Lovers at Heart by Melissa Foster Blog Tour

LOVERS AT HEART
 (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, #1)

By Melissa Foster

New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance

Published December 27, 2013

Published by World Literary Press

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, 
recommended for readers aged 18+** 

Lovers at Heart is a steamy contemporary romance with alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They’re flawed, funny, passionate, and very relatable for readers who enjoy adult romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction.

Handsome, wealthy resort owner Treat Braden is used to getting what he wants. When Max Armstrong walked into his life six months earlier, he saw right through the efficient and capable façade she wore like a shield, to the sweet, sensual woman who lay beneath. She sparked an unfamiliar desire in him for more than a one-night stand, leaving his heart reeling and his blood boiling. But one mistake caused her to turn away, and now, after six months of longing for the one woman he cannot have, he’s going home to try to forget her all together.

Max Armstrong has a successful career, a comfortable lifestyle, and she’s never needed a man to help her find her way–until Treat Braden caught her attention at a wedding in Nassau, causing a surge of emotions too reminiscent of the painful past she’d spent years trying to forget. Max will do anything to avoid reliving that pain–including forgoing her toe-curling, heart-pounding desire for Treat.

When a chance encounter turns into a night of intense passion, Treat realizes that the mistake he made six months earlier may cause him to lose Max completely. He will do everything within his power to win her heart forever–and Max is forced to face her hurtful past head on for the man she cannot help but love.

“Steamy sex scenes and heartfelt confessions…a satisfying addition to the ‘Love in Bloom’ series.”  – Midwest Book Review

Fans of Melissa Foster’s Snow Sisters series may be interested in The Bradens.

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About the Author

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, and the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Heart-Love-Bloom-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00G0ZRN18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391131335&sr=8-1&keywords=lovers+at+heart

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lovers-at-heart-melissa-foster/1117076342?ean=9780989050883

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18690048-lovers-at-heart

AToMR Tours – http://atomrbookblogtours.com

Click Below for Tour Schedule

 

Book Review for Highlander's Embrace Misty Highlands Book # 1 by Amy Isan

Highlander's Embrace
Misty Highlands Book # 1
by Amy Isan 

  2 stars

Reviewed by:Angels
Format:Kindle

Published: Amy Isan 
Source:ARC  Gene: Medieval Romance 

Blurb

1540, Scotland

A storm is brewing on the Highlands…

When headstrong and stubborn Gavin MacKenzie is driven to seek vengeance after the murder of his father, he seeks help from the King of Scotland. But things are amiss as he begins his journey across the fierce and unforgiving Highlands. And when he crosses paths with a crimson-haired young woman just as tempered as the Scottish Highlands, passions are quickly set ablaze. He fears she has already stolen his heart.

A secret two decades old could unravel everything...

Elyn Douglas doesn't feel like she belongs in the small village of Dornie, lingering right outside the walls of Eilean Donan Castle. After the assassination of Laird Angus MacKenzie, she’s thrust into a world of violence and highlanders, but when she meets the rugged and powerful Gavin, she doesn't know what to expect. All she knows is that when he looks at her, her heart melts a little bit of the frost that has plagued her whole life...

As chilling rain and howling wind pelt the Highlands, Elyn fights the racing of her heart that 
begs for her Highlander's Embrace...

Our Review

Spoiler Alert 


This is a new author to me.I was given this book to read in exchange for an honest review.I love medieval romance along with reading about all these wonderful protective hunky Highlanders.I have read thousands of them and never seem to get enough of them.

As a reader who loves to read everything and almost any gene she can get her hands on I find I am the type of person easy to please.If the books keeps me interested in its plot,makes me laugh on an off,cry at all the sad scenes, and its a believable plot or plausible one working toward a happy ending I am pleased.I do not nit pick at every little thing I find wrong as its a work of fiction.Why am I telling you all this you ask ?Its because there is nothing that I liked about this read.I hate to say it but its true and I feel really bad for saying it.

Why did I not like it ?This story had an interesting plot when I started reading it but ,soon went south almost for the very beginning for me once I started getting into the story.This story was just to unbelievable for me to believe it credible.

The plot starts out with a kidnapping of a small child right after her birth.A feud between clans for decades over the kidnapping of this child. Know one ever proved that the clan blamed for the deed ever committed the crime.Yet hatred survived for decades because of it.Then the story progresses to the point that the Laird of the Clan MacKenzie now wants his son Gavin to marry the daughter of there arch enemy because he fears of a war between the clans still over the matter of the child's disappearance and all hope rests on Gavin's marriage to divert this war.Gavin wants no part of this marriage or even be remotely related to the offending clan he refuses to enter into the vipers nest as he doesn't trust them one bit.

Here is where the story becomes so unbelievable for me.First off Laird MacKenzie was a hardened warrior and a abusive man.He was feared by many held his lands for over fifty years without anyone laying claim to what is his and now he fears war? Why all of a sudden is he afraid of war he has proven that he is not a man easily defeated? Why is the opposing clan forging war now after almost 20 years gone by  to right a wrong done to them over the kidnapping of there newborn daughter? They had 20 years to bring forth a war and did not.But, now all of a sudden its time?To me that makes no sense.If my daughter was kidnapped from the very beginning I would have tried to find out who did the kidnapping  and why , then I would find the ones responsible and then would proceed with what must be done.The family would not go to war unless they had proof of the crime committed and who was responsible they would never risk innocents.So that meant they were never able to find the ones responsible.

Gavin is trying to convince his Laird and father that he will not agree to a betrothal in the mean time they are attacked and many lives lost and the Laird dead.They believe that the clan finally sought retribution for the kidnapping of there newborn daughter.Gavin now the new Laird flee's his castle and clan to go for aid of there King and left his army to defend his castle and his people.Stop right there that would never happen !Gavin now is the clans Laird .Who with a conscious would flee for help ? No, he would stand and defend his castle and his people.Men like him are groomed from birth to take over the position of Laird .Take away that its just so unbelievable that he would flee without caring what happened to his people.The person in charge would send someone from his trusted most warriors.That  to me is plausible scenario .

My other complaint .Gavin love interest with Elyn Douglas.Gavin meets Elyn on the way to the king.The couple meet and he finds out that she was there for the attack and she escaped for help.I applaud her for her courage.She is driven to save her family .But, seriously how long would a lone women survive traveling a week last with no protection or any real skills of protecting herself never mind the horrors the she could encounter from her enemies along the way.After they meet they decide to search for the king together. Along the way the seem to form a bond with one another maybe even something a little more.But,the whole time they traveled Elyn did nothing but blame Gavin for this attack because he just wouldn't marry when his father told him to.She belittled him,made nothing but disparaging remarks to him and constantly put him down.Now what man let alone a Laird would take that from a women even if some of it might be true no man with some pride at least would let that happen he would defend himself right? Not Gavin...he took it.During this time period no man would take that kind of treatment from a women or his women even if he respected her.Just not believable and then you actually start to fall in love with someone like that? Really Gavin ?The author I think was trying to paint Elyn as a heroine but it did not work.It just turned me off as reader.I love strong women even prideful ones and those with backbone a spine which Elyn had but all her other unlikeable traits over shadowed the good ones.

 Along there travels Gavin finds out that Elyn is actually the lost daughter.She has a distinctive birth mark from he parents and there is no denying who she is.Once reaching the King they brand him a traitor throw him in the dungeons not believing any of the story of what happened.Elyn then is returned to her family.What happens to Gavin's people now?Elyn figures who is behind the attack and takes off to save Gavin.She is now in the arms of her lost family.Her parents just got her back.They really don't know much about her or the people she called mother and father.Yet her father a Laird and warrior just lets his daughter take off to go rescue the man she is suppose to love.He doesn't send men of his own to rescue him he lets his daughter go instead ? Really ?I would think that after missing his daughter finally having her back after 20 years a father would not let her out of his sight.He would be overprotective and do everything he could to protect her for any harm ever again.Right ?

The conclusion of the story is that Elyn real parents lend there aid to battle the clan who really is responsible for declaring war on Gavin's clan.Once Gavin is home he declares that his wife to be will be joining him in the up and coming battle .She has a right to be involved since they were the ones who stole her at birth.Really Gavin ?Would you let the women you loved with all your heart go into battle with you ?The danger of losing her should be overwhelming right? Where is your protective instincts?I could understand letting her go to war if she were a trained warrior but, she was nothing but a poor farm girl.What did she learn about protecting herself ? How could Gavin be in the thick of battle and constantly worry about her safety the whole time while trying and stay alive himself ?The whole scenario just to unbelievable for me yet again.

Last but not least the story ended with so many unanswered questions surrounding the kidnapping. Why did they do it ? Granted they hinted they wanted another clan to take the blame not the ones who were really responsible.That I could understand them wanting the clans to have a riff between them.But, why wait so long to act ?Why did they chose to make a move now? How did she end up being brought up a Douglas ? Did her adoptive parents take part in the plot ?How did she come to be with them ? Not only these things the author used curse words or so called English slang words which would never have be uttered during the time period. Normally something like this I would over look but with a plot such as this it was impossible for me to do so. 

My final thoughts .After reading thousands of medieval novels learning the history surrounding that time period and the men and women in that time period you get to know what it was like for them, what was expected of them.I just could not see someone like Gavin truly survive in brutal times like this let alone become Laird the way this author portrayed him.Would I accept Elyn as the true heroine of this story ? Yes ,if there had been something to support her capabilities.But,there was not.She wasn't a trained warrior she didn't train for years to learn to protect herself or her loved ones she lived in a peace loving clan. How could someone like that be a savior ? This chick had no common sense at all.I am sorry to say that this story wasn't my cup of tea and leave it at that.

New Release for Beauty From Love by Georgia Cates

Beauty From Love (Beauty, #3)

By Bestselling Author Georgia Cates

Released January 30, 2014

An Adult Contemporary Romance

Blurb

The epic romance between an all-American beauty and her Aussie continues in this final installment of The Beauty Series. Jack McLachlan is fulfilled by more than he dared to dream possible. He finds everything he never knew he wanted—or needed—in Laurelyn Prescott, his last and final companion. Life is beautiful with his beloved by his side but their post-wedded bliss is cut short when his dark past springs into their present happiness. He wants to shelter Laurelyn but keeping her untainted by his previous life proves impossible when yesterday’s sins insist on returning to haunt him. Will it be possible for them to find happiness in their forever with a past like his? Beauty From Love is an adult contemporary novel and is not intended for younger readers due to mature content.

 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author 

 Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it. 

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Book Review for Solar Heat by Susan Kearney

Solar Heat
The Heat #2

By: Susan Kearney

  5 stars

Reviewed by:Angels
Format:Kindle

Published: Belle Books
Source:ARC NetGallery Gene: Futuristic Romance 

Blurb

Is she an indispensable ally or his worst enemy?

When intersolar mining entrepreneur Derrek Archer rescues Azsla from her emergency sleeping pod, he's confounded by his desire for her - and the other strange feelings that begin to emerge whenever they're together.

Is she better off with him or without him?

Azsla's attracted to the sexy asteroid miner, but she fears getting close to Derrek might compromise her mission - and reveal that she's an enemy spy.

Looming over them is a cataclysm of deadly proportions - for if Azsla doesn't complete her mission, more than one world could be destroyed. She and Derrek must overcome their distrust, suspicion, and opposing loyalties, but between Azsla's secret, and Derrek's murky past, this mission may bring them closer together - or tear them apart.

Our Review

This is not the kind of normally read so I mixed things up and decided to give this title a try.I read some of  Susan's books many years ago and loved her Rysrani series so I thought to see what was in store in her new heat series.

I loved it.From cover to cover.I really enjoyed Derrek Archer and Azsal story.I am always excited to re- discover an author you haven't read for sometime and realize  you still love there writing.I will admit that for many years I stuck to one reading gene and the same authors and never ventured but, once I took the plunge a whole new world opened up for me.So be adventurous to and you won't be disappointed.

The story takes place in space were Aszal and her crew of escaped slaves are on the way to the planet Zor. Aszal is on a spy mission to discover information on there military defenses. Zor is now a planet that was built from escapee slaves from the planet Rama. During there escape there were technical difficulties and they had to  escape to several pods into space and hopefully to be discovered so she could fulfill her mission.

Aszal and Derrek met as he is the one who discovered her and her crew.The sparks fly once Derrek set eyes on Azsal he felt this possessiveness and jealousy he has never experienced before.Thinking in a plot of some kind he tries to dismiss it.If only his feelings were that easy to ignore.

My favorite character had to be Aszal I love when you have a strong female character.One that is witty ,smart,beautiful and deadly all wrapped up into one package.We also saw another side of Aszal of being able to be a loving and caring person. Azsal has a very complicated past.She struggles daily to suppress who she really is not just her real identity but also her true Quait abilities that would give her away.I admired Aszal for the decisions she would be forced to make and by coming to know her character by now I felt confident she would make the right choices.

Derrek the hunky asteroid miner character is complicated as well.A former slave who is now on of the most influential man on the planet Zor. Forced to start his life over again after his mind was scrubbed for a crime he didn't commit.You feel Derrek's pain of heartache at feeling the loss of his former family and his life as a slave who was under the control of the Quait echelons or former masters.He has made a new life for himself and his crew and loves living in space but, also has established homes on land.

Learning the background of this couple there fierce attraction complicates things. Aszal she can't tell the truth without exposing herself and after learning more about Derrek's past he will not be able to let go of his past so easily and accept her for who she really is. Aszal knows no matter what her mission is she is not happy about being one to betray them after coming to know and care for Derrek and his crew.

What a page turner for me and the complicated relationship between this couple took us with them on there amazing journey of finding love and starting over and showed us how to overcome ones past.We saw that people can  change if they let go of ones past in hopes of finding ones true life- mate.There was so much intrigue going on around this couple throughout this book that you never new what would happen next.I believe it just made the love between them grow stronger.The story was also filled with political intrigue ,betrayals,unlikely friendships being developed.Surprises of all kinds.Love and laughter.The plot had everything that a reader could want.I loved the characters and the odds they all had to overcome.

Really enjoyed this story from the beginning to end.I know there is mixed reviews about this one you seem to love it or hate it but ,I for one really enjoyed the story and I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Recommended to readers who love science fiction. reads and futuristic romance.

My favorite quote form the book !
"My children haven't been born yet ,and they are arguing with me. It's fripping unbelievable." 

Fantastical Grand Finale

Did you miss any of these fantastic stops on the tour? 
Check them out now!

January 26 Launch

January 27 @ Mythical Books

Shadowskin 

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by Bethany Cassel 

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Weaving a Fairy Tale Tapestry

Once upon a time, there was a poison apple. This poison apple never wanted to hurt the princess with skin as white as snow, but evil dwarves made her do it. 

In the very earliest stages of Shadowskin, the book was meant to be a straight retelling of the Snow White fairy tale. It was inspired by the question and subsequent answer of, “Why would the evil queen really want to kill Snow White? The poison apple is more than that . . . it’s really the queen’s daughter, cursed with a deadly touch.” This is where my main character, Pomona, originated. She was the personification of the poison apple in the story. At first, I was content to develop just this part of her identity and retell just one fairy tale, but, as things go with writing, things quickly got out of hand. I realized that Pomona was far more than just a poisoned apple, but that required some more development...

Read more at Mythical Books.

January 28 @  Wonderings of One Person:

 

Beyond the Fortuneteller's Tent (Beyond #1)

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Beyond the Hollow (Beyond #2)

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by Kristy Tate

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The Inspiration for Writing the Beyond Series

I thought I knew how the Twilight series would end. While I, and half the reading world, waited for the release of Stephenie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn, I concocted what I thought was the perfect happily ever after for Bella and Edward. After a year of impatiently waiting for the final conclusion, I was hugely disappointed in Meyer’s ending.

