REVIEW: Hounding The Pavement by Judi McCoy - Win a Signed Copy!

Hounding The Pavement
By Judi McCoy
Signet
5 Heart Review

Ellie Engleman, the newest dog walker on Manhattan's swanky Upper East Side, has a talent – besides scooping poop. She can hear what her canine clientele are thinking. So when an owner is killed, Ellie must perk up her ears and bone up on her sleuthing....

Ditching her dog-eat-dog career and cur of a husband, Ellie happily trades her power suits for a panty-hose free wardrobe and her dream job. And she couldn't be happier – unless of course, Mr. Right shows up at her door with a pint of Haagen-Dazs.

But when she stumbles upon a dead client, Ellie becomes a suspect in an investigation led by smoking-hot, if cocky, Detective Ryder. Ellie wouldn't exactly mind staying in his custody – if it meant sticking close by him 24-7 – but she worries about the deceased's missing prizewinning bichon. Did someone steal him? If only she could find the dog, he'd tell her who the culprit is. But a killer wants Ellie to let sleeping dogs lie...or else.

I'm a huge fan of Judi McCoy's Goddess Series and was delighted to hear she was trying a new mystery series – particularly one with a heroine who can talk to dogs! Hounding the Pavement is an excellent mystery wrapped in humor, with wit and a steamy romance! One thing is for sure, this isn't your grandmother's mystery. It's part of a new breed that includes more sexual steam and a greater emphasis on the romance.

I love Ellie! She's a fantastic character and I would love to step into her shoes for a day – especially a day when she gets all hot and heavy with the super sexy Detective Sam Ryder! I think women will identify with her attitude and fall in love with her upbeat, spunky personality. I sure did!

Detective Ryder is the hero I love to root for. He's a man who's been hurt in the past and is afraid of being hurt again. But, you know he'd be there to rescue you in a pinch and he loves his job even if it's not glamorous. What I found refreshing were the cute insights into the lighter side of his character such as his refusal to obey parking restrictions and bribing his officer buddy to lose the tickets. I love that he's an officer of the law who likes to work around it sometimes.

The addition of the premise that Ellie can speak to animals is done with expert skill. You never feel that it’s annoying or too much to believe. Judi makes you believe it! I can envision my own dogs making the same comments to me and having the same conversations with other dogs. It helps that Judi doesn't make the rest of her world unbelievable. That makes the dogs talking an extraordinary thing in a normal world and gets the reader to more easily accept the idea of talking canines.

I loved this book and think you will too. Beyond the good story, is terrific writing that makes it easy to fall in love with the characters and want to come back to them again and again. I guess it’s a good thing that Judi's second book in the series comes out later this year!

Enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Hounding the Pavement! Just leave a comment telling me what you think your dog would say to you if he could talk, or why you love romantic mysteries! I'll draw randomly from all the comments on Friday the 29th!

This giveaway copy was happily purchased with all of Judi's royalties from the book going to benefit the Best Friends Animal Society. Support Best Friends and get a terrific book in the process by puchasing Hounding the Pavement today!

Seriously...Harlequin Goes Comic

Did you know that Harlequin publishes versions of its romance books as digital comics in Japan and China?

Neither did I, but they do! How cool is that? Your favorite hero and heroine have their own comic overseas - there are actual faces put to the characters you've only visualized in your mind. And how fantastic is it that Harlequin is making sure to bring romance novels to an audience in the format they prefer. Big applause for Harlequin!

Here's a quote from a recent Harlequin press release:

"Reading novels and comics on mobile phones is a way of life," said Belinda Hobbs, Vice President, Harlequin Asia. "As Harlequin celebrates 60 years of pure reading pleasure we are thrilled to be able to bring digital comics based on the original English novel to a new audience. This reflects both the world-wide appeal of our editorial and Harlequin's focus on providing entertaining reading to women via innovative new channels and formats."

Way to go on spreading the romance book love Harlequin!

Chat with Fantastic Author (and all-around super cool lady) Judi McCoy

One of my personal favorite authors, the lovely Mrs. Judi McCoy, is chatting it up at the Romance Writer's Revenge today. I have a review of her latest book, Hounding the Pavement that I'll be posting on Monday but you can have at her today over at the Revenge!

She's open to answering any questions about her books, the writing process and/or anything that strikes your fancy! Go check out her guest blog and ask her your best questions!

http://www.romancewritersrevenge.com/

Audio Lovin': Review of Naughty Neighbor by Janet Evanovich

Naughty Neighbor
Written By Janet Evanovich
Read by C.J. Critt
Harper Audio
3 Heart Review

I had one major problem (and a few small ones, but more about those later) with this audio book – it was over much too soon! The story is on the shorter side, and I felt these characters had so much more to say and I wanted to get to know them more!

Here's the description from the audio case:

Louisa Brannigan's neighbor is a handsome hell-raiser – and he's driving Louisa crazy. He makes terrible coffee, steals her newspaper, and listens through her walls. But when she's fired from her government job, Louisa is persuaded to join his undercover investigation. Sneaking around in the shadows is more fun than she ever imagined, especially when the getaway car is a Porsche.

Pete Streeter never figured on finding such an attractive partner in crime. Louisa is all he ever wanted in a woman, and more. But once he's taught her to enjoy living on the edge, will she finally feel safe in his love?

This quirky little story really tickled me and I didn't expect that since my initial impression was that this might be a random audio miss. The voice of C.J. Critt immediately felt off to me. It seemed more mature and slightly gruffer than what the story seemed to call for. BUT, Critt is an excellent performer and her enthusiasm and comedic timing will eventually make you forget that her voice isn't exactly matching the heroine's personality. Kudos to Critt for making the characters come alive so well.

I found myself pleasantly surprised as the characters grew on me. Again, part of that was due to the enthusiasm of Critt, but mostly it was the appeal of the characters as Evanovich expertly unveils them. I was particularly drawn to Pete Streeter and his unpretentious attitude and easygoing banter with Louisa. Having the hero fall hard first makes for a nice change, and Pete really puts his heart out there early. Gotta love a man not afraid to commit!

Louisa was a little less developed, so I didn't feel nearly as drawn to her. Still likable, but she could have used more background or some deeper insight into why she valued her independence so much that she was almost willing to let Pete walk away. That felt a little forced to me and I didn't fully see it fitting into the personality that had been painted of her. Otherwise, she was delightful and so was the story.

All in all, this is a cute little audio book that showcases some great work by Critt and by Evanovich. If you are anything like me though, you'll want more substance to the story so you can hang out with Louisa and Pete for a little while longer.

Vote for Your Favorite Romance Covers of 2008

The ladies over at Cover Café are doing it again! It’s time to vote for the best and worst romance book covers of 2008! The nominees are amazing – Definitely eye candy!

Click here to go to the voting website. While you’re there, check out how you can nominate your favorite covers from this year for the contest in 2009!

I've provided one of my favorite covers from 2008 here for your viewing pleasure!

CHEEKY REVIEW: Vexing the Viscount by Emily Bryan

Vexing the Viscount
By Emily Bryan
Leisure Historical Romance
Dorchester Publishing
5 Heart Review

Sign me up for everything Emily Bryan ever writes! With this post, Cheeky Reads officially awards it's very first 5 Heart Review to Vexing the Viscount by the very talented Mrs. Emily Bryan!

Read the back cover copy:

As children they'd sparred with play swords. She's scarred his chin, and he broke her heart. Now, more than a decade later, the true battle was only beginning...

Daisy Drake needed Lucian Beaumont, Viscount Rutland. Tired of being labeled “on the shelf,” she craved adventure. And Lucian held all the clues to a long-buried Roman treasure. Surely, her desire to join his search had nothing to do with his dark curls and seductive Italian accent. Too bad Lucian wanted no help from her – until she donned the disguise of an infamous French courtesan and promised to teach him all she knew about the pleasures of the bedchamber. Of course, she only knew what had been written in naughty books. But Daisy had always been a quick learner. And night by naked night, they'd discover treasure neither expected to find.

From the very first page Mrs. Bryan grabbed my imagination and took it on a sassy, seductive ride. Daisy is everything I love in a historical heroine – smart, adventurous, quick-witted and most of all, she goes after what she wants!

Our hero Lucian will steal your heart with his underdog status, inexperience and endearing personality. His interactions with Daisy/Blanche will make you giggle out loud while you root for him to keep her on her toes.

This book started off with a perfect first meeting between the two and then never lets up. The pacing was excellent and the sparring between Daisy and Lucian is delightful. The story never dragged, and the ending left me with the perfect combination of feelings - amused, satisfied, light-hearted and happy.

I'll be purchasing Mrs. Bryan's entire backlist and will be the first in line for any new releases! Check out Emily's Blog, website and the supercool additional blog she writes at the Chantelaines.

Do you enjoy Historical Romances? You already know I love my heroines cheeky, but what about you? What kind of heroine do you love to read about?

Drum Roll Please...Winners of the RT Convention Contest

I'm glad everyone enjoyed the posts from the Romantic Times Convention! I learned a lot about what kind of photos I wish I had taken and next year I will definitely work in some video!

Now, for the fun part!

The winner of a $25 Borders Gift Card & Swag is: Penney

The winner of a collection of books and Swag from the RT Convention is: Pams00

Congrats ladies! Just send me your full name and snail mail address to cheekyreads @ gmail.com (without the spaces).

True Romance: Borders May Romance Picks from Sue Grimshaw

Check out this neat video on Borders True Romance. Sue Grimshaw walks you through a Borders store and talks to you about her picks for books to add to your TBR pile!

It's a neat way to learn about the newest releases and since I happen to love my local Borders I don't mind giving them some shameless pimping!

Enjoy, and I hope you find something new!

Winners of Rogue Contest

The winners of a free copy of Rogue by Cheryl Brooks are...

Booklover1335
Natasha
JCP
Heather D
Judy
Melissa

I really appreciated everyone's input on how I can work to make the blog even more appealing, so I decided I would send everyone a copy of Cheryl's book! Thank you again and I hope you enjoy the read. :)

Send me an email with your full name and snail mail address to cheekyreads @ gmail.com (without the spaces) and I'll get your book in the mail to you next week.

Congrats!

I Want It Wednesday: Win a Copy of Rogue by Cheryl Brooks

Today I'm giving away two copies of Rogue by Cheryl Brooks! Rouge is the third book in Cheryl's Car Star Chronicles and is a super steamy paranormal romance! Check out the description of the book:

He crawled toward me on his hands and knees like a tiger stalking his prey.

No woman has ever tamed him before...
Enslaved for years, Tychar belongs to the Queen of Darconia. His feline gene gives him remarkable sexual powers and every female on the planet is in love with him. Then, the Queen gives him to Kyra...

Does she even stand a chance?
Or will she be just another one of his conquests? Why would he choose the modest piano teacher? Yet the two are drawn to each other with a powerful, magnetic attraction unlike any he's felt before... Then the palace is attacked in a coup, and Tychar has to choose between freedom and love...

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment letting me know what you would like to see more of on this blog or if there is something I don't normally include that you'd like to see added! Feel free to give me any input so I can make this blog better for everyone!

I'll pick two random winners on Friday the 15th. Good Luck!

Win a HUGE Boatload of Books from Sourebooks Casablanca at AAR!!!!

All About Romance is having a fantastic contest where you can win some fantastic reads from Sourcebooks Casablanca authors. All you have to do is check out the site and leave a comment about your favorite small press!

Get over there and win some books!

http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=1657

Audio Lovin': Review of 16 Lighthouse Road By Debbie Macomber

16 Lighthouse Road Audio Book
By Debbie Macomber
Ready by: Sandra Burr
Brilliance Audio

I will admit I'm a latecomer to Debbie Macomber and her Cedar Cove stories. I was lucky enough to pick one up to read on our community loaner library shelf, and I discovered a writer with a sweetly sentimental contemporary voice. When I'm in the mood for a straightforward romance with warm feelings of home, I now reach for one of Debbie's books.

16 Lighthouse Road is my first foray into the lives of Judge Olivia, her mother Charlotte, and her selection of friends and family. I was very happy with the audio recording and the voice work done by Sandra Burr and the story was everything you should expect from Debbie.

The character Olivia is very interesting and as the story goes on you want to see more and more into her past and her future. I really connected with Olivia and was rooting for her relationship with local newspaper editor Jack to take off. Olivia's mother Charlotte adds just the right mix of humor to lighten the mood when the darker parts of the story threaten to take over.

The story of Cecilia and Ian Randall was both satisfying and slightly annoying to me. At times I felt so sorry for them, and at other, I wanted to yell at them just to sit down and talk and they might be able to work things out. I thought their romance was naively sweet and their hardships make their miscommunication understandable. Even so, I just wanted them to listen to each other!

The side story of Grace and her husband was surprising and that's why I loved it. Today i'll check out Debbie's Website to see if Grace has her own story since her story as the most compelling to me. I really want to know what happens to her and her husband.

Fans of Debbie and sweet contemporaries, will love 16 Lighthouse Road. With great characters, a very personal and memorable setting and great writing, this book will satisfy your need for a charming romance.

Brenda Novak's Auction for Diabetes Research

May 1st saw the launch of the 5th Annual Brenda Novak Online Auction for Diabetes Research and I'm so happy to promote this event. The goal this year is to raise $300,000 and as of yesterday, the auction proceeds were up to 92,500 after just 5 days! GREAT JOB!

There are so many awesome items at the auction for every price range and new stuff is getting added every day!

On a personal note, I lost my mother a little over a year ago. She battled diabetes for over 20 years and it played a major role in her passing away. I ask that if you are touched my diabetes in your life, that you check out this awesome auction and bid!

The money raised this year will go to the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami. By bidding you will not only win some exciting and unique items and/or opportunities, you'll be supporting a very worthy research-based organization. To find out more about the Diabetes Research Institute, visit their website at www.DiabetesResearch.org.

RT Convention: More Fun Photos

I'm finally feeling more into the swing of things, so I wanted to post a few more photos from the RT Convention. Everyone was fantastic and I made some amazing new friends. I would definitely recommend RT to any aspiring author and for readers who love romance!

Check out some more fun shots from RT below and don't forget every comment enters you to win a $25 gift card or load of goodies!



I've already blogged about how inspirational Heather Graham was when she stopped by our aspiring authors workshop, but you have to know that she is a very friendly and talented lady! Not only did she sing and perform at multiple events - including her fantastic Vampire Ball - but she was always gracious and took time to speak with many fans and writers. It was such a pleasure to meet her. Check out Heather's Website here.



I cannot tell you how much I love Judi McCoy! I won't go on and on, but not only is she a great teacher, but she's also a very special woman who gives so much of herself! Please check out Judi's latest release, Hounding the Pavement and buy a copy - all the proceeds from the book go to the Best Friends Animal Society. Get all the details about Judi's new Dogwalker Mysteries at www.judimccoy.com

Next to Judi in the photo is romance author Amanda McIntyre. I know I keep saying this, but Amanda was so nice and willing to talk to fans and authors! We had a lovely conversation about traveling and I just had to buy her book The Diary of Cozette! The cover is gorgeous! Check it out at www.amandamacintyre.net



Traci Hall was one of the super awesome ladies I befriended at the conference. Such a sweet heart, Traci writes both a young adult series and adult romances. Check out her website at www.tracihall.com



I also met Karen Kendall who currently writes a fantastic romantic suspense series called ARTemis. If you like your romance suspenseful with a bit of glamour and danger, then check out Karen's website at www.karenkendall.com



I want to say a very special thank you to author Susan Yarina for being so wonderful to me during the conference. Her input on my work in progress was beyond helpful and she is a delight. Check out Susan's website at www.susanyarina.com

I met so many more remarkable authors and ladies at the event that I can't list them all! I'm hoping to have them stop by Cheeky Reads soon and talk about their latest releases and what else they are up to.

Don't forget to leave your comments to enter to win some fantastic prizes! Every comment is an entry!

RT Convention: Ahoy! Meet Jane & Maureen

Before the conference even started, the aspiring writers workshop group started a yahoo group to get to know each other before actually attending the event.

Two lovely ladies who took the workshop with Judi McCoy last year joined the chat to help prepare us. I was lucky enough to spend some time with them throughout the conference and they are fantastic!

Check out the ladies in full smile at the Saturday Book Fair in the photo above.

Maureen blogs as 2nd Chance at the Romance Writer's Revenge. It's a cool site and they are featuring a hilarious Q&A with none other than Angie Fox - who recieved a 4 heart review here at Cheeky Reads for The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers. Check it out - you'll laugh your ass off!

I just want to say thank you to Jane and Maureen for all their great advice!

CHEEKY REVIEW:The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers

Dangerously Demonish...Magically Sexy...Fantastic Fun!


The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers
By Angie Fox
Love Spell Paranormal Romance
4 Heart Review

Confession: I love paranormal romance – the kick ass heroine who saves the day while being smart and sassy is totally part of why I started Cheeky Reads. In my mind's eye, I picture myself as the girl who can always give the sassy comeback to any quip. In real life? Well, let's just say I try really hard, but my sassy girl tendencies run more to the quirky and comedic.

Which might be why I can't resist paranormal romances that make me laugh out loud. Give me MaryJanice Davidson, Kim Harrison, Judi McCoy, Katie MacAlister and a whole slew of others to read and I'll disappear for days. Not to say I don't crave the darker side of paranormals – I have my own love fest with those as well, but that's for another post.

Angie Fox's newest, The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers sounded like perfection. Reluctant but spunky heroine just learning her powers? Check. Awesome talking animal sidekick? Check. A supporting cast of characters that provide laughs at all the right places? Check. A brooding paranormal love interest that lets the heroine fulfill her ass-kicking destiny? Triple Check.

Angie Fox brews the prefect spell of a wickedly sexy romance, hilarious high jinks, and the sense of mystery and danger that comes from protecting a paranormal world. So good I read it in one sitting, Angie Fox's Demon Slayer Series is now on my permanent gotta have it list!

Even if you've never tried a paranormal before, don’t miss The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers!

Check out Angie's website where you can learn your Biker Witch name and find out if you're part Demon Slayer. Check mine out in the top left corner - I'm 65% Demon Slayer!

RT Convention: Recovery!

So I had a fantastic week at the Romantic Times Booklovers Conference and now I'm crashing!

Watch out for more photos and fun news in the next few days as I unpack all my goodies and get all the images off my camera.

For your viewing pleasure, here is Mr. Romance competitor Stefan as he signs photos for all the lovely ladies. Check out Stefan Pinto's website here.

Advertising on Cheeky Reads

Advertisments on Cheeky Reads help us to keep spreading the romance genre love around with contests and giveaways! Your Ads will help Cheeky Reads pay for purchasing and shipping books - we hope internationally - so we can make sure the love reaches far and wide!

Currently, we offer a standard size 200x300 vertical ad for our sidebars. See the image above for an example of the size.

Here are the details:

Each 200x300 ad is $10 a month. It's $15 a month if you want the ad space in the Top Right-hand sidebar.

Ads run for one month - that's guranteed!

You can submit html/javascript or an image with the URL you want it to link to. We can accept jpegs and gifs for the images.

Ads do not constitute an endorsement by Cheeky Reads.

Cheeky Reads reserves the right to refuse any artwork or ad subjects that are found to be offensive.

Payment is via Paypal.

To discuss your ad or for any questions, please contact Sabrina at cheekyreads@gmail.com.

RT Convention: eBook Expo

Part of this year's conference was a special feature on eBooks and ePublishers and the event was packed!

Again, tons of giveaways and door prizes. Love that!

What was even better was seeing authors with eBooks and small press books doing signings and finding new readers. There are some fabulous writers out there in eBooks and it was great to see them get their time in a special spotlight.

One fantastic author I've met this year is Lyn Armstrong. She's beyond nice and I can't wait to read the book I bought from her! She writes about Celtic witches and I can tell just from meeting her I'm gonna love them.

Check out Cheeky Author Lyn Armstrong in the book signing photo I took of her. I'll be having Lyn on the blog a little later and give you more details about her and her books. In the meantime, check out her cool website www.lynarmstrong.com.

RT Convention: Gotta Love Free Swag!

One of the coolest things about RT so far is all the swag! FREE stuff is everywhere. From your conference bag stacked with hot new titles, to giveaways at the workshop panels, and party bags full of books, I'm going to come away from the conference with loads of loot!

Promotion lane is where authors and publishers pimp out their books and upcoming titles with all kinds of freebies. There are bookmarks, candy, postcards, excerpts, pens and any other number of items to take home.

I'll be sharing some of these awesome freebies with readers after the conference. You know you want some!

REVIEW: The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers By Angie Fox

Dangerously Demonish...Magically Sexy...Fantastic Fun!


The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers
By Angie Fox
Love Spell Paranormal Romance
4 Heart Review

Confession: I love paranormal romance – the kick ass heroine who saves the day while being smart and sassy is totally part of why I started Cheeky Reads. In my mind's eye, I picture myself as the girl who can always give the sassy comeback to any quip. In real life? Well, let's just say I try really hard, but my sassy girl tendencies run more to the quirky and comedic.

Which might be why I can't resist paranormal romances that make me laugh out loud. Give me MaryJanice Davidson, Kim Harrison, Judi McCoy, Katie MacAlister and a whole slew of others to read and I'll disappear for days. Not to say I don't crave the darker side of paranormals – I have my own love fest with those as well, but that's for another post.

Angie Fox's newest, The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers sounded like perfection. Reluctant but spunky heroine just learning her powers? Check. Awesome talking animal sidekick? Check. A supporting cast of characters that provide laughs at all the right places? Check. A brooding paranormal love interest that lets the heroine fulfill her ass-kicking destiny? Triple Check.

Angie Fox brews the prefect spell of a wickedly sexy romance, hilarious high jinks, and the sense of mystery and danger that comes from protecting a paranormal world. So good I read it in one sitting, Angie Fox's Demon Slayer Series is now on my permanent gotta have it list!


Even if you've never tried a paranormal before, don’t miss The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers!


Check out Angie's website where you can learn your Biker Witch name and find out if you're part Demon Slayer. Check it out in the top left corner - I'm 65% Demon Slayer!

RT Convention: Surprise Special Guest!

1:30 and surprise guest HEATHER GRAHAM drops into our writers workshop to give us her words of wisdom! What a fantastic surprise - she was humble, real and so willing to offer her advice.

Flashbulbs were going off all over the room!

RT Booklovers Convention: Writer's Workshop

Morning Session Surprise: The group had a surprise visit from a Mr. Romance competitor. The ladies managed to control themselves, but couldn't help making him blush with a few catcalls!

Allison Chase and Nancy Cohen are speaking about plotting out your book. I can't believe I'm getting advice from Nancy Cohen! Her tips on organization and her plotting tools are fabulous and I can see how it will help me immensely.

Allison and Nancy gave away copies of their books. Three lovely future New York Times Bestsellers were the happy winners!

RT Booklovers Convention: Day 1 Aspiring Writer's Program

Day one of the Aspiring Writer's Program portion of the RT Booklover's convention rocked! I'm taking the beginner's class, and Not only is Judi McCoy an awesome writer, she is one hilarious lady! She cracked me up all day long.

The hotel has some serious issues with wifi access I won't even go into, so I'm hoping to start posting some photos tomorrow.

All I can say is I'm hooked on RT and having the time of my life. I'll try to give a run down tomorrow of some of the fabulous authors that have come in to do some teaching workshops...Linnea Sinclair is a hoot!

More coming soon!

FREE - That's Right, I used the F-Word - FREE eBooks from Samhain!

Samhain is doing one awesome series of Spring Fling events! Check out all the details below...and don't forget I used the F-Word! FREE eBooks!

Contests - There are seven contests, each beginning at 12:01 EST from the 19th through the 26th. Each contest will be released on the Samhellion Blog and the post will contain a link to the current contest.

Chats - Samhain authors will be chatting on the Samhain Cafe chat loop on Wednesday 4/22 through 4/26.

FREE eBooks - A Free eBook each day this week! They will be announced on the Samhellion Blog every day. Check out these two freebies: Wild Thing by Shelley Munroe and April's Crush by Meg Allison. Happy E-Reading!

Romantic Times Booklovers Convention

OK, I'm so excited I can't see straight!

I'm attending my very first Romantic Times Booklovers Convention next week and the excitement is too much - I can't even sleep at night I keep wanting to wake up and be another day closer!

Believe it or not, I'll be attending the Aspiring Authors workshops before the main conference - I've finally decided to make my dream a reality. Then, it will be all about meeting some romance authors! The list is amazing and I just hope I can control my urge to squeal with delight.

Next week, look for daily posts with all the great details, pics with your favorite authors and maybe even some photos of the Mr. Romance competitors!

You can get all the details about the conference here.

Check out this awesome video for some fun highlights from 2008!


RT Convention 2008 Wrap Up from Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Vimeo.

AUDIO LOVIN: Review of Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella

Remember Me
By Sophie Kinsella
Read By Charlotte Parry
Random House Audio
2 Heart Review

I enjoy Sophie Kinsella’s books, and for a bit I had to have every one. Somewhere, probably before Shopaholic & Baby, I lost interest or found someone new and forgot about Ms. Kinsella. So, when I saw the audiobook for Remember Me and saw her name on the cover I thought why not?

When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed.

Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all.

Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?

For the most part, I enjoyed this audiobook and its quirky tone. As much as the amnesia storyline might seem hokey or generic, Kinsella actually creates a story that leaves you guessing and offers up some new ideas on the subject. Lexi is a likeable character that I wanted to root for, but she quickly begins to irritate me. For some reason, I want her to use her common sense and open her eyes instead of blindly trusting everyone. I want to like her, I really do!

Charlotte’s reading of the book is good, it’s just unfortunate that some of the lines she is forced to read made me want to chuck the CD out the window! I couldn’t get passed her grating out “STOP IT” every other line. I kept wondering why Ms. Kinsella couldn’t have found an alternative phrase every now and again.

This is a cute story that doesn’t end the way you might expect it to. If you need something fun to pass the time this is a good choice. If you are looking for a really great audiobook, this wouldn’t be my first recommendation. I wanted a heroine with more gumption and sass and less blind obedience. I think the audio version of the book might point out the shortcomings in the phrases and Lexi’s characterization more than what might have been evident in the printed book.

Romance Junkies Chat Tonight!

RomanceJunkies Rocks! I love their website, blog, and their yahoo group and highly recommend romance lovers (well - JUNKIES!) check them out!

One of their coolest features is that they offer online chats with authors on a regular basis. Tonight is the monthly chat with the Midnight Seduction Authors.

Here are the details:

MIDNIGHT SEDUCTION Author Chat 9-10 PM EST
Date: Tuesday April 14, 2009
Time: 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Location: http://www.romancejunkies.com/chat.html

Come and chat each month with the authors from Midnight Seductions. You will meet with different authors every month to learn about their latest releases!

Rock on RomanceJunkies and thanks for feeding our romance addiction!

National Library Worker Day

Thank you!
Thank you to all of the Library workers who dedicate themselves to literacy and the idea of a free exchange of knowledge and information.

Please stop by your local library today and show your appreciation with a word of thanks - or in my case, cupcakes! If you can't make it to the library, send them an e-card!

Technical Glitch My Petunia! Shame on Amazon!

Amazon Rank

Amazon has been stripping books of their important sales figures and deranking them from it's listings and of course they are targeting GLBT books - sometimes even wiping out entire listings from some publishing houses. They are censoring what is being made available to the public and that's ridiculous!

For instance, you can type in an authors name - which, if you do that then you really are looking for books by that author DUH! - then you will not get any of that author's books that might include same sex partners. BUT - you can still get all kinds of erotica as long as it's male/female.

Oh- and of course you can get your dogfighting book needs there too. And all the information you ever needed about machine guns. Cause those have never harmed anyone and we don't mind kids seeing those. Such bullshit!

Both Smart Bitches and Dear Author are following this very closely - I suggest checking out their posts that follow all the details. They also include information on contacting Amazon and putting a stop to this!

Click here to learn about the Google Bomb Campaign from Smart Bitches.

Check out how to contact Amazon with a complaint and see a letter here at Dear Author.

I was previously part of the Amazon Associates program, but no more. I have pulled all the amazon ads from my site and will be changing all the links that go to their site. Never again will I purchase something from Amazon and the Sony Reader just clinched the competition for my hard earned dollars!

Hug Your Librarian: It's National Library Week!!!

I adore my local library so I'm always excited for National Library Week when I can shout out my love and extol the benefits of visiting your local library!

At least once a week you'll find me in the racks at my local branch. There, I can discover a new author, try a new genre before actually spending the bucks to buy something I might not like, check out some really cool documentaries (OK - and every version of Pride and Prejudice ever put on film!), rediscover older books and books that might be from before my romance reading years, and so much more!

Events scheduled for this week include:

Monday, April 13 - "The State of America's Libraries" report will be released. Visit the Public Information Office Web site for more information.

Tuesday, April 14 - Celebrate ALA-APA's National Library Workers Day

Wednesday, April 15- ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom will release the “Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2008” list. Visit the Banned Books Week Web site.

Thursday, April 16 - Celebrate YALSA's Support Teen Literature Day

Libraries are super cool and totally great for when your pocket book can use a break! Visit your local library and thank them for offering such a great service!

Death Proof: True Love Conquers All!!!!

The New York Times recently published an article about how even with the economy in the crapper and sales of books being down or flat for most booksellers, that romance title sales are on the rise.

It just goes to show - Romance Book Lovers know their priorities!

Actually, the article hits some great points about escapism in hard times and how that creates a tendency to look for romance and comedy choices in books and movies. I totally agree that paranormals will continue to grow as they take us to a whole other world and away from any semblance of the world where all our problems are coming down around us.

I highly recommend checking it out. I love the image of the manly hand grabbing Lora Leigh's Wicked Pleasure (Bound Hearts) off the shelf!


There's even a quote from Jane Little at dearauthor.com and other romance industry folks.

Here's the link to the full article.

Stephanie Plum Fans Grab Your Video Cameras!

Love Janet Evanovich's series and want to share your crazed addiction for all things Plum with millions? Borders is asking fans to make short videos reenacting their favorite scenes or even write your own using the Plum characters.

Upload your kiss-ass video to YouTube to share with the world! Then you should send the link to Borders at evanovich@borders.com. If Borders likes your vid then they may share it before the release of "Finger Lickin' Fifteen." Your video could be included in their shortlist e-newsletter that goes out to over 31 million readers!

