And this week's winners are...

Hey Everyone!

I am out of town on a mini vacation, and though the weather is awful, rainy and November-cold, at least I get to burrow under my duvet with a good book ;-) This week I only have two winners to announce, congratulations to

the lucky winner of an ebook copy of Lover Undercover by Samanthe Beck is

Patricia Crews

the lucky winner of an ebook copy of their choice of one of the Hawaiian Heroes books is

Kim Pinch

Congratulations winners! You have all been notified of your win in e-mail by tonight, please get back to me within 48 hours or I will have to draw a new winner. Thank you.

There are still a lot of giveaways going on, you can enter them by clicking on their individual links at the top of the blog. 

Have a lovely Sunday/long weekend everyone! :-)

Book Review: It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis

Title: It Had to Be You
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Book #7 in the Lucky Harbor series
Release Date: 28 May 2013
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Number of pages: 368 pages
Source: ebook copy provided by publisher through NetGalley
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Amazon, Kindle, Book Depository US, Book Depository UK

Grade: 4 stars

Novellus superbus!

Goodreads appetizer: Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she's a thief, and now she's about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who's as sexy as he is stern....

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke's own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

My Thoughts: It Had to Be You is the seventh book in Jill Shalvis' Lucky Harbor series, and though the last book I read in the series was Head Over Heels (Book #3), I didn't feel lost, so don't worry if you didn't keep up with the series as in spite of some events and characters/couples of the previous books being mentioned you won't feel left in the dark as the books can be very well read as standalones.

It Had to Be You features Ali, a young and optimistic florist and ceramist who recently moved to Lucky Harbor and wants to make it her home since she loves the ambiance of the small town and most of all its people. Ali was a heroine the reader could not not love. She was like a soft kitten but that didn't mean she was a doormat without a backbone:

“I know I might look like a ball of fluff,” she said, “but I’m not. Not even close. And the fact that I get up each morning and put a damn smile on my face is the same as…Batman putting on his cape.”
“I—”
“I’m not done. It’s…protection. It’s my shield. It’s me waving my middle finger to the world, because I choose to be happy.”

She was all smiles and sunshine, and she was cheerful and adorable despite the shitty things that life dealt to her, most recently discovering that her boyfriend, with whom she shared a house not only cheated on her with a handful of women,  terminated the lease on the house (and moved out of their home) without her knowledge, but also accused her of stealing several thousand dollars of county money. So yep, he was a prize winning douchebag and he didn't stop there he wanted to mess with her self-confidence as well. Grrr.

“Do not listen to him,” [Luke] said, maybe a little harshly, but he wanted her to hear him. Really hear him. “You’re not a nobody. And you are a florist, a great one. You also teach ceramics. Hell, Ali, half of your students are in love with you. You care enough to be nice to nosy, old men. You helped a stranger avoid the rest of the world, even when he was a total ass. You’d give that stranger the last of your paycheck simply because you thought it was the right thing to do.”
“It was the right thing to do,” she said. “And you weren’t a total ass.”
“You’d probably give away your heart and soul if it was needed,” he said. “But that would be a shame, because you’re one-hundred-percent heart and soul. You’re the real deal, Ali, the way the rest of us have forgotten how to be.”

The hero is Luke, who returns for a short but much needed vacation to Lucky Harbor, the hometown he left after graduation and hasn't looked back since (due to some personal loss, grief and of course guilt). He plans on spending his 2-3 weeks of leave resting in solitude, so you can imagine his surprise when he finds a lingerie-clad stranger traipsing in his kitchen. Yep, that is Ali who takes Luke for an intruder as thanks to her jerk of a boyfriend she wasn't aware she had to move out of the house. Seriously that first meeting between Ali and Luke was one of my alltime favourites! :-D

Luke is a badass strong homicide detective but he has such a softie heart inside, he couldn't resist leaving Ali in a ditch and had to help her clear her name, even though he was off duty and wanted to avoid people to recuperate. I also loved his dry and acerbic humour:

His cell vibrated. He looked at the screen. His commander. With a long, slow inhale, he connected. “Hanover.”
“Got a death threat this morning.” Commander Craig O’Neil’s voice was gruff and as commanding as his title. “Aimed at all of us. Just wanted you to know.”
“Great,” Luke said. “I’ll start working my way down my bucket list.”

“You need to think about this, Ali. Loving me isn’t a day in the park. I’m stubborn and like to be right. I rarely make my bed. I can never find my fucking keys. And last but not least, I love you so hard it hurts. I might die of it, actually, which makes me a short-term bet at best.”

Ali and Luke were a wonderful pair, Ali's sunshine personality eased and alleviated Luke's guilt and the nagging of his inner demons, and Luke's protectiveness was a welcome change to finally have a man who recognized what a gem of a woman Ali was. He was fully conscious of the fact that she was a sweet and caring woman who deserved happiness and to be loved and cherished, and he felt that she deserved more and better than him. Thankfully Ali soon disabused him of that ;-) I loved how their romance was both sweet and sexy (and Jill Shalvis even got some extra brownie points from me for not forcing a rushed proposal into the ending).

Verdict: It Had to Be You was a nice addition to the Lucky Harbor series. Jill Shalvis once again delivered a highly entertaining and lovable story, wonderfully mixing mystery, humour and small town romance to give the reader a story that will make them smile and feel happy. Both Ali and Luke were great characters I fell in love with, and it was nice to catch a glimpse of the previous characters and Lucky Harbor residents. Jill Shalvis' writing is witty, sexy with a big dose of chuckle-out-loud funny humour and if you haven't read the Lucky Harbor series yet I urge you to do so, and if you are a fan of the series I'm sure you'll love It Had to Be You just as much as I did.

Plot: 8/10
Charaters: 8/10
Writing: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 7/10

Review originally posted at Book Lovers Inc.

Buy it:




Order of the series:

Book #1 - Simply Irresistible - Read my review
Book #2 - The Sweetest Thing  - Read my review
Book #2.5 - Small Town Christmas
Book #3 - Head Over Heels
Book #4 - Lucky in Love
Book #5 - At Last
Book #6 - Forever and a Day
Book # 6.5 - Under the Mistletoe
Book #7 - It Had to Be You - to be released on May 28th!

Guest post by Diana Quincy + Giveaway

I am very happy to introduce you to Diana Quincy, who is one of 2013's revelations and her debut novel,  Seducing Charlotte, a charming and captivating historical romance (the first in her Accidental Peers series) became one of my favourite reads of this year! So read on to learn more about the story and Diana and you could also win some great prizes! ;-) 

Are you a Luddite? Do you run the other way when faced with the latest technology?

My new book, Seducing Charlotte, explores these themes, which continue to be relevant even two centuries after my story takes place.

The Luddite rebellion, which began in 1811 in Nottinghamshire, England, was sparked by the rapid advance of new machinery. Factories turned to the new steam-powered looms and knitting frames because they lowered production costs. The machines could turn out cotton, lace or stockings much more quickly than the skilled artisans who’d once crafted these goods by hand.

Many workers, including cloth finishers, weavers, tailors and shoemakers, found themselves jobless and on the brink of starvation. In protest, many broke into factories and destroyed or damaged the machines with hammers.

The machine breakers’ movement got its name from its elusive leader, Ned Ludd, who was widely believed to be fictional.

Smashing the machines was really a way to protest against factory owners who paid low wages, used unskilled laborers and cut working hours.

Today, however, the term Luddite continues to be associated with people who are afraid or contemptuous of new technology.

But some people are just indifferent.

I’ve got a friend, a smart, savvy high-fashion type, who has zero interest in electronic gadgets. She’s told me more than once that it’s a lucky thing she even has a cell phone.

