New Cover Alert: The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires by Molly Harper

I've only read one Molly Harper book, How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf, but found her writing to be absolutely hilarious. I keep saying that I'll read her uber popular Jane Jameson series soon but never get around to it. Of course, after seeing the cover for The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires, I'm right back to the "man, I really need to read those books." Perhaps after I'm finished with Lothaire next week...

The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires comes out July 31st, 2012.

From Goodreads - 

A comedic paranormal romance about a vampire concierge, set in Molly Harper's popular world of Half Moon Hollow. Iris Scanlon runs a "daywalker service" for vampires in Half-Moon Hallow. Vampire have trouble running errands and keeping their households running in a human, daytime-oriented society.

Iris's new service is booming and she's successfully avoiding her clients, until she goes into her newest customer's house one morning to find him dying of silver poisoning on his kitchen floor. The vampire, Cal, offers her an obscene amount of money if Iris will get him out of his house and shelter him until he can heal.

Call, a 500-year-old vampire, is a recent appointee to the local Council. Unbeknownst to the other Council members, he has been brought to the Hollow to investigate a recent rash of vamp-on-human crimes. Cal believes his position has made him a target and is afraid that whoever poisoned his blood supply could be planning to try again.

As Cal grows stronger, he and Iris become closer as they continue his investigation. But what kind of life can a girl have with the undead?

New Cover Alert: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

After I took off the training wheels and started reading "big-girl" books, I kicked YA to the curb. However, Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series has always had a special place on my bookshelf. After I finished the first three books in the series a few summers ago, I immediately picked up City of Bones and read them all over again. Even the Twilight books don't have the distinction of earning an immediate re-read!

I have yet to read City of Fallen Angels because I don't want to remove my rosy outlook on this series. To me, the first three books were almost perfect, although I remember that Clare did leave a few loose ends. I just don't want to ruin anything! When the release date for City of Lost Souls comes closer, I'm sure my curiosity will get the best of me and I'll pick the fourth book up. But until then, I'll just stare at this beautiful cover and reminisce on my fond memories surrounding the first three books.

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) is scheduled to be released on May 8th, 2012.

Review: Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis
Lucky Harbor #1
Contemporary Romance
October 1, 2010
Mass Market Paperback
311 pages
Forever

After loosing her job as a production assistant and leaving her abusive dirtbag of an ex, Maddie Moore is ready for a new beginning. With the recent death of her estranged Grateful Dead loving mother, Maddie, along with her two half-sisters, inherit an inn located in the coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to start over, Maddie packs her bags and hits the road.

However, Maddie soon realizes she is facing an uphill battle. Not only does she have to figure out a way to restore the dilapidated inn, she also has to contend with establishing some sort relationship with her sisters, Tara (The Steel Magnolia) and Chloe (The Wild Child), who she last saw five years ago. But Maddie is determined to see this thing through and shed her moniker as "The Mouse" because The Lucky Harbor Resort is literally her last resort.

Help comes in the form of Jax Cullen, a master carpenter and former defense attorney who left his father's law firm several years before. After a few brief encounters between the pair, Jax finds himself very interested in the clumsy curly haired woman. When he receives a drunken call from Maddie asking him to do renovations on the inn, he jumps at the chance to be with her on a daily basis. Since Maddie is still dealing with the fallout of being in an abusive relationship, Jax is willing to take his time in convincing Maddie that she should give up all men...except him.

I thought I'd start out the new year with a nice contemporary romance full of fluff and the cover and synopsis for Simply Irresistible screams "I'm full of fluff and just a little bit of cheese." But once I read the first chapter, I was a goner. I devoured this book in one day and very rarely do I devote an entire day to just reading. Jill Shalvis takes the small town romance and turns it into one heart-warming, emotional, and just plain sexy read. I laughed, I cried, and boy, did I swoon!

Maddie is sweet, smart, and stubborn, with just enough quirks, such as being a compulsive organizer and list lover, to make her character endearing, instead of annoying. She is also the quintessential middle sister, acting as the mediator between Tara and Chloe who rarely see eye to eye. Although she constantly struggles with her self-confidence, Maddie is determined to become more assertive and stand-up for herself. I very much enjoyed seeing her transition from a timid "mouse" to a women who's not afraid to go after what she wants. The only real issue I had with Maddie is that it took her a LONG time to come to the realization that just because Jax is (or used to be) a lawyer, like her ex, doesn't mean that he'll also abuse her. Personally, I think Jill Shalvis has something against lawyers. They are trashed in this book.

And then there is Jax, sigh. He's the perfect combination of bad boy and nice guy with tons of rugged manly appeal. The chemistry between Maddie and Jax is sizzling and the love scenes are très steamy. I was actually quite surprised at the amount of heat in this book, not that I'm complaining. Jax is absolutely delicious and has officially earned a spot on my list of book boyfriends. He's the main reason I would suggest reading Simply Irresistible because you'll be missing out on some yummy literary man candy if you don't. I also have to note that about halfway through the book, it dawned on me that Jax's last name is Cullen and he lives in Washington. I don't know if Jill Shalvis did this on purpose, but I found the coincidence to be quite hilarious. I'd take Jax over that sparkly perpetual teen any day!

The cast of secondary characters are also top notch. At first, I was a tad apprehensive of Maddie's sisters because they both have strong personalities. But after the sisters become more comfortable with each other, their true selves emerge and boy, are they hilarious. The banter between all three of them had my giggling throughout the book. I especially liked Tara with her southern bell charm. And Jax's best friends, Ford and Sawyer, aren't too shabby themselves. As you can probably guess, book two and three in the series feature Maddie's sisters and Jax's friends as the main characters, but I won't tell you how they are paired because that would ruin a major plot-line in the book. Oh the suspense!

Simply Irresistible was simply a great contemporary romance and the perfect way to kickoff the new year. I had a lot of fun reading this book and I can't wait to start book two!

Favorite Quotes: 

"She should have chosen sex. Note to self: always choose sex over physical labor!"

"If I looked like him," Tara said, "I'd want to have sex with myself. All the time."

Other books in the series:

The Sweetest Thing

Head Over Heels

Lucky in Love (June 1, 2012)

At Last (July 1, 2012)

Forever and a Day (August 1, 2012)

Author's website

Must Have Books for January

Looks like 2012 is starting out with a bang! Not only do we get one, but two highly anticipated books from two of the best paranormal romance authors in the biz. And these books have been a long time coming! There are also a few other books coming out in the next 31 days that I've already added to my TBR pile. Here's my top picks for books being released this month.

Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #12) - Kresley Cole

January 10th

I have a little confession to make...I don't like Lothaire. There, I said it. He's an arrogant albino vampire with glowing red eyes. I just don't understand why everyone swoons over him. But by the end of the book, I'm sure I'll be swooning over him too. If anyone can turn Lothaire into a heartthrob, it would be Kresley Cole. Although, the excerpt to the book is slightly creepy. If you haven't read it yet, check out Kresley Cole's facbook page.

Click HERE to read a synopsis

Darker After Midnight (Midnight Breed #10) - Lara Adrian

January 24th

I've been not so patiently waiting for this book for what seems like forever. When was Chase (aka Harvard) even introduced? Was it the third book? Anyways, I'm very much looking forward to Chase getting his HEA considering that he has been heading down a dark path the last few books. That reminds me, I still need to read Deeper Than Midnight! Also, make sure to sign up for Lara Adrain's newsletter to read the first four chapters before the book comes out. 

Click HERE to read a synopsis

Kiss of the Vampire (Warriors of the Rift #1) - Cynthia Garner

January 31st

Some websites have the release date for Kiss of the Vampire as February 1st, but I'm going to go with the almighty Amazon and say it comes out the last day of January. I haven't read a vampire pararom in a long time. It's just so hard to find something original nowadays. However, Cynthia Garner's book caught my attention. Plus, it's always fun to try out new authors. You never know who is going to be the next J.R. Ward!

Click HERE to read a synopsis

Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3) - Darynda Jones

January 31st

I've heard great things about the Charley Davidson series and the first two books are definitely near the top of my TBR pile. Basically, I picked this book because I like her shoes and the heroine is a grim reaper. That's new!

Click HERE to read a synopsis

This is the part where I'm supposed to say "check out the Upcoming Releases page to see what else is hitting the shelves in January," but it's still under construction. If you want to know what other books are coming out this month, I suggest hitting up Wicked Scribes. Also, please tell me what your must reads are for January. Anything I'm missing out on? Here's hoping that the new year brings you lots of good books and good coffee!

Book News: New Excerpt from Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

It looks like Jeaniene Frost is also in the gift giving spirit!

Head on over to her blog, found HERE, to read an all new excerpt from the much anticipated Once Burned, featuring the dark and delicious Vlad. Although it's just a little tidbit (or timbit for us Canadians) of an excerpt, you can tell that sparks really do fly between Vlad and his love interest Leila ;) Also, I love that Leila thinks that Vlad has role-playing issues, what with thinking he is the "real" Dracula and all. I bet that just burns him right up. Pun intended.

For those you who are not in the loop, Once Burned is the first book in a brand new series from Jeaniene Frost set in the Night Huntress world. It will be released on June 26, 2012. You can pre-order the book HERE.

Quick question: wasn't Once Burned slated for release on March 27th? I thought for sure I read that somewhere...

Book News: A Free Kate Daniels Novella from Ilona Andrews

I love when authors get into the gift giving spirit!

The husband and wife writing team of Ilona and Gordon Andrews are giving fans of their Kate Daniels series an early Christmas present. From now until January 7th, you can download the novella Magic Gifts, featuring Kate and her furry friends, from their website. Apparently, this novella takes place the same time as Andrea's book (coming July 31, 2012) and right after Magic Slays.

And you better jump on this limited time only deal quick because Magic Gifts will not be available after the two week period!

Click HERE and get your fill of that yummy Beast Lord Curran. Thanks Ilona and Gordon!

PS: Doesn't Kate look so badass on the cover?!

Site Updates

Hi everyone! Long time, no blogging. First, let me wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! For your viewing pleasure, I present to you a steamin' hot photo of a sexy Santa. With all the hay, I like to imagine that this is one of those yummy McKay men from Lorelei James's Rough Riders series. Drool.

Ok, so there isn't a whole lot to update you on right now, but here's an idea of what I'm working on and what you can except from Good Books, Good Coffee, Good Life in 2012.

- First, let me apologize for being gone for so long. One morning in August, I simply woke up and had no desire to read anymore. I thought I was just in a little funk and would soon realize how much I miss all the yummy men and kickass chicks (to cite one of my favorite blogs). So, I decided to ignore my bookshelf for a little while despite my books' constant cries of "read us, READ US!" Before I knew it, a few days turned into a few weeks and then a few months. But I have found my way back to the wonderful world of blogging and romance. Yeesh, I have a lot of catching up to do!

- As you've probably guessed, I have started reviewing again. I'm currently working on a few reviews, as well as tinkering around with the formatting. I want to make my reviews more satisfying by including something unique. I have some ideas and will probably try a few things out and see what works best. All I know is that it's going to involve sex scenes ;)

- I've included a section on upcoming releases right up there on the Nav bar. It's still a work in progress, so come back soon and check it out.

- I also want to start a new meme devoted to my random musings. One of my most popular posts is the E-reader pillow, so I was toying around with the idea of talking about silly book related things I find on the net. Or maybe just silly things in general? Look for this yet to-be-named meme in 2012. Hopefully, I can find some good stuff to share with you.

