Review: Letting Go [Surrender 01] by Maya Banks!

 

Publication date: 10th April 2014
Paperback edition: 384 pages

Source: Kindle

Rating: 3.5/4 stars

Synopsis: For fans of E. L. James, Sylvia Day and J. Kenner. Are you ready to surrender to the powerful sensuality and erotic romance of No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks and her sensational new trilogy?

Josslyn found perfection once; she knows she'll never find it again. Now widowed, she seeks the one thing her beloved husband couldn't give her: dominance. But at an exclusive club which indulges the most hedonistic of fantasies, she never imagined she'd find the one man who's long been a source of comfort - her husband's best friend.

Dash has lived in an untenable position for years: in love with his best friend's wife but unwilling to act on that attraction. When he finds her in a club devoted to the darker edges of desire, he thinks she has no idea what she's getting herself into. Until she explains in detail what she wants. What she needs. If she wants dominance, he is the only man who will introduce her to that world. He is the only man who will touch her, cherish her...love her. And the only man she'll ever submit to.

The exciting, steamy and emotional Surrender trilogy continues with Giving In and Taking It All.

 

I had the chance to request a paperback of this book through Bookbridgr, a place where bloggers from the UK and Ireland can request paperbacks and ebooks from publishers, so I requested a paperback and about a week later it showed up on my doorstep! I actually wasn't sure if I would get a paperback, so to say I squealed when I did, would be an understatement lol! I've read a few other books from this author's Colters' Legacy series, so I was really excited to check this book out, even though I knew it would be pretty different to the series I had read! I really enjoyed this book! It was super hot! It takes the plot a little while to get into the hotness side, but when it did, it was so damn hot! I have to say that there wasn't really anything else in the plot apart from the sexy scenes though! I was expecting maybe a bit of suspense or something, but there wasn't really any, which is why I took this book down a star! I had a hard time rating this book overall actually, so had to give it the rating I did! There was a small bit of suspense in the plot near the end, but apart from that it was about the main character learning that it's okay for her to move on and fall in love again! I also read this book in a day and in a few sittings! The characters were great! Joss was the main female character and this book was all about her doing what the title says, and letting go! Joss always had the desire to be in a dominated relationship, but she put her love for her now dead husband in front of her needs! Joss came a long way in this book though and she became more confident as this book progressed with her desires and the kind of relationship she wanted! I just really liked Joss' character! She was easy for me to connect with too! Dash was the main male character and he was freaking hot! I wouldn't say he's the hottest male character I've ever read, but there was something about him that I just loved! He was really attentive, domineering and he always put Joss' needs before his own! He was also such a genuine guy and I liked that he was protective and domineering, but that he wasn't overly protective and domineering! He let Joss sort of do what she wanted, to a certain extent, and he was quite lenient with her! I just loved him! I wasn't sure if this book was going to be written from both Joss and Dash's point of views, but it was! I'm really happy it was because it really showed me how deep the characters feelings for each other were! Joss' feelings developed over the book, but Dash had sort of always had feelings for Joss, so that was interesting! I'll definitely be reading the next book in this trilogy! It probably won't be at the top of my TBR list, but I'll definitely be reading it! I know that it's going to be about two characters who were in this book as secondary characters, which makes me excited to read it! The UK cover for this book is stunning! It's totally different to the US and German covers for it! I completely love it and it suits the book perfectly too! Big thank you to Headline Eternal for sending me a paperback of Letting Go!

 

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Singe [Hailey Holloway 02] by K.C. Stewart!

 

Excerpt!

   “Hello?” Dacea barked into the phone.

   “Missing someone?” He was going to enjoy this entirely too much.

   “Silas, you little fuck. What have you done?”

   “Calm now, Dacea. Hailey is perfectly fine. Aren’t you, my dear?” Silas turned to Hailey who struggled against her bindings. Her words masked by the duct tape that covered her mouth. “You know, if you stopped biting people then I wouldn’t have to gag you.”

   “Put her on the phone. I want to speak with her.”

   “She is not harmed,” he assured him. Silas ran a hand down her hair, chuckling at the deadly glare she shot his way.

   “I would like to hear that from her.” Dacea’s voice wavered as his dragon neared the surface. Silas always found a half changed Red hilarious with their forked tongues slurring their words.

   “Very well.” Silas peeled the tape from Hailey’s mouth and held the phone to her ear.

   “Dak, could you tell Lia I’m not going to make it for coffee?” she said with continued plots of murder in her eyes. He was beginning to love her spunk.

   “Hailey, Love, are you ok?”

   “Besides being really pissed off, I’m fine.”

   “What happened?” Silas could hear the relief in his voice. It was sweet and he would enjoy picking at that weakness like a hardened scab later.

   “This bitch pulled me off the street and drugged me. I woke up while they were tying me to this chair.” She pulled a bit at her arms that were tied behind her back, testing them for the hundredth time. “That’s when I bit the guard and kicked another.” Her voice shone with pride.

   “Good girl. I’m coming for you, Hailey. But in the meantime, give them hell.”

   “Dak, wait! I lo-“

   Silas pulled the phone away with a chuckle. “And that’s enough for one day.”

   “What do you want, Silas?” Gone was the loving tone of a man smitten, in its place was that of a dragon missing his Mate. How easily Silas could make people mindless killers. It was a gift really.

   “Oh Dacea, I’ve got everything I want right here.” He tapped Hailey’s nose and replace the tape on her mouth as she put together a very imaginative string of curses.

   “Silas,” Dacea said with warning.

   “Do not worry, Dak,” he spit out the pet name. “I have sent a gift your way.”

   “Don’t call me that.”

   “Ah yes, apologies. Well, I only called to keep you from worrying. Goodbye, Dacea.” Silas hung up on Dacea’s cry of anger. “Right then.” He turned and smiled at Hailey. “Shall I show you to your cell?”

  

Hailey has been taken.

She was alive and had a dragon boyfriend with a shiny new body. Life was fantastic. Or it was until she was drugged and pulled right off the street. Hailey finds herself no match for the supernatural world. Will Dak come after her or did their latest battle of arrogance verses stubbornness ruin her chances of rescue?

Dacea has two Mates.

Word of his return was making its way through the dragon world and all the way to his runaway Mate. After hundreds of years of searching and wondering, Katherine was back and making herself at home. Dacea is stretched thin as he looks for Hailey and attempts to keep Katherine from moving in.

Silas has a secret.

His mind is set and he’ll tear through whatever gets in his way. With a little more research he hopes to have his suspicions confirmed. And when they are, his discovery will change everything.

 

 

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Buy your copy of the first book in the series, Spark, from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Smashwords

 

 

Author bio:

K.C. Stewart lives in central Pennsylvania with her three cats. She is currently attending college online for Library Science while working full time as a photographer. In her spare time, which isn’t easy to find, she reads an obnoxious amount and writes in between everything else. K.C. has a very real addiction to gummy bears and talking to her cats when no one is around.

 

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Book Blitz & Giveaway: Trashy [Take It Off 10] by Cambria Hebert!

 

She’s trying to move on, but the past won’t let her go.

I fell in love once.

It was a big mistake, but the biggest mistake of all was staying with him.

He pushed me around. He cheated and treated me like trash.

I don’t feel sorry for myself, because I let him.

But no more.

I moved out. I'm saving my stripper's salary for an education that will get me somewhere better.

But breaking the chains of a shitty past isn’t easy. He says I owe him. He says we aren’t done. I don’t care what he says anymore.

I do care about Adam.

But my history tells me I’m not the best judge of men. And the fact Adam’s been married four times tells me he probably isn’t a safe choice.

I need safe. I need better. I need out.

If the past is any indication of my future, getting out isn’t going to be easy.

 

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Author bio:

 
Cambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently resides in North Carolina with her children (human and furry) and her husband, who is a United States Marine.

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: Text, Torch, Tryst, Masquerade, and Recalled.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

 

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Promo Event: One More Chance [Chance 02] by Abbi Glines!

 

Grant Carter did everything in his power to convince Harlow Manning that he was a good guy. More than a smooth-talker and someone she could trust. He had to overcome his reputation as a playboy, and his history with Harlow's half-sister, Nan, a woman with a reputation of her own.

Harlow had taken the chance, falling hard and fast for the guy who thrilled her with his all-consuming desire. After a lifetime of avoiding bad boys like Grant, she had opened herself to the possibilities of love...

But a life-changing secret has torn them apart, and now Grant and Harlow must decide if they have enough fight to make it work - or if the pain of betrayal has permanently destroyed their future.

 

 

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Author bio:

 

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of TWISTED PERFECTION, FALLEN TOO FAR, NEVER TOO FAR, JUST FOR NOW, WHILE IT LASTS, BECAUSE OF LOW, BREATHE, THE VINCENT BOYS, THE VINCENT BROTHERS, THE EXISTENCE TRILOGY.

 

 

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UK Blog Tour: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks!

 

Publication date: 11th September 2014
Paperback edition: 304 pages

Source: Kindle

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks - with a passion that would change their lives for ever. But life would force them apart.

Years later, the lines they had drawn between past and present are about to slip . . . Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again, and forced to confront the paths they chose. Can true love ever rewrite the past?

This is the new epic love story from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Notebook, The Lucky One and The Last Song.
 
I'm a really big fan of Nicholas Sparks, so when I got an email about being on the UK Blog Tour for this book, I almost passed out! I'll admit that I've only actually read three books from Nicholas Sparks and I've watched several film adaptions of his books, but I loved them all and this book sounded amazing, so I couldn't wait to read it! I have to be honest and say that this book started out really slow! There wasn't much dialogue, but there was a quite a bit of backstory, which as this book developed, turned out to be a good thing! It took me about to chapter five or six to become intrigued as to how the story was going to develop too! As this book progressed though, it was beautiful and I became unable to put it down! I kept reading a few more chapters every chance I got! The plot definitely got better as it developed and I really enjoyed it! There was also some really tense chapters near the end and my heart was actually in my mouth as I read them! I was desperate to find out what was going to happen next and how the plot was going to develop! It definitely developed in a completely different direction to what I was expecting! The characters were amazing! Dawson was the main male character and he was a guy who had quite a few secrets in this book! His secrets were unveiled as the plot developed and he really was just a regular guy who had been through a lot! I just loved him! He was hard for me to read though, so there were times when I had a hard time connecting with him! He was quite the character though and I just couldn't get over how his story ended! Amanda was the main female character and she was so lovely! I could see her dedication to her children, even though they were quite old and two of them didn't live at home! She was also devoted to her husband, even though they were going through some things! Things happened in this book that made Amanda realise a lot though, and she was able to figure out how to appreciate life more and that life can change in an instant, so live it to the fullest! She came a long way in this book and I loved her development! This book was written from both Dawson and Amanda's point of view, which I loved, but it was also written from quite a few other point of views as well! This added a lot to the plot development, even though I did forget who a few characters were lol! I can completely understand why this book is a standalone! Everything was resolved and the ending was such a twist! It took a different path with the second chance aspect in life and I cried buckets at it! I also can't wait to see how this book is going to be portray on the big screen too! The trailer looks amazing, so I can't wait to see the full film! The movie cover for this book is absolutely stunning! I love that it has the younger couple of Dawson and Amanda on it and then it has the adult Dawson and Amanda on it too! It really suits the book! Big thank you to Piatkus for sending me a paperback of The Best of Me and also for having me on the UK Blog Tour!
 

 

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(Please click on the picture to enlarge it!)

 

 

Author bio:

With over eighty-five million copies of his books sold, Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved storytellers. His novels include twelve No. 1 New York Times bestsellers.

All Nicholas Sparks' books have been international bestsellers and have been translated into more than forty languages. Nine of his novels have been adapted into major films: The Best of Me, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, The Last Song, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember and The Notebook.

Nicholas Sparks lives in North Carolina with his wife and family. You can visit him and sign up for the Nicholas Sparks eNewsletter at www.uk.nicholassparks.com, and follow him on Twitter: @NicholasSparks.
 

 

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Review Tour & Giveaway: Frayed [Connections 04] by Kim Karr!

Publication date: 2nd September 2014
Paperback edition: 304 pages
Source: Kindle
Rating: 4 stars
Synopsis: He didn’t think, he didn’t question—he just acted.
What she wanted, she took—without regard.
It was only one night, but it changed everything.

After losing his fiancée, Ben Covington is unsure he’ll ever love again. But when he sees Bell Wilde, he’s so deeply drawn to her, that he’s thrown for a loop. Maybe it’s purely sexual chemistry that’s igniting this spark between them...or maybe it’s his second chance at love.

Bell has just gotten her life back on track and may not be up for the challenge of Ben Covington. But once they’re reunited, there’s no holding back—even if a secret from Bell’s past just might shatter them both.

I was really excited to read this book after I read the novella that accompanies it! I really enjoyed the novella and it was a brilliant introduction to the characters story in this book! I have to admit though that I didn't enjoy this book as much as the other books in this series! I just felt that it was missing that punch to make me love it! It stayed on the same level as it progressed and nothing big really happened in it too! I mean, there was a big secret, but I felt it didn't actually make as big an impact as I thought it would have when it was revealed! It was really big though, and the reaction from both of the main characters was what I expected! Because of the secret, the plot started going in a different direction to what I expected! I enjoyed the direction it did go in though! The plot of this book was okay and amazing at the same time! I loved the sexual tension in it, but it didn't really have any twists and turns in it, apart from when the secret was revealed! I enjoyed it though and there were plenty of sexy scenes in it too, which I also loved! The plot was also developed on brilliantly from the novella and did the main characters story justice! I really enjoyed it and I loved it even more as it developed! The characters were again amazing! Ben was the main male character and he was introduced in the first book in this series, but he was a secondary character! He then got to start his story with the novella before this book and then sort of finish it off with this book! Ben has come such a long way since he was first introduced in this series! He really found himself in this book and he knew who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with! I was really happy with Ben's development! He was seriously hot too and I could see that he had deep feelings for his love interest! Bell was the main female character and love interest of Ben! Bell was first introduced in the novella for this book! I don't think she was briefly in any of the others book in the series! I loved Bell! She was loving, had a really supportive family... and was a bit of a vixen too lol! I just loved Bell's character! She took caution before she started something with Ben, which was the right thing to do considering the secret she held! I had a lot of respect for her and she came a long way in this book too! I also loved that this book was written from both Ben and Bell's point of views! It made the plot even better! Even though this book wasn't my favourite of the series, I will definitely be reading the next book in this series! I know that it's not going to be about Ben and Bell and that it's going to Caleb's story! It also says that it's going to be a romantic suspense book, so I can't wait to read it! I hope that Ben and Bell will maybe make appearances in it too! The cover for this book is so hot! I fell in love with as soon as I saw it and I love how well it suits the novella's cover that goes with this book too! I also love that it has the same models on it! Big thank you to Kim for an ARC of Frayed and for having me on the Review Tour!

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Author bio:

Kim Karr is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romance, including her sexy New Adult romance series, Connections. She describes herself as wearing a lot of hats–writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all-around go-to person of the family. However, she always finds the time to read. She believes in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends and Happily-Ever-Afters, and loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart. Kim lives in Florida with her husband and four kids.

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Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: In Her Wake [Ten Tiny Breaths 0.5] by K.A. Tucker!

Cole Reynolds had it all. And then one night he makes a bad choice... and loses everything.

When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy. Normally, he’d be able to lean on his best friends—the ones who have been in his life since he could barely walk. Only, they’re gone. Worse, there’s the shattered body of a sixteen-year-old girl lying somewhere in a hospital bed, her entire life ripped from her because of a case of beer and a set of keys.

Everyone assures him that they know it wasn’t intentional, and yet he can’t ignore the weight of their gazes, the whispers behind his back. Nor can he shake the all-consuming guilt he feels every time he thinks of that girl who won’t so much as allow him near her hospital room to apologize. As the months go by and the shame and loneliness festers, Cole begins to lose his grip on what once was important—college, his girlfriend, his future. His life. It’s not until Cole hits rock-bottom that he can begin to see another way out of his personal hell: forgiveness.

And there’s only one person who can give that to him…

 

 

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Author bio:

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.    

 

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