Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Series Book Review: The Key West Series by C.A. Harms


My Rating:


Favorite Quotes:

 Unpredictable - Book 1

"The girl was like a dude wrapped up in a tiny package. She had no filter, no shame."

"You'll have to excuse them. Jett has been a bachelor for so long, I'm pretty sure they were beginning to question his sexual preference."

"'Well, well, aren't you a handsome devil. It's no wonder Quinn has a glow. Boy, you could light up any girl's world.' She fanned herself as if she'd suddenly gown overheated." 

"I don't know how babies get in your tummy, but I know that Aunt Harper told Mom that Colt's spunk makes beautiful babies... Maybe Colt will give you some spunk."


 Inevitable - Book 2

 “‘You know I’m not like that.  It wouldn’t be right of me to turn the other cheek.  I have to leave my mark on Ian’s life.’  I was a firm believer in payback, and I was so reading to feel the satisfaction of breaking him down.”

“I guess I’m still looking for the right kind of crazy… Something tells me I may have found it.”

“He had treated me as if I were fine art that deserved an immense amount of attention.”

 
Uncontrollable - Book 3

“I loved finding ways to make her smile, because her smile makes my heart feel like it’s been jump-started.”

“I have every intention of consummating the hell out of my marriage at least twice before we make it to the reception.”

“‘Table sex.’  Then a thought occurred to me.  ‘You are going to bleach said table when you get home, right?’”

“Kade Thomas, I’ve been ready for you for a long time.  I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up.”


Undeniable - Book 4

“I don’t want to make you nervous… I just want to make your heart race the way you do mine.”

Callie was changing something inside me.  She was giving me something I needed, yet had no idea just how much until then.  She gave me hope that even in all the impending darkness of my life, there was still good.  Callie was my light.”

“I’ve loved you for a long time… And even if you tried to let me go, I wouldn’t let you.  Because I don’t think I could live without you all in my life.”

“I’m going to be buried in dirty diapers and vomit.  I can see it now.  I’m going down at the hands of Easton’s spawn, and all he can do is laugh.”

“He nodded and looked back toward the doorway just three doors down that they had led Harper through.  ‘She-devil,’ he whispered, and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.”

 

My Review:


I had never read a C.A. Harms book before last weekend, so I needed to read the preceding 3 books in this series before starting Undeniable, oh happy day!  This series has been one of the luckiest things I managed to fall into during 2015, as 4 books and 734 pages later - I am her newest fan-girl.  While each book in the series is actually complete and can stand alone, don’t deny yourself the pleasure as all four books are well-written, relevant, engaging, clever, and delightfully steamy.   Each volume is written with a dual POV and involves the characters from previous books, yet each provides heightened focus on the beginnings of the romance for a different couple.  The characters are lovable yet flawed and struggling.  I adore Ms. Harm’s growling and possessive alpha-male characters who are essentially tender hearted puppy dogs for their smart and feisty women, and each has to work a bit for their sweet love story and HEA, but so worth the time and effort. 

Empress DJ



Title: Unpredictable
Series: Key West Series #1
Author: C.A. Harms
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: April 14, 2015
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Have you ever wished for a moment that you could pretend to live the life of someone else? Escape the harsh reality that your own is anything but perfect?

Quinn had always been forced to put her own needs last. With an absent father and a mother who drowns herself daily in a bottle of Rum, there was no other option.

Jett was the distraction she needed, even if it was just for one night. A void filler, a chance for a freeing moment to allow herself to feel something other than emptiness.

He wasn’t what she expected…

Gentle

Her life didn’t have room for a man like Jett.

Unpredictable

But now it was too late, there was no turning back.

Desire

Nothing would ever be the same.


Unpredictable Excerpt © C.A. Harms 2015

It’d been two days. Two days of unanswered calls, unanswered texts. Two days of driving by her house day and night, only to find it empty. I spoke with her boss at Spencer’s, and he too said she had taken some time off.
With each day my heart sank a little more with the thought that I had thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to me. This was on me, completely. I acted like the biggest dick when I should have just talked to her.
“Hey, numb nuts, you still pouting?” Kade shouted as he exited the French doors onto the back patio.
“I need to change my locks,” I grumbled. Resting my head back against the chair, I closed my eyes, attempting to block him out.
“Don’t blame me for your massive amount of shit. I’m just here for the pool—oh, and the free beer.” He chuckled as he pulled his shirt up and over his head, then took off and jumped, cannonballing into the pool. “Whew,” he yelled out just before hitting the water. The cool splash flowed backward, drenching the entire patio.
All I could do was shake my head at the ass. He was doing everything possible to pull me from my slump. I picked up my phone and checked once again for any response only to come up empty. “Give the girl some time. I know it’s driving you crazy, not being able to fix this, but you need to try to give her some space.” Kade climbed out of the pool, shaking his hair, once again spraying water in every direction. Cocky son of a bitch chuckled as I jumped from my chair and stepped back.

Title: Inevitable
Series: Key West Series #2
Author: C.A. Harms
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: June 30, 2015
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Harper Jameson, had built the necessary walls to keep her heart safe. Never again would she allow herself to be weak and vulnerable.

Confident and full of attitude.

A mask she wore that many fell for.

Except Easton Black.

He was equally confident, cocky and knew what he wanted.

Determined.

Things he wanted rarely escaped his grasp. He was immune to the façade Harper had created.

She was intriguing.

It was inevitable and Harper could sense that there was no way out. Easton Black would no doubt be the man who could change everything.

People aren’t always as strong as they appear to be on the outside…


Inevitable Excerpt © C.A. Harms 2015

The moment I knocked on her door, I think my heart jumped in to my throat. A deep vicious bark had my nerves on high alert. The bark didn’t sound like any dog I had ever been around. I know she had one, I remember the day she brought it by Jett’s place to show him, the day she picked him up. But that bark, the one that was still flowing out from behind her door, I had to admit had me a little worried.
I wasn’t an animal guy. I had never had one and had no desire to change that.
When the door came open and I looked down to see a head the size of a car looking back at me, I swallowed hard. Okay so maybe the size of a car was an exaggeration but in panic mode everyone tends to do that.
“That is not a dog,” I stated. “That’s is a tank.”
Harper laughed. “No actually this is Brutus, and I promise you he isn’t just a dog.”
I looked up at her, cocking my eyebrow.
“He is my best friend, my cuddle buddy and the protector.” She explained as she rubbed his head in a motherly way. “He may be big.”
“He’s fucking huge,” I corrected.
“Okay he may be huge, but he is the sweetest dog you’ll ever meet. Don’t let him fool ya, he’s a big baby.” I still wasn’t convince. The idea of a dog being almost as big as most motorcycles, had me convinced that I should wait in the car.
“Will you stop being such a pussy,” Harper stated as she placed her hand on her hip. “He won’t hurt you. In fact he is scared of his own shadow on a good day.”
She opened the door and I took a step inside, still leery of the dog that could stand on his hind legs and be taller than me. She led me toward the couch and directed me to have a seat.
“I just need five minutes.” She rushed off before I could say another word.
I was tense and afraid to move, Brutus, watched me from the left end of the couch. I continued to stare straight ahead, thinking if I avoided eye contact, maybe he would walk away.
My actions had the opposite effect. I felt his head nudge my knee and I stiffened, this shit was messed up. Dogs were supposed to be small and cute. Never should a dog be larger than their owner…never.
I strong nudge against my leg once more, made me sweat a little. Then Brutus went one step further and placed his paw on my thigh, laying his head next to it, letting out a loud, humph.
“Hey there big guy,” my voice vibrated with tension. Harper was right, what the fuck. I was acting like a damn pussy.
I lifted my hand and began petting the top of Brutus’s head. “You’re not that scary are ya?” It was definitely more of a question than a reassuring statement. I still wasn’t completely convinced that he wasn’t going to eat me before Harper finished getting ready.
“Okay, this isn’t so bad is it?”
I let out a breath I had been holding since Harper left me alone with the grizzly. His big puppy dog eyes looking up at me as they sagged in awe. Apparently he liked it when you scratched behind his ears.
So for the next, what felt like ten minutes, I continued to pet him in the place he enjoyed the most. Yes I still silently prayed that I made it out of here with all my limbs in tacked but I may have been able to relaxed, just a little.

Title: Uncontrollable
Series: Key West Series #3
Author: C.A. Harms
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: September 15, 2015
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Avery Nolan’s father has never been a part of her life. As a result, she finds herself becoming a caretaker. Always trying to please other people, willing to tuck her own concerns aside for the happiness of others.

She is selfless.

She is a nurturer.

On the outside, it appears Kade Thomas has it all, but no one can understand the guilt and ache he feels daily.

He is haunted by his past.

Every time he closes his eyes, he finds himself reliving the same nightmare, over and over again.

He blames himself for the loss of Jenna.

He pushed her too far and she paid the price.

Avery saw something special in Kade, from the first day she met him—she could feel it.

But the darkness that consumes him is…

Uncontrollable.

Will she finally be the one to break down the walls he’s built around his heart and soul?

Or will she find some walls are just Indestructible…


Uncontrollable Excerpt © C.A. Harms 2015

KADE

“Here’s the address,” Easton said as he passed the paper over the top of the table toward me. “Bennie said they live in a ranch-style home at the end of the lane.”
Vermont. They stuck around for a few months after the funeral and then picked up and moved thousands of miles away. Running from the place where they saw their daughter everywhere they looked.
“You sure about this, Kade?” Jett asked as he sat down in the booth next to me.
“Yeah, I am. It’s something I have to do. It’s the last step before I can say good-bye to Jenna,” I explained as I twisted the paper between my fingers. “I’m ready to move on with Avery, and I can’t do that until I do this.”
My stomach was in knots at the idea of facing Jenna’s parents. I had no idea what to expect, but I wanted to close this chapter.
“I’m gonna need something from you, Jett,” I said as I looked up from my hands.
“And what would that be, brother?” he asked.
“Keep an eye on my girl,” I said, and he grinned widely and nodded as Easton chuckled. “Yeah, I know. You never thought you’d see the day, right?”
Jett placed his hand on my shoulder and patted it.
“Nope, I didn’t, but it looks good on ya.” “What does?” I asked.
“Love, infatuation, whatever you wanna call it,” Easton said.
“Pussy-whipped, henpecked, does it matter how you refer to it?” Jude flopped down in the seat next to Easton, chuckling. “Avery has you wrapped around her pinky, and you are sunk to the deepest depths, brother.”
I smiled. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“I’ve been quietly observing this exchange you three were having.” He leaned back, waiting for me argue with what he had said. But he was right. It was pointless. Avery had me tied up tight, and there was no coming back.

Title: Undeniable
Series: Key West Series #4
Author: C.A. Harms
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: December 15, 2015
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Sometimes in life you are forced to do things you may not agree with. Family meant everything to Jude Calvert.

He would do whatever it took to keep them safe and provide for them no matter what it took to make that happen.

Even if that meant putting his own safety at risk, he had no other choice. Callie Raine has always felt a heavy attraction toward Jude.

He was fascinating.

He was undeniable.

She knew there was so much more to him than he allowed anyone to see. But she was a headstrong woman and feeling weak was something she wouldn’t allow.

Except when it came to Jude.

However, when Jude is hit with the unexpected and forced to rely on others, Callie realizes he doesn’t take weakness easily.

He becomes even more withdrawn.

More angry.

Will he finally give in and learn to lean on those who care?

Or will he push them beyond the point of no return and once again be left to face his obstacles alone?


Undeniable Excerpt © C.A. Harms 2015

“Hello.” I froze as Jude’s voice carried up the stairway, then jumped up from my position on the floor in our bedroom and scrambled for the door. Before I opened it, I turned back to face the kids, who were playing tug-of-war with the unnamed puppy.
“Stay here.” They both nodded, and I slipped out of the room, closing the door behind me. Jude had just reached the top of the steps, and he looked up with a smile.
“Where are the kids?”
“They’re playing in our room,” I said as I approached him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I assured him as I continued to walk. He cocked an eyebrow at me, and my stomach dropped. He was seeing right through me. I was such a bad liar.
“The kids are busy. Wanna sneak downstairs and have a quickie?” I wagged my eyebrows, but his facial expression did not change in the slightest.
“Now I know you’re full of shit. You’re actually attempting to distract me with sex,” he said with a grin. I was just about to argue when the puppy barked.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Uh…”
My stomach was flipping around anxiously, and I didn’t even get to figure out a way to break the news before everything broke loose. The bedroom door came open behind me, and I heard the puppy’s claws tapping against the hardwood floor as Zoey and Matthew followed him. Squealing and laughter filled the hallway as I remained locked in place. I avoided looking at Jude. In fact, I stared down the floor instead.
“Are those my boxers?” Jude asked, and I looked up. He was pointing at the puppy, who was sitting back on his butt looking up at Jude. Hanging from his mouth were a red pair of Jude’s Calvin Klein boxers I had just purchased last week.
“Warrior likes to play tug-of-war with them,”
Matthew announced as he pulled on the other end of the red material.
“See, you just hook your hand through this handle, and he pulls back.”
Matthew slipped his little hand through the front opening in the boxers.
“His name is not Warrior,” Zoey argued.
“We still have to draw for his name, remember? Callie said so.”
I could feel Jude’s eyes boring in to me. I knew he was waiting for me to look up, but I was avoiding eye contact.
“What do you think we should name him, Uncle Jude?” Matthew asked.
“I like Warrior, but Zoey said Buddy or Charlie. I don’t like those.”
The kids began to argue over the name of our new puppy, and of course I continued to keep my head down as my heart raced with the idea that Jude may be angry.
“Callie,” Jude said, and my stomach lurched. He didn’t sound mad, yet he didn’t sound happy, either. Silence set in, and I knew all eyes were on me. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes tightly.
“I never should have let them convince me to go into the pet store, but before I knew what hit me, they were laughing and playing with this cute little guy.”
I looked up and found Jude staring back at me, an unreadable expression on his face. “They ganged up on me, and they gave me that look. You know the one.”
t was then I noticed the smile tugging at his lips. “Are you ever going to be able to tell them no?” Jude asked as he stepped around the puppy. I shook my head. I knew the moment they turned on me and gave me those big, sad eyes, I was putty in their hands. I was unable to disappoint them.
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.
Hosted By: 
 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Book Review: When We Fall by Marquita Valentine



Title: When We Fall (Take the Fall #2)
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: Decemeber 8, 2015


Book Description:
The last time Piper Ross saw her best friend’s sexy older brother, Jase Simmons, he was being taken away in handcuffs. Seven years later, two things haven’t changed: Piper is still head-over-heels in love with him . . . and Forrestville’s chief of police—Piper’s dad—still hates his guts. So when Piper sees a chance to get close to Jase, she makes her move—literally. As his new roommate, and as the office manager of his tattoo shop, Piper won’t be satisfied until Jase knows that she wants to be his.

The quintessential good girl, Piper is pure temptation for Jase. The only reason he’s always kept his distance is because she’s the last person he’d ever want to hurt. But once he realizes that Piper is ready to take the leap, everything just makes sense. Suddenly Jase feels like a new man—until nasty rumors start swirling and Piper’s heartless father stirs up even more trouble. Now Jase must convince Piper that she wasn’t wrong about him . . . because falling in love never felt so right.







My Rating:


Favorite Quotes:


“Her short pink skirt and white sleeveless top make her look exactly like dessert.  Like some kind of erotic Neapolitan sundae.  My favorite kind of ice cream.  Mostly because I’m a greedy bastard who doesn’t think I should be confined to one of anything.”

“Most days, I feel like wallpaper – there for only decoration.  There to look pretty and inoffensive.”

“At five feet eleven, Rowan has the looks of a supermodel and the mouth of a sailor – two reasons why Seth is attracted to her.”

“It’s unfair really, to have a parent so beautiful on the outside while simultaneously hideous on the inside.”

“A man who has the face of an angel and kisses like the devil is my man, and not just any man.  Jase.  The guy I’ve loved since I was fourteen.”

“You’re my world Piper, and I made a promise that no one would take that away from me.”

“His hard body with its tattoos is a feast for the eyes.  I swear he could be his own man candy page on Pinterest.”


My Review:


This was my first date with Marquita Valentine and I could kick myself for being so slow to notice her before - as it was love at first sight.  I was instantly snared and totally invested in her tale before finishing the first page, she definitely has skills and has put them to good use.  I was absorbed by the story and resented any interruption while reading this sweet and steamy love story of a good bad boy and a sweet neglected rich girl.  Sure, it sounds like it’s been done before – but not like this.  The writing was insightful and emotive from a dual point of view – which I highly enjoyed.  The love scenes were sensual and deliciously steamy, and the relationship was sweet and satisfying.  I adored the characters and enjoyed watching them evolve.  I believe I would live happily ever after if I could clear my calendar and only read her work for the rest of my days. 

Empress DJ




NOW AVAILABLE!

Title: Take The Fall (Take the Fall #1)
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 21, 2015

Book Description:
As a teenager, Seth O’Connor went to jail for a crime he had nothing to do with. He took the fall to protect the girl he loved, but the cruel realities of prison hardened him. After doing his time, Seth shuts her out and enlists in the Marines—until his grandmother’s funeral forces him to come home and face Rowan Simmons once again. The woman she’s become puts all his high-school memories to shame, and Seth wants her more than ever. Can he be honest about why he denied her for so long?

After Seth pushed her away, Rowan swore that no man would ever hurt her again. But the boy who broke her heart has become a sexy Marine, capable of fulfilling her every desire—and now that he’s back in town, old feelings are simmering to a boil. Rowan wants to stay strong, even as her body surrenders to his expert touch. She only hopes that by taking him back, she can finally help heal the wounds that drove them apart.

 About the author:
Marquita Valentine is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Holland Springs and Boys of the South series.

Since first taking the plunge in July of 2012 to self publish, Marquita Valentine has sold over a quarter of a million books around the world. She's appeared on the Top 100 Bestselling Ebooks Lists on iBooks, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes&Noble. She's been called "one of the best new voices in romance" (Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews) and her books have been accused of being "a sexy, fun, and slightly addicting contemporary read" (The Book Queen).

When she's not writing sexy heroes who adore their sassy heroines, she enjoys shopping, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. Married to her high school sweetheart, Marquita lives in a seriously small town in the south with her husband, two kids, and a dog.