Title: Checking Him Out

Author: Debbie McGowan

Series: Checking Him Out #1

Published by: Beaten Track Pub.

Date published: Nov. 16, 2014

Genres: Contemporary, LGBT

Book Length: 193 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Sol & Adam

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“Over all, the book was decent. I’m not in love…I’m not disgusted…I’m willing to give the next book in the series a try. I do recommend it, especially as a free read (Price subject to change)! So head over and grab your copy while you can!” ~Becca

In Checking Him Out, Engineer Sol Brooks is a happily married man, so people keep telling him. He and Elise have been in Boston for eight years, he loves her, and she loves him. They’ve got a great apartment that’s kept its value, they’re both up for promotion, and he can hook up with any guy he likes – all the sex he wants, so long as it’s of the “no strings” variety. And that’s all fine and dandy…until a chance meeting at the checkout.

***

First published as part of the Love’s Landscapes Anthology
(DRiTC 2014, MMRomanceGroup.com), based on the prompt:

Dear Author,

When I met the love of my new life (his words not mine…ass), I was simply waiting in the checkout line. I might have been caught up in a conversation with my best friend/wife of X amount of years about something, I can’t remember at the moment. So anyway, we were distracted and didn’t notice that the line had moved. So after maybe 30 seconds, or a minute at the most (I’m pretty sure it wasn’t that long), Mr. Impatient, with an accent like that character on The Originals (not that I watch that show at my age), got our attention in the rudest way in my opinion, or in my wife’s heart-of-a-ho opinion, the kindest way possible for our insensitive asses. I’m pretty sure his accent, mixed with his damn charm, got him out of more trouble than it should. We had a rough start, but we had quiet moments when we weren’t all over each other or fighting, in and out of bed. Anyway, I would love a story about our first year.

P.S. I want a story with interesting secondary characters interacting with the main characters. I want it to be known that the marriage is a *lavender marriage—no one is being fooled here. I want humor mixed in with hot-damn, slightly overwhelming sex. Alpha males with a bad case of the giggles at inappropriate moments. No BDSM please. One other request is that I wish the main characters to be in the age range of late twenties to early thirties.

*A lavender marriage is a “beard” marriage of convenience.

Sincerely,
T

Alright…so I knew what I was getting into when I picked up this free read.

I knew that there was cheating (not my fave thing…even if it is a “lavender” marriage)…I knew that it was M/M (which I am totally okay with)….I understood that the relationship between the “wife” and the hubs wasn’t going to be one of happiness…

What I didn’t expect was for the relationships to jump around quite so much so quickly.

I get that Elise and Sol got married for convenience…but they also got married because they loved one another as friends. They respected one another…they well damn it in my opinion from the flash backs and the parts we get early on…they were friends! Friends don’t treat one another the way that these guys did…I don’t care what lead to it…

Elise went from being a good friend in his flash backs to a t-total bitch, a hypocrite and just plain out mean. Every time that she popped up in the story I just got frustrated and wanted to hit something…I mean who treats someone that way???

Then we have Sol…

Can you say avoidance issues?? Come on man! Make up your damn mind and stick with it! I will say that his issues sort of make sense once you make it to the end of the story…I’m not even sure that he realized what those messages had done to him. I honestly feel that he pushed it to the back of his mind and forgot all about it..but it didn’t forget about him.

Sol, while sexy as all get out…is really whiny! I mean seriously….anyways!

Okay…so that leaves us with Captain Impatient himself….Adam!

Adam is sexy, sweet, and has anger issues at times….yeah total contradiction huh? Sol likes to say that Adam is very patient…in the bedroom! Umm….doesn’t a relationship have to work outside of sex in order to be a good one? Don’t get me wrong…good sex is important but you sort of have to at least LIKE the other person outside of the bedroom!

This story line is frustrating and crazy….yet somehow it works. While I did think that the author did a great job sticking with the blurb that was given to her…I sort of wish she had veered off a bit and made the characters a bit more…well…like-able! The book is well written, except for the tendency to over explain mannerisms or sayings instead of just letting them explain themselves. I felt that this slowed it down and took away from the story a bit. If that hadn’t been there I probably could have gotten into it a bit more. 

Over all, the book was decent. I’m not in love…I’m not disgusted…I’m willing to give the next book in the series a try. I do recommend it, especially as a free read (Price subject to change)! So head over and grab your copy while you can!

Author, publisher, social scientist. Debbie’s academic specialism is gender and sexual politics and identity, so you can expect this to crop up now and then in her writing too! Not in an “in your face” kind of way – subtlety wins hearts and minds.

She lives in Lancashire, UK, with family and rescued dogs. It’s green and pleasant, and they get long, long, lovely perfumed days in late spring / early summer. Her favourite place in the world is Watergate Bay, Cornwall, but she hasn’t traveled much. The most amazing thing she has ever experienced is the call to prayer at 11 p.m. on a terrace in Istanbul. Goosebumps+ and she’s an atheist!

She writes character-based/driven fiction – mostly general/contemporary, some (M/M & F/M) romance and a bit of sci-fi fantasy (light). Basically, she writes about life. She’s written a few stand alone novels and short stories, but her main work is the Hiding Behind The Couch series, which these days she referring to as a literary soap opera. Each novel/novella concludes, but there are always a few loose ends to be picked up and threaded on to the next instalment. There are longer threads and shorter threads.

Connect with Debbie McGowan

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Have you ever read a book that you loved and hated all at the same time?

Title: Lost Highlander

Author: Cassidy Cayman

Series: Lost Highlander

Published by: Little Black Cat

Date published: December 24, 2013

Genres: Paranormal, Historical

Book Length: 218 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Evie & Sam, Piper & Lochlan 

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“I thought that Cassidy Cayman did a decent job of making her time travel book unique and making me want to purchase the next one in the series.” ~Becca 

Grad student and cocktail waitress Evelyn Merkholtz has plenty to deal with. Too much to deal with. So, when her runaway best friend calls with a mysterious and urgent request to join her in Scotland, she is secretly more than happy to drop everything and oblige.

She’s faced with an ancient curse, an adorably hunky villager, and a super hot (but possibly murderous), Highland warrior from the 18th century – and realizes that getting burned at the stake is a really bad way to get out of writing her thesis.

After reading a few of the reviews for Lost Highlander…I was a little nervous about reading it. Most people didn’t have many positive things to say about it…other than that it was free. However, it being free is why I decided I would give it a shot even with the bad reviews…and I’m honestly very glad that I did.

This was my first Cassidy Cayman novel and I was surprised by the witty writing style that flawlessly mixed with a serious romance and mystery. I was thrilled by the paranormal aspect of the book and loved the fact that the story line kept me on my toes and had me reading well into the night.

I will agree with a few of the reviewers in saying that the beginning of the book was a tad bit slow…however, I felt like it served it’s purpose. By the time the “action” hit, I had a good understanding of the characters and who they were. The characters are each well developed and realistic and the way that they interact with one another is wonderful. Once things picked up and the “action” began…well lets just say that Lost Highlander was a book that I didn’t want to put down! There were so many twists and turns and bumps along the way that I never knew for sure what was going to happen next.

The “time travel” aspect of the book was awesome! It wasn’t too far fetched but at the same time it had some twists that kept it from being predictable. I thought it was really neat that the book touches on a variety of time periods through things found in the estate. I have never read a ton of time travel books, however I will say that the Dr. Who moments were definitely a plus for me hehe, and I honestly wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it. After reading, I am torn. I really liked the story line and I was totally into it…heck I was tearing up several times when people were being ripped away from those that they loved…but at the same time my mind starts to over think things sometimes.

The romance aspect of the book was interesting. We got the budding relationship between Evie and Sam as well as Lochlan and Piper. I loved that it didn’t just stick with one persons POV the whole way through…however, I would have enjoyed it even more had we gotten a taste of the men’s POVs from time to time. Lost Highlander has a touch of sex (two scenes to be exact…one for each couple)…it wasn’t risque or overly done…just a little bit steamy. I did wonder how things would end up…especially seeing as neither couple used protection…or maybe the author just didn’t write that realistic part in…who knows! Overall, the sex scenes were sweet and fit the story perfectly. I just couldn’t see some raunchy play by play scene fitting into this book.

I thought that Cassidy Cayman did a decent job of making her time travel book unique and making me want to purchase the next one in the series. I honestly want to go one-click it on Amazon right now just to find out what happens next! UGH…cliff hangers are evil! hehe Now to just get my hands on Reunited!

Do you drool over sexy Scottish guys….I sure do! What is your favorite thing about a highlander??

Title: Fashionably Dead

Author: Robyn Peterman

Series: (if it’s not a series delete this, if it is link to the series page)

Date published: September 2, 2013

Genres: Humor and Paranormal

Book Length: 322 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Astrid & Ethan

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 “This author is a genius! The way the book is written is witty, fun to read, and captivating! There are so many twists and turns that the reader honestly has no clue what is coming next, at least I know I didn’t!” ~Becca

Vampyres don’t exist. They absolutely do not exist.

At least I didn’t think they did ‘til I tried to quit smoking and ended up Undead. Who in the hell did I screw over in a former life that my getting healthy equates with dead?

Now I’m a Vampyre. Yes, we exist whether we want to or not. However, I have to admit, the perks aren’t bad. My girls no longer jiggle, my ass is higher than a kite and the latest Prada keeps finding its way to my wardrobe. On the downside, I’m stuck with an obscenely profane Guardian Angel who looks like Oprah and a Fairy Fighting Coach who’s teaching me to annihilate like the Terminator.

To complicate matters, my libido has increased to Vampyric proportions and my attraction to a hotter than Satan’s underpants killer rogue Vampyre is not only dangerous . . . it’s possibly deadly. For real dead. Permanent death isn’t on my agenda. Avoiding him is my only option. Of course, since he thinks I’m his, it’s easier said than done. Like THAT’S not enough to deal with, all the other Vampyres think I’m some sort of Chosen One.

Holy Hell, if I’m in charge of saving an entire race of blood suckers, the Undead are in for one hell of a ride

If I’m being perfectly honest, this book started out as a 1 or 2 star book for me. I just couldn’t get over how similar a lot of things were to other popular books and tv series. When I first saw the book I was really excited by it, it just seemed so hilarious and awesome. I’m glad that I kept reading because after the first few chapters the book truly took off on a plot line I never saw coming and made all of the wish-wash in the beginning totally worth it!

Fashionably Dead is absolutely hilarious, romantic, erotic and over all awesome to read. By the end I was begging for book two and dying to know what happens!

Basically, the book is focused on Astrid, a 29 year old woman just trying to live her life as she see’s fit and not let her mother get her down. I have to say as a main character she just didn’t hook me to start off with. Heck if it hadn’t told me how old she was…I totally would have assumed she was some snarky, foul mouthed Prada loving teenager! She just didn’t come across as a woman my age! Over time things improved a bit and I did find myself quite attached to Astrid and actually caring what happened to her…hey, she even started to sound a little bit more like an adult!

When Astrid goes to a hypnotist to stop smoking all hell breaks loose and her life will never be the same!

Not too long after we have Pam, the Oprah doppelganger angel that curses worse than most sailors, The Kev, the horribly dressed (sometimes naked) Arnold doppelganger fairy and Gemma, Astrid’s long time best friend that apparently isn’t human either! Did I mention things are a bit complicated and just plain out WEIRD in a huge chunk of this book? Once Astrid has had a few days to adjust to being a Vampyre (yep spelled with a y…I’ve never fully understood the difference there…but whatever lol) all these random vampyres start showing up with gift baskets asking her to join their house…like it’s some sorority thing! SERIOUSLY?!? So far this book is just so strange and out there that I have to keep reading, if for no other reason than to see where in the hell it’s going!

In comes Ethan…I will admit that I had a feeling of his true identity before it was revealed, but it didn’t ruin anything for me. Ethan is a sexy as sin vampyre with a massive asshole complex (well sometimes…other times he is just super sweet). Ethan has his secrets in the beginning and in order for me not to do spoilers I kind of can’t say much more about what happens in the book!

At this point the book has become a 3 star book for me…still about half of the book to go though…so let’s see what happens!

So anyways…this book is a major roller coaster of emotions and revelations! By the end of the book I was laughing, crying and begging for more! Seriously…I didn’t see this one coming! I picked up the book because the cover made me giggle and some how a book that I started out not caring for all that much has me wanting to go buy book two right away?!? How awesome!

The story line is definitely unique, trust me on this one…I know the beginning is a bit similar to others but just give it time! This author is a genius! The way the book is written is witty, fun to read, and captivating! There are so many twists and turns that the reader honestly has no clue what is coming next, at least I know I didn’t!

The book ends with one massive cliff-hanger that has me jumping to Amazon as quick as I can…I have to know dang it! So, even though it’s only rated a 3 star (which still totally means it’s WORTH READING) the story is great and makes me want the next one!

Now…if I can just get my hands on book two!! 

Check out the other books in the series

Robyn writes because the people inside her head won’t leave her alone until she gives them life on paper. Her addictions include shoes (the expensive kind), Coke with extra ice in a styrofoam cup, and bejeweled reading glasses. 

A former professional actress, she now lives in the south with her family and too many animals to count. Writing gives her a chance to have a job where working in her P.J.’s is acceptable. You can follow Robyn on her website and Facebook.

Robyn Peterman is giving away an e-copy of Fashionably Dead Down Under, book 2 in the Hot Damned series!

What is your favorite thing about a paranormal romance?

Title: Unabridged

Author: Melinda De Ross

Published by: Melinda De  Ross

Date published: Aug. 17, 2014

Genres: Contemporary, Comedy

Book Length: 144 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Angelina & Blade

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“Unabridged is GOOD and you should most definitely give it a read. There are a ton of twists and turns throughout the story that keep you on your toes and wondering what will happen next.” ~Becca

Ironically, it all starts with a popular book about BDSM. When Angelina Jameson steps into her boss’s office armed with an acid article about ‘Billionaires, BDSM and Blah-blah-blah’, she thinks her career will take off. But her career aspirations drop into second place when she finds herself face to face with her nemesis.

Blade Spencer is the new editor-in-chief of Unabridged—the literary magazine where his ex-lover Angelina works. For three years, since she fled small town Jamestown without a word of explanation, they haven’t heard from one another. Now, when they meet again, the past and all the feelings they once had between them come rushing back, making them realize their love has never died. But can they reconcile their new circumstances and the changes that have occurred during the three years they were apart? Neither is the person the other used to know.

Then there is the faceless shadow who hunts them from the dark, driven by obsession and greed…

*This book contains strong language and explicit descriptions of sex.

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Unabridged was a quick and fun read! The tempo was upbeat and the story flowed extremely well. I love a good romantic comedy and was super excited to dig into this one!

A romantic comedy has a few things that we as readers expect to see, such as: witty banter, strong emotions, realistic characters, sexual tension, and a good plot line.

Okay…so it started off a bit slow and odd…but hilarious. I thought the article that Angelina wrote was pretty awesome and honestly…accurate! The plot line was some-what unique and definitely interesting. Unfortunately, the blurb made me expect and want more than what was delivered. I felt like parts of the story were rushed while other parts were perfect! The mystery and danger aspect that is thrown in was a nice twist…however it did take this book out of the romantic comedy genre for me. I felt like I was reading more of a mystery/thriller with a comedic twist.

The romance was not the strongest I’ve ever read, but it was fun to read. Blade is SEXY AS SIN with a commanding and yet lovable demeanor that made me want more of him! Angelina is a very strong female character. She knows what she wants and is determined to get it, no matter the consequences!

The chemistry between these two is pretty obvious and the way they interact was definitely humorous and fun! Both Angelina and Blade are very well developed characters and I felt that I understood them both very well. Melinda De Ross’s writing style manages to pull me into the story!

That being said, I was amazed by the quickness in which both Angelina and Blade were willing to forgive and forget. I was sort of hoping for a little more drama in the mix I suppose. Their past is complicated and yet…not. She was poor and he was rich. Of course when they were together it was frowned upon and things happen to split them up. Now she is a successful-ish journalist and he is her new boss. I’m sure you can see what I see…the massive potential for drama and sexual tension! While Melnida De Ross worked in a little bit of sexual tension, I felt like there was just so much more she could have done with the story.

I don’t want you guys to think I am bashing the book or even saying that you shouldn’t read it. That is SO not what I am trying to say here. Unabridged is GOOD and you should most definitely give it a read. There are a ton of twists and turns throughout the story that keep you on your toes and wondering what will happen next. At the same time, there are some aspects of the story that end up a bit predictable.

If you enjoy a good romantic comedy with a few twists and turns along the way, I recommend you head on over and check out Unabridged! 

Not long ago, to my surprised delight, somebody described me as being “charming, witty, supremely talented and dangerously fun”. I don’t know how accurate this description is, but I’m curious if the readers will find some of these features reflected in my writing. Speaking of my writing, I must mention that living in Romania – which is considered a projection of the enigmatic and much controversial Shambala, the supposed spiritual center of the Earth – is quite a source of inspiration. I have a native inclination to the occult and paranormal, to mystery and philosophy. The woman in me is a romantic and sensual creature. All these considered, I could describe my writing as being captivating, intriguing, sensual in places and, on the whole, a surreal experience. Enjoy!

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Ironically, it was E.L. James’s Fifty Shades that started everything.

I strolled to my office building—located in a skyscraper in downtown Seattle—at ten a.m. holding my briefcase, which sheltered the precious article I thought would make my career. When I first got the idea, it occurred to me I’d probably make enemies for life by mocking the subject treated in said book, which seems to have more partisans than the Bible. But I waved that thought away. I have the right to express my opinion freely and to hell with anybody who doesn’t share it. After all, it’s a free country, right?

I hoped Howie would share my views, and as a plan B I had prepared an entire speech on why this article should appear in Unabridged—the literary magazine I work for. Howie Stewart is my boss, a fact that never fails to annoy us both. He’s a small, paunchy man with shoulders forever sprinkled with dandruff, and bad breath. The only reason he hired me is because I have excellent writing skills and useful connections all over the city and beyond. That doesn’t diminish our mutual dislike for each other or his opinion of me—which is that I’m an overachieving overly-feminist hunting his job.

Well, it is true, up to a point. I don’t want his job. Being editor-in-chief isn’t my life’s dream at the moment. I’m contented with being a simple editor, because that gives me the chance to make my own schedule most of the time and freelance whenever I have something interesting to pursue.

I glided through the glass doors and headed straight to the elevators, miraculously finding one that was empty. I pressed the button for the seventh floor, then turned to study my reflection in the sideway mirror. My black smart business suit had absolutely no wrinkles, and combined with the magically deceiving powers of a class A pushup bra, made me look like a bombshell. My rather ordinary light-brown-dark-blonde hair has finally grown past my shoulders. The temptation to dye it is still strong, but I keep it under control by repeatedly remembering my last attempt to add blonde streaks at home. That resulted in smoke literally coming out of my head and a very short haircut—enough to keep me satisfied with its natural color and currently healthy appearance.

My eyes are green, but most people mistake them for blue, especially when I use dark-brown eye shadow, like this morning. All in all, at twenty-five I don’t look half bad, if I do say so myself. My nose is a bit long and my chin is a tad pointy, but I have nice lips and white non-bleached teeth to compensate for that.

When the elevator doors opened, I took a deep breath and headed straight to Howie’s office, not giving myself time to reconsider approaching him. Isabelle—my coworker and best friend—had left her office door ajar. I could see her on the phone through the crack—a tiny, 5 feet frame of curly, blonde cuteness—but I didn’t pause to say hi. I continued down the hall to Howie’s office and stopped right in front of the door.

I cleared my throat, took another cleavage-expanding breath and knocked twice. Without waiting for a reply, I burst in and said, in a sing-song voice, “You’re gonna love me!”

“I did, once.”

What inspired me to write Unabridged?

In the past years, every time I blinked I saw or heard of books on BDSM. My reaction to that was to write an essay called Billionaires, BDSM and Blah-blah-blah. That essay has later become an article that my heroine, Angelina Jameson, writes as an editor of the literary magazine called Unabridged. This is in essence a simple love story, but to spice up things you will find several hilarious such satire articles, and if you ladies don’t agree with my character’s views, just think of it as simple fiction. So this is what started Unabridged:

Billionaires, BDSM and Blah-blah-blah.

