A Prior Engagement

  

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Living in a world built on pretenses, Everleigh Wright discovers how carefully orchestrated her Upper East Side life has been. Trapped in an arrangement for social prestige and financial gain, she finds life is not as idyllic as she once thought.
William Ryder leads a life rich in family support and endless determination. While attending university in Manhattan, he becomes enamored with a classic beauty who holds many secrets beneath her quiet propriety. William falls head over heels crazy for her, and she falls for him and his unfaltering optimism and kindness.
William and Everleigh may come from different worlds, but their attraction is instant and their love undeniable. Hoping love conquers all, they will find out if their love is unstoppable when faced with the consequences of breaking a prior engagement.
“Right here, right now is all that matters.”

Review

****This book was part of a blog tour I received a copy for my honest review****

The synopsis does a great job of summarizing the book so I am going to dive right into my review, this book was really hard for me to rate, parts of it were really good but other parts were outrageously bad. I loved how the story is told in third person, it you a broader picture of the story. William was a great guy, he has a great work ethic and his loyalty to family and friends is inspiring. Everleigh had a completely different upbringing yet she shares the same values and beliefs as William, the two of them have to push boundaries to stay together. There is no doubt that this author is a great writer, I just had problems with her being overly descriptive. I am all for setting the scene and getting things right but it becomes a problem when it takes a several sentences to a paragraph to describe something that could have been said in a few words. Other than that this was a good read and I will be checking out other books by this author. 

 

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Emma: Wild and Wanton Edition

 

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Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley won the literary world’s heart 200 years ago when Jane Austen first penned the story of their friendship-turned-love. Emma is the young, rich, beautiful heroine with too much time on her hands and an overactive imagination; Mr. Knightley is her long-suffering friend who is always trying to steer her in the right direction. Their love story is one of deep, dedicated affection blooming into passion. But what about all of that sexual tension that crackles in the subtext? In this Wild and Wanton edition of Austen’s classic, Emma and Mr. Knightley burn up the pages as they give in to their baser natures. Discover the sexy scenes that readers of Emma have been imagining between Austen’s lines since 1815.

Excerpt

Mr. Knightley smiled, and Emma noticed that his lips were distractingly full. It was the only thought she was capable of before he startled her by moving from the settee to the chaise to sit beside her. The movement was slight and one he had often made in the company of others, but Emma was of a sudden reminded that she and Mr. Knightley had not been alone together, as decorum and Miss Taylor had dictated, since Emma was perhaps fourteen. Perhaps decorum was in the right. The moment they were alone, Emma’s thoughts were running rampant.

Mr. Knightley leaned toward her slightly, and she unconsciously mirrored the movement. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he spoke. “Come,” said he a bit roughly, “you are anxious for a compliment, so I will tell you that you have improved her. You have cured her of her school-girl’s giggle; she really does you credit.”

His words momentarily penetrated her focus on the way his mouth moved as he talked. She realised he had complimented her. Emma could not have anticipated the warmth she felt in her cheeks any more than she could have anticipated his praise. He was not one to throw around flattery lightly. “Thank you. I should be mortified indeed if I did not believe I had been of some use; but it is not every body who will bestow praise where they may. You do not often overpower me with it.” The last had slipped from her lips unheeded, and Emma wished the words back again. She could not tell what had driven her to reveal that thought, and in such a tone as to betray an injury Emma did not want to admit feeling. Emma could only blame the odd state of her mind at present. If she were to ever have hope of keeping her composure for the rest of Mr. Knightley’s visit, she must keep a tight rein on her thoughts.

Mr. Knightley gazed at her intently. Those eyes that she now saw had flecks of green in them had heat swirling within. He was sitting extraordinarily close. The chaise was small and afforded no ample space. She could feel the heat of his skin through his breeches and her skirts. Her gaze dropped to her lap where her hands had fisted together quite on their own. Oh dear, she thought as she felt her thoughts slip her control.

 

Jane Austen is one of the most beloved authors of all time. She never married, and as far as we know, she died a virgin. More’s the pity. Micah Persell is the award-winning author of the paranormal romance series Operation: Middle of the Garden. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a double master’s degree in English pedagogy and literature, and she found particular delight in driving her professors to madness by imagining the characters’ salacious untold stories during class discussions of “serious literature.” She is beyond thrilled that the object of her professors’ horror is now her profession.
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Taking Shots ( Assassins #1) 18+

The following review is for 18+ readers.

