Today’s theme for 1 Line Wednesday, sponsored by RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter is Anger. Here’s a line from Chapter 28 of The Invasion, book 4 in The Union Series, from Cyrus’s POV.
My fingers brush against the angry scars on her back, and she freezes at the same time I do.
You can see previous week’s themes and lines here.
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Welcome to the blog tour for The Lunam Ceremony, the first book in the paranormal/urban fantasy romance series, Lunam by Nicole Loufas. See below for information on the book, buy links, the book’s playlist, and details on her giveaway.
The Lunam Ceremony (Lunam #1) by Nicole Loufas
About the Book
Title: The Lunam Ceremony
Series: Lunam #1
Author: Nicole Loufas
Release Date: April 3, 2016
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Synopsis
Born from a curse that allows her kind to shift from human to wolf, Kalysia won the genetic lottery. She is the offspring of an original, born to lead and bound by her duty to produce an heir to continue their bloodline she must leave the only life she has ever known to take part in The Lunam Ceremony. This ancient ritual will solidify her place in the pack and determine who she will love for the rest of her life. There’s just one problem – Kalysia doesn’t believe in love.
That changes when she falls into the hands of Dillan Dukes. The attraction is undeniable. The connection unbreakable. He is everything love at first site is supposed to be, suddenly her future doesn’t look that bad.
Unwilling to give up hope on going to college and having the life her and Dillan fantasize about outside the pack, she reluctantly takes on the role as pack leader. When an unexpected proposal is made that will grant both Dillan and Kalysia their freedom she is willing to put her ego, and her heart aside, to make her dream come true.
One night.
One act of selflessness.
For the life she’s always dreamt about.
Only things are not what they seem.
Can Kalysia and Dillan find happily ever after with the consequences of that night haunting them forever?
Will one fateful night destroy Kalysia’s future along with the future of the pack?
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Playlist (Spotify)
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Author Nicole Loufas
About the Author
Nicole was born and raised in California. She claims to be a San Francisco native, however she’s lived in both Northern and Southern California. She credits her creativity to the fact that she attended 12 schools between kindergarten and her senior year in high school. Her nomadic childhood allowed her to reinvent herself often. Some might say she was a liar. While others see the stories she told as a coping mechanism. Twelve schools, in six cities, in twelve years – give her a break. Today she channels her storytelling ability into writing novels. Long story short – kids that lie become writers..
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Where to Find Nicole Loufas
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
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Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Winging It (Corrigan Falls Raiders #3) by cate Cameron
Synopsis
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, ice-melting kisses, and a swoon-worthy hero. This fake relationship romance will have you wishing for a hockey player of your own…
Natalie West and Toby Cooper were best friends growing up, on and off the ice. But when Toby’s hockey career took off, their friendship was left behind. Now Natalie has a crazy plan to land her crush—Toby’s biggest rival—and she needs Toby’s help to pull it off.
When Nat asks Toby to be her fake boyfriend, he can’t say no. Not when it means getting his best friend back. But Natalie is all grown up now, and spending time with her—even when it’s just playing hockey together—stirs up a lot of feelings, old and new. Suddenly pretending to be interested in her isn’t hard at all…if only she wanted him and not his enemy.
Hockey tore them apart. Can it put them back together?
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My Review
Winging It is my favorite book in the series so far. I’m a big fan of friends-to-more stories, Toby is utterly adorable, and I love Nat. She isn’t just interested in a hockey player, she IS one. Nat and Toby were best friends on and off the ice when they were younger, but after puberty and boys and girls no longer played on the same team, their friendship drifted into acquaintance territory. At least until Nat sees a chance to enlist Toby’s help to attract the attention of Toby’s uber-hot cousin, Scott, who just moved back to town. Scott has a thing for Toby’s girlfriends, so by pretending to date Toby, Nat hopes to snare Scott. But being with Toby again, their friendship always so easy, Nat feels conflicted for a variety of reasons. Maybe she feels something more for Toby than just friendship. And just maybe he does, too.
Plot
I loved the plot. Not just the love triangle, which was a little different than some others I’ve read recently, but the hockey subplot. I absolutely adore that Natalie was an athlete with her own hopes and dreams. Being a girl in a hockey town where boys’ hockey is revered and girls’ hockey is a hobby, only made it that much more delicious. I enjoyed how author, Cate Cameron, wove everything together as Toby genuinely wants to help Nat with her game skills, even though he knows she’s just using him to get to his jerk of a cousin. So much angst in this story, and I so love my teen angst.
