Monday, October 31, 2016

Guest Review #USofBooks ~ RI ~ Spartina by John Casey

Guest Review by Laura at 125Pages.com (http://125pages.com)

This week takes us to Rhode Island with Spartina by John Casey. Entertainment Weekly says - Dick Pierce works in Narragansett Bay, but his true passion is is the unfinished boat in his backyard. The tale may be standard, but Casey's lyrical descriptions of the Rhode Island sea are anything but.

“If Rhode Island were a country, it would be part of the Third World. The largest employer is the military. Tourism is the major moneymaker, although most Rhode Islanders benefit from it only in service positions. The bulk of choice real estate is in the form of second homes or resorts run by absentee corporations. “There is a seafaring tradition, and there is—still—a fishing fleet. By comparison to the high-tech factory ships of Russia, East or West Germany, Japan, or the tuna clippers of our own West Coast, the boats and methods are quaint. But it is still possible—barely possible—to wrest a living from the sea.”

Spartina is one of those books that should be a total winner. Poetic writing, vivid descriptions, a real world to sink into.

A blue heron wading in the marsh on her stilts, apparently out for a stroll—suddenly freezing. An imperceptible tilt of her head—her long neck cocking without moving. No, nothing this time. Wade, pose. Abruptly, a new picture—a fish bisected by her bisected beak. Widening ripples, but the heron, the pool, the marsh, the sky serene. The clouds slid across the light, the fish into the dark.

Unfortunately, the main character Dick Pierce was just an ass. He was at first a crusty older man and I was fine with that. He had very much of a him versus the world attitude and believed that anyone from money was to be looked down at. He ran some cons and did a few shady deals, but he did it to support his wife and children. Nothing wrong with that, he was doing his best to survive. Then the story took an turn and I lost all respect for good ol' Dick. He began to match his name and started a torrid affair with a woman in the neighborhood. First, I hate when adultery is used as a plot point. I have no patience with it and hate reading about it. Second, he had absolutely no remorse about his actions. He did not care if he was going to hurt the woman he promised to cherish or his children. Other stuff happened that was interesting, but I could not move past my hatred of Dick to enjoy the story. In the end he sadly did not get the comeuppance he should have and Dick continued to be just that as he sailed off into the sunset.

See all of the United States of Books here. Laura 125Pages.com

Friday, October 28, 2016

Sportochick's Musings REVIEW Tour Wicked Rivals by Lauren Smith

A cunning Scottish lady bests an English baron of legendary control in a game of business and seduction…

Lauren Smith is back with the latest in her sexy #historicalromance series, League of Rogues, with WICKED RIVALS!

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Synopsis:

A LORD WITH LEGENDARY CONTROL…

Merciless and powerful, Ashton Lennox is a wealthy man because he puts business before everything else, especially love. As a member of the infamous League of Rogues, he’s no stranger to scandal. His bedroom conquests are as legendary as his fortune. As he searches for a way to bring down an old enemy bent on destroying the lives of his friends, the last thing he needs is a Scottish widow getting in his way.

A FIERY WOMAN WHO WON’T BACK DOWN…

The daughter of a Scottish lord with a dark and treacherous past, Rosalind Melbourne has spent years distancing from her past. After escaping her tyrannical father and marrying an aging English lord, she has become a powerful widow with a business empire at her command. Her business dealings are everything to her, leaving her no time for love. Especially not with her business rival Ashton, a man with a scandalous reputation as striking as his blue eyes.

A GAME OF WITS TURNS TO A GAME OF SEDUCTION…

Ashton is fascinated by the strong-willed, intelligent and sensual lady who, up until now, had outsmarted him at every turn. Rosalind wishes she could deny she is falling for the brooding, handsome baron. How can she possibly trust him when doing so could cost her what she values most—her freedom? When Ashton discovers Rosalind might hold the key to saving the League of Rogues, he knows he will do anything to woo his wicked lass. As their pasts return to haunt them and dark forces rise to keep them from exposing a deadly spymaster, their game of love turns to a game of survival…

Warning: This book includes a brooding baron who’s wild in bed, a crafty Scottish lass who never knows when to quit, a wicked game of strip chess, and a merry band of rogues whose first instinct is to run they hear wedding bells ring.

Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Add Wicked Rivals to your GOODREADS TBR pile!

I do love an adversarial storyline and the author does an outstanding job between Ashton Lennox and Rosalind Melbourne competing shipping business owners. Her thorough descriptions throughout the book paint a vivid picture for the reader to enjoy.

Both characters are complex and throughout the book the author continually opens more of their past to expose how they became the person they are in the present time. The cat and mouse game between them will keep the reader engrossed till the very end.

This story is full of secondary characters that are just as interesting as the primary characters and I know the reader will want to go back and read previous books to the series like me. I do look forward to the next book in the series and in this book the author gives a hint of who will be in the next book. Since she gives two broad openings I hope my first choice is in the next book in the series. After you read this book let me know who you think the characters will be. I'd love to see if you selected the same ones as me.

