Blog Tour: Schooled (Travesty #1) by Piper Lawson

Schooled
Travesty #1

By:
Piper Lawson

Published:
June 1, 2015

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Source:
eARC for a honest review

GR's Summary:

Twenty-one-year-old Alexis Caine is so close to her dream she can taste it. And it tastes like validation and Häagen-Dazs. 

In a few months the quick-talking redhead will graduate with a shiny new business degree and launch a fashion label with her best friend Ava. All the planning, dedication, and saying ‘no’ to everything - and everyone - distracting will pay off. 

Then Dylan Cameron, Ava’s tall, dark and broody younger brother, returns from the East Coast to start sophomore year at Lex's San Diego college. Lex has hardly seen him in years and given his reputation for partying and girls, that’s just fine with her. 

But Dylan’s all grown up. And a night of unplanned confessions for both of them threatens to tear Lex’s carefully constructed world off its axis… 

Because one sassy control freak + one prodigal son = chemistry that refuses to be ignored.

My Thoughts:

Schooled was a sweet, fun, and sexy romance!  It is about Alexis "Lex" Caine, and Dylan Cameron, and told exclusively through Lex's point of view.  Lex and Ava have been best friends since they were children.  In high school, they both came up with the dream of starting their own fashion line.  Lex is in charge of the business aspect of their dream, while Ava is in charge of the fashion and design aspect.  Lex doesn't have a very stable and close relationship with her family.  Her father took off years ago, and after her mother remarried, it seems like Lex has been nothing but a disappointment to her.  Good thing Lex has always had Ava's family to love, support, and accept her.

Lex hasn't seen Ava's younger brother Dylan for some time, because he was attending college on the East Coast. When Lex returns home from a business internship in New York, Ava decides to throw a birthday party for her.  Lex is shocked when she see's, Dylan Cameron, Ava's younger brother at her party.  He's all grown up!  All gone is the boy she use to know, and in his place is a sexy and gorgeous man.  Lex learns that Dylan has transferred to her college to be closer to his family again.  Lex and Dylan spend an unforgettable night, and end up exchanging one very memorable and searing hot kiss.

Lex has asked Dylan to forget about the kiss, and to continue on as friends.  These two begin spending quality time together sharing confidences, secrets, their dreams, and life experiences.  The more time they spend with one another, the more their attraction grows, and neither one of them can stop thinking about the explosive kiss they shared.  Emotions amplify, chemistry intensifies, and temptation to explore a physical relationship proves too difficult to resist.  However, Lex tells Dylan that what they're doing must remain a secret if he wants to be with her, due to the fact that she fears losing her best friend.  When Dylan lets her know that he wants to tell his family, Lex will have to take a chance, or risk losing a wonderful guy.

The first part of the story was slower paced, as it set the foundation of Lex and Dylan's friendship and secret relationship.  However, the story picked up in the middle, and I was looking forward to seeing how everything would play out.  I loved Dylan's character.  Lex had thought he was a bad boy player, but ended up learning that everything she thought about him was a misconception.  He was sweet, sensitive, intelligent, romantic, thoughtful, and had his secrets.  Lex was difficult for me to like.  I felt like she was selfish, stubborn, and close-minded.  It bothered me the way that she treated Dylan, and I wanted her to realize the error of her ways.  I'm happy to say that she made a great amount of character growth, and won me over by the end of the story!

There was no denying the amplified chemistry and searing passion between Lex and Dylan.  When these two were together fireworks went off!  The next book in the series will be Ava's story, and I for one, can't wait!  

My Rating:

I give, Schooled, by Piper Lawson, 4 Secret Lovers, Passionate Affair, Romance Filled Stars! 

Book Teasers:

Purchase At:

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About Piper Lawson:

Schooled is Piper Lawson’s debut novel. Piper loves reading and writing stories about sassy, sexy, smart women and the guys who fall hard for them. Piper’s main household expenditures include books, shoes, and chocolate, not necessarily in that order. Coffee = life (and she’ll defend it accordingly, especially when cornered). Piper has two business degrees, neither of which she’s leveraged into a fashion label. Home is Canada plus occasional sunny winter escapes. You can follow her @piperjlawson as she learns to use The Twitter, or write to her at piperjlawson(at)gmail.com (she’s good with The Email).

