Blog Tour Stop: Review: What Happens in College by Vanessa M. Knight

What Happens in College
(Ritter University #2)
Author: Vanessa M. Knight
Release Date: August 25, 2015
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Review by: Nahomi

One upload. One thousand likes. One lapse in judgment and she lost it all.

Ritter University Novel – Book Two

Egged house, keyed cars, and lawsuits all behind her, Karina Wolfe needs to bury her past deep beneath the skeletons in her closet. No one can ever find out what she did. No one.

Her freshman year at Ritter University is the perfect opportunity to re-invent a better, shinier, more responsible Karina. Her goal? Keep her head down and stay away from the thing that screwed up her life in the first place—guys. It shouldn’t be that hard, in theory. If only Ryan Kent wasn’t so darn gorgeous.

Ryan Kent is the poster child for responsibility. He’s always done what’s expected of him. He didn’t have much choice. But now that his mother’s cancer is under control, he finally feels free. Almost. If he could only convince his dad to trust him to make his own choices, life would be good. If he could get Karina to take a chance on him, life would be perfect.

Ryan doesn’t know what Karina did before they met. Karina doesn’t know how to protect Ryan. When taking chances collide with trust, can what happens in college endure, or will it stay in college?

*Reader Note*
This Ritter University book is part of series of interconnected but stand-alone books.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However, it did not influence this review in any way.*

I had a difficult time getting into the story. I was about 35 percent in before the story drew me in. The pacing of the story is slower than I would normally like, it tended to drag in certain parts. My main issue was: I really didn't connect with Karina. I found her voice annoying. She is very naive about a lot of things, and the way she acted really just rubbed me the wrong way. However that aside there were several factors that kept me interested in the story.

There are a lot of great supporting characters that kept the story interesting and made me laugh.  I really liked Ryan the love interest. It just that he was good looking, but his character was genuine and was a good guy all around. I really enjoyed all of the book references throughout the story. Seeing some of my favorites books being mentioned always makes me smile. What Happens in College is a sweet story.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: Tour Schedule link

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

I write contemporary romance novels with a dash of suspense. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America and Windy City RWA.

Living in Chicagoland with my husband, son and menagerie of dogs and cats, keeps me on my toes. When not writing or working or playing wife and mom, I love to scrapbook, watch movies and read anything I can find.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Blog Tour hosted by: Xpresso Book Tours

Book Bltiz + Excerpt: 90s Playlist Anthology

'90s Playlist
Author: Brighton Walsh, Lorelie Brown, Amy Jo Cousins, Audra North, Rebecca Grace Allen, Jennifer Blackwood
Release Date: October 13, 2015

Six stories of sex, love, and being young in the ‘90s, inspired by songs of the decade…
My Strongest Weakness by Brighton Walsh
It was supposed to be a one-time thing. No one would find out; no one would have to know. And then once turned into twice, and twice turned into several times a week, and now pierced, punk-loving, rebellious Tia Lanning is banging Mason Brooks, the big man on campus and Mr. All American. But banging him isn’t the problem. Falling for him is. Especially when he’s content to let her remain his dirty little secret.
Worthwhile by Audra North
Jill didn’t expect her semester in Leeds to start with getting dumped by her boyfriend. Especially since she only came to England to be with him. Two weeks in, all she wants to do is go home. Finding love with someone new is definitely not an option. But when she literally stumbles into grad student Stuart’s arms, her experience abroad becomes a lot more worthwhile.
Creep by Lorelie Brown
Roni lives for the raves in Oakland’s warehouse district. Dancing till dawn in white gloves under black lights breathes life into her soul. Nothing will get her kicked out of her underground world faster than turning over Skittles, her dealer. She refuses to provide info about the underage runaway to his big brother Tom. But Tom is going to find Skittles with or without Roni’s cooperation. But Tom is special. He’s rich, handsome and bold. Roni wishes she was special. And like the rave scene she loves, nothing lasts forever.
Smells Like Teen Spirit by Rebecca Grace Allen
Rory Stone’s days of grunge and poetry are behind her, her reality now in bags of Arabian brew, and counting the change in the tip jar. Can indie singer James Griffith rock her muse back into the present?
The Belle vs. the BDOC by Amy Jo Cousins
Shelby Summerfield is a gold star lesbian, even if she doesn’t look like one. Florence Truong is the only other dyke at Carlisle College in 1993 not wearing plaid flannel, and Shelby sets her sights on seduction. But instead of a delightful tumble in the sheets, Florence calls her out for being a straight girl. With seduction off the table, Shelby settles for revenge for her humiliation. But if all she wants is to show up her campus rival, how come Shelby can’t stop herself from saving Florence instead of annihilating her?
Little Red Thong by Jennifer Blackwood
Emily Jones is ready to embark on the most epic spring break trip of her college career with her bestie, twin brother, and her brother’s best friend, Chase. Chase has been in love with Emily since the eighth grade when she kicked his ass in laser tag. He’s not going to piss away his last chance to tell her how he feels. When the group decides to play a game of Spring Break BINGO that involves body shots, a red thong, and secret hookups, this is the perfect catalyst to get him out of the friend zone. But as things get heated, they have to decide if twenty years of friendship is worth putting in jeopardy because of a game, and what will happen when they hit dry land.

My Strongest Weakness by Brighton Walsh

This is so not my scene. It’s not that I hate parties…just these parties. Snooty sorority girls with their Heathers cliques, whispering and pointing at anyone who looks different from them. Jocks who are obnoxious and irritating, doing keg stands or groping chicks in the corners or on the couches. I’d rather be just about anywhere. But when Stacy, my roommate from Freshman year, cornered me in the quad after my foreign film class and begged me to come along, saying all her other friends bailed on her and the guy she was trying to catch the eye of was going to be here, I figured why the hell not?
Plus, I thought it would be a good opportunity to fuck with him.
Him being Mason Brooks. Starting quarterback, a legacy and vice president of Zeta Alpha Tau, and Mister All-American. He’s perfection personified. Perfect hair, perfect body…straight white teeth anchoring the perfect smile. Perfect clothes. Perfect life. His parents, both lawyers, are still married. They attend every football game, or so I’ve heard, and live about an hour upstate in a suburb I can’t even afford to drive through, let alone live in. Perfect.
We’re like water and oil, never mixing well. As different as night and day. I hate him on principle alone.
A game of Quarters is going on in the corner, and he’s there, standing almost a head taller than everyone else he’s with. He looks stupid in his backward baseball cap, No Fear shirt, and jeans, just a lemming talking to his lemmings. Everything about him should turn me off, from his neatly cropped hair, to his cocky stance, to his booming voice, to all those muscles hidden beneath his clothes.
Sadly, it doesn’t, which is what got me into this situation in the first place.
He’s talking with some guys I’ve seen him with around campus. Two girls hang off each of his arms—one of whom I overheard in the dining hall say she was going to hook up with him tonight. Since overhearing that, there’s been a fissure of…something…that started low in my belly and worked its way up, and now it’s nearly overwhelming. Must be anticipation. Excitement at the shit that’s about to hit the fan. Mason hasn’t noticed me yet, and I’m kind of looking forward to when he does. The Fourth of July will have nothing on the fireworks between us when he sees I’ve broken our code and shown up on his home turf. There aren’t a lot of rules between us. In fact, there are only three: No interacting in public, no unscheduled hookups, and no home turf invasions.
I’m planning to break all three tonight, just for the hell of it.
“Tia!” Stacy grabs my arm and spins me around, pointing toward the far end of the house. “I see Brad over there, so I’m gonna try and catch his eye. You okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I say, waving her off. “I’ll find you when I want to leave.”
“Okay, an hour, tops!”
Without another word, she takes off in that direction, her long hair flying behind her, and I’m left without a buffer. There’s no denying Stacy fits in here with the rest of the crowd in the house. She’s everything I’m not. Styled blonde hair and trendy clothes, bubble gum personality to my black licorice. When we were assigned the same dorm Freshman year, I thought it’d be a disaster. Turned out we clicked despite our differences and managed to keep in touch even when we moved on to other living arrangements. Head held high, I ignore the thinly veiled looks of judgment tossed in my direction as I make my way through the crowd. God forbid I not be here in a schoolgirl skirt and a baby tee clinging to my tits, all my goodies on display for everyone to see. The chains of my necklace jangle as I walk through the party, not really sure where I’m going. But moving is better than standing still, waiting for the vultures to strike.
Even though I’m on my third year here, I’ve managed to make it my entire college career thus far having yet to actually step foot into a frat house. Until tonight. It’s bigger than I thought it would be. Cleaner, too, even with all the people around. I was picturing a slum, basically. Bug infested, maybe, with garbage lying all over the place, beer-stained carpets and cigarette burns on the couches. How could it not be, with a horde of guys living under the same roof and multiple parties here every week? They must have someone in to clean, because there’s no way any males from the ages of eighteen to twenty-two could keep this shit up.
There’s a wall to my right showcasing dozens and dozens of photographs. I don’t know a lot about fraternities, but I know enough to realize they’re pictures of members of Zeta Alpha Tau, going back several years. Mason is in those photos, somewhere, though I don’t allow myself to stop and look.
I’m on a mission, and reminding Mason our agreement is tenuous is priority number one.

Book Blitz organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Book Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Needing Her by Allie Everhart

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes 

Add it to Goodreads!

Pearce Kensington. Age 25. Billionaire. Graduate of the Ivy League. Future CEO. Member of a powerful secret society.

His life is complicated. Dark. Lonely. Dangerous. So when he meets Rachel, a kind, sweet, beautiful grad student, he tells himself to stay away. He’s no good for her. And yet, she’s good for him. A ray of light in his very dark world.

She’s everything he’s ever wanted but didn’t think he could have. But being with her will bring her into his world. A world she doesn’t belong in. A world he wants to escape. A world he’ll have to hide from her in order to keep her safe.

He should let her go. But he can’t. He loves her. He needs her. So he’ll risk everything to be with her.

Excerpt:

Rachel's POV

I pop up from my chair and go around the desk. “Welcome to the museum.” He smiles. “Thank you. You weren’t kidding. It’s very small.”

“It’s good to see you again.” I hug him but he just stands there, rigid, his arms at his side. Oh, God, this is awkward. Why did I hug him? Shelby’s right. I need to get control of the hugging thing.

I release him and step back, my cheeks heating up. “Sorry. I kind of have a hugging problem.”

He’s still smiling. “It’s not a problem. It’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting it. I’m not used to people hugging me.”

“You’re not?”

“No. I honestly can’t remember the last time someone hugged me. Childhood, maybe?” “Are you serious?” He doesn’t answer so I say, “Well, that’s just wrong. Of course, this is coming from someone who hugs everyone. Even the mailman. Even people I don’t know. Anyway, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” He motions me toward him. “Come here. Let’s do it right this time.”

I step forward and hug him again. This time, he hugs me back. For someone who doesn’t hug much, he’s pretty good.

When he lets go, I say, “Next time, maybe do it a little tighter.”

He laughs. “Did you just critique my hug?”

“No, I’m just making a suggestion. It’s strictly personal preference. I tend to like a tight hug.”

“The few hugs I’ve had have been very distant hugs, limited to the upper body only. So to me, that was a tight hug.”

“Okay, well, ready to start the tour?” I walk over to the first display. “Get back over here.”

I look at him confused. “Why?”

“Because I don’t like not being good at things. I need to do the hug again.”

I’m trying not to laugh because this is really funny. He’s taking this so seriously.

But it’s fine with me. I’ll take another hug. I like being in his arms.

I hug him again and this time he hugs me tighter. It’s almost perfect, but then he lets go.

“How was that?” he asks.

“It was good.” I take his hand and lead him over to the display case. “But next time, don’t let go so soon. Let me, or whatever girl you’re hugging, let go first, and then you can let go.”

“I wasn’t aware there were so many rules to hugging.” He leans down and talks in my ear. “And just so we’re clear, the only woman I’ll be hugging is you.”

I hope you loved the excerpt as much as I did! I can't wait to finally read Pearce's story.

Giveaway: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author:

Author Allie Everhart writes novels in the New Adult genre. She's also a freelance health writer for books and magazines. Her articles have appeared in magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Fitness, American Baby, and Family Circle. Prior to freelancing, she was an editor for a book publisher where she worked on several New York Times bestselling diet and fitness books. 

Author's links: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Blog Tour organized by:

Blog Tour Stop: Excerpt + Giveaway: Withering Hope by Layla Hagen

Withering Hope By: Layla Hagen

Release Date: January 19, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / iTunes / Kobo

Synopsis:

Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect. 

But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits her—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. 

With no way to reach civilization, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts. As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest.

Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.

Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden. 

**This can be read as a STANDALONE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.*

Excerpt 

(Tristan’s POV) 

        No rescue helicopter arrives. Not the following morning, or any morning after it. I expect Aimee to break down, but she doesn’t. It shouldn’t surprise me, though. I’ve suspected she is strong since I first met her.

        Chris Moore hired me as his pilot two and a half years ago, giving me the chance for a fresh start I so desperately needed. I was grateful to him, and even liked him. Despite his wealth and success, he was grounded and unpretentious. When I first met Aimee, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was just as unassuming.

        And so much more.

        She went out of her way to be friendly, making it easy to adjust to my side job as her driver when Chris didn’t need me as a pilot. I suppose I came off as cold to her, because I only acknowledged her effort with a curt thank you. But I wasn’t used to anyone being friendly to me. Over the past years people had either shown me pity or feared me. Not Aimee. Of course, she didn’t know anything about my past—Chris kept his word and never told her.

        When first I drove Aimee to Chris’s parents’ mansion, I realized Aimee hadn’t given me any special treatment. She was genuinely friendly to everyone on the staff. They all liked to be around her.

        So did I. I liked it a little too much.

        She had a way of growing on people without even trying. She was warm and eager to get to really know people. A bit too eager… and the secrets I carried were best left buried. So I was content with being around her, or observing her from a distance.

         From where it was safe.

         Here, where our lifeline depends on working and sticking together, where I’m prepared to do just about anything to keep her safe, it will be hard to keep that distance, but I will do my best.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour Here

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author. I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later. I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world. And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Blog tour organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

 

Review: Not Yet by Laura Ward

Not Yet
Author: Laura Ward
Release Date: July 28, 2014
Publisher: Laura Ward
Source: Xpresso Book Tours & Laura Ward
Review by: Nahomi

Emma Harris is learning that life is just a series of lessons.

Lesson #1: Nothing goes the way you plan. Lesson #2: You can’t trust men. Especially not the pretty ones. Lesson #3: Turns out, appearances are almost always deceiving.

Emma thinks she has life all figured out, and what she knows isn't good. For years, she’s put her big sister, who was born with Down syndrome, first. Now Emma’s ready to start her own life, but fate has other plans. To do the right thing for the sister she loves, Emma’s dreams will just have to wait.

She doesn't plan on meeting Landon — a rich, flirtatious jock, who never has to wait for anything. Not for attention, not for money, and certainly not for girls. Meeting Emma marks the first time in his life that he’s had to fight for something. And Landon doesn't know how to lose.

Emma has no interest in wasting her summer with a superficial guy like Landon. But very soon she realizes she is wrong about him. The question is, can she trust him? Or will he let her down like every other guy in her life? But most importantly, can Emma trust herself enough to live the life she's always dreamed of?

Life has a way of sneaking in the most important lessons when you aren't looking. And once the heart gets involved, that's when the real learning begins.

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars out of 5 stars

         I was hoping to be able to give this book this book a higher rating but alas there was no real connection with the characters for me. The beginning seemed very rushed, Emma is supposed to be the Midwest biggest bi*$# and it didn't take long for her and Landon to get together. I understand Landon is very hot and sweet and I see how Emma tries to rationalize it but it doesn't come off as genuine. It is a bad case of instalove and although I can get through that sometimes, this wasn't one of those cases.

Although this story wasn't my cup of tea it had a lot of good elements which is the reason I gave it a 3. I really liked Landon's character although he seemed perfect, he had his flaws. I liked how the author incorporated families that had loved ones with disabilities; she did a great job with this aspect of the novel. The story was okay and had a lot of good elements but I just didn't connect with the characters.

Book Blitz - Stan by C.J. Duggan

Stan (Summer #1.5)
Author: C.J. Duggan
Release Date: October 26, 2014
Publisher: C.J. Duggan

I had plans, big plans, but all that changed the night Bel Evans darkened my doorstep.
Stan Remington is the go-to man. What he doesn’t know about Onslow means one of two things: it doesn’t exist or it hasn’t happened yet.
And when it comes to Onslow, for Stan, being an only child means a guilt-riddled sense of duty to help out at his parents’ caravan park every summer of his life: same old town, same old story.
Until Belinda Evans.
The wild and insipid doctor’s daughter who spends summer holidays with her family at Remington’s Caravan Park, but she’s not Stan’s problem; that is, until she sabotages his planned weekend escape. Now Stan finds himself not only caretaking the caravan park on his own, but responsible for Bel as well.
Just the two of them. Under the one roof. For one long, long weekend. In a world built by mundane routine and small-town boredom, this summer promises to be anything but boring.

About the author: 

C.J Duggan is an Internationally Number One Best Selling Author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn't writing books about swoony boys and 90's pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos. The Boys of Summer is Book One in her highly successful New Adult Romance Series.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website

Book Blitz organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Cover Reveal + Giveaway - Stan & Max by C.J. Duggan

I am in LOVE with the covers for the novellas for the Summer Series. I can't wait to read these babies!

Stan (Summer Series #1.5) by C.J. Duggan

Expected Release Date: December 2014

Publisher: C.J. Duggan

Links: iTunes / Goodreads

Synopsis:

I had plans, big plans, but all that changed the night Bel Evans darkened my doorstep.
Stan Remington is the go-to man; what he doesn't know about Onslow means one of two things: it doesn't exist or it hasn't happened yet.
And when it comes to Onslow, for Stan, being an only child has meant a guilt-riddled sense of duty to help out at his parents’ caravan park every summer. Same old town. Same old story.
Until Belinda Evans.
The wild and annoying doctor’s daughter spends her summer family holidays at Remington’s Caravan Park, and normally she’s not Stan’s problem. But then she sabotages his planned weekend escape. Now Stan finds himself not only caretaking the caravan park on his own, but also responsible for Bel.
Just the two of them.
Under the one roof.
For one long, long weekend.
In a world where mundane routine and small-town boredom is his norm, one weekend changes every element of his world to anything but boring.

Max (Summer Series #2.5) by C.J. Duggan

Expected Release Date: December 2014

Publisher: C.J. Duggan

Links: iTunes / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Max Henry thought he’d left the dusty flats of Ballan behind, but when the past slams into his present, suddenly there is no escaping – even if he wanted to.
Melanie Sheehan didn’t set out to be a liar, but her last lie landed her in big trouble. Now Mel must suffer a harsh consequence – she’s not allowed out of her father’s sight.
No friends, no parties, no life.
Since impeccably good behaviour is now all she’s about, her dad, renowned Ballan local ‘Bluey’ Sheehan, is about to finally cut Mel some slack. The catch? While he heads out of town on business, she has to stay at the Onslow Hotel, and he’s entrusting Max Henry, the eldest son of Bluey’s best mate, to look out for her.
He just doesn’t know it yet.
Max, the new head barman at the Onslow Hotel, is the one boy Mel has been crushing on since forever. At a time when Mel plans to go on the straight and narrow, she is about to tell the biggest lie of all. Will Max be able to handle the fiery farm girl or should he be considered the last boy in Onslow to trust?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

C.J Duggan is a Number One Best Selling Australian Author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn’t writing books about swoony boys and 90’s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos.

The Boys of Summer is Book One in her international best selling New Adult Romance Series.

The 'Summer Series':
The Boys of Summer
Stan (Summer Novella)
An Endless Summer
Max (Summer Novella)
That One Summer
Ringer (Summer Novella)
Forever Summer 

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Cover Reveal organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Found in Us by Layla Hagen

Found in Us (Lost #2)

By: Layla Hagen

Release Date: July 24, 2014

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / iTunes / Kobo

Synopsis:

All Jessica wants -as a college graduate — is to be a good girl. She landed the job of her dreams at a museum and is trying to eliminate temptations. No more short skirts (when she can help it). No wild parties. And no men.

She particularly excels at that last thing. . .

Until her path crosses Parker’s. Again. Jessica remembers the last time their paths crossed very well. She was left with a seriously bruised ego. She knows it would be best to avoid him altogether. But the charming Brit makes it hard for her to elude his electrifying pull. He is as irresistible as he is captivating.

And enigmatic.

Because underneath the sleek Armani suit and the sweet British accent that makes her crave his touch, Parker isn’t the perfect gentleman everyone thinks he is.

He’s exactly what Jessica doesn’t want, but desperately needs.

A bad, bad boy.

**This can be read as a STANDALONE. The second book in the Lost series tells Jessica and Parker’s story.**

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also purchase the first book in the series, Lost in Us, and Found in Us for $0.99.

You can also check out Nahomi's review on Found in Us. She LOVED it.

About the Author:

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author. I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later. I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world. And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Book Blitz organized by: Xpresso Book Tours