Review: Bound To The Bachelor by Sarah Mayberry

Posted March 7, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Bound To The Bachelor
Series: Montana Born Bachelor Auction (book 1)
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Genre: Contemporary Romance (novella)
Published: February 20, 2015
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Your date with Marietta local Beau Bennett includes a day on the slopes at Big Sky Resort, complete with a sumptuous meal in the Resort’s fanciest fine dining restaurant and door-to-door transport. Dig deep to secure the attentions of one of Montana’s most eligible – and elusive – bachelors.

Lily Taylor knows Beau Bennett dislikes her, but that won’t stop her from asking him to volunteer for the Bachelor Auction she’s organized to help her friend Molly provide for her tragically injured son, Josh. If Beau’s gorgeous face, piercing blue eyes and chiseled body inspires the women of Marietta to dig into their pockets for a good cause, then Lily will do whatever it takes to secure his participation.

Beau Bennett isn’t sure how he wound up on the auction block being eyed up by hundreds of eager women, but he knows who to blame for it – Lily Taylor, the sexy, distracting, off-limits best friend of his kid sister. As far as he’s concerned, the sooner this nightmare is over, the better.

The last thing either of them expects is for Lily to wind up bidding on – and winning – Beau, or that their date will lead to Beau stepping in to save Lily when her past comes back to haunt her. As Beau does his best to keep Lily safe, they discover that maybe they don’t dislike each other quite as much as they thought.

In fact, maybe it’s just the opposite…

Read on for my thoughts on Bound To The Bachelor. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Married To A Perfect Stranger by Jane Ashford

Posted March 7, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Married To A Perfect Stranger
Series:
Author: Jane Ashford
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Published: March 3, 2015
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Mary Fleming and John Bexley are the “white sheep’ of their large families, written off as hapless, boring—and thus suitable for each other. But they’re no sooner married than John is sent off on a two-year diplomatic mission.

Upon his return, John and Mary find that everything they thought they knew about each other is wrong. They’ve changed radically during the long separation. They have to start all over. It’s surprising, irritating—and somehow very exciting…

Read on for my thoughts on Married To A Perfect Stranger. No true spoilers, promise.

Feature & Follow #7

Posted March 6, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 34 Comments

FeatureFollowParaAlison Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

This week’s Feature Blog is: Mischievous Reads and Diane’s Book Blog. Be sure to check out their blogs and give them a Follow (if you aren’t already). 🙂

Because this blog does not have the ability to put up GFC I would appreciate a follow through Bloglovin’. Thanks so much.

This week’s question:

Do you have any furry friends? Share a picture!

I share an apartment with one son, two cats and at last count 37 fishies. Do they all count? 😉

Okay, okay – so the fish are out, but here are my two cats.

Charlie- who is now 18 years old. Our grey striped, tabby cat – who rules the house, even though his run is now more like a stroll. He has the unblinking “My water dish is empty, Human!” stare down to a Oscar winning performance.

Charlie

And Leia – who is about to turn 3 (but shall never outgrow her terrible 2’s stage, I’m convinced.) Leia is an Alpha cat wannabe, but despite her size (she’s double the size of Charlie) the true ruler only needs to do a one side of the mouth snarl in Leia’s direction and she falls down and exposes her belly to be washed or scratched. *rolls eyes* Cats and their dynamics gotta love ’em.

Leia 10

So what are you waiting fo? Here’s the Hop – get hoppin’. 🙂

Man! I Feel Like A Woman

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

This ends my trip down memory lane — but what a sweet way to end. It’s not recent, but man can she sing. Shania Twain …

I Cross My Heart

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Today has been a day of memories. This song always makes me cry. From the 1992 movie Pure Country, here’s George Strait singing I Cross My Heart. — tell me you didn’t tear up, just a little.

Practical Magic ~ This Kiss

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Probably one of my favorite Sandra Bullock or Nicole Kidman films – definitely one of my favorite Faith Hill songs.

Review: My Blood Runs Blue by Stacy Eaton

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: My Blood Runs Blue
Series: My Blood Runs Blue (book 1)
Author: Stacy Eaton
Genre: Paranormal
Published: Original April 1, 2011 Reissue: December 30, 2014
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

When Julian and Alexander crash into her life, she finds herself being pulled into a love triangle that has been going on longer than she has been alive. Kristin in determine to figure out who they are and why they keep calling her Calista. Join Kristin as she fights to learn the truth about the recent murder, the two seductive men who have entered into her life and the real truth about herself in a suspenseful tale that weaves paranormal into to the realistic world of law enforcement.

Read on for my thoughts on My Blood Runs Blue. No true spoilers, promise.

It’s Been That Kinda Day Folks ~ It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere!

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Somedays, like today, you just need it to be 5o’clock somewhere!

Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #2

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

There is a fun new meme going on over at (un)Conventional Book Views. Lexxie is hosting the Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts weekly list of food and drink. More specifically what food or drink from a recent read of yours would you like to try or never in a million years touch. You can find details, sorta rules and the sign up linky by clicking on the graphic or on the bold link above.

I have been trying so hard to be aware of food while reading. It is turning into a more difficult habit to cultivate than I thought it would. But, I’m working on it.

So I finally have one for this week.

After ordering a chocolate martini, I drank about half of it before I felt eyes on the back of my neck. My body stiffened as the scent of cinnamon reached my sensitive nose. With all the smells of the food it was a wonder that I could pick up on the slight tang in the air. A smile crossed my lips quickly before I was able to control it and erase it from my lips. ~ from My Blood Runs Blue by Stacy Eaton.

“I’m still a cop, and my blood runs blue.” Officer Kristin Greene has always felt that something was missing from her life. Even though her job with the Fawn Hollow Township Police Department keeps her busy, she continues to feel as if there is something else out there she is meant to be doing. Kristin finds herself investigating a homicide where a young woman has had her throat ripped brutally out. As she begins to dig for the answers, she finds herself thrown into a world she never knew existed. When Julian and Alexander crash into her life, she finds herself being pulled into a love triangle that has been going on longer than she has been alive. Kristin in determine to figure out who they are and why they keep calling her Calista. Join Kristin as she fights to learn the truth about the recent murder, the two seductive men who have entered into her life and the real truth about herself in a suspenseful tale that weaves paranormal into to the realistic world of law enforcement.

A paranormal romance reissue that I recently picked up. A lovely tale of vampires and reincarnation which talks a lot about scents and smells. Seems cinnamon is a common scent among vampires. *laughs* I’ve never had a chocolate martini – no clue what it would taste like. I should find out, huh?

Review: Nora Roberts Land by Ava Miles

Posted March 4, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Nora Roberts Land
Series: Dare Valley (book 1)
Author: Ava Miles
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: July 2, 2013
My Rating: 4 outta 5 stars
Source: personal collection, owned

Story Blurb:

Journalist Meredith Hale’s ex-husband claimed her Nora Roberts addiction gave her unrealistic expectations about marriage, and she believed him. All dreams of happily ever after—or Nora Roberts Land as her mother calls it—went up in smoke. But when her family asks her to temporarily help their Dare Valley, Colorado newspaper, she decides it’s time to change her life and prove her ex wrong. She’s determined to find her own small-town Nora Roberts hero, prove that true love exists, and publish a story about her quest.

War correspondent Tanner McBride has just returned stateside to work for a major newspaper, and the last thing he expects is blackmail. Yet, before he can even unpack, he’s headed to Colorado. His assignment? Make his boss’s ex-wife fall for him and then break her heart. Her article about discovering love à la Nora might air dirty laundry about her marriage to the media mogul, threatening his senate run. The mogul wants Meredith stopped, and he makes sure Tanner has no choice in the matter.

When the two meet, the sparks between them are undeniable. Meredith, who vowed never to date another journalist, begins to succumb. Could Tanner be her Nora Roberts hero? As they work together to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death, the depth of their feelings unfolds and both realize they’ve kept their secrets for far too long. But before the truth can be revealed, their investigation takes a deadly turn, one that might make Meredith’s personal Nora Roberts Land go up in flames.

Read on for my thoughts on Nora Roberts Land. No true spoilers, promise.

Waiting on Wednesday #7

Posted March 4, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 14 Comments

“Waiting on” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

I am such a fan of Jayne Ann Krentz and her historical alter-ego, Amanda Quick.

Garden of Lies is due out on April 15, 2015. Definitely looking forward to another Quick trip back in history.

The Kern Secretarial Agency provides reliable professional services to its wealthy clientele, and Anne Clifton was one of the finest women in Ursula Kern’s employ. But Miss Clifton has met an untimely end – and Ursula is convinced it was not due to natural causes.

Archaeologist and adventurer Slater Roxton thinks Mrs. Kern is off her head to meddle in such dangerous business. Nevertheless, he seems sensible enough to Ursula, though she does find herself unnerved by his self-possession and unreadable green-gold eyes…

If this mysterious widowed beauty insists on stirring the pot, Slater intends to remain close by as they venture into the dark side of polite society. Together they must reveal the identity of a killer – and to achieve their goal they may need to reveal their deepest secrets to each other as well…

Isn’t it funny how different countries end up with different covers. After giving it serious consideration I think I actually like the United Kingdom cover better. It speaks more of mystery, murder and mayhem to me… in my opinion, anyway. 🙂 Garden of Lies

Teaser Tuesday #6

Posted March 3, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 14 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 Should Be Reading.

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!

Just a reminder – MizB will be moving her site to a new self-hosted one on March 9th… check her site for more information.

Could we possibly have gotten any more of a cozy table?

“Yeah, it could be cozier if we were sitting on a couch in front of a fire.” I heard the voice inside my head say. Okay. Where was this stuff coming from?! ~My Blood Runs Blue by Stacy Eaton 45% Kindle

“I’m still a cop, and my blood runs blue.” Officer Kristin Greene has always felt that something was missing from her life. Even though her job with the Fawn Hollow Township Police Department keeps her busy, she continues to feel as if there is something else out there she is meant to be doing. Kristin finds herself investigating a homicide where a young woman has had her throat ripped brutally out. As she begins to dig for the answers, she finds herself thrown into a world she never knew existed. When Julian and Alexander crash into her life, she finds herself being pulled into a love triangle that has been going on longer than she has been alive. Kristin in determine to figure out who they are and why they keep calling her Calista. Join Kristin as she fights to learn the truth about the recent murder, the two seductive men who have entered into her life and the real truth about herself in a suspenseful tale that weaves paranormal into to the realistic world of law enforcement.

Stacking the Shelves #6 and Monthly Wrap-up

Posted February 28, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 12 Comments

StackingTheShelves Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Hosted at Tynga’s Reviews If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

My stack this past week is sorta low, for me. I’ve been trying to get caught up enough to devote most of March to getting my To Be Read pile dwindled down considerably. This post I Vow ~ To Take Control of My TBR Pile! pretty much explains what that is all about. Did I tempt you to check out another Challenge?

“I’m still a cop, and my blood runs blue.” Officer Kristin Greene has always felt that something was missing from her life. Even though her job with the Fawn Hollow Township Police Department keeps her busy, she continues to feel as if there is something else out there she is meant to be doing. Kristin finds herself investigating a homicide where a young woman has had her throat ripped brutally out. As she begins to dig for the answers, she finds herself thrown into a world she never knew existed. When Julian and Alexander crash into her life, she finds herself being pulled into a love triangle that has been going on longer than she has been alive. Kristin in determine to figure out who they are and why they keep calling her Calista. Join Kristin as she fights to learn the truth about the recent murder, the two seductive men who have entered into her life and the real truth about herself in a suspenseful tale that weaves paranormal into to the realistic world of law enforcement.

So last week I picked up My Blood Runs Blue, which is the first book in a reissue of the series. My Blood Runs Blue was originally released in 2011. This 2014 version has been revised and re-edited. I missed it first time around so I figured I would read the first one and see if I want to continue the series. And that is it. I know. Unbelievable, right? It’s been too cold to walk down to the local library, and I’m basically book dollar broke for a bit, and since I just got my 80% badge at NetGalley (Yay) I’m trying to not get so overloaded there either.

Besides, I really need to concentrate on my TBR pile for awhile now. So, it’s good to not have anything else to distract me. Right. *laughing at myself* — I’m going to go into withdrawals not picking up more books. 😉

And as far as the Monthly Wrap-up goes. I’m not doing too badly. I’ve been in a reading frenzy trying to get my NetGalley books not only under control (I kinda went crazy for a bit there), but to get my ratio numbers in a much better range. It’s been so cold in Pennsylvania that going outdoors is only done on a need to basis – I’m such a summer person – so what better to do than read and work on getting this blog of mine in better shape.

That’s it for me. Hope your stack was interesting this past week. 🙂

I Vow To ~ Take Control of My TBR Pile!

Posted February 28, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

Since today is the last day of February (already?!) – I’m doing some sorting and deciding on exactly what I want to get off of my Towering TBR Pile of Doom next month. Why? Well because of this really interesting Challenge that starts tomorrow.

The sign-up page is located over at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Go ahead click on the link (or on the graphic) – you’ll be whisked away to the sign-up page and the listing of all the rules.

March is the month that I ditch the current reads (except for scheduled launch day reviews due in March) and concentrate on the virtual and physical pile of books that I’ve wanted to read – but never seem to find the time.

It’s time to take control – and make room for more books (You knew there had to be an ulterior motive, right?)

If your TBR pile is taking up most of your Kindle space – if your physical TBR pile is in danger of toppling over or crashing through the ceiling tiles – then maybe you might like to check out this fun Challenge too.

I’ll be using this post to list the books I’ve read from my TBR in March 2015, and I’ll do a wrap-up post on the 31st. Personally, I cannot wait to get started. Motivation, my friend, it makes all the difference. 🙂

Go on. Check it out. You know you want to.

Update

Here’s a little more information for you.

There are a few additional things happening at the Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge… things to help us meet those goals. Check it out… <– that graphic is the link to more good stuff. 🙂

The Challenge Starts Now.

Spock A Final Farewell

Posted February 27, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

This morning Leonard Nimoy passed away.

This morning Spock made his final voyage.

There are not words equal to the task of conveying just how sad Mr. Nimoy’s passing is to me.

No, I did not know him personally – but I “knew” Spock. Spock who for years provided me with entertainment, exploration and a smile whenever I managed to move my fingers into the double V of the Vulcan greeting and murmured to a friend or family member “Live Long and Prosper”.

There just are no words – only sadness. Rest in Peace Mr. Nimoy – thank you for giving us Spock.

spock trek orig cast