Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Blog Tour: Show Me How by Molly McAdams ~ Review & Giveaway

Show Me How (Thatch, #3) Source: e-ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Show Me How (Thatch #3) by Molly McAdams


New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams delivers another heart-wrenching, emotional novel in her Thatch series…

After her first love was ripped from her grasp four years earlier, Charlie Easton was sure she would never be able to trust anyone with the shattered pieces of her heart again. That is, until Deacon Carver forces himself into her life, and makes those pieces swirl in chaos. But Charlie doesn't know how to let him in… until a stranger stumbles upon a notebook filled with her innermost secrets, and shows her how.

Deacon Carver is known for sleeping his way through the town of Thatch, as well as the surrounding cities—something he used to take pride in. But that persona has haunted Deacon ever since he decided to leave that life behind for the girl he wants more than anything: Charlie Easton.

But when another girl falls into Deacon's life, allowing him to be himself without judgment for his past, will their conversations hinder his relationship with Charlie … even if he's never seen her?

Book Links:


~ Review ~ 


After reading and loving the first two Thatch books, I was so excited to get my hands on a third. Well, I'm always glad to get my hands on anything by Molly McAdams, but the Thatch series hasn't let me down so far (To the Stars is actually my favorite Molly McAdams book!), so my anticipation level was high for this novel. And, man, this book delivered.

The biggest, most prominent aspect of Show Me How is the EMOTIONS. I felt so very much while reading Deacon and Charlie's story. I was happy, I was sad. I got angry. I felt my stomach DROP. It was such an intense reading experience and I was hooked through every single second.

Charlie and Deacon were two flawed characters who seriously needed to be together. I'll admit, I wasn't a huge fan of Charlie before this book. I didn't hate her or anything, but I didn't particularly like her either. That opinion changed real quick once starting Show Me How, however. Being inside her head, reading her thoughts, motivations, and SINCERITY made me like her. As for Deacon, I'd always thought he was cool. He and Graham were hilarious mother hens in To the Stars and I was happy to hear we'd get a story for him. Which is ironic because while reading Show Me How, I got most angry at him. More than Charlie or any other character. Luckily, I understood Deacon and his motivations (though I didn't like them one little bit), so I still love him.

The romance was intense. Raw. Deep. Charlie and Deacon had a bumpy road to being together, but they were clearly better together than apart. And they were so RIGHT for each other. For the most part, I enjoyed going through the journey with them---though there was one part that I did not like. But as I mentioned, I see why it happened. I didn't like it, but I was able to move on from it and appreciate Charlie and Deacon's story for what it honestly is---beautiful.

Overall, Molly McAdams has written a beautiful, intense romance that I was absolutely unable to put down. I got to know Deacon and Charlie and then BAM, I flew through the entire book in one sitting, and I loved it. I definitely recommend picking up Show Me How if you're in the mood for a captivating romance that will take you on a roller coaster of feels!


4 stars - A captivating, intensely written romance!


~ About Molly McAdams ~ 

Molly grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband, daughter, and fur babies. When she's not diving into the world of her characters, some of her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and long walks on the beach … which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies and fried pickles, and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm ... or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren't really happening.



~ Giveaway ~ 

Enter to win a $25 (USD) gift card to your ebookseller of choice! (1 winner)

This is a tour-wide giveaway not sponsored by StuckInBooks. StuckInBooks is not responsible for selecting winners or sending prizes.

Waiting On Wednesday ~ 8/31/16


This is our version of Waiting on Wednesday but with more cuddles, books we can't wait to cuddle for various reasons.

What are we waiting on this week?  THIS!


Fire in You (Wait for You, #6)From the # 1 New York Times and International bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout writing as J.Lynn, comes a richly moving story about heartbreak and guilt, second chances and hope. Full of familiar, fan-favorite characters and no two people more deserving of a happy ending, Fire In You will burn bright beyond the last page…

Jillian Lima’s whole world was destroyed in a span of a few hours. The same night her childhood love, Brock ‘the Beast’ Mitchell, broke her heart, her life was irrevocably altered by the hand of a stranger with a gun. It takes six years to slowly glue together the shattered pieces of her life, but Jillian is finally ready to stop existing in a past full of pain and regret. She takes a job at her father’s martial arts Academy and she’s going out on her first date since a failed relationship that was more yuck than yum. Jillian is determined to start living.

