Furious Rush Review

Title:  Furious Rush
Series:  Not Confirmed
Author:  S. C. Stephens 
Release Date:  Aug. 23, 2016
Publisher:  Forever
S.C. Stephens Website
My Rating:  4 High Octane ♥'s

First Thoughts:  There's no greater weight to bear than that of a family's legacy.  It can strip you of your heart, soul, and sanity.  In order to win this race called life, you have to let the baggage go and reach for the stars.


*Many thanks to the Author & Publisher for an ARC via Netgally.

Synopsis:
For Mackenzie Cox, racing motorcycles is in her blood. Born into a family legacy, she's determined to show the world that she has inherited her father's talent in this male-dominated sport. The last thing Kenzie needs is to be antagonised by her rival team's newest rider, Hayden Hayes. Hayden, exceedingly arrogant and outrageously attractive, immediately gets under Kenzie's skin and she can't help but be distracted.

As Kenzie and Hayden push each other on the track, the electric energy between them off the track shifts into an intense - and strictly forbidden - attraction. The only rule between their two ultra-competitive teams is zero contact. Kenzie needs a win, and she also needs to stay away from Hayden. Unfortunately for her though, one thing has become all too clear: she can't.

Fuelled by passion, driven by desire, Hayden and Mackenzie both want to win more than anything else. Except for, maybe, each other. But anger, jealousy and extreme competitiveness aren't their only obstacles . . .

My Review:
When recently offered a chance to take part in a promotional blog tour for Stephens & review this book, I immediately said, "Yes."  I loved the emotional train wreck that was the Thoughtless series and was ready to read more from this talented author.  And so I began reading Furious Rush and suddenly found myself inhaling the fumes, sweat, blood, & tears often found in the world of motorcycle racing - predominately a man's world - but not anymore.  MacKenzie Cox is one of a few women motorcycle racers - the daughter of one of the great legends . . . that's championship blood pulsing through her veins.  But, it seems her legacy is in financial trouble, and she is the only one who can save it.  Kenzie feels a tremendous need/pressure to make her father proud by winning races and the championship in her Rookie year.  Maybe, just maybe, her father would then see & treat her as his daughter again - instead of his top racer.  

Cox Racings' top nemesis is Benelli Racing - there's a world of bad blood and history between these two owners.  Benelli has hired a new bad boy racer - Hayden, former illegal street racer.  Are his illegal activities really in the past?  Hayden carries a chip on his shoulder and a burning desire to win and prove himself - word is he'll do whatever it takes to win.  When he meets Kenzie, fireworks explode - the chemistry screaming Take her now while the rules say No contact whatsoever between rival teams.  The tension quickly ramps up as these two fight to beat each other both on and off the track.  Their careers are at stake.  Meantime, someone is sabotaging other racers' bikes - wrecks are occurring on the track - riders are getting seriously injured.  Kenzie's family believes the culprit is Hayden.  Who does she trust?  Her family?  Hayden?  Her heart?  Her decision may cost her everything.

Furious Fury is high octane all the way!  The intensity & suspense keeps the heart racing & the adrenaline pumping while the romance simmers until a match is tossed into the gasoline and pent up emotions & sexual frustrations ignite into a roaring blaze. It's a story of family legacies & expectations, choices & consequences, love & hate.  In order to win this race called life, you have to let the baggage go and reach for the stars.  A Must Read!

*Furious Fury is being called a Standalone, but the ending indicates there's much more to come!  Something to look forward to!  

My Rating:  4 High Octane ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra

A Gift of Time Review

Title:  A Gift of Time
Series:  Nine Minutes
Author:  Beth Flynn
Release date:  July 19, 2016
Publisher:  Createspace

My Rating:  5 Painfully Beautiful ♥'s


My Thoughts:  A true love transcends all . . . overcomes all obstacles . . . finds a way through even the darkest of times.  This is a story of true love.



Synopsis:
Are some secrets meant to stay buried?

Three months have passed since Jason “Grizz” Talbot was put to death by lethal injection for crimes he committed. His former wife, Ginny, whom he had abducted from a convenience store when she was a teenager and became the love obsession of his life, has spent more than the last decade trying to carve out a life of normalcy in the bustling suburbs of Fort Lauderdale—including a thriving and happy marriage to Tommy "Grunt" Dillon, a former member of Grizz’s gang.

Tired of the secrets and the lies, Ginny and Tommy thought the final piece of their past could be left behind forever with Grizz’s execution. However, the past comes crashing around Ginny and Tommy when a newly discovered secret threatens to destroy their marriage. When tragedy strikes, Ginny is forced to reach into her heart and decide, once and for all, what she really wants.

​In this third book in the Nine Minutes trilogy, A Gift of Time takes readers from the busy tropical metropolis of South Florida into the serenity of the North Carolina Blue Ridge mountains as Ginny chases down the answers she needs.

Will she have the strength to confront the secrets of her past…and her heart?

My Review:
The first two books of this series held me captive – I couldn’t eat, sleep, or do anything else until I finished each book. And, it took me weeks to move on…to let these characters go enough to get interested in another book. So – it was with much trepidation that I started A Gift of Time. I was excited to finally read it, but scared to death of what would happen. After all, I knew that someone would lose while the other got their hea. But before that happened, there were lots of questions I wanted answers to, and I'm glad to say I got them. Part One goes back & forth between the past & present from different POV’s – revealing details & secrets readers were not privy to as they read the first two books. I had to keep an eye on the heading of each chapter to be reminded of the who/when/where of the story. Part Two picks up in the present - the story playing out as I burned through the pages, often wiping tears.

I will not get into the storyline at all – period. There is no way without revealing the answer to the big question that I know all fans want to know. So I will just say that like the previous two, this book is gritty, raw, painful, graphic & yet filled with so much love that in spite of it all, I could still read the last page and smile as tears rolled down my cheeks. Yes, I agree Beth Flynn – it played out the way it was meant to be. Thank you for taking me on this emotional rollercoaster and keeping it real. A Gift in Time is a Page Burner! A Must Read! And, I must add, one of the best covers ever!  It says it all!

My Rating:  5 painfully beautiful ♥'s . . .And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra

IWSG: One of Those Days

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a community of writers who share ideas and encourage other writers.  It's a great place to express doubts and concerns as well as offer and receive tribulations and guidance from other writers. IWSG posts the first Wednesday of every month.  I think you'll find it to be a great writer's resource that's well worth your time.  Be sure to stop by and visit with some of the other IWSG writers/bloggers at IWSG Members.


Many thanks to the awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG:  Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte, LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

Ever had one of those days/weeks/months?!  Mine seem to come in bunches like bananas!  Some weeks, I feel like most of my time is spent putting out fires.  In June alone, we had to deal with leaking water pipes, a broken washing machine, exhaust fan, and lawn mower . . . all on top of my husband's major surgery.   However, I am happy to report that my husband's surgery was a huge success, and he's well on the road to a full recovery.  It feels good to get a little normal back into our life and makes those days a bit easier to handle when they occur.  I have to keep reminding myself that all the other is just small stuff and not worth sweating.  It'll all come out in the wash - especially now that I have a new machine!  :)

As far as writing goes - I'm still working to get back on-course and on-schedule, but after a difficult year, I'm thankful for each baby step I make.  Ideas are finally popping again (Yay! My muse has returned!), and I'm slowly but surely getting back into my current w-i-p.  I've reintroduced myself to my characters and after an awkward writing session or two, we're finally bonding and learning to trust again.  For the first time in a long time, I'm excited and anxious to continue writing!

How about you?  How do you handle one of those days that turns into weeks or months?  Any tips on getting back into a writing routine after a forced break in your writing?