- Since I didn't read a lot this year, there will be no yearly wrap-up lists. I really liked doing my favorite sex scenes last year, but thanks to my self-imposed hiatus, I don't have enough material to work with. Instead, I was thinking about doing a top 12 of 2012, highlighting the books I am most looking forward to in 2012. There is a lot of great books coming out next year and I would love to discuss them with you! If you are looking for a great list on the best sex scenes of 2011, head on over to Smexy Books. I'm in total agreement with most of Mandi's choices.

That's about it for the updates. I hope you will stick around and check out the new changes to Good Books, Good Coffee, Good Life in 2012. I'm so excited to start blogging again and can't wait to dive back into the romance genre!

Giveaway & Book Trailor: Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I think any good paranormal romance fan has read at least one Sherrilyn Kenyon. Seeing that her Dark Hunter series is one of the most loved and longest para-rom series out there, it's hard to resist the temptation of reading a Kenyon book. While I still need to do some catching up in reading the rest of the Dark Hunter books (there is a gazillion of them!), the few books I have read, I have loved. Also, Kenyon's The League series is my without a doubt hands down favorite sci-fi romance series out there. So if you haven't read a Sherrilyn Kenyon novel yet, you need to go to your local bookstore right this minute and get yourself some Kenyon goodness...

Better yet, why not enter my contest to win yourself a copy of her latest Dark Hunter book, Retiribution (good segway, eh ;)? And while you are entering this super cool giveaway, why not check out the book tailer for Reritubition. 

GIVEAWAY

St. Martin’s Press is offering one copy of Retribution to one lucky commenter. Make sure to leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to Canada / U.S. only. You must leave your comment by Thursday, August 11th 2011 11:59pm MST. Good luck to everyone who enters!

Book Trailer: One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost

Usually, I'm not a huge fan of book trailers. While I'm not a total book trailer hater, I have found that most trailers tend to be very poorly done and extremely tacky. However, I found this gem of a book trailer on Jeaniene Frost's blog this morning. Oh man you guys, it's a good one! It makes you want to squee with excitement and pull your hair out in frustration for having to wait another month for One Grave at a Time to come out. Make sure to watch it all the way through for some steamy Cat and Bones goodness!
Oh and click HERE to read the first three chapters of One Grave at a Time.

Bought Me a Kobo!

Sadly, my Sony Ereader decided to stop working this week, tear. No matter how long I plugged it in for, the battery would just not hold a charge. I'm still fuming mad because the stupid thing was so darn expensive. However, I have secretly coveted my friend's Kobo touch for awhile now and I thought that the passing of my Sony Ereader was the universe telling me that I must buy a Kobo for myself. So I did. And let me tell you, I loves it! Had to buy myself a lovely purple case for it too.

How cute is the little sleeping Kobo?

So what do you think? Did I make the right decision? Any of you Kobo owners have advice for me to keep my Kobo running smoothly?

Review: Loving on Borrowed Time by Olivia Cunning

Loving on Borrowed Time by Olivia Cunning
Lovers' Leap #1
Erotica (Paranormal/Time Travel)
June 2, 2011
E-book
Self-published (Smashwords)

Lara Kensington is living a perfectly mundane life as a museum curator, when bad boy treasure hunter, Reece Jerhico, leaps into her life.  Literally. Obviously distressed, Reece tells Lara that one year in the future she will be murdered. The evidence he uses to back up his  incredible story doesn’t convince Lara. She thinks he’s crazy. Especially after he claims to be her future fiancé. Lara would have remembered dating someone as delicious as Reece Jerhico. Hot as Reece is, Lara has a difficult time believing anything the man says until the broken amulet he wears around his neck  transports them into different bodies, during a different time, in a different place--an ancient place, a cold place, a place where Lara arrives naked, hysterical, and... Norse.
                                                                                                                                              On the run  through time, attempting to escape a man who is hell-bent on Lara’s lack-of a-future becoming a reality, the couple must leap from one time and place to another just to stay alive. In the first volume of this sexy and humorous new series, Lara and Reece share an existence with a ruthless Viking and his captive bride and  then with a noble medieval knight and the feisty lady he  is determined to win.

Olivia Cunning is one of my favorite new authors. Her Sinners On Tour series is everything that a girl with a few rockstar fantasies could ask for. Therefore, when I read an article over at Shameless Romance in which Olivia Cunning talks about her new self-published novella, Loving on Borrowed Time, I first berated myself  for not being up-to-date on my Olivia Cunning news and then immediately bought the book so I can read it for myself.

What I found is that Loving on Borrowed Time is a fun and entertaining read that includes a few of Cunning's trademark smokin' hot love scenes. Although the love scenes aren't quite as provocative as the Sinners books, you will certainly need some type of fan or cool drink nearby when you read this book. Fans of Cunning will definitely not be disappointed. Also, the actual romance between the main characters Lara Kenningston and Reece Jericho is quite well done. Cunning truly has a talent for creating easy chemistry between characters. Reece and Lara also have some great banter that will keep you laughing and of course, there is lots of sexual tension between the pair. Although this book was a short read, I didn't feel their relationship was rushed even though Reece does make it his mission to make Lara fall in love with him again...or I guess for the first time.

The premise of the book itself is interesting and original, although it is complicated to understand at first. In the book, we learn that in the future, Reece and Lara fall in love and plan to marry. However, Lara is killed by a terrorist. Rather than living without her, Reece, who is an archaeologist, uses an ancient Egyptian amulet to travel back in time and save Lara from being killed. But one of Reece's colleagues, Carl, doesn't want Lara to live for reasons I'm still not 100% sure about. Things aren't exactly straight forward about how the amulet works, but basically when the wearer of the amulet is thrust back in time, they embody a particular person in the past. So when Reece grabs Lara and uses the amulet to escape before Carl stops him from saving Lara, they travel to the time of the Vikings and Reece becomes the leader of a Viking horde and Lara a saucy wench he captures. In their different roles, Reece and Lara must act out history and make sure the couple they embody have their HEA. All the while they are still on the run from Carl...

Still with me? Yeah, I got a little lost too. I think the book would have been better if there was more explanation about how the amulet works. I am still scratching my head about why Reece and Lara seem to travel in time randomly, yet Reece was able to pinpoint Lara in a museum a year before they met. Also, I would have appreciated more info about how Reece and Lara met before she was killed. Yes, we know they were in love and Reece had to win Lara over, but there isn't a lot of info about Reece and Lara's courtship and life before her death. Since Loving on Borrowed Time is the first book in Cunning's Lovers' Leap series, I'm hoping that we learn more about Reece and Lara's past (future?) relationship and the motivation behind creepy Carl wanting to apprehend the couple.

Although Loving on Borrowed Time  is a little complicated to understand at times, I still really enjoyed reading this novella. I applaud Ms. Cunning for expertly using her imagination to create something that is whimsical and fun to read. Reece and Lara are two great characters that have great chemistry. And the sex scenes in the book were top notch. Definitely what I would expect from the likes of Olivia Cunning. I hope more authors continue the trend of self-publishing.

Good. Lukewarm, but still hits the spot. 

Other opinions:

~Goodreads

~Shameless Romance Reviews - 4/5

Author's website

New Cover Alert: Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward

Wow, I did not expect the cover for Lover Reborn to be released this early! But hey, I'm not complaining. However, I'm not thrilled with the orange and the guy on the cover is not how I pictured Tohr at all. I guess that sounds like complaining, doesn't it? I was hoping for someone more rugged. I think this would be better if there was less face and more chest/abs.

 I have all my fingers and toes crossed that this book will live up to hype. Lover Unleashed was a huge disappointment for me. Why oh why does March 27th have to a be a gazillion days away?!?

