DANGER ON THE MOUNTAIN

When Heather Jacobs climbs a Montana mountain to pay respects to her late father, the last thing she expects is to be running for her life. But she's living a real-life cat-and-mouse chase, trying to escape a punishing foe from her guide Zane Scofield's past. How can a California city girl help outwit a ruthless criminal dead set on scouring the wilderness to kill them?

​Though Zane knows their pursuer and his nefarious motives far too well, he's not sure why the man is after him now. Only his witsand an unlikely partner in the determined woman fighting beside himcan save them. But Zane's also battling a past that's threatening to swallow him wholeand take Heather along with him.

Wildly and violently intense non-stop action with twists in the plot that kept me on the edge through the book, not being able to put the kindle down until at the very end. 
If you are a fan of Hunger Games type of hunting like battles not only against the unpredictable nature but the evil nature of a man and their greed, culprits that are willing to do anything to achieve their goals, you are going to love this story. 
The action starts from the very beginning of the tale and it just keeps going. It is bloody, violent, and cruel and both Zane and Heather will be tested to their very limits, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually until they can only draw their strength from the Lord, and pray that they will survive. 
While running for their lives, Zane and Heather has to face their past and their relationships with their fathers. The reason they are on the Montana mountain is Heather's father. The reason they are hunted is the former father-figure of Zane's life. The web of relationships between Heather and Zane, their past, their connection, and their future was interesting and well played in the tale, giving it more human interest amongst the assaults and violence. The twist that it was Heather's father who taught Zane about God and salvation was a beaut. It really brought it home to Heather that her father was not the man she thought he was, and that he was a  worth getting to know, even if only through the stories Zane told. The influence a person can have on other, a father figure to a young mind, was gracefully underlined throughout the story. 
While the romantic side of the story had to stay in the background through most of the tale, as Zane and Heather are struggling on all the fronts, mainly to stay alive, the growing feelings of admiration and adoration between them was easy to spot. They were forced to work as a team by the situation, yet they chose to do it as a seamless duo, not leaving the other behind even at the risk of their own life. 
Simply said, I love this story. The combination of physical, mental, and spiritual melee was well united, giving each of the issues enough space to built a believable case, yet at the same time bringing the story into levels of intensity rarely experienced. The characters with their struggles were lifelike and real, it was easy not only to like them but to relate to them. The family ties are an intriguing addition, and this story left me gasping at the end, feeling like I had held my breath through the tale, just praying for survival and redemption. Amazing way to end this year, truly with a bang of a tale! 
~ Five Spoons

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THE COWGIRL OF HIS DREAMS

Jen Taylor is this close to becoming a world-champion barrel racer. But when tragedy strikes bull rider Colt Mead, she puts her ambitions on holdtemporarily. The playboy of the circuit suddenly has a child depending on him. She can't let her friend go it aloneno matter how much he hurt her

Colt knew Jen deserved better than a rootless bull rider. But caring for his orphaned half sister makes him realize how much he wants to be part of a family. And that family won't be complete without the woman he loves as much more than a friend. Will she give up her dream to be part of his?

Emotionally charged story about finding your place, your destiny, growing up to be the person you are supposed to be and taking on responsibility.
I was enthralled with the honest inside look into the rodeo world the story gives us. There are the glorious moments from eight to fifteen seconds where adrenaline is high and the crowds are cheering, when you are at the top of the world, or at least on top of the bull or a horse, and life is great. But there are also those moments when the doubts, worries, and weariness hits the competitors. The long and lonely trips from town to town and event to event, keeping up with the score and trying to stay on the top, it all takes a toll on the riders, both physically and mentally. 
The friendship between Colt and Jen is laden, the mutual attraction is muddying up the waters, bringing tension and awkward moments between them. But still Jen takes the risk with her career and her emotional wellbeing to take a week off from the rodeo circus to be with Colt when the bad news from home reaches him and he needs help and support. 
Most of us have that feeling of wanting to make something with our lives, we thrive to make it better, make our parents proud, some even aim to the top with every step their take. Colt's relationship with his father has been quashed years ago when he took on the road and left home. He stood up for his cousin, yet felt guilty of leaving his little half-sister behind. Now he has a chance to fix that, to stand up for little Meg, but that requires him to leave other dreams behind him. 
I loved seeing Colt grow and mature through the story as he struggles with his priorities and responsibilities, making new plans for the future where Meg is in the center stage. His feeling towards Jen is part of the equation, even though he is painfully aware Jen has her goals set on the rodeo circus and making it to the top in Las Vegas. The struggle he had was real and tormented,  his pain and concerns evident, his doubts about himself, his abilities to raise Meg, about their future are troublesome since it all came into about his character as money wasn't a concern for him or Meg. 
The poignant journey the characters are taking is sensitive and touching. The emotions of the little girl in mourning, with Colt's worries of the future, Jen's need to make something with her life, to prove to herself and the people of her hometown that she can make it, to the roaring passion and affection between Colt and Jen, it all provided a story that hit directly to the my heart. It was easy to relate to the characters and to the turbulence in their lives, I felt for them and with them, from triumph to the despair. A deep and emotionally complex journey, mixed with the sports of rodeo and meaningful, love filled romance. 
~ Four Spoons

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Troublemaker
By: Linda Howard
Releasing December 27, 2016
Avon

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For Morgan Yancy, an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group, nothing comes before his job. But when he’s ambushed and almost killed, his supervisor is determined to find out who’s after the members of his elite squad—and why. Due to worries that this unknown enemy will strike again, Morgan is sent to a remote location and told to lay low and stay vigilant. But between a tempting housemate he’s determined to protect and a deadly threat waiting in the shadows, keeping under the radar is proving to be his most dangerous mission yet.
The part-time police chief of a small West Virginian mountain town, Isabeau “Bo” Maran finally has her life figured out. She’s got friends, a dog, and a little money in the bank. Then Morgan Yancy shows up on her doorstep. Bo doesn’t need a mysterious man in her life—especially a troublemaker as enticing and secretive as Morgan.
The harder they fight the intense heat between them, the closer Morgan and Bo become, even though she knows he’s hiding from something. But discovering the truth could cost Bo more than she’s willing to give. And when Morgan’s cover is blown, it might just cost her life

A charming and captivating tale where the small town living with its drama and triumphs are mixed into the dangerous world of espionage and international crime. 
The suspense and action in the story are brutal and lethal. The murder attempt against Morgan so clever it leaves the GO-team with no clues, and danger lurking around every corner. 
As the encounters with the large scale criminals are located in the beginning and the end of the story, there's an ample time and opportunity for Bo and Morgan to get to know each other, learn to trust each other and develop a relationship. 
I really enjoyed the characters, both Bo and Morgan are likable, charming, and relatable. In the relationship they are equal, the openness and honesty between them are refreshing. There's nothing instantaneous about their relationship that gets deeper, sweeter, and more meaningful as time goes by. 
Tricks, Bo's dog, steals the show at every turn. She has a serious princess complex. She has sass more than a teenage girl, and her loyalty and loving is something everyone on her path will get a taste of. 
The people in Hamrickville with their everyday life and its turmoils get a lots attention in the tale. The entertainment is guaranteed, and if I wasn't laughing at the tactics of Tricks, the princess, someone else in the town was making me smile for sure. 
With over forty print books in my library from the author, I am a true fan of Linda Howard's writing. It is detail oriented, with delightful and lovable characters, the stories make you smile with the humor, sigh with the sweet and tender romance, and bite your nails with the harsh and forceful, often deadly battles for justice and survival. Troublemaker is no different in that regard, from fights at the bakery, domestic trouble that involves the whole town, to large scale murder attempts, the conflicts are constant and potent. Yet the engaging characters with the details of their lives balance the story bringing out the humor and cheer, the tender and passionate adoration between Bo and Morgan create a wishful hope for the future, and Tricks with her antics and attitude brought out the belly laughs. This story was truly a big time treat with thrilling entertainment 
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

From TROUBLEMAKER by Linda Howard. Copyright © 2016 by Linda Howard. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

It was dark, the other side of nine-thirty, when he pulled into his parking slot at the condo. It had been late when he’d docked the Shark, then he’d cleaned his tackle and locked it away before heading home. He’d also made a brief stop at a grocery to cover his basic food needs; he hooked the plastic bags on his fingers and dragged them with him as he slid out of the seat. A click of the remote locked the truck.

The condos were at least thirty years old, six rows of two-story buildings made of brick and pebbled concrete. He supposed the effect was supposed to be modern and uncluttered—and maybe it had been thirty years ago, but now it was nothing more than butt-ugly. Each ground-floor unit, like his, had its own little patio, while the upper-story condos had balconies that struck him as fairly useless but that were used a lot during the summer for grilling and such.

The plastic bags rustled and banged against his left leg with every step, reminding him of why he hated buying groceries. After the fact, he always thought that he should throw a backpack in his truck and leave it there for hauling in what few groceries he bought, but he wasn’t home often enough for it to be a habit so he’d forget about the backpack. He’d also almost forgotten he didn’t have any coffee left, but the grocery’s sign had caught his eye and he’d whipped into the parking lot without time to signal, resulting in a few indignant horn blasts. Couldn’t be helped; he had to have coffee.

A concrete support pillar and some tall shrubbery partially blocked his view of the condo building, something that grated but the homeowners’ association wasn’t willing to do away with part of its mature landscaping and shady trees just because he didn’t like it. He couldn’t explain that the greenery provided points of ambush because civilians simply didn’t get shit like that, so he dealt with it. It wasn’t as if he had a lot to worry about; the crime rate in these units was very low, and was in fact a selling point for the young families who made up the majority of residents.

Still—habits were a bitch, but he couldn’t ignore half a lifetime of training. To keep from walking around a blind corner, he swung wide into the street the way he always did so he was approaching straight on; there wasn’t a lot of traffic in the condo development, and he didn’t often have to wait until a car passed.

But even with a direct approach, he still didn’t like it. Sometimes, such as now, he liked it less than at other times, and he couldn’t have said why. He didn’t have to; instinct was what it was.

He stopped in his tracks.

Sometimes . . . such as now.

The sudden surge of awareness was like an electric shock, sending all of his senses into hyperalert. He instinctively moved his right hand to the pistol snugged into the holster at the small of his back even as he tried to pick up any movement in the shrubbery that shouldn’t have been there, anything that was responsible for making the back of his neck suddenly prickle. He couldn’t see anything, but still his senses were screaming. Something was there, even if it wasn’t anything danger--

The thought hadn’t completely formed when the shadows of the shrubbery moved slightly, black on black. More adrenaline shot through his system, and Morgan acted without thought, training taking over as he dropped the plastic bags and dove to the left, leaving his right hand free as he pulled his weapon.

His body was still airborne, stretched out, when he saw a faint flash and a sledgehammer hit him in the chest.
He had two distant but clear thoughts: Suppressor. Subsonic round.

He slammed to the ground, the impact almost as jarring as the sledgehammer to the chest. He rolled with it, the pistol grip fitting into his palm as if his hand and the weapon had been made together, one functioning unit. One part of his brain knew he’d been hit and hit hard, but the other part stayed ruthlessly focused outward, intent on doing what he needed to do. He fired toward where he’d seen the flash, the sound sharp in the crisp night air, but he knew only a rank amateur would stay in the same place so he tracked his next shot away from the shrubbery, following the barely seen black-on-black shadow, and pulled the trigger again.

His mind disconnected from the shock waves of pain rolling through his body because that was the only way he could function. His thoughts raced, analyzing probabilities and angles of fire, selecting the best option even as adrenaline overrode the devastation and kept his body moving. Without being aware that he was moving, he rolled behind a fireplug, and didn’t realize where he was until he was already there. A fireplug wasn’t much cover, but it was some.

His vision was wavering, things rushing at him then drawing back, as if pushed and pulled by an invisible tide of air. Peripherally, he was aware of entrance lights coming on, of curtains being pulled back as his neighbors peeked out to see what the hell was going on. He blinked fiercely, trying to stay focused. Yes—the increase of light brought a man’s form into dim view and he fired a third shot, controlled the upward kick of the muzzle, fired again. The dark form toppled to the ground and lay still.

God, his chest hurt. Shit. This had really fucked up his tattoo.

His vision wavered again, but he grimly held on, keeping his weapon trained on the downed threat. “Down” didn’t mean “out.” If he let go, let the darkness come, the other guy might get up and finish the job. Dead didn’t count until it was confirmed dead, and he couldn’t confirm shit right now.

But doors were opening, people were shouting. The sounds were distorted and strangely far away, the lights fading. Through the growing shadows he thought he saw some of the braver souls venturing out, investigating the gunfire. Words swam at him, around him, and some of them sank into his consciousness.

“Shawn! Are you crazy?” A woman’s voice, both angry and afraid.
“Just call the cops,” said a man—maybe Shawn, maybe someone else.
“I already did,” said a third voice.
“What the hell is going on?”

More noise, more voices added to the chorus as people began approaching, cautiously at first, then with more confidence when nothing else happened. Morgan tried to call out, say something, make any kind of noise, but the effort was beyond him. He could feel his breath hitching as the distant pain rolled closer, like a tidal wave that was about to swamp him.

This might be it for me, he thought, and was almost too tired to care. He tried to control his breathing because he’d heard that hitching sound before and it was never good. He didn’t have to hang on long, he thought—maybe half an hour, if people would get the lead out of their asses and get him to the hospital. But half an hour seemed like an eternity when he wasn’t certain he could hang on even one more minute.

He rested his head on the concrete sidewalk, feeling the chill of it. His outstretched hand was just resting on the winter-dead grass at the edge of the sidewalk and he had the distant thought that it was kind of nice to be touching the earth. If this was it for him, well, it sucked to go, but all in all this wasn’t too bad, considering all the grisly ways he could have gone.

But, damn it, he was fucking pissed because if he died, he didn’t know who had killed him or, more importantly, why.

Someone bent over him, a vague shape swimming out of focus. He had to send MacNamara a warning, and with his last ounce of strength he gasped out, “Ambush.”

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Linda Howard is the award-winning author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Up Close and Dangerous, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Cover of Night, Killing Time, To Die For, Kiss Me While I Sleep, Cry No More, and Dying to Please. She lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband and two golden retrievers.


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​Author Links:   GOODREADS | AMAZON

Five brave military heroes have survived the hell of a Taliban prison to return home—and take on civilian missions no one else can. They’re the men of ARES Security. Highly skilled, intimidating, invincible, and one by one, tested again and again…
 
Lucas St. Clair’s prestigious family had a political future neatly planned out for him—one that didn’t include his high school sweetheart, Mia Ramon. Under their pressure, Lucas gave her up. But since surviving captivity, he’s a changed man—and a crucial member of ARES Security. When he discovers a dead man clutching a picture of Mia that bears a threatening message, his fiercest protective instincts kick in, and he knows he must go to her.
 
Mia has never forgiven Lucas for breaking her heart, and she’s convinced her feelings for him are in the past. But it’s soon clear that isn’t true for either of them. Now, determined to solve the crime and keep Mia safe, with his ARES buddies backing him up, Lucas will have to reconstruct the murder victim’s last days—and follow a lethal trail that leads right back to the fate of the woman he still loves…

I loved the first book of the series, Kill Without Mercy,  and was so excited to get this title from NetGalley for a review. And the story is built on a suspenseful puzzle to be solved, a murder of an old friend that makes no sense, and a second chance romance that kindle the feelings from years past. 
But from the beginning I got this feeling that I know this story, I even knew who the culprit was, and how it all went about before the clues came to light. That doesn't say the story wasn't good, just an odd feeling to have. 
I liked Mia and her spunk and strength. She had made a good life for herself and was successful in all the areas of her life. Her obvious weakness was Lucas and the attraction between them. Because the fire from their past, from high school, was still burning like they were never separated for years. 
Lucas is a rather complex character. He says he has left his family and their demands behind, but at every opportunity uses their name to get a headway. He says he is not going to touch the trust fund for nothing, and with the first opportunity is planning to use it to move forward. He left Mia when he was eighteen, with no explanations, breaking her heart. Now he forces his constant presence into her life, and she lets it happen. Lucas really dances on the thin line between being protective alpha male and being a forceful jerk who doesn't listen to others or respect them and their opinion. He has good intentions, and in his heart, he knows what he wants and why, yet he is not communicating this to Mia, even though he is supposed to be the master communicator that solves international crises. Lucas, or his behavior, frustrated me several times. 
The story is told from several different points of view, and there's a hint of a secondary romance on the side as well, with Mia's friend Taylor and the detective. I'm still not sure what role that secondary romance played in the book, it didn't add to the plot considerably, but every time Taylor and Cooper got screen time, the point of view was switched to them and the flow of the tale interrupted. I really enjoyed both Taylor and Cooper, I was invested in them, I wanted to know more about them, but still wondering its necessity to the main plot. 
The threats that Hauk got in the first book of the series are still in the background of this book, still being investigated and the mystery of them continues to carry on. Yet this story can easily be read as a stand-alone novel.
The action is fearful and intense, the deadly attempts to eliminate Mia at any cost or collateral damage are dire and dreadful. The danger gets on the doorsteps and too close too many times, yet the pieces of the puzzle are not fitting in neatly, it seems the culprit is hiding in plain sight. 
The feelings, the attraction, the pull to each other between Mia and Lucas are a blazing fire as soon as they lay eyes on each other again. The past hurt and mistakes fade away, and there's only one goal in mind: to stay alive long enough to have another chance, a new opportunity to built something between them. 
This was a good story, entertaining and engaging if lacking on originality (as I was so familiar with the plot and the twists in it). The intrigue towards the series is still strong, to learn more about the team and their destinies are still tickling in my mind and I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series. 
~ Three Spoon with a teaspoon on the side

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Being a whistleblower takes guts. It can also leave you scarred.

Whistleblower Shea Winters bore the consequences of an act of honesty, now she makes a living running a scam with her brother’s help.

Security expert Aaron Wells investigated her, is intrigued by her, and can’t deny the attraction he feels for the pretty scammer.

But being a whistleblower can also have dangerous consequences.
Very dangerous…

I fell in love with Angela Verdenius' stories after I read the first BBW (Big Beautiful Women) book of hers. The stories are filled with great fun banter, friends for life, Aussie customs and humor, scorching hot romance between women with curves, sass, and vigor, and alpha men who adore their women, love their curves and take protectiveness to a new level of intense. 
Shea and Aaron connect from the first time they meet. I loved how they are not denying the chemistry between them, but exploring it as soon as the time allows. Even with Aaron's tendencies to control any situation, Shea is his true equal as they surrender to the passion between them. 
Shea is the guardian to her little brother Cole, and together they have developed a scam that will provide them a living after Shea lost her job and career for telling the truth. The book tells an intrigued tale of Shea and Cole finding their footing in the new community. After the devastating events of being scrutinized for being a whistle-blower and losing everything and everyone from their lives, learning to trust, to count on someone else, or asking for help are not something Shea is comfortable with, she would rather that no one knows her true identity, either. 
Aaron, the security expert, is not only intrigued by Shea, he wants to protect her, keep her and Cole safe from the stalker, and the revenge the stalker is threatening with. 
Aaron's large extended family soon embrace Shea and Cole. They give them the support and encouragement they need for the journey to find their inner strength again, to find their place in the community, and live an honest life. 
The secondary characters are not only a great source of entertainment with their tactics but an important part of the plot development and moving the story along. 
The physical danger that suddenly threat Cole and especially Shea is intense, giving the story another level of interest and spice. 
At the beginning, the story moves on a bit slowly as the scene is set up and the players are introduced, but it speeds up from there with great energy and attitude, providing a tale of life lessons, affection, deep emotions, friends, lovers, and family. I felt joy, passion, pride, and fear as I connected with the story and the charming characters, lived with them in the moments, and cheered for them with their achievements. I treasure these stories, the joyful joshing they have, and loving adoration between the hero and the heroine. 
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

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She thought her past was behind her.

After nearly dying at the hands of a madman in New Orleans a year ago, Zoe Renard has worked hard to put that trauma behind her and move on. With her man at her side she’s focused on her writing career and building a future together. Things are almost perfect between them, until a series of shocking events turns her world upside down again. An unforeseen threat is looming, and it’s more lethal than anyone realizes. Only this time, hers isn’t the only life at stake.

But the nightmare isn’t over yet.

HRT member Clay Bauer never expected to fall in love again, but what he has with Zoe is better than anything he ever could have imagined. After what happened to her in New Orleans he’s ever vigilant about her safety, so when a new threat emerges he’ll do everything in his power to keep her safe. But even a former SEAL can’t protect her from an enemy he can’t see coming. And by the time he realizes the true extent of the danger, it may be too late for them all.

Riveting tension and spellbinding action with fear palpable in the air. A story that left me once again completely hooked on Kaylea Cross's tales and the world of the HRT.
I thought the ready-made commitment and love couldn't hold the intensity to carry the book, I thought there couldn't be a conflict that monumental that could make the tale 'interesting'. I thought lots of things, and with this story, they were mostly wrong. Even though it took a moment to get the story rolling, it did build the energy and power and enthusiasm that I have grown to expect from the author. 
Zoe and Clay were amazing in their first book, and they were able to outdo themselves in the second one. The passion, the adoration, the tenderness, and love is there. Yet there are doubts, questions, and even distrust that muddle the waters and causes friction. The loving is explicit and detailed as they show their passion to each other, the language at times rough as their express their thoughts and feelings. 
The action is vehement and fast. I felt that it was mostly left in the background of the story as the issues between Zoe and Clay were dealt with amongst the life events for the team members. The team gets a lot of scene time on this novella and are an important part of the plot development. Yet the battle against the stalker brought the tension up quickly and got the heart raising insanely as they were fighting the lethal battle. 
The ending provides a surprise for the followers of the series in a form of teaser of things that might come in the future. I wouldn't call it a cliffhanger, since it didn't leave this tale to hang, but there are interesting developments ahead for the HRT if the author follows that tidbit of a plot twist. 
This story didn't only feel shorter and lighter in contents as the previous ones, it was indeed that in pages as well. I have noticed the trend of writing shorter books while the price stays the same as full-length ones, or even higher in some cases. This is not something that affected my rating of this title, just a note that I hope the author is not going to follow that path I have seen some other authors to take. Kaylea Cross has been in my top five favorite authors for a long time, and I hope she will keep writing those highly emotional, full impact, action and danger riddled full-length novels that I love.
The HRT is filled with strong, protective, loyal, take charge alpha males who are willing to do anything to keep the country and their loved ones safe. They love fiercely, they are loyal, trustworthy and true to their partners in life and to each other. Their women are capable, strong, and true equals to them. 
Alluring and entertaining addition to the series where Zoe and Clay are tackling with the future of their relationship, filled with devotion and adoration, yet some questions and doubts arise just as the threatening stalker who has been hassling Zoe on her website, turns out to be so much more than anyone expected. 
~ Four Spoons

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A Soldier's Promise 
Three years ago Daron McKay made a vow to his dying army buddy: watch over his wife, protect his child. But he never imagined he'd fall in love with mom and baby.

Now as Emma Shaw barely hangs on to her ranch and her daughter faces lifesaving surgery, the cowboy bodyguard is determined to see his promise through. But Emma doesn't want a hero. Especially one riddled with guilt. She'll make it on her own, just like she always has.

​With Emma, Daron faces his most difficult assignment: showing the battle-scarred widow that letting go makes you stronger—and that loving is worth the risk…

A charming and touching story of Daron, Emma, and little Jamie, where healing of body, mind, and soul is taking place, where faith is restored, and love found, where a partnership of a sort is formed, friendship is the foundation to romance, and community support makes everyday living easier. 
Daron is a hunted warrior, the images from his time in Afganistan don't allow him to rest, yet the nightmares keeping him awake able him to keep an eye on Emma and Jamie, to make sure they are okay, to keep them safe. 
Emma is tired of just surviving, of being a charity case, of being the atonement for Daron's guilt. She is taking steps to get on with her life, to get an education, to get the financial situation better, to take care of Ace, her granddad, and to provide a good and stable life for Jamie, but it seems that after every step forward comes two steps back. Now her former brother in law is harassing her for money he owns to the drug dealers, Jamie needs a heart surgery, Ace was injured, and all she wants to do is lean on Daron for mental support, but not if he is there just because of pity and guilt. 
As Daron helps Emma to keep them safe and secure, Emma teaches Daron about faith and forgiveness. And as life marches on, the feelings they have for each other take a new turn at the most turbulent time of their lives. 
Emma and Daron were such a perfect pair, just what the other needed. Emma is strong, independent, and stubborn, so it isn't easy for her to make room for Daron in her life. But Daron doesn't give up on her. He knows what he wants, and his feelings for Emma are not going to go away or fade with time. 
The journey of Daron and Emma is heartfelt and filled with lots of emotions. Life isn't easy, hardships are many, yet they learn to lean on their faith in God, and trust His guidance in their lives. And even though the story has its fair share of angst and drama, even danger, and menace, there's also joy, laughter, and smiles, and an adorable little girl with the sweetest disposition 
~ Four Spoons

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Two doctors are on thin ice as they race to save the world from a deadly disease.

Epidemic researcher Dr. Avery Thatcher has studied countless illnessesbut nothing prepares her for what she finds at a remote Antarctic base: the man she never wanted to see again and a mysterious ailment ravaging inhabitants. Avery will do whatever it takes to discover the illness's cause, and she vows to keep her heartbreaking history with Dr. Grant Jones in the pasteven if reignited passion brings them dangerously close.

For Grant, ending this outbreak and regaining Avery's trust are vital. As their hunt to contain a lethal pathogen escalates, he'll put everything on the line to avert disaster. But will another insidious threat stop them both cold?"

The tension is high and the fear evident as a mysterious virus is killing staff members living at the Antarctic base. The limits of the environment set another kind of scare to the scene, the possibility of surviving the threat of the mystery disease is narrow as the knowledge of its ability to spread and havoc are unknown. 
I have to say that the fear of the mystery disease was not only palpable on the pages of the story, the possibilities of the strength of it seeped into my dreams after reading the story at night. The chill of the Antartic air was nothing compared to the frigidity of the potentiality of the virus. 
Grant and Avery, both extremely smart and capable, were warm, kind, and charming characters. The past was still, after ten years, strongly in their minds, had shaped them as human beings, the hurt, anger, and regret churning inside of them. Now faced with a possible second chance, possibly making up for the past hurt, misunderstandings, and years apart, they are also fighting the deadly virus they are not immune to themselves. The promise of the possibilities in the future might be in vain if they don't survive.
The chemistry between Grant and Avery was natural and nurturing like they never were apart. They both were willing to admit their responsibility with the past mistakes and hurt, learn from it and move on from it, not holding back anything. I loved their drama-free approach to life.
As the local culprits are known to the reader through most of the story, it is up to the doctors to put the pieces together, while they are running out of time to avoid a catastrophe on even larger scale. 
A  vivid scene where Avery is fighting for her life, on the edge between here and there, is so lifelike and authentic in nature, it hit me to the core with remembrance and gave a very personal connection to the tale. 
An absorbing story filled with fierce danger, the kind that doesn't stop even when the bullets stop flying. In a form of an illness, the offenders are killing innocent to test their product's powers. Avery and Grant's struggle is not only to survive the virus but find its origin, find how it is spreading, who is spreading it, and maybe then they can start to built upon a future together they both have been dreaming about for years. A fascinating and impressive storyline that comes to live on the pages and keeps the reader's mind entertained.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

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It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York! 

Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner. 
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Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist?

Take a cook, an author, New York, Christmas and you already have won more than half of my heart. Put them all into a romance novel, give the characters wit and sass, depths you are nearly afraid to look into, sensuality that melts the pages, and I am all yours. The set up was so perfect for me, I couldn't have asked for more from a romance novel, they were even snowed in, a scenario that I love. And then I meet the characters in this scenario and surely fell in love them as well. 
At first, they seem like the opposites of any scales, but the more their personalities are revealed, from the little quirks to their big secrets they are starting to make two sides of a whole, so perfectly twined together that they are the ideal match for each other. And how all that came about is just brilliantly done. 
Each step that Eva and Lucas have to take to get to know each other better is like an intricate dance, two steps forward, one back, to the side, and then again. And each step took them deeper with the knowledge of the other's life, thoughts, likes, habits, secrets. The ease they experience in the other's company, the honesty, the openness, the candor is refreshing and energetic. Their calm acceptance of the team they form, the room and space they give for the other to be in their life, there was this serenity, calmness about it that I liked, while at the same time it was insanely sensual and out of control passionate when they let their feelings roam. 
I enjoyed how the story was more focused on developing the relationship than drama and angst. And when drama rose its head they were both willing to accept their fault and responsibility for creating it. They support each other, they champion for each other, protect when that was needed, give room to mourn, to just be close when that was vital.
Even though I didn't think the circle of friends play as big of a role in this story as they did in the previous one, they still greatly contribute to the plot, and to the development of the relationship between Eva and Lucas. I adore that group of friends, all so individual and unique, making the ideal circle together. They have touched my heart so that I now want these first three books in the series on paperback as well, these stories are definitely books you want to treat as keepsakes and keep reading them again. 
Eva and Lucas made me laugh out loud with the delightful dialog, the hardships in their lives touched my heart, their deep, strong emotions, and turbulence in their lives had me in tears. I admire how the generations before are respected and honored. There's just something about the author's style that speaks straight to my heart and makes me fall  completely in love with the stories, characters, and their journeys to meet their destinies
~ Five Spoons

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USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. She has been nominated 4 times for the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America and has won the award twice. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.

