Tour! A Review & Excerpt of How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks

How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: November 9, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Bliss)

When Rochelle Ransom auditioned for the dating show Luring Love, she had big plans for winning the prize money to help her favorite charity–and if she won the hot bachelor's heart, even better. But at the last minute she finds out the hot bachelor is her ex-boyfriend, Grant Drake. Desperate to keep her distance from him, she'll do anything–and everything–to get voted off.

Years ago, Rochelle broke Grant’s heart, and he's out for revenge. There's no way he'll vote her off.

After all, vengeance is a dish best served red-hot...and on live television. 

When her hilarious antics to get kicked off the show escalate, Grant’s reminded why he fell in love with her the first time. Now he isn't sure which might be more fun... Seeing how far Rochelle is willing to go to get away or how far he will to keep her forever.

I was excited to read How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks because I enjoy reading The Syrena Legacy so, I was curious. How to Lose a Bachelor was funny and entertaining. Rochelle pulls some crazy stunts to try to get herself voted off the show. The girl's got guts that's for sure. Grant is pretty swoony. He pulls some stunts of his own. Between their stubbornness and immunity to embarrassment, I don't know how these two don't know they're a perfect match. This was a quick and engaging story that I read in about a day. So, as you can guess, I liked it quite a bit.


The ARC of How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks was kindly provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley for review. The opinions are my own.

“Aaaand rolling!” Chris said, retaking the director’s seat a few feet away.
Grant could practically feel the cameras focusing back on him. “I’ve decided to be America’s reporter for the day,” he said, having already memorized his lines. “So I have a few questions to ask that I think everyone will want to know—including me.” Their eyes locked. So did Rochelle’s jaw. Grant paused for effect. Then, “Why on earth would you choose to audition for a sleezy show like Luring Love?”
“CUT!” yelled Chris.
“I mean, have you really drained the dating pool already?” Grant continued, getting angrier with each word out of his mouth. These were, after all, valid questions. Never in a million years would Rochelle have chased after a man—so why the hell was she here? “What would your mother say? Coming on a show like this to paw at a man who’s already got nine other women doing the same thing?”
“I said cut!” Chris growled.
“Oh, are we going to talk about mothers, then?” Rochelle flung back her hair. “Instead of dating pools, let’s talk about gene pools—and the fact that you and your four siblings originated from separate ones!”
“Cut, cut, cut!” Chris had his hand on Grant’s shoulder, but Grant wouldn’t turn his eyes away from Rochelle. Her expression read Challenge Accepted.
Did she really just insult his mother’s…need for variety in life? He couldn’t let that low blow go unpunished. “Let’s do talk about gene pools and how we both know that cleavage of that particular magnitude doesn’t run in your family.”
Taken aback, Rochelle clutched at her shirt. Grant felt a win on the horizon, if hurling mother insults could, in fact, be considered winning at anything. “It’s a halter top, moron. It’s designed for cleavage. Besides, you didn’t seem to be complaining when I walked in!” she added.
His mouth fell slightly ajar. She noticed me noticing. Did the crew? Will America? “It doesn’t suit you,” he blurted.  A complete lie. It enhanced an already irresistible figure—so much so that he just might have been willing to change his general opinion on how much cleavage a woman should expose in public.  In fact, he suspected he’d change his view on world peace if Rochelle sat on his lap and asked him to.
“Really? Everything underneath suited the hell out of you before!”
“For God’s sake,” Chris said, standing in front of Grant to block his view of Rochelle. “Are we speaking the same language?”

Check out my reviews of other books from this author!

Anna Banks, NYT Bestselling YA author of The Syrena Legacy series: OF POSEIDON (2012) OF TRITON (2013) OF NEPTUNE (2014). Repped by rockstar Lucy Carson of the Friedrich Agency. I live with my husband and daughter in the Florida Panhandle. I have a southern accent compared to New Yorkers, and I enjoy food cooked with real fat. I can't walk in high heels, but I'm very good at holding still in them. If you put chocolate in front of me, you must not have wanted it in the first place.

That is all.

To learn more about Anna Banks and her books, visit her blog.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Tour!! A Review of Creatura by Nely Cab

Creatura (Creatura #1) by Nely Cab
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance/Greek Mythology)
Date Published: May 12, 2015
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

When seventeen year-old Isis Martin is having trouble sleeping due to perturbing dreams of a horrific growling beast, she decides to confront her fear. But what Isis discovers is something other than a menacing entity.

The human-like creature offers Isis assurance that he is not a figment of her imagination. Unwilling to accept his avowal, Isis sets his words to contest by asking the entity to prove himself—a dare, he readily welcomes.

It is in her dreams that Isis innocently stumbles upon the silent existence of the divine lineage of those that man has long forgotten.

In a quaint town, deep in south Texas, this story leads Isis onto the path of impermissible love and captivating life-changing truths. Isis Martin's journey is sure to leave any reader ravenous for more.

Creatura is the first book in the Creatura series by Nely Cab. Isis is a very innocent and at times naive character, but not naive in an annoying way. This characteristic very much fit her character and situation. Plus, she was fun. She handles herself well. I enjoyed the attraction between her and David. They were cute. The story has some mythology, action, suspense, and of course romance. This book gave me just a taste of what I think will be some pretty big things to come. Especially that ending! Holy cow!  I mean seriously. ..what the heck?  I have to read more!

Creatura by Nely Cab was kindly provided to me by Juniper Grove Book Solutions for review. The opinions are my own.

“It’s not working,” David said. “Why isn’t it working?”

“You don’t have much time. If the corrosion reaches her chest, she’s going to die,” Nyx said.

“I’m going to die?” I mumbled.

I always thought I would be afraid of dying. I carried that fear with me since I was twelve, after looking inside that coffin at my dad’s stiff, breathless body. But now that it was my turn, I was ready. This was the destiny that was written for me.

“I can’t do it, Mother. I have nothing to forgive her for,” David said.

If I was going to die, I needed to tell David something I hadn’t had the courage to tell him before.

I glanced at my arm. The decomposition was at my elbow and the tingling had crept up near my shoulder. I didn’t have time to waste.

“David,” I said, and he looked at me. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I needed you to know...to hear it.”

I could feel the tingling a few inches past my shoulder. Nyx pulled my shirt at the neckline exposing my collarbone and part of my shoulder.

“I love you,” I said. “I always have.”

“I’m so sorry I did this to you,” David whispered stroking my forehead.

I could no longer feel my arm, my shoulder and part of my chest. And then I felt it—a searing pain in the middle of my chest. I writhed in anguish, screaming at the top of my lungs. My whole body jerked, and then there was darkness. Everything was silent, including my heart.

A soft light surrounded me, cradling me in a tranquility I had never known existed. I struggled for a last breath, but it was too late. The end was here.

Nely Cab is a Writer of stuff, a Master Coffee Drinker, a Food Maker Eater, an Imaginary World Conqueror, and an Air Breather. She talks to herself—a lot—in her South Texas home while she plots stories about fantasy worlds and sips coffee from a pitcher. She’s known for cooking far too much food and has a tendency to overdo…well, everything. It is rumored that she is fabulous. Nely Cab is the best-selling author of the Creatura series.

To learn more about Nely Cab and her books, visit her website& blog.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Tour! A Review & Excerpt of The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley

The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley 
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: February 23, 2015
Publisher: TouchPoint Press

The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Emma Riley among them. 

Determined she didn’t need the help of a man, Emma was convinced that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake came into her life. 

After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he didn’t count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one woman he truly loves?

The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley was a love story with so many obstacles in their way. Emma and Jane were brought together by Hurricane Sandy. It was pretty much love at first sight, but their lives were in different places. Both, figuratively and realistically.  Her life was in New York. His life was in Georgia. She had a job she loved and didn't want to give it up, while he didn't want to tear his daughter away from her home in Georgia. Watching them overcome all their dilemmas seemed very realistic. It wasn't an easy journey for either of them. They'll have to make some major sacrifices for their love to work. Will they? 

