BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - Storm (Ashes & Embers #1) by Carian Cole

Tour Schedule Link: http://bit.ly/1rnzONb

Blog Tour Hosted by: As the Pages Turn

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23155346-storm

Book Trailer Link: http://youtu.be/vQeBYp9wl2k

Title: Storm

Series: Ashes & Embers, #1

Author: Carian Cole

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 30, 2014

Synopsis:

The calm before the storm…

I lived in the quiet stillness.   

I felt the wind rustle, warning me, telling me to get out of its path.

But I didn’t.

I never stood a chance.

A series of weather and road mishaps leaves me trapped in the middle of a blizzard with a complete stranger.  In the back of a pickup truck. For forty-eight freakin’ hours.

A stranger with long hair, tattoos, and rippling with muscle. 

A stranger with an insanely sexy voice and a wicked smile that turned my insides to jelly. 

A stranger who held me in his arms, calmed me, and then set a fire in me that I couldn’t put out.

Storm lives up to his name. Beautiful. Dangerously inviting. Tumultuous. Dark. A clash of hot and cold.

He’s used to getting everything he wants.

And now he wants me.

Some people chase storms for the beautiful thrill. What happens when the storm chases you?

Buy Links for STORM:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O11I5CY

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O11I5CY

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storm-carian-cole/1120424480

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/storm-39

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/storm/id924502161?mt=11

Author Bio:

I have a passion for the bad boys, those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles and of course, the sweet girls that try to tame them and win their hearts. My debut series, Ashes & Embers, follows the lives of rock band members as they find, and sometimes lose, the loves of their lives.

My first novel in the Ashes & Embers series, Storm, will be available in September of 2014. 

Born and raised a Jersey girl, I now reside in beautiful New Hampshire with my husband and our multitude of furry pets and spend most of my time writing, reading, and vacuuming.

Author Social links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cariancoleauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8523875.Carian_Cole

Website: http://cariancole.com/

REVIEW:
From the first paragraph of this book I was hooked (probably because I've experienced the same "road coma" at some point); although I am happy to report that I never experienced road coma while driving during a snowstorm, but I digress.

I really enjoyed this story, more than I thought I would; Storm is a great book boyfriend. For me, the jury is still out on Evelyn. Some of her internal dialogue had me cracking me up, but then she would say something so totally ridiculous I wanted to reach through my kindle and high-five her.....in the face...as hard as possible.

But the chemistry between Storm and Evelyn is great, and I loved how even though he's all macho rockstar, he didn't come across as a d-bag who thinks he's got to spread himself around with all the ladies. He's all about being with Evelyn, even though she's still hung up on the boyfriend of eleventy-seven years (who turns out to be the real d-bag).

The only issues I have with the story is that we never know exactly what happened to Evelyn's parents, only that they died while she was still a teenager (and who did she live with after they died?), and how long it took for her to actually break up with the d-bag boyfriend. Who, by the way, admitted to creeping out on Evelyn, but then wanted her to come back? That is when she should have grabbed her bottle of "bitch be gone" spray and gone upside his head with it. But this does have a HEA, although I'm 112% sure that's not how I would want to have a ring presented to me. I am really looking forward to Vandal's story, from the end of this book when we get just a bit of information, it's going to be a heartbreaking type of story.

RATING

ARC provided in exchange for honest review.

GIVEAWAY INFO

Carian is offering the following giveaways. They are both open internationally. Giveaway ends Oct 20th at 11:59 PM CST.

·         (2) $25 gift card for either Amazon or B&N. Winner's choice.

·         (2) Swag Pack with signed copy of Storm.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW - Wild at Heart (Untamed #4) by Victoria Green & Jinsey Reese

Title: Wild at Heart (Untamed #4)
Author: Victoria Green & Jinsey Reese
Publisher: Turning Leaves Press
ASIN: B00LG0SQHC
Release Date: 30 June 2014
Series or Standalone: Series
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
With his dad hell-bent on destroying him, Dare's life hangs in the balance. Fearing the worst, Reagan rushes from Paris to New York, hoping to get to him in time, only to find their entire world collapsing around them.

