Saturday, June 30, 2012
Review: The Future of Our Past by Kahlen Aymes
Product Details
- Paperback: 338 pages
- Publisher: Telemachus Press, LLC (April 21, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1937698971
- ISBN-13: 978-1937698973
The Remembrance Trilogy Book One
Kahlen Aymes
I am a sucker for a mushy book about secret admirers, unrequited love, or the tragic Romeo & Juliet type romance. The Future of Our Past seemed to fit the bill in what I look for in a casual romance.
Julia and Ryan are long time best friends who have secretly held feelings fore each other for a long while now. Each are afraid of compromising their friendship and try to bury these feelings all through under graduate college.
Graduation holds the promise of bright futures for this couple, the only problem would be that the distance each of their lives takes them may tear their relationship apart before it has a chance to begin.
Now knowing that the love they have for one another is reciprocated, they will find a way back into the others arms despite time and distance.
Does absence make the heart grow fonder? Will the thousands of miles tear these two apart? I guess we will find out.
A fair warning: This story is lovey-dovey. Full of mushy, "I love you," and "no I love you more's" to the point that I may have gotten a cavity.
I'm sure those types of guys are out there, I just don't know a single one. This isn't a bad thing, I just wish there was a little more story and a lot less declaration.
The point of view changed between Julia and Ryan, so that never got stale and as a reader we are able to see what is really going on in their mind. The quick pace of the book is what really kept me interested.
On a positive note, this book ended with such a cliffhanger that I feel like I NEED to read the next in the series.
Kahlen did a great job of hooking me to the point that I want to see her characters get their sugar-coated fairytale ending.
This book was received free of charge for the purpose of a review.
NOW... I have snagged a couple of copies for all of you to be able to enjoy. Please let me know what you think of it and I hope you all enjoy a little look into Ryan and Julia's lives like I have. Feel out the rafflecopter form and good luck!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Blog Barrage: Holiday Affair by Annie Seaton
“Holiday Affair”
by Annie Seaton
Published by Entangled Publishing
Contemporary Romance
BLURB
Nothing more than a holiday fling…until he moved in next door!
Staid
professor Lissy McIntyre believes that choosing a mate should be based
on common sense, not runaway passion. And Lissy would certainly never
pick a rolling stone like Nick Richards for long-term love. But a
red-hot, tropical romance? Oh, yeah. He’s got a body just made for
sinning and his sizzling kisses leave her senseless.
When
Nick blows into town, he’s stunned to discover that his no-nonsense new
neighbor and co-worker is the same sultry creature he seduced for one
night of forbidden island pleasure. He’s unaccustomed to staying in one
place for long, but he just can’t seem to keep his hands off the
multi-faceted Lissy. Will Nick break loyal Lissy’s heart or will she be
the one woman he simply can’t walk away from?
EXCERPT #1
“Hi,
Tom. Hi, Nicky. Hi, lucky ladies with Tom and Nicky,” a giggly
champagne-fueled hiccough escaped her lips and Jenny dragged her into
the rest room.
“Melissa!”
exclaimed Jenny. “The professor is a hunk. Tell me all…you called him
by his first name. Have you been out with him, or do you just know him
from work?”
“Nuh, juss from work,” slurred Lissy. “He’s a nightmare to work with, very full of himself…not very nice at all.”
“What about Tom? Are you still seeing him?”
“Huh—” said Lissy “—thought he was different, but they are tarred with the same hairbrush.”
Jenny burst out laughing. “Oh, you are so funny with a few drinks under your belt. You mean brush, not
hair brush!”
Lissy
tried to be serious for a minute, and had to hang on tightly to the
basin to keep her balance. She squinted into the mirror and saw that her
curls were out of control.
“Woo…a bit giddy,” she said. “And I’m hungry.”
Jenny
pulled a chair over and sat her down in front of the mirror. “Okay,
let’s fix you up.” She stood behind Lissy and tried to tame her curls
down with her hand. “Speaking of hairbrushes, did you bring yours, hon?”
Lissy
fumbled in her bag and tipped it out onto the bench. The contents of
the bag rolled around and fell over the edge, just as the two glamorous
women who were with Tom and Nick entered the restroom. She dived to the
floor to catch lipstick, brushes, keys, and coins as they hit the floor.
“Oh, hello,” she said giggling. “Your legs match the rest of you.”
EXCERPT #2
She
put her tea on the windowsill and looked outside for a long moment. The
sun was dropping behind the trees and the late afternoon sunlight
darkened the room, making it difficult to see his expression.
“Why…why? I came to you last Saturday and you threw my feelings back in my face.”
“I was ashamed of my behavior all week. I was scared you would take it as a commitment if I responded to you.”
“Did
I ask you for commitment?” she asked, her voice frosty. “Me. This is
me. Remember, I don’t do commitment, Nick. You know how I feel about
that. I don’t believe in the sort of physical attraction we seem to have
for each other ending up in any long lasting relationship.”
“I know,” he replied. “But I didn’t trust you. I thought I could avoid hurting you, but I think I did the opposite.”
He watched as she wrapped her arms around her chest and appeared to go into self-preservation mode.
“Not
at all. I barely gave you a thought. I was busy all week with the
research. It’s not long till we go the Cook Islands and I have a heap of
writing up to do. I will admit I was a little embarrassed about my
behavior at the restaurant, so I kept a bit of a low profile at the
university.”
He
knew she was not being honest with him and it amazed him how well he
could read her, but he didn’t want to push his luck and upset her even
more. She turned away from him and looked out the window, her arms still
crossed in front of her. There was also no way he was going to let her
know that all he wanted to do was come over and hold her. Not sex, just
comfort.
REVIEWS
http://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Affair-ebook/product-reviews/B007KTECCQ/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
BUY LINKS
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Affair-ebook/dp/B007KTECCQ
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holiday-affair-annie-seaton/1109560002
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Annie
Seaton lives on the edge of the South Pacific Ocean on the east coast
of Australia. Recently retired from the world of full time work, she is
fulfilling her lifelong dream of writing, and has had instant success!
Her first two books were both published on the same day.
She
writes across genres: steampunk, historical and paranormal romance,
romantic suspense but her favorite genre is contemporary romance
She
lives with her own hero of many years. Their two children are now grown
up and married, and two beautiful grandchildren have arrived. They
share their home with "Bob" the dog and two white cats, Boycat and
Girlcat.
Annie’s
working life was spent in education from early childhood through to
teaching trainee teachers at university. She has worked as librarian,
teacher, technology consultant and university tutor. She has now
retired and spends her days writing down all the stories in her head.
When
she is not writing she can be found in her garden or walking on the
beach... or most likely on her deck overlooking the ocean, a chilled
glass of sauvignon blanc in hand as the sun sets.
Email: annieseaton26@gmail.com
Website: http://annieseatonromance.com
Blog: http://annieseaton.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/annieseaton26
Twitter: @annieseaton26
If you would like your own copy of this book (in e-book format) please leave a comment and a winner will be chosen at random.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Guest Post by Heather Lin
Without further ado...
Westridge: The Daughter
Hello, everyone! I’m really happy to be here at She Who Blogs Behind the Rows to present the last guest post of my Westridge anniversary tour. I thought I’d make this one all about Westridge’s littlest star, Penny Dawson.
Penny is an adorable 4 year-old who has her mother’s curly blond hair and blue eyes and her father’s good heart. She’s the product of the short-lived union between Jason Dawson and Rosa Nelson, and although her parents are divorced, she has never had a reason to doubt that she’s the most important thing in both their lives. Even when Gabby Jones arrives on the scene and begins spending an awful lot of time with her father, Penny welcomes her with open arms, the only way the sweet little girl knows how.
Gabby, on the other hand, has a hard time getting used to Penny. Gabby was Jason’s only love until their high school graduation, when she left Westridge unexpectedly for the big city. Now, five years later, she’s back in town and has to deal with the fact that he not only married another woman, but he also had a child with her. She can’t blame the little girl, but seeing that pure embodiment of the love he shared with Rosa almost kills her. Penny is a huge barrier between her and the rekindled romance she and Jason could be sharing.
But Penny is just a sweet girl who loves Barbie, her parents, and pretty dresses. And once in a while, like all children, profound words of wisdom come from her lips. Penny can grow on anyone—can’t she?
Here’s a brief excerpt with Penny from Gabby’s point of view, just after she’s been asked to baby-sit for a few minutes:
Great. Gabby would just love to baby-sit her ex's daughter. Damn small towns. It seemed like seeing Jason had begun a chain reaction. Avoidance had become absolutely impossible. She sat down next to Penny, who continued busily coloring a picture of puppies. Penny smiled up at her, then returned to her task. Just that simple, sweet gesture made Gabby's heart clench. She searched for something to say.
Book Tour: Westridge by Heather Lin
Title: Westridge
Author: Heather Lin
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Length: 178 pages
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Blurb:
Gabby
Jones and Jason Dawson were born only months apart in the small,
country town of Westridge. For the next eighteen years, they were
inseparable, but after their high school graduation, Gabby got on a bus
to the city, leaving Jason with a weak explanation and a broken heart.
After five years of making it a point to avoid her old flame, Gabby
comes home for a funeral and, thanks to meddling parents and
circumstance, she and Jason are thrown together again.
But
now Jason is an auto mechanic with an ex-wife and a daughter, and Gabby
owns a successful flower shop in the city. Even if Gabby is able to
admit she still loves Jason, and even if Jason is able to convince her
to tell him the real reason she left, will they be able to get past the
changes and broken pieces in time to start over?
Excerpt:
"What
do you mean you can't pick me up?" Gabby Jones asked in disbelief,
trying to balanceher purse, suitcase, ticket, and cell phone as she
boarded the bus.
"I'll send someone to get you. I'm busy helping with the funeral arrangements," her mother replied.
"What about Dad?"
"He's busy, too. We'll send someone."
"Mom," she said unhappily. "I know who you're gonna send. You can't."
"Oh,
you're gonna have to see him at the funeral, anyway. And just because
you disowned all of your friends when you moved away doesn't mean I have
to."
Gabby
had left the small town of Westridge five years ago. In Westridge, the
nearest mall was forty-five minutes away, and "got stuck behind a plow"
was the most common excuse for tardiness. The kids hung out at Walmart
or the diner during their downtime and talked about how they couldn't
wait to get away from the stupid small town where everyone knew everyone
else's business. They didn't want to be stuck in the same routine,
seeing the same people their whole lives, and Gabby had felt the same
way -- trapped, bored, insignificant. At least, that's what she'd told
Jason two days before getting on a bus to the city and not looking back.
Ever
since, she'd made a point of avoiding her old friends whenever she
returned to visit her parents. Of course, her mother always updated her
on Jason whether Gabby wanted to hear it or not. Mrs Jones had
complained about the girl Jason dated after Gabby, discounted their
quick marriage, gushed over their new baby, and gloated when they got
divorced just a year after her birth. It had hurt Gabby to hear the
news, but there was no way she'd ever admit it to her mother. Gabby
tolerated her mother's gossip and was grateful she'd managed to avoid
her high school sweetheart in person, if not in conversation. But this
visit would be different.
Her
parents and Jason's had been best friends since high school, and none
of them made a secret of wishing Gabby and Jason would get back
together. Sending him to pick her up today was a perfect setup. For
them. Gabby rolled her hazel eyes in annoyance, even though her mother
couldn't see.
"I didn't disown anyone," she said. “I just went on to bigger and better things. People drift apart. It happens."
She
found her seat and threw her bags onto the rack above it. Her neighbors
didn't look particularly happy about the twenty-three year old talking
away on her cell phone, but she ignored them.
"Bullshit,"
Mrs Jones admonished. Only her mother could make cussing sound like a
gentle, motherly act. "You loved it here. You were perfectly happy
until--"
"Mom!" Gabby interrupted, not wanting to hear what her mother would say next.
She'd
become a master of denial over the years and couldn't handle anyone
breaking through the fog of her self-induced memory loss. Her mother
sighed. It was a heavy sound, and Gabby didn't like it. It made her seem
old.
"You're right. It's fine," Gabby's voice softened. "I'll have to see him soon, anyway."
"It'll be okay, baby. I love you. I have to go now."
"Love you, too, Mom."
She
snapped the phone shut and leaned her head back against the seat,
closing her eyes to fend off a tension headache. But all she could see
was an eighteen year old Jason: blue eyes full of disbelief, face pale,
fists balled.
* * * *
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jason demanded, slamming the door to his truck shut.
"I'm leaving."
Gabby had to work hard to keep her chin raised and her lips from trembling.
"Just like that? And all I get is a note in my locker on the last day of school?"
He
threw a crumpled piece of paper at her feet. Her parents had dropped
her off at the bus stop, but they were long gone. If that goodbye had
been painful, this one would be excruciating -- which was exactly why
she'd tried to avoid it.
"I told you in the note--"
"And now you can tell me to my face."
He was making a scene. Gabby was embarrassed, and the tears she'd tried desperately to keep at bay burned in her eyes.
"There isn't anything to do in this town. I just need to see what else is out there."
"This is bullshit, Gabby. A few months ago, we were talking about getting married."
Her voice rose as she lied desperately through her teeth, trying to keep control.
"Well, I changed my mind."
The bus pulled up, and Jason's anger turned to pleading.
"Don't, Gabby. If you need some time away from this place, I'll go with you."
"You belong here, Jason."
"I belong with you."
"Not anymore."
Then she turned and boarded the bus, ignoring the stares. She managed to hold the tears back until he was out of sight.
* * * *
The
pain of the memory was scorching, surprising Gabby with its intensity.
She opened her eyes. She had to get a hold of herself. She looked past
the old man reading a magazine, her gaze falling on the houses outside.
They were reaching the suburbs, but her destination lay far beyond that.
Gabby groaned and firmly pushed the last image she had of her high
school sweetheart out of her mind. The next few days were going to be
hell.
Available at:
About the Author:
Heather
lives in Delaware with her loving husband and loyal cat. She began
writing erotic and slightly less-erotic romance in 2008 and hasn't been
able to keep her mind out of the gutter since. Her next novel, a
futuristic romance called The System,
is due out in August from Silver Publishing. Until then, feel free to
check out her short stories, which can be found at TheEroticWoman.com,
in the Coming Together anthologies, and through New Concepts Publishing. Visit Heather at http://heatherlin88.blogspot.com/.
VBT SCHEDULE:
Jun 11: http://fullmoonbites.blogspot.
Jun 12: http://www.
Jun 13: http://sandracox.blogspot.com (Guest Post)
Jun 14: http://
Jun 15: http://coffeebeanslovescenes.
Jun 16: http://romancelivesforever.
Jun 17: http://borneanbookworm.
Jun 18: http://www.simplyali.com (Interview)
Jun 19: http://www.behindtherows.com (Guest Post)
Jun 20: http://mydevotionalthoughts.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Reader Q&A with Dr Ivan! I need your help.
 |
| Move over Christian Grey... The Dr. is in! |
What is The Winemaker's Dinner? I'm willing to bet that it's going to be the hottest book of the year. Any reader of this blog knows that I'm not one to throw around such words. Last time I said anything like this was with Fifty Shades of Grey and even that one surpassed my expectations. I have not read anything like this book before and I'm really excited for the release date on July 31st.
The Winemaker's Dinner is a fictionalized memoir loosely based on Dr. Ivan's past love life. Hot, right?
Synopsis: The Winemakers Dinner is a story about small town girl who is uprooted from her simple Colorado life and transplanted into the craziness that is Miami Beach. Attending her first major event, The Winemaker’s Dinner in Sarasota, as the head chef to one of Miami Beach’s top restaurants, she comes to experience an evening of unbridled passion with a man who she never thought she’d see again. Little does she know that this apparent one night stand has set her life on a course that will end with her having to make the ultimate decision between her two passions – her lover and her career.
Who are Dr. Ivan and Everly?
So, Ladies (Gentlemen?), get your questions ready for Dr. Ivan and Everly because they are going to be giving out some answers! Don't hold back. Ask anything, it might just get a video response! If you are too shy to ask in the comment section, hit me up via email at amanda@behindtherows.com ,or twitter @bookworm_amanda and there is always facebook. Just start asking and have them in by Thursday, because that is your deadline! Make sure that you at least give a name so you can be acknowledged (it doesn't even have to be real, just a pen name). You do not want to miss this, I promise! Love you all and I can't wait to hear some of your questions ;) ~Amanda
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Book Tour: Panty Raid at Zombie High by Rusty Fischer with GIVEAWAY
Title: Panty Raid at Zombie High
Author: Rusty Fischer
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Length: 45,000 words
Genres: Mainstream Fiction, Contemporary YA Fantasy/Suspense/Thriller
Available at:
Decadent Publishing
Author: Rusty Fischer
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Length: 45,000 words
Genres: Mainstream Fiction, Contemporary YA Fantasy/Suspense/Thriller
Available at:
Decadent Publishing
Blurb:
Toby’s
best friend, and unrequited love, Molly Harper has gone missing.
