Guest Review by Author Chastity Bush SADDLED AND SPURRED by LORELEI JAMES

Review: Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys) by Lorelei James

 

SADDLED AND SPURRED

This beauty is no greenhorn--and she's about to rope the man of her dreams.

Cattleman Bran Turner is left shorthanded during busy calving season when a bull tramples his hired hand. Rural Wyoming isn’t exactly a hotbed of qualified candidates, and the only applicant for the position is the pampered town beauty, Harper Masterson. The curvy cowgirl gets under Bran’s skin at every turn, but with no other options, he reluctantly hires her.

When sexual sparks ignite, down-on-her-luck Harper enjoys convincing Bran that not only is she capable of pulling calves, feeding livestock, and handling backbreaking ranch chores, but she doesn’t mind getting down and dirty, either. Harper also discovers the hot bodied cowboy isn’t all work and no horseplay… and he’s got more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Bran will learn quickly that Harper is no country mouse—and that she might just have what it takes to stick around for the long haul.

·         Blacktop Cowboys Book 2 ®

·         ISBN-13: 9780451232243

·         ISBN: 045123220

·         Publication Date: March 1, 2011

·         NAL Publishing

·         Now Available in e-book format!

Lorelei's Website

Chastity's Review

Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys)

by Lorelei James

Hot and spicy. On a scale from one to ten, it's a twelve!

This was another book I couldn't seem to put down.

At first I wasn't sure I was going to be able to connect with the heroine, pageant princess, prom queen, every-title-of-every-girl-who-ever-teased-me-as-a-kid,  Harper Masterson. But as always, I gave it a chance, and boy am I glad I did.

There was so much more to Harper and her story that her past titles implied and when we meet Bran Turner, it's obvious this book is going to turn into a scorcher. 

It definitely didn't disappoint.

The storyline was thick, the tension between the characters is believable and not in the least outlandish, and even though I am a lover of Ms. James menage themed books, the intimacy between Harper and Bran didn't leave me unsatisfied.

If you haven't read anything by Ms. James, I suggest you pick up a copy of Saddled and Spurred.

It'll leave you begging for more.

CROSS THE OCEAN by HOLLY BUSH

Holly Bush is one of those authors who once you find, she's on your "must read" list forever. Her stories are always unprecedented and fresh. Her book Train Station Bride was the very first mail order bride romance I ever read  and loved. Once I read that, I flew through Romancing Olive and Reconstructing Jackson, both amazing stories from an amazing writer.

In Cross The Ocean, Blake Sanders, the stodgy Duke of Wexford has just been summarily dumped by his unhappy wife. The Duchess has had it with the unloving and inattentive husband who has also flaunted his mistress in public. So Ann, the Duchess, leaves their three children with their complacent English Duke father and runs away with a Scottish merchant , leaving Blake angered and shocked.

When Blake seeks out his best friend, Sir Anthony Burroughs and his wife Elizabeth's consolation he is taken aback when he meets a cousin of Elizabeth's from Chicago. Gertrude Finch is a thirty-two year old brash and outspoken suffragist who stands for all that the Duke of Wexford finds ridiculous, but something brews between the opposites, enough that has the proper Blake steal a kiss from the unusually tall Gertrude. Miss Finch  finds Blake to be arrogant, cocky, a poor choice for a husband and a lacking father and she doesn't keep quiet about it either. Sparks consistently fly with the American and the Brit even when they are embroiled in arguments and name-calling.

The Duke of Wexford's daughter, Melinda, is set to have her coming out, but without her mother present, Blake seeks help from Elizabeth with taking care of his only daughter's season, but Elizabeth is expecting a child and her Anthony would prefer someone else see to the task. Much to Blake's chagrin, Elizabeth suggests that Gertrude assist, but the constant presence of the American turns his world upside down. When the passion becomes too much for Gertrude to handle, she sets sail once again, to her homeland, but in the process, picks up a surprise package in the form of the Duke of Wexford's heir, fifteen year old William. Now both William and Gertrude wonder who will be sent across the Atlantic to retrieve the prodigal son.

Completely out of character, Blake sets off to America with his trusty valet in tow. The adventures and misadventures this unlikely pair endure change their lives forever. Whether the change is for the better or for worse can only be revealed by reading Holly Bush's extraordinary tale, Cross The Ocean.

Well once again, Holly Bush has a winner on her hands. Bringing together the stiff British aristocracy with the boldness and the novelty of the American Mid-West is such a treat in Cross The Ocean. Blake is unlikable and unyielding until the " Amazon from America " has her way with him. In Cross The Ocean, Blake will learn which is more important to him, the love and trust of  his family, or the pride in being England's elite. As with all of Holly Bush's books, I was unable to put Cross The Ocean down until the last page. I highly recommend this historical novel to any and all. I hope those who take a chance on this trip across the Atlantic and back enjoy it as much as I did, because it is so worth the ride.

~KIMBERLY~

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

BUY HERE!
http://www.amazon.com/Cross-the-Ocean-ebook/dp/B00D381HR6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369907100&sr=1-1&keywords=Cross+the+ocean#_

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/cross-the-ocean/id655238415?mt=11

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING HOLLY BUSH AT RT IN KC
HERE SHE IS ON THE LEFT ALONG WITH MY OTHER FRIENDS, Marianne Strnad, Me, Monica Burns, Lynne Connolly, Beth Williamson and Valerie Cozart

THE DUCHESS HUNT (House of Trent Book 1) by JENNIFER HAYMORE

I must begin by saying that I was extremely skeptical about reading this book. When I read the blurb and found out the hero was a Duke and the supposed heroine a lady's maid, I scrunched my eyebrow and shook my head. Yes, it is fiction, but as I have said before, I do like my fiction with a smidgen of reality, and a Duke and a lady's maid actually ending up together was a bit far fetched to me. I even polled my friends, some of whom had similar feelings as I did, until I actually sat down and read the Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore.

Ever since little Sarah Osborne, the gardener's daughter was saved from the thorns of a blackberry bush by young man, Simon Hawkins, duke of Trent, he has been her knight in shining armor.From that very day forward, Sarah was taken into the family fold as much more that one of the servant's children. She was educated along with them and grew up side by side with most of the Hawkins family, in thanks to Simon and his mother, the Duchess of Trent.Years later, after a forbidden kiss that remains with her always, Sarah knows no one will ever equal Simon in any way.

Now it is sixteen years since Sarah has been a part of the Hawkins family. Her situation has changed a bit, for now she is one of the house maids, she is also dear friend to Esme Hawkins, the only daughter in the Hawkins family. When Esme finds that her mother, the duchess has disappeared from Ironwood Hall and it's surrounding property, most of the siblings rush home to hear news and attempt to get to the bottom of her suspicious disappearance. It has been several years since Sarah has seen Simon, now mostly called Trent by those who know him. Even after the time apart and their social differences, sparks still fly between the two, and Simon has returned home to fins his mother, but this situation continually place both Sarah and Simon together and it's difficult for the both of them to resist the temptation. 

Simon has elevated Sarah's position to companion for his sister Esme and taken the them to London, hoping to keep the two out of harms way. While in London Trent finds himself in the interests on one  Georgina Stanley, who has decided she wants Simon for her husband, for what would be better than having a Duke for a husband. At first Simon is torn, he does not want to marry the beautiful Georgina since he has feelings for Sarah, but nothing but scandal would ensue should he pursue his relationship with his beloved Sarah. He decides not to marry at all until he is been given an ultimatum by Georgina's father, Lord Stanley to either marry Georgina, or secrets that will rock the Hawkins family and all of England will be revealed ruining the reputation that Simon struggles to keep in check. So not only does Simon have the mystery surrounding the missing Duchess of Trent, but he has an impending marriage to a spoiled Georgina which of course is hurting the woman that Simon actually loves, Sarah Osborne.

The story continues with more than one mystery afoot and the entire Hawkins family shaken in more than one way, leaving the reader with so many questions with its progression. I clearly enjoyed  The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore. There was obviously more than meets the eye when reading this blurb and I am extremely glad that I decided to delve between the pages and envelop myself in the mystery and the romance of it all... In order to see if the lady's maid gets her Duke, I strongly suggest you read The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore for an entertaining as well as touching journey.

RELEASING JUNE 25TH, 2013

~KIMBERLY~
Arc provided by the publisher

4 Stars (Brilliant)

GUEST REVIEW OF VI KEELAND'S ~ THE FIRST THING I SEE ~

GUEST REVIEW BY LISA MARIE

This book is Fifty Shades of Grey meets Cinderella. Please, don’t misunderstand me. This isn’t just an x-rated fairy tale and Kennedy Jenner is no Prince Charming. Hope York moves from Chicago to New York to not only distance herself from her mean as a junk yard dog Step-Mother Candace, but to essentially change who she is. Years of verbal abuse at the hands of Candace has convinced Hope that she is ugly and worthless so she decides to transform herself both inside and out. On her very first day as an Event Planner at a 5 star hotel, she meets Kennedy, millionaire playboy and is swept away by his charm and looks. Kennedy on the other hand has never met anyone like Hope before and he makes it his life mission to get to know Hope better. Not used to getting his way, it just adds to his desire for her. This cat and mouse game does not go on for too long which actually surprised me, I thought the dance would be longer. As the two learn about each other, we slowly learn about each’s back story and peel back the layers to see just how messed up these two individuals truly are.

I seriously enjoyed the hell out of this story. I didn’t realize that sometimes you just don’t want to wait till the end of the book before a couple gets together. At times I felt that Hope was a bit tstl and Kennedy was an overbearing bossy fuck but those times were few and far between and didn’t piss me off enough for me to want to stop reading. There was just enough sex to make this an erotic book but not so much that made me feel like I was reading a porno. I don’t understand why it seems that every other male lead out there is a multi million dollar playboy who was just waiting for the right girl to make him want to stop sticking it in everything that moved and settle down but it worked for this story. I give it 4.5 feathers and would like to see this author perhaps write a follow up story with Shauna and Garret.

~LISA MARIE~

CROSS THE OCEAN BY HOLLY BUSH

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS GREAT READ COMING SOON FROM ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITE AUTHORS,

HOLLY BUSH

Coming this spring - a new historical romance

Cross the Ocean

The very proud Duke of Wexford was about to have his orderly world blown apart.  At the age of nineteen Blake Sanders had wed a beautiful, dutiful wife and she had borne him three children. But now as mid-life approached, the Duchess had the unheard of temerity to leave him! Too mortified by her behavior to mix in ton company, Blake sought companionship with his best friend and neighbor, Anthony Burroughs and his wife Elizabeth.  But Blake had forgotten the Burrough’s were entertaining a house guest, Elizabeth’s distant cousin, a spinsterish ‘Amazon from America’.

Gertrude Finch, a champion for women’s rights, had long ago decided most men were useless other than Uncle Fred who’d raised her on his horse ranch near Chicago.  While traveling with other Suffragettes, Gert lectured women on the perils of passion and the value of independence but thought of neither when Blake kissed her. While opposite in nearly every way, other than an attraction neither could deny, their one night of passion would change her world, and send Gert scurrying her way back home across the ocean.

When Blake discovered his heir had stowed away on Gert’s ship, he set out on his own adventure to America, to bring the boy home and to see Gert once again. Traversing America’s vast wilderness, Blake discovered that this tall, loud Suffragette had changed his life. Whether riding the rails or meeting common folk, Blake saw a whole new way of living but most of all, he realized something about love. He found he was not immune, and his heart could love, and love deeply.

READ AN EXCERPT HERE

HOLLY BUSH'S WEBSITE: http://hollybushbooks.com/index/

TEMPTED INTO DANGER ( ICE BLACK OPS DEFENDERS BOOK 1) by MELISSA CUTLER

ICE agent Diego Santero has been given a simple mission by his superiors, escort mathematical genius and beautiful lady, Vanessa Cosby to a safe house. Mission Over! Of course this is not the case as we quickly find out in this fast paced and exciting romantic suspense by Melissa Cutler.

Diego Santero has been on a self imposed mission since 9/11 happened and changed his life forever, but those ideals that he's put forward for himself don't necessarily compute when bank employee, American expatriate to Panama, Vanessa Cosby comes into the picture. Diego and his crew of highly trained ex-soldiers,  have been trying for some time to put the Chiara brothers crime syndicate out of business. When they are a threat to Miss Vanessa Cosby's life, the ICE team spring into action.

Brilliant mathematical Vanessa has come up with a computer program that will blow certain criminal activities out of the water if put into use. When she calls for help, ICE is dispatched to facilitate that help, but something goes terribly wrong and instead of Diego Santero being just her chauffeur, he becomes Vanessa's savior. Pretty much from minute one a sizzle of attraction is felt between both Diego and Vanessa, but while Vanessa is eager to cultivate the attraction, Diego is uncertain . He is determined to get Vanessa to safety and seducing is not part of the plan. Vanessa has a fear of abandonment that goes back to her childhood and she can't seem to shake that off, even when time after time, Diego is proving that he is trustworthy. Once she has decided to once in her life go for what she wants, even if it's not forever, she turns her charm on. Diego is in trouble now, because how long can this handsome and virile male resist what he in fact really wants? You will have to see for yourself when Melissa Cutler's exciting new TEMPTED INTO DANGER releases in June.

TEMPTED INTO DANGER by Melissa Cutler is a fabulous read. Her fresh new ensemble of colorful characters make you laugh, get you angry and entertain every minute of the way. I particularly LOVED that  the gruff, all business Diego turns out to be an intelligent man with a soft center, not just handsome steel. Vanessa hasn't had a stellar life, but she doesn't wallow in self-pity. She stands up for what she believes in and becomes a true heroine in Tempted Into Danger. I enjoyed this first book in the ICE BLACK OPS DEFENDERS series and now look forward to reading more. Melissa Cutler is an author I now have on my auto-buy list.

~KIMBERLY~

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I got a chance to finally meet awesome author and amazing person, Melissa Cutler in person at RT in Kansas City, MO in early June. I adore her.... Here are some good times with her!

GAYLE CALLEN'S ~ SURRENDER TO THE EARL

When Robert Henslow, the Earl of Knightsbridge visits Mrs. Audrey Blake, the widow of one of his fallen comrades of war to give her his condolences, he finds a very capable blind woman who is being kept a virtual prisoner in her father's home. When Audrey begs Robert to help her escape from her father's hold and take her to the only good thing her deceased husband left her, his country home, Robert devises a plan that will whisk her away from the overbearing man, he proposes marriage. Ah, but is the proposal a real one or just a ruse to give Audrey her first taste of freedom since she lost her sight to a fever at age seven.

Audrey reluctantly agrees to this ruse but swears to never marry again and and be deceived as she was with her first husband, but things aren't as easy as they seem. Although Audrey finally has her dream home, Rose Cottage, she finds herself yearning the understanding and warmth that the Earl of Knightsbridge has so easily given her since the first meeting. Robert is in awe of all that Audrey can accomplish on her own as a blind woman and in his dealings with her, he opens himself to the possibility that maybe the fake engagement should be a real one. Convincing the finally free Audrey however will be a tremendous task, but one that Robert does not shy away from.

When Audrey's petulant sister Blythe appears at Audrey's doorstep to take in Rose Cottage and see how her blind sister is getting on, she is greeted by both Robert and Audrey, who are both extremely wary of Blythe's intentions, as Blythe has never really gotten on well with her sister. Poor Audrey must deal now with her sister, who is trying to make amends for years of indifference, the Earl who has begun to rain his attentions on her in a rather militant but effective manner, and the house staff, who clearly are keeping secrets from their lady and would prefer she left Rose Cottage.

Just when one thinks there may be a break for Audrey, truths air that may change her change her mind and heart forever, because how many times can a woman be hurt before she shuts her heart away? I thoroughly enjoyed reading Surrender To The Earl by Gayle Callen. I found Audrey's story to be compelling. Robert Henslow, once a cocky man believing all was for him, returns from war a  changed man. A patient, and understanding man that would be a good husband only if Audrey only would open her heart. I liked how this Gayle Callen told both Audrey's and Robert's stories so well that I really got a feel for them. Robert's determination to break down Audrey's wall was so commendable that I actually wanted him for myself. Surrender To The Earl is the first of Gayle Callen's books that I have read and I find myself downloading more at this very moment!

~KIMBERLY~

4 Stars (Brilliant)

THE MIDNIGHT BREED SERIES COMPANION by LARA ADRIAN

HAPPINESS IS: KNOWING THE MIDNIGHT BREED COMPANION BY THE ONE AND ONLY 

LARA ADRIAN

IS COMING SOON!!!!!!

Ebook Release: May 29, 2013

Trade Paperback Release: June 26, 2013

Audiobook Release: TBA

FOR THE INSIDE SCOOP, SUBSCRIBE TO LARA ADRIAN'S NEWSLETTER: http://www.laraadrian.com/home.php#quiet

LISA MARIE'S REVIEW OF UNDONE (Amoveo Legend book 4) by SARA HUMPHREYS

If you haven’t read the first 3.5 books in this series then stop reading right now. While the first 3.5 books may work well as a standalone book, book 4 changes the game! This is the tale of Marianna (Purebred Amoveo) and Pete (Purebred human... or so he thinks). When we first meet Marianna of the Kodiak Bear Clan, in Untamed, she is shocked to learn her father’s true role in the Purist Movement (Purist; noun; group of purebred jerkfaces who feel that Amoveo’s should not mate with anyone other than Amoveo’s; i.e. Hybrids, Humans, Other Supernatural Beings, etc.) and now that the Purists have been revealed, runs away to New York to make up her mind about which side her loyalty lies. She hangs out in a club in Manhattan run by vampire Olivia and her coven (but that’s a horse of a different color) Now her twin brother Dante is mated with Kerry, a hybrid from the Panther clan, and while she loves her brother, she isn’t sure how she should feel. So Dante hires his friend Pete to protect his sister from both her own reckless behavior and the Purists. Sparks immediately fly between Marianna and Pete which confuses both of them. Up till now, she hasn’t found her mate yet, either in real life or in the dream plane (Amoveo’s first connect with their mate in the dream plane which strengthens the psychic bond that they share). Now Pete pretty much just thinks he’s got the hots for her and she could never love a guy like him, after all, he is just a human and not her mate. Well, they are both in for a rude awakening when they find out that things aren’t always as they seem. Ya see Pete, well, Pete is... special... and not fully human, and he isn’t a shifter either... can’t tell ya what he is cause that would give too much away but let me tell you that when you find out, you better hold on to your britches cause they are going to get blown off!!!! This story has everything... romance, intrigue, drama, sex (OMG the sex... we are talking on a snowmobile in the middle of winter!!!), mystery, suspense, action, secret babies... I laughed, I cried, I feel like I ran a damn marathon! Sara Humphries has truly created her own world. Her next book to be released is Tall, Dark and Vampire, which is a spin off to vampire Olivia’s story and I can’t wait to get my hands on that in August. I give this a very enthusiastic 5 stars and will be telling anyone and everyone who listens to me to give it a read, they will NOT be disappointed!

~LISA MARIE~

(DUCKIE WENCH)

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

INDIE ROMANCE INK PRESENTS~ Marie-Nicole Ryan's BROKEN PROMISES On Sale for 99 cents from May 1-May 3