One Night In Dublin by Kemberlee Shortland ADULT title (Review)

One Night in Dublin is an ADULT title
by Kemberlee Shortland



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BLURB:



At her mother’s prompting (nagging) about grandchildren, Sive wonders if it really is time to settle down. She’s just finishing college so she should be thinking about her future. But is she ready to settle down? Is she ready for kids? And more importantly, which of the three men she’s been seeing does she want to spend the rest of her life with?

Sive has a choice to make, and only 24 hours in which to make it.





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EXCERPT

Choices.

We all make them. From the moment we wake up, it's: “do I get out of bed now or hit the snooze button . . . again?” “shall I wear this outfit to work or that one?” “tea and toast or grab something on the way?”

It's all mundane bullshit. They’re all choices we make on the fly without even realizing we're making them.

Think about it. What choices do you make when you’re not thinking about them? Like going home from work. You get on the train, find a seat and wait for your stop. But when you get there, you wonder how the hell you got there because you don’t remember making the journey.

What I’m trying to say is that we often go on auto-pilot and just do what needs doing without any real thought, because there are usually more pressing things to think about—the important things. Or seemingly so. Like, what movie to see, what restaurant to eat in, where to go on holidays . . . and for some girls, this pair of sensible shoes on sale or another pair not on sale but immensely sexier?

For me, today, my choices aren't so mundane, and they’ll require a lot of conscious thought. I have an important decision to make. One that could change my life forever, pardon the cliché.

They—whoever 'they' are—say there is someone for everyone, that we all have a 'type' of person we're attracted to. I'm still figuring it all out . . . exploring to see what is my type . . . that someone just for me. And it doesn’t help that my mum’s voice is in the back of my head, asking . . . i.e. nagging (yes, I just said i.e.) . . . when I’m going to settle down and give her grandkids.

First, let me say this: I'm not a slut. I'm not loose, I don't carelessly sleep around, and I don't do one-night stands. I just love men and all of their vast differences.

What can I say about my boys that every other woman out there doesn’t already know about men? Charmers, every one of them. But they all give me something I need.

Tonight I need to decide what, or who, I need the most—Fitzy, Moss, or Sully.



Amazon link


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Kemberlee was born and raised in Northern California in an area known as America's Salad Bowl. It was home to many authors, including John Steinbeck, and for a while Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson. In 1997, Kemberlee had the opportunity to live in Ireland for six months, where she ended up meeting a man who convinced her to stay. Kemberlee is now celebrating her eighteenth year in Ireland and has been lucky to travel the country extensively, picking up a cupla focal along the way—a few Irish words.

Kemberlee has been writing since a very young age and over the years she has published dozens of travel articles and book reviews, as well as worked with some notable authors who’ve set their books in Ireland. 2006 saw the publication of Kemberlee’s first two stories, Tutti-Frutti Blues and Dude Looks Like a Lady, set in her hometown. Since then, Kemberlee has published a number of short stories and novels, many of which are set in Ireland.



Get in touch with Kemberlee:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Heart Shaped Stones blog
Hearticles: Articles with Heart
Tirgearr Publishing


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My Review

4 out of 5 stars

One Night in Dublin by Kemberlee Shortland is an erotic novella that is book 9 of the ‘City Nights’ series and centers around a very memorable St. Patrick’s Day for a woman named Sive.  The realization that she and her three regular sexual partners have very different expectations of what they expect out of their relationships prompts her to drown her sorrows at her local pub amidst her noisy and exuberant fellow Dubliners.  Things look up when a tourist visiting from California named Adrian invites her to give him a personal guided tour during his one night in town and they discover a common passion for both Vikings and each other.  If they’re only going to have one night together, they’re going to live it to the fullest.

This definitely spicy novella gives a whirlwind tour of three very different relationships being juggled by a woman who finally reaches an epiphany and realizes that she needs to demand more in her life.  There are nice sketches of Dublin as the festivities marking an iconic Irish celebration heat up even as one cringes at the unabashedly lustful yet uncaring men in Sive’s life who don’t appreciate the combination of brains and passion that she has to offer. 

The tour of the city is fascinating and enlightening and the connection that the heroine makes with a foreigner is both entertaining and ironic although a little disconcerting in its suddenness.  I love the combination of snark and passion that characterize Sive and would enjoy reading more of her adventures as she continues to mature and demand more for herself, although, given the sizzling encounters she engages in, a glass of ice will be a required accompaniment to additional tales!

  

A copy of this title was provided to me for my honest review

Homefront by Jessica Scott

Homefront
 
 by
Jessica Scott  
4/7/2015

Blurb:  

He's always loved her...

 First Sergeant Gale Sorren waited a war and half a lifetime for a chance to get stationed near the ex-wife who left him years ago. When he finally musters the courage to see her, the life he imagined she was living was nothing close to the reality.  

She's never stopped loving him...

Melanie never stopped worrying about Gale each time he headed off to war. But he's never been there when she needed him and she's had fifteen years to steel her heart against him. But when Gale moves to Fort Hood, he finally has a chance to make things right with Melanie and the daughter she raised without him. Can Mel trust her heart to a man who has always let her down?

     

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Excerpt:


“What if he comes here?” 

“He won’t.” 

“You don’t know that.” 

“You’re right,” he admitted finally. He sighed heavily. “I’ve known him a long time and this doesn’t gel with what I know of him. He's not going to hurt you.” 

“You sound so certain.” Her fingers danced over his ribs, as though she wasn’t sure where to place her hands. “Why?” 

“Because you’re mine,” he said, giving voice to the powerful feelings he could finally identify for what they were. “And if he puts his hands on you or our daughter, I’ll kill him.” 

And then he kissed her. 

It was a powerful kiss, filled with a riot of emotions that had started building in him years ago when she’d first left him. It was a kiss filled with fear. With uncertainty. 

With desire. 

He gave in to the maelstrom inside him, holding back only enough to be certain that he wasn't crossing the line. 

Mel opened to his kiss, wanting badly to push away the sadness and the fear and the worry that had been squeezing the air from her lungs since she’d found Gale outside her office. 

There was fear in her response, a tacit admission that this was something fleeting and yet, it was the only tangible thing between them. He shifted then until their bodies pressed together, until she breathed with him and felt part of her soul take flight from the bonds of worry and sadness and daily life. 

Her fingers flexed against his ribs. Gale felt the moment she gave in to the kiss, savored the moment of her surrender. Her body relaxed against his, fitting perfectly against his chest. 

This was something good. Something pure. Untainted by the darkness that had caused him to seek her out today, needing her when he needed to lean. This. This was what he craved. His wife’s touch. His wife’s taste. 

She was not his wife. 

That ugly piece of reality crashed into him and he stiffened. 

Mel felt it instantly, her body tensing. “What?” 

The words lodged in his throat. There was no way he could admit the feelings that churned inside him. That he still thought of her as his wife after all these years. 

He nipped at her bottom lip, hoping to distract her. “We should do this more often.” 

He felt her smile beneath his lips. “You think so?” There was something light and breathless in her words. 

“Very much so.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. The edge of her jaw. He traced the outside edge of her ear with the tip of his tongue. Felt the pleasure of her gasp against his cheek. His teeth scraped over her earlobe. “That’s nice,” she breathed. 

“You like that?” 

“Yeah.” He closed his eyes, pulling her tight, needing the comfort of her touch, the pleasure to drive away the darkness. He breathed in her scent, holding her close. Her pulse scattered against his cheek and for a moment, he simply held her. 

“You make me crazy, Melanie,” he whispered. 

Buy:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

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About Jessica Scott: USA Today Bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house. She's also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice. She's pursuing a graduate degree in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.

Find Jessica Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | TSU

 

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My review:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Homefront by Jessica Scott is a contemporary military romance novella that is tangentially connected with the ‘Coming Home’ series.  Sergeant First Class Gale Sorren has struggled with many issues related to the mess his personal life has been, complete with a disillusioned ex-wife and a daughter who hasn’t had him in her life.  His attempt to reconnect to them is complicated by the challenges he faces as he juggles his military duties with trying to rectify his failings as a husband and a father.  The lines between professional and personal obligations begin to blur when he discovers that he is not the only one having trouble balancing the pressures of military and personal responsibilities, and once again he must decide how to deal with following the rules or following his heart, hopefully with less disastrous results this time.

Part of the charm of this author’s storytelling is her ability to make the reader understand so much of a world that is foreign to many of us, the strictly regimented world of the military that circumscribes the actions of individuals who are intensely loyal, dedicated and courageous.  These enthralling tales of men and women who must face their deepest fears, undergo daunting training, and experience the horrors of war, explore the havoc that is wrought on their personal lives as obligations to their country and fellow soldiers conflict with inclinations and the pull of those left behind. 

It is heartwrenching to watch Gale Sorren’s anguish as he is forced to make decisions that pit his dedication and training against his personal commitments and obligations, but heartwarming to watch him work through his demons and show the wonderful hero and caring person that he is.  There are several very serious issues touched upon in this compelling story and the beautiful lyricism and vivid imagery employed by the author serve to make one root for positive outcomes and groan when obstacles are encountered.  One of my favorite passages that demonstrates the kind of man the hero is reads, “For all his strength, the fate of one young boy had undone this man.  And it was this, this simple admission that he was willing to take a stand for a boy that was not his own, that undid the bindings around her heart just a little more.”  Sigh.  How can you not root for someone like Gale?  This is a story that will make you laugh and cry, just like the others written by this incredibly talented author, and I can’t wait to read more about the complex and fascinating people in this world.

A copy of this title was provided for an honest review.

Submitted to Night Owl Reviews

Autism Awareness Fundraiser--LIFT, Week 1 (GiVEAWAY Contest)

April is Autism Awareness month, and the romance reading community is celebrating!

1 in 68 children is diagnosed with Autism every year, making it the fastest growing and one of the most prevalent developmental disabilities. Authors Ginger Scott and Kennedy Ryan have organized a MegaGiveaway called LIFT featuring more than 50 authors to raise awareness and acceptance! Each Monday in April, a new rafflecopter will go live, loaded with e-books, audio books, swag packs, signed paperbacks and gift cards from these amazing authors doing their part to LIFT4Autism. (scroll down for this week's rafflecopter!)

And there's LIFTWear - 4 styles to choose from! All proceeds from the LIFT t-shirts will go to a national autism organization. Order t-shirts HERE until MONDAY, APRIL 13!

Good luck and #LIFTOff!

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Happy Easter!

To all who celebrate, I wish you a very Happy Easter and advise you not to overdo making up for whatever you gave up for Lent, lol.

To everyone else, Happy Spring...here, we have plenty of things already blooming...

It just goes to show that those Christmas bulbs are capable of living past the holiday season!  These are two different plants that were sold as double-headed Amaryllis, and indeed, when they were grown in their little pots, my MIL did end up with a double bloom.

Imagine my surprise to discover what they could do once planted in the ground and fed occasionally!

Below are the vividly colored blossoms that surprised me, they are from succulent plants that I never imagined would bloom.

And, last year, we were visited by a real live 'Easter bunny' who escaped from her yard a few doors down (it turned out), and decided to help prune some of the plants in our yard.  I learned that dandelions are a delicacy...both the flowers and the leaves...and that thorns are not a deterrent when a hungry rabbit wants to sample the new growth on the rosebushes, lol.

In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams by Karen Ranney (review)

4 out of 5 stars

In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams by Karen Ranney is the story of Glynis MacIain, who returns to Scotland a widow, after spending seven years away from her native land. Wealthy shipbuilder Lennox Cameron is in demand for ships that the Confederate Navy in America wants to use but his success negatively impacts Glynis’ family, as their mill is not being supplied with cotton from America. The attraction between Lennox and Glynis is complicated by specters from her past and dangers which threaten Lennox’s business, as well as ugly rumors which swirl around both of them. Glynis is no longer the starry-eyed innocent who fell in love with Lennox but a woman who must marshal all of her hard-won resources and decide whether to follow her heart, but she doesn’t realize that Lennox is determined to have a voice in the decision, whether she wants him to or not.


This enjoyable historical romance gives a view of the American Civil War from a different perspective and provides both an exciting sensual story and an entertaining mystery. The sometimes disturbing experiences that Glynis has gone through have molded her into quite a different person from the naïve girl who fled without fighting for what she wanted. The reminder of the impact of war on finances as well as lives is a sobering element of the story as are the glimpses of the damage that can be done by betrayal and backstabbing by those one trusts. There are deliciously spicy interludes intertwined with several different mysteries and a couple of loose threads that hopefully will lead to more stories involving these characters, especially a couple of the other males who figure so prominently in Glynis’ life. This was another fun read from a prolific and talented author. 

© Night Owl Reviews 
I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.

What the Duke Wants by Amy Quinton (VBB, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT

What the Duke Wants

by Amy Quinton

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BLURB:

Upstanding duke desperately seeks accident-prone wife from trade…

England 1814: Miss Grace (ha!) Radclyffe is an oftentimes hilariously clumsy, 20-year-old orphan biding her time living with her uncle until she is old enough to come into her small inheritance. Much to her aunt’s chagrin, she isn’t: reserved (not with her shocking! tendency to befriend the servants), sophisticated (highly overrated), or graceful (she once flung her dinner into a duke’s face). But she is: practical and in love… maybe… perhaps… possibly…

The Duke of Stonebridge is an agent for the Crown with a tragic past. His father died mysteriously when he was 12 years old amid speculation that the old duke was ‘involved’ with another man. He must restore his family name, but on the eve of his engagement to the perfect debutante, he meets his betrothed’s cousin, and his world is turned inside out… No matter, he is always: logical (men who follow their hearts are foolish) and reserved (his private life is nobody’s business but his own). And he isn’t: impulsive or in love… maybe… perhaps… possibly…

Can he have what he wants and restore his name? Can she trust him to be the man she needs?

