The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis Giveaway (US/Can only)

The Trouble with Mistletoe (Heartbreaker Bay #2)
Jill Shalvis

If she has her way...

Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn’t even remember her.

He’ll get nothing but coal in his stocking.

Saddled with his great-aunt’s Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else’s capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he’s sure he’s never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him.

Unless he tempers “naughty” with a special kind of nice...

Willa can’t deny that Keane’s changed since high school: he’s less arrogant, for one thing—but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It’s time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish—and let the mistletoe do its work.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one finished copy of The Trouble with Mistletoe—yay!!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me:

Have you ever been caught with someone under a mistletoe? Tell us all about it!

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Jill and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

I have never actually seen a mistletoe hanging around... why do I feel like that's so old-fashioned? I do remember in high school, a guy from my youth group wore a Santa hat with a mistletoe dangling from a wire coming out of his hat, so that anyone standing next to him would be "under the mistletoe" with him. Hilarious!

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the publicist—a huge thank you to the lovely folks at Sullivan & Partners!

Giveaway ends October 11th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to continental US and Canada residents only—sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for a list of running giveaways that are open worldwide. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize once they are chosen, or else their winnings will be forfeited.
Although I do randomly select winners, I am in no way responsible for prizes, nor for shipping and handling.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

2 Heart Review: Mastered by Maya Banks

Mastered (The Enforcers #1)
Maya Banks

Page Count: 358
Release Date: December 29th, 2015
Publisher: Berkley (Penguin Random House)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Sullivan and Partners!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Breathless Trilogy comes the first novel in the Enforcers series—a bold new direction in erotic romance that explores the games men and women play, and the price they’re willing to pay for pleasure. 

What he wants, he takes with no remorse or guilt.

She stood out in his club like a gem, unspoiled and untouched. A lamb among wolves, she clearly didn’t belong. Drawn to her innocence he watched as she was surrounded by men who saw what he did—but no one but him could touch her. He summoned her to his private quarters. He sensed her fear. He also recognized the desire in her eyes. And he knew she wouldn’t leave before he possessed her. She had no need to know his secrets. Not until he had her under his complete and utter control.

What he wants, she isn’t sure she can give him.

The moment he told her want he wanted, she couldn’t resist. Instinct told her to run, but her heart said stay and walk the fine line between pleasure and pain. Though she wasn’t sure she could ever completely surrender, the primal part of her wanted to try, even knowing this man could break her in ways she never imagined. Because once he possessed her, he owned her and it would be too late to turn back. She can only pray that he doesn’t destroy her in the end.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Review

DNF @ 27%

I'm going to preface this review by acknowledging how painful it is to write. Maya Banks's KGI series is one of my favorite romantic suspense series ever, so I was over the moon when given the opportunity to give her new trilogy, The Enforcers, a shot.

Unfortunately, I have almost nothing good to say about Mastered, the first installment. I can't bash it completely or discredit her as an author because I know what she's capable of, but Mastered is a cheap, clichéd Fifty Shades knockoff, featuring even more despicable characters and written in as equally ridiculous writing style.

Mastered begins with Evangeline (literally, "angel") stuck in a wonderfully stupid scenario: her best friends/roommates collectively dolling her up for a night at Impulse, the most exclusive and expensive club in all of New York; of course, this is accompanied by some of the worst monologues of vain, gratuitous compliment barf I've ever read:

"You look hot. And I don't say that as your best friend trying to make you feel better about yourself. I say that as another female who is aware that a much hotter female is in her territory and I'd like to scratch her eyes out because I know I don't have a chance in hell of looking as good as she does."

"You don't get it, Vangie. And hell, I think that's half the turn-on for guys. You have no clue how beautiful you are. You're all big eyes, gorgeous hair, a figure to die for and you're good and sweet to your soul. If you had any hint of interest, you'd have men tripping over themselves to get next to you. They'd treat you like the queen you deserve to be treated as, but you honestly have no idea and that just makes them want you even more."

And of course, Evangeline bats these "you're sooooo hot" statements away—the innocent, doe-eyed, clueless saint she is:

[She] shook her head, utterly baffled. "You guys are crazy. I'm a twenty-three-year-old recently ex-virgin who's as gauche as they. I'm barely off the farm and have a southern drawl that makes New Yorkers roll their eyes and want to pat me on the head and say, 'Well, bless your heart.'"

Because we couldn't just have a flawless bombshell main character; we needed a completely un-self-realized idiot bombshell main character.

This huge night at Impulse is solely for the purpose of pissing off her abusive ex-boyfriend, Eddie, whom they know will be at the club that night, to "show him what he missed out on." As if that isn't immature enough, her friends are sending her alone, via taxi, because they only have one VIP pass among the five of them. Already, this is sounding like a bad teen rom-com, because there has to be a punchline to it. But there isn't. A girl alone in a dark sex club to confront her maniacal jackass ex? At least her friends are looking out for her safety. (The sex club part is a spoiler technically, but it won't spoil anything for you because it really is irrelevant).

The owner of Impulse, of course, is the predatory, unstable, neurotic Drake Donovan, who isn't only strong, tall, and handsome, but also rich, powerful, mean, and dominant in every which way, including in the bedroom. Oooh. Drake notices Evangeline standing out in Impulse like a sore thumb (hello? She's completely insecure and alone!) and it's love at first sight. He knows she's different, worth fighting for, etc. Just by looking at her from afar.

My immediate problem with Drake was not his all-encompassing dominant personality, but his utter lack of reason or manners. Yes, he's obviously a Dom who gets whatever he wants because he knows he can, but at the expense of treating others disrespectfully and being a temperamental dickhead. Drake treats any woman who isn't Evangeline like garbage, with very little forethought that goes into his infuriating thoughts and actions. Not sexy, not cute:

"Oh, I know damn well what I'm passing on," he drawled. "And I couldn't be any less interested in a skank who throws herself at me with promises to please me when the very sight of you displeases me very much."

Normally I would have powered on, but when Drake pretty much sexually assaults Evangeline upon their first meeting—yes, first—and it's supposed to be a sexy scene, but is so poorly written that it wouldn't have been sexy anyway, I knew at that moment that I couldn't give this book more than 1 star. It was just too outrageous (unrealistic, weird, strangely and coarsely executed) for me to continue.

I stopped reading completely when Drake, upon their second meeting, offers Evangeline a magical, optimistic solution to her current woes, including a new place to live (for free), complete responsibility over her financial worries, as well as her family's, and her roommates' (since they will be short one person's portion of rent if Evangeline moves in with him, after all), AND spoil her materialistically AND give her the best sex of her life. ...What? Literally, he spits out one paragraph saying all this and I knew I was done.

I wish I could tell you that it gets better, or the characters get some sense knocked into them, or the sex scenes improve, but alas, 100 or so pages in, I was faced with the same frustrating, static story, so I gave up. I don't know how the book ends, other than that there's a cliffhanger ending since the sequel, Dominated, is a direct continuation of Mastered—which I find distressing—so I can't comment on the broader story elements, such as the climax or ending. I have very little motivation to find out however, and when I finally put this book down, I was overcome with a giant wave of relief.

Pros

I thought I was a Maya Banks fan before this—it's really making me rethink my position though // Intriguing (albeit unoriginal) plot that had potential

Cons

Everything else. Every single thing.

Love

Here's a collection of my favorite quotes due to their WTF-ness. I stopped at three because Drake's unreasonably hilarious behavior just goes on and on and on; consider this section a preview. It's NSFW, but mostly because you'll be laughing very hard which will make your boss and coworkers very suspicious. Unfortunately, it's also actually NSFW (warning: poorly executed smut ahead) so you don't want to be caught reading this in public:

"He sat her ass on the edge of his desk and with an impatient gesture, he swept the surface of his work area clean, knocking the contents to the floor. Shit scattered in all directions and her eyes widened, her pupils dilated so that only a thin ring of blue circled the black orbs as she stared warily at him.

Not only does this start off with a stock scene from any B-grade office porno, but that dilation thing just freaks me out. My pupils looked like that the one time I tried LSD, and it wasn't as angelic as the author makes it out to be.

It had taken every ounce of his restraint not to tear his pants down and plunge so deeply into her that she would feel him to her soul.

She would feel him TO HER SOUL. Because his peter's that big. Ha ha. Get it??

He was becoming more pissed by the minute, and he was seething as he stared at her. The idea of those bastards putting their hands on what he'd already claimed, fondling her, disrespecting her, had his teeth on edge, and his temper, already bad enough, was becoming overwhelmingly foul.

