10 February 2014

BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: Nico by J.B. Hartnett

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SYNOPSIS
When I was a boy, I met a girl.
She didn’t know it then, but…
She changed me.
Now…..I am a man.
A man who is broken by the stories of the women who come to me.
They are my birds with broken wings.
I help them heal, help them to make them strong, so they can fly free.
Lark changed me. Loved Me. Made Me Strong.
With her, I am free.
I write…
To the girl of the past.
To the girl of my present.
And, the girl of my future.
Dear Dish….
**Although Nico is considered part of The Leaves Series, it can be read as a stand alone**


I loved the first two books of this series Inky & Cole, however Nico's story leaves you feeling that extra warm and bubbly inside, leaving you wanting to give your love ones a extra hug at night. The emotional journey your are taken on during the story is captivating from beginning to end.

 The emotional journey you feel throughout from Nico was certainly enjoyable to read. The endless heartache you feel when Nico cannot replace that special friend he made from his childhood. To fill the void he continue to fight with the drink and meaningless sex. However, after meeting one particular women, his feelings begin to be felt again by Nico to try and find The One". 

 Nico also has a special gift working his magic through being a tattoo artist. After helping Inky getting through her struggles, word of mouth gets around town soon as he welcomes many other women into his "birds" group who needs his help. Especially after the sad news from a very dear loved one, he experiences lifes too short. However, when he thought it was all over,Then enters Lark..

As Nico and Lark become friends, a relationship develops the conventional way by them getting to know each other.  Over time, both their stories are unfolded and love once again returns...

 With interaction of characters from previous books it was great to see them featured throughout, especially with Inky & Cole's story continued. With another nail biting ending, J.B. certainly never disappoint! 

 Overall another emotional captivating addition to the Leaves series leaving you feeling full of warm, tender and caring love that after a devastating past, you will always find your one true love regardless.

 Most memorable quote from the book I loved:
"If you can find something or someone that gives you peace when everything else around you is chaos, never let go, baby."


“Nico…” she begged.
“What is it, babe?” In that moment, I was a tease. I was going to make sure I took this bad fuckin’ day and turn it into something she would remember happily.
“You know what I want,” she moaned.
“Don’t move.” I walked away, into the kitchen and dug into one of the bags. The store fuckin’ got me, what could I say. I was gonna barbeque in style next summer. But one thing my kitchen needed was a new spatula. Nice rubber handle, strong, and wide, flat, heatproof silicon…perfect for what I wanted. I came back and rubbed over her left cheek, pulled away for that perfect first contact and…
Thwack!

DREAMCAST
Lark: Alona Tal   & Nico: Chris Hemsworth

Inky (Book One)

Amazon Only $0.99: http://amzn.to/18MPakw

Blurb
Anika "Inky" Redding has it all: a great fiancé and a job that allows her to follow her passion of painting and considering her history, that's plenty. All is well until someone from her past sets events in motion that upend Inky's careful world. When a handsome customer comes to her rescue, will she take a risk with her whole heart?







Cole (Book Two)

Amazon ONLY $0.99: http://amzn.to/1gKcstn

Blurb
Cole Carlyle, successful hotelier, has lived his life on his own terms.
Burned by a gold digging ex-wife, he never expected to find his soul mate in Anika “Inky” Redding.
Anika Redding, talented artist, overcame her past to live her life free of shame.
Betrayed by people she thought she could trust, the last thing she expected was to find true love in Cole Carlyle.
Their love for each other has helped them overcome their demons before, but now faced with an unimaginable challenge, Cole must turn to the last person he wants involved in his life, and hope that those demons don’t once again try to swallow them whole.

Inky and Cole’s romance and passion ignite and in the sequel to “Inky” we follow their journey to overcome their pasts once and for all, while building their love into something everlasting.



Julie is a Southern California native, a fan of a really good story (preferably romance with a happily ever after), really good pie (preferably pumpkin) and copious amounts of coffee (preferably Folgers).
She has always enjoyed writing and at one time thought she could be a singer songwriter...the 'writer' part is the one that stuck.
Julie is obsessed with pi...the equation(and the food). She's allergic to cats and cantaloupe and hates mushrooms...so if you ever want to give her a gift, those are out for sure.She currently lives with her own romance hero husband and two boys in Melbourne, Australia.


$50 Gift Certificate
Signed Set of  The Leaves
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8 February 2014

BLOG TOUR + EXCERPT + DREAMCAST + TRAILER: Toxic by Meghan Quinn




Title: Toxic
Author: Meghan Quinn
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance


His life consists of his best friend, Jack Daniels, his favorite drug and women who give him what he wants and leave. Rook Tyler lives for performing at night and wasting the rest of his days washing away the pain from his childhood so he doesn’t have to feel anything...ever. The only people he trusts are his band mates from Shattered Souls and he wants to keep it that way. His life was completely under control and simple until he heard the voice of Maisy Madison filter through The Tavern speakers.
Growing up in the foster care system with her two other band mates from Twisted Perfection, Maisy finds herself doing pretty much anything to get her and her band noticed but nothing seems to be working.  One lucky night, Shattered Souls, the most popular band in the country, decides to show up at their little concert and luckily signs them on the spot and books them for their tour but the arena venues and massive amount of fans isn’t what has Maisy shaking in her heels.  It’s the deep baritone voice of Rook Tyler that haunted her dreams for years that has her wondering if she can actually go through with the tour.
The force is almost too strong.  He can feel her everywhere he goes and no matter how much he tries to resist her, he finds himself gravitating towards Maisy, wanting to hold her, kiss her and fuck her. He knows he shouldn’t get involved.  He knows no matter what, he will end up hurting her but he can’t help it, his soul is connected to hers and the pull is too strong for him to resist.
Rook warned her time and time again but she didn’t listen, she didn’t want to listen. She needed him and she didn’t care that she knew deep down in her heart that their relationship was going to end in disaster. She didn’t care that their jealousies, stubbornness and baggage were getting in the way of their relationship. She didn’t care that they constantly hurt each other and that no matter what they did, their love was toxic.
Toxic, book one of The Addiction Series, tells the story of Rook and Maisy’s relationship, how it develops into an undeniable love and then crumbles apart every chance it gets.  Follow their twisted relationship as they fight off lies, temptations, addictions, users and try to overcome the toxic love they share.






  



Rook watched Cruz walk away and then turned and smiled at Maisy. She didn’t think she could handle the new Rook. She liked it better when she was considered a piece of mold on a garden gnome’s ass to Rook, it was much easier to handle her feelings. Now that he was being sweet, she didn’t know how to hide her infatuation that he so blatantly pointed out a while ago.
                “Did you have fun?”
                “What?” Maisy said trying to think about what the hell he was talking about because the only thing she could focus on was the way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. When did a damn’s Adam’s apple become sexy?
She loathed herself.
                He chuckled at her inability to focus. “The photo shoot, how did it go?”
                “Oh, good.” She felt herself flush.
                “Care to elaborate.”
                “Not really.”
                He nodded his head as he looked around.
                Damn this was awkward.
                “Maisy, come on.” Pete said while waving her toward a room in the back. Kaid and Willow were already walking away.
                “Ok.” She said while getting off her chair and walking past Rook. He grabbed her arm and turned her around so quickly she lost her balance and had to catch herself on his chest. She stood up quickly and brushed off her skirt which she had no clue why, it just seemed like the right thing to do at the moment.
                “Go out with me tonight.”
                “Excuse me?” If it was lady like, Maisy would have cleaned her ear out with her finger, cupped her ear and tilted her head toward Rook so she could hear him better, but she refrained herself.
                “We have an off night and I want to take you out.”
                “I don’t think that’s a good idea. The media…”
                “Won’t be involved.” Rook finished for her. “I don’t plan on going very far. Say yes.” His soulful blue eyes pleaded with her and she knew there was no way in hell she would be able to deny him tonight.

  
Demons – Imagine Dragons
Flapper Girl – The Lumineers
Last Love Song – ZZ Ward
Hear You Me – Michael Henry & Justin Robinett
She’s Long Gone – The Black Keys
I Lived – One Republic
Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
All the Pretty Girls – Fun
Every Teardrop is a Waterfall – Coldplay
Guilty Filthy Soul – AWOLNATION
Titanium – Boyce Avenue
Story of My Life – One Direction (I have no shame whatsoever)





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6 February 2014

BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + EXCERPT: Keep Me by Faith Andrews



 
Book Details:
Title:  Keep Me
Author:  Faith Andrews
Genre:   Contemporary Romance
Release Day:  January 28th 2014


Sexy, tatted up, underwear model Marcus Grayson is every girl’s dream—or more likely worst nightmare. He’s a player, a self-proclaimed bachelor for life, and he’s got no problem living up to his man-whore status. But when his older sister’s friend comes back from the past, he may just have the chance to turn some of his adolescent fantasies into reality.

Tessa Bradley is a self-sufficient, take-no-bull, single mother—well, now she is. Finally rid of her abusive, alcoholic ex, she’s making a new life for herself and catching up with old friends; the ones she was forced to break ties with because of her controlling husband. When she runs into Marcus, her friend Riley’s once-adorable turned smoking-hot little brother, she has no idea how he’s about to rock her world. 

You wanted me then, now you can have me. Just promise you’ll Keep Me…


Sexy, tatted up, underwear model Marcus Grayson is every girl’s dream.....Hot Damn it certainly is.

We meet Marcus, playboy of all playboys  and Tessa, sweet single mum with a dark past who she wants to forget and move on. With Tessa now back in her home town, she now wants to move on eith a fresh start to provide a better life for her and son Luca.

When Tessa starts her new employment, she crosses paths with Marcus who works alongside her agency for his modelling career. As time goes by Tessa discovers she must reconnect with long list friend Riley, who is Marcus's older sister. 

With encounters of reconnecting  with Marcus and Riley, you feel the chemistry between Tessa & Marcus, full of angst and untold confessions.

A time goes by, you get the feeling that undenible chemistry cannot be avoided and something must be done about it! 

With dual point of view throughout, you receive an understanding from both sides to their stories,  overlapping to receive a better insight of each situation as it unfolded.

 Overall an enjoyable read full of tragedy, unspoken feelings, love, heartbreak and one sexy hot ass tattooed guy on a bike! 

3.5-4 Stars


  


I rocked Luca to sleep while listening to the peaceful sounds of Marcus and my old guitar downstairs. Holding my son close to my chest I silently sobbed, wishing my life could have been different—good, like right now. Instead, I was all screwed up, jaded and broken, with no foreseeable way to fix it.
Nights like this reminded me how I’d wanted things to be, how they should be. They reminded me how unfair life could be, too. Why did Luca’s father have to be such a hateful bastard? Why did I allow him to ruin my idea of a happily ever after? And why, for the life of me, did I feel like I was losing control again? Forget that Marcus and I shouldn’t be. . .dabbling. . .the way we were. We were having fun, maybe even more. I loved the idea of dating someone, especially someone I knew wouldn’t hurt me, but Zack had left me incapable of trust. I gave it all to him, even when I didn’t trust myself to do so, and it was the stupidest, most dangerous, mistake ever. Thankfully an angel came out of it, but that was all I had to show for years of taking Zack’s shit and never saying anything about it. That and the tears that just couldn’t stop themselves from flowing right now.
When the tiny mouth around Luca’s thumb slackened and his hand fell from his face, I knew he was out for the count. I stood carefully so as not to wake him while transitioning him to his crib. After closing the door behind me, I went into the bathroom to compose myself.
“He is nothing like Zack, Tessa. He’s a friend. It’s okay to relax and have a good time.” Great! Now I talk to myself! But my little pep talk was just what I needed to rid my mind of ugly memories and hurtful pasts. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the company of an old friend and allowing him to make me feel good. I wiped the tears from my face, reapplied a little bronzer for color, swished some mouthwash around, and followed the intoxicating music that was the elixir to my wounds. 
“Hey, what’s that?” I asked as I hopped off the last step, got rid of my melancholy mood, and made my way toward him. Was there anything sexier than a hot, tattooed, muscle-bulging man playing a guitar?
“Ever heard the Lumineers?”
“Yes, but not this one.”
“Reminds me of you. It’s called Classy Girls.”
As he sang with a raspy, soft voice about a man trying to pick up a ‘classy’ girl in a bar, the little reserve I had left started to melt away. I take it back. . .there is something sexier than a hot, tattooed, muscle-bulging man playing a guitar. And that would be a hot, tattooed, muscle-bulging man playing a guitar while singing an adorable song that reminds him of me!
I listened and felt my cheeks warm, then gave in to the huge smile making its way across my face as the pace of the song picked up and he really got into it. His arms flexed, his fingers danced across the strings, and his eyes focused on me when he sang, “something drew me closer to her lips.” The rest of the lyrics passed by with no significance until Marcus strummed the final note and I realized that the guy in the song never actually got to kiss the so-called classy girl.
I applauded and asked, “And why does that remind you of me?”
He laid the guitar on the couch beside him and relaxed against the back cushions. “Because he wants her so bad, but they just don’t fit.”
His words were a surprise. Did Marcus want me ‘so bad?’ And although I knew why, was it so obvious that we were the worst possible match for each other?
With nothing to say in response, I leaned over him and lifted the guitar. When I played a familiar chord, I basked in the sensation of how good those forgotten strings felt underneath the skin of my fingertips. The first song that came to mind was a new one by Phillip Phillips. I fell in love with his music during his stint on American Idol and downloaded his album to iTunes as soon as it was released. Not only did it prove to be right up my alley, but the track I was about to play made me hopeful that I’d feel this way about someone…one day. I didn’t want to admit that Marcus made me hopeful, but this was the first step in allowing myself to trust him.
I gave in to the urge to take the leap and just started to play. I fumbled with the difficulty of the chords and I hadn’t sung in front of anyone in. . .forever, but just like the words of the song, Marcus made it so easy. I poured my heart out through shaky vocals and rusty strumming, never looking up at him to register how he felt. When I was almost done, I felt a pang of regret for speaking these words to him, even if they weren’t my own, but it was too late for that, wasn’t it?
With the last chord, I kept my eyes closed, afraid to face him.
He pulled at the guitar and I released my grip. His touch was strong yet gentle at my cheek. When I opened my eyes Marcus looked at me with emotion that I imagined was foreign to him. This was so different from lust or desire. “Tessa, that was. . .you’re so. . .do you know what you’re doing to me?”
I desperately wanted to know, but I was also too scared to hear the words. Go figure! I could sing him a song about falling hard, but I couldn’t admit that that’s what was happening.
Before I had the chance to be embarrassed or to even think, his lips were on mine, taking control of my brain and the rest of my body.
I gave in to the parts of me that wanted this, ignoring the parts that were telling me it was wrong, or too soon, or just plain stupid. I remembered the word I used earlier to describe what we were doing to Marcus—fun. If I just kept convincing myself that that’s all it was, no one would get hurt. Right?





Faith Andrews lives in New York where she is happily married to her high school sweetheart. They have two beautiful daughters and a furry Yorkie son, Rocco. If she isn’t listening to Mumford and Sons or busy being a Dance Mom, her nose is in a book or her laptop. She’s a sucker for a happily ever after and believes her characters are out there living one somewhere . . .

Website:        http://faithandrews.wordpress.com
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Faith-Andrews/492043340867700?ref=br_tf
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/AuthorFaithAndrews
Twitter:             https://twitter.com/jessicafaith919





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