Friday, August 29, 2014

Marked Men Series by Jay Crownover (Reviews)

(Marked Men, #1) 

SYNOPSIS:

Opposites in every way . . . except the one that matters 

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight--A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want--and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess-and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw-even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.




REVIEW:  


I had RULE sitting on my Kindle for months before I finally got around to reading it.  Once I started reading it, I wanted to kick my own ass for having it sit on my device for so long.  I fell hard for Rule Archer.  I think I am a sucker for a bad boy with a cocky attitude and when you add tattoos and piercings to the mix, I am a goner.

As Jay Crownover states in her Synopsis, Rule Archer is a rebel. However I think a lot of his bad attitude was just a facade to keep people away.  He was fighting his own inner demons and I think he was misunderstood.   Some people say opposites attract and it couldn't be more true with Rule and Shaw.  Shaw has known Rule since high school when she became best friends with Rule's twin brother Remy.   Things aren't always how they appear. Sometimes things are better left unsaid.  When it came to Rule and Shaw, the two of them couldn't be more different, however after a night of cocktails, Shaw decides once and for all to put herself out there to Rule.  Will Rule accept Shaw's advances?  Shaw has been in love with Rule since she was a teenager.  She just never had the courage to act on her feelings.  Was it feel of rejection?  Was it because she was out of Rules league?   Did Rule feel the same way about Shaw?  Can opposites attract?  Were they really do different after all.

Jay did an AMAZING job with this book.  She sucked you in from start to finish.  I didn't want the story to end.  The only good thing about having RULE on my kindle for as long as I did was, I got to read the next few books in the series consecutively. 

RULE is a MUST read !!  You feel the struggles that both Rule and Shaw are going through with themselves, with their families and with their pasts.  Rule will steal your heart and keep it for a very long time.    Buckle up ladies, you are in for an exciting, but rough ride with The Marked Men Series !!!!
(Marked Men, #2) 

SYNOPSIS:

With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.

Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.

Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?





REVIEW:

When I started JET, I was on a huge high from finishing RULE.  I didn't know what to expect from Jet because we didn't really get a lot of Jet in RULE.    Jet didn't have the best upbringing with his drunk of a father who physically abused his mother.  Jet is a lead singer in a band and a very good friend to Rule Archer.  When Jet finds himself attractive to Ayden Cross, who is Shaw's roommate.  Once again, Ayden and Jet are complete complete opposites.  Both Jet and Ayden are keeping secrets from each other and not truly opening up to each other.  Are they both ashamed of their families, and their pasts.  It appears that both Jet's and Ayden's past makes an appearance and they have no choice but to face it head on.   Some say that blood is thicker than water, but in this case, Jet and Ayden need to trust each other and open up to each other.  They don't need to face things alone.  But will either of them open up to the other willingly or only when they don't have any other choice?

I loved seeing how Rule and Shaw's relationship was developing and how they loved each other.  The two of them had a rough start so it was refreshing to see the two of them so happy together.

I enjoyed JET, but I just didn't connect with Jet and Ayden.  I got frustrated with them when they couldn't decide what they wanted, or they wouldn't tell the other how they felt.  I got annoyed with the push and pull between the two.  At times, I was yelling at Ayden to just put her big girl panties on.  With regards to Jet, I just didn't quite get the rock star persona from him.  This is my opinion, but I do not like a man to wear tighter jeans or skinny jeans, let alone purple or red jeans.  I just couldn't quite find his character sexy or appealing.  It just wasn't my favorite in the series, but hey, to each his own. (hahaha) 






(Marked Men, #3) 

SYNOPSIS:

Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .





REVIEW:

Rome, Rome, Rome.  Where do I begin.  This HOT as hell soldier comes back from the war and has a major attitude, has a huge chip on his back and he is starting fights with the ones that love him.  What do you do when all you have ever done was protect the ones you love or even protect your country while serving several tours in Iraq.  

When Rome returns home, he is a different man than he was when Rule and Shaw last saw him.  He is not handling the information well that Shaw revealed to Rule and Rome prior to him returning to the war after recovering from a shoulder injury.  Rome doesn't feel needed and he is struggling with this.  He was always taken care of his family, been the middle man between his parents and Rule.  Now that Shaw is in a relationship with Rule, Rome doesn't quire know his role in his family anymore.  

Smart ass Cora Lewis has no problem putting Rome in his place and telling him he is being a dick toward Rule and his friends.  Cora is one that is also VERY protective of the ones that she loves.   When Cora sees Rome for who is he, she feels like she needs to nurture him as well.   Cora is looking for Mr. Perfect.  She was hurt in her prior relationship and she refuses to open herself to another man again, unless he meets her expectations of Mr. Perfect.  But in reality, Mr. Perfect DOES NOT EXIST.  


Things between Cora and Rome develop fast and the chemistry between them is evident. The two of them are two spit fires, yet at the same time, they seem to calm each other.
Rome can't seem to keep his eyes off of Cora.  There is something about her that he gravitates toward.  Was it her no bullshit persona?  When things with Rome and Cora begin to develop, they get hot and heavy real quick.  Will Cora open up to Rome?  Could Rome break down the walls that Cora built around her heart? Will Cora realize that maybe Mr. Perfect has been standing in front of you the entire time? 

I absolutely LOVED this book.  Rome was a total alpha and I could not get enough of him.  He was bad ass when needed yet soft and sensual as well.  Rome wove himself into my heart and secured himself a spot there.  I wanted to scream at Cora to pull her head out of her ass at times, and tell Rome how she felt before it was too late.  Cora surprised me at times.  She comes off as a tough bitch, but that is the armor that she uses to keep people at a distance. She only allows a few people to see the real Cora.   I was praying that Rome would be able to get threw her armor and get in her heart.  You will have to read this series to find out if he does......




(Marked Men, #4) 

SYNOPSIS:


Will their past determine their future?

Saint Ford has worked hard to achieve her childhood dream of becoming of nurse. Focused on her work and devoted to her patients, there’s no room for love. She doesn’t need a guy making waves in her calm, serene life—especially when he’s the unforgettable hottie who nearly destroyed her in high school. Dark, brooding Nash Donovan might not remember her or the terrible pain he caused. But he turned her world upside down... and now he’s trying to do it again.

Saint has no idea that Nash isn’t the cocky player he once was. Uncovering a devastating family secret has rocked his world, and now he’s struggling to figure out his future. He can’t be distracted by the pretty nurse he seems to meet everywhere. Still, he can’t ignore the sparks that fly between them —or how she seems so desperate to get away from him. But the funny, sweet, and drop-dead gorgeous Saint is far too amazing to give up on—especially since she’s the only thing in his life that seems to make sense.

When Nash discovers the truth about their past, he realizes he may have lost her heart before he could even fight for it. Now, Saint has to decide: is Nash worth risking herself for all over again?




REVIEW:

Where do I begin.  I knew there was something special about Nash from when I was first introduced to him in Rule.  Nash is Rule's best friend and former roommate.  Nash has tattooed flames on the side of his head, and almost his entire body is cover in tattoos.  People are intimidated my him, just by his looks.  The moment he opens his mouth you see how kind of a man he really is.  

Nash, Rule and Jet went to high school together. They have a bond more like brothers, than just friends.  When Nash walks into the hospital, he never thought that his live would change just by meeting someone.  When Nash first laid eyes on Saint Ford, he thought he recognized her, yet Saint tells him that they do not know each other.  However her facial expression and body language told an entirely different story.

As Nash and Saint seem to run into each other more frequently while he visits a friend in the hospital.  Why is it that every time Nash tries to talk to Saint, she is unfriendly toward him. He begins to thin that he has done some thing to offend her in some way.  Little did he know that he didn't do anything recently, he just broke her heart when she was in high school

Saint was in love with Nash since high school, but after having her heart crushed into a million pieces she never recovered.  She harbors ill feelings toward Nash.  Never in a million years did she ever think she would cross paths with him, but now that she did, she is feelings all those feelings that she felt all those years ago.

Nash doesn't know who Saint is.  He was never a mean spirited teenager, he never set out to hurt anyone or embarrass them.  He knew what it was like to be unloved, and he would never make someone else feel that way.  However all those years ago, he broke Saint's heart and never knew the wiser.  

Will Saint realize that Nash is not that same high school kid that she knew so many years ago.  As Nash is around Saint more, he is drawn to her.  There is something about her that calms him. When Nash discovers information regarding his friend's health, and then some information from concerning his father, he is rocked to the core, Saint is there for him.  Will Saint trust Nash with her heart?  Can she forgive him for what happened all those years ago?Did Nash say the things that he is being accused of?  Will Saint give Nash a chance?  They have a past, but can they have a future together?  Will Saint move on from the past, and see things for how they really are, or will be harbor those ill feelings and push Nash away?

NASH was my favorite novel in this series so far.  I thought it would be hard for me to love another Marked Men like I loved Rule, but Nash came onto the scene in full force.  Nash was so loving and wore his heart on his sleeve.  I think every man should take a page from Nash's book.  He warmed my heart and I fell HARD for him.  Yes, he may have tattoos and a few piercings, but he is a total teddy bear !!!!

Make sure to one click this series and be ready for ROWDY when it releases on October 21st !!!






(Marked Men, #5)

SYNOPSIS:

After the only girl he ever loved told him he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and decided he was going to do everything in his power to live up to his nickname. Life was all about a good time, good friends and never taking much too seriously. Rowdy learned his lesson early on, when you care that much about anything it can destroy you, and he never wants to risk feeling like that again. Only now he has a new coworker, a ghost from the past who’s making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in a house with too many rules, too many regulations, and no fun allowed. That never worked for her so she left it all behind as soon as she could, but she never forgot the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been in love with her little sister. Fate and good intentions from an old friend have placed her right in Rowdy’s path and she’s determined to show him he picked the wrong sister all those years ago. A mission that is going along perfectly until the one person that ties them together shows up and could very well tear them back







THIS IS A MUST READ SERIES !!!!!


PROMO POST ~ BLACK LIES by Alessandra Torre


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Amazon | B&N | Smashwords 


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This Book is a STAND ALONE
((( Books will Release at $2.99 for the week, then will go up to $3.99 )))

*** See Teasers, Excerpts & Giveaway at blackliesbook.com ***


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Brant: Became a tech billionaire by his twentieth birthday. Has been in a relationship with me for 3 years. Has proposed 4 times. Been rejected 4 times.

Lee: Cuts grass when he’s not banging housewives. Good with his hands, his mouth, and his body. Has been pursued relentlessly by me for almost 2 years, whether he knows it or not.

Go ahead. Judge me. You have no idea what my love entails.


If you think you’ve heard this story before, trust me – you haven’t.


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Alessandra Torre is a USA Today Bestselling author who focuses on contemporary erotica. Her first book, Blindfolded Innocence, was published in July 2012, and was an Erotica #1 Bestseller for two weeks.
Alessandra lives in the gulf coast of Florida and is married, with one young child. She enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and playing with her dogs. Her favorite authors include Lisa Gardner, Gillian Flynn, and Jennifer Crusie.
 

   





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Thursday, August 28, 2014

FALL IN LOVE 2014 ~ ATRIA BUS TOUR ~ Info regarding Philadelphia Signing !!!!!!!



BUS TOUR ONE LINER:

Don't miss your chance to Fall in Love with new titles from your favorite contemporary romance authors on Atria's second Indie Author Tour featuring #1 New York Times bestselling superstars Abbi Glines, Colleen Hoover and Jamie McGuire!

