Monday, November 12, 2012

Thank you, Veterans!!!!


Happy Veteran's Day to all who have served and those still serving. 


Remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
 
If you like your freedom thank a veteran every time you see one, especially today! Freedom is NOT free!!
 
 To those who may not know, a veteran does NOT have to have been to war in a foreign land to be considered a veteran, ANYONE who has served deserves your thanks!!!
 

 

Friday, November 9, 2012

Guest Post! David N. Walker, We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

Rambling Reads would like to thank Christian inspirational author, David N. Walker for stopping by the blog today.  

The feminist movement has caused some men to think of the term "strong woman" as a bad thing, but this is not necessarily the case. A strong woman doesn't necessarily go around trashing men or trying to prove herself as superior to men.

In fact, a truly strong woman has enough self-confidence and a good enough self-image that she feels no need to justify herself. Just like a truly strong man, she just goes about her own business—and does so effectively enough that she needs no trumpets or press releases, nor does she need to denigrate others in order to make herself look better.

We tend to think of the strong woman as an anomaly or the 20th and 21st centuries, but this is also not true. There have been strong women throughout history. Certainly the development of the West by the early pioneers and later settlers of the 19th century required a lot of strong women.

Where would Lewis & Clark have been without Sacagawea? How about the countless families that went west in covered wagons—could weak women have accomplished this feat? They didn't have to try to emasculate their husbands or make public spectacles of themselves to show off their strength. They just did what they needed to do, no matter how hard that may have been.

Such a woman was Fancy, the lead character in my novella series of the same name. She didn't seek to show off her strength or skills. She merely accepted the hand dealt to her and proceeded to work her way through whatever lay ahead.

When, as a ten year-old, she saw her mother die giving birth to her baby sister, she stepped up to the plate and shouldered the primary responsibility for running the household and raising her sister. She took all that pressure off her father so he could devote his time and energy to operating their farm and keeping the wolf away from the door.

When her father answered the call to support the confederacy by joining the army, she took over the farming, too. Now she was mother, father, housewife and provider. She accepted all this without complaint and just set out to do whatever was necessary to succeed at it.
Read about this wonderful girl/woman and not only her response to the immediate situation, but also her growth as she made her way in life over the next couple of decades. Fancy begins as she fills in for her soldier/father. The rest of the series follows her as she grows and meets the future. Click here for more information about the story and how to order your copies of the books in this series.

*~*~*~*Comment for the chance to win a copy of his novella Fancy*~*~*~*

David N. Walker is a Christian husband, father and grandfather, a grounded pilot, a would-be Nashville star, and a near-scratch golfer who had to give up the game because of shoulder problems. A graduate of Duke University, he spent 42 years as a health insurance agent. Most of that career was spent in Texas, but for a few years he traveled many other states.

He started writing about 20 years ago and has been a member and leader in several writers' groups. Two of his books, the devotional Heaven Sent and the novella Fancy, are now available in paperback and in Kindle and Nook formats. Click here for more information and links to purchase these books.

David is currently working the Fancy series. Both Fancy and Fancy: The Search - Vol 2 are now out, and others will follow every couple of months or so.

Excerpt:

On a late July afternoon, she watched from the barn as a rider approached. She received few visitors, and this man's sudden appearance gave her a sense of foreboding. She grabbed her shotgun, hiding it in a fold of her skirt, and stepped out to meet him.
May I help you sir?”

Are you Clara Faye Greene?”

Yes.” She wondered who this man was and what he wanted with her.

Telegram, ma’am.” He walked his horse over and handed an envelope to her. Then he reined his horse around and rode away.

She returned to the barn and leaned her shotgun against the wall next to the door. Her hands trembled as she tore the envelope open. “No.” She didn’t even hear herself scream. “No. They’re mistaken.”

She re-read the telegram telling her that her father had been killed in a battle at some place called Manassas Junction.

What wrong?” Danni came running to the barn from where she’d been playing out in the yard.

Fancy ignored her and began pacing up and down the hay-strewn floor. “They made a mistake. That’s what it is. It can’t be true.”

What, Fancy?” Danni grabbed her sister’s arm.

Go on back out and play, honey. I’ll tell you about it later.”

Danni didn’t budge. She just stood looking at her sister.
 
Go on.” Fancy shooed her away. “Go on and play.”

Danni finally left, although Fancy sensed her reluctance to do so.

Damn those Yankees.” Fancy’s denial turned into anger. “They try to force us to do what they want, and then they kill our men. Damn them. I hope they all go to hell.”

She walked out into the field, screaming obscenities about war in general and Yankees in particular, shaking her fist as she went. Suddenly she looked upward, shook her fist toward heaven and cried out, “Where were you God?
 
She began to sob. “Why didn’t you protect my daddy? Why did you let him die? We’re supposed to trust you, but where were you then?”

Fancy was only vaguely aware of the setting sun as she continued to walk and rant. She had no idea how long Danni had been calling to her when she finally heard her. Oh God, it’s getting dark. Danni must be scared to death.

I’m coming, Danni. Stay where you are.” She didn’t know what she was going to tell the child. She wasn’t sure how she would take it. “God, you didn’t protect my daddy. Please at least protect my little sister. Don’t let her fall to pieces when I tell her.”

She could hardly keep her mind on what she was doing as she went through the motions of preparing and eating supper. After they finished, she left the kitchen in a mess and took Danni across the room into the living area, where she sat in the old rocking chair and pulled Danni into her lap.

 

 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Review: IF I WERE YOU by Lisa Renee Jones

When Sara McMillan receives a scintillating stack of journals from an auctioned off storage unit, she is both shocked and fascinated by the content of those pages. The more she reads the more she can't help but wonder why Rebecca, the owner of the unit, left everything behind. Did something sinister befall her or did she simply decide to leave her life behind to start anew?

In her quest to discover what happened to Rebecca, Sara finds herself immersed in Rebecca's life. Taking her job, becoming involved with the people who may know Rebecca's fate. Opening herself up to new experiences, and opening herself up to danger.

The men she meets unwittingly enable her to deepen her investigation. Mark Compton, manager of Allure Gallery and Chris Merit, a famed artist, are sexy rivals that have no qualms showing their dislike for one another, but what has caused their rift? What dark secrets do they hold? Why do they want to press Sara in the middle of it all?

And most importantly, where is Rebecca?

*****

I know that this is touted as 50 Shades of Grey meets Basic Instinct, I wouldn't know. I've never read 50SoG nor have I* watched BI. What I do know is that Lisa Renee Jones has composed a captivating tale of one woman's journey to discover the fate of another, only to find her own world shaken and turned on its head, as she starts to fulfill her own dreams in the process of uncovering a mystery.

The characters in IF I WERE YOU are so captivating and well fleshed out, these are people I felt like I knew as I read their tale. Sara isn't a timid person, she's shy and has been denying her true self. Finding these journals opens her up to discovering what she gave up, when she decided to choose a stable job instead of following her dreams and her love of art. There were other factors that played with her choices, and I love how her character grew from the beginning of this story to the end. Chris is HAWT, he has some control issues, his moods can flip in a heartbeat, he has a dark secret which he uses to keep his distance from Sara, and I absolutely adored him. Sara and Chris scorched the pages with their sizzling passion, so much so that I needed to turn the air conditioning up and eat a popsicle as I read their love scenes, as I'm fairly certain I was about to melt more than once! I think that Lisa Renee Jones has done a phenomenal job developing there relationship, there is no rush to love here, though you can see it as it takes shape.

Not only were the main characters well developed, but so where the side characters, Amanda was such a sweety, Ralph is a card, Ava has some spice, and Mark is a controlling dick—though he seems to be willing to help Sara, the question is why.

I love the whole Storage Wars concept of this book. It ponders the very questions I always wonder when I see that show: Why do people let their belongings go? What circumstances make people just abandon their things? You know that there has to be a story there, sure, maybe it's a simple story, but I love the spin Lisa Renee Jones has thrown on it. 

I can't wait to see where Ms. Jones takes this series, and I can't believe I have to WAIT to see where it's going! But I will be EAGERLY awaiting the next installment, because there are so many unanswered questions I have. 

IF I WERE YOU gets a solid 5 out of 5 rating! 

*NOTE: I have started reading 50SoG and so far the only thing I can say, is that Ana and Sara are NOT that much alike, neither are Christian or Chris.  

I'm finding Ana to be whiny, immature, weak, and ridiculously naive--all traits that I find extremely annoying. Sara starts out a bit shy, but we never mistake it for weakness, she has a backbone that she isn't afraid to use, and she grows out of her shell as the story moves on.  There is no whining from her, she sets her course and is determined to follow it, and she isn't taking any crap from Chris or anyone else in her life. 

Christian and Chris are both strong alpha characters who suffer from moodiness, but that is it.  Chris wants control of Sara in the bedroom, but isn't afraid to allow her to live out her life the way she wants/needs to, while Christian isn't happy unless he can control EVERY aspect of Ana's life--FAIL.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Review: A WEEK TO BE WICKED by Tessa Dare

Minerva Highwood is quite happy being one of the spinsters of Spindle Cove. Not just because of the lack of suitors, BUT also because of the wondrous discovery she has unearthed. Now she would like to reveal her find, only to do it right, she must travel to the Royal Geological Society's symposium being held in Edinburgh, Scotland. She needs to find an escort, and she thinks she has the perfect candidate.

Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne (oh and what a PAIN he is in Minerva's eyes) is a notorious rake, the spinsters of Spindle Cove don't hinder his escapades—some even help him along. *wink wink* When Minerva approaches him with her scheme, he at first balks...but Minerva has a persuasive way, and soon they find themselves on the road to adventure...uhm, I mean on the road to SCOTLAND, with maybe a wee bit of adventure. ;<)
*****


Tessa Dare has written a delightfully fun tale of adventure and passion in A WEEK TO BE WICKED. I really enjoyed following Colin and Minerva around the English countryside, and up through Scotland, where they met some interesting challenges and characters. There was a bit of danger thrown in to keep them from getting to lax in their travels, along with Colin's wicked sense of humor.

There were places in this book that had me giggling, and sometimes snorting with laughter, as mostly Colin's antics would rile Minerva or would backfire in an unexpected twist. Then I'd find myself sighing with pleasure as they began to learn what made each of them into the person they'd become, and as they delved into the passion that they could no longer resist.

I also enjoyed how Francine, Minerva's specimen, played into the story, who'd a thought that rock could be so interesting and entertaining. :)

I really enjoy Ms. Dare's writing and am looking forward to reading more about the citizens of Spindle's Cove.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

OMG...I'm blogging again

Well, as you see I sure the heck haven't been blogging much this summer, and my reading has really slacked off.  I've just been too busy with work and family.  My office job has been insanely busy, and I started editing in January (WOW, I'm getting paid to do what I love--READ!), that too has been busy.  I'm not complaining by any means, a year ago I was just working at the office, getting lay-off notices.  I'm still at the same office plus now I have the editing job, boy how have thinks changed in less than a year.

Then there's my kids, baseball season ended in June...with an unexpected tournament at the end of July, and now my kids are starting their football seasons (I have a senior in high school--YIKES!--and a 5th grader). So much for my free time. I still manage to squeeze a book in here and there though, and man have I found some great ones recently!

I must be one of the few people out there that have NOT read 50 Shades of Grey, which seems to have shocked all of my non-reading friends who have read it.  I mean really, this isn't the first book written that has hot sex in it with dominate ALPHA (yum) males...I just happen to like my heroines on the stronger side, not being demeaned and degraded by their men, or if they are, they are quick to stand up for themselves and tell the men to straighten up or F*ck off .  Really, if you want to read some sizzling hot romance with alpha guys, check out: Beth Kery, Bella Andre, Lacey Alexander, Maya Banks, Shiloh Walker, Olivia Cunning, Lisa Renee Jones, and that's just to name a few, really there are a lot of awesome writers out there that you should try out.

My favorite "new to me"  author is Olivia Cunning, after I discovered her Sinners on Tour series.



These books are scorching HOT, how in the hell have I missed this author?!?!.  This series has got everything I want: awesome plot lines that grab you, and suck you in; phenomenal characters that pull at you emotionally, strong men and woman who have been hurt in the past, but aren't about to let anyone walk all over them now--though they need to find the value in themselves to feel worthy of love; oh and did I forget to mention that these guys are ROCK STARS, really HOT, super SEXY rock stars? I can't wait until November when book #3 comes out.


I've also read Lisa Renee Jones' If I Were You, she's another one of my favorite authors of sizzling hot romance. :) I will be posting a full review of IIWY on the 23rd and Lisa will be stopping by my blog for a visit...so please come back and check out how much I enjoyed that book (OMG Chris, the hero is sooooooooo SEXY!) oh and there may be PRIZES! 
Isn't this cover fabulous? Don't you want to know what she is reading?


When Sara McMillan receives a scintillating stack of journals from an auctioned off storage unit, she is both shocked and fascinated by the content of those pages. The more she reads the more she can't help but wonder why Rebecca, the owner of the unit, left everything behind. Did something sinister befall her or did she simply decide to leave her life behind to start anew?

In her quest to discover what happened to Rebecca, Sara finds herself immersed in Rebecca's life. Taking her job, becoming involved with the people who may know Rebecca's fate. Opening herself up to new experiences, and opening herself up to danger.

The men she meet unwittingly enable her to deepen her investigation. Mark Compton, manager of Allure Gallery and Chris Merit, a famed artist, are sexy rivals that have no qualms showing their dislike for one another, but what has caused their rift? What dark secrets do they hold? Why do they want to press Sara in the middle of it all?

And most importantly, where is Rebecca?

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Time flies when you're having fun...

The old saying must be true, because in a blink summer seems to be quickly slipping by me! I haven't had time to blog nor review lately. :-( Hopefully you guys won't give up on me, and I'll be back in a flash!

Monday, July 9, 2012

CONFESSIONS FROM AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE by Miranda Neville


Minerva Montrose has a passion for politics. She is ready to hit the marriage mart with one goal in mind, to marry someone destined to rank high in government, and she's already picked her target.

Lord Blakenly has just returned to Society after a two year exile, and he's ready to pick up where he left off in his debauchery. Most assume he doesn't have the intelligence to run a dukedom, and have low expectations of him, none suspect the secrets he holds.
When Blake and Minerva are discovered in a very compromising position, they find themselves headed to the alter. Blake resents being forced to give up his freedom, while Minerva resigns herself to her fate.
 
Minerva is a serious minded young woman, while Blake is a fun-loving scoundrel. How will these two find their Happy Ever After, when they can barely tolerate each other?

*****

CONFESSIONS OF AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE was a very enjoyable read. While the premise of the story has been done many times before, Miranda Neville brought a freshness to the storyline with her well-rounded characters and scenery. 

Minerva was a very intelligent, serious young woman, who had managed to get herself into a few scrapes, but nothing like the scandal Blake brought onto her. She was a bit hard to take in the beginning with all her thoughts of politics, but Blake was a little hard for me to take early in the story, also. He couldn't get over feeling sorry for himself, and he treated Minerva with a nasty attitude. I found that hard to read, when he was the one that caused the whole fiasco in the first place. 

Fortunately as the story moved on the characters improved. Minerva decided to try to make the best of the situation, and eventually Blake decided the same, allowing them to learn to actually like each other, and to help their relationship flourish, as they discovered each others true inner character. I felt that when the story was over they had a lasting love that wasn't going to crumble.


Thursday, July 5, 2012

COUNTERMEASURE Blog Tour & Prize Give Away

I would like to welcome Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey to my blog, as they tell us a bit about how they write, and about their latest book, Countermeasure.  Also, don't forget to comment for a chance to win a $10 gift card AND fill out the Google doc on the bottom for a chance at the GRAND PRIZE: Signed copies (by both authors) of Countermeasure and To Russia with Love plus author swag!

We Go With Our Gut

In our interaction with other authors, we have heard them discussing the writing of love scenes and how some think it the hardest part to write. Oddly enough, the love scenes and romance aspects of our stories are the easiest to both of us. We are fairly certain that this comes from our background as role players where you actually wear the skin of the characters you are portraying and play fairly erotic scenes often. In that case, practice makes perfect. The more we played erotic love scenes, the easier it became to write them for the novels and shorts.

What we find the hardest are the intense fight scenes in our stories. These have to be precise, the movements fluid, the punches accurate. We have to study physiology of the human body, progression of debilitation due to certain injuries, evolution of bruising and even decomposition. When you get it wrong, readers question it. Yet, the hot market out there is paranormal romance where characters have super strength and can do things humans can’t. We write contemporary romance where humans are…humans. They fail; they succeed by sheer power of desperation. Fight scenes have to match the “reality” of the story. You can’t have a human in a contemporary story fighting with super-hero strength. In real life situations, in a fight, both parties are scuffed up.

In COUNTERMEASURE, one of the most thrilling scenes is a fight scene that took us a long time to polish. Cassandra James did work the field as a CIA operative but not as a Super Spy. Trevor is a geek (granted hot geek) Data Analyst. They are not kick ass paranormal beings with super hero strength. They are human and non-combative for the most part. Granted, Cassandra has been trained by her father, a Navy Seal and strict military man, and by the CIA at the Farm, but there is a big difference in how they react to situations compared to paranormal characters would. 

When another author critiqued our first fight scene, she shredded it. The main complaint was related to the fact that our hero didn’t look like a hero because he was not winning the fight at all times, kicking ass and coming out unscathed. At first we were chest fallen but then we studied what she said, we read and we researched. We revisited our fight scenes with a different perspective and in the end, we were proud of the final polished scenes.
Trevor and Cassandra fought as they knew how, with rage, determination, and a little help from Trev’s laptop, Jack. No help from the Gods or any extra-terrestrial ability, just plain and simple wit and will to overcome adversities. 

Most rewarding of all is to hear comments from readers on how the scenes feel real, how they read them at the edge of their seats, how they enjoy each and every move as if they are watching a movie play in front of them. Although we didn’t follow the author’s advice to make our hero a super hero, we are still grateful for the advice given and for the drive to push the envelope, tighten the scene even more. 

To all writers beginning this amazing journey, go with your gut. Do not try to make your characters something they are not. If Trevor had gone from desk jockey to Chuck Norris with a change of a scene, he would no longer have been himself. Take criticism, turn it around to your advantage, and run with it.

To readers, all we can say is thank you for the amazing feedback and comments on our much worked on fight scenes. We hope you enjoy them as much as our hot love ones.

Cheers,

Cecilia




                                                                    Blurb 
Amazon
 In the first novel of the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES, Trevor Bauer is haunted by the mystery surrounding his parents' disappearance. His dreams for his own life have been put on hold. While searching for clues about them, he crosses paths with Cassandra James, a tough ex-CIA agent who derails every one of his best laid plans to avoid a relationship until he can find the closure he desperately seeks.

Suspicious and determined never to fall into the love trap, security specialist Cassandra James takes on a chase to recover files stolen right out from under her nose. In an effort to prove to her father--also her boss--that she is a capable woman, she follows the digital trail--a trail that leads her directly into the arms of Trevor Bauer, an NSA analyst who appears to have more secrets than she has scars...

When he accepts her request for help in recovering the files she's hunting, they embark on an adventure that takes them across the ocean and into a world of intrigue and violence. As things between them begin to heat up, Trevor realizes that, if he is ever to win Cassandra's heart and the future he craves, he has no choice but to reveal all his secrets.


~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~

PART 4 of the COUNTERMEASURE Excerpt 

(Excerpts 1-3, and 5 can be found here:  
Simply Ali - Part 1         Mrs. Condit - Part 2     Cocktails and Books - Part 3       Harlie's Books - Part 5 )

A smile lit his face and he laughed. “Sorry. Old habits from home.” When she frowned he added, “Ireland. Irish. Born and raised.”
“Ah, that would explain the lilt.”
“Yeah, I can mask it well, though. Most times I speak good American.”
“How’s that working for you? It didn’t do you any good a few minutes ago. I seem to recall the word shite.”
“You caught me by surprise,” he replied with a wicked grin.
His grin pulled at her heart, which surprised her. She had never had this reaction to someone before.
“Good to know. So what the hell did you call Nate? It was Irish, right?”
With a snort, Trevor responded, “A amadáin? It means you fool, but it’s really a polite Irish way of calling someone an asshole. Since there are no assholes in Ireland, we don’t really have a word for them, so that’s what we say.”
His expression was so serious, Cassandra couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “I’ll have to remember that one. I know a few back home.”
“A few assholes or Irishmen?”
“Definitely assholes,” she laughed. Sliding off the table, she walked back to her chair and sat. Laughter aside, it was time to get back to the business at hand. “Help me, here. I’m trying to understand what an NSA employee would be doing hacking a system from their own work computer.”
Her laughter was like a warm blanket wrapped around his heart and he had an overwhelming urge to make her laugh more. But the laughter faded and the glimmer of determination to get to the bottom of why he’d been on the server returned to her eyes.
His stomach burned from the stress of the confrontation; she would be giving him an ulcer if she didn’t stop asking questions soon. The truth about the connection between the NSA and the formula was more than an acceptable answer to her questions. He would just keep his personal reasons for the intrusion to himself. That should give her enough to cool her heels. He moved off the table and took the chair she had originally indicated at the start of the meeting.
Okay, Ms. James,” he sighed. “The reason I infiltrated the server was to verify information associated with a flagged conversation we picked up. My co-worker George, the one you saw me talking to when you arrived, received the thread originally. Based on my check, we were able to remove the flag that same day.”
What do you mean by ‘flagged’?”
Trevor considered the ramifications of sharing classified information with her. Since he was fairly certain she was the same Cassandra mentioned in the tagged conversation, he didn’t see anything wrong with exposing that information to her.
“Our group investigates conversations that Echelon has flagged as suspicious based on a list of priority keywords. Almost two weeks ago, a phone conversation was flagged. Some dumbass picked the wrong choice of words to describe how a person by the name of Cassandra had ‘bombed’ the security around the formula—the same formula you’re asking me about right now.”
Cassandra’s pulse pounded in her ears. She now knew why he had been so surprised to hear her name. He had heard it before, had known who she was when she had introduced herself. She was mortified. She was fairly certain Jeff had been the dumbass gloating about her failure.

Find Part 5 of the excerpts here: Harlie's Books 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
CHRIS ALMEIDA and CECILIA AUBREY 

Chris Almeida began writing children’s stories at a very young age. While Cecilia Aubrey has dabbled in writing on and off over the years. It was in 2010, when Chris and Cecilia met and began role-playing online as a hobby, that writing placed itself front and center—this time, writing storylines for the role-playing group. 

The ideas and plots created for the game awoke their inner writers, and, a few months later, together they began writing romantic erotica. Together, they write suspense-driven erotic romance with sexy, technologically inclined men and woman, filled with intrigue and enough twists and turns to make a rollercoaster seem tame. 

Chris and Cecilia have several published short stories to their credit and their first novel, COUNTERMEASURE, was published in January 2012. They are currently working on the second and third books in the COUNTERMEASURE series. Through all the chaos and laughter, they still hold true to their roots, bringing their favorite role-play characters and stories to life.

You can find out more about them on their author and series websites:


Sunday, June 17, 2012

Sunday Snippets

A few things I'm looking forward to this month.
 
Sexy Little Surprises by J.C. DanielsSexy Little Surprises by J.C. Daniels
After ten years in, Alexis Marshall thinks her marriage is over. Maybe it doesn’t matter that she still loves her husband, still dreams of him, still aches for him…maybe it doesn’t matter that her entire body longs for him…

But before she walks away, she going to try one more time to see if there is anything left. She’s pulling out all the stops. Sexy surprises, sweet seductions, provocative promises. Anything to remind him—and herself—of what they had together before an unexpected heartbreak tore them apart.

She’s not ready to let go of her marriage. And she’s out to seduce her husband and make him realize that some things are worth fighting for.




Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey
Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey

#1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey sweeps readers into the ballrooms and country houses of England’s elite society in the sparkling, passion-filled tale of a desperate debutante who learns in a most delightful way that she can’t fight her scandalous attraction to her virile matchmaker.

Lady Amanda Locke has struck out miserably in her two Seasons on the marriage mart. Beautiful, titled, and charming – even if she does talk a bit too much, Amanda doesn’t understand why love eludes her. Even her father, the Duke of Norford, is so perplexed he is prepared to take drastic measures to ensure his daughter’s happiness. Now, as Amanda begins her third Season, she gets a little help from Cupid, a darkly handsome horse breeder whose knowledge of basic animal attraction has guided him in arranging more than a few successful matches between the young ladies and gentlemen of the ton. Hired by Amanda’s family, Devin Baldwin produces results for Amanda and soon she is happy to be courted by one of his clients, the dashing Viscount Altone. In order to secure Amanda’s match to a nobleman obsessed with horse racing, Devin must teach Amanda how to overcome her fear of horses. But as Devin shows her the joys of riding, hunting, and racing, will their own hearts run astray as Amanda finds herself falling in love with Cupid himself?

 

 Driven by Eve SilverDriven by Eve Silver
In the harsh Northern Waste where human life is worth little, ice trucker Raina Bowen has learned to keep her eyes open and her knife close at hand. She’s spent her life on the run, one step ahead of the megalomaniac who hunts her. All she wants is to stay out of trouble and haul her load of grain to Gladow Station–but trouble finds her in the form of a sexy stranger called Wizard. He has the trucking pass she needs, and she has to drag him out of a brawl with the very people she’s trying to hide from in order to get it. She may have rescued him, but Raina’s not foolish enough to see Wizard as anything close to helpless. He’s hard and honed and full of secrets–secrets that may destroy them both. As they race across the Waste, trying to outrun rival truckers, ice pirates, and the powerful man bent on their destruction, Raina’s forced to admit that trouble’s found her. And this time, there’s nowhere left to run.
 
This edition of DRIVEN includes brand new additional scenes plus bonus content of a deleted love scene!




Echoes at Dawn by Maya Banks
Echoes at Dawn by Maya Banks
Grace Peterson is desperate, in hiding, and on the run after escaping a shadowy group determined to exploit her extraordinary ability to heal others. Her only lifeline–an unerring telepathic ability she shares with her sister–has been severed, leaving her alone and vulnerable. And time is fast running out…

Enlisted to bring Grace home is Rio, relentless member of the KGI. He’s unprepared for his reaction to this wounded, damaged woman, and he’s fiercely determined to protect her from those who nearly destroyed her. In Rio, she finds a safe haven, and for the first time…hope. But the mission is far from over. The danger Grace has eluded is fast closing in. And now it’s pitching two lovers toward an unfamiliar horizon, with no place left to hide.




No One Left to Tell by Karen RoseNo One Left to Tell by Karen Rose
The addictive Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose serves up her most relentless thriller yet.

A woman is dead and her fiance is serving a life sentence for a murder he didn’t commit. Now PI Paige Holden holds the only piece of evidence that could see him freed, and she cannot take it to the police. With the help of disarming state attorney, Grayson Smith, Paige is determined to avenge the murdered woman and set an innocent man free. But Paige has only scratched the surface of a cover-up far deadlier than she could ever imagine. A string of mysterious deaths of women with a shared past sets Paige on the trail of a ruthless killer. The problem is, the killer’s on her trail too …





 Theif of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

A MASKED MAN . . .
Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he’s the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles—protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

A DANGEROUS WOMAN . . .
Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she’s asked to tutor the Home’s dour manager in the ways of society—flirtation, double entendres, and scandalous liaisons—Isabel can’t help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar—and his lips so tempting.

A PASSION NEITHER COULD DENY
During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything—the Home, Isabel . . . and his life.



Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Lisa Renee Jones is offering a great package for her readers

Lisa Renee Jones is offering a special package deal for her readers for only $12! 

It includes:
  • A signed copy of DANGER THAT IS DAMION
  • A signed copy of STORM THAT IS STERLING 
  • A Damion T-shirt
  • Trading cards for Danger that is Damion, Storm that is Sterling, Legend of Michael on dog tags 
  • A cute soldier duckie!


An awesome deal on an awesome series!!! If you enjoy military romance with a paranormal twist this series is one you NEED to read! :)  More information can be found on Lisa Renee Jones' blog here.


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Review: BE MY PRINCE by Julianne MacLean

The Royal Trilogy #1


Lady Alexandra Monroe is determined to marry Prince Randolph, heir to the throne of the tiny country of Petersbourg. Yet she finds herself drawn to the Prince's roguish younger brother, Prince Nicholas, who seems to return her affections.

Who will Alex choose?

Shocking secrets are revealed, leading to intrigue and danger.

* * *

Julianne MacLean has begun a dynamic new series opening up with Be My Prince. I loved the fairy tale feel of the story. While there were no evil witches nor fairy godmothers, it does feature as lost princess.

I loved that this book wasn't completely set in England, but it took place in a small European country. And I absolutely loved that it took place over a longer period of time, where we could see the struggles of the relationship, and how Alex and Randolph had to find their way to true love, it was not an easy discovery. I even liked their separation, as it allowed them time to grow, and the letters between were a nice added touch.

While I felt that most of the characters and scenery was brilliantly described, there were a one dimensional that didn't add anything to the plot or characters and that was Alex's 3 adopted sisters, I'm not even sure what the point was in mentioning that they existed. They were mentioned that they were in the country in the beginning of the story and then when Alex left England, she couldn't wait for them join her in Petersbourg, but after that they just seemed to disappear, even their step-mother Lucille seemed to forget about them once she set sail with Alex.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series, as I can't wait to see what happens next in the Royal Trilogy.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Review of LETHAL RIDER by Larissa Ione

From the back of the book:

They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride . . . LETHAL RIDER Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, ReganCooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father. Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

My take on it all :-)

 
Thanatos is hell bent on revenge. He can't believe what Regan has done to him nor why. The Aegis convinced Regan to betray Than, but when faced with the consequences for her actions she learns the Aegis' motives are not true to her beliefs.

The race is on to save the world, but who is right? Will Thanatos' seal be broken and will he join his brother Pestilence in bringing on the Apocalypse? Or can he be saved?

* * *

Lethal Rider is one of those books that had me so caught up in the action and characters that I completely lost track of time. Larissa Ione's writing has me so deeply involved in these characters that I feel as if I know them...some may find that silly, but any reader can tell you that if an author draws you that strongly into not just the story, but the entire series, the author is doing something right!

I loved Than and Regan together. They definitely started off wrong, but there was so much right about them. The sparks flew between them and the passion sizzled once they began to see each other as more than the enemy.

Parts of Lethal Rider tore me up emotionally. I don't cry easy, but Ms. Ione succeeded in bringing me to tears. First when Than finally accepted that Reseph was truly gone and again when Regan went into labor. Than was forced to take actions that would tear him up—and me as the reader, I cried my eyes out for all that he was compelled to do for all of the right reasons. Of course you're going to have to pick up the book yourself to find out what those actions are—and the results!

I also loved that Ms. Ione brought in the characters from Underworld General. I enjoyed seeing my favorite reoccurring characters in the Demonica world. And she left me chanting: “Reseph. Reseph. Reseph!” as I canNOT wait for the story of his redemption! 

Rating: 5 out of 5!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Bound Temptations by Shiloh Walker

I read each of these books when they first came out and really enjoyed them.  I think it's time to do a re-read! :)
 
 First time in print…previously only available in digital format.
 

 Bound Temptations: Stories of Temptation and Submission
 
Tempt Me
 
She’s a temptation he can’t resist…
Roxanne ‘Rocki’ Monroe’s life is full of secrets and hidden heartaches. Cole Stanton would love to heal her pain and chase away the ghosts of her past, but she’s just a complication he doesn’t have room for in his life.
Or so he thinks. It doesn’t take Cole long to realize he’s more than willing to let temptation get the best of him, more than happy to deal with complications if that’s what it takes to get her. What he has and what he needs are two different things…and what he needs is Rocki.

Beg Me
 
Beg me…there had been a time when those words made her burn with desire. But now, there was only fear. Once, Tania Sinclair’s life was almost perfect…But a couple of tragedies later, she’s barely holding it together. A car accident took away her husband, and an attack from somebody she should have been able to trust has shaken not only her confidence, but it’s also stripped away her fantasies and even made it painful to look back on her memories of her husband without fear.
Two years after her attack, Tania is determined to take her life back and the first step is taking back herself…her fantasies, her dreams, her memories. There’s only one person she can trust to do it, too. One person she wants enough…Drake Bennett, her husband’s best friend.
 
Warning: This book involves light bondage play, rape fantasy & role-playing. The acts between the hero & heroine are consensual, but they may not be ideal for all readers…
 
 

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Lisa Renee Jones' The Danger That is Damion Release Party


Visit  Lisa Renee Jones' blog to see what the party is all about!  There will be Sourcebooks authors sharing about their favorite spots to write and you will find A LOT of chances to win...for there are lots and lots of prizes being given away!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Contest and Guest post by author Jacquie Johnson


Rambling Reads would like to welcome author Jacquie Johnson, as she gives us some insight to her writing process.

How I Write

Most of my ideas come from a news story, an article or an interesting anecdote that someone shares. I mull the idea over while playing “what-if” games. If the characters come to life in my mind, I know I have something. They start taking on a life of their own and I watch the story unfold. 
 
While the story gels in my mind, I make notes and jot down scene ideas. Scratch pads, post-it notes, envelopes, and, yes, even napkins are used to capture these ideas. Once I know where I’m going and how I’m going to get there, I sit down and create a basic outline. After this is complete, I start chronologically with the beginning of the story but then jump to the ending. Once I have these bookends written, I work on the middle. This is where my imagination often adds the twists and turns which I didn’t visualize initially. 
 
Once I have a completed draft, I put it away for a month or two. This allows me to be less attached to what I have just done and view what I have written with a critical eye. I print a hard copy and read the initial draft all the way through, making notes before I start the editing and rewriting process. 
 
Then I sit down at the computer and make the appropriate changes. Entire chapters are sometimes discarded during this time. While there is nothing fun about deleting pages I have sweated over or to which I’m attached, it is a necessary part of the process. 
 
Once I’ve completed the first round of revisions, I reread the story. If I’m happy with it, I send it off to a friend or two for their review and feedback. I read their comments and make any needed revisions before sending it off to an editor for final review. The editor catches those pesky errors I’ve missed. Finally, I make any final adjustments and read through the novel one last time before submitting it for publication. 

Thank you so much for visiting with us, Jacquie.

To see Jacquie's writing in motion, check out  her first book Angel on Fire, and comment for a chance to win a copy of the ebook!
 

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

ONLY .99 cents!!!! THE STORM THAT IS STERLING on sale





I just love Lisa Renee Jones' Zodius series. If you haven't read Sterling's book yet, now is the time to pick it up, for only .99 cents. 

Monday, April 9, 2012

Review: Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole


Fantasy
ACE


In a world changed by magic, Oscar Britton was a helicopter pilot for the United States Army, attached to the Supernatural Operations Corps (SOC), a loyal officer who didn't question his orders, until the day he was told his target was a teenage kid. The same day he was given that order, he unexpectedly begins wielding his own magic, a rare and forbidden power that takes him from soldier to outlaw in a snap. Thinking the SOC would like nothing better than to kill him, he goes on the lam.

When the SOC catch him, they want to convince Britton to be on their team, as part of a special magic unit. Will Britton stay his military course, or will he discover that sometimes you have to take charge of your own destiny?


*****
Myke Cole did a great job introducing a new world, full of fascinating characters. He built a magic-crazed world, a desolate military outpost, and characters and creatures that flowed off the pages. The world building slowed the book down, but yet felt necessary as an introduction to the new landscape for this series.

The non-stop action kept the story moving, and kept me hooked to Britton's struggle in his new role in the world. He had to struggle with the understanding that the lines between right and wrong are sometimes really fuzzy, while at other are blatantly black and white. He made mistakes, yet he was able to learn from them.

I also enjoyed the side characters, especially the goblin Marty, he was an interesting little guy. I was sadden by the loss of some characters, but look forward to seeing many of them return in the next book of this series, which I will absolutely be looking for when it comes out.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone has a great Easter...and thank you to my friend Mary, who created these KISStacular Easter Eggs for my boys. :-)