Book Review and Giveaway for Heartbreak Warfare by Kate Stewart and Heather Orgeron

HEARTBREAK WARFARE
by KATE STEWART & HEATHER ORGERON

Briggs,

Remember when we parted ways in Germany? It was the day I broke your heart. What you didn't know was that I was breaking mine too.

I thought they’d be enough–my husband and my son. That I’d get home and everything would go back to the way it was . . .

Before the war.
Before the ambush.
Before you.

But, no matter how hard I try, I can’t erase the trauma we shared. I can’t seem to forget the way my heart beat in time with yours.

The truth is I’m lost without you.

I thought the nightmare was over when they pulled us from that hole in the ground, but nothing could have prepared me for the war I’d face at home.

I know it’s selfish of me to ask, but, please, I have to see you one last time. . .

All my love,
Scottie

ADD TO GOODREADS

REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
"No matter where this journey takes us, when I close my eyes, it will be your face I see."

Wow....this was one of the most emotional books I've read in my favorite trope this year. It definitely sits at the top of the emotional range for me. I've made no secrets of my favorite trope being a triangle. I especially like it when it's a triangle with two amazing men and the decision isn't an easy one, requiring the heart to make a decision the mind refuses to deliver. I love them because sometimes our hearts are forced to accept a different reality than what we originally planned or thought.

The gamut of emotions in this one was almost tiring. I felt them all. I was happy. Sad. Scared. Mad. I even cried....like, legit tears coming down my face. Sometimes, as I have seen, a military romance isn't always written well and doesn't have the truth behind the actions or the reality behind the trauma that the characters have faced; almost as if their trauma is a backstory to their daily life and how they live. This one nailed it - for me. I felt it all. There was a depth to this book that if you're only seeing the love story aspect, or the triangle side of it, you're going to miss completely. There was a deeper, underlying message in this story that was being told and I think these two did it serious justice. Again....I felt it all. I really saw what Kate was struggling with and how she was just trying to make it through her newly changed world.

"It shouldn't be this hard to love someone so much."

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, this book was on my radar. That synopsis was basically written for ME. Ok. Ok, I know, not really....but knowing that this one was not only a triangle, but also one that dealt with PTSD and the harrowing trauma these two characters endured? I knew this one was going to be epic on a whole new level, especially with multiple elements to consider.

I feel like I need to use this disclaimer: I know this one won't be everyone's favorite kind of read and I try to take that into account when I rave about a triangle. I know not everyone will be able to look beyond the fact that she is married and, with it being a triangle, they will dismiss this book, or DNF it. I understand that irks many people, and understandably so - I totally respect that. I won't lie and say this one didn't test my moral thought processes. But the fact of the matter is, this one goes beyond it being a triangle. This one delves deep in the reality that lives were altered, emotions were manipulated by circumstances, and hearts were broken on three different fronts.

This wasn't Gavin's story.
This wasn't Briggs' story.
This was Kate's story.
It was about her discovery of her reality. Her heart. Her love. This was her journey. And it wasn't an easy journey.

"I won't fault him for falling in love with her; I can't - I was just as helpless."

Again, I'm aware this won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm unapologetic about the fact that I love a well-done triangle and like to recommend them. Admittedly, I am easily drawn to them. But, this one really worked for ME and I hope it does for you as well. I loved the fear-driven actions and the emotional turmoil these characters went through because it was REAL. It was real. And when a book can move me because it hits me in the heart -- deeper than the actual love story being told, then it's a massive win for me.

"She can't be my past when she's all I long for in the present."
~BEE

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

ENTER HERE TO WIN A COPY

~MEET KATE STEWART~

Kate Stewart lives in Charleston, S.C. with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. A native of Dallas, Kate moved to Charleston three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, and declaring it her creative muse. Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it's what she loves as a reader. A lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap, she dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity only and does a horrible job of playing the ukulele. Aside from running a mile without collapsing, traveling is the only other must on her bucket list. On occasion, she does very well at vodka.

~CONNECT WITH KATE~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER

~MEET HEATHER ORGERON~

Heather M. Orgeron is a Cajun girl with a big heart and a passion for romance. She married her high school sweetheart two months after graduation and her life has been a fairytale ever since. She’s the queen of her castle, reigning over five sons and one bossy little princess who has made it her mission in life to steal her Momma’s throne. When she’s not writing, you will find her hidden beneath mounds of laundry and piles of dirty dishes or locked in her tower(aka the bathroom) soaking in the tub with a good book. She’s always been an avid reader and has recently discovered a love for cultivating romantic stories of her own.

~CONNECT WITH HEATHER~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON      GOODREADS      TWITTER

AFFILIATE LINKS USED

COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY

ARC REVIEW

Book Review and Giveaway for Bloodstained Beauty by Ella Fields

BLOODSTAINED BEAUTY
by ELLA FIELDS

Fresh out of college and headed straight for my dream job, I didn’t think things could get any better.
Then I met my dream man.

In an instant, my happy ever after had begun.
The life I’d stumbled into was beautiful, and the man I loved was perfect.
But perfection comes at a cost, and I’d slumbered through all the alarms.

Then I met my nightmare.
The man whose bright eyes held untamed darkness.
The man who disarmed me with his peculiar behavior.
The man whose cold, merciless hands shook me awake.
In an instant, questions started to dismantle my happy ever after.

But whoever said the truth would set you free was wrong.
It wasn’t going to repair the cracks in my naive heart.
It wasn’t going to caress my face with comforting hands and reassure me it was all just a dream.
No, the truth shoved me down a rabbit hole, and I landed in the lair of a real-life monster.

ADD TO GOODREADS

REVIEW: 5 STARS

"It was then I realized you could hate and love a person at the same time."

I feel like I need to put this out there:

Since every single thing anyone gives away about the plot or the book will be a spoiler, I am just going to say: 

READ THIS BOOK. 

IT WAS AMAZING. 

THE END.

I am by no means an expert on DARK reads. I have read very few of them and I know my tastes are very picky and quite subjective when it comes to reading such a heavy or dark subject matter, but holy hell. If every single dark book did to me what this one did, maybe I should start reading them more often. Ella blew me away with this book, this story....this journey.

Completely arrested. Solely enamored. Massively hung over. That's where I am sitting today, one day after reading this book and being all twisted up because this HERO? Well, dammit....that's a spoiler.

I fell in love with him.....you know, HIM but: spoiler.

The title was completely fitting too, because.....well, yeah: spoiler.

The characters and the story arc were so....oh wait: spoiler.

I mean, if I were to go about and explain how much I loved this story, I would be able to tell you that when I found out what spoiler was doing when he spoiler her, then I would totally freak out!! I mean, how do you let spoiler happen and then move on from that? The spoiler that he spoiler pissed me off and I cannot even begin to tell you how much that hurt my heart. But knowing that spoiler was there and ready to spoiler, then I think my heart was able to calm down and follow spoiler along when spoiler came out and spoiler everything. Oh!! And spoiler was too spoiler for this book. Oh my goodness.....yes. <--- Ridiculous, right? I can't do it. There was so much to this story and the intricacies were abundant. I cannot wait to share this with everyone!!!

I know we all like to look for the constructive side of a review...or something constructive in general. I wanted more. That's my constructive criticism. I wanted more of them. Their story. Their attitudes. I wanted it all. The end buttoned up quickly, but understandably. But I just finished and I already miss them....I'm sad that it's over and I'm sure the hangover will go away soon. Maybe.

So you see, I realize I usually give a (better) review of a book and how it made me feel, but in this case, in order to tell you how I feel, I have to name names and explain plot points. Clearly can't let that happen, because....spoiler. I wasn't entirely sure I completely understood {{or believed??}} when Ella Fields said she had never written anything like this. Well, she wasn't lying - I have never read something like this from her. I needed answers. One page after the next revealed more curiosities. Her words are rich, and the meaning behind them is so calculated and the intent is always well meaning, but it's seeing between those lines is what makes her reads that much more intriguing. I could have read spoiler and spoiler's story all day long...I want more of them. 

"You've colored my entire world, and if you leave it -- leave me -- you leave me in black and white all over again."

~BEE

PURCHASE: AMAZON

KINDLE UNLIMITED

ENTER HERE TO WIN AN ECOPY..... or two.

~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~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER

PERSONALLY PURCHASED COPY

COPY PURCHASED AS GIFTS

AFFILIATE LINKS USED

Book Review and Giveaway for Further To Fall by Catherine Cowles

FURTHER TO FALL

by CATHERINE COWLES

An up-and-coming MMA fighter trying to take on the world. An innocent teacher trying to make the world a better place.

He never expected her to become his best friend. But she fought her way into his life, one tongue-lashing at a time. Until one night, one mistake tore them apart.

Losing her… that gutted him. But now, as one of the top fighters in the world, he’s back and determined to battle for his girl.

But, from the sidelines, someone watches. Someone who’ll do just about anything to keep them apart.

Their second chance might be over before it even begins…

ADD TO GOODREADS

REVIEW: 3+ STARS

"'Hey, Firecracker.'
With just two little words, he stole all the breath from my lungs."

A NEW VOICE: Catherine Cowles is a brand new author, with Further to Fall being her first release. This was a FUN read! I smiled throughout Carter and Austin's story, knowing the love that came from it was super sweet. But her secondary characters were some of my favorite ones I have read in a long while. I always smiled at how they all treated her, and there was a cohesive bond between all four of them that was unshakeable. At some points this story was almost too perfect, but I would put this in a category as a light read for in between the heavier ones - not too deep, but more of a surface-scratching read. It wasn't bad by any means, but it wasn't a heavy or deep read either. Some areas needed a little more fleshing out of the scenarios or actions - maybe even the characters, but overall, I really enjoyed this one. I will walk away knowing that I have a new voice to listen to and a new author to follow. 

First impressions are important...and that's when the fun started with this one. I loved the fact that Austin and Carter's first meeting was a harsh one, because seeing them work through it was great entertainment. I laughed at quite a few parts while I scowled at others, but knowing where this was going made me smile. Cowles did a great job on Carter's innocence and the way she handled her kids at school, which made some of Austin's interactions with her quite hilarious. Along with her innocence, there was quite a bit of naiveté within her actions and thought processes as well. While I am not sure I completely understood how all that fit in with the storyline or her being a young teacher moving to LA - I feel like it may have been a missed opportunity to embellish a little more on Carter and her background to help marry the innocence and the naiveté with the fullness of the story. 

The falling in love aspect? She did a really good job with these characters and building their story up. As their friendship grew into new territory, the lines blurred rather seamlessly between friends and lovers. I really liked seeing that part progress and it felt organic, which is what I love! Their times together read comfortably and it afforded a level of ease between the two characters that allowed me to fall in love with them as a couple. Austin cared for Carter so much and his protective nature made me smile...because who doesn't love a man that takes care of his woman? 

However, yes....I know, that's hard to hear - but the drama in this one was quite obvious and over the top at times, and came across as a little forced. I found myself getting really irritated with Carter because of the actions she took when common sense would have dictated otherwise, so that was a little rough for me to get through. But like I said, even though some of the drama felt a little formulaic or predictable, I still liked it.

I don't want this to come across as a review that only picks out the parts I didn't like, because that's not what I wanted to convey. This story was a good read, but I also wanted to share that even though it wasn't 5 star amazing, it was still very much a book that I want to share with others because I think Miss Cowles has some stories in her we need to hear. For a first book, I see her potential. I really do and I am excited to get more stories from her, more specifically Ford and Liam's story....so consider this my official request, Miss Cowles!! Further To Fall was an easy read and I look forward to more by her. She can ONLY go up from here and as she grows in her writing, her stories will reflect that. I think my favorite part of reading a new to me author is that while the story may not have meshed completely for me, the voice I heard from her was actually easy to follow and really entertaining. She's new and I like what I've heard so far. I feel she is an author I am going to need to follow, for sure.

"The core of you will always be the same, Firecracker."

~BEE

PURCHASE

AMAZON     iTUNES      B&N     KOBO

ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN ECOPY

~MEET CATHERINE COWLES~

Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

~FOLLOW CATHERINE~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER
WEBSITE

ARC REVIEW
AFFILIATE LINKS USED
COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY

Book Review and Giveaway for Royally Yours by Emma Chase

ROYALLY YOURS

by EMMA CHASE

Princess Lenora Celeste Beatrice Arabella Pembrook had an unusual childhood. She was raised to be a Queen—the first Queen of Wessco.

It’s a big deal.

When she’s crowned at just nineteen, the beautiful young monarch is prepared to rule. She’s charming, clever, confident and cunning.

What she isn’t… is married.

It’s her advising council’s first priority. It’s what Parliament is demanding, and what her people want.

Lenora has no desire to tie herself to a man—particularly one who only wants her for her crown. But compromises must be made and royals must do their duty.

Even Queens. Especially them.

**

Years ago, Edward Langdon Richard Dorian Rourke, walked away from his title and country. Now he’s an adventurer—climbing mountains, exploring jungles, going wherever he wants, when he wants—until family devotion brings him home.

And a sacred promise keeps him there.

To Edward, the haughty, guarded little Queen is intriguing, infuriating…and utterly captivating. Wanting her just might drive him mad—or become his greatest adventure.

**

Within the cold, stone walls of the royal palace—mistrust threatens, wills clash, and an undeniable, passionate love will change the future of the monarchy forever.

Every dynasty has a beginning. Every legend starts with a story.

This is theirs.

ADD TO GOODREADS

REVIEW: 4.5 STARS

"Kings are crowned. But queens. . . queens rise."

What a FUN book!! Dare I say, this was my favorite of the bunch? I really, really enjoyed the first three standalone books, but bringing it back in time to where this legacy started just kinda put everything in perspective, or hindsight, for the first few books. The strength. The devotion. The growth. The love. It was all there for me and it really worked. I do feel like the era lent itself a great deal of innocence and naivety that is lacking in current books, and that allowed me to sit back and enjoy the curiosities and the questions as they came. I really, really liked this one. And, truthfully, who doesn't love a royal love story? <sigh>

"Between kisses and moans, I promise and whisper that she is my beautiful girl, my lovely lass, my sweet, my only. . . my everything."

One thing I easily did throughout this entire book was smile. The entire time, something made me smile because of a seemingly simple action between Lenora and Edward, or a reaction between two very different people.....even the fact that Edward knew what was going on with Lenora and knew how to handle it with delicate but firm direction. Edward is a smile-worthy Prince and he made me swoon. Some growth, some differences, some scary times - this book had it all, and it really set the stage for the first three books - with her strength to guide her. Hindsight, it's my favorite right now. Looking back on what I've read, and now seeing how it all played into Olivia and Nicholas's story, as well as Henry and Sarah's story, I love putting it all together. I know that these are all standalones, but they all were complemented by this one. Such a great read, especially after enjoying the first three. Yes, I'm still smiling.

These characters, their personalities, couldn't have been any more different....but having said that, their differences brought out the best in each other. With trust being the most involved reaction to see tendered between them, my heart knew nothing but a sigh. Edward gave all of himself to her, showing her that the same sentiment was accepted on his part. He would love her, all of her, and she could trust him no matter what. Watching them move from indifference to an intense love was so beautiful and very well written. I loved seeing how seemingly normal Lenora and Edward's lives were behind the scenes; how their love pulled them in directions not 'fit for royalty' and the ways in which it allowed this secret love affair to prosper. Again, that innocence that is so hard to capture so evenly and perfectly was in abundance in this story. The patience and understanding that Edward had for Lenora just made my heart pitter-patter. His strength complemented hers quite well, and yet her stubbornness drove him to greater lengths, but her strong exterior gave way to a mushy center that I could never have anticipated, and to watch her melt in the arms of her lover was truly special.

This book had everything I wanted in an unexpected addition to a loved series. It was a well choreographed dance between love and power, station and requirements. But, knowing who Lenora was was just as important as knowing who Edward was.

"Mine and yours, forever and always."

~BEE

THE ROYALLY SERIES:

ROYALLY SCREWED: AMAZON
My review: http://bit.ly/2e7VhK0

ROYALLY MATCHED: AMAZON
My review: http://bit.ly/2kXZ3a6

ROYALLY ENDOWED: AMAZON
My review: http://bit.ly/2wTbeMm

ROYALLY YOURS: AMAZON

ADD THE ENTIRE SERIES TO YOUR TBR:
GOODREADS

ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN ECOPY

~MEET EMMA CHASE~

Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

~CONNECT WITH EMMA~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER

ARC REVIEW
AFFILIATE LINKS USED
COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY

Book Review and Giveaway for Reveling In Sin by Meghan March

REVELING IN SIN
by MEGHAN MARCH

Whitney Gable is the kind of woman you fight to the death to protect.

To keep.

To cherish.

I’ve finally learned my lesson, and it’s time to prove I’m the man who’s worthy of her.

I don’t care what it takes, because failure is not an option.

No matter who or what stands in our way—this time, she’ll be mine forever.

ADD TO GOODREADS

REVIEW: 2 Very Disappointed Stars
"If it took me until my last breath, I was going to get my second chance with you."

There is a reason Meghan March sits on best seller lists. I am not going to deny that because it's TRUE. Combined with her gorgeous and sexy covers, she can write an intoxicating love, full of power and heat. She can entice you with one liners that make you weak in the knees. Case in point:

"I objected on her wedding day."

I mean, for real!! Do you see what I mean?? Riiight? It makes you want to pick up the book and wonder why he was chasing her if she was marrying someone else. Brilliant!! She draws you in and leaves you hanging on to her every word because she can write a mean story while dangling the HEA right in front of you, just out of reach....all the while teasing you through three books. She can build up anticipation, sprinkle in some hot and sexy lovin', and make you seek more from her words. Feel more for her characters' plight. She just knows how to draw you in. But, sometimes it falls short and this time, this one did exactly that.

And, darnit....seriously. Darnit. I don't understand how this one was so different for ME as opposed to all the other raving reviews. Now, she most likely deserves them, and I am not going to fault or hate on those well deserved accolades, but I do question how this is her 'best work yet' when I have read and recommended so many others. I will however tell you why this did not work for me on so many different levels. I will admit that I went through every range of emotion from being so excited to get Lincoln and Whitney's epic conclusion, to pissed off that the drama was so unnecessary and over the top, to resigned that I just didn't like this one, not even a little bit. Well, the covers are gorgeous, so one point for the covers.

I feel like I need to stress that I have enjoyed MANY of Meghan's books in the past. Quite a few series to be truthful. I've even been personally invited to review her books, which is a compliment in and of itself. I am very proud of that and love that my reviews have meant something to someone, at least enough to be noticed. Unfortunately, I also know that this review will most likely ban me from tours for her, and I respect that 100%. I will always give my honest opinion, popular or not, because I would hate to jump on a book that is being lauded as amazing only to find out I wasted $5 for a conclusion that made me angry and increasingly frustrated with an insane amount of unnecessary drama.

Real talk: her books are already short as it is, so the little information we gleaned from the second book could have been added to this third one, easily. We really didn't get the maximum effect of their true romance since the second book was so long and wordy without saying much, making it feel as though their story was stretched too thin, in turn eliminating some of the growing intensity of Lincoln and Whitney's mind-blowing love that was growing. All the stars in this review strictly go to the love that Lincoln showed Whitney (and maybe that cover). He loved her so much and I could feel that whole-heartedly. So kudos for writing a love worth following, because that's exactly what they had.

I think the biggest problem I had with this book was the multitude of plot points thrown in for good measure and added drama. I hate.....ha, no! I loathe drama for drama's sake and that's all this one had. Every single turn had a new twist that didn't add to their love story, but instead added to the 'what?!!' aspect of the story. When I say this was cliché, I mean it had every single possible twist you could possibly think of in a romance book. I likened it to a very long, drawn out soap opera where five+ different outlandish stories converged on each other for one epic finish. And not in a good way. I don't think you could throw a common plot point at me and it not potentially be in this book. It really was a fine line between comical and frustrating. I will stick with frustrating because I never would have thought March had to grasp at straws to come to this conclusion. Their love was enough! It was fabulous!! Enough to suck me in, all while there was plenty of family drama alone to keep the story going. So for adding in every other thing that was written in, this drama took away from their story. Their love. Their happily ever after. All this other stuff was, simply put - fluff and word count, hence the belief that this could have easily been a duet. Easily.

Meghan March has always been an easy read for me. I have always been excited to jump on a tour and pimp out her books because I just knew it would be a story I would enjoy remember for some time after. Almost a guaranteed great read for me even. So I think that's why this conclusion bothered me as much as it did. I feel very let down. The eye rolls and the head shakes and the frustration should have told me to walk away, especially after the second book being a coordinated waste of time for me. I will probably never learn my lesson because she is the queen of teasing when it comes to her books. Not gonna lie. And yet again, here she goes, priming us for Jericho Forge's story in the back of this one. Am I curious? Hell yes. Will I pick it up? Probably not. I am not sure I can waste another $14 on a trilogy that leaves me so upset and frustrated. This final book wasn't even worth the $5 price tag for me....but I will always stand by my word and gift a copy of this one out since I got it as an ARC. I will just suck it up and learn my lesson. I am literally and completely heartbroken. I hope you can understand how frustrated I am, but there is only so much I can say because it would spoil one of the many, many crazy plot twists she threw in this one.

In pain,
~BEE

PURCHASE

AMAZON     iBOOKS    B&N     KOBO

ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN ECOPY

PURCHASE GUILTY AS SIN
My review: http://bit.ly/2Iac0un

AMAZON     iBOOKS     B&N     KOBO

PURCHASE RICHER THAN SIN
My review: http://bit.ly/2vQdtBb

AMAZON     iBOOKS      B&N     KOBO

~MEET MEGHAN MARCH~

A New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels, Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud- covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had.

She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com

Sign up for Meghan's newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers: HERE.

~CONNECT WITH MEGHAN~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON      GOODREADS      TWITTER

ARC REVIEW

COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY

AFFILIATE LINKS USED