{Book Tour: Excerpt + Review + Giveaway} of Black Rainbow by J.J. McAvoy

Black Rainbow by J.J. McAvoy
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Contemporary
THEME: Romance, Suspense, College
RECEIVED: Tour

BLURB:

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Synopsis: A sweet and steamy New Adult Romance from Amazon bestselling author of the Ruthless People series, J.J. McAvoy…

After an erotic one-week fling with a musician she meets in a bar, Thea Cunning never expects to see Levi Black again. Then Monday morning comes around, and she discovers that her former lover is not only her professor, but he’s also one of the top criminal lawyers in the state of Massachusetts.

With everyone in class vying to be one of the twelve disciples—a group of twelve students that Professor Black takes under his wing—tensions run high. Thea considers dropping his class, given their passionate week together and their undeniable chemistry. After all, there are other (less infuriatingly sexy) law professors on campus.

But to accomplish her goal and get her father out of prison, Thea knows she needs to learn under the best of the best—and that’s Levi Black.

But can she learn under the best, without being under the best?

REVIEW:

I love forbidden romances and couldn’t wait to see how both the student and professor handled their romance and schooling. I’ve been really into political and law romances lately and J.J McAvoy has definitely gain a new reader with her snarky but smart characters.

Black Rainbow follows Thea Cunning who had an unforgettable week with a smooth singing Levi Black. After meeting at a bar, Thea wanted to drink away her problem and Levi found a way to make her forget in other ways. But what neither of them were prepared for was that Thea wasn’t just great in bed but also his student.  Thea is not only shocked but surprised in how different he is as her professor than their nights together. Thea must toughen up to Levi’s content challenges if she wants to help her father who is on death row.

Thea has a lot on her mind, not only her father, her mother whom was a well-known lawyer, but also being in the same vicinity with the guy whom she had mind blowing sex with is her teacher. I felt so bad for her because Levi was such a different person; no matter how good he is as a lawyer he treated her in a way I felt was wrong. I rooted for her to show him up and she defiantly does. Thea is an extremely smart woman, determined and I feel is a good counter part to Levi.

Levi is a guy who I adored at the first encounter but totally changed when his professor side was introduced. His has a soft side and he’s stern and rude lawyer side. Known for never loosing a case he is surprised to see his suppose to be “one night stand” in his class. But more so that she is the daughter of “The Shark”, her mother whom he looked up too.

Overall I enjoyed watching the couple’s relationship developed, the flashbacks to their romantic meeting and encounter was hot and heavy. I kind of wished I got that all at the beginning, but its just preference. Both Thea and Levi have some intense pasts, Thea with her family and her Gram who raised her and her sister, while Levi dealt with his ex-wife who hurt him. I liked Thea’s character and persona a lot, it took a while for me to connect to Levi but I enjoyed the chemistry and relationship build up. I actually enjoyed the legal side of everything, even though I’m not family with the law besides what I’ve seen on television.

In the end I’m looking forward to more McAvoy and enjoy discovering new authors. If you enjoy a fast paces storyline, with smoking hot forbidden romance, family drama and some really interesting legal cases, then this is a book you must read.

About J.J. McAvoy

J. J. McAvoy first started working on Ruthless People during a Morality and Ethics lecture her freshman year of college. X number of years later, she is an insomniac who has changed her major three times, and is a master in the art of procrastination. If you ask her why she began writing, she will simply tell you “They wanted to get their story out.”

She is currently working on her next novel . . . so please bug her on Twitter @JJMcAvoy

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

EXCERPT

All too soon, class was over, and as people left, I found myself unable to move. There was so much that I wanted to say to him.<

I stood up, taking a deep breath and hoping to stir up the courage to speak to him, when all of sudden, he walked right past me as if I wasn’t there.

“Levi—”

“It’s Professor Black, and class is over. If you wish to speak to me any time after class you’ll have to call the office and make an appointment. Good day, Ms. Cunning,” he replied, already out the door.

“Asshole,” I murmured under my breath.

But what did I expect? Were we just supposed to laugh it off and pretend like nothing had happened and that everything was okay?”

{Review} The Deal by Elle Kennedy

The Deal by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult
THEME: Romance, College
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy...

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice... even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

REVIEW:

This was a title that surpassed the hype for me; I loved every minute of it! It was so real, so passionate and seriously funny with how the h/h challenged each other. Kennedy knows her audience; she hit all the right notes, and sucked me into the romance and sweet connection between to opposites.

The Deal follows Hannah Wells who has finally found the guy who is every bit her dream guy. But whenever she gets around him she is not the confident sexy girl she wants to be to attract him. After she aces one of the hardest tests in one of her classes, the most popular playboy sets his sights on Hannah. Garrett Graham is a jock and loves hockey, but to keep playing on his team he need to ace his next test and needs Hannah to tutor him. Garrett and Hannah make a deal if she tutors him, he’ll teach her how to seduce her dream guy. But what happens when the heart starts to build between them and tutoring becomes something more?

Hannah is a smart and beautiful singer; she also knows how to read her teacher in what she’s looking for on her assignment, which comes in handy when she’s apart of the only few who passed the midterm. But she catches Garrett’s eye when he sees she passed, he’s relentless and is determined to get her to tutor him. Hannah cant stand Garrett, their interactions and heated moments of tension are hilarious and cute. You can totally feel how much they connect but are determined to ignore it. She eventually see’s another side to Garrett, that he’s actually smart along with good at Hockey. Their friendship grows and they way they start to need each other was fantastic to see unfold. I adored Hannah’s innocence in the romance department, she’s is a sweet and awkward girl that gross more confident the longer she hangs out with Garrett. She is also so passionate about singing and music; it shows through her dedication from the beginning of the story to the end.

Garrett is not your normal playboy jock, he actually is extremely smart and wants to pass his test the right way. He needs Hannah in more ways the one; she starts to bring out another side to him. He also takes Hockey very seriously; he’s not a bog partier and works hard to be the best. Sadly he deals with a horrible father who doesn’t know how good his son truly is. I loved how Garrett brings Hannah into his live, how she handles his father and supports Garrett. Garrett is also determined to not let his father win, he always has him hovering and pressuring him. I was on pins and needles whenever his father was around and hoped that Garrett could break free of his hold.

Overall I loved every minute, every bump in the road, every kiss, every laugh, it was just a seriously good story. The growth of the characters is majorly focused on, I loved watching how they grew up and learned to open up and challenge themselves. There are a couple of the guys on Garretts hockey team that showed some potential, I know Logan is next and I adored his persona and his friendship with Garrett and Hannah. I cant wait to see how all the guys develop in this series!

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{Release Week: Review, Excerpt + Giveaway} of Fall with Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout

We are so excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Jennifer L. Armentrout's, also known as J. Lynn’s, FALL WITH ME!! FALL WITH ME is a New Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wait For You Series, published by Avon Romance. We love this series and can't wait to start reading Roxy and Reece's story!

Fall with Me by J. Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult Contemporary
THEME: Romance, College, Chick Lit
RECEIVED: Edelweiss

BLURB:

Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice.

Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already.

But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

REVIEW:

I just can’t get enough of the Wait For You series, I always think I’m not going to love this one as much as I loved the last, but nope I love each one more and more and for very different reasons. The characters are always well developed, passionate, and trying to find a way to open up and love again. Fall with Me broke my heart and made me swoon; I loved every minute of it.

Fall with Me follows Roxy, in high school she was involved in an incident where her best friend was severely injured. She blames herself even though there was nothing she could do, when a bully threw a rock and hit Charlie in the head. No matter how many years pass she visits him every Friday to talk, even if he can’t respond. And everything changes when the person who hurt her friend is released and asking to see her, it also brings back the one man she who broke her heart. Officer Reece Anders and Roxy have a past, he cant seem to remember what happened that one night, but he’s determined to get to the bottom of it. Plus he cant stand being far from her nor seeing her hurting for Charlie after all these years. But when strange things start happening in Roxy’s house and she feels like someone’s watching her, Reece will do anything to keep her safe and fix what happened between them.

Roxy is all heart; her best friend was everything to her. No matter that Charlie doesn’t even know she visits him, she wants him to know she’ll always be there. I loved how Roxy never gave up hope for her friend even when his parents do. She even stands up for him when the man who caused the injury wants to ask for forgiveness. It’s a tough subject that Armentrout touches, hate crimes in teens are common and the more its noted and shown as a negative the more people start to open up and understand the side effects. Roxy is in a tough situation when it comes to her social life too. She’s been in love with Reece Anders for a long time and the one time they “hooked up” Reece was not coherent, nor did she know he was that drunk. Now they have some akward tension and Reece doesn’t understand what he did wrong. Roxy feels embarrassed and so many misunderstandings keep them apart. I loved their cute banter, the way they easily can get into a conversation, and their passion is off the hook! In the end Roxy goes through a lot of high but many lows to find her happiness.

Reece has had some tough decisions to make while in the force, its haunted him and made him feel so much more whenever hes called out for a tough job. Roxy is someone who hes always had this connection with, and he’s trying to figured out how to reconnect with her after their “one night” together. He’s a very determined man and when it comes to Roxy, he wants to continue with what they had. I loved this guy, he’s a totally alpha male and will do anything and everything for Roxy. He cares for her deeply, loves her artistic side and her quirky t-shirts that she always wears. They have such a sweet connection and really are good for each other during tough times.

Overall as I said before this series keeps getting better and better, but the emotion in this book just hit all the right spots. Plus all the old gang is back, Calla and Jax, Teresa and Jace, and of course Avery and Cameron. It was awesome to see how they are all progressing in their lives and relationships. Now for the next, I’m super excited to see how Nick and Steph connect! I adore Nick so I’m rooting for some happiness for him!

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EXCERPT:

Someone—was it Melvin?—catcalled as Reece led me down the hall, and my cheeks flushed. “Okay, heman, I can walk all by my little self.”

He cast a look over his shoulder at me as he opened the office door. “I’m sure you can.”

Then he pulled me inside.

My gaze flipped to the roses—the roses!—but before I could say a word, he closed the door and my back was pressed against it, his hands planted on either side of my head and his face right in mine. Like right there, within kissing distance.

Wow.

“So, I was at my father’s place in New Jersey most of the day, and you know, he lives out near the Pine Barrens, so service is shit.”

I nodded even though I really wasn’t processing what he was saying as I was too busy staring at his mouth. Those lips, fuller on the bottom, drove me to distraction.

“I pull out of his driveway and I have all these messages from Dennis,” he continued, and I finally caught on to what he was talking about. “I honestly thought he was messing with me at first.”

I cringed. “He . . . um, he wasn’t.”

He shot me a bland look. “That much I figured out.” His hands slid on the door, stopping just shy of touching my shoulders. “What did he do to you?”

“What?” I blinked.

“What did that bastard do to make you throw a book through his windshield?”

Oh. Oh. My heart was now wiggling along with my stomach. “He really didn’t do anything. I just lost my cool. He wanted to talk to me, and I didn’t want to talk to him.”

“You don’t have to talk to him.”

“That’s what Dennis said, but I shouldn’t have damaged his car.”

A muscle flexed along his right jaw. “That’s true.” He shook his head. “Damn, Roxy, can’t say I’m surprised.”

My brows flew up. “You’re not?”

He laughed under his breath. “Babe, you’ve always had a hell of a temper on you.”

Ah, that was kind of true. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

Reece cocked his head to the side. “A sexy thing, but vandalism and destruction of property doesn’t look good on you, sweets.”

“No. It doesn’t match my manicure.” I raised my hands, flashing him the blue nails.

He laughed again and then he sobered up, just like that. Cop Face was on, and yeah . . . the low coiling in my stomach told me I found Cop Face arousing. “You’re lucky. He could’ve pressed charges, and this conversation would be going in a whole different direction.”

My own half smile slipped off my face. “I know. It’s . . . I was just with Charlie, and he’s . . .” Unable to continue, I forced a casual shrug I didn’t feel. “What are you going to do with me?”

His lips parted as his chest rose with a deep breath, then his gaze dropped to my mouth, and his expression tightened. He looked . . . he looked hungry. “I have lots of ideas.”

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

{Review} of All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

All Lined Up by Cora Carmack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Contemporary
THEME: New Adult, Romance, Sports
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.

Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.

REVIEW:

I’m usually not one who likes sport books, since well I don’t watch any sports at all, but the Rusk University series is just plan awesome with the first book.

All Lined Up follows Dallas Cole who is not a fan of football, for many reasons that is. You see, Dallas’ dad is the new head coach for Rusk University and has always been much more involved with his coaching, her ex boyfriend is the quarterback of the same team, and now she just wants to enjoy college away from the sport. Her best friend drags her along to a house party, where she meets a guy who finally seems to be different and not all about sports. But it all changes when she finds out Carson is on her dads football team. But Carson is different and he knows Dallas feels the same about their connection. The only pieces standing in their way is Dallas’ dream to be a dancer, Carson’s no girls rule and football comes first from his father and well Dallas’ rule to not dating a football player. Turning into a complex romance with a lot of risks.

Dallas is a cool chick, who has some bad blood when it comes to football. She loves her dad but all in all knows that football comes first. I actually enjoyed every scene with Dallas and her dad, he had a lot to learn about his daughter and how they needed to fix their bond. He also needed to understand Dallas’ dream to be a dancer, she wanted this more than anything. Dallas in the end is a down to earth chick, who curses, knows the ins and outs of football and never gives up on her dream.

Carson knows everything about football; he trains harder than anyone on his team to make sure that he shows his focus. His dad has a rule of no girls, meaning no distractions. In the end he has to step into a big position with his team that puts a lot of pressure on him. I adored Carson; he is seriously just a plain good guy who works hard to keep up with his love for football. He’s not the smartest in school so he mostly studies and trains. When he meets Dallas it’s a distraction but one he actually needs and their relationship is fantastic.

Overall this was a great start to the series, where I actually learned more about football than actually watching a game on TV. The romance is hot and heavy; they try the friendship side but also have a deeper connection that they can resist. There are a ton of obstacles along the way, but in the end these two figure out their future and what important to them not everyone else. The writing is definitely top notch, very easy to read and the flow, characters and plot line were all very well thought out.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a new adult novel with sexual content meant for mature readers. Fans of Ann Aguirre’s 2B Trilogy and K Lynn’s Stay with Me will want to add All Lined Up to their TBR list today!

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Review of Boundless by Cynthia Hand

 Review of Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Rating: 4 stars
Received: borrowed
Genres & themes: YA, angels, romance, family, friendship, death.

BLURB:

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

REVIEW:

What a conclusion to this Unearthly trilogy! Must say Cynthia Hand is clever, as I was more than impressed with the plot twists she created. There was always something in every one of her books that completely surprised me and that I was not expecting. Why it is such a great thing is that, in YA series, it can be hard sometimes to not predict the events and endings since a lot has been done already. Angels are actually a very popular subject that many authors already exploited. The fact that the author succeeded to stand out means that, not only does she have talent, but she also put some visible time and effort in this final book. I was not disappointed.

I’d suggest for you to read the novella named Radiant before reading Boundless and after reading Hallowed because there are many references to it. I haven’t in fact read it myself but wished I did. Everything would have been clearer and, when I was surprised to discover a new angel character, I shouldn’t have since he technically is presented in that novella  with an alternative point of view of Clara and Angela.

The Unearthly series is a GEM in its category. If you haven’t started it already, get to it soon, I politely say.

Clara is such an endearing character. She’s the kind of main character that you can truly connect with and maybe even imagine yourself at her place by moments. It’s even easier to do so since this series is narrated in a first person point of view. Sure, she can be sarcastic, impulsive, careless and reckless but that’s just human behaviour. No one is perfect. Overall, I think you’ll like her and want to now more about her. Personally, I would have loved to have her as part in my life, maybe as a friend.

There is still a love triangle in Boundless as in the other books. It’s still blurred but things are surely different. Clara feels the pressure to choose Christian since it is part of her mission when she, herself, actually doesn’t know if he IS her soul mate and the one she’s supposed to be with. The only thing she knows is that she still cares for Tucker (which we will still se in this book) but she can’t be with him in order to keep him save. Boy I was eager to know who would conquer her heart by the end of the story.

A problem I had is with Angela. You all know how bossy and how very self-confident she his. Well…I wished to slap her at least like…during my whole reading. Ugh, Angela, could you just stop thinking and listen to someone else for once? Unwanted things happened to you and maybe, maybe, if you had listened to Clara, at least, it would/could have been better. Angela and Clara are ‘friends’ but, to me, it’s like the only reason they are close is because of the whole angel situation which keeps bringing them together. Not a true friendship. Clara is caring but Angela is too independent also to fully let Clara in her life and open up.

I loved the writing and the atmosphere, a nice one, a good contrast since a lot of events are happening in Boundless and they can get overwhelming. It’s fast-paced and I, without lying, always wanted to know what was going to happen and how. The setting is also interesting since it takes mostly place on the Stanford University grounds. It was fun to meet new characters which brought a breath of fresh air in this book. Overall, it’s a must read and a series to not only pass by but to actually read. I believe it enjoyable for adults also since it is a charming, entertaining and, yes, also sad story.