did a little sneaking about in the middle of the night matter?
She’d got detailed instructions to Branville’s room from Derek, who thankfully hadn’t asked any questions about why she wanted to know. According to him, the room was four doors to the right, just past the staircase on the third floor. The third floor was where all the bachelor gentlemen were sleeping. It would be a complete scandal if she was found lurking about alone at this time of night, but she’d waited until the household seemed quite asleep and then waited a bit longer for good measure. Anyone who saw her now would be skulking about themselves, which meant they would hardly be in a position to judge her. She briefly wondered if she’d run into Lavinia.
It was not as if she was out to do anything particularly scandalous. It was more silly and frivolous than anything else. She’d simply die, however, if Branville woke up and asked her what she was doing sprinkling pixie water in his eyes. She’d already decided to pretend as if she were dreaming, thinking she was Puck in the play. Sleepwalking. That would make all the sense in the world. Wouldn’t it? She swallowed hard. Probably not, but she wasn’t about to let the fear of being caught stop her. Besides, all of her and Lucy’s matchmaking had turned into a colossal mess. If a spray of perfume could sort it out, so be it. Of course, Delilah’s conscience reminded her that she hadn’t offered any of the perfume to Rebecca to use on Thomas. She didn’t want to even contemplate that. She’d already shared it with one other person, and that made her guilty enough. The image of Madame Rosa’s disapproving, craggy face had haunted her all evening.
Delilah shook off the thought and turned her attention back to the matter at hand. Pressing her empty palm against the darkened wall, she inched her way along until she came to Branville’s door. She felt like a spy. This was how professional spies did such things, wasn’t it? Too bad she was too embarrassed by her actions to ask the veritable house full of professional spies who happened to be asleep behind other doors right now.
She transferred the vial into her opposite hand and slowly reached to grasp the door handle. The metal was cold in her bare hand. She’d discarded her gloves, deciding that they would make her actions more clumsy. The last thing she needed tonight was to be more clumsy than usual. Decidedly, she needed to be less so.
She clutched the door handle like a lifeline and closed her eyes, steadying her shaking fingers on the knob. She was close, so close. Praying that the door wouldn’t squeak, she turned the handle slowly. The only sound was the thumping of her own heart in her ears.
When the handle was turned as far as it would go, she pushed it, praying fervently that it wasn’t locked. It took a moment before she realized the door was opening. Its hinges silent, merci a Dieu. Completely silent.
She slipped inside the cool, dark room. Steady, deep breathing came from the bed. Thank goodness, she hadn’t woken the duke with her entrance. She could barely see a thing, but she didn’t dare light a candle. A tiny stream of moonlight filtered into the room through a small opening in the curtains on the far window. She used that to identify the hulking bed in the center of the room. She tiptoed over to it slowly, taking care in case there was anything to trip over. No doubt she would find it if there was.
She made it to the foot of the bed without incident and paused, trying to quell her nerves and dispel her guilt. She clutched the vial more tightly in her palm, shaking with fear and anxiety. Now that she was here, she had no earthly idea how to drop liquid on a man’s eyes without awakening him. Besides, how much of it was she supposed to use? Surely not much. She would employ the tiniest drops possible so as not to disturb him, but she also needed to ensure the perfume touched his eyelids. Tricky business, this being a fairy. She had a sudden appreciation for Puck.
Holding her breath, she lifted her skirts with her free hand and tiptoed to the right side of the bed. Because it was summer, the bed curtains weren’t drawn. The window was open, and a slight breeze blew through the crack in the curtains.
The outline of the duke’s body was barely visible in the moonlight. He was turned away on his side, his back to her, his face toward the window. She would have to lean over his body to sprinkle the elixir on his eyes. The bed was tall. She must carefully climb up to do this task properly. She only hoped she didn’t jostle the mattress enough to wake him.
She waited in silence for a few moments to ensure his breathing remained steady, then she carefully lifted first one knee and then the other, bracing them on the mattress and pulling herself up, still clutching the vial. She winced as he moved slightly in his sleep, but he kept his face turned away. Blast it.
Once she was fully atop the bed, she paused and hoped the hammering of her heart didn’t wake him. He smelled good, a combination of soap and maleness that she wanted to breathe in. There was something vaguely familiar about his scent.
Shaking away that unhelpful thought, she moved gingerly across the mattress on her knees until she came to a stop at his side. His shirt was off. The beam of moonlight hit his smooth, muscled arm. She swallowed. The man’s chest was positively swoon-worthy. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and uncorked the vial. Then she carefully leaned over as far as she could to locate his eyes. They remained shrouded in the dark, but she took a guess as to their general direction and tipped the little vial as slowly and carefully as she could. He turned then, and she was afforded enough light to see that the first tiny drop of liquid did indeed fall directly onto his eyelid.
He blinked, and she held her breath. When he settled back into sleep, she closed her eyes and said a brief prayer that she would get away with it a second time before tipping the vial once more to allow another tiny drop to fall on his other eyelid.
He blinked and rubbed at his eyes while Delilah held her breath again, paralyzed with fear. Soon, he settled back into his pillow and his breathing returned to its steady pace.
She pressed a hand to her throat. It was over. She was done. All she had to do was extract herself from the bed and the room without being seen or heard. The difficult part was behind her.
Still praying he wouldn’t stir, she backed away from the duke. Slowly. Slowly. She’d nearly made it to the edge of the bed when he flipped over to face her. A beam of moonlight slid over his sleeping features.
Delilah gasped.


From No Other Duke But You. Copyright © 2019 by Valerie Bowman and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.


Valerie Bowman grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her mini-schnauzers, Huckleberry and Violet. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.


**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book.**

Friends to lovers--done right!

This book would make a great movie. There are a lot of colorful characters, our main couple are incredibly likable, and there is a good deal of humor here also. The blurb mentions the love potion and I was a little disappointed to see it only made an appearance toward the end of the story. However, once it does come into play, boy does it make a splash.

I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish. I always tend to enjoy a friends-to-lovers type of story and this one was done well. Our couple have a tight bond, which we can see from the beginning. But we also get to watch it bloom into something more. Jealousy replaces comfort and our heroine starts to see her BFF in a new light.

There are a lot of characters in this book, so that is a lot of names to keep straight. We are introduced to the more important players, which makes it easier. But the rest of the secondary characters are sort of just tossed in. So reading the other previous books in this series would be helpful. Despite the many faces, this was a fairly easy story to follow along with.

In closing...
If you enjoy a friends-to-lovers story as much as I do, this one is for you! Four suns!

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Book Blitz: Gunfight at the Old Leake Canal by G.B. Hope


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. GB Hope will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In Liverpool, England, 18-year-old student and Freerunner, Bodie, survives an assassination attempt and flees for his life. His only thought is to secure the safety of girlfriend, Lily, and reach his journalist cousin, Anthony.

Bodie has stumbled into a diabolical plot from the world's governments to end terrorism, famine and global warming in one swift swoop. So begins a race for survival, joined by a variety of other characters, moving from one set piece to the next, as the world that everyone knows is about to change forever.




Read an Excerpt:

He didn’t have to wait long. But, instead of one or two marked police cars rushing to detain someone who had reported a murder, he was treated to the worrying spectacle of three black Range Rovers, with blacked-out windows, arriving at speed and whizzing up the ramp into the car-park. Very sinister indeed.

He got into the Beetle and drove off. Soon, he noticed that his bimbo manager had left the car with almost no fuel, so he pulled into the first petrol station that he saw. He filled up, before going in to pay with his Visa card. He also bought a packet of cheese and onion crisps, which he proceeded to eat, while he used the outside cash machine. Moving towards the Beetle, he suddenly heard the sound of the helicopter again, seemingly immediately overhead. Quickly, he grabbed the gun and ammunition from the glove compartment and bolted away. If he had driven out, he just knew they would have been straight onto him. Instead, he ran through the garage car wash, skipped a low wall, and was away across wasteland.


About the Author: GB Hope is the author of 11 novels of various genres. He lives in Manchester with his Indonesian wife and their two boys.

https://www.amazon.com/Gunfight-At-Old-Leake-Canal-ebook/dp/B01FBG6MFO
https://www.amazon.com/G.-B.-Hope/e/B005D47I8U

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Monday, January 21, 2019

Book Blast: Immortal Girl5 by Griffin Stark


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Griffin Stark will be awarding a copy of the book (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The year is 1095, Normandy, France. Five year old Skylar runs away into the woods to escape nuns who are convinced her inexplicable seizures are the work of satan. She survives after being adopted by wolves, when two mysterious strangers appear and reveal Skylar’s destiny to her. Skylar is the first of the Immortal Girls, destined to save humanity from itself.

Immortal Girl5 (January 22, 2019) follows Skylar, Rachel, Caitlin, Beth, and Bethany, five immortal sisters who, over the course of a thousand years, attempt to learn the purpose of their own existence while hunting down the worst criminals this world has ever seen. They’ve faced the likes of Jack the Ripper and the Nazis, but as a new enemy arises to threaten the sisters’ survival they’ll soon learn that immortality doesn’t mean forever.



Read an Excerpt

She had never heard those words spoken to her—in a romantic way—in her entire existence. Her heart began to race, and Skylar felt something inside of her that was a combination of warmth, beauty, excitement and fear swirling within her soul, almost daring it to take a leap of faith. That was the second most important moment in Skylar’s existence, the first being the day that Isabelle and Alistair saved her life.


About the Author:
GRIFFIN STARK is an American author who proudly lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Even as a young child, Griffin had an active imagination. As an author of young adult fiction, he has harnessed his creativity to tell memorable stories filled with important life lessons.

Griffin served as a combat medic in The United States Air Force and later founded THE SHEEPDOG MOVEMENT to join in the fight against bullying of teens worldwide.

Visit http://immortalgirl5.com/ to learn more about Griffin and his YA fantasy novel, Immortal Girl5.

Watch the Immortal Girl5 book trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C184CfqO380

And purchase a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Girl5-Griffin-Stark-ebook/dp/B07JZ52226/ref=sr_1_1

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Monday, January 7, 2019

Promo & Tour: Flawed by Vivian Kohlman


Title: Flawed
Author: Vivian Kohlman
Genre/Age: Contemporary Romance/Adult
SynopsisThat guy—the one that most girls would run away from—captured Kara’s attention and wouldn’t let it go. As expected, he turned out to be a player. So she cut him off.

But he wasn’t done with her yet. He waited until the memory of their start would have been forgotten—at least, softened a bit. Then he returned to her life, and captured her heart.

Finally blissfully happy, they fall in love and decide to make it official…until his past catches up with him and he destroys her again. But this is it…this is the last time she’ll fall for him.

And she keeps telling herself that until she almost believes it.

This book is for mature audiences.



“Let’s do a round of shots,” I suggest while sitting down. I don’t do shots, like ever, which could explain Anna’s jaw dropping to the floor. The waitress was approaching so I took it upon myself to order us a round of lemon drops and another round of drinks, even though our first was only half empty.

I did my best to have a good time, but I had this underlying feeling of stupidity. My worst fears are actually coming true. How could I have trusted this guy? After we finished the shots and well into the second drink, I checked my phone and have a text from Naheed, along with a picture of Nik and me laughing together (surely sent to him by Lauren).

Who the heck is this guy?

Of course, I couldn't resist responding.

Your replacement. I hope you and your wife find a great condo in Beirut. Say hi to her for me, as soon as she arrives.

My phone started ringing so I turned it off. I apologized to the group about texting, saying I just had to take care of something. Nik, who's sitting in a chair right next to me, touches my arm and asks if everything's OK. I pulled my arm away—pretending to re-adjust in the seat—and say everything's fine. I guess I’m just not comfortable with another guy touching me quite yet.



Five Favorite Movie Scenes
by: Vivian Kohlman

I LOVE watching movies! To pick out my top five favorite scenes is difficult, because I love so many different kinds of movies. But I did my best to narrow my favs to the below:

  1. Love Actually, after the wedding when the singers from the balcony and the musicians scattered throughout the crowd start the love song. It’s a very creative and happy scene, and always makes me tear up. Another great scene from this movie is when Juliet answers the door to large, funny notecards held by an admirer. 
  2. Devdas, when Paro steps on a thorn and she and Devdas have a romantic Bollywood dance. The scenery, and Paro, is beautiful. I love Bollywood movies…the dancing, the singing, the colorful clothing and scenery. And some scenes truly show the characters’ feelings, like this one. 
  3. Pulp Fiction, when Vincent and Mia go to dinner, when they participate in the contest and win. But again, this movie has a ton of fantastic scenes. 
  4. Princess Bride, the battle of wits. Still to this day I overuse the word “inconceivable”, and still to this day the Princess Bride captures my attention from start to finish. This scene stands out as very clever and funny. 
  5. Se7en, at the end, when David learns what’s in the box. I never thought the scene would end as it did, and it’s gut wrenching.



Vivian Kohlman writes romance novels based on stories of love and loss under the backdrop of Washington, DC. She grew up in Maryland just outside DC, but lived in Los Angeles on and off in her 20's before returning to the Washington, DC area to live out her adult life. 

Vivian attended a private university in Washington, DC for undergraduate and graduate school, and lived a very active social life. During her teens and twenties she and her friends lived through a lot of ups and downs—these experiences have fed the stories of this series. 

Currently, she loves to travel with her husband and reads or writes romance novels as often as she can. When she’s not writing, she works a fulltime job and enjoys all of the bars, restaurants, and other hot spots of the nation’s capital. Born and raised in the DC metro area, she adores the culture of the city and is passionate about highlighting the city's attributes, lifestyles, and norms—not including politics.

Links
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013M8PJDE Flawed, Book 1 of the Y&P series (Kara’s story, part 1)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01801MRO2 Found, Book 2 of the Y&P series (Kara’s story, part 2)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GUDGQGW Let Go, Book 3 of the Y&P series (Billi’s story)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZN48CD Girls Like Me, Book 4 of the Y&P series (Ava’s story, part 1)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1C5WSX Guys Like You, Book 5 of the Y&P series (Ava’s story, part 2) 



Note from Author:
The book, Flawed, is not erotica, but does include some steamy scenes, and contains adult situations (curse words, drinking alcohol, etc).

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Thursday, January 3, 2019

Book Blitz: Final Notice by Van Fleisher


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Van Fleisher will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The year is the very near future. A brilliant young doctor and mathematician, Vijay Patel, has invented a new health/sport watch that monitors blood chemistry so accurately, it can actually predict when someone will die – within 10, 20, or 30 days. The intention of this “Final Notice,” as it is called, is to allow people to get their affairs in order and reach out to loved ones before it’s too late. But when those notified have easy access to a gun, the result is sometimes lethal for more than just the watch-owner.

These are the stories of several people who receive their Final Notice and their very different reactions ... including a desire to get revenge with impunity. They range from an 89-year-old resident in a retirement home to a U.S. Senator...from a benevolent widow to a crass tycoon to a noted climate change scientist.

But in this fresh, fast-paced page-turner, their stories are all set against the all-too-recognizable backdrop of a guns-gone-wild America, and the relentless push by the NRA and their surrogate politicians to make guns even easier to acquire.

There is plenty of dark humor and political satire in FINAL NOTICE, as well as touching scenes and outright suspense. So expect to laugh out loud, dry some tears, and bite your nails (not necessarily in that order).


Read an Excerpt:

And sure enough, in 1.24 seconds, Trudi had 1,620,000 results. “Here it is. California law protects us if we shoot a burglar in our home. Still, it wouldn’t help if we didn’t hear them until they burst into the room. I can’t see either one of us having the presence of mind to reach for the gun, roll out of bed and blast away. What are you smiling at?”

“At the image of you doing just that!”

“Hey. I’ve been watching Angelina Jolie and I think I can manage the moves.”


About the Author:
“After 21 years with an airline, and 30 years in management consulting, I retired and found that my phone didn’t ring and the only emails I got were asking for money. So, since I was at my computer, I decided to write a novel.”

This is only half the story. (Van is notoriously modest.) The author was Director of International Marketing with TWA, and an International Management Consultant – taking him behind the closed doors of boardrooms and executive offices around the world. He knows how business works, which gives the slightly “sci-fi” premise of Final Notice a realistic feel. Moreover, his two careers led him to live abroad for much of his life. After growing up in New Jersey and Florida, where he never thought much further than the length of a football field, and going to college in New Mexico, he wound up living in England, Scotland and France, travelling frequently to the Middle East and Asia. He even spent a year living in India. And his first-hand experience with – and respect for – other cultures is apparent in this book.

“Final Notice is meant to highlight, my concerns with America’s handling of three important issues: gun control (not anti-gun), ageism and the importance of immigration. The book won’t fix these issues, but there are a number of great organizations with even greater people working on our behalf to right these wrongs. Proceeds from sales of Final Notice will help support those efforts.”

http://www.finalnoticebook.com
https://www.facebook.com/finalnoticebook
https://twitter.com/vanf44
https://www.amazon.com/FINAL-NOTICE-What-would-certain-ebook/dp/B0798XNY6P

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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Book Blitz: Oasis by Bharat Krishnan



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bharat Krishnan will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Once, there was a truce. Desperaux controlled the west with magic, and Desire claimed the east with steel and science.

But now magic has disappeared, and the world has changed.

The kingdom of Desire will stop at nothing to maintain the new world order. On Juno’s wedding day, their Mengery soldiers came marching through the Nine desert to rip his world apart. Now he journeys east with his adopted brother, Trey, in search of revenge after the murder of his family. Along the way, the two face bandits and the magical creatures of the Nine. When they finally reach Desire, Juno and Trey will face something even deadlier – their own fears and ambitions.

This is a tale of brotherhood, a revenge story that will remind you that everything has a cost – a cost that will be paid to Desire and to the inner demons that govern us all.


Read an Excerpt:

Sand and sun dirtied anything that wasn’t already stained by the Nine, but Trey still tried to keep his hair clean. It was one of the few things he could control in this life, and he’d be damned if anyone at the orphanage said he wasn’t an individual. Soon after the owners of the orphanage died, he broke the lock into their bedroom and found a cooling unit with enough power left to experience a different world for five minutes. He hadn’t told anyone it still had power, not even Drea. He just cranked it up to full power one morning before anyone else had woken up and pretended he was a king.

As clean as Trey was, Sora was dirty. He stood 5’5 with mangy black hair, and was pudgy despite the fact he’d lived his entire life in the orphanage with virtually no food. Trey knew he was stealing rations from the younger kids. The second evidence came to light, Trey would throw Sora out. He was a thief, Trey thought, and beyond that he had hurt Drea. But for now, the two were the only ones who could keep this place running.

And so Trey and Sora would continue to work together because Trey believed in such a thing as obligation. Power shouldn’t be limitless; just because he and Sora were in charge, didn’t mean they should get to live better than everyone else. And Sora had his uses. Where he was strict, Sora was relaxed. Where he was hard, Sora was soft.


About the Author:
Bharat Krishnan is a philanthropic consultant in Columbus, Ohio. After ten years in Democratic politics, he wrote a memoir about his life on the road as a political campaign manager and just released a fantasy novel called Oasis. He refers to himself as a professional storyteller and amateur cook.

https://www.amazon.com/Bharat-Krishnan/e/B01KSCZ1ZS
https://twitter.com/bharatkrishnan9
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15640359.Bharat_Krishnan

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JFG7BZ5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Review & Tour: A Duke Changes Everything by Christy Carlyle


Title: A Duke Changes Everything
Series: The Duke’s Den #1
Author: Christy Carlyle
Genre: Victorian Romance
Release Date: November 27, 2018
Length: 384 Pages
Format: Digital/Paperback
In the first novel in Christy Carlyle’s sizzling Duke’s Den series, three men, intent on making a fortune, discover irresistible opportunities . . .

Nicholas Lyon gambled his way into a fortune and ownership of the most opulent, notorious gentlemen’s club in England. But when Nick’s cruel brother dies, he inherits a title he never wanted. The sooner Nick is rid of the estate that has always haunted him, the sooner he can return to the life he’s built in London. But there’s one obstacle—the exquisite Thomasina Thorne.

When the new heir to the Tremayne dukedom suddenly appears in Mina Thorne’s life, she’s flustered. Not only is he breathtakingly handsome, but he’s also determined to take away her home and position as steward of the Enderley estate. If Mina learns what makes the enigmatic duke tick, perhaps she can change his mind—as long as she doesn’t get too close to him.

With each day Nick spends with Mina, his resolve weakens as their colliding wills lead to explosive desire. Could she be the one woman who can help him finally bury the ghosts of his past?


Find out more at: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play



“Your sleep was troubled?” she asked softly.

“It always is.”

“I heard you call out. I thought you said my name.” Mina swallowed hard after the admission. She’d probably misheard him, but some rationale felt necessary to explain her presence in his room.

“Did I? Perhaps you’re haunting me in my sleep.” He did that thing with his thumb again, a seductive slide against her skin. His touch rippled out to spark goose bumps along her arm and heat between her thighs.

“You don’t remember your dreams?” she asked, her voice trembling like her insides.

“I try not to.”

“What troubles you?”

“Everything.” He let out a low chuckle, like the rusty creak of a door hinge. Lowering his chin, he assessed her. “Especially you.”

“I never intended to.” She pulled her hand from the duke’s, ignoring the shiver that spiked up her spine from the friction of his skin sliding against hers. “I’ll leave you so that you can get back to sleep.”

“Mina, wait.” He reached out, caught the edge of her arm, and a few strands of unpinned hair tangled between his fingers. “There’s something I must say before you go.”

She moved closer. He was utter temptation, all blazing heat and forest scents, and she felt an odd comfort being near him. She knew she should be scandalized. To be alone with him, a duke of the realm. A gambling club owner. Especially while he wore nothing but trousers and a half-buttoned shirt.

Fueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling author Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there's nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.

You can also visit her online at the following places: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Amazon



**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book.**

This was a great weekend read!

Image result for weekend read gif


When Nick is forced to take on the dukedom he never wanted, the last thing he expected to find was a woman in charge of the estate. Not just any woman--one that doesn't run away screaming from the sight of him. And she might be tempting enough to make him want to give up his gaming hell, the only thing of importance in his life, to spend his days in the country instead. She's ruining his plans, but he's finding it hard to care anymore.



Historical romances are sort of unique in that a lot of stories sound similar to one another if you read their blurbs. I mean, there are only so many ways that a duke can come into power. A popular plot theme is when the casted out second son suddenly receives a title on the death of his older brother. That's the way this story begins. And you may think you've read that plot somewhere before. Because you have. But that doesn't mean this isn't a worthwhile book.



For me, the key to a good story is not necessarily originality. I do tend to dislike seeing the exact same 'formula' used, mostly in contemporary romance. However, I've read a lot of books that follow the same story progression as all of the others and yet still touch me on an emotional level. Even if I've seen this plot theme before, I crave likable characters I can connect with and a way of storytelling that pulls me in. This story has both of those, in spades.



The couple were interesting, separately and together. Nick's history was tragic and I could understand why his temperament would be soured after that. And while he was a brute in many ways, I appreciate the fact that he didn't run over the heroine or mistreat her just to show how tough he was. His demons made me sympathize with him and not loathe him for being a grump. I think that's the best way to write a 'bad boy' character. No wonder he was irresistible to Mina. He was to me too.



As for the story, it flows really well and there wasn't a single boring moment, even when the couple were doing mundane things. I read the whole book in a single evening. It was easy to dive into the story and root for these two lonely people to come together. The ending was wrapped up nicely, yet I still could have read another five chapters of this couple doing practically anything. 

In closing... 
Another 5-star read from Ms. Carlyle!



Monday, November 26, 2018

Book Blast: Innocent & Sweet by Megan Slayer


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack featuring a necklace made by the author and signed swag to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Anissa Dunn wants one man -- Kameron. He’s got looks, brains and a boatload of attitude… and all that muscle. A girl can only take so much, and he's her heart's desire. She’s not afraid to give as good as she gets and she wants him to be her teacher in all things carnal.

There's only one catch -- he's her bodyguard and the rules state she can't date the staff.

But rules are meant to be broken…





Read an Excerpt

Copyright ©2018 Megan Slayer

"I have the package," Kam said. "Preparing to leave."

She frowned. The package. She didn't have the honor of being referred to by her name. Gaining his attention wasn't going to be easy. "I'm ready."

Kam nodded. "This way, Ms. Dunn."

"Anissa." He'd used her last name. Dang it. She'd pleaded with him so many times to call her by her first name. Ms. Dunn was her mother. She was just Anissa.

"Ms. Dunn." Kam escorted her to the front porch, then down the steps. He opened the passenger door of the limo. "After you."

"Thanks." She couldn't leave the house without her trusty bodyguard, Kam. She settled on the seat and folded her hands on her lap. Kam would do anything to protect her, and she trusted him, but she was twenty-one and her father needed to put some faith in her. He'd sheltered her from everything. She didn't resent him for trying -- when she turned twenty-five, she'd come into a hefty sum of cash via the trust her mother had left her, but still. She'd gone to an all-girls college, a private all-girls high school and never spent more than a few hours on her own. She crossed her legs, and her skirt rode high on her leg. Did Kam notice? Did he care?

She swept her gaze over him as he sat beside her. Strong and silent. He wore his clothes like a second skin, could eviscerate anyone who tried to get too close, but Kam said so little. Half the time she had no idea if he listened to her. Knowing him, he tuned her out.

"Kam?" She shifted in her seat to face him. Her skirt rode higher. He didn't pay her any attention, which rankled her. "Kameron."

"Ms. Dunn." He seemed to stare straight ahead.

She whipped out her phone. She couldn't go through with the date. Not now. She sent a text to the driver, requesting he stay in the driveway. She'd sent the itinerary to the security team but saw no point in leaving the house. Kam wasn't paying attention to her -- not in the way she wanted. He didn't seem to care.

She sighed. According to the magazines she'd bought, her college roommate and the dirty movies she'd watched in the middle of the night, she had to be aggressive and demand what she wanted. Sure... she could be aggressive. She could demand his attention. But she wasn't sure how.

Anissa switched seats to face Kam. The car rolled to a stop, most likely in front of the house. She parted her legs and leaned back. "Kam."

If he looked at her, she couldn't tell.

"Ms. Dunn?" Kam tensed, and the muscle in his jaw twitched. "Are you okay?"

Nope. He hadn't noticed her lousy attempts to entice him.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. What a liar..."I'd like to talk to you."


About the Author:
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj

Website: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
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Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Slayer/e/B008BJCFSC
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Buy Links:

Available from Changeling Press: https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2745
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DVM3N4Q/
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5rkBA

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