The Billionaire's Touch Blog Tour and Giveaway

The Sinclair Most Likely Blog Tour 

In J.S. Scott's contemporary romance series, the Sinclairs were born into one of Boston’s richest families, the siblings separate and leave their troubled childhoods behind…until life pulls them back together in the sleepy coastal village of Amesport, Maine. 

There they meet their matches, discovering that the satisfaction of having billions in the bank pales in comparison to the passionate love affairs that are shaking up—and righting—their worlds. 

Get to know each of the Sinclairs as J.S. gives readers a glimpse into each hero...

Which Sinclair is most likely to…

1)  … spontaneously fly a date to Italy to show her his favorite restaurant?

Dante, from No Ordinary Billionaire, will go far and beyond to show the woman he loves how much he adores her and a spontaneous dinner in another country might do just that.

2) … go on an extreme sports vacation?

Jared, from The Forbidden Billionaire, as we all know is the daredevil of the Sinclair brothers so it is natural to think he would think of an extreme sport vacation as a type of holiday!

3) … forget an important birthday because they were working on a million dollar merger?

Evan, from The Billionaire's Touch, has always been focused in his work. Being the eldest and the one responsible to take the role of the head of the family, makes it hard for him to let the business responsibilities to fall on someone else.

4) … write a romantic poem to their significant other? 

Evan. However regardless of being 99.9% business focused he will still indulge in something as romantic as writing a poem for his significant other.

5)  … take a ballroom dance class? 

Aww Grady, from The Billionaire's Christmas, known to the residents of Amesport as “the eccentric beast” he still has a soft side and will take pleasure in learning to ballroom in order to see Emily happy and have an excuse to be close to her.

6) … have the most children? 

Grady (but they all have a bet running on who will succeed).

This one was a tough one as all the Sinclair men love nothing but to show their women their Alpha and possessive side, however we thought Grady after discovering the miracle of Christmas and being surrounded by children in the youth center would love to see Emily carrying his babies.

***

And now get to know the Evan, the newest Sinclair hero, better with an excerpt from The Billionaire's Touch:

“Can I ask you a question?”

She lifted a brow before asking, “What?”

“Does Beatrice give out these stones to everyone?” Evan pulled the crystal from his pocket and held it out to her.

Hesitantly, Randi reached out and took the rock into her own hand. She turned it over and over a few times before handing it back with a perplexed look on her face.

“Hardly ever,” she admitted. “You got one, too?”

“She mailed it to me with a letter a few months ago, telling me I was going to be married within six months,” he answered reluctantly, slipping the Apache tear back into his coat pocket. “I think she might be demented.”

Randi laughed, and a bolt of pleasure raced through Evan’s body at the husky, sultry sound.

“She’s not crazy. She’s just a little eccentric. Sometimes her predictions actually do come true.”

Evan shook his head. “She’s destined for disappointment with me.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Randi admitted, reaching for the door of her rapidly defrosting vehicle. It was a deep-purple SUV that somehow suited her bold personality. Evan could finally see the make and model clearly.

“Randi?” he questioned huskily.

“Yes?” She turned and looked at him, her expression no longer hostile.

“Don’t worry about my coat. I have another one.”

It wasn’t what he really wanted to say, but he couldn’t exactly tell her what he was thinking. She was likely to apply a knee to his balls, and he rather liked them intact.

“I told you to send me a bill if the stain doesn’t come out. You might try the dry cleaners here. They’ve done miracles with some of my clothes. Stains are a job hazard for teachers,” she told him amiably.

It was her smile that made Evan snap. Her eyes were warm and happy, her lips curving into a beautiful expression of joy when she talked about her profession. But the grin was aimed at him, and Evan couldn’t possibly resist seizing the moment. He’d never made an impulsive move in his entire life, but he couldn’t seem to control his mind or body when she smiled at him this way.

He stepped forward without debating his options first, pinned her body against her vehicle, and without a cautionary thought in his head, he kissed her.

Evan groaned as his lips crashed down on hers, knowing that he’d just made a mistake that would probably cost him his sanity. Her body stiffened as he wrapped his arms around her, one hand threading through her hair to protect her head and keep it exactly in a position that allowed him complete access to her mouth. An unfamiliar sense of male satisfaction moved deep in his gut as the clip holding her hair fell to the ground and the dark strands tumbled around her shoulders.

***

About the Book

Title: The Billionaire's Touch

Author: J.S. Scott

Publishing Date: February 2, 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Summary

After a troubling childhood, wealthy Evan Sinclair likes his life orderly and controlled. He rarely gives in to spontaneous urges—until he begins a chance correspondence with a mystery woman who sounds like his complete opposite. She intrigues and amuses him, and the interest seems mutual…which is more than he can say for his current obsession, Miranda Tyler, the tough-as-nails, sexy schoolteacher who’s made it clear she’s not impressed—or interested.

Miranda finally has it all: a good job, friends, and the security of living in the quaint coastal town of Amesport, Maine. She even has an anonymous pen pal—a man she’s never met yet has bonded with almost effortlessly. The only thing unsettling her life is Evan Sinclair. The handsome billionaire is arrogant, pompous, and far too used to getting his way. Miranda tries her best to avoid him, until Evan’s steamy kiss turns her world upside down.

Soon their red-hot desire is scorching the sheets and has them both spinning out of control. But when secrets are revealed, will their insatiable attraction keep them together or force them apart? In J.S. Scott’s The Billionaire’s Touch, the eldest Sinclair just might have met his match.

Buy Link

http://amzn.to/20xRw1w 

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author J.S. Scott is an avid reader. While she loves all types of books and literature, romance has always been her genre of choice. Because she writes what she loves to read, she excels at both contemporary and paranormal romances. Most of her books are steamy and generally feature a to-die-for alpha male, and all have a satisfying happily-ever-after ending. She just can’t seem to write them any other way!

Social Media Links

Website:http://authorjsscott.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjsscott

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJSScott

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2777016.J_S_Scott 

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Blog Tour Stop and Review: The Guardians by T.M. Franklin

Summary of The Guardians:

Ava’s life is . . . complicated.

After all, it’s not every day a girl learns she’s not entirely human, or unlocks hidden powers strong enough to make even the First Race sit up and take notice. After surviving an attempted kidnapping and standing up to the Race’s Ruling Council, Ava Michaels returns to college and what she hopes is a normal life. But Ava quickly realizes that for her, normal may not even exist anymore.

In fact, the Council wants her under their control, and they’re not the only ones. The mysterious Rogues have a plan of their own, and it turns out Ava’s a big part of it, whether she wants to be or not.

On top of that, her new relationship is tested in ways she never expected. Her boyfriend, Caleb Foster, has disappeared—accused of betraying the Race—and Ava herself stands implicated in a crime she didn’t commit.

Clearing their names will mean uncovering a web of deceit and intrigue with Ava woven right in the center. To unravel the strands, she joins forces with some unlikely allies; a Protector who once haunted her nightmares, a young girl with secrets as unexpected as Ava’s, and a group of rebel Guardians who have their own fight against the Council.

Together they stand in a battle to find the truth, bring Caleb home, and secure Ava’s freedom—not to mention save her life.

About T.M. Franklin

T.M. Franklin started out her career writing non-fiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a B.A. in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. After writing and unsuccessfully querying a novel that she now admits, “is not that great,” she decided to follow the advice of one of the agents who turned her down—write some more and get better at it. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Mike, is mom to two boys, Justin and Ryan, and has an enormous black dog named Rocky who’s always lying nearby while she’s writing. Whether he’s soothed by the clicking of the computer keys or just waiting for someone to rub his belly is up for debate.

In addition to MORE and The Guardians, Franklin penned the Amazon best-selling short story, Window, as well as another short story, A Piece of Cake, which appears in the Romantic Interludes anthology.

Connect with T.M. Franklin

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

My Review:

I really love this series by TM Franklin and The Guardians was possibly even better than the first book. I loved how the plot moved beyond the origin story and the readers learned more and more about the council and Ava’s powers.

The author continues to create fully developed characters. Ava and Caleb were drawn realistically and I loved how far Ava has come since the start of More. The opening scene was a lot of fun and I think showed her growth as a character. The secondary characters are well done too and I love not knowing anyone’s true intentions. One minute a bad guy can become an ally.

There was a lot more action in Guardians and I loved how it jumped right into the plot. The only issue I had was that I wish there was a little bit of a plot refresher at the start since I was a little loss over the race’s abilities and back story.

The dialogue is snappy and the author moved the story along at a good pace. There are also a few plot twists that caught me by surprise. Definitely check out this book if you love New Adult reads with a paranormal twist.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I received a copy of the book as part of The Guardians blog tour.

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Panic by J.A. Huss Blog Tour Stop and Review

Panic Book Summary:

Rook is chasing her dream—film school and a chance at a life beyond the one she ran from six months ago. But before she can become the girl she wants to be, she must deal with the girl she left behind.

Ronin is also chasing his dream—a family of his own and a life away from erotic modeling. And he too, has a past he’s trying to forget. A past that makes Rook question everything about their life together.

Lies, secrets, and shocking truths will rock the foundation Rook and Ronin have built. Can they put the past behind them and move forward together? Or is this just another too good to be true relationship that will crash and burn in the end?

Tragic and Manic are now on sale for only 99 cents!

(Book Three) PANIC:

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18242606-panic
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FXY449G
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/panic-j-a-huss/1117164969?ean=2940148397939
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/panic-rook-and-ronin-3

(Book Two) MANIC:

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17857998-manic

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/MANIC-Ronin-J-A-Huss-ebook/dp/B00E4T0P3U/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/manic-j-a-huss/1116187759?ean=9781936413270
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/manic-rook-and-ronin-2

(Book One) TRAGIC:

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17404203-tragic

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/TRAGIC-Rook-Ronin-1-ebook/dp/B00CTUWEFI/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tragic-j-a-huss/1115333691?ean=9781936413218
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/tragic-rook-and-ronin-1

My Review:
What an emotional ride! Panic was an emotionally charged book that has left me with a book hangover. I loved seeing Rook’s growth and was shocked to find out all she endured at the hands of her ex-husband. An epilogue from Ford’s POV will have fans of the series reeling.

Panic picks up shortly after the events of Manic. In Panic, readers get to learn more about Ford, Spencer and Ronin and their “business.” Some of the revelations about the trio were truly shocking and Rook begins to question her decision to trust these men.

Rook was a great character and readers got to see her grow through the three books. Ronin was sweet and it seemed like he had her best interests at heart, but some of his decisions made me wonder if he was really the right guy for Rook. Especially when Ford was waiting in the sidelines. Oh my, Ford is something else! He’s intriguing, manipulative, hot and freaking amazing! Despite the hot sex scenes with Ronin, Rook and Ford’s scenes together were by far my favorite.

My only complaint was it took a while for the action to start up. However, once it did, the book turned into an amazing thrill-ride. There were also a few issues unresolved, but with the announcement of Ford’s book, I’m guessing some of these plot points will be wrapped up in later books.

This really is a must-read NA series. The characters are far from perfect and the author makes them feel so real. Highly recommend to NA and contemporary romance lovers.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I received a copy of this novel as part of the Panic book tour.

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PANIC Trailer:

Courage by Carrie Butler Blog Tour Stop and Review

Title: Courage
Author: Carrie Butler
Series: Mark of Nexus #2
Expected publication: October 15th, 2013
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)

• Short description:
Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance... hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.

• Long description:
Making a deal with the bad guys wasn’t the highlight of Rena Collins’ semester, but, hey, it saved her boyfriend. Now, in order to appease the human-altering organization known as ERA, she’ll crawl under their microscope while they study the Mark of Nexus and plot their eye-glazed version of the future—until she realizes that’s not all they’re plotting.

Wallace Blake has always known his girlfriend is unlike most girls. But now that information has surfaced regarding the two bloodlines that balance his supernatural race, he finally understands why. Rena belongs to one of them. She’s been augmenting his power, all along...

Enter: Corynn Catley. Brought into the country under the guise of an internship, she’s intended to become ERA’s secret weapon. Kind of. Her abilities cancel out Wallace’s, rendering him powerless, but that’s exactly what he’s always wanted. Too bad it only works when his girlfriend’s not around.

All the while, Rena fails to notice the crush her geeky best friend, Aiden Ross, is nursing. He’d give anything for her to see him in a new light—even reinvent himself through questionable means--but there’s a reason people are told to be careful what they wish for. Finding the courage to tell her could put everyone’s lives in danger.

***
Courage (Mark of Nexus #2) is a New Adult paranormal romance that features four unique points-of-view. While the novel stands alone, it is best enjoyed after Strength (Mark of Nexus #1).

LINKS
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzcKCPiFXgg
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18164093-courage

Title: Strength
Author: Carrie Butler
Series: Mark of Nexus #1
Publication: August 16th, 2013 (First publication: March 7th, 2013 by Sapphire Star Publishing)
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)

• Short description:
When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she’s stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she’s ever wanted in a man—except he can’t touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there’s no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.

• Long description:
When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period.

Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation—and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety…

Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family.

They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do—even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart.


LINKS
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Ym7sk3zjo
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18310859-strength

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938404351/
*** To celebrate the release of Courage (Mark of Nexus #2), Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) is FREE October 15th–18th! ***
(promo graphic below)

Author bio:
Carrie Butler daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.

Her passion for New Adult fiction led her to co-found NA Alley—a widely recognized informational hub for the category. She is the author of STRENGTH (Mark of Nexus #1) and COURAGE (Mark of Nexus #2).


LINKS

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google + | Pinterest | YouTube | Goodreads
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | YouTube | Goodreads

Visit the Courage tour schedule

My Review:

Courage was a fantastic sequel! I really enjoyed seeing Wallace and Rena back and the continuation of both their relationship story and their fight against ERA. I really love the author’s writing style and would definitely read more from her.

Courage picks up after the events of Strength. To be honest, it took me a bit to remember who each character was and although the blurb suggests it can be read as a standalone, I would not recommend it. However, once I had a clearer picture of who the bad guys and good guys were, I was hooked on the story again.

Wallace and Rena faced a lot of the same challenges as the previous book, namely dealing with her augmenting his strength and potentially killing one another. I love them as a couple and I was glad to see them work through their issues as a team. They hit some bumps on the road and Rena was driving me crazy with her stubbornness. Wallace continued his awesomeness in this book and his brother Cole even grew on me.

The book is told in four POVs and I kind of wished the author had just featured Rena and Wallace’s stories. Aiden’s POV especially irked me and I felt like the crush storyline was a little unnecessary. Corynn’s part in the story was interesting and I worried about her tearing apart Rena and Wallace.

I highly recommend this series. It’s very original and the characters feel very realistic despite the supernatural aspects. The dialogue is fun and witty and the pacing is terrific.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received this book as part of the Courage blog tour.

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Blog Tour and Review: Remembering Joy by Jenni Moen

Goodreads Summary:

Alexis doesn’t believe in fairytales. She knows first hand that life can turn on a dime – that one stupid mistake can shatter dreams and irrevocably shape the future. Even though her memory of that day is hazy, she has spent the last ten years trying to put it behind her and focus on the future.

Armed with the knowledge that her career will be her only legacy, Alexis works night and day to prove that she is more than just her last name. It’s not only that she doesn’t have time for love – she doesn’t have the heart for it. After all, there’s no point in starting something that you can’t finish.

However, when she meets Adam, she’s drawn to him in a way even she can’t deny. He is dark and brooding and strangely charming. He’s the perfect distraction from the mundane life she’s created for herself. And, as if fate is pushing them together, he seems to be around every corner. It’s enough to almost make her entirely forget about her past and take a chance.

Unfortunately, Adam’s memory isn’t hazy . . . not in the least. And, what she doesn’t remember, he can’t forget. *Mature New Adult/Adult novel – contains adult situations and sexuality and is suited for ages 18 and up*

Publication Date: June 7, 2013

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18043503-remembering-joy 

Amazon Link:

 http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Joy-ebook/dp/B00D84R5AI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371212412&sr=8-1&keywords=remembering+joy

Additional Buy Links:

B&N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/remembering-joy-jenni-moen/1115519406?ean=2940016679501&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-TnL5HPStwNw-_-10:1&r=1

Kobo:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/remembering-joy/book-OpHL7pV2M0WOns3_6z7HlA/page1.html

Author Info:

Facebook Author Profile Link:  

www.facebook.com/authorjennimoen

 Goodreads Profile Link: 

 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123609.Jenni_Moen

Website Link: 

 www.jennimoen.com

Twitter Link:

 https://twitter.com/JenniMoen

Author Bio:

Jenni Moen lives in her hometown in Oklahoma with her husband and three crazy, exuberant kids that have the potential to burn the house down at any moment.

When she’s not chauffeuring kids around town, performing her mom duties as a short order cook and maid, or vacuuming for her fastidious husband, she hammers away at her keyboard at her big girl job as a patent attorney. While vodka and exercise have provided some relief from the daily grind, it is reading … and now writing … that are her true escapes.

My Review:

For some reasons, I adore love stories where the main characters start off not liking one another. I really enjoy watching the transformation from dislike to love. Remembering Joy takes this one step further with the love interest Adam hating Alexis and wishing to exact revenge against her for the wrongs he feels she has committed.

Remembering Joy was very well done and I really enjoyed the chemistry between Adam and Alexis. Both of the main characters are complex and damaged and it could’ve led to a very destructive relationship. Instead I loved how they were able to heal one another and create something beautiful out of a horrible tragedy.

The pacing was good and I liked how the story is told from Alexis and Adam’s point of views. Adam was really hard to cheer for at first because of his actions, but I was pleased that the author didn’t paint him beyond redemption. As the mystery unfolds about why he hates Alexis, the reader is able to understand his motivations much better. Alexis was likable but I wished she were a stronger female character. It was sad to me that she felt like she warranted Adam’s mistreatment.

I loved the themes of love, healing and redemption touched upon during the story. The ending resolved everything nicely and I was glad that the characters had evolved. I would definitely recommend this to fans of contemporary romances with a twist.

Rating; 4/5 Stars

I received a copy of this book for review as part of the blog tour.

A Taylor-Made Life by Kary Rader Blog Tour and Review

A Taylor-Made Life Blog Tour & Giveaway

They lived the life they were given; they loved the life they made.

Cheerleader Taylor Smith doesn’t want to die a virgin. Unfortunately, if the terminally-ill leukemia patient doesn't find a lover or a stem-cell match within months, her fear will become reality. When her cancer mentor is revealed to be a hottie entrepreneur from California, it seems fate might finally be on her side.

Tech-geek Gavin Taylor has everything he ever wanted, except someone to grieve for him when he's gone. With his melanoma cancer beyond the help of his riches, he agrees to participate in a cancer patient mentoring program where he's matched with a dying teen from Texas. Despite his immediate attraction, the Silicon Valley whiz intends only to provide friendship and happy memories to the beautiful, young woman who is determined to win his love.

When it's discovered that his frozen sperm and her harvested eggs could lead to a cure, Taylor's mother offers to be a surrogate. And Gavin must decide if he can risk the heart he has never given and a child he'll never know to a girl he just met.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DU52U5K

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/334257

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18012643-a-taylor-made-life

Author’s Bio:

Kary Rader is a part-time Twitter sage, stay-at-home mother of three, and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head. Always creative, she's drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn't anything that can't be accomplished with words. It's the power of words that creates and destroys. Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day's work. With the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.

My Review:

This was an intense read for sure and a definite tearjerker (I was able to tell merely from the summary and cover that I’d be bawling by the novel’s end). Although I loved the underlying message of Gavin and Taylor’s story, I think the romance was a little over the top and it kept me from fully investing in the novel as much as I would have liked.

The pacing was very quick and if you’re not a fan of insta-love in novels than beware because the romantic development is lightning fast. However, I think it worked fine for me because it is obvious that their situation is unique and they may not have a lot of time together because of their cancer diagnoses. The video game love between the characters made for a nice meet cute scenario.

The romance was a little out there for me and I just couldn’t buy how much the characters go through in such a quick time. I saw chemistry between the two, but the leap from friends to so much more (won’t say exactly to avoid spoilers) was too jarring for me. I did like them though and was hoping for a happy ending although I knew going in it was a book about cancer patients.

If you consider yourself a fan of emotional books that touch on heart-wrenching subjects, then I’d definitely recommend this novel.  

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Giveaway: $25 Gift Card to Amazon, a Charm Bracelet, a Crochet Hat, and SWAG for A Taylor-Made Life, and Queen of Jastain. 

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Blog Tour Stop: Dancers and Divas by Kathy Petrakis

The Dancers and Divas book series follows hip hop dancer Elena Martinez and her best friend, actor Sebastien Duval, as they navigate their way through New York’s top Performing Arts School. They not only have to deal with auditions, rejection and endless rehearsals, but also their own personal journey and that of their friends and enemies, in order to discover their true selves and their dreams.

Passion and Pain - (which will be $0.99 during promotion)  http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Pain-Dancers-Divas-ebook/dp/B009D4PNME/

Bittersweet - http://www.amazon.com/Bittersweet-Dancers-and-Divas-ebook/dp/B00CKBJDE6

Kathy has stopped by today to talk about the significance of New Adult books.

Why write New Adult books?

For a long time Young Adult was the talk of the town – the new genre to separate teens from children. But the problem was a thirteen year old and a nineteen year old how very different maturity levels, interests, challenges and reading levels. How can one genre accommodate people at such different points in their life? It can’t. Then New Adult came along – some people claimed it was Young Adult with sex or Mature YA. I definitely think that is one way of describing it. For late teens, sex, its introduction, experience and misuse plays a major role in their life. But for many, new adult is the college years when independence begins – first jobs, first time out of home. To me it’s both - it’s mature teenagers taking on new worlds regardless if they are still in high school or are now living independently or starting college.

In the Dancers and Divas series, the main characters are teenagers but they experience just about everything a young adult possibly could from sexual awakening, independence, bullying, self-doubt, lust and of course friendship, love and loyalty. There are some who have to find a way to survive on their own, others fighting their parents’ expectations, and others supporting their parents through illness. Their age is irrelevant except that many of these experiences are new.

Is there sex? Of course there is. Especially at that age, sex is the cause of so much angst, happiness and confusion. There are teenagers holding onto their virginity, others who are comfortable with their sexuality and use it to their advantage and others who experience the worst of sex. It’s definitely not an erotic book but sex is definitely one thing these teenagers need to face one way or another. It’s real and sometimes it’s scary and sometimes it’s great – but it’s only important in that it has an impact on a character.

There is no doubt that everyone experiences new things in their life, whether they’re five or fifty-five. But late adolescence is such a vital time for forming your identity that I love having my characters at that age. There is so much that comes their way, both good and bad that it opens up so many avenues of creativity for me. I never set out to write something for New adults or Young adults – these were my characters and this is what they experienced while still in high school and it definitely isn’t for a twelve year old!

And it’s not just teenagers reading in the YA /NA genre – many adults do also which just goes to show how these experiences can affect everyone! Many of my future novel ideas still include characters in the same age band for that same reason as do many TV shows.

I hope you enjoy reading the series as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blog Tour Stop and Review: Fall From Love by Heather London

Fall From Love by Heather London 

Publication date: June 7th 2013

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:

Struggling to put her life back together after a tragic mountaineering accident kills her college sweetheart, twenty-one-year-old Holly Treadwell is trying to set aside her grief, forge ahead in school, and find herself again.

When Carter Hansen, a guy who brings back horrible memories from the night of the accident, finds his way back into her life, Holly’s unsure  if she should let him in. He terrifies her in more ways than one and invokes feelings in her that she thought were buried forever. Regardless of her fears, she knows she must face him in order for her heart to heal.

Everyone tells Carter that what happened on the mountain that night was just a terrible accident, but even then, he can’t help but carry around the guilt and is unable to forgive himself. He’s drawn to Holly and being near her helps ease his conscience and gives him the release he needs.

As Holly and Carter’s relationship grows, they begin to realize that the more time they spend with one another, the more their wounds begin to heal—her grief and his guilt. But when Holly learns the details about the night of the accident—what everyone has been keeping from her—it will rip open old wounds and tear apart what they’ve both worked so hard to overcome…

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17695128-fall-from-love?ac=1

Purchase:

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fall-From-Love-ebook/dp/B00CWTHZ50

--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fall-from-love-heather-london/1115382229?ean=2940016528403

----

AUTHOR BIO

Heather London is a young adult and new adult author who loves to write stories full of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. She is a lover of only the finest of coffee and premium craft beer, but will settle for anything chocolate, regardless of its quality. Heather lives with her husband in Dallas, TX where she is currently working hard on her next project.

Links:

Website: http://heatherlondon.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6520318.Heather_London

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-London-Author/217852745010011

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hlondon06

My Review:

I love when a book has the ability to surprise you and Fall from Love achieved this. It was a very sweet love story featuring two very damaged characters that fall for each other. I really felt the author did a spectacular job of depicting the grief of a person who loses their first love.

Fall from Love gripped me from the beginning. Holly’s loss of her college boyfriend to an accident was heartbreaking. The next chapter starts months after his death and Holly is still deeply grieving. I felt a little choked up over her inner monologue as she imagined the future she’d never have.

Holly begins to spend time with Carter, one of the guys that worked on the mountain with her boyfriend. Holly and Carter’s relationship progresses slowly, but in a natural way. It was actually refreshing not to read about an insta-love relationship. Their attraction feels forbidden and it takes a while for Holly to warm up to Carter. Both of the main characters were likable, so I was definitely rooting for a happy ending. I also liked the secondary characters, especially Holly’s ultra-supportive and protective best friend Jenna.

The novel was beautifully written and London has a talent for invoking emotions in a reader. I felt Holly’s pain and guilt as she tries to move on after the accident that took her boyfriend’s life. But I could also feel her joy as she begins to open herself back up to new experiences.

I’d highly recommend this book to lovers of contemporary romance books and sweet love stories.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

I received this book as part of the tour from Xpresso Book Tours.

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Otherwise Occupied by Shay Savage Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway

Title: Otherwise Occupied (Otherwise Alone #2) by Shay Savage

Release Date: June 17^th, 2013

Genre: Adult Romance

Summary:

Evan Arden is a hit man for a Chicago mob boss. He lives his life day to day with the company of his dog, Odin. He has to work hard to get back into his boss’s good graces, but the target proves to be difficult. As demons of his past begin to haunt him, he seeks the comfort of sleep from an unlikely candidate, but will confiding in her be his undoing?​

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17447582-otherwise-occupied

Author’s Amazon Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Shay-Savage/e/B00AP83E7S/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1371406501&sr=1-2-ent

Author Bio:

Shay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, two children, and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, and loves soccer in any and all forms. During the fall, she coaches her daughter's soccer team. Though she currently works in the technology field, her school background is in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.

Find out more at www.shaysavage.com

This is the follow Up To:  Otherwise Alone (Otherwise Alone #1) by Shay Savage

Amazon Buy Link For Book #1:

http://www.amazon.com/Otherwise-Alone-Evan-Arden-ebook/dp/B00AP5NNWC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371406468&sr=1-1&keywords=otherwise+alone+shay

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Writer Wednesday: A Day in My Writing Life

Over the weekend, I stopped by The Selkie Reads Stories as part of my blog tour for The Disappearing Girl to talk about a day in my writing life. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $75 Amazon.com gift card going on now through June 28. 

A Day in My Writing Life

Would you like to be privy to the glamour of my writing life? Here is an average day in the life of Heather Topham Wood:

My boys wake me up around seven in the morning. My husband has already been gone for an hour and my three-year-old has probably snuck into our bed at some point during the night. After throwing on the first thing I find in my closet, I get the boys ready for school and we eat breakfast together.

After the bus picks up my kindergartener, I drive my youngest son to preschool. Preschool only goes to 11:30, so I make a mad dash back home to try and fit in as much writing as possible.

I open up my latest work in progress in Word, but then decide to check my email/Facebook/Twitter/Goodreads/Amazon/Blogger accounts first. I look at the clock and realize an hour has gone by and I haven’t written a single word. I mentally berate myself and settle into writing.

I’m right in the middle of writing a steamy love scene when I realize that I have to leave that second if I don’t want to be late to pick up my preschooler. I was a minute late once and the scene he caused was not pretty. I’m well aware of who wears the pants in our relationship.

I pick up my little guy and we go out to lunch. If I’m lucky, I can get him all amped up at the park and he’ll be tired enough to take an afternoon nap and let me sneak in some more writing until my older son’s bus drops him off. On a good day, I can finish at least a chapter. On a bad day, I write a few pages of crap that I’ll most likely delete during the editing process.

Most nights, I try to avoid work to spend time with the family, but sometimes it’s unavoidable and I’ll stay up until the wee hours to finish while my husband puts the boys to bed. I usually collapse into bed, but I often try to read a little off of my Kindle before I pass out.

So, there’s my usual day. With the summer coming, it will of course change with the boys home all day, but my husband and I usually work out a schedule so I have plenty of time to write. 

Blog Tour Stop and Review: Wanted by Amanda Lance

Welcome to my stop on the Wanted blog tour hosted by YA Bound.  Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

Wanted
by Amanda Lance
Release Date: May 2013
From Limitless Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:
Considering she’s a girl who calculates everything, Addie Battes knew the statistical probability of being abducted in her lifetime—too bad she never analyzed the odds of falling in love with her captor.

While stopping at a crowded rest area one summer night, seventeen-year-old Addie accidentally catches a truck hijacking in progress. Desperate to rid the crime of its only witness, one of the thieves kidnaps Addie. Yet surprisingly, when a renegade thief attempts to silence her for good, Addie is saved by the very man who abducted her. Now, forced on board a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean, Addie finds herself surrounded by international smugglers who want nothing more than to throw her overboard.

All except the artistic and intriguing Charlie Hays, whose strange protectiveness convinces Addie to trust him, even when common sense tells her otherwise. Yet, despite her doubt, and his unrelenting temper, their relationship develops into something much more. But, Charlie’s scorned colleague has stowed away, and as he seeks revenge against his coworker, Addie and Charlie are forced to put their new love—and lives—at risk.

Buy Links:

Amazon

About the Author

A native of New Jersey and lifelong nerd, Amanda Lance recently completed her Master in Liberal Arts at Thomas Edison State College after her BA in English Literature and AFA in creative writing. As an avid reader of all genres, some of her favorite authors include Hemingway, Marquis de Sade, Stevenson, Bukowski and Radcliffe.

When she isn’t writing or reading, Amanda can found indulging in film noir or hiking with her other half and their extremely spoiled dog. She is obsessively working on her next book and trying to tame her caffeine addiction.

Website│Twitter│Goodreads│Facebook

My Review:

Wanted was an entertaining and engrossing read about a captive that falls in love with her captor. I thought a few things were a little odd about the development of the romance, but I think the characterizations were strong enough that I was able to buy into it.

There was a lot of action in Wanted and I loved the fast pace of the book. Addie is taken by a group of men at a truck stop after she witnesses an armed robbery. During her initial captivity, one of the men tries to off her and she finds an unlikely savior in one of the kidnappers. The action continues as Addie is smuggled onto a ship and taken across international waters by the criminals.

Addie and Charlie were very well developed characters. The story is told from the POV of Addie and although I couldn’t completely understand her actions, I could empathize. Addie is pretty sheltered and naïve at the beginning of her ordeal and it was good to see her grow as a character. Charlie was damaged and something about him appealed to Addie’s need to be a caretaker.

The romance was hard for me to wrap my head around. I always have a tough time with these captive/captor love stories and Wanted was no exception. I just didn’t expect Addie’s feelings to develop as quickly as they did and I didn’t really see what she found so attractive about Charlie initially. He’s violent, arrogant and a chain-smoker and I just didn’t see what would make her so hot for him before she got to know him as a person.

All in all, the action was what I really loved about Wanted and I couldn’t wait to see how the story was resolved. I highly recommend this to fans of New Adult romances with a twist.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received Wanted as part of the YA Bound Blog Tour.

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More Than You Know by Alexandria Rhodes Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway

Release Date: May 14th, 2013

Genre: New Adult Romance

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17618537-more-than-you-know

Cover Designer: LJ Anderson at Mayhem Cover Creations - http://www.mayhemcovercreations.com/

Synopsis:

After surviving a devastating car accident that took her father's life, Bryn Woods feels like she has nothing left in her hometown of Savannah, GA. Along with losing her father, her boyfriend, Tyler, unexpectedly leaves town the same time of the accident. Feeling alone, broke and confused, Bryn leaves Savannah for college in New York City to escape her heartbreak.

Four years later, Bryn returns to Savannah to live in her childhood home. Slowly, she begins to let the people of her past back into her life. She lets the protective walls she's built to protect herself crash down around her. As she begins to find love again with Tyler, secrets start to unravel themselves about his past. Tyler has secrets of his own. Secrets connected to the death of Bryn's father. Secrets Tyler didn't even know he kept.

Author Bio:

Alexandria Rhodes is a first time novelist from the good old state of Ohio. She is a recent college graduate with a degree in English and Creative Writing. Alexandria has always known she needed to write and has been doing so ever since she bought a typewriter at a garage sale when she was nine. With hundreds of pages of plot ideas, scripts and character descriptions, it is no surprise that she finally came around to writing a book. Alexandria enjoys reading, writing, reviewing, spending time with family, tweeting (a little too much) and traveling, especially to Savannah, GA and New York City. Her writing is heavily influenced by her surroundings and the people in her life. She hopes that her stories will touch the hearts of her readers.

Author Contact Links:

Website: http://www.alexandriarhodes.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/A_L_Rhodes
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/morethanyouknowbook
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17618537-more-than-you-know

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