Showing posts with label Book Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Tour. Show all posts

June 11, 2018

UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY BY NATASHA MADISON-BOOK TOUR


 


When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.

Crystal

I was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees.

It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I’d never fall in love.

I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman’s dreams.

Until the unthinkable happened.

Gabe

I thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams.

I wore a smile on my face every single day.

I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did.

My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it.

What happens when your dreams unexpectedly come true?

This is the story of unexpected love. 


Natasha Madison has become a one click author for me. When I read her books I know I'm going to go on one heck of a journey. Unexepected Love Story is the second in the Love Story series but can be read as a standalone.

I have to admit that enemies to lovers isn't my favorite trope but it works in this book. I do love a good office romance and that plays a part in this book as well-and it worked perfectly. Crystal and Gabe have this chemistry between them that snaps and sizzles. I couldn't help but chuckle over the way the two of them behaved around one another sometimes. They melted the sheets in bed for sure and like I said, watching them outside of the bedroom had me shaking my head and laughing.

I loved Gabe. I truly did. I thought he was sexy, smart, strong and had such a kind heart. I loved seeing his character realize what love truly was. He was a great book boyfriend.

Crystal was a bit tougher for me. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but I felt like I just wanted a tiny bit more from her. I liked her, but I didn't fully connect all the time.

I thought the pacing of this book was spot on. The writing was sharp and witty. There were some very touching moments in here (read the book, I won't spoil them) that made me tear up a bit. I loved how these two people fit together, and how they fit into this Love Story world. I can't wait for the next story in this series. I recommend this book.



Natasha Madison writes stories that are interconnected, and by the second one in the series, you know you are going to be reading a story that is interconnected, and that you will have seen some of in a previous book.

This usually works for me, but in this title, I did not love it as much. Usually, I feel like the characters have a story to tell, and that the backstory is one that is filled out in the next books. In this one though, I didn't really feel that Crystal had a lot of the backstory. She was involved, she was a part of it...but she was not an integral part of that story, other than as someone who offered support. So, for this one, it felt a little like the backstory was too in depth and took away from the events of Gabe and Crystal's story in this book.

That said, I enjoyed this title. I liked their chemistry, I liked that they had a history, and an attraction, that was before the discovery that he was her boss. I liked that she was a competent nurse in her own right, and that she was respected for the things she was able to contribute and not ignored because she was "just a nurse".

I enjoyed the view of the characters of the previous story, but from a distance. I also liked the way the relationship with Crystal and Gabe developed...the attraction, the discovery that they were coworkers, the respect...albeit grudgingly, and the attraction that they were not able to fight...although they definitely tried.

I enjoyed this story, and I am looking forward to the next in the series.











When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...



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May 23, 2017

NUDES BY SARAH ROBINSON-BOOK TOUR



NUDES: A Hollywood romance standalone from bestselling author Sarah Robinson!


Blurb

Ben Lawson is making a comeback...


After a few tabloid headlines, they think they know me. They don't know a damn thing. As CEO of a movie production company, I'll show them who I really am when we hit it big at the box office. My ex thought her smear tactics would ruin me, but I'm unbreakable. Rising from the debris, I swore I'd never let a woman distract me like that again. But then, my leading actress walked on the set and changed everything.

Seductive, sexy, and unapologetic, Aria Rose could break me. I wanted to help her, protect her...love her. Instead, I destroyed her.

Aria Rose is baring it all....

I knew better. I knew not to trust another Hollywood heartthrob with a reputation like his. He was my boss and became my ruin. I should have stayed far away from him. Ben Lawson promised me the world. He even promised me his heart.

But he destroyed everything--my heart, my career, us.


I admit it, there are a lot of books that I finish and then I get to the review a few days later. I know I should write them immediately, but I don't.

This one, however, is getting the review about 45 seconds after I finished, because it is that good and I don't want to lose my thoughts on it, even though I always have notes, for this one, I want it fresh.

This book is good. Really good.

There's so much that I could talk about. Their relationship, how they are both in a place where they don't think they can be more than a weekend fling, but how fate throws them together again and again until the realize they don't want to fight their attraction any longer. So, things are good, and then as the blurb says, things go really wrong for Aria, and Ben looks to be the one responsible. The reader knows both sides of the situation, which is an excellent choice on the part of the author, as it makes what happens, and the resolution of it, work well.

The blurb gives the impression that the sex scandal, the exploitation that happens, in the book is perpetrated by Ben. Well, it is, and it isn't. I am not able to get into the actual events without spoiling it, but I can say that this is a romance, and there is a happily ever after and there is no way you could find a happily ever after with a man who exploited you sexually, I am pretty sure this is one of the "rules" of romance novels in general. I will leave the details of what happens for you to discover on your own.

Ms. Robinson, in the notes at the back of this book mentions some things that may or may not surprise you, but gives a depth to the story that will leave you thinking about the book in a different way. And, the internet. Again, not telling you, read the book.

She also mentions that she wrote the initial draft of this rather quickly. And you can tell. Not that it is bad, the exact opposite. There is a flow to the story, to the words, to the dialog and the entire construction of the book that you can tell there is a connection to the story for the author, that this was a book she just had to tell.

I am very glad she did. From the dedication (which was so perfect) to the end, it was so worth the read.

I recommend this book.



This is my first Sarah Robinson book but I can tell you that it won't be my last. The blurb for this caught my eye and the cover, well the cover had me intrigued as well. Ms. Robinson weaves a carefully crafted tale with Nudes, and it's definitely a book that had passion and heart to it.

From the moment the book begins I was pulled into the story. My heart immediately lurched in my chest and I felt a wave of sympathy for our heroine. There's just no other way I could have felt. Then I wanted to know how she was going to deal with the hand she was dealt.

I liked our hero and our heroine. Neither of them are looking for what they find in each other, and they in fact resist it as much as they possibly can. I enjoyed that push pull, and that eventual giving in. The chemistry between them sparked from the start and was fanned well throughout.

The pacing of this story just worked. The writing was sharp, clean and flowed really well. I enjoyed the entire journey Ms. Robinson took the reader on. I think this story was uniquely told and was a fresh look at a very relevant topic in society now.

I enjoyed this book from Ms. Robinson and look forward to reading more of her work. I would recommend this book.




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Excerpt 

"Aria?" A deep voice cut through the crisp nighttime air.

She turned to see Ben approaching her, the shadows from the upper deck of the yacht moving across his face as he came closer. "Oh. Hi, Mr. Lawson."

"Please, like I said, call me Ben," he reiterated, leaning against the railing next to her.

"Right. Ben. Sorry, the last exec wasn't quite so..."

His lips curved into a smile. "So, what?"

She wasn't sure what to say, because her honest answer was sexy. That didn't seem like the best thing to a man who now funded and controlled her film. "Approachable?"

Ben laughed—a deep chuckle that she felt vibrate through her bones. "I hope that's a good thing."

"It definitely is," she assured him, placing a hand on his arm. The moment she touched him, she pulled back, immediately embarrassed.

He. Is. My. Boss. Get it together, Aria.

He didn't chide her, or look uncomfortable, which she took as a good sign.

Aria returned to her original position beside him, and they stared out at the darkened water lapping the sides of all the boats docked around.

"Want to hear something funny?" Aria finally broke the silence, but kept her voice low. So low, he had to lean in to hear her.

"Tell me."

"My parents met in this very marina. She was a caterer and he was a deckhand—still teenagers. Barely old enough to know who they were, let alone what they wanted out of life. Still, they knew what love was when they stumbled upon it, and they knew enough to never let go." Aria's heart beat a little faster, warming at the memories.

"Wow. Are they still together?"

Aria nodded. "Barely spent a day apart since. My mother is actually my manager, and she works insanely hard for me, but my father always comes first. He's the love of her life."

"Love like that is special. Rare."

"Is it?" Aria tilted her head to the side. "I'm not sure it's as rare as it is a choice, a commitment, and the strength to follow through each and every day. There were times they could have given up—maybe lived an easier life with someone else—but they made a decision that this was the love they wanted, this was the life they wanted, and in that choice comes a confidence, a happiness, that most people deny themselves."

Ben was quiet for a minute. Finally, he inhaled loudly, then blew it out in one long breath. "That's really beautiful, Aria. Hits a bit close to home, I have to admit."

"I'm sorry." Aria frowned, turning to face him and just leaving one elbow on the railing. "I didn't mean—"

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I just finished going through a divorce about six months ago, though we'd separated the year before that. I think you're right—love is a choice. Making love work is a choice. And yet...if it's not with the right person, then it's the wrong choice."

"Soul mates." Aria raised one brow. "You believe in that?"

Ben stared at her for a moment...a long moment. The kind of moment that made her shift her weight from one leg to the other, her skin heating under his gaze. "Yes. I believe in soul mates."

She tilted her chin up ever so slightly, going for lightheartedness. "Well, we all have our flaws. You couldn't be entirely perfect."