I give this book 4 STARS for keeping me engrossed in the story till the end.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

About Lauren Smith:

Amazon Best-Selling Author Lauren Smith is an attorney by day, author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award.

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Monday, October 24, 2016

Blog Tour Closer To You by Cat Mason

Title: Closer To You

Author: Cat Mason

Release Date: October 21, 2016

Hosted by: DRC Promotions

Blurb

Life in the limelight isn't all it's cracked up to be. After years of constant touring, and a close call with an overly obsessive fan, Bristol Lachlan has reached her breaking point. Running on fumes, and fighting a wicked case of writer's block, the lead singer of Absent Without Leave has gone missing in action.

Tage Crosby has taken more than his share of hits, both on and off the ice. Hanging up his Captain's jersey, he now spends his time running the only bar in the small town of Grindstone Harbor. The last thing he expected was for a woman to come into town and rock his world, but his beautiful new neighbor has a way of leaving him tongue tied and tripping over himself every time he gets near her.

Bristol knows her time in Grindstone Harbor is only temporary. The recording studio calls and so does the stage. But, what happens when your private life is exposed by flashing lights and what you see suddenly isn't enough anymore?

Do you go after what is missing and pull it closer to you?

Warning: This is a hilarious romantic comedy that may cause you to need spare panties for several reasons. The pages are full of steam, awkward moments of hilarity, and general epic fails of the human kind. Please read with caution.

Buy Links

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ BN ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

Teasers

About The Author

Cat Mason is a thirty year old, married mother of three. When she isn't writing; she is spending time with her kiddos or reading. She was born and raised outside of St. Louis, Missouri, just over the Mississippi River in Granite City, Illinois. Cat writes romance of all kinds with twists of humor.

Connect with Cat

Email / Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon / Twitter / Pinterest

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Sunday, October 23, 2016

REVIEW When a Laird Finds a Lass by Lecia Cornwall

Sportochick's Musings ~ This book hit every romantic part of my soul I give it 5 🌟

When a Laird Finds a Lass

A Highland Fairy Tale #2

by Lecia Cornwall

Find This Book At ~ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Publisher ~ St. Martin's Press Romance
Categories ~ Historical Romance, Fairy Tale

She is his greatest enemy and his only salvation.

Malcolm MacDonald, a lawyer in Edinburgh, unexpectedly inherits his father’s title of Laird of Dunbronach, forcing him to return to a place he hasn’t seen since he was a small child. To gain the trust of a wary clan, Malcolm must act upon their insistence that he cast aside his English betrothed and marry a Highlander.

However, they have one condition—no lasses of the barbaric clan MacLeod.

When he finds an unconscious woman in the sea, he brings her back to his clan but not before doing the one thing that could save her life—hiding her all too telling MacLeod plaid. When she wakes with no memory of who she is, Malcolm vows to keep the little he knows about her identity a secret. As new dangers threaten his clan, the mysterious lass teaches Malcolm some very important lessons about how to be a Highlander and a laird.

But secrets never stay secret for long, and when she finds her plaid, her memory returns and she flees. Malcolm is forced to make a difficult choice to win her back, facing his darkest fears and his worst enemy for a chance at true love.

Have you ever started reading a book but you couldn't seem to connect with the story at first then 💣 BAM 💣 it becomes so good that it starts you crying at various parts and making your heart ache during others? This is that type of book.

I was uncertain if Malcolm would be able to move from Lawyer to Laird but the author expands his character with a bunch of smooth character transitions. While she was able to keep his core personality intact she expanded his abilities to be a strong leader without having been trained from birth as a warrior. This writing skill made Malcolm a winning hero for me.

When Malcolm found a women from the enemy clan MacLeod, his kind heart decides to hide her plaid to keep her alive. Since she has no memory they call her "Ronat" which means seal. According to selkie legend they hide their skins so they can walk the earth as people. Most of the clan believed she was selkie and they had many other beliefs that play an important part to this storyline.

Ronat is the perfect heroine and match for Malcolm because though raised as a very strong loving woman she has a softness and understanding way that speaks to him. Her character is what a mother would hope their daughter grows up to be.

Interwoven into the story is a beautiful legend that on Beltane night Malcolm must perform on Sea Maiden's Isle, Eilean Maighdeann Mhara. This area of the story is one of the areas that brought tears to my eyes. Whether or not you believe in legends the way the author wrote it will have you believing that fairy tales are real.

For me the last two paragraphs of this book caused me to cry for a while but I can't tell you why. Just read this book and make sure to get to the last chapters.

Because this book hit every romantic part of my soul I give it 5 STARS.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

My Reviews Of A Highland Fairy Tale Series ~

Beauty and the Highland Beast #1 ~ Not Reviewed

When a Laird Finds a Lass #2 ~ My Review

The Lady and the Highlander #3 ~ My Review

Lecia Cornwall lives and writes in Calgary, Canada, amid the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies, with four cats, two teenagers, a crazy chocolate Lab, and one very patient husband. She is hard at work on her next book.

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