To provide some context, this is all in response to finding out that Evangeline works a night job as a bartender. A FREAKIN' BARTENDER. And this is literally the second time they've met, and he's already marked her as "what he'd already claimed." This dude has no chill.

Verdict

A nasty "hero," a moronic heroine, unintentionally comical dialogue, and a ludicrous storyline all litter this first installment of The Enforcers. Full of clichéd scenes, overused phrases, and a completely unoriginal and unappealing plot, Mastered is not Maya Banks's best work. Not only did I find the story intolerable, but also the writing unrefined and unseasoned. I'm sure there are authors out there who could have made even this smutty, absurd plot work, but Banks is not one of them. I cannot recommend Mastered to any audience—even romance and BDSM lovers won't find much to enjoyment in this—and I'm glad I didn't bother finishing it; reading this was ever only bad for my blood pressure 

2 hearts: A lost cause for me, although it may not be for others; did not finish and did not enjoy (x)

Interview with Emma Chase, Author of Sustained + Giveaway! (US/Can only!)

I'd like to welcome the lovely Emma Chase, to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Sustained, the long-anticipated sequel to Overruled, from Gallery Books!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Emma! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother who resides in a small town in New Jersey. By night she is a keyboard crusader, toiling away the hours to bring her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which just hit shelves last week:

Emma Chase, New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled series, returns with a brand new funny, romantic, sexy story!

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.

Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will turn you on. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.

Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy and Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and arguing cases in the principal’s office.

Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, defend her... and the kids.

And that—that, I know how to do.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Describe Sustained in six words (or less!).

Fun, sexy, heartwarming, hilarious, sweet, memorable.

How did you arrive at writing romance? Are there any other genres you’d like to try your hand at, or any you want to stay away from?

I started writing romance because that was mostly what I read. I love books that I’ll smile thinking about after I’ve read them and romance fits that bill perfectly.

I would love to try my hand at horror one day. I was a big horror movie kid growing up and every once in a while I’ll get the urge to write something spooky, dark and thrilling.

I adore reading historical romances, but I’m not sure I could write one. I’d be too caught up in the research—the clothes, the mannerisms, the endearments and phrases—to ever actually write the book.

I agree; writing a historical seems like too much work! What was the inspiration for the book?

The idea for the series came when I was in Washington DD for a book signing; I fell in love with the vibrant energy of the city. The three male leads in the series all have very distinct personalities: Stanton is the southern charmer, Jake the serious protector, and Brent, the carefree playboy.

With Jake being the tough, silent type, I thought it’d be fun to throw a sweet, beautiful woman and a bunch of precocious kids at him and see what happened. 

As a huge fan of first lines, I'd love to hear the first line of Sustained. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

I don’t use an alarm clock.

It’s funny, because I didn’t think too deeply about it at the time, but these few words really say so much about who Jake Becker is. He’s very regimented, disciplined—even in his sleep. He’s also very self-sufficient, an “if you want something done right you have to do it yourself” type of guy. He doesn’t like to depend on anyone; he’s the kind of man other people depend on instead.

Tell us about your road to publication, such as how you first queried, unexpected challenges, and things you picked up along the way.

I finished writing my first book, Tangled, when the Fifty Shades phenomenon first began. It gave me the idea to try sending my manuscript out to publishers. I received about a dozen rejection letters, and got to the point where I thought maybe the story just wasn’t good. My husband pointed out that though the manuscript had been rejected, the feedback was pretty positive and that I should keep trying. So I did—and within a few weeks, I’d had three offers from small houses to publish my book.

Throughout the process I revised my query letter and summary several times. There’s a lot of information online about what makes an eye catching query letter and for me, this was very helpful.

Are the characters from your book based off anyone you know in real life? How much else of your actual life gets written into your fiction?

None of my characters are based on one individual person I know. But pieces of my husband and friends definitely make their way into their personalities—particularly with my male characters. Sustained has the most real-to-life inspired situations, in that a lot of my children went into the McQuaid kids and many of Jake’s interactions with them were inspired by my own experiences with them.

Which character from Sustained was most difficult to write?

None of them were really difficult. One area that was tricky was how much page time the kids should get. This is a romance so I didn’t want it to be all about squabbling children and changing diapers. But it was important to show Jake falling in love with Chelsea and the family as a whole.

It turned out wonderful, because each of the kids has their own personality which brings something different out in Jake. And his interactions with them—the honest, tender way he deals with them is very entertaining and attractive.

What do you consider your biggest strengths and weaknesses as an author?

My biggest strength is writing from the male point of view. There’s a freedom when I’m in a male character’s head that makes the writing so humorous and snappy.

My biggest weakness is procrastination.

Who DOESN'T have that weakness? :) What's the greatest thing you ever learned?

Never pass up an opportunity to try new things.

How do you react to a negative or harsh review to your books?

Everyone has their own experiences and opinions. Reviews are feedback on the work—but they’re also a reflection of the tastes of the reviewer. I’ve read reviews of books that I love—that other people absolutely hate, and books that I thought were “meh” that others adore. The world would be horrendously boring if we all liked the same thing. When you know that, negative reviews become par for the course.

Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out Emma's random favorites, her best writing and personal advice, and what makes Sustained stand out as a book from all the rest. We're also hosting a giveaway for a finished copy of Sustained, so you don't want to miss that either!

Interview with Kyra Davis, Author of Just One Lie + Giveaway! (US/Can only)

I'd like to welcome the lovely Kyra Davis, to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Just One Lie, the long-anticipated sequel to Just One Night, from Pocket Books!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Kyra! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

Kyra Davis is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Just One Night, Pure Sin and the Sophie Katz series, as well as So Much For My Happy Ending. Just One Night has been optioned for television by Anonymous, the producers of True Detective.

Before publishing her first book, Sex, Murder And A Double Latte in 2005, Kyra supported herself and her son as a marketing manager for a sports club; before that, she was a department manager at Nordstrom’s Savvy department. She studied at The Fashion Institute off Design and Merchandising and Golden Gate University.

Kyra now lives with her husband (director and screenwriter, Rod Lurie), her teenage son (proud science-geek and Hawaiian-Shirt-aficionado), dog (champion eater and guardian of the backyard... no squirrel will dare set foot in it) and gecko (the gecko doesn’t do much).

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hits shelves yesterday:

In the instant international sensation Just One Night, sensible Kasie Fitzgerald unleashed her passions—and found herself—through an explosive affair. In Just One Lie, we meet Kasie’s wild and tortured sister, whose impulsivity and lack of self-control has set off a chain of events that changes her family forever.

Melody Fitzgerald is the opposite of the “perfect” daughter. The lead singer of an indie rock band, she is impulsive and creative, with a rebellious streak that both defines her and becomes her greatest enemy. Her lover, the enticing and unpredictable Ash, shares her free spirit and penchant for trouble. On the face of it, he seems to be her perfect match.

So why is she so drawn to her soft spoken, reliable drummer, Brad Witmer? How can a man who wears polo shirts and reads the financial section of the paper be of any interest to her at all? And why on earth does someone like that appear to be so captivated by her?

Before she knows it, Melody finds herself on a path of self-discovery, passion, and affairs of the heart. But will a dark secret from her past derail it all? Or will its exposure be the very thing that unburdens her heart and allows her to seek a future with the one man who loves her completely?

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Describe Just One Lie in six words (or less!).

A story of rejection, indulgence, & redemption. (I stole that from the Romantic Times review, don't hold it against me).

I wouldn't ever! How did you arrive at writing romance? Are there any other genres you’d like to try your hand at, or any you want to stay away from?

I started with chick-lit murder mysteries and women's fiction for a different publishing house and when my editor moved over to Simon & Schuster, he asked if I would be interested in writing erotic romance for them. My other books, while not technically romances, were essentially about relationships and did have romances in them as well as a few descriptive sex scenes so this wasn't that huge of a leap for me.

I plan to continue in my other genres as well as romance going forward. I don't know if I'll got outside that, though. Maybe a fantasy or historical. The only thing I would never write is anything that's really dark. I don't mean sexy, dark, and edgy like my Pure Sin series. I mean I couldn't write something like The Kite Runner (a masterpiece) or Girl With A Dragon Tattoo. When you write a book you live in the world of your characters, and living in a world of sexual violence or unspeakable and devastating child abuse would destroy me.
That's a valid point! Accolades to authors who are able to. As a huge fan of first lines, I’d love to hear the first line of Just One Lie. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

I love this question. The first line is:

There is nothing more crushing than the ruin of a perfect moment.

That sentence tells you everything about Mercy. She is all about the moment. She clings to that so she doesn't have to think about her troubled past or worry about where she's headed. As a result, she's a seize-the-day kind of girl.

Are the characters from your book based off anyone you know in real life? How much else of your actual life gets written into your fiction?

Every character in Just One Lie is completely their own person. But I am now married to one of the most eloquent and romantic men on earth, so I was able to use some of the things he said to me at pivotal times in our relationship as lines in the last third of the book. When you're living a romance, writing them becomes a lot easier.

I love how you have romance both in your fictional and real-life worlds :) What’s the greatest thing you ever learned?

That "life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." It's a quote by Anaïs Nin and it's absolutely true.

Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out Kyra's random favorites, the most interesting comment she's received about Just One Night, and what makes Just One Lie stand out as a book from all the rest. We're also hosting a giveaway for a finished copy of Just One Lie, so you don't want to miss that either!

Interview with Kim Karr, NYT Bestselling Author of Toxic + Giveaway! (US/Can)

I'd like to welcome the lovely Kim Karr, to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Toxic from Penguin Random House!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Kim! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I've always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions: writing.

I wear a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of the family. However, I always find time to read. One of my favorite family outings use to be taking my kids to the bookstore or the library. Today, my oldest child is in college and my twins are on their way, so they no longer go with me on these outings. And although I don't need to go to the actual store anymore because I have the greatest device ever invented—a Kindle—I still do. There's nothing like a paperback. So now my six-year-old and I make dates out of going to the bookstore—it's time I love and cherish.

I like to believe in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. I love to drink champagne, listen to music, and hope to always stay young at heart.

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hits shelves today:

New York Times bestselling author Kim Karr turns up the heat in a smoking hot, emotionally compelling romance that takes you into the world of Manhattan’s elite.

Meet Jeremy McQueen, a sexy, intense, brooding entrepreneur who goes after what he wants, and Phoebe St. Claire, a socialite-turned-CEO who’s been drifting through life searching for something she thought she’d never find again—the right man to share her future.

Phoebe St. Claire has devoted herself to saving her family’s hotel empire—but her best efforts have not been good enough. With her whole world in turmoil, the tenacious go-getter turns to the once love of her life. Far from innocent, Jeremy McQueen was a guy from the wrong side of the tracks and her parents would never have approved. Their years apart have only made the sexy bad boy more irresistible than ever—and their reunion is explosive.

When she asks Jeremy to help her salvage her family business, he agrees immediately, with only one condition—he wants her in his bed.

But soon surprising circumstances leave Phoebe reeling. Was this fairy tale romance just too good to be true? Will Jeremy’s secrets pull them apart all over again?

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

What was the inspiration for the book?

I’d read an article about underground nightclubs and thought it was such a cool idea. People show up in the oddest of places to party and then move to another. That transformed into Jeremy’s business in a more legit way. As for Phoebe and friends, I wanted to create a group that was somewhat against the grain of how we think of socialites.

As a huge fan of first lines, I’d love to hear the first line of Toxic. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

I had a ring on my finger and no date.

Phoebe has been struggling through the last 5 years after losing Jeremy and thinks she’s happy but knows everything isn’t perfect.

Tell us about your road to publication, such as how you first queried, unexpected challenges, and things you picked up along the way.

I wrote Connected and three days before I self-published it, I woke up in the middle of the night (my little one was ill) and once he was settled I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I checked my phone. I had an email from my now agent, Amy Tannenbaum and I thought it was a hoax. She asked if I could send her my MS and I did. I signed with her the morning of my release and a month later she brought me a publishing deal from Penguin, who I have been with ever since. Surreal really.

Hard work pays off in miraculous ways! Are the characters from your book based off anyone you know in real life?

Not to date. There’s not enough drama that surrounds them. LOL.

Which character from Toxic was most difficult to write?

Dawson Vanderbilt. He is Phoebe’s ex-fiancé and he couldn’t be perfect for her so that was difficult.

Name the top five novels that have made the biggest impact on your life or on your writing.

Wife 22
Fifty Shades of Grey
In Death
Mr. Impossible
The Cinderella Deal

What’s the greatest thing you ever learned?

All people are different and that’s okay.

How do you react to a negative or harsh review to your books?

Everyone has their own opinions on books. I know in my heart that I have done the best I could do. I give my books 100%. Sometimes I learn things from those reviews but the harsh, negative ones that attack me personally, I choose to read and move on from.

That's a great way to not get dragged down. Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out Kim's random favorites, what kind of kid she was in high school, as well as the message she wants readers to take home from the book. We're also hosting a giveaway for a finished copy of Toxic, so you don't want to miss that either!

The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry Giveaway! (US/Can only)

The Idea of Love
Patti Callahan Henry

As we like to say in the south, "Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story."

Ella's life has been completely upended. She's young, beautiful, and deeply in love—until her husband dies in a tragic sailing accident while trying save her. Or so she'll have everyone believe. Screenwriter Hunter needs a hit, but crippling writers' block and a serious lack of motivation are getting him nowhere. He's on the look-out for a love story. It doesn't matter who it belongs to.

When Hunter and Ella meet in Watersend, South Carolina it feels like the perfect match, something close to fate. In Ella, Hunter finds the perfect love story, full of longing and sacrifice. It's the stuff of epic films. In Hunter, Ella finds possibility. It's an opportunity to live out a fantasy—the life she wishes she had because hers is too painful. And more real. Besides. what's a little white lie between strangers?

But one lie leads to another, and soon Hunter and Ella find themselves caught in a web of deceit. As they try to untangle their lies and reclaim their own lives, they feel something stronger is keeping them together. And so they wonder: can two people come together for all the wrong reasons and still make it right?

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one finished copy of The Idea of Love—yay!!

To enter, all you have to do is:

Describe a moment when you felt most loved.

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Patti and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the publicist—a huge thank you to the lovely folks at Sullivan & Partners!!

Giveaway ends July 7th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to US and Canada residents only—sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for a list of running giveaways that are open worldwide. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize once they are chosen, or else their winnings will be forfeited.
Although I do randomly select winners, I am in no way responsible for prizes, nor for shipping and handling.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Interview with Katy Evans, Author of Manwhore + Giveaway! (US/Can only)

I'd like to welcome the lovely Katy Evans, to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Manwhore from Gallery Books, the first of a hot new series!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Katy! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

Katy Evans grew up with books and book-boyfriends until she found a real sexy boyfriend to love. They married and are now hard at work on their own happily ever after. Katy loves her family and friends, and she also loves reading, walking, baking, and being consumed by her characters until she reaches “The End.” Which is, hopefully, only the beginning...

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hits shelves tomorrow:

Is it possible to expose Chicago’s hottest player—without getting played? The New York Times bestselling author of Real brings you the first in a sexy new series.

This is the story I’ve been waiting for all my life, and its name is Malcolm Kyle Preston Logan Saint. Don’t be fooled by that last name though. There’s nothing holy about the man except the hell his parties raise. The hottest entrepreneur Chicago has ever known, he’s a man’s man with too much money to spend and too many women vying for his attention.

Mysterious. Privileged. Legendary. His entire life he’s been surrounded by the press as they dig for tidbits to see if his fairytale life is for real or all mirrors and social media lies. Since he hit the scene, his secrets have been his and his alone to keep. And that’s where I come in.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Describe Manwhore in six words (or less!).

Passionate. Intense. Exhilarating. Steamy. Modern.

How did you arrive at writing romance? Are there any other genres you’d like to try your hand at, or any you want to stay away from?

I started out as a voracious reader, reading everything I could get my hands on, and ultimately finding my true love in romance. It's the genre I read most, but not the only one. I love thrillers too, and women's fiction and young adult. I'd definitely write anything along the lines of what I like to read! They do say you should write what you love and I think the only way you can truly sit hours on end, writing, is when you're writing something you're truly passionate about.

Although my favorite genre to write in is currently contemporary, I would probably try any genre as long as there was a central romance in the story. I love challenging myself and trying out new things so I definitely see myself testing another genre in the future.

What was the inspiration for the book?

I went to a signing in Chicago, and there, I saw this picture on TV about a very handsome playboy. I didn't catch his name but I was so intrigued I couldn't stop wondering about him, who he was, if he was really such a player, and that's where Malcolm Saint began.

As a huge fan of first lines, I’d love to hear the first line of Manwhore. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

I walked into Helen’s office this morning certain she was going to fire me.

Here we have my heroine, Rachel, walking into her boss's office expecting the worst. Her magazine is in dire straights and the cuts have been brutal. But instead of being fired, she gets an assignment. HIM. Malcolm Saint. The most notorious playboy billionaire in Chicago. And that's where things get very, very interesting. And steamy. :)

So intriguing! Tell us about your road to publication, such as how you first queried, unexpected challenges, and things you picked up along the way.

I've written books all my life. I queried, entered contests, wrote for pleasure and for publication, always with my eyes on the "line" I wanted to write for and the rules which seemed inherent to a romance being published by that line. It wasn't until self-publishing took off that I opened my eyes to the possibilities of sharing my work without limits, rules, anything at all. So with that in mind, Real (my debut in 2013) came to full fruition. With the guidance of my friend Monica Murphy—who walked me through the steps of self-publishing (getting an editor, a cover, etc.)—I finally took that step into the world of self-publishing, a step that has ultimately led me here.

Are the characters from your book based off anyone you know in real life? How much else of your actual life gets written into your fiction?

My characters are fiction, but my books are a blend of both fact and fiction. Though I find my characters in my imagination, they generally come to life out of an inspiration that happens in real life, or a song that touches a chord. They give life to real longings, desires, fears, things that I myself or friends of mine have encountered.

Which character from Manwhore was most difficult to write?

They were all a blast, but Malcolm Saint, the hero, is very elusive—deliciously so—and therefore he was hard to peg down. I just let him unfold as he wanted and I'm glad I didn't force him into a box because he turned out to be so much more than I, or Rachel his heroine, expected!

What do you consider your biggest strengths and weaknesses as an author?

I am not a plotter and sometimes, this gets me into trouble. I start letting the story get away from me sometimes and it takes a lot of time to rein it back to where I want or need it to be.

As for strengths, I seem to have a NEED to write truly powerful connections between the main characters—the kind of connection you wait your whole life for. The kind of love that sweeps you away and marks you deeply. I LOVE reading about these soulmate connections so it's only natural these are the kind of love stories I want to write. Intense and unapologetic, kind of an all-or-nothing kind of love.

Name the top five novels that have made the biggest impact on your life or on your writing.

Oh! I love so many, but let me limit myself to 5:
Tryst by Elswyth Thane
Bared to You by Sylvia Day
Twilight by Stephenie Meyers
Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

What’s the greatest thing you ever learned?

That I'm still learning and don't know it all. :)

How do you react to a negative or harsh review to your books?

Oh it hurts! We all want to share things that we love and want them to be loved back. In the beginning, when I debuted, negative reviews hurt so much I couldn't write for days. But now I've grown wiser. After several books, you take whatever helps in a review (the good and the bad ones) and release whatever is hurtful and keeping you from getting back to doing what you love—which is writing. No book is for everyone. Not everyone will connect to the same things. The themes I liked and explored in my story which gave me so much may not do the same for someone else, and that's all right. I'm still grateful to be read.

Such a great outlook! Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out Katy's random favorites, what makes her book stand out from every other romance written, as well as the most interesting comment she's received about her books. We're also hosting a giveaway for a finished copy of Manwhore, so you don't want to miss that either!

New in the Slow Burn Series: In His Keeping by Maya Banks + AUTOGRAPHED Copy Giveaway! (US/Can only)

In His Keeping (Slow Burn #2)
Maya Banks

#1 bestselling author Maya Banks continues her suspenseful and steamy Slow Burn series with this second book—a twisting tale featuring a strong yet vulnerable heroine in danger and the sexy alpha hero who must save her.

Arial knows the rules that keep her safe. She's been following them since she was a little girl: Do not tell. Do not show. But in a moment of terror, facing an attacker intent on taking more than just her life, Ari has no choice but to unleash the psychic powers she's been hiding since childhood.

Now, with her abilities revealed, a bigger threat looms—something that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her parents and her secretive upbringing. But this isn't a fight she can face on her own.

As the head of Devereaux Security, Beau Devereaux is no stranger to the strange. But when he takes on a new client—a beautiful young woman with an extraordinary gift—Beau isn't prepared for the extent of his attraction to her. What began as a simple assignment, just another job, quickly turns personal as Beau discovers he'll do anything at all to protect Ari. No matter what it costs him personally. Even his heart and soul.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Giveaway!

Today I'm giving away one AUTOGRAPHED copy of In His Keeping—yay!! This is special copy exclusively for Books à la Mode readers!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me:

What's your favorite type of alpha male hero?

I've got a thing for secret agents like Beau from the book... I also like firefighters...... :)

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Maya and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the publicist—a huge thank you to the lovely folks at Sullivan & Partners!

Giveaway ends February 12th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to US and Canada residents only—sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for a list of running giveaways that are open worldwide. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize once they are chosen, or else their winnings will be forfeited.
Although I do randomly select winners, I am in no way responsible for prizes, nor for shipping and handling.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Interview with Monica Murphy, Author of Owning Violet + Giveaway! (US/Can only)

I'd like to welcome the lovely Monica Murphy, to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Owning Violet from Bantam. You guys may know Monica from her explosive One Week Girlfriend series—what a delight to get to know her a bit today!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Monica! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson, and is published with Samhain Publishing, Entangled Brazen, and Bliss.

It's amazing to get to feature you today, Monica! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hits shelves today:

New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy begins a sexy new contemporary romance series—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emma Chase—that introduces three sisters born to wealth, raised to succeed, ready to love, destined to make waves.

I’ve moved through life doing what’s expected of me. I’m the middle daughter, the dutiful daughter. The one who braved a vicious attack and won. The one who devoted herself to her family’s cosmetics empire. The one who met an ambitious man and fell in love. We were going to run Fleur Cosmetics together, Zachary and I.

Until he got a promotion and left me in the dust. Maybe it’s for the best, between his disloyalty and his wandering eye. But another man was waiting for me. Wanting me. He too has an overwhelming thirst for success, just like Zachary—perhaps even more so. He’s also ruthless. And mysterious. I know nothing about Ryder McKay beyond that he makes me feel things I’ve never experienced before.

One stolen moment, a kiss, a touch... and I’m hooked. Ryder’s like a powerful drug and I’m an addict who doesn’t want to be cured. He tells me his intentions aren’t pure and I believe him. For once I don’t care. I’m willing to risk everything just to be with him. Including my heart. My soul.

My everything.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Describe the Owning Violet in six words.

Sexy, mysterious, hot, dark, glamorous, love. :)

How did you arrive at writing NA romance?

I was flat out inspired by all of the wonderful NA out there in 2012 and decided hey, I want to write one. So I did and that became One Week Girlfriend. I decided to self publish it under a new name (I also write as Karen Erickson) because I thought, if it failed, no one would know.

To my surprise, it didn't fail. Karen got jealous, Monica took over, and the rest is history.

What was the inspiration for the book?

Owning Violet is the first book in The Fowler Sisters series. I've always wanted to write about three sisters named after flowers. I've been cleaning out my office and I found notes about those sisters from as far back as 2007! And do you get why they're named Fowler? Switch the letters around and you get... flower. (!)

I wanted to write something sexy and glamorous, set in the fashion industry (cosmetics, close enough). I wanted to create an alpha hero who was up to no good. I wanted a heroine who would slay the hero emotionally. All of those things came together and created Owning Violet.

I can't wait to read it—it's exactly my type of setup. As a huge fan of first lines, I’d love to hear the first line of Owning Violet. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

Tonight, my life is going to change.

It's from Violet's perspective and yes indeed, her life IS going to change, but not in the way she expected it. She has things planned out. Her job, her love life... she thinks her boyfriend is going to propose to her. But she's wrong. Everything is turned on its head and she has to adjust to that.

I also started one of the last chapters in the book with that line (something I've never done before). By then she's come full circle.

Love it, absolutely love it. That line would send shivers down my spine reading it later! Are the characters from your book based off anyone you know in real life? How much else of your actual life gets written into your fiction?

An author said a long time ago that a little bit of herself appears in every character she creates and I have to agree. I think all of my characters share one of my traits. Now, I've never lived in NYC, I've never worked for a cosmetics company (though I did work at a department store, is that close? LOL), everything I write comes from my imagination.

But lines... small moments, references, even the occasional one-off character name... comes from my life. I just won't tell you exactly what. *winks*

How do you react to a negative or harsh review to your books?

Everyone has an opinion. My books won't appeal to everyone. I'm thankful for every thoughtful review that's written. I try not to react at all when I read a bad one, though some can sting, I won't lie. I certainly don't respond to bad reviews because that's just asking for trouble.

Agreed, one of my biggest pet peeves in the reviewing world is when authors ARGUE with a reader's perfectly well-formulated opinion!

Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out Monica's random favorites, what makes her book stand out from every other romance written, as well as her best personal and professional advice. We're also hosting a giveaway for a finished copy of Owning Violet, so you don't want to miss that either!