Jessica Samuelsen's Blog, page 15

ARC Review – Breathless by Leigh Lavelle

Breathless by Leigh LaValle
on May 27, 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 388
Source: Netgalley

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

A sassy new romance from a USA Today Bestselling Author...

After moving cross-country yet again, Hannah Roberts wants to put down roots in Colorado. She's sunk her life savings into a share of Bloom Yoga Studio, but the studio is losing money, and fast. The building is undergoing a messy, noisy renovation--and the hot carpenter in charge is distracting her yoga students in more ways than one. If Hannah can't talk the hard-bodied builder out of his power tools, she might as well kiss her dreams goodbye.

When Jake Marshall returned from Afghanistan, he brought back an injured knee and a lot of bad memories. He just wants to finish this renovation, rehab his knee, and head for Alaska to leave it all behind. A sexy yoga teacher doesn't fit into his plans. But when Hannah offers him private sessions in exchange for quiet hours—he’s all in. He doesn't expect that while she's healing his knee, Hannah will poke at all his hidden wounds...and come dangerously close to breaking open his heart.

Hannah Roberts has moved around a lot. She has finally decided to settle down in Colorado. She has invested in a Yoga studio. One day she goes hiking and she is injured and she is rescued. She’s attracted to her rescuer but doubts she will ever see her again. She is surprised when he ends up being the contractor that owns the building that houses her yoga studio. Jake Marshall doesn’t stay in one place for long. He’s not looking for a relationship but cannot deny his attraction to Hannah. Hannah negotiates with Jake quiet hours for her Yoga studio in exchange she gives him Yoga lessons. The lessons help his knee when western medicine has been exhausted.  Neither of them is looking to get involved but they can’t help themselves.

In an Oyster Shell – It was a steamy romance that was a little too explicit for me.

The Pearls – I like the idea of a Yoga teacher helping a soldier rehabilitate. Hannah is a non-traditional Yoga teacher but that’s part of her charm. The charm that Jake can’t resist. I like how the author constantly intertwines Jake and Hannah.

I like the conflict that happens with Hannah and Jake. Hannah has been burned by relationships before. She makes a list of traits that she cannot date and Jake about fits them all. Jake has is own reasons for not wanting to get involved. The tension between the two is palpable.

The romance is steamy and redeeming.

The Sand – The steam level was a little too high for my taste.

3 Pearls!

About Leigh LaValle

Leigh LaValle lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. When she is not writing, mommying, or reading, she is rarely seen cleaning. More often she is found hiking or, when she is really lucky, in the white powder of the ski slopes. She holds an honors degree in English Literature and is a devoted yoga practitioner and instructor.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Review – The D.B. List by Rebekah L. Purdy

The D.B. List by Rebekah L. Purdy
Published by Swoon Reads on June 13, 2017
Pages: 186
Source: Publisher

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Seventeen-year-old Ellie Gebhardt has spent the last three years of high school in psychotherapy, trying to fix a very broken her. And her shrink (or therapist as she likes to be called) seems to think that in order to totally heal, she needs to recognize all the good and bad things that have led her to this point. As if a trip down memory lane will suddenly make her better.

She’s given a “homework” assignment to create two lists. One with nothing but happy memories and thoughts on it (otherwise known as the ‘happy rainbow farting unicorns list’). And the other with everything negative that Ellie thinks contributed to “the” day she could no longer cope.

So begins Ellie’s Douche Bag list (or D.B. List for short). And once she gets started, it’s hard to stop remembering all the jerks, the petty crap, the times she’d been bullied or the main focus of the rumor mill.

So when nice guy, Ky Laramie, walks into her life, Ellie instantly puts her shields up. But as she gets to know him and his family, she wonders if she can dare to put herself out there again. Because as everyone knows, once a candle is lit, the wind can always blow it out. And Ellie couldn’t handle it if Ky ends up atop of the D.B. List.

Ellie Gebhardt is in the mental hospital after a brush with death. Her therapist has an idea to help her get better to make a list of the positive and negative in her life. With this idea, the D.B. list is born. Ellie goes on a trip down memory lane seeing the good and the bad. While she is getting better she makes a couple of friends in the hospital. As she recovers she reconciles the past both good and bad.

In an Oyster shell – A refreshing read that embraced the good and bad that life has to offer.

The Pearls – I like the idea of a mental health patient as the star of the book. The funny thing about Ellie is she was saner than most. I don’t usually like journal entries as a vessel to carry the story, but I didn’t mind it in this book. It really worked. Rebekah L. Purdy is a very talented author and it shows in this book. If you can make me like something that I don’t usually like that attests to the talent of the writer.

The characters were well defined and distinctive. Ellie was a compelling character. She had a lot of compassion and as the reader, you could give that to her in return. Ellie’s roommate was a great supporting character that added depth to the story.

