Unwrapping a Review of JUSTICE ASCENDING, a Scorpius Syndrome novel by Rebecca Zanetti

I am such a huge fan of the Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti that as soon as I finish one book, I’m looking for the next. I couldn’t wait to read the third book, JUSTICE ASCENDING and it did not disappoint.

***purchased for my own personal reading but sharing an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for JUSTICE ASCENDING:

Before surviving the Scorpius bacterium, Tace Justice was a good ole Texas cowboy who served his country and loved his mama. After Scorpius, the world became dark, dangerous, and deadly—and so did he. The Vanguard medic is stronger, faster, and smarter than before, but he’s lost the line between right and wrong. His passion is absolute, and when he focuses it on one woman, there’s no turning back for either of them…

Sami Steel has been fighting to survive right alongside Tace, convincing the Vanguard soldiers she’s one of them. In truth, Sami is a former hacker turned government agent who worked at The Bunker, where scientists stored both contaminants and cures. Only she knows the location, and she’s not telling. Yet when sexual fire explodes between her and Tace, she’ll face even that hell again to save him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tace Justice is trying to survive. True everyone else at Vanguard is trying to survive as well, but Tace is facing something no one else has knowledge of among the survivors of Scorpius…unusual and dangerous symptoms. He fears telling his commander and friend, Jax Mercury, for fear Jax will order him killed. The same goes with talking to Lynne or Victoria, both doctors with the possibilities of answers, because he knows they’d tell their men and he’d be dead for sure. But there is one person he can’t hide from…Sami Steel. When scouting, they have to have each other’s backs and if his symptoms flair while doing his job and he fails to have her back, Sami could die. If that happened, Tace wouldn’t care if his fellow soldiers wanted him dead, he’d deserve it. If something happened to Sami, he wouldn’t want to live.

Sami has a very big secret…a secret that now has to be told in order to save Tace. The idea of losing Tace threatens to rip out her heart but not nearly as much as having to reveal what she knows, what she has lied about, and returning to the Bunker terrifies her, if she survives Jax Mercury's anger.

Now the Vanguard soldiers have to figure out a way to gain access to the Bunker, find the formula—if it exists—that might save Tace’s life. No choice but to team up with the Mercs, Sami risks everything to find a cure for Tace. It’s amazing what falling in love with a crazy cowboy will make a girl do.

Rebecca Zanetti has created such an amazing cast of characters in the Scorpius Syndrome series that we can’t help but want more, and more. I’m happy to say that she does plan at least three more books. I’m very excited to hear that because JUSTICE ASCENDING, filled with even more action and exciting discoveries, still manages to leave us with more unanswered questions, while moving just a tad closer to learning what other secrets and horrors still lay undiscovered in this post-apocalyptic society. Tace and Sami played important roles in the first two novels but this time, it’s their turn and their banter, battles with each other, and surrender to their desires makes this one so worth reading. We see sides of these two characters that endear them to us even more and keep us on the edge of our seats with worry that things will go south real fast, if things don’t go right.

I highly recommend JUSTICE ASCENDING, book three in the Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti as well as the entire series starting with the novella, SCORPIUS RISING. Even if you’re not a fan of dystopian romance, the characters alone are worth reading this series and who knows, you might become a huge fan just like me.

Happy Reading Everyone!

JUSTICE ASCENDING, a Scorpius Syndrome novel by Rebecca Zanetti, Zebra-Kensington, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

Unwrapping a Review of SCORPIUS RISING, a Scorpius Syndrome novella by Rebecca Zanetti

Already a huge fan of the Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti, I knew I had to read the novella that started it all—SCORPIUS RISING. I’m glad I did because it answers a lot of questions hanging at the edges of my imagination. I hope you’re going to give this series a chance, if you haven’t already but either way, I hope you read this one. My only real wish is that it was longer. And how about that cover? Makes me want to lick the screen.

***purchased for my own personal reading but sharing my honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for SCORPIUS RISING:

With a deadly disease spreading like wildfire across the country, microbiologist Nora Medina needs to focus all her energy on stopping the pandemic. Playing with dynamite—in the form of her way-too-hot ex—is the last thing she should be doing. ​But forced to work with Deacan McDougall against unexpected enemies with the seconds ticking by, she knows the explosion is coming...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once upon a time, Nora Medina was married to a sexy, stubborn Scot named Deacan McDougall. The last thing she expects when she is dragged away from a vacation in the sun is to find herself near him again. He hadn’t changed a bit; in fact, he might be even more sexy, and stubborn. He says he’s changed but she’d have to see proof of that herself. Aside from her need to ignore the man who she’s never stopped loving, she has something more pressing to worry about, such as trying to find a cure to stop an alien bug that is killing everyone infected or turning them into raging and dangerous lunatics. Her best friend, Lynn Harmony, is already working hard on the solution to the most devastating attack on the human species the world has ever encountered. When her own assistant becomes infected, she discovers just how dangerous the Scorpius bacterium is and just how dangerous her Scot can be when an obsessed maniac puts her in the crosshairs.

Rebecca Zanetti manages to pack more action, more thrills, more angst, and more sexual tension into her pages than I could ever imagine, and I love every minute of it. Since this is a novella, there was a lot more time spent on the relationship between Nora and Deacon but that didn’t mean we don’t get to experience the slow downward spiral as the Scorpius Syndrome begins to destroy human society, as we know it. Having read the first two books in the series, MERCURY STRIKING and SHADOW FALLING, I was intrigued to know what led up to the amazing post-apocalyptic world that Rebecca has created. SCORPIUS RISING is that missing part of the story. It’s engrossing, exciting, terrifying, and fulfilling. My only true wish is that it was a full-length novel because I’d like to know more…more about how Lynne Harmony ended up searching for her mercenary, Jax Mercury, and what happened to Nora and Deacan. My hope is that somewhere down the line, we will meet up with Nora and Deacan again....and get the rest of that story.

In the meantime, I highly recommend SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti to everyone. Even if you’re not normally a fan of apocalyptic story lines, try this one out…it might just surprise you and addict you the way it has me. I can’t wait for the release of JUSTICE ASCENDING, due out January 31^st. I’ll be grabbing my copy as soon as it’s available.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SCORPIUS RISING, a Scorpius Syndrome novella by Rebecca Zanetti, Zebra/Kensington, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

Unwrapping a Review of SHADOW FALLING, a Scorpius Syndrome novel by Rebecca Zanetti

After reading MERCURY STRIKING, book one in the Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti, I was hooked but worried that as good as the first book was could she keep me hooked with this desolate, dangerous post-apocalyptic world. Oh yes, she could and has with SHADOW FALLING, book two…in fact, I think it’s getting better.

***eGalley provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for SHADOW FALLING:

Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Kennedy was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her skills as a hunter of men had gone from merely brilliant to full-on uncanny. Her mysterious rescuer wants her to put them to the test. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.

If the FBI were still around, they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk.

And the way his arms wrap around Vinnie tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .

~*~                  ~*~                  ~*~                  ~*~

Vivienne Kennedy has managed to survive Scorpius, the deadly plague bacteria working its way through what is left of the human race, and having been kidnapped, drugged, and tortured by the most vicious of Scorpius human turned Ripper—the President of the United States—but now she must survive the enigmatic, sexy, and possibly the most dangerous man, Raze Shadow. With her brain somewhat fried from whatever drugs Bret Atherton used on her as well as the after effects of Scorpius, her filters seem to be malfunctioning and she’s incredibly attracted to Raze, the man who rescued her from her torture. The only thing keeping her away from him is that Raze is one of the uninfected and being who she is as well as a doctor, she doesn’t want to be responsible for bringing harm to him through infecting him with Scorpius. But then it happens, he’s infected by a Ripper attack…now she’s free to jump the gorgeous man’s bones but should she, and does he want the same or is she just going mad?

Raze Shadow is usually a loner, a man with a conscience but he knows that sometimes the wrong choices have to be made for the right reasons. What he has to do in regards to Vinnie is necessary if he’s to get his sister back from the Mercs. He doesn’t want to trade her but he has no other choice. He also knows that Jax Mercury will probably kill him if he gets the chance but it’s a risk he has to take or so he thought. All hell starts to break loose for Raze. His heart begins to soften toward the somewhat crazy but beautiful head doctor, and then Jax does the impossible to save his life after a Ripper infects him. He begins to see that being a loner in this new and dangerous world no longer works well…trust becomes the new order of life after Scorpius.

The survivors of Vanguard are incredible characters, their hearts are huge, their bravery intense, and they continue to surprise me with their open caring for strangers and once trust is gained, they’d lay down their life for everyone around them. Rebecca Zanetti has conjured an incredible cast of characters, a dangerous and somewhat terrifying post-apocalyptic world akin to other plague driven themed stories such as Richard Matheson’s I AM LEGEND and television’s The Walking Dead, but with an intensity that keeps me glued to the pages and wishing the next book was ready as soon as I finished the current.

