Book Release Blast for Time to Bounce by Lani Lynn Vale (REVIEW)…..

 

In this age-gap romance the action is fast-paced and will keep readers frantically turning the pages.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Time to Bounce by Lani Lynn Vale, along with getting my impressions of this sixth installment in the Carter Brothers series, then be sure to add it to your bookshelf too!

Loneliness is overwhelming in its intensity.

There are times you think you can cope, that you can make it despite the hollow feeling in your chest. Then there are the times when you realize you can’t breathe through the pain of loss.
When Gable Buchanan Carter walks into Athena’s life, it’s like a light is switched on inside her chest. Suddenly she can breathe.
But just as much as she wants him, Gable just as much wants nothing to do with her.
It’s like a cold stab of ice right to the gut at the knowledge that the person you want, that you love, wants nothing to do with you.
At least, that’s what she thinks.
In reality, Gable wants Athena Grace Murphy with every piece of his soul.
But how can he confidently say he’s doing the right thing by bringing her into his life when it’s so dangerous? She’s already lost every person she loves, how can he put her through the possibility of losing one more?
That’s right, he can’t.
So he’ll stay away from her. Even if it kills him.

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

FIND AT BOOKBUB here.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON (US)  |  AMAZON (UK)  |  AMAZON (CA)  |  AMAZON (AU)  |  BN  |  KOBO  |  iBOOKS  |  BOOKS2READ (UNIVERSAL)

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

The Carter Brothers are back with this fast-paced and suspenseful roller coaster ride that I absolutely devoured!  The characters are immensely likable with familial interactions that pulled me even further into the story.

While the romance of Athena and Gable is one we've seen before, with all the usual issues surrounding their age-gap, I still enjoyed the battle they undertook with trying to keep away from each other despite being inevitable.  Their banter was crackling with lots of sexual tension, a connection full of twists and turns, with lots of back and forth.  Gable's got a good heart, frustratingly he doesn't often think before he leaps, but I still found much to endear him to me and have me rooting for him.  Athena's the ideal heroine, a feisty and strong-willed younger woman who has emotional baggage courtesy of a family full of pain and loss.  These two seemed different from the outside, but their connection was pure perfection.

The overall storyline was full of lots of moving pieces, surprises that shocked me in a good way along with bad.  The suspense was heart-pounding with a sensual and sizzling romance that brought out the best in Gable.  Alongside him was the rest of the Carter family, always there to support one another while seamlessly bringing Athena into their fold.  By the turn of the final page, I'm left satisfied but uncertain about where things go after a few surprising twists that left me gobsmacked.  On the whole, this is another winner from Ms. Vale, and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the final release in this series!

My rating for this is an A-

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

***GET THE REST OF THE BOOKS IN THE CARTER BROTHERS SERIES:  AMAZON (US)  |  AMAZON (UK)  |  AMAZON (CA)  |  AMAZON (AU)  |  BN  |  KOBO  |  iBOOKS***

PRE-ORDER YOLO, THE 7TH BOOK IN THE CARTER BROTHERS SERIES (Releasing on November 5th), AT:  AMAZON (US)  |  AMAZON (UK)  |  AMAZON (CA)  |  AMAZON (AU)  |  BN  |  KOBO  |  iBOOKS  |  BOOKS2READ (UNIVERSAL)

AUTHOR INFO:

Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown, in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.

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Book Tour for The Starlight Motel by Amy Craig (Guest Post & GIVEAWAY)…

An oasis in the middle of nowhere brings together two people struggling with obligations and desires in this sensual tale set during the holiday season.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Starlight Motel by Amy Craig, along with getting Ms. Craig’s description of an ideal heroine and compelling couple, then learn even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour.  In honor of this holiday-fueled, contemporary romance, make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $15 bookstore GC too!

MS CRAIG DESCRIBING AN IDEAL HEROINE AND WHAT MAKES A COUPLE WORTH ROOTING FOR...

Kada from THE STARLIGHT MOTEL is a heroine everyone loves. She embodies resilience, creativity, and a deep connection to her family and artistic roots. Her journey balances duty and desire as she navigates her responsibilities while pursuing her passions.

Kada’s ability to take on the responsibility of managing the Starlight Motel after her grandfather’s passing, despite her own dreams and ambitions, speaks to her strength and resilience. She steps up in a time of need, showcasing her capacity to handle difficult situations with grace.

Her artistic eye is evident as she carefully assesses the mural-in-progress on the motel’s casita. This creative sensitivity is a crucial part of her character, reflecting both her internal struggles and her desire to express herself through art.

Her deep sense of duty to her family keeps her at the Starlight Motel, even as Los Angeles and her artistic dreams beckon. This tension between duty and desire makes her a complex and relatable character who faces real-life dilemmas with courage. We’ve all been Kada at one point in our lives.

A couple worth rooting for is one that complements each other’s strengths and weaknesses, supports one another through challenges, and grows together over the course of the story. Kada and her partner, Dane, exemplify this dynamic.

Dane is not just a love interest; he is a partner who supports Kada. His encouragement and belief in her artistic talents help her navigate tough decisions. Even though he thinks he controls his family’s land, he never wants to control Kada. Maybe a few candlelit dinners with her would be nice.

Both Kada and Dane value the idea of living without regrets. This shared outlook on life brings them closer. They both want a life where they can be true to themselves, and they just need to find a way to work together to achieve happiness.

The challenges Kada faces—managing the motel, grappling with her artistic doubts, and balancing her personal desires with familial obligations—are significant. Even though her attraction to Dane helps her navigate her life choices, voicing her concerns to her family members helps, too. Rooting for two characters that live in isolation might be possible, but cheering them on as they interact with their friends and loved ones is where the magic happens.

Experienced muralist Kada took charge of her family's Palm Springs motel to give her mother time to grieve. As a grant deadline approaches, Kada must convince her mother to manage the motel so she can return to her art. Late in December, Kada encounters a horseman approaching the property. Dane, the reserved son of a local farming family, is a loyal workaholic with limited spare time or experience outside the valley. When lightning startles his horse, he lingers at the motel and stirs up Kada's emotions about leaving the desert oasis. Wary of mixing business with pleasure, she struggles with her attraction. As New Year's Eve approaches, will the cowboy convince her to chart a new course?

EXCERPT:

Her skin warmed from the heat of his palms. “I can’t afford to sit around the laundry room and gossip with the guests.”
“Trust me, Kada, I’m not here to gossip.”
“You’re ready to pitch in on odd jobs? You’re such a good neighbor.” She swallowed past the dryness in her throat. She had a three-date rule, but if she never started the first date, did the rule apply? “Thanks for helping with Lucky.”
“Any time.” He tipped up her chin. “Are you sure that’s where you want to stop? You brought me your number and rode out into the desert with me, but now you’re skittish?”

Her throat felt parched, but she wanted to lean forward and test his intent. Instead, she kicked her feet against the machine’s vibrating drum. “I’m not skittish, but I’m not into quick romps on a washing machine.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I wasn’t suggesting a quick romp.”
She wanted to test the innuendo behind his offer, but the sequence felt out of order. Before she considered kissing the handsome farmer, she needed dinner, candlelight, and time to breathe.
Her body offered a different opinion. Clearing her throat, she hopped off the washing machine, ducked under his arm, and ran her tongue along her teeth. In the tiny room, his skin smelled like fresh lime, warm spices, and a hint of honey, but his shirt held the leathery undertones of a hard day’s work. He looked handsome, and she wanted to taste his kiss, but she needed a different setup. “Or long romps.”

AUTHOR INFO:

Amy Craig lives in Louisiana with her family and a small menagerie of pets. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense featuring intelligent heroines. In her spare time, she plays tennis and expands her husband’s honey-do list. Before writing, she worked as an oilfield engineer, project manager, and incompetent waitress. For more information and giveaways, visit www.amy-craig.com or follow her on social media channels.

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**********GIVEAWAY**********

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Book Tour for The Shadowed Moon by Elli Morgan (Guest Post & GIVEAWAY)……..

Enemies become so much more in this edge of your seat paranormal romance that will have you frantically turning the pages to see what happens next.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Shadowed Moon by Elli Morgan, then learn even more about it through the author's guest post, and by visiting the other sites hosting this tour.  In honor of this fast-paced standalone story make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $15 bookstore GC too!

