Apr 07

Stripped by Allie Juliette Mousseau Blog Tour

Title: Stripped

Author: Allie Juliette Mousseau

Genre: Romantic Comedy Standalone

Published: March 29, 2016 

Stone Wright is Foreplay’s hottest act. While entertaining at the popular L.A. strip club known for catering to the feminine wild, the fever-inducing Aussie with the sex-saturated accent and moves to match is preparing for the audition of a lifetime on the sensational hit reality show Then Prove You Can Dance.

When retired principal dancer and ballerina Emilie Cartier stumbles into his dressing room, she’s still reeling from the one wrong spin that altered her entire life and obliterated her dreams.

After a humiliating public, albeit meteoric, orgasm—the kind so desperate to escape, it took over her body without her brain’s permission—and a second, more intimate and deliriously deliberate one, Emilie makes a deal with Stone: he helps her get her dancing mojo back and she readies him for his national audition.

But she insists he keeps his wily, wandering hands to himself and his dirty mouth shut. Of course, that’s going to be an extremely hard challenge—one of herculean proportions.

Emilie is not prepared for Stone—the way he spins her mind dizzy, rocks her body into sweet oblivion or dirty dances into her every daydream—and falling in love with him is so definitely not an option.

The closer Stone gets to Emilie, the more he realizes he’d do anything to make her his own. Problem is, he’s a real f*ck-up with relationships. And that means he’s dangerously close to becoming her next major f*ck-up.

What happens when all of the emotional layers—along with the stage props, their dancewear and every last shred of their clothes—are ultimately stripped?

 

 Check out our review HERE.

“What’s up with these sexy Aussie men anyway? Forget the Canadian, I want an Australian. Lol. This funny, refreshing amazing story gets a much deserved 5 star review.” ~Diane (Amazon Review)

“Light, fun, witty banter, hot sex and my new book boyfriend , Stone, of course…….There wasn’t anything not to like, rom-com done to perfection.” ~Stacey (Amazon Review)

“Oh boy, was this book sizzling my fingers from the pages! Just a few words to describe this book… Hot, sensual, sexy, mouth watering and dang good.” ~Cutting Muse Book Blog

HEAD ON OVER TO ALLIE’S AUTHOR PAGE AND CHECK OUT

THE PINNED POST PAPERBACK GIVEAWAY!  

DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW TO WIN A KEY CHAIN!

 

Allie Juliette Mousseau is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

She can always be found writing, playing in puddles with her children, hiking with her husband, or adventuring somewhere in the world. Her favorite place to write on warm days is outdoors, but when the weather gets too cold, she’ll be inside at her desk inspired by the mountain view from her home office in Montana where she lives with her loving husband, children, and golden retriever. She loves to travel and lived for three years in her RV with her family while visiting the national parks and forests of the U.S. and a couple Canadian provinces. She is excited to add all of Canada and Alaska in the near future!

HOSTED BY:

Apr 07

Stripped by Allie Juliette Mousseau Review

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3.5 Smooches!

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Synopsis

Stone Wright is Foreplay’s hottest act. While entertaining at the popular L.A. strip club known for catering to the feminine wild, the fever-inducing Aussie with the sex-saturated accent and moves to match is preparing for the audition of a lifetime on the sensational hit reality show Then Prove You Can Dance.

When retired principal dancer and ballerina Emilie Cartier stumbles into his dressing room, she’s still reeling from the one wrong spin that altered her entire life and obliterated her dreams.

After a humiliating public, albeit meteoric, orgasm—the kind so desperate to escape, it took over her body without her brain’s permission—and a second, more intimate and deliriously deliberate one, Emilie makes a deal with Stone: he helps her get her dancing mojo back and she readies him for his national audition.

But she insists he keeps his wily, wandering hands to himself and his dirty mouth shut. Of course, that’s going to be an extremely hard challenge—one of herculean proportions.

Emilie is not prepared for Stone—the way he spins her mind dizzy, rocks her body into sweet oblivion or dirty dances into her every daydream—and falling in love with him is so definitely not an option.

The closer Stone gets to Emilie, the more he realizes he’d do anything to make her his own. Problem is, he’s a real f*ck-up with relationships. And that means he’s dangerously close to becoming her next major f*ck-up.

What happens when all of the emotional layers—along with the stage props, their dancewear and every last shred of their clothes—are ultimately stripped?

REVIEW

“You’re fun to be with.”

I joke lightly, “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He answers in a serious tone. “No, baby, I don’t say that to any of the girls.”

Kindred spirits, Emilie Cartier and Stone Wright have much in common. Both have sustained devastating injuries that have changed the course of their lives; both are now in Los Angeles in an effort to move forward to the next phase of their lives, whatever that may be; and both of them share an unparalleled passion for dance. Although they’re in different places, they both find so much more than they ever expected in each other. Stone is the spark that reignites Em while she becomes his muse.

