Review: Veiled Target - Robin Bielman

Never take Fate along on a date. The kiss goodnight could be deadly.

Tracking down Veilers—non humans—is only a sideline for Tess Damon. Vengeance for her fiancé’s murder is her reason for living. But with two botched jobs on her record, if she fails to eliminate her next mark, she’s dead. She’s not afraid to die, but not before she gets even. Too bad fate has a really bad sense of humor.

Hugh Langston, a wolfen half shifter, lives to keep both humans and his pack safe. But when rogue humans kidnap his apprentice, his rescue mission is compromised by a hot-as-hell, kick-ass woman who makes him think only one thing: mine.

Tess tries to ignore her feelings, but temptation trips her up. Especially when Hugh figures out he’s her next target and forces her into an inconvenient alliance that tests all the laws against their attraction. Now, with the line between good and evil getting blurrier by the minute, it becomes clear Tess’s only hope of living to see another day—and finding a murderer—lies with the one man she’s supposed to kill.

Veilers Series:
Veiled Target

Visit Robin Bielman's website for more information.

Review:
I'm a huge fan of Robin Bielman's Secret Wishes contemporary romance series but everyone knows I'm a paranormal girl at heart so when I found out she was writing a PNR series I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of the first book Veiled Target. As you can imagine I had high hopes for this story but unfortunately I didn't love it as much a I expected to. There were a lot of things about the book that irritated me but it's really hard to explain why without giving some (fairly mild) spoilers so consider that a warning before you continue reading this review.

My biggest issue was with the main character Tess, she works as an Eliminator which basically means she's a human who is trained to hunt and kill Veilers (supernatural creatures) who cross the line and start to harm others. We are constantly told how kick-ass she is and that she is an expert at fighting but we never, ever see it in action. If you were to print a picture of someone next to the words "Too Stupid to Live" in the encyclopaedia it would have to be a portrait of Tess. She gets herself into one ridiculous situation after the other and I'm sure she only survives until the end of the book on pure luck and because of the sheer stupidity of her enemies. I can't for the life of me figure out how she has survived years as an Eliminator because she should have died numerous times in just this story and there were actually times I was wishing that would happen. Basically Tess is all talk and no action, she'll tell you constantly how much she loves danger and is an adrenaline junkie but when you look at the evidence she has no skill whatsoever.

I could go into a lot more detail about why I think Tess is a moron but I don't want to stray too far into spoiler territory so I'll let you discover that for yourselves if you decide to read the book. Another issue I had was with how easy it was to guess who the baddies were, it was pretty obvious from very early on in the story and there wasn't a single red herring to point me in a different direction. When it came to the big reveal I found myself rolling my eyes at everything that happened and it felt like a fairly formulaic ending to the story.

I don't want to say the story is all bad though because there were things I liked about it. Robin Bielman has added a few interesting twists in her take on shapeshifters and vampires, she has created an interesting world and the smexy scenes between Tess and Hugh were undeniably hot. As I'm such a fan of her other books I'm definitely tempted to put this down to first book in a series glitches and give the next book a try to see if I like it more. I'm hopeful that since my biggest dislike was Tess reading a new story with a different heroine might be more enjoyable.

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: Veiled Target - Robin Bielman (Extract & Giveaway)

Today I have a fabulous extract and giveaway to share with you to celebrate the release of Veiled Target by Robin Bielman. Let me give you a bit more information about the book first though:

Book Blurb:

Never take Fate along on a date. The kiss goodnight could be deadly.

Tracking down Veilers—non humans—is only a sideline for Tess Damon. Vengeance for her fiancé’s murder is her reason for living. But with two botched jobs on her record, if she fails to eliminate her next mark, she’s dead. She’s not afraid to die, but not before she gets even. Too bad fate has a really bad sense of humor.

Hugh Langston, a wolfen half shifter, lives to keep both humans and his pack safe. But when rogue humans kidnap his apprentice, his rescue mission is compromised by a hot-as-hell, kick-ass woman who makes him think only one thing: mine.

Tess tries to ignore her feelings, but temptation trips her up. Especially when Hugh figures out he’s her next target and forces her into an inconvenient alliance that tests all the laws against their attraction. Now, with the line between good and evil getting blurrier by the minute, it becomes clear Tess’s only hope of living to see another day—and finding a murderer—lies with the one man she’s supposed to kill.

Purchase links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1n5wBg6
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1oRchBP
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1juFRt6
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1uyGabC

Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini Labradoodle, Harry. When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also likes to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Filled with wanderlust, she longs to visit many different places and fulfill her curiosity. She wouldn’t mind indulging her sweet tooth in every location either. She’s a lover of sticky notes, cable television shows and coffee drinks. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.

She writes contemporary and paranormal romance and loves to connect with readers. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com.

Places to find Robin Bielman:
Site: http://robinbielman.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobinBielman
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/robinbielman

Extract from Veiled Target:
(Posted with permission of the author)

She woke to a click, but didn’t move or stir or budge. The bed was sooo comfy and cozy and maybe if she stayed still, whatever had caused the click would go away.

“Tess,” said an endearing masculine voice. “It’s time to wake up.”

Her eyes opened wide at the sound of the deep, rugged announcement. “Go away. I’m not talking to you.”

“I’ve got a couple things for you,” he answered, ignoring her no-talking policy.

Darkness still filled the room and she wondered what time it was. It felt like she’d had a solid eight hours sleep so it couldn’t be too early. In fact, she felt more rested than she had in a long time. She stayed motionless and quiet.

“I’m coming in.” The downlight above her head turned on.

She didn’t care. His actions didn’t mean she had to act.

Wait. He’s coming in? She sat up, bringing the covers with her. She told herself he didn’t have x-ray vision, but that didn’t stop the tingles popping up all over her body. She was naked, and Hugh was coming into the room.

He wore jeans that sat low on his hips and a plain white T-shirt that clung to his lethally sexy chest muscles. His hair was mussed, like he’d showered and then ran his fingers through it. His face was clean-shaven. His blue eyes deeper than the waters she’d scuba dived in Australia. God, did he have to look so irresistible this morning?

“Good morning.”

She stayed quiet. Because she was mad about being locked in the room or because he took her breath away, she wasn’t sure.

“This no talking thing could work to my advantage.” He stepped closer.

To her nakedness. Did he know she wasn’t wearing anything underneath the sheets? And oh geez, what did her hair look like? Going to sleep with it wet surely meant she had a rat’s nest thing going on.

When he got to the edge of the bed, she watched him venture a peek toward the bathroom. Her eyes followed his and there in plain view were the blue dress and black lace undergarments on the floor.

She pulled the sheets tighter against her. “What time is it?” Talking might get her mind off her birthday suit.

“She speaks.” His eyes held hers with the same mixture of heat and desire she’d noticed last night. “It’s eleven.”

“Eleven? Holy shit. I never sleep this late.” And note to self: Don’t look into his eyes anymore.

He smiled. “Guess you needed it.”

“More like the lack of window space kept the room dark. You’ve got some nerve, you know that?” She ran a hand through her hair to feel what it looked like. Not too bad.

“Do you blame me?”

Admitting she didn’t would not work in keeping him at bay, so she lied. “Yes. I do.” She frowned for further effect.

He dropped something on the bed. “Well, maybe this will make up for it. Clean clothes. And your phone.”

Relief and forgiveness overcame her. Wait. Her phone? “You went through my purse?” It would’ve been a lot better if he’d plopped her bag on the bed, but he was only acting the same way she would have.

“Again, I don’t think you’re surprised. You’ve got some major arsenal in there. And your driver’s license picture doesn’t do you justice.”

He looked less and less sexy by the minute. “You looked through my wallet? Who the hell do you think—”

“I think I needed to confirm you are who you say you are. Tess Elizabeth Damon.” A grin that would have made her fling the sheets to the side and shout “take me” had she not been so pissed at him for snooping flanked his handsome—no, not handsome!—face.

“I’m a P.I.E. eliminator. What makes you think that license is real? I could be Tess one day and Betty the next.” Tess Damon was her real name, but if anyone looked her up, they’d learn only what P.I.E. wanted them to.

Hugh continued to grin. “You don’t look like a Betty.”

“Screw you.”

“I thought we’d been over that, but I’m willing to revisit it if you—”

“I want you the hell out of this room and away from me.” Her blood boiled. Hugh Langston was goddamn annoying.

Giveaway:

Robin Bielman is giving away a $25 gift card as part of the blog tour. You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter form below. The winner will be contacted directly by Robin so that she can arrange to send out the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Wild About Her Wingman - Robin Bielman (+ Giveaway)

Playing it safe never felt so risky.

Erin Watters is her small town’s resident wild child—she doesn’t do boring, and after having her heart annihilated, she definitely doesn’t do relationships. Her friends have other ideas, though, and when they throw down a matchmaking challenge, impulsive Erin can’t ignore it. Even when the annoyingly hot Troy Strieber accepts the matchmaker role...

As a rescue paramedic, Troy’s used to watching out for people. Never mind the bet he made with his buddy to play Erin’s wingman. But the more time he spends with the sexy, charismatic woman, the more he discovers a side of her she doesn’t let many see. Soon what started as an innocent game of matchmaking has them both thinking about the person right under their nose. But Troy’s a play-it-safe guy, and he won’t let a woman who lives for risk ever steal his heart.

Secret Wishes Series:
Kissing the Maid of Honor
Her Accidental Boyfriend
Wild About Her Wingman

Visit Robin Bielman's website for more information.

Review:
After getting her heart broken by her first love Erin has sworn off relationships and now sticks firmly to her no more than three dates rule. Seeing so many of her friends and siblings fall in love has made her start to think about having someone in her life more long term though but even if the idea of a boyfriend is intriguing she has no intention of letting her heart get involved. She can never refuse a challenge though so when friends bet her she can't find the perfect boyfriend she sets out to prove them wrong. She isn't the only person involved in the bet though and sexy paramedic Troy has been designated her wingman. The more time Erin and Troy spend together the more they start to realise how good they could be together but Erin isn't the only one who is wary of relationships. He dated a thrill seeker before and it nearly cost him everything so as much as he admires Erin's adventurous spirit it also scares him. Can they learn to let go of the past and take this chance at happiness?

Robin Bielman's Secret Wishes novels have become one of my favourite small town romance series. I really enjoyed the first two stories but I think Wild About Her Wingman has to be my new favourite. It has everything I've come to expect from this author - the family and friendship of characters we've already grown to love, the fun banter and laugh out loud humour, the meddling townsfolk who love to gossip and of course the really sweet romance that develops between Troy and Erin. The only thing missing is the smut, don't worry there is plenty of flirting, smouldering looks and hot kissing but beyond that this is a fade to black series which I know a lot of people prefer.

Erin is a great character, she's confident in herself and she knows what she wants from life. She loves to have fun and is very free spirited but she doesn't take undue risks and as much as she's got the reputation as a wild child she's really quite a homebody. She loves her family and would do anything to help the people she cares about but she also tends to hold herself back. Ever since her ex-boyfriend betrayed her in the worst kind of way she has been wary of giving anyone her full trust, even her friends and family. Troy is the kind of hero we can all fall for, definitely no bad boy he's a caring man who looks after his mother, sister and niece. He moved home to be near them after his brother in law died and he takes his responsibilities seriously. Troy is very much a knight in shining armour, always going out of his way to help people, and that shows in his choice of career as well as in his every day actions. As much as I love a fictional bad boy Troy is actually much more like the kind of guy I'm attracted to in real life.

There is just so much to love about this story, I laughed out loud on multiple occasions and I swooned alongside Erin when Troy did something sweet. I think what I enjoyed most is that they become friends before anything else, they get to know each other slowly and I had fun spending time with them both. I also loved getting to catch up with the previous couples and seeing what they're up to now, you might recognise a few of the characters who are meddling to get Troy and Erin together from the other books. I would say you can probably get away with reading this series out of order because each book features a different main character but I'd be happy to recommend all 3 stories so far because they've all been great reads. I have a feeling that we might get Erin's little sister Teague's story next but whoever the main characters are Robin Bielman's next book will automatically go straight to the top of my wish list.

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing 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:

Giveaway Details:

As part of the blog tour Robin Bielman is giving away Three (3) Make-A-Wish necklaces.

May all your wishes come true with this small Glass Vial Dandelion seed Make-A-Wish necklace!

You can enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter form below. Winners will be announced via Rafflecopter and they will be contacted directly by Robin so she can arrange to send out the prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Her Accidental Boyfriend - Robin Bielman

Faking it with this flirt never felt so real . . .

Kagan Owens has a secret. One she thought she’d escaped by leaving New York, but when her past follows her to her temporary new life, Kagan lets a teeny lie slip. And now the town’s biggest playboy and flirt, Shane Sullivan, has become her pretend boyfriend—just until she’s ready to return to NYC. But the handsome, fun-loving Shane makes it tough to determine where their friendly agreement begins and ends . . .

Shane has no intention of settling down—in fact, his job depends on it, and nothing’s more important than his work. Still, he can’t help but agree to Kagan’s scheme, if only to find out more about the mysterious beauty. But when every touch from her sets his heart and body on fire, he realizes playing an accidental boyfriend may be more than he bargained for—and more than he can give.

Secret Wishes Series:
Kissing the Maid of Honor
Her Accidental Boyfriend
Wild About Her Wingman

Visit Robin Bielman's website for more information.

Review:
I do love a small town romance and after really enjoying Kissing the Maid of Honor I was looking forward to going back to Cascade in Her Accidental Boyfriend. Once again Robin Bielman hit the spot and written a sweet, funny contemporary romance with great main characters and a wonderful supporting cast.

Kagan left New York to get away from her over controlling father and his plans to marry her off to one of their mutual colleagues. She is sick of always being told what to do and of working long hours for her father's company and just wants some time away to figure out what she wants from life. She's been in Cascade for a few months now and has enjoyed being somewhere that nobody knows her history or her family name, she loves her job as a waitress in the local bar and has enjoyed rediscovering her creative side making jewellery. The last thing she is looking for is a fling before she heads back to New York, especially not one with the local playboy but when her past catches up with her she ends up asking Shane to pretend to be her boyfriend. I really respected Kagan for making a break from her father and wanting to stand on her own two feet, she hasn't been happy for a long time but she has found peace in Cascade and for the first time she finds herself surrounded by people who genuinely care about her. It was lovely to see her start to open up to Shane and his family and I enjoyed seeing them all get to know each other.

I loved Shane in the first book (he is Sela's brother and Luke's best friend) so was excited when I discovered this would be his story. Shane has been intrigued by Kagan ever since she arrived in town but she has consistently refused his requests to go on a date. When she asks him for a favour he isn't above taking advantage of that and decides to make the most of his pretend boyfriend status. The more time the pair of them spend together acting like a couple the harder it is to figure out what is real and what is a fantasy. They were already friends but it's starting to feel like a lot more and both of them are quickly in over their heads. Shane is scared of getting involved because he's worried he'll let Kagan down but for once we have a guy who actually talks about his feelings and explains his fears to his partner. Kagan does a great job of reassuring him and helping him put aside events in his past that he has always wrongly shouldered the blame for.

Kagan and Shane make a wonderful couple, they are friends first and have a deep respect for each other but they also have great chemistry. The Entangled Publishing Bliss imprint is actually quite a mild range when it comes to heat levels so although we see some of the build up there are no detailed sex scenes, that isn't a problem but I do think it's nice to know what to expect when you pick up a book so that's the only reason I'm mentioning it. Her Accidental Boyfriend is a feel good story, I smiled the whole way through and the ending was utterly adorable (it may possibly have brought a happy tear to my eye but if you ask me to confirm that I'll deny it!). If you like small town stories with lots of meddling busybodies and gossip, kooky characters and great friendships then you're sure to enjoy this series. Both books so far have worked perfectly as standalone stories and I'd happily recommend either of them to contemporary romance fans.

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing 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: Kissing the Maid of Honor - Robin Bielman

Kissing her best friend's brother has never felt so right . . .

Sela Sullivan is resolved to be the best maid of honor ever, even if it means tolerating the best man. Insufferable, too-handsome Luke Watters is not only the guy who humiliated her at a kissing booth in high school, but he also happens to be her best friend’s older brother. Positive he’s the same arrogant jock, Sela vows to focus on her duties and steer clear of the frustrating—and frustratingly tempting—Luke.

As a world-renowned extreme-sports photographer, Luke is used to undertaking life-risking adventures. But risking his heart for the beautiful Sela Sullivan, who clearly still hates him for his rejection all those years ago? He didn’t see that coming. Sela inspires a passion he’s never known, and the more time they spend together, the more he craves her. But can he prove to the maid of honor he’s become a man of honor?

Secret Wishes Series:
Kissing the Maid of Honor
Her Accidental Boyfriend
Wild About Her Wingman

Visit Robin Bielman's website for more information.

Review:
As a teenager Sela had a massive crush on Luke but when he publicly humiliated her at high school she swore to stay as far away from him as possible. Luckily his job as an extreme sports photographer has keeps him away from their home town and their paths haven't crossed in years. Now his sister Vanessa is getting married though and although Sela is determined to be a wonderful maid of honor for her best friend she is dreading having to face Luke again. Luke didn't mean to hurt Sela but the intensity of their first kiss shocked him and he reacted badly. Now he is home for a few weeks and he is starting to remember how much fun they used to have and he is even more drawn to the beautiful woman she has grown into. He never planned on settling down but he finds himself wanting to prove to Sela how much he has changed and convince her to give him a second chance.

I love small town romances, you know, the ones with a selection of quirky characters that are set somewhere that everyone knows everyone else's business and that are about families who love to meddle in each other's love lives! Give me a light hearted story with plenty of humour, a lot of romance and at least a little bit of spice and I'm happy so it's no wonder that Kissing the Maid of Honor hit the spot perfectly. I already knew I loved Robin Bielman's writing style from reading Yours at Midnight so I jumped at the chance of reviewing the first book in her new series and I'm really glad I did. I don't think I've ever read a romance novel that starts with the heroine making a wish that she will never have to see the hero again but I knew from that moment that fate had plans for Sela and Luke and they didn't involve keeping them apart!

Sela is the kind of woman you'd want to be friends with, she is sweet, kind and caring which shows not just in her personal life but also in her job as a nurse. Luke is an adrenaline junkie who loves taking risks and living life on the edge but after a nasty accident he has become more wary and needs time to recover both in mind and body. He is drawn to Sela from the beginning but is wary of getting involved with his best friend's little sister which is the main reason he reacted so badly to their kiss when they were in high school. Sela was heartbroken by Luke's rejection after they kissed and her reputation was ruined for the rest of her time at high school which made it very difficult for her to move on with somebody else. I don't think Luke ever realised quite how much he had hurt her and although he did apologise for his actions I think I would have liked Sela to have made him grovel just a little bit more before she accepted the apology. That was my one slight niggle with the story though and I loved seeing them get to know each other again after spending so much time apart. They can't deny the attraction between them and they are both irresistibly drawn to each other. The banter between them was great and fun and they have off the charts chemistry, I just wish their story had been written with a hotter spice level because it was a shame to miss out on the action after such a fabulous build up!

Overall Kissing the Maid of Honor was a brilliant start to the Secret Wishes series and I can't wait to carry on reading the books. I had a feeling that Shane's book would be next and I'm excited that Robin Bielman confirmed that for me (Erin's story will be book 3). This is a series I'm definitely looking forward to continuing and I'd highly recommend it to contemporary romance fans.

Source: Received from the 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:

Kissing the Maid of Honor Blog Tour: Guest Post from Robin Bielman

Today I'm taking part in the blog tour for Robin Beilman's latest novel Kissing the Maid of Honor. I have a fabulous guest post from Robin for you and she is also holding a wonderful tour wide giveaway that you'll be able to enter using the rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. Before I hand over to Robin let me tell you a bit more about the book. I'll be posting my review later today but this is a fun and flirty contemporary romance that is kicking off what is sure to be a brilliant series.

Kissing her best friend's brother never felt so right . . .

Sela Sullivan is resolved to be the best maid of honor ever, even if it means tolerating the best man. Insufferable, too-handsome Luke Watters is not only the guy who humiliated her at a kissing booth in high school, but he also happens to be her best friend’s older brother. Positive he’s the same arrogant jock, Sela vows to focus on her duties and steer clear of the frustrating—and frustratingly tempting—Luke.

As a world-renowned extreme-sports photographer, Luke is used to undertaking life-risking adventures. But risking his heart for the beautiful Sela Sullivan, who clearly still hates him for his rejection all those years ago? He didn’t see that coming. Sela inspires a passion he’s never known, and the more time they spend together, the more he craves her. But can he prove to the maid of honor he’s become a man of honor?

Secret Wishes Series:
Kissing the Maid of Honor
Further titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Robin Bielman's website for more information.

Now please give a very warm welcome to Robin!

********************

Robin Bielman

About Robin:
Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini Labradoodle, Harry Dresden. When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also loves to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.

She is also the author of Worth the Risk and Yours At Midnight from Entangled’s Ever After line. She loves to connect with readers.

Visit her online:
Website: http://www.robinbielman.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/RobinBielman
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/robinbielman

********************

Hi everyone! Thank you for having me, Sarah! I’m so happy to be here today to celebrate the release of my book, KISSING THE MAID OF HONOR. That kitten, by the way, is too gosh darn cute.

My first Bliss book in my Secret Wishes series from Entangled Publishing, KISSING THE MAID OF HONOR, is about kissing, and a wedding, and best friends, and forbidden romance. There are secrets, and a small town setting, and talk of bacon. I’ve got a total crush on my hero, Luke, and would love to be friends with my heroine, Sela. Sela wants to be the best maid of honor ever. So today I thought I’d run with that and give you Sela’s Top Ten List of Things to do with the bridal party. In the book, Sela organizes a fun bachelorette party at a restaurant and bar with lots of uh, party games and paraphernalia, but here’s a list of alternatives (that really could be used for any special occasion). Take it away, Sela…

1. Visit a Fortune Teller. It’s fun to get a little glimpse into the future with a tarot reading or palm reading. Or, actually you know what else might be fun? A Magic 8-Ball party. You could have questions already planned for everyone and have a good laugh with the answers.
2. Apple picking. I’ve never done this, but I think it would be fun to get your hands dirty and be out in nature.
3. Favorite Thing Night. Have everyone bring one or two of their favorite things to share. Pick a theme – food, games, wine (this could be dangerous), magazines (you could cut out your favorite pictures and make a collage about the bride and groom), flowers. The choice is yours.
4. Cookie baking night or cookie exchange. If baking isn’t the bride’s thing, you could do a cookie exchange. Have everyone bring two-dozen cookies—homemade or bought—to exchange. Give out decorated spatulas as a gift or decorate your own. (Luke is leaning over and whispering in my ear as I write this list that I should make the chocolate-chocolate chip bacon bars he loves so much.)
5. Bowling. If you’re as bad at this as I am, have the bowling alley put up the guardrails so there won’t be any gutter balls. Oh, and some places have disco bowling where they dim the lights and have a disco ball going. Yeah, you might be surrounded by thirteen-year-olds, but we’re all young at heart, right?
6. Paddleboating. KISSING THE MAID OF HONOR takes place in my hometown—a small beach town called Cascade—so I wanted to include this fun option. The big plus? Being on the water without getting seasick.
7. Sushi-making night. This is fun and you can get really creative with your ingredients. Fish, chicken, yummy sauces, seaweed or that thin paper stuff, cucumber, avocado, asparagus. Hungry yet? I am!
8. Get Facials. You can go to a spa, but what I’d do is have everyone over to my house for homemade facials. There would be much giggling and drinking/eating and my dog, Beckham, would he one happy little Yorkie with so many guests over.
9. Play board games. The options here are endless. There’s lots of R-rated games out there, too, that might be fun to check out. There are also things like Mad Libs specifically designed for bridal parties.
10. Go to the Beach. Want to have a low-key day? This is the spot. Pack your bag with plenty of sunscreen, water, snacks, and a good book, and laze around in the sun with the waves almost at your feet.

So how about you? What’s your favorite thing on Sela’s list? What fun things have you done to celebrate something special?

********************

Thanks for a fabulous post Robin! I already know from reading Kissing the Maid of Honor that Sela knows how to organise a fab hen party but this list includes some more fun suggestions! You can't beat a girly pamper night with facials and a make over but I like the idea of throwing in a cookie exchange LOL.

Tour Wide Giveaway:

Kissing the Maid of Honor Blog Tour is full of interviews, guest posts, top ten lists and giveaways! Five lucky readers will be chosen to be Robin's bride's maids and will receive a Kissing bridal gift pack! (limited to US and Canada) But that's not all, one international winner will be selected to receive the coveted position of Maid of Honor which includes the Kissing bridal pack and a gift card of her (or his) choice from Etsy, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble!

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Review: Yours at Midnight - Robin Bielman

Lyric Whetsone only had eyes for Quinn Sobel's brother Oliver, until a car crash took Oliver's life on New Year's Eve. Then, a moment of shared grief between Quinn and Lyric became something more impassioned, something that frightened Quinn so much he ran from Lyric's bed and her life, disappearing for four long years.

Now Quinn's back for another New Year's Eve, struggling for closure, desperate to leave his grief in the past and make amends with the girl of his dreams.

But Lyric has a secret--one that could drive Quinn from her life forever. Will Quinn run away from the love and acceptance he's always wanted...or will he claim his New Year's kiss and make her his at midnight?

Visit Robin Bielman's website for more information.

Review:
Quinn has been in love with Lyric for as long as he can remember but she was only ever interested in his twin brother Oliver. Then after Oliver tragically dies in a car accident grief pulls them together and they end up having a passionate one night stand. But Quinn was struggling to cope with the loss of his twin and he blamed himself for Oliver's death so he left town without a word. Four years later and Quinn has returned, he still has feelings for Lyric and wants to both gain her forgiveness and claim her heart but Lyric has a secret - one that could break Quinn's heart and end things between them forever.

Yours at Midnight starts just after Christmas and culminates on New Years Eve so it was the perfect book for me to read this week and made a nice story to end my years reading with. I have to admit that I'd guessed what Lyric's secret was before I even started reading the story but that didn't reduce my enjoyment in the slightest. Lyric is a strong character who you can't help but admire for the way she has made the best out of a difficult situation and built a good life for herself. I could understand why she initially kept her secret but I did find myself getting a little irritated with her for taking so long to open up to Quinn and I felt that he forgave her a little too quickly but that is to be expected in a fairly short novel.

I really liked Quinn, he has been in love with Lyric for so long but had to watch her daydream about his brother. He was so jealous of Oliver but that doesn't mean he didn't love him and he was devastated by his death. I really felt for him and was pleased that Lyric was able to help him get past the guilt he felt over the accident. I enjoyed watching them spend time with Lyric's family, her mother had some great advice for them both but I also enjoyed the friendly sibling rivalry and banter between her brothers and sisters. Yours at Midnight was an enjoyable holiday romance and I'm looking forward to reading more from Robin Bielman in the future.

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

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