Archives for January 2016

** Book Review ** AWAKENING THE RAVENSDALE HEIRESS by Melanie Milburne

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4 1/2 STARS!

I really enjoyed meeting the next Ravensdale sibling!  I enjoyed Julius in the prior book, but his sister Miranda stole my heart even more.  She’s so sweet and carrying and she was just what Leandro needed!

Miranda Ravensdale is hiding out from the press after her latest family scandal when she runs into family friend Leandro Allegretti.  Leandro wants to help get her out from under some of the stress, and he could also use her art expertise to catalog his art collection, so he whisks her away to the French Riviera with him for a couple of weeks.

Miranda’s first taste of love and romance as a teen ended badly, so she’s sworn off ever trying again.  Leandro hates seeing her let life pass her by, so he sets out to razz her into coming out of her funk.  When they start to see in other in a different light, will they run scared or give in to their attraction?

**  Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

** Book Review ** UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT by Kate Willoughby

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4 STARS!

These characters really worked their way into my heart.  Each one was a nice person in their own right, and I loved the connection between them from the first moment.  Great read!

Stage actress Christine Caspary seeks out Joe Rutherford via their agents to see if he will do her a favor for a sick kid she worked with via Grant A Wish previously.

The minute Joe heard her name from his agent, he knew who she was.  His hockey team had seen her in Chicago on Broadway, and he was so enchanted by her that he went back to see it a second time by himself.  He was happy to help her put together a surprise for a sick friend.

While discussing the charity work, they really enjoyed each others company and decided to continue to grab some time together when they could.  With his busy hockey schedule and her busy theater life plus her potential TV show coming up, they didn’t manage to squeeze in much time.  Will they be able to make a relationship work or is it just wishful thinking on both their parts?

** Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

*BOOK REVIEW* – UNFORGETTABLE YOU by Heatherly Bell

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4 STARS!

A sexy, sweet romance of rediscovering a past connection and not letting it slip through your fingers the second time around.

Diana Mulvaney is running away from a life she doesn’t like anymore when she shows up in Starlight Hill to visit her Gran.  Her fiance has dumped her, she’s not enjoying her work anymore, and she needs some down time in a place she used to love spending time as a child.

Scott Turlock is the hunky firefighter that rescues her when her hotel catches on fire. When the video of the rescue goes viral and makes her the talk of the town, Scott wants to step in and protect her.  He was her childhood crush back when he was a wild teen, but now he’s a seriously sexy nice guy.

Will their time together convince them both that they are worthy of a happily ever after?

**  Received free in exchange of an honest review  **

Blog Tour / Book Review -EARNING A RING by Kristina Mathews

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4 1/2 STARS!

I really enjoyed this book!  You gotta love the sexy, arrogant jocks even though occasionally they are so dense and don’t know when they’ve got a great thing going on. 🙂 Bryce was a fun one to have a love/hate relationship with for awhile there …

Bryce Baxter should be riding high.  He was MVP when his team won the World Series last season and signed the best multi-year contract around.  Instead he’s in a slump this season and irritated that he can’t get a certain lady off his mind.

Rachel Parker has been working hard at getting her sports reporter career off the ground, but got a little closer to a player than she was supposed to.  When she shows up to see Bryce with a little problem on her mind, he steps up to aid the situation.

Will they decide their spark and inability to get each other off their minds is enough to build a relationship on?

**  Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

 

 

VT-EarningARing-KMathews

Earning a Ring
More Than a Game #4
By: Kristina Mathews

Releasing January 19, 2016
Lyrical Shine

BLURB:

For Rachel Parker, covering the San Francisco Goliaths is the perfect opportunity to launch her career as a serious reporter. But she didn’t bargain on Bryce Baxter, the team’s star shortstop, tempting her more non-professional aspirations. After tearing up the base paths with him, she finds herself with a little problem, and Bryce might be the only man who can save the game.

Bryce Baxter should be living the dream. His team just won the World Series and he just signed the multi-year contract of his career. But his field of dreams has been overtaken by a fiery redheaded reporter, who’s bearing a news flash that will change both of their lives forever…

 

LINK TO FOLLOW TOUR:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/10/earning-ring-more-than-game-4-by.html

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25430501-earning-a-ring?ac=1

GOODREADS SERIES LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/series/124028-more-than-a-game

 

BUY LINKSAmazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Earning-Ring-More-Than-Game-ebook/dp/B00WPRBMI0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/earning-a-ring-kristina-mathews/1121817009?ean=9781601834638

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=978-1-60183-463-8&c=books

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/earning-a-ring/id1013566569?mt=11

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/earning-a-ring

 

 

Kristina

AUTHOR INFO:

Kristina Mathews doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t have a book in her hand. Or in her head. But it wasn’t until she turned forty that she confessed the reason the laundry never made it out of the dryer was because she was busy writing.

While she resigned from teaching with the arrival of her second son, she’s remained an educator in some form. As a volunteer, parent club member or para educator, she finds the most satisfaction working with emergent and developing readers, helping foster confidence and a lifelong love of books.

Kristina lives in Northern California with her husband of more than twenty years, two sons and a black lab. A veteran road tripper, amateur renovator and sports fanatic. She hopes to one day travel all 3,073 miles of Highway 50 from Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD, replace her carpet with hardwood floors and serve as a “Ball Dudette” for the San Francisco Giants.

 

Author Links: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website:  http://kristinamathews.com/

Blog: https://kristinamathews.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kristinamathewsauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KristinaMathews

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7870884.Kristina_Mathews

 

 

Portrait of baseball player with bare chest holding bat

EXCERPT:

Bryce Baxter sat alone in the San Francisco Goliaths’ clubhouse. He didn’t want to go home and watch the replays of tonight’s game. There was enough of that going on in his head. He’d blown the game. How many times had he made that play since he first picked up a baseball at the age of five? A thousand? Ten thousand? Probably more. Not tonight. Tonight it was as if he’d forgotten everything he knew about the game. What should have been an easy double play ended up being the game-winning run.

The loss put his team even farther behind in their division going into the second month of the season and had reporters questioning the Goliaths’ chances of repeating a World Series run. Some were even questioning the team’s decision to re-sign Baxter to the big contract extension. The biggest one he’d ever inked. So naturally, he was having his worst start to the season ever. He couldn’t hit. Couldn’t draw a walk to save his life. And when he struck out, he did it in spectacular fashion.

Last November he’d been king of the world. San Francisco’s biggest hero since Willie Mays. As World Series MVP, he’d been awarded a brand new Corvette. His face had been on the cover of magazines. He’d made the talk show rounds. Met the President. Women had lined up outside his door. And he’d had his choice of endorsement deals, including a line of men’s hair care products. Now, if his game didn’t improve, his agent would be lucky to get him a spot peddling adult diapers.

Reluctantly, he headed toward the parking lot.

“Hey, Bryce, you got a minute?” He recognized the voice of the woman standing beside his car. A month ago, he would have been happy to see her. Professionally, personally, a little bit of both. But not now.

“Look, Rachel, I’m not giving any more interviews tonight.” He was so down, all he wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed. Alone.

“I’m not here for an interview.” She would have waited in the clubhouse if she were. He knew that. Rachel Parker was a professional, the in-game reporter for Bay Area Sports Network. “Can we go somewhere? Somewhere private?”

“I’m not giving that tonight either.” He waited for his body to protest, recalling the dozen or so encounters with the sexy journalist. She’d been hot. Real hot. Hot enough for him to forget his rule of one and done. They’d been hooking up off the record since before spring training of last season.

“Look, I really do need to talk to you.” She seemed a little nervous, not her usual confident, perky, and always upbeat self who was part bubbly cheerleader, part hard-hitting reporter. She was still hot. But instead of smoking, she was…smoldering. His body stirred. Enough for him to think that maybe spending the next several hours in bed might not be such a bad idea.

But it probably wasn’t a good idea either.

The last time they’d hooked up had been intense. Almost too intense. Too real. But maybe he’d just been riding the high of signing his ridiculous contract. Or maybe he’d felt the pressure of the deal and had transferred it to his personal life. Something he could control.

“You know, I think maybe we should take a step back.” He raked a hand through his hair, still damp from his long shower after the game. “I’m not good for anyone right now.”

Rachel gave him a weird look, almost as if her eyes slipped out of focus. Her face drained of color. She turned and stumbled toward his car, bracing herself against the front fender. Then she threw up on the hood of his Corvette.

“Are you okay?” He took a step toward her.

“No, I’m not okay.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m pregnant.”

 

 

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Book Review – TACTICAL PLEASURE by J.C. Wilder

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3 1/2 STARS!

This was a short, sexy read.  There’s not a huge storyline, but what’s there is fun.  Their chemistry is hot!

Miranda White is friendly with all of the cops that hang out at the diner she runs with her sister, but there’s something special about John.  She’s crushed on him since she first met him, but she doesn’t want to be another notch on his post and the newest Flavor of the Month on his long list of women.

John Stephens has the hots for Randa as well.  He would love to get his hands on her curvy body, but she keeps turning him down when he asks her out.  When she asks him for info about a fellow S.W.A.T. member, he sees red.

Can Johnny convince her that he wants more than another warm body?

**  Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

* Book Review * IGNITE byHolly Mortimer

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4 STARS!

A heartwarming story about two lost souls finding their second chance at love, and taking the chance when they are terrified of feeling the hurt and loss again.

Frankie thrives on quiet.  Being alone and closed off is how she survives.  The terror of him finding her lives inside her.

Hardy Hanson fights his memories on a daily basis.  He isn’t looking to move forward, but the minute he lays eyes on Frankie, he knows he was destined to meet her.  Can he convince her that in his arms, she’s safe?

**  Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

Book Review – TEMPTED BY THE TEXAN by Kathie DeNosky

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4 1/2 STARS!

There’s just something about a sexy cowboy, who thinks he’s not good enough for the woman he loves that tugs at your heart.  I really enjoyed getting to know another of Hank’s boys!

Jaron Lambert and Mariah Stanton have been tiptoeing around each other for years.  Her sister is married to his foster brother and they attend all of the same family functions. First he tried to convince himself and her that he was too old for her, then as the years passed and she was no longer that young teenage girl, he kept telling himself he’d never be good enough for her because of the past he had lived.

Will Mariah be able to convince him that she can love him no matter what darkness he has lived through?

Book Review – THE FINAL MOVE by Victoria Denault

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4 1/2 STARS!

Such a great read!  It’s fun, filled with sexy hot hocky players, and has such a sweetness to the nice guys in this family.  I really want there to be a Garrison brother left over for me! 🙂

Devin Garrison’s happily-ever-after isn’t working out the way he wanted it to.  His marriage has fallen apart, and he’s at a loss at what to do with himself.  When it gets to the point where he files for divorce and knows it’s over, he starts to lash out.

Callie Caplan has always been a great friend to him and his family.  She happens to move to town for a job just as Devin is needing a friend most.  She whips him into shape and makes him stop feeling sorry for himself and get his game back together.

As they spend time together, the old attraction they shared years ago rears it’s head, but Callie doesn’t do relationships.  Will she make an exception for Devin?

**  Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

Book Review – RECKLESS by Kimberly Kincaid

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4 1/2 STARS!

A great book about not letting life pass you by without enjoying every minute of it!

Firefighter Alex Donovan has pushed the limits one too many times, and he’s been removed from active duty and is being made to perform community service before he gets a meeting to see if he can keep his job.

The director of the soup kitchen he has been placed at, Zoe Westin, just happens to be the fire captain’s daughter, and she’s not happy that she’s been saddled with a helper that doesn’t take anything seriously.

Alex is good for Zoe, and during their time working together, helps her learn to loosen up a little and find ways to make the soup kitchen she desperately wants to succeed have a better chance.

When the captain finds out that his only daughter is now dating his most reckless firefighter, will he blow a gasket?  And will Zoe, who hates being scared about the danger of their job be able to hang in there with Alex once he’s back to running into burning buildings?

** Received free in exchange for an honest review  **

Book Review – EXTREME HONOR by Piper J. Drake

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3 1/2 STARS!

An enjoyable read, but somehow I just wanted a little more.  The concept of the story was great, and I liked the characters, I just felt like some spots weren’t delved into far enough and left them feeling a little empty.  It kept me reading to find out what was going to happy though, and I did love Atlas.

David Cruz helps run a dog training kennel, and is trying to help Atlas, a Belgian Malinois who lost his partner/handler while stationed overseas.  David had previously been involved in training him, so when Atlas was pining away after the loss, he was sent back to let David have a try at working with him.  It wasn’t going great, until they got some expected help at the kennel.

Evelyn Jones is somewhat of a “dog whisperer” and works in rehabilitating dogs after trauma.  The way Atlas reacts to her is the first sign of life David has seen in him, so he agrees to let her stay and help him.

As they spend time together and uncover secrets behind the loss of Atlas’s handler, David and Lyn grow close.  Will they figure out a way to have a future together once their job with Atlas is complete?

**  Received free in exchange for an honest review  **