Thursday, May 23, 2013

Book Tour for Escaping West by Morgan K. Wyatt (Review & GIVEAWAY)


Morgan K. Wyatt returns today with yet another of her fun westerns. Escaping West involves mail-order brides, a girl masquerading as a boy, and never settling for less than love.  Keep reading to discover more about this book, my impressions of it, and make sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a lovely pearl necklace.......

Kitty Hamilton is unsure how her life got so out of control. The unexpected deaths of her parents earned her a berth at her embittered aunt's home. Her latest beau abandoned her, which made the prospect of leaving town appealing. Her version of leaving didn't include fleeing town dressed like a man, but circumstances dictate otherwise. Kitty becomes Kit to throw the law off her trail. As the pretend brother to her best friend Harriet, she accompanies her friend out west to her contracted bridegroom. They encounter Nick Kennedy, flamboyant gambler, who takes an interest in the odd couple. Kitty enjoys the freedom her disguise allows, but she abandons any hope of attracting the handsome Nick Kennedy. Revealing her gender, might snag her a chance at the elusive gambler, but could also land her in prison. She keeps telling herself he isn't worth it, but she's not entirely convinced.

EXCERPT:

Set-up: Nick is trying to boost Kitty out of the ravine, they’re trapped in.......

"Okay, are you ready?" Nick's voice rumbled against her ear.
"I guess. What do I need to do?" Kitty hoped she sounded braver than foolish, scared and half-frozen, except for the part of her touching Nick. He moved closer to the rock face.”
"I’m going to push you up the rock face. Grab on the ledge and I will boost you over. Can you do that?"
"I guess I'll have to if I don't want to freeze to death," Kitty agreed grudgingly, willing herself to do so.
"Good girl," Nick replied a hint of laughter in his voice.
He dropped a brief kiss on Kitty's hair before disengaging her arms from around his neck.
"Feel the wall," he ordered as he put his hands around her waist and lifted her up with a small grunt. Her face flushed as she realized Nick was struggling to lift her. It wasn't as if she was heavy, but she wasn't exactly petite either.
"Grab the lip."
The growled order had Kitty's hands skittering across the rock wall until she finally felt the edge. She put both hands on it and pulled herself up a little. "Got it," she huffed.
"Uhm," Nick managed while putting one hand on Kitty's posterior.
"Hey, watch where you are putting your hand!" Kitty squealed when his large hand covering her butt cheek.
"Honey, it's necessary to get you up," Nick huffed as pushed upward with both hands.
The sudden boost had Kitty up over the lip of the hole. She grabbed for the trailing reins of Duke's bridle. Another shove from below pushed her all the way up.
"Don't remember you kicking up such a fuss last time I touched you," Nick grumbled more to himself than Kitty.
"I can hear you," Kitty hissed back. Pulling herself upright by holding onto the stirrup and moving her hands up the side of the sturdy horse she was able to stand with a minimum of pain.
"Don't forget I'm down here."
Kitty winced as she set her foot gingerly on the ground. "Keep your pants on. I'm getting the rope."
"It's tied onto the pommel," Nick instructed.
"I know. It was practically under my leg the whole ride here," Kitty grumbled wondering why Nick had to ruin a perfectly good moment by being such a know-it-all.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Through her crazed and vicious Aunt's machinations Katherine realizes that she'll never have the chance to marry.  With her best friend Harriet heading out West to get married as a mail-order bride Katherine decides to go with her but fear of discovery has her masquerading as Harriet's faux brother Kit.  Their journey is full of excitement, the kind they always dreamed about, and together they're reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel as their escapades usually ended in humor.  They're great friends and their scenes together brought a smile to my face.  Harriet was the wiser of the two while Kit is like a flower just starting to bloom as she starts discovering more about the world around her.  

Part of that world involves Nick Kennedy, small town farmer's son who's become a talented gambler, but is getting tired of this dangerous career and wants to settle down with some sweet-natured girl.  What he finds instead is Kit, who fascinates him from the moment he realizes that Kit is a woman.  He's willing to wait to hear the truth from her and until then enjoys goading her until she blushes.  Nick is a caring man who left home when the woman he loved cheated on him with another. It's soured him to the concept of love and home, but Kit has him reconsidering as their playful bantering brings him happiness he's never known before and has him thinking long-term thoughts when in her presence.  To reach their HEA he has to keep her safe from the law and himself from vindictive poker players in scenes that seem to come out of nowhere to constantly put them in jeopardy bu bring them closer together.

