Synopsis:

Meeting Jett was like bad luck. Dangerous. Unpredictable. And better avoided. In his game, the stakes are high. But are they worth the risk?

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, finds forgetting is hard, but forgiving is harder. When the man she trusted, betrayed her, the only way to forget is to move on. Brooke is determined to start a new life, until she meets him again: the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god. The man who played dirty. The man who played her.

Sexy, handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has made mistakes. He could have any other woman, and yet it’s Brooke he wants. When second chances collide with secrets and Brooke is threatened by the past, Jett is determined to protect her. She accepts his help unwillingly because she needs him but she wants to play his game on her own terms. And she has no intention to forgive or let him back into her bed.

When the man she is supposed to hate is the one she should trust, will he conquer her…or lose her forever?

A woman who can’t forgive.

A man who has made mistakes.

Two lives that are about to cross again and more secrets laid bare.

About the author:

J.C. Reed is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of SURRENDER YOUR LOVE. She writes steamy contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery. When she’s not typing away on her keyboard, forgetting the world around her, she dreams of returning to the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. You can also find her chatting on Facebook with her readers or spending time with her two children. To get in touch with Jessica use the contact form below. She tries to respond to each and every email in a timely manner.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Synopsis:

Divorce is an emotional rollercoaster. And if you’re a woman going through a divorce, you may not be thinking about financial matters, such as how your assets might get divided, tax liabilities, and what your living expenses might be ten years from now.

But, here’s the problem: the decisions you make both before and during your divorce will directly impact the rest of your life, for better or for worse.

Thinking financially is not always easy. But, it is possible, especially if you have some help. Anyone, no matter how savvy, can benefit from expert advice when she is crossing through treacherous and unfamiliar territory. In this guidebook, you will learn how to . . .

Shore up your financial position so you enter the divorce process prepared;

Build a top-notch divorce team;

Negotiate alimony;

Determine if your husband is hiding assets;

Protect your business, intellectual property, and personal assets;

Deal with pensions plans, 401Ks, and other retirement accounts;

. . . and much more.

Begin your single life knowing that you have made the thoughtful decisions required to help establish your long-term financial security. Think Financially, Not Emotionally® as you look ahead to a bright future for yourself and your children.

Review:

The author, Jeffrey A. Landers, visited StoreyBook Reviews a few weeks back and shared some useful information to everyone.  If you haven’t visited his website, know that a portion of all book sales will be donated to the Bedrock Divorce Fund for Abused Women, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity whose mission is to help female victims of domestic abuse and the organizations that support them.

This is an amazing book!  I am lucky that I am not in the situation where I need to use all of the advice presented, but if you are ladies, then this is the book you need to pick up to make sure you are treated fairly in the divorce proceedings.  The chapters are laid out well with step by step instructions on things you need to do to protect yourself.  There is even a checklist in the back of the book to help you gather all of the documents you need to share with your attorney.  There are reminders and tips at the end of each chapter to help you out as well.

The book isn’t long, less than 200 pages, but well worth picking up and reading if you do not know where to start.  We give this book 5 paws and hope we never have to use the advice given by Mr. Landers.

About the Author:

Jeff Landers is the President and Founder of Bedrock Divorce Advisors, a divorce financial strategy firm which exclusively advises women throughout the United States before, during and after divorce.

The Giveaway:

The copy of Divorce, Think Financially, Not Emotionally that the author sent me to review.  Open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review**

I’d like to give a big Texas welcome to author Misty Evans!  She is visiting us today during her blog tour for her new book, The Blood Code.  I love the title of Misty’s guest post, shows her sense of humor!  So pull up a monitor and enjoy our guest author, Misty Evans!

Come On…Do I Look Like The Mother Of The Future? Feisty Heroines Who Kick Ass by Misty Evans

As a writer, I’m fascinated with fictional female characters who have changed how women think and act. Imaginary characters who seem real and always inspire me. A few characters whose stories I’ve read over and over: Jane Eyre, Scout Finch (from To Kill A Mockingbird), Alice (of Wonderland fame), and Dorothy (Wizard of Oz). These fictional girls/women have even made it to the big screen and TV and inspired millions of us along the way. Marie’s characters, as well as the other authors here this week, also write strong female characters who will inspire, amuse and entertain you.