For inspiration, check out the cute video made by Borders employees who love them some Plum! Click here to laugh out loud and to get all the details!

Married By Mistake Winners!!!!

Drumroll please...

The winners of the drawing for a copy of Married By Mistake by Abby Gaines are:

2ndChance
JaneL
Natasha
Loves2Read

Ladies, just send an email to cheekyreads@gmail.com with your snail mail address so I can send you your prize!

I want to say a special thank you to Abby Gaines for stopping by to check out the contest and to comment on our site! How cool was that! You can learn more about Abby at her website http://abbygaines.com/ or sign up for her newsletter here.

Be sure to check out her latest releases Checkered Past and the Groom Came Back!

Win One of Four Copies of Married by Mistake by Abby Gaines

“TV bride gets dumped. Unexpected groom steps in. Film at eleven.”

Hey all you Bachelor / Bachelorette TV show fans! Need more reality TV match ups? Then this book is right up your alley! The story centers on a bride jilted at the alter on a live reality TV show and the millionaire hero who steps in to marry her. In light of how the most recent incarnation of the Bachelor ended, the timing is perfect to enjoy this Harlequin Super Romance and get your happily ever after fix!

The awesome team at Harlequin sent me four copies of Married By Mistake to giveaway!

Just leave a comment about whether you would consider going on a reality TV show to find true love, and I'll pick four random comments to win a copy of Married By Mistake! Comment before April 8th for your chance to win!

Audio Lovin' Review: Plum Lucky By Janet Evanovich

Plum Lucky - Audio Book
By: Janet Evanovich
Read By: Lorelei King

As a between the numbers Stephanie Plum novel, Plum Lucky hits the perfect note of sassy, fun and fast paced. The narrator of Plum Lucky, Lorelei King, does an amazing job of setting the right tempo and hitting the lines in just the way you imagine them in your mind.

I enjoy the Stephanie Plum novels, but I don't wait with baited breath for their release. In fact, I've only read a few so I'm trying to go back and catch up with the story. When I’m in the mood for a spunky, light read, I know that the Plum novels will usually do the trick.

For Plum Lucky, we get away from the romantic push and pull between Ranger and Joe. Since I haven't read the entire series, I can only guess how Janet keeps that from getting stale. This time, we get to see Stephanie mix it up with Diesel, whose personality is so easy going that you wish he was around more often.

The book isn't heavy on romance, since it's pretty clear that even if Stephanie has the hots for Diesel, she's not excited enough to act on anything. I would have enjoyed the book more with at least a little more sexual tension or a few sexual interchanges beyond just verbally.

The regular cast of characters makes an appearance, including Grandma Mazer, a leprechaun (yes! I said leprechaun) Lula and a rocket launcher. Together they make for some nice LOL moments. On the flip side, I'm always annoyed by Stephanie's mom – I can't even find her ironically funny. For my money, I would totally hire the mob to whack her!

The Audio Books is a good listen. Just be careful – you'll be smiling and laughing like a silly head – I was driving along with an idiot grin on my face and realized other drivers probably thought I was insane!

Nora Robert's High Noon on Lifetime

Are you ready for the next movie in the Lifetime Nora Robert's Collection?

High Noon starring Emilie de Ravin and Ivan Sergei premieres this Saturday at 9PM ET. Encores will air April 5th & 6th at 9PM, but after the premiere you'll be able to watch the whole movie online at their site! Oh, and did I mention Cybill Shepard is also in the movie! Love her - Moonlighting rocked!

From the Lifetime website:

In the Nora Roberts movie "High Noon," expert hostage negotiator Lieutenant Phoebe McNamara (Emilie de Ravin) juggles her high-pressure career with the demands of raising her young daughter and contending with her agoraphobic mother, Essie (Cybill Shepherd). When Phoebe meets handsome bar owner Duncan Swift (Ivan Sergei), he can’t resist her take-charge attitude and attempts to earn her affections. Though she tries to resist his charms, Phoebe soon realizes no amount of negotiation will keep Duncan at arm’s length. When Phoebe is assaulted by an unknown assailant in her precinct, she can’t help but be deeply shaken. She later receives a series of mysterious and threatening messages, and soon discovers she is the target of a psychopathic killer out to destroy her personally and professionally.

Check out the trailer below...Isn't Emilie de Ravin strikingly beautiful?!

Borders New True Romance Feature

Borders recently launched its newest feature True Romance with Sue Grimshaw. It's an online video featuring an interview with a romance author talking about her newest release. Sue is Borders romance book buyer, and she interview the authors in each segment.

The first interview featured Lisa Jackson speaking about her newest release Malice, and the latest is with Lisa Kleypas and her book Smooth Talking Stranger. I've heard great things about Lisa and her newest book, so I was happy to get the chance to watch the interview. One more book to add to my TBR pile!

Click here to check out the interview with Lisa Kleypas and find out more about Borders True Romance.

Harlequin Does Some Spring Cleaning - Equals Big Savings for Us!

Harlequin is promoting its Spring Cleaning Sale with selected titles up to 76% off!

Cheeky Girl Sabrina checked it out, and there are some great titles available at drastically reduced prices! In fact, you can search by just how good the reductions are - scroll to the bottom of the page for the best deals available. There are many titles under $1.50 - for brand new books. Gotta love those prices!

Hurry, these great deals won't last long!

Ends Apr. 30: Save Up To 76% On Featured Books

Harlequin More Than Words Award & Anthology

Harlequin recently announced the release of its fifth More Than Words edition, featuring bestselling authors Heather Graham, Candace Camp, Stephanie Bond, Brenda Jackson and Tara Taylor Quinn.

The More Than Words anthologies is a collection of short stories inspired by real-life women who make a difference everyday through charity work. Those charities are awarded 10,000 to continue their good work. Each year the proceeds from the sale of the anthologies is reinvested into the More Than Words program.

More...

"Harlequin is a longtime supporter of women's causes and we are proud to continue this tradition through the Harlequin More Than Words program," says Donna Hayes, Publisher and CEO, Harlequin Enterprises. "Established in 2004 as our main philanthropic initiative, the More Than Words program remains dedicated to celebrating and rewarding women who make extraordinary contributions to their community."

