Blog Tour: Then, Again by

Title: Then, Again

By: Karen Stivali

My Copy: Ebook for Tour

BookWhisperer Rating:

Sometimes you have to lose it all to find what you really need.

Photographer Kay Turner is dealt a double whammy when she flies home for her grandmother’s funeral to find her boyfriend with another woman. Now with two losses to mourn, she retreats to her newly inherited beach house to clear her head.

Everything at the beach is familiar: the sounds of the ocean, the scent of her grandmother’s perfume—and the irresistible smile of James Margolis. The man Kay spent her adolescence pining for is every bit as charming as she remembers.

James always thought of Kay as “a nice kid”, but he feels something very different for the woman she’s become. Especially when he asks if she’d be willing to part with some of her grandmother’s recipes for his new restaurant—and they wind up sharing much more than culinary secrets.

But as their relationship deepens, Kay finds herself caught between the demands of her dream career as a travel photographer, and a chance for happiness with the one man she’s wanted for a lifetime.

Warning: This foodie romance contains sensual scone baking, a heroine who discovers one bad apple hasn’t spoiled her appetite, and a delicious hero you can’t help but crave. Blend well, serve hot.

Then Again was a second chance romance, and am excellent one at that. Katen Stivali offers a hot and steamy romance that will leave readers wanting more. She knows how to leave you emtionally charged, and will relentlessly taking on this endless rollercoaster of love. I loved both of these characters. What is not to love about Kay. Everything about her is all natural, and a honest character. Struggling with her longterm crush is a very awkard situation, but she handles it with style and grace. Then, we have James. This was a fated love from the start, and it obvious why with a story of a little girl crush and the moment where he eventually takes notice. That allow is an inticing story line, but when he find a man as gorgeous and perfect it becomes the romance book are written about.. LOL! I can not wait to see more from this author.

About the Author:

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking extravagant meals and serving them to family and friends, who never seem to mind the excessive quantities she tends to prepare. She attributes her ability to multitask to the fact that she rarely sleeps, which gives her more hours every day. Prior to deciding to write full time Karen worked as a hand drawn animator, a clinical therapist, and held various food-related jobs ranging from waitress to specialty cake maker. Planning elaborate parties and fundraisers takes up what's left of her time and sanity.

Karen has always been fascinated by the way people relate to one another so she favors books and movies that feature richly detailed characters and their relationships. In her own writing she likes to explore the dynamics between characters and has a tendency to craft romantic tales filled with sarcasm and sexy details. Although she writes in three genres (erotic romance, contemporary romance and

women's fiction) all of her stories are love stories with happily ever after endings.

Karen has published several erotic romance novels with Ellora's Cave including two award winning stories: Always You (published September 2011, First Place Winner of the RWA Passionate Plume Award - 2012)and Marry Me (published June 2012, First Place Winner in the NEC-RWA Bean Pot Reader's Choice Award - 2013).

Her works of women's fiction, Meant To Be, and its sequel, Holding On, (published by Turquoise Morning Press in August and November 2012, respectively) both made multiple Best of 2012 lists and are rated as true gems and recommended reads.

Karen's latest release, Then, Again is a contemporary foodie romance published by Samhain Publishing.

To learn more about Karen and all her upcoming books you can visit her website karenstivali.com where she blogs original recipes, sassy commentary on The Bachelor, and tidbits about her journey in the writing world. Karen can also be found attempting witty banter on Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/karenstivali

Author Links

Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/karenstivali

Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/karenstivali

Website. http://karenstivali.com/

Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5170527.Karen_Stivali

Publisher http://www.samhainpublishing.com/

Review: Infinity by Sedona Venez

Title: Infinity

By: Sedona Venez

My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley

BookWhisperer Rating:

Infinity discovers a dark secret from her past that rocks everything she knows to be true.
A troubled 22-year-old superstar singer, Infinity has a bad reputation for drugs and hard partying. Now, she is on the road to a comeback with her controversial tour. But everything about doing the concert feels wrong from missing employees, to anonymous threats about ruining her career. She is dealing with a powerful corporation that is determined to kill her and everyone she loves. She is also battling for control of her life and career from a relationship that crossed the fine line between love and obsession. Infinity knows too much, even though she doesn't realize it. Secrets have been kept and these secrets are powerful enough to destroy her and everyone she loves.
Now she must put her safety and trust in the hands of sexy, tattooed and delicious Torch Channing and Boulder Vigari, hired to keep her from getting killed. Boulder wants to make her his. He won't stop until he claims her. Torch struggles with his primal need to possess her and his hatred of everything she represents.
Infinity is determined to protect her heart while dealing with the pressure of pulling off another successful tour without spiraling into another mental meltdown.

I wanted to like this book so much… I had been eagerly anticipating getting this story started, and at the start I was really into Infinity and her story. As the story progressed the story seemed to fall off, and lose whatever momentum it had gained. Infinity’s character is witty and smart, but her character alone was not enough to carry the story through. The pace was so slow that I felt this story could have actually been told in half the pages, and it would have probably helped readers to like it just a little more. I am glad to be done, but sorry that I could not have had more positive things to say about it. I conclude to chalk this up as a book that wasn’t for us.

Review: Pieces of You by Cassia Leo

Title: Pieces of You (Shattered Hearts #2)
By: Cassia Leo
Series: Shattered Hearts
My Copy: Ebook from Publisher
Book Whisperer Rating: 

In Relentless, college student Claire Nixon and surfer Adam Parker each had a painful past too heavy to carry alone. Claire tried to push Adam away, but Adam's relentless pursuit of her heart and her secrets made her walls come crumbling down.

Though their hearts will never be whole again, Claire and Adam now know they are stronger together than they are apart.

But now Claire's attending college a hundred miles away from Adam. With their relationship already hanging by a thread, Adam is sent to Hawaii on business.

And rock star Chris Knight is back in Claire's life.

Chris wants his ex-girlfriend back and he knows just how to get her: only he has the power to mend the final missing piece of Claire's broken heart. Now Claire must choose between a long-distance relationship with Adam and a second chance at love, family, and home.

What an emotional rollercoaster Leo just took me on!  I can’t believe what I read just happened!  Everything about this book tore me apart.  Every main character made me want to hug them, then slap them, then I fell in love with them all over again.  I was torn, right along with Claire, on who is the best man for her.

Some chapters were told from Adam’s POV and you truly got to see how in love Adam was with Claire.  His love for her was so deep that when he went for Hawaii, it was like his life stopped.  He could function on his daily tasks but it was like his spark was smothered when he could not be by Claire’s side.  I also felt that I, as the reader, saw Adam really mature during this book.  He is not only thinking about himself, but also thinking about Claire and their future together.  (As you can tell, I am Team Adam.)

And then there was Chris.  His chapter’s showed you his long love for Claire and how he was willing to fight to with every ounce of his being to get her back.  He puts aside his career to hopefully start something again with Claire and possibly get his family back. 

Oh my, poor Claire.  My heart hurt from all the torture she has been through and what more she will have to endure.  Leo writes her POV so perfectly that you see her struggling who is the right one for her.

Such a great second book in the “Shattered Heart” series and I cannot wait until the third and hopefully we can see what the future holds for Claire, Adam, Chris, and Abby.

Review: Rock with Me by Kristen Proby

Title: Rock with Me
By: Kristen Proby
Series: With Me in Seattle #4
My Copy: Ebook by Publisher
Book Whisperer's Rating: 

Front Man Leo Nash from the world-famous rock band, Nash, is the last person on earth Samantha Williams would trust. She's already learned about loving a celebrity the hard way and isn't signing up for another lesson.

Every time Sam gives Leo attitude, he wants to knock that chip off her fragile little shoulder. What the hell did he ever do to her, anyway? He's not used to women treating him like he's poisonous, and he isn't about to let her run away every time he gets close. He's had enough of people running away to last him a lifetime...when this one runs, he gives chase. But, catching Sam isn't as hard as he thought.

The sexual attraction between them is so thick, Sam can practically hold it in her hand. There's no way she can deny herself the promise of pleasure being with Leo would provide.

But, pleasure always comes with pain and when secrets are revealed and trust is challenged, who will run and who will chase?

I read Come Away With Me (the first book in the series) and had a hard time getting into the character and the plot line and was a little nervous to start RWM.  After finishing, there was no need to be nervous because RWM rocked.  I loved Leo…so, so much and after meeting Sam in the first book, I did not want to read about her in the fourth, however my thoughts turned around about her in this book. 

This book was hot! The characters were hot, the plot was hot, just hot.  Her want for him in the beginning and her refusal to give in because of his life, his fame, and just him made me love it when Leo worked so hard to just be beside her.  Their relationship was sexy and fun.  I had a blast reading about how their relationship built itself into solid foundation while they struggled with Sam’s barriers, Leo’s fame, and those crazy family and friends.

I wish I had read book 2 and 3 in the series because I was a little lost on who was who in the beginning.  I am really looking forward to reading the 5^th book.  Sign me up!

Review: Facade by Nyrae Dawn

Title: Facade
By Nyrae Dawn
Series: Game #2
My Copy: Netgalley
Book Whisperer's Rating: 

Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?

