Friday, May 30, 2014

Pretty sure I'm a day late with this cover reveal, but...


Synopsis

Holden Walker has put his personal life on hold to help Rebel Walking with security on tour. His ‘all work and no play’ attitude has him in trouble with some of the new female family members in his life.
Lainey Douglas couldn't pick a good man if her life depended on it. She’s been burnt one too many times and isn't thrilled at all when she's tricked into a date. Her attempt to run him off almost works—until he has to save her from danger.
What happens when Holden meets the most frustrating woman in his life? Will Lainey stop pushing him away long enough to see that he's not like all the other guys? Can she open her heart after everything she's been through?







Buy Now





The Rebel Walking Series













About the Author

Hilary Storm lives with her high school sweetheart and three children in Enid, Oklahoma. She drives her husband crazy talking about book characters everyday like they are real people. She graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University with an MBA in Accounting and has a full time job as an accountant. Her passions include being a mom, writing, reading, photography, music, mocha coffee, and spending time with friends and family. She is the author of the International Best Selling 'Rebel Walking' series. Book one: 'In a Heartbeat' was released June 2013, Book two: 'Heaven Sent' was released in September 2013. Book 2.5: 'Banded Together' released Jan 2014. Book 3: 'No Strings Attached' released March 2014. Book 4: 'Hold Me Closer' is due out beginning of May.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hilary...

Webpage: http://www.hilarystormwrites.com

Twitter: @hilary_storm






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Thursday, May 29, 2014

The Fine Line Between Alphas and Assholes

Alpha males dominate in and out of the bedroom, yet still love their woman wholly, and completely.  They are protective of their women, with superior looks, intelligence, and love-making skills.  They typically hold a position of power: CEO, Duke, Firefighter, Cowboy, or Rockstar.

What woman doesn't want a man in her life to take care of her needs, especially when she's busy with housekeeping, children, a job?  She's forever taking care of others, and would love a strong man to help alleviate the burden, taking care of her in her ever-shrinking down-time.

It is probably one of the most popular trope in Romance writing.

And the mis-use of it is probably why non-romance readers hate romance stories.

My aunt:  I don't read romance, the heroines are all simpering idiots as soon as the male comes into play.

Well, that's because the male is Alpha, overwhelming her senses and making her do things she doesn't normally do, like relax and let him take care of her (provided there isn't a serious conflict to her doing so).

Unless he's an asshole, then all bets are off.

What is construed as strong Alpha male characters in popular books are frequently men who in real-life, if they displayed these characteristics, they'd be frightening, or arrested.

They follow women around, they force them to eat, they watch them sleep, they dictate what they wear, or how they groom themselves.  They have violent temper tantrums when the female tells them no, they force sex, they ignore the female when they're angry.

They're children.  And women all over the world love them, shooting these stories into best-seller status over night.

I love a strong alpha lead.  Those characters make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

But I hate assholes.  They just make me angry.

For me, these Alpha males are difficult to write, because it's easy to write them into asshole status and then I wouldn't be writing characters I love.  It's a fine line that's too easy to cross.  I've written a couple of men that I feel could fit into the alpha trope, but for the most part, my males are sweet, beta boys, with some alpha tendencies.

Maybe because that's how I like my men in real life?

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

And now for something a little different...

 Today, I'm featuring Andrew Hess, author of The Chamber of SoulsThe Phoenix Blade: Project Justice, and Hall of the Forgotten.  I typically spotlight Romance authors, but this one is Conspiracy Thriller.  So for all you conspiracy buffs out there, check it!



About Andrew: Andrew Hess (1983-present) was born in Lindenhurst, NY where he spent most of his life. After living in the New Paltz/Poughkeepsie, NY area for five years (2003-2008) he returned home to Long Island to pursue his dream of writing. Andrew published his first book, The Chamber of Souls (2011), where he blended free verse poetry and short story into one book.

His books:  







Interview with Andrew:

Interview Questions 
Choose ten questions to answer.
For questions about specific works, please specify which work you are talking about.    

Describe your writing process. 

            It depends on my mood and where I am during the day. There have been times where I’ll sit in my car with my laptop and type away while I work on writing, editing, or re-writing. For the most part I like to sit in bed with my laptop with either the TV on or my music blasting.

What motivates you to sit down and write?

            There’s a lot of motivation; probably more than I even realize. At first it was a way for me to deal with everything that went on around me; my feelings; emotions; even my views on the world. After experiencing a few setbacks on my journey I wanted to learn as much as I could so I could help other potential writers find their way.

Where does your inspiration come from?

            To be honest, a part of me wonders the same thing. Most of my ideas come to me when I’m sleeping. I wake up remembering a random or weird dream and figure a way to develop it into a plot. It’s how I figured out the ending to my first novel The Phoenix Blade: Project Justice. I planned on making it only one book, but then I had a dream with a different ending and I thought it made more sense and gave a way to extend the book into a sequel or better yet a bigger series.


What do you think your greatest strength is in your writing?

            I think I have two great strengths. The first has been how much dialogue I use in my books. I’ve been told it helped drive the story better and helped them feel more involved in the story. The second has been my love for the plot twist, but not the M. Night Shyamalan type of twists that drive people insane (good or bad). I’m talking about the kind of twist that you never saw coming and makes you want to read more.

What is your biggest challenge?

            That’s easy; getting enough exposure. There are so many wonderful authors out there and so many books to choose from. I think getting your name out there and really building your brand has become harder than it ever has. Reviews are a big part of it and something a lot of people neglect to do. I think if more people took the time out to give a little review to each book they read, it can go a long way to helping indie authors more attention.

Do you ever experience writer's block?  How do you get through it?
           
I think writer’s block hits every author; every writer at some point. The best way to get through it is to keep writing no matter what. You can always go back and edit it later. I think some of the hardest chapters I’ve ever written came from times that I had writer’s block and took time to re-write at a later time.

            Another way I’ve pushed through it has been in thanks to the music I listen to. I listen to everything from rock to pop to punk to spiritual to classical; even Japanese and Irish music. I’ll listen to almost any kind of music.

Name some authors who have influenced or inspired you?

            There have been two authors that really inspired me. Edgar Allen Poe had an edgy, dark and mysterious feel to him that set him apart from most writers of his time. His short story; Cask of Amontillado was a direct inspiration for my book of poetry Hall of the Forgotten; a series of poems that told a story of a man trying to put his past behind him.

            The second author would have to be James Patterson. He has great attention to detail and has the perfect balance of dialogue and description to really make you fall into the world he created and in love with his characters. I loved his Alex Cross series, but the Women’s Murder Club series has been the inspiration for my detective series as well.

Tell a little about your most recent work.  Title, genre, and tag line.

            The Phoenix Blade: Project Justice was my most recent project and is a thriller you can’t put down. What would you do if everything you said and did was unknowingly monitored by the government and used against you; forcing you to work covertly for them?

Tell us about your favorite character from the book. 

            Obviously it would have to be my main character Andrew Lancaster. He goes through the most change throughout the books and faces a lot of adversity as he fights to uncover the truth; especially when the truth is more devastating than he ever realized.

            I think there is only one other character that can be considered my favorite and it’s not one most readers would think and that would be the Benefactor. He is so devious, intelligent, cold and calculating. You never really know what he’s truly thinking or what his motives are.
  
Do you have a current work in progress?  Can you tell a little bit about it?
           
I have two. The first is the sequel to my first novel The Phoenix Blade: Project Justice which is titled The Phoenix Blade: Awakening. The story picks up three years after Project Justice ended and slowly reveals how deep the government conspiracy and cover up goes.

            The second is the start of my detective series called the Campus Killer. Female Detective Ali Ryan learns of a death on a local campus; reports claim the victim died from alcohol poisoning, but Detective Ryan has her suspicions and her suspicions are usually right.

Tell us about yourself, outside of writing.

            I’m a big music and movie person. I worked in the movie rental industry for seven years and probably watched about a thousand movies in my first year of working in the store. My love for music has found its way into some of my writing by giving me a movie script idea along with being integrated into my blog the Writer’s Revolution where I’ve been interviewing and promoting authors and now bands as well.