“…the stripper and the ballerina. “

A deal is brokered, a goal is set and plans are in place. He has the opportunity to finally chase his dreams, and she will help him prepare for it. What she doesn’t anticipate, though, is what the experience of training him will bring to her. Being with Stone has brought her happiness, he’s healed her soul, and he’s opened her heart and mind to possibilities she thought were out of her reach. And during all of their late nights training, this incredibly sweet, romantic and dirty-talking Aussie weaves his magic, and the impossible happens – Em’s tattered and tender heart heals. But has she fallen as hard for Stone as he has fallen for her? When faced with a completely out-of-character, once-in-a-lifetime chance, will Em take his hand and follow through with the greatest risk of all?

“…we were born to be together – born to dance together.”

So…I started this book loving every single second. It was so, so funny! I’m talking tears streaming down my face, holding my sides, pain in my abdominals, uproariously laughing-out-loud funny. The non-romance portion of the plot was GOLDEN. Well written, with fabulously witty dialogue, characters I loved and exceptionally well developed. I adored every word of it. Awesome, right? Yeah!

Em and Stone were so ridiculously perfect together – sexy, silly and so natural – I couldn’t wait to see their romance bloom. I was eagerly anticipating where all of this dirty-talking, flirtatious foreplay Stone was dishing out was going to go. In my mind, there was no way it wouldn’t be anything but great when they got there, right?  <sigh>  WRONG. And the worst part? The potential was so great; it really could have been incredible.

In her attempt to carry Em and Stone’s witty banter from outside the bedroom into it, the author went too far, too over-the-top with the cutesy body part renaming. Oh, how I wished she had just dialed back – or preferably, dropped it all together. Those cringe-worthy gardening and feline references doused the heat the burned between Em and Stone, turning what would have been some seriously hot scenes into ones that were goofy and immature.

Without all of that juvenile talk, which came off more sophomoric than sexy, this book would have absolutely been a candidate for one of my top romantic comedies of the year. But, disappointingly for me considering how much I thoroughly enjoyed everything that happened outside of the bedroom, the sex scenes – of which there were plenty – were so overshadowed by the use of these words, that each time I hit on one of these references, I was taken completely out of the moment, out of the scene and out of the whole story. They were so disruptive, they made not only the scene, but the entire book difficult to get through, and it actually pains me to say that, because I truly did enjoy everything that happened in this book outside of the bedroom. But the sex – which between these two characters who were so organically sexy and hot together – was just so disappointing and uncomfortably silly.

Stripped could have definitely been a knock-it-out-of-the-park, grand-slam homerun. Unfortunately, for the reasons I stated, it devastates me to say that, ultimately, it just didn’t work for me. I’ve never been in this position before, both loving and disliking a book in such equal measure and then having to review it in a public forum. I want to both apologize to the author and then rail at her for it.

3.5 smooches for Allie Juliette Mousseau’s Stripped from me.

~ Danielle Palumbo

BUY IT NOW

Apr 06

Feels Like Summertime by Tammy Falkner Review

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5 Smooches

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Synopsis

Jake:

Katie Higgins was the first girl I ever loved. We spent one summer together at Lake Fisher when we were sixteen and then I never saw her again. My life is shit, my job is gone, and my dad had a stroke, so I find myself back at Lake Fisher once again. And so does Katie. Her last name isn’t Higgins anymore, because Katie is married with three kids and one more on the way, but when she shows up at Lake Fisher with her kids, danger trails her all the way there. I could do a lot of things. I could leave and go home. I could stay and deal with it. But what I want most of all is just to take care of Katie. If I concentrate on her, maybe I won’t have to face my own problems. Yeah, that’s it. Fix Katie.

Katie:

I haven’t seen Jake in eighteen years, but the moment I lay eyes on him, I feel safer than I have in a very long time. Memories swamp me every time I look out over the clear, cool water. A first kiss. A first boyfriend. A first love. That old spark is still there. I just can’t act on it, and neither can Jake. Our story started eighteen years ago, and then we both made lives with other people. Jake is willing to tell me about his, but I can’t share mine with him. Ever. We can be friends and spend another summer together, right? Sure, we can.

Review

WOW! I have read a TON of books by Tammy Falkner (and I do mean a TON) and none have made me tear up and touch me much on an emotional lever as Feels Like Summertime. I can honestly say that this is one of my all time favorite second chance romances.

‘And that was the day I knew I was head over heels for Jake.’

Katie and Jake fell in love one summer when they were both sixteen one summer at the lake. But like most teenage romances it sadly fizzled out due to the distance and simply growing up. But now both are in their late thirties and find them both back at the same lake. Only now Jake is harder and dealing with a tough instance at work and Katie is married with three kids and one on the way. Both have secrets but both are so happy just to have the other back in their lives again. But Katie is running and whatever it is she is hiding from is coming for her. Can Jake save her and prove that you can fall in love more than once?

“To me, you feel like summertime. You feel like warm weather and sunny skies. You feel like the occasional storm, but they always pass, and they keep things interesting. You feel like my future.”

I love Tammy’s writing style she brings the humor without diminishing the seriousness of everything that is going on. The emotions feel real and strong and I honestly had no clue where this story was going through out most if it, it was a journey I would happily take again and again. When the story started I honestly felt like Jake was going to be the one tough to love but as soon as he sees Katie you cannot help but fall for him. He immediately knows that his feelings for her never died and embraces her children from the start. He is gentle and patient even when she refuses to open up to him. But he never waivers in his devotion to her even if it just as a friend. Their flirty banter kept the story moving and his dad and her kids provided the perfect amount of lightheartedness and comedic relief. I truly hope that Tammy writes more stories like this one because I completely plan on devouring each one.

~miranda

Apr 06

Dirty by Kylie Scott Excerpt Reveal

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Excerpt

Heavy footsteps roused me from my stupor. I don’t know how long exactly I’d been sitting in the bathtub, staring off at nothing, pondering the catastrophe my life had become. Couldn’t have been too long since sunlight still lit the room.

The footsteps came closer and closer. And then they entered the room. Oh, shit. I froze, not even daring to breathe. There was a loud yawn, followed by the cracking of joints. Then a large hand reached in beside the closed shower curtain and turned on the tap. A torrent of ice cold water poured down. It was like a billion itty-bitty knives stabbing at my skin. All of the scratches and raw patches from earlier stung like shit. I gritted my teeth, shoulders hiked up to around my ears as if that would provide any protection.

Yep, I sat there, all huddled up, listening to the man take a leak.

Awesome. Just plain awesome.

Wasn’t like I could jump out and interrupt the man midflow. And say what? I knew this was not a good situation to get caught in.

  1. I’d basically broken into this guy’s house.

  2. And had then gone on making myself right at home, having a messy emotional breakdown in his bathtub.

Normal, rational people didn’t do this sort of thing. I didn’t even have a criminal record, had never particularly done anything outlandish or interesting until now. This was all Chris’s fault, the bastard. I’d just have to make the best of it and hope this guy had a sense of humor.

Just as the water began to warm, he flushed the john and freezing cold water drenched me anew. I’d been about to open my mouth and announce my presence, but that put an end to that. Needles of icy cold water pelted down on my skin. I fucking froze. Teeth gritted, I suppressed a squeal of pain and rage.

Then the shower curtain flew back.

“Shit!” The man was very tall, very naked, and very surprised. He stumbled back a step, a hand clutching at the bench behind him, eyes furious and wide. “What the hell?”

Good question.

I opened my mouth, closed it. Language skills had apparently abandoned me. In total silence, the man and I stared at each other.

Even with no clothing to take cues from, the dude was clearly the epitome of cool. He looked about my age, or maybe a little older. He had longish red-blond hair, dark blue eyes set in an angular face, a lean but muscular torso covered in tattoos, and a rather large cock. Not that I meant to check him out, it’s just kind of hard to ignore a penis and scrotum when they’re dangling right in front of your face. I tilted my head, trying to get some perspective. Every viewpoint, however, was equally shocking. There was dick as far as the eye could see.

And I should stop ogling him. Right.

“Hi.” With a calm I didn’t even vaguely feel, I reached up and turned off the tap. Much better. His monster penis had momentarily derailed me, but I was back on track now. Time to talk myself out of this mess. “Hey.”

“What the fuck are you doing in my house?” he asked flatly.

“Right. Well . . .” I neatly tucked my dripping-wet shoulder-length blond hair back behind my ears. As if that would help. My winged eyeliner and false lashes were probably halfway down my cheeks. “I, um, I . . .”

“You what?”

“I’m Lydia,” I said, the first thing to come to mind.

No reply. His handsome face, however, took on a distinctly pissy expression. Even his strawberry-blond hair seemed a fiery hue. Fine, so we weren’t swapping names and getting cozy. Fair enough. You wouldn’t believe how hard it was, keeping my eyes on his face. The struggle was real. It might have been due to my not seeing one in so long, but his dick seemed almost hypnotic. The thing had magical powers, I swear. It was so big and mobile, subtly swaying every time he moved. My gaze kept darting down despite my best efforts.

Finally he put me out of my misery, grabbing a towel off a nearby rack and wrapping it around his waist. It made for quite the hot-looking miniskirt. Not just any man could have pulled off such a look.

But back to my explanations.

“Ah, firstly, I’d just like to say sorry about this.” I waved a hand at him and his bathroom and, well everything, really. “For any inconvenience I might have caused here in your bathroom.”