A few women in film also fit the parameters of influential women. Below are my top three finalists, each of whom inspired me when I was writing the women in my Super Agent Series.

1. Sarah Connor – Terminator series

The Terminator and the plot \ are fascinating, but Sarah Connor is my favorite element of the story. She’s an amazing individual in the kickass woman category, but she’s also an amazing character in terms of transformation and growth. She goes from this normal working girl (hence, her line, “Come on. Do I look like the mother of the future?) to a finely-honed warrior heroine who nearly loses her humanity in an effort to protect her son, John.

Sarah was the inspiration for my female spy Julia in Operation Sheba. The desire to stop a killer makes her leave her comfort zone and fight, and that, in turn, almost pushes her over the line into doing something she would regret later. In the end, she’s able to stop the killer without breaking her moral code.

2. Buffy – The Vampire Slayer series

The Buffy series gave a whole generation of girls an ego boost in the badass, kick-butt arena. Battling vampires is one thing. Battling (and surviving) high school is another. Buffy’s all about friendship, too, which can be as important in my opinion then the lone wolf characters of Sarah and Ripley. Our friendships support us and give us strength in the worst of times whether we’re staking vamps or falling in love with the wrong guy.

Zara in I’d Rather Be In Paris has some Buffy in her. While she’s 100% girl, she went head to head with every terrorist and mafia hitman I threw at her. No retreat. No surrender. She is one badass super agent even in the midst of certain death, but she also knows when she needs her friends and coworkers for support.

3. Natasha Romanoff – The Avengers Series

In the Marvel Comics series, Natasha – aka The Black Widow – is initially an antagonist. Later, she becomes one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team. In the current movies, she’s a sidekick at times, but she’s smart, clever, and flat out tough as nails. She never, ever gives up or gives in, no matter how bad things get. And she’s completely confident in her abilities.

Anya in my latest release, The Blood Code, is a potential Natasha. She’s even Russian! She’s not quite up to being a spy yet, but when she learns her grandmother was a double agent during the Cold War, Anya rises to the occasion and embraces her inner undercover agent. When go things go bad – don’t they always? – Anya never gives up. In the end, she even helps the hero stop a nuclear war.

Best-selling author Misty Evans writes the award-winning Super Agent series as well as urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She likes her coffee black, her conspiracy theories juicy and her wicked characters dressed in couture. When her muse lets her on the internet to play, she’s on Facebook and Twitter. Read more about her stories on her website.

Synopsis:

Fifteen years ago, Anya Radzoya fled Russia with her grandmother after the suspicious deaths of her parents, but she can’t escape the royal genes that make her one of Russia’s last living princesses. When President Ivanov blackmails her into returning to Moscow in exchange for her grandmother’s life, Anya discovers he’s planning to unleash a nuclear war. With no one else to turn to, she joins forces with CIA operative Ryan Smith.

Undercover at the nuclear summit, Ryan recruits Anya to find proof Ivanov is resurrecting the Cold War, but he suspects his new asset is a double agent. Anya is determined to rescue her grandmother with or without his help, however, and Ryan finds himself falling for the beautiful princess before he even trusts her.

Trapped inside the Kremlin with a cunning and ruthless opponent, the two must risk their lives and their hearts to save Anya’s grandmother as well as millions of innocent people.

Find her book on Amazon * B&N * iBookstore * Kobo

The Giveaway:

THE BLOOD CODE Blog Tour is full of interviews, guest posts, spy quizzes and giveaways! One lucky reader will receive a princess-cut tennis bracelet

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Official Tour Stops

6/17/2013            So Many Reads

6/18/2013            Notes From A Romantic’s Heart

6/19/2013            Reading Between the Wines

6/20/2013            Going in Circles

6/21/2013            Storey Book Reviews

6/24/2013            In My Humble Opinion

6/25/2013            The Flirty Reader

6/26/2013            Meredith’s Musings

6/26/2013            Paranormal Book Club  

6/28/2013            Reading on the Rocks

Book Title: The Light in the Wound

Author: Christine Brae

Genre: Contemporary Romance Fiction

Release date: July 23, 2013

Cover Art: Matt and Tosha Khoury

Book Summary

Affected by her parents’ highly publicized divorce, Isabel grows up isolated and alone, with a resolve to never fall in love and repeat their mistakes.

When Jesse Cain enters her life, she falls hopelessly in love with him, and every sadness she’s ever felt is washed away by his intensity and passion. But people change as they grow up. Things can never stay the same forever.

Jesse and Isabel fight to stay together, determined to hold on to their first love. But can a second love be enough to make her forget?

Teaser

“Thank you, baby,” he whispered, as he reached across the table to take my hand. We were dining at our favorite restaurant one night after a late meeting.

“For what?” I lovingly rubbed my thumb on his wrist.

“For being here with me.”

I was so engrossed in the conversation going on behind me that I didn’t respond.

“What?” He chuckled as he caught me smiling at him from across the booth.

“Nothing. These women right behind me are talking about you. The one facing you is gushing,” I whispered, amused.

This had become an acceptable fact of dating Alex. Even before you saw his face, there was no use hiding his body under anything he wore. His clothes just hung on him so perfectly, like a runway model. That night, he wore a white casual button down shirt over low-slung distressed jeans that had the perfect flair to match his canvas designer sneakers. His short hair showcased his perfect jaw, his full lips, his round blue eyes. His clean cut look was tempered by the stubble that lined his jaw and his chin.

“Come sit by me, please. You feel so far away.” His eyes were dancing like little blue lights on a Christmas tree. I stood up, walked around and slid into the booth with him. It was like he gave me his consent to claim my territory. He leaned against me, closing the gap between us as his mouth skimmed my earlobe.

About Christine 

The Giveaway

Register to win a $25 gift card to Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Dead and Missing (Ripsters, #2)

Author: Chris Myers

Expected release date: July 19, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Mystery/Romance

Age Group: Young Adult

Cover designed by: Books on the Edge

Sixteen-year-old Brittany Howland only knows one other girl, Jolie Livingston, who can communicate with the dead like herself. When Brittany takes Jolie’s haunt fishing to get him out of Jolie’s hair, he mysteriously disappears. Brittany isn’t sure how she’ll tell Jolie she lost her stupid ghost. Jolie thinks her dead best friend Drew has finally crossed over, but Brittany knows better. Just before Drew went missing, he revealed why he hasn’t hitchhiked to the afterlife, a secret Brittany swore she’d take to the grave.

About the Author

Chris Myers suffers from an overactive imagination. She spent her high school years writing torch songs for fantasy guys then moved onto writing thrillers and young adult. She has a real job but would love to write full time. Her books have won and placed in the finals and semifinals for several awards including Paul Gillette, Rocky Mountain Gold, and Amazon Breakthrough Novel. Chris lives in Colorado with her daughter, her better half, and BeBe, a rambunctious Bichon.

Blog | Facebook | Twitter| Goodreads

Today I welcome author Peter Silverman to StoreyBook Reviews.  He is the author of Acting Obsessed which I will be reviewing in July.  Today Peter gives us his perspective on becoming an author later in life.

Author bio:

Peter Silverman attended Reed College, Indiana University, Drexel University, and Spring Garden College. Careers have included librarian, archivist, factory manager, and computer programmer. He has performed with semi-professional dance companies, and helped found a local chapter of Families With Children from China. He was born in New York City but has lived in Philadelphia since early childhood, with a brief sojourn in Los Angeles. He has two daughters. Acting Obsessed is his first published novel.

 Act Your Age!

At my thirtieth birthday party an older friend told me, “Peter, the way to stay young is to always act as immaturely as possible.” Joe was a funny man who dispensed good advice. Many years later, my teenage daughter, trying to break out of the cocoon of childhood, asked my mother to “stop treating me like a child.” I sympathized with young Jennifer, but my mother told her, “I’ll treat you like an adult when you start acting like one.” This ticked off Jenn even more, of course, and it made me think about the concept of acting your age.

When you write fiction you deal with human nature in two spheres. In one are your characters; in the other is yourself. Let’s forget about me for now (maybe that’ll be a topic for another blog) and talk about fictional characters. You can make a character as mature or immature or in-between as you like, but they must be believable and work (whatever that means) in the story. When it came to the two protagonists in my novel Acting Obsessed, Ginger and Winston, I realized that the question of maturity might not be as simple as I thought at first blush.

Ginger, an actress, is a creative artist who succeeds or fails in her profession depending on how she projects emotion to her audience. Winston is an IT professional, a hard-nosed, rational vocation where the people who hire him measure success in dollars and cents. So can Ginger get away with not acting her age, while Winston’s demeanor must project maturity? I was also a computer professional at one time, and I worked for plenty of hard-nosed, ramrod-up-their-butt managers, so I knew what Winston was up against. (There was even one ex-Marine VP who walked around the office carrying a swagger stick. One day I was bent over a printout on a table and he swatted me. He didn’t like it when I shot him a dirty look, and I was not surprised when, a month later, they laid me off together with about one-third of the staff. Six months after that the IRS raided the place.)

So who needs to act his or her age (besides that VP)? Actually, it’s the one who wears her heart on her sleeve and needs to emote on the job, not the one who must wear a rational face and bite his tongue about the idiots who run the company (maybe I would not have been laid off if I had stoically kept my eyes on that printout).

Here’s why: There are a lot of immature but successful computer programmers out there; in fact I’ve worked with some of them (and maybe one of them was me). At the same time, the artists I’ve known were required to think deeply about human motivation and emotion. That takes maturity, which a computer programmer does not need. Heck, I’ve seen programmers put up illegible web pages that do the opposite of what the end-user expects and wants. Equally insensitive quality control nerds let the project out the door, and hundreds, maybe thousands, of disgusted customers become frustrated and angry before the problems are corrected.

Of course, an actress or writer can also mess up, but they’re most likely going to learn about it long before any real damage is done. The director, the editor, the gallery manager, or the friend will bring the artist up short. It can be painful, but only to the suffering artist, and believe me it can be painful. And don’t tell me about a movie or play that flops, for example John Carter or Heaven’s Gate. Those are examples of collective brain freezes; if the producers had any sense to begin with they would have realized how bad things were from the start.

My grand insight, which I know you have been holding your breath for, is that you can be an IT professional and an emotional dunce who revels in childishness, but if you are an artist you must have insight, compassion, and wisdom. Surely those qualities are at least part of the definition of “acting your age.” I claim none of those qualities. In fact, I assert that I have been following Joe’s advice for a long time and I feel pretty young. Wait . . . where did that pain in my hip come from?

You can find Peter’s book on Amazon

Synopsis:

Acting Obsessed: a novel of romance and drama, stalking and violence, mystery and intrigue in the historic heart of Philadelphia. In Ginger Brossard’s life the line that divides obsession from passion seems especially thin and easily crossed. As a young and talented actress with a burning ambition to be on the stage, she embarks on a career with a theater company in Philadelphia. An actor in the company soon displays an unwanted interest in her. When she turns his advances aside, meets an intriguing new man, and then receives a costly and beautiful gift from an anonymous admirer, Ginger finds herself entangled in a web of unanswered questions from the past, lethal danger, and the obsession of an unknown person who may have the power to devastate her life. In the end, she comes face to face with betrayal and violent death.

Giveaway:

Peter is generously giving an eBook copy of Acting Obsessed to a lucky reader of my blog.  Just sign up via the rafflecopter below and you’ll be entered!  Open internationally to anyone that can receive a book via Amazon.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Synopsis:

Be careful what you wish for…

Determined to marry the most eligible bachelor in the parish to save her family, Lucie LeBieu turns a “love bug” loose to cast its Voodoo spell. What she doesn’t count on is hitting two targets—the golden boy congressional candidate, and her Cajun-hot ex. To set things right, she must undo the spell before she falls into bed—-and back in love—with a certain down and dirty heartbreakin’ cop.

Undercover investigator Ben Boyette is back in Louisiana on special assignment when he runs across his old flame, brewing up trouble as usual. But when hometown threats turn deadly, Lucie’s life is on the line. Determined to protect both her and his politician assignment from falling victim to a murderer, Ben finds that he’s the one who’s falling hard…for the irresistible bayou temptress.

Review:

This is the second in the Cajun Magic series.  The book is set in the same small town with some of the same characters as the first book (which would be expected!).  The main characters from book one have a very minor role and are really just mentioned versus playing a part in this story line.  This book has romance and mystery all rolled up into one which makes for an exciting read.  Lucie thinks that her ticket out of town is the congressional candidate, but her ex-beau Ben has other thoughts.  Lucie thinks that the answer is a love spell but it goes awry since her voodoo skills are not up to her Grandmother’s!

I enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read the third one to see who is features in that book.  We give this 4 paws and if you are looking for a fun read, then check this book out!

You can pick it up on Amazon or Barnes & Noble for just $2.99

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Title: Painted Boots

Author: Mechelle Morrison

Expected release date: Between June 28 – July 5, 2013

Age Group: Mature Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary romance

Synopsis:

When her father drags her to a new life in Wyoming, Aspen Brand doesn’t expect to fall for a cowboy named Kyle Thacker—but she does. At seventeen, Aspen and Kyle share unexpected ground: guitar, running, physics. And guilt. Aspen blames herself for her mother’s car accident, while Kyle can’t find a way past his brother’s suicide.

On their first date they open up to each other, forging an unbreakable bond between them. But Kyle has spent two years living with a vicious secret—one his ex-girlfriend will do anything to protect—and sharing his truth with Aspen makes her a target. Now if Kyle is to be her love story, Aspen must first win the fight of her life.

About the Author

Mechelle Morrison loves language–she’s always wished she could speak and write them all. She lives for chocolate, lazy summer days, spontaneously funny things . . . and family. She’s sort of scared of dogs.

When she’s not reading or writing or wandering the world, she can be found in her backyard in Utah with her husband, their daughter and the bevy of quail that live behind their garage.

If she didn’t write she’d make stop-motion animation shorts. So she does that anyway.

Visit her online

Tour Schedule

Title: Animate Me

Author:  Ruth Clampett

Publisher: Clampett Studio (self-pub)

Release date: May 1^, 2013

Age Group: New Adult/Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Synopsis:

She seemed far beyond his reach…could love draw them together?
For years shy animator Nathan has carried a torch for Brooke, the beautiful and dynamic Director of Development at their animation studio, even creating B-Girl, a comic-book heroine in her likeness. When a new project throws the two of them together, lovestruck Nathan finally seizes his moment – only to find Arnauld, head of the animation studio, claiming exclusive rights to Brooke’s affections.

But Nathan, it turns out, is not giving up on his dreams so easily. With inspired determination, he sets out to be the super hero of wooing his girl. Threatened by his persistence, Arnauld plays dirty – only to spark an uprising at the studio that unleashes the sort of havoc only a building full of frustrated animators can create. While Nathan pulls out all the stops to win his B-girl, Brooke has to choose. Should she pursue the sparkling career that has taken her years to build…or follow her heart?

Trailer:

Review:

I thought this was a fun romance novel. I have always loved animation (of all types) so this book was very enjoyable for me!  I loved the drawings in the book.  I could tell the characters were younger (in their 20’s) because I could see their immaturity through their personalities and actions.  I felt like this made it more real because a lot of people that age aren’t quite sure of who they are yet.  I liked that the “pretty” girl fell for the geek, even though once cleaned up he wasn’t quite so geeky and more hunky!  There are some “hot” romance scenes, but nothing you wouldn’t find in any other book!

We enjoyed this and give it 4 paws.

About the Author

Ruth Clampett, daughter of legendary animation director Bob Clampett, grew up surrounded by artists and animators. A graduate of Art Center College of Design, she has been VP of Design for Warner Brothers Studio Stores and taught photography at UCLA. Today she runs her own studio and as the Fine Art publisher for Warner Brothers Studios has come to know and work with some of the world’s greatest artists in the fields of animation and comics.
From this colorful background comes Ruth’s first novel, Animate Me, a fun and sexy, unique and engaging contemporary romance.
Ruth lives and works in Los Angeles, strictly supervised by her teenage daughter, who helps plan their summer around their yearly pilgrimage to the San Diego Comic Con.

Twitter | Goodreads

Tour Giveaway:

(1) Prize Pack: a Print Copy of Animate Me, an Animate Me Travel Mug, and a print (small poster) of ‘B-Girl’ signed by Ruth Clampett and the artist Juan Ortiz. – US/Canada

(3) Print copies – US/Canada

(5) eBook copies gifted from Amazon – International countries that can accept Amazon gifted books

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well I don’t know how it happened, but I have more books to review that I can shake a stick at!  So I wanted to share with you what will be coming up for review in the coming months.  And these are only the paper copies…the eBook’s are a whole ‘nother post!

Swept Up by the Sea by Tracy Hickman

Saving Faith by Patrick M. Garry

The Seers: New World Order by M D Kaczkowski

What Matters Most by Bette Lee Crosby

The Last Keeper’s Daugher by Rebecca Trogner