The Secret Keeper by Angela Carling @angelacarling #spotlight

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

Amazon

There is a street or house in every town that holds secrets that the outside world would never understand. However in Heber, Arizona, a cursed being holds all those secrets closely. After the disappearance of her brother, Winter’s family was never the same, and now she’d done something terrible that would bring her to the door where such secrets were locked, and the deal she would make with the mysterious Secret Keeper would forever alter her life and threaten to destroy Liam, the only boy she ever loved.

Raised in Palm Springs California. A desert rat that writes Young Adult novels and loves all kitties and her family. Can be bribed with chocolate. Published books, Unbreakable Love, Shackled and Becoming Bryn.

Author Link:

Twitter @angelacarling

22Jul2014

Home (Glenview #1) by Rachel Smith #review

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

DONE and totally want to listen to country music. I think I maybe in love Lilly Rae and maybe acting out about that. I will go for some Carrie Underwood and then make up for it my listening to a lot of Drake and Lil Wayne.

About the book- ratings for 1

Characters- 5

Plot-5

The reveals that shocked me 5+

So the story of Lily reminds us that in Hollywood things are as crazy as they seem, right? OK well apparently in country music things are nutso too! When Lily takes off she is determined to get to Nashville from Iowa and never look back. She repeats her mantra over and over basically whatever it takes is what this feisty recent graduate is going to do. I am ready for the ride.

The story of Lillian’s time in Nashville was unbelievable. She meets an RCA executive, Colton, and he seems like an angel. Under it all he is so evil, manipulative and powerful. He is just pure evil through and through. I loved the way the author wrote Lily having her flashbacks. It was a slow build that was making it hard to put the darn kindle down.

Through everything Sarah, who is a wanna be country music singer, and Lily grow close. Lily starts on the staircase leading to fame with Sarah by her side. Sarah is her confidant, personal assistant and therapist!

When Lily has an epiphany she gives up singing and goes home. All of this causes a big problem for Colton. No spoilers but I will say he was addicted to having a puppet to control and money in the bank.

When Justin sees Lily the first time you know what will happen. Their story was great! It is one to be enjoyed! I understand they wanted and needed one another so the way it was portrayed was nice. The didnt go overboard with the longing to be together. I hope that makes sense.

I really loved this book! The author has written a romance with a lot of dark circumstances. I like dark so when evil comes knocking I was rooting for the entire Raftzen family. A true tight knit group that make you want to go to Glenview!

Goodreads

Author on Goodreads

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Rachel Smith was born and raised in a small town in Iowa. After spending a few years in the ‘big city’ she now lives with her husband and two children in Clear Lake. Working part time from home, she spends the rest of her time exercising, reading, and taking care of her family.

22Jul2014

Home (Glenview #1) by Rachel Smith #debut #spotlight

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

After twelve years on top of the charts, country music superstar Lily Rae has decided to hang up the microphone and move home. Becoming Lillian Raftzen again is harder than she anticipated and soon, it seems running home is not enough to escape from her manipulative ex-agent, who not only threatens to end her happiness, but her life.

When the girl of his dreams walks back into his life twelve years later, Justin DeLuca realizes as much as he loves her, she is no longer the girl he remembers. With everything they must overcome, can the two of them make their dreams come true?

Lily’s dream to sing and Justin’s dream for a family are so very far from the same path. But by veering off course they find a new dream on a new path ending up right where it all began…..home.

Fantasized by You Love in the City – Book #2 @StephNuss13 #Review @BrandeesBook

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

Celebrity fashion designer, Harper Jennings is only months away from turning thirty, and her dream of living a happily ever after has yet to come true.

She’s given up on her fantasy.

Personal trainer and gym owner, Maverick Jones isn’t thrilled about having a designer mentoring in his new clinic, but after meeting the brunette beauty face-to-face, he dreams of having his way with her.

He’s ready to turn his fantasy into reality.

But when their fantasies collide, love in the city becomes more complicated than they ever imagined.

Love the teaser and I am drooling over Maverick. I honestly say that creating Maverick is ruining it for every other guy on the planet, they will all seem inferior to his greatness. He is real to me! In book one we meet Harper, Carter’s sister and I instantly loved her. Now for the story of Maverick, my love so hands off, and Harper. They sort of have a past connection. There is a mutual friend who dies as a result of bulimia, that is scary but Harper also suffered from it. The fact that Harper was forced by this death into rehab is a stunning revelation. I really really really loved that aspect of the story. She battles as does Maverick with the loss and the disease. It is good but by no means does this overshadow them.

Elly and Carter are getting married. Oh just imagine little hummingbirds circling their dreamy heads and Elly’s mother smiling from heaven. Oh swoon. Yeah it will happen!

Maverick and Harper are perfect together and what I loved about both of them is that they accepted it. There was no angst involved here. Both Maverick and Harper are taken with each other and there is a very adult way the author handles them getting together.

Parts of the story that are light, for example, one bucket list check is paint balling. This is something from book 1. At this point they are broken up into teams Carter and Cash are picking and Carter picks his sister. OMG laughing so hard. Harper was archery captain and he says to Elly this is paintball not the Hunger Games. Just the visual is fabulous!

To further my swooning over Maverick he is a baller. The NCAA Final Four game tickets made me smile. Im my mind me and Maverick are hanging out watching NBA TV listening to Shaq and Charles with Ernie and his commentary.

The last thing to love is the fact that it is a series that ends the characters with each novel. In the ever so popular trend of series, this is different. Book one is Carter and Ellyson, book two Maverick and Harper and then book 3 had BETTER be Fletcher, if not well there will be trouble!.

Carter was captivated by Ellyson Evans the moment he laid eyes on her,

but she was the one girl who didn’t beg for his attention.

He wanted her.

Ellyson vowed to never fall in love, because love can destroy you,

but then she met Carter Jennings.

She wanted him.

Unwilling to risk their comfortable friendship, neither confessed their desires.

Losing touch after college, a chance meeting reconnects them.

They want each other.

But love in the city is never quite that easy.

Steph Nuss was born and raised in rural Kansas, where she currently resides with her black Labrador son named Gunner. She grew up with a passion for reading and writing. When she’s not immersed into the land of fiction, she enjoys listening to music that came before her time, watching movies and reruns of her favorite shows, and hanging out with her family and friends. She also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology that she’ll never use…unless she’s profiling her characters of course.

Website: http://stephnuss.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/StephNussAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephNuss13

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7392900.Steph_Nuss

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/StephNuss13/

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17Jul2014

Wanted By You by Steph Nuss @StephNuss13 #Review @BrandeesBook

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

Carter was captivated by Ellyson Evans the moment he laid eyes on her,

but she was the one girl who didn’t beg for his attention.

He wanted her.

Ellyson vowed to never fall in love, because love can destroy you,

but then she met Carter Jennings.

She wanted him.

Unwilling to risk their comfortable friendship, neither confessed their desires.

Losing touch after college, a chance meeting reconnects them.

They want each other.

But love in the city is never quite that easy.

OK I was in love with Carter and Ellyson. First their names were just perfect and then their stories. Being that they were friends for a long time and lost touch I was sort of sad. I wanted them to have some contact, but no nothing! Then the big buzzing bug named fate comes and bites both of them. Carter finally gets his professor position and ends up where they started. Ellyson now has her private practice as a psychologist. Both very respectable jobs that in my opinion was completely believable. I loved reading about them because they were not written over the top. What I mean is that Carter was no man slut and Ellyson was a nice girl. So the playing field was even, which was a special point for me.

Lucky for us Carter has two sisters, Harper a designer and Bayler who is a baker. I know they are going to have a starring role in this series. who are going to be in the series. As for them, there is such a richness to his family and family values that I know they will be around for a long time.

What I loved in this book was the friendship that Carter and Ellyson had. They never crossed the line even though there was an attraction. I wont spoil anything but I will say that the author creates a longing, but not one that is unrealistic. They saw other people, dated and had fun, it wasn’t like they were in exile pining away for one another.

So for me it was a score! I cant wait for more from this author I hope you all are pleasantly surprised! 40976-5halfstarblogbook

A few Quotes I loved:

Paige said, walking down the hall. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t kinda excited about coming over and seeing you mad at him; watching him grovel a little bit … and then I walk in on you two making out.” I laughed and leaned against her arm. “Oh, I can’t wait until the love bug bites you someday.” “I will squish that damn bug under my heel before I let that happen to me,” she said definitively.Read more at location 2858

Let her fall in love as many times as she has to until she finds the one who will love her unconditionally. Give her the wedding of her dreams because she’s our little girl and she deserves to have whatever she wants. Encourage her to become a parent and spoil our grandbabies twice as much. But most importantly, remind her to live each day to the fullest so she’s ready when her time comes.’“Read more at location 2208

“No.” Fletcher shook his head and looked around at everyone before firing his glare back at Elly. “I can’t believe we’ve been sitting here for the last five years listening to you talk about him, and now that he’s back you and your Little Debbie don’t even try to unwrap a smile!”Read more at location 1481

Website: http://stephnuss.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/StephNussAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephNuss13

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7392900.Steph_Nuss

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/StephNuss13/

1Jul2014

Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers‏ #review

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

I have to say this was my cup of tea! Back in the day I would walk into the book store and go to my genre of choice and actually choose the longest book. Nothing was worse than being on the good old F train going into Manhattan with nothing to read. Sadly you have to look at the people on the train with you, not good! Anyways This book had a lot of great elements. Melanie St. John was a Texas Oil Attorney’s daughter. Most of the story she struggles with wealth and whether she wants it or hates it. Her and her parents and sister have a lot of emotional turmoil in their lives. The books shows a side of Texas that isn’t usually shown. The oil business is as big as their hats! Oldie is the typical wealthy attorney who loves with his heart and his wallet.

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Melanie thinks she is getting away with a secret and her boyfriend David. I know this is a mini spoiler but….Oldie confronts her and wahooo does he have the goods on his little virgin daughter. It broke my heart and this is where I loved to hate Oldie. He was genuine in his care and concern for Melanie but it tore my heart out. She loved David. Yes there wouldn’t be a book if she chose David. I know that, but the characters were really real to me and spoke to me. I grieve the loss of David!

As Melanie decided to go to UT and with her sister and her friend Eva they start college life. Eva was the daughter of Helmut. OH my did that man scare me! I really liked the dark side of her. Her life, chances, and the experiences she was famous for were priceless, scary and tragic. When the family goes to Europe and discovers what a colossal mess Eva and Whitney have gotten into.

Melanie watches Whitney have fun and never let college consume her. She seemed to consume, champagne and men. I liked all of her. She was not superficial, she knew what she wanted and was a semi alpha girl. I guess I appreciated her vision. I enjoyed all the fearsome foursome and their antics. All the college and angst of growing up were were played out well. I liked how descriptive she was with the areas. Whether in Texas, New York, Paris or Italy the author was descriptive with the areas letting you visualize it.

Melanie was a wonderful and rich character and so was the book. This is a great weekend at the beach book.

This was my Barc

James Spader from Pretty in Pink, oldie (HA HA) but a goodie

SBC-Cover

Buy it at Amazon

About the Author:

Leighton Summers is a sixth generation Texan who has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe her whole life. During her travels she was always surrounded by interesting, successful (and often eccentric) people who encouraged her to find her passion and live life to the fullest. Writing novels always intrigued her, and so one day while in New York City she took out her laptop in a café and decided to jot down some notes about how a female character created from her own world could “love smarter.” Over the next four years the notes turned into both funny and sad adventures of a women’s quest for finding friendship, love, self, and family and she weaved them all together into this, her debut novel.

26Sep2013

Salvaged by Chelsea Camaron Book 2 of the Daddy’s Girls series @chelseacamaron #excerpts

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

Synopsis:

Brayden and Maggie have been dating for four years. Maggie is ready and expecting an engagement ring. Brayden has a past full of weaknesses and mistakes he can’t seem to shake. As he slowly loses everything, he also loses Maggie.

As his world unravels, can he find the strength to shake his inner demons? Does he have it in him to face the ghosts of his past? Can Maggie overcome his deceptions? Will they find a way to love and trust again? Can their love and relationship be salvaged?

About the Author

Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming. Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice. Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works. When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in. She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.

Connections

Email chelseacamaron@gmail.com

Twitter @chelseacamaron

Excerpt #1 Prologue (adult content)

We arrive in Miami, check into our hotel, and immediately decide to check out the Miami night life.

Wearing a barely there silver, backless, halter dress and heels I was ready to dance the night away. At five foot seven inches with my heels, my legs are going on for miles tonight. I put my hair in a loose up do, frame my eyes with a smoky shadow, and add a clear lip gloss to finalize my look.

Brayden is dressed in his typical baggy jeans and t-shirt. He is six foot tall, more of a lanky build with a slight beer belly forming, which is especially noticeable when he stands next to a very toned and muscular Ryder. His dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, which hold such depth they make me melt every time he looks at me. We both love to go out. We met four years ago at a bar in Charlotte while we were both celebrating another finished semester of college.

We arrive at Cameo nightclub in downtown Miami and immediately hit the dance floor. There is something about the atmosphere of a club that just takes over my senses. The bodies pressed together, each finding their own rhythm as the vibrations from the bass reverberates through the crowd.

Having Brayden up against my back side running his hands all over my body as we move to the music is enough to bring my nipples to attention rubbing against the thin scrap of fabric, otherwise known as my dress. His hands roam, as we dance, moving the back of my barely there dress over the hills of my ass, leaving me exposed. My bare backside now grinding against the erection of his jeans is delightful friction. He then places one hand upon my breast and begins to tease it, while he plunges two fingers, from the other, into my hot core. I am so turned on I don’t care who sees me. When I am almost ready to explode, he stops.

Grabbing me, he leads me to a back hallway, where he quickly pushes me up against the wall, freeing himself and pounding into me. Raw, needing passion, transfers between us as I have an earth shattering orgasm. Brayden follows right behind me. As we straighten ourselves, he smiles and whispers, “I love that you never wear panties, baby.”

13Sep2013

Unexpected by Faith Sullivan @_faithsullivan_ #review

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

Unexpected is just that totally unexpected. The premise is a girl Michelle who has struggling parents. They do anything to get her into NYU and she goes. She has a small apartment and is embracing college life. Not long into her college life the attacks of September 11th happen. This send Michelle into a cocoon. She stays in her apartment for a long time cut off, nobody to talk, to nobody to share her emotions with. She is so amazingly frightened that she leaves and goes back to Pennsylvania.

She gets in touch with Connor who has his own post 9/11 story to tell. He is going through his own grief and masked this by attempting to help Michelle. I dont want to lose focus of the plot and the story. Faith tells an amazingly accurate account of these events. For a New Yorker who went through these events I will say that for the first week after 9/11 it was like the entire state of New York closed. The schools were closed and the speculation of what happened and the enormity of it didn’t sink in. No matter the outcome it is a glimpse of the people who were directly and indirectly connected to a loss or just mourning the New York that once was. Knowing that several of my family members worked there and were also involved in construction of the towers, it is something forever in our hearts,

I need to make mention of another character in particular that was Miguel. He was sort of a sub character but his story was wonderfully told. BRAVO to Faith I love her and I am such a fan girl I am blown away by this one. A must read!

BUY IT Amazon

I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3)
by Faith Sullivan
Release Date: October 8, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Books in this trilogy:

(linked to Goodreads)

About the Author:

Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED.

Where to find Faith Sullivan:

12Sep2013

I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3) by Faith Sullivan @_faithsullivan_ #giveaway #cover #reveal

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3)

by Faith Sullivan

Release Date: October 8, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult

Summary from Goodreads:

Adam is at a crossroads.

He has Katie on his mind and Jada in his bed.

Now with the ultimate choice before him, he must decide between fantasy and reality.

Katie’s his dream girl, but Jada’s his best friend, his partner. As a paramedic, he’s supposed to save lives, not wreck them. Yet his failure to commit leaves a trail of heartache in his wake.

Things come to a head at his brother’s wedding when a surprise announcement leaves Adam scrambling to pick up the pieces. Sure, women find his shaggy blond hair and aquamarine eyes irresistible. But to him, sex is nothing but a means of escape … until it turns into a psychological trap.

His mind is telling him one thing, while his heart is beating another. He’s not sure what he wants when it comes to a serious relationship. Sorting out his feelings, he finally comes to a startling realization.

He is capable of love. But what if it’s too late?

Books in this trilogy:

(linked to Goodreads)

About the Author:

Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED.

Where to find Faith Sullivan:

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2Sep2013

Beyond Repair by Chelsea Camaron (Daddys Girls series) @chelseacamaron #review

Posted in Book Titles by ReadingRenee

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I loved this series. The first book was just the beginning. The second Salvaged was so emotionally charged. I felt it for weeks after I was done. Full Throttle was a little edgy and more dram than the others. Now I get Beyond Repair and this was the steamiest work that Chelsea Camaron has produced. I know I read and devour all of her books. So The ending of the last left us thinking about Harrison (Harry) it left an awkward pause. Now that being said, I knew the next was going to feature my Harry. BINGO here he is. Harry’s entire past comes out with the hauntings and all. So he is not running away as much as starting over.

When things ended with Tiffany it was dished out sort of one sided. I will say when she shows up in this book it didn’t take long for me to see redemption. I knew her acting the way she did was not her, the real Tiffany. I have had all these characters in my head for all these books and I know them. Therefore I saw redemption and Tiffany hooking up. It was a feeling that I had from Full Throttle, I sort of knew that this Southern Belle was not evil.

It was very deep when Harrison was involved with Sophia. I know for a fact the surface was for display, and there was a lot underneath on both parts. A big reveal there too. I totally got Sophia and why she never wanted to get involved with anyone. My heart broke for her after the reveal too. Not going to say a word other than unexpected!

What happens between these two people is deep. This is her most erotic work ever. I will swoon over Harry for many months to come.The best part and I am NOT sorry if it is a spoiler but there are piercings involved. YEP not only Harry, but Tiffany too. Scream a four letter word with me! I was blown away by this one!

I know you will all totally gobble this up and I am thrilled to call Chelsea a sister and friend. So please support her and read the books, all of them! When you do post a review and if you tweet me the review I will do something special for you!