Book Review and Giveaway for On the Edge by CD Reiss

ON THE EDGE
by CD REISS

"I promised you a bed of rose petals." He grabbed my hand under the table, tightening his grip as if he were falling from a precipice and our connection was the only thing saving him from certain death.

"They were beautiful."

"You smell like apples. Roses were wrong." There was nothing soft about his tone, but his quiet words were for me alone. "I want everything to be right for you."

"Caden, look at me."

I caught his gaze and held it. He was confident. Arrogant. Sure he had a place in the world. And under that was the man who needed me to be that place.

"If I could…" He smiled and shook his head at a silly thought he wanted to dismiss but couldn't-a contradiction in keeping with the whole man I married. "If I could write my love in the sky, it wouldn't be big enough. I'd run out of room. I'd fall out of the air trying to say it all."

He was saying it all.
Every day.
And he was falling out of the sky to do it.

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REVIEW: 5 STARS
"You're the beating heart of my life. You're the blood in my veins."

If I thought Rough Edge had a 'rough' ending....On the Edge left me feeling exactly that: on the edge!!! OMGosh, what an ending. My heart was beating, my mind was racing, and my curiosity is piqued!! The way she writes these books, these endings, I am craving so much more and looking forward to starting the next one!! Completely twisted up right now wondering what could possibly be happening next!

Once again, Reiss's descriptions were so tactile and vivid. I saw everything. I tasted everything. I smelled, felt, heard it all as if I were there. To be able to not only have every sensory aroused with her words, but to feel all those emotions as if they were personally affecting me? Wow. Just wow. I was once again drawn in, completely addicted to this story that was taking me on a crash course in the depth of one's love for another, no matter the circumstances. Heavy, deep storyline. Wow.

"The kiss wasn't a kiss yet, and he owned me. Every touch was devotion and care. He took nothing for granted, and as a result, I was swept up in a whirl of his attention."

I literally want to crawl inside her brain (morbid!!) and see how she works!! How does one come up with this kind of story; the depth and the crazy, the heartbreak and the desire?? What a painful reality that Greyson has to deal with that I am not even sure I could pretend to accept....or learn to deal with. I couldn't begin to fathom the fear, let alone the turmoil of this crisis she was living through and dealing with. Her husband is one of the most intense men I've ever read, but he has a side of him that I love exploring through the pages of these books. I am completely mesmerized with the culpability that Caden feels for everything going on, yet there is so much more that we are exploring little by little with each new chapter Reiss brings us that I read with wonder as I turn the pages. Seriously...woah.

"If you're ever in the darkness again, don't ever doubt that I love you."

There is so much to ponder with this story as a whole. The what-ifs are astronomical. I can't even begin to imagine how I would deal with this type of mental invasion and be so collected about it. I think my favorite part about this book/series is the rate of information coming at me that is so overwhelming, and some of it, I'm strong enough to admit, confuses me. But that's why I cling to the story as deeply as I am. I want to read both sides and not have a bias, and the way Reiss set it up and delivered this one, it allowed me to read it with a certain amount wonder and intrigue, but also with a confident sense of concentration. Yes, my mind is racing the entire time.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series and I can't wait to jump into Broken Edge to find out what happens next. Total wide-eyed curiosity over here. These are quick, easy reads that will allow you to lose track of time while you are watching everything unfold. The discovery alone is amazing. I am so excited to start the next one!!!

"I wasn't important without you. I didn't even exist if you didn't."
~BEE

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SERIES ORDER:

CUTTING EDGE (PREQUEL)

(FREE and can be read anytime before book 3)

ROUGH EDGE

My review on Goodreads

ON THE EDGE

My review on Goodreads

BROKEN EDGE

OVER THE EDGE

~MEET CD REISS~

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestselling author. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn't pick up she's at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

~CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE~

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Book Review and Giveaway for It Seemed Like A Good Idea At the Time by Kylie Scott

IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME

by KYLIE SCOTT

Returning home for her father’s wedding was never going to be easy for Adele. If being sent away at eighteen hadn’t been bad enough, the mess she left behind when she made a pass at her dad’s business partner sure was.

Fifteen years older than her, Pete had been her crush for as long as she could remember. But she’d misread the situation—confusing friendliness for undying love. Awkward. Add her father to the misunderstanding, and Pete had been left with a broken nose and a business on the edge of ruin. The man had to be just as glad as everyone else when she left town.