“I think it was ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ that started it for me. I heard about it from a couple of friends, who were head over heels excited about said book, so naturally I was intrigued. First, I read the reviews, and was even more intrigued by such contradictory opinions. Some said the book was brilliant, others said it was a literary catastrophe. After reading a few pages, I was inclined toward the second category, but went on reading, still curious. After another dozen of pages or so, I forced myself to read strictly as research, to see what exactly it is about this kind of literature that has inspired a mass phenomenon. With all my good intentions, I stopped at about half. It was impossible for me to finish the first book, even though I’m a very perseverant person. Not even the holy purpose of research could force my brain to go on absorbing that read.

Why? I asked myself that, and plan to make an analysis right here, one that every woman should make. To my astonished amazement, I noted that BDSM related books have become a true current, one that sells billions of books annually, most of them enjoyed by women.

The first thing that occurred to me during this study is the fight women have carried for thousands of years to be emancipated and considered equals by men. Ever since Eve’s proverbial appearance on Earth, we’ve struggled to be recognized as being as good as men, in every domain known. So why in the world—I wonder—would women enjoy, even want to be submissive to men in any way? When have smart, self-sufficient women, with self-respect, turned into females begging to be dominated in the most absurd ways? When had this regression from women to females taken place, and why? It’s beyond my understanding.

We fought for liberty and emancipation, to have our opinions, votes and rights equal to those of men, to be independent in every way possible. Yet now, in the secret corners of our dirty little minds, we dream of perverted billionaires who want to cuff us, whip us and use us as inflatable dolls? Granted, too many women in our days look like copy-pasted Barbies, pumped and stitched in places one couldn’t imagine, but still… If one looks like a doll, it doesn’t mean she has to act like one.

You want to be dominated? That’s just fine, it’s the law of nature. Every woman likes the man to be on top now and again, most often than not. But from this very natural feminine instinct, to lowering yourselves to the status of collared submissive, it’s a road of thousands of years of evolution.

Even this word, ‘submissive’, personally gets on my nerves. True, I am a militant feminist and I’m very proud of that. That is what brought us where we are and that will make women heads of states. Can you imagine a powerful woman, a woman in control, who knows she is smart, strong and capable, enjoying BDSM?

Can you imagine Cleopatra—one of the most representative female figures in history—with her ass in the air in front of Caesar, getting a whipping or wearing a leash? For Heaven’s sake! If there has been any whipping going on in that royal tangle, I bet she was the one to do it! A woman like that would never dream of being anybody’s submissive. Isn’t that the model we should all follow, instead of the young, stupid, helpless bimbo who actually likes to be bonded and trampled by a man?

And how about real men? Yes, we will talk about men too, of course. This is not by any means an exclusive kind of reading. Do you think a real man would feel the need to subject a woman to practice BDSM with him so he’d be able to dominate her? Do you think real men need that kind of sick artifices to feel strong and confident, or to get it up? I don’t. I, like many women my age or older, have grown with the classical heroes of Jane Austen, Mary Stewart, Sandra Brown, Jilly Cooper and so on. Can you picture one of the dashing men we all dreamed of putting on a mask and a leather gay-ish outfit, and smacking our asses with a whip? Because I can’t, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it. I don’t understand what it is about the so-called ‘art of domination and submission’ that turns on normal people, healthy men and women, with healthy fantasies. Now women don’t want to make their own money, they dream of being bought—I mean, swept off their feet—by billionaires who lock them in their castle basement and do shameful things to them. And this is supposed to be erotic?

Every overweight, unkempt housewife dreams about muscled hunks who fuck them blind, instead of dragging their big asses to the gym and making themselves look good for the men they have at home. Fine, they’re no Brad Pitts, I’m sure. But if you’re not an Angelina Jolie, what claims can you have? Instead of reading stupid books and stuff your faces with chocolates, while your men crave for other women, you should do something about it! And then, maybe your husbands/boyfriends/lovers will start doing something about their own appearance and attitude. If not, there’s always a better one waiting for the chance to have a great woman at his side.

Today’s culture has degenerated beyond measure. A semi-naked bimbo rubs her crotch while screeching something unintelligible and millions of people go crazy in ecstasy.

This, along with what I was saying above, makes the difference between women and cavewomen, men and cavemen. It’s your choice on which side you’d rather be, but before choosing, I felt the obligation to the feminine race to spread some light and thoughts over the world, to make you all see what exactly you like, or think you like, so much. —Angelina Jameson.”

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Don’t forget to check out our Monthly Giveaway page to see what else is included in this awesome giveaway!

Melinda De Ross is giving away an e-copy of Unabridged and a boxed set of her duo of novels called The Coriola Series? She is even tossing in a copy of her first novel, Rendezvous With Hymera.

What are your favorite aspects of a romantic comedy?

Title: BURN ME

Author: Shelley Watters

Published by: Swoon Romance

Date published: April 29, 2014

Genres: Contemporary

Book Length: 218 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Kat & Greyson

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“BURN ME is a super hot, super sexy, and super quick read! I love the firefighter side of things and the detail that Shelley Watters goes into is just amazing! Any book that can keep me on my toes while still managing to maintain a sexy, seductive side is a winner in my mind.” ~Becca

BURN ME has been called, “Backdraft meets J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood.” This sexy contemporary workplace romance is about trusting your instincts, allowing people in and learning to let go at any cost. 

When Katrina Hale’s brother dies in a house fire, she’s determined to prove she’s stronger than everyone thinks she is. But grief can do strange things to a person and Katrina knows all too well how the death of a loved one can change a person. As the romance in her current relationship fizzles, she focuses on her work and fights the undeniable attraction she has for Greyson Neal.

Firefighter Greyson Neal is the type of guy girls dream about. But Greyson isn’t interested in other girls. He wants the one woman he can never have: Katrina. As the two struggle with their feelings, Kat must choose between her career and her heart, and fight to keep them both when an arsonist threatens to take it all away.

BURN ME is a super hot, super sexy, and super quick read! I love the firefighter side of things and the detail that Shelley Watters goes into is just amazing! Any book that can keep me on my toes while still managing to maintain a sexy, seductive side is a winner in my mind.

BURN ME was my first Shelley Watters book and I have to say that it was very well written and engaged me from the beginning. The story line was unique and interesting, I love a good hot mystery! I do have to admit that the very first scene that our serial killer was in…I sort of guessed it! I won’t say who it is…I’m not saying that it is plain as day or that the mystery isn’t written well. It’s just that for some reason, I just KNEW. Without a doubt I knew exactly how this book was going to play out the very first time our serial killer graced the pages!

Katrina Hale, Kat, is a very tough chick! She is not your typical heroine in a love story, which I totally loved! She is a firefighter with a stubborn streak a mile long! When she inadvertently falls for her boyfriends brother things in her comfortable, well planned life start to go a bit crazy!

Greyson Neal…ooooohhh Greyson! He is the quintessential firefighter that we all picture in our minds. You know the ones…ripped body…loose, flowing hair, soft smoldering eyes…and a voice that makes your panties need a good wash! Greyson knows that it is wrong to lust after his brother’s girlfriend but just can’t seem to stop himself. He constantly holds himself in check and wants her from a far (well, sort of…I mean they are on the same shift at the station) until unexpected situations cause him to change his mind.

The romance between these two is undeniable, forbidden, intense and explosive! When they come together there is ABSOLUTELY NO stopping them…unless they get in their own way that is! They are both very dedicated to their career and are worried about what a real relationship may mean. Greyson has quite the “knight in shining armor” syndrome (according to Kat of course) that I found to be endearing and sweet. I love that he is willing to stand up to his brother for her…even if she doesn’t want him to. The romance flowed realistically and kept me wanting more. There were quite a few gaps in the timeline that I wished we had gotten a bit more information, but overall the chemistry and connection was strong and fun to read.

The story line…well there were parts of it that ROCKED and parts of it that were rocky. The mystery side of things was some what ruined for me…I kind of figured out the “who done it” of things really early on. However, there was enough side story and romance that I didn’t really mind knowing where things were going. It was interesting to see the route things took to get to the ending that I saw from a mile away.

My problems with the story really came up with the “danger” that Kat keeps finding herself in. I found myself often thinking, “Seriously?!? How many times can one chick almost die in such a short period of time! None of the other firefighters are having this much trouble!” I just couldn’t make myself become a part of the story!

I really like the concept behind the story, however, I felt like there were quite a few “holes” left…a few t’s left uncrossed and i’s missing their dots! For instance…what in the world is up with Kevin? That is never explained! He goes from being this sweet, friendly and supportive character to a standoffish ass with no explanation! I know that for a chapter or two we are supposed to think he may be our serial killer (Sorry this is technically a spoiler…but come on…if you are reading the book you can so tell it’s not him!) but once that is shoved aside shouldn’t we get some explanation as to why he changed? It’s been a bit since I read the book and I STILL can’t get over this…I want to know! I feel like a big portion of the story is missing because of this. Something had to happen with Kevin…maybe it was something as simple as he wishes he was in Greyson’s shoes…maybe it has nothing to do with the story at all. However, I feel like this should have been confronted in some way! He was pretty much Kat’s best friend in the station and then, like a flip of a switch, he is no longer the sweet and caring friend…now he is a jerk? UGH! Maybe book 2 will touch on this and save my mind from running in circles trying to fill in the holes?!?

While the characters are likable and I found myself wanting more, I didn’t get attached to them as I do in some books and I’m not even positive why. I think it has more to do with the way the book was written than anything. While it is a dual POV (which I adore) it isn’t written in the way you would expect it to be. Don’t get me wrong, some chapters are completely normal and you switch between characters at normal intervals and times that make sense. Then you come up on a steamy scene and you find yourself jumping between Kat and Greyson randomly without warning and without any type of acknowledgment! It was a little hard to follow to say the least! I have read a few books that did this and I just can’t seem to get into it as easily as a book that is written in a more traditional manner.

