Author: Marsha

Review: In Bed With The Bachelor by Megan Crane

Posted March 18, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: In Bed with the Bachelor
Series: Montana Born Bachelor Auction (bood 5)
Author: Megan Crane
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 20, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Our latest bachelor has enough family in Marietta to qualify as an honorary native, but hails instead from Seattle, WA, which is where he’ll fly you for a glamorous weekend on the shores of the sparkling Puget Sound. Jesse Grey will treat you the way a local boy turned construction tycoon should: five star accommodations, gourmet dinners, and celebrated Washington wines. We just can’t promise he’ll smile much. Or at all.

Sold to the highest bidder!

Jesse Grey, notorious bachelor and one of Seattle’s foremost construction tycoons, has been roped into participating in the Marietta Bachelor Auction thanks to an expertly executed guilt trip laid out by his family.

Michaela Townsend already has a fiancé and certainly doesn’t need another man in her life. So when her family buys her surly, sexy Jesse at the auction and wrangles him into driving her from Montana to Seattle, she’s appalled yet disturbingly attracted.

As far as Jesse is concerned, Michaela is forbidden fruit. Even though he knows her fiancé isn’t all he seems, Jesse would never take what didn’t belong to him. But how long can he resist the one woman he shouldn’t touch?

Read on for my thoughts on In Bed With The Bachelor. Not true spoilers, promise. Read More

Teaser Tuesday #8

Posted March 17, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 34 Comments

teaser tuesday One of the fun parts of taking part in blog hops (aside from getting to visit new to me blogs) is finding great ways to interact with other book lovers. This is one:

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

He wanted to call out–to stop them–but he could not.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he knew how to speak. He even had a vague recollection of the sound of his voice. He knew what it was to scream, even the joyful release when he did it. But the word to describe this? Even though he could sometimes think it, his mouth refused to curve around the word. For years, his survival had depended on muteness. Now, he could not seem to make his mouth remember how to form syllables, words, coherent sounds.

Twelve years in prison has stripped him of his humanity…Saving him is her only chance to escape a terrible fate

Armand, Comte de Valère has lost the ability to interact with polite society, until his family hires him a beautiful tutor, and he starts to come alive again.

Felicity Bennett vows she’ll do whatever it takes to help Armand fight back the demons that have held him captive for so long.

With Felicity’s help, Armand begins to heal, until a buried secret threatens to destroy their growing passion. ~ The Making of a Gentleman by Shana Galen.

What are you reading?

Getting Updated on All The Challenges

Posted March 16, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

scattered papers My Goodness – where has the time gone to?

I am so behind on getting the Challenges updated. How about you? Are you keeping caught up? If so I am so jealous. 🙂

Not that I haven’t read the novels that go with them – I just haven’t found the system that will let me keep up-to-date on posting the titles. Ugh!

So there are two reviews to get up tomorrow, Tuesday Teaser and then I need to spend some time getting caught up on posting the Challenge novels to their various posts and sites. Yeah, that’s the plan.

Help! *grin*

Cover Characteristic #1

Posted March 16, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 10 Comments

This one sounds like a purely fun meme to jump into. The ladies at Sugar and Snark are hosting a Cover Characteristic meme. Weekly a subject will be chosen and we search for book covers related to that week’s pick. Why not? I certainly have tons of book covers in my files (and I know how to find more *wink*) so this will be my first week joining in.

This week’s choice is Gardens. Show off your favorite book covers with Gardens. Follow the links above to join in too.

So here goes:

It’s no secret that Nora Roberts is one of my most favorite authors. I knew what I wanted to use, but wasn’t sure if there were gardens on those covers — sure enough, there were.

Black Rose, Blue Dahlia and Red Lily all from the In The Garden trilogy.

cc Black Rose NR cc Blue Dahlia NR cc Red Kukt NR

cc Wild Rain CF Then would come Christine Feehan’s Wild Rain – maybe more jungle but it reminds me of a garden gone wild.

And finally the completely gorgeous full cover of Nicole Jordan’s Princess Charming.

Free Monday Pick: A Gentleman Never Tells by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Posted March 16, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

A Gentleman Never Tells “Free Monday Pick” is a feature here at Keeper Bookshelf that showcases a novel I picked up for free. This week’s pick was found at Amazon’s Free Kindle Books offerings.

Look for a “Free” novel to be picked each Monday and the review to appear on the following Monday. There are some really good “free” novels available (and some not so great too). Let’s weed them out. If this sounds like something you’d like to take part in — awesome, just leave a link with your Free Monday Pick in the comment section and let us go check it out.

This week’s pick is: A Gentleman Never Tells. Isn’t that cover just gorgeous? This is a Historical Romance, and is the beginning of a series – so I might have another series to get into after I check out this one.

Cover Blurb: Benjamin Wetherby, Earl of Glastonbury and heir to the Marquisate of Eastleigh, has just received an urgent letter from home. His father is dying and he must return to England at once. Benjamin is a man bound by honor and duty, to both his country and his family. So, despite his reservations, he leaves his life in New York City behind so he may find a wife and assume his role as the Marquess of Eastleigh.

Miss Phoebe Blake is finally out of mourning for her father, and just in time. She and her mother could be days away from being carted off to debtors prison, so Phoebe returns to society with the intent and determination to secure a rich husband.

Sparks fly when Benjamin and Phoebe meet, and it appears they have both found just what they are looking for. But will a dark secret keep them from finding their happily ever after?

My review will be up next Monday and I’ll let you know how this one turned out. 🙂

Why Wouldn’t You Respond To Commenters? (a discussion)

Posted March 15, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 6 Comments

ID-10031514 I’m afraid I’m about to rant here. And I’m not going to apologize for it either.

I just came from a blog that had an excellent, thought provoking post on it. I read it with interest and learned a lot in the process.

As I began reading over the comments, I realized something rather strange – to me at least. Not one of the over 40 comments posted had a reply from the author of the post. Not. One.

I don’t get it. I would be over the moon, jumping up and down in excitement if I had 10 responses to a non meme post… but 40? And not one answered. Really?

Yes, I’m certain I’ve missed comments. I might have clicked on the notification and didn’t get to the post right away so it slipped through the open weave net that is often my mind. And if I’ve done that to you, I sincerely, honestly apologize for it. It wasn’t personal, I just messed up.

Yet, I cannot imagine missing 40 comments on a post. That’s a popular post in my mind and I’d be jumping into the discussion in order to encourage even more talk. So I don’t understand why.

I can certainly cut this blog owner a break and assume that something happened that prevented them from commenting – power outage – emergency – work or school schedules – any number of possibilities. And I will check back to see if those comments were ever replied to…just to satisfy my own curiosity. I’m honestly not trying to be a bitch here. I really don’t understand how those comments could be ignored unless something major prevented the author from replying.

Maybe it’s me. Perhaps this isn’t as, well, rude as I see it to be. I would be kissing the keyboards of so many commenters – so I just don’t get it.

Okay, this is the point where you can tell me to shut up and stop obsessing about this. And any opinion you’d like to share is fine with me. Maybe I am crazy that this bothered me. I have made the decision to simply not comment there – ‘cos why bother if no one is going to talk back to my one-sided conversation.

End Rant.

Thoughts? Opinions? Feel free to tell me what you think.

Feature: Swoon-Worthy Quote

Posted March 15, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

swoon-worthy gif Swoon Worthy Quotes.

Those moments in a book where you just go “Awwwww” or think “I wish I could hold onto that thought forever.”

I love holding on to the best parts of favorite novels by jotting down quotes that “spoke” to me. Maybe you do, too.

This is a new Feature here at Keeper Bookshelf. I plan to make it a Sunday Feature or – occasionally just when the “quote hits me” kind of thing. While not an official meme (yet) I would love to hear your Swoon-Worthy Quotes of the week too. It might just lead to some awesome books I haven’t had the chance to read yet.

If you have some Swoon-Worthy Quotes you’d like to share, please drop a link into the Comments and let us check them out!

My quote this week is:

”Life’s a roller coaster. Best damn ride in the park. You don’t close your eyes, hold on and wait for it to be over, babe. You keep your eyes open, lift your hands straight up in the air and enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts.” ~ “Tack” from Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley.

Tyra Masters has had enough drama to last a lifetime. Now, she’s back on track and looking forward to her new, quiet life. Until she meets the man of her dreams. The tattooed, muscled biker plies her with tequila-and the best sex of her life. She knows it isn’t the tequila and hot sex talking. He’s the kind of man she’s always wanted. Unfortunately, he’s also her new boss . . .

Kane “Tack” Allen has a rule. He doesn’t employ someone he’s slept with. So when he learns he spent last night in bed with his new office manager, he quickly fires Tyra. Yet when Tyra stands up to him and fights for her job, Tack is intrigued. He tells her she can keep her job on one condition: no more sex. Ever. But as things heat up between them, Tack finds that he’ll be the one breaking all the rules…

If you have not read this book yet – Oh. My. Goodness. Highly recommend it (even if there is some coarse language in it).

So that’s my start to Swoon-Worthy Quotes — what has stuck in your mind from a recent read? Comment leave a link, please, let us enjoy it too. 🙂

Review: The Almost Wives Club by Nancy Warren

Posted March 14, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Almost Wives Club – Kate book 1
Series: The Almost Wives Club
Author: Nancy Warren
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 15, 2015
Publisher: Ambleside Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Kate Winton-Jones is marrying one of America’s most eligible bachelors. Edward Carnarvon III is rich, handsome and hers. But at the final fitting of her wedding gown, one of the seamstresses pricks her and a tiny blood spot appears on the outrageously expensive gown. Its famous designer fires the clumsy seamstress on the spot, whereupon the girl puts a curse on the dress and storms out. Kate doesn’t believe in curses. She’s modern, American and in love with the perfect guy. What could go wrong?

But that very evening she meets a man who makes her question her future. And then she discovers that Edward has been hiding a secret or two… and before you can say, “This dress is so cursed,” she’s on the run from Edward, his family, her mother, the paparazzi and the person she thought she was.

When the man who discovers her hiding place turns out to be the last man she should trust, it’s time to throw her cautious good sense out with the satin shoes she won’t be wearing. Playing it safe hasn’t done her much good. Maybe it’s time to play by a new set of rules. Her rules.

Sometimes Prince Charming is the one who turns out to be the frog, and true love appears in the most unexpected places.

Follow the cursed dress through five sets of bridal hands as four more women join The Almost Wives Club.

Read on for my thoughts on The Almost Wives Club. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Until You by Jeannie Moon

Posted March 14, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Until You
Series:
Author: Jeannie Moon
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 17, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

When newly divorced Kate Adams is approached on the sunny deck of a California hotel by hockey star David Burke, and he invites her to dinner, she almost says no. He’s obviously younger than her. And charming. And drop dead gorgeous. But there’s also something sweet about David, so Kate—who hasn’t done anything spontaneous in a very long time—accepts his invitation.

It is, after all, her fortieth birthday.

However, a real romance with thirty-year-old David, whose picture is in the gossip pages as often as it’s in the sports pages, is out of the question. No matter how much she wants him, it’s just too risky.

But meeting Kate has been David’s lightning strike. She’s the one for him, and he has no intention of giving up on her.

So while Kate guards her fragile heart, David sets out to win her over with the same determination that drives him on the ice.

And he’ll break every rule in the book if he has to.

Read on for my thoughts on Until You. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Drawn to Life by Elisabeth Wagner

Posted March 14, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Drawn to Life
Series:
Author: Elisabeth Wagner
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Published: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
My Rating: 3 outta 5
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Mia Lang always thought she could brave any storm, until a frightening turn of fate caused her to lose everything she once held dear—her best friend, her boyfriend, her career, and even her desire to live.

Hoping to heal her scars and find the will to face the world again, Mia embarks on an adventure across Europe by train. But when she meets Samuel Winter—on the run from his own troubled past—her whole world is turned upside down again. Perhaps this time, though, the pieces will fall where they’re meant to. Armed with the sort of courage that only comes from having nothing to lose, Mia is about to find out, in this beautiful story of resilience and discovery.

Read on for my thoughts on Drawn to Life. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: His Outback Cowgirl by Alissa Callen

Posted March 14, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: His Outback Cowgirl
Series: The Wildflower Ranch #4
Author: Alissa Callen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 18, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Australian cowgirl, Bridie Willis, travels to Montana to meet her half-brother and to escape the pain of losing her father. Headstrong and determined to live life to the full, she plans to spend the summer photographing wild animals in the back country.

Cowboy, Ethan Morgan, has been shaped by a childhood spent on the run. Cautious, steady and conservative, he must ensure the risk-taking cowgirl he is entrusted to babysit doesn’t come to any harm.

But the biggest challenge Ethan must face is to accept how Bridie makes him feel. And the biggest risk Bridie must take is to trust in her heart.

Read on for my thoughts on His Outback Cowgirl. No true spoilers, promise.