Review: Strings Attached

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Strings Attached

Author: 

Anne Holly

Release Date:

May 2011

Publisher:

Wild Horse Press

Word Count:

approx. 56,000

Purchase Links: 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Author's Website:

http://www.anneholly.webs.com/

http://annehollystringsattached.weebly.com/index.html

Description:  

How do you relate to a man who doesn't want you to?

Josie Sergeant has learned one thing by carving out her living from the wilds of the Canadian north: perseverance, optimism and the willingness to do what has to be done can overcome even the harshest of obstacles. Life has taught Theo Sabich, a fellow rancher from Australia, that optimism is a fool's hope.

When their beloved siblings' impetuous marriage plans pit Josie and Theo against one another to defend their families, they find more than they bargain for. And when they start seeing each other as more than enemies, they face their greatest challenge - finding the courage to reach out for happiness.

Under the northern lights, their attraction ignites beyond their control... The trouble is a one-time "no strings attached" release of passion is easier said than done when love is hanging by a thread. 

Joey’s Review:

Review: Joy's Revelation

Publisher submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Joy's Revelation

Author: 

Ginger Simpson

Release Date:

September 16, 2011

Publisher:

MuseItUp Publishing

Word Count:

approx. 7,000

Purchase Links:  

MuseItUp Publishing

Author's Website:

www.gingersimpson.com/

Description:  

Joy Garrett is preparing to marry the man of her dreams and needs her birth certificate in order to get a passport for her honeymoon.  For some reason her mother wants to avoid the issue and urges her to enjoy the good ol' USA.  While pilfering in her mother's things in the attic, Joy comes across a birth certificate, and although the date, hospital and doctor are a match with her, the paper certifies someone else's birth... What secret is her mother keeping?

Joey’s Review:

Review: Take This Regret

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Take This Regret

Author: 

Amy Lichtenhan

Release Date:

July 28, 2011

Publisher:

TWCS Publishing House

Word Count:

approx. 91,000

Purchase Links: 

TWCS Publishing House

Amazon

Author's Website:

www.amylichtenhan.com

Description:  

There are some mistakes we make that we will regret for the rest of our lives.  For Christian, it was the day he betrayed Elizabeth.

 

Christian Davison has a plan for his life.  He is determined to become an attorney and to one day take his place as partner in his father’s law firm.  Nothing will stand in his way, not even Elizabeth Ayers and their unborn child.

 

After Christian cuts her from his life, Elizabeth spends the next five years struggling to provide for her daughter and willing to sacrifice anything to give her child a safe, comfortable life. 

 

For five years, Christian has regretted the day he walked away from his family and will do anything to win them back just as Elizabeth will do anything to protect her daughter from the certain heartache she believes Christian will bring upon them.

 

When Christian wrestles his way into their lives, Elizabeth is faced with asking herself if it is possible to forgive someone when they’ve committed the unforgiveable and if it is possible to find a love after it has been buried in years of hate.  Or are there some wounds that go so deep they can never heal?

 

They say everyone deserves a second chance.

Joey’s Review:

Review: Hunted

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Hunted

Author: 

Carolyn Rosewood

Release Date:

July 15, 2011

Publisher:

Evernight Publishing

Word Count:

approx. 30,000

Purchase Links:  

Evernight Publishing 

Author's Website:

http://carolynrosewood.com/

Description:  

For the past four hundred years, Jahi Wickes has made forged documents and credit cards for the female demons who seduce men into signing away their souls. While enjoying the parades at Mardi Gras, she's ambushed by two angels. One is her former guardian angel, and the other is the Nephilim who’s tracking him.

Dagon has been chasing Vassago for three years. His first big break comes in the form of a cute, sexy demon. When he learns the real reason Vassago is hunting her, Dagon has more trouble than he bargained for. Not only was Vassago sent to guard souls in Purgatory after screwing up his assignment with Jahi, but the person who paid him to destroy her is one of her fellow demons.

Laura’s Review:

Review: Himeros' Princess

Publisher submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Himeros' Princess 
Author: 

Dana Littlejohn 
Release Date:

July 1, 2011 
Publisher:

MuseitHot Publishing 
Word Count:

approx. 15,000 
Purchase Links:  

MuseitHot Publishing 
Author's Website:

http://danalittlejohn.net

Description:  

Icie was the chief's daughter, princess of the Seneca Indian tribe. Her duty was to marry the chief of the Cayuga tribe to form a union between the two tribes. She had come to terms with the fact that she would be locked into a loveless marriage for the sake of her people, but she had no idea it would be to such a cruel and dishonorable man. Backed into a corner, Icie felt her only option for a future was to run. Luckily for the princess Himeros had other plans for her future.

Joey’s Review:

Review: Erotic Deception

Publisher submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Erotic Deception

Author: 

Karen Cote

Release Date:

October 14, 2011

Publisher:

MuseItHot Publishing

Word Count:

Approx. 51,000

Purchase Links:  

MuseItHot Publishing 

Author's Website:

www.karencote.tv/

Description:  

Her brother was dead. He’d practically raised her and stood by her during a miscarriage that left her barren. He’d been the sole person she’d had left in this world. How had Dr. Lily Delaney with a PhD in Psychology missed the psychotic signs of Anthony Capriccio, the Kansas City District Attorney and her ex-fiancé? Now at twenty-nine she was on the run to hide from the impending threats to her own life. But on the road to a safe secluded lake community, Lily crashes into the path of a new dangerous element, literally. One with deep blue eyes who totes a badge and carries a gun. And would their budding relationship be threatened when Lily finds out her own doctor had lied and discovers she really can have children? How would the sheriff take knowing she’d gotten pregnant when she’d already heartily assured him she wasn’t?

 

After his experience as a detective in Kansas City, Missouri, Jet Walker enjoyed his life as sheriff of the quiet lake community, Windom Hills. However, when Lily Delaney literally crashes into his car and life, his world disrupts into chaos. Couldn’t the woman do anything normal? Between fighting to protect her and fighting against his growing attraction for her, the previous peace Jet had found was now falling apart. And how could he possibly trust another woman after the trick his ex-wife played in trying to pass off another man’s child as his?

Laura’s Review:

Review: When Harriet Came Home

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

When Harriet Came Home 
Author:

Coleen Kwan 
Release Date:

October 24, 2011 
Publisher:

Carina Press 
Word Count:

approx. 52,000 
Purchase Links: 

Carina Press

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble 
Author's Website:

www.coleenkwan.com

Description:  

After ten years of exile, Harriet Brown is back in town. Things have definitely changed, but so has she. Now the confident owner of a catering business, she's no longer the shy, overweight girl everyone—including her hot teenage crush—used to ignore. In fact, she's determined to make peace with Adam Blackstone for her part in exposing his father's secret affairs and corrupt behavior as mayor. 

But Adam has changed as well. No longer a pampered, rich pinup boy, he just wants to reestablish his family's good name. He reluctantly agrees to a truce with Harriet, and is surprised by how changed she is. He doesn't want to be drawn to her, but he can't seem to resist her allure. 

As Harriet struggles to come to terms with her past, her adolescent infatuation with Adam morphs into something more serious… Will she ever be accepted again? Or will ancient history ruin the chance of a future full of possibilities?

Deniz’s Review:

A Little Personal Happy News!

As you may know, I started this blog a year ago as a show of solidarity, of sorts. I'd recently published my own small-press eRomance, and wanted to create a haven for others in my situation. Drew in Blue is my debut novel, published on December 1, 2010. And what a great first year of publication it's been!

I hope you won't mind if I take a moment to share my happy day with you all. Today, I officially signed with Turquoise Morning Press for my second novel, tentatively titled Daddy's Girl! This story is a work of women's fiction with strong romantic elements, and I consider it my official homage to my late father. Lots of love went into the manuscript, and today I am so very proud to know it will soon be available to the public to read, in print as well as in digital format.

Fear not: I will not fill the blog with self-promotion, I promise! I'm just very eager to shout the fantastic news from every rooftop I can access tonight!

--Joey

The Giddy Author known as J.M. Kelley

Review: A Broken Christmas

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

A Broken Christmas

Author: 

Claire Ashgrove

Release Date:

October 26, 2011

Publisher:

The Wild Rose Press

Word Count:

approx. 46,000

Purchase Links: 

The Wild Rose Press  

Author's Website:

www.claireashgrove.com

Description:  

The truest gifts are damaged ...  

Fourteen months ago, Aimee Garland had the perfect marriage—until her husband blindsided her with a divorce. Now, he’s home and she intends to get her answers. Yet the crippled man she confronts bears scars her years of nursing cannot heal and the secret he’s hiding is tearing him apart.

Delta Force operative Kyle Garland divorced his wife to protect her. His top-secret missions expose him to constant danger, but the threat to Aimee doesn’t come in the form of insurgents or bombs. Rather, his soul-deep love and dreams he silently nurtures are her greatest hazard. When a career-ending injury brings him home for Christmas, he must bury his feelings and hide the monster he’s become.

As she forces him to confront his demons, will the holiday shred the fragile bonds they share, or will the spirit of Christmas heal their broken hearts?

Joey’s Review:

Now Closed to 2011 Review Requests

Midnight has passed which means The One Hundred Romances Project is now closed to review requests for 2011 publications. We will reopen to review requests in January, date TBA. Please keep an eye on the blog: we'll be posting reviews as usual, and we will be announcing our official Top 100 Romances of 2011!

And don't forget to support the wonderful small-press and indie authors who have shared their stories with us this year-follow those purchase links and buy copies for yourselves!

--Joey

Review: Painted Jezebel

Publisher submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title:
Painted Jezebel 

Author:
Jolie Pethtel 
Release Date:
September 30, 2011 
Publisher:
MuseItUp Publishing 
Word Count:
approx. 65,000 
Purchase Links:
MuseItUp Publishing 
Author's Website:
http://websd-jezebeljinxcom.webs.com/

Description:  

Publicist Finn Mackenzie has always been lucky, until an ill-fated affair with a vindictive writer leaves him one chance for redemption: a spectacular public appearance by the elusive best-selling romance author, Jezebel Jinx.

Unfortunately, the cute but kooky writer refuses to cooperate. Jezebel believes she’s cursed with bad luck. Riddled with anxieties, she never leaves her home— until the gorgeous, albeit desperate Finn whisks her away to a writer’s conference, against her will.

After the initial shock wears off, Jezebel’s dormant hormones kick into high gear around the hunky Finn.

When his ex turns up murdered and Jezebel is the prime suspect, ill-planned sexcapades are the least of their worries.

Laura’s Review:

Review: The Merzetti Effect

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

The Merzetti Effect

Author: 

Norah Wilson

Release Date:

June 2011

Word Count:

approx. 90,000

Purchase Links: 

Amazon 

Author's Website:

http://norahwilsonwrites.com/

Description:  

Delano Bowen has been a medical doctor for a very long time. More than 170 years, in fact. For much of that time, he’s been searching for a way to reverse the curse foisted on him by a vampress who sought to own him. With the emergence of medical technology, he now also aims to develop a vaccine to protect the vulnerable from predation by rogue vampires. After a century of searching, he thinks he's found the key to his vaccine – a surviving descendent of the Merzetti family. The Merzettis were virtually hunted to extinction over the years by rogue vampires who feared the anti-vampirism properties in their blood.

A foundling, nurse Ainsley Crawford has no idea that she carries a genetic gift, and Delano aims to keep it that way. He must keep her close, and ignorant, for he can leave nothing to chance. He manipulates events to ensure her unwitting cooperation. But when Delano's arch enemy Radak Janecek mounts an all-out assault to destroy Delano and the fruits of his research, Delano is forced to draw Ainsley even closer to protect her. Inevitably, the attraction that has sparked between them from the first flares hot and urgent. Ainsley sees no reason why that attraction shouldn't be consummated, but Delano knows succumbing to it is not just ill-advised; it could literally be the death of him.

Brandi’s Review:

Get Your 2011 Submissions In This Week!

Reminder: The One Hundred Romances Project will cease taking review requests for 2011 publications at the end of this week. Submit requests by 11:59 pm, Saturday, December 10, 2011. After that point, any submissions will be deleted. 

We will re-open to submissions for a fresh round of reviews for 2012 publications in January, date to be announced. 

We will take the next few weeks to wrap up our 2011 reads and officially present our list of the Top 100 Reads of 2011. 

Thank you to all the authors who have participated this year, and we look forward to Round Two of The One Hundred Romances Project!

--Joey

The Future of The One Hundred Romances Project

About a year ago, my debut novel, Drew in Blue, hit the virtual shelves. While hunting for places to review my work, I noticed a few things: eBooks weren't yet universally embraced. I had to click away from a lot of blogs that still only accepted physical copies of books. And more importantly, indie romances weren't exactly given the red carpet treatment.

Then, I had this nutso idea: I should start my own review blog! Romance authors publishing digitally through small presses and publishing independently needed a sanctuary. A place they were welcomed with open arms.

To be frank, I never thought I'd have the follow-through, though I loved the notion.I'm glad I was wrong about that.

Eventually, wonders of wonders, it all started to fall into place. I found a lovely crop of reviewers, and am still surrounded by the ladies who feel the same way I do. Laura, Babs, Brandi, Deniz, and Annie are voracious readers and I adore seeing their enthusiasm for this project! They make this crazy little blog a success.

But, as the year began drawing to a close, I started wondering about what happens next. I mean, the point was to find the best reads of 2011. I hadn't anticipated the idea of what came after December 31, 2011. After conferring with the girls, the decision was simple: We're going to press on with a new challenge to find the best new reads of 2012!

Naturally, that means we have to do a little work. First off, we're adding a new reviewer to the fold. Stacy, welcome aboard! Keep an eye out for Stacy's intro on the Meet the Reviewers page in the near future.

Secondly, we have to wrap up 2011. With that in mind, we will be closing to review requests this Saturday, December 10, 2011. After that point, we will do our best to get the email folders emptied out, and address all 2011 reads once and for all.

I anticipate this will take us into January of 2012, in which we will present our final list of The Top 100 Reads of 2011. And once that takes place, we will be open once again to submissions for any works published in 2012. An announcement will be posted when we re-open to reviews.

We thank you all for making this blog a success. Authors, thank you for providing us with terrific romances to curl up with, and for the opportunity to shine the spotlight on the fruits of your labors. Readers, thanks for coming on this ride with us, and especially for supporting the works of these fantastic writers. We certainly hope you'll join us in the New Year!

Any questions? Feel free to comment or contact us for clarification!

--Joey

Review: Embracing the Lemonade Life

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title:            

Embracing the Lemonade Life                                 

Author: 

Sandra Sookoo

Release Date:

August 15, 2011

Publisher:

Desert Breeze Publishing

Word Count:

approx. 33,000

Purchase Links:  

Desert Breeze Publishing

Amazon 

All Romance

Author's Website:

http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Description:  

Clara Tildon, a cancer survivor, has no time for defeatism. She’s opened up the Cute as a Button B & B in Bridgewater, Indiana, and along with her guinea pig, is embracing the lemonade lifestyle. Everything is perfect, except for the nagging sensation that she would still like to fall in love.

Jake Yates has returned to Bridgewater, the town he grew up in, for his friend’s wedding and he’s not happy about it. The people of Bridgewater can keep their small town life, it’s in his past and that’s where he intends it to stay. Even loneliness can’t make him reconsider his decisions.

A chance meeting. A fleeting kiss. Suddenly two polar opposites get a unique chance at love. But can Clara give up living in the moment long enough to see Jake as an opportunity she needs to plan for? Can Jake alter his well-laid plans to fit Clara in his life? Or will they both let love get away? 

Joey's Review:

Review: The Girl Most Likely

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title:       

The Girl Most Likely                                      

Author: 

Jana Richards

Release Date:

November 30, 2011

Publisher:

The Wild Rose Press

Word Count:

approx. 39,000

Purchase Links:  

The Wild Rose Press 

Author's Website:

www.janarichards.net

Description:  

Cara McLeod, the girl most likely to have the perfect marriage, is now divorced and, in her own words, “fat, frumpy, and over forty.” The thought of facing former classmates—and the ex-husband who dumped her—at her high school reunion terrifies her. Cajoled into attending by her kids and her best friend, Cara enlists help at the gym to lose weight and look great for the reunion. Personal Trainer Finn Cooper is more than willing to help—but does he have to be so to-die-for gorgeous?

Finn thinks Cara is perfect just the way she is. She’s everything he wants in a woman, except for one thing—she can’t get past the fact that he's eight years younger. To Finn, age and weight are just numbers. But can he convince Cara the numbers she worries about add up to only one thing for him—love?

Deniz’s Review:

Review: Pushed to the Limit

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Pushed to the Limit

Author: 

Nico Rosso

Release Date:

June, 2011

Publisher:

Liquid Silver Books

Word Count:

approx. 43,000

Purchase Links:  

Liquid Silver Books

Amazon

Author's Website:

http://nicorosso.com

Description:  

Teryn Pilander lives in a world of secrets. She is a Shadow Corps operative for the Core Army in the Limit War, trained in espionage. Her latest mission takes her to the planet Viela, drawn by a communication that the local government captured a Dusk Warrior Officer for questioning. More interesting than the message, though, is the voice delivering it. A little shy, but deep and strong, the masculine voice sparks dormant fires in Teryn. She tells herself that once the mission is over, she might put her spy self away for a bit and live a little as a woman.

Drel Kol has secrets of his own. He is the one who sent the message drawing Teryn and her team to his planet. But he was just following orders and led her into a trap. Now, the woman he spoke with could be in grave danger. Her voice alone is enough to ignite a passion he has never known. Yet he's only a technician. Can he fight against his own government and the Dusk to save her? And will the new bond between Teryn and Drel be torn apart when she learns his secret? 

Annie’s Review:

Review: Dreamscape

Author submission in exchange for an honest review.

Title: 

Dreamscape

Author: 

Rose Anderson

Release Date:

March 16, 2011

Publisher:

Siren-BookStrand Publishing

Word Count:

approx. 74,000

Purchase Links:  

BookStrand

Author's Website:

www.CalliopesWritingTablet.com

Description:  

Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing—he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life. When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason discovers, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man. Despite its derelict condition and haunted reputation, Lanie couldn’t be happier with her new home, but then she has no idea a spirit follows her every move throughout the day and shares her captivating warmth at night. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side. It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.  

Dreamscape is a reader's Easter egg hunt in the truest sense. Peppered throughout are hints suggesting a story behind the scenes.

Brandi’s Review: