Cover Reveal for Lisa Renee Jones' The Truth About Cowboys!

About The Truth About Cowboys:

I had my life figured out.

Engaged to a successful man.

About to make partner at my firm.

Bought a high-rise apartment in downtown Denver.

And then, poof, it’s all gone. Now, like in some cheesy romantic comedy, my car has broken down in the pouring rain on my way to “find myself” in The Middle of Nowhere, Texas. Cue hot guy coming to my rescue and changing my tire. This is the part where we flirt and have a meet-cute, right? That’s how it works in romance novels, and I should know—after all, I’m coming to Texas to write my own cowboy romance. But nope. This sexy cowboy lights into me about not being prepared for the country roads and how inappropriate my high-heeled boots are.

Little did I know, Michael Montgomery would tilt my world into a new dimension with his sinful smirk and his bad attitude. Every time I turn around, he’s there to reluctantly save the day. And every time, I think there may be something to that spark we ignite. But there’s a reason the majority of country songs are about broken hearts. The closer I get to this man, the closer I get to learning the truth about cowboys.

Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, and Entangled Publishing!

About Lisa Renee Jones:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara's character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy - a modern girl we all can identify with. In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, Lisa has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa's other bestselling series include: DIRTY MONEY and WHITE LIES. 

She is presently working on her LILAH LOVE series to be published with Amazon Publishing/Montlake Romance. Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine. Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

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Wild Child by A.S. Green

Expected publication: June 18, 2018

Synopsis (via Goodreads): I have never been to a place so tiny. Little Bear Island could fit in New York's armpit. Still a job is a job and, after surviving Afghanistan, what's twenty-four hours in podunk hell?

Providing private security for a celebrity wedding is nothing new...until I come face-to-face with Natalie O'Brien. The woman who chose someone else and kicked me to the curb six years ago. Time has done nothing to tame her. She's a red-headed beauty with a sharp tongue and nerves of steel who could seriously knock me off my game…

When my assistant bails, Natalie jumps at the chance to get off this tiny island. Now we're stuck criss-crossing the country in my SUV, with her tantalizing scent filling the cab and her smart mouth making me very...uncomfortable. Good thing the job will be over soon. So why does the thought of saying goodbye a second time make my heart stop? 

“I never spill hot coffee on my crotch,” he says as he shifts out of park. “Call it a gift.”

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, the quote I used may have changed or been altered in some way, but I am quoting from what I received.

I could not put this down! I sacrificed a ridiculous amount of sleep to keep reading Wild Child, and I don't regret a single second. This is a slow-burn romance that will make your toes curl! Natalie and Jackson make you work for the feels, but it's totally worth it. 

Veronica Mars and Jessica Jones are my original loves when it comes to stories about private investigators. The lifestyle might not be luxurious, but they get to look for clues and catch people doing things they shouldn't. I feel like that would be an extremely satisfying job! Jax does security detail (when I first typed this it said, "sexurity detail"), but he's mainly a private investigator. His jobs on the road with Natalie were some of my favorite moments, and I wish they'd had more time for adventures together.

However, once they arrive in New York, they stop teaming up and doing field work with each other. The book doesn't suffer because of it, I just thought it was an exciting aspect of the story that I enjoyed and wanted more of. Natalie is plenty busy with her new job, and Jax is... Jax. Dude has issues he's working on, and they are completely valid and understandable. I liked that Natalie didn't judge him for being so different after six years, because a lot can happen in that amount of time.

Wild Child kept me on the edge of my seat, made me laugh often, and was very authentic and solid. There isn't anything I would change about the story (cough.. more field work... cough), and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. There are some pretty intense scenes that made my heart race, but there are also sweet moments that are definitely worth revisiting. I cannot wait to add a physical copy of this to my shelves!

The Rules of Rebellion by Amity Hope | Blog Tour: Book Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

#TheRulesOfRebellion

Hello! Welcome to the next stop on The Rules of Rebellion blog tour hosted by Entangled Publishing. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you, as well as an excerpt from the story! The Rules of Rebellion was released into the world on April 2nd and can be found here.

♡

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
1. Skinny dip (her idea)
2. Stargaze (his idea)
3. Prank someone (her idea)
4. Go on a date (his idea)

Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so when he discovers the girl with a flair for candy making has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he’s determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than himself to show her the ropes of letting loose?

Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn’t exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. And when he suggests adding “a first date” to Kylie’s plan and she accepts…suddenly all his dreams seem to be coming true.

But Leo’s got a secret that could change everything between them, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes to the surface. 

𑁋

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. 

This is my first book by Amity Hope! The Rules of Rebellion was cute and managed to tackle a tough topic: bullying. In high school, Kylie's sister was body-shamed and bullied so intensely, she begged her parents to let her move in with an aunt. I liked that the author addressed such a serious issue, and brought attention to something so important.

As for the story itself, I started off incredibly confused. Kylie has three older siblings, three girlfriends with three boyfriends, and then Leo. Leo also has three or four older siblings, so it all became a bit too much. There were a lot of names being thrown around in the beginning, and I kept getting them mixed up. Was Meg dating Adam, Nate or Luke? Which guy lived out of town? Did he date Julia or Maddie? Wait, no... Maddie was one of the sisters...

I was almost finished with the book before I started to sort people out. It didn't help that the secondary characters (other than Allie) didn't get addressed very often. They were just fluff for the story and didn't really have any defining characteristics of their own. I think if they had been fleshed out a tad more, I wouldn't have felt so lost when names were tossed around.

I will admit to being super judgmental of Kylie's parents. They wanted to control every male aspect of their daughter's lives, and I felt like they went a little overboard. You can tell two teenagers to keep their hands in "safe places" until you are blue in the face, but you can't watch them forever. I'm pretty sure hands will wander, because that's what teenagers (and adults) do. I think parents should trust their kids, and be confident in their ability to make good decisions. They shouldn't be terrified to bring a love interest home with them.

However, Maddie's circumstances did warrant a little extra protectiveness, and I can see why her parents were on edge when it came to boys. It just sucked for all of Maddie's sisters.

I loved the idea of having a list to cross off. I am a big fan of lists and love how it feels when I complete one. It's like I've accomplished something spectacular! I wish I had made lists like this in high school, because I think it might have made me take a few more chances and try new things.

Leo was adorable, and I loved his projects. I think he and I would have gotten along smashingly, but only after I punched his dad in the face. He's sweet, considerate, but lacked the ability to say what was important. A little more honestly on both sides, and this book would have turned out a lot differently.

This review got away from me, so I guess I had more to say than I thought. I liked the book and thought it was fun, but I wasn't wowed by their story. There were too many things nagging at me while I read this, so it took away from my overall enjoyment.

Risen (Blood Eternal, #1) by Cole Gibsen | Blog Tour: Book Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

#Risen

Hello! Welcome to one of the stops on the Risen blog tour hosted by Entangled Publishing. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you, as well as an excerpt from the story! Risen was released into the world on March 27, 2018 and can be found here.

♡

Synopsis (via Goodreads): My aunt has been kidnapped by vampires, and it’s up to me to save her. Only…I had no idea vampires existed. None. Nada. I’m more of a reader than a fighter, and even though I’d been wishing to escape my boring existence in the middle of nowhere, I’d give anything to have it back now if it meant my aunt was safe.

Then there’s the vampire Sebastian, who seems slightly nicer than most of the bloodsuckers I’ve run into so far. Yes, he’s the hottest being I’ve ever come across, but there’s no way I can trust him. He swears he’s helping me get answers, but there’s more to his story. Now I’m a key pawn in a raging vampire war, and I need to pick the right ally.

But my chances of surviving this war are slim at best, when the side I choose might be the one that wants me dead the most.

I almost smile. This strange, violent girl—I kind of like her. “It’s too bad we can’t be friends because of our impending gruesome murders.”

I received an ARC from NetGalley (was contacted about the blog tour afterwards) in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, the quote I used may have changed or been altered in some way, but I am quoting from what I received.

Questions, questions, and more questions. I actually struggled with what rating to give this book, because I did enjoy the story, but there were a few things that bothered me. Despite those pesky problems, I really want to know where the story will go from here, so I'll definitely be reading the next one!

I'm all about a slow reveal. I actually savor the moments leading up to the big thing, but when those questions are never answered, I feel deflated and disappointed. I need some issues to be resolved before the end of the book, and I get a little frustrated when every answer seems to be reserved for later. Risen ends with way too many questions and very few potential answers.

