Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Restless Spirits by Jordan L. Hawk

Summary:
After losing the family fortune to a fraudulent psychic, inventor Henry Strauss is determined to bring the otherworld under control through the application of science. All he needs is a genuine haunting to prove his Electro-Séance will work. A letter from wealthy industrialist Dominic Gladfield seems the answer to his prayers. Gladfield’s proposition: a contest pitting science against spiritualism, with a hefty prize for the winner.

The contest takes Henry to Reyhome Castle, the site of a series of brutal murders decades earlier. There he meets his rival for the prize, the dangerously appealing Vincent Night. Vincent is handsome, charming…and determined to get Henry into bed.

Henry can’t afford to fall for a spirit medium, let alone the competition. But nothing in the haunted mansion is quite as it seems, and soon winning the contest is the least of Henry’s concerns.

For the evil stalking the halls of Reyhome Castle wants to claim not just Henry and Vincent’s lives, but their very souls.


When you find yourself on the ground floor of a new series, it's a pretty great feeling.  To have it by an author you already love is pretty exciting.  But, to have it rival or at the very least a close second to said author's series that brought you to the author it's pretty darn amazing.  And that's what Restless Spirits have been for me.  It may not currently reach the level of giddiness I have for Miss Hawk's Whyborne & Griffith series, but Restless is well on it's way to being right up there and that's only after one book!  It hasn't even been a month since Henry and Vincent first debuted and already I'm longing for the next installment.  I love the way the author introduces us to both sides of the ghost detecting(to put it simply) business.  This story is filled with twists, sexy times, mystery, sexy times, ghosts, sexy times, okay maybe I'm over doing the sexy times but it's definitely very hot, very heart wrenching, funny at times, and of course paranormal suspense.

RATING: 

Not certain whether he should feel foolish or alarmed, he slunk across the balcony to the door of his chamber. But before he could open it, Henry Strauss emerged from the next room. Catching sight of Vincent, his eyes narrowed sharply. “How dare you!”

Vincent glanced about automatically, but Henry was no fool, and no one else stirred on the third floor at the moment. Well, if nothing else, sparring with Henry might provide him with a diversion from his fears. He leaned his shoulder casually against the frame of Henry’s door, looking down at Henry with only inches separating them.

Henry retreated, but only a little. His blue eyes flashed fire from behind the protective shield of his spectacles. Vincent had the sudden urge to pull them off, lean down, and kiss the frown off of Henry’s mouth.

“How dare I?” he asked instead. “You’ll have to be far more specific, as I’ve done so many things to offend you.”

Rather to his surprise, Henry grasped his arm and pulled him inside the room, shutting the door behind them. “You know what I’m talking about,” he said in a voice no less angry for its low pitch. “At the séance. When you…”

Vincent grinned at Henry’s reticence to speak the words aloud. “When I what? Put my hand on your cock?”

Henry’s nostrils flared. “Y-yes. Are you insane? What did you think to gain from—from manhandling me?”

“I’m insulted.” Vincent folded his arms over his chest. “My technique was far better than ‘manhandling,’ don’t you think?”


Author Bio:
Jordan L. Hawk grew up in the wilds of North Carolina, where she was raised on stories of haints and mountain magic by her bootlegging granny and single mother. After using a silver knife in the light of a full moon to summon her true love, she turned her talents to spinning tales. She weaves together couples who need to fall in love, then throws in some evil sorcerers and undead just to make sure they want it bad enough. In Jordan’s world, love might conquer all, but it just as easily could end up in the grave.





FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE  /  BLOG
ITUNES  /  AUTOGRAPH  /  CAFE PRESS  /  ARe
SMASHWORDS  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: jordanlhawk@gmail.com




AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N  /  KOBO  /  ITUNES


My Lea by E Mellyberry

Title: My Lea
Author: E Mellyberry
Series: A Broken Love Story #1
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult
Release Date: November 11th 2014

Summary:
A simple girl.

A broken guy.

One horrible incident.

When Lea Amelia landed her feet in San Francisco for her overseas study, her idea of freedom was simple, like eating junk food ten times a day, sitting in front of the TV in her PJs, or going out late with her friends without the need to check in with her mother constantly.

Then she met Andrew Jaya, her brothers’ best friend. A twenty-two-year-old guy whose physical appearance looked like he was crafted straight from God’s heavenly hands, but possessed a past as bleak as if it was drawn by Evil himself. A conflicted guy who wore sadness like nobody’s business beneath his mask, a perfect-looking mask she slowly peeled away.

