Archives for March 2018

Play for Keeps by Maggie Wells – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 28, 2018 By 2 Comments


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Maggie Wells who is celebrating the upcoming release of Play for Keeps, the second book in her Love Games series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win the first book in the series, Love Games.

Mixing business and pleasure is a dangerous game…

Tyrell Ransom, the new men’s basketball coach, is ready to whip his team into shape and start winning some games. But when compromising photos of his soon-to-be-ex-wife with one of his players go viral, everything comes crashing down. With reporters thick on the ground, Ty and his team need some serious damage control—now.

When public relations guru Millie Jenkins arrives in her leopard-print cape to save the day, things really heat up… Soon they’re going to have to work double time to keep their white-hot chemistry out of the headlines.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Her thumb tapped the callback option before she even had a chance to check the clock. Three minutes after eleven. He’d be boarding soon. One little phone call should be safe enough.

“Hello.”

His voice was warm and deep and put her in the mood for Barry White music and lamps draped with gauzy scarves. “Plan on visiting any brothels while you’re in the great state of Nevada?”

He laughed. A full, rumbling laugh that did little to dispel the red wallpapered room she’d conjured in her head. “You never know. If the casinos don’t have any good headliners…”

She could see the whole setup perfectly. Of course, her version was highly romanticized and most likely television inspired. Reality was no doubt a fairly businesslike concern, but this was her trip down the rabbit hole. If she wanted piles of pillows, sheets made of satin, and heavy velvet drapes on the four-poster bed she had him tied to in her head, who could tell her no?

“Boarding soon?”

“Let’s get back to the brothel thing,” he teased.

“Not the kind of headline I want to spin. Besides, it’s been done. Promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”

Ty sobered instantly. “My dad is flying out, remember? I’ll probably be playing thirty-six holes of golf each day and listening to the old man heckle me about my slice.”

Dropping onto the bed, she leaned back against the headboard and pulled her knees up under her shirt. “Shift your weight before you start your downswing.”

“You golf?”

“Some,” she replied, relishing his pleased surprise.

“What’s your handicap?”

“The shoes,” she said without hesitation. He laughed again, and she beamed, delighted to have found their easy rhythm once again. “Pick up any good trinkets in the gift shops?”

“I’ve been hanging out in the Captain’s Club.”

“Free drinks?”

“Coffee.”

She nodded. “Good boy.”

“I’m no boy.”

“Man,” she corrected, allowing a sly smile to color the words. “Big, strong, handsome man.”

“Much better.”

“So your dad will be keeping an eye on you. That makes me feel much better.”

“Were you really worried?”

Millie caught a hint of injury in his question and hurried to correct course. “Well, not really, but I wanted to make you feel all badass and loose cannon, because I know guys like to think they are.”

His chuckle told her she’d hit the right note. “Yes, well, I think I perfected my badass loose cannon act last week.”

They lapsed into silence but not the uncomfortable kind. This was easy. Companionable. The quiet was unusual for Millie but not unwelcome. She spent so many hours of the day pitching and talking and promoting, she sometimes found it hard to switch off the ticker in her head. But Ty made the quiet she’d dedicated her life to filling seem almost natural. Almost but not entirely. Nature abhorred a vacuum and all that.

About the Author:By day, Maggie Wells is buried in spreadsheets. At night she pens tales of people tangling up the sheets. The product of a charming rogue and a shameless flirt, you only have to scratch the surface of this mild-mannered married lady to find a naughty streak a mile wide. She has a passion for college football, processed cheese foods, and happy endings. Not necessarily in that order. She lives in Arkansas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, or <IndieBound.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

Interview and Giveaway: Nick Haskins

March 28, 2018 By 8 Comments

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Nick Haskins who is visiting with us today. Nick currently has four books out: One the Edge of Heat (2011), Jamal (2012), My Husband’s Wife (2013) and Betrayed (2017). Leave a comment or ask the author a question for a chance to in an autographed copy of his latest book Betrayed and a $25.00 restaurant gift certificate (winner chooses the restaurant).

I asked him what inspired him to start writing.

“When I was around twelve years old, I started having storylines, and characters, pop up in my head. Once I started paying attention to it, I could see, and remember, exactly what each character looked like along with all their separate characteristics and traits. When I turned seventeen I started to write in a notebook. I used to watch CBS Daytime with my mom, and I can remember wanting to mimic the drama and heartbreak I saw on TV, while captivating an audience the way soap operas captivated my mother and grandmother.”

In 2008, he found the notebook he had started writing in and became serious about his writing. Those first endeavors became his first novel, On the Edge of Heat, and he started sending query letters to New York. The book was released in 2009.

Carl Weber is not only his favorite author, he is also one of Nick’s biggest inspirations.

“Once I start one of his books,” he told me, “I not only can’t wait to finish it, but can’t wait to start the next book.”

For Nick, the characters start to form in his head first. Then he gets the plot and the ending of the book based on those characters. Then he waits and compartmentalizes the story until it’s time to write it out.

“Usually, the characters, plots and the ending playout for so long, I feel the story is already written; it just needs to be put on paper,” he explained.

Then comes the editing, and that’s the hardest part of writing for him.

“I can get the story to come out fairly easy, but it seems I can never get it right once it comes out,” he said. “I can open the galley to either one of my books right now and find at least seventy to ninety things I would change.”

“What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?” I asked.

The full effect canadian generic cialis and benefit of the treatment usually takes several weeks and most patients will see a 50-90% improvement in appearance and symptoms. Tongkat Ali instructs the viagra soft 100mg glands to continue the production cycle. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that you are a victim of it. cialis generic tabs With the production of check availability generic viagra online too much of problem while his erection. “Sometimes when I’m writing I’ll be listing to a certain song, and I’ll add parts of the lyrics to the song into the chapter I’m working on. Also, I’ve used a line or two to poke fun at myself, the author, in each of my books.”

When he was growing up, he did not want to be a writer. In fact, he was sure he was going to be a pediatrician. He even changed his signature in seventh grade to look more like a doctor’s signature and admitted to me that he still uses his doctors signature. His goal now though is to become a better man and writer. He wants to be a successful, great storyteller and would like to be on the New York Times best seller list.

“If you could apologize to someone in your past,” I asked him, “who would it be?”

“If I could apologize to one person, it would be Kendra Zimmerman. A few months back I said some disgustingly horrible things to her that I did not mean. I allowed anger to lead the way to an irrelevant shouting match that should have never happened. That bothers me every day.”

Finally I asked, “Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?”

“I don’t hear from my readers nearly as much as I would like to. Reviews are IMPORTANT, but I would love to chat, and tweet, and engage more with my readers via social media, or email. I would like to know what they’re thinking about my books, answer questions, or laugh along with them at a funny part.”

Sixteen years ago, William Majors Sr. made his young son, Billy, a promise that he would always take care of him after his mother died. He vowed to raise his son into a man he would someday be proud of. William also vowed not to take another wife until Billy was all grown up, so he opted to live as a single man. That all changed the day Jennifer Payne walked into his life. Her seductive body and stunning beauty instantaneously captures William . . . and Billy. When Billy secretly deceives William – seemingly overnight – Jennifer finds herself trapped in a dangerous love trio with both Father and son. When she chooses one over the other, a deadly line of betrayal will be crossed that will shake The Majors’ forever . . .

About the Author:Nick Haskins is the author of On the Edge of Heat, Jamal, My Husband’s Wife and his latest novel, Betrayed. Nick was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio where he currently resides. After years of aspiring to become a film and TV writer, he began to shape his creative dreams and released his first book in 2011. Nick has been actively working on building his catalog of work, and readership, with plans to become a full-time writer.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Buy Nick’s books at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

The Fashionista And Her Lumberjack by Larissa Vine

March 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment


The Fashionista And Her Lumberjack by Larissa Vine
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story (51 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

April knows that it’s going to be the holiday from hell. She’s facing a whole week of camping in the wilderness with her best friend, her best friend’s new boyfriend, and with Rory—a lumberjack. April knows that she and Rory won’t get along. He’s too rugged and muscular to ever be her type—even if his sinful blue eyes do have an unsettling effect on her.

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But over the next few days—to the backdrop of pounding surf and old growth forest—April and Rory’s feelings toward one another change. But can their passion overcome their prejudice enough to find romance—and maybe even love?

April is excited when her best friend, Miranda, finally falls for a guy. Only he lives in Canada, and after a few too many Mai Tai’s April agrees to fly out there to go on a camping holiday with Miranda’s new man and his best friend. Only April and camping don’t mix very well and she and Rory get off to a rocky start. April is determined to try and enjoy the experience – for Miranda’s sake if nothing else – but against all odds she finds herself becoming more and more attracted to Rory.

I found this to be a fun and lighthearted story. I worried a lot at the start that April was a bit too focused on external appearances and her very typical yuppie lifestyle. It was clear to me that she wasn’t malicious or vapid, but just like Carrie from Sex and the City annoys me after a while so too did April feel a little two-dimensional to me. Thankfully though, April’s character did an awful lot of growing and exploring and I really started to get on board with her little journey of self-discovery with Rory. My only other slight disappointment was the conflict between Miranda and Dan felt rather over-blown to me, though I definitely understood the plot-related purpose it served.

Overall though I found this to be a fresh, fun and different story and feel readers who enjoy chick-lit style stories should really love this. I also appreciated how April and Rory had a slow-burn to their romance, giving them (and me) time to grow into the blossoming relationship. The sex was hot and lovely – but was only one small aspect to the story so readers who like more plot and characterization to the stories should definitely find this appealing.

A fun and happy sort of book, this was a lovely quick read and one I enjoyed.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

X-Ops Exposed by Paige Tyler – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Paige Tyler who is celebrating the upcoming release of X-Ops Exposed the eighth book in her paranormal romantic suspense X-Ops series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win one of five copies of Her Dark Half, the seventh book in the series..

HE LEFT TO KEEP HER SAFE
Believing he’s too dangerous to be among people, feline hybrid Tanner Howland retreats deep into the forests of Washington State—with no choice but to leave behind the woman who’s captured his heart. What he doesn’t know is that she followed him…

SHE WOULDN’T STAY BEHIND
Heartbroken and determined, Dr. Zarina Sokolov tracks Tanner into the wild. Her presence unleashes Tanner’s protective instinct—big time. Locals have been disappearing and he is desperate for Zarina to leave. As the kidnappings escalate, Tanner must embrace the dangerous instincts he fears so much. But with Zarina at his side, he’ll have to learn to control his animal impulses, or lose himself—and the woman he loves—to the beast within.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Knowing she wasn’t going to get away, Zarina slid to a stop and spun around, ready to shout at the beast that wanted to kill her. She’d seen Tanner let out a roar that could paralyze almost anything crazy enough to attack him, so perhaps she could do the same thing.

But her cry of defiance died in her throat as she came face-to-face with a gigantic grizzly bear. The beast reared up on its hind legs, towering over her for one heart-stopping moment before dropping to all fours and roaring at her so loud, her bones felt turned to jelly.

She vaguely remembered the store clerk in town trying to sell her a can of bear repellent. If she wasn’t so terrified, she’d laugh at the idea. What the heck would a can of pepper spray do to something this big?

The bear took a step in her direction with another roar, showing off fangs large enough to bite right through her.

For a split second, Zarina considered running again, but it would be pointless. She’d never outrun a bear.

Rabbits get eaten.

So instead, she screamed as long and loud as she could.

The grizzly looked shocked for a moment, but instead of scaring the animal off like she’d hoped, all it did was seem to make him mad. Head low, the bear started toward her.

She was going to die.

But suddenly, the bear stopped, a look of what could only be confusion on its face as it focused on something behind her. A second later, a roar ripped through the night that shook the ground. She jerked her head around, almost collapsing in relief when she saw Tanner standing there in the dark, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, his eyes glowing vivid red, fangs bared as he let out a roar that sounded exactly like that of a lion. Which made sense, because those were the DNA strands blended with his own.

Zarina stood transfixed. Tanner’s fangs were longer and looked more terrifying than the bear’s.

The rage and anger on his face must have been enough to scare the grizzly, because the huge animal gave one more halfhearted chuff in Tanner’s direction, then turned and scurried back into the pitch-dark forest.

To her right, she caught movement. Crap, Tanner was going after the bear. Not because he wanted to hurt the animal, but because by running, the grizzly had become the prey, and Tanner’s lion half simply couldn’t stop itself from hunting the animal down now that the rage had taken over.

“Tanner,” she said softly. “Let the bear go.”

He stopped like he’d hit a brick wall, then stood there, unmoving, for what felt like forever, facing away from her and staring off into the darkness in the direction the bear had run. Not that it was probably all that dark for Tanner. With his animal-enhanced eyesight, he could probably see the grizzly’s big, fuzzy rump bouncing off into the woods. And if his eyes lost the creature, then his keen sense of smell would fill in the details. Which was a good thing, since she’d have probably been a bear treat if it hadn’t been for that nose of his.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tanner turned and looked at her. His fangs and glowing red eyes were gone now, replaced by a mesmerizing blue gaze and a ruggedly handsome face that had made her heart almost stop beating the first time she’d seen it. He had a bit more dark-blond scruff along his jaw and chin now. Actually, a lot more. Maybe it was because she’d grown up in a cold-weather environment where the opposite sex went all caveman in an attempt to stay warm, but she wasn’t usually a fan of facial hair. On Tanner, though, it looked incredibly scrumptious.

His T-shirt clung tightly to his chest and shoulders, showing off all the muscles he had upstairs, while his jeans fought to contain thighs that looked poised to tear their way out at any moment. Had he actually gotten more muscular since he’d been out there?

Zarina almost ran to him right then so she could throw her arms around him and hold him tight for the rest of the night. But she didn’t, because she knew he wouldn’t be ready for that. Not after she’d showed up in the forest out of the blue and almost gotten eaten by a bear.

But damn, it was hard.

Tanner looked better now than when he’d been living in the dorms at the DCO complex. He had been put up there since the agency’s covert agents had found him out here all that time ago. Even the stress lines that had been etched into his features had completely faded. It almost made her sorry she’d come out here to disturb the serenity he seemed to have found. But she couldn’t stay away, not with the way she felt about him. And especially not when she could finally help him.

“What are you doing here, Zarina?” he asked bluntly.

So much for him sweeping her into his arms and saying he was happy to see her. Clearly, he wasn’t. She tried not to let that hurt too much.

“I’m here to help you,” she said, equally blunt.

She’d learned a long time ago that dancing around a subject wasn’t the way Tanner did things. It wasn’t the way she did, either, so that was okay. She didn’t bother mentioning that his disappearance had caused her more sleepless nights than she could count and had nearly driven her insane with worry. That would have been emotional blackmail, and she wasn’t going to do that to him.

His jaw flexed. “I don’t need any help. I’m doing a good job of controlling my hybrid impulses all on my own.”

She looked pointedly in the direction the grizzly had run. “It doesn’t seem like it to me.”

Tanner flinched, and she immediately regretted her choice of words. Dammit, she was out here to help him, not push him further away.

“I haven’t lost control in the two months I’ve been out here,” he said through clenched teeth. “Not until you decided to do something stupid like wander through the middle of a grizzly’s territory by yourself.”

Zarina wanted to point out that she hadn’t planned to be out here this late and that there was no way she could have known she was in a bear’s territory. But she bit her tongue and focused on trying to defuse the situation.

“I’m sorry I made you lose control again,” she said. “But I’m here to make sure it doesn’t happen again…ever.”

She waited, expecting Tanner to ask her what she meant by that, but he didn’t. Instead, he stood there regarding her and looking way better than any man should considering he’d been camping in the woods for two months. She had met plenty of guys who couldn’t pull off his level of masculine perfection after primping in front of a mirror for an hour. That was one of the other things she’d learned about Tanner. He didn’t have to work hard at being so amazing. It came naturally to him.

After another minute of silence, Zarina accepted that if they were going to talk, she was the one who would have to get the conversation started. “I finished the hybrid drug antiserum that will return your DNA back to what it was before Stutmeir’s doctors experimented on you. You can be a normal human again.”

She waited for some reaction—relief, doubt, elation. Something. But Tanner looked as interested as if she’d told him it might rain tomorrow.

“I’ll never be normal again,” he finally said quietly.

“Yes, you will.” She stepped closer, anguish coursing through her when he immediately took a step back. “I worked on the antidote every minute since you left. It will work. It will keep the beast from ever slipping out again.”

“I don’t want it, dammit!” he shouted, making her jump. He cursed and ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice softer. “For yelling at you. And for making you come all the way out here and hiking halfway across the Wenatchee Forest to find me. But I don’t want the antidote. Just go home, okay? Leave me out here where I can’t hurt anyone.”

Zarina’s heart tore in two at the pain in his eyes. She had no idea why he was turning down her offer, but she wasn’t leaving without him.

“I’m not going home,” she said, standing her ground and leveling her gaze at him.

Having this conversation would have been a lot easier without holding a flashlight. Then she could have folded her arms to emphasize her point.

“Then you’d better have a lot of books on that e-reader of yours, because you’re going to get bored damn fast waiting for me at whatever hotel you’re staying in.”

“I’m not going to a hotel,” she told him. “I’m staying out here.”

Red flared in his eyes but faded just as quickly. “Like hell you are.”

“I’m not leaving,” she said firmly. “You can run off into the woods—we both know I can’t keep up with you—but I still won’t leave. I’ll keep walking all over the forest looking for you.”

His eyes flickered red again, and he muttered something under his breath she couldn’t catch. “You irritate me like no one else on the planet, do you know that?”

“Yes,” she replied, even though it was a probably a rhetorical question. “So, which way to your camp?”

About the Author: Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction. Paige writes books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines they fall in love with. She lives with her very own military hero (a.k.a. her husband) and their adorable dog on the beautiful Florida coast.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | | Goodreads

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & NobleiBooks, Kobo, or IndieBound.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Take Place in Other Countries

March 27, 2018 By 66 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

It’s Tuesday again!  This week’s list features books set in another country.  I was tempted to include books that take place in fictional places (Narnia, Middle Earth), but decided against it.  After reviewing my list, I realized it has been a very long time since I read some of these!  I’ll need to make time to revisit them.

The Collected Stories by Alexander Pushkin-Russia-I really enjoy short story collections, and I read this collection a very long time ago.  I don’t remember as much about it as I would like, but I do remember really enjoying it.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden-Japan-I read this right before the movie came out.  I know it has been met with mixed reviews, but I found it entertaining.

The Diary of Young Girl by Anne Frank-The Netherlands-A classic!

Dubliners by James Joyce-Ireland-Another great collection of short stories

Favorite Folktales from Around the World by Jane Yolen-This collection of stories from various places around the world has been sitting on my shelf unread for too long!  I need to find time to read it.
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North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell-England-Another wonderful classic.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery-Canada-A childhood favorite.

Riley Jenson Guardian Series by Keri Arthur-Australia-I really enjoyed this paranormal series.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck-China-I read this a long time ago in school.  While my classmates found it boring, I really liked it.

How to Be Victorian: A Dawn to Dusk Guide to Victorian Life by Ruth Goodman-England-I sort of feel like it is cheating to put two books set in England on my list, but this one is so good I had to include it.  It is a fascinating look at life in Victorian England.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: ,

Into a Distant Light by Mary Patterson Thornburg

March 26, 2018 By 1 Comment


Into a Distant Light by Mary Patterson Thornburg
Publisher: Uncial Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short story (6700 words)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

When Lizzie and Robert married, she thought he’d had enough of adventure to last a lifetime. After all, his voyage above the Arctic Circle had been a near-fatal disaster, and he never talked about it at all. He’d never even written about it, except in a long letter to his sister. But someone, somehow, had found out. And now, given another chance, he couldn’t resist that call.
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Does anyone ever wonder what really happened to Frankenstein’s monster? The story goes that he went off into the distance to die. However, Mary Patterson Thornburg has a different story to tell, one from those who knew him or his “father” the doctor.

Packed into this short tale is quite a bit of story. Set in England during the Regency, we get an inside view of the doctor, and his creation, mostly from the point-of-view of an English explorer to the far north. This explorer, Robert Walton, rescued the doctor in the icy wilderness then heard a good tale of his own. He wrote to his sister with some interesting observations.

Robert comes home but then leaves again, returning to the North Pole, and this time, things won’t go so well for him. He finds himself in a dire situation, and the “monster” approaches him. From here, we get his side of the story.

The tone of this writing gives the feel of the era without being too much. It is a quick-paced account, and the years fly by within a few pages. However, not a lot happens until half-way through. I found myself wishing more of the main action was mixed in with the mundane details. Character development is good for such a short rendition. We get to know the characters with a few well-chosen words, and come to understand them.

The story may be short, but it was worth peeking into the life of a legend and hearing a new account of what “really” happened.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

In His Arms by Lexie Davis

March 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment


In His Arms by Lexie Davis
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story (41 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Jessica Miller ran away from New York after a boyfriend humiliated her. Giving up her prestigious job, she finds herself in Paradise, Texas, her hometown. Taking a pay cut and learning to live a different life, she landed a job at the only diner. All seemed well enough until she spotted Alex Grey.

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But they weren’t in high school anymore. Jessica knew that once they crossed the friendship line, there was no going back. Will Alex be worth risking her heart for? Or will she cower back and let him slip through her grasp again?

Returning home to Texas hadn’t been Jessica’s plan when she’d moved to New York but life has a way of turning everything around. And when Jessica’s old high school crush, Alex, comes to town for a visit she doesn’t expect him to suddenly see her with new eyes. Jessica finds more than she’d ever dreamed of in Alex’s arms – but what will happen when his quick visit is over and he returns to his normal life in LA?

I found this to be a steamy short story – full of delicious sex and sizzling lust. I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry between Jessica and Alex and found the speed of their hooking up believable due to their long childhood friendship. Readers looking for a heavily plotted book might not find this story as satisfying as others – most of the storyline revolves around Jessica and Alex reconnecting and exploring their new, sexual relationship. There is a small amount of family-based plot/conflict but it’s fairly brief and I didn’t really feel like it added much to the story.

I did, however, really enjoy both Jessica and Alex’s characters. Each were different and interesting in their own ways – strong and capable and more than willing to hold their own ground. I found them both modern and believable and enjoyed watching them try to both renew their childhood friendship while simultaneously deepening it to add a very adult, sexual aspect to their relationship. I also had a bit of a chuckle about the small-town-ness of the secondary characters around them, which added another good element to the story and I felt this also gave it some depth.

For a fun and very sexy short story this was a good read.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Free Book – Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire

March 26, 2018 By 1 Comment


For a limited time only, Kayelle Allen is offering Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire for FREE! Take advantage of this now, because the sale ends tomorrow, March 27!

When the immortal Pietas is marooned on a barren world with no food and few survival tools, he knows it could be worse. He could be alone. But that’s the problem. He’s not.
Half a million of his people sleep in cryostasis, trapped inside their pods and it’s up to Pietas to free them. He can’t release one at a time. It’s all or nothing. He’s facing over five hundred thousand hungry, thirsty, homeless immortals who will call on him for rescue and he has no way to answer.

It’s not all bad. The beautiful telepathic warrior he’s loved for lifetimes is at his side. He’s bonded with a sentient panther. He hates humans but the one dumped on this planet with him has become a trusted friend.

Before Pietas can build shelter, figure out how to grow food, or set up a government, he must take back command from a ruthless enemy he’s fought for centuries. His brutal, merciless father.

Immortals may heal, but a wound of the heart lasts forever…

“WARNING”
Contains humor, sweet romance, betrayal, angst, vengeance… and a ginormous, sentient black panther who wants to be Pietas’s “kitty.”

Check out a great excerpt here.

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She wrote her first science fiction novel at 18 and to this day, it’s hidden under the bed, where she vows it will remain. Gems from it, however, launched several series in her galaxy-wide universe of stories.

From childhood, Kayelle was the victim of an overactive imagination and inherited the Irish gift of gab from her mother. From her father, she got a healthy respect for mechanical things.

No wonder she writes Science Fiction and Fantasy peopled with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She’s been married so long she’s tenured.

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Buy the book for FREE at Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, or Amazon AU.

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Lessons I Learned from the Characters in Hanami by V.C. Buckley – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 26, 2018 By 9 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. V.C. Buckley will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lessons I learned from the characters of Hanami

1. Not everyone will like you and that’s ok.
– There will always be somebody, somewhere who somehow won’t like you even when you’re just sitting quietly by yourself. There are probably a million reasons why, and you most likely will never know even one reason, but that’s ok because it’s none of your business anyway. Just be yourself and continue to rock on. But if they start trying to hurt you, then that’s a whole different story.

2. You don’t need to look or be like everybody else. Just be yourself.
– Sakura lived in her own head. She was mature for her age and didn’t think like most of her peers. But her sincerity and genuine personality made people gravitate towards her…until they realized she was the next crime boss, then most of them kept their distance.

3. Speak up when something is wrong.
-When Yuna was getting bullied, Sakura didn’t want to intervene at first. She didn’t want to draw attention or have unnecessary drama just because she stood up for someone. But because she’s Sakura, she couldn’t help but come to the rescue. She taught those bullies a lesson and gained a loyal friend.

4. No one has the permission to make you feel like crap.
-The jealous Miyu and her minions have tried to get under Sakura’s skin, but it ends up in frustration every time. In one incident, she spilled soda on Sakura’s back, hoping to rouse the angry dragon from her lair, but instead she got laughed at. The unexpected reaction left her confused.
As for Sakura, she knew what was going on, but her smart thinking caused every bullying attempt to backfire on the giver. She didn’t allow them to get into her head. She used her head instead.

