Monthly Archives: May 2011

Winners..

Posted on May 19, 2011 by TBRG| 2 Comments

I know this is a bit late but we have to giveaways that we need to announce the winners for….

 

Aurian

Heather @ Book Savy Babe

Please Email us with your mailing address at thebookreadinggals@gmail.com

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A Little Harmless Addiction

Posted on May 18, 2011 by TBRG| 2 Comments

A Little Harmless Addiction
Harmless bk 5
Melissa Schroeder

Falling in love might not be the smart thing, but it might be the one thing they both need.

Jocelyn Dupree has come to Hawaii to heal. After a horrific experience with her last boss, she is on the mend and ready to start again. She is focused on rebuilding her life and her career as a pastry chef. She definitely doesn’t need a man in her life, or so she thinks.

Kai Aiona has always been the guy to mend a broken heart. Unfortunately, the last heart that was broken was his. He has sworn off damaged women, but he can’t resist Jocelyn’s sad eyes, not to mention her determination to succeed.

One little date turns into several and soon, Jocelyn finds herself easily addicted to Kai’s sensual nature. Resisting him becomes impossible, but Jocelyn isn’t ready to trust completely. When Kai discovers she hasn’t been telling him everything, Jocelyn is left with two choices: trust her heart, or let the one man she has ever loved go.

I admit it I have a Harmless Addiction I am completely addicted to this series, and freely admit that I cyber stalk Melissa to make sure that I don’t miss anything in this series.
Kai is normally the rebound guy, and that is perfectly fine with him as he has no intention of settling down. That is until Keisha his high school sweetheart came back into his life (this is played out in A Little Harmless Lie). What he never expected was for him to want more and her to leave him high and dry. For the first time in his life he is swearing off women. That is until Jocelyn comes into his life. The one woman he shouldn’t want, and yet he does. What he never expected was to want her for more than the usual casual sex.

Jocelyn has come to Hawaii to be by her brother Chris (from a Little Harmless Pleasure) after a very bad year. Everyone has spent the last year coddling her, and not letting her breathe. She is determined to get her life back. What she didn’t expect was to feel any kind of desire for a man, but the moment she meets Kai she feels the pull of desire in more than a year.

Watching these two put themselves back together and come together is such a great read. I was so completely caught up in it that I didn’t register anyone or anything the entire time I read it.
The secondary story that is happening with Chris and Cynthia is absolutely great. I had to laugh out loud at it. Then there is Evan and May, there are some great scenes between May and Kai and Kai and Evan and all three of them.

If you are a fan of this series than you will most definitely not be disappointed in this story as it has all the stuff that we have come to love with this series. Great characters, realistic story line, hot sex (sorry no bdsm in this one it is all vanilla sex) and best of all a great love story.

Grade A

Other books in this series
A Little Harmless Sex
A Little Harmless Pleasure
A Little Harmless Obsession
A Little Harmless Lie

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RomCon Tuesday Lila DiPasqua

Posted on May 17, 2011 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Last year we met one of the nicest people we have ever met Lila DiPasqua. If you follow her blog, like her fb page and read her tweets you get just a glimpse of her humor and how much fun she is. I personally had a blast hanging out with her in the bar and attending her event that was well that is something that will stay in Denver, just know that she will be having it again and I will be there yet again :)

Lila writes the most delicious historical romance books set in France in the 1600′s and she uses the write amount of french to make this lover of all things french very happy. They are just plain awesome. I have loved every single story and can hardly wait to read her next book due out this summer.

