REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: BETWEEN LOVE AND LOYALTY by SHANNYN SCHROEDER

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Between Love and Loyalty

By: Shannyn Schroeder

Releasing October 18, 2016
Self-Published

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In Between Love and Loyalty, Connor Duffy would like nothing more than to bring the Cavanagh family down, and finally expose alderman Brady Cavanagh for the corrupt man that he is. However, he isn't having much luck digging up dirt on the man until he meets Fiona, the alderman's daughter. Will she give him the information he needs, or will the bond growing between them force him to give up his pursuit?

 

Fiona Cavanagh hates being in the public eye, but it's part of the curse of having a father in politics. One night when out with her best friend, Fiona meets Connor and figures he could be just the man to offer her the perfect distraction. But the more time she spends with him, the stronger her feelings for the mysterious man become. So, what will happen when she learns the truth about why he's spending so much time with her? Will she be able to forgive and forget the deception of everyone she loves, or will her chance at forever with Connor end in disaster?

 

I enjoy Ms. Schroeder's books, and this was a wonderful read. Right from the beginning, this book was entertaining and fast-paced, which opened with a little bit of excitement. What is causing Fiona's bad mood? Will what she's working on help her overcome it? However, it was from the moment that Fiona met Connor that this book gripped my full attention because of why the hero is so invested in getting to know the heroine. Will she give him the information he needs to expose her father's crimes?

 

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories. I could understand why Connor wants revenge against Fiona's father, as he hasn't had the easiest of times since doing what the alderman asked him to do for the man's son. While with Fiona, she loves her family and yet I couldn't blame her for wanting to escape them. Her mother is a real witch with the way she treats her and I could sympathize with her reasons for needing to escape. Really, why are some mothers so awful?

 
I loved both the main characters, as well as most of the secondary ones. Fiona's brother, Aiden, has worked hard to overcome his past and I liked how he supported his sister. If someone hurt her, then he believed they deserved to pay. Yet, as for Fiona's parents, they deserved everything thrown at them. Certainly, her parents didn't show their son what it means to be a responsible adult. Moreover, I liked Dermott; the man that was a father figure to Connor. The way he supports the hero was great, because Connor needed someone on his side.

Fiona was  a really good heroine. She's strong, brave and I liked how determined she was to go against her family. Their warnings weren't going to keep her away from Connor, especially when he treated her like she mattered. I also liked the fact that she's so different from the rest of her family. She's not a woman that thinks she's better than everyone else. While Connor, his point of view really drew me into this story. He has so many decisions to make, and I felt sorry for him when it came to his relationship with Fiona. However, in saying that, I liked how much he was willing to fight for her. That he wasn't willing to let her family drive them apart.

Overall, this was a really good book where the strong relationship between Fiona and Connor spills over onto the pages in hot sex scenes. At first, Connor knows that the heroine is his way of achieving what he wants, but she comes to mean so much to him and things become complicated. Should he or should he not tell her about his past with her brother? The epilogue wrapped this story up nicely, and I was so happy how things turned out for this couple because they deserved all the happiness in the world after all that they went through. I would recommend Between Love and Loyalty by Shannyn Schroeder, if you enjoy the revenge trope. 

OVERALL RATING:  

 

 

 

BLURB:
When at war, aim for the heart…

Connor Duffy is desperate. His tell-all book on corrupt Chicago alderman Brady Cavanagh isn’t telling enough to get publisher interest, and in order to get the hot dirt, he must find a way to get closer to the man who let Connor go to prison to cover for his own son’s misdeeds. So when fate puts Cavanagh’s lively, artsy daughter across Connor’s path, he decides to take advantage of the first bit of good luck he’s had in a long while.

… but don't forget to keep your own under guard.

Fiona Cavanagh needs a break. Between assisting with her father’s political campaign, trying to please her unpleasable mother, and dealing with an ex who won’t go away, she has no time for a life of her own. One night she meets sexy and mysterious Connor and everything looks like it’s about to finally turn around… until she discovers that the one man she thought she could love was using her to get to her father. As dark family secrets unravel around her, Fiona finds herself caught between love... and loyalty.

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Aiden stared into his eyes, and Connor knew when recognition hit. So much for his costume being a disguise. The damn thing hadn’t helped at all.

“Holy fuck. What the hell are you doing here?”

“Aiden.”

A range of emotions crossed Aiden’s face before Connor could develop an answer for Aiden’s question. “You’re the guy Fiona’s with? What the fuck are you doing with my sister?”

A smirk lifted Connor’s mouth. “You really want the answer?”

Aiden stepped forward with fists clenched.

Connor glanced down at Aiden’s hands. “You might want to rethink. Remember what happened last time.”

“I was drunk and high last time. I’m in full control of my faculties now. I knew you hated me, but why the hell would you go after Fiona?”

The accusation poked at him, but the conversation felt natural. Just like it always had with his friend. “I didn’t go after her. She came onto me at a bar and introduced herself as Fiona Wells.”

“But you knew who she was.” Aiden’s gaze shifted.

“Yeah, but surprisingly, I never lied about my name and it didn’t ring any bells for her.”

“She was away at school. She never knew.” Aiden’s shoulders sagged.

Connor could almost feel the weight pushing between them, compressing the past into a flurry of emotions. If only he could turn back the clock. The number of things he’d do differently. He couldn’t help but wonder if he and Aiden would still be friends if things had taken a different course.

“You can’t continue to see her.”

“Why not? Afraid of the truth?”

Aiden’s weary gaze met his. “Hell, yeah. I care about her. If you want to come after me then bring it, but Fiona isn’t part of this.”

Connor was taken back by Aiden’s honesty. “She made herself part of it.”

“I tried to make things right. You know I did.”

Old anger swelled in Connor’s chest. “There is no making this right unless you tell everyone the truth. Are you prepared to do that?”

Aiden shook his head. “I can’t.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“It wouldn’t change anything anyway.” He took a deep breath and stared out at the street. “I’ll tell her to stay away from you.”

“I’m sure you will, but she doesn’t strike me as the type of woman to listen to her big brother.” Besides, Connor knew Aiden wouldn’t tell Fiona the whole truth out of fear that Fiona would get to hear Connor’s side of the story. Connor could tell her and possibly ruin Aiden’s relationship with her, but it wouldn’t be enough. Brady Cavanagh wouldn’t suffer.

Aiden took another step. They stood eye-to-eye. “I’ve reformed my life, but if you hurt her, I will come after you.”

“You can try.” Deep down, Connor knew he might hurt Fiona, but the chances of her destroying him were much greater.

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Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series, contemporary romances centered  around a large Irish-American family in Chicago and the Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy friends finding love. Her new series (For Your Love) will release this summer with the first title Under Your Skin. When she’s not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.

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REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: THE RIGHT KIND OF GUY by KERRI-LEIGH GRADY

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The Right Kind of Guy
What Happens In Vegas

By: Kerri-Leigh Grady

Releasing October 17, 2016
Entangled Lovestruck

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 In The Right Kind of Guy by Kerri-Leigh Grady, for romance novelist Kelsey Spencer, meeting fans at conventions is supposed to be fun. However, when she meets Jasmine Grant and her brother, Aaron, her life turns a little crazy. It doesn't help that she's become cynical about romance, and looking to branch out into other genres in her writing. Will Aaron be able to bring back her love of romance, or will their weekend together be nothing more than 'What Happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'?

Aaron Grant is in Vegas for one reason and one reason only -- to protect his sister from doing something stupid. So, when his sister ends up engaged to a romance cover model, he'll do anything to put an end to his sister's latest craziness, even if it means asking romance author Kelsey Spencer for help. It's lucky she doesn't believe in what she writes, otherwise he wouldn't have a chance of gaining her assistance.

What a quick, captivating and fast-paced book Ms. Grady has penned in this one, which captured my attention immediately with the dilemma Kelsey is facing when it comes to her writing. How is she supposed to continue writing romance when her heart isn't in it? However, it was the moment that Kelsey met Aaron that had me flipping the pages quickly, wanting to know how things would work out between this hero and heroine. Will Aaron's sister come to her senses? Will Kelsey overcome her cynicism towards romance?

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories. Both have their reasons for not wanting romance in their lives, and I could understand why Kelsey is so cynical when it comes to romance. She's been hurt before, and watching Aaron's sister make -- what could possibly be -- the biggest mistake of her life is something she feels adamant she has to stop. She wouldn't want Jasmine to make a mistake like she did. Moreover, there were moments between the hero and heroine that had me smiling. Such as when they're deciding on what to do about the hero's sister, or when they're conversing about why she's so cynical about what she writes. Shouldn't romance authors believe in what they're writing?

I really enjoyed both the main characters, as well as the secondary ones. Yet, Aaron's sister did annoy me with her swearing when it came to saying Kelsey's name. Was it necessary for Jasmine to constantly say such a word? Then there's Kelsey's agent. She was a real hoot with what she wore during the convention and how she encouraged Kelsey as to her options when it came to her writing.

Kelsey was a wonderful heroine. She had some tough decisions to make, but I'm glad she made the ones that she did throughout this book. Should she help Aaron with his sister? What should she do about her writing? Should she stay writing romance or switch to another genre? Kelsey may be cynical but her arguments were valid when it came to Jasmine's quick romance. While Aaron, he's hard-working, confident and I liked how protective he was of his sister. They don't have it easy when it comes to their parents. They're always pushing them to do what's right for the family company, which made me feel sorry for the siblings. Aaron needs to take the time he's spending in Vegas to discover what he wants for his future. Should he leave the family business or stay? Truly, Kelsey was good for him. She made him realize that there's more to life than work. 

Overall, this was a wonderful novella that went by fast due to the well-written dialogue and strong romance between two enjoyable main characters. The way this story ended with the way Aaron won Kelsey back had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after. Yet, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, as it revealed what direction Kelsey ended up taking with her writing career. Was she still writing romance or another genre? This was a question I desperately wanted answered. I would recommend The Right Kind of Guy by Kerri-Leigh Grady, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope. 

OVERALL RATING:  

 

  

BLURB:
Romance novelist Kelsey Spencer doesn’t believe in love, and she's tired of faking her way through happily ever afters. Determined to change things up, she heads to the Las Vegas Romance Lovers Convention. But somewhere between half-naked cover models and hot Navy SEALs, Kelsey’s plans derail...

Especially once she meets über-fan Jasmine Grant...and Jasmine’s über-hot alphahole brother, Aaron.

Buttoned-up Aaron Grant never thought he’d find himself at a romance convention, but here he is, trying to convince his impulsive sister not to marry a beefcake cover model. His only hope is to enlist the aid of the cynical (and sexy) romance writer his sister worships.

After a sweltering jaunt around Vegas, some strange conference hijinks, and one outrageous proposal, Kelsey and Aaron are left questioning everything they know about romance and love...and if falling in love might just be worth the gamble.

 

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           “You’re right,” she said, and a weight lifted off her shoulders. “You’re right. So…are you going to her wedding?”

He nodded and gave her a half-smile. “Would you like to be my date?”

She laughed. “I don’t know. I might not be here for the festivities.”

He nodded and pulled his arm away, but for a second, she thought she saw disappointment flicker over his features, and she shivered.

When the bartender delivered the fresh beer, Kelsey slid off the stool with her half-finished mojito and lifted her chin toward the casino. “Sir, would you like an escort to the ball?” She offered her elbow, and he took it.

He deepened his voice to a bass. “I’d be much obliged, miss.”

They walked through the casino and took the escalator to the ballroom level. And when she turned to look at him, she warmed to find him staring at her.

“That dress is a pleasant surprise,” he said. They made way for two drunk women, their arms intertwined, to dash past, giggling and failing miserably to hide a bottle of vodka in their skirts.

“How so?” She fingered the expensive fabric—Deena’s consignment shopping was apparently a little more highbrow in New York than what Kelsey had found in San Antonio— and wondered if it looked too expensive for a nobody author like her.

“The color is perfect, but I like how it fits.” He smiled. “You don’t look like an author tonight. You look like royalty.”

She warmed and turned her head, thrilled by his words. But they were a reminder, too. Tonight, she was playing a part, wearing a dress that looked nicer than anything she could afford, and at midnight, she’d have to pick up her pumpkin and mice and find her way back to her desk to whip out more books. And Aaron would return home to rule his father’s kingdom.

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Kerri-Leigh Grady loves to sink into happily-ever-after tales and blow-up-all-the-things tales, especially when her testosterone-loaded house has hit its monthly limit of athletic socks and slapstick. She holds an MFA from Seton Hill University and a BS in computer science, so she’s a kind of half-artsy, half-nerd ball of nervous twitching. She has an unnatural love of dark humor, gadgets, chickpeas, BJJ, terrible acrylic landscapes, half-assed jewelry, and planners (Hobonichi and TN, natch). When the zombie apocalypse happens, she’s likely to be patient zero. If you see her bite someone, grab your water and head for your bunker.
 

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REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: A FOOL FOR YOU by KATEE ROBERT

 

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A Fool for You
Foolproof Love #3

By: Katee Robert

Releasing October 3, 2016
Entangled: Brazen

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In A Fool for You (Foolproof Love #3) by Katee Roberts, Hope Moore was only supposed to be back in her hometown for the weekend. However, things don't go according to plan when she has sex with her ex and then finds herself pregnant six weeks later. Can she and Daniel find their way back to each other, at the very least for the sake of the baby, or will Daniel manage to again ruin the best thing in his life -- his second chance with Hope?

Although I haven't read the other books of this series, I found this could easily be read as a stand-alone. From start to finish, this book was entertaining, fast-paced and the way it started had me flipping the pages quickly, wanting to know more about why Hope left Devil's Falls and why she's returned after so many years. Can she finally put the past to rest? Can she convince Daniel to move on from the past? What answers will she learn as to why Daniel has been so distant, considering they were so close once?

The dialogue was well-written and intense due to the main characters back stories, especially with how much guilt Daniel has because, of what happened in the past that has kept them apart. Emotions run high throughout this story, and it was hard not to be affected, as Daniel did his best to convince Hope to stay in Devil's Falls. However, the memories of the past -- good and bad -- don't make Hope's decision easy, because Daniel already deserted her once when she needed him most. How does she know he won't do it again, if things get tough for them after she gives him another chance? But what's more, she's created a great life for herself since leaving Devil's Falls, and it wouldn't be easy to give it all up, especially not knowing what sort of future Daniel and she would have.  

I really liked the main characters, as well as the secondary ones, although Hope's parents annoyed me. Their attitude towards her situation came as a shock. Aren't parents supposed to be supportive no matter what happened in the past that makes them angry towards the father of her child? It put Hope in a difficult position, and the answer of whether she would have to choose between Daniel and her parents kept circling in my mind. So much so that I couldn't wait to get to the end of this book to know the answer. Would her parents come around?

Hope and Daniel have been through so much in their lives in the time that they've been apart, and it has made the heroine so strong and brave. The way she overcame such a dark time in her life wouldn't have been easy, especially with Daniel deserting her at a time when she needed him most. Really, there was no way I couldn't sympathize with her situation. She lost two important people in her life, and it was no wonder that moment in her life left her hesitant to trust again. Yet, at the same time, what she's doing in Devil's Falls is something she needs to do to be able to move on from the past. She needed closure from what happened with Daniel and to her brother, as it still has a hold over her and her family. 
 

While Daniel, he holds so much guilt inside of him that it was no wonder he liked to keep to himself. Why should he be happy when his good friend is no longer around and the hero believes he may have been responsible for his death? How can he be with Hope knowing that the night his good friend died also bought such devastation to her life as well? Especially when the evidence is staring him in the face every time he looks at her. I wasn't sure whether he could get over his guilt the more I read, but I was glad that he did. He needed to have sense knocked into him the way he did with a certain talk from someone important in Hope's life; a talk that made him realize that he needs to let go of the past, so he can have a second chance with Hope. 

Overall, this was a really good book where the sex scenes were scorching and did justice to this couple's intense chemistry, which still blazed hot, if not hotter than it did thirteen years ago. The way this story ended was wonderful and brought tears to my eyes, because Daniel did a wonderful thing for Hope. His thoughtfulness and words definitely help to win her back, especially combined with his surprise of getting those that love her back, so they don't miss out on knowing their child. I would recommend A Fool for You by Katee Roberts, if you enjoy second chance romances.

OVERALL RATING:

 

 

 

BLURB:

It’s been thirteen years since Hope Moore left Devil’s Falls, land of sexy cowboys and bad memories. Back for the weekend, she has no intention of seeing the man she never got over…or the two of them getting down and dirty. It’s just a belated goodbye, right? No harm, no foul.

Until six weeks later, when her pregnancy test comes back positive…

Daniel Rodriguez hasn’t forgiven himself for how things went down with Hope all those years ago. He knows she’s better off without him, but when she shows up on his doorstep, panicking because she’s pregnant with his baby, he can’t help seeing it as a chance to make up for the past.

Too bad Hope has no intention of going along with his plans.

 

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            Hope shook her head. “You’re as much an idiot now as you were then.”

And then she kissed him.

It caught him a little off guard—he hadn’t expected her to be the one to make the first move, especially after the way the scene in the bathroom had gone down—but Daniel wasted no time taking control. He kissed down her neck, sliding his hands beneath her shirt and skating them up to her body to cup her breasts. They filled his palms, familiar and yet not, all at the same time. He cursed. “Gorgeous Darling, the things you do to me.” He nipped her collarbone. “I’m going to taste you, so if you’re going to change your mind, now’s the time to do it.”

Her only response was to shove her yoga pants down to her knees.

He lifted her onto the counter and disentangled her right leg from the pants so he could spread her fully. He stroked her thighs, pausing when his fingers met the scar. It brought up so many conflicting feelings in him. It was his fault that she had the damn thing, but that didn’t mean he thought of her as less, the way she seemed to think. She was as beautiful now as she’d been at eighteen, and more confident despite her injury. Or maybe because of it. He had no idea.

All he knew was that at some point he was going to have to get up close and personal with her healed injury, and he was going to have to tread very, very carefully to avoid burning what was left of the bridge between him and Hope.

“If you apologize, I might actually kick you.”

That snapped him out of it. As much as he wanted Hope, he had an ulterior motive for pushing her now. All getting distracted by her leg was going to do was fuck up his chance of convincing her to stay, in his house and in his bed. He jerked her to the edge of the counter, spreading her thighs wider. “Don’t scream. You’ll upset Ollie.”

And then he did what he’d been fantasizing about ever since he walked out of her life. Daniel dipped his head and gave her center one long lick. She tasted better than he remembered, her body already shaking for him, so he used his thumbs to part her folds and licked her again, reacquainting himself with every inch of her.

“Oh.”

He looked up her body to find her head thrown back and her chest rising and falling with each harsh breath. “Take off your shirt.”

Hope wasted no time obeying, dragging the material over her head and tossing it away. And then there was nothing hiding her body from his gaze. He licked her again, savoring the way she shook. A tattoo curling around the bottom of her ribs caught his eye, but he was too distracted to read it.

He was tired of teasing her. He wanted to feel her orgasm again, to know she was coming apart at the seams because of him. Daniel sucked her clit into his mouth, stroking the sensitive little nub with the flat of his tongue the way she’d always loved. Sure enough, before he had a chance to truly savor her, Hope cried out his name and shuddered, her thighs squeezing his head as she came. He gentled his touches, licks turning to kisses, turning to the slightest brushing of his lips against her. Only when she stopped shaking did he raise his head. “Stay, at least until we figure out what we’re doing.”

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New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and they changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

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