{Blog Tour} It's Been You - Rina Gray (Review & Giveaway)

Rina Gray returns with IT'S BEEN YOU, an all new Crush on You novel from Crimson Publishing. When the opportunity to land a lucrative deal and promotion results in a friendly competition that then erupts into an all-out battle of desire, Tiana Holliday and Nathaniel Lawson will straddle the line between love and war in this steamy must read Fall title releasing November 7, 2016! 

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About It’s Been You:

Title: It’s Been You
Author: Rina Gray
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release Date: November 7, 2016
Series: Crush On You
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781507202180

Marketing manager Tiana Holliday just landed her dream job at an award-winning agency in New York City. There’s just one problem: cocky playboy Nathaniel Lawson, her old grad school nemesis, is her new officemate.

As the firm’s rising star, Nathan never had to compete for prime clients until all-work and no-play Tiana strutted into his workspace. When an opportunity arises to manage a lucrative sports car account and nab a big promotion, he challenges her to a wager: Loser does the winner’s bidding for one month. But their friendly little competition suddenly threatens to erupt into an all-out battle of desire.

As they straddle the line between love and war, they just might discover that challenging each other outside the boardroom is even more satisfying than advertised.

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Available:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

Review:

This book follows Tiana as she is trying to start a new life by moving to New York after losing her fiance.  The big issue in the book arises once she starts working with her nemesis from grad school Nathaniel and they share an office.  Tiana and Nathaniel also work on the same account and are competing against each other once again.

The book is told from the point of view of both Nathaniel and Tiana in alternating chapters.  I enjoyed how the author was able to use the two point of views.  They both has differentiating opinions of each other that we got to see change throughout the book.  Nathaniel was upset with Tiana over something that happened in grad school and Tiana was more hurt from her old fiance since she trusted him.  During the book the author did a great job showing growth within the two characters.

I also enjoyed that the author really showed all aspects of the characters from work ethic to family values.  They both had very different upbringings, but faced different issues that were unresolved.   I felt like the author did a great job expanding upon their issues and showing the challenges of a new relationship.   We got to see all sides of a relationship and it really made the characters feel real.  

I also enjoyed the issues that the author picked for the characters.  She did a great job showing how things from earlier years affected both of them.   We get to see how strong Tiana is of a character and how her goals in life are just to be better in life.  Tiana is not what she seems when we first meet her, but as the story continues we get to see how strong and loyal that she is.

My one issue with the book is towards the end of the book the action really picks up and it seems to come all at once.  I feel like the action could have been spread out a little more in the book and then we could have gotten more details on a major event towards the end.   I felt like we had a large buildup and then everything happened.

I would suggest this as a nighttime read.  It was an easy book to pick up and put down and very easy to follow along.   

I received a copy of this book from Barclay Publicity for the purpose of providing an honest review.  This does not affect my opinion of this book.

My Rating: 4/5

 

Excerpt:

The crowd screamed and clapped. A few rows behind Tiana, someone started a chant for the Beast. Clapping, she chanted with the crowd. The announcer waved a hand in the air and gripped the mic with his other one. “Unanimously voted to win all four rounds and still undefeated, I give you,” he walked to the corner and raised Nathan’s arm in the air, “the Beaaaaaassst!”

Tiana jumped and clapped as he stepped away and waved his arms in victory to the crowd. This isn’t so bad.

“Tiana wants to have a dozen babies with you, Beast!” Mel screamed at the top of her lungs.

Before Tiana could renounce her Martin Luther King philosophy of nonviolence and sock her former friend in her arm, Nathan turned to face them.

A flicker of heat, and a big dose of danger burned in his gaze. A jolt of energy zapped and electrified her. Every particle and cell in her body awakened, liquefied, and then sizzled. His lips tipped at the corners into a lazy smile.

“I’ll have your babies, too!” someone yelled from the crowd. His gaze stayed fixed on her face. His dark eyes broadcasted, “I’ve seen you naked and I like it,” to anyone who cared to see. Clenching her legs together, she quivered. Nathan gave her a cocky-ass smile as if he knew he was the cause of the mini-explosions firing within her.

A ring girl stepped into the octagon, sashayed up to Nathan, and leaned in for a kiss. Tiana jerked away from their intimate moment and held her breath for a second before looking back. Much like his fight, he ducked the woman’s advances, hopped on the stool in his boxing corner, and jumped over the ropes surrounding the ring. Landing with the ease of a panther, he stalked toward Tiana.

Mel nudged her and whispered, “Brace yourself.” Taking her friend’s wise advice, she breathed deep. Her eyes filled with him. A tall, dark, sexy, and sweaty vision. This man—this sexy beast—wanted her. Only her.

“Peaches,” he growled as he snatched off his gloves and tossed them carelessly on the floor. Closing the distance between them, he wrapped one hand around her waist and cupped her face with the other. His hard, unrelenting eyes continued to broadcast a message. No going back. His tongue swiped her mouth, as if testing the waters, followed by firm, warm lips. He commanded surrender, obedience, and absolutely no negotiations. She clung to him knowing his kiss had changed everything.

Her heart slammed and knocked against her chest, and her knees buckled. She was … Damn it, am I swooning? Like a well-practiced, swashbuckling pirate, his arms snaked around her waist as he drew her body into his. Wetness pooled and flooded her lacy Vicky Secrets. Nathan had just KO’ed her va-jay-jay.

Copyright © 2016 by Rina Gray

About Rina Gray:

Rina Gray is one of the newest African American romance writers on the rise. She is also a digital marketing professional who discovered her love of writing in 2012. Writing has always been Rina’s passion, though initially, she tried to deny it. In college she served as the copy editor for the entertainment magazine and newspaper. During her tenure, she had the opportunity to interview various talented entertainers including Chris Rock and the cast from Reno-911.

Rina has always been an avid reader, sneaking to read her mother’s books she had no business reading i.e. Stephen King’s The Stand, It, and Anne Rice’s various vampire series. As a pre-teen, she received a load of romance novels from a family friend and from that point on, she devoured any book related to romance or horror. When she’s not writing, she can be found with her head stuck in a book, kickboxing, or dominating game night with friends and family. Rina resides in Atlanta with her husband.

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{Blog Tour} Locking Up Santa - Nikki LeClair (Review)

Locking Up Santa by Nikki LeClair
Series Haunting Me Series Book # 2
Genres: Fiction, Mystery 
Publication date: November 8th 2016
Format: ebook, 397 pages
How I got it: From Hello Chick Lit for an honest review
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My rating: 3/5
 
It’s the Christmas season, and seven months since Phoebe Mercer’s life dramatically changed. She went from being an overworked legal assistant to a CEO of Lavish Looks Beauty Company. She moved from the bustling city to a quaint seaside town. She’s gone from living with a fiancé to living with a ghost. Yet, it seems she can’t get a grip on her new life, whether it’s getting used to being a public figure, having a Chief Operating Official who hates her, or a ghost who is just too passionate. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Phoebe’s mentor is suddenly arrested for a horrible crime and the town is ready to lock them away for good. The new product from Lavish Looks smells like a sewer, and people everywhere are noticing. Phoebe and her ghost find themselves having to race against time to prove her mentors innocence, and stop the company from sinking. Meanwhile, Phoebe must deal with a face from her past that throws her in a disarray of emotion, an unwanted visitor, and old friends who seem to have abandoned her. Can she figure out whose sabotaging her life, and the company, before she finds herself behind bars for a crime she didn't commit?

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My thoughts:

Phoebe’s life has taken a drastic turn after she helped Edie get her company back and became CEO of Lavish Looks.  Edie is also a ghost that stays with Phoebe and gives her advice along the way.   Phoebe is now trying to launch a new brand the first time without Edie and nothing is going right.   The accountant of the company Henry has just been arrested for multiple robberies and also assault while he was supposedly dressed as Santa.   Phoebe and Edie are now on the hunt to save the company as well as find out if Henry is not guilty.   

I enjoyed reading about a lot of the side characters like Edie, Henry and Porter.  I felt like the author did a great job developing the side characters for this book.  I felt like Edie’s personality completely shown through as a ghost, especially when we got details of every outfit she wore.  I also liked that some of the other characters knew about the ghost of Edie and didn’t find this to be crazy.  I also liked Patti she may be a little party crazy, but she is a party planner through and through.   All of the side characters were very loyal to their cause. 

The author did a great job with the story it really flowed along and was a cute Christmas story.   All of the details the author uses make the scenes really develop for me.   I felt like I could picture myself along with Phoebe at work or in her home.   The story really picks up in the second half of the book once we got through a lot of the background details.  I felt like I couldn't put the book down and wanted to know what was going to happen and boy was I in for a surprise at the end.

Things I didn’t like was this to me in not a stand alone book.  The author pulled a lot of background details from the first book and made mention to them, but it left me feeling very confused while reading and I felt like I was completely missing something.    Sometimes a second book should be read right after the first one and I believe this book should be read after the first one and would probably be perfect then.   Personally I had to reread sections to remember who people where and what they had to do with Phoebe. 

I also struggled to like the main character Phoebe.  It is really hard for me to get into a book where I don’t love the main character or her cause.  I felt like Phoebe was being pulled in way too many directions and just wasn’t getting anything accomplished.  I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t asking for help since I didn’t know the full extent from the relationships from book one so I felt at a loss to feel sympathy for her.   Phoebe just seemed like someone who should not be in charge of a company and really like a lost child. 

I suggest this as a nighttime read it was easy to read and the story flowed nicely.  There were natural stopping points so it was easy to pick up and putdown.  There were sections where you wanted to know what was going to happen next. 

I received a copy of this book from Hello Chick Lit in the exchange for an honest review.  This does not affect my opinion of this book. 

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About the Author

Nikki LeClair, also known under her pen name Vivian Brooks, wasn't always a avid reader or writer. She picked it up during high-school when she came across Sophie Kinsella's Shopacholic series and the works of Jane Austen. Suddenly she found herself with high marks in her English and Writing classes, and part of the Yearbook club. Since then she's read more romantic comedies than she can list and until recently had the privilege of releasing her very first novel; All Because of You.
Her heroines are often over the top, but fully relate-able to any woman whose had to struggle with her love life, suitors, work environment and family.
She credits her work and the ability to force herself to keep up with her passion to her brother who was one of her first mentors in writing.

Author Links:

  

{Blog Tour} Aftermath - Clara Kensie (Review)

Aftermath
by Clara Kensie
Publisher: Merit Press
Release: November 15th 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery

Synopsis:

Charlotte survived four long years as a prisoner in the attic of her kidnapper, sustained only by dreams of her loving family. The chance to escape suddenly arrives, and Charlotte fights her way to freedom. But an answered prayer turns into heartbreak. Losing her has torn her family apart. Her parents have divorced: Dad's a glutton for fame, Mom drinks too much, and Charlotte's twin is a zoned-out druggie. Her father wants Charlotte write a book and go on a lecture tour, and her mom wants to keep her safe, a virtual prisoner in her own home. But Charlotte is obsessed with the other girl who was kidnapped, who never got a second chance at life--the girl who nobody but Charlotte believes really existed. Until she can get justice for that girl, even if she has to do it on her own, whatever the danger, Charlotte will never be free.

Review

This book follows Charlotte who has been kidnapped when she was a young child.  Charlotte kept going at her kidnapper's house by thinking of her loving family assuming they were doing great and had moved on without her.  When Charlotte is finally found and released she has found out that her family has completely changed from when she was abducted.

First I love Charlotte as a character.  The author did an amazing job creating a teenager who has been abducted and found.  I felt like the emotions that Charlotte was going through were very well represented by the author.  I loved how the author would describe what Charlotte was doing as well as thinking because sometimes you want to put on a front to move forward.   Also, I liked how the author handled all the gruesome acts that must have happened to Charlotte, we get to see bits and pieces of what happened to her and it is not overwhelming to read.   Charlotte is a very strong character even if she doesn't always see it, the author did a great job showing the strength that Charlotte possess.

I could not believe the twist towards the very end of the book.  I did not see that coming at all and it tore out my heart and stomped all over it.  I felt so connected with Charlotte at that moment in the book I wasn't sure how she was going to go on with her life.  It felt like the entire book was building up to a large event and the book did not disappoint. 

The side characters in the book where perfect.  I enjoyed reading about Charlotte's twin sister as well as her parents.  They each suffered in different ways when Charlotte disappeared and handled the situation differently.  The author did a great job showing how each coped with what happened and how guilty they each felt.  I loved by the end of the book we get to see 180 degrees in all of these relationships.

Things I didn't love in the book was I felt like the author could have expanded more upon Charlotte's recovery.  I felt like the author picked a few major issues to talk about, which probably kept the book shorter, but I felt like she was going through so many emotions I would have love to read more about what was going on Charlotte's brain and how someone can recover from such a trauma. 

I would suggest this as a weekend read or a vacation read.  I found this book hard to put down.  I wanted to know what was going to happen in the end and if Charlotte would be able to succeed in life.   This story was so gripping I couldn't put it down.  It is a book that you need time to digest and think through.

I received a copy of this book from the Fantastic Flying Book Club for the purpose of providing an honest review.  This does not effect my opinion of this book.

My Rating:  5/5

Winner of the 2015 RITA Award for Best First Book

Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she's swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn't changed one bit. 

Today, Clara is the author of dark fiction for young adults. Her debut, the super-romantic thriller RUN TO YOU BOOK ONE: DECEPTION SO DEADLY is the winner of the prestigious RITA Award for Best First Book.

The RUN TO YOU series was named to several Best Books of 2014 lists, including RT Magazine Editors' Pick. The two-book series was originally published as a six-part serial by Harlequin Teen in 2014 (First Sight, Second Glance, Third Charm, Fourth Shadow, Fifth Touch, and Sixth Sense). By popular demand, the six-part serial is now available as two full-length books: DECEPTION SO DEADLY and DECEPTION SO DARK.

Her next book is AFTERMATH, a dark, ripped-from-the-headlines contemporary about a girl who returns home four years after being kidnapped, only to find her family has fallen apart in her absence. To fix her broken family--and help find the body of her captor's first victim--the girl must first heal herself. AFTERMATH is a story of hope, healing, and triumph over tragedy, perfect for fans of ROOM and THE LOVELY BONES. Available November 15th 2016 from Merit Press.

Clara's favorite foods are guacamole and cookie dough. But not together. That would be gross.