I asked Lila what she thought of RomCon and why she is going back and this is what she had to say…

I had a great time last year at RomCon.  Knowing it was the first one ever, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  What I got was an intimate setting and a chance to have real one-on-one time with readers, reviewers and other authors.  Why am I attending this year?  Well, to enjoy more of the same!  Plus, my summer release, A MIDNIGHT DANCE (my super steamy and totally romantic retelling of Cinderella) hits the shelves on August 2nd—a mere three days before RomCon.  It will be the first time I’ll be signing my brand new historical romance.  And I can’t wait.  :)

Three classic fairytales—“Sleeping Beauty,” “Puss in Boots,” and “Little Red Riding Hood”—cleverly retold with enough sensual twists to prove wickedly ever after does exist…

Sleeping Beau: Five years ago, the notorious rake, Adrien d’Aspe, Marquis de Beaulain, was awakened by a sensuous kiss—and experienced a night of raw ecstasy that was branded into his memory. Years later, he spots his mysterious seductress—and this time, he has no intention of letting her go…

Little Red Writing: Nicolas de Savignac, Comte de Lambelle, has been assigned by the King to uncover the secret identity of the author writing scandalous stories about powerful courtiers. He never expected his investigation would lead to his grandmother’s house, or to a ravishing woman who would stir his deepest hunger…

Bewitching in Boots: Elisabeth de Roussel, daughter of the King, is accustomed to getting what she wants—and she wants Tristan de Tiersonnier, Comte de Saint-Marcel, an ex-commander of the King’s private Guard. A recent injury has forced Tristan to leave his distinguished position, but Elisabeth is determined to make him see he’s every bit the man he once was—and more than man enough for her..

 

Inspired by “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Ugly Duckling, and “The Princess and the Pea,” Lila DiPasqua spins three sexy tales that give new meaning to the term bedtime story…

The Marquis’ New Clothes: To save her cousin, Aimee de Miran must retrieve a jeweled ring from the most sinfully seductive man at court, the Marquis de Nattes. But to search his considerable wardrobe she’ll have to get very close to the notorious rake…and soon she finds herself very close to him indeed, with his clothes—and hers—utterly forgotten…

The Lovely Duckling: Reputed for his carnal skills, Joseph d’Alumbert prefers amorous encounters without emotional entanglement—until a quick-witted lady stirs tender feelings and hot desire. Emilie de Sarron suffered burns to her body as an infant, and keeps her scars—and her heart—well hidden. But Joseph is determined to peel away her inhibitions, one slow steamy kiss at a time, to reveal the beautiful swan inside…

The Princess and the Diamonds:Princess Gabrielle can’t sleep at night. There is something hard in her bed. No, not just the stolen diamonds tucked under her mattress, but the handsome Marquis on it….whose carnal talents she can’t resist. But he threatens her secret mission, and worse, she stands to lose far more than the diamonds—her heart is at stake….

Inspired by the tale of Cinderella, Lila DiPasqua weaves a steamy story that offers a glass slipper, a dangerous deception, and an impoverished beauty determined to find her handsome prince…and make him pay.

Born into wealth, Sabine Laurent and her twin sister lived a life of luxury, their father’s prestigious theater frequented by royalty and aristocracy alike. And Sabine dreamed of her own prince charming—the devastatingly handsome Jules de Moutier.

That was before the loss of her sister and her family’s fall from grace—a disaster Sabine blames on the Moutier family. Now, with her father’s death, she’s inherited his sizable debt and the responsibility of caring for his spoiled long-time mistress and her two wastrel daughters. But with the help of Sabine’s eccentric friends—the balance of her father’s acting troupe—she plans to get very close to her old infatuation, seduce the rake—and make away with a fortune.

Resisting Jules’s skillful mouth and tantalizing touch is not as easy as Sabine supposed. And soon she must decide whether her desire for vengeance is greater than her desire for her one and only prince…

 

 

You can check Lila out on her site www.liladipasqua.com on fb and on twitter.

 


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Red Mortal

Posted on May 16, 2011 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Red Mortal

Gods of Midnight bk 5

Deidre Knight

With quiet, unyielding strength, King Leonidas has long led his fellow immortal warriors in battle against dark forces. But when Daphne, Oracle of Delphi, confesses to having loved him from afar, Leonidas soon finds his stoic shell breaking away as he becomes enraptured with the spritely beauty.

