Feasted On: The Bevelstoke Series, Book 3

Format: Paperback | Pages: 377 | Release Date: June 2010 | Publisher: Avon Books | Obtained: Loaned to me from my mom

"Ten Things I Love About You" [The Bevelstoke Series, Book 3] by Julia Quinn

My Book Summary : Annabel is a country girl through and through. However, when money starts getting tight after her father passes away and being the oldest girl out of eight children, it's her duty to provide for her family. This is why she’s now living in London with her grandparents trying to find a rich and titled husband, if possible, to marry her and help support her family. Yet, to her dismay, the only rich and titled man who seems to really want to marry her is her grandparent's friend, Lord Newbury. Who is also fat, old, and smelly, he wants her only for her body (especially her childbearing hips) but his main goal is to get Annabel to produce an heir for him (as his only son and previous heir has already died) since he doesn't want his title and wealth to go to his nephew, Sebastian Grey. Nevertheless, is Annabel willing to sacrifice herself and her wants out of life for her family?? Or will something happen or someone help her out to make everything all better for her?

My Book Review : 4 out of 5 stars! Fun, eccentric, and infectious infatuation is just some of the words I would use to describe this delightful novel! It has so many twists it made my head spin at times but I still could not get enough! Annabel and Sebastian were a joy to read about, especially in their scenes together, along with Sebastian's creative views when it comes to his writing!

I hope at some point that the author will write a book for Lady Louisa McCann (Annabel's cousin) as she was a great secondary character who sounded like she could use some romance in her life!

I recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys comedic contemporary romances!!

Author's Series Extras : Music & Lyrics | FAQ About This Series

Author's Book Trailer :

Author's Book Interview :

Book Teaser(s) :

She glanced in the direction of the house. She ought to go. She really ought.
"I don't bite," he assured her. "Or anything else you'd need to worry over." He sat up and patted the blanket beside him. "Have a seat."
"I'll stand," she said. Because she hadn't completely lost her sense. At least she hoped not.
"Are you certain?" He gave her a winning smile. "It's much more comfortable down here."
Said the spider to the fly. Annabel only barely managed to avoid letting out a squeak of nervous laughter. ~ within Chapter 4

"I came in third for Winslow Most Likely to Outrun a Turkey."
He did not laugh this time, but this appeared to require a valiant effort on his part. "You are a country girl," he said.
She nodded.
"Is it so very difficult to outrun a turkey?"
"Not for me."
"Go on," he urged. "I find this fascinating."
"That's right," she said. "You have no siblings."
"A lack for which I have never been so bereft as tonight. Just think of the titles I might have won."
"Grey Most Likely to Join a Pirate Ship?" she suggested, with a nod toward his patch.
"Privateer, if you please. I'm much too refined for piracy."
She rolled her eyes a bit, then offered: "Grey Most Likely to Get Lost on a Heath?"
"You are a cruel woman. I knew where I was the entire time. I was thinking Grey Most Likely to Win a Fortune at Darts." ~ within Chapter 15

For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Julia, then please check out her website.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Cowboy and The Princess

Today's "Waiting On" Wednesday by Jill - click here

"The Cowboy and The Princess" [Jubilee, Texas Series Series, Book 2] by Lori Wilde (aka Laura Anthony)
Expected Publication Released Date: July 31, 2012

Author's Book Description:

Brady Talmadge was a cowboy with five unbreakable rules
1) Never pick-up a pretty hitchhiker
2) Avoid damsels in distress
3) Never order chili at a truck stop
4) Always trust your gut
5) Never tell a lie...
This is what happened when he broke all his rules…and got into a whole lot of trouble!
***
On the run from an arranged marriage, Princess Annabella of Monesta dons the guise of a hitchhiking cowgirl. But when she finds herself drenched, alone, and hungry she has no choice but to trust the tall Texas horse whisperer who offers her a ride. He’s like no one she’s ever known—a strong, sexy man who says just what he thinks.

And when one wild kiss leaves her breathless, she quickly realizes she’ll give up everything to spend a lifetime of nights in his arms. But how can there be a happily-ever-after with palace guards hot on her trail?

Made the Grade: The Sullivans Series, Book 4

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Paperback - Pages: 174; Kindle Edition - File Size: 359 KB | Expected Release Date: April 10, 2012 | Publisher: Oak Press, LLC | Obtained: NetGalley

"I Only Have Eyes For You" [The Sullivans Series, Book 4] by Bella Andre

My Book Summary : Sophie has been in love with Jake, a friend of her brothers and family, since she was five years old and he was ten years old. However, she has always believed that he has never noticed her as an attractive woman, so she decides to seduce him at her brother's wedding. While, in truth, Jake has always noticed Sophie but with the way he was raised and because of a secret about himself he doesn't feel worthy of her. Nevertheless, when he finds Sophie at his front door after the wedding he has a hard time turning her away, especially after she walks into his place and starts stripping. Soon their lives will change in ways they never expected, yet both wanted, if only they have the courage to admit their love for each other...

My Book Review : 3.5 out of 5 stars, this is a sweet novel about being willing to put it all on the line for the one you love. I liked Sophie and Jake as a couple, they are both had their own insecurities but it's very entertaining to see them work through them together!

I will admit that this book has some slow bits to it. However, because of the chemistry between Jake and Sophie along with the intrigue as to what will happen after their "time together" ends made me not want to put this book down!

I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of contemporary romance novels!!

My Previous Review(s) for this Author : Love Me

Book Teaser(s) :

"What the hell are you doing here?"
Sophie was standing on the front step of Jake's Napa Valley rental house, as if he'd conjured her out of thin air.
"I came to see you, Jake. To talk. To figure things out." Her gaze dropped to his mouth before she whispered, "And to kiss some more." ~ within Chapter 7

Again, he made her part of their snack.
"Yes," he told her after he finally made himself let go of her hand, "it's very good." He slid the plate away from her and broke off a piece. "Your turn now."
She flushed, but didn't hesitate to open her mouth. At first he thought she was only going to take the food, but at the very last second her tongue came out to curl over his fingertip.
He barely bit back a groan. Why the hell had he made that stupid promise not to touch her? ~ within Chapter 17

For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Bella, then please check out her website.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Desire the Night

Today's "Waiting On" Wednesday by Jill - click here

"Desire the Night" by Amanda Ashley (aka Madeline Baker)
Expected Publication Released Date: September 4, 2012

Author's Book Description:

A VAMPIRE IN CHAINS
Held captive in a basement prison, wrapped in silver chains, the vampire Gideon is too weak to fight the monster who enslaves him. For years, she’s tapped his precious blood like a fountain of youth—sustaining him with human females she captures for his pleasure. But with the latest victim she brings him, he senses something intriguingly different. Something dangerous, yet oh so tempting.

Kay Alissano is no ordinary woman. Every full moon, she must answer the call of the wild—unleashing the wolf within. As daughter of the Shadow Pack’s Alpha, Kay is extremely powerful—and when she’s offered up to Gideon, she doesn’t surrender easily. In wolf form, she might be able unchain Gideon’s heart and set them both free—if only he can resist the urge to consume her, body and soul, before the next full moon...

My Previous Review(s) for this Author : Bound By Blood

Feasted On: Her Best Friend's Brother by T. J. Dell

Format: Kindle Edition | File Size: 618 KB | Release Date: September 2011 | Publisher: Self-Published | Obtained: Amazon.com

"Her Best Friend's Brother" by T. J. Dell

My Book Summary : Elizabeth (Libby) has been in love with her best friend's, Melanie (Mel), older brother, Anthony (Tony) since she was 7 years old. While Tony has been in love with Libby ever since she was 16 years old. However, because of one miscommunication or another it takes both of them fifteen years to tell each other what they truly mean to each other. This story follows their constant friendship/relationship and their fond memories of each other, while proving that if you don't succeed the first time with the person you want to be with, then you have to try and try again until you get it right!

My Book Review : 4 out of 5 stars, this novel proves that if you truly love someone it's hard to let them go for good. I loved the chemistry between Libby and Tony! And while I know there are some reviewers that got annoyed with how long it takes the two of them to get together, I believe that it all worked out for the best, because who knows if they would have been able to accomplish everything they did if they had gotten together earlier in their lives.

Anyway ... as I was saying ... you can't not root for the two of them throughout this book! In truth, other than Tony's gentlemanly tactics when it came to Libby, the only thing that really keeps the two of them apart is Tony's sister, Mel (who is Libby's best friend), and I'm not always certain it wasn't on purpose in a few ways. Therefore, for me the only character I didn't like, mostly/only towards the end of the novel, was Mel and the way she swoops in. True things might not have panned out between Libby and Tony the way they did if Mel didn't create the crisis. However, I still didn't like it. =0/

Again, with that being said, I LOVED the main characters, Libby and Tony, and this novel!! I recommend it to anyone who likes reading romance novels where the main characters go from teens to adults.

Book Teaser(s) :

Teaser #1 ~ within Chapter 1

He remembered very clearly the night Ms. McKay had come home in the early morning and found him and Libby fast asleep wrapped up in each other on this very couch. When she had shaken Tony awake he had wanted to crawl under a rug. Although-- she had been very sweet about the whole thing. Thanking him for being such a good friend. For sacrificing his Halloween night and for tucking Libby back into her bed since the medicine had knocked her out cold. That had just made him feel worse; because of course Tony had had his own less than honorable reasons for being there that night. ~ within Chapter 9

For more information on this book, and/or any other books by T. J., then please check her out on the Goodreads' website.

Interview with Susan Mallery

Today I'm pleased to share an Interview with Susan Mallery author of "Summer Days," which is the 7th book in her Fool’s Gold Series!!

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A Q&A with Susan Mallery :

Tell us about "Summer Days!"
"Summer Days" is the perfect beach read. It’s funny, romantic, sexy, and it’s light both in tone and in actual weight – you can toss the paperback into your beach bag and go. (It’s also available wherever ebooks are sold.)

Heidi Simpson had a vagabond childhood with her grandfather. The one thing she wanted most in the world was a home of her own. Now, in her late 20s, she finally has one, but her ranch is put on the line by a scam her grandfather pulled in order to pay for a friend’s surgery. Rafe Stryker is the son of the woman whose money was stolen, and the first of the Stryker brothers to move to Fool’s Gold. He’s on a tear when he arrives, determined to protect his mother’s interests at all costs.

Since possession is nine-tenths of the law, neither is willing to leave the ranch until a judge can decide the matter. Sparks fly right from page one between Heidi and Rafe! The people of Fool’s Gold take sides in a pretty hysterical way.

You can find "Summer Days" wherever books are sold – bookstores, online, even the grocery store check-out line. You can read a free excerpt on my website, www.susanmallery.com or in the free app for iPhone and Android (www.mobileroadie.com/apps/susanmallery).

Who are these Fool’s Gold cheerleaders I keep hearing about?
Oh, the cheerleaders are beyond fabulous! This year’s squad is made up of 60 Fool’s Gold super fans who are earning prizes all summer for telling other readers about Fool’s Gold. They’re driving around with Fool’s Gold car magnets, wearing Fool’s Gold T-shirts, handing out bookmarks like candy to everyone they meet.

For those of my followers who have never read a Fool’s Gold book, tell us about the small town known as the Land of Happy Endings.
"Summer Days" is the seventh book in my series set in fictional Fool’s Gold, California. Fool’s Gold is a small town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It’s a quaint place where people truly support each other – mostly with casseroles. And margaritas. Women rule in Fool’s Gold. For many years, there was a man shortage, which is just now beginning to level out, thanks to the town’s efforts to bring in some pretty spectacular men.

Fool’s Gold is the most popular series I’ve ever written. In fact, last year, one of the Fool’s Gold books hit #3 on the New York Times and #8 on the USA Today bestsellers lists. Those were personal bests for me and very thrilling.

Each book is written as a standalone, which means that you can jump in and start with "Summer Days," and you won’t feel lost or confused. While previous characters make an appearance, you don’t need to know their stories to understand this one.

