Giveaway & Review of This Much is True by Katherine Owen

About THIS MUCH IS TRUE

Fate brings them together

Fame & lies keep them apart

One truth remains…

She’s become the Paly High girl with the most tragic story…

At 17, Tally Landon just wants to graduate and leave for New York to pursue ballet. Her best friend Marla convinces her to attend one last party—a college party—where she can be among strangers and evade the whisperings about the heartbreaking loss of her twin that follows her everywhere she goes. She meets Lincoln Presley, Stanford’s famous baseball wonder and has a little fun at his expense—when she lies about her age and who she really is—intent on being someone else for the night and escaping her tragic story.

His only focus is baseball, but he can’t forget the girl he saved on Valentine’s Day…

At 22, Lincoln Presley’s star is on the rise—about to finish at Stanford and expected to be taken early in Major League Baseball’s upcoming draft—his cousin’s party serves as a welcome distraction. But then, he sees the girl from Valentine’s Day that he saved from that horrific car accident and can’t quite hide his disappointment when she appears to look right through him and not remember him at all. He vows to learn her name at least before he leaves. What’s the harm in getting to know this girl? What’s the worst that can happen?

Fate soon tests these star-crossed lovers in all kinds of ways...

And yet, despite the lies being told to protect the other, and the trappings of fame that continually separate them, and in lieu of the deception by those they’ve come to trust the most; one truth remains.

This much is true. 

Caution: This title contains some strong language, some violence, and some sexual situations and is intended for readers 18+ in age.

Title: This Much Is True

Author: Katherine Owen

Release: August 11th, 2013

Age Group: New Adult/Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance; Sports Romance, Holiday Romance, New Adult College Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours; http://atomrbookblogtours.com

Available in Paperback & eBook at:

{Click to Purchase}

Also available at Kobo & iTunes.

My Review of THIS MUCH IS TRUE

From the opening line of This Much is True, the heart-wrenching story of young, aspiring ballerina, Tally Landon, is a  gratifying journey of heartache and suffering. Throw in  future Hall of Fame baseball play Lincoln Presley and you yourself a book that will draw you in on the first page and leave you with a fulfilled ending on the last!

This Much is True is the first book I have read by Katherine Owen, but it will not be the last. I agreed to read the story as part of the book tour and I am very glad I did. While, This Much is True is a rather long book, it's well worth the read and every chapter has it's own mini-climax. I thoroughly enjoyed that about this book as there was no, 'waiting around to see what happens' next or boring chapters that were simply put there to fill space in the binding. It's very fast paced, but not so much that you feel like you are missing out on anything and have to wonder what happen between point A and point B. 

I won't go into too much detail because I wouldn't want to spoil a good great thing, but I will tell you that this is the most heartfelt, drama-filled story I think I have ever read. Don't get me wrong, I've read dozens of great, well-written, engaging, 5-star books, but none that had so much drama! Drama, drama and more drama... all of which was a good thing of course. While most books have a few unexpected twists turns, this one was full of unexpected events and outcomes that kept the plot entertaining and engaging. Just when you think you what's going to happen... the unexpected happens and Tally's hit with yet another curve ball in life and is left helplessly hanging on to what's left of her heart. Some of which, she brings on herself, others are simply another hard twist of fate. 

One thing I found to be unique about This Much is True, and actually enjoyed about the book, was that each chapter is being told from either Tally or Lincoln's point of view. A couple chapters will be written as if you are right there, sitting next to Tally with her pouring her heart and soul out to you, while the next chapter you are a thousand miles away seeing Lincoln's side. I really enjoyed this part because there was no wondering why something was the way it was. You knew... you knew what he was feeling, you knew why he wasn't there, you knew why she did what she did, and why she thought she was doing the right thing. Back and forth, back and forth. It was like sitting on the fence and straddling the line, while getting to see the grass that was greener on the left, and the not so green on the right. 

What can I say? It's full of drama, it's very realistic and easy to relate to (I'm mean if you are a baseball player and a ballerina of course). The story is so well-written that you are completely engaged and become entangled in the web of lies, tears and heartache. (And constantly grabbing another Pringle and cheering for Team Linc.)  I absolutely adored the characters, the plot and witty style of writing bouncing back and forth between Tally and Linc.

There is no way I could rate this book any less than 5 well-deserved stars! Absolutely Awesome! If you love a great heart-felt, then This Much is True is a must-read!

About the Author, Katherine Owen

Dark. Edgy. Contemporary. Romantic. Were we describing me? Or my fiction? Sorry.

I drink too much...coffee, not enough water. I swear too much for God and my mother, and I slip these into my fiction. Sorry.

I'm impatient, a perfectionist, a wordsmith, a dreamer, which ends up being good and bad. I'm a workaholic; ask my "fam-dam-ily".

I've written four novels in as many years: "When I See You, "Not To Us", Seeing Julia" as well as my latest release "This Much Is True" (which hit #1 on Amazon best seller lists for Sports Romance, Holiday Romance within a week of its release). Competitive; much, KO? Oh yes.

If you love angsty, unpredictable love stories, I'm yours. ♥ Connect with me at facebook.com/KatherineOwenAuthor.

~ Connect with Katherine Owen~

Website & Blog: http://www.katherineowen.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KatherineOwenAuthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/katherineowen01

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can follow the rest of the tour and read more reviews, guest posts and interview with author Katherine Owen by following the rest of the tour at ATOMR.

FTC Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of THIS MUCH IS TRUE for an honest review. The review in this post is my honest opinion and was not influenced in anyway, nor was a I compensated to provide a positive review. 

Review & Giveaway: Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris

Welcome to the 
Seven Day Fiance Review & Giveaway!

Be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!
 Author Rachel Harris is giving away a several prizes 
to a lucky winner and it could be you! 

About Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris

One bad boy. One good girl. One unforgettable week.

  Angelle Prejean is in a pickle. Her family is expecting her to come home with a fiancé—a fiancé who doesn’t exist. Well, he exists, but he definitely has no idea Angelle told her mama they were engaged. Tattooed, muscled, and hotter than sin, Cane can reduce Angelle to a hot mess with one look—and leave her heart a mess if she falls for him. But when she ends up winning him at a charity bachelor auction, she knows just how to solve her fiancé problem. 

 Cane Robicheaux is no one’s prince. He doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t fall in love. When sweet, sultry-voiced Angelle propositions him, he hopes their little fiancé game can finally get her out of his head. He doesn’t expect her to break through all his barriers. But even as Angelle burrows deeper into his heart, he knows once their seven days are up, so is their ruse.

Seven Day Fiance

Love and Games Series Book 2

Author: Rachel Harris

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Entangled Publishing - Bliss

Date of Publication: October 14, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-62266-238-8

ASIN: B00FCRLDWA

Number of pages: 153

Cover Artist: Jessica Cantor

Review of Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris

Seven Day Fiance is likely to be the next Beautiful Disaster. The book was nothing short of fantastic bad-boy romance that was heart-felt, full of passion, and well-written, to say the least.

Ladies, be forewarned: The laundry will pile up until this book is finished because you won't be able to put it down!

  One of the things I liked most about Seven Day Fiance was the vivid story telling. It was very vibrant and descriptive, but not so much that it felt like it was overdone. I felt like I was right there in Bon Terre, Lousianna, sitting on the porch, when Angelle and her 'fake fiance' arrived.

  Another thing I liked and appreciated in Seven Day Fiance was that the story was written in such a way that it would be attractive to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance. After reading a variety of romance books, including erotica, I personally believe that there is a fine-line between graceful and just flat-out raunchy. The intimate scenes in Seven Day Fiance are graceful and engaging, with characters and scenes that are realistic and easy to relate to.

 To sum it up, Seven Day Fiance is a fabulous romance novel that I absolutely enjoyed! I was able to put myself right there in the midst of it all, feeling everything they felt... It's one of those books that give you butterflies in your stomach and cause you to get all giddy like you just met your first love all over again!

Seven Day Fiance is one of those books that will keep you urgently waiting for the end... You know-- the ones that have you stirring supper on the stove with a spoon in one hand and a book in the other. 

...Yeah, it's that good! 

I also added Seven Day Fiance to my list of Top 5 Books Like Beautiful Disaster! 

Note: When I signed up to host this tour I was not aware the this was the second book in the Love & Games Series. I would have wanted to read the first book so that I better understood the characters. Luckily, it wasn't necessary. Seven Day Fiance is written in such a way that it doesn't require the first book to be read. While the characters are the same, it's a story of it's own based on Angelle and Cane, where the first book was based on two of the other characters. I will be going back to read the first book though, because I absolutely adore Rachel Harris' writing! That, and I want to know more about these Cajun boys!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 

Where to Buy Seven Day Fiance

   

About the Author- Rachel Harris

Rachel Harris grew up in New Orleans, watching soap operas with her grandmother, and staying up late sneak-reading her mama's romance novels. Today, she still stays up late reading romances, only now she does so openly.

A Cajun cowgirl now living in Houston, she firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

She homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches countless hours of Food Network and reality television with her amazing husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult Fun, Flirty Escapes, and LOVES talking with readers!  

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

~ Giveaway ~ 

Here's the fun part! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of Seven Day Fiance in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid, compensated or asked to provide a positive review in any way.  This review is of my own opinion after reading the book myself. 

A Fallow Heart Review

About A Fallow Heart by Linda Kage

Ten years ago, an oil tycoon’s daughter and a farmer’s son shared a moment neither would ever forget. When she left town in disgrace, a piece of her stayed locked deep within his soul. And like the ground he tended, his emotions lay fallow for years. Cooper Gerhardt’s deeply buried feelings for Jo Ellen Rawlings grew more fertile over time, just waiting for the day she would return to release his deepest desires.

When she strolls back into Tommy Creek, Texas for her ten-year class reunion, Cooper shows her farm boy style exactly what she missed by leaving. Starting a short-term affair is simply unavoidable. But when the week is over, can either of them let go of the responsibilities and apprehensions keeping them apart? Or will their fallow hearts learn to flourish together?

Stephanie's Review of A Fallow Heart

What can I say? I absolutely loved A Fallow Heart! It’s one of those books that will keep you up late at night waiting to see what will happen next. One of those books that you can so easily relate to that it keeps you on the edge hoping it will never end but, so desperately wanting to know what happens at the end. You know the kind I’m talking about…. The ones that make your pulse rise and your eyes water.  Yeah… it’s that kind of book!

I absolutely fell in love with Cooper- the well-mannered, good looking and an all-out gentleman who was just a well-raised farm boy. Sometimes, so much of a gentleman that he gets his heart broke in fear of holding back his true love from her own dreams. With that said, Jo Ellen was just as much a lady. Never wanting to get in the way of anyone else, never wanting to leave loose ends unraveled and not wanting to risk getting her own heart broke, she stayed away from the one person she knew would love her like no one else could.

Throughout the story, my hear broke a dozen times. Watching fate turn to good, then bad, then good again… and well, the moment when he walked into the high school for their 10 year reunion, I just knew it would be fireworks. Sadly enough, she would never know that he was there. Never know because when he found her the dark hallway with Travis, his heart shattered and he walked away without saying a word.

Needless, to say- keep a box of tissues handy because this one is a real tear-jerker.

A Fallow Heart was a great read- so much so that it will go down on my list of forever favorites. I can’t help but wonder if there will be a second book to the story. While A Fallow Heart was well-written and had a great ending, I can’t help but wonder what might happen next. Hmm, I wonder if the author, Linda Kage might consider writing a sequel and treat us to what happens next for Jo Ellen and Cooper. I know I would be excited to reading it! 

Where to Buy A Fallow Heart

BUY: Amazon              
BUY: Barnes & Noble 
BUY:  Publisher           
BUY: AllRomance       

Review: Desert Flower by Angela Scott

About Desert Flower

Bodies have a canny way of finding Samantha Jean Haggert--the first, the dead body of her mama; the second, a naked man in the middle of the Arizona desert. For Sam, dealing with one dead body in her lifetime was more than unfair. Two is downright cruel.

Seven years after running from West Virginia, Sam's now a young woman of nineteen, trying to put the pieces of her life together with the help of her family—Jacob, Boone, and Laura. But the naked man in the desert spirals her world out of control, resurrecting past hurts and revealing old secrets. It also pits against one another the two men who vie for her heart: Carson, her friend, her first kiss, and the one man who knows everything about her past and loves her despite it; and Turner, the stranger who knows nothing, but who excites and frustrates her all at once.

When bad choices made as a child lead to more bad choices as a young adult, Sam finds herself at a crossroads, forced to face her demons head-on if she plans to have any future at all—with Carson, with Turner, or with anyone. But fixing the wrongs of the past takes time, and learning to forgive one's self is damn near impossible.

Stephanie's Review of Desert Flower

After reading and enjoying Desert Rice, by Angela Scott, I couldn’t help but jump at the opportunity to review the sequel, Desert Flower. While I usually sway towards romance books, I can’t help but be a huge fan of author Angela Scott, along with little Sam and Jacob.

Desert Flower picks up 7 years later from where Desert Rice left off. As with the first book in the series, Desert Flower is a heart-wrenching roller coaster full of ups and downs. The only difference is that now, little Sam is all grown up. At just 19, she faces more trials and tragedy, and yet- another dead body unexpectedly and unnerving.  After all, riding through the desert no one expects to stumble upon what she does. I mean really, no one expects to encounter their 2^nd homicide in less than 8 years…

If finding another body isn’t enough, she has to live her life knowing how her mother truly died, knowing that her brother, Jacob, has a child that he knows nothing about, and now, her own love life hangs by a thread. I’ll stop there before I have to issue a spoiler alert, but you get the point.

Once again, author Angela Scott does a great job of keeping you on the edge with your own heart dangling on the line while reading about the Haggert’s. The characters are all so real, the scenarios so realistic, and the way the story is written- you can put yourself right there- center stage.  One of those books where when the character cries, you cry. When the character is happy, you find yourself smiling as you turn the pages. Truly heartfelt and captivating to say the least!

Desert Flower carried on the great suspense as expected from author Angela Scott and Desert Rice.  Another great read and another well-deserved 5 stars! 

Where to Buy Desert Rice and Desert Flower

Desert Rice and Desert Flower are both available in paperback and ebook formats at various book stores online. 

Desert Rice

BUY:Amazon                
BUY:  Kindle                 
BUY:  Barnes & Noble  
BUY:  Nook                    
BUY:  iTunes                 

Desert Flower

BUY: Amazon                
BUY: Kindle                  
BUY: Barnes & Noble 
BUY:  Nook                   
BUY:  iTunes                

      

About Author Angela Scott

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I'm not crazy. I'm an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West--and loving it. My zombies don't sparkle, and they definitely don't cuddle. At least, I wouldn't suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn't require math. I can't spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I've been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I've pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

You can find me at my website, where I blog obsessively about my writing process and post updates on my current works. I'm also on Twitter and Facebook, but be forewarned, I tweet and post more than a normal person.

~ Connect with Angela Scott~ 

Website ~ Blog ~  Facebook ~ Twitter

Top 5 Books Like Beautiful Disaster

    Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire is one of the most talked about books right now! Think along the lines of Fifty Shades of Grey but, in a much cleaner way. No erotica but plenty of bad-boy college romance to keep your heart pounding and your fingers turning the pages. If you haven't read it- it's a MUST-READ!

If you have read it, then you know how great it is! The only problem with finishing the book is that it is over. Well, temporarily- until Walking Disaster is released in early April. Meanwhile, what do you do while waiting for Travis' version of the story? Find another great book, of course!

But it is really possible to find another great book like Beautiful Disaster? It's a hard call, but yes, there are several more great books full of bad boys, college romance, and heart pounding love stories! When I first wrote this post it only included the Top 5 but since then, there have been several other great books I have read like Beautiful Disaster so I will continue to add to the list! 

So, without further hesitation, lets go over my favorite books like Beautiful Disaster. 

Stephanie's Favorite Top 5 Books Like Beautiful Disaster ... and then Some

#1. Seven Day Fiance, by Rachel Harris

Seven Day Fiance is likely to be the next Beautiful Disaster. You can check out my 5-star review of Seven Day Fiance to find out why it was so good! This is a fantastic bad-boy romance that is heart-felt, full of passion, and well-written, to say the least.

{Blurb}

Angelle Prejean is in a pickle. Her family is expecting her to come home with a fiancé—a fiancé who doesn’t exist. Well, he exists, but he definitely has no idea Angelle told her mama they were engaged. Tattooed, muscled, and hotter than sin, Cane can reduce Angelle to a hot mess with one look—and leave her heart a mess if she falls for him. But when she ends up winning him at a charity bachelor auction, she knows just how to solve her fiancé problem. 

  Cane Robicheaux is no one’s prince. He doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t fall in love. When sweet, sultry-voiced Angelle propositions him, he hopes their little fiancé game can finally get her out of his head. He doesn’t expect her to break through all his barriers. But even as Angelle burrows deeper into his heart, he knows once their seven days are up, so is their ruse.

#2 Easy, by Tammara Webber

  Many of you, already on the hunt for more great books like Beautiful Disaster may have already read this one. For those of you who haven't, it's a must!

{Blurb}
   The New York Times Bestseller by Tammara Webber

    Rescued by a stranger.Haunted by a secret. Sometimes, love isn't easy...

    He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior... The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he'd worked so hard to overcome, and the future she'd put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart. Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth - and find the unexpected power of love.A groundbreaking novel in the New Adult genre, Easy faces one girl's struggle to regain the trust she's lost, find the inner strength to fight back against an attacker, and accept the peace she finds in the arms of a secretive boy.

  

#3. & #4. Slammed Series, by Colleen Hoover

    Where are all the Colleen Hoover fans? :) These are the first two books I ever read by Colleen Hoover and have since become a loyal fan! I stumbled across Slammed while looking for books like Beautiful Disaster-  just before Point of Retreat was published. No doubt that after reading Slammed, I was hooked on the series and had to read Point of Retreat to get the hear the rest of the story, and from Will's perspective. A heart-wrenching tear jerker for sure!

{Slammed Blurb}

     Falling in love can feel like poetry. Or it can feel like a slam to the heart. Colleen Hoover s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them. Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her. Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feeling...

    

{Point of Retreat Blurb}

     Sometimes two people have to fall apart to realize just how much they belong together. Colleen Hoover entranced readers everywhere with her bestselling novel Slammed, the book that introduced Layken and Will, a young couple whose love overcame devastating hardships to emerge stronger and more resilient than before. Now, as Layken and Will's emotion-packed story continues, a stunning and unforeseen revelation about Will s past leaves them questioning everything that they thought they knew about each other. With the foundation of their relationship at risk, they must decide whether they are willing to fight for a future together, or to retreat back into solitude and heartache. How far does Will have to go to prove to Layken his love for her will last forever? It will require something truly extraordinary to keep this couple together, and the decisions they make and the answers they find will change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

  

   

#5. Flat-Out  Love, by Jessica Park

     Still looking for more great college romance? Ahh, behold- you need to read Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park. Another great romance that will keep your turning the pages wanting more!

{Blurb}
      He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy. So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.Complicated? Awkward? Completely.But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.New York ...

  

#6. Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins

Okay, okay... So I haven't actually read this one for myself - but, it is on my must-read list due to all the hype and reviews about it being like Beautiful Disaster. After all, 4.5 stars on Amazon- out of hundreds of reviews must be a good thing, right?

{Blurb}
   Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris-until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all including a serious girlfriend.But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

   

~*~  

     Now, for those of you who have NOT read Beautiful Disaster, I strongly suggest you do! It's fabulous! I can honestly say that it has to be my ALL-TIME-FAVORITE book ever written! Then it's finished off with Walking Disaster- 

     Just look at the cover! MmmMMM mmm! Delicious!

Do you have a list of favorite books like Beautiful Disaster?If so, please share it in a comment below! We would love to hear your thoughts, reviews and suggestions on the books listed above, as well!