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Thursday, July 21, 2016

Review: A Midsummer Night's Fling by Eliza Walker!


“A magical, joyful, delightful, sexy contemporary romance by a new star in the making!” — New York Times bestselling author, Marie Force
The show must go on, but the price of admission could be her heart.
Sick of her vagabond life in a Broadway touring company, Nicola is ready to settle down. She wants nothing more than to park her suitcase in California, put out feelers for local auditions, and leave her past firmly behind her.
Too bad her past comes knocking on her door her first day home. All six-foot-three, beautiful man of her past named Max. Stupid Max. The mistake Nicola just can’t seem to stop making.
Even before Nicola—fiery, quick-witted, beautiful Nicola—slams the door in his face, Max is in trouble. She will always be the one who got away. Three times. Which makes convincing her to play Titania to his Oberon a bit…awkward.
Though she has zero desire to re-re-rekindle an old flame, Nicola can’t turn down the chance Max is offering: a lead role with the West Coast’s premiere Shakespeare company. But when their first rehearsal kiss disintegrates into a passionate liplock, she’s questioning her sanity and tempted to jump ship—before Max can break her heart again.
Now it’s up to Max to convince her that the torch he’s been carrying is actually an eternal flame. 


I loved this book! Normally I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romance, but this novel was so unique that I couldn't help but love it. As someone who went to school for English and loves romance novels, there was something really special about combining Shakespere's work with a romance novel.  I think it takes a special type of author to pull something like this off. Eliza's writing was magical. It completely sucks you in to this amazing theater and all the goings on there. I love that A Midsummer Night's Fling was set in a theater setting. I found it really fascinating reading about the characters falling in love (again!) while putting on this huge production of a play. Getting to see all the behind-the-scenes stuff was interesting because you aren't able to see that in real life.

As for the other aspects of the book, I found everything to be pretty enjoyable. I really like how independent and career driven Nicola is. She's the type of girl everyone wishes to be like. However, I didn't care for Max's character as much. That being said, I enjoyed watching not only his character progress, but the progress of their relationship as the novel goes on. Another character I am looking forward to seeing more in the future is Lachlan. He was very intriguing and I can't wait to see what's going on in his head after stuff that happened in this book.

The romance is nice and steamy while also being sweet. I found it's the perfect balance between those heavy, romantic moments and the funner, sensual ones. Any romance reader loves a good second chance story and this one definitely falls under that. Between the characters, plot, and romance, this story was a very enjoyable read. 

I am so glad that this is the first book in a series. I will definitely be reading the other books and look forward to checking out more of Eliza Walker's books.

5/5

Friday, July 15, 2016

Review: Desire After Dark by Marie Force!

Tobias “Slim” Jackson has the perfect life as a pilot on Gansett Island in the summer and in Florida in the winter. He’s happiest when he’s in the air, or at least that was the case before last summer when he met Erin Barton, Gansett Island’s newest lighthouse keeper. Now he can’t seem to find his usual enthusiasm for flying, winter in the sunny South or anything that doesn’t include her. 
Erin has been stuck on pause since she lost her twin brother. She’ll tell you herself that her life has been a hot mess since Toby died. After dropping out of law school, she’s flitted from one pointless job to another, existing rather than truly living. Then she comes to Gansett Island to take over as the new lighthouse keeper and meets Slim, who happens to share her beloved brother’s first name. That small coincidence is enough to convince Erin that she needs to spend more time with the dashing pilot—except for the fact that he’s spending the winter more than a thousand miles from her.
Now Slim’s come home to Gansett for the holidays and to hopefully pick up where he left off with Erin. He’s got twelve days before he’s due back in Florida to finish out the remainder of his winter obligations. A lot can happen in twelve days, but will it be enough to convince Erin that it’s time to start truly living again? Read Slim and Erin’s story and catch up with the rest of the Gansett Island cast in Desire After Dark!


I was a little nervous when starting this book because it is so late in a series and sometimes it makes you feel bit overwhelmed by all the characters and hints of previous story lines you aren't familiar with unless you've ready the previous books. But I really enjoyed reading Desire After Dark. It was a bit overwhelming, but in a good way. (Note: I do think readers would be able to enjoy the story to the fullest if they had read all of the previous books just because of how all the stories intertwine.)

One of my favorite things about the story, and the thing that overwhelmed me, is the family and how their stories seem to overlap one another. At first I wasn't too sure I would like that writing style because I was brand new to the series, but they won me over in the end. It allowed me to get to know and fall in love with all of the different couples, families, etc. I found this to be special because it's usually hard with such a large cast of characters, something I'm not usually a fan of, but it worked in this case. It is something I had to warm up to though as normally I prefer it if a book sticks to the main characters.

Another thing I enjoyed about the story was the age and maturity of the characters. It's refreshing to read about people outside of the standard romance novel age of mid-twenties. Not only that, but I like the fact that the characters are very flawed- very real- in their quirks. I enjoy stories even more when the characters are more than cookie cutter characters. And I love that we got to watch them not only fall in love but conquer their fears as well.

I enjoyed Marie's writing and enjoyed my time with the Gansett Island crew. I would love to go back and read some of the other stories in the beginning of the series to see how some of the couples got their start. Definitely pick this one up if you like a slightly more mature romance with some heat, a large cast of characters and a bit of comedy thrown in.


Friday, July 8, 2016

Cover Reveal: Haunted by the King of Darkness by Felicity Heaton!


It’s time for the cover reveal of the next Eternal Mates series book, Haunted by the King of Death. I’m sure everyone has been curious about the savage, merciless vampire Lord Van der Garde since he prowled onto the scene in the second book in the series, Claimed by a Demon King, and now it’s time to find out why this dangerous and deadly alpha male is just so damned distant and untrusting of females.

If you haven’t had a chance to step into this passionate and action-packed world of dark elves, fae, demons, vampires, shifters and hunters, then you can take the leap with the first book in the series, Kissed by a Dark Prince, which is only 99c / 99p right now. Find the links to your favourite retailers at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/kissed-by-a-dark-prince-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Here’s more about the next book in the series, due for release on July 30th!

Haunted by the King of Death

Haunted by the King of Death (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 11)
Felicity Heaton

A ruthless vampire warrior, Grave Van der Garde rules the mercenary Preux Chevaliers with an iron fist, determined to retain his hard-won position as one of the most powerful men in Hell and his reputation as the heartless King of Death. But beneath the cold façade beats the heart of a vampire torn between love and hate, ripped in two directions by a single ethereally beautiful female—his fated phantom mate.
Driven by her phantom instincts, Isla used a spell to make her solid in order to deceive the vampire who killed her sister’s demon mate and have revenge on him, condemning him with a single kiss to become a phantom too. But her plan took an unexpected turn when she fell in love with him, and with her new life, and the night she betrayed him shattered both of their hearts. Now, he lives to make her suffer through their connection, one that is fading with them as they begin to slip into the phantom world, and she must face the monster she created if she is to save herself and the vampire she still loves.
With a demon from Grave’s past determined to destroy him and everything he holds dear, and the clock ticking down to their inevitable doom, can he and Isla overcome their past and their pride to work together to claim the future they both desire deep in their hearts? Or will death finally catch up with the vampire king and his phantom mate?

Pre-order your copy of Haunted by the King of Death today at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/haunted-by-the-king-of-death-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Haunted by the King of Death is due for release in ebook and paperback on July 30th 2016 and will be available from all major online book retailers on that day, including Barnes and Noble Nook.

Join Felicity’s mailing list to receive a notification when Haunted by the King of Death is released, PLUS a sneak preview of the first 5 chapters of the book and chances to win a signed paperback copy: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/newsletter.php

Books in the Eternal Mates paranormal romance series:



Felicity Heaton

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.
If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.
If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places: