Book Review: "Secret Crush Seduction" by Jayci Lee

Is it hot, steamy, and melodramatic in here, or is it just me? Maybe it's just Jayci Lee's upcoming book, Secret Crush Seduction!

Adelaide Song wants to be a leader in her family’s fashion empire, but her grandmother keeps telling her she’s not ready yet. Her grandmother keeps treating her like a child, still holding Adelaide responsible for being a little bit of a party girl as a teenager. Now she’s determined to show her what a difference she can make to the company.

She enlists the help of Michael Reynolds, her brother’s best friend and the executive who handles the company’s PR efforts. Michael is also the man she’s had a crush on since she was very young, and now that she’s an adult, she’s even more attracted to him than ever. He feels the same way about Adelaide but tries keeping her at arm’s length for many reasons.

As Adelaide and Michael work together on bringing her plans to reality, the connection between them grows more intense. If they surrender to it, will it again signal to her grandmother that she’s not mature enough to take her place in the family business? Is Michael willing to risk it all for this woman he can’t get out of his mind?

This was a deliciously soapy and sexy book I read in one sitting. There’s lots of steam and as with most romances and rom-coms, not a lot of suspense, but the fun is in the journey to the story’s resolution. It’s the second book in the “Heirs of Hansol” series, but I didn’t miss anything by not reading the first book.

Romance fans, this is a fun one!

I was fortunate to be part of the blog tour for this one. Harlequin Desire and the Harlequin Publicity Team provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

The book publishes September 1.

Book Review: "Shadow Ranch" by Robin Covington

Robin Covington's Shadow Ranch is a H-O-T story. But reading it made me blush like crazy. I don't embarrass too easily, and I don't have a problem with explicit sex scenes. It's something totally different than that.

You see, I've known Robin Covington long before she was Robin Covington, back when she was just a super-awesome, take-no-prisoners, smart, dynamic, funny friend with whom I attended middle school and high school. Imagine reading a sex scene when you keep thinking about the fact that it is written by someone who knew you when you were more awkward than you are now! Even in my own house, as I read the story, this was me:

Luckily, there was a good story to go along with the hot scenes, so my face didn't catch on fire!!

Eli Sutherland is an artist. He hasn't been back to his family's ranch, Shadow Ranch, in some time, not since his mother was convicted of killing his father there. But when his mother dies, and he needs to escape his life in Austin, he starts thinking about moving back home. It actually may be the perfect place to work on his art. And hide.

His remaining family isn't too happy that he has returned, nor is the man he paid to run the ranch, but he doesn't care. When he meets Shep Lockwood (how hot is that name?), a sexy Texas Ranger, he's even more convinced that he's making the right decision. But will the concussion he sustains when another murder is perpetrated at the ranch make him turn tail again? Or will Shep protect him, and help him figure out who is behind the trouble?

Despite knowing Robin as long as I have, I've never read anything of hers before, and I'll admit that I was drawn in partly because of the man on the cover. (Whatever.) Robin tells a great story, one without clichés, and all embarrassment aside, she can write a pretty steamy sex scene. (This is the second full-on M/M romance I've read, and both were written by women. I know some have a problem with women authors writing M/M stories, but if they're all as talented, I see no problem!)

If I had any criticism, it's that it was too short. I'd love to see these characters in something a little longer—I can't guarantee I won't get all bashful again, but it's worth the red face. And if you like this genre, your face may be red too, just from fanning yourself!

"Show Your Joe" makes people grumble...

Proving that people can cause controversy about nearly everything, Joe Boxer's new holiday commercial for Kmart (which I didn't even realize was still around, since they all have gone out of business around here) has been causing people to get, well, up in...arms.

Conservative groups have decried the commercial, and have asked Kmart to pull it from circulation. Some on social media have called the commercial "a paean to pedophilia," because apparently "Joe Boxer isn't worn by anyone over 15 years old, so they must be targeting young men."

Seriously. It's a commercial for boxer shorts, people. Merry freaking Christmas, everyone.

Doctor, my eyes...

So I rarely use my blog as a forum for ogling, but sometimes I've just got to break my own rules.

This is a picture of Matthew Bomer (White Collar, Magic Mike) and Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries) unable to keep their hands off each other at the People's Choice Awards.

Far too much stylish hotness for one picture, I think.

Knockout...

Okay, I don't normally use this blog to ogle, but sometimes there are pictures just too good not to share...

Apparently this is from an upcoming episode of White Collar. Matthew Bomer really is a living Ken doll. This picture certainly knocks me out!!

With allies like these...

Not a bad looking duo, eh?

Former rugby player and straight ally Ben Cohen started The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation to raise awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it. Cohen's foundation stands up against bullying regardless of to whom it happens, although it pays particular attention to bullying suffered by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Removing homophobia from the sports world is also central to the Foundation's mission. (All this empathy and he looks like this. Wow.)

At an event this week, Cohen discussed how proud he is of his work with international partners Microsoft and Nike, as well as Wicked the Musical, to ending the abusive pandemic. And he recently posted the above picture of him and Prince Harry, who is an ardent supporter of Cohen's work. (Princess Diana would have been proud of her son.)

Their aesthetic appeal notwithstanding, it's amazing to see a former professional athlete in a sport like rugby—and a heterosexual athlete at that—take a stand against bullying and advocate for the eradication of homophobia in sports. And it's equally gratifying to see someone in the public eye as much as Prince Harry be willing to publicly support this effort, too.

Hopefully others will follow their example. And they don't even have to be this handsome!

Is there anything this guy can't do?

I rarely gush over people in the public eye, but in Matthew Bomer's case, I'll make an exception.



The White Collar star is not only pretty darn flawless in the looks department, but he's a very good actor, and recently came out of the closet publicly, acknowledging his long-time partner and their children.

In tomorrow's episode of Glee, Bomer demonstrates another talent—the guy can sing, too. Playing the brother of Darren Criss' character, Blaine, Bomer and Criss break out a duet of Gotye's current hit, Somebody That I Used to Know. (Criss is exceptionally talented and quite easy on the eyes himself, but Bomer pretty much captures my attention.)

Here's evidence of Bomer's talent. I'm hoping the guy snores, or can't cook, or has some other shocking character flaw, because this guy really got the lion's share of luck otherwise.