Why did you decide to write about three cowboy brothers?
With each year’s Fool’s Gold books, I try to create heroes who represent iconic male archetypes. The men of Fool’s Gold have been athletes, businessmen, pilots, surgeons. Each is a leader, powerful in his own way. His strength goes deeper than the physical. He does what’s right even when it’s not easy. When he falls, he falls hard... and he loves forever.

This summer, three cowboy brothers will ride into Fool’s Gold on horseback in "Summer Days," "Summer Nights," and "All Summer Long." The Stryker men represent everything I love about a cowboy hero. They are protective, honest, tall and strong. And wow, do they do nice things to a pair of blue jeans!

Since this is Fool’s Gold, these cowboys come with a special twist – humor. Rafe is undone by Heidi the Goat Girl. Shane has to teach the local librarian how to do the ancient Dance of the Happy Virgin – while riding a horse. And Clay, the youngest, made his fortune as a Hollywood butt double.

What’s next for Fool’s Gold?
In "Summer Nights" (July), Shane Stryker will meet Annabelle who, oh my WORD, do I love! Annabelle is my gift to all the librarians who have supported me so wonderfully over the years, putting my books into readers’ hands with a fervent, “You’re going to love this!” Annabelle is a librarian who defies the stereotypes – she’s fashionable, modern... a dangerous, pint-sized sexpot, as far as Shane is concerned. He’s completely undone by her the first time they meet, so much so that he can’t even remember his own name.

Then comes Charlie, to be paired with Clay in "All Summer Long" (August). Oh, Charlie. She’s so tough and oh, so wounded. She’s got that hard-as-nails firefighter exterior, but when it comes to matters of the heart, she is as vulnerable as they come. Something happened in Charlie’s past that has made her afraid of intimacy with a man. She’s the kind of person who tackles her problems head-on, much to Clay Stryker’s delight. She’s determined to learn how to be with a man, and she’s decided to ask Clay to teach her.

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About the Author :

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Publisher’s Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says, “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” Visit Susan online at www.susanmallery.com.

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"Summer Days" [Fool’s Gold Series, Book 7] by Susan Mallery
My Book Summary :

Heidi hasn't been living in Fool's Gold that long but for someone who has grown up as being a part of a carnival being able to settle down in Fool's Gold with her grandfather and take care of her goats is a piece of heaven she never knew before. However, the security she has made for herself is about to be destroyed after her grandfather scams Rafe's mother into thinking she's buying Heidi's ranch. In the end, while Heidi, Rafe, Glen (Heidi's grandfather), and May (Rafe's mother) wait to see what the judge decides to do about their legal situation, May and Rafe move onto the ranch with Heidi and Glen. Throughout the time that they try living together, they learn about each other’s pasts and presents while sharing what they hope for the future. They all grow closer only with the knowledge that soon they'll find out what the judge has planned soon, which means only one of them can win between them especially since Rafe doesn't seem to know the meaning of compromise. However, what will happen after Heidi and Rafe's feelings involved? Will they be able to reconcile their difference and problems? Or will everything implode between them, making it so the town will have to take sides? [Click HERE to read my review of this novel!]

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Find Susan Mallery :

• Susan Mallery - Website
Fool's Gold - Website
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Goodreads
• Susan's Members Area

Teaser Tuesdays: Her Best Friend's Brother

Today's Teaser Tuesdays by MizB - click here

"Her Best Friend's Brother" by T. J. Dell

Book Teaser:

“Should we call it a draw? Or see who has the most cash?” Tony smiled slyly and Libby knew exactly what he was up to.
“No way Marchetti! I have 3 monopolies! You might have more cash but a few more turns around the board and it will all be mine! Nothing doing – we can finish tomorrow.”
“How do I know you won’t cheat during the night?” Tony played along with mock outrage. So they carefully wrote down who owned what and their cash totals and they even went to the extreme of carrying the board to the garage and locking it inside. When the door was locked and the key solemnly slid underneath Mr. and Mrs. Marchetti’s bedroom door (for safekeeping) the hilarity of it all (compounded by the fact that it was now almost 2:00 in the morning) over took them and they exploded into giggles. Giggles! Anthony Marchetti actually giggled!
Libby grinned at the memory. ~ within Chapter 1