Ms. Wyatt has presented mining town living in a believable way with its sense of bleakness and hopelessness except for those few colorful characters surrounding the main protagonists.  The workings girls of the saloon where Kit ends up at are a sweet yet rowdy bunch full of wisdom who slyly push Kit and Nick together.  They're a loyal lot and added some delightfully humorous moments to the story.  The banter between Nick and Kit was electric and was their main form of foreplay as it's not until the very end that they finally consummate their feelings in a scene more full of words than actions.  Kit was forever trying to get a grasp of life but seemed so naive.  Thankfully the life-hardened Nick was always watching over her like a guardian angel, almost like an older brother to a younger sister, so having non-graphic sexual interludes felt right.  The issues between Kit and her Aunt came out of the blue at the start but were quickly concluded in a sentence that was part of a rapidly concluded, yet sweetly satisfying story.  Many storylines were wrapped up in the blink of an eye even though I would've loved to have these side stories stand on their own.  Overall this was a sweet story with immensely likable characters and I look forward to another of Ms. Wyatt's entertaining stories in the future.

My rating for this is a B.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Morgan K Wyatt, raised on a steady diet of superheroes, believed she could fly at a very young age. After using trees, barn lofts, sliding boards, and even a second story window as launch pads, she found her flying skills were limited to fast and downward. By the age of nine, her dreams to be a superhero needed some modifications, which caused her to turn to writing and horseback riding as alternatives to flying.
At the age of twenty, she had another chance at superhero greatness as being one of the few female soldiers trained for combat. The fact that women will be able to serve in combat soon indicates that all the witnesses to the grenade incident have retired. The grenade incident didn’t prevent her two sons or daughter-in-law from enlisting in the service. Having different last names probably helped.
Morgan recently retired from teaching special needs students to write fulltime, instead of in the wee hours of the night. With the help of her helpful husband and loyal hound, she creates characters who often grab plot lines and run with them. As for flying, she prefers the airlines now.

www.morgankwyatt.com
www.twitter.com/morgankwyatt
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-K-Wyatt/160636730670958?ref=hl
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5826299.Morgan_K_Wyatt

**********GIVEAWAY**********


Morgan will be awarding the winner's choice of ivory, peach, or white, cultured freshwater pearl necklace to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

-To be entered, leave a comment, along with your email addy.
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 5/24.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy edited by Michael Knost (GIVEAWAY)


As a big fan of the sci-fi genre I'm honored to bring to you today an exciting book featuring some of the best sci-fi and fantasy writers.  Just looking at the author list should give you chills (among them is Neil Gaiman who wrote one of the most exciting Doctor Who episodes).  So keep reading to learn more about this book and make sure to fill out the form below to win a slew of prizes!

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction and Fantasy is a collection of essays and interviews by and with many of the movers-and-shakers in the industry. Each contributor covers the specific element of craft he or she excels in. Expect to find varying perspectives and viewpoints, which is why you many find differing opinions on any particular subject.
This is, after all, a collection of advice from professional storytellers. And no two writers have made it to the stage via the same journey-each has made his or her own path to success. And that's one of the strengths of this book. The reader is afforded the luxury of discovering various approaches and then is allowed to choose what works best for him or her.

Featuring essays and interviews with:

Neil Gaiman  |  Orson Scott Card  |  Ursula K. Le Guin  |  Alan Dean Foster  |  James Gunn  |  Tim Powers  |  Harry Turtledove  |  Larry Niven  |  Joe Haldeman  |  Kevin J. Anderson  |  Elizabeth Bear  |  Jay Lake  |  Nancy Kress  |  George Zebrowski  |  Pamela Sargent  |  Mike Resnick  |  Ellen Datlow  |  James Patrick Kelly  |  Jo Fletcher  |  Stanley Schmidt  |  Gordon Van Gelder  |  Lou Anders  |  Peter Crowther  |  Ann VanderMeer  |  John Joseph Adams  |  Nick Mamatas  |  Lucy A. Snyder  |  Alethea Kontis  |  Nisi Shawl  |  Jude-Marie Green  |  Nayad A. Monroe  |  G. Cameron Fuller  |  Jackie Gamber  |  Amanda DeBord  |  Max Miller  |  Jason Sizemore

*This edition also includes several full page illustrations from award-winning artists Matthew Perry and Bonnie Wasson.

BUY AT:  Amazon Kindle | Amazon Print | BN | GoodReads


ABOUT THE EDITOR:


Michael Knost is an award-winning author, editor, and columnist in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Supernatural Thriller genres.
He has written several books and dozens of short stories, edited anumber of anthologies, including the Legends of the Mountain Stateseries, and he currently writes a column for Shroud Magazine.
He recently won the Bram Stoker Award in the United Kingdom for his book Writers Workshop of Horror, a collection of articles and interviews on the craft of writing.

He is currently working on a Mothman novel due to hit bookshelves later this year.
Michael has worked in the radio, television, and newspaper industries, and currently lives in Chapmanville, West Virginia with his beautiful wife and daughter.



ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher located in Lexington, KY. SSP specializes in speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror).  The company was established in October of 2008.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Blog | Seventh Star Soundoff

**********GIVEAWAY**********

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Book Tour for In Flames by Jessica Jayne (Review & GIVEAWAY)


Today's featured book, In Flames by Jessica Jayne, gives readers gut-wrenching emotions alongside steamy sexual encounters.  Keep reading to learn more about the main character Matt and be sure to fill out the form below for your chance to win lots of great prizes!

A great big thanks goes out to Jody (aka The Scarf Princess) for hosting me once again!  She graciously agreed to let me visit her Words of Wisdom blog on my latest tour for my new book from Evernight Publishing, In Flames.  And I am so excited to be here!
In Flames is a contemporary erotic romance involving a sexy firefighter, Matt Riley, who is falling for his brother’s widow, Gracelyn.   Matt was a wonderfully fun character to write because I love guys with emotion and angst, and well, Matt’s story is filled with both.  I thought this guest blog would be a good opportunity to let everyone get to know Matt Riley and what makes him tick.  Here’s my interview with him:

