Uncaged (Corps Security 3.5) by Harper Sloan #Review

Title: Uncaged

Author: Harper Sloan

Series: Corps Security #3.5

Published March 2014

Synopsis:

Greg Cage’s life is more fulfilling than he ever could have imagined. He’s married to the love of his life, has an amazing son, and in a few short months, his family will grow again with the birth of his twin girls.

The past year has been a tough one for the Cage family, but they are now on the road to healing by learning to let go of the past and looking forward to their future.

When situations beyond his control threaten to take away so much of what Greg holds close to his heart, he has to learn that he doesn't always have the control he tries to maintain in their lives. Will he be able to handle the stress of knowing his wife and newborn daughters are beyond his protection?

Join the Cage family as they embark on yet another one of life’s journeys with a rambunctious four-year-old, pregnancy complications, and the fear of the unknown.

Will the love that Greg and Melissa share hold true as they fight to overcome the obstacles that face them?

UNCAGED is not a standalone. It is a continuation of CAGE. It is recommended that you read the first 3 books in the series before UNCAGED.

Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Link:

https://www.facebook.com/harpersloanbooks

Five Stars

Ohhhh Greg Cage, how I love you and your pierced wiener!!! Yes, I said wiener because every single time Cohen said it I laughed right out loud!!!

I LOVED everything about this book!! Even though it was a novella, the amazing Harper Sloan was again able to fill my heart to the brim with love and happiness and they make my heart ache so bad it actually hurt me, only to make everything right with the world again!!

As much as I loved every one of the Corps Security book, Cage & Melissa are my favorite Corps couple to date! I am in awe of the relationship of these characters. The love of this great big family of Alpha's and their women - Oh and Sway of course, who I would love to have in my life! Anyway, I was saying how amazing all of these people are and in this wonderful novella we get to watch Cage & Melissa expand their little family! I would have taken anything just to spend more time with these characters!

Do you ever pick up a book in a series and realize that you have actually missed the characters once you get to hangin' out with them again? Yeah, I do too!

If you are a fan of the Corps Security Series then this book is a must!! And if you are not a fan of the series there must be something wrong with you...kidding(sorta) - Go Get Them!! These Alpha's will ROCK YOUR WORLD!

Corps Security Series by Harper Sloan

Book 1 - Axel

Book 2 - Cage

Book 3 - Beck

Book 3.5 - Uncaged

Blog Tour ~ Cursed be the Wicked by JR Richardson ~ Spotlight, Review, Giveaway

It is my pleasure to welcome J.R. Richardson to our blog.  If you enjoy paranormal mystery romances, take a look at her debut novel, Cursed be the Wicked!

~ SPOTLIGHT ~

Welcome to Sweet Spot Book Blog! Please tell our readers a little about yourself.

Thanks for having me Grace! : )  I’m a 40 something mom, raising two awesome girls with my best friend and husband in sunny Florida. I have a full time job, keep very busy with both our daughters involved in sports and other school type extracurricular activities but manage to write on the side.  Our family stays pretty busy and although life can seem completely chaotic at time, it’s all worth every crazy moment we have together.

What do you think readers will like about the main couple, Coop and Finn?

I think they’re going to like the chemistry but more than that, the friendship and bond that these two have.  They’re going to feel for Coop and cheer for Finn.  These characters have formed a connection with each other in a very special way and I’m hoping the readers will feel like a part of that connection as well. 

If possible, please describe a favorite scene or quote from the book?

There’s this part where Coop is reading his mother’s old journal entries, and he has this revelation about her – and it just makes my heart so full for him.  I think people will know what I’m talking about when they read the passage I’m talking about. *wink wink*  I hope they feel the same when they experience the scene.  Favorite quote (among others): “How do you not believe in magic, Coop?  It’s everywhere.”

Can you share with us a little of what you're currently working on?

Right now I’m writing a romantic comedy that I plan to tell from two POVs – this guy though, he’s been a lot of fun – I think readers are going to have blast getting to know the two of them.

Snippet (from Carter Blackwood’s POV): 

“Listen, I appreciate your hands but I really don’t need any-”

I laugh at that one. “What did you just say?”

She looks up at me, confused. And angry.

“What?”

And I’m still laughing. “You appreciate my hands?”

Iris shakes her head, like she’s trying to get the words straight inside that busy mind of her’s before she says them.  Her frustration shows, regardless.

“I said I appreciate you giving me a hand.”

“No,” I tell her, teasingly.  “You definitely said you appreciate my hands.”

“Well.” She takes a deep breath and now she’s flustered even more so. “You know I mean, I was just-”

“Appreciating my hands.”

~ Quickie Questions ~

Current favorite song or band?  High Hopes by Kodaline 

Sweet or Savory?  Sweet!

Read anything good lately?  The Weather Girl, by Amy Vastine!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Jo! What a tease you gave us on your WIP. I'm looking forward to reading it!

Title: Cursed be the Wicked

Author: J.R. Richardson

Genre: Paranormal Mystery Romance

Release Date: March 5, 2014

Synopsis:

Cooper Shaw lives his life under a pen name and enjoys the anonymity it provides during his journeys across the globe as a seasoned writer for a travel magazine. When his job lands him in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts to cover the famous Festival of the Dead, he soon realizes that he can’t stay invisible forever as he faces ghosts from a past he’s been trying to forget ever since he left.

The city holds nothing but bad memories for Coop until he meets a quirky young woman with an old soul and curious insights by the name of Finnley Pierce. While she acts as his tour guide through a town he thought he knew, Finn helps him unearth the truth of his childhood and might even begin to open up his heart.

By unraveling the mystery of his father’s murder, Coop may finally accept who he is, where he came from, and perhaps even realize what he wants for his future.

Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

~ Excerpt ~

“I came by Geneva’s to see you this morning,” I tell her. She slides her hands inside my jacket, around my waist. She holds us together tighter.

“You did?” There’s a smile in her voice. I grin but she can’t see it.

“I’ve gotten used to starting my days out with you in them.”

“You have?” She leans back to look at me. She’s stunned although I have no idea why. I’ve been so transparent even a bat could see through me the past few days.

“Yeah,” I tell her, “I have.” I brush the hair out of her face. Even through the rainfall I can see the blush in her cheeks. This is the most vulnerable I’ve seen Finn since Geneva’s, when she thanked me for handling Dan.

“Most people don’t like the way I’m so pushy sometimes,” she says. “They find it offensive. Some might even say I’ve got a smart mouth. Too smart for my own good, blah blah blah.”

She trails off at the end there and I laugh at the way she thinks I’m buying that none of it bothers her.

“Come to think of it, you did say something I found offensive yesterday,” I tell her half serious. She looks hurt but I can’t stop the smirk from spreading across my face as I back her up against the nearest tree.

She’s caught off guard by the move, I can hear it in the way her breath hitches. “What was that?”

She tries to recover but she fails.

“I believe the term you used was friends,” I tell her, narrowing my eyes. Her lips part, just barely. She swallows something down then clears her throat.

“Isn’t that what we are?”

I move my head from side to side. “I don’t think so, Finn.”

4.5 - 5.0 Stars

You know that feeling you get when you're so into a story that you don't want it all to end? That happened to me while reading Cursed be the Wicked. I got to the last chapter, which is essentially an epilogue, and I hesitated for a moment before delving into the final pages.

Coop is reluctant to be back in Salem. The place dredges up so many bad memories that he's spent so much time trying to forget. He has one goal...do his research for the article he's been assigned to write and then hightail it out of town. Once he's there he meets Finn, who takes it upon herself to be his personal guide. Along the way it becomes inevitable that past and present must collide. This leads to Coop seeking the answers he never knew he wanted, but is he really ready to learn the whole truth and finally believe?

Oh my! Ms. Richardson has written quite a debut novel! It's got a little paranormal, a splash of romance, and a whole lot of mystery. The story is entirely in Coop's POV. My only teeny, tiny gripe is that I would have loved a bit of Finn's POV as well, since I found her to be so fascinating. I appreciated her warm personality and sharp intuition, but I also understood that this is mainly Coop's story to tell. Coop and Finn fall into a comfortable and friendly relationship as they searched for answers. I loved that the setting is in Salem, MA, which makes the story feel a little real. With a plot that leads to wicked twists, cryptic messages, and endearing life lessons, Cursed be the Wicked will stay in my heart and mind for a long while.

Favorite Finn quote:

“Apologies are a dime a dozen. I don't need an apology. What I need is sincerity.”

Favorite Coop quote:

“This isn't exactly how I planned our second kiss, but I'm willing to go with it if you are.”

Book Trailer:

Author Bio:

A writer of stories and lover of life.

Jo grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity. Today she lives in Florida with her two girls and a husband that shares her same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.

She’s always loved writing, and always enjoys a good mystery, so in 2012, Jo wrote a novel that was picked up by the good people at Soul Mate Publishing.

Where you can find Jo:

Website: http://jrrichardsonfics.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRRichardsonAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoFictionFreak

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/JRRichardson

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Cover Reveal ~ Dirty Angels (Dirty Angels #1) By Karina Halle

Release Date: Spring / Summer 2014

Synopsis

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive. When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move. Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible. As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants. That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her. Unless she ruins him first.

***WARNING*** This book deals with drug cartels and as such it contains a lot of sex and violence and some violent sex. It can get pretty ugly, pretty dark and pretty crazy. There is drug use, abuse, a bit of torture and dubious consent. The hero is not a hero and the villains...well, they're even worse. If this sort of thing bothers you, please do not read. This ain't no cupcake farting unicorn kind of book***

 

Excerpt

There was a strange moment of silence and I concentrated hard, trying to hear more than the obvious. They were all waiting. Waiting for the order. Waiting for the man in charge to speak. He did. It came from the left of me. His voice was cool, calm and collected. I didn’t have to see to know who had taken me. The man I’d heard so much about. The man I’d been taught to fear. “Gentleman,” he said and I could almost feel his infamous eyes on my body, “remove the bag.” There was a rustle and my face was immediately met with cool air that seized my lungs and bright lights that blinded me. I scrunched up my face, afraid to look, to see. Now it was all so real and I wanted to stay in the dark. “Who did this?” Suddenly cool hands were at my swollen cheek and I flinched. “Who did this?” my captor repeated, an edge to his level voice, his cigar-laced breath on my face. “Sorry,” Franco mumbled. “It was the only way to quiet her.” A heavy pause filled the room like deadweight. Finally the fingers came away from my skin and my body relaxed momentarily. I felt the man stand in front of me, bending over so he was in my face, the spicy scent of tea and tobacco emanating off of him. “Look at me Luisa Reyes.” Chavez, I thought to myself, I will always be Luisa Chavez. “Darling, aren’t you curious to where you are?” “My name is Luisa Chavez,” I said. I opened my eyes to see golden ones staring right back at me. It was like looking at an eagle. “And I know where I am. I know who you are. You are Javier Bernal.” He raised his brow in amusement and nodded. I’d seen his picture before, on the news. There was only one and that was his mugshot but even in that photo, his eyes made an impression on you. They saw right into your depths and made you question yourself. He was one of the men whom Salvador feared, even though Salvador had more power. He was the one I had been told to watch out for, the supposed reason why I’d always been locked in the compound or escorted by the local police to go shopping. And yet here I was, tied to a chair in a cold, leaking basement with nothing in it except five cartel members, a video camera and a knife that lay on top of a stool in front of me. All of that for nothing. I could escape Salvador but I could never escape the cartels. I had asked for this fate. “You know why you’re here,” Javier said with deliberation, straightening up in his sharp black suit. He walked over to the stool, swiping up the knife, and glancing at me over his shoulder. “Don’t you?” I could only breathe. I wanted to look at the others, at Este, at Franco, at the two other mystery men, but I was frozen in his gaze like a cow in headlights. “What is the knife for?” I asked, my throat painfully dry. “You’ll find out after,” he said. “It is for your husband. For your Salvador.” He stepped to the side and waved his arm at the camera. “And this is also for him.” He eyed someone over my shoulder and gave a sharp nod. I heard a rip from behind and a piece of duct tape was placed over my mouth. I squirmed helplessly and the lights in the basement dimmed. The men stepped to the side while Javier went behind the video camera. A white light came off the front of it and bathed me in an eerie glow. Javier cleared his throat, his face covered in shadow and said loudly, projecting to the camera, “This is Luiza Reyes, former beauty queen of the Baja State and property of Salvador Reyes. Salvador, we have your wife and we have a long list of demands, demands which I know you can meet. I expect full cooperation in this matter, or she dies in the next seven days. If she’s lucky. I’ll give you some time to think about what you’re willing to give up for her. Then we’ll be contacting you. Good bye.” The light on the camera switched off but the rest of the room remained dim. “I hope your husband checks his emails often. It would be a shame to have to put this on YouTube.” There was a smirk on his face at that as he slowly walked toward me, the knife glinting in his hand. His eyes burned through the shadows, then grew somber. He held up the knife. “I think it’s only going to hurt the first time.” My eyes focused on the silver of the blade but the terror inside me grew too strong and my urge to breathe through the duct tape became too difficult. My lungs seized in panic, pulsing dots appeared in my vision. I felt a hand on my collarbone, gripping the edge of my blouse and then everything went black.  

About the Author

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible. Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup. Karina is represented by Scott Waxman of the Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.

Facebook | Goodreads | EIT Website | Twitter | Website

 

Blog Tour ~ Trust (Finding Anna #4) by Sherri Hayes #Giveaway #Excerpt

Title: Trust
Author: Sherri Hayes
Series: Finding Anna #4
Published by The Writer's Coffee Shop

Available 20th March from: TWCS, Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Kobo

The Summary

Brianna is lost for the fourth time in her life. Each time was unexpected, and each changed the course of her future. The first life-altering event occurred when her mother died, and she moved to Minnesota to live with her father.

The second was when she was kidnapped at the age of seventeen and forced to be a slave. She would never forget those ten months. Brianna thought her life was over.

Everything changed again the day Stephan steamrolled into her life and brought her home to live with him. She had no idea what to expect—what life with her new Master would hold. That first month with Stephan was, in some ways, more confusing than the prior ten. As a slave, she’d known her place. With Stephan everything was new and different. He’d given her freedom and so much more.

Five months after Stephan rescued her, Brianna once again finds her life flipped upside down.

In this fourth, and final, installment of Finding Anna, Brianna must unearth strength she never knew she possessed. Stephan can no longer protect her from the outside world. She must learn to trust herself, embrace who she is, and discover who she wants to be. Only by facing her demons can Brianna find true happiness and peace.

~ Excerpt ~

“Do you love her?”

I opened my mouth to reply, but no sound came out. The answer was simple. Yes, I loved Brianna. I always would. Things were complicated now, however. And even though my feelings for Brianna weren’t in question—at least for me—I didn’t know if I should share them with anyone. It didn’t have anything to do with trust. I trusted Sarah. The reality, however, was that if worst came to worst and I was charged, Sarah and anyone else who knew me could be called to testify. For their own safety, I had to keep things to myself.

Luckily, my cell phone started ringing, giving me an excuse not to answer her. I looked at the caller ID. It was Oscar. “Hello?”

“Are you able to come by my office today?”

I glanced over at Sarah, who was waiting not so patiently beside me. “Sure. When do you need me there?”

“As soon as possible. Emma called. She wants to talk to the two of us.”

Before I knew it, I was on my feet. Sarah followed after me, a look of concern on her face.

I ignored her as my sole focus was on Oscar. “Is something wrong? Is Brianna all right?”

“Calm down, Stephan. As far as I know, Brianna’s fine. Still living with Cal Ross. I didn’t get the impression something was awry, more that she wants a discussion. “

I took a deep breath, feeling the tension ease. “I’ll be there within the hour. Will that work?”

“That should be perfect. I’ll call Emma and let her know.”

Pocketing my cell, I walked behind my desk and began closing everything down. I would go see Oscar and then work from home for the rest of the day. There wasn’t anything here that needed my immediate attention.

Once I had powered down my computer and had the papers I was taking with me in my briefcase, I looked up to find Sarah staring at me with a smug look on her face. “What?” I asked, not understanding her expression.

“Well I guess that answers one of my questions, at least.”

“What question is that?”

“Stephan Coleman has finally fallen in love.”

Four Stars

This was an absolutely wonderful end to a gripping series!! I have read and reviewed every book in this series and I am thrilled that they are all out now because I guarantee you won't want to stop once you start this beautifully emotional ride!

I am going to give a brief recap of the previous books so you are not completely lost here....

In the beginning we meet Stephen Campbell, we are not really sure what to make of him except we know that he is a Dom, but believe me, he is a good guy, they best! When a friend contacts him to let him know of a man who he believes is holding one of his so called 'slaves' against her will, he asks Stephen to pose as a buyer with interest in acquiring a slave to see if he can help this girl. Stephen does as his friend asks and when he meets with Ian he immediately knows that Brianna is being held against her will and offers to and ultimately purchases her to get her free and safe. Now I know this sounds shady but Stephen believes he will save this girl, set her up in a safe place and help her get back on her feet and that is the end of it. OMG! That is sooo not the end. Stephen takes Anna home with him and discovers she is completely broken. Ian and his filthy fucker friends beat, raped and humiliated her over and over for months. Now Stephen is not sure what to do but he needs to help her and over time(the next three books)and a lot of judgement from friends and family, Stephen and Brianna fall in love and he helps her, albeit slowly, to learn to live, love and trust again. 

When we pick back up in this fourth and final installment we find Anna has moved in with Cal and Jade to try to protect Stephen from being even more persecuted by the press and the authorities. I don't want to give to much of the story away but now that Ian is in custody, word has gotten out that Stephen actually purchased Brianna you can imagine that most everyone has something to say about this. Even Brianna's old friend Cal stands in judgement of Stephens lifestyle and is determined that he has brainwashed Anna and is controlling her. That they aren't really in love, blah, blah, blah. 

Now, I am only going to spout off a little here about how nobody should stand in judgement of the life choices of consenting adults. I know people are always going to judge things they don't know or understand but I don't have to like it!! Ok, all done. 

The issue I think the supporting characters in the story have here is that it takes them a really long time to come to the conclusion that both parties involved ARE consenting adults and that Stephen, whom even his family knows is a good man, are having trouble realizing just how much Stephen loves Anna. He would give his life for her kind of love. 

Everyone does come around eventually in the end and the bad are punished and they Hero and Heroine of our story get the HEA they so incredibly deserve but there is a lot of pain and struggle to get there. I will end by saying again just how much I loved this story and taking this journey with Stephen and Anna. I will also encourage anyone who hasn't read it to definitely pick it up, especially now that the entire series is out!! I promise you'll enjoy this story about just how strong the human spirit can be when surrounded by love, friendship and family!

***This book was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley

 About the Author

Sherri spent most of her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't good at spelling or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin. For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.

At the age of thirty, all that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at writing an alternate ending and give the characters their happily ever after. By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.

Seven years later, Sherri is the author of seven full-length novels and one short story. Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and turns she can create.

Connect With Sherri

on her

Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, Blog

Other books by Sherri

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#Reciprocity (Breach 3) by KI Lynn Cover Reveal

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Breach #3

Release Date: May 12, 2014

Summary

The final installment of the Breach Trilogy!

Things are finally looking up for Nathan and Lila. Though separated at work, their life together is just beginning.

They’re working hard to lock up Lila’s past, when Nathan’s comes knocking at the door with a gift—a warning that happiness can, and will, be taken away.

Is running away the only option to stay alive? Can they ever find the peace they deserve?

The battle for survival has begun.

Book Link: Goodreads

About the Author

K.I. Lynn spent her life in the arts, everything from music to painting and ceramics, then to writing. Characters have always run around in her head, acting out their stories, but it wasn’t until later in life she would put them to pen. It would turn out to be the one thing she was really passionate about.

Since she began posting stories online, she’s garnered acclaim for her diverse stories and hard hitting writing style. Two stories and characters are never the same, her brain moving through different ideas faster than she can write them down as it also plots its quest for world domination…or cheese. Whichever is easier to obtain… Usually it’s cheese.

Contact

Website - www.kilynnauthor.com

Twitter - @KI_Lynn_

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6553256.K_I_Lynn

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kilynn.breach

Amazon Page - http://www.amazon.com/K.I.-Lynn/e/B00CHSZ81E/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394634658&sr=1-2-ent

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