Anything for You by Jessica Scott Blog Tour and Giveaway...

I'm so excited to be a part of the Anything for You Blog Tour!! I have heard so many great things about this series and I cannot wait to read. I am so loving the excerpt listed below!! 

Please be sure to leave a comment!!

Jessica is giving away a digital copy of ANYTHING FOR YOU as well as Shane & Jen’s first story BECAUSE OF YOU to one lucky commenter!
Good Luck!!

  

From the author of Because of You comes an all new Coming Home short story.

Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams.  But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that loving her might mean losing her forever.

Jen is a breast cancer survivor and with Shane, she’s found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive.

As their love grows, so does the risk to Jen’s life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves.

    

  

Here is the official excerpt!

Fort Hood, late 2008
“Jen is going to kill you. You know that, right?” Vic Carponti took a long
pull off his ever-present Dr Pepper. “I think she has first dibs on your balls.
You don’t have exclusive use over them any more.”
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison glanced over at Carponti and
fought the urge to use the physical therapy ropes to strangle the younger
sergeant. No matter how much time they’d spent together training Army
privates at Benning or blowing shit up downrange, Carponti still managed to
push all the right buttons. “You’re not helping, you know.” Shane was
already having a hard enough time trying to find the nerve to talk to his
fiancée about his desire for a vasectomy.
“Jen wants kids.”
“I know that,” Shane growled. He leaned down to stretch, barely
suppressing a groan as the muscles in his thighs protested the daily pain his
physical therapist insisted on. He’d have thought that six months after being
blown up in Iraq, physical therapy would stop being a morning torture
session. Guess not.
“Why are you so adamant about this?” Carponti held up his hand at
Shane’s fierce look. “I’m an expert in amputations, not women and babies,
okay?”
“She had breast cancer. A really aggressive version. If she gets
pregnant and the cancer comes back, the choice comes down to her life or
the baby’s life…and I don’t want to have to make that choice with her. I don’t
want her to have to make that choice. Granted, it might all be fine. She
might never get sick again, or the hormones from pregnancy might not do
anything to her.” Shane walked over to the free weights. His legs protested
each step, so his next words came out slowly, one with each step. “I can’t
risk it. No matter how much I might want a kid with her, I’m not going to risk
her life for some selfish need to feel my baby growing inside her.”
“I realize that,” Carponti said, “but why on earth are you looking at this
without talking to her first?”
“I’m going to talk to her.” Shane sighed hard. “I just haven’t yet.” He
didn’t want to admit he was afraid. Not to Carponti. He’d never hear the end
of it.
“Did you ever think you’re overreacting?” Carponti asked, following
him.
“No,” Shane snapped. “Because I’m not.”
“You just said there’s no rule that if a woman gets pregnant after
cancer, she’s going to die.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve also talked to the brigade surgeon. There’s a higher
risk of the cancer coming back for younger women like Jen who had
aggressive cancers. There’s a higher risk that if she does get pregnant and
the cancer comes back, it could come back even more aggressive.” Shane
looked at Carponti seriously. “I want kids with her. I just don’t want to kill
her.”
“So you’re going to get unmanned and tell her later?”
“This isn’t funny.”
“Vasectomies are always funny. Especially watching a big guy like you
squirm over the fact.”
“It is my balls we’re talking about,” Shane snapped, grabbing the fiftypound
dumbbells. It was one of those times he’d rather not have Carponti
chirping in his ear.
“If a vasectomy is such a big deal, then why do it?” Carponti placed the
bottle in his prosthetic hand. “There’s other ways of preventing pregnancy,
you know.”
“We’ve talked about all of those. She had a bad reaction to an IUD.
Anything hormone-based is out. And condoms scare the shit out of me.”
“Did we have a bad experience with a condom?”
Shane groaned, wishing he hadn’t said anything. “When I was
seventeen, I had a condom break on me. The girl and I spent the rest of the
month terrified she was pregnant.” He glanced at Carponti. “So while I
appreciate that you think me getting my balls clipped is amusing, this isn’t
all that funny.”
“Maybe not, but watching you freak out about it certainly is.”
“You’re so good for morale.”
“You can bitch all you want, but I still don't see why there aren’t other
options.”
Why? Shane ground his teeth and counted as he curled the weights.
He’d read the literature about Jen’s specific cancer. Everything he read
created a little more fear that he could lose her. Shane did not do well with
fear. If the only thing he could control in the equation was his sperm, he was
doing that.
Sometimes, at night, when the nightmares came, it was no longer his
soldiers who’d died in the war haunting his sleep. Sometimes, it was Jen,
bleeding out in his arms. He didn’t tell her that. Every time he tried, the
emotion got jammed up halfway between his throat and his mouth.
Jen wasn’t a random number in a study. She was his heart and soul,
and while she was determined to live a normal life and not let the cancer
define her, every time they made love, he was aware of the risk.
The worst part about it all? He wanted kids with her, too. But the risk
was too great.
“Hello? Candyass who’s stressing about getting his balls chopped off?
Why is a vasectomy the only option for you not to get her pregnant?”
Shane finished his set. “Because it’s the smart thing to do. Condoms
break. Birth control fails.” Carponti was probably about to accuse him of
writing country songs again. “This is the only one-hundred-percent sure
option.”
“You could always be in a celibate marriage with her,” Carponti said
dryly.
“Yeah, and then she bangs the FedEx guy when I’m in the field.”
Carponti snorted and coughed. “That’s just wrong.”
Shane dropped the weights, the muscles in his left arm screaming. He
was nearly back to his previous strength in his upper body, but sometimes
his bones liked to remind him that no, he was never going to be as good as
he’d been before.
It frustrated him that there were more aches and pains now. More
stiffness just getting out of bed in the morning. But he was determined to
heal, so he could get back to leading soldiers.
Because that’s what he did.
Beside him, Carponti finished not choking on his drink. “You’re serious
about this. You’re really going to let a doctor near your nutsack with a
scalpel?”
“Will you just drop it? I shouldn’t have said anything to you, damn it.”
“What? I just want to be sure you’re making the best, most informed
decision.” Carponti grinned. “You’re going to let me see the cut, right?”
Shane just shot him a baleful glare and Carponti held up both hands,
the soda in one. Funny, Shane was used to the prosthetic now. It no longer
caught his eye like it once had. Carponti was just...Carponti. The missing
hand didn’t really matter.
“Hey, so have you heard what’s going on back at battalion?” Carponti
asked.
Shane picked up his water bottle and flipped open the cap. “I haven’t
been in to see Sarn’t Major in a while. I’ve got a meeting with him later
today. Why?”
“There’s a ton of bad shit going on. Iaconelli got in a bunch of trouble
up in Colorado on a mission.”
“That’s nothing new. Ike’s always in trouble.” Shane and Sergeant First
Class Reza Iaconelli had never really gotten along, which was a shame,
because Ike was a damn fine infantryman.
“Yeah, well, apparently there’s a whole bunch of crap going on down
there. Maybe that’s why Sarn’t Major wants to see you. See how much longer
before you’re back at work?”
“Maybe.” Sarn’t Major would no doubt fill him in when he saw him
later. Shane wanted to get back to work. Badly. But if Ike was screwing up
again, Shane damn sure didn’t want to get back just to clean up after him.
Carponti grinned. “So, back to the more pressing matters, are you
going to gift wrap your nuts and put a little bow on them and say, ‘Here
baby, for Valentine’s Day, I’ve sacrificed my manhood’?”
Shane shook his head and tried not to laugh. “There’s something the
matter with you. You know that, right?”
“Sure. My traumatic brain injury is acting up again.” Carponti turned
toward the door as it opened. “Speaking of nuts, here’s my wife. I need to
get mine out of her purse.”
Shane turned to see Nicole Carponti walking onto the physical therapy
floor, looking polished and perfect. No one ever looked at her and thought
she was a cop. It made her a perfect investigator.
It also made everyone wonder what the hell she was doing with a
scruffy, red-headed sergeant like Vic Carponti, but hey, she’d stuck with him
after he’d gotten blown up. And worse, through his incessant bad tricks with
his prosthetic. Shane watched as Carponti kissed his wife on the cheek, then
slung his good arm around her shoulders as they walked out. Shane was
reasonably certain Carponti tried to pinch Nicole’s ass with his prosthetic.
Life was never dull around Carponti, that was for damn sure.
Shane finished his therapy in blessed silence and headed to the locker
room to change back into his duty uniform. He took a deep breath, running
his hand over his jaw. Last week, Jen had slipped her body over his, her slick
heat caressing his bare erection, and Shane had almost died from the
pleasure of skin on skin. No barriers. He didn’t know which one of them
wanted it more—the desire painting her features had been beautiful. And
she’d gotten bolder since then, driving him toward a little death each time he
touched her. No matter how much he was tempted to make love to her
without a goddamned condom, he would not risk her life for a few moments
of pleasure.
He loved Jen. More than life itself. The vasectomy was a very real
discussion he was going to have with her very soon.

