Blog Tour & Review: Strong by Kylie Scott

Stage Dive is one of my favourite Rockstar romance series and although Martha and Sam are not part of the band they sure are part of the family and I was so excited to jump onto this tour and dive in one more time...

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series… 

When the girl of your dreams is kind of a nightmare.

As head of security to Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Sam Knowles has plenty of experience dealing with trouble. But spoilt brat Martha Nicholson just might be the worst thing he’s ever encountered. The beautiful troublemaker claims to have reformed, but Sam knows better than to think with what’s in his pants. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to make his heart fall into line.

Martha’s had her sights on the seriously built bodyguard for years. Quiet and conservative, he’s not even remotely her type. So why the hell can’t she get him out of her mind? There’s more to her than the Louboutin wearing party-girl of previous years, however. Maybe it’s time to let him in on that fact and deal with this thing between them. 

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

*Review copy granted as part of the blog tour.*

ebook.

Novella.

No.

No but I don't think this novella would be anywhere near as enjoyable unless you've read the Stage Dive books and understand who all the characters are and where they came from.

No.

Yes.

No.

No.

No.

The Stage Dive series is a long-time favourite of mine and even though Martha is the wicked witch, I couldn't resist reading her novella and I'm so happy that it was everything I wanted!

I was worried that for this novella to work that Martha was going to have to be heavily watered down but she's not. Martha is still Martha, she's prickly, blunt and a bit difficult however this novella showed how she has grown and gave her a more vulnerable and human side that was missing in the series without erasing all the difficult history.

I thought Sam was adorable. After waiting on Martha for years, he saw his opportunity and he took it. He was all in from the get-go and it was hot, sweet and fun.

I liked them as individuals and loved them as a couple. 

The Stage Dive crew were present throughout the book providing additional humour and showing how far they've all come in their lives. I'd never had thought that Martha would find a place amongst the wives and girlfriends of the band but she did and it didn't feel forced or unnatural. 

I smiled, I laughed and I wished the book was longer.

All in all, this was perfect little side-dish to an awesome series and maybe - just maybe? - gives a sneak peak into where Kylie Scott is going next?

 

Typical 1001 Dark Nights but I like the Rockstar twist.

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

Review: Coming Home to Maple Cottage by Holly Martin

Isla Rosewood is creating a new life for herself and her sweet nephew Elliot in their cosy, yellow-brick family cottage, brimming with special memories. Living in Sandcastle Bay was never part of Isla’s plan but, after her brother Matthew’s tragic accident, her whole world changed as she unexpectedly became a mother to the little boy she adores so much.

Leo Jackson was always known as Matthew’s fun-loving and wild best friend. But now Matthew is gone, it’s time to put his colourful past behind him. His role as Elliot’s godfather is the most important thing to him. And even though Leo and Isla are two very different people, they both want to give Elliot the childhood he deserves.

As the three of them enjoy time together watching fireworks, baking cakes and collecting conkers, Isla begins to see a softer side to charming Leo, with his twinkling eyes and mischievous sense of humour. And, despite herself, she begins to fall for him.

But does Leo feel the same way? Isla knows their situation is complicated but is it too complicated for true love… or will the year end with a happy new beginning for them all?

*eArc received via Netgalley*

ebook

Full-length novel

Third person

No, but it's obvious that secondary characters mentioned had their own novels so this was part of a series of interconnected standalones.
I haven't read any of the others and not having read the other books didn't detract from this at all.

Nope!

Yep!

Nope!

Nope.

None.
Not that kind of book.

I have many Holly Martin books waiting to be read on my kindle - most of them Christmas reads - but I've never actually read any of them... If this book is any indication of what her books are like then I've been an idiot.

Coming Home to Maple Cottage was like a big, warm, cinnamon-scented cuddle of loveliness.
However, it wasn't a typical festive-feel good story.
It was more poignant and heart-wrenching than a festive feel-good story should be.
I mean, the whole premise of the book is an aunt raising her nephew with her deceased brothers best friend and falling in love. It was never going to be a book that could be completely light and airy but it wasn't doom and gloom. It was just had a seriousness underscoring everything that a lot of contemporary romances don't have.

Isla and Leo are made for each other. Their chemistry lights up every page and despite having issues with Leo's ridiculous guilt complex, I really liked both of them.
However, my favourite character in this book was little Elliot. He provided some absolutely hilarious moments and I adored him.

P.S This 'festive' read is autumn based and not Christmas!
It was fireworks and pumpkins not snow and gingerbread and it captured my favourite time of year beautifully.

I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a lovely story full of heart.

Oh, I love this cover! It's so pretty and autumny and cozy and lovely.

The Day I Discovered Christine Feehan's Dark Series...

I remember my discovery of the Dark Series by Christine Feehan so clearly. 

I was in my second year of university. Ebooks were just beginning to emerge and a lot of the American paranormal romance authors were not available to buy in UK bookstores as they didn't have UK publishing deals. 

The paranormal romance market here was far behind the US market but, to be fair, the paranormal romance market was relatively shiny and new. That was a problem for the 18/19-year-old me, for I’d become utterly captivated by paranormal romance the moment I read one. 

(I blame Sherrilyn Kenyon for initiating the fixation, but that’s a different post.) 

I had two options available to me to feed the beast: Amazon (which took ages) or ebooks.

Now, ebooks really were just emerging at this point (I think it was about 2004). E-reader devices, to my knowledge, were non-existent. However, that is no barrier to a very bored late-teenaged girl with nothing to read when it’s pouring rain outside.

I remember it so clearly… I was lying in the room I shared with my then boyfriend (aka the professor, who is funnily enough still around). He was working on an assignment, there was nothing on TV that I wanted to watch and, as I said, I had nothing to hand that I fancied reading and I did not want to brave the torrential rain for a bookshop run. 

(Yep, not even for books. Seriously, have you seen the rain in Edinburgh when it really lets go? Holy monkey balls!) 

So, being a highly motivated and resourceful bookworm, I grabbed my laptop and started searching and I found those new-fangled things called ebooks. 

I found a site called ereader.com (now gone 😞) and I jumped through all the sign up hoops. 

I pinched the professors little pda (anyone remember those?!), downloaded the MS reader app to it, and purchased a book called Dark Desire by Christine Feehan. 

The cover was atrocious (oh my eyes!) but the synopsis sounded good, the sample chapter even better, and it was only a few quid when converted from dollars to pounds so I gave it a go.

And I was hooked!

I was swept away into this world of Carpathians and I wanted more. 

It was just so… Intense. 

This concept of the fated mate. The other half of your soul. The battle to survive as individuals and as a species…  I discovered I'd read book 2, so I immediately purchased book 1 (from ereader.com again because I wasn’t waiting!) and when I loved that just as much as Dark Desire, I practically emptied my bank account purchasing all the paperback copies up to the most recent release (which I think at the time was Dark Secret) on Amazon.

They arrived in a really big box, my first - but not my last - delivery of an embarrassingly big box of books, and I went on a complete binge. 

I’ve read The Dark Series ever since. 

Yes the first pile of books were a bit formulaic – and you really notice that when you’re reading one after the other without pause - but it was a formula that I loved so it didn’t bother me. 

Over time, I loved how the world evolved and that the books have become more complex… Although the whole Carpathian language thing really gets on my nerves. 

(It doesn't need it to be there! It's jarring and annoying and just stop already!)

There was a time I fell out of love with the series and that would be the fault of the De la Cruz brothers! (Well, except Zach. I loved him.)

However, I came back to it at Dark Slayer (Ivory and Razvan will always be favourites) and got caught up on all the books I'd missed.

I’ve fallen a couple of books behind again but I know that I’ll catch up. 

I don’t care that the series is almost at the 30 bookmark: They still amuse, therefore I still read.

What inspired my need to ramble on my history with the Dark Series? 

Well, it occurred to me that I’ve been reading some book series for 15 years or so, just shy of half my life, and I know that many others are in the exact same boat. 

Bookish journeys and the stories of how people discovered an author or a series or even a particular book interest me so I thought that maybe sharing some of my bookish loves and stories would interest others. 

It’s a book blog, right?!

So, what are your thoughts on the Dark Series? Love it? Hate it? How did you discover it?

😊