Tag: BookTrib

Q&A with Author Lori Foster + Giveaway

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Author Q&A> blog tours> Book Giveaway

Today, Reading Reality is part of Lori Foster’s Bare It All Blog Tour! Read my review of Bare It All here and enjoy this Q&A from Lori.

Also, I’m very pleased to be able to host a giveaway, courtesy of the tour, of one print copy of Bare It All. (US only)

Marlene: Describe the qualities in your “perfect” hero.

Lori: Well first off, he has to be imperfect. I can’t imagine anything more boring that perfection.

He has to be a man. A man’s man. I’m totally not into the metrosexual guy. If he paints his toenails… yeah, he won’t be in my book. Oh, and if he waxes his chest? Bleh. My guys are too busy kicking butt and saving mankind to groom their chests.

He has to be strong – physically strong is nice, but more important than that is mental and emotional strength. If he’s going to cry, it better be for a really good reason. Not because he lost a sporting event or watched a sad movie.

He has to be respectful to everyone who deserves it – which means unless someone has given him real reason to be disrespectful, he’ll be polite.

He has to be capable. It drives me INSANE when someone writes a hero who can’t change a diaper. I mean, that’s pretty basic. If you can’t do that, how can you possibly master anything complicated like driving a car or shaving?

He should be kind, with a sense of humor.

And he absolutely MUST love animals and feel protective toward children.

Being a stallion in bed doesn’t hurt either.

Marlene: When it comes to food, are you the adventurous type who will try anything once, or do you prefer to stick to tried and true foods and recipes?

Lori: Tried and true! Nothing with eyeballs. Nothing that looks like a bug. (Shrimp = grub worms. Lobsters = insects. Whole fish that are looking at me… shudders.) I love roast and mashed potatoes, stuffed pork chops, beef stew and bean soup and sauerkraut with ribs… I’m a country girl.

And I’ve never met a dessert I didn’t like!

Marlene: As a romance writer, what is your idea of the “ideal romantic evening”?

Lori: My husband and I are not, and never have been, party people – unless it’s an afternoon family party. When we go to the movies, it’s usually a matinee. So with that in mind, I like easy, slow evenings where he cooks me something delicious for dinner (he’s turned into an amazing cook!) and then either the theater (not too late) or a good movie on the television, dressed in our comfortable clothes. Just us, quiet time, being together.

Marlene: Any place we can find you in person or on the net this month or next?

Lori: I have an event schedule to make it easier for readers to locate me!

I’m all over the net, too. Goodreads, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, PushPage, and I have a really useful once-a-month newsletter that keeps readers caught up on all the happenings.

June of every year I organize the “Reader & Author Get Together” with my good friend Duffy Brown. 500 romance readers, authors, editors, and editors getting together for fun, food, games, raffles and book signings. We’ve sold out already, but the book signings are open to the public! Check out the deets on that here!

Marlene: What project are you working on next?

Lori: That depends on how long it takes me to finish my current manuscript – which will be book 4 in the Love Undercover series. If I finish it early enough, I’ll start a new L. L. Foster book, meaning more urban fantasy and more graphic gore. If it takes longer to finish, then I’ll jump into the next romance single title.

BlogtourSuitcase_BARE IT ALL

~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~

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Review: Bare It All by Lori Foster

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews
Bare It All by Lori FosterFormat read: ebook provided by NetGalley
Formats available: ebook, mass market paperback, audiobook
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series: Love Undercover, #2
Length: 476 pages
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Date Released: April 30, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Book Depository

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it…until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice’s secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire—and into the line of fire….

My Review:

The way to a man’s heart may be through his stomach, but the way to a woman’s heart is through a dog…at least if the dog is as adorable as the former stray Cash seems to be.

Cash snuffles his way into Alice Appleton’s guarded heart with his doggy grin and open-hearted need for affection and discipline, allowing his owner Reese Bareden to slip in along with him. Alice didn’t stand a chance.

