Friday, January 31, 2014

Undefeated by Scott Hildreth.... My Kaptivating Review


Synopsis:

WARNING: This book contains scenes of abuse. They are descriptive, heartbreaking, and may cause you to feel certain emotions. If you're incapable of reading about a woman that recovers from an abusive relationship, don't read this book. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.


Kace Meadows lives in Austin, Texas. Now 26, she has been in an abusive relationship since she was sixteen years old. As abusive as it is, she can’t seem to find a way to allow herself to end it. With her abusive boyfriend, she can’t seem to win.

Shane Dekkar is an unknown, undefeated, and somewhat shy boxer from Compton California. After the death of his grandfather, he moves to Austin and meets Kace by happenstance as she and her boyfriend are in an argument in public. He is drawn to her, and she to him.

When he meets her again two years later, he begins to believe in fate. But, as he prepares for a potential shot at a championship fight, there’s not time in his life or career for a woman.

Shane fights his inner demons by using his fists. On the street or in the ring, Shane does what he does best, he wins at any cost. Unlike Kace, Shane can’t seem to lose.

Undefeated is an extremely romantic erotica novel about fighting. Fighting for what you believe in. Fighting for life. Fighting to live.

And fighting to find love in the most unlikely places.

Be prepared to be moved, touched, stand up and cheer, and cry your eyes out. This book will, without a doubt, knock you unconscious.

CAUTION: Graphic sexual content. This book contains fighting scenes that are descriptive. Additionally, it contains graphic scenes of street fighting that may be perceived as unnecessarily violent. Lastly, the abuse scenes in this book are descriptive, realistic, and emotional. 


My Kaptivating Review



“If something or someone is presented to us once, we will often dismiss it as being nothing more than happenstance. If that person or situation is presented twice, it is God slapping us in the face and telling us to pay attention. It is fate.”
Since she was sixteen years old,  Kace knew that love hurt, literally. Like most relationships, her boyfriend showed her nothing but affection, the affection turned into hurt and isolation and fear. Now at twenty six years old, Kace is realizing that this isn’t love nor a healthy relationship. No matter what she does it is never right. Knowing what is happening to her is wrong but fearing the unknown of leaving, she lies to herself and tells herself that things will be better today. One day a horrible argument with her boyfriend has her meeting an unlikely hero.
“I’m coming for your heart, Kace,”
Shane Dekkar is a cocky but modest unknown fighter. Growing up in Compton, California, he knows what it takes to be tough and street smart and how to fight. He fights his inner demons by fighting in the ring and he has never lost a fight, EVER. After losing his grandfather he moves to Austin where he meets Kace. He witness’s an argument between her and her boyfriend. When he tried to intervene, they play it off as a little disagreement. Shane knows there is more to it, he sees the pain and fear in her eyes and watches as they drive away. There is something about her and he can’t get her out of his head.
They say things happen for a reason so when two years later he runs into Kace again. Both of their lives change.
“He could take advantage of me at any point in time that he preferred; the fact that he didn’t made me both admire him and hate him both.”
 Shane is an upcoming fighter with a fantastic future but his past has damaged him. Preparing for the fight of his life, he doesn’t have time for a relationship.
It took almost losing her life to finally move on with it and make a choice she has feared for years. Not knowing if she is strong enough to be on her own, Shane helps her through it.
This story is about two people with devastating pasts, finding the strength to be better and stronger, learning from mistakes and moving forward.
“When walking away from something we were once committed to, we often hesitate. Deciding to make a major change in life is difficult. But we all reach a point when we’re done - done giving to a world that only takes. Until then, you’ll want, you’ll wait, and you’ll contemplate change. When you’re truly done, you’ll know. You’ll know when the time comes.”
This story touched me and yes, although there were some disturbing situations, I was able to see the message or at least the message that I interpreted which was, no matter where you come from or the situations you suffered through or witnessed, you can break the cycle! You aren’t a product of your environment. You can be that change. Abuse is no joke and people think “why doesn’t she just leave? She is lame for staying with him for so long.” Although this is just a story the abuse in this story is a very real problem that people live with daily.
Scott Heldreth did a fantastic job. It was heartfelt, kind, disturbing and romantic but what I loved most was that it showed Bravery, Courage and Respect.
It is a fantastic must read!  
 

Purchase Undefeated on Amazon

Who I am (FireNine #3) by Shanora Williams... My 4 Star Review


Synopsis:

Some stories aren’t easy to tell.

Some situations aren’t easy to relive.

