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 13, 2015

Elite Metal - Contemporary Military Romance Boxed Set (Book Blast / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Goddess Fish Promotions, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book blast event for Elite Metal - Contemporary Military Romance Boxed Set!






About The Books





For decades the US Marines funded a top-secret unit known as Elite Recon. A deadly group of men and women sent to infiltrate dozens of countries completely undetected. Mission objectives so extreme casualties were not only probable, but expected.

The current batch of operatives had returned from hundreds of assignments unscathed…until one mission went horribly wrong. Several men lost their lives and the group disbanded. The remaining leathernecks were scattered in the wind with new identities. They were told to blend in. Be normal. Or face being forever silenced just like their fallen brothers.

Now, two years later, each living member of the group is kidnapped and given a chance to make things right. But this time they’re no longer under the thumb of Uncle Sam. A mysterious private backer who knows about their past has brought them back together. No longer are they forced to turn a blind eye to the lost and forsaken.

A new life. A new future…Elite Metal.


Bound By Steele By Anna Alexander and Jennifer Kacey

To save his Marine brothers and sister he must accept the past isn’t dead and buried. Reuniting survivors means he is forced to first forgive…the enemy.

Steele, the man he was, died. A civilian with a new name stands in his place in the wake of death. Everything he had, lost when his undercover contact, Venus, disappeared when it counted most. In the shadow of regret, Steele is reborn from the flames of a Phoenix. To right the wrongs that destroyed his military family, he must put his trust in the hands of a mysterious backer, and the woman who led his team to the slaughter.

Not knowing who sold her out at the final hour, Alayna Devlin, spent the last two years on the run. Then the mastermind behind Elite Metal tracked her down, and offered her the chance to atone for past mistakes. To cleanse her conscience requires a baptism by fire and submission to the man who will either put the final nail in her coffin or set her heart free.

The past. The future. Truth. Lies. Nothing is as it seems when two shattered hearts are finally given the chance to heal.


Chrome’s Salvation By Jennifer Kacey

A former leader of Elite Recon, reduced to nothing more than an apathetic existence.

Until his girl’s life hangs in the balance…now nothing will stand in the way of him coming back to life.

Chrome had it all. Exactly what he wanted. A career in the Marines he loved, fighting alongside his brothers and sisters to protect the US from everything set out to destroy it. Then on their last mission as Elite Recon they were double-crossed…and everything went horribly wrong.

Cammie needs help rescuing her siblings from the clutches of a man determined to crush everything she holds dear. But she has no one to turn to. No one to lean on when she’s trapped in a world she never knew existed. Lost in a world of pseudo-normalcy Chrome’s reduced to nothing more than existing. Day in. Day out. Nothing to live for.

Until his girl’s life hangs in the balance. Now nothing will stand in his way of coming back to life.

Love at first sight is a myth. Or so Chrome thought. Everything he thinks is true disappears in the presence…of his salvation.


Adamantium’s Roar By Anna Alexander

Adamantium left Beth to what he thought was a better life, only to find she had been living in hell. Now he’ll do anything, break any vow, to claim her as his for all time.

Adamantium feels right at home being back to what he does best with his Elite Metal buddies, especially if it keeps his mind off her. Beth Bradshaw. His best friend’s girl. But when their paths cross again, he discovers Beth is in the hands of a dangerous man. Vow or now vow to his Elite Metal family, Ant will do anything to claim the woman he loves.


Pure Copper By Heather Long

Copper will do whatever it takes to get the job done, even if it means seducing and betraying the one man who really sees her.

Former Marine special forces, Sachi “Copper” James is a chameleon. She thrives on being someone else. Her mission? Identify the rat who sold her team bad intel. Gabriel Danvers, ex-CIA analyst, is a master of disseminating the details. He wants to enjoy a normal life, retired from the game. His mission? Teach classes.

When Gabriel becomes the target of Copper’s investigation, he re-enters a world of danger and deception--all to claim the passion of the one woman who’s haunted him for years.


Sterling’s Seduction By Sabrina York

When a snoopy reporter threatens the Elite Metal, Sterling will do whatever it takes to kill her story about the team. Even if it means he has to tie her to his bed.

When Sterling spots a reporter masquerading as a waitress in a dingy bar in Deep Ellum, he suspects she’s investigating the team. And that’s something he just cannot allow to happen. Too many lives are at stake. He will do everything in his power to learn the truth—even seduce her. And to stop her story from coming out? He might even tie her to the bed.

Nothing is off the table when it comes to keeping his brothers safe. Nothing. It’s a damn shame she’s everything he’s ever wanted. It’s a damn shame her touch warms his cold, dead heart.


Platinum’s Choice By Rebecca Royce

Platinum left the life he had with Rose in New York to rejoin his team and silence the nightmares from Operation Phoenix. But when Rose is forced to go on the run with Platinum’s hidden son, he will have no choice but to return to his old life and reclaim what he has ached for every day since. Red Wolf’s sniper wants to nudge Plat’s underbelly and they’re going to find out quickly how deadly he can be.

Platinum was a man of few words before he changed his name and had his sniper rifle taken away. But as Elijah, he could start over, maybe even fall in love with his hidden son's Kindergarten teacher, Rose. But Platinum is reborn when Elijah is kidnapped, so he's left with no choice but to vanish, leaving Rose to wonder about his fate, broken-hearted.

Rose has spent the last year getting over the disappearance of the man she knew as Eli. Now, alone and terrified, she finds herself on the run from a sniper while trying to hide a scared little boy from certain death.

Red Wolf's crew isn't done with Plat, and his soft underbelly is just the place to nudge. Sniper vs. sniper, Platinum will reclaim what is his. That is, if she'll even have him back...


Mercury’s Poison By Saranna DeWylde

A scarred, mad genius more monster than man must protect the beauty he's become obsessed with from a beast more terrible than himself.

Serum 17 took his face, took his kindness and took his empathy. It took, in essence, all of John Thrace leaving only the Elite Metal operative "Mercury" in his place. A man marked with a biohazard tattoo because he knows he's incompatible with other living things. Until he becomes obsessed with the seemingly innocent doctor Hazel Brewer and a chance encounter changes everything.

Hazel knows the giant scarred man won't hurt her even though she's in the business of saving lives and he'd rather take them. In fact, she's never felt safer or more alive than when she's with him. Even when a terrible biological weapon forces her into his arms for a night of hot passion she won't soon forget.

Their love could be the redemption he never thought he wanted, or something even more toxic: Mercury's poison.


Forged in Silver By Roxie Rivera

Rebel. Nomad. Troublemaker.

After surviving the double-cross during Operation Phoenix, Former Elite Recon Marine Silver embraces the underworld and builds a new life as one of the world's most renowned thieves. Jewels, paintings, corporate espionage--there's no job he won't take for the right price.

Until Poppy Jones orders her ghosts to snatch him up in Budapest and haul him back to Texas to face her brand of justice...

Forced to decide between a prison cell and signing on to Elite Metal, Silver chooses the latter. Quietly operating in the background of a team that no longer trusts or wants him, he completes all the dirty little jobs that keep the team alive and flush with new intel.

But when he learns Poppy plans to infiltrate a terrorist gathering, he refuses to hide in the shadows a moment longer. In a world of secrets and lies, Poppy Jones is his bright light of truth and trust.

And he'll brave the fires of hell--and the disdain of Steele and Chrome--to protect her.




Book Excerpt

Chrome’s Salvation

The gun thumped onto the wood on her dresser and he hauled her up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist trapping his cock between them. Her slight body shivered next to his and he held her close. “Shh, shh, shh, Cammie. It’s okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“Don’t leave,” she whimpered and clutched him tight. She snuggled closer to him, grinding her panties covered pussy against him in the process.

She was so warm.

He groaned, digging his fingers momentarily into her back and hip before he convince them to relax. “I won’t. Just let me go put some clothes on.” She shivered again and his breath caught. “This isn’t going to go well,” he added through clenched teeth. “Gimme thirty seconds to throw pants on and I’ll come back. We can…talk.” Yeah it sounded like a curse word, but, Jesus.

“I don’t want to talk.” Her soft whisper next to his ear threw fuel on the fire.

He physically set her on her feet and held her shoulders at arm’s length because the only alternative was pushing her against the wall, ripping her shirt and panties off and fucking taking her.

“Then I’ll hold you or some shit so you can go back to sleep.”

She shook her head and he released her shoulders as she confirmed he wasn’t what she needed or wanted. He took a step away and she took a hesitant step closer as she eyed his groin again.

Light glistened off her teeth as she nibbled her bottom lip and clutched nervously at the bottom of her shirt. “No sleep. I only have nightmares. No sleep.” She took another step forward, eyeing him with…hunger?

Chrome acted before running it through his filter. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and shoved her against the wall, stomach first. She gasped, bracing her hands beside her. “I can’t do easy, little girl.” He trapped her body between his and the hard surface and grabbed a handful of her hair to jack her head to the side.

“I don’t like the taste of vanilla.” He licked her throat and bit her right below her ear. “But I sure as fuck like the taste of you. You are my flavor and I want to drown myself in you.” He pushed his hand between the wall and her pussy and moved his hand beneath her cotton panties.

Drenched.

Fuck.

Her moan nearly did him in. He gripped her hair harder and slid a finger into her pussy. She clutched at the wall and groaned out, “Chrome.”

He needed to stop.

He needed to leave.

He needed to tell Steele to screw off and bail before he did something stupid and hurt her or something even stupider like falling for her.

“Right now, Cammie. You have to tell me to stop right now. This is not a good idea. I’m supposed to be protecting you. Not fucking you. Not dominating you. I don’t have condoms with me and if we start this I’m not stopping until I’m balls deep inside you with you coming on my cock. So if you don’t want what I’m offering…” He squeezed the hair on her head hard and slid another finger into her pussy to make sure she understood what he was about to tell her. “You have to tell me to stop. Kink is the only way I have sex. I don’t do soft and you will never have control if I fuck you. I’m all over women’s rights and all that, but not in the bedroom. Nothing else works for me. Do you understand?”

Her panting breaths turned him on even stronger and her throat moved as she swallowed. “Are we playing? Like a game?”

He needed to tell her yes. He needed to go along with it so he could fuck her and get her out of his system. He’d make it good for her. He would. But he needed a fall back if she freaked in the middle so he’d have the ability to shrug it off and lick his wounds. That’s what he needed to do.

“This is not a game. With you this will never…be a game.”




BUY THE BOXED SET

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About The Authors


Jennifer Kacey

Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her family in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. She’s the Amazon top seller and award winning author of the Members Only Series and the Surrender Series along with several standalone novels and novellas. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

AUTHOR WEBSITE
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Anna Alexander

Anna Alexander's literary world changed at age thirteen when a friend gave her a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss's "A Rose in Winter." With her mind thoroughly blown, she decided that one day she too would be a romance writer. With Hugh Jackman's abs and Christopher Reeve's blue eyes as inspiration, she loves spinning tales about superheroes finding love.

Sign up to receive news about Anna's latest releases at http://eepurl.com/Q0tsz

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Heather Long

National bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime. From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them; you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

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Rebecca Royce

As a teenager, Rebecca Royce would hide in her room to read her favorite romance novels when she was supposed to be doing her homework.

She is the mother of three adorable boys and is fortunate to be married to her best friend. They are transplants from the northeastern part of the United States to the great state of Texas, specifically Austin.

She is in love with science fiction, fantasy and the paranormal and tries to use all these elements in her writing. In her world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

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Sabrina York

Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching erotic romance. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebook or on Pinterest. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/ And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!

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Saranna DeWylde

Saranna De Wylde has always been fascinated by things better left in the dark. She wrote her first story after watching The Exorcist at a slumber party. Since then, she's published horror, romance and narrative nonfiction. Like all writers, Saranna has held a variety of jobs, from operations supervisor for an airline, to an assistant for a call girl, to a corrections officer. But like Hemingway said, "Once writing has become your major vice and greatest pleasure, only death can stop it." So she traded in her cuffs for a full-time keyboard. She loves to hear from her readers.

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Roxie Rivera

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, I like to write super sexy romances and scorching hot erotica. I live in Texas with my red-bearded Viking husband and a sweet but rowdy preschool-aged daughter with autism and heart defects. We also have two wildly rambunctious Great Danes named Hannibal and Murdock.

My other book writing alter ego--Lolita Lopez--was named one of Latina Magazine's Eight Erotic Latina Authors To Check Out. Lo writes deliciously steamy tales for Forever Yours/Grand Central, Mischief/Harper Collins UK, Siren Publishing and Cleis Press.

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Contest Giveaway

Win A $25 Amazon or B&N GC




Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

The tour dates can be found here:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-blast-elite-metal-by-various.html


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Book Blast Event


Click on above link for tour event schedule




Thursday, February 12, 2015

Fire Down Below by Andrea Simonne (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Goddess Fish Promotions, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Fire Down Below by Andrea Simonne!







Book Review



Fire Down Below by Andrea Simonne
Publisher: Liebe Publishing
Publication Date: August 22, 2014
Format: Paperback - 345 pages
              Kindle - 3709 KB
              Nook - 477 KB
ISBN: 978-0692299838
ASIN: B00MZD34IU
BNID: 2940046312713
Genre: Contemporary Romance


BUY THE BOOK: Fire Down Below
Currently On Sale $.99
AMAZON   


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 Goddess Fish Promotions.


Book Description:

Choosing between two hot guys? Not a bad way to turn thirty-five….

Running into an old boyfriend is bad enough, but why does it always happen when you look your worst? Kate Alexander is wearing gray sweats, no makeup, and feels as glamorous as a pile of dirty laundry when she runs into her hunky ex, Ben Mathews. Ben is the only man who’s ever asked her to marry him. And now still single, and closing in on her thirty-fifth birthday, Kate suspects her shelf life is nearing its expiration date. Though Ben once broke her heart she’s convinced fate has brought them together for a second chance at love.

The problem is Declan O’Connor, a sexy Irishman. Kate considers him a friend—except she’s been having some very un-friend like thoughts about him. They shared a hot kiss one night, before Ben reentered her life, and now she can’t stop thinking about it. Despite the attraction with Ben, Kate is remembering her old resentments all too well. But then Ben asks her to marry him again, and her second chance has finally arrived. Is this what she really wants though?

From Seattle to Dublin, from the old to the new, Kate is caught between playing it safe or playing with fire.


Book Excerpt:


“I’m glad we’re together again,” he murmurs, kissing me softly. His fingertips trail down my body creating little sparks on my skin.

I’m still aware that we’re outside naked. Ben obviously doesn’t care though and I wonder if he sleeps out here a lot. It would be just like him. He’s like a dog that refuses to be kept indoors.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, sensing my distraction.

“You. I was wondering if you sleep out here a lot.”

He chuckles softly. “I do. Crazy huh? Sleeping on my deck. You’re finding out all my secrets tonight. I love sleeping under the stars.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever slept under the stars.”

“Are you serious?” Ben looks shocked. “Never?”

“I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid and went camping with them once, but that’s the only time.” What I don’t add is that I hated it. All the bugs and dirt. It was awful.

“You were a Girl Scout? I’ll bet you were cute. But I can’t believe you haven’t gone camping since then.” He buries his face in my neck. “We’ll have to fix that. I’d love to go camping and sleep under the stars with you in my arms every night.”

“Sounds great.”

“Really?” He strokes my cheek. “Let’s do it. We’ll go when I get back from California.”

He kisses me slow and deliberate. I wrap myself around him, dizzy from wanting him again. The past fades away in a smoky haze and the present is bright and clear. There are stars overheard, and I have to admit, the view is beautiful. I decide that I’m even looking forward to going camping with Ben. 

Sort of.


My Book Review:

In Fire Down Below, author Andrea Simone weaves an entertaining and sexy romantic tale that follows the complicated romantic journey of thirty-five year old Kate Alexander, as she finds herself in a love triangle with two very different men who try to win her heart.

What's a girl to do when she gets caught in between an old love and discovering a new love? Right before her thirty-fifth birthday, Kate unexpectedly runs into the man who broke her heart, ex-fiance Ben Mathews. Ben wants a second chance with Kate, but is she willing to give her heart to him again ... especially when she has discovered that she has feelings for sexy Irishman Declan O'Connor, her longtime friend and boss.

From Seattle to Dublin, the reader follows Kate's complicated journey as she tries to decide whether to take a second chance with an old love, or give her heart to a new love who she is attracted to and desires.

I couldn't help but get caught up in Kate, Ben, and Declan's story. The story alternates seamlessly between Kate and Ben's past relationship with the present, and how Kate struggles with her conflicted feelings and being torn between an old and new love. The story is filled with enough raw emotion, drama, humor, and intimate romance scenes that easily keeps the reader engaged and wondering which man would win Kate's heart.

With a realistic cast of characters; witty dialogue and dramatic interactions; and a complicated romantic storyline that engages the reader to follow along and choose which man is the right one for Kate; Fire Down Below is a wonderful story about one woman's complicated journey towards making the right choice when searching for true love and happiness.


RATING: 4 STARS 






About The Author



Andrea Simonne grew up as an army brat and discovered she had a talent for creating personas at each new school. The most memorable was a surfer chick named "Ace" who never touched a surf board in her life, but had an impressive collection of puka shell necklaces. Eventually she turned her imagination towards writing. Andrea still enjoys creating personas, though these days they occupy her books. She currently makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons.


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Contest Giveaway

Win A $25 Amazon or B&N GC





Author Andrea Simonne will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or B&N GC to a randomly drawn host.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

The tour dates can be found here: 

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Virtual Book Tour 


Click on the above link for the tour schedule!








Friday, February 6, 2015

Starting from Lost by S.K. Wills (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 Starting from Lost by Author S.K. Wills!






Book Review



Starting from Lost by S.K. Wills
Book 1: Broken Beginnings Series
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: November 13, 2014
Format: Paperback - 282 pages
             Kindle - 1223 KB
ISBN: 978-1620155868
ASIN: B00PM1HHSK
Genre: Contemporary Romance


BUY THE BOOK: Starting from Lost


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 Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.


Book Description:

Love is a risk. If you lose it all, would you dare to risk it twice?

Hannah Rogers is lost: cynical, insecure, and withdrawn. Skeletons forged through a bad breakup that should have been a marriage proposal. Now four years later, Hannah follows her dead-end job to the big city where her only hope is to survive the next eight months as her flirtatious boss’s personal assistant. The last thing her predictable life needs is to collide with the boy responsible for breaking her heart, or the twist of fate that sends a sexy new neighbor to awaken feelings she’s long since put to bed.

Alex Sorrento doesn’t have any room in his life for another pet project. He’s already put aside his career and his personal dreams to follow his half-sister Mackenzie to the big city. Lost in the guilt over the events that nearly took her life, he feels he owes her that much. When Mackenzie befriends the new girl on the third floor, Alex finds himself defenseless against the sizzling chemistry between them and the sadness in her eyes. Can he protect Hannah from her ex without losing his heart?

In this turbulent journey about self-discovery, forgiveness, and love, some second chances aren’t worth taking, but others have their own rewards.


Book Excerpt:


He kept his eyes trained on hers, and lifted his hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He heard her breath catch when his fingers brushed against the sensitive spot below her earlobe, saw the understanding in her eyes, and thought that might as well have been invitation enough.

She felt like she was falling, and grabbed onto his arms to anchor herself even as his fingers traced a lazy line down the tender column of her throat. Her lips parted, willing him to meet them.

She watched those glacier blue eyes darken, not in pleasure, but in something else. Grief, perhaps. She recognized the sadness as it often lived in her own eyes. She wanted only to comfort, to soothe away the flash of pain she caught, but he was already withdrawing. The complete abandonment left her shaken, and she turned away from him to fight for composure. When she turned back she was holding the to-go bags for Mackenzie.

“Hannah,” he said, but she shook her head to silence him. She knew better than anyone that ghosts in one’s path had a way of holding you back from the future. Losing Jake had kept her afraid to feel anything again, and she let it. No one had ever made her want like Alex did, and he was fighting it. Knowing he could already reach her, without even trying, was terrifying. She had no defense against it but anger. She couldn’t sympathize, even though she wanted to. It would leave her too exposed and vulnerable to him.

“Here you go.” She tried handing him the bags. “Tell Mackenzie I’ll get a hold of her tomorrow. It’s been a long week, and I’m going to head to bed.” She was sorry for the hard edge in her voice, but she had to try to block him out. To keep him away.

Angry with himself, angry with her for making him crack, he decided his control could go to hell, and Mackenzie with it if she had a problem with him kissing Hannah. Keeping his eyes on hers, he set the bags easily on the counter. Understanding flashed across her face and widened her eyes as he snaked an arm around her waist and yanked her to him.

Her protest died on her lips when she collided against his firm chest, and fighting him seemed to flee her mind. Her arms came around him, hands stroking his back, fingers tracing the taut muscle. Underneath, she wanted this — to be in his arms, to test what they could give each other. She knew deep down, he wanted it too.

His movements were rough and clumsy when he pulled on her hair clip to send her hair tumbling free. He tangled his hands in it and tugged her head back.

Now, do it now. Her mind was practically screaming it. Her labored breathing reverberated in her ears, and she noted with some satisfaction that his mirrored hers as they stared at each other, bodies pressed together. If he withdrew this time, she would surely go insane. Her body sang, nerve endings exploding so that she almost begged him to kiss her, touch her, something. Anything.

Her eyes were deep and smoky. Looking into them he read her desires, and answered her simple request by slowly lowering his mouth to hers. His breath was warm against her lips when he whispered, “don’t move.” And he meant it. If she kissed him back he might not be able to stop. That truth terrified him as it aroused him, but he couldn’t take any more chances. Even this was going to cost.

One taste. He could rid himself of her with one taste, and he brushed his lips against hers in a gentle caress that rocked them both.

Stars. Definitely stars. And she wanted more. The knowledge of that simple truth filled her with a slow, sweet pleasure that she couldn’t quite remember experiencing before. She wanted him to take the kiss deeper, was too afraid to do it herself, but he didn’t. She was trembling when he lifted his mouth from hers and he pulled her against him. She rested her head against his shoulder and he stroked a hand down her hair. The intimacy in the gesture had her eyes threatening to fill with tears. She soaked up this sweetness so foreign to her, and pressed closer. She fit too well against him. This moment seemed too easy as if it was right, fated, but fate was foolish to believe in.

When she pressed even closer, his hand fell away from stroking her hair, and he stepped back away from her. He broke their contact so swiftly he had to grab her arms to steady her as she swayed with the sudden loss of his body to lean on. Besides the confusion he could read on her face, she looked every bit as he imagined she would after an entire night of love-making, and he committed the sight to memory, as this was as far as he could ever let it go, even with wanting more.

As she steadied, he released her arms and balled his hands into fists at his sides to keep from touching her again. He had to let her go or they’d both go over the edge, and he wasn’t sure there was a way back after that.

Once balanced, Hannah understood that he didn’t want her. Not really. Not the way she wanted him to want her. The way he retreated must have him thinking the kiss had been a mistake. That she was a mistake.



My Book Review:

In her debut novel, Starting from Lost, author S.K. Wills weaves a wonderful coming of age story of self discovery, forgiveness, and moving on.

Starting from Loss is a touching story that follows Hannah Rogers' personal journey as she overcomes a broken heart and painful past, discovers her true inner self, learns to heal, grow, and move on with her life.

Hannah's first love Jake left her brokenhearted and lost when he moved away to follow his dream. Four years later, Hannah graduates from college and follows her lecherous boss to New York City for an eighth month stint as his personal assistant. Settling into her new apartment, Hannah meets upstairs neighbors Mackenzie and her half-brother Alex Sorrento. Mackenzie is a free-spirited young woman who gets Hannah to lighten up, while Alex is sexy and stirs long dormant feelings in Hannah that she thought she'd never have again since Jake. But Alex has his own troubled past to deal with ... can two broken people find a way to put their pasts behind them and find love again ... or will the sudden appearance of Jake leave Hannah spiraling downward again?

This is a slow building contemporary romance story that engages the reader to follow Hannah's journey as she faces her past, and rises from the abyss of heartache and loss that she has lived in for so long. Hannah's gradual discovery of her inner strength enables her to grow, and learn that she still has a life to live after a lost love, and even a chance at finding a new love. You can't help but feel compassion for Hannah's story, and anyone can relate to the happiness and pain of a first love, the lessons learned from life's experiences, and the ability to look towards the future.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I really liked Mackenzie and Alex, they both brought the kind of friendship Hannah needed that would help her move forward, and Alex was everything that you could hope to have in a hero. You can't help but cheer on Hannah and Alex as their journey is filled with trials and tribulations as they learned to put their pasts behind them and accept the gift of love.

