Title: The Redemption of Soul Dallas

Author: Cara J. White

Published by: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing

Date published: Jan. 27, 2015

Genres: Contemporary

Book Length: 

Steam Rating: Sweet

Main Characters: Soul & Lana

Add to GoodReads

Buy on Amazon

“Cara J. White’s writing style is addictive. The way the story flows from page to page is so natural, so easy to follow that it drags you in without your knowledge. It hooks you and pulls you in deeper with every word read and every page turned.” ~Becca

Eighteen and homeless, Soul Dallas has more to worry about than what he’ll be doing this New Year’s. In a town where compassion is rare and malice plenty, he’s left for dead by a gang seeking revenge for his father’s debts.

When anxiety-burdened Lana provides him with shelter, she’s swept into his world of pandemonium where fear means fight not flight. Leaving behind her imprisoned life with an over-bearing mother, she learns of Soul’s shocking past and what it truly means to be alive. But when the gang closes ranks and Soul falls ill, finding a bright future seems futile.

Together Soul and Lana must seek reason behind an ally’s betrayal, a dead woman’s return, and the ruthlessness behind some people’s need for vengeance.

But the pair don’t always see eye to eye, and each have plans that could jeopardize everything.

The Redemption of Soul Dallas is the first YA book I have read in a very long time. I was nervous…I was antsy…I just wanted this book to be awesome!

The blurb is absolutely perfect and hooked me right away. After reading it I just knew that I had to read the book. When Cara offered me the chance to review it I was quick to say yes!

Damn am I glad that I got the chance! This book was wonderful! Quite possibly one of my favorite books so far and that is saying something!

It took me a bit to adjust to the European speech, but once I adjusted things flowed beautifully and I didn’t want to put it down!

The characters are perfectly developed and so realistic that I could easily picture myself meeting them, being a part of their lives and this amazing story. I couldn’t help but connect with Soul and Lana. I felt like such a part of the story that I hurt when they hurt, I cried when they cried and my stomach got that butterfly feeling as if I were about to experience my first kiss as they did. I can honestly say that I book has not made me FEEL so much in a very long time.

Cara J. White’s writing style is addictive. The way the story flows from page to page is so natural, so easy to follow that it drags you in without your knowledge. It hooks you and pulls you in deeper with every word read and every page turned. The Redemption of Soul Dallas is one of those books that I would recommend to everyone! The message within the love story is so meaningful, so important. I can’t think of a single person that wouldn’t benefit from reading this book.

The situation that Lana is in, the emotional issues that she is forced to attempt to overcome…it’s all so real. There are a lot of people out there dealing with very similar things.

Then we look at Soul’s life and the horrible things that he has to deal with. When Lana’s mother blames him for his living arrangement and for his being sick…lets just say that I wanted to hurt that woman even more than I did when I saw how she treated Lana! Not one single part of what Soul is going through is his fault and for anyone to even insinuate that it is…

Ugh…okay sorry see what I mean about the story and characters being written so realistically that you feel a part of it? I feel the need to defend Soul. To step in when Lana needs someone to tell her mom to shove it!

So anyways…I’ve done a decent job of rambling on and on about The Redemption of Soul Dallas. And yet…I did a great job of not letting you know what is going on in the story hehe Don’t want to spoil it for ya!

Just know that the romance is epic, a total MFEO if I’ve ever read one! The characters are beautifully written. The story line flows perfectly. And the ending…

Oh gosh…that damn ending!

I am still crying my eyes out over here every time I think about it

Where is my HEA?!?! Lol

The Redemption of Soul Dallas is such a wonderful book with characters so well developed that I felt like I knew them and grew to care for them. With every page I turned I found myself begging for more and worrying constantly over the outcome. Now that it’s over I want more…I need to know what happens next for Lana…I want Soul back!! #SoulDallas

In case you haven’t figured it out yet…this is a 100% HIGHLY recommended book! So as soon as it is out (JAN. 27TH!!) and on Amazon (and when I get a link to it I’ll post it here) you need to ONE CLICK THAT THING!

Writer of fanciful tales, person of magic and mysterious thoughts . . . Cara lives in Essex with her family and two cats. 

She has an obsession with cars and would love to rebuild a Trans Am. 

Connect with Cara J. White

Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Have you read a book that you adored and wanted to beat the author for the ending? lol

Title: Heart of Marley

Author: T.K. Leigh

Published by: Carpe Per Diem, Inc

Date published: Nov. 3, 2014

Genres: Mystery

Book Length: 313 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Marley & Cameron

Add to GoodReads

Buy on Amazon

“This story is an emotional roller-coaster that will grip you from page one and will not let you go…even after you reach the end.” ~Becca

To the moon and back…

From the stars to the ocean…

That was Marley and Cameron Bowen’s secret code.

Twins born just five minutes apart, they have the perfect life… Until tragedy strikes just weeks after their eighth birthday and their father is killed by a drunk driver. Having trouble coping with the loss of her soul mate, their mother tries to find comfort in drugs and alcohol… And an abusive man with a penchant for underage girls.

No longer able to stand listening to his sister’s screams and cries every night for nearly three years, Cam takes matters into his own hands and they’re finally able to escape the nightmare.

They’re finally able to start over…

But the nightmare still haunts Marley. The years go on and she is forced to put on a smile, making everyone think that she is the perfect, well-adjusted teenager that she is supposed to be… Until she is faced with a painful reminder of her past during her senior year of high school and she’s no longer able to keep on the mask that she has been compelled to wear.

Heart Of Marley is a prequel novel to T.K. Leigh’s Heart Of Light.

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 18 AND OVER DUE TO GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Guys…I honestly don’t even know where to begin with my review of Heart of Marley.

This book was so damn raw…

so emotional…

so real and honest and just plain heart-wrenching!

I literally spent the last 20% of Heart of Marley reading through constant tears!! I have not read a book that had such a strong effect on me in a very long time.

The subject matter is deep and dark but sadly realistic. The life that Marley and Cam have lived is more ‘normal’ than anyone would like to believe. Having dealt with abuse as a child, I found parts of this book very therapeutic and some parts extremely difficult to get through. The thoughts running through Marley’s head…the way she wore a mask to hide the truth…I’ve been there and hell even after all these years I still have days where I’m there.

I have to say that I was very surprised by the religious aspect of the book. I loved that T.K. gave a more realistic view of this situation than most books do. The first time I read the line ‘Turn to Him and He will help you through it. God is the only therapy you need.’ (Not word for word what T.K. wrote but you get the gist.) I honestly cringed. I always hate it when books/movies make it seem like therapy is a bad thing. I want to scream at the world and the people that have made that stigma a reality. Some things hurt…some things scar…and there are some things that you NEED to get help for and there is NOTHING wrong with that!

When T.K. took this horrible subject matter and managed to show the world the truth behind the lies…the damage that not seeking help can cause…I lost it. I have never wanted to find an author and thank them so much in my life. Heart of Marley gives girls, boys, women and men a voice and makes it clear that admitting that you need help is not a weakness it is a strength. Bottling your thoughts and feelings inside and hiding the truth from the world doesn’t help anyone. (Hell, just writing this review has me tearing up again….)

I want to stop my review right here and now and say one thing to T.K. Leigh if she reads this…Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your words, for this story, for taking the time to write something so difficult. Thank you for giving me a voice and reminding me that it’s okay to show your scars and it’s okay to ask for help. Thank you so very much for this book (as well as Heart of Light, that was just as amazing).

Okay, sorry for that guys…back to my review.

I’m not going to go into too much detail with the story line because honestly there isn’t much I can say that won’t be a spoiler. Cam and Marley are such amazingly developed characters. T.K. did an excellent job of depicting what someone growing up in this situation would be like. Everything felt realistic and was extremely well written. This story is an emotional roller-coaster that will grip you from page one and will not let you go…even after you reach the end.

Heart of Marley left me bawling and yet so deeply moved that I had to know more. I had to read Heart of Light and see what came next. If you can’t tell already, I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone and everyone that has a chance to read it.

T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is the USA Today Best Selling author of the Beautiful Mess series. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). She always had a knack for writing, but mostly in the legal field. It wasn’t until recently that she decided to try her hand at creative writing and is now addicted to creating different characters and new and unique story lines in the Contemporary Romantic Suspense genre. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog ~ Pinterest ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads

Twenty Fun Facts

1. I wear a shirt when I write that has Shakespeare’s face on it and says “This shit writes itself.”

2. I am a middle child. I have a sister that is two years older and a sister that is two years younger.

3. My favorite movie of all time is Casablanca.

4. When I was 21, I did an internship working at Walt Disney World. Best seven months EVER!

5. I met my husband in the parking lot of a Jimmy Buffett concert. He was working. I was drinking.

6. My favorite beer is Blue Moon.

7. I love the Red Sox.

8. Every time I publish a new book, I drink champagne and watch Anchorman and Talladega Nights. It’s a tradition now.

9. When I was moving out to California from Connecticut after graduating law school, the hubs and I drove route 66 all the way from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier. It was such an amazing experience, and I think there may be a book in it.

10. My pen name is a play on my real name. My full name is Tracy Leigh Kellam. I don’t think I need to spell out where T.K. Leigh came from.

11. I have a yellow jeep wrangler that I love. Her name is Savvy J.

12. In my opinion, there is no such thing as too much coffee. Or peanut butter.

13. I am a sushi addict.

14. I am deathly afraid of snakes. I can’t even watch a movie with them in it or I’ll flip out.

15. My favorite New Kid on the Block was Donnie. I’m glad I picked one that aged well.

16. I am a huge proponent of “Adopt, don’t shop.” We have a dog and 3 kittens, all of whom we have found on the streets and saved.

17. One of my favorite TV shows is Arrested Development.

18. My favorite book of all time is The Great Gatsby. What can I say. I’m a sucker for a story with no HEA.

19. I currently have 8 works in progress.

20. You will all be seeing Cam and Jolene again.

“Thanks for asking me to come. I mean, tonight… I mean, for asking me to go to the bonfire with you. Not for asking me to come. That doesn’t sound right.” My face flamed red with embarrassment.

He smiled at me and winked. “No but, if you ask me, it sounds good.”

