Sunday, December 31, 2017

Comfy Cozy Reading Weather Giveaway Hop




Single dad Andy Shaw loves his job as a sports agent, with one exception: it doesn’t leave him much time for his kids. No parent likes being sidelined, so Andy decides to hire someone to share the workload. But when one of the hottest agents in the industry applies, Andy knows that this deal is definitely trouble.

Danicka Douglas works her butt off, but being an attractive woman in a testosterone-heavy industry isn’t exactly a cakewalk. She guards her professional reputation fiercely, which means no crushing on her gorgeous boss. But the more they ignore that sexy little spark, the more it sizzles…

Just when it looks like romance might be in the game plan, Dani is threatened by a stalker with dark intentions. To keep her safe, Andy must cross the line between professional and very personal…because this time, he’s playing for keeps.






Val has a SIGNED copy to give away!

US only


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Check out the rest of the hop...


Stacking OUR Shelves ~ 12/31/17


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...








For Review Consideration...




Won...


Thanks go to...


Forever
Harlequin
Big Honcho Media & Simon Schuster
Sourcebooks Casablanca


Purchased...

Picked up for FREE

Picked up on release day





For Review...


Moonlight Sins (de Vincent, #1)Dark Demise (Wings of Artemis Book 7)



Gifted...


The Serpent KingThrough the Dark (The Darkest Minds, #1.5, #2.5, #3.5)The Dragon's Price (Transference, #1)Of Beast and Beauty



Thanks go to...


Jennifer L. Armentrout
Rebecca Royce
My brother


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!


Saturday, December 30, 2017

Jess' Favorite Books of 2017


Hi, friends! So I just finished my 95th book of the year, and I'm fairly certain it's my last read of 2017 (due to the fact that I have work on the weekend and also I'm now in a huge book hangover where all I want to do is re-read a certain series...which I'll talk about later in this post). This means that it's time to talk about my favorite books I read this year! They're not in any particular order -- until the last one on this list, which will be my #1 fav of the year. The rest are just equal super awesome favorites. :)

(Click on covers for Gooreads links!)


The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West


The Fill-In Boyfriend

I actually read this one super recently -- it was a gift from my Secret Santa, and I read the entire thing in a few hours the day I opened it. This was my first Kasie West book, and it has me more than eager to pick up many more. The Fill-In Boyfriend is sweet and cute and easy to get swept up in. Also doesn't hurt that it has one of my favorite tropes (a pretend relationship...that of course blooms into more).


Groupie / Roadie / Moxie by C.M. Stunich


Groupie (Rock-Hard Beautiful, #1)Roadie (Rock-Hard Beautiful, #2)Moxie (Rock-Hard Beautiful, #3)

2017 has been a huge year of me finding and reading more reverse harem (since I love it so gosh darn much). One of my favorite trilogies is this one right here. I can't pick one book above the others as a favorite for the year (though throughout the rest of this list, I'm aiming for one book per author, just fyi -- and I'm not counting re-reads either...and I re-read A LOT this year) Okay, I digress... I can't pick one book of this trilogy as a favorite for this list, mostly because it's all one story following the same characters and it's all important and amazing and I loooooved it so muuuuch. 


Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh


Caressed by Ice (Psy-Changeling #3)

I've read four books out of this series so far and enjoyed every single one of them, but my favorite so far is this one right here. Caressed by Ice pulled me in right away and I could NOT put it down. I loved Judd and Brenna as a couple -- they made me all warm and fuzzy. Plus, Judd in and of himself is a total favorite.


Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Till Death

Not a year goes by where I don't read at least a handful of JLA books so picking just one favorite is always hard, but this year that fav is totally Till Death. I LOVED the mystery of this one. It was so much fun trying to figure it out throughout the story...while also falling in love with Cole. Jen's writing just always wins me over. Always, always, always.


The Hookup by Kristen Ashley


The Hookup (Moonlight and Motor Oil, #1)

This was the most difficult decision for this list. Why? Because I've read SO MANY Kristen Ashley books this year. Even not counting re-reads. And they were all so good. It came down to a toss up between The Farthest Edge and this one and I don't know why but I chose The Hookup. Tomorrow I'll probably wish I'd gone with TFE. But the POINT is that they're both fantastic books. And since I chose The Hookup, I will say that it's such a well-written beautiful romance and I know even though I just read it this month, I'll be re-reading it soon. And then often after that. Though isn't that the way with KA books??


Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater


Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3)

Of course I had to include a Raven Cycle on here. I, ahem, did not complete this series this year. Not for lack of wanting to -- I was actually going to read The Raven King as my last book of 2017 -- but more, I just ran out of time. But I'm okay with that because this series is best taken in small, lovely doses and BLLB was the perfect amount of the Raven crew for my year. And now I have some left over for 2018. Oh, in case you did not know, this is one of my favorite series ever with some of my favorite characters ever and I'm kind of more than a little obsessed. Heh.