The guy stood tall, looming over me with his hands on hips. Tattoos covered his arms to his wrists. Still, he had a whole lot of sinew on show. Definitely not the kind of man you’d want to mess with. Dude could probably snap me in half in a second. I bet he was a tattoo model, or a biker, or a pirate, or something. Something a lot hot and more than a little scary.

Shit. I really should have chosen another house.

“I don’t normally break into people’s places and hide out in their tub,” I babbled, on the verge of incoherency. “So I’m really sorry. Seriously. So very sorry. But you’ve got a lovely home.”

“That so?”

“Not that, I mean, that’s not why I’m here. I just . . .” Fucking hell, my mind was a disaster. I took a deep breath, letting it out nice and slow, before trying again. “I love the old Arts and Crafts bungalows, don’t you? They have such soul.”

His brows drew tight. “Are you high? What the fuck are you on?”

“Nothing!”

“You haven’t been popping any pills or snorting something?”

“No, I swear.”

“Nothing to drink?”

“I haven’t had anything,” I said, but the suspicion and anger still lined his face. Paired with the stubble on his chin and the shadows beneath his eyes, my unwilling host was one tired, cranky man. Couldn’t really blame him.

“So you’re completely sober,” he said.

“Completely.”

A pause.

“You’re thinking I’m bat-shit crazy now, aren’t you?” I asked, despite the answer sitting plain as day on his pretty face.

“Pretty much, yeah.”

Oh, god. “I’m not. I’m sane.”

“You sure about that?” He looked down the long line of his nose at me, distinctly unimpressed. “Seen a lot of weird shit in my years. Stuff like you wouldn’t believe. But I got to tell you, right now, this . . . you, are taking the cake.”

“Great.” And I was so definitely probably going to jail. Someone ought to give me a cookie. My ability to take a bad situation and make it worse today was amazing.

“You touch any of my stuff?” he asked. “Take anything?”

“Yes, your sofa is cunningly hidden down the front of my dress. You won’t believe where I fit the TV.”

Again, his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Between you and me, probably not the time to be funny, babe.”

Crap. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You have every right to be mad.”

“Damn right, I do.”

I nodded, contrite. “I haven’t touched any of your things.”

The dude just stood there, staring. Lots going on behind his eyes. None of which I could read.

A stray tear trickled down my face. It must have saved itself up just for the occasion. Gah. How pathetic. I sniffled, brushing it off hurriedly with the back of my hand.

“Fuck’s sake,” he muttered.

“I really am sorry about this. The truth is, I just needed somewhere to hide for a little while. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

He sighed. It wasn’t a happy sound. “Lydia?”

“Yes?” Despite my best efforts, my voice trembled slightly.

“Look at me.”

I did so. He still looked cranky and crazy cool while I remained a hot mess.

“I’m Vaughan,” he said.

“Hi.”

He tipped his chin and silence fell between us once more.

With the tip of his tongue rubbing at his upper lip, he looked at the wide open window, and then back at me. Yep, that’s how I’d gotten in. Houdini had nothing on my mad skills.

“What are you doing in my house, Lydia? The truth.”

“It’s kind of a long story, actually.” Along with being excruciatingly embarrassing. But then, what wasn’t about this day?

Vaughan crossed his arms over his wide chest and waited me out while I fussed with my ruined skirts and tried to come up with a way to spin the story to not make me look a complete fool. Christ, the holes in my stockings were huge. On one side, my entire foot stuck out. So screwed.

Vaughan crouched by the side of the tub, resting his arms on the side. Up close the shadows under his eyes seemed even bigger and darker against his pale skin. And there were bags big enough to use as carry-ons. Despite the strong lines of his lean face, the man looked done-in. Ready to sleep for a hundred years.

I knew that feeling.

“Looks like a wedding dress,” he said quietly.

“Yes, it is. I was going to get married today.” I took a deep breath, wiping my face with my hands. Just as expected, my palms came away smeared with black eye makeup. “Ah, boy. I must look a wreck.”

Without comment, Vaughan reached out and grabbed a towel, handing it to me. It was sort of threadbare, old. Dated like the rest of the house. I hadn’t seen more than one room, but real estate agents got a feel for these sort of things. Minimal upkeep for the past five or so years would have been my guess. Perhaps it’d even been left empty. Bushes out front hid the house from view, so I’d never gotten a good look at it before.

“Thank you.” I patted myself dry with the towel as best I could. What remained of my beautiful dress was a sopping wet ruin. “I’m sorry I broke into your house, Vaughan. I swear I don’t normally do this sort of thing.”

“No,” he said, his voice deep. “Figured as much. Where’d you come from?”

“The big house at the back.”

His brow wrinkled. “You climbed over the fence?”

“Yes.”

Tired, red-tinged eyes appraised me anew. “That’s a tall fence. Must have been one hell of an emergency.”

“It was a disaster.”

For a long moment he studied me, deep in thought. Then he sighed yet again, climbing to his feet.

“Are you going to call the cops on me?” I asked, my throat tight with tension. “I know you have every right to, I’m not disputing that. I’d just, I’d like to know. Mental preparation and all that.”

“No. I’m not.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” My whole body sagged in relief.

Then he clapped his hands together, startling the crap out of me. “Okay, Lydia. Here’s what we’re going to do.”

“Yes?”

“I arrived late this morning, have only had a few hours sleep. If I don’t get some coffee soon, things are going to get ugly. And you probably need to get dried off.” With no fuss, he held out his hand. “Let’s get shit sorted out. Then we can sit down and you can tell me the long story of how the hell you ended up in my house. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” I said, voice lightening.

He pulled me up. Then, with strong hands on my waist, lifted me out of the tub. Immediately water started dripping off of my saturated dress, pooling on the scuffed wooden flooring at my feet. Chris would have been distinctly unimpressed. Chris didn’t like messes. But as Vaughan didn’t seem to care, neither did I.

“You’re really not going to call the police?” I asked.

“No. Hold still,” he said, carefully plucking a fake eyelash from my cheek.

“Thank you.”

“Your dress is kind of fucked.” He looked me over from top to toe.

“I know,” I said sadly.

“I’ll leave you to get changed.”

“Wait. Please. I can’t get out of it on my own.”

More frowning.

“It’s vintage,” I explained with a grim face. “There’s no zip, just a line of little buttons up the back.”

“’Course there is.” Without another word, he turned me around and got started in on said buttons. As he worked, he hummed beneath his breath, the song vaguely familiar.

“Aren’t you still mad?” I asked, perplexed.

“Nuh.”

“But I broke into your house.”

“Window was open.”

“I still trespassed.”

Busy fingers kept working on undoing the dress. “You sat in the tub and cried because some dickhead fucked you over.”

That shut me up.

“Or that’s what I’m assuming, given the dress and all. I take it he’s the one that gave you that shiner on your cheek?”

“No. No one hit me. And yes, you assumed right about the being fucked over.” I tried to look back at him, but I couldn’t see a thing beyond my wild-ass hair. Impressive how it’d survived the shower. The stylist clearly knew her shit.

“You sure no one hit you?” He did not sound convinced.

“Yes. I lost my grip and hit the floor when I was climbing in the window. My home invasion skills need work.”

“I’d suggest you try a different career.” He finished with the buttons and took a step back, scratching his head. “You okay with the dress now?”

“Yes, thank you,” I told his reflection in the mirror. “For everything, I mean.”

“Sure.” He almost smiled and gave a small shake of the head as if he couldn’t quite believe what was going on. Or maybe it was disbelief that he wasn’t kicking me straight back out the window through whence I’d come.

Lord knows, it’d shocked the shit out of me.

He turned toward the door. “See you out there.”

02

Are you ready to get Dirty?  

Dirty is Book One in Kylie Scott’s Dive Bar Series.  

Meet Vaughn & Lydia on April 19th!

Pre-order your copy of DIRTY here:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Q7LCyb

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1OYc53N

iBooks: http://apple.co/1TOAhIG

Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1MetF1F

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Mez6t6

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Blurb

The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a broken hearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that comes with her.

Lydia Green doesn’t know whether to burn down the church or sit and
cry in a corner. Discovering the love of your life is having an affair on your wedding day is bad enough. Finding out it’s with his best man is another thing all together. She narrowly escapes tying the knot and meets Vaughan only hours later.

Vaughan is the exact opposite of the picture perfect, respected businessman she thought she’d marry. This former musician-turned-bartender is rough around the edges and unsettled. But she already tried Mr. Right and discovered he’s all wrong-maybe it’s time to give Mr. Right Now a chance.

After all, what’s wrong with getting dirty?

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About the Author:

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Kylie is a long time fan of erotic love stories and B-grade horror films. She demands a happy ending and if blood and carnage occur along the way then all the better. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and one delightful husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.

Kylie is represented by Amy Tannenbaum at the Jane Rotrosen Agency, New York.

Stalk Kylie Scott: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Apr 06

The Matchmakers Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken Book Tour and Excerpt

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The Matchmaker’s Playbook (Wingmen Inc. 1)

RELEASE DAY APRIL 5th, 2016

Publisher: Skyscape (April 5, 2016)

Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Language: English

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SYNOPSIS:

Wingman rule number one: don’t fall for a client.

After a career-ending accident, former NFL recruit Ian Hunter is back on campus—and he’s ready to get his new game on. As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.

From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule…

 

Check out our 5 smooches review HERE.

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Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1V6Utox
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1V6UCs6
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1QS5BTc
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1MipuP3

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The Matchmakers Playbook Creed

  1. Head held high.

  2. Always smile.

  3. Never slouch.

  4. Wear clothes appropriate to the season.

  5. Let him open the door.

  6. No kissing on the first date.

  7. He comes to you.

  8. Lingering is frowned upon.

  9. NO facebook stalking.

  10. NO STALKING stalking.

  11. Don’t be too available.

  12. LIsten to Lex and Ian.

  13. See Number 12.

  14. No seriously, go back, re-read #12.

  15. If after one week you aren’t satisfied, we will dissolve the contract.

TRAILER:  

Link: https://vimeo.com/158708617

The Matchmaker’s Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken from Becca the Bibliophile on Vimeo.

​

5

Excerpt

“If you  hurt her, I’m going to break off your favorite appendage.”

“Silly Gabi.” I grinned. “Is that an invitation to touch?”

“Guarantee  if I ever do touch you, it will only end badly.”

“Tease.” I winked.

“Stop that.” She flicked me on the nose. “Your sexual prowess is dead to me. Dead!”

Rolling my eyes, I wrapped an arm around her and steered us both into the kitchen, where the smell of French bread and spaghetti filled the air. “Have I told you how much I miss our weekly dinners? Think we should do it daily? You know, so I don’t starve?”

Gabi shrugged out of my embrace. “Learn how to cook.”

I jutted out my lower lip. “It’s not for lack of knowledge.” I broke off a piece of warm bread, then poured myself a large glass of wine. “It’s because yours always tastes better.”

Gabi groaned loudly. “Damn, do the girls really fall for that? Still?”

“Eh.” I shrugged and made a so-so motion with my hand. “Nine out of ten.”

“You disgust me.”

“You say that every day.”

“Because it’s true every day.”

“When’s dinner ready?” Serena bounced into the room, literally, her head bobbing from left to right. Maybe that’s how girls like her built up more brain cells. They shook the air, and the pressure between their ears exploded, making tiny little brain-cell babies.

Gabi poked her head into the fridge. “When Lex gets here.”

“So it’s ready now?” she asked.

Never mind. No brain-cell babies. I fought the urge to point to the steaming spaghetti and bread sitting on the breakfast bar. Didn’t it look ready, kiddo?

“Technically,” I answered for Gabi. “But we aren’t eating”—I stressed the word “eating” even though I’d just taken some bread—“until my sidekick gets here.”

“Sidekick, huh?” Serena crossed her arms, forcing her boobs to kiss one another and nearly hit her in the chin.

“Oh, I thought you knew.” I gave her a sad face. “I’m the hero in this scenario . . . Even own my own cape. He’s basically the Robin to my Batman.”

“Batman’s hot.”

“So is Robin,” Gabi said defensively.

Whoa. Did she just defend Lex? I felt her forehead. She pushed my hand away and handed me some parmesan cheese.

The door flew open, and Lex stepped through, holding up two bottles of Cab. “Sorry, traffic was shit.”

“Language,” Gabi called.

Lex and I shared a look before Lex stomped over to the swear jar and tossed in a dollar bill.

10

ABOUT RACHEL VAN DYKEN:
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Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!
You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken  or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .
Links:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/8l7hP
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882127.Rachel_Van_Dyken?from_search=true
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Van-Dyken/e/B0054TW5AA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1407369649&sr=8-2-ent

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GIVEAWAY:

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Apr 06

The Matchmaker’s Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken Review

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5 Smooches!

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Synopsis

Wingman rule number one: don’t fall for a client.

After a career-ending accident, former NFL recruit Ian Hunter is back on campus—and he’s ready to get his new game on. As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.

From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule.…

REVIEW

I really do love a Rachel Van Dyken book.  There are a few reasons why.  One, they are always sexy without being over the top.  There is always tons of sexual tension but it isn’t overkill.  Two, they are ridiculously funny.  the banter and inner thoughts of her characters just make me giggle.  Three, she does YA and NA angst so darn well.  The Matchmaker’s playbook had all of these things and more and it just happens to be a favorite of mine now.  It worked it’s way right to the top of my most favorite reads along with the Ruin Series.

The author does a fabulous job of writing from the male POV this go around.  The entire book is done this way and I just adored Ian.  I mean, in the beginning he comes of kind like a douche canoe but the more and more I got to know him, the more I fell in love.  Because I truly love a witty guy and Ian has that going for him in spades.

‘When asses wiggled, I had a tendency to pet them.’

I mean the guy is a smoking hot ex football player and hero to boot so there was a lot to love, but seriously did I mention that he was freaking hilarious?!!

‘I was the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes.  I looked down.  Or maybe it was just my cock.’

HAH!  His inner musing made me giggle so much and honestly I just loved Blake for him.  She was absolutely everything he never thought he wanted but does.  She is a tomboy wearing god awful adidas sandals but he still can’t resist her charm and innocence.  Their chemistry was off the charts and I actually thought this one was pretty freaking sexy for a Rachel Van Dyken book.

‘I waved.  She flipped me off.  She might as well have kissed me.’

I just loved this one.  Funny, sexy, and deliciously sweet.  Pick it up now!

~Amie

 

 

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Apr 06

Shock Advised by Lani Lynn Vale Release Blitz

Title: Shock Advised

Series: Kilgore Fire Series #1

Author: Lani Lynn Vale

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: April 6, 2016 

Taima, a.k.a. Tai, is the last person people come to for help. He’s the fuck up…the bad boy…the guy that only looks out for himself.

Which couldn’t be further from the truth.

He’s fought hard to become the man he is today. He’s a hero in the public’s eye. A firefighter that the young all the way to the old turn to for help at the lowest point in their lives.

What people don’t know, though, is that he’s no hero. He’s the reason his sister is dead, and he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to right that wrong.

Then one split second decision has him coming face to face with Mia Darling. The woman changes his life, making him reevaluate everything he thought he had figured out, and showing him the tenderness he never knew he needed.

Just like always, though, his luck runs out.

When the smoke settles, Mia’s gone, and Tai realizes there’s no way he can live the rest of his life without her. He’ll show her just how hard a bad boy will fight to get his woman back, and he’s not opposed to fighting dirty.

 Check out our 5 smooches review HERE!

 

I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.

Title: Flash Point

Series: Kilgore Fire Series #2

Author: Lani Lynn Vale

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 2, 2016

Masen Crisfield fell in love with Booth Jones when she was sixteen years old. Booth was the love of her life. The rock she needed to get her through the day. Then she rips his heart out while he’s deployed, leaving him wondering just what he’d done to warrant something so severe as a breakup that neither of them wanted.

Stubbornness is their middle name, and ten long years pass before either one of them try to breach the gap.

Circumstances force Booth to come home, and within an hour of him being back in his hometown, there she is. Right back in the forefront of his mind where he knows she shouldn’t be.

The day he starts his first civilian job at Kilgore Fire Department, his worst fear of seeing Masen is realized. And not only does he see her, but he sees her with another man. A fellow firefighter that he has to trust with his life.

It soon becomes apparent that they are both still just as much in love with each other now as they were the moment they met. But there’s a problem. Booth’s married, and Masen’s in a committed relationship.

They fight the pull with everything they have, but they’re both about to learn the true meaning of flash point as the two of their lives crash together. Their love consuming everything in its path.

 

HOSTED BY:

Apr 06

Shock Advised by Lani Lynn Vale Review

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5 Smooches!

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Synopsis

Taima, a.k.a. Tai, is the last person people come to for help. He’s the fuck up… the bad boy… the guy that only looks out for himself.

Which couldn’t be further from the truth.

He’s fought hard to become the man he is today. He’s a hero in the public’s eye. A firefighter that the young all the way to the old turn to for help at the lowest point in their lives.

What people don’t know, though, is that he’s no hero. He’s the reason his sister is dead, and he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to right that wrong.

Then one split second decision has him coming face to face with Mia Darling. The woman changes his life, making him reevaluate everything he thought he had figured out, and showing him the tenderness he never knew he needed.

Just like always, though, his luck runs out.

When the smoke settles, Mia’s gone, and Tai realizes there’s no way he can live the rest of his life without her. He’ll show her just how hard a bad boy will fight to get his woman back, and he’s not opposed to fighting dirty.

Review

“He’s a bad boy. He just hides it better than most.”

Tai spent his teen years and early twenties cultivating reputation for being an irresponsible, selfish bad boy. He racked up massive debt, and he was the fun guy, the party guy, but not a guy anyone could count on. Older now, he’s working on changing that perception and paying down his debt. A fellow firefighter gives him an idea as to how he can earn some extra money and through that, he meets Mia.

“I was desperate.”

Mia is a nurse and the single mom of eight-month old, Colton. Colt’s deadbeat dad is not a part of their lives, not in any way. After getting devastating news about Colt’s health, Mia comes up with a plan she hopes will help to save her son, and that’s how she meets Tai.

“He’d been our only hope. Some way—somehow—I had to change his mind.”

Tai is having second thoughts, though. Instead of going through with Mia’s plan, Tai comes up with alternate option, and he and Mia work together to get it organized. Mia is finally feeling hopeful, and Tai is all-in for the beautiful but scared single mom and her fireman-loving little boy. Tai is with her every step of the way, and the attraction between them is undeniable. But when the unthinkable happens, Mia shuts down and shuts everyone out, including Tai.

“You doin’ alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m doing alright.” And I was. And getting better every day.

It’s two months later when Mia finally reaches out to Tai to apologize. Even though he’s hurt, he can’t fight the pull he feels to her. Someone in Kilgore isn’t feeling sympathetic toward the grieving young mother, though, and Mia finds herself embroiled in a mess that could cost her everything she has left. Just as her life is unraveling, a leak in the KFD is exposed, but the consequences of discovering who is behind it are far greater than anyone could have anticipated. With all the drama – legal and otherwise – swirling around them, will Mia and Tai be the support each of them needs to get through it all or, like everything else around them, will they crumble under the weight of it?

“You and me against the world.”

Kilgore Fire Department is another new series from the incredibly talented Lani Lynn Vale. She introduced her readers to the Uncertain Saints MC earlier this year, and like that series, KFD is a bit grittier and edgier than what we usually see from her. I was excited about the change in her typical tone and writing style in Whiskey Neat, and I’m thrilled with the progression of it in Shock Advised. This book tackles some difficult subjects, but Vale manages to pull it off with her usual brand of snarky and smart humor.

Keeping pace with her unprecedented slate of releases—she put out 11 books last year and looks to be on par to do the same this year—Ms. Vale has introduced a whole new slate of characters to her readers. As a diehard Lani Lynn Vale fan, I am giddy with anticipation to get my hands on these are new characters’ stories! One of the things I love about Lani’s books is the way that she ties in her previous works and characters so effortlessly and naturally, so it’s no surprise to see some of our favorite Freebirds and KPD-SWAT characters making appearances here.

I loved this book so much, and I’m so excited about this series! Five smooches from me for Lani Lynn Vale’s Shock Advised!

~ Danielle Palumbo

BUY IT NOW

Apr 06

That One Day by Josie Wright Cover Reveal and Giveaway

 

 

 

Title: That One Day

Series: That One #1.5

Author: Josie Wright

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 6, 2016

Blurb

 

One day.
One letter.
That’s all it took for my life to fall apart. Now all that’s left is deception and betrayal. I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know who to trust.

So I leave, searching for the truth hidden behind a web of lies.

The only thing I take with me, besides a bag of clothes, is the memory of one night. That one night with Frankie, my best friend’s little sister. The woman I have loved as long as I can remember.

The memory is what keeps me going when I learn the truth. It’s what keeps me sane when I feel like I’m losing my mind. And, it’s what drives me back to a life I ran from eighteen months ago.

Yet, nothing is the way it used to be. Frankie has a secret. One that changes everything. Changes who I am. Letting her go is not an option. I have to make her trust me. I need to make her mine.

But I have a secret of my own. One that keeps me awake at night. A secret that could make me lose Frankie forever. It’s not a chance I can take.

Not suitable for under 18’s due to strong language, violence and sexual content

*Though this book can be read as a standalone, it’s recommended to read ‘That One Night’ first to get the full picture.

 

Also Available

 

 

AMAZON US / UK

 

 

 

Author Bio

 

Josie Wright has always been a bookworm, spending every free moment with her nose buried in a book. While others were out partying, she spent her evenings with Heathcliff, Sydney Carton or Snape. Romance, fantasy, thrillers – you name it, she read it.

Thanks to the Kindle, she finally arrived in the 21St century and discovered the Indie literature world. Josie has been lost to it ever since. With her love for the written word and her promiscuous feelings for countless book boyfriends, the next logical step was to start writing. The voices in her head and her imaginary friends wanted out to play and so she wrote her debut novel “That One Night”, that’s to be released early summer 2015. And the good news is, there are more voices and imaginary friend where Ben and Frankie came from.

Josie is a financial expert by day and a writing junkie by night. The rest of the time she’s a bit of a hippie, a bit of a goth and many things in between. Josie loves to spend time with her husband when she can tear herself away from her book boyfriends. She loves video games, movies, good food and even better music. She’s addicted to chips, long baths and shoes. Oh, and books of course. Definitely books.

Author Links

 

Giveaway

 

Apr 05

The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas Cover Reveal

THE PROTECTOR by Jodi Ellen Malpas (September 6, 2016; Forever Trade Paperback and Forever eBook; stand alone novel)

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THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THIS MAN TRILOGY AND ONE NIGHT TRILOGY!

People think they have Camille Logan nailed: daddy’s girl; beautiful, spoiled young woman with her father’s bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she’s made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father’s ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.

Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating–both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn’t the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don’t mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn’t the woman she’s perceived to be. She’s warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can’t have both.

Buy the Book in the US!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1X0pskX

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Buy the Book in the UK!

Waterstones: http://bit.ly/22ScpZQ

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About the Author:

Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a Converse & mojito addict, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males.

Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

She’s now a proud #1 New York Times bestselling author – all six of her published novels having hit the New York Times bestsellers list – as well as a Sunday Times bestseller and international bestseller. Her work is published in over 20 languages across the world.

Social Media Links:

www.JodiEllenMalpas.co.uk

Twitter @jodiellenmalpas

Facebook.com/JodiEllenMalpas

Add to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1QZ7yO9