
Tag: contemporary romance
Cover Reveal: ACED (Blocked #2) by @JenLaneBooks #NA #Sports #Romance #Giveaway
Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love.
Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?
Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.
Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.
Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk.
I’d only seen Alejandro on TV, but his presence seemed magnified in real life. He was Jaylon’s height but probably weighed thirty pounds less. He moved like a panther, sleek and long in a black suit “dressed down” with no tie. His short black hair shone in the arena lights, and he appeared freshly shaven. Hot damn! He sure looked more suave than any college boy I’d encountered. Was that the typical dress for medical school at Johns Hopkins? Probably not. Something told me Alex did things his own way.
As Alejandro approached, Lucia stood to hug him, shaking her head. “Hey, what’re you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
He smiled. “Could we go somewhere to talk?”
She glanced at me. “I don’t want to leave Maddie. I dragged her here, so it’d be rude to abandon her.”
“So this is the famous Maddie.” When Alejandro reached across to shake my hand, his dark eyes burned into me. “I’ve seen you play, but it’s good to finally meet. I’ve heard great things about you.” His handshake was firm, but his hand was soft and warm, zinging a surprising thrill right through me. I realized that for at least a few moments, I hadn’t thought about Jaylon. Alejandro let go all too quickly.
His expression sobered as he looked back at Lucia. “I want to talk to you about something in private.”
She folded her arms across her chest as they both sat. “I already said no, thank you. I can’t right now.”
He frowned and squared his shoulders. Then he leaned in to Lucia’s ear and spoke to her in Spanish. She bristled next to me.
“How dare you?” she hissed.
I leaned back. What had just changed my sweet Rez into a pissy hellcat?
Author Bio
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she’s a therapist, and by night she’s a writer. She can’t decide which is more fun.
Jen adores creating sporty heroines and hot heroes in her college sport romances. Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in the Blocked series, it’s her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. Aced launches in December 2015.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen writes swimming-based romances as well: Streamline, a military mystery, and the free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic-suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior.
Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.
Giveaway
Cover Reveal Sign Ups: ACED (Blocked #2) #NA #Sports #Romance
The challenge: Start with this book cover…
And create a cover for the sequel: ACED (Blocked #2). Book designer Coreen Montagna and I have one thing to say:
Check out whether we aced this challenge by joining us for the cover reveal for Aced. If you have a blog or Facebook page, you’re ready to post the cover, spread the word, and enter giveaways.
The cover reveal is WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015.
To sign up, complete the form below or go HERE.
And please join Mitsy Princell and me for a Facebook Cover Reveal Party the day before on 10-20-15 HERE. Over 20 authors will give away stuff!
ACED (Blocked #2) is #Finished #NA #Volleyball #Sports #Romance
The End. What two glorious words! They feel so wonderful to type.
I recently finished my sixth novel: Aced (Blocked #2). Blocked focused on political differences. Aced explores racial differences. I’m uber excited to launch Aced into the world in late 2015.
Here are actors I envision as heroine Maddie and hero Alejandro:
Reader Selene said Alejandro has a lot of work to do to win her over. I love that challenge!
So what’s Aced about?
Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love.
Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?
Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.
Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.
Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk.
Cover Reveal: Tomorrow’s Lies by @AuthorSRGrey
Jaynie Cumberland has no idea how to trust again, so she’s given up on trying. Dumped in to the state foster care system at age fourteen, Jaynie spent three years treading water, just trying to get by.
Still, Jaynie always knew she was broken in some way. After all, why did her own mother abandon her? And following a harrowing experience at her first foster home, Jaynie’s worst fears are confirmed, leaving her feeling worthless and shattered.
Now Jaynie counts the days till she turns eighteen and can go out on her own. All she wants is to be free of everyone and everything. But before that can happen, she must make it through the next few months at one final foster home. There Jaynie meets a gorgeous, albeit rough-around-the-edges, boy who is dealing with the repercussions of his own turbulent past.
Flynn O’Neill is immediately taken with this new, fragile girl. He becomes determined to show Jaynie there is more to life than hurt and pain. Unfortunately, this new home they live in, one that promised to be a haven for unwanted kids, is more like a living hell.
So what do you do when you’re trapped and there’s no way out?
What if you fall in love and protecting the other person becomes the most important thing in your life?
What if something unthinkable happens, testing your love, and the stakes are raised higher than ever? Will you come out unscathed? Can today’s promises be kept? Or will they simply become more of tomorrow’s lies?
Tomorrow’s Lies is a beautiful story of an all-consuming love and broken people building a family out of nothing. It’s about never giving up, even in the face of adversity.
Note: NO cliffhanger!
“I didn’t mean for it to ever apply to us, Jaynie,” Flynn says.
“But, it could. We can’t predict the future.”
“Stop it,” he pleads.
I back off, whisper a gentle, “You’ll find me, then?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Say it again.”
“Jaynie…”
Flynn scrubs his hands down his face, then tilts his head back to stare up at the starless night. His eyes are wet, glistening.
He is breaking right along with me.
Review: BREAKING FAITH by @HeyitsmeJoy #romance

Breaking Faith by Joy Eileen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Killer Characterization
I met author Joy Eileen on Twitter, where she seems fun and passionate. I’m not surprised her debut novel shares the same qualities.
Faith attends college and works at a coffee shop on campus when she meets hunky Jason, her “knight in coffee justice”. Despite the niggling discomfort she feels in Jason’s presence, they end up moving in together, and his control over her becomes complete. She tiptoes around trying to avoid his wrath, but he is the one responsible for cutting her down with his words and fists.
When she can’t take it anymore, she escapes to meet her friends at a bar where a local band, The Jackholes, plays. Faith feels drawn the the lead singer, Killian. She jumps into help the harried waitress, in the process revealing her bruised arms (to her friends’ horror). Kill gets Faith a job as server and a home at his place, to keep her safe from Jason.
Most of the time I dislike scruffy, tatted heroes, but Kill is a dream man. He’s not a boorish alpha by any means. His reputation as a man ho goes out the window once he meets Faith. Faith can’t deny her attraction to him, but is wary of getting hurt again. He had a sweet, vulnerable side to him he kept hidden. It was because of that side, I needed to avoid him. I already determined he would break my heart if I didn’t stay away.
Their banter is hilarious.
We walked to a huge monstrous black truck. I had to practically pole vault into the cab. “Nice truck. Overcompensating?” I asked, glancing at the juncture between his legs.
Kill’s laugh was amazing. The rumbling in his chest made my traitorous nipples harden.
Kill is spot on when he tells Faith:
“As your friend I have to say you have an uncanny knack for attracting the biggest poseurs, douche bags, and tools. You’re like a beacon.” Kill looked up to the ceiling as if he was praying for patience. “You know you look hot. It’s like you added an extra strength light bulb to your douche beacon. Every douche for miles will be lined up.”
The unresolved sexual tension between Faith and Kill about killed me. I grew to care about Faith and want good things for her.
I did have some quibbles about this book. It needs tightening of the plot and exposition. For how long it is, I expected more resolution of major plot lines. I don’t mind cliffhangers but I think it would work better to include the excerpt of the next book as the ending of this one, to give readers some relief from the UST.
A fun, readable debut romance!
View all my reviews
Check out the Facebook release party–giveaways close August 21.
New Release: BREAKING FAITH by Joy Eileen @HeyItsMeJoy #rocker #romance
***Coming soon: My rocker romance review!***
Breaking Faith
The JackholeS series part 1
by Joy Eileen
Synopsis
NOW LIVE!!
Grab your copy here:
About the author
Cover Reveal: Degrade by TL Smith @LsmithT #Romance
One rule, only one rule women need to follow when they’re with me.
Don’t ask for more.
This rule is in place for a reason, you won’t get more of what’s not there to give.
Bexley
He is striking, and he’s all man. He is also the devil, or so I believe him to be. I gave him my heart, not realizing I was doing so. He likes to break me down, so I’m a shell of the person I once was. He’s chipping away at me, bit by bit. Though I’m not as weak as he thinks, and when I can’t handle it anymore, I will come back swinging.
TROUBLE ME by @BeckAndersonID : Review and Interview #song #titles
Today I welcome author and friend Beck Anderson to the blog to review her latest release Trouble Me (Fix You #2) and ask her about her intriguing series titles!
Trouble Me by Beck Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love Lasts Through Life’s Troubles
Beck Anderson’s debut novel Fix You was a 5 star read for me. I wasn’t the only one who loved the story as evidenced by its nomination for two RITA awards. Its sequel Trouble Me keeps up the humor and depth, even adding in a suspense element, as Kelly and Andrew’s relationship progresses.
Boise was an unusual setting for book one, and in this story we visit the raw, rough Oregon coast as well as more urban settings like NYC and LA.
When movie star Andrew drives his girlfriend Kelly and her two sons to Oregon, he feels choked up by emotion:
I feel full to bursting. I have a family. A beautiful family. I have this girl, this glorious woman to the right of me now, who let me into her life when I probably least deserved it.
The abundance almost makes me scared.
I’ve never had so much to lose before.
That’s a great setup for what’s to come. And at that point Andrew doesn’t know he’ll have even more to lose when his family expands.
Meanwhile, Kelly continues her passion for running, which led her to meet Andrew in the first place.
Whenever I go on walks or runs, I stake out the neighborhood, figure out which house I’d claim as mine.
I TOTALLY do that! There’s one house in a nearby neighborhood I’ve stalked for years.
One of my favorite parts of the story is the marriage proposal running gag. After a lame first attempt, Andrew decides to make it fun:
He pulls out the twist tie from the hot dog bun package. It’s twisted in the shape of a ring. “Kelly Reynolds, will you marry me?”
I laugh and hold out my hand. “Where’s the Eye of the Tiger?”
“I’ve arrived at a brilliant idea. I’m going to propose multiple times — so many times you can’t stand it. And you won’t be able to tell which is the official, last, ‘real’ proposal.”
