Review ~ Stranded with a Hero Anthology

Stranded

with a Hero

by Karen Erickson

Coleen Kwan

Cindi Madsen

Roxanne Snopek

Getting snowed in never felt so good as boundaries are crossed, opposites attract, and friends discovering more promise a Christmas no one will ever forget.

Release Day Launch & Giveaway ~ GAME FOR TROUBLE by Karen Erickson

Release Day Launch ~ KIDNAPPING HIS BRIDE by Karen Erickson

REVIEW ~ Temporary Arrangement by Karen Erickson

**This story is a prequel to TEMPTED BY HER BOSS, coming July 2nd!**

 

Look, but don't touch...

 

The Renaldis

 

Alone and broke, Paige Stewart can't believe her good luck. Who hires a virtual stranger out of a New York City coffee shop to care for their adorable grandson? Apparently Claudia Renaldi does.

 

Widower Matteo Renaldi isn't pleased that his mother found a replacement nanny so soon after he fired the last one. Yet little Matty takes to Paige like no other nanny before. And Matteo can't deny he's quite taken with her as well. She's beautiful. Sweet. And far, far too young for him.

 

There's something about the gorgeously sexy Matteo that fills Paige with longing to break through his wall of formality and touch his softer side. But no one knows better than she that crushing on her boss is one thing. Acting on those feelings is forbidden. Foolish.

 

Inevitable...

Inspiration Behind Tempting Cameron by Karen Erickson

Bestselling romance author Karen Erickson writes what she loves to read — sexy contemporary romance and sensual historical romance. Digitally published since 2006, she currently writes for Samhain Publishing, Entangled Publishing’s Bliss & Brazen Imprint and Avon Impulse. A native Californian, she lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children.

Where you can find Karen:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Review: Tempting Cameron by Karen Erickson

For Cameron McKenzie, Chloe Dawson has always just been his younger sister Jane’s best friend—a pesky annoyance who followed him around and acted like he hung the moon.  It isn’t until Jane’s wedding to her firefighter beau Chris that Chloe reappears in his life…and she isn’t pesky or annoying anymore.  In fact, the beautiful Chloe tempts him beyond reason.  But Cam knows he’s damaged goods—not nearly good enough for Lone Pine Lake’s resident good girl.

 

Chloe’s always dreamed of a future with the dark, brooding Cam, and after they share an explosive kiss, she wonders if her dream could be coming true.  Cam’s never stuck around his hometown for long, though, so she makes him an offer: one sweet summer romance with no strings attached.  This good girl’s ready for an adventure…one that just might end up lasting a lifetime.

Releasing Today: April 8, 2013

Purchase from Amazon

Purchase from Amazon

Game for Marriage by Karen Erickson

Game for

Marriage

by Karen Erickson

He’s going in deep to make her his…

Struggling artist Sheridan Harper never imagined she’d spend a sizzling night with Jared Quinn, the smoking-hot star quarterback of her local professional football team, the San Jose Hawks.  And she’s even more shocked when Jared’s publicist offers her a proposition: a fake marriage to keep Jared out of the gossip mags.  Being that close to Jared would be too tempting, so to protect her heart, she insists on secretly including a clause forbidding sex between them.

Jared just wants to keep his starting QB job and keep it in San Jose.  His reputation as a ladies’ man has landed him in the headlines one too many times, but there’s something about his kind, passionate new wife that tempts him beyond reason.  Any sort of intimacy between them is completely forbidden, but as their bodies fall in deep, will their hearts follow suit?

REVIEW

Mmmmm....Where do I start?  I haven’t read a Karen Erickson book that I haven’t liked.  Add a starting QB to the mix and you have a recipe for a really good read.  Add in Entangled Publishing’s Brazen line and you have a H-O-T read.  I’m talking you need a shower or two while reading the book.

The concept of two people getting married and pretending to be madly in love in order to save someone's job or reputation isn't new.  One thing I liked about this book is that it doesn’t follow the standard storyline that other books like this does.  I can't say what that is exactly, because that would be giving away too much.

Jared Quinn is the hot and sexy NFL quarterback for the San Jose Hawks.  He’s a guy who has been known to have a one-night stand a time or two.  Okay, more like a lot.  His team has just been purchased by a new owner who wants Jared to clean up his image.  As it appears Jared’s name has been mentioned as the reason a former teammate's marriage ending.

Sheridan Harper (I love that name.) is a young twenty-five year old woman who owns and operates an art studio in a popular section of downtown Carmel.  Sheridan inherited the studio from her grandmother a year ago, after her death.  For Sheridan, the studio means everything to her.  Unfortunately, she’s having a hard time meeting her expenses.  She’s pretty close to having to sell the studio.

Jared and Sheridan meet by chance at an expo where she’s literally painting a live picture of what’s going on.  One thing leads to another and they have drinks.  Sheridan is the kind of girl who NEVER does anything outlandish.  So she decides to.  One night and one night only with Jared Quinn.  Easier said than done.

Jared’s people, you know, his agent and publicist decide he needs to clean up his image and Sheridan is just the woman to make it happen.  They suggest Jared and Sheridan get married, even though they don’t know each other, for one year.  The goal in mind is that Jared gets a nice wholesome girl that people will love and she gets enough money so she doesn’t have to worry about having to sell her studio, plus an increase in business profit from being married to Jared.