Wanna stalk him?  Here you go!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

To Dream of a Highlander - spotlight and review

Todreamofahighlanderbanner




Title – To Dream of a Highlander
Series – Highland Fae Chornicles #2
Author – Samantha Holt
Genre – Historical Romance
Publication Date – 11th April 2014
Length (Pages/# Words) – 65000
Cover Artist – Kim Killion



SamanthaHolt_ToDreamofaHighlander_800 2





TOUR-BOOKSYNOPSIS

Sent on a rescue mission, Finn Mac Chaluim is prepared to do his duty, hand over the lass and return home.

But fate has other ideas.

In the midst of a Norse invasion, Catriona barely escapes with her life. Masquerading as her sister, she finds herself in the hands of Finn who intends to hand her over to her sister’s betrothed, Laird Gillean. In the interests of bringing peace to her home, Catriona is determined to continue the ruse—even if it means going along with the marriage and denying her growing attraction to a man who keeps his hurts hidden behind a quick grin.

If the green faery, Tèile, has anything to do with it, Catriona and Finn will come together—but only at the right time. Thanks to her last attempt at matchmaking, many paths were changed and now it’s up to her to put it right. Can she help Finn— who learned the hard way that sharing your life with someone only leads to heartache—get past his doubts? And will the battle-scarred Catriona even accept him into her heart? When Laird Gillean’s attentions toward Catriona become dangerous, both Finn and Tèile will find they have an uphill battle on their hands.



TOUR-BUYTBRLINK

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TOUR-EXCERPT

Like many a night, he found himself gazing up at her window. Warmth radiated from it. She would be in a chemise, the thin material moulding to her breasts. Unbound hair likely spiralled over her shoulders. Mayhap she had washed and her skin remained dewy and ebony curls clung to her face. A shudder swept through him and his blood boiled. He gripped the pommel of his sword. Lord, give me strength.
A movement sent his heart into his throat. His jaw dropped as Katelyn leaned out of the window. Sure enough, white cotton hugged her arms and her hair hung loose. Candlelight surrounded her in a fuzzy halo like an angel. She gazed out into the night, entrancing him. How he longed to know what she was thinking.
Did she think of him?
Her gaze snapped down, locking onto him. He peered around, realising the torchlight on the walls revealed him. Breath imprisoned in his throat, he met her challenge. Stance strong, chin lifted, he stared her out, waiting for her to crumble and retreat. The air around him became cloying and thick while his pulse pounded sickeningly. His arousal grew painful.
Abruptly, she turned away, broke the connection and left him panting and weak. He dropped his shoulders. Damnation. A moment to relieve himself was called for. Should he return to his chambers or just suffer it, like some kind of penance for a desire he should not have?
Swivelling, he stomped down the steps into the courtyard. He paused and gritted his teeth. Time alone would not cure him of her. And wine held no appeal any longer. He was lost.
The hall doors opened and a figure came barrelling out. He nearly cursed aloud when he realised it was Katelyn. Her chemise flowed around her legs, barely covered by a thin robe. He noted her bare feet and cursed properly this time. What was the lass doing outside in such a state?
Before he managed to ask her as much, she flung her arms around him and flattened a desperate kiss to his lips. He caught on quickly. With a growl, he bundled her to him, shaking hands splayed over her back and in her hair.
“Hell fire, Katie,” he murmured as he took another kiss from her. Breaking away, he glanced around and shook his head. “What are ye doing? Anyone could see. Gillean could see.”
“I care not,” she whispered.
When she leaned up for a kiss, he released her, snatched an arm and dragged her over to the stables. One more frantic glance around and he shoved her into the doorway and pressed her against the wall. No candlelight greeted them here, only the glow from the torches outside permeated the building, slipping through the gaps between the wood. It was enough. He saw all he needed. Once more he speared his fingers under her hair, unable to resist those glossy lips, slick from his kisses. Katelyn whimpered when he captured her mouth and curled her fingernails into his back.
“Ye play a dangerous game, lass,” he muttered against her mouth.
She tugged against the hold he had on her hair and eyed him. “I am no’ afeared of Gillean.”
“Ye are, ye cannae lie to me. But I mean with me. Ye play with fire here.”
“I need ye, Finn. I am no’ afeared of ye either. I’m willing to risk getting burned.”
“Ach, we shall both be burned. No good shall come of this.” His chest heaved at the enormity of it all, at what she said. He’d always known he was secretly weak. His bold endeavours and brash behaviour covered his fears. When others saw a warrior, Katelyn saw him for who he was. Weak for her.



My Review:

Before I review this, I have to apologize.  I had been so looking forward to reading this, I cleared my schedule for it, I told my stinking MOM about this great book I couldn't wait to start reading.  And then I got super busy and forgot all about it.  The sharpie marks in my planner didn't help, at all.  From now on, I will never mark in my planner with a sharpie.  Scout's honor.  So, here's my super late review...without further hooplah.


First of all, Ms. Holt has a way with setting up a novel rife with conflict.  Forced to masquerade as her sister, by her father, (because women were chattel in the middle ages, ugh) Catriona tries to escape her home castle during an invasion.  Nearly raped by a Norseman, she is rescued and then kidnapped by another norseman (she thinks, anyway).  And all that's just the first two chapters, folks...

Ms. Holt builds up chemistry like nothing I've ever seen.  I had serious feelings for the characters.  FEELINGS.  I loved them, I hated them, I needed them to get together.  I was super invested in this story, even though I thought I knew what was going to happen.  I love Samantha's treatment of women's issues during the time period.

Honestly, I kept forgetting I was reviewing this book, so I don't have many notes...but this was a great book.  It swept me into the story, and had me fighting for Finn and Catriona.  One thing I will note that I LOVED, was that Finn didn't get all high and mighty when he finds out she had been pretending to be her sister.  I could have kissed him for that.  Hell, I'd kiss him anyway, but that was refreshing, not creating conflict just to have more.

Five stars Ms Holt, way to go!  When are we getting together for tea?



Samantha Holt Author Pic

TOUR-MEETAUTHOR

Samantha lives in a small village in England with her gorgeous twin girls and husband who is a trained bodyguard and ex-soldier. She traditionally writes historical romances involving chivalrous knights and hot highlanders, but occasionally dabbles in contemporary romance.

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Zach Love's Stories and Scripts: An Anthology, plus my review of one of the stories.






Thought-provoking, dreamy, sad, and hilarious, this collection of works by Zack Love takes you on a diverse and unforgettable literary journey through a variety of topics, themes, and emotions. The anthology totals about 73,000 words and contains a novelette, four short stories, a theater play, and a screenplay.



These seven spellbinding stories spanning several styles and genres include a dramatic romance, a satire of the mega-rich, a somber and soulful reflection on the problem of evil, humorous dating adventures, and stories driven by philosophical musings.



The anthology includes:



1) THE DOORMAN – A NOVELETTE



Alex seems to have it all: a great penthouse apartment, a lovely girlfriend, and a prestigious Wall Street job. But below the surface he is sure of nothing but his angst-ridden doubts. And when he realizes that his doorman may be God, or sent by God, he will question things like never before.



This novelette is a story of New York doormen, tormented love, empty office life, and the theological questions that arise in response to the horrors of evil.



2) CENTRAL PARK SONG – A SCREENPLAY (ROMANCE)



Can love really conquer all? Rodney is a passionate black man with brilliant talents but a mental illness that leaves him homeless. Melinda is a white Manhattan law partner with an artistic soul, trapped by the pressures of corporate law, her wealthy father, and her three-year boyfriend. A charming, chance encounter leads to a magical courtship and life-changing choices that make an unlikely New York romance possible.



3) THE GRAND UNIFIED STORY – A SHORT STORY



What happens when a man and a woman meet in a way that magically involves the entire universe? When both are so keenly aware of their place in the cosmos that their connection seems to transcend their union and capture the very essence of life. This story shows how each person is a world to be discovered and how sometimes, when two worlds collide, the universe seems that much smaller.



4) CITY SOLIPSISM – A SHORT STORY



Have you ever been on a train, bus, metro/subway – or any other shared space with strangers – and started to wonder what that person right next to you is thinking? This story takes you on a journey into the mind of a man in a suit and tie on a New York City subway car, as he thinks about the woman standing awkwardly close to him. They are total strangers but their proximity is almost intimate as their hands share the same metal subway pole.



5) WAITING FOR 2000 – AN ABSURDIST COMEDY OF BILLIONAIRE PROPORTIONS



Inspired by and reminiscent of Samuel Beckett’s absurdist stage play “Waiting for Godot,” this Y2K theater comedy satirizes the frivolous extravagance of the mega-rich.



Bob’s Billionaire Boat boasts the world’s 2,000 richest people on it, and will enable them to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000 twice in a row by crossing the International Dateline on New Year's Eve 1999. The co-captains of the boat — two regular guys — keep themselves amused with endlessly silly banter while occasionally debating whether the whole thing is just a fictional stage play.



Meanwhile, two Wall Street traders who are bitter about missing the wealth cutoff for the billionaire cruise are determined to blow up the boat and thereby become the two richest people on earth.



In this satire, the zaniest billionaires ever to gather on a single vessel prove that there's still plenty to complain about at the top.



6) MY BEST VALENTINE'S DAY. EVER. – A SHORT STORY



Sammy Laffowitz is legendary for his dating disasters and sex mishaps. This time, misfortune strikes on Valentine's Day – but with a fun twist that makes Sammy seem studly for a change.



7) MY WORST VALENTINE'S DAY. EVER. – A SHORT STORY



Yi Wang is a NY bad boy who plans to make history on Valentine's Day with his female exploits. The handsome, alpha-male, Chinese-American is a corporate lawyer who usually gets his way with women, but this time he makes one stupid mistake that leaves everyone but him laughing hysterically at his epic fail.

My Review:  I read The Grand Unified Story, which I picked at random from the stories in Mr. Love's book I have not read.  Now, before I start my review, know I am a Zack Love fan.  I have really enjoyed his books up until now.  It's not that I didn't enjoy GUS, it's just that if I'd read this one first, I probably wouldn't have read any other Zack Love stories.

If you read and enjoyed Guns, Germs, and Steel, then this is like the cliff's notes version of that one, or at least it seemed to me at times.  The male character comes off as pompous and totally full of himself, and the girl is the doe-eyed  ding-dong hanging on his every word.  I'm grossly generalizing here, to give a description of my own impressions.  And aside from mentioning Charles River several times, there was very little 'feel' of NYC that is Mr. Love's trademark, in my eyes.  And the shifting POV's was hard for me to get used to.

Okay, so that's what I didn't like about it.  Here's what I did like.  I liked the subtleties of the romance between the two.  I liked the way the man answered the woman's simple question with such a complex answer.  Initially, that cracked me up.  I liked that the Hammurabi Code got a mention, I love the Hammurabi Code.  I liked that two people are depicted solving life's great mysteries on a walk along the shores of the Charles River.

Unfortunately, not my favorite of Mr. Love's stories, but since I know he writes diversely, I know there will be another story or two in this book I will enjoy.  So, I'll keep reading.  

THE DOORMAN
Why was I going to watch my hairline recede in front of two-thousand-line spreadsheets staring at me from cold, glowing monitors? Why was everyone in my office apparently so happy to be spending so many hours there, when the things they really cared about – persons, pets, pastimes – were all relegated to a few photographs on their desks? That seemed to be the formula: spend the best years of your life in an office with photos of what you really care about.

CITY SOLIPSISM
Without lifting her eyes, she takes her right hand off the [subway] bar for a moment and gently – almost sensuously – rubs the arm holding her Time magazine. She puts her hand back onto the warm, slippery bar, a few centimeters below mine, so that if I’m not careful my hand could slide down onto hers with the fits and starts of our train. She’s still reading. I look at the people around me, and I think about how New York City is such a people city. Everywhere I look, there are people. There are so many people from so many places with so many stories that I wonder how they all manage to morph into this mass of anonymity...
CENTRAL PARK SONG
Let the park live in you until it sings you a song. Taste the air of dampened wood in your mouth. Hear the autumn leaves rustling in the zephyr of your mind. See the squirrels bounding across branches hanging from your thoughts. Let your soul frolic in the smell of the park’s grass. Touch every inch of the park that your memory can fly through as if you had only two more minutes to live. And let me take you out to dinner.
THE GRAND UNIFIED STORY
“It’s this awkward because this is only the second time that we’re together,” Steve thought. He remembered how banal their first meeting was: a silly conversation in the post office about how different their mail was (he was sending a copy of his doctoral dissertation in astrophysics to a university in California and she was sending a package with some of her artwork to her aunt in Brazil). But something felt special – almost providential – about their interaction. “And the serendipity required, for her to be walking along the Charles just when I was, even though she lives a good twenty minutes away, in Boston,” he thought.
WAITING FOR 2000
AL

BC? Is that supposed to suggest something about your age? Wouldn’t AD be a little more accurate?



BC [sitting down in SAM’s seat]

BC is for “Bien Chebere.” That means very cool, in case you’re too gringo to know. It’s also one of my websites. BC dot com. I also own Latina Queen dot com. And Caliente dot com.



AL

Oh yeah? Well, I want to get a website called “Fill In The Blank dot com.”



BC

It’s already taken.



AL

How about “It’s Already Taken dot com?”



BC

It’s already taken.



AL

How about “Everything’s Already Been Taken dot com?”



BC

That one’s already been taken too.



AL

How about “That One’s Already Been Taken three dot com?”



BC

That one’s still free.



AL

How are you such an expert on the availability of domain names?



BC

I think that one’s still free too.



AL

That wasn’t a website. That was a question.
MY BEST VALENTINE'S DAY. EVER.
Sure, I’m a balding, chubby, short actuary – but I’ve had some really studly moments with the ladies, and Zack very conveniently left those out of his book. So I’m delighted to open up a bit about these particular details, in honor of Valentine’s Day (when every balding, chubby, and short actuary wants people – especially the babes out there – to know about his studly past).
MY WORST VALENTINE'S DAY. EVER.
Yes, I’m a chauvinist pig. But I’m also in my twenties and living in New York, which doesn’t help. And if you ever disrespect one of my sisters, I will break your jaw.




–Web site: http://SexInTheTitleBook.com

–Zack Love Author Page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZackLoveAuthor

–“Sex in the Title” Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/FBSITT

–Twitter: https://twitter.com/zackloveauthor

–Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GG9GI2S

–Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/epicGRreview
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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Another post about ME and Chef's Delight: The story behind the story

So, a lot of you know I used to raise goats.  We've moved recently and had to sell them, but at one point, I was really into them.  I milked them and attempted the cheese-making thing, realized it was all a huge pain in the ass and quit.  Besides, they insisted on breaking out of all the enclosures I made them.  *sigh*

So Chef's Delight, the story about the goat farmer, came straight from my own experiences.  Well, except for the psychotic ghost, and the hot chef guy.  The hot chef guy was just a fantasy of mine, and the ghost was to add drama.  I named her after my grandmother, as sort of a :p to her for being so mean to me as a child.





I wrote this one about the same time I wrote Dream On, and released Neighborly Complications, Dream On, and Chef's Delight all at the same time.



My mom loved it, but told me it had too much sex in it, which I took as a good thing.  She has since stopped reading my books unless I ask her to specifically for some reason.  She can't handle the sex.  Tee hee.



Blurb:

Welcome to Serendipity, Texas, a town where real people deal with real problems. Meet characters in their thirties and forties struggling with day-to-day issues and managing to find love in the process. Visit Serendipity, where the days are hot, and the nights are steamy! 

Connor is trying to open a restaurant in Serendipity, Texas, where Jessie is trying to keep alive a struggling goat cheese business. When his cheese supplier flakes out on him, he needs a new cheese maker, but she is a little trigger happy since her ex-boyfriend has started stalking her. Add to the mix a ghost that has a crush on Connor, and you have a steamy romance that will send chills to your toes. 

Warning: Mature Content. Suitable for 18 and over



At some point in my writing carer, I would like to tackle a cook book with recipes inspired by Chef's Delight and other Stories of Serendipity.  In fact, I started one last year, but buying all that goat cheese that my kids refused to eat got expensive...so...I put it on the back burner.

Links:  See my Books page.  They're all up there.  


Monday, May 19, 2014

No Place Like Home by DeAnna Holland plus Review

Title: No Place Like Home
Author: DeAnna Holland
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Range: New Adult
Publishing Date: March 25th, 2014


“Whether the system works or it doesn’t, it didn’t work for me…”
Having just aged out of foster care, eighteen-year-old Jules finds herself homeless and broke. Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, she’s sent packing with very little money and very few personal belongings. However, with her social worker’s help, she finds a place that she can call home—temporarily. But growing up in foster care has left her emotionally scarred, and opening up to people and letting them in is not something she ever wants to do again.

Until she meets Jake. The attraction is almost instant, and he is someone she can definitely see herself falling for. But Jules quickly discovers that everything is not always as it seems, and people are rarely who they appear to be. After learning the truth about Jake, she wants nothing more to do with him. But Jake is captivated by Jules—not just because of her mesmerizing hazel eyes, but because she has unwavering strength despite the unfortunate life she’s had—and he’s not letting go that easily. He’s determined to win her heart, and with each passing day he shreds more of her resolve. With Jake’s help, Jules soon discovers that—even though she has spent most of her life parentless and homeless—there’s no place like home…

My Review:

I get tired of New Adult books rather easily, and one of my biggest turn-offs is the orphan angle.  It seems like a device that is used to death by authors who don’t want to mess with the family dynamic, which can be difficult to write, so they skip it, making the main character an orphan.  I thought that’s where this one was going, but the orphan on social services angle played a major part in the plot of this story and ended up being a major thematic element that was very well done.  Also a portion of the proceeds of the work go to causes that help troubled teens.  That was pretty awesome. 
The characters are all deliciously flawed, and Jake is totally drool worthy.  Of course, he’s half my age, which makes me a total perv, but whatevs.  The plot unfolded smoothly, with barely any issues, and I caught myself getting invested in the story, making few notes for my review.  I had a hard time rooting for Jules, but I think I’m just a little too hard on my female characters and need to get over that.  She has a hard time letting people in, with all of her trust issues, and she seemed a little fickle to me.  Again, I’m hard on the female characters, probably because I have such a hard time making them likeable in my own writing, so I’m quick to point out flaws with others.
Overall, a very good NA romance with some heavy thematic elements.  Well done, Ms. Holland.


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DeAnna Holland is the pseudonym for Brittany Holland, writer and mother of two. Brittany currently resides in Middle of Nowhere, USA (aka Louisa, Virginia), with her family. She’s always had a passion for romance, and when she’s not reading it, she’s writing it! For more information, check out her blog 
at: www.deannaholland.blogspot.com, and you can find her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/deannahollandwrites)!!!

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Friday, May 16, 2014

Lisa Suzanne Cover Reveal

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Julianne Becker has a choice to make between love and history. She needs two men in her life, but ultimatums and secrets are forcing her to choose.
Nick Matthews has a choice to make with potential costs that will put Julianne in temptation’s way. Since He Really Feels what he does for Julianne, can Nick put aside his fears to ensure that the past doesn’t destroy the future he has always wanted?
Travis Miller thought he made his choice, but obligations may just push out the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Since He Really Feels allegiance to his family, can Travis keep his past and present from colliding?
Julianne and Nick know they should form a united front and make these decisions together, but knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things. Will Travis’s presence in their life pull them together or push them apart?
This is the passionate and emotional concluding book of the He Feels Trilogy.
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He Feels Trilogy
How He Really Feels
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What He Really Feels
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Lisa Suzanne started handwriting her books on yellow legal pads after she took a creative writing class in high school. She still has those legal pads full of stories, but now one of them is published under the title How He Really Feels. She currently works as a full time high school English teacher, and her favorite part of the year is summer. She has been blessed with the world’s best dog, a supportive family, and a husband who encouraged her to publish after reading one of her novels. She likes the advice of Ernest Hemingway’s famous quote, “Write drunk. Edit sober.”
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaSuzanne
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/lisasuzanne24/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LisaSuzanne24
PERSONAL SITE: http://authorlisasuzanne.blogspot.com/
The Romance Reviews