Monday, August 26, 2013

Promo Post and Giveaway: Open Your Eyes by Jani Kay




 
 
 
Open Your Eyes
 by Jani Kay
 
Adult Contemporary
Romance Novel
Second chances? Twisted love
triangle? Hot steamy sex? Hell YES!


~ Synopsis ~

Shattered and disillusioned after separating from her domineering husband, all Natalie wants, is a peaceful Christmas vacation in New York City, with her 21 year old daughter, Olivia. Uncomplicated. No pressure. Fun.

What she didn’t expect, was meeting a dangerously handsome stranger in an art gallery. He is charming, sexy as hell, and does funny things to her insides. Her frozen heart slowly melts as he seduces her, awakening her deepest desires, showing her that the kind of love she craves is very possible. She wants him as much as he wants her.
 
Battling his demons from the past, famous photographer Nicholas Gallagher has successfully evaded serious relationships, earning him the title of the world’s most eligible bachelor. But from the moment he lays eyes on Natalie, she stirs something in him. Compelled to chase the sadness
from her vivid blue eyes, Nick is captivated by the spirited Australian beauty.

Hot romance.
 
Steamy sex.
 
Absolute perfection.
 
Until Natalie gets a call from home – one she can’t ignore.  In a fateful moment the game
changes and throws her life into chaos. Gabriel, her jealous ex, wants her back. Two powerful men want her. She is forced to make a choice that will tear her apart.

Will Natalie make the right choice? Will she finally find her soul mate, the one person who can look into her eyes and see deep into her soul, everything she is and everything she desires… will she
finally open her eyes?
 
Warning: 18+ Contains sex scenes and explicit language


 
 
 
 
~ What reviewers have to say about Open Your Eyes ~

 
 
 
Holy Crap!! ~ 5
Stars  ~ K. Greer


 
“What a book! Let me just say the epilogue blew me away!!!!!
Blows my mind!


 
Sit Down, Strap In And Hold On Tight - Truly An
Emotional Ride! ~ 5 Stars ~Lacstines


 
Amazing, hard to put down story. This was an excellent read
which had you on an emotional rollercoaster. The epilogue truly did me in. A
love story if I ever read one.


Heartbreaking Love Story. ~ 5
Stars ~ M. Gerena


 
“Open your Eyes was an amazing good read from the beginning
to the end! I was so emotionally and mentally invested in the storyline that I
experienced sleep deprivation.”


 
Seriously…Open Your Eyes
& Read It!  ~ 5
Stars ~ Torrie


 
“I am SOOOOO glad that I took the time to read this book. I
loved the story and I loved, loved, loved the ending. I would recommend this to
anyone who asks!!”


 
Truly, Madly, Deeply !
~ 5 Stars ~ R. Brannon


 
The ups and downs of the book had me screaming and turning
the pages quicker and quicker. Absolutely loved this read and I think a lot of
woman can relate to Natalie. Great read, it will not disappoint.


 
Touching!!  ~ 5 Stars ~ S.
Bachovin


 
“Loved this book. So touching. Made me cry. Can't wait to
read more from this author.”
 
 
 
 
~ Author Bio ~ 


Jani has been married for a long time to a special man, and her two children and their partners are the sunshine in her life. She is a voracious reader and would spend her last dollar on a book - always fascinated that for the mere price of a book, she can escape her world for a while and see through someone else's eyes.

Besides reading, her favorite 'thing' is traveling - she has traveled the
world, learning about the ways people live and has come to the realization that
no matter where we live, we all ultimately want the same things. Her hobby -
Scrapbooking - keeps her up till way after midnight and her usual subjects are
her family and her travels.


Ever since she can remember, Jani wanted to write stories about people, about their lives and loves. Relationships and Happiness - arguably the most difficult things to master in life and yet
exactly what everyone ultimately desires (in her humble opinion).


Website ~ Email ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Follow Jani on Twitter
 
 
 ~ Purchase Links ~
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
~ Interview with Jani Kay ~
 
 
What is it that you enjoy about writing fiction?

When I write I go into a different world. It is the purest form of escape. Time stands still. All my senses are engaged. I am fully alive, but in an alternative universe. It is a feeling unlike any other. Addictive.
I love peeling back the layers and discovering all that is hidden beneath the surface of the book characters. I want to keep digging till I get to the very core of them – of what makes them tick, their inner desires, their conflicts and fears - searching into their very soul.

I am an observer of people and their behaviours; you will always find me in the back corner of a café, sipping a latte, watching people,imagining what goes on in their lives.
 
When did you first know you wanted to become a writer?
My childhood dream was to be a writer - I wrote elaborate stories with well-developed plots and characters. I told my younger brothers stories I made up as I went, every night before bed. I have a VERY active imagination... My writing style is the same – I am what is known as a ‘pantser’ - weaving stories by the seat of my pants, making it up as I go, letting the characters speak for themselves. I merely record the story they show me in a movie in my head.

As a teenager I spent school vacations reading. I would start a book in the morning and only close my eyes when done at around 3 am, sleep a bit, wake and start the next book... I have always been a voracious reader...
 
I would spend my last dollar on a book. Reading gives insight into another human being’s thoughts, expands your mind - all for the small price of a book – often less than the cost of a coffee. Amazing!
What made you write your first book?

Fear of failure is the biggest stumbling block to realising our dreams. All my life up until last year, I waited, thinking I had to write something really profound. Then one day I had an AHA moment - I realised I didn’t need to, I could simply write what I enjoyed and connected with - steamy
adult romance... seems there are an awful lot of people who like reading it...

I realised that time is fleeting, that I had do it NOW - not waiting any longer to realise my dreams. I had to open my eyes to the possibilities. I didn’t want to die with regrets of never having the courage to follow my passion of writing.

Tell us about ‘Open Your Eyes’ – your début novel.

I started writing Open Your Eyes in the air, flying between Australia and New York in January 2013. It's a very long flight…
 
I’d just been to New York for New Year – to see the ball drop in Times Square with my daughter – something on our ‘bucket list’. So a big part of the story plays off in New York.
In Open Your Eyes, Natalie is a disillusioned forty year old woman who is in search of inner peace and tranquillity; she wants to escape her problems by having a fun and relaxing vacation in NYC with
her feisty daughter, Olivia. No pressure, no worries, no complications…
Natalie believes in second chances in spite of her demons. Separated from domineering Gabriel – whose cruel and jealous ways hurt her deeply – she still hopes for reconciliation for her family’s sake.
However, her world is turned upside down when she unexpectedly meets a charming, seductive bachelor – the famous photographer Nicholas Gallagher - who awakens her latent desires and sweeps her off her feet in a delicious holiday romance.
 
Just as Natalie starts falling for Nick, Fate steps in. Caught up in a heart wrenching love triangle, she is forced to make a difficult choice. Gabriel is her first love, the man whose name and children she bears. Nick truly sees her, deep into her soul. Both men want her. Who will she choose? Because
above all, Natalie wants a second chance at love and happiness.

So one of the issues we explore in ‘Open Your Eyes’ is how she deals with her search for her true soul mate. Is it ever too late; are we ever too old to stop yearning for that special connection?

Why is ‘Open Your Eyes’ based on mature adults?

As a voracious ‘more mature’ reader, I have read a lot of contemporary romances, particularly all the latest best-selling romances. And although I enjoyed reading them, I sometimes couldn’t quite connect as much with the very young heroines. I wanted to read about someone I could identify
with myself, a heroine who had a bit of life experience, who had been through ups and downs over a few decades of life.
 
Natalie is forty, experienced and mature, but she still has a LOT of living left in her. So we follow her journey in ‘Open Your Eyes’. And yes, sex is still very hot and steamy at that age!! Probably even better, as she is in the prime of her life...



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Sunday, August 25, 2013

Review and Giveaway: Adam, Enough Said (This Can't Be Happening #3) by Lynda LeeAnne

~ Synopsis ~
Our past was painful and a lot of mistakes were made, but that was then - this is now.

Mia wants a fight? I'll give her one.
She wants to leave me? I'll make her stay.
This is our future. She belongs to me.

Our past wasn't just painful, it was soul-shattering, and no amount of time will change that.
Adam wants a fight? Bring it.
He won't let me leave? I'll make him pay.
This is my future. I don't belong to him.

Follow Adam and Mia’s journey through the deliciously dysfunctional madness they like to call...marriage.

Author’s note: This is the third book in the This Can’t be Happening Series, but it can be read as a stand-alone.

Author’s warning: Mature content, lots of cussing (as in, A LOT), a five-foot-three, redheaded, terror of a woman and a sexy, possessive, crazy, hot alpha cop.
~ Our Review ~
5 Star Review by Heather
This book was amazing.  It is a book that I have been waiting for.  I was not disappointed with this book.  It left me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next and hoping that there would be a happy ending.

“See what I mean, all of ‘em women, all of ‘em bitches and all of ‘em crazy.”

Mia had been suffering for the last six years.  She was madly in love with Adam, but he broke her heart so she left him.   She tried to divorce him, but he refused to sign the papers.  She tried to move on, but it was hard to find a man that she could love as deeply as Adam.   So when she got arrested  for assaulting her cousin,  and the officer realized she was married to Adam, the call was made.   She wanted to hate him for all the pain he caused her, but she still loved him.  Can she forgive him? Or is her pain to deep?

“I just want you.  All I’ve ever wanted was you.  I want my wife back.”

Adam has made many mistakes with Mia.  The biggest one was by not being there for her when she needed him the most and the second biggest was letting her go.  He went through a lot and didn't know how to deal with it. Instead of fighting for Mia, he tried to work on fixing himself.  Can he fix all the hurt he caused Mia?  Or will he finally lose her for good?

“Did she just call me sloppy seconds? Nobody’s ever called me sloppy seconds.  What the fuck?”

This book is a must read.  You really need to read the whole series.  This series will  take you on an emotional roller coaster.  They have some angst and you will love all the characters.  I really hope that there will be a book on Johnnie and Breena.

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Playing with Her Heart by Lauren Blakely

~ Synopsis ~
 
When you’re acting the role of a lifetime, how can you know if love is real—or all just a part of the show?

Twenty-three year old rising theatre star Jill McCormick has built a life out of pretending. Pretending she’s happy, pretending her long-distance crushes add up to something real, pretending she’s not haunted by the dark secret that shattered her world six years ago. Cast in her first Broadway show, she desperately needs to keep her façade intact, but that’s before she comes face to face with her devastating new boss…

Hot-shot director Davis Milo knows the first rule of directing: never fall for your leading lady. Captivated by Jill’s raw talent, he fights his feelings, but watching Jill on-stage with another man is more than his jealous streak can take. Keeping things professional isn’t an option. He wants all of her.

Soon the ingénue and her director are staying late in the empty theatre, their private rehearsals spiraling into new, forbidden territory. Caught up between fiction and reality, Jill struggles to find the truth in all their staged kisses. But how can she be sure that what she feels is real, and not a part of the play? And when two people spend their lives pretending, what happens after the final curtain falls?

~ Our Review ~
4.5 Star Review by Heather
 
This book was good. It was a little slow in some spots for me, but it had a really good story line.  I did love the characters in this book.  It keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happened to Jill to make her hide herself away from everyone she loves.  You will also fall in love with Davis and understand why he doesn’t fall for actresses.
 
“That moment when everything can change, when time freezes, and you either collide or not.”
 
Jill is struggling to overcome heartache.  She was devastated when she was a teen and never dealt with it.  She believes that she isn't worthy of love.  So when she starts to fall for her director, Davis, she wants to let him in, but is scared and doesn’t know how to.  She is scared because she doesn't know if he is acting or really has feelings for her.  Will she open her heart with the possible risk of it being broken again?  Or does she push him away?
 
“But then she transforms. Love changes her. Love without bounds. Love without reason.  She becomes his, and that changes her.”
 
Davis has a strict policy; do not fall for an actress.  He can't help but fall for Jill, since he saw her in a play years ago.  When she auditions for the play he is directing he wants her to be the lead lady.  She has an innocence about her that draws him to her.  Will he prove that his love is real and he isn’t acting?  Can he finally find love with an actress? 
 
“The first rule of directing is you do not fall for an actress.  The second rule of directing is you do not fall for an actress.”
 
This book is good and it is the third in a series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading them all.  Trophy Husband even ties in with this series.  Lauren Blakely is an amazing author and knows how to write a great story.
 
~ About the Author ~
 
 
Lauren Blakely is an unabashed fan of clever jokes, toast, and good guys in novels. Like the heroine in CAUGHT UP IN US, she thinks life should be filled with movie kisses and coffee drinks. Lauren lives in California with her husband and children, and spends her days writing both true stories and make-believe ones.
 
 
 

 

 
 

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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Graceful Mess by Nacole Stayton

~ Synopsis ~
 

Hiding behind the anguish from my past, my coyness seeps off of me like an aroma. I have felt like a stranger in my own skin, trying to claw my way out for far too long, allowing very few people to see past my façade…until my eyes met with his. I felt a sudden rush of energy all the way to my core. It jolted me in ways I never thought possible.

Never in a million years would I have expected to be in the mess I am today. It all leads back to the night Parker Porter turned my world upside down. The night his hazel eyes undressed me, peeling away the layers of the woman I tried so hard to be. He awoke desires that burned deep within me and changed me in one quick glance, leaving me vulnerable and exposed, picking up the shattered pieces of my carefully constructed life…a life I should not be living…a life I was not born into, but placed into by the state of Maine.

Parker opened a door that I am far from closing until I have answers and am able to face the life I was destined to live. I just have to decide if his love is worth the mess.

“They say be careful of the quiet ones.” –Grace

Warning: This book is intended for readers 18+ due to explicit language and sexual encounters.
 
 
 

~ Our Review ~
4.5 Star Review by Heather
 
This book will draw you in from the first few pages.  You will be on the edge of your seating wondering what will happen next.  You won't want to put it down. 
 
“There you go opening your fucking mouth.  You just can’t leave well enough alone can you?”
 
Grace is going to school to become a lawyer and trying to overcome her past.  Her ex left her in really bad shape and she didn't want to have a relationship with any man because of it.  When she meets Parker and is instantly attracted to him, she decides what will it hurt to throw caution to the wind once?  She wants him, but can’t  figure out why he  keeps saying  goodbye  to her.  Why does he act like he likes her then leaves her? Will her feelings be too strong to let him walk out of her life?
 
“As girls we swoon over boy-bands, and as woman we swoon over bad boys and book friends…”
 
Parker is a private investigator hired by Grace's biological dad to make sure that no one finds out about Grace.  He knows he shouldn't start anything with Grace, but he can't help the pull he feels towards her.  He tries to leave her and move on, but knowing how sad it makes them both he decides what the hell.  He starts dating her, but what happens when she finds out he is lying to her?  Can he make her see that he was trying to protect her?  Will he make her see he really did love her?
 
“You’re going to be my undoing, unraveling me piece by piece.”
 
This book is full of emotion.  I love when a book has me in tears and just hoping that everything turns out well for everyone involved.  This book is a must read.  It is also a standalone!!! Woohoo we don't find those often anymore.


~ About the Author ~
 
Christian “Nacole” Stayton is twenty-something years young and currently resides in the Bluegrass state. She spends her days working at a local hospital in the billing department and nights writing vigorously on her current novel. She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors, Nacole enjoys the finer things in life like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle Fire. She is passionate about her faith, family and The Bachelor. Her hair color changes with the seasons and she has a weakness for tattoos, iced coffee, and happy endings.
 
 




Monday, August 19, 2013

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Forget Me Not by Sarah Daltry

~ Synopsis ~
 
Lily had a crush on her brother's best friend, Derek for years - which led to their steamy night ten months ago in her bedroom. Now, Lily is going off to college and she and Derek are still going strong. However, when school starts, she realizes it's hard to maintain a relationship while also trying to live her own life. She and Derek find themselves falling apart and Lily has no idea where to turn.

Enter Jack. Everything about him is wrong for Lily and she knows it, but she can't stop herself from being attracted to him. When things implode with Derek, it's Jack who is there to pick up the pieces - and show Lily an entirely new set of experiences she didn't know she was missing.

Of course, Jack has his own problems and once Lily gets to know him better, she starts to wonder if she can handle all of Jack. When Derek reappears on the scene, Lily is forced to decide between two guys and herself. Can she find herself without losing the people who matter in the process?

**New Adult Contemporary Romance. Due to language & sexual content, this book is recommended for readers 17 & older**
  




~ Our Review ~
3.5 Star Review by Annie

Lily thinks she has everything she could ever want. She has the perfect life and the perfect boyfriend, Derek. Once she got into the college of her dreams she soon realizes that she doesn’t really know who she is. Everything she thought she wanted and thought she was, now seems wrong. She is starting to find out that Derek may be perfect, but just not perfect for her. It also doesn’t help that she keeps running into the motorcycle riding bad boy who lives in her dorm, Jack. Does Lily go with Mr. Perfect or the one she can’t get out of her mind?
 

Jack is broken. His past prevents him from developing relationships. He doesn’t do the boyfriend/girlfriend thing.  He only has sex with girls and leaves them. Everyone in his life has judged him, so when he meets Lily, she doesn’t seem to be like everyone else. She is willing to give him a chance, so in turn he gives her a chance. Can he let his walls down and let her in? Or does he block her from getting to close?
 
This book sounded amazing. I truly wanted to love this book more than I did. While it was full of dirty sex, it lacked a major storyline. It was the typical love triangle. Girl loves boy, but once she goes to college they drift apart and she seeks solace in the bad boy. The characters were likeable and you could even relate to the way Lilly is searching to find herself.

Forget Me Not was a fast, sexy read. I give it a 4 for the sex, but a 3 for the storyline. So my overall rating is a 3.5.
 
 
 ~ About the Author ~
 Sarah Daltry writes erotica and romance. She's never happy staying in one place. When she isn't writing, she's usually looking for new and creative ways to waste time. Right now, those include shooting virtual monsters on Xbox, searching the internet for cat pictures, and watching terrible reality TV.

 
 

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Friday, August 16, 2013

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Beg (Songs of Submission) by C.D. Reiss

~ Synopsis ~
 
This novella is the first in a series
 
My name is Monica. I’m a singer born and raised in Los Angeles.
 
I’ve stopped dating. When I cut a record, or win a Grammy, maybe then I’ll be with someone, but every man in my past has done everything he could to make me submit myself to him, and it’s gotten in the way of my career. I won’t do it again.
 
But there’s Jonathan. He owns the high-rise hotel where I work, and he is gorgeous and charming. I refuse to fall in love with him, even though when he asks me to submit to him, I want nothing more.
 
 
****GRAPHIC LANGUAGE, SEX, AND ADULT SITUATIONS****


~ Our Review ~
4 Star Review by Annie

 

All Monica every wanted to do was become a singer. She was just living life waiting tables until her big break finally happened. She was determined not only for herself, but for her band mates. Some of their lives depended on it. Monica is so dedicated to making it happen she lives her life distraction free, and that mean NO MEN!

So when Monica screwed up and spilt her drink all over Jonathan, the owner of the hotel where she was working, she expected to be fired. What she didn’t expect was to get all those gushy sexual feelings in her stomach. To make matters worse she was sure he felt them too!

This book will leave you begging for more. Then ending is a major cliffhanger, but do not panic the next book in the series is already out. This was a fast read that will have you clinging onto your kindle for dear life. It is jammed packed with a ton of sexy scenes, as well as a whole lot of angst. I give this book 4 stars.
 

 
 
 
~ About The Author ~
 
CD Reiss lives smack in the middle of Los Angeles with her children and husband. She likes to make pretty pictures and write dirty scenes. She eats dark chocolate and chili, together, sometimes with bacon, and doesn't care what you think about that.
 
There are a million more things she could tell you about herself besides that, but they're all too boring to mention in company.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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