Book Review: Shipwrecked With The Billionaire Rock Star by Victoria Wessex

Shipwrecked with The Billionaire Rock Star

By Victoria Wessex

Reviewed by Sandra Long

5 STARS

Adam Sykes, bad boy singer with the rock band Iron Hammer, loves to party. When his latest escapade ends in arrest, he’s packed off by his manager to a private yacht to lay low. 

Fiery ship’s chef Hannah is proud of her curvy body…and she has a tongue as sharp as her knives. She has no time for arrogant rock stars, even when they’re billionaires. So when Adam makes a pass at her, she rejects him. 

Now he’s fascinated. 

When the yacht is caught in a storm, the pair are stranded on a desert island and must rely on each other to survive. As the days pass, the friction between them threatens to ignite into lust…but Hannah’s been hurt before. Can she learn to trust a man with Adam’s reputation? Can he prove he’s changed? 

As they battle to control their feelings, new dangers emerge. Even if they can escape the island, their troubles may be just beginning….

Hannah had been left at the altar by a man she thought was her true love. She went on her honeymoon to the islands alone and stayed, to try to get over the pain and shame of what had happened to her. She was a professional chef with big plans but was now sharing an apartment with 4 other people who worked temp jobs on ships.

She got a call to fill in for a chef who had become ill the day a yacht was to sail with a famous rock star. Hannah's self confidence as to her looks and attractiveness to men had been destroyed by her wedding disaster but one thing she was sure of was her cooking skills. She also needed money to pay her bills so she took the job and packed mostly her cooking tools for the short trip.

She was star struck by the singer whose name was Adam. He was the lead singer and song writer for a famous rock group and had a world famous reputation for bedding every woman he ever met and never being serious about any of them. He was also ridiculously wealthy.

Hannah's orders were to stay away from him and stick to her cooking duties. Before they set sail his band and manager came aboard for a farewell party, bringing lots of liquor, drugs and women for the party. In spite of her instructions, Hannah spied on the party and what she saw was Adam looking bored and out of it. Simone, the ship's hostess who had been very short with Hannah, surprisingly came to Hannah's room after the party to bring her a glass of champagne to celebrate Adam's successful birthday party and the cake Hannah had baked for him. Hannah accepted the drink but poured it down her sink. Looking out her porthole she saw a horrible looking storm up ahead but after the band and guests left the ship and the motors started, she went to bed, tired and sure that the captain would steer away from the storm.

Hours later Hannah woke up to find the ship in the midst of the storm and filling with water. The ship seemed to be deserted and a lifeboat was missing. She found Adam passed out in his cabin and had difficulty waking him but was finally able to and telling him to grab what he could, she did the same thing and they took another lifeboat and managed to survive the storm when they washed up on a deserted beach, with their few possessions and Adam's pet cat.

Spending time alone on the beach, trying to survive and trying to figure out what happened, a relationship was almost a foregone conclusion but how long would it last once they were rescued, if they were ever rescued. They also had a lot of time to try to figure out what had happened to everyone else on the ship and why they had been left behind to drown. They began to realize that they were intended to die on that voyage and that both had been intended to be drugged to make sure they did not wake up in time to get off the sinking ship. If Hannah had drunk the champagne they would both be dead. Part of the ship washed up and they boarded it to salvage what they could and saw that the radio and distress signal had been deliberately destroyed before the crew abandoned the ship, leaving Adam and Hannah to die. Who had planned their deaths and why ? Would they ever be rescued ? If they were rescued, would the killer/killers try again ? Would the love they found on the island survive back in the real world ?

This book is much too short only because the reader wants it to last longer. It is very well written and has the right mix of love. intrigue, danger and adventure to keep the reader locked in from the first paragraph to the last. Five stars for this one and can't wait to read more by this author.

I live and work in London--yes, I do have a day job (quite a boring one).

I write steamy, funny romance, often featuring curvy heroines.

You can find me on the web, on Google+ and I'm always happy to interact with readers on email. If you're paying full price for my books, hurry up and get on my mailing list at http://list.victoriawessex.com! Subscribers get an email when I release a new story, allowing them to pick it up for 99 cents from their preferred retailer.

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Book Review: In Too Deep (Book 1) by Tracey Alvarez

In Too Deep

By Tracey Alvarez

Due South Series Book 1

Book Review by Heidi

Published: December 19, 2013

Pages: 240

PIPER~ knows heartache , having lost her father and having her heart broken by "West" She's more than ready to leave her hometown , Stewart Island . But there's a saying that goes "Never , say Never" and she's about to realize this .

The fact that Wes is Piper's brother, Ben's best friend doesn't help matters does it ?

BEN ~ Piper's brother and what an ass ! I wish he would actually just talk to Piper and hear her side of the story , clear the air and get on with it ! He's hostile and has issues I felt like socking him one at times !

RYAN WESTLAKE (WEST)~ A very delicious speciMAN indeed! He's the piano playing pub owner with nothing lacking in the self confidence department. 

We see Piper returning to Stewart Island to help her brother and she doesn't exactly get a  warm homecoming :(

Piper and West have serious chemistry and as the story continues it just intensifies and at times I feared self combustion!

I struggled to put "In to the Deep" down it was basically self service in my household!

Tracey Alvarez are you sure this is a debut novel !? The writing style is fantastic and the characters are awesome!

A definite , well earned ★★★★★ read!

Love small-town romance with an unforgettable cast of characters? The Due South series will transport you to an unspoild, wild island off the coast of New Zealand. Meet Piper and West... 

She vowed never to return. 

To save her brother from financial ruin, Piper Harland must do the one thing she swore she'd never do—return to the tiny island hometown where Ryan "West" Westlake crushed her heart. Piper is tough, resilient and a little wild—much like the remote and beautiful Stewart Island where she grew up. As a cop who's part of the elite New Zealand Police National Dive Squad, bringing the dead back to their families still doesn't stop the guilt she feels over her father's drowning death. Now nine years later she's obligated to return to a hostile community as the outsider, and forced to work with the man who was once her best friend and first lover. 

She's a risk he can't take. 

West is an Island man, through and through. As owner of the local pub, he lives and breathes the local community, and sure as hell can't imagine living anywhere else. But most of all he refuses to ever fall for a woman like his flighty mother. He lost Piper once to give her the chance to fulfil her dreams of becoming a cop. But now she's back for an unexpected six week visit to help her brother—his best mate. Maybe West wants her a little bit, maybe he can't resist the temptation to tease and touch her, but can he fall in love with such a flight risk? 

Saying goodbye for the second time might just destroy them both. 

I live in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand) where I've yet to be buried under my to-be-read book pile by our infamous wind--my Kindle's a lifesaver! Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy (who doesn't mind cooking dinner while his wife mutters to herself and hammers away at the keyboard), we have two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.

As a teenager I devoured novel after novel in my maths class, which explains why I still don't understand using the alphabet in equations. I discovered a stack of tattered paperbacks hidden in my mother's wardrobe featuring scantily clad women wrapped around bare-chested hunks. Who needs a pimply-faced teenage boyfriend when you can have book boyfriends, right? So as a child I got my first taste of Happily Ever After in fairy-tales, but after reading romance--I was hooked.

Fueled by copious amounts of coffee, I'm now the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories I love to write. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes--real Kiwi men, in other words.

When I'm not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, I can be found reading sexy books of all romance genres and nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars. What? You were expecting me to say free-dive training, hiking the world-famous Rakiura track on Stewart Island, and restoring classic cars? Nope, sorry. I'll leave such excitement to my characters as they explore their worlds and find the love of their lives.

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Melting Into You

By Tracey Alvarez

Due South Series Book 2

Big, sexy men who don’t relate well to kids need not apply…

Kezia Murphy plays her widow card well. When you don’t trust people not to let you down, it’s easier to not get involved—and getting involved with a man who makes her skin sizzle just by looking at him would be una pazzia—crazy! Four years ago while Kezia’s daughter, Zoe, battled leukemia, a tragic accident stole her husband’s life. Starting over in the little town of Oban where she’s adopted into the close knit community on Stewart Island, Kezia and her daughter are all the family the other needs. Except Zoe yearns for more.

New Zealand’s worst candidate for instant fatherhood…

Ben doesn’t do gooey emotional stuff. He doesn't do cozy home and family. And he sure isn't the big teddy-bear Kezia Murphy, the woman he secretly fantasizes about, thinks he is. So when Jade, his surprise eight-year-old daughter arrives on his doorstep, he’s a D-minus student struggling to pass a crash-course in parenting.

They’ll either melt or raze their lives to the ground…

When the sparks of attraction between Kezia and Ben fan into an inferno, Ben doesn't know how much longer the layers of resistance around his heart can resist melting into the gooey mess he fears. The more he fights it the harder it is to make the choice that will destroy the family he now longs to claim.

Release Day Blitz: Just Friends? By KE Osborn

Just Friends? by K E Osborn is now available for purchase for $2.99 at Amazon.

For Amazon and Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KR8L1BM

Description:

A talented young singer and actress, Australian born Katerina Barrett, decides to follow her dreams and move to the United States of America to attend AMDA College in Los Angeles, to further her music and acting career. 

On her orientation day a cocky, self absorbed and arrogant Will Sanders, catches her attention. Immediately she’s drawn and she knows she should stay away from him and concentrate on her career – but, life is never that easy. 

The chemistry is undeniable and Kat doesn’t want to let her guard down. When she gives herself to Will, she’s left hurt when he confesses that he doesn’t do the 'relationship thing'.

 Through a turn of fortunate events they are both chosen to play the lead roles in an up and coming new indie movie, the Nightwalker Series. 

Their relationship blossoms as does their fame, turning their world upside down and leaving them asking, are we ‘just friends’?

Please note: these books are for mature audiences 18+. They contain explicit language and sexual content.

Book Review: Manataka by Ella J. Phoenix

Manataka by Ella J. Phoenix 

216 Pages

Published February 16th 2013

Book Description:

Since she was a child, Chloe has endured horrible nightmares about a Native American prince living in a time long forgotten. She never understood why, until she finds a stone that matches the one in her dreams. It has unimaginable powers, powers Chloe doesn’t understand. Fueled by memories of someone else’s past, she sets off on a wild quest for the stone’s birth place, hoping to also find answers to her foreboding dreams. 

Our Review:

On the outside, Mason Green looks like a hard working, self-made millionaire, with too busy a life for romance. Very few people know the real reason for his self-imposed seclusion. It’s safer that way. But when a sexy historian shows him a supernatural stone from a forgotten tribe, Mason is intrigued - maybe the relic is the salvation he’s been waiting for. Ignoring the irrational attraction that threatens to crack the cask around his heart, Mason agrees to help Chloe. 

I appreciate the dedication to author's mother, husband and friend . It always interests me to whom authors dedicate their books and who inspire them ♥

Let me start off by saying Ella J Phoenix can put a feather in her hat!  Loved this book and I really enjoyed and appreciated was the glossary of terms which was used in the book it made the read so much more fun and informative so thank you Ella! !

Mason, has lets say, lived many lives, seen many things, visited many places so nothing is new to him.He lives a pretty solitary life, goes to work as an antiques dealer, gets  take out for dinner, goes home and listens to jazz :O His only "friend " is Malcolm Green, who happens to be his private investigator as well.

Mason's path crosses with Chloe, who works at the Smithsonian Institute,  a real nerdgirl with a binding stone,  an ancient Indian relic, which some believe to be just an urban legend and bam! He comes alive,  he  feels emotions long forgotten and his loins are awakened as well  ! He's so attracted to this plain nerdgirl and he's so protective ♥

Don't underestimate our reading lady though, she's no damsel in distress and can throw a punch!  She reminds me of Temperance Brennan from 'Bones' ! 

Both of them have secrets which adds to the legend of Manataka. Chloe had haunting dreams and Madonna had his "noo-hi" .Together they give Udall an entertain read filled with action, suspense, drama, romance, myth and legend! 

Manataka had me wondering what my "noo-hi" is, a noo-hi is your inner spirit, your animal spirit. The Indians have a rich culture filled with many traditions, myths and legends. I found myself yearning to be around the campfire listening to tales from the tribe members.

Thank you for a wonderful read,  looking forward to more of your work Ella J Phoenix! 

About Ella J Phoenix:

I discovered I was additcted to the paranormal when I was quite young - I blame it on the super heroes. Damn you, Wonder Woman! That passion led me to a number of amateur theatre productions in my home town, then ultimately to a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts.
It wasn't very cool to spend five years working my ass off for no money. But, I have to say, it was then that I made my first attempts into the literary world. The first ones were writing children’s plays for my family’s language school. After a couple of blunders, I decided to translate Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream into a dancing and kicking play. It was so much fun that after that, let’s just say that I caught the bug.

Review by Heidi S.

Add Manataka to your TBR list

Cover Reveal: Locks by Sarah J. Pepper

Gunned down by the hottest killer in the history of the Badass Archives wasn’t exactly Rapunzel’s end ­game. But when her reputable extraction skills fail, she uses unorthodox methods to gain her freedom from the Mercenary, whose icy blue eyes have serious panty­ dropping capabilities. Even though most girls wouldn’t fall for their would be assassin, Rapunzel isn’t like most dames. Her major girl ­boner for the Mercenary is so pathetically intense it verges on cliché.

 Regardless, Rapunzel’s hands are tied. Love chooses its victims, not the other way around. She isn’t the stereotypical Damsel in Distress. Her Bad­ Boy Prince Charming is a renowned mercenary, and her “Happy Ending” plays out like a bad movie. However, she is determined to find her freedom—love be damned—and she’ll do it in a fabulous pair of heels.

  

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I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real ­life romance isn't only filled with hugs, kisses, bunnies, and rainbows. True ­love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince­ charming isn't always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn't mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit?

Book Review: Romantic Promises by Janice Baker

Romantic Promises (Alluring Promises #2) By Janice Baker

532 Pages
Published November 16th 2013

My Review:

Romantic Promises is the second book in the Alluring Promises Series. This is one steamy sexy story. 

Vanessa is a young woman who landed a great job in human resources. Her job is to make sure everyone gets along and all policies are adhered to. She is engaged to Charles who is absolutely perfect. Perfect.... But perfect is just not enough. There should be a spark right? Vanessa is a very sexy woman who tries so hard to put a little sexy into her relationship but he could not be bothered. Charles may be the perfect pick for her mother but not for her. He has become too predictable and boring. Vanessa is craving passion, desire and want. 

At the start of her new job she is confronted by Matt. Right from the start you could feel the sexual tension, they hate eachother to say the least, but there is something about him that excites her. Matt young, and single and keeps his heart closed off, hence his very cavalier relationship with women. Scorn from a previous relationship, Matt decides that sex is is only release. No relationships anymore. He is sex on a stick! Truly the epitome of man, with his sexy eyes, godly body and outgoing personality. He has women everywhere and ready to go when he calls.  

Oh....Vanessa created a No Dating in the Workplace Policy. That throws a wrench in the whole thing! I will not give anymore away, you have yo read it to see what happens. Will Matt give up his bachelor ways? Will Vanessa toss aside her policies and fiancé and give into temptation? 

This book captures you from page one. As you continue to read this story you will laugh at the banter between the two of them. You will scream at Vanessa, you will fall in love Matt and you will catch up with Z and Izzy from the first book.

My favorite Quotes:

"His mouth opened at the same time as mine and in that very moment there was that same "breath" that we shared; that essence that I claimed, our souls meeting."

"It's that breath you share, right before you kiss. As if you're sharing your heart....your soul."

"The romantic idiot in me wanted nothing more than to see myself marrying this woman, when a second ago I was ready to leave everything to us just having sex."

"I smiled into his mouth as we kissed enjoying what we have. Even though to him I might just be another woman, to me he held sweet memories."

"I never thought I'd find someone to walk through the storms with me. I never thought I'd find someone to take a huge leap with."

"You'll have to promise me that no matter how hard you try to tell me you're not romantic, that you still keep surprising me with things that I consider are romantic."

Goodreads description:

Adult Content. 18+
Matt Williams had everything a young, single guy could ever want. He lived in a great party town, made plenty of money and loved his job. Hell bent on avoiding commitment, Matt was fairly cavalier with women and kept his heart closed off to guard it at all costs. His good looks and charismatic personality guaranteed his nights were filled with fun and excitement. When his job forced him to relocate, everything changed.

The one thing Vanessa Hargrave was in control of was her career. Outside the office she had difficulty following her convictions...she didn't like to disappoint her parents and continually vied for their acceptance. What seemed to please them was her engagement to Charles because he was a doctor; however, to Vanessa, he was too predictable, safe and boring. She wanted more. She desired passion and romance. She wanted to feel something; she needed to be more than a convenience to someone.

Along comes Matt - sexy, carefree and a rule breaker at every turn. His “it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission” attitude cuts against her rigid policies and procedures mind-set and she despises how everything is seemingly handed to him.

Pushing Vanessa too far with his office antics might just cause enough friction to make them explode for one night. Will that one night be enough for them? Or will it create enough tension to throw them into something they never expected to have…

Purchase Romantic Promises

New Release: Where There Is Will by Monica Epstein

WHERE THERE IS WILL by Monica Epstein

Genre: Women’s fiction/Romance

Word count: 88,000

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Publication dates: World-wide release April 11, 2014 (Currently available for Kindle)

Blurb:

When she moves to London following her divorce, Michelle Loeser has no interest in looking for love. She needs to focus on surviving without her ex’s six-figure income, coping with a severe fear of heights, and rebuilding her confidence. And if she keeps her promise to her best friend, she’ll pursue her passion for writing too.

Will Sheridan found his passion early in life. At age eleven, he was cast in the starring role in a film series. Now, at the age of 25, he’s a celebrity at a crossroads in his career. He has no time for women who don’t understand his priorities.

When Will offers to help Michelle acclimate to the unfamiliar city in exchange for cooking lessons, she figures what’s the harm? But jealous fans and coworkers, eager paparazzi, and a distrustful mother see it differently.

Excerpt:

Because we had a product release to the American market fast approaching, I stayed late at the office, picked up a bite to eat before boarding the Tube, and headed straight to Caryn’s for mah jongg. I walked into her flat and knew something was wrong immediately by how quiet my friends were. “What’s happened? Or have you been talking about Will and me?”

Penny turned to Amanda, who looked at Caryn.

I settled my gaze on Caryn. “Well?”

“We have, but there’s more to it.” Caryn faced Amanda.

“Will you three stop looking at each other and tell me?”

“I’ll tell because I saw it,” Amanda volunteered. “I was watching an entertainment news program while eating dinner.”

Penny snorted. “A gossip show.”

“Call it what you like,” Amanda said, “but the point is you and Will were mentioned.”

I brushed my hair away from my face. “What did they say?”

“They showed a picture of you and Will entering your flat, and one of him leaving it the following morning.”

“How could you tell it was the following morning?”

“The one with both of you was definitely taken at night. It was dark and the street light was on. The one of Will alone looked like it was taken in daylight. And he was dressed the same, so I figured it was the next day.”

I shrugged. “So what? That’s no worse than the towel picture.”

“There’s more,” Penny said.

I dropped into a chair at the table.

Amanda continued. “They mentioned your name, what you do for a living, where you live and work, and that you’re a forty-five-year-old divorced American.”

“I won’t be forty-five until the end of next month,” I corrected, although it wasn’t important. “How do you think they found all this out about me?”

“I imagine it’s public record who rents flats where,” Caryn said. “I can call the management company to see if anyone has inquired about you.”

“Maybe they followed Will and me. We were together last night. They either saw us at the restaurant and followed us to my flat, or they had been following Will all evening—from the studio, to my place, to the restaurant, and back again. Seems like an awful waste of time.”

“Those pictures can be worth a lot of money to them,” Amanda pointed out.

“Do you think someone camped out in front of your flat all night?” Caryn asked.

“That’s a frightening thought,” Penny said. She gave my arm a comforting pat.

“I think you should tell Will,” Amanda suggested. “He should be on the lookout for someone following him.”

“But now someone could be following Michelle too,” Caryn added.

My stomach was as tight as an overstretched rubber band. “Will warned me there would be issues if our relationship was out. He’s always been so careful not to do anything in public that might be construed as personal.”

“Except for running around in a towel,” Amanda mumbled.

My glare caused her to smile. “I was trying to lighten things up a little. And for the record, I’m glad you gave in to your desires. How was it?”

“Amanda,” Penny said, “our friend’s private life was revealed on telly, and you want to know how the sex was?”

“What’s wrong with that?” She turned to me. “Well?”

“It was wonderful, fantastic, better than I dreamed of,” I said offhandedly. “But I’d still like to know how the reporter found out so much about me.”

Caryn put her arm around my shoulder. “It’s unnerving, but I’m sure you’re not in any danger. Isn’t that right, ladies?” She turned to the others for backup.

“That’s right. They’re not out to harm you,” Penny reassured.

Amanda remained quiet, and Caryn gave her the eye.

“I don’t think they intend any physical harm,” Amanda began, “but, undoubtedly, there have been instances where harm has been done by paparazzi.”

“We’re not talking about blood-thirsty paparazzi,” Caryn growled. “Let’s not scare Michelle. Can we play now?”

Penny and Amanda began shuffling the mah jongg tiles. I joined them, but my mind wasn’t on the game. Now I understood why Will liked to keep his girlfriends out of the public eye.

I took the Tube home from Caryn’s like I always did, but this time I was more aware of my surroundings: the Indian woman dressed in a sari, a cute little girl beside her; the man wearing the herringbone ivy cap, reading the newspaper; and the two teenage girls covered in tattoos and piercings, talking too fast for me to determine what language they were speaking.

As I walked the short distance to my building, I kept glancing over my shoulder, feeling like someone was there. By the time I engaged the deadbolt, it felt like someone was playing the bongos in my chest.

Despite sleeping alone in my apartment every night without any concerns, tonight I placed a chair against my front door and kept my phone within easy reach, just in case.

Author Bio:

Monica Epstein writes about topics that appeal to women like herself—over 40 and nowhere near ready to throw in the towel and call it a life. Her first novel, Where There Is Will, is published by The Wild Rose Press.

A mother of three, Monica lives in a suburb of Washington, D.C. with her husband, their teenage daughter, and a small collection of hats and fascinators. She dreams of being the Queen of England in her next life.

Social Media Links

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Purchase Where There Is Will