Giving In by Maya Banks

Title: Giving In
 
Author: Maya Banks
 
Publisher: Berkley Trade

Published Date: May 6, 2014 

Buy on Amazon: Kindle & Paperback


Author Website: http://mayabanks.com/

Synopsis: 

Kylie sees the way Jensen looks at her. The dark promise in his eyes. That rough edge of dominance she knows he possesses. But dominance is the one thing that frightens her above all else. She and her brother barely survived a childhood steeped in violence and abuse. She could never give up total control and submit to a man. Especially a man like Jensen. Could she?

Jensen sees the shadows in Kylie’s eyes. Knows he has to tread very carefully or risk losing any chance he has with her. All he wants is the opportunity to show her that dominance doesn’t equal pain, bondage or discipline. That emotional surrender is the most powerful of all, and that to submit fully to him will fulfill the aching void in her heart in a way nothing else ever will.

My Thoughts:

Giving In, by Maya Banks, is the second book in her Surrender Trilogy. I have been waiting to read this book since the characters of Jensen and Kylie were introduced in Banks’ first book, Letting Go. After reading Letting Go I knew that Giving In would be special and memorable.

Kylie is a tough as nails girl on the outside that takes no gruff, but soft and full of love on the inside. Because of her abusive childhood, Kylie is mentally and emotionally scarred and has erected walls around her heart. She never wants to appear weak to anyone. Kylie in no way, shape, or form wants ANY man around her. The two concessions she has ever made were for her two bosses- her deceased brother Carson and their close friend Dash. When Jensen is hired by Dash to be his partner and take over Carson's job, Kylie is livid. She automatically hates Jensen and wants nothing to do with him. His overbearing attitude scares her and as a defense she puts up an almost impenetrable icy wall.  
 

Jensen has battled his own personal demons and understands Kylie more than she realizes. He sees through her facade and knows there is a loving woman who needs protecting under all of her prickly armor. The more he gets to know Kylie and the harder she pushes him away, the more Jensen wants to be the man to break through to her. Will Kylie run when she realizes what Jensen is after, or give love a chance to blossom? 
 

I really enjoyed Maya Banks' Giving In. There were many heartbreaking scenes that left me tearing up. Because of Kylie's past, she never saw herself in a relationship. In fact, it was the last thing she wanted. Her life consisted of getting to the office early, working, seeing her best friends occasionally, and then going home to have a nightmare ridden night of sleep. When she gets a taste of what it might be like to have someone protect and cherish her, Kylie doesn't know what to think. Is it too good to be true? 
 

If you are looking for a romantic and heart tugging read, Maya Banks' Giving In is for you. I found it to be a fairly quick read because I couldn't put it down!  You would not need to read the first book in the Surrender Trilogy in order to enjoy Giving In. If you are looking for a good pool or beach read, grab Giving In and go!

Maya Banks

                                                   

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Giving In, for the purpose of review.*

The Never Never Sisters by L. Alison Heller

Title: The Never Never Sisters
 
Author: L. Alison Heller

Publisher: NAL Trade

Published Date: June 3, 2014

Buy on Amazon: Kindle &  Paperback

Author Website: http://lalisonheller.com/

Synopsis: 

Marriage counselor Paige Reinhardt is counting down the days to summer, eager to reconnect with her workaholic husband at their cozy rental cottage in the Hamptons. But soon a mysterious crisis at Dave’s work ruins their getaway plans. Paige is still figuring out how to handle the unexplained chill in her marriage when her troubled sister suddenly returns after a two-decade silence. Now, instead of enjoying the lazy summer days along the ocean, Paige is navigating the rocky waters of a forgotten bond with her sister in the sweltering city heat.

As she attempts to dig deeper into Dave’s work troubles and some long-held family secrets, Paige is shocked to discover how little she knows about the people closest to her. This summer, the self-proclaimed relationship expert will grapple with her biggest challenge yet: Is it worth risking your most precious relationships in order to find yourself?

 

My Thoughts:

The Never Never Sisters, by L. Alison Heller, is a contemporary story revolving around Paige and her family. Paige defines herself as a successful marriage counselor, wife, and daughter. As the story begins, all in Paige's life is well. Summer is beginning and she and her husband Dave have rented a beach house for the season that they hope to use on weekends. However, all of her well thought out plans are quickly halted when two major snags appear out of nowhere to wreak havoc in her otherwise orderly life.  

Paige begins to worry when she comes home early after work and walks in on Dave who has been suspended from his job at a major law firm. His story does not add up to Paige.  He says he has no idea why he was put on leave and his superiors are sorting it out. Once everything is dealt with he should be able to resume his normal work schedule. Paige wants to believe him, but past trust issues begin creeping into her thought process. Dave is also acting very secretive about his job and Paige starts to worry that he may be involved in something not totally legal. She has to decide if she is going to trust Dave and take his word that all is well or take the initiative to really find out what is happening behind the scenes.

As if the drama at home wasn't enough, Paige learns from her parents that her addict sister has made contact with them after 20 years and wants to visit. Paige doesn't remember much about Sloane, other than her doing drugs and abusing alcohol as a teen. At 16 Sloane was sent to a rehab facility across the country and never returned home. As an adult, the majority of the time Paige forgets that she even has a sister. However, Sloane's reappearance throws Paige's already tipsy life completely upside down.

I loved watching Paige and Sloane's relationship unfold in The Never Never Sisters. The two siblings had a long and bumpy road ahead of them toward reconciliation, but watching them stumble and then rebound was very rewarding. Heller did a wonderful job in creating two relatable sisters with a realistic relationship.  Sloane had a tough outer protective shell that she wore around her parents, but when she was with Paige and her fiancée she morphed into a different person. Sloane was no longer sullen and moody, but became excitable and creative.

The Never Never Sisters dealt heavily with addiction and the effect it had on both the addict and the family. Paige and Sloane’s mother, Vanessa, had many feeling of guilt. She believed that Sloane was an addict because of her genes. Vanessa’s father was an alcoholic and for a time Vanessa also dealt with addiction. She never wanted her girls to know about her sordid family life and their history of addiction. However, sweeping everything under the rug did not work out how she wanted. Vanessa believes that Sloane will never fully trust her but her hope is that her two girls will be able to build a beneficial and lasting relationship.

L. Alison Heller’s The Never Never Sisters is a thought provoking story that puts addiction and marital issues on the front burner, as well as healing and resolution. This is a wonderfully well written, realistic story that has likable characters and a good bit of suspense.  I highly recommend The Never Never Sisters as it will keep you guessing until the very end!

L. Alison Heller

                                                      

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, The Never Never Sisters, for the purpose of review.*

Guest Post by Christie Cote- Author of "Rain"

Title: Rain

Author: Christie Cote

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published Date: May 6, 2014

Buy on Amazon: Paperback & Kindle

Author Website:  http://www.christiecote.com/

Guest Post

'How Rain Came to Be' 
by Guest Blogger Author Christie Cote

I started Rain as an assignment for my college fiction writing class. When I began writing it, I didn’t expect to fall in love with the story and characters as much as I did. I couldn’t stop writing, and continued to write until I finished it. I shared the beginning with a few people outside of my class and all around got a good response. When I finished the book I decided I wanted to go after my dream and publish it. I thought hard about whether I should try to publish traditionally or self-publish. I decided that self-publishing was how I wanted to publish my debut novel, so I can remain in control of the story that I love so much. Before I completed the book, I made an author facebook page. I already had a twitter account, personal facebook and review blog, so already being immersed in that world has helped a lot. I made a separate blog for my author website using Wordpress where I post updates and other things.

I then designed the cover myself using a stock photo and Photoshop. I spent hours searching for the perfect picture, until I found the one that I used and manipulated for the cover. Once the cover was complete I organized a Cover reveal and a good amount of bloggers participated. I’m very thankful for the blogging community they have been a huge help. I also managed to choose a release date in time for the cover reveal.

During this time, I also went through and edited Rain myself before sending it to my editor, Mickey Reed. During the extensive editing process, I planned the blog tour. I sent requests to bloggers and set up host dates for reviews, guest posts, spotlights, and excerpts. I also created a blog tour banner using Photoshop.

I also designed bookmarks using Photoshop and gave a bunch away.    

                                       

Once the editing process was complete I started sending the E-ARCs to the bloggers that signed up to review Rain. I also loaded the book and cover into Create Space to request a proof copy. Once I received the proof copy in the mail I went through it and found missed errors, formatting issues, and some over used words. After I finished going through the proof, I made the changes and uploaded the new version to Create Space for the final proof.

I’m sure there were also many little things along the way that I’m not thinking of, but those are the main events.

The last step was to Sync the book to Kindle Direct Publishing for the e-book and hit publish on both of them for May 6, 2014 and the paperback and e-book are available for the world to read. Now it is all about marketing and getting the book into reader’s hands. The journey is never really over; I still have a lot more to do. I would like to get Rain into bookstores and schedule book signings.

This has been a major accomplishment and a wonderful experience. I look forward to seeing where this journey brings me.

Christie Cote

Christie Cote resides in Vermont with her Husband and their dog. When she isn’t reading, writing, or dreaming up her next story, she can be found shooting targets with her bow, drawing or baking.

Rain is her first book.

Christie writes Young Adult Realistic Fiction, Fiction, and New Adult novels.

Find Christie:

Website: http://christiecote.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorchristiecote

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christiewriting

Instagram: http://instagram.com/christiewriting

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6994618.Christie_Cote

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ChristieCote/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/christiewriting

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Christie-Cote/e/B00IQ9LLM8/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Rain on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18522639-rain

Book Review Blog: http://christiesbookreviews.com

Synopsis:

Taylor Sullivan took her life for granted until she received news that would change her life forever. In a state of denial she met Kyle, who didn’t end up being what she expected. She wasn’t able to escape her new reality, but with his friendship, just maybe she could survive it.

GoodReads Giveaway of Rain: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/83988-rain


Enter to win an Autographed Copy of Rain:
Rafflecopter Giveaway Link

Kiss Me Hard Before You Go by Shannon McCrimmon

Title: Kiss Me Hard Before You Go
 
Author: Shannon McCrimmon

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published Date: May 14, 2014

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  &Paperback 
   
Author Facebook:
www.facebook.com/shannonmccrimmonauthor 

Author Website: www.shannonmccrimmon.com

Synopsis: 

Every summer, Gray Barnes and his eighteen-year old daughter, Evie, open up their farm in the foothills of South Carolina to Kip Kierkin's Carnival of Wonder. The carnival attracts hordes of locals and out-of-towners, and it brings in the extra cash that Gray and his daughter need to keep the family estate running.

Evie decided long ago that she wants nothing to do with the carnival or the farm that her dad so desperately works to keep afloat. She doesn't understand her father's appreciation for the land or the work that it takes to maintain it, but that's all about to change when she meets Finch Mills.

Finch is a lifer – a carny since birth. He's spent all of his twenty-two years on the circuit and longs for a different path. He's never paid much attention to Evie, not until this eventful summer of 1978.

My Thoughts:

Kiss Me Hard Before You Go, by Shannon McCrimmon, is a wonderfully heartwarming story about first love, true friendships, and family. McCrimmon did a fantastic job of hooking me into her novel during the first chapter. I instantly grew attached to Evie, the main character, who is a spitfire with a heart of gold and spunky personality.  

Evie is not a normal young adult in that she keeps to herself, doesn't date, and works on the family farm day and night. She has one best friend, Katie, who has been her BFF since Kindergarten. Evie's dad, Gray, owns a beautiful piece of land in South Carolina where they farm and raise cattle. Gray is a single father but makes up for it by providing Evie with all of his love and support. He really is an A+ father. However money, as with many farmers, is always tight. To help make ends meet, Gray built and runs a skating rink on his property and also rents a parcel of his land out to a traveling carnival every summer.

Year after year, the carnival comes and sets up for a month and Evie hates every minute of it. Sitting on her porch she can smell the sweetness of the food, see the lights from the rides, and hear the music and laughter. It's enough to make her dread the long summer month and wish she were anywhere but there. Gray, on the other hand, is in little boy heaven during carnival season. He loves everything about the carnival, especially the rides.

The year that Kiss Me Hard Before You Go takes place finds Evie in a surly mood. She is worried about her future and starts dreading the possibility of working on the farm for the rest of her monotonous life. Day in and day out she wakes up, cooks breakfast, takes care of the cattle and other farm issues, and then falls into bed exhausted. However, what she doesn't realize is that this year is different. Her life is about to be turned upside down in more ways than one.

Finch, the carnival maintenance man, has been a carny all of his life. His mother and father were both from the carnival circuit and it never occurred to him that he could do anything different. He runs into Evie as the carnival is setting up and they quickly get off on the wrong foot. Her snappiness brings about his sarcastic cockiness and Evie decides he is a horrible boy. However, fate has other plans for the two as they run into each other again and again and their chemistry is undeniable. What follows is an unforgettable summer that will change Evie's life forever.

There are many stereotypes about carny’s that have existed for years. They are gypsies, crooks, drunks, can't be trusted, etc. McCrimmon touches on many of these stereotypes in Kiss Me Hard Before You Go. While a few of the carny’s were less than stellar individuals, four of the most kind hearted people in the novel were carny’s. Finch, Doris, Mouse, and Friedrich are not related by blood but are each other's family. They are there for each other and make sacrifices that many related by blood would not make. I LOVED these characters. Doris, Mouse, and Friedrich are side show attractions. Doris is the 'largest' woman alive, Mouse the 'smallest' man alive, and Friedrich is known as the tattooed man. These characters receive insults, snickers, and constant stares everywhere they go, but learn to take it all with a grain of salt. When Evie meets them she sees past their outward appearances and embraces their kindness.

I really can't say enough about Shannon McCrimmon's Kiss Me Hard Before You Go. I have read three of her books and loved them all. I have learned that McCrimmon writes stories with wonderfully developed characters, catchy plots, and beautiful settings.  Kiss Me Hard Before You Go does not disappoint- in fact it exceeded all of my expectations which is very hard to do! This has quickly become the best novel I have read in a LONG time. I finished reading it five days ago and Evie and Finch are still occupying my thoughts. My fingers are crossed for a sequel to this wonderful story!! If you buy one book this summer season to read trust me, buy Kiss Me Hard Before You Go. You won't be disappointed!!!

Shannon McCrimmon

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Kiss Me Hard Before You Go, for the purpose of review.*