4 STARS!

An inspirational story about finding your place in the world!  Very eye opening of how different the amenities are and what’s needed in other countries.  I enjoyed the characters and loved seeing them connect and grow as the story evolved.

When Stephanie Yates and her two best friends win the lottery, they push her out the door for the trip to some place exotic that she’s always talked about … only she was thinking something more along the lines of Paris, not Peru where “the one she compares all other men to” is setting up medical clinics!

Daniel Lincoln is the brother of one of her best friends, and is the man she’s had a crush on for like forever.  She sets out thinking she’ll be fine to just pass through and get in and get out without showing her feelings for him, but once she’s there and spending time working with him, she realizes how much he’s changed.  He’s an even better guy that he ever was before, and she falls even deeper for him.  And worse … she finds she’s more fulfilled in this foreign country than she is at home!

ARC received via Lola’s Blog Tours

 

 

Winner Takes All (Lucky Numbers #1)
By Cheryl Harper
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: June 1, 2015

BLURB:
Winning the lottery means finally living her dreams…

Stephanie Yates isn’t really sure she’s ready to leave her hometown and see the world, but there’s not much she can do about it now: her friends have sent her on her way! And her first stop is a village in the breathtaking mountains of Peru, where Daniel Lincoln, her lifelong crush, is setting up medical clinics.

Stephanie thought she could hide her feelings for the hotshot doctor no problem, but Daniel has changed. And spending time with this strong, caring man helps her imagine a new life for herself, and for Daniel. That is, if he can start seeing her as more than just a friend…

You can find Winner Takes All on Goodreads

BUY LINKS:
– Amazon
– Barnes & Noble
– Kobo
– Harlequin

 

EXCERPT:

“Give me the blindfold. I’m ready to hop on a plane to anywhere, you wait and see.” She tied the dish towel over her eyes and held out her hand. Jen pressed the dart into her palm and said, “See the map. Be the map.” They all chuckled, remembering countless slumber parties where Daniel had tried to show them how to hit the dart board instead of the innocent closet door.

Rebecca put her hands on Stephanie’s shoulders and spun her around once. “Do your best!”

“Come on, Paris!” Her heart racing with excitement and fear, Stephanie tossed the dart and hoped to hit land. She could see herself stepping off a plane. Floating on a boat, not so much.

She tried to yank off the dish towel but Jen shoved her glass of wine in her hand. “Before you see where you’re landing, let’s make another toast. To new beginnings and lottery winnings.”

Thinking they were spending a whole lot of time making plans for something that would never happen, Stephanie held her glass out, waited for the clink, and took a sip. Then Jen yanked off her makeshift blindfold and said in her best game show host voice, “Let’s see where you’re headed.”

The three of them lined up in front of the map. Somehow she’d completely missed France, not to mention the tiny dot of Paris. In fact, she’d overshot Europe as well. The dart was planted squarely in the middle of nowhere Peru.

“That’s impossible. There’s no way I missed the entire continent of Europe.” The images of Peru that came to mind were of llamas and Machu Picchu, which she might enjoy seeing, but that’s not where the dart landed. No, she was apparently going to…Alto, a place she’d heard of once in her life, thanks to a posting on Daniel Lincoln’s Facebook page. She narrowed her eyes at Rebecca. “What did you do?”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Whether she’s writing, reading, or checking the items off of her daily to-do list, small-town girl Cheryl Harper loves her romance mixed with a little laughter. When she’s not working, you will find her ignoring housework, cursing yard work, and spending way too much time with a television remote in her hand.

You can find and contact Cheryl here:
– Website
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Goodreads
– Pinterest

4 1/2 STARS!

In Karen Rock’s latest, she takes us on a heart wrenching journey into the mind of a man who left a brother in arms behind, into the mind of a loved one receiving the news back home and having to pick up the pieces of a so-called life again, and into the hearts of all who were touched by a tragedy.  Sad, eye opening and sexy all rolled into one!  Really enjoyed the characters and look forwarding to reading more of Karen’s coast guard heroes!

As a rescue pilot for the United States Coast Guard, Lt. Commander Mark Sampson has to make dangerous, split second decisions every day.  He’s saved many lives, but the most recent one that he didn’t is tearing him apart.

Nurse Cassie Rowe is looking for some closure and a way to move forward with a more meaningful life.  She didn’t expect it to be on the same mission with the man her family holds responsible for her brother’s death though!  She should hate him … but the passion they already shared makes for a lot of mixed emotions!

ARC received via Tasty Book Tours

 

 

His to Protect
Uniformly Hot!
By: Karen Rock

Releasing October 1, 2016
Harlequin Blaze

 

BLURB:

Subject: Lt. Commander Mark Sampson

Mission: Keep his eyes on the skies…despite one sexy distraction!

There are things a man can never undo. For Coast Guard search and rescue pilot Mark Sampson, it was the agonizing decision that cost him a teammate—and his faith in himself. But an unbelievably sexy blonde on a secluded beach may help him forget…if only for a night.
Cassie Rowe needed a distraction—and, boy, did she get one! How was she to know the brooding stranger who rocked her world was the pilot who’d left her brother to die? And now they’re on the same mission. She should hate him. But she can’t fight the storm of desire threatening to pull them under…

 

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/08/his-to-protect-uniformly-hot-by-karen.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31140667-his-to-protect

 

Buy Links:      Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo | Audio

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/His-Protect-Uniformly-Karen-Rock-ebook/dp/B01BSFBUOU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1470493409&sr=1-1

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-to-protect-karen-rock/1123427219?ean=9780373799152

Google:  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Karen_Rock_His_to_Protect?id=kLSTCwAAQBAJ&hl=en

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-to-protect/id1084346144?mt=11

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/his-to-protect-4

Audio: http://bit.ly/histoprotect_rock

 

 

EXCERPT:

“Abandon ship! Abandon ship!” Dylan hollered as the boat shuddered and lifted before crashing smack down on its side.

Cassie leaped into the whirling water and kicked hard against the sucking drag, her life preserver no match for the powerful force. Coughing and spitting out salt water, she flailed, trying to keep her head above the enraged ocean intent on swallowing everything. Including her.

Dylan reached her, cradled her head in his arm and began kicking them backward, hard, keeping her mouth above water. When she looked skyward, she didn’t spot the Jayhawk and her heart seized.

Had they lost them?

Would she and Dylan drown?

“Keep kicking!” urged Dylan and she put her shaking muscles into it. The injured swimmer wasn’t giving in and neither would she.

Several seconds, minutes, hours seemed to pass— she’d lost count—as she and Dylan battled the waves before, miraculously, a rescue strop dropped directly in front of them.

In a flash, Dylan had them hooked. Air whistled around her as they swung toward the helicopter. Larry snatched them into the cabin the moment her toes grazed the side of the aircraft.

The cabin door slammed shut. She blinked at the crying, shaking and staring survivors and her thoughts tumbled. A deep shudder started in her gut and rattled her to her toes. She pressed her hand against the Jayhawk’s side, not trusting that she really was out of the water and here.

Safe.

When she caught sight of her v-fib patient, she crouch-walked to his side as the helicopter wheeled then sped. What a relief to see the IV still attached to the litter.

She checked his vitals and tourniquet.

Stable. Critical, but stable. Hopefully enough to get to the airport then medevac to a major hospital.

A life saved. One for her and how many more for these extraordinary men? She looked around the cabin, deeply impressed as Dylan shrugged off any fussing over his dangling arm and began checking passengers alongside her.

“Swimmers.” Larry rolled his eyes at Dylan. “Crazy sons of bitches.”

“Or looking for some shirt candy,” put in Rob with a sheepish glance behind him.

“It’s an Air Medal for sure. You, too, Cassie, if you were in the Coast Guard.” Dylan’s cocky grin was firmly back in place.

Her gaze swerved to the cockpit and a spark, like the shock off an electric fence, went through her as she met Mark’s eyes. They stared at each other for a moment before he turned back, but the glimpse of his anguished expression tormented her. Made her want to reassure him she was fine. Not scared after all, she suddenly realized. She’d been so intent on her job, so focused on her survival, that she hadn’t been meek at all.

The change swept through her skin, whirling in the vast spaces between her atoms, reconfiguring her into someone else—or perhaps, as Jeff had pointed out, the person she was meant to be all along.

 

 

AUTHOR INFO:

Award-winning author Karen Rock is both sweet and spicy—at least when it comes to her writing! The author of both YA and adult contemporary books writes red-hot novels for Harlequin Blaze and small-town romances for Harlequin Heartwarming. A strong believer in Happily-Ever-After, Karen loves creating unforgettable stories that leave her readers with a smile.

She enjoys returning to her teaching roots when speaking at regional and national writing conferences and interacting with other writers. She has a Master of Fine Arts in English and has continued to learn and grow professionally through her work with YA co-author, fellow romance author, friend and sister-in-law, Joanne Rock.

When she’s not writing, Karen is an avid reader who’s typically immersed in three different books at a time, all in different genres. She also loves cooking her grandmother’s Italian recipes, baking, Christmas (no need to specify—she loves every bit of it), and having the Adirondack Park wilderness as her backyard, where she lives with her husband, daughter, dog and cat who keep her life interesting and complete..

 

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Website:  http://www.karenrock.com/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5

GoodReads:  http://www.goodreads.com/karenrockauthor

 

 

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY:
A $50 Amazon Gift Card and autographed print copies of HIS KIND OF COWGIRL, RAISING THE STAKES, and UNDER AN ADIRONDACK SKY

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5 STARS!

Another fun, drama filled story of the Dempsey family of Engine Co. 6!  This is a great family and I’ve enjoyed their stories so much.  Always a sexy hot read, with lots of family depth and humor thrown in!

Scandalized Hollywood actress Molly Cade needs her latest film to go off without a hitch to earn back some respect for her tainted career!  She wants every aspect of her action flick to be precise, so she is working with the best firehouse around to make it happen.

Sexy loner Wyatt Fox needs something to keep him busy while he recovers from his latest hot-headed recovery stunt at the firehouse, so his Lieutenant sets him up to be the expert consultant on the movie set of an upcoming movie.  He’s trying to get out of it until he realizes it’s a Cade Productions film.  Molly Cade and he once burned up the sheets in a week long anonymous fling, so he can’t pass up the chance to see her again!

ARC received via NetGalley

 

 

SPARKING THE FIRE
BOOK 3
A HOT IN CHICAGO NOVEL
KATE MEADER

Pocket Books
September 27, 2016
ISBN 9781476785936
$7.99

Praise for Sparking the Fire, Book 3:

“The tale of hot firefighters and the women—and one man—who love them has come to an end. Meader ends this series with role playing, fierce family loyalty and multiple orgasms. The male protagonist goes through a transformation that showcases his vulnerability, insecurities, possessiveness and protectiveness. The many instances of a family sticking together through it all are more than enough to tug on the heart strings, but the steamy sex and sentimental pillow talk make this book a must-read.”

—RT Book Reviews Four Star Review, Scorcher

“Can a firefighter and a movie star really make it work? Meader (Rekindle the Flame, 2015) immerses you in Wyatt’s tight-knit family of foster siblings that she’s built throughout the Hot in Chicago series, and readers will feel like part of the family in no time. Her descriptions of Chicago will leave fans wanting to travel to the Windy City and fall in love with their own firefighters.”

—Booklist

 

About Sparking the Fire, Book 3:

Heating up reading lists this Fall will be Kate Meader’s highly anticipated Sparking the Fire, the “sexy and sassy” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux) steamy third novel in the Hot in Chicago series, where former lovers unexpectedly reunite for a sizzling affair that will have the director yelling, “Quiet on the set!”

AN OLD FLAME STILL SIMMERS…

Wyatt Fox, resident daredevil at Engine Company 6, needs a low key job to keep him busy while he recovers from his latest rescue stunt. Consulting on a local movie shoot should add just enough spark to his day. But then in struts Molly Cade: the woman who worked his heart over good, and then left him in the Windy City dust.

BUT WILL A NEW SHOT AT LOVE LEAVE HER BURNED?

Actor Molly Cade, America’s fallen sweetheart, finally has her shot at a Hollywood comeback with a dramatic new role as a tough-as-nails firefighter that promises to propel her back into the big time. And she’s not going to let anything stand in her way—even a certain brooding, blue-eyed firefighter she’s never quite been able to forget…Their story is straight out of a script: irrepressible, spunky heroine meets taciturn, smoldering hero. But these two refuse to be typecast, and when the embers of an old love are stoked, someone is bound to get burned…

 

About the Author:

Kate Meader was raised on romance. An Irish girl, she started with Catherine Cookson and Jilly Cooper novels, and spiced it up with some Mills & Boon. Now based in Chicago, she writes romances of her own, where sexy contemporary alpha heroes and strong heroines match each other quip for quip. When not immersed in tales of brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, Kate lives on the web at katemeader.com.

 

Fire Giveaway:

We are excited to do a Fire Giveaway to celebrate the third in Kate Meader’s Hot in Chicago series, Sparking the Fire. This giveaway will include Flirting with Fire (Book 1) and Playing with Fire (Book 2). You can visit all sites on the blog tour to enter the Fire Giveaways – but keep in mind you can only win once! U.S. only.

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Blog Tour:

September 14:
RT Book Reviews – Excerpt

September 20:
Heroes and Heartbreakers – Excerpt

September 23:
USA Today’s Happy Ever After – Excerpt

September 26:
Harlequin Junkie – Interview
Under the Covers – Interview
A Midlife Wife
Mrs. Leif’s Two Fangs About It

September 27:
Collector of Book Boyfriends
Literary Gossip
The Romance Reviews
Once Upon a Twilight
Straight Shootin’ Book Reviews

September 28:
Four Chicks Flipping Pages
In Between the Pages
Reviews by Crystal
Read Love Blog

September 29:
Abigail Books Addiction
Read Your Writes
Booklovers for Life
Dirty and Thirty

September 30:
Lush Book Reviews
Art, Books & Coffee
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
The Lovely Books

October 3:
The Romance Dish
Margie’s Must Reads
Girl Meets Books
Dirty Girl Romance
Jen’s Reading Obsession
Jackie’s Books ‘n Bags
What’s Better Than Books?
TJ Loves to Read
Curvy and Nerdy
Hot Guys in Books
KT Book Reviews
Four Chicks Flipping Pages

October 4:
About That Story
Love is a State of Mind
Closet Geeks and Slow Mo
Book Junkiez
Books Are My Friends, Come See Why
Off-Grid-Momma’s Bookshelf
Fire and Ice Book Reviews
Polished Book Worm
Ingrid’s Book Blog
Thoughts of a Blonde
E-Reading After Midnight

October 5:
Cocktails and Books
WTF Are You Reading?
Alathia Paris Morgan
The Reading Café
Those Crazy Book Chicks
Anonymisses
The Sassy Bookster
Always Booking
I Love Romance
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Kitty’s Book Spot!
Pretty Sassy Cool

October 6:
Bea’s Book Nook
Kricket’s Chirps Romance Blog
Ever After Book Reviews
Marie’s Tempting Reads
Jenerated Reviews
I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore
Ebookobsessed.com
A Fortress of Books
Author Liaisons
Sexy Bibliophiles
The Librarian – Blog Talk Radio Author’s on the Air – Interview Only – Listen Live at 7:30 pm ET!
Amy’s Books Obsession

October 7:
Once Upon a Page
Ramblings from this Chick
Southern Yankee Book Reviews
Dog-Eared Daydreams
Oh My Growing TBR
Bujoijoi22
After Dark Book Lovers
Literary, Etc.
Misty’s Book Bin And More
Fiction Fangirls
The Book Quarry
Red Cheek Reads

 

Sparking the Fire buy links:

S&S
AMAZON
B&N
BAM
INDIEBOUND
IBOOKSTORE (ebook)
KINDLE (ebook)
NOOK (ebook)
GOOGLE PLAY (ebook)

 

 

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