He was also the guy who hurt her.

Suddenly, everything about her was no longer simple.

Andrew Jaya had convinced himself that not feeling was good for him. He’d been doing it splendidly for almost his entire life. But that was before his best friend’s sister stepped into his life and ruined it. After weeks of knowing Lea, all of those warm and wonderful feelings he’d long ago denied to himself started to reappear. Problem was, the brighter the light, the bigger the shadows that came with it.

His traumatic past refused to let him go.

When the unthinkable happened, the easiest thing to do was to run. But life often proves that the easiest way is usually the hardest.


I had a hard time getting into this book at first but I never give up on a book once I start it.  I'm glad I stuck with it.  The characters are well written even if not all are as likeable as they should be.  Andrew really didn't grab my heart as much as he could have or should have.  Lea, however, did touch my heart, although not as much as I expected her to.  I was able to enjoy the book even if the characters weren't up to my liking on every page.  The plot, the scenes, and scenarios the characters were in are well scripted that I could see the things happening as clearly as if I was watching it out my front window.  I look forward to keeping an eye on this author in the future.

RATING:


What is your ideal getaway or vacation and what would the perfect first day include?
There are only two places on Earth I love the most: big city and beach. If those two happen to be in the same spot, PARADISE!

Something about the life in big cities draws me in. The noise, the lights, the bustling and shoving sidewalks, the energy that never dies. Everyone, everything is so busy, busy, busy. I don’t like getting busy with it though. I prefer just to stand a little bit to the side and watch. First thing I usually do once I arrive at a new place is to find a nearby restaurant or coffee shop. It’s my way to unwind. Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok are my favorite big cities in Asia. I love New York, San Francisco, London, and Barcelona. I’d love to visit Tokyo one day. Just like Andrew said in MY LEA, spring in Japan is breathtaking. The nature knows how to balance and soften the city life.  

Then we have beaches. What not to love about beaches? I love Bali the most, maybe because I live nearby, so it’s very convenient for me to visit it as often as I like. Nusa Dua Beach Bali is exquisite, private, and clean. In my younger days, I would stay on the beach from morning until evening. I still do. Over the years, I’ve perfected the art of ‘doing nothing’ on the beach, just me and the sand. Me and the blue sky, the sun, and the breeze.  


Author Bio:
Melly is a full-time mom, wife, and fangirl. She used to work in a school and she’s very passionate about education.

Melly has been writing children’s books since 2011 under the name mellyberry. She loves reading all kinds of books in her spare time, mostly MG, YA, NA, contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. She avoids horror and sci-fi as much as she can.

Melly was born in Indonesia and grew up in a multi-language environment. When she talks to people, she could accidentally string words from different languages into one sentence. When she does that, simply reminds her to speak properly.

Her ideal vacation always involves a beach; usually it’s the Nusa Dua beach, Bali. She spent a few years in USA to complete her Master degree. It was during that time that she’d fallen madly in love with San Francisco and the Bay Area. According to her, San Francisco is no doubt the most romantic city in the world.


FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  BLOG  /  GOODREADS






Brought to you by:

One Night with Her Roommate by Noelle Adams

Title: One Night with her Roommate
Author: Noelle Adams 
Series: One Night novellas #5
Publication date: January 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Summary:
Ever since her former roommates deserted her, Meg has had to share an apartment with a lazy, obnoxious ass. He won’t pick up after himself, and he refuses to get a good job. Plus, he doesn’t always wear enough clothes—which is really a problem, because he’s hot.

Maybe he’s occasionally funny. And every now and then he can be sweet. But mostly he’s just annoying. It doesn’t matter how much he’s starting to flirt with her—Meg is going to resist. She’s way too smart to fall for a guy who never takes anything seriously.

But then everything changes in only one night...


#1
     “What’s the matter?” East asked in a different tone. He was still studying her face, and he seemed to see a lot more than he should, despite his lazy insouciance.
     “Nothing,” she snapped, annoyed mostly at herself for being bothered so much at the thought of moving out. Her eyes dipped down again to discover that he was a little more erect than he’d been before. In response to the hot flash she felt, she added, “Would you mind putting that thing away?” She waved in the general direction of his groin, carefully keeping her gaze from settling there again.
He glanced down, as if surprised. Then he gave her a hot grin. “Where would you like me to put it?”
     “Put it behind a towel or something.”
     “And have a little respect. He’s not an ‘it’, you know.”
     She had to choke back a laugh at his exaggeratedly aggrieved tone. “It’s a ‘he,’ is it? Does he have a name?”
     “Of course.” East glanced down at himself and then back up to her face. “His name is South.”
     There was no way Meg could hide the ripple of laughter at this ironic tone. She could see that East was smiling, as if he was pleased he’d amused her so much.
     “Well, would you please put South away? Normal people don’t parade around naked, you know.”
     “You’re the one who barged in here.” He was still smiling, but he wrapped his towel around his waist, hiding the part in question.
     “And I don’t even want to know what you were doing in here on your own with a hard-on.” To hide her embarrassment as it hit home that she was with East naked, she made her voice even dryer than normal.
     He chuckled again. “I was thinking about you, of course. And then you came in wearing nothing but my t-shirt and messy hair, looking like a wet dream, so it’s like my fantasies came to life.”

#2
     She started to dig into her purse for her keys, but she looked up to check out his expression. He looked uncharacteristically quiet. And his tone was uncharacteristically gentle as he asked, “You okay?”
     “Of course,” she replied, trying to sound natural and peppy. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
     “I don’t know. You tell me.”
     “I’ve got nothing to tell you,” she said with a frown, feeling a familiar impatience return, since he was acting like he knew something of what she was feeling. “I’m happy for them. It’s great news.”
     “Of course, it is. But that doesn’t mean happy is all you feel at hearing the news.”
     She frowned, but her heart was starting to beat quickly, as if something important was about to happen. “Why would I be anything but happy for them?”
     He stepped into her in a way that pressed her back against the door to her car. He braced a hand on the car beside her shoulder so he was kind of trapping her in place. But his expression wasn’t sexy or flirtatious. It was knowing and intimate somehow. “Maybe you’re kind of disappointed it’s not you.”
     She gasped. “I’ve never had the slightest interest in Jake. Not the slightest!”
     “I know that,” he murmured with a smile, his eyes almost caressing her face. “I meant maybe you’re disappointed that the engagement, the wedding, the marriage, the whole rosy fairytale isn’t happening to you.”
     “Well, I’m not. I’m perfectly happy not being married.” It was the truth, so she could say it with wide eyes and no dissemblance.
     His expression shifted, got a little warmer in a way she was very familiar with. “So you don’t secretly have daydreams about settling down in domestic bliss with me?”
     Her pulse was throbbing wildly from his closeness and from the continued intimacy of his gaze, but she couldn’t keep a giggle from bubbling up. “You’re the last guy I’d daydream about domestic bliss with.”
     “Ah, it must be other kinds of bliss I’m giving you in your daydreams.”
     She flushed hot as his eyes were suddenly all about sex. All. About. Sex.
     It took a minute for her recover, but her voice was mostly even when she said, “You don’t star in any of my daydreams. That’s your overinflated ego talking.” She clutched at the strap of her purse with both hands, since she desperately wanted to touch East’s chest.
     It was only a couple of inches away.

#3
     “I want to stay here.”
     “Okay.” Meg tried very hard—and not very successfully—not to feel pleased by this decision. “Well, at least go to bed. You don’t look…good.”
     He gave a huff of amusement. “Thanks a lot.”
     “I just mean you look tired.” She reached up and pressed her palm against his rough jaw. “You look tired.”
     “I am tired.” He leaned his face into her hand.
     “Do you have a headache?” she asked, trying to make sense of the pained tension she saw on his face.
     “Yeah.”
     “So go to bed.” She felt deep and tender and protective, as if he were hers to take care of.
     “I want you to come to bed with me.” His voice was slightly hoarse, and his eyes suddenly blazed with something that looked like need, like hunger, something far deeper than lust.
     It thrilled her and terrified her both. She dropped her hand. “East, I can’t—“
     He reached up and took her face in both of his hands. “I want you tonight.”
     God help her, she wanted him too. So much. So deeply. So desperately. The emotions ran through her so powerfully she swayed on her feet.
     But she’d been smart for too many years, and she couldn’t throw it all away now. She took a step back with a hitch in her breath. “I can’t.”
     East’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Yeah,” he murmured, turning away and opening the refrigerator to pull out a beer. “That’s probably right.”
     He popped the cap and then took his beer to sit on the couch. He kind of collapsed there, sprawled out over all three cushions. He looked so weary—almost wounded—that Meg simply couldn’t leave him alone.
     She might wish that he didn’t come onto her at inappropriate times—in inappropriate ways—but she couldn’t seem to resent him.
     Her brain told her that she should, but in this her brain had to be ignored.


Author Bio:
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.

She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.


FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE



AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N



Brought to you by: