Tour! A Review of Surrender of Trust by Mariel Grey

Surrender of Trust (Surrender #1) by Mariel Grey
Genre: Adult (Historical Romance)
Date Published: April 15, 2013
Publisher: Self

Lucy Goodwin knows more about horse breeding than a proper young lady should. Her brother’s thoroughbred business has given her purpose and independence, but when an accident leaves her solely in charge, despair and destruction threaten her every move. Trapped in an impossible position, Lucy must do the right thing and watch their dreams crumble, or save their livelihood at a cost too great to bear. 

Lord Philip Lyton, Marquess of Chalifour is a member of the prestigious Jockey Club, dedicated to eliminating cheating in horse racing. Trouble raises its ugly head when his business partner falls foul of an accident and he’s suddenly forced to deal with the man’s sister, who seems alarmingly out of her depth. Chalifour respects Lucy’s steely resolve, but knows that single-mindedness can be the most dangerous trait of all. 

She might be beautiful and beguiling, but Lucy Goodwin is keeping secrets and Chalifour is determined to find out what they are.

Surrender of Trust is the first book in the Surrender Series by Mariel Grey. Lucy is strong, loyal, and stubborn. So, she's doing what she has to to keep her family's name from being raked over the coals. Chalifour has goals to make and keep Thoroughbred racing an honest sport. Integrity is a big thing for him, and when things start to look a little fishy in a new partnership, he's determined to find the truth. Like Lucy, he too is pretty stubborn. There were a couple frustrating moments where things could have easily been fixed. I kept yelling at Lucy to just tell Chali what was going on already!! I enjoyed them quite a bit though, and their story was entertaining. Their interactions fluctuated between tense, steamy, and humorous. Plus, I loved their love of the horses!

Surrender of Trust by Mariel Grey was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

From the moment she could put pen to paper, Mariel Grey knew she wanted to be a writer. Like all good adventures however, it didn’t happen overnight; it was after several decades of working in litigation that the desire to create dramatic worlds and characters became too great to ignore. Her first foray into historical romance, Surrender of Trust, explored the grime and glamour of regency horse racing, following the determined but impoverished Lucy Goodwin and upright Lord Chalifour. Her second novel, A Gentleman’s Surrender,  released in January 2016,  introduced the innocent Lady Monique and tortured Mr. Stanton, both struggling to find love in a world filled with deceit.

Though entirely at home in the ballrooms and street alleys of London past, Mariel Grey is currently working on a contemporary story set in Florida, a landscape dear to the author’s heart. When she isn’t conjuring words on her computer screen, Grey can be found on the water fishing, snorkeling, and enjoying the incredible natural beauty of her home.

Mariel has a wonderful husband (the hero of her own romantic story) as well as a mischievous cat (who seems happy to play the role of villain). In addition to being a dutiful wife and animal wrangler, Mariel is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Ancient City Romance Authors chapter.

To learn more about Mariel Grey and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Release Week Blitz! A Book Review of Bad Boys After Dark: Mick by Melissa Foster

Bad Boys After Dark: Mick (Bad Boys After Dark #1) by Melissa Foster
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: June 22, 2016
Publisher: Everafter Romance

Indulge your inner vixen... 

Meet the Bad Boys... Four sinfully sexy, fiercely loyal, uber alpha brothers about to fall head over heels for their leading ladies. If dirty talk, cursing, or raw, passionate sex turns you off, the After Dark books are not for you, because everything's naughtier after dark.

In BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: MICK...

Amanda Jenner is done being a boring-man magnet and has finally taken control of her love life. As any smart paralegal would, she's researched the hell out of how to seduce a man. She's waxed, primped, and ready to put her newfound skills into action--and a masquerade bar crawl is the perfect venue for her solo coming-out party.

Entertainment attorney Mick Bad lives by two hard and fast rules. He never mixes business with pleasure, and he doesn't do relationships, which makes the anonymity of a masquerade bar crawl the perfect place for a onetime hookup.

Amanda thinks she's hit the jackpot when she bags a tall, dark, and sinfully delicious masked man--until she discovers the man she's made out with is her off-limits boss. Mick's already crossed a line he can never uncross, and one taste of sweet and sexy Amanda has only whet his appetite. When Mick offers to give Amanda a lesson in seduction--no strings, no regrets, and for goodness' sake, come Monday, no quitting--the tables turn, and Mick's totally unprepared for the lessons this sweet temptress provides. 

Bad Boys After Dark: Mick by Melissa Foster is the first book in the Bad Boys After Dark series. Each of the Bad Brothers will be getting their own book. I really enjoyed Mick's story. He's an Alpha with vulnerabilities. He doesn't want anything serious with anyone, but he's been hiding an attraction for Amanda since she first started working for him; however, he also keeps business and pleasure very separate. Amanda is a good girl for the most part who wants to bring out her inner bad girl, and it's pretty funny watching her try. Putting these two together was entertaining to say the least. They went through hot and cold moments and soft and hard moments with all kinds of chemistry seeping off the pages. This was the first book I've read by this author, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

The ARC of Bad Boys After Dark: Mick by Melissa Foster was kindly provided to me by Ink Slinger PR for review. The opinions are my own.

