Undersold Book Review

Title:  Undersold
Series:  City's Secrets #1
Author:  B.B. Hamel
Genre:  New Adult

My Rating:  3 ♥♥♥'s

*Thanks to B.B. Hamel for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*




Synopsis:

It wasn’t the kind of aching need that could be forgotten or ignored, or even missed. It was a burning, powerful thing, and like all powerful things, it was mindless and blameless. It came from somewhere else and took me directly to Shane and his body. There was nothing left but to submit to its whims. I wanted to be a part of him, not of his life, but of his existence.

Amy Woodall has it bad. Her father is dying of cancer, her job barely pays the bills, and she can’t get through the day without thinking about her crushing student loans. As an escape, each night she throws herself into developing a smartphone app in the hopes of kick starting her stalled-out life.

Things change when she begins an innocent text flirtation with a man she meets online. Shane Green is beautiful, passionate, and rich in a way Amy can barely comprehend. He’s also obsessed with his privacy, and he’ll do anything to protect the people he loves from the spotlight. When Shane’s company buys Amy’s fledgling business, she finds herself torn between family, career, and love, with no easy way out.

The rules have changed, and Amy must find a way to navigate them before she loses everything. 

My Review:

B.B. Hamel's debut novel opens in the middle of a sexting session between Amy Woodall and Rex Blue in an online dating site called Matchstick.  They boldly confess to some very sexy, suggestive acts that they would indulge in IF they were together, but that will never happen, so no problem, right?  Now imagine Amy's shock when she learns the man she has been confessing all her secret desires to is actually Shane Green - a reclusive billionaire entrepreneur in the Tech Industry and her new boss.  And he's just as surprised to see that Amy is the sexy siren he has fantasized about ever since they sent suggestive pictures to each other via texts.  A relationship begins - both personal and professional.  Both characters are carrying some emotional baggage that causes misunderstandings and an on again, off again relationship. Shane insists on a private relationship that no one knows about and that plays on Amy's insecurities. Much of the story occurs in the office setting and thus, office politics and gossip also play into the story.

As this story unfolds, we only get Amy's point of view as it's written in first person.  I believe it would have benefited from alternating pov's, allowing us to see what Shane was thinking.  Shane is an extremely private person to the point of being paranoid about any public press.  He insists they can only have a relationship if Amy keeps it a secret...from everyone. He has three rules that she must agree to: 

1)You can tell nobody, not another living soul, that we are together.

2)You cannot see another man while you are with me.

3)You will come...(yeah, okay...I'll leave it up to you to read this rule.)

Amy, a computer nerd working in a coffeeshop during the day and programming computer apps at night, is very insecure and constantly apologizing to Shane over every little thing - even when she isn't at fault. She feels like he is hiding something from her but never really takes a stand.  I kept expecting her to really stand up to him and demand more.  She is too shy & demure.  I  think both characters would have benefited from a little more development, as I never fully connected to them.  I wanted to feel more in-depth emotion from both of them.  I also wanted that one big conflict...an event that would push them over the edge and make me doubt the outcome.  Any issues that develop, are too easily resolved.  

Having said that, I enjoyed Undersold and think it's a good start to a series by an author with a lot of potential.  It's a good, fast read with some sexy erotic love scenes. Fans of erotic New Adult should give this book a read!

My Rating:  3 Pretty ♥♥♥'s...And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart...xxx

Sandra

IWSG: Rejected or Redirected?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a community of writers whose purpose is to share with and encourage other writers. Writers can express doubts and concerns and offer & receive encouragement and guidance.  IWSG posts the first Wednesday of every month.  Be sure to check out other IWSG writers/bloggers here:  IWSG Members

IWSG:  Rejected or Redirected?

At one time or another in our life journey, we all experience rejection.  Rejection hurts.  As a child on the playground at school, a young adult seeking that elusive first job or date, a writer getting yet another rejection letter.  Rejection hurts. Why don't they like me?  Why didn't I get the job?  Why isn't my book good enough? Rejection hurts, and it often leads to self-doubt. 

In the past, I've been guilty of letting rejection eat away at my self-esteem and bring on periods of self-doubt. (yes, I may have wallowed in it a time or two!)  While it's normal to seek acceptance in all we do and to be hurt if we fail to receive it, it's only a tragedy if we let it derail us from our journey.  Rejected doesn't mean failure.  It doesn't mean you're less than someone else. It doesn't mean you're unlovable.  It doesn't mean your book doesn't have potential.  It only means that for that particular moment in time, you did not have what that peer, employer, or publisher was looking for.  Find the right person, situation, and/or path and redirect yourself.

Have you ever been rejected only to have something better come along - something you would have missed had you not been previously rejected?  Take rejections and redirect them into positives...into something better for you.  Received another rejection slip? Take another look at your book or article...can you make it better?  Tighten it up?  Edit it one more time? (gasp!) Have you submitted it to an agent/publisher who is the right fit for you & the material you write? Always keep your eyes open for possibilities. 

Remember that being rejected doesn't mean you should give up your dreams.  It means it's time for you to reassess your situation and decide your next course of action.  Turn being Rejected into being Redirected!  See what happens.  Being refused entry into one door may afford you the opportunity you need to grab the keys that will open doors you only dreamed of before. Rejection hurts but it may be the best thing that ever happens to you.

Curveball Book Review

Title:  Curveball #1
Series:  Curveball
Author:  Teresa Michaels
My Rating:  3.5 ♥♥♥'s 
Characters/romance=4 ♥'s
Suspense/plot development=3 ♥'s

*Thanks to Teresa for a free copy of Curveball to review.


Synopsis:

Breanne Sullivan’s world has been turned upside down. In the midst of an investigation surrounding her husband, Breanne returns to the corporate world she left years ago to raise her children. Now, a required business trip places her on Innovation Airways’ maiden flight sitting next to pitching sensation and self-proclaimed bachelor, Drew Scott.
Drew is charismatic, devastatingly handsome and has never encountered a woman he couldn’t have. That is, until he meets Breanne, whose attempts to deny the intense attraction they share only fuels Drew’s determination not to take no for an answer. But when the flight veers off-course and an unfathomable sequence of events forces them to rely on each other in a race for their lives, intentions quickly change. High-tech travel turns into a game of survival that invites temptation and threatens to push their desires over the edge. 
He’s a tempting distraction she has to resist. She’s an unexpected challenge he’s determined to have at least once. The question is, if she gives in will he be able to let her go?

My Review:

I enjoy discovering new authors, books, & characters to love.  If a book's synopsis is unique & interesting, I'm usually game to give it a try.  Curveball fits the criteria, tempting me to accept the book for a honest review in spite of my overfull reading calendar.  As I read, I found myself drawn into an intriguing story with a couple of main characters I soon found myself pulling for.  Breanne is a mother of 3 who has returned to the workforce after several years of staying at home, and Drew is a skirt chasing, hard drinking baseball player whose contract may or may not be renewed.  When they meet on the maiden voyage of a new, innovative airline, sparks fly.  However, things soon take an unexpected turn for the worse, & they find themselves stranded & in a race for their lives.  Michaels did a good job developing these characters and certainly made me care about them.  Breanne has an innocent air about her but turns out to be a strong heroine who can stand up for herself.  While Drew first came off as arrogant & a bit full of himself, I soon saw another side to the man, and I fell in love.  Their developing relationship sizzles even though both are in denial.  Great job with character development! 

While I found the concept of the story intriguing, I felt like the suspense/mystery plot was neglected somewhat in favor of the developing romance.  There are several unanswered questions at the end of the book...Who?  Why?  What are they after?  I won't discuss in detail because of spoilers but I wanted more of the suspense to be developed in this book.  While I'm sure it will be in the follow up, the lack of it in Curveball distracted from the overall purpose/pleasure of the book for me.  The ending is a cliffhanger, and while it did leave me wanting to read more, it also left me a little unsatisfied...questions raised early in the book are never really addressed in the story...I'm okay with everything not being resolved but not with it being almost totally overshadowed.

All in all, while there are a few issues, this is a good first book.  I look forward to more from this obviously talented author.  Great imagination & character development!

IWSG: What do you do with Time Feeders?

What is the Insecure Writers Support Group?

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Be sure to check out some of the other writers/bloggers at this link: Insecure Writer's Support Group

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope the new year brings you everything you've ever dreamed of in both your real life & writing career. Have you made a list of resolutions?

No long list of resolutions for me this year...but I am looking at setting mini-goals...looking at things I'd like to accomplish in 2015 and planning the steps that will take me there. My mini-goals include things like getting more organized, sticking to my writing schedule, blogging more often, and a big one for me - putting a halt to the Time Feeders!

In looking back at 2014, I've identified some ravenous Time Feeders that are gorging away, filling up on my time...more specifically - on my writing time.  I'm determined to slap the shackles on them this year & starve them out. What are Time Feeders? Anything that eats up your precious writing time!  For me, it's things like email (afterall, a girl needs to check it several times a day, right?), surfing the net (gotta do that research...Oh look - Another sale on shoes!), Twitter (getting the word out is important), Pinterest (what's life without pictures?), Goodreads (what? Oh yeah...gotta share your latest reads & promote your favorite author - plus yourself)...okay, you get the picture! These are all important things to do - they truly are...BUT they are also gigantic Time Feeders! How many days do you start out just doing a quick check of your email or Facebook account before settling down to work on your book or an article? How many of those days do you suddenly realize it's 2 or 3 hours later, and you're still checking email, FB, Twitter, or a combo of all the above?  I'm telling you it's those pesky Time Feeders!

I'm guilty of wasting way too much time with all the Time Feeders - also called Social Media accounts.  So, one of my main mini-goals in 2015 is to stop wasting time.  Period.  I'm setting daily time limits on myself for using my social media accounts.  I'm not saying it'll be easy to break old habits (it's an addiction) but it comes down to what's most important to me right now. I need more writing time. I spend a lot of time on social media. I need to devote more of that time to writing. So, Mini-Goal #1 for me: Starve the Time Feeders!  How about you?  Are you guilty of allowing social media to monopolize your time?

Again, Happy New Year everyone! I hope your 2015 is a happy, healthy, prosperous one. And I hope you can spend at least a little of it somewhere as beautiful as this beach.   And as with starfish, remember that sometimes it's the little things that count the most...one at a time.

Sandra

Cross My Heart...xxx

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I'd like to take a minute or two to say thank you for supporting me this past year, stopping by my blog, entering my giveaways, reading my reviews & posts.  I appreciate each & every one of you!  I hope 2015 will be a banner year for you.  I sure plan to make it one here on Cross My Heart Reviews & Writings.  Please stop by often...I have a lot planned for the year & look forward to sharing it with you all!


Best Wishes!

Sandra
Cross My Heart...xxx

IWSG: ☆Tis the Season☆

What is the Insecure Writers Support Group?

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!   Be sure to check out some of the other writers/bloggers at this link: Insecure Writer's Support Group

This month, I'm going to step out of the box and take this opportunity to offer you a little holiday shopping advice.  I'm talking about giving the wondrous gift of books - being part of the amazing difference a book can make in someone's life.  Happy Holidays!

Tis the Season:

The holidays are upon us - decorations are going up, delicious scents permeate the air and the countdown to year's end has started.  What a busy, fun time of year as everyone joins in the hustle & bustle of holiday shopping, searching for the perfect gift for family & friends. As writers, the holidays afford us an opportunity to share our love of the written word with others.  No matter the person you're shopping for  - children, adults, friends, family, co-workers - there's a book for them!  The list of titles and subject matter is endless...fiction, non-fiction, How-To, Travel...the list goes on and on and on.  There truly is something for everyone.

If there are children on your holiday list, you have the perfect opportunity to place the world in their hands by giving the gift of books.  You can open their heart & mind to possibilities and broaden their horizons and vision of the world with a book.  You can introduce them to places they've never been and propel them soaring into imaginary worlds that stimulate their creativity and set their minds free. Help a child discover the wonder of books and you just may help guide one of our future must read authors toward their destiny.  The same holds true for adults as it's never too late to get inspired, follow your dreams, get lost in a good book.

What about the writers on your shopping list?  Think books, books, books.  Yes, I'm a writer, and I still love receiving books.  Books to read for pleasure, most certainly, but also, don't forget about the books all writer's need & use:  reference books, How-To books, instructional books, books of inspiration & advice, and on and on.  And just in time for the holiday season, be sure to include the newly released IWSG Guide to Publishing & Beyond for your favorite writer. I'm excited to say I have an article titled Journey Beyond the Detours published in this book.  I hope it will help guide you around a few of the detours you may encounter as you travel the road on your own personal writing journey.

As you prepare to finish off your holiday shopping list, just remember that books are the perfect gift...they are affordable, never spoil, and keep giving long after the holiday is over. Some of my favorite gifts as a child were books.  They opened worlds to me that I had never imagined and started me on my journey as a writer.  They inspired me, guided me, and fed my dreams of becoming an author and seeing my name on the cover of someone's beloved book.  They literally saved my life.  They are still my favorite gift to both receive and give.

 

Lethal Book Review

Title:  Lethal
Author:  Sandra Brown
A Standalone Novel

Main Characters:  Honor Gillette & Lee Coburn

My Rating:  5 Gorgeous ♥♥♥♥♥'s

My Gut Reaction:  Heart-stopping action from cover to cover.  The suspense is off the charts, the action swift, & the romance touching.  This is a high octane read that had me burning through the pages late into the night. 

Synopsis:

When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that "sick" man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. Dangerous, desperate, and armed, he promises Honor that she and her daughter won't be hurt as long as she does everything he asks. She has no choice but to accept him at his word.

But Honor soon discovers that even those close to her can't be trusted. Coburn claims that her beloved late husband possessed something extremely valuable that places Honor and her daughter in grave danger. Coburn is there to retrieve it -- at any cost. From FBI offices in Washington, D.C., to a rundown shrimp boat in coastal Louisiana, Coburn and Honor run for their lives from the very people sworn to protect them, and unravel a web of corruption and depravity that threatens not only them, but the fabric of our society.

My Review:

Lethal is a fast paced suspense novel that opens with a bang and never slows down.  From the moment Lee Coburn took Honor Gillette & her young daughter hostage in the opening chapter, I was hooked.  Sandra Brown is a master at weaving an intricate plot riddled with characters who could hold the answer to the age old question:  "Who did it?"  She keeps you guessing who the villain is until the very end and then surprises you!  

Lethal is a maize of twists & turns - pages filled with surprises & heart-stopping moments. Honor is faced with the dilemma of choosing between trusting the town people & friends she knows or the man holding her at gunpoint...the man being hunted down for killing seven people in a massacre.  She will protect her daughter with her life.  Coburn has nothing left to lose, as his life means nothing to him.  It's all about the job.  He fully expects to be dead in the end but he's on a mission to destroy the mastermind of a human trafficking & drug ring...a cruel person known only as the Bookkeeper.  He also believes Honor unknowingly holds the key to solving the mystery.  The story that unfolds will have you on the edge of your seat, continuously trying to figure out who the Bookkeeper really is and who, if anyone, will survive this journey.  

It's difficult to discuss Lethal in any depth without giving away spoilers which I won't do. What I can say is this is a Must Read.  A Page Turner.  The suspense starts high and continues right through until the end.  I read this book at record speed, totally enthralled. The ending of the Epilogue gave me pause but after reading the last few paragraphs a second time, I thought Yes! Perfect ending for this book.  I'd like to say:  Kudos Sandra Brown. Thank you for trusting me to think for myself instead of spoon feeding a typical hea to me.  I loved the ending and know in my heart & soul what happened next.  You are the Queen of Romance/Suspense!  Fans of Suspense, Mystery, Thrillers, and yes, even Romance, read Lethal.  It is a Page Burner!

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

Cross My Heart...xxx

Sandra

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