Ben laughed again. "Believing in soul mates is a flaw?"

"Buying what you're selling is definitely a flaw. You're a movie producer, so you sell fantasy to the world."

"I think we can have the fantasy." His eyes danced, but his smile was gone. "Don't you want the fantasy?"

Aria turned back to the ocean, looking out at the waves. This was too much, too real, too soon with a man she barely knew. A man who was pretty much her boss. "Who wouldn't want the fantasy?" she said dismissively. "Some would say I'm already living it."

"That's certainly true. Everyone on this yacht, everyone in this city...Hollywood. It's all a fantasy of some sort." Something in his tone sounded so...sad? A small ache pulled at her heart, and she felt like they'd opened the door to something different. Something different than studio exec and actress. Something more than strangers who just met today.

Her humanity connected to his, and they were just two people standing on a boat wishing it could float them away from their picture-perfect lives.

"Do you know why I love Scarlet's Letters?" she said softly, her voice barely above the whistle of the wind around them.

He stepped closer, his elbow pressed against hers on the railing now. "Why?"

"It's something I can be proud of. A story I'm proud to tell. The strength of a woman in wartime, a French woman saving innocent people during the Holocaust...a woman picking her truth over a man, over love. Have you read the script?"

Ben nodded. "I have. Two years ago, when it was making the rounds. It's powerful, and from what I've seen, you do an amazing job in it."

"Thank you. When I first saw this script—or rather, read the book it's based on—I knew I had to play this part. No matter what I had to give up. This was mine."

She'd never connected to anything more than she had this script. It was empowering, and taught courage in the toughest of circumstances. It was a tiny snapshot of a much larger scale event, showing the decisions and atrocities suffered at such a human, personal level. It was a woman denying her own privilege and luxury to help fellow humans who didn't have that reach.

"The way you talk about it...I'm jealous," Ben admitted.

That got Aria's attention, and she turned to face him. "Jealous? Of what?"

He pushed off the railing, looking up at the stars before settling on her gaze. "Passion. Excitement. Purpose. You know what you want. You know who you are and what your goals are."

"And you don't?" He had to be nearly thirty, if not over. Striking and fresh faced, but his features still said experience. Aria was only in her twenties, but at times she felt decades older.

Ben shook his head. "I thought I did. I built a life. Got married. Worked my way up in Maguire Industries. Everything was mapped out. Everything was...easy."

The ache from earlier was back, the sadness in his voice. Aria placed her hand on his forearm, a comforting gesture. Partly for him, but mostly for her. She needed a physical connection when they were connecting on so much more.

"What happened?" she pried, squeezing his arm ever so slightly.

Ben looked down at her hand, his eyes lingering. He didn't move or pull away, and when he lifted his head to face her again, there was a need in his eyes that made her insides heat. "The woman I trusted with all my secrets? She sold them to the highest bidder the moment I wasn't able to be a stepping stone for her career."

Aria didn't reply, sensing there was more.

"She used every connection she had to get me blacklisted. Took everything. Now Maguire Industries acquired Shepherd Films, expecting me to fail. Pushing me out."

"Not many would call being the CEO of a film studio a demotion," Aria pointed out.

"When you're used to being the landscaper, it's hard to become the rose."

Aria laughed, letting go of his arm. "First, soul mates. Now, roses. You're a poetic man, Ben Lawson. A true romantic."

Suddenly, his fingers intertwined with hers, pulling her to him. Pressing her body to his, chest to chest, heartbeat to heartbeat. His eyes never left hers, and she watched him wrestle with something...doubt, uncertainty. As if he didn't know why he'd just hugged her to him, but then need. Pure need darkened his eyes as something deeper pushed the rest away.

Her breath was lost as she concentrated on standing, her knees already threatening to buckle. She'd taken every second of the journey with him, and now she wanted more. Something about the way he smelled ignited every nerve ending in her body. The way he held her, one arm wrapped around her back, was so secure, so comfortable, so protective, so intimately. No one had ever held her like that in her entire life.

She didn't want him to let go.

He was fire. She wanted to leap into his flames.

"And what are you, Aria Rose?" Ben's fingers tipped her chin upward, her eyes finding his. "Who are you?"

The words rumbled in his chest, vibrating against him as he spoke. There was a genuineness to it that terrified her, unnerved her, and completely overwhelmed her. Their souls were laid bare and he was asking for more.

A perfect stranger. A moment of truth. An absolute mistake.

She couldn't do it. Her walls shot up and she let go of him, fear coursing through her. "I'm an actress, Mr. Lawson. Just an actress."

And just so much more.

About the Author



Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in clinical and forensic psychology. She is married to a wonderful man who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiast as she is. Together, they own a zoo of rescues, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters.


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March 8, 2017

COLE BY TIJAN-BOOK TOUR


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He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him, and his name…Cole Mauricio.

Cole by Tijan is NOW LIVE!









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Full Blurb


I shouldn’t have remembered him.
He was just a guy who walked through a restaurant. I didn't know his name. We never made eye contact. There was no connection between us at all.
But I could feel him.
The tingle down my spine. The command in his presence. The snap of tension in the air around him. That was the first time I saw him, and I was captivated.
The second time was different.
He was in the mysterious back elevator of my apartment building. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before the doors closed, and I was staggered. My breath was robbed. My senses on high alert. My body hummed.
That was just the beginning.
He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him, and his name…
Cole Mauricio


This is my first book by Tijan, and I enjoyed it. I thought the pacing was strong, as were the characters. Cole was definitely interesting and I could see the attraction. I liked the first glimpse of him, I liked the narration, I liked the way he was kept as a bit of a mystery.

And, all of the mystery, the way that Cole was not really fully introduced until he started to reveal himself to Addison. And, I am torn if this worked for me. While I think it heightened the mystery and the suspense, it also made it a little difficult for me to decide if I liked him.

It also makes it a tough book to review. Because there is a lot that would be a spoiler, that the reader learns slowly.

But, I did believe in the relationship, I think it is realistic that she would be attracted to him. I thought the narrative moved at a strong pace, that the characters worked and their relationship was, I think, strong enough to allow me to think she would knowingly stay involved with someone in the mafia.

As this was my first book by this author, I am not able to compare it to other works...but I am interested in reading others by her.


I recommend this book.


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Excerpt


Once inside the elevator, I stood to one side, watching him. He returned my gaze.
We still did not touch.
My chest tightened, hoping no one would call the elevator at that moment. We sailed past the lobby, the second floor, and stopped at mine. I put in the code, and the doors opened to my home.
I drew in a breath, filling my lungs again. God, it was time.
Stepping out with shaky knees, I bypassed the light switch. The full moon lit up my entire floor. I went to the kitchen and paused at the island. “Did you want something to drink?” I caught sight of the tequila and wine on the counter. There was more than enough.
Cole stepped up behind me and followed my gaze. “Were you going to have a party?” he asked, his breath coating the back of my neck.
I shivered, closing my eyes for one delicious moment. “I stocked up. I thought a friend was coming over tonight.”
His hand rested on my back, nudging my sweater aside to touch my skin. “He?”
“She. Sia.” I looked over my shoulder. He was so close. “She stood me up for a date.”
A faint smile showed. “I need to send her a thank-you card.”
“Please don’t sign it.”
“Why not?”
I turned around, easing my back against the island. Cole placed his hands on either side of me, trapping me in place.
“Because she’s slightly obsessed with you, though she’s in love with someone else now. She could circle back,” I joked.
“Me?”
“We saw you one night.”
“When?” He leaned away, but his hands remained on the counter. It was like he was giving me breathing space on purpose.
“At Gianni’s. We went there the night I moved in.”
He didn’t move, but I could feel him pulling away. A protest started in my head, but I bit back the words. He didn’t reply. He was waiting for me instead.
I continued, “You came in with a bunch of men and went upstairs. That was it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Did you talk to anyone?”
“What do you mean?”
“The staff?”
“About you?”
“About anything.”
My forehead wrinkled. “Sia networked with the hostess. They exchanged cards. Sia said the girl was a model. She recognized her from the Gala. That was it. Oh, well, another server sat with us for a drink later on. But they mostly talked with Sia about the Gala and about photographers—stuff like that.”
He relaxed, his hands loosening their hold on the counter. I was scared to ask what he was so worried they’d told us.
“I don’t know who you are.” I lifted a hand, placing it on his chest. His heart was racing, just like mine. My mouth parted in surprise. “If that’s what you’re worried about.”
He glanced down at my hand and held still. He was thinking something over. I held my tongue, worried it was me, that he was second-guessing this night for us. I wanted to tell him there was nothing to worry about, but it sounded ridiculous. I really had no idea. So I waited it out, my heart pressing against my rib cage.
When he looked back up, the hunger was in his eyes again—dark, primal, and more evident than ever. He took my hand and leaned in, closing the distance between us. With his other hand, he cupped the side of my face. “I wasn’t second-guessing this. I want you to know that.” His touch was tender.
“What were you thinking about?”
“Something else, but it wasn’t you.”
“This is one of those moments where you wish you could tell me, but you can’t? Not yet?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. His eyes moved from mine to my lips. “Something like that, yes.”
“Mmmm-hmmm,” I started to tease, but then his head dipped down, and his lips were on mine.
I gasped. The pleasure was immediate. His mouth was gentle, but as he felt my body’s reaction, he applied pressure. His touch grew more demanding, then I was kissing him back. I wanted more. Someone groaned. That was me.
His hand slid around to the back of my neck. He held me in his grip as his mouth explored mine, opening over me and slipping inside. My hands grasped his shoulders, just holding on. All I could focus on was his tongue. I met his with mine and reveled in the sensation. But it wasn’t enough. Need shot through my whole body.
My hands slid under his shirt and moved over his back and shoulders. His body was just as powerful as his presence. I felt the shift of his muscles. They trembled under my hands. The feeling was intoxicating. I had power over him, and I wanted more. I wanted to see how much power I actually had.
Pulling back, I studied him.
He was panting lightly. So was I.
I could see him wondering what I was going to do, so I reached back to the counter and started to lift myself. His hands caught the backs of my thighs, and he lifted me the rest of the way. Now sitting on the edge of the island, my legs parted, and he was back between them. His mouth went right to mine.
I couldn’t get over what I was doing. I didn’t care.
I didn’t think I would care the next day, the day after, or however long this lasted. I had no clue. I only knew I had one night. One long night.


