Street Smarts by Bianca Sommerland

Blurb:

The one time geeky high school teacher, Rupert ‘Rip’ Martinez, tries to play the hero, it almost costs him his life. Maybe he should leave the rescuing to the tough guys, like the man who saved him, Otto Shriver. Tattoos, dog tags, and a heart of gold, Otto is exactly the type of man Rip would go for.

In his dreams.

When socially awkward meets carefree and confident, it’s probably best they go their separate ways. Their only excuse to ever see one another again is an adorable pup in need of a good home.

Unless they really don’t need any excuses at all.

My review:

m/m

Street Smarts is a sweet tale of opposites attracting. Rip is an innocent school teacher and Otto has been beat up by life. Went they are brought together by Buster a little terrier mix you figure there is no way. They are just too different. But sometimes that might be just what you need.  Rip needs Otto’s strength and experience and Otto needs Rips goodness. I truly enjoyed watching these two get together. This book is filled with aww moments.

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Wolf on Board (Wolves of Willow Bend Book 14) by Heather Long

Blurb:

The wolf days of summer are here...

Meet Jake Danes of Hudson River—Lone Wolf, avid gamer, extreme sports enthusiast, and surfer. He’s spent the last two years roaming free, exploring the world and escaping the dark place his pack had become after betrayal and murder tore them apart. Sure, life changed back home, but Jake’s having way too much fun to return—riding the waves in Monterrey and living out of a van. It’s the perfect life, one he never wants to give up, no matter how many calls he’s fielding from his big brother…then he catches her scent.

Mimi Chase wanted one perfect year. Time away from pack politics and her mother’s matchmaking efforts. Ever since her big brother settled into mating with a healer, Mimi’s mom seems to have gone into overdrive—throwing her at every eligible male in the pack. Choosing to roam seemed the best option, and California the ideal location to get away from everything pack related. Her plans for art classes, yoga on the beach, maybe a cooking lesson or two while living a hippy dippy lifestyle are all she cares about…until another wolf butts into her every activity. Doesn’t he know the rules?

Lone Wolves aren’t supposed to form relationships, so why doesn’t he catch a hint? Worse, why isn’t she working harder to make sure he does? 

My review:

Jake Danes is a laidback surfer dude type of guy but that isn’t all he is. He is also a skilled hunter with a past. He has been surfing the world trying to find his way back to himself. When Mimi Chase winds up on the same beach as him he is a goner. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Jake reminds me a bit of Deeks from NCIS LA blonde, goofy, with the appearance of not taking anything too seriously. I like Mimi, she is strong, talented and searching for her future. She just didn’t expect to find it in Jake.

Wolf on Board is a transition book. Leaving one arc and entering another. I look forward to seeing where Ms. Long is going to take us. 

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Alpha Geek by Milly Taiden

Blurb:

Lioness shifter Scarlett Milan hates that she wants her boss more than her next breath. All she thinks about is how his black-rimmed glasses and bow tie are sexier on him than any other man. But since he’s human, she’s afraid she could break him, even kill him, during a night of wild sex.

Knox Daniels, wimpy bean counter, has lusted after Scarlett since the moment he met her. The fact she’s his best friend’s little sister has stopped all dirty thoughts. Well, almost. After he breaks up with his girlfriend, getting his hands on Scarlett is the first thing on his to-do list. Being murdered was not.

A vicious attack almost kills Knox, but science comes to the rescue. Now he’s no longer the weak human Scarlett was afraid to touch. Actually, no one knows what he is except possessive, aggressive, and demanding she be his. They’ll have to team up to keep him alive while figuring out if he’s a deranged killer or just the most powerful alpha ever known.

Reader's Note: Hang on to your panties, folks. This is going to be quick, dirty and will have your ereader asking for a cigarette. As with all my books, adults only, please. That means if you're a prude and don't like hot sex or dirty talk, step away from the book. All others, I love you freaky people.

My review:

Once again Milly Taiden takes us on a superfast rollercoaster ride of sexy shifter goodness. Knox is the geeky bow tie and black glasses boss that has lioness shifter Scarlett Milan’s inner kitty purring. Too bad he is human. She doesn’t know what to do. Her cat wants to lick him up and claim him as her mate but Scarlett knows it could kill him. When circumstances beyond their control change Knox into a special Alpha shifter Scarlett couldn’t be happier. Now if they can just stay alive to enjoy it. Break out the fans and a glass of the good stuff and enjoy.

