Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Harper's Wish by Krista Ames - Review and Giveaway


Not only do I get to participate in the blog tour for Harper's Wish, but I also got to review it! Keep reading below to find out what I thought of this holiday novella. And don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end!



Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time of year, but for Harper Donaldson it’s just another day. Orphaned at an early age, she doesn’t have a single good memory of Christmas.

But, when a Santa’s Mailbox mysteriously appears in the lobby of the post office where she works as postmistress, Harper wonders what it could hurt to send her own letter to Santa.

Could he bring her the family she’d always wanted?


You can add Harper's Wish to your Goodreads List and it's

I've even got an EXCERPT for you!


“Hey there. 

I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”
“Holy crap! You scared me.” She stepped back with a hand over her heart and tried to catch her breath.
Fin came inside in all his shirtless cowboy glory and closed the door behind him. “Dang, I’m sorry. I seem to have a habit of doing that.” Warm palms wrapped around her bare arms.
 His touch took away the chill, but created a whole different set of emotions instead. 
She inhaled the scent of his aftershave and glanced up at him, noticing the ends of his hair, the color of burnished oak, were still damp. A vivid mental picture of him naked in the shower had her heart racing again.
Fin’s eyes darkened and, grew hungry, as if she were his next meal. Her gaze traveled to his lips, lush and begging to be kissed. The magnetic energy crackled between them, and her body swayed toward Fin’s bare chest. Her palms burned hot at the contact with his flesh. His lips crushed hers, setting her nerve endings on fire.
She returned his kiss with eagerness. Fin’s hands roamed over her back, then lower while she moved her fingers over his muscles with a feather-light touch and into his hair. Harper couldn’t fight the attraction a second longer. She sighed as his fingers fisted into the t-shirt she wore, edging it higher to reveal her smooth stomach.
“I’m sorry for being so forward, but I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I saw you.”
She expelled a soft moan of pleasure to encourage him.
Fin had the material around her shoulders when a knock sounded at the door—just before it started to push open.
“Hey, are you two oka—”


~~ REVIEW ~~

As you know, I'm a big fan of stories about potential lovers being snowed in together. It's a fabulous premise, if I do say so myself. So, when I got the chance to review Harper's Wish, I jumped at it. This story is wonderfully sweet with a dash of a spicy heroine and a hero with just a bit of salty cowboy to him. Throw in a little Christmas magic and you've got the perfect novella to heat up a cold winter's night.

I really liked Harper and her no-nonsense attitude. She's doing her best to build a life for herself in the aftermath of a rather heartbreaking childhood. As for Fin, he's adorable and committed to his family (his brother and nieces to be exact) which is a killer combination, in my opinion.

Fans of Contemporary Romance with a guaranteed spectacularly happy ending will adore this novella.


About Krista Ames:
Born and raised in Northern Indiana, Krista now resides in Northern Lower Michigan.  She is married to a very supportive man who allows her to follow her true passion of writing and never complains when she is pirated away on her computer for hours.  He is excellent at bouncing ideas around with and even helps the occasional writers block.  He’s also a terrific “in house” editor.  Krista is also a mother of 4 ornery children who keep her plenty busy.  With an addition of 2 beautiful chocolate lab sisters and a playful kitty, there is never a dull or spare moment in her household.

Krista has always loved to read and would often sit up for hours into the night not able to put down a book until she was finished.  She still reads when she can but her main focus is creating her own stories to share with the world.

She loves to communicate with her readers so please feel free to drop her a line anytime.
Visit Krista Ames on her Website ,  Blog,  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Goodreads 


Monday, December 23, 2013

Giveaway and Author Spotlight on Michelle Ziegler


Today, as a part of the Winter's Sweet Kiss Anthology tour, I am excitedly highlighting Michelle Ziegler, author of One in a Million Snowflakes.


ONE IN A MILLION SNOWFLAKES  By Michelle Ziegler
Angela is in love with someone she can’t have. Stranded in the bitter cold after another failed date, Angela is running out of time.  Her company Christmas party is around the corner, and the idea of going with her boss’ nephew is less then appealing. Escaping the cold , Angela jumps into her familiar getaway car to find Nick, her life-long crush, in the driver’s seat.  Strategic planning on his part has them finally giving into years of denied feelings.  Unfortunately, reality always surfaces.  Angela pushes Nick away in fear of losing his sister, her best friend. Breaking Nick’s heart was never part of her plan, and thankfully Nick isn’t going to let her.  His headstrong nature comes out and changes the game despite Angela’s attempts to stay away from him. Angela needs to decide if her best friend is more important than Nick, or if she should just give up and resign herself to a life with someone else

Lucky you, I've got a sweet little excerpt from One in a Million Snowflakes!

Angela broke off as she heard a chuckle. A male chuckle. Had she gotten in the wrong car? She released the seatbelt she’d finally managed to grasp, which hit the car door with a loud thwack, and shot a glance at the driver’s seat. 
Nick. 
Suddenly, she wasn’t cold anymore.  
“Oh my God! When did you get back?” She flung her arms around his neck. Rebecca’s older brother was a Marine who had been on deployment. “I can’t believe you’re here! Becks didn’t tell me. You didn’t even send an email.” Angela was a little hurt. 
“You’re choking me.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m excited to see you.” Angela let go, happy but embarrassed. She’d spent years squelching her feelings for Nick. She was obviously out of practice. 





Michelle’s imagination started spilling out onto paper the second she could scribble.  Her drawing never improved, but her love affair with words continued and evolved as she became infatuated with one story after another.  If life could be written, Michelle would write everyone’s ending as a happily ever after. 
Michelle grew up in Chicago and later moved to Colorado. Her husband still makes fun of her Midwest accent. By day she is an engineer, wife, and mother to two kids and two dogs. Her sanity survives on the pages she writes, even if her toddler is trying to drive her to the edge one temper tantrum at a time.



You can add the Winter's Sweet Kiss Anthology to your Goodreads list and grab your self a paperback or ebook copy on Roane Publishing, Amazon print or KindleBarnes and Noble, and Createspace (print only) 

Enter the rafflecopter giveaway below to win a paperback copy of Winter's Sweet Kiss and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!






Thursday, December 19, 2013

**Contest Closed** 'Tis the season for sparkly things! Swarovski Bracelet Giveaway NOW!

As promised, to celebrate the release of the Winter's Sweet Kiss anthology featuring my Christmas themed short An Unexpected Wreath, I am giving away this gorgeous bracelet. Completely one-of-a-kind, this bracelet was made specifically for this giveaway. A dozen iridescent Swarovski crystals with a lovely silver snowflake charm can be dangling from your wrist. All you need to do is leave a comment below and you'll be entered to win*.

I am also giving away 5 pair of WSK bookmarks signed by yours truly, which means even more chances to win!

So my question to you is: What you want in your stocking this year. Candy? Checks? A Cadillac? I can't wait to hear!  






And check out Winter's Sweet Kiss Available NOW in ebook (Amazon, B&N, and Roane Publishing) and paperback (Amazon, Createspace, Roane Publishing



*Contest runs December 18th through January 12th. One entry per comment/per visitor. Winner will be announced January 13th. 

Monday, December 16, 2013

Winter's Sweet Kiss Anthology Release Day! And a GIVEAWAY



Whooohooo!!! I'm very excited, obviously. Short stories are not only one of my favorite types of stories to read, but also to write. I had so much fun writing An Unexpected Wreath and I hope you'll have as much fun reading it. I've got a quick summary below of each story in the Winter's Sweet Kiss anthology. Each story is just the right length for an evening's read, snuggle in next to the fire with some cocoa and some fuzzy socks.



You can add the Winter's Sweet Kiss Anthology to your Goodreads list and grab your self a paperback or ebook copy on Roane Publishing, Amazon print or KindleBarnes and Noble (Nook only) , and Createspace (print only) 








BEGINNING OF FOREVER  By Terri Rochenski
When Wayne Edwards moves to town, Lillian Douglas experiences stirrings she thought were long dead. Guilt ridden over betraying her deceased husband and the feelings Wayne inspires, Lillian reluctantly lets him in. Secrets of the past – an old promise emerges, but will it threaten their forever?

MELT  By Shaya Roy
Newlyweds in an arranged marriage, Naina and Dev go to the mountains of Shimla, India in search of snow. Unfortunately, they find fifteen inches more than they expected. 
Being snowed in with her husband is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives Naina an excellent excuse to snuggle up to her deep, quiet man, but every time Dev spurns her, a little more of her heart drips away. Melting the ice around her husband’s heart before the snow outside does might take more pride than Naina’s ready to surrender. 

ONE IN A MILLION SNOWFLAKES  By Michelle Ziegler
Angela is in love with someone she can never have--her best friend, Rebecca’s older brother. 

Stranded in the bitter cold after a disastrous blind date with yet another company Christmas party looming, a standing offer from the boss’ nephew gets a little more appealing. Desperation. Not a good sign. Surely when Rebecca rescues her from the blinding snow, she can also convince Angela to just go to the party alone. She can always count on her best friend. 

That is, as long as she never finds out about Angela’s secret crush. 

AN UNEXPECTED WREATH  By Annabelle Blume

Stella’s got everything she needs in life: a great job, a beautiful house, and her independence. But on last minute trip to the local Christmas tree lot she finds something, or rather someone, she desperately wants - Grayson. An emergency trip to Target, an unexpected wreath, and a little Christmas magic make the season much brighter. 

SANTA BEBE  By Lily Carlyle

Disillusioned by men and her belief that they see her only as an object, Bebe is determined to find a man with money. Her geeky, but unfailingly kind, next-door neighbor James tries to convince her of the possibility of real love, even as she reveals to him the troubled childhood that made her so cynical about relationships. When her mother dashes her hopes for a perfect Christmas, Bebe finds herself turning to James once again, and in the process, learning a lot about herself and the promise their relationship holds.

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a paperback copy of Winter's Sweet Kiss and a $10 Amazon gift card. Sweet giveaway for a sweet anthology!






Monday, December 9, 2013

The OLD FLAME Cover is adorbs! Come Look!

This is the cutest cover. Really, you guys, I mean, it's just too cute for words.

Therefore, I will not write anymore and I will just show it to you because, really, it's too too cute!




Okay, seriously, right? I die. 

Anyway, it comes on on January 15th, so be ready!

Friday, December 6, 2013

Announcement: Old Flame (Hearts Aflame Files) Coming Soon!

Hello my lovelies!

I am here with another fabulous announcement. Are you ready? I'm ready.

My Contemporary New Adult novella Old Flame, the first book in the Hearts Aflame Files, is coming on January 15th!

The cover reveal is next week, so keep your eyes peeled. It's cute and quirky, just like the book! And if you'd like to sign up to be part of the blog tour the link is here.

It's been a busy time of year, and I hope that you all are happy, healthy, and having fun.


Old Flame (Hearts Aflame Files) 


They say if you love someone set them free. So why can’t Hannah let go? 


Hannah Sullivan has spent the past three months stalking her ex-boyfriend, lurking in the bushes and hiding behind fake social media personas, convinced she can eventually rekindle the love they once shared. But when she meets Marc, who is everything James never wanted to be and more, she begins to wonder if she’s got it all wrong. 

Hannah must come to terms with her own demons before she can decipher between her delusional mission the man of her dreams.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Shelf Live by Stephanie Lawton: Review and Giveaway








Title: Shelf Life
Author: Stephanie Lawton
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Publication date: December 3, 2013

*Mature situations and sexual content - recommended for ages 17+*

It’s impossible to focus on college biology when your family believes doomsday is imminent and the government is out to get you.

All Pete Wilson’s ever wanted is to become a veterinarian, but those dreams are going up in flames. Commuting to an urban college and helping his parents with their apocalyptic prepper crap is more than he can handle.

Worse, Pete’s asshole neighbor is stirring up trouble, his family’s stockpile has been destroyed and farm animals are turning up dead.

Lindsey Linger is the tomboy sister of his best friend. Now a sexy spitfire, she and Pete are liable to set the barn ablaze as their romance finally heats up. But she’s hiding a terrible secret, and rural life isn’t all bonfires and hayloft romps. That becomes clear one icy winter night when the survival of everyone Pete loves hangs in the balance.

Can Pete be the hero they need, or will this be the end of the world as he knows it?






I was already a fan of Lawton’s previous works, but I’m truly enamored with her most recent New Adult novel. Shelf Life is a painfully beautiful coming of age story that hits hard and peels back the layers of what it means to be a “grown up”. 

Pete is easy to love; a guy who’s honest and true, even if he’s a little naive and a lot stubborn.  The way Lawton handles his evolution from high school boy to college man is seamless. This is something the author has shown a talent for easing her readers through character growth in her previous work and I was pleased to see her deft handling of the transition in this tale as well.  

I enjoyed the way Lawton walked us through the unusual life of Doomsday Preppers in our modern world. Her descriptions of Pete’s life on the farm are rich and winsome. Their sharp contrast to his experiences at the local community college help paint an even more vivid picture of the backbreaking yet beautiful life with his parents. 

His relationship with Lindsey is as confusing and frustrating and scintillating as relationships truly are at the tender age of eighteen. And though their love isn’t the main storyline in this book, I’m hoping to see more of them together in the next book in the series. 

The end is rough, and I’m not being exaggerative. It’s a fast-paced whirlwind of dramatic  events that leave you breathless. Though there is one piece of the end I have sworn not to forgive (I will not spoiler it, just, *sob*), I eagerly await the continuation of Pete’s story in the next installment.

You can grab a copy in paperback or Kindle Ebook today!

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Join us all day December 3rd on Facebook as we chat with Stephanie, as she celebrates Shelf Life's launch day with giveaways, excerpts, special content, free downloads, & more! 






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About Stephanie





Always a misfit, Stephanie Lawton writes twisted romance that tugs the heart strings then punches you in the gut.

She has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles. She has a fascination with teacher-student relationships, bullies, psychics, doomsday preppers and larger-than-life characters.

Making readers squirm is her greatest pleasure. 

Proceed with caution.



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Giveaway