Review: Worth the Fight by L.D. Davis

* COVER *

 

 

* SYNOPSIS *

 

Luke Kessler loved Emmy.
She broke his heart.
Then she revealed a life altering secret that brought them back together.
Time and forgiveness heal old wounds and love flourishes. Luke and Emmy find themselves reaching for a happily ever after together. When their pasts begin to push into their present and hurtful mistakes are made, the couple struggle with each other and their past demons. How much is too much? Will the couple be able to fight their way to a happily ever after? Are their lives together worth the fight?

* REVIEW *

 

(I highly recommend reading Accidentally on Purpose before reading this review)

 

Worth the Fight is the third book in the Accidentally on Purpose series.  I really love that each of the three main characters, Emmy, Kyle and Luke got to tell their own story.  Accidently on Purpose was one of my top reads for 2013.  It was sexy and angsty, I can't resist a good love triangle!  Emmy told us her story of loving two completely different men for different reasons. We saw the shit hit the fan and watched the downward spiral into her darkest place.  When I finished that book I didn't know which man had my loyalty.  I read book 2 which was Kyle's story and decided he wasn't for me.  Which brings us here, to Luke's side of the story. 

 

 Wow!  I have a new book boyfriend.  Luke is gorgeous, cocky and as all the women say has a freakishly sized "you know what".   Since I already knew how the story would go, I was worried that it would be boring or drawn out.  But it totally wasn't.  I loved seeing things his way and his language and sarcasm.  I loved learning certain things that went down that Emmy didn't know about.  Luke is a proud and passionate man.  He loves with such an intensity, it draws me in!  The whole begining of the book made me sad.  I hated seeing Emmy that way, so withdrawn and holding herself back.  The way that Luke referred to her as "Lucas' mom" broke my heart.  It was really telling how distant she was, but for good reason.  Luke made no attempts to hide his digust for her. It was a long time before any of the healing began. 

 

Once we got to the part of their story where they fell in love again, I was so happy.  This was the best part of the book for me.  The small things he did for her like getting her back to work, cracking jokes at home, trying to see her smile were so sweet.  He really wanted the old Emmy back, especially for Lucas' sake.  Their insatiable need for one another is hot!  Luke has the perfect mix of domination and tenderness with her. 

 

Their road was not easy, which we already knew, but it was hard going through it again from Luke's perspective.  The times that she saw Kyle made me ill.  I didn't have that same effect when I read those scenes in Worthy of Redemption.

 

I loved all the secondary stories and characters as well, Iris, Vivian and Claire all made the story that much more interesting.  You will just have to read it to find out.  I highly recommend if you are a fan of Emmy and Luke.  It's such a different twist to what you've read previously with them with a great ending!

 

"We fought for each other and our lives together.  We are worth the fight."

 

xo, D

 

Look for Worth the Fight by LD Davis on December 16th!

 

Buy book 1 Accidentally on Purpose

Buy book 2 Worthy of Redemption

 

 





Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: The Do-Over by M.K. Schiller

 

 

 

 

* COVER *

 

* SYNOPSIS *

 

Arrogant womanizer Kyle Manchester hates blind dates; however, when best friend, Brad calls in a favor, insisting Kyle take out his girlfriend’s sister, Kyle reluctantly agrees. Attorney Lanie Carmichael’s appearance is no surprise. She is dowdy, awkward, and dressed in so many layers she resembles a wedding cake, but not in an edible way. Her brazen attitude though, astonishes him, especially when she explains she has no interest in gorgeous Kyle. Lanie Carmichael is in love with Brad, and wants Kyle’s assistance in winning his best friend’s heart.

Kyle gradually accepts, justifying that the mystery of Lanie has sparked his natural, thirsty curiosity. As an ambitious journalist, he also can’t resist the Pulitzer worthy scoop she offers him. However, as Lanie sheds more layers, both emotionally and physically, Kyle begins to examine his life choices, and his true feelings for this enigmatic girl. With Kyle’s support, Lanie begins to unravel the secrets of her past, and the deep pain that has quietly defined her life. As they each learn more about themselves and each other, both question how a relationship built on fraudulent lies between two broken people could ever survive.

 

 

* REVIEW *

I am a huge fan of MK Schiller!  The Do-Over is the second book of hers that I've read and I loved it!  It was full of humor, sex, romance and an awesome story line.  Lanie and Kyle concoct a devious plan to help her attract his best friend, Brad.  They go through makeovers, "do-overs", firsts and become best friends.  But, is there more?

I fell in love with Kyle and Lanie.  Lanie is brash and confident.  Not exactly the most girly girl or a head turner, but her personality and intelligence shine through.  Kyle is a gorgeous "player" that all the women love.  Why would he ever settle down?  As these two spend more and more time together the lines between platonic love and romantic love are blurred.  A couple of twists and turns keep this story interesting.  Also, be warned that there will be a lot smiling while reading, laughing very loudly and possibly spitting out your drink (I recommend to drink in between chapters!!!)

Very original and couldn't put it down!  I highly recommend this sexy and funny read!!!!  Keep on writing MK Schiller, you are a wonderful storyteller!!!

xo, D

 

 

* BUY IT *

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

 

 

* ABOUT THE AUTHOR *

This is my debut novel, and I’m thrilled to share it with you.  I describe myself as a hopeless romantic in a hopelessly pragmatic world. By day, I don a magic cape, calculator (sometimes an abacus), and an assortment of gel pens for my work in the world of finance. But by night, I sit by the warm glow of my computer monitor, and think of stories that will warm the heart, and cheer the soul.

There is nothing better than the intimate journey and ultimate satisfaction that only a swoon-worthy romance can provide, especially if there are a few laughs along the way.  Although writing is my passion, I am a reader first and enjoy nothing more than curling up with a good book and some tasty Italian (the food, of course!). I hope you will enjoy my work and please drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you. 

* STALK HER *

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Another Great read by MK Schiller:  The Other C-Word


* GIVEAWAY *

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Blog Tour: Review, Teaser, & Giveaway: Not Alone by Amber Nation

Emmalynne Morgan thought that getting married to her High School sweetheart and starting a family was all she wanted in life. Everything was perfect until circumstances change and devastating blows occur.

Fast forward five years, Emmalynne thinks she is broken, not only emotionally but physically as well, so her confidence was severely lacking. Being a single mother to her son, Tucker, as well as an owner of a small town Bookstore, she does everything she can to keep men at arms-length, not thinking she is worthy anymore with her plus-sized body and scars.

Taking it upon themselves, Emmalynne's best friends, Toby and Tessa make it their mission to bring her out of her tight-knitted comfort zone. That is when she locks eyes on the male perfection that is Grady.

Grady Finnegan was the gorgeous new guy in town. Recently injured and discharged from the Army, Grady comes to his Uncle’s aid in helping manage the family bar. Not being anywhere near innocent when it comes to women, Grady meets Emmalynne and he knows one thing, that he wants her.

Sparks fly and passion ignites, but will that be enough? Not ready to lay her heart on the line, Emmalynne guards it as best she can and ultimately fails. When chaos erupts and Grady's past comes back to haunt him, it leaves Emmalynne's already broken heart, shattered. 

Will past circumstances prevent Emmalynne from having the future she deserves? Or can Grady help her follow her heart and show her that she is Not Alone

~*~

Review

This is definitely a diamond in the rough. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the story. From the synopsis, I knew that I would either really love it or think it was super cheesy. It certainly did not disappoint!

I loved that I could really relate to Emmalynne as a woman and as a mom. She was very strong and very independent. She loved those around her hard and deeply. I really enjoyed seeing Emmie’s passion for everything… even when it made me want to shake her.

Then there was the beautiful man named Grady. Right away you just want him. He’s got all of his issues, but he’s just as passionate as Emmie is. I loved that her having a kid did not intimidate him. It takes a strong man to be not just accepting of that, but open and willing to love a kid like he is his own. 

So, if you haven’t noticed, I really enjoyed this story! I cannot wait to read more from this author!

~*~

Teaser

Emmalynne turned around, fiddling with the bottom edge of her shirt. She looked up at me with her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, her eyes wary. She was nervous again, but seeing her nibble on her lip made me want to take her, here and now. “Thank you for bringing me home, Grady. And for coming to my rescue, I appreciate it.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” I had to get out of there and fast.

“Oh yeah, right, for our date.” She stepped towards me and closed her eyes, her tongue darting out to lick her lips then puckering them. She wanted to kiss me. That made my pants grow even tighter and I wanted nothing more than to explore every inch of that amazing mouth. Those lips were all pouty and sexy, but she wasn’t totally coherent. And as much as I wanted to, and Lord did I want to, I wasn’t going to take advantage of her like that. So I leaned into her and kissed her forehead, the smell of her shampoo hitting me like a brick, Vanilla and Mint. I exhaled as I took a step back and, she immediately opened her eyes, her expression pained.

