HOLLYWOOD EVER AFTER - REVIEW, GUEST BLOG & GIVEAWAY

"But when Claire falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s 'it' boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body."

Author: Sasha Summers
Pages: 306 pages
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing on July 14th 2012
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Red Carpet Series  #1
Amazon: Buy / $13.99 (Paperback) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $14.15 (Paperback)
InkSpell: Buy / $3.50 (E-book)
Excerpt: Chapter 1

"Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time.

But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s 'it' boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body.

Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all." ~From Goodreads

I apologize before hand that for the shortness of this review - I hurt my back and sitting by the computer is quite painful.

Hollywood Ever After is a beautiful love story of a woman with an abuse past, blooming while spending a birthday weekend in Hollywood with her producer friend and meeting a striking movie heartthrob who ends up being more down to earth than the norm glitz of Hollywood.

The plot was good, contemporary romance with a little suspense twist. The twist being Claire's abusive and controlling ex-husband who doesn't take liking to Claire looking happy and dating Josh and harassing her for it. Also I usually don't like kids in a love story but I actually really liked Claire's kids and how Josh was with them - they weren't the source of drama and I loved it!

The romance was beautiful, Josh and Claire were a great match and even though they started with a bang the story turned sweet and I loved the whole journey they went through to telling each other they loved one another to the ex messing with things. But I loved how secure Josh was and wasn't intimidated by Claire's ex or her past - absolutely loved it.

If it hadn't been for the papz and the premieres totally heartthrob Josh would have been like any other decent guy falling in love. I absolutely love these domestic abuse survivor stories, not so much the victim stories but when the woman is a survivor and meets a really great guy I think makes for a amazing novel.

Can't wait to read Hollywood Holiday the Book Two in the Red Carpet Series coming in  December 2012!

Rating :

Why do we fantasize about Hollywood Heartthrobs through novels?

           This is a great question! Thanks for giving me the chance to answer it.

           Now I’ll admit that my answer might not be the norm. I grew up in a very pro-Hollywood family. Yes, we had Oscar parties, went to see all the nominated movies, watched Entertainment Tonight, and subscribed to all the celebrity magazines.

           My first crushes were movie stars: Mel Gibson ( Year of Living Dangerously ), Christopher Reeve ( Somewhere in Time ), and River Phoenix ( anything he was in… ). When I read ( which was and is all the time ) I tend to assign actors and actresses with actors – if I like the book. Because book heroes are just as dreamy as Hollywood heart throbs so combining them is the BEST THING EVER.

           Why do we do romanticize these guys? I think we see Hollywood Heart throbs in a very positive and glamorous light. We don’t know them, but we think we do. Or rather, we wish we did. Maybe not the real them, but the way we see them. You know, these glorious men are more manly, romantic, generous, and strong than men we know – right? Probably not, but it’s sure nice to think so.

           I did, of course, ‘cast’ Josh as a pretty yummy heart throb. I wonder if you can figure out ‘who’ he is?

What a tease! ;) 

Okay, I'll give it my go... 

Josh Holloway?

Tour Wide Giveaway :

2 autographed paperback copies of the book Hollywood Ever After with bookmarks, pins, and magnets

1 custom charm bracelet with charms special to the book ( and book swag )

2 $10 Amazon gift cards

( as you leave the Blog Post Comment answer the author's question in the Guest Blog if you can ;) )

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REVIEW - TOUCH ME

"Alex has wanted Tia as long as he can remember and when he comes home from Afghanistan with an injury he finds his feelings for Tia haven't lessened, they grown, and the first encouragement she gives him to move on her, he does."

Author: Callie Croix
Published: Carina Press on January, 2012
Pages and Form: 55 Pages / E-book
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance (18+ Only)
Amazon: Buy / $2.99 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see US price )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $2.99 (Nook)
Excerpt: Beginning of a love scene

Tia and Alex have known each other since they were kids. Alex is Tia's brother's best friend - and until now Tia has always been of limits, married, but she's at the end of her divorce with her abusive-ex.

Alex has wanted Tia as long as he can remember and when he comes home from Afghanistan with an injury he finds his feelings for Tia haven't lessened, they grown, and the first encouragement she gives him to move on her, he does.

But not all is peaceful, Tia's ex is harassing her and she's weight down by the things he's said, feeling ashamed and vulnerable and far from sexy, she's not sure at all that she can be what Alex wants.

This is what Erotic Romance is supposed to be like, emotional, filled with tension sexual and non-sexual, I loved the feeling of threat that gave the story depth, I loved how Tia was broken and how much Alex was healing her just by showing her she could be wanted again, beautiful again. Domestic abuse is something I like seeing brought out in books, it's so important for women to know you can get out of that life and have a new one and feel the right kind of love and appresiation again - and I loved Touch Me for that!

I liked this a lot! Touch Me had the perfect balance of love, sex, tension and gentleness - a mix to get any girls heart racing! Tia I loved she was so unsure, but determined, she'd been through so much and was still full of kindness, some of it still for her ex who'd come home with Traumatic Brain Injury from the army and wasn't fully to blame for his actions. Alex was so wonderfully normal, even if he was an alpha and liked controlling his women in the bedroom, he was kind, he loved Tia and he didn't let her freak out and escape him when things got rough. Now, who could resist that?! Alex made a great hero for Tia and for the story!

I liked the cover, though Tia in it comes over more confident and naughtier than she does in the book, bit of a mix there, but still a great cover, I like the simplicity, the font and the color sexy but subtle!

Rating :