✰ Book Review ✰ I NEED YOU ALWAYS by Cynthia P. O'Neill

 I NEED YOU ALWAYS 

Author: Cynthia P. O'Neill 

Series: Need, Book #1

Genre: Contemporary/Erotic Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Dane Prescott flew all over the world for his family’s business, partying at every turn and avoiding taking the reigns of his father’s company, until tragedy strikes. 

He feels lost until he sees her…

Marissa Lawson couldn’t wait to graduate college, going from intern to employee at the company she works for until one of her peer’s stole her ideas and job offer.

Everything around her begins to unravel until a controlling kiss from a handsome stranger, leaves her breathless and seeking to transform her life. 

Her luck changes when she’s offered a new position to work with the boss’s son; her stranger!

Marissa wants to focus on her career, but Dane wants to dominate her; mixing business with pleasure. Every touch tempts her to submit to his desires. 

Can she hold up to the control he craves in life, especially in love? Can she let go of her own hang-ups and submit to him?

Only time will tell if she can be everything he Needs!

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AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU | B&N

Dane was a playboy who had everything he ever wanted at his disposal. He had a job at his father’s very successful company which allowed him to travel to gorgeous locations, and he most certainly had money. He was happy. He had everything he could ever need. And then, tragedy struck him in a way he couldn’t seem to recover from. He had suffered a loss that made him feel incomplete…empty.

Until Marissa.

Marissa was excited to be graduating college. She expected to get a job at the company she interned in, but those plans went downhill when a co-worker stole her ideas. Marissa’s life started to crumble around her… All her plans? Gone out the window. Devastated, heartbroken, and worried, Marissa was not expecting what happened next. One chance encounter changed her life in more ways than she could have ever imagined…or hoped for. A new job offer lead to a completely new life for her.

Life had a funny way of working out. Cynthia P. O’Neill threw in a few surprises and curveballs throughout the storyline. I really enjoyed seeing how all the little details in the book came full circled…how all my questions got answered. And let’s just say, Marissa came out of her shell. She and Dane were just what each other needed. They made each other complete. All in all this was a good book AND there were some very steamy scenes for those of you that love a hot romance! 

4 Stars!

Meet the author: Cynthia P. O'Neill 

I grew up in a small town in South Florida called Clewiston and moved to Central Florida to attend college. I married my friend, love, and soul mate and still reside in the area with our amazing son, and a feisty, four-legged little doggie boy.

In my books, I draw on my background in healthcare, business, and science, along with my husband's engineering and wireless technology knowledge.

I currently write on all levels of Romance. The Learning Series is for those who like a little more steam with their books, falling into the categories of Contemporary and verging on Erotica, with a hint of Suspense. The Remembrance Series encompasses Young Adult, with a touch of Paranormal activity and a hint of Historical romance. A new contemporary romance series is underway, called Need. It will be different than the others, because each book will focus on a new couple, while all of the characters will still have a large presence throughout the series.

I try to make my writing very personal and close to her heart. Regular life is the inspiration for my books, but I'm only limited by imagination taking ideas to new heights, opening up possibilities that would normally not exist.

On a more personal note...I love to cook and create in the kitchen and on the bbq grill. I sometimes lose myself in a song at the piano. I often sing with my son while we are driving or making dinner together. I enjoy crafts (flower arranging, making wreaths, painting pottery, needle point and drawing in pencil and charcoals). My music tastes are eclectic at best, ranging from classical piano to hard rock/heavy metal. It all depends on the song, group, and if it has a good beat or is a soulful ballad.

Social Media Links:

Facebook | Website | Twitter

✰ Book Review ✰ KEEPING KING by Anne Jolin

KEEPING KING

Author: Anne Jolin

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Rock Falls #4 
~ SYNOPSIS ~
***Can be read as a standalone or as part of the Rock Falls series.***

Peyton Callaghan is a fighter, a survivor, a warrior. When it was kill or be killed, she didn’t hesitate. Now, she’s the only one left standing, haunted by the ghost of a dead man and plagued with the guilt of having taken another person’s life. The upheaval of her life to start over in Rock Falls has been rocky at best, her worst nightmares and wildest desires colliding with each other. Terror tortures her nightly, breeding fear inside her dreams, and in every waking moment, she fights against the lust that threatens to drown her. 

Jayden King harbors secrets beneath his outward playboy demeanor. The women who warm his bed lay claim to nothing—you can’t lay claim to someone who doesn’t have a heart. His wit and charm are exquisite means of deflection and distraction from the turmoil roaring inside him. He’s hidden in plain sight, a mask of humor keeping the sadness at bay. The only real reflections of his soul are in the artwork he creates, pieces of him muraled on the skin of others. If tattoo artists could have a calling card, the etch of pain and suffering in each design would be his. Because when the lights go out and the women he’s satisfied have gone home, he’s alone with every fear he refuses to face.

After suffering from a brutal attack at the hands of her roommate’s stalker, Peyton is forced to live with the object of her affection. Without intention, she breathes love into his starved heart, and although the mere thought of that terrifies him, Jayden would burn the city down to keep her safe, causalities be damned. 

Some people you have. Some people you hold. 

She can have him. She can hold him. But can she keep King? Or is it impossible for Callaghan to keep something that was never really hers to begin with?

AMAZON | KOBO | B&N | iBooks

Anne Jolin is one of those very few authors whose books I will one-click without any kind of hesitation. The Rock Falls series keeps getting better and BETTER and I absolutely adore the group of characters that bring these books to life. The girls are witty, smartass-y, strong, and ladies I would totally be friends with. As for the guys? OH MAN - THE GUYS. Total hotties and yummy alpha males! I’m telling you, this series is a MUST READ.

Now, while all the books in this series can be read as standalone novels, I highly recommend you read them in order. You will have a better understanding of everything that’s happened up until this 4^th installment and, quite frankly, why the heck not? They are truly great books and ones I easily recommend to anyone that loves great romantic suspense novels!

“…you’ve breathed love back into my soul.”

Jayden. Oh, Jayden. What a HUNK of a man!!! He was loving, caring, sexy, alpha…aaand had tattoos! He could not get any better. Really.

Jayden was hurting inside and kept everyone at arm’s length – especially women. His guilt prevented him from opening his heart. He had fought long and hard his attraction to Peyton but now, there was nothing he could do. He was losing that battle hard and fast.

Peyton had lived a life in which she kept pretty much to herself because of what she’d already been through. Suffice it to say, she was one strong chick! I really did like her character a lot.

Well anyway, little did she ever imagine, the guy she secretly had a massive crush on, felt the same way about her. Certain circumstances brought Jayden and Peyton under the same roof. - cue swooning - The way Jayden protected Peyton, how he took care of her, had me completely enamored. It wasn’t easy for either of them living together, but boy oh boy, things surely got interesting…and steamy.

Once Jayden and Peyton opened up to each other, once they accepted what they meant to each other, their love – their connection – was unbreakable. They were passionate and pure and OMG – I was in love with how much they were in love.

There are a lot of events that occur during this book that kept me highly intrigued and fully entertained. I wanted nothing more than to read Jayde and Peyton’s story and find out what would happen next. I wanted them to get their HEA so badly – they both deserved it. They really, truly did. They both are the type of characters you really can’t help but root for since the very first page.

Keeping King was a fantastic addition to an already phenomenal series! I cannot wait to read the next book! I mean….THAT ENDING! OMG! I need Jackson’s story! Really. I do. FIVE STARS! Yet again, Anne Jolin did an amazing job!

“I’m keeping you, Jayden King.”

~ The Rock Falls Series ~

Check out my reviews of books 1 & 2 → here
Check out my review of book 3 → here

Chasing Rhodes, Book 1: http://bit.ly/ChasingRhodes

Choosing Henley, Book 2: http://bit.ly/ChoosingHenley

Breaking Bennett, Book 3: http://bit.ly/BreakingBennett

Keeping King, Book #4: http://bit.ly/KeepingKing 

Meet the author: Anne Jolin

Hey y’all,

I was born and raised in Ladner, a small farm town just outside Vancouver, Canada. I grew up riding horses, shooting guns, and driving in trucks. 

I never expected to be an author. A massage therapist? Yes. Take over the family construction company? Yes. But an author? No. Writing was something that snuck up on me and rooted itself into my life. It was beautiful to discover that love, and I’m truly grateful to say I’ve found my passion.

Since I’ve always been a creative person, it feels amazing to harness all of that energy and use it to tell a story I love. I enjoy incorporating bits of my real life into the stories I write. What parts are true? Hah. I’ll never tell—what would be the fun in that?

If I could leave y’all with one thing, it’s that life’s far too short to not live it out loud. Drown in your passions, hold on tight to the things that inspire you, and chase your dreams relentlessly. I can promise you without a doubt that you won’t regret it. I know I don’t. 

Mad love,

Anne Jolin

Social media links:

Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website 

Mommy Mondays

Mommy Monday - Family Time vs. Technology 

Monday through Friday you'll probably find me glued to my computer and/or my phone working, networking, and all that jazz. I absolutely love my job and I'm incredibly grateful to be able to work from the comfort of our home, but my job doesn't necessarily start at 8am nor does it end at 5pm. Sometimes my day starts off before 7am and I'm still working way past 9pm. While I do take multi-tasking to a whole other level, I've realized that it's very important to balance things out. 

It's vital to take time to focus on family.

I found that I was getting extremely stressed out trying to juggle doing homework with the boys, working and doing a million other things all at once. On top of that, I absolutely hated missing out on some of our weekend activities, because yes, I'd have things to work on.

We're a family that loves doing things on the weekends. Whether it's going camping or to family parties or whether we just want to be lazy and binge-watch a series, we love doing things together. 

There were moments where I found myself missing out because I had to get some work done. I needed to use my computer (a massive problem when camping) or you'd find me texting like a maniac with authors and bloggers or sending out emails from my phone (again, not the easiest task when camping at a place with little or no cellphone reception). 

Truer words have not been written. 

Slowly, but surely I've learned to manage my time better. I've also learned to limit myself with work on the weekends. If I absolutely have to work, then I will, but now that's very unlikely. I re-organized my days (Mon. - Fri.) in such a way that unless I have to work on a Saturday or a Sunday, you won't find me even near my computer. I even tend to leave my phone laying around and politely ignore any and all text messages, calls, and emails.

My focus has been 100% on Jeff, the kids, and Harley, and let me tell you...it's been WONDERFUL. We've done SO much and I've been able to fully enjoy myself without the stress of having to leave early (or not go at all) because of having to get 'this or that' done or constantly reminding myself to make a call in a bit or send out an email, etc.

Family time will always come first.

So my advice today would be: put your phone down. Stop texting so much or fussing over the social media. Go outside and enjoy the day. Be silly. Laugh. Play. Take pictures. Create new memories. Kids are kids only once. We won't get these years again, so we might as well make the best of it now.  

Happy Mommy Monday!

Home-made Play Dough!

Our oldest son, Blaize, LOVES doing experiments, learning how to make things on his own just as he likes breaking things up and re-building them himself. He's always researching videos on my iPad, looking for new things he can learn to make from scratch.

Earlier this week, he decided to look up how to make play dough with things we had in our pantry. Sure enough, he found a video on YouTube and did it.

Ingredients:

~ Flour 

~ Veg. Oil

~ Salt

~ Food coloring 

~ water

You will need:

~ counter/table space 

~ mixing bowls

~ spoon 

~ measuring cup

What to do: 

(This makes up to 4 batches. Portions may vary depending on amount of batches.)

1) Mix 4 cups of flour with 1.5 cups of salt in a mixing bowl

2) In a separate bowl, stir 2 table spoons of vegetable oil into 1/4 cup of water

3) Pour food coloring into the water & oil mix and stir

4) Stir 1 cup of the salt and flour mixture into the bowl with the food coloring until it molds

5) Massage batch on the table/counter with more flour until ready.

Enjoy!!!

✰ Book Review ✰ Loving Colt by CA Harms

LOVING COLT

Author: CA Harms

Series: Southern Boys #3 ~ Standalone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Alexis and Colt never planned on crossing paths.

Alexis and her three year old daughter were running from their past and Colt was looking for his future.

Neither planning on finding salvation in one another.

One night changed it all and they had no hope of ever being the same again.

Finding a way to make it work when it felt like everything was against them was something they would have to work hard to overcome.

Will Colt be strong enough to handle Alexis's past?

Or will it all be too much?

AMAZON

Okay…I need to get something off my chest. *pop knuckles*

I ADORE THIS SERIES!!!!!! It is hands-down, one of my TOP faves and nothing will ever change that!!!! COLT IS SOO YUMMMMYYYY and had me swooning like an imbecile! I had the biggest grin while reading because he is just so darn amazing!! *Sigh*

Whew! Okay, I feel much better now. =)

CA Harms has always managed to make me fall in love not only with her stories, but her characters as well. I haven’t come across a book by her that has let me down in the slightest way. Nope. And I probably never will.

Loving Colt, the third installment in the Southern Boys series, was a truly enjoyable, light read! Wonderful. Fantastic. From that very first sentence – that PROLOGUE – oh my! I was a goner! I wanted nothing more than to read all day…ignore work and any and all of my other responsibilities!

“I love you so much. I wasn’t looking to fall in love, but with you and Maddison it was inevitable. There was no hope for me, not with the two of you. You both grabbed a hold of me, and I never want either of you to let me go.”

When I first met Colt in Finding Gavin (Colt is Maria’s brother), I wanted more. I wanted to get to know him, so to say I was beyond ready for his book would be quite the understatement. And boy, was it worth the wait!! Harms did a marvelous job writing his and Alexis’ story! I’m a sucker for a sweet romance, so yeah…happy reader here.

Alexis was a single mom to one of the most adorable little girls ever, Maddison. They were running from someone in Alexis’ past and were in search of a fresh start. A new life. Little did Alexis know, one chance encounter would change her and Maddison’s life forever.  

Colt wasn’t looking for love. Deep down, he wanted it – craved it – especially after seeing his sister live it, but he wasn’t set out for it. He had his work, his friends, and his family. He was okay. Until Alexis.

Alexis wasn’t ready to start a relationship right off the bat because of what she’d been through. So, despite them having feeling for each other, Colt and her decided to start out as friends. Easier said than done, that’s for sure. When you connect with someone on a much deeper level, it’s simply impossible to deny your feelings. Trust me, I know. I’ve lived it.

That said, after a bit of ups and downs, Colt and Alexis decided to really give it a go. To leave the past in the past, put injured egos aside, and really give it a go. At this point, I started squealing!! I was elated for them. Their relationship was passionate, yet sweet, making this a light romance with little angst – and I enjoyed that. It felt like a breath of fresh air to be able to just sit back and enjoy the book without worrying if they were going to break up every two minutes like in most books. So YAY CA Harms!! Thank you! =)

All in all this was yet another fabulous addition to the Southern Boys series! LOVED seeing all the characters and how far they’ve all come. This is one group of characters that I truly cherish and carry very close to my heart. Like I said, this is one of my top favorite series! If you’re a fan of light, sweet romances with some steamy scenes, then Loving Colt is perfect for you! FIVE STARS!

~ SOUTHERN BOYS SERIES ~

FORGIVING REED

Author: CA Harms

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Kori suffered a great loss, one that left her feeling so desolate and alone, that she believed nothing would ever fill the void…

The only thing that kept her going was the one little piece of joy she still had in her life, her baby boy, Rhett. 

She had no choice but to move forward and give her son the best life she could. Which meant moving back home. 

Except there was one problem.

Home was where Reed would be… 

The man who once held her heart, then shattered it into a million pieces. 

Grieving the loss of Rhetts dad, and learning to forgive those who have betrayed her, Kori was battling it all.

But will she ever have the strength to forgive Reed? 

Amazon

FINDING GAVIN

Author: CA HARMS

Series: Southern Boys, Book #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance
~ SYNOPSIS ~

Gavin was a broken hearted cowboy from Savanna… 

The one she fell for even though he tried to warn her away.

Maria’s entire life had been one rejection after another, always going after things that were just out of reach. 

Gavin was no exception. 

She wanted him, so desperately…

But life had a way of making things unattainable, at least for her anyway. 

Just when things began to change, once again the darkness glooms, and Maria finds that her happy ending may once again be…

Unreachable.

AMAZON US

Meet the author: CA Harms

C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.

Social media links:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

✰ Book Review ✰Secrets of Whitestone Manor by Brittany Jo James

SECRETS OF WHITESTONE MANOR

Author: Brittany Jo James

Series: The Winters Family Series, Book #1

Genre: Young Adult Romance | Paranormal Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Some secrets are too dark to ever be brought into the light. 

At least mine are.

My name is Orson Winters, and you already know too much for me to let you walk away.

A decade has passed since my parents were killed, forcing my younger siblings and me to move in with our estranged uncle. Whitestone Manor in all its grandeur was overwhelming enough. Then, we learned the family secret. 

There’s darkness in the world no one, besides a handful of fighting families, even knows exists. The Winters family is the most acclaimed of them all. However, power isn’t always pleasurable, especially considering that it’s my responsibility to keep my reckless brothers and sister from jeopardizing us all.

When an old enemy emerges from the shadows, Uncle Sebastian calls in another fighting family to assist. I didn’t need their help. I could independently protect my siblings and the rest of the world from danger. That was, until I met Lilith Shaw. Now I’m not even sure that I can protect myself.

I can’t focus on that, though. 

I’m the last one standing between you and those who wait in the darkness.

If you can keep a secret, I’ll tell you my story.

AMAZON

“The trick, as far as I could tell, was to keep our shadow separate from everyone else’s.”

Amazing. Fantastic. Talk about a page-turner!! From the moment I started reading Secrets of Whitestone Manor, I wanted nothing more than to continue reading this book. I needed to know what would happen next. Suffice it to say, I was pleased with every swipe of the page. The plot kept getting better and better, the characters kept developing wonderfully, and the overall events kept surprising me and keeping my interest completely intact. I was fully invested in this book!

Brittany Jo James wrote this installment so well that I had no trouble at all visualizing the events described. The amount of detail during the scenes allowed me to see everything unfold clearly as if I was watching a movie. AMAZING! Loved that very much!!! Also, the pace of this book was in my opinion, perfect! Nothing felt dragged or rushed.  Everything developed as it should have.

This book had a little bit of everything: drama, action, romance, humor (arguments between siblings? Yeah, they were quite funny!), and of course mystery and paranormal qualities. The character interaction was flawless and it flowed naturally. Nothing felt forced with their dialogue and they all connected really well and balanced each other out. Ellison – HA!! Badass chick!!! The typical pain-in-the-butt younger sister, funny and ‘smartassy’! I’m sure she’ll be the cause of Orson’s grey hairs in the near future, LOL!

“Lilith Shaw was meant for me, and without her I would never be whole again.”

Lilith…LOVED her. She was funny, strong, and sassy!! She challenged Orson so much and made him step out of his comfort zone – which he very well needed to do. They were so different and yet so perfect for each other precisely because of how different they were. They were what they each needed to fully live their lives as normally as they possibly could given their circumstances.

“I realized that out of all the things I’ve ever fought for in my life, this is the one that matter the most. You’re worth fight for. We’re worth fighting for.”

The paranormal aspect of this book was a first for me and wow! I was incredibly amazed and beyond intrigued by it. I won’t go into ANY of the specifics regarding this because it’s all part of their secret. But know this: seeing it all unfold kept me turning the pages at what felt like not a fast enough speed. I needed to know more and more; my curiosity was at its highest. Then, of course, leave it to Ms. James to throw in a few surprises to only solidify my love for this book and for what will surely be a phenomenal series!

I LOVE this family and their secret life and am anxiously waiting for book two already! FIVE STARS to Secrets of Whitestone Manor!!

Meet the author: Brittany Jo James 

Brittany Jo James was born and raised in the small town of Idabel, Oklahoma. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Conlee, who is currently serving as an airman in the United States Air Force. They share two rowdy sons, Jagger and Jett. Her life revolves around living for God, caring for her family and writing, writing, writing. The James family is currently residing near Anchorage, Alaska until the USAF decides otherwise.

Social media links:

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Mommy Monday!

It seems you can find advice just about anywhere for mommies with newborn babies. But what about step moms? Yeah...not so much. Last year, I became a mom by step-parenting two amazingly wonderful boys. And let me tell you, I've had to learn A LOT -- not only on how to be good mom, but on how to be a good mom to BOYS.


Let me start off by saying that I'm a very picky person. I like my house to be clean and things to be put away where they belong. Doesn't sound that complicated, does it?

Ha.

Try keeping your house clean and organized with an 11-year old and a 12-year old running around all the time.

Our boys are ACTIVE. They LOVE sports and doing just about anything that does not involve a TV. Yes, they LOVE watching series on Netflix with us, but that usually happens early in the morning before school or at night when they're getting ready for bed. During the day on weekends? Nope. That rarely happens. They want to be outside playing sports or inside coming up with whatever new invention they heard of through their friends. Yes -- they LOVE making "experiments" that usually involve us having to go grocery shopping (again!) because they used up all the milk, sugar, or whatever they could get their pretty little hands on.

So yes, trying to keep the house clean while we have the boys is a mission next to impossible. But here's the thing: a clean house doesn't matter. Who cares if your house is spotless!!? *Sigh*

Now THAT was something I learned the hard way. Like I said, I like things clean and organized...but I also love spending my free time being a mom.

At first, I'd go around picking stuff up, putting everything away, cleaning up messes, only to have everything laying around and "dirty" in record time. While I picked up one room, they made a mess in the other, and so on. So I gave up. If you can beat 'em, join 'em. So I did. And I've LOVED every minute.





When you have step kids, chances are custody is shared between birth parents...and precisely that's our case. We have them one week, their mom has them the next.  During our time, I pick up what I can at night or while they're at school, but when they're home, we play...we have FUN. If the house gets too messy, they help out by cleaning and picking things up, but then we go back to doing what matters: living as a family.

A dirty house can wait.......kids are only young once. Make it count. ♥ ♥