About Jess

Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

Oprah has called her. True story.

Her debut novel BECAUSE OF YOU launched Loveswept, the first Random House digital imprint.

She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and is currently a company commander stationed at Fort Hood.

Most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.  

Connect with Jessica at:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Reviewed: Going Under by Lauren Dane...4 out of 5 rating...

In the wake of the Magister’s rampage, chaos rules. Left reeling, the Others and the humans scramble to create a some sort of unity in the face of growing unrest and violence from anti-Other hate groups federation—and ruthless PR guru Molly Ryan is the witch who can do it. She grew up in the human world but there’s nothing left for her there. She’s lost her PR firm, her friends and she’s decided to put all her fight toward aiding the Others in this dark, new reality. If there’s anything left for her there, she’s going to fight for it. But Gage Garrity, one of the few Others who survived the massacre, fears that the crusade will expose Molly to greater dangers than ever before.

Now, together, with magick on their side, they’re on the road in a desperate struggle to unite a torn world. From state houses to television news to legislative conference rooms across the country, they’re fighting the good fight. And it’s bringing out a passion in both of them they never expected—one as volatile, intense, and all-consuming as their relentless battle for world unity. A battle that could be their undoing…

Lauren Dane is definitely one of my favorite authors. I'm always not~so~patiently waiting for her next release. Bound By Magick is a favorite series of mine and it continues to get better with each new release.  I LOVED Meriel and Dominic in Heart Of Darkness and I ABSOLUTELY ADORED Simon and Lark in Chaos Burning (Chaos Burning is by far my favorite of the series and Simon and Lark are one of my all-time favorite couples~Lark has to be one of my all-time favorite heroines~just love her character.) So you can imagine how excited I was to finally get to read more about Gage~who had been in the background since the series began. 

This is where my review gets hard for me to write because Going Under fell short of the mark for me. I didn't feel that spark between Gage and Molly that I felt with the other couples even though I liked them both so much. (Well, Gage did act like an asshat to Molly through most of the book and I wanted to kick him in his junk!! He was so nice to everyone else but her.) I'm not sure what the problem was for me but I just couldn't connect with them. The writing was great as the norm with a Lauren Dane book, so I am sure that the problem is all me. I plan to re~read again at a later date to see if I still feel the same way. 

