Close to You by Kara Isaac

A disgraced scholar running from her past and an entrepreneur chasing his future find themselves thrown together—and fall in love—on a Tolkien tour of New Zealand.

Allison Shire (yes, like where the Hobbits live) is a disgraced academic who is done with love. Her belief in “happily ever after” ended the day she discovered her husband was still married to a wife she knew nothing about. She finally finds a use for her English degree by guiding tours through the famous sites featured in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. By living life on the road and traveling New Zealand as a luxury tour guide, Allison manages to outrun the pain of her past she can’t face.

Jackson Gregory was on the cusp of making it big. Then suddenly his girlfriend left him—for his biggest business competitor—and took his most guarded commercial secrets with her. To make matters worse, the Iowa farm that has been in his family for generations is facing foreclosure. Determined to save his parents from financial ruin, he’ll do whatever it takes to convince his wealthy great-uncle to invest in his next scheme, which means accompanying him to the bottom of the world to spend three weeks pretending to be a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, even though he knows nothing about the stories. The one thing that stands between him and his goal is a know-it-all tour guide who can’t stand him and pegged him as a fake the moment he walked off the plane.

When Allison leads the group through the famous sites of the Tolkien movies, she and Jackson start to see each other differently, and as they keep getting thrown together on the tour, they find themselves drawn to each other. Neither expected to fall in love again, but can they find a way beyond their regrets to take a chance on the one thing they’re not looking for?

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

So, the summary above is very long and pretty much tells you the whole book!  If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books and movies, you will probably really love this book because it has a lot of references and trivia.  Almost every scene is set somewhere related to Lord of the Rings in New Zealand.  I will admit to not being such a big fan and I still enjoyed this book.  :)  I'd sure love to go to New Zealand!

Jackson is a bit of a jerk in the beginning.  He is rude and not very nice at all.  It's a good thing that first impressions can be changed!  By the end of the book I liked him much better.  The ending really sealed the deal for me.  Ending = Jackson fan.

Allison is a nice girl.  A smart girl.  And kind.  All the best attributes to have.  Just because she is all those things doesn't mean she lets Jackson walk all over her.  Because he does kind of try to do that in the beginning but Allison hands it right back to him on a platter.

This was a slow growing build kind of book.  It took the whole book to get to a connection place for Jackson and Allison (yeah, I mean a kiss).  Even then I had to wait longer.  It was a titch frustrating but there were so many great scenes with chemistry and funny moments that I was appeased.  

This is a new author for me and I'm happy to add her to my author's to watch list!  I'll be looking for her next book!

Content:  Clean

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A Light in the Dark (Fallout #2) by Becky Doughty

On stage, Tish Ransome sings about heartache and passion, betrayal, and about love gone wrong… but she knows very little about any of it in real life. The rockstar princess who swears like a pirate—literally—is loved and adored by family, friends, and fans alike, and her world is filled with good things, her future bright.

Behind the scenes, however, trouble is brewing. When Tom, her best friend and co-founder of the Marauders, tells her he's leaving the band after graduation, Tish must find a new wingman to step into Tom's hard-to-fill shoes. The moment she hears Sebastian Jeffries play, she knows he's the one.
Yet with Sebastian comes a taste of the things Tish only writes about, and she can't resist the lure of the tortured artist. Sebastian, likewise, is drawn to Tish's brilliance, but like a moth that hovers too close to the flames, is he killing himself just to be near her? Can Tish save Sebastian before it's too late, or will he pull her down into the darkness with him?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Clean Teen Publishing *

I think I am a bit obsessed.  Okay, I am.  I know I am.  This series!  Ugh.  I want to eat it up.  I do pretty much eat it up.  I start reading and then I just cannot stop.  This is frustrating on those days that I cannot just sit and read continuously and it's so annoying to have to stop.  And start.  And stop.  And start.

If you read this story, here is my caution:  prepare for your heart to be yanked around like a yo-yo.  