The threat is too real, risk too high, death too possible. Unfair doesn't even begin to cover it.

Two wild hearts that belong together, trapped in a world trying to break them apart. But a love this strong has to survive...doesn't it?

Buy It: Amazon | B&N

My thoughts:

This installment starts off fast and doesn’t stop until you reach the last line of the book, and when you get to the end, you might want to scream and throw whatever medium you’re reading on across the room because you have to know RIGHT NOW what’s going to happen. But you won’t know until August 12^th, because that’s when the last episode of Ree’s and Dare’s story will be released.

So if you’ve read Escaped Artist (and if you didn’t, why the hell not? Go get it. NOW!), you know how that episode ended. WaH picks up with Ree and Dalia still on the phone about what happened. If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you know I don’t do spoilers, but I will say that Ree gets back to New York.

This episode is chock full of an overabundance of pride, high-handed attitude, smarmy acting, a surprising sibling reaction, cockiness, confrontations and a surprising victory in a long-standing battle. Not to mention two of the planet’s most insane fictional parental units.

Each episode of Dare’s and Ree’s story just gets better and better, and while I’m sad that the next episode will be the last, I’m excited to see how it all wraps up. It’s going to be interesting to see how the rest of the Brothers Wilde series will stack up against Dare and Ree, but I’m pretty confident that the future stories will be just as engaging and maddening and awesome as this one!

RATING

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Tattooed Dots Review Tour

Synopsis 

Easton Crawford put his modeling career and good looks before his marriage until it was over. Years later, he is finally learning how to be the father his daughter needed him to be. He’s not looking for a new mom for his daughter—just nightly casual hook-ups. When his best friend, Avery, convinces him that a good way to meet a lot of single women is to go on a single’s cruise, Easton finds more than just a hook-up when he meets a fellow cruiser, Brooke.

Brooke Bradley has taken care of her younger sister, Bailee, for most of their lives. While their mother was enjoying not being a mother, Brooke became the adult in the household at thirteen. She had always taken care of the people in her life, especially her boyfriend, Jared. If it wasn’t for Brooke, Jared wouldn’t know how to function throughout the day.

When Brooke’s best friend, Nicole, gives her a gift of going on a cruise without telling her that it’s a single’s cruise, will Brooke find someone willing to be her constant and finally leave Jared?

Brooke and Easton learn that people are brought into their lives for many reasons. Over time, they find out what those reasons are. Some are to be a temporary acquaintance while others are there for life.

Buy Now

AMAZON/B&N/KOBO

About the Author

Kimberly Knight lives in the mountains near a lake with her loving husband and spoiled cat, Precious. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite reality TV shows, watching the San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks kick butt, crushing candy on Candy Crush, playing computer games like World of Warcraft with Audrey Harte and online poker. Now that she lives near a lake, she plans on working on her tan and doing more outdoor stuff like...watching hot guys ski. However, the bulk of her time is dedicated to writing and reading Romance and Erotic fiction.

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twitter.com/Author_KKnight
authorkknight.blogspot.com
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Hosted:

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Rating and review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Finally, FINALLY-a book in which the man not only admits the mistakes he made that ended his first marriage, but he actually was able to grow and learn from his past. A man who isn't afraid to show his emotions. A man who actually became a friend first before trying to jump into his potential love interest's bed. A man who had to deal with the stress of being a single parent and being there when your love interest has a serious health issue to deal with and they live in another state. 

You ever read a book and have those eye-roll moments? You know, where you just can't believe how stupid a character can be? Yeah, none of that happens here. Easton Crawford is an anomaly in the romance world, which is unfortunate because while this is fiction, it's sometimes great to see fictional characters have to deal with stuff that happens everyday in real life. Actually, his best friend Avery is the second anomaly: a man who is actually LOOKING to get married; but I digress. This story will draw you in from the moment you start, and pretty much doesn't let go until it's over. There's no over-the-top drama and angst in this book; well, actually there is some angst, but thank heavens it's not because someone was cheating (although that did happen in this story, you already knew what was gonna happen so it's not a big shock).

This is a beautiful story about two people who met on a singles cruise, where neither one wasn't necessarily looking for love when it snuck up and made its presence known, and how they handle the pressure and stresses real life brings once the idyllic cruise romance is over. This book, while part of a series, doesn't end on a cliffhanger (thank the stars...or should I say dots?) and I am already eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

REVIEW - Escaped Artist (Untamed #3) by Jinsey Reese and Victoria Green

Title: Escaped Artist (Untamed #3)
Author: Victoria Green & Jinsey Reese
Publisher: Turning Leaves Presses
ASIN: B00KNZDRA2
Release Date: 29 May 2014
Series or Standalone: Series
Genre: New Adult
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Synopsis:
Dare Wilde is out. The McKinley family has ruined his relationship with Reagan for the last time. He’s in Amsterdam, staying with his rock star brother Dash, ready to move on with his life and get Ree out of his head. 

Finally, and for good. Problem is, he loves her. 

So when fate leads Reagan to his door again, the two must decide whether their new-found love is worth the risk. Because two fractured parts can’t make a whole, and they must face the demons of Reagan's past if they are to have a future together. 

A muse and her artist. A star-crossed love. 

Will the past catch up to them…or have they finally escaped?

Buy It: Amazon | B&N

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My thoughts:
Just like the first two books in the series, this one starts off with a bang (and I mean that literally). 

This is the first time in the series that we get a dual POV and it works beautifully. The story takes place a mere three weeks after the end of Out of Control, in the gorgeous European city of Amsterdam, where Dare is staying with his brother's band No Man's Land while their on tour. If you've read Out of Control, you know why Dare is now in Amsterdam; I was once again irritated that Dare chose to leave, especially knowing what Ree's father is capable of.

This episode deals with Ree's addiction and what led her down that path; and how Dare helps her to deal with it so they can be together finally. We get to meet Dare's brother Dash and the members of No Man's Land, and Dax and Dalia come along for the ride. A former lover is also in the story, who pretty much tries to bring Ree right back down, so yay for Ree doing the right thing. That victory was made even more sweet when Dare pretty much told the ex to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Now we know that since this is a 6-part series, there's still more drama to come, but I'm warning you now, the cliffhanger for this book will leave you feeling like you need the oxygen mask to drop down from the ceiling. Who knew one person could have this much vindictiveness in their soul outside of a Jackie Collins novel?

REVIEW - Out of Control (Untamed #2) by Jinsey Reese and Victoria Green

Title: Out of Control (Untamed #2)
Author: Victoria Green and Jinsey Reese
Publisher: Turning Leaves Presses
ASIN: B00K25EDN8
Release Date: 1 May 2014
Series or Standalone: Series
Genre: New Adult


Synopsis:
Three years have passed since Dare Wilde walked out of Reagan McKinley's life. Three years of radio silence. Three years of regrets.

But she’s not the same girl anymore. Now, at twenty-two, Reagan has big plans to change her life, and it all starts with a trip to Europe. Instead of heading into Harvard Law like her parents had planned, she’s crossed the ocean to follow her dreams in the art world. Her dreams. For once.

A chance meeting in Paris brings Reagan and Dare face-to-face again, but is it serendipity...or penance? A chasm of unspoken hurt stands between them, but they can’t fight the passion they have for each other. And now that she’s found Dare again—the one person in this world who makes her feel whole—she doesn’t want to let go. Problem is, she may not have a choice.

Two parts. One whole.

Together...they’re out of control.

Buy It: Amazon | Kobo | Indigo

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My thoughts:

Well played Victoria Green and Jinsey Reese, well played. Another emotional roller coaster of a story for Dare and Ree.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about this story, because I felt so strongly for Untamed I was pretty sure anything after that just wouldn't be able to measure up. Especially after the ending of Untamed (I still want to spork Ree's father in the taint), the followup could have been a bust. But I am happy to report that this part of Dare and Ree's love story has already set itself apart from other serial love stories because with the amount of time that has passed, it's still believable that they are nowhere near able to let go of their feelings for one another.

