Something Sweeter - Book Tour & Giveaway

Something Sweeter

Sweet Texas Series #3

By: Candis Terry

Releasing June 24th, 2014

Blurb

The men in Texas are hard to resist . . . Seattle event planner Allison Lane is an expert at delivering the perfect wedding—even if she might not exactly believe in the whole "'til death do us part" thing. When her father decides to tie the knot with a woman he barely knows, Allison heads to Sweet, Texas, to make sure his new honey is the real deal. What she didn't expect to find at the local honky-tonk was a sexy Southern man as bent on charming her pants off as he is on blowing her "true love doesn't exist" theory all to hell. And they always promise . . .

Veterinarian, former Marine, and Sweet's favorite playboy Jesse Wilder takes one look at Allison and knows she's a handful of trouble he can't deny. But even after a sizzling kiss and obvious mutual attraction, it seems Allison has no such problem. When Jesse uncovers her sweet side, can he crush his playboy image, melt her cynical heart, and change her mind about taking a trip down the aisle?

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Amazon * B&N * iTunes

Excerpt:

“Something’s not right about her,” Jackson said from the picnic table where Jesse and Jackson sat long after dark and watched Allison Lane. Jackson sipped his fresh bottle of Shiner. “Can’t put my finger on it though.”

Allison currently stood near the blazing fire pit, talking to Jake, who was having a hell of a good time putting on the flirt.

Who could blame him?

Baby brother had been tromping across the sands of Afghanistan for too long, dodging bullets, IEDs, and figuring out how to stay alive. The hot brunette was probably the first pretty sight Jake had seen in a long time. Which was not a slight against women in camo. Women in the military were more likely to be focused on flying F-15s, defining logistics, or honing their lifesaving medical skills than the newest brand of lash-lengthening mascara.

Didn’t mean Jesse had to like the attention his little brother was pouring on the newcomer. Though he’d have a hard time explaining why that bothered him so much. It wasn’t like he’d been the one relatively quarantined from the fairer sex for so long. Maybe he wasn’t the manwhore everyone in town thought he was, but he still didn’t do too shabby when it came to his own share of female admiration. In fact, Allison might be the first to shy away from his attention.

Scratch that.

She didn’t shy away, she ran like hell.

About the Author:

Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.

Connect with the author:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Wedding Themed Sweepstakes HERE 

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Storm In A B Cup - Review

Review by Deb Czajkowski

Nobody asks for Breast Cancer. Certainly Sophie Molloy didn’t. It chose her, a young mother with a six-year-old son. Sassy, sexy, sensible Sophie has Breast Cancer.

 What does one do when she hears, “You have Breast Cancer”? Some throw themselves pity parties. Lots of them. Complaining, moaning, and boohoo-ing every step of the way. Some withdraw from Family, Friends, even Life. They don’t want to be a ‘burden’ to them. Or they don’t want people to see them ‘like this.’

When Sophie hears these life-changing words, her sensible side steps immediately up to the plate. “Ok,” she says to her doctor, “I have Breast Cancer and I want it gone. What do we do first?” Once the plan is in place, Sassy Sophie leads the charge with her ‘every day’ philosophy that humor—and a positive attitude—is the best medicine. And she surrounds herself with her friends and family, allowing them to support and encourage her.

And so begins Sophie’s journey as a woman with Breast Cancer, along the very bumpy and windy road (which includes losing her breast, her best friend, her boyfriend, and her home) to becoming a Breast Cancer survivor.

Amidst the bad and the truly ugly, Sexy Sophie feels less and less sexy as she loses her breast, and subsequently her long-time partner rejects her, ultimately leaving her. Then she meets her plastic surgeon, Dr. Hanson, a.k.a Dr. Handsome to his staff. It takes all of five minutes for Sophie to fall for the dishy doctor, and for Sexy Sophie to begin to feel sexy again. But his tender and attentive care of her confuses her. Does it mean he has feelings for her as well or is his kindness purely professional? Will he give her a sexy new breast, and then simply walk away?

Author Lindy Dale is in fact a Breast Cancer survivor. While Storm in a B cup is fictional, it is based upon her own breast cancer story. So is her book a tedious and gruesome litany of horror after Breast Cancer horror? Hardly. Sure, it is a glimpse into the world of a Breast Cancer sufferer, but Lindy’s laugh-out-loud humor and positive attitude are purely infectious. In sharing Sophie’s story, Lindy Dale skillfully balances the seriousness of Breast Cancer and the benefits of humor (for her own personal sanity as well as the benefit of all those around her) and positive thinking—powerful all by itself. I learned a lot and enjoyed the learning. This isn’t a day-at-the beach read. It’s so much more, and entirely worth the journey.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon

About the Author:

I live on an acreage in country Western Australia where I spend my days writing, walking and looking after orphan lambs. (SeeDaisy Darling)
On a typical day ~ when not at my day job ~ you can find me lurking around Twitter and Facebook so stop by and say hello. I love to hear from readers.
I'm a hopeless U2 and Bon Jovi fan ~ as judged by my collection of tour t-shirts. I'm also rugby union fanatic, coffee and champagne lover, chocoholic, over-exaggerator, trashy TV, music and iPhone addict. If you can't Google it then it's not worth knowing!

I've been writing in the genre of Chick Lit & Women's Fiction for the past ten years and have recently tried my hand at a paranormal romance too!  But Chick Lit is my main love. There's nothing like a dose of humor when you're feeling low.

Connect with the author at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

The Sweet Spot - Review & Giveaway

The Sweet Spot

By: Stephanie Evanovich

Releasing in Print, July 8^th, 2014

Blurb

Last summer readers were captivated by Stephanie Evanovich’s highly-anticipated New York Times bestselling debut novel, Big Girl Panties. This summer, Evanovich is back with THE SWEET SPOT, the sizzling story of two of readers’ favorite characters from Big Girl Panties: Chase Walker, the hunky professional baseball player, and his beautiful, curvy, and exceptionally sassy wife Amanda. 

Amanda is a successful, levelheaded woman who built her restaurant from scratch. She’s certainly not looking for a prince charming to sweep her off her feet.  So when Chase, baseball’s golden boy, begins to pursue her, she barely gives him the time of day. Her heart-shaped face and big blue eyes stop him dead in his tracks and her lush, plus-size curves don’t hurt either. And while Amanda’s used to celebrities and politicians dining at the Cold Creek Grille, she just can’t stop staring at Chase—he’s hotness personified.

At heart, Chase is a monogamist who likes strong women, despite his playboy image. Amanda is exactly the type he’s been looking to settle down with, but she won’t say yes easily. From daily visits to the restaurant to extravagant flower arrangements, Chase will stop at nothing to persuade her to go out with him—and he finally succeeds!

For Amanda their romance is all too good to be true, and something has got to give. Can Chase really be this perfect? And then she discovers that squeaky-clean Chase Walker has a spicy little kink. While readers of Big Girl Panties will remember it quite well, Chase’s fans have no idea that off the field, he likes to indulge in a little passionate spanking from time to time.

To her surprise, Amanda discovers a naughty side she never knew she had. But then, thanks to a tabloid, their secret comes to light and becomes the nation’s favorite water-cooler gossip. Will Amanda give up a little bit of her single-girl freedom for true love with a twist? Or will the pressure of Chase’s stardom spell doom for this sexy couple?

THE SWEET SPOT is an incredibly sexy and charming story filled with wit, fun, and extra-spicy romance. This is the perfect follow-up to Big Girl Panties and undoubtedly a great choice for summer reading.

Buy Links

Amazon * B&N * BAM

Review by Marlene Engel

In Stephanie Evanovich’s first book, Big Girl Panties, we met Chase and Amanda Walker.  So, if you’ve read that book then you know what their relationship status is.  But in this book, Stephanie shows us how they met and how their relationship evolved.  As with the first book, the author infuses the perfect amount of humor and wit throughout the book making it a fun, laugh out loud read.

                                       

Amanda is an independent, modern woman.  She doesn’t need a man to hold her hand through life.  With hard work and determination she can do anything she sets her mind to.  But things change the night that baseball superstar, Chase Walker, dines at Cold Creek … the restaurant owned by Amanda.  Of course it was obvious how handsome he was, but Amanda knows that guys like these have women hanging on them all the time.  So when he asks her on a date, she immediately turned him down.  She didn’t want to be just another number in the long list of women who must be in his life.  But this is Chase Walker we’re talking about.  He’s used to getting what he wants and refuses to give up until Amanda agrees to go on a date with him.

After showing up regularly at Cold Creek and proving to Amanda that he’s not one to back down quickly, she agrees to one date.  But Chase has a big secret.  One that he’s unsure how Amanda will react to it.  Will he confess it to Amanda?  Or will it be a relationship deal breaker if she finds out?

I loved Ms. Evanovich’s first book, Big Girl Panties and The Sweet Spot was just as good!  I loved getting to know the adorable couple in the first book and then learning how they met in the second one.  With humor and the perfect amount of spice, The Sweet Spot is the best summer book!  Grab your beach bag and throw this book in.  You won’t be able to put it down until you hit the last page!

About the Author:

Stephanie Evanovich is a full-fledged Jersey girl from Asbury Park who began writing fiction while waiting for her cues during countless community theater projects. She attended New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts and acted in several improvisational troupes and a few small-budget movies, all in preparation for the greatest job she ever had, raising her two sons. Now a full-time writer, she’s an avid sports fan who holds a black belt in tae kwon do.

Connect with the author at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

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(Five Print Copies of THE SWEET SPOT)

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Best Seller - Review & Giveaway

 Review by Darcie Czajkowski

Nineteen-year-old Robin Fortune returns to her hometown in New England after getting kicked out of college for dealing pot. She has little interest in returning home even more so given that her father hasn’t spoken to her since he paid her fine to the court. But the bigger problem is that she wants to be in college and feels like she doesn't fit in back home.

At least her all-time favorite author, Maryana Capture, is scheduled to pay a visit to Robin's little town. That’s something to look forward to. Maybe, just maybe, Maryana will be able to provide Robin with guidance for getting the novel she secretly wrote published. Or maybe Maryana will put in a good word for Robin with her own publisher. Yes, that will be a good way to escape this sleepy town.

In the meantime, as Robin awaits the big day, she works as a waitress in a diner for a grumpy Greek man and reconnects with a friend from high school who turns into her boyfriend. One day blends into the next, like a single day on repeat. Robin feels like nothing will ever be the way it was: that beloved time when she was happy in school, pursuing her dreams.

The day of Maryana Capture’s book signing finally arrives, but the event doesn’t unfold like Robin thought it would. But why should that surprise her? Nothing about her return has been simple and Robin wonders if her dreams died on the day she was forced off her college campus and if it’s time to let it all go and move on. For good.

This is Martha Reynolds’ best story yet. I don’t typically gravitate toward books set in the 1970s, at the time of the American Bicentennial, but Martha’s smooth and eloquent story-telling always pulls me in and I become invested in the characters and their relatable struggles. Fact: I read this book in two days. It was that good. So when you buy this book, I recommend starting it on a Friday night. I wouldn’t want you to suffer the consequences of missing work because you have to know how the story ends.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon

About the Author:

Martha Reynolds ended an accomplished career as a fraud investigator and began writing full time in 2011. She is the author of five novels, including the award-winning Chocolate for Breakfast (her debut novel), Chocolate Fondue, Bittersweet Chocolate, and the Amazon #1 bestseller Bits of Broken Glass. Best Seller is her latest release. Her essays have appeared in Magnificat magazine.

She and her husband live in Rhode Island, never far from the ocean.

Connect with the author at:

Blog/Twitter/Facebook-personal/Facebook-author/Google+/Goodreads/Amazon

Martha is graciously giving away 2 e-copies of Best Seller!!!

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Elly in Love - Review

Review by Marlene Engel

Posies Florist is Elly’s pride and joy.  There’s nothing she wouldn’t do to ensure the success of her business.  Including designing the flowers for her ex-husband’s wedding to the mistress that broke them up!  But that’s behind her now and so is the crazy year that she’s had.  Things are finally looking up for Elly Jordan.  She has a new boyfriend, Keith, who adores her and she just found out that she was chosen to be on BlissBride, a reality show where she gets to design the wedding for a celebrity.  She’s even hoping that, with the added attention her store will be getting from being on the show, that she’ll be able to open a second store in downtown Clayton.  But when a strange, young man shows up at her store, Elly’s world gets turned upside down.  He comes bearing information that will change her life forever. 

What I love the most about this book is Elly’s character.  She just seems so real and relatable.  She’s not stick thin, hasn’t had the perfect life, but she tries to make the best of what she’s got.  I enjoyed how endearing the book was with the perfect amount of humor mixed in.  Although it’s the second book in the series, with Elly In Bloom being the first, it can be read as a stand-alone.  I would definitely recommend this book.  It would make for the perfect summer read!

 Purchase the book:

Amazon

About the Author:

Colleen Oakes is the author of the Elly in Bloom Series and the upcoming YA fantasy Queen of Hearts Saga, both published via Sparkpress. She lives in North Denver with her husband and son. When not writing, Colleen enjoys swimming, traveling, and immersing herself in nerdy pop culture. She is currently at work on the last Elly novel and another YA fantasy series called Wendy Darling.

Colleen’s Favorite Things

Favorite Movie: Moulin Rouge and Titanic. I’m a sucker for a tragic love story. Sorry about the spoilers.

Favorite Musicians: Sia, Missy Higgins, Josh Groban, U2, Adele, Mumford and Sons, JJ Heller, The Autumn Film, Joshua Radin and Ingrid Michaelson.

Favorite Foods: Tuna wraps, grilled cheese sandwiches, strawberries, frozen yogurt and anything with chocolate. I have the distinguished palate of a five year old.

Favorite Authors (this will be a doozy): Ann Patchett, Jennifer Weiner, Barbara Kingsolver, Erik Larson, George R.R Martin, J.K Rowling, Ernest Cline, C.S Lewis, Audrey Niffenegger, Margaret George, Janelle Brown, Neil Gaiman and about a hundred more.

Favorite Book: Classic? Jane Eyre. Contemporary? The Poisonwood Bible.

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest

Destination Wedding - Excerpt & Giveaway

Life is full of surprises...

Claire Martin's life is perfect, or at least she tells herself it is. She owns a successful clothing boutique, has a steady, dependable boyfriend, and a beautiful grown daughter who is about to be married. Sure, Claire's husband of twenty years left her for a younger woman four years ago, but that is all in the past. Now, Claire is looking forward to her daughter's Bahama wedding and spending a week in paradise. The only thing Claire dreads is her ex-husband and his wife will also be on the island. Claire is determined to make the best of it, though. What Claire doesn't realize is ignoring her ex-husband for the week is going to be impossible.

James Martin's life is a mess. His wife of less than four years has made him the most miserable man on earth and now they are in the middle of a messy divorce. He's happy that he can forget her for a week as he goes off to the Bahamas to attend his lovely daughter's wedding. Jim is embarrassed to admit to his daughter and his ex-wife, Claire, that he made the biggest mistake of his life when he left her for another woman, so he makes up a story as to why his new wife didn't come along. When he and Claire are unexpectedly forced upon each other, Jim soon realizes what he's lost and he begins to wonder if he can find a way back into Claire's heart.

Excerpt:

From his seat at the back of the plane, Jim could watch everyone in the wedding party. He'd purposely boarded the plane early so he could get on without any questions from Mandy. Soon enough, he'd have to explain why Diane wasn't with him. He just wasn't sure yet what he was going to say.

To admit to his daughter that he'd failed at his second marriage after leaving her mother for Diane left a lump in his throat. What an idiot he'd been. The grass hadn't been greener on the other side. In fact, it had been brown, prickly, and downright nasty. When he'd left Claire to start a new life with Diane, he'd thought it would be a life full of love, laughter, and carefree fun. Boy, had he been wrong. The minute he'd said "I do," Diane ran over him like a steam shovel. She wanted a brand new house, brand new furniture to fill it with, and expensive vacations. She wanted to change the way he dressed, the way he cut his hair, the way he ate, and even the way he walked. What the hell was wrong with the way he walked? Diane became a living nightmare. And the fact that they worked in the same office and that he was her superior didn't help matters. She thought she could reign over him at work like she did at home. But the worst part of all, she'd done everything she could to keep him away from his only child. That had hit Jim hard. When Mandy began planning the wedding, Diane flat-out refused to go on the island vacation and attend the wedding. They fought over it endlessly. He literally had to bribe her to agree to go to the engagement party by giving her a ridiculously expensive diamond necklace. It was all too much for Jim. When Diane refused to go to the wedding during their umpteenth argument six months ago, it was the final straw for Jim. He gave her an ultimatum. Go to the wedding with him, or leave. She chose to leave, thank God. As bad as it sounded, he'd actually been relieved.

Jim looked up in time to see Claire staring back at him. He gave her a small smile and a wave, which made her turn around instantly. Jim sighed. He'd really screwed up his life the day he'd left Claire. True, their marriage had been faltering and it had seemed like their work life had become more important than their relationship. Looking back, however, he realized that it had been his fault completely since he'd let himself become distracted with a younger woman at work while Claire had stayed true.

Jim watched the back of Claire's head as she seemed to be rocking in her seat and chanting something. Then he saw Mandy turn around in her seat and say something to her mother. Jim wondered what Claire had been doing. She seemed nervous. He'd secretly watched her as she'd boarded the plane with the rest of the group and was amazed at how young and vibrant she looked. She'd grown out her sandy blond hair a little and she looked like she'd lost a little weight. Not that Claire had ever been overweight; she'd always looked neat and trim. But today, she looked amazing in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Since the day they met in college, Claire had always been a smart, confident woman who knew what direction she was heading. Jim had always envied that about her. But today, she looked nervous, almost vulnerable. He wondered if she was, or if it was just his imagination.

As the plane landed in Marsh Harbour, James decided he'd keep his divorce to himself for as long as he was able. There was no sense dumping that information onto a fun family vacation and Mandy's special day. He'd make up an excuse for Diane's absence. He was pretty sure that no one was going to miss her anyway. He sure as hell knew he wasn't going to.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon Kindle * Barnes & NobleNook * Paperback

About the Author:

Deanna Lynn Sletten is a bestselling and award-winning author. She writes women's fiction and romance novels that dig deeply into the lives of the characters, giving the reader an in-depth look into their hearts and souls. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.

Deanna's women's fiction novel, Widow, Virgin, Whore, made the top 100 bestselling books on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble in 2014. Her romance novel, Memories, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2012. Her novel, Sara's Promise, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2013 and a finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer. 

Connect with Deanna: 
Deanna's blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads 

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Read, Write, Love - Review & Giveaway

READ, WRITE LOVE

Book Five, The Remingtons

Blurb:

Bestselling author Kurt Remington lives to write. He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he’s come to finish his latest thriller—that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt’s best-laid plans are shot to hell when he comes to their rescue. Kurt’s as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgets everything, and doesn’t even know the definition of the word organized.

Purchase the book at:

B & N * Apple * Amazon US * Kobo* Google Play

Review by Marlene Engel

The quietness of the beach house is just the place for bestselling author, Kurt Remington, to work on his latest thriller.  But the usual serine atmosphere is quickly disrupted when he spies Leanna Bray unsuccessfully trying to get her dog out of the rough ocean water.  Concerned that she’ll end up drowning, and wanting to get them both away from his beach house so he can finish writing, Kurt offers up his assistance.  It doesn’t take long for Kurt to learn that stubborn Leanna is not only eccentric in her lifestyle, but is as disorganized as Kurt is strictly organized.  But he finds himself captivated by her none the less.

Unlike Kurt’s immaculate house, Leanna’s cottage is a bit unkempt, but cute … sort of like Leanna.  Much of her time is spent making homemade jams and jellies that she sells at the local flea market, but her dream is to someday sell them in stores.  To say thank you for helping rescue her dog, Leanna decides to bring a basket of her homemade goods to Kurt.  Impressed by her thoughtfulness and intrigued by her free spirited ways, Kurt finds himself enjoying Leanna’s company.  Come join Kurt and Leanna as they test the theory of attraction and see if, indeed, opposites attract.

Read, Write, Love is the fifth book in The Remingtons series and the twelfth book in the Love in Bloom series.  I have been enjoying this series since the first book and can honestly say that I have loved each and every one of them.  Not only are the characters fun and sexy, but the storyline brings you in and holds your attention throughout the book.  I would not only recommend this book, but all of the books in the Love in Bloom series.  

About the Author:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women's fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine. 

Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on The Women's Nest, Fostering Success, or World Lit Cafe. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Connect with the author at:

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest * Goodreads

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