Bound (Fire on Ice #1) by Brenda Rothert

College senior Kate Camden has learned to adapt - to her last year of school, to the promise of motherhood, to the fact that she’s doing it all alone. But just when she’s learned to adjust, heartache threatens to break her apart.

Pro hockey player Jason “Ryke” Ryker has it all: adoring fans, a promising career, and a beautiful wife. But when his seemingly perfect life is shaken by tragedy, he’s left questioning whether having it all is ever more than an illusion.

When circumstance brings Kate and Ryke together, they discover they don’t have to hurt alone. Bound by a grief that haunts them both, they must rely on one another to survive heartbreak. But that grief is more powerful than they realize, and the tie that binds them together may ultimately tear them apart.

Four Stars

Death is our fucked up camaraderie 

Death. Love. Second chances. Hockey.

So, yea. I couldn’t refuse this book once I found it. Both the H/h suffered a huge loss. It was this type of commonality that brought these two together. Knowing that, you knew going into this, this was going to be an emotional read. However, as the story unfolded, it wasn’t the grief nor the sadness that made me a hot mess. No worries, I’ll delve into that in a sec. 

I wasn’t the only one. Funny how I felt more kinship with this random mix of strangers than a lot of my longtime friends. 

Kate Camden suffered the loss of her 18-week-old baby. The pregnancy was purely accidental, and though she was initially conflicted about it, in the end she very much wanted the baby. With the help of her mother, she was ready to raise her baby without the father. But when she lost her baby, she was never the same. She was left a broken mess and a future with children uncertain. To help her move forward from her loss, her mother convinces her to attend a grief support group. This is where she meets NHL Hockey player, Jason “Ryke” Ryker. 

But it was something else about her that was commanding my attention. That sadness on her face – I’d been there. The haunted look in her eyes – I’d looked that way. She’d lost someone, and though I didn’t even know who, I felt like she knew me. I wanted to wrap her in my arms, take her to bed and make her feel something so deep and powerful it made the sadness go away 

Ryke was still grieving the loss of his wife. The support group has helped him a lot through his loss. When he sees the newest addition to the group, he was immediately drawn to her. He learns that she’s in need of a job. So what does he do? Offer her a position as his personal assistant. He is desperate to find out more about her, but the more time they spend together, the more interested he becomes. 

I wished for words to soothe her, but I didn’t have any. I was a hockey player, for Christ’s sake. My favorite words were fuck and fucking. 

Having feelings for Kate not only confuses him, but it completely freaks him out. He loved his wife, but their marriage was far from perfect. He doesn’t want to freak Kate out, but then again he’s trying way to hard to not make the same mistakes he did when he was married. But he slowly starts to realize that Kate is not like his wife at all, and that realization makes Kate more intriguing. 

And that was it. As soon as I heard those words I knew this was a man I could fall deeply in love with. If I let go of the tight hold I had on my heart, he would own it. 

**Sigh** These two constantly fight their attraction to one another. They’re both very hesitant to take things between them further – Kate especially. OMG! Does it make me a horrid person because I just wanted to tell Kate to get the fuck over it already?I know, I know. I should be more sympathetic, but my patience grew very thin when it came to Kate. Ryke was nothing but a gentleman to her. He was sweet, kind, generous and did nothing to deserve the mixed signals she constantly gave him. One minute they’re hot and heavy, but then out of the blue Kate puts the kibosh on it. Ugh. 

So aside from the female blue balls I got while reading this, I did enjoy it. Plus it helped a lot that Ryke was a hot hockey player. I’m a sucker for hockey and hockey players. I kid you not, but as I write this review, I’m watching HBO 24/7: Red Wings/Maple Leafs Road to the Winter Classic. If you do not know what that is, that’s okay (I guess.) I’m a die-hard Red Wings fan and I LOVE hockey players. Le sigh… Sorry, I digress. I look forward to the sequel, and no worries…this does have an ending of sorts, but I’m glad there’s more to their story. 

Be Mine Forever (St. Helena Vineyard #4) by Marina Adair ARC Review

Title: Be Mine Forever
Series: St. Helena Vineyard #4
Release date: January 21, 2014
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
For Trey DeLuca, the idea of settling down was entirely unsettling. As VP of sales for his family’s wine company, he’s never in any one city—or with any one woman—for long, which is how he likes it. But when family obligations keep him temporarily grounded in his hometown, he finds the perfect distraction. She’s sweet, gorgeous, and sexy as hell…only her life screams commitment.
Between raising her son and struggling to keep her dance school afloat, Sara Reed has her hands full. Dance students she needs—a steamy tangled sheets cha-cha with a self-admitted commitment-phobe? Not going to happen. But sparks fly as the town prepares for a big Valentine’s Day gala, and Trey strikes a deal with Sara…he’ll “manny-up” and watch her son in exchange for ballroom lessons.
With love quickstepping ever closer, Sara needs to teach this playboy some new steps or risk losing him—and her heart—forever.

Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Five Stars

 Gotta love the DeLuca clan! 

Marina Adair has made me fall in love with another St. Helena Vineyard book and another DeLuca brother! This time around the story focuses on Trey DeLuca, the youngest brother. Trey is a love-em-and-leave-em kind of guy. He doesn't make commitments with anyone, since he's always jetting off somewhere as VP of sales for the family business. So when family stuff keeps him in St. Helena for a few weeks, he reluctantly rolls up his sleeves and chips in where he's needed. Plus, he just can't say no to his grandmother, who wants him to escort her to the Winter Garden Gala. Before the big event happens, he'll need to take ballroom lessons from Sara Reed, the newest, hot, little dance instructor in town.

Opening up her dance studio in St. Helena was a fresh, new start for single-mom Sara. Trying to be all that her young son, Cooper, needs and her dedication to the dance studio stretches her schedule pretty thin. The attraction she has for Trey is sending her all sorts of red flags, too. She wants love in her life, but she wants something forever, is that too much to ask?

I loved, loved, loved Be Mine Forever! Marina Adair continues to stir up some small-town fun with the three grandmothers and heartwarming romance with the latest pairing. My heart tugged at Sara's back story, and I just adored her young son who pretty much steals the story with his unbelievable cuteness! I enjoyed seeing all of the recurring secondary characters again. Really, it feels like coming home to something familiar. How everyone is included into the plot is just lovely. How the brothers and their significant others seem to know exactly what to say is one of the reasons why the St. Helena Vineyard series is one of my favorites! The side story with Trey's grandmother, Chi Chi, made me smile big. As for Trey and Sara, well their story is pretty touching and awesome that I teared up a bit. Be Mine Forever is more than just a Valentine's Day romance, it's one of those stories that will squeeze your heart any time of year.

*A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.*

St. Helena Vineyard Series:

Kissing Under the Mistletoe

Summer in Napa

Autumn in the Vineyard

Be Mine Forever

Cover Reveal ~ King by T.M. Frazier

Title: KING

Author: T.M. Frazier

  

 Expected release date:  April 22, 2014

 

 Synopsis:

Homeless, hungry and desperate enough to steal, Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from.

A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, pu$$y or a combination of all three.

King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go.

WARNING: This book contains graphic violence, consensual and nonconsensual sex, drug use, abuse, and other taboo subjects and adult subject matter.

Book Link: Goodreads 

Cover Model: Andree Kactic

His Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andree-Katic/475470632516650

About the author:

T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier resides in sunny Southwest Florida with her husband and three feisty fur kids.

In the third grade she wrote her very first story about a lost hamster. It earned rave reviews from both her teacher and her parents although her spelling could have (and could still) use some help.

It only took her twenty years to start the next book.

The Dark Light of Day is her debut novel.

King will be released in 2014.

She is an avid reader herself who LOVES talking books and chatting with her readers.

Facebook

Twitter

www.TMFrazier.com

 

Blog Tour ~ Revealed (Vice & Virtue #1) by Bianca Giovanni

James Laird and Lola Caraway have been next door neighbors and best friends since elementary school. James was always the ultimate player, and after graduation moves to LA and finds his place as a rising star in the porn industry. Lola, three years younger, is a studious overachiever and on track for graduation and success in college. 

Lola knows about and accepts James and his debauchery; it's never been a secret between the two friends. However, a hometown visit prompts James to face his evolving feelings for her, especially after his conservative family discovers his true profession and she comes to his rescue. Not wanting to seduce the innocent Lola, he returns to California, where he sets his sights on becoming a superstar in the industry. 

While Lola is visiting James from college, they dance around their attraction to each other. After Lola admits she’s never had an orgasm, James offers to be her hands-on teacher. A lifetime of friendship with a manwhore tells Lola that she should not get attached to James as a lover, as tempting as his offer may be. Can she please her body while still protecting her heart?

From the author of some of the highest rated erotic romance on Smashwords comes this first look into a world of love, friendship...and porn.

Love Bianca?

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Revealed Trailer / Publisher

Four Stars

It seriously only took me a few minutes to fall in love with James. Now really, James is the ultimate book boyfriend, in that I mean a bit too good to be true! We are talkin’ 6’5 hot, sexy, porn star who is amazingly attentive, a fabulous cook and cares about nothing more than Lola’s happiness and dotes on her every move. Oh, and did I forget to mention INCREDIBLY WELL endowed?? I know, I told ya right, total fantasy!! Except, he is not Lola’s boyfriend, he is her best friend…..For now… more about that in a minute. I have to share how I see them in my head, and James is even described as closely resembling my actual fantasy man, Jason Momoa!! This will give you a mental pic to work with…yeah, you’re welcome!

I read these books when they were a series of small novellas. This book is a combination of the first three original novellas with quite a few additional scenes.

James and Lola have been best friends since they were children but NEVER more than friends. Though James is crazy protective and Lola measures every guy up to James. James has worked his way sexually through the female population and now finds himself in the porn industry as the newest up and coming star. Don’t get me wrong, James could not be a sweeter guy, he is kind, sensitive and never cruel, he simply loves women!! All the while Lola has remained a virgin and could never quite understand why she couldn’t find a man she loved as much as James!! Now they are both starting to discover that they are developing more that friendly feelings for the other but are too afraid to act on them, aside from a little fooling around.

Although when the messing around goes a little far and gets a little intense they have to decide if the attraction is worth the possible fall of the great friendship they have. So we end this first installment with both James and Lola deciding that just friends is how they need to stay and Lola heading back to school and James continuing to rise in the porn industry. If you were lucky enough to have read these books when they were out as novellas, then you know how this ends for them, provided the lovely Ms. Giovanni doesn’t throw us a curveball :) - However, if you haven’t read them, please stay tuned for the next installment in the life of James and Lola. I promise you won’t be disappointed, I love these characters and their journey is a wonderful ride!!

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All of Me (All of Me #1) by Gina Sorelle

One year after undergoing a unilateral mastectomy, twenty-eight year old ER nurse Stella Ciaramitaro is working on healing all wounds, visible and invisible. And it’s going pretty well. Sure, she has four pain-in-the-butt sisters, an occasionally suicidal dad, and some serious trust issues. And, yes, all dreams of soul mates, mind-blowing sex, and everlasting love have gone the way of her left breast. But overall, she’s hanging in there. Doing just fine, actually.

Or at least she was until HE showed up. 

Nathan Drazek is a hot mess and he knows it. The laundry list of things contributing to his dysfunction includes, but is not limited to: a childhood full of mental and physical abuse, four tours in Afghanistan, and ten years policing one of the toughest beats in East Cleveland. Adding insult to injury, he’s ridiculously straight-laced, beyond aloof, and nearly incapable of interpersonal relationships. But that’s okay, because Nathan isn’t interested in anything more than just getting by. 

Or at least he wasn’t until SHE showed up. 

From the moment Nathan nearly arrests Stella on, sparks fly, limits are tested, and boundaries are shattered. A tenuous, tender friendship quickly evolves into something powerful and passionate they cannot wish away or control. But as they grow closer, new issues arise and old hurts resurface; threatening to destroy their fragile new beginning. 

With everything at stake, Nathan and Stella must ultimately decide which runs deeper: their scars or their love.

3.5-3.75 Stars

That guy was an enigma wrapped in a riddle. 

This book immediately caught my eye. While reading the synopsis, I realized this was going to be something different. I was in the mood for an emotional read and man-oh-man did I get one. 

And so here they all were – one big, happy family: Stella, her uniboob, and her overactive brain…slogging through. Getting by. 

Stella is smart, vibrant, beautiful and so full of spirit. I loved her character. She’s a cancer survivor, but the image she sees in the mirror everyday is still hard to get use to. After her last relationship, which was absolutely broke her heart, she wasn’t really in the market for another disaster. However, when she meets Officer Nathan Drazek, trouble finds her. 

And he was twisted up. Twisted up, fucked up, jacked up…he was every kind of “up” there was. 

I’m not really sure how accurately describe Nathan. I love him, but I also wanted to slap the shit out of him. He’s got a traumatic past that truly fucks him up. He’s not the relationship kind and he’s definitely the last person to think that he’s deserving of any type of love. This man has severe issues. He works hard, fucks hard, form no attachments type of man. He likes control over his life. What he feels for Stella is something he’s never felt before and he fights like hell to ignore them. He doesn’t want to feel this way about someone. He doesn’t like the lack of control she causes. 

Sweet Jesus, the man was beautiful. In a hard, sad, separated way. And the way he was standing – long legs apart, muscled arms across his chest, staring down at her like that – was enough to make any woman swoon.

Even women who’d sworn off swooning. 

This book was emotional, yes, but it wasn’t as overpowering as some might think. What was overpowering was Nathan. OMG. He’s one of the most stubborn Heroes I’ve ever encountered. No worries, you get plenty of steam in this book, but the way Nathan constantly denies and fights his obvious feelings for Stella really broke my heart. I understood his hesitance, but seriously, it took everything Stella had to break through his brick wall. 

I enjoyed this book for the most part, and apart from the numerous editing issues, it was a good read…that is if you don’t mind a stubborn ass, Alpha Hero like Nathan.