Lauren Dawes's Blog, page 7

Book Review: Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll by Sawyer Bennett

From NYT Bestselling author, Sawyer Bennett, comes a SEXY new stand alone romance… When you’re a rock god, fame and fortune are your two best friends, but they can be fickle bitches. Everyone wants a piece of me and I have no clue how to deal with it all. I’m being sued, pressured to sign contracts, and fending off rabid women who want to steal my virtue.
Well, not that I really have any virtue, but still… my life has turned completely bat-shit crazy.
That’s why I need Emma Peterson. She got me out of a bit of a jam once, and I know she can do it again. The only problem is that sweet, prim and totally straight-laced Emma doesn’t want anything to do with me. Not professionally, and certainly not personally. 
It’s not that I want her in that way. Let’s be realistic… it would take a crow bar of epic proportions to get her to spread those legs for me.
No, I only want her legal expertise and for her to make sense of my crazy world. It’s a good thing I have just the leverage to make her do my bidding, because her refusal is not an option.
*Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll is a hot, romantic comedy stand alone. 

I’m just going to start off by saying I love Sawyer Bennett and her books. I’ve been a fan since the beginning with the release of Off Sides in 2013. Even though I normally stick to urban fantasy and paranormal romance, I do occasionally (okay, let’s face it, more than occasionally) dip my toes into the romance pool. Sexy Lies and Rock and Roll is an all new stand-alone novel, and another feather in Bennett’s literary cap.
It follows the story of Evan and Emma, perhaps two of the most opposite people likely to meet. Evan is an indie rock star about one year into making the big time. Emma is a straight-laced, painfully prim lawyer being sent to represent him. It’s an unlikely and disastrous meeting at an interrogation table at the police station that sets them both on a path they never expected to walk together.
Overall, I liked the book. The characters were well-developed. They felt real to me, which is incredibly refreshing when it comes to the genre as I’ve often found the female character to be too flimsy to stand up to any real criticism. Emma is unhappy with her life, and she makes no apologies for saying as much. She knows she’s boring. She knows she’d rather be alone in a room with her nose stuck in a book. What she doesn’t know is that her blinkered view of the world and of who she is as a person is completely wrong. 
Evan is your typical contemporary romance male character for a few reasons – smoking hot body, low-slung jeans, tight t-shirts, intense eyes, shaggy hair – and also not your typical rock star for a number of reasons. Whether that makes him realistic or not is a moot point. Evan works as a character because he’s human. Yes, he’s a guy, so sex is on his mind for the most part, but we also see a sweet side to him. He’s humble, grounded and more than willing to give up his one-night-stand lifestyle for the right girl.
He pushes Emma’s boundaries, forcing her to see what he does. He has his alpha tendencies, but for someone like Emma who lives and dies by rules, this is exactly the kind of man she needs. The result is some great chemistry on the page.
There are more than a few steamy scenes in this book, so if you prefer using your imagination to fill in the blanks, I’d probably avoid this book. I, for one, like the amount of detail given and there are so pretty hot scenes in Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll. 
So, what didn’t work in this book? There were two things I wasn’t crazy about. The first was the predictability of the story. Now, I wasn’t expecting something different at all. It seems that most romance books follow the same path, but that’s not the reason people read them now, is it? People read them to fall in love with the characters and to ride the roller coaster of emotion with them. And Bennett sure does roller coaster rides well.
Secondly, there were occasions where the maturity level of the characters (mainly due to the vocabulary used) seemed to vacillate between teenage girl and that of an educated, mature, twenty-something woman, who was also a lawyer. I found the distinctions jarring at time, but thankfully, they didn’t occur so often that the character lost her appeal. 
Sawyer Bennett still has me as a fan. She has a real knack for writing and I enjoy reading her books, enjoy the way they flow and make me forget about the time. I always have a ‘just one more page’ reaction to her writing and I hope that never goes away.
About Sawyer... 

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

Sawyer likes her Bloody Mary’s strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.

Get social...
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Instagram | Goodreads

New Release: Heartthrob by Belinda Williams

CAN AN AVERAGE GIRL SURVIVE HOLLYWOOD?

Ally Valenti doesn’t belong in Hollywood. Not like her friend and actress, Lena Lyons. Lena’s convinced Ally to pursue her dreams of fashion design, starting with some gowns for the awards season.Which Ally will get around to creating as soon as she can stop looking at Jacob Swan, Lena’s latest co-star. Not that she’s staring. Ally’s skeptical of anything celebrity and it’s not like she’d be pathetic enough to fall for a Hollywood heartthrob.Then Ally learns there’s more to Jacob than his good guy, all-American persona. She finds herself torn between the desire to get to know him better and her determination to stay out of the limelight.Of course the media has other ideas—and someone doesn’t like all the attention Ally’s getting. When threats aimed at destroying her fashion career go too far, Ally’s convinced she’s living in crazy town.The sensible thing would be to retreat home before it all ends in spectacular fashion. But will Ally be leaving more than her dreams behind if she says goodbye to Hollywood?This glamorous, fast-paced contemporary romance that will make you smile, is perfect for fans of Rachel Gibson, Victoria Dahl, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Liliana Hart.

About Belinda...

Belinda is a marketing communications specialist and copywriter who allowed an addiction to romance to get the better of her.
 
Belinda is the author of the contemporary romance series, City Love, about four young professional women living in Sydney juggling love, work, friendships and life. The series is published by Momentum (Pan Macmillan), and available from all major ebook retailers.

The first book in her next series, Hollywood Hearts, is due for release in November 2016.

Belinda was named a top ten finalist in The Romance Writers of Australia Emerald award in both 2013 and 2014. Her debut novel, Radiant , a paranormal romantic suspense, is also available on Amazon.

When she’s not obsessing about writing, reading or on social media, Belinda continues to work in marketing where she obsesses about digital and content marketing, and WordPress.

Her other addictions include music and cars. Belinda is a music lover and her eclectic taste forms the foundation for many of her writing ideas. Her healthy appreciation for fast cars means she would not so secretly love a Lamborghini. For now she’ll have to settle with her son’s supercar Hot Wheels collection and writing hot male leads with sports cars.

Belinda lives in Sydney, Australia.

Connect with Belinda...
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Other books by Belinda... 
City Love Series: The Boyfriend SessionsThe PitchModern Heart Wish List  

Author Spotlight: Belinda Crawford

Nothing stirs author, Belinda Crawford, more than a fast horse, a blazingly fast computer or a really good book.

A Victorian-based IT graduate, she expanded her passion for reading, and penchant for science fiction and fantasy, to creative writing, and in 2012 had her first short story, ‘Lex Talionis’, published in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine.

Somewhere between work, karate training and wrestling her keyboard away from a feline named Faust, Belinda wrote Hero, the first book in The Hero Rebellion trilogy. In 2013, Hero won one of twelve places in the Australian Society of Authors’ annual mentorship program, and was published by Odyssey Books in 2015. The second book, Riven, was published in September 2016.

Currently, in between wrangling a horse named Wombat and defending her writing chair from the felines, Belinda is hard at work on the third and final book in The Hero Rebellion.

"Hero – The Hero Rebellion" (Book 1)


Centuries ago, humans colonised Jørn, a lonely planet on the far side of the galaxy. Arriving in five great colony ships, they quickly settled the surface only to discover, after a few short years, that the planet was killing them. The culprit, a native spore, carried on every wind to every corner of the globe.

Genetic engineering, blending DNA from Earth and Jørn species, saved their crops and livestock, but for humans there was no cure. Instead they took to the skies, turning their colony ships into cities that floated above the spore’s reach.

Today.

Hero Regan is special, and not in a way she likes. She hears voices, voices in her head that other people can’t. Surrounded by butlers, bodyguards and tutors, insulated from the outside world, her only solace is Fink, a six-hundred-kilogram, genetically engineered ruc-pard. They share lives, thoughts, triple-chocolate marshmallow ice-cream and the burning desire for freedom.

Their chance comes when Hero is allowed to attend school in Cumulus City. Here, along with making unexpected friends, Hero discovers she is an unwitting part of a master plan set into motion by the first colonists, a plan she must either help or foil if she’s ever to attain the freedom she craves.

 
*Sign up to Belinda's newsletter and get the first 2 chapters of Hero for free!*
"Riven – The Hero Rebellion" (Book 2)


Hero Regan is a telepath, the first in a new subspecies of human engineered to save the world, but that was before she blew up a chunk of Cumulus City. Now the world doesn't need her, which is just how she likes it. 

Hero has just about everything she wants: independence, friendship and a shot at her fondest dream—to explore the surface of the alien planet she calls home. Life would be perfect except her best friend is keeping secrets, Fink—her six hundred kilogram, genetically engineered companion—is constantly angry, and there's something wrong with Hero's brain. Like, really, really wrong.

It all wouldn't be so bad, except Hero has secrets to keep too—the kind that may just be unforgivable—and the Librarian once again needs her help to save the world, whether she wants to or not.

With past actions coming back to haunt her, old friendships falling apart and new, confusing ones coming together, Hero has to find answers because, this time, the world really is going to change. 

 
Connect with Belinda... 
Facebook | Twitter | Wattpad | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest

Author Spotlight and Giveaway: Patricia Leslie

Patricia Leslie is a Sydney author with a passion for combining history, fantasy, and action into stories that nudge at the boundaries of reality.


Urban fantasy is the ideal genre for exploring alternative history and Patricia does just this in her debut novel, The Ouroboros Key; a contemporary quest story set in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Her second novel, A Single Light, leaves known history behind, and joins fantasy with beach and bush south of Sydney where the mild seeming landscape becomes the setting for a potential world-altering event. Walks through the bush will never be the same again!

A visual writer, Patricia dedicates time to exploring locations and allowing snapshot scenes to run through her head before combining them together into one story.


"The Ouroboros Key" 


Prophetic dreams have haunted Dan Tenney since childhood, foretelling him of a life-changing event that is soon to take place. But before he can learn the meaning of his visions, he is attacked by a shadowy group of extremists: the Brotherhood of the Grail.

Finding sanctuary underground, an ancient relic comes into his possession and Dan begins to understand the path his visions have laid out before him. His quest will be fraught with an otherworldy people and an event that could tip the balance in favour of human existence—or disastrously against it. The mysterious Brotherhood will do everything in their power to prevent Dan from fulfilling his destiny as the Bearer of Ouroboros.



"A Single Light"

When Rick Hendry is contacted by a federal agent to help investigate
a growing number of mysterious vanishings across Australia, he finds
himself immersed in a world where normal is a very narrow view of
reality. The two men are joined by a doctor, an archeologist, a journalist, and an Afflür Hunter.

They soon discover that in the bush, south of Sydney, among the
beach goers, walkers and picnickers, a menace grows. The mysterious Bledray monsters are preparing for a Gathering; a feast of epic proportions. Only the Afflür Hunter and Guardians can stop them, but their strength is failing and humans are needed to help prevent a second devastation.
 
A Single Light is an urban fantasy tale of ghoulish monsters and non-human protectors battling to save humanity amid the spectacular and rugged landscapes of the Royal National Park south of Sydney.




Connect with Patricia... 
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website | YouTube | Pinterest


Giveaway 

 

Book Review: "Blaze a Trail" by Claire Boston

They’re from the opposite ends of town but they’re worlds apart.
Zita Flanagan wants more. She wants to help more Central American refugees and make more of an impact. But her family comes first and fulfilling her own dreams seems impossible.

David Randall leads a privileged life and knows nothing about refugee issues. When he meets dynamic, sexy Zita, it seems like the perfect opportunity to learn. Zita’s passion for helping those less fortunate and her selfless devotion to the girls her mother fosters brings David’s life sharply into perspective.

Zita soon realizes that David is so much more than a rich boy. She begins to trust him with her foster sisters’ stories, and her own hopes and dreams. But when David’s father announces he’s running for governor and the focus of his campaign is the ‘refugee problem’, Zita has grave concerns for her sisters’ safety. Then David’s betrayal exposes secrets, and it becomes a race against time to save lives.

Can David convince Zita to trust him again, or will his mistake put the life of the woman he loves in jeopardy?


Do you know what I like to see in a contemporary romance book? Great characters? Yes. A realistic story line? You bet ya. But what I like the most is a unique story and plot, with issues that are real, that are different from the run-of-the-mill rich guy and pretty-girl-but-doesn’t-know-it thing. And yes, I am referring to Fifty Shades of Gray, and just about every BDSM/contemporary romance that has come out since E.L.James’ book made it to the big leagues.

So I read Claire Boston’s latest release “Blaze a Trail” and after reading another book in her other series (read my review here!) I was hoping I’d get that unique plot again. And I did. In “Blaze a Trail” the reader is faced with the issue of immigration. I know, I know, it doesn’t sound like your typical backdrop for a romance novel, right? But in this case, it works. I like books with substance, with a message. Boston clearly has a passion for real-life issues, which, in turn, find their way into her sub-plots. It’s refreshing to have a character not driven by their own petty desires and vanity.
In “Blaze a Trail” we follow Zita Flanagan, the final sister in the Flanagan trio. She is the youngest, and from what I can tell, also the most compassionate. She has a seemingly endless capacity for empathy, but it seems like that is also her downfall as a character. She always wants to help people even if it’s to her detriment. With her mother, she runs a charity which takes in young girls who have fled Central America to escape gang or domestic violence. These girls await the US court’s decision on whether they’re allowed to stay or whether they’ll be deported back to their violent homes. Zita cares for these girls, these ‘foster sisters’, but in doing so, she has put her dreams of becoming an immigration lawyer on the back burner.
It takes the too-good-to-be-true David Randall to make her see that her dreams and desires are just as important as anyone else’s. David is the son of a wealthy businessman. He knows nothing of the poverty or violence that Zita’s foster sisters have experienced, that Zita has heard about over and over as she guides the young girls through the court system in the United States. He’s intrigued by her and feigns wanting to know more about what she does in order to get closer to her. What David doesn’t realize is just how much he doesn’t know about the situation, about how desperate these girls really are. With Zita’s help, he gets a first-hand look at the struggle that she goes through with every girl seeking asylum.

Overall, I liked the book. The characters were well-developed and I could picture both Zita and David as real people. They’re likable characters with no major flaws that would leave a bad taste in a reader’s mouth. As I’ve stated before, Boston’s style of writing is very easy to read, and I ended up finishing the book in two days.

I must confess, though, that on occasion I did find the dialogue, and consequently the whole scene, a bit stilted. It felt rushed and forced in some places, which left me with a sense of dissatisfaction of sorts. I wanted these scenes to be more detailed, I wanted to become truly immersed in the world, and invest myself emotionally with the characters.

The only time I really felt that amazing I need to read the next page, next chapterfeeling was when I got to the final few chapters of the book. That was when things truly happened, when everything Zita had been working toward came to fruition.

If you like contemporary romances that have a little less steam and a little more substance, I’d recommend Boston’s writing to you.


About Claire... 

Claire Boston was a voracious reader as a child, devouring anything by Enid Blyton as well as series such as Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Baby-sitters Club and Sweet Valley High. Then one school holidays when she’d run out of books to read her mother handed her Hot Ice by Nora Roberts and Claire instantly fell in love with romance novels.


The love of reading soon turned to a love of writing and she struggled to keep within the 1500 word limit set by her teachers for her creative writing assignments. When she finally decided to become serious about her stories she joined Romance Writers of Australia, found her wonderful critique group and hasn’t looked back.

When Claire’s not reading or writing she can be found in the garden attempting to grow vegetables, or racing around a vintage motocross track. If she can convince anyone to play with her, she also enjoys cards and board games.

Claire lives in Western Australia, just south of Perth, with her husband, who loves even her most annoying quirks, and her two grubby but adorable Australian bulldog.

Claire loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at her website, www.claireboston.com on Twitter, @clairebauthor and on Facebook www.facebook.com/clairebostonauthor. You can also join her reader group at http://eepurl.com/Z4-4z.

New Release: "Blaze a Trail" by Claire Boston

They’re from the opposite ends of town but they’re worlds apart.
Zita Flanagan wants more. She wants to help more Central American refugees and make more of an impact. But her family comes first and fulfilling her own dreams seems impossible.
David Randall leads a privileged life and knows nothing about refugee issues. When he meets dynamic, sexy Zita, it seems like the perfect opportunity to learn. Zita’s passion for helping those less fortunate and her selfless devotion to the girls her mother fosters brings David’s life sharply into perspective.
Zita soon realizes that David is so much more than a rich boy. She begins to trust him with her foster sisters’ stories, and her own hopes and dreams. But when David’s father announces he’s running for governor and the focus of his campaign is the ‘refugee problem’, Zita has grave concerns for her sisters’ safety. Then David’s betrayal exposes secrets, and it becomes a race against time to save lives.
Can David convince Zita to trust him again, or will his mistake put the life of the woman he loves in jeopardy?
Extract

The buzz of people talking about the symposium was music to Zita Flanagan’s ears. She smiled. The subject of immigration was definitely a hot topic and one that needed discussing. She took a glass of red wine from the passing waiter and moved toward her mother, who was chatting with a group of migrant advocates.
“The presenters were a bunch of bleeding hearts, believing all the lies they’re told.” The complaint was loud, with a strong Texan drawl just off to Zita’s right.
Her skin tightened and her eyes narrowed. Keep moving. It wouldn’t do any good to get into an argument with someone like him. Especially not after she was on a high from hearing her sister’s impassioned speech about the plight of Central American refugees.
As she walked by the man, he stepped back, bumping into her and she almost spilled her wine.
“Excuse me, Missy.” A hand reached out to steady her and she turned to the broad-shouldered man who had more gray than brown in his hair.
Missy? Who the hell called anyone Missy these days? “Don’t worry about it.” She moved forward when he spoke again.
“You look like a sensible American gal. What do you think about the information presented at this here symposium?”
Zita grinned. People often mistook her for an American because she took after her Irish father with her strawberry blond hair, though her skin was the color of a summer’s tan. “Actually, I’m a migrant from El Salvador,” she said, enjoying the way the man’s eyes widened in surprise. “I believe the information presented was informative and accurate, and I can’t see how anyone could possibly disagree with it, unless they were a racist bigot.”
The man huffed out a breath of outrage and his face went red.
“Bob, everyone’s entitled to their opinion,” a deep voice said, his tone friendly.
She glanced at the man standing next to Bob. Hello, gorgeous. Blue eyes, the color of a tropical lagoon, blond hair styled with gel, and the sexiest smile she’d ever seen.
“I knew there’d come a day when I couldn’t tell a foreigner from an American. They’re learning to blend in.” Bob turned to his companion for backup.
That ticked Zita off. That his comment touched one of her insecurities was like prodding a nest of vipers.
“Dad.” The word was a censure coming from the sexy blond. They were related? What a shame.
“Do you agree with him too?” Zita asked, her heartbeat accelerating. “Do you think we should build a wall, stop these refugees from entering the United States, turn our backs on the people fleeing for their lives and searching for somewhere safe to live?” She was annoyed at herself for getting so worked up. There was no point talking to these people. They were too closed off in their bigotry. She moved away.
“Wait.” The blond grabbed her arm to stop her and red wine flew out of her glass over his white shirt.
Zita’s anger immediately dissipated. “I’m sorry.” She winced. There was no point dabbing at it, it was already spreading. His shirt was ruined.
“Totally my fault,” he replied, with a smile that didn’t slow her heart rate.
“Goddamn it, David. I can’t take you anywhere,” Bob said.
David chuckled, not at all perturbed. “Let me clean myself up, and then I’d like to talk with you.”
She frowned. It was doubtful that she’d want to hear what he had to say, or that he would be able to find her again in this crowd, so she said, “Sure.” Then she went to find her mother.


This is book three in the Flanagan Sisters series by Claire Boston. For more information on books one and two, check out Claire's website

Need a copy of your own?
Buy Links 

Looking for reviews

I need your help!
I'm hoping to get some more reviews for "Half Blood" under my belt, and this is where you - future potential readers - come in. 
If you've already read my Dark Series and you loved it, you might want to have a look at my Half Blood Series. It follows the Helheim Pack through four (soon to be five) books. It's dark, graphic and violent urban fantasy with elements of paranormal romance. 
If you're into vampires and werewolves, you can check out "Half Blood" for FREE by subscribing to my mailing list. Just sign up, and I'll send you the link to download "Half Blood" to read on any device you have. All I ask in return is for you to post a review of "Half Blood" when you're done on whichever platform you like, whether it be Amazon, Goodreads or on a personal blog. You could even post the review directly onto my Facebook page!
Intrigued? Just sign up and review! At the end of November, I'll randomly pick some readers to send signed bookmarks to.
You have until the end of November to download your copy.


A FIGHT FOR THEIR LIVES
A battle for werewolf territory and rights has Rhett fighting for his life and for the survival of the pack. The last Half Blood -- a half human, half vampire hybrid--has been found and Rhett has been chosen as her unlikely Guardian. The pack's survival hangs on her completing her transformation, but a Sicarii -- a vampire assassin -- is hunting her to ensure that never happens...A DARK SECRET REVEALED
Indigo's hard exterior is nothing compared to the dark secret she carries within her. Her haunted eyes alone tell of her struggle and desire to live. But what she doesn't know is that she is hard-wired for survival; the very blood in her veins and the legacy of her father demands it. But when her life takes a violent turn, her heritage and her fate may be the very thing to get her killed...

Book review: Pieces of Perfect by Elizabeth Hayley

As a sexy ex-hockey player, Max was the bad boy with something to prove. As a handsome single father, Adam was the man most women wait a lifetime for. Each man would take me on a journey of self-discovery that was marred with lies, jealousy, deceit, and a whole lot of fun. They each offered a glimpse of happily ever after, a piece of perfect. But in my constant quest to have it all, I would risk losing everything. Only one thing was certain. I’d never be the same after this.


I absolutely LOVED this book. Our introduction to Lily is when she’s at the airport, heading back home after a disastrous weekend with her parents. Even though she’s 27, she’s still seeking her parents’ acceptance of her choice to go into teaching rather than follow in their footsteps and go into law.
After a series of embarrassing and just plain that-just-figures moments, Lily thinks she’s found the end of her bad luck. Enter Max—a cocky, sexy, controversial out-of-work NHL player with a bad image and an attitude which makes him unbearable to work with. In an attempt to improve his image, he is returning to his middle school to start up and coach the new ice hockey team.

Without giving away too much, Lily is horrified to see him re-enter her life in the last place she ever thought she'd ever see him. Her self-control is not just tested by Max, but strained to near breaking point. He’s magnetic and dominating, and there’s something about him that makes her get more and more tangled up in him.

Despite the relationship she has with Max, Lily finds herself drawn to the father of one of her students. They begin dating, and soon Lily is seeing just what an amazing man he is. Lily has always been seeking absolution and acceptance, but she realizes with Adam that she doesn’t need this.

But in true Lily style, lies bury her until she doesn’t know what's the truth and what's fiction. Her feelings for both men are fluid, and just when she thinks she can break away from one, there’s something she learns that simply drags her back in again. 

When Lily hits rock bottom, you don't know whether you want to cry for her, or tell her she got exactly what she deserved. If she thought she was innocent in the whole thing, I would have been disappointed with her, which means that I saw her as a real person, rather than just a character in a book. And for this fact, I have to congratulate the authors on their ability to create believable, loveable characters.

Instead of laying the blame at someone else's door, Lily owns her decisions and decides to fight for what she wants, only to learn that just because you fought for it, doesn’t mean you deserve to win. Her journey a self-discovery leaves both Adam and Max by the wayside, battered and broken, deceived and untrusting of the woman they’d both grown to love in their own ways—even if that way is a little skewed. 

The writing style is strong with intense imagery and great descriptions. All the characters are really well-rounded with motivations that make them believable. I loved Lily’s snarky attitude and punchy one-liners. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion, and I had to share this little gem with you all:

“If I didn’t get some coffee in my system, I was going to kill someone’s child. And not a simple murder, like a stabbing or a chair to the back. That little fucker was going to suffer.”
I honestly couldn’t find fault with the characters, their development, the plot, or pacing. If I had to comment on something that wasn’t quite what I expected, it would be about the cover of Pieces of Perfect. When I first saw it, I thought it was going to be a soft, romantic story with true love and no real tribulations, but after I read the first few pages, this book was far from an Austin-esque love story. There was love, yes, but there was also heartache and bad decisions, passion and true companionship. I also felt the ending fit quite well with the whole story.

I’m really looking forward to what else these two lovely ladies that make up “Elizabeth Hayley” come up with next. If they continue with this same style, they have a winning formula here and a reader for life.

When I'm not writing...

Hi! I thought I should check in with you all since I haven't blogged about, well, anything lately. Truth be told,  I'm just not feeling the 'author' title at the moment. It's not that I don't love writing - I do - but my life has been pretty hectic for the last two years. I'm dying for a lull so I can knuckle down and get some work done. 
Even though I'm not writing, I am still being creative. My muse is gently nudging me in the direction of cover art design. I've always loved this aspect of being an author. It's a place for my creativity to be ignited and it's also a stress reliever. Here's a sample of some of the work I've done in the past few weeks (when I get a chance/have the motivation/have the energy/all of the above).
Enjoy and I'd love to hear your opinions!

99 cent sale

AmazonBarnes & NobleiTunes