Tuesday, February 28, 2017

BLOG TOUR: Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell by Codi Gary




                                                                BLURB:
They used to be enemies…

Gracie McAllister has never been the relationship type…until now. After a brutal visit from her happily married parents, Gracie is looking for Mr. Right…not Mr. Right Now. And despite their recent truce, there is no way sexy Eric Henderson is anything but.

Now they’re allies…

Eric has always had a thing for Gracie, but they could never manage to get on the same page long enough to explore the heat between them. When Eric gets the opportunity of a lifetime, he asks Gracie for help…and swears her to secrecy.

But is that all?

Now the whole town thinks their romance is real, but it’s just a business arrangement. There’s no way they’re actually falling in love…right?


                                                           MY REVIEW:

           Gracie McAllister has been one of my favorite people in the town of Rock Canyon since I started reading the books. Her reputation is that she is a love them and leave them kind of women. The town gossip rag has not helped one little bit, it seems she is a favorite to report on. Gracie in true form is fiercely loyal to her friends, no one better mess with them. If anyone dares to cause trouble, Gracie no amount of torture is off the table. It’s hard though because she has so many great qualities that people on the outside can’t seem to see, including her parents. When they decide to visit the last thing she wants to be is single. She had a guy that her parents would have loved, the problem was she couldn’t stay awake around him. So when Gracie decides to find a replacement just for her parents visit she looks all round town.
           In all the other books in this series we get to see the tension between Gracie and Eric Henderson. Eric clearly has a thing for Gracie and isn’t afraid to let her see it, but Gracie won’t let anything happen. From book one to now I have looked forward to any scenes with these two in them because they are so fun! Gracie and Eric have a banter that is beyond reasonable. The fight about the smallest, dumbest things, Eric could tell her she looks nice and Gracie will find a way to fight. I laughed a ton in this book. Now don’t move your tissue box far, because there is a new element to Gracie’s life that will just break your heart, both in a good way and bad. This new element scares one guy off, aren’t you curious if it will do the same to Eric? Eric on the other hand has a huge secret that he only shares with Gracie when they decide to ‘pretend’ to be dating. Gracie might be pretending but Eric wants to show Gracie he is all in. Until that is all the cards from both of their lives are throne on the table. Can these two stop fighting long enough to see where the passion really comes from? You will have to read to find out!


EXCERPT: 

He glanced across the street and noticed Gracie and Mike walking almost parallel to them. The two of them were best friends, so it was no surprised to see them together. He was a little surprised to see Gracie pushing a stroller though. He’d thought her keeping Pip was only temporary.
He was about to call out to them when Mike leaned over.
And kissed Gracie in a very un-friend-like way.
Eric stopped in his tracks, completely floored and unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Gracie and Mike. Mike and Gracie.
With his stomach churning, he ground his teeth, fighting the jealousy that was burning up his esophagus.
They pulled apart, and he wished he could hear what they were saying. Gracie hit Mike playfully and appeared to be teasing him.
Before he knew it, Eric had stepped off the curb and was crossing to road, headed over to them.
Only he’d forgotten to wear his snow boots, and when his sneakers hit the patch of ice between the crunchy snow, his feet flew out from under him. As he landed flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him, he heard the honk of a horn.
When he turned to find headlights barreling right for him, he tried to move but couldn’t.
Please, I don’t want to die with the vision of Gracie and Mike sucking face as my last moment on earth.



AUTHOR BIO:

An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she's not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family.

AUTHOR LINKS:







GIVEAWAY:
http://www.codigarysbooks.com/giveaways.html

BOOK LINKS:
Goodreads:
http://ow.ly/AJia3090N5W
Amazon:
http://ow.ly/cVe93090Nby
Barnes and Noble:
http://ow.ly/CGPb3090Nk8
Kobo:
http://ow.ly/BZwj3090Ni2
iBooks:
http://ow.ly/GQbS3090Nmc
Google Play:
http://ow.ly/BHnT3090No8







Monday, February 27, 2017

SPOTLIGHT TOUR: ROCK CANYON SERIES by CODI GARY



                                               Welcome To Rock Canyon: SPOTLIGHT POST
                I always say I would love to have the power to jump into any book and interact with the people. There are always books I wish I could visit but recently I was introduced to a new town. Rock Canyon, Idaho. A small town where everyone knows everyone and nothing is a secret for long. This town has your older matriarchs who try to remind the young folk what is proper and right. These are also the busybodies that will eventually know all your business and spread it at the beauty parlor. You have the twenty and thirty somethings looking for the love they see their parents or friends parents have. The town is a bustle of people, drama, love, new comers, small business owners and those that have lived there all their lives. Come meet some of the town that captured me and had me reading non stop for a week.
                                                         

Picture
                                                              The Trouble with Sexy
                We start out meeting quiet shy Ryan Ashton, she was raised by a mother who taught her daughter to always dress fully covered. Telling her that future mother in laws didn’t like seeing their sons with scantily clad women. She never wore make-up, had no idea how to dress other than business attire. On the surface sure she looked as though she had it all together, but underneath she was screaming for one man in particular to see her. Ryan wanted to be more confident in her looks, herself awareness and stop being so closed off. Enter one of my favorite people, Gracie McAllister, the local barista. Gracie helps Ryan find her inner lioness and let her roar; attracting not only the man she wanted Gregg Phillips, but others as well. This book takes you full force into the lives of Rock Canyon’s fun family and friends. Through Ryan we meet a good amount of people you see in future books; some start out not in the best light. However just like most people you have to give them a closer look to see there is more than just what they show on the outside. That’s the problem with small towns, people you grown up with only see you as you were, or as you want them too. In The Trouble with Sexy, we get to watch Ryan come out of her shell and become the women she was always meant to be. Does she get Gregg or find out there is another man for her? Why don’t you read the book (novella) and find out.   

                                                         Picture


                                                                  Things Good Girls Don’t Do
                We all had someone in our lives that said at one time or another  “Good girls don’t…” I know I did. My mom raised me to be proper, polite, and dress for the occasion. It was how she was raised so it passed down; I even catch myself doing the same with my girls. It’s not a completely bad thing, unless you use it as a mantra. In The second book we meet Katie Conners, her mother always taught her to be kind, good, never raise your voice, don’t say something you might regret later, and the golden rule. Katie is known as the good girl, she will do anything for anyone even if she really can’t stand the person. When we first meet Katie she is in a relationship that has lasted years. She expects a proposal and has done everything according to her plan, yet none of it is good enough. She gets dumped, but in true Katie fashion she makes lemonade out of lemons, she is the proud small business owner of K.C.’s Salon. She has worked hard to keep her dignity and reputation in check, yet something is still missing…
                We meet a new guy in town Case Trepasso in The Trouble with Sexy, and he is looking at Katie in a whole new light after she stands up for him to the busybody Mrs. Andrews. Mrs. Andrews you will hear a lot in these books, she is an acquired taste as you will see. Chase knows Katie is a good girl, and he is no saint. Good girls want the whole white picket fence, two point five kids, doting husband, and etcetera. Chase wants to have a good time, work at his tattoo shop and live life a day at a time. However no matter how many times he tells himself to stay away he just can’t. When Katie decides being good isn’t working for her anymore, Case steps in to show her how much fun being bad can be. Read their story to see why Chase hates commitment of any kind, and why Katie has a hard time being true to who she wants to be…
                                                                
                                                      Picture
                                                  
                                                       Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars
                A lot of small towns have local stars that make it big. Rock Canyon is no exception; their star is country singer Travis Bowers. He didn’t spend his whole life in Rock Canyon but he did spend enough of his teen years there to make friends and fall for Gemma Carlson. Gemma was quiet, shy, and a book worm, she was shocked when Travis wanted to date her in High school and fell pretty hard for him. They were doing great until one day disaster struck and they parted ways. Gemma moved back to her small town home and is the proud owner of Chloe’s Book Nook. Whereas Travis became a country rock star who never came back to Rock Canyon, and never found out that he and Gemma had a son.
                I know it is a lot to take in, but wait, another non-spoiler for you since it’s in the book description. Gemma and Travis run into each other out of the blue, one thing leads to another and a good deal of alcohol later they are MARRIED!! Ha Ha, that’s right, our sweet Gemma who we get to know in the other two books gets drunk and makes a rash decision… or does she? Could there still be passion, a connection, between these two? Or will Travis find out about the secret Gemma kept and not want anything to do with her? So many questions in this book alone! Reading kept me guessing, hoping for the two to come together, and then wondering if they really should.  It was worth the frustration though you will LOVE Gemma and Travis. Getting to know Gemma opens the door to getting to know her friends better as well, which helps in future books in this series…
                                                  Picture
                                                               
                                                             Bad Girls Don’t Marry Marines
Valerie Willis is one of “those Willis girls” Val is the middle child. She grew up under a microscope and yet couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble. The town sees her as trouble, she doesn’t want the attention but when her divorce goes viral she heads home for some peace and quite. For most people a small town of people who know you is a good place to lick your wounds and move on, unless your past with said town is less then stellar. Val is good at ignoring people and not a ton of remarks are made, at least to her face. She likes her solitude, however this is not the easiest when Val’s younger sister is heading down a dangerous path. Seeing her little sister making a lot of the same mistakes she herself made, Val tries to help. Elle however doesn’t want it and decides to turn the tables on her ‘no fun’ sister.
Justin Silverton is an ex-marine, farmer that has tried to find the love his best friend and his wife have. He knows it’s real, that feeling of connection and has even felt it once in his past. There were a few problems back then though, one the women was slightly ‘jail bait’, her father hated him, and she up and disappeared on him. That is until many years later, they are both back home. Valerie Willis is no longer too young, yes her father still hates him, but this time he plans to not let her disappear.
This book lets you get to know newcomer Val gradually and yet you feel as though she has been a part of the town all along. Justine is mentioned from time to time in other books so I was curious about his story, plus I am a sucker for military men. Justine and Val can avoid each other alright in the town, but when they both end up at a singles retreat, that’s when the fun begins. Justine decides to win his long time fantasy women and Val tries to avoid the one man she doesn’t want to hurt with her past. Both are so stubborn that it was fun to read and to see how their happy ever after would end. This was one of my top three fav’s in this series I hope you will give it a chance and love it too!
                                        
                                    Picture
                                                                                    
                                                   

Return of the Bad Girl

If after reading Bad Girls Don’t Marines you thought Valerie’s past was ‘bad’ just wait. Caroline Willis the oldest and first to leave Rock Canyon will blow your mine. I for one liked Caroline, she is strong, and loyal to those she loves, and doesn’t take crap from anyone. Coming back to Rock Canyon was not in her plans; she hated the small town that branded her bad to the core. No one cared that she had been a teenager when she did those things; even then no one thought to ask her why she had done them. She had gotten good grades, tried to please her father, and keep her sisters close. Then something happened to change all that, her father forced her to leave. There is a lot more to the story however, but I don’t do spoilers, so you will have to read more.

What every Bad girl needs is someone who will not care about who she was, but about the pain in the butt she is now. Gabe Moriarty has just moved to Rock Canyon and he thinks he found the perfect place to live. Then again so does Caroline, the problem is that it is the same two bedroom apartment above the cozy bookstore in town. What are the two going to do? LOL Well shares it of course, and makes sure things stay strictly platonic at all times! Gabe’s past is very sketchy and he wants to keep it private, no one can find out or they will never order their custom crotch rockets from him. No one trusted people with a past like his; this is also why he can’t get close to Caroling no matter how tempting that thought is. Gabe and Caroline are both hiding parts of themselves, and when that happens there is always tension in the ranks.

Part of what makes this story so compelling is we do find out what each is hiding and you want them to talk to each other. You want them to let down their walls and just help one another with their past pain. However that would be too easy, Gabe and Caroling decide they are going to fight, argue, and try to avoid the hot sexual vibes they both feel. Read this one and you will be laughing at some of the behavior, crying as truth is reveled, and scared as there is a villain looking for revenge.
                                                        
    Picture
                                                                  
                                                                               

Bad For Me

Callie Jacobsen we hear her name from time to time, but more as a background character. I was curious about her because she has a big dog that she is never far away from. This for me sent up a red flag that she had some past issues that I wanted to know. Callie is an accomplished woman who works at the local country station as a DJ. She hasn’t lived in Rock Canyon her whole life but she does like the small town. Gossipy old bitties and all. She is friends with the whole cast of character we have met so far. She I started to like in Return of the Bad Girl because she befriends Caroline no questions asked. Her voice and calm attitude on the air attracts attention from yet another person we don’t hear of enough for my taste, another ex-marine and the big brother to Justine Silverton.

Everett Silverton is the local hero, people talk about him in honored soft tones, but the man himself doesn’t want any of it. He served his country, lost people, has is face scared, and had his wife leave him. He wants to be left alone, except for Callie, who he has called every morning for so long he doesn’t know how not to. Something changes in his last call that makes him want more. He is tired of being alone and wants more out of life, his PTSD is a lot better and it’s time to start living.

Everett and Callie are two complex people; they have survived horrors no person should ever have to face. They both live with their scars and yet want to try to live life again. The problem is, the past can be scarier than a pit bull that has locked its jaw. (disclaimer: I love all dogs and pits can be sweethearts, this is just an example.) No matter how much a person wants to move on sometimes they need help first. I loved this book because Codi Gary doesn’t gloss over the pain, or say true love will fix it. She shows that sometimes in order to be in a relationship both people have to be healthy mentally as individuals before they can be a ‘we’. This is very true and adds a reality element to this fictional story. Don’t miss this great story of overcoming the world’s crappy odds!

Picture
                                                                     
                                                          The Trouble With Attraction
      This is a must read novella if you want to know the back store and a few hidden scenes between Eric Henderson and Gracie McAllister. After reading this one I felt ready to read Good Girls don’t Kiss and Tell. You get to know both Eric and Gracie a good deal more in the pages. That’s why this review is so small compared to others I write. If I say much more I will give information away that needs to be discovered by you the reader. So don’t skip this one, buy it and Good Girls Don’t Kiss and Tell so you can read one right after the other!




AUTHOR BIO:

An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she's not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family.

AUTHOR LINKS: