Release Day Launch: Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee

Title: Escaping Me

By: Elizabeth Lee

All she wanted to do was forget. Forget the memory of walking in on her boyfriend in the middle of, well, another girl. Forget how she had her entire life planned out. And, forget about being perfect all the time. Unfortunately, she was Whitney Vandaveer and despite the fact that she moved to the middle of nowhere—she couldn't.

He always knew he would never be more than nothing. No job, no money, no future. Cole Pritchett had accepted the fact that he would always be the screw up and he was okay with it. Until he met her.

Here's the thing they quickly found out—sometimes we all need a little help escaping who we think we are.

When I'm not writing or playing the part of wife and mother, you can find me dancing back-up for Beyonce, singing back-up for Miranda, or sunning myself on the beach with a drink in hand.  Here's the thing about being born and raised in a small town—you have a very vivid imagination!  Now, I channel it all to create stories where the girl always ends up with the right guy, first kisses are magical, and a happy ending is just that!

Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizabethleewrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/elwrites

Website: http://elizabethleewrites.blogspot.com

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6542627.Elizabeth_Lee

Novel Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17854029-escaping-me?ac=1

Make sure to check out the giveaway for this wonderful Release Day Launch....

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Cover Reveal: One of the Guys

Title: One of the Guys

By: Ashley Johnson

More about the book:
Samantha (Sam) Montgomery's life changed in an instant. One minute you think you know someone and the next they are a stranger. When forced to make a decision, she ended up alone. All. Alone. 

One step inside a gym was all it took. It was all she needed to get her on her feet. An escape in the ring. She was more determined than ever to move on, to forget her home life, to forget the guy she left behind. Until she saw those blue eyes.

Cole Johnson wants nothing more than to spend his time training and dominating in the ring. It's what he's good at. It's what he does. He has no desire to be entangled in a relationship. But one look at Sam and he's gone. 

Walls will be broken down, trust will be earned and love just may conquer. Or is she just One Of The Guys?

Review: No Reverse by Marion Croslydon

Title: No Reverse
By: Marion Croslydon
My Copy: Ebook from Author
Book Whisperer's Rating: 

A girl who needs to undo the past.

A boy who wants to forget it.

In love, there’s no way back.

At high school in Steep Hill, Kansas, Cassie O’Malley and Josh MacBride were the poster couple for quarterback/cheerleader romance until they starred in their own tale of teen pregnancy. No need to say: their shotgun wedding was low-key. But when there was no baby anymore, they went their separate ways.

Five years later, Josh has breezed through Georgetown and is about to finish his post-grad degree at Oxford University. He is set to join a lobbying group on Capitol Hill, owned by his new fiancée’s father. For Josh, the sky is now the limit… only he must first take care of a tiny legal matter: technically, he’s still married to the girl who broke his heart.

Meanwhile, Cassie has been waiting tables in Steep Hill to pay for her sick grandmother’s care. On the day of the old lady’s funeral, Cassie is served with two sets of papers. Josh is asking for a divorce. Her heart squeezes, but, well, he moved on a long time ago. But the second envelope shakes Cassie to the core. So, for the first time, she leaves Kansas and heads to good ol’ England.

There, Cassie finds that Josh has not just “moved on,” he’s freakin’ engaged to some blue-blooded heiress. The feelings Cassie had buried deep rush back to her. But no matter if he keeps thrusting the divorce papers under her nose, she needs him to save the only person she loves more than Josh, more than life itself…

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME! I feel all kinds of things after reading this book.  I didn’t imagine for it to be so raw and painful but sprinkled with hope and love. 

A little warning…because if you are anything like me, you wouldn’t know how to handle your emotions while reading this (and after reading it.)  No Reverse was a great book that took me on some ups and downs in a matter of paragraphs.  Things would be unicorns and chocolate and then in the next paragraph it would be sad and hurtful.  Books like these always become one of my recommended selections because they just don’t have all happiness, they show the grit of the world and the repercussions of mistakes made.

I SERIOUSLY wanted to tell Cassie and Josh just how they needed to live their life.  It was like I knew what right choices needed to be made as an outsider and I wanted to make those choices for them.  However, things didn’t quite go as I would have chosen and let me tell you I would be come so angry because I knew what would bring them happiness…my choices would bring them happiness.  But then in the next chapter things would start to smooth out, only to be wrinkled up again.

A great book, check it out!  Also, just a heads up, there will me more books to come on these characters.

Review: Slow Summer Burn by Elisabeth Barrett

Title: Slow Summer Burn
By: Elisabeth Barrett
Series: Star Harbor #4
My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley
Book Whisperer's Rating: 

Val Grayson has been a strong, steady presence in his younger brothers’ lives. Now that the other Grayson men have settled down, Val is able to focus on himself … and he has gorgeous, privileged Cameron Stahl in his sights. Cam has just opened her second antique store in Star Harbor and is more than receptive to sexy-as-sin Val’s advances. But Cam’s family isn’t too keen on their precious daughter dating a DEA agent. It’ll be up to Val to convince Cam–and himself–that he’s worth it. And man, is he worth it!

Slow Summer Burn is book number four in the Star Harbor series and go ahead and ask if I have read number one, two, or three yet….sure haven’t.  It seems like lately I like to read things out of order. J 

Although I really didn’t know Val’s brothers and their chosen women, I didn’t have to get into the Graysons’ stories.  All the Grayson men seem absolutely delectable including Val.  Who doesn’t love a DEA agent who is super sexy?!  He was handsome, protective, and built!

What I liked about this book was that the characters were really down to earth.  Cameron, a high society individual, didn’t act snobby or stick her nose in the air around others.  She was very polite and easy to love.  How she got along with Val’s brothers was perfect; the perfect method to wiggle her way into Val’s heart.  Val, a very working and family dedicated man, is not seen as a high society man in Cameron’s mother’s eyes but he could hold his own against her family and showed true love to Cam. 

This story gave me a glimmer of hope because Val and Cam are an unlikely pair who fall in love and work hard to stay together when society and duty tries to rip them apart.  

Review: Branded by Abi Ketner

Title: Branded
By: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Series: Sinners Book #1
My Copy: Ebook from Author
BookWhisperer Rating:

Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

I seem to have fallen into a bit of a reading rut lately. I now believe that was due to all of the similar stories that were lining up for me. Branded was exactly what I needed with it's taste of adventure and danger. Lexi is a thrilling character to follow, and her unstoppable drive is empowering. It was easy to see from the start that this story was include a side story of romance, and I was a little discouraged at it's presentation. For a girl, with this tremendous amount of abuse and emotional scarring I was reluctant to fully accept the easy development of this romance. In the end I have to say that this book kept me on the edge of my seat, and was a brilliant display of talent for Abi Ketner. This was noticeably a new author, but I look for a bright future with this kind of creativity. The end fully guarantees more for this series, and I am anxious to see just what that will be. ~BookWhisperer Reviewer JO~

Cover Reveal: Breaking the Storm

Breaking the Storm
By: Sedona Venez
Series: Credence Curse, Book 1
Genre: New Adult/Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: One Wish Publishing
Date of Publication: August 6, 2013

Book Description:

THE CURSE

Stormy Credence was destined to succumb to the Credence family curse—they all did.

THE PASSION

When Stormy meets sexy band front man Knox Gunner, there’s no denying him. Willing to take a chance on love, Stormy breaks the most important Credence rule, no relationships—ever—a mistake that results in heartbreaking devastation.

THE GAME

Stormy is put to the test one more time, when the one man that she never wanted to see again—‘Rock Star’ Knox Gunner comes blowing back into her life—back to claim what’s his—Stormy. This time he will stop at nothing to prove that she belongs to him in every sense of the word…

Add it to your Goodreads To-Read List

About the Author:

Sedona Venez writes New Adult and Adult fiction novels inspired by her love of music, tattoos and sexy musicians.Sedona can be found online in all the usual haunts: 

Her Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Review: Wicked Beat by Olivia Cunning

Title: Wicked Beat
By: Olivia Cunning
Series: Sinners on Tour #4
My Copy: Ebook on Netgalley
Book Whisperer's Rating:

From the moment he lays eyes on Sinners’ new front of house soundboard operator, drummer Eric Sticks knows he has to make Rebekah his. Unfortunately, she’s too busy trying to seduce guitarist Trey Mills to pay him much attention. Rebekah never planned to fall for the tall, goofy drummer with the weird sense of humor and a heart the size of the galaxy. But Eric makes her laugh and his constant attention makes her feel sexy and irresistible–exactly what she needs after the things her last lover said to her. A woman who gives as much as she takes, Rebekah makes Eric feel like a total stud–exactly what he needs after surviving a decade of watching the incredibly talented members of Sinners from the wings.

Straight off, the only part of this book that I am ignoring in my rating is Rebekah’s mother quoting scripture in a crazy way.  To me, it put a negative light on Christianity and scripture and I felt like it would lower my rating including that part of the story so I am just going to ignore it.

What I am not going to ignore are the absolute hotness of these boys that make up the band.  Holy moley!  These boys are straight up dirty, sexy, and fun and I found myself shocked (many times) at what they were all willing to do or have done in the past.  Granted, I have only read number four in this series so I don’t know the entire background to the other characters but I couldn’t help but love them in Wicked Beat.

Rebekah and Eric’s playfulness at the beginning was really cute but when the action starts (and let me tell you, it starts off kinda sweet for about two seconds) their moments are insanely hot.  There was not a scene where I thought, “Oh, that moment between them was blah.”  Never happened!  It was always sizzling!

I enjoyed that at first, Rebekah sought after Trey but had a little thing on the side with Eric until it became a full, passionate relationship.  It made me feel like Rebekah had her feet placed firmly on the ground by realizing that Eric had more substance for her than Trey did.

Wicked Beat was a sexy, hot book and I am sure the rest of the series is just about the same.  In fact, I want to start from the beginning and continue the series as they come out.

Review: Marine with Benefits by Heather Long

Title: Marine with Benefits
By: Heather Long
My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley
Book Whisperer's Rating:

She’s his best friend’s sister…

From cradle to grave, Derek and Keith grew up together, enlisted, served, and rose through the ranks together. When Keith died in the field, the last thing he asked was for Derek to keep watch over his sister. But every time Derek is around Kara, he wants to touch her. A promise stands between them and he refuses to seduce his best friend’s baby sister. Determined to get her out of his mind, he signs up for a one-night stand.

He’s the one she wants…

Ever since Kara ran into a shirtless Derek, she’s known he was the one. He promised to bring her brother home and he was there for her at his funeral. But he remains unattainable, no matter their chemistry. Frustrated, she takes a girlfriend’s advice and signs up for a one-night stand.

The last person they expected…

Dressed to kill, Kara doesn’t know whether to scream or cry when Derek turns out to be her date. He’s furious that she’d sign up for a night of sex with a perfect stranger, but together their reunion is combustible and neither can deny the power of their attraction.

He may have been her brother’s best friend, but she wants him to be her Marine with Benefits.

I love me some story lines with the older brother’s best friend is in love with the little sister.  You just can’t go wrong on that plot line.  That is exactly what Marine with Benefits was except the twist that they have both signed up for a one-night stand and do not realize that their date is each other until show time.  It is a super quick story to read about a forbidden love (Keith refused to let Derek be anything but Kara’s friend) that gets hot when the truth comes out.