**Teaser Tuesday ~ #49**

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

***

Unexpected Gifts

A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance

by Elena Aitken

Adult, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Christmas represents everything Andi Williams is supposed to have, and doesn't. Running away to a remote mountain lodge in the Canadian Rockies, sounds like the perfect way to escape, until a mix-up finds her sharing a villa with sexy, rough around the edges, Colin Hartford.

Colin's determination to enjoy the holiday he's missed for the last five years, sweeps Andi into a season of joy that she's not sure she's ready for. Can Andi open herself up to everything the holidays have to offer...including love?

***Teaser***

"I was just laying here thinking how much I'd love a coffee while I enjoyed the view and then you showed up. Are you a mind reader?"

**Blog Tour Review & Giveaway ~ The Darkest Part ~ Trisha Wolfe**

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Trisha Wolfe's The Darkest Part. Below you'll find all the details for the book, my review, and because I think this book is so fabulous, I'm giving away a copy! So don't forget to enter the giveaway.

***

The Darkest Part
Living Heartwood #1
by Trisha Wolfe 
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Goodreads

Synopsis
Pressing the boundaries of both the psyche and the heart, Sam and Holden embark on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of love.

Sam Wintry’s life used to be almost perfect. She was engaged to her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, Tyler Marks, planning an amazing cross-country honeymoon during her college break. But after a hit-and-run leaves her in ruin, she begins seeing Tyler’s fractured, ghostly presence, and her family believes she’s losing her mind. Not until she completes their journey, stopping along the way to scatter Tyler's remains, will Tyler be able cross over. Only...is Sam ready for him to leave her?

When the black sheep of the Marks' family, Holden Marks, returns to check on Tyler's case, Sam convinces him to give her his brother's ashes. Despite their shaky history, she needs him...plus, he owes it to Sam and his brother. What she doesn’t count on is Holden’s relentlessness to go on the trip. 

On the road, Holden realizes just how unhinged Sam has become. Dealing with her psychosis forces him to confront his dark past, making it harder to keep secrets hidden that should remain buried. Especially from Sam, the only woman he’s ever loved. And as Sam starts to unravel the truth, she begins to question if the brother she's unwillingly falling for again is in an even darker place than her.

The Living Heartwood series 

The Darkest Part (Book 1) – Amazon / Goodreads

Losing Track (Book 2) – Amazon / Goodreads

Fading Out (Book 3) – Goodreads (Coming 2015)

Bad Road (Book 4) – Goodreads (Coming 2015)

Man! What a story! I agreed to participate in this blog tour because I'd already one-clicked the first 2 books in the series on Naomi's recommendation. (Nomi's Paranormal Palace) At 15% in, I messaged her to say I now understood what all her gushing was about. And it only got better from there.

The Darkest Part - Ms. Wolfe did a fantastic job of weaving in the actual definition of 'the darkest part', the heartwood of a tree,  and the imagery it evokes into Sam and Holden's story.

"It's the darkest part," I say, and a mock laugh tumbles from my mouth. "I can relate. It's dark, stubborn, callous, dead on the inside."..."That's only one perspective. The way I see it, the heartwood is strong, beautiful, and resilient. It can fight off any outside threat that tries to invade, and in rare cases...is alive. It may be the darkest part, but a living heartwood is a force to be reckoned with."  Sam & Holden, Loc 1713

Sam is struggling with her fiance's death. She and Tyler had been inseparable for most of their lives. She can't seem to figure out how she's going to live without him. She does devise a way to herself, and Tyler, the peace they need. 

Holden, Tyler's older brother, has always been his protector. Even after Tyler's death, Holden is protecting him. They had so many secrets between them. And now he's joining Sam in her mission to let Tyler go - and he has to keep his cool and not expose any of those secrets.

Holden and Sam have history - something Sam has kept close to her chest. And their road trip together is dredging up feelings Sam thought long buried, and forcing Holden to deal with feelings that never went away. The way things unfolded, how feelings were exposed, how they were on a physical journey but also an emotional one - Ms. Wolfe really gave me the feels. Getting both sides of the story, Sam's and Holden's POVs, kept me riveted. What each of them had gone through and suffered - it was quite the emotional journey. But one they needed to travel.  I loved the honesty between them once all the walls were brought down. I could feel Holden's fear over what Sam's reaction to the Marks' brothers' secrets might be. And I could feel Sam's love and understanding towards Holden. I also understood Sam's need to keep Tyler with her and appreciated her struggle to let him go. Holden was right about her being strong and resilient, like heartwood.

The Darkest Part was incredible. Even though I'd put some of the puzzle pieces together, it didn't take anything away from the emotional impact of the story. I know Holden and Sam's story isn't over and I'm a little anxious about what life's going to throw their way. But I'm also eager to find out.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

For more information on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit: www.trishawolfe.com.

To be the first to hear about new releases and sale events, sign up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1rXTKI7.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ 

Tumblr ~ YouTube ~ Pinterest

**Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged ~ #46**

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged is a weekly meme, hosted by TalkSupe, where I share with you the books I have bought, borrowed, or bagged (gifted or won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews, and any other bookishness I want to share. :)

Here's what was added to my ereader and/or my physical library this week:

BOUGHT
*Freebies*





*99 Cent Buys*

   

Bagged


I received In the Mirror and Here, Home, Hope for a blog tour hosted by Wordsmith Publicity. I received Hunted by a Jaguar for review ~ thanks Felicity and Carmel! And the blank cover is Acting Brave by Helena Newbury. I received it for a blog tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.

Thanks to Kimba @Caffeinated Book Reviewer - I won Sugar's Twice as Sweet in a giveaway on her blog. And I won The Wicked We Have Done in a giveaway from Anne Tibbets! *squee*


Last Week's Reviews

Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stephens

Upcoming Reviews

Rock Chick Revolution by Kristen Ashley
Redemption by C.J. Barry

**COYER Winter 2014 - 2015 Kick-Off!**

Today's the day! We're kicking off for the COYER Winter 2014-2015 Challenge, which will run from today until March 6, 2015. This is a challenge I've done quite a few times with varying degrees of success. ;) But I'm gonna ROCK this challenge this time around! 

Berls @Fantasy is More Fun and Michelle @Because Reading are our lovely hosts. They have lots of fun things planned during the challenge like Twitter parties, mini-challenges, Read-a-thons, etc. It's a lot of fun, so I hope you'll think of participating. For all the official rules and details AND to sign up, click here or on the banner above.

Speaking of fun things planned, I'm going to be hosting a fun mini-challenge February 19th through the 24th - Acrostic Accolades - where I'll be challenging you to write an acrostic poem for a book or a character extolling their greatness. :) There will, of course, be a giveaway. ;)

Aren't there some books you need to "clean" off your ereader? Join me in the COYER Winter 2014-2015 Challenge. It'll be fun and you'll have such a sense of accomplishment once you read some of those books that have been piling up. ;)

**2015 Bookish Resolutions Sign-Up Post**

Laura @Trips Down Imagination Lane and Michelle @Because Reading have joined forces to create a challenge that, while personal, can offer some incentive for sticking to those pesky resolutions. As the name implies, this challenge is all about bookish resolutions, so there are some rules. Here are the official rules:

1. Create between 1 and 5 resolutions related to books/book blogging
2. If you have 2 or more resolutions then 1 can be unrelated to books/book blogging
3. Create a sign up post and add it to the Linky (here) before Feb 1st
4. On the 30th of each month (and the 28th for February) create an update post about your goals and add the post to the Linky that will be on Laura's and Michelle's blogs
5. This is a year long challenge, so you can't add resolutions that could be done in a day; these must be year long goals
6. For each goal you complete, you get one entry into the giveaway that will be in our wrap up post on December 31, 2015

For complete details on this challenge, to see those *incentives*, and to link up, you can click the button above or click here. This is even a list of resolution ideas to help you out. :) I hope y'all will join in the fun!

***

Okay, y'all know I don't usually sign on for many challenges because I, historically, don't do well with them. But I can't seem to help myself for 2015. And seeing as my reasons for signing on for these challenges all relate, I decided a Bookish Resolutions challenge would fit in nicely. Since I'm attempting to show my shelves some love, read mythology-themed books (that are already on my shelves), complete a reading list assignment, and clean off my ereader, I thought these Bookish Resolutions would aid in my quest:

• Improve my Netgalley Rating (my current rating is...so embarrassingly low...I know I have to include it here so y'all can see my improvement but...please don't laugh...  15.2%)
• Listen to one audio book per quarter.
• Write more discussion posts and/or create some fun features for my blog.

There you have it! My Bookish Resolutions for 2015. What do you think? Can I stick to them? And how about you? Do you have any bookish resolutions??

**Review ~ Hunting in Bruges ~ E.J. Stevens**

Hunting in Bruges

Hunters' Guild #1

Release Date: November 11, 2014
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 3 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis

The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.

Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters' Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there's no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.

On second thought, maybe Bruges isn't so bad after all.

With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters' Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city's scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.

Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions - but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.

Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger.

I want to preface this review by saying that my feelings about Hunting in Bruges may be colored somewhat by the extreme book hangover I'm suffering...

I liked Hunting in Bruges. I may have liked it even more had I read Stevens' Ivy Granger series, but she did a nice job of explaining the world for the uninitiated. I like the world of the Hunters and I liked my introduction to it. I also really appreciated the detail and historical accuracy Stevens devoted to the story. I've not been to Bruges in person but I can picture it in my mind now. And I also spent some time googling some of the baddies and their connection to the downfall of the Knights Templar.

Hunting in Bruges was a bit slow to start for me and I think it was the worldbuilding that was the cause. As the action kicked in, the pacing picked up and I was drawn into the story. The action was well done, vivid, gory, and had me on edge. My main issue with the story stems from my difficulty in connecting to Jenna, the MC. There was something about her that bothered me and after thinking on it, I decided it was because she's a "Mary Sue" - in this case, a Warrior Sue. She's had a tragic past she's worked hard to overcome and she's an amazing Warrior. She's good at everything she does - moving up the ranks quickly - and she says things like:

"Wasn't that gratitude for you? I raid a vamp next, put down a rabid master vampire, and help rescue a dozen human prisoners and when I make it topside I get told I stink. I snorted and shook my head. Good thing I didn't do this job for the glory and recognition."

Jenna grew on me though, over the course of the story. And the supporting cast was great. I really liked Ash - even if I'd figured out his story from the beginning. Darryl and Celeste were also wonderful additions to the cast - they both contributed some comic relief. 

Overall, I liked Hunting in Bruges. It's well written and the historical detail and accuracy were a bonus in an urban fantasy. The description of Bruges was also excellent. The action scenes were laid out well, making me edgy waiting on what would happen, and cringe when it did. I just think I would have enjoyed it more had it not been predictable - I figured out the mysteries right off the bat - and had Jenna not been a Mary Sue. However, I liked her despite that and I liked the supporting cast as well. I'm also intrigued with the over-arching plot line. So I will check out Hunting in Paris.

**Sale Event ~ Here, Home, Hope & In the Mirror ~ Kaira Rouda**

Here, Home, Hope and In the Mirror by award-winning author 

Kaira Rouda are both on sale for a limited time!

Goodreads

Kelly Mills Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors' seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly's own passions lie wasted. She eyes with envy the lives of her two best friends, Kathryn and Charlotte, both beautiful, successful businesswomen who seem to have it all. Kelly takes charge of her life, devising a midlife makeover plan.

*National IndieExcellence Book Award for Chick-Lit (2011), 
Writer's DigestSelf-Published Book Award Nominee for Mainsteam/Literary Fiction (2011), 

USA Best BookAwards for Fiction: Chick Lit/Women's Lit (2011)

Praise for Here, Home, Hope

"Reading Kaira Rouda is like getting together with one of your best friends - fun, fast, and full of great advice! Here, Home, Hope sparkles with humor and heart." – Claire Cook, bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Best Staged Plans 

“I loved Kaira Rouda's book. I love its irony and its courage and humor. . . . It’s the real thing.” – Jacquelyn Mitchard, bestselling author of Still Summer and The Deep End of the Ocean

“Endearingly honest, consistently upbeat, Here, Home, Hope  is an inspiring read that left me feeling genuinely hopeful.” – Jenna Blum, New York Timesbestselling author of Those Who Save Us and The Stormchasers, and one of Oprah's Thirty Favorite Women Writers

“A warm, witty, and engaging debut that had me laughing out loud. Rouda has created a lovable and perceptive heroine who navigates her struggles with honesty and awe-inspiring determination to succeed. A fun and totally satisfying read." – Amy Hatvany, author of Best Kept Secret

“I found Kaira Rouda’s debut novel, Here, Home, Hope, inspiring,

empowering  and fun to read. You’ll want to share it with the women you care about in your life.” – Roma Downey, actress/producer

Purchase Here, Home, Hope

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  iTunes

 GoodReads

When determined mother and entrepreneur, Jennifer Benson, is diagnosed with cancer, she enters an experimental treatment facility

to tackle her death sentence the same way she’s tackled her life – head on. But while she’s busy fighting for a cure, running her business, planning a party, staying connected to her kids and trying to keep her sanity, she ignores her own intuition and warnings from others and reignites an old relationship best left behind.

If you knew you might die, what choices would you make? How would it affect your marriage? How would you live each day? How many warnings would you ignore?

And how would you say no to the one that got away?

 "So if you're looking for an emotional read filled with life and purpose, struggles against poor odds, and revelations surrounding definitions of love and family, then In the Mirror is for you."  - 

Midwest Book Review

Purchase In the Mirror

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

About Kaira Rouda

Kaira Rouda is an Amazon #1 bestselling, multiple award-winning author of three women's fiction novels including HERE, HOME, HOPE, ALL THE DIFFERENCE and IN THE MIRROR.

Tule Publishing Group's Southern Born imprint is
publishing her new contemporary romance series set on INDIGO ISLAND: WEEKEND WITH THE TYCOON, Book 1; LINES IN THE SAND, Book 2; and THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS, Book 3. Four more books in the series will be out in 2015.

Her nonfiction title, REAL YOU INCORPORATED: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, continues to inspire women internationally.
She lives in Southern California with her husband and four almost-grown kids, and is at work on her next novel. Connect with her on Twitter, @KairaRouda, and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books. For more about Kaira and her books, please visit www.KairaRouda.com.

**Cover Reveal ~ Past Heaven ~ Laura Ward**

Today we're revealing the cover for PAST HEAVEN by Laura Ward! 
Check out the cover and excerpt below and let us know what you think!

Title: Past Heaven

Author: Laura Ward

Age: Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Designer: Okay Creations

Scheduled to release: January 26, 2015

Goodreads

BLURB:

Not every love story has a happy ending. Some just change your life.

Liz Atwater’s happily ever after was torn from her the instant her husband, Jack, was murdered. She is forced to pick up the shattered pieces of her life and raise her three young sons alone. 

Reynold Carter’s picture perfect Hollywood life ended the moment the paparazzi got hold of his girlfriend’s cheating scandal. As he watches his life unfold in the tabloids, he comes to a crossroads in his career and his purpose. 

When Reynolds takes on the challenge of a new project, his world collides with that of Liz. Neither of them expected their professional relationship to evolve into friendship, or love. 

But life is never simple. 

Faced with complications from family, friends, and colleagues, Liz and Reynolds are left to decide whether two people from such different worlds can find happiness together.

Can they get past the pain, fear, and guilt and risk their hearts to love again?

Not every love story is just a happy ending. Some completely change your life.

He smiled and reached out to hug me. I again tried to swallow around the lump in my throat. After several run-ins with over-zealous fans, I hesitated whenever a stranger tried to hug me. Today I met people that cared so much about each other that handshakes weren’t enough. 

Elwood’s voice was shaky. “My whole life I was called a retard. Told I was stupid, worth nothin’. At Caldwell, they would hit me if I didn’t eat fast enough, make my bed right, or clean the bathroom correct. Took my things, laughed at me when I couldn’t speak, and gave me no respect. Hated it there. I’ll never forget Jack. He met me. Shook my hand. Treated me like a man. He saved my life, and I love him.”

I could only nod as Elwood turned and walked up the stairs to the bus. He waved from his seat as it pulled away. I stood, unable to move, as I watched the bus turn down the street. My thoughts were all over the place while everything around me moved in slow motion. 

Liz turned toward me, and our eyes met.

She looked concerned. “Are you okay? Too much?”

I couldn’t answer her. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it as we walked to the car. It was too much, but it was all the right kind of too much.

About the author:

LAURA WARD is the author of New Adult novel, NOT YET, She lives in Maryland with her loud and very loving three children and husband. Laura married her college sweetheart and is endlessly grateful for the support he has given her through all their years together, and especially toward her goal of writing books. When not picking up toy trucks, driving to lacrosse practice, or checking spelling homework, Laura is writing or reading romance novels.

Contact Laura at:

www.facebook.com/LauraWardAuthor

Twitter — @laurarosnerward
Instagram — _Laura_Ward
Email — laurawardauthor@yahoo.com