Peacock necklace $5 + $3 shipping

.Reader and Author Get Together

The Story Guy

The Story Guy by Mary Rivers
File Size: 1492 KB
Print Length: 131 pages
Publisher: Loveswept (July 8, 2013)
Sold by: Random House LLC
ASIN: B00BKK6FLC

Librarian Carrie West is scrolling through personal ads when she sees one placed by a user named Gear Tattoo who is looking for someone to meet him in the park on Wednesdays for kissing. Carrie loves her job as the "Liberrian" but longs for love in her life. Gear Tatttoo is Brian Newburgh who has promised kissing only on the Wednesday dates which will stop if either person stops coming to their dates.

Carrie and Brian are strongly attracted to each other but Brian has a secret. Carrie soon wants more from Brian than the kissing sessions he had promised but his secret is coming between them. Then one day Brian's secret is revealed in a way neither could have anticipated.

Mary Ann Rivers has written an very emotionally touching story about a couple who have to learn to love. I really felt the connection between Brian and Carrie.

Want to win a Kindle!! Read for more details below.

We are giving away 2 Kindles!!

The first one is available via the rafflecopter below. The 2nd is available only to bloggers who post about this giveaway. You can find info on how to enter in the rafflecopter.

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)

Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".

All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)

 

Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

 

Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)

 

 

Giveaway Sponsors:

I Am A Reader
Feed Your Reader
Inspired Kathy
Ripple Effect Romance Series
Author M.A. George
The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something year Old Girl
Meredith & Jennifer's Musings
Owl Always Be Reading
Author Jennifer Laurens
Bonnie Blythe's Pure Romance
Bella Street's Weird Romance
Author Jennifer Faye
Good Choice Reading
Reviews from a Bookworm
Barbara Silkstone
Rae Z. Ryans, Author
The Stubby Pencil
Author David Pandolfe
Hallowed Ink Press
Author Louise Caiola
The Reporter and The Girl
More Than a Review
Kathryn Jones
Once Upon a Twilight
Author Jason Parent
Author Amanda Tru
Author Cidney Swanson
Paige W. Pendleton
Claudia Burgoa
P.M. Richter - author
RoAnna Sylver
Tigris Eden
The Bloggers Nest
J.L. Weil
The Cheap Ebook
Luthando Coeur
Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke
Author Alecia Stone
KellysLuckyYou
Rebecca Talley
Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Simple Wyrdings
Tressa's Wishful Endings
Paranormal book Club (PBC)
Author Stephanie Faris
Author Inger Iversen
Author Theresa DaLayne
Where The Broken Lie by Derek Rempfer
Bound 4 Escape
Author Laura Diamond

 

Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Giveaway here:

http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups

 

Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7".

Ends 3/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Turned by Virna DePaul

Turned by Virna DePaul

Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Bantam (April 1, 2014)
Sold by: Random House LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00FO5YGCY

As an FBI special agent Ty Duncan was captured and turned into a vampire against his will. He hates being a vampire! He was recruited to work for the super secret Belladonna Agency and his task now is to persuade Ana Marin to work for the agency. In front of Ana he dangles the one key which might persuade her to join Belladonna – to find her long lost sister Gloria. Belladonna wants agents to infiltrate a secret group which masquerades as an aid organization to assist new Spanish speaking immigrants to the US. Their secret agenda is turning humans in to vampires. According to vampire laws, it is illegal to turn humans into vampires but there are rogues vampires who are doing just that.

Ana Martin is a former gang member who has spent time in prison but has become a coffee shop owner since her release. She has become a very independent, strong woman. She has never forgotten or given up hope of finding her sister Gloria. When she meets Ty there is an instant attraction but he believes she could never want him once she knows he is a vampire.

Belladonna wants agents to infiltrate a secret group which masquerades as an aid organization to assist new Spanish speaking immigrants to the US. Their secret agenda is turning humans in to vampires. According to vampire laws, it is illegal to turn humans into vampires but there are rogue vampires who are doing just that.

This is the first book in Virna DePaul's new series Belladonna and I am looking forward to the next book. I enjoyed reading the interactions between Ty and Ana. Their relationship was not without problems as they began to know each other. The sex was hot!

ARC provided by Netgalley

Crocheted necklace $6
Shipping $3

Wicked Wild Eden by Lynette Vinet

      File Size:500 KB
      Print Length: 279 pages
      Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
      Publisher: Steel Magnolia Press (July 18, 2013)
      Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
      Language: English

      Eden Flynn met her husband Shamus in the brothel where she worked as a bookkeeper. Upon his death she inherited his share of a gold mine in New Zealand which was partly owned by Shamus' nephew Damon. She traveled to New Zealand to claim her share only to discover that Damon's nephew didn't want her there because he thought she was a gold digging witch like his deceased wife. Eden had no intention of falling in love with Damon.

     Damon misjudged Eden more than once. He thought she was after his money like his first wife Tessa and he also assumed that since she had worked in a brothel she was experienced in sex. Far from it. Eden was virgin when he took her to bed where after making love Eden immediately mentions love and marriage.

      Then there is Jock who is a wealthy, sophisticated landowner who decides that Eden should be his and he sets out to estrange her from Damon by bringing back Damon's deceased wife, Tessa.

        Eden's innocence regarding sex seemed a bit over done. Even if she was the bookkeeper in brothel it seems that she would have overheard some conversation regarding sexual desires between men and women. The New Zealand setting was a good setting change from the usual historicals set in England.

After The Kiss

After the Kiss (Sex, Love and Stiletto)

File Size: 1266 KB
Print Length: 232 pages
Publisher: Loveswept (August 26, 2013)
Sold by: Random House LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00BRUQ7JK

Julie Greene is a journalist working for one Manhattan's trendiest magazines. Her reputation is to never reach the stage of staying home to watch movies as a date night. Her editor gives her the assignment of finding someone to date to actually reach that stage. Who can she find to conduct her experiment? Enter Mitchell Forbes.

Mitchell Forbes has had relationships that tend to be long lasting commitments. A co-worker bets Mitchell that he can't become involved in a short term relationship and then end it. What's at stake? Season tickets for the Yankees.

After the Kiss is a fast, fun, sexy read with good character development and witty dialogue I recommend this story. Lauren Layne gave great insight into both Julie's and Mitchell's feelings as their relationship progressed.

Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Camelot

File Size:1838 KB

• Print Length:416 pages
• Publisher:Loveswept (March 11, 2013)
• Sold by:Random House LLC
• Language:English
• ASIN:B009CGE8II

Ellen Callahan is a single mother and sister to rock star Jamie Callahan. During her childhood she had been forced by her mother to make Jamie to become successful. Now she lives next door to Jamie's former girlfriend Carly who is pregnant. Both Ellen and Carly are under surveillance by the paparazzi and Jamie's security firm hires Caleb Clark, former Army MP, to protect them.

The problem is that Ellen treasures her independence from her alcholic ex-husband who never met a woman he didn't like. She is determined to raise her son Henry on her own and believes that there is nothing that can't handle. She disagrees with Caleb on every security measure he wants to implement for her.

When Jamie returns to town woo Carly. after deciding that he was missing out on a family life by being on the road the attention heats up with paparazzi all over Ellen and Carly's neighborhood in Camelot, Ohio. Carly's grandmother is a feisty character who enjoys watching Jamie's attempts to get back into Carly's good graces.

There is also Caleb's family and this book has a story arc for Katie, Caleb's sister. Hopefully hers is the next book as I like Katie and want her to have a story. I admired Caleb's determination in going after Ellen but her resistance to Caleb's attempts to protect her was too overbearing at times. Atthough, Caleb seemed too patient with Ellen while she fought herself and him trying to decide their relationship.

A copy of this book was provided by Net Galley,

Hot Cops

Arrested By Love: A Loveswept Contemporary Erotic Romance by Virna DePaul

Publisher: Loveswept Contemporary (May 27, 2013)

Review copy provided by Net Galley

Virna DePaul's Arrested by Love features three novellas under one cover. The novellas are connected by the heroes who are police officers and two of the novellas include menage scenes.