Elli Fisher has never thought she was good enough, let it be her job, her weight, her love life, nothing. That is until she meets Shea Adler. After doing a promotional shoot for the NHL team, the Assassins, she meets the hunky hockey player who shoots a puck, shattering her world.
Shea Adler was tired of the life he was living outside of the rink. The girls, the money blowing, the drinking, everything had to stop and it all did when he met Eleanor Fisher. He had never met anyone like her. She was feisty, witty, shy, and simply gorgeous. When he laid eyes on her, it was as if he was taking the hardest hit of his life into the boards, and he had to have her. Elli is a little skeptical of Shea, but he knows that they were meant to be together, and he needed her in his life.
Can Elli throw her insecurities out the window and love Shea with everything inside of her, or will she let a past relationship, and her family ruin any chance of her being happy. 

Review

***I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review***
Horrible family members, a past illness and a crushing career disappointment has lead Ellie to believe she is not good enough. She has rebuilt her life but cannot help but still see herself as what she was. A pushover, fat and just totally ashamed of herself, even though none of these things were her fault.
Shea Adler, highly successful, sexy, hockey player sees Elli for who she is and likes what he sees. But can he convince her that she is worth it.
I really loved the first book in the Assassins series from Toni Aleo. The relationship development was believable and well paced. The troubles they faced, primarily Ellie's insecurities were, although extreme at times, were believable. Shea was an amazing man to read about, his patience and support of Ellie was inspiring and I really enjoyed his character.
Of course this series is based around a Hockey team called the Assassins and there are a multitude of wonderful characters that I am looking forward to reading about in the future. Even in this story we got a secondary romance between Ellie and Shea's best friend and this was just and added little bonus. This book was very well written and paced, my only complaint would be I wanted it to keep going. I wanted a little justice for Ellie, her mother needed a smack upside the head. Of course an little epilogue wouldn't have gone amiss :)
Great, sporting, romance book, I am really looking forward to more of the Assassins.

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Things Are Going To Slide

 

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In Things Are Going to Slide, Marilee Carson Cooper, daughter of a prominent southern family, teaches law and runs a law school legal aid clinic in the small Alabama town her family has inhabited for generations. But then things slip out of her control. She is pregnant with her second child when her husband leaves her for another man. She loses a coveted job--to her first love--that would ensure her financial security, and she is desperately trying to help a teen-age mother accused of murdering her baby. Described by one reader as "smart chick-lit/mom-lit,law-lit", and another as"the kind of book that makes you keep reading long after you meant to turn out the light."

Guest Post

For a little over a decade, I have taught in the clinical law program at one of the Washington, D.C. area law schools. That work experience is reflected in my newest novel, Things Are Going to Slide.
For those of you who have never heard of clinical law, a law clinic is a nonprofit law practice in a law school that serves the public interest. In most law clinics, law students represent clients and appear and argue in court pursuant to student practice rules. The dual goals of most clinical law programs are to teach skills and values to law students and to serve populations of individuals who otherwise wouldn’t be able to have lawyers. Most U.S. law schools offer legal clinics to their students in a broad array of subject matters and over the last few decades clinics have become an essential part of legal education. In the U.K., however, a much lower percentage of schools offer clinical education opportunities to their students (I don’t know what accounts for this difference).
If you’ve seen the movie Legally Blonde you might recall the scene where Elle Woods takes over the defense of her former exercise instructor and reads from the statute allowing her to practice law under the supervision of a practicing lawyer. Elle’s approach was somewhat unusual (to put it mildly). In clinics outside the world of movies, our students sign up for clinic as part of their third and last year of law school and professors instruct the students in the classroom and supervise them outside the classroom as the students embark on their first cases.
Although most U.S. law schools have legal clinics, different schools employ different types of clinic pedagogy. In Things Are Going to Slide, those differences became one of the conflicts between my heroine, Marilee, and her first love, Dwight, who betrayed her years earlier. Marilee’s clinic was non-directive, meaning that her students handled the cases largely on their own, with weekly meetings with their supervisor, Marilee. Dwight, who “stole” Marilee’s job promotion, was trained in a very directive model, in which the supervisor acts as the main lawyer on the case and the students are assistants.
The requirement that clinic professors publish law reviews like their peers who teach substantive courses also is part of the plot in Things Are Going to Slide. Marilee will lose her job if she doesn’t publish a law review article, a somewhat unfair requirement given that a clinical law professor not only teaches but also runs a law firm!
Another aspect of clinical law that became a significant part of the book was the clients and their stories. Almost every legal case involves someone in some kind of trouble. The stories clients tell their lawyers are often riveting and I wove several hypothetical legal stories into the plot of Things Are Going to Slide. Many of my readers think this aspect of the book lends itself to a sequel. Let me know what you think!

I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. After college in Atlanta, I moved to D.C. for law school. I never left D.C., much to my surprise, and, in between raising four children and writing books, I have practiced public interest law and corporate law, I have prosecuted anti-trust and criminal cases, and I have represented several white collar criminal defendants facing politically motivated charges in federal court. Most recently, I have taught a variety of courses at the Washington College of Law and done pro bono work on behalf of asylum and immigration client. Things Are Going to Slide is my second published novel. My first, No Defense, will be re-released as an e-book in the spring of 2013.
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Princess Miri: An Erotic Coming of Age Monster Romance 18+

The following review is for 18+ readers.

 

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Princess Miri is a bitch and the heir to the throne and she might have accidentally fallen in love with a monster.
It's common knowledge that everyone hates Miri, which is why it surprises her when her rival gives her a pet troll servant for her eighteenth birthday. Thump, as Miri names the husky monster, will do everything she asks. Or that's what she thinks.
When her demands lead to experimentation and sexual teasing, Miri realizes this isn't quite the case. One disobeyed order ends with a bang, literally, and her and Thump in an unclothed, carnal mess atop her now-broken bed.
A troll coupling with a human? Disgusting!
She should be furious! Irate! And maybe she is, but she's curious, too...
She never thought she could open up to anyone before, always believed she needed to act harsh and stern in order to ascend to the throne. Unfortunately for Miri, while she discreetly explores her taboo sexuality with Thump, someone's plotting to exploit her shameful secret and ruin the Princess's reputation...
Alluring, erotic, and playful. This provocative story of a Princess and her troll will delight you, entice you, and keep you excited long after you're done.
This book is intended for mature audiences

Review

****This book was part of a blog tour I received a copy for my honest review****
This book really is a delicious bit of fun.
Princess Miri as a self absorbed, narcissistic, spoiled brat of a princess. She cares for no one but herself. When she steals a friends boyfriend, she doesn't even realize what she has done and doesn't even think there would be any consequences. Said "friend" sends her a birthday present, a Troll, who Miri calls Thump. She takes him everywhere and eventually she is on a path to an erotic journey of another kind. But little does she know that her shameful little secret is about to become public knowledge.
Princess Miri's Erotic coming of age monster romance is really for readers with kinks of a different persuasion. With magical fairytale romance setting of royalty, servants and castles, trolls and centaurs, in an erotic book you can imagine where this is going. Thump and Miri's sexual exploration becomes the theme of the book and Miri's slow (very slow) realization that she may love her monster and not just lust after him. Miri's character is really hard to like but the book is so wacky and the things that come out of her mouth so outrageous and hilarious at times that it is hard to hate her.Thump is described as a hideous troll, yet he has more heart and feeling than Miri. I can't say I was really attached emotionally to the characters but they were definitely amusing and kept my attention.
I Iike my taboo monster romance books to be a bit light hearted and fun and this one definitely was. It helps to balance out the grotesque but somehow fascinating erotic scenes.
Which brings me to the erotic scenes. I never like to truly analyze what it is about monster porn books that pull me in, I guess I just like taboo romance because these sort of stories, usually include dubious consent and well just sex of a different sort. Princess Miri's story had all that I like in my "monster porn" and I will be looking forward to more from this author and more for Thump and Miri :)

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Centaur Rivalry

Centaur Rivalry Release Day Blitz!!

Today ‘s the day!!  Centaur Rivalry is available right now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.  It’s the third book in Nancy Straight’s Touched Series!

