Blog Tour: Igniting the Wild Sparks by Ren Alexander

Publication Date: April 22, 2014

In the second follow up to “Chasing the Wild Sparks,” Hadley Beckett comes closer to triumphing over a reluctant Finn Wilder…

What would you do if the love of your life gave you the keys to the kingdom, but won’t let you in? At the end of her rope, Hadley grabs her intrepid boyfriend Finn Wilder’s world by the…bridge. Finally ready to end the never-ending merry-go-round that is their unknotted life together, she enlists the help of her friends to help boost her own courage. Since Finn is all about walking on the wild side but not down an aisle, Hadley challenges him to the ultimate test that will prove her more daring than the daredevil himself, hoping Finn will take notice and change his mind about making her forever his. Throwing down the irrevocable gauntlet, will Hadley celebrate supreme victory over his heart or will she accept the cruelest defeat at the very hand she holds?

Igniting the Wild Sparks is the third in the Wild Sparks series. If you haven't read Chasing the Wild Sparks and Daring the Wild Sparks please don't continue as there may be spoilers to those books... Go pick up this series you won't regret it! 

With that said.. It took me several days to digest this story before being able to write this review. The characters in this series have stuck with me to the point of insanity! The love, anguish, friendship, and laughs this crazy group portrays is phenomenal. 

Hadley Beckett, our favorite paralegal, is still fighting her long time boyfriend and local sportscaster/daredevil, Finn Wilder, into getting over his fears of marriage. Wanting to commit to him fully and having a family with him, she begins to fight her own inner battle to determine if the piece a paper is really worth loosing the love of her life. Can they be happy with the way things are? 

Finn wants so desperately to be Hadley's, AKA Becks, husband, wants her to carry his child, but the risk of divorce is too great for him to take. The ultimate dare he may have to refuse. He's tired of fighting with her, with himself, and with the risk of loosing her. Will he loose her if he doesn't marry her? Will they divorce of he does?

These two have some seriously low self confidence when it comes to their relationship. Both wanting the exact something yet both refusing to admit to it or bend a little. Rod and Morgan are ever presence in Becks life, helping her to overcome whatever obstacle she faces. Although.. Maybe that's not the best thing she needs......

I find myself unable to continue reviewing without spoilers but lets just say... Some serious fights occur, major drama, sweet love, and devastating events occur in the life's of our group of friends. Expect to yell at your book, wanting to throw it across the room. Expect to cry both happy and ugly tears. Expect to be completely BLOWN AWAY by the twist in the plot.

Ren Alexander has surpassed anything I could have ever imagined with this story. I am so glad that I have had the chance to read her novels. She is one author that I will one click anything she hits publish on. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next, while I calm my nerves from this one! 


**I had the honor of receiving this novel as a gift from the author**

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Chasing The Wild Sparks (Book 1)

Synopsis

What would you do if the love of your life doesn’t want the same life you do? Hadley Beckett has failed in not only her career, but as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend. Hadley’s longtime boyfriend, Finn Wilder, who is Richmond, Virginia’s local daredevil and favorite sportscaster, isn’t afraid of anything…almost. Hadley desperately wants a marriage and kids with him, the two things Finn infamously dreads. Finn pressures Hadley into moving in with him, but being traditional, she wants to be married first and she wants to stick to her beliefs, just as he clings to his own. On the other hand, Finn has tolerated Hadley’s stubbornness long enough and he’s reaching his breaking point. Fearing at 33 that she will soon be too old to have kids, Hadley wants Finn to change his mind and marry her, yet her insecurities about his public life and from his constant rebuffs have her questioning her aspirations. With conflicting advice from her friends, Hadley concludes she should take things into her own hands. But then again, Finn Wilder has his own story to tell.

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Daring the Wild Sparks (Book 2)

Synopsis

In the follow up to “Chasing the Wild Sparks,” Hadley Beckett’s quest for wedded bliss perseveres… What would you do if the love of your life were closer to making your dreams come true? Riding high in her relationship with her sportscaster/local daredevil boyfriend Finn Wilder, Hadley Beckett makes plans concerning her future with Finn. Big plans. Infamously anti-marriage, Finn promised Hadley he’d consider taking her to the altar if she gives him more time. Diving headfirst and with encouragement from friends, Hadley formulates her own way to handle Finn if he can’t commit to her soon. Knowing she has an uphill climb ahead of her, Hadley is still determined to succeed, yet is she unwittingly destined to fail?

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20 Fun Facts About Ren Alexander

1. My favorite ice cream is chocolate/peanut butter, but I don’t do the kind with the cups in it. 2. The smell of peaches, cucumbers, and Easter lilies make me viciously gag. I can’t even walk through a produce aisle without breathing out of my mouth or holding my breath when I’m around them. Peaches are especially smelly there. 3. Watermelon, banana, and peach candy flavors are GROSS. 4. I LOVE lighthouses! 5. I’m a huge history buff. I could watch the History Channel all day when they’re showing actual shows about history. 6. I’m right-handed, but can only drive with my left hand. If I drove with my right, I would drive into a tree or off a cliff. 7. I’ve only owned two cars, both Toyotas. The first, I had for 10 years. 8. I can type 65-70 WPM, depending on my mood and what I’m typing. 9. I’m addicted to Diet Mt. Dew ever since they changed the flavor about five years ago. 10. I can’t stomp on bugs. I will hurl. 11. Mushrooms are the devil. 12. I developed asthma when I was 27. 13. I have a B.S. in criminal justice. 14. When I write, I can’t write scenes out of order. It drives me insane. I have to be driven to that point in order to express the characters’ emotions to my full capacity. It’s not organic to me. 15. I’m a music geek. If someone wants to know who sings what, my friends ask me from 50′s music and on. 16. I LOVE to laugh, but hate my laugh. Hmm… 17. I love plaid! If I could dress like a grunge chick or resembling an old man on a golf course everyday, I probably would. 18. I am VERY camera shy. You won’t find me in many pictures. 19. Each person I’ve dedicated my books to (two so far) have made it into my story as a character. Which ones are they? Hmm… 20. I have one tattoo. A skeleton key with an “R” at the top.

Ren Alexander was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, but grew up in a nearby tiny, historical, college town in the Northern Panhandle of the state. She graduated from West Liberty University, where she received a B.S. in criminal justice. Although interested in that field, her true passion was reading and writing.

She currently lives in Detroit, Michigan with her husband, two daughters and two cats. "Chasing the Wild Sparks" is Ren's first novel.

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Blog Tour: Love Unclaimed by Jennifer Benson

Audree Edwards has loved Gavin Montgomery since she was a little girl, but her older brother Clint made it clear that Audree was off limits. Audree however, wasn’t taking no for an answer and made it clear to Gavin she wanted him. 

Gavin, not having the best family life, bolted as soon as he could after high school. Audree knew she couldn’t have all of Gavin and settled for the bit of him she could hold on to. When they are both finally ready to admit they want more, Audree thinks Gavin has done the unthinkable.

Will Gavin be able to tell Audree he's ready to pursue a future?

Will Audree see the truth about Gavin before it is too late?

Will Audree and Gavin finally give in tell each other how they feel and what they want?

Love Unclaimed is such a cute story about two young kids who grow up together, both fighting their true feelings for each other. We are brought into Audree and Gavins childhood lives and watch how these two struggle to keep apart from each other well into the present day.

Gavin forces himself to look at Audree as his little sister, even though she is secretly the love of his life. Audree continues to push him to his breaking point, forcing him to admit his true feelings towards her.

This is one of those books that you can pick up on a weekend and read in one sitting. The story line flows flawlessly and you don't want to put it down! Jennifer Benson did an amazing job bringing all of the characters in this story to life. As a debut novel into the Indie Author world I am so excited to watch her grow and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!!

*I was gifted this novel in exchange for an honest review*


                                    

 “So are we going to talk about what happened or are we going to go on pretending we didn’t have sex, again?” Audree asked, walking up behind Gavin who was brushing down his horse. It looked like he had been out riding already this morning.

“Audree, you climbed into my bed,” he huffed. “I was sleeping.”

“You were dreaming about me. You were touching yourself while you were dreaming about me.” She blocked his path to move around the horse.

“So that gives you the right to come into my room and fuck me? What if I did that to you?”

“I’ll leave my door open,” she snapped.

“Ugh, Audree. I told you that night that we couldn’t happen, that it would only be that night.”

“Then why didn’t you stop me from fucking you! You are a big strong man. You could have picked me up and moved me. You’ve done it before. You could have pushed me away. You could have told me to stop,” she stomped. “But you didn’t, because you wanted it as much as I did. You want me, Gavin, but you won’t take me. I have made a complete ass out of myself for years. I have thrown myself at you because I feel what is between us. I want to be with you. I want to be in your arms, in your bed, in your fucking heart.” She refused to let the tears banging against her lids fall in front of him.

“I know you have been with other women, but I want to be yours. I want you to be mine. I am standing here before you making the biggest fool of myself; telling you that all you have to do is say the word. Tell me I’m yours and you have me.”

“Audree, I can’t! I won’t…,” he barked harshly.

“You can’t. You won’t. Well, fuck you, Gavin Montgomery. Next time you see me I might not be available and I sure as hell won’t be climbing into your bed again. So you enjoy those dreams about me and you remember the feel of my body on top of you, underneath you and in front of you. Remember how you feel being inside of me, because it can’t and won’t happen again!” She stormed out of the barn and heard the clanging of metal hitting the barn wall, but refused to turn back to him. This time it wasn’t him leaving without a word; she was the one leaving. She called Ruby to tell her she was heading back to school, and if she wanted a ride, she needed to be ready in twenty minutes.

 Jennifer is a devoted wife and mother to two rambunctious children that love keeping her on her toes. Her "real" job as a paralegal occupies the time she would rather be using to write, read, chat with her many author and blogger friends, or hang out with her family watching movies. Any free moment she has is devoted to helping spread the word for her indie author friends who lovingly call her 'the ninja' or writing her newest story. Jennifer has been writing since she was young. She has always been an avid reader. She always has her nose in a book and carries her Kindle everywhere. Now she plans to follow her dream and be on the other side of the pages and share her passion for writing with readers.

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Review: A Tragic Wreck by T.K. Leigh

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NEW CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE!

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 18 AND UP DUE TO STRONG LANGUAGE, EXPLICIT SEXUAL SITUATIONS, AND MILD VIOLENCE.

Sequel to T.K. Leigh's "A Beautiful Mess."

How can you continue living when you’re living a lie? How can you convince your body to stop feeling, your soul to stop caring, and your heart to stop beating?

Haunted by her past, Olivia Adler flees Boston for a beach in Florida, leaving everyone behind, trying to shut the world out. Remaining a relative recluse in her self-imposed prison, she tries to turn everything off, wanting to feel nothing. But a new acquaintance won’t let that happen. After being away from Alexander for a month, his voice constantly ringing in her head, reminding her that her inability to confront her demons will not only destroy her, but also him, can she really be expected to want to feel again when it brings nothing but pain?
Back in Boston, everywhere he turns, Alexander Burnham is reminded of Olivia… His Olivia… He tries to dull the ache left in his heart the only way he knows how… in the bed of a beautiful woman. But Alexander isn’t about to lose his Olivia. After a clue comes to light regarding Olivia’s whereabouts, can he convince her to return to Boston with him? When a force that has laid dormant for months resurfaces, can Alexander still protect her from the unknown danger? And when Alexander comes face to face with a shadow of both his and Olivia’s past, will he be able to tell her the secret that is threatening to tear them apart?

"A Tragic Wreck" is the continuation of T.K. Leigh’s heartbreaking "Beautiful Mess" series.

TK Leigh had me on the edge of my seat throughout this entire book!

I found myself screaming at Olivia so many times throughout this book, towards the beginning I didn’t know if I wanted to finish it. Not at all because it was bad.. but because I didn’t think my heart could take the drama!

I was sucked into the storyline so quickly with this series and I am desperate for them to get their HEA!! So many twists in the plot put Olivia in danger yet she is too naive to understand what is in front of her face.

Having faced a severely traumatic event at such a young age, she has suppressed memories of her childhood, that are slowly starting to resurface in her dreams while Alexander tries to protect her at all costs.  Several moments in this book I didn’t think I would get the outcome I wanted, I’m still not sure…

I am anxiously awaiting Gorgeous Chaos to be released!! 

 T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a producer / attorney by trade. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). She always had a knack for writing, but mostly in the legal field. It wasn’t until recently that she decided to try her hand at creative writing and is now addicted to creating different characters and new and unique story lines in the Contemporary Romantic Suspense genre.

Her debut novel “A Beautiful Mess” has garnered relative praise, having been an Amazon Best Seller and an Amazon Top-Rated book. Recently, the book was named by The Guardian as a top reader-recommended self-published book of 2013 as well as a 2013 Reader’s Favorite in Publisher’s Weekly in addition to being named an Amazon Romance Editor's Fan Favorite for Top Debut Author and Best Page Turner.

When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Review: A Beautiful Mess by T.K. Leigh

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NEW CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE SERIES!

What happens when you lose everyone that promised they would always be there for you? How can you protect the few pieces of your shattered heart that remain?

Olivia Adler is a woman with a troubled past. After losing her parents at the young age of six and being raised by an uncle who she lost years later, she refuses to get attached to anyone, including friends. For the past decade, she has been able to remain unattached to any man, too worried about losing someone to get too close. Until Alexander Burnham walks into her life one night and changes everything. But he has issues of his own. And he’s keeping a secret that could turn Olivia's world upside-down. Will Olivia let Alexander in enough for him to get close and protect her from a force threatening her very existence, or will she push him away, scared of letting Alexander in, in order to protect her heart?

A Beautiful Mess is the first installment of a three part series sure to captivate the heart with a story of secrets, courage, and love.

Recommended for ages 18 and up due to sexual situations, language, and mild violence.

Wow… I am a new fan and lover of Mr. Burnham… I didn’t know what I was missing.

This novel has been sitting in my TBR for a little while now, coming highly recommended by several readers, but I never seem to have the time to sit down and bump it up on my list. I’m very angry with myself for not meeting Mr. Burnham sooner!!!

This story is so full of twists and turns. Olivia has a painful past, only she can’t remember it all… Afraid to get close to anyone for fear of them leaving her. Until Alexander walks into her life that is…

Alexander spent his entire life mourning the loss his childhood best friend. Everywhere he turned he thought he would see her. When Olivia literally bumped into his life, his world was turned upside down. Owning his own private security company he makes it his mission to protect her, only she doesn’t know the true danger lurking around the corner.

This story tugged my heartstrings! Mr. Alexander Burnham.. Swoon!! Olivia is a very self-conscious woman but when Alexander is around all self control is thrown out the window, she has never felt more alive.  I can’t believe I didn’t know how much I was missing and can’t wait to jump into A Tragic Wreck!!

T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a producer / attorney by trade. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). She always had a knack for writing, but mostly in the legal field. It wasn’t until recently that she decided to try her hand at creative writing and is now addicted to creating different characters and new and unique story lines in the Contemporary Romantic Suspense genre.

Her debut novel “A Beautiful Mess” has garnered relative praise, having been an Amazon Best Seller and an Amazon Top-Rated book. Recently, the book was named by The Guardian as a top reader-recommended self-published book of 2013 as well as a 2013 Reader’s Favorite in Publisher’s Weekly in addition to being named an Amazon Romance Editor's Fan Favorite for Top Debut Author and Best Page Turner.

When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Review: Angel Falling by Audrey Carlan

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Aspen Reynolds has it all. Wealth, beauty, and a spot on the Forbes Top Ten Most Successful Women list. From the outside, she is perfect. Looks and status can be deceiving. All her life she has fought being the socialite her family has raised her to be. Now at twenty-eight she’s at the top of her game, lacking the one thing she didn’t know she’d ever want.

Accidents happen and lives are changed when Aspen is almost killed. Hank Jensen, the man who saves her, is a hard-working country boy from Texas. Hank is the polar opposite of the rich city boys she’s used to. He’s rugged, gritty, devastatingly handsome, and makes it clear that he wants her in his life and his bed. 

Can two people from different worlds find a happily ever after? 

Warning: This book is designed for audiences 18+ due to language and graphic sexual content. This novel will be part of a three part series but is written as a standalone between this particular couple. The other two books in the series will focus on different characters with snippets of past couples as the stories move along.

Do opposites really attract? Aspen and Hank couldn’t possibly further opposites if they’ve tried.

Aspen Reynolds is a high powered woman, owning a multimillion dollar company and being the perfect socialite that her mother forced her to be. She had very few close friends and her relationship with her mother and brother were strained. Always feeling like something was missing in her life but didn’t have the want or time to find it.

Hank Jenson, the owner of Jenson Construction in Texas outbid some high profiled companies to gain the addition of AIR. Working with his crew he is instantly captivated by the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

After an accident brings these two together, the steamy attraction instantly forms. Hank with his southern charm and Aspen with her rich socialite profile, both try desperately to fit into each other’s lives. Can they make it work?

I loved this story, the attraction between these two jump off the pages. Hot, sexy cowboy with his southern charm…SWOON! I ended up reading this story in one sitting because I couldn’t get enough. Two different worlds colliding into one… I can’t wait to see what happens next!

*I was gifted this novel in exchange for an honest review*

Audrey Carlan is a professional fundraiser for an international healthcare related charity by day, and a sensual and erotic contemporary romance writer by night. She lives in the sunny California Valley two hours away from the city, the beach, the mountains and the precious…the vineyards. She has been married to the love of her life for 10 years and has two young children that live up to their title of “Monster Madness” on daily basis. When she’s not raising money, sipping wine with her “soul sisters”, three incredibly different and unique voices in her life, she can be found with her nose stuck in book or her Kindle. A hot, smutty, romantic book to be exact! As a professional courtesy she does book reviews for two different blogs. One, www.thesmuttykitty.com she does erotic/romantic book reviews where she has been given the name “Zen Kitty” for her love of all things zenful. The second blog,www.tipsylit.com she contributes content as the “Tuesday Tease” contributor of all things romance and reviews books and interviews authors while pairing writing and reading with her second passion…the vino.

In life she believes that all things have their purpose even if we are unable to determine the purpose immediately.