I halted in my tracks, completely frozen in place. I can do this, I said to myself. He was just joking. He doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s just a harmless joke, Marley. Just a joke.

He noticed my reaction and turned to face me on the street. “I’m so sorry, Marley. That was completely inappropriate. I don’t know what possessed me to say that. That’s not the way my mama raised me. I really am a good guy. I normally wouldn’t joke like that. You’ve got to believe that I didn’t mean anything by it. Please.” He slumped his shoulders, the formerly confident Doug replaced by a Doug that was full of remorse. “I understand if you don’t want to come with me.”

My eyes grew wide, more in irony than dread or concern.

“I mean, you don’t have to go to the bonfire with me. God, I really hate that word right now.”

I giggled. “Me, too.” I raised my head and met his pleading eyes. I could tell that he was bracing for me to turn around and walk away from him, but that was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Come. Say it with me. Come…” I said to him. “It feels good.” Throwing my head back to look at the stars in the sky, I shouted to the heavens, “Come!” I raised my arms like an angel and spun around, screaming the word over and over again. I must have looked like a spectacle, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want one word to come between what could blossom into a good thing with Doug.

I slowed my spins, but the sky kept moving even when I stopped. I attempted to regain my balance, but soon found myself tripping over my own feet.

Two arms were around me instantly, preventing me from falling to the ground. “Whoa. Careful, Marley Jane.”

I closed my eyes and basked at the sound of his voice calling me Marley Jane. Cam called me that all the time, but there was something so warm, affectionate, and thrilling about my first and middle name rolling off Doug’s tongue. Focusing my gaze on his, I was met with his brilliant green eyes.

“Hey,” I breathed.

“Hey.”

“You still haven’t said it.”

He scrunched his eyebrows at me. “Said what?”

A grin crossed my face. “Come.”

Are you up for a soul wrenching read? Have you read Heart of Light?

Title: Stolen Innocents

Author: Addison Kline

Series: Shadow Series (Book 2)

Publish Date: October 24th

Book Length: 464 pages

Rating: Sweet

Genre: Mystery/YA/NA

Main Characters: The Families of Elkhart

Add to GR

Buy on Amazon

“I implore you to check this series out. You will NOT regret it – Addison Kline is one of the best.” – Jen

Everybody in Elkhart has a secret and if they say they don’t, they’re lying. Three years have passed since Tristan Morrow returned home after her harrowing kidnapping ordeal with her former English teacher, Bernard Kendricks. A sense of peace has taken over the Morrow Manor, but it will not last forever. A killer of women is on the loose in Elkhart and has already claimed the lives of two young women. Will DiNolfo and her officers catch the killer before a third victim is claimed? When their three main suspects turn out to be innocent, the Elkhart Police Department is at a loss until a citizen comes forward with some crucial information: Tristan Morrow knows who is responsible for the murders. But does the information come too late? And how does this relate to the murder case of Tiffany O’Mara? Tristan soon learns that not even the dead can keep their secrets buried forever.

Holy Mystery! I am astonished at Addison”s ability to cross genres so eloquently. I am an avid romance reader – I have never had an interest in any other type of book. Until this series. This is not a romance book. This is an adventure into the amazing world of Thrilling Mystery. You may ask why I decided to read and review this book and it’s predecessor Shadow Dancer… Well, it’s because I love Addison’s work. All of it. She is an amazing author and her genius over captivating her audience is sublime.

This book takes place 3 years after Shadow Dancer. Giving us a deeper look into the sadistic mind of Bernard kendricks. The asshole sociopath in Shadow Dancer. It shows us how his corruption of a young girl had ill effects on her psyche.

Angela O’Mara’s character was incredible! Thats all I can say without spoiling anything… lol. Tristan Morrow has got to be the best young heroine in any book I have read in a long time. She has a good head on her shoulders despite the turmoil she suffered in the last book. She takes everything a day a time and doesn’t let the past hold her back. The Morrow Family is one to aspire to. Their values and strength and support they carry for those they love is admirable. The changes in their lives and everything they have overcome, it gives you a sense of knowing… a sense that everything works out even after the bleakest of times.

I implore you to check this series out. You will NOT regret it – Addison Kline is one of the best. I am so glad I gave this series attention…. I am also glad that Addison writes and releases quickly, I hate waiting too long for the next book in a series. I wonder if she has more in store from the town of Elkhart

Addison Kline is an Amazon Best-Selling Author who resides in Philadelphia with her husband and their children. When she is not writing, she enjoys watching reruns of Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead and Sons on Anarchy, traveling with her family and reading to her heart’s content. She has published a total of 7 books and had many more in the works… Keep your eyes out for her ladies!

Stalk Addison…

Goodreads

Twitter

Website

Facebook

 What are some your favorite books outside the ROMANCE world?

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch of Rachel Harris’ THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING is the first book in Rachel’s The Fine Art of Pretending Series published by Spencer Hill Contemporary.

Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon | Amazon UK | IndieBound

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you’re friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her.

Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time. But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy.

Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight.

When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart.

Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently.

He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back.

Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience.

And that I’m kissing Brandon.

We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes.

That was unexpected.    

Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.  

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author: Leigh T. Moore

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Books currently in the series: Dragonfly, Undertow, Watercolor, Mosaic

Want to hear my thoughts on the series? 

Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy. 

Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed her outside her comfort zone and Jack showed her feelings she’s never experienced… Until he mysteriously withdrew.

Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.

It’s a secret that could cost her the boy she loves and permanently change all their lives.

Falling in love will pull you under… 

-Bill Kyser has a plan to take the sandy farms of his hometown and turn them into a world-class tourist destination–and become a billionaire in the process. 
-Alexandra “Lexy” LaSalle has a plan to change her life by becoming a world-famous artist. 
-Meg Weaver has a plan to hold onto Bill no matter what she has to do. 

Three friends, three dreams. One fatal decision will change all their lives forever. 

In Dragonfly, Bill Kyser gave Anna the three journals that held the story behind the powerful developer’s seclusion and the damaged lives of his family members. 

Anna hopes to find a way for Julian to know the truth, but as she digs deeper into the tragic events of the past, she realizes silence could be the only option. 

Now she’s in an alliance with the man she formerly feared. And if Julian finds out what she knows, she could lose for good the boy she’s starting to love.

Love is stronger than distance…

Finishing senior year is supposed to be the best time in a person’s life.
Finishing senior year as Julian’s girlfriend should’ve been the icing on the cake.
Knowing the secret that could change everything for him is the only thing threatening to spoil it all. 
Until Jack returns.

Anna and Julian are together at last, and it’s as hot and happy as they knew it would be. The only problem is The Secret. 

And Jack. 

But while Anna is determined to fight for the guy she loves, she could still lose Julian when he discovers the truth she’s been helping to hide.

The future never goes as planned.
People are never what they seem.
Time changes everything.

So you want to know what happened to Anna and Julian? Well, listen up, because I’ve got the whole scoop. I’m Jules, btw, and I am an artist, as you already know if you’ve read Watercolor. What you might not know is I inherited my mother’s cute little newsy nose, thank you very much.

It’s high school reunion time, and everyone’s coming back to Fairview—everyone who’s not already there, mind you. What went wrong, who’s fault it was, and why the heck nobody knew about me… it’s all coming out.

Long-distance relationships rarely last, and a lot of water has passed under that bridge. Big Secrets will be exposed, and in the end we’ll know if that old saying is true: Love is stronger than time.

“The books are most successful and most compelling when Moore brings the tension”

 My favorite of the series was the first installment, Dragonfly. While some say love triangles have been overdone in YA romance, Anna’s attraction to Jack is believable as she struggles with her growing love for her friend Julian. There’s tension and palpable desire here that I miss in the rest of the series.

Overall, I love the premise of these books: a long-kept secret held by one generation spills over into their children’s lives, wreaking havoc with their loves and their futures. Much of the parents’ generation’s story is told through the contrivance of three diaries, and too often, they read as a contrivance. In Undertow, It’s hard to imagine anyone actually writing, as one does, “My mother, Mrs. Georgiana Weaver, is on practically every volunteer board and committee in South County.That’s because my daddy, Dr. John Weaver, is the best surgeon at the hospital in Fairview, and he’s a founding member of the hospital expansion committee.” This information needed to be conveyed, but no one is likely to write like this about themselves in a document ostensibly for and about themselves, so it feels a little clunky. Despite this style problem, the older characters’ stories are realistic and credible, and though the same story is told three times, it doesn’t seem too repetitive. A greater distinction between narrative voices would have made this aspect even more successful. I really like Julian and his mom. Those are people I would like to know IRL

In Watercolor, a new character seems to emerge out of nowhere and it’s difficult at first to accept that his story is as important as it is to the characters who had never mentioned him before or seemed to take an interest in the issue (don’t want to give too much away here) but it sets up events for later books. The Julian-Anna-Jack triangle pretty much dies here and I miss it. I didn’t exactly understand why Julian and Anna split up for a period, or why any of the adults would have let Anna in on such intimate details of their lives, but as a reader you just have to accept that premise. However, I wish some of the big events had been “written bigger” and some of the smaller ones had been skipped or minimized (it seems that finally learning who your father is, for example,  should be a little more world-shattering than it is here).

Mosaic takes us years into the future and shows us how the younger generation seems to repeat the mistakes of their parents. A new narrator emerges and I found her somewhat forced, especially in her British-isms. Lines like “I read your sodding private blog, Mum. I know he was shagging some chav named Renee, and that’s why you left. He’s not just a wanker, he’s a sodding git” sound like a parody.

Overall, the books are most successful and most compelling when Moore brings the tension, as in this scene from Undertow:

I kissed him back. Our lips parted, and it was like

a sip of cool water after a long day in the hot sun. Such a relief.

He moved closer to kiss the side of my face, my neck and my hair. I

tightened my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder and

inhaling deeply.

So sweet, so sad. I wished with everything in

me there was a way to change things. And when I opened my eyes,

there she was.

Meg was standing motionless in the backlight

of the hallway watching us.

My eyes flew wide as I pushed Bill away.

“Meg! It’s not what you think.”

She didn’t move, and even in the backlight I

could see the betrayal on her face, her body trembling. I took two

steps toward her, and she backed away.