As for me, I have to admit that when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad, introducing the concept of a tablet, I turned to my husband and said, “I don’t get it. How is that different from a laptop? What’s the point?”

Well, I now get the point. After all, I’m not a Luddite, I’m just not imaginative when it comes to technology. Show me how to use a new device and I’ll eventually get onboard. I might even embrace it.

What about you? Are you a ‘Luddite?’ Or are you one of those people who’s always first in line to get the new tech gadgets? Which is your gadget of choice?

Leave a comment below for a chance to win one of two $25 gift cards – for either Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winners’ choice.

Diana Quincy is an award-winning former television journalist who decided she'd rather make up stories where a happy ending is always guaranteed. Growing up as a foreign service brat, Diana lived in many countries and is now settled in Virginia with her husband and two sons. When not bent over her laptop or trying to keep up with laundry, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and dreams of traveling much more than her current schedule (and budget) allows. Diana loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her at: 

her Website - Blog - Twitter - Facebook - Goodreads

Seducing Charlotte by Diana Quincy

Book #1 in the Accidental Peers series

Even if he is the catch of the season, Charlotte Livingston has a low opinion of the wildly handsome Marquess of Camryn. He’s an industrialist who thinks nothing of replacing workers with machines, depriving them of an honest living. Camryn is everything a social reformer like Charlotte detests. Besides, her loyalty belongs to another man.

Yet, as a violent machine-breakers rebellion rages across England, an undeniable attraction flares between the passionate adversaries. Camryn vows to destroy the rebel movement, unaware that the spinster who has captured his heart, harbors a secret - a shocking connection to one of its leaders that could shatter them both.

Read an excerpt

Buy at Amazon - B&N - Kobo - iTunes

Excerpt of Seducing Charlotte

He marveled at the way the sun illuminated the clear blue in her eyes. “I won’t bother to dissemble, Miss Livingston.” Taking hold of her hand, he pulled Charlotte around the massive tree trunk, out of the sight of the rest of the guests. “I hope to steal another kiss. Actually, I have thought of little else since our last one. Will you allow it?”

She flushed, her gaze floating beyond him. “Really, Camryn, if you ask for permission, it hardly qualifies as stealing a kiss.”

Blood raced to his vitals when it registered she’d just told him to take what he wanted. Shaking his head, he wondered what is was about this woman that made him desperate to touch her again. It had been an agonizing week since he'd last felt her lips beneath his. Now, finally offered the opportunity, he greedily grasped it.

Cupping Charlotte’s cheeks, he marveled at their satiny softness before lowering his face to hers, kissing one side of her succulent mouth and then the other. Then he intensified his actions, pressing down on her lips, bidding her to open them to him as she had once before. When she did, he kissed her as deeply as he had ever kissed a woman. He licked and plunged his tongue deeper, greedy to taste more, losing himself in her subtle floral scent. She tasted of lemonade, a woman’s softness, and unlimited possibility. Her untutored tongue ventured to taste him as well, provoking a delighted sound of surprise from him. The wondering hum that sounded from the back of her throat made his body quicken in a rush of heat.

Awareness gradually filtered back to him, reminding Cam of their surroundings. He pulled away with great reluctance, his blood at a boil, and forced himself to take a step back lest he pull Charlotte to the grass and make love to her right there with other guests nearby.

She stood frozen in place with her eyes still closed, red circles burned into the high arches of her cheeks. After a moment, as if in a daze, her lids fluttered open. He easily recognized the hazy arousal in those unfocused blue depths for they mirrored his own. They stood facing one another for a moment, bodies apart, but gazes interlocked. She blinked.

“When I said you had a clever tongue, I really had no idea.”

Buy at Amazon - B&N - Kobo - iTunes

GIVEAWAY RULES:

Diana has generously offered a $25 USD Amazon or B&N gift card to a lucky reader!

To be entered fill out the Rafflecopter form below and  tell us: What about you? Are you a ‘Luddite?’ Or are you one of those people who’s always first in line to get the new tech gadgets? Which is your gadget of choice?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on 5 June 2013!

Good Luck!

Guest post by Tessa Bailey + Giveaway

Tessa Bailey is back at Ex Libris to tell you about her brand new release, His Risk to Take, the second novel in her Line of Duty steamy and exciting Entangled Brazen series! Come and meet Ruby and Troy, the heroine and hero of His Risk to Take and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end!

Ruby Elliott isn’t used to being turned down…

She sidled up next to Troy and signaled the redhead with a dollar bill. “Hi. Can I get some quarters, please?” When the bartender turned to make change, she spoke to Troy without looking directly at him. “So, blue eyes. Why don’t you stop staring and buy me a drink? I don’t want to dehydrate before you work up the nerve.”

Troy Bennett, however, isn’t like other men…

Her hand rested on the bar’s edge, feminine fingers curling and uncurling into her palm as if restless to touch something. He thought of that hand sliding down the front of his jeans while he sucked on her bottom lip. Her breath would catch against his mouth, right before those graceful fingers gripped him.

All at once, the idea of taking her home became irresistible. Urgent. Unable to help himself, he leaned in closer. Too close. “Ask nicely, and I’ll think about it.”

"I'm the guy she spent Friday night with. And I'm the guy she's going to spend tonight with. So maybe the better question is, who the fuck are you?"

Ruby becomes a puzzle he’s determined to solve…

Ruby crossed her arms and leaned against the bar, facing him. “You don’t gamble, and you’re not in the mood for fun. Maybe I picked the wrong guy to buy me a drink. Should I ask one of your friends instead?”

Over his dead body. They weren’t getting within two feet of her. “I wouldn’t advise it.”

“Then I’d advise you to be a little nicer.”

“Now where’s the fun in that?”

Connect with Tessa at her Website - Twitter - Facebook

His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey

Book #2 in the Line of Duty series

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation on the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control?until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he?ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy?s avoiding, but when she walks into O?Hanlon?s Pub and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her?risks be damned. But there?s a connection between Ruby?s shadowed past and a case Troy?s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?

Read an excerpt

Buy at Amazon - B&N - iTunes

GIVEAWAY RULES:

Entangled Publishing has generously offered an ebook copy of His Risk to Take to a lucky commenter!

To be entered just leave a comment and tell us: If you went out with a man (or a woman), what would you want them to perceive about you by the end of the night?

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on 24 May 2013!

Good Luck!

Guest post by Cindy Dees + Giveaway

Today's guest is Cindy Dees, who although has penned more than a couple dozen novels, is celebrating the recent release of her brand new Entangled Brazen release, Femme Fatale, the first book in her Hard Bodies series. Please welcome her and you could even win a copy of the book!

Whenever anyone asks me about my writing process, I'm always reminded of the line from Shakespeare in Love, "It's a mystery." I can answer the obvious questions:

--Am I a plotter or a pantser? If I have enough time, I prefer to plot out stories in advance. But, when I'm on a tight deadline, I sometimes have no choice but to just jump off the cliff and start writing by the seat of my pants.

--Do I come up with story lines or characters first? Oh, definitely stories. I've been known to turn in entire synopses to my editor that don't include a single character. I just outlined the plot. My lovely editor would then ask gently, "And are there going to be any people in this story?" Over time, I've learned to really enjoy creating characters, though. I love studying the people around me and taking bits and pieces of their personalities that I find most fascinating and weaving them into my fictional characters. You know that line, Be careful what you say to me--it may end up in a book? Totally true around me!