Overall, this book gets a 3 for me. It’s a fun read, with enough twists in the story line to keep you on your toes a bit, but just felt like it didn’t meet my expectations of what it could have been. The blurb makes it sound like it is so much more than it managed to be for me. While I only give it 3 stars, I still recommend reading it! I honestly think that it was a good read and is worth the money and time!

Shelley Watters grew up in Tucson, Arizona and currently resides Chandler, Arizona. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Sociology with a focus on Women’s Health Issues and continued on to get a Master’s certificate in Public Health Epidemiology. After serving many wonderful years in the public health sector as an Epidemiologist, she left the field to raise her family and re-discovered a long-lost passion: writing. While her days are filled with extra-curricular activities, her nights are devoted to slinging words across the page. Her novels sizzle with the heat and passion that only growing up in the southwest can bring. 

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Describe your book/series in 15 words or less!

I’m queen of the Twitter pitch, but 15 words is even harder!

A contemporary take on Backdraft meets the Black Dagger Brotherhood, with firefighters instead of vampires.

It really is difficult to do, but I believe this is one of my favorite questions to ask!

When did you start writing? How did you come up with your books name?

I wrote my first “novel” when I was six. It was titled Child Fear and was a horror novel. I moved on to non-fiction, writing about the life cycle of bees. The early love of creative writing continued into my adult life.

My title? I was writing a novel that my betas and critique partners said was on the verge of erotica. What better title than to name it BURN ME?

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

It’s a spoiler! Basically once Kat and Greyson throw caution to the wind for the first time. That was really fun to write.

We all need a hero! Tell us about your protagonist(s)? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him or her?

Kat is my heroine. She’s a kickass female firefighter who doesn’t take shit from anybody. She knows what she wants in life and how to get there and isn’t going to let anyone tell her she can’t do it because she’s a girl. There wasn’t a specific person who inspired Kat, since I wrote her before I knew any actual FEMALE firefighters, but after making friends with May, a firefighter back east, I was positive I’d written her true to character. I hope I made her proud.

Greyson is 100% in my head. *Sigh* Physically, he was inspired by Gerard Butler. But personality wise, I really love alpha males and I made sure he was exactly what I pictured as my alpha male. But, where I deviate from the alpha male trope is his weakness. He is the quintessential firefighter, but at the same time he’s protective and has a soft side when he opens up. I love that vulnerability in my alpha males.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

I’m in love with my cover. Georgia sent me a few mock-ups with various backgrounds, but they nailed it the first time with the hero and heroine on the cover. They’re pretty much exactly as I envisioned Kat and Greyson as I wrote them. And I love that Kat is the dominant on the cover. I love that they managed to capture that side of her, that part of their relationship. Swoon Romance has amazing cover artists and not being biased, I really think they come up with the BEST covers, mine included.

I totally agree! The cover grabs me and makes me want to read the book! It also stands out from other books and I can glance at a screen and easily recognize what book it is, Swoon Romance is a total genius with book covers!

Who is your favorite character in the book? Why?

Besides Kat and Greyson (of course the whole crew is dear to my heart), Diesel was my favorite character. I know it’s silly, since he’s a dog, but he was so much fun to write. I’ve always wanted a boxer, and I finally (sort-of) got one!

​What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on book two, tentatively titled CUFF ME. It follows Jake Salinger (the captain of L-281) and Kayla, a police officer. It’s an awesome ride and so much fun. It’s completely different than BURN ME in the fact that this one is more about the internal conflicts and less about external forces driving my characters apart.

Now for a few silly questions

Who is your favorite “Book Boyfriend”? What series is it from and who wrote it? (Not from your books)

This one is hard. Mr. Darcy, of course. But really, I tend to go all-in when I read – so whatever I’m currently reading is my “book boyfriend”. But the ones I tend to go back to are Mr. Darcy (Austen), Rhage and Vishious (JR Ward), Christian Grey (EL James). I could keep going but my hands would get sore Like I said before, I LOVE my alpha males, so pretty much ALL of them!

I am exactly the same way! I fall in love with them all and it is just so hard to choose! I adored all of the Black Dagger boys…Christian Grey was okay…right now I’m in love with characters in A Fighter’s Desire to the point that I want to stalk LP Dover and beg, plead, whatever it takes to get my hands on the next book!

What books are on your nightstand or by your chair?

Right now I’m reading the Harry Potter series with my son. But on my own, Fiancee for Hire by Tawna Fenske is the current adult novel I’m working on.

Are you the driver or a passenger in your book? (Are you in control of where the story goes or does it sort of just happen?)

100% the passenger. I let my characters tell me their story. Until they don’t want to go the way I want them to, then we battle a bit. But for the most part, I let them have control of their stories, I just write it down for them.

I’m the same way with the book I’m working on. I’ve tried to “take the wheel” but they always jerk it away…must be one of those driver’s ed cars hehe

If you could have one super power what would it be? Why?

Lightning fast typing skills. I have a ton of books in my head and not enough time to get it all down. I’d love to be able to just “whoosh” have them done the second I get the idea.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you for having me!

Give it a try and let me know what you think! Is this book for you?

Title: Enemies on Tap

Author: Avery Flynn

Series: Sweet Salvation Brewery

Published by: Entangled: Indulgence

Date published: July 14, 2014

Genres: Contemporary & Romantic Comedy

Book Length: 237 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Miranda & Logan

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“What kept this book from getting boring for me was the witty banter between Miranda and Logan. It kept the flow of things from bogging down and kept the romance interesting.” ~Becca

Here we have your basic Romeo & Juliet type plot line…with quite a few fun twists along the way!

He’s a Martin, she’s a Sweet….

“…two families on opposite sides of the track who grew up hearing tales of the other’s treachery and general worthlessness.”

Miranda Sweet grew up to be everything the town of Salvation said she never could be: smart, successful, and well not a felon!

Logan Martin grew up to be exactly what his dad wanted him to be: a shrewd, while sexy as sin, business man with his head in the right place.

Or did they? Logan is very well liked by everyone, well everyone except Miranda…and even then, the hatred she wants to have for him isn’t always there. After Logan and Miranda lost their virginity to one another years ago all hell broke loose in the gossip circles and Miranda ran. Now Logan holds the key to her success and she is willing to do just about anything to win.

This is your typical enemies to lovers novel…not to say that it isn’t good, just that the plot line is a tad bit predictable. The characters are well developed and likable, they are deep and real. What kept this book from getting boring for me was the witty banter between Miranda and Logan. It kept the flow of things from bogging down and kept the romance interesting.

Speaking of romance…

This one was pretty good. While there were some moments I kept thinking…”umm, yeah don’t do that!” (Like the bank vault..come on people!) most of the book was spent with me quietly whispering to egg them on and get them kissing! There was more of a build up of sexual tension than I expected, which was also a plus When things finally do come to a breaking point it is a sex scene worth reading! I’m not sure which I enjoyed more the boat or the table!

Another thing that kept this book a teensy bit more interesting than your average enemies to lovers book was the danger and mystery. (While I figured it out rather quickly…heck the book gives it away pretty quickly, I enjoyed the little bit of mystery and wish that it would have been drug out a bit more.) I sincerely felt for Miranda and Logan as they fought to get free from the hold of small town expectations. I teared up just a bit when Logan stood up for Miranda, it was a really great moment.

Overall, the book was a tad predictable but the depth of the characters and the extras in the plot line definitely pulled it up to a 3 star book for me. I honestly enjoyed reading it and recommend it to others that enjoy a good enemies to lovers book.

I haven’t looked into what book is next…or when it comes out…however, I feel like it will end up being about the quiet yet studly Sean and Miranda’s sister Natalie. But I suppose we shall have to wait and see I will definitely be on the look out and read it when it comes out!

Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip.

She fell in love with romance while reading Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory books. It wasn’t long before Avery had read through all the romance offerings at her local library. Needing a romance fix, she turned to Harlequin’s four books a month home delivery service to ease the withdrawal symptoms. That worked for a short time, but it wasn’t long before the local book stores’ staffs knew her by name.

Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

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What are two of your favorite characters in this book?

 

I’m going to have to go with Miranda and Logan. Not a big shocker there. They’re both so sure they’re right all the time, that it was really fun to write them as they figured out they just might be wrong ocassionally. Maybe.

 

I tend to agree with you…however Sean sort of got to me a bit…I really do hope my predictions about the next book are right!

 

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

 

I love it all, but the scene where Logan buys the raffle tickets for the pecan pie made me laugh pretty damn hard as I was typing.

 

Oh gosh that scene had me dying! I loved it!

 

We all need a hero! Tell us about your protagonist(s)? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him or her?

 

Logan is a sexy bit of awesome. OK, he’s an ass – but only in the beginning. He’s a guy who grew up knowing he was supposed to act a certain way, be a certain kind of person and only hang out with certain kind of people. Who said being a prince was easy, right? But he grows and makes that turn from guy to man and I loved that.

 

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

 

The folks at Entangled did the cover and they did a fabulous job. It is lick-o-licious!

 

Definitely lickable! Not to mention drool worthy!

 

​What’s next for you?

 

I’m working on book two and three in the Sweet Salvation Brewery series and the third book in my Killer Style romantic suspense series. Loving it!

 

Now for a few silly questions

 

Who is your favorite “Book Boyfriend”?

 

This changes on a daily basis. My favorite all time book boyfriend is Rhett Butler. Oh. Yes. Give me the smarmy bad boy who knows how to kiss a girl any day of the week and twice on Saturday.

 

What books are on your nightstand or by your chair?

 

I’m reading The Professional by Kresley Cole right now. Hello Russian bad boy!

 

 

Are you the driver or a passenger in your book? (Are you in control of where the story goes or does it sort of just happen?)

I’m a total control freak so of course, I’m the driver.

 

If you could have one super power what would it be? Why?

I’d love to be able to clone myself. Imagine all I could get done in a day!

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

 

Thank you so much for having me over! It was so much fun!

 

You are so welcome! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to talk with us!

Avery Flynn is giving away an e-copy of her book Enemies on Tap!

Be sure to check out our Monthly Giveaway page to see what other authors are putting in!

Who do you think should be the main characters in the next Sweet Salvation Brewery novel?