Friday 29 May 2015

Cover Reveal: Dare to Run - Jen McLaughlin (+ Scavenger Hunt Giveaway!)


Today I'm excited to be taking part in the cover reveal for Dare to Run, the first book in Jen McLaughlin's HOT new Sons of Steel Row series, that is being published by Penguin (NAL Signet) on the 2nd of February 2016. I'm a huge fan of Jen's writing so I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this book & I'm sure you'll see why when you have a look at this cover!

To celebrate the release Jen McLaughlin is holding a scavenger hunt, there are 8 clues scattered around a selection of blogs that are taking part in the cover reveal. All you have to do is find all the clues and then unscramble the eight letters to make a word!

To make it easy for you I'll even tell you where you can find the first clue - Just go to this article on DARE TO RUN, found at USA Today HEA!

You'll be able to find links to the seven remaining clues on Jen McLaughlin's blog HERE

The clue I'm sharing with you today is number 4:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Dare to Run Blurb:

The New York Times bestselling author of the Out of Line Novels takes readers to Boston, where one gang of criminals knows how being bad can be so good...

She knows what he’s like on Boston’s mean streets. Now she’s going to find out if he’s got some heart.

Lucas Donahue is not ashamed of his criminal past, but after a brief stint in prison, he’s ready to go legit and live a normal life. The problem is, no one leaves the gang without permission—even if he is one of the boss’s top men. Plus someone’s placed a hit on him. And then there’s that feisty little bartender who’s going to cause him even more trouble.

Heidi Greene knows to keep her distance from a ladies’ man like Lucas—even if she can’t keep her eyes off him. When he rescues her from an attack in the alley outside her bar, she’s forced to stay by his side for safety. But the longer she spends time with him, the greater her chances are for getting hurt in more ways than one.

Add Dare to Run to Goodreads HERE

Pre-order Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1AnqL7e
The Book Depository: http://bit.ly/1Lucber
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1HDfUZa

About the Author:

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Find Jen McLaughlin Online:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Thursday 28 May 2015

Fabulous Giveaway to Celebrate the Re-Release of Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh


I'm a huge fan of everything that Nalini Singh writes but I adore her Psy-Changeling books and having just read the fourteenth book I can confirm that the series is just getting better and better! The first book in the series, Slave to Sensation, is being released in the US with a fabulous new cover and to celebrate Nalini Singh and Penguin's Berkley Romance imprint are holding a fantastic international giveaway for the first five books in the Psy-Changeling series! Trust me, if you've not started this series yet you really are missing out and this giveaway is the perfect chance to dive in - especially since there will be FIVE winners!

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation"--the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was...

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion--and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities--or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation...

Buy Links:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Read an excerpt from Slave to Sensation HERE

Psy-Changeling Series:
(Links will take you to my reviews)
Beat of Temptation (Novella included in Wild Invitation and the An Enchanted Season anthology)
Whisper of Sin (Novella included in the Burning Up anthology or as a separate ebook)
Slave to Sensation
Visions of Heat
Caressed by Ice
Stroke of Enticement (Novella included in Wild Invitation and The Magical Christmas Cat anthology)
Mine to Possess
Hostage to Pleasure
Branded by Fire
Blaze of Memory
Bonds of Justice
Play of Passion
Declaration of Courtship (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Kiss of Snow
Texture of Intimacy (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Tangle of Need
Heart of Obsidian
Secrets at Midnight (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
Shield of Winter
Shards of Hope (Releases June 2015)

Giveaway:

You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter form below. Winners will be announced via Rafflecopter and will be contacted directly by the giveaway organisers so that they can organise sending out the prizes.

aRafflecopter giveaway

Monday 25 May 2015

Review: Equal Rites - Terry Pratchett

The last thing the wizard Drum Billet did, before Death laid a bony hand on his shoulder, was to pass on his staff of power to the eighth son of an eighth son. Unfortunately for his colleagues in the chauvinistic (not to say misogynistic) world of magic, he failed to check on the new-born baby's sex . . .

Discworld Series:
The Colour of Magic (Rincewind book 1)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind book 2)
Equal Rites (Witches book 1)
Mort (Death book 1)
Sourcery (Rincewind book 3)
Wyrd Sisters (Witches book 2)
Pyramids
Guards! Guards! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 1)
Eric (Rincewind book 4)
Moving Pictures (Industrial Revolution book 1)
Reaper Man (Death book 2)
Witches Abroad (Witches book 3)
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies (Witches book 4)
Men at Arms (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 2)
Soul Music (Death book 3)
Interesting Times (Rincewind book 5)
Maskerade (Witches book 5)
Feet of Clay (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 3)
Hogfather (Death book 4)
Jingo (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 4)
The Last Continent (Rincewind book 6)
Carpe Jugulum (Witches book 6)
The Fifth Elephant (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 5)
The Truth (Industrial Revolution book 2)
Thief of Time (Death book 5)
The Last Hero (Rincewind book 7)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Night Watch (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 6)
The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching book 1)
Monstrous Regiment (Industrial Revolution book 3)
A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching book 2)
Going Postal (Moist von Lipwig book 1) (Industrial Revolution book 4)
Thud! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 7)
Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching book 3)
Making Money (Moist von Lipwig book 2) (Industrial Revolution book 5)
Unseen Academicals (Rincewind book 8)
I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching book 4)
Snuff (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 8)
The World of Poo
Raising Steam (Moist von Lipwig book 3) (Industrial Revolution book 6)
The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching book 5)

Discworld Related books:
The Discworld Mapp - Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book - Paul Kidby
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Imaginarium - Paul Kidby

Visit Terry Pratchett's website for more information

Review:
Wizards always know when they're going to die and Drum Billet is determined to pass on his staff, and his magic, to someone worthy. He has heard that a baby is about to be born, the eighth son of an eighth son, and therefore someone who should be incredibly powerful when they come of age and he has decided that they'll make a worthy heir. Unfortunately he forgets one tiny matter - to check that the baby is actually a boy before he makes the exchange. It's a well known fact on Discworld that girls can't be wizards and boys can't be witches but Esk has been gifted a magic that she never should have had access to and now it's up to Granny Weatherwax to figure out how to train her.

I've always loved the Discworld witches and Granny Weatherwax is a firm favourite but I had forgotten how much she changes throughout this series. When we meet her in Equal Rites she is still an intelligent and powerful witch but she's never left her remote village in the mountains and hates the idea of even visiting a large town, let alone travelling the 500 miles to Ankh-Morpork. I always think of her as being rather worldy and wise so it was quite amusing to see her so nervous about leaving her home. Unfortunately for Granny Esk starts to manifest magical abilities that are beyond Granny's experience and she realises that the young girl needs proper wizard training so it's off to the Unseen University that they go.