MS MORGAN SHARES WITH READERS WHAT HER FAVORITE PARANORMAL/SUPERNATURAL SHOWS ARE AND HOW THEY INFLUENCED THE CREATION OF THIS BOOK:

Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been obsessed with vampires. So, most of my favorite TV shows feature vampires in some way. The most obvious ones are Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Buffy. But I also enjoy many other paranormal/supernatural shows where vampires play no role (or just a minor role), for example, Supernatural, Lucifer, and Charmed.

My first answer to the question of how these shows influenced The Shadowed Moon would be “They didn’t.”

But then I remembered one of my best friends reading the book as a beta reader. In the last third of the book, I introduce a new character, Markus, a tall, black-haired vampire prince. After reading that chapter, my friend told me he reminded her of Elijah from The Originals. When I reread his scenes, I realized she was right. I feel like Elijah’s vibe fits him pretty well, though. So, I’m happy I subconsciously based his character on Elijah.

I also hint at one of my main characters, Sarah, watching TV in one scene. Sarah is a young vampire who got kidnapped as a child by vampires. They tortured her and trained her to become their soldier before turning her on her eighteenth birthday. So, she never got to watch TV growing up. When she finally gets the chance to explore this medium, the human take on her kind confounds her. After her horrible past, she couldn’t believe vampires would go to high school and fall in love with one of the other students. But that’s pretty much what happens in Vampire Diaries.

After they took everything from him, Dave Patton dedicated his life to hunting vampires. But he can’t bring himself to destroy their newest vampire prisoner Sarah—a young woman with a tragic past, who awakens forbidden desires in him.

Sarah McAllister spent her childhood in the hands of ruthless vampires aiming to turn her into a perfect soldier. To take revenge, she hides her true strength and surrenders to a group of hunters, hoping her knowledge will help them bring all monsters to justice.
When the hunters’ compound is attacked, Sarah has to reveal her powers to protect them from certain death. How will Dave react when he learns the truth? And how much will she have to sacrifice to defeat her tormentors?

EXCERPT:

“Okay then.” She swallowed and backed away. “Come at me and try to land a hit.”

He drew his sword. “Just one?”
“One will be hard enough, trust me.” She disappeared, only to reappear on the opposite side of the hall with a grin. “I’ll give you ten minutes before I go on the offensive.”
“All right.” He stormed at her.
Every time he approached, she glided out of reach. Whenever he thought he’d cornered her, she vanished. How did she move so incredibly fast? After a while, he bent over, panting.
“If you can’t get close, you’ll never touch me.”
“Well, you’re just running away. Looks like you’re afraid to face me,” he taunted her.
She laughed. “I’m not, and I’ll happily prove it to you in—” She glanced at the clock on the gym wall. “—three...two...one...now. Your time is up.”
He swallowed and tightened the grip on his sword. “Well then, turn your words into actions because I’m not running either.”
“As you wish.” She flew at him. With the force of her speed, she pushed him back against the wall. Faster than he could react, she seized his arms with hers and pressed her delicate body against his to keep him from fighting back.
Her soft breasts rubbed against his chest as he struggled against her, and the scent of chocolate and coconut assaulted his senses. She tempted him in more ways than one, and his hands ached to break free and explore her body. A flush of warmth spread through him as he imagined turning their training session into a make-out one. Since this was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts, he shook his head to clear it.
When his jeans tightened, he knew he’d lost the battle—against his arousal.

AUTHOR INFO:

Elli Morgan was born in 1991 in a small town in Germany. Although she only started learning English in sixth grade, she quickly fell in love with the language. To improve her skills, she spent a year working and traveling in Canada and the US.
As a teenager, she devoured countless fan fiction and vampire novels. During that time, she also developed the idea for her first two books.
Her debut, The Waxing Moon, won the Reader Views bronze award in the romance category.
Apart from being a writer, she’s also a trained mathematician, working as Business Intelligence Developer at an IT company. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and all kinds of games.

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Book Release Blitz for Wildcat by D.M. Earl (Review)……..

