Tag Archive | contemporary

Double Vision by L.M. Halloran #CoverReveal #darkromance #lmhalloran

Title: Double Vision
Author: L.M. Halloran
Genre: Dark Romance/Contemporary
Release Date: February 22, 2018
Everything has a price, and the price of truth is steepest of all. 

Eden has an ironclad five-year plan. In three months, she’s saying good riddance to Los Angeles and returning to the Pacific Northwest for medical school. Nothing is going to get in her way.
Nothing… but the impossible.
When she glimpses her doppelgänger at a party, the seemingly accidental meeting turns her life in a direction she never imagined, shredding everything she knows about herself and where she comes from. 
The one constant in her collapsing world is Liam Rourke, a man whose dark desires are matched only by his tenderness. But Liam is more than a master in the bedroom—he’s a master of lies.

Uncovering the truth might cost Eden her life.
Her family.

Her love.
Some things are worth dying for.
There are moments in my life that, when I look back, are mile-high walls between my past and future. Once erected, there’s no longer any question of going back. There is before, and there is after. We all have them. You just have to look hard enough.

These walls cut us off forever from who we thought we were, forcing us to write new stories about our lives. To mold our thoughts in new ways. They alter how we feel in our skin. Change the shape of our smiles. Extend the depths to which we love, grieve, and regret.

The conversation on my parents’ couch before I left for college was one such wall. Another was erected when I met Liam Rourke.

And one more wall, the highest of all—Alexis.

The first time I saw her, I thought I was hallucinating. Karina loved LSD, and that night in the Hollywood Hills when I saw Alexis for the first time, I seriously thought my so-called friend had somehow dosed me with a hallucinogen.
​ ​
But the truth crashed into me. Literally. Five-feet-eight-inches of truth, with eyes my dad calls cracked marbles. Blue and yellow and green with drips of brown.

My eyes.

Seeing my eyes in someone else’s face was weird enough. But then she grabbed my shoulder to steady herself and apologized distractedly for bumping into me. And I saw her lips—rose colored, the top thinner and bowed, the bottom slightly fuller. The tiny cleft in her chin. The shape of her nose, long and just slightly upturned. Her freckles, almost invisible beneath tanned skin and makeup.

She was me.
A bleached, tanned, glamorous me.
In that moment, a wall—miles upon miles upon miles high—shot up between my past and my future.

Everything changed.
​L.M. Halloran is an emotional delinquent and glutton for angst who gleefully takes her characters to hell and back. ​When she’s not reading or writing, the author enjoys walking barefoot, subjecting her husband to questionable recipes, and chasing her spirited toddler. She’s a rabid fan of coffee, moon-​gazing, and small dogs that resemble Ewoks. Home is San Diego, CA, but her heart lives in Portland.

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Geek Love #gamerromance #review

Geek love

Synopsis
Joel and Sam are gamers attending a science fiction/gamer convention. Once Sam reveals to Joel that she is a woman, it seems that they make the perfect couple. However, another woman will do whatever it takes to claim Joel as her own.

Opinion
The story was okay. Sweet even.

My biggest complaint: explaining the geek sci-fi terms. It was as if the author wanted to write a book for geeks and then decided everyone should be able to understand the jargon.

I know and watched enough Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Firefly to get all the references without the explanation. I am not even a hard-core geek. Doctor Who is my heart, but I digress. I could understand if she was making obscure references but this is like Sci-Fi 101.

My other reason for discontent is that the villain should have went to jail. Really! The stunt that the villain pulled should not have been brushed aside as if nothing had happened.

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I think this story could have been a lot stronger if the author had developed the characters a little more. This is a novella, so there was not time to flush the character profiles. If possibly the author turns this into a full-length novel, I think she would have more time to make the story stronger and better.

Side note: For once, could an author have a story with a woman gamer heroine who everyone KNOWS is a woman at the beginning? I feel like the female gamer with male sounding name is so overdone these days. It is uninspired. Unoriginal. Boring.

TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?
BORROW. It is okay if you have some time to kill. But don’t expect too much from this book.

Book details
Book Length: 104 pages
Series: No but there is a follow up book Code Monkey
Heat Level: 🔥 🔥

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Blissful Disaster by Amy L. Gale #sale #99cents #romance

Title: Blissful Disaster
Author: Amy L. Gale
Genre: Contemporary/NewAdult Romance
Published: April 1, 2017
~ ON SALE FOR $0.99 JUNE 11-17~

One night stands.
Career-driven Ali Whitman, never dreamed of having one, until she finds herself waking up next to a handsome tattooed man she knows nothing about. After celebrating her promotion to field reporter at Entertainment Rocks! magazine, she breaks her number one rule – to focus on work without the distraction of the opposite sex.
Rules.
Tyler Young lives by his own set. As bassist for Devil’s Garden, he exudes sexual energy and lives for the moment; no strings attached, no regrets, and no looking back.

When the two are brought face to face during an interview it goes sour, sparking a string of disasters. As their feelings for each other grow, they find themselves living by a new set of rules, but demons from the past haunt their new found love. Is it possible to crawl from the ashes of the aftermath or will it all go down in flames?
Love.
Perfect bliss or complete disaster?

He takes a few steps closer and pulls me toward him by my hips. “No one will die if we’re a few minutes late.”

 

Oh no, I’m not getting blamed for this too. I already have enough going against me when it comes to his band mates. No need to give them another reason to hate me.

 

“He who hesitates is lost.” I step into the shower. Okay, my brain turned to auto-pilot and refuses to let me curb all desires.

 

He winks. “I like the way you think, babe.” He joins me in the shower and positions the shower head so it pulses on his chest. “Ready to get wet?”

 

Way ahead of you.

 

“I’ve never met a girl like you. You tell me exactly how it is. You’re not afraid to try something you never thought you’d do. You’re smokin’ hot with a brain like Einstein. Hell, you even wrote smut about my band in a national magazine and I still can’t get you off my mind.” He presses his forehead against mine. “Don’t you get it? I want you and not just for the few months I’m in L.A. You’ve survived an earthquake and shark attack with me. You’re the one I want by my side in a zombie apocalypse, babe.”
Heat flushes through my body like wildfire. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard would involve the terms shark attack and zombie apocalypse. I’m in, much deeper than I’ve ever imagined. I want this to work with Tyler, but the obstacles aren’t easy to overcome. Yeah I know, nothing great is ever easy, but being together requires Tyler to change his whole outlook on what he wants. Is he ready to do that? I’m finally getting to a place in my career where I want to be, too. I’m not ready to give it up before it starts. We need to think with our brains rather than our hearts. Is there really a chance for us?

Romance author by night, pharmacist by day, Amy L. Gale loves rock music and the feel of sand between her toes. She attended Wilkes University where she graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. In addition to writing, she enjoys baking, scary movies, rock concerts, and reading books at the beach. She lives in the lush forest of Northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, seven cats, and golden retriever.
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-Letter P – REKINDLED @AprilAtoZ #atozchallenge #firefighterromance

P is for Paige (Paige Tyler)

REKINDLED (Dallas Fire & Rescue)

Synopsis
Jax is a firefighter who just saves his best friend’s sister from a hotel fire. He thinks Skye is sexy but did not make a move because he fears what his best friend would do to him.

Skye is trying to start a new business in her hometown while trying to steer clear of her overbearing brother. She convinces Jax to help her when she needs a place to stay. While in close proximity, their emotions reveal feelings that they have had for each other for years but never before acted on them.

Opinion
This is my kind of book! My favorite trope is friends to lovers!
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Jax and Skye were not besties, but friendly to each other. I still count this as a friends-to-lovers story because they knew each other for a long time before they got together. Plus they knew each other on a level outside of the romance. I believe this will contribute to a higher level of relationship success.

While I don’t mind violence (not gratuitous) in the story, I did not want Jax and Skye to have any conflict. The stalker aspect of the story was a bit over the top for me considering how sweet their love story was. I felt traumatized, like I had been the one kidnapped.
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Other than that, the story flowed well. Skye’s brother Dane was super protective, but knew when to back off. Once they got together, he was pretty accepting of their whole romance. I hope the author has plans to write his story in a future book. It will be on my TBR list.

TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?
BUY. Jax is a HOTTIE FIREFIGHTER. Need I say anything else?

Book details
Print Length: 167 pages
Publication Date: September 8, 2015
Series: Dallas Fire & Rescue
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Heat Level: 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥

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Thursday’s Thoughts featuring author K P Smith #YA #NewRelease #NewBeginnings

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Welcome to TOW monthly feature call Thursday’s Thoughts. On the last Thursday in the month, I share the thoughts of a featured author in the form of answers to questions I posed to them.

August’s featured author is K P Smith.

An image posted by the author.
How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since forever. Long before I became an author, I wrote countless words, thoughts and ideas down in notebooks. Journaling was a lifeline for me. It was my therapy and my coping mechanism during the tough times of growing up. Writing is cleansing and therapeutic for me.

I’m an avid reader so I wanted to write a book since I read “Hey God It’s Me Margaret” by Judy Blume. My dream of becoming an author was actualized in 2011.
Who is one author that you would like to collaborate with? 

We have to go to the great beyond. Sidney. Sheldon.That.Is.All.

What has been the best compliment you have received? 

I don’t think I can pick one. But anytime someone tells me something I’ve said or written has helped, inspired or encouraged them always make me feel like I’m doing something useful.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I have two teenage sons that keep me busy. When I do get some time for me, I do have my favorite tv shows I like to watch sitting on my loveseat with my tweepers on Twitter. I also love a good movie and a good book, of course.

Who is K P Smith? She believes everyone is here for a reason. They are here for a purpose. Life is a gift to be enjoyed not endured. We are here to thrive not merely survive. Whether it’s penning My Growing Pains Series or her upcoming non-fiction books, or coaching first time indie authors or helping people with their relationships; she is always discovering new ways to help people live their best lives possible.

The only thing better than watching my favorite shows is watching it with millions of others via twitter!! She is a major tweeter!

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Book Blurb: Kendra’s in high school! New Beginnings abound at home, school and in her relationships. Things are changing at lightning speed.

She’s saying hello and embracing new relationships while at the same time coping with heart breaking good-byes of others.
Patrice convinces her to give an “old friend” another chance. This coupled with an unplanned chain of events catapults Kendra from a place of obscurity to center stage at school. Center stage has her wedged in a long standing school rivalry which will divide and test her loyalties. And threaten her new relationships.
Kendra isn’t the only one embarking on new beginnings.  A health scare creates a new family dynamic but even with a new dynamic it’s the same family drama.  The family tension escalates and bubbles over and with Meme gone Papa is left trying to keep the family intact.
High school brings about “A New Katrina” and Avery and Jamie don’t escape the winds of change blistering through either.
New Beginnings is the next chapter in the Growing Pains Series. Kendra’s journey continues. In Book Two she finds her own place her own voice in her own way.

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