“Meg…”

I could barely whisper her name as I

took another step. She turned and ran, and I stopped at at the door,

trying to catch my breath, reeling from the shock.

Nonetheless, these books would make some great beach reading, especially since many of the most enjoyable scenes take place on Gulf beaches. Moore really takes you there with excellent sensory details. As a beach girl myself, I wanted to join them.

And I really, really want a dragonfly ring. You will, too, after reading these.

Note: These books are a little steamy, so they’re definitely upper YA fare and could also be considered NA as the characters go off to college and even adult/parenthood.

 Check out the series on Goodreads, Smashwords,  and Amazon.

Title: Dragonfly series

Author: Leigh T Moore

Series: Dragonfly

Published by: Amazon digital services

Date published: June 4, 2103

Genres: contemporary 

Book Length: approximately 260 pages each

Steam Rating: upper YA/NA levels of steam here

Main Characters: Anna, Jack, and Julian

Add to GoodReads

Buy on Amazon

Check out the review of the series in the post below

Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy. 

Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed her outside her comfort zone and Jack showed her feelings she’s never experienced… Until he mysteriously withdrew.

Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.

It’s a secret that could cost her the boy she loves and permanently change all their lives.

Falling in love will pull you under… 

-Bill Kyser has a plan to take the sandy farms of his hometown and turn them into a world-class tourist destination–and become a billionaire in the process. 
-Alexandra “Lexy” LaSalle has a plan to change her life by becoming a world-famous artist. 
-Meg Weaver has a plan to hold onto Bill no matter what she has to do. 

Three friends, three dreams. One fatal decision will change all their lives forever. 

In Dragonfly, Bill Kyser gave Anna the three journals that held the story behind the powerful developer’s seclusion and the damaged lives of his family members. 

Anna hopes to find a way for Julian to know the truth, but as she digs deeper into the tragic events of the past, she realizes silence could be the only option. 

Now she’s in an alliance with the man she formerly feared. And if Julian finds out what she knows, she could lose for good the boy she’s starting to love.

Love is stronger than distance…

Finishing senior year is supposed to be the best time in a person’s life.
Finishing senior year as Julian’s girlfriend should’ve been the icing on the cake.
Knowing the secret that could change everything for him is the only thing threatening to spoil it all. 
Until Jack returns.

Anna and Julian are together at last, and it’s as hot and happy as they knew it would be. The only problem is The Secret. 

And Jack. 

But while Anna is determined to fight for the guy she loves, she could still lose Julian when he discovers the truth she’s been helping to hide.

The future never goes as planned.
People are never what they seem.
Time changes everything.

So you want to know what happened to Anna and Julian? Well, listen up, because I’ve got the whole scoop. I’m Jules, btw, and I am an artist, as you already know if you’ve read Watercolor. What you might not know is I inherited my mother’s cute little newsy nose, thank you very much.

It’s high school reunion time, and everyone’s coming back to Fairview—everyone who’s not already there, mind you. What went wrong, who’s fault it was, and why the heck nobody knew about me… it’s all coming out.

Long-distance relationships rarely last, and a lot of water has passed under that bridge. Big Secrets will be exposed, and in the end we’ll know if that old saying is true: Love is stronger than time.

Check out the review of the entire series in tomorrow’s post!

Leigh Talbert Moore is the author of the popular young adult romantic comedy The Truth About Faking, its companion, The Truth About Letting Go, which is a Top 5 Finalist in the 2013 “Best Indie Book Awards,” sponsored by The Kindle Book Review; the romantic-suspense novel Rouge, which was a Quarter Finalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards; and the Dragonfly series, a new contemporary YA to new adult romantic saga.

A southern expat and beach bum (and ex-journalist and editor), Leigh lives with her husband and two young children in a landlocked location. To compensate, she conjures new worlds, characters, and situations while playing chauffeur, chaperon, group activity leader, and referee.

Get Exclusive Sale and New Release Alerts straight to your phone or mobile device—Text “LeighTMoore” to 77948 Today!*

*(Max 3-4 messages per month or less; HELP for help; STOP to cancel; Text and Data rates may apply. Privacy policy available, leightmoore@gmail.com)

AND/OR Sign up for Leigh’s newsletter, and be the first to know about sales or new releases!

Connect with Leigh online:

Blog | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | Tumblr | Pinterest

Read chapters from Leigh’s books:

Wattpad | Figment

Leigh graciously agreed to play “My Life in Song Titles” with me! And she has some excellent answers, as you can see. She gets super extra bonus points from my daughter for mentioning Ariana Grande’s “Problem”. You’re just going to have to read the series to get the joke on this one.

1. What song describes a typical day in your life (as a writer or “civilian”)?

My husband says “The Loneliness of the Middle Distance Runner” by Belle and Sebastian. I’m not sure what that says about me—LOL! I’d say “She Works Hard for the Money,” by Donna Summer.

2. What would be Anna’s theme song? What would be yours?

This summer’s pick hit “Problem” by Arianna Grande. She would do a long-distance dedication to Jack on that one—Haha! Mine would be… umm… The Loneliness of a Middle Distance runner? BAH!!! Just kidding. It would definitely be “Just Keep Swimming” from Finding Nemo… is that even a real song.

3. What song describes the best advice you ever received?

This is advice I actually GIVE new and fellow writers all the time: “Just Keep Swimming.” I know. I already said that.

4. If you weren’t a writer what would your dream job be (in song, of course)?

Umm… “Wichita Lineman” by Glenn Campbell—omg… just kidding! Sadly I don’t have any other dream jobs. That was of my dad’s favorite songs, though. Maybe I could be a Rhinestone Cowgirl?

5. Where is your favorite place in the whole world?

The beach. But unfortunately there’s not a “The Beach” song that I can think of other than “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys, and I hate that song… Maybe “Wipeout” would be better?

from Dragonfly: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget! Come back tomorrow and check out the review and more on the Dragonfly series!

Title: EX-FACTOR

Author: Lisa Sanchez/ Elisa Dane

Series: Diamond Girls

Published by: Swoon

Date published: April 14, 20134

Genres: contemporary

Book Length: 207 pages

Main Characters: Neveah Evans and Bodie Scot

Add to GoodReads

Buy on Amazon

Nevaeh Evan’s life is uprooted after her father’s death, when she moves in with her aunt and cousin, Livvie. Her plan to lay low at her new high school isn’t working. Her friend’s jerky boyfriend keeps asking her out, the guy she likes treats her like garbage, and the thought of tumbling again makes her want to hurl. 

So when her aunt pushes her into joining the elite X-FACTOR cheer leading squad, Navaeh goes along with it. 

But Nev feels she doesn’t deserve to be happy. Not after what happened the night her father died. 

Bodie Scott knows about grief all too well. Critically injured in an alcohol related accident the year before, Bodie struggles with the fact that he’ll never play football again, and he’s so far behind in credits he can’t see straight. That is, until he meets Nev. Haunted by their bloody pasts and wary of a shared future, Nev and Bodie turn to one another for comfort and support, and realize they’re not so alone after all. And when the party scene at school threatens the life of a loved one, the two stop at nothing to keep the past from repeating itself.

ELISA DANE is a self-proclaimed book junkie. A lover of handbags, chocolate, and reality television, she’s a proud mother to three All- Star cheerleaders. Writing is her absolute passion, and it’s her mission to create stories that will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but help you find a new respect and interest in the sport of All-Star cheerleading.

Elisa is no stranger to the publishing world. She writes steamy paranormal romance under her real name, Lisa Sanchez. Her adult works include the Hanford Park series (Eve Of Samhain, Pleasures Untold, and Faythe Reclaimed), Obsessed (an erotic suspense), and a paranormal novella, Cursing Athena. Elisa lives in Northern California with her husband, three daughters, and a feisty Chihuahua who stubbornly believes she’s human.

Contact her on Facebook at  Elisa Dane, and Lisa Sanchez Romance Author or Twitter @ElisaDane, and @LisaSanchez3.

“Ahh… Mr. Scott!” My gaze automatically swept to the front of the classroom, Keltar’s loud, obnoxious voice almost impossible to ignore. “So good of you to grace us with your presence today. I trust you’ve learned something during your time away from school? Violence is never the answer, young man.” Frowning, the surly Santa wannabe begrudgingly swept a pink slip of paper from a tall, muscular boy dressed in dark clothing.

My heart jumped a little in my chest as I surveyed the colossal mass of male student at the front of the class. What the hell were the people of Indigo Falls feeding their sons? Some type of über growth hormone? Over half the guys in the school looked as though they belonged on the cover of a weightlifting magazine—chiseled, as if cut from granite. And what was that about violence, and time away from school? Had he gotten into a fight? From his size, he looked like someone who could deliver massive amounts of pain with ease.

The new guy stood in complete silence as Keltar continued on, delivering the same tired speech he’d given me upon entering the room. The same nervous feeling that had plagued me when I entered the school just a short time ago returned with a vengeance, and I caught myself struggling to breathe. What the hell? The new guy, whoever he was, had a bizarre effect on me, and to be honest, it was freaking me out a little. I mean, hell… I hadn’t even seen his face and I had butterflies whirling in my stomach. How was that possible? What kind of person had that type of effect on people?

He turned around then, and the answers to my unspoken questions all but slapped me upside the face.

Holy Mary, Mother of Pearl…

If boys were classified into two shades: light and dark, my Paper Thief, Eli would hover somewhere in the realm of ivory or beige. But this new guy was dark. We’re talking black down to the very pit of his soul type dark.

Ebony eyes void of emotion swept over the room before finally settling on his seat: the empty chair next to Erin. Short, dark hair hugged his skull, bringing attention to the chiseled line of his jaw. His features were strong, hard, and entirely masculine—beautiful. No joke, he looked like an avenging angel hell bent on mayhem and destruction. Bad. The boy was bad to the bone.

Heat scorched my neck and cheeks and my pulse ratcheted up another notch.

Electricity arced through the air as he neared the table, and the oxygen in the room seemed to thin even more. Incapable of speech or movement, I sat open-mouthed, gaping at him like an imbecilic fool. The black T-shirt he wore stretched across his broad chest like a second skin, and revealed a set of arms, one of which sported a wicked tribal tattoo. His gait was confident, yet lazy, and clearly shouted “I don’t give a fuck. I’m only here because I have to be, so stay the hell out of my way.”

Erin cleared her throat and cast me a knowing “Well, well, well. Look who thinks the bad boy is hot” smirk.

The boy’s most stand out feature was a jagged scar which ran from the center of his skull, down along the top of his left ear. It ended just below the left half of his jaw. The skin was thick, raised and silvery pink making it obvious that whatever trauma had placed it there hadn’t happened that long ago.


Heat scored the base of my skull, and I reached, as if on autopilot, for the fat, rigid bump that crawled across my hairline. How had he gotten his scar? A hundred different scenarios played out in my head, none of which included the circumstance that had earned me mine.

Title: The Geography of You and Me                                                   

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Published by: Poppy

Date published: April 5, 2014

Genres: contemporary romance

Book Length: 352 pages

Steam Rating: sweet 

Main Characters: Owen and Lucy 

Add to GoodReads

Buy on Amazon

Owen and Lucy share a similar sense of humor and the joy they feel in each other’s company radiates off the pages.

Lucy and Owen meet when they’re stuck in an elevator in their New York City apartment building during a citywide blackout. They’re drawn to one another but circumstances pull them a continent apart. Can love survive if it hasn’t had a chance to develop past one wonderful night on a Manhattan rooftop?

THE COUPLE: Lucy is a loner and a bookworm. Since she’s happy with her books and roaming Manhattan solo and is used to being alone as her parents travel a great deal, she’s surprised that she wants to spend time with Owen despite having just met him. Owen is more mysterious; he and his father are both rootless after the death of Owen’s mother. But Owen and Lucy share a similar sense of humor and the joy they feel in each other’s company radiates off the pages.

OVERALL: I’m a big fan of Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and This is What Happy Looks Like. I was more immediately pulled into those stories than this one, probably because Smith set herself such a difficult task: showing us two people falling in love when they go pages and pages – most of the book – without seeing each other or even writing to one another. I have to admit that I wanted more dialogue between Owen and Lucy, more chances for them to interact, even though I get that the whole point is that they’ve been separated. Still, I found the charming Scot who Lucy dates when she’s living in Edinburgh at least as attractive as Owen, which diminishes the idea that Owen and Lucy’s love was meant to be. But when Owen and Lucy are together, you want them to remain that way.

SMOOCH METER: 3 smooches (I know it’s the exact opposite of the point of this book, but I wanted more Owen and Lucy together. I wanted to see their love develop).

He couldn’t find the words. And so instead they just stood there, regarding each other silently, the room suddenly a quiet as the elevator had been, as comfortable as the kitchen floor, as remote as the roof. Because that’s what happened when you were with someone like that: the world shrank to just the right size. It molded itself to fit only the two of you, and nothing more.

Have you ever had a long-distance love affair or flirtation? Anything you can share with us?

Title: LOUDER THAN WORDS 

Author: Iris St. Clair 

Published by: Month 9 Books

Date published: releases September 2014

Genres: Contemporary

Main Characters: Ellen and Rex

Add to GoodReads

Buy on Amazon soon!

Disappointment has been on speed dial in Ellen Grayson’s life lately. Her dad’s dead, her mom is numbing the grief with drugs and alcohol, and her so-called friends are slowly abandoning her. Trusting a popular teacher with her troubles should have been safe, shouldn’t have led to an unwelcome seduction attempt, shouldn’t have sent her running to the girls’ bathroom for the final moments of her Junior year. Lesson learned. Best to keep all the sordid details of her life to herself.

Enter Rex Jacobi, a cocky teen recently transplanted from New York and fellow summer camp employee. Though his quick wit and confidence draws her in, she’s not letting him get too close, not til she’s sure she can trust him. By the time Rex’s charming persistence wears down her resistance, it’s too late. He’s put Ellen on the perma-pal shelf and shifted his romantic attentions to her arch-rival. Even worse, the teacher who tried to seduce her is still misbehaving with impunity.

With her ability to trust as shaky as a chastity vow on prom night, Ellen must decide if she has enough remaining courage to speak up about her teacher and risk retribution, to tell Rex how she feels and risk heartbreak, or hold all her secrets inside, the only safe place she knows. 

 Iris St. Clair is the pen name for a long-suffering cubicle worker by day, a Walter Mitty dreamer by night. She also writes adult romance under the pen name of Claire Gillian and erotica under a super-secret third pen name. No matter what audience or genre she writes for, she prefers witty, insecure heroines and persistent heroes able to break through to the gooey heart inside. 

Iris believes in the two-year “fish or cut bait” dating rule and has a 20+ year marriage and two teenaged sons as proof of concept. She lives, writes, and dreams in the rainy Portland, OR area.

Iris is ready when Hollywood comes calling and she shared her dream cast for the book with us.

REX  JACOBI is s half Italian and half Russian, and if Iris has any part in the decision, he will be played by DAVE FRANCO (nice choice, Iris!).

   His love interest, ELLEN GRAYSON, will be played by a young KERRI RUSSELL  (because as long as you’re playing this game why not turn back time?)