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Outsider (Exodus End #2) by Olivia Cunning

Blurb:

Reagan Elliot should be living her dream...

She’s touring with Exodus End as their new rhythm guitarist and gaining more notoriety and fame than she ever imagined possible.

She’s earned the devoted love of not only one, but two spectacular men. Her committed threesome with sexy guitarist Trey Mills and her hunky bodyguard Ethan Conner is stable, loving, deep, and satisfying for all involved.

But sometimes the world sees things differently and is determined to destroy what it doesn’t understand.

Can Reagan’s relationship with Trey and Ethan survive the cruel backlash of the media, her family, and a bigoted public? Or will the talented musician lose everything she holds dear in the face of her own burgeoning doubts?

Outsider is the second book in the Exodus End World Tour series. It’s also the sequel to Double Time, the fifth book in the Sinners on Tour series.

My review:

m/f, m/m, m/m/f, m/f/m  you get the gist. This is a smoking hot rock and roll romance.  We saw the start of Reagan, Trey and Ethan’s love story in Double Time (Sinners on Tour #5) but this book stands on its own. That being said I don’t know that I would have liked Reagan as much if I hadn’t read Double Time first.  Reagan is a fill in guitarist for the biggest metal band in the country, Exodus End. She has found love with the sexy guitarist from rapidly rising metal band Sinners End Trey Mills and her body guard Ethan Conner. Each brings something to the relationship but even as there is more love in a poly romance there is also more adjustments to be made. Living your life in a fishbowl doesn’t help either.

As with any Olivia Cunning story there is a lot of hot loving going on. There are sub stories and characters from other stories. It is one happy world of music, mayhem and lots of love.  Dive on in.

Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

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Broken Dreams by Cassidy K. O'Connor

Blurb:

A twist of fate changes her life forever…
One dream put on hold to honor another…
Do second chances exist? Can dreams be reclaimed?

Twins, Isabelle and Ian are enjoying their senior year of high school with their whole lives ahead of them.

She is auditioning for Julliard and he has offers for soccer scholarships at any school he wants.

Only Isabelle knew he was planning to put off college and join the Army.
Tragedy strikes one day and Ian is killed. In her grief, Isabelle decides to put her dream on hold and honor his.

While deployed tragedy strikes again and she is injured.

Thinking her dreams of dancing again are out of reach she gives up on life. Is she strong enough to overcome her disabilities? Can the love she finds with her brothers best friend Conner be enough to help her reclaim her dreams?

My review:

Broken Dreams is a heartwarming, gut wrenching truly sweet story that will bring even the most hard hearted to tears both of joy and pain.  Isabelle is wonderfully strong and vulnerable and Conner is the perfect boyfriend. This is a fade to black romance so no sex scenes but that seems fitting too. I am not a big fan of switching point of views but that too seems to work. A wonderfully sweet tale that will keep you turning pages.

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Renewed Spirits (Wiccan Haus #19) by Merryn Dexter

Blurb:

A Desperate Woman
Wiccan Haus is Raegan’s last hope for a miracle. Unable to produce an heir for her husband, she finds herself abandoned and penniless. Raised to be the perfect wife and mother, her failure has broken her spirit.

A Reviled Demon
Zamahl comes to Wiccan Haus seeking meditation and relief from the never-ending sexual urges of his incubus nature. Driven to seek their true mates, incubi are the ultimate one-night stand from which some females never recover. Shunned throughout the para realms, he doubts he will ever find a woman to satisfy the demon within.

A Forbidden Passion
When Raegan meets the copper-eyed stranger, a passion she never believed herself capable of awakens. Zamahl is horrified by his burning attraction to the timid little human. Humans, weak of mind and body, are to be avoided at all costs.

As the Summer Solstice celebrations continue, Raegan must decide what she really wants from life, and find the courage to claim it. She must overcome Zamahl’s doubts, the disapproval of one very unhappy were-tiger and the fickleness of Fate to find true happiness. 

My review:

Take an incubus who hates what his demon side does to innocents and a woman who has lived for everyone but herself and put them on an island retreat. They’ve each come to Wiccan Haus for their own reasons but fate has different things in mind for them. I love the way Merryn Dexter introduces these characters and how she makes us care for them in very few pages. You will root them on despite themselves. A truly fun read.

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The Werewolf Tycoon's Secret Baby (The Woolven Secret Book 2) by Saranna DeWylde

Blurb:

While on holiday in Greece, Drew Woolven had a passionate encounter with a woman he never expected to see again. Especially not in a small Midwestern town with a boy that has a crescent moon birthmark on his wrist that matches Drew’s own. Emmie Anderson had never been more thrilled than when she discovered she was pregnant. At thirty-eight, she was tired of waiting for the right man to have a child, and after a messy divorce from a sociopath, she’s not sure she wants a man. Emmie thought she had it all planned out until she discovered her son’s unique affliction. Pack law demands Drew marry her and turn her to keep the Woolven secret, but after her divorce, Emmie swore she’d never let another man have that kind of power over her again. Especially not one who tempts her to surrender her heart.

My review:

Second chance romance werewolf style. Lots of twists and turns in this one. Can be read standalone but would be better understood if you’ve read Big Bad Billionaire (The Woolven Secret, #1). I love that Drew is patient and although he is strong he isn’t an alphahole. You have to love a guy that falls in love with his kid even after seeing the kid in full on brat mode.  Emmie impressed me with her quiet strength and determination.  These two are right up there with my favorite couples. I hope the next book comes out soon.

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Sassy Ever After: Sassy and a little Bad-Assy (Sassy Ever After Kindle World) by Jessie Lane

Blurb:

A Viking walks into a bar… 
Nikki Wolf wished that was the beginning of a bad bar joke. Unfortunately, it was her crazy grandfather looking for her … dressed in full Viking regalia. All she had wanted was to get a few hours away from her slightly insane family. 

… and gets thrown out on his ass by a sexy werewolf. 
Cruz Morales started his first shift as a bouncer at the Thirsty Wolfe an hour ago. His boss said the place could get crazy, but Vikings? Really? At first, he couldn’t understand what the senile old man was shouting about. Then he spotted the sexy brunette hiding underneath a table. He didn’t know who the hell she was to the old man or why she was hiding, but the beast inside him knew one thing for sure: she would be his. 

My review:

Jessie Lane is a new to me author but not for much longer. I picked up Sassy and a little Bad-Assy because I was having such fun with the other books in this world. This book was a hoot. The author acknowledges that there are often impediments to finding love even when you are a werewolf and fate tells you that the other party is the one.  I loved that Cruz was respectful and oh so careful with Nikki and her situation. This book sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go till the very last page. I am off to investigate Jessie Lane’s backlist.

Buy link:

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Unwanted Protector (Federal Paranormal Unit #3) by Milly Taiden

Blurb:

Jane Donovan has been living a lie. Every day for the past ten years, she's run from reality and the temptation that Tony Ramirez represents. But this year, Jane’s getaway is filled with more than just relaxation; there’s a dead man on her kitchen floor. Suddenly, keeping Tony away is the last thing Jane can do.

Tony Ramirez has wanted Jane for ten years. While she may not be his mate, the attraction is undeniable. When he can’t shake the feeling he needs to check on her, he decides to crash her vacation to ensure her safety. When he gets to her cabin, Jane is gone and nobody knows where she could be. 

Finding out who the dead man is may be the least of their troubles when a pint-sized, pink-haired little girl who needs help suddenly makes an appearance. Unfortunately for Jane, the trouble with a small lie is that it grows with time. The truth may come to light before she’s ready. Now they have a murder, a child, a mystery, and the unwavering attraction to deal with. 

My review:

Jane and Tony finally get their story! It’s been two years since the last book in this series. This book takes several exciting and unexpected turns. You have to love a guy who knows what he wants even if he has been told not to want it. What Tony wants is Jane.  It’s been 10 years but he can’t refuse the feeling that she needs him. His intention is to crash her vacation hideaway but when he get there things are a mess and she isn’t there. Get ready for a supersonic ride as Tony and the FPU unravel the mystery that is Jane. Twists, turns and sexy fun times.

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Stumble Stones: A Novel by Marilyn Baron

Blurb:

Hallelujah Weiss, writer for the steamy sudser As the Planet Spins, gets a second chance at love when she flees to Italy to get over her recent divorce, courtesy of her cheating ex-husband’s credit card. A woman scorned, Hallelujah has sworn off men and is determined to reinvent herself. The new Hallelujah is eager to live life on the edge, more like Polly, a character she writes and idolizes.

Lonely Berlin hedge fund manager Alexander Stone, a number cruncher who puts his faith in numerical data, still believes in destiny, despite the fact his fiancée just dumped him. Always a man with a plan, Alexander did not plan on Hallelujah.

