Alex's Destiny

 

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Her destiny was written for her, long before she was ever born. She embraced it, wanting nothing more than to give everything within her back to the sport in which she was considered royalty. Her family’s legacy would live on, revered by all. And she thrived on the long work days she spent teaching at the academy her blood was tied to. Alexandra Sterling needed that dirt track as much as she needed her next breath. That same track was the one that drew in a young student years before. Alex had given her heart away the day they met, knowing that he belonged to only her. For years she’d waited, knowing without a single doubt that he’d make her his when the time was right. But…she’d never asked Dallas if he felt the same way. Her hurt leaves her vulnerable, her days dark and her instincts dulled. After one night of hell, Alex is lost. Her world is crumbling around her, and without her lifeline and best friend beside her anymore, there’s nothing to keep her from sinking with it. Dallas Hunter is a pro rider on the motocross circuit, following in the footsteps of his father Eli. For Dallas, it’s always been Alex, but he’s kept his feelings locked away out of fear, his love for their family, his biggest obstacle. One short and chilling phone call to her puts him on high alert. Knowing something is terribly wrong sends him racing across the country, back home, back to her. But what he finds almost kills him. Now he’s watching her slip away right before his very eyes. Figuring out how to help Alex before it’s too late, might turn out to be harder than any race he’s ever ridden. And he has to do it with his team and sponsors screaming at him from the other side, trying to pull him back to the world he’s dedicated his entire life to. Dallas knows he has to help his best friend, the woman he loves…and do it without tearing his family apart.

 Other books in this series: Carter’s Treasure #1, Brody’s Love #1.5 (novella), Jesse’s Soul #2, Eli’s Honor #3  

Review

****I was given an ARC for my honest review****
 Alex is the daughter of two great racers, she is the darling daughter of the racing world, she teaches at her familys racing school and has been in love with her best friend since she was three years old. Dallas is son of a great racer, a pro-racer himself and while he loves Alex he would rather push her away and let her go than mess up the close family friendships they all have. When things go bad, Alex is hurt and Dallas is the only who can bring her back from the dark pit she has sunk into, can his love bring her back or is he to late.... This is the last book in the Racing to Love Series, for me it was darker and the emotions were deeper and stronger than in the other books in the series. Alex is a strong woman, when the man she loves breaks her heart you can see her slowly start to lose her spark. When she has this life altering horrible thing happen to her Dallas finally mans up and puts aside his own fears and doubts to be there for her. Certain parts of this book hit me hard, Alex's love for Dallas then her feelings of not being good enough for him anymore, Dallas struggling with his feelings for Alex then his regret for not being there when she needed him. Everything came together wonderfully and as much as I hated seeing them hurt, it really brought both of them closer and made them stronger people. Alex's Destiny was by far my favorite book in the series and the perfect ending to the Racing to Love Series.

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Live (Burnside #1)

 

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Mary Ann Rivers kicks off a new contemporary romance series—sure to please readers of Ruthie Knox, Kristan Higgins, and Jill Shalvis—where love can be found unexpectedly.
If there’s an upside to unemployment, Destiny Burnside may have found it. Job searching at her local library in Lakefield, Ohio, gives her plenty of time to ogle the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on: the sexy wood-carver who’s restoring the building. But as the rejection letters pile up, Destiny finds an unexpected shoulder to cry on. With his rich Welsh accent, Hefin Thomas stirs Destiny so completely that, even though he’s leaving soon, she lets herself believe the memory of his scorching kisses will be enough.
Hefin can’t help but notice the slender, confident woman with ginger hair who returns each day, so hopeful and determined. So when the tears start to fall, his silence—penance for a failed marriage—finally cracks. Once he’s touched her, what Hefin wants is to take her back to Wales and hold her forever. But Destiny’s roots run too deep. What they both need is each other—to learn how to live and love again. 

Review

****Random House Publishing Group-Loveswept through NetGalley provided me with an ARC of this book for my honest review****

Destiny has been using her local library to search for a new job, but hey at least there is some eye candy to keep her from being completely depressed about her situation. Hefin is a woodcarver, and when he provides a much needed shoulder shoulder to cry on Destiny makes herself believe that she can live with just the memory of his kisses when he leaves. Hefin has been watching Destiny every day, but when he sees her crying he can't keep his distance any longer and once he has her he wants to keep. How do you give up the person who has brought you back to live and yet how can you ask them to give up everything they have ever known? This book was wonderful, the way the author writes this story the characters emotions are so strong they jump off the pages, it has you right there feeling everything they are and with each page you are sucked further into the beauty that is Hefin and Destiny. Destiny was a strong woman, she had a lot of stuff thrown at her, and she held up pretty well, yet she still had this air of fragility about her that made you want to hug her. Hefin is different from the heroes that I have been seeing a lot of lately, he isn't an alpha male, and he isn't afraid to let his feeling show. He pushes himself and Destiny to live life and embrace their emotions even though they know they may end up being hurt. This was the first book by Mary Ann Rivers that I have read, I love her writing style the way everything flows and fits together perfectly is a work of art in itself. Live was definitely different, I really enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Burnside series.

