BookTrib's Romance Awareness Month Giveaway!

Many will swoon over this week’s BookTrib giveaway!

To kick off Romance Awareness Month,

they’ll be featuring 24 different romance novels and love stories that’ll go to one lucky winner.

Enter from now until August 8 for a chance to win all of these titles in their romance box! 

Click the pic to enter! Good luck!

BookTrib Harlequin Holiday Romance Giveaway!

Many will swoon over this week’s BookTrib giveaway:

20 different Harlequin romances to one lucky winner!

As part of BookTrib's Holiday Giveaway,

they will be gifting a box of 20 books, matching various themes,

each week to one lucky winner through the month of December.

Like what you see?

Enter from now to December 13th

for a chance to win all of these titles in their romance box! 

Click here to enter!

Blog Tour Review: Breathless by Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan

From the Back Cover:

She was "the Swan." London's premiere courtesan. Men want to be with her. Women loathe her success and yet admire her beauty, her riches, her independence. But when the jealous wife of her lover moves to have the Swan banished from her home on the high seas, she winds up crashed against Spain's rocky coast with no shoes, no clothes—and no name. Taken in by a tortured, sensuous man known as The Artist, the Swan comes to know the woman she wants to be—her artist's siren.

When Art Professor Brenna Anderson is in danger of losing her post at Harvard, the rule-following, prim professor is at a loss of how to salvage the shreds of her life. But when a new painting in the mysterious Siren collection is discovered in a dusty old house in France, Brenna does the unthinkable—hops on a plane to uncover the identity of the beautiful, enigmatic woman who is the subject of the paintings.

There's just one hitch—the frustrating, irritating, bold and beautiful art hunter, Fitch Wilder, is also looking for the Siren. He's been a thorn in Brenna's professional side for years, but when their individual quests lead them to team up despite being enemies, a whole new sumptuous world of art and culture opens up for the two of them. And with it, they enter a realm of passion and love…

My Thoughts:

I signed up to review Breathless on impulse and then chastised myself because I needed another review commitment like I need a hole in my head, but I'm so glad I did! This will end up being one of my favorite books of the year. I'm not going to delve much into plot because the blurb does a good job of teasing you and I want everybody to be able to discover the story for themselves and savor every minute of it, like I did.

I was instantly drawn into the story with the discovery of a painting in an old Paris apartment by a handsome hunk of a cowboy who has a passion for art. Fitch's sense of amazement and excitement at finding an unknown painting in the famous Siren series was palpable, and I loved how the story of the Swan (aka the Siren) and her lover, the Artist, was teased out as Brenna and Fitch hunted down clues to her identity in the hopes of finding more paintings. And I loved watching enemies turn to lovers as these two became so wrapped up in the mystery, in the adventure, and in each other.

It's rare that I end up liking both the past and present storylines equally in a book with dual timelines. Usually the balance tips in favor of the past, but in this case I really enjoyed reading both. In both storylines the heroine is forced to reinvent herself, and I thought the Swan's rediscovery of herself particularly poignant. In order to find herself again, she had to lose everything, including her memories.

One of the best aspects of this book is the setting. Barcelona and the Catalonia coast are so atmospheric and so central to the story that the setting becomes a character itself. The lush descriptions of architecture, scenery, the simple yet delicious food, the infectious joie de vivre of the locals, the music, the dancing . . . well let's just say I HAVE to visit that region now!

There are a few little things I could quibble about in regards to the story, but I so thoroughly enjoyed it, was so swept away by the ambiance and the mystery, and was so battered by the emotional wringer (seriously, I sobbed buckets; no spoilers, but be prepared for the absolute unfairness of fate before the happily ever after) that those quibbles aren't worth detailing.

I could not put this book down, wanting desperately to see how it would all play out yet not wanting it to end. I savored the mystery and the love stories and completely lost myself in Catalonia. Breathless is a fabulous reading experience for fans of romance, art, history, and the heady magic of the Mediterranean.

My Rating:  5 Stars out of 5

Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Powells

GIVEAWAY!

Blog Tour Review: The Innkeeper's Sister by Linda Goodnight

From the Back Cover:

Welcome to Honey Ridge, Tennessee, where Southern hospitality and sweet peach tea beckon, and where long-buried secrets lead to some startling realizations

Grayson Blake always has a purpose and never a moment to lose. He's come home to Honey Ridge to convert a historic gristmill into a restaurant, but his plans crumble like Tennessee clay when the excavation of a skeleton unearths a Civil War mystery and leads him back to a beautiful and familiar stranger.

Once a ballet dancer, now co-owner of the Peach Orchard Inn, Valery Carter harbors pain as deep as the secrets buried beneath the mill. A bright facade can't erase her regrets any more than a glass of bourbon can restore what she's lost. But spending time with Grayson offers Valery a chance to let go of her past and imagine a happier future. And with the discovery of hidden messages in aged sheet music, both their hearts begin to open. Bound by attraction, and compelled to resolve an old crime that links the inn and the mill, Grayson and Valery encounter a song of hurt, truth, and hope. 

My Thoughts:

The Honey Ridge trilogy revolves around an old Tennessee farmhouse that has been converted into an inn and two families that have inhabited it: the Portlands in the nineteenth century and the Carters in the present day. Each book is presented in dual timeline format. The Portlands are presented during and after the Civil War, when the house was used as a Union hospital, and then as the South tried to put itself back together only to fall on hard times again with the crash of 1873. The Carters are a family still reeling from the disappearance of Julia's son, Mikey, from divorce, and from another dark secret that Valery, Julia's sister, has been holding close for many years. Each family copes with similar events--tragedy, hardship, relationship drama--and while their stories don't mirror each other completely, there are enough similarities and lasting consequences to form a connection. However, the Carters have a little help in dealing with their troubles since the spirits of the Portlands still inhabit the Peach Orchard Inn. They are friendly spirits whose calming influence helps ease heavy hearts and whose little nudges help the Carters piece together the history of the inn and find true love.

This final book focuses on Valery, the youngest Carter sister. Over the years she has earned a reputation as a party girl. She struggles with inner demons that drive her to drink away her pain, though in the process she ends up letting herself and her family down. When a boy from her youth returns to Honey Ridge, all grown up and ready to renovate the old gristmill across the road into a fancy restaurant, Valery discovers that there are still good men in the world, and though Grayson Blake is her polar opposite, she's never wanted to be so worthy of someone. Grayson had a crush on Valery as a teenager, but an illness robbed him of his youthful innocence and put him on the path of strictly regimented projects and timelines, both in business and in his personal life. But Valery turns his carefully constructed world upside down, and he finds himself wanting to live a little, to let go a little, and wonder if the future has something far different in mind for him than he'd imagined--if only Valery would open up to him and let him help her.

When excavation at the mill uncovers a skeleton dating to the Civil War, while at the same time Grayson discovers secret codes in sheet music composed by Patience Portland, one of the inn's earlier inhabitants, a mystery ensues, one that Valery and Grayson enjoy solving together with the help of a mysterious old man who seems to know much more than should be humanly possible. Back in 1875, Ben Portland, the new owner of the inn, is seeking to correct an old injustice, and in the process uncovers a dark family secret, one that could mean the ruination of his beloved aunt--and one that still has repercussions in the present day. As Valery realizes the similarities between her own story and that of Patience, she must come to terms with her own dark secret and find the strength to let it go if she ever wants a chance at happiness.

Blog Tour Review: Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

From the Back Cover:

Trick…or wicked treat! 

It was a devastating dirty trick—Joey Silvia just found out her boyfriend of two years is married. What. A. Dick. Joey knows her best chance to get over one guy is to get under another. Of course, heading home to her family's remote cabin in Oregon poses some challenges in the "available men" department…until she discovers this cabin comes with its own hot handyman! 

Holy crap, Chris Steffensen. When did her brother's best friend turn into a hard-bodied pile of blond-bearded hotness? He's the perfect Halloween treat—and a surprisingly dirty rebound guy. For a couple of weeks, anyway. Except that Chris has other ideas…like proving to Joey that this blast from the past is a whole lot more than a naughty Halloween hookup.

My Thoughts:

I was in the mood for a fall-themed romance, and as far as atmosphere goes, Her Halloween Treat delivered perfectly. Rainy, misty, chilly Oregon, emerald evergreens with splotches of brilliant autumn color, a rustic mountain lake cabin remodeled with all the amenities a girl could want, including a handsome handyman, and capped off by a Halloween costume wedding? Yeah, that hit the spot. The back cover copy does a pretty good job of summing up the plot of this shortish novel of friends to lovers on the rebound, so I'm just going to go right into telling you what I thought of it.

In the end, I liked it, though there were some aspects that I wasn't so crazy about. While I'm all about sexy romances, this one could have used a little more development of the relationship outside of bed. Especially considering that Joey just had a devastating break-up from a two-year relationship. To believe she fell in love with someone else two weeks later, as sweet and sexy as Chris is, I needed to see more interaction that didn't involve having sex, talking about sex, or thinking about sex. And speaking of sex, the sex scenes in this story dragged on way too long, every single movement and action described in minute detail. I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good sex scene as much as anyone else, but carrying on for thirty pages? I need more story to go along with the sex. And while I loved the witty banter out of bed, I was not so much a fan of it in bed. Dirty talk during the act? I like it. Jokes? Not so much.

But I enjoyed the setting and the characters--especially Chris, and I loved the 80s and 90s music and movie references. I don't think I had ever read a Halloween romance before now, and it's a holiday that's probably underserved in the genre. Despite my quibbles, I still found Her Halloween Treat a fun and atmospheric read for a fall afternoon, with a sweet ending that satisfied the romantic in me.

Blog Tour Excerpt: Sunrise Crossing by Jodi Thomas

SUNRISE CROSSING

by Jodi Thomas

Harlequin; August 30, 2016

$7.99 U.S.; 384 Pages

ISBN-978-0-373-78930-6

Return to peaceful Crossroads, Texas, where community comes first and love thrives in the unlikeliest places… 

Yancy Grey is slowly putting his life back together after serving time for petty theft. As he rebuilds an old house, he finally has a sense of stability, but he can't stop thinking of himself as just an ex-con. Until one night, he finds a mysterious dark-haired beauty hiding in his loft. But who is she, and what secret is she protecting? 

The art gallery Parker Lacey manages is her life—she has no time for friends, and certainly not lovers. But when her star artist begs Parker for help, she finds herself in a pickup truck, headed for the sleepy town of Crossroads. A truck driven by a strong, silent cowboy… 

Gabe Snow has been a drifter since he left Crossroads at seventeen after a violent incident. When he accepts a job in his hometown, he'll have to decide whether he can put the worst night of his life behind him and build a future in the community that raised him.

Praise for Jodi Thomas:

“I love the depth Jodi Thomas brings to her characters, and the chance we have to see them developing over a period of time. It makes for very satisfying reading. Some relationship angst, some mystery and danger, a long time quest to be fulfilled. Great mix of a story.”
—Goodreads Reviews

“Thomas weaves each character’s story together into one great tale that is sure to keep you reading late into the night!”
—Amazon Reviews

“Thomas is a wonderful storyteller, and her latest offering is a great example of her work—a tender and sweet story of romance. Readers will have their heartstrings gently tugged as the featured characters find their way to one another.”
—RT Book Reviews

Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

Flight

January 2012
LAX

VICTORIA VILANIE CURLED into a ball, trying to make herself small, trying to disappear. Her black hair spread around her like a cape but couldn’t protect her.

All the sounds in the airport were like drums playing in a jungle full of predators. Carts with clicking wheels rolling on pitted tiles. People shuffling and shouting and complaining. Electronic voices rattling off numbers and destinations. Babies crying. Phones ringing. Winter’s late storm pounding on walls of glass.

Victoria, Tori to her few friends, might not be making a sound, but she was screaming inside.

Tears dripped off her face, and she didn’t bother to wipe them away. The noise closed in around her, making her feel so lonely in the crowd of strangers.

She was twenty-four, and everyone said she was a gifted artist. Money poured in so fast it had become almost meaningless, only a number that brought no joy. But tonight all she wanted was silence, peace, a world where she could hide out.

Spotlight: Lone Star Nights by Delores Fossen

Lone Star Nights

by Delores Fossen

Series: The McCord Brothers (Book 2)

On Sale May 31, 2016

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: HQN Books

No strings attached is pretty much Lucky McCord’s calling card in Spring Hill, Texas, but when family is on the line, this cowboy’s honor and heart are about to get lassoed, tied and branded.

Every family needs its black sheep, and Austin “Lucky” McCord is happy to oblige. The bad-boy bull rider lives fast and loose, until his business partner leaves him an unexpected bequest. Suddenly Lucky is sharing custody of two children with Cassie Weatherall, one of the few homegrown women he hasn’t bedded. And not from lack of trying…

Cassie fled her messy past to become a celebrity therapist in LA. So why does it feel so right to come back and share parenting duties—and chrome-melting kisses—with a man she’s striven to avoid? Loving Lucky always seemed like a sure bet for heartache. But for this perfectly imperfect family, Cassie might just gamble with everything she’s got.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, has sold over 70 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

Connect with Delores

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Lone Star Nights is on a blog tour!

View the tour schedule ~ Add it to your shelves on Goodreads

Blog Tour Guest Post: Been Searching for You by Nicole Evelina

Please join me in welcoming Nicole Evelina back to Let Them Read Books! It has been a super-busy year for Nicole with three new books published and one more on the way, and I am proud to say I have been working with Nicole on the covers for all of them. Today we're highlighting Been Searching for You, and Nicole is here with a guest post about her inspiration for the story, themes, and characters of Been Searching for You.

Annabeth is a hopeless romantic who believes in soul mates. In fact, she’s been writing to hers each year on her birthday since she was sixteen.

Now, at 34, she’s still holding out hope of finding Mr. Right even though he’d be fighting an uphill battle to gain her trust, thanks to a traumatic experience years before that’s left her unable to commit.

When Annabeth meets a handsome literature professor named Alex on her 34th birthday, she thinks her quest may finally be at an end. Things don’t quite go as planned, so Annabeth resolves to do everything she can over the next year to find the unknown recipient of her letters.  But blind dates, Meetup events and online singles sites have nothing on what fate has in store for her when a co-worker unexpectedly quits and Annabeth finds herself working in close quarters with both Alex and her long ago ex, Nick. Fighting her attraction to one and loathing for the other, Annabeth is forced to face all of her old insecurities while keeping an eye on a scheming frienemy who may derail her hopes and dreams.

Written in the tradition of Bridget Jones' Diary, Kim Gruenfelder’s A Total Waste of Makeup, and Melissa Pimental’s Love By The Book, it shows that love on the sweet side can exist for the modern girl, if only she’s willing to trust herself and search hard enough.

Been Searching for You was the winner of the 2015 Romance Writers of America Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Smashwords  ~  iBooks  ~  Goodreads

On inspiration, characters, and themes

by Nicole Evelina

I never thought I’d write a romance. I actually swore I’d never write romance because I really disliked romance books for a long time – until I realized what I really hated was certain types of romance. Others are pretty darn good.

But I still had one pet peeve: most heroines, especially in romantic comedies, are under 30. If there’s a wedding involved, it’s “OMG, I’m going to be 30 and not married!” As a 36-year-old single girl, allow me to smack you. So, what did I do? I went and wrote my own love story, one for those of us who are over 30 *gasp*, still single and still romantics at heart. I wrote it because I wanted to write the happily ever after I haven’t yet experienced.

The book came to life because of the Civil Wars songs “To Whom it May Concern” and “Dust to Dust,” both of which my best friend introduced me to. They seem to be bookends to a love story to me, so I swore I’d write a book that began with the words “To Whom it May Concern” and ended with the words “Dust to Dust.” And I did.

Video Blast! Harlequin's Romance When You Need It

This March, Harlequin kicks off the
Romance When You Need It

campaign with the launch of an awesome video!

Whether a reader needs an escape from her hectic day or has some unexpected time to herself—she can count on Harlequin for romance when she needs it, wherever she is!

Check out the video and then sign up for Harlequin's newsletter 
to get 17 free books!

Blog Tour Guest Post: Lori Foster's Fighting Dirty

Please join me in welcoming Margo Lipschultz, senior editor at Harlequin, to Let Them Read Books! I'm helping Margo and TLC Book Tours spread the word about Lori Foster's newest romance, Fighting Dirty, Book Four in the Ultimate series. Lori has become one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and Margo is here today to tell us why this is one of her favorite books. Read on and enter here to win the entire Ultimate series!

He's the hottest MMA fighter in the game, but one woman is ready to try out a few steamy moves of her own in an unforgettable new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster

With the life he's led and the muscles he's gained, Armie Jacobson isn't afraid of anything. Except maybe Merissa Colter's effect on him. It's not just that she's his best friend's little sister. Fact is, she deserves better. Women pursue him for one night of pleasure, and that's all he wants to offer. Until rescuing Merissa from a robbery leads to the most erotic encounter of his life.

Good girl meets bad boy. It's a story that rarely ends well. But Merissa is taking matters into her own hands. No matter how he views himself, the Armie she knows is brave, honorable and completely loyal. And as past demons and present-day danger collide, they're both about to learn what's truly worth fighting for…

Fighting Dirty is available February 23^rd wherever books are sold:

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iTunes • IndieBound • Books-a-Million

Dear Reader,

It’s a pleasure to introduce you to Fighting Dirty, the long-awaited story of Armie Jacobson. New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster knows readers have been desperate for this story since the beginning of her Ultimate series, and in this knockout series conclusion, she delivers! Armie’s the ultimate bad boy both in and outside the MMA cage, and nothing and no one can get under his skin. Except for Merissa Colter. And that’s why he stays as far away from her as possible.

Merissa has been in love with Armie Jacobson for what feels like her entire life--long enough that three things are certain. One, he’s the most honorable man she’s ever met. Two, her intense attraction isn’t one-sided. Three, he’s firmly put her in the “best friend’s little sister is off limits” category, and it’s up to her to dig her way out. Knowing she needs to make her move soon or risk a lifetime of regrets, Merissa sets out to seduce Armie however she can.

Blog Tour Spotlight: Bane by Brenda Jackson

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson's last Westmoreland bachelor is a navy SEAL on a mission to protect the woman who got away… 

After five years, navy SEAL Brisbane Westmoreland is back home on his ranch and ready to reclaim the woman he left behind. But when he tracks her to Dallas, he's in for a shock. 

Crystal Newsome isn't ready to forgive Bane for saying he loved her then vanishing from her life. Only now the beautiful chemist needs his protection. As their own irresistible chemistry takes over once again, can Bane keep Crystal safe and convince her they can have the second chance they both deserve?





Dear Reader,

When I first introduced the Westmoreland family, little did I know they would have such a huge impact on your lives. Originally, the Westmoreland family series consisted of one core group—Delaney and her five brothers: Dare, Thorn, Stone, Storm and Chase. Then there were the cousins—Jared, Spencer, Durango, Ian, Quade and Reggie. Lastly, there were Uncle Corey’s triplets—Clint, Cole and Casey.

I soon discovered more cousins living in Denver and they became known as the Denver Westmorelands. That meant my readers got to know even more Westmorelands. I believe that of all the Westmorelands I have introduced to my readers, none has captured my readers’ hearts and imaginations more than Brisbane “Bane” Westmoreland, the youngest male Westmoreland of them all.

From the introduction of the Denver Westmorelands, Bane was known as a hotheaded troublemaker and a young man totally obsessed with a young woman by the name of Crystal Newsome. Now that Bane’s book has finally come around, Bane has become a disciplined military man who is still obsessed with his Crystal.

Bane is Brisbane and Crystal’s story. And I hope all of you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour Q&A with Jodi Thomas, Author of Ransom Canyon

RANSOM CANYON

By Jodi Thomas

HQN Books; September 2015

$7.99; 368 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0-373-78844-6

Rancher Staten Kirkland, the last descendant of Ransom Canyon's founding father, is rugged and practical to the last. No one knows that when his troubling memories threaten to overwhelm him he runs to lovely, reclusive Quinn O'Grady—or that she has her own secret that no one living knows. 

Young Lucas Reyes has his eye on the prize—college, and the chance to become something more than a ranch hand's son. But one night, one wrong decision, will set his life on a course even he hadn't imagined. 

Yancy Grey is running hard from his troubled past. He doesn't plan to stick around Ransom Canyon, just to stay long enough to learn the town's weaknesses and how to use them for personal gain. Only Yancy, a common criminal since he was old enough to reach a car's pedals, isn't prepared for what he encounters. 

In this dramatic new series, the lives, loves and ambitions of four families will converge, set against a landscape that can be as unforgiving as it is beautiful, where passion, property and pride are worth fighting—and even dying—for.

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Goodreads

What do you like most about Texas?  

Once a reporter asked me, “Writers can live anywhere in the world, why do you live in Texas?”  I told him there would never be enough time to tell him all the reasons.  I love the history of the state.  We were made up of people down on their luck, many who saw Texas as their last chance.  I came from farmers and fighters.  Sometimes I think that’s why Texans brag.  When we finally did make something of ourselves, we had to tell the world.

I love the sunsets that spread out across open skies and the people who’d stop, in their best clothes, to help a farmer get his tractor out of the ditch.  I love the tall stories folks tell even when they know everyone listening knows the truth.

I had an uncle once everyone called Wildhorse.  If he had a fender bender on the way home, it was a near-death crash by the time he told the story three times and by dark it would be moved up to a near-death experience.

I love the way cultures blend.  In architecture and art.  In music and food.  In all of life that makes up Texas.

Blog Tour Excerpt + Giveaway: Untamed by Diana Palmer

I'm excited to be part of the EXCERPT TOUR for the release of Diana Palmer’s new Western romance UNTAMED!

Follow along with giveaways and long excerpts in consecutive order at each tour stop!

Stanton Rourke lives life on the edge. The steely mercenary is dangerous in every way…especially to Clarisse Carrington’s heart. She and Rourke were playmates as children, but she’s not the innocent girl he once knew. When tragedy robbed Clarisse of her entire family, her life was changed forever. Besides, she’s a grown woman now, and there are secrets that hold her back from succumbing to her pursuer. As she struggles to keep her distance, sparks as hot as a Texas summer fly between them. But danger is following Clarisse, leaving her no choice but to rely on Rourke, even as the old wounds lying dormant between them flare up again…

“Palmer…is the queen of desperado quests for justice and true love.” -Publishers Weekly

“The popular Palmer has penned another winning novel, a perfect blend of romance and suspense.”

–Booklist on Lawman

“Diana Palmer is a mesmerizing storyteller who captures the essence of what a romance should be.”

–Affaire de Coeur

Read yesterday's excerpt at From the TBR Pile

EXCERPT

“I would…like that very much,” Rourke said. “I’ll keep my foster father’s name. I’ll just add yours to it.”

K.C. smiled sadly. “Your father was my best friend. It tor­mented me to think what I did to him, to your mother. To you.”

“I think it tormented her, too,” Rourke said.

“It did. She loved me.” His face hardened. “That was the worst of it. I had nothing to give her. Nothing at all. She knew it.”

Rourke’s one good eye searched his father’s. “Nobody’s per­fect,” he said quietly. “I have to confess, I wished even when I was a boy that you were my real father.” He averted his eye just in time to miss the wetness in K.C.’s. “You were always in the thick of battles. You could tell some stories about the adventures you had. I wanted so badly to be like you.”

Blog Tour Q&A with Tina Leonard, Author of Heart of a Bull Rider

HEART OF A BULL RIDER

by

Award-Winning, USA Today Bestselling Author Tina Leonard

When New York billionaire John Carruth is summoned to No Chance, Texas to save the local rodeo he has no idea he is going home. Now the long-lost twin to the town’s favorite son is determined to win over the people he left behind—and capture the heart of Chloe Winters, a Texan who has her own ideas of what it means to be part of a small town.

 Jake Fitzgerald, champion bull rider, didn’t know he had another half. John may be kin, but he’s still a stranger in these parts. With his billionaire brother hell-bent on changing Jake’s world, Jake knows he has to take a stand. Will he choose family—or will he take a chance on Erin O’Donovan, a woman who has always meant family to him?

The cover features real-life professional bull rider Reese Cates, whose father and grandfather both rode professionally before him. Reese says he was riding horses before he could walk (his mother, aunts, and grandmother were all barrel racers). He competes as part of the Professional Bull Riders, which includes more than 600 bull riders from the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Australia. To learn more about Reese, follow him on Twitter: @reesecates. For more information about the Professional Bull Riders, visit www.pbr.com. 

With more than 70 books and special projects to your name, how do you create such original storylines and characters time after time?

I love to write! And I love to create.  It honestly makes me happy! I can’t imagine not writing—I love getting to know readers and other authors, and the adventure is endlessly meaningful to me. So the creative process gets charged by making new friends and constantly admiring my writing sisters’ works. If I ever get a little rundown, I head to the beach for two days. It works!

You’re known for "sexy hunks with attitude and heroines with plenty of sass." Do you consider this sass to be a part of your own personality as well?

When I read this question to my husband, he exclaimed, “Yes!” Women are supposed to be intelligent and fun and sassy. We’d be boring if we weren’t!

Review: All Broke Down by Cora Carmack

From the Back Cover:

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can't only fight for what you believe in... sometimes you have to fight for what you love.

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all. 

My Thoughts:

I ended up liking this so much more than the first book, All Lined Up. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with All Lined Up, it just didn't turn out to be a particularly memorable or moving read for me. I hadn't planned to continue with the series until I saw the second book was about Silas, a character who did not come across as a very good guy in the first book. When I saw the description, I knew Ms. Carmack was going to show me another side of this bad boy, and the fact that it's a good girl who gets under his skin...well, that's just a magical combination!

I loved everything about this book, from the fact that our couple meets in jail to the way Dylan helps Silas get his life back on track to the way Silas shows Dylan how to take risks and discover what's truly important in life. For all that they're surrounded by athletes and groupies and partiers--an environment of "have as much fun as you can now and worry about the rest later"--their relationship has real depth, as do the characters, and holy cow, the sex is HAWT!

My only complaint is that I think the subplots involving Dylan's issues with her parents and Silas's issues with his mom deserved a little more exploration and closure. They are serious matters that laid the foundation for why Dylan and Silas are the way they are, and since a big part of their transformations lies in learning how to cope with the past to move forward, I felt like the underlying matters got glossed over in favor of expanding on the outcome.

But this is a really great opposites attract story, and unlike many others in the New Adult genre, it isn't just about the sex. While it certainly contains some of the tried-and-true (and honestly, oftentimes overdone) themes of the genre, the strength and development of the characters along with their chemistry lift this book past the rest of the pack.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

*Please Note: This review references an advance copy received from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. These are my honest and unbiased opinions, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

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Spotlight: Rough Rider by Victoria Vane

Rough Rider
By Victoria Vane

Sourcebooks Casablanca
Contemporary Western Romance
February 3, 2015
ISBN: 9781492601159

Two wary hearts …
Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect—until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.

Different Dreams…
Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good—roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there's a void he can't seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts…but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget.

When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he's determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?

Buy ROUGH RIDER by Victoria Vane here:

Amazon | Apple | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound | Kobo

Praise for SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane:

“A “red-hot cowboy tale...their sexual chemistry crackles. Well-paced, scorching scenes and witty banter move the story along while setting the stage for Wade’s war-hero brother to find his own true love in the next installment.” – Publishers Weekly

“SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page turning steamy sexy… I'm beginning to think Victoria could write a phone book and make it sexy.” – Unwrapping Romance

“PULL THE FIRE ALARM & STOCK UP ON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR THIS STEAMY ROMANCE!” – Avon Romance

Victoria Vane is a multiple award-winning romance novelist and history junkie whose collective works of fiction range from wildly comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance. Victoria also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee and is the founder of Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the Romantic Historical Lovers book review blog.

Bon Appetit and a Book with Kathleen Eagle, Author of Never Trust a Cowboy

NEVER TRUST A COWBOY

By Kathleen Eagle

Harlequin Special Edition; December 16, 2014

$5.50 US; 224 pages

ISBN-13: 9780373658596

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Goodreads

The last thing harried Lila Flynn needed was another cowboy to deal with, but new hire Del Fox was different than most sweet-talking wranglers. The hard worker had a gentle touch and eyes that spoke of a past he didn't share. Lila soon found her hardened heart softening, frightening her more than any other hurdles she was facing.

Del's assignment in Short Straw, South Dakota, was meant to be fast and simple. Falling for Lila Flynn, however, had complicated everything. If he did his job right it would mean destroying everything Lila had worked for. He'd given her every reason never to trust him with her heart, but when all was said and done, would she trust their love enough to give them a second chance?

Bon Appétit and a Book with Kathleen Eagle

author of 

NEVER TRUST A COWBOY

Chicken Diable

I discovered this recipe when I was in high school, and I’ve been making it for family and friends ever since.  It’s always a hit. This is from my original recipe card:

Preheat oven to 375º
Makes 4 servings

1 broiler-fryer (about 3 lbs) cut up
4 tbsp butter
½ cup honey
¼ cup prepared mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder

1. Wash chicken pieces; pat dry; remove skin if you wish.

2. Melt butter in shallow baking pan.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Roll chicken in mixture to coat both sides.  Arrange meaty side up.

3. Bake 1 hour, spooning sauce over chicken occasionally, until chicken is tender and richly glazed. If skin has been removed, baste more often.

Cover Reveal: All Played Out by Cora Carmack

I just read and loved All Broke Down, book two in the Rusk University series, and I am so excited to be part of the cover reveal blast today for book three,
All Played Out!

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.
Straight A’s? CHECK.
On track to graduate early? CHECK.
Social life? …..yeah, about that….

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay... Scratch that. She knows she hasn't had the full college experience).

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a "to do" list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it's impossible to get hurt... again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Blog Tour Q&A with Victoria Vane, Author of Slow Hand

Please join me in welcoming author Victoria Vane back to Let Them Read Books! I'm a big fan of Victoria's Devil DeVere historical romance series, and now she's branching out into contemporary Westerns with the first novel in her new Hot Cowboy Nights series, Slow Hand. I recently had the chance to ask Victoria a few questions about the challenges in writing multiple genres and the research trips she made for this series. Read on and check out the trailer for Slow Hand, available now from Sourcebooks Casablanca!




Hi Victoria! Thanks so much for stopping by Let Them Read Books! 

Thanks so much for inviting me, Jenny Q!

You've been very successful as a historical romance author. What inspired you to start writing contemporaries?

Successful is a relative term! LOL!  While I have certainly received numerous accolades for my books, and have established a very loyal following, particularly with my Devil DeVere series, I still have not been able to break out as a writer.

After writing full time for three years with thirteen published novels and novellas, this has become increasingly frustrating to me. Although my first love will always be historicals, I thought it was time to spread my wings. I began my first contemporary romance expecting to fall flat on my face, but that absolutely has not happened. Once my characters came to life, the stories just took off.

I would imagine writing contemporaries and historicals present different sets of challenges. Can you tell us about some of the differences and how you approach them?

Surprisingly, I took exactly the same approach with my contemporary stories as I do with all of my historicals – I researched. I did this because I want all of my books to have a strong element of realism.

As far as the actual writing goes, I thought it would be really hard (next to impossible) for me to make the leap to contemporary because I didn’t think my writing voice would translate well, but once the characters came to life, it was really easy. I just let them tell the story. I discovered a completely different writing voice, but all of my strengths remained – well-researched, character driven, smoking hot stories!

Blog Tour Q&A + Excerpt: No Limits by Lori Foster

Ever wanted to get a peek inside a bestselling romance author's head? Here's your chance! Lori Foster is touring the blogosphere with her newest release, No Limits! Read on to learn more about Lori's new series, creating characters, and the writing process, PLUS she's brought along an excerpt from No Limits, and a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest release, NO LIMITS?

This is Cannon’s story, a character that readers met in my last series, Love Undercover. From the second Cannon showed up on the page, I knew he’d get his own story. He’s that kind of guy, the guy who steps up and takes notice and gets a lot of notice in return.

In NO LIMITS, Cannon reunites with Yvette, another character from the previous series. They parted under strained circumstances, with Cannon just heading into professional MMA and Yvette young and traumatized from a horrific threat. Cannon saved her then, but he was noble because of her age and what she’d been through. Now she’s older, more independent, and he’s ready to make up for lost time.

Can you also fill us in on the prequel to the series, HARD KNOCKS?

HARD KNOCKS gives readers a peek into the MMA world and the fighters who will have novels in the Ultimate series. You get to see the inside of Cannon’s gym, the set-up and what the guys do for the neighborhood, as well as the close relationships they share. It’s a short romance featuring Gage and Harper, two fun, strong people with a few romantic quirks to work out. It’s short and sexy and gives readers a taste for how the novels will be more about fighters in a romance than about fighters fighting in the cage.

How has your UFC obsession influenced the writing of NO LIMITS?

Well, I’ve gotten into the idea of picking silly fight names for the heroes. And from the fight names, I’ve come up with some “inspired” reasons for them. It also makes it easier to justify the guy being totally ripped – although not all fighters are. I’ve learned in actual fights the physical appearance can be deceiving. It’s more about heart and talent, training and speed, than how a guy looks. But naturally any hero I write about will be blessed with a six-pack and boulder shoulders.