“A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.” ~Princess Diana
Uncaged wishes all the mothers a very Happy Mother’s Day.
Uncaged Review – Brownlow Baby by Katie Hamstead
Brownlow Baby
Katie Hamstead
Contemporary Romance/Sports
Julia Saxon has been in love with her best friend since the moment she met him. The problem is, Lachlan Daniels was already in love with his model girlfriend. But she just dumped him, and on the night of the Brownlow Medal ceremony—the most prestigious award in Australian Rules Football—Julia is determined to win him over.
For one night, she believes she has succeeded, until in the morning he runs out in a panic, apparently regretting their passionate time together.
With the support of her friends, she tries to move on, and even manages to snag herself a boyfriend. Then, the vomiting starts.
When the pregnancy test shows up positive, Julia knows exactly who the father is: Lachlan. But that is all kinds of complicated as he continues to pine after his ex, who has moved on, although, she still toys with him.
When Julia makes the decision to keep the baby, her boyfriend leaves, unable to watch her carry his teammate’s child.
As the following months ensue, Lachie discovers the pregnancy and vows to stand by Julia. The pair struggle through a tumultuous and complicated relationship. When it comes down to it, Lachie will have to choose between Julia and their baby, or his ex. But Julia won’t go down without a fight for her happy ending, whether it’s with Lachie or not.
Uncaged Review: Julia is friends with Lachlan, a footballer who has invited her to a awards ceremony. Julia’s life is about to take a dramatic change. I really enjoyed this this book. I don’t go for sports romance books but this is a hidden gem. You really feel for the characters and get caught up in the story. I highly recommend this book as I enjoyed it very much. Reviewed by Jennifer
5 Stars
Author Interview with P.J. Fiala – Review & Excerpt from Ford
As seen in the May issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your Bounty Hunters series? How many books are you planning on for this series?
I’m currently only planning three books in this series, Ford, Lincoln which releases in September in a box set and January on its own and next April I’ll release Dodge, the final of the three.
Uncaged: What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m writing Lincoln. I love these books and this series. The characters are more salty and they’re different and yet so darned exciting. And sexy!!!!
Uncaged: What inspired you to write? Who were some of your inspirations?
I’ve always wanted to be an author. Trouble was I didn’t know what to write about. Then, Fifty Shades hit and I was in a place in my life where I felt strong enough to dip my toe in the water. The thing is, I’m not a twenty something and a billionaire has not swept me off my feet. Never will. I wanted to write stories about mature people without perfect lives finding love. That’s when it hit me that I had stories to tell and I’ve been writing them for five years now.
Uncaged: You started a charitable foundation called Authors4Veterans. Can you tell us more about that?
Yes, my friend and fellow author, Stacey Joy Netzel, and I both have children in the service. Stacey has her oldest son Cody, who just came back from Afghanistan and her husband also served. I have two sons who have served and been deployed, a daughter-in-law who served and most of my family, father, grandfathers, brother, all have served. We wanted to do something but weren’t sure what. Then we heard about Fisher House and loved the organization and what they do, so we started up our own non-profit, Authors4Veterans, Inc., then set out to work our mission. We gather 30 authors twice a year to donate a small monetary donation and books, swag, comfort items and anything else they are willing to donate. We purchase nice tote bags with the money, then fill them with the items the authors donate. We take them down to Fisher House and they hand them out to families when they check in. It’s a fabulous organization and your readers can check out our website and the generous authors who have donated there: http://authors4veterans.com
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?
Sometimes I do. I’m very fortunate in that I get mostly good reviews, so that’s a positive. I look at the five stars and create teasers from some of them. I’ll glance through the negative ones, and if they’re constructive I’ll try to learn from them. If they’re nasty I quickly move on. No one wants that negativity in their life. Honestly, I know I’m not going to please everyone with every book, but I’d sure appreciate a constructive negative review besides one that is just hurtful and mean.
Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?
Oh, I’ve gotten a lot of emails from readers telling me how much they love my characters. Many mature ladies who are thrilled to find characters they can relate to. I’ve heard from readers who want their second chance at love and are encouraged after they’ve read one of my books. It makes me feel so darn good.
Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?
I love telling stories. And I’ve got tons of them rolling around in my head. I’ve found once I get them on paper, so to speak, I can move on with another story. It’s freeing in a way, to be able to put those thoughts on paper and not feel weighed down by those characters who want to come out.
My least favorite part is the same as most authors, the marketing. It’s draining wondering if I’m doing the right thing and trying to stay a step ahead of the curve.
Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?
If the weather is nice, I like being on the motorcycle. My husband and I are bikers and we travel around a lot. We take a big trip each year (2 weeks) and then we take weekenders and day trips during the summer. If we aren’t on the bikes, I love being with the grandkids. They are such a joy to be around and honestly, I look at those little faces and I’m amazed and what wonderful people they are.
Uncaged: What is the hardest part of a book to write? What is the easiest? From start to finish, how long does it take to finish a complete book?
Hardest part is knowing where to start for me. You only have a paragraph or two to grab a readers attention and I struggle with where that part is.
Easiest, the sex scenes. I love the sex scenes.
Start to finish, if I’m being good, about 2 months for me. I still work part time and trying to fit everything in can be a struggle sometimes.
Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
First and foremost thank you. For every reader who has purchased one of my books to followed me on social media or on my blog, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without readers, I can’t be a writer.
I’d also like to thank you for interviewing me, it’s been fun.
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Writing has been a desire my whole life. Once I found the courage to write, life changed for me in the most profound way. Bