BLOG TOUR & BOOK REVIEW for "Bad Boys Don’t Make Good Boyfriends (Life Lessons, #2)" by Melanie A. Smith

Bad Boys Don’t 
Make Good Boyfriends
(Life Lessons, #2)
by Melanie A. Smith
Publication date: May 19th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From best-selling author Melanie A. Smith comes the second book in a new series of steamy contemporary medical romance standalone novels about life lessons that break all the rules. 

Even when you know better, sometimes it’s simply too tempting… 

Hospital work isn’t for the faint of heart. Becca Dillon knows that firsthand, having worked as a medical assistant in the cardiac unit at Rutherford Hospital for longer than she cares to think about. What she does care to think about is having fun, gossip, and … guys. Her favorite of the three. And why stick to one, when you can sample them all? 

That’s exactly her plan when a workplace crush on a mysterious bad-boy orderly unexpectedly takes a very steamy turn. But Vincent DeMarco turns out to be nothing like she expected, and before she knows it, she’s falling hard and fast. She wants him in ways she’s never wanted anyone before, but there’s something he’s keeping from her. Something that’s holding him back. And Becca is going to find out what. 

Even though she knows that bad boys don’t make good boyfriends, he seems like he might be so much more. Will her quest unlock the truth behind who he really is? Or will it end their relationship for good? Either way, ready or not, Becca’s world is about to change.

Goodreads / Amazon

~ BOOK REVIEW for Bad Boys Don't Make Good Boyfriends ~

****(4) out of 5 Stars

I found this book quite enjoyable, even though I wasn't too sure at the beginning.  It was the second in a the Life lessons series; and having not read the first volume, I worried about being lost as to what was going on.  Although there did appear to be some backstory that were alluded to but that we weren't made privy to much here, there was nothing too confusing and the story just moved forward through current events.  

I had a hard time relating to Becca at first, from her brash attitude to sleeping around.  But I certainly understood her falling for a guy who (at least at first glance) seems like he might be at least a bit of a bad boy, not to mention that he may or may not be interested in her.  Vincent himself was a bit perplexing.  He certain ran hot and cold as far as his reactions to Becca, and I for one wasn't sure what to make of that.  

Considering the background and situation that they both came from, it was a wonder they were ever able to get together at all, let alone work through some of the complex issues they were faced with.  But it was more than apparent that both were quite emotionally invested in the relationship before it had progressed very far at all.  And it was great that they put the effort and committment that they did into making it work.  

Once the truth comes out about everything, it is apparent that he had legitimate reasons for keeping things from Becca.  And yet it really irked me that he didn't understand her trepidation at how secretive and deceitful he appeared.

There were some characters that seemed determine to make trouble, and they certainly tried to do so, on more than one occasion.  This had the potential to turn me off from the story because I don't like a lot of drama and angst.  Fortunately though, these incidents were rather quickly resolved, and all ended relatively well, even quite great in some regards.

I'd definitely be interested in reading future volumes in this series, and might even go back to the first volume to get caught up there on all the backstory here.    

I received a free eBook copy of this title from Xpresso Book Tours,

and have willingly provided and honest review.

Author Bio:

Melanie A. Smith is the best-selling author of The Safeguarded Heart Series and other contemporary romance fiction. Originally from upstate New York, she spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles for college. After that, she spent almost fifteen years in the Seattle Area, and now lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her family. 

A voracious reader and lifelong writer, Melanie’s writing began at a young age with short stories and poetry. Having completed a bachelor of science in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s in business administration at the University of Washington, her writing abilities were mainly utilized for technical documents as a lead engineer for the Boeing Company, where she worked for ten years. 

After shifting careers to domestic engineering and property management in 2015, she eventually found a balance where she was able to return to writing fiction.
Melanie is also a Mensan and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up loud. 

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BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Melanie A. Smith for "Never Date a Doctor"

Never Date a Doctor
by Melanie A. Smith
Publication date: February 25th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From best-selling author Melanie A. Smith comes the first book in a new series of steamy contemporary medical romance standalone novels about life lessons that break all the rules. 

What’s the first rule of nurse’s club? That’s right: Never date a doctor. Which Sasha Suvorin has no intention of doing anyway, since she’s a nurse at Rutherford Hospital by day and working on her master’s degree by night. Who has time for dating, much less dating someone you work with? Bad idea much? 

That is, until the sexy British Dr. Caleb Thompson starts at her hospital. It also doesn’t help that he’s exactly her type with his dark hair, blue eyes, and rockin’ bod. Or that he’s not your typical arrogant and bossy surgeon. But Sasha isn’t so easily convinced, and she soon discovers Dr. Hottie has a past that puts a stop to whatever she might have been feeling before anything ever starts between them. 

Unfortunately, working together means facing temptation. Every. Single. Day. Is Sasha strong enough to resist what might just be the perfect man? And if she gives in, will Cal’s past stay in the past? Sasha may be used to playing it safe, but life has a way of teaching its lessons … one way or another.

Goodreads / Amazon

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Melanie A. Smith~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?

The core idea started when I had some blood pressure issues last summer (I swear I’m not that old. Turns out a pickle addiction is bad for your blood pressure. Who knew?) In any case, I ended up at a cardiologist’s office. And the cardiologist was ridiculously attractive. My writer brain started working on that immediately, and the idea grew from there!

2) Are there any hidden (or not so hidden) themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

That sometimes the lessons we learn in life aren’t the ones we expected to. That it’s important to challenge yourself instead of becoming complacent or accepting the status quo. That learning about yourself and what you really want and need is a process. These are all pretty consistent themes in all of my books, and I think romance in general. I think it’s why I write romance. Not just because it’s emotionally satisfying, but because the process of finding “the one” is chock full of lessons, challenges, and growth that layer beautifully for a truly meaningful read.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

Definitely, though to varying degrees. I think it’s natural to incorporate elements of people you know, and yourself, for that matter, into characters. The trick is never to admit who they’re based on and always leave people guessing in a “You’re So Vain” kind of way. ;)

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

To an extent, I think my writing is influenced by everything I read as I study the various story aspects, though particularly so by other indie authors I've read in my journey this last year and change. But nobody has shaped my writing more than Anne Rice. I’ve been reading her books for two decades (yeesh, my age is showing) and watching her continue to entertain and evolve is beyond inspirational.

5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

I simultaneously love and hate this question. I love it because there are so many literary characters I love. But I hate having to choose (haha). I’ll go with Mr. Darcy, Gandalf, and Thursday Next. We’d play Clue, because what else would you play with an aristocratic snob, a wizard, and chronoguard? I’d serve finger sandwiches and tea, naturally, as they’re all British or the brain-child of a Brit. Darcy would hate the whole affair, which would intrigue Thursday, and Gandalf wouldn’t care so long as he had his pipe. And I’d have died and gone to heaven.

6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?

Is there really someone out there saying you can have too many books? And what’s their damage? No. Decidedly not. Books are everything – teachers, places to escape to, a way to connect with others, fuel for imagination … I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

Author Bio:

Melanie A. Smith is the best-selling author of The Safeguarded Heart Series and other contemporary romance fiction. Originally from upstate New York, she spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles for college. After that, she spent almost fifteen years in the Seattle Area, and now lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her family. 

A voracious reader and lifelong writer, Melanie’s writing began at a young age with short stories and poetry. Having completed a bachelor of science in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s in business administration at the University of Washington, her writing abilities were mainly utilized for technical documents as a lead engineer for the Boeing Company, where she worked for ten years. 

After shifting careers to domestic engineering and property management in 2015, she eventually found a balance where she was able to return to writing fiction.

Melanie is also a Mensan and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up loud. 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Erica Cameron for "Sea of Strangers (The Ryogan Chronicles, #2)"

Sea of Strangers (The Ryogan Chronicles, #2)

by Erica Cameron

Publication Date: December 5, 2017

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Know your enemy if you want to survive…

The only way for Khya to get her brother back alive is to kill Varan — the immortal ruler who can’t be killed. But not even Varan knew what he was doing when he perverted magic and humanity to become immortal.

Khya’s leading her group of friends and rebels into the mountains that hold Varan’s secrets, but if risking all their lives is going to be worth it, she has to give up everything else — breaking the spell that holds her brother captive and jeopardizing her deepening relationship with Tessen, the boy who has been by turns her rival and refuge since her brother disappeared. Immortality itself might be her only answer, but if that’s where Khya has to go, she can’t ask Tessen or her friends to follow.

"Sea of Strangers" on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

 Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

"Island of Exiles" on Goodreads 

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Erica Cameron~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?  

Everything about Sea of Strangers came from Island of Exiles, honestly. With second books, that’s normally how it goes. The shape of the first story and the arc changes the shape of the second one. I had to start Strangers where Exiles left off, but finding the right path to take from there wasn’t easy. I had to rewrite the whole book—as in scrap it and start over—twice. The only chapter that has remained the same from the first draft to the last (more or less, anyway) is chapter one. What’s interesting, actually, is that an early version of the chapter was printed in the back of Island of Exiles, so for those who find the editing process interesting, you can compare that version to the one that will appear in the final version of Sea of Strangers.