I know...too easy right?  What could possibly go wrong?  Well for starters, Sheridan secretly has her lawyer put in a no sex clause, as a way of protecting herself from Jared.  Unfortunately, she didn’t realize at the time how much she wanted a repeat performance of what should have been their one-night stand.

Jared is ALL kinds of hot.  He says things like, “And I’m ready to make a bet I could seduce you with words alone."  Ah, yeah, with the hot sexy voice I’m hearing in my head.  I can’t even tell you what my most favorite line is...  Oh my gosh!

Check out this mini excerpt:

Sheridan chewed on her lower lip. “What do you want if you win? And how are you going to prove it?”

“Oh, I’ll know.” She was halfway there already, though she didn’t even realize it. Damn, his wife was hot. “If I win, I get to do whatever I want to you tonight when we get home.” His seduction had already begun, with those particularly chosen words.

Her eyes widened the slightest bit.. “But we’re not supposed to...”

“I can keep a secret if you can,” he murmured, reaching out to trace her lower lip with his thumb. “Game on, wife.”

Oh, game on yes indeed!!!!!

I could NOT get enough of Jared and Sheridan.  They are a great couple and the love they have for each other comes through this book.  I'm pretty lucky because this is the first book in the series.  I can't wait for the next one.  Since the second book will feature Willow Cavanaugh, Sheridan's best friend, and Nick Hamilton, Jared's best friend, I'm sure we'll get a little bit of the Quinn's as well.

Rating: 4

Release Date:  Available Now
Book Length:  225 pages
Source:  Author Contest Win
Reading Format:  eBook

Stay in touch with Karen through social media:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Buy Link: Kindle

Jane's Gift by Karen Erickson

Jane’s Gift

By: Karen Erickson

A fire captain afraid of commitment.  A widow afraid of fire. Can the holidays bring them together?

 

A devastating house fire cost Jane Clark nearly everything: her husband, her confidence, and her looks, with the physical scars marbling her body.  Now, two years later, she’s living and healing back in her childhood hometown of Lone Pine Lake.  The upcoming holidays are the perfect opportunity to bring some Christmas cheer into her young children’s lives, starting with a visit to the firehouse, where her brother’s best friend has offered to help quell their residual fears.

 

Lone Pine’s resident playboy, fire captain Christian Nelson is happy with his single-guy lifestyle.  He’s an everyday local hero, so he’s never wanting for attention around the holidays.  But when Jane Clark shows up, Chris is immediately drawn to the beautiful widow--even though kids and commitment have never been his style.

 

Despite her brother’s warnings about his friend’s playboy status and dangerous occupation, Jane can’t help but fall for the gorgeous fire captain.  The holidays are a time of new beginnings, but can two scarred people find the strength to let go of their pasts to live in the present, when a lifetime together might be the sweetest gift of all?

REVIEW

 

Have you ever picked up a book and immediately KNEW you were going to like it?  That was my experience with Jane's Gift.  I was hooked with the second sentence.  Jane's Gift is a wonderful book that will have you rooting for Jane and Chris as they deal with the obstacles they face on their journey to a truly happy and fulfilling life.

 

How soon is too soon to move on with your life after you lose your spouse?  Should you feel guilty because you survived and they didn't?  Are you entitled to live a happy life and not worry about how other people think you should act?  These questions and more are posed by Jane, two years after a house fire killed her husband, Stephen, and changed her life forever.  Jane thought she had the perfect life, until one day it was gone.  Now she's struggling to fit into her new life as a burn-victim and single mother of three kids all under the age of eight.  Jane isn't sure if she has grieved enough for Stephen and if she should even feel attraction to anyone else.  In addition, her children don't want her to move on with her life.

 

Christian Nelson is known as a playboy for a reason. He prefers to keep things with women simple.  He's afraid of rejection and doesn't want to get hurt so he tends to leave women before they start to want more than he's willing to give and decide to leave him.  He's an only child from a divorced family and doesn't believe in love and marriage.

 

From the moment Jane and Chris met, they were attracted to each other.  I love the fact that Chris realized his attraction to Jane and tried to be cautious and not freak her out.  I thought Chris was a total complete DREAM.  I mean you have this guy who has absolutely NO experience with kids, but he wants to be around Jane and her kids all the time.  When he doesn’t see them, he misses them all.  He even makes himself sick, just so he can spend time with them and not let them all down.  I love Jane because she’s a survivor.  She’s doing the best she can with her situation and she’s doing an amazing job.

 

When tragedy strikes, Jane and Christian’s love is put to the test.  All of Jane’s fears come rushing toward her like a slap in the face.  This is one of the moments where you realize what Chris is really all about if you haven’t figured him out beforehand.  Jane wants this Christmas to be great for her and her kids.  Unbeknownst to her, Christian makes that and more possible.

 

I love ALL the characters in this book.  Jane is from a large family.  She’s the fourth of five kids and only one of two girls.  You can only imagine how Jane’s brothers react to Chris, the family scenes are great.  You know how before I said I knew I was going to love the book immediately?  I could not wait to look up information about the author and her other books, while in the middle of reading this book.  Jane’s Gift is the first book in a series of books!!!! (Happy dance going on for me!) I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

 

Rating: 4 (I really really liked it.)

Release Date:  October 25, 2012

Book Length:  289 pages

Source:  NetGalley

Reading Format:  Available in only in eBook

Connect with Karen Erickson:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy Links:   Amazon