Books are food for my soul! Pull up a beach chair and stick your toes in the sand as the Jersey surf rolls in and out, now open your book and let your imagination take you away.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Virtual Book Tour Events: Week of 3/2-8/14


Virtual Book Tour Events: Week of 3/2-8/14



Monday 3/3/14

Tea And Primroses by Tess Thompson


In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review

Book Description: Tea And Primroses


Nothing is as it seemed in calm, quaint Legley Bay.

Famous novelist Constance Mansfield lived a seemingly straightforward – if private – and somewhat predictable life. Friends, beloved daughter Sutton, a beautiful home, and all the success an author could wish for. A perfect life….but was it?

When a hit and run accident suddenly takes her mother’s life, Sutton finds hidden secrets with her heartbreak. Emotional walls she assumed Constance had built to protect her privacy may have been to protect something – or someone – else entirely. Family and friends return home for support, including her own lost-love, Declan. He’s the first thing she craves to help her cope with her loss and the questions she’s left with, but he’s also the last person she wants to see. Will he be able to put down roots at last?

Can the loss of true love be the making of a life, or is it destined to be the undoing of everything? When money, power and love combine across time, anything is possible.








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The Lies That Save Us by J.L. Redington


In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: The Lies That Save Us


Alexa is beautiful, smart and alone in the world, a result of devastating losses in her life. She purchased a diner in the quiet out of the way town of Startup, Washington and hired employees to help run it. She’s just beginning to feel secure in her loneliness.

Suddenly her world is jolted awake by Cayman, a handsome young stranger that enters her diner seemingly from nowhere. Event’s happen quickly, and soon Alexa is deep into secret lives, deception and desire.

Will she figure out the riddle of her father’s death? Will she be able to resist the temptation to fall in love with Cayman in spite of her suspicions? Will she live to tell the tale?








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The Curl Up & Dye by Sharon Sala


In association with Author Sharon Sala

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: The Curl Up & Dye


A brand new Southern women's fiction from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala who has 1.5 million books sold.

Wally Lamb meets Steel Magnolias in this story of LilyAnn Bronte, the Peachy-Keen Queen, which in Blessings, Georgia, was the epitome of success. After losing her fiance in the war in Iraq, her zest for life went into decline while added weight crept on. When a new guy arrives in town, LilyAnn embarks on a quest to remake herself from start to finish only to discover that love was always just right next-door.













Friday 3/7/14


Storm in a B Cup by Lindy Dale


In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: Storm in a B Cup


“It’s my funeral. If I want you to play Bon Jovi as they wheel my body away to be cremated you’ll do it.” 

The horrified look on Brendan's face says he'll do anything but. “People will laugh.” 

“I want them to. I want a funeral where everyone stands around and remembers the funny things I did, and then they get really pissed."

Sophie Molloy has Breast Cancer. She didn’t think it was cancer to begin with, she thought it was another cyst. She also didn’t think it would be the catalyst for a series of life changing events, none of which involved chemotherapy. Within months of her diagnosis, Sophie loses not only her right breast but her boyfriend of three years, her house and her best friend. Her life spirals from great to bad, then ugly. Nothing can make it better, not even the crazy care packages her mother keeps sending from Melbourne.

To make matters worse, Sophie fears she’s developing a crush on the plastic surgeon that will be reconstructing her breast. Dr. Hanson has the bedside manner of an angel and the looks to match. He’s so caring and compassionate, Sophie begins to believe he cares about her in a most non-doctor-patient kind of way. But he doesn’t, of course. He’s merely her doctor. Or does he?

A fictional tale, based on the author's medical journey with the disease, Storm in a B Cup is a warm-hearted glimpse into the world of a Breast Cancer sufferer that will have you laughing out loud.










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Anybody's Daughter by Pamela Samuels Young


In association with Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review

Book Description: Anybody's Daughter


Is Anybody’s Daughter Ever Safe?

Based on the real-life horrors faced by thousands of girls, award-winning author Pamela Samuels Young takes readers deep inside the disturbing world of child sex trafficking in a fast-paced thriller that educates as much as it entertains.

The opening chapter of Anybody’s Daughter introduces readers to thirteen-year-old Brianna Walker. She’s ecstatic because she’s about to sneak off to meet her first real boyfriend—a boyfriend she met on Facebook. But Brianna is in for a horrifying surprise because her boyfriend doesn’t exist. Instead, Brianna unwittingly becomes the captive of a ring of drug dealers-turned-human traffickers who prey on lonely girls from dysfunctional homes. But they’ve made a big mistake in targeting Brianna because she doesn’t meet either of those criteria.

Brianna’s Uncle Dre, a man with his own criminal past, is determined to find the niece who is more like a daughter to him. Rather than sit back and rely on police to bring Brianna home, Dre scours the dark corners of Los Angeles looking for her. He is stunned to learn that the trafficking of children isn’t just happening in other countries. It’s occurring at epidemic levels right in his own backyard.

Dre is not alone in his desperate search. Loretha Johnson knows this world well. A social worker who previously lived “the life,” Loretha now dedicates her time to saving as many young girls as she can find. She turns out to be an invaluable resource for Dre, who ultimately gets a lead on The Shepherd, a mastermind in the trafficking world whose every move is fueled by ego and greed. Dre vows to bring The Shepherd’s reign of terror to an end, even if he has to break the law to do it.

While Brianna makes a futile effort to thwart her captors, Dre is getting closer and closer to finding her. The woman he loves, attorney Angela Evans, knows the dangers faced by sexually exploited children because she represents them in juvenile court. Angela lends her moral support and, eventually, an important clue to Brianna’s whereabouts.

As he races against the clock, Dre ultimately comes up with a daring plan—one that puts many lives in danger, including his own. But will he find Brianna before it’s too late?

Kirkus Reviews called Anybody’s Daughter “A fast-paced, well-written thriller that’s grounded in important social issues.”








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Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron


In association with Litfuse Publicity

Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: Scraps of Evidence


Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan, for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he's been trying to get to know her better and he'd like to be seeing her during those couple nights a week she spends with her quilting guild.

Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the nursing home and she acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Susan seems to be communicating a message to them about Tess's uncle. There's a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?



Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh by Timothe Davis (Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh by Author Timothe Davis!









Author Guest Post

The Spring of My Discontent (Part 1)


From time to time, someone will ask me about the inspiration for my book. I always share the following story: 

I was visiting Barcelona for a short solo vacation. I had spent days imbibing the culture, the wine, and the food. And I was struck at how these people – people outside the States – often seemed content on less. I’m not suggesting they are happier than Americans; I’m saying they seemed content with less: fewer cars, smaller homes/apartments, more vacation, less obsessed with their 401K plans. 

It made me wonder – what makes me content? And was I content with all I had done up to that moment? At the end of the journey – and not the European journey but life’s journey – would I be able to look back and be content with my life? 

That introspection inspired the book. 

I had said many times (since I was 10) that I wanted to write a book. Finally, I was compelled to finish it and to put a check mark beside one of the items on my “bucket list.” I was determined that I wouldn’t look back in “shoulda, woulda, couda.” I wouldn’t look back in discontent. 

And the plot? Well it seemed natural that the plot should be about life’s journey – about being imperfect, about accepting ourselves and accepting others, about friendship and love, about mistakes … about striving to improve but trying to be content. Fast forward 2-3 years, the book is published and reviews begin to come in. Some people love the book; others hate it. And while I cherish everyone who says, “I love this book, it reminds me of me and my friends,” and I value the feedback of all those who despised the book, in the end it’s about neither one. In the end, it’s about my journey, my step forward, my work to do all the things I should and I that can. Is that easy? Definitely not. But I know that the world holds a beautiful tapestry of diverse people who are meant to be enjoyed. That life is a journey, while fraught with danger, is meant to be taken, and that contentment and happiness – the kind that comes from giving – is meant to be pursued fiercely. 

So I will strive to know my character. Continue to improve and connect with others. Find contentment. Be happy. 

May you do the same, Dear Reader; may you do the same.



About The Author




Timothe Davis is a music-loving, martini-drinking, night owl. He spends his days confined within the walls of corporate America but (not so) secretly harbors dreams of writing best-sellers and getting books adapted to movies. Thank God he's wise enough to have a 401K plan.

You can find him wandering around his loft most times of the night. His friends say his sarcasm belies a warm heart and he's tried MATCH.com not once but twice.

Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh is his first novel. It's a fictional story of love, friendship, acceptance, and the journey we take to make ourselves better each day. He hopes that those who purchase it will enjoy reading it as much as he enjoyed writing it.


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Book Review



Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh by Timothe Davis
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: May 16, 2012 
Format: Paperback - 302 pages / Kindle - 965 KB 
ISBN: 0615602150
ASIN: B008475DHG
Genre: Chick Lit / Romantic Comedy


BUY THE BOOK: Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.


Book Description:

When our friends make choices we don't like, what do we do? And when those choices threaten our friendships, how far will we go to protect our friends? Jordan Spencer is thirty-six and hasn't had a relationships that's lasted more than six months. He's fine with that, though. He's got space issues. And what difference does it make anyway? He has his two best friends - Gabby and Chris - for happy hours, clubs, and weekend hangouts. But Gabby is falling for a guy that Jordan doesn't like and Chris-the-sex-machine is having a phallic-crisis.

Jordan thought that their friendship would last forever. But with each day, they drift further apart. Should he fight for the friends who have become his family? Or has the season of their friendship past?

Set to the soundtrack of his life, Jordan Spencer will learn that in a world full of sex, lies, and drag queens, that even the best of friends occasionally lie to each other. Sometimes they cry for each other. But in the end, sometimes ya just gotta laugh."


Book Excerpt:


Alicia once said that I needed to share. I wasn't ready.

I've dated women who interpreted my lack of sharing, and the entire male species lack of sharing, as being a detached and unemotional creature.

What is this bullshit that men are a stoic species from another world, adhering to the edicts of ESPN, our sole mission being to practice procreating?

The Church of ESPN is powerful and good. And I don't know a guy who doesn't enjoy practicing the procreation process. But stoic? That's a behavior learned from social programming. Dad teaches it, brothers teach it, the guys on the football field teach it, the Church condones it. Truth is, men are some of the most emotional people I know. Raw emotion rages right beneath the surface – tears, angers, confusion, frustration, sadness. But we are always told to control it. Men don't share and they don’t the cry. The poor slob who is introspective enough to be a communicator and in touch with his feelings get labeled as gay.

A five year old girl breaks her Barbie. She runs to Mommy who sweeps her up and says, “It's okay.” Okay to be sad and okay to cry. A five year old boy breaks his model train and just as Mommy sweeps him in her arms, Dad says, “Put him down, stop babying him.” And then he says to his son, “Stop crying. You'll get you another one. Big boys don't cry.”

And so the cycle has begun. Only to be repeated again.

And again.

And again.

Is it any wonder we struggle for words when a women says, “Tell me how you feel. Talk to me.” Are you serious? Here is what we are really hearing: Speak Latin.

Find the words of a language that is dead to us and articulate it fluently.

And that's why I wasn't ready to share. I was searching for words.

Besides, is not talking necessarily a bad thing?

I picked up the phone to call Alicia. Not to have the discussion but to hear her warm voice.

No answer. I left her a message, picked up the clicker, and caught the second quarter of the Mavs game. They were up 42-24.


My Book Review:

In his debut novel, Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh, author Timothe Davis weaves a humorous and entertaining tale about the longtime friendship relationships between three friends: Jordan, Gabby and Chris. As the reader follows along with the life experiences and trials and tribulations of the three friends, it is a realistic portrayal of the changing dynamic within friendships that happens over time, everyone can relate to it and snicker as they remember their own friendships.

The author makes it so easy to connect with the three friends, the snapshot of a year in their lives reflects their experiences, struggles, and dilemmas, there is a great mixture of humor and emotion throughout the story that makes it so much fun to follow along.

I loved that each chapter started with song lyrics that relates to the narrative within that chapter, it set the tone for the characters' experiences that was very apropos and thoughtful. The author tackles some very sensitive social issues within the story: intimacy, domestic abuse, addiction, sexual orientation, and various relationship dynamics; all situations that are realistic and easy for the reader to relate to. Who hasn't ever wondered about their friendships and the lengths that they would go to maintain the ties that bind them together? As we all journey through our life experiences, we experience the full gamut of emotions, and the author's take on the best way to get through life is sometimes ya gotta laugh is right on the mark!

Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh is a thought provoking and humorous take on friendships that could be a soundtrack from everyone's life!


RATING: 4 STARS ****




Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway

Win Jewelry Valued At $100


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Virtual Book Tour Schedule



Tour Schedule:

February 17 – Wonderland Avenue – Review 
February 18 – Chick Lit Club Connect – Guest Post
February 19 – A Blue Million Books – Q&A & Excerpt
February 24 – The Book Fetish Blog – Review & Q&A
February 25 – Christy’s Written Word Love – Excerpt 
February 27 – Sweets Books – Q&A & Excerpt
February 28 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt
March 3 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt



Shady Deals by Cindy McDonald (Author Guest Post / Book Review)

In association with Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Shady Deals by Author Cindy McDonald!







Author Guest Post

Ten Quickies For Writing Love Scenes


Hey writing is a tough business! Whether you write mysteries, suspense, romance, or thrillers it is hard to stand out in the crowd, and you definitely want to stand out in the right way. I’ve talked to so many writers who tell me that they struggle with or perhaps even shy away from love scenes. Truth is many writers avoid it at all costs because they feel awkward or lack the confidence to write so intimately. So with the timid writer in mind, I’ve compiled a list of ten quick suggestions to help you throw your inhibitions aside and write a good love scene.

1. Define your comfort zone: What are you comfortable reading/writing?

Not everyone (authors or readers) are comfortable with such strong scenes as those that E L James penned for Christian Grey’s “playroom”. Perhaps you are more at ease writing suggestive scenes: your characters touch, feel, explore, but you will only take the reader to the bedroom—not between the sheets, and that’s okay. When I began writing the Unbridled Series in 2005 suggestive scenes was where my comfort zone lived—I have since tossed some of my inhibitions aside to go farther with the First Force series, yet I’m still not as bold as some romance writers.

If you struggle with the idea of writing intimate scenes then you should take care to start slowly and build up. If you start out writing beyond your comfort level your scenes will reflect your unease, so its best not to force a scene that you are simply not prepared to illustrate.

2. Write for yourself, not your family, friends, or your pastor.

As I’ve said in past blogs, I have very conservative in-laws—they are simply uncomfortable with the subject matter of my books in general. That said I write love scenes that are explicit and yet tasteful. Some writers are concerned that their minister or church members will frown upon sexual scenes in their books. Hmmmm, then why are they reading your books? I’ve noticed that if I don’t bring up my books at church neither does anyone else—although I do have fellow parishioners who will approach me to tell me how much they enjoy my books—they never mention the love scenes—for whatever reason. ;}

3. Make sure the cover of your book matches the story inside.

The cover is so important to the marketing of your book. If your storyline is really smokin’ hot, then definitely put that erotic half-dressed couple immersed in a sensual kiss on your cover. If your storyline is more on the suggestive side—find something a little less provocative for your cover. You don’t want to promise something that you don’t deliver because then you could possibly upset two groups of readers: those who are expecting and looking forward to more than you are giving, or readers who are not comfortable at all with sexual scenes. The wrong cover can ultimately turn both sets of readers away from your books permanently. So make sure your cover sends the right message.

4. Heat it up! Sexual tension adds sooo much to the storyline.

Build the sexual tension between your characters from the very first moment they meet. The hero is bound and determined to win her heart, but the heroine isn’t exactly ready to give it—make him work to win her over and for that first kiss to be scorching hot. Sexual tension isn’t exclusive to those who write love scenes. You can use sexual tension even in the most innocent of books where an author doesn’t go any farther than that kiss.

5. Develop your characters well before tossing them into bed.

Your audience will find the story more believable and sensual if you have taken the time and effort to develop your characters before that hot love scene. Readers want to know that the love scene is right—that the hero and heroine are meant to be. Tossing them into bed before developing their relationship and personalities will leave the reader feeling cheated, and your carefully penned love scene could fall flat.

6. One POV please!

Only reveal one character’s POV during the love scene. Alternating thoughts, feelings, or sensual sensations from one character to the other during a love scene can confuse or frustrate the reader. Allow your reader to experience the sensual encounter through one character’s POV only.

7. Use subtext.

What’s subtext? Subtext is when a character says something without coming right out and saying it. Example: He leaned across the table, his hot gaze burning into hers. “You know I just love caramels.” He whispered, “I can’t help myself, I always end up eating the whole bag.”

8. Whoa! Watch those descriptions!

Most recently I began to read a book that actually started out with what the author considered a “hot” love scene. I put the book aside by page sixteen and haven’t picked it up since. Why? Because the author was using car parts to describe body parts. Can you guess what the gearshift was? Yep. Please, keep your automotive paraphernalia where it belongs—in the garage.

I had one author tell me that he liked to refer to the woman’s most intimate area as a… what for it… “honey hole”. E-gads!! One must be careful as to how to describe intimate body parts or it completely destroys the experience for the reader.

9. Use the senses.

Absolutely! Touch, taste, and smell—candles burning, the shadows dancing about the room, the smell of his skin, the gentle caresses over smooth silky flesh, and the taste of the wine still lingering on their lips. These descriptions (if done correctly and compassionately) will deepen the readers experience by drawing them into the moment.

10. Make sure it fits!

The scene I mean. Don’t write a love/sex scene just to do it—make sure the scene moves the story forward. The characters should share something during the scene: a deeper sense of their relationship, a secret can be revealed, or information that you have not shared with the reader can come forth during or as a result of the scene, but make the scene count. Love/sex scenes that are thrown into the story for no apparent reason are annoying, and yes your readers will notice!

So there you have it…some simple ideas to help you write a love scene. Here’s one more: read love scenes. The more you read love scenes the more you will learn how to write them—it’s really that simple. What did you like about the love scene that you just read? What didn’t you like? Learn from those who do it well.




About The Author




For twenty-six years Cindy Mcdonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance: She was a professional dancer/choreographer for most of her adult life and never gave much thought to a writing career until 2005.Suddenly, she felt drawn to her computer to write about things she have experienced (greatly exaggerated upon of course) with her husband’s Thoroughbreds and the happenings at the racetrack.

Why didn’t Cindy write about my experiences with dance? You might ask. “Eh, believe it or not life at the racetrack is more…racy.” Cindy says. “The drama is outrageous—not that dancers don’t know how to create drama, believe me, they do but race trackers just seem to get more down and dirty with it which makes great story telling—great fiction.”

Cindy didn’t start out writing books, The Unbridled Series started out as a TV drama, and the Hollywood readers loved the show. When the series didn’t sell, Cindy recalls, “One of the readers said to me, ‘Cindy, don’t be stupid. Turn your scripts into a book series.’” And so she did!

In May of 2011, Cindy took the big leap and exchanged her dancin’ shoes for a lap top—she retired from dance. “It was a scary proposition,” Cindy confesses. “I was terrified, but I had the full support of my husband, Saint Bill. It has been a huge change for me. I went from dancing hard five hours a night to sitting in front of a computer. I still work-out and I take my dog, Harvey, for a daily run. I have to or I’d be as big as a house.”

Does Cindy McDonald miss dancing? “Sometimes I do,” she says. “I miss my students. I miss choreographing musicals, but I love my books and I love sharing them with readers.”


AUTHOR WEBSITE
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Shady Deals - Book Trailer





Book Review



Shady Deals by Cindy McDonald
Book 5: The Unbridled Series
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Publication Date: January 10, 2014
Format: Paperback - 298 pages / Kindle - 3448 KB 
ISBN: 0991368002
ASIN: B00HSYQZ6Y
Genre: Romantic Suspense


BUY THE BOOK: Shady Deals


BUY THE SERIES: The Unbridled Series
Book 1: Deadly.com
Book 2: Hot Coco
Book 3: Dangerous Deception
Book 4: Against The Ropes
Book 5: Shady Deals
Book 6: The Dead Of Winter (Publication Date: TBA)


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours.


Book Description:

Kate West and Dr. Holden Reese have put their troubled past behind them and are ready to set a wedding date. There;s only one thing in Holden's way: a powerful drug Lord at Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Race Track has Holden under his thumb, and he's not letting go!

Kate's family is determined to get to the bottom the of horse drugging ring, and when the West's get too close to the truth the Drug Lord sends them a brutal message that can't be misinterpreted. Now Holden is on the run, and he's dragging Kate with him.

Can he escape his indiscretions?

How long can he keep Kate in the dark?

And how damning will the truth be when it's finally revealed?


Book Excerpt:


“Take your clothes off.” Dr. Holden Reese said, as he closed the door to his veterinarian office at Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Racetrack. His hot gaze slid over Kate West’s slender curves. He dropped the deadbolt into the locked position. A shiver skittered down Kate’s spine as she turned to him. She wore a red tank top and a pair of tight Levi Jeans. Her long blonde tresses were pulled back into a ponytail. The florescent lighting glinted off the silver hoop earrings that dangled from her ear lobes.

While her full lips parted, her eyebrows rose. “Ever heard of sexual harassment, Dr. Reese?” Kate put in.

He strode toward her unbuckling his belt. He took the vet box from her hand to set it on a nearby shelving unit, and then pushed her against the block wall. Holden was six-foot-two of solid muscled male. His deep brown eyes burned into her baby blues. Caging her between his arms, he reached back to pull the band that held her hair letting it spill like a golden waterfall about her shoulders. He fisted his fingers through the locks tilting her head back to hold her in place. He said, “Oh, I’ve heard of it, Miss West, and I have every intention of taking you on my desk,” he nipped at her earlobe making his way slowly down her neck, “do you want to scream?”

Kate’s fingers splayed wide on the wall that she was pinned against. Everything female in her clenched at his teasing nips and licks and the way he smoothed his lips over her heating skin. She could feel her nipples pushing to stiff peaks against the inside of her bra. She swallowed hard letting go of a groan from deep in her throat. She rasped, “Do you want me to scream, Dr. Reese?”

Holden smiled against her shoulder. He whispered, “When I make you come.” He pressed his lips to hers pushing his tongue into her mouth savoring the taste of her, tangling his fingers tighter through her hair, possessing her. Kate wrapped her arms around his waist pushing up on her toes to capture more from the kiss, when suddenly Holden let go of her hair grabbing her by the shoulders. Kate blinked back, astonished that the kiss had ended so abruptly. 

“You were stripping...” he said, stepping back to take in the show about to start. Kate planted her hands on her hips, biting her lip. His gaze never wavered as he unbuttoned his jeans, while urging, “the desk is waiting, my pretty little assistant.”

“And if I refuse? Will you fire me?”

He lowered his zipper with slow unerring precision, “You won’t refuse.” He stated. He whipped his T-shirt over his head tossing it to the floor, baring his sculpted biceps and abs, while sporting a sinful come-on look that should’ve been in the category of a felony.

“That’s not fair!” Kate blurted.

His mouth curved into a wicked smile. “I’ll use whatever weapons at my disposal to get you naked. I’ve been fantasizing since yesterday about doing it on my desk with my sexy little employee.” Glancing at the desk, Kate noted that it had been cleared for the event. Holden added, “You won’t mention this to your boyfriend, will you?”

Kate rolled her eyes at his suggested role-play. Quirky. What fun. She went along. “He’s the jealous type, you know. Not to mention that he could probably beat the snot out of you.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Holden rolled his right index finger in the air at her, “Let the stripping commence.”

Knowing that he rather enjoyed a demure display, she peeked at him through her lashes. Kate slowly slipped her tank over her head, tossing it to the floor, leaving him to ogle her dainty blue lace bra. She unbuttoned her jeans, lowered the zipper bit by bit, and then she shimmied her hips until they slipped down her legs to pool at her feet, swiftly she kicked them aside. She could see the column of his erection bulging from his boxer brief through the open fly of his jeans, as she stood before him in a tiny lace thong and the lace bra. He licked his lips. She was driving him crazy. She liked it. Her lips curled at his delicious anticipation.

Slowly she reached back to unhook the bra, but rather than allowing it to fall to the floor, she cupped her breasts in her palms holding the bra in place. Holden sucked in a deep breath while he watched her bite her lower lip as she kneaded her breasts in a circular motion, until she slowly let the bra slip down her arms to fall at her feet.

Holden grabbed her hands restraining them behind her back before she could hook her thumbs through the bands of the thong. Sealing his mouth over hers, he kissed her hard while pulling her against his arousal. “Leave a little for me,” he snarled, releasing her hands to grab her buttocks and lift her until she wrapped her legs around his waist. Lips locked, he carried her to the desk, setting her down gently. He murmured, “I don’t want to hurry my fantasy. I want to savor it, baby.”

Kate pulled away from the kiss. She whispered, “I don’t know, my boyfriend will be coming to pick me up soon for the bonfire party at our farm tonight. He doesn’t like it when I’m late.”

Holden’s eyes brightened. “I almost forgot about that,” he brushed a lock of hair from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. His eyes narrowed when he asked, “Is the whole party taking place outside?”

Kate cocked her head, confused by the question considering the position they were presently in. She answered, “Yes...”

“No one will be in the barn?”

“No...”

Carefully he laid her across the desk admiring her dusty pink nipples standing at attention waiting for him to nip. Thoughtfully, he ran his fingers along the inside of the elastic band that secured her thong. Kate’s tummy tightened at the sultry tickle. The sinful grin returned to his handsome face. “Mmmm, another fantasy just came to mind, Miss West: The rugged cowboy breezes into town and seduces the sassy cowgirl in the hayloft. At first she isn’t willing, but soon she succumbs to his cowboy charms.” Shaking her head, Kate chuckled, “Please, one fantasy at a time or I won’t be able to keep up, cowboy.”

She was right. So he decided to fulfill this fantasy right now. There would be plenty of time this evening for the other—if he could get her alone in the loft. He smiled to himself thinking of a clever way to lure her into the barn loft of her father’s Thoroughbred farm, Westwood.

Dropping both of his hands on either side of her, he lowered his face to kiss her between her breasts, when the cell phone in his hip pocket began to ring and vibrate. He groaned.

Kate giggled. “That’s a mood killer.”

“Not for me,” he said, running his tongue over her stiff nipple.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“No.”

“Holden, someone could need the vet. You should at least look at the number.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“See, I knew there was a good reason that I proposed to you. You keep me on track. By-the-way, have you told the family about our engagement?”

“Answer the phone, Holden.”

He let out a frustrated sigh as he yanked the phone from his pocket to look at the screen: Chip Walker. Shit. Reaching across her body, he grabbed the handle to the middle drawer of the desk, pulled it open, flipped the phone in, and then slammed the drawer shut.

“It’s nobody important enough to interrupt this moment.” He looked into her crystal blue eyes full of desire. Raking his fingers through her hair, he said, “Nothing is more important than you are.” His fingers slipped from her hair, down her neck until he cupped her breast in his hand. “Now where was I?”

****

Chip Walker thumbed the END button on his cell phone, hard. Doc Reese hadn’t answered his calls or his texts in three days. Reese was getting too independent. He wasn’t respecting his authority. Reese could blow his whole operation to smithereens. The operation had been compromised six months ago, but he had managed to dodge that bullet. He couldn’t afford another mishap. Reese needed to conform. Reese needed to fall in line. Immediately.


My Book Review:

In the latest installment of The Unbridled Series, author Cindy McDonald transports the readers back to the rolling hills of Rosemount, Pennsylvania, for another riveting romantic suspense novel featuring the West family's Westwood Thoroughbred Farm and Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Racetrack.

Kate West is the vet assistant and fiancee of Dr. Holden Reese, the veterinarian at Keystone Downs Racetrack. While these two lovers should be making wedding plans, there is trouble brewing at the racetrack with Holden stuck in the middle. There is a horse drugging ring run by shifty horse trainer Chip Walker, and he won't let anything or anyone stand in the way of his operation, especially the West clan, who are determined to get to the bottom of the scam. When Chip sends the Walker clan a vicious message to back off, danger and deception abound sending Holden running out of town with an unaware Kate at his side. When shady deals occur, no good outcome can come out of it for Holden and Kate, or can it?

Shady Deals is a fast-paced and action packed romantic suspense novel that easily captivates the reader's attention. Author Cindy McDonald weaves a riveting tale set in the scenic horse country setting of Rosemount, Pennsylvania, that takes the reader on a dramatic roller coaster ride as she slowly builds upon the suspense revolving around a dark and scandalous activity at the local horse racetrack.

With a large cast of characters, some who are returning characters from the previous novels in The Unbridled Series, the reader is kept on their toes as the intriguing story unfolds with deception, danger, murder, and a police pursuit. Subtle spicy fantasy sex scenes is woven into the excitement of the story, but it doesn't overshadow the drama and suspense of the main subject of the story. The reader can't help but get immersed into the lives of the West clan and Dr. Holden Reese. With every suspenseful twist and turn that unfolds, the reader is kept guessing as the tangled web of deceit unravels in a dramatic and climatic style.

The author does a wonderful job of providing an exciting story filled with a fascinating and richly descriptive horse farm setting and in depth look into the thoroughbred horse racing industry. Shady Deals is a sexy romantic suspense thriller that is a must read!


RATING: 4 STARS ****




Virtual Book Tour Schedule



Tour Schedule:

Monday, February 3
Interview at As the Page Turns

Wednesday, February 5
Book Featured at Literary Winner

Thursday, February 6
Book Featured at Margay Leah Justice

Friday, February 7
Book Featured at Fabulous and Fun

Tuesday, February 11
Book Featured at Confessions of a Reader

Wednesday, February 12
First Chapter Review at A Little Bit of Spice

Thursday, February 13
Book Featured at The Fiction Enthusiast
Guest Blogging at Raven Reviews

Friday, February 14
Interview at Nancy Woods Books
Book Review & Interview at Deal Sharing Aunt

Tuesday, February 18
Book Featured at Queen of All She Reads

Wednesday, February 19
Interview at Acting Balanced

Thursday, February 20
Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner

Friday, February 21
Book Featured at Mom in Love with Fiction

Tuesday, February 25
Book Featured at Brooke Blogs

Wednesday, February 26
Book Review at Moonlight Reader

Friday, February 28
Book Review & Guest Blogging at Jersey Girl Book Reviews






Thursday, February 27, 2014

Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson (Cover Reveal / Contest Giveaway)

In association with I Am A Reader, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the cover reveal and contest giveaway for Prejudice Meets Pride by Author Rachael Anderson!



Prejudice Meets Pride



Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson

After years of pinching pennies and struggling to get through art school, Emma Makie’s hard work finally pays off in the form of a dream job offer. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to turn down the job and make a cross-country move to Colorado Springs to take temporary custody of her two nieces. She has no money, no job prospects, and no idea how to be a mother to two little girls, but she isn’t about to let that stop her. Nor is she about to accept the help or of her handsome new neighbor, who seems to think she’s incapable of doing anything on her own. Fun, heartwarming, and romantic, Prejudice Meets Pride is the story of a guy who thinks he has it all figured out and a girl who isn't afraid to show him that he doesn't. It’s about learning what it means to trust, figuring out how to give and to take, and realizing that not everyone gets to pick the person they fall in love with. Sometimes, love picks them.






