Review & Tour: A League of her own by Karen Rock & 2 giveaways

This is my stop during the blog tour for A League of Her Own by Karen Rock. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 1 till 14 December, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

A League of Her Own
By Karen Rock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 1 December, 2014

Blurb:
He was attractive, talented…and way off limits.

Heather Gadway may have been a world-class college pitcher and a top university coach, but she's a rank amateur when it comes to managing the Falcons, her father's struggling minor league team. And when it comes to managing her aggravating attraction to Garrett Wolf, their talented new pitcher. It's going to be difficult enough to make it as the first female manager in the league and prove to her overly critical father she's worthy. No distractions. No missteps. And certainly no romances with players. Everything stands between them—including their troubled pasts—even as Heather's world falls apart and Garrett's the one who's there to catch her…

Excerpt:

“I liked working with the kids today,” he said into her ear, his mouth so close to her flesh that the fine hairs on the back of her neck rose. She relished the sweet brush of his knuckles against the side of her throat as he flipped her ponytail over her shoulder.

“I know how hard that must have been for you,” she said, doing her best to appear cool on the outside. Inside she was a web of conflicting emotions.

“You’re getting me do a lot things I promised myself I wouldn’t.”

When she pulled back, he met her look with grave intensity. “Like what?”

Then came the silence. The long, long silence. Their eyes met until she dropped hers, her heart thumping faster. Red lights flashed. Stop! Leave! Retreat! But her tangled emotions wouldn’t let her wriggle free.

His hand caressed the sensitive spot beneath her chin, and with a gentle pressure, Garrett raised her head until she stared into his deep blue eyes again.

“This.”

Without waiting for permission, he brushed his lips gently over hers. Ohhh…a shiver went through her entire body. The gentle caress melted the last of her defenses into a gooey heap.

His fingers slid along her jawline, and the warmth of his touch radiated past her skin and into her bloodstream. Goosebumps rose on her arms and legs, and her ears rang with the staccato thrum of her heart. He slipped his hand from her jaw to cradle her head. His fingers pulled her ponytail loose and tunneled through the hair that fell down around her shoulders.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes heavy-lidded. His lips hovered above hers, tantalizingly close. The blood pounded so wildly in her veins that she feared he’d sense the vibration. A magnetic pull took over the small distance between their lips. An energy she couldn’t resist. So why was Garrett holding back? Her fingers were wrapped around the back of his neck, running through his hair.

And then it hit her. He was giving her a chance to return his kiss. To show him that she wanted him, and the truth was…more complicated than that. Cold reality doused her, and she leaned back.

She’d kissed Garrett. A player. And worse, a recovering alcoholic who might one day relapse. Someone she could, if she wasn’t more vigilant, become addicted to herself. She couldn’t let that happen.

Scrambling to her feet, she saw the wounded look in his eyes before he covered it with a coat of indifference.

“That was wrong,” she blathered, backing away. “I should never—we should never— We’re not right for each other, I—”

He held up a hand as he got to his feet in his fluid way that was stunning to watch. “I get it. We’ll pretend this never happened.” His gaze roamed in every direction but hers.

It was obvious from the way he braced his body, his tense face, that he was taking this wrong. It wasn’t as though she didn’t want him. She just didn’t trust him with her heart. It was too bruised to take another beating. Even if she wasn’t his manager, his past alcoholism and his uncertain future sobriety were things she couldn’t look past.

She opened her mouth to explain, but his mouth twisted, and he held up a hand.

“Really. It’s fine,” he said, the gravel in his voice denying his words. “Would you like me to take you home?”

She shook her head, wishing his eyes hadn’t turned into mirrors, reflecting only what was outside, keeping her from seeing what he was thinking or feeling.

With a small salute, he turned. “See you, Skipper,” he called over his shoulder as he took off farther down the path, leaving her slumped against the tree in the gathering gloom.

There it was. The respectful address she’d wanted from him on and off the field. Only now she knew that she no longer deserved it. Not after how she’d behaved.

The chaos in her mind cleared. She was under a lot of pressure, thinking with her body instead of her head. In other circumstances, she wouldn’t have let Garrett get that intimate with her. He was a member of her team, nothing more.

 

You can find A League of Her Own on Goodreads.

You can buy A League of Her Own here:
- Amazon (Kindle)
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- eHarlequin

About the Author:
Karen Rock is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary romance author. She holds a master’s degree in English and worked as an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time writer. Currently she writes for Harlequin Heartwarming and her first novel for the line, WISH ME TOMORROW, has won the 2014 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2014 Golden Quill Contest and a finalist in the Published Maggie Awards. The first novel in her co-authored YA series, CAMP BOYFRIEND, has been a finalist in the Booksellers Best and Golden Leaf awards.

You can find and connect with Karen here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Tumblr
- Quarterly Newsletter

 

My Review:

 This is the 3rd book I've read from Karen Rock and I am yet to be disappointed by her. All of her stories are very captivating and emotional with strong enticing characters.

 I really liked Heather and Garrett. Their both very strong characters that are trying to face demons from the past and overcome them.  I really like how determined Heather is to prove that she can be just as good if not a better coach then any man. The only thing that really bothered me about her was how her dad only ever had criticism towards her and could never tell her that she was doing a good job. You could tell that he really loved her but I wish she would have stood up for herself more.

 Garrett was very intriguing. He's a recovering alcoholic and trying to stay that way. He was also a foster kid. I really liked getting incite into his past. It helped understand the man now. Both him and Heather are trying to heal and need to overcome those demons.

 The relationship between them was a slow build up and had a lot of ups and downs. I really enjoyed the ride.

 This was a very light, sweet, enjoyable read with great characters. It could be classified as a sports romance but it was more about the characters. So even if you don't like sports this is still a great read but it has enough information about baseball to make it interesting. Karen Rock has definitely become one of my new favorite contemporary authors.

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of A League of Her Own. These are the prizes you can win:

- a 100$ Amazon gift card (INT)

- a set of signed paperback of Wish Me Tomorrow, His Hometown Girl, Someone Like You and A League of Her Own (US only)

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also comment for a chance to win a copy of the book!

one e-copy (INT) or the winner's choice of either an e-copy or paperback (US)

Book Blitz + Guest Post: Promises Under the Peach Tree by Joanne Rock + Giveaway

This is my stop during the book blitz for Promises Under the Peach Tree by Joanne Rock. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 2 till 8 September, you can view the complete blitz schedule here.




Promises Under the Peach Tree
By Joanne Rock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 2 September 2014

Blurb:
The trouble with Heartache

Nina Spencer swore she was done with Heartache, Tennessee, when she left the town—and her sexy ex, Mack—in her rearview mirror. But when her bakery business is rocked by scandal, she needs a place to regroup. What she doesn't need is Mack Finley reminding her of peach-flavored kisses and the hold he still has on her.

Mack never forgot Nina—not that he didn't try. Yet between caring for his family and organizing the annual Harvest Fest, he's overwhelmed and he needs Nina's help. They can work together without getting swept up in memories and the rush of brand-new passion…right?

 

Excerpt 2

“I know you’re not sure about the Harvest Fest, Nina, but can’t we move forward…as friends?”

She didn’t look at him for a long moment, her attention fixed on some peeling paint on a low windowsill of the barn.

 “It’s a nice idea,” she said finally. “But that’s a lot of layers of hurt, Mack.”

For him, too. Not that he was going to say it so many words. She ought to know better than anyone.

“How does the saying go—shoot for the moon and you’ll still hit some stars? We could at least make a stab at forgiving each other.”

 “I’d like that,” she said finally, tucking her fidgeting hands into the pockets of loose jean cutoffs. “I’ll try doing some of the baking for the Harvest Fest and we’ll see what happens. I’m here, so I might as well be involved. Besides, it will be good for me to get back to work.”

He was relieved she’d agreed, but her practical reasons surprised him. Nina had changed more than he realized; some of her passionate impulsiveness had been tempered.

“That’s great.” Normally, he’d shake hands to seal a deal, but since he couldn’t risk touching her after what had happened the last time, he ended up jamming his fists into his pockets, too. “I’m really glad. There’s a festival meeting today at three in the town hall if you want to go.”

“I’ll try, but I have to supervise the movers. How about I copy off your notes instead?” She arched an eyebrow at him before heading into the shadows of the barn. “Just like in high school.”

“Suit yourself. If I could copy off someone else’s notes, believe me, I’d ditch this committee gathering, too. But if you’re not going to be there, you should set up some appointments to talk to some of the local restaurant owners to see how they can contribute.” He followed her into the cool, musty depths of the barn. “I’m supposed to be meeting a couple of guys here who will be picking up the wagons. We can pull them out when they get here.”

“Okay.” She stalked to the back of one wagon, and leaned down to check a tire. “I just wanted to make sure there aren’t any flats. I’m sure there’s an air compressor here somewhere—”

“We’ll be fine.” As much as he wanted to patch up their relationship, he wasn’t ready to test it in the confines of a dark barn just yet.

He still saw that pink bra strap when he closed his eyes.

“Okay.” She straightened. “If anyone comes to the house I’ll send them back here.”

“The kid who cuts your grandmother’s grass is one of the people I’m expecting. Ethan Brady.”

“Right.” She snapped her fingers. “I met him this morning. He was going to pick peaches after he mowed the lawn, so I’m guessing he’s in the orchard.”

Peaches. Orchard.

Mack was right back on a blanket beneath the stars on a long, hot summer night. He closed his eyes to shut out the mental images of their first time together, but new images crowded with the old ones.

Nina’s throaty laugh. The pink strap. Her flushed cheeks when she remembered the day they’d fooled around in that little vacant apartment…

“Mack?” Her voice was close to his ear.

He opened his eyes. Shook his head.

“Are you okay?” She stood just a couple of feet away.

It was dark and hard to see in the barn, but she was close enough that he could smell the fragrance of her shampoo.

“I’m fine.” His voice was a heavy rasp of sound, his heart thudding in his chest. “Allergies,” he explained. “From the hay.”

“Oh.” She stepped away, the delicate curve of her bare collarbone still close enough he could have cupped her shoulder there. “Maybe we should step out of the barn.”

“Good idea.” He stalked away from her toward the sunlight, needing to breathe air that didn’t carry a hint of her fragrance.

Or ripe fruit.

Had he really told her they should try to be friends? Damn, but coming home had messed with his head.

“Hey, isn’t that the boy you were looking for?” Nina stretched an arm out, pointing toward the south with one long, bare arm. “Ethan?”

Mack followed her gaze and saw a hint of a blue shirt between the trees in the orchard beyond the field.

“Probably.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’ll shoot him a text and remind him to meet me over here.”

She nodded absently, her eyes still on the figure in the distance.

“It’s been years since I picked peaches.” Her words hung in the air.

A gauntlet dropped.

His gaze went to hers, but her gray eyes gave away nothing. Did she realize she was killing him?

His fingers froze, hovering above the screen of his phone while he wrestled with how to respond to that.

But then, her eyes slid toward him. A sly smile curved her full lips. She turned on her heel and sauntered away.

Damn. Her.

This friendship thing was going to be the death of him.

 

Deleted Scenes– Promises Under the Peach Tree

 

It’s always a big undertaking to start a new book. And it was particularly intimidating for me to write the opening of Promises Under the Peach Tree since it’s my first book in a new-to-me Harlequin series, Superromance. I’ve read Superromance for years and I brushed up all the more before I began writing. I devoured tons of Sarah Mayberry (so hard to read just one…) and pulled out my favorite books by Liz Talley, whose voice I’ve always adored. I savored reads from friends Anna Sudgen and Colleen Collins. And while I felt like I’d learned more about the line, I still worried about getting the sound just right.