Check out my review of the next book in this series!

Here are more reviews of other books by this author!

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the  World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

To learn more about Melissa Foster and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Release Day Book Review! The Everlasting Circle by Juliana Haygert

The Everlasting Circle (Everlast #3) by Juliana Haygert
Genre: New Adult (Fantasy/Paranormal Romance)
Publication Date: June 27, 2016
Publisher: Self

The war is approaching and the time to find enough allies for an army is running out. As is Nadine’s life.

Though Micah would love to spend more time trying to find a solution for Nadine’s impeding death, she would rather focus on strategies to win the war. With a new hero, a new god, and new abilities, Nadine starts to believe they might actually have a chance to chase the darkness away from the world.

Until betrayal drags them back to step zero.

Lost and angry, Nadine almost gives up. Almost. Her time on this Earth might be ending, but she has too much to do before she’s ready to die. Against all odds, Nadine will keep fighting to win the war until her very last breath.

Genre: New Adult Fantasy. Warning: strong language, sex scene. This is the 3rd book in the Everlast trilogy. May contain spoilers of the previous books.

(click images to see full size)

The Everlasting Circle is the third and final book in the Everlast Trilogy by Juliana Haygert. I have enjoyed every bit of this trilogy. Nadine keeps growing more and more as a character as she comes into her powers and gains new ones. Micah is strongly misunderstood, but he wears it like no other. These two strong characters give you people to really root for while you read. I thought the story was wrapped up nicely, and enjoyed the conflicts and speed bumps along the way. I enjoy this author anyway, so it comes as no surprise that this book would be every bit as engulfing as any one of her other books

The ARC of The Everlasting Circle by Juliana Haygert was kindly provided to me by Xpresso Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

Check out my reviews of the books in this series!

Have you read these books by Juliana Haygert?

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

To learn more about Juliana Haygert and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Playing Catch Up! The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

Playing Catch Up has really been helping me through my ever growing TBR list. I'd like to welcome all other blogs to participate too! If you do, be sure to post your links in the comments section. I'd love to see your Playing Catch Up Reviews, and I'm sure others would too!! *wink*

Want to know more about Playing Catch Up? I'll tell you all about it here!

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1) by Amy Engel 
Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian Romance)
Date Published: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Teen

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. 

This year, it is my turn. 

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power. 

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

The Book of Ivy is the first book in The Book of Ivy series by Amy Engel. From the beginning, I didn't like Ivy's sister. She just seems like an evil little wench. Not impressed with her at all. Ivy is a character that really grabs you. She was raised to believe in their cause. Yet, her heart is trying to lead her in another direction. Watching the relationship grow between Ivy and Bishop was half the fun. It certainly wasn't love at first sight, and I wasn't expecting Bishop to be that much of a sweetheart. He seems like the perfect man..he really does, but is it all a show? The struggle is real for Ivy.

[Bishop] lets out a frustrated sigh. “You don’t…you don’t have to be any certain way with me, Ivy. I don’t expect anything. I want you to be yourself.” He leans back and scrubs at his face with one hand. He sounds tired. “I just want to know who you are.” “Okay,” I say, while my brain searches for all the hidden meanings behind his words, trying to figure out what it is he really wants. Because it seems impossible that he is coming into this relationship without an agenda of his own.

“What do you want to know?” Bishop leans forward again and stares at me. “Everything,” he says quietly, and my stomach clenches. “Anything.”

I know I have to tell him something, but I need to be careful. And even beyond the worries about all the secrets I hold, there is the nagging feeling that I’m not even sure who I am, apart from my family. For most of my life, I was the spare daughter, the one who would stay by my father’s side and work behind the scenes while Callie took center stage. And then, unexpectedly, two years ago, I became the focus. I’ve spent my whole life becoming the girl they need me to be, and I’ve shoved any parts that don’t fit so far down inside myself I don't think I can find them anymore. It is one more violation to have to reach down and offer myself up to this stranger.

I force my fingers to stop worrying the cushion thread. “Umm…I don’t know.” I take a deep breath. “I like strawberries. I wish I were a few inches shorter. I’m scared of snakes. I like to read. My mother died when I was a baby.” I say the words fast, as if the sheer speed at which I spit them out will render them less personal, although they are hardly deep, dark secrets. I wonder if he knows what his father did to my family? How he took away my mother—had her killed—to remind us who has the power. Just thinking about it makes heat rush into my cheeks, my heart thundering against my ribs. I should stop, but instead, I look up at him, hold his eyes. “I don’t like the things your father does.” Callie may be the fiercer one, but there is a recklessness in me that cannot be contained. “Is that what you wanted to know?”

The expression on Bishop’s face doesn’t change, his eyes still and calm. “It’s a start,” he says eventually.

Check out my review of the next book in this duology!

Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas; California; Missouri; Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two kids. Before devoting herself full-time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV. When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping. The Book of Ivy is her debut YA novel.

To learn more about Amy Engel and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.