by Sarah | Aug 19, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Books, Giveaway, Guest Authors, Reviews, Writing
Four & A Half Stars
First Impression has the rare distinction of impressing me. The blurb had me really curious, and the cover is fabulous…but I’ve been let down before and caught in the “typical” YA stream of consciousness that forms a book.
This one did have a little romance. It had some mystery. It had ghosts (done well). It had a frickin’ owl, people. An OWL. Not just any owl, an AWESOME owl.
Chira was totally relatable for me. She’s picked on, but has one really good friend. People don’t hate her, but she has a stigma around her because of an early rumor (the root of which is exposed during the book).
We meet Ben early on and he’s not-surprisingly a mystery. The one thing Chira notices about him is that he wears colored contacts – to make his eyes brown. Her curiosity over that finds room.
Of course, Ben is smokin’. There’s not the instant “OMG, I must have him and all else dies.” Chira is attracted, and makes some attempts at flirting, but her life goes on, and her BFF drags her along for the ride on this mission to check out the old abandoned, and haunted, schoolhouse is when things start to take a turn.
The mystery kicks off, and the revelations start to fly. I can’t go into it too much without divulging some serious spoilers into the story. All I’ll say is Pauline handles the lore, the mystery, and the high-paced action really well. Once I got to 33% I couldn’t stop and ended up staying up until about 3AM in order to finish. I couldn’t put it down until I knew what was going on.
Did I guess? I made lots of guesses, but the author threw in plenty of surprises for me. What’s better is she set off a surprise twist on the relationship front that leaves me wondering what will happen in book 2. One mystery is resolved, but I have so many more questions and hope there’s plans for more ASAP.
And anytime a book leaves me wanting more, it’s a win. I want more of Chira and Ben, and the rest of the (surviving) characters!
*~*
Join us July 21 – August 29 as we celebrate Pauline Creeden’s books
Part Steampunk, part Fantasy, all Romance…
When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother’s side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales. Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.
Darkness can be overcome…
Terminally ill Lynette Lamb is forced to reunite her wayward son and grandson. Her options are as limited as her strength and mobility. Through a fateful series of events, the rejoined pair will leave Earth to become part of a colony orbiting a new planet. Sam Austin and his wife mourn the loss of their only child and decide to make a fresh start at the space station. The same ship holds the one who will fulfill the dark planet’s prophecy, but a demonic force boards to stop the vessel. The demon’s obedient but unwilling servant is sent on a suicide mission to keep the ship from reaching its destination.
Chira Kelly thought she didn’t need anyone…until she met Ben.
Because of one ugly rumor, Chira lives as an outcast at her school. Which is fine with her, because she works better alone. Always has, always will. And at least she has her one and only true friend, Tasha. When Tasha insists that they join a group to visit a possibly haunted abandoned old schoolhouse, she’s wary, but joins her friend. Because of that decision, their lives are in jeopardy as a malevolent spirit targets the group. Tragedies and accidents pick them off one by one, and Chira finds herself drawn to the one person who can see the truth. But can he protect her?
*A Young Adult Paranormal Romance – Urban Fantasy with a blend of Mystery*
Left Behind for the Hunger Games generation
In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meet The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…
When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?
Pauline Creeden
Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
Follow Pauline Creeden:
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by Sarah | Jun 20, 2014 | Blog Hops, Books, Masked Hearts, Writing
Welcome to the Secret Cravings Western Romance Blog Hop! This hop is a great way to meet
I’m a sucker for a good Western Romance. Be it historical or contemporary I like a good cowboy.
Then again, I also love a good American Indian. Don’t you? I have written them into many of my stories, but it’s in Masked Hearts that they jump to the forefront. After much research, I wrote a story about a survivor of the Bear River Massacre that was adopted into a less than idea life with a dim future, until the past comes back and ends up saving her.
Today I’m giving you a chance to win an ebook copy of Masked Hearts and a $5 Amazon Gift Card.
Use the rafflecopter options below to enter! Then head back to the Secret Cravings blog to enter more giveaways – including the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
*~*
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*~*
| Amazon | SCP | BN | ARe |
Minnie Woodward lives a lie. After barely surviving the Bear River Massacre she’s lived in the white world of her guardian Mister Rawlins, her life debt keeping her tied there. The last thing she needs is Roy’s attempts to gain her favor. Her fate’s sealed. She’s never believed in hope, and not even Roy can make her start.
Roy Ornum saves Minnie every night in the traveling Wild West show. The job he took to break his gambling habit brought him a new addiction – her. He knows she doesn’t want to be rescued, but maybe he does. She’s the key to a past he lost, one he wants to find again.
As the two grow closer old wounds are reopened and their burgeoning trust is shattered. When lives hang in the balance of their choices they’ll need to work together. Otherwise everything will be lost before hope can be found.
*~*
Secret Cravings Grand Prize rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Sarah | Apr 15, 2014 | Book Release, Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Reviews, Writing
*I was provided a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine*
I’ll be honest, I don’t do many reviews here because I’m flat out lazy. However, when I saw this anthology coming available and the request for reviews? I couldn’t wait to review it!! I signed up quick as the sign-ups were open.
The anthology was packed with some amazing stories that centered around my absolute favorite sport – Hockey. With a good mix of romance from sweet to burn your eyeballs spicy!!
Overall I gave the entire anthology 4 stars. As expected some authors just didn’t write in a style I liked, or the story didn’t grab me. I admittedly skimmed one or two, but those that grabbed me were powerful and well-written enough that I gave the whole shebang 4 stars.
So let me go over the standouts:
Hooking Hannah by Cassandra Carr & Cindy Carr – This story knocked it out of the park for me. It is my absolute favorite in the story. The romance was smoking, the hero (Scott) so amazing, and the heroine (Hannah) funny and strong. Their story was sweet and believable and they burned up the sheets – but what took this story over the edge to amazing for me was the scenes on the ice. The way the authors Carr wrote the hockey scenes was detailed and exact and I felt like I was back in my hometown of Buffalo listening to Rick Jeanneret call the play by play! It totally put me in the game and kept me there. Stunning writing.
Crashing the Boards by Jami Davenport – Most of this story takes place at a party on a boat and some naughty, kinky events. I was unfamiliar with Jami going into the story, but some of the sassy lines had me laughing and looking her up for more of her books. The interplay between the party crasher – Izzy, and the hockey player who thinks he’s onto her – Cooper, is excellent. Best part is when the truth is revealed and things blow up, the resolution isn’t perfect and immediate, but the way it’s handled is spot on and I love the potential.
Taking a Shot by Catherine Gayle – A sweet romance that touches on the cause behind the anthology – cancer. I loved the inclusion of a sweeter story and Katie’s crush-turned-romance was perfect. The best part for me was Jamie’s doubts that had nothing to do with Katie, but his own role in her future. It was superbly realistic and touching.
Heir Apparent by V.L. Locey – Honestly, I don’t usually read much M/M, but I’m glad I did in this case. V.L. has quite a way with telling a story. It was real easy to get inside the character’s heads. Cam, the living legend who was faltering in his game in more ways than one, and Jacobi – Cam’s new back-up goalie and long-time fan. The mix of May/December romance with a bit of the struggle with admitting who you really are was beautifully handled in this short story.
With these great stories, and the good cause, this is an excellent buy!!
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00JHP9BM2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN | ARe |
Blurb ~
It’s time to drop the gloves and fight! Support the Fight against cancer that is. This anthology of 8 brand new novellas is hot enough to melt the ice these players skate on. Featuring stories from popular New York Times & USA Today, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble bestselling authors, including Toni Aleo, Cassandra Carr, Cindy Carr, Jami Davenport, Catherine Gayle, Jaymee Jacobs, V.L. Locey, Bianca Sommerland, and Nikki Worrell.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author – Toni Aleo TANGLED IN THE LACES
In Tangled in the Laces, Karson King is on the fast track to the pros and Lacey Martin is coming back from a hard fight against cancer and is terrified of him but their love is too much to ignore. Will Karson prove that he will protect her heart at all costs, or will he leave Lacey to pick up the pieces of her life once again?
Cassandra Carr and Cindy Carr HOOKING HANNAH
When Hannah attends an all-star game, she doesn’t expect a hockey player of all people to turn her world upside down. Her sister is married to a player and Hannah never wanted that life. But Scott could change everything. For Scott’s part, he has to know the woman who stirred his blood with just a look, and once he does, he realizes he wants Hannah to be his forever. Now to convince her…
Jami Davenport CRASHING THE BOARDS (Seattle Sockeyes 1.5)
Professional party crasher, Izzy Maxwell, needs the cooperation of reluctant party guest Cooper Black, the team captain of Seattle’s new hockey team, but Cooper can’t get past his anger over the team’s relocation to Seattle. Can Izzy melt Cooper’s frozen heart or will this party crash along with her fledgling business?
Catherine Gayle TAKING A SHOT (Portland Storm 2.5)
Katie Weber has had a crush on Jamie Babcock for almost two years, since he joined her father’s hockey team, the Portland Storm as an eighteen-year-old rookie. When cancer takes her health, her hair, and even her friends, she can’t bear to go to senior prom…until Jamie intervenes.
Jaymee Jacobs A VALUABLE TRADE
Bryan’s life gets turned upside down when he gets traded to the Dallas Comets, and things get even messier when he meets Georgiana, the Director of Team Services. He’s got a lot of work to do to prove his worth to his new team, but Georgiana’s sure he’ll prove to be a valuable trade.
V.L. Locey HEIR APPARENT
Superstar Cam Evans is fighting to climb out of a slump that`s growing worse with each day of living in denial. Fresh from the minors, Jacobi Neal is hungry for this chance to play back-up for the legendary goalie. Can two men battle each other, their inner demons, and the sizzling attraction building between them?
Bianca Sommerland BLIND PASS (The Dartmouth Cobras 0.5)
Nothing could stop Tim Rowe, the assistant coach of the Dartmouth Cobras, from falling in love with Madeline, but love alone can’t satisfy every need. Sometimes, to reach the goal, you have to take the chance with a . . . Blind Pass.
Nikki Worrell – CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN (Prequel to Scorpions Series)
Keith Lambert is the captain of the Flyers—until he’s not. To everyone’s shock, he’s traded to the San Diego Scorpions. As if that’s not bad enough, Phoebe, his girlfriend of two years, decides she doesn’t love him enough to follow.
All alone in a new town, Keith is drawn to Kelly, his take out delivery girl. When she shows up at ice girl tryouts, he’s lost. She’s all he can see. Can he convince her to forget her past and take a chance on him or is he destined to be alone in a new town a little bit longer?
**Proud Supporters of Hockey Fights Cancer.
*~*
Excerpts (see attached document)
-from Heir Apparent by V.L. Locey
I padded along beside him with no reply for his comment. He was right. Everyone knew his face in “The Burgh.” The longer we walked, the more I accepted that I would freeze to death. We made two complete laps in total silence. Cam stopped to drop his empty coffee cup into a trash can. We stood under a streetlight, our breath twin clouds of steam hovering in front of us.
“You have to understand that this…I don’t know how to go about…shit.” He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his parka. Again, we started walking.
“Look, man, if I knew for sure what we were dealing with, maybe I could help a little better,” I said. A biracial couple hurried past us. I burrowed into my flimsy coat until all that stuck out of the collar were my eyes.
“I have a daughter. She’s a senior in high school.”
“Awesome,” I mumbled into my coat. My forehead was extremely cold. Like ice cream eaten too fast cold. We kept walking that block.
“She is awesome.” I peeked over at him. I wished he would drop that fucking hood so I could see his face. “And not aware of how things were with her mother and me.”
“How things were, or how you were pretending they were?” I chanced it. What the hell? He would either slug me, call me a motherfucker, or stalk off. Whatever happened it had to be better than roaming around this fucking city block when the temperature was a balmy four degrees. “I mean, that is what you’re dancing around, right? That you’re so far back in the closet you just discovered Narnia? Why not just admit that much to yourself before we both succumb to fucking hypothermia.”
I should have known that Cameron Evans was a man of action. I mean, I followed his career all though my school years. He was fast. My back was against the wall under that old clock before I could register the shove. Cam then got all sorts of in my face. I did not raise my hands. His angry exhalation was flavored with vanilla.
“Are you calling me a queer?” I shrugged one shoulder.
“I call them as I see them. Now, you can either step off or you can kiss me.” I threw the challenge out without a second thought. I stared into the shelter of his hood, finding his dark eyes in the shadows. They flickered down to my blue lips. “Whatever you decide to do, do it fast. I’m cold, tired, and hungry.”
He did. He captured my mouth with a kiss so aggressive my teeth ground into my lips. Yeah. This was it. This was what I had been pushing him to do…hoping he would do.
*~*
Links
Website: http://www.seducedbythegame.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21399240-seduced-by-the-game?from_search=true
*~*
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Sarah | Mar 6, 2014 | Book Release, Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
ONE COMMENTER WILL WIN AN EBOOK COPY OF WITHOUT A TRACE! So leave your comment for a chance to win!!
Thanks for hosting me, Sarah! It is always nice to guest on a fellow author’s blog. I write romantic suspense, which is also my favorite genre to read…I just love that combination of danger and passion, and it’s pretty fun coming up with a nasty, evil villain in addition to a smoldering, seductive hero and a feisty, sexy heroine! Rachel and Matt are both trying to put tragic pasts behind them, yet are drawn to each other despite their misgivings. I do hope your blog readers will check out WITHOUT A TRACE!
| [amazon_link id=”B00I88DFLC” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN | SCP | ARe |
Magazine journalist Rachel Bennett has a reputation for getting to the heart of a story. However, when her sister disappears and is suspected of embezzling from her employer, the story has suddenly become personal. The last thing Rachel wants right now is the distraction of Matt Romero, the detective assigned to the case. She wants a “safe” man…and Matt is anything but that.
