[Review] *Blog Tour* Heart's Desire by TJ Kline

Heart’s Desire 
Healing Harts # 1

By: T.J. Kline

Avon Impulse

Synopsis 

TJ KLINE’s brand new Healing Hart's series kicks off with HEART'S DESIRE

If you could have anything, do anything… what would it be?

Jessie Hart has a soft spot for healing the broken, especially horses and children, but her business is failing and bankruptcy is looming. The one man who can save Heart Fire Ranch is the last man she wants to take advice from - financial expert Nathan Kerrington - the same man who broke her heart eight years ago.

Nathan Kerrington has it all, except the one thing he’d wanted most - Jessie. Now that he’s finally freed himself from his corrupt family, he wants to make amends. When he’s called in to save Jessie’s ranch, he sees his chance to win her back - if only he can prove to her that she can trust him with her heart…

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. 

I'm so incredibly jealous of Jessie and was throughout the whole book. She's living on a horse ranch and rehabilitating horses; I'd love to be able to do that! I grew up with horses and absolutely loved them. Then life got in the way and we had to sell them. It was so sad, but the right thing to do at the time because we didn't have the time to devote to them. I really wish I could have horses again, but I don't think it will happen any time soon... 

But back to the book. This is my first book by Kline and I really enjoyed reading it. She has a talent for writing romance, and I can't wait to read the rest of the stories. Nathan and Jessie had a hot, summer fling when he came home with her brother during a college summer. But that was 8 years ago, and they haven't spoken since that time. When the Hart family needs financial help, Jessie's brother calls Nathan. You can feel the chemistry and tension between Jessie and Nathan right away. Jessie is pissed at him for leaving; but Nathan soon realizes he wants her back, for good. Trying to convince her of that is another story. Throughout the book we watch their relationship regrow and it's so fun! They have a really great relationship and Jessie learns she can rely on Nathan when she needs help. 

I definitely encourage everyone who enjoys a good romance to grab this book. You'll speed through it because the characters draw you in and don't let go. There's also a little bit of suspense in this one that I really enjoyed. I'm curious to see how the next book in the series plays out! 

Link to Follow Tour:  

http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/hearts-desire-healing-harts-1-by-tj.html

Goodreads Link: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23285837-heart-s-desire?from_search=true

Goodreads Series Link: 

https://www.goodreads.com/series/146550-healing-harts

Buy Links:  

Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

About the Author

T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and rodeo queen competitions since the age of 14, She has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has had several articles about rodeo published in the past in small periodicals as well as a more recent how-to article for RevWriter. She is also an avid reader and book reviewer for both Tyndale and Multnomah.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway 

(Digital Download Bundle of the RODEO Series by T.J. Kline, Including: RODEO QUEEN, THE COWOY AND THE ANGEL and LEARNING THE ROPES)

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[DNF Review] Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publishing Date: January 28, 2014
Format: audiobook, library
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom—all because of a reckless bargain her father struck. And since birth, she has been training to kill him.

Betrayed by her family yet bound to obey, Nyx rails against her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, she abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, disarm him, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. But even if she can bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him?

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

My Review

I was really excited to listen to this book when I got it from the library. I fell in love with the cover and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales. However, this one didn't live up to my hopes. Maybe it was because I was listening to it rather than reading it, but I just didn't enjoy it that much. I don't want to say I found it boring... but I kind of did. It didn't hold my interest and I kept waiting for something to actually happen between Nyx and Ignifex. I think I got through CD 7 out of 9 before I gave up on it. Hope others enjoyed it more than I did! 

It finally feels like spring!

So, I started writing this post last weekend when it was gorgeous here! Then I'm pretty sure I jinxed the weather because it got crappy... like really crappy. It was raining and almost snowing! Ahh! But thankfully, it's starting to look a little better, so I was reenergized to finish this post (:

I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite things about spring! I really love this season and I'm so happy its getting a little warmer.

Flowers! I love seeing  everything go from brown and dying to green and pretty! And this year, I finally have my own yard, so I get to start a lot of landscaping pretty soon :) It's going to be a lot of work I think, but definitely worth it. 