JJ:Hey, Matt!  Great to see you again.  Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed today and allowing me to pick your brain.
Matt:Thank you, Jessica.  It’s a pleasure to be here and always a pleasure to chat with you.  No one knows my brain better than you.  (He winks.)
JJ:Haha!  Cute. Most of the people reading this interview know nothing about you. Before we getinto some of the meaty stuff, how about you tell us a little bit about yourself.
Matt:Um…okay.  My name is Matt Riley.  I was born and raised in Mason Ridge, Ohio.  That’s about an hour south of Cleveland. I grew up with my parents, an older brother, Chad, and a younger sister, Sarah. I’ve worked as a firefighter for Mason Ridge for the past eleven years.  I have an eleven year old son, Brian.  I’ve been divorced.
JJ:Are you married?
Matt:Jumping right in, are you, Jess?  Yes, I’m married to the most amazing woman on the planet.  (Matt smiles.)
JJ:I’m sure Gracelyn would be happy to hear you say that.  What made you want to become a firefighter?
Matt:It’s a great way to get all the ladies!  (Matt laughs.)
JJ: Haha!  True.  Firefighters are one of the top fantasies!  But seriously…
Matt:Okay… seriously.  (Matt smiles.)  My grandfather was a firefighter.  My father was a firefighter.  My older brother was a firefighter.  It was my destiny, I guess.  I’ve never really wanted to be anything else.  
JJ:Does the adrenaline rush have anything to do with it?
Matt:Sure.  I’m a thrill-seeker.  Always have been.  Skydiving.  Adventure races. Roller coasters. Showing up at a scene and seeing a raging fire and smoke billowing from a building is exhilarating.  You never really know what situation you might face, but you know that you are there to protect people and their property.
JJ:So, you enjoy the role of hero?
Matt:I think I enjoy the role of protector.  I don’t like to be called a hero.  I’m just doing my job.  And I love doing it.  
JJ:Awesome answer, Matt.  So, what was it like growing up the middle child in your family?
Matt:It had its advantages and disadvantages.  Chad was the oldest.  Mom and Pops thought he wasresponsible and reliable.  And to some extent he was.  Even when he tried to get away with stuff, my parents were on top of him.  They had high expectations for him, which made some things easier for me. When they were focused on Chad, I could run wild.  (Matt chuckles.)  So Mom and Pops were worn out a bit by the time I got a little older, but I wasn’t as lucky as Sarah.  She’s the baby.  She was spoiled… rotten.  She’ll deny it, but she was.  She had no curfew.  Few rules.  She was a little brat, but I love her beyond words.
JJ: That’s so sweet!  Sarah’s been there for you, especially these last few years with your divorce and Chad’s death.
Matt:If it weren’t for Sarah and Gracelyn, I’m not sure where’d I’d be.  They’ve been my rocks.
JJ:Chad’s death wasn’t easy for you.  How are you dealing with it now?
Matt:Witnessing the roof of that building collapsing knowing my big brother was still inside seriously messed with my head.  It took several firefighters on the scene to keep me from going in after him.  And if they hadn’t held me back, I have no doubt I would have entered that building to get him.  (Matt pauses.) My brother and I had our differences of opinion and such, but I loved him.  (Matt rubs his eyelids with his thumb and forefinger then looks back at me.)  I spent a good deal of my life looking up to him.  We were competitive with one another, but over the years we also became good friends.  I miss the hell out of him.
JJ:And it’s those feelings that made your relationship with Gracelyn so tough to deal with?
Matt:  Yes.  (Matt takes a deep breath.)  Gracey and I have always been friends.  We hit it off immediately when Chad started bringing her around.  When Chad died, I felt responsible… like there was something I could’ve done.  She had just asked Chad for a separation shortly before the accident because she caught him cheating.  We both were suffering from some guilt.  Gracey and I leaned on each other.  I recognized that my feelings for her were changing… becoming more serious.  But I wasn’t going to act on them.  She was still my brother’s wife… or at least, that’s how I looked at it.  
JJ:So, what changed?
Matt:That woman is relentless.  (He laughs.)  I fell in love with her.  It was impossible not to.  I tried to fight it, but it didn’t matter.  I wanted to make her happy, and I wanted to be happy with her.
JJ:You’re going to make me cry.  That’s beautiful.  When have you been most satisfied in your life?
Matt:  Hmmm… you’re really making me dig deep, Jess.  (He smiles)  Honestly, I’m most satisfied right now.  My first marriage to Brian’s mom was a disaster.  We had both been young when we got married and hadn’t really lived yet.  And I think if she hadn’t gotten pregnant with Brian, we probably wouldn’t have lasted as long as we did.  Don’t get me wrong… we had good times and Brian is my heart.  But my relationship with Gracey is incredible.  There’s trust.  There’s peace.  There’s respect.  And I think those things only come with experience and maturity.  Plus, there’s amazing sex!  (He winks)  And we all know that only comes practice!
JJ:And practice makes perfect!  (I wink back at him).  
Matt:I always knew you’d get me!
JJ:Of course, I do!  Last question before I let you go.  If we are sitting here a year from now celebrating a great year for you, what did you achieve?
Matt:No questions… hands down… Gracelyn pregnant.  I want to have a baby with her.  We have Brian and her two, Jenna and Josh.  And I love our family.  We have so much love.  It would be wonderful to have another little one to share that love with.
JJ:Does Gracelyn know about this?
Matt:(He chuckles)  Of course.  And I think she’s actually on board.  I’ll let you know as soon as it happens.  
JJ:That’d be great, Matt!  Thanks so much for spending some time with me.  We spent a lot of time together over the course of In Flames and it was always a pleasure.  Still is.
Matt:Thank you, Jess.  Anytime.

Gracelyn Riley married a firefighter. She knew that came with risks.  But she never imagined herself widowed in her early thirties with two children to care for on her own.
As a fireman, Matt Riley was at the scene when his brother, Chad, was killed.  He suffered greatly from survivor’s guilt and depression after the accident.
The last year has been difficult for both Gracelyn and Matt.  They’ve relied on each other to get through the tough times.  With the anniversary of Chad’s death upon them, Gracelyn and Matt once again turn to each other for comfort and support.  They find it in each other’s arms (and bed).  Will their desire for each other consume them?  Can they overcome the guilt and scrutiny to find love again…together?

EXCERPT:

"He wasn’t the perfect husband,” Gracelyn said.  “I learned about the women.  I was so angry with him.  So angry.  He risked our marriage and our family for a few hot fucks.  One of the hardest things I ever did was tell him to leave our home… that I needed to separate from him so I could sort it out on my own.  And then, a week later he is gone… for good.  I felt so guilty. I loved him.  I really did.  And he was a great father.  I miss him.”  Tears started to flow down her face.
“I miss him too,” Matt said.  He gave her hand a squeeze.  “Gracey, I know you loved him.  He knew you loved him.  I know he made mistakes in your relationship, but he did love you… a lot… even if he didn’t always show it properly.  And he was going to work his ass off to save your marriage.”  Matt wiped her tears away with the back of his hand.
“This is just so hard, Matty.  Raising Jenna and Josh on my own.  It’s a big responsibility when both parents are around, but on my own… I feel like I am screwing everything up,” she cried.  “Shit around the house that he would normally take care of sometimes falls by the way side because I forget about it… like the trash.  And then I see it sitting there and get mad that he isn’t here to take the trash out or mow the lawn or help the kids with their math homework.  He was always better with math than I was.  Not to mention, I feel so damn alone.”  She looked up at him.  Her blue eyes sparkled through her tears.
“You know you can always count on me,” Matt said.  He put his arms around her and cradled her.  “I’ll help with Jenna and Josh as much as I can.  And you know Mom and Pop will always be here to help too.  And when I don’t have Brian on the weekend, I can be here to do whatever you need…like I have been.”
“I can’t ask you to do more than you already do,” she said.  “You already do so much… too much.  You attend the kids’ events and games.  You help take care of the yard… fix the little things around the house… make sure my car is always up and running.  You need to have a life.  You can’t spend your free time taking care of your brother’s widow all the time."
“Gracey, you are more than just Chad’s widow.  You’re family.  And you have always been a friend.  You’ve been a tremendous support for me.  I wouldn’t have made it through this last year without you.  I will do whatever I can to help you.  You know that.  We’ve helped each other through this last year and I’m not abandoning you now.  I’ll always be here for you.”
“I just don’t want to be alone anymore,” she cried into his shoulder.  Her hands gripped his t-shirt desperately.  Matt held her tight.  Tears welled in his own eyes.  The past year had been difficult for everyone, especially Gracelyn.  But she’d always stayed strong…whether for the kids, for everyone else or for herself.
They had shared tears together over the last year, but he had only witnessed her completely break down twice.  First, when she found out about the accident.  Matt wouldn’t let anyone else break the news to her.  He had been at the scene when the accident happened.  Several firefighters had to restrain him to keep him from rushing back into the collapsing building to get to his brother.  The fire chief wanted to tell Gracelyn about Chad’s death, but Matt refused that as an option.  He and Gracelyn were close and he did not want her to find out from anyone other than him, so he rode with the chief to her house.  She knew the minute she opened the front door and saw him standing in his turnout pants, t-shirt and suspenders with his face all smudged black from the smoke and his own tears.  She collapsed in his arms when he confirmed it.  And then when they buried Chad, Gracelyn broke down for the last time… at least in front of anyone else.  Maybe she sobbed every night in the shower or lying in bed by herself.  But he had not seen it.  The sight of her in his arms now… it just broke his heart.
Gracelyn lifted her head and looked at him through her tears.  Matt gently touched her face with the back of his hand, in an attempt to wipe away her tears and soothe her.  Leaning into him, she pressed her lips to his.  At first, Matt didn’t comprehend what was happening.  Her lips were soft against his, yet she kissed him so confidently.  Her fresh strawberry scent enveloped him… so sweet… so intoxicating.  She smelled like summer despite it being the end of September.
Matt’s mind told him to stop the kiss.  Stop it before it went any farther.  But her tongue slid against the seam of his lips and his head jumbled with a mix of thoughtsnone of which were coherent.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

In Flames by Jessica Jayne not only puts its characters through the wringer, but its readers too, as this angst-ridden story presents two people brought together in mutual grief and the fallout of their love that is frowned upon by some.  Along with intense emotional issues comes lots of steamy sexual encounters, almost too many at times, that left me fanning myself as each page was turned.  With lots of roadblocks along the way, it was both a relief and an applaud-worthy ending that readers are ultimately rewarded with.

It's the one year anniversary of her husband's death and Gracelyn is ready to move on and return to the land of the living.  And move on she does with her super sexy brother-in-law whose life has been full of grief too.  It's two damaged souls that come together in a moment of passion that leaves them both conflicted but totally obsessed with each other.  For one moment Gracelyn thinks their being together is a bad idea, but after realizing how freeing being with Matt is and how desirable he makes her feel she's ready to fight to keep them together. Upon his death Gracelyn and her husband were separated due to his numerous infidelities, which the author reminds us of VERY often, so she hasn't felt like a woman in a long time.  Her newfound feelings are incredibly empowering and it's an increasingly stronger and outspoken Gracelyn that emerges once she and Matt connect.  It takes a lot of tears and an argument or two before they're both willing to fight for their happiness and I could've cheered when that moment arrived.

Matt saw his brother die and could do nothing to stop it.  For a long time he wished it had been him who died as his brother was always the family's Golden Boy while Matt was the screw-up.  His own marriage had just ended and the combined events led him to drinking and numerous one night stands.  Lots of therapy, and spending time helping and talking to Gracelyn, got him through the pain and it's a more mature Matt that has evolved.  Being with Gracelyn and her kids has made him into someone you can rely on.  It's also made him realize how much he cares for and admires her, along with finding her incredibly attractive.  He's been fighting his feelings for a long time, but that fateful anniversary night has him demonstrating his feelings very clearly.  Guilt again rears its ugly head as Matt worries how others will perceive their relationship and the possible hurts it might cause his family and the kids involved.  Through a huge chunk of the story he lets his fears win as he pushes her away.  Jealousy forces him to act and damn the consequences as the remainder of the story deals with the fallout in a realistic way.

There's an intriguing mix of secondary characters that are greatly affected by this new relationship.  Matt's mother is still grief-stricken and is the biggest opponent as she still can't fully accept her son's death and Gracelyn being anything other than Chad's wife.  She sees this act as the ultimate betrayal based on blatant religious beliefs. Matt's ex is a shrew and her purpose in the story appears to be making him miserable as she's still obsessed with him.  She lives up to all the stereotypes of an ex by verbally lashing out and I found her thoroughly annoying.  While Gracelyn's kids easily accept their being together, it's Matt's son that's grief-stricken in a scene that's very believable and brings a tear to your eye.

Through it all Ms. Jayne has created a story that realistically deals with grief and the process of moving on.  The relationship between Matt and Gracelyn has evolved believably over time and isn't something they enter into lightly.  The author nicely balances intense emotions alongside numerous steamy sexual interludes in a heartwrenching story full of roadblocks that ultimately culminates in a satisfying conclusion.

My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

BUY AT:  Evernight     Amazon      ARe     Bookstrand

AUTHOR INFO:

am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!
In the journey of life, I also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure. But the love of writing has never died.
My favorites:  I love to read and write... obviously! But I also enjoy all sports, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes!  Go Steelers!  Go Rays! I LOVE to travel... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. I love to drink Teavana teas! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a member of that! I love hanging out with my family and my friends!  Big fan of music, but love nothing better than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw belt it out!  I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat!
Favorite quote:  “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”
Twitter:  @JessicaJayne13

**********GIVEAWAY********** 

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Teaser Tuesdays #97


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.



IN FLAMES by Jessica Jayne

....from page 67 of 110.

-“Fuck, Gracelyn,” he whispered. His forehead rested against hers. “I’ve put out every kind of fire in my job, but I cannot put out this fire that is burning inside of me for you. What am I going to do with you?”

Monday, May 20, 2013

Book Tour for Without Aiden by Dianne Hartsock (Review & GIVEAWAY)


To get the week off strong I present to you today Dianne Hartsock with her newest release, Without Aiden, a heartwrenching m/m read.  Keep reading to learn more about this book, along with my impressions of the story, and make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win a GC.

Once upon a time last summer I was sobbing my heart out to one of those old classic romance movies, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, 1945. (If you haven't seen it yet, you really should! It's a treat). But I did wonder what it was about the story that made me cry so hard. And why did I cheer at the happy ending and feel so good?
I think it must be because the story touched something inside me, remembered pain and loneliness. And the happy ending is the message of hope we all need in our lives. There might be tough times, but it's the hope for something better that keeps us going. I think the writers of that old story did an excellent job carrying this theme throughout the whole two hours.
I wondered if I couldn't do this in my own writing. I could have something terrible happen to my hero; nothing easily fixed, yet still leaves him with that bit of hope to get him, and my readers, through to the end.
WITHOUT AIDEN opens up with Tris taking a handmade gift to his ex-darling, hoping for a smile in return, if nothing else, from the man he still loves and needs. It slowly unfolds in the story that Tris's parents have died and his sister left paralyzed from a car accident Tris is blamed for. He'd been drinking and that's something Aiden can't forgive him for.
Was Tris drunk and yet driving the car that kills his parents? That's the question I leave unanswered until the end of the story. How can a person live with that guilt? Or even with the guilt, unearned, that they may place on themselves? Then on top of that, to have everyone you care about and the lover who should stand by you, turn their backs?
At this point, you may be asking where's the hope in this story? It's in hints that Aiden may be coming closer to forgiving Tris. It's in the fact that several people in town are willing to stand up for him despite public opinion.
But where's the romance! His lover doesn't love him anymore. Or does he? That's where I keep the romance of the story alive. Tris and Aiden are still friends. They see each other around town all the time. True, a lot of the loving has to take place in flashbacks from Tris of their time together. There are also moments of tenderness between them, where we see that Aiden still cares even if he may not want to.
I don't want to give away the ending, but when there is so much emotion invested in a story by the reader, I believe there has to be a satisfying ending. Not necessarily a happily ever after, but some closure that makes all their time and tears worthwhile. We see Tris approach Aiden in careful steps, hoping to regain his love. We see Aiden warming up to him, though cautiously. Again, I'm giving Tris and the reader hope for an ending that leaves them with a sigh of happiness. In WITHOUT AIDEN, I think I succeeded.

Is a gift of love enough to open Aiden’s heart and let Tris back in?
After the car accident that killed his parents and left his sister paralyzed, Tris is left with nothing. His family is destroyed. His reputation is shot. And all he has is the guilt of knowing it was all his fault. People in town know he’d been drinking that night, and know he should never have gotten behind the wheel. And even Aiden, the man he thought he’d be with forever, blames him too much to stay.
But Tris can’t let him just disappear. After months of loneliness and isolation, Tris brings Aiden a gift on his birthday, a hawk he’s carved from a chunk of wood they’d found in the forest during an afternoon of love. A small chink seems to open in Aiden’s heart, the first sign of forgiveness. With renewed hope, Tris takes a job renovating one of the older homes in town and tries to rebuild his life. But the townspeople have long memories, and when his sister’s condition worsens, forgiveness—and Aiden—seem to slip even further out of reach…

EXCERPT:

The car slowed and came to a stop. Tris looked out the front windshield at the aging building with the garish neon signs in the windows. Murphey’s Diner? Day just kept getting better.
“Do you mind? I have class in forty-five minutes and Murphey serves the quickest breakfast.”
“It’s fine.” Tris pushed open his door and climbed out into the crowded parking lot. “Think we’ll get a table?” he asked over the roof of the Fiat.
“There’s usually room at the counter.”
Tris shrugged and followed Aiden into the bustling restaurant. He probably imagined the silence when they walked through the door, but then again everyone had known his parents. Three months were a blink of an eye in the small town of Cherry Creek.
He lifted his chin a trifle as they crossed the crowded room and tried not to notice the whispers behind him. Conversation resumed as they sat at the counter. Aiden seemed impervious to their attention, and Tris picked up the paper menu, acknowledging he was probably being overly sensitive. The waitress smiled as she brought coffee and took their orders, and Tris relaxed enough to enjoy the precious minutes with his estranged darling.
“What class do you have this morning?” he asked and took a sip from the steaming mug. If nothing else, Murphey’s always had good coffee. Aiden shifted on his stool to face him. Tris thrilled when their knees touched and Aiden made no effort to move away.
“Chemistry. I’d ditch out to celebrate my birthday with friends, but there’s an important lab I need to finish up.”
Tris’s lips quirked. “That never stopped you before.”
“That’s only because you were a bad influence.”
Tris chortled into his mug of coffee even as a flush heated his face. It had never taken long to persuade Aiden to stay with him. A soft kiss on the sensitive skin behind his ear. A nip on the neck. Gentle sucks on Aiden’s full bottom lip, the snug silver hoop driving Tris crazy with want. He heard Aiden’s drawn breath—as if his thoughts had gone the same route—and all the blood rushed to his groin. DamnHis dick was going to need some serious attention once he got home.
He smiled secretly when Aiden had to clear his throat. “Are you coming back to college?
The question caught Tris off guard, though he should have expected it. “Once Candice is better…” Familiar panic churned in his stomach.
Aiden’s gentle voice tore down his shaky defenses. “How is she?”
“I don’t know,” Tris whispered and swallowed the tears that would come, damn them. “I left her with the doctor. I couldn’t stay in the house.”
Their food arrived. Tris picked up his fork, stomach queasy at the sight of the greasy mounds on the cheap plate. But he dug into the eggs and spicy hash browns anyway, to stop the screams of helplessness in his head. Despair leaned its heavy weight on his shoulders. He jumped when Aiden touched his arm.
“I’m sorry, Tris. Can I see her?”
“Of course. She’d like that. She asks about you.” Tris moved the fork around on his plate. When he and Aiden had first hooked up after years of flirting, Candice had been their biggest supporter. He didn’t have the heart to tell his sister they’d broken up after the accident that had left her paralyzed. Maybe he didn’t want to believe it and saying the words would make it true. It couldn’t be true. They’d been so good together! No one knew him as well as Aiden did. No one else could drive him wild with a single hot glance.
He remembered the long nights they lay under the stars, made love, and planned their future. Aiden wanted to graduate with a science major. Tris had whispered in his ear that he really didn’t like making furniture. He had the odd wish to be a pastry chef. Aiden licked Tris’s lips and said he made a wonderful dessert.
Tris bit his lip to hide its tremble. No, he’d never admit he and Aiden were through. He’d rather live with the hope they could work things out.

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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS STORY:

Dianne Hartsock has penned a surprisingly emotional story that hinges on a lie.  It's a lie being kept out of love, but it's made life miserable for Trist as almost everyone in town despises him for killing his parents and paralyzingly his sister after a night of binge drinking. This unrelenting hatred of him shows small town living at its worst and feels a bit over the top.  Trist continually rises above all the anger to care for his sister and work to make ends meet.  The only times he breaks down is when he thinks of his lost love Aiden, who left him after the accident believing the worst of him.  Trist desperately wants him back and throughout the story a reunion is teased.

Aiden is seen mostly through Tris' eyes.  We never dig too deeply into his thoughts.  He's let anger take him away from his love at a moment when he needed him most.  I would've liked to see him grovel to earn Tris' love back, but Tris is too enamored of him to not jump on him when given the chance in a hastily wrapped up denouement.

Their super steamy relationship is mostly seen via flashback when they were happy but struggling to take their relationship out of the closet. There are those in town prejudice against them and unfortunately that hate continues in a few unnecessary scenes of violence that distract from the emotional impact of living a lie for the one you love.  These scenes felt forced and out of place and my enjoyment of the story would've been enhanced had they been edited out.  The big lie was obvious to me from the start, and while it seemed a bit of a stretch, I could understand why Tris kept the town's focus on him.  His own survivor's guilt kept him from moving on, he wanted to feel the punishment that was constantly in his head.

Overall I found this an enjoyable m/m read with numerous steamy sexual interludes.  Life in a small town was portrayed a bit stereotypically which led to some obvious, and unnecessary, scenes but the pain Tris went through completely sucked me in.  Like many short stories I wished for more but was satisfied by what Ms. Hartsock created.

My rating for this is a C+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

After growing up in California and spending the first ten years of marriage in Colorado, Dianne now live in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.
She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house while it pours rain outside, a fire crackles on the hearth inside, and a cup of hot coffee warms her hands which kindles her imagination.
Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Dianne will be awarding a $10 All Romance Ebooks Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

-To be entered, leave a comment, along with your email addy.
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 6/3.