Saturday 30 December 2017

BLOG TOUR - REVIEW: CAN'T LET GO by BARBARA FREETHY



   

Can't Let Go
The Callaways #13
By Barbara Freethy
Releasing December 26th, 2017
Fog City Publishing


In Can't Let Go (The Callaways #13) by Barbara Freethy, Griffin Hale has a need for keeping his life private, but when he rescues Annie Calloway, his life changes irrevocably. Whether it's for better or worse, he's not sure at first, but he's determined to make the most of it by getting to know Annie better. But when trouble starts brewing, Griffin knows he's going to either have to tell Annie everything about his past or do something to make them go their separate ways. Will Griffin realize that Annie is his one chance at forever after, or will they go their separate ways because of the danger he's determined to keep her from?

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Freethy, and it's a story that has me wanting to read the other books of this series as well as the next one, which features one of Annie's brothers as the hero. Really, this book had everything I enjoy in a romantic suspense such as the brilliant suspense that had me wondering who was coming after the main characters and why once the hero begins to open up to Annie about his past; a good dose of romance that shows how good these two are together and shows how much Griffin needs Annie in his life; incredible main characters that had me captivated by their back stories and everything they go through on their journey to happy ever after; and  riveting dialogue that had me wanting to know more about Annie's family and whether the hero and heroine will get their happy ever after, considering all that they go through including Annie's unwillingness to give up on Griffin no matter what they have to face to be together. Will they come out on top against the person or people coming after them?

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the hero, whose back story took me by surprise because he's keeping a fairly big secret that could get people hurt if he's not careful. Moreover, the heroine is resilient and courageous when it comes to everything she faces because of the hero's past. I also liked how curious the heroine was when it came to life, especially the hero's because he's so mysterious and she wants to get to know him better. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine is that she didn't give up on the hero when he kept giving her reasons to walk away. 

While the hero, he's been through so much and it's understandable that he's so private when it comes to his life and not letting people get close. Yet, in saying that, I liked that his walls came down for the heroine and that he let her in because Griffin needed Annie just as much as Annie needed him. However, what I liked most of all about the hero was how protective he was of the heroine, which was palpable from the moment they met when he was her knight in shining armor. 

Overall, Ms. Freethy has delivered a wonderful and riveting read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was strong; the romance was delightful, as the heroine finds a way to get the hero to realize that they deserve a chance at forever after; and the ending had me worried for the main characters because of the danger they face, but had me loving the way this couple ended up getting their happy ever after. No way was Griffin going to let Annie get away after everything they'd been through together. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, as Annie deserves all the success and happiness she's found for her life. I would recommend Can't Let Go by Barbara Freethy, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope or books by authors Cristin Harber, Samantha Chase, Julia London and Melissa Foster.





From #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy comes another stunning blend of heart-warming romance and spine-tingling suspense in her popular Callaway Series…

Talented graphic artist and animator Annie Callaway has been commissioned by a Hollywood studio to create the next superhero blockbuster movie, but a bout of creative block has Annie searching the Southern California beach scene for inspiration. A local Irish bar in an old train depot, run by the ruggedly attractive and somewhat mysterious Griffin Hale, piques her interest, and she finds herself weaving fantasies about not only Griffin but also the quirky characters who work there.

The last thing Griffin Hale needs at his bar is a nosy artist looking for personal stories to turn into movie plots. He has carefully cultivated a scene of complete normalcy for people who need it more than Annie could possibly imagine, and it's his job to protect them. But the beautiful redhead with the compelling green eyes is difficult to turn away. Annie's fantasy world where good always conquers evil is not the life that Griffin has lived, and he can't help but think she'll never be satisfied with anyone less than a superhero.

After a string of bad relationships, Annie willingly admits that most real men don't live up to her muscle-bound, cape-wearing protectors of the world, but when her stubborn curiosity propels her into a danger she never expected, she begins to realize that some heroes work in the dark…and a man who fights for you is a man worth fighting for. While Griffin is determined to keep Annie alive, he's not at all convinced he can give her the happily-ever-after she's looking for. But then some stories take an unexpected turn…  

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PRAISE FOR BARBARA FREETHY BOOKS    


"A fabulous, page-turning combination of romance and intrigue. Fans of Nora Roberts and Elizabeth Lowell will love this book." NYT Bestselling Author Kristin Hannah on Golden Lies

"This book has it all: heart, community, and characters who will remain with you long after the book has ended. A wonderful story." -- NYT Bestselling Author Debbie Macomber on Suddenly One Summer

"Barbara Freethy is a master storyteller with a gift for spinning tales about ordinary people in extraordinary situations and drawing readers into their lives." -- Romance Reviews Today

"I love The Callaways! Heartwarming romance, intriguing suspense and sexy alpha heroes. What more could you want?" -- NYT Bestselling Author Bella Andre  



   


A man walked into the bar. He wore dark-gray slacks, a white button-down shirt, and a striped navy-blue tie. His brown hair was cut very short, his face cleanly shaven. And he was the last person Griffin wanted to see. But whatever Paul Daniels had to say needed to be said with a bit more privacy. He tipped his head toward a table in the corner, then poured two shots of bourbon and walked around the bar, sitting down across from a man who inspired both loyalty and frustration whenever they met up.

"Could you look more like a fed?" he asked.

"I didn't have time to change," Paul Daniels replied. He took the shot with a swallow of satisfaction. "Smooth."

"You must be off the clock."

"Almost." That answer didn't make him happy. "I told you we need to take a break."

"And we did. It's been two months," Paul replied. "Megan is a twenty-four-year-old woman. She's jittery, fragile, and isn't doing well in isolation. She needs people around her that she doesn't have to lie to. It won't be for long—a week, maybe ten days."

"You always say that."

"And I'm mostly telling the truth." He drank his shot, breaking his own rule about not drinking while working, then said, "Where is she?"

"In the car."

"Alone?"

"Rob is with her." Paul paused, resting his forearms on the table, as his brown-eyed gaze settled on Griffin's face. "She's not any happier about this than you are, but I think this would be a good place for her."

"Where is she from?"

"A long way from here. I'm not worried about danger finding her; I'm worried about her cracking or running. Some people can live a lie with no problems. Others can't."

He knew that better than anyone. The door opened again, and for a split second he thought it might be the person Paul had brought to the bar, but the woman with reddish-blonde hair and sparkling green eyes was much more familiar and even more disturbing. She'd been very attractive in the orange bikini she'd had on yesterday, but it had been hard to get past the enormous fear in her eyes. Today, wearing white jeans and a clingy blue top, she looked beautiful and back on her game. But why was she here? He couldn't believe it was a coincidence.

"Damn," he muttered.

"Ex-girlfriend?" Paul asked, raising an eyebrow as he followed his gaze.

"No, but not someone I wanted to see."

"You never want to see anyone. I'm still surprised someone as unfriendly as you decided to open a bar." Sometimes—like today—he asked himself the same question. But while there were a lot of people in the bar, he didn't have to interact with very many of them. As the redhead's gaze lit on him, a smile spread across her face. He felt like he'd just been struck by a hot, bright ray of sun. It warmed up places in his body that had gone cold a long time ago. "I'm going to get Megan and bring her in," Paul said, getting to his feet. "I'll let you deal with whatever this is."

"What?" he asked, a little distracted by the woman making her way across the bar. "I'll be right back." He had a lot more he wanted to say to Paul, but his friend was already gone, and the woman he'd pulled out of the ocean yesterday was almost at his table. He stood up, his nerves tightening. He could sense danger from a mile away. He didn't know why this woman was trouble; he just knew that she was.  


 





   

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of 60 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened Fog City Publishing in 2011 and has since sold over 7 million books! Twenty-three of her titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists, including one title, SUMMER SECRETS, which hit #1 on the NYT. In 2014 Barbara was named the Amazon KDP Bestselling Author of all time! She was also the first Indie writer to sell over a million books on Barnes and Noble. Known for her emotional and compelling stories of love, family, romance and suspense, Barbara is a six-time finalist and two-time winner in the Romance Writers of America acclaimed RITA contest for her novels DANIEL'S GIFT and THE WAY BACK HOME. For more information, visit her website at www.barbarafreethy.com









































Friday 29 December 2017

REVIEW: HANKY-SPANKY CHRISTMAS by AMY ANDREWS


Hanky Spanky Christmas
By Amy Andrews
Released December 18th, 2017
Entangled Publishing


In Hanky Spanky Christmas by Amy Andrews, during an adventurous night out, Darcy Henderson decides she'd love to experience what it's like to get a little wilder in bed. Asking Mitch Callaghan for a good spanking goes according to plan, but somehow, Darcy isn't quite so sure she's ready for what she's asked for. Will Darcy go all the way with her neighbor, or will Christmas be a total bust in the romance department for her?

Ms. Andrews pens a wonderful and fun read in this book where the main characters have potent chemistry that sizzles on the pages through their exploration to good times, even though things don't go the way Darcy was hoping they would. Is she ready for Mitch and what she wants? Will she be able to handle the things Mitch does? The way this story started had me laughing at Mitch's thoughts and the funny neighbor that is determined to bring Mitch and Darcy together. Will the old woman's plan work?

As for the dialogue, it flowed really well and had me loving the interactions between the main characters, as they've become good friends and Mitch is someone Darcy knows she can trust completely with her need to explore in the bedroom. Moreover, I liked how persistent the heroine was to get what she wants and that Mitch was willing to give her the Christmas treat she wanted. I also liked how resilient and courageous the heroine was, despite what happens during their adventure into a world the heroine thought she'd enjoy. While the hero, he's confident, a tad cocky, and I liked that he was willing to give the heroine all that she wanted, even though it seemed he knew the heroine better than she knew herself when it came to what she could handle. 

Overall, Ms. Andrews has delivered a really good read in this book where I was smiling or laughing at various times throughout; the chemistry and romance between this couple was wonderful and had me hoping these two would achieve their happy ever after like a certain secondary character was hoping for; and the ending had me liking how things turned out for Mitch and Darcy, but had me a little disappointed that there was no epilogue to wrap things up a bit more than how this book finished. I would recommend Hanky Spanky Christmas by Amy Andrews, if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope or books by authors Shayla Black, Kira Archer, Cathryn Fox and Kate Meader. 


T'was the night before Christmas....

With a sudden hankering to be spanked, Darcy Henderson figures Mitch Callaghan is the man for the job. But is she woman enough to take it?

***This novella first appeared in the Seven Sins anthology in 2015.

BUY LINK:  Amazon


































Wednesday 27 December 2017

BLOG TOUR - REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: THE DUKE OF ICE by DARCY BURKE


Burke, Darcy- The Duke of Ice (final) 800 px @ 72 dpi low res

The Duke of Ice
The Untouchables #7
By Darcy Burke
Releasing December 26th, 2017
Self-Published





In The Duke of Ice (The Untouchables #7) by Darcy Burke, Nicholas Bateman never wants to marry again, not when he seems to lose those he loves. But when he comes face-to-face with his first love -- the woman that ended up marrying a viscount instead -- Nicholas decides that his self-imposed solitude can't go on. Will he give Lady Violet Pendleton another chance, or will they lose their second chance at forever after because of Nicholas's fear of losing those he loves?

I am a huge fan of Ms. Burke's contemporary romances, but this is the first of her Historical romances that I have read, and I've got to say that this story was absolutely enthralling, fast-paced and was a total page turner because of the hero and the reason for him being known as The Duke of Ice. Really, he comes off as cold and aloof in the beginning, but definitely thaws throughout this story, as he interacts with Violet and the secondary characters. The way this story started drew me in immediately, as I loved Nick's good friend Simon; a man that has been through so much, and yet, still wants to find happiness again despite the way people talk about him. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time that this story became very interesting, as Violet is determined to make things right between them, but Nicholas isn't about to make things easy for her. How long will it take for the hero to warm up to the heroine?

As for the dialogue, it was well-written, compelling and intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the hero as everything that's happened in his life has made him a man that no longer forms emotional attachments. However, in saying that, I loved the tight friendship he shares with Simon, the Duke of Romsey; and that Simon can manage to coax Nicholas out of his self-imposed solitude. Moreover, the hero has been through so much in his life and I could understand why he's The Duke of Ice because losing loved ones is hard to handle and sometimes it's easier to be alone. Yet, I liked how the hero goes from The Duke of Ice to seeing that life is worth living again and that second chances are possible, if he's willing to take the risk. Will Nicholas realize that being with Violet is better than being without?

While the heroine, she's been through a lot too, and I could understand why her relationship with her parents is so strained after what they did that saw her marry a horrible man. Furthermore, Violet is resilient and courageous in the way she approaches Nicholas and handles everything he throws at her, as he does his best to remain cold and aloof to her persistence to make things right between them. I also liked how kind and caring Violet was and that she would do anything for those she counts as friends, which is proven by what she does for Nicholas's friend Simon; a man that is shunned by society because of what they believe he did to someone he loved. 

Overall, Ms. Burke has delivered a superb and worthwhile read in this book where the chemistry between Nicholas and Violet was off-the-charts and had me wondering when things would heat up between them; the romance was wonderful and convincing and had me hoping for the best for this couple; and the ending had me worried for one of the main characters, but had me liking how things worked out between the hero and heroine because no one deserves a chance at forever after more than Nicholas and Violet after everything they've been through. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up perfectly, as miracles do happen and I liked that Nicholas has found happiness after so much loss. I would recommend The Duke of Ice by Darcy Burke, if you enjoy Historical Romance, second chance romances, or books by authors Anna Campbell, Christi Caldwell, Jess Michaels and Eva Devon. 


     

Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Eight years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.

Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?


Read Today!

 Nook


“Looks like it’s you and Lady Pendleton,” Simon said. His voice carried a hint of something. Nick snapped his head toward his friend and detected the glimmer of a smile in his gaze. He was enjoying this. He was playing matchmaker. And he had his sights set on Nick and Violet. Bloody hell. Nick wanted to be angry, but his pull toward Violet was too strong. He’d felt it last night and again today when Simon had asked if it would be odd for him to pursue her. Nick had been jealous. Shockingly, blood-boilingly, desperately jealous. The realization shook him to the core.



“Who’s to be the crier?” Simon asked.



“Why not Mr. Adair since he won Kiss the Nun?” Seaver suggested.



With everyone in agreement, Violet and Nick moved to the center of the room. “Is this awkward?” she whispered.



“No.” His pulse quickened. Should he kiss her or should he fail? His mind screamed the latter. And really, that was for the best. Jealousy aside, he and Violet had no future, not when their past was so painful. And yet when they knelt with their backs to each other, he caught her scent of rose and an earthy spice. It was wholly feminine yet slightly wild. He hadn’t smelled a rose in the past eight years without thinking of her. His body reacted, heating at her proximity.



“Make ready,” Adair said. Nick looked over his right shoulder and felt the air move as she looked over her left.



“Present.” Nick leaned close to her cheek. He could feel her warmth, and his skin tingled. Fire.” He moved closer, but she sprang up. Instinctively, he reached for her, his arm curling about her waist. He pulled her back down. To stop her from hitting the floor, he spun to his back and sprawled, bringing her down on top of him. He cupped the side of her face and kissed her, his lips sliding over hers for a brief but delicious moment.



“The cheek,” she murmured, her gaze locked with his. He leaned up and brushed his mouth against the soft flesh of her cheek. His lips lingered perhaps a second too long, but he didn’t care. Desire coursed through him, and for the first time in years, he felt alive.

AN 


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Start the Series of Standalones Now!

The Forbidden Duke (The Untouchables Book 1)
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Darcy Burke

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her reader club at http://www.darcyburke.com/readerclub. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit.  

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Tuesday 26 December 2017

RELEASE BLITZ: THE DUKE OF ICE by DARCY BURKE


The Duke of Ice, an all-new Historical standalone
from USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke, is live!

 Burke, Darcy- The Duke of Ice (final) 800 px @ 72 dpi low res.jpg


The Duke of Ice
The Untouchables #7
By Darcy Burke
Releasing December 26th, 2017
Self-Published




Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Eight years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.

Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?


AN.jpg


Read Today!

 Nook
 Kobo


DoIce TeaserBlue.jpg


Start the Series of Standalones Now!

The Forbidden Duke (The Untouchables Book 1)
 Nook
 Kobo


Enter the Giveaway!

GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY copy.jpg





Darcy Burke.jpg


Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her reader club at http://www.darcyburke.com/readerclub. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit.  


Connect with Darcy:

Stay up to date with Darcy by joining her Reader Club today: Here