#CMCon16 Quickfire Q&A with featured author CARRIE ANN RYAN

The Book Obsessed Chicks had the pleasure of meeting

 Carrie Ann Ryan for the first time at Lora Leigh's RAW conference in Pittsburgh, PA back in October of 2013. With Carrie Ann's vivacious personality and her sizzling stories, she has quickly become a favorite author to many. 

Carrie Ann Ryan will be a featured author at the

 Coastal Magic Convention

 in Daytona Beach, Florida from February 4th to the 7th of 2016.

1.     Morning, noon or night? NIGHT

2.     How do you like your steak? Medium Rare

3.     If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Colorado – Home

4.     What did you eat for breakfast? Coffee and a protein shake.

5.     What is your favorite cuisine? Anything from Asia.

6.     What kind of car do you drive? A Honda CRV

7.     What are your favorite clothes? Leggings and cute tops! Or cute dresses.

8.     Where would you want to retire?

9.     Gold or Silver? Silver or White Gold

10.   Where were you born? Germany

11.   What is your favorite sport to watch? Swimming

12.   Do you have any pets? 4 Cats: Miley, Maxie, Cane, and Bingo

13.   Any new or exciting news you'd like to share?

14.   Nickname? Carebear

15.   What is your best childhood memory? Moving around the world

16.  Favorite color? Pink

17.   Any pet peeves? Being Late

18.   Work out preferences? I do T25 every night.

19.   Favorite Flower? Lilies

20.   Like your job? LOVE it.

21.   Last Person you went to dinner with?  Dr. Hubby.

22.   What are you watching right now? Angel (Yay for Netflix!)

23.   How many tattoos do you have? Eight!

24.   Are you in love? Totally. Every day.

Carrie Ann Ryan at her first Convention (RAW 2013) She was a #BOC FIRST!

Danger Wears White (The Emperors of London #3) by Lynne Connolly

Imogen has no idea what she is getting herself into when she assists a wounded man near her home. When she discovers that man is a Jacobite, she becomes internally tortured with whether to abandon the handsome man or to do what is right and help him, but the political atmosphere at the time is such that could shatter not only her family name but her very soul. 

Tony may seem the gentleman traitor, but he is so much more, and those secrets he holds can make or break Imogen and all she stands for. Imogen's attraction to the recovering man is evident and when she  decides to throw her innocence to the winds, passion with Tony is more than she bargained for. Tony is searching for a document that is needed to make his family whole, and now with more than one purpose at hand, he must show Imogen that she in fact can trust him, for it could mean her being used as a pawn in a political game fraught with danger. 

DANGER WEARS WHITE by Lynne Connolly is wondrous tale of the politics of an unsettling time in history and it is a deeply passionate story involving two characters with so much conviction and depth. Imogen has tried to stay in the background, enjoying her home and her solitude but when Tony appears, her world turns upside down and her head is in a million places at once. Tony and Imogen discover a desire that needs to be unleashed even with the diffuclt times ahead. Lynne Connolly's Emperors of London series is a page-turner, with DANGER WEARS WHITE being no exception. 

~KIMBERLY~ 

Lady Scandal (Furies #2) by Wendy LaCapra

LADY SCANDAL the second book in the Furies by the so talented Wendy LaCapra, is a shining follow-up to its predecessor LADY VICE.

Lord Hugh Randolph, a spy for the crown has taken it upon himself to see to the protection of his deceased mentor's daughter, Sophia Beckham. After a tumultuous upbringing, Sophia lives on the fringes of polite society with the running of her gaming out of her home with her best friends. Danger lurks in wait for Sophia, a danger brought on my her father and his many unsavory associations.

Hugh  not only feels the need to protect this reckless and stubborn woman, he desires her with a growing passion that will not be denied. Sophia however has other plans when it comes to her life and society be damned.  Marriage between Hugh and Sophia after Sophia loses a wager with him becomes an interesting affair and when Sophia flees fearing her husband has betrayed her, she may be running into the hands of the very people plotting her demise. Convincing Sophia that her marriage can be more than a farce and that her protection means far more to Hugh than she realizes becomes paramount in this story. LADY SCANDAL teems with intrigue and mystery and sizzles with desire, the trappings for a wonderful read not to be missed.

More often than not, I adore the hero and want to smack the heroine in the head. Wendy LaCapra's LADY SCANDAL is a prime example of those feelings come to light. Lord Randolph is utterly amazing and I am attracted to his character immediately. Sophia, while being highly intelligent and loyal to her friends to a fault is also thick headed and in need of a good smack to the head. Her occasional irresponsible actions not only put her in danger, but they endanger those around her as well. Thank goodness for a hero like Hugh to take her in hand. LADY SCANDAL is fast paced and fascinating, a veritable race into the world of espionage and romance. 

~KIMBERLY~

GUEST REVIEW: Protecting Kate by Amy J. Hawthorn Review by Stephanie

BOOK BLURB;

Trent Dawson, horse trainer and former soldier, smells trouble at a simple charity auction. His good intentions get the better of him and he bids a small fortune on a damsel in distress. It turns out there's far more than meets the eye to the former Ms. Kentucky and their chemistry is off the charts. 
The only thing standing between Kate MacDonald and her worst nightmare is Trent Dawson and the men of Dark Horse Inc.

STEPHANIE'S REVIEW:

Ok I absolutely loved this book. Kate is a girl that has always been told her looks are everything, she never agreed but went along with it because she has a soft heart. Trent is a great guy who has some dark edges but that makes him all the more pleasing in my opinion. These two were the epitome of hot and all though some times I didn't think it would last they were some of the best characters I have ever read. This book is a romance but a realistic one. I highly recommend this book to those who love romance, the underdog and those who like for the corrupt to be taken down.

~STEPHANIE~

ON THE SPOT WITH COVER MODEL LEN GUNN

Greetings from the #BOC. 

Today we have the incomparable cover model, Len Gunn. 

I had the great pleasure of first meeting Len in person back in 2013 at the RT Convention in Kansas City and since then, Len has even joined the Book Obsessed Chicks on Long Island for our annual event, where he will be this July as well. 

With his height and his great personality, Len Gunn definitely stands out in the crowd. Not only is he a great cover model who graces the covers of many of today's great reads, he is a hard working man who runs his own business and a wonderful single father to a teen aged son. I am very proud to call him friend. I hope you enjoy our little quickfire spotlight and please feel free to leaves questions or comments for Len

Morning, noon or night?  MORNING

 How do you like your steak? MEDIUM

 What was the last film you saw?  INSIDE OUT

 If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?  SOUTH BEACH, MIAMI

 What did you eat for breakfast?  THAT'S FUNNY :)

What foods do you dislike?  I DON'T DISCRIMINATE, I JUST CONTROL WHAT I EAT :)

 Where would you visit if you had the chance?  HONG KONG

Where would you want to retire?  THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OR BORA BORA

 Gold or Silver?  SILVER

Where were you born?  MILFORD, CT

 What is your favorite sport to watch?  FOOTBALL

 Do you have any pets?  THE LADY OF THE HOUSE, OUR DOG BUTTERSCOTCH

 Favorite color?  BLUE

 Any pet peeves?  LAZINESS, DIMWHITTEDNESS

Bed size?  KING

 Like your job?  LOVE IT!!!

 Last Person you went to dinner with?  MY SON LEVI

 How many tattoos do you have?  ZERO!!

 Are you in love?  WITH LIFE AND MY SON

Have you jumped out of a perfectly good airplane?  NO BUT I DO WANT TO!

 Has your world ever been rocked?  THE DAY MY SON WAS BORN (AND NOT FOR THE REASON YOU WOULD THINK)

Len Gunn's Favorite Cover

Photo by Charles Paz/5th Element

Len and author Hildie McQueen at RT15 in Dallas

Len working hard at the #BOCBEACHBBQBASH 2013

WHERE YOU CAN FIND LEN GUNN

His Facebook Page

Len Gunn's Website

Twitter

On Instagram as LENGUNNMODEL

LEAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION FOR LEN AND YOU MAY WIN A SIGNED BOOK WITH HIM ON THE COVER! 