The theme of the book is finding your inner strength and standing up for yourself. Ellie does this well in the book. She also leads other characters to do this for themselves.

The Sand – It was a good book.

4 Pearls!

About Rebekah L. Purdy

I was born and raised in Michigan (just look for the giant mitten on the map—it’ll likely throw a snowball at you). I spent most of my time in Michigan, but while in the army got to call KS, SC, MO, and CA home for awhile as well.

As a kid my family moved around a lot. Try spending both your freshman and senior years at new schools (yeah, loads of fun). I could’ve changed my name to “new girl”.

I love writing for teens because those are the years I remember falling in love with most of my favorite books. Some of the authors I couldn’t put down were L.J. Smith, Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Joan Lowery Nixon, Lois Duncan, amongst several others.

My husband and I have a large family. There are six kids total! So we have LOTS of fun on vacations (although hours on the road, cooped up in the Expedition is kind of stressful—although we pass the time with MAD LIBS and hoping no one gets carsick).

Some fun facts about me:

My first real crush was on Luke Skywalker (LOL—hey, I was like 8 years old and it came out before I was born).

I’m obsessed with several TV shows/Movies: The Vampire Diaries, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Sean of the Dead, The Sing Off, Ghost Hunters, Destination Truth, True Blood, Being Human, Fact or Fake, and all the cake designing ones! Oh and all the spoof movies!

I still own all the books I bought as a kid/teen.

I have a hankering for chocolate (like all the time, seriously. If my arm was made of it I’d chew it off).

Celebrity crushes: Johnny Depp (woohoo), Taylor Lautner (okay, I know he’s kind of young for me), Ian Somerhalder (ooh, he’s just right. We’re the same age). Wow, this was like a Goldie Locks and the Three Bears moment. Johnny Depp too old, Taylor Lautner too young, Ian Somerhalder—JUST RIGHT.

In my spare time I like to write (obviously), read, sing, hang out with my kids, play with my animals, camp, play soccer, check my email (hehehe), watch football (go LIONS). I also love hanging out with my sister and hubby!

Look forward to chatting with everyone! And if you’re lucky, I’ll break out the opera voice and chase you around singing!

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Review – Love on the Line by Kirsten Fullmer

Love on the Line by Kirsten Fullmer
Published by Augustine Press on June 14, 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 368
Source: Author

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Andy may not have pipeline know-how, per se, but she’s got brains and every right to prove that she can do the job. Her estranged grandpa, Buck, believes she has what it takes to be his engineering assistant, and she’s not about to let him down.

Rooster isn’t a bad guy. He respects women, he was raised by one of the best. But that new girl is too small and… feminine. She’s a distraction, plain and simple, and she doesn’t belong on a pipeline. This job is his chance to impress Buck Brennan, a pipeline legend, and no girly greenhorn is going to ruin it for him.

Will Andy prove herself to her grandfather and forge a relationship with the old man, or will continuous disagreements and unexpected sexual tension between Andy and Rooster derail their hard work?

Andy decides to take a break from school and work on the pipeline with her estranged grandpa Buck. Buck thinks Andy has what it takes to be his assistant engineer so he invites her along. Andy works hard in a harsh environment that is male dominated. Rooster thinks Andy is too small and will be a liability on the pipeline. Rooster has worked hard to get the approval of Buck and doesn’t want Andy to jeopardize that. The sexual tension between Andy and Rooster grow much to their surprise. Rooster and Andy both worry that a relationship between them will jeopardize everything they have worked for.

In an Oyster Shell –  The pacing is slow in the beginning but picks up to be a page turning romance.

The Pearls – I love the idea of a woman at work series. I am glad the author is kicking it off with a woman on the pipeline. She makes the tension of Andy working in a male dominated world, tangible.

The characters were outstanding. The author had a good grip on her characters. My favorite character was the Grandpa Buck. He was rough on the outside but had a heart of gold on the inside. Andy’s relationship with Buck really sets the tone of the story. All character was well developed. Andy was an interesting character. She wasn’t too sure of herself in the beginning but grow in confidence as the story develops.

The themes in the story were compelling. There was a strong theme of family ties. I really liked that. Andy was close with her parents and she grew close to Buck. Rooster also had a close relationship with his mother. His relationship motivates him through out the story.

The book was very dynamic.

The Sand – The Pacing was slow at first and was hard to stick with it. When the romance got more prominent, it became easier to stay engaged.

3.5 Pearls!

About Kirsten Fullmer

Reading has always been a cherished part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are of my mother taking me to the library where I could wander down rows and rows of books and touch them all! Long before I could read I’d curl up with a book to enjoy the pictures, the feel and smell of the pages. I lived in small towns my entire childhood and spent my days playing outside with mosquito bitten legs. My first reading experiences, carefully sounding out words, are burned in my memory as a right of passage. When my children were young my husband and I were in college and money was tight, but the library always welcomed us, and I’m proud to say that my kids all read voraciously. I’ve had the opportunity to travel the country and learn about many places and people, to live in large cities as well as tiny burgs. I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, New England, and the coasts of Florida. My love of the classics has grown and expanded to include a passion for contemporary romance and humor. It took me years to convert to an e-reader because I just love books, but the joy of shopping for a book from my bed in the middle of the night was a lure I couldn’t resist. I still can’t pass by a bookstores, and the shiny pages of a home décor magazine make my fingers itch to pick it up, but the soft glow of digital pages at night has become an undeniable comfort. To hold my own novel for the first time was a surreal moment of fascinated fear and joy.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Blog Tour with Review – One Broken Day by Melissa MacVicar

One Broken Day by Melissa MacVicar
Published by Melissa MacVicar on May 18th 2017
Genres: YA, Romance
Pages: 325
Source: YA Bound Book Tours
Goodreads
Amazon

The bullets missed her. The trauma did not.

After a notorious school shooting leaves her a shadow of the girl she once was, seventeen-year-old Lizzie Beringer moves to Nantucket Island. There, Lizzie vows to hide her identity as the shooter’s sister. All her efforts to fly under the radar, however, are complicated by her P.T.S.D. and the attention she receives from two competing boys. While fending off the not-so-subtle advances of popular athlete Michael Wickersham, she must also deal with her growing feelings for her shy lab partner, Gage Pike. Gage may act like he’s all wrong for her, but the pull between them is undeniable.

Under the threat of discovery and the possibility of testifying in a televised trial, Lizzie fights to keep her secrets and start her life over.

One Broken Day is a brilliantly imagined story exploring the ways we are all broken and at the same time, offered redemption in the most unexpected of places.

Lizzie Beringer moves to Nantucket to hide her identity as the sister of a school shooter. She is deeply traumatized by the day her brother shot four people dead at her old school. She feels she is so broken she’ll never be normal again. When she arrives at the school in Nantucket she gets the immediate attention of the most popular boy Wick. The boy that has her attention is quiet Gage. Gage comes with his own brokenness and feels Lizzie who he knows as Lainey is all wrong for him. Lainey has her secrets that are about to be revealed with the publicity her brothers trial is getting.

In an Oyster Shell – A most excellent story that has some disturbing content but is really well done.

The Pearls – The author was really bold with the concept of the sister of a school shooter. The author really gets in the head of the shooter. It’s disturbing but realistic.  She also gets in the head of the sister who is deeply affected by what happened. It’s deeply emotional and will tug at your heart strings. It was a unique concept that was well executed.

The author made the characters easy to empathize with. There were great supporting characters that added depth to the story. Lizzie was easy to believe as the main character. Her brokenness was tangible. How she worked through that brokenness really made the story what it was.

The romance was good. Lizzie’s relationship with Gage is moving. It get’s Lizzie out of her head and back into reality. Gage brings his own problems to the table which adds a dynamite dynamic. The two of them come together broken and work into something beautiful.

This book is well worth the read. It does have the violence of the school shooting which is disturbing. I think it was a really good book that dealt with a hard issue that needs to be addressed.

The Sand – It was a really good book.

5 Pearls!

[image error]

Blog tour Schedule –

July 17th

Betwixt the Pages  Review

July 18th

The Avid Reader   Author Interview

abookandalattee   Review

The Page Unbound  Excerpt

July 19th

Up ‘Til Dawn Book Blog   Five Favorite Movie Scenes

CBY Book Club  Teaser

July 20th

Critic Uncritical Bookworm    https://criticuncriticalbookwormblog.wordpress.com     Review

July 21st

Haddie’s Haven https://haddieshaven.blogspot.com      Review

I Read Indie   http://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/  Promo Post

Heather Bryant http://www.unratedbookshelf.com    Review

July 24th

Never Too Many To Read     www.never2many2read.blogspot.com    Review

Mama Reads Blog     http://mamareadsblog.wordpress.com   Review

July 25th

Writing Pearls    http://www.writingpearls.com    Review

Zili in the Sky      http://www.ziliinthesky.com     Review

July 26th

The Reading Mermaid   www.thereadmermaid.wordpress.com    Review

Kindle and Me   http://www.kindleandme.com/    Review

July 27th

A Leisure Moment    www.aleisuremoment.com  Review

Books Direct     https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com   Review

July 28th

Fishing for Books      Http://libraryofbooksblog.wordpress.com     Review

About Melissa MacVicar

Melissa was born and mostly raised on Nantucket Island, and she currently lives there with her husband and two teenage children. When not being a wife and mother and teaching writing toseventh graders, she enjoys binge watching shows like Big Little Lies, House of Cards, and Outlander. Despite the rumors to the contrary, she does not actually wish she was a teenager again, nor does she see ghosts like the main character in her first novel, Ever Near. She does, however, love to hear from readers so send her a message on social media orat her email: melissa.macvicar@gmail.c

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Blog Tour with Review – Hearts at Seaside by Addison Cole

Hearts at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers, #3) by Addison Cole
Published by World Literary Press on July 19th 2017
Goodreads

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers features a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They're sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you'll be begging to enter their circle of friends!

