HAPPY RELEASE DAY to Insider by Olivia Cunning!

Title: Insider (Exodus End #1)

Author: Olivia Cunning

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Find on Goodreads

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Marsha Greene

For today's Sunday Spotlight, we've got an interview with an author! Her first book just came out and we can't wait to read it. 

Welcome we want to give a warm welcome to up and coming author Marsha Greene. Marsha, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with us at Confessions of 2 Book lovers. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

First of all I thank you ladies for having me and a huge HI (Marsha waves) to everyone who is here. It is such a pleasure to talk to fellow book lovers. I live in the pretty little town of Caledon in Canada with my husband and two children, and I love books, cooking, travelling and antique shops. 

BLOG TOUR: Step F*@K by Scarlett Ward

Meet Jai in this sexy stepbrother romance! 

NOW AVAILABLE for ONLY $0.99!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1SkVeaA

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1SkUZfw

SWIPE LEFT.

That's all I did. A few too many glasses of wine with my best friend and the bitch convinced me to go on one of those dating websites.

A one-night stand.

A booty call.

And you know what? It.was.amazing.

I spent all night in a sexy stranger's arms, hot and sweaty, until it was time to sneak out and do the walk of shame back to my apartment.

I never thought I'd see sexy stranger again, and I was totally fine with that - until my mother's wedding.

She's getting remarried, see. And sexy stranger just happens to be my new stepbrother.

All the wine in the world isn't going to make this better.

Step F*@k by Scarlett Ward

I have to say that I loved this story (for the most part…more on that in a bit).

I loved the premise that they didn’t know they were going to be related by marriage and that they randomly found each other through a dating website.

I thought Jai and Emma had great chemistry!

My one issue with the book was the ending. Now, I know I’m always complaining about cliffhangers and the such, but in this case, that wasn’t it. My issue was that there wasn’t one…an ending I mean. I finished the chapter, turned the page and it was blank. Nothing more to read. I hit 100%. And I was shocked. And if I’m being honest (and I am), I was kind of pissed. I mean, ok, it’s a serial…I knew that going in. But I expected there to be some kind of cliff. The saving grace…that I already have part 2 to move on to. (Yay me!!!)

But overall…this is a great start to the story of Jai and Emma. I can't wait to see what happens next!

---

Step F*@k (Book Two) by Scarlett Ward 

This one picks up with the morning after for Jai and Emma. After an awkward start (involving French fries), Emma finds a wedding ring and automatically assumes that it belongs to Jai. Well, misunderstandings ensue and she flips out and there’s quite a yelling match.

The chemistry was still there and I loved seeing their reactions to “meeting” each other at the family dinner!

The ending to this one was just as bad as the first, but I will say this….I’m glad that the marriage misunderstanding was cleared up rather quickly (aka by the end of this book) and not dragged out for the rest of the series.

I can’t wait to move on to part 3!

---

Step F*@k (Book Three) by Scarlett Ward

Ok, so while I’m enjoying this series, I’m also tired of all the “no, we can’t, our parents are getting married” arguments. It happened, it keeps happening, you guys can’t stay away from each other…stop the games.

I’m actually starting to feel bad for Jai because she keeps jerking him around. I’m so unsure of how they can have a HEA with her still firmly in the “we can’t be together”, “it’s wrong” and “it’s just a physical attraction” phase.

On to book 4 to find out how it ends!

---

Step F*@k (Book Four) by Scarlett Ward

Oh boy. Well, I finished. Can’t say I loved it, because I didn’t. This part of the story gave me a few issues. The first being the misunderstanding. I realize that Emma was upset and hurt and jumping to conclusions, but they’ve already been through that and she should have stopped to think about that before running away.

My other issue was with the time jump, not so much that there was one, but that both Jai and Emma were sleeping with other people for the four months they were apart. Um….really!? You’re so hung up on the other person that you start randomly sleeping with every Tom, Dick and Harry to cross your path!? That really bothered me.

I’m not sure if there should have been one more piece to this story, to really develop the emotions between Emma and Jai, or if there should have been less games between them in part 3 but either way, I wasn’t really convinced that they were in love.

Overall, the story wasn’t bad. Sure, I had a few issues, but for the most part, it was entertaining. 

EXCERPT #1

He doesn’t let me finish. He lets go of my wrist and grabs my hips, lifting me up onto the bathroom counter. My breath catches in my throat as my shoulders collide with the mirror. He’s kissing my neck, his hands all over me, and I wrap my legs around his torso and run my hands through his hair.