But I was raised to be strong—to hold my own. Because of it, I was hurt, torn down, beaten and even had my heart snatched right out of my chest.

But I’m ready now. It’s time for me to speak up. You want to know what really goes on inside my head, well I’m right here.

Real. Raw. Intense.

This is all me. Roy Sykes. This is my story, and trust me… its far from pretty



My 4 Star Review




“ You’re my baby girl. My life. Without you, I wouldn’t truly be happy. I honestly never thought I’d be happy again.”

Growing up is never easy. Doing what he had to do to help his mother and the cost of her medical bills and having to work with some shady people. He had no other choice but to be strong and hold his own. His escape is his music and also his love, that is until she ripped his heart and trust into shreds.  Left with only his music, he vows that he will never let someone have his heart, ever again.
Life is never easy. Life does guarantee that things. When Kelsey enters his life, it leaves him feeling elated but confused and scared.
Happy and content Roy slowly comes out of his shell and Kelsey is the one who has helped him. He is the only FireNine band member who remains a mystery. He is finally speaking out and the fans love it. Little did he know that speaking about past would bring people back into his life that he thought he would never see again.
With the past threatening his future, Roy has a choice to make and that choice could cost him the love of his life.
“Kelsey, please...” “Please don’t do this. You have my heart. It was because of you that I believed in love again. You can’t strip that away from me.”

We finally have Roy’s story and I have to say, I LOVED it. There is just something about Roy that I was able to connect with. I adore his character. He is all heart. He does things because he truly is a good guy but sometimes nice deeds are taken the wrong way.
Like most couples, Roy and Kelsey struggle, they hurt and they learn. The past my not always be butterflies and rainbows but the future is always bright and together they learn about letting go, trust and moving forward.
I cannot tell you how much Shanora has grown as an author. She gets better and better with every story she writes!
A job very well done.

Purchase the series from Amazon

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Check out author A.M Hargroves cover for her upcoming Tragic Desires!



TRAGIC DESIRES by A.M. Hargrove

February 2014




Cover by Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations
Photo by Scott Hoover Photography
Cover Model Emmanuel Delcour





BOOK SUMMARY:

My name is Gemini Sheridan. At least that’s what I thought it was for 23 years. Then one day a slight adjustment on the wheel of my mountain bike set into motion a series of catastrophic events that changed my life forever. Now I’m running from the headaches that threaten to destroy me… from the assassins that threaten to kill me… from the truth that exposes who I really am… and from the man that wants to save me. Because he now owns my heart and I fear him above all others.

My name is Drexel Wolfe and I’m a private investigator. Nothing ever stands in the way of what I want because when I see something I just take it. All of that changed the night my life collided with Gemini Sheridan’s and now everything is one hot damn mess. And the worst part of it all is that I’m trying to save her ass and I don’t know why the hell I’m even bothering. Well, that’s not exactly true. Fact is, I can’t stop thinking about her. She’s crawled into every thought I own, asleep or awake. I have serious plans for her that include making her mine. What she doesn’t know is that when I play, I play for keeps. Nothing and no one will get in my way or stop me… not even Gemini Sheridan herself.



Author Information



One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window.  She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job.  Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.

Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

Author Links:



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Monday, January 13, 2014

Check out M. Leighton's GORGEOUS cover for All the Pretty Poses




 He never wanted to be a hero…until she needed him to be.





Strength…
It took Kennedy Moore years to put her life back together after Reese Spencer shattered it.  But she did.  Now, years later, strong and independent, she is in pursuit of a single dream—to dance with the Altman American Dance Theater.  Unfortunately, Kennedy is learning that a girl from nowhere with no money and no contacts might never be able to reach her goal.  

That is, until Reese reappears, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Kennedy just can’t refuse.  In exchange for working on his yacht for a few short weeks, he’ll get her an audition with the famous dance troupe.  All Kennedy has to do is keep her head down, work hard and resist Reese.  That sounds easy enough, right?

Weakness…
Reese doesn’t want to make it easy for Kennedy.  Seeing her again has started a fire in his blood—an unwelcome one.  It took him years to forget about her before, so this time he has a plan.  It’s simple:  Get Kennedy on his yacht, seduce her, get her out of his system, move on with his life.  That sounds easy enough, right? 

But the one thing Reese didn’t plan for was Kennedy herself—a girl so strong yet so broken, she makes him want to rescue her, to take care of her.  To save her.  Even if he has to save her from himself.













About M. Leighton:


M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies.  She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books.  When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.  




For more about M. Leighton, visit her website at www.MLeightonBooks.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@mleightonbooks.

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