Oh...Gage...The way he treated Molly and how back and forth he was with her had me not liking him all that much in this book. He would be thinking sweet things about her but instead of saying them he would say something insulting and mean. Which took me by surprise because I loved him in the previous two books and he didn't treat the other characters in the book like this. He was so nice to everyone else. I just couldn't understand why he treated Molly that way. And it took him a long time to redeem himself in my eyes~luckily he finally did. I guess I had a love/hate relationship with Gage. Oh...I LOVED Molly's character so much. She was strong and vulnerable at the same time. I loved her ability to charm people and she was so smart and funny and feisty. I so wish I had her character's ability to talk to people. lol  I loved how she knew exactly the right thing to say in any situation and I also loved how she dealt with all the conflicting personalities. My heart broke for her in all that she had to endure. And when Gage wasn't being an asshat, I loved how he supported, protected and loved her. I loved Fain and cannot wait for his book. I am hoping to see more of Simon and Lark and also Gage and Molly and how their relationship progressed from the end of this book. 

With all the twists and turns in this story I am so looking forward to what Lauren Dane has in mind for the next book. I cannot wait to see what happens next. There was such pure evil in this book that at times it was difficult to read, especially the horrible things that happened to the Others just because they were not human. This unique and complicated world Lauren Dane has created for Bound by Magick along with the interesting and lovable mixture of characters, just blows me away every time I return. And is exactly why I continue to look forward to returning. So even though I was a little disappointed in this book, I was still entertained and so look forward to more. 

4 out of 5 rating!!

***ARC provided by Lauren Dane. Thank you!! 

        

  

Books 1 and 2 AMAZON
  

Reviewed: Drive Me Crazy by Marquita Valentine...Best of the Best rating...

NASCAR racer, Carter Ambrose, has finally decided to take his doctor’s advice and find a new occupation before another wreck on the track kills him. Only his doctor hadn’t counted on his little sister’s best friend, Melanie Ann Smith, crashing his weeks of solitude with her short skirts and platform heels. And that’s not the least of his problems. His mother has decided that she wants grandchildren and the only woman that's good enough for the job-his ex-fiance.

Twenty-four year old Troublemaker Extraordinaire, Melanie Ann Smith, isn’t asking for much out of life: a house without wheels, to travel further than her home state and her best friend’s older brother, Carter Ambrose. Only three things stand in her way: juggling all of her odd jobs, keeping her daddy from gambling away all of their money and getting Carter to see her as a woman.

Soon Melanie and Carter agree to a temporary relationship. One with benefits that is mutually satisfying in every way, or so each believes. And just when they are ready admit their feelings, family secrets are exposed, threatening Melanie and Carter's fragile relationship.

Will Carter risk it all for love, or will Melanie be left holding the trophy for second place?

It's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Marquita Valentine~I simply adore her!! I am always looking forward to her next release and I was so excited for Drive Me Crazy as Melanie and Carter captured my interest in Twice Tempted. I had a feeling that I would love their story and I was so not wrong!!  Drive Me Crazy hooked from the start~it was filled with everything that I love in a romance book and look forward to in Marquita's writing. This book is a perfect example of why I continue to be such a HUGE fan of her. She has such a way of telling a story that just pulls you in and makes the characters come to life plus she loves a HEA as much as I do. 

Melanie was such a great character and quickly became a favorite heroine of mine.  Carter *sigh* His character was so much more than I thought he was going to be and I just loved him. Although, Carter did have his moments that I wanted to smack him but he did make up for them. I loved that Melanie had a theme to the way she dressed and she was so funny and sweet and quirky and feisty. She was so much fun to read. I did feel bad for her over the way she was treated. It broke my heart to read how her father continued to take advantage of her yet she still loved him~I was so glad that he also redeemed himself in the end. Oh...April was such a bitch!! I wanted her to get what was coming to her so bad!! lol Carter's mom cracked me up~she was bitchy and nice to Melanie all at the same time. Another character that I loved was Beau. I thought he was so funny, especially when Carter kept telling Melanie that him being so sweet and polite was just an act. lol Carter being a dirty~talker definitely got my attention and the sex scenes with him and Melanie were definitely HOT~especially the one in the front seat of the car!! Whew!!

I was so involved in Melanie and Carter getting their HEA that even though I knew what their future held because of Twice Tempted, I found myself still a little nervous because I just knew that Carter was going to do something stupid and break Melanie's heart!! lol

Reading Drive Me Crazy made me want to go back and reread Twice Tempted to refresh my memory as to where some of the characters were 4 years later. Drive Me Crazy is definitely my favorite book of Marquita's so far~I just loved it so much and I didn't want it to end and have to leave Carter and Melanie. 

I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED this epilogue and is another example of why I adore Marquita's books as well. She always gives me that HEA that I long for. 

I am so looking forward to Jake's book after reading the short part in the back of Drive Me Crazy. Sounds like it is going to be another good one!! :) 

Such a fun read that definitely left me smiling at the end. Great start to this new series.

Best of the Best!!

***ARC provided by Marquita Valentine. Thank you so much!! :) 

        

  

Reviewed: A Dom Is Forever by Lexi Blake...Best of the Best rating...

Book #3

A Man with a Past…

Liam O’Donnell fled his native Ireland years ago after one of his missions ended in tragedy and he is accused of killing several of his fellow agents. Shrouded in mystery, Liam can’t remember that fateful night. He came to the United States in disgrace, seeking redemption for crimes he may or may not have committed. But the hunt for an international terrorist leads him to London and right back into the world he left behind.
A Woman Looking for a Future…
Avery Charles followed her boss to London, eager to help the philanthropist with his many charities. When she meets a mysterious man who promises to show her London’s fetish scene, she can’t help but indulge in her darkest fantasies. Liam becomes her Dom, her protector, her lover. She opens her heart and her home to him, only to discover he’s a man on a mission and she’s just a means to an end.
When Avery’s boss leads them to the traitorous Mr. Black, Liam must put together the puzzle of his past or Avery might not have a future…

WOW...With each new addition to this series, I become more and more addicted. This is definitely one of my favorite series and A Dom Is Forever is definitely one of my favorite books and my favorite of this series. I love the blend of romance, kink and laughter that Lexi brings to this series and this combination is what keeps me returning. 

I had been waiting for Liam's book since the beginning of the series but I had no idea that it would be so FREAKING AWESOME or that I would LOVE his character so much!! He wore leather, was a Dom, was protective, caring, loving, cocky, a smart~ass, had an Irish accent, HOT, muscled, was a freaking sex god and was the best dirty~talker that I have read!! He does Avery dirty too!(only in the best possible way) lol *shivers* Liam *sigh* I just loved everything about his character and he was one of the best heroes that I have read. Avery was definitely a favorite heroine of mine. All that she went through just broke me heart. She was so funny and feisty and strong and sweet. I especially loved the twist that Lexi Blake took with Avery's tragedy and how Avery handled the situation with the person responsible. Her character was such a "real" person to me in the way that she acted. I just loved her with Liam so much!!

One of my favorite parts of this story was when Avery learned exactly who Liam was and what he was doing. The fact that Liam was the one who told her and what happened to cause him to finally tell Avery the truth just made me love him even more.  Especially the way that he handled the situation afterwords and how he treated her. Even though he lied to her, I didn't have the same reaction to his deception as I did with Sean's to Grace. I thought Liam handled the situation and Avery so much better than Sean handled Grace. I thought that Sean bullied Grace where as that was not what Liam did with Avery. I thought that the love he had for her shown in his actions at that moment. I also loved how Avery handled herself in the face of finding out the truth. 

I loved Liam's take on BDSM and how he explained his feelings to Avery about it. It made me look at BDSM and especially the way a Dom treats his sub in a new way. Oh...the sex scenes about did me in. They were so far beyond HOT!! My kindle definitely overheated and me with it!! There was such an intimacy between Liam and Avery that pulled me right in. I loved how Avery reacted to Liam's Dominance over her. She was so perfect for him and I loved how being with him gave Avery more confidence and how she made Liam want to be a better man. *sigh*

I loved reading more about Ian (cannot wait for his book), Alex and Eve (I think their book is going to be so emotional), Sean and Grace (loved them in this book~especially at the end), Adam, Jake and Serena (so funny and their part in the end was so very sweet) and I loved the addition of Simon (can't wait to see what Lexi has in store for him). 