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​Her Warrior Protector 
Carter Bear Den is a proud Apache of the Turquoise Canyon Reservation. The former US Marine is a member of the Turquoise Guardians working to protect his people and their land. When he discovers a grisly mass shooting at the Lilac Copper Mine, Carter's one thought is to find Amber Kitcheyan.

After breaking her engagement to Carter and relinquishing her membership with the reservation, Amber found work at the mine. Now she is the sole survivor of the shootingat best a witness, at worst a suspect.
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But Carter swears to protect the only woman he has ever loved, even if it means losing everything else.

High energy action from the page one pulled me into the dangerous world of mass murders and manhunt. Lilac's bravery in the face of the madman is admirable, Carter happening into the scene of the crime more than a consequence.
The connection between Carter and Lilac was broken, damaged by the incidents years ago caused by lack of trust and young minds. Now facing the constant deadly danger they have to find a way to each other again, at least for a long enough to work together as a team to survive. The peril seems to follow them too easily, every exposure turns deadly, and the gunmen must have inside information to be able to catch them at every turn of the plans.
The Native American culture and society with their beliefs and habits have always fascinated me, yet here I felt a bit unknowledgeable as I was reading the story, there were details that I would have wanted more information about, yet there were other details that were repeated several times.
The attraction between Carter and lilac is palpable, but they didn't really have the opportunity to work on the past hurts, misunderstanding and the trust, respect issues they had before. The feelings they had so many years ago were awakened again, but nothing from the past was really solved in a true matter.
This story was clearly a part of a series, more so than most of the Intrigue stories, and I would recommend reading the previous books first to make it easier to follow the storyline and understand the dynamics between the different characters. I had to go back several times to check if I had missed information. Of course, this might be an issue of the advance reader copy I had, and the editing fixed into the final print of the book, I do hope so.
The story was filled with plot twists, battles, and conflicts. The constant friction and rivalry between the different law enforcement forces and inside information being shared with the culprits added to the tension and strife.
The ending took me completely by surprise, both on the romantic and suspense side. I'm not saying it was an actual cliffhanger but to get a conclusion to the crimes you have to keep reading the series. The story was filled with energy and thrive, the romance had a lot of possibilities, the action was savage and cruel. I liked it, it was entertaining, had lots of potential, but it didn't feel finished, complete, on both aspects of the tale, I was left wanting more information, development, and insights, maybe these wishes will be granted on the next instalments of the series, but here I was left a bit hanging.
~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

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Lady Claire Is All That
Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #3
By: Maya Rodale
Releasing December 27, 2016
Avon

Her Brains
Claire Cavendish is in search of a duke, but not for the usual reasons. The man she seeks is a mathematician; the man she unwittingly finds is Lord Fox: dynamic, athletic, and as bored by the equations Claire adores as she is by the social whirl upon which he thrives. As attractive as Fox is, he’s of no use to Claire . . . or is he?
Plus His Brawn
Fox’s male pride has been bruised ever since his fiancée jilted him. One way to recover: win a bet that he can transform Lady Claire, Society’s roughest diamond, into its most prized jewel. But Claire has other ideas—shockingly steamy ones. . .
​Equals A Study In Seduction
By Claire’s calculations, Fox is the perfect man to satisfy her sensual curiosity. In Fox’s estimation, Claire is the perfect woman to prove his mastery of the ton. But the one thing neither of them counted on is love . . .

London, 1824
Lord and Lady Chesham’s ballroom
It was a truth universally acknowledged that Maximilian Frederick DeVere, Lord Fox, was God’s gift to the ladies of London. He was taller and brawnier than his peers and in possession of the sort of chiseled good looks—above and below the neck—that were more often found in works of classical art. By all accounts he was charming and universally liked by men and women alike, though for different reasons, of course. He won at two things, always: women and sport.
Fox strolled through the ballroom as if he owned the place. He nodded at friends and acquaintances—Carlyle, with whom he occasionally fenced, Fitzwalter, who he had soundly thrashed at boxing last week, and Willoughby, who was always game for a curricle race.
Fox flashed his famous grin as he heard the ladies’ usual comments when he strolled past.
“I think he just smiled at me.”
“I think I’m going to swoon.”
“God, Arabella Vaughn is one lucky woman.”
“Was,” someone corrected. “Didn’t you see the report in The London Weekly this morning?”
Fox’s grin faltered.
That was when Mr. Rupert Wright and Lord Mowbray found him. Their friendship stretched all the way back to their early days at Eton.
“We heard the news, Fox,” Rupert said grimly, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
“I daresay everyone has heard the news,” Fox replied dryly.
It didn’t escape his notice that the guests nearby had fallen silent. It was the first time he’d appeared in public since the news broke in the paper this morning, though Arabella had so kindly left him a note the day prior. Everyone was watching him to see how he would react, what he would say, if he would cry.
“Who would have thought we’d see this day?” Mowbray mused. “Miss Arabella Vaughn, darling of the haute ton, running off with an actor.”
“That alone would be scandalous,” Rupert said, adding, “Never mind that she has ditched Fox. Who is, apparently, considered a catch. What with his lofty title, wealth, and not hideous face.”
Fox’s Male Pride bristled. It’d been bristling and seething and enraged ever since the news broke that his beautiful, popular betrothed had left him to elope with some plebian actor.
Not just any actor, either, but Lucien Kemble. Yes, he was the current sensation among the haute ton, lighting up the stage each night in his role as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. Covent Garden theater was sold out for the rest of the season. The gossip columns loved him, given his flair for dramatics both onstage and off—everything from tantrums to torrid love affairs to fits over his artistry. Women adored him; they may have sighed and swooned over Lucien Kemble as much as Fox.
To lose a woman to any other man was insupportable—and, until recently, not something that ever happened to him—but to lose her to someone who made his living prancing around onstage in tights? It was intolerable.
“Just who does she think she is?” Fox wondered aloud.
“She’s Arabella Vaughn. Beautiful. Popular. Enviable. Every young lady here aspires to be her. Every man here would like a shot with her,” Mowbray answered.
“She’s you, but in petticoats,” Rupert said, laughing.
It was true. He and Arabella were perfect together.
Like most men, he’d fallen for her at first sight after catching a glimpse of her across a crowded ballroom. She was beautiful in every possible way: a tall, lithe figure with full breasts; a mouth made for kissing and other things that gentlemen didn’t mention in polite company; blue eyes fringed in dark lashes; honey gold hair that fell in waves; a complexion that begged comparisons to cream and milk and moonlight.
Fox had taken one look at her and thought: mine.
They were a perfect match in beauty, wealth, social standing, all that. They both enjoyed taking the ton by storm. He remembered the pride he felt as they strolled through a ballroom arm in arm and the feeling of everyone’s eyes on them as they waltzed so elegantly.
They were great together.
They belonged together.
Fox also remembered the more private moments—so many stolen kisses, the intimacy of gently pushing aside a wayward strand of her golden hair, promises for their future as man and wife. They would have perfect children, and entertain the best of society, and generally live a life of wealth and pleasure and perfection, together.
Fox remembered his heart racing—nerves!—when he proposed because this beautiful girl he adored was going to be his.
And then she had eloped. With an actor.

It burned, that. Ever since he’d heard the news, Fox had stormed around in high dudgeon. He was not accustomed to losing.
“Take away her flattering gowns and face paint and she’s just like any other woman here,” Fox said, wanting it to be true so he wouldn’t feel the loss so keenly. “Look at her, for example.”
Rupert and Mowbray both glanced at the woman he pointed out—a short, frumpy young lady nervously sipping lemonade. She spilled some down the front of her bodice when she caught three men staring at her.
“If one were to offer her guidance on supportive undergarments and current fashions and get a maid to properly style her coiffure, why, she could be the reigning queen of the haute ton,” Fox pointed out.
Both men stared at him, slack jawed.
“You’ve never been known for being the sharpest tool in the shed, Fox, but now I think you’re really cracked,” Mowbray said. “You cannot just give a girl a new dress and make her popular.”
“Well, Mowbray, maybe you couldn’t. But I could.”
“Gentlemen . . .” Rupert cut in. “I don’t care for the direction of this conversation.”
“You honestly think you can do it,” Mowbray said, awed.
He turned to face Mowbray and drew himself up to his full height, something he did when he wanted to be imposing. His Male Pride had been wounded and his competitive spirit—always used to winning—was spoiling for an opportunity to triumph.
“I know I can,” Fox said with the confidence of a man who won pretty much everything he put his mind to—as long as it involved sport, or women. Arabella had been his first, his only, loss. A fluke, surely.
“Well, that calls for a wager,” Mowbray said.
The two gentlemen stood eye to eye, the tension thick. Rupert groaned.
“Name your terms,” Fox said.
“I pick the girl.”
“Fine.”
“This is a terrible idea,” Rupert said. He was probably right, but he was definitely ignored.
“Let me see . . . who shall I pick?” Mowbray made a dramatic show of looking around the ballroom at all the ladies nearby. There were at least a dozen of varying degrees of pretty and pretty hopeless.
Then Mowbray’s attentions fixed on one particular woman. Fox followed his gaze, and when he saw who his friend had in mind, his stomach dropped.
“No.”
“Yes,” Mowbray said, a cocky grin stretching across his features.
“Unfortunately dressed I can handle. Shy, stuttering English miss who at least knows the rules of society? Sure. But one of the Americans?”
Fox let the question hang there. The Cavendish family had A Reputation the minute the news broke that the new Duke of Durham was none other than a lowly horse trainer from the former colonies. He and his sisters were scandalous before they even set foot in London. Since their debut in society, they hadn’t exactly managed to win over the haute ton, either, to put it politely.
“Now, they’re not all bad,” Rupert said. “I quite like Lady Bridget . . .”
But Fox was still in shock and Mowbray was enjoying it too much to pay any mind to Rupert’s defense of the Americans.
“The bluestocking?”
That was the thing: Mowbray hadn’t picked just any American, but the one who already had a reputation for being insufferably intelligent, without style or charm to make herself more appealing to the gentlemen of the ton. She was known to bore a gentleman to tears by discussing not the weather, or hair ribbons, or gossip of mutual acquaintances, but math.
Lady Claire Cavendish seemed destined to be a hopeless spinster and social pariah.
Even the legendary Duchess of Durham, aunt to the new duke and his sisters, hadn’t yet been able to successfully launch them into society and she’d already had weeks to prepare them! It seemed insane that Fox should succeed where the duchess failed.
But Fox and his Male Pride had never, not once, backed away from a challenge, especially not when the stakes had never been higher. He knew two truths about himself: he won at women and he won at sport.
He was a winner.
And he was not in the mood for soul searching or crafting a new identity when the old one suited him quite well. Given this nonsense with Arabella, he had to redeem himself in the eyes of the ton, not to mention his own. It was an impossible task, but one that Fox would simply have to win.
“Her family is hosting a ball in a fortnight,” Mowbray said. “I expect you to be there—with Lady Claire on your arm as the most desirable and popular woman in London.”

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Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and it wasn’t long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances.
She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.
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​Author Links:    Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodRe

How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
All the novels in my Keeping Up With The Cavendishes series are inspired by my favorite romantic comedies.  Lady Claire Is All That is based on the 90’s rom com She’s All That. Basically, I write stories that I want to read—funny, witty, happy ever afters—and I delight in seeing mash ups of modern times and pop culture with historical romance.
What gave you the most trouble with this story?
The heroine of Lady Claire Is All That is a math genius and I am...not. At all. There isn’t much math in the novel (phew!) but what does appear is thanks to one of my dearest romance writing friends Caroline Linden, who happens to have a math degree from Harvard.
​Name one thing you won’t leave home without.
Besides the obvious phone, wallet, keys, etc, I never leave home without my lipgloss. I’m addicted! My husband hates it.
Name three things on your desk right now.
Three things always on my desk: laptop, phone, caffeinated beverage.
A la Twitter style, please describe your book in 140 characters or less.
In Lady Claire Is All That sparks fly between a brainy heroine and the hot jock of the haute ton in this Regency remake of the rom com She’s All That!
What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
I love writing the funny, teasing, loving banter between the four siblings in my Keeping Up With The Cavendishes series. Writing some good flirtation between the hero and heroine is also a favorite of mine.
How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?
I’ve been writing romance novels for about twelve years now (though I’ve been writing for longer than that). Then, and now, I write the book that I’m in the mood to read because I’m still a reader first!
What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?
The best part of being a writer is not having to wear pants or interact with humans. The hardest part is when I have to put on pants and interact with humans ☺

A Kick in the Pants & Will Never Fade
Riley O’Brien & Co.
By: Jenna Sutton
Self-Published

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A Kick in the Pants: Releasing November 15, 2016
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Jake Lilliard has always been a gambling man. So far, all the risks he’s taken — like moving to San Francisco and joining Riley O’Brien & Co. — have paid off. Now he’s ready to take the biggest risk of all: acting on his feelings for Kyla Andrews. As a trainee in his department, she’s off limits. But as soon as Kyla moves on to another job, he is going to make her his. He’s waited long enough…
When tragedy struck Kyla’s family years ago, she started playing it safe. She doesn’t take risks with her job or her heart, and she refuses to be a cliché – the foolish woman who falls for her sexy boss. Yet Jake is everything she has ever wanted, and it’s impossible to resist him and his enticing kisses.
Just when it seems that the gamble they took will pay off, Jake’s past threatens his future with Kyla. He knows lady luck is fickle, but she’s always had a soft spot for him. He’s hoping she won’t turn her back on him when he needs her the most…

Oh my, when a story is as cute and sweet and adorable and sexy and sensual and steaming as A Kick in the Pants it's impossible not to inhale it at once and then just bask in the wondrous afterglow of a great story when finished. 
I loved Jake from the first sight, his feelings for Kyla are a delight! He is so gone for her, it just made me smile because a guy completely silly with their feelings for a girl is just sexy. 
And then he cuddles babies in the hospital. Babies born with addictions they got from their birth mothers. Yes. I know. The best ever. He is sexy, kind, considerate, a good guy with generous heart, he holds on to the principles, is honorable, and he cuddles babies. There's my first ever book boyfriend for sure. 
And Kyla is the perfect match for him. Together they are some kind of magic, they melt the pages with the heat between them and they both are altruistic with their desire to serve the community and help with charities. 
They have their differences, but it is not drawn-out angst-fest, but a matter that is solved with mature way, as I would have expected from them.  
I loved the circle of friends and co-workers their surround themselves with. The secondary characters all had something to add to the story and were entertaining at the same time. 
This series has been delightfully entertaining from the book one and keeps on making me smile, sigh, and swoon with every addition to it. The characters touched my heart and their destinies and stories always give me something to think about while making me giddy with the adoration they have for each other.
Definitely, a series I recommend to invest in, even though all the stories are easily read as standalone novels. 
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

Will Never Fade: Releasing December 13, 2016
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For Phoebe Werner, the management trainee program at Riley O’Brien & Co. represents a new beginning. She’s finally healthy, and she is trying to enjoy life while she can. She never expects to run into Garrett Gale at a New Year’s Eve party. The handsome hotelier is the only man she wants… and a reminder of what she can never have.
Years ago, Garrett enjoyed one memorable night with Phoebe after months of fantasizing about her. And then, she disappeared. She ignored his efforts to contact her, and he did his best to forget her. Now fate has brought her back into his life and his bed. But who knows how long she’ll stay there?
With Phoebe's fears threatening to ruin their chance at happiness, Garrett must convince her that they're meant to be. He can't let Phoebe walk away with his heart again.

Cancer sucks. It changes everything and everyone it touches and there's no coming back it because makes permanent damage. I admire how the author played the plot with the cancer aspect. It was the defining matter but not the main focus. The feelings Garrett and Phoebe have for each other, the past friendship and hurt that came, the current possibilities and burning desires are all the main focus that makes the plot twist and shake up the scenes. 

Garrett and Phoebe win the sensuality award with the burning desire they have for each other. The years apart have just made those feelings grow, it seems, instead of dampening the flame. There were times I felt they were using sex to communicate instead of opening up and talking to each other. But the hurt of left behind had left some scars on Garrett, and the fear of what the future will bring was a constant shadow with Phoebe, so I understand their motives to it. 
I personally don't like the third person 'drama' in the romance I read. Even though here it was more of an awkward moment quickly to be resolved, it still made an impact that I could have been without.

The struggle and resolve between Garrett and Phoebe are compelling and heartfelt. They and their story thought me a life lesson, gave me a new perspective to deal with a chronic illness/disability - to every day choose to stand and stay in the light, instead of letting the clouds always nearby darkening your daily skies. 

The story is filled with emotions, it is raw and manages to go to a great depths in the novella length tale. There were laughter and tears, frustration and fears, great hope and deep despair, craving and ardor, but mostly there was love and devotion. 
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

Garrett picked up his fork, but instead of eating off his own plate, he stabbed a piece of chicken off hers. As he brought it to his mouth, she kicked him under the table, not hard, just a tap.  
“If you wanted chicken tagine,” she groused, “you should have ordered it.”
Although his mouth was busy chewing, she could tell he wanted to smile. This was their old routine—him eating off her plate, her chastising him, and him offering little tidbits of his meal to repay her.   
Switching his fork for a spoon, he scooped some stew from the orange bowl in front of him and held it up to her mouth. She opened with no hesitation, the whole situation as comfortable and familiar as her favorite flannel nightgown.
He spooned the food into her mouth. As she chewed the flavorful combination of tender beef, kalamata olives, raisins, and garbanzo beans, she got hints of cinnamon and cumin and a little kick of lemon.
“Oh, that’s good,” she murmured, licking her lips. “Give me another bite.”
He didn’t give her what she wanted. Instead, his eyes dropped to her mouth and stayed there for several heartbeats. She watched as his pupils expanded and his irises darkened from bright turquoise to deep teal.
She had seen that look in his eyes before, but she hadn’t recognized it for what it was. She did now.  
Suddenly the situation was no longer comfortable. And neither was the ache between her thighs. Feeling a syrupy trickle of arousal into her panties, she silently cursed herself and shifted on the banquette seat.  
She’d known it would be impossible for them to go back to the way things used to be. They had opened Pandora’s Box that night. Or, to be more accurate, they had opened Phoebe’s box.
They’d released a powerful force into their friendship—desire. And that desire simmered beneath the surface like a dormant volcano just waiting to erupt.

Jenna Sutton is a former award-winning journalist who traded fact for fiction when she began writing novels. Surprisingly, the research she conducted for her articles provided a lot of inspiration for her books. 
Jenna is the author of the Riley O’Brien & Co. romances. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Texas Christian University and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University. 
Jenna and her husband live in Texas in a 105-year-old house affectionately known as “The Money Pit”. You can find out more about her and her books by visiting www.jennasutton.com 

Author Links:   WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
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Bad Boys After Dark: Dylan
Bad Billionaires After Dark #2
By: Melissa Foster
Releasing December 21, 2016
World Literary Press

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Sinfully sexy bar owner Dylan Bad has a thing for needy women. He’s a savior, a knight in shining armor, and his mighty talented sword has no trouble bringing damsels in distress to their knees.

Enter Tiffany Winters, a gorgeous cutthroat sports agent who looks like sex on legs, fucks like she’s passion personified, and wouldn’t let a man help her if she was hanging onto a ledge and he was her only hope.

​One night and too much tequila might change their lives forever. The question is, will either one survive?

With her phone pressed to her ear, Tiffany Winters ducked out of the rain and into the Kiss, an eclectic Manhattan bar, to return calls and take care of a mountain of text messages that had piled up during her dinner meeting. She listened to her client’s wife explain why she didn’t want her husband traveling too often to endorse a hotel chain Tiffany was planning on pitching to him next week. Her client had already nixed any mention of his family in the advertisements, and reducing his travel would make it an even harder sell.
“I hear your concern, Allison,” she said as she sat on a barstool. “If you and Matt decide this isn’t the right thing for your family, we’ll turn our efforts in another direction.” As a sports agent, dealing with significant others was part of the job, a part Tiffany enjoyed and other agents rued. Sure, some wives assumed their husband’s success granted them the power to be overly demanding. Ass kissing was part of the game. Sometimes she wished she could give the meeker wives lessons in how to be tough. Teach them to have balls as big as their husbands’ and come right out and say what they meant instead of beating around the bush with bullshit hypotheticals. She reminded herself often that not every woman grew up in a testosterone-laden house with two competitive older brothers and a father who won the Heisman in college and went on to play pro sports—a house where mincing words didn’t cut the mustard.
“You missed the wedding.”
The deep male voice drew Tiffany’s attention from her phone call to the fine specimen of a man standing behind the bar. He looked like he’d just stepped off a Hot Guys in Suits Pinterest page. His tie hung loosely around the collar of his white dress shirt, which was open three buttons deep, revealing a smattering of dark chest hair, a rarity nowadays, when so many men manscaped every inch of their bodies. Tiffany preferred a man to look like a man, which included hair in all the right places. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing heavily corded forearms, and his jacket hung casually from two fingers over his left shoulder. Her fingers itched to send the last few buttons—and that jacket—flying to the floor. The guy’s chiseled jaw and dark eyes were movie-star classic, and his dark hair was thick enough to hang on to. She’d had a long, hard day, and he looked like he could provide a long, hard, pleasure-filled night.
Perfect. 
Holding his gaze, she spoke into the phone as he laid his jacket across the bar, giving her the impression he wasn’t the bartender, but rather a guest who’d happened to wander back there. “Allison, I’ll see what else I can come up with and get back to you. Right. Okay, hon. Thank you.” After ending the call, she responded to the stud behind the bar. “Wedding? Who gets married at a bar?”
“My brother, for one.” He nodded across the room to a group of men and women who were holding their glasses up in a toast.
She zeroed in on one she recognized as her tall, dark colleague. “Mick Bad is married?” The high-powered attorney was a workaholic like her, and he’d been unattached two months earlier, when they’d worked together on a deal for one of her clients. She’d never understand couples who claimed to fall in love practically overnight. Love was a crutch for weak people who needed someone else to lean on. Except Mick Bad had never needed anyone to lean on. She wondered if his new bride was pregnant. 
“The one and only.” Hot guy’s eyes took a long, luxurious stroll down her body, lingered on her breasts, then roamed north, hovering around her mouth, before finally meeting her gaze. He flashed a wolfish grin full of sinful promises.
“Dylan Bad at your service.”
Pushing thoughts of her newly married colleague’s expedient nuptials aside, she focused on his very available brother. A definite player, which was fine with her. She had no time—or interest—in anything but a quick hookup, and the six-two or -three stud had already shot to the top of tonight’s fantasy list. 
“What’s your pleasure?” he asked with more than a hint of innuendo. 
You. Naked, with your head buried between my legs, to start.
“Surprise me.” She watched him turn to prepare her drink and checked out the way his dark slacks hugged his perfect ass. It had been a long time since she’d found a man this attractive. But Mick Bad’s brother? That spelled trouble.

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Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance, and women's fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, perfect beach reads, and always family oriented. 

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​Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

When it’s time to get back in the saddle again, there’s no better place than the picturesque mountain town of Nugget, California . . . 
 
A financial whiz with her own advice show, Gia Treadwell is passionate about helping people maximize their potential. But when her boyfriend—make that ex-boyfriend—steals millions with an epic Ponzi scheme, Gia is promptly run out of town. It’s the perfect opportunity to revisit an old dream—one that apparently involves naked cowboys . . . 
 
Flynn Barlow didn’t expect anyone to walk in on him showering at the empty ranch where his family’s cattle have always grazed. Even more surprising, the new ranch owner plans to turn it into a residential training program for women who need a hand up. A smart, gorgeous woman with a worthy cause? In Flynn’s experience, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
 
Sharing the ranch doesn’t mean Flynn and Gia have to get along, but riding together isn’t the problem. It’s the scorching chemistry they can’t ignore. And if they figure out a way to add trust to the mix, they’ll soon be sharing more than just a ranch . . .

This story mesmerized my mind, the characters are engaging and completely charming, the community like an extended family, and the suspense in a white collar crime so different than the physical action stories I often read, the whole process was engrossing. The story in itself went from flirty to intense, from sexy to scary, and from laughter to heartbreaking tears. I lived with the tale, the twists in the plot enticed me, I was there, right with them every moment of the story, and I adored it.
The community spirit was heartening, they might be nosy and ask frank questions themselves, but when it comes to outsiders, they close the ranks and protect their own. 
I loved how Gia had the desire to help other women to thrive, not just survive. Her idea for the charity was absolutely amazing and the way the other women in the community took the idea and made it even larger than that just warmed my heart. 
Gia and Flynn both were in a very difficult place with no wiggle room. One wrong step with the investigators for the crime and Gia will pay the price, and ultimately both of them. 
I loved the connection between Gia and Flynn. The bold honesty they had with each other with the feelings and desires they struggled with was refreshing. The passion between them is a palpable thing, their feelings for each other evident in their eyes. But for good reasons, they struggled with some trust issues. I am glad that the drama around the trust wasn't drawn longer, it was just the perfect level of angst to me, as there are moments with the investigation that are filled with high anxiety, with some raw feelings and frightening minutes. 
I love when the stories have strong, capable women like all the ladies in Nugget, yet they are not overpowering but true equals of their mates. Both Gia and Flynn had great personalities, they are not perfect, they have their issues, their habits, their struggles, but their attitude, their honesty, eagerness, caring, and passion for life made them characters that come close to your heart and makes an impact. And even though this is part of a series, the story is a standalone novel, I had no trouble getting into the flow of things, even though I haven't read all the previous books. 
But I fell in love with this story, with the cast and with their captivating destiny. Definitely a series to invest in! 
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

BUY LINKS

I am honored and excited for Books & Spoons to be part of this tour where two of my loves - books & food - are presented side by side!
​So I want to give a warm welcome to Cathy Gillen Thacker. I love her stories and the latest A Texas Cowboy's Christmas was a story so delightfully filled with Christmas cheer, with one adorable little cowboy, and sizzling chemistry between the hero and the heroine, and lots of baking! 


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FOOD IS LOVE*
*ESPECIALLY AT THE HOLIDAYS
    It always starts with the run up to Thanksgiving, continues through Christmas, and follows through to the New Year.   The cooking, the baking, and the eating…  It’s hard to know which I like best!  And that is never truer than when I am in the kitchen making pies and my mother’s sage stuffing and fresh cranberry sauce.  Not to mention roasting a turkey, mashing potatoes, and finishing it all off with fresh veggies and homemade pan gravy!
For me and my family, preparing holiday foods is not just tradition, it’s an act of love.  A way to bring us all together, and honor those who have passed.  It encourages us to pause and give thanks for all that we have, to reconnect and have faith and hope for the future.
In my newest book, A TEXAS COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS, heroine Molly Griffith bakes a different kind of confection every day during the holiday season.  The recipes she uses were handed down to her by her mother and German-immigrant grandmother.  And though neither of the two women are still with her, she feels a real connection every time she enters her kitchen—usually with her three year old son Braden at her side.
Braden loves cooking with his mommy but he really loves her new friend/old enemy cowboy Chance Lockhart.  Braden wants his idol Chance to tell Santa to bring him a live baby bull for Christmas.  
Chance can’t do that, but he just might be able to wrangle something even better for the little tyke and his adorable mother before the yuletide ends.
I hope you enjoy my latest Christmas tale.  (Set in Laramie, Texas, of course!)  And to make the reading more enjoyable, I’ve enclosed a recipe for Christmas stollen, a German holiday sweet bread Molly, Chance and Braden make in the novel.
Happy holidays!
Cathy Gillen Thacker

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BOOKS & SPOONS REVIEW

Cathy Gillen Thacker is a popular Harlequin author of over one hundred novels.  Married and a mother of three, she and her husband resided in Texas for eighteen years, and now make their home in North Carolina.  Her mysteries, romantic comedies, and family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward is knowing one of her books made someone’s day a little brighter.
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