For centuries, Daphne has yearned to experience the simmering passion locked within Leonidas’s heart. But just as their love begins to ignite, Daphne’s half brother Ares strips Leonidas of his immortality, causing him to age at an alarming rate. Now it will be only a matter of time before Leonidas is taken from her—unless they can find a way to challenge Ares together before Leonidas meets his mortal end…and the lovers are separated for eternity.

I have been in love with this series from the very first book. When I found out that this was the last book in the series I had serious misgivings about it. It could go so many ways.  The love story of Leonidas and Daphne has been through out this series and is finally going to have a resolution. That is if her brother Ares doesn’t destroy the Spartan’s first.

I have to say that of all the books in this series this was my least favorite. I can’t pinpoint exactly why I didn’t like it, I just didn’t. It could be all the self-sacrificing that goes on, or the I know what is best so I am going to do this to save you. Both Leonidas and Daphne are guilty of this to some extent.

As the battle lines are drawn with former servants of Ares joining forces with Leonidas to take him down, and  everyone preparing to fight the most important fight of their lives, the action is non stop. That is the only thing that kept me going in this book. Well that and Sable and his inner war.

I really like Sable and how he is attempting to change his life and embrace the light. His inner war is one that I think most people face and makes him a very interesting character.

My favorite part of the story was the end though, when Ares finally gets what’s coming to him, and what happens with Sable. The epilogue is also really great.

If you have read the other books in this series than you will want to read this book as it ends the series really well. If you haven’t read the other books in this series I recommend this one as it has a different take on the Greek Gods.

Grade B

Other books in the series

Red Fire

Red Kiss

Red Demon

Red Angel (On the Hunt Anthology)

 

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WoW Sunday

Posted on May 15, 2011 by TBRG| Leave a comment

This really happened in my bathroom the other night….

Mat – Mom how do I put this eyeliner on?

Mike – Mom I need to put my make-up on NOW

For just a moment I went I never thought that I would hear those words in my house….then I remembered it is opening night and they need to be in make-up before we got to the theater. The boys have parts in the Wizard of Oz. They play the Lollipop Guild.

Posted in WOW Sunday

Any Man of Mine

Posted on May 13, 2011 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Any Man of Mine

Hockey Series bk 3

Rachel Gibson

 

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS . . .
DOESN’T ALWAYS STAY THERE.

Autumn Haven’s Las Vegas “to-do” list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam Leclaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality and before she could say “pass the coffee” Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn she hasn’t clapped eyes on the heart-breaking hockey superstar for over two years… until she organizes his teammate’s “Special Day,” where Sam makes a BIG play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?.

As soon as I saw this book being offered up in Netgalley I immediately grabbed it, and then I ignored it. I then got a hard copy of the book and I continued to ignore. Why did I ignore it? I absolutely love this series, in fact it is my favorite of her series. While I love this series it isn’t one that I can dive right into. I have to be in the right mood or I can’t read her.

I finally put the book in my bag, knowing that I would eventually pick it up at a stop light. The other day I was sitting at a really long light and so I reached into my bag and out came the book. I couldn’t put it down. When I was finally able to read it again after getting home, I stayed up and finished the book. I loved the conflict between Sam and Autumn, it fit them both perfectly.

Sam is a hockey player and he loves his life exactly as it is. There is only one thing he loves as much as hockey if not more is his son. The one thing he hates is his sons’ mother. They have absolutely nothing to say to each other and in fact have not seen each other in years. That is until he sees her at his boss’s wedding and over hears her trying to find someone to watch their son. He volunteers. He loves spending time with him. When he returns him late Autumn has nothing nice to say to him and in fact calls into question how he is as a father. This leads to some serious reflection on his part and causes him to start to make changes. As he becomes a better dad to Connor he begins to look at Autumn differently and what he does sees changes everything.