          “I don’t want to be doing this,” I gasp, but we both know that’s not true. And he’s not technically my stepbrother yet.

EXCERPT #2

He starts to unbuckle his pants. “You want me to fuck you?”

          “Yes.”

          He pushes his pants down. “Say it.”

          “I want you to fuck me.”

Series Reading Order

Part Two

Releasing June 25th

Part Three

Releasing July 3rd

Part Four

Releasing July 10th

Scarlett Ward is a yoga-loving, coffee-drinking writer who finally took the plunge and wrote her first book. Her own stepbrother wasn't remotely good-looking, but the one she dreamed up for Step F*@k is absolutely DIVINE.

Scarlett hates long walks on the beach. That shit is hard. She prefers laying out by the pool with her laptop, writing her next story while working on her tan.

Stalk Her:  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Sunday Spotlight: Book Signing and Street Fair

I love going to book signings so when I saw that this wasn't too far from home, I couldn't resist! 

I wasn't sure exactly what it was going to be, but it said books and authors so I was there! 

It was  basically like any other book signing except local bookstores also had tables. 

The authors varied in genre and subject matter.

One of the most exciting people to see was Tom Daldin. He hosts a local television show on PBS called Under the Radar. He travels all over Michigan finding cool and unique restaurants and activities. I snapped a pic of him posing with a fan. 

Local TV Personality & Author Tom Daldin posing with a fan

I also got to see local author Ashley Jeffers. I read her first book Blood of the Immortal (review can be found here) and it was really good for a debut novel! I'll be reading her newest book Heart of Lavora soon, so keep your eye out for my review! I've heard great things about it!

Author Ashley Jeffers

The Street Fair was a little smaller than what I expected, but I had a great time! I met some awesome authors and even a publisher or two! :) 

HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO SCARLETT WARD and her book Step F*@K!

Meet Jai in this sexy stepbrother romance! 

NOW AVAILABLE for ONLY $0.99!

Loving Dallas BLOG TOUR!

Every dream comes with a price…

Dallas

********

Sacrifice.

I’m familiar with it.

I've had to leave behind everyone I cared about—my sister, my best friend, my band, and my high school sweetheart—in order to chase my dream of making it in Nashville.

But when Robyn Breeland walks back into my life, it’s as if the universe has decided to give me a second chance. I’m just not sure it’s one I’m willing to take.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Robyn

********

Heartbreak.

I practically majored in it.

Dallas Lark was the first boy I ever loved and the one who'd shattered my heart into pieces. But I’ve moved on. Working in promotions at Midnight Bay Bourbon, I’m too busy to sit around moping over my ex. But when my company decides to sponsor his tour, I’ll have to face him whether I’m ready to or not. Dallas is determined to drive me to distraction, and my body begs me to let him.

Trouble is, my heart can’t tell the difference between a second chance and making the same mistake twice.

REVIEW: Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott

Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Book Description:
Fans of John Green's Looking for Alaska as well as Lauren Oliver and Sarah Dessen will embrace this provocative debut novel, an exploration of taboo love set against the backdrop of a suburban high school.

Charlie, a senior, isn't looking forward to her last year of high school. Another year of living in the shadow of her best friend, Lila. Another year of hiding behind the covers of her favorite novels. Another year of navigating her tense relationship with her perfectionist mom.

But everything changes when she meets her new English teacher. Mr. Drummond is smart. Irreverent. Funny. Hot. Everyone loves him. And Charlie thinks he's the only one who gets her.

She also thinks she might not be the only one with a crush.

In this stunning debut, Jessica Alcott explores relationships-and their boundaries-in a way that is both searingly honest and sympathetic.

REVIEW: Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley

We have a special guest reviewer today! One of our good friends Jenn very graciously reviewed Kristen Ashley's new book Ride Steady for us! 




Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 3 out of 5 


Book Description: 
The ride of her life . . . Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy---until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling, single mom and stranded by a flat tire, Carissa's pondering her mistakes when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower.

Climb on and hold tight . . . 
In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he's the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa's acting, it's clear she's falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker's secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa---or ride away forever . . .

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT: Mid-Year Reading Recap

Upon completion of a couple really great books, we got talking and decided to do a little mid-year round up of our favorites so far...

Lindsay's list is in no particular order while Nikki decided to actually go and rate them. 

So, without further ado, here are our top reads of the first half of 2015! 

Cannon by Sabrina Paige

Sabrina Paige is easily my favorite and go-to author for stepbrother romances. She knows how to blend the forbidden with regular romances in a way that it doesn't completely revolve around the step issue.

The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan

I know I'm totally on a friends-to-lovers kick recently but this one is just plain awesome! Not only was it great chemistry, it was funny and sweet and just all around perfect!

Sincerely, Carter by Whitney Garcia Williams

Told you I was on a friends-t0-lovers kick! I loved that this book spanned pretty much their whole lives. And I loved the notes that were passed back and forth between them, starting with actual notes before progressing to text and email. Carter is probably one of my favorite heroes ever. (HE'S MINE NIKKI! HANDS OFF!)

No One Like You (Barefoot William #4) by Kate Angell

Yes, technically it's book 4 in the series but it helped me bridge her first series (the Richmond Rogues) with her new one. With this book, I rediscovered one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to catch up with the books I missed in this series!

Present Perfect (Perfect #1) by Alison G. Bailey

I'd really love to plead the fifth on this one just so I didn't have to admit to Alyssa how much I loved it. She's begged me for almost 2 years to read this and I kept saying no. But she was right, I loved it. This is another friends-to-lovers book that spans childhood to adult hood. Word of warning...have tissues handy when reading this!

Prick by Sabrina Paige

This book was everything I'd been looking for in stepbrother romance! Not only was it basically perfect, it turned me onto a new and fantastic author!

Amour Amour by Krista and Becca Ritchie

This is another one I have Alyssa to thank for. It didn't appeal to me at all. I mean, THE CIRCUS!?...uh....no. But it was BEYOND amazing. It hasn't left my head at all since then. I totally fell in love with the characters, and the authors. 

The Deal (Off-Campus #1) by Elle Kennedy 

I love this author but I wasn't sure how she'd pull off a NA book...and she pulled it off effortlessly! This book was awesomesauce!

Matched by by S.E. Hall & Angela Graham

I hate reality TV but I couldn't put this one down! I loved the hero and heroine and how they finally connected and came together.



Vincent (Made Men #2) by Sarah Brianne

It should be no surprise that Sarah Brianne ends up on my list. I totally love her books. No one does alpha mobsters like she does. 


Kulti by Mariana Zapata

This book was BEYOND AMAZING! The tension was off the charts and the slow build romance was perfect. 

Bringing Home the Bad Boy (Second Chance #1) by Jessica Lemmon

I loved this friends to lovers story. I loved the connection that was there and how all in Evan was when he decided he wanted Charlie

Soaring (Magdalene #2) by Kristen Ashley

I have a real love-hate relationship with KA's books but this one was one I couldn't put down. I read it in one sitting and loved every minute of it! 

Ride Steady (Chaos #3) by Kristen Ashley

I'm more shocked than anybody that there are two KA books on this list! I haven't been into biker books lately but I loved Joker and Carissa, this book just worked for me. 

ShutterGirl (The Hollywood Project #1) by C.D. Reiss

I've never read C.D. Reiss before. All I knew is that her books are typically darker than what I prefer. So I was hesitant to start this but I couldn't resist. 

1. What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor 


Yes its total YA and not sexy AT ALL, but this book pierced my heart and took hold. Very very good book.

2. Until You're Mine (MINE #2) by K. Langston  

Another great read that I couldn't put down. Loved it!

3. Piercing Ecstasy (Guardians of the Realms #5) by Setta Jay


Book 5 in one of my all time favorite series and it was fan-freaking-tastic!

4. The Will (Magdalene #1) by Kristen Ashley

KA is on the short list of all time TOP favorite authors and she can do no wrong for me!

5. Soaring (Magdalene #2) by Kristen Ashley 


If it's possible, even better than the first in this series!

6. Risking it All (Crossing the Line #1) by Tessa Bailey

Another all time TOP favorite author who also can do no wrong. This book is def one of my top favorites of hers!

7. The Deal (Off-Campus #1) by Elle Kennedy 

I love this author and this is by far an awesomesauce book that was not what I expected, but waaaaay better!

8. Beneath This Mask (Beneath #1) by Meghan March

Another amazing book that wasn't what I expected and was so good!!!

9. Binding Ecstasy (Guardians of the Realms #6) by Setta Jay


Book 6 in one of the greatest series' I've read! I just love this author and her books!

10. Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1) by Joanna Wylde

My most recent 5 star book that is my top favorite from this author! Totally changed what I'm looking for in a man! (real life included ;) )

So, there you have it, our favorite books for the first half of 2015!