High Country Spring (Las Morenas, #3) by Genevieve Turner

Indulged by her father yet censured by her ever-so-proper mother, Francisca Moreno's life is about to become a tornado. All she has ever wanted to do since she could remember, is help run her family's ranch. Working outside with the wind at her back atop a horse are the things that make Franny truly happy, but when he sisters marry and leave her in their mother's sights. Senora Moreno wants to groom Francisca to be a proper lady who will make a good wife for a future husband, but Franny has other ideas.

Felipe Ortega was taken in by the Moreno family when his family succumbed to illness year ago. In the time he has been with the Moreno's he has become an important member of the holding helping run the ranch. The only problem is, Felipe has never felt genuinely welcome into the family fold even thought his responsibilities include making sure the beloved Franny stay hale and hearty performing work meant for the men on the ranch. More than once Felipe has voiced his opinion that Franny should be in the house doing woman's work instead of wreaking havoc outside, but inwardly, his admiration for all she does takes root. 

When the ranch is continually plagued by a mountain lion killing off the livestock, Juan Moreno, eldest son and heir to the ranch, and Felipe head out to hunt down the lion. Fearing she will lose her freedom to her mother's strict rules, Franny heads out on her own to track the lion, even if it means she'll be locked away forever once she returns home. Felipe has separated from Juan in order to search more ground when he stumbles upon Franny and all hell breaks loose when Franny refuses to return home. She strikes a deal with Felipe to track the predator together. What they both didn't know is  they would find is a trust and understanding no one else could share  and a burgeoning attraction that will change their lives forever.

This third book in the LAS MORENAS series, HIGH COUNTRY SPRING by the eloquent Genevieve Turner is yet another notch on this author's belt of wonderful stories. Watching the lives of the Morenos and their significant others is a wonder as each and every tale unfolds. Felipe and Franny are destined to be together, even if no one else around them understood that. Their story has depth and emotion that make this particular story one of my favorites. Francisca tries so hard to straddle the line of the proper lady and that of the free spirit she so desperately wants to continue to stay. No one understand her life Felipe does as he has suffered deep loss in his own life that has made him into the man he has become. HIGH COUNTRY SPRING is well written and impassioned story that is not to be missed. 

~KIMBERLY~

RIDIN' FOR A FALL (A&G ORIGINAL BRAND Book 1) by Kirsten Lynn

Kyle Allaway and Lena Gowan have been friends since before they were toddlers, their families having made the journey from Scotland setting up a homestead in the American West called the A&G. Neither adolescence nor adulthood can separate these two from one another as Lena follows Kyle to the ends of the earth when his inheritance is suddenly yanked from his grasp by his father and younger brother.

Frank Perry's Wild West Show has been on tour in Europe for a time now and even though Kyle and Lena are lifelong friends, there's a yearning between each of them for the other that threatens to explode. The All American Cowboy and the Sweetheart of the West as they have been penned got through the day to day performing their stunts for the eager crowds. After a fiery romantic interlude, Lena and Kyle return to being friends outwardly, but inwardly they each suffer for each other's touch. When a stranger dumps a baby in Kyle's hands stating that the child is his, Kyle is left utterly dumbfounded. Being bastard born himself leaves him in a quandary he never wanted to contemplate ever. When his boss discovers the child, he is none too happy, but no more shocked and saddened than Lena, who always wished Kyle would be hers and they would have a family.

Lena steps up to help Kyle with his child but he is determined to find a new home for his daughter. His struggles with not being wanted by the woman who gave birth to him and then to be rejected by his own father, leave Kyle feeling unworthy of a happy life and the one person his loves above all else in the world, Lena Gowan. Fate has a way of making things happen when in order to thwart a scandal threatening to bring the reputation of the Wild West Show down as well that of the stars of the show, Lena and Kyle marry. Then, like dominoes falling one by one, Kyle's and Lena's futures change in the drop of a hat. Kyle swore he would never touch Lena again, but their evident and magnetic attraction for each other has them on a collision course that won't be stopped and a passion that surpasses all good intentions.