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Julie Garwood

It's no surprise that Julie Garwood became a writer. Growing up in a large family of Irish heritage, she took to storytelling naturally. "The Irish relish getting all the details of every situation," she explains. "Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life I learned that self-expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick." Creating stories was always a passion for Julie, but she didn't focus on making it a career until the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young adult books, she turned her interests to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published in 1985, and there has been a steady parade of bestsellers ever since. Today more than 35 million copies of her books are in print, and they are translated in dozens of languages around the world. One of her most popular novels, FOR THE ROSES, was adapted for a HALLMARK HALL OF FAME production on CBS. Whether the setting be medieval Scotland, Regency England, frontier Montana, or modern-day Louisiana, her themes are consistent: family, loyalty, and honor. Readers claim that it's the humor as well as poignancy of her novels that keep them coming back for more. Julie described her goals this way: "I want my readers to laugh and cry and fall in love. Basically, I want them to escape into another world for a little while and afterwards to feel as though they've been on a great adventure." Julie lives in Leawood, Kansas, and is currently working on her next novel.
 Links: Goodreads Website Facebook Twitter

Interview

1. When you sit down and write a book is it sequential or do you write it in pieces and put it together later?
I write sequentially, but as the story unfolds I'll find I need to go back and add a line or a scene earlier in the book. I'm often surprised by where the story leads me, so once I've got the book written, I'll take a look at the whole picture and see if there's something that needs to be changed or included, and then I'll rewrite.

2. When there are certain trends in writing do you ever feel pressured to go in that direction?
No. Trends are always changing, and you never know how long one will last. If you try to follow the hottest new craze, it most likely will have changed by the time you get there. I just try to stick with what I like and hope my readers like it too.

3. Over the years your writing has changed, when you go in a different direction do you like to hear if your original readers like this new direction? Do you think that it's inevitable that an authors writing will change?
I love hearing from my readers. I do think my writing has changed somewhat. The historicals were more romance-centered, and then when I began to write contemporary novels, I put a little more focus on the plot and the suspense. With the last couple of books, however, I've tried to return to writing more about the romance between the hero and heroine, and from what I'm hearing, readers prefer this.

4. I was lucky and received an ARC of Hotshot for review purposes, loved it! Do you read the reviews from your books, do you get nervous before a book is released?
I avoid reviews if at all possible. Good or bad. They mess with my mind, and I can't concentrate on writing if I'm constantly second guessing myself. Sometimes I'll hear about good reviews, and I'll feel grateful, but if I hear about a bad one, I feel terrible that I've disappointed my readers, so I've decided the best course of action is to avoid the roller coaster altogether.

5. Fast Track is the 12th book in the Buchanan-Renard series, we are getting Aiden and Cordelias story July 2014 does that mean the book is already written and going through the editing process?
It's interesting that my contemporary novels have been labeled "Buchanan-Renard" since several of them don't feature a Buchanan or a Renard. I guess it's because I often try to find a link to these two families in my stories, even though it might be an obscure one. I'm delighted that readers have taken to these characters the way they have.
FAST TRACK, Aiden's and Cordie's story, is due at the publisher at the beginning of the year, and I've been working almost nonstop to try to meet the deadline. So far these two are a lot of fun, and I really hope readers will like their adventure.

6. What is your favorite comfort food/s? 

My friend's husband makes amazing fried chicken. When he announces one of his "chicken nights" we all head to their house for a country-style meal of mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, biscuits, and apple pie. Fortunately for my diet he doesn't do this very often, but when it happens, the food is to-die-for.

Books 

 Buchanan-Renard/Contemporary 

        
             

Highlands' Lairds/Medieval

       

Lairds' Fiancee/Medieval

    

Crown's Spies

          

Claybornes' Brides (Rose Hill)/Western

          

Stand alone

         
 

Rebel (Renegades #2)

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Sassy, smart, and sexy, former supermodel-turned-tech guru Rubi Russo has it all—looks, money, confidence and freedom. Her life is a whirlwind of fast cars and fleeting affairs—and she likes it that way. With a past like Rubi’s, forever isn’t part of her vocabulary. So when studly Renegade stuntman Wes Lawson wants to take their friendship to the next level, she’s all out.
Raised a simple country-boy, Wes knows the brazen Rubi isn’t his type. But after spending time with her, he discovers she’s everything he’s ever wanted in a woman. To win her wild rebel heart, he’ll have to prove he sees behind her smokescreen to all the goodness she tries to hide. Then it’s just a matter of crushing her fears, shattering her barriers, and convincing her that loving him is everything she’s been missing in her life, too.
Piece of cake. 

Review

***I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Cygnet Books, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review****
Rubi Russo has grown up with all the material things money could buy, but she never knew the one thing most take for granted, love. Constantly abandoned by her father who would rather not be in her life, she grows up learning not to connect with people in fear of them leaving her too. After all, that's what everyone does eventually right? Wes Lawson grew up on a Missouri farm with a large solid family. Moving to LA and working for Renegades makes him the rebel of the family, something they don't all understand. When Wes first lays eyes on Rubi he's floored by this gorgeous outwardly carefree spirit. As their friendship develops and blooms into more, he finds himself wanting the one thing Rubi won't give him, commitment. As he navigates the damage her father has done they both have to decide if they're willing to take the leap together, or play it safe, something neither of them is used to doing.
Coming off Reckless, book 1, I had high expectations which may have put this book at a disadvantage. I loved Rubi and Wes but the first half of the book was a little dull, riddled with Rubi's back and forth and that was about the limit of the action. As the second half came and went things really started to pick up and I enjoyed the story from there. The writing itself is what I've come to expect from Skye Jordan as it was quality that transitioned smoothly from one character to the next. Multiple POVs allowed more dimension to both characters that allowed you to get in their heads and feel the emotion. It was great to get a follow up on our favorite characters from book one as well. All in all there was romance, steam and sexy characters that live in adrenaline, a win for the reader!  

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Cold (Cold #1)

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 Cold Series, Book 1:
Prison is a brutal, heartless, and demeaning environment. No one knows this better than a man sentenced to life in prison for murder. Lem Porter is a high-profile prisoner who had a solid career ahead of him in a field he loved until he killed his brother. He has spent almost eighteen years behind bars and doesn’t have much hope left.
Anderson Passero had it all. He built a career, a name, and a relationship with a man he thought he loved. Only after he very publicly landed in prison did he realize how ignorant he’d been. He has eight months left on his sentence and he is eager to go home and put prison life behind him. He doesn’t know it yet, but he will always carry these eight months with him, and they may just help him to understand what love really means.

Review

****The author provided me with a copy of this book for my honest review****
Lem Porter is serving a life sentence. Slowly allowing the 4 walls to crush him, he entertains himself with the sorry excuse the prison calls a greenhouse. Remembering his past dream job and life of spending his days deep in the woods where he's always felt most at home, he is saddled with the realization that one night changed his life forever and there's no going back. Anderson Passero is serving a reduced 8 year sentence for selling drugs out of his club, learning the hard way he let his need for comfort and acceptance influence his judgment. With only 8 months left and off a fresh transfer, he's determined to keep his head down and just make it through the last couple months before he can start rebuilding his life. Lem immediately catches his eye, he is both intimidated by his formidable size and thrilled at his raw masculinity, but anything more than sneaking the occasional peak is dangerous and not part of his plan. When a bad decision with the wrong person lands Anderson in hot water and fighting for his life, Lem risks everything to save him, setting the very things Anderson tried to avoid in motion and teaching him that love may just come from the darkest circumstances.
Lem and Anderson were automatic grab you by your neck characters. They both had enough of a back story to tell that kept you hanging on but I loved the raw beauty of both men. Lem was basically a gentle giant that spent his whole life fighting people's first impressions of him due to his appearance and stature. There was a vulnerability to him that was deep and pure emotional chaos, as well as a charismatic attraction that went beyond his outward good looks. It felt like you could watch prison breaking his spirit day by day through the pages. Anderson was a different approach to the same positive characteristics. He was the more outwardly emotional of the two, dealing with insecurities deriving from a home that didn't accept him for who he was or what made him happy. Both certainly had surprises up their sleeves for the reader. Side characters were essential to the world building but not heavy in this one which was beneficial. The main characters didn't get lost in a swamp of extra names and details. A few other prisoners that you got to know by name as well as Gia, Anderson's sister, allowed a dimension to the main characters rather than detracting from them.
The story itself wasn't overly crowded. It was told in a way that grabbed you and took you on a smooth flowing and gripping roller coaster that stopped before you were ready, leaving you wanting more. I was never more thankful to have the 2nd book available! I lost a few extra hours of sleep reading one to the next but I needed more of the characters that I had grown to cheer for and love. And of course I can't write this review without mentioning the sex. While not excessive, the steam factor was abundant and made me have to turn on a fan. The tension both sexual and psychological was leaping off the pages and making my heart skip a beat. I've sadly become somewhat of a cynical reader, possibly from the abundance of books I've read and reading a lot of the same, but Cold managed to break through that and remind me why I love reading, and even caused me to shed a tear(because I had something in my eye of course :) ). Just a great book to get lost in from an obviously talented writer.

  

 

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