#Spotlight on Home for the Holidays by Terry Spear + #Giveaway

Home for the Holidays
(Silver Town Wolf #9)
by Terry Spear
Paperback, 384 pages
Published September 24th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1492677329

Silver Town is howling with Christmas cheer

Gray wolves Meghan MacTire and Sheriff Peter Jorgenson plan to spend the rest of their lives together, and what better time to start forever than Christmas? But they are both harboring dark secrets that are about to surface and threaten their future together. With holiday magic in the air and all Silver Town ready to celebrate, Meghan and Peter have to conquer the past if they're to have any hope of celebrating this Christmas together.

AMAZON | B&N 

🍷🍷🍷 #Review of A Jewel Bright Ses by Claire O'Dell

Title: A Jewel Bright Sea
Series: Mage and Empire #1
Author: Claire O'Dell
Format: Kindle Edition
Published: September 3rd 2019 by Rebel Base Books
ISBN: 1635730791
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: Netgalley
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 3 out of 5 Wine Glasses

A whirlwind of intrigue, lies, politics, and adventure swirls around one woman—and the prize she’s been sent to reclaim …

It was her talent for tracking magic that got Anna Zhdanov sent to catch a thief. A scholar’s daughter sold as a bond servant, she has no desire to recover the Emperor’s jewel for herself. But a chance to earn her freedom has driven her to the untamed Eddalyon province, awash with warm breezes, lapping waves, and more danger than she could possibly guess.

Within days her cover as an indolent noblewoman is in question, and it’s clear there’s more to Anna’s task than she knows. Soon she’s the captive of the unpredictable pirate captain Andreas Koszenmarc, hunted by the Emperor’s guard, besieged by a brigand queen, and at odds with her only friend. She must trust someone if she is to survive. But when all that’s certain is that everyone is hiding something, it’s no simple thing to choose …

Crystal's Thoughts:
Claire O'Dell's A Jewel Bright Sea is an adventurous tale brimming with magic, mayhem, pirates, and politics!

🍷🍷🍷.5 #Review of Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

Title: Brazen and the Beast
Series: The Bareknuckle Bastards #2
Author: Sarah MacLean
Format: ebook, 400 pages
Published: July 30th 2019 by Avon
ISBN: ISBN0062691988
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: Edelweiss
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

The Lady’s Plan

When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly... until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun.

The Bastard’s Proposal

When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure... on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires... for a price.

An Unexpected Passion

Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power... and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything... including their hearts.

Crystal's Thoughts:
The Bareknuckle Bastards are an absolute delight!

Read an #Excerpt from When the Marquess Was Mine by Caroline Linden

When the Marquess Was Mine
(The Wagers of Sin #3)
by Caroline Linden
ebook, 400 pages
Expected publication: September 24th 2019 by Avon
ISBN0062913603

In the game of love…

Georgiana Lucas despises the arrogant and cruel Marquess of Westmorland even before learning that he's won the deed to her friend Kitty's home in a card game. Still, Georgiana assures Kitty the marquess wouldn't possibly come all the way to Derbyshire to throw them out—until he shows up, bloody and unconscious. Fearing that Kitty would rather see him die, Georgiana blurts out that he's her fiancé. She'll nurse the hateful man back to health and make him vow to leave and never return. The man who wakes up, though, is nothing like the heartless rogue Georgiana thought she knew…

You have to risk it all

He wakes up with no memory of being assaulted—or of who he is. The bewitching beauty tending him so devotedly calls him Rob and claims she's his fiancée even as she avoids his touch. Though he can't remember how he won her hand, he's now determined to win her heart. But as his memory returns and the truth is revealed, Rob must decide if the game is up—or if he'll take a chance on a love that defies all odds. 

AMAZON  | B&N

#Interview with Jill Shalvis of Wrapped Up in You

Our guest today is often seen in the spotlight! Seriously, check out our posts on her, she’s always in our spotlight and we love giving her lost of wine glasses! So please join us in welcoming, Jill Shalvis!

Lexi: Ahhh! Jill Shalvis!! We’ll stop fangirling and get down to your newest release, Heartbreaker Bay book eight: WRAPPED UP IN YOU. I read the title before I saw the cover and it evoked an image of a warm, cozy blanket, snuggling up with my hunny and some good coffee. So I was excited to see the cover, covered in snow! Does the title reflect Ivy and Kel’s story, or does it embrace the season?

Jill: Both! I’ve had Kel on the back burner for a long time, poor guy. I was waiting for the right story and heroine to come along for him. And enter Ivy Snow. ☺ Let’s just say that the cowboy and the taco truck girl are very quickly “wrapped up” in each other.


Lexi: Let me pour you some Albariño, it’s a light bodied white wine that pairs well with Mexican food, and it smells wonderful! Scents are powerful, like your heroine, Ivy. Sweet, quiet Ivy who has been in the background of the Heartbreaker Bay series so far, but we now get to see her scars. What is your favorite quirk or strength of Ivy’s?

🍷🍷🍷 #Review of The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen

 

Title:  The Immortal City
Series:  Magicians of Venice #1
Author: Amy Kuivalainen
Format: Paperback/eBook, 256 pages
Publication: Sept. 19th 2019 by BHC
ASIN:   B07TCMNGJR 
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: LibraryThings
Reviewer: Kimberly
Rating: 3 out of 5 Wine Glasses

In the heart of Venice, a woman is sacrificed to a forgotten god, sparking a mystery lost for thousands of years.

Dr. Penelope Bryne is ridiculed by the academic community for her quest to find the remnants of Atlantis, but when an ancient and mysterious script is found at a murder site, she flies to Venice determined to help the police before the killer strikes again.

Penelope has spent her entire life trying to ignore the unexplainable and magical history of Atlantis, but when she meets the enigmatic Alexis Donato, everything she believes will be challenged. Little does she know, Alexis has spent the last three years doing his best to sabotage Penelope’s career so doesn’t learn the truth—Atlantis had seven magicians who survived, and who he has a duty to protect.

As Alexis draws her into the darkly, seductive world of magic and history, Penelope will have to use her heart as well as her head if she is to find the answers she seeks.

With the new MOSE system due to come online, and Carnivale exploding around them, Penelope and Alexis will have to work together to stop the killer and prevent dark magic from pulling Venice into the sea

Kimberly's Thoughts:
The discovery of a piece of tablet that Dr. Penelope Bryne found on the ocean floor has her claiming it is from the lost civilization of Atlantis. Trying to get funding, she gives a lecture on her findings but is made to look a fool when an audience member directs the conversation towards magic. When an Inspector in Italy emails about a gruesome murder in Venice, she flies on the first plane out of Australia when the writing and symbols decorating the murder scene match the writing on her tablet.
Alexis is known as The Defender and for thousands of years, he has tried to keep any knowledge about Atlantis from the public. As one of the surviving magicians from Atlantis, he feel it is his sacred duty. When Dr. Bryne's discovery gains attention, he immediately tries to destroy any credibility she may have but he can't ignore the feelings he has for her.
Ritual murders and long thought enemies destroyed will have Penelope and Alexis working together and also fighting the magic happening between them.

#CoverReveal of Toxic Vengeance by Kaylea Cross

Toxic Vengeance

(Vengeance #4)

by Kaylea Cross

Expected publication: January 2020

#Spotlight on One Dark Wish by Sharon Wray + #Giveaway

One Dark Wish
(Deadly Force #2)
by Sharon Wray
Paperback, 448 pages
Published January 1st 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1492655635

Her life must be forfeit for his to be redeemed

Historian Sarah Munro is not used to being shot at, but that's just what happens while she's poking around cemeteries on Georgia's Isle of Grace, searching for the key to a centuries-old cipher. Her quest has unwittingly drawn the attention of two deadly enemies intent on destroying each other--and anyone who gets in their way.

Ex-Green Beret Major Nate Walker is on a mission of his own: to restore the honor of his men. To do that, he is required to stop Sarah--or one of his own men will die. Caught in the middle of a deadly rivalry, Nate can't afford to trust the woman standing in his way. But his heart says he can't afford not to...

AMAZON | B&N 

🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of Archangel's War by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel's War
Series: Guild Hunter #12
Author: Nalini Singh
Format: eBook/Mass Market Paperback, 480 pages
Publication: September 24th 2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 0451491661
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: NetGalley/Publisher
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Wings of silver. Wings of blue. Mortal heart. Broken dreams. Shatter. Shatter. Shatter. A sundering. A grave. I see the end. I see. . .

The world is in chaos as the power surge of the Cascade rises to a devastating crescendo. In furiously resisting its attempts to turn Elena into a vessel for Raphael’s power, Elena and her archangel are irrevocably changed. . .far beyond the prophecy of a cursed Ancient.

At the same time, violent and eerie events around the world threaten to wipe out entire populations. And in the Archangel Lijuan’s former territory, an unnatural fog weaves through the land, leaving only a bone-chilling silence in its wake. Soon it becomes clear that even the archangels are not immune to this deadly evil. This time, even the combined power of the Cadre may not be enough. . .

This war could end them all.

Crystal's Thoughts:
Archangel's War, perhaps the most anticipated book of the series to date, is an all-consuming tale steeped in love, violence, friendship, and the unknown. You won't be able to put it down!

New Romance Book Releases This Week (9.24.19)

Here are some new book releases that we are excited about this week!

Wrapped Up in You
(Heartbreaker Bay #8)
by Jill Shalvis 
Kindle Edition
Published September 24th 2019 by Avon
ASINB07H53VY7X

It’s love. Trust me.

After a lifetime on the move, Ivy Snow is an expert in all things temporary—schools, friends, and way too many Mr. Wrongs. Now that she owns a successful taco truck in San Francisco and an apartment to call home, Ivy’s reinvented life is on solid ground. And she’s guarded against anything that can rock it. Like the realities of a past she’s worked hard to cover up. And especially Kel O’Donnell. Too hot not to set off alarms, he screams temporary. If only his whispers weren’t so delightfully naughty and irresistible.

Kel, an Idaho sheriff and ranch owner, is on vacay, but Ivy’s a spicy reason to give his short-terms plans a second thought. Best of all, she’s a tonic for his untrusting heart, burned once and still in repair. But when Ivy’s past intrudes on a perfect romance, Kel fears that everything she’s told him has been a perfect lie. Now, if only Ivy’s willing to share, Kel will fight for a true love story.

AMAZON

Closer
(Stage Dive #4.6)
by Kylie Scott
Kindle Edition, 0 pages
Published September 24th 2019 by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
ASINB07KQN5MBL

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series…

When a stalker gets too close to plus-size model Mae Cooper, it’s time to hire some muscle.

Enter former military man turned executive protection officer Ziggy Thayer. Having spent years guarding billionaires, royalty, and rock n roll greats, he’s seen it all. From lavish parties through to every kind of excess.

There’s no reason some Instagram stylista should throw him off his game. Even if she does have the most dangerous curves he’s ever seen...

AMAZON

Slowing Things Down with Jeffe Kennedy of The Orchid Throne

Slowing Things Down

I don’t read my reviews in general. At least, I try not to. Sometimes reviewers tag me – like the wonderful gals here at RBtW do – and sometimes a line catches my eye and I have to look. The thing is, even good  reviews can be distracting because they put expectations and other voices into a writer’s head,  when all that should be there is the story.

It is, however, more or less impossible to avoid all reviews. And then sometimes wonderful reviews mention other, less glowing comments.

So, I can’t help knowing that some readers found the opening of THE ORCHID THRONE to be slow. Some reviewers have said things like “yeah, I thought it started slow, too, but then I got into it.” I wince a little, seeing those comments, because a slow start is bad, right? I mean, a newbie writer, a slow start is the kiss of death because it means you’ll lose readers on the first page. A lot of information out there focuses on the hook and snagging the reader’s attention fast. But then I have to remind myself of a very important piece of information:

I did that on purpose.

Dual #Review of Highland Jewel by May McGoldrick

Title: Highland Jewel
Series: Royal Highlander #2
Author: May McGoldrick
Format: eBook/ Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Expected publication: September 24th 2019 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN: 1250317274
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Crystal & Kimberly

The next book in the new lush Scottish historical series from USA Today bestselling author, May McGoldrick.

Maisie Murray is the picture of docility, quiet and compliant in the eyes of her family. To her activist friends, however, she's a fearless crusader for women's rights. In the wake of the Peterloo Massacre, Maisie and a friend found the Edinburgh Female Reform Society, and she carries the banner for universal suffrage.

Niall Campbell, a hero of the wars, a decorated officer of the Royal Highland Regiment, is battle weary and searching for stability in his life. A fierce warrior by training and a poet at heart, Niall walks away from the shining career that lies ahead of him, to the dismay of his superiors. In saving his sister when a protest turns violent, he meets Maisie. Their relationship begins as one of experience versus idealism, of scars versus hope. Soon, however, he finds in Maisie the heart he longs for.

When Niall's sister is arrested and disappears, he quickly realizes his life is not his own, for the British authorities have a mission for him to accomplish in exchange for his sister's freedom. Overnight, Maisie loses Niall, her friend, and her home. And the wake of the riots that sweep through the cities of Scotland, Maisie's own sister Isabella is branded a traitor to the crown, and the family must flee to the Highlands. Here in the heart of the Highlands, Maisie runs into Niall again. He has a new name and carries a message of hope―but Niall has a task to complete―and their future rests on their ability to overcome the forces that divide them, or―for the future of Scotland―she must stop the man who owns her heart.

Crystal's Thoughts:

May McGoldrick returns with another sweeping tale set in early 19th century Scotland, to a country on the brink of war, and a rebel with a voice that won't be quieted.

#Spotlight on A Dash of Christmas by Samantha Chase + #Giveaway

A Dash of Christmas
(The Montgomery Brothers #9)
by Samantha Chase 
Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: September 24th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1492655961

With a dash of Christmas magic...
Two people who have spent most of their lives being rivals...
Learn a little something about following their hearts...

Carter Montgomery broke the family mold when he went to culinary school. Now a successful restauranteur, he's at a crossroads: should he continue on his successful path or look for a new challenge? What he needs is time alone to think things through. But his matchmaking family has other ideas...

Emery Monaghan's no-good fiancé has embroiled her in scandal and she needs a way out. When mentor Eliza Montgomery offers her a refuge, she's relieved―until she realizes that the deal means rubbing elbows with Eliza's son Carter―Emery's childhood nemesis. 

AMAZON | B&N 

Read an #Excerpt from Frost and Flame by Gena Showalter + #Giveaway

Frost and Flame
(Gods of War #2)
by Gena Showalter 
ebook, 384 pages
Published September 17th 2019 by HQN Books
ISBN1488085919

From Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author of the Lords of the Underworld saga, comes Frost and Flame , the second book in the scorching paranormal romance series Gods of War.

Bane of Adwaeweth is the most feared immortal warrior in All War history. Possessed by a bloodthirsty beast, he will stop at nothing to win. Then he meets irresistible Nola Lee. He hates the power she wields over him, but she alone can rain vengeance upon his wife’s killer.

Unaware of her destiny to rule as queen of beasts, Nola battles illness, addiction and vulnerability. With Bane, however, she experiences pleasure for the first time, and only wants more. But being with him comes with a terrible price.

With enemies lurking around every corner, Bane and Nola must fight to survive. But time is running out, and neither can resist the sizzling attraction blazing between them. Will their romance save the beast and his beauty, or destroy everything they’ve come to love?

AMAZON | B&N 

Read an #Excerpt from Promise of Darkness by Bec McMaster + #Giveaway

Promise of Darkness
(Dark Court Rising #1)
by Bec McMaster
ebook, 400 pages
Published September 19th 2019 by Lochaber Press

Princess. Tribute. Sacrifice. Is she the one prophesied to unite two warring Fae courts? Or the one bound to destroy them?

In a realm ruled by magic, the ruthless Queen of Thorns is determined to destroy her nemesis, the cursed Prince of Evernight.

With war brewing between the bitter enemies, the prince forces Queen Adaia to uphold an ancient treaty: she will send one of her daughters to his court as a political hostage for three months.

The queen insists it’s the perfect opportunity for Princess Iskvien to end the war before it begins. But one look into Thiago’s smouldering eyes and Vi knows she’s no assassin.

The more secrets she uncovers about the prince and his court, the more she begins to question her mother’s motives.

Who is the true enemy? The dark prince who threatens her heart? Or the ruthless queen who will stop at nothing to destroy him?

And when the curse threatens to shatter both courts, is she strong enough to break it?

AMAZON | B&N