Reading outside. Seriously. One of my favorite things ever. I finally have a deck to sit out on and a pretty big backyard. Plus, there's this cute family of three little kids whose house it behind mine and I love seeing those little kid outside playing and laughing! So sweet!

Yard games! I'm pretty sure my husband and I have almost all the yard games available! Ok, so maybe not all, but we're pretty darn close! We love playing these outside with our friends! We just made a Harry Potter theme Bean Bag Toss (we used it at our wedding) so we'll finally be able to actually use it outside!

And finally, fires. Sitting outside at night around the fire is so incredibly relaxing. I love just listening to the fire and the crickets and thinking about a lot of nothing. And the smell of fires is pretty darn wonderful, too!

What are you favorite things about spring?

Book to Movie: The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks 

Gah! I love Nicholas Sparks' books! Say what you want, but he knows how to write a romance and make women swoon! I loved reading The Longest Ride (see my review here) and I couldn't wait to see the movie when it came out! My friend came down to visit me this weekend and we went to see this together. It's been our plan ever since we found out it was going to be a movie. 

I was a little worried when the movie started because it was quite different from the book. My friend was pretty upset at first, but the more we watched the less upset we were. The way the movie is set up really works well and we talked about it after the movie ended. I think it would have been difficult to follow and maybe confusing if the movie had been exactly like the book. 

One of the differences I noticed was I felt more connected to Sophia and Luke's story when reading the book, but when I was watching the movie, I loved Ira and Ruth's story much more. Sophia wasn't quite what I imagined her to be, so that might have had something to do with it. Or it could have been that the flashbacks were easier to visualize for Ira and Ruth's story in the movie. Regardless, I loved this movie! I laughed...I definitely cried... and Scott Eastwood is incredibly hot! 

Cast

 Scott Eastwood as Luke Collins

 Britt Robertson as Sophia Danko

Alan Alda as Ira Levinson

Jack Huston as Young Ira Levinson

Oona Chaplin as Young Ruth Levinson 

Trailer

The 8th Confession by James Patterson

The 8th Confession by James Patterson 
Series: The Women's Murder Club, #8
Publisher: Grand Central
Publishing Date: 2009
Format: purchased, paperback
352 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home. 

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode of the year.

My Review

I always look forward to picking up another book by James Patterson. I'm a huge fan and love how fast his books are to read! I'm slowly building up my library to own all of his books and I'm making good progress! In the mean time, I actually need to read them all :) I was in the mood for a quick read and a mystery, so I knew I had to pick up one of Patterson's. 

This book, like most of his others, was a really quick read. I love the short chapters because I feel like I'm always telling myself, just one more chapter... and then 5 chapters go by... Lindsay is a great character. I think she makes a really good detective and she's not willing to settle on a case until she can solve it. I also really like the addition of her partner Rich Conklin. He's been in a few of the books so far and I think he's a great addition. I really like Jacobi and I'm glad he's still part of the books, but Conklin is fun. I know some people are frustrated with Lindsay in this book since she can't seem to make her mind up about the men in her life, but I think that can sometimes be common in real life. While you may not want to be with a certain person, you like the attention they give you and don't necessarily want to give that up. I think she made the right decision and I'm curious to see who their relationship will play out in the next books. 

I liked this book and it was interesting to see how it all played out. It probably wasn't my favorite of this series, but I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to The 9th Judgment! 

Stacking the Shelves 4.19.15

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews. Its all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether physical or virtual books. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course, ebooks! Tynga posts this meme on Saturdays, but you can post on any day that works best for you! Check out the guidelines by visiting Tynga's blog! 

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Bought

Blue Water by Manette Ansay

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Stacking the Shelves 4.12.15

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews. Its all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether physical or virtual books. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course, ebooks! Tynga posts this meme on Saturdays, but you can post on any day that works best for you! Check out the guidelines by visiting Tynga's blog! 

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Bought

I went to a few garage sales yesterday with my husband and was lucky enough to grab a few good books! I was pretty happy with my haul since I probably only spent $5 total on all of these (: 

Emma by Jane Austen

1984 by George Orwell

Tick Tock by James Patterson 

National Geographic Traveler - Greece

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag

Such a Pretty Face by Cathy Lamb 

The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline

Accused by Lisa Scottoline

I also went to Bookbub.com and downloaded a bunch of their free books from Amazon! There's way more than I can count at this time and it would take me a while to go back through them, so I'm not listing them all today (: But I would definitely suggest people check out their website for free or cheap ebooks! 

[Review] The Next Always by Nora Roberts

The Next Always by Nora Roberts
Series: Inn BoonsBoro, #1
Publisher: Berkley Publishing
Publishing Date: 2011
Format: paperback, purchased
324 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen.

After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Busy, with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look . . . at the building and the man behind it.

With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett’s happy to give Clare a private tour - one room at a time. It’s no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something new - and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next . . .

My Review

I'm a big Nora Roberts fan and have read so much of what she's written. I knew when I saw this one, I had to grab a copy. While I liked this book, it wasn't my favorite of hers. I thought the storyline was interesting and I love that the Montgomery men, along with their mom, are fixing up an old building and turning it into an inn. I also liked the ghost that lives in the inn - she's intriguing and I want to know who she was and how she's related to the house! I wish the story talked about her a little more (which surprises me since I've never been into ghost stories before). 

There's also a little suspense in this book that I wasn't expecting at all! I've read a few of Roberts' books with suspense in them and she does it really well. I think because that's not what this story was about, it wasn't as good as I was expecting. 

Even though there were some things I didn't like about this book, there were still many things I did! I enjoyed Clare's character. She clearly has had a tough life and is raising three young boys on her own. Beckett's had a crush on her since high school and now that he can, he's taking a chance on showing his heart to Clare. I love how Beckett interacts with Clare's children. He can empathize with them since he also lost his father and he shows them what it's like to have a father-figure around. Each of the three boys are so sweet, but I especially liked Harry, the oldest. He feels like he has to look out for his mom and the rest of his family since he's the "man of the house" now that his dad's gone. He's a cute kid! I own the third book in this series but not the second, so I think I'll just jump to that one unless I come across the second sometime soon. 

Others in the Series

Feature and Follow Friday! 4.10.15

Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community. If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers. But you have to know, the point of this hop is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. 

The general rules are: 

- Follow the Feature and Follow Hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read)

- Follow the Featured Bloggers

- Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 

- Grab the button up there and place it in a post. This post is for people to say hi and that they are now following you in your comments. 

- Follow, Follow, Follow as many as you can. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Don't just follow, comment and say hi in the post! Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say 'hi'

- If someone comments and says they are following you, please follow back! 

This Week's Question: Have you ever read a book you thought you'd hate but loved? Or vice versa?

I tend to not read books that I think I'll hate. Mostly because I have so many books on my shelves waiting to be read that I don't see the point in reading something I won't like. However, a couple of years ago, I found myself with a copy of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Long story short, I bought it for my brother-in-laws girlfriend for Christmas and ended up with two copies because of a mix-up with shipping. So I kept the second copy. I wasn't really sure if I'd like it; it didn't seem like something I would be interested in and I had never heard of it before. But I decided to start it anyways - why not? I had the book and I don't like giving books away until I've read them. I began this book and couldn't put it down! It was absolutely beautiful and magically written! Read it!! 

March 2015 Wrap-Up!

March absolutely flew by for me! My husband and I closed on a house and moved in, and then we started finishing half of the basement! So much work, but it's finally done and it was definitely worth it. I like knowing we have a separate space for hanging out with friends, playing pool, watching tv/movies, etc. I have a feeling April will go by just as fast and unfortunately that means my blog won't get as much attention as I'd like. But I'm going to try this weekend to get a bunch of stuff written up so I hopefully won't be away too much! Now let's look back on what happened here in March...

Where They Found Her by Kimblery McCreight

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Stacking the Shelves 3.1.15

Feature and Follow: Pets!

Tell Me Something Tuesday and Top Ten Tuesday: Spring Reads

Top Ten Tuesday: Childhood Favorites!

February 2015 Wrap-Up

If You Liked The Notebook... 

[Review] Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
Series: Kowalski Family, #1
Publisher: Carina Press
Publishing Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Format: purchased, ebook
322 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.

Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.

He proposes an outrageous plan - for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career.

But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn't ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri &Joe 2gether 4ever.

My Review

I loved reading this book! It's been sitting on my ebook shelves forever and I never really got around to it. I believe I downloaded it when it was free, so I figured I'd get to it at some point. I actually downloaded it because it not only sounded good, but one of my friends has a few Shannon Stacey books and really likes them. I figured if she did, then I probably would too! 

I thought this was a fun book to read. Joe and Keri were high school sweethearts until Keri left and moved across the country. Joe becomes a famous author and he's journalist Keri's newest assignment. I really loved reading about Joe and Keri's high school relationship and seeing how they interact with each other after so many years. There's definitely some tension and the relationship is complicated. But watching them work out all of their problems is what makes this a great book. 

Keri also has a broken relationship with Joe's sister, Terry. They were best friends growing up, but Keri then got into the "popular" crowd and Terry felt left behind. Not only did I enjoy watching Keri and Joe repair their relationship, but Terry and Keri's needed definite repairing as well.There's also a really great side story between Terry and her husband, who she's currently separated from. We watch Terry struggle begin on her own and coping with without her husband. 

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who love romances. I read that the next book is about Joe's brother Kevin, which I cannot wait to read! He seems like a great character and I'm really excited for his story. 

*Blog Tour* and [Review] Nobody's Angel by Sarah Hegger

Nobody’s Angel
Willow Park Romance # 1

By: Sarah Hegger

Releasing March 31^st, 2015

Zebra

Synopsis 

In this evocative new series from author Sarah Hegger, a woman returns home after a long absence—and wonders if two wrongs really can make a right...

Nine years ago Lucy Flint ran away to Seattle, taking her friend's boyfriend and leaving her high school sweetheart without a word of explanation. Now she's back in Willow Park, Illinois, to help care for her ailing father—and it's no surprise that her ex, Dr. Richard Hunter, is still angry.

Still, she's a different Lucy now. Sober, wiser, ready to make amends to the long—make that very long—list of those she mistreated during her wild younger days. Falling for Richard all over again would mean wreaking havoc in both their lives and possibly squandering her opportunity for redemption. But here, in the place where everything went wrong, is the one person who always felt right, and a second-chance that could be the best mistake she ever made…

Book Trailer: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnj4IHOhcuU

Link to Follow Tour: 

  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/12/nobodys-angel-willow-park-1-by-sarah.html

Goodreads Link: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22494932-nobody-s-angel?from_search=true

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | ITunes | Kobo

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. 

I enjoyed reading this book and I'm interested in reading the next in the series as well! Josh should be a fun character to read about! I really liked that it was about forgiveness. Lucy has clearly made some problems in her past, but she's going through the steps to recovery and making amends in her life. She goes back to her hometown to ask for forgiveness from those she's hurt. That's when she comes across Richard, her high school sweetheart. The reunion is as difficult as she imagined, but worth it for her recovery. This book had a lot of the typical romance stuff but it wasn't just about the romance. It was really about Lucy overcoming her past; she is a really strong character and Richard is a good match for her. She has overcame a lot of struggles in her life and took responsibility to own up to her past mistakes. I really wasn't a big fan of Lucy's parents. It seemed that they were so upset with her and couldn't forgive her mistakes. I understand that they were disappointed in the choices she made, but it was 9 years ago and she was in high school at the time. I felt like they should be able to notice how much she's changed. It was a little frustrating to see how they acted towards her. But it definitely showed her strong personality! 

About the Author

Born British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.

Mimicking her globe-trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.She currently lives in Draper, Utah, with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.

She loves to hear from readers and you can find her at any of the places below.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway 

(Including: (1) $20.00 Amazon Gift Card, (3) $10.00 Amazon Gift Cards, Five Print Copies of NOBODY’S ANGEL (Or Digital for Int. winners))

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