Tag: BTS Virtual Tours

Guest Post: Character Interview with Jackson Cope from Bad Girl Lessons plus Giveaway

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Character Interview> ebook giveaway> Giveaways> Guest Posts

For Reading Reality’s first ever character interview, let’s all welcome Seraphina Donavan and the hero of her delicious (if you don’t believe me, read the review here) story Bad Girl Lessons, Jackson Cope, to the “pages” of Reading Reality.

Seraphina: Jackson, thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us today. 

Jackson: (With a cheeky grin) Well, Evie does tend to keep me occupied, not that I’m complaining.

Seraphina: You and Evie Harper might be perceived as an odd couple.  What do you say to people who think that you’re corrupting the innocent? 

Jackson: (Shrugging) They’re not wrong.  But as this particular innocent is well over the age of consent and doesn’t seem to mind one bit, I tell them to mind their own damned business.

Seraphina: You’ve got quite a history around town as a ladies man.  Any qualms about settling down with just one woman?

Jackson: Not one woman.  The woman.  The only one that matters.

Seraphina: Oh, you’re good. 

Jackson: (He laughs in response) Or good at it.  Depends on who you’re talking to, I guess.  Seriously, Evie is it for me.  Always has been and always will be.  So, doesn’t matter what people think or what people say.  The only thing that matters to me at the end of the day is that she’s happy and we’re together.

Seraphina: (At this point I had to stop and fan myself a little.  He’s just so hot and he says the SWEETEST things).  You and Evie had something of an unusual courtship.  I believe there were lessons on being bad?  How did that come about?


Jackson: Evie wanted to know what it felt like to walk on the wild side.  And I sure as hell wasn’t going to let anyone else teach her.  Turns out my sweet, little Evie was a vixen all along.

Seraphina: So tell me about a perfect day in the life of Jackson Cope…

Jackson: (With a wide grin) Well, I’d wake up with my girl, and being a gentleman, I’m not going to tell you what would happen next.  Suffice to say, it might be a while before I actually roll out of bed.  Me and my buddy Reed would go fishing, which is really just an excuse to tell lies and drink beer.  Then we’d pack up and head home.  I’d get cleaned up, since Evie doesn’t care too much for the smell of the creek bed these days, then we’d go out to dinner and I’d end my day just like I started it… in bed with my girl.  Life doesn’t get much better than that.  Unless, of course, it’s football season.

Seraphina: Thanks for talking with me today, Jackson.  And before you go, can I just say that Evie Harper is one lucky woman because you are gorgeous from head to toe. 

Jackson doesn’t say goodbye as he leaves.  He just tosses me a wink and another cheeky grin as he heads out the door.  What is it about those Southern boys?  My, oh my!

All I can say is that Seraphina was very lucky to conduct that interview! But if you want to see what all the fuss and fanning was about, your opportunity is right here. As part of the BTS Virtual Book Tour, Seraphina will be giving away a copy of Bad Girl Lessons to one lucky winner. So one lucky reader will be able to find out for themselves. (If you’re not the lucky winner, just buy the book. This was a terrifically fun read!)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Bad Girl Lessons

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews

Where does a good girl go, when she wants lessons in taking a walk on the wild side? She goes looking for a bad boy to give her Bad Girl Lessons.

It’s not just an idea, it’s the title of a fun, sexy romp by Seraphina Donovan.

Evangeline Harper has already picked out the bad boy she wants to be her teacher. It’s the bad boy she’s always wanted, Jackson Cope.

Jackson is the local heartthrob. Local football hero, and grown-up bad boy. Jackson’s always been her Evie’s friend, and nothing more. She might have always wanted more, but he’s always had prettier, skinnier girls available.

This time, Evie’s waiting on the dock outside his bar with an offer she’s hoping Jackson won’t refuse. She wants him to teach her to be a bad girl. And she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. She already knows she isn’t skinny enough for her mother, and she obviously wasn’t pretty enough for her fiancee.

He just left her at the altar while he ran off with her cousin. Evie is sitting on Jackson Cope’s dock in her wedding dress.

And Jackson Cope thinks that curvy, voluptuous Evie is the sexiest thing he’s ever seen. He always has. Always.

And the man who jilted her was his cousin Trevor. Whom Jackson hates with a passion. And it’s mutual.

Out there on that dock Jackson gives Evie a tiny taste of the pleasure she’s been missing. And then he lets her go to think about whether she really wants what she’s asked him for. Think about it with a clear head. Because he knows that once he finally gets the girl he’s wanted since he was fourteen, he’s never going to be able to let her go.

And he’s going to make sure she enjoys being a bad girl so much, that she forgets what it was like to ever be good.

There’s only a few problems with Jackson’s plan. After his cousin’s behavior, Evie can’t believe that any man would want her for keeps, let alone the town heartbreaker. She thinks Jackson is all about the fun.

And Trevor comes back for Evie, and not in a good way.

Escape Rating B+: This is one of those stories where you think you’re going to read just a little, and can’t stop until you’re done. If you’re looking for a story to sweep you away for an hour, this is a good one.

Evie is sweet and wounded, and the scene with her on the dock in her wedding dress is absolutely priceless. She’s hurt and angry and she wants to lash out and Jackson is her best friend and her deepest crush. She has absolutely nothing to lose at that point, so why not go for the one man she’s always secretly wanted? I really enjoyed watching Evie come into her own.

And Jackson? Every not-perfect princess wants to find a bad boy like Jackson who loves her just as she is. It was terrific to have a hero love a woman who was not a size 2 for a change.

Let’s just say that there is a romantic suspense element added when Trevor re-appears. And that Trevor gets everything that’s coming to him.

 

What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand? 5-13-12 AKA The Sunday Post

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | blog tours> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

In the U.S. today is Mother’s Day. So for all of you are mothers, I wish you a very Happy Mother’s Day. My present to my mom this Mother’s Day is going to Cincinnati to visit her. Hopefully, it will beat flowers or chocolate. (And yes, she does know I’m coming)

Welcome back to my Mostly Virtual Nightstand, also known as The Sunday Post. This is where I take a look at the events coming up on Reading Reality in the week ahead, and I also take a peek at the books I have on my schedule in the week after that, so I keep myself on track with my deadlines.

Otherwise I occasionally find myself in the unfortunate position of needing a review on Tuesday for a book I haven’t started reading yet on Sunday. I still get surprised, but with a bit more warning!

Monday on Reading Reality is always Ebook Review Central. (Not on Memorial Day, though, but almost, almost always). This week’s ERC will feature the Carina Press titles from April 2012. Looking at the reviews, Carina had some pretty big hits last month. And a couple of misses.

Tuesday, May 15 I’ll be interviewing romantic suspense author Kelly Gendron, and posting a review of her recent book, Satisfying the Curse. I don’t want to post spoilers, but I will say that the book was great if you like bad boy heroes. This tour is from Sizzling PR.

Thursday, May 17 I’ll be reviewing Bad Girl Lessons by Seraphina Donovan, and there will also be a guest post from the author as part of a tour from Book and Trailer Showcase Virtual Book Tours. Read this book for fun!

Reading Reality has a Help Wanted sign out. I am looking for associate reviewers. Think of it as “Blogger seeking fellow book addicts for fun and free books.” If you think you might be interested, click on the sign for details.

About those books…

For the week of May 21 (like the old song said, time keeps on slipping into the future) I have some books for blog tours and some books that I picked from NetGalley or Edelweiss that are just coming out that week.  I have books.

As I said, I will be travelling again this week. I always take a print book along on the airplane, since they can’t make me turn it off as an electronic device. This trip it will be The Mongoliad, since I have to turn in a review to Library Journal by May 21.

I also have Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark for a Bewitching Books blog tour next week. I need to read it and send the interview questions. I like to read the book first and base some of the questions on the book. I liked the sound of this book. It’s a contemporary romance about an international travel writer who has to save her career by taking an assignment to cover Eufalia, Alabama. Since I currently live in Atlanta, Georgia, I thought it would be fun. So far, it is!

Seized by Lynne Cantwell is the first book in her Pipe Woman Chronicles. Reading Reality is part of a Goddess Fish tour on May 24. Seized appealed to me as a paranormal/urban fantasy with a Native American flavor. I’m intrigued.

I also have to read and review Kiss of the Goblin Prince for Book Lovers Inc. before the end of May. I hadn’t read either The Summons or The Goblin King, but I’d always intended to, because the reviews were so fantastic. Finished Summons, and I’m in the middle of Goblin King now. The reviews were right. I’m looking forward to Kiss of the Goblin Prince. Some deadlines are no burden at all!

I have some other books that I picked up that either have publication dates or will timebomb on my iPad next week. Zombie Island by Lori Handeland, the second book in her Shakespeare Undead series, and Her Majesty’s Will by David Blixt. There’s a theme in these two; Shakespeare wasn’t what he seemed. He’s either a zombie, or a spy.

And a friend strongly recommended The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn. I was able to get it from Edelweiss before the publisher archived it, but my copy is going to timebomb. End of May is pretty much now or never on this one.

As the late, great Edward Gorey said, “So many books, so little time.”

 

So my nightstand is portable this Sunday. Lucky for me most of it is on my iPad. But what about you? What’s on your nightstand this week?

 

What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand? 5-6-12 AKA The Sunday Post

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

As I looked for a replacement Mailbox meme, I looked long and hard at The Sunday Post. Why? Because I do a Sunday post, it’s this one, my mostly virtual nightstand.

Kimba the Caffeinated Book Lover (and I love that name, BTW) created her meme in part to fill the gap. But The Sunday Post is also intended as a

“chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.”

I use Virtual Nightstand to do the forward looking parts of that. I’ve chosen Stacking the Shelves as a way of handling the Mailbox bits of the mandate. But Virtual Nightstand is my news and upcoming reviews post.

To make a long story short, I’m going to link Virtual Nightstand to The Sunday Post. Anyone who comes here from that link might wonder why they got here. Or hopefully they’ll just jump down to the cover pictures.

What’s up this week?

Monday is Ebook Review Central, of course! This week is Leap Week, so I’ll be covering two new publishers, Red Sage Publishing and Curiosity Quills. They are permanent additions to ERC. For this first round, you’ll see a round up that takes them back to the beginning of ERC and catches them up to everyone else, so September 2011 through March 2012, if they have titles back that far.

Tuesday, May 8, I’m hosting an interview with Lisa Kessler, author of Night Walker, as part of a Bewitching Book Tour to celebrate the re-release of Night Walker in paperback! I’ll also have a review of Night Walker and an entry for several tour-wide giveaways.

Thursday, May 10 Reading Reality will be the host for a guest blog from Kay Dee Royal, promoting her book Staring into the Eyes of Chance. This is also part of a virtual book tour from Bewitching Book Tours. And I will also be posting a review of this shapeshifter/paranormal romance, the first book in Ms. Royal’s new Lycan International Investigation Agency Series.

On my nightstand, there are books I’m reading to prepare for next week. I always look a week ahead so I don’t get too surprised. Also, next week I’ll be traveling again, which does throw things off a bit!

There are only four, so maybe I’ll have a chance to catch up with myself. Probably not. But a girl can dream next to her nightstand, can’t she?

I asked for A Patch of Darkness by Yolanda Sfetsos from Samhain because it sounded like an interesting urban fantasy/paranormal romance. And because some of Ms. Sfetsos’ previous work has been well-reviewed. And because it’s book 1 in a series, so I don’t have to jump into the middle, or read a long backstory. All good things. I’ve averted my eyes from some early reviews.

Railsea by China Miéville is a book that I selected from NetGalley because my husband likes China Miéville’s work. And Galen is supposed to provide a guest review for this one for me.

On May 17 Reading Reality will be hosting a Virtual Book Tour of Bad Girl Lessons by Seraphina Donovan for Book and Trailer Showcase. So, I need to read and review the book before the tour.  This book just sounded like yummy fun. Good girl seeks bad boy to teach her how to have a good time after she gets dumped at the altar. Sex, love and romance ensue.

I have to remind myself that I also have a print ARC of The Mongoliad Book One by Greg and Erik Bear and a host of others on my nightstand. It’s not only a relatively big monster (450 pages), but I owe my editor at Library Journal a review on May 21. This one is sort of looming out there. Like an attacking horde.

So, are there any books on your nightstand that you’re looking forward to? How’s your Sunday treating you? And what do you have planned for your week?

In My Mailbox #6

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | blog tours> book reviews> In My Mailbox

Books keep appearing in my mailbox. It’s magic!

Sometimes it’s really magic. One of my wishlist books was granted. Edelweiss presented me with a ebook ARC of Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King. This is the next book in the Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series. I am ecstatic about this one. Now if only the magic would repeat and John Scalzi’s Redshirts would transport in…

 

My other arrivals this week:

From Sizzling PR for review:
The Risque Target by Kelly Gendron (ebook)

Book and Trailer Showcase for review and book tour:
Bad Girl Lessons by Seraphina Donavan (ebook)

From Bewitching Book Tours (you guessed it for review and book tour):
Night Walker by Lisa Kessler (ebook)

From the author:
The Whip by Karen Kondazian (print)
Under His Protection by Karen Erickson (ebook)

For Book Lovers Inc. for review:
Of Thieves and Elves by AP Stephens (ebook)

 

From NetGalley:
The Bewitching Tale of Stormy Gale by Christine Bell (ebook)
Untouched by Sara Humphreys (ebook)

From Edelweiss:
Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King (ebook)
The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn (ebook)

Purchased from Amazon (what can I say, I couldn’t resist reading the rest!):
Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James (ebook)
Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James (ebook)