Run the Risk by Lori FosterAlice makes her first appearance in Run the Risk, lending her calm manner and her Glock to the takedown of the bad guys stalking Rowdy and Pepper Yates and staking out Reese’s apartment. Up until then, she’s been Reese’s intriguing pet-sitter for the young and rambunctious Cash.

But her focused demeanor in the midst of utter chaos sets off all Reese’s cop senses. He’s always been interested in Alice as a beautiful woman, but now he knows that she’s hiding some serious secrets, and he can’t help but want to know more. Something about the shy woman with the heart of a lioness brings out his protective streak.

While the cleanup crew washes “death” out of his apartment, Reese uses Alice’s care for Cash as an excuse to stay in her apartment. They all need someone to be with after the shootout. But the close proximity leads to explosive chemistry that neither of them can resist.

And as Reese begins to peel back the layers that have made Alice into the determined, and determinedly protective, woman that she it, Reese Bareden discovers that he wants, no he needs to discover not just what made her that way, but whether they can bare both their bodies and their souls to each other.

If they can get past the need to keep so damn many secrets.

Escape Rating B+: The group dynamic in this story is tremendously fun! We see Logan and Pepper, the couple from the first story (Run the Risk, reviewed here) still working out their relationship. And we see Pepper’s protective brother Rowdy trying to find a new way to live now that he doesn’t have to spend 24/7 guarding Pepper.

Rowdy’s spent several years skirting the edge of the law, so he’s having a hard time adjusting to the idea that his soon-to-be brother-in-law is a cop. Best of all, the first “job” that Rowdy takes on is protecting Alice. They immediately bond as quasi-siblings, and it drives Reese nuts. The banter between Rowdy and Alice was hilarious, and listening in on Alice egging Reese on was great!

The suspense element in Bare It All was terrific. Not just about Alice’s past, but also Alice’s steps into becoming a vigilante, and getting it all to tie into the crooked cops in Reese and Logan’s squad and Rowdy’s new business. The danger to Alice, and to the whole crew, really ratcheted up the tension!

getting rowdyI can’t wait for Getting Rowdy to see where the danger leads this crew next!

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

Q&A with Lori Foster + Giveaway

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Author Interviews> Author Q&A> blog tours> Book Giveaway> Giveaways

Today, Reading Reality is part of Lori Foster’s Run the Risk Blog Tour! Every stop on the tour features an excerpt from Run the Risk, the first book in Lori’s new romantic suspense series, Love Undercover, and a Q&A from Lori.

Also, I’m very pleased to be able to host a giveaway, courtesy of the tour, of one print copy of Run the Risk. (US/CAN only)  I stayed up until 2 am reading Run the Risk (review here) so I know that whoever wins the giveaway will definitely enjoy.

 

Here’s today’s excerpt from Run the Risk: 

She swallowed her sigh. “Hello.”

Before she could figure out a way to dodge him, he pushed away from the wall, his smile welcoming, his dark eyes warm. She swallowed her sigh. “Hello.”

“Here, let me help you with that.”

Like she couldn’t handle a few bags of groceries? Why was he bothering her like this? Flustered, talking too fast, Pepper said, “That’s okay, really. I’ve got—”

And now, a bit of Q&A with Lori Foster…

Marlene: What book are you reading now?

Lori: This might change by the time the answer is posted, so how about I mention BOTH series that I’m loving? Jill Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor series. I’ve already read (and loved) Lucky in Love, and At Last, and I’ve already purchased Forever and a Day.

I’m also reading Erin McCarthy’s Fast Track series. I’ve finished Flat-Out Sexy and Hard and Fast. She has a lot more in the series, so I see myself with plenty of reading to do for the next few months.

Marlene: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Lori: Not until after I sold my 3rd book. 🙂 Before that, I still didn’t say too much about writing. I didn’t want to be a one-book wonder, and two books could still be a fluke. So I waited. In fact, I’m still pretty uptight about telling it to strangers. Not sure why.

Marlene: What inspired you to write your first book?

Lori: Reading great stories! Romance blew my mind. Great dialogue, engaging characters that drove the plot, happen endings… love it all. I’d always been a day-dreamer and a right-brained oddity. 🙂 I decided to write that 1st book (and then the 2nd and 3rd and 4th) just for me. “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” –Toni Morrison.
When I went to a writers’ con and met a bunch of writers who’d been working on their 1st chapter for 5 years, I thought, hmmm. Maybe I have what it takes.

Marlene: How did you come up with the title?

Lori: Run the Risk is about Logan Riske. Ages ago, readers would write me and say that they couldn’t remember which hero had which title. It made sense then to put a part of the hero’s name in the title to make it easier for readers. But after this series, I think I might switch it up again. HQN is giving me such amazing covers that I hope readers will remember the image, if not the title.

Marlene: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

You know, even if you try NOT to leave a message, there always is. Parts of our personalities come through. My characters always love animals, because I think that’s important. I wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t like animals. And kids always come first, because they *should.* Families are not always blood related; I have a sister, a stepsister, and a half-brother – but they’re my siblings through and through. My stepdad *was* my dad, no “step” to it. So for me, it’s about who you love, who is in your life, more than any actual blood relationship.

 

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Review: Run the Risk by Lori Foster

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews
Format read: print ARC received from the tour company and an ebook from NetGalley
Formats available: Mass Market paperback, ebook, audiobook
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series: Love Undercover #1
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Date Released: September 25, 2012
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend’s unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her…. Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new “construction worker” who’s moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer’s crosshairs?

Everyone in this story is hiding something. Or someone. Or themselves. Make that all of the above.

But it’s the assumptions that surround the case that trip everyone, including Detective Logan Riske, up, over and over again. Especially his initial assumption that he can sweet-talk the elusive sister of his material witness without getting involved himself.

Everyone assumes that Pepper’s brother, Rowdy Yates, was the witness to a murder committed by corrupt night club owner Morton Andrews. But brother Rowdy went underground and stayed underground for two long years.

The murder victim had been Riske’s best friend. He wanted payback. He wanted Andrews convicted. Except that Andrews had bought, and paid for, too many cops, too many judges, too many politicians, to make it easy, or safe, to get him the usual way.

Instead, Riske went undercover, moving in next door to Pepper Yates, trying to get close to her, never letting “Sue Meeks” know that her construction worker neighbor was really a cop.

But Pepper had been hiding her real self under “Sue’s” incredibly meek and extremely drab exterior for much too long. Logan was a temptation she just couldn’t ignore. Especially when he pursued so intently.

As Logan expected, getting close to Pepper brought her protective brother Rowdy out of the woodwork. What Logan didn’t expect, was that Rowdy was being protective for a very damn good reason, and that Logan had just blown everything to hell.

Even worse, now that Logan knew why Pepper needed protection, he wasn’t sure exactly who he should be protecting her from. Just which cops are corrupt? His partner is hiding something. So is his Lieutenant.

But the person he really needs to protect Pepper Yates from is himself.

Escape Rating B+: Lori Foster always does a fantastic job of drawing out the romantic and sexual tension between her main leads, and Run the Risk absolutely continues the trend. The attraction between Logan and Pepper steams off the page, and the emotional conflict that makes them hesitant to get involved is gripping. Their relationship starts out with lies. It’s not a good foundation for anything lasting.

Pepper’s relationship with her very protective brother Rowdy was also a highlight. He definitely skates the edge of the law, but at the same time tries to protect her from the worst part of what he does, and from the bad parts of life in general. Possibly unreasonably so, but it’s who he is, and Pepper understands that even when it drives her crazy.

Part of the suspense angle–the part with Logan’s partner Reese and his Lieutenant–wraps up just a little too conveniently, or too simply, at the end. There was a lot of build-up during the story, and then the ending of that sub-plot felt a bit “flat” to this reader.

However, I still stayed up until 2 am to finish Run the Risk, and I’m absolutely looking forward to the next story of Love Undercover. I wonder if it’s either Reese or Rowdy? Both could sure use an HEA of their very own…

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.