I also struggled with the ease in which Charlie "trusts her feelings." I just don't know how accommodating I would be to a vampire that just assisted in the abduction of a family member. I know for the sake of the story, there has to be a little give so things can progress, but she seemed to forget all the bad a little too easily. Yes, she mentions her brain malfunctioning in that area, but thinking and doing are not the same. Once we get past the initial "don't trust the vampire," it was a little easier to go with the flow, but I did grind my teeth a few times when things fell into place without resistance or conflict.

Sebastian is eager to protect Charlie for reasons, but more of his backstory would have been helpful (what he's able to share anyways). The added content at the end of the book with his perspective was only a little enlightening. I liked him as a character, but never felt like I knew anything about him.

There were a lot of surprises that I wasn't expecting, and I'm not sure how I feel about them because questions. I don't even know if I'm supposed to believe or understand what I think I know. I'm also not sure why everyone else isn't freaking out if it's true. Then there is the mysterious Rachel, a person with actual answers, but she isn't sharing them right now.

All in all, I'm curious what is going to happen next. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series, and I'm assuming that is when I'll start getting some answers (at least I hope so). This book has so much going for it, and I don't say that lightly. It's been ages since I've read a vampire book, and this synopsis intrigued me enough to give it a shot. I wasn't disappointed by the story, or the characters really, but by a lack of information. 

Opal, Charlie, Sebastian, Matteo, Delaney... all very interesting characters that I would love to know more about. If you're looking for a vampire book to shake things up a bit, I recommended looking into Risen. Despite my issues, I was hooked on the story!

Phoenix Fire (Phoenix Cycle #1) by S.D. Grimm | Blog Tour: Book Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

#PhoenixFire

Hello! Welcome to one of the first stops on the Phoenix Fire blog tour hosted by Entangled Publishing. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you, as well as an excerpt from the story! Phoenix Fire is being released into the world today (March 5th) and can be found here.

♡

Synopsis (via Goodreads): After spending her life in foster care, Ava has finally found home. But all it takes is a chance encounter with hot nerd Wyatt Wilcox for it to unravel.

Now, things are starting to change. First, the flashes of memories slowly creeping in. Memories of other lives, lives that Wyatt is somehow in. Then, the healing. Any cut? Gone.

But when Cade and Nick show up, claiming to be her brothers, things get even weirder. They tell her she’s a Phoenix, sent to protect the world from monsters—monsters she never knew existed. It’s a little hard to accept. Especially when they tell her she has to end the life of a Phoenix turned rogue, or Cade will die.

With Wyatt’s increasingly suspicious behavior, Ava’s determined to figure out what he’s hiding. Unless she can discover Wyatt’s secret in time and complete her Phoenix training, she’ll lose the life, love, and family she never thought she could have. 

"Actually, I was certain I wasn’t okay, but there was no way I’d tell comic-book-loving, Bunsen-burner-master Wyatt that."

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, the quote I used may have changed or been altered in some way, but I am quoting from what I received.

I really liked the concept for this book, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. Ava, one of the three siblings, really started to get on my nerves. I can understand why she pushed people away in the beginning, but after the first quarter of the book her comments really bugged me. She kept saying she was better off alone, and the only person she could trust was herself. It was like listening to a broken record.

Her foster family was amazing, and they never gave her a reason to push them away. She was acting preemptively and without cause (because she thought it would be best to remain unattached), but she didn't give them a chance. She was guarded and defensive from the beginning, and it was like she couldn't accept that people genuinely cared about her.

I also thought it was weird that two teens died and no one mentions it or asks what happened. You would think Ava's foster parents, the school, or even her brothers would have discussed the deaths, but it was like it never happened.

Wyatt, Nick and Cade—I really wanted to like these three, and I did for the most part, but ugh. NO ONE TELLS ANYONE ANYTHING EVER. For some unknown reason, Wyatt and Nick get their memories back first, like two years before the others. What do they do during those two years? Who explains what is happening to them? Why does it take so long for everyone to get on the same page?

I felt like the story was moving forward without actually going anywhere, but I wanted to see how everything would play out. Phoenix Fire did manage to surprise me a few times, so bonus points there, but I wish the information had been presented a little differently. A few more details here, a little character development there, and less "Drat! I'm being sucked into a memory!" I know they needed the information from their past lives, but there had to be a better way for them to access those memories. Everyone kept fainting and falling down.

I don't know if I will read the next book in the series, but I am curious about the conclusion. 😐