One of the reasons I liked this book was that it was more than just a romance.  There were meatier issues to be dealt with and love on all of it's levels.  For that same reason, I was a bit frustrated because the tension and attraction was always there between Tish and Sebastian but it rarely had firework moments.  Okay, yes.  I mean kissing.  I wanted more of that between them.  The underlying, pulsing tension was always there though, just begging to get out.  There was more kissing between the wrong two people than there was the right two people.

Having said that, I could not help but be literally dragged into the world of Tish and Sebastian.  There are so many hints at what Sebastian is doing or dealing with but you just can't get a clear view of it in it's entirety until it explodes at the end.  Oh my heart.  I love books that get my heart involved.  It takes me to a new level of reading.

This was another fantastic addition to the Fallout Series by Becky Doughty.  She is one of my new favorites and I'm ever so anxiously awaiting to see what comes next!  Please hurry.  :)

Content:  some violence, kissing, bar and drinking scenes

My Wicked Half Sister (Someone Else's Fairytale #4) by E.M. Tippetts

Chloe never set out to be famous, but her marriage to Hollywood A-lister, Jason Vanderholt, has made her a celebrity by association. Jealous and nosy fans heckle her in public and the tabloids portray her as cold, arrogant, and unworthy of her husband. As bad as that is, it’s about to get a whole lot worse.

Her brother, Chris, is being paroled from prison, where he has been serving a time for shooting and nearly killing Chloe when she was a child. This is not a situation that she wants splashed all over the headlines, especially because this could incite her brother to try to finish the job.

While her movie star husband and in-laws do their best to be understanding, the only people who really know Chloe’s situation are her scatterbrained mother and her half-sister, Beth. Chloe’s mother has made a mess of her personal life again and is in no condition to help her daughter. Beth is Chris’s full sister, and family loyalty dictates that she side with him.

But when a string of crimes occurs all across town that appear tied to Chris, Beth sets out to hunt him down and bring him to justice. Chloe isn’t the only one in mortal danger, now, and if Beth comes to harm while fighting for her, Chloe doesn’t know how she’ll ever forgive herself.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * iBooks * B&N * Kobo *

I love this series.  It's one of my favorites because it is engaging and keeps up an even pace.  The characters are familiar to me now and I'm invested in them and their happiness.  I think you probably could read this book as a stand alone, but I don't think it will be as good as if you started from the beginning.

Chloe and Jason are good together.  They've been through a lot of things and they work hard at taking care of each other.  That's what I like best about them.  They are figuring things out together.  Jason especially really steps up in this book and works hard to put Chloe first and be there for her.  Chloe has a lot of big life things happening and she is trying hard to take care of the people she loves but honestly, she has a pretty messed up family and it's sort of crazy!  Chloe is strong even in her moments of weakness- and she does have those- which helps me to relate and empathize with her.

This series sort of reminds me of a soap opera.  Especially this episode.  :)  It has a hint of danger and suspense, tons of family drama- who do you trust?  Old enemies, new allies, and behind it all a sweet continuing romance between a girl and her famous husband.  

This book was easy to read.  I read through it quickly and enjoyed all my minutes with these characters.  I'm glad to be a part of the review team for this book and I thank WordSmith Publicity for the review copy.  

Emily Mah Tippetts writes science fiction as Emily Mah and sweet romance as E.M. Tippetts. A lifelong New Mexican, she lives with her family in Santa Fe, though she's been known to spend years at a time in the UK, her second home. Aside from being a writer, she's been a lawyer and jeweler, and is currently a stay at home mother, polymer clay artist, book designer/formatter, and owner of E.M. Tippetts Book Designs.

Links:

Mailing list: eepurl.com/vS_wz

Website: www.emtippetts.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/emtippetts

Twitter: twitter.com/emtippetts (@EMTippetts)

GIVEAWAY:

3 signed copies of My Wicked Half-Sister (US)

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Joni, Underway by Kelly Oran and Jonathan Harrow

Nineteen year old Joni Monday is loving life as an adult—living on her own, dealing with grown-up things like jobs, hook-ups, and doing her own laundry. Best of all: after finishing her first year at ASU, she will never again be called a freshman.

But when her brother is suddenly killed in a car accident, Joni’s adult life is turned upside down. Struggling to cope with loss, guilt, and anger—not to mention the meddling of friends and family trying to “fix” her—Joni is relieved to be presented with an escape in the form of a sailing trip her brother had been planning for months before he died.

With her first step onto the sailing vessel Lady Marguerite, Joni plunges into an adventure that will mark the beginning of her real adult life—a journey across the ominous dark blue of the Atlantic Ocean with a small, eccentric crew, and the young Captain Reid, whose gorgeous looks are only outmatched by his talent for care and kindness. Unfolding through the ups and downs of life at sea is an unforgettable story reminding us that love will always be a work-in-progress and coming of age never gets old.

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

Kelly Oram is an author who knows how to write such vivid and real characters.  Her books are always witty and full of life.  In this book, she co-authors with Jonathan Harrow, her husband.  So, something new from her this go round.

This book takes on a more serious note, I think.  The vibe isn't gloom and doom but it's definitely not as light and fun as most of Kelly's other books.  The characters are still stand out though- with quirks, histories and stories of their own to tell.  I loved this sailboat full of such diverse people, each on their own journey.

The way the whole story unfolds from Joni's perspective is good.  It made me feel like I was really on the journey right along with Joni.  I became personally invested in the characters and the story.  Captain Reid is a truly a hero.  His heart is gold.  And the ending bit?  Ugh, rip my heart out!

My only hesitation with this book is the swearing and the sexual innuendo.  That's a personal thing for me though.  There are sexual situations although nothing described in detail outside of kissing.  

A is for Abstinence by Kelly Oram

Six-time Grammy Award-winning musician Kyle Hamilton has it all—money, fame, talent, good looks, and a job he loves. His only regret in life: walking away from a certain notorious virgin because he was too prideful, stubborn, and even afraid to give her the only thing she asked of him—his abstinence.

Four years and a broken heart later, Kyle realizes that sex isn’t everything, and he suddenly can’t stop thinking about the girl that got away. Virgin Val Jensen got under his skin like no one else ever has. He wasn’t ready for her then, but things are different now. He’s grown up, he’s learned a few things, and he’s finally figured out exactly what he wants, or, rather, who he wants.

Kyle Hamilton wants a do-over, and this time he’s willing to do—or not do—whatever it takes.

First of all, if you haven't read V is for Virgin, you really need to read that book before you read this book.  Kyle and Val's story starts there and continues on in this book, years later.  While V is for Virgin was a YA book, this book moves up into the "new adult" genre.  Because of the content, it is more suitable for mature audiences.  There are no explicit sex scenes, but the whole book revolves around sex, or lack of sex, or wishing for sex or talking about sex.  You get the idea.  It is not a book I would hand to any teenager I know.

As I said, Kyle and Val have grown up a bit since the last book.  A lot can happen in four years, and it has for both Kyle and Val.  Luckily, Kyle is trying to grow up and become more mature about things.  He's decided that Val is the girl he wants and he sets out on a mission to do whatever it takes to get her.

Val is understandably wary of Kyle and his intentions.  She's been burned by him before.  Of course, the flames of passion still burn strong and the chemistry between Kyle and Val is enough to set the book on fire.  Their lusty connection continues to build to bursting.  It must be noted that Val promotes waiting until marriage for sex.  That is absolutely a message I do stand behind for so many reason.  I am grateful to see that she stuck that decision in this book as well.

Kelly Oram really has a gift for writing tangible chemistry.  The dialogue between characters is real and flows so well.  I was happy to see some resolution with Kyle and Val as well as some of the other characters.

This book crossed over my comfort lines with the whole sex theme.  Explicit sex scenes aside, I still wouldn't call this book a "clean romance".  There is also swearing, which goes beyond "mild".  I could have done without that as well.  Both of these are personal preferences, I realize, and not shared by everyone.  The author is very upfront about the content in this book being more pronounced and I'm grateful to her for that.  In the future, I will stick with her YA books and leave the New Adult books to more adventurous readers.  ;)

You can purchase A is for Abstinence at Amazon.  (how is that for alliteration?)

Break It Up by E.M. Tippetts

Title: Break It Up

 Author: E.M. Tippetts

 Release date: November 12, 2013

 Age Group: New Adult

 Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kyra Armijo is making a few changes in her life. One of them being, she's no longer going to give it up to every guy who looks at her twice. And she's putting her hopes and dreams for her future first. When the aspiring photojournalist gets the opportunity of a lifetime to tag along with international boy band sensation, Triple Cross, she can't pass up the chance.

The only problem is that she's in love with one band member, dodging the unwanted attention of another, and desperate to keep her turbulent past under wraps. Triple Cross have "nice guy" appeal, approved of by parents the world over, but have just let go their longtime manager, who controlled their clean image and media exposure with an iron fist. When Zach Wechsler, the object of Kyra's affection, begins to show interest, she has to be careful.

Surely one girl can't destroy a band that's been together for ten years... only what if she can? Kyra knows she's one bad decision away from ruining everything she's worked for, and taking the hottest act of her generation down with her.

Kyra has made a lot of mistakes.  She’s got a past she isn’t necessarily proud of.  Things are different now though.  She is trying so hard to be the person she really wants to be.  You have to admire a person who can sink so low in life and fight their way back up and out of it.  That sort of tenacity makes for a great character that you can relate to and root for.  Kyra is that kind of character.

This story had a great flow to it.  I enjoyed listening to Kyra’s inner turmoil whenever she was around Zach.  Hot guy from a famous boy band- sweet and a bit lost.  Just the kind of puppy you want to take home and love.  Kyra really wants to be his friend and be worthy of his love and attentions- if he’d ever give them to her.  But she knows that her past will catch up with her sometime and she dreads the day.  It’s funny how the past has a way of doing that.  Kyra rises to the occasion though.  When her past is thrown in her face in front of the entire world, she uses what she has learned to help other people.  I think that’s what mistakes are all about.  Owning up to them, becoming better and overcoming them and then using the knowledge and experience to help other people do the same.  It was a theme I could get behind as a reader.

I’ve read previous books by this author and really enjoyed them.  It was nice to have a different character within the same family to get to know without having to leave the others completely behind.

Content:  There is a lot of talk about a very sexually active past.  There is sexual thoughts and references to sexual things.  There is some teenage drinking and drugs.

About the Author

Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance as E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy as Emily Mah. She is a former attorney with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and business law from UCLA, and currently lives in her lifelong home state of New Mexico with her family. For more information or to sign up for updates on future book releases, visit her website at www.emtippetts.com

Author Social Media Links:

www.emtippetts.com

www.facebook.com/emtippetts

twitter.com/emtippetts

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Tour organized by: AToMR Tours; http://atomrbookblogtours.com

To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpts click here or the tour button below.

On Tour with Watch Me Disappear by Diane Mulligan

Lizzie Richards isn’t excited to be starting over at a new school for her senior year, but she’s trying to take her mother’s advice and make the most of it—the only way she can: By disobeying her strict parents’ rules. Lizzie’s father has moved the family around every few years to advance his career, so she has never had a chance to develop the kind of “BFF” relationships she thinks most kids have. She’s bracing herself for another lonely year at her third high school when her neighbor Maura gets sick of watching her little brother when she could be partying. Thanks to Maura’s plotting, Lizzie becomes everyone’s new favorite babysitter. Seeing her opportunity, Lizzie decides to break her mother’s rules by using Maura’s computer to create a secret Email address and Facebook account. She is quickly friended by Missy, a fellow transfer student as eager for a friend as she is. Things are looking up for Lizzie until Maura’s ex-boyfriend Paul sets his eye on Missy. Caught between her new best friend and the neighbor whose friendship promises instant popularity, Lizzie doesn’t know what to do—because she’s fallen for Paul, too.

I have to admit that this wasn't one of my favorite reads.  I had a hard time finishing it.  I didn't really like Lizzie very much so I guess that set the tone for the book for me.  None of the characters really drew me in to where I felt a connection to them.  

I sometimes felt bad for Lizzie.  Her parents are overly strict and she has very little social grace.  I think we can all relate to her feelings of wanting to fit in and have friends.  We all go through that to some degree or another in our lives.  A good self esteem can be hard to come by especially if your home life doesn't build that.

I would say that this book seems a bit young, the characters mostly act juvenile and sound very immature, but the book is filled with underage drinking and drugs as well as sex, sexual innuendo and talk so it definitely isn't a book to put in the hands of young teenagers.  There was also plenty of swearing.

I'm not sure there was really a plot to this book but here are some messages I took away from this book:

~drinking, drugs and skipping school will hurt your grades and your chances for getting into a good college not to mention it is just plain stupid

~putting a guy before your best girlfriend is also stupid

~boys who sit around in sweats all day, drinking and farting, still living with their mothers are losers

~high school is tough

~parents need to build their children's self esteem (but not by giving them everything they want and not by depriving them of everything they want)

I know that many people have read and enjoyed this book.  I'm just one girl with one opinion out of many.  Please check the tour schedule below and see what other people are saying about this book.  Also, there is a giveaway as part of this tour.  Leave me a comment to be entered.  You can also score more entries by commenting on other reviews on this tour.  

Diane Vanaskie Mulligan began writing Watch Me Disappear during an after-school writing club she moderates for high school students. This is her first novel. She holds a BA in American Studies from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s degree in teaching from Simmons College. When she isn’t teaching or writing, she’s the managing editor at The Worcester Review and the director of The Betty Curtis Worcester County Young Writers’ Conference You can also find her occasionally strumming her guitar and singing at various bars in central Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband.

Website: www.dvmulligan.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DianeVMull

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DianeVMulligan

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/dmvanask

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/pub/diane-mulligan/53/839/124

Buy Link

·  Amazon Kindle Store

·  Smashwords.

·  Createspace 

·  Kobo

·  Sony eBook Store

·  Diesel eBook Store

·  Barnes and Noble

GIVEAWAY

The Author will be giving away 3 $10 Amazon gift cards to randomly drawn commenters throughout the tour. The more stops you visit and comment on, the more chances you have of winning.

Follow Along With This Tour! 

January 15 - Magical Manuscripts - Review

January 16 - Lov Liv Life Reviews - PROMO

January 17 - Mom With a Kindle - Interview/PROMO

January 18 - Addicted to YA Books - Review

January 19 - Snifferwalker - Review

January 20 - My Cozie Corner - Review

January 21 - Lovely Reads - PROMO

January 22 - Queen of All She Reads - Review

January 23 - Comfort Books - Interview/PROMO

January 24 - A Thousand Lives - Review

January 25 - My Devotional Thoughts- PROMO

January 26 - Book Briefs - Review/Interview

January 27 - Andi's YA Books - Review/Interview

January 28 - Books For Me - Review

January 28 - Sweet Southern Home - Interview/PROMO

January 29 - Oh, The Books You'll Read - Review

January 29 - My Neurotic Book Affair - Review

January 30 - Above Average, Below Special - Review

January 31 - Getting Your Read On - Review

February 1 - A Bibliophiles Thoughts - Review

February 2 - My Bookmark Blog - Review

February 3 - Books and Needlepoint - Review/Interview

February 4 - Reading With Anacrasia - Interview/PROMO