About The Author



Rachael



USA Today bestselling author Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.





Contest Giveaway

Win A $25 Amazon GC or Paypal Cash




$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Open Internationally
Ends 3/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. 

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Copyright © 2014 I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, All rights reserved.

Friday, February 14, 2014

The Opposite of Normal by Judy Mollen Walters (Book Review)



Book Review


The Opposite of Normal by Judy Mollen Walters
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: February 2, 2014
Format: Paperback - 232 pages / Kindle - 660 KB 
ISBN: 1493731955
ASIN: B00I85SKGK
Genre: Women's Fiction / Family Drama & Life 


BUY THE BOOK: The Opposite of Normal


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.


Book Description:

When Rabbi Mark Friedlander moves his teenage children from Manhattan to a quiet town in Northwestern New Jersey after the death of their mother, he hopes for a fresh start, a place for him and his children to heal while he leads a vibrant synagogue that will embrace them. What he gets instead is just the opposite.

His daughter, Hannah, twelve, struggles with grief, loneliness, and what it means to be Jewish as a Chinese adoptee. She wants to fit in, but that's difficult in their new mostly white and Christian town--so she decides to secretly convert.

His son, Aaron, a senior in high school, is applying to Ivy League schools and counting down to when he can leave the small town--until he discovers a shocking secret that threatens his entire future.

Lurking in the shadows is a pastor who says he just wants to support the kids in his congregation, but is that all he really wants?

The Opposite of Normal is about what it means to love and accept, what it means to do the right thing, and what it means to heal after loss.


My Book Review:

The Opposite of Normal is a poignant story that follows the struggles of the Friedlander family to move forward with their lives after the loss of their wife/mother to cancer.

Rabbi Mark Friedlander is a forty-seven year old widower who moved his family (seventeen year old Aaron and twelve year old Hannah) two years ago from Manhattan to a Northwestern small town in NJ for a fresh start after the death of his wife Julie. He thought the move would give them a quiet life where they could start over. But life in the suburbs is the opposite of normal for the Friedlander family as Mark, Aaron and Hannah continue to struggle with the loss of their wife/mother, and each encounters personal issues that unravels their family bonds even further. Can the Friedlander family find a way to accept the loss, find a way to heal, strengthen their family bond, and move forward with their lives?

Author Judy Mollen Walters weaves a poignant emotional family tale of loss and healing that tugs at the heartstrings. Set in a small Northwestern NJ small town, written in the third person narrative with alternating chapter perspectives by Mark, Aaron, and Hannah, with flashbacks to the past revolving around the family memories of Julie, the reader is easily drawn into the complicated family dynamic of the Friedlander family.

Mark struggles with the loss of his wife and the insecurity of his new role as a sole parent to his children. He is also dealing with a declining congregation membership. He has been informed that if the enrollment numbers do not increase by the end of Spring, that the synagogue's board will not renew his contract.

Aaron is a seventeen year old high school senior who is struggling with the loss of his mother, and his conflicting feelings about his Christian girlfriend Marti, and his wish to leave the small NJ town to attend Columbia University. A poor decision made with Marti ensues in a "crisis" can possibly cost Aaron his dream.

Hannah was adopted by Mark and Julie from a Chinese orphanage when she was six months old, and has been raised in the Jewish faith. Now at the age of twelve, she is unwillingly preparing for her Bat Mitzvah and struggles with her identity and religious affiliation. Feeling like a misfit and having a hard time fitting in with her classmates, all she wants is to look and act like everyone else. Her desire to be like her Christian best friend Kristin, leads Hannah into trouble when an overzealous and unscrupulous pastor sets his sights on her as his next "convert."

The Opposite of Normal easily draws the reader into the Friedlander family's personal struggles as they journey down the path of loss, healing, and moving forward. As the reader becomes invested in the Friedlander family's lives, each of their personal issues, sense of grief, and the unraveling of the family bond unfolds, it is an emotional and palpable story, you can't help but hope they find a way back to each other as a family.

The author provides the reader with a very richly descriptive and indepth look into the Jewish faith and traditions, touches upon the Christian faith, and a variety of social issues that I found to be very intriguing and informative.

If you are looking for a heartfelt and emotional family story that will leave you satisfied at the end, then look no further, The Opposite of Normal is the book for you!


RATING: 4 STARS ****




About The Author




Judy Mollen Walters, a former editor of non-fiction books, is the author of Child of Mine (2013) and The Opposite of Normal (Feb 2014). She lives with her family in New Jersey, where she is at work on her next novel.


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