--What's a typical writing day like for me? I drop off the kiddo at school at 7:30 and head straight to the nearest Starbuck's. I suck down a mocha latte, soy, no whip, curse the fact that my barista can't just give me a caffeine IV drip, and then I get to work. I work for 5-6 hours, typically. I give myself permission to stop after ten pages each day, but I average more like 16-17 pages a day. On a good day, I might write 25 pages or more. I do that 5-6 days a week. I find if I stop writing for more than a day or so, I have a dreadful time getting going again. The trick is for me to keep writing every single day at a high rate of output.

--I tend to visualize the scenes I'm writing the next day in my head as I'm going to sleep. I run them cinematically and discover things like whose point of view will be most effective, how other characters in the scene are reacting to the action, and what color socks everyone is wearing. My family will tell you I have a bit of a sock fetish. When I was a kid, I only had black, white, and dark blue socks, and I vowed to have lots of colorful, cute socks when I grew up….and I have drawers full of them, now! At any rate, by the time I sit down to write a scene, I'm usually just dumping what I've seen onto the page. Hence, I tend to type fast and continuously in a fashion that roundly ticks off my writing buddies when they see me do it. No pauses, no deletions, just typing like a house on fire for hours on end.

--Do I ever get stuck? Every single book, without exception, I do. It's the one thing that's completely consistent for me in every book I write. I get anywhere from 50-100 pages into the book and stop cold. I have to ask myself the question, "where the heck am I going with this?" By the time I'm done with the opening of the story, it's already going in a different direction than I originally envisioned, and I have to adjust and add or subtract plot content. Characters are starting to come to life, and yes, they routinely do things I hadn't planned on for them.

--Do I ever talk to my characters? Let's just say my family is frequently heard to interrupt me when I start talking about someone to ask, "Wait. Are these people real or in one of your books?" It's one of the best parts of being a writer. I not only get to listen to the voices in my head, I get to talk back to them!

--Any advice for other authors? Two things: First, give yourself permission to write crap. You can always edit bad writing into great writing, but you can't edit a blank page into anything but a paper airplane. Second, I call it my ABC theory of writing…Apply Butt to Chair. Or in my case, ABCD Apply Butt to Chair Daily. The single hardest part of writing is finding the self-discipline to sit down and do it enough times and often enough to actually finish a book.

But, all of those things said, do I have the slightest idea what makes for that special magic of a story well told? Nope. Not a clue. It's a mystery. I'm just incredibly grateful that the stories I tell seem to resonate with enough readers that I keep getting to do it over again. We all know a great book when we read one. It's got that mix of emotion, action, surprise, humor, and happy ever after that leaves us feeling all happy and satisfied inside.

If you've got a story rattling around inside your head refusing to leave you alone, I encourage you to ABC and put it to paper or electron. Who knows? Maybe a whole lot of other people would love to hear your story, too!

Cindy Dees started flying airplanes while sitting in her dad’s lap at the age of three and got a pilot’s license before she got a driver’s license. At age fifteen, she dropped out of high school and left the horse farm in Michigan where she grew up to attend the University of Michigan.

After earning a degree in Russian and East European studies, she joined the U.S. Air Force and became the youngest female pilot in the history of the Air Force. She flew supersonic jets, VIP airlift and the “C-5” Galaxy, the world’s largest airplane. She also worked part-time gathering intelligence. During her military career, she traveled to forty countries on five continents, was detained by the KGB and East German secret police, she got shot at, flew in the first Gulf War, met her husband and amassed a lifetime’s worth of war stories.

Her hobbies include professional Middle Eastern dancing, Japanese gardening and medieval reenacting. She started writing on a one-dollar bet with her mother and was thrilled to win that bet with the publication of her first book in 2001.

Her 40th romance novel will be published in 2013, and she’s looking forward to the release of her first epic fantasy novel with co-author, Bill Flippin, in 2014.

Connect with Cindy at her Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Femme Fatale by Cindy Dees

Book #1 in the Hard Bodies series

Former teen star Olivia Harper has a problem. If she can’t shake her girl-next-door image and become the femme fatale her latest role requires, her career will flop. But with her squeaky-clean image, Liv’s hardly been kissed, let alone had her world rocked between the sheets. There’s no way she’ll ask her playboy co-star for pointers, so she turns to the sexy new military consultant for some discreet…guidance.

Major Blake Ramsey is stuck hiding out babysitting actors who can’t even lace their combat boots, until his boss can deal with the fallout from his last mission. When Liv propositions him, he can’t decide whether she’s the naïve girl she claims to be or a bombshell looking for another conquest.

But as the lessons heat up, Blake and Olivia catch the eye of the papparazzi and jeopardize both their lives...

Buy at Amazon - Goodreads

GIVEAWAY RULES:

Entangled Publishing has generously offered an ebook copy of Femme Fatale by Cindy Dees to a lucky commenter!

To be entered just leave a comment and tell us: Who could you picture as a femme fatale? Classic ones like Brigitte Bardot or modern ones like Angelina Jolie? When you hear "femme fatale", who do you see?

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on 24 May 2013!

Good Luck!

Book Review: Gone with the Wolf by Kristin Miller

Title: Gone with the Wolf
Author: Kristin Miller
Series: Book #1 in the Seattle Wolf Pack series
Release Date: 21 April 2013
Number of pages: 208 pages
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Source: review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Amazon, iBookstore, Kobo, Read an excerpt

Grade: 3 stars

Novellus bonus!

Goodreads appetizer: CEO and alpha werewolf Drake Wilder has given up the search for his one true love. When he discovers that she’s a secretary in his company, Drake’s primal instincts kick into overdrive.

What he wouldn’t give to have her fingers rake over his body instead of the keyboard…

Free-spirited bartender Emelia Hudson wants nothing more than to make her Seattle-based bar succeed. But when profits decline, she slips into a dress suit and secures a nine-to-five. After learning that her bar has become property of Wilder Financial, Emelia is determined to get some answers.

Two can play the ruthless business game. If only her attraction to the boss wasn’t so intense…

When Drake’s twin brother senses that Drake has found his match—and now inherits their father’s billion dollar estate—he hatches a plan to take Emelia out. Drake vows to protect her at all costs, but he might have to pay with his own life.

My Thoughts: Gone with the Wolf is the first in Kristin Miller's Seattle Wolf Pack paranormal romance series released by Entangled Publishing and the very first story I read from her.

Gone with the Wolf started out well, I loved the the chuckle out loud Halloween wine cellar scene where the air sizzled and cracked with the tension and attraction between the hero and heroine but somehow after that the story just fizzled out.

Gone with the Wolf was a quick and easy read, but it left me disappointed as I had several problems with it, both when it came to the characterisation and the writing.

In Gone with the Wolf Kristin Miller mixes several tropes: the enemies to lovers, the mistaken identity, the boss and the secretary, and the fated mate tropes; and I felt it was a bit too much as she didn't have any effort/depth left for the development of the characters. The main characters remained shallow, I couldn't get a grasp on Emelia she ran hot and cold, while the villain remained a cardboard character, with not much detail giving him dimension.

Emelia took the whole "werewolves exist and yep, I'm turning into one" a bit too easily in my opinion, while that could have provided some understandable and justified drama.

I thought there were several plot holes, some more glaring than others, like *SPOILER ALERT* The big crisis at the end of the book: Emelia is abducted yet for three days Drake doesn't look for her even though 1) she disappeared after their fight, 2) she might be in danger from his psycho brother whois hellbent on killing her, 3) it was previously stated that he gets physically sick if he spends longer times away from her and 4) with their mate connection he didn't feel her fear and stress for three days? She disappeared, didn't come to work and he just shrugged, not really worried? I found that quite the glaring black plothole... *END OF SPOILER*

As to the writing style, I felt that the story was still in its rough form and would have needed more/stricter editing to smooth things out. Some things were just thrown in the story without proper explanation or reason for their inclusion, dialogues at times read fractured as if the two person communicating weren't talking to each other:

“And Raul, I need you to reschedule the business meetings from this afternoon to Monday. I have to take the rest of today to finalize the deal for Emelia’s bar.” Raul met Drake at the door.
“I thought you said you were leaving the lawsuit in her hands.”
“I am,” Drake said as rain battered the windows in a relentless onslaught. “I’m talking about the other bar. The one that’ll make her forget all about the Knight Owl.”
“I’m sorry if this is overstepping my grounds, sir, but I overheard one of her guards talking…” Shit, here it comes. “From my understanding of what I heard, you told Emelia that a female turned werewolf wouldn’t be able to survive having an Alpha’s child.”

what is the connection between buying a bar and siring children?

There was also lot of "telling" rather than "showing" in this book, the author just gave explanations for the world-building in the characters' inner thoughts, which stood out, as those were things they already had to know...

Verdict: All in all, I liked the concept of mashing several of my favourite tropes into one single story, but the execution was wilted. The story started off strong and my attention was instantly hooked at the starting scene, but after that both the plot, the characters and the development of their relationship read shallow, sketched, just thrown on the paper without much development or depth. The characters remained one dimensional and I wasn't really convinced that the hero and heroine shared more than a fated sexual attraction.

Gone with the Wolf held promise on paper, but sadly didn't deliver. A quick and easy read, but in the end a meh story that could have been better.

Plot: 6/10
Characters: 5/10
Writing: 6/10
Ending: 6/10
Cover: 9/10

ps. I was also wondering about why was the story titled Gone with the Wolf? There was one small detail that could serve as connection, namely that Drake's yacht was called Tara, but that didn't seem reason enough for choosing this title. So I'm sorry but the importance of why the author chose this title completely flew over my head.

Buy it:

Guest post by Addison Fox + Giveaway

I am very happy to welcome back to Ex Libris, Addison Fox, author of the new Boardrooms and Billionaires contemporary romance series published by Entangled Publishing, who is here today to tell you about her latest release, Merger to Marriage, the second book in the series. So if you join us for this impromptu chemistry lesson *winks* you could also win a copy of Tempting Acquisitions, the first book in the series or even a $50 USD Amazon gift card! :-) 

A Short Chemistry Lesson
by Addison Fox

My thanks to Stella for having me today!

So I have a confession….I was horrible at chemistry in high school. No matter how hard I tried, the periodic table was not my friend and I spent my entire sophomore year convinced I’d blow up the school (I wish that was an exaggeration).

Fortunately, I left the school in the same condition I came into it, but as I look back on it now, I realize if I’d only applied the same lessons found in my beloved romance novels, I might have been a bit better student.

I thought I’d pull a few examples from my latest release, MERGER TO MARRIAGE, to illustrate my point.

Lesson #1 – A chemical substance is a form of matter that has constant properties and characteristics.

Mayson turned the moment she was free, and the impression of strength and quiet attractiveness she’d glimpsed from the edge of his profile hit her with a harder punch.

Oh, he was more than attractive, with a ready smile and hazel eyes that were an unexpected and intriguing contrast to his lighter hair. The broad chest she’d felt layered against her back boasted an even broader set of shoulders above it, and every inch of his tuxedo-clad frame had an aura of power and confidence.

Lesson #2 – A chemical bond is an attraction between atoms that allows the formation of chemical substances that contain two or more atoms.

On impulse, she leaned over to press a quick kiss to his cheek. Light stubble on his chin scratched against her lips before he turned toward her.

Mayson knew the instant the simple gesture changed into something else entirely. Something hot and urgent as greedy wisps of need reached out to wrap sly tendrils around both of them. His arms came around her, tightening as he dragged her against his chest. She shifted her hands at the last minute so they settled against his shoulders, the hard muscles under her fingers flexing as he pulled her close.

Those lush, sensuous lips quirked in a half smile before they took possession of hers, and then there was nothing but need as each fought the battle to consume. The heavy crash of the ocean faded as the sound of her heart swished in her own ears, matched in counterpoint to the heavy thrum of Holt’s pulse under her fingertips. His lips were firm under hers before they opened, his tongue sweeping into her mouth in a show of carnal possession.

Chemistry Lesson #3 – A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.

“What you’re suggesting is a merger, a blending of interests, not a marriage. We don’t even know each other.”

“We know this.” Without giving her time to step away, Holt moved in and pulled her against his chest in a tight embrace. Any thought of resistance faded in the brief moment it took him to close the gap between them and she wrapped her arms around his neck, a full participant in the kiss. His lips were gentle, yet firm against hers, and she allowed him to take the kiss deeper, tangling her tongue with his. Desire struck—swift and sure—as the sensual moments spun out between them.

He trailed his hands over the skin exposed at her back, his fingers tracing the ridges of her spine. The shivers of anticipation that had gripped her morphed into shivers of need as his broad chest pressed to hers. Her hands gripped his waist and she fumbled with the material of his shirt, suddenly desperate to feel the warmth of his skin.

She marveled at how easily her body recognized his. It had been just like this that night at the wedding. Like she’d come home.

She wanted him.

Of course, a business merger is hardly the romantic stuff of legend and I’ve got a few more tricks to throw Mayson and Holt’s way until they can truly find their way to happy ever after. But I do have to wonder….maybe I really am on to something with my chemistry lesson.

Perhaps if I’d had romance novels in place of my high school teacher I’d have taken away a bit more from the class!

Happy Reading!
Addison

Addison Fox can’t remember a time when words weren’t part of her life. An avid reader, her love of the written word started at the tender age of one with The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear (a poem she could recite by heart to any family member who would listen.) Dr. Seuss, C.S. Lewis, Judy Blume and a host of others quickly followed until she discovered THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR by Jean M. Auel while writing a paper at the library in the seventh grade. Although not a classic romance, Ayla and Jondalar’s love story moved her firmly into the romance section and she hasn’t looked back!

Her paranormal romance series, The Sons of the Zodiac, launched with NAL in March of 2010. The series recounts the adventures (and path to true love!) for an immortal band of warriors, granted the powers of their astrological signs and charged with protecting humanity. Beginning in November 2011, Addison will have a new contemporary series on shelves as well. BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE is the first in the Alaskan Nights series. Set in the fictional town of Indigo, Alaska, a couple of city girls are about to learn that the wide open spaces of Alaska just may hold everything they’re looking for.

Addison lives in Dallas. She loves to get email from readers.

Connect with Addison at

her website - Twitter - Facebook - Goodreads

Merger to Marriage by Addison Fox

Book #2 in the Boardrooms and Billionaires series

One night of passion…

Mayson McBride has spent the last decade restoring her family’s magazine empire with her two sisters. She loves what she does, but she can’t shake the feeling something’s missing. Which is why she jumps at the chance–incognito–for a single night of no-strings-attached sex with Holt Turner.

A once in a lifetime connection…

Holt’s been unable to forget the woman he shared one night of explosive passion, and he’s thrilled to get reacquainted with her at a weekend house party. What he doesn’t expect are the immediate feelings of need and desire–emotions he keeps firmly in check–upon their reunion.

A forever commitment…

When Mayson and Holt’s single night together leads to unexpected consequences, both must decide what matters most. Especially when a threat from Holt’s past promises to ruin their relationship before it’s barely begun.

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GIVEAWAY RULES:

There are TWO giveaways:

Blog giveaway

Entangled Publishing is offering an ebook copy of Tempting Acquisitions, the first book in the series to a lucky commenter!

To be entered just leave a comment and tell us: what was your favourite subject in high school? Or what was the subject you dreaded/hated the most?

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on 24 May 2013!

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Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on 2 June 2013!

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