Book Binge

 Thanks to the ladies at the Book Binge for hosting me on my release tour for Feel the Heat, the first in my Chicago-set Hot in the Kitchen series about an Italian restaurant owning family and the sexy, sizzling chefs who love them. One of the first things I learned when I started writing romance was that you have to show why these two characters are both the best and the worst people for each other. The worst so you can savor that delicious conflict and the best so they can overcome it. So when I decided I was going to write about a jaded celebrity chef who falls hard for the daughter of his cooking show competition, I ran into a mountain of British beefcake: drop-dead gorgeous Jack Kilroy who cooks like a dream, has a to-die-for accent, makes Lili laugh like crazy, and wants to take care of her. Sounds perfect, right? Unfortunately it was too perfect for the story I wanted to tell.

Jack Kilroy is famous, and any woman associated with him is not going to have an easy time of it. However, that kind of conflict can only take you so far because after a while the reader starts thinking, she should just get over it. Grab the sexy chef who thinks she’s gorgeous and run, don’t walk to her HEA. But this was easier said than done, because Lili has recently come into her own after years of hiding away as an overweight teen. She found her niche with photography, embraced her bodacious curves, and is the rock on which her family relies. Everything’s chugging along just fine until notorious tabloid meat, Jack Kilroy crashes into her life. And when a steamy smooch with the hot chef goes video viral, all the anxieties she had put behind her come rushing back. The trolls crawl out of their caves. The haters create Facebook pages panning her looks. Her butt starts trending on Twitter. She wants to take a chance but she lives in fear that she’ll revert to that scared girl who was bullied in the school cafeteria. After spending years shucking that persona, she’s not about to travel down that ditch again. This guy who’s perfect for her in every way will make her confront her fears. He’ll demand she dig deep for all that passion and bravery lying beneath the surface—and prove why they are so right for each other even when it looks all wrong.

Here’s a brief excerpt that encapsulates their problem—and how Jack plans to handle it.

Saddling his hot-as-Hades ass with her was not going to help his brand, just like it wouldn’t do a solid for her self-esteem. One kiss had turned her into Celebrity Enemy Number One. A relationship with this guy would put her on every gossip shit list until the end of the decade. Improving the forward momentum of her life precluded detours to her chunky teens; she had come too far to risk a revival of that insecure blob inside her.
She let out a long, shuddering breath and broke out her most reasonable tone. “Jack, you know I can’t date you.”
Pressing her hands to his hard chest, she pushed him away and slipped to a stand. With trembling fingers, she wrenched on her blouse and grappled with the buttons. They ended up in the wrong holes. Typical.
“Can’t or won’t?”
She whirled on him in all her disheveled magnificence. “That concussion must have caused brain damage. There’s the little matter of your rabid fan base.”
“I’d protect you.”
“How? Are you going to punch everyone who says something mean about me?”
“No one messes with what’s mine.”
That, and the accompanying unyielding gaze, turned her legs to swaying reeds. Mine. Had one word ever sounded so wrong and so right?
“I’m not yours.”
“Not yet.”

***
About Kate
Kate Meader writes contemporary romance that serves up delicious food, to-die-for heroes, and heroines with a dash of sass. Originally from Ireland, she cut her romance reader teeth on Catherine Cookson and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Mills & Boons thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, and she’s there. She has a bachelor’s in law (useless), a master’s in history (not as useless), and another master’s in library and information science (yay, using). When not writing about men who cook and the women who drool over them, she works in an academic library. Her stories are set in her adopted home town of Chicago, a city made for food, romance, and laughter – and where she met her own sexy hero. For news, excerpts, and recipes, check out her website at http://www.katemeader.com.

Contact: kate.meader@gmail.com
Website: http://katemeader.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatemeader
Twitter: @kittymeader
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551743.Kate_Meader
Blog: http://katemeader.com/blog/

***
Giveaway details:
What's for favorite celebrity/commoner romance? We have one e-copy of Feel the Heat to giveaway here at Book Binge. Leave a comment with your answer for a chance to win. Please note: You must include a valid email address with your comment to be eligible. Contest ends: 5/30/13 @ 11:59pm.

Kate is also hosting a culinary swag contest at her site! Check it out:

I will be doing a Rafflecopter giveaway during the Feel the Heat release tour. One grand prize winner will get a Feel the Heat Swag Bag containing a Supper Hero-Wonder Woman apron, a Feel the Heat tote bag, a Vespa-shaped pizza cutter, a “Grate Love” cheese grater, heart-shaped measuring spoons, a Feel the Heat fridge magnet, heart-shaped pasta, delicious cookies, and a recipe card for goat cheese caramel gelato. I’ll also be giving away smaller swag bags of assorted kitchen utensils and more.
v Enter using the rafflecopter widget beow or visit Kate's site.

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Or Click here to enter using rafflecopter.

Feel the Heat is available now in e-format from Forever Yours. You can buy it here or here (only $2.99!).

Melinda Dozier's new release TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING is out right now and it promises to be a pretty great read. Here's the blurb for the book:

Amanda Larson is dedicated to her job and doesn't want to make time for anything else. Until she runs into Jake Edwards. He used to be the cute boy next door; now he's a sexy, big shot lawyer.

Jake Edwards isn't interested in commitment. He's successful, sexy, and single--and that's how he likes it. When he reconnects with Amanda, Jake realizes he might have to rethink his philosophy on the carefree, bachelor lifestyle.

But, is it too late for them? Or can he convince her that he's ready to give her his heart?

Here's the excerpt:

In high school, Amanda was someone special. Hell, even before then. Their parents were best friends, which had forced Jake and Amanda together. At first, he’d thought it was a hindrance. Later, when she developed longer legs and a bigger bust, he found himself around her more. After discovering her quirkiness, her love of art and her sense of humor, he actually enjoyed being around her. But he never touched her.

He contemplated running his fingers through her hair like he did his first year of college –– the last time they were alone –– the night he left town and never saw her again.

Did she remember the night he left? Of course she did. Seven years ago, he’d ruined their friendship. He knew Amanda almost as well as he knew himself. Well, he’d known her. Now she was a different woman.

Jake leaned in closer, running his hand down her arm. “Know what I’m thinking?”

Amanda fiddled with her coaster and smiled at him. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

“I’m thinking we should spend a lot more time together.” He reached over and held her chin. “It’s been way too long.”

Amanda licked her lips, and damn it, it actually turned him on. Sweet little Mandy Larson wasn’t so sweet anymore. She was driving him crazy.

She moved closer bridging distance. “Why wait? There’s no time like the present.”

“Exactly.” He drank the last of his beer as the waiter returned with her martini sans olive.

Jake leaned on the table with his elbows, folded his hands together and studied her. “Look at you, drinking a martini, living the life in New York City.” He examined her from head to toe. “A sexy skirt. Tall boots.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “A beautiful face.”

Amanda hiccupped and put down her glass. “Now, wait a minute. I know it’s been a while, but some things never change, including you.” She wagged her finger at him. “No smooth talking with me. Don’t forget I used to know you better than anybody.”

Because his fingers actually ached with the need to touch her again, he reached over and held her hand. “Yeah, but things have changed, Mandy. We’re two different people now, and I can’t wait to get to know who you are now.”

Sounds pretty awesome, right?

GIVEAWAY ALERT: You really won't want to miss this and to add even more awesomeness to the blog tour, Melinda will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate and an ecopy of Time Changes Everything. Winner will be announced on Melinda’s blog May 25. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks so much to Melinda Dozier for including us on her blog tour and for hosting such a nifty prize.  We hope each and every single one of you enters.  It's a pretty awesome giveaway.


About the Author: Reading romance has always been at the top of Melinda’s favorite past times. After hectic days of teaching English to middle school students, Melinda finds time to write and read in the evenings. She lives in Guatemala, Central America with her husband, three boys and German Sheppard. She enjoys being the queen of her household and dreams of being pampered fully by her boys once they are grown. Melinda loves reality TV, traveling, blogging and playing Words With Friends.

Website: www.melindadozier.com
Blog: http://melindadozier.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/melindadozier

Time Changes Everything was made available May 13 through Entranced Publishing.

Purchase links: http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints/entranced/time-changes-everything/

Check out the book trailer for TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING:


Thanks for stopping by today and good luck on the giveaway!

From our friends at Penguin Romance:

The Ghost from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series and upcoming novel HEART OF OBSIDIAN (Berkley Hardcover; June 4, 2013) is taking over Nalini’s Twitter feed, @nalinisingh, for one hour at 9pm EDT on Thursday, May 23rd. Jane Litte of @dearauthor will host the chat. Be sure to join in the fun using #penguinromance and ask some questions of your own!

You really don't want to miss out on that! We hope to see you all on Twitter!

Judith's review of Cowboy Come Home by Eve Gaddy.

A bittersweet reunion. A second chance at happiness. 

The daughter who may never forgive them both. 

Champion bronc rider Jake Rollins never intended to go back to Happy, Texas and its memories of lost love. That changes when he meets Leigh and suspects she’s his daughter. Jake arrives in Happy determined to get to know her and to find out the truth. Only problem is, Anna Connor, Leigh’s mother, doesn’t want him in their lives. At first she won’t even admit he’s Leigh’s father. 

Sixteen years ago, Jake left Anna with a phone call telling her he'd married another woman. Devastated and pregnant, Anna married Jake's best friend, Carl Connor. Together they raised the daughter Jake never knew about.  But Anna's a widow now and even more irresistible than she'd been as a girl. Will it be enough for Jake to tell Anna that leaving her was the worst mistake he ever made? Can he convince her he's changed?  Jake and Anna fall in love again, but it's far from smooth sailing. Leigh's response to the news that Jake is her biological father is anything but good. Jake and Anna must decide between their love for each other and the future of the daughter they love.

Rowena's review of Rush Me by Allison Parr.

Hero: Ryan Carter
Heroine: Rachael Hamilton

When post-grad Rachael Hamilton accidentally gatecrashes a pro-athlete party, she ends up face-to-face with Ryan Carter, the NFL’s most beloved quarterback.

While most girls would be thrilled to meet the attractive young millionaire, Rachael would rather spend time with books than at sporting events, and she has more important things to worry about than romance. Like her parents pressuring her to leave her unpaid publishing internship for law school. Or her brother, who’s obliviously dating Rachael’s high school bully. Or that same high school’s upcoming reunion.

Still, when Ryan’s rookie teammate attaches himself to Rachael, she ends up cohosting Friday night dinners for half a dozen football players.

Over pancake brunches, charity galas, and Alexander the Great Rachael realizes all the judgments she’d made about Ryan are wrong. But how can a Midwestern Irish-Catholic jock with commitment problems and an artsy, gun-shy Jewish New Englander ever forge a partnership? Rachael must let down her barriers if she wants real love–even if that opens her up to pain that could send her back into her emotional shell forever.

Holly recommended this book to me and said, "You're going to like this book so read it."  What's a girl to do?  I read it, of course.  And once again, Holly wasn't wrong.

This book follows post-college student turned publishing intern, Rachael Hamilton as she falls head over heels in love with the starting NFL quarter for the New York Leopards, Ryan Carter.  Yeah, he really does play for the Leopards.  But he's hot so I didn't laugh too much.   Ryan and Rachael meet when she mistakenly walks in on Ryan being "serviced" at a party that wasn't the party she was looking for.

They couldn't have been more different from each other.  He's an athlete and she's a nerd.  She has no idea who he is and she's not that impressed with him, either.  In fact, she thinks he's pretty much an asshole and he's not a fan of her either.  He thinks she's a gold digging whore that is trying to pull one over on one of his friends and he's got his eye on her.

It wasn't hard for me to fall into this story, at all.  I absolutely adored the book and came to love the characters.  I had some frustrations with Rachael's character but not enough that the story itself was ruined.  I wanted to smack her around a few times just as I wanted to smack Ryan around some but overall, the story wrapped me up for a few hours and I enjoyed my time with these characters.

The romance between Ryan and Rachael wasn't easy but it was fun and the side characters added more depth to a story that I came to love.  I thought Parr did a great job of sucking me into Ryan's world and into Rachael's world as she tries to figure things out.  Where she stands with Ryan and where she stands with herself when she chooses to be with Ryan.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  It's a great book with characters and a story that kept me interested the whole way through so I'm a happy camper and am thrilled that Holly made me read this book.  She knows my reading tastes so well.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

This book is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here in e-format.