The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley was kindly provided to me by Enchantress of Books Blog Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

Jake and his crew had now been in the suburbs of New York for a few days. His first thought upon entering this area was his surprise at the devastation. Sure, he had heard about the destruction on the news and had seen footage of the aftermath of Sandy, but it still hadn’t prepared him for the actual sight of Sandy’s rage. Telephone poles were down, trees were snapped in two, and houses were completed destroyed by the storm. Seeing all the destruction only strengthened Jake’s resolve that it had been the right thing to come. He felt proud to be able to help out and be a part of the solution to the horrible aftermath of this disaster.

As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits. The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.

“Come on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now there’s none left,” he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.
Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I didn’t sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.”

“Well, that makes two of us.”

They rode until they approached the utility pole that needed attention. Jake and Chris were among the first to arrive and got busy setting up for the job. Within minutes, the rest of the assigned crew trickled in. The workers were now familiar with the details and routine of this job, so for the most part they worked in silence, focused on getting this last job done so that they could grab some dinner and hit the sheets. It was cold and dark, the night chill settling in upon them. Jake supervised and helped his crew perform their individual duties as quickly as possible. As they were just about wrapping things up, Jake headed over to Steve, one of the older guys directing traffic. He looked frail and tired.

“Hey, Steve. I got this. Why don’t you call it a night, huh? We’ll meet you at the hotel for some dinner.”

“Nah, Jake, we’re almost done here. I’m good,” Steve said as he looked up at Jake with glaring dark circles under his eyes.

“Steve, go. I’m serious. Get in a hot shower and we’ll meet up for dinner. Boss’ orders. Now go and take Andy with you,” Jake gestured toward another man on the crew who looked like he was ready for bed.
Shrugging his shoulders, Steve made his way to one of the smaller utility trucks, calling for his co-worker to join him. Jake took over the responsibility of directing traffic, slowing people down and stopping cars when necessary. Yawning, he waved a small SUV along, noticing that the approaching driver was slowing down, much more than necessary. Jake squinted his eyes to get a better look. The car came to a stop when Jake stepped up to it and its window rolled down. Looking back at Jake was a woman who appeared pretty, even in the diminished light. Wait, scratch that—she was stunning, with long, wavy hair and piercing eyes. His heart faltered just a bit.

“Hi. I wanted to thank you guys for all of the hard work that you’ve been doing. We really appreciate you guys coming up here. I think I speak for everyone,” she said as she smiled widely. Her smile hitched his breath ever so slightly. Jake smiled back. This was certainly a change. Since he had been in this area, some people waved, some people smiled, others remained with their eyes straight ahead, but nobody had yet offered any thanks verbally. So different from the Southern hospitality way of life where he grew up, Jake mused.

Here it was different, the pace of life was much faster. People always seemed to be in a rush, and they minded their own business for the most part. Sure, being so close to the big city must be nice and the landscape was quite beautiful at times, but he didn’t think this lifestyle was something he could ever get used to. It seemed too stressful, too impersonal. He would be glad to be back home when his job was finished.

The woman leaned over and offered Jake a box of donuts, disposable coffee cups, and a box of hot coffee. Jake was impressed.
“Thank you, that was very thoughtful!” Jake gushed, thrilled at the idea of hot coffee. He thought he felt warmth spread across his cheeks despite the chill in the air.
The woman stared back and smiled at Jake for a minute and then set her eyes on the road ahead. She waved as she pulled away.

“Wait!” Jake called out. “Wait, what was your name?” But the words were lost. The mysterious woman with the coffee and donuts was long gone.

“Guys!” he called out as his crew worked on cleaning up for the night.

“Guys! Our guardian angel just appeared, and she brought coffee!”