There's reason to celebrate today as The Devil's Handmaidens MC: Timber-Ghost, Montana Chapter series continues with this seventh installment that gives former lovers the chance to find each other once again and heal from their painful pasts.  Keep reading to get a tempting glimpse of Wildcat by D.M. Earl, along with my impressions of it, then add it to your bookshelf!

When the wildcat is unleashed, nobody is safe.Manager of the Wooden Spirits Bar and Grill, Frankie Camano, a former cop, is struggling to heal from a tragic past. The women of the Devil's Handmaidens MC have been Frankie's saving grace in a world of pain and disappointment. Known as "wildcat," Frankie uses her strength and tenacity to overcome the demons that haunt her.

Leaving Malcom, a doctor and the love of her life, after they both faced horrific events, was the hardest thing she's ever done. But when her past comes barreling back. Frankie knows that the Handmaidens and Malcom are the people she can trust. She refuses to let anyone hurt her--or her loved ones ever again. Will Frankie's fear of the past force her back into hiding, or will she finally release the WILDCAT on the enemies who threaten to destroy her?

BUY AT AMAZON here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Once again Ms. Earl has pulled readers into her dark and gritty world featuring the Devil's Handmaiden's MC and their continuing efforts to bring a dangerous group to justice.  This is a story of second chances, bringing two people back together who were torn apart in an absolutely gut-wrenching way.  They've been running from the pain ever since that moment, but the past has come back and must be finally dealt with as multiple storylines converge in this installment.  From start to finish this is a heavy read with images and storylines that will be triggering to some.  It depicts the worst of people while presenting an unconventional image of a family who unconditionally support this couple's journey back to each other.  While the overall focus isn't on this couple's actual romance, readers are completely pulled into the emotional journey of physician Malcom Malty and bar manager Frankie ‘Wildcat’ Camano.

While this story CAN stand on its own it's a more richly rewarding experience to see where all of the individual storylines originated from and the intensity of them all coming together here.  Malcom and Frankie's journey broke my heart at times, the hatred from others left me wanting to cry, but their resiliency and the support from the other secondary characters of the Devil's Handmaidens MC kept me turning the pages with hope that justice will prevail.  Malcom and Frankie are a realistic couple, torn apart in a way I won't soon forget, and I was rooting for them to finally put the past behind them. Along with this unforgettable main couple was an eclectic and larger than life cast of characters, the women and men of the Devil's Handmaidens MC who have active roles in delivering justice.  From the first page to the last this was another powerful story from Ms. Earl, an epic tale of second chances that pushes every emotional button.

My rating for this is an A.

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

USA Today Bestselling author, D. M. Earl creates authentic and genuine characters while spinning stories that feel so real and relatable that the readers plunge deep within the plot, begging for more. Complete with drama, angst, romance, and passion, the stories jump off the page.

When Earl, an avid reader since childhood, isn't at her keyboard pouring her heart into her work, you'll find her in Northwest Indiana snuggling up to her husband, the love of her life, with her seven fur babies nearby. Her other passions include gardening and shockingly cruising around town on the back of her 2004 Harley. She's a woman of many talents and interests.

Earl appreciates each and every reader who has ever given her a chance--and hopes to connect on social media with all of her readers.

WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM  |  NEWSLETTER  |  TIKTOK  |  GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE  |  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  |  BOOKBUB  |  FACEBOOK READER GROUP

Long and Short Reviews 17th Anniversary Bash (GIVEAWAY)……..

Like books? No matter the genre, we have a great place for you to find your next favorite read!

Long and Short Reviews is celebrating their 17th (wow!) anniversary, but you get the gifts. They're featuring more than 50 books in all genres from romance to science fiction, young adult to poetry...no matter your reading preferences, you can find something to enjoy!

What could possibly be better than that?

How about a chance to win one of two $100 Amazon GCs, of course! Think of how many books you could buy...

Once you're arrived at the Long and Short Reviews site, simply read through the book posts each day and answer a simple question (or follow authors on their social media accounts) and you're entered to win. New chances to enter every day! So, go visit and enter and don't forget to tell a friend or two. Good luck!

Contest runs from August 19-23, 2024. Good Luck to everyone who enters!