She just never expected Brock to be a part of her life again. But he’s firmly back in her life before she knows it, and not only is he older, he’s impossibly more handsome, more teasing and more everything. And when he sees Jillian, he’s no longer capable of thinking of her as the little girl who was his shadow growing up or the daughter of the man who gave him a second chance at life. He sees the woman who’d always been there for him, the one person who believed in him no matter what.

Brock knows she’s the one he should’ve made his, and what begins as a tentative friendship quickly turns to red-hot chemistry that sparks a flame that burns brighter than lust. Falling for Brock again risks more than her heart, because when the past sorrow-filled and guilt-ridden past resurfaces, and a web of lies threatens to rip them apart, the fallout could lay waste to everything they’ve fought to build together, and destroy the dreams of those they care most about.


Releases November 28th, 2016!

Why am I waiting? Because I love this series! Each book has been fabulous. I love the couples and their stories so much, and I'm looking forward to reading about Jillian and Brock. Plus, I mean...it's by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Y'all know I love me some JLA. I'm so excited!! :)


That's what we're waiting on this week! What do you think? What are you waiting on? Leave us a comment and link us up!

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Happy Release Day ~ Meant To Be Mine by Lisa Marie Perry



MEANT TO BE MINE Release Day Blitz 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Meant to be Mine
Author: Lisa Marie Perry
Series: Guilty Pleasures series #1
On Sale: August 30, 2016
Publisher: Forever
Formats: Mass Market & eBook
Price: $6.99 USD (MM) / $6.99 USD (eBook)




Loving him was hard. Wanting him was so damn easy . . .

Sofia Mercer may have been sick as a teen, but she’s no delicate flower. And she’s proven it by making it on her own and starting a new life away from the town that turned against her, away from the boy who broke her already fragile heart. But when her aunt Luz dies unexpectedly, leaving Sofia with a mountain of regrets and the keys to a quirky boutique, Sofia has no choice but to return to Cape Cod. Only, this new life in her old town comes with complications.

Burke Wolf was Sofia’s first love—a relationship that burned bright and went up in flames. Seeing him again, Sofia can’t help but get caught up in that all-too-familiar tornado of passion and pain. He’s battled his own demons—that much is clear. But Sofia can’t afford to be careless with her heart . . . and loving Burke again might just break it completely.





THE GUILTY PLEASURES SERIES

Meant to be Mine #1
Yours to Take #2 (not released yet!)


BUY THE BOOK HERE



Excerpt


She hid her scar behind her clothes, hid her sexual hunger behind mannequins in a window, but eventually, he would bring Sofia Mercer out of hiding.
Their lips parted and he traced a finger between her breasts, up the jagged trail of thick, knotted scar tissue. He wanted to see it, assure her it wasn’t ugly, but he’d given his word that he wouldn’t look, and he would kick his own ass before he violated that trust.
“It doesn’t feel ugly,” he said plainly. “I’ve got scars, too.”
“From fighting. This is different.”
What had she been imagining, all these years? Schoolyard brawls? A teenage fight club? Did she define him as someone so out of control that he’d gone searching for split lips, black eyes, and fractured ribs?
Yeah, it was different. Her scar was a result of a lifesaving medical procedure . . . not violence.
Laying his hand flat, he felt her heart pound quick and strong. Caught up in the moment, caught up in her, he whispered, “Losing you would’ve killed me.”
He felt her slip away from him before she moved a single muscle. When she did retreat, sliding off his lap, fixing her clothes, and raking an arm across her mouth, she said, “I told Abram we weren’t together. Was that a lie? Can we be together, Burke?”
“Casually, yeah. As friends, of course. But don’t rope me into more. It wouldn’t be good for you.”
“That’s not your call.”
“It is, though. Tell me something and be truthful about it. How many panic attacks have you had since coming back to town?”
“A few.”
“Uh-huh. And how many came on when I wasn’t near you?”
“Uh . . .”
“Sofia.”
“None.”
“That’s my point. Think it’s a coincidence that your health teeters when I’m around? I’m harmful to you. I’ve known for a long time that I’m no good.” She didn’t know all the hell he carried. He’d do anything to spare her heart the burden of his skeletons.
“Stop it,” she whispered, getting to her feet. “You’d never hurt me.”
“Not intentionally, but the fact is I trigger something in you that you can’t physically handle. I meant what I said earlier—it would kill me to lose you. As much as I want you, and damn it, you know I do, I can’t keep putting you at risk.”
“Are you sure my health isn’t your excuse to justify walking away?” she challenged. “Hold me off, resist what’s good and real and permanent, then take off on your boat. That’s your plan, right?”
“It’s worked out nicely for years. You wouldn’t be the first woman to step back because she can’t handle my career. It’s dangerous, the hours can be shitty, and sometimes I can be on the water for weeks. I’d never ask you or anyone else to shut up and like it. If you want to bail now, I won’t hold it against you.”
“That does terrify me, but I’m not bailing. A career is one thing. Escape is something else altogether. I don’t think I can love you halfway—either I’m all in or I fold.”

Excerpted from MEANT TO BE MINE by Lisa Marie Perry. Copyright © 2016 by Lisa Marie Perry. Used with permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.


           


Giveaway




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release Day & Giveaway

From Avon...

USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke is back with the latest in her dazzling An American Heiress in London series, in which a reformed rogue finds all his honorable resolutions tested by the only woman who ever broke his heart...

After spending his youth as one of the wildest rakes in the ton, Lord Denys Somerton has devoted the past six years to putting his past behind him. He is determined to fulfill his duties, find a suitable wife, and start a family, but that plan changes when Lola Valentine—the red-haired temptress from his past—returns to London, sparking the same irresistible desires that almost ruined his life once before.

Lola is a woman with no romantic illusions. She knew love would never be enough for a British lord and an American girl from the wrong side of the tracks. For Denys’s sake, she walked away from him and the glittering life he offered. But when an unexpected inheritance brings her back to London, Lola discovers the passion between them is as hot as ever. Can they vanquish it, or will it burn out of control again and destroy them both?






From HQN...

In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it's been right under your nose all along…

Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents' divorce, she's seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt—but that's strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race…

Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he's known forever and doesn't want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?






 Amazon | B&N



He's the middle of the three Carson brothers and is as stubborn as they come—and he won't thank a beautiful stranger for getting in his way!

Drake Carson is the quintessential cowboy. In charge of the family ranch, he knows the realities of this life, its pleasures and heartbreaks. Lately, managing the wild stallions on his property is wearing him down. When an interfering so-called expert arrives and starts offering her opinion, Drake is wary, but he can't deny the longing—and the challenge—she stirs in him.

Luce Hale is researching how wild horses interact with ranch animals—and with ranchers. The Carson matriarch invites her to stay with the family, which guarantees frequent encounters with Drake, her ruggedly handsome and decidedly unwelcoming son. Luce and Drake are at odds from the very beginning, especially when it comes to the rogue stallion who's stealing the ranch mares. But when Drake believes Luce is in danger, that changes everything—for both of them.






From Swerve...


Seattle attorney Miranda Rose arrives in Las Vegas determined to keep her best friend-with-benefits from making a costly mistake – marrying some stranger just to save his family trust. But once there, Miranda discovers she’s the surprise bride! One red-hot honeymoon later, they’re back to their over-scheduled lives on opposite coasts. But a marriage of convenience with regularly scheduled sexytimes turns complicated when Miranda gets the shock of a lifetime: she's pregnant...with twins.

Miranda has always wanted a family of her own, but her infertility made it impossible. Besides, Callum’s difficult upbringing places him adamantly in the no-kid zone. Now she must decide between the man she’s been in love with for years and the children she’s longed for. Or will Callum surprise her yet again and come through when it matters most?











From Jove...


The New York Times bestselling author of Defending Heartsreturns to small-town New Hampshire where a substitute football coach and a guidance counselor tackle love.

They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the team—and find themselves again . . .

Sam Leavitt has two goals when he returns home to Stewart Mills to fill in for Coach McDonnell: to keep the school from finding a permanent replacement while Coach gets back on his feet, and to reconnect with his mother. As substitute coach for the high school football team, Sam must work hard to keep the boys on track, and that means spending time with the sexy guidance counselor he shared a hot night with months ago.

Jen Cooper knows what she’s looking for, and it’s not Sam—he wasn’t even supposed to come back. She wants a cultured, romantic soul, not some rough-around-the-edges guy with calloused hands—and a hard, muscular body. But seeing him every day forces Jen to question what she really wants out of life. And as Sam begins to deal with his past, Jen discovers there’s more to him than she imagined.





From Forever...


ONE LITTLE LIE. A WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE.

Moments after meeting the most gorgeous guy ever, Gabby Winters promptly gets stung by a zillion yellowjackets and falls-not gracefully-into a stream. Yup, Ethan Hunter is trouble with a capital "hot," and Gabby definitely needs to keep her distance. Except in the small town of Haven, there's nowhere to hide from Ethan's sexy, infectious grin . . . and all the residents are conspiring against her.

At the center of the town's matchmaking is Ethan's grandmother, who's convinced their relationship is a done deal. Rather than break her heart, Gabby and Ethan find themselves cornered into pretending to be falling in love. The problem: there's serious sizzling attraction between them. And if this charade continues, they won't fool just the entire town - they might fool themselves too . . .





Loving him was hard. Wanting him was so damn easy . . 

Sofia Mercer may have been sick as a teen, but she’s no delicate flower. And she’s proven it by making it on her own and starting a new life away from the town that turned against her, away from the boy who broke her already fragile heart. But when her aunt Luz dies unexpectedly, leaving Sofia with a mountain of regrets and the keys to a quirky boutique, Sofia has no choice but to return to Cape Cod. Only, this new life in her old town comes with complications.

Burke Wolf was Sofia’s first love—a relationship that burned bright and went up in flames. Seeing him again, Sofia can’t help but get caught up in that all-too-familiar tornado of passion and pain. He’s battled his own demons—that much is clear. But Sofia can’t afford to be careless with her heart . . . and loving Burke again might just break it completely.





From St. Martin's Paperback...

Dawn Ryder returns with the second rapid-fire romance in her Unbroken Heroes series—featuring the tough, sexy men who serve in a top-secret Special Ops unit.

Serve and protect


For Vitus Hale, only one mission has ever gone wrong. All he had to do was rescue a beautiful woman from her kidnappers. But falling hard into bed—and into love—with the stunning innocent was not part of the game plan, and when she leaves him in the dust, Vitus has nothing but a blemished record and a hardened heart. Now, after three long years, his beauty has finally come back into his life—and this time, failure is not an option…

Seduce and destroy

Damascus Ryland knew from their first steamy embrace that stoic warrior Vitus Hale is the only man for her, but when her power-hungry Congressman father offered her an ultimatum—sever ties with Vitus, or he dies—Damascus knew she had to walk away to save the man she loved. But now, three years later, a new threat is closing in on her—and tossing Vitus right back into her life. Damascus needs to keep her love for him locked in her heart if she is to keep him safe, but the old flame that burned between them is still as vibrant and hot as ever. Now, Damascus and Vitus must risk it all to find their freedom…and embrace their love…






From Pocket Books...


Will a budding wedding planner and her bad boy neighbor stop banging heads and start hearing wedding bells in the sexy second novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s irresistible new series that marries Sex and the City with The Wedding Planner?

When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.

Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.










Winner's Choice Giveaway


Choose any of these books featured & win an eBook copy

INT as long as you can accept an eBook


a Rafflecopter giveaway






Teaser Tuesday ~ 8/30/16

This is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.



To participate you:
* Grab your current read
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!





Will a budding wedding planner and her bad boy neighbor stop banging heads and start hearing wedding bells in the sexy second novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s irresistible new series that marries Sex and the City with The Wedding Planner?

When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.

Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.



Available today from Pocket Books

Teaser...


Josh's head snapped up, seeing from the quiet understanding in the other man's eyes that he did, in fact, get it.  Which was pretty unusual:  It was something that very few people in his circle seemed to understand, that music and numbers were inextricably linked.  That mathematics were the very foundation of music, if you just paid attention.  It was the same reason why Josh's mind always flitted to complex number problems when he was playing, and why he was never found without his earbuds in while he'd been working back when he was a hedge fund manager.  (Page 106)
~~~

He opened his mouth to tell her to mind her own damn business when he caught a whiff of something less than fresh.  "Ah, I think we have a cleanup on aisle baby." (Page 257)


I so love Josh.  He's complex and yummy.  The musician with lots of secrets.  


That's our teaser for this week! What do you think? Do you have a teaser to share? Leave us a comment and link us up!

Monday, August 29, 2016

Worked Up (Made in Jersey, #3) by Tessa Bailey ~ Review


 Factory mechanic Duke Crawford just wants to watch SportsCenter in peace. Unfortunately, living with four divorcee sisters doesn’t provide much silence, nor does it change his stance on relationships. But when a fellow commitment-phobe stumbles into his life, getting him good and worked up, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Samantha Waverly’s brother just put her in an impossible situation. The only way out? Marry huge, gruff, gladiator look-alike Duke—for show, of course. She doesn’t make promises—she knows too well how easily they can be broken—and this is no exception.

As the blistering attraction between them grows, the lines around the no-strings relationship blur. But Duke and Samantha’s marriage is only for show…or is it?










Review...



Duke.  That man.  OMG.  I so love Duke.

He's a fixer, Duke is.  Sam gets that right first try.  But Duke has seen the results of poor choices with marriage and he's not gonna play that game.  Of course, that's before he's met and experienced the lovely Sam.  

Sam's an artist and her life is in the imagination of her heart.  I love that about her.  She draws Duke within minutes of seeing him.  He's a sea captain, a gladiator then a super hero.  She can't quite get one to encompass all of him.  Yeah, he a big boy but it's his heart she can't quite capture.  That's because he's more.  More.  A perfect book boyfriend with the rough edges that we women love despite the modern age.  Despite his caveman side, he has a tender side that just stole my heart.  I love Duke.

Both characters appealed to me and I found myself cheering for them.  With both of them  phobic about commitment, they can make an arrangement work, yes?  Sure they can.  That's where this story is brilliant.  Better than a pretending story, this arrangement with benefits is set-up perfectly.  I enjoyed watching each of them realize that the arrangement part wasn't want they wanted.  And then to see the rest of the cast of characters interfere or try to help?  Priceless.

I picked this one up mid-series and it made me want to read the first two books before it.  (Not that you need to at all).  Tessa Bailey did good with this one. 



                                 



This book will pull you in and hold you there for a perfect afternoon delight.





Random Giveaway





Can one girl help others find closure by slipping into the identities of their loved ones? Find out in this riveting sequel toThe Remedy and companion to the New York Times bestselling The Treatment and The Program.

In a world before The Program…

Quinlan McKee has spent her life acting as other people. She was a closer—a person hired to play the role of the recently deceased in order to give their families closure. Through this process, Quinn learned to read people and situations, even losing a bit of herself to do so. But she couldn’t have guessed how her last case would bring down her entire world.

The only person Quinn trusts is Deacon, her best friend and the love of her life. Except Deacon’s been keeping secrets of his one, so Quinn must set out alone to find Arthur Pritchard, the doctor who’s been trying to control her life. The journey brings Quinn to Arthur’s daughter, Virginia, who tells Quinn the truth about Pritchard’s motives. The former closer will start to see that she is the first step in fighting an epidemic.

But Quinlan doesn’t want to be a cure. And with all the lies surrounding her, she realizes she has no one left to rely on but herself—even if she doesn’t know who that is anymore.









US only

Paperback copy



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Sunday, August 28, 2016

Stacking OUR Shelves ~ 8/28/16


Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  Make sure to checkout her post with links to all the other participates.

Click covers for Goodreads links


For Review...


Finished copies









Thanks go to....


Sourcebook
Pocket Books
Avon
HQN
St. Martin's Griffin
Entangled Publishing





For Review...


The Gender Game



Thanks goes to...


Bella Forrest



Bought...


Fire & Brimstone (Neighbor from Hell, #8)


That's what we added to our shelves this week! What do you think? What did you add to your stacks? Leave us a comment and link us up!