What Do You Think of Book Reading Challenges? *UPDATED*

I've seen some very cool and interesting book challenges over the past year and have a few ideas for one or two that I might like to host, but I wanted to get YOUR feedback and opinion on reading challenges.
  • Do you like Book Reading Challenges?
  • Have you ever participated in one?
  • If not, why not?
  • If so, what was the best part of doing it?
  • Would you be more interested in a year-long challenge, or smaller monthly or quarterly challenges?
I'd also love to hear any tips on what you think would make a Book Reading Challenge fun and even your ideas for what challenge topic you would be interested in.

 
Please share because I'd really love to know!

 
Cheeky Girl Sabrina

*UPDATE*
Many of you have asked what exactly I mean by a reading challenge so I thought I should give you some examples of what I was thinking about. Duh. I should have thought of that from the beginning.

Here are some possible ideas for a reading challenge:
  • New to You Romance Authors - Read x Books by Authors you've never read before
  • Ebook Reading Challenge - Challenge yourself to trying out ebooks and new small epublishers
  • Harlequin Challenge - Try out 1 book from every category line for 2011. This would not only challenge you to try various different sub-genres of romance, but for many it would be a challenge to give Harlequins a try.
 These were a few of my ideas...what do you think?

Monday Morning Cutess!

funny pictures - Best of both worlds.
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Happy Holidays & here's to hoping you all get great books or gift cards under your tree! Be safe and spend time with those you love.

Love,
CheekyGirl Sabrina

Show a Zombie Some Love with Guest Author Paige Tyler

SHOW A ZOMBIE SOME LOVE!

Thanks so much for letting me guest blog today!

Readers often ask me how I come up with ideas for my books, so I thought I'd give you a little behind-the-scenes peek at how I came up with my new release, a paranormal erotic romance from Ellora's Cave called DEAD SEXY.

Before I say anything else though, isn't that cover too hot for words?! When the art department sent it to me, I probably gazed at it for a good ten minutes in mouth-drooling appreciation before I could email them back telling the artist it not only rocked, but totally fit the book. The hero is "Dead Sexy," after all!

Okay, back to the story and how I came up with it. First, to set the stage, I need to share a little something with you about myself. Well, about my hubby and me, actually. We love zombie movies, from the George Romero gems to Shaun of the Dead and everything in between, including "Walking Dead," the new series on AMC. You just can't go wrong with a movie full of walking dead people, can you? Well, if you've ever seen a zombie movie (or even you haven't), then you know the creatures aren't the heroes of the film. I mean, how can they be, right? They're all dead and decayed and downright unattractive, not to mention pretty damn scary. Which was why you can imagine my surprise when my hubby suggested I write an erotic romance about a zombie hero. I was like, you're kidding, right? What woman in her right mind would fall in love with a dead guy? No way could that possibly work, or so I thought.

Turns out, my hubby wasn't kidding. In fact, he started working up ideas for the story.

"The hero didn't have to be a zombie all the time," he told me. "Think outside the box - take a little literary license!"

Okay, I thought. I suppose I could be open minded.

My hubby told me that in his out-of-the-box world, the hunky hero got cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess and only turns into a zombie sometimes.

"I'm listening," I said.

"And when he does go zombie, he doesn't have to be like the kind in the movies," my hubby added. "Well, he has to look like one, you know all dead and stuff, but he doesn't have to be a mindless creature or attack humans or eat anything gross."

So, brains are completely out, thanks goodness!

"Think Jensen Ackles or Jared Padelecki, with a really, really, really dark tan - (yes, my hubby knows I've got a thing for the Supernatural hunks!) - well, maybe more gray and black than tan, but you get the idea."

I thought about that for a minute. "So, the hero's dead, but he's still sexy, is that what you're saying?"

"Exactly," he said, giving me a grin as my eyes lit up with understanding.

By that point, my hubby had pretty much sold me on the idea. Of course, I knew if I ran with it, I was going to have to sell it to a publisher, and I knew that could be tough since the hero is a zombie. But I ran with it anyway and ended up with a full-length novel. And it came out pretty damn good, if I do say so myself! I still had to find a publisher for it, though.

About this same time, It just so happens that several of my other books were in the process of being picked up by Ellora's Cave and I thought what the heck? Why not pitch it to my editor there and see what she thinks? So I did, and she told me to send it to her. She was interested to see how I handled the whole zombie-thing. Well, long story, short, she liked it. A lot! My zombie romance with it's dead-sexy hero had a home! I was thrilled and my hubby walked around for a week with a smug, "I-told-you-so" look on his face.

I've been getting the word out there about DEAD SEXY ever since I signed the contract for it and I'm thrilled with the interest from readers who can't wait to get their hands on it! I can't wait for them to read it, too!

Now that I've revealed the story behind the story, I thought I'd share the blurb and an excerpt just to whet your appetite for more!

Blurb:

Romance author Simone Kent thinks she might just have found the most perfect guy in all of New York City - in bed and out. But Drake Parrish is about as far from perfect as any man can get. Eight years ago, he was cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess to live part of his life as a zombie. Since then, he has lived like a recluse on New York’s Upper East Side, afraid to go out for fear he’ll suddenly turn into one of the walking dead.

The sex is the hottest either of them has ever experienced and Simone discovers just how naughty she can be with Drake, while he finds himself feeling things for her that he hasn’t felt in a very long time. When the Voodoo priestess learns of their relationship, however, she comes after him again. She is determined to make sure he won’t have a future with Simone, even if that means killing both him and the woman he loves.

Excerpt:

As she led him up the steps to the second floor, Drake found himself wondering if she would ask him in. And wondering what he’d say if she did. When they came to a stop outside the door to her apartment, Simone turned to give him a smile.

"I had a great time tonight.”

“Me, too.”

She caught her bottom lip between her perfect white teeth and chewed on it thoughtfully as if unsure what she wanted to say next. It was probably an unconscious gesture, something she did whenever she was thinking, but to him, it was sexy as hell and all he could think about was kissing her.

Surely, one kiss couldn’t hurt. He desperately wanted to. He hadn’t kissed a woman in so long. It would be nice to see if he still remembered how.

Before he could stop himself, Drake tilted Simone’s face up to his and pressed his mouth to hers.

She tasted just as sweet and delicious as he thought she would. Her lips were soft and pliant under his as she kissed him back, her tongue eagerly seeking his out.

Drake groaned and slid his hand into her hair, deepening the kiss. Simone sighed into his mouth, running her hands up the front of his shirt to grasp his shoulders. The feel of her touch was like a tonic to his deprived soul and he let out another groan, deeper this time.

He ran his free hand up her side and around to her breast, cupping it through the soft material of her dress. He couldn’t stop himself and apparently, Simone didn’t want him to. She moaned and arched against him. He could feel the heat of her pussy through their clothes as she pressed up against his hard cock. Damn, she felt good.

Drake drew her bottom lip into his mouth and gently suckled on it before slowly kissing his way along the delicate curve of her jaw. Simone clutched his shoulders and tilted her head back. He eagerly trailed a path of hot kisses down her neck, then back up, his mouth finding hers again. Simone looped her arms around his neck, pulling him in even closer as their tongues met.

Down the hall, a door slammed, reminding him where they were.

Drake dragged his mouth away from hers, his breathing ragged as he tried to regain control. He had to get it together because he was about five seconds away from doing something really stupid. Like taking her to bed. “I should go.”

Her lips curved into a sexy, flirtatious smile. “Or you could stay.”

God, how he wanted to. But as much as he’d love to spend the rest of the night exploring every inch of her body, he couldn’t take the chance he might go zombie on her right in the middle of sex. Talk about coitus interruptus, And it had already been almost four days since he last turned, which meant he was already pushing his luck.

“You don’t know how much I want to,” he groaned. “But I can’t.”

Simone looked up at him with those big, blue eyes. “Why not?”

“Because I…” He hesitated, trying to come up with something that would sound believable. “I have a column due in the morning and I haven’t even started on it yet.” She knew all about deadlines, so she would understand that. Besides, he did have a column to write, it just wasn’t due until next week. “Rain check?”
She looked disappointed, but she smiled anyway. “Absolutely. How does coming over for dinner tomorrow night sound?”

It would be crazy to agree when he could be so close to having an episode, but he couldn’t say no. Not when she asked in that soft, sultry voice. “Sounds great.”

“Good. Be here at seven.”

“Seven it is.”

She pulled him down for another long, slow kiss on the mouth. “Don’t be late.”

His mouth twitched. “I won’t.” He bent his head to kiss her again, then groaned. “If I don’t go now, I’ll be here all night.”

Simone laughed. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

“Not to me, but my editor at Money Issues might not be too understanding when he doesn’t find my column sitting in his inbox tomorrow.”

She sighed. “Deadlines can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. Okay, go home and write your column. I’ll cuddle up with a bowl of ice cream instead.”

He chuckled. “Sounds better than taking a cold shower, which is what I’m going to be doing when I get home.” He closed his mouth over hers once more. “See you tomorrow night, beautiful.”

Resisting the urge to pull her into his arms again, Drake turned and walked down the hallway toward the stairwell. At the top of the steps, he glanced over his shoulder to see Simone standing where he’d left her, a sexy curve to her lips.

It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to go back and pin her against the door for one more long, lingering kiss. God, what he wouldn’t give to spend the night with her. Man, it was going to take more than a cold shower to get her out of his head.

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt and that you can't wait to read more! You can get DEAD SEXY from Ellora's Cave at http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8917-50-dead-sexy.aspx

You can also check out the trailer here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5D_YH6bYrE

If you decide to pick up DEAD SEXY, let me know how you like it!

*hugs*
Paige
http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com/
http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/

The Dreaded Plot Question with Guest Author Rebecca York

The Dreaded Plot Question with Rebecca York

One of the questions that comes up over and over in writers’ discussions is, “Do you plot first? Or do you just sit down and write?”

Of course, there’s not one right way to work. Each writer has to figure out what works best for her.

I have trained myself to write fast. My basic fiction method is to come up with an idea. I write a short synopsis (which I use to sell the book to an editor). I then work on fleshing out the synopsis--adding more plot details and more background about the characters. At some point, I usually stop and write two or three chapters. When I write the chapters, I get to know the characters better. Then I go back and work on the synopsis/narrative outline again. When I have the suspense plot and the emotional arc of the story worked out, I start writing the book--and write as fast as I can. When I come up with ideas that were better than the ones in the synopsis, I use them instead of the previous ideas.

With DAY OF THE DRAGON, I had a head start. I’d introduced the hero, dragon-shifter Ramsey Gallagher, in DRAGON MOON. He was a secondary character, but I fell in love with him and wanted to give him his own story. So when I started DAY OF THE DRAGON, I already knew him very well. Even so, those first three chapters were more difficult than usual. Ramsey had been through a terrible experience that had changed him in fundamental ways. My problem was dealing with his new weaknesses and still making him an appealing hero.

I used to take a long time writing a book, then a long time editing and polishing it. I've found that I can shorten the writing process considerably, but I still need to edit extensively.

I found out years ago that not doing a synopsis was a waste of time for me because it meant that I'd have to do a lot of rewriting. It's easier to change a 20-page synopsis than it is to rewrite a 300-page book.

I never have everything nailed down. My synopsis might say--and then they escape from the psychotic killer. When I get to that part of the book, I have to stop and think about how they do it.

In DAY OF THE DRAGON, I knew I wanted Ramsey and archaeologist Madison Dartmoor to go to several interesting locations. Where bad guys would try to kill them while they were falling in love and Ramsey was worrying about how Madison would react when she discovered his terrible secret.

They end up at the site of an ancient tomb in Peru. But I had no idea where that would be until I visited the country. Of course it was tempting to use Machu Picchu because it’s such a breathtaking site. But a lot of tourists go there, which wouldn’t have given Ramsey and Madison much privacy while they were making love and dodging bullets. After touring several locations, I decided to use Colca Canyon because it’s off the beaten path.

Ramsey and Madison have their main adventure in that dry desert where condors with ten-foot wingspans glide on the canyon thermals early in the morning. I didn’t even know a bird could have those giant wings until I visited the area. And I certainly didn’t know that a colca is a hole that ancient Indians dug in the side of a cliff as a burial or storage chamber.

I use both in DAY OF THE DRAGON. Also the nosebleed I got from the high altitude. And the poverty of the little towns we drove through with our guide, the bumpy roads, the colorful Indian costumes and the hotel where we stayed in Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru and the starting point for a trip to Colca Canyon.

With every book, I try to get as much of the plot down as I can before I start. But I always leave myself open for the interesting details that I’ll never know until I start researching.