Starting from Loss is a realistic and raw coming of age story that has a wonderful balance of humor, emotion, drama, and romance that will leave a smile on your face.


RATING: 4 STARS 







About The Author



S.K. Wills grew up with reading in her blood; a favorite pastime passed down thanks to her two beautiful grandmas. Wanting to inspire others, like good books inspire her, she added “write a romance novel” to her bucket list, and ultimately, checked it off. Writing makes her soul happy, and since she's now hooked on story-crafting, she's decided to stick with it for as long as it will have her. S.K. lives in Southeastern Michigan, and juggles expertly (or so she thinks!) also being a passionate marketer and entrepreneur helping other authors reach their writing dreams. She fuels her insatiable dream-chasing with what some would consider an unhealthy amount of coffee, and she wouldn’t have her crazy busy life any other way. To learn more, visit her at: http://skwills.com/


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Tour Schedule:

January 26 - Chick Lit Plus – Tour Kick Off 
January 27 – SultrySteamy Reading- Review & Excerpt 
January 28 - Chick LitGoddess – Review
January 30 - JoonielObsesses over Books – Excerpt
January 30 - Bookish- Review
February 2 - Two Children and a Migraine - Review
February 4 - Chick LitPlus – Review
February 5 - Ski-Wee’sBook Corner – Excerpt
February 5 - ABlue Million Books – Excerpt
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February 6 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
February 6 - Ogitchida Kwe’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
February 9 - The Phantom Paragrapher – Review



Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Loving Jovie by Peggy Dabney (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Bare Naked Words Author Services, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Loving Jovie by Author Peggy Dabney!






Book Review



Loving Jovie by Peggy Dabney
Book 1: The Consequences Series
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
Format: Paperback - 258 pages
             Kindle - 3062 KB
ISBN: 978-1505362886
ASIN: B00QJ8XWJ8
Genre: Contemporary Romance


BUY THE BOOK: Loving Jovie


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 Bare Naked Words Author Services.


Book Description:

Art curator Jovie Iams has found the man of her dreams. Her boyfriend, Italian chef Leonardo Manning, is smart, sweet, and gentle…until he breaks up with her and leaves her emotionally devastated. As she tries to repair her broken heart, she turns to Owen Michaels, an ex-soldier from Iowa struggling to forget his past.

But Jovie can’t escape her feelings for Leo, and finds her heart trapped between the two men. As she becomes more entangled with Leo and Owen, she discovers that things are not always as they seem. One of these men has a dark secret that will turn Jovie’s world on its head, and will force her to make the ultimate choice between love and safety...


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My Book Review:

In her debut novel, Loving Jovie, author Peggy Dabney weaves an delightful tale of intrigue, drama, and romance. The reader is easily drawn into the complicated love triangle between Jovie Iams, an art curator; her boyfriend, Italian chef Leonardo Manning; and her best friend's brother Owen Michaels, an ex-soldier who just returned home to Iowa from military service abroad. And if a tangled romantic web isn't enough for you, the author interweaves an intriguing mixture of emotional baggage and dark secrets, and a dangerous criminal mafia element involved in the art world who threatens Jovie's life. 

I really enjoyed the mixture of romance and suspense that was interwoven throughout the story, it kept me engaged and turning the pages. I couldn't help but get caught up in the lovers triangle, both Leo and Owen captured Jovie's heart, and I could sympathize with her as she struggled to pick which man would ultimately win her heart. Just as the emotional drama from the lovers triangle starts to heat up, the author adds in the intriguing dangerous criminal element that takes the reader on an exhilarating and suspenseful roller coaster ride to the surprising conclusion. 

If you are looking for an exciting romantic suspense story to wile away a long winter's day, look no further, Loving Jovie is the book for you!


RATING: 4 STARS 





About The Author



Peggy Dabney lives in west-central Illinois with her family and rescue dog Fletcher. Besides being an avid reader, she loves football and motorcycle riding. From a very young age Peggy noticed that there are stories everywhere, and from all walks of life. She is obsessed with romance, adventure, and mystery. She tries to incorporate all of these in her writing, but always ends with an HEA (Happily Ever After).  To her there’s always a new beginning, a second chance, and a new story to be told. Love always finds its way.  

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