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Saturday, August 30, 2014

A Spread the Word .99 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Sale: The Fine Line by Alicia Kobishop

Who doesn't LOVE books on sale?!  I know I do :)  And today, for her birthday, Author Alicia Kobishop is putting her book, The Fine Line on sale on Amazon for only .99!  She's a wonderful lady, a great author, and I'd love to help her celebrate by boosting some of her sales! 

I've read The Fine Line and it's a really good book.  So, let's help spread the word and maybe give Alicia what she'd love for her birthday :) 

High school senior Liv Evans has one rule: No attachments. She’s lost enough in her life and has vowed to do whatever it takes to make sure she never again feels the emptiness of losing someone she loves. Boys are a fun distraction, but a serious relationship is something she’d rather live without. Her determination for a future free of pain and heartbreak is put to the test when she meets–and quickly forms an unexpected bond–with Logan Tanner.

Logan has always been a free spirit, but ever since a life-changing event took place, which left him doubting the integrity of those who are closest to him, he’s taken that term to a whole new dangerous level. Learning the hard way that life is too short for worries or work–and that women can’t be trusted–Logan has exchanged steady work for street racing. When Liv walks into his world, everything he thought he knew about life and women is challenged.

In The Fine Line, Liv and Logan will discover if it’s possible for true love to have a future, or if history is destined to repeat itself.



And don't forget to wish Alicia a very Happy Birthday! :)  

Friday, August 29, 2014

Cover Reveal: Missing (The Brannock Siblings #3) by Jessica Wilde

  Missing Cover

There are two things in this life that Gus Brannock truly loves; his family and his job. His family is growing and he wants what his brother and sister have before the job he's worked so hard for takes its toll. The woman he's got his eye on, however, isn't interested in being with a man who risks his life every day. When the unexpected friendship with the sassy red head he used to hate turns into something Gus just doesn't want to live without, he will do whatever it takes to have her. The hazards of his job as a detective for missing children may end up proving to be too much, but there's a reason Aiden was brought into his life and nothing will stand in his way to keep her there.
Aiden Murphy used to hate the handsome jerk next door until a surprising discovery spun her world in another direction. Her life of devotion to her sister and niece has been her biggest strength with the exception of her art. That is, until Gus turns out to be the one thing that has been missing from that life all along. Aiden must decide if the unknown is worth the risk of loving the dedicated detective or if being pulled into his world is more than she can handle. When Gus becomes the only way for her to keep the people she loves most safe, will she understand why he treasures her untried strength or will she let her fear of the unknown decide for her?

For readers 18+ due to strong language and sexual situations.

RELEASE DATE: September 21, 2014

Other Books In this series:

Leverage (The Brannock Siblings #1)

LEVERAGE COVER Adventure. That's all Aislinn 'Ash' Brannock wanted in her life. Her dad and two brothers - all cops - got to see it all, but their over-protectiveness made her feel like she had been locked away in a tower with three fire breathing dragons watching her every move. Yes, it was that bad. The only silver lining? Lucas Shade. Her brothers' best friend growing up, and apparently the only man she will ever love because let's face it, none of the others even come close. After an unfortunate mistake lands her back in her father's home, her world is turned upside down and Lucas is there in a tightly wrapped package of serious with a big red bow on top. Life just got interesting, but it comes with a price, one she never wanted to pay.
Detective Lucas Shade never had a real family, but the Brannocks took him in as one of their own and he never took it for granted. Ash was a big reason for why he stuck around, but in order to save himself the beating of a lifetime from her two older brothers, he kept his feelings for her hidden. When the case he has been working on for months takes a turn, Ash could become the leverage the bad guys have been waiting for, but keeping her invisible may destroy everything Lucas has worked so hard for. Good thing Ash is the only person he would give up everything to protect.


Conned (The Brannock Siblings #2)
Conned Cover

Conall Brannock takes his job seriously. He doesn't get attached, he doesn't ask questions, and he protects his family at all costs. Nothing will change that. Not even the sweet, green eyed witness that just burst into his life and shifted his world. He has one job to do; protect Emily until she can testify. He can't let his interest in her get in the way, but the more he finds out about her, the more he can't help but wonder how the beautiful broken girl got into this mess in the first place. And the longer he takes to learn the truth, the deeper he falls for her.
Emily Dawson has a job to do. Stay off the grid, testify, and hopefully get her brother back. He's all she has left of the family she struggled so hard to hold together and she would do anything to keep him safe. Even if it means she has put herself in harm's way or that she has conned everyone into believing she saw something she didn't. She knows where her loyalties lie, but her stoic yet gentle protector and his crazy family makes her question everything she once knew.
Loyalty can be one sided.
Family isn't always blood.
And honesty can destroy everything she has come to love.
 