  She’s shown her with all of her glorious Felicity-era hair (remember when she cut it off and Felicity ratings plummeted?) But if the time machine isn’t working, Iris could see ANNA SOPHIA ROBB as ELLEN

  shown here on the set of The Carrie Diaries. Iris says, “The key visual for Ellen is all that dirty blonde kinky curly hair. It’s long in the beginning but she chops it off by chapter 2 so it’s growing back out for the remainder of the book.”

Intrigued? Put this on your TBR list and now you’ll know how to picture the main characters.

(Rex) takes a spot next to me and since he’s taller, retrieves the items from the highest shelves I point out. We fill an old soccer ball bag we find to capacity. Rex pulls the drawstring shut and smiles at me. Our arms touch, our faces inches apart. The room is much warmer than it was when we first entered. Is the door still open? Before I can turn to check, Rex reaches out and brushes something from my hair, probably a cobweb. I’m rooted to my spot as his eyes float down to meet mine. They drop lower to my mouth. I can’t help but do the same and drop my gaze to his mouth. He inches a little closer.

 

Surely he’s not planning on … no, he can’t be. I freeze, unsure of what he plans to do, of what I will do if he moves any closer.

 

Two warm hands wrap around my shoulders, and as if in slow motion, his head continues its trajectory. His lips touch mine, a soft brush at first, like a hand gently skimming the surface of the water. The kiss is repeated with more deliberateness, and I’m pulled closer.

 

My lids seal out the remainder of the light, and I draw inside myself and feel. Hands, lips, the slight scrape of facial hair against my skin, the springy texture of his lips as they part and close and shift and draw me further in.

“We should do this everyday,” he whispers between kisses at the corners of my mouth.

 

My eyes fly open. Do this? What are we doing? What am I doing?

 

“Wait—”

 

His lips on mine silence me. Hands that held me close by my shoulders now drift. One encircles my waist, the other cups my jaw. I don’t push him away.

 

A knee insinuates itself between my legs, and I am pressed firmly against the wall. I should push him away. Why aren’t I?

 

He touches the tip of his tongue to mine and they wrestle like two greasy pigs with Victorian sensibilities. The image of a pig in a dress pops into my head, and I want to laugh so much my mouth opens wider.

 

I guess he takes that as an invitation because his tongue ends its delicate dance with mine and invades. I’m nearly gagging he’s shoved it in so far. And one of his hands has dropped to my butt and the other has crept up my shirt, and suddenly he’s everywhere and he’s suffocating me and I can’t breathe and I’ve got to get away.

 

Rex groans and presses his hips more firmly against mine, breaks the kiss, and murmurs something in my ear. But I don’t hear Rex. I hear the suggestive rumble of Mr. Hamer’s voice, the echo of his words rushing back with horrifying clarity. “Let me help you, Ellen. I can tell you want this as much as I do. It’ll feel sooo good.”

 

I shove Rex away with enough force to make him stumble and fall over the soccer bag and onto his ass, a shocked look on his face. Without a word or so much as a second glance at him, I step over his splayed form and head downstairs to the common room.

(

What do you think of Iris’ casting choices? How do you feel when one of your favorite books is made into a movie and you hear the casting choices – were there any casting announcements that made you cheer or cringe? Let us know!

Title: Don’t Fall

Author: Rachel Schieffelbein

Published by: Swoon Romance

Date published: May 14, 2014

Genres: contemporary

Book Length: 142 pages

Add to Goodreads

Buy on Amazon

A teenaged girl endures the over-protective love of her adoptive mother until she falls for a boy who has her wanting to spread her wings in this contemporary retelling of Rapunzel.

Seventeen-year-old Anya leads a very secluded life in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother. She doesn’t go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Her over-protective mom keeps her so sheltered that she doesn’t even have a best friend. 

But Anya doesn’t seem to mind. She has her books, her photography, and her daydreams, and would do anything to please her mom. Until one day at the library, the only place she’s allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

Before long she’s lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she’s ever cared about.

 Rachel Schieffelbein grew up in a tiny town in Southeast Minnesota reading books, riding horses, and participating in speech and theater. She is now married with four kids and enjoys reading books, riding horses, and coaching speech and theater. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! She enjoys writing characters she can relate to, ones she would want to hangout with, or fall in love with. She hopes her readers will love them, too.

 Follow Rachel on Twitter at @RMSchieffelbein, on Facebook, Pinterest,  and her blog.

As you can see below, Rachel agreed to play MY LIFE IN SONG TITLES. She was so good at it, she worked a song title into the questions!

Forever and Ever, Amen. (Randy Travis)  I’ve always enjoyed writing, always jumped at any excuse to do it. Although, to be perfectly honest, I didn’t start thinking about trying to get published until after my kids were born. So about eight years ago.

Good Hearted Woman (Willie Nelson) I’d like to think Anya and I are both good-hearted women. We stand by those we love. 

Anya’s Brave (Sara Bareilles.)  And her bravery grows through the story. She has to come out of her shell and learn to stand up for herself, and she does. There are times I still wish I had a bit more guts to say what’s on my mind.

.

. 

 

 

5. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

 

 

You Can Fly, You Can Fly, You Can Fly (Peter Pan)