Have you ever had the experience where you just try too darn hard? That was my first—never to be seen—approach to my story. I wrote a scene where the heroine leaves her job. I wrote a scene where the heroine thinks about moving. I wrote a scene where we learn about the hero and heroine’s past together. Thankfully, I have a brilliant critique partner (Catherine Mann of SHELTER ME fame… great book!) who read my initial attempts, told me to cut most of it, then circled a paragraph two chapters into the story and said “the book starts here.” Well, of course it did. I made a total rookie mistake! Writers often “over-write” the openings to stories because we’re getting to know the characters. It’s work that needs to be done but it should be done in our minds and not on the paper.

I read Cathy’s notes and knew what she meant. She has a knack for being right, particularly when it comes to my storytelling, which she seems to understand better than I do. For example, whenever I’m floundering about during the black moment of a story, she articulates exactly the right thing that should happen next in my book. I weep with gratitude while she insists, “it was right there the whole time!” Obviously, I love her to no end. Not only do I get the story right because of her sage advice, but she lets me think I had a hand in it.

But I digress. With a new sense of purpose, I was able to rework the opening of Promises Under the Peach Tree into the story I really wanted to tell. Once I had that nailed down, I was off and running. I fell in love with the whole town of Heartache, Tennessee and had so much fun meeting all the people who live and love there. Nina’s grandmother stole my heart. I wanted to write more about the local salon, the sexy mayor, and Mack Finley’s whole family.

There will be a follow up Heartache book… two, actually. The next one is slated for April 2015 and stars Max’s sister, Erin. I hope you’ll join me for the new series and spend some time with my friends in Heartache.

 

 You can find Promises Under the Peach Tree on Goodreads

You can buy Promises Under the Peach Tree here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Books A Million
- IndieBound
- iBooks

About the Author:
Three-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock never met a romance subgenre she didn't enjoy. The author of over sixty romances from contemporary to medieval historical, Joanne dreams of one day penning a book for every Harlequin series. A former Golden Heart recipient, she has won numerous awards for her stories.

Learn more about Joanne's imaginative Muse by visiting her online:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Pinterest
- Instagram
- Amazon page
- Google +
- Tumblr
- Youtube
- Joanne Rock’s Romance Wiki

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Promises Under the Peach Tree, with one US only and one international prize! These are the prizes you can win:
- Romance and More prize pack, which includes 4 classic blaze title by Joanne Rock, The Sweet Spot by Stephanie Evanovich, a keepsake vintage Harlequin notebook, sticky-note weekly calendar, lotion and nail polish (US only)
- Paperbacks from The Bookdepository of Shelter Me by Catherine Mann, Someone Like You by Karen Rock and Promises Under the Peach Tree by Joanne Rock (International)

You can enter the giveaway below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: My Secret Fantasies by Joanne Rock

My Secret Fantasies
By Joanne Rock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: December 17, 2013

Blurb:
Joanne Rock’s MY SECRET FANTASIES is her second “Forbidden Fantasies” release for Harlequin’s Blaze miniseries. MY DOUBLE LIFE (Harlequin Blaze 5/13), her first, is a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award nominee. Both books are told from a first-person heroine perspective, while the hero’s point of view remains in the more traditional third person. We fall in love with the hero right along with the heroine! The heroes of the two books are brothers, but the stories read well as stand-alones.

Fantasy come to life...
All I wanted was to escape the media frenzy I left behind in L.A. and open a cute little shop on the Sonoma Coast. Simple, right? But Damien Fraser—the hunky property owner—isn’t exactly thrilled about my reality-TV-star status. Still, I’m pretty sure that all he needs is a little creative convincing...and I’ve learned I can be very creative.
I started writing a naughty novel, and with every sexy scene I write, things between me and Damien get really hot. Now the hero in my book is starting to look more and more like Damien, and I’m well on my way to becoming my brazen sexpot heroine. But when my real life and my fictional life collide, my fantasies just might cost me all of my dreams....

You can find My Secret Fantasies on Goodreads

You can buy My Secret Fantasies here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo

Excerpt:
….So when the door of the oversized pickup opened with a squeak, I looked.
And saw the hottest guy ever emerge.
Now, maybe it was the heat that seemed to spotlight this hunky slab of muscle and manhood as he stood beside the open door of the truck. He glistened with sweat despite a temperature that probably only reached the mid sixties. He took the tail of a well-worn t-shirt and used it to mop his forehead.
In that moment, his abs were exposed to my dazed, spellbound eye. He was pin-up sexy. Lean and taut, he looked like he’d pulled about two million inverted push-ups to achieve so much delicious definition in that six-pack. Better yet, he was tanned bronze and I felt like I’d been given a VIP pass to the hottest show on earth.
What a gift in an otherwise hellacious day. My heroine Shaelynn couldn’t have done any better.
“Are you Miranda Cortland?”
I shook my head to clear it of fantasies that grew more explicit by the minute. The demi-god across the road did not just talk to me.
I realized I’d stopped to stare and felt just the slightest twinge of embarrassment to be caught in the act.
Giving him a lopsided smile, I told myself to get moving. Then realized he’d somehow known my name.
“Excuse me?” I had to shout since two cars barreled by in either direction.
“Are you Miranda?” he asked, his deep voice carrying easily over the distance. He slammed his door shut and jogged closer.
To me.
I blinked. Confused. Dry-mouthed.
Because now that I saw the guy’s face, he was a whole lot more than just hot abs. Streaked with sweat and a light coating of dust, he looked like a local laborer in his t-shirt and jeans. Although- knowing good clothes when I saw them from years of shopping vintage- I realized he wore very good clothes. Those boots and jeans were both out of my price range.
“Lady, are you okay?” He was now just a few feet away.
Hazel eyes narrowed in concern, he stood a good six inches taller than me. His dark hair was close cropped and matched the dark stubble sprinkled along his jaw. Wicked cheekbones made him look a bit Native American. A prominent blade of a nose and full lips only added to his appeal.
I remembered the words I’d written to describe the hero of my book. An arresting face. Strong. Handsome.
“I’m fine,” I said with a bit too much enthusiasm. What I meant to say, actually, is “you’re fine.” But he stared at me like I might have mental health issues, so I struggled to pull myself out of the sexy-man-induced delirium. He looked like the hero I’d dreamed up before I even laid eyes on this guy. “That is, I broke down a few miles back, but I don’t think I’m far from my destination.”
Belatedly, I realized I should have asked to borrow his cell phone. Or truck. Or his body. Then again, maybe I’d been spending too much time daydreaming up plot points for my sexy secret novel…

About the Author:
Joanne Rock fell in love with reading at a young age and stayed out of trouble- mostly- as a teen thanks to long stints at her local library where she routinely checked out as many books as a bicycle basket would carry. She still pronounces all the names of the Greek gods incorrectly because she learned them through reading- a small price to pay for the vast amount of knowledge she gained from books! She started writing when the voices in her head kept her awake at night, demanding she tell their stories. A successful romance author and former Golden Heart winner, she’s penned dozens of books for a variety of Harlequin series and has been nominated for the prestigious RITA award three times. Her work is reprinted around the globe and has been translated into twenty different languages. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s cheering on her three sons in sporting endeavors of every variety.

You can find and contact Joanne here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Pinterest
- Tumblr
- Amazon author page

My review:
  I received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Loved this book! It was very fast and fun. Miranda is such a spunky fun character. She's very relatable. She ran from home at 18 to become an actress but realized that's not what she really wanted to do. She more just wanted something exotic and to escape her horrible family and ex. Her passion was working at a tea room with her best friend. She wanted to open her own shop and decided to use the winnings from the reality show gusty girl.
 Damien wants to keep out of the spotlight since that's where he grew up. He's all set to sell a spot on his farm to Miranda until he realizes that she was on a tv show and doesn't want the media that would follow her. He soon realizes that she doesn't want the attention and starts falling for her.
 The chemistry between the two was very steamy. I loved how he let her call the shots on how fast they moved since she was hurt so badly by her ex. He was very protective of her and wanted to help her heal. 
 Definitely recommend if looking for a fun fast read.