Update: Word around the blogosphere is that this may not be the final cover for Lover Reborn but just a prototype. I'm hoping this is true because Tohr is just not an orange kind of guy.

Book News: Release Date for Jeaniene Frost's Night Prince Series

Set your calendars! It looks like March 27, 2012 is going to be a GOOD day for us romance readers. Not only does J.R. Ward's Lover Reborn (Tohr's story) come out that day, but a few weeks ago, it was also announced that the 4th book in Stacia Kane's Downside Ghost series, Sacrificial Magic, is also set to release March 27, 2012.

Now comes news that the first book in Jeaniene Frost's new Night Prince series featuring the much loved and swoon worthy Vlad is also hitting the shelves on March 27! As a history buff and a lover of vampire mythology, I am so excited to see how Frost will intertwine the history surrounding the real Vlad the Impaler with her fictional character that is hotter and more seductive than any other interpretation of Vlad/Dracula that I have read before. 

Here is some more info about Frost's Night Prince series and the future of Cat and Bones that I snagged from her blog:

Okay, why “Night Prince”? For one, the word “Night” will – hopefully – let readers know at a glance that these stories are set in the same world as my Night Huntress series and Night Huntress World novels. Second, contrary to the most popular fictional rendering of Vlad the Impaler, he was not a Count. He was essentially a Prince of Wallachia during his reign (Wallachia now being part of modern-day Romania). So there you have the Prince part of the series title.

Tentative release date for the first book in the Night Prince series is spring 2012. It may be pushed back to summer if (a) I don’t write it fast enough, or (b) what I write needs a lot of revisions. So cross your fingers for me that I will write well, and quickly, lol. I haven’t seen the cover yet for the first book, but as Tom Egner has done such a fabulous job with all my other covers, I’m sure he’s cooking up something very cool.

Before anyone asks, no, this doesn’t mean Cat and Bones stories will be put on a long hold while I kickstart Vlad and Leila’s new series. First, still to come in 2011 for our mayhem-loving vampire couple is One Grave at a Time (August 30th) along with a special holiday novella that’s almost half the size of a regular book in The Bite Before Christmas anthology (October 25th). Vlad and Leila’s book will come, as stated, in early 2012, but then after that, we’ll be onto Cat and Bones #7 (still untitled, but expect the word “grave” in there somewhere).

Winners!

The winner of It's Summer and I Feel Like Having a Giveaway ($25 to Book Depository) Contest is...

Shannon @ Devoured Books

Oh and since I had more than 25 people enter, the second winner of $15 to Book Depository is...

Felicia

Hooray and congrats to the lucky winners! Thanks to everyone who entered and left a comment. There were so many comments, I couldn't keep up!

*Winners were chosen using Random.org

Last Day to Enter!

Finally! I'm back from my little vacation up in northern British Columbia, where it poured almost everyday, sigh. Feels so good to have access to the internet again. I was having slight withdrawals not being able to check out all my favorite book blogs. Anyway, here's a little reminder for you to make sure you enter for your chance to win $25 to the Book Deositstory. I'm picking the winner tomorrow, so if you haven't entered yet, get your butt in gear!

Click HERE to check out the contest page or click on the link in the Current Contests box.

Silly Stuff (But totally awesome): The Book Clutch

How cool are these! Handbag designer Olympia Le-Tan has created a set of clutches that resemble classic books! As a book lover and accessory junkie, I need one like NOW! However, they are a bit more expensive then the average paperback, costing around $1300 to over $2000. However, Kate Spade has also designed a collection of book clutches that are slightly more affordable at $325. I think I have to start saving my pennies...

Clemence Poesy attended the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 London premiere carrying a ‘La Belle et la Bête’ clutch; Natalie Portman at the Black Swan premiere with a ‘Lolita’ clutch.

And here are some bags from Kate Spade's "Book of the Month" collection that is a little easier on the wallet. Click HERE to see even more book clutches by Kate Spade.

New Cover Alert: Taking A Shot by Jaci Burton (And it's a HOT one!)

Holy abs Batman! Give me a few seconds to cool down here *fans herself*. That is just one smokin' hot cover. I have to say, I think it's even more delicious than The Perfect Play (Play by Play #1) and Changing the Game (Play by Play #2), if that even is possible. This cover makes my hockey loving heart go pitter-patter. Gosh, if more hockey players looked like this, I'd never change the channel from TSN! Score another win for Jaci Burton in the hot cover category.

Taking A Shot is set to be released March 6, 2012. Check out my review for The Perfect Play HERE.

If you want to score, you have to get in the game...

The last thing Jenna Riley needs is more sports in her life. While her brothers are off being athletic superstars, she’s stuck running the family’s sports bar, whether she likes it or not. Then in walks pro hockey stud Tyler Anderson. As much as Jenna would like to go to the boards with him, she’s vowed to never fall for a jock—even one as hot as Ty.

Ty, intrigued by the beautiful bar owner, becomes a regular. He senses that Jenna wants to do something more with her life. And as he gains her trust, the passion between them grows, as does Ty’s insistence that Jenna should start living for herself. With his encouragement, Jenna starts to believe it, too…

But first, Jenna has to figure out what she wants, what she needs, who she loves, and if she has the passion and pride to take a shot at having it all—including Ty…

And here are the covers for the other books in Burton's Play by Play series so you can judge the hotness factor for yourself.

Review: Chantilly's Cowboy by Debra Kayn

Chantilly's Cowboy by Debra Kayn
Sisters of McDougal Ranch #1
Contemporary Romance/Western
June 6, 2011
E-book (35 000 words)
Carina Press

Ever since she was a little girl, all Chantilly Lace McDougal wanted to do was work beside her daddy on the family ranch. Now 24, Chantilly knows the land and the workings of the ranch better than anyone.With her four sisters showing little interest in ranch life, Chantilly knows it's up to her to help out with all the chores and keep the ranch running smoothly.  However, when Stuart McDougal hires Jack Grady as the new foremen without telling her, Chantilly is spitting mad. She doesn't need or want Jack's help, no matter that he tempts her like no other cowboy has before.

Although Jack Grady can understand Chantilly's frustration over having to work with him, Jack needs this job in order to help put his nephew through law school. However, in taking the job, Stuart entrusts Jack with an important secret that Chantilly's and her sisters know nothing about. While Jack promises to work hard on the ranch, he is finding it more and more difficult to keep his hands off the boss's daughter. However, as they get closer, Jack is torn between being honest with Chantilly and keeping her father's secret.

Although I stay away from everything classified as country in real life, in my little romance bubble, I'm all about those yummy cowboys. I think somewhere in me I must have a little cowgirl wanting to break free. Thus, I can't turn down a western contemporary romance when I see one, especially one that promises a honky-tonk good time. However, with Chantilly's Cowboy, I found myself feeling disappointed. While the story was sweet and heatwarming, there was nothing to draw me in or grab my attention in the first half of the book. Although the story picks up in the last few chapters, I would say that the rest of the book was a little bland.

Unfortunately, I believe this book suffers from the same issues that plague a lot of short stories. When you are trying to stick to a specific word limit, I understand that some things need to be sacrificed. However, I felt that a few elements in the book needed to be explained in more detail. Early on, we learn that Chantilly's mother died when she was young. Yet, there is no explanation as to how she died. Also, I didn't understand why Jack needed the extra foreman job when he has a ranch of his own to look after. Chantilly also calls Jack's nephew Craig "kid", which I found a little odd considering Chantilly is most likely the same age as Craig.

However, my biggest problem with the book was the lack of love scenes between Chantilly and Jack. For the first half of the book, there was plenty of lead up to Jack and Chantilly being together, but when they finally act on their feelings, the scene ends! Call me dirty or what have you, but I like to read sex scenes from beginning to end. I really do not like "fade to black moments". It felt like having a big piece of chocolate cake put in front of you and before you can take your first bite, the plate falls on the floor. Thankfully, near the end of the book we finally get love scenes with a bit more detail.

What I did like about the book were the sisters. To me, they felt almost like the female version of Lorelei James's McKay men. They all had their own personalities that really shone through, although we don't get to know much about them personally. I also found it really cute that they were all named after a type of lace but they are far from being dainty and frail women. I'm interested to see where this series will go. Hopefully each sister gets her own story.

Overall, this book was neither a hit or miss for me. I did enjoy Chantilly and her sisters, but the lack of detail on the love scenes in the first half of the book almost had me putting the book down and walking away. However, I'm glad I stuck with it. I look forward to reading about the rest of the sisters of McDougal Ranch.

Other opinions:

~Goodreads

~Smitten With Reading - B

Author's website

New Cover Alert: Adam by Jacquelyn Frank

I'm so happy to see that Jacquelyn Frank is returning to the Nightwalkers series! How she stayed away from those luscious demons, I'll never know. While I don't remember there being a character named Adam in the books, I certainly remember Jasmine. I can't wait to read her story and I have say it's about damn time Ms. Frank returns to, in my opinion, her best series! Adam (Nightwalkers #6) is out October 25, 2011.

Hunted by magic, beset by evil, the Nightwalkers face their darkest hour yet. And when the unthinkable happens, only one legendary male has the power, the will, to save them: Adam… 

For 400 Years He Was Lost To Her, But He Is Hers Tonight… 

From their first tantalizing touch, Jasmine knows he is different. What other lover could unlock her tight control, flood vampire senses jaded by a lifetime of decadent self indulgence? Centuries ago, when he disappeared without a trace, she had given up hope of ever fulfilling the promise of incomparable passion. But here he is, against the very laws of nature, ready to bring down their most vicious enemy, ready to bring her blood to the boiling point…if she will only let him. 

Pleasure rules the night.

It's Summer and I Feel Like Having A Giveaway! ($25 to Book Depository)

I'm Canadian and I'm well aware of the joke that Canadian summers last about a month out of the year. The sad thing is, the joke has some truth to it. While I'm used to the cold and the snow, this past winter was harsher than most and man do I 

absolutely hate shoveling. To make matters worse, the temperature has also been on the cool-side until recently. When it finally hit 25°C the other day, I immediately grabbed a book, slathered on some sunscreen and relaxed on my back porch. There is nothing I love more then reading in the sun!

So in order to celebrate that summer has finally arrived in Canada, I thought I would host a giveaway so some lucky winners have the chance to get out and read in the sun. Just remember the sunscreen ladies!

GIVEAWAY

One lucky commenter will win two books of his/her choosing from Book Depository!

If more than 25 people enter, I will choose a second winner who will win one book of his/her choosing from Book Depository. To enter, simply fill out the entry form below. You don't have to be a follower to enter, but one extra entry will be given to those who are or become a follower of this blog.

RULES

-You must have a valid email address. NOTE: those that enter and do not have a valid email address will be disqualified.
                                                                                                                                              -Contest runs from June 14/2011 to midnight (Mountain Standard Time) June. 28/2011. The winner(s) will be chosen at random on June 29/2011 and contacted later that day. If the winner(s) does not get back to me within 3 business days, I will choose a different winner(s).

-This contest is open internationally, but the winner(s) must live in a country that is eligible for free shipping through the Book Depository. If this qualification is not met, I reserve the right to choose a new winner(s). 

-The first winner's choice of books must not exceed $25 in total (CAN). If a second winner is chosen, his/her limit is a total of $15(CAN).

-You must 18 years or older to enter

-Good Books, Good Coffee, Good Life is not responsible for lost books or unreceived books.

Good Luck!