One of the things I love about Terry Pratchett's writing is his ability to take real life issues, like equality of the sexes in this case, and present them in a way that shows how utterly ridiculous it is that these problems still occur in our day to day lives. His stories are so full of humour, he is great at poking fun of old fashioned and pointless traditions and his characters are always so much fun to read about. Equal Rites is the third book in the Discworld series but it stands the test of time and I've read it many times over the years along with all of the earlier Discworld novels. I love the world he has created and I've grown really attached to all of the characters over the years, so many of them pop up time and time again even if it's only for a minor guest appearance and although the books can be read in any order I do think that it's best to start at the beginning, especially your first time through the series.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Saturday 23 May 2015

Review: Once Pure - Cecy Robson

She bears the scars of the past. He blames himself for things he can’t control. Their defenses are up, but in Cecy Robson’s latest Shattered Past novel—perfect for fans of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—true love lands a knockout punch.

Sofia Tres Santos remembers a time before her life went sour, before her innocence was ripped away, before she began punishing herself with risky behaviors and unworthy men. Now, at twenty, she just hopes she’s ready to rebuild some of what she lost. One way or another, it always comes back to her childhood friend and longtime crush, Killian O’Brien.

As strong as Killian is, Sofia has always been his one weakness. He knows Sofia has suffered and wants to ensure she’s never hurt again—not like before, and definitely not under his watch. When Sofia agrees to work at his mixed martial arts gym, Killian seizes the opportunity to help and protect the sweet girl he’s always cared for. And yet, as he trains Sofia to defend herself using his hard-hitting MMA techniques, he’s drawn to the vulnerable beauty in ways he never expected.

As Sofia grows stronger, she also grows brave enough to open herself up to love. And along the way, she challenges everything Killian believes to be true, showing him that no matter how much he dominates in the ring, the real battle is fought in the heart.

Shattered Past Series:
Once Perfect
Once Loved
Once Pure

O'Brien Family Series:
(Characters were introduced in the Shattered Past series but this series can be read separately)
Once Kissed
Let Me
Crave Me
Feel Me
Save Me

Visit Cecy Robson's website for more information.

Review:
I have been dying to read Sofia and Killian's story ever since they were introduced in the first book of the Shattered Past series. Sofia is the youngest of the Tres Santos family and her siblings Mateo and Lety have always been very protective of her, something that only increased when she went through a horrible traumatic experience a few years ago. Sofia's experience broke something inside of her and the previously shy and quiet girl went completely off the rails making poor choices when it came to men. It's taken a long time but Sofia has finally put her life back together, she is studying hard and knows what she wants from the future but she is still very timid and her experience has made her very wary of new people, men in particular.

Killian has always had a special place in his heart for Lety, they were childhood friends and he cares deeply for her but she is his best friend's little sister and therefore should be off limits. That hasn't put a damper on the attraction he feels for her though and he would do anything to erase the past and give her back her confidence. When Sofia agrees to help Killian update the website for his MMA gym it means working in close proximity and Killian sets out to help Sofia regain her confidence. He starts with self defence training but the more time they spend together the more he realises that he wants so much more. It's not going to be easy to convince Sofia to give him a chance but she is definitely worth fighting for.

I absolutely loved this story, we've already seen how much Sofia has been through and I was desperate to see her find happiness and start putting the past behind her. More than anything Sofia is a survivor and I loved seeing her slowly grow more confident as Killian and his family encouraged her to stand up for herself. Killian was fantastic, unlike so many new adult heroes he's not a player, sure he's no innocent virgin but he's not someone with a different woman on his arm every night who has no intention of settling down. In fact, for a long time the only person he has been able to think about is Sofia. He is incredibly patient with her and I loved the way he helped to build her up, when he looks at her he sees a strong and independent woman and he wants her to see herself in the same way. They do have issues to work through but I never doubted that they'd be able to make it in the long term.

Once Pure is quite an emotional story, it's utterly heart wrenching and in places brought tears to my eyes but there is also plenty of humour thanks to Killian's crazy siblings. Can I just say right now that I loved all of the O'Brien clan and I'm incredibly excited that Cecy Robson will be writing stories for each of them. I'm already particularly excited about Finn and Wren's books but I know I'll be devouring them all! Another thing I really enjoyed was getting the chance to catch up with both of the previous couples. Mateo is not happy when he finds out about Killian and Sofia but the guys work things out and I think even Mateo can see how good they are together. I love this series and can't wait to continue reading it.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Heap House - Edward Carey

Clod is an Iremonger. He lives in the Heaps, a vast sea of lost and discarded items collected from all over London. At the centre is Heap House, a puzzle of houses, castles, homes and mysteries reclaimed from the city and built into a living maze of staircases and scurrying rats.

The Iremongers are a mean and cruel family, robust and hardworking, but Clod has an illness. He can hear the objects whispering. His birth object, a universal bath plug, says ‘James Henry’, Cousin Tummis’s tap is squeaking ‘Hilary Evelyn Ward-Jackson’ and something in the attic is shouting ‘Robert Burrington‘ and it sounds angry.

A storm is brewing over Heap House. The Iremongers are growing restless and the whispers are getting louder. When Clod meets Lucy Pennant, a girl newly arrived from the city, everything changes. The secrets that bind Heap House together begin to unravel to reveal a dark truth that threatens to destroy Clod’s world.

The Iremonger Trilogy:
Heap House
Foulsham
Lungdon (2015)

Visit Edward Carey's website for more information

Review:
Every child born to the Iremonger family is given a birth object that they must carry with them their entire lives, for some this isn't a problem - Clod can easily fit a bath plug in his pocket - but for others it makes life difficult, you can't exactly carry around a mantelpiece so Clod's grandmother has lived her whole life stuck in one room. Nobody knows what would happen if they lost their birth object but they know it won't be good and they get the chance to see why first hand when one of Clod's aunts misplaces her door handle.

Heap House is a very quirky and unusual read, it's clear that Edward Carey has a cracking imagination and I was immediately caught up in the story and wanting to learn more about the Iremonger family. I loved how all of the characters had unusual names and it was interesting to discover how their birth objects fitted their personalities. I was also very curious about this strange and twisted version of London, a London that has become a giant rubbish heap. The Heap is almost a character in it's own right, it's constantly changing and is an incredibly dangerous place to be. The Iremonger family live in a huge house in the middle of the Heap, their house is made up of bits and pieces of all different kinds of buildings and it's the kind of place you could spend weeks exploring and still never uncover all of it's secrets. The Iremongers scavenge through the Heap looking for useful items which they basically recycle and find new uses for. Their family is very insular, they don't allow strangers to visit their home, they always marry within the family (there are a huge amount of second, third and fourth cousins to choose from) and even the servants must have some Iremonger blood in them.