Black and Green by C.L. Stone


Black and Green (The Ghost Bird, #11)

I feel a little bad because I feel like a good portion of this list is me talking about how much I loved certain installments of series I love, but...oh well. This is the tenth book in the Ghost Bird series and I enjoyed it a whole bunch, even though when I was reading it I took a while to get to the point of loving it. I got there, though, once I realized what it was all leading up to. And it was well worth it, in my opinion. Aaaand now maybe I want to re-read this soon? Hmm. Maybe if I can step away from this next series...


Dark Demise by Rebecca Royce


Dark Demise (Wings of Artemis Book 7)

Say hello to my last read of 2017 and also my absolute #1 favorite book of the year! It currently has me in total book hangover and as soon as I'm done with this post I'm going to be re-reading other books in the series because I don't know what else to do with my life. Y'ALL. I've been getting so into this series this year. Book 1 was actually my first read of 2017. And I've had some books I liked more than others (though I did enjoy them all) and honestly and truly this book tops them all. I am head over heels. And, aha, it doesn't even release until January 23rd, 2018 (so, you know, if you want to jump on the bandwagon of this amazing series -- which I HIGHLY recommend -- now if the perfect time to do it!). Dark Demise was so well written. In each individual character's personalities to their chemistry to the plot and events and ALL THE THINGS I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOOOOK.

Ahhhhh.

Okay.

So. 

Dark Demise was kind of the main reason I made this post; I needed to shout from the rooftops how phenomenal this beauty is. Now that I've gotten that out of my system (for now), tell me, friends, what have been your favorite books you've read this year?!


Friday, December 29, 2017

The Wake Up by Catherine Ryan Hyde ~ Excerpt




From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde comes a hauntingly emotional novel of how one man’s life changes forever when he rediscovers his ability to feel the pain of others.

Something has been asleep in forty-year-old cattle rancher Aiden Delacorte for a long time. It all comes back in a rush during a hunting trip, when he’s suddenly attuned to the animals around him, feeling their pain and fear as if it were his own. But the newfound sensitivity of Aiden’s “wake up” has its price. He can no longer sleepwalk through life, holding everyone at arm’s length. As he struggles to cope with a trait he’s buried since childhood, Aiden falls in love with Gwen, a single mother whose young son bears a burden of his own.

Sullen and broken from his experiences with an abusive father, Milo has turned to acting out in violent and rebellious ways. Aiden can feel the boy’s pain, as well as that of his victims. Now he and Milo must sift through their pasts to find empathy with the innocent as well as the guilty, to come to terms with their deepest fears, and to finally discover the compassionate heart of a family.





Chapter One
Clouds and Shadows
The phone jangled Aiden out of sleep. His heart raced, and he knocked over a plastic drinking glass and the alarm clock while reaching to grab the receiver.
His panic didn’t last. The voice on the other end of the line soothed him on contact. It felt like a drink of cold water, its relief spreading down through his gut on a hot and dusty day.
It was only one word. But it repaired everything.
“Hey.”
It was feminine and smooth, that word. It felt like everything in the world Aiden had found to love. Or maybe that’s genuinely what it was. He could feel his heart expand, or at least the sensation of it filling. Swelling. It ached. It was painful in a very real way, but Aiden wouldn’t have traded it for anything.
“Oh,” he mumbled, still mostly asleep. “Gwen. Hey.”
“I’m sorry. I know it’s late. I know I woke you up. I knew I would, but . . .”
Aiden sat up on the edge of the bed. He was wearing only boxer shorts, and the air in the room felt blissfully cool against his bare chest and back.
“But what? Are you okay?”
In the silence that followed, he watched shadows cast by the branches of scrub oak trees sway on his bedroom wall. He looked through his window to see the dark shapes of his sleeping brood mares in the nearest pasture.
“I guess so,” she said. “I guess I just needed some reassurance.”
“About what?”
“Tomorrow.”
“What about it?”
“You’re not worried about it?”
“No. Not at all. Why would I be? I’m looking forward to it.”
“Just . . . you know.” There was a lot that could be read into her voice. Aiden knew that. He listened as hard as he could to every word she didn’t say. “You meeting the kids and all.”
“You’re worried they won’t like me?”
“More that you won’t like them. It’s hard. You know. When you have kids and you meet somebody new.”
“I’m going to love them. I like kids. I told you.”
“I know,” she said. But she didn’t sound as though that settled much. “I should have had you meet them sooner. I was a little surprised you didn’t press the issue.”
For a moment nobody said anything more.
“What can I say to reassure you?” he asked.
“Nothing, I guess. Tomorrow just has to get here. I’m sorry I woke you up for no real reason.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Go back to sleep.”
“I will.”
He didn’t, though. He thought he would but he didn’t. Something about her tone. About the subtext of her words. She was worried. Not just mildly insecure. Genuinely worried.
Maybe she was worried about nothing. But Aiden couldn’t shake the thought that maybe she knew something he didn’t. 


Thursday, December 28, 2017

Swoon Thursday ~ 12/28/17


Who doesn't LOVE a good swoon?!  We love them for sure!  Check out our swoon below and then add to the fun.

