Author Interview, Book Review and Giveaway: Baby It's Cold Outside Anthology by Aimee Carson, Amy Andrews, Heidi Rice and Kate Hardy

Baby It's Cold Outside

Authors: Kate Hardy, Heidi Rice, Amy Andrews, Aimee Carson

Genre: Category – Contemporary Romance

Length: 260 pages

ISBN:  978-1-62266-810-6

Release Date: November 2012

Imprint: Indulgence

Interview with Author Aimee Carson
What three things do you need in order to write?
Coffee, my laptop  computer, and more coffee.

What's your favorite season? 
Winter!! I live in the beautiful Black Hills and prefer a walk in the snowy woods over a hot, sandy beach. I  grew up in Florida and my family fears I might have been switched at birth . . .

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
Australia.
Preferably via some sort of transporter device that beams me there directly, thus avoiding the 36 hours of travel.

What your favorite treat at Christmas? 
Pumpkin Pie.

What's the first sentence of ‘Tis the Season to be Tempted?

 The urgent ping of the call button broke through the first class cabin
 as the airline passengers prepared for takeoff, some bringing their
 ongoing New Year’s Eve revelry attitudes on board, others clearly
 nursing hangovers from the night before.

Tell us what is ‘Tis the Season to be Tempted about.
After the worst year ever, Evie Burling rings in the New Year alone,  swearing off men forever. But things get complicated when her  brother's best friend, the perfect man with the perfect body, tempts  her to break her vow—if only for one hot night!

I adored writing these two because Evie is such a free spirit. And Wes  was trying so hard to do what he considered to be the right thing—that is, keep his hands to himself!

Dish, who’s your favorite character? 
Well, if we’re talking about books than I would have to go with Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and
Prejudice.

Did you enjoy writing in the novella format, did it present any challenges?
I loved the challenge of writing short, having to choose  every word very carefully and trying to say more with less. It was a very rewarding experience.

What can we expect next from you? 
Next up I have FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, which comes out this March in the new KISS line from Harlequin.

Thanks Aimee!

My Review:
If you want a book to put you in the mood, I mean holiday spirit, then this is just the anthology for you (wink, wink).

Baby It's Cold Outside is made up of four stories by four authors that center around a freak storm that sets in on the East Coast from Christmas to New Year's.  That's the connecting factor and the snowed in theme makes things very interesting for these four couples and sets the stage well to make these stories work in a short amount of time.  I not only loved the snowed in theme, I also loved the holiday theme using Christmas and New Year's for the stories, not just one of the holidays.  It made the stories really fun to read.  So overall I loved the book, I found the overall theme worked well and the authors stories worked well together in the book.  Now onto the individual stories.

'Tis the Season to Kiss Santa by Kate Hardy:  Ahhh a somewhat tortured hero with a bad past, a girl from England all alone for the holidays, both thrown together to do a good deed that makes your heart melt (and theirs too) and then the snow storm hits and things heat up.  What a story.  I'm never sure if these thrown together stories can work, but Ms. Hardy and the other authors in this anthology made these stories work. The stories may be short, but you can feel the romance come about in 'Tis the Season to Kiss Santa.  And hey she had me at the beginning with the main character named Mitch which is hubby's name.  Loved this story, loved the romance and the love scenes could definitely melt frosting and snow.  Great story and great intro to the book.


'Tis the Season to Love Shopping by Heidi Rice: This could be my favorite. A down on her luck hard-working girl goes to work on Christmas and runs into the playboy son of the store owner and then miscommunication ensues while the blizzard rages outside.  Then playtime and fun begins and not only do inhibitions fall but hearts begin to as well.  I love this. Loved the characters, Ryder was amazing and not what I expected at all and Kate was too. I loved how they were together, how things played out and how things turned out. Amazing story that gives hope and love to the holiday season.

'Tis the Sesaon to be Kissed by Amy Andrews: Now this may have been one of the hottest, tied with the last story.  Tamara has had a rough year and she's just looking to settle down that's why she escapes to her friend's family cabin to avoid making a mistake on New Year's Eve and all is fine until drop-dead sexy Luke shows up.  Luke has just returned from Afghanistan and while he's younger than Tamara he's seen more than he should and maybe he's not just looking for a fling anymore either.  Wow, strip scrabble, dirty talk, drunk on eggnog at 9am, this one is hysterical and hot all in one.  I love it and love the slightly younger man angle as well.  Great read wish I had more of these two, but it works out quite well the way it is told.  Another great addition to this anthology.

Tis the Season to be Tempted by Aimee Carter: I love old crush stories especially when it's ones where the guy feels like he can't touch the friend's younger sister.  This one is hot and involves kitchen utensils used in fun ways.  Wes and Evie just work together. Wes is a great protector of Evie but it's time for him to loosen up and Evie is just the way for him to do it so when they are stuck in a hotel room together (with those kitchen utensils) lets just say things heat up in a major way.  But can they work out how they feel?  You'll just have to read it and see.  This one has the most angst packed in it's short format and I loved it.  Great story, great characters and the heat will have you wishing for a blizzard yourself.  'Tis the Season to Be Tempted is a great way to finish off this anthology.


My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:

When a freak blizzard hits America’s Eastern seaboard, four pairs of strangers spend a hot night together one cold Christmas season!

‘Tis the Season to Kiss Santa by Kate Hardy

With the help of a sprig of mistletoe and some snow angels, a recently single pastry chef teaches a highly successful and sexy Scrooge the true meaning of the holidays on a snowy Christmas Eve that quickly heats up.

‘Tis the Season to Love Shopping by Heidi Rice

When a Christmas Day blizzard strands an up-and-coming marketing manager and her boss’s very off-limits, very hot playboy son in his department store, the two toe the line between naughty and nice as they unwrap their holiday presents—and each other!

‘Tis the Season to be Kissed by Amy Andrews

A down-on-her-romantic-luck kindergarten teacher plans to drown her New Year’s Eve sorrows in a gallon of spiked eggnog, but the arrival of her best friend’s sexy brother threatens to melt the snow piling up outside the tiny Vermont cabin.

‘Tis the Season to be Tempted by Aimee Carson

After the worst year ever, a jilted music manager rings in the New Year alone, swearing off men forever. But things get complicated when her brother’s best friend, the perfect man with the perfect body, tempts her to break her vow—if only for one hot night!

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 

Aimee Carson:

Website: http://aimeecarson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aimeecarsonmb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aimeecarsonmb

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4905490.Aimee_Carson

Amy Andrews:

Website: http://www.amyandrews.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Andrews/382936461720040?ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyAndrewsbooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1128457.Amy_Andrews

Heidi Rice:

Website: http://heidi-rice.com/

Blog: http://heidi-rice.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidi.rice.524

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiRomRice

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/786456.Heidi_Rice

Kate Hardy:

Website: http://www.katehardy.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatehardy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katehardyauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/181377.Kate_Hardy

Tour Giveaway:
Amy Andrews is also offering a $10 Amazon gift card to one reader from all blog stops 12/9-12/14. Make sure and enter today!


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My Blog Giveaway:
I have one ebook copy of Baby It's Cold Outside to giveaway courtesy of the publisher. Fill out the Rafflecopter below, ends 12/21. Open international.

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FTC Information: I received this book from Entangled Publishing for an honest review. 

My Tumblr

I've been playing around on Tumblr so if you would like to see what I'm receiving in the mail, what I'm reading, what I'm wanting, fun quotes from books and snippits from my life, you can visit me at My Reading Room Tumblr.  I'll add it to my sidebar in the next few days as well.

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Week in Review - 12/9/12

What went on in my life:
I went back to work, my oldest went back to school, life resumes.  My youngest got his first report card of the year and it made me realize that no matter how different my two boys are, boys will be boys or second graders will be second graders.  I think if I pulled out my oldest's second grade report card it would read identical to my youngest's and I always thought my youngest was the more rambunctious one (and he is) but truthfully both liked to talk and got in trouble for it at that age and neither one could keep still, LOL.  And both love to read and it shows.  I love that.  The big difference, the youngest is really showing leadership ability, the teacher just wishes he could channel it better ;)  We'll work on that one.  It's been an excellent reading week with great books. And Saturday I decorated the house for Christmas, I'm finally feeling the spirit :)

How was your week?

What I read (links take you to my reviews or to Goodreads page):
Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens (review) - finished on Sunday after starting on Saturday night, I pretty much read 400+ pages straight-through on Sunday!
Reached by Ally Condie (library) - Great conclusion, I loved seeing this from all three points of view.
The Last Victim by Karen Robards (library) - Great suspense, loved the NC setting and the suspense/paranormal angle. Look forward to more books in this series.
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (library) - I loved Anna Dressed in Blood so I have been anxious to read this one. It was a great read and satisfied my Cas, Thomas and Carmel fix.

What I received (links take you to Goodreads page):
Losing It by Cora Carmack - received through Edelweiss, invitation by email from William Morrow, this was on my wishlist so I'm excited to add it to my review queue. Releases in paperback May 28, 2013.

Taking Chances by Molly McAdams - received through Edelweiss, invitation from William Morrow, another one on my wishlist. Releases in paperback April 16, 2013.
Ten Days by Janet Gilsdorf - received from Kelley and Hall book publicity and promotion, released in September 2012, I plan on reviewing in January.


What I'm Reading Now:
Heaven's Fury by Stephen Frey (library) - I have read a bunch of Stephen Frey's books in the past but it's been a few years, so I thought it was time to revisit him.
All-Together Dead by Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse #7 (audiobook) - I'm enjoying this, about 2/3 of the way through this now.



What are you reading?

Author Interview: Timothy O'Brien (The Lincoln Conspiracy)

Today I welcome Tim O'Brien, author of The Lincoln Conspiracy, a historical novel that takes a look at Lincoln's murder and a detective that will stop at nothing to bring the truth to light.  So grab your favorite cuppa and join me this morning (mine's a Peppermint Mocha from McDonald's, my first, and it's yummy) welcoming Tim to My Reading Room.

What three things do you need in order to write?

Imagination, inspiration, and words.

What's your favorite season?

Summer

If you could write in any other genre besides historical fiction what would it be?

Literary fiction

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

Tahiti

What's the first sentence of The Lincoln Conspiracy?

“The rain kept the dust down.”

Where did the idea for The Lincoln Conspiracy come from?

A lifelong fascination with Abraham Lincoln and Sherlock Holmes

Tell us what is The Lincoln Conspiracy about.

It’s about a husband and wife trying to avenge the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by relying on their wits and their odd mix of extraordinary talents.

How did you do the majority of your research for The Lincoln Conspiracy?

Through books, original documents and the web resources.

How did you feel when you finished The Lincoln Conspiracy?

Very satisfied and very tired!

For all of us impatient readers, what is up next for you?

The sequel to The Lincoln Conspiracy, which is the next installment in the Temple McFadden mystery series.

Thanks Timothy!

About The Lincoln Conspiracy:

A nation shattered by its president’s murder. Two diaries that reveal the true scope of an American conspiracy. A detective determined to bring the truth to light, no matter what it costs him

From award-winning journalist Timothy L. O’Brien comes a gripping historical thriller that poses a provocative question: What if the plot to assassinate President Lincoln was wider and more sinister than we ever imagined?

In late spring of 1865, as America mourns the death of its leader, Washington, D.C., police detective Temple McFadden makes a startling discovery. Strapped to the body of a dead man at the B&O Railroad station are two diaries, two documents that together reveal the true depth of the Lincoln conspiracy. Securing the diaries will put Temple’s life in jeopardy—and will endanger the fragile peace of a nation still torn by war.

Temple’s quest to bring the conspirators to justice takes him on a perilous journey through the gaslit streets of the Civil War–era capital, into bawdy houses and back alleys where ruthless enemies await him in every shadowed corner. Aided by an underground network of friends—and by his wife, Fiona, a nurse who possesses a formidable arsenal of medicinal potions—Temple must stay one step ahead of Lafayette Baker, head of the Union Army’s spy service. Along the way, he’ll run from or rely on Edwin Stanton, Lincoln’s fearsome secretary of war; the legendary Scottish spymaster Allan Pinkerton; abolitionist Sojourner Truth; the photographer Alexander Gardner; and many others.

Bristling with twists and building to a climax that will leave readers gasping, The Lincoln Conspiracy offers a riveting new account of what truly motivated the assassination of one of America’s most beloved presidents—and who participated in the plot to derail the train of liberty that Lincoln set in motion.

Author Bio
Timothy L. O’Brien is the Executive Editor of The Huffington Post, where he edited the 2012 Pulitzer Prize–winning series about wounded war veterans, “Beyond the Battlefield.” Previously, he was an editor and reporter at The New York Times. There, he helped to lead a team of Times reporters that was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in Public Service in 2009 for coverage of the financial crisis. O’Brien, a graduate of Georgetown University, holds three master's degrees -- in US History,Business and Journalism -- all from Columbia University. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife and two children.

www.timothylobrien.com

 

Book Review: Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens

Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens

Publisher: Gallery Books

Publish Date: Nov. 6, 2012

Paperback, 544 pages
Fiction, New Adult, Romance
 ISBN: 9781476717470
Thoughtless #1

My Review:
Warning: This story is addictive, emotionally draining and well-worth the time-spent reading it if you enjoy books like this.  And to be honest I wasn't sure I would enjoy a story like this.  I don't like cheating stories.  But I like this "New Adult" genre a lot and had been hearing so much about these books so when I was sent the ARC I knew I had to give it a try.  What resulted was pretty much an uninterrupted reading of a 500+ page book, and I could pretty much let that speak for itself and let the review end here, but I'll clue you in to what made me like this book.

First this is fiction and truthfully we can all pick the type of fiction we like to read.  Don't like the realistic stuff, don't read it. Me personally I don't read much sci-fi, but you might love it.  But that's what makes the world a wonderful place.  So Thoughtless has a place. It's realistic.  There are people like Kiera, Denny and Kellan out there. Confused 20-somethings that want a relationship, want to do what's right and end up screwing things up no matter what.  I was captivated by this thought.  Captivated by Kiera's need to do what was right and her need to be safe.  What woman can't relate to that (okay, I can).  Denny is safe, Denny is right, but Kellan, oh Kellan, he's something else entirely.

Yes a lot of the book is going back and forth.  It's an emotional roller coaster, but I never felt like it grew old or tired.  I felt like each time each character was exploring something new.  I think the author did a great job with the plotting, because honestly it's 500-pages of "who am I going to choose" but it never gets boring.  I loved getting to know Kiera, Denny, Kellan plus the other bandmates, Kiera's co-workers and her sister.  Each character was intriguing and had a great place in the story.  I wanted more of each of them.

Finally, for those of you unsure of the heat-level of this in the recent climate of the "50-Shades" world, this is mild, there is sex, but just the typical romance novel variety.  It's hot, it's sexy, but not out there. This is not erotica.  This is romance.  She just happens to be involved with two guys at the same time (but not in the same room, lol).  I don't have anything against erotica, I enjoy it, but I don't want people to shy away from this book because of the cover image.

In the end, I would highly recommend this book for people who love relationship books that put them through the wringer.  This isn't a happy-go-lucky romance novel. Yes there are happy parts, but there are parts that will parts that will equally have you wanting to kill all three of the main characters because of their stupidity with each other.  But you keep reading because you care, because you want to know what happens, because somehow Kiera, Denny and Kellan worm their way into your heart and brain and you care.  For those hours that you read this book, you will care, the author just has a way of making it happen.  I know it did for me and I had to make myself not open my ARC of Effortless right away, but it will be opened soon, because I am eager to know what happens next.  So give Thoughtless a chance and let it take you away for an afternoon or evening or two or however many it takes . . .


My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:
For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together—Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university—everything seems perfect. 

Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes . . . and none of them will ever be the same.

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
S.C. Stephens is an independent author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her first attempt at a full-length novel was Thoughtless. She wrote the angst-filled love triangle in early 2009 and published it that summer on FictionPress. Amazed and surprised by the response, more stories were quick to follow.

Conversion, the first novel in a three story vampire series, was released in the fall. Collision Course, a tragic, yet hopeful tale of love and loss was released in early 2010. The second Conversion novel came out next, along with It’s All Relative, a different take on a one night stand story.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys reading other people’s fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movie theaters, and spending quality time with her children.

You can contact Stephens at ThoughtlessRomantic@gmail.com

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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher for an honest review. 

Book Review and Giveaway: The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener

The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener

Publisher: Gallery Books

Publish Date: November 27, 2012

Trade Paperback, 336 pages
Fiction, Historical Fiction, England
 ISBN: 9781451684438

My Review:
I thoroughly enjoy the historical fiction genre and I am careful about which ones I accept because I as I have stated before I am always scared I will get bogged down with facts and history in a historical novel. Not that it has happened yet and it definitely did not happen with The Emperor's Conspiracy.

The Emperor's Conspiracy is a very fast-paced plot based novel that had me flipping the pages as fast as I could to find out what would happen next in Charlotte Raven's world.  I had no doubt that Charlotte would end up okay, but I wanted to know how and what the devil was going on. And it seemed like there was a lot going on.  Ms. Diener does a wonderful job creating and weaving the plot in this novel and basing it on a historical fact that I did not know about at all which made it more interesting.  I like telling my husband things that he did not know since he is a major history-buff.  You can easily get caught up in Miss Raven's world which traverses the posh area of London and the seedy back alleyways as well.  

I think there was mastery in the creation of Miss Charlotte Raven.  Creating her as a chimney sweep who is transformed into a noblewoman so she knows both sides of London and can travel them both well.  She is also still mired in both sides so that adds the extra interest and extra plotline to the book.  I would have loved a little  more depth to her character but realize the length of the novel and type of novel probably limited the character development some.  We do see some of her development, but I want more Charlotte and also more of Edward.  I feel he was more of a cardboard cutout that got filled in some.  I liked him a lot, and feel he was a typical male of the time, and what he needed to be for his job, aloof and distant, but I wanted to know him just a little more.  That said, I still enjoyed him and Charlotte as characters.  I also enjoyed the secondary characters, though sometimes I was a little confused (but it could have been the medicines, I read this when I had a sinus infection, so I could have been addled some).

Overall this book was well worth my time and has me wanting to check out Ms. Diener's backlist and anything she writes in the future.  She writes in a way that is easy to read and catches your interest from the first page.  She knows how to plot well and tie up things without making it too pat.  Her pacing was also well done,  it never felt rushed, I felt the book moved along well.  I was kind of sad it ended and to say goodbye to these wonderful characters.  I wish I could see more of Charlotte and Edward, they were fun together.  So if you enjoy a good nineteenth-century English suspense set in London then this is just the book for you.  But be prepared to spend a few hours reading because you won't want to put it down. 


My Rating: 4.25/5.0


About the Book:
From nineteenth-century London’s elegant ballrooms to its darkest slums, a spirited young woman and a nobleman investigating for the Crown unmask a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of its gold.

Chance led to Charlotte Raven’s transformation from chimney sweep to wealthy, educated noblewoman, but she still walks a delicate tightrope between two worlds, unable to turn her back on the ruthless crime lord who was once her childhood protector.

When Lord Edward Durnham is tapped to solve the mystery of England’s rapidly disappearing gold, his search leads him to the stews of London, and Charlotte becomes his intriguing guide to the city’s dark, forbidding underworld. But as her involvement brings Charlotte to the attention of men who have no qualms about who they hurt, and as Edward forges a grudging alliance with the dangerous ghosts of Charlotte’s former life, she faces a choice: to continue living in limbo, or to close the door on the past and risk her heart and her happiness on an unpredictable future.

About the Author: 
Michelle Diener has always had a passion for reading and writing. She began writing stories when her parents gave her a typewriter for her twelfth birthday, and she hasn’t stopped since. Born in London and raised in South Africa, she now lives on the west coast of Australia with her husband and two small children.


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Giveaway:
Thanks to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the Publisher, I have one copy of The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener to giveaway.  Open to US/Canada, ends 12/10.  Copy will be mailed from the publisher.

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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review.