Archives for December 9, 2018

* Blog Tour / Review / Excerpt * THE RENEGADE by Jennifer Bernard

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Blog Tour / Review / Excerpt * THE RENEGADE by Jennifer BernardThe Renegade by Jennifer Bernard
Series: The Rockwell Legacy #3
on December 4, 2018
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four-stars

The last thing she expected was a billionaire under the mistletoe …

As a trauma surgeon, Isabelle Rockwell has devoted her life to helping others. Her life is too crazy for romance…despite a powerful attraction to a stranger during an unexpected layover in Italy. But there’s no time to obsess over the mystery man. Recurring dreams of her mother are calling her home to the family lodge, where a surprise guest is staying for the holidays—who else but her airport hottie!

Battling a takeover, billionaire Lyle Guero has been asked by his board of directors to lay low. What better place than Rocky Peak Lodge, his latest silent investment, home to the woman who’s haunted his thoughts since Rome? Independent, fascinating, equally career-focused, she’s the perfect temporary distraction.

But he didn’t count on the holiday spirit, the zany Rockwell family, or the danger lurking in the snowy shadows of the Cascades. How far will two renegade hearts go for a chance at love?

 

A homecoming, a bit of mystery, and the last man she ever expected to see again! With the next book in The Rockwell Legacy, we see the lodge renovation making progress, get updates on the two couples we’ve loved in previous books and begin Isabelle’s journey to love. I enjoy this family and series very much overall, but found this particular book to be lackluster. Her back story wasn’t built up nearly as well as her brother’s had been in their earlier stories, and the connection between she and Lyle just fell a little flat for my taste. Still enjoyed the story, just not my favorite in the series. Looking forward to more to come!

Doctor Isabelle Rockwell is finally making the journey home after working with Doctor’s Without Borders in faraway places. She’s torn about her journey. She enjoys the work she gets to do for people who really need it, but she misses her family and a recurring dream about her mother finally has her unable to stay away any longer. She needs to know what’s pulling her home once and for all … but she never expects to see a familiar face when she gets there!

Billionaire Lyle Guero is having a takeover crisis at his company and lying low while things get ironed out, so what better place to visit than his latest project? He’s the silent investor that  is enabling Rocky Peak Lodge to be returned to it’s old glory again, so he’s excited to get to see how it’s coming along, and get a feel for what the lodge will feel like when it’s open and thriving once again. He doesn’t know Izzy will be there, but he’s thrilled to get to reconnect with the woman who caught his eye when they were stranded together in Rome overnight!

 

 

 

 

Today we’re celebrating the release of THE RENEGADE by Jennifer Bernard. Check it out and grab your copy now!

Title: THE RENEGADE
Series: The Rockwell Legacy
Author: Jennifer Bernard
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release: December 4, 2018

About THE RENEGADE

The last thing she expected was a billionaire under the mistletoe …

As a trauma surgeon, Isabelle Rockwell has devoted her life to helping others. Her life is too crazy for romance…despite a powerful attraction to a stranger during an unexpected layover in Italy. But there’s no time to obsess over the mystery man. Recurring dreams of her mother are calling her home to the family lodge, where a surprise guest is staying for the holidays—who else but her airport hottie!

Battling a takeover, billionaire Lyle Guero has been asked by his board of directors to lay low. What better place than Rocky Peak Lodge, his latest silent investment, home to the woman who’s haunted his thoughts since Rome? Independent, fascinating, equally career-focused, she’s the perfect temporary distraction.

But he didn’t count on the holiday spirit, the zany Rockwell family, or the danger lurking in the snowy shadows of the Cascades. How far will two renegade hearts go for a chance at love?

Get your copy now!

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EXCERPT:

“Do you remember where we left off in Rome?” she murmured, rising up on one elbow. With a light shove, she urged him down onto his back. He wore a zippered hoodie. Bending her head, she used her teeth to unzip it. The hard curves of his chest made the saliva dry up in her mouth.

He was watching her so closely, so carefully.

“I’m pretty sure you were lying down like this,” she whispered. “And I was somewhere right around here.”

She swung one leg over him and shifted into the same straddling position that was burned into her nighttime fantasies leftover from Rome.  

“That does look familiar.” He reached up and ran one finger along the upper edge of her bra. “Different bra, though. The other one was white.”

“That was my favorite travel bra.” She shivered at the prickles racing across her skin. “It’s important to look good in case you get into an accident, you know. Renata always told me that.”

“She was so right. You accidentally ran into me. And you looked good. Still do.” He spread his hand across the skin above her breasts. The breadth of his handspan amazed her. It felt as if every inch of her chest was covered by his warm palm. It was a wonderfully hypnotic sensation. “You always do, to me.”

“Well, see this one is actually my most embarrassing bra. It’s the comfy last resort I wear when I haven’t done laundry lately.” Was that the kind of thing you were supposed to confess to a billionaire? Even a de-billionaired one?

“Doesn’t matter. You still look good to me. Clothes are irrelevant.”

She rolled her eyes slightly. “Men always say that. Then you show up in a skimpy dress and they lose their minds.”

“Hey, I’m pro skimpy dress. I’m also pro comfy bra. I’m also very much pro getting rid of the comfy bra.”

Laughter rose straight up from her heart to her lips, into a smile she couldn’t hide. “I hope you don’t mean permanently.”

“Just for now.” He reached behind her and deftly found the fastener. Then he hit a roadblock, because the catch was broken.

He chuckled as he struggled with the fastener. “Okay, make it permanent. Just how attached are you to this one?”

“Very. It’s mine.”

“Ditch this one. I’ll buy you a new one.”

She put a hand on his chest while he continued to work on it. “Hey. Before we do this, I just want to say one thing. I’m my own person. I decide when it’s time to throw away my bras. Bossing me around in bed is one thing. Once we set foot outside bed, no one bosses me around. Not you, not anyone.”

“It’s just a bra.”

“No, it’s not. It’s a principle.”

He held her gaze, then nodded slowly. “I hear you. I do. And honestly, it’s a great bra. If you love it, I love it. My only problem with it is that I can’t get it off. This bra is a fricking cockblocker. It has it in for me. I’d do better doing ten rounds in a boxing ring.”

She burst out laughing at his absurdity. “I got it. Give me a second.” Instead of messing with the catch, she tugged it over her head and tossed it aside. “Voila.”

“Well damn.” He cupped her breasts, which filled his hands perfectly. Her nipples were already hardening just from the way he looked at her. “Now I know.”

“Now you know.” Her breath was coming fast and her head swam with  anticipation.

“Can we get back to another point you just made? That bit about bossing you around in bed. I liked that.”

Her throat tightened, as if a vise had closed around it. “What I meant was—”

“I know what you meant.” His quiet tone made liquid heat rise in her lower belly. He brushed his thumbs across her nipples. She leaned forward, arching her back, aching with desire. For long moments of excruciating pleasure, he stroked her breasts, cradling them in his palms, shaping them, arousing the erect peaks until she wanted to burst out of her skin.

 

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About Jennifer Bernard

Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life in Los Angeles for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. No stranger to book success, she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name that she’s happy to share with the curious.

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four-stars

* Review * FORTUNE’S CHRISTMAS BABY by Tara Taylor Quinn

* Review * FORTUNE’S CHRISTMAS BABY by Tara Taylor QuinnFortune's Christmas Baby by Tara Taylor Quinn
Series: The Fortunes of Texas
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on December 1, 2018
Buy on Amazon
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four-half-stars

His holiday surprise…

Is a bundle of joy!

When Nolan Forte returns to Austin a year after a yuletide romance, he is shocked to learn he is a father. He wants to do right by his beautiful baby girl—and her sweet mama, Lizzie Sullivan. But when he reveals his real name is Nolan Fortune, all bets are off. Lizzie doesn’t trust men with money. Maybe some Christmas magic can convince her that she, Nolan and Stella are already rich in what matters!

 

Secrets abound as we dig into the next Fortunes of Texas story! He has a secret life that he’s always kept to himself, but happenstance makes him have to coincide his two lives together … and it ends up working out better than he ever imagined! A surprise baby is a pleasant treat for more than her Daddy in this heartfelt story. Really enjoyed the characters and watching them meander their way through a way to be together!

When Nolan Forte returns to Austin for a holiday concert again, he can’t help but remember last year and his holiday fling fondly. He wishes things could have been different with the only woman he’s ever connected on that level with, but he was living a secret life and it doesn’t interconnect with his reality of being a Fortune. He doesn’t plan to look up Lizzie, but he runs into a friend of her’s who intrigues him with what she has to say, so he pays her a visit … imagine his surprise when he finds out there’s someone else for him to meet this year … his daughter!