Post anything that made you swoon, past or present read.  Include the cover, blurb and links.  Please no spoilers.



New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Harper Sloan returns with a passionate and breathless romance about the sparks that ignite when a cautious cowboy and a once-scorned woman open up to each other in the third installment of the Coming Home series.

As the eldest Davis, Clayton has always tried to lead by example. He takes his job as head of the family businesses seriously, making sure the farm and auto shop are running smoothly—along with keeping an eye on his brother and sister. For him, there's a time and place to let go of the control he holds with an iron grip. And with the way he grew up, coupled with disastrous end to his last relationship, he's just fine with his quiet, solitary life.

Most of the time.

What he hadn't counted on was cute, quirky, shy bookstore owner, Caroline Michaels. She's the proverbial woman next door—well, the next town over, that is. Caroline hasn't lived an easy life, but after escaping an abusive ex, she's finally living it for herself. The last thing she ever expected was a one-night stand with Clay Davis, a night she can't stop thinking about.

So when she falls on hard times and Clay comes out of nowhere to her rescue, she realizes just how impossible it'll be to stay away from him. Now all she has to do is convince him to live a little...

Will Clay be able to give up the reins and finally settle down? And, more importantly, will Caroline muster enough courage to lasso him up?



Swoon...




This is a cowboy book any romance reader will love!



That's our swoon this week!  What about you?  Leave us a comment & a link.



Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Waiting On Wednesday ~ 12/27/17


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!


The Fast and the Furious meets Mr. Robot in USA Todaybestselling author Megan Erickson's thrilling new romantic suspense series.

Hacker extraordinaire Roarke Brennan lives each hour - each breath - to avenge his brother's murder. His first move: put together a team of the best coders he knows. They're all brilliant, specialized, and every one an epic pain in his ass. Only now Wren Lee wants in too, threatening to upset their delicate balance. The girl Roarke never allowed himself to want is all grown up with sexy confidence and a dark past ... and she's the wild card he can't control.

Roarke might still think she's a kid, but Wren's been to hell and back. Nothing and nobody can stop her - especially the tatted-up, cocky-as-all-hell hacker. But when years of longing and chemistry collide, Wren and Roarke discover that revenge may be a dish best served blazing hot.



Why am I waiting?  I do so love this author!  But this book definitely calls to me.  Can't wait to dig in! You?


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, December 26, 2017

Stuck In Books Featured Releases & Giveaway




From Avon Books...


From the wrong side of the tracks and with most of her family in jail or dead, Piper Walsh is used to everyone in town thinking the worst about her. It doesn’t seem to matter that she’s worked hard to build a good life for herself. So she isn’t surprised that when she comes into contact with Sweet Hill’s wildly irresistible, arrogant sheriff, Hale Walters, they’re instant adversaries. Piper has nothing in common with the town golden-boy-turned-lawman—and she refuses to be a notch on his bedpost.

Despite rumors, Hale avoids fooling around with the women of Sweet Hill, many of whom are hoping to get him to the altar. But staying out of Piper’s path is proving near impossible. The infuriating troublemaker clearly has no respect for his badge. As she continues to push his buttons, it becomes clear to Hale that he must either arrest Piper—or claim her as his own.




“Sexy, emotional, funny . . . Dimon gives it all to her readers.” —New York Times Bestselling Author Jill Shalvis

They say it takes a thief to catch a thief, and Harrison Tate is proof. Once a professional burglar, he now makes a lawful living tracking down stolen art. No one needs to know about his secret sideline, “liberating” artifacts acquired through underhanded methods. At least until one of those jobs sees him walking in on a murder.

Gabrielle Wright has long been estranged from her wealthy family, but she didn’t kill her sister. Trouble is, the only person who can prove it is the sexy, elusive criminal who shouldn’t have been at the island estate on that terrible night. She’s not expecting honor among thieves—or for their mutual attraction to spark into an intense inferno of desire.

Under the guise of evaluating her family’s art, Harris comes back to the estate hoping to clear Gabby’s name. But returning to the scene of the crime has never been riskier, with their hearts and lives on the line.




From Entangled Teen...



The second book in the Juniper Falls series from NY Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Julie Cross, perfect for fans of Miranda Kenneally and Abbi Glines.

Haley Stevenson seems like she’s got it all together: cheer captain, “Princess” of Juniper Falls, and voted Most Likely to Get Things Done. But below the surface, she’s struggling with a less-than-stellar GPA and still reeling from the loss of her first love. Repeating her Civics class during summer school is her chance to Get Things Done, not angst over boys. In fact, she’s sworn them off completely until college.

Fletcher Scott is happy to keep a low profile around Juniper Falls. He’s always been the invisible guy, warming the bench on the hockey team and moonlighting at a job that would make his grandma blush. Suddenly, though, he’s finding he wants more: more time on the ice, and more time with his infuriatingly perfect summer-school study partner.

But leave it to a girl who requires perfection to shake up a boy who’s ready to break all the rules.











INT as long as you can accept a gift card.





a Rafflecopter giveaway