 
Jessica Wilde I live in Morgan Utah with my husband, daughter, and dog, Kolo. I write as often as my active daughter will let me and my husband has the patience of a saint. I find inspiration from dreams, people I meet, and life experiences. When I write, I usually end up drinking one too many cans of Peace Tea, eating three too many Fruit by the Foot fruit snacks, and accidentally kicking my pup and best buddy, Kolo, too many times since he loves to sleep under my desk at my feet.
I started writing as a teen, but my fear of the unknown won out every time and I threw everything out. After becoming a mother and deciding to stay at home to raise my beautiful little girl, I tried again when I couldn't stop thinking of ideas. I loved every minute, every hour of sleep lost, and every character that came to life in my mind.
It's strange, but my favorite moments are when I have writer's block because I can turn to my husband and find inspiration through him by just doing what we do best together. Talking, laughing, and just being in love. He doesn't like to read, but he never stops encouraging me to keep going.
Writing has become an important part of my life and every book has a special place in my heart. 

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Blog Tour Excerpt, Review & Giveaway: Claudine by Barbara Palmer

Don't miss what Publishers Weekly calls a "splendid exploration of sensual performance" in this enticing debut erotic thriller... 

Maria Lantos is a post grad Yale student researching illicit 18th-century literature.  She's become exceptionally well-versed in the narratives of classic erotic fantasy.  She's also Claudine, an in-demand escort specializing in sexual role play for an elite clientele.

Anonymous.  Satisfying.  And discreet.

Until the tenuous separation between her worlds starts to crack.

It begins with the murder of a stranger.  Where it leads is to two men who will test Maria's limits of control and awaken her own sexual desires.  As her private nights bleed into day, Maria will discover the dangerous places that extend beyond the imagination, and secrets no longer consigned to the dark.



***WARNING: The following excerpt includes erotic adult content***

Show World Live! bore little resemblance to the infamous Times Square district Show World club; the original naughty venue was long gone except for a tattered storefront on Eighth Avenue.  In contrast, the new Show World Live! was aimed at upscale customers and boasted glitzy lounges with hourly strip shows.  Booth babies danced naked amid blue and pink bubbles in Plexiglas boxes.  A tranny bar featured top-notch talent from the Bay area, and the porn cinema was made up to look like a grand old theater with plush upholstered seats and velvet curtains tied on either side of the screen.  Claudine was booked to perform two vignettes at the coveted Saturday night show for ticket holders in the club's famous Round Rom, and after, a private performance for a select client.  She'd decided on a straight old-time burlesque show for her first act, and Lillian worked wonders transforming her into a likeness of the famous burlesque queen Lili St. Cyr........

The lights dimmed.  The performing area, a bare circle of blond hardwood, was illuminated by a spotlight that left the booths in shadow.  A pink divan at center stage sat beside a table holding a fan of luxurious black ostrich feathers and an oversized perfume bottle, the old-fashioned kind with a rubber squeeze top.  The master of ceremonies, a short sprite of a man dressed in tails and a white shirt, strode to center stage carrying a gold-topped cane.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, from the white lights of Manhattan, for one night only, the exquisite, the infamous, Claudine."

For an instant, her stomach pitched in fear.  Would her stalker be out there, watching from one of the booths?  Would he be bold enough to hurt her in front of everyone, thinking to catch her off guard with a public attack?  Andrei was stationed to one side of the entrance with a full view of the booths.  As long as he was here she was safe.  She calmed herself with that thought and the thrill that always came before a performance began to beat through her veins.

The white-blue beam of the spot swept to the performer's entrance.  She heard the first notes of the music and stepped into the circle of dazzling light.  Her platinum hair, styled in an updo, was cinched with a wide ribbon of black chiffon to match the flowing semitransparent fabric of her floor-length dress.  It glowed under the lights.  She wore arm-length kid leather gloves that fit like a second skin and flashy high heels.

Parading to the music, she shimmied, pivoted, struck various cheesecake poses.  She gave her audience a sinful smile, winked, and thrust out her boobs in full burlesque mode, running her hands tantalizingly over her cleavage.  Turning her back to the viewers, she wiggled her ass and unhooked the skirt of her gown, tossing it aside.

The pleasure and playfulness of the dance gave her extra zing and for a moment she felt as though she could vanquish her unseen enemy by the sheer force of her sensuality.  only the long tail of chiffon and a tiny thong covered the crease of her bottom.  She stepped saucily back into the spotlight, unhitched the tail and bent over so that her buttocks were on full display........... She kicked off her high heels, unfastened her stockings from her garters and rolled them down, slowly exposing toned thighs and shapely calves.  She picked up the fan from the pink divan and, holding it in front of her with one hand, undid the eyelets of the bustier at her back with the other.  She tossed the bustier to the floor, and squeezing her naked breasts together, dipped the fan down, revealing generous nipples glittering with rhinestone pasties. 

The audience went crazy....... Then, to the delight o the customers, she fanned herself as if she were too overheated to continue.  She pranced around a little longer, making sure that each booth occupant got a good look at her full tits and her round tush in the tiny black thong.  She returned once more to center stage, where she reclined languorously on the divan, giving herself a spray with the perfume.  Every move had a comic edge but she knew the men in the audience weren't laughing.  She felt their breath halt, their eyes on her - and savored every moment of it.


The author is a bestselling, international award-winning Canadian novelist whose work has been published in twenty countries.  She's writing under the pen name Barbara Palmer, inspired by the famous 17th century English courtesan and royal mistress.


Claudine is one of those books that leaves you with an almost indescribable feeling.  It's an experience unlike anything else I've ever read, and yet, I've had trouble putting it in to words. So for this review, I'll break it down in to pros and cons.

What I Liked:
The plot.  The idea.  The storyline was fabulous.  The suspense is incredible.  It leaves you on the edge of your seat and has you looking over your shoulder.  It's deliciously terrifying and erotically satisfying.  The literature references, while not many, are great when they're present.  I also very much enjoyed the writing style of the author.

What I Disliked:
Maria/Claudine.  And before lovers of the book tar and feather me, hear me out.
I understand that she's a strong character that's overcome a TERRIBLE past, and that she's somewhat empowering.  But that being said... it was incredibly difficult for me to connect to her.  I'm not sure if it was her up and down personality - exuding confidence and then acting as though she has none - or the presence of the "double life."  Whatever it was, it just didn't work for me.

Given the pros and cons, I'd have to say honestly that this book is definitely worth reading.  It is literally unlike anything I've ever read, and that holds weight for me.  It's the kind of book that sticks with you long after you've finished. 

Rating: 3.5 stars 


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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Romance Review: The Sweetest Summer (Bayberry Island #2) by Susan Donovan

A mermaid statue could be the cause of heartbreak or everlasting romance for a practical-minded police chief and his first love—in the second of the delicious Bayberry Island trilogy by national bestselling author Susan Donovan....

Every instinct told Police Chief Clancy Flynn that his island’s claim to fame was nothing but a silly tourist attraction. But now and then, he couldn’t help but wonder if his lifetime of bad romances—starting with the pretty tourist who broke his twelve-year-old heart—could be traced back to a childhood prank involving that very statue....

Then one day the pretty tourist comes barreling back into Bayberry—all grown-up and on the run with her niece. Though Evelyn McGuinness is wanted for kidnapping, she tries to persuade Clancy that there’s more to the story. Now the by-the-book police chief must make the toughest decision of his life: to take Evelyn into custody—or into his arms.



The Author is Born
I grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of Milford, Ohio and spent my formative years in the cineplex, the mall, the drive-in, and the convertible MG of some guy named Gary. My mother claims I was destined to be a writer. As a kindergartner, I reported that I’d just seen a giraffe, elephant and rhinoceros at the bus stop. When Mom told me I was a good storyteller, I assured her that it was not a story, but the absolute truth! (See mediocre journalism career summary below…)

The Author Is Catapulted Into the World
I wrote for the school newspaper in high school, but never made it into a position of authority – the journalism adviser told me I was "too spasmodic" to be editor. I also starred in drama club plays and hosted excellent cast parties. I earned a scholarship to be a summer foreign exchange student in Japan, then headed off to college at Northwestern University, events that forced me to conclude that there was, in fact, life outside Southwestern Ohio. Why wasn’t I informed? I look back upon my college years in Chicago and marvel that I was able to graduate and still have such a fine time. In 1983, I walked away with a degree in journalism and a minor in Japanese language and sociology, just in time for the recession. Because the only job I could find was at a Chicago phone sex service, I decided to go back for my master’s degree. I know, I know. Hindsight is 20/20.

Very Odd Jobs
My first job out of grad school was as a staff reporter at The Daily Southtown, on Chicago’s Southwest Side. I was a somewhat snobbish, ridiculously enthusiastic young woman promptly put in my place by the mean streets of Bridgeport and Burbank. My sincere thanks go out to the Southtown boys who teased me mercilessly, gave me a nickname that should have resulted in legal action, and showed me how to get along with cops, politicians and city editors – in other words, generally ruined me for polite society thereafter. Thanks guys. I owe you. Next, I did an internship at the Chicago Tribune, where I learned the nasty truth about gender politics and static electricity. I then packed up my red Dodge Omni and my cat and drove cross-country to work for two years at the Albuquerque Tribune. New Mexico is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen, and it will always be special to me. But I missed my boyfriend, and moved back to Chicago. (I’m a romantic at heart, right?) I spent the next year working in corporate public relations for a company that has since, shall we say, hit the skids. It was not entirely my fault. When my boyfriend finished medical school, we moved together to Indianapolis for his residency and my job at the now-defunct Indianapolis News (also not my fault.) We got married in September 1989. Unfortunately, Hurricane Hugo destroyed our honeymoon hotel in the Virgin Islands, our luggage got lost somewhere between the US mainland and Puerto Rico, and we spent our wedding night in fleabag motel near the Atlanta airport that housed the overflow from a nearby Army base. This made us pause and ask, "Mmm…is this some kind of omen?" It was.

The Author’s Family Life
My husband joined a small-town medical practice in Maryland about an hour from Baltimore/Washington and I went to work for a member of Congress. In my opinion, there are some things a person simply does not need to know in order to lead a happy life, such as: what really goes on behind closed doors at the U.S. Capitol? I ran from that job before delivering my first child. (Okay – I waddled.) My kids – now ages thirteen and eleven – are the most important part of my life. However, I am not strong enough to be a full-time mom and have resorted to a variety of part-time jobs in an effort to stay somewhat sane. These jobs have included fund-raiser for a symphony orchestra, communications consultant, free-lance journalist and painted furniture artist – a creative pursuit I still enjoy.



Susan Donovan has a knack for writing books that make the reader emotionally involved.  Her characters are always so real, and the storyline is always so believable.  So when The Sweetest Summer showed up at my doorstep, I was so excited to take an emotional ride with Susan and some of her characters again.  

This time, it's a story of first love finding it's way back to one another again.  Such a deeply moving subject matter that is pieced together with memories of the past - something Ms. Donovan does flawlessly.  Her ability to take the past and weave it in with the future creates a very strong emotional connection between the reader and her characters.  It makes the story believable and gives the reader a strong sense of longing - a longing for the two of them to find their happily ever after.  

Of course, no love story is complete without obstacles.  And this one is big.  Especially when it creates a seemingly impossible scenario for the hero - a man who works hard and appreciates the boundaries of his job, but who finds himself lost in love with a woman who interferes with the morality of his profession.  His predicament makes the situation between the two of them feel all the more real, and the tension it brings them is what keeps the reader frantically turning the pages.  

It's a genuinely sweet and charming romance that does it's job extremely well - it isn't just a book you've read, it's an experience that you'll not soon forget.  

Rating:  5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All conclusions reached are my own.   

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Cozy Mystery Blog Tour: Author Guest Post, Review & Giveaway: Billionaire Blend (Coffeehouse Mystery Series #13) by Cleo Coyle

Landmark coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi has served her share of New York’s rich and famous, but even she is surprised by her explosive introduction to a mysterious Internet billionaire…

When a car bomb nearly kills tech whiz Eric Thorner, Clare comes to his aid and receives a priceless thank you. Not only does the billionaire buy her a barista’s dream espresso machine, he hires her for an extraordinary project: creating the world’s most expensive coffee blend.

The police quickly arrest Eric’s alleged attacker, yet death continues to surround the unlucky mogul, leading Clare to question whether a fatal fall and another lethal mishap are premeditated murders or merely freak accidents. Clare’s boyfriend, NYPD detective Mike Quinn, has a theory of his own—one Clare refuses to believe.

Meanwhile, Eric jets Clare around the world on a head-spinning search for the very best coffee, and Clare gets to know his world—a mesmerizing circle of money with rivalries that could easily have turned deadly. But is this charming young CEO truly marked for termination? Or is he the one making a killing?

Includes a wealth of delicious recipes!



BREWING UP MURDER 
by Cleo Coyle

"Pluck" is a word I usually associate with chickens.  On the other hand, Booklist was kind enough to describe my amateur sleuth as having pluck, a valid observation because Clare Cosi may be many things, but she is no chicken. 

A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare is like many of the women I grew up admiring in my big Italian-American family.  Smart and determined with a sturdy backbone, Clare also has a generous spirit and enough ingenuity to cook mouth-watering feasts (and raise a daughter) on a shoestring budget. 

By day, Clare manages a charming landmark coffeehouse in New York's Greenwich Village.  By night, she is a relentless snoop, who displays quite a bit of pluck in BILLIONAIRE BLEND, the latest entry in my Coffeehouse Mystery series.  

When a car bomb goes off outside Clare's charming shop, she comes to the aid of an anonymous customer, an intense young man who turns out to be billionaire tech whiz Eric Thorner.  Eric is so grateful to Clare for saving his life that he hires her to create the most expensive coffee blend on the planet.  But as Clare is pulled deeper into Eric's world of cutting-edge luxuries and cutthroat rivalries, she begins to wonder: Is this brilliant CEO marked for termination?  Or is he the one making a killing? 

To solve this case, Clare will have to bribe an NYPD bomb squad lieutenant; conjure up a menu for a "billionaire's potluck"; fix her daughter's love life; stop a Slayer while working with one; and stay alive while doing it.  

By the end of BILLIONAIRE BLEND, you'll have taken a trip with Clare to an exclusive millionaire's club, flown with her to a bohemian Paris neighborhood, visited some of the most intriguing coffee growing regions of the world - an uncovered the dark motives behind several murders.  

Because this is a "culinary" mystery, you will also have over 20 fantastic recipes to try in your own kitchen, including a list of Clare's secret off-the-menu coffeehouse drinks, as well as tasty foods enjoyed by the characters in the book, namely: 


Clare's Billionaire Bars
Baileys Irish Cream and Caramel Nut Fudge
Perfect Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Chocolate-Bottom Banana Bars
French Apple Cake Squares
Italian Beignets
Copycat Twinkie Cupcakes
Make your own Kahlua
Skillet Lasagna
"Coffee Hunter" Ugandan Stew
Crunchy Almond Biscotti (easy food processor method) 
Quesa Fundido (Mexican Hot Cheese Dip) and more... 

One last note for new readers: Although BILLIONAIRE BLEND is the 13th book in my Coffeehouse Mystery series - now celebrating ten years in print - you can read it as a stand-alone novel.  If you enjoy the characters, you can read more about them in the previous books.  


To download a free checklist of all 13 Coffeehouse Mysteries, in order, including brief story summaries, click here.  

And please feel free to friend me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CleoCoyle or sign up for my newsletter by writing an email that says "sign me up" and sending it to CoffeehouseMystery(at)gmail(dot)com

May you read with joy! 

~Cleo 


CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini.  Their latest mystery, BILLIONAIRE BLEND, earned a starred review from Kirkus, a "Top Pick" honor from RT Book Reviews, and this month Berkley is releasing the book in mass market paperback.  When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, Marvel, and MGM.  They live and work in New York City, where they not only write the bestselling Coffeehouse Mysteries but also the popular Haunted Bookshop Mysteries.  To learn more, and sign up for Cleo's newsletter, visit her website: www.CoffeehouseMystery.com.  


This is one of my absolute favorite cozy series!  I LOVE Clare and the Coffeehouse Mysteries, and Billionaire Blend was a wonderful treat.  It had all of the charm of a cozy with the excitement of a well plotted thriller.  It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading, and I simply could not put the book down. 

I love that Cleo writes her characters to be real people that could easily be someone you interact with on a regular basis.  It makes the stories so much more believable and enjoyable.  

If you're late to the Coffeehouse Mystery series, or you're looking for a new series to start, download the helpful checklist in Cleo's guest post, and get started reading.  You'll thank me (and her!) later.  

Rating: 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All conclusions reached are my own.  


Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Billionaire Blend by Cleo Coyle to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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Monday, August 18, 2014

Cozy Mystery Blog Tour: Author Guest Post, Review & Giveaway: Book Fair and Foul (Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery #4) by Erika Chase

For the mystery book lovers of Ashton Corners,
burial plots tell the most intriguing stories.


The members of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society are all chipping in as Molly Mathews, now owner of the bookstore the Book Nook, prepares the first annual Mystery Book Fair. While gossip circulates about the guest authors, club member Lizzie Turner is unpleasantly surprised to see a certain book publicist make an appearance. It seems Lizzie has a history with Ashley Dixon—a chapter of her life she’d rather leave closed.

But when someone gives Ashley a death sentence, Lizzie becomes the prime suspect in a murder mystery she can’t put down. Now Lizzie and her fellow book buffs have to read between the lines of the publicist’s past and catch the real killer before Lizzie is written off for good.



I can't believe that book #4 in the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries has been born.  It seems like just yesterday I was thrilled to hold the advance reading copy of the first book, A Killer Read in my hands.  That was quite a journey getting to that spot, something that has now been repeated three more times. 

Writers often say that the process is similar to giving birth.  It's true, especially if you're on a nine month cycle, as many are.  That's nine months to produce a completed manuscript, ready to go and in the hands of your editor on the appointed date.  

Those nine months are filled with highs and lows.  Starting with anticipation at producing something new, going on a journey with old friends and new motives.  You feel exhilarated.  Anything is possible and the future looks bright.  

Then come the lows, those times you think you won't be a good "mother", you're unable to grab onto that bright future, often called the time of writer's block.  This doesn't have to be a major occurrence of months like is often touted on writer's rescue sites.  Even one day of being unable to pick up the thread of your story and re-immerse your creative side can cause great trauma.  But this too will pass.  

So, you're back on track.  Eating healthy, getting enough sleep and proper exercise.  The creative juices are flowing and the end is within sight.  In fact, wait for it - you've finished the first draft.  Great excitement and relief.  However, that's the equivalent to false labor pains.  Get back to work.  It's not ready for the world.  

But, trust me, it does happen.  Several more drafts and the birthing process is complete.  Congratulations, it's a manuscript.  And this one you'll feel proud to send to your editor.  

And, just like giving birth, as soon as you've calmed down a bit and settled into a routine, you'll be wanting to start all over again.  And like any good mom, you'll have enough love all your output.  

Each book has held a special place in my heart.  While writing them, I've been drawn into a community of friends, now my friends, in a town that although fictitious, has also become real to me.  I look forward every time to revisiting this place, these people, and helping them sort through their lives.  And of course, the latest murder.  

My deepest wish is that the reader enjoys this journey as much as I do.  


Erika writes the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries for Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime. In a parallel life Erika Chase is also known as Linda Wiken. A former mystery bookstore owner (Prime Crime Books in Ottawa, ON, Canada), Linda is also a short story writer. She is a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies' Killing Circle.

Her short stories have appeared in the seven Ladies’ Killing Circle anthologies (three of which she co-edited), and in the magazines Mysterious Intent and Over My Dead Body. She has been short-listed for an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada.

Before life in the world of mystery, she worked as an advertising copywriter, radio producer, journalist and community education worker. Besides writing and reading mysteries, her other passion is choral singing and she is a member of two choirs.

She shares her house with Keesha and Mojo, her two Siamese cats. Actually, they allow her to live there.



Lizzie and her supporting cast of characters are just wonderful.  I love being able to sit in with their little group each time I pick up one of these books.  They're just... awesome.  

The story in Book Fair and Foul is fantastic.  It's the perfect storyline that readers can easily relate to, and it's quick pacing makes it exciting and fun!  The mystery is superb.  From the moment Lizzie gets herself caught up in the middle of the murder investigation of one of her old nemesis', it's impossible to put this book down! 

You can read this book as a stand-alone, but you'll want to treat yourself to the rest of the Ashton Corners Book Club series.  They're books that are simply to die for! :)  

Rating: 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All conclusions reached are my own.  

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Book Fair and Foul by Erika Chase to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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Release Blitz: Saving My Submission by Jenna Jacob


I never intended Joshua Lars, the sexy-as-sin sculptor to be more than a one-night stand. How was I to know his masterful hands and dominant command would wake the sleeping submissive within me? Any of my friends would have said that Mellie Carson was an independent, successful woman who would never kneel for a man. I’d already chalked my one foray into surrendering my control up to naïve stupidity. I was far too smart now to do it again—or so I thought. Then came Joshua… Determined to resist his powerful draw, I tried to forget him, but Fate—and a killer—had other plans. Now, in Joshua’s arms, I might be safe, but I fear my heart isn’t. Can he save my life while saving my submission?



Author of tantalizing BDSM Erotica Romance. She burns up the pages with her emotional true life sizzling stories of seduction, suspense and sexual splendor.
  
 
Jenna is giving away 5 Paperback copies - signed + swag of "Saving My Submission"
(When they become available - 2-3 weeks) US ONLY

 
TOUR SCHEDULE (STOP BY TO CHECK OUT INTERVIEWS AND EXTRAS FROM JENNA JACOB)

8/18/14

8/19/14

8/20/14

8/21/14

8/22/14
Carol Kittie Reviews

MORE BOOKS FROM JENNA JACOB

EmbracingMySubmission Jenna Cover Masters of My Desire Jenna Cover MASTEROFMYMIND JENNA Cover             The Young and The Submissive  Jenna Cover TheBoldAndTheDominant Jenna Cover        

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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Little Death by Roe Valentine

Little Death banner


Little Death coverLittle Death
By Roe Valentine

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Age category: Adult/Erotica
Release Date: 5 June, 2014

Blurb:
A grandiose ego pushes Mona MonDragon to pursue high school nerd turned gorgeous ballet dancer Ivan Boss. Unfortunately, her perceived sure-thing week of no-strings-attached sex isn’t so sure. Her ego takes a major hit when he not only rejects her but pretends he doesn’t know her. When she jumps through hoops to have him, she begins to question if what’s driving her to take such chances is something residual from childhood. Whether it is or not, all she knows is his wish is her desire.
Revenge drives Ivan Boss, and when the object of his hate comes back into his life after 10 years he battles the part of him that loves Mona with the part that wants her to pay for torturing him when he needed her most. The internal struggle heightens when he starts to see her as human, and he begins to question his ability to follow through with his ultimate revenge.

Little Death is a standalone novella with explicit language and sex with some light bondage. It has a Happily Ever After (HEA) ending.

You can find Little Death on Goodreads

You can buy Little Death here:
- Amazon (Kindle)
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Bookstrand


Roe Valentine was born into the right family. Not only does the name Valentine suit her, but her grandmother, unknowingly, introduced the young Ms. Valentine to her first romance novel. She hasn’t read anything else since. She calls herself a romantic at heart and believes that love conquerors all.
The San Antonio native, who now lives in Houston, attempted to write her first contemporary romance novel when she was nineteen years old. That attempt didn’t take, but her story has a happy ending. She kept pursuing the dream until she landed her first publishing contract in 2013.
When not busy writing or reading love stories, Roe can often be found in a yoga class or chatting with friends at her favorite coffee shop. Enjoying margaritas with some girl-talk isn’t unusual for her either. For a night in, she watches reruns of her favorite TV shows and, of course, romantic comedies on her Roku, usually with a glass of wine.

Roe Valentine also LOVES talking to readers. You can contact her in the following ways:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- E-mail: info@roevalentine.com

Little Death is a quick, steamy and wonderful read that can easily be finished in one sitting.  It's a beautiful, realistic story of two people who have had feelings for one another for years, and finally have the opportunity (and the confidence) to follow their hearts.

Aside from the surprisingly romantic storyline, it's also incredibly erotic and sexy.  It's definitely a great read for the summer, and will bring a smile to your face as you turn the very last page. 

Rating:  4.5 stars

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Little Death. You can win a $50 amazon gift card!

Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win:
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Friday, August 15, 2014

Cozy Mystery Blog Tour: Author Guest Post, Review & Giveaway: Murder in the Mystery Suite (A Book Retreat Mystery #1) by Ellery Adams

WHO WOULD RESORT TO MURDER?

Tucked away in the rolling hills of rural western Virginia is the storybook resort of Storyton Hall, catering to book lovers who want to get away from it all. To increase her number of bookings, resort manager Jane Steward has decided to host a Murder and Mayhem week so that fans of the mystery genre can gather together for some role-playing and fantasy crime solving.

But when the winner of the scavenger hunt, Felix Hampden, is found dead in the Mystery Suite, and the valuable book he won as his prize is missing, Jane realizes one of her guests is an actual murderer. Amid a resort full of fake detectives, Jane is bound and determined to find a real-life killer. There’s no room for error as Jane tries to unlock this mystery before another vacancy opens up.



A Day in the Live of a Storyton Hall Guest

Dear Honored Guest, 

Your journey to Storyton Hall begins at the train station.  The moment you alight from the train car, a man dressed in impeccable blue and gold livery will raise a placard bearing your name.  After collecting your luggage, your chauffeur will lead you to one of Storyton's fleet of vintage Rolls Royce sedans.  It looks like you'll be spending the forty-five minute drive to the resort in the luxurious comfort of a Silver Shadow.  While you gaze out the windows at the tree-covered hills and the endless blue sky, your driver will remind you of Storyton Hall's technology restrictions.  Because the resort caters to readers, we don't want anything to disturb the tranquility of the public areas, so you may only use cell phones, tablets, ereaders, or computers in the privacy of your room.  At first, this might cause you some anxiety, but you'll soon find that it's a boon to be able to leave the cares of your busy life behind for a spell. 

Ah, here comes your first glimpse of Storyton Hall now.  Do you see how magnificent it is?  How its central clock tower reaches toward the hills and its two long wings seem to reach out and out like a pair of arms opening to embrace you?  As for the sweeping expanse of front lawn, you might choose to play croquet on he Lewis Carroll lawn or stroll around back to Milton's Gardents.  But for now, kindly step into the manor's elegant lobby.  Note the high ceilings, brilliant chandeliers, and the numerous groupings of plush chairs and sofas.  But before you continue your tour, Mr. Butterworth, Storyton Hall's butler, would like to offer you a glass of champagne.  All of our guests are greeted in this manner.  Consider the bubbly just the beginning of the delightful surprises you'll discover during your stay.  

Once you've unpacked, perhaps you'd like to check out a book from the Henry James library and then make yourselves comfortable in the Jane Austen Parlor or the Daphne Du Maurier Sunroom.  Or, you could have a bite of lunch at Kipling's Cafe or the Madam Bovary Dining Room.  But don't overindulge, because we serve afternoon tea every day in the Agatha Christie Tea Room.  And believe me, you don't want to pass up Mrs. Hubbard's Victoria sponge, scones served with homemade jam and clotted cream, or her tantalizing tea sandwiches.  

And make sure you have enough energy for this evening.  We're opening the Murder and Mayhem Week here at Storyton Hall with a costume ball.  I hope you're prepared to dress up as your favorite detective.  Of course, I won't be able to tell who's who tonight.  With all the Miss Marples, Hercule Poirots, and the Tommy and Tuppences, a guest could get away with murder and I'd never know it!  

One last word of caution: Storyton Hall is a paradise for readers, but like many old houses, it has its own secrets.  In fact, there's an entire library hidden in a fireproof, temperature-controlled room in the highest turret.  The treasures housed within this room could be called the Eighth Wonder of the World.  So valuable are they, that many a person has come to Storyton Hall bent of stealing them.  If you intend to commit a nefarious act, I must warn you: those of us who live and work here not quite what we seem, and we will stop at nothing to protect our guests, our property, and our secrets.  

Enjoy your stay!
Yours truly, 
James Steward, Guardian of Storyton Hall


Ellery Adams grew up on a beach near the Long Island Sound. Having spent her adult life in a series of landlocked towns, she cherishes her memories of open water, violent storms, and the smell of the sea.

Ms. Adams has held many jobs including caterer, retail clerk, car salesperson, teacher, tutor, and tech writer, all the while penning poems, children’s books, and novels. She now writes full-time from her home in Virginia.



I love Ellery Adams.  Every book she writes, she turns in to gold.  In Murder in the Mystery Suite, she introduces us to a whole new world and a brand new, very well-rounded cast of characters.  

The setting is something I'd LOVE to experience.  A resort for book lovers - with everything themed around books, their genres, and so on and so forth.  The story itself reads like an Agatha Christie novel and is fast-paced with twists and turns to keep you guessing.  

For a first book in a series, it's phenomenal.  I couldn't get enough of Storyton Hall and the characters that filled it.  I cannot wait to see what else is in store in the (hopefully many!) books to come.  

Rating: 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All conclusions reached are my own.  


Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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Thursday, August 14, 2014

Cozy Mystery Blog Tour: Author Guest Post, Review & Giveaway: Death by Devil's Breath (A Chili Cook-Off Mystery #2) by Kylie Logan

Cold-blooded murder can be hot as hell…

In Las Vegas, the stakes are high—and so is the Scoville scale. Maxie Pierce and the Chili Showdown are in town for a very heated contest devoted to judging the legendary and notorious-for-being-self-combustible Devil’s Breath chili. The guest judges are casino performers with a taste for chili and an eye for publicity.

Maxie is already going mad organizing the event, dealing with her snide half sister, Sylvia, and trying to figure out her hothead of security, Nick. But when a local hack comedian drops dead in the middle of the Showdown, it isn’t the spicy dish—it’s poison. And Maxie is going to have to shuffle through a full deck of suspects to pick out the culprit.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES!



There's no month steamier than August, no town hotter than Las Vegas and nothing on the planet as spicy as Devil's Breath chili! 

It's the perfect combination, especially since the second book in my Chili Cook-Off mystery series, DEATH BY DEVIL'S BREATH, hit store shelves on August 5th.  

Once again, Maxie Pierce and the band of pepper purveyors, bean sellers, chili aficionados and hot sauce honchos who make up the Chili Showdown are on the road, and after the trouble they got into in Taos ("Chili Con Carnage"), they're hoping for a little R&R in Sin City.  Knowing that over-the-top is never over-the-top enough in Vegas, the Showdown has scheduled it's hotly (pun intended!) awaited Devil's Breath chili contest for the first morning of the show.  The regional winners are set with bowls of the spiciest of the spicy, and the contest is going to be judged by local celebrity performers.  

It's perfect.  Or at least it would be if comedian Dicky Dunkin didn't fall over dead in his bowl of Devil's Breath.  

With another murder on her hands and a mysterious person from her past plaguing her, Maxie doesn't waste any time jumping into the case and she encounters a host of suspects including Dickie's fellow performers: 

There's Hermosa (one name, like Cher, but without the looks or the talent) who says she was in love with Dickie, and fails to mention that lately, there's been serious trouble in Paradise.  

And jazzman Yancy Harris who has his own secrets to keep.  Secrets Dickie threatened to expose. 

Then there's lousy magician, The Great Osborn, who's trying to compete for Hermosa's affections and even Linda Love, owner of the largest wedding chapel in Vegas.  

If all that wasn't enough to get Maxie into big time trouble, somebody's sabotaging the Chili Chick costume she wears to dance out from the Hot-Cha Chili Seasoning Palace and entire buyers inside.  

Hot?  Oh year, Vegas is plenty hot.  And Maxie is about to find out that Devil's Breath chili is just the tip of one peppery iceberg! 




This clever series has me hooked.  It's smart, spicy and always so exciting!  Death by Devil's Breath is the second book in the series, and it's set in the always alluring Las Vegas.  What a fantastic setting for such a unique theme!  The eclectic group of judges and guests at the chili contest are just to die for, and Maxie and her entourage of characters are just as delightful as they were in the first book, Chili con Carnage.  

The story is fast-paced and the chili makes your mouth water (there are recipes included!).  I've loved the first two books and I'm so looking forward to the third.  I hope it's just as sassy!  

Rating: 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All conclusions reached are my own.  


Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Death by Devil's Breath by Kylie Logan to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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