#BlogTour A Week to be Wild by J.C. Harroway

#MillsandBoonmakeover #MillsandBoonDare #HarlequinDare #IamLovingthenewCovers

A Week to be Wild by J.C. Harroway is kicking off and introducing the new and improved face of Mills & Boon, which was launched by Gerald Mills and Charles Boon and started off as the romance imprint of Harlequin UK Ltd in 1908. That means Mills & Boon have been enthralling their readers for 110 years.

The publisher, a subsidiary of Harlequin Enterprises Ltd, operates as a division of Harper Collins. Mills & Boon has grown to become the UK’s undisputed market leader in romance fiction publishing, entrenched in the hearts and minds of its avid readership.

Now an imprint of Harper Collins, Mills & Boon is starting 2018 off with a mega boom and a brand revamp, which includes their new DARE series.

DARE ~ Sexy. Passionate. Bold. A brand new, searingly sexy romance series written by women for women, the Mills & Boon DARE series will feature strong, empowered women who take the lead – be it in the boardroom or the bedroom – and enjoy great sex on their terms.

About the Author

“Writing love because the world always needs more…” J.C. Harroway

Follow @jcharroway @MillsandBoon Visit @jcharroway.com

Visit millsandboon.co.uk

Buy A Week to be Wild

About the book

Harlequin DARE, a new romance series featuring strong, independent women and sizzling hot heroes. Harlequin DARE stories push the boundaries of sexual explicitness while keeping the focus on the developing romantic relationship.

A daring game of temptation

She’ll play his game—but only by her rules!

Alex Lancaster is an adrenaline junkie. He’s also a sexy British billionaire who should come with his own warning signs. When Libby insists she is done with men who live on the edge, Alex coaxes her out of her comfort zone—professionally and very, very personally. Libby’s taking a high-stakes gamble, but the pay-off could win her everything…

Review

You might want to have your hand fan or battery powered handheld fan at the ready for this one. It might just get your pulse racing and your temperature a’rising to a level that might necessitate a cool breeze.

Libby is a strong independent business woman, who has put her love life on hold for the last few years to concentrate on herself and her business. She is also recovering from a traumatic event that has made her cautious about close romantic relationships, but hey having a little fun when you’re hot under the collar isn’t forbidden. Which is exactly what goes through her head when she meets the wealthy and handsome Alex. Suddenly being all professional is the last thing on her mind and all she can think about is this man who has got all her synapses firing on full power.

In the midst of all the horizontal tangoing, the passionate encounters and provocative game-playing the two of them start to develop a real emotional connection. The kind of connection Libby is still shying away from. The only reason she hasn’t started to run yet is the fact Alex has managed, for the first time in a long time, to help her to experience the rush of life.

The new DARE series doesn’t just cater to the reader who believes in the excitement of love, butterflies in their stomach and the heat of a blush rising to their cheeks. They also cater to the ones wanting the thrill of the chase, the excitement of sexual attraction and the hotter than hot interactions between the characters.

Harroway brings exactly the right amount of romance, sexual tension and eroticism to bring pleasure to the readers. Yes, that pun was intentional. It gets really racy and is superbly tempestuous. It might even elicit a gasp or two while you read.

This is pocket-sized passion that fits in your handbag, so you can enjoy a titillating read whenever and wherever you want. Mills & Boon for the 21st century woman.

Buy A Week to be Wild at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read Her Dirty Little Secret by J.C. Harroway

The Santiago Sisters by Victoria Fox

The bond between sisters is supposed to be strong, so the bond between twin sisters should be unbreakable, right? The truth is that the sisterly bond can also cause the kind of powerful emotions that can make or break a relationship.

Calida and Tess are close and yet at the same time they are worlds apart. Tess is like a wild caged bird trying to break free from the restraints of her environment and her upbringing.

Calida is the exact opposite, she is happy in her environment barring the fact her mother acts as if she doesn’t exist, but at least her father thinks she can walk on water. She feels second best to the absolutely stunning Tess, whereas she is merely just pretty.

The supposed inequality between the two of them leads to a parting of ways and years of built-up resentment.

The sisters make their separate ways into the world of the rich and famous. One of them behind the scenes and the other in the spotlight. Jealousy, anger and spite drives the two of them, which keeps them from building lasting and meaningful relationships. Whether they know it or not they miss each other and their special bond.

Fox writes with the same panache, glitz and glam of Jackie Collins. She also likes to mix up family and Hollywood dramas with more than a pinch of sensual spice. Her characters are not exactly coy.

If you’re looking for a read that caters for readers that like their books heavy on the drama, with a hefty portion of the horizontal tango and interwoven with strong emotions, then this is the type of book I would recommend.

Buy The Santiago Sisters at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Subject 375 (The Project #1) by Nikki Owen

I thought this book was a breath of fresh air with an innovative premise.

It highlights an important issue in our society, how our misconceptions about autism and  other syndromes on the spectrum still define the way we treat people who fall into those categories.

It was a bold move on Owen’s part, to create a character with Asperger’s, and weave this quite complex and fast paced psychological thriller around it. I enjoyed and was intrigued by the choice. Authors tend to stay away from awkward or characters ‘deemed’ different by society.

It not only gives an insight into the mind of a person with Asperger’s and in doing so may help others understand the difficulties they deal with on a daily basis. In this case the prison setting exacerbates the Asperger’s, which in itself is quite an interesting read.

I think the most fascinating parts of the story are the ones dealing with both the limitations and advantages of Maria’s Asperger’s. The moments when the reader gets a really vivid insight into the mindset, the decision process, the fears and the very distinct processes she applies to her surroundings and people.

Maria finds herself accused, convicted of and imprisoned for murder. She is convinced of her innocence and confused by all the events that have brought her to this point. Initially she is confined to solitary, a grave mistake on their part, especially in combination with her syndrome.

A cat and mouse game ensues between Maria, her mind and whoever is sitting in the interview/therapy room with her. Suddenly everyone is part of her ‘imagined’ conspiracy theories. She starts to doubt her innocence, perhaps she really is a brutal killer. Maybe everyone is right and she is losing touch with reality. Or are her theories not just figments of her imagination.

An unusual friendship blossoms between Maria and an inmate. Unusual because her social filters and skills usually make such a connection difficult.

Maria’s biggest battle is with herself, there is no doubt about that. She can’t trust her instincts, her perceptions or any interactions she has with any person. Any one else would probably go completely insane, so I guess there must be something really special about Maria, right? I’ll leave you to find that out for yourself.

Buy Subject 375 (The Project #1) at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read The Killing Files (The Project #2)

Read the original Blog-Tour for Subject 375 formerly known as The Spider in the Corner of the Room.

The Summer We Danced by Fiona Harper

Pippa’s story is about perseverance in the face of diversity. Made to look a complete fool in front of the whole nation by her twerp of a rockstar husband, she has become lost in her embarrassment and grief.

The loss of her husband, reputation, home and her figure, all at the same time.That’s enough to make anyone a wee bit depressed.

In an attempt to get back into the swing of life Pippa heads back to her old dance school. and even older dance teacher.

Pippa finds herself battling with old body issues and insecurities. All of that is exacerbated by the fact her old flame Tom has also turned up.

It’s unfortunate that many younger generations will never know the charm, magic and experience of watching a black and white movie of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The beautiful dance routines of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and you truly haven’t seen anything until you’ve watched the two of them literally glide and hover across the floor.

You can feel the same kind of magic within the pages of this book. When Pippa and Tom dance cheek to cheek, everything and everyone around them disappears just for a minute or two.

The Summer We Danced is about moving on, putting the past behind you and discovering that when one door closes another one opens nearby. It’s romantic and fun with a bit of nostalgia thrown in for free.

Buy The Summer We Danced at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Today: Blog-Tour ‘Christmas Ever After’ by Sarah Morgan

Today it is my pleasure to welcome Sarah Morgan and her new book Christmas Ever After to the blog. It is only a few weeks until Christmas, and Morgan is spreading a little bit of joy, love and Xmas spirit with the third part of the Puffin Island trilogy, to get us in the mood.

Sarah Morgan writes warm contemporary romantic fiction with her trademark humour which has gained her fans across the globe. Described as ‘full of sparkle’ by Lovereading, she has been nominated three years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice; in 2012 and 2013.

Sarah lives near London with her husband and children, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying.

Visit Sarah online at www.sarahmorgan.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan and on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

Review:

This is the third part in the Puffin Island trilogy. First time in Forever introduces us to Emily and Ryan, Some Kind of Wonderful is about Zach and Brittany, and Christmas Ever After features Skylar and Alec.