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Blog Tour : Shaken, Not Stirred (Last Call, #5) by Sawyer Bennett

Shaken, Not Stirred

Last Call, #5
by Sawyer Bennett

Release Date:
March 17th, 2015

Publisher:
Big Dog Books, LLC

Source:
Author via Blog Tour Host

eARC received in exchange of honest review

Synopsis:

Welcome to Last Call...a bar where the drinks are cold and the nights are scorching hot. 

Casey Markham is a man-eater in a rut. Swearing off relationships may keep her heart safe, but she's beginning to question if her casual flings will ever leave her satisfied. She's wondering if it's finally time to let go of the past and stop letting history control her future. 

Bad boy biker, Tenn Jennings can't get Casey off his mind. A chance encounter with the beautiful blond has left its mark, and now he's determined to prove her wrong about everything she thought she knew about men. 

It’s safe to say… Casey Markham has met her match.

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Last Call Series on Goodreads

 

My Review of On the Rocks HERE

My Review of Make It a Double HERE

My Review of Sugar on the Edge HERE

My Review of With A Twist HERE

Purchase links for Last Call Series:

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Purchase links for Shaken, Not Stirred

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Review:

I have a confession to make. I waited until the last minute to read Shaken, Not Stirred. Not because I did not want to read it, but because I simply didn't want this series to end! I have read each installment in The Last Call series. I fell in love with Gabby, Hunter, Alyssa, Brody, Savannah, Gavin, Andrea, Wyatt and the last final couple to join the crew, Casey and Tenn. I feel a strong connection with all these characters and I loved to read, and reread, their love stories. They make me happy!

I first discovered Sawyer Bennett when I read the first installment of The Last Call Series, which is On the Rocks. I did not know what I was in for since I had not read anything by this author. I absolutely fell in love with her writing style. Her characters are captivating and their stories made me feel all kinds of emotions! I always say that when you read a book you can't just read it ... You have to FEEL it!!!! 

We get to know a bit about Casey in the previous books of The Last Call Series. She's Gabby's best friend, Hunter and Brody's little sister and a member of the Monday morning breakfast crew. She's also known has a one-night stand kind of girl. She has been burned in the past and she has no intentions of giving up her heart to a man. 

Tenn is a new addition to this incredible cast of characters. He and Casey meet unexpectedly one day and he simply can't stop thinking about her. He's determined to make her see that all men are not the same. Tenn is looking to start a new chapter of his life. He gets the chance when he visits Outer Banks, NC. Meeting Casey was unexpected and the more he spends time with her, the more he wants her to be a part of his life. 

Casey and Tenn were so good for each other. Casey was lost in her world of one-night stands until Tenn came along. He made her want more. I loved how Tenn took care of Casey. He made her feel like a queen. What started out as a one-night stand turned out to grow into something much more. Their attraction to each other was undeniable from the beginning. It was beautiful to see Casey let go and fall in love. Tenn was not the type of men she would have gone after, but he made it his mission to prove her wrong. Way to Go Tenn!!!

Overall, I am so happy for how each couple found love. They are an amazing cast of characters who have been through ups and downs. It's easy to relate to all of them. I'll miss the Last Call crew! Fantastic work by Sawyer Bennett!

Rating:

I give, Shaken, Not Stirred, by Sawyer Bennett 4 sexy, page-turning, fantastic, exciting stars!

Teasers:

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate. 

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, Cold Fury Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series.

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Book Review : Something Real (Reckless & Real, #2) by Lexi Ryan

Something Real

Reckless & Real, #2
by Lexi Ryan

Release Date:
March 3rd, 2015

Publisher:
Ever After LLC

Source:
Book Tour Host

eARC received in exchange of honest review

Synopsis:

After everything blew up on Christmas, Liz walked away from me, and I let her. She said she needed space and a chance to pursue her dreams. But we both knew she was running from the mess she made. Now the political campaign she used as an excuse to leave is bringing us back together and I’m proving to her what she really needs—not just the hot nights, greedy hands, and undeniable physical chemistry. What she really needs is something real. What she really needs…is me.

Purchase links:

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Reckless & Real Series on Goodreads

My Review of Something Reckless HERE

Review:

A couple of months ago, I read Something Wild and Something Reckless by Lexi Ryan. The first two installments of her Reckless and Real Series left me on the edge of my seat! I could not wait to read the conclusion of Liz and Sam's story! I highly recommend your read Something Wild and Something Reckless before you sink your teeth into Something Real.

I can't give too much away of what happened in this book because I don't want to spoil the major twist that happened in Something Reckless. What I will say is that when I read the last few pages of that book, I was left speechless asking myself, WTH did I just read?? Oh my God! I did not see that twist coming AT ALL!!!! I knew that the last installment of this story was going to be intense and filled with unexpected twists once again. Liz and Sam's journey has been a roller coaster ride of emotions since the very beginning.

Liz and Sam once again captivated my attention from beginning to end. Their chemistry is HOT! When these two are in the same room you can feel the tension. Five months have passed since that night that changed their life. During those five months, they both have grown individually, but they also realized that together is where they are meant to be. Their journey to finding their HEA is far from easy. It's filled with Lies, secrets and betrayals.

Overall, I was really happy with how everything turned out for Liz and Sam. All of the answers that I was waiting for have been answered in Something Real. I loved how all the supporting characters were integrated in their story. I will definitely be reading more of Lexi Ryan's book! Her books have been an amazing reading escape! 

Rating:

I give, Something Real, by Lexi Ryan, 4 sexy, scandalous, intense, passion filled stars!

Teasers:

Playlist:

From Lexi: 

Because I so frequently have to switch gears at the drop of a hat—from Mom to writer, from the business side of writing to drafting an intensely emotional scene—I rely on music to quickly plant me in the zone for any given book. Every time I start to write a book, I create a playlist that makes me think of the characters and I listen to it and add to it as I write. Here’s what I was listening to while I was writing Something Real. I hope you like it! 

Amnesia—5 Seconds of Summer 

Over You—Ingrid Michaelson (feat. A Great Big World) 

How Long Will I Love You—Ellie Goulding 

You Ruin Me—The Veronicas 

Don’t—Ed Sheeran 

All You Had to Do Was Stay—Taylor Swift 

Changed by You—Between the Trees 

Thinking Out Loud—Ed Sheeran 

Crazy in Love—Sofia Karlberg 

Love Me Like You Do—Ellie Goulding

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Lexi Ryan’s novels have been described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. A former college professor, she now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband, two children, and a neurotic dog. Find her on Facebook or Twitter to chat about books, TV, and her children’s latest antics.


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Blog Tour: Three Brothers by Nicole Williams

Three Brothers
by Nicole Williams

Release Date:
January 20th, 2015

Source:
Author via Blog Tour Host

eARC received in exchange of honest review

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis:

I grew up with three brothers. They weren’t tied to me by blood, but our connection went beyond genetics or bearing the same last name. Our connection was forged the summer I turned thirteen, the summer my mom ended her life and left me in the custody of John Armstrong, a man I’d never met. Packing all I owned in a couple of boxes, I left the familiarity of the big city and headed west to Red Mountain Ranch, set in a lonely valley outside of Jackson Hole.  

Nothing was as it seemed at Red Mountain—it didn’t take long for me to figure that out. John was kind to me but distant, as if he was afraid to let anyone get too close. His three teenage sons had their own devices for keeping love as far away as they could. The eldest distracted himself with cheap relationships that had a shelf-life of one night. The middle son threw himself into the rigor of running a ranch, and the third wielded cruelty and mind-games in his quest to keep people from getting close.  

Time has gone by, and I’ve spent those years trying to forget the brother I’d fallen for—the biggest mistake of my life.  Finally, I’ve moved on. 

Finally, I’m back. But what I didn’t realize was that running away from the wrong brother meant I’d also run away from the right one. The one who’d been there for me all along, waiting in his brother’s shadow for the day I either would or could move on. 

But a decade is a long time to wait. Has the brother I should have chosen all of those years ago moved on too? Am I about to discover that my biggest mistake wasn’t falling in love with the wrong brother, but failing to return the love of the right one sooner? 

Does unrequited love have an expiration date?  

I’m about to find out. 

Author’s Note: This book is a "sweet" romance that isn't overly sexy. Fans of LOST & FOUND will be interested in THREE BROTHERS.

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Lindy's Thoughts:

When I saw Three Brothers, I had to read it! I am a huge Nicole Williams fan, and her Crash and Lost & Found Series' are two of my ultimate favorite's in the New Adult Genre. 

Three Brothers has such a beautiful book cover, and it is very representative of the story inside. In Three Brothers, we meet Scout. She is returning to Red Mountain Ranch located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, after she's been away for several years. The reason for her return is that the man who became her guardian and raised her since she was thirteen years old is in the final stages of Parkinson's Disease. Scout has known much sorrow in her twenty-five years of life. Her mother committed suicide when she was young, which is why she went to live at Red Mountain Ranch when she was thirteen. Also, the one man she ever loved, Conn Armstrong, played too many cruel mind games with her, before she realized it was best that she separate herself and leave the only family she had. The oldest Armstrong brother, Chase was just like a real brother to her, and even though he had good looks and a sexy way about him, she never saw him as anything other that her adoptive brother. The middle brother, Chance, was her best friend. He was her closest confidante growing up, and they did everything together. Unfortunately, she separated herself from Chance, in order to get the distance that she needed from Conn. 

When Scout returns to the ranch, she finds the three brothers struggling day to day. Chase has been recently widowed and is in utter despair, Chance is working crazy hours taking care of the ranch and struggles with watching his father die, and Conn is just as difficult as ever. As Scout vows to keep her distance from Conn, she finds herself reconnecting with Chance, and her feelings towards him start to change in to more than friendship. As she learns that Chance has always loved her, she also learns that he is not willing to take a chance on her life, because of a family curse that has taken all of the woman that the Armstrong men have ever loved at a young age. Can Scout change Chance's mind, or is she she bound to lose the man that she loves just when she finally realized that he was always the one for her? 

Three Brothers was a character driven story. Scout and Chance were extremely well-developed characters. I love the friendship to lovers trope, and the dynamic between Scout and Chance was strong and emotional. Chance was such an amazing character. He was selfless, loyal, caring, and a good person. Scout brought fun, teasing, and levity to the Armstrong household. She was one of those people that wanted to rescue and fix everyone one and everything. I thought that Scout and Chance made a beautiful couple and they completed each other in a way that few do. The love that blossomed between them came from a pure and divine place. The plot in the story delivered a really huge surprise that I never saw coming! I was happy with how it all ended. 

Rating:

Three Brothers was filled with a lot of angst, heartbreak, emotionality, friendship, and the strength and ties that bind together to make people in to a family. I give, Three Brothers, by Nicole Williams, 4 Sorrowful, Soul Mates Forever, True Love Filled Stars!!!

Mikki's Review:

I have heard amazing things about Nicole Williams and her books. My co-blogger, Lindy, is a big fan of hers. From the beautiful book cover to the very intriguing synopsis, I could not wait to read Scout's story! 

Scout is reunited with her past when she receives a call about John, which is the man that took care of her when her mom died. John Armstrong opened the doors to his house and took care of Scout until she ran away.  It took years for her to get her feelings back to normal, but when she comes face-to-face with Chase, Chance and Conn, the brothers that she grew up with, her world comes crashing down. Old feelings come back, new feelings take over, and secrets are revealed.

I don't want to give too much away of what happened with this book because there is an important twist that happens that I was not expecting. The whole time that I was reading, I kind of already knew what was going to happen with Scout and the brother that she should have chosen. What I did not expect was the emotional journey that I would live with these characters. 

I really enjoyed this story. It was my first time reading a book by Nicole Williams and I look forward to reading more from her. I liked how the story was written, but I would have wanted more scenes from the past. I think I would have connected with all the characters a bit better. Scout, Chase, Chance and Conn were intriguing characters to follow. They each had their struggles to deal with. What I really loved is that we see them grow as individuals, but as a family as well. Scout's romance with the brother she should have chosen is sweet and heart-warming. I could really feel the connection between them. Their romance was an important part of the story, but there was so much more to this story. Each of these characters had a story to tell and the author did an amazing job at writing about each of them.

The one thing I really had a hard time with is that I kept on rereading parts of the story because I was confusing Chase and Chance all the freakin' time!!! Not because I did not know who was in the scene, but because their names are almost the same. It was a little detail, but it took me some time to get used to it.

Rating:

I give, Three Brothers, by Nicole Williams 4 heart-warming, healing, emotional, sweet stars!

Teasers:

About the Author:

I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

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