Mandy Baggot - Taking Charge

Title: Taking Charge

Release date: May 3, 2012

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 Is going back Robyn’s only way forward?

American-born Robyn Matthers is going home. With her dad in hospital, his roadhouse in ruins and the ice hockey team slipping down the league, she needs to take charge. But does she have the strength to do it? 

Cole Ryan is a hockey player on a personal mission. He’s tall, dark, hot and Robyn’s noticed! But can she trust her feelings - or his? And what will Cole do when he finds out the truth about her?

Robyn returns to Michigan and things aren’t quite the same. Her best friend has grown up and is thinking about marriage and babies, the ice hockey team is no longer the life blood of the community and her father is engaged!

When Robyn’s twin cousins drag up past events that hold painful memories for her, she and Cole are forced together. But are either of them ready to start something new?

With an ill father, a trailer trash almost step-mom and ex-boyfriend Brad desperate for another chance, does Robyn have time to contemplate a relationship? Does she really want one? And is it physically possible for two people to fall in love in just three days?

Taking Charge by Mandy Baggot is a great contemporary romance novel. I was given the opportunity to read and review this book as part of a blog tour and I’m glad I was part of it, because I enjoyed reading it.

Robyn Matthers is flying back to the States after spending quite some year in Europe. Her father is ill and in the hospital and he needs to slow down in order to survive. Robyn knows she has to go back and take charge of her father’s roadhouse and manages his ice hockey team. She also hopes to restore the distance between them after the years of separation. But the most important issue she has to deal with is to see if she can be in her hometown again. Something happened in her teenage years and she has been dealing with that ever since.

Cole Ryan meets Robyn at the airport and there is an immediate attraction between them.  Cole has some issues to deal with too, because it appears his ex-girlfriend left him for his brother and they want him to accept it. He needs a new start and takes an offer to work at a medical research lab in the same town as Robyn. And it appears he isn’t a bad ice hockey player either.

I loved Robyn and Cole together, even though they only just met each other at the airport; they seemed to understand each other quite well. Both have some baggage from the past they need to close, but with the help of the other they are able to do just that.

Mandy Baggot has written a great novel with strong main characters, good secondary characters and a great storyline. I’m definitely going to check out some of her other books; because I know I’ll have a good time reading them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising

Excerpt:

He’d given her the best room. She had a panoramic view of West Lake and all its natural Michigan beauty. When she’d woken up the next morning and drawn back the curtains, the scenery had stunned her. The sun was already up and the lake was still and calm. Like a mirror, it reflected every tree standing along the banks. The sky was a cornflower blue and there wasn’t a cloud in sight.

She was still suffering from the time difference, but this morning, opening her eyes to the fantastic garden, the boats moored around the edge of the water and the lake itself, everything seemed a little bit better. Today was a good weather day. The sun was shining and there was little wind, and in Portage, that meant getting intimate with the barbecue.

She was already outside on the deck, a pair of tongs in her hand, and the lid of the grill open, when Cole appeared.

“Morning! Bratwurst?” she greeted, waving a sausage in the air.

Cole opened the door and Robyn pushed him inside. She grabbed hold of his hands and put them on her hips. She kissed him, pushing him down onto the floor of the hallway. She wanted to get as close to him as she could. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and looked appreciatively at the firm, muscular chest underneath. She ran her fingers down, across his sternum to the waistband of his jeans.

Cole stopped her, taking hold of her hand and squeezing it in his.

She looked into his eyes, those deep, dark eyes. She kissed his lips again, closing her eyes and savoring every second of how it felt to lose herself in someone, without any questions or recriminations. Without anyone having to get up and go home.

Cole brought her fingers to his mouth and softly kissed each knuckle in turn. His gentleness was too much to bear, and she drew herself away, let him go and got to her feet, sweeping her hair back out of her face.

            The pink neon sign of Taboo throbbed in front of them. Mickey and the rest of the team had been at another bar before arriving at the club, and they were already well lubricated.

“Now, listen up. Bob has the kitty—strictly beer, no ridiculously, expensive, potent cocktails, no shots, and absolutely no tequila. I want you all to enjoy yourselves, but we do have an important game tomorrow, so let’s remember that,” Robyn said.