2) Are there any hidden themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

Definitely. There are certain questions I play with and messages woven throughout the series. However, one of the best things about reading is that everyone who approaches a story is going to walk away from it with a different interpretation. I love that, so I try not to tell people too much about what I buried in the sand. I like seeing what others dig up when they go searching.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

Not really. Although my own life experience is going to invariably influence the characters I create, I don’t purposefully shape my characters after anyone I know. Or use the names of anyone I’m close to. Exceptions have to be made for incredibly common names, of course, but it’s a rule I’ve mostly stuck to in my books.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

There are hundreds of authors whose work I’ve adored over the years, but Tamora Pierce and Stephenie Meyer have definitely had an especially large impact on me. In my personal life, my dad is the one who introduced me to science fiction and fantasy, and my mom is the one who encouraged me to chase the dream of creating my own. My sister was my first fan, consuming all of my early attempts at writing with encouraging relish, and several of my friends were my first editors, gently steering me toward being a better writer. So many people have influenced me—both in my life and from afar—and without any one of them, I might not be the writer I am today.

5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

That’s such a hard choice! There’s something about favorite characters from childhood books, though, that makes an impact. I’ve always wanted to meet the characters from Tamora Pierce’s Tortall universe, and Lyra from the His Dark Materials series. I’d also love to have a conversation with Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève  from Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel saga, because she is an absolutely fascinating character.

AUTHOR INFO:

Erica Cameron is the author of books for young adults including the Ryogan Chronicles, the Assassins duology, and The Dream War Saga. She also co-authored the Laguna Tides novels with Lani Woodland. An advocate for asexuality and emotional abuse awareness, Erica has also worked with teens at a residential rehabilitation facility in her hometown of Fort Lauderdale.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Giveaway Information:

Sea of Strangers Prize Pack, including:**

* A signed copy of Sea of Strangers

* A $20 Visa gift card

* A swag pack

**For international: 1 copy from book depository and a $20 Visa gift card

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Check out the entire Tour Schedule for "Sea of Strangers" here!

@chapterxchapter  @byericacameron  @entangledteen
#EntangledTeen

COVER REVEAL for "Promise Me" by Kelly Walker

Promise Me 
by Kelly Walker
Publication date: January 21st, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Self-professed Harry Potter addict and math genius River Jacobsen can count on one hand the people who matter in her life. Really, it’s just Dean, the boy who loves her despite her odd habit of counting everything around her when she needs to quiet her mind. When Dean promises her forever she never imagines it will be a lie. 

After Marine hacker Ian Maclean is mistakenly declared dead by the US government, he’s happy to correct them the moment he escapes captivity. He wants nothing more than to get home to the wife he left behind. Discovering she’s been cheating on him since the moment he deployed wasn’t in the plan. Devastated, he walks away from everything, even his name. 

With the futures they were counting on destroyed, Ian and River find themselves starting over. Ian reminds River of things she’d much rather forget, but pushing him away is harder than she expected. Ian wants a second chance at happily ever after, but the more he gets to know River, the more he worries she isn’t trying to figure out how to live again, she’s figuring out how to die.

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in the mail from author Kelly Walker – Swag will ship in January 2018!

Author Bio:

Kelly Walker is a YA and NA author of several romantic titles, including the Souls of the Stones Fantasy Romance series. She has an unhealthy appreciation for chocolate, and a soft spot for rescued animals. Her best lessons on writing came from a lifetime of reading. She loves the fantastical, and the magical, and believes a captivating romance can be the most realistic magic of all. Kelly, her husband and her two children share their Virginia home with three dogs who walk her, and two cats who permit her to occasionally share their couch. 

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BOOK BLITZ for "Thunderstruck" by Brenda Drake

Thunderstruck 
by Brenda Drake
Published by: Entangled Crave
Publication date: September 11th, 2017
Genres: Mystery, Mythology, Romance

Stevie Moon is famous…at least to the subscribers on her comic review vlog. At school, she’s as plain as the gray painted walls in the cafeteria. So when Blake, the hot new guy at school, shows an interest in her, she knows trouble when she sees it. Been there. And never doing it again. 

As the son of the god Thor, Blake Foster’s been given an important mission—to recover the Norse god Heimdall’s sacred and powerful horn before someone uses it to herald in the destruction of the entire universe. But while Blake is great in a fight, the battlefield that is a high school’s social scene is another matter. 

Blake knows his only choice is to team up with the adorable Stevie, but she’s not willing to give him even the time of day. He’ll need to woo the girl and find the horn if he hopes to win this war. Who better to tackle Stevie’s defenses than the demi-god of thunder? 

“Every page brims with captivating Norse mythology and deliciously creative worldbuilding.” Pintip Dunn, New York Times bestselling author.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

EXCERPT:

After disposing of the troll, Blake rushed to May’s house and showered. His thoughts kept going to Stevie. After hearing what Jörd said to him, he wanted to see her. The pull to go to her was too strong. He had no choice but to give in to it.

He climbed the tree outside Stevie’s room and sat on the branch. A blue light blinked on and off inside the room. He lightly tapped on the window. Muffled voices from within the room hummed against the glassed pane.

The curtain pushed aside. Amira was close to Stevie’s back when the curtain slid to the side. Stevie said something to Amira that Blake couldn’t hear through the thick glass. Amira turned away and dropped onto the bed. Stevie flipped the locks and opened the window.

“You scared the shit out of us,” Stevie snapped.

Amira crossed her arms. “Yeah, we’re watching scary movies here.”

Blake tried not to laugh, but he couldn’t hold it in. “My apologies. Can I have a moment alone with you, Stevie?”

“With me?” She glanced back.

“No.” Amira heaved a sigh. “With the other Stevie in the room.”

“Where do you want to go?”

He reached his hand out to her. “Out here is fine.”

She narrowed her gaze on him. “I don’t think so.”

“Come on,” he said. “It’s perfectly safe. This branch is thick. Trust me.”

“Stop being a chicken and go already. I have to pee.” Amira shuffled off.

Stevie hesitated before grabbing his hand and letting him guide her out the window and onto the branch. “This is crazy, you know that?”

“If you never throw caution to the wind, you’ll never be rewarded.” He sat on the branch and held her hand as she came down beside him. Her hand was warm and soft in his, and he wanted to hold it forever.

The loose pajama bottoms she wore had cats on them. Her pink tank top rode up a little and exposed a bit of her midriff. Her light-brown hair, the color of the acorns he’d gathered with his grandmother when he was a boy, rose in the wind behind her. Wide, dark eyes met his, her full lips parted in a smile.

“What did you want?” She glanced at the ground. “Wow, this is pretty high.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.” He slid his hand across her lower back and held her waist. She shivered. “Are you cold?”

“A little,” she said.

“Hold on.” He let her go, shrugged off his hoodie, and draped it around her shoulders.

“Thank you.”

She held it closed at the zipper. He returned his arm around her, grasping her waist. She shuddered, and he smiled at her response to his touch.

“You didn’t answer me,” she said. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Actually, I’m not here to talk,” he said. “Have you ever had an urge to do something, and once it’s in your head, you can’t sleep or think until you do the thing?”

“I guess.” When she looked over at him, they locked eyes and an intensity passed between them like the energy he felt in the handle of his hammer after catching lightning with it. He noticed a faint scar just above her cupid’s bow.

“How did you get the scar?” he asked.

“Scar?” She glanced down at her chest.

“Not there,” he whispered, lifting her chin to look into her eyes. “On your lip.”

She touched it. “Oh this? It’s an embarrassing story. Let’s just say, I learned to watch where I’m walking, especially when poles are around.”

He chuckled. “I can imagine what happened.”

She lowered her head again, her feet kicking back and forth.

He decided to take his chance and cupped her face in his hands, bringing her face to his and kissing her. It was a gentle, wanting kiss. Her lips were soft and warm against his. She tasted like May’s brownies. When Stevie hadn’t responded to his kiss, he was about to release her, but then her lips began moving with his. He cradled her in his arms and they balanced together on the branch.

Author Bio:

Brenda Drake is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fiction. She grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

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AUTHOR EVENT - Spring Into Books 2017!

We attended the "Spring Into Books" event at the Viridian Center yesterday.

Here's my son Mikey with his name-buddy Mikey Brooks,

holding the set of the "Dream Keeper Chronicles" I had just purchased for him.

And here's my son Mikey with Jared Quan

and his newly purchases copy of "Changing Wax."

Here are all of the bookmarks and other book swag we got at the event!

This is an annual event sponsored by the League of Utah Writers - Oquirrh Chapter, 

Salt Lake County Library Services, and the West Jordan Arts Council.

The event included a huge book sale and signing by local authors and artists,

hands on workshops and presentations, book readings by local authors, 

door prizes, a children's activity area, and a book drive!