Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Friction by Sandra Brown

I'm excited to participate in the Blog Tour for Friction by Sandra Brown because I'm a big fan! This tour is hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.  Click here for the complete tour schedule, and be sure to scroll down to the bottom for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Friction and Coffee Mug!

Friction by Sandra Brown
Publisher: Grand Central
Publication date: August 18th 2015
My rating: 4 stars 
Amazon | B & N | The Book Depository | Kobo | iTunes

 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown comes a gripping story of family ties and forbidden attraction.

A Texas Ranger, relegated to deskwork due to past recklessness, petitions to regain custody of his five-year-old daughter, and his case is assigned to a family court judge who is as attractive as she is ambitious. When a masked gunman barges in during the custody hearing with his sights on the judge, the Ranger reacts instinctually and goes after him. But authorities apprehend the wrong man, and the real gunman remains unknown, at large, and a threat. Will this take-charge lawman jeopardize his chances of custody by going after the would-be assassin? And will this unlikely pair be able to deny the forbidden attraction building between them?

My Thoughts:

While I’m relatively new to Sandra Brown’s writing, she has fast become one of my all-time favorite romantic suspense/mystery writers! I’ve quickly gobbled up several of her stories after reading and LOVING Mean Streak last year, and I’ve discovered she’s is a pro at reeling you into a story and keeping you hooked until the very last page. Friction was no exception; the story was exciting, hot, and captivating!

Crawford Hunt is battling his in-laws for custody of his five-year old daughter, Georgia.  As a Texas Ranger he’s been in dangerous situations that have required rapid-fire judgment, and Crawford is able to rush in a take charge.  Now his father-in-law, Joe, is using this quality to call into question his ability to care for his daughter, accusing him of being too reckless to raise a child.  During the custody hearing a masked man barges in and shoots the place up, leaving Judge Holly Spencer shaken to the core.  Crawford’s quick action limits the lethal damage, but still she barely escaped with her life. The investigation thrusts Holly and Crawford into an uneasy partnership, and side by side they work on finding the culprit before he strikes again.

Any relationship or dealings between Holly and Crawford are pretty bad idea seeing as Holly is presiding over his custody case, but the intense circumstances overrule logical thinking, and their magnetic attraction takes over every time they’re together. I loved every stolen lusty kiss, every desperate, hot encounter they shared, all the while trying to keep one step ahead of the killer! 

He slid his fingers up into her hair until his hands were closed around her head, then he tilted it and brushed his mouth across hers. “A word of caution, judge. Don’t show up at my back door looking like you do unless you want to get manhandled.”

I wouldn’t mind a little manhandling, Crawford! 

Not only was Crawford one hot-sexy-take-charge-kind-of-guy, he could melt your heart of the love and devotion he had for his daughter, Georgia!  It’s a joy to have a strong female MC and Holly was exactly that: intelligent, accomplished, and compassionate.  She had no problem standing up for herself and Crawford when needed, and I enjoyed her quick, smart thinking.

With all that going on, there wasn’t much time to fret over relationship angst or wonder whether the couple will be able to overcome the obstacles keeping them apart. Holly and Crawford had more than a few, but I was never worried that it wouldn’t all fall into place.  This is a romance with Sandra Brown at the helm, after all, and she hasn’t steered my wrong so far!

Friction was a thrilling, fast paced read, and as a reader I was trying to solve the mystery right along with the characters, nervous with tension over what would happen next.  I enjoyed every surprise and twist!  

AUTHOR BIO

Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including DEADLINE(2013), LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011), TOUGH CUSTOMER (2010), SMASH CUT (2009), SMOKE SCREEN (2008), PLAY DIRTY (2007), RICOCHET (2006), CHILL FACTOR (2005), WHITE HOT (2004), & HELLO, DARKNESS (2003).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco, grew up in Fort Worth and attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. Before embarking on her writing career, she worked as a model at the Dallas Apparel Mart, and in television, including weathercasting for WFAA-TV in Dallas, and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program “PM Magazine.”

In 2009 Brown detoured from her thrillers to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown recently was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Connect with Sandra Brown:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

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Review: Burn by Paula Weston

Burn by Paula Weston
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Publication Date: 6th August 2015 
My rating: 4 stars  

Gaby thought her life couldn't get more complicated. She was wrong. She's not the teenage backpacker she thought she was. She is one of the Rephaim, descended from fallen angels. The brother she thought she'd lost is alive. And the heavenly war is escalating. Now Gaby's remembered everything. But as she struggles to come to terms with her new memories, will what she knows save the people she loves . . . or doom them?

I am the pickiest reader ever when it comes to reading YA paranormal reads, over the last few years there’s only been a handful that have totally blown me away and left me wanting more. I’m thrilled to say Paula Weston’s Rephaim series has continually shone for me. With each book in the series I’ve never been disappointed, as Weston’s known how to up the ante, in turn increasing my levels of anxiety every time I pick one of these books. But I wouldn’t have it any other way; I love getting lost in the fantastic world of rephaim that Weston has created, revelling in new discoveries that Weston throws our way and of course swooning away over my beloved Rafa.

The way Weston left us teetering on the brink with that killer ending in Shimmer I didn’t know how I was going to cope. What had gone down all those years ago? Could it ruin all the friendships and temporary truce that had been made? I was honestly preparing myself for the worst. I loved how Weston gave us the story in Shimmer, with us getting to know the entire back story, I was eager about staying in the present with Gaby and needing to know what would go down with all the repercussions. However learning the past and Gaby’s memories was central to making sense of everything. And although it broke my heart seeing everything unfold, it gave me a better understanding of why we’re given several warnings from certain characters time and time again. I was eager to know what went down between Rafa and Gaby, but was hoping against hope that what had taken place wasn’t too detrimental that things couldn’t be fixed between them again. The slow burn relationship between Rafa and Gaby was one of my highlights of this entire series, so I was praying that with Gaby’s memories returning this wouldn’t mean the end of their relationship so far. I’m not going to say what exactly goes down, but there were a lot of tense moments along the way that had my poor heart teetering along the brink.

Rafa and Gaby’s relationship was a top priority in this book for me, as it’s one of the best relationships and romance that I’ve seen in a while. However the sibling relationship between Jude and Gaby was also wonderfully done by Weston in the series so far, so I was eager to find out what had gone down between these two in the past too. I’m not the most patient reader in the world, so waiting to see how things would turn out could be a killer at times, but Weston managed to mix up the anticipation of what was about to go down and story building really well. Weston once again was able to weave a gorgeously written story, she has introduced such a great set of characters over four books, that I have got to know and care about that I have eagerly anticipated spending time with them once more when a new book is about to be released. These are characters that everyone should meet and I know for sure I will not forget in a long time because of the great impression they have left with me and of course this is one series that I will come back to and read time and time again. Weston truly gave it all with this final book. I’m glad that she didn’t wrap things up quickly like most series book endings I’ve read lately, but she kept my anxiety levels up until the very end. Weston gave me everything I could have wanted and so much more with Burn and with the entire series overall. I for one can’t wait to see where she will take us next with her future books.

Event & Giveaway: Deborah Harkness All Souls Trilogy Con

 

The fans of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness have joined together and organized AllSoulsCon September 12th in Los Angeles, California, but fans can also attend virtually.  You can view the complete schedule HERE, but here are some highlights:

• Q&A sessions with Deborah Harkness and Jennifer Ikeda
• A Renaissance Music Workshop, with performances by University of Southern California musicians and featuring original compositions by Isaias Garcia
• A fan panel (details to come)

Early bird tickets are 20% off through August 13th. 

The lovely people of Penguin would like help get the word out and are sponsoring a giveaway of one virtual ticket to the convention.  Scroll down and fill in the rafflecopter for a chance to win. 

ABOUT THE ALL SOULS TRILOGY

THE ALL SOULS TRILOGY follows the journey of Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, who discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. In no time, Diana and Matthew are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and danger, and as the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.  Themes of power and forbidden passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences drive this intelligent, romantic and transporting saga, praised by People as “wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter or Twilight.”

ABOUT DEBORAH HARKNESS

Deborah Harkness is the number one New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life. A history professor at the University of Southern California, Harkness has received Fulbright, Guggenheim, and National Humanities Center fellowships. Her publications include works on the history of science, magic, and alchemy.  Her most recent scholarly book is The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution.  She lives in Los Angeles.

Connect with Deborah Harkness:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The wonderful people of Penguin are offering one virtual ticket to the AllSoulsCon. Simply fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win:

Review: Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino

Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
Publisher: Atria Books 
Publication Date: August 18th 2015 
My rating: 4 stars  

To the Green-eyed Lovebird: We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House. You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more. We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year than any other. Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic. When I came back, you were gone. A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too hard after the wedding… I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I could say hello. After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half? M

You know when you read a blurb for a book for the first time and fall in love with it? That was me Before We Were Strangers. I’m always a sucker for missed romances and characters given a second chance. From the first moment I met Matt and Grace I knew they were meant to be, they didn’t have the insta-love going on, but had that instant connection that I knew would take them places. Also the sweet build up of their relationship Carlino did so well, like I mentioned they didn’t jump straight into bed together, there was a lot of unspoken things holding Matt and Grace (which could come across as frustrating at times, as it was blatantly obvious that no other person could obviously be perfect for Matt and Grace than each other). But the sweet slow build up of a relationship is my favourite type. I like both characters getting taking the time to figure each other out and slowly getting to know one another. The interactions and sweet gestures (more so from Matt) between Grace and Matt were just delightful! I found myself re-reading over my favourite passages and just smiling away and watching things pan out. And when Matt and Grace finally took that tentative final step it was worth it! I knew from reading the blurb that this beautiful relationship wouldn’t last forever, but I was looking forward to reaping in as much of the gorgeous relationship as I could. I enjoyed watching Grace come out of her shell more with the encouragement from Matt. I loved how Matt continually held Grace on this pedestal when he was with her (more so when he took her back home to meet his not so great family) and how he was always doting on her. Their love for each other was always apparent, it was a love that I never grew tired of nor did I ever want to let go, you know that sort of love people talk about and how it takes up their entire being? This was exactly that.

Carlino wonderfully gave us the story of Matt’s and Grace’s relationship through perspectives from both Matt and Grace before and now. To be honest when we first got the change over from Matt to Grace, I was sort of disappointed because Matt’s voice was done so well. It usually takes me time to adjust to a male perspective, but I couldn’t get enough of the pages that we got from Matt. His voice was vibrant, considerate, caring and his love for Grace was apparent from every single page. I love guys who put their heart and feelings on the line and Matt was exactly one of those characters, he wasn’t afraid to show his feelings or get choked up when things got tough, through his actions and beautiful words it was apparent that his love and affection for Grace was one of a kind and limitless. As you can tell I was a massive fan of Matt both in the past and in the now, I was able to connect tremendously with him, his heartache and his incredible journey he had to go through. That’s not to say I didn’t admire Grace, I loved watching her character develop and the growth she went through and although at first I wanted to stay with Matt’s perspective, I liked the smooth switches that Carlino gave between Matt and Grace’s perspectives, as the story progressed the story flowed effortlessly and beautifully between both characters.

Carlino gave us such a beautiful and heartbreaking story of Matt and Grace in Before We Were Strangers. Their journey although was never smooth sailing and had many miscommunications along the way, it was one that I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of. One other thing that made this story for me was I loved how Grace and Matt when they first met had their own little talent, Matt’s was photography and Grace was a talented musician. And then when we got to meet with them 15 years later I enjoyed learning about how they progressed with it. Overall Before We Were Strangers was a book I’m thoroughly happy that I picked up; it spans a one of a kind, beautiful relationship that readers wouldn’t want to miss out.

Monthly Recap: July

Hi all, Jasprit here I can't believe it's August already! Honestly where has the Summer gone? Well my reading plan has gone out of the window, I think I'm like 20 books behind (if you have any book suggestions which you think will help me catch up with my goal then please let me know!). My month I think has been full with sleeping and working :( So this month I'm hoping to change it up, get some reading in, catch up on some tv shows and start watching some new ones (I started The Beauty and the Beast and Arrow!)! I'm also going on holiday at the end of this month, so I need to squeeze in some shopping somewhere :/ 

Number of Books read:

Jasprit: A measly 3 :( 

Rachel: 19

Highest Rated Book(s): 

Jasprit:  4 stars

Rachel:
5 Stars:


 

Lowest Rated Book(s):

Rachel:
DNF:

Books reviewed:

Jasprit: 
(click on titles for review link)

Rachel:

(click on titles for review link)

       

     

Best read of last month:

Jasprit: Burn by Paula Weston, I couldn't wait to be with this fantastic set of characters once again, I needed questions answering, but also I needed more Rafa! Once again Weston didn't disappoint, so I'm sad to say goodbye to these characters. 

Rachel: 

It's a tie between Magic Breaks  by Ilona Andrews and Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin. They were very different reads, but both very compelling!

Book which surprised me the most: 
Jasprit: Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino. I was really looking forward to this book, I'm a complete sucker for books which deal with second chances and honestly the relationship in this book was done beautifully, I rarely get the time to read books these days, but this one I nearly finished in one setting, it was that good, My review will be up this week. 

Rachel:

Black-Eyed Susans! It's not often that I'm surprised by the final reveal in a mystery, but the author managed to get the drop on me and I loved every minute!

Fictional crush of the month:

Jasprit: Rafa, always Rafa. This guy is the perfect guy ever, he's a cocky guy, but I love that side of him, he's fierce, always willing to stand up for his beliefs and for his friends. But when his soft tender side comes up, gosh he's just perfect!

Rachel: Reyes Farrow from the Charley Davidson series! Oh my, he is the king of smolder and sexy!

Three books I'm most looking forward to this month:

Jasprit:
(Click on titles for Goodreads link)

With me hardly getting any reading done I thought it was high time that I tackled some ARCS, and I've heard nothing but great things about Emmy & Oliver and What You Left Behind. The Heart of Betrayal has been popping up on my feed everywhere lately, with such high praise for the sequel, I think it's about time I give this book a go (I swear I must have mentioned this book on my monthly recap post before, but I will definitely try picking it up this month!).

Rachel:

(Click on titles for Goodreads link)

 
         

My favorite romance author, romantic suspense author and UF authors all in one month! I'm in a readers heaven with these new releases!

   Bookish Photo:

Look at this pretty book! I was dying when I saw ARCS for Illuminae around and then when the early reviews started coming in, and everyone seemed to love this book, I was even more eager to get my hands on a copy. I was so happy when I found out that UK publishers Rock The Boat was publishing it over here. I hope I end up loving it too. Also I love taking photos, so I'm hoping to experiment a bit more with my photos, there are so many gorgeous Instagram bookish accounts that I love following. You can see more of my photos on my Instagram account here 

Let us know how you did last month. Link us up an we'll come by to check it out!