BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Release Week Blitz - Tyranny (Goddess of Delphi Book 1) by Gemma Brocato


One man, one muse, one romance to save the world...

Immortal librarian Clio has existed for thousands of years. Her purpose—to influence and inspire mortals. Now as one has inspired her, a battle is mounting between the Muses and a god who care little for the plight of man. A hostile takeover is imminent at Olympus Enterprises.
History professor Jax Callahan is battling his own uncertainties. His previous employer’s refusal to heed his warnings results in a tragic loss of life. Blaming himself, he no longer believes he can make a difference.
Tyranny will stop at nothing to appease her father and succeed in taking over Olympus and the world.
To save mankind, Clio must reveal herself as a Muse to Jax, the man she’s fallen in love with. Facing the end of humanity as they know it, she must convince him to trust in the magic of what if. Because failure spells doom for everyone.



Gemma's favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a 'round tuit,' and a slip of paper from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; some day she'd write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss, even the rejections addressed to 'Dear Author' were gratifying.

After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue a career as a romance author.

Gemma focuses mainly on contemporary and paranormal romance, with an occasional detour into science fiction romance. Her titles are available in digital and print-on-demand at all major retailers.


Find Gemma at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

Release Day Blitz/Excerpt & Giveaway For LICENSE TO SHIFT by Kathy Lyons




LICENSE TO SHIFT 
Grizzlies Gone Wild #2
by Kathy Lyons 
October 4, 2016
 Forever Yours eBook $1.99 

The second in a wild shifter series from USA TODAY bestselling author Kathy Lyons.
Mark, closest friend to the Gladwin clan's Maximus, is dangerously close to going feral. Which means his inner beast will devour the man. But Mark refuses to go down without a fight. Especially when his mentor's daughter shows up on his doorstep looking for her father's missing research journals.
Julie has had a thing for Mark ever since he rejected her all those years ago in high school-and, of course, after that one hot-and-heavy night they shared. Now, her father is in the hospital and it looks like someone has stolen his top-secret research journals. Together, she and Mark track them down...and Julie is in for the surprise of her life.

Buy the Book!

EXCERPT
   Julie Simon has stopped by Mark’s home because she believes he’s got her father’s journals. He’s sound asleep when she hangs on the doorbell and he answers the door before fully waking. Turns out, he forgot to put on clothes. (Grizzy bear shifters are pretty casual about nudity, especially in the privacy of their own homes)

Chapter 2

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
Julie Simon was not a prude. She enjoyed a finely honed male body as much as any woman. But when said finely honed man answered his door stark naked and proceeded to look at her like she was the answer to his prayers, well, then, her libido kicked into overdrive. Especially when that look turned into hunger and his already thick cock stiffened into a staff that aimed unerringly at her.
She was not a prude, but hell, this was sexually at its most raw. And she apparently liked raw.
Who knew? All her boyfriends up to now had been friendly, flaky men who spoke in full sentences and never, ever growled. And yet one hairy, horny grunt from this guy and her nipples tightened while everything else went liquid.
Not a prude, then. Apparently, she fell more into the slut category because if he made a move on her right then, she wasn’t exactly sure what she’d do to stop him. First of all, he looked like he could overpower her in a heartbeat. Second, the moment he’d offered her his mocha latte, her knees had gone weak and her lust spiked. When the hell had she developed a caveman fetish?
Insane!
But she wasn’t a beast to be ruled by her hormones. And she certainly wasn’t going to jump a near stranger, no matter how ripped his abs or how much he stared at her. Good lord, she’d never been the center of such focused attention. Need rippled off those sculpted pecs, it vibrated in the air between his broad shoulders and her tight breasts, and it seemed like he wanted her so badly it was hard for him to form words. But how was that possible? All he’d done was answer the door…naked.
She took a breath, startled—but not surprised—to find it thick with musk. His? Hers? Who knew?
Get a grip!
She momentarily flashed on what she could grip and struggled to restrain a near-hysterical laugh. She was not a woman who thought things like that. Not in the usual course of the day. So she closed her eyes and lifted her mocha to her lips. Damn, he made a great cup of coffee. The honey added just the right amount of sweet.
Focus on the essentials: caffeine and sugar.
That’s when he spoke. Two words: “no” and “leave.” Well, that was par for the course from the men in her life. They’d act one way, then say the opposite. Get her revved, then disappear. Give her a mocha and then order her to leave. All he needed to do now was invite her to move in then break up with her and he’d be just like her ex.
But unlike what she’d done with her ex, she refused to leave. Her father needed his help, and so she would be stubborn. At least until she got a fuller explanation from him. One that included two-syllable words.
“So,” she ventured when the silence stretched too long between them, “do you remember me?”