The coffee and donuts were gladly received, but the idea that someone would go out of their way to show a random act of kindness truly touched Jake. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat and knew that he would always remember the woman’s thoughtfulness. Who was he kidding? That woman’s beautiful face was what he would most remember. He just wished that he had gotten her name.

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters.  The family also consists of two boxers;

Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby.  Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy.  She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya currently has several releases: At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love. Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press recently released her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled If You Believe. Mya’s first Young Adult book is now available. Miranda’s Choice is a young adult fantasy novel published by Solstice Publishing.  Coming soon is The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child.   Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on.  She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters.   Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica.   Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.

To learn more about Mya O’Malley and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, Tsu, Tumblr, and Twitter.

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Release & Review! Savor by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Savor (The Empire Chronicles #4) by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Genre: New Adult (Paranormal Romance)

Expected Publication: April 30, 2015

Publisher: Self

Jared is Vera's perfect man—until he opens his mouth. An incredible body and set of wings can only go so far when everything he says seems designed to make her mad. Still, she can't deny her intense attraction or the fact that he is the closest thing she has to a friend.

Jared doesn't go for bear shifters, especially ones that are related to his ex, but he can't resist Vera's charm or the way she understands him better than anyone else. 

As suspicions build and loyalties are tested, Vera and Jared realize that they may not be able to trust anyone but each other.

Savor is the fourth book in the Empire Chronicles by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Jared's story!! Yay finally!! Like I said about the last book... Jared has met his match. Vera and Jared are so entertaining. The chemistry between them is palpable and they are so stinkin' funny. This book was full of action and the kind of romance you can feel as you read. Jared has been my favorite since the Crescent Chronicles because of his attitude and overall snarky personality. There's lots to be done for both of the characters within this story, and when you have Jared and Vera in one book, it's impossible to put it down. Ready for more good news? Their story isn't finished yet.

The ARC of Savor by Alyssa Rose Ivy was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

“I’m glad you don’t want me dead.” He smirked. Even his smirk was sexy.
“I’d be on my own if you were.” I put my hands behind my head.
“And you don’t like being alone?” He studied me in the darkness. Sometimes I wished neither of us had night vision. It left you so naked, never having an opportunity to hide.
“I do most of the time.”
“But not always?” His eyes raked over my body. The fact that he could make such a platonic conversation feel sexual gave me even more reason to resist him.
“Why does it matter?” Often the best way to avoid a question is to ask your own.
“It matters because I asked it.” And there went his mouth again.
My annoyance gave me back my will power. “Put a shirt on.”
“Why?” He grinned. “Am I distracting you?”
“No, but we should go. The sun will be up soon enough.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t go with you.” He sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed.
“No way.” I moved to standing. “You’re not backing out.”
“Why do you care?” He stood with his back to me. “You can do this alone.”
“Of course I can.”
He turned to me. “Then why does it matter if I go my own way?” He pulled on his t-shirt, and a little part of me missed the view.
“Because we agreed to help each other out. I stick to my promises.” That was one of my good traits. The not so good traits weren’t worth reflecting on.
“Maybe I don’t.”
“You do.” I put a hand on my hip. I didn’t have time for Jared’s games.
“How do you know?”
“I just do.”
“You’re infuriating.”
I groaned. “And what are you?”
“Charming.”
If I’d had liquid in my mouth I would have spit it out. “Not exactly the word I’d use to describe you.”
“Says the girl begging me to stay with her.”
“I never begged.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Would you beg?” His grin was his undoing.
“Is that how you like it, Jared? With your women begging?”
“I wasn’t talking about how I like my women.”
“Are you sure about that?” I grabbed my backpack and headed into the cabin’s small bathroom.
“Where are you going?”
I paused with my hand on the door. “To shower.”

Check out my reviews of the other books in this series!

If you haven't done so already, you need to read Alyssa Rose Ivy's books!! While you're at it take a peek at my reviews too!

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand. You can also read an interview with Alyssa Rose Ivy here.

To read more about this author, visit Alyssa Rose Ivy's Blog and Website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter.

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