Returning home to the A&G after a ten year sojourn away is bittersweet for Kyle with the responsibility of a new wife and baby and the father and brother who have made his existence hard to handle. Lena breathes easier once she is home in her family fold, but her happiness is short lived when one struggle after another threaten to turn her dreams into nightmares. Only love, truth and understanding will help them overcome the trials Lena and Kyle face.

Ridin' For a Fall by Kirsten Lynn is a exuberant sweeping tale of soul mates who have to overcome so much adversity to be able to see what's clearly in front of them. Lena and Kyle's friendship since infancy is a basis for a bright future and the sheer will to see it through is such a draw. Intermingled with this beautiful tale is a love affair that sizzles in epic proportions making Ridin' For a Fall not only a solid romantic story but a scorching one as well.I give kudos to author Kirsten Lynn for bringing this heat level to a peak, but not overshadowing the story at hand, for making her characters gritty and real and for sucking me in. Ridin' For a Fall is sultry and sweet, bold and touching, it is not for the for the feint of heart. I for one wait quite impatiently for the next tale in the A&G Original Brand saga.

~KIMBERLY~

Caged (Mastered #4) by Lorelei James Guest Review by SLICK

Every book in author Lorelei James' Mastered Series has been intriguing and while Unraveled is still my favorite in this series Caged is a close second.  I'll admit I worried that the brash, larger than life hero would completely overshadow and mild and meek heroine but I was wrong and I was never happier to be wrong.  Complicated, emotional, action-packed and titillating from beginning to end these two people found themselves dealing with way more than just their developing relationship.

 I always thought there was a whole lot more to Deacon McConnell that met the eye, but I had no idea the depths of his secrets and how much events from his life have shaped him into the fighting machine he is today.  It also came as no surprise that he would be just as intense in his personal relationships as he is in his professional one and Molly Calloway found out first hand just what being with a man like Deacon entailed.

When Molly Calloway first started taking kickboxing at Black Arts she did it for self preservation and to make sure she'd never feel as vulnerable as she did following an attack.  She's made great strides in both her personal and professional life but despite that she can't resist giving Deacon a second chance after he stood her up months ago for their first date.  On one hand she hates that he affects her so much but on the other hand she loves that he affects her so much but one thing is certain the new Molly is going after what she wants.

This was a very busy book with a lot going on and at times the romance seemed to take a back seat, but despite that it was fascinating to watch these two navigate family issues (and man there were some doozies), career issues and relationship issues.  These are two people who have been deeply scarred emotionally and while Molly found it easy to open up and share with Deacon, he was not forthcoming which caught up with him on more than one occasion.  I'll admit that as much as I loved Deacon's sweet and loveable side (and yes it was in there), his pigheadedness drove me crazy.   What I did love is the fact that Molly wasn't afraid to stick up for herself, she didn't cower and more than once she called Deacon on his bad behavior and did what she had to do for herself.  I loved seeing this side of her and how much she's blossomed into a strong woman during this series.  These two were good for each other with Deacon providing Molly with much needed back-up and by reminding her repeatedly that he found her fascinating and beautiful.  Molly's support of Deacon's fighting, her understanding of his training requirements, and her ability to forgive him when he screws up repeatedly shows that she understands that man sometimes better than he understands himself.  In addition, the absolute abandon they share during their intimate moments, their willingness to explore both their fantasies and kinks with each other proves just how well matched they are both in the bedroom and out.

Provocative, well written, and intricate Caged is more than a romance between two people, it is a look at all types of relationships; some good, some bad, and some very intriguing but most of all this book proves that having just one person in your corner who understands, supports and loves you unconditionally can make your life richer in more ways than one.

~SLICK~