Kathy Lyons is the wild, adventurous half of USA TODAY bestselling author Jade Lee. A lover of all things fantastical, Kathy spent much of her childhood in Narnia, Middle Earth, Amber, and Earthsea, just to name a few.  There is nothing she adores more than turning an ordinary day into something magical, which is what happens all the time in her books. Winner of several industry awards including the Prism-Best of the Best, Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice, and Fresh Fiction's Steamiest Read, Kathy has published over fifty romance novels, and she's just getting started. Check out her latest news at KathyLyons.com.



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Giveaway:
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The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken Release Day Blitz/Excerpt & Giveaway

The first book in a new series from Rachel Van Dyken about a straight-laced billionaire who's forced to spend three weeks alone with a working-class housekeeper, who happens to be the most fascinating creature he has ever met.




Cinderella never had to deal with this crap.

Jane isn't entirely sure that Cinderella got such a raw deal. Sure, she had a rough start, but didn't she eventually land a prince and a happily-ever-after? Meanwhile, Jane is busy waiting on her demanding, entitled sisters, running her cleaning business, and . . . yep, not a prince in sight. Until a party and a broken shoe incident leave Jane wondering if princes---or at least, a certain deliciously hunky billionaire---maybe do exist.
Except Brock Wellington isn't anyone's dream guy. Hell, a prince would never agree to be auctioned off in marriage to the highest bidder. Or act like an arrogant jerk---even if it was just a façade. Now, as Brock is waiting for the auction chopping block, he figures it's karmic retribution that he's tempted by a sexy, sassy woman he can't have. But while they can't have a fairy-tale ending, maybe they can indulge in a little bit of fantasy . . .





BUY THE BOOK HERE



EXCERPT

“Jane.” It was a whisper, it was a question, and then his mouth was on hers—harsh, forceful, but so inviting she whimpered at the contact and leaned into him, begging him with her body to take what she couldn’t voice aloud. 
It was a bad idea. 
He was a bad idea. 
Taken. 
Ready to be married off. 
But here, in this moment, he was hers. 
So she kissed him back with as much passion as she possessed, her hands digging into the front of his shirt while his teeth nipped at her bottom lip. 
His hands slid beneath her shirt, unhooking her bra with ease as he nudged her thighs apart. 
“You feel so soft,” he murmured against her mouth. “Perfect.” Another plundering kiss, his tongue flicking hers before his lips slid down her neck. “So damn good.” 
With a moan, she pressed as close as she could against him, nearly riding his leg in an effort to get more of him. 
“That’s it,” he encouraged while she clawed at him. 
“Brock!” Bentley’s voice pierced the air. “Did you need help?”
Brock froze above her, his face filled with irritation. “Open that door, Bentley, and I’m selling every car you own and replacing it with a Honda!”
Silence. 
“You don’t mean it.” The knob turned. 
Jane’s eyes widened in alarm as Brock quickly moved away from her and tossed the blanket…over her head. Right, like that was going to look normal. She pulled the blanket off her face and tried in vain to fix her bra while frantically pulling her hair back into a ponytail.
Bentley entered, took one look at both of them and smiled. “Clearly this room was dirtier than we thought?” He tilted his head at Jane. “Or maybe not dirty enough?”
“Out!” Brock barked. 
“But—”
“Go!”
“Fine,” Bentley grumbled. “I’m leaving. I just thought you should know that Grandfather called and wanted to know how the maid was working out. I told him that you’ve been helping her since she sprained her ankle. He was concerned about her finishing the job.” 
“What did you say?” Brock grabbed Bentley by the shirt and gave a little shake. 
Bentley held up his hands. “Chill. I told him that she would make a full recovery, that she refused to sue, and that you were taking care of the situation. Because that’s all you’re doing, right Brock? Taking care of the situation…” He peered around Brock at Jane. 
Feeling suddenly more naked than she actually was, she covered herself up with the blanket. 
What had she been thinking? 
It was beyond unprofessional. 
Tears burned the backs of her eyes. 
 “Thanks, Bent.” Brock sighed, running his hands through his already mussed hair. 
Bentley saluted him then added quietly. “For the record, any girl that can get Boring Brock to bend the rules is a keeper.”
Brock bit back a curse as Bentley shut the door. 
“Boring Brock?” Jane asked. 
“It’s about as bad as it sounds.”
“Well, I’m Plain Jane, so…I understand.”
He turned. “You’ve never been plain a day in your life.”
“I think you’ve already learned that you don’t need to give me pretty compliments to get me to kiss you.” 
“You have seven freckles. You press your lips together to keep yourself from saying things you shouldn’t. You hum when you clean, and though I’m not sure what the tune is, it’s familiar. When you eat, you watch people rather than your own food, and I’m just going to come out and say it: you eat like an animal, the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen.” 
Jane covered her face with her hands. “It was flattering until you said that last part.”
Brock laughed. “Seeing a woman dig into her food like she hasn’t eaten in weeks? It’s one of the most erotic visions I’ve ever had.”
Emotion flashed across his face as he made his way over to her and kissed her again, pulling away with her name on his lips. “Jane, I want you.” 
“Thought I was just the help.” The walls around her heart started to slip; she felt it in the way her body rose against him. He’d noticed things about her nobody ever had, he was helping her, and he was beautiful. Was it so wrong to want this? For herself? Once in her life? 
“You’re more than that, and you know it.” His eyes locked on to hers as his deep voice washed over her.
“You’re getting auctioned off in two weeks and you know it.”
He paused, his expression going completely ice cold before he looked away and then back at her. “And if I wasn’t? What then?”
“Then…” She bit down on her bottom lip. “I’d ask you to kiss me again.”
Excerpted from THE BACHELOR AUCTION by Rachel Van Dyken. Copyright © 2016 by Rachel Van Dyken. Used with permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.



Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.  She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!



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Book Tour For Hot, Wet, Smooth, and Hard by Marina Blue


Hot, Wet, Smooth, and Hard
Craving Cove #1
Marina Blue
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
 Date of Publication: Sept 28th, 2016
ISBN: 1537448331
Cover Artist: Mayhem Cover Creations

Melody's a beautiful hurricane with an unbreakable spirit, and she's capable of anything she sets her mind to. But after fifteen long years of living a life not meant for her with the wrong man, she's returned home to Craving Cove, to take the perfect path she knows in her heart she was destined for, and to win back the man she abandoned all those years ago. 
 Knox... 
Each inch of this rough waterman is hot, smooth, wet, and hard, and every woman who's laid eyes on him is dying to taste his tattoos. But he knows in his heart there's only one girl out there for him, and he's been waiting for the chance to reclaim what he knows is rightfully his.
But when dangerous forces threaten them and their home, it will take every bit of their loyalty, courage, and spirit to protect everything they love. Will they be able to cling to each other and conquer the storm, or will unknown enemies pull them apart, and destroy 
everything they love? 
If you adore hot men, strong women, and beautiful locations then set sail through dangerous waters with the residents of Craving Cove, and take a trip to HEA in this hot and steamy second chance 
"contemp-erotic romance" that you'll never forget!



Excerpt: 
Melody gently laid her beautiful hands on William’s delicious meat. 
With a perfect stroke, she moved them back and forth. Back. 
And forth. Then slowly, and with definite focus, she grabbed a bottle of oil, and poured a viscous stream into her palm. The liquid slipped between her already wet fingers, and she continued to move her hands. Reaching over, she pinched some coarse sea salt, and sprinkled it evenly. Looking down at the rib eye, Melody smiled. 
Perfectly seasoned…But before she could start cooking in 
earnest, she gave the dining room a quick glance. The red wine was breathing, the table was set with Swiss watch precision, and 
William’s favorite songs were prepared to play on their entertainment system. Everything was perfect. Even her. Underneath her red dress was a black bustier hot enough to sear the waiting steak, and a pair of stockings that would make a mute man scream in joyous rapture. 
The plan was to surprise her husband with a fabulous anniversary dinner, and drink a great bottle of wine, then rut like stoats upstairs. None of which should be a problem, especially the surprise.
 Their actual anniversary was on the following Saturday, and Melody was supposed to be on a trip with her friend Kat, and not back in town until the following morning. So like she thought, it was going to be perfect. Then the sound of their garage door roused her from her thoughts. Damn it. Melody looked at her watch. Seven thirty… William’s home early! Melody ran to the light switch, but on the way passed by her full-length mirror, where she checked herself one last time. Her thick, brown hair was up just right, allowing a slim tendril to curl down the side of her face, and the red dress fit well enough. But still, she fretted. The figure she’d had at twenty-five was no longer the same, but she was still curvy. So, with everything ready, she killed the kitchen and dining room lights, and froze. Seconds passed. She was breathing deeply. Her heart beat loudly in her ears. She was so excited! Seconds passed. She was breathing deeply. Her heart beat loudly in her ears. She was so excited! And then finally, the door opened, and she heard William say, “Come on, let’s get to it.”
“Why?” a woman said. “We’ve got all night, it’s not like she’s home.”
“Not until tomorrow. But every second I’m not inside 
you is one I wish I was.”
Melody’s quick beating heart stopped. She turned her head slightly, unsure of what she’d just heard. The mystery woman said, 
“Well then, if you’re that hungry we’ll have to get right to it.”
Then the door slammed. There was some fumbling. And the two of them rushed into the living room. Melody crept along the wall of the dining room, and peeked around the corner. William was in one of his tailored, gray suits, and all five and a half feet of him was twisted around a woman who couldn’t have been over twenty-three. She looked like a sundae, topped with a dollop of whipped cream blond hair, 
and wore a tight, white dress, over a perky body. Melody nearly broke her teeth grinding them together. It was Kendra. William’s paralegal! 
The two tumbled onto the couch, with William landing on top of his employee. “My God,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”Kendra ran her fingers through his thinning hair. “Me too, Billy.” She undid his tie and threw it on the floor. “During that meeting I wanted to pull out your cock and-” 
“What the hell’s going on?” Melody was standing in the doorway to the dining room, staring down at the two. The lovers froze, with their eyes full of shock. William was the one who broke the silence. 
“Melody, what’re you doing here?”
Melody stared at him with a viper’s gaze. “Surprising you, apparently.” The two cheaters disentangled, and staggered to their feet. 
Kendra straightened her white dress as William said, 
“Melody, I can explain. This isn’t-”
“Say ‘what it looks like’ and I’ll jam an oyster fork in your eye,” Melody said. 

