ARC Review & Giveaway: Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris

 

Taste the Heat (A Love & Games Novel #1)
Publisher/Publication Date:  Entangled Bliss, July 8, 2013 
Format, Source: e-arc, Publisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

One sexy fire captain. One Cajun chef. One combustible kitchen…

When chef Colby Robicheaux returned home to New Orleans to save her family restaurant, the last person she expected to reconnect with was her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. As tempting as a sugar-coated beignet, Jason is one dish she can’t afford to taste. Colby can’t wait to leave the place where her distrust of love and commitment originated and go back to Vegas.

Fire captain Jason Landry isn’t looking for love, either. Disillusioned by his past, he knows he should be focusing on finding the perfect mother for his daughter. But when he first sees Colby, all grown up and gorgeous, he can’t help but be drawn to her. And when she suggests a no-strings-attached fling, Jason can’t say no.

As their relationship grows more intense, Colby finds that Jason isn’t as easy to leave behind as she thought. Could turning up the heat on something real be worth the possibility
of getting burned?
 

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

 

 

 
My Thoughts

Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris is an amazing, passionate love story. I loved the premise of Colby having a childhood crush on Jason and a chance to live her dream of being with him years later. 

Harris’ depiction of the characters’ intense emotions along with the struggles associated with becoming a blended family were well-developed. Both the characters and their situations were believable. Jason is hesitant to get involved with Colby, because he doesn’t want a relationship to have a negative impact on his daughter, Emma. Emma just wants her father to be happy and her matchmaking attempts are priceless. I just loved the sly tactics that Emma used in her matchmaking schemes. Colby had a hard time trusting due to the untrustworthy men of her past. Her thoughts can be described as irrational and self-centered at times; yet, I liked how Colby evolved as she reflected on her feelings/behaviors and reconsidered her position on various issues.  The supporting characters were also well-written as they helped Jason and Colby resolve issues from their past so they could move on. 

At one point, there were just some events and misunderstandings that put Jason and Colby’s relationship on unstable ground, and at times it seemed that a happy ending was a little out of reach.  The ending was touching but similar to another book that I read recently. Then--in the end… Well, if you’d like to know how the book ended, I recommend reading Taste the Heat. 

Rating-4.5/5
 
I received an e-arc of Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris from the publisher for an honest review, thank you.
 
About the Author

 

Rachel Harris grew up in New Orleans, where she watched soap operas with her grandmother and stayed up late sneak reading her mama's favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living

in Houston, she still stays up way too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

When not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, she homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches reality television with her amazing husband. Taste the Heat is her adult romance debut. She's the author of MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY and A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES. She loves hearing from readers! Find her at RachelHarrisWrites.com
 

 Rafflecopter Giveaway

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Indulgence Cover Reveal and Sexy New Look

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for allowing me to take part in presenting Indulgence's sexy new look and cover reveal.  Indulgence books are short contemporary romances.  They are new, fresh, edgy, light, and whimsical and always have a happily ever after.

 

Scroll down to check out a few of the upcoming titles and Indulgence's new look.

 

Famously Engaged, by Robyn Thomas

 Publisher/Expected Publication Date: Entangled Indulgence, July 8, 2013

A chef and a rock star. They couldn’t be from more different worlds…

Rock star royalty’s favorite son, Jake Olsen, couldn’t help but interfere after listening to his future brother-in-law talk non-stop about his ex-wife, Beth Carlisle. Jake decides that the only way to get the groom’s mind off his ex-wife is to give her a fake fiancé.

Before Jake can convince Beth of his plan, he's forced to move in with her to avoid the paparazzi. Their instant attraction makes for a sizzling "first date", but soon Jake’s fame gets in the way and Beth wants out. Too bad Jake's figured out just why her ex is so obsessed with her, and he's afraid he's not going to be able to give her up either.

Now it's up to Jake to convince this chef together they make the perfect recipe. 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/16KcgH1

Barnes and Noble: Coming

The Wedding Gamble, by Cindi Myers

 Publisher/Expected Publication Date: Entangled Indulgence, July 8, 2013

Preschool teacher Laura Nichols is celebrating her birthday and sister's bachelorette party in Vegas. Being in Sin City is thrilling and she intends on tapping in to her wild side. Laura can't resist the added excitement that comes with saying yes when a hunky man off the street proposes...

FBI agent David Abruzzo has been working undercover as a thug to bring down the Zacolli crime family, but his cover depends on convincing the mob he came to Vegas for a quickie wedding. If they catch on to his plan, his cover's blown, and he's as good as dead. 

Over the course of 48 hours, David and Laura use rollercoasters, glowing condoms, and exotic male dancers to stay alive and bring the crime family down. But it will take more than Lady Luck, one night of passion, and a little Vegas magic to turn their fake marriage into something real.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/13mhnyK

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/11bhLAf

 

Dishing Up Desire, by Barbara DeLeo
 Publisher/Expected Publication Date: Entangled Indulgence, July 8, 2013

Image consultant Blake Matthews is facing his toughest PR challenge yet: salvage the image of celebrity chef Kirin Hart. Once he does, he'll be able to acquire LA's most successful PR firm. But Kirin's no easy fix. She's stubborn about changing her comfortable homemaker image, and is being sued for sexual harassment by a junior staffer. She needs a PR lifeline fast. Only problem is Blake wants more than to make her over...

Kirin doesn't need a makeover--her fans love her as she is. But she could lose everything if the sex scandal and reputation that has followed doesn't get quashed right away. Kirin agrees to let model-perfect Blake work his magic for two weeks, but things get complicated when she can't deny the way her body flares to life whenever he's near.

Amazon:

http://amzn.to/19PTKCs

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/15ZJUWR 

 

Famously Engaged, The Wedding Gamble, and Dishing Up Desire are just a few Entangled Indulgence books. If you want 56 reasons to indulge in classic romance with a fresh new twist, check out the titles below on Entangled Publishing's website for more information!!!

 

 

The Blood Code by Misty Evans Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway

 

Title: The Blood Code (A Super Agent Novel)
Author:  Misty Evans
Publisher/Publication Date:  Entangled Edge, June 17, 2013
Format/Source: e-arc, Publisher
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes& Noble/Kobo/iBooks

Synopsis

Fifteen years ago, Anya Radzoya fled Russia with her grandmother after the suspicious deaths of her parents, but she can’t escape the royal genes that make her one of Russia’s last living princesses. When President Ivanov blackmails her into returning to Moscow to be his future wife in exchange for her grandmother’s life, Anya discovers he’s planning to unleash a nuclear war. With no one else to turn to, she join forces with CIA operative Ryan Smith.

Undercover at the nuclear summit, Ryan is happy to recruit Anya to find proof Ivanov is resurrecting the Cold War, but he suspects his new asset is a double agent. Anya is determined to rescue her grandmother with or without his help, however, and Ryan finds himself falling for the beautiful princess before he even trusts her. He refuses to let her go it alone, even if it means risking his own critical mission.

Trapped inside the Kremlin with a cunning and ruthless opponent, the two must risk their lives and their hearts to save Anya’s grandmother, as well as millions of innocent people.

My Thoughts

The Blood Code by Misty Evans can best be described as a nail-biting, spine-tingling, edge of your seat thriller. The book is just chilling. I just couldn’t fathom how Ivanov would be stopped or how Anya would get out of the dreadful situation of being held captive before it was too late. Anya is so feisty and at times it puts her in further danger. Oh and President Ivanov is so creepy, I just cringe when I think about his character. He is so unstable that I couldn’t predict what he would do next.

I liked Anya’s strong will. She added excitement to the story. She was a relentless character that wouldn’t let anything stop her and had no mercy on her enemies.

What the characters were feeling at any moment was clearly depicted. I could only imagine the chills flowing throw Anya’s body while she was alone with Ivanov as I read the following quote: “The heat from the fire might as well have been the north wind blowing outside” (80). At other times I could absolutely understand Anya’s feelings of fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness.

Overall, I appreciated the pacing of The Blood Code. At times the pacing was slow and at other times there was a heightened intensity. In the beginning a mysterious woman Anya shows up at the outpost of the special ops team which piqued my interest. Then there is a period of time in which background information is revealed and Anya and Ryan contemplate their next move. There were shocking developments along the way. And finally, the fast paced action is put into motion when Ryan and Anya constantly take dangerous leaps of faith in an attempt to stop Ivanov from wreaking havoc. I really couldn’t fathom how this would end well, and Evans kept me in suspense until the very end.

The Blood Code was well-written and just had one of the most nerve-wracking endings. If you love suspense novels with a strong heroine, I would definitely recommend this novel.

Rating- 4.5/5 

I received an e-arc of The Blood Code by Misty Evans for an unbiased review. Thank you.

About Misty:

 
Misty Evans is the author of the award-winning Super Agent romantic suspense series. Books in the series have won a CataNetwork Reviewers’ Choice Award, CAPA nominations, the New England Reader’s Choice Bean Pot Award for Best Romantic Suspense and the ACRA Heart of Excellence Reader’s Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense.

Misty likes her coffee black, her conspiracy stories juicy, and her wicked characters dressed in couture. When not reading or writing, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and their
twin sons. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter at www.readmistyevans.com.



Website/Twitter/Facebook/ Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour

 



 

 Official Tour Stops

 

6/17/2013      So Many Reads      

6/18/2013      Notes From A Romantic's Heart   

6/19/2013      Reading Between the Wines       

6/20/2013      Going in Circles      

6/21/2013      Storey Book Reviews         

6/24/2013      In My Humble Opinion       

6/25/2013      The Flirty Reader    

6/26/2013      Meredith's Musings

6/26/2013      Paranormal Book Club      

6/28/2013      Reading on the Rocks  

Review: Deja Voodoo by Elle James

 Title:  Deja Voodoo (A Cajun Magic Novel; Click on the Link for Synopsis)

Author:  Elle James

Publisher/Publication Date:  Entangled Suspense, June 24, 2013

Format/Source:  e-galley, Publisher

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Goodreads  Barnes & Noble  Amazon

My Thoughts

I have mixed feelings about Deja Voodoo by Elle James. There were some aspects of the story that I liked and others that I could have done without. It begins as another fun and enjoyable read.  Since the end of Voodoo for Two a lot has happened. Lucie is now living in Baton Rouge and she has started her life with Ben. She is back to her old antics of creating spells. Lucie sends Alex a Voodoo charm just as another undercover agent assigned to a case arrives in Bayou Miste. So if you’re a fan of Voodoo for Two, you know where this story is headed.  

There were moments of intense high flying action on the bayou that had me on the edge of my seat. Yet, there were action scenes involving criminals with fast-moving cars that were too similar to those found in Voodoo for Two.  It was just the same actions with different people in a slightly different place at a different time.

And once again we follow another Louisiana State Police, Ed, as he is undercover and pursues a love interest, Alex. Alex and Ed have an instant physical attraction, and I did enjoy their story.  Alex struggles with her quest to remain independent and is rather fickle.  One moment she is oh so totally falling for Ed and the next she is pulling away.

The problem that I had with this book was the voodoo spell that went awry and brought a new man, Sport, into Calliope’s life. I really disliked the setting and circumstances surrounding Sport’s transformation. Calliope’s interest in Sport is overplayed. She just appears to be desperate and sells herself short. I just couldn’t connect with the whole relationship between the two of them or Calliope’s desperation to have a man. There were funny aspects of Alex’s interactions with Sport; however, the story surrounding Calliope and Sport had a profound effect on my opinion of Deja Voodoo.

Rating 2.5/5-The book was okay

I received a copy of Deja Voodoo from the publisher for an unbiased review. Thank You.

Review: For Love or Money by Cathy Perkins



Title:  For Love or Money
Author: Cathy Perkins
Publisher/Publication Date:
Entangled Suspense, May 27, 2013
Format/Source:  e-book, won
Goodreads  Amazon  Barnes&Noble

My Thoughts

I love suspense novels that have you looking for clues in all the wrong places. Cathy Perkins does a good job of building up the suspense by providing just enough information to make multiple people look guilty.   For Love or Money was filled with corruption and characters who were so temperamental that it was difficult to discern who could be trusted. There were several people in Holly’s life from love interests to her clients that either had a shady past, made questionable statements, or acted bizarre.
Then there was Holly’s mom who occasionally made an appearance. She was so undependable, and I began to think that she was hiding something.  

And Holly, Holly, Holly. All I can do is shake my head and say her name. This is another case of a strong-willed heroine who thinks that she can take care of herself. She got herself in so deep with the murder investigation, because she couldn’t stop snooping. Yeah, her character was believable enough; because she’s similar to the people out there that just don’t know when to stop asking questions. I guess being in a series of dangerous situations wasn’t satisfying enough—she needed answers. Her actions just led to alarming outcomes that kept me turning the pages in search of answers.

I loved how JC dealt with the unresolved issues between him and Holly. There was just so much tension between them.  And at times I found it amusing when JC’s interrogation of Holly went astray as he was gathering her personal information.

There were several occasions that I was left shocked by the events that unfolded and could only hope to find answers as I continued on my journey reading this book. Then finally the ending arrived, and it just left me saying—“What?! I should have known, but I didn’t see that coming.”

For Love or Money was a quick enjoyable read, and  I would recommend it to fans of  romantic suspense novels. Rating 4/5

I received a copy of For Love or Money from the publisher for an unbiased review. Thank you.