Review of Four For Christmas by R.G. Alexander

Dreaming of a White Christmas led her straight into their arms...

In this holiday spin off of the bestselling novella Three For Me?, saving a man in a snowstorm leads Georgia Bale to an isolated cabin, where three men have an important promise to keep. A promise Georgia soon becomes caught up in herself.

She just wanted to survive Christmas, and her bad holiday karma. She had no idea that accepting a friend's invitation to Colorado would lead her to her perfect man. Times three.

What does an eccentric writer do when a compassionate doctor, a dominant police officer, and a handsome adrenaline junkie only have eyes for her?

Use her imagination.

But when the storm clears, she'll have to decide which path to take. The way back home, or the road less traveled.

Warning: A bit of heart tugging, excessive use of imagination, role playing (the dirty kind), foursomes, magic, a guardian angel or two... and the kinky use of holiday themed beverages.




My Review:

When Georgia decided to head to Colorado to visit a friend for Christmas she had no idea what was in store for her. It started when her bad Christmas karma had her GPS playing tricks on her, then lead to a flat tire, and finally ended with her being stranded at a cabin with 3 completely gorgeous men.

This was an amazing story. Incredibly emotional, heartfelt, and extremely sexy. I sincerely enjoyed reading this and could not put it down. I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning just to finish it in one sitting. It had be laughing, crying, ok sobbing, fanning myself, and smiling all before the end pages. The absolute heart wrenching holiday tradition that is shared was so incredible that I don't think I will ever forget it. I could feel the emotions coming off the pages. The plot was perfect for a short story. It wasn't too complex where I felt things were ignored or left out yet it wasn't lacking either. The progression of the relationships was very believable. It didn't rush to the "I love yous" yet you could feel the bond building and developing throughout the whole story. Even though I have not read "Three for Me" I like how those characters were brought back just enough to get a glimpse of how they are doing. This was an all around great story and one that, to me, had everything to make it the perfect holiday read. 


Would I recommend this to a friend? Absolutely w/o a doubt!


Buy Four for Christmas on Amazon  B&N  Smashwords   


For more information about R.G. Alexander or her books, visit her website

Final week to sign up to win!!!

This is the final week of this event and your last chance to get signed up to win one of the 6 Prize packs available. Read below for details!


Did you read as a child? Do you buy books for your children/grandchildren?  My answer is yes but I know that many would answer no to the above questions. Not because they don't want to but because they can't. There are so many children who don't have books and even when they go to school there are no books that are age appropriate or no books at all. Once a classroom of children was asked to bring in a book from home, 3 children brought the phone book because it was the only book they had in the house. This saddens me and because of that I have joined forces with some amazing authors and fellow bloggers in an effort to give more children the opportunity to read.


Please take a look at First Book


This is an organization that provides low income families and school systems with age appropriate books. They have provided more then 85 million free and low cost books to thousands of communities.


Below are the authors/bloggers who were generous enough to donate to this cause


Debra Webb
Jennifer Haymore
Cathryn Fox
Lisa Renee Jones
Cynthia Eden
Caridad Pineiro
Nikki Duncan
Shayla Black/Shelly Bradley
Melissa Schroeder
Karin Tabke aka Harlow
Erin Nicholas
Literary Escapism 
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews


Scroll down to find out what is up for grabs...


Grand Prize: 
Cynthia Eden: Angel of Darkness 
Jennifer Haymore: Confessions of an Improper Bride 
Cathryn Fox: Aluring Tales 1&2 ~ Swag 
Shayla Black: Tempt Me with Darkness
Lisa Renee Jones: UK English copy of Santa Baby
Karin Tabke: The Hard Stuff
Debra Webb: Dirty
Melissa Schroeder: Grace Under Pressure and Swag


1st Place 
Cynthia Eden: Never Cry Wolf 
Shayla Black:  Entice Me at Twilight
Jennifer Haymore: A Hint of Wicked, A Touch of Scandal, A Season of Seduction (signed) 
Lisa Renee Jones:  US Copy of Santa Baby 
Karin Tabke/Harlow: Italian Stallions
Literary Escapism: Uncertain Allies by Mark del Franco - Swag 


2nd Place:
Lisa Renee Jones: Texas Hotzone Trilogy 
Cynthia Eden: The Naughty List 
Debra Webb: Obsission (e-book)
Literary Escapism: The Good, The Bad, and The Uncanny by Simon R Green


3rd Place:
Nikki Duncan: Sensory Ops 1&2 (2 e-books) 
Cynthia Eden: Belong to the Night   
Erin Nicholas: Just Right, Book Thong, B&B Stuff, and Swag


4th Place:
Debra Webb: Classified and Decoded 
Caridad Pineiro: Sins of Flesh, Stronger then Sin, LOST T-shirt, Swag
Guilty Pleasures: $5 Amazon GC


5th Place:
Karin Tabke/Harlow: What You Can't See
Lisa Renee Jones: Naughty Bits
Guilty Pleasures: $5 Amazon GC


For a chance to win one of these prize packages do one or both of the things below...


1) Follow this link and donate any amount to this cause. For every $1 you donate you get an entry. 
*** 95 cents of every dollar goes directly to First Book's mission and makes it possible for them  to reach more children with more wonderful new books
** Once you have made a donation, forward your receipt to leaghlovesromance@yahoo.com
***Check for a receipt before closing donation page. If you do not receive a receipt, check your spam folder, otherwise copy and paste final donation page into email
** Please be sure that I can link your screen name, real name, and email together ~ if I am not able to tell who you are, your entry will not count
** Comment below with your email address and tell me you donated so I can look for your donation amount
** No email address ~ no entry ~ I need to be able to contact you if you win


OR


2) If you are unable to donate...no problem. Comment below and tell me you did one or more of the following things and I will enter you into the contest.
~ post on FB, Twitter, Blog (post links in comment, 1 entry per share)
~ Follow my blog (just tell me you are a follower, current or new, 1 entry)
~ Post button on your blog: 


<div align="center"><a href="http://www.romancebookcraze.blogspot.com/2011/11/childrens-book-charity-event-and.html" title="Romance Book Craze"><img src="http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc471/leaghchristensen/this-holiday-season-give-the-gift-of-reading-to-kids-in-need-1.jpg" alt="Romance Book Craze" style="border:none;" /></a></div>


Thank you so much for being a part of this. It is much appreciated. You have made a child very happy this holiday season!


Happy Holidays to all!!! 



Donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law

SALE!!! Only $1.99

THE LEGEND OF MICHEAL by Lisa Renee Jones is an amazing book. It is the first installment in a fascinating new series that will take you on a ride you will never forget.

HE IS A LETHAL WEAPON… 

One of an army of human soldiers injected with alien DNA, Michael is a legend within this new race, split between good and evil. Untamable, he has walked on the dark side and returned to the light. Feared and misunderstood, he leaves everything behind, including the one woman destined to be his mate. 

HE IS HER ENEMY…AND HER DESTINY… 

Fate leads Michael back to Cassandra Powell, for she holds the key to defending his comrades. With their loyalties divided between duty and the people they love, only together can Cassandra and Michael overcome insurmountable odds to save humanity from the wrath of a madman. 

But no ordinary woman can control a creature such as Michael, and only one thing is clear—the world will never be the same…


My Review:


Wow! This book is amazing. It comes in two parts. Part one is like a extended prologue where you learn some back story about the world Ms Jones takes you into. You also learn about Cassandra and Michael and the other characters. Part two is where things get really interesting. 

Michael is a soldier that was injected with alien DNA and is now part of a group of soldiers called GTECHs. Cassandra is the daughter of the man who changed these men. When they first meet the chemistry burns up the pages. They quickly become an item and things are going well until one day all hell breaks loose and they are both forced to make decisions that may change their lives forever. 

I loved this story. It was well written and the plot made sense. There were a lot of complicated scenes and everything still seemed to flow. There are actually three groups of people that you are reading about and I loved the fact that you get an insight into all of them. You don't just get to hear from Cassandra and Michael, you get to hear from a lot of different characters good and bad. It really helps you understand what is going on throughout the whole story. All the characters are strong and interesting. The chemistry is explosive, the action keeps you interested, and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book left me wanting more! A must read!!! 

Buy THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL for ONLY $1.99

Amazon

B&N

For more information about Lisa and her books, visit her website 

Romance Book Craze: Personal Assistant Services

Romance Book Craze: Personal Assistant Services: First let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Leagh Christensen. I am a wife and mother of two beautiful daughters and I live in Central...

Review ~ Slow Burn by E.B. Walters

She doesn’t want to deal with the past...

Ten years ago, Ashley Fitzgerald witnessed the death of her parents in a tragic fire and blocked the memory.  She pretends to have moved on, is a successful artist and photographer, until the morning she opens her door to a stranger she assumes is a model and asks him to strip to his briefs .

He wants to expose the truth...

Wealthy businessman Ron Noble has the body, the jet, the fast cars and the women, but he hides a deadly secret.  His father started the fire that killed Ashley’s parents.  Now someone is leaving him clues that could exonerate his father and they lead to Ashley’s door.  Blindsided by the blazing attraction between them and a merciless killer silencing anyone who was there the night of the fire, Ron dare not tell Ashley the truth.  Yet the answer he seeks may very well tear them apart.

While a demented arsonist...SLOW BURN(s)...and plots his ultimate revenge

Watch the trailer here


Buy it on Amazon here


Review:

Thrilling, Sexy, and HOT!!!

Ashley Fitzgerald witnessed her parent's death by fire 10 yrs ago and doesn't remember a thing. She has moved on, or so she thinks, until Ron Noble steps into her life and makes her wonder, what exactly she saw that night. Ron has everything, including a huge secret. He has approached Ashley hoping to clear his father's name but when things start to heat up between the two of them, the fire 10 yrs ago, will the be least of their concerns.

This story was filled with twists and turns that kept you glued to the pages until the very end. It was thrilling, sexy, sensual, emotional, and so much more. It grabbed me at the beginning and didn't let go. The plot was exciting and flowed extremely well. The story read fast but left nothing out. Ron was amazing. He's a filthy rich playboy with a great body and is extremely talented yet there was an emotional side that the author did a fantastic job showing the readers. Ashley is a talented artist and one that you don't want to push around. She is incredibly independent and extremely straight forward but yet vulnerable and broken. Ms Walters did an amazing job making me feel what the characters felt and believe the emotions that were explained on the pages. Both characters were well put together and thought out. The chemistry between then was smokin and sheet burning good. This is an emotional roller coaster that had me giggling, crying, fanning myself, and cursing all before the last page. The villains were truly demented and their actions were well explained and thought out. I found myself wanting to stop them yet not knowing who "them" was till the very end. I enjoyed this story immensely and cannot wait to read the other Fitsgerald books in the series.


For More information about E.B/Ednah Walters visit her website

The Magic Touch by Dara England Review

Fairy godmother Ambrielle is having an off year. Placed on probation by the fairy council, she’s going to have to perform a miracle in twenty-four hours in order to stay in the godmothering game. Her assignment? To help a reluctant young bachelor woo back his ex-girlfriend while turning his failing career around. But with her stubborn charge fighting her at every turn and her godmother license on the line, is Ambrielle about to lose her first battle? One thing’s for sure, she’s not going to hang up her wand without a fight.

Review:

The first thing I noticed when I read this book was there is no romance involved. Once I realized that, I looked at the book a bit differently 

It took me about 20 minutes to read this. Great for the doctor's office. The story was cute, witty, and gave me a good chuckle. It is about a young man who's life is on the verge of failure until his fairy godmother shows up and helps him turn his life around in a matter of a day. It really made me realize that a few decisions can change your life for the better and that you should stop and evaluate where you are in your life to be sure that you are truly happy.

Great G-rated read I would recommend for any age group.

Review of For Kicks by Jenna Bayley-Burke

If the shoe fits…run with it!

Breeze Cohen senses something is missing from her life, but her career doesn’t leave time for anything but retail business strategy—particularly the upcoming product launch for her cornerstone client, Nitrous.

No way is she going to let live-for-the-moment Logan Chandler tarnish her professional reputation. Even if the ex-athlete poster boy for Nitrous makes her heart pound like she’s run a marathon.

After surviving a near-fatal accident, Logan doesn’t want to waste a minute of life. It’s meant to be lived, ravished, enjoyed—and there’s no one he’d like to ravish more than Breeze. There’s a deep pool of mutual desire beneath her icy façade. He can feel it every time they touch.

When a training snafu at Nitrous launches Breeze into damage control, Logan is ready and waiting to lace up and take her for a run on the wilder side—if he can catch her.

Warning: Side effects may include a desire to melt chocolate with body heat, spontaneous phone sex, and an intense drive to find loopholes in your workplace fraternization policy.

Review:

Breeze is in retail hell, well, the normal person would think so at lease, but Breeze?...nope, this is what she is supposed to be doing if she is going to be the youngest store manager in history. She works long hours and never wastes a minute. Especially when she gets the opportunity to do the new product launch for Nitrous.

Logan was in a life altering accident and now lives for the moment. While launching the Nitrous project he decides that he is going to persue Breeze and help her live more and experience more, and what Logan wants, Logan gets.

I loved this story. It was funny, witty, sweet, and sexy. All the components for a great read.

Logan is every women's dream. He is sexy, caring, rich, and very in tuned with life. I love how he was persistent and did just about anything possible to get Breeze to give him a chance. He genuinely cared for her and pampered her. The things he did for her just made me go "awwwww, what a sweetie" He saw what others didn't and recognized what she needed, even if Breeze herself didn't know it, and made sure she got it. You could tell from the very beginning that his emotions for her ran deep. Breeze was a workaholic. She felt that all she had left was her job so she poured her entire heart and soul into work and would not give an inch for fear she would lose her job and her respectability. She also was a little lost and felt there was something missing. The chemistry between the two was amazing and the progression of their relationship didn't seem forced at all just very smooth and natural. 

This story was amazing. The plot flowed very smooth and hooked me at the beginning. I could not put this book down. Oh and did I mention the love scenes? Oh my...way to melt the panties. I am very excited to find out if Ms. Bayley-Burke is going to turn this into a series and write Logan's friend's story, would love to read it.

Would I recommend this to others? Absolutely!!!

Review of Cinderella and the Sheikh by Teresa Morgan

She's about to get charmed...

Libby Fay's safe little life as a waitress at a posh New York boutique hotel implodes when Sheikh Rasyn Al Jabar, black-eyed and seductive, crashes into her world and swears that he loves her.

The powerful sheikh will do anything to prevent becoming the ruler of his North African homeland, including marrying a woman who is inappropriate to be queen. When he sees the beautiful, bubbly waitress, he knows that she is the perfect wife to help him avoid the throne—all he has to do is make her fall in love with him.

All her life, Libby has longed for the same loving, equal partnership her parents had—something she couldn't possibly have with a forceful sheikh who ignores all her objections. But Rasyn seems to be able to charm her into anything, including his bed. Soon, she finds herself on a plane to Abbas, transported into a fairy tale come true.

Unfortunately for Libby, a Cinderella is the last thing this Prince Charming wants.


What I thought:

Libby Fay is content with where she is now. She is a waitress at a very high end hotel that serves celebrities and royalty, therefore affording her very good tips. That is until Sheikh Rasyn ibn Bakr ibn Rahman al Jabar shows up and turns her world upside down.


Rasyn needs to find a common women to marry. If he doesn't he will end up being named the new ruler of his county and he doesn't want that. He feels his cousin is a much better person for the job. When he sees Libby, he knows that he has found the women he needs. Now all he has to do is convince her he loves her and get her to marry him.