5. Learn when to give up and when to fight.
-There are many instances in the book where the characters fight for something they valued and believed in, but they also knew when to quit and when something wasn’t worth pursuing. Instead, that energy was directed into something else that gave them a better outcome.

6. Most things are not what they seem.
-Sakura caught everyone’s attention the minute she stepped foot in Oniyuri academy. She had the face of an angel and a very fragile looking physique, but the packaging doesn’t always show the truth. No one knew that the girl with the angel face was actual a dangerous monster inside.

7. Respect is a two way street.
-Miyu demanded respect from everyone and bullied those who thought they were better than her. It only made people fear her. But when Sakura crossed her path, she was taught a hard lesson. To get respect, you had to give it in return.

8. Love needs no reason.
-When Jin realized his feelings for Sakura, he didn’t understand himself. He didn’t know why it mattered whether she was okay or not, or that she was safe. It drove him insane not hearing from her after she jumped out of his car or when she went missing during the class field trip. He had the urge to protect her and be there for her. He didn’t know why and he didn’t need a reason. He just did.

9. No amount of money or power can buy sleep for a guilty conscience.
-Mr. Shintani worked hard to transition the family business into a legal and legit empire, so that Sakura can live a guilt-free life. But he is aware of Sakura’s determination to capture and kill whoever murdered her parents, and he hopes to save her from putting blood on her hands.

10. You were never meant to walk this earth alone.
-Sakura thought she didn’t need friends. She found them burdensome. But when she started opening herself to the possibility of friendship, she wondered how she ever got this far without it.

SAKURA SHINTANI is the Dragon Clan heir-Japan’s most notorious crime dynasty. But can she keep this fact a secret from the prying brats of Oniyuri Academy?

She tries to stay out of their radar while mastering her demons and keeping her murderous temper under control, but having the face of an angel only attracts everyone’s attention… including the arrogant heir to Asia’s most powerful tycoon, KENJIN KIYOHARA.

He senses the danger, but Sakura is too interesting to be left alone.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Jin rolled his eyes, settling his gaze back on the girl. He wasn’t surprised with their reaction.

The new girl was hot, but so what? It took more than a pretty face to get his attention. He wasn’t that easy to impress, and he was certain she’d be throwing herself at him anyway. Just like everybody else. He was sure this girl wasn’t any different from the love-crazed hyenas that stalked him.

Jin pushed back his shoulders, seeing her start towards him with her eyes still trailing on the ground.

Already? Jin thought, suppressing a laugh. He crossed his arms, waiting for her to get closer, and sure enough she stopped right in front of him. She was even prettier up close. Asian but with a hint of Caucasian mixed in.

“What?” he asked, smirking. He already knew what she might say: whether he was Kenjin Kiyohara, the sole heir to Kiyohara Industries? The questions were all the same. He thought she would have at least waited until class was over like the rest of them.

“Move your feet. You’re blocking my way,” the girl said in a sharp tone. She shifted her gaze up at him like a threatening knife. Her topaz-colored eyes darkened, sending icy tremors down his back. He felt as if he’d been hit by a curse as his mind turned blank.

When she finally looked away, Jin was able to regain his senses. He tucked his legs out of her way, and she passed, leaving goosebumps in her wake. His eyes followed her, waiting to see if she’d look back, but she never did. Jin’s hands were trembling. His thoughts became jumbled while he struggled not to look anymore.

What was that? What just happened? This was a first for him. He couldn’t contain himself. His presence had no impact whatsoever. Instead she looked like she wanted to kill him!

Jin took a deep breath, replaying the moment in his head. Who was this girl? She sure got his attention, all right—and it left him in pieces. He fought the urge to look back again.

This girl…Jin thought. There was something about her. He couldn’t shake off the feeling. She seemed dangerous.

About the Author:V.C. Buckley was born in an isolated government facility and shipped off to an Island in Southeast Asia where she grew up braving tropical thunderstorms and warding off evil villains. At sixteen she was discovered by an agent and jetted off all over the world. Her stories come from gritty moments of her childhood to the glitz of her travels. She now lives in Manila with her husband, two kids and an herb garden that has hijacked her balcony.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

Five Things Elle Brownlee Likes to Do – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Elle Brownlee who is celebrating the release of Staggered Cove Station , the first book in her Coast Guard Rescue series. Leave a comment for a chance to win a gift certificate to Adagio Teas, one of Elle’s favorite purveyors.

