Monday, June 30, 2014

Adovia Facial Lift and Firm Serum Guest Review


Adovia Facial Lift and Firm Serum

- Achieve An Instant Lift and Anti Aging Effects on Your Skin
- Delivers Anti Wrinkle Results Over Time
- Vitamin C - Also Contains a High Concentration of Vitamin C for Anti Wrinkle Antioxidant Skin Protection
- Dead Sea Salt - Formulated with a High Concentration of Dead Sea Minerals and Salt - 21 Minerals Essential for Skin Health and Beauty
-Non-Oily Moisturizer Delivers Deep Hydration and Nutrient Absorption


Review:

4 stars

So, I gave this as a gift to my friend's mom and asked for her to give me her thoughts on how well it worked for her. You see, Ms. J has tried using lifts and serums many times, with varying degrees of success, and so she was looking for a successful, cheaper alternative. And she found it. Here is her experience:

-The serum rubbed in well, and didn't leave any residue behind after it soaked in.
-The serum didn't really have a smell to it, which is a bonus.
-The serum left her skin feeling smoother and softer immediately after using it.
-Gentle enough on her skin that she could use it daily.-Her face felt better and lighter after only one week of using the serum.
-Had some trouble with the bottle at first, but got over it.

-By the time a month had passed, she noticed she had decreased wrinkles, and that her face wasn't as oily as it usually is.
-The serum worked pretty well, but it is still expensive, plus can only buy this serum online and there are cheaper, effective alternatives at the local store.
-Would recommend Adovia's serum.

So there you have it, Ms. J's first review!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Autumn Fire Review

So, as some of you may know, Trix recently joined Sharing as a reviewer, and so please show her some love with her first review!

AUTUMN FIRE by Cameron D. James (Carnal Passions, 2013)

Blurb: Dustin likes the closet. It’s warm, comfy, and dark. Who needs to be out when you can get all the anonymous sex you want via the internet? And, besides, coming out is messy and gets you nowhere—certainly not a relationship. Real gay love is fiction.

When Dustin meets CollegeJock22 for a quick blow-and-go in the university library men’s room, everything he thought he knew crumbles. He can’t get that man out of his head and will do almost anything to have him. The only problem? CollegeJock22 is even more in the closet than Dustin. He’s in so deep he can’t even see the crack of light under the door.


Trix’s Review:

4 stars

Note: I received a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Most of this story takes place within a one-week period, but there are a lot of things going on at once! Dustin is happy with Internet hookups, until an unforgettable encounter with CollegeJock22. Later in the week, Dustin has his first meeting with a math tutor, Kyle...who turns out to be the same guy. While both are closeted, they react to their attraction in different ways. Kyle backs off and deletes his online profile, while Dustin drowns himself in more semi-anonymous sex. (There is a lot of intense sex here, especially in the early scenes, but it's not always fun to read. Dustin is obviously heartbroken, and the encounters feel very bleak at times. I also found myself worrying that safer sex practices weren't mentioned, and was surprised that I cared so much for Dustin's welfare when I wasn't sure I liked him at first.) The star-crossed romance definitely falls into the "insta-love" category, but the young guys involved are obviously discovering themselves, so it's not as much of a red flag for me as usual. I guessed early on that Kyle would be CollegeJock22, but James had me unsure of how the story would play out until the very end. I also give the author props for having twocool, sympathetic female characters; they're still all too rare in m/m romance! While I usually prefer a little more tenderness with my heat (at times I wanted to read Kyle's point of view instead), this is an intriguing story!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Dead Sea Mud Mask Review


DEAD SEA MUD HAS BEEN RENOWNED FOR CENTURIES AS A NATURAL BEAUTY REMEDY! - Dead Sea Mud contains more than 21 skin-reviving minerals including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium. These essential minerals are present in our bodies, but are lost as we get older. These minerals are known to treat, detoxify, and cleanse our skin, to keep it looking young and refreshed

THE BENEFITS OF THIS MUD MASK ARE COUNTLESS! Anti-aging properties tighten pores promoting young, healthy natural skin. Rich Dead Sea minerals clean, heal, soften and revitalize your skin for an all-day glow. Organic essential oils moisturize and hydrate your skin, helping to reduce wrinkles


WE USE ONLY THE PUREST INGREDIENTS - Why compromise your health with products that contain chemicals? Our Dead Sea Mud Mask contains only 100% pure, natural and certified organic ingredients - free of sulfates, phosphates and parabens. cruelty free, vegan certified


My Review:
2.5 stars

So, not only did I use this mask, but I got my friend to help me review it. She has really bad skin issues, so I wanted to see if this would work on both our skins. Sadly, it didn't do much. After using the mask, my skin felt more oily than hydrated, and after using it for a few weeks, I didn't see any improvement in my skin. My friend had to quit using it because she actually broke out more while using it. All in all, this was a so-so product. However, the price is really high for such a so-so product, so I wouldn't really recommend using this mask.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Lord Somerton's Heir Review Tour

Blurb:
Can the love of an honourable man save her from the memory of a desolate marriage?

From the battlefield of Waterloo to the drawing rooms of Brantstone Hall, Sebastian Alder’s elevation from penniless army captain to Viscount Somerton is the stuff of dreams. But the cold reality of an inherited estate in wretched condition, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding his cousin’s death, provide Sebastian with no time for dreams, only a mystery to solve and a murderer to bring to justice.

Isabel, widow of the late Lord Somerton, is desperate to bury the memory of her unhappy marriage by founding the charity school she has always dreamed of. But, her dreams are shattered, as she is taunted from the grave, discovering not only has she been left penniless, but she is once more bound to the whims of a Somerton.

But this Somerton is unlike any man she has met. Can the love of an honourable man heal her broken heart or will suspicion tear them apart?


Excerpt:
Brantstone Hall
December 11, 1814

The tea, in its delicate porcelain cup, sat undrunk and cold, the bread curled and dried as the little clock on the mantelpiece ticked away the minutes. Isabel sat unmoving, staring out at the winter landscape of the Brantstone Park as if she expected Anthony to come galloping down the carriage way. She knew even before Thompson knocked on the door and stood shifting from one foot to the other, his shapeless felt hat clutched in his hand, that Anthony was dead.

She followed the head groom out into the stable yard again, where a farmer’s cart now stood. She looked at the cart and with her head held high; she walked across it. Thompson interposed himself between her and the inanimate object that lay in the filthy dray.

‘Are you sure, my lady?’ he asked.

She nodded and Thompson flicked back the sacking that covered the shapeless lump in the back of the cart. Isabel stared down into her husband’s face, into his open, staring eyes, already opaque in death. Anthony lay, stiff with rigor mortis, in the filth of a cart that had last been used to shift manure, from the smell. An ignominious end to his life, she thought.

‘We found him over by Lovett’s Bridge. He’d taken the hedge intending the shortcut across the Home Farm fields,’ Thompson was saying. He jerked his head at the saddle, the beautiful, hand tooled saddle that had been tossed into the cart with its owner. ‘Looks like the girth strap broke and he came off. Broke his neck in the fall. He’d not have known anything about it, my lady.’

Aware of the anxious faces that surrounded her, Isabel swallowed. They expected her to break down. They wanted her tears but she had none to give. She had expended too many tears over Anthony, Lord Somerton, while he lived to spare any for him now that he was dead.

Her gaze rested on the saddle. It had been her gift to Anthony on his birthday only a few months earlier. Now it was the cause of his death. It stood as a symbol of everything that had gone wrong between herself and her husband.

She turned on her heel and walked back to the house with her head held high. With every step, the enormity of Anthony’s death sank in.

She was free, but at what price came that freedom?

Her back straightened and her lips tightened.

To attain freedom, first she had to find Lord Somerton’s heir.


Alison will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.



Author Bio and Links:
Alison Stuart is an award winning Australian writer of cross genre historicals with heart.  Whether duelling with dashing cavaliers or wayward ghosts, her books provide a reader with a meaty plot and characters who have to strive against adversity, always with the promise of happiness together. Alison is a lapsed lawyer who has worked in the military and fire service, which may explain a predisposition to soldier heroes.  She lives with her own personal hero and two needy cats and likes nothing more than a stiff gin and tonic and a walk along the sea front of her home town.  She loves to hear from her readers and can be found at her website, facebook, twitter and Goodreads.

Author Links:
Website     |     Blog     |     Facebook
Twitter     |     Goodreads

Buy Links:
Kindle     |     Itunes     |     Barnes & Noble

The Mating Game SBB

Blurb:
Two males…two friends…a competition for the right to claim The Heart of the Iron Stone Pack.

An alpha female at her core, Theresa Sanchez struggles to protect her young daughter, but rivalries and politics create volatility in the pack. As Theresa comes into heat, lust and need rule her body. Her pack demands only the most virile male have her. How can she choose only one mate when her body craves two—the virile beta and the man she loves?

Zachary Hunter will do anything to take Theresa as his mate, even if it means killing his best friend. However, Robert Blane is just as determined to ascend to Alpha. Both their beasts howl to mark her flesh, but only one can survive to claim her.

But with enemies circling, they must fight…for the pack, for Theresa, and for a future together.

Warning: Book contains wolf shifters, pack politics, gritty fight scenes, offbeat humor, and sizzling sexual adventures between a ménage of partners.


Excerpt:
Bright and early Saturday morning, Theresa Sanchez opened her front door to discover Zachary Hunter clad in a bright orange dress on her porch. The loose bodice fell low on his chest, displaying dark blond curls and showcasing his broad shoulders and powerful torso. The neon hemline stopped above the knees, revealing muscular calves, strong ankles, and shapely feet.

It was unusual attire for a dominant male werewolf.

She stepped closer and sniffed, seeking to satisfy the impulses of her she-wolf. The earthy scent of him flooded her nostrils—masculine and potent—inciting the heated ache of arousal between her thighs. She licked her lips, hoping that drool hadn’t dribbled down her chin. The man made her mouth water.

“My eyes are up here, love,” Zach quipped in a crisp British accent. His hand lifted and a long, elegant finger tapped her chin.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” She forced her roaming eyes upward, away from his buff chest, striving to remember that she and Zach didn’t play like that. The man was many things to her: best friend, confidant, and protector. He fixed leaky faucets and kept her ancient car running. But of all the roles he played, he remained “lover” only in her dreams.





Author Bio and Links:
Fast Facts About Melissa Snark:
•        Melissa Snark is published with The Wild Rose Press & as an Indie author with five unique titles: A CAT'S TALE, THE MATING GAME, LEARNING TO FLY, THE CHILD THIEF, HUNGER MOON.
•        Her Loki's Wolves series includes THE CHILD THIEF, HUNGER MOON AND BATTLE CRY (to be released in 2014).
•        She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children and a glaring of cats.
•        She is a professional cat herder and unrepentant satirist who blogs about books and writing on The Snarkology.


Connect with Melissa Snark:
AuthorWebsite     |     The Snarkology     |     Email
FacebookAuthor Page     |     Twitter     |     Goodreads

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Turnbull House NBtM 2

Blurb:
London 1891. Former criminal Ira Adler has built a respectable, if dull, life for himself as a confidential secretary. He even sits on the board of a youth shelter. When the shelter’s landlord threatens to sell the building out from under them, Ira turns to his ex-lover, crime lord Cain Goddard, for a loan. But the loan comes with strings, and before he knows it, Ira is tangled up in them and tumbling back into the life of crime he worked so hard to escape. Two old flames come back into Ira’s life, along with a new young man who reminds Ira of his former self. Will Ira hold fast to his principles, or will he succumb to the temptations of easy riches and lost pleasures?


Excerpt:
“So,” Goddard said, taking a long sip from his glass. “You never told me why you decided to contact me after all this time.”

“Well…” As I searched for the right words, he quietly set his drink on the polished wood floor. “It’s funny you should—”

The kiss came as such a surprise that I scrambled backward across the divan and almost tumbled over its rounded arm. Whiskey sloshed over the rim of my glass, splashing silently onto the Chinese rug. What remained I belted back in one go before setting the glass on the floor and wiping my shaking fingers on my trousers.

It wasn’t that I was averse to the idea of kissing him, but I really hadn’t expected it. In fact, if I’d seen him start toward me in the first place—he was remarkably quick for a man in his mid-forties—I’d have assumed he was going for my throat.

Goddard chuckled under his breath. “Sorry. Did I startle you?”

“You might say that.”

I was also taken aback by the presumption. I had always liked it when he took control, and the hard, whiskey-flavored slickness of his mouth had left me aroused. All the same, I was no longer his plaything. Part of me felt as if he should have at least asked permission.

I forgot my objections when he leaned in a second time, slowly, and cupped my face in his smooth, muscular hands. Now that I was expecting it, the kiss felt like coming home after a long, unpleasant journey. For just a moment, all of my troubles dissolved, and nothing existed except his fingers in my hair, the traces of his jasmine and bergamot cologne, and the smooth, familiar contours of his mouth.

And then as suddenly as he had moved in, Goddard pulled back, leaving me confused, disappointed, and blinking in the gaslight and shadow.

“Why did you come, Ira?”

“To ask you for money,” I said.

I know. I know. But every drop of blood in my head had surged to my cock, and I found myself incapable of the higher functioning required for either diplomacy or deceit.

Perhaps that had been the idea.


Jess will be awarding a two-book set (paperback) of Turnbull House and its predecessor, The Affair of the Porcelain Dog to a randomly drawn commenter between this tour and the NBtM Book Tour, here. So the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.



Author Bio and Links:
Jess Faraday is the author of the Ira Adler mysteries and the standalone steampunk thriller The Left Hand of Justice. She also moonlights as the mystery editor for Elm Books.


The Rebel Cowboy's Quadruplets SBB


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tina will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to TWO randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. Remember, the more stops you visit and comment, the better your chances to win.

Blurb:
REBEL WITH A CAUSE?

Justin Morant can't believe he answered an online dating ad! Turns out, beautiful Mackenzie Hawthorne is looking for a ranch foreman, not a husband. Good thing, because marriage isn't in the injured bull rider's future. Justin is happy to take up the cause of saving the Hanging H ranch—and then there's the bonus of playing stand-in father to the sexy single mom's four angelic newborns.

Mackenzie doesn't know what miracle brought Justin to Bridesmaids Creek, Texas, but she'd be a fool to fall for the hunky cowboy who wears his rebel status like a badge of honor. Justin's a natural with her daughters and a whiz at ranching…yet one day she knows he's going to gallop off into the sunset. Unless, of course, the marriage-minded townspeople get their hands on him!

Now enjoy an excerpt:
Justin leaned against a post, crossed his arms. “Why are you so interested in Mackenzie’s welfare?”

“It’s not just her. It’s you, too. And Bridesmaids Creek, if you really want to know.”

“You’re trying to bring men into Bridesmaids Creek.” Justin shook his head. “They have a matchmaker here, you know. Aren’t you kind of bumping the competition?”

“Just giving the matchmaker some material to work with.”

“Why?” Justin’s curiosity was getting the best of him.

“You’d had to have grown up here to understand.” Ty shrugged. “The Haunted H was a great draw. Lots of jobs were lost when the Hawthornes had to close it down.”

“That’s what this is all about? Bringing jobs back to your hometown?”

“Not exactly.” Ty wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Oh, I get it.” Justin thought he suddenly saw into the cracks of his buddy’s mercurial brain. “You’re trying to find a man for Mackenzie.”

Ty shrugged. “It’s complicated.”

“Not that complicated.” Justin snorted. “When did you decide to play guardian angel to Mackenzie?”

“Since I was the guy with the not-too-swift idea of setting her up with her ex. My onetime good buddy, who turned out to be a weasel of epic proportions.”

Justin stared at his friend. “Have you ever considered that maybe Mackenzie doesn’t want another husband?”

Ty snorted. “Don’t be silly. She’s a woman. A woman needs a husband to feel complete.”

“I’m not sure I ever saw this chauvinistic side of you before.”

“Yes, you did. You just didn’t recognize it, because you and I were thinking alike.” Ty laughed. “Don’t worry, good buddy. I’m not including you in my plan. Just the opposite. I’m clearing you out to make room for some cowboys who don’t wear the rebel badge as enthusiastically as you do.”

If being a hard-baked bachelor earned him that honor, he supposed he’d go with the rebel badge of honor. “And that’s why I’m being dragged on a recruiting tour? You want me out of the way so your matchmaking has a better chance of succeeding?”

“Look. The idea came to me after I’d sent you here.” Ty looked at him patiently. “I realized that Mackenzie didn’t just need help bringing back the old place—she needs a husband and a father to those children. I’m the man who fixed her up with the loser, so I’m going to put it right.”

“Why don’t you just put your own neck into the marriage noose and save everybody some agony if you feel so guilt-ridden?” Ty put up his hands as if to ward off the very idea. “My conscience is guilty but not stupid.”

Justin stared at his friend. It was true. Ty wasn’t husband material.

Neither was he.

Justin sighed heavily. “I think you’re nuts. But whatever. It’s not my town. Nor are these my friends.”

Ty brightened. “So you’ll do it? The lead stallion agrees to head off and leave the pen to the lesser junior stallions?”

“You make it sound like Mackenzie’s ever looked my way twice in a romantic way, which I can assure you she hasn’t. We haven’t spoken that much since I’ve been here.”

“Call it a hunch. Clearing out the pen, as they say. The ladies always want the one they can’t have. Mysterious types seem romantic. Like Zorro.”

Justin shrugged. “I think you took one too many falls off the mechanical bull, Ty, but whatever. I’ll go with you,” he said, “but you better hope Mackenzie never finds out what you’re up to. I have the feeling that little lady doesn’t think she needs any man to rescue her.”

“Mechanical bull! I was no dime-store cowboy,” Ty said, following Justin as he headed back to work. Justin couldn’t stand around examining the holes in his friend’s head any longer. Mackenzie hadn’t given one signal that she might be interested in him in more than a foreman–boss lady relationship.

Still, he had a slightly uneasy feeling about leaving her to the romancing of the Three Dating Daddies—a thought that totally brought him up short.

That’s what one of those men might become: a dad to Mackenzie’s four little girls.

Maybe the most troubling thought of all.



Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Tina Leonard has sold over 2.6 million copies of her titles. She has made the USA Today Bestseller, Waldenbooks, Bookscan, and Ingrambook lists, and has written and contracted seventy-one books and special projects. Her work has been published by Harlequin, Samhain Publishing, Robinson Scarlet, and most recently Random House Loveswept contracted for a single title trilogy project, Hell’s Outlaws. Leonard was chosen to be among the first authors published for Robinson’s Scarlet line, writing four single title novels for that imprint. Not long after, she sold on proposal to Harlequin American, where she has since written several popular series, most notably the Cowboys By The Dozen, Morgan Men, and Callahan Cowboys series. Her newest single title project, HOTTER THAN TEXAS, was published in March 2013. Leonard is known for her fun sense of humor, endearing communities, snappy dialogue, and memorable characters.

Join Tina at www.tinaleonard.com

Facebook Author Page     |     Facebook     |     Twitter   
Pinterest     |     Goodreads

Buy Links:
Amazon     |     B&N

Monday, June 23, 2014

A Darker Rain NBtM

Blurb:
“It’s definitely not a good time to be going into the woods of Hawkley Ridge.”

When a red-eyed wildcat starts threatening ranchers in the Pacific Northwest, Ryan Cole recognizes the danger is far more menacing than the ranchers realize. Cole specializes in tackling unconventional security threats, particularly those with alien origins.

His investigation puts him in the crosshairs of Antoine Drake, an international arms dealer with a penchant for weapons from other worlds. Both men are hot on the trail of powerful alien artifacts known as guardian stones.

Cole and his team of investigators embark on a dangerous quest to recover the guardian stones before they can be assembled into the ultimate alien weapon. To succeed, Cole must also decipher the wildcat’s deadly secrets.

But in the woods of Hawkley Ridge, it’s easy for the hunter to become the prey.

A Darker Rain is the first book in the Ryan Cole series.


Excerpt:
“We now have two stones and the amulet,” said Jackson, barely containing the excitement in his voice. “And you know what they say—you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.”

“Yeah, and you know what they say about good intentions and the road to hell,” Cole countered. “Our goal is to collect all the stones so we can make sure no one parlays them into some sort of ultimate weapon. That includes us. The last thing we want to do is unleash a weapon like that ourselves.”

“The Rajan understood how the amulet worked, and they decided to take it apart and scatter the pieces across two continents,” Ashcroft added.

“Yeah, but that was hundreds of years ago,” argued Jackson.

“And we’ve evolved so much as a species that we can handle that kind of power now?” countered Cole.

“You’re right,” agreed Jackson. “But as scientists we have to learn more about the stones and how they work.”

“Far be it for me to get in the way of scientific inquiry,” said Cole. “I’m not saying you can’t study the stones or the amulet—just that we’re not putting them all together.” That had been a longstanding rule. Cole wasn’t about to create an unprecedented weapon and unleash it on the world.

“I know what you’re saying, Cole,” said Jackson. “But that’s like saying we should study the atom but not try to split it.”

“Good analogy,” said Cole. “That’s my point exactly.”


Claudine, thanks so much for stopping by. So, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?
Hello! It’s a pleasure to be here. I’m a writer and I also have a consulting business. I live in Toronto. I recently published my first novel, A Darker Rain, which is a science fiction / action-adventure novel.

How did you get started writing?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer and dabbled in various projects through the years. After setting up my own business a few years ago, I decided the time had also come to get more serious about my writing.

What was the inspiration for your book?
I’ve always enjoyed action and adventure novels as well as a good mystery. Those interests percolated into an idea for a book that wanted to come to life. The book was initially intended to be a straight action and adventure work, but the science fiction element quickly emerged, giving the book its own unique vantage point.

A Darker Rain is the first book in the Ryan Cole series. The series follows the adventures of Cole and his team of investigators as they tackle unconventional security threats, including those posed by beings and technology from other worlds. Cole is committed to protecting Earth from negative alien influences and to keeping technology from other worlds from falling into the wrong hands.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?
I’m just getting started so there are several genres I’ll likely explore going forward, including mystery, romance, and more traditional science fiction. I may have a few non-fiction works in me as well.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?
I tend to stay away from horror novels, so it’s unlikely I’ll write a book in that genre.

So, what are you working on right now? Got any releases planned, or still writing?
I’m currently working on the next book in the Ryan Cole adventure series, which is slated for release in late 2014. In the second book, Cole must locate a spaceship that crash lands in the Mojave Desert before it falls into the wrong hands.

All right, now for some totally random, fun questions. Favorite color?    Purple.

Favorite movie?
I don’t have a single, overall favorite, but a few that I’ve really liked include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Shawshank Redemption, and the original Airplane.

Book that inspired you to become an author?
While I can’t say that one book inspired me to become an author, I find the works of Richard Bach to be inspiring. I read Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah many years ago and found it really conveyed the power of living in possibility.

All right, you have one superpower. What is it?
I’d love to be able to fly. It would offer such a sense of freedom, as well as a whole new way of looking at the world.

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?
Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, and Jules Verne

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?
I think I’m most like Ryan Cole in that I share his curiosity and sense of wonder about what else may be out there.




Author Bio and Links:
A Darker Rain is Claudine Kapel’s first novel. She lives in Toronto and enjoys books, music, and travel. When not working as a consultant, she can be found writing, reading, or contemplating what else may be out there.

The second book in the Ryan Cole series is planned for release in 2014.

Claudine loves to hear from readers. You can reach her at www.claudinekapel.com.

Available for purchase on:
Amazon-US     |     Amazon-CA     |     Apple iBookstore/iTunes-US
Apple iBookstore/iTunes-CA     |     Barnes and Noble     |     Kobo

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Welcome to Our Newest Reviewer, Trix!

Hi everyone! I've been thinking about adding guest reviewers for a while now, and so, after two years of blogging, I've decided that it's high time I finally did it. So, it's my great pleasure to introduce Trix. Trix has been following my blog since I started, and I'm so excited to have her now join the blog as a reviewer. And now, here's Trix!

Trix's Bio:
Many thanks to Emily for inviting me (and for her patience while I took way too long to come up with this bio)!  I'm Trix, a book addict living in northern California. I never really thought of reading romances before the m/m genre exploded, and it's still my favorite by far. I have a weakness for plots involving friends-to-lovers,music, sports (especially hockey), art, and food, but it's always fun to be surprised by a story or genre. (I didn't really read paranormal before now, and I'm starting to get into urban fantasy and steampunk.) On the rare occasions I'm not reading, I'll be cooking, watching hockey (go Sharks), mainlining coffee, or haunting record stores. I can never figure out how to end these things, so I'll just say, in the immortal words of Grover: hey, everybody!

-What type of books do you like to read?
I mostly read m/m, but it's not entirely intentional. It's gotten me into some other genres I wouldn't have thought of before, like paranormal. M/M/F menage is fun,and I do read a fair amount of short story anthologies (usually on the erotica side). There are also certain themes I enjoy: friends-to-lovers, music, food, art, and sports (especially hockey, and I guess dance might count). I've been wanting to get into more steampunk, too. Of course, it's also fun when something pleasantly surprises me!


-Are there any genres you do not read?
No horror whatsoever, since I'm pretty squeamish! (Suspense is fine if it's not too gory.) I'm at the point where I don't want to read something where I know there'll be a lot of tragedy going in, even if it's brilliantly done. I'm not usually into traditional romances or Christian romances, and I usually only enjoy historical in m/m for some reason. I'm not crazy about f/m/f, or menages where the guys don't want to touch each other. While f/f isn't a dealbreaker in erotica anthologies or as a side character romance in a story, I don't read it as a standalone plot.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Taming Miss Tisdale VBT

Blurb:  
Miss Tamsin Tisdale believes herself to be completely unsuitable for London life. After a myriad of social mishaps, and the potential ruination of her family name, she’s shipped away to her cousin’s northern estate. Only after she comes to her senses will she be welcomed home.

Marcus Winston, the Duke of Grayson, has a lackluster reputation. The last in a dying line, he’s endured a protected life—rank with privilege, encumbered by isolation. After a brief encounter with rebellion, he learns the devastating consequences of his carelessness and willingly accepts living life from inside his gilded cage.

However, a chance meeting with the brazen Miss Tisdale gives Marc the opportunity to reinvent himself into the man he’s always dreamed of being. When his deception comes to light, and ghosts from both their pasts threaten to unravel the intimacy they’ve come to cherish, will either of them set their fears aside long enough to embrace love? Or will Miss Tisdale’s stubbornness divide them?


Excerpt:
Marc watched the faint outline come across the dense morning fog, becoming more discernible as it approached. The tall, thin figure was riding along at a perilous speed, given the morning’s lack of visibility. He thought perhaps it was some gangly young man misguided in the fog. It wouldn’t be the first time someone accidentally stumbled upon the vast property that made up his family’s immodest estate.

Then the fog parted in an almost biblical manner, revealing his gross inaccuracy.
Were those ... breasts?

Marc closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Typically, women didn’t ride alone at such an hour and they certainly didn’t wander unexpectedly across his property. It’d been quite a while, his last birthday to be exact, since his last intimate encounter with a woman—a gift, compliments of St. Regis—so there was always the possibility that perhaps his half-drunk, sex-starved mind had conjured up the sensual image.

He shook his head, opened his eyes, and looked back again toward the horizon.

Yes, those were most certainly breasts.

And she was most definitely not a young man. The woman’s riding habit pulled taut against her body as she raced toward him. Her hair was blowing behind her—various hues of auburn and gold, like wild flames curling about in the wind. Then a decidedly feminine voice burst through the morning’s silence, interrupting his self-doubt.

“Oh, thank goodness I found you!”

This was no mirage. She was indeed very real.

And very loud.


Jessica, thanks so much for stopping by. So, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?
I write historical romance.  I’ll read most anything, but love writing regency.  I make my home in north-central Indiana. I used to live a lot closer to Chicago, and I’m still a little traumatized from the move (it’s only been ten years).  I like to think that I live in “almost Chicago”, but in all reality I’m closer to Ohio than Illinois.  I used to work two full time jobs – one in healthcare, the other as mother to two girls – ages 8 and 3. Now, I’m a full time writer and mother, with a dab of healthcare here and there.

How did you get started writing?
I’ve always been a writer in one way or another – speeches, newspapers, newsletters.  I actually went to college to be an English teacher, but life happened and somehow I veered into healthcare.  But even with that, I was doing education or writing presentations so writing has been a part of everything I’ve done.  A couple years ago I just decided to go for it and write a book.  It was out of nowhere, and I told nobody what I was doing, but somehow that book managed to sell, and was published.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I have a fairly large family. My father has three daughters from a first marriage, and then he and my mother have four children – three of us are girls. My mother is also one of five girls with only one brother. There’s a special dynamic with sisters – they’re your best friend, and worst enemy.  I thought that alone was enough to base a series on.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?
I’ve been working on a contemporary that could be New Adult.  I just love that time in life when all the world is your oyster.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?
No comment
J 

So, what are you working on right now? Got any releases planned, or still writing?
 The next book in the series is about the sister, Lilly.  She’s the ugly duckling in a family of great beauties, and finds herself desperately in love with an unattainable man.  It’s about love, loss, and finding love again…then loss…then love.  Or something like that.

Alright, now for some totally random, fun questions. Favorite color?
Pink?  I don’t know, I love them all!

Favorite movie?
Gone with the Wind is pretty high up there.  Dead Again – that’s a good one too.

Book that inspired you to become an author?
Paradise by Judith McNaught.

Alright, you have one superpower. What is it?
Flying.  I hate doing it, so the idea of conquering that fear is tempting.

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?
Oscar Wilde, Oprah, and Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair.

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?
I think Lilly is a lot like me.  I was someone who always depended on my personality rather than looks and I see a lot of myself being written into that character.  It’s a bit like therapy actually.


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Author Information:
Jessica Jefferson makes her home in northern Indiana, or as she likes to think of it—almost Chicago.  She is heavily inspired by classic sweeping, historical romance novels, but aims to take those key emotional elements and inject a fresh blend of quick dialogue and comedy.  She invites you to visit her website and read more of her random romance musings.

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