But then—wait! Why not use my own happily ever after? Why not create my own series? And so I did. No vampires, no werewolves, but lots of obscure legends and an ending I can’t wait to write. Two of the three planned Beyond books are now published, and I’m not sure if I want the series to end…yet. I love Petra and Emory. I’m not sure I’m ready to let them go. So, at the moment, I can’t say whether the Beyond series will be a trilogy or something much larger. But I do know the ending, and I love it. I hope it will be worth waiting for...

Read the rest of the guest post and an excerpt from Beyond the Fortuneteller's Tent at the Wonderings of One Person.

January 29 @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Enchanted Fairytales

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by Cindy C Bennett 

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Who Doesn’t Love Fairytales?

Who doesn’t love fairytales? Princes and princesses, magic, villains, obstacles to overcome to achieve true love—fairytales have it all. They’re an easy escape into an enchanted world. I think that has a lot to do with the current trend in retelling these fantastical stories.

I’d already decided to write some retellings when I was approached by my publisher to write a full length retelling of the fairytale of my choice. I chose Rapunzel for the full-length, leaving me the option of all the other fairytales for my short stories...

...With all of my fairytales, I studied and read all of the old versions, and a few of the new, using names and settings from the traditional tales. Some of the names might seem a little strange, but with all of my main characters, there’s a meaning behind their name.

I enjoy reading fairytale retellings almost as much as I like writing them. I hope you like the way I’ve retold these classic stories, and have fun immersing yourself into every fairytale you read, both traditional and the retellings. As always, happy reading!

Read more at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer.

January 30 @ A Backwards Story

 

Enchanted (Woodcutter Sisters #1)

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Hero (Woodcutter Sisters #2)

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by Alethea Kontis

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The Real Peter Woodcutter

My maternal grandmother passed away last February. It was the first time in seven years that my siblings and I were together in the same place.

I see my little sister Soteria the most often and talk to her almost every day. I speak to my older sister Cherie less frequently, but I'm trying to remedy that. Our brother West, however, seems to enjoy falling off the planet. So traveling to Vermont in the driving snow was made extra special for all of us because we got to see him.

I made sure he didn't leave without a signed copy of ENCHANTED. Instead of defacing the title page, like I normally do, I took up almost all of the blank space on the page before that, thanking West profusely for being both my real-life brother and the inspiration for Peter Woodcutter...

Read more at A Backwards Story.

January 31 @ Bookworm Lisa

The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen

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Read the first part of the novel for FREE:

Smashwords

by Andrea Cefalo

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The Inspiration for Writing The Fairytale Keeper

Did you know that nearly all cultures have their own version of the Cinderella story? Neither did I until attending a children’s literature lecture in 2007. I don’t know about you, but my mind tends to wander when I have to sit through two hour lectures. So I started wondering. If most cultures have a Cinderella story, was it based on one girl, a real Cinderella? Was Cinderella a girl who lived hundreds, or even thousands, of years ago? Or is there is just something so compelling about the Cinderella story that most cultures make up their own?

I didn’t want to write another Cinderella story. My story presumes that all of Grimm’s fairy tales are based on a real person, and that that person is the real Snow White. During her adventures, she compiled these tales through the people she’d met, the stories she’d been told, and the events she’d experienced.

Read more at Bookworm Lisa.

Tour-Wide Giveaway!!

January 26 - February 10
There are FIVE chances to WIN!!
Winners will be drawn randomly, entries will be validated and the IP Addresses checked for shipping qualifications to award winnings in order of preference, if indicated. See Rafflecopter entry. Additional restrictions on Rafflecopter apply.

1 - Signed print copy of Shadowskin by Bethany Cassel plus a signed sketch of the Main Character by the author! (US Only)

2 - eCopies of both books in the Beyond series by Kristy Tate: Beyond the Fortune Teller's Tent & Beyond the Hollow!  (International)

3 - eCopy of Enchanted Fairytales by Cindy C Bennett! (International)

4 - FIVE Signed paperbacks of Enchanted by Alethea Kontis plus swag! (US Only) (That's five winners. Woop!)

5 - eCopy of The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen by Andrea Cefalo! (International)

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