Audio Review: Keeping it Hot - Sydney Landon

Zoe Hart owns the coffee shop in one of the hottest upscale resorts in Florida, run by her childhood best friend, Dylan Jackson. Even though Dylan is a workaholic, he still finds time to enjoy the beautiful women who pass through his hotel-all of them except Zoe. She has been in love with Dylan for years without him noticing. But with her thirtieth birthday fast approaching, she realizes she can't keep pining away for a man who doesn't show the merest sign of romantic interest in her. When Zoe launches her plan to shed her tomboy image in Dylan's eyes, she's thrilled once he starts to notice her in a whole new way. But she'll have to face the risk that seducing her best friend might come with lasting changes to their longtime friendship . . . 

My thoughts:

At first I wondered whether I would like Dylan. Nothing against him, it's just was he blind? But as the book progresses, nope he was not blind. Let me start from the beginning.

Zoe, omg, really girl, khaki shirts and a polo shirt, and you wonder why he does see you as one of the boys. I also do not get how anyone could wear a polo shirt in Florida, since here, well  if it is above freezing it is summer. But still in her clueless state she is a 29 year old virgin who works too much. I did not have a prob with her being 29 and a virgin. If she wanted to save herself then good for you. Though her not even getting to second base was a bit far fetched.

Dylan also worked too much. And he liked the ladies. But he is a good guy, and I liked how he appreciated his friendship with her. Also he had noticed that she was a woman, and he had thought about it, but the fugly clothes helps hide the fact she might be a hottie.

The book is about her wanting to give it a go, so she turns up the heat, dresses in a few showier pieces and makes him notice her. But the question is can their friendship survive it? And can they be more?

I enjoyed it.

Narrator Nicol Zanzarella

I actually did have a problem here, she had a drawl or something and I just get annoyed really quickly. I had the narration on 1.8p speed to make it better and that did make it better. That way I could enjoy the narration. I guess on slower speeds it was just one of those the voice did not click things.

But I still think it is a story better heard than read. Cos else maybe you would think too much of the whole why does not Dylan see her thing ;)

Audio CD, 6.5 h
Published July 11th 2017 by Tantor Audio
Breakfast in Bed #1
Contemporary romance
For review

Bound - Sue Tingey

Lucky de Salle was dragged into the Underlands against her will, but there she discovered a whole new world - and a whole new life. She always knew she was psychic, but discovering her ghostly best friend was in fact her demon half-sister - and she herself is half-demon - came as a shock. Falling in love with two men wasn't in her game plan either, but that's working out brilliantly.

Or it was . . . but now Jinx the Deathbringer has been kidnapped by Lucky's enemies, who intend to use his powers to destroy the worlds above and below. And Jamie has tried to use his own powers to control her, destroying her trust in him.

Now Jamie and his fellow Guardians have been ordered to bring Jinx back in - dead or alive - before he can rain destruction down upon the earth.

If Lucky is to save him, and forgive Jamie, she is going to have to learn to use her own burgeoning powers - and fast!

My thoughts

This really is the best triangle that is not a triangle. For the men there was never any question of who she would choose. It was obvious she would have both of them, and she never thought of anything else either. Everyone is happy together and if this was more of a romance book then I am sure you would get to see that action too ;)

Anyway. In this one everyone is happy together. Well...not everyone, Kayle is dead and is back to being Lucky's ghost buddy. Kayla's lover is being a bit of an asshat at times. Lucky gang is happy. But then Jinx goes and gets himself kidnapped and the happy triangle is a unhappy duo.

Better rescue Jinx before something bad happens. And yes there are evil plans underfoot in this one. One evil enemy. Revelations. And much more.

I like these because they are light. Not light in their story though. But this one was a bit "lighter", some bad things happened in book 2, and sure bad things happen here too, but it is not the same. The lightness comes from the way it is written and the humour that is sprinkled in here and there. I like a story that you can read fast and enjoy.

Conclusion:

I have enjoyed the ride and this world. I like how the author never even came across the dreaded triangle territory, instead she just went with a nice menage a trois. Two smexy demons, one half demon who does not stand a chance. I am sad to see it end. But it ended well.

Paperback, 350
Published June 29th 2017 by Jo Fletcher Books
The Soulseer Chronicles #3
Fantasy
For review

TMST: Low ratings and Silence Fallen

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

This week's conversation starter: 

July 25th: When you first started blogging were you hesitant to give out a low rating? Has that changed?

Omg yes!! It was SO HARD. I still remember this crappy book I gave a good grade cos I just did not dare give the author a bad rating. It took a year and then I went back and gave that piece of crap a 1 mowuahahahahah. Seriously, it was a really really bad book. Trust me, SO bad.

Most times I was afraid to be honest. Authors were big and scary. Books I read on my own I could give low ratings but those authors scared me. And not only because I did not want to disappoint. I said yes to a lot of crap and the authors were not that nice. I have talked about it before but they got mad for 4s and wtf. It also gave me a really bad picture of self publishing. Which sucks, but I still have those feelings.

Now I am not afraid anymore. If a book is bad, then I am going to give it a low rating. I would hate to read a book that had all 5s and then hate it. I want all ratings. The good and the bad. So I am not afraid to give out the bad ones, they are needed. If they were not around then hell, I'd stop reading reviews! I'd just go back to trusting my gut and honestly buying less books cos it is hard to trust your gut.

I am happy I got over that bump. Now I am more stingy with good ratings instead ;)

A sunny day in April

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise... 

My thoughts:
Wooo, finally :D I wanted to wait for the US pb  but could I could not stand it any longer.

I liked seeing Mercy on her own. It was a nice change for once, and yes sure I missed Adam and the pack. We still got Adam's pov as he searched for her. But yes it was nice seeing her do her own thing.

She gets kidnapped and then she escapes. All alone in Europe. Who to trust? We meet some new people, learn some new truths? Nah, not really. But she does it on her own because she is cool like that.

I do not have a lot to say. I mean it is book 10. It was a good one and I liked the new setting. I would actually have preferred more Mercy and less Adam, haha, well he was just trying to find her and she was exploring.

It did not take a long time to read,  mostly cos I wanted time to fly by, and I really wanted to finish it.

Conclusion:
Another good Mercy book

Cover
I do not like the UK ones

Paperback, 371 pages
Published March 9th 2017 by Little, Brown Book Group
Mercy Thompson #10, Mercy Thompson World - Complete #14
Urban fantasy
Own

Author Post and Giveaway: Anna Schmidt

Today's post is by Anna Schmidt and at the end you can win a copy of her previous book :)

Welcome!

What are three interesting details about the setting of Last Chance Cowboys: The Outlaw?

1. The story takes place toward the end of the 19^th century when the West was becoming more civilized and settled. By this time people could travel by train as well as stagecoach, some houses had indoor plumbing and towns were more than just a wide place in the road with streets and shops and even city squares.
2. While most structures in Arizona at this time were adobe with tiled roofs, I wanted Miss Dooley’s boardinghouse to be a structure completely at odds with its neighbors so I made it a back-East Queen Ann Victorian partially because Amanda is out of place when the story begins.
3. Because both THE DRIFTER and THE LAWMAN took place on the Porterfield ranch or in the small town of Whitman Falls, I wanted to move this story away from those relatively safe places and put it in Tucson where the characters were taken out of their more natural element and tested by a new environment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author ANNA SCHMIDT delights in creating stories where her characters must wrestle with the challenges of their times. Critics have consistently praised Schmidt for her ability to seamlessly integrate actual events with her fictional characters to produce strong tales of hope and love in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. She resides in Wisconsin.

Find her online:

Website: http://www.booksbyanna.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/as_li_sh/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/690598.Anna_Schmidt

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Last Chance Cowboys: The Outlaw

Author: Anna Schmidt

Series: Where the Trail Ends, #3

ISBN: 9781492613022

Pub Date: July 4, 2017

Genre: Historical Western Romance

“‘Someone like me?’ Is that how you see me, Amanda? As someone people should fear?”

“I don’t know what to think,” she said. “One minute you seem so dangerous, and the next you’re sweet and caring and…”

He took a step closer, his eyes sweeping her face. “And which do you want me to be?” His voice was low; it sent shivers down her spine.

“Both,” she whispered, and lifted her face for a kiss.

Amanda Porterfield longs to experience real adventure. So when she’s offered a position in bustling Tucson, she leaps at the chance despite unknown dangers—dangers like the mysterious Seth Grover.

As an undercover detective working to stop a gang of outlaws, Seth can’t afford the distractions a woman like Amanda inspires. Yet when the fiercely intelligent beauty is thrust into the middle of a heist gone wrong, Seth will fight for a future that may never be theirs…even if it means risking everything he holds dear.

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GIVEAWAY

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Seems raffle has done a few changes, not happy- Anyway US only