GUEST REVIEW WITH V. WALKER ~ Wicked Wolf (Redwood Pack #8) by Carrie Ann Ryan ~

Book Blurb (from the Amazon page):

The war between the Redwood Pack and the Centrals is one of wolf legend. Gina Eaton lost both of her parents when a member of their Pack betrayed them. Adopted by the Alpha of the Pack as a child, Gina grew up within the royal family to become an enforcer and protector of her den. She’s always known fate can be a tricky and deceitful entity, but when she finds the one man that could be her mate, she might throw caution to the wind and follow the path set out for her, rather than forging one of her own.

            Quinn Weston’s mate walked out on him five years ago, severing their bond in the most brutal fashion. She not only left him a shattered shadow of himself, but their newborn son as well. Now, as the lieutenant of the Talon Pack’s Alpha, he puts his whole being into two things: the safety of his Pack and his son.

            When the two Alphas put Gina and Quinn together to find a way to ensure their treaties remain strong, fate has a plan of its own. Neither knows what will come of the Pack’s alliance, let alone one between the two of them. The past paved their paths in blood and heartache, but it will take the strength of a promise and iron will to find their future.

           

Rating: 5 moons!

Review:

I’m coming into the Redwood Pack series very late, and am starting with the Wicked Wolf novella.  Given how little I know about the series and the different wolf packs and the histories of the characters, I absolutely adored this novella; I want to go back and get the rest of the books and read the series from the beginning! 

            The story of Gina and Quinn was fraught with frustration, exasperation, hope, and love.  Gina is complicated, spunky, passionate, dominant, strong, and vulnerable – my kind of heroine; I found her inner strength to be inspiring.

            Quinn is brusque, holding the world (and Gina) at arm’s length for fear of getting hurt again.  He focuses all of his energy into keeping his son healthy & his Pack safe. 

            There were several points in the story where I exclaimed in frustration, joy, and surprise.  I can tell you that my husband kept giving me looks like I was nuts.  This novella is amazing and I can’t wait to read the stories that came before, and the stores that will come after.

~V. WALKER~

SPOTLIGHT ON AUTHOR ~ ANGI MORGAN ~ & Giveaway!!!

Hi Angi! First, I would like to say it was a pleasure meeting you at RT in NOLA and even more a pleasure to share a few meals with you at RT San Antonio. For those of my followers who don’t know you, can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

It was terrific to meet you this year, too. Thanks for having me today.

So… the short version? I grew up on romance and can’t think of a better job. Of course, my husband says he probably would have me committed if I didn’t write. (The voices talk pretty loudly.) I love to travel (which I am now). I love spontaneous road trips, can’t keep anything green alive except cactus, am an Amazing Race junkie, and absolutely love taking my frustration out on the characters in my books. It’s awesome therapy. If someone is rude to me, I mentally stick their dead body into my story.  LOL

So looking forward to your new Texas Watchmen Series…  Can you tell us a bit about the series?

I wrote a West Texas story two years ago (Protecting Their Child). The characters were very intense and it was received well by readers. I loved the area which is perfect for my type of story. I continued the same theme of gunrunners and drug traffickers into Mexico. My three heroes might be standard fare for Harlequin Intrigue (The Sheriff, The Cattleman, The Ranger), but I tried to make their lives complicated and a little different--a family secret, PTSD, and a “daddy crush.” Of course, they each meet their match with a smart, complex heroine.

Actually, I love these couples. They were a lot of fun to write and I hope I did them justice.  

You write so quickly and so eloquently. How do you do it?

You’re too kind. It actually feels like I’m pulling teeth (without Novocain) when I write. I feel like I write slowly especially compared to others. But I guess four books a year isn’t shabby. >>grin<< I try to keep the pace of my story fast so *I* won’t get bored while editing.  LOL  How do I do it?  My husband is a frequent flier so that leaves lots of time for the pups--and my characters. Having my daughter out of the house has made a big difference, too. In fact, I sold during her freshman year in college.

What do you do in your downtime? If you have downtime?

When I’m  not traveling, we foster Labradors (and own two). People ask how we fall in love with a dog and then give it to someone else, especially when they’re puppies (which we had four of this past November for six weeks). I’ll admit that it’s hard, but when you see the looks on the new families’ faces…it’s such a joy to know we’ve helped them find a companion to make life-long memories with.

One of my vices is puzzling. Jigsaw puzzles that is. I usually work one with each book. I’m a linear writer and if I get stuck, there’s something about a puzzle that frees up my subconscious. My BFF (debut author Jan Schliesman) gave me a 2,000 piece giant puzzle too big for a table. We had to set up a piece of plywood so we could put it together. The whole family got involved…and I received another complicated puzzle for Christmas as a reward.

Where can your fans meet you in 2015?

If you’re in Texas, I’ll be signing at the Barnes & Noble at Creek Village in Plano on February 7th. Then on Feb 28th I’ll be at the Houston Author Bash with 100 other authors. I’ll be at the Romantic Times Convention here in Dallas in May. I’m sure I’m signing, but readers can find me walking around the RWA conference in NYC in July.

Where can we find you on the web?

Website   Facebook   FB Fan Page  

Twitter @AngiMorganAuthr    

    Book Trailers on YouTube

Monthly Giveaway on Rafflecopter check out A Picture A Day for the link

Famous last words?

I think I’ll let Pete, my sheriff, take it from here:

 “He’s dead?” She was obviously panicked, more upset than she’d been earlier after the Suit had backhanded her jaw. “The man who stumbled out of the desert is dead? Did he die in the crash? Did I kill him?”

“Gotta run, Dad. Get a deputy there to pick you up. You shouldn’t be driving.” He slid the cell into his pocket and faced her. “I’m sorry you had to hear like that. How he died wasn’t clear when I viewed the body, so I don’t have the answer to your question.”

“I need another shirt. Now.”

He witnessed her realization she still wore the man’s blood. Her chest began rising and falling more rapidly and she was about to completely lose it. Good or bad? He didn’t know. They didn’t get too many cases like this bizarre situation in Jeff Davis County.

One second he was sticking his head out the door calling for clean scrubs and the next he saw Andrea tug the back of her shirt over her head.

“What are you doing?”

She threw the shirt across the room. “I think that’s self-explanatory. What? You’ve never seen a woman in a bra before?”

“Here.” He shifted the pillow from the bed to block the view of her breasts.

“I’m not claiming harassment, if you’re worried–”

“This is a small town and people will talk no matter what you claim.”

“Someone’s trying to kill me. I have no idea why. And you’re worried about seeing me in my bra.” She stared at him, hugging the pillow to her stomach.

She wanted a logical explanation. There wasn’t one. “They’re covering their bases.”

“But I don’t know anything,” she whispered.

“They don’t know that.”

The door swung open and Ginny held a pair of pink scrubs. She handed them to him without a word and turned to leave.

“Wait.” He stopped the nurse after the disapproving look she shot his way. “I’ll leave and you help Miss Allen get cleaned up and changed. Bag all her clothes, will ya?”

“Sure, Pete.” Ginny smiled, raising an eyebrow to match the questions in her voice.

He stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind him, leaning against the wall and refusing to beat his head against the drywall. He was attracted to Andrea Allen in a major way and needed to set it aside until this mess was cleared up.

It didn’t matter that her belly had been faintly stained with blood. He’d barely been able to think like a sheriff while admiring her other…assets. His red-hot American boy shouted at him to take notice.

The woman he’d been watching closely was completely in shape, sleek muscles in spite of being a scholar. That is, they still needed to verify her identity. They hadn’t found any ID at the scene. Nothing on the viewing platform the way she claimed. And if he hadn’t seen the dead man himself, they’d be questioning her story about that, too.

Maybe that’s what she’d intended? Get him distracted so she could slip out of the hospital. Andrea Allen might just be a legitimate name she acquired so she could pretend to be someone from the university.

She was either the most carefree, speak-her-mind woman he’d ever met or the best con artist he’d ever witnessed. Being a looker helped. Spirited. Easily embarrassed on one hand and then contradicting it by stripping her shirt without blinking an eye. Dark brown hair, skin that hadn’t seen sun in a while and at least five necklaces, varying in length, drawing his stare to a pair of perfectly shaped breasts.

Read a little, Buy the book
GIVEAWAY ALERT!!! 

I’d love to give one reader a copy of THE CATTLEMAN for being with us today. Just leave a comment and a way to reach you and Kim can choose a reader. (U.S.--autographed copy; International--digital) So what do you do in your “spare” time?

 

AUTHORS, BJ DANIELS AND ANGI MORGAN WITH ME AT RT NOLA

Texas Cowboy Blog Tour Featuring Carolyn Brown and Linda Broday

They are tough, hard working, and have the manners their mama gave them. Is it no wonder that readers are in love with the ultimate hero—cowboys. But just because these men are strong and protective doesn’t mean that loving them is all smooth sailing. Today we’ve got Western romance authors Carolyn Brown and Linda Broday to describe the hardest thing about falling in love with a cowboy—and what makes this type of hero worth the trouble. Take it away ladies!

Linda Broday: I think the single thing that makes it hard to fall in love with a cowboy is his god-awful stubborn independence. He thinks he doesn't need anyone in his life because he can do it all, which is pretty true but it gets awful lonely, just him and his horse and maybe a dog or two. But, when a woman does get his full  attention...let's just say that the result takes her breath. No one is more tender or gentler than a cowboy and they know lots of secrets about how to pleasure their cowgirl. Those sweet nothings they whisper in her ear can hypnotize, luring her down a sinful path and she doesn't mind one bit. Oh yeah, it's definitely worth it —especially my newest cowboy hero Cooper Thorne from Texas Mail Order Bride. He represents a tough cowboy at his best—and doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit!

Carolyn Brown: In my newest release, The Trouble with Texas Cowboys, it is difficult for Jill to fall for a cowboy because she’s just come out of a disastrous relationship with a cowboy.

Sawyer is so different from her previous boyfriend, and yet Jill doesn't trust herself to give him a chance after being blind to the faults of the last fellow. One thing for sure is that she has to trust him a little bit from the first day since they absolutely need each other to keep from being eaten up by the feud that is taking over Burnt Boot, Texas.

So maybe the hardest thing is learning to trust the heart and listen to it. But then a cowboy does tend to be stubborn as a cross-eyed Missouri mule. And even though he’s handsome and funny, there is that little part of his heart that he keeps locked away and doesn’t share.

Book and Author Information

Title: The Trouble With Texas Cowboys

Author: Carolyn Brown

Release Date: January 6, 2015

Genre: Contemporary (Western) Romance

Summary

Can a girl ever have too many cowboys?

No sooner does pint-sized spitfire Jill Cleary set foot on Fiddle Creek Ranch than she finds herself in the middle of a hundred-year-old feud. Quaid Brennan and Tyrell Gallagher are both tall, handsome, and rich...and both are courting Jill to within an inch of her life. She's doing her best to give these feuding ranchers equal time-too bad it's dark-eyed Sawyer O'Donnell who makes her blood boil and her hormones hum...

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sflaWH

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1B10J58

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1z2DfME

Author Biography

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times bestselling author with more than sixty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. Carolyn was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, make their home. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://carolynlbrown.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolyn-Brown/198727816879253

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13554.Carolyn_Brown

 Title: Texas Mail Order Bride

Author: Linda Broday

Release Date: January 6, 2015

Genre: Historical (Western) Romance

Summary

Rancher Cooper Thorne thinks his life is finally on an even keel. But when mail-order bride Delta Dandridge steps off the stagecoach and claims he sent for her, he scrambles to set her straight. The tempestuous woman makes him see red and also challenges all his vows to remain a bachelor. It turns out Delta Dandridge is going to set Cooper Thorne straight about a few things...

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/13PWr5h

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1AOk7Sg

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1xshaI9

Author Biography

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda Broday writes western historical romance. She lives in the Texas Panhandle on the Llano Estacado where the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed. She’s always been fascinated with cowboys and the American West way of life because to her these men and women embody strength. Her desire to keep history alive is what drives her to write unforgettable characters.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://lindabroday.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindabrodayauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1204489.Linda_Broday

***

Rafflecopter Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW: Texas Mail Order Bride (Bachelors of Battle Creek #1) by Linda Broday

This first book in the Bachelors of Battle Creek series by Linda Broday, Texas Mail Order Bride, is a gratifying trip into the old West.

The lovely Miss Delta Dandridge has answered a Mail Order Bride advertisement. Eager to begin a new life in a new town, Delta arrives in Texas only to be thwarted by her intended, Cooper Thorne. Evidently, Cooper did not place the ad, some ne'er do well , believing to know what was best for the confirmed bachelor did. 

Cooper, Rand and Brett  are as close as brothers can be, but the meddling that one of Cooper's handsome brothers does in this case makes for a wild ride. Cooper may want to run from Miss Dandridge, but the more he is in her presence, the more he is attracted to the beauty. The Bachelor's Club will do anything to thwart the marriage market, but even sometimes the most diligent naysayer gets drawn in. 

Delta is shocked and dismayed when she finds out that she isn't to be a bride after all, but she can't return to whence she came. Delta sticks it out in Battle Creek, where she finds herself self sufficient and very well liked.  Penniless but not without determination, Delta gets a job in the mercantile and things begin to look up for her. Now she doesn't exactly need her groom, but it sure would be interesting to see these two together. 

This first venture into Battle Creek, Texas Mail Order Bride, is a wonderfully written tale with solid characters who draw the reader in. Delta has pluck. I love her tenacity as well as her ability to adapt and endure. Watching the determined to stay single, Cooper wilt in Delta's presence is fabulous. Cooper also has an issue with someone trying to put him out of business and that mystery lead to a few tense and action filled moments in this book by author Linda Broday.  A true fan of the Mail Order Bride sub-genre, this is a wonderful read and I eagerly await the next installment of the Bachelors of Battle Creek, for it is a pleasure to watch them fall.

~KIMBERLY~

REVIEW: The Midnight Rake by Anabelle Bryant

Penelope Rosebery and her younger sister have been left in an untenable situation since the death of their father. Penelope was left at the alter and has had her livelihood stolen from her by the rogue she thought loved and cared for her. Living on their own with little means has left the sisters in desolation, but Penelope has a plan to find her ex-fiance, Simon, and make him return all he stole from her family. On the road to London however, Penelope and Aubry have some difficulties when the mail coach they are traveling on becomes disabled.

Victoria Betcham, the Viscountess of Fenhurst, traveling the same road as the Rosebery sisters comes upon the ladies in distress and immediately takes them under her wing and into the safety of her son, Phineas Betcham, Viscount Fenhurst's sprawling home. Her daughter, Julia, is away recovering from her own heartbreak, and the viscountess welcomes the company of the ladies in need.

The handsome bachelor, Phineas, is content to remain single, even as he sees those around him fall in love and marry. His past heartache has left him not wanting to get close to any other female who could turn his life upside down like his last love did. When Phin meets the Rosebery sisters however, he feels a pull toward Penny like he has never felt before.Thankfully, Penelope has declared she must find a certain someone and Phineas believes it is a lost love, which would make Penelope off limits to him as his honor would prevent him from encroaching on her relationship with another man.

The more time he spends in her presence the more sparks begin to fly and Phin is having a hard time putting Penny out of his mind. Helping her find the person that left her in dire straights throws each other in the same company thus preventing Phin from running from his feelings. Penelope also attempts to deny her attraction to Phineas, but it's a lost cause.

Penelope's quest to find the man that stole her very lifestyle consumes her, to the point of placing her in danger and also of losing the only man worth anything in her life. When Phin finds out the extent of the secrets Penny has been keeping, he will stop at nothing to help her find the culprit and show her that his feelings are true.

The Midnight Rake by Anabelle Bryant is a sweeping tale of betrayal and romance. Phineas, so wronged by the one he thought he loved, realizes that the past is of no importance once he meets and becomes fully acquainted with the lovely Penelope. Penelope, on the other hand, is somewhat blinded by the task at hand to see that Phin is opening his heart to her. Phineas' mother, Victoria, adds to the aura of this tale like no mother in a historical romance I have ever encountered. She is witty and lovable and knows so much more that's going on than she allows us to know. Her parrot is a nuisance and Phineas' butler is a welcome addition to the menagerie of colorful characters. I simply enjoyed The Midnight Rake by Anabelle Bryant and hope you will as well.

~KIMBERLY~

REVIEW: How to Plan a Wedding for a Royal Spy (The Renegade Royals #3) by Vanessa Kelly

Captain William Endicott is on the verge of finally living his life the way he wants to live it. He is close to leaving his life as a spy and taking up other pursuits when his father, the Duke of York, to delve into a rumor of a planned assassination of someone of importance. When the Duke tells William that his former beloved is possibly linked to this plot, William will do all he can to get to the bottom of devious plan and clear Evelyn Whitney of any wrong-doing. But William is not particularly sure if Evie will even accept his presence since her left her heartbroken years ago.

Evie Whitney is no longer the shy and proper maiden that William fell in love with. She is unconventionally involved with a charity that involves her with all walks of life, which could be to her detriment, and she is now engaged to the founder of the charity. When William discovers her betrothal, old feelings become new when faced with the beauty and the dilemma. They were both innocents when they first declared their love for one another and circumstances came between them which created anguish for both Evie and William. Now, the more they are thrown together in this plan to stop a crime, the more that William realizes Evie has always been his one and only love. Seeing Evie with her betrothed bothers William so, that he occasionally acts the fool. Thank goodness his cousin Alec, another bastard son of a royal, has a clear head to knock some sense into William.

Evie and her twin Eden are as different in demeanor as they are similar in appearance but they are also the best of friends and will do anything for the other, even if it means switching identities. Eden is somewhat of a fireball with her outspokenness and her carefree style. She appears consistently irked by Alec's presence and the comic relief from their being thrown together makes this story all the more enjoyable. 

How To Plan a Wedding for a Royal Spy by Vanessa Kelly is the third book in the Royal Renegades series. This book was not my favorite of the series so far, but it is a solid and interesting tale. Evie Whitney's inconsistency and woes me about her fiance vs. her ex-love make me want to smack some sense into her. Happily, Eden takes care of that in some ways and I am more intrigued now for her story. Alec and Eden already have sparks flying with their few meetings so far, I cannot wait for them to be thrown together for their own tale. I enjoyed William as a whole. He genuinely felt sorry for the way he left things with Evie, and his attempts to make things right with her is a lovely part of the story. I look forward to more of the Renegade Royals.

~KIMBERLY~

REVIEW: A Cowboy of Her Own (Cash Brothers #6) by Marin Thomas

 Having fallen completely in love with the Cash Brothers Series by the amazing Marin Thomas at book one, it is truly sad to see this series end. Each and every book is a gem and A Cowboy of Her Own is no exception. 

Porter Cash, the last holdout in the Cash clan for marriage, has always been considered the one least likely to succeed by his family and friends, but now nearing thirty and seeing his siblings and their growing families all happy and settled, Porter yearns for some of what they have. He's setting his sights on owning his own ranch and raising bucking broncos, and in order to achieve that, he begins by holding down a well paying job transporting livestock. He wants to prove his family wrong and hold down a job and live his dream. 

Wendy Chin has known the Cash family since her schooldays with BFF, Dixie. She knows very well Porter's reputation and plans to steer clear of him even though the insurance company she works for has sent her on a ride along with Porter to discover if there is any foul play on the company's part with the disappearance of bulls during transportation.The hard working Wendy is to determine if the livestock owner can be paid his insurance claim or if he is involved with the thieving.

 Wendy finds herself in a tight situation when she finds Porter to be one attractive cowboy and being in close quarters, getting to know the real Porter, makes her see him in a whole new light. She has her own crosses to bear being a Chinese-American who tends to adhere to her parents' very strict upbringing and beliefs. Those beliefs are paramount to her, so even if she had an itch to make Porter hers, her family would never accept the relationship.

Porter is having a tough time making it through the hours and hours seated next to the pretty petite, Wendy Chin. Not his usual type, the more time he spends with the spitfire, the more his attraction to her comes out. Even though Wendy knows that Porter isn't for her, she feels an unnerving desire for him that becomes heated desire quickly between them. Even when warned off  both are reluctant to end what they have going. Porter quickly realizes that Wendy is not another fling, and she's nothing like his last love. Once he's mindset on taking things further with Wendy, it will take a lot of convincing of not only Wendy, but her old-fashioned Chinese-American parents who want her with her own kind. 

While this is all going on, Porter comes to find out the possible identity of his biological father, which makes him wonder if he truly wants to know for sure, since his siblings didn't have any luck with their fathers. How would his siblings feel if he actually had a parent who cared? One who stepped up to this plate, even if it was almost thirty years in the making? 

A Cowboy Of Her Own by Marin Thomas is a superbly written ending to an amazing series. Every single character Ms. Thomas writes is an old friend. who the reader wants to help find his or hers HEA. The Cash family are real people, with real issues that make her books so delightful to read. Watching the Cash Family grow from just the siblings to all the significant others and their offspring and then-some is a wonder to watch. Porter has been  a favorite from the very beginning, with his easy-going manner, his loyalty to his family and his great sense of humor, it's a sublime feeling to see him come full circle and get all he dreams of. I will miss this family and this series, but I know that, Ms. Thomas has so much more in store for her readers. I so highly recommend A Cowboy Of Her Own, it is a story that will stick with you. 

~KIMBERLY~