Melinda Dozier stopped by today….

 

Time Changes Everything
by Melinda Dozier

Blurb

Amanda Larson is dedicated to her job and doesn’t want to make time for anything else. Until she runs into Jake Edwards. He used to be the cute boy next door; now he’s a sexy, big shot lawyer.

Jake Edwards isn’t interested in commitment. He’s successful, sexy, and single–and that’s how he likes it. When he reconnects with Amanda, Jake realizes he might have to rethink his philosophy on the carefree, bachelor lifestyle.

But, is it too late for them? Or can he convince her that he’s ready to give her his heart?

Time Changes Everything will be available May 13 through Entranced Publishing.

Purchase links: http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints-5/entranced/time-changes-everything/

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzKh1B21Z5w&feature=g-high-f&list=FL5KvXdEur-muCY2C8YBXBYQ

Author Bio 

Reading romance has always been at the top of Melinda’s favorite past times. After hectic days of teaching English to middle school students, Melinda finds time to write and read in the evenings. She lives in Guatemala, Central America with her husband, three boys and German Sheppard. She enjoys being the queen of her household and dreams of being pampered fully by her boys once they are grown. Melinda loves reality TV., traveling, blogging and playing Words With Friends.

Website: www.melindadozier.com
Blog: http://melindadozier.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/melindadozier

Blog Tour Giveaway

Melinda will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate and an ecopy of Time Changes Everything. Use the rafflecopter below:

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Five Outrageous Facts about a Romance Writer – Melinda Dozer

1. I once drove across the entire state of Texas only wearing a pink bikini. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Not in over 100 degree weather. My uncle had just given me a hand-me-down vehicle for college. On the drive from my home state of Louisiana to New Mexico, where I went to college, the air condition blew out. I wasn’t about to burn up in that hellhole of a car. So, I popped out my bikini and drove as if I was Thelma and Louise.
2. 2.    My nickname in college was “Frenchie.” Nope, it’s not what you think! I actually studied French for four years of College, and dreamed of moving to Paris and marrying a baker. Little did I know, fate had other plans. Still, the name stuck with me.
3. I had private Sex-Ed lessons. When I had mononucleosis in high school, I had a private tutor at home and it happened to be an older man. He had to teach me the curriculum from Health class: Sex Ed. Talk about awkward!
4. 4.    I thought my hubby was a perv. I met hubby in college in History 101 class. When he asked if I wanted to study for the first time, he told me we should study at his apartment. I totally thought he would take advantage of me, so I talked him into the library instead. Almost 20 years later, I know better now. He’s a true gentleman.
5. 5.    The Bachelor/The Bachelorette is usually the highlight of my week. Monday nights are planned around this reality TV show series. I know how ridiculous it is and how unrealistic the romance can be, but it’s still an obsession. It’s a regular past time in our household.

I love talking to readers! You can find me at:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/melindadozier

Facebook: www.facebook.com/melindadoz

My blog: http://melindadozier.blogspot.com

Add Time Changes Everything to your Goodreads shelf!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15990302-time-changes-everything

Now it’s your turn to share. Tell me an outrageous fact about yourself! Leave a comment below!

Zombie Revelations by Dene Bebbington

Zombie Revelations

Dene Bebbington

Self-published

Horror/zombie

Rating: C (I forget what rating scale I use, so we’re going with letter grades…)

Somewhere in the UK, zombies swarm a church where a wedding is about to take place. They realize that no one is safe, no one exempt, from the undead.

Zombie Revelations doesn’t really bring anything new to the zombie genre. It’s short, full of the usual characters–weepy, screaming women, scared old men who love their infected wives anyway, the hero male, and the briefly mentioned psychotic religious leader.

It’s well-written, for the most part. There are some POV issues–the biggest being that the story is told in a slightly-overwritten, flowery omniscient voice that doesn’t really allow the reader to get to know the characters–a handicap that sort of cuts this story off at the knees, in this overglutted zombie-genre market. Then there are the sporadic info-dumps that pop-up like footnotes, answering questions the characters asked, like monotone scientists in a grade school educational filmstrip. There was this weird thing in the stories, too. The zombies “squawked.” I kept getting this mental image of zombies walking around squawking like parrots, accompanied by arm-flapping. Zombies shouldn’t squawk. It’s great to bring something new to the zombie genre, but it sort of has to make sense. Granted, that’s my own opinion, but I dare anybody to read the story, and not picture zombies walking around the UK making noises like parrots.

Because this story is told in such a distant, omniscient voice, the reader isn’t really allowed to discover the story on their own. Everything is told to the reader–instead of the horrific discovery by a character that another is bitten, we’re told he’s been bitten, and that’s it. There is a lot of ‘telling,’ rather than showing, and that limits the story somewhat. Or a lot…

I liked the characters. I wish the author had invested more in them and taken more time to let us get to know them. It’s the characters that make a zombie story stand out.

Overal, this is a decent story. If you’re looking for a more emotional connection with characters, or a plot with a goal, this probably isn’t the story for you. It’s more of a vignette, I suppose. Well-written for the most part, technically clean, and while I personally think it could be tightened up a little, I’m sure less-critical readers may enjoy it.

Fan-girl-squee-ing over Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series

I don’t do too many of these posts. I read SO much, it’s almost impossible to keep up with everything I read. I have books stacked chest high in the hallways, on tables, overflowing multiple bookcases, on any flat surface available. My poor Kindle app on my phone contains THOUSANDS of books.

Every once in a while, a book catches my eyes. Actually, an ad on Facebook (who knew people actually paid attention to those sidebar ads?) caught my eye. It was for a indiegogo thing, this one, actually…

I know I’m a little late to this party–the series has been out for a while (since 2010). Since I love anything fairy/faery related, and I love good YA fiction, I grabbed the series off Amazon and started reading. Managed to read the first 3 full books last night, obsessively. Couldn’t put them down. LOVED them. Loved the characters. Doesn’t happen in YA too often, for me, personally. I hate getting chest-deep into a good YA series, and suddenly, the heroine goes duuurrrrrrhhh and starts making stupid, stupid decisions, all based on luuuuuuuv.  (I can’t get the underline to go away, sorry).

Kagawa’s characters are unique because they are smart. They make GOOD choices. Meghan doesn’t fall apart when her man walks away. She doesn’t sit in a chair and wait for somebody to rescue her. She goes after her man. I also love, love, love that these books don’t contain a love triangle, with some smitten girl moaning and griping over who she loves more. There are a few chapters where Meghan has to make a choice, but it’s not really even a choice, because she knows who she loves, and who she sees as a friend.

I just can’t reiterate how much I loved that the characters were intelligent. Like, real-life intelligent. You don’t see that much in YA fiction. The relationships between characters were amazing. I loved the variety of characters and the way faery mythology is woven into the story without becoming info-dumps.

The books are full of action and adventure, romance that feels like so much more than ordinary teenage crushes. The story itself is epic and sweeping. With a lot of series the spread over several books, usually by the third or so, there’s really nowhere else the story can go without reading like a Mary-Sue-ed fanfiction of itself. Thankfully, we don’t have that issue with the Iron Fey series. Every book has a new adventure, and it makes sense in the world Kagawa has woven. There is no reprieve from the overall threat, and all the minor ones add in to create an unrelenting tension throughout the series that just pushes the reader on and on. At least it did with me. I read the first three books in a matter of hours! I’m halfway through Iron Knight and loving it as well (note: just finished it. Cried through the whole damn book!) This series is more than just 3 books about a dumb teen chick and her love-triangle boyfriends set in a generic fantasy world; it’s got a life of it’s own. I totally just love how the characters grow up in the books–they start out at teenagers (sort of, if you can count immortal fey as teens…) and evolve. We follow Meghan through her journey from pig-farmer to queen and beyond. It’s got everything a fairy-tale lover would want. There’s no anticlimactic “and they lived happily ever after, the end” moment.

I found only ONE thing that I didn’t like all that much. At the end of book 3, there’s a brief epilogue that switches from Meghan’s POV to Ash’s. It felt a little awkward to me. it didn’t exactly lead into book 4, even though book 4 is in Ash’s POV.

So this is definitely a series you should check out. I can’t say enough about it. It’s beautiful, fantastic, amazing, and wonderfully written.

Ms. Kagawa, if you need any more additions to your army of bloggers, count me in! ritesofromance (at) gmail . com!

Appetites by Lucy O

Title: Appetites

Author: Lucy O

Publisher: The Big O

ISBN:

Release Date: March 2013

Format: Ebook

Genre: Contemporary erotica

Length: Novella

Rating:  4 Lyres

Reviewer: GJM

Suzanna is a cooking show host who skates very close to the edge with her sexual innuendos while cooking on the live show. When her boyfriend dumps her on live TV she has a mini meltdown and ends up fired. Her boss makes her an offer that she can’t refuse he wants her to work at her new restaurant the job is hers if she can pass his test.

OMG is all I can say I laughed so hard I cried in places. This is a really quick little read filled with innuendos and some great ideas for cooking with chocolate. There are even a few recipes included at the end of the book. Making risotto will never be boring again if you make it according to Suzanna’s instructions.

If you’re looking for a quick fun read grab a copy of appetites you’ll not be disappointed Ms O will keep you laughing from start to finish.

The Damaged Heart by Rosemary J. Anderson

Title: The Damaged Heart

Author: Rosemary J Anderson

Publisher: Siren Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-62242-343-9

Release Date: February 2013

Format: Ebook

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: Novel

Rating: 5 Lyres recommended read

Reviewer: GJM

Unsolicited Review

Abigail Bountiful is shy and naïve and has managed to get to the age of twenty one without losing her virginity. Life has not been kind to Abigail but she’s managed to survive up till now, however life has handed her yet another blow and she is about to become homeless. In desperation she decides to reply to an advertisement.

“A virgin wife wanted!

A homemaker, must be free of ties and aged twenty to thirty.

Should be prepared to live in a remote part of the world.

Ring for an interview.”

Gabriel Strong has been hurt in the past and doesn’t trust women, but he wants a family, so he places an advert in the paper. He has also had a contract drafted so that if he finds a suitable candidate, he will be protected if the marriage fails.

Abigail bungles her way through the interview.  Her nerves have her spilling coffee and dumping the contents of her purse all over the floor. When asked what she’d bring to the marriage, she told Gabriel she kept a clean house, was a great cook, and that she knew she’d be good in bed–as she’d read books. She passes the medical test Gabriel has requested so they are married and he whisks her off to Alaska.

Gabriel is a biologist who is currently studying the mating habits of the grizzly. He is also a keen wildlife photographer. The first few days the pair are in Alaska go reasonably well. Gabe learns that his wife can’t cook to save herself, though she does try very hard. When Gabe’s fellow researchers arrive, things change between Gabe and Abby. One of the researchers just happens to be Gabe’s ex, Marianne St Clair. The other is the former best friend that she ran off with, Francis Walker.

Abigail is almost killed by a bear when someone leaves leftovers outside. Then a series of other mishaps befall both Gabe and Abby–the most heartbreaking, the loss of their child. Abby believes Gabe is having an affair and only wanted her for the baby. Gabe on the other hand doesn’t believe Abby loves him and is prepared to let her go until an enraged Mamma grizzly comes on the scene looking for her cub, and standing between Mamma and baby is–you guessed it–Abigail.

This is probably one of the best contemporary novels I have read so far this year. I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to slap both Gabriel and Abigail at times. Ms Anderson had me hooked by the end of chapter one and I stayed that way till the last page. The chemistry between Abby and Gabe is hot, the action is fast paced with a few twists, just to make it really interesting. I’m hoping that one of the secondary characters, Gabe’s friend Zach, gets his own book soon, and that we get to revisit with Gabe and Abby.

The Ghost’s Release (Were Devils of Tasmania #4) by Simone Sinna

Title: The Ghost’s Release

Series Were Devils of Tasmania # 4

Author: Simone Sinna

Publisher: Siren Publishing

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62242-750-5

Release Date: April 2013

Format: Ebook

Genre: Paranormal, Shape shifter, Menage, Romance

Length: Novel

Rating: 5 Lyres

Reviewer: GJM

When we first meet Misty Mortimer she’s walking on the moors in England when Damon and Kadar Karlssen find her. Even though they are Ghosts her natural enemy she decides to join them for the last leg of the walk after all they may be the enemy but they did stop her from falling into a bog hole so it might be safer to join them than to carry on alone.

The trio are in a bar sharing a few drinks after their walk when Misty has an instinctual feeling that something is terribly wrong back in Tasmania. Damon and Kadar take her out of the bar and explain that her family has been attacked by Ghosts.  While Misty knows the guys weren’t in on the attack she still excuses herself.

Little does the trio know that they have attracted the attention of the Baekken Vampires. The Vampires consider Misty vermin and plan to kill her slowly and painfully but first they want to know why Damon and Kadar are associating with her. Damon tells them it’s because Misty is close to finding out about the curse as genetics are her field. He doesn’t tell the Vampires that he believes that with Misty’s help Kadar and Damon will make a breakthrough to a full cure for both the were devils and the ghosts.

The plot is again fast paced and we get taken from England to Tasmania and back to England before Ms Sinna is done with us. A lot of those unresolved issues in the three prior books are finally cleared up. Misty, Damon and Kadar are the final hope of the two races uniting but it’s going to take everything they have and they are all going to learn how to trust each other and their attraction to each other. I don’t want to give any spoilers here as I know those who follow this series would really NOT appreciate me spoiling it for them

I have followed this series from the beginning and was sad to know that this was the final book as I started reading I hoped that the final installment was the best and Ms Sinna did not disappoint while I’m sad to say goodbye to the Were Devils and their enemies the Ghosts I was really happy with the way everything was resolved and who knows maybe just maybe Ms Sinna will take pity on us and revisit Tasmania in the future

Our promoted author for today is…

Ashley M. Christman writing as Charlotte Davila

Romance Author

As a child, Ashley M. Christman spent many hours in imaginary worlds, exploring the depths of mythology and immersing herself in a breadth of classics. After spending so much time reading, she decided to try her hand at writing.

An avid fan of film noir, she combines fantasy, noir style heroes and heroines, and the paranormal in a modern day setting in a way that hopefully would make even Bogie proud.

When not writing, she can be found in the wilds of Minnesota enjoying great cuisine, avoiding the gym, and being walked by the dog with her partner, Tom.

Author Links

Author Website and Blog: www.ashleymchristman.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17696596-the-lady-and-the-highwayman

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashley-M-Christman/270726188001

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AMChristman

Email: Ashley@ashleymchristman.com

Book

The Lady and the Highwayman (Historical Romance)

Published: April 1st, 2013 Entranced Publishing

Blurb: Lady Elizabeth Bennington has the perfect life: she’s the daughter of an earl and betrothed to her childhood friend, William Hartley, the second son of a duke. But, when her sister’s indiscretion leads to an unplanned pregnancy, and the subsequent disgrace of Elizabeth’s entire family, her idyllic life is thrown into disarray.

First, her fiance is prohibited from marrying her. Then she receives word that William has been killed by thieves. To top it all off, she gets abducted by a highwayman. Can Elizabeth find love again, and with the most unlikely of people?

Buy:

 

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Lady-and-the-Highwayman/book-EUbs6khXfkGohnKD32VYeg/page1.html?s=pmY-ryxgBkWd0P2Fp1bcfw%3D1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Lady-Highwayman-ebook/dp/B00C3U1TAU/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=digital-text%3DUTF8%3D1364679066%3D1-1-spell%3Dthe+lady+and+the+highway+man

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lady-and-the-highwayman-charlotte-davila/1114964686?ean=2940016688732

Excerpt

Every morning, at exactly half past noon, Lady Bennington began her traverse of the entire

length of Rathbonne, the Bennington family estate. She did this at the insistence of her Mama, who recommended that she do so in order to have a desirable marriage. It was advice that she took very seriously — that is to say she took only half of it very seriously. She refused to refrain from pastries and pies, both of which satisfied her demanding sweet tooth.

The estate did not make for an easy walk. It spanned over twenty acres and took her the

better part of half an hour to complete, if she moved at a leisurely pace. She always moved at a

leisurely pace, getting lost in her thoughts and fantasies of faraway lands and foreign cultures.

Sometimes, rather than walk back to the house, she would bring a book and stay in the high field amongst the shepherds and their grazing sheep, and read.

This morning she decided that rather than reading in the high field, she’d go to the brook

behind the property that divided Rathbonne from the neighboring Highborne estate. Highborne was the country home of the Duke of Staffordshire and his family, with whom the Benningtons were well acquainted. She removed the blanket from under her arm and smoothed it out on the grass beneath the tall oak, making herself cozy enough to lose herself in Paradise Lost.

“Lady Elizabeth, I bid you good afternoon,” a familiar voice yelled in the distance.

Elizabeth looked up from her book. Lord William Hartley, her childhood friend and the

second son of the Duke, was approaching on horseback. Will, like herself, was a younger child and the two of them had been raised closely. Unlike Elizabeth, he would inherit property in his own right, and his father’s title if something should cause the death of his brother. Elizabeth’s fortunes relied entirely on her marrying well.

Giveaway:

 

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Swamp Baby book trailer

Swamp Baby has a book trailer now! Check it out (and then go buy the book. It’s ONLY .99!)

 

Heart Strong by Bonnie McClune

Title- Heart Strong

Author- Bonnie McCune

Publisher- Prism Book Group

Pages- 64

Rating- 4

Reviewer- DMP

 

Title- Heart Strong

Author- Bonnie McCune

Publisher- Prism Book Group

Pages- 64

Rating- 4

Reviewer- DMP

I really must applaud McCune for going off the proverbial hero/heroine stereotype board by making Jim “not as handsome as she first thought” and Rachel being “A little more plump than he had originally thought”.  There are just NOT enough of realistic characters in books for my liking, but McCune succeeded in pleasing my appetite.

The lively and fun dialogue McCune creates in this romance made me recall many personal life experiences with my ‘true love’ and as McCune quotes in her book, woman have many true loves in their lifetime, if done right. 

I absolutely love how she weaved the blossoming romance between Jim and Rachel. Tender yet passionate at various times. The strength McCune brings out in Rachel had me cheering her on and the realization from the beginning that Jim showed when recognizing Rachel’s simple life had me wishing more real life men would be in-tuned to that behavior. 

 

 

Jewel by Ashlynn Monroe

Title: Jewel

Author: Ashlynn Monroe

Publisher: Loose Id

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62300-253-4

Release Date: March 2013

Format: Ebook

Genre: Menage, Shape Shifters, Paranormal, Sci Fi

Length: Novella

Rating: 4/5

Reviewer: GJM

Jewel has just found out that in order to gain an army and a safe port to conduct his illegal business, her father has traded her away to a mutant prince who wishes to impregnate her. He believes that any children she gives him will be free of his mutant disease since her DNA is 100% human, without a single mutation. Jewel is  NOT onboard with her Father’s scheme, and when pleading with her older brother fails, she runs.

Rion is needs the bounty that Prince Bayless has placed on Jewel’s head for his Clan. He assures Prince Bayless that he will deliver Jewel. Trouble is, Rion never counted on her being his mate, the one person in the galaxy that he will protect, no matter the cost.

When Jewel runs, she knows she has to get as far away as possible to escape her father and the prince. She is also smart enough to know there will be a bounty on her head for her return. Her first encounter with the bounty hunter, she fights her way out with the help of a mystery man. Little does she know that the reason he helped her is so that he can claim the bounty for himself.

When Rion captures her, she vows that she will escape him. She figures since she finds him attractive she might as well seduce him; after all, she can escape as soon as they land. When Jewel sets her plan to seduce him in motion, Rion is wary. He asks her if she is experienced, as he knows a woman of worth could possibly become a mate. He knows the chances of becoming mated are even higher if that woman of worth is also a virgin.

When both Rion and Jewel are taken captive and fighting for their lives and freedom, they get help from Rion’s brothers. They escape, but there can be no turning back now Jewel isn’t the only one with a price of her head Rion and his three brothers are also fugitives.

Again, Ms Monroe takes us along on a fast paced adventure. The story flowed, the chemistry between Rion and Jewel was believable, and when Makis offered to be her, Guardian Jewel realized she had feelings for both Rion and Makis. This was yet another story that sent me running to the author’s website looking to see if we can expect another book. The good news is we can expect the other brothers to get their own books, which I’ll be looking forward to. While the book ends as an HEA, I felt there were a few unresolved issues. I’m assuming they will be covered in the upcoming books. If you haven’t read Ms Monroe already, check her out. For those of you that are already devoted fans, you’ll not be disappointed. Well worth the read!