January 4, 2018

THE DUKE OF ICE BY DARCY BURKE - BLOG TOUR

DUKE_BT_BANNER.jpg

Burke, Darcy- The Duke of Ice (final) 800 px @ 72 dpi low resEveryone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Eight years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.


Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?


Historical romances are difficult. You have to not only build a believable romance, but you have to do it in such a way that the reader remains interested in the story and the characters, while not being bogged down by the historical portion or left bored due to the lack of sexual encounters...yes, they happen, but it is more often a slow burn for the historical romance trope.

Nicholas and Violet had a past, and a relationship that was broken up by things out of their control. So, seeing one another again after years was both painful and enjoyable in the way that seeing those people you thought were totally gone from your life can be...joyous and heart-wrenching.

I loved the emotion of the book, the push and pull with Nick and Violet, the idea that both of them had reasons not to think that they should be together, but that they wanted to be with one another and figuring out how to make that work.

I loved the house party and the Bath setting, as so often books in England are set in London, so this was a refreshing change.

At the end, events that seem maybe a little far-fetched are what leads them to admitting that they want to be together and I was hoping for more of a character driven rather than plot driven reconciliation, but it worked for me overall.

I enjoyed this title.



Historical romance is a genre I've been neglecting for some time but this blurb really caught my eye.  I'm a sucker for second chance romances and I wanted to see if the Duke of Ice would really have a heart of ice so I took a chance.  Overall, I'm glad I did.  This is part of a series of books but can be enjoyed as a standalone.

The blurb doesn't sugarcoat that this book has its share of sad moments.  It was definitely a read that pulled at my emotions at times.  The events causing those emotions were perfectly plausible, too.  The storyline felt believable to me.

Nick and Violet's time apart was due to circumstances initially beyond their control.  Moments of missed opportunity that they make up for later.  I understood the change in Nick from the young man Violet knew, and I understood him.  I didn't always love him, but I understood him.  I just wanted him to find some happiness and I mostly enjoyed his journey to get there.

I will say that one of the supporting characters in the book almost stole the show for me-I almost wanted him to end up with Violet.  But the rest of the supporting characters added to this book well in my opinion.  The views they held were completely plausible for the period this was set in.

The writing here was solid and again, I thought the plot was plausible.  This was a nice dip back into historical romance for me and I will definitely try this author again.  I recommend this book. 



AN


“Looks like it’s you and Lady Pendleton,” Simon said. His voice carried a hint of something. Nick snapped his head toward his friend and detected the glimmer of a smile in his gaze. He was enjoying this. He was playing matchmaker. And he had his sights set on Nick and Violet. Bloody hell. Nick wanted to be angry, but his pull toward Violet was too strong. He’d felt it last night and again today when Simon had asked if it would be odd for him to pursue her. Nick had been jealous. Shockingly, blood-boilingly, desperately jealous. The realization shook him to the core. “Who’s to be the crier?” Simon asked. “Why not Mr. Adair since he won Kiss the Nun?” Seaver suggested. With everyone in agreement, Violet and Nick moved to the center of the room. “Is this awkward?” she whispered. “No.” His pulse quickened. Should he kiss her or should he fail? His mind screamed the latter. And really, that was for the best. Jealousy aside, he and Violet had no future, not when their past was so painful. And yet when they knelt with their backs to each other, he caught her scent of rose and an earthy spice. It was wholly feminine yet slightly wild. He hadn’t smelled a rose in the past eight years without thinking of her. His body reacted, heating at her proximity. “Make ready,” Adair said. Nick looked over his right shoulder and felt the air move as she looked over her left. “Present.” Nick leaned close to her cheek. He could feel her warmth, and his skin tingled. “Fire.” He moved closer, but she sprang up. Instinctively, he reached for her, his arm curling about her waist. He pulled her back down. To stop her from hitting the floor, he spun to his back and sprawled, bringing her down on top of him. He cupped the side of her face and kissed her, his lips sliding over hers for a brief but delicious moment. “The cheek,” she murmured, her gaze locked with his. He leaned up and brushed his mouth against the soft flesh of her cheek. His lips lingered perhaps a second too long, but he didn’t care. Desire coursed through him, and for the first time in years, he felt alive.

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Start the Series of Standalones Now!

The Forbidden Duke (The Untouchables Book 1)

Amazon Universal: myBook.to/TheForbiddenDuke 

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About Darcy:

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her reader club at http://www.darcyburke.com/readerclub. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit.


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January 3, 2018

Our #3 Picks of 2017



Melissa's Pick

After an unexpected twist of fate, All-Star catcher Easton Wylder is left questioning the loyalty of everyone around him.

Even the woman who shares his bed, Scout Dalton.

But if Easton thought being uprooted to the last place he expected was the only challenge life had to throw at him, he was dead wrong.

With an ailing shoulder and his career in limbo, his decision to make an unexpected change leads him to question everything – Scout’s love, family loyalties, and whether he can conquer the one obstacle he’s never been able to overcome. The secret he’s never shared with anyone.

He may be a man pushed to his limits, but he’s hell-bent on proving his worth no matter the cost.


 What We Said About The Catch!






 Laura's Pick

I Knew You Were Trouble by Lauren Layne


New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with: Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.

Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.

 

What We Said About I Knew You Were Trouble! 



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THE THING ABOUT LOVE BY KIM KARR-RELEASE BLITZ



Title: The Thing About Love
Author: Kim Karr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 3, 2018 

Blurb

The whole stethoscope-and-white coat thing isn’t my cup of tea.

I prefer a man with an artistic vein in his body. 9 - 5 hours. And I can definitely do without the half-lidded, sleepy bedroom eyes. (Okay, so those are kind of sexy.)

Tall, dark, and handsome doesn’t change the fact that he’s arrogant, cocky, and rude.

Not that I care, but he’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with a quirky girl like me, which is why he said no.

Turns out no isn’t an option.

I have a quickie wedding to plan, and Dr. Jake Kissinger doesn’t have a choice. He looks at our situation like he’s stuck with me, but in reality, I’m stuck with him. Stuck with his pouty mouth. His long, lean body. And stuck with those loose, low riding scrub pants. (Okay, so the doctor thing is growing on me.)

When spending time together turns into more than it should, I know I’m in trouble.

He isn’t supposed to make my heart pound.

I’m not supposed to make him look twice.

And we aren’t supposed to spend the night together. (Okay, so he has more than one artistic vein in his body, and other places.)

Falling for him is definitely a mistake.

Here’s the thing…

Jake is unavailable, and I know it.

Just not in the way you might think.

I guess you can’t have your cake and eat it too.



The blurb for this book had me hooked from the moment I saw it. When the book appeared on my kindle I did a little happy dance and dove on in-and didn't stop until I finished. This book was funny, sexy and emotional.

I really liked Juliette. I liked Jake. I laughed out loud at their initial meeting-after I face palmed. They just had a spark between them right from the start and I loved seeing them go from enemies to lovers. It's such a fun trope when it's done right and the author definitely did it right here. The reason they dislike each other is believable and that's really important.

I love that these two didn't fall into each other's arms immediately. I loved their banter together-LOVED it. I liked watching them progress on their journey together. The sex was hot and steamy; I recommend having a fan nearby. Jake and Juliette share a connection I didn't see coming (and I don't love how it was brought up) but I love the layer it added to their connection.

I loved the plot here. It was fun and fresh. It was realistic as well-which I think really worked for this book. Most books I've read about wedding planners and such in the past show the fun aspects of the job, not the nitty gritty behind it all. But here, we see the good, the bad and the ugly.

The supporting characters in this book were fun as well. They supported our characters without overshadowing them, yet still made me curious enough that I wouldn't mind if the author gave us their backstories...just saying.

I read this book in one fell swoop. It was fun, sexy, and hot. It was also emotional and realistic. Kim Karr is definitely an author I look forward to reading. I recommend this title!



First, can we talk about heroes named Jake? Because, really, this is one of the best names for heroes EVER, so, this and the fact that the book is by Kim Karr and I was willing to volunteer to read over her shoulder as she was writing. (I didn't actually volunteer, but I wanted to, LOL).

Juliette and Jake. So perfect as an enemies to lovers, so what you want from a story like this. Did they have a reason to dislike one another? Yes, they did...he was trying to keep his sister from using her company after a misunderstanding that involved, well, cake. Is it possible for there to be a cake misunderstanding? Yes, there certainly is. But, to find out, you are going to have to read the book.

I loved the intensity of the relationship that is brought by a shared connection. I didn't really see if coming, so the revelation and the depth it gave to their story was perfect. It explained who he was, it explained why he was still willing to leave, to make the choices he was, and it explained why she was willing and able to understand that choice. Anything more would be a spoiler, but I can say safely that I loved the balance the connection of the past and the present gave to the story.

Add in that the sex was hot and the chemistry was believable and you have a story you are going to read in one sitting. I know I did.

I recommend this title.




Purchase Links

99c for release day only!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


Author Bio


Reader * Chocolate Lover * Writer * Coffee Lover * Romantic * Beach Lover * Yoga Beginner

Kim Karr is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels. Best known for writing sexy contemporary love stories, she enjoys bringing flawed characters to life.

Her romances are raw, real, and explosive.
Her characters will make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel.
And her happily-ever-afters are always swoon worthy.

From the brooding rock star to the arrogant millionaire. From the witty damsel-in-distress to the sassy high-powered business woman. No two storylines are ever alike.