***
Hello, hello! I’m Elle Brownlee and it’s great to be here to share something about my latest book with you. Staggered Cove Station is a romantic suspense with hunky Coast Guard heroes, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

To go along with getting to know a little about my new book, I’m going to talk about five things I like doing when I’m not writing, so you can get to know a little bit about me too.

1) Walks/hikes + birding
I love the great outdoors, I love adventuring in National Parks, and I love just getting up from my desk and going for a brisk walk. It’s invigorating, it gives my mind a rest but also a boost (the number of amazing plot fixes and fantastic dialogue I’ve come up with on walks—too many to count!), and I almost always see a landscape or interaction or detail that inspires an idea to tuck away for later use in a book.

I’m going to cheat a skosh and add birding rather than make it a separate of the five. I also love birds so much, and any walk I take, I’m always on the lookout for them. Currently I’m studying and learning birdsongs to add to my visual identification skills.

2) Quilting
My mother taught me how to quilt. I have many fond childhood memories bound up with her quilting; exploring and being surrounded by her process, thumbing through stacks of fabrics, fitting cut pieces together into my own designs, and sitting under her huge quilting table reading while listening to her sing along with the radio.

Now I have my own work area and process. Quilts are a meticulous, multi-step project, and that’s part of why I enjoy it so much. Just going to the fabric store and seeing all that promise on shelf after shelf of colorful bolts gives me a thrill. It also engages a different part of my creative brain, giving me a rest from plotting and worrying about grammar, but I’ve found that really helps my writing brain stay flexible. I generally binge-watch something while working, but I still make my own block designs.

3) Organizing
Organizing calms me and orders my thoughts. When I’m at loose ends, have a project get stuck, or can’t sleep, I organize something. I take a break to clear out and reorganize a space, a file, a drawer. I write a long to-do list of various type. I declutter digital piles. And I always feel so much better afterwards.

4) Traveling
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I am always up for an adventure! Whether a grand tour–I took a dream vacation to Italy last year and it was incredible–or day trips, I am here for it. Traveling is like the macro version of walks for me–restorative and inspiring. I love seeing, learning, experiencing new places and things. And traveling never fails to provide so many moments, details, meet cute idea, and inspiration to add to my mental file folders.

5) Reading
I believe every writer needs to read. It’s good for the writer brain, but it’s also good for the body, mind, and soul. Life would be so empty without books! It’s a wonderful way to escape, to adventure, to unwind, to share and enthuse and connect with others, and to think about my own work.

Something I love no matter what I’m doing is tea. I drink it all the time. When writing, when traveling, when trying to write while traveling… So I’m including a giveaway with this post for a gift certificate to Adagio Teas, one of my favorite purveyors. Adagio is also where I create my own signature Book Blends to go with every book I’ve written, which you can find here!

Hope you enjoy my list–and the read!
<3 Elle

Staggered Cove Station is book one in my new Coast Guard Rescue romantic suspense series. There’s thrills, chills, mystery, and hunky guys to the rescue. It released March 20 from Dreamspinner Press.

***
Rescues are wild in the Alaskan terrain. So is romance.

Sun-kissed California guardsman Dan Farnsworth might be at home in the water, but he’s out of his element at remote, rugged, and freezing Staggered Cove Station. Acclimating proves hard enough, but he’s also digging into how the station’s previous rescue swimmer was lost at sea. Was it an operation gone bad… or something more sinister? Add to that instant tension between him and his partner, no-nonsense Alaska-born Karl Radin, and Dan has his hands full.

As his investigation heats up, so does the attraction between Dan and Karl—even if they don’t completely trust each other. But as suspicious events escalate to sabotage, Dan starts to fear he and Karl won’t get the chance to become more than reluctant coworkers.

About the Author Elle Brownlee has always followed her creative, adventuring spirit. Growing up she loved westerns and taking long hikes. On these explorations she’d craft miniature worlds with moss and rocks while making up stories about everything that happened there. This often included dashing cowboy heroes. As an adult, not a lot has changed. She still loves westerns, long hikes, and allowing her imagination to roam. Usually with a pot of tea at her elbow. Her romances feature flawed but relatable characters in immersive settings, told with wit, tenderness, and a sly note of sarcasm. Though a cynic in many ways, Elle believes love can conquer all. Every story is a little bit naughty, a whole lot of nice, and will always end with happily ever after.

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Buy the book at Dreamspinner Press.

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