Sarah Morgan is a literary wizard when it comes to creating romance. Reading one of her books is often like eating a deliciously frosted cupcake with sprinkles on top. She will make your heart sob, fuel your ire and then make you feel all fluffy and warm inside.

An excellent choice if you are looking for a sometimes complicated, but ultimately happy read. Not everyone wants to finish a last page and feel distraught. Some readers just want a chance to relax and feel like a unicorn has marched in with a years supply of cotton candy and marshmallows.

When you read a Morgan you need to make some room for the unicorn happy, the feeling that everything is right in the world at this moment in time, and the feeling of being content. You disappear inside the pages of a book, and for a few hours you are transported into another world.

In Christmas Ever After the two people from the Puffin Island group, who were voted most likely to never get along with each other, end up getting to know more about each other than they ever wanted to know.

Skylar and Alec come from completely different families. Skylar is used to doing whatever pleases her parents and being subjected to their disappointment when she doesn’t. In the midst of a family full of status seeking power-hungry individuals, Skylar is a creative free spirit with a mind of her own. She doesn’t quite fit. They see Christmas as business opportunity, as a great time to make business and social connections.

Alec comes from an open fun-loving family, who embrace each person as an individual and try to support their choices in life. Christmas is a time of loving and giving to them. They are warm-hearted, funny and they clearly love Alec very much.

When Skylar ends up in a spot of trouble she discovers another side to Alec, an unexpected soft and understanding side. She isn’t just completely thrown by this, Skylar also finds it oddly attractive. The two of them find themselves in a strange predicament of mutual irritation and attraction. This whirlwind of emotions comes to a head on the infamous Puffin Island.

If this your first Sarah Morgan then I also recommend her Snow Crystal series. Thank you to Harper Collins UK for my copy of Christmas Ever After.

Buy Christmas Ever After at Amazon.uk or Goodreads for any other retailer.

You can connect with Sarah online at her website: www.sarahmorgan.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan or on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

Read The Christmas Sisters, Moonlight over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #6), Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5), New York Actually (From Manhattan with Love #4), Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan With Love #3), Sunset in Central Park (From Manhattan with Love #2), Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #1), First Time in Forever, Maybe This Christmas, Sleighbells in the Snow, Suddenly Last Summer or The Notting Hill Diaries, all by Sarah Morgan.

Follow @SarahMorgan_, @HQStories and @HarperCollinsUK

The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine by Alex Brunkhorst

Sometimes I come upon certain authors and I just know they have an exceptional talent. Brunkhorst is one of those authors, she has a certain je ne sais quoi.

I was really surprised when I read the word internet about half a chapter in, I was certain the scene was set somewhere between 1920 and 1950. The golden age of movies and film stars. It has a specific feel to it. Very Gatsby meets Hollywood.

Thomas finds his destiny inexplicably linked to and determined by Lily. She becomes not only a source, but also the door into a completely new world for Thomas. The world of the rich, the famous and the powerful. The people who pull the strings in town.

It is never made quite clear in the book, whether Lily has a hidden agenda. Did she know what would happen? Was it her wish to see the golden bird freed from her gilded cage? Is Thomas merely the patsy or can Lily see something in him that is special enough to make her want to support him.

Thomas finds this new world fascinating, despite being on the boundary of it, and he craves more of it and time with his new acquaintances. This new world leads him to Matilda.

Matilda is an enigma, a young girl trapped in a time warp. She is kept hidden from the world like Rapunzel in a tower awaiting her prince. When he meets Matilda, Thomas forgets about his new connections and everything pales in comparison. No threat of failure, destruction or fall from grace can keep him away from the mysterious and innocent young woman. He is beguiled to the point of not being able to think straight.

What happens next is the inevitability of life, of reality and of fairy-tales stripped of their mysticism.

Brunkhorst is definitely an author to watch. I think it is safe to say this won’t be the last we hear from her. She is an exquisite writer with the very rare talent of surrounding a story with an aura of a specific era. So much so that it never really leaves you as a reader, this feeling of being inside a story within a story. Watching and listening to something unfold in one era whilst being convinced it is taking place in another.

Thank you to MIRA UK and Harlequin UK for my copy of The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine.

Buy on Amazon UK or Goodreads for any other retailer.

The Scandal Behind the Wedding by Bella Frances

Sometimes you just have to accept it when fate decides to place the woman or man of your dreams in your path. It may not be when you expect it or the person you might have expected, but when it does happen you should maybe just go with the flow.

When it comes to Georgia she just can’t cope with any kind of unexpected flow. She likes to know where she is going and have all situations under control, so she is like a wet kipper caught on dry land when she ends up at a dodgy escort party, which is supposed to be a singles extravaganza.

Unfortunately smooth businessman Danny finds himself in the same predicament. A quick exit is needed pronto. He can’t afford to be associated with any kind of scandal, but there just happens to be this intoxicating helpless looking female, who has captured his attention.

The two of them end up making a rash decision with enormous consequences. Their mutual attraction becomes muddied by paperwork and contracts. Their physical and emotional attachment is blurred by the confines of their business relationship. They both need to wake up and smell the roses. Act upon gut instinct instead adhering to rules and regulations.

Frances has written a snazzy little romance with plenty of power and emotion.

Monster by C.J. Skuse

I wasn’t expecting it to get so dark, probably because it starts out with a general Enid Blyton boarding school feel to it. The normal toxic relationships between teenage girls living in close vicinity to each other. Away from their parents and siblings, and shut off from the real world, as they go about their daily life in a cold and strict environment.

Skuse lulls the reader into a false sense of security. The focus is on the myth of the monster, the fear of the unknown and the slightly dysfunctional boarding school atmosphere.

Then from out of nowhere the pace, the plot and the genre changes in one foul swoop. I can’t tell you what, why, when or who, because it would spoil the surprise heading your way.

I think it is possible Skuse might return to this particular set of characters, because of the way she left the beast storyline. Something to explore in the future perhaps?

Overall it was a surprising read that will appeal to readers who like some innocence with their gore, a portion of mean with their candy floss sugary sweet and a wee bit of gnarly bloody beast with their murders.

Looking forward to see where this author takes us next with her twisted imagination.

Buy Monster at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read The Deviants by C.J. Skuse or Sweetpea.

Letting You Go by Anouska Knight

It’s quite emotional at times and gives quite a few tugs at the heartstrings. At the same time it has its amusing moments, but in general it is a whirlwind of emotional turmoil.

Alex is plagued by an intense sense of guilt, because of Dill. The relationship with her father has broken down completely, and has become both uncomfortable and unbearable. She stays away from home in an attempt to let the situation die down.

She has spent so many years running away from conflict, running away from her feelings and running away from the truth. Now she is forced to confront everything and everyone all at the same time. Her guilt, her shame, the love of her life and most importantly her father.

Knight has spun a tale, which is definitely indicative of how a wisp of smoke can become a raging fire. Gossip is the verbal wildfire of society. It can make, break and ruin a person or a family. What happens in this story is a perfect example of a gossip wildfire. Misconceptions, presumptions and conspiracy theories rattle the foundations of a perfectly good marriage and threaten to tear a family apart.

Knight has also mixed an incredibly important topic of our time in the midst of the family drama and budding romance. The fear of coming out, the fear of acceptance and the intimidating reaction of young peers when it comes to being something other than the norm. It is done in a subtle and even funny way at times, despite that Knight never downplays the seriousness of the situation or how vindictive people can be.

This is a tear-jerker in places, but it is also a fun read.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and MIRA UK.

It’s got to be Perfect by Haley Hill

What do you if you have totally failed at dating and are still looking for Mr Right? Start your own exclusive dating agency of course. That is exactly what Ellie Rigby decides to do. Help all those other good-looking singles out there to find their perfect match.

Sounds simple enough, eh? Well it does until Ellie realises just how many of her potential clients are just ever so slightly eccentric and high maintenance. I’m not sure I would be able to find a partner for a macho playboy gynaecologist with a porn-star name either.

Of course the problem with sifting through all those handsome men is that inevitably there will be one of them, who just happens to caught your eye. Not even matchmakers are immune to the charms of Cupid.

It’s got to be Perfect is a comedy of errors with a bevy of pretty people with one thing in common, the search for Mr or Mrs Perfect.

Hill doesn’t mince her words when it comes to the dialogues, They are refreshing, witty and occasionally slightly on the graphic side.

She has her main character concentrate her efforts on the top ten percent, as opposed to the more normal looking single. Beauty attracts mates and not plain Janes, is the message, which leaves a slightly negative tinge to the otherwise light-hearted story.

Buy It’s Got to be Perfect at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read Love Is… by Haley Hill. (The next chapter of Ellie Rigby’s life)