"Copping to It" is the story of Claire and Ty who go some extremes to protect their undercover work. Claire is a journalist who has been profiling a gang while Ty is an undercover detective working within the gang. Claire and Ty had a previous relationship which she ended because she was afraid to reveal her naughtier side to Ty. In spite of danger from the gang, Claire and Ty can't keep their hands off each other. Ty even invites his partner Luke to join them in a menage.

"Cop Appeal" features Sarah and Luke who had previously been lovers. Sarah married another cop and divorced him when he showed how abusive he could be. His abuse even led to him stalking Sarah. Again, this story has a menage with Luke's colleague Noah.

"Copping Attitude" is about Jenna and Noah. Noah has wanted to know Jenna better for weeks but she is the survivor of a sexual assault and she wants revenge on her attacker. Noah is a compassionate lover who shows her that men can be tender.

The emotional connections between the lovers in each novella were clearly descrbied drawing me into each story. While I enjoyed all three novellas, it was Jenna and Noah's story which touched me th most. The care he took with her not to frighten her in their first sexual encounter made this a heart warming story.

The Last Kiss Goodbye

The Last Kiss Goodbye by Karen Robards

• Series: Charlotte Stone
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (August 13, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345535820
• ISBN-13: 978-0345535825
  Review copy provided by Netgalley

Dr. Charlotte Stone “Charlie” is a serial killer researcher who sees ghosts. As a girl she had her first encounter with a serial killer who murdered her friend's family. When a young woman escapes from a serial killer and ends up at Charlie's door she becomes involved with the investigation conducted by the FBI as the serial killer known as “The Gingerbread Man” is also after Charlie.

FBI agent Tony Bartoli and Charlie have been dating but there will be little time for dating as they try to capture “The Gingerbread Man” before he chooses his next victims.  Charlie has

 another complication because she sees ghosts.  She has her own personal ghost, Michael, 

who she  alternately pushes away and then pulls back to her. Michael was part of her research and he is  determined to stick around with Charlie.  He is jealous of the relationship developing between Charlie and Tony and makes no secret of it.

The FBI and Charlie must act quickly to locate the serial killer before he kills again.  Charlie's    emotional attachment to Michael continues to deepen even though her more rational mind tells her that Tony should be the one she chooses since he is a flesh blood man, not a ghost.  

I really liked Michael as he searched for a ways to assist Charlie with investigation.  There werealso some steamy scenes between Charlie and Michael.  The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat trying to determine who the serial killer might be.  I am hoping there will be a

third book as I would like to read more about Charlie and Michael.    

The Silver Chain

The Silver Chain (Unbreakable Trilogy, Book 1) by Primula Bond

Publisher: Mischief, (January 7, 2014)

ISBN-10: 000752417X

ISBN-13: 978-0007524174

Serena left the seaside town of Devon where she had grown up for a new life in London. Prior to arriving in London, she used inherited money from her abusive guardians to finance her new life of traveling from city to city, photographing people along the way. On her first night in London she meets powerful art gallery owner Gustav Levi. Gustav at first mistakes her for a boy until she reveals her hair hidden underneath a cap.

Gustav offers her a contract to display her photographs. To seal their contract, Gustav gives her a silver chain. While Serena wants a deeper emotional relationship with Gustav but he is still haunted by the memory of his ex wife who betrayed him. Gustav hasn't been attracted to any other woman since his ex-wife Margot left him, but Serena awakens his emotions.

This book was very wordy at times. It didn't keep my attention at first but I continued reading. It did improve and kept my attention. This book is labeled as BDSM but it is light. Also, the use of British terms sometimes made me pause in my reading to look up definitions. There is a cliffhanger.

Review copy provided by Netgalley.

A Vampire's Salvation

ebook

Publisher: Loveswept (April 22, 2013)
Review copy provided by www.netgalley.com

Jake Rios is the governor's head of security and a vampire who wants equal rights for vampires.  He recognized Francesca Stewart as his mate as soon as he saw her.  Jake has waited a long time for the woman who would become his mate.  He wants her to know that he is a trustworthy man but how can he when an unknown enemy seeks to destroy their fragile relationship.

Francesca Stewart has been attracted since she had first seen him.  She still suffered from the emotional and physical scars of a past relationship and was reluctant to become romantically involved with any man. 

Jake and Francesca were well-developed characters and  Jake certainly turned out to be a sigh worthy hero as protected Francesca from an unknown enemy.  I empathized with Francesca's ability to overcome the past and begin a relationship with Jake. I greatly enjoyed this novella and hope that Virna DePaul is writing the next installment

Carly Phillips giveaway!

https://www.facebook.com/CarlyPhillipsFanPage?sk=app_228910107186452&app_data

Unrealistic Expectations

I just watched a segment on The Doctors in which Fifty Shades was praised but other romance novels were put down as being too unrealistic because the characters don't use condoms and they give women unrealistic expectations.  I don't know what romance novels they have been reading but many of the contemporary romance novels that I read feature the use of condoms.  I have also read historical novels in which French letters were used.  I also have never experienced unrealistic expectations from reading romance novels.  

They gave credit to Fifty Shades of Gray for encouraging women to open up about what they want in bed.  How is this book realistic?  It's based on fan fiction which was based on the Twilight books.  Are sparkly vampires paired with whiny teenage girls realistic?  Is it realistic for a possessive  millionaire to buy the company for which his girlfriend works so he can keep tabs on her?  He is a control freak!!

Speaking of unrealistic! How are unrealistic are the James Bond movies?  Does every international dress daily in a tuxedo while sipping martinis and driving very expensive cars? James Bond is also sexism at it's finest.  He has a different voluptuous, beautiful woman as a love interest in every movie.  Even Dr. Ordon said James Bond wouldn't stop to put on a condom.  Romance novels end with Happily Ever After, but James Bond is a man slut who goes from woman to woman.  

I have enough reality living my life every day and I don't need it in my books which I read for escapism.  

It Started That Night by Virna DePaul

• Paperback
• Publisher: Harlequin Books 2012-04-17 (2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373277768
• ISBN-13: 978-0373277766

John Tyler returned to his hometown as a cop and he has never forgotten the beautiful young Lily Cantrell who had a crush on him as a teenager and she was his sister's best friend.  Lily was scarred by the murder of her mother fifteen years ago.  When John and Lily see each other again they soon realize the attraction of fifteen years ago is still there between them.  As John investigates a serial murder case he realizes that there are connections to the murder of Lily's mother.

 Virna DePaul kept me guessing until the end about the identity of the murderer.  I loved the sexual tension between John and Lily as they learned to know each other again and develop a closer relationship.  

In Love with Paris in Love

Paris in Love

      ISBN-13: 9780679604440

      Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

       Publication date: 4/3/2012

      Sold by: Random House

      Format: eBook

      Pages: 272

I

  

Paris in Love is a look into Eloisa James's life in Paris with her family. The book opens with Eloisa talking about her struggle with cancer.   Reading the memories made me want to return to Paris and visit my favorite places as well as the places that are new to me from the memoir.  The book is a collection of Ms. James’ Facebook posts, tweets and essays.  It is divided into easy to read chunks so that you can pick it up and put it down.  Her descriptions are vivid enough that I could picture it as I was reading (I’ve been there four times).

There are laugh out loud moments as she describes her children’s experiences with French school and adapting to Parisian culture.  I enjoyed her insight into the way French women dress and view themselves. 

I can identify with so much of this book.  I am a cancer survivor and a Francophile!! My own trip to Paris this summer was inspired by my own cancer diagnosis in 2008.   I love Paris!! There is no other city like it.   Reading the memories made me want to return to Paris and visit my favorite places as well as the places that are new to me from the memoir. When I return to Paris I will take along Paris in Love so I can visit some the places that James visited. I should have read it before my own trip to Paris in June.