A Good Lookin' Man by Marcia Lynn McClure

A Good-Lookin' Man
by Marcia Lynn McClure
length: 127 pages
file size: 492kb
ASIN: B00ENSM9Z4
Pub Date: August 19, 2013
by Distractions Ink
current ebook price: $7.95
source: purchased


Excerpt
However, in an instant—in less than a breath or the bat of an eyelid—the elusive pepper spray hiding somewhere in her purse was all but forgotten. For standing before her—right there before her, not three feet away—was the best-looking, most gorgeous, handsomest man she had ever seen in all her life!

“No, seriously,” she thought out loud with lingering bewilderment at how perfectly stunning the man standing before her was, wearing a worn pair of Levi’s, dusty cowboy boots, and a short-sleeved, plaid-print, snap-up shirt that hung open, revealing a bronzed, perfectly sculpted torso that was simply a mass of muscles. She was so unsettled by the man’s appearance that she wasn’t sure whether she was whispering aloud to herself or her car.

Either way, the man asked, “Beg your pardon, ma’am?”

“Oh…oh, nothing,” Fairlee said as she began rummaging in her purse again. But the man’s presence and appearance had entirely rattled her. As her awe-inspired brain obviously quit sending out instructions to the rest of her body, Fairlee felt her purse slip from her hands—watched in humiliated dismay as its contents tumbled out and scattered over the shoulder of the road

My Thoughts

This novella length romance from Marcia Lynn McClure is short and sweet...and fun. I used to be a bit hesitant about reading Marcia's modern tales as I am so attached to her cowboy tales ( I think I just love cowboy stories), but they have really grown on me and I now love them. This story is really cute and has a heroine that I totally identify with! (She tends to talk on and on and on without stopping for breath...I really have no idea why that seems so familiar...hmmm...ok friends, kindly giggle and don't say anything). The characters meet and realize they care for each other quickly, as do most of Marcia's characters. They don't really have a ton of obstacles in their way, but their story is enjoyable all the same. 

Don't forget the Author's Note and Snippits in this book, they will make you giggle.

Content: Clean, lots of kissing

Rating: 4.5 stars

Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure

Midnight Masquerade
by Marcia Lynn McClure
length: 235 pages
file size: 648 kb
ASIN: B00ECFFM1G
Pub Date: August 4, 2013
by Distractions Ink
current ebook price: $8.95
source: purchased


Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers.

Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings.

As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.

My Thoughts

As I mentioned in my contest post back last week, reading has been hard for me lately. I have been so exhausted that I can't seem to focus on a book long enough to really get into it. I picked up a couple of books by Marcia Lynn McClure yesterday  and started reading, and guess what? I read them both! Yep, I started last night and have since read through two books.  I should have known that Marcia would get me out of my exhausted reading funk (it also helped to have an extra day off work to relax). Look for a second review coming tomorrow.

I have been wondering when Marcia would finally attempt a take on The 12 Dancing Princesses. Years ago I was part of a fan group where we occasionally had chat room sessions with Marcia, and she mentioned in one of these chats that one of her favorite fairytales was that of The 12 Dancing Princesses. Since that chat I have enjoyed her other fairytale retellings, but continued to look for this book. And finally, this summer, it was available. Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to read it until today, and I am happy to report that it was worth the many years wait.

Midnight Masquerade has everything that you would expect from McClure: great characters with fantastic names, a handsome hero, and best of all great kissing. Marcia does a great job of making a fairytale feel real, and very romantic. Our lovers recognize that they care for each other quickly but have to overcome many obstacles before they can find their own Happily Ever After. The secondary and other minor characters help to move the story forward without distracting the reader from the main characters and their tale.

One of my favorite things about Marcia's books, are the Author's notes. The author's note in this book is a bit different than some of the others, as she opens up about some of her personal struggles and how she overcame them. Don't skip the author's notes, you will enjoy them, and they can often make you giggle (especially the Snippits).

Content: Kissing is as far as these characters go, although they do refer to stronger feelings/desires.

Rating: 5 stars

Learn more about Marcia Lynn McClure and her books by visiting her website.

Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Widwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop, hosted by Bookhounds and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

So, I have made a discovery. Working as a retail supervisor at the holidays is not helping my reading one bit. I have been trying to read through some great ebooks to review here, and I just can't seem to make it happen. I am exhausted all the time and just fall right to sleep when I try to start into reading something after the kids are all tucked into bed.  I can't wait for life to slow down a bit after the holidays are done and I can get back to reading again! (This is why I haven't posted any reviews in the past several weeks, I haven't finished the books to review!) But, the new year should bring a bit more calm and peace for me to get back to the books I love, and thereby more reviews for you, dear readers.

To help you get back to reading in the new year, I am offering a $10 Amazon gift code (sent via eail to the winner, so if you can us one, you can enter) to one lucky reader here as part of the Midwinter's Eve Hop. Simply enter using the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hop along to the more than 150 stops along the way and enjoy some more fantastic reading related prizes.

A Cold Creek Christmas Surprise by RaeAnne Thayne

A Cold Creek Christmas Surprise
by RaeAnne Thayne
length: 224 pages
file size: 361 KB
ASIN: B00DPANPTA
Pub Date: Dec 1, 2013
by Harlequin Special Edition
current ebook price: $3.82
source: purchased


Synopsis (from Goodreads):

USA TODAY bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne brings readers back to the ranch for an emotional holiday visit with The Cowboys of Cold Creek!

Hardened rancher Ridge Bowman has long told himself he has no need for love—just work and his little girl are enough to get him through. But when his "cleaning lady," Sarah Whitmore, gets injured on his staircase, well, of course he has to invite her to spend the holidays with him. It's only the responsible thing to do.

Only, Sarah isn't really there to work on his house. She came bearing precious artwork belonging to Ridge's late mother, and possibly a secret that could devastate them both. But as Christmas draws closer, so does Ridge—and Sarah convinces herself that she will tell him what she knows as soon as the holiday is over. She might be the key to his past—if only he could be a part of her future…

My Thoughts:
I discovered the Author RaeAnne Thayne earlier this year and I am so happy that I did. After reading book two in the Cowboys of Cold Creek Series (which was and still is being offered free on Amazon, find it here ) I found myself seeking out more, and have since read each of the books in the Cold Creek series as well as her Hope's Crossing series. You can find out more about her books by visiting her website at RaeAnneThayne.com.

You could pick up this book and read it out of order, without knowing any of the history of the family, and still enjoy the book on it's own, but this is definitely a book that is enhanced with a bit of background knowledge.

I love the holiday season and the coziness of the setting (a nice, warm ranch house in the middle of a snow storm). The love story is sweet and develops quickly, but not without several bumps in the road. Thayne makes you believe that the characters really could fall in love in the course of a week. (And really, when it's right, it's right, who needs tons of time?)

This book is perfect for cozying up by a warm fire with a cup of cocoa on a cold winter's night.

Content: Some mostly mild language, and some mention of lovemaking but no descriptions and
there is no insinuations that the characters sleep together at any point in the book.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Studio C Blog Tour with Tour Wide Gift Card Giveaway

Tour Schedule

 

 

Website * Facebook

 

I know this is an ebook blog and this is completely a different direction today, but I was so excited when I found out about this blog tour that I had to sign up so I could share! We are fairly new to Studio C, having been introduced to it this summer by my Sister-In-Law. We have always been fans of comedy in our home, but most of what you find these days isn't family friendly. Comedy can often be so crass and I don't want my children to be exposed to inappropriate humor (nor do I want to watch it!). So, when we were introduced to Studio C, I knew that we had found the perfect show for our family. My oldest son absolutely loves to laugh and I love to listen to him laugh. He seriously has an infectious laugh, so anything that makes him laugh brings a smile to my face.

Up until now we have relied on YouTube videos to watch Studio C, but we don't have to anymore (and neither do you!). Studio C has released Season's One and Two in DVD form, so now you can watch family friendly comedy sketches anytime you want! I can tell you our family will be enjoying these hilarious comedy sketches for years to come (and I will enjoy knowing that I won't be embarrassed when my kids start quoting their favorite lines from the show).

Read more about this fabulous DVD and Studio C below (and check out a couple of their hilarious sketches):

 

Seasons 1 and 2 of the hilarious BYUtv sketch comedy series, Studio C, featuring Whitney, Mallory, Jason, Matt, and the rest of the cast pulling out all the stops with two full seasons of enough rip-roaring hilarity to make you spit milk out of your nose. Travel back to the moment it all began and watch some of the very first Studio C sketches, plus two never-before-seen features! Includes popular episodes featuring

• Presidential Shoulder Angel
• Facebook Friends Song
• Flirting Academy
• Captain Literally
• The Center for People That YouTube Made Infamous
• Candy Land Character Conference
• Bollyside
• Dana’s Dead
• And many more!

Special Features

• Exclusive Feature: “Just Jeremy Date”
• Exclusive Sketch: “Substitute Miss Frizzle”
• Season 2 Outtakes

Studio C is a hit sketch comedy series that the whole family can enjoy. Like the popular TV show Saturday Night Live, the cast performs original sketches that parody American culture and the hilariously awkward moments of everyday life; but with a refreshingly wholesome yet hilarious spin. With their huge fan-base and increasing popularity, Studio C aims to produce clean, family-oriented comedy for a national audience.  

Purchase Amazon * Deseret Book

 



     

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/31/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Working it Out by Rachael Anderson

Working It Out
by Rachael Anderson
length: 262 pages
file size: 823 KB
ASIN: B00DYFWZQ0
Pub date: Nov 18, 2013
by HEA Publishing
current ebook price: $3.99
source: Purchased


Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A chance encounter . . .
Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . .
Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

My Thoughts:

I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book. I felt like the main characters were all introduced too suddenly and I couldn't grasp who was who until I had read several chapters. After those first several chapters, the book really hit it's stride and I enjoyed this tale of cat and mouse love. Grace doesn't think that Seth is what she wants, and Seth is sure that Grace is what he needs. So the chase is on, but as soon as Grace is ready to be caught, Seth seems to slow down the chase. It all seems to be hopeless, but love just might win in the end.

All in all a good read.

My Rating: 3.75 stars

Content: Clean

Sorry for the drop off

I work retail and last week was nightmarish in preparation for the big Black Friday/Thanksgiving day sale. To add to the mess I got a terrible cold that completely wiped my energy. I was so exhausted by the time I got off work, I couldn't even focus to read (and that is saying something, I can't ever remember being so tired I couldn't read even a bit). But, I am back and ready to review some great ebooks! Look for more new posts starting tomorrow.