Seven years on, things are different. Adele is no longer a kid, but a fully grown adult more than capable of getting through the wedding and being polite. But all it takes is seeing him again to bring back all those old feelings.

Sometimes first loves are the truest.

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REVIEW: 3 STARS

"You stay right where you are, give me a chance to get used to this."

This one started out with absolute promise giving me the chuckles from the very beginning. The situations provided some smiles but the comments alone made me giggle. I loved that it was set in Australia, so that provided some quirky sayings and comments so it started out as a very fun read. This was my third book by Kylie, and while the rating doesn't look grossly positive, I will most definitely read her again. I really do enjoy her style, I love the way she tells a story, and she reads very easily. That has absolutely nothing to do with my rating this time around. So please allow me to explain....

First of all, I LOVED the way this story was delivered - almost as if Adele was telling us her story, not just allowing us to view it as a reader. She was telling US as if she were a friend telling us her story - making eye contact and sly comments, so I smiled quite a bit. I really liked that. Just something a little different. Adele had a sense of humor that was awesome. I mean, I'm seriously smiling as I write this because she was so funny and she didn't make any excuses for it! So while I was loving this book in the beginning, it didn't finish that way for me. It was flowing wonderfully for me up until about 78%. The storyline, Adele's quirky smart-assery -- all of it was wonderful. But man, that brick wall came up fast! And then it just kinda fell apart for me. I can pinpoint it and tell you the exact moment, the why, but that would take away the discovery and I refuse to do that. I will say this, the twist doesn't bother most readers and that is a good thing. I just didn't personally feel it fit the way the story was going and it detracted from the main plot for what felt like a wonderful forbidden, age-gap story, humor and all. I think that twist gifted a very easy out for the ending that shouldn't have been so easy, yet miraculously was.

"Problem is, you suck at boundaries."

"Only when it comes to you."

Of course there has to be some turmoil in a book, because that's the fun part, right? Well, I'm just gonna say it: I didn't like how easily Adele took Pete back. There! I said it. Phew....off my chest! I had a very hard time with that. She rolled right over, and while I know she had been very smitten with him from a very young age, the way it all went down made it feel very....? Just....contrived? Almost like it was just drama thrown in since the described anger didn't fit the reactions based on the way it was handled. I almost felt frustrated at the route taken because I didn't feel like the age-gap/forbidden aspect was truly explored or fleshed out, and consequences weren't really considered for the actions that unfolded. I realize this isn't my story to tell and I didn't write it, but this is just my honest opinion and feelings on it. 

I am bummed at the way the story finished because it started out so promising for me. It just didn't work for me. Some of it felt forced, like how they were brought together in the very beginning (after everything that went down, why do THAT?), to the dad making time limitations on a 25 year old going out on a date. Are we being funny again? Maybe, but I think it just lent a tad bit of ridiculousness to the end that wasn't really necessary. BUT the storyline, it was good. It really was. I enjoyed 3/4 of the book and it read really quickly - one sitting even. So even though I didn't love this one, it was a good read for me. I guess I can say I learned that I can love the writing in a book, but not love the actual storyline.

I sigh....I really do, because I really did enjoy this one overall, but some parts made me shake my head while others made me laugh. I almost feel let down. <sigh> It's a good read and I know many will love it, so don't let my hangups sway you....but I'd love to discuss it with you after you read it.

"He'd been a storm inside me for so long, messing with my head and my heart."

~BEE

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~MEET KYLIE SCOTT~

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance  Writer of the year, 2013 &amp; 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

~CONNECT WITH KYLIE~

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Book Review and giveaway for Pretty Venom by Ella Fields

PRETTY VENOM
by ELLA FIELDS

Callum Welsh perfected the art of hating me when we were two kids who believed we’d be forced into marriage.
He thought I wanted it, but my only wish had been for him to leave me alone.
Then one afternoon, he stole my first kiss.
Despite all he’d done, everything changed after that.

As the years passed, our hearts thawed, and he no longer hated me.
In fact, he loved me enough to make me his wife.
Until I ruined everything with one stupid mistake.