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EXCERPT:

“Grace, I’m sorry.”

He paused and held her gaze. For a moment, Grace allowed herself to stand there, locked in his sights. Despite her anger over his earlier implications, she undeniably longed for things that could never be. She was attracted to this man on a basic, animal level. It didn’t matter that society frowned at their differing classes. His head drew nearer, and for a fleeting moment, she was confident he would kiss her, and oh, how she wanted it. But she was consciously aware that it would be a mistake. He was nearly betrothed to her cousin, and though her cousin and she were not friends, Grace would never betray her family that way, especially with a man she barely knew. It was wrong.

So before their lips could meet, Grace ducked under his arm and darted out the library door.

Stonebridge remained completely still. He closed his eyes as he tried to hold on to her lingering scent and the image of her staring up at him with so much intensity—with desire in her eyes. Then, ever so slowly, he leaned his head against the books where only moments before she had stood within his arms, within his reach. His heart still beat erratically.

He had nearly kissed her. And what a mess that would have been. And yet, he was completely undone, for it wasn’t he who had stopped it from happening.

Buy Links 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 Amy Quinton is an author and full time mom living in Summerville, SC. She enjoys writing (and reading!) sexy, historical romances. She lives with her English husband, two boys, and two cats. In her spare time, she likes to go camping, hiking, and canoeing/kayaking… And did she mention reading? When she’s not reading, cleaning, or traveling, she likes to make jewelry, sew, knit, and crochet (Yay for Ravelry!).

Amy has lived in or around the Charleston, SC area her entire life. When she’s not home, at the beach (weather permitting), or camping in and around the Great Smoky Mountains (Check out Mile High Campground and Devils Fork State Park!), she loves to visit the United Kingdom. She loves the history, the culture, and the people – hence her love for Scottish and Regency Romances. She especially loves to visit the Isle of Skye – in the Highlands of Scotland; where the scenery is both rugged and breathtaking.

Amy graduated from the College of Charleston, a liberal arts college located in beautiful, historic Charleston, SC. She worked 10 years in the computer industry as a software designer before becoming a full time mom and now, a full time novelist.

 

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This Heart of Mine by Brenda Novak (SBB, excerpt and GIVEAWAY)

This Heart of Mine

by Brenda Novak

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BLURB:


4.5 Stars TOP PICK from RT Book Reviews!


First love. Second chance?

As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next.

Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob’s father isn’t exactly welcoming.

Riley doesn’t trust Phoenix, doesn’t want her in Jacob’s life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he’s about to find both!



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EXCERPT

As soon as they were gone, Riley grabbed Phoenix’s elbow, hanging on even when she tried to avoid the contact, and guided her to his truck. “Let’s get you to a doctor.”

The second Riley mentioned doctor, she wrenched away from him. “No, I―I don’t need a doctor.”

“He’ll check out that cut, tell us if it needs stitches.”

“A doctor will cost money. And I…I have other plans for…for my income in the next while.”

What income? He doubted she had any, but he couldn’t say that. “Phoenix…”

“Stop,” she said. “I’ve had worse than this. This is nothing.”

Watching her closely, he could see that she was dizzy. “Do it for Jacob’s peace of mind, then.”

“Please, don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“I haven’t got the money for a doctor. I’m sure you know that.”

“I’ll look after the bill,” he said, but he should’ve known that wouldn’t convince her.

She edged farther away from him. Then she started down the street at a faster clip than he felt she should. “I’m okay,” she called back. “Go take care of Jacob.”

“Damn it, Phoenix.” He hurried after her. “Why do you have to be so stubborn? It won’t cost that much.”

She hadn’t bothered to turn when he spoke, so he’d been talking to her back. “It’s a waste of money,” she told him over one shoulder. “I’m fine, like I said.”

“It’s five miles to your place. You’ll never make it.”

She made no comment.

“Soon you won’t even be able to see where you’re going, what with all that blood.”

Again, she didn’t respond. She’d managed to put a little distance between them and obviously thought she was getting away. But he wasn’t about to let her go. He had no idea whether she’d make it. So he jogged after her and swept her into his arms, which wasn’t hard since she didn’t weigh much.

“Ah!” she cried. He’d startled her. She hadn’t expected that move. He guessed her head hurt, too, and being jarred hadn’t helped.

“We’re doing this my way,” he said, and carried her to his truck.


Buy links:

Amazon

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Barnes & Noble Nook

iBooks

Kobo


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:


New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of fifty books. A four-time Rita nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity to raise money for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.4 million. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com.


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