I found this book intriguing. The story was very well written and the plot was interesting. The story held true to the time and the atmosphere. I liked the descriptions of the land and was able to easily visualize what the characters were experiencing. I did however, find this book lacking for emotion. I found Rasyn to be very demanding and pushy and I found Libby to be weak. When the story began there was no feeling between the characters and as the story progressed "real" feelings were supposed to have developed. To me, that didn't happen. I never got the feeling that the characters really cared for each other. 


Would I recommend this book to others? Yes, because all in all, it was a very good story.


For more information about Theresa Morgan see her Amazon Page

Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis Review

Breaking rules and breaking hearts

Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble--and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways.

Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?








Read and excerpt here


What I thought: 



Jill Shalvis has done it again!!!


In Simply Irresistible, the first book in this series, we were introduced to Chloe. She was the youngest of the three sisters and extremely free spirited. She enjoys life to it's fullest and rubs the town's Sheriff the wrong way. This continues in The Sweetest Thing, book 2, but we notice that she is starting to settle down some. In HEAD OVER HEELS, we finally get to hear her story.


Chloe is still very free spirited but we learn that she is a bit lost. She has severe asthma and isn't able to do most things but that doesn't stop her from enjoying life. Until the town's ruggedly sexy and extremely stern Sheriff steps in to tame her wild ways.


I absolutely loved this story. Chloe is sweet and kind yet wild and free. Sawyer is quiet, confident, and extremely kind. And did I mention hot? Wooohooo he is one sexy man. They both have a past that they are trying to overcome and they find comfort in each other. The smexin is hot and sexy and extremely sweet. There is a scene, once Sawyer learns to deal with her asthma, that had my tearing up because he was so thoughtful and caring. The chemistry between the characters burns up the pages and the banter between the two will have you chuckling the whole way through. This story was very well rounded and had all the characteristics of a must read story. I recommend you start at the beginning of the series to get the full effect of the book.

Buy it on Amazon

Buy it at B&N

Learn more about Jill Shalvis and her books at her website

Caridad Pineiro ~ Interview, Review, and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome a very talented author and someone I would like to call a friend, Caridad Pineiro. The author of THE LOST, A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS, and many more. Check out her website for more information about her and her books. 


Now onto the interview!!!

Hello Caridad! Thank you so much for being here today.

Why don't we start off by you telling us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a wife, mom, lawyer and writer!  I was always an avid reader and developed my love of writing in the fifth grade when my teacher assigned a project – to write a book for a class lending library. I got hooked on the writing bug and could not stop writing!

What is your normal day like?

 I work in New York City, so I get on the train at around 6, sit down and pull out my laptop.  I write on the trip and then when I get to NYC, I walk to my office.  It’s about a twenty minute walk, but it’s relaxing and there is always something fun happening in the city.  At my office I work on various files and counsel clients on legal matters.  When the day ends, I walk back to the train station and during that time, I visualize the scene that I am going to write on the train ride home.  I try to work out a few times a week and when I get home, I spend time with my family.  At night I’ll sometimes write, but I’m usually too tired, so only if it’s a really pressing deadline.  On the weekends, I write for a few hours every day in the morning, then do chores and spend time with family and friends.

What are some of your favorites ~ music, movie, drinks, foods, etc. Dislikes? 

 I love watching television and movies.  I prefer soda to water, but like an occasional glass of wine, especially champagne.  I have eclectic music tastes, but generally prefer alternative rock.  As for foods, love cheese, chocolate and bread (although not together! LOL!).  Dislikes are few and far between, but definitely peppermint, rosemary, fennel and pepper.

Tell us one unusual thing about yourself.  I’m basically shy.

Since it is the holiday season, what is your favorite thing about the holidays and which holiday is your favorite?  

Thanksgiving is my favoritest although Christmas Eve is a close second.  My favorite thing about both is sharing time with family and friends.

Do you have an traditions that you follow?  

My sister does a traditional American Thanksgiving and it is great.  On Christmas Eve we’ve merged my husband’s Italian traditions with my Cuban ones which means we have fish and pasta courses to start the meal, but roast pork, baked ham, rice, beans and plaintains for the main courses.

Ok so now onto the book...

AMAZON AMAKENING is the first erotic book that you have wrote. (Is that correct?) What made you want to write erotica?  

Yep, it is the very first erotic paranormal romance I’ve ever written.  I’d been itching to try it out since everyone says I write sexy and then my editor asked me to do some for Nocturne Cravings.  I had a few story ideas in mind and I was off and writing.  It was fun, but the hardest part was making sure there was a romantic arc in the stories.  For me there has to be a happily-ever-after and not just one sex scene after another.  I was very happy to be able to have the physical intimacy be melded with a growing emotional attachment between Rey and Paola.

Can you tell us a bit about the book? 

 AMAZON AWAKENING is a story about a young woman, Paola Lopes, who is called back to her father’s home in the Amazon to visit her grandmother, who is supposedly ill.  Paola’s father died when she was very young and she has not had much connection with that family, but she is immediately attracted to Rey Peralta, her grandmother’s trusted employee and the man who is sent to bring her home.  When Paola arrives, she realizes that she has been called home for a very special reason – to take up her mother’s role as the leader of an ancient race of Guardians who guard a sacred space located on her family’s plantation.  I won’t spill more because I don’t want to spoil it!  Let’s just say that Paola’s journey to the space leads to the awakening of love and desire with Rey, but will she stay with him and take up the mantle of leadership?

Is this a series and if so, how many books are you planning?  


It’s not a series, although I am toying about doing a story about Paola’s half-sister (although you do not meet her in this novella.) 

Where did the character and plot ideas come from for this book?  


Like all my books, the characters just popped into my head.  I can’t really say where, although readers did like the AMAZON setting from my CRAZY FOR THE CAT story in MOON FEVER.  I decided to revisit the location because it’s such an important ecosystem and I wanted to remind readers about it with the novella.

What was your favorite part of this book, without spoiling it for your readers of course?


  My favorite part is how Rey and Paola get to the sacred space and what happens after they get there!

Are you planning on continuing with more stories like this one?  


I am doing quite a few other erotic paranormal romances for NOCTURNE CRAVINGS.  The next two releases are in February (NOCTURNAL WHISPERS) and April (THE VAMPIRE’S CONSORT) and are totally unrelated to AMAZON AWAKENING.  There will also be another 3 after that in late 2012 and 2013.

Thank you so much for being on my blog today. It was a pleasure having you!!!


What I thought about AMAZON AWAKENING...

I have read a couple of things by Caridad Pineiro and it never fails to amaze me how unique her stories are. This one is no different. 

Paola is a lawyer in New York. She has a great career and the possibility for advance. She feels she is content with this until recently she started to feel like something was missing. Then Rey shows up trying to talk her into returning to her family's  home in Brazil. She decides to go visit her grandmother for a short time, until she gets there, and everything changes.

I loved the story line. It was so incredibly unique that I couldn't help but get sucked into it. Both characters were well developed and I liked them. The smexin was smokin hot and will definitely melt your panties. I thought the story flowed well and Ms Piniero has a way of describing things so you can picture them perfectly. This story read like a short story therefore is seemed to move kind of quickly but during the story she made reference to that and explained that there was a natural pull and comfort that the characters felt while together. That, to me, makes the fast speed seem real and make sense. If you are looking for a hot, unique, short story that will suck you in, this is the story for you.

Caridad is offering one random commenter a LOST T-shirt, e-copy of THE FIFTH KINGDOM, and assorted swag. To enter just comment on the interview or review. Please remember to leave your email so I can contact you if you win. Sorry but no email means no entry.


Thanks for stopping by! 

My very first Guest Post!!!

I was honored when I was asked to participate in the Rough Riders Event at As The Pages Turn Blog. I love the Rough Riders so I thought I would write up a post on why I love them. Head over and check it out!!! There is a contest as well :)


http://asthepagesturn.blogspot.com/2011/12/day-2-rough-riders-series-event-why-i.html


Thanks so much and Congrats to Lorelei James on her release of Cowboy Casanova today!