Book Review ~ Heartland by Jenny Pattrick

Title: Heartland
Author: Jenny Pattrick
Release Date: April 4th 2014
Publisher: Random House NZ
Imprint: Black Swan
Source: Received from the publisher via BooksellersNZ for an honest review

‘Donny Mac was released at Eastertime, about a month before Pansy Holloway, also known as Nightshade, disappeared for good.'

After a short stint in prison on trumped-up charges, Donny Mac returns to the house left to him by his grandfather in the small settlement of Manawa, in the shadow of Mt Ruapehu. Now inhabited by a handful of colourful locals, the once prosperous milling town is only bustling in the ski season when the out-of-towners arrive.

Awaiting his return is the drunken and pregnant Nightshade, who claims Donny is the father. Donny's friends keep watch anxiously: the lace-making Bull Howie; Vera who can be seen every evening wheeling Bull's dinner in a pram down to his house in her own version of meals on wheels; farmer George Kingi and his fey four-year-old daughter Lovey; and the strange elderly sisters who have moved in next door. Also watching is the Virgin Tracey, a sixteen-year-old hiding out in one of the abandoned houses, with her own tiny baby.

When an accident threatens to put Donny back into prison, he and the Virgin Tracey come up with a solution to cover it up. But can the secret remain hidden?

My Thoughts

Heartland is the story of a sleepy little town.
A town of old stalwarts set in their ways; of busybodies, bullies, no-hopers and townies.
A town full of secrets and lies.

Heartland is the story of a lost and broken teenager, saving a slow and misunderstood ex-con from himself, and in doing so they reunite a forgotten family, forge lifelong friendships, and find the strength to face their own demons and truly be themselves.

Author Jenny Pattrick has created a completely believable small town in New Zealand and filled it with lovingly quirky and original characters. I was quickly engrossed by this motley crue of townsfolk, their individual stories were carefully and beautifully woven together in a thoroughly engrossing tale that captivated me from the start.

An easy to read, eloquently written story, Heartland turned out to be a real gem of a read. Full to brimming characters that reminded me of a number of my old rural neighbors mixed in with the almost Chinese-whisper-like tales that only a small town can conjure up made for an entertaining read and a small trip down memory lane for me.

I would have no hesitation recommending this book to many of my friends as I feel it crosses several genres and does so well enough to keep mystery, romance, literature - in fact, all book fans happy!

A slow paced sleepy town, but by no means a sleepy story – 4 stars.
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Cover Reveal ~ Broken Images by Rene D. Schultz

A NOTE FROM AUTHOR: Our younger generations have been pressured with an overwhelming message that achieving ‘beauty’ is mandatory in becoming successful in life, and it increases your personal value in the public and social scene. Thanks to the media, we have become accustomed to extremely rigid and uniform standards of ‘beauty.’ Seeing images of flawless, thin females everywhere makes it hard for women-or anyone-to feel good about their bodies. Our children are relentlessly encouraged and pushed by magazines, television, fashion, plastic surgeons, and peer pressure to obtain that beauty through different procedures of cosmetic surgery. Botox, Restylane, augmentation, and liposuction have become a common day occurrence amongst young people (mostly women) throughout the world. Growing up with that overwhelming message places a lot of stress on our teens through peer pressure, and has created a lot of obsessive behaviors like eating disorders (Anorexia and Bulimia) and addiction to plastic surgery (Body Dismorphic Disorder), that even the older generations have to deal with it. Older women (over 40) have an increase of stress competing with younger women, forcing them to keep up with only acceptable ‘beauty’ standards. In many parts of the world it has deeply affected any success in their social life, as well as the work environment. Many movie stars are a perfect example of this obsession to stay beautiful. Aging has become discreditable and cosmetic surgery is their only way to keep themselves marketable. The thin, athletic, sexy ideals of beauty have become the ‘new normal.’ That's frightening for the last few generations—not to mention the parents who are raising their young daughters in this environment of competition and judgment. We deserve to be really angry about the current state of affairs that has a fashion and media industry feeding us ideals that cause us to feel guilty for our hungers, obsessed with our appearance, and hating the very bodies that we need to sustain us. The only real cure for plastic surgery, and this need to be ‘beautiful,’ is for people to realize that it is not the nose, but the look in the eyes. It is not the appearance, but the accomplishments, not the outside but the inside that actually makes us all who we are. – AMEN… Broken Image is a glimpse into the world of the ‘cosmetic’ generations. Beverly Hills is the perfect example of the peer pressure of beauty…there is a lesson to be learned!

SYNOPSIS
Women are constantly pressured with the overwhelming message that achieving ‘perfect beauty’ is mandatory to be accepted and successful. Mercedes survived a childhood with a hateful and mentally ill mother who constantly called her an ‘ugly duckling.’ Now, at twenty-nine, she’s a brilliant financial icon in Beverly Hills. She knew she was not beautiful, or stunning, or even close to either. She was plain, simple, and ordinary. Not at all close to what some, even her friends, considered ‘acceptable.’ You go on a journey with Mercedes and her four friends that live in a city that judges a woman solely by her outside and not her inside. Will Mercedes face decisions that would change her life forever? Will reality raise its ugly head and teach her a lesson?

Cover Reveal ~ Red Hot Obsessions

Title: Red Hot Obsessions (Boxed Set)

Publication Date: June 16th, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Wordcount: 800000+ or about 3000 pages
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22034810-red-hot-obsessions

His Wicked Games by Ember Casey
Fierce by Clarissa Wild
That First Kiss by J.C. Valentine
Slow Burn by V.J. Chambers
Layers Deep by Lacey Silks
Learning Curves by Olivia Rigal
Can't Shake You by Molly McLain
His Indecent Lessons by Sky Corgan
Sorority Pledge by Daizie Draper
Rae Omnibus by Blair Babylon

***10 TALES OF ROMANCE FROM 10 BEST SELLING AUTHORS***
Over 3000 pages worth of books!
ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME~ ONLY 99c

Ten top selling authors come together to bring you ten titillating full-length novels of love, passion, discovery, and anticipation designed to tease the senses.

Your next obsession starts here.

Hot men.
Lusty women.
Dirty, raw, and arousing.
Enough angst to twist your insides.
From first kisses, to dangerous encounters and college seductions, we've collected all your favorite stories and combined them into one scintillating read filled with the confident, sexy and mysterious bad boys that will make even the nicest girl's heart throb with desire.

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His Wicked Games by Ember Casey

Lily Frazer would do anything to save the Frazer Center for the Arts--even take on the infamous billionaire Calder Cunningham. The mysterious Calder is willing to give her the money she needs, but there's a catch: she must win it from him. And the games he has in mind aren't exactly... innocent.

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Fierce by Clarissa Wild

Hot. Sexy. Bad. Very Bad.

Three words that mean trouble to geeky book-nerd Autumn Blakewood. Big trouble.

Hunter Bane is a cocky, confident bad-boy with secrets of his own. Sex oozes from his veins. Just the type Autumn needs … to avoid. Getting through college is her number one priority, but Hunter keeps getting under her skin. Resisting the urge to give in to his advances, a game of tug and war begins. Too bad for her he won’t give up the fight to claim her heart. A Hunter always catches his prey.

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That First Kiss by J.C. Valentine

Cocky, self-assured Tate Larson is a playboy with no intentions of settling down anytime soon, but that's all about to change.

One night. 

One dance. 

One explosive encounter.  

When the unexpected happens, they struggle to deny their growing attraction and to keep their distance in a relationship that requires anything but. 

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Slow Burn by V.J. Chambers

Leigh’s new bodyguard Griffin is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and she wants him bad. But Griffin’s only interest in Leigh’s body seems to be, well, guarding it. Danger thrusts them closer together, and Leigh discovers that Griffin is guarding a painful secret. Until she knows the truth, she and Griffin can never truly be together.

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Layers Deep by Lacey Silks

He needs her to save a friend.

She needs him to plan her revenge.

Their pasts scar them Layers Deep.

Their passion distracts them...

...and distractions can be fatal.

Determined to keep her mother safe from the past, Allie Green, an ex-cop, accepts a job for private investigator Tristan Cross. The task: to save his ex-girlfriend from a sex-trafficking drug lord.

Her new mouth watering boss doesn’t make it easy to focus on her new job and the revenge she’s seeking. He vows to keep her mother safe, but will his need for Allie blind him from keeping her safe?

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Learning Curves by Olivia Rigal

During a cooking workshop in Paris, George, a handsome taciturn writer, falls hard for the lively Mary. He’s in luck since she's decided to enjoy all life had to offer. Her brother Peter realizes that curvaceous chef Ariane is quickly becoming his sweet obsession. While craving the passion the sexy American promises, the lovely French cook is tempted to protect her heart …

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Can't Shake You by Molly McLain

Lovers to friends to lovers...could it get more complicated? When Carissa Brandt’s contractor turns out to be a cheat, it seems her only lifeline is the proffered hand of Josh Hudson—the sexy Marine who left her aching for more than their single night together three years ago. Will working together finally extinguish the attraction lingering between them? Or will the smoldering embers of their passionate rendezvous ignite all over again and set aflame the friendships they cherish the most?

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His Indecent Lessons by Sky Corgan

Cheyenne Grear was looking forward to college. College would provide a smorgasbord of educated men who would be dying for her attention. At least, that's what she hoped. 

She never expected to fall for someone much older and totally inaccessible. 

Damien Reed is confident, sexy, and everything a man should be. The only problem is, he doesn't even seem to know that Cheyenne exists. 

When a stunt in thievery changes everything, Cheyenne is thrust into a life of sexual bliss and emotional anguish. Torn between the two, she must decide if pursuing Damien will lead to happiness or destruction.

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Sorority Pledge by Daizie Draper

College students, Addison and Logan, sizzle together and relish the power exchange when he spanks her for a prank, and they dive into a steamy but rocky romance centered on the edgy bliss of Dominance and submission. But lifestyle kink and the intensity of their untested passions may be way too hot for them to handle.

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Rae Omnibus by Blair Babylon

One wild quickie with a sexy stranger will change Rae’s life forever.

Rae wants to build a clinic for autistic kids, but her college scholarship is yanked and her dream is doomed. She goes to an upscale party and has a wild quickie with a man who offers her a job that scares her, but she screws her courage to the sticking place and becomes Lady Macbeth, Domme of the Devilhouse. She’s found the money to stay in college, but will the secretive Wulf turn out to be her Prince Charming or the Devil who tempts her to ruin?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redhotboxedsets?fref=nf
Sign up to get an email when the boxed set is released: http://eepurl.com/TW7HP

$20 Gift Card

10 E-ARCs of Red Hot Obsessions

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Book Blitz ~ Second Chances by Nicole Andrews Moore

Amazon

Second Chances boxed set

This boxed set contains three full length novels featuring women who have a second chance at love, proving love really is sweeter the second time around.



Sugar Daddy Review

"Absolutely one of the best books for me right now. I loved it mostly because it was fluffy, romantic, and meaningful." Reading Renee Reviews

Sugar Daddy Synopsis

Hannah Matthews, an over educated under employed mother of twin girls, takes the girls on the annual Labor Day weekend family vacation while her husband stays behind. By the time she has returned, he has cleaned out their bank accounts, their apartment, and moved in with a surgically enhanced stripper. Try as she might, Hannah is forced to resort to desperate measures: finding a Sugar Daddy.

Gavin Meyers, affluent businessman, discovered too late that his bohemian wife wasn't in love with him when he caught her in their bed with a lover...his sister. After a heated meeting with the lawyers trying to arrange the divorce agreement, his lawyer suggests he get a hobby and work out all his anger. He can't think of a single thing he wants to do more than find some woman to punish for his suffering. And it just so happens, he stumbles across a personal ad that will serve his purpose. What kind of woman advertises for a Sugar Daddy?



First a Dream Review

"This is a Modern Day Cinderella Story. Not my typical read, but I truly enjoyed it. At first I wasn't sure I would like this type of story, but once I started reading I found I couldn't put it down. The characters were so easily liked. Gabriel a very rich playboy, and Isabella a Mother of Two found a love that some would say could only be found in a fairy-tale.

“Don’t ever stop dreaming. Just dream bigger now.” Romance Uninhibited

One showy winter night when her best friend has to cancel their girl's night out, Isabella surprises her husband at work, but she was the one who was shocked to find him in a compromising position with her sister. As a budding photographer, she struggles to find her passion and hold everything together for her young son and daughter, while preparing for a major gallery show. Desperate for inspiration, she seeks out the advice of her professor and mentor who tells her to dream again and be happy. Unsure of what that would entail, but distracted still the same, Isabella literally runs into Gabriel Charmant, a handsome rich playboy only in town for the summer. He imagines Isabella will be fun, a distraction to stave off the boredom as he takes summer classes in this provincial town forty-five minutes from the bright lights and city life he's used to in Montreal.

Gabriel never imagined that without even trying, Isabella would change him and without even knowing, she'd win his heart. Just as they begin to build a future and everything seems to be coming together, his lies and deception threaten their happily ever after.



When Sarah discovered lingerie in her husband's vehicle, she knew her life would be changed forever, but she never could have predicted how much. Soon, what began as a harmless Girl's Night Out with a friend for a tarot card reading turned into a shocking realization that her mother had kept a huge part of her heritage from her, and her dreams of late suggested that her good friend, Brian, wanted to be more than just a good friend.

For as long as he had known Sarah, Brian had felt an undeniable attraction to her. The longer he knew her, the more he wanted from their friendship. He would do anything to heal her heart and help her become who she was meant to be. He would do everything within his power to protect her from harm and save her from the forces that threatened to keep them apart because he knew some loves were so special that they were worth the wait.





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Nicki recently moved from Charlotte, North Carolina to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as she works on making the most of her own second chance. Her new life has barely begun and she has loves every minute of it. Every day of her life seems to bring new adventures, some bigger, better, shinier and prettier than others. She's still getting used to that new life smell she's experiencing, a combination of hope, love, and happiness. (The perfect scents to build a new life on...)

For fun, she spends time with those she cares about, cooks, reads, writes, and especially lives to travel. The current travel goal: visit every Margaritaville. Three down! (Eleven to go?)

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Anniversary **FREEBIE** from Melissa Collins

Melissa Collins is celebrating her One Year Indie Anniversary and to celebrate her debut novel Let Love In is now FREE until May 11th!!!!

What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change?

That's exactly what happened to Madeleine Becker when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can't get hurt if she doesn't fall in love.

That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy's pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy's inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past.

Together they find out what happens when they Let Love In.

 

  

  

Melissa Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that her nose was always stuck in a book. She followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English teacher. Her hope was to share her passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream.

Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born.

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Cover Reveal ~ Occupational Hazard

 

Occupational Hazard

***All work and no play? No way! These TEN books by New York Times, USA Today, and National Bestselling authors show how hot workplace romances can be. And the best part? It’s just $0.99! Don’t wait...it’s only available for a limited time, and then it’ll be back to business as usual.***

Retail value of the individual books is over $25.00! It includes:

My Secretary, My Mistress – Eve Langlais

Can a boss let go of his inhibitions and let his secretary take charge of him in the bedroom?

http://evelanglais.com/

Yours to Take - Cathryn Fox

Revenge takes on a sexy twist when a powerhouse lawyer is stripped of her control by the handsome multi-millionaire she once took down in the courtroom.

http://www.cathrynfox.com/

Against Company Policy – Mandy Harbin

Cassie Tucker and Ian Cope know they should keep things professional on their new assignment, but when desire is faced with physical boundaries and company policy, it’s time to get a little creative…and a little kinky.

http://www.mandyharbin.com

White Collar Cowboy - Parker Kincade

Lauren Delgado has had a crush on Gavin Mathis for years, but has a strict “hands-off” policy with the men she works with. When her life takes an unexpected turn, there’s nothing to stop her from accepting Gavin’s invitation to his vacation home on Galveston Island … where she learns the policy is definitely hands-on.

http://www.parkerkincade.com/

Seducing Chase - Cassandra Carr

When a doctor disappears with millions, can Val and Nate set aside their explosive attraction and save the hospital?

http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com/

First Kiss - Ann Mayburn

Ryan will never forgot that night in high school when he kissed Emma and lost his heart to her forever. Years later he finds Emma again, but now she’s a pro-Domme that refuses to fall in love. Ryan begins a campaign to win her reluctant heart, one night at a time.

http://www.annmayburn.com/

Flirting with the Camera - Ros Clarke

Brilliant, beautiful and bigger than your average plus-size model, Hattie Bell can do anything she sets her mind to. After all, she's just landed her dream job, modelling for top photographer, Tom Metcalfe. So her next goal should be a piece of cake: getting Tom to break his strict rule against workplace romances...

http://theoldshed.me/

No Restraints - Lilly Cain

Bad girl Selene Carter will do anything to save her business, even team up with the cop who stole her heart. But can Detective Tom Barker help when he knows she's no innocent?

http://www.lillycain.com/

Pleasing Sir - Delilah Devlin

Raelie might be a submissive in search of just the right Dom, but she’s not the kind to sit back and wait for the right man to happen. When she gets the chance to fill in as Bryce Caldwell’s executive assistant, she decides some subtle seduction is needed to see if he dominates the bedroom the same way he does the office.

http://www.delilahdevlin.com/

Shadowboxer - Cari Quinn

She's in for the fight of her life...with the man who only wants to be her lover.

http://cariquinn.com/

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