I liked that Reagan is mature enough to acknowledge what happened three years earlier and that she is set on wanting to make things right for her and Dare; and it's easy to feel all of the turmoil Dare is experiencing once he and Reagan have reconnected. I'll admit that I was a bit peeved with his behavior after the incident at the club, but at the same time I can understand why he acted like he did. I will say that some things are partly resolved, but bliss is short-lived, and while I knew something big would happen to once again tip the scales, I was surprised by the turn of events and the role an old friend played (which is wrong on so many levels).

This series is one I recommend six different ways to Sunday.

RATING

REVIEW - Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons #1)

Title: Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons #1)
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1476751803
Release Date: 13 May 2014
Series or Standalone: Series
Genre: New Adult Erotica Romance
Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 1/2

Synopsis:
One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.

But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation—and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out—Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume—her sweet, filthy fling—to France for the summer and just…play.

When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away.

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Indigo | iBooks

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My thoughts:

Great story, even though the beginning was a bit over the top with the whole Vegas escapade, but it was a still a good set up for the rest of the book. I loved the camaraderie between Mia, Harlow and Lola, it was realistic and hilarious, but you could tell their friendship is genuine and real (well, real for a fictional story). The chemistry between Mia and Ansel is funny, cautious, playful, sexy, sweet and beautiful; they really are great for each other, even if their relationship happened in reverse. The sex scenes are pretty freakin' hot; the first time they did role play and the student/professor scene (hell, ALL the sex scenes are hot!)

I liked how both Mia and Ansel are portrayed; they're more like real, everyday people rather than someone you know will only exist on a fictional level. Mia wanted to be a professional ballerina, but her life was irrevocably changed after her accident; add to that, she also stutters when she gets upset or stressed. She really feels in her element when she can pretend to be someone else, like she was able to do when she danced; it seems to be her coping mechanism. I liked how Ansel was the catalyst for Mia finally getting it together and doing what she wanted to do with her life, instead of what her father wanted (her father is a controlling, condescending jackass). With that said, I do wish that had been more of a resolution between Mia and her father; there was one conversation and then.....nothing more about it. I think the Perry situation could have been handled a bit differently; it came from left field and then...a sort-of resolution, but the potential was there for more angst and drama. The ending was sweet, but not like I wanted; it read more like a HFN rather than a HEA.

This was my first time reading anything by Christina Lauren, I can't say why since I've got the entire Beautiful series on my kindle, but you can best believe they now have one more fan to add to their collection!

REVIEW - He Belongs With Me by Sarah Darlington

Title: He Belongs With Me
Author: Sarah Darlington
Publisher: eBook format
ASIN: B00IP1C23E
Release Date: 27 February 2014
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Genre: New Adult Romance
Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 1/2

Synopsis: 
Two girls. One Leo. 

Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather's world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis. 

But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo... which girl will win his heart? 

Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing's for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong. 

*NEW ADULT ROMANCE. Recommended for 17+ due to sexual situations and adult language.*

Buy It: Amazon | B&N | Kobo 

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My thoughts:

I loved this book! Even though they don't get along, I was still impressed with Clara's plan to break the heart of her twin's ex-boyfriend, although maybe she should have clued Maggie in to the plan. But if she had done that, then Maggie wouldn't have hooked up with Dean. Going into this book, I thought there was going to be drama with Maggie and Clara both after Leo, glad that wasn't the case. And Leo just might one of the best book boyfriends! I mean, how freaking sweet was he when they were six and what he said to Clara about the clover? Sigh! 

As for the characters, I was pretty much Team Clara from the beginning. Maggie was too much of a by-the-book person, she didn't really do anything spectacular to be remembered; except for the beginning when she was looking for Dean. Now I will say one of the funniest parts of the story was the pepper spray incident. 

I liked the dual POV style of storytelling, and while seemed that Clara and Leo's story was more fun to read about, their story wrap up fell a bit flat. But the first time Maggie and Dean got it in was mmm-mmm good! I would definitely recommend this book.

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I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.