Release Day Blitz: Whiskey Reveals by Carrie Ann Ryan

WHISKEY REVEALS by Carrie Ann Ryan is available now! Get your hands on this sexy next book in her standalone Whiskey and Lies series now - read an excerpt below!

 

About WHISKEY REVEALS (Whiskey and Lies #2)

One whiskey-saturated night turns into something far more in the second standalone installment of the bestselling Whiskey and Lies series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan.

Fox Collins likes his life just the way it is. His siblings are falling in love all around him, but he'd much rather focus on his next story than on a serious relationship. However, when his latest one-night stand returns to Whiskey-this time for good-he'll need to learn to trust his instincts to figure out if he can live without her in his life.

Former dancer Melody Waters is finally ready to settle down in her grandmother's small Pennsylvania hometown. Bad decisions and fateful nights have changed her path more than once, but now she's focused on one thing: opening her new own dance studio. But fate is a funny thing, and once again, she'll be forced to learn that actions have consequences and some repercussions can not only change your life forever, they can also come back to haunt you…one broken promise at a time.

Each book is a complete stand alone and can be read in any order.

Get your hand on WHISKEY REVEALS:

✦Amazon http://amzn.to/2tihmev ✦iBooks http://apple.co/2suIbQ3 

✦Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2iWVlPu ✦Kobo http://bit.ly/2sgwX0L 

✦Google Play http://bit.ly/2Al29gU 

✦Amazon Paperback https://amzn.to/2JSLYfH ✦Audiobook http://adbl.co/2FJIZ6N

Read an excerpt from WHISKEY REVEALS 

By the time the cable box lay forgotten on the coffee table, wires and empty cups of tea next to it, two hours had passed, and Fox was ready to throw the damn thing across the room.
“It’s haunted. That’s the only thing I can think of.” Melody sat next to him, the heat of her thigh pressed into his. His cock was beyond ready, and he had a feeling he was just going to have to get used to a perpetual state of hardness from now on.
“I cannot believe we tried fourteen things, finally got the place on the phone, and it’s still not working.” He’d lost any cred he might have had with being able to fix things. And all because of a damn cable box.
“I hate it. They may be sending a new one— which they wanted to charge us to install. At least between us, I think we convinced them to do it for free— but they still wouldn’t tell us if we lost the DVR settings or not. Grandma isn’t going to be happy.”
Fox reached out and squeezed her hand. “We’ll figure it out.”
He liked saying that. We. As if it were the two of them.
Friends, he reminded himself. They were friends.
“Thanks for everything, Fox. I guess this isn’t how you wanted to spend your day.”
“It’s what friends do. And I had fun, even when we were yelling at the damn thing. I should go, though, since I bet you have work to do, and I promised myself I’d get my yard looking somewhat decent.”
They both stood up as she smiled, and he had to do his best not to reach out and touch her. It wasn’t easy, but he was stronger than the temptation. Maybe.
“I owe you one,” she said softly as they walked to the front door. “Seriously.” “I’ll put you to work doing yard work if you want.”
She laughed again, and he took it in, the sound soothing his soul. “I don’t know if I owe you that much.”
They paused in the foyer, their gazes meeting, and a heated silence stretching between them.
“This doesn’t count as the owing,” he whispered then kissed her, knowing it was a bad idea.
He crushed his mouth to hers, her gasp lost in the kiss. Soon, her back was against the wall, his hands on her face as he deepened the kiss. He didn’t touch her anywhere else, and their bodies remained a breath apart, but they were close enough that he could feel her heat.
She tasted sweet and sinful and everything he ached for.
When he pulled away, their bodies shook, and he forced himself not to kiss her again.
“That was…” she whispered.
“A mistake,” he finished, not missing the hurt in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know we’re trying to be friends.”
“And kissing complicates things.”
 

Missed the first book in the WHISKEY AND LIES series? Grab it now!

 

About WHISKEY SECRETS (Whiskey and Lies #1)

Sparks fly between a former cop-turned-bartender and his new innkeeper in the first installment of a Montgomery Ink spin-off series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan.

Dare Collins is a man who knows his whiskey and women—or at least that’s what he tells himself. When his family decides to hire on a new innkeeper for the inn above his bar and restaurant, he’s more than reluctant. Especially when he meets the new hire. But he’ll soon find that he has no choice but to work with this city girl and accept her new ideas and the burning attraction between them.

Kenzie Owens left her old life and an abusive relationship behind her—or so she thought. She figures she’ll be safe in Whiskey, Pennsylvania but after one look at her new boss, Dare Collins, she might still be in danger, or at least her heart. And when her past catches up with her despite her attempts to avoid it, it’s more than her heart on the line. This time, it might mean her life.

Get your hands on WHISKEY SECRETS now!

✦Amazon http://amzn.to/2oIB7KT ✦iBooks http://apple.co/2j4i3qE ✦Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2tkoES5 ✦Kobo http://bit.ly/2hLUb63 ✦Google Play http://bit.ly/2stO9gP ✦Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/2nHuho9

 

About Carrie Ann Ryan

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.

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Blog Tour Book Review: Order Of Protection by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Courting Justice #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 5th 2018
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

To high-end defense attorney Henry Garrison, Win Hughes is a woman he met during one of the most trying times of his life. She’s soft and warm, and he finds solace in their brief relationship. But Win has a secret. She’s actually Taylor Winston-Hughes—born to one of the wealthiest families in the country, orphaned as a child by a tragic accident. Win moves in the wealthiest circles, but her lavish lifestyle hides her pain.

When her best friend is murdered in the midst of a glittering New York gala, Win’s charged with the crime, and the only person in the world she wants to see is Henry.

Henry is shocked at the true identity of his lover, but he can’t reject the case. This case could take his new firm into the stratosphere. Still, he’s not getting burned by Win again. And yet every turn brings them closer together.

As the case takes a wild turn and Win's entire life is upended, she must look to the people she's closest to in order to find a killer. And Henry must decide between making his case and saving the woman he loves…

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

Down The TBR Hole #1: The Scary Adventure Begins

Down The TBR Hole is hosted by Lia @ Lost In A Story

Down The TBR Hole is hosted by Lia @ Lost In A Story that prompts you to clean out your TBR of all those books you’re never going to read and sort through it all to know what’s actually on there. The idea is to go to your Goodreads to-be-read shelf and try to figure out if you really want to read the books you added there. For more information, head to Lia's blog.

Wednesday Chatter: 8 Years Of Blogging And Reading (and counting)

Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks

WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Hello my fellow book lovers! Today's post was inspired by the fact that *surprise* my blog is 8 years old.

 

Source: Giphy.com

Well, more accurately, 8 years 3 months and 9 days old. Wow, time flies. I previously did something similar on a Wednesday Chatter post, where I talked about how blogging changed me. I kind of wanted to update on that post a little bit, since I feel like I've grown quite a lot since 2015, when that post was written, as a blogger, as a reader, and as a person in general. So without further ado, here's my celebratory post about

Release Day Launch: Order Of Protection by Lexi Blake

To high-end defense attorney Henry Garrison, Win Hughes is a woman he met during one of the most trying times of his life. She’s soft and warm, and he finds solace in their brief relationship. But Win has a secret. She’s actually Taylor Winston-Hughes—born to one of the wealthiest families in the country, orphaned as a child by a tragic accident. Win moves in the wealthiest circles, but her lavish lifestyle hides her pain.

When her best friend is murdered in the midst of a glittering New York gala, Win’s charged with the crime, and the only person in the world she wants to see is Henry.

Henry is shocked at the true identity of his lover, but he can’t reject the case. This case could take his new firm into the stratosphere. Still, he’s not getting burned by Win again. And yet every turn brings them closer together.

As the case takes a wild turn and Win's entire life is upended, she must look to the people she's closest to in order to find a killer. And Henry must decide between making his case and saving the woman he loves…

Now available

Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | GooglePlay | Kobo

  

 If Henry gave her a minute, they would be back to polite. He wouldn’t find out if she could want him in an honest way. “Win, I’m an alcoholic. I’m divorced, and it wasn’t some thoughtful conscious uncoupling. It was nasty and ugly. I’m a lawyer who doesn’t give a shit if his clients are guilty or not as long as they have the money to pay me. I have gotten off people who probably went back out into the world to do terrible things, and I’ll probably do it again because I believe in this system. It’s imperfect, but it’s better than anything else. And I’m too old for you.”
She snorted, an oddly amusing sound. “I’m not some shrinking virgin. I’m twenty-nine, and I’ve been around the block a couple of times and with some men I wish I hadn’t ever gotten into the car with. How old are you? Forty?”
He winced. “Thirty-seven.”
Her lips curled up, and it was worth the blow to his ego. “Well, you don’t look a day over forty, and that’s a pretty nice age for a man. You think you don’t deserve such a young, hot chick?”
Thank god she was teasing him again. He’d hated the way her shoulders had slumped when she’d thought he’d rejected her. But still, he had to be honest. If he was going to do this, she would get the new Henry. “I think I could hurt a woman like you if I’m not careful.”
“Then be careful with me, Henry Garrison,” she said, moving closer to him. “And I’m a big girl. I can make my own decisions and live with them. I would like to spend the night with you. It doesn’t have to last beyond tomorrow. I’m not asking to be your girlfriend. I’m asking you to help me get through the night, to help me get that nightmare out of my head, so I can feel safe for the first time in months. It’s been a long time since I felt safe.”
That he could do. She moved in close, right between his legs, and he reached up and cupped her face, holding her still as he looked into her eyes. So much fucking innocence. He didn’t care what she’d been through. She was way too young for him, but she’d said yes and he wasn’t a saint. Not even close. “Be sure. I might want more than one night. I’m here for a few weeks. I could use this. I could use some time with you.”
It wouldn’t work long-term. When he finished up and got back to the city, he wouldn’t have time to spend with her, and she deserved that. He would be knee-deep in the sewer again. It wasn’t a place he would take her, but he could be what she needed here.
“I could use some time with you,” she replied. “You’re right about a few things. I haven’t ever been around a man like you. The men I’ve been with have been boys who cared more about their images than they did about pleasing me. I think it might be different with you. I know you’re trying to scare me off with all that ‘I screwed up my life’ stuff, but I get that. You can’t make me run, or I would run away from myself. Tell me if you can make me forget about everything except what you’re doing to my body because tonight that’s all I want.”
Oh, he could do that. He might not be able to feed her soul, but he could work her body all fucking night long.

         

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Thought About DNFing, But Didn't

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello my book loving friends! Today we're talking about Books I Thought About DNFing. I mentioned this several times in my long blogging years, but it doesn't take me long to DNF. Since today's topic is mostly geared towards the readers who DNFed too quickly, who might not do it often, I decided to put my own spin on it. So without further ado, here are

TOP TEN BOOKS I THOUGHT ABOUT DNFing BUT DIDN'T 

(and thank god for that!)

1. Brownie Fix by Ellen Cardona - my review here

When I read this book many, many years ago, I struggled with the subject. I was on a "happy books only for this gal" kick, and when I signed up for the blog tour I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a story I will treasure forever, and I'll forever be happy and proud for going against my initial reaction of DNFing.

2. And I Darken by Kiersten White - my review here

As a Romanian born and raised person, I'm always, ALWAYS weary of people tackling Vlad the Impaler's story. Why? Because most people get it wrong, they make him be this mythical monster and forget about the military genius he was. And I don't mean they make him into a vampire. The guy was messed up if you are to believe some of the stories from that time, while we view him as a national hero. Does White's version of the story have mistakes? Yes. Is it a perfect rendition of Vlad's life? No. It's full or tiny errors, and they almost made me DNF the book. But the reason why I didn't and the reason why I ultimately gave it 5 cups/stars despite them, was that it made me curious. I never really felt the curiosity to go beyond what I knew of that era, but this book prompted me to do so, and I discovered some pretty curious, interesting things.

3. The Silver Swan by Elena Deblanco - my review here

This book was such a departure from what I normally read. I was tempted at one point to put it aside, not because it's not my normal genre, but because, as I said in my review, I was a little put off by all the flashbacks. I am very glad I pushed through and read it, because it was a truly great story. And, believe it or not, despite the rating, it's one of those books that have stuck in my memory.

4. The First Night by Marc Levy

It's no secret that I love Marc Levy's books. It's rare that I feel disconnected from his stories, but The First Night, the second book of a duology, was not an easy read for me. I don't know exactly why that is, but at one point I was kind of ready to put it down and never pick it up again. I'm glad I kept reading though, because towards the end of the book I got to understand what exactly was this duology all about.

5. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy

Nights of Rain and Stars was, like The Silver Swan, something completely new to me. At the time I read it I was used to Anne Rice's horror stories, full of action, drama and sexual tones. So when I read Binchy's book, I was completely shocked by the slower pace, so much so that I wanted to give up reading it. However, there was something in Binchy's words that kept me reading, and it is, by far, one of my favorite books ever.

6. The Shakespeare Curse by Jennifer Lee Carrell

Shakespeare is another of my favorite subjects. Since it is one of the literary mysteries that probably will never be solved, a lot of authors have tried to figure out who was Shakespeare, if it was one person or a group of people. Jennifer Lee Carrell is one of these authors and her The Shakespeare Secret is one of my favorite novels ever. Unfortunately, The Shakespeare Curse suffers from the "second book syndrome" and doesn't quite reach its predecesor's brilliance for me, and I thought about DNFing it quite a few times. However Kate, the heroine, is awesome, and I enjoyed the chance to read more about her and to find out more about Shakespeare's plays.

7. The Hunchback by Paul Feval

One of my favorite books from my childhood, and yet it was in danger of me enver finishing it. As with Nights of Rain and Stars, there was something about this book that kept me reading, especially when I got to the part where Aurore tells her side of the story of how she grew up. Reading about her childhood is actually the hook that got me to finish the book and what, ultimately, made me love this book as much as I do.

 8. Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

The Black Dagger Brotherhood was one of my favorite paranormal series ever. I may not be currently reading it, but at the time I read it it was a great joy. I remember waiting impatiently for the newest book to come out, while rereading the previous ones. That would not have happened had I DNFed the second book in the series. I won’t lie, the first two books aren’t as great as I wanted, but the ending of book 2 is what really hooked me to the series. Even though I have parted ways with this series, I will forever be glad that I didn’t give in to the urge to DNF this book.

9. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

Although not my favorite way to tell any Charlaine Harris story, the good thing that came out of me reading this comic book was that I remembered how much I really loved her storytelling. I want to read the books this comic book was based on, and I owe that to this rendition of the story.

10. Originally Human by Eileen Wilks

This was my first completed audiobook experience ever. I don’t have a great relationship with audiobooks, especially when there is just one narrator, mostly because the lack of different voice actors takes me out of the story faster than anything else. Add to that the fact that I am a pretty fast reader, and most audiobooks are not progressing as fast as I’d want, and it’s pretty easy to understand why I don’t really get along well with audiobooks. However... Originally Human is a fantastic audiobook. It’s almost like the old theater plays I used to listen to on vinyl growing up. I’m glad I gave it a chance, because it was an amazing experience. Keep in mind this is an adult story if you want to try it out.

Let’s discuss. What are some books that you almost DNFed but you are glad you didn’t?

Monthly Wrap-up: May 2018

Hello lovely book lovers!

May was a really slow month for me. Real life interfered with my reading and blogging, so I've been away for a little over two months, actually. But I'm here now, at least for the foreseeable future, and I'm ready to start the summer properly. 

Blog Tour Book Review & Playlist: The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold

Author: David Arnold
Series: N/A
Audience: +16
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 22nd 2018
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

“An epic wonder”* from the bestselling author of Mosquitoland

This is Noah Oakman → sixteen, Bowie believer, concise historian, disillusioned swimmer, son, brother, friend.

Then Noah → gets hypnotized.

Now Noah → sees changes: his mother has a scar on her face that wasn’t there before; his old dog, who once walked with a limp, is suddenly lithe; his best friend, a lifelong DC Comics disciple, now rotates in the Marvel universe. Subtle behaviors, bits of history, plans for the future—everything in Noah’s world has been rewritten. Everything except his Strange Fascinations . . .

A stunning surrealist portrait, The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik is a story about all the ways we hurt our friends without knowing it, and all the ways they stick around to save us.

*Adam Silvera, bestselling author of More Happy Than Not and They Both Die at the End

*Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Book Review: Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett

Author: Mindee Arnett
Series: Rime Chronicles #1
Audience: +16
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: May 15th 2018
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: Edelweiss
Blurb (from Goodreads):

They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.

The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.

With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Book Review: Training Sasha by Becca Jameson

Author: Becca Jameson
Series: Club Zodiac #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotica, BDSM, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: January 23rd 2018
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

His friend’s little sister...
Sasha Easton has had her eye on Lincoln Walsh—the owner of Club Zodiac—for five years. Unfortunately, he does nothing but scowl at her and reject her every shy advance.

She’s not right for him...
Lincoln doesn’t have a choice but to discourage Sasha because the truth is that he’s a sadist. And Sasha is no masochist. No matter how much he might want her in his bed, he can’t change the type of Dom he is.

She’s not as innocent as he thinks...
Determined to get Lincoln to see her as more than his business partner’s little sister, Sasha delivers an ultimatum—let her join Club Zodiac or she’ll explore her submission elsewhere.

Can he train her and let her go?
Watching the only woman he’s ever wanted play with another Dom is more than Lincoln can bear, so he finds himself agreeing to train her himself. After all, he’s confident if he pushes her hard enough, he can protect her from the lifestyle and himself from admitting the truth about his feelings.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way. 

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.