Tempting the Best Man (Book 1)

Tempting the Best Man by J. Lynn

Gamble Brothers Series

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Kindle Edition

Madison Daniels has worshipped her brother’s best friend since they were kids. Everyone thinks she and Chase Gamble would make the perfect couple, but there are two major flaws in their logic. 1) Chase has sworn off relationships of any kind, and 2) after blurring the line between friends and lovers for one night four years ago, they can’t stop bickering. Forced together for her brother’s wedding getaway, Chase and Madison decide to call a truce for the happy couple. Except all bets are off when they’re forced to shack up in a tacky 70’s honeymoon suite and survive a multitude of “accidents” as the family tries to prove their “spark” can be used than for more than fighting. That is, if they don’t strangle each other first.

My Review 

I won an Ebook copy of Tempting the Best Man. I loved the Covenant Series but I'm sorry to say this one was a bit of a snoozer, although the sex aspect is very delicious. I know how hurtful unreciprocated love is and that is precisely what Madison is dealing with. Chase Gamble is too much of an idiot and he just didn't know that he loved her too, but, he had to make sure she wasn't going to be a one night stand, since he was dealing with his best friends sister. Weddings usually do bring out the best in people so it'd finally catch on.

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About the Author 

J. Lynn (also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout) is the USA TODAY BESTSELLING author of the Young Adult Lux and Covenant series, among other books. She writes steamy and fun New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. You can find her Twitter @JLArmentrout or at her website www.jenniferarmentrout.com

The Official Blog of Jennifer Armentrout | Website Blog

North Of Need~Hearts of the Anemoi

North of Need by Laura Kaye

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves… Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she’s recreated the very thing she’ll never have. Called to life by Megan’s tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity. Megan is drawn to Owen’s mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration—before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow’s grief and learn to trust love again, or she’ll lose Owen forever.

Alone in a vacation cabin for the holidays, grieving the death of her husband, out of sheer boredom and aching loneliness, Megan Snow builds a whole Snowman Family, but realizes what it represents, she will never be able to have, and it makes her collapse falling on the snowman in tears.

After reading that part over again, I cried;(

With a little of his winter magic, Owen Winters, the snowman, comes to life. He is the god of the North Wind who has been sent by his Father and at the request of John Snow's soul, to help Megan live a happy life but there is an order of things. Megan has to want, love, need Owen for him to become human. Otherwise, he will become Ethereal again.

The god of spring also threatens the time Owen has with Megan, and it only added to the agonizing frustration I felt for Owen. In the course of the story, when she learns more about Owen, I was mad that she didn't think to preserve him from melting. Just like with John's accident, if she could prevent something bad from happening why didn't she? Anyway, I thought she could've fixed the A/C or perhaps got one of those walk-in freezers. If she loved him, she would have tried to keep him safe from the warm weather at least. She disappointed me.

I also thought when and if he did become human there would be no more running with the wind and using magic. He would only be half the man he use to be :(

The most obvious prediction in the story for me was  I knew the minute she forgot to take her birth control that she was going to get pregnant. I mean with all the sex they were having how could she not?I highly recommend North of Need. It is Gravetells.com choice to read for December 2012.

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About the Author

Laura Kaye is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of nearly a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights the books that keep me waiting impatiently for.

Here We Go!..
Jennifer Armentrout is such a talented author and the covenant series is one of my favorite book series. It was outstanding!~ I can't wait to see what will happen next...in ....
..

Expected publication: April 9th 2013 by Spencer Hill Press

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex. Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back. The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries. Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

Cinder for me was way more than just a retake on a very classic and old fairytale. It had a history all it's own and I like the cyborg Lunar princess idea . See My 5 Star Review of Cinder 

Expected publication: February 5th 2013 by Feiwel and Friends

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own. As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 150 Books Completed!

Yes I finished 150 books and I accomplished my 2012 Reading Challenge Goals! Yay! Blow the trumpets, sound the alarm! I should celebrate in honor of completing this challenge right? Well, I admit I was falling behind, so for the month of December ,to get caught up, I chose only Christmas short stories and Novellas and I've enjoyed it immensely. The novellas were super fun to read. So now I can continue to read long novels slowly at my own pace.

What I read last week

Messages (New Beginnings Series)
A Vampire's Christmas Carol by Karen McCullough
The Sneezing Christmas Tree by Aaron Kerr
Christmas Ever After by Elyse Douglas
Must Love Santa by Nina Bruhns
A Wizard for Christmas by Dorothy McFalls
The Ghost Of Christmas Last by Sean Hayden
Home for the Holiday by Christine Lynxwiler is my 150th book!
A White Cougar Christmas
Merry Christmas Mr. Babbers!
Secret Santa
Jingle This!
Wicked Christmas Eve
Holiday Flirts! 5 romantic short stories
Mary's Son by Darryl Nyznyk

What I'm reading now 

Not a thing. 

What I plan on reading

Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays by Christine Lynxwiler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Amazon Kindle

A heartwarming Christmas novella about true friendship, helping those in need, and falling in love. . .What's a girl to do when she falls in love with her lifelong best friend? Small town librarian Lauren Forrester moves to St. Louis so that handsome contractor Jeffrey Warren can find a wife without having to deal with Lauren's moods. But when Jeffrey shows up on her doorstep to convince her to come home for a country Christmas, will the hardheaded pair lose their friendship or find something even more precious?

My Review

Lauren and Jeff had been best friends since they were kids. She had swore to help Jeff after his mom overdosed on drugs and his grandparents adopted him. Lauren was a type of person who'd help anyone though.

Jeff Warren confided in Lauren about his unsuccessful attempts at finding the perfect partner..maybe because he loved Lauren...and she loved him... and they just forgot to mention that part, or they were both good at hiding their feelings ....until the time was right - on Christmas Eve.
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The Ghost Of Christmas Last

The Ghost of Christmas Last by Sean Hayden

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Kindle Amazon

Throughout history, those who don't keep the spirit of Christmas in their hearts were often visited by three ghosts. These wise spirits showed these souls what the true meaning of Christmas was all about. Those were the souls worth saving. Those who weren't worth saving were only visited by one spirit and it wasn't for educational purposes...

My Review

At 63, Drew Middleton never understood Christmas, but if it weren't for The Ghost of Christmas Last filling his head with all sorts of lies scaring him to death, there would be no way Drew would change his ways. That would mean he was even worse than Scrooge! Well, maybe he was. The Ghost knew this, and that is why he had to make the story custom fit for Drew's life accordingly. Unlike scrooge, Drew didn't have 3 ghosts, just one who managed to get the job done quickly yet NOT without pain.

Ya that's my take. I can't say I like the story but it works. The grim reaper is sorta soft and merciful, because it IS the Spirit of Christmas and the cover is cool.

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About The Author

Born the son of a fire chief, Sean naturally developed a love of playing with fire. His family and friends quickly found other outlets for his destructive creativity. Writing is his latest endeavor. Always a fan of the macabre, mythical, and magical, Sean found a love of urban fantasy and horror. After writing several novels in this genre, he found, fell in love with, and immersed himself in steampunk. He has always wanted to rewrite history and steampunk gave him that opportunity. Sean currently lives in Florida as a fiber-optic engineer as well as an author. He was blessed with the two most amazing children he could ever hope for, has met the absolute love of his life, who coincidentally is his partner in everything. His hobbies include grand designs on world domination as well as a starring role in his own television sitcom.

Twitter: @ShaydenFL
Visit His Website

A Wizard for Christmas

A Wizard for Christmas by Dorothy McFalls

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Amazon Kindle

How far are you willing to go for a perfect Christmas?
In this novella, Holly desperately wants a perfect Christmas, and she's perfectly willing to make herself miserable getting one. Unfortunately, there are mystical forces at play that threaten more than her holidays...her life is in danger. And the only one who seems to know what's going on is a darkly handsome, but mysterious, wizard who makes her want to add "romance" to this year's Christmas wish list. 