About Centaur Rivalry

The Centaur world is rocked as news spreads of the Lost Herd, Camille's existence, and her Centaur protector. A death order against Camille's father and family sends all into hiding.  Camille and Drake leave the country pursued by the Lost Herd as well as by Centaur Council enforcers. Camille's twin brother Cameron is manipulated by the Council Head and is quickly becoming her newest enemy. Amid unexpected new protectors, enemies, and romances, Camille and Drake make their plans to travel to Africa to confront the Centaur Council. They hope acceptance of Camille as Chiron's heir, yet knowing that her link to the Lost Herd could require them to kill or to be killed.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Centaur-Rivalry-Touched-Series-ebook/dp/B00CKU148K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367279922&sr=8-1&keywords=Centaur+Rivalry

Barnes &Noble Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/centaur-rivalry-nancy-straight/1046583005?ean=2940016784311

You can stalk Nancy here:

Twitter: @NancyStraight

Blog: http://authnancystraight.blogspot.com/

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Straight/243616005687882

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4114202.Nancy_Straight

So, what would be the ultimate giveaway for this blitz?  How about Paperback copies of Blood Debt, Centaur Legacy and Centaur Rivalry?

What? Not good enough? How about we have FIVE, count them FIVE, winners who will EACH win a paperback set!! Still not good enough??  

Man!! Okay, INTERNATIONAL WINNERS, TOO!!

Enter the Rafflecopter below.

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Boston Charity Book Giveaway

We are helping to spread the word about this amazing book giveaway that was created to aid the victims and families of the 2013 Boston Marathon Attack. Many best-selling authors have donated books in response to this cause. The books are grouped into bundle packs and a winner will be selected randomly through Rafflecopter for each bundle. Visit the book giveaway site for more details and how to enter.

If you do not want to enter to win a bundle, please feel free to make a donation using this link. It will take you directly to the organization donation site.

The auction will run from April 21-April 30th.

Book Bundle #1

In the Name of Love

SIGNED copies of:

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Easy by Tammara Webber

Fallen Too Far & Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

FATE by Elizabeth Reyes

CRUSH by Nicole Williams

Disastrous by EL Montes

Book Bundle #2

Everybody Needs Somebody to Love

SIGNED copies of:

Slammed & Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

What a Boy Wants, What a Boy Needs and Measuring Up by Nyrae Dawn

Sleep My Child by Eyvonna Rains
ebooks: Shark Bait & The Other Fish in the Sea by Jenn Cooksey

Book Bundle #3

Just the Way You Are

SIGNED copies of:

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

Inhale Exhale by Sarah Ross

Destined to Change by Lisa Harley

Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley

Wide Awake by Shelly Crane

Book Bundle #4

I Walk the Line

SIGNED copies of:

The Thoughtless Series by SC Stephens

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuireUntil I Break by M. Leighton-ARC

Collide by Gail McHugh

Book Bundle #5

Stand By Me

SIGNED copies of:

Love Unscripted & Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber

Collide by Gail McHugh

Love Em’ or Leave Em’ by Angie Stanton

On The Island byTracey Garvis-Graves

Book Bundle #6

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

SIGNED Copies of:

Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

Naked, All In by Raine Miller

Collide by Gail McHugh

Signed Wreck Me, ebook Restore Me by JL Mac

Book Bundle #7

Superstition

SIGNED copies of:

Awaken and Avenged by Sarah Ross

Darkride and Crossfire by Laura Bradley Rede

Book Bundle #8

Whole Lotta Love

SIGNED copies of:

Fall Guy & Perfectly Unmatched by Liz Reinhardt

Lengths & Depths by Steph Campbell

Charade & Freeing Carter by Nyrae Dawn

Destined to Change by Lisa Harley

A Prior Engagement by SL Scott

Book Bundle #9

Maybe I'm Amazed

SIGNED copies of:

A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter

Inescapable, Intuition, Indebted and Incendiary by Amy Bartol

Book Bundle #10

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

SIGNED copies of:

The Proposition and The Proposal by Katie Ashley

Chocolate Lovers Series by Tara Sivec

His Perfect Passion and The Undoing of a Libertine by Raine Miller

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The Autumn Review

All the amazing authors who donated their books