Henrik repositioned a bright yellow cowboy hat on his head and loosely strung a red feather boa around Mickey’s neck. Robyn had no idea where he had got them from.

“What about the kitty for the girls? You get special treatment if you throw money at them,” Art piped up.

“If you want to throw money at them, Art, you knock yourself out, but you won’t be throwing my money at them,” Robyn informed him.

Buy the Book: Amazon

Author Bio

Mandy Baggot is a self-confessed Twitter addict who likes to sing on You Tube. She regularly guests on book blogs and is a featured author on the innovative website loveahappyending.com. She is also a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Taking Charge is her fifth novel. Mandy lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

Connect with Mandy Baggot: Website / Facebook / Twitter: @mandybaggot / Publisher Author Page

Toni Aleo - Empty Net

Title: Empty Net

Series: Assassins # 3

Release date: September 5 , 2012

Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance

Definition of an Empty Net: When a team pulls the goalie for an extra attacker, desperately seeking a goal.
Audrey Parker was in a horrible place. She hated her job, her sister was getting married and moving out, but worst of all, she was in love with a total jerk. No matter what she did, every guy she met hurt her. All she wanted was her happily ever after. Her Prince Charming. Her Lucas Brooks! She didn’t know how to change her life but she knew she needed too.
Feeling like she was about to hit rock bottom, Audrey wakes up next to Tate Odder.
Tate Odder had lost everything. After being brought up from the Assassins’ farm team, the Florida Rays to the Nashville Assassins, Tate hopes he’ll forget everything he has lost. He doesn’t. Each day gets harder to live in a place he doesn’t know. Even being the first rookie goalie to shut out an opposing team three times during the Lord Stanly Cup Finals, he still felt empty. With the loss of his parents and sister still heavy on his heart, Tate isn’t sure how to live like everything is okay.

But when he wakes up beside Audrey Parker, things start to change. She turns his life upside down with her kooky sense of humor and her bright clothing. She is intelligent and beautiful, and for once, he doesn’t feel empty. Will Audrey be the person to fill the holes in Tate’s heart, making him whole again? Or will another player ruin everything, leaving him feeling forever like an empty net?

  

Empty Net by Toni Aleo is the third novel in her Assassins Series and just like the previous novels this one was a turning page novel too. I was given the opportunity to read and review this book as part of a blog tour and I’m glad I was part of it. Every book in this series was hard to put down and I knew I was hooked from the first page.

We met Audrey in the previous book where her sister Fallon found the love of her life in Lucas Brooks. At the end of that book we all read that Audrey was involved with Levi and I knew that man was bad to the bone but not in a good way. Then she meets Tate Odder and feels the immediate attraction towards him, but there is only one problem and that is his young age.

Tate Odder is a young man who came to the States to start over and his contract with the Assassins was a good start. He has lost his parents and younger sister in a car accident and is still trying to survive the lost. When he meets Audrey, his life is finally looking brighter and he is determined to proof to her that they belong together.

I loved the tension and the huge attraction between Audrey and Tate, although I wanted to smack Audrey in the head from time to time. She had a lot of insecurities and she had to deal with that first before she could start believing in true love and the man of her dreams. Tate was a sweetheart and really did everything to proof his intentions and love for her. I also loved seeing Elli, Shea, Fallon and Lucas from the previous books and to see how their life is going.

Toni Aleo has written another winner with this novel, it has great characters, a fabulous hockey team and a good storyline. I’m definitely going to follow this author and hopefully see more of those gorgeous hockey players, because they are quite a few singles.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Excerpt:

“I have to tell you,” she said with a shy grin, “It’s usually not this easy.” 
He looked down at her questionably, “Easy how?” 
“This easy to pick me up. I usually make guys work for it.”
He grinned and her smiled grew more, “So you want me too?”
She eyed him, her face bright with excitement. He may have been a little too forward but he was a blunt person, and hardly ever hid his feelings from anyone.
She moved closer, her eyes bright with lust as she said, “I do and I don’t even know you’re name.”
“Do you want to know it?” he asked with a cocky grin.
She moved in close, her wide brown eyes locked with his, “All I want to know is when you can leave? I have a room not even a mile from here.” “I have to tell you,” she said with a shy grin, “It’s usually not this easy.” 
He looked down at her questionably, “Easy how?” 
“This easy to pick me up. I usually make guys work for it.”
He grinned and her smiled grew more, “So you want me too?”
She eyed him, her face bright with excitement. He may have been a little too forward but he was a blunt person, and hardly ever hid his feelings from anyone.
She moved closer, her eyes bright with lust as she said, “I do and I don’t even know you’re name.”
“Do you want to know it?” he asked with a cocky grin.
She moved in close, her wide brown eyes locked with his, “All I want to know is when you can leave? I have a room not even a mile from here.”

Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Author Bio:

I am a wife, mother, and hopeless romantic.

I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it’s cause of my intense love for hockey!

I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!

When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughters dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, and reading the latest romance novel.

I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, and did I mention I love hockey?

Connect with Toni Aleo: Website / Facebook / Twitter: @toniloveswebeer6

Katie Lane - Hunk for the Holidays

Title: Hunk for the Holidays

Release date: September 25^th, 2012

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance

As vice president of her family’s construction company, Cassie McPherson always puts business before pleasure. That might explain why she doesn’t have a date for the company Christmas party. But it doesn’t quite explain why she’s crazy enough to hire an escort for the event or—crazier still—why she’s dying to unwrap him like a present . .

With whiskey-colored eyes and a killer smile, James is one gorgeous hunk who really knows how to fill out a tuxedo. He charms everyone—including Cassie. And when the night ends, the party doesn’t stop. As Cassie falls, literally, into his bed, James falls head over heels in love. Now he has to figure out a way to tell her the truth: he’s not an escort. He’s her family’s fiercest business rival. But all he wants for Christmas is her . . .

Hunk for the Holidays by Katie Lane was a very enjoyable contemporary romance novel. It’s a book full of humor, steamy scenes and a huge attraction between the main characters Cassie and James.

Cassie McPherson is a strong independent woman who works for the family’s construction business. Lately they are losing some major jobs to a new rival in the business and her father is furious about it. Since the holidays are coming up Cassie will try to schedule a meeting with this James Sutton right after Christmas and hopefully sort things out. But first she has to go to the Company Christmas party and in order to keep the matchmakers away she hired an escort for company.

James Sutton is a handsome determined man who wants to succeed with his new business, but he isn’t aware that the major company M&M Construction sees him as a threat. When James arrives at the M&M Construction building for a meeting with the boss Al McPherson, he meets Cassie for the first time. She mistakes him for the hired escort and since he already is in tuxedo he goes along without revealing his identity. James feels attracted to Cassie and wants to enjoy the evening with her, but how does he tell her he’s the one and only James Sutton, the owner of the rival company.

I loved Cassie and James together, even though they are “enemies” without knowing, the attraction between them is huge. They enjoy each other’s company until Cassie discovers the truth and of course she is mad as hell. Especially when James had enough time to tell her the truth, but luckily for them it all turns out at the end.

I also loved the side love story between Cassie’s best friend and one of her brothers. They have been walking around in circles with their feelings for each other and with a little help of a great Aunt and a little stubborn girl; they are pushed in the right direction.

Katie Lane has written a fabulous novel with great characters, funny scenes and a tight family bond. I’m definitely going to check out more of Miss Lane’s book, because I love her writing and characters.

I received this novel as an ARC, courtesy of Net Galley

J. Bridger - Shifted Perspective

Title: Shifted Perspective

Series: Tails of Change # 1

Release date: August 27, 2012

Publisher:  J. Bridger
Genre: Contemporary / Paranormal

Caleb Byrne is a bright high school senior who has enough to deal with between college choices, taking care of his single dad, and dealing with his headstrong girlfriend Joanna and an eccentric set of cousins in California. He was managing to get by until the day he woke up a Cocker Spaniel. Even if it only happens monthly and is more embarrassing than painful, the so-called ability is something that he's anxious to be rid of.

He didn't realize his transformations would drag him into a hidden society of canine and lupine shape shifters as well as a family legacy he hates. To make matters worse, after moving to Los Angeles to learn more about his heritage from his Aunt Moira and his cousin Kalista, Caleb now struggles through life-and-death matters. He keeps angering the werewolves in charge of the shifter world, especially Kalista's boyfriend Peter, the Southern California alpha's son, who also happens to be grade-A sociopath. Worse, Caleb's floundering to keep his secret from Joanna.