Molly’s boyfriend, “Spud,” thinks he knows where she’s been taken: the
mysterious Zombie High, where Spud’s father just happens to be in charge
of the top-secret medical facility famous for its work rehabilitating
teenage zombies.
Armed
with blueprints, passwords, keys and codes, Spud and Toby are ready to
make an all-out assault on Zombie High and rescue their fair Molly.
There’s just one problem: Toby and Spud are the biggest wimps at Cypress
Cove High and need some muscle along for the ride in case any of the
zombies get loose.
That’s
where Boner and Zack come in. Two of the football team’s biggest
players, the jocks are easily conned into joining Spud and Toby on their
fictional “panty raid” the minute Spud calls them “chicken” for not
accepting his challenge to spend the night at Zombie High.
When
Zack and Boner show up to accept the challenge, however, they don’t
come alone; they bring their two girlfriends, Lilac and Haley, along for
the ride. With events spiraling out of control and zombies lurking
around every corner, will Toby and Spud even survive their night at
Zombie High, let alone rescue Molly?
Excerpt:
I
smile and think to myself, “He’s actually done it. That mad genius Spud
has actually shoved spaghetti sauce – and garlic bread – in the jock’s
faces and conned Boner and Zack into a real, live panty raid at zombie
high, all without the threat of physical violence.”
Jinx coming in 4, 3, 2… 1.
Then I watch Zack’s eyes bulge and he nudges Boner back.
I look over Spud’s shoulder to see Dean Crisp wading through the crowd, breathing a sigh of relief because it’s almost over now.
Then I turn back just in time to see Zack’s fist flying straight.
At.
My.
Face.
At
the last second, just as he pivots to put all his 230-pounds into it
and separate my nose from the rest of my face, he slips on a dab of
cheese sauce and goes down, hard, but not without grazing my jaw with a
glancing blow from his ham-sized fist.
It
sends me back into the crowd, which is finally cheering now that
they’ve seen some actual violence, and shove me back in Zack’s direction
so he can wail on me some more.
(Nice, guys; real nice.)
But
Zack is already headed for the hills, Boner hot on his trail, as Spud
drags me into and out the other side of the crowd, narrowly missing Dean
Crisp’s attention as he yanks me all the way back to Table # 27, where
the rest of the Chess Club geeks are eager to pat us on the back.
I’d
love to celebrate with them, but my jaw feels like it’s made of broken
glass and my ear’s ringing so loudly, I can barely hear what our friends
are saying.
Besides, standing up to Boner and Zack was the easy part.
We’ve still got that panty raid to worry about.
And, you know, the actual zombies…
About the Author:
Rusty Fischer is the author of several YA supernatural novels, including Zombies Don’t Cry (Medallion Press, 2011), Ushers, Inc. (Decadent Publishing, 2011), Detention of the Living Dead (Quake Books, 2012) and Vamplayers (Medallion Press, 2012).
Visit his blog, http://zombiesdontblog.blogspot.com,
for news, reviews, cover leaks, writing and publishing advice, book
excerpts and more! And if you can’t wait for his next release, download
his complete YA novel Vampires Drool! Zombies Rule! absolutely FREE at http://www.scribd.com/doc/38953974/Vampires-Drool-Zombies-Rule-by-Rusty-Fischer.
VBT SCHEDULE:
Jun 5: Full Moon Bites (Giveaway)
Jun 6: She Who Blogs Behind the Rows (Giveaway)
Jun 7: Mama Knows Books (Giveaway/Review)
Jun 8: You Are the Unicorn of My Dreams (Giveaway)
Jun 10: The Fabulous Gift of Life (Giveaway/Review)
As always, if you want to read this book for yourself then all you need to do is leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win. Odds are always (I really REALLY want to say "in your favor" right there) really good!
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