~*~

About the Author

I am a wife, mother of two beautiful girlies, an avid reader, and a new Romance and New Adult author.

I was born and raised in Southern Indiana, but resided in Texas for five years while my husband was in the US Army. It was definitely a journey, but I am so glad to be back in my home state.

Whenever I'm not doing my motherly duties or at the soccer field I absolutely love to read whenever I have a moment to spare. My kindle is never far from my side.

My love of reading increased about a year ago and due to my love of books I decided to try my hand at writing. Already having a set of characters screaming to get out, my story took over and came to life.

~*~

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~*~

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RELEASE DAY: Review, Teaser, & Giveaway: Better by S. Walden

Their relationship has been exposed, and now their lives are changed forever.

For Cadence Miller, the fast track to adulthood proves intimidating and frustrating. She’s a little girl lost—abandoned by her parents and uncertain of her future. She doesn’t think she “fits” anywhere. She’s eighteen. She wants to be older. And the result is both comical and heartbreaking.

Mark Connelly will do anything to provide Cadence a stable, loving home—to be her protector. But he’s just as broken and lost, and his heart won’t let go of his past so easily. He knows he must share his secret with Cadence. And he hopes his revelation won't tear them apart. He hopes it will draw them closer, and make their love better.

~*~

Review

Ahhh! I was ready and waiting for this one! Right off the bat, it is a lot different than Good. Mark and Cadence are at a very different point in life and their relationship than even where we left off in Good. Their problems are different.

I was pretty surprised that it seemed that Cadence was having a pretty open crisis of faith. It was something that really was impacting her and her relationship with Mark. I feel like Ms Walden took a very sensitive topic and really opened it up in a respectable way. It was very interesting for me to read about how their relationship handled it.

On the same hand, on top of this own personal crisis of faith, Cadence has so much else going on. Her relationship with her family is one. It was pretty heartbreaking. I cannot imagine trying to adjust to college life at the same time I’m adjusting to my parents disowning me. She’s got friendships that are all in turmoil – whether it is her fault or not, this relationship impacted everything in her life. And as much as we didn’t want to see an issue with Mark and Cadence, they show that they do have their own faults.

Ms Walden really had a lot of various issues going on throughout the story. Sometimes I wished she would focus solely on just a few, but she really handled them all with grace that made it possible to tackle all of the issues going on. From the very beginning, my attention was focused on this book. As usual, her writing flows without effort. Her characters are not only unique to this story, but unique from each other. It is truly unlike any other series that I have read.

Well done, S. Walden! Another fabulously told story! What a great way to wrap up Mark & Cadence’s story!

~*~

Teaser

(Flashback)

His heart dropped when he watched her walk into the room. He ignored the snickers and whispers and followed her with his eyes as she walked to one of two remaining seats in his class. Both up front. She had no choice. She’d have to be close to him.

When realization dawned that he was the guy from Highway 28, the fear on her face was unmistakable. He felt no such fear. He felt extreme disappointment. And hopelessness.

And then, there was the matter of her orange jumpsuit. He didn’t know how to address it or if he even should address it. A large part of him said to leave it alone. She was clearly being bullied, and she thought she would try to turn the tables.

But she looked ridiculous. She had to know it. He wasn’t sure if she’d actually won or just thought she did. He tried for a gentle, non-confrontational approach.

“Cadence, you might wanna go change,” he said softly.

Her eyes went wide. He wasn’t sure why. And then it hit him. He said her name! Yes, he remembered her name. How could he ever forget that name? Cadence. Rhythmic. His song. His life. He decided that afternoon on the side of the road. She was his cadence. It was an alarming moment of clarity now muddled by the realization that she was his student. He thought God was playing another cruel joke on him.

~*~

About the Author

S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. Her dreams include raising chickens and owning and operating a beachside inn on the Gulf Coast (chickens included). When she's not writing, she's thinking about it.

She loves her fans and loves to hear from them. Email her at swaldenauthor@hotmail.com and follow her blog athttp://swaldenauthor.blogspot.com where you can get up-to-date information on her current projects.

~*~

Stalk Her

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~*~

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~*~

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Cover Reveal: My Beautiful by J.M. La Rocca including giveaway and trailer

Synopsis

It has been eight months since Scarlett Moore last saw Kade Evans. After being left hurt and confused she tried to forget about him, but he wasn’t easy to forget. She found herself thinking about him often. Even her best friend Jules did her best to get him off her mind by pushing her toward Bryce, the one person Scarlett was not sure she wanted to be involved with.  When a new job opportunity is offered to her and Jules, they jump on it. The idea of starting over again and forgetting the past is enticing to Scarlett even if it moves her to Los Angeles, the same place Kade lives.

Kade Evans’ life revolved around his band, alcohol, drugs, and woman…until he met Scarlett. She is the light to his darkness, his beautiful; the one that makes him see what the future might hold. That is, until his past came barreling back into his life, ruining everything. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do, but he did what he had to do to protect her. His plan is to find a way out of his new life before he tries to win her heart back. But life has a plan of its own and unexpectedly, Scarlett walks back into his life.

When they meet again, the fire she thought burned out is reignited and the plans he made are rearranged.

Just when things start to fall into place, they all seem to fall apart and the one person they think they can trust turns out to be the one to hurt them the most.

~*~

Book Release Information

Releasing: December 17, 2013

~*~

Book Trailer

~*~

About the Author

J.M. La Rocca was born in Chicago, IL. At an early age, her family relocated to lower Alabama where she began her love for writing. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband and twin sons.

As a stay at home mom, La Rocca was able to pursue her love for writing in GA. It was always an unrealized dream to write her own book. With the encouragement of her mother, La Rocca began to set to paper her ideas for her first book.

~*~

Giveaway

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Blog Tour: Ignite by Tessa Teevan

 

 

* COVER *

 

* SYNOPSIS *

 

After nearly a year and a half of grieving the loss of her husband, twenty-seven year old Alexa Sullivan Tate is headed back to her hometown after a decade of being away. She has no idea her high school crush, Jace McAllister, the guy who stole her heart the same night that he broke it, is more than ready to pick up the pieces.

Jace has spent the last ten years in the Army defusing bomb after bomb, trying to forget the girl who ignited all his passions. Little does he know that the spark still exists.

Ten years ago they had smoldering chemistry, but the spark between them now might light a fuse that leads to an explosion even Jace can't stop. Not that he wants to. If only Alexa can get past her guilt and trust her heart again.

But how do you put it all on the line when you've already lost everything once before?

* REVIEW *

 

Ignite is a beautiful love story about first loves, second chances and heartache.  Alexa tragically lost her husband and is just going through the motions of life.  That is, until her fantastic sister sets up a plan for her to be at the same place/same time as her old High School crush Jace.  I have a particularly soft spot for these stories because my own love story is like this (minus the tragic part)!  Lexi is resistant to hanging out with friends or letting loose because of her guilt that she should still be mourning.  Thanks to her unrelenting sister, Sierra, Lexi and Jace are face to face and unable to turn away.

Alexa (Lexi) was dealt a rough hand in life.  Being so young and a widow, she just doesn't know how she fits into the social world anymore.  She has some regrets and guilt that she is carrying.  Thankfully she finds a great friend in Brady, one of her coworkers.  He is the one to start cracking her hard shell and bring out her old fun loving self.  I felt all of her emotions were justified and realistic.  I never got annoyed with her or frustrated (which can easily happen with a damaged heroine).  Her journey to the end of the story was tender, smoking hot and exciting.  I was truely happy for her!

Jace, fanning myself, Jace!  Tall, dark and handsome (with blue eyes) and the star 2nd baseman for the High School team.  YUMMY!!!  well, young Jace and mature, Army Jace do not disappoint.  He is definitely a top book boyfriend.  He loves taking care of his woman, has a touch of alpha but is oh so sweet and considerate.  I swooned at several things he said or did! 

This story had just the right amount of flashbacks.  Sometimes when stories go back in time, I feel like it overshadows the current theme, but not here.  I loved the glimpses into all of these characters as teenagers and now as adults.  Alexa has an amazing family and so much support.  I read the first 60% of this book very quickly, I was sucked in.  When Ignite started heating up...it was expolosive!  I'd love more of Alexa and Jace.  Their story is original and sweet!  Loved it!

 

xo, D

 

 

* BUY IT *

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Paperback

 

 

* ABOUT THE AUTHOR *

 

I'm a twenty six year old book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are my teams! I work for the government during the day, hang out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and am married to a guy 15 inches taller than me. We're quite the pair! We currently live right outside of Dayton, OH with our two cats.

       I've been reading since I was a kid. My mom was a librarian, so it was a given. Heck, she even made sure we watched Wishbone instead of the Smurfs. In 2011 when I graduated from college, my mom bought me a Nook, and then in the summer of 2012 I found this amazing site called Goodreads. I was introduced to so many amazing indie/self-published authors. After reading almost 400 books that year, my husband gave me the push to finally sit down and write my own. It was a rocky start, but over time the words started flowing and I couldn't get Jace and Lexi out of my head.

      If I’m not writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find me curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. I love my sports almost as much as I love my books. My other obsessions include red wine, hot men, country music, and all things Grace Potter. 

       I LOVE to hear from readers, so please feel free to contact via any social media site listed below.

* CONNECT WITH HER *

 

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* GIVEAWAY *
 

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EXCLUSIVE Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway: Better by S. Walden

Their relationship has been exposed, and now their lives are changed forever.

For Cadence Miller, the fast track to adulthood proves intimidating and frustrating. She’s a little girl lost—abandoned by her parents and uncertain of her future. She doesn’t think she “fits” anywhere. She’s eighteen. She wants to be older. And the result is both comical and heartbreaking.

Mark Connelly will do anything to provide Cadence a stable, loving home—to be her protector. But he’s just as broken and lost, and his heart won’t let go of his past so easily. He knows he must share his secret with Cadence. And he hopes his revelation won't tear them apart. He hopes it will draw them closer, and make their love better.

~*~

Teaser

Cadence turned left out of the elevator. She wandered down the dorm hall looking for Room 24. But the numbers were too low, and she realized she went the wrong way. She was just about to turn around before glimpsing a message left on a tiny whiteboard attached to someone’s door:

“Student union at 5 sharp. Got someone I want you to meet. – Lindsay”

Cadence stared at the smiley face beside the word “meet.” She wondered if it was a blind date set-up and if Lindsay’s friend would be happy about it. She knew Michael was waiting, but she decided to read a few more messages.

She strolled the hall in no particular hurry, stopping at each door, reading the notes of students who were experiencing college in a very different way from her. She had no idea how long she stood in front of Room 8 staring at the hearts someone drew on the board. She had no idea why she couldn’t control her impulse to draw her own hearts, and reached for the pink marker hanging by a string. She gripped the marker like it was her lifeline to this other world.

She traced the outline of a heart in the lower corner of the board, then colored it in carefully.

“Hi?”

Cadence jumped back, dropping the marker. It slapped against the door in the deafening silence of the hallway.

~*~

About the Author

S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. Her dreams include raising chickens and owning and operating a beachside inn on the Gulf Coast (chickens included). When she's not writing, she's thinking about it.

She loves her fans and loves to hear from them. Email her at swaldenauthor@hotmail.com and follow her blog athttp://swaldenauthor.blogspot.com where you can get up-to-date information on her current projects.

~*~

Stalk Her

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~*~

Buy It

(Pre-Order Better)

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Buy Book 1 - Good

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~*~

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Blog Tour: My Beautiful by Alicia Rae

 



* COVER *

 

 

* SYNOPSIS *

 

Still trying to recover from a tragic loss, Lily’s worst fear is falling in love. Distancing herself from everyone is the only way she can keep heartache away.

Deep down though, Lily realizes that living without Kyle is too painful. She finds strength in Kyle’s arms, and he gives her the courage to face her past. With every step forward, Lily continues to nurture and mend her damaged heart.

Just when Lily feels closure within her grasp, secrets from the past finally catch up with her, and Lily will discover that more than her heart is on the line.

Will love be enough to save Lily?

 

* REVIEW *

 

My Beautiful is the sequel to Beautiful Chances by Alicia Rae.  It picks right up where we ended in the last book.  I loved that it was a direct continuation.  I was really hoping that Lily wanted to follow Kyle!  My Beautiful is a story about healing and moving forward.  Lily has faced indescribable tragedy in her life.  Right at the start of this book we find out that there's even more.  I felt so bad for her and her aunt.  I could see both sides but really wanted Lily to come around and recognize that things were just as hard for her aunt!  I enjoyed meeting all of Lily's extended family and friends and seeing her in her own element.  I felt that she was brave and strong.  Partly because she had Kyle.  Kyle is one of a kind.  He is strong, loving, compassionate and passionate!  There was no shortage of steamy scenes in this book!  They just kept getting hotter and hotter!

 

Toward the end of this story, things got exciting and suspenseful.  We find out some things that were haunting Lily all along.  There is drama and a close call that I didn't see coming.  You will just have to read to find out!

 

I'm looking forward to the third installment in this series.  I want to know more about Kyle and California and see where this journey takes them.  I think now that Lily has moved on she will be a renewed person! 

 

xo, D

 

* BUY IT *

 

Barnes and Noble | Amazon

 

* ABOUT THE AUTHOR *

 

Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams…

 

 

 

* STALK HER *

 

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