Characters
Toby is my favorite Corrigan Falls Raider. There I said it. Yep, he may not be the most talented, but he’s the most adorable. And Nat may not be petite and girlie, but I love her even more for her shin pads and hockey stick. The only thing about Nat that really bothered me was the fact that she was so obsessed with someone like Scott. I know teens can be shallow at times, but it seemed a bit out of character for her, but then again, who isn’t at some point drawn to the jerk just because he has a pretty face?
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. A little more kissing would have been nice, but that’s about all I can complain about.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Winging It
1. Toby. He’s sweet, charming, and funny without being perfect.
2. Nat. I love her hockey-playing bad self.
3. Dawn. Toby’s ex-girlfriend was really more of a friend, doing her best to set up Toby and Nat. While an ex trying to set up her ex seems weird on the surface, it made sense to me in the context of these characters.
4. Friends to more than friends. One of my favorite tropes.
5. The hockey. I loved seeing it from both sides this time.
Bottom Line
My favorite book in the series so far with fantastic characters and fun plot that moves along at a steady pace.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: Winging It
Series: Corrigan Falls Raiders #3
Author: Cate Cameron
Publisher: Entangled Crush
Pages: 162
Category: Young Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled
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About the Author
Cate Cameron grew up in the city but moved to the country in her mid-twenties and isn’t looking back. Most of her writing deals with people living and loving in small towns or right out in the sticks—when there aren’t entertainment options on every corner, other people get a lot more interesting!
She likes to write stories about real people struggling with real issues. YA, NA, or contemporary romance, her books are connected by their emphasis on subtle humor and characters who are trying to do the right thing, even when it would be a lot easier to do something wrong.
Where to find Cate Cameron
Goodreads | Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
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How to be Cool by Annie Carr
Synopsis
Ethan will never be as cool as his twin brother Alex. Alex is a star football player and president of the senior class, while Ethan was born with cerebral palsy and needs crutches to walk.
Laura will never be as cool as her perfect older sister Nikki. Nikki is everything Laura isn’t—confident and gorgeous… until one night when Nikki is brutally raped and hospitalized, and Laura finds comfort in her new friend Ethan.
Together, Ethan and Laura realize maybe you don’t need to be cool to be happy. Or to fall in love.
And then a revelation about the attack shatters everything…
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My Review
I’m conflicted over this book. There was so much to love, but so much that didn’t sit well. I ended up giving it three-and-a-half stars because it earned them for the really great stuff. First, the two main characters are different from your average young adult hero and heroine. Ethan has cerebral palsy and limited use of his legs. Laura is chubby and less than perfect. These two were easy to like with all of their insecurities and flaws. Most teen characters are tough on themselves because they can be. But in this case, Laura and Ethan have legitimate issues that shape their self-esteem. And not just because the rest of the student body reminds them of their flaws on pretty much a regular basis. Laura’s older sister is everything Laura isn’t. Pretty, thin, perfect. Ethan’s identical twin brother is everything Ethan isn’t. Popular, athletic, class president.
When Laura’s sister is brutally raped and beaten, Ethan becomes nearly obsessed with Laura and the two of them begin a whirlwind romance that intensifies with time until a secret is revealed about who was with Laura’s sister the night she was attacked that threatens to tear Ethan and Laura apart.
Plot
The plot is slower than I’d hoped and drags in more than a few places. It never reached the point where I just couldn’t put it down. Granted it’s a romance, but it was missing some of that angsty tug that young adult romances can have.
Characters
I definitely loved the main characters. They were three-dimensional, experienced adequate growth, and carried the story. However, the parents were so flat, they might as well have not existed. Alex, Ethan’s twin, and Nikki, Laura’s sister, were stereotypical and a little more than halfway through, we suddenly got Alex’s point of view, which was weird and totally unnecessary.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The pacing. It was slow throughout.
2. Secondary characters. They were flat and underdeveloped.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About How to be Cool
1. Laura and Ethan. They had adorableness in spades and carried the story.
2. Teen angst based on actual rather than perceived issues that made the characters even more endearing.
3. The ending. I love that it wasn’t a happily ever after as much as a realistically ever after.
4. Staying true to the characters. I loved that the author never felt as if she needed to “fix” her main characters. Laura didn’t diet and lose a bunch of weight, Ethan didn’t get eye surgery and suddenly no longer need his glasses. They were who they were, physical flaws and all. Their growth was learning to accept those, rather than trying to change them.
5. Teen love. The author does an amazing job of capturing the intensity of first love with all of its deep feelings and insecurities.
Bottom Line
How to be Cool is a story of first loves and learning to accept yourself.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: How to be Cool
Author: Annie Carr
Publisher: Cascade Press
Pages: 194
Category: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
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Today’s theme for 1 Line Wednesday, sponsored by RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter is Opening Lines. Here’s the opening line from chapter 2 of my WIP, a young adult superhero novel, Superhero High.
Screw house arrest, I’m going to that party. I head into my closet and change into my black stretchy miniskirt, a cropped white tank and sheer lace T.
You can see previous week’s themes and lines here.
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Welcome to the blog tour for Hatred Day, the first book in the young adult futuristic science fiction/fantasy series, Hatred Day, by T.S. Pettibone. See below for information on the book, buy links, and the book’s playlist.
Hatred Day (Hatred Day #1) by T.S. Pettibone
About the Book
Title: Hatred Day
Series: Hatred Day #1
Author: T.S. Pettibone
Publisher: Chrysanthalix Press
Release Date: January 19, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis
In the year 2052, it’s not love but hate that unites the world. Humanity is unified against the Inborns, an extraterrestrial species with godlike intelligence and abilities whose arrival on earth caused an environmental and biological crisis.
Enslaved and despised even by her own Inbornkind, 18-year-old Snofrid reawakens to the world after having her memories stolen and is certain of only one thing: she will do anything to ensure her freedom. But her resolution is soon tested when the son of a high-ranking human official is murdered and her home city becomes the center of the interspecies war, one that might see the Inborns purged. Desperate to find a way out of the city for herself and her family, Snofrid risks making a deal with the manipulative Inborn Commander, Hadrian, and his brutal cadre of soldiers. Her task is simple: take part in a historic hunt that will bring wealth and fame to all who survive. Unfortunately, Snofrid’s role is one in which survival is rarely seen—the bait.
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Writing Playlist
1. Cold by Jorge Mendez
2. Flight Over Venice by Jesper Kyd
3. Time by Hans Zimmer
4. Skinny Love by Bon Iver
5. The Empty Bottle by Archive
6. Wait by M83
7. Deliverance (Instrumental Version) by Tarja
8. Torture by Les Friction
9. Once Upon a Time in the West by Ennio Morricone
10. The Sound of Silence (Cover) by Disturbed
11. The Fifth Guardian by Epica
12. Knocking on Heaven’s Door by Antony and the Johnsons
13. Forgiven by Within Temptation
14. Save Me by Globus
15. Ruska by Apocalyptica
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Authors T.S. Pettibone
About the Author
T.S. Pettibone are the authors of The Hatred Day Series. Expected publication for book two, Verdict Day, is 2017.
T.S. Pettibone is the pen name of identical twins, Brittany and Nicole Pettibone. They were born in California, grew up in Kansas, and these days, live and write in California. On the rare occasion that they break from writing, they enjoy taking their dog on night walks, reading books by long deceased authors, drinking too much coffee and tea, traveling the world, making friends out of strangers and trying new things.
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Where to Find T.S. Pettibone
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
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Love Target by Heidi Loeb Hegerich
Synopsis
Teenager Ingrid Liebschreiber is devastated when her parents move the family from their native Munich to Los Angeles in the late 1950s. Homesick, she accepts a neighbor’s offer to get her a job as a showgirl in Las Vegas. Intent on earning enough money to return to Germany, she must grow up quickly in the neon jungle — where she is pursued by high rollers and headliners, including a vacationing Elvis.
Life’s twists and turns land Ingrid in New York in the Swinging 1960s — where she is romanced by Armand: a strong, quiet, handsome businessman in “construction.” Most girls dream of Mr. Right, and Ingrid’s hard-won independence is challenged when she falls in love.
Will she find true romance — a man who can love her as much as she loves him? Or is “happily ever after” just a crazy fairytale?