I absolutely loved Charade and could not wait to get my hands on Façade when it came out.  I loved Adrian in the first book as a side character and I knew, I just knew, he would be wonderful as a main character and let me say, I WAS NOT LET DOWN!  Nyrae Dawn rocked this book!  I sat and heart ached while reading it and tears actually formed.  I cried while reading this book! 

Façade explains so much of why Adrian is the way he was in the first book.  You really get to know him and understand him better all while Dawn rips out your heart because of her fantastic plot and writing.  I never guessed how Ashton was woven into this plot until Dawn revealed it and it blew my mind.  Of course, that is when the tears came. 

Laney was a perfect character to get to know Adrian (that which he allowed to show) and was all around a good-hearted girl.  To read her background story and see how troubled her past was (and still is) made me realize that her and Adrian were meant to be.  They were not these cookie cutter people, whose world is always beautiful and their get-together is beautiful.  Their lives are dark and it is a struggle between both of them to make anything out of their relationship (even though it comes easy between them…I know, it is confusing but it will make sense when you read it.) 

Such a heart wrenching book and I loved every second of reading it and getting to feel all the emotions of the main characters.  

Oh, the third book is about Maddox and I need it right now!  :)

Review: Down and Dirty by Christine Bell

Title: Down and Dirty
By: Christine Bell
Series: Dare Me #2
My Copy: Amazon.com
Book Whisperer's Rating:

He was a dare she’d never been able to resist…

Cat Thomas has never been the kind of girl to stick. A self-professed infatuation junky, she latches on the newest, hottest guy on the block, then finds a reason—real or imagined—to dump him. When she accepts a dare to rekindle her high school flame and jump in bed with her brother’s best friend, Shane Decker, she knows she’s in trouble. She can’t resist the man, even after all these years apart, and that just won’t do.

Shane has come back to town for a couple reasons. The biggest one? He’s tired of living away from those he loves, including Cat. But now she’s spooked and will do anything to drive a wedge between them, including trying to fix him up with other women through an online dating service.

What does he have to do to make her see that settling down doesn’t mean settling, and he’s ready to spend a lifetime proving it?

First off, I would like to express how much I need a Shane in my life…WOWZERS!  This book is all kinds of hot wrapped up into a short novel.  Down and Dirty shed a whole new light onto Cat and I found myself loving her character just as much as I loved Lacey’s character in the first Dare Me. 

Cat’s attitude towards Shane at first was very rocky and you know that kind of attitude always makes the best get-togethers.  But with more interaction between the two, things slowly start to turn into something more (okay, I lied...a lot more that is super sexy!)

Spoilers

My absolute favorite parts were: Cat choking and falling down the icy stairs to which Shane saves her from both, the hotel scene (oh la la),  setting up Shane with an online dating profile and she kept telling him to stay away from all the hot girls and go for the ugly girls, and the search and rescue close to the end. 

I absolutely loved it and I hope there is a third book rolling around in Bell’s head.

Review: Chase by Chantal Fernando and Dawn Martens

Title: Chase
By: Chantal Fernando and Dawn Martens
Series: Resisting Love #1
My Copy: Ebook by Author
Book Whisperer Rating: 3/5

Moving in with a guy you only met once? Stupid.

But for student Layla Crawford, this was reality.

Chase Jackson is a renowned playboy and self professed commitment phobe, that is until he meets Layla.

Blinded by his intensity to have her, Chase will stop at nothing to make her his.

With a jealous ex and old conquests repeatedly making appearances, Chase' s skeletons come out of the closet one by one, each one pushing Layla further and further away.

Layla is determined to keep her distance. Chase now has to convince the only woman he has ever wanted that he is worth the gamble.

This is Fernando and Martens’ first book and I think that they did a fine job (seeing as I could never write a book, I can just read them and fall in love with the characters.) 

I found myself hating Chase for a long time before I eventually decided that he was an all around good guy, however that was towards the end of the book.  Because I wanted to tell Chase off for most of the book, it was hard for me to get into the connection that Layla and Chase had right off the bat.  At first, it is just this intense connection with nothing happening to support it (although you find out later why Chase felt that connection towards Layla and it started to make more sense) but it had me stunned that this deep love bloomed out of nowhere (this also includes her connection with James and Kade.)  I will say that I am jealous of Layla for being able to walk into a house filled with three hot men and is able to win them over in a matter of minutes. J

Once I found my love for Chase, the book started to flow better and I found myself all right with the fast pace of the book after that.  I will say that I am intrigued by what the next book will bring with the background of Kade’s story and I am curious to know why James was so mysterious at times in the first book.