And I love it when I come up with plot twists that leap out at me when I’m in the middle of the book. Even with an outline, writing for me is like slow reading. I’m getting it onto the screen so I’ll find out what really happened.

When you read, what aspects of the book do you enjoy most? Plot? Character? Setting? Or a combination of all the elements?

Read Chapter One of DAY OF THE DRAGON here.

A FREE Christmas Story Download!



Author Emily March has a FREE Christmas story download that introduces her new Eternity Springs, Colorado town - the setting of her new series.

From Emily:
"I loved the Callahans sense of humor, their strong sense of family, and their deep love for one another and the women in their lives. I've carried those same values to Eternity Springs. So, pour a glass of eggnog and cuddle up with A CALLAHAN CAROL. May it bring that special warmth of Christmas Spirit into your hearts this holiday season."

Click on the image below to head over to the page for the FREE download.

Happy Reading and Happy Holidays!

Check Out The Fool's Gold Holiday Wishes Magazine

In one of the most creative and fun promos I've seen, author Susan Mallery has created an awesome holiday edition of a magazine centered around her newest series Fool's Gold. Not only is her Fool's Gold website one of the smartest and best ways I've ever come across an author connecting with readers (and getting them REALLY into a series), I always find that Susan is ahead of the pack with social media and online marketing so that she is constantly touching base and connecting with her readers.
That's why I was happy to share her Fool's Gold Holiday Wishes Magazine with you. You'll find cute articles about characters, fun ads for both Fool's Gold and real romance websites as well as fun drink and cookie recipes.

It's not too long, so take a minute for some holiday fun! Happy Holidays!

Apple iPad Affiliate Opportunity

So, this got passed along to me from a friend and as far as I can tell it's legit. Seems like this company really understands online and social media! So, if you are interested check it out. :)

No More Rack just launched a a 48 hour promo where if you "refer" 400 friends, they will send you an ipad by Christmas. The lowest prize you can get is a shuffle for only 35 friends.


How does it work? Sign up here http://www.nomorerack.com/?cr=74557 (affiliate link)

You'll get a free $10 credit to spend on whatever you want. There are Women's Buffalo Jeans (re $99) right now for only $20. Shipping is a flat rate of $2 so you can get them for only $12 shipped with your credit.

Anyway, getting back to the iPad. Go to the "invite friends" tab to get your referral link and post it to your blog. Your "friends" only need to enter an email address to sign up. That's it! They will get a $10 credit and you'll be 1 referral closer to an iPad for Christmas!

Here are the details:
When you hit your friend target, email us with your shipping address and the Apple products you qualify for at apple@nomorerack.com. We will have your Apple products delivered to your doorstep before Christmas!

There's no limit on the number of Apple products you can earn, so refer all the friends you like!

You can substitute an item for the equivalent of another in quantity. For example, if you refer 100 friends you can choose between an iPod Nano or 3 iPod Shuffles!

Act fast! Only friends referred between December 14th noon EST and December 16th noon EST (48 hours) will count towards this promotion!

Note:
- Friend registration must be a valid email address and cannot be fraudulently generated.
- If your friends were fraudulently generated, you will be disqualified from this promotion.
- No duplicated email addresses are allowed.
- Registered users cannot register again with a different email address.
- Only friends who register between December 14th noon EST and December 16th noon EST (48 hours) count towards this promotion.

And The Winners Are...

I'm back! The best part of my being back? That I get to pull the winners of all the great prizes we had while I was gone. Thank you again to all the fabulous authors who stopped by while I was out and kept the blog chugging along. You Rock!

So on to the winners!

The Winner of Lipstick on His Collar by Inez Kelly is Linda!












The winner of their choice of a backlist book from Cari Quinn is Sheree!












The winner of their choice of one of Loucinda McGary's books, The Wild Sight, The Treasures of Venice, or The Wild Irish Sea, is Stella (Ex Libris)!












Lastly, the winner of a copy of both Lords of Passion and Mistress by Midnight is Danielle Gorman!























I will send out emails to everyone including details if you are being giving a choice between books on some of the giveaways. You can also reach me at cheekyreads @ gmail.com

Congrats and Happy Reading to All!

Welcome Guest Author Maggie Robinson/Margaret Rowe! Comment to Win!

Thanks so much to Sabrina for having me here on my never-ending promo journey. :) It seems like I just did all this, and I guess I did—the two of me (Maggie Robinson and Margaret Rowe) had books come out in May and June. Maggie’s fortunate enough to have a novella in Lords of Passion out now, and Mistress by Midnight releases December 28! Margaret has to wait until March 1, when Any Wicked Thing comes out. Whew! Craziness.

But completely lovely craziness for someone who is a typing class drop-out and suffers from carpal tunnel. I wonder how many words I’ve mis-typed in the seven years I’ve been writing, LOL. Turns out I should have listened to my father, even if he did think that women could only be teachers, nurses or secretaries. But I snuck out of the adult ed night typing class I enrolled in with my then-boyfriend to kiss in his Karmann Ghia convertible. I was a hopeless romantic even back then.

The role of women in society has changed a whole lot from my adult ed days, and even more so from the late Regency period I write about. As a woman of a certain age, I have trouble relating to the innocent ingénue making her debut, so most of my heroines have “a past,” or want to acquire one. Prudence Thorne from “Not Quite a Courtesan” in Brava’s Lords of Passion has been happily widowed and wants to see what all the fuss is about after witnessing the passion of her cousin’s new marriage. The dashing, disreputable hero Darius Shaw finds Pru to be a quick study who even teaches him a thing or two. Laurette Vincent in Mistress by Midnight knows what passion is and has tried to avoid it, but hero Desmond Ryland, Marquess of Conover, has other ideas and breaks every rule to get her back into his bed.

I’ve discovered a recurring theme for my books—mature heroines who’ve been hurt but discover “there’s still a little chicken left on that bone.” Craig Morgan’s country song may be 21st century, but it works pretty well for my 19th century characters.







Here’s my favorite verse:

“But it ain’t over until you say it is.
Don’t pour out your Coca-Cola if it’s still got a little bit of fizz,
Little bit of juke left in that jive,
Little bit of honey left in that hive,
There might not be a lot of roll left in that stone,
Still a little chicken left on that bone.”

Now in case you think I’m writing about absolutely ancient, decrepit people, most of my characters tend to be in their thirties—which was definitely middle-aged in 1820. Thirty sounds pretty young, but the likelihood of having all your teeth back then was not a given. But since I write romance, all my heroes have gorgeous teeth and fresh breath, LOL.

You’re never too old for love if you open yourself up to the possibilities. Hopelessly romantic still? You bet! Does it matter how young/old or virginal/experienced the heroines are in the books you read? I’m giving away a signed copy of both Lords of Passion (Pru, 29) and Mistress by Midnight (Laurette, 29) to one random commenter!

Confessions of a Snoopy Writer - Welcome Guest Author Loucinda McGary & Comment to Win!

By Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy

My mother was a wonderful woman with many fine qualities, but heaven knows, she loved to snoop! Not in a malicious way, she just loved to know all the little details about everyone around her.

All through junior high and high school my sister and I would catch her listening in to our telephone conversations, or going through our notebooks for possible notes our friends had passed to us during class. (You know those folded scraps of paper passed stealthily hand-to-hand right under the teacher's nose.) But most unforgivable of all to my teenage mind, my mother opened every piece of mail that arrived at our house. No matter who it was addressed to, she opened it and read it first. ACK!!!

My sister claimed not to mind. HUH?!?! I think she just liked the extra attention. I was mortified beyond belief, mostly because Mom would openly admit to her snooping and ASK about things she'd read or heard! Oh the horrors! Oh the teen angst!

Looking back on it now, my mom's snooping was pretty harmless. And I'm sure she would tell you she was just trying to be a responsible parent, which was also true. But I think it went beyond that. She genuinely liked to know. I think snooping was one of the things that made my mom an avid reader.

Reading about characters is a kind of snooping. We readers are privy to their thoughts, actions, and motivations. Sometimes we get to find out things (or figure things out) before they do!

Needless to say, this little apple didn't fall far from the tree. Yup, I love to snoop too, but I like to think I'm a bit more covert than my mother was, at least when it comes to friends and family. Not necessarily while reading. I've been known to mutter at the characters even while I'm deeply engrossed in reading. On occasion, I've even shouted out, "I KNEW IT!" when a plot twist happened just the way I suspected.

As for my writing, one of the things I love most about it is knowing all the little details of my characters lives. Even if those thoughts, feelings, experiences never quite make it onto the printed page, I still feel more competent to tell their stories just by knowing all about them. I've even been guilty of rubbing my hands together in gleeful anticipation because I know what's about to happen and I know how my poor characters are going to react.

Yes, yes, I know. We writers are a weird lot. But it's so much fun! Besides, snooping on my characters keeps me out of trouble with my friends and family members who would much rather I not do my snooping about them.

What about you? Do you like to snoop? Ever been caught? Or do you snoop openly like my mother used to do?

I’ll give away an autographed copy of one of my novels (The Wild Sight, The Treasures of Venice, or The Wild Irish Sea) to one commenter. Winner’s choice!

Loucinda McGary (Aunty Cindy of the Romance Bandits) writes romantic suspense in exotic settings with a hint of the paranormal. She currently has three books available from Sourcebooks Casablanca. Learn more about her and her books at http://www.loucindamcgary.com/

Were you Naughty or Nice this year? Welcome Guest Author Cari Quinn & Enter to Win!

Thank you to Sabrina for allowing me to blog here today!

Want to win a book? Contests are always fun, plus it's almost my birthday (yes, I'm one of those with the dreaded close-to-Christmas birthdays.) So what better time to offer a chance to win a present if you comment?

Since it's the holiday season and whether or not you celebrate - or if you celebrate - there is always one thing that makes this time of year more fun. Well, more than one, but for the purposes of this blog post I'm talking about curling up and reading a book. Whether you read on an e-reader or prefer the feel of paper in your hands, it's such a wonderful feeling to curl up in a snuggly blanket while you're getting lost in someone else's world. Since I write erotic romance, my choice is, of course, a story along the hotter end of the spectrum. Why not warm up one of the most economical ways there is? And c'mon, for those of us who write or read erotic romance, we all know we like those vicarious thrills. Sometimes they trigger memories of our own pasts or help us fantasize about what we might like to experience in the future. Sometimes they're just fun. ;)

So in the vein of our "naughty" holiday season, I'm wondering what YOU'VE done this year to put you on Santa's list. Were you naughty or nice this year? One random commenter who shares their naughtiest or nicest moment this year will win an ebook copy from my backlist, winner's choice. And if you're like me and don't have any especially naughty or nice moments, what would you do to try to impress Santa? Get as imaginative as you'd like. Santa appreciates creativity (and so do I!)

Before you go, here's the blurb from my latest Ellora's Cave release, Personal Research. There's an excerpt here: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8648-50-personal-research.aspx if you're interested.

Briefs are Elena Thomas’s life, whether they’re legal at her day job or on the men in the erotic novels she writes. She’s just fine with saving her imagination for her books until temptation appears in the form of Nunzio, the smokin’-hot office IT guy. When he discovers one of her scorching books shooting out of the printer, Elena’s not sure if he wants her because she’s inventive or because he thinks she’s desperate. That doesn’t stop her from taking advantage of his “services”.

On her desk. On the copier. And, oh yeah—in her boss’s chair.

Nunzio’s shocked to learn Elena’s wall-hugging persona hides a wildcat of a woman with delicious fantasies and an enticing wit. She’s exactly what he’s been looking for in an adventurous lover—and girlfriend. He knows she enjoys their sexual research. Now he just has to convince her that sizzling sex is only the first chapter of their blazing-hot romance.

Now go forth and comment! I'll pick a winner in a few days. Happy holidays!

Visit Cari at http://www.cariquinn.com/

It's a Cyber Birthday Party with Author Inez Kelley! Comment to Win!

YOU ARE INVITED! To a Cyber Birthday Party!

WHERE: Inez Kelley’s Website
WHEN: Nov. 24th noon until 10PM
RSVP: Nope, just stop by, comment to win any of over 60 books and prizes, not to mention filling up of your beefcake quota.
What to bring: An appetite to read!

It’s my birthday! (Okay, not really. My birthday is the 25th but that is American Thanksgiving and everyone will be stuffing their face with turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie so I am celebrating early)

All day long, I will open my wonderful present from my fellow authors and then I will give them TO YOU! Winners awarded all day long from the comment section(so include your email addy!)

I stopped getting birthday presents a long time ago and now wouldn’t even bother celebrating the day (Who really wants to celebrate getting OLDER once you are over the legal age?) except well, I have a new release this week. It seemed fitting to celebrate that and combine the two.

LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR is a red-hot novella from Samhain Publishing, a scorching little tale of a one-night stand that changed into so much more. It has a hot ex-firefighter, a mysterious heroine and a steamy romance with just a hint of that pain in the ass ex that won’t go away.

So come celebrate my birthday, my new release and reap the benefits from a Birthday Blow Out where you get the presents! In fact, Let’s kick this party off right! If you would like a copy of LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR, comment here and tell me your favorite birthday gift ever! Winner’s choice of formats. Contest will be open until Dec. 8th and the winner announced on the 9th or 10th.

LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR
He never thought his next wildfire would be wearing a red dress.

“Make me your goddess and I’ll take you to heaven.” This sultry promise sparks a scorching, unforgettable one-night stand. The next morning Bram Winters awakes with a hickey and a head full of wicked memories—alone. His nameless goddess is gone without a trace, along with his shirt. And his heart.

Five months later, he stumbles across his mystery lady in a Laundromat, but she still won’t give up her name. Worse, she begs him to leave, no questions asked. Once he catches the spark of terror in her eyes, though, his firefighter training takes over—and he digs in for the duration.

Lady never wanted Bram to see her life’s ugly underside, but it’s too late—his socks are already in the washer. He was supposed to be her declaration of independence from her unstable ex, a bittersweet memory to carry into her new life.

Except the ex continues to stalks her. And Bram’s reappearance sends her emotions and desires tumbling over the edge. As the minutes wear on, sexual tension rises faster than the steam from a hot water wash.

And Lady’s ex watches from the shadows, growing more furious by the minute…

Product Warnings: Scorching sex, icy scissor play and an anonymous woman taking a wet slide down one hot ex-fireman’s pole. Beware of hot flashes and spontaneous combustion. Correct change not required.

A Month of Thanks - Update Post on Giving to a Family In Need & Fun Giveaways!

Hello friends and neighbors,

Many of you may not be aware that Romance in the Backseat is offering a very special Month of Thanks this November.  The most exciting part is coming from Silver Publishing, a generous giveaway of $100 Grocery Gift Card.

November is a time to give thanks to those in our life who day in and day out make our lives better. To give thanks to friends and family that year after year support us. This year there are a lot of families and friends in need of some extra support and help. That is why Silver Publishing has so generously offered to help pay for a families Thanksgiving dinner.


Please share the news about this giveaway and join us to nominate someone in your life who could use the extra help. All nominations are private, our goal is to add some holiday cheer and some extra goodies to the table this Thanksgiving. 

I want to thank Silver Publishing for this amazing gift. Even if you and your loved ones are lucky enough to have a table of food waiting Thanksgiving day drop in and show your appreciation not only to Silver Publishing, but to the other authors who have come on the site this month and shared their tales of thanks.  To give us a little more cheer those authors have also offered a book giveaway to share with those you love.


Terry Kate
Romance in the Backseat


Visit Silver Publishing's Site to find out about their books - http://silverpublishing.info/


Kylie Brant's Giveaway

Deadly Intent

 http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/gratitude-attitude-by-kylie-brant.html



Lydia Dare's Giveaway

The Taming of the Wolf

 http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/month-of-thanks-lydia-dare.html



Nicola Cornick's Giveaway

Whispers of Scandal

http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/nicola-cornicks-month-of-thanks-blog.html



Kersten Hamilton's Giveaway

Tyger Tyger

http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/month-of-thanks-with-kersten-hamilton.html

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

If you follow me on twitter (Hey - you should follow me on twitter!) you might have caught a tweet or two about my upcoming vacation - CHINA BABY! I'll be gone for two weeks freezing my patootie off in China, starting on Thanksgiving. While gone, I'll have some fun authors to stop by and do guest blogs and giveaways.

I'll pull the winners of the giveaways when I get back around Dec. 9th or 10th and I'll leave all giveaways open for entries through the 8th of December.

Please be nice to our visiting authors and tell your friends to stop by too! Since I won't have access to twitter or email, I won't be able to help promote the guests as much so I'm counting on my great readers to help them feel welcome.

Now, I just need to fill my Sony eReader up with books and I'm all set to travel. To my American readers, have a wonderful Thanksgiving and to everyone else have a great two weeks!

Happy Reading!

One of the BEST parts of the Holidays...FREE Starbucks!

I just had to share this with readers so you can make sure to take advantage! I mean, who doesn't want to get a free AWESOME holiday drink from Starbucks? :) Even if you aren't a coffee drinker, you can do the peppermint hot chocolate. Take a friend along and then spend some time talking romance books over those amazing drinks!

Today's I'm Doing Something Different...

It's a different kind of post from me today. I've had big things on my mind and couldn't bring myself to write the latest review to post and actually give it the write-up it deserves.

Today is the 3rd anniversary of my mother's death.

On the 1st anniversary my Dad was still alive but not doing very well and ended up in the hospital during this week. It kept me from focusing on Mom being gone.

For the 2nd year, Dad was still sick and getting much worse. Taking care of him, making sure he was taking his medicine, dealing with his loneliness and depression, keeping his old house from falling apart - they all kept me focused on him. I had to be strong for him. Couldn't let him see my emotions because I had to be strong so he could be the one to cry, the one to be sad and depressed.

I felt like in order to be there for him - to support him - I didn't have the right to lose it. To just let go and feel it all - all the emotions that for 2 years had been bottled up.

I was being strong.

As I said, this year is the 3rd anniversary and the first since my dad passed away last year.

This year it's different.

This year I'm feeling every bit of the emotion I didn't get to feel before.

A part of me is relieved - I was scared because who loses their Mom and then doesn't grieve? Did I not love her - am I some sort of heartless woman who only thought she loved her Mother more than anything? Shouldn't I be crying?

So much guilt. Honestly, there has been so much guilt. Trying to be there for dad, but feeling like not focusing on Mom and remembering her made me feel so guilty. Would she have understood? Is she somewhere sad that I wasn't crying or depressed those 1st 2 years? Did she get it - that Dad needed me?

I've asked myself those questions a million times. And tons of other questions too. Questions like: Did she know how much I loved her? How proud I was that she was my mom? How much I appreciated her friendship - not just for being my Mom?

So many questions.

Today, I mark the 3rd anniversary and I'm so happy to say I'm crying. I'm staring at one of my favorite pictures of the two of us. I'm sitting at work remembering her laugh, the jokes she used to tell. The secrets we shared.

