Archives for May 9, 2018

* Blog Tour / Excerpt / Review * HOOKED ON YOU by Kate Meader

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Blog Tour / Excerpt / Review * HOOKED ON YOU by Kate MeaderHooked On You by Kate Meader
Series: The Chicago Rebels Series
Published by Pocket Star on May 7, 2018
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

The steamy Chicago Rebels series returns with this racy and sassy tale of embittered hearts, second chances, and going for the goal—on and off the ice.

Violet Vasquez never met her biological father, so learning he left his beloved hockey franchise—the Chicago Rebels—to her is, well, unexpected. Flat broke and close to homeless, Violet is determined to make the most of this sudden opportunity. Except dear old dad set conditions that require she takes part in actually running the team with the half-sisters she barely knows. Working with these two strangers and overseeing a band of hockey-playing lugs is not on her agenda…until she lays eyes on the Rebels captain and knows she has to have him.

Bren St. James has been labeled a lot of things: the Puck Prince, Lord of the Ice, Hell’s Highlander...but it’s the latest tag that’s making headlines: washed-up alcoholic has-been. This season, getting his life back on track and winning the Cup are his only goals. With no time for relationships—except the fractured ones he needs to rebuild with his beautiful daughters—he’s finding it increasingly hard to ignore sexy, all-up-in-his-beard Violet Vasquez. And when he finds himself in need of a nanny just as the playoffs are starting, he’s faced with a temptation he could so easily get hooked on.

For two lost souls, there’s more on the line than just making the best of a bad situation… there might also be a shot at the biggest prize of all: love.

 

Captivating characters, explosive sexual chemistry and a hockey team trying to go all the way! With the next book in Kate Meader’s Chicago Rebels hockey series, we get the final sister Violet’s story. When the series started we delved into the storyline of an NHL owner dying, leaving his struggling team to his three daughters who were all fairly estranged from him and barely new each other … with the stipulation that they had to work together to run the team and the team had to make it into the play-offs. They’re here in all of their glory! This story belongs to the most unknown sister whose feisty attitude shines through everything else she does … and the team’s brooding but sober captain. They met at a turning point in both of their lives, and even though the snark is strong when they’re in the same room together, the attraction between them is out of this world! I loved this entire series and wish there were a few more sisters to meet! I personally feel like you get the back story a whole lot more in detail if you read the whole series, but they are stand-alone and you can catch up the bare minimum of what happened previously with each book.

Violet Vasquez never expected the father that never wanted to be a part of her life to up and leave her a third of his profession hockey team, but she’s here to claim her portion. Stipulations lead to her staying around longer than her original intention, but it gives the sisters time to actually get to know each other. She can’t deny her hunger for the team captain is a strong selling point to stick close as well!

Bren St. James hit rock bottom a few months ago, but luckily his team stood by him and allowed him to take the time to get sober and make his way back to having his head in the game enough to make this strike towards the Stanley Cup Play-offs! His ex-wife however is another matter … and now she’s dropping his girls off on him with no warning. When Violet makes a connection with his youngest, he grudgingly agrees to let her stay with them when he’s at his away games … but he doesn’t have to like having her temptation front and center all the time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooked on You

by Kate Meader
Chicago Rebels, #4
Publication Date: May 7, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Standalone

AVAILABLE NOW!

SYNOPSIS:

The steamy Chicago Rebels series returns with this racy and sassy tale of embittered hearts, second chances, and going for the goal-on and off the ice.

Violet Vasquez never met her biological father, so learning he left his beloved hockey franchise-the Chicago Rebels-to her is, well, unexpected. Flat broke and close to homeless, Violet is determined to make the most of this sudden opportunity. Except dear old dad set conditions that require she takes part in actually running the team with the half-sisters she barely knows. Working with these two strangers and overseeing a band of hockey-playing lugs is not on her agenda…until she lays eyes on the Rebels captain and knows she has to have him.

Bren St. James has been labeled a lot of things: the Puck Prince, Lord of the Ice, Hell’s Highlander…but it’s the latest tag that’s making headlines: washed-up alcoholic has-been. This season, getting his life back on track and winning the Cup are his only goals. With no time for relationships-except the fractured ones he needs to rebuild with his beautiful daughters-he’s finding it increasingly hard to ignore sexy, all-up-in-his-beard Violet Vasquez. And when he finds himself in need of a nanny just as the playoffs are starting, he’s faced with a temptation he could so easily get hooked on.

For two lost souls, there’s more on the line than just making the best of a bad situation… there might also be a shot at the biggest prize of all: love.

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EXCERPT

She blew out a breath that was half growl, picked up a can of Italian wedding soup, and examined the ingredient list like she was studying for a test. Why wasn’t she taking this opportunity to get under his skin using those taunts that tripped off her tongue like sensual ninja knives?

“Have I offended you in some way, Violet?”

Keeping her chin dipped, she shook her head, but it was a shake of disbelief, not of disagreement with his question.

“Violet, look at me.”

Glittering eyes snapped to his, in them a flash of something—a visceral response to his demand—but it was gone so quickly that even the rewind called him a liar.

“Has something happened?”

“Look, St. James, you and I have never meshed, so we don’t need to pretend to get along. We just ran into each other at the store and you ‘saved’ me from the unseemly interest of a fellow shopper. ¡Maravilloso! ¡Gracias! Now you can take your steel buns and your sexy scowl off in the opposite direction.”

Color flagged her cheeks, making her olive skin glow. She was furious, and he still didn’t know why. He was also furious, and he had a better idea of the reason.

She’d changed the social contract. They’d been moseying along with her teasing and taunting and flirting, and him acting like it was the worst thing ever to happen to him. Like Violet’s attention was a fresh slice of hell, because in a way it was. She reminded him of everything he couldn’t have. She reminded him of the man he used to be. His body came alive around her, and alive was dangerous. Alive was the opposite of numb, and numb was his best defense against the demons whispering in his ear.

One drink won’t hurt. Thirst like yours can’t be quenched with anything but whiskey.

If he allowed himself to want her, it was a slippery slope to succumbing to the demons at the door. Of course he couldn’t tell her this, so instead he latched on to her words.

“Steel buns?” There was also “sexy scowl,” but he figured he’d start with the ass stuff.

She rolled her eyes, then coasted those same eyes down his body, half hidden by the grocery cart. “As if you don’t know.”

“That I have an ass you could bounce a puck off of?” He twisted to check himself out. “S’pose I do, lass.”

She burst out laughing and muttered something in Spanish.

“What’s that?”

“Not for your ears, Scot.”

One day she’d tell him. One day, he’d get it out of her, preferably while her body arched into his and his body drove into hers.

 

 

DON’T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE CHICAGO REBELS SERIES!

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ABOUT KATE MEADER

Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

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five-stars

* Review * THE RIVER HOUSE by Carla Neggers

* Review * THE RIVER HOUSE by Carla NeggersThe River House by Carla Neggers
Series: Swift River Valley
Published by MIRA on March 27, 2018
Buy on Amazon
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three-half-stars

Felicity MacGregor loves organizing social events for others but her own personal life is a different story. After a brief but failed attempt at a career as a financial analyst, she returned to Knights Bridge where she enjoys running a thriving party-planning business.

Then Felicity’s life gets a shake-up when her childhood friend Gabriel Flanagan returns unexpectedly to their tiny hometown. Now a high-flying businessman, Gabe always vowed to get out of Knights Bridge, but he is back for the local entrepreneurial boot camp Felicity’s been hired to organize. Together again, they’ll finally have to face each other—and their complicated past.

Gabe and Felicity soon realize their reunion is stirring up long-buried emotions. While Gabe has big plans for his future, Felicity is discovering that hers doesn’t depend on fate—she must choose what’s right for her. But if they can find a bridge between their diverging paths, they may just discover that their enduring connection is what matters most.

 

Going home again! With a return to the Swift River Valley series, we’re given Felicity & Gabe’s story. Former best friends on the outs for a few years are reunited in their hometown filled with childhood memories together. They set out to overcome their issues, reconnect with the place they grew up and learn how to transition it all into a relationship together. The story line had good bones, but there was a lot of filler in there that was just distracting. Too many characters mentioned that didn’t play a part in this particular story. Overall, an okay read.

Felicity MacGregor has finally returned home to Knights Bridge, Massachusetts and bought the house of her dreams. Being there brings back a lot of memories of growing up in the area and spending time there with her best friend Gabe. She hasn’t talked to him since they had a falling out three years ago, but that doesn’t stop the memories from flooding back.

Gabriel Flanagan is passing through town for some family events and uses the opportunity to see Felicity again. She’s still holding three years ago against him, but in his eyes, he’s happy to see that she’s doing something she loves now. Can they pick of the pieces of their friendship and admit they always had more feeling than that towards each other anyway?

three-half-stars