While his family offers him some support, they may not be enough as Caleb realizes that the rules in shifter society---number one is supposed to be don't kill humans---are not so ironclad. Some werewolf out there is leaving a blood-soaked trail across the Midwest and it might just be with the alpha's blessing...

Shifted Perspective by J. Bridger was a very entertaining debut novel. I was asked by this author for an honest review and when I read the book description I thought it was interesting.

Caleb is a young man who wakes up one morning to discover that he is in dog form. It appears he is from a shifter family and apparently can shift into a dog. Caleb’s mother left him and his father six years ago and never bothers to tell them that she is from a canine shifter family. Because Caleb never showed any signs that he inherited the gene, his aunt and uncle never prepared him. Luckily for Caleb his father is a fabulous man who will do anything for his son and support him in every way he can.

Caleb and his father go to Los Angeles to visit Caleb’s shifter family, where he can learn to control his shifting and learn more about the shifter society. They both face the pack alpha, which happens to be a big bad wolf and if they don’t follow the shifter rules, there will be consequences.

J. Bridger has written a great debut novel, with lots of humor, great characters and a little mystery crime to solve. I found myself turning page after page so I could read what Caleb was doing next. I loved Caleb’s interaction with his own dog, it appears he can communicate with him after his first shift and I have to say there were funny moments. I’m curious to see how this story will continue in the second book of this series.

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M.L. Ryan - Special Offers

Title: Special Offers

Series: The Coursodon Dimension # 1

Release date: February 10^th, 2012

Publisher: Running with Scissors Publishing

Genre: Contemporary / Paranormal

Hailey Parrish is quick-witted, irreverent, and hasn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the "special offers" that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension.

When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?

Special Offers by M.L. Ryan is the First novel in her Coursodon Dimension Series. It’s a mix of contemporary romance with gorgeous hunks and magic. I was contacted by the author for an honest review and when I read the description of the book I knew I had to read it.

Hailey Parrish is a divorced woman who loves her life and her books. She is an avid reader and she just decided to buy a Kindle because space is running out for her beloved books. The moment she start using her new kindle, she has some strange cravings and she seems to hear a voice inside her head. But that is not all; she doesn’t understand why this handsome man has an interest in her ordinary self.

Alex Sunderland has a reason to approach Hailey; it seems his good old friend Sebastian Kess has transferred his spirit into an electronic device when he was on the edge of death. That electronic device happens to be Hailey’s new kindle, through a little shock Sebastian’s spirit turns up inside Hailey’s body and Alex is there to help Sebastian back into his own body and falls for Hailey along the way.

I loved Hailey and Alex; she is funny, easy going and very understandable in the end. When Alex explains everything to her, she struggles a little, finding it all hard to believe. But when Alex gives her a little demonstration she has to believe him and wants to help them in the end. Alex is a guy everyone wants to fall in love with, he’s good-looking and a true friend. I even fell in love with Sebastian and his funny comments.

M.L. Ryan has written a great first book in this series, it has great characters, good storyline and a world that I want to know more about. So I’ll definitely read the next novel in this series, because with this ending I really need to find out what happens next.

 

Author’s Bio

Scientist by day, paranormal romance-urban fantasy author by night, I am a professional woman - which is not to say that I gave up my amateur status, but rather that I am over-educated with a job that reflects my one-time reluctance to leave school and get a "real" job – and I spend a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical and dry material. In an attempt to strengthen the other side of my brain, I decided to write some of the many stories rolling around in my head.

I prefer literature that isn’t saddled with excruciating symbolism, ponderous dialogue or worldly implications – unless they are other-worldly - and also don’t like plots so reliant on love at first sight that it makes my head feel like it might implode. I live in Tucson, Arizona with my husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and two adopted desert tortoises. Special Offers, my first foray outside science non-fiction, is the first book in the Coursodon Dimension series. The second offering is scheduled to be published in fall, 2012.

To connect with M.L. Ryan: Website / Facebook / Twitter: @MLRyan1