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My Review
The book covers two plus decades of young Ingrid’s life over 400+ pages. From Germany to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and back to LA through Vegas, Ingrid begins as a naive teen, a pawn in scheming men’s games, eventually becoming her own woman. The story is engaging, filled with a lot of intriguing characters and historical events told through the eyes of a German immigrant. But the main character, Ingrid, lacks a moral compass most of the time, making it very difficult for me to like her. She’s loyal, but only to a certain point. She has no qualms about sleeping with married men, although I do think she’d draw the line at a friend’s husband. And yet she has the nerve to be scorned when the same married men sleep with other women who aren’t their wives. Yeah, no sympathy from me, there.
She serves her own ends first and foremost, although, as I said, she is loyal to those she loves. Her mother, whom she calls Mutti, her close friends, the men she’s sleeping with (all of them I’m pretty sure have wives, but there might have been one or two that didn’t), and ultimately her son. But the way she lies and schemes to get what she wants for her and those she loves makes her unsympathetic. However, as much as I didn’t care for her character, I did find her absolutely fascinating and couldn’t help but read her story. I didn’t hate her, either and never found myself hoping she’d get a taste of her own medicine. But when she finally did, I didn’t feel any kind of satisfaction. I just felt sad for all parties involved.
Maybe because I was too young to appreciate the swinging sixties, barely a toddler at the height of it, I couldn’t fully engage in the world in which Ingrid inhabited. I was too young to understand how the Kennedy assassinations changed everything, or the true ugliness of segregation. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading about it.
Plot
This is almost exclusively a character-driven story. The plot is very loose. The basic story question is whether Ingrid will find lasting love before the final page. But there’s a lot that happens in the intervening 429 pages, none of it dull. The story unfolds like a great American roadtrip from the 1970s. You never know what the next day or adventure will bring, but if you’re open to anything, you might not be disappointed. Ingrid’s life wends and flows around curves, introducing her to new sights, experiences, and lots and lots of risky sex, that wasn’t really considered risky back then.
Characters
The characters are interesting, even if some of them are stereotypical. Most of them are rather self-absorbed and egotistical, but that doesn’t make them boring. They’re well-developed and all serve a purpose. About the only thing I noticed that bothered with me is the way they all sounded exactly the same with the exception of the mobbed-up guys in New York. They all had the same speech patterns. They all sounded like Ingrid. And considering she was telling the story and it comes through a filter of bilingualism, it may have actually been intentional on the author’s part, but I noticed it a lot, and it took me out of the story and made me think about it more than it should have.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The story is long and it took me a while to get into it. I really became engaged once Ingrid got into her backstory in Germany. That might have been a better place to start than with her first Elvis encounter.
2. There wasn’t a lot of character growth. It would have been great in a story that was this character driven to have Ingrid grow more than she did. She was less naive by the end, more determined to get what she wanted, but I didn’t find a lot of likeable growth in her.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Love Target
1. The settings were authentic and fantastic. Either the author did her homework or she grew up in that world. After reading her bio, I’d say she spent a fair amount of time in the locales she writes about and it shows.
2. Behind the scenes experiences. It was cool to be able to see what goes on behind the Vegas shows, beyond the glitz and glamor. Those were probably some of the most fascinating parts of the story for me.
3. The social hierarchy. It was definitely a different time back then and the authenticity the author brought with societal stigmas, racism, women’s rights, and even the Manhattan pecking order was really interesting to read about, although it made me cringe at times.
4. The pacing was solid. Even though this was no nail-biting thriller, the story moved well other than a slow opening.
5. Mutti. I love her devotion to her daughter. She’ll do anything for her, as any good mother would.
Bottom Line
Love Target is an epic story of one German girl’s journey across America, from ingenuine to a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: Love Target
Author: Heidi Loeb Hegerich
Publisher: Forever Young, LLC
Pages: 439
Category: Young Adult/New Adult Historical Romance/Chick Lit
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Heidi Loeb Hegerich
About the Author
Heidi Loeb Hegerich — whom friends describe as “a hella bad bitch” — has lived in places as varied as Munich, Las Vegas, Miami Beach, New York, Los Angeles, Squaw Valley and Reno. She has worked variously as a showgirl, business executive, entrepreneur, interior designer and real estate developer. She has traveled to six of the seven continents, and vacationed in spots as different as the French Riviera, the Andes and Afghanistan. She counts among her hobbies weight training, shooting assault rifles, and racing sand rails; she found skydiving entertaining but not as much of a rush as other pursuits. A philanthropist for the arts, among other causes, Hegerich is now embarking on her own artistic quest as an author. Love Target is Heidi’s debut novel..
