A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE by HILDIE MCQUEEN

Five years after losing his wife of two weeks to a tragic accident, Grayson Cole is still not ready to settle down, much to his parents' dismay. He revels in his rake status and makes light of his mother and father's need for their sons to settle down.

Spinster school marm, Nora Banks has her own reasons for remaining single, and even though she bears an attraction to Grayson Cole, her inner turmoil brought on by her own tragedy that happened years before, leaves her convinced no one will want her once they discover her secret. A nap in the hayloft of the Cole residence leads to Nora and Grayson's unwanted betrothal.

Now these two who consistently protest publicly this mistaken betrothal but secretly yearn for one another must come to terms with the tragedies that happened in their pasts that cemented their disillusions of marriage. Will their families help or hinder in the process? Don't you just love a family that meddles together? 

The hard working Cole family sons, Grayson, Bronson and Ashley, all have their crosses to bear, as we see when we meet them here, but the one thing that stand out, is their ability to stand as one when things get tough. When Ashley is accused of a crime he did not commit, the brothers and well as a determined Nora, rally to save Ashley's hide from their nemesis of the town sheriff, who also happens to be their uncle. Go figure.

A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE by skillful storyteller, Hildie McQueen is a keeper. I love how she brings these two unwilling to budge individuals, together in an emotional journey that's hard to forget. Nora is a survivor, a strong and smart female who's live goes through so many changes throughout the course of this story. Grayson is handsome and stubborn, always second guessing his decisions. All those around him attempt to counsel him in moving on, but he's still stuck on losing his wife and it seems like he doesn't want to move on. Only when he is faced with his own mortality and the possibility of losing the one woman who sets his blood on fire, does he eventually come around. I adore how Ms. McQueen tells a story and gives the dynamics surrounding the main characters so that the reader feels like they belong in the tale as well. Hildie McQueen is on my list of authors I automatically read, and I hope you come to enjoy her work as much as I do.

~KIMBERLY~

The Private Affairs of Lady Jane Fielding, a novella by Viveka Portman

The one thing that Lady Jane and her beloved husband Jacob had, was a love match, which for the ton of Regency England was a rarity indeed.  Jane and Jacob had a fine home and two lovely daughters, but no heir to keep up Jacob's line of inheritance. Jane was confident though that she and her ever amorous husband would prevail, that is until a horrific accident leaves Jacob unable to sire any more children.

When Jacob's revolting wretch of a brother, Arthur, gets wind of Jacob's possible misfortune but his probable fortune at becoming Jacob's heir, Arthur appears at Fielding to see the situation with his own eyes. After the unsavory brother leaves his ailing brother and sister-in-law, Jacob comes up with a plan that might thwart Arthur's coveting of Jacob's title and holdings.

Jacob has a dear cousin, Matthew, who is on the unlucky and poor side of the family. Jacob had always attempted to help him in his endeavors to better his situations, but Matthew has pride and won't take charity, even if it is from a cherished family member. When Jacob calls upon Matthew to assist in his quest for an heir, both Matthew and Jane are aghast, but realizing  the disgusting Arthur will gain all, spurns Matthew and Jane into the unthinkable.

When the unthinkable becomes so pleasurable, what it takes for the trio to come to terms with their consciences and their feeling will surprise the reader.

I have to say that I truly enjoyed this short but sizzling novella. It was well written and  while I usually run from stories told in the first person,  I welcomed this tale of desperation turned to perseverance and awakening. Jane and Jacob are a strong and caring couple, who have a powerful relationship. Matthew's entrance may shake the couple a little, but it would take much more to sever what this pair has, and maybe what the trio could have together is worth the piqued emotions and jealousy. THE PRIVATE AFFAIRS OF LADY JANE FIELDING by Viveka Portman is a steamy and sensual journey that I recommend be taken. Nicely done!

~KIMBERLY~

THE MARRIAGE PACT by Linda Lael Miller

Tripp Galloway enters his hometown church and throws bride-to-be, Hadleigh Stevens over his shoulder and absconds with the fighting eighteen year old, preventing her from making the biggest mistake of her life. Ten years later, a still single Hadleigh still holds a grudge against the man she idolized from childhood, but was it because Tripp kidnapped her from church or because she found out the man she had stars in her eyes for had a wife? 

Ten years later, Tripp is back in town after a sojourn away from his family and friends.  After his brief and unsatisfying marriage leads to divorce, Tripp is back in town to stay. He finds his father recovering from an illness and comes to terms with the legacy his father wants to leave him. When he sees Hadleigh Stevens all grown up and gorgeous self, Tripp feels the need to clear the air between  he and Hadleigh and move on to better things.

Hadleigh has other plans. Tripp is her nemesis, the man she blames for ruining her dream wedding, even though the groom was low down and dirty and Tripp had to show her the error of her ways. Hadleigh finds it difficult to overcome the devastation of that day, even though, underneath it all, she knows that her deceased brother's best friend only had her best interests at heart. Hadleigh looks to her best friends, Melody and Bex to point her in the right direction after the trio concoct a marriage pact to assist each other in achieving their goals to find the right men to marry, settle down and have kids with. When her friends think that maybe Hadleigh's mate is Tripp and make her realize that she's been in love with him since she was a little girl, she goes through some denial before realization smacks her in the head. 

The older and wiser Tripp , likes what he sees in the grown-up Hadleigh, and he knows he can bide his time to bring her over to his way of thinking. Tripp is done with city life and being alone. Inside he yearns for the type of family he had with his beloved ,deceased mother and step-father, who is the only father he ever knew and who accepted him as his own from day one. 

THE MARRIAGE PACT by Linda Lael Miller is a pleasing start to the Bliss County Brides series. It's a sweet and fun read that keeps the reader smiling through and looking forward to Melody and Bex's stories Tripp is a man who knows what he wants and he knows how to go about getting it. Hadleigh is a strong female who knows when to throw in the towel and does it with gusto.

~KIMBERLY~

SUPER RELEASE DAY CELEBRATION FOR ~~~ HAWK (THE SONS OF SANGUE BOOK 2) by PATRICIA A. RASEY~~~~ (BOOK REVIEW, VIDEO AND GIVEAWAY)

HAPPY RELEASE DAY

 PATRICIA A. RASEY!!!!!!!!

HAWK: SONS OF SANGUE , BOOK 2 

HAS LANDED!!!!!!!

Utter turmoil in the land of the Sons of Sangue. Kane is no longer MC president and he is off Lord knows where with Cara. With the murder of two of their own, new president Kaleb needs to sort out who is responsible and quick. They all believe the evil Rosalee is behind it all with someone close aiding her in her efforts.

Devastated with the deaths of his brethren Kaleb is thrown for a loop when Suzi reappears after six months away. Suzi had to leave, there was no other choice for her. It was killing her inside watching Kaleb flaunt his fast ways in from of her.

After 10 years of fighting intense love/hate issues over Suzi, Kaleb is coming to the end of his tethers over this petite brunette who makes his blood boil. 

Dealing with his animosity for her over the last decade was Suzi's cross to bear after her friend Ion's death. Kaleb's jealousy and anger over the apparent relationship Suzi shared with his nephew fueled his deep feelings but having her at close proximity is torture. Can he hold on to his hatred when all he wants to do is make love not war? Kaleb and all he holds dear to him are now on a hit list  and only the Sons of Sangue coming together, even with Kane and Cara, may give them a chance to come through. With a primordial vampire on the hunt keeping the MC family and dear ones becomes a matter or paramount importance for the Tepes brothers.

Hawk: Sons of Sangue, by Patricia A. Rasey is intense from the get-go. Kaleb's roller-coaster of emotions leaves him open to the one thing he tries to avoid, a relationship with the only woman who has ever made him feel. In the first Sons of Sangue book, VIPER, we were getting to know these sexy and intriguing vampires. Hawk is a whole new ball game and Patricia A. Rasey hits a home run with this story. Things are getting fierce with a rival MC club, the murderer who is still out there and even right under the Sons noses in the nightclub that helps sustain their way of life. Each and every character has its own distinct and memorable personality, they're just begging for their own story. Patricia A. Rasey's fresh and exhilarating take on vampires is a must read. Readers will not be disappointed.

~KIMBERLY~

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!
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KAT MARTIN'S ~AGAINST THE WILD~ (Brodies of Alaska #1) & GIVEAWAY

The one thing I just LOVE about a Kat Martin book, is the way she makes her character's sensuality sizzle   for one another from the get-go . Dylan took a bullet for Lane Bishop in AGAINST THE MARK and once they went their separate ways, neither was far from each other's thoughts. Dylan tried repeatedly to get Lane to travel to Alaska to spearhead the renovations on the lodge he wants to open, which is also the home he shares with his daughter and trusted staff.

Lane kept putting Dylan off, even though she clearly is attracted to him. She's still not over the death of her fiance three years before. Lane finally agrees to take on the project reservedly, but when she sees Dylan again, she realizes there's going to be trouble. Will she be able to take what she can get without getting emotionally involved? The chances of that are slim since now, she clearly wants to get busy with him. Lane lives in L.A. and she is a successful interior designer with a bright future ahead of her. What would an alpha male like Dylan Brodie, who has no plans of leaving the wilds of Alaska, want with the likes of Lane aside from a few steamy romps in the hay?

When Dylan finally tells Lane about his daughter, who has been mute since her mother's disappearance some time before, Lane is a bit miffed. Pretty much from the start, Emily gets along with Lane and the mountain of a dog Lane brings with her from L.A.  Dylan knows he has to have Lane is his bed. There's no way out of that and their growing attraction for each other is almost too hot to handle. Once Lane settles in and begins her work, she see there's a whole lot of strange happenings going on surrounding a lot of Indian lore and a crime that happened decades ago, but in order to get the work done and open the lodge successfully, Lane and Dylan must find out who is behind the mishaps and misadventures. In the process Lane and Dylan keep getting more deeply involved with one another that saying goodbye to one another is going to be a bitter pill to swallow. Will the city girl and the mountain man be able to come to terms with what they finally mean to one another? Well, you have to read Kat Martin's AGAINST THE WILD to find that out.

Once again I was left smiling at the end of a Kat Martin novel. The ultra sexy, alpha male, Dylan Brodie is all you can imagine and more. He's daring, exciting and patient as well as being stubborn and strong-willed. Lane Bishop is a breath of fresh air and a contradiction to her background. Lane is no simpering upper-class business woman, she is a feisty, intelligent woman who can take on anything put in her path, including a bear of a man named Dylan. Kat Martin's descriptions of the wilds of Alaska truly bring it to life and her mystery and suspense add to the whole playing field. The characters are all memorable and Emily's re-awakening is a pleasure to follow. As usual, I look forward to every unfolding adventure that Ms. Martin shares with her readers, for every single one is a joy to read in and of itself. AGAINST THE WILD  by Kat Martin is an exciting start to THE BRODIES OF ALASKA series, one that shouldn't be missed.

~KIMBERLY~

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A QUICK FIRE Q&A WITH MARIN THOMAS & MY REVIEW OF, THE COWBOY'S DESTINY (THE CASH BROTHERS BOOK 4) by MARIN THOMAS

YOU ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I ADORE AUTHOR MARIN THOMAS. WELL I CAN'T REPEAT IT ENOUGH. I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO FINALLY HUGGING HER IN TEXAS, I AM A GIDDY ABOUT IT!

HERE'S A FEW TIDBITS ABOUT MARIN!

--Marin named several geezers after my family members in this book

--Marin loves Route 66 and got the idea to put the town there from an image I came across of the Flamingo Motel

--Marin got the idea for the ghost element from taking a ghost tour in San Diego

Destiny Saunders is something else. Jilted at the alter the gritty beauty shrugs it off and continues on. Buck Owens Cash has the pleasure of meeting the wayward bride in her flashy wedding attire on a motorcycle when his car breaks down outside the little known town of Lizard Gulch and she offers her help to the shamelessly handsome Cash brother.

Buck Owens Cash left a tense situation back in his hometown and he doesn't feel it's the right time to face the music from his five Cash siblings. Instead, Buck thinks he'll head on to a few rodeos before heading home, but when his truck has issues, he becomes the unwitting guest of the menagerie of colorful occupants of the town of Lizard Gulch, headed of by their newly elected mayor, Destiny Saunders, who also is the town mechanic, the tow truck driver and one of the few people below retirement age who live in the near ghost town off of Route 66.

Most of the quirky yet lovable citizens of Lizard Gulch just want to be left alone to enjoy their retirement and enjoy the time they have, but a development company wants to raze the town to dirt. They have an advocate in ousted mayor, Mark Mitchell, who delivers the offers from the development company and wants the town to meet its end. The townspeople look to Destiny to protect their futures. If that's all she had on her plate, but no, Destiny has a little issue of being pregnant by the jerk who left her at the alter, and now her attraction to Mr. Cash. Destiny is keeping the pregnancy to herself for the time-being, but the closer she she gets to Buck, the worse she feels  for not telling him. 

Buck Owens Cash never knew who his father was. His mother used to leave town chasing after her heart, end up pregnant, have the baby and leave it in the care of her mother before running off again. This was Buck and his siblings childhoods, and outwardly he may never have cared, but inside, Buck yearns to know of his beginning, yearns to know his father and to know if he was wanted. Destiny had a pretty crappy childhood with her mother turning tricks in truck stop bathrooms to earn money, leaving Destiny to raise herself until an older couple took her in and did as best as they could by her. Buck and Destiny's attraction to one another is exciting and new to them. Each feels like they never have before, like maybe each could accept the faults they feel they have.

THE COWBOY'S DESTINY by Marin Thomas is an touching and eloquent read. Reading this emotional story was personal for me. I feel Buck's pain about his childhood. I completely understand where he is coming from. I love this pair. I love how even though they have been through much in their young lives, they still have optimism and hope to continue on and they hold no grudges. The whimsical  inhabitants of Lizard Gulch bring the comic relief to this tale, even the tale of ghostly apparitions add a little something more. The Cash Brothers series by consummate author, Marin Thomas only gets better and better with each sibling's tale. I am eager to read the next one, but will be so sad to read the last.

~KIMBERLY~

NEXT OUT FROM MARIN THOMAS

OUT AUGUST 1, 2014!!!

CONTEST ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Rescue At Cardwell Ranch & Wanted Woman (Bonus Book) by B.J. Daniels

Hayes Cardwell never thought he's end up being a hero when he travels from Texas to Montana on some family business. When he sees a woman being beaten and in the process of being thrown into the trunk of a car, Hayes springs into action to prevent that from happening, but would prefer to remain anonymous as he was just doing what any decent person would do.

Real estate owner and operator, McKenzie Sheldon thought she was one tough cookie, but that thought goes out the window when she is attacked with the clear intention of being abducted. She tries to put up the fight of her life, but being caught so off-guard leaves her at a disadvantage and the man who wants her is very determined. Luckily for McKenzie, a cowboy comes to her rescue before the worst scenario can happen, and the last thing she sees is the handsome cowboy who tells her she is safe. Hayes' remaining anonymous is short lived when he comes face to face with the lady he saves while scouting a property for the family business and his immediate attraction for her puts her in protection mode when he realizes she is still in danger.

Is McKenzie truly safe though? Not when the serial killer she thwarts becomes entirely obsessed with her downfall and he will bide his time to take her out. Hayes Cardwell will do almost anything to protect McKenzie, even if it means that she takes his heart in return. McKenzie has a lot on her plate aside from the insane serial killer on her tail. She has the business that's very important to her as well as the livelihoods of her workers, but when she lets her guard down for Hayes Cardwell, she sees that there are other things in life to look forward to besides work. 

Another fabulous read by one of my favorite authors, RESCUE AT CARDWELL RANCH by B.J. Daniels is a fast paced ride filled with danger as well as romance. Never have I seen a killer so taken with getting the victim that got away. Nail-biting is definitely one of the side effects of RESCUE AT CARDWELL RANCH. Hayes Cardwell never wanted to be the hero but he just can't allow this evil to get a hold of the vulnerable McKenzie. I love how all the Cardwell men have an innate sense of honor that attracts these amazingly strong and intelligent females to their sides. The reader always gets a solid suspense before the budding romance.  I am happy to report that I am never bored when delving into the world of B.J. Daniels with her easy to love heroes and heroines and her oh so unpredictable villains. Once again I can rest easy that the bad guys fall  and true love reigns in the land of B.J. Daniels.

~KIMBERLY~

This is the original cover for Wanted Woman when is was released. Now it's a bonus book along with the main Rescue at Cardwell Ranch title.

BOOK BLURB:

She skidded into town on a bike too powerful for most men, with ten thousand dollars in her saddlebag and a bullet wound in her shoulder. Maggie Randolph was searching for something and running from someone. But she didn't plan on running into a man she could trust.... Timber Falls' deputy sheriff Jesse Tanner had to convince the daredevil beauty that he'd protect her. But first he'd have to catch her--before it was too late.

Jesse was sexy as sin, and chivalrous to boot. But Maggie wasn't exactly playing by the books in her search for the truth about her father's murder and her own adoption. Could she share her secrets with Jesse and find solace in his arms for good?

THOUGHTS:

This exciting re-issue which accompanies the new RESCUE AT  CARDWELL RANCH by BJ Daniels is a tale of deception and intrigue in classic BJ Daniels form. Maggie Robinson is a strong and intelligent character trying to get to break down that wall between her and her freedom. A very enjoyable read, as all of BJ Daniels stories are, and I am happy to have the chance to read it as the bonus in Rescue At Cardwell Ranch. 

~KIMBERLY~