Get ready to fall in love.

Author Links



 

January 2, 2018

Our #4 Picks of 2017



Laura's Pick

The British Knight by Louise Bay

When I’m offered the chance to leave New York to live in London for three months, I can’t pack my suitcase fast enough.

As soon as I touch down I’m obsessing over red telephone boxes, palaces and all the black cabs.

But my favorite place is the tube. It’s wall-to-wall hot British men in suits.

When I’m offered a temporary job working for a barrister, I say, sign me up.

On my first commute into work, it’s a total accident when I lose my balance and fall against the most handsome Brit alive. He’s as charming as James Bond and as suave as Mr. Darcy. I want to lick tea from his hard abs and listen to his accent all night long.

Turns out Mr. Handsome is my new boss. And his attitude isn’t as hot as his gorgeous face, broad shoulders and tight ass. He’s brooding, short-tempered and the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.

As we’re fighting, out of nowhere he kisses me. And I’m pretty sure I see fireworks over Big Ben and hear God Save the Queen.

I wasn’t looking for the fairytale but I might have found my knight in shining armor. The problem is he lives an ocean away.

What We Said About The British Knight!






 Melissa's Pick

A charming British Playboy. A girl determined to finally live. And a secret liaison revealed in all too vivid color. Book two in the NYT Bestselling series.

Escaping a cheating ex, finance whiz Sara Dillon's moved to New York City and is looking for excitement without a lot of strings attached. So meeting the irresistible, sexy Brit at a dance club should have meant nothing more than a night's fun. But the manner--and speed--with which he melts her inhibitions turns him from a one-time hookup and into her Beautiful Stranger.

The whole city knows Max Stella loves women, not that he's ever found one he particularly wants to keep around. Despite pulling in plenty with his Wall Street bad boy charm, it's not until Sara--and the wild photos she lets him take of her--that he starts wondering if there's someone for him outside of the bedroom.

Hooking up in places where anybody could catch them, the only thing scarier for Sara than getting caught in public is having Max get too close in private.

What We Said About Beautiful Stranger!


 



ROCCO BY SARAH CASTILLE-RELEASE BLITZ



Title: Rocco
Series: Ruin & Revenge #3
Author: Sarah Castille
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 2, 2018

Blurb

Rocco is the third book in a full-length, standalone series by New York Times bestselling author, Sarah Castille, set in Las Vegas and featuring deliciously sexy mafia bosses and the women who can’t help but love them.

Mafia enforcer Rocco De Lucchi is the best in the business.

Cold, hard, and utterly ruthless, Rocco is the most dangerous of men. Feelings are a luxury he cannot afford―until a chance encounter brings him face to face with the only woman who found her way into his heart and touched his soul.

Grace Mantini has spent her whole life running from the mob. The daughter of the boss's right-hand man, she is both a prize and a target. When Rocco walks back into her life, she wants nothing to do with the man who betrayed her and broke her heart. But only Rocco can protect her from the dangerous forces that seek to destroy her family. Can they escape the hands of fate closing around them? Or will love be the kiss of death for them both?



Rocco and Grace were toghether in the past, there was a relationship there even though Grace was really young and there were no inappropriate lines crossed.

Years pass, he is an enforcer (it's a little more complicated than that, but this is a review not a plot summary, so I am going to leave it there) and she has devoted her life to being anything but the daughter of a mobster.

So, what happens to a reunited enforcer for the mob and a woman who has devoted her life to getting away from all things mafia? Yup, you guessed right, an attraction they are not able to ignore.

For me, this title worked overall. I enjoyed it and I liked Rocco and Grace together. There were a few times and a few things that happened, that made me question if there was really a relationship that was going to work long term. But, that said, it is a mafia romance, so this is supposed to be a part of it. He is supposed to be dangerous and maybe even a little bit of an anti hero, so in this case, it fit.

I recommend this title.




Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


Praise for Rocco

“The high-octane third in Castille’s Ruin & Revenge series…[Grace and Rocco] have plenty of explosive chemistry and appealing vulnerability.” – Publishers Weekly

“So awesome I don’t know how to even begin to explain it without giving anything away. Sexy. Romantic. And a little funny…A book that will have you up all night.” – Whispers from the Mountain


Also Available


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


Author Bio


Sarah Castille is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Redemption Series, Ruin & Revenge Series, Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club series, and Legal Heat series. A recovering lawyer with a fondness for dirty-talking alpha males, she now is a full-time writer, who lives on Vancouver Island. Sarah’s books have been listed as Publisher’s Weekly’s Top Ten Picks and Best Summer Reads, and Amazon’s Best Romance Books of the Year, and have won numerous reader’s choice awards including the Holt Medallion.

Author Links



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