SHADOW FALLING, book two in the Scorpius Syndrome series pulls us deeper into the characters, the atmosphere, the craziness, and need to survive that would most likely exist after an apocalyptic event such as Rebecca Zanetti has created. Life isn't easy, danger exists around every corner and trust is hard to come by, but those under the charge of Jax Mercury become more than just good soldiers, they become family. This is something that Vinnie is seeking, but that Raze had never expected to find. It’s wonderful to see how both these characters, who want opposite things, journey to the point where they find the same thing and it satisfies them in a way neither expected.

I highly, highly recommend SHADOW FALLING by Rebecca Zanetti if you’re a fan of The Walking Dead. I’m not, by the way, but I am of this amazing series…it is way better!

SHADOW FALLING is an action-packed, character-driven, emotional adventure that will have you turning the pages late into the night and hanging on the edge of your seat so many times that you wonder if you’ll survive along with the characters. Although this is a series where it’s somewhat necessary to read them in order, it’s not impossible to pick up along the way but I wouldn’t advise it. SHADOW FALLING hooked me, took me hostage, infected me with the adventure and relationships, and then delivered me to the end of this book still wanting more. January is a long way off to get Tace and Sami’s story in JUSTICE ASCENDING…I hope I survive the wait.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SHADOW FALLING, a Scorpius Syndrome novel by Rebecca Zanetti, Zebra Books at Kensington Publishing, release date – August 30, 2016. It will be available in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks. 

Unwrapping a Review of MERCURY STRIKING, a Scorpius Syndrome novel by Rebecca Zanetti

Before reading MERCURY STRIKING, book one in the Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti, I had not read anything by this extraordinary author. I had several people recommend this book to me on Goodreads and so decided to look into it. After reading an excerpt, I was beyond intrigued and so requested a galley from the publisher at NetGalley. I’m so glad I got approved!

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for MERCURY STRIKING:

“Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling best!”—Lara Adrian

"Nothing is easy or black or white in Zanetti's grim new reality, but hope is key, and I hope she writes faster!” —New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione

With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynne Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynne is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury…

Danger has never looked quite so delicious…

~*~                ~*~                ~*~             ~*~

Life is over as humans know it on planet Earth. A virulent bacterium has swept across the landscape killing most of the human population. Of those who have been infected and survived, they are changed…some for the better making them stronger, smarter, and who knows what else. But many others have been changed in a more evil sense of the word. Rippers, the survivors whose brains have been drained of sanity and empathy wander the earth in search of anything they can kill. But some Rippers are so intelligent, devious, and potentially evil that their insanity can pass as sanity...or so they think.

Lynne Harmony is Blue Heart…the former head of infectious diseases at the CDC and a survivor of the Scorpius bacterium only it left her heart glowing blue with the ink of a mutant squid. After escaping her CDC prison, she seeks the one man who might be strong enough, savvy enough, and tough enough to not only protect her from the enemy seeking her return to captivity, but also might be willing to kill someone for her—Jax Mercury. She knows he and the others won’t trust her, will be afraid of her, and she can't blame them but she might be able to give something in return…her intelligence and expertise pertaining to a possible cure for Scorpius.

Jax Mercury is a man who protects. He doesn’t have to be the ultimate leader and hero to the ragtag group of people who make up the Vanguard community under his protection but it’s who he is so when Lynne Harmony, a beautiful, intelligent, and extraordinary woman falls under his protection, he is determined to protect her. Learning to feel emotion, especially love, was not what he’d bargained for.

MERCURY STRIKING by Rebecca Zanetti is probably one of the best, if not the absolute best story, I’ve read in a long while. I’ve read some good books but this one kept me glued to my reader tighter than any have before. MERCURY STRIKING is Richard Matheson's I AM LEGEND meets The Walking Dead meets Typhoid Mary. It’s action-packed, edge of the seat gripping, sexy, and intelligently terrifying because it’s so real. This could actually happen and probably will someday.

The characters are rich, lifelike, and emotional even while tight-lipped and cautious. The secondary characters are as real as the main characters and we, as the reader, get caught up in their friendships even though they've been short-lived and superficial for the most part. When one of the main secondary characters dies, it tears at the heart and be prepared to cry. It truly made my chest hurt.

MERCURY STRIKING by Rebecca Zanetti might not be for everyone but if you love a good post-apocalyptic story and a heady romance with great heat, this story is for you and I highly, highly recommend you reading it. I was reading on a time crunch and still didn’t want it to end. I read the preview at the end for SHADOW FALLING, book two in the Scorpius Syndrome series and I am itching to get to it. September is to hell and gone a long way off, and I already want more of Vanguard and the amazing people who survive there.

Happy Reading Everyone!

MERCURY STRIKING, a Scorpius Syndrome novel by Rebecca Zanetti, Zebra Books, Kensington Publishing, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes &Noble, and Kobobooks.

Unwrapping a Review of JUST ONE TASTE, a Pine Mountain novella by Kimberly Kincaid

Kimberly Kincaid always manages to create such endearing characters with such depth that we can’t help but involve ourselves in their emotions, their plights, their anxieties, and cheer as they fall in love. She always manages to pack so much into her novellas that you forget they’re not full-length. JUST ONE TASTE, a Pine Mountain novella is just such a story.

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for JUST ONE TASTE:

A little home improvement can go a long way…

Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan, but back home in Pine Mountain he’s happy to switch gears as the Double Shot bar’s new sous chef. When his apartment floods and his old Army buddy offers the family’s dilapidated lake house as temporary quarters, Jesse thinks a little remodeling on the creaky duplex sounds like a fair return favor. That’s before he sets eyes on the gorgeous woman moving into the other side of the cabin—and discovers she’s his buddy’s kid sister, a.k.a totally off limits.

Kat McMarrin has fought hard for her space, and she’s not too interested in sharing it. Of course, her job as a physical therapist means she won’t see much of Jesse, even if he’s a few thin floorboards away—unless she seeks him out. And with his sculpted body and slow-burn gaze, she might be tempted. Maybe the fixer-upper projects she has planned for the cabin will keep her mind off him. Or maybe her instincts to strip the place down will get out of hand…

~*~            ~*~            ~*~            ~*~

Kat and Jesse are two of kind…neither are looking for love, a relationship, or commitment. Both carry insecurities as baggage and both seek to carve out a place of their own where the past won’t hurt so much. When Jesse needs a place to stay after a major leak in his apartment, his Army buddy Gabe, who is also Kat’s brother, offers him shelter at the duplex lake house recently inherited by Kat and Gabe. Seeing that she lived in the same building of the flood, Kat decides take up residence at the duplex as well only didn’t say anything to Gabe. She hadn’t planned to share the space with anyone, especially a good-looking guy with a body she wishes she could stop looking at but simply enjoy the peace and quiet, and work on much needed renovations. Finally, they decide to work together on the renovations and find they enjoy it, and eventually each other. The heat created between these two starts to bring about a hot glow, which far outshines any newly polished wood.

There’s nothing better than a story based on small town characters that always seem to know everyone else’s business, and Kimberly creates this atmosphere better than anyone I know. Her characters are people I would love to know in real life and they always manage to touch my heart. Jesse and Kat are two such characters. Jesse carries so much angst, guilt, and regret after his time in Afghanistan on top of the wounds embedded typically in a child of a drug addict. You feel his pain as if it’s your own and Kimberly handles it wonderfully. Kat is a typical Army brat who is used to never staying in one place for too long and yearns for just that. She wants stability, to be dug in, and a place she can call her own, and home.

These two people are so alike and yet so different, you can’t help but want them to get together. They butt heads…Kat being the butt-r more than the butt-e but in the end, they help each other overcome the obstacles that keep their hearts closed off, and come together for once they get a taste of togetherness, there’s no turning back because JUST ONE TASTE is not enough. Thank goodness.

I highly recommend this sweet, sassy, steamy, and as usual for Kimberly Kincaid, deliciously sexy novella very much in the fashion of, and a great addition to, the Pine Mountain series.

Happy Reading Everyone!

JUST ONE TASTE, a Pine Mountain novella by Kimberly Kincaid, Kensington Publishing, releasing May 26, 2015 in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***Click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Review Stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for FIRE ME UP by Kimberly Kincaid + #Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for FIRE ME UP, book four in the Pine Mountain series by Kimberly Kincaid. My stop contains a review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. I hope you enjoy your visit.

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for FIRE ME UP:

If You Can’t Stand The Heat…

Teagan O’Malley can handle a crisis. She’s a paramedic, it’s her job. But she never expected to land in the kitchen of her father’s pub, with no notice, no cash, and no room for error. The kitchen is not her favorite place. Lucky for her, she just scraped a bad-boy chef off the pavement after a motorcycle accident—and something about him says he can turn up the heat in more ways than one.

Adrian Holt has had a rough few years, and he’s not eager to get tangled up in anything more complicated than a good risotto. But with a broken arm and a head full of bad memories, he needs a challenge to keep him sane. Teagan’s dare-me attitude and smoldering mess of a bar are just what the doctor ordered. And the two of them together might cook up some even better medicine… 

~*~                ~*~                 ~*~                  ~*~               ~*~

When his boss returns early from her honeymoon, Adrian Holt is ordered to go home and take some time to relax. She tells him there’s more to life than being her sous chef at the restaurant. He disagrees but agrees to go home and get some rest before the dinner rush. The last thing he expects is to have mini-van clip his motorcycle and send him flying against the asphalt. When a gorgeous red-haired paramedic insists on taking care of his injuries, he has no clue where it’s going to lead but he’s willing to follow those luscious lips anywhere.

Teagan O’Malley has seen her share of bad accidents and when a motorcycle is involved she always fears the worst, but her new patient seems to think he’s more Superman than human and perhaps he is. Well, he quickly becomes her hero in the kitchen.

Kimberly Kincaid never ceases to amaze me at how true to life her characters become to us, and Adrian has always been a little bigger than life for us in this series. In FIRE ME UP, she shows us just how caring, and real, this big man is and Teagan is just the woman to bring it out in him.

We learn a lot about Adrian in his story. We discover his past has been holding him back from living life, keeping him where it’s safe – in the kitchen. After his accident, he’s happy to help out Teagan in her bar especially after Carly won’t let him back in the kitchen at La Dolce Vita because as she points out to him, he needs to heal both physically and emotionally. Carly has her own news, which shakes up the kitchen but she isn’t going to allow Adrian to run roughshod over her, no matter how big he is or invincible he thinks he is.

Teagan and Adrian make a perfect match, Superman and Red – love that! She doesn’t take any lip off Adrian, and he can’t give her enough lip action. He doesn’t call her Red just because she’s a redhead. And as usual, don’t read FIRE ME UP while hungry. I swear my stomach actually growled at one point. I’m a not a pulled pork fan but those sliders sound delicious and don’t even get me started about dreaming about those gnocchi. And then, we get treated to a tease of Nick Brennan – delicious! I'm already smitten with that guy. 

I absolutely recommend FIRE ME UP, book four in the Pine Mountain series by Kimberly Kincaid because Kimberly never disappoints. Even when you think it might be a bit predictable, turn the corner and get surprised. Adrian is just the man I always wanted him to be and I couldn't be happier than to step aside and allow Teagan to enjoy his love. If you’ve read this series from the get-go, don’t miss this one and if you haven’t tried out the Pine Mountain series, you could start with this one but honestly, I’d start the beginning and work your way to discovering the big man, Adrian Holt. He can help this redhead out in her kitchen any time.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Want to read a taste of FIRE ME UP? Click HERE for an excerpt.

About the Author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book.

Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Her digital Line series is all about the hot cops and sexy chefs of Brentsville, New York. She is also the author of the Pine Mountain series, which follows small town singles as they find big-time love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FIRE ME UP, a Pine Mountain novel by Kimberly Kincaid, Kensington-Zebra Books, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Review Stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for STIRRING UP TROUBLE by Kimberly Kincaid + #Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for STIRRING UP TROUBLE, book 3 of the Pine Mountain series by Kimberly Kincaid. I love this series and each story gets even better because we get to revisit the characters we came to love in the previous books. Gavin and Sloane steam up the pages in this delightful contemporary romance. Stay tuned for a tour wide giveaway too.

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for STIRRING UP TROUBLE:

Sloane Russo's turned a decade of crazy jobs and whimsical travel into a career writing steamy novels set in exotic places. Trouble is, Sloane's flat broke now--and she can't channel sun-drenched beaches in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The only fast cash in town comes with some seriously distracting temptation: Gavin Carmichael, hot, handsome and oh-so-hard-headed.

Gavin isn't the impulsive Don Juan of Sloane's novels. He's raising his thirteen-year-old half-sister, and he's pretty sure he's supposed to act like he's never heard of fun. Sloane is way too sexy and irresponsible to be his idea of a good tutor for Bree, but the unpredictable anti-nanny may be irresistible as well. . .

*                 *                *                *                 *

Sloane has trouble up the wazoo. She doesn’t seem to be able to avoid more especially after her mother gives her yet another push for marriage and kids, her publisher insists her next romance novel be set in Greece, her best friend’s wedding looms on the horizon, and her bank account tells her she hasn’t enough to pay the rent much less travel to Greece for inspiration. Throw in a hot kiss from the seemingly too serious and stuffy Gavin Carmichael, and Sloane is wondering who she angered to have it all heaped on her at once.

Gavin doesn’t have enough hours or patience in the day to deal with his stubborn and very moody thirteen-year-old sister and now his usually reliable babysitter has left town to care for family. Unable to work his long hours as restaurant manager and be available to care for his sister who hasn’t been doing her schoolwork, he finds himself in great need. Another kind of need fills his bucket list when he hires on the beautiful Sloane Russo as babysitter for Bree.

Sloane finds herself caught between the need to get to Greece and get inspired to write her latest romance, and her body's need to climb the gorgeous wine connoisseur who drives her libido crazy. Gavin fears Sloane will do her usual disappearing act since he’s been told she never stays in one place for very long. He begins to wonder if she’s worth all the trouble she is definitely stirring up in his world, and his heart.

STIRRING UP TROUBLE by Kimberly Kincaid is definitely a wonderful addition to the Pine Mountain series. Gavin is so serious, yet smooth and oh, so sexy. He knows how to seduce a woman - both with body, and wine. Sloane has her walls up. Convinced no man can give her better than she can give herself, she can’t resist the sexy Gavin even as he runs hot and cold. What brings them together, what begins tearing down their barriers, and opens their hearts to the possibilities unfolding before them, is their mutual affection for the incorrigible, sweet, misunderstood, and desperately in need of a feeling of family, Bree. She is the catalyst for love finding Sloane and Gavin, allowing them to recognize their swans.

Kimberly has built such a wonderful community of characters in Pine Mountain and visiting each time is like coming home. Experiencing the down home feel and banter of this close knit town is part of the delight of the series but it's the steamy new love blooming each time we visit, which makes it worth coming back to Pine Mountain. Gavin and Sloane make the visit very much worth traveling the distance. I highly recommend reading STIRRING UP TROUBLE, book 3 in the Pine Mountain series by Kimberly Kincaid because like a fine wine it will remind you of the best of what life, love, and good food have to offer. I can’t wait for the next installment of falling in love in Pine Mountain.

Happy Reading Everyone!

About the Author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love.

Her digital Line series is all about the hot cops and sexy chefs of Brentsville, New York. She is also the author of the Pine Mountain series, which follows small town singles as they find big-time love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

If you’d like to learn more about Kimberly and her fab books, please visit her website and feel free to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY

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STIRRING UP TROUBLE, a Pine Mountain novel by Kimberly Kincaid, Zebra-Kensington, releasing October 7, 2014 in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on the links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Special Release Day Celebration for GIMME SOME SUGAR, a Pine Mountain novel by Kimberly Kincaid

I first discovered the talent of Kimberly Kincaid when she asked me to read and review her Line series. I fell in love with her amazing characters that seem to jump off the page to sit alongside me while I read. Her talent continues to grow and GIMME SOME SUGAR is definite proof. Stick around after a quick review of this brand new romance to meet the heroes of TURN UP THE HEAT and GIMME SOME SUGAR.

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for GIMME SOME SUGAR:

Out of the frying pan. . .and into the fire!

Desperate to escape the spotlight of her failed marriage to a fellow celebrity-chef, Carly di Matisse left New York City for a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant she's running these days may not be chic, but in Pine Mountain she can pretend to be the tough cookie everybody knows and loves. Until she finds herself spending too much time with a way-too-hot contractor whose rugged good looks melt her like butter...

Jackson Carter wasn't looking for love. But he's not the kind of man to walk away from a worksite—or from a fiery beauty whose passionate nature provides some irresistible on-the-job benefits...

It's the perfect temporary arrangement for two ravenous commitment-phobes, except that Jackson and Carly keep coming back for seconds...and thirds...and fourths...

*                 *                  *                   *                  *

GIMME SOME SUGAR, book two in the Pine Mountain series by Kimberly Kincaid is Kimberly at her very best. I was ever so slightly disappointed with book one, TURN UP THE HEAT but Kimberly quickly redeemed herself in GIMME SOME SUGAR with humor, and an excellent what to make of this relationship between a woman on the cusp of a divorce and a commitment resistant man in Carly di Matisse and Jackson Carter. The advice-ready secondary characters kept this love hungry pair on the right track, despite everyone’s warnings to both with the exception of Sloane who insisted Jackson was Carly’s swan and Shane who wanted his best friend to be as settled and happy as he was with Bellamy.

Kimberly does an excellent job of, once again, mixing the hunger for food with the desire for love between this passionate duo who are quickly falling in love, even while insisting that everything is oh - so casual and uninvolved. I thoroughly enjoyed the clumsy way in which Jackson and Carly fall in love – a delightful and deliciously sexy clumsiness that starts with their meeting and follows them all the way through their on again, off again heated attraction. If it’s possible to have a slap stick romance created only out of words, GIMME SOME SUGAR fits the bill.

I highly recommend this delightful, funny, warm, and very sexy contemporary romance to anyone who just thrills at watching two unlikely people fall wonderfully head over heals in love. Happy Reading Everyone!

Now, I’ve got a very special treat for you all. Kimberly Kincaid is joining us today to celebrate the release of this wonderful new Pine Mountain romance and she’s brought two of the most charming men ever to help her celebrate – Shane Griffin (TURN UP THE HEAT) and Jackson Carter (GIMME SOME SUGAR). We met both of these, dare I say, hunky guys in TURN UP THE HEAT, book one of the Pine Mountain series.

Please help me welcome them all to Unwrapping Romance…

Amy: Welcome Kimberly, Shane, and Jackson it’s a delight to have you here and Kimberly, Happy Release Day!

Perhaps you'd each like to tell us a little bit about yourself for those who

haven't enjoyed the pleasure of meeting you yet.

Kimberly

Kimberly: *glancing over at Shane and Jackson* Do you guys want to start?

Jackson: *flashing a super-charming smile* No way. Ladies first!

Kimberly: *laughing* You're such a smoothie. Okay. I'm Kimberly Kincaid, and I write contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. The second book in my Pine Mountain series, GIMME SOME SUGAR, is out now. For those of you who like smooth-talking, possibly a little smart-alecky heroes...GIMME SOME SUGAR is Jackson's book.

Shane:  That's your cue, dude.

Jackson

Jackson: I get it! I get it! I'm Jackson Carter, and I'm a contractor in Pine Mountain. It's a small resort town in the Blue Ridge. Kincaid sends me on a business-as-usual job at the beginning of my book, but I end up with a little more than I bargained for.

Shane: *snorting* I'll say!

Shane

Jackson: Uh-huh. Get a mirror, buddy. She did you like that in TURN UP THE HEAT, book one in the series too.

Shane: Yeah, she did. I'm the local mechanic. Thanks to Kincaid over there, I met my match, both literally and figuratively, in TURN UP THE HEAT. It hit shelves this past March.

Amy: *smiling because I’m enjoying every minute of this*
It was winter when we first met you darling gentlemen, and I understand it was a hard winter in Pine Mountain just as it was elsewhere, although it turned out to be a lucky one for you, Shane, how are things going with Bellamy Blake?

Shane: *grinning* Not gonna lie, Amy. I've got a good life. Bellamy moved to Pine Mountain to start her job at La Dolce Vita with a certain New York City chef as her boss *cough cough* my buddy's going to fall for the chef. Bellamy and I are living together in my cabin right now, but who knows what the future holds.

Kimberly: *whispers a quiet hint* You will if you read GIMME SOME SUGAR! Just don't tell Jackson!

Jackson: Right. Just as long as you two don't go getting stuck in any more snowstorms, we'll be just fine.

Shane: Please. You wish you had someone to get stuck in a snowstorm with.  

Jackson: Not me. I'm the eternal bachelor.

Shane: Uh-huh. Riiiiiight.

Amy: *stifling a grin* Jackson, Shane seems to be very contented in his new relationship with Bellamy...so do you have a special lady in your life? 

Jackson: I'm glad Shane's happy, *nudges his buddy, who nudges back rather ungently* But I don't think all that true love stuff is for me.

Shane: Kincaid, really? You're not going to let him get away with this, are you?

Kimberly: Heck no! But you can't tell him. A writer has her secrets, you know!

Jackson: No snowstorms! No!

Kimberly: No snowstorms for you, Jackson. But I can't say there's won't be a beautiful garden, or a cutthroat game of Monopoly. You've been warned! 

Amy: *laughing, having read the book, and knowing what’s in store for Jackson* It's definitely an adventure worth having, Jackson. 

Kimberly, so what's next for the inhabitants of Pine Mountain? Are we going to see Sloane or Adrian get some 'sugar time' too?

Kimberly: Of course! Chef Carly's BFF and partner in crime, Sloane Russo gets tangled up with serious (and seriously hot!) restaurant manager Gavin Carmichael in STIRRING UP TROUBLE, coming out in October. Then (yes, ladies...I know you're waiting) gruff and broody sous chef Adrian Holt and brassy, sassy paramedic Teagan O'Malley have their book, FIRE ME UP, in February 2015. The fifth Pine Mountain book, ALL WRAPPED UP, will be out in October 2015, and you'll get a peek at Ava Mancuso (yes! Pete's sister, from THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP, which will be re-released this coming October with bonus content) and a surprise character from FIRE ME UP. Pine Mountain keeps me busy! 

Amy: Oh my goodness, well, we’re glad you’re busy. It looks like we’ve got some delicious reading ahead of us over the next year. Pete’s sister, huh? Sweeet!

Well, Shane and Jackson, I wish you both the very best of luck with whatever the future holds for both of you. You each deserve a happy ending.

Kimberly, thank you so very much for joining us today and congratulations on the release of GIMME SOME SUGAR, book two in the Pine Mountain series. Thank you also for bringing these two darling men with you. It's been a pleasure, Shane and Jackson, you're welcome at my place anytime. 

Here's a little teaser featuring the love resistant Jackson:

     The three stairs leading from the yard to what remained of the deck were still anchored in place, and Jackson mounted them easily even though the far side of the deck had sustained enough damage to make it a bad idea. It was the only way he was going to get a good enough look at the point of impact; plus, if the boards ended up giving way, it wasn’t as if he’d fall more than a foot or two.

    He was crouched down low to examine the missing boards and busted railing when the most horrific attempt at song filtered loudly through the screen door.

    “Ouch.” Jackson winced at the spectacular racket over his shoulder, biting back a laugh. It was absolutely wrong to eavesdrop on a client belting out oldies in the privacy of her own home, even if she was doing it with nothing but the rolling screen that accompanied her sliding glass door between them. The woman’s voice was an audio train wreck, and his curiosity jumped like a trout at daybreak. One peek wouldn’t hurt, would it?

     As soon as he caught sight of the woman through the screen door, all bets for a quick look-see were off. The image of an old lady went up in smoke, replaced by a curvaceous, dark-haired woman in a skimpy bathrobe. Her eyes were shut tight, pretty face turned up to the living room ceiling as she wailed out the song with all her might. Common decency dictated he step back from the house and pretend he hadn’t seen her. He needed to walk away, and he needed to do it pronto.

    Nope. Not happening. This woman was fucking beautiful. Even if she did sound like a bag full of pissed off kittens.

    Jackson stood, mesmerized, as she moved in place to the slow beat of the music. She was a little slip of a thing, but an air of strength belied her size. Muscular calves tapered gracefully into slim ankles, nearly covered by a pair of floppy yellow socks. A handful of dark tendrils came loose from the knot on top of her head, perfectly framing her Mediterranean features.  She stood in the middle of the living room, eyes squeezed shut to serenade God knows who, and propriety be damned, he couldn’t rip his eyes from her.

    Every time she undulated to the sultry rhythm of the song, the belt on her bathrobe slipped lower over her hips, loosening it just enough to reveal the thin tank top beneath. The cotton stretched over her chest as she swayed, and she crooned again to the climbing music.

   “You make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel like a natural womaaaaaaan!"

   With each breath, the generous curve of her breasts pressed against the fabric, clearly outlining the woman’s tight, shadowy nipples.

     For a split second, all Jackson could think was oh, hell yes!

    But then his decency kicked in, hard and fast. He averted his heated face, raising one hand to knock on the metal door frame of the screen. In that same instant, a blood curdling scream ripped through the air over the music, followed by a string of curse words that made Jackson wonder if he should cower in fear or be hugely impressed.

     “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on!” Jackson hollered, holding his hands up. He opened his mouth to tell her who he was and why he was there, but before he could form the words, she snatched something up from the side table and flung it at him with freakish accuracy.

     “Wait!”

     Too late.  --- GIMME SOME SUGAR

If you'd like to learn more about Kimberly, her sexy men and their books, please feel free to visit her website, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

And the meantime, pick up a copy of GIMME SOME SUGAR, book two in the Pine Mountain series by Kimberly Kincaid which is available now from Zebra/Kensington Press in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

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