Between Liam and Avery and this incredible story I was absorbed into this book and the outside world did not exist for me until long after I was finished reading. This book was so funny. I loved when Avery accused Liam of being a prostitute and the reaction of Jake and Adam when they found out that she thought that. I also loved when Adam had to stay behind with Avery while Jake got to visit Serena and Avery thought they were really talking about pie!! I laughed so hard when she realized what they were actually talking about later on in the book. I just loved Avery and Liam and they are definitely one of my favorite couples. I was so invested in them getting their HEA.  Oh...I ADORED the ending!! One of the best that I have read!! SO FREAKING GOOD!!

I could go on and on about this book. It is definitely a keeper to be reread and I definitely need the paperback version. 

Best of the Best!! I cannot recommend this series enough!! 

***Copy provided by Lexi Blake. Thank you so much!!

        

  

Books #1 and 2 / AMAZON
 

Click HERE for my review of The Dom Who Loved me
Click HERE for my review of The Men With The Golden Cuffs

Reviewed: Sheltered by Charlotte Stein...Best of the Best rating...

Evie has lived her entire life under her abusive father’s thumb. He controls everything. Where she goes to college, who she sees, what she does. But when she meets Van—a punk who shows her how different life could be—she realizes how much she’s been missing. 

Van offers her excitement, protection, love…and most of all, sex—even if he’s at first reluctant to give her all the things she’s been craving. She wants to explore this new world of arousal and desire, but Van is only too aware of how fragile she is, how innocent... 
And how much is at stake, when their love is forbidden.

The guy on this cover is HOT but his hair is so strange!! So not Van!! 

WOW...Sheltered just blew me away!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING about this book!! I didn't want the story to end because I wasn't ready to leave Van and Evie. I just fell in love with them, they were such a great couple and I wanted them to get their HEA so bad. They are definitely up there as one of my favorite couples. I was definitely invested in Evie and Van as a couple from the start. 

Evie's character had so many layers~I loved how dirty minded she really was and when she would talk dirty to Van and tell him what she wanted~I love how she was able to shock him. She was so funny, sweet, feisty and smart and I hated how her parents, especially her dad, treated her. I loved how Van gave her the strength to save herself towards the end and how he gave her the safety to just be herself with him. I loved how totally imperfect they were and how perfect it made them for each other. Their misunderstandings lead to some funny and heartfelt tender moments. Van *sigh* Oh...I just loved him. He was so good for Evie and she in return was so good for him. 

OMG...the sex *shivers* Total pantie~soaking scenes. I think some of the scenes fried my lap top!! lol  I loved how Evie was so interested in experiencing sex and how Van was the one who held back in concern for her. 

I didn't think I could love Van anymore than I already did and then he stood up to her dad and I was a goner!! And I loved when Evie went to Van for help after the confrontation with her father and Van was able to convince her that they could make their relationship work. Charlotte Stein was a little bit evil in that scene when Evie was on the fire escape. There were definitely some nail~biting moments for me, especially when Evie's parents came home early and then when her dad found Van's wallet and of course the confrontation at the end. I was so nervous that something awful was going to happen and I was practically holding my breath the entire time!! I absolutely loved the ending!! So good!! Oh..I just loved when Van caught Evie and came over to the fence~so funny!! 

I always love a book that can make me laugh and cry and romance me and make me fall in love with the story and characters and of course has HOT SMOKING sex scenes. Sheltered had all of this and more. There was definitely some kinky hot sex scenes~whew!! ;) I also always love a book that enables the hero and heroine to gain strength form each other and overcome the obstacles they each face. 

Charlotte has such a way of telling a story that I was instantly drawn in and never wanted to leave. I will definitely be looking for more from her. Sheltered has quickly become one of my favorite books that will be reread a lot. Definitely need the paperback copy. 

Just an AWESOME book!!  BEST of the BEST rating!!

***Copy provided by Ellora's Cave. Thank you!!