Lizze Sullivan didn’t intend to keep Nolan from his daughter, but when she tried to contact him when she discovered she was pregnant after their week together last Christmas, she realized he had given her fake information. The phone number was disconnected, the emails sent to the band’s website were never returned and there was no record of the name he gave her. She’d obviously been duped by a man she cared very much for … at least she had one nugget of him to treasure forever!

four-half-stars

* Review * TEMPTED BY MR. OFF-LIMITS by Amy Andrews

* Review * TEMPTED BY MR. OFF-LIMITS by Amy AndrewsTempted by Mr. Off-Limits by Amy Andrews
Series: Nurses in the City #2
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on October 1, 2018
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five-stars

How to handle a powerful attraction…

Get it out of your system quickly!

In this Nurses in the City story, Lola Fraser knows better than to fall for her best friend’s brother, paramedic Hamish Gibson. Living together while he’s training could get awkward—fast! But as they work together on a heartrending case, they can’t resist the temptation to take their minds off work. Surely one night will be enough…until they discover it isn’t!

 

Sexual tension leads the way in this fast-paced medical drama! I adored both Lola and Hamish, and watching their connection grow as they spend more and more time together was really breathtaking. They each have emotional and at times gut-wrenching jobs, so tension was high throughout. Really enjoyed!

Paramedic Hamish Gibson is needing a place to stay for a short time, so his sister steps in and offers up her half of her old place since she’s moved in with her man. No problem right? He gets along with her flatmate well. Maybe too well that one night three months ago!

Nurse Lola Fraser can’t say no when her BFF Grace wants her to let her little bro stay in the flat for a couple of months while he finishes up some training. So they slept together. It was only one night, and a one off for sure. He’s a great guy and they’ll just be friends … right?

five-stars

* Review * DELTA FORCE DEFENDER by Carol Ericson

* Review * DELTA FORCE DEFENDER by Carol EricsonDelta Force Defender by Carol Ericson
Series: Red, White and Built: Pumped Up #1
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on November 1, 2018
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four-half-stars

A beautiful target.

Her reluctant bodyguard.

Fiery, independent Cam Sutton will go to any length to prove his Delta Force mentor isn’t a terrorist—even bully the CIA into giving him the damning emails. But by-the-book CIA translator Martha Drake already knows the evidence is fishy, and it’s somehow connected to the recent attempts on her life. Soon the strong, capable soldier is her protector…and inciting a passion neither can deny. But will Cam still want to be her teammate once the real traitors are brought to justice?

 

Electrifying drama from start to finish! A mystery arises that they set out to solve, but in the midst of it all attempts on her life keep happening. Lots of excitement, and a bit of romance as they fall for each other along the way. The ending of the book was rather abrupt, but overall I enjoyed it and it kept my attention easily.

CIA translator Martha Drake suspects something fishy is going on when she receives some anonymous emails implicating an Army big wig in wrong doing. There’s just something off about the emails, so she keeps a copy for herself before turning them over to her superiors. When strange things start happening around her, and a stranger shows up offering assistance, she’s not sure who to trust, but she takes a chance on the guy who’s protecting her when things start going down.

Delta Force operative Cam Sutton is determined to clear his commanding officer’s name of the wrong doing he knows he’s not guilty of. He needs to get info on the emails that framed him … and what better person to go to than the woman who turned them in. He walks into the middle of something going on with her though, and ends up having to keep her safe from danger around every corner as they set out to figure out who is doing this … and why!

four-half-stars

* Review * CHRISTMAS AT PRESCOTT INN by Cathryn Parry

* Review * CHRISTMAS AT PRESCOTT INN by Cathryn ParryChristmas at Prescott Inn by Cathryn Parry
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on December 1, 2018
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five-stars

She’s back in his life…

But will they end up under the mistletoe?

Emilie O’Shea and her figure-skating troupe find themselves homeless…until a Christmas miracle lands them at a quaint inn in New Hampshire. Emilie is excited—then she discovers the inn’s scrooge-like owner is her ex-fiancé, Nathan Prescott. With assistance from a little boy, an adorable cat and her skaters, Emilie helps Nathan find hope in the season…and hope in their future.

 

An unexpected reunion and the magic of Christmas wrap themselves around your heart! A glorious winter setting, memories of the past and an adorable child with his sidekick cat delight readers in this holiday romance. The groundwork is laid out well from the start, and the emotions that begin to rise as this couple find themselves remembering their affection for each other fondly makes for a delightful backdrop. Really enjoyed it!

Figure skater Emilie O’Shea finds herself and her troupe out of a job and a place to stay after an emergency occurs. She’s thrilled to hear the media coverage surrounding their plight has led to an offer from a quaint inn in New Hampshire for them to spend the holiday season performing! When they arrive, the situation is less than ideal, but she vows to make it work … even once she finds out the guy who keeps refusing to up the holiday festivity around the place is none other than her former flame!

Nathan Prescott is trying to turn around the floundering inn that meant so much to his grandfather, but times are tough and they’re on the verge of going under. Tightening his grip on the purse strings is the only option as he sees how this media circus with the ice skaters plays out to his bottom line. Seeing Emilie again brings his emotions to the surface, but he can’t let that blind him to his goal. She already refused what he had to offer her once … this time he’s not getting his hopes up!

five-stars

* Review * COLD CASE CHRISTMAS by Jessica R. Patch

* Review * COLD CASE CHRISTMAS by Jessica R. PatchCold Case Christmas by Jessica R. Patch
Published by Love Inspired Suspense on December 1, 2018
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five-stars

Secrets lie buried in ice...

One of them can kill her.

Home for Christmas after her long-missing mother’s body is found, nothing will keep Nora Livingstone from uncovering the truth about the cold case. Especially not Deputy Sheriff Rush Buchanan, whom she once loved and left. Even when threats become attempts on her life, Rush can’t dissuade her—but he will protect her. Because someone is determined to bury the truth…or bury Nora.

 

Heart-wrenching, full of intrigue and wrapped around a sweet reunion! Great story! From page one we are drawn into this cold case and kept on the edge of our seats throughout. The groundwork is laid for it to be any number of things to have happened to her mother and we’re kept guessing right up until the very end. In the midst of the drama, Rush and Nora find their way through old misunderstandings and hurts to discover the love they both still hold for each other. I loved their story1

Nora Livingstone has lived for almost two decades with this cloud hanging over her. Did her mother really voluntarily leave her that night? Hope that she’d be eventually found and able to explain where she’d been comes to an end when her body is finally discovered. Nora can’t accept an accident as the answer though, there’s too many unanswered questions. When she lets it be known around town that she’s going to find out what happened once and for all, threats start turning up. Who is trying to stop her? And why?

Deputy sheriff Rush Buchanan has loved Nora for most of his life. He spent his high school days thinking he was going to marry her and live happily ever after, but when her Mom disappeared, she withdrew and eventually left him behind. Now she’s back in town and searching for answers. He’ll do anything he can to help her figure out what happened to her mom that night … and continue his hope that she’ll one day see the love he still holds for her is worth sticking around for!

five-stars

* Review * THE ROGUE by Jennifer Bernard

* Review * THE ROGUE by Jennifer BernardThe Rogue by Jennifer Bernard
Series: The Rockwell Legacy #2
on October 23, 2018
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five-stars

Griffin Rockwell has returned to Rocky Peak Lodge with a secret. Not even his family knows why he left his beloved sport of motocross at the top of his game. When his brother needs a favor, he can’t say no, even if it involves the pub’s sexy new employee—the one he’s clashed with ever since they met.

Serena Riggs has a secret of her own. She’s searching for her father, last seen in the small Cascades town years ago. Someone wants her to stop—but she’s not one to back down, especially with a sinfully hot temporary “bodyguard” by her side. When another threat surfaces, the only place she feels safe is in Griffin’s arms…and in his bed.

As the couple falls deeper by the day, danger looms from a direction they never imagined. Can their love survive the most stunning secret of all?

 

Intriguing, steamy and oh so good! With the second book in The Rockwell Legacy, we get down and dirty with the family superstar! Griffin is heading home after unexpected retiring at the top of his game in motocross. His family has no clue why he’s given up the sport he loves and excels at, and he’s not so sure he’s ready to reveal his secret just yet. When he meets Serena Riggs, he’s instantly drawn to her. They don’t intend to start a relationship, but time together turns out to be a lot of fun … and flirting abounds! Will they be able to outrun the danger surrounding them to find their happily ever after? Loved Griff’s story! It’s exciting, well developed and the air of mystery brings so much to the story line. Looking forward to more!

Griffin Rockwell left home years ago and excelled at everything he set out to do. Now he’s retiring for a reason no one knows about and coming home to lie low for awhile. When his brother Jake asks him for a favor, he can’t resist … even if it’s putting him in close proximity to the sassy bartender that’s caught his eye!

Serena Riggs is in town on a mission. She’s searching for her father who disappeared years ago. Her research has led her here to this small town where she believes he passed through just before he was never heard from again. Can she find the answers she’s been looking for? And will Griffin succeed in protecting her from the danger that seems to have come knocking?

five-stars