Sunday, July 10, 2016

COVER REVEAL: Controlled Burn (Kilgore Fire #4) by Lani Lynn Vale

Title: Controlled Burn
Series: Kilgore Fire #4
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 5, 2016  
Cover Model: Shane Williams  
Photographer: Furious Fotog 
 
July Dupree and Dean ‘PD’ Hargrove fell head over heels in love. When PD comes home to tell July the good news about joining the SWAT team as a tactical medic, everything changes.
July can’t fathom why PD would want to be a cop in this day and age. Wasn’t it enough that he already had a dangerous job with the fire department? Now he has to add another, even more dangerous, job to the equation? With so many cruel people in the world who make a sport out of hurting cops just because of the badge they wear, she has to make him understand. But when he refuses to listen to her reasoning, she feels she has no other choice but to issue an ultimatum: her or the SWAT team.
Dean doesn’t like ultimatums. He’s furious with July for putting him in the awful position of having to choose between a dream and her.
July never believes for a second that he’d choose the SWAT team over her, but she is wrong.
A year later, they’re both still in love with each other, but neither one is willing to budge regardless of their feelings.
July’s feelings for Dean haven’t changed, in fact her love for him has only grown. But seeing him living his life seemingly unaffected by the loss of what they had breaks her heart over and over each time she sees him.
Dean has a good poker face, though. He’s just going through the motions of his life until finally, the smoldering embers of his feelings erupt into a full-on blaze of emotion, burning through everything but his love for July. When the smoke clears, Dean wants to know if they can reignite the fire of their love or is he destined to live his life in a constant state of controlled burn?

“Go away,” I murmured tiredly. “I don’t want you here.”
Alexa stood in the doorway, her eyes on the two of us, completely blank.
I wanted to snarl at her, but I just didn’t have the energy to do so.
Maybe later, but right now, it was taking everything I had to keep my eyes open and speak to Dean.
I’d made it to the ER.
I’d been given fluids, had tests ran, and was now listening to the ER doc tell me and Dean that I had a serious infection that would likely require some antibiotics that would likely make me feel like shit for the next few days.
“She’ll need to be watched closely, otherwise we’ll need to admit her,” the doctor was explaining, completely ignoring the fact that I’d asked Dean to leave.
Though, that might be because Dean knew the damn man.
Then again, Dean knew nearly everyone in every hospital in the area.
So it wasn’t a surprise that he’d know my doctor, too. It also came to no surprise to me that he’d stayed, nor that Alexa was my nurse.
I narrowed my eyes at the woman that was standing in the door, and she narrowed them right back at me.
I closed my eyes to block out the woman’s snooty face, and started to slip into sleep when Dean’s voice broke into my calming thoughts.
“She’ll come home with me,” Dean was saying to the doctor. “Her brother’s on a case and can’t come, but I’m free. Already asked for time off, too. Done deal.”
I was shaking my head in the negative, but the doctor was already speaking over my denials.
“Great.” He said. “Alexa, please get her discharge papers in order. She’ll be going home with PD.”
I sighed and closed my eyes once again, this time in defeat.
“Dammit.”
“What was that?” Dean asked, leaning over me so his ear was close to my mouth.
“Dammit,” I repeated.
“Oh,” he snorted. “That’s what I thought you said.”
Thirty minutes later, Alexa was wheeling me out to the exit with Dean at my side.
I was wearing a pair of blue hospital scrubs and my tank top, but I was upright and aware of what was going on around me.
Expecially the tenseness of the two at my back.
“Don’t forget to let me know how your date goes,” Dean said as he opened the door to his truck.
“I won’t,” Alexa sighed. “Do you want me to stop by tomorrow night for pizza?”
“No.” Dean shook his head. “July and I’ll be having a night in, but thank you.”
I wanted to laugh at the look on Alexa’s face that I saw in the reflection of Dean’s shiny red truck, but refrained.
Barely.
When he opened the truck door wide and leaned in for me, I put my hands up to stop him.
“Let me try to stand,” I insisted.
He ignored me and lifted me like a rag doll, placing me in the front seat and going as far as to strap my belt on as well.
“Thanks, daddy,” I muttered darkly.
Except his eyes flared in delight.
“We never played that game,” he said softly, his eyes close to mine. “But we can once you’re back in fighting shape.”
I was shaking my head in denial before he’d even finished.
“Negative,” I said. “You’ve already broken me once. If you do it again it’s because I’m the dumbass that let you.”
He smiled.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about,” he suggested.
I shook my head again.
“No, we don’t,” I disagreed. “You said enough a year ago when you stabbed my heart with your words.”
His eyes softened.
“Maybe,” he said. “But you stabbed mine right back by refusing to fight for me.”
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.
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Thursday, July 7, 2016

Playing with Monsters (Playing with Monsters, #1) by Amelia Hutchins

Playing with Monsters (Playing with Monsters, #1)Playing with Monsters by Amelia Hutchins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was very different than what I expected. I can honestly say when I first started the book I was not feeling Lucian and Lena. I remember Lucian from A.Hutchins' other books, but I didn't have an opinion on him. With this book I sure did. He is an a-hole and a supreme douche. A menthol eucalyptus douche - if you can imagine something so painful.
I felt as if Lena's will and purpose wasn't strong enough. She struck as being pretty self-assured and strong in character, but as soon as she meets Lucian its like her mind and her panties go up in the air.



My only way around characterizing Lena as weak-willed and run by her coochie was to tell myself Lucian is a powerful ________. I leave it blank because I really don't know what creature he is. He isn't a fairy, he's not the Devil's right hand man, and he damned sure isn't a witch (like Lena). So many secrets and no idea who knows the truth. What the reader does know is that a past witch cursed Lucian's people [Lucian himself?] and there's some kind of power that will be released into the world if Lucian doesn't kill the resurrected witch. There's more to it than that, but thems the basics.

Also, Lena herself is going through major sh*t and its called life. Her life is soooo messy. Her coven. Her family. Her relationships. Her yet to be released powers. Its all messed up. Throw in this sexually charged fog that grabs her whenever she's around Lucian and we have a huge recipe for disaster.



Honestly, I didn't get seriously invested until the middle of the book. Lucian is still not my fav character.



I will continue to read the series because I think both characters can redeem themselves. haha
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Vodka on the Rocks (Uncertain Saint's MC # 3) by Lani Lynn Vale

Title: Vodka on the Rocks
Series: Uncertain Saint's MC #3
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: July 6, 2016
There are rules to life that one just obeys in order in her attempt stay on the right path. For example:
1. You don’t wear dirty panties out of the house. You just never know who’s going to see them.
2. A lady must always have chocolate at the ready—just in case the world as she knows it comes to an end.
3. You don’t egg on a drunk woman who’s pissed off at life.
Why, you ask? Because they start bar fights, that’s why.
Casten Red, the unofficial enforcer of The Uncertain Saints MC, wasn’t necessarily trying to urge her into doing anything illegal, and he definitely wasn’t trying to get her into a fight with a group of men who were all twice her size.
No, he only intended to give her the confidence to stand up for herself, just a little nudge in the right direction. How the hell was he supposed to know she’d go all Chuck Norris on them and put three of them in the hospital with concussions?
He should’ve followed his gut instinct and turned around that first moment he saw her in the bar, but Casten has never liked following the rules. Why the hell would he start now?

“5 who doesn’t love a beard stars! By far my absolute favorite book by Lani!” ~Alpha Book Club
“Lani’s stories are a breath of fresh air.” ~Ramblings From Beneath the Sheets
“You’re dilly dallying,” Casten growled. I turned around, bag in one hand, and papers in the other, and glared. “What makes you think that I don’t have a fuckin’ reason for doing what I do?” I growled. He held up his hands. “Down tiger,” he said soothingly, although his eyes flashed, telling a different story. I shoved the rest of my things in my bag, bending them to hell and back, but I couldn’t seem to find the urge to care at that moment in time. I walked past him, knocking his shoulder, and headed to the back hallway to turn off the last of the lights. I hit the first two in the in the locker room before heading to the last one in the entire gym area at the bathroom entrance. But before I could hit the lights, my hand was stilled by Casten’s. “What’s your problem?” he asked. I tried to rip my hand free from his grip, but he held on without even the least bit of effort. “I’m pissed,” I growled. “Why?” he countered. I looked across the room at the mirror, and glared at his reflection. “I don’t want to tell you why I’m pissed. Suffice it to say, you’re the reason, and that’s that,” I growled. He tightened his hands on my wrists. “That’s not it. Tell me fuckin’ why, or I’ll make you tell me,” he hissed. My fists clenched. “Because you fucking pouted last night instead of talking to me. Then made Core spend the night and take me to work, when I didn’t want him to be there. I wanted you to be there. But you were being a titty baby,” I yelled. He moved me until my ass met the counter, crowding so close that I was sure he was either going to beat me or fuck me. Hopefully the latter over the former, if I had a choice. “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!” I exclaimed. I waited. Nothing. “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there!” I cried. I waited. Again, nothing. “Shit,” I said, opening my eyes. “Done?” Casten asked from where he’d trapped me against the bathroom counter. “My clothes are getting wet. In fact, I think my pants are soaked all the way through,” I grumbled, leaning forward until my upper body was laying across the counter. Casten sat up until all that was touching me were his hips, where his massive erection dug into my ass. “You’re cute,” he said, reaching up and pulling my hair out of my ponytail. I glared. “I’m not cute.” He grabbed my face and turned it to face the mirror. His hands were squeezing my face so I looked like I had ten chin rolls and lips three sizes too big. “See,” he said. “Cute.”
 
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.
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