TOUR SCHEDULE

TORONTO, CANADA
Tuesday, September 2 – 7:00 PM
(with special guest KA Tucker!)
INDIGO, BAY AND BLOOR
55 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario
Store Phone: 416.925.3536

ROCHESTER, NY
Wednesday, September 3 – 12:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE # 2790
Rochester/Pittsford
3349 Monroe Avenue
Rochester, NY  14618
Store Phone: 585.586.6020

SCRANTON, PA
Wednesday, September 3 – 7:30 PM
MOHEGAN SUN – POCONO DOWNS
1280 Highway 315
Wilkes-Barre, PA  18702

PHILADELPHIA, PA
Thursday, September 4 – 7:00 PM
CHESTER COUNTY BOOK COMPANY
967 Paoli Pike
West Chester, PA  19380
Store Phone: 610.696.1661

BALTIMORE, MD
Friday, September 5 – 12:00 PM
ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY w/ THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP
Center Plaza - 100 N. Charles (at Fayette St)
Baltimore, MD 21201
Library Phone: 410.396.5430

PITTSBURGH, PA
Friday, September  5 – 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE #2076; Pittsburgh Waterfront
100 West Bridge Street
Homestead, PA 15120
Store Phone: 412.462.5743

DAYTON, OH
Saturday, September 6 – 2:00 PM
BOOKS & CO
4453 Walnut Street
Dayton, OH  45440
Store Phone: 937.429.2169

INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Sunday, September 7 – 12:30 PM
BOOKS A MILLION #464
5750 West 86th Street, Ste 120
Indianapolis, IN  46278
Store Phone: 317.876.3668

CHICAGO, IL
Sunday, September 7 – 7:00 PM
THE BOOK STALL at The Skokie School
520 Glendale Ave
Winnetka, IL  60093
Store Phone: 847.446.8880

ST. LOUIS, MO
Monday, September  8 – 7:00 PM
LEFT BANK BOOKS AT THE ST. CHARLES COUNTY LIBRARY
St. Charles County Library: Spencer Road Branch
427 Spencer Road
St. Peters, MO  63376-2420
For more information, call 314.367.6731 or (636) 447-2320
RSVP: Please register for this event here!






AUTHOR BIOS/HEADLINING BOOK INFO




The Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster phenomenon continues in the first heart-pounding new adult romance in The Maddox Brothers series.


SYNOPSIS:

Fiercely independent Camille “Cami” Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt.

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red.

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

In the first installment of the Maddox Brothers books, readers can experience the rush they felt reading Beautiful Disasterfor the first time, all over again.






Jamie McGuire bio:
Jamie McGuire is the New York Times bestselling author of Red Hill, Walking Disaster, Beautiful Disaster, and The Providence trilogy. She and her husband, Jeff, live with their children just outside Enid, Oklahoma, with three dogs, six horses, and a cat named Rooster. 

Please visit JamieMcGuire.com.











#1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with a new heart-wrenching love story.

SYNOPSIS:

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn't think it's love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.



Colleen Hoover bio:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Maybe SomedayFinding Cinderella, and Ugly Love. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. 

Please visit ColleenHoover.com.









The unforgettable story of Grant and Harlow from Take a Chance continues in this brand-new novel in the Rosemary Beach series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines.


SYNOPSIS:

She was it. His oneHis onlyThen he made the mistake of letting her go.

After fighting his way into Harlow Manning’s heart—and revealing a side of himself no one had ever seen before—Grant Carter destroyed his own heart by giving in to his greatest fears and doubts. Months later, he’s stuck in a miserable routine. Work relentlessly. Beg his best friend Rush for news about Harlow. Avoid all other friends. Leave nightly voicemails for Harlow, pleading with her to come back to Rosemary Beach. Fall asleep alone. Repeat.

Miles away, on her brother’s Texas ranch, Harlow can’t bring herself to listen to Grant’s voicemails. Though she wants to be with him, and knows he regrets letting her go, she doesn’t know if she can trust him. When he discovered the truth behind her sheltered upbringing, it shattered their relationship, but the secret she carries now has far greater consequences. Can she risk giving Grant one more chance, or will the gamble ultimately destroy her?





 


Abbi Glines bio:
Abbi Glines is the New York TimesUSA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. A devoted booklover, Abbi lives with her family in Alabama. She maintains a Twitter addiction at @AbbiGlines and can also be found at Facebook.com/AbbiGlinesAuthor and AbbiGlines.com.