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Where to find Heidi Loeb Hegerich
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
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Welcome to the book blitz for A Criminal Magic, a young adult historical urban fantasy with a touch of magic, by Lee Kelly. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive Interview and details on her giveaway.
A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly
About the Book
Title: A Criminal Magic
Author: Lee Kelly
Publisher: Saga Press
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Magic/Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis
THE NIGHT CIRCUS meets THE PEAKY BLINDERS in Lee Kelly’s new crossover fantasy novel.
Magic is powerful, dangerous and addictive – and after passage of the 18th Amendment, it is finally illegal.
It’s 1926 in Washington, DC, and while Anti-Sorcery activists have achieved the Prohibition of sorcery, the city’s magic underworld is booming. Sorcerers cast illusions to aid mobsters’ crime sprees. Smugglers funnel magic contraband in from overseas. Gangs have established secret performance venues where patrons can lose themselves in magic, and take a mind-bending, intoxicating elixir known as the sorcerer’s shine.
Joan Kendrick, a young sorcerer from Norfolk County, Virginia accepts an offer to work for DC’s most notorious crime syndicate, the Shaw Gang, when her family’s home is repossessed. Alex Danfrey, a first-year Federal Prohibition Unit trainee with a complicated past and talents of his own, becomes tapped to go undercover and infiltrate the Shaws.
Through different paths, Joan and Alex tread deep into the violent, dangerous world of criminal magic – and when their paths cross at the Shaws’ performance venue, despite their orders, and despite themselves, Joan and Alex become enchanted with one another. But when gang alliances begin to shift, the two sorcerers are forced to question their ultimate allegiances and motivations. And soon, Joan and Alex find themselves pitted against each other in a treacherous, heady game of cat-and-mouse.
A CRIMINAL MAGIC casts a spell of magic, high stakes and intrigue against the backdrop of a very different Roaring Twenties..
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Trailer
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Interview with Lee Kelly
1. What do you think is your lead character’s best trait?
I’d say Alex’s best trait is his ability to read people – he ends up being very good at undercover work because of his sensitivity to human interactions, emotions and experiences. And Joan’s best trait is her relentless commitment and determination – to her family at the outset, and eventually, to her work within the Shaw Gang. Ironically I guess both Joan’s and Alex’s “best traits” can also be “worst traits” given the context.
2. Are there any characters in your book based on a real person?
Not directly, I guess – though Harrison Gunn is actually named after my friend and old co-worker, who insisted that I name a character after him in this novel (so take the bad guy Harrison ☺)! Most of the characters in the book are my own creations or some kind of combination of multiple people: like Alex is sort of a combination of me and my husband, while Joan is a combination of me and my sister.
3. What’s something your readers would be surprised to know about you?
I’m strangely superstitious, or at least I used to be. I’ve stopped most of these superstitious “rituals,” but I used to have to turn the lights off three times before leaving my apartment or I’d think I’d have a bad day, or I’d have to wear a certain pair of earrings to an interview.
4. Where is your favorite place to write?
The place I always write is the office off my bedroom, so I guess that’s my default answer. But I really enjoy writing on the second floor of my town library, Millburn Library, because of the views of the woods – and I love those moments when I’m away from my everyday life and actually get in some writing time… like my parents’ kitchen table during the holidays before anyone gets up, or on vacation while my husband and kids sleep in. It feels like I’m sneaking out on a date with my characters.
5. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer – though the answer briefly changed to archeologist after I watched the Indiana Jones trilogy.
6. What is your favorite book of all time?
I’d have to say The Phantom Tollbooth. I think the books you read as a child have a way of staying with you.
7. Describe your writing style in three words.
Character-driven, otherworldly thrillers.
8. What is your writing process?
It’s evolved, for sure. Before City of Savages, I had a really hard time finishing anything: I was a perfectionist, and needed each chapter to read complete and final before I moved on to the next. But sadly, after the first twenty pages of a manuscript, I’d clam up and start worrying that I’d make a mistake.
Eventually, I realized that the only way to overcome the fear of imperfection was just to submit to it: my first drafts were going to be messy. So now I write “with a spit and a polish.” I’ll initially draft a passage or a chapter really quick and messy – sometimes with just sketches of ideas – and then the next day, I usually polish the previous day’s installment so it’s a little more readable. But after that quick one-two, I move forward with the story without any more second-guessing.
