Tuesday 30 December 2014

***Blog Tour - Raze by Tillie Cole - Out Now - 5 Stars***


***Blog Tour***

Raze by Tillie Cole
Out Now!!!


To take back life, one must first face death...

One man stripped of his freedom, his morals...his life.

Conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, prisoner 818 becomes an unremorseful, unrivaled and unstoppable fighter in the ring. Violence is all he knows. Death and brutality are the masters of his fate.

After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge...bloody, slow and violent revenge.

Revenge on the man who lied.

Revenge on the man who wronged him.

Revenge on the man who condemned him and turned him into this: a rage-fueled killing machine. A monster void of humanity; a monster filled with hate.

And no one will stand in the way of getting what he wants.

One woman stripped of her freedom, her morals...her life.

Kisa Volkova is the only daughter of Kirill ‘The Silencer’ Volkov, head of the infamous ‘Triad’ bosses of New York's Russian Bratva. Her life is protected. In reality, it’s a virtual prison. Her father’s savage treatment of his rivals and his lucrative and coveted underground gambling ring—The Dungeon—ensures too many enemies lurk at their door. 

She dreams to be set free.

Kisa has known only cruelty and loss in her short life. As manager of her father’s death match enterprise, only grief and pain fill her days. Her mafia boss father, in her world, rules absolute. And her fiancé, Alik Durov, is no better; the Dungeon’s five-time champion, a stone-cold killer, the treasured son of her father’s best friend, and her very own—and much resented—personal guard. Unrivaled in both strength and social standing, Alik controls every facet of Kisa’s life, dominates her every move; keeps her subdued and dead inside...then one night changes everything. 

While working for her church—the only reprieve in her constant surveillance—Kisa stumbles across a tattooed, scarred, but stunningly beautiful homeless man on the streets. Something about him stirs feelings deep within her; familiar yet impossibly forbidden desires. He doesn’t talk. Doesn’t communicate with anyone. He’s a man beyond saving, and a man she must quickly forget...for both their sakes. 

But when weeks later, out of the blue and to her complete surprise, he’s announced as the replacement fighter in The Dungeon, Kisa knows she’s in a whole lot of trouble. He’s built, ripped and lethally unforgiving to his opponents, leaving fear in his wake and the look of death in his eyes. 

Kisa becomes obsessed with him. Yearns for him. Craves his touch. Needs to possess this mysterious man...this man they call Raze.



Goodreads


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My Review
5 One Of The Best Books I've Read All Year Stars

Raze by Tillie Cole is her latest standalone novel.


I'm a lucky little bunny and I was given a copy of Raze in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a massive fan of Tillie Cole and to my knowledge I've read all of her published work. So when the email came through about an Arc of Raze I instantly jumped at the chance and the form was filled in before I even read the blurb. Given my fangirl status I figure I love this author, I will love this new book.

And then I was putting together the promo post for my blog and I reread the blurb and the excerpts and I had a full blown panic!!

This is a DARK Romance, now I’m all for a bit of the dark side but just recently anything I've read that has been described as dark elements has scared the crap out of me.

Understandably I was a bit leery at if I could stomach, rape scenes and torture and abuse so I've put off reading this book until the absolute last minute (It’s the 28th of Dec and my review is due 30th Dec).

It's 2am on the 29th and I just finished this book, I had to read it tonight the idea of not finishing it was unthinkable!! I'm crying!! And thinking Gemma your such an idiot!!! This is a Tillie Cole book so yes it might be dark and violent but it's got a love story that will turn you inside out and break your heart!!

I'm crying so much I'm struggling to type, but I need to do this now while it's still fresh in my mind.

Raze is one of the most warped, horrifying, beautiful, soul clenching love stories I've ever read. I will never forget this story, this love will be one that sticks in my mind, that I can't romanticise but it's so poignant that that it will haunt me forever.

Writing a review without giving away any spoilers is going to be nigh on impossible so I apologise for my vagueness.

Raze is a monster that was once a boy. And this book allows its readers to witness his journey back to his humanity. To say that we are reading a story just doesn’t seem appropriate enough, because once you start this book you are no longer reading, you are immersed into this violent, disturbing world where right and wrong have blurred. Good and evil are not clear cut, but the one thing that is pure and clean in this horrifying universe? Love truly Conquers All.

For me a romantic through and through this is a love story. I can overlook the death and violence and say that revenge is just Karma writing a few wrongs because as far as I’m concerned this story is about two lost souls reuniting.

I’m still crying lol god I'm an idiot!!! 

This story touched my soul, Tillie Cole you are an evil genius and you get me every time.

If I could give Raze 6 stars I would but as I can't I'm going to give it a massive 5 stars and carry on crying.


Excerpt

Alik wrapped his arms round my waist and pulled me to his damp chest, the impact robbing me of my breath. He held me in place by the back of my head.
Youre gonna make the perfect wife, Kisa. Ive been wanting you in my bed, sleeping beside me, for too fucking long. I hate sending you back to your father every night, not being able to fuck you for hours, tying you to the bed, making you scream, making you bow down to my every command fuck you until you cant walk. Been wanting to fully own you, to possess you, to release you from the Pakhans grip and have you under my complete control for too fucking long.
Soon, baby, I soothed.
Alik loosened his grip on my hair, his harsh blue eyes losing their anger for the briefest of moments.
Yeah, he replied. Slapping me hard on the ass, he pressed a bruising, owning-me kiss to my swollen lips. Alik swiftly broke away and, walking back to his bedroom, shouted over his shoulder, Serge is downstairs. Hell take you to church. I relaxed but stiffened when he ordered, Only after you change. Dont you dare go out looking like that. Ill seriously lose my fucking shit if you do!
I won’t. I love you, baby. Always, I blurted. This stopped Alik in his tracks.
He turned, jerked his chin, a flicker of a smirk curling his upper lip, and he said, Myshka, I love you too.
My shoulders sagged with relief at his show of affection. I calmed. It was during these tender moments that I glimpsed the small amount of humanity in Alik. These were the moments I cherished. Even as children, Alik was uptight, always angry, always wanting to inflict pain on others; he frequently did on other kids. His papa had raised him to be this way. I understood it; it was how Brava men had to be raised. But years of fighting and killing in The Dungeon had hardened him to the point where the kinder side of his personality grew weaker and weaker, the dark steadily and surely blotting out any light that remained. In this Bratva life, and with what Alik did for a living, it was essential he be this way. However, I wished his softer side would linger a little longer.
It was stupid of me and, to others, inexplicable. But I loved Alik in my own way, well, as much as my shredded heart would allow. I wanted him to have peace. He was so tormented so dark inside that I just wanted to help ease that.
Lost in Aliks light, beautiful smile, my heart soared, floating on a loving hope that I would see some good in him, that I’d finally got through to him, but my reverie soon dissipated when, as always, his brief moment of gentleness was overwhelmed by harshness.
Alik's insane desire to possess me came to the fore as he warned, Anyone even looks at you tonight or even speaks to you, you tell me. And act appropriately. Dont speak to men only Father Kruschev. Dont want my woman looking like a whore.
I nodded dutifully. His eyes narrowed as they drank in my body. Wear something that covers you, all of you. I dont wanna have to kill some fucker for staring at your tits. Youve got to think about these things, Myshka. When youre my wife, when I own you completely, therell be no mistakes. Ill whip you into shape soon enough. Youll be an example to all the Bratva wives.
Okay, baby, I whispered in trepidation.
Alik ran his teeth over his bottom lip, eyes leaden, his cock hardening and bulging under his towel.
Get out of here, Kisa, before I fuck you against that wall and make your papa even more pissed at me for being late.


Author Bio

Amazon & USA Today Best Selling Author, Tillie Cole is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother a farmers daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses.





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Monday 29 December 2014

***Review - Out of the Blue by E.L. Irwin - 2 Stars***

***Review***

Out of the Blue by E.L. Irwin

2 Far Too Sanctimonious For Me Stars


Blurb - KatyBeth Reilly, horse-trainer extraordinaire, is capable, responsible, and hard-working -- she hates backing down in a fight. When she meets -- completely by chance -- Hollywood heartthrob, Asher Fitzpatrick, she decides she wants nothing to with him. He's arrogant, self-assured, and seemingly very assured of her.
Asher doesn't like taking no for an answer -- he's determined to get to know Katy -- so he makes a couple of phone calls that set the stage for their second meeting.
When Katy comes face to face with Asher again, she knows she's going to need help this time -- not because she feels out-manoeuvred, but because for the first time in her life she knows she doesn't want to fight.

Out of the blue is the first book I have read by this author, I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review so here goes...

What to say about this book....

I'm not sure how to say this without sounding incredibly offensive...

The majority of people have some kind of faith or religion, in my opinion to each their own as long as they don't try to force their religious views at me and vice versa. Unfortunately as far as I'm concerned the religious aspect of this book was so in your face it overshadowed the rest of the plot!!!

I'm married and I think it's a worthwhile and amazing institution, I love my husband and I think our relationship has strengthened since we made our legally binding ties to each other.

Unfortunately this story felt like it was standing on a soapbox you must get married, you must wait to have sex until you get married!!! I'm not knocking anybody who believes this that's your choice but I personally have no real interest in reading about it!

This story had so much potential and I was honestly waiting for it to turn into an absolute smutfest, Alas that wasn't to be.

Ash and Katy could have had this amazing connection and passionate love but everytime they started to bond and interact it was completely overshadowed by the moral standpoint of the no sex part. Which was thrown at the reader ever ten seconds!!!

Yes I like a bit of smut in my book but I can also appreciate a good PG13 YA novel. There is absolutely no reason why characters can't have an intense and earth moving passionate connection without having sex. Example A the twilight books Bella and Edward hardly touch for the first book and this is literally so scorching hot girls and women alike were having wet dreams about the idea of a love just like them!!

And for me that's where this story completely missed the ball. There was no need to slam the anchors on everytime Asher and Katy got close because it could still have been incredibly sexy without them having to cross those moral barriers they put in place.

Ok I'm going to rant in a different direction now.... WTF was going on with Asher’s whole second profession???? 

That completely came out of nowhere and genuinely confused the hell out of me. He's famous how would that even work????

I'm sorry but this book just didn't work on any level for me it could have been great but it just wasn't sorry 2 stars!

***Blog Tour - Paxtons Promise by L.P. Dover - Gloves Off #3 - 4 Stars***


***Blog Tour***

Paxtons Promise by L.P. Dover
Gloves Off #3


She hates him, yet she can’t get him out of her mind.
Female Bantamweight fighter, Gabriella Reynolds, has a bad habit of falling for forbidden fighters. Enter Paxton Emerson. He’s tall, tattooed, and the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Everyone wants a piece of him, and he only has eyes for her. Through no choice of her own, she’s fallen in his debt and he’s now demanding payment. Too bad it doesn’t involve currency. Gabby’s decision to fulfill her promise to him ultimately brings out her true feelings, but also spurs the unwanted attention of another. 
Rage’s fixation on his newest obsession reaches dangerous levels. Unfortunately, Paxton Emerson has become a roadblock to his end goal and needs to be removed from the equation—by any means necessary. 
Gabby will do anything to save Pax, but what happens when she’s the one who needs saving?



Buy Links

Trailer

My Review
4 Paxton's Always Naked Stars!

Paxton’s Promise is book #3 in the Gloves Off Series. Here are links to reviews for the rest of the series.


I have been lucky enough to have been gifted copies of all of the books in this series so far.
I feel quite at home with these characters now, Gabriella has been in every book so far and I have been not so patiently waiting for Paxton’s book to be released.

Now this book might be called Paxton’s Promise but really it should be Gabriella’s Gotcha lol because this book is all about her.

I’m totally team Gabby, I love the wit and humour that go with knowing you could easily kick most guy’s asses. Roll that personality up in a stunning girl and you have the full package. Now in real life I would totally hate her!! I mean god shes far too perfect but as a fictional character she’s fab!!

Now Paxton to be honest he doesn’t really appear that much in this book, but that’s ok cause when he does he’s either being cocky or he’s naked. And let’s be honest either option is going to have you swooning.

How did Gabby hate him for so long because the bloke is honest to goodness adorable!!!

This series is in no way a standalone, to understand this story you really need to of read the rest of the books. Paxton’s Promise follows on heavily from Ryley's Revenge and the evil fight club rears its ugly head in a big way.

Pax and Gabby go from fighting lust to commitmentville in 0.2 seconds and I had to check that my kindle hadn’t leapt forward 20 pages when those three little words were spoken far too soon!!!

I had some heavy suspicions early on as to who Rage might be but still he was super terrifying!!

I do think that Gabby and Pax are a couple is lovely and the sex is hot but I just felt that this whole book ran at a pace that was just a bit too quick!!

I love that Camden is not totally lost and his book is next so watch this space.


Paxton’s Promise gets 4 stars from me.

Excerpt
I squinted and focused my attention on the blue sports car headed our way.
Cliff sat back in his chair and put the notes in his pocket with an amused smirk on his face. “It looks like your boyfriend found you,” he quipped, taking another sip of his coffee.
            Paxton obviously didn’t know I was with someone else because when he saw Cliff, his expression went from passive to livid. Slamming on the brakes, he got out of the car and glared at us.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I said as I got to my feet. He sure as hell was acting like it though. “What are you doing?” I asked incredulously.
His nostrils flared. “I could ask you the same thing. Whoever that is, say goodnight. The date’s over.”

Read the rest of the Gloves off Series

A Fighters Desire Part 1
Gloves Off #0.5

Two is always better than one.
What would you do if you were given the chance to spend the night with not one, but two fighters? Would you do it? Could you open yourself up to the pleasures they offered and do exactly what they said in order to pass on to the next round?
It was common knowledge that Ryley and Camden Jameson, well-known MMA fighters and identical twins, were just as aggressive and passionate in the bed as they were in the ring. The only problem was that if you didn’t pass their test on the first night, then you didn’t proceed to the next round. They loved a good fight, and that's what they got when they met Ashleigh Warren.
Ashleigh knew what was going to happen when the twins approached her with a proposition, and needless to say, she knew exactly how to handle them … or so she thought. The rules had changed, and in order to get them both she had to first spend one night with each and last until they were done with her. It was a proposition she couldn’t refuse, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy to win. However, it was one that she was going to enjoy.

A Fighters Desire Part 2
Gloves Off #0.6

When you’re told to stay away from someone or something it only drives the urge to go after it more. In this case, that was exactly what happened. For years, Gabriella Reynolds—younger sister of MMA’s Heavyweight Champion, Matt Reynolds—was warned by him to stay away from his fighter friends; she deserved better and they would only break her heart.
Did she listen? Yes, for a while, but temptation can only consume you so much until you fall into its trap. There’s a certain fighter she’s interested in, and it just so happens that he’s her brother’s best friend, the only one that is completely off limits to her. However, she’s not the only one fighting temptation. Tyler Rushing can’t deny his attraction to her, but he’s afraid she’ll want more and he can’t give that to her. When he finds out that’s not the case … everything changes.
Secrets can be dangerous, but they can also be thrilling and intense. Gabriella and Tyler have no choice but to keep their time together a secret … and it’s a secret that’ll stay with them forever.

Tylers Undoing 
Gloves Off #1

She was what he wanted … but she was also his undoing.
Through mutual understanding, Tyler’s secret affair with Gabriella Reynolds has come to an end. It’s a decision that not only saves their friendship, but it’s one that will change his life forever.
For the past couple of years, Tyler Rushing has been known as one of the UFC’s most memorable and sexy heavyweight fighters. Now he has the chance to win the title and claim the fame he so deserves. He has everything he could ever want until Kacey Andrews walks through the door of his gym, wanting nothing to do with him. Keeping his eyes off of her is a challenge; there’s an innocence about her that draws him to her, and he’s not going to stop until he makes her his. Little does he know that Kacey Andrews isn’t a stranger. She’s a part of his world; he just doesn’t know it. It’s a secret she’s worked hard to keep hidden.
Kacey spent years trying to get away from the fighting world, away from the man who’s hated among the MMA elite … her brother, Kyle Andrews. Unfortunately, she’s brought back into it when Tyler’s relentless battle for her heart wins her over, drawing her in. The only problem is that secrets never stay buried forever. In the end, Tyler has a decision to make, and it’s one that can possibly destroy his and Kacey’s life … forever.

Barnes and Noble – http://bit.ly/110GjwG  

Smashwords - http://bit.ly/1vD6jb7



Ryley's Revenge
Gloves Off #2

UFC Middleweight fighter, Ryley Jameson, swore it would never happen again. He was done with his ex, and over the pain she’d inflicted when she left him. At least, that’s what he tells people. Maybe if he says it enough, he’ll begin to believe it himself.
Regretting her decision to let Ryley go, Ashleigh Warren comes back into town and confronts him. Holding only one secret back, she puts the rest on the line and asks for a second chance. Too bad he’s not going to let her off easy.
Camden Jameson loves his twin brother, but his jealousy runs deep. They may be identical in looks, but that’s where the similarities end. When Ashleigh comes back into Ryley’s life, Camden has the perfect opportunity for revenge. Two birds, one stone.
A journey to the Dark Side affects them all, but only one feels the true sting of revenge.

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1vaBxdz


About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries. 

Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols. 

Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae. 



***Release Day Blast - Talk Dirty To Me Cowboy by Jodi Linton - A Deputy Laney Briggs Novella - Free Now***

***Release Day Blast*** 
Talk Dirty To Me, Cowboy 
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A Deputy Laney Briggs Novella 
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She takes her cowboys tall, tattooed, and tempting as hell...

Texas Ranger Gunner Wilson is sittin’ in a bar, all six-foot-five-inches of long, hard cowboy. Waitin’. Watchin’. Bidin’ his time for Laney Briggs and her hot little behind to saddle up and make his night. His girl. Hell, after all these years, he knows exactly how to drive her crazy with need...for him.

And Laney is ready to play. Tonight is their new beginning, and she has on her red cowboy boots—the ones that make Gunner wild. She knows that she’s only a few tequilas away from being pressed up against his firm, demanding bod. At his wicked mercy. But tonight, Gunner has something he wants. Needs. Even if it means that Laney will be the one in complete control...


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Growing up in a small Texas town didn't have many perks, but it allowed for some colorful writing material. After settling down with her family in central Texas, Jodi found her passion: writing kick-ass, southern contemporary romance stories. Today she can be found cozied up to the computer escaping into a quirky world of tall tales, sexy, tight jean wearing cowboys, and a protagonist with a sharp-tongue quick enough to hang any man out to dry.

Find Jodi Here


The Deputy Laney Briggs Series


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