Just Because You Could Use a Few More Books on Your To-Be-Read Pile…

... Gwyneth is here to help you out... ;-)

It’s almost time for me to scale way back on my reading and stick to a fairly strict writing schedule. I have in no way made a dent in my to-be-read pile. And I keep buying more books because I like to support my fellow authors and I have a slight book addiction. Who am I kidding? I have a serious book affliction. Seriously... I need help. Someone should really have an intervention of something… Anyway, I read a few books that were really good and of course I had to share that with you all because if you have a book addiction like me, and a toppling over to-be-read pile, then I want to do all I can to help in your corruption. I mean, I really love to spread the word about great books... Yeah... that’s it.

Many of you are familiar with Angelia who frequently visits this blog. And if you haven’t visited her blog yet, you need to rush right over. The sister is always dropping wisdom over there, and just has the most amazing and thought-provoking posts. I love her blog. So, I of course wanted to read the books she has written as acVernon Menchan. I’d ordered her first novel, BLACK’S OBSESSION: BOOK I OF BLACK’S TRILOGY and her collection LOVE STORIES OF SOME PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN a little while ago. And, as they sat on my to-be-read pile, she came out with CINNAMON’S UNIVERSE: BOOK II OF BLACK’S TRILOGY. The woman is doing her thing and putting these books on out there. She is self-published and I just think it is wonderful that she is manifesting her own destiny. She’ll be my August interview, so I wanted to read a couple of her books before then. I think the concept behind the trilogy is fresh and bold. We’ve all heard the old adage there are three sides to every story, your side, my side and the truth. Well, in Black’s Trilogy readers will get three sides and will have to come up with the truth as each character in this lovers threesome is revealed. I have to say, I enjoyed CINNAMON’S UNIVERSE. AcVernon’s Menchan’s story telling skills are tight. After reading about Cinnamon from Black’s eyes in the first book in the trilogy, I couldn’t wait to read more about this woman who seemed to have the power to make everyone around her fall in love with her. I wasn’t disappointed. I don’t think the trilogy can be called a romance in the typical HEA sense. I’ll have to read the last installment to see for sure. (So hurry up with BROWN'S Possession, Angelia!) But, so far, it is a wonderful love triangle.


Here’s the blurb:
Cinnamon Dubois Brown is a woman with everything. She's beautiful, spiritual, happily married for almost thirty years with two successful kids. What more could she want? What more could she have? Well, she just might want it all. Cinnamon discovered that Malcolm Black, her good friend since high school and her husband, William Brown's best friend has always been is love with her. For the past year they have tried to have a sophisticated, platonic friendship, though the heat between Cinnamon and Black has been rapidly increasing. She has had to admit her attraction to Black runs as deep as his feelings for her, but her love for Brown is as strong as it's ever been. The death of Black's mother forces them closer together. Will Cinnamon finally give into her feelings for Black in her quest to comfort him, be there for him as he had been for her? What role will Brown play in all of this? Will he continue to allow his wife and best friend to have their 'friendship'? Does he have secrets of his own? CINNAMON’S UNIVERSE will blow the lid off all of their feelings, and reveal secrets no one expected. Will Cinnamon try to love two? And will it be easy to do? We will soon find out. Welcome to CINNAMON’S UNIVERSE.

I also had the pleasure of reading Farrah Rochon’s debut novel, DELIVER ME. It was a wonderfully fun read. I love adding new authors to my collection. Rochon’s debut novel is funny and sexy. Take a playboy doctor and confront him with the one woman who can get under his skin and you’ve already got some sizzling chemistry. Add to that the fact that this playboy doctor made a decision a long time ago not to date other doctors and you’ve got some interesting page-turning fun. Add the fact that all of this is set in a post-Katrina New Orleans, and you get one amazing story. I really enjoyed this one.


Here’s the blurb:
Leaving An Imperfect Past...
Monica Gardner is starting over. The brokenhearted St. Louis native has nothing left at home any longer: her future is being an ER doctor at a New Orleans hospital. Her first day makes for a bumpy start as she continually runs into handsome but irascible Dr. Elijah Holmes--a man who could make her change her mind about finding true love.

For New Expectations…
For years, Dr. Eli Holmes has been living up to his own high expectations--and is burning himself out in the process. The only time this "Super Doc" ob-gyn slows down is to notice the beautiful eyes of a newcomer, Dr. Gardner. He's pleased to know that she's more than just a pretty face, she's also an ace physician. When they work together, sparks fly. But with both Monica and Eli trying to hard not to fall in love, they realize they can't resist this affair of the heart.

I fell in love with the cover of Rhonda Jackson Joseph’s CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT and that’s why I purchased it. The story kept me riveted to the pages and I had to pull an all-nighter to finish it. I couldn’t put it down. Fans of films like WHEN HARRY MET SALLY will love this novel. The novel showcases a couple of my favorite romance plots, lover’s reunited and rivals turned lovers. It’s so entertaining to watch people who think they can manipulate when they will give into love. What I loved the most about this novel is that even though they fought their feelings those feeling came through in their actions. Joseph really shows us how much they care for one another. And the hero is lawd have mercy HOT. She had me falling in love with Tonzell "TJ" Jones from the very moment he stepped on the scene.


Here’s the Blurb:
Cishawn and Tonzell both know what they want from life. Cishawn wants to be able to maintain her independence while pursuing the career of her heart. Tonzell wants to be able to grow his fledgling business without the distraction of a relationship. When the time is right, each wishes to find the perfect mate: for Cishawn, that would be a man who appreciates and supports her independence. Tonzell wants an old fashioned woman like his Granny to build his life with. The problem is, Cishawn's quest for independence serves as a blockade between her and potential mates. She cannot be what Tonzell needs her to be, and that is the needy, damsel in distress who is looking to be rescued. Can Tonzell accept not being the noble rescuer?

Last but not least, I read erotic romance author Bridget Midway's LOVE MY WAY. Now if you read this blog often, you know I’m not a huge fan of reality television, especially find the love of your life shows like THE BACHELOR or FLAVA OF LOVE. But Midway delivered a fictional reality TV show that I could see my err… freaky little self… watching. LOL. This novel was funny, emotional and just jammed pack with the hottest, steamiest chemistry. Wooooweee! Now it does have some BDSM elements to it, so it’s not for the feint of heart. But, for those looking for a wild read that will literally push your comfort levels, LOVE MY WAY is just the book for they’ve been waiting for. I love that it is a fresh take on IR romance and just a really fun read. This is an e-book available from Loose ID.


Here’s the blurb:
After media mogul and out and proud BDSM Master, Eagan Morton, releases his current submissive, he's a little out of it. So much so that he even passes over talented dancers during an audition for one of his upcoming TV shows. When his friend finds out about his dilemma, he makes a strange suggestion: find his next submissive on a reality TV show. It worked for “The Bachelor,” so why not Eagan? Eagan’s skeptical, but he agrees to go through with it. He needs to turn his life around.

When Ananda Zelder is passed over during a dance audition held by none other than Eagan (or Ego as she calls him) Morton, she's furious. But being furious only gets her so far. She's also broke and about to give up the dancing she loves. When she hears Eagan has a new reality TV show he’s casting, she's all for it...until she sees it's all about domination, submission and a lot of whips and chains. Still, revenge is a dish best served cold, like a turn-down on network television cold.

Because she’s dressed in a hood at all times, Eagan has no idea the one contestant who intrigues him most is the same woman he passed over in an audition a few months ago because she was too good for the job. While Ananda is discovering a part of herself she never knew existed, Eagan is rediscovering his true dominant passion through her. However when the masks are off and their true selves are revealed, will love dominate? Or will they both submit to the history of their first meeting?

So if you are looking for some hot and steamy summer reads, you might want to check one or all of these out. :-)