After I’ve completed a first draft, I step away from it completely for a couple weeks. When I begin the second draft, I let that “perfectionist” sit down at the computer. Draft two is more like rewriting than revising, but that’s okay, as writing is less scary when I have 85,000 or so words under my belt (even if they’re the wrong words). My third draft involves input from beta readers and critique partners, followed by another fairly full-scale revision.
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Author Lee Kelly
About the Author
Lee Kelly has wanted to write since she was old enough to hold a pencil, but it wasn’t until she began studying for the California Bar Exam that she conveniently started putting pen to paper. An entertainment lawyer by trade, Lee has practiced law in Los Angeles and New York. She lives with her husband and children in Millburn, New Jersey, though after a decade in Manhattan, she can’t help but still call herself a New Yorker. She is the author of A Criminal Magic and City of Savages.
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Where to Find Lee Kelly
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
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Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Welcome to the book blitz for The Devil’s Own Chloe the seventh book in the romantic comedy series Bistro La Bohème, by Amazon bestselling author, Alix Nichols. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive Q&A and details on her giveaway.
The Devil’s Own Chloe by Alix Nichols
About the Book
Title: The Devil’s Own Chloe
Series: Bistro La Bohème #7
Author: Alix Nichols
Publisher: SAYN Press
Release Date: May 1, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Synopsis
Young Parisian architect Chloe Germain hires childhood friend Hugo Bonnet as a builder. Lethally toxic to loved ones, Chloe keeps them at arm’s length in order to protect them.
Or so she thinks.
Capable, strong and patient, Hugo prides himself on being able to fix anything. Trouble is, he’s never tried repairing a chasm in someone’s soul before.
Will his love save Chloe or will fixing her leave him broken?
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Trailer
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Q&A with Alix Nichols
Tell me about your latest book.
Like the rest of the books in the Bistro La Bohème series, “The Devil’s Own Chloe” is a contemporary romance set in Paris. Albeit not as “light” as some of my other stories, it will still keep you turning the pages and make you laugh out loud every now and then.
The heroine, Chloe, is an up and coming French architect who’s great at her job, but not so good with people. An adoptee who’s seen too much loss in her childhood, Chloe is convinced she’s toxic to everyone who loves her, and so she must push them away to keep them from harm.
Are any of the characters based on specific people?
The characters in this book aren’t based on any one person but rather some of the people I know, and some of the issues they’ve had to grapple with.
What inspires you to write?
Quite a few things, actually. My first novel, What If It’s Love?, was inspired by a friend’s story and Marina Tsvetaeva’s love poems. Under My Skin was inspired by Sting’s 1991 ballad Mad About You. The hero of Falling for Emma—recently blinded rock star Cyril—was influenced by Al Pacino’s Lt. Col. Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman.
The name of the bistro where all the BLB books except Winter’s Gift are set is a tribute to French chansonnier Charles Aznavour’s signature song La Bohème.
Oh, and let’s not forget the incomparable, forever-young-in-my-eyes Colin Firth a.k.a. the best and truest Mr Darcy, and my official muse.
Paris plays an important part in this book, and the entire series. Do you see it as one your recurrent characters?
In many ways, yes. I adore this city, and I hope my books convey some of its magic. A few years ago, when I visited San Francisco for the first time, I had an impression I was returning to a familiar place thanks to Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. My ambition is that when my readers set foot in Paris for the first time, they feel the same warm glow of recognition I experienced when I walked the streets of San Francisco, looking for 28 Barbary Lane.
What do you love about writing? How about a down side?
The best part of writing a book is when your characters begin to prompt their lines, and when things you didn’t even realize you knew jump into your story straight from some secret corner of your brain.
One of the down sides is when you wake up in the morning, reread a scene you were quite pleased with last night, and you realize it’s crap.
Hemingway once said, do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Every writer knows what he meant. “There is nothing to writing. All you
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Author Alix Nichols
About the Author
Alix Nichols is an unapologetic caffeine addict and a longtime fan of Mr. Darcy, especially in his Colin Firth incarnation. She is a Kindle Scout and Dante Rossetti Award winning author of critically acclaimed romantic comedies.
At the age of six, she released her first rom com. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper.
Decades later, she still loves the romance genre. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), and her books have made Amazon bestseller lists, climbing as high as #1. She lives in France with her family and their almost-human dog.
**For exclusive content, giveaways and special offers, including a bonus book, subscribe to the monthly newsletter on her author website: www.alixnichols.com.*
Where to Find Alix Nichols
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon
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Revenge (Delta Series #2) by Cristin Harber
Synopsis
A Tortured Hero with a Heart of Gold
Growing up on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Almeida has only his older sister to protect him. When she’s sold to a human-trafficker, he vows to hunt down those responsible. Years later, Titan Group’s Delta team finds him, tattooed and brawling, a vigilante protector with information they want. They take him in and train him, working him harder than a man should be driven, until he’s a soldier harboring an obsession. Ready for revenge, Javier ghosts his way across the globe, tracking the men who took his sister and working elite private security jobs.
Meets Sweet and Sassy
Jilted at the altar, Sophia Cole turns the reception into a one-woman party. She’s intent on devouring all the cake and champagne, so she can bask in the calories she’s been avoiding. In the midst of the revelry, he walks in, the one man she can never ignore. Javier is her older brother’s black ops teammate—an automatic Do Not Go There. But if there’s one thing better than fondant and a buzz to ease the wounds of a cheating fiancé, it might be a one-night stand with a South American military man.
Game Changer
Javier didn’t expect to see Sophia again. He never thought he would even want to see her again. He shouldn’t have touched her, but his mind won’t stay away from her. Now, Sophia Cole is thousands of miles away from the safety of her parents’ lavish estate and working alongside him in hell. She’s a staffer at an Embassy, and he’s there to keep them alive. There are bombs and bullets and blood-hungry enemies. And then she’s taken. Gone. Just like his sister. But so much worse.
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My Review
I’m a huge fan of Cristin Harber (I think I say this every time I review one of her books) and an enormous fan of her characters. She writes the ultimate alpha male and tough as nails female protagonists that are easy to root for. This time is no exception, with a small caveat that Sophia grated on my nerves more often than she should have. I love that she works for the State Department and puts her life on the line for a cause she believes in. It’s a cause I believe in, too, so I immediately liked her. The way she handled her failed wedding was pure perfection. But she lost me when she wanted a white knight to save her. She didn’t seem the type. It was so out of character that I had to really stop and think about the circumstances she was in that made her suddenly feel this way. She’s still tough, and I still love her, but a little bit less than I wanted to.
Plot
Overall the plot is good, but it got repetitive when Sophia was put in danger not once, not twice, but three times. I would have liked to see more plot devices than the the same damsel in distress over and over again. There is a lot going on in the story, and it’s very edge-of-your-seat stuff as you expect from Ms. Harber, so there are any number of other nail-biting scenes she could have chosen for the first two plot points and save the big rescue for the climax. However, there’s a great little plot-twist at the end that saves it all for me.
Characters
Aside from the things I complained about above for Sophia, the characters are rock-solid Titan quality. Javier is fully developed, flawed, and easy to love. Sophia is also complex and interesting, I just wanted her to be tougher. And the rest of the Delta team is exactly as I want them to be.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The three rescues of Sophia – just felt like one too many.
2. Sophia’s need for a knight in shining armour. In my opinion, it made her come across weaker than she needed to be.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Delta: Revenge
1. Team Delta. They’re as hot and tough as ever.
2. Sophia’s mission. I love that she works helping women and children around the world.
3. Javier’s obsession. Needing to avenge his sister who was a victim of human trafficking is a great motivation that drives so much conflict within him.
4. The pacing. Excellent, as always! The story moves and never slows down.
5. Sophia’s botched wedding. The way she handles it made me instantly love her.
Bottom Line
Delta: Revenge is fast paced, steamy and #TeamTitan all the way!
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: Delta: Revenge
Series: Delta #2
Author: Cristin Harber
Publisher: Mill Creek Press
Pages: 250
Category: Contemporary Romantic Suspense/Military Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Cristin Harber
About the Author
Cristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy, steamy romantic suspense and military romance. Readers voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance bestseller.
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Where to Find Cristin Harber
Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Titan Team
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Today’s theme for 1 Line Wednesday, sponsored by RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter is Pretty. Here’s a line from Chapter 6 of The Invasion, book 4 in The Union Series, from Cyrus’s POV.
Once the Uprising figures out who was behind the attacks on the camps, we’re all pretty much screwed.
You can see previous week’s themes and lines here.
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