Hearts at Seaside by Addison Cole is the sweet edition of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster's steamy romance novel Seaside Hearts. The stories and characters remain the same, and convey all of the passion you expect between two people in love, without any explicit scenes or harsh language.

In HEARTS at SEASIDE...Jenna Ward is vivacious, spontaneous, and confident--except when she's around the man who stole her heart years earlier, strikingly handsome, quiet, and reliable Pete Lacroux. After years of trying to get his attention and overwhelmed from dealing with her mother's new cougar lifestyle, Jenna's giving up on Peter--and is ready to explore other men.

As the eldest of five siblings, with an alcoholic father to care for, boat craftsman Pete Lacroux always does the right thing and has no time for a real relationship. He's looking forward to seeing his friend Jenna, a welcome distraction who's so sexy and painfully shy that she equally entertains and confuses him.

When Jenna picks up a hard-bodied construction worker, jealousy ignites Pete's true feelings, and he's unable to ignore the desires for Jenna he never realized he had. But Pete's not the quiet guy he appears to be, and his life is anything but conducive to a relationship. Can Jenna handle the real Pete Lacroux--the most alpha male she's ever seen--or will she crack under pressure? And can Pete reclaim the life he once had without tearing apart his family?

SWEET WITH HEAT: SEASIDE SUMMERS SERIESRead, Write, Love at SeasideDreaming at SeasideHearts at SeasideSunsets at SeasideSecrets at SeasideNights at SeasideSeized by Love at SeasideEmbraced at SeasideLovers at SeasideWhispers at Seaside

**

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.

NEW RELEASE…….. 



Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers features a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you’ll be begging to enter their circle of friends! All books can be read as stand-alone novels.Hearts at Seaside by Addison Cole is the sweet edition of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster’s steamy romance novel Seaside Hearts. The stories and characters remain the same and convey all of the passion you expect between two people in love, without any explicit scenes or harsh language.In HEARTS at SEASIDE… 

Jenna Ward is vivacious, spontaneous, and confident—except when she’s around the man who stole her heart years earlier, strikingly handsome, quiet, and reliable Pete Lacroux. After years of trying to get his attention and overwhelmed from dealing with her mother’s new cougar lifestyle, Jenna’s giving up on Peter—and is ready to explore other men.

As the eldest of five siblings, with an alcoholic father to care for, boat craftsman Pete Lacroux always does the right thing and has no time for a real relationship. He’s looking forward to seeing his friend Jenna, a welcome distraction who’s so sexy and painfully shy that she equally entertains and confuses him.

When Jenna picks up a hard-bodied construction worker, jealousy ignites Pete’s true feelings, and he’s unable to ignore the desires for Jenna he never realized he had. But Pete’s not the quiet guy he appears to be, and his life is anything but conducive to a relationship. Can Jenna handle the real Pete Lacroux—the most alpha male she’s ever seen—or will she crack under pressure? And can Pete reclaim the life he once had without tearing apart his family?

Hearts at Seaside is the sweet edition of the steamy romance novel Seaside Hearts by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

Available to buy from …

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble    KOBO    iBooks   GPlay   Paperback

Review – 

In an Oyster Shell –  Another sexy sweet installment of the Sweet with Heat series that will leave you wanting more.


The Pearls –  The best part of this series is the characters. The books follow a group of friends that spend the summer at the seaside. It fun to see them come back book after book. Jenna was a strong character with a case of OCD. That little quirk gave her a nice definition. Pete is a great hero that gets a run for his money with Jenna.



The seaside setting makes for a nice summer read. It’s also set in the summer adding to the seasonal ambiance. It is a small town so it gives it a cozy feel as well.

The book tackles real life problems like Alcoholism and life after divorce. These aspects gave the book a sobering feel adding to the depth of the storyline. These issues challenged the main characters. This helped Pete and Jenna grow through the story. It was very satisfying.

The Sand – It was a good book.

4 Pearls!

[image error]





Also available… 
Read, Write, Love at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers Book 1)

Bestselling author Kurt Remington lives to write. He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he’s come to finish his latest thriller — that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt’s best-laid plans are shot to hell when he comes to their rescue. Kurt’s as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgetseverything, and doesn’t even know the definition of the word organized.

Leanna’s come to the Cape hoping to find a fulfilling career in the jam-making business, and until she figures out her own life, a man is not on the menu. But Leanna can’t get the six-two, deliciously muscled and tragically neat Kurt out of her mind. She tells herself she’s just stopping by to say thank you, but the heart-warming afternoon sparks an emotional and unexpectedly sweet ride as Kurt and Leanna test the powers of Chemistry 101: Opposites Attract.Read, Write, Love at Seaside is the sweet edition of steamy romance novel Read, Write, Love by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

Get the 1st book FREE!!
Available to buy from …
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble    KOBO    iBooks   GPlay   Paperback

 

Dreaming at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers Book 2)



Bella Abbascia has returned to Seaside Cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, as she does every summer. Only this year, Bella has more on her mind than sunbathing and skinny-dipping with her girlfriends. She’s quit her job, put her house on the market, and sworn off relationships while she builds a new life in her favorite place on earth. That is, until good-time Bella’s prank takes a bad turn and a handsome police officer appears on the scene.

Single father and police officer Caden Grant left Boston with his fourteen-year-old son, Evan, after his partner was killed in the line of duty. He hopes to find a safer life in the small resort town of Wellfleet, and when he meets Bella during a night patrol shift, he realizes he’s found the one thing he’d never allowed himself to hope for—or even realized he was missing.

After fourteen years of focusing solely on his son, Caden cannot resist the intense attraction he feels toward beautiful Bella, and Bella’s powerless to fight the heat of their budding romance. But starting over proves more difficult than either of them imagined, and when Evan gets mixed up with the wrong kids, Caden’s loyalty is put to the test. Will he give up everything to protect his son—even Bella?

Dreaming at Seaside is the sweet edition of the steamy romance novel Seaside Dreams by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

 

Available to buy from …

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble    KOBO    iBooks   GPlay   Paperback

Sunsets at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers Book 4)

Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, to determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sweet, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the brown-haired beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.

Sunsets at Seaside is the sweet edition of the steamy romance novel Seaside Sunsets by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.
Releasing August 23rd

Available to pre-order from …

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble    KOBO    iBooks   GPlay   Paperback

Secrets at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers Book 5)

Tony Black is the hottest surfer on the planet. He travels the world throughout the year and spends his summers on Cape Cod with his friends, at the Seaside cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. He’s got his choice of women, but Amy Maples is the one he wants. Fourteen years ago she was his for an entire summer, until a devastating accident changed everything, and what they had seemed like it had never existed—at least for her.Amy Maples is as consistent as the day is long. She’s spent summers on Cape Cod forever, she always does the right thing, and she’s spent years trying to reclaim the heart of Tony Black, the only man she’s ever loved. She’s back for a summer of fun with her friends at Seaside, only this year she’s been offered the opportunity of a lifetime thousands of miles away, and she’s decided to try one last time to reconnect with Tony. But having a relationship with Tony means dealing with her past—and dealing with her past may knock her to her knees.

Secrets at Seaside is the sweet edition of the steamy romance novel Seaside Secrets by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.
Releasing October 25th

Available to pre-order from …

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble    KOBO    iBooks   GPlay   Paperback

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers 



Available!

Read, Write, Love at Seaside


Dreaming at Seaside

Hearts at Seaside

Pre-order!
Sunsets at Seaside (releasing August 23rd)


Secrets at Seaside (releasing October 25th)


Coming Soon!

Nights at Seaside (releasing December 13th)
Seized by Love at Seaside


Embraced at Seaside


Lovers at Seaside


Whispers at Seaside



About the author

SIGN UP for ADDISON’S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/NewsletterDOWNLOAD the first book in Addison’s Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers series free: READ, WRITE, LOVE AT SEASIDE

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Addison’s books are available in paperback, digital, and audio formats.

 
Find Addison on the following sites….

Website   Newsletter   Facebook   Twitter     Google+ Pinterest Goodreads    Bookbub   Amazon Author Page

Follow the Book Tour

I received this book through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY !!

Win this gorgeous Addison Cole tote bag

Ending on Saturday 5th August at 11.59pm EST

Open Worldwide
 
Enter Below & Good Luck !!
a Rafflecopter giveaway




Are you a book reviewer or book blogger? Join our book tours reviewers team – Apply Here x
Current book tours open for sign ups HERE
 

 

 

About Addison Cole

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Addison’s books are available in paperback, digital, and audio formats.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Review – Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon

Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon
Published by Ballantine Books on February 23rd 2016
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 368
Source: Netgalley

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

For fans of Lianne Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, an arresting debut novel of psychological suspense: a young journalist struggles to keep the demons of her alcoholism at bay as she finds her purpose again in tackling the mystery of a shocking headline-making crime, still unsolved after fifteen years.

Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.

Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.

The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.

In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.

Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995, Try Not to Breathe unfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.

Alex Dale stumbles across Amy Stevenson in a routine article on people in vegetative states. Amy disappeared when she was fifteen years old. She was found in a vegetative state. No one knows what happened to her. Alex makes it her mission to find the truth. While she searches she’s battling her own demons of Alcoholism. Will Alex be able to ward off her troubles and help Amy?

In an Oyster Shell –  A compelling mystery.

The Pearls –  The writing was concise and clear. The word choices were done in variety. The pace though slow at first picked up to a good steady one. It wasn’t a narrative with a lot of action in it. Yet there was a lot of drama that made up for that.

The POV was the third person. It was set with several POV’s but they never got confusing. It was good to have multiple POV’s in this story because you got more of the story. The POV I found most interesting was Jacob. Jacob was Amy’s old teenage boyfriend. He was instrumental in solving the mystery. Seeing it from his POV made the story a lot more clear.

The mystery was not as much compelling as much as it was interesting. Given that the mystery takes place years before the narrative does. The mystery is told mostly in the backstory. This being the case it was intriguing.

Alex was a great character. She was fatally flawed and had to work through that in the story. Her battle with alcoholism was real and added depth to the story.

That the Author gave Amy a POV in her vegetative state was really interesting. It kind of sold the theory that though fairly non-responsive, there can still be some consciousness of sorts going on.

The Sand – The pacing was a little slow in the beginning.

4 Pearls!

About Holly Seddon

Holly Seddon was born and raised in the sleepy south-west of England and now lives slap bang in the centre of Amsterdam with her husband and four children. Throughout her career, Holly has been privileged to work in some of the UK’s most exciting newsrooms.

TRY NOT TO BREATHE is her first novel, published in the UK (Corvus/Atlantic), USA and Canada (Ballantine/Penguin Random House), Australia and New Zealand (Allen & Unwin), The Netherlands (Ambo Anthos) and Germany (Heyne). Coming soon in Russia, Poland, Taiwan, Turkey and Italy.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Blog Tour with Review – The Makeup Test by Vanessa M. Knight

The Makeup Test

Vanessa M. Knight

Publication date: April 4th 2017

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Parker Breckinridge is a sophomore in college and already running her own internet cosmetics business. She doesn’t apologize for her successes—or anything else. She’s worked hard to get what where she is. She’s had to. It’s not like there was anything else in her life, despite her rich family.

Cade Adler doesn’t do relationships—especially relationships with uptight princesses. Been there. Done that. Destroyed the T-shirt. Besides, what with working full-time as a police officer and going to school, who has time for women? Not him.

With his tattoos and overall attitude, Cade is exactly what Parker doesn’t need. And between her father’s money and her piss-poor attitude, Parker is exactly what Cade doesn’t need.

So why is it they can’t stay apart?

Goodreads / Amazon

The Review – 

In an Oyster Shell – A sweet and sexy read.

The Pearls – A misunderstanding with the police over her makeup development supplies brings Parker Breckinridge in contact with Cade Adler. I liked the concept of Parker getting busted by an overzealous security guard at her college. They mistake her makeup for drugs and the police must investigate. It makes for a really interesting story.

The conflict of the story was page turning. Parker’s overbearing father adds a lot to the conflict. I like how Parker overcomes his bullying. Which brings me to the point of great character development. Parker starts out as an heiress who is very princess like. She grows up during the story. She is somebody who is respectable. Cade was a strong character. The supporting characters helped move the story along. There was a great variety of characters.

The story was short, novella size but the story was complete. Nothing felt like it was lacking. Everything in the plot was wrapped up nicely by the end. Sometimes novellas can feel like incomplete but this one did not.

The Sand – It was a good story.

4 Pearls!

[image error]

Author Bio:

Vanessa M. Knight has always enjoyed writing and once she found romance, she was addicted. She props her laptop in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband, son and menagerie of 4-pawed, claw-babies (AKA cats and dogs.) That laptop has partnered-in-crime to write contemporary romances with a dash of humor and splash of snark.

When she has a few moments to spare, you can find her singing off key (but she assures us it’s still considered singing), reading, kickboxing or killing a few brain cells as she stares at the many sitcoms and dramas available through the Internet and TV.

For more information on Vanessa, including her Internet haunts, contest updates, and details on her upcoming novels, please visit her website at www.vanessamknight.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review Code Red by Janie Chodosh

Code Red (Faith Flores Science Mystery #2) by Janie Chodosh
Published by Poisoned Pen Press on February 7th 2017
Genres: YA, Mystery
Pages: 250

I received this book for free from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

After nailing the murderer of her addict mom and proving that her detractors are full of it, seventeen-year-old Faith Flores is back for another kick-ass science mystery. She's proud to be chosen for a summer internship at a research lab in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but once she arrives, complications abound. For one thing, Santa Fe is the birthplace of the father she's never met, and for another, she clashes with a local environmentalist trying to pull the plug on the genetically modified chiles her new boss is engineering. She and violin prodigy, Clem, learn of a new teen drug called liquid gold while discreetly researching the family angle. The chip on Faith's shoulder is still there, but so is her determination to uncover the truth when a girl she meets at a party dies from an overdose of liquid gold.