After a chance encounter on a flight to Rome, the unlikely pair faces danger when they team up to return to their rightful owner a stash of WW II vintage jewels. The hidden diamonds hold the key to an unsolved mystery and a promise of love. 

My review:

Sweet romantic suspense. Stumble Stones follows an unlikely couple on a multi country effort to find the owner of some found precious gems. They find clues in the unlikeliest of places including the stumble stones. I really like Hallelujah and was thrilled that Alexander didn’t give up.  I could have done without the bouncing around between points of view but I enjoyed the story none the less.

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Blood Red Kiss (MoonBound Clan Vampires #2.5) by Kresley Cole , Larissa Ione and Gena Showalter

Blood Red Kiss (MoonBound Clan Vampires #2.5) by Kresley Cole , Larissa Ione  and Gena Showalter

Blurb:

Good things always come in threes—and this paranormal romance anthology featuring steamy stories from New York Times bestselling authors Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, and Gena Showalter is no exception!

Get ready for a collection chock full of vamps, demons, aliens, and plenty of sizzle!

In Kresley Cole’s celebrated story “The Warlord Wants Forever,” the first in her scorching Immortals After Dark series, vampire warlord Nikolai Wroth will stop at nothing to claim his Bride, the one woman who can make his heart beat again. But can beautiful Myst the Coveted accept an enemy vampire as her own?

Tehya has spent the last twelve years as an accidental wolf, but is truly a vampire at heart. When she gets injured, Lobo sneaks her inside MoonBound’s headquarters and nurses her back to health…with potentially deadly consequences. Desire collides with danger in “Forsaken by Night,” a MoonBound Clan novella from Larissa Ione!

In Gena Showalter’s Otherworld Assassins novella, Dark Swan, Lilica Swan isn’t quite human or otherworlder; she is the best—and worst—of both. She is willing to do whatever proves necessary to save her sister from the seductive and deadly Alien Investigation and Removal agent, Dallas Gutierrez, even bond her life to his…effectively wedding him. But without consummation, the bond will fade. Can Dallas resist his insatiable desire for the powerful beauty? Or will she lead to his ultimate downfall? 

My review:

I picked up this book because I love Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series and Gena Showalters Otherworld Assassins series. 

The first story in this book is The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole. I’ve read this story several times and still enjoy it but I was hoping for something new. If you haven’t read IAD read this and get sucked into the insanely fun series.

 I haven’t read Larissa Ione’s MoonBound Clan Vampires but her story Forsaken by Night has convinced me to check them out. A fun and sexy story of vampires, skinwalkers and a world on the precipice of war.

What can I say about Gena Showalter’s Otherworld Assassins novella, Dark Swan? I absolutely adored it! It made this whole anthology worth it for me. I really wish she would do more with this world. This is manwhore Dallas’s story and oh what fun it is watching him fall.

Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

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Secrets of Desire (Secrets, #2) by L.K. Shaw

Secrets of Desire is NOW AVAILABLE!

When secrets surface…

Bridget Carter seems to have the perfect life. She’s happily single and has a career she loves as a fashion designer at a local boutique. She enjoys playing at Club Eden and bounces from one Dominant to another. She’s not looking for love, even though she’s more than intrigued by Connor Black. When a secret from Bridget’s past surfaces, Bridget and Connor are forced to work together to protect an innocent. 

The battle begins…

Scarred inside and out, Connor Black fights to protect those who can’t protect themselves. He also hides behind a mask of confidence. Battling against his own insecurities, he secretly envies the boldness Bridget exudes. He watches her with a look of longing he thinks he’s kept hidden. And when Bridget comes to him for help, he realizes he can no longer keep his desire secret. But an enemy is ready to strike and Connor must battle his inner demons to protect the people he is coming to love.   

My review:

Everybody has issues. Everybody has secrets. They help make us who we are. In Connor Blacks case it means he doesn’t expose himself to anyone. In Bridget’s case it means she doesn’t let anyone close. So when these two find each other they find themselves bending and breaking longstanding rules. I love these perfectly imperfect characters. Break out a glass of wine and a fan and enjoy. Though this is part of a series it can be read standalone.A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review

Please visit: www.facebook.com/LKShawAuthor for ALL the BUY LINKS!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX8F44C

iBooks: http://apple.co/2cojwRD

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2cZ6RW

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2csrhrX

Here's what readers are saying: 

"It's hotter than hell"

"You totally gave me all the feels"

"It's good, like really good. ... I cried because...this was able to pull the emotions out!"

LK Shaw Author Bio:

LK Shaw is a physical therapist assistant by day and writer/social media addict by night. She resides in South Carolina with her high maintenance beagle mix dog, Miss P, who should probably just have her own Instagram account. An avid reader since childhood, she became hooked on historical romance novels in high school. It wasn’t until within the last seven or eight years she tried her hand at contemporary romances. Some of her favorite historical romance authors include Christi Caldwell, Courtney Milan, Mary Balogh, and Tessa Dare. Some of her favorite contemporary romance authors include Julia Sykes, Ella Dominguez, Skye Callahan, and Meghan March.

She initially began writing in November 2015 as part of National Novel Writing Month, when, suddenly, the story became something more than just writing on a whim. The vision for the story snowballed and, before she knew it, she began taking steps toward publishing. Each book in her first series feature Romantic Suspense and BDSM combined. 

LK loves to interact with readers. You can follow her on any of her social media: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LKShawAuthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LKShaw_Author

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01EZ0X4DA

Blogger: www.lkshawauthor.blogspot.com

Authors at the Opry 2016

Authors at the Opry 2016

I love to read and I love meeting authors. To that end I attend reader cons and signings. This weekend my husband and I attended the first ever Authors at the Opry signing at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. I was really looking forward to this event because there were a lot of “new to me” authors attending. Attending with a broken leg made going to the meet and greet in the Fuse Sports Bar problematic. The pain meds wouldn’t allow me to drink and the bar was not wheelchair friendly. But it looked like folks were having fun. We were running on east coast time so making the 11am start time was no problem. There wasn’t a huge line waiting to get in and we had fun meeting those that were. We discovered that though we had paid $80 each for VIP tickets they were letting in everyone including the general admission free tickets. When I asked what my VIP got me I was handed an Authors at the Opry bag with a bit of swag in it. The same bags they gave to everyone at the end of the signing. I had an incredible time at the signing. I met a bunch of new to me authors, a couple of new authors and some old friends. I bought a whole lot of books and brought home a bunch of swag to give away. All in all we had a fun time. Next time I won’t buy VIP tickets and although the Gaylord is gorgeous it is also expensive and a bit of a labyrinth so we will stay elsewhere and come the hotel just for the signing. 

Enjoy the getting to know these folks:

The authors! 

Stella Hunter

Stephanie Gresham

Thia Finn - Rock & Roll

Lexi Witcher - YA

Juli Alexander

Amanda S. Hunter

Wendy McQuiston

Sarah O'Rourke

Terry Maggert 

The Fab Candace Blevins

Josie Kerr

Zeia Jameson

Betty Shreffler

Kat Mizera

Kelly Martin

Taylor Dawn

Erin Trejo

Regina Puckett - Horror and Kids Stories

Miranda Lynn - I won a bottle of wine, a sippy goblet and some other goodies from her

Stephanie Hoffman McManus - love the hair

Lita Lawson

Mary Shotwell - new author!

The lovely Abigail Lee Justice

Sweet Sidonia Rose

Scarlet Darkwood

Shelby Reeves

G.L. Skye

Alyson Reynolds

L.P. Maxa and model 

S.E. Summa

Genevieve Williams & muse. New author

Susan Burdorf

Alana Sapphire - Bikers and paranormal

Catherine Scott - incredibly sweet

Charity Parkerson - great books

Lisa Sommers

Amy Stephens

Ashley Beale

Linda Lee

Erica Gerald Mason - Poet

Isabelle Peterson - running for a cure

Ashley 

Suzannah Daniels

M.W. Leigh

Kathy Crice

The wonderful Sandy Sullivan

Nicole James - Bikers!

Teri Riggs 

The sensational Harper Kincaid 

D.F. Jones - I will be checking her work out

Lynn Sutton

Shelley Springfield & Emily Minton

Elizabeth York - Thanks for setting this up

Welcome back - Gina Maxwell

Krista Holly

Amy Briggs - I will get to your book one day soon

BB Easton - New author!

J.R. Rogue

Kat Savage

Kate McKeever

Donna Wright

Layla Stevens is a hoot

T.R. Cupak - I won leggings from her

Bethany Adams

Violet Howe

Reagan Hollow - New author

4 bags of books