This was book 1 in the Protectors Christmas box set

Excerpt...

Christmas music was being piped onto the streets. Deck the Halls and Fa, La, La, La, La....Holly was ready to deck something. Fa, La, La, La, that.

Her suitcase toppled over again.

And again she had to stop, put the suitcase back on its wheels before she could continue dragging her personal albatross down the street. Why had she packed so many clothes? This was insane.

A few bouncy steps further, the suitcase hit a deep rut and one of the wheels got stuck. Brilliant. It took some effort to pry the wheel from the crack in the walk. And she was getting colder by the minute.

When she started pulling it again, she ran straight into an arm. A healthy male arm.

"Need a hand?" Hadrian asked. He was leaning against the storefront and blocking her way. He smiled. It made her stomach do a little flip.

"I-I'm okay," she said, and tried to push him out of her path. She didn't trust him. He was too interested in her, and she didn't understand why.

"Didn't you say you were going out of town?" His brow kicked up as he eyed her suitcase. "I didn't realize you were walking to your destination."

"I'm heading over to the train station."

"Really? That's blocks from here. Let me drive you."

Her throbbing feet wanted to scream, "Yes!" She'd dragged her suitcase from one end of town to the next in search of a non-existent hotel room. Her feet didn't want to take another step. Ever.

"I'm okay," she said, much to her feet's chagrin. But if he drove her to the train station, there would be a good chance he'd insist on staying with her until her train left. And she had no ticket because she had nowhere to go, and what was she doing telling complete strangers about her fantasy trip home in the first place?

She pushed him out of the way and hauled herself forward. He caught the handle of her suitcase.

"You're limping," he said.

"I'm fine." She tried to pry his hand loose.

"You're exhausted."

"I'm not." His fingers wouldn't budge.

"You're afraid of me."

Her gaze flashed up to his face. He looked harmless, but then so did many of the mass murderers caught in recent years.

"I'm being reasonably cautious," she said, tugging at the handle with all her weight. "Let go of my suitcase or I'll scream."

He let go so fast she nearly smashed her face against the sidewalk.

"You know me, Holly." He sounded so darned reasonable. "Deep in your heart, you know me. You know I'm not a threat to you."

"Perhaps. But maybe I'm not a very good judge of people. There is no Oblique Café. No one in my building has ever heard of it. I think you drugged me. Or hypnotized me."

"Hypnosis? Really? That's the best your wildly imaginative mind could come up with?"

"Goodbye Hadrian. Have a very merry Christmas."

She stuck her chin in the air and hoped she looked determined when she felt anything but. Tears stung the backs of her eyes. This was her chance, perhaps her one chance to spend Christmas with someone. Anyone.

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"What if I told you I didn't have anywhere to go?" she asked the empty space in front of her.

"I'd ask what happened to your apartment," he answered.

"It's a long story."

"Hmmm..."

"It's a stupid, long story," she amended.

"There's plenty of time to tell it, you know. There's six days before Christmas."

She wanted to laugh. But if she did, she'd probably end up crying. So she bit her lower lip.

"What should I do?" It was a desperate plea. A question framed more for herself than for anyone else.

"Come to the café with me. Jake has a room upstairs. It's not the Ritz, but it's comfortable. And affordable."

His offer sounded like a blessing.

"But there is no café."

"Not in this world. But, Holly, it does exist." He held out his hand. "Believe me. It exists as a refuge for people like you...and me." 

About The Author

Dorothy McFalls resides in an artsy beach community in South Carolina with her sexy sculptor husband and their papillon pup (Iona) and mischievous kitten (Suki). An environmental urban planner by profession and wildlife biologist by education, she gave up her day job to devote her time to writing in 2001. She writes romantic adventure fiction, Regency romances, and short stories.