Autumn absolutely despises Sam. He destroyed her once, and if it wasn’t for Connor she would have absolutely nothing to do with him, and would wish him dead. So when Sam starts to be better dad to Connor she wonders how long the novelty will last. His change in attitude leaves her confused and wary at the same time. All those feelings that he made her feel that week-end are coming back, at least the physical ones. While she might be willing to share his bed again, and be a little more willing to work with his schedule she will absolutely not let him back into her heart.

There is so much good stuff in this book that I have no clue where to start. The conflict between Sam and Autumn is very real and there is no hiding from it, on either one of their ends. Where Sam is willing to let the past go and try and build a future as a family, Autumn doesn’t do forgive and forget.

Throughout the book we watch as Sam goes from being a playboy, horn dog to wanting to put his family back together and all the steps in between. Autumn was much harder for me connect with. While I got her anger at Sam, and her wariness of his changes, her hot and cold attitude left me a little cold.

If there was one thing I didn’t like it was when they were remembering their week-end in Vegas. I have said this in the past I hate reading books that take place in Vegas unless the casino/hotels are fictional because nine out of ten times they get it wrong. In this book they meet in the nightclub Pure, this is one of the most expensive night clubs in Vegas. While a regular person can get in if they are dressed appropriately there is no way that they can afford the drinks. There were a couple of other things that really bugged me so yes whenever they were remembering back to Vegas I skipped those scenes as I didn’t want my annoyance with them to take away from story.

I have to say that there were a couple of scenes that I flat out loved, my favorite was the scene where they tell each other that they love each other. It was completely them. I also loved all the insulting names that Sam and Autumns’ brother had for each other.

This was another great addition to this series. If you haven’t ever read a Rachel Gibson book I highly suggest that you read this series.

Grade B+

Other books in this series

True Love and Other Disasters

Nothing But Trouble

 

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How do you choose?

Posted on May 12, 2011 by TBRG| 2 Comments

What draws you to a book? This question was asked of me recently and I have been thinking about it a lot? What draws me to a book? Is it the cover? The author? The blurb on the back?

For some books I have to say that yes it is the author. I have authors that are automatic buys for me regardless of whether or not I read the book when I buy it or in a year from now. I know that I have the books when I do decide to pick them up and read them.

Sometimes it is the cover of the book that draws me in. There is just something about some of the covers of these books that makes my heart race. Though I do admit that I recently got a book because the cover drove my son nuts. My other son asked me if I wanted his dad to look like the guys on the cover of these books (you all know which covers I am talking about :0) and I told him that in my eyes his dad looks just like these guys.

Other times it is the blurb on the back that makes me pick up a book. The blurb is so well written that I have to know more about these characters and the their story. Or an excerpt that I read somewhere and I have to read more.

The other day I was given a book that I would normally not have picked up but I was bored and none of the books on my shelves appealed to me. I wasn’t feeling well and going into the other room to get one of the books that I normally read when I am sick to way to much effort. So I picked this book up of my nightstand and began to read. The book completely sucked me in and I read it in almost one sitting.
The characters and their struggles were so well written that I didn’t notice the passing of time and that I had finished.

I have noticed since then that I have started looking at books that I would normally not read because of this book.

So how about you guys, what draws you to a book? Have you ever picked up a book that you would normally not read because of a mood, a cover, a blurb?

 

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Summer’s End

Posted on May 11, 2011 by TBRG| 3 Comments

Summer’s End

Kathleen Gilles Seidel

Have you ever read a book that so captures you that you can’t put it down until you have read the last page and then wanted more of those characters? That is what happened to me when I read Kathleen “s book Summer’s End. This isn’t a book that I would normally pick up and read, but I am so glad that someone sent it to me as I think it may end up being in my top reads of 2011.