Clod has spent his whole life inside Heap House, he quite likes the idea of visiting London but he is unable to travel through the Heap because of his ability. Clod hears things, inanimate objects all seem to call out to him telling him their names, he is the only member of his family who hears this but it's an ability he has had for his entire life and it means he finds things very overwhelming if he is surrounded by too many objects. Lucy is an orphan who has only just arrived at Heap House, she is a distant relative and has been brought home to join the ranks of servants who look after the house. Upper Iremongers aren't supposed to mix with the servants but when Clod and Lucy meet they find themselves embroiled in a set of strange events and life at Heap House will never quite be the same again.

Heap House is a really difficult book to review because it's such an unusual tale, I think it's the kind of story that you'll either fall head over heels in love with or unfortunately, like me, you could end up struggling with it. I loved how unusual the story was but I just felt like it dragged a bit and I spent a lot of time confused and not at all sure where things were going. Even after reading just over 400 pages I'm still bemused about what was actually going on and I'm not sure if there really was a point to it all. It's quirky, I loved the gothic feel to it and the wonderful illustrations but I never managed to connect with any of the characters. The story is narrated by both Clod and Lucy, with occasional short sections from other important characters, but I never really felt like I got to know much about either of them. The hint of romance felt rushed and unbelievable and I feel kind of indifferent about what will happen to them in the rest of the trilogy. That's not to say this is a bad book, I think it just wasn't to my taste. If you're looking for something completely different then it wouldn't hurt to give this a try though because there really is a lot to like about it.

Source: Received from Hot Key Books in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Friday 22 May 2015

Bookish News: New 3 Book Deal for Laini Taylor with Hodder & Stoughton

I received the following press release from Hodder & Stoughton and I'm such a huge Laini Taylor fan that I had to share it with you all!
__________________________________________________

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING FANTASY AUTHOR LAINI TAYLOR SIGNS NEW THREE-BOOK DEAL WITH HODDER & STOUGHTON


Following the international success of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, Hodder & Stoughton will publish three new young adult novels by Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling fantasy author, Laini Taylor. Kate Howard, Associate Publisher at Hodder, acquired British Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Jane Putch of Eyebait Management. The first book, The Muse of Nightmares, will be published in Autumn 2016 and is a fantasy young adult novel with a gothic flavour. Taylor describes it as follows: ‘There was a war between men and gods, and men won. The few surviving children of the gods have grown up in hiding, dreading the day they know must come: when humans find them, and end them. That day is at hand.’ The book will simultaneously release in the US from sister company Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Kate Howard said: ‘I am so thrilled to publish Sunday Times bestselling Laini Taylor’s new books across the UK and Commonwealth, starting with The Muse of Nightmares next Autumn. Laini’s imagination is second to none, the fantasy worlds she creates truly unique and I know that come Autumn 2016, The Muse of Nightmares will be the book everyone is talking about.’

Of The Muse of Nightmares, Taylor shared, ‘I’m excited beyond belief to have found the proper form, at last, for this story that’s been in my head for about two decades. I can’t say much about it, but I’ll say this: it’s about otherness, and yearning to belong in a place you never can. I can only hope that readers will respond to these new characters with the same passion as they have to Karou and Brimstone, Prague and Eretz.’

The widely acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy, for which Universal Pictures acquired film rights (with Joe Roth set to produce), is currently available in thirty-three languages. Of her experience meeting fans internationally, Taylor said, ‘The reception of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy has been and continues to be a dream come true. I’m blown away by the incredible fan art, cosplay, and tattoos from readers all around the world, who give the books new life and new dimensions every day. Fantasy readers are the best.’

About Laini Taylor
Laini Taylor is the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy: Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Days of Blood & Starlight, and Dreams of Gods & Monsters, and the companion enovella, Night of Cake & Puppets. She is also the author of the Dreamdark books, Blackbringer and Silksinger, and the National Book Award finalist Lips Touch: Three Times. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, illustrator Jim Di
Bartolo, and their daughter, Clementine. Her website is www.lainitaylor.com.
__________________________________________________

I absolutely adore the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, Laini Taylor's writing is beautiful and she quickly earned a spot as one of my favourite authors so I can't wait to read The Muse of Nightmares!

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Review: Beyond Innocence - Kit Rocha

For years, Jared has existed on the fringes of both Eden society and Dallas O'Kane's Sector Four gang. He travels between these worlds, protected by his money and power--money he earned selling his body, and power that comes from knowing secrets. He's untouchable—until he starts a new life gathering intelligence for the O'Kanes.

Lili Fleming walked out of Sector Five with a gun, the bloodstained clothes on her back, and an icy determination to survive. She finds herself in a world where people live hard and love harder, and nothing's more terrifying than how much the O'Kanes wake her up, make her feel—especially Jared.

Emotion is a risk he can't afford, and a complication she doesn't need. But neither can resist the lust simmering between them, and the sparks that could either melt the ice around both their hearts…or get them killed. Because the only thing more dangerous than loving an O'Kane is loving a spy.

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
I think this series might be the death of me, these O'Kane guys and gals just really know how to rock my world and if I could pick one series to dive into and die of hedonistic pleasure this would be it! Every time I think Bree and Donna (the writing duo behind the Kit Rocha name) can't possibly top the antics of the last book they happily manage to prove me wrong and Beyond Innocence was everything I could have hoped for and then some.

I have been desperate to read Jared's story ever since he was first introduced into the series, his best friend Ace (who happens to be my favourite O'Kane!) has been trying to get Jared to join them for as long as I can remember but Jared has been determined to stick to the sidelines. Well, that's what we've always been led to believe but it turns out Jared's motives are a lot more complicated and he's actually Dallas's most loyal spy and the O'Kane eyes and ears inside Eden. Jared's position in Eden society has allowed him access to uncountable secrets and he's more than willing to share, one one condition - Ace and the others must never find out what he's up to. Jared knows he is risking his life but he wants to do something worthwhile and he's doing his best to survive in an impossible situation. I was already half in love with him but the more we learn about his past and the amount of danger he is willing to face for the O'Kanes the easier it was to fall even harder.

I wasn't too sure what to expect from Lili, she appeared in Sector Four in the middle of the night dressed in a blood spattered nightdress and a fur coat with pockets full of drugs having killed the guard holding her captive in Sector Five. Lili has seen it all as the daughter and then the wife of Sector Five's most recent leaders, she learned the hard way never to trust anyone and that any kindness always comes at a price. Life in Five was a nightmare but she knew where she fitted in and what the rules were and now she's lost and completely adrift because she has no idea what the O'Kanes expect from her. She survived the first few months in a drug induced haze but now the drugs are running out and she is terrified. Lili brings out all of Jared's protective instincts, as someone else who is a relative outsider amongst the O'Kanes he knows he can show her the rules and help her settle in but when he is risking his life on a daily basis it isn't a great idea to get involved with anyone. I have to admit I was worried about Lili in the beginning, I wasn't sure she would be a worthy heroine for Jared because she seemed so weak and innocent but she has a core of steel and once she sets her mind on something nothing will sway her from her path. She really proved herself as a valuable asset to Jared and the pair make a fantastic couple. Jared is incredibly patient with Lili and he takes the time to introduce her to her new life slowly, Lili is a willing student and it doesn't take long before she is pushing Jared to let her be his equal partner, both in bed and in business.

Of course you'd expect the sex to be hot considering Jared's profession and I wasn't disappointed there. Lili and Jared share some incredibly sweet and tender moments but there is still plenty of the down and dirty action you'd expect from this series, we even get to see the couple experimenting with Ace, Rachel and Cruz and trust me that's not a scene you want to miss! What I love most about these books are the characters, they're all flawed in different ways and incredibly realistic and I love seeing them open up to each other as they learn about their own deepest and darkest desires. The world building is fantastic too and this is a series I would definitely recommend reading in order so you get the full benefit of the background of the different Sectors and Dallas's battle for control. We're definitely in for some interesting times ahead and I'm even more excited to read Beyond Ruin now that I know who the main characters are going to be.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Blog Tour: Beyond Innocence - Kit Rocha (Extract & TWO Fabulous Giveaways!)


It's finally here - the release date for the much anticipated 6th book in Kit Rocha's Beyond series - and boy is it a scorcher! It's no secret that this is one of the series that I fan girl over, I keep thinking that surely at some point these books are going to have to reach a plateau but nope, Bree and Donna (the writing duo behind the Kit Rocha pen name) manage to up the ante every single time and the books just keep getting better and better. I have been dying to read Jared's story so had high expectations for this one but I didn't realise how much I was going to fall for Lili too, she's a fantastic heroine and everything that Jared needed!

Anyway, I'm sure you're all dying for me to get on with it so I'm very happy to tell you that I have some fantastic extracts along with not one but TWO fantastic giveaways for you to enter! First here's a bit more information about the book:

For years, Jared has existed on the fringes of both Eden society and Dallas O'Kane's Sector Four gang. He travels between these worlds, protected by his money and power--money he earned selling his body, and power that comes from knowing secrets. He's untouchable—until he starts a new life gathering intelligence for the O'Kanes.

Lili Fleming walked out of Sector Five with a gun, the bloodstained clothes on her back, and an icy determination to survive. She finds herself in a world where people live hard and love harder, and nothing's more terrifying than how much the O'Kanes wake her up, make her feel—especially Jared.

Emotion is a risk he can't afford, and a complication she doesn't need. But neither can resist the lust simmering between them, and the sparks that could either melt the ice around both their hearts…or get them killed. Because the only thing more dangerous than loving an O'Kane is loving a spy.

Purchase Links:

AmazonBN / iBookstore / Kobo / ARe

Beyond Series:
(Links take you to my reviews)
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (Free Short Story)
Beyond Pain
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Beyond Ruin (release date to be confirmed)

Excerpts from Beyond Innocence:

First Kiss:

He didn’t say anything, just watched her for so long that the intensity would have terrified her if being the focus of his attention wasn’t thrilling in a different way. Finally, he sighed. “I don’t know what to do with you, Lili Fleming.”

Her heart lurched, and the words that spilled out were reckless—the most unguarded of her life. “What do you want to do with me?”

Again, the hesitation. “There are ways I could help you,” he admitted, rubbing his thumb over the bowl of his glass. “Ordinarily, I would have already offered. But somehow it seems complicated now.”

She watched his thumb make another slow sweep and couldn’t not imagine it smoothing over her skin. That was what he was talking about—he had to be. Touching her. Showing her the things her body wanted, even as her mind shrank away.

“That’s not why—” Her voice cracked, and she took a long sip of wine and wished it was whiskey. “I’m not asking you for that. I don’t know if I—if I could…” God, she couldn’t even say it, her tongue tangling around the mildest of euphemisms.

“I know you’re not asking.” He shrugged. “I guess that’s what makes it complicated.”

Because trades were simple. They never left you vulnerable. And he hadn’t really answered her question—he was so deft that she hadn’t noticed. “What do you want to do?” she repeated softly.

Jared held her riveted, so completely that she barely noticed when he moved. She couldn’t look away, even when he took the glass from her hand. Even when he laid his hands on her face, his fingers curled around her neck to hold her, and lowered his mouth to hers.

She’d imagined kissing. Mouths touching, lips brushing.

She’d imagined wrong, because Jared’s tongue was the first thing she felt, hot and shocking, as if he knew it would make her gasp. Because when she did, he went deeper, his tongue finding hers.

It was too much. Too fast, too intoxicating. Her entire body throbbed along with her racing pulse, and her knees felt unsteady. She clutched for the only steady thing she could find, grasping his upper arms to keep from melting through the floor.

Then his hands tightened, tilting her head back, urging her mouth open. His tongue swept over hers again, rough and rasping, and every tiny shiver of sensation built into an ache that settled between her legs. Not just an ache, a need, and she whimpered into his mouth.

Jared broke the kiss with a shudder and smoothed his thumb over her tingling lower lip. “See?” he whispered. “Complicated.”

She closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. “Not sure that helped,” she said, an attempt to turn it into a joke. It had to be, or fear and longing would crash together and vaporize her. “I’m feeling all sorts of things now.”

“It doesn’t have to stop.” His hands trembled on her face. “But that’s your choice to make.”

An impossible choice—need or fear, pleasure or peace. And all of it shrouded in mystery, because she couldn’t reconcile the O’Kanes’ wild glee with her mother’s whispered warnings to lie still so it would be over faster.

“I don’t know.” She forced herself to look at him, to meet his patient, waiting eyes. “I don’t know anything. How can I make a choice when I don’t understand what you’re offering?”

“You’re right.” He smiled again and brushed her hair back from her forehead with a careful, gentle touch. “It’s not exactly fair, is it?”

She was still clinging to him. Slowly, shyly, she eased her grip until she was touching, instead. His arms were solid, muscle flexing as she rubbed her thumb against his sleeve and wondered if he felt the same spark of sensation. “When I was on the drugs, everything seemed so clear. I thought they were all pretending. I didn’t believe in pleasure.”

“And now?”

Now it would be like not believing in water while she was standing outside in the rain. This wasn’t some gentle mist, either. She was caught up in a storm, and she’d seen what heavy rain could do to the desert. The clay couldn’t absorb the water, and the riverbeds couldn’t contain it.

She wasn’t made for pleasure. Too much would sweep her away. “Now I’m scared.”

Sexy times:

Lili’s world was on fire.

It was wrong. Watching Rachel and Ace and Cruz, imagining doing more than watching, and now this, her dress pushed up to her hips and her fingers pressed between her own thighs. Everything about this was wrong, start to finish.

And it felt so, so right.

This was the source of the ache that consumed her every time Jared touched her. His touch had always been too much, illicit and skilled and intimidating. Her own touch was clumsy by comparison, but even that had her shaking in moments.

Something was simmering inside her, something that made every brush of her fingers—their fingers—more dangerous and more necessary.

Jared’s breath blew over her ear. “You know this is what she wants, right?” He stroked his thumb over her cheek, guiding her gaze back to Rachel. “She gets off on being watched. And watching, I think.”

It explained so much. The warmth in Rachel’s eyes, the subtle tension in the store. Maybe Rachel hadn’t wanted to push, but the willingness was there. To let Lili watch, to help her understand the O’Kanes and their reckless pleasure.

Lili even understood gets off now—it was the culmination of pleasure, the moment this ache inside her boiled over. The only question was how hot she had to get before it happened.

Rachel had one arm wrapped around Ace’s neck, her eyes drifting shut only to snap open again. She moved faster, her chest heaving, and she clutched at Cruz with her other hand, her fingers wound through his hair as he reached between her and Ace.

With a jolt, Lili realized what he was doing. Touching Rachel, the same way Jared was guiding her to touch herself. But not tentative and easy—even in faint light, the shifting pattern of his tattoos highlighted the flex of muscle. Rachel’s response was immediate, her body arching as if the pleasure was so intense, she might fly out of her skin.

Blood pounding in her ears, Lili shifted her fingers, pressing more firmly. Sensation jolted through her, and she barely dug her teeth into her lower lip in time to hold back a moan.

The sharp sound of a zipper broke through her haze. “Do you do this when you’re alone, Lili?”

Shaking her head, she sagged back in the booth. The vinyl was smooth and cool against all the skin bared by her dress, but her own nakedness was inconsequential. The table shielded Jared’s movements from everyone else in the room—

But not from her.

He had freed his erection from his tailored pants. It jutted up into his hand, long and thick and impossibly big. It looked rough and delicate all at once, veined and throbbing but also soft, and she watched as he ran his thumb around the flared head.

Hazy nights spent at O’Kane parties had left her with a patchwork of blurry memories, of body parts and the ways they touched and came together. But she’d never wanted to look before. Now she couldn’t look away. She watched his elegant fingers slide along his length, and felt an answer throb beneath her own fingertips, as if he was somehow touching her, too.

So wrong. And so good.

“Harder, sweetheart.” He obeyed his own words, tightening his hand until his erection—his cock—jumped in his grip.

Her body was buzzing. Her nipples were tight, sensitive to the rasp of her dress, but she couldn’t touch them without the whole room seeing. It was a game, the kind she’d always been so good at. Control her expression, project calm. Smile, like she wasn’t brazenly touching herself beneath the table.

The thrill of it twisted her up. She let her thighs ease wider, until her knee bumped Jared’s, knowing he’d be the only witness as she slipped her fingers beneath the thin fabric of her panties and sought out slickness and heat.

He froze and shook his head. “Take them off.”

“What?”

“You heard me, Miss Lili.” His voice was low, steady—and wrapped in unmistakable command. “Take off your fucking panties.”

Jared the Spy:

“So how long have you been spying for Dallas?”

Cruz’s casual words startled Jared enough to throw him off balance. He almost missed blocking the man’s next blow, and wood scraped over wood as their staffs collided.

Jared spun around and tried to recover his composure. As tactics went, this one was murderously lethal—throw out something shocking, as boldly as possible, then take advantage of your opponent’s distraction to strike your killing blow.

“You’re a good soldier,” he murmured, tightening his fingers around his weapon. The staff was solid red oak—deadly and perfectly balanced. “I bet you’re an even better interrogator.”

“Not really.” Cruz planted his staff on the floor and met Jared’s gaze squarely. “My psych evaluations were consistently disappointing. I’ve always been burdened with an overabundance of empathy. The Base has plenty of soldiers not operating with that particular handicap.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Wiping his face with his arm did fuck-all to clear Jared’s vision, because every inch of his bare skin was dripping with sweat. He could make it through a solid hour of forms, no problem, but sparring with Cruz was a far more intense workout. “What gave me away?”

“Nothing obvious.” Cruz shrugged one big shoulder. “I doubt anyone else will notice. But I know a lot of people inside Eden, so I hear the gossip. And I watch you.”

“Good to know.” He made a rush, swinging one end of his staff up toward Cruz’s unprotected side. Cruz pivoted smoothly, his block effortless, his movements lazy as he flipped into a counterattack that pushed Jared back.

His next words were just as casual, just as easy. “I haven’t talked to Dallas about it. I figured if he wanted me to know, he’d have told me. Unless something was stopping him.”

“Not letting it go? Fine.” Jared tossed his staff aside with a sigh, and it clattered to the floor. “Ace can’t find out. That needs to be a promise.”

Cruz hesitated only a moment before nodding. “The fewer who know, the safer you are. But I need to know. If something goes wrong, I’m the one most likely to be able to get you out.”

“Bren’s on it.”

“Bren doesn’t have my connections.”

“Really, now?” So, quiet Cruz was the one with the friends in high places. “I’m impressed.”

“I can’t use them for information, not the kind Dallas needs. But if you get in trouble…” Cruz’s expression stayed serious. “Don’t underestimate how far I’ll go to protect Ace’s heart.”

Not just a promise, but a warning. “You took the words right out of my mouth. Which is why you need to stay the fuck out of it.”

“I’m not going to trip you up at fancy parties—or your new club. But you need to check in with us regularly.” Cruz swept up Jared’s abandoned staff and tossed it to him. “And I need to make sure you can kill a man with whatever’s handy.”

“Your newest project, huh?”

“I don’t want to get too soft living in all that O’Kane luxury.”

It wasn’t the high living on Dallas’s compound that was bringing out all of Cruz’s latent protective instincts—and that was exactly what this was, no matter how he tried to spin it. No, it was all that time he’d spent curled up between Ace and Rachel.

Caring. Once you let go and let yourself do it, it got to be a habit.

Jared kept his mouth shut for a few minutes, focusing instead on the careful coordination of his breathing and his muscles and the weapon in his hands, all moving in concert. But the words spilled forth anyway.

“It’s not so different,” he panted. “In my bedroom, or in a bar. Half the time, all I do is wait for them to say things they already want to say.” That much he understood now—the compulsion born of secrecy, how silence was its own sort of prison. The relief that came with being able to tell someone, anyone, all those things you were supposed to keep locked up.

“People want to be heard.” Cruz wasn’t as breathless, but he wasn’t moving so smoothly now, either. He blocked Jared’s advance only inches from his ribs and broke away to regain space to maneuver. “The bar’s a good idea. Eden’s elite are getting bored and reckless.”

Bored was one of Jared’s longstanding clients tripling her number of monthly visits. Reckless was the time she brought two friends with her, both the wives of powerful, devout men. Of true believers.

Bored and reckless. Separately, they made people dangerous. But together? Bored and reckless had toppled empires.

Giveaway Time:

Giveaway One:

To celebrate the release of Beyond Innocence Kit Rocha is holding a tour wide giveaway to win a Kindle packed full of amazing post-apocalyptic romances! You can enter using the rafflecopter form below, the winner will be contacted directly by the author or their assistant so that they can arrange to send out the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Two:


I also have an exciting giveaway just for my blog readers which is perfect for anyone who is yet to discover the series. I'm giving away an ebook copy of Beyond: Volume One, this ebook contains the first three books in the Beyond series - Beyond Shame, Beyond Control and Beyond Pain. If that isn't enough to get you completely hooked on this series then nothing will be!

This giveaway is open internationally for anyone who is 18 and over and you can enter using the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway ends on the 28th of May and the winner will be announced soon afterwards. The prize will be sent out directly by Kit Rocha or her assistant so by entering you are giving me permission to share your email address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Review: Falling for His Best Friend - Katee Robert

Avery Yeung’s biological clock just went off early. Thanks to her family’s medical history, she’s running out of time to get knocked up. And the only guy within donating distance? Her overprotective—and irritatingly hot—best friend. So clearly she needs an anonymous donor . . .

Anonymous donor? Over Sheriff Drew Flannery’s dead body. While daddyhood will never be in the cards for a man with his past, Drew won’t let Avery shop for a “popsicle pop.” He’ll do what’s right for his best friend by doing his best friend. But only if they do it properly.

But there’s nothing “proper” about it. Between the bed, the kitchen counter, and against his squad car, Avery and Drew are having the hottest sex ever. They can’t get enough of it—or each other. And without knowing it, they’ve crossed the one line that could ruin their friendship forever . . .

Out of Uniform Series:
In Bed with Mr. Wrong
His to Keep (Novella)
Falling for His Best Friend
His Lover to Protect
His to Take (Novella) (December 2015)

Visit Katee Robert's website for more information.

Review:
Avery is facing a difficult decision, she always wanted children but certain factors are against her and unless she has a baby soon she knows she'll miss her chance completely. She had hoped to be in a settled relationship before she reached this point but after several years of being almost permanently single she knows she has to take matters into her own hands and decides to seek the help of a fertility clinic and an anonymous sperm donor. Drew is horrified when he hears about her plans, he worries that if Avery uses a donor then she won't have anyone there to help her when the baby comes along. He knows that he'll always offer her the support she needs but if he's going to end up helping raise another man's baby surely it makes much more sense if he's actually the father? What neither of them are expecting is the scorching hot attraction that builds between them. It was supposed to be simple - get Avery pregnant and then go back to being best friends - but now things are much more complicated. Can they find a way to move their relationship forward or are they going to lose each other forever.

I'm a sucker for friends to lovers stories so I've been looking forward to reading about Avery and Drew ever since they were introduced in In Bed with Mr. Wrong. We've seen them as best friends and fellow trouble makers but it was obvious that the connection between them went much deeper than that and I was really excited to see how they would be able to make things work.

Avery is great, she's independent, a bit of a tomboy and wants to live life on her own terms. She comes from a very strict family and knows that her grandparents won't approve of her plans but she is determined to do things her way. Drew has been her best friend for as long as she can remember, he was her rock when her mother died and has always been the one person she can turn to no matter what. She's always been attracted to him but their friendship is way to important for her to risk it on a fling with someone who has always been a bit of a player. Drew had to grow up early, he pretty much raised himself and his younger brother because their drunk dad wasn't able to care for them. Drew had to be the responsible one at home but Avery was always there to raise hell with him when he needed to let of steam and she means everything to him. He is absolutely terrified of turning into his father though and has always sworn that he would never get married or have children.

Both Avery and Drew have faced really difficult things in their lives but neither of them have ever let it hold them back. They are great together, they have so much in common and enjoy hanging out just playing games or watching movies. Add in the fantastic sex that they've just discovered and they're pretty much a perfect couple, IF they can both get past their fears long enough to give themselves a shot at something permanent. I loved spending time with these two, I also loved catching up with Bri and Ryan and my heart was broken finding out what Avery's sister Alexis has been through. I'm really hoping that Katee Robert is going to give Alexis a book of her own because if anyone deserves a HEA it's her! Once again this author has written a fantastic contemporary romance, her stories are always fun, light hearted and scorching hot and they never fail to hold my full attention. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Blog Tour: Falling for His Best Friend - Katee Robert (Extract & Giveaway)


As a huge fan of Katee Robert's writing I'm excited to be taking part in the blog tour for her latest novel Falling for His Best Friend. I'll be posting my review later today but in the meantime let me tell you all about the book.

Avery Yeung’s biological clock just went off early. Thanks to her family’s medical history, she’s running out of time to get knocked up. And the only guy within donating distance? Her overprotective—and irritatingly hot—best friend. So clearly she needs an anonymous donor . . .

Anonymous donor? Over Sheriff Drew Flannery’s dead body. While daddyhood will never be in the cards for a man with his past, Drew won’t let Avery shop for a “popsicle pop.” He’ll do what’s right for his best friend by doing his best friend. But only if they do it properly.

But there’s nothing “proper” about it. Between the bed, the kitchen counter, and against his squad car, Avery and Drew are having the hottest sex ever. They can’t get enough of it—or each other. And without knowing it, they’ve crossed the one line that could ruin their friendship forever . . .

Out of Uniform Series:
In Bed with Mr. Wrong
His to Keep (Novella)
Falling for His Best Friend

Get More information at: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

About Katee Robert:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google + | GoodReads | Instagram | Tumblr | Youtube

Extract:

Drew Flannery was kissing her. No. Kissing wasn’t a strong enough word for what he was doing. He claimed her lips, tongue thrusting into her mouth as if it had every right to be there.

God help her, but Avery wasn’t sure it didn’t.

She melted against him, her hands going to his chest and touching him in a way she’d never dreamed would be reality. He was so hard and warm and, oh lord, his hands gripped her hips, jerking her tighter against him and eliminating what tiny space there’d been to begin with. But he wasn’t
done. Drew pulled her shirt off in a swift move that barely broke their kiss.

He nipped her bottom lip, sending zings through her entire body. His hands were everywhere—her back to unhook her bra, down her spine, grabbing her ass and grinding her against him.

“Avery,” he groaned against her mouth. “Holy shit.”

Holy shit is right.

Giveaway:

As part of the blog tour Katee Robert is giving away a $30 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can enter using the Rafflecopter form below, the winner will be contacted directly by Katee so that she can arrange to send out the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday 18 May 2015

Review: What Caroline Wants - Amanda Abbott

Caroline and Jason Stratton have always been hot for each other. Married right out of college, they’ve had a great sex life. But when they discover that their best friends and neighbors, Piper and Michael Collins, have experimented with a few extracurricular adventures during their ten year marriage, Caroline and Jace’s sexual world is rocked.

The Strattons quickly find that inviting others into their bedroom might be something they want to explore. But getting Caroline to reconcile her Southern guilt is another matter altogether. So they decide to take it deliciously slow, exploring every avenue.

Their adventures lead them to Emma and Pete, and after a fun, sexy dinner date out, and an incredibly hot car ride home, they’re in. But once they decide to scale that mountain, all bets are off. In the end, Caroline must make a decision—and it’s one she’ll have to live with forever.

*This book is ridiculously sexy, filled with high-octane moments between the couple as they figure out what makes them tick. The book contains: explicit sex, voyeurism, and light couple swap. **There is no cheating, everything is consensual between all participants.

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
Caroline and Jason have a pretty perfect marriage, they're very much in love, incredibly happy together and they have a great sex life. So why would a conversation with their best friends and neighbours change that? When Piper and Michael confess that they enjoy experimenting with other couples in the bedroom it gives Caroline and Jason all sorts of ideas. Jason knows that sex and love are two different things and is more than willing to take their sex life to the next level but Caroline is much more nervous, what if adding extra participants in the bedroom ruins the relationship they have as a couple? Caroline feels guilty even thinking about it and isn't sure if she's brave enough to try. Can Caroline put her fears to one side and let go enough to enjoy the experience or will it ruin their marriage forever?

When this book came highly recommended by Annie I knew I was going to love it, she promised me a scorching hot read and she wasn't wrong about that, What Caroline Wants is an incredibly erotic story pretty much from the first page. I've read a lot of stories with multiple partners but this is the first book I've read about a couple who are in a serious long term relationship and considering experimenting with others for the first time. I have to admit I wasn't too sure if I would like that aspect of the story, I don't think it's the kind of thing I'd be comfortable to experiment with myself and I worried that I'd have trouble connecting to the characters. I guess that's the great thing about fiction though, we can enjoy the fantasy without having to take any of the risk and I ended up loving the journey that Caroline and Jason took.

They are such a great couple and you can tell from the beginning that they are crazy in love and have a very solid relationship. They talk things through every step of the way and although Jason is the one who is initially more keen to experiment I never felt like he was pressuring Caroline into anything. In fact, he knows how much the idea appeals to her even when she is too scared to admit it and for Jason the fantasy is more about seeing how turned on it makes her. At first I found it very easy to relate to Caroline but I have to admit that her Southern Belle guilt trip started to irritate me after a while, it did seem to be a little over the top at times and it made it hard for me to believe that their experiments proceeded quite so quickly. I think her guilt at anything sexual could have been toned down just a little and there would still have been plenty for them to deal with as a couple, it isn't an easy decision for anyone to take that step but I ended up feeling that Caroline would have taken years to get to the stage they reached within a few months which was a shame.

Having said that my complaints really were fairly minor and What Caroline Wants is a scorching hot read that I had trouble putting down. It introduces us to the two couples who feature in the rest of the trilogy, each pair have their own hang ups and kink and I'm looking forward to reading more about all of them. Amanda Abbott has definitely caught my attention with this series and I have no doubt that each book is only going to get hotter. If you like your stories full of intense emotions, highly erotic and with more than a little kink then you definitely need to give this a try.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Blog Tour: What Caroline Wants - Amanda Abbott (Extract + International Giveaway)


To celebrate the release of What Caroline Wants, the first book in Amanda Abbott's new Pushing the Boundaries series, I'm thrilled to have an extract and a fantastic giveaway to share with my readers today. This book is hot as hell and I have not one but TEN copies of it to giveaway today! Make sure you check back later to read my full review but in the meantime let me give you a little more information about the book:

Caroline and Jason Stratton have always been hot for each other. Married right out of college, they’ve had a great sex life. But when they discover that their best friends and neighbors, Piper and Michael Collins, have experimented with a few extracurricular adventures during their ten year marriage, Caroline and Jace’s sexual world is rocked.

The Strattons quickly find that inviting others into their bedroom might be something they want to explore. But getting Caroline to reconcile her Southern guilt is another matter altogether. So they decide to take it deliciously slow, exploring every avenue.

Their adventures lead them to Emma and Pete, and after a fun, sexy dinner date out, and an incredibly hot car ride home, they’re in. But once they decide to scale that mountain, all bets are off. In the end, Caroline must make a decision—and it’s one she’ll have to live with forever.

*This book is ridiculously sexy, filled with high-octane moments between the couple as they figure out what makes them tick. The book contains: explicit sex, voyeurism, and light couple swap. **There is no cheating, everything is consensual between all participants.

About Amanda Abbott:
Amanda Abbott lives in the Midwest. She's the author of many books, both on her own and some published in New York. She loves traveling, seeing the world, and above all she loves to write. These stories have blossomed out of her pure love of all kinds of romance, but especially humor + sexy combined. Taking the question of "what if" and making it real was an absolute thrill to write. And there's more in the hopper! To keep up with new series and new releases, head to her website www.authoramandaabbott.com and be sure to sign-up for her newsletter!

Website: http://www.authoramandaabbott.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAAbbott
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmandaAbbott
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13778727.Amanda_Abbott?from_search=true
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1GzfRb1

Extract:

What if we just try it once?” Jason Stratton dipped his razor into the sink and grinned into the mirror. “If we don’t like it, we can chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.”

“You don’t just move on from having sex with your neighbors,” Caroline stated from her spot by the bathroom door. Her shoulder was casually braced against the jamb, her arms loosely crossed as she watched her husband, clad only in a crisp white towel, shave. “That doesn’t happen. And I know you’re just trying to mess with me, Jace, but I shouldn’t have to tell you that even considering that idea for more than one millisecond is completely insane.”

Jace brought the razor up and tracked a line down his cheek. “I don’t think it’s all that crazy. I get why people do it. You heard Michael as clearly as I did last night. He and Piper are in it for the raw sexual pleasure. They also told us there are strict rules you have to adhere to, and Piper said no emotional ties are allowed.”

Caroline snorted, unfolding her arms as she turned and padded back into the bedroom. “Yeah, right,” she threw over her shoulder as she snatched up an errant shirt and tossed it into a nearby basket. “Emotions are the only reason anyone would do a thing like that. Inviting others into your bedroom is not something you walk away from unscathed. It’s the kind of thing that changes lives forever—and you know I’m right!”

The night before, during a typical BBQ-turned-late-night-drinking party in their backyard with their neighbors, and best friends of the past five years, Michael and Piper Collins, the tipsy talk had turned from casual banter and had entered uncharted territory. Michael and Piper admitted to having had a few extracurricular experiences during their nearly ten years of marriage.

Caroline had been utterly shocked. She couldn’t believe Piper had never mentioned one thing about it, and she had essentially shut down after the confession. But Jace had probed them for more than an hour for details, which they’d given freely.

Once they’d left, Caroline and Jace had the best sex they’d had in the last two years.

It had been wild, uninhibited, and totally hot. Caroline was still reeling from the intensity of it, her toes curling into the plush carpeting as she took a seat on the edge of their bed. When a very tangible image of last night’s lovemaking flooded through her—her husband entering her hard and fast—it sent a batch of tingles racing up her spine. But unlike her bold, seemingly unfazed-by-anything husband, it had taken Caroline years to get to this point in their marriage—a point where she felt free enough to let go of her inhibitions during sex.

Through no fault of her own, she’d been raised in the belly of South Carolina like a proper Southern belle. And, if asked, she’d fully admit she’d been unwilling to experiment at the beginning of their relationship. She’d been absolutely fearful that she would break some kind of unspoken code of behavior if she actually enjoyed sex. But her patient, charismatic Midwestern husband had continued to coax her into trying new things, and over the years she had slowly loosened up in the bedroom and learned to parcel away that “I’m going straight to hell” moment that always crept up on her the morning after they did something dirty.

If she was completely honest with herself, once she’d experienced her first orgasm, her sexual awareness had exploded like a fire hydrant on a hot June day.

Since then, she’d opened to trying a variety of things—things she’d never thought in a million years she’d be okay with. Her handsome, rugged husband was responsible for all of that. He made her feel safe and happy.

He was the love of her life.

And now he wanted to do something crazy that could rock their perfect world forever.

Caroline stood and headed back to the bathroom, where she leaned against the doorjamb. Jace grinned at her reflection in the mirror as he finished shaving, whisking his razor in the sink in between strokes.

“You’re impossible,” she told him. “A scamp with no morals whatsoever.”

“I have plenty of morals, but they have nothing to do with this particular scenario,” he replied with a wink. “You know how I feel about sex, Care. Sex is not love. You just have to choose pleasure over guilt. If you did that, this could be a gold mine of sexual happiness for us.” He smiled at her like a fool.

She crossed her arms. “A gold mine? Sounds more like a minefield of unhappiness to me. And since you’re continuing to push this agenda, is this your way of telling me that you could share me so easily? Because the thought of sharing you makes my stomach ache and bile rise in my throat.”
Jace caught her expression in the mirror and dropped his razor into the sink. He turned, tugging the towel from his waist, using it to wipe away the rest of the shaving cream as he strode forward.

Caroline tried to turn away, but her husband caught her wrists, pulling her close, encircling her waist, and hugging her tightly to his chest before she could move. “Of course I couldn’t share you easily,” he murmured near her ear, kissing her neck the way she liked. She braced her hands against his shoulders and pressed back, letting him know his advances weren’t entirely welcome. “Caroline, you dazzle me every time I look at you. From the very first moment I ever laid eyes on you, I was hooked. Nothing’s going to change that. Pleasure to me is just that—pleasure. I’m not looking to find a new connection with anyone. I just want to find what makes us tick and, from there, make it extraordinary.” He lingered over her collarbone and made his way slowly to her ear, ending with his lips tugging her earlobe. “Last night was completely amazing. You have to admit it,” he whispered in her ear. “We haven’t had sex like that in a long time.” He slid a hand up and used his thumb to caress a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. She shivered. “It could’ve been a coincidence, but I don’t think so. What Michael and Piper told us had everything to do with it. It was like they doused us with lighter fluid and lit a match.”

Caroline had fallen for her husband the first time she’d seen him, too.

She angled her head up. “Fine, I admit it. It might’ve been sexy to hear about someone else’s indiscretions—in that very moment.” She shook her head. “But what you’re suggesting is dangerous. I think we tick together just fine without anything extra. And I don’t believe pleasure can be wrought without an emotional bond. A person needs to be connected to hit all the right notes. If we did something like inviting others into our bedroom, there would be a steep price to pay. It’s not something you just do willy-nilly.”

Jace chuckled. “I love it when you talk Southern to me.” He walked her backward toward their king-size bed, his arms still tightly wrapped around her, the towel long gone. When the backs of her legs touched the end of the bed, he gently untied her robe. “I agree with you, by the way,” he said as his hands brushed over her bare shoulders, coaxing the soft terry cloth to the floor. “This isn’t something we should consider doing without a lot of thought, and I don’t want to share you either, believe me. But last night the sex was cataclysmic and I don’t care how we got there. If it took our neighbors to get us that horny, so be it. You were on fire, and I loved every minute of it.” He eased her back on the rumpled covers. “You were dripping wet by the time we got to the bedroom, and I couldn’t get your clothes off fast enough.” He braced himself over her, his arms on either side of her head. He dipped lower, his mouth sliding over hers, melding perfectly as their tongues entwined.

She let out a soft sigh.

The sexy talk last night with their friends had indeed turned her on.

It had been exactly like Jace had described—it was like Michael and Piper had poured gas on a bonfire by spilling their sexual secrets. But in Caroline’s mind, it had been no different than watching porn or reading a sexy story, something that always made her hot for her husband and no one else. What she didn’t want to confess to Jace right now—or even to herself—was that while Michael had been divulging the dirty details about their extracurricular affairs, his hand had slid onto Piper’s thigh, and at his touch, Piper had uttered a small moan.

Caroline’s eyes had been riveted to his hand as it’d crept upward. To her relief it’d stopped a respectable distance from Piper’s upper thigh and had ended up being very innocent.

Titillating, but nothing untoward.

“I was on fire,” Caroline admitted. Jace kissed her again, and when he finally broke away, both of them were panting hard. “But it was for you. There’s a big difference. I didn’t want Michael in my bed, I wanted you.” Michael was a very handsome man, ridiculously so, but for Caroline, he didn’t hold a candle to her husband’s natural charm and all-American good looks. Jace lay down next to her, propping himself up on an elbow, smiling. “I knew it got to you. It made me hot for you, too. And just like right now, while we’re talking about it, it’s turning us on again.” He placed two fingers between her breasts, brushing them lightly down her chest to her stomach…

Giveaway:

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