Lori Foster winner announced!

Good evening, ladies!  The winner of a Lori Foster Kindle or Nook book is Luella Freese! Congratulations, Luella - I'll be emailing you in a moment to get your book choice.  Remember, your choices are WHEN YOU DARE, TRACE OF FEAR, or SAVOR THE DANGER, from Lori's Men Who Walk The Edge of Honor series.
Thanks to all who commented - I always enjoy finding out what everyone else's favorites are!  Lots of Dare, Noah and Grace fans out there!
Huge thanks to Lori for allowing me to read and review A PERFECT STORM for you!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Laurie

Coming soon from Lori Foster, A PERFECT STORM - there's a giveaway!

My good friend Lori Foster has a new book, A PERFECT STORM, releasing in a couple of weeks and trust me, you'll want to get your hands on it! 

He never saw her coming…
Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.
Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero….
You'll find an excerpt and ordering info here.
My review:
When Spencer Lark is assigned to protect Arizona Storm as she offers herself up as bait for a vicious group of human traffickers, he tries to keep distance between him and the much-younger Arizona, despite an undeniable attraction.  Arizona knows human trafficking first-hand after she herself was a victim.
Spencer admires Arizona’s resilience and strength, despite her heartbreaking past. Arizona regrets her past more than anyone will ever know, but she’s used it as a learning experience, serving to make her ever stronger and capable of taking care of herself.
I think you’d be hard pressed to find a romance reader who hasn’t read Lori Foster. I’m just one of many readers who has enjoyed Lori’s work for years.  Her voice is strongly unique.  Her characters are capable and unashamedly bold, especially when it comes to passion. No need to be explicit when you can sensually explore and capture beautiful emotion.
In A PERFECT STORM, Lori tackles the topic of human trafficking head-on, shining a light on brutally painful truths, while sparing readers graphic details.
A PERFECT STORM is a wonderfully written continuation of Lori Foster’s Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series. Catching up with characters from previous titles is like coming home.  I recommend this series to all readers who appreciate well-written romance.

To celebrate Lori's upcoming release, I'm offering one reader their choice of a Kindle or Nook version of one of the three previous books in this series, WHEN YOU DARE, TRACE OF FEAR, or SAVOR THE DANGER. Just leave a comment about your favorite Lori Foster book, your favorite cover, character, etc.  I'll draw the winning name on Friday, March 16th, so be sure and check back.  If you think you might forget to check back, feel free to leave your email addy with your comment.
Thank you for checking out A PERFECT STORM, and a big thank you to Lori for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book for you!
Laurie

The Janice Maynard book winner!!

It's Michelle B!  Congratulations, Michelle!  Thanks to everyone who commented.  I guarantee no disappointments with Janice's latest series.  I cannot wait for the next installment!
I hope you're all having a great weekend!
Laurie

The winner of the Christy Reece books is ....

Lisa F!  Congratulations, Lisa!  Thanks to everyone who commented - I hope you'll all check out Ms. Reece's work because she has an exceptional talent for romantic suspense.

Loving me some Janice Maynard! Your chance to win one of her books!

Author Janice Maynard has a new series, The Men of Wolff Mountain, that started in January with INTO HIS PRIVATE DOMAIN.

This book tells a uniquely powerful, riveting story from the very start. Gracie is a sweet young woman and while amnesia storylines aren’t usually my cup of tea, she possesses an innocence and vulnerability that mesh to make her condition believable without making her irritating or weak. I’ll admit that it took me a while to warm to Gareth. My issue with him? I think it was that he acted like a real man rather than your typical romance hero. His statements of disbelief at Gracie’s amnesia were brutally honest, sometimes bordering on cruel. I think most males with his childhood and history would react similarly and he soon began to grow on me as their story progressed.
Gareth values the quiet solitude of his home on his family’s mountain. When that solitude is interrupted by a beautiful trespasser, he doubts her alleged amnesia and her motives. Despite those doubts, Gareth has to admit that her actions are much stronger than those pesky doubts. Gareth’s family has had a painful, troubled past and his distrust is understandable.
Gracie Darlington works for her father in his art gallery and has come to Wolff Mountain on a mission of some sort, but after falling off Gareth’s porch and striking her head, she has no recollection of what or why. It is obvious that Gareth’s family is extremely wealthy, but she doesn’t understand the reason for their reclusiveness. Gareth is mysterious and private and Gracie is helpless in escaping his razor-sharp charm. When truths are eventually revealed, it’s clear that Gareth’s distrust was well-founded and it appears that their relationship may not be strong enough to survive.
Janice Maynard’s characters are always realistic and she never fails to make family dynamics emotionally charged and desires sizzling and heated. This first book in her “Men of Wolff Mountain” series hits a reader’s home run and I can’t wait for the next installment, A TOUCH OF PERSUASION, coming in March!
Thanks, Janice, for allowing me to read and review the start of this bright new series for you – it was truly my privilege.

The second book in this series is A TOUCH OF PERSUASION and Kieran Wolff and Olivia Delgado are the hero and heroine. Kieran and Olivia met in college in Great Britain and had a brief but intensely heated affair. Kieran was Olivia's first lover and when he suddenly disappeared, she could not track down the young man she knew as "Kevin." Discovering she was pregnant by this seemingly unknown man who had deserted her, Olivia returned home heartbroken. By the time she learned his true identity, enough time had passed that Olivia decided against notifying him. Olivia's six year old daughter, Cammie, has enough love and attention from her mother and from Olivia's beloved and world-renowned actor and actress parents. The last thing she ever expected was for Kieran to discover Cammie's existence and show up on her doorstep demanding to see his daughter. Olivia fears she won't be able to resist Kieran, but when vicious threats against her mother by a crazed fan begin to escalate, she is intelligent enough to know that she and Cammie will be safest at the Wolf family compound in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Will she and Kieran be abled to maintain civility for their young daughter's sake or will the mistrust resulting from the way their relationship ended be enough to make renewing that relationship unrealistic?
Kieran Wolff's emotions are in a shambles and he can barely focus enough to collect his thoughts to confront Olivia. When he goes to her, he's once again struck by her natural beauty and grace and finds it difficult to hold onto the anger running through him.  That anger is softened even more when he is faced with the pain Olivia suffered by his disappearance. Increasing theats against Olivia's family have him insisting that she and Cammie come with him to Wolff Mountain and the castle his family calls home. Kieran's realization that he did Olivia a grave injustice in abandoning her, but can't help but be angered at her decision, after discovering his true identity, to not seek him out. His adult life has been spent traveling the world, constantly on the go. Will he be able to change direction, being there for Olivia and Cammie? Will he realize in time that asking Olivia to adjust her life and move with him to Wolff Mountain permanently is only fair if he himself makes the same concession to stay home and commit himself to their relationship.
I never fail to finish any book by Janice Maynard without a satisfied sigh. Kieran and Olivia are former lovers and neither has been able to find contentment with anyone else. Sometimes a child is a hindrance in a romance. Not so with Cammie. She's written realistically by someone who obviously knows little girls. Her actions and behaviors are spot-on for a child of her age.
A TOUCH OF PERSUASION has my highest recommendation for all romance lovers. If you haven't read series romance for a while or have found them to be unbelievable or silly, I'm certain you will be pleasantly surprised at what this line has to offer these days.
Although not necessary as this book stands competently on its own, you will likely find more enjoyment if you read INTO HIS PRIVATE DOMAIN first. I'm looking forward to the next book in Ms. Maynard's Men of Wolff Mountain series!
Now the giveaway - I have a print copy of INTO HIS PRIVATE DOMAIN up for grabs. Leave a comment here about the Desire line, series romance in general, Janice's books, characters, covers, etc.  I'll draw the winner on Friday, March 2nd.  Thanks again, Janice! Good luck readers!
Laurie

Oh how sweet it is! SWEET REVENGE and SWEET REWARD from Christy Reece - win a copy of each!

I have to admit that I jumped on the Christy Reece train a little late. I thought I was starting at the beginning of a new series only to find that I was halfway in.  I decided to hang on and read to the end and then go back and catch the three books that I had missed. If you are a romantic suspense fan like me and haven't read Christy Reece then all I can say is now is the time to get to know her work.  I was fortunate enough to snag these two books for Romance Junkies review and I was happy dancing until I read the very last page. Check them out:

Christy Reece is truly one of the masters when it comes to writing romantic suspense.  SWEET REVENGE is a prime example of her expertise.

After Jamie Kendrick was abducted by one maniac and then sold to another, Dylan Savage of Last Chance Rescue rescues her. Determined to take her life back, Jamie looks to Noah McCall at LCR for physical training in order to seek revenge. The last thing she expected was for Dylan to be assigned to train her. As her training and abilities intensify, so does her attraction to Dylan, just as the matchmaking Noah anticipated.
Dylan can’t believe he’s stuck training Jamie, but with her dogged determination she’s made it clear that she’ll seek revenge with or without LCR’s assistance.  He’s amazed that with all of the tragedies in her life that Jamie has the fortitude to train day after grueling day.  The physical attraction between them becomes too strong to deny or resist, but it isn’t long before Dylan decides that he’s not good enough for Jamie.  He intentionally and cruelly destroys their budding relationship. Imagining her feeling broken and failed, Dylan could never have predicted that Jamie would continue on her own. When Dylan finds her in the presence of the madman who captured her in the first place, he’s more frightened than he’s ever been in his life.
This is the eighth book in Ms. Reece’s Last Chance Rescue series and while you would think a series would begin to wane and become repetitive after so many books, this one continues to be fresh and powerfully intense. The suspense is gripping and the passion truly sizzles. Characters are realistic and perfectly imperfect. I strongly recommend this book and all previous installments in the series. If you enjoy well-written romantic suspense, you absolutely must acquaint yourself with Christy Reece’s work.




Once again, Christy Reece gives readers an intense, passionately sensual romantic suspense with SWEET REWARD. This book, and the entire series, is pure romantic suspense gold.

Jared Livingston, working for Last Chance Rescue, an unstoppable group that rescues kidnap victims, is more than a little surprised when his ex-wife and her husband contact him about finding their kidnapped baby girl. Jared still feels responsible for the failure of his marriage and can’t refuse his ex-wife’s request for his help. Jared had a violent, abusive childhood and as a result is a deeply troubled man. When he is paired with Mia Ryker, formerly with LCR but now running her own rescue business, he is not happy and doesn’t hesitate to let her know. As more babies are kidnapped, it becomes apparent that this is a widespread, very sophisticated kidnapping ring.

Because Mia knows their sole suspect as a family friend, she feigns an attraction to him in an attempt to gain his trust so she can search his home. As Mia’s attraction to Jared grows and their relationship intensifies, the more she is repulsed by the increasingly intimate advances of their suspect. The  stakes and the danger rise drastically the deeper Mia gets with the suspect and Jared’s purpose grows to encompass tracking the missing children, exposing the bad guys, and keeping Mia alive.  
This entire series has been suspenseful and is packed with heated passions; SWEET REWARD is no exception. Mia and Jared are total opposites, and an attraction between them seems unlikely in the beginning. Watching their relationship blossom and deepen is a real pleasure. An abundance of action and danger make a rich, strong story and rounds out the required elements of a well-written romantic suspense.  SWEET REWARD gets a stamp of approval and a high recommendation from me.

As readers here know, I get Kindle versions of all of my favorite books, and these two are already on my Kindle. That means I have my review copies and would like to share them with one lucky winner here.  Leave a comment to be entered. I really would like to know if you're familiar with Ms. Reece's work. If so, what is your favorite book, favorite characters, setting, etc.  If you've not read any of her books, which are you most intrigued by? I'll pull the winning name on Tuesday, February 28th.  Good luck, everyone! Reviews of recent/upcoming books from Janice Maynard with another giveaway coming right up, so check back soon!
Laurie

CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT - new from Jules Bennett (w/a giveaway)

UPDATE! The giveaway winner is Cindi - congratulations, Cindi! I'll email you to get your book and bookstore choice.
Thanks to all who commented - I always love to hear what books everyone else is interested in. If you're not familiar with Jules Bennett - from one romance reader to another - I urge you to get your hands on her work ASAP!
Have a great weekend!

CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT, the latest Harlequin Desire release from author  Jules Bennett, is a beautifully written book. I admit that the Desire and Presents lines from Harlequin are a guilty pleasure of mine. What about you? Do you enjoy them? I don’t buy every single one, but tend to read them in clusters.  I’ll read several in a row, then turn back to the darker, edgier romantic suspense that I love so much before coming back for more!

Jules was kind enough to give me an early copy of CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT and once I started reading, I devoured it. I have a feeling that you will do the same thing!

My review:
Mia Spinelli loves her new position as PA to the famously well-known and much-loved actress Olivia Dane. Olivia is the sweetheart of Hollywood and Mia finds her a true pleasure to work for. Putting her former employer and the rumors that she was the lover behind his troubled marriage behind her, Mia is especially thankful for the opportunity to work for Olivia. Now Olivia’s son, Bronson, is another story. His obvious distrust because of her former employer, whom Bronson despises, is more than a little troublesome to Mia. There’s no denying the sparks between them though, and when Mia turns up pregnant, those sparks and every other emotion burn even hotter. And if things aren't complicated enough, Mia knows a secret about the Dane family that, if found out, would set all of Hollywood back on its heels.

Bronson doesn't trust Mia one iota, but can’t deny that she’s got him twisted into knots. His mother’s fondness of Mia doesn’t make things any easier. He doesn’t want to believe that the baby she’s carrying is his, but there is an air of caring and vulnerability about her that makes him question whether she would lie about something so serious.

Jules Bennett has a real flair for writing characters with style and class. Mia is adorable and watching the seemingly cold-hearted Bronson take a fall for her is a real treat. The glitz and glamour of Hollywood is a fabulous backdrop for this story. I strongly recommend CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT to all romance readers.

The giveaway? I’ll give one lucky reader a Kindle or Nook version of one book from Jules’s Desire backlist. Check out her website and leave a comment with a couple of titles that you’re interested in.  I’ll draw the winning name on Friday, February 17. You can either provide your email with your comment or check back to see if you’re the winner, it’s up to you – but if you don’t leave an email address, be sure to come back.
Thanks for checking out CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT and special thanks to Jules for allowing me to read and review this one for you!

"Weigh in" on Paula Deen's Type 2 Diabetes announcement

A blog post appearing on Twitter this afternoon has prompted me to post on this topic as well.  I loved Paula Deen to bits when she first came on the "cooking" scene. We've even been to her restaurant a couple of times and I wanted so badly to someday get to go to her live audience show. She began to lose appeal once she attained fame and fortune and became shrouded in a falseness that I did/do not enjoy. Her belly laughs became cackles and calling her guests, including her sons by their names or son every single time she speaks to them was also grating.
Now I have another, more serious, reason to dislike her. She was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes three years ago. Three years. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike her for this - I too have Type 2 Diabetes, diagnosed about 7 or 8 years ago. What I absolutely hate is that she waits this long to make the announcement while she gets her ducks in a row (she phrased it another way, I can't recall exactly, same diff), in other words, while she's making book deals, new television show/tour deals, and pharmaceutical company representation deals, all the while continuing to (mostly) push unhealthy cooking (there have been occasional healthy changes made to some of her recipes). I realize that most people watching realize that you have to eat that way in moderation and that common sense tells you that you cannot eat like that day in and day out.  But there are some people out there NOT intelligent or informed enough to not assume that because this is what Paula does, they'll do it to - at the risk of their health. Was this delay fair to them?  No, it wasn't.
While I'm all about celebrities and television personalities having their privacy, she has made multi-millions of dollars off her fans and I personally feel that she owed it to them to be upfront a little earlier on.
What do you think? Am I being bitchy and small?

RGINA HART WINNER!

Sorry I'm late again, ladies, but this time my internet connection is to blame. We had cable/internet issues all evening and I finally gave up.  The winner of the Kindle copy of FAST BREAK is Lynda!  Lynda, please email me at ljodamron@gmail.com with the email address I should use for your ebook!
Thanks to everyone for your interest.  I truly hope you'll get your hands on Regina/Patricia's books - I promise you won't be disappointed.
Have a great weekend and if you're in a cold weather area like I am, stay warm and be careful on those snow covered roads!
Laurie

Brand spankin' new from Regina Hart - SMOOTH PLAY! Check out the giveaway!

The second release in Regina Hart's Brooklyn Monarchs series is now available and I'm suggesting that you run, don't walk, to get your hands on a copy.  This series had an excellent beginning with FAST BREAK and will continue with a third release, although I don't recall the title or proposed release date.

About SMOOTH PLAY:

A passion for the game is what it takes to win. But off the court, it takes a different kind of savvy to heat things up. . .
He's part problem-solver and dream-maker. There's not a crisis he can't avert. And handling the NBA's most explosive team has put PR ace Troy Marshall at the top of his game. It also gives him a chance to give back to the community. But one determined reporter is messing with his flow. And he'll need way more than skill and charm to win this tempting one-on-one. . .
Andrea Benson's instincts tell her that something major is going on behind-the-scenes with this franchise. And a headline story is the only way she can regain the career and good name she let slip away. But Troy's sincerity is throwing her for an unexpected--and very seductive--loop. Can they trust each other enough to uncover the truth. . .or will too many secrets be their breaking point?

My thoughts:

This book focuses on slick PR rep Troy Marshall, determined to sidestep sports reporter Andrea Benson's head-on directness and keep any and all negativity surrounding the Monarchs under wraps. Andrea proves to be strongly determined to get what she wants. It isn't long before what Troy and Andrea want goes beyond the game of basketball and the truth behind issues plaguing the team may prove too much for the relationship they both long for.

Regina Hart, aka Patricia Sargeant, obviously pours her heart and soul into each and every book she writes. Her characters are incredibly realistic and setting descriptions draw you into every conversation and scene.

Interested?  You should be! Here's a link to Amazon so you can order your own copy!
In the meantime, I'm offering up a Kindle version of the first book in this series, FAST BREAK, to get your started.  I'll keep it simple, ok? Simply leave a comment and you'll be entered.  I'll let the giveaway run until this Friday, January 13th. No superstitions here - someone will be lucky on the 13th! Remember, a Kindle is not required in order to enjoy a Kindle version of a book - check out the Amazon site for the many different ways you can enjoy a Kindle book.
Here's a blurb for FAST BREAK:
It’s 24/7 money, fame, and game on-and off-the court. But the real action is behind the scenes in Regina Hart’s sizzling new pro b-ball series, where the stakes are everything and winning means playing for keeps…
He’s a two-time MVP and three-time championship winner. He lives to be the best. And now that he’s a first-time coach, DeMarcus Guinn will lead the NBA’s worst team to the top his way-or no way at all. But the team’s fiery franchise owner, Jaclyn Jones, is fighting him at every turn. And their unexpectedly seductive one-on-one is the kind of game time he can’t resist…
Turning her family’s team into winners is Jaclyn’s only hope of saving them and her community. She’s used to being in control, but DeMarcus’ determination-and the way he makes her feel-are like no moves she’s ever seen. And with everything they care about on the line, they’ll have to play to win … or lose their hearts.
Huge thanks to Regina/Patricia for allowing me an early look at SMOOTH PLAY - I hope you'll all check out this wonderfully talented author!
Laurie