Information on donations or volunteering time with the organizations highlighted in this year's program is available at http://www.harlequinmorethanwords.com/.

Details on when and where you can purchase the More Than Words anthology will follow.

For the Love of Audio

Cheeky Girl Loves Audio Books!

I admit I devour books like candy, but never thought I would enjoy having someone else – anyone other than the voices in my head that is – bring the characters to life for me. With an hour or so car commute each way to work, I decided to give audio books a try and I discovered a prefect way to pass the time and get some "quality" time in with my feisty girlfriends and those hot leading men!

I was very lucky that the very first audio book I tried was excellent – The Good, The Bad, and The Undead by Kim Harrison- which introduced me to the amazing Hollows world and I highly recommend the series both in audio and printed versions! I've since learned that audio books can be hit or miss – the success or failure hinging on the person reading and how well they handle the various characters.

You can usually tell within the first few tracks if the voice will connect with you or if you feel it paints the perfect world for you. My experience has been that most of the audio books are very well done. There have been only a few that were so bad I had to stop listening before I got through the first disc. I remember one distinct book that I really struggled to keep listening, since the first few tracks were just annoying! For some reason I hung in there and was rewarded with a light-hearted romp through France and a new series to follow!

Some great perks with Audio Books:

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• Car Commuting - Put your time behind the wheel to good use!
• Great for putting on your iPod while you clean the house
• You can download Audio Books just like eBooks - Look for upcoming posts on the various different Audio Book retailers
• Great for travel when you don't want to carry paper books or have light to read by (I hate when they turn off all the lights on the plane and then my seatmate wants to sleep!)
• When you want the excitement of having a book read to you like when you were 5 (only obviously now your book selections have changed) :)
• Your local library already has a selection of Audio Books waiting to be discovered
• Too many more to list!

Cheeky Reads will have a regular Audio Book feature where we'll review and discuss both upcoming and older titles. I hope you'll be enticed to try Audio Books for yourself, and if you already sing the praises of audio, then you'll find some great new books to listen to!

If you have any suggestions for audio books you would like to see reviewed, just leave me a comment below! If you're an author with an audio book - speak up and sing its praises!

Fictionwise Weekend Sale

Sorry for the last minute notice, but I just got word that Fictionwise is having a weekend sale!

Here are all the details from Fictionwise:

To celebrate the release of eReader for BlackBerry, we want to encourage everyone to try eReader this week with a special sale (it doesn't matter if you own a BlackBerry - just try any eBook in eReader format and save).

-- Buy any Secure eReader eBook (using a credit card or PayPal) and you'll automatically receive 30% back as a Micropay Rebate!

-- Plus, all unencrypted MultiFormat eBooks are discounted 20% this week! We simply ask that after purchasing a MultiFormat eBook that you try it in eReader format (eReader is one of the thirteen formats we offer when you buy a MultiFormat eBook).

eReader eBooks now work on BlackBerry Handhelds, along with Apple iPhones plus other mobile devices using Palm, Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone and Symbian Operating Systems (as well as PCs and Mac). This sale only runs through Sunday, March 29th, so hurry!
http://www.fictionwise.com/home.html

REVIEW: Desert Prince, Defiant Virgin By Kim Lawrence

Desert Prince, Defiant Virgin
By Kim Lawrence
Harelquin Presents February 2009

As heir to the throne, Prince Tair Al Sharif is driven by duty to his country, and indulges in women on a mistress-only basis.

Beige-wearing, bespectacled Molly James is certainly not the kind of woman he usually beds. But Tair is outraged to be told that dowdy Molly is actually a seductress in disguise! She needs to be stopped! Taking her as a captive to the desert, he discovers this Miss Mouse is innocent—in every way. Now Tair wants her…as his bride!

Desert Prince, Defiant Virgin kicks off with an exciting and intriguing first few chapters that set the bar for sexual tension very high, but unfortunately the story does not live up to the expectations that are raised in those first few exchanges.

Both Molly and Prince Tair are compelling characters and there seemed to be a fair amount of heat building between them. It's regrettable that their coming together seems completely unrealistic – even in the world of romance books! I expected more resistance on Molly's part than to give in so quickly to a man who would think the horrible things Tair does of her character. Not to mention the fact that even though he thinks of her as a liar and whore, he still wants to possess her.

Miss Lawrence's writing style is very fresh and her characters, including the intriging family of siblings I hope get their own stories, are well described and come to life for the reader. That makes the missing connection between the two lead characters so disappointing.

The story is a good one with some new and interesting twists, and the writing is quick paced and engaging, but I wish the story would have been further along before Molly and Tair did the deed – time for him to see the real side of her and question his assumptions of her.

I recommend Desert Prince, Defiant Virgin as a entertaining read, especially if you are a fan of Sheikh/Virgin storyline.

Nora Roberts Overload! Lifetime's Nora Roberts Collection

Lifetime has been working hard lately at offering some great original programming, and they've outdone themselves this week! They are presenting the 2009 Nora Roberts Collection -- Four, count them four, brand new movies based on Nora Roberts books. I'm crossing my fingers they do the books justice!

Check out Lifetime's Website for a smorgasbord of Nora Roberts fun! There's an excerpt from Nora's upcoming release Vision In White, a trivia game, movie trailers, a weekly contest to win $1,000 and best of all...You can watch the full length movies right online after they premier!

Check out the trailer for Saturday's premiere of Midnight Bayou starring Jerry O'Connell and Lauren Stamile.

Debbie Macomber Fans Take Note - New Book Tour!

Debbie has announced her book tour for her newest release Summer on Blossom Street! CheekyReads is a fan of Mrs. Macomber's series and couldn't be more excited that she'll be coming close enough to meet!

From the MIRA Books announcement:

Debbie's latest novel, SUMMER ON BLOSSOM STREET, introduces readers to a cast of new characters and brings back several favorites. Yarn shop owner Lydia Goetz is offering a new kind of knitting class: it's a "knit to quit" class, designed to help people use knitting to give up their bad habits and find a new lease on life. Those who sign up are looking to kick a variety of bad habits, including smoking, a bad relationship and unhealthy "workaholism." Needless to say, when a diverse group of knitters comes together at A Good Yarn, a remarkable story follows.

The tour kicks off April 27th in Vero Beach, Florida and Debbie will be doing signings at 17 different cities. Click here for a full list of where you can meet Debbie!

To learn more about Debbie, log on to http://www.debbiemacomber.com/.

Sony & Google Partner - Offering 500,000 FREE eBooks!

Google announced yesterday that it is making its scanned public-domain books available in eBook format through Sony. This marks Sony’s library of eBooks as the largest available at 600,000 titles.

Check out the Associated Press article here.

This CheekyGirl is very pleased with this deal since she’s heard the Sony Reader is far beyond the Kindle in usability – now Sony just needs to counteract the Kindle’s wireless downloads by offering more and higher quality eBooks.

Click here to check out the Sony Reader and its new eBook store.

Now, if only CheekyGirl can convince her husband to get her the Sony Reader for her birthday!!!

EBook Readers Unite!

The argument rages on about the why publishers feel the need to use DRM in their eBook formats. Recently, there have been some excellent responses as to how DRM is harming the eBook industry and its growth potential.

Are your eyes glazing over and your mouse calling you to click over to something else because you don’t know what DRM stands for? Well I didn’t get it for awhile either, so don’t feel bad! Check out the Wikipedia entry here – it gave me a great general overview of DRM.

The ladies at Smart Bitches frequently lament the scourge that is DRM and Smart Bitch Sarah did a particularly great post last week when they listed all the publishers who are DRM FREE.

Check out Sarah’s spot-on post here.

In reference to the Smart Bitches listing of DRM free publishers, The Galaxy Express decided to take up the call and consolidate many DRM, lists and comment sections into one HOT DAMN! list of DRM Free publishers.

Behold! For Your DRM FREE Downloading Pleasure!

Amber Quill
Changeling Press, LLC
Cobblestone Press
Dreamspinner Press
Drollerie Press
Ellora’s Cave
Liquid Silver Books
LooseID
Lyrical Press
MLR Press
Pink Petal Books
Samhain Publishing
Torquere Press
TotaleBound
Mojocastle Press
Wings ePress
Bold Strokes Books
Lethe Press Books
Phaze Books
Ravenous Romance
Linden Bay Romance
eXcessica Publishing
Literary Road
Resplendence Publishing
Siren Bookstrand
eXtasy Books
Eternal Press
Noble Romance Publishing
Blade Publishing
Carnal Desires Publishing
Write Words, Inc
Whispers Publishing
LBF Books
Tease Publishing
Rogue Phoenix Press
Champagne Books
Freya’s Bower
loveyoudivine Alterotica
Carnal Desires Publishing
Red Sage Publishing
Honorable mention: Baen Free Library

If you know of any others please post them in the comments section!

Review: Kiss of a Demon King

Kiss of a Demon King

By Kresley Cole

Pocket Romance Books
ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-8094-2

ISBN-10: 1-4165-8094-8

This is the first of the Immortals After Dark series that this CheekyGirl has read, and I'll definitely be catching up with the whole series after reading Kiss of a Demon King! Since Cole does a masterful job of making her world easily accessible, new readers should feel free to jump right into this series. Look for a future review of the previous Immortals After Dark books coming soon!

From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king trapped by an enchantress for her wanton purposes – and the scorching aftermath that follows when he turns the tables and claims her as his captive.

His Obsession...Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.

Her Downfall...Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.

They were never supposed to want each other this much...With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them,
will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?

From the opening chapter that weaves the tale of Sabine and her sister Lanthe's back story, to the introduction of our hero Rydstrom, Cole sets up a finely crafted tale that delivers some very erotic scenes and a story that will leave you highly satisfied and eager to return to Cole's world!

Cole entertains with a fully fleshed out world presenting the reader with multiple layers and intriguing character facets at every turn. She does an excellent job of showcasing her secondary characters to fill you in on both previous stories and piquing your interest in future ones.

Sabine is a complex character that readers will either immediately fall for – as I did- or she will grow on you even those she contends she's pure evil! Her true character reveals itself as she faces new surroundings and tries to understand her feelings for Rydstrom. He also undergoes a transformation as we see him deal with unexpected desires that conflict with his notorious straight-laced persona.

I had only one small issue with Kiss of the Demon King. Cole does quite the build up to Sabine and Rydstrom having sex, including taunting us with long drawn-out and exquisitely written dialog, only to drop Rydstrom's fantasies and fetishes once the two start accepting their tied fate. Since much is made of his fantasies in the first half of the book, it seems out of place for Sabine not to fulfill those desires.

Even with the ease of erotic moments between the two main characters, this was a fabulous read and I highly recommend it to CheekyGirls looking for an awesome paranormal romance or a new world to discover!

Read an E-Book Week

Check out the website and learn more about how E-Books are gaining in popularity!

Free eBook From eHarlequin!

As a Harlequin Ambassador, CheekyGirl received an email offering Harlequin Blaze title Triple Threat by Jennifer LaBrecque absolutely free as an ebook! The email said to share with family and friends, so I’m posting it here just for you!

Triple Threat is a part of Harlequin’s 12 book miniseries named Uniformly Hot! that showcases one title every month about a military hero and the determined woman who wins his love.

Click Here to Download Your Free Copy from eharlequin!

CHEEKY REVIEW: Under The Influence By Nancy Warren

Harlequin Blaze - Feb. 2009

All work and no play, Natalie Fanshaw is an efficiency expert whose latest job might just get her to loosen up and live a little! After one too many lonely meals alone in her hotel room, she heads to the nearest bar for a drink. There she meets sexy bartender Johnny Santini and he's soon mixing up her emotions along with his award-winning martinis. But can a workaholic professional like Natalie fall in love with a beach bum bartender like “Hot Johnny”?

Nancy Warren delivers a cute, sexy read with Under The Influence. Not only did she create a set of engaging characters in Natalie and Johnny, she actually created two with the smokin' hot subplot of Rita and Ben's relationship. From the fun drink recipes, to an outstanding first chapter that really sparks your curiosity, this book was a breezy, fresh read!

This CheekyGirl has never personally liked the beach bum/surfer type before, but found myself falling for “Hot Johnny!” Warren created an all-around hunk of a guy who you'll love to cuddle up to and I'll be mixing up one of those sublime drinks and sitting back to read this one again soon!