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Author Information
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I didn't begin writing until after undergraduate college. There'd been storylines and characters in my head all my life, but it came to a boiling point one day and I HAD to get them out of me. So the computer was booted up and I FINALLY felt it click. Writing is what I needed to do. After that, I had to teach myself how to write. I can't blame my teachers for not teaching me all those years in school. It was my fault. I was one of the students that was wishing I was anywhere but at school! So after that day, it took me lots of work until I was able to put together something that resembled a novel. I'm hoping I got it right since someone must be reading this profile! And I hope you keep enjoying my future stories.

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RUNNING MATE BY KATIE ASHLEY-BOOK TOUR



“The race will be a fight to the death finish, and that’s not even the actual campaign.”

Barrett

The name’s Barrett Callahan. Yeah, that Barrett Callahan—the one the press dubbed “Bare” after those naked sexting pictures surfaced. At twenty-five, I was armed with an MBA from Harvard, an executive position at my father’s Fortune 500 company, a penthouse, and a different piece of delectable eye candy in my bed every weekend. I had a life most men dreamed of. But then my father decided to run for president, and my playboy lifestyle became a liability to his campaign that was built on family values. My “makeover” comes in the form of a fake fiancée who I don't even get to choose--one who is an uptight, choirgirl acting priss but also sexy-as-hell.

Addison

My latest relationship had gone down in flames, and I was drowning in a sea of student loans when in true Godfather status, James Callahan made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Seven figures for seven months on the campaign trail pretending to be the adoring fiancée of his son, Barrett. As soon as he won the election, our engagement would be dissolved amicably for the press, I was free to ride off into the sunset a million dollars richer, and because of the NDA, no one would be the wiser. Sure, I’d never met the guy, but I’d been a theater nerd in high school. I could pull off any role from Lady Macbeth to Maria Von Trapp. But that was before I met my fake fiancé—the infuriating, self-absorbed, egotistical, drop-dead-sexy King of the Manwhores.

Meet Barrett Callahan in Running Mate by Katie Ashley!


This was my first Katie Ashley book.  The blurb caught my eye and I thought I would give it a shot.  It had a fun premise-fake relationship to help a political campaign?  Why not?

Addison wasn't quite what I expected.  I liked her initially and though I was occasionally frustrated with her later on, I never fully disliked her or didn't believe in her.  I appreciated how smart she was, how she knew what she wanted.

Barrett threw me for a bit of a loop.  He seemed immature at times but grew and progressed well overall.  I did roll my eyes a bit at the overuse (in my opinion) of his nickname for himself, but that was truly part of how he identified himself so I worked through it.  

The pacing of the book was good and I read it fairly quickly.  I will say I wasn't as fully invested in them as a couple as I thought I would be.  There was a lot of politics (yes, I read the blurb and knew it would have political aspects) and I just wasn't expecting it.  I expected a bit more of the focus to be on Addison and Barrett and that wasn't always the case.  Overall, I did like the book and will try this author again.








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About the Author

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, and her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.


With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

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