That hatred returned in the form of cruel words and even crueler deeds.
But we weren’t kids anymore.
I could handle his brand of venom.
He would be mine again, even if it cost me the remains of my heart.

Warning: contains cheating and an anti-hero who might make you throw your kindle.

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REVIEW: 5 STARS
"If someone has control over your heart, the worst thing you could do was make an enemy out of them."

Why do I constantly say this.....? I love the way Ella Fields tells a story. I do! I am not a YA/NA fan in general, but I love the way she sucks me in. The way she makes me feel. I don't get the immaturity of the words to fit the actions that I normally dislike. She tells her stories in a relatable fashion that always traps me in place and I can't quit reading. I love that about her. Ella is officially one of my favorite authors, and while I have only read 4 of her books, she is easily and quickly recommended every time someone asks for a great, well-written read packed with emotional consequences.

If there ever was a book in a series that I feel that could be read as a standalone, it is this one. Even though we met Callum previously, this one started from their beginning and carried us through their love story. I wish I knew how she did this. Evoking feelings that I wouldn't normally accept; I wouldn't easily condone. But her words, she gives them so freely and openly, and they make me feel. My gosh, she gave me a story that I never knew I craved in this one. From a very young and immature man to a very grown and smitten young man. I 'grew up' with them and fell in love, little by little. I could easily step in her shoes and fall into the perils of young love, and that is the unquestionable proof and pure truth to Ella's writing. Because there is so much truth....so much relatability to her characters and her stories, that you can't help but feel it every step of the way.

"I didn't give my heart permission to grieve. So it took what it needed when I wasn't able to stop it."

Anger? Sadness? Pain? Poor Renee. I truly mean it - poor Renee. Ella nailed the self-loathing, but she also rocked the pride and the fact that she could show Renee standing tall when all I'd want to do is cower and go cry in a corner. What I didn't expect at all was the anger I felt towards Renee for giving herself so freely when all Callum was doing was hurting her more and more....but what I got in return was an explanation, a story, a need to understand the why and the how. Why did she do this to herself repeatedly, and how did she live with herself; stare at herself in the mirror? Her story was definitely one that I couldn't put down. I wanted to understand her stance. I will say, Ella was very convincing in that department.

While I wanted to stand behind the fact that I felt that Renee was suffering - because she very definitely was, I also wanted to say poor Callum. I know!! I know!! Horrible, right?? He was an ass, but man, did he ever work through his turmoil in the harshest ways he knew how. He made her pay through the pain from his own torturous heart, and he was not easy on her at all. But he couldn't deny his feelings, his emotions....his pain, yet he most definitely didn't know how to accept them either. I think, honestly, that's what endeared me to not only his anger, but his agony. I understood why he was so angry, and I also understood why he did the things he did. I definitely do NOT excuse or forgive his actions, but I could sure understand where he was coming from. I'll tell you what though, he was a Grade - A asshole in this one. He was angering me quite a few times throughout, but again....I understood. But I sure didn't like it.

From the outside looking in, I could feel every emotion scream to get out as I watched Callum morph from this immature jerk into this young man that had a very definite change in his tune....and I started to thaw towards him and his actions. <sigh> I mean, I didn't hate him, but I was sure not liking what he was doing, but I understood. I loved seeing this different side to him than what we were originally introduced to, and yes. just yes. all the yes. All. The. Yes. When he lowered his voice and talked to Renee from behind, startling her? Not only did she get the chills, but I did as well. I smiled. I swooned. Crazily enough, I fell in love with a young man that seemed to have a lump of coal for a heart at times.

"It was ten times worse having to feign indifference when someone was trying to slay you with their eyes."

Once again, Ella Fields told a story that encompassed love, loss, heartbreak and redemption. A story that allowed me to follow a journey of the soul with trepidation, with sadness, with anger.....but most importantly, with heart. I love the way she tells stories and this one was no different. I'm so in love with her writing. Please read this one....let's chat. The discussions will probably become very animated and loud because there will be some with differing opinions, and I don't deny that this book will piss off many. But, I like those ones and there is no denying that books that challenge my heart and mind are usually my favorites. C'mon....grab your copy and let's chat. If you think this is a typical cheating book, then you are sorely mistaken. There is nothing typical about Ella's stories, and I hope you love this one as much as I did.

"I belong with you, and you only."
~BEE

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~MEET ELLA FIELDS~

Ella Fields is a mother and wife who lives in the land Down Under. While her kids are in school, you might find her talking about her characters and books to her two cats. She's a notorious chocolate and notebook hoarder who enjoys creating hard-won happily ever afters.

~CONNECT WITH ELLA~

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Excerpt Reveal for Mixed Up Love by Natasha Madison

 EXCERPT

Walking into the restaurant, the hostess stands there with a smile on her face while I look around and see if maybe there is a guy sitting alone. I notice a couple of guys at the bar, but they look like they are together. Most of the tables are taken but none of them with a single man. “Good evening. How many I help you?” she says.

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone, and I don’t see him, reservations under Anthony,” I say, still looking around. The clanking of plates and cutlery fill the room along with soft music coming out of the speaker. She looks down at the pad in front of her.

“Yes, Anthony, table for two?” she asks, and I look at her and nod. She grabs two menus and another one that I’m assuming is the wine list. “If you can follow me,” she says and walks to the right of the restaurant. Passing a couple of tables, she sits me at a table for two near the bar and in front of the outdoor patio. “Here you go. Your waiter will be right with you.” I take the seat facing the front door so I can see everyone coming in and out. I grab the linen napkin on the table under my utensils and place it on my lap. I grab the brown menu and open it, my eyes scanning to see what they serve here.

I’m not sitting here for more than a minute when the waiter comes to the table, pouring water into the two glasses on the table. “My name is Henry, and I’ll be your server for the evening. Can I start you off with a cocktail while you wait?”

“Oh, that sounds so good. I’ll have two.” I laugh, not really joking. “Give me two martinis, two olives with one ice cube.”

“Very well,” he says and nods at me. I giggle to myself, scanning the restaurant and people watching. I see a couple of men sitting at the bar facing me as they talk to each other. I look out at the street and watch as cars zoom through and around other cars. Henry comes over a couple of minutes later with two martinis on his tray. He places them both in front of me. I smile at him, raising a glass to him, then take a long gulp. Yup, no sipping here, not after the news I just got. “This is fantastic,” I say. “I’ll take another.” He just nods and walks away, no doubt judging me in his head. But it’s not every day you find out that your gay ex-boyfriend is engaged to another woman. I don’t even think there is a greeting card for that shit, but I could be wrong.

I finish off the first martini in record time. The heat of the alcohol slowly creeps up, making my cheeks flustered.

I’m glad I took an Uber, I think as I grab the second martini and bring it to my lips. I’m one sip into drinking my second martini when I see a man walk in the door, and the glass stops midair. The only thing going through my mind is holy shit.

His black suit molds to his body with a crisp white button-down shirt underneath, and he left the top two buttons open, showing a hint of his tan skin. His black aviator glasses hide his eyes, but it doesn’t matter. His hair is cut short, his face is clean shaven, and his lips—oh my god, his lips are so full, which conjures an image of me sucking his bottom lip to run through my mind. I shake my head; it must be the vodka. “No more drinks for me,” I say under my breath, looking down at the drink in my hand. Then I make the mistake of looking up again, and I see the woman at the hostess stand turn and look around the room.

Her eyes stop on me as she points at me, smiling at the man who doesn’t even pay attention to her. He dips his head to her and makes his way over to me. I still can’t see his eyes, but there is no denying that I feel his stare right through me. “Oh, shit,” I whisper to myself, and as he comes closer, I see that his jaw is square, and his chest is wider than I thought. I don’t think I inhale or exhale a breath while he walks around the tables, finally stopping at mine. He takes off his glasses, and I finally see his smoky gray eyes. “Are you Laney?”

I don’t know what happens, but my throat closes. I try to talk, but no words come out of my mouth, so I don’t say anything. My mouth opens and then closes again, but not a sound is made. Instead, the waiter comes back, smiling. “Here are two more.” I look at who I think is my blind date as he glares at the man, and I laugh nervously.

“It isn’t what it looks like,” I tell the man standing beside the table.

“Really? I find it hard to believe. It looks like you’re sitting here waiting for something bad to happen.” He then looks around, eyeing everyone in the place, and it’s a good thing I’m not standing because my legs would give out.

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MIXED UP LOVE

by NATASHA MADISON

Hunter

When my business partner asked me to do him a favor, I had no idea he was sending me on a blind date his mother arranged for him. I walked in the bar, saw the woman drinking her third martini, and knew I was in for an eventful night.

After the unexpected second date, she didn't know my real name or who I really was. By that time, the lie was too far gone, and I wanted her too much to admit the truth.

Laney

It's not every day you find out your ex-boyfriend is engaged.

I shouldn't have agreed to the blind date. My mother insisted, and I wasn’t in any position to turn down a night out.

I will admit, I definitely shouldn't have ordered that fourth martini before said blind date even arrived.

The man turned out to be swoon worthy, handsome, condescending—a perfect distraction. Then I found out he was a liar.

I've never been in over my head to this degree.

Then again, I've never been in love.

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~MEET NATASHA MADISON~

When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips.

It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...

~CONNECT WITH NATASHA~

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RECENT COVER REVEALS ON THE BLOG:

"He will risk it all to save her, even if it means giving his own life."

ULTIMATE SACRIFICE by KC Lynn is releasing on July 25th and is the first book in a new series, Men of Courage. 

Hard work and dedication brought Austin Hawke up the ranks at his department, eventually earning him Lieutenant position. He was more than ready to lead his fellow brothers but one fatal call leads to tragedy and a danger they never saw coming.

Meanwhile, his personal life is just as destructive. All thanks to the gorgeous sports bar owner he shared an unforgettable night with only to have her slip out on him before the morning sun. Zoey thought she could escape him without a fight but what she fails to realize is Austin doesn’t give up when he wants something, and he wants Zoey.

Zoey Anderson had dreams of exploring the world, capturing its beauty behind a lens, but all that changed the moment her disabled sister was born. Due to their loveless home, Zoey dropped her dreams and took on the role of caring for her younger sister. A decision she could never regret.

Taking her life by storm, Austin Hawke crashes through all the barriers she placed around her carefully guarded heart. When passion burns and devastation strikes, Zoey quickly learns that love doesn't come without sacrifice.

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TIMID by Devney Perry is the second book in the Lark Cove series and will release on September 4th. This will read as a standalone, but we met Willa and Jackson in Tattered.

Willa Doon has always been shy. Her quiet demeanor was something she’s always embraced. That is, until Jackson Page moves to town. The one man she desperately wants to take notice struggles to remember her name.

Year after year, Willa stands by, watching as the bartender slash playboy drowns his demons in beer and sex. Then one night, he shows up at her door, suddenly aware that the girl he’s seen around Lark Cove is now a beautiful woman.

Except what he doesn’t remember is that this visit isn’t his first. They spent a night together once before. A night he’s forgotten, thanks to a bottle of tequila.

A night that crushed a timid girl’s heart, and set a broken man on the path to heal them both.

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Love is supposed to be magical.
Ours is suicidal.

PERVERSION by TM Frazier is the first book in the Perversion Trilogy and will be releasing on September 25th.

The first time I met Emma Jean Parish, she conned me into taking her p*ssy.
Her cat.

When she was sixteen, I was manipulated into giving Emma Jean her very first kiss.
At eighteen she gave me everything.

She's a con artist.
I'm a criminal.

I use her.
She manipulates me.

The attraction between us is explosive.
When it detonates…we could both wind up dead.

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NOT SO NICE GUY by RS Grey will be releasing on August 9th and is a standalone.
“Oh my god. Who is that?”

I get asked this question a lot.

“Oh him?” I reply. “That’s just Ian.”

Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century. Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol’ washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile.

Just Ian is…just my best friend.

We’re extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at work assumes we’re a couple—that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher’s lounge that he’s single. Fair game. Suddenly, it’s open season on Ian.

He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine.

He’s turning our formerly innocent nightly chats into X-rated phone calls. Our playful banter sports a new, dangerous edge.

I want to assume he’s playing a prank on me, just pushing my buttons like always—but when Ian lifts me onto the desk in my classroom and slides his hands up my skirt, he doesn’t leave a lot of room for confusion.

I’m a little scared of things going south, of losing my best friend because I can’t keep my hands to myself. So, I’m just going to back away and not return this earth-shattering kiss—oh who am I kidding?!

Goodbye Ian, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal!

Helloooo mister not so nice guy.

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