Matt accepts the risk that goes with his job. Two years ago, his wife was murdered, a tragedy he blames himself for. He’s vowed to protect his family and friends because he doesn’t want to go through the pain of loss again. However, the lovely journalist soon begins breaking through the icy wall around his heart.
As Rachel and Matt search for answers in order to find her sister, they uncover a corruption that puts them both in danger – and a passion that puts both their hearts at risk.
*~*
EXCERPT:
Something wasn’t right.
Rachel Bennett felt uneasy from the moment she’d set foot in her sister’s apartment. A bead of perspiration trickled between her shoulder blades.
She’d been unable to reach her younger sister Paige for the past three days. She hadn’t even shown up at work. Rachel cut short a long-awaited Palm Springs vacation out of concern for her. The three-hour drive back to Los Angeles this morning was a blur.
“Paige?”
Something made her almost whisper the word. She paused outside Paige’s half-open bedroom door before peering into the sun-splashed room. A hint of Paige’s signature scent, Ed Hardy, hung in the air. The bed, normally covered with a cheerful floral comforter, sat unmade in the messy room. Unusual for her neatnik sister.
She would never just take off like this. At least not willingly.
What’s happened to my sister?
Rachel noticed several black smudges on the wall by the window. A nervous feeling gnawed at her. Slowly, she stepped into the bedroom, toward the telephone. She needed to call for help.
“Police! Stop right there.”
The resonant male voice was strong and authoritative. Rachel froze, confused, blood pounding in her head. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. “I’m Rachel Bennett. My sister, Paige Bennett, lives here. I have a key.”
“Okay. Turn around.”
In slow, careful movements, Rachel complied. Her pulse thrummed even harder as she came face-to-face with the most overwhelming man she’d ever laid eyes on. His features were rugged and darkly handsome, his hair black as sin. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
A twinge of wariness assailed Rachel as her gaze took in the man. All in all, he made a dangerously sexy package despite his ordinary dark gray suit and tie. He looked like no cop she’d ever seen, but his open-legged stance and the familiarity with which he held his pistol—aimed at her—seemed to show years of experience on the force. Or simply a lot of practice using a gun.
Certainly he won’t shoot, she told herself, heart crashing hard against her chest. “Can I see your ID?”
The man’s steely dark eyes never left hers as he unclipped the gold badge from his belt and held it out to her.
“Matt Romero, LAPD Detective Support and Vice,” he said.
Rachel studied the badge. In her work as a writer for Southland Life magazine, she’d seen enough cop badges to know this was the real thing. What sort of trouble could Paige be in?
“How did you…”
“The apartment manager let us in. We had a search warrant.” He lowered his gun, then clipped his badge back onto his belt.
“Search warrant? Has something happened to Paige?” A cold knot formed in the pit of her stomach. Although a part of her didn’t want to know, her reporter’s instinct demanded answers.
Skepticism flickered across Romero’s face, but as he studied her he seemed to relax. He holstered his weapon. “I saw a photo on the desk over there of you with your sister. You resemble each other very much. Why don’t we sit down?” He motioned toward the living room.
Rachel trudged down the hallway, struggling to prepare herself for whatever this man was about to tell her. Horrifying possibilities whirled in her mind. Had Paige been arrested for some reason? Worse yet, badly hurt or even—no, she couldn’t allow herself to think about that last one. A shudder rippled through her.
Then she felt one of the detective’s large hands on the center of her back. The guiding gesture, although gentle, unnerved her. The heat from his palm burned through the thin fabric of her blouse. She walked a bit faster.
In the living room, Rachel sank into Paige’s comfortable powder blue sofa. She took a deep breath to calm herself, but her stomach knotted up when Romero settled into the chair beside the sofa, right next to her.
“Why are you here, Detective? Where is Paige?”
“That’s what my partner and I are trying to find out, Ms. Bennett.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, managing to sound a lot less anxious—and a lot less aware of the man across from her—than she really was.
He looked her dead in the eye. “Your sister is missing, Ms. Bennett.”
*~*
ABOUT LAURIE:
Laurie White is the author of two romantic suspense novels from Sweet Cravings Publishing. Her latest novel, WITHOUT A TRACE, was released January 30, 2014 from Secret Cravings Publishing. Laurie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers. Aside from writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with family, traveling, and watching movies. She is the proud mama of four adorable cats and lives in the hills of Tennessee.
PUBLISHED NOVELS:
WITHOUT A TRACE – Available NOW from Secret Cravings Publishing!
TWIST OF FATE – February 2013 from Sweet Cravings Publishing
DESERT HEAT – October 2012 from Sweet Cravings Publishing