Most of all today, I'm celebrating the things about me that I think are just like my Mom. On any given day I can say something or tell a silly joke, or laugh a certain way and it catches me by surprise. Wow - I sound just like Mom. Or, Mom would have loved this. I'M SO PROUD TO BE JUST LIKE MY MOM IN SO MANY WAYS. 

I miss you Mom.

Please - I ask all of you to spend time with your Mom telling her how much she means to you today. If she is no longer with us, I'm so sorry but please never forget the special things that made her your special Mom. 

A Special Holiday Post: Nominate a Family In Need

A Special Message from Terry at Romance in the Backseat:
Hello Readers and Friends,

The Holidays are a wonderful time of year, where we thank those in our lives that have done so much for us throughout the year.  Romance in the Backseat is also taking part in saying thanks.  We have authors giving away books as well as some truly generous giveaways.  Those of food for families in need this Holiday.  Come and Visit Romance in the Backseat.  Nominate those who need some cheer for the book giveaways and those you know who are in need to win the Food Gift Cards from Silver Publishing and author Kylie Brandt. 

 Thank you and please share the links to these giveaways everywhere you can.

Join us and enter to Win a $100 Food Gift Card from Silver Publishing


Silver Publishing Giveaway


Author Kylie Brandt is doing a special $50 Holiday Food Giveaway on RITBS


Kylie Brandt Holiday Giveaway

The Kraken's Mirror Winner!

The winner of a copy of The Kraken's Mirror from Mauren Betita is...

Pam S (pams00)

Congrats! As soon as The Kraken's Mirror releases, I'll get a copy out to you at the email you provided.

Happy Reading and huge thanks to Maureen for stopping by and all the lovely things she said. :)

Welcome Special Guest Author Mareen O. Betita & Win The Kraken's Mirror!

A Beta Reader You Can Trust


Hi, I’m Maureen O. Betita and I’m taking over Cheeky Reads today, by invitation, don’t worry! I’m a new author, with my first release upcoming from Decadent Publishing.

It’s called The Kraken’s Mirror, a captivating romantic adventure featuring pirates, a kraken playing cupid, ipods and a curse of good luck. With a bit of time travel tossed in for fun. Along with waltzing vampires, a swamp full of zombies and a pack of werewolves running in the forest. Yes, Tortuga will never be thought of the same!

Bwah ha ha!

When I dreamed up this menagerie of a story and saw it develop into more than just a lark I knew I needed a beta reader with some experience to help me see past the love affaire I’d fallen into.

Yes, I love this story. I still do, especially after the beta experience. In fact, my beta reader proved invaluable at pointing out some real holes in my narrative. She drew my attention to areas where I lacked descriptive detail, for one thing. Like many new authors, I was caught up with knowing my world so well I just sort of…well…skipped describing it. With her help I brought the pirate festival to life, adding color, pulling up vivid memories and inserting them for the reader.

Thanks, Sabrina!

Another thing she spotted had to do with how my heroine reacted when a betrayal was revealed. Emily needed more connection to what led to it, more connection to why she might feel betrayed. And why she might feel the moments of insecurity the way I painted them.

This was harder to do, had to back up quite a bit…but I saw the hole because she pointed it out to me. Gently. Because she’s Sabrina and she knows how to work with sensitivity.

There were several other bits and pieces Sabrina helped me with and I look forward to her eventually reading the finished product, reviewing it here on CheekyReads and giving me how every many kisses she deems it worthy of. I trust Sabrina, my beta reader.

She made the book better. And no, I’m not just playing kissy-kissy. I hope you will enjoy The Kraken’s Mirror when it comes out and remember to thank Sabrina…she helped a lot!

A Sneak Peek At The Kraken's Mirror:

Treated by our youth oriented society as invisible and sexless Emily Pawes attends a pirate festival to recapture the make believe magic she knew as a younger woman. She wins an interesting bit of booty at an old woman's bric-a-brac stand. The Kraken's mirror is a magical portal and transports her to a land of Hollywood piratitude, where swashbuckling heroes own iPods. With little choice, she embraces the madness, deciding she’ll play pirate until she figures out how to get home. Or wakes up in a padded cell.

Instead of men in little white coats, she encounters the handsome Captain Alan Silvestri. He is a man haunted by a strange curse. Good luck is his to command, but it comes at the cost of any place to call home or people to call family. Resigned to die shunned by all, forced to sail every three days, he begins to dream of a special woman.

When they meet, sparks fly, passion flares. He needs her to be free, but more than that, he needs her to be whole. They set sail, uncertain of who has control of the wheel, seeking to defeat his curse of good luck and discover all the Kraken’s mirror plans for them.

Learn more about Maureen and The Kraken's Mirror at the following locations online:
http://www.maureenobetita.com/
http://believinginsecondchances.typepad.com/
www.twitter.com/maureenobetita

A Special Note From Cheeky Sabrina:
Ok, seriously folks I did not pay her to say all those awesome things. Really I didn't. Maybe I blackmailed her a little, but no money actually exchanged hands. :) I had no idea that she'd write about my being her beta. Thank you so much for the lovely post Maureen. It means so much to me that you think I helped even a little. And isn't that an awesome cover!


Maureen is both an amazing woman, a true friend and a wonderful writer. I was surprised and honored when she asked me to be a beta reader for her and hope that some of my comments really did help. The Kraken's Mirror is a really fun and original story chock full of pirates. I said PIRATES people! And not just of the male persuasion. There is a whole crew of kick-ass awesome lady pirates as well and I had a blast reading about them.

To help spread my love of Maureen and her debut release The Kraken's Mirror, I'm hosting a giveaway! When the Kraken's Mirror releases, I'll personally purchase a copy and send to a lucky Cheeky Reads reader. All you have to do is leave a comment with your best made-up pirate name! Be creative - make it something fun, or even give yourself a Cheeky pirate moniker.

Contest is Open to all users including Internationally. I'll announce a winner on Monday. Please feel free to share this contest on your blog, Facebook or tweet about it!

Cheeky Trick or Treat Winner!

The winner of our first ever Cheeky Reads Trick or Treat Giveaway, as selected by random.org, is...

Comment #7 - Karen!


Congrats Karen! Email your mailing address to cheekyreads @  gmail.com (no spaces) and I'll get your prize out to you soon! I'll be checking out my TBR shelves tonight and picking the perfect book to send you. *Crossing fingers for some good Fairy books!*

Thanks to everyone who entered and you never know...I might decide to giveaway more treats today... :)

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Cheeky Trick or Treat Giveaway!

In honor of Halloween I'm doing a Cheeky Trick or Treat Giveaway! All you have to do is tell me what are your favorite type of paranormal or urban fantasy characters and you'll be entered to win. What do you win? How about a suprise book from my personal TBR pile that features the creatures you like the most? :)

So, let's hear it - are you a fan or witches, werewolves, vampires, shifters, fae? What's your favorite character type? Leave a comment letting me know and you're entered. It's that simple.  

I'll announce the winner on Monday, Nov. 1st. US and Canada only.

Fun with Book Trailers & a Cheeky Trick or Treat Event!

Book trailers are becoming more and more popular as a marketing tool for writer's to spread the word and build the anticipation about thier new releases. I've also seen some fun trailers that bring you up to speed on a series so you are ready for when the next book releases. I've watched quite a few videos lately and wanted to share just a few of them with you.

Enjoy and I'd love to hear if you think book trailers would help you decide to buy a book or not, or if you couldn't care less about them. What do you like or not like about them and what do you think might make one stand out for you? Oh - and be sure to stop by later and over the weekend as I'll be doing a special Cheeky Trick or Treat giveaway event!

Game, Set, Match by Nana Malone


Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole


Wicked Highlander by Donna Grant


Undertow by Cherry Adair

Book Review: Backstage Pass: Sinners on Tour by Olivia Cunning

Book Review: Backstage Pass: Sinners on Tour
By: Olivia Cunning
Sourcebooks Casablanca
2 Heart Review
HEAT LEVEL: EROTIC ROMANCE
Five Stunning Guys, One Hot Woman and a Feverish Romance...

For him, life is all music and no play...

When Brian Sinclair, lead songwriter and guitarist of the hottest metal band on the scene, loses his creative spark, it will take nights of downright sinful passion to release his pent-up genius...

She's the one to call the tune...

When sexy psychologist Myrna Evans goes on tour with the Sinners, every boy tries to seduce her. But Brian is the only one she wants to get her hands on...

Then the two lovers' wildly shocking behavior sparks the whole band to new heights of glory...and sin...

Right off the bat, I want to say that I've never been a huge fan of musicians as heroes. It's not that I particularly dislike them, but I usually find that they tend to act like assholes. Knowing that, I was really hoping for a book that would present a musician I could cheer for. Backstage Pass wasn't totally it, but it was an entertaining read even if it's not something I would read again. If you are a fan of heroes who rock out, then this book might be much better for you than it was for me.

My main issues with the book were that I just couldn't get into a group of men with groupies and that I found the sexual music trance the hero goes into a little too hard to believe. I'm not an artist by any stretch of the word so I can't know for sure, but I did find it hard to believe that musicians write music while getting it on.

There were also a few sex scenes that I felt were thrown in as extras to make the book go more to the erotic side of romance and I felt the book would have been better without those.

The Sinners are an interesting group of men and since this is the first book in a series we'll see all the men find their true love. The author did do a good job of creating five very different guys that you do wonder how they will turn out and what kind of woman (or man) will be the one to make them change their ways. (Groupies, circle blow-jobs, etc. They really do act like an 80's rock band on tour)

I don't think I'll be reading any more books in the series, but not because it wasn't an interesting read, but because I don't think I would do the author justice to talk about her books when I already know I would have a hard time with the hero.

What about you...Do you enjoy a musicians as a hero? If so, what is it about them you love? If not, what is your favorite hero type or occupation?

Reading Withdrawls: What's Your Book Genre Crack?

Lately my life has been jam packed with special events, crazy day-job hours and projects, and unexpected family tragedies. It left me without much time for reading and I realized that the longer I go without reading a book, the stronger the siren song of my TBR pile.

The reading withdrawals have also made me start thinking about what specifically I want to read the first chance I get. What book in the TBR is calling out the loudest? Or is it an keeper shelf favorite that has me in her clutches? Then the responsible adult part of me asks "What book do I need to read to review first?"

Sometimes those books that you know publishers and authors are waiting for reviews on can make looking at the TBR pile almost lose it's hold on me. Not entirely, but knowing people are waiting to hear what you thought can feel overwhelming when sometimes all you want to do is pick the book you are most in the mood to read!

And I've said it before, but I really want to review books when I'm most in the mood to read that genre. I mean if my heart is calling out for a historical, am I really setting up the best reviewing scenario if I pick up that paranormal that I know is releasing soon and feel is more time sensitive?

It's a hard question to answer. I do think that great books speak for themselves and as soon as I start reading, if it's a good book, it will pull me in no matter the genre. On the other hand, sometimes feeding the addiction with the right drug, ha - genre, seems to me would make for a happier and more fulfilled reader.

It's a balancing act, and one I try my best to do when scheduling what I'm reading and reviewing. I do try very hard to give myself enough time to be able to pick up a book for review when I'm in the mood for that genre. It doesn't always happen, but I'd say 80% of the time I can get it to work that way.

Times like now though, it kinda goes out the window. I'm starving for a the hit of a good book and the longer I go the more I can tell I will only be satisfied by X genre. I know exactly what genre book I'm picking up next and hopefully reading one good (again, hopefully) book in that genre will feed the beast and let me relax into reviewing/reading what needs to come next.

So, when you haven't read a book in a what seems like forever (which for me is like 2-5 days) what genre are you drawn to? Is it the same genre every time or do your tastes change according to your mood? Let's hear it!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Book Review: A Tarnished Heart by Leslie Dicken

Book Review: A Tarnished Heart
By: Leslie Dicken
Samhain Publishing
3 Heart Review

She can save him—or bring him to ultimate ruin.


The Earl of Markham’s life is unraveling before his eyes. The harder he tries to pick up the frayed ends, the quicker his carefully guarded control slips from his iron grasp. Five years after the death of his wife, the threat of blackmail hangs over his son’s inheritance.

His only hope to quell the gossip before it begins lies in a headstrong young commoner as wild and free as the English countryside she loves. She is wrong for him in every way. Yet she brings life to his colorless world—and warms his heart with a fire that threatens to shatter the wall around his heart.

Lizzie Parker is content with her garden, her village and caring for her aging father. She wants no part of the glittering London Season, but her father will not be denied his wish to see to her future. Still, she plans to do everything in her power to vex the man charged with taking her away from her beloved home. The man who once broke her heart. Markham.

She never expected his kisses to tame her resistance. With each touch he rouses her senses, until suddenly she’s not at all sure where she belongs...

I'm a big fan of Leslie Dicken and truly believe that she's an under the radar author that more readers of historical romance should check out. Her book Beauty Tempts the Beast was one of my top books of 2010 and a 5 Heart Review here at Cheeky Reads. Seriously, you are missing out if you haven't read it yet.

All of that leads me to point out that my expectations for Leslie's latest book were very high and I do think that's part of the reason why I gave A Tarnished Heart 3 Hearts. Beauty Tempts The Beast is a hard act to follow! In fact, I finished reading this book weeks ago and was having the hardest time trying to figure out exactly what it was that it was missing for me.

It's not that A Tarnished Heart isn't a great story - it is. I loved how strong-willed the heroine was and how willing she is to do anything to stay with her father and take care of him. She's also a smart, tough lady who is willing to fight for her freedom even if it jeopardizes her own reputation and potential future.

One thing I felt was missing for me was for the villains in this tale to get theirs. Lady Fallston and the man who helps her (name withheld to avoid spoilers) needed to have something bad happen to them or at least for the reader to feel like they had to pay for their transgressions. I'm a big fan of making sure that the people who have caused harm pay for it. This was a problem I had with Jennifer Haymore's A Touch of Scandal. The ending with the mother really threw me out of that story and kept it from being a 5 Heart Review for me. I had the same issue with A Tarnished Heart.

**Both of the following plot points are revealed very early in the story so I didn't feel that they counted as spoilers, but wanted to warn you before reading on.**

The other thing that stuck out to me as not quite feeling right to the story was Lizzie's blaming of Markham for her sister's death and how badly she took his reaction to her declaration of future marriage. The blame for the death seemed off and there is an answer to that later, but it took me out of the story every time it was mentioned. As for the declaration of love, all I could think was that she was still a child and no man in his right mind would have reacted positively to that. Let alone a random child coming upon a carriage on a country road and declaring this to the man inside.

What I did really enjoy was the romance between Lizzie and Markham and the sexual tension between them, which I think Leslie writes so well. Both characters were strong and you really wanted them to come to their senses and love each other. It's a solid romance story with two characters you will enjoy and cheer for. The only major thing this book suffers from is not being Beauty Tempts the Beast, which I've said before was one of my favorite books of 2009 and maybe even of the past 3-5 years.

If you haven't read Leslie, please check out her books. I sing her praises on twitter all the time for good reason! Have you read Beauty Tempts the Beast or A Tarnished Heart? If so, what did you think?

Late Review: September Harlequin Blaze Quickie Reviews

I read two Harlequin Blaze books this month and even though I know new ones are already out on the shelves, I wanted to do a quick review since you can still get your hands on these books at http://www.eharlequin.com/.

September Harlequin Blaze Reviews:

Hot Island Nights by Sarah Mayberry – 4 Heart Review

Sweet Surrender (3 Encounters) by Lori Wilde – 4 Heart Review Overall
Night Whispers – 4 Hearts
Never Enough – 3 Hearts
No Turning Back – 4 Hearts

Hot Island Nights:

Elizabeth Morgan didn't intend to abandon her very proper life. But that's the best way to find her true – and less proper – self. So here she is in Australia, standing in front of a man who's clad only in a towel. Nathan Jones is so tempting he could be the ideal candidate to help this good girl be very bad!

Sure enough, thanks to Nathan's talented hands, Elizabeth is living all her sensual fantasies. And while the sex is great, something more is developing. She trusts him, and wants to share her secrets with him, and... Suddenly this feels more like a real relationship than some fun in the sun. Luckily, there's a cure for too much commitment – more wickedness!

The back cover blurb for this book did absolutely nothing to prepare the reader for the amazing story within. This is not a light and carefree Blaze of “wickedness”. There are some major issues handled in this book and in a very deep and fulfilling way. The blurb gets the general idea of teh couple right, but doesn't hint at all at the wonderful story inside.

This was a book that I read quite a few people discussing on twitter so I had to read it. They were not wrong. It's packs way more emotional punch than I normally expect from a Blaze and I thought it was exceptionally well done.

Sweet Surrender:

The Dilemma: How to get over a man-summer gone bad? Ban males next time out.

The Bet: No sex this summer vacation. So who will not hold out the longest?

First there was Bianca: Bianca St. James is desperately pretending her billionaire playboy client isn't fiendishly hot. Self-control...not a chance!

Then Madison: Safely away from temptation, Madison Garrett's confident she'll win the wager...until she sees her travel companion. Will all bets – and clothes – be off?

And Finally Emma: Emma Jacobs was set up. Now she's alone in the wilderness with her achingly hot former high school sweetie...surely no one will notice if she's a little bad, will they?

May the best woman win!

Night Whispers: This was a fun little story that I liked because for once, time passes in this book as the couple learns about each other and falls in love. It was very nice to see an alpha male who nurtures the heronine and helps her learn about herself and her heritage. I did wonder how in the world this woman wears the same undies every day (as all the heronines in the story do)?

Never Enough: A well written story, I gave this one 3 hearts because I didn't buy the 1-2 day fall in love timeline. I don't care if you talk to someone for 24 hours straight, it's asking too much to suspend my disbelief that they fell in love that quickly.

No Turning Back: I LOVED that this was a reunion story and how easy it felt - and how right. Very well done and even though this could easily have been a full-lenth story of its own, the author did a great job leaving you satisfied with the shorter length.

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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New Updates Coming Soon...

Sorry I've been MIA a little the past few days, but I've had some bad news about a family member and haven't been up to writing my reviews and posting them. I'm trying to get past it and will hopefully be updating again soon.

I hope everyone is reading something awesome and have a great weekend!

New & Recent Releases I’m Excited About…

There have been a slew of recent releases that I’m dying to read or whose covers caught my eye and they’re now on my radar. Below are just some of them, but head over to your local bookstore to check out what else has slipped onto the shelves without you noticing!

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

butterflyswordsfront

The Best of Friends by Susan Mallery

book_october10

The Surrender of a Lady by Tiffany Clare

Surrender-188x300

Eat Prey Love by Kerrelyn Sparks

book_september2010

Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan

trialbydesire

Me, Myself and Why? by MaryJanice Davidson

9780312531171

Aching for Always by Gwyn Cready

Aching for Always Cover April 2010 Final