Faith Flores has landed a summer internship at a research lab in Santa Fe New Mexico. Santa Fe is the birthplace of her birth father. Faith finds more about her birth family. She makes friend with musician Clem. Faith also finds herself in the middle of a conflict with the company she works for. It’s between her work and the environmentalist that is against the genetically modified chiles. There is also a new drug floating around called liquid gold. When a girl dies at a party she went through from the liquid gold, Faith has to get to the bottom of it.

In an Oyster Shell – An interesting YA mystery.

The Pearls –  The mystery was the best part of the story. The mystery was multi-faceted. There was the mystery of Faith’s family. The mystery of the conflict of the modified chiles. Then there was the mystery of the liquid gold. The mysteries all together made for an intriguing story.

The setting was well defined and made you feel like you were there. You get to learn a lot about New Mexico in this story. I like stories that transport the reader and this story does that.

The characters were compelling. Faith was an inquisitive science nerd. She uses science to solve her mysteries. The supporting characters added depths and lots of layers to the story. My favorite character was Faith’s half-sister Amelia. Amelia was moody but talented. She was angry at the world when you first meet her but she grows into a sympathetic character.

The Sand – The romance was a little distracting but added an interesting layer.

3.5 Pearls! 

About Janie Chodosh

My life work and passion has been a mix of natural history, conservation, and writing. I earned a master’s degree in environmental science from the University of Montana and has worked as a naturalist in Yosemite National Park, a wilderness guide for the Colorado Outward Bound School, a trip leader for the Montana Natural History Center, and as the state education director for the New Mexico chapter of the National Audubon Society. I am currently involved with elephant conservation in Assam, India. I have two novels in the Faith Flores Science Mysteries: Death Spiral (2014, Poisoned Pen Press), and Code Red (February 2017, Poisoned Pen Press). I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico with my husband, daughter, stepson, and dog, Bryn. http://www.janiechodosh.com

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour With Review – Incriminating Dating by

Incriminating Dating by Rebekah L. Purdy
on April 10th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, YA
Pages: 235
Source: Publisher

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Ayla Hawkins is ready to stand up for change in her high school. But winning the election for class president against popular Jenna Lee will be impossible without a miracle. When she stumbles upon Mr. Perfect Luke Pressler defacing public property and catches it on camera: cue miracle. Ayla’s got the dirt she needs to get Luke on Team Ayla—in the form of her new fake boyfriend.

One mistake. All Luke wanted was a night to goof off, to blow off steam. The pressure of maintaining the perfect facade when his reality was crumbling around him had become too much, and next thing he knew, he was pretending to date Ayla Hawkins. But his little blackmailer turns out to be kind. Honorable. Opinionated. And just the breath of fresh air he didn’t even realize he was suffocating for. But Luke and Ayla come from different worlds, and once the election is over, their fauxmance will be, too.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book features adult language, sexual situations, and plenty of girl power. Reading may result in swooning, laughing, and looking for a Luke of your own.

Ayla Hawkins is looking for a change in her high school. The arts are underfunded while the sports get all the money. The answer is to run for student president. She’s not popular enough to make it on her own. So one night she catches a video of Luke Pressler defacing public property. She uses the video to blackmail him into pretending to date her. He agrees to keep it from coming out. Luke and Ayla come from different worlds but they collide. How will they come back apart after the election?

In an Oyster Shell – A cozy romance that will have you reading to the point you can’t put it down.

The Pearls –  The concept is one of my favorites. The underdog gets with the popular guy. It’s my favorite kind of story. I like that the popular guy is not all that he seems. He’s a real person with real struggles. Ayla gets to see that side of him when even his friends don’t. Luke gets to see Ayla as a breath of fresh air with her honesty and true to self-attitude.

The characters were rock solid. Ayla was a strong feminine character with her own style. She made no apologies for it and I loved that. Luke was a character with a lot of depth. As mentioned before he was a real person with real problems. He had problems he kept from his friends. The supporting characters added a nice layer to the story as well.

The romance was sweet. It was a slow burning love. It was an opposites attract story. I really enjoyed the story. If you like an underdog that overcomes story. This is the one for you.

The Sand – It was a really good story!

[image error]

Incriminating Dating by Rebekah L. Purdy

Blog Tour Schedule

 

4/10/17

 

With Love for Books – Review

Hayden Quinn – Review, Excerpt

Booklove – Review, Excerpt

 

4/11/17

 

A Dream Within A Dream – Excerpt

lovely loveday – Review

Dreamland Teenage Fantasy – Excerpt

 

4/12/17

 

Twirling Book Princess – Excerpt

Shoshi Reads – Review

madison loveday – Review, Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

The Cozy Little Book Nook – Review

 

4/13/17

 

Where Genres Collide – Review, Excerpt

Swoony Boys Podcast – Interview, Review, Excerpt

Once Upon A Bookshelf – Review, Excerpt

The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange – Review, Excerpt

 

4/14/17

 

Megan Pegasus – Guest Post, Review, Excerpt

Writing Pearls – Review

Once Upon A Book – Review, Excerpt

Dreamland Teenage Fantasy – Review, Excerpt

About Rebekah L. Purdy

I was born and raised in Michigan (just look for the giant mitten on the map—it’ll likely throw a snowball at you). I spent most of my time in Michigan, but while in the army got to call KS, SC, MO, and CA home for awhile as well.

As a kid my family moved around a lot. Try spending both your freshman and senior years at new schools (yeah, loads of fun). I could’ve changed my name to “new girl”.

I love writing for teens because those are the years I remember falling in love with most of my favorite books. Some of the authors I couldn’t put down were L.J. Smith, Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Joan Lowery Nixon, Lois Duncan, amongst several others.

My husband and I have a large family. There are six kids total! So we have LOTS of fun on vacations (although hours on the road, cooped up in the Expedition is kind of stressful—although we pass the time with MAD LIBS and hoping no one gets carsick).

Some fun facts about me:

My first real crush was on Luke Skywalker (LOL—hey, I was like 8 years old and it came out before I was born).

I’m obsessed with several TV shows/Movies: The Vampire Diaries, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Sean of the Dead, The Sing Off, Ghost Hunters, Destination Truth, True Blood, Being Human, Fact or Fake, and all the cake designing ones! Oh and all the spoof movies!

I still own all the books I bought as a kid/teen.

I have a hankering for chocolate (like all the time, seriously. If my arm was made of it I’d chew it off).

Celebrity crushes: Johnny Depp (woohoo), Taylor Lautner (okay, I know he’s kind of young for me), Ian Somerhalder (ooh, he’s just right. We’re the same age). Wow, this was like a Goldie Locks and the Three Bears moment. Johnny Depp too old, Taylor Lautner too young, Ian Somerhalder—JUST RIGHT.

In my spare time I like to write (obviously), read, sing, hang out with my kids, play with my animals, camp, play soccer, check my email (hehehe), watch football (go LIONS). I also love hanging out with my sister and hubby!

Look forward to chatting with everyone! And if you’re lucky, I’ll break out the opera voice and chase you around singing!

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Blog Tour With Review – The Horse’s Arse by Laura Gascoigne

[image error]The Horse's Arse by Laura Gascoigne
Published by Clink Street Publishing on April 4th 2017
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 204
Source: Publicist

I received this book for free from Publicist in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Patrick Phelan is an ageing artist who has never made it big but who somehow manages to live on air in a North London suburb.

When not running art classes for amateurs, Patrick wrestles in the shed at the bottom of his garden with his life's work: a series of visionary canvases of The Seven Seals.

When his wheeler-dealer son Marty turns up with a commission from a rich client for some copies of paintings by modern masters, Phelan reluctantly agrees; it means money for his ex-wife Moira. However the deal with Marty is, typically, not what it seems.

What follows is a complex chain of events involving fakery, fraud, kidnapping, murder, the Russian Mafia and a cast of dubious art world characters. A contemporary spin on Joyce Cary's classic satire The Horse's Mouth, The Horse's Arse by Laura Gascoigne is a crime thriller-cum-comic-fable that poses the serious question: where does art go from here?

In an Oyster Shell – A mystery with intrigue, hustles, and crime galore.

The Pearls – 

The concept was unique. An experienced but not well-known artist who starts making copies for a client brought to him by his son.  This is a catalyst to a whole bunch of different events that all come together to make this narrative. There is death, and murder, and kidnapping. The art world is crazy in this story.

My favorite character was Patrick Phelan. He was a quirky artist who was a bit naive. He was a loving father which got him in trouble a lot. His son was a handful and got his father caught up in things that he wouldn’t have been otherwise. There were other great supporting characters. The characters were the best part of the book for me.

The mystery of the book was intriguing. You have the Russian mafia coming into save the art world from collapse for reasons they only know. There are all these events that are going on in the book and somehow they work together to make a cohesive mystery.

The Sand – It was a dry narrative that was hard to follow. The book was bogged down with art facts it messed with the flow of the story.

3 Pearls

[image error]

[image error]