Review: REAL SEXY by Meghan March!

     

My Review: Yes, yes, yes! This is exactly what I needed it to be. The first one was so good, I'll admit - I was a little worried the second would fall flat in comparison. But I should have known better. I thought the same about the second book in the Real Good Man duet, and Meghan March proved that she can bring the romance and the drama to new heights.

I've been super lucky lately in my reading history, with a lot of books containing not only hot guys, but strong women - and Ripley is no different. As much as I loved Boone .. and boy did I! .. I also loved and admired Ripley. And I also have to appreciate how well this author writes secondary characters. I'd be happy to read stories about them, too. Maybe there's hope for them in the future??

Cover Lovin': Yummy!

Recommendation: This is a direct sequel to Real Dirty, so you'll need to read the previous book before starting this one.

Final Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars (5/5)! Loved this, and I cannot praise it enough! Meghan March should be on everyone's auto-buy list, for sure.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

In Nashville, country stars are a dime a dozen.

I swore I’d never get caught up with one, but Boone Thrasher made a liar out of me.

I said I’d never put my heart on the line, but he didn’t ask before he stole it.

Now we’re facing my worst fears, and we'll see if this country boy is tough enough to see it through.

Girls like me don’t get happily ever afters… but maybe he’ll prove that wrong too.

 

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        I have everything a guy could want—a new single burning up the charts, more money than a simple country boy could spend, and a woman I’m planning to marry. Until she doesn’t show up for my proposal. The life I thought was so perfect, isn’t. The guy who thought he had everything, doesn’t. I’ve got my heart on lockdown, but life sends me straight into the path of a mouthy bartender who puts me in my place. Now the only place I want to put her is under me. I thought I was done with love, but maybe I’m just getting started.  

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Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She's also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she's ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

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Review: UNTOUCHABLE by Nicole Dykes!

About the Book: Cassie
I'm finally free. Free to make my own decisions and prove to my family that I'm not the problem child they think I am. 
I'm here to make a change, clean up my act, and be someone all of the Monroes can be proud of. But it's true what they say, old habits are hard to break. 
That is until Hunter Thompson. Football God, super hot and above all, moral. But he sees me as nothing more than his best friend’s little sister.

Hunter
I’ve almost reached my ultimate goal. After years of hard work and determination, both on and off the field, I’m closer than ever to getting my degree and heading to the big leagues. 
That means I don’t have time for distractions. I stick to fitness regime, avoid getting drunk every weekend and don’t sleep around. My friends tease me and call me ‘choirboy’, but they just don’t get it. I’m so close, and that’s when the final hurdle enters my life; my best friend and former teammates younger sister. How on earth am I supposed to concentrate when all I can think about is Cassie Monroe? [Description from Goodreads.com]

My Review: Okay, don't tell the rest of the Monroes this... but I think Cassie and Hunter's story might be my new favorite. Luke's story was great, and Dylan and Jax are certainly unforgetable.. but man, Hunter is quite the dreamboat. Author Nicole Dykes really knows how to write a good, solid, dishy hero, and Hunter is no different. He's a legitimately good guy, which is a breath of fresh air after reading book after book of a bad-boy-but-good-at-heart. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes a girl just needs a knight in shining armor.

I've been eager for Cassie's story for some time, since she's had such a rough time of it. And it was even better than I had hoped! I'll admit, there was a time or two that I found the dialogue to be a little unrealistic, and that's the only thing keeping Untouchable from being a five star read. Once I started Hunter and Cassie's story, I devoured it. I had to know she would get the happy ending she deserved, and that the Monroe family would manage to continue bringing the drama I've enjoyed so much thus far.

Cover Lovin': Yum! And, it fits perfectly with the rest of the series.

Recommendation: Untouchable can be read as a standalone, but the Monroes are a large family - and they have adopted quite a few strays. So reading previous books helps when it comes to knowing all the side characters, as well as Cassie's not-so-stellar dating history.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). This was a great one, and forgive my gushing, but Hunter is just so dishy, I wish I could have kept him for myself. If you love new adult/college romances, this definitely needs to be on your to-buy list!

Be sure to check out the entire Monroe Family series on Amazon.com!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Interview: REBECCA ROLAND, author of Shattered Fates!

Today, I have a special treat for you - Rebecca Roland, author of the newly released Shattered Fates is here answering some questions! Enjoy this interview, and then check out more info about the book below. 

1. Plotter or Pantser? Or do you have your own writing method? I've tried plotting, but it never works for me. It drains all the excitement that made me want to write the story in the first place, and it tends to make my characters feel two-dimensional. That being said, I sort of outline. I know what the beginning is, I have an idea what the ending will be, and I usually have a few major scenes tentatively outlined in my head. I'll write this down and work toward the major plot points and the ending I had in mind, but I find these things often change along the way as I get to know my characters and they make choices independent of what I'd prefer they do. For me, this makes the story stronger. But it does mean more work when it's time for revisions. I end up cutting chunks and adding new scenes. After writing six books, though, I've finally accepted that this is just who I am as a writer.

2. Do you write full-time or part-time? I wish I could write full-time! I have a day job (part-time), and I'm pursuing my Doctorate, and I have a seven year-old. And then I wonder why I'm perpetually tired… In all seriousness, though, I recall a writer commenting years ago that it's different for women who write. She suggested you can't have a day job and a family and write. I found this really discouraging, especially since she insinuated that something would suffer in order to make the other aspects of one's life work. It took me a while to realize that she was flat out wrong. You can juggle multiple aspects of your life, but you have to be realistic about it, and you have to be really good at time management. Usually I get up early and write for about fifteen to twenty minutes first thing in the morning. It doesn't sound like much time, but if I've left plans for the scene the day before, I can get right to it and get a few hundred words down. And right now, I'm on Spring Break, although that's somewhat laughable. I don't have a heavy school workload today, and I didn't for the past few days, so I got several thousand words down. Is it the word count I'm used to? No. Is it manageable and keeps me sane and happy and lets me focus on the day job and school and my family? Yes. Don't let anyone tell you what you should be doing. Figure out a way to do what you want.

3. What's the hardest thing for you when it comes to writing? This answer has changed for me over the years, depending on where I was in my career. These days, I would say that the hardest thing is to be patient and let the first draft suck. I think this is because it's taking me longer than usual to get the first draft written on my current work in progress, so I have more time to second guess myself. It's taken a lot of reminding myself that it's okay to let the first draft suck. It can all be fixed later.

4. Stand-alones or series, what is your preference? As a reader, I prefer series. When I invest my time in caring for a character, I want to follow them all over the place. I love the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. She's written a lot about Miles Vorkosigan, and less so about his mother, Cordelia. Miles is such a fascinating character, and I've enjoyed following him from childhood to his forties. His body might have slowed down, but his mind is nimble as ever.

As a writer, I'm a bit more ambivalent. It's nice to write series because you invest a lot of time in characters and world building, but sometimes I just want to write something different and weird and only explore a bit of it.

5. Did you learn anything new while writing this book? My book Shattered Fates is the third and final book in my Shards of History series. I've finished another series, so this wasn't my first time wrapping up a series plot line, but that didn't necessarily mean it was easy! I feel like I learn something new with every story I write, and what I learned this time was about creating satisfying endings. I worked a lot at this story's ending, and I feel like I stuck the landing, so to speak. I hope readers agree!

About Shattered Fates 

The magic barrier protecting the Taakwa from their enemies, the Maddion, is gone. Malia, who led the Taakwa against the Maddion in the Dragon War, must convince the magical being, the changer, to repair the barrier before the Maddion invade to take revenge on her people and the winged Jeguduns who also call the valley home, even if it means reversing the healing the changer wrought for her. 

Chanwa, the wife of the Maddion leader, uses the disorder created by the changer to lead a coup against her husband in a desperate attempt to ensure she and the other Maddion women are treated as equals. Her life, and the future of every Maddion woman, depends on her success. 

Both women know the only way to succeed is to come together in an unlikely alliance. 

Shattered Fates is the exciting conclusion to Roland's Shards of History trilogy. 

Get the whole trilogy from Amazon.com!

Check out Rebecca Roland's books on Goodreads.com.

Check out Rebecca's backlist on Amazon.com.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Review: KISS OF THE IRISH by Lauren Hawkeye!

My Review: This was just what I needed. This was an adorable, fun, contemporary read. After reading a couple books that bring some unnecessary drama, usually in the form of a sudden suspense angle, it was so relaxing and enjoyable to get something that was just a straightforward contemporary romance. First off, I loved Cian's name.. and I'll admit, I was super grateful that the author made sure to work the proper pronunciation into the story. 

I will say that the drama near the end was a little over the top. I get that tensions were high at the very end, but I think both Cian and Sarah blew things out of proportion. But fear not, fellow readers - the making up part of the story was definitely romantic.. not to mention very, very hot. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I will definitely be checking out more by her. Kiss of the Irish was one of those books that is a perfect day-off read, and I definitely recommend it.  

Cover Lovin': Someone open a window, it's getting awfully steamy in here...

Recommendation: No prior knowledge required. 

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). A cute, one-sitting read. Cian and Sarah were adorable, and I'm considering planning a trip to Ireland in hopes that this kind of thing happens to me!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

About KISS OF THE IRISH

If Sarah Mercer had ever been asked to describe herself in one word, it would be sensible. After all, she had a steady job. Made prudent decisions. Was in what she though was a logical relationship. But when her fiance dumps her for an exotic dancer, Sarah decides it’s time to change…everything! The first thing on her agenda? To get out of town and take a three month trip to Ireland. She’d always been captivated by the Emerald Isle. And she’d heard that there was nothing like an Irishman with a sexy accent and eyes as devastatingly green as the country’s rolling hills to make a girl feel better. But maybe she shouldn’t have hooked up with her new landlord on the first night in town. Cian Murphy wasn’t supposed to be her type. His arms and chest were tattooed, and he had piercings everywhere. Still, he made her feel beautiful, sexy…alive for the first time in years. Falling for the Irish hottie was as natural as breathing. But figuring out what she’d do when it came time to leave? Not so easy...

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About Lauren Hawkeye

Lauren Hawkeye/ Lauren Jameson never imagined that she’d wind up telling stories for a living… though when she looks back, it’s easy to see that she’s the only one who is surprised. Always “the kid who read all the time”, Lauren made up stories about her favorite characters once she’d finished a book… and once spent an entire year narrating her own life internally. No, really. But where she was just plain odd before publication, now she can at least claim to have an artistic temperament.

Lauren lives in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada with her husband, toddler, pit bull and idiot cat, though they do not live in an igloo, nor do they drive a dogsled. In her nonexistent spare time Lauren can be found knitting (her husband claims that her snobby yarn collection is exorbitant), reading anything she can get her hands on, or sweating her way through spin class. She loves to hear from her readers!

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Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.