To their respective families, Jack Wells and Amy Legend are outsiders. A free-spirited man-of-all-trades who takes life as it comes, Jack is far different from both his mother, the ever-organized widow of an admiral, and his methodical lawyer sister. And Amy, a professional athlete with exquisite taste and golden beauty, has a glamorous career a world apart from her bookish older siblings and college professor father.

When Jack’s mother marries Amy’s widowed father, the newlyweds invite all the children to spend the summer at the Legends’ retreat in northern Minnesota. While their parents hoped they’d all like each other, they hadn’t counted on just how well Jack and Amy would get along. For affection unexpectedly flares into a burning attraction that threatens to destroy already fragile bonds. Caught between long-simmering conflicts and clashing personalities, Jack and Amy agree to deny their desire until the vacation is over. But it seems the more they resist, the deeper they find themselves falling in love. With passion this strong, how can they possibly wait ‘til Summer’s End.

The story of these two families coming together to make one family is an interesting mix, considering all the different personalities in the family. While the main focus is on Amy and Jack there is enough given to the other family members that you understand why Amy is the way she is.

Hal and Gwen are the parents that met and fell and in love after their spouses had died. Neither one is anything like the other’s previous spouse which is really nice. Hal has three kids Phoebe (who was closest to her mom), Ian (a college professor like his dad and married to a horrible woman), and Amy (the Olympic Athlete, and what she considered the Afterthought). None of the siblings are close, and Amy hasn’t been to the Lake in years.

Gwen has two children Holly (a dedicate career woman that loves her mom and her brother even though he annoys her with his ways), Jack (she has given up trying to figure out him out as he beats to his own drum), and then there is Nick (the grandson of her younger sister who gets dumped on her routinely because his mom and grandma are in a power play).

When you put all these people together with no modern technology and having to get to know each other and get along well it can be rather interesting.

As Amy and Jack discover who they are in this new family they also fall in love. What they never expected was for the family to care. What results is a love story that will unite a family and allow two people to love and accept the other one for who they really are.

If you are looking for a nice easy, feel good read than you absolutely can’t go wrong with this book.

Grade A

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WoW Sunday

Posted on May 8, 2011 by TBRG| 1 Comment

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.  ~Marion C. Garretty, quoted in A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul

 


Posted in WOW Sunday

Midnight’s Wild Passion

Posted on May 5, 2011 by TBRG| 1 Comment
Midnight’s Wild Passion
By Anna Campbell
Release date 5/1/11

 

The dashing, licentious Marquess of Ranelaw can never forgive Godfrey Demarest for ruining his sister – now the time has come to repay the villain in the same coin. But one formidably intriguing impediment stands in the way of Nicholas’s vengeance: Miss Antonia Smith, companion to his foe’s unsuspecting daughter.

Having herself been deceived and disgraced by a rogue-banished by her privileged family as a result and forced to live a lie-Antonia vows to protect her charge from the same cruel fate. She recognizes Ranelaw for the shameless blackguard he is, and will devote every ounce of her intelligence and resolve to thwarting him.

Yet Antonia has always had a fatal weakness for rakes…

 

A story that begins with retribution and revenge for a wrong done years previously to Lord Ranelaw’s sister.  He has the chance to destroy Demarest through his only legitimate child, Cassie.  The same way Eloise’s life was destroyed.

 

Antonia is trying to hide from her own mistakes; she is Cassie’s companion.  Unfortunately, she is finding herself attracted to Lord Ranelaw: and he can’t get Antonia out of his mind.

 

From the beginning of the book you are hooked, I actually could not even put it down, finished it in a couple hours.  You are pulling for Ranelaw and Antonia from the first look they exchange.  Both will do just about anything for the ones they care about.  They fight and love with an incomparable passion.

 

Will their secrets though come back to haunt them and possibly destroy the best thing either one of them have ever found?

 

Another wonderful book by Anna Campbell!  You will not be disappointed with this addition to your library.

 

Grade A

 

Posted in Historical, Review

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