Marina Blue is a small town girl who turned into a big city pro, only to return to the small town she left. A long time fan of reading romance and adventure, she's often seen writing with Muffin the cat, and Boosa the dog.
http://Marinabluexoxo.wordpress.com

Monday, October 3, 2016

Review--MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Carolyn Brown- 5*


Title: MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS
5*
Author:  Carolyn Brown
Series: Lucky Penny Ranch, #3
On Sale: Sept 27, 2016
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $7.99 USD

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'Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house is the presence of one wickedly hot cowboy who's come to stay for the holiday. Fiona Logan is downright shocked to return to her childhood home and find that the tall blond stranger who came to her rescue on an icy road will be sleeping just across the hall from her bedroom. Talk about temptation…

Jud Dawson never believed the Lucky Penny Ranch would live up to its name until now. Fiona is gorgeous, smart, funny, and everything he thought he'd never find. Now all he has to do is convince her to stick around town instead of hightailing it back to Houston. But with wild weather, nosy neighbors, and a new baby in the family, getting her to admit that she's falling in love might just take a Christmas miracle.

"Jud with his slow, Texas drawl is one sexy cowboy who will have readers falling in love with him. His romantic connection with Fiona sizzles. Brown's modern storytelling and fun-filled plot will engage readers and wrap them up in this sweet, Southern holiday romance." 
–RT Book Reviews


It is unbelievable to me that Carolyn Brown has only been writing books for 19 years. Of the 80 books she has already published, I've read almost all. Brown's ability to have me exploding with laughter is only overshadowed by her ability to have me in tears at so many tender moments. She is able to draw you into the life of the characters and will have you rooting for the couple very quickly. I especially love her ability to portray senior citizens. She writes some of the feistiest seniors and though they are secondary only, they are totally fleshed out. I would love to see her do a novel where the two main characters were seniors having a second chance at love.
I always look forward to the release of a new Carolyn Brown novel as I know we'll be introduced to another awesome couple and get to watch them falling in love while one or both are kicking and screaming to stay single.
Fiona and Jud were an awesome couple. Jud was ready for marriage while Fiona was damn sure she neither belonged in a small town or with a cowboy. I love that this story takes place at Christmas and especially loved seeing Fiona's family Christmas traditions. As always Brown's small town setting feels so similar to my own. We too were a dry county until only recently and with a mostly Southern Baptist community, many people had to store their beer in an ice chest rather than their frig so as not to offend older family members.  Simply said, this is another super read by Carolyn Brown and the only thing that makes it bearable to finish is knowing that she'll have another one waiting to be read in a few months. Thank goodness she is such a prolific writer and has many more HEAs to reward her readers with.


THE LUCKY PENNY RANCH SERIES

WILD COWBOY WAYS, #1
HOT COWBOY NIGHTS, #2
MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS, #3
WICKED COWBOY CHARM, #4


BUY THE BOOK HERE

iBooks  Indiebound  Kobo


New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA® Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy-five books. She presently writes both women's fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title and contemporary series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. 


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