Carries Book Reviews

The Devil’s Own Chloe
Alix Nichols
Publication date: May 1st 2016
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Young Parisian architect Chloe Germain hires childhood friend Hugo Bonnet as a builder. Lethally toxic to loved ones, Chloe keeps them at arm’s length in order to protect them.

Or so she thinks.

Capable, strong and patient, Hugo prides himself on being able to fix anything. Trouble is, he’s never tried repairing a chasm in someone’s soul before.

Will his love save Chloe or will fixing her leave him broken?

IS THE BISTRO LA BOHEME SERIES FOR YOU?

The Bistro La Bohème books are romantic comedies with an edge, a good deal of spice, and heroes you won’t want to forget. In addition, each book can be read as a standalone. Hey, who says you can’t have it all? Gentle reader, don’t listen to naysayers! You absolutely can, because you’re worth it.

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Book Trailer:

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Q&A with Alix:

Tell me about your latest book.

Like the rest of the books in the Bistro La Bohème series, “The Devil’s Own Chloe” is a contemporary romance set in Paris. Albeit not as “light” as some of my other stories, it will still keep you turning the pages and make you laugh out loud every now and then.

The heroine, Chloe, is an up-and-coming French architect who’s great at her job, but not so good with people. An adoptee who’s seen too much loss in her childhood, Chloe is convinced she’s toxic to everyone who loves her, and so she must push them away to keep them from harm.

Are any of the characters based on specific people?

The characters in this book aren’t based on any one person but rather some of the people I know, and some of the issues they’ve had to grapple with.

What inspires you to write?

Quite a few things, actually. My first novel, What If It’s Love?, was inspired by a friend’s story and Marina Tsvetaeva’s love poems. Under My Skin was inspired by Sting’s 1991 ballad Mad About You. The hero of Falling for Emma—recently blinded rock star Cyril—was influenced by Al Pacino’s Lt. Col. Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman.

The name of the bistro where all the BLB books except Winter’s Gift are set is a tribute to French chansonnier Charles Aznavour’s signature song La Bohème.

Oh, and let’s not forget the incomparable, forever-young-in-my-eyes Colin Firth a.k.a. the best and truest Mr Darcy, and my official muse.

Paris plays an important part in this book, and the entire series. Do you see it as one of your recurrent characters?

In many ways, yes. I adore this city, and I hope my books convey some of its magic. A few years ago, when I visited San Francisco for the first time, I had an impression I was returning to a familiar place thanks to Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. My ambition is that when my readers set foot in Paris for the first time, they feel the same warm glow of recognition I experienced when I walked the streets of San Francisco, looking for 28 Barbary Lane.

What do you love about writing? How about a down side?

The best part of writing a book is when your characters begin to prompt their lines, and when things you didn’t even realize you knew jump into your story straight from some secret corner of your brain.

One of the down sides is when you wake up in the morning, reread a scene you were quite pleased with last night, and you realize it’s crap.

Hemingway once said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Every writer knows what he meant.

Author Bio:

Alix Nichols is an unapologetic caffeine addict and a longtime fan of Mr. Darcy, especially in his Colin Firth incarnation. She is a Kindle Scout and Dante Rossetti Award winning author of critically acclaimed romantic comedies.

At the age of six, she released her first rom com. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper.

Decades later, she still loves the romance genre. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), and her books have made Amazon bestseller lists, climbing as high as #1. She lives in France with her family and their almost-human dog.

**For exclusive content, giveaways and special offers, including a bonus book, subscribe to the monthly newsletter on her author website: http://www.alixnichols.com.**

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Sugar Daddy by Sawyer Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Sela Halstead was sixteen she was brutally ganged raped and has spent her life trying to overcome the one event. She doesn’t have real relationships and has many fears and anxieties that plague her daily. One day almost a decade later Sela sees a man on the television advertising for a company called The Sugar Bowl. Jonathon Townsend the co-owner of The Sugar Bowl has the same tattoo of her attackers.

Sela becomes obsessed with revenge and decides to change her appearance and sign up with The Sugar Bowl. Young women signing up become Sugar Babies while the rich men paying to meet them are known as Sugar Daddies. What Sela is not prepared for in her undercover search for revenge is meeting Jonathon’s partner and friend Beckett North who up until meeting Sela wanted nothing to do with the contracts his company supplied.

Sugar Daddy is the first book of the Sugar Bowl series by Sawyer Bennett and wow, what a start. Honestly if it weren’t for the unresolved cliffhanger ending this may have gotten five stars. The temperature between Sela and Beck was off the charts in the bedroom but the intrigue of Sela and her vow at revenge kept the pages turning.

Completely enjoyed both Sela and Beck as main characters, they both are what you might call dysfunctional when they meet. Sela having to live with her traumatic rape at such a young age obviously is plagued with issues. Beck is the player, never settle down and a new woman nightly type of bachelor that his bad boy nature doesn’t know why he wants to see this girl again. When the two paired up though the sparks flew and it just worked. Not necessarily a case of instant love but instant attraction with a side of hesitation which has you on the edge of your seat to see if love or revenge can win out in the end.

Overall, great start to this series and would definitely recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound by Geanna Culbertson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Crisanta Knight is the daughter of Cinderella and attends Lady Agnue’s School for Princesses & Other Female Protagonists with her friends S.J. and Blue. S.J. stands for Snow White Jr. and Blue is Little Red Riding Hood’s sister. The girls all attend the school because they are among the ones that have been written to eventually become future protagonists much like their famous family members.

Every protagonist is chosen and trained because one day the author will begin to write their story. They will have no choice in the life that they will lead because what is written cannot be changed…. or can it? Crisa and her friends are headstrong and determined that no one will tell them what to do and Crisa has a much different future in mind than being a princess.

This was a great young adult fantasy fairy tale read. The plot somewhat reminded me of the television show Once Upon a Time when they were trying to find the author to change their stories but this went a few steps further giving a lot more life to the whole idea. Their land is known as “Book” where everyone is waiting for their book to be written whether they will be a protagonist, antagonist or just a minor character.

The characters in this story are all the next generation of offspring from the tales we all know and love. Crisa is Cinderella’s daughter so of course her mother is correcting her behavior and she’s expected to become a Princess in her own tale. Crisa however is stubborn and far from princess material. This generation does not want to sit around and let someone else tell them how to live their lives and take matters into their own hands to try to change things.

A great read that quite often had me laughing and enjoying what was going on. There’s plenty of action and great characters. Definitely one I’d recommend checking out if you enjoy fairy tales to meet this next generation and root them on in their journey!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Taming Beastie
Sedona Venez
Publication date: May 3rd 2016
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense

This big bad kitty is ready to play.

He’ll do anything to protect and claim his mate as only a tiger can.

Curvy Hope won’t go down without a fight and will try anything to resist Elijah Beastie, a dangerous, wild, and sexy tiger shifter.

Hope is everything Elijah wants in a mate and this sexy kitty knows just how to shatter her defenses and keep her moaning for days.

Danger lurks around every corner when they discover her secret. True evil wants Hope for the ultimate power that she can give them, yet she doesn’t realize the extent of the force she holds within herself.

Can true love stand the test of time? Or will temptation break their bond?

Taming Beastie is a stand alone adventure-packed shifter romance tale. If you like steamy love scenes, heart-pounding romance, and piles of sexy shifter secrets, then you’ll love the latest romp from author Sedona Venez.

Buy Taming Beastie today to fall for this latest shifter tale!

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EXCERPT:

My fingers ached with the need to touch him. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.” I glanced away and then back. “You didn’t have to get me anything for my birthday. Besides, my birthday isn’t for another couple days.”

“I wanted to get you something that would remind you of me.” His lips curled up into a small smile.

My body craved to be touched by him, and as if he sensed my need, he suddenly leaned in, putting his nose against my neck. My lips parted as his alluring aromatic scent of expensive cigars, sandalwood, and rich earth wafted around me. I almost dropped my glass before carefully placing it on the table with trembling fingers.

He leaned away, and when he pulled a small plate over in front of me, his arm brushed the side of my breast.

Scooping a teeny portion of truffle mac and cheese onto a plate, he dug into it and held out a forkful. “Here, open up for me, darling.”

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “You do know I’m not a two-year-old?” I countered.

But there was something sexy about him feeding me, and it aroused my senses and body.

“Open your mouth, Hope,” he demanded in a voice that was low, seductive.

My breath quickened. Well… if you insist.

My lips parted, allowing him to slide the fork inside. Damn, it is good—in every fucking way possible.

Author Bio:

Sedona Venez is a romance author with a dirty mind. She lives in New York City with her hot ex-military hubby–hooah–and their fur baby. She loves writing sizzling, sexy intricate stories about strong but broken characters who push limits, overcome their fears, and risk it all for love.

You can chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SedonaVenez), Twitter (@SedonaVenez), and her kick-ass romance website, (www.sedonavenez.com).

If you’re interested in getting your hands on an advanced release copy of her upcoming books, sneak peek teasers, you can join her newsletter list (http://eepurl.com/2ixqj) and get those details delivered right to your inbox.

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TAXI
Cambria Hebert
(a Take It Off novel)
Publication date: May 6th 2016
Genres: New Adult Romantic suspense

The meter is running…

One night as Rose Crawford steps out of a bar, she gives no second thought to lifting her hand to signal for a cab. After all, it’s the responsible thing to do.

A common occurrence.

Far safer than walking several blocks, alone, in the dark.

A familiar-looking yellow taxi with black, faux-leather seats, running meter on the dash, and a smiling driver pulls up to the curb.

Rose slides in. Gives the driver her address…

But she never reaches her destination.

Instead, she finds herself captive, at the will of a man who isn’t a driver, but a bona fide psychopath.

Trapped in a taxi she can’t escape, Rose begins to panic. As the miles between her and safety grow, hope dwindles. It isn’t until someone else joins her in captivity that her spark of hope is rekindled.

Derek is strong, capable, and surely together they can fight their way to freedom.

Then Rose finds out exactly why she’s been driven into hell. Derek may be an unwilling captive, but he isn’t going to help her.

In fact, he’s there to do the exact opposite.

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**THIS IS A STANDALONE NOVEL**

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Author Bio:

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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