As his father says, “Andrew never can do something without a production. We knew from the time he was five he’d be an actor.” Ha ha.
The proposals are clever and funny. Perhaps a subtitle for this story could be “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”.
I also laughed at the incident in the trailer when Andrew and Kelly pull a prank on a mean actress. When the trailer’s rockin’, don’t come-a-knockin’!
Things get more serious when somebody obsessed with Andrew tries to kill him. I had a good inkling who Crazy was from the get-go, based on the strangeness of conversations between the characters. The ending was quite suspenseful.
I love the idea of titling the books after songs, and the title I heard for book three sounds great!
View all my reviews
And now we hear from Beck about her book titles!
Why I picked the song titles I did:
Fix You – The idea that someone needed to be “fixed” after she was broken was intriguing to me, and the song is basically how Chris Martin is trying to fix his grieving lover after the death of a loved one. I think the key is that he says, “I will try to fix you.” Everybody wants to make things better for another person, to fix it for her when she is struggling or for him when he is struggling. But what became kind of a central theme for me in the book Fix You is that all people are broken and flawed in some way. That’s the human condition – that’s what life does to us. Life’s not easy. But how you move forward is not by being fixed, but by loving someone. So that’s where that song came into play. It just really seemed to speak to the theme of the novel but in an unexpected way.
Trouble Me – Another song title that maybe feels like it means one thing initially but also means another. In conversation it means “can I trouble you for some help” – can I bother you? And the song, by 10,000 Maniacs, basically takes that meaning a step further – lean on me, trouble me and burden me with your problems when you need help. I really liked that because in a relationship that deepens, like Kelly and Andrew’s does in book two, you have to lean on each other, and you can’t keep your troubles from the other person. You have to be brave enough to be vulnerable, to be “needy.” The other connotation is that there will be trouble in Trouble Me, and I liked that, too, because things get complicated, dare I say, dangerous, in the book.
Use Somebody – There’s a theme going on here. When I first heard this song by Kings of Leon I thought it was about a total jerk who “used” women up and cast them aside. But if you listen to the lyrics, it’s actually someone who could “use somebody” in his life – he needs someone. The lyrics are actually really sweet. The person works hard to be someone who the other person could “use,” too, i.e., be the kind of person this woman would need or want in her life. Not surprisingly, I feel like this play on the phrase is PERFECT for this story, because it centers on Jeremy, Andrew’s agent, meeting a woman when the boys are on a “man-cation” flyfishing in Eastern Idaho. Is Jeremy simply “using” the person he meets or could he really “use” someone like her?
Since we’re talking about Use Somebody, here’s a sneak peek:
My name is Jeremy King, and I am one of the most powerful agents in Hollywood.
I may or may not have a best friend. I may not have any friends past that at all.
Don’t feel sorry for me, or I will kick you in the balls.
This may be why I have no friends.
But let me tell you what I do have.
I own a Tesla Model S, white. I paid cash for a house in the Hollywood Hills that Bela Lugosi built and Ava Gardner lived in. If you don’t know who these people are, you are a dumb ass and should go look them up right now if I am supposed to put up with you for the rest of the book.
I’ll wait for you to put some of their movies in your cart on Amazon. You can watch them later.
I mean, really. Ava Gardner was married to Frank Sinatra, for Christ’s sakes. Please don’t tell me you haven’t heard of him.
You should stop reading now, too, if you have any illusions that in finding any kind of love, I will change in some way and sprout a heart of gold. The only gold I have is on my wrist – Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, thank you very much.
I am a loyal friend. I take care of people who take care of me.
I am fierce, and I am the fiercest in my field. Do not cross me.
And I have everything I want.
Go away if you think I’m going to have one of those scenes where I look out at the ocean and feel all hollow and run through the rain to knock on some chick’s door and profess my love to her.
I rep movie stars, but never once for a minute have I ever thought that life works the way movies do.
Wow, I can’t wait! Sounds awesome. Thanks, Beck.
New Release: BLIND LOVE by @Kishan_Paul #Romance #Review #Giveaway
Lauren is a psychologist who provides distance therapy (aka phone therapy) from her home. She’s a very independent woman, but she’s going blind. The funny thing about Lauren is that although she’s a psychologist who works in helping people, she doesn’t help herself. She’s so busy fighting the whole idea of having to be dependent on others that she keeps pushing everyone away. Well… before Gabe shows up.
Do you write from experience? Are your stories based on real people?
Blind Love was actually based on a prompt I did with a social media group I was in. We each had an hour and had to write a short story based on a blind neighbor. I had so much fun in that hour with Lauren and by the end of it, I knew I had to tell her story.
I’m a therapist in real life, but my stories are never about my clients or real people. Now there are real life issues in the story like anxiety, grief, and trauma.
I have this infatuation with emotions. The sadder the story, the more my heart aches, and the more I love it. My friends and even my husband will tell you the characters are based on them. I just nod and say sure. Why burst their bubble?
Where to buy:

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