Trade Paperback Release Blitz: Colorado Mountain Series by Kristen Ashley

THE GAMBLE by Kristen Ashley (June 20, 2017; Forever Trade Paperback; $9.99)

SWEET DREAMS by Kristen Ashley (June 20, 2017; Forever Trade Paperback; $9.99)

LADY LUCK by Kristen Ashley (June 20, 2017; Forever Trade Paperback; $9.99)

ANNOUNCING THREE BEAUTIFUL NEW TRADE PAPERBACK EDITIONS FROM THE COLORADO MOUNTAIN SERIES!

THE GAMBLE

Life isn't meant to be perfect. It's meant to be lived . . .

Nina Sheridan thought she'd found the perfect man who would become the perfect husband. She was wrong. When Nina realizes the man she planned to grow old with doesn't know her at all, it's time to rethink her idea of perfect. And what better place to get her life in order than a remote Colorado mountain town halfway around the world?

Gnaw Bone, Colorado, may not be flashy or cosmopolitan, but it's got a brand of hospitality all its own. Nina isn't entirely sure she's ready to trade the life she thought she wanted in England for cozy evenings in her mountain retreat, and she definitely isn't sure she's ready to handle the connection she feels to the owner of her rental house, Max Holden . . .

Nina didn't come to Colorado to find love, but even the best-laid plans can go awry. Now, if Nina can let go of her past, Max-and a future in Gnaw Bone-might just be the perfect second chance she's been waiting for.

Buy the Book!

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IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2raSZ28

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Add The Gamble to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ptNSwR

SWEET DREAMS

When you lose everything, anything is possible.

Lauren Grahame needs a whole new life. A simpler life. After leaving her cheating husband, she moves to Carnal, Colorado, takes a job as a waitress, and realizes she might have finally found the hometown she'd been searching for. Except things are about to get a lot more complicated . . .

Lauren's fresh start does not include her growing feelings for her boss, Tate Jackson. She'll take the new friends, the new job, not to mention the incredible banana bread from the local coffee shop, but love is not on the agenda.

However, the people of Carnal know chemistry when they see it, and they're not about to let Tate and Lauren miss their chance.

Buy the Book!

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Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2pGOESz

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2qb20Ky

Target: http://bit.ly/2pHrHiX

Add Sweet Dreams to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ptNlLd

LADY LUCK

All you need is a little luck.

Lexie Berry has had nothing but bad luck. You name it, Lexie has probably survived it-or worse. But there's only so much bad luck a girl can take, and now one promise is all that stands between her and a brand-new life.

When that promise brings her to Carnal, Colorado, Lexie isn't sure the rough, yet strangely charming, town is for her. But there's something Carnal has that might just make staying around worth it . . . and that's Ty Walker.

For five years, Ty was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Now he wants revenge on the people who framed him. Lexie knows there's a difference between vengeance and justice, and she'll do everything she can to make sure Ty gets the latter. And with the good people of Carnal on their side, Lexie and Ty might finally find their luck is changing for the better.

Buy the Book!

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Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2r9wr13

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2qbXAmt

Target: http://bit.ly/2qc08kt

Add Lady Luck to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2qBpB8d

About the Author

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake.

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Social Media Links

www.kristenashley.net

www.facebook.com/kristenashleybooks

www.twitter.com/kristenashley68

Giveaway

Enter to win 1 of 5 sets of The Gamble, Sweet Dreams, and Lady Luck! 

http://bit.ly/2r26Avw

ARC Review: The Red Lily by Juliette Cross

Series:	Vampire Blood #2
Pub. Date:	June 19, 2017
Publisher:	Entangled
Length:	298 pages
Source:	NetGalley

Juliette Cross has delivered another vampiric retelling of a favorite fairytale with a revolutionary twist. I recommend reading this series in order so that you may following the continuing story arc, and get the full fairytale experience. 

The first book, The Black Lily, is based on Cinderella, if she were a vampire hunter falling in love with a vampire prince. The tales continue in The Red Lily, which is loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood, where our hero and heroine face danger to aid in the revolutionary endeavors of The Black Lily. Those endeavors being freeing humans from vampire enslavement and violence against their person.

Bambi's going on hiatus (kind of)!

Hey y'all!

We are going on a semi-hiatus through the end of July while Bambi is off getting lost in the sand dunes of Arizona. I'm going to work in the desert for the next month, so think cool thoughts at me so that we don't dry up and overheat while we are there.  It will be quite the adventure for me and the furkids, as I have never been to Arizona! I will still have some pre-scheduled reviews posted, and maybe we will blog about our adventure. Who knows?!? It's going to be really hot, so I'm not sure how much we will be able to explore.

Guest Review by Julie: Diffraction by Jess Anastasi

Series:	Atrophy #3
Pub. Date:	Jan 2, 2017
Publisher:	Entangled
Length:	352 pages

Until now, I hadn't really noticed Kira. I knew she was the ships doctor but she typically stayed in the background. She's smart and quiet, with a deep seated need to help others, regardless of the rules. And Varean has her breaking all sorts of rules. At the start of the story, her connection with Varean felt a like insta-lust but as they progressed, it morphed into deeper feelings neither would admit to, giving a poignancy to their relationship for most of the story. 

Varean was interesting. He's a quiet guy, who has a lot of abilities, but never uses them to free himself. He's thrown his lot in with Kira with mixed results they need to iron out. He has plenty of secrets-whether he knows them or not is another matter-and there's no doubt he has feelings for Kira, but finding out who he really was threw me for a loop! 

Their romance was the humming sound in the background. Unlike Zander and Mae, Kira and Varean didn't have a lot of personal time together. Varean and Kira's romance had a solemn tone, if you will, than the others did, but I think it fit the storyline since Diffraction was a darker book than the first two were. 

Instead of romance driven, Diffraction was plot driven. And man, what a story it told! It felt like the in-between book of the series with all the information it contained. Plenty of suspense, Rian's crew splits up when they have to abandon ship, new allies are introduced, favorite characters gave me a few surprises and tears, and a few twists had me glued until the end. Obviously, I've enjoyed this series since I've read three books in two days!

Reviewed by Julie H. for Bambi Unbridled

Julie is a transplanted military brat that now calls the Midwest home with her own romantic hero, daughter and two furbabies. While she toils the day away in a medical office, she would really rather be reading! Julie loves historical romance, steampunk, romantic suspense, military romance (duh!), paranormal and urban fantasy.  She loves a kickass take-charge heroine, lots of action, and the all-important HEA. Julie can get down with an alpha male, but she does not discount a nerdy hero with a sexy brain.

Julie and Bambi met at the RT Convention where they found themselves standing in many lines, sharing their similar reading interests, and fangirling over attending authors.

ARC Review: Wolf Hunt by Paige Tyler

Series:	SWAT #6
Pub. Date:	June 6, 2017
Publisher:	Sourcebooks Casa.
Length:	352 pages
Source:	NetGalley

As I started reading Wolf Hunt, I realized that I missed the last book of the series, Wolf Unleashed. I have enjoyed this series so I think I missed just because I forgot to put it on my calendar. But if you have read the first book and know the story behind the Special Wolf Alpha Team (SWAT), then I think the other books can be read out of order w/o too much heartburn. The long and short of it is that we have a huge and hunky SWAT team full of alpha werewolves out to protect, serve, and steam up your kindle.  Our alphas continue to find The One (their fated mate) at a rate unheard of for their species/race previously. Is this a coincidence, or is something more going on?

ARC Review: Silver Silence by Nalini Singh

Series:	Psy-Changeling #16
Pub. Date:	June 13. 2017
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	496 pages
Source:	NetGalley

With Silver Silence, Nalini Singh is providing her readers with an evolution of the Psy-Changeling series where, instead of focusing on the races individually, we are working towards a more integrated society. Silence has fallen, many of the corrupt and psychopathic Psy have been defeated, and now our three races have begun working to strengthen the Trinity Accord. While part of the population sees the importance and benefits to uniting Humans, Psy and Changelings, others are wary or downright combative and have resolved to bring down Trinity and its basic tenets. 

ARC Review: Claim & Protect by Rhenna Morgan

Series:	Haven Brotherhood #3
Pub. Date:	June 12. 2017
Publisher:	Carina Press
Length:	416 pages
Source:	NetGalley

Rhenna Morgan is killing me. 

KILLING. ME!!! 

Starting with Rough & Tumble, I fell in love with Jace. I figured he would be my favorite of the series, second only to Axel (who has a sexy smutty Scot thing going on). But then there was Zeke in Wild & Sweet, who was AWESOME. And now... NOW... Rhenna gives us freaking Trevor, who blows both of the previous heroes out of the water. Seriously - each hero has been better than the last! By the time we get around to Axel, my head is just going to explode. Or my ovaries. Or something. And let it be known RIGHT NOW, that I am claiming Axel and his proclivities for all things kink. He. Is. Mine. Period. Exclamation Point!

If you haven't read Rough & Tumble or Wild & Sweet, then you are totally missing out. But if you want to start with Claim & Protect and read out of order, you should be fine. Basically what you need to know is that the Haven Brotherhood is a group of unconventional alpha males that have become family. These men are totally hot, totally possessive alpha male, and totally successful. From club owners to pilots to doctors... you are sure to find a hero to suit your tastes. (Just stay away from Axel!)

Audiobook Review: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Series:	Outlander #3
Pub. Date:	Jan. 24, 2007
Publisher:	Recorded Books
Narrator:	Davina Porter
Length:	43 hrs 51 min

As a blogger, when you have to read on a schedule... you never really have a spare 40+ hours to re-read an audiobook at your whim. But I felt compelled to do just that this month. Last week, I tackled Dragonfly in Amber so I could finally watch Season 2 of Outlander on Starz. I had planned to save Voyager to re-read when Season 3 comes out this Fall... but I just couldn't. Some of my favorite events of the series happen in this book, so I was impelled to continue on ahead of schedule.

This book again starts out on Culloden field on April 16, 1746. We spend some time with Jamie, learning what his life has been like during the twenty years since he was with Claire. There are a few time jumps to 1968 in both Inverness, where the hunt for Jamie has begun in earnest, and then to Boston with Claire wrapping up her life there in preparation for the day that Roger Wakefield finds Jamie in historical records. This will cover the time when Claire lost Frank, and also some tidbits of her professional life with dear friend Joe Abernathy. Keep an eye out for Claire's examination of skeletal remains (to which you, the reader, should also pay close attention). But then word comes from Roger and, finally, its time.

Guest Review by Julie: Slow Burn by Pamela Clare

Series:	Colorado High Country #2
Pub. Date:	Sept. 19, 2016
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	287 pages
Source:	NetGalley

As best man and maid of honor, Eric and Victoria will be spending a lot of time together helping with Lexi and Austin's wedding. Victoria's only back for the week, and although Eric has been warned about hitting on her, he's not going to decline if she hits on him. However, the more time they spend with each other, the harder it is to pretend it's just lust and not something more. 

ARC Review: The Farthest Edge by Kristen Ashley

Series:	Honey #2
Pub. Date:	June 6, 2017
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Length:	497 pages
Source:	NetGalley

I was one of the first to say that I wasn't sure about this new path for the Queen, Kristen Ashley. I didn't know how alpha subs would work, and femdomme is just not my kink. But, as a faithful fan, I was determined to give it a shot, and not just stop after the first book. Man - I am SO glad that I continued with the Honey series! With this second installment of the series, Kristen has found her groove and I felt like her voice was back after getting a bit lost in the first installment, The Deep End.

ARC Review: Satisfaction by Lexi Blake

Series:	Lawless #2
Pub. Date:	Jan. 3, 2017
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	384 pages
Source:	NetGalley

This is one of my blogger shame books - a review that fell through the cracks back the first of the year when I had to get one of those dreaded eye injections. So I apologize to Lexi and Berkley for this being so late. I definitely wish I would have gotten to it sooner than now! Things have gotten very interesting in the Lawless family.

The next mark for the Lawless siblings is Carly Fisher, personal assistant to the evil television homemaker, Patty Cain. Carly got conned by an embezzling ex-husband and is being blackmailed to stay in her job with Patty, so her life is fairly miserable. When the country girl escaped from Alabama to join the glitzy team with Patricia's Paradise, things didn't turn out quite like she hoped. Despite her friendly and caring personality, things with Patty and the ex instilled Carly with self-esteem and adequacy issues. When she is approached by Brandon Lawless, with his movie star good looks and mesmerizing smile, Carly's perceived inadequacies often went into overdrive and had her second-guessing his motives, words and attraction.

ARC Review and Giveaway: From Duke Till Dawn by Eva Leigh

Series:	London Underground #1
Pub. Date:	May 30, 2017
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	384 pages
Source:	Edelweiss

Following The Wicked Quills of London series, Eva Leigh is continuing the theme of unconventional heroines of the commoner class paired with intriguing heroes of the nobility in this new London Underground series. Fans of the rags-to-riches trope will surely enjoy watching these women of questionable moral character get their hooks into dashing dukes and enticing earls.

Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland is a staid and stuffy lord with an air of vulnerability. After losing his heart to a disappearing widow, Greyland has now been jilted by his intended bride and must show himself to the lords and ladies of society to prove that he is not pining away in the ducal mansion. Despite his outward display of the utmost propriety, our poor duke feels quite unlovable and believes there is something wrong with him. This first introduction to Greyland got my empathy engaged and created a soft spot for the duke with this reader. Unfortunately, that was to the detriment of the heroine of this story.

Cassandra Blake is a swindler from Southwark, having grown up in the streets after her father expired in debtor's prison. She learned the art of the con as she matured, and played the beautiful destitute widow as a means to bilk men out of their money. This was the method of Cassandra's first encounter with our desirous duke, after which she disappeared, crushing his spurned heart in the process. Two years later, Cassandra will come face-to-face with Greyland as she assists London's finest to part with their funds inside a gaming hell. Unfortunately for her, knowing that Cassandra was a con artist and had crushed our hero's heart predisposed me not to like her character. Greyland got to my hole of empathy first and filled it up before I could consider Cassandra's tragic childhood and rough upbringing. It didn't help that she was obsessed with his privation and her privilege, and she attempted to make him feel bad for the circumstances of his birth. So I tended to nitpick her character flaws without much forgiveness for a hard-lived life.

Greyland's prior entanglement with Cassandra and his lingering feelings made the betrayal, once discovered, all the more poignant. I could not fault him for the spark of hate he felt, and felt bad that he despaired all the more for his unlovable self-identity. However, I did enjoy watching the stuffy duke come alive with his entree into the criminal underground to aid his deceptive damsel. Greyland learned that he thrived on the excitement and danger, and was tired of the mundane matters which he faced daily. I especially loved that our uptight duke had a naughty side, and became quite the capable dirty talker once he and Cassandra rekindled their intimacy. 

The betrayal of Cassandra by her business partner was a multi-faceted plot device. As the betrayer becomes the betrayed, she must walk a mile in the shoes of her victims, and she sees for the first time just how hurtful her actions may have been. The search for the missing business partner and funds also allowed our H/h to be thrown together in dangerous and titillating situations, which heightened their desire, and sparked and magnified the old feelings each had. I did feel like the duke bent his beliefs and understanding more than the heroine, but hope that we will see them in a more equal light as the series progresses. 

I recommend this story to fans of historical romance, specifically the rags-to-riches trope. I am particularly interested in the story of Amina and the Earl of Langdon, so I will be watching for the next release date. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Avon.

About the Author

Eva Leigh is a romance author who has always loved the Regency era. She writes novels chock-full of smart women and sexy men. She enjoys baking, spending too much time on the Internet, and listening to music from the ’80s. Eva and her husband live in Central California.

Eva also writes in multiple romance genres as RITA-award nominated Zoë Archer.

Giveaway

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Audiobook Review: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Series:	Outlander #2
Pub. Date:	Oct. 26, 2006 (Audio)
Publisher:	Recorded Books
Narrator:	Davina Porter
Length:	38 hrs 58 min

I'm finding it hard to review a book that I have read five times... I'm worried that what I want to say would be too spoilery! So this will probably be a very short review of a very long book. If I ever got stranded on a desert island, I would hope to have the Outlander series with me - and not just for entertainment, but also in case I needed a step stool! At 700-1000 pages a pop, these books will aggravate your carpal tunnel both because of the weight, and because you won't want to put them down! I tend to do my re-reads of the series in audio these days because I just love the narrator, Davina Porter. 

Guest Review by Julie: The Darkest Corner by Liliana Hart

Series:	Gravediggers #1
Pub. Date:	May 23, 2017
Publisher:	Pocket Books
Length:	368 pages
Source:	NetGalley

A small town mortician, Tess Sherman is sweet and smart with a red head's temperament. She's also introverted, a terrible cook, and talks to herself more than she should. She's been saving her pennies to purchase the local mortuary, but someone else sweet talks the owner into selling out to them. Suddenly, Tess finds herself managing a group of men who are definitely not in the mortuary business. One in particular catches her eye, but she's been burned by a bad relationship and is no hurry to start again. 

Deacon Tucker is a man of many secrets. Burned from his previous job because of his moral compass, he now leads a select group of men called The Gravediggers- an intelligence strike force team created to combat domestic terrorism. He's had his eye on Tess for the last two years, but his current position isn't tailored for a relationship. When his boss tells him to bring her in on the current situation, he decides he's going to go for full disclosure with Tess and hope for the best.

Tess and Deacon's romance came on fast and hot! They had an easy banter between them that was fun to read and their chemistry provided amusing fodder for the rest of the town to feast on. 

The vast amount of information on mortuaries did drag the story out at times, but the unique environment had me curious enough that I learned more than I wanted..and discovered a morbid interest in a topic that gives me the willies just saying the word. Filled with an amusing variety of characters, Last Stop embodies the nosy, yet protective, nature that comes with living in small towns. Tess's gambling-addicted mother and Russian mafia connected grandmother raised my eyebrows with their antics a few times, while the "binocular watching" women as the Gravediggers work out had me cracking up!

The first book in the series, The Darkest Corner was a lot of informational set-up for further books in the series. The concept of the Gravediggers is pretty nifty with "dead" guys trying to keep the spread of terrorism from home soil and reminded me a little of Lora Leigh's Elite Ops series-except the Gravediggers had more mystery than suspense. My curiosity is now spiking about the guys' pasts, and I'm hoping the next book will provide more answers!

Book Trailer

About the Author

Liliana Hart is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly Bestselling Author of more than 40 titles. After starting her first novel her freshman year of college, she immediately became addicted to writing and knew she'd found what she was meant to do with her life. She has no idea why she majored in music.

Since self-publishing in June of 2011, Liliana has sold more than 3 million ebooks and been translated into eight languages. She's appeared at #1 on lists all over the world and all three of her series have appeared on the New York Times list. Liliana is a sought after speaker and she's given keynote speeches and self-publishing workshops to standing-room-only crowds from California to New York to London.

Liliana can almost always be found at her computer writing or on the road giving workshops for SilverHart International, a company she founded with her partner, Scott Silverii, where they provide law enforcement, military, and fire resources for writers so they can write it right. Liliana is a recent transplant to Southern Louisiana, where she's getting used to the humidity and hurricane season, and plotting murders (for her books, of course).

Find Liliana Hart Online

Website Mailing List Goodreads Amazon Facebook Twitter Pinterest

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Reviewed by Julie H. for Bambi Unbridled

Julie is a transplanted military brat that now calls the Midwest home with her own romantic hero, daughter and two furbabies. While she toils the day away in a medical office, she would really rather be reading! Julie loves historical romance, steampunk, romantic suspense, military romance (duh!), paranormal and urban fantasy.  She loves a kickass take-charge heroine, lots of action, and the all-important HEA. Julie can get down with an alpha male, but she does not discount a nerdy hero with a sexy brain.

Julie and Bambi met at the RT Convention where they found themselves standing in many lines, sharing their similar reading interests, and fangirling over attending authors.

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