Jun 16, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Billionaire's Fantasy by Kate Hewitt





The Billionaire’s Fantasy – Excerpt

“I should go,” she finally said and began, admittedly only half-heartedly, to rise from the bed. Jaiven just tightened his hold on her and she relaxed back into him even though she knew she shouldn’t. She was pretty sure pillow talk wasn’t part of either of their fantasies.
            “Why?” he asked, and she could hear the rumble of his voice through her hand on his chest.
            “Because it’s late and I need to cab it back to the Upper West Side. I can’t imagine there are many taxis cruising around the Bronx at one in the morning.”
            “If you think I’m letting you go outside and look for a cab dressed in just that coat, you’re crazy,” Jaiven answered. “I could call you a car,” he continued, his arms still wrapped around her. “But I won’t.”
            “And why won’t you?”
            “Because I like you right here.”
            And she liked being here. Too much. So she put up a fight, mostly because it felt like the right thing to do. Draw a line in the sand, as it were: sex, not sleeping. Fantasy, not the all too welcome reality of two warm bodies cuddled together on a bed.
            She decided to keep it light. “So, what, you have a fantasy about spooning with a woman in bed while whispering sweet nothings into her ear?”
            Louise felt Jaiven’s body tense, his hands still on her bare back, and she realized she’d made a mistake. She’d meant to sound joking but Jaiven had obviously seen through that paper-thin façade to the real and messy emotion underneath.
            Because that’s my fantasy.



About The Forbidden Series:
The Forbidden Series is a trilogy of sexier reads with serialized release dates and a different author for each title! Each week a new part of these seductive reads will be released so be sure and follow along for some flirty fun!

For Logan Black, Jaiven Rodriguez and Zair al Ruyi, New York is spread out before them like the Garden of Eden…and no one knows the sweet taste of forbidden fruit better than America’s most ruthless billionaires! Jaded, cynical, with a darkness that threatens to consume them whole, they think they’ve seen it all. But temptation has something new in store for each of them…

About The Billionaire’s Fantasy:
Get the Book:

Get the different parts:

When Louise Jensen spent one wicked night with the devastatingly handsome Jaiven Rodriguez, she thought it would be enough. But now Jaiven has had a taste of his greatest fantasy, he wants more! Louise is about to be taken on a sensual journey by this billionaire bad boy! Release dates:
  •              June 14: Part 1 is available for FREE!
  • June 16: Part 2 is available for sale
  • June 18: Part 3 is available for sale
  • June 21: Part 4 is available for sale
  • June 24: The complete book is available for sale
About Kate Hewitt:

Kate Hewitt has worked a variety of different jobs, from drama teacher to editorial assistant to church youth worker, but writing romance is the best one yet, and she has written over 25 books for Harlequin. She also writes short stories and serials for women's magazines, and all her stories celebrate the healing and redemptive power of love. Kate lives in a tiny village with her husband, five children, and an overly affectionate Golden Retriever.

Giveaway:
The amazing team at Harlequin is offering up a $100 gift card (Amazon, B&N or iTunes) to one lucky winner! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule:
The Billionaire’s Intern:

The Billionaire’s Fantasy:

The Billionaire’s Innocent:

Posted by Hannah at 3:00 AM 8 comments
Labels:

Jun 15, 2015

Review: Yours All Along by Roni Loren

Title: Yours All Along
Author: Roni Loren
Publisher:  Berkley
Publication Date: 6.16.2015
Genre: Adult, Romance, M/M, Contemporary
Series: Loving on the Edge #7.5
Source:  eARC from publisher

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
The new Loving on the Edge romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing Between Us turns on the heat between two men who wonder how much they’re willing to risk in the name of love.

Four years after an accident tore their friendship apart, Hunter and Devon are living separate lives. Hunter is now the all-America hero—a congressman’s son and a pro pitcher in Houston preparing to marry his beauty-queen girlfriend. Devon is in Dallas running a new restaurant. 

But when Hunter unexpectedly shows up in Devon’s bar, Devon can’t turn him away. Damn it if the man isn’t still gorgeous. But engaged? Hell no. All he’s doing for Devon is bringing back memories of their college-roommate days, and the night their relationship went too far. Turns out Hunter has never forgotten it either.

Now Devon can’t help but be drawn in all over again by the only guy who’s ever gotten close enough to break his heart. Maybe one more night together would be enough for both of them to finally move on. Or maybe one night will change everything…

Review:
That brief intro to Hunter and Devon in CALL ON ME was simply not enough. Thank goodness Roni Loren took pity on her fans and gave them their own story.

This book (which is longer than your average novella) goes back and explains the origins of Hunter and Devon’s relationship. From a confusing start in college where they were best friends that transitioned into more to them reconnecting as adults, I loved every heartbreaking second. If you’ve read CALL ON ME then you know the chemistry between these two sizzles in every scene (even when they’re just sitting side by side in a hospital). This novella shows how they got there.

I’ll be perfectly honest here: M/M stories are not my thing. But it’s a testament to my love of Roni Loren and her awesome writing that I not only read this but loved it. This whole series is fantastic. I’ve yet to read a single book or novella in it that I haven’t loved. Roni Loren has a fan for life in me.

Posted by Hannah at 11:08 AM 0 comments
Labels: , , ,

Jun 8, 2015

BEA 2015 Recap: Part 1

First of all, I can't believe this was my fourth BEA - I mean, what the what? That's so crazy to think about! To say this BEA was crazy and fun is a total understatement, but I loved every second of it.

PART 1:
Of travels, parties, and beginnings...
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
May 26-27, 2015

BEA started a bit early for me this year because on Monday I got to have a sleepover with two of my YADC soul sisters - Andye from ReadingTeen and Steph from No BS Book Reviews. We went out to dinner, loaded the two cars with bags and survival essentials for BEA, and then stayed up way too late talking about books, life, and blogging.

Plus there was actual blogging involved. 


We did manage to get some sleep and then morning arrived and we finished loading the cars and then hit the road. Andye and I went straight to NYC while Steph headed off to pick up Kelly.

Before BEA started, back in the winter, I set up a room block at the Homewood Suites in Manhattan. (For those of you who remember my hotel woes last year, this was the hotel I was originally slated to stay at but it fell through because the hotel was/is brand new and wouldn't be opening until after BEA.) This year they were open and I worked with two fabulous women, Marina and Natalia, to organize a block of rooms so I could put all my friends in one place. Because what's better than having 40 of your closest friends in one building?



Andye and I drove into NYC (OK, she drove, I mostly took pictures) and snagged parking right in front of the hotel to unload our bags. A bellman came out and helped us unload two carts full of things and then we left to park the car in Brooklyn. We quickly stopped by the Javits Center to see if we could grab our badges a day early, but it wasn't meant to be. We did, however, manage to see Faye Bi from Simon & Schuster and exchange quick hugs and hellos before she had to dash inside.

After a quick lunch of amazing pizza at Juliana's, Andye and I headed back over to NYC because we needed to get to our room and meet up with the rest of our roommates (Krista from Krist'a Dust Jacket, Val from Stuck in Books, and Brianna from Paperback Princess). When I checked into the room, I was greeted by a surprise from the awesome people at the Homewood:


That surprised absolutely blew me away. I was expecting that at all, and I can't say enough wonderful things about this hotel. If you ever go to NYC, stay there!

At the last minute I decided to host last year's #YAParty. Due to funds (or a lack of) the party was scaled way back, but the Homewood graciously let us invite a few friends over to hang out on their gorgeous rooftop and get together.

We also made Liza Wiemer, former Rooftop Party hostess and current YA debut author of HELLO?, sign copies of her book for attendees. And the mega talented Becca from Pivot Book Reviews gifted me with a tote bag with my blog's design on it. I will treasure this forever.

Attendees chipped in and brought food and drinks and a lot of wine (most of it provided by the lovely people at Wunderkind PR). We talked, laughed, and kicked off the week of BEA madness in style. It was so much fun to have my favorite people in one amazing location for a few hours.









Wednesday meant the official start of BEA, but unlike past years, the start was delayed until 1 pm (not that that stopped people from lining up at 8 am to snag a front spot in line to run for the Susan Dennard tickets for TRUTHWITCH. In fact, I happened to bump into Susan as she was walking onto the floor before the doors opened. She was adorably sweet and amazed at how many people were planning to run for her signing.

But before BEA, I managed to snag breakfast with my bestie, Nicole (formerly of Paperback Princess but now publicist for Disney Book Group) and then I headed over to the Novl Bubble Brunch. This was the second year of the Novl brunch and I loved seeing their new offices, hearing about how the Novl box came to be and also getting our own boxes. 

Jennifer E. Smith, author of HELLO, GOODBYE, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN was there to chat with us and answer questions and tell us about all her book to movie news! I cannot wait to see her debut novel on the big screen.






It was a great time to hang out with everyone and catch up before BEA started. They also gave us BEA survival totes - a sturdy canvas bag with a granola bar, copies of all the Little Brown signings and galley drop schedules, a lanyard, and a reusable Novl water bottle. Armed with the essentials (and pocket Jamie), we set out for BEA.


We arrived and found our friends, who we had dropped our bags off with as place markers earlier that morning, before spending some time strategizing and catching up before the doors opened. Of course, as soon as we were let in, a hell broke loose and people were legit running for the Susan Dennard ticket line.

Admittedly, I coveted TRUTHWITCH, but I vowed to take it easy at BEA this year and not stress, so I hit a few booths before going over to the line and jumping into it. I was pretty far back, and fairly certain I would not be getting a ticket, but lo and behold, I wound up #69 in line. I also managed to run into Derry Wilkens, former Sourcebooks publicist and all around amazing woman.

BEA started at 1 pm, but by 3 I was ready to drop. I wandered a bit more but called it a day around 4:30 and left. I was supposed to attend the Harlequin High Tea, but I decided rest was more important, especially since I also had the Epic Reads party that evening.

The Epic Reads party was ... well, EPIC. It was in a great space that unfortunately got a little hot and loud but was still fun. There were giveaways and food and so many of my friends were there. Plus, there was a photo booth with silly props. The swag bag at the end was fantastic. It had posters, a book, and ... a portable charger with the Epic Reads logo. Yeah. BEST. SWAG. EVER!




But we're only halfway done. So make sure you check back for Part 2 of my BEA recap!

Posted by Hannah at 1:57 PM 10 comments
Labels: ,

Jun 5, 2015

#VoteAllegiant



This past weekend at Book Con, HarperCollins launched the #VoteAllegiant campaign, encouraging Divergent Series fans to vote on which deleted book scene they’d like to see in the upcoming Allegiant Collector’s Edition (the last collector’s edition of the series, on sale October 6th)! The winning scene will be published as part of the bonus content in the Collector’s Edition.

Here's how you can participate:

·         The #VoteAllegiant polls are open through Monday, June 15th

·         The voting page lives here: http://bit.ly/1FRRt83

·         Attached is a sharable banner for your page, plus the “I Voted” sticker if you’d like to include that as well

·         Use the hashtag #VoteAllegiant to share your vote and encourage others to pick their favorite deleted scene


Posted by Hannah at 12:56 PM 0 comments

May 27, 2015

Blog Tour: The Wrath and the Dawn by Reneé Ahdieh



I am so excited to welcome Reneé Ahdieh to the blog today to celebrate THE WRATH AND THE DAWN! We played a fun round of This or That and here's what happened:
1       Soda or Water?
Water
2.       Coffee or Tea?
Tea
3.       Hot or Cold?
Hot
4.       Movie or TV?
Movie
5.       Series or Standalone?
Series
6.       Beach or Mountains?
Beach
7.       Play Sports or Watch Sports?
Watch sports
8.       Sunshine or Rain?
A summer rain
9.       Dog or Cat?
Dog
10.   Fighter or Lover?
Lover
11.   Boyfriend or Best Friend?
I want both.
12.   Rock or Country?
Rock
13.   80s or the 90s?
90s
14.   Singing or Dancing?
Dancing
15.   T-shirts or Sweaters?
Sweaters
16.   Avengers or X-Men?
X-Men
17.   Sharks or Dolphins?
Sharks
18.   Phone or Computer?
Computer
19.   Gold or Silver?
Gold
20.   Google or Yahoo?
Google
21.   Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt?
Frozen yogurt
22.   Fire or Ice?
Fire
23.   Freckles or Dimples?
Dimples
24.   Burgers or Tacos?
Burgers
25.   Ketchup or Mustard?
Mustard


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Hannah at 3:00 AM 1 comments
Labels:

May 25, 2015

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Welcome to the NOWHERE BUT HERE blog tour! I am so excited to tell you guys all about my bookish feels! Katie McGarry absolutely blew me away again. =D

Review:
I knew I would like this because, well, Katie wrote it. But not only that? Coming off the heels of Sons of Anarchy's finale, I needed another gateway into the MC world. Katie McGarry happily gave me that outlet.

I've actually spoken with Katie and the amount of research she has done for this book (series) is staggering. It shows in every page, in every scene. It's a wonderful blend of action and brotherhood, of family and heart.

Emily and Oz are utter and complete opposites, but there is something about them that works. Maybe it's because they weren't handed a golden relationship on a silver platter, but they actually have to make choices and pay consequences and think about their actions. Their relationship, while organic and natural, felt more mature to me. More like two people who were individuals, but trying to be a couple. 

What can I say? I don't like it when it's too easy. ;-)

This is a thrilling start to a new McGarry series. I cannot WAIT to see what Katie does with all the characters she introduced.



About NOWHERE BUT HERE:
An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Giveaway:
Want a finished copy of NOWHERE BUT HERE? Simply comment below with your email address! (US/Canada Only)

Week 1:
5/18 - Supernatural Snark (Interview)
5/19 - Step Into Fiction (Review)
5/20 - Novel Ink (Review)
5/21 - Mundie Moms (Guest Post)
5/22 - Book Rock Betty (Kiss & Tell Post)

Week 2:
5/25 - The Irish Banana Review (Review)
5/25 - Jenuine Cupcakes (Interview)
5/27 - No BS Book Reviews (Review)
5/28 - Once Upon A Twilight (Guest Post)
5/29 - Fiction Fare (Review & Interview)
Posted by Hannah at 3:00 AM 6 comments
Labels: ,

May 24, 2015

Blog Tour: Sweet by Emmy Laybourne


Pop Culture commentary

Welcome to Day Four of my blog tour. I’m so delighted to be here on The Irish Banana! What a great name for a blog!

SWEET tells the story of the product launch of a new diet sweetener called Solu which turns out to be highly addictive. The high-profile, celebrity-studded launch takes place on a week-long luxury cruise. Laurel and Tom, two teens who, for very different reasons, are NOT taking the sweetener, find themselves out at sea amidst five hundred B-list celebrities, reality TV stars and wealthy playboys who become more and more desperate and depraved, willing to do anything to get more Solu.

Because SWEET crosses a couple of genres (Romance! Action! Horror!) and deals with some surprising issues (Body acceptance! Addiction! Celebrity!), I’ve decided to have 5 special blog posts on this tour, talking about the way SWEET plays within each type.

Today we’re going to talk about the Pop Culture aspect of the book.

My new novel SWEET takes place on a luxurious cruise ship loaded to the brim with B- list celebrities and reality TV stars.

They’ve all come aboard for a huge PR event - the launch of a new diet sweetener called Solu that makes you lose weight. It’s the “Solu Cruise To Lose” and our main character, Laurel, calls it “the most famous cruise since the Titanic.”

The celebrities are mingling with a couple hundred non-famous, regular-old rich people who can afford the hefty ticket price. Laurel has been brought on the cruise by her wealthy best friend, Vivika. While Vivika is definitely into partying with famous people like Sabbi Ribiero, a Brazilian heiress and the star of a reality show called Teens Of New York, Laurel is not really into it.

That is, until she meets Tom Fiorelli. Tom is a former child star. He was the star of a show called The Magnificent Andersons, and he’s known to all by his old nickname, “Baby Tom-Tom”. As you can imagine - he HATES this nickname!

It was really fun for me to write for Tom and Sabbi because back when I was an actor, I got to do some of the things they do in the book. I interviewed people and was interviewed. I got to work with hair and makeup people, who are the true MAGICIANS of the entertainment industry! And I even got to walk the red carpet! (It was surreal! It was for the movie Superstar. I was sure that none of the photographers would want to take my picture, but when I got up there, they all yelled, “Emmy! Emmy, over here!” I could barely keep a straight face!)

Another of my favorite characters is Rich Weller, the young publicity guru who was responsible for the concept of the cruise. He works incredibly hard to manage every aspect of the cruise’s publicity. I felt so bad for him when things started going so terribly wrong!

You see… Solu works! It makes all the passengers lose weight - the famous, the infamous and the un-famous. But it’s also highly, highly addictive. And soon the passengers will do anything to get their hands on it - and fame goes out the window. Because no one cares about fame when your life is on the line.


While SWEET is a bit of a media circus, I tried to present the celebrities in a very real way. That’s something I strive to do in all my books. I want the characters to feel truthful and to make decisions that feel realistic. After all, people are people, famous or not. I hope that readers will enjoy the little glimpse behind the scenes of the life of a celebrity that I’ve provided in SWEET - and then hang on for their lives as the book crashes into the insanity that takes over as the Solu becomes more and more scarce on board…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Links/Info

Full Blog Tour Schedule
May 19-MacTeenBooks Blog
May 20-Fiktshun
May 21- Working for the Mandroid
May 22- The Young Folks
May 23-Adventures of a Book Junkie
May 24-The Irish Banana
May 24-Exlibris Kate
May 25-Love At First Page
May 26- Ray Kay Books
May 27-Page Turners Blog
May 28-Bibliophilia Please
May 29-Reading Nook Reviews
May 30-Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf
May 31-Tales of the Ravenous Reader
June 1-Dark Faerie Tales
June 2- Swoony Boys Podcast
June 3- All the Write Notes
Posted by Hannah at 3:00 AM 4 comments
Labels: , ,

May 23, 2015

Blog Tour: Joyride by Anna Banks


           1. JOYRIDE is a completely different genre from your last series. Was it easier or harder writing a contemporary novel versus a paranormal/fantasy?

Surprisingly it was more difficult to write contemporary. In fantasy, I can create my own rules and my own boundaries, but writing in real life setting is somewhat restrictive—and so real that sometimes my heart ached for the characters. I can’t give my characters special powers to deal with obstacles—they have to find their own inner strength and gumption to come out on top. That was rewarding to write.

 2. JOYRIDE also deals with the very relevant issues of citizenship and deportation - what inspired you to write about these things and add them to Carly's story?

When I was a waitress, I used to work with some undocumented immigrants from Mexico. As I grew to know them, they shared with me their stories and struggles. Just getting in the US is amazingly difficult and dangerous, and you’re not safe once you get here. Families are separated all the time, depending on what circumstances surround the deportation.
Carly’s story came to because these undocumented immigrants I’d worked with? They were the most reliable, hard-working people I knew. I wondered what it would be like to be a teenager, caught between wanting to start your life but also wanting to stay loyal and true to family tradition. Family is important in this culture, and it’s not an easy thing to blow off everything one has been taught. And it shouldn’t be easy.

3. If you were on a roller derby team, who would you want on your team - Arden or Carly?

 Carly. Arden would probably not take any good shots because I’m a girl, but Carly would give me a run for my money, if not an elbow to the nose. Bloody noses make everything more interesting!

4. What was your favorite part about writing JOYRIDE?

 I loved writing about the pranks. It brought my characters a sort of relief in the book, and for me personally as the writer, it gave me a break from writing a book dealing with such serious issues, like racism, immigration, and human smuggling. Plus I wanted them to be a sort of Robin Hood meets Bonnie & Clyde, where they prank the rich in circumstances on behalf of the poor in circumstances.  I think no matter what, my funs expect me to be funny, and I hope I accomplished that for them in JOYRIDE with all the pranking. J

5. So now you've tackled mermaids and contemporary - what does Anna Banks have in store for readers next and when can we expect to have it in our hands?

I have an Egyptian YA Fantasy coming out next year called NEMESIS. Here’s what it’s about:
A Serubelan princess who possesses the power to create energy escapes her father, who wishes to weaponize it, only to be captured by Theoria, her father’s nemesis kingdom,  where she discovers that her powers could be used to fight a terrible plague.

I also have an adult romantic comedy coming out through Entangled called HOW TO LOSE A BACHELOR. It’s How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days meets The Bachelor Show. They have a past. She’ll do everything in her power to be voted off the show. He’ll never vote her off in a million years. The world is watching!


Thanks so much for having me! J If any of your readers would like a signed book mark or bookplate for JOYRIDE please email me at byannabanks@gmail.com. This off is open internationally. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Links/Info

Full Blog Tour Schedule

May 12- Xpresso Reads
May 13- WhoRU Blog
May 19-Fiktshun
May 27-Dana Square
May 29-Paper Riot
May 30-Mundie Moms

Posted by Hannah at 3:00 AM 7 comments
Labels: , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)