Saturday, September 26, 2015

Rules of the Game by Lori Wilde book review

Kindle version review
Book two of the Stardust Texas series
Its been a year since a putz of a guy left Jodi Carlyle at the alter.
She has been getting counseling and it has helped. Now, Jodi's
sister is getting married, she has been working on her panic
attacks whenever she is near anything wedding related. Her
counselor advises her to ''crash'' the wedding of a stranger. Turns
out it isn't all that easy to do. When Jodi finds her opportunity,
she not only manages to get in, she also finds a handsome,
flirty, great guy.

Sooo.....since she is doing things for the first time like
crashing a wedding, how about a one night stand? Why not try
that out too?? This guy, he would be perfect.
Jodi does not share any personal information. But Jake Coronnado
is not easy to dissuade. He wants Jodi. And she wants him.
It is a night for the ages. But Jodi does not change her mind.
She is determined to move on. Did she enjoy that one night stand
with him? It seems impossible how much she did. But she tells herself
that she needs to just hold that memory close but keep going.

Of course, they meet again. Because that's just how fate works.
Turns out, Jake is the best man in Jodi's sisters wedding.
I enjoy Lori Wilde's writing. It's easy to tell she is a lover of romance.
She makes it easy reading. There is fun and worry. Upset and laughter.
There might even be a little magic. Because really, every love
story is magical. Ah, yes, magic.
Review written by Lisa Hutson
I won this kindle version.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Back in the Game by Lori Wilde | Review


Kindle version review


Book one of the Stardust Texas series.
Rowdy is a hot, sexy guy as well as a great baseball player. He decides
in a fit of anger to write his life story. He hires Breeanne to be his ghostwriter.
Rowdy cant figure her out. He is attracted to her. But Breeanne is not his
typical woman. Breeanne is not anyones typical woman.




"She reached up, snatched her glasses from his hand, stuck them
on her face, sank delicate hands on her hips, and glared at him.
The look landed in his belly, unspooled, spread fresh heat,
switching his body into a five am bakery, all ovens turned on high.
Nothing like this had ever happened to him. Instant chemistry?
Yeah sure, plenty of times, but this was something else, something
indefinable, and mysterious. Something freakin' primal.
He wanted her."

She has grown up in hospitals. With a very supportive family
of parents and 3 sisters. Breeanne is finally ready to start
living like a normal 25 year old. Of course, she has no idea 
how to do that.
Between the two of them, its pretty clear neither knows 
how to handle the situation. 
As Breeanne encourages him to open up to her about his life,
he falls in love with her. Rowdy is trusting her.
 He is coming to terms with
the issues left over from his career. But Breeanne insists 
she is content to
have a physical relationship with him. She does not want anything
permanent. Rowdy realizes it would be his biggest mistake ever
to let Breeanne go. Rowdy also figures out he needs her families support,
if he is going to convince her to take a chance on him.
I have read and enjoyed Lori Wilde's stories before. Her writing is
fun and the characters are real. They always have plenty of romance.
Because this is the first in the series, you get to meet the family.
They are an interesting group. Like typical families, they are used to
Breeanne being the sickly one. Needing lots of physical attention. They
are learning that she is healthy now. And they must let her make her
own decisions, even if they will hurt.
Rowdy is just beginning to accept that his career is over. And he
has to move on. Without holding onto the anger and bitterness.
I recommend this story if you like family and small town romance
and maybe a little touch of magic.



Review by Lisa Hutson
I bought this kindle edition on Amazon

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Minions movie review

Minions
Theater movie review




My granddaughter and I went to see this one together.
She is a huge minion fan and they do make me giggle.
I have seen the other movies. They are always cute.
But this one tells how they got to Gru. Its really a
funny, silly, ridiculous story. But they are always
good for some laughs.
I would recommend it for anyone that is just looking
for some fun. If you are just plain crabby, you will probably
just ruin the movie for everyone.

This review is by Lisa Hutson


Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Trouble When You Walked In by Kieran Kramer

They sat in silence for at least three seconds, but she couldn't bear it. What if he was thinking about her? He probably was. She was the only other person there. What kind of thoughts was he thinking? Sexy ones? Scornful ones? Pitying ones?
"Are you thinking...anything right now? She asked him.


He took a healthy sip of champagne. "Yep."

"Like what? What's on your mind?"

"You dropping your robe and getting in the water while I close my eyes. You telling me when I can open them again."

"Oh." She could do that. She set her glass down. The champagne fizz was going to her head already. She pushed back her robe, felt the icy air on her breasts, tummy and back, and slid down into the welcoming heat of the water. 

"You are thinking about something," he said.

 "Why do you suppose that?"

"When you got into the water"--his voice took on a husky quality---"you forgot to tell me to close my eyes."
 
Five pages in and WOW I knew that I loved this book! Kieran Kramer pairs a shy librarian with a charming football coach in Trouble When You Walked In. Cissie Rogers has not gotten over her fourth grade crush on Boone Braddock. All of the woman in Kettle Knob fantasize about Boone. And why shouldn't they? He's handsome, charming, the high school football coach and the town's mayor. Boone stops by the library to tell Cissie that her library is going to close and merges with another library.

Cissie decides to fight town hall and together with her loyal patrons, friends and her Nana, holds a sit-in! Yes, a sit-in!  Loved these pages as they showcased Cissie's devoted and endearing  library  friends and the honest banter between Cissie and Boone. Cissie and Boone's chemistry sizzles off the pages! Their relationship changes direction when Cissie decides to run for mayor against Boone. Can their romance survive the election? National news interviews? Boone's disapproving parents?  

Ms. Kramer excels at creating a slice -of-life novel with characters that resonate with the reader and an emotional storyline that tugs at your heart. I enjoyed reading Cissie and Boone's love story as it unfolded during the novel. Both characters had to overcome their insecurities and take a leap of faith in the relationship. I loved both characters-- Kieran Kramer has the ability to create southern heroes who effortlessly charm their way into their heroines' and reader's hearts! Fingers  crossed  that the author writes another novel or two set in Kettle Knob!!

If you are looking for a smart, sexy contemporary novel with humorous dialogue and unique characters --pick up Trouble When You Walked In --it's fabulous!



Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC provided by author Kieran Kramer.
Video created by Kieran Kramer.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Rogue You Know by Shana Galen

Review of The Rogue You Know by Shana Galen

Susanna did not need to be told how to behave. She had been raised to be a perfectly proper lady. She was the daughter of an earl. She knew what was expected of her. 

 One: She must marry well. 
Two: She must at all times exhibit good ton. 
Three: She must be accomplished, beautiful, fashionable, and witty. 

 The third expectation was daunting indeed. Susanna had spent two decades playing the perfect earl's daughter. She'd had little choice. If she rebelled, even minutely her mother quickly put her back in her place. At the moment Sussana wished her place was anywhere but here. 

 Could no one see she was dying inside?

Lady Susanna Derring needs some breathing room. She'd love to spend an entire evening alone unchaperoned by her overbearing mother and far away from the watchful eyes of the members of the ton. Susanna suspects that her mother may have been in love with another man prior to marrying her father and that the couple may have trysted at the Vauxhall pleasure gardens. How does an Earl's daughter visit the gardens at night and unchaperoned? 

Gideon Harrow is a handsome, charming thief. He's decided to give up stealing and conning people. Gideon needs to score one more big job and he's home free. Gideon steals a diamond and emerald necklace and is barely able to outrun his fellow criminals. Where does a thief go to ground? At another thief's house? 

Shana Galen's The Rogue You Know is the third book in her Covent Garden Cubs series. The novel captures the spirit of the determined Susanna and her hero Gideon, the charming rogue with a heart of gold. The dialogue is fabulous and so cleverly written. Ms. Galen has Gideon and his friends from the Seven Dials section of London speak in "flash ken". By using this dialect the author is able to present the differences between the hero and heroine in an honest and subtle manner. 

Ms. Galen is well known for writing a well paced action story with fabulous characters. The Rogue You Know takes the reader on an unexpected adventure. There are several surprising developments in the story as Susanna and Gideon travel through the dark, seedy streets of the Seven Dials section of London. The couple's adventures on their way to the pleasure gardens add to the novel's suspense and kept me reading past my bedtime. 

Kudos to Shana Galen for an excellent novel filled with suspense, adventure and fabulous characters!

 Reviewed by Susan Gorman 
 ARC provided by Sourcebooks.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Shana Galen Spotlight Post + Giveaway

Guest Post: Bad Boy Inspiration by Shana Galen


When we think about Regency England, we tend to think of the balls, the carriages, the gowns. We forget that for every duke or marquess, there were hundreds of thieves and pickpockets living in the slums of the city. Covent Garden was an area of London with plenty of rookeries, and the thieves who lived there often banded together because there’s protection in numbers. My fictional gang called the Covent Garden Cubs is made up of the leader Satin, his second-in-command Beezle, and an assortment of pickpockets and house-breakers with names like Gap, Racer, and Stub. The gang also has one girl, Marlowe, and I wrote about her in Earls Just Want to Have Fun. Her best friend in the gang in Gideon, and he’s the hero in The Rogue You Know. Gideon is the ultimate bad boy who can cheat, lie, and steal with the best of them. He was orphaned at a young age and had no choice but to steal to survive. Now Gideon wants a different life for himself, and if he can just complete one last job, he’ll have it…or die trying.

When writing about my bad boy hero, I had plenty of inspiration.

1) Flynn Rider from Tangled
Yes, I know Flynn is animated, but he is the main inspiration for Gideon. Like the Disney bad boy, Gideon is charming, funny, and self-deprecating. Flynn makes no apologies for his lifestyle, and while he may try to hide his sensitive side, his love for Rapunzel brings it out.

2) George Gordon Byron, Baron Byron
Byron was a poet, nobleman, and ultimate bad boy. Described as “mad, bad, and dangerous to know,” Byron titillated the Regency world. He generated enormous debts, had numerous affairs and liaisons, and ultimately died young and tragically abroad. A bad boy with the heart of a romantic is always an inspiration.

3) Danny in Grease
We’ve all seen Grease so many times we forget that Travolta’s character was really a bad boy. He’s dangerous for Sandy’s reputation and just plain dangerous, period. But like any bad boy we love, love wins Danny over and he’s willing to change to be with the woman who means everything.

4) Patrick in 10 Things I Hate About You
I love a bad boy who sets out to corrupt the good girl and then is corrupted by her instead. Heath Ledger is fabulous as the new kid in school who agrees to date the heroine…for a fee. “How do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways.” The banter between Patrick and Kat makes this bad boy movie memorable.

5) Nick Gentry in Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas
While Gideon may be on the wrong side of the law and Nick Gentry a Bow Street Runner, Nick definitely serves as an inspiration. He’s a man with a dark past and much to hide, but Charlotte is able to peel away the layers one by one. Her love for him, and his for her, redeems this bad boy and makes us love him all the more.

I enjoyed taking inspiration from each of these bad boys and creating the character of Gideon. He may be a thief and a rogue, but he is also capable of deep love. And that’s what my books are about—characters for whom love changes everything.

Who are your favorite redeemed rogues?



Book Information

Title: The Rogue You Know
Author: Shana Galen
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical Romance

Summary

She's beyond his reach...

Gideon Harrow has spent his life in London's dark underworld-and he wants out. A thief and a con, he plans one last heist to finally win his freedom. But when everything goes wrong, he finds himself at the tender mercies of one of Society's most untouchable women-Lady Susanna Derring.

...and out of her depth.

Susanna has spent her life in London's glittering ton, under the thumb of a domineering mother-and she wants out. When a wickedly charming rogue lands at her feet, she jumps at the chance to experience life before it's too late. But as she descends into London's underworld, she finds that nothing- not even Gideon-is as it seems. As excitement turns to danger, Susanna must decide what price she's willing to pay...for the love of a reformed thief.


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Author Biography

Shana Galen is the bestselling author of passionate Regency romps, including the RT Reviewers' Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Book Reviews calls her books "lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making. Shana loves to hear from readers, so send her an email or see what she's up to daily on Facebook and Twitter. Stop by her website at shanagalen.com.

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Monday, September 7, 2015

Made for Us Samantha Chase

Zoe Dalton has been  tasked with an impossible job. A difficult client has already fired her predecessor. Zoe wonders what she is in for as she drives to the construction site to meet the client Aidan Shaughnessy, the owner of Shaughnessy Construction.

"I take it that this is a test to determine if I can see that the problem is in the details. Let me assure you, Mr. Shaughnessy, that I do. I have a real problem with craftsman who rush through a job and put out shoddy work. I think the homeowner deserves a house that has been put together perfectly. And for the finishes and decorating," she said as she stood a bit taller, "we want the potential buyers to come in here and not only want to buy this house, but to want their own to look as perfect as the model. If not better."

He quirked a dark brow at her. As much as Aiden hated to admit it, he was impressed. And he wasn't impressed easily. Zoe Dalton had not only seen everything he'd wanted her to see, but she had even picked up on an issue or two that has escaped him.
Not a easy thing to do.

Aiden continued to stand there and look at her, so Zoe figured she'd better nudge him along."Are we ready to hit the upstairs? I have a list of problems with the staircase."

And in that moment Aidan Shaughnessy thought he might have met his match.

The first two chapters of author Samantha Chase's Made for Us are fast-paced and contain the right amount of emotion, drama and dialogue. I was drawn into the story immediately because these pages set the stage for the emotional conflict within the novel and provided insight into the characters of Aidan and Zoe. Both Aidan and Zoe have suffered the loss of a parent. Aidan's mother died sixteen years ago and he is still grieving for her. Zoe moved from Arizona to North Carolina six months ago after her mother's death. Aidan can't move forward and although Zoe thinks of her mother often and feels her loss, she has accepted her death . 

Samantha Chase has created a different hero in Made For Us. Aidan is brusque, very demanding and controlling. He doesn’t have the qualities found in a typical romance novel hero, he’s not the charming , billionaire business man who drives a Mercedes. Aidan is a down to earth hero with every day issues! He is a successful contractor who thrives on routine and stresses out when things do not go as planned. 

Kudos to Samantha Chase for writing a exceptional love story. I am glad that she chose to write Aidan and Zoe’s story instead of the typical formula romance novel to start off her new series. Death , grief and destruction are not what a reader expects in a contemporary romance--these elements work in this story and set it apart from a typical read. Samantha Chase writes a strong female character in this novel and it was so refreshing to read. Loved how the author balanced Aidan and Zoe’s passionate love story with the threat of the storm moving towards their town. 

Made for Us sets the stage for the new series perfectly with its elegant prose and sincere dialogue. It contains several surprising plot twists which adds to the story's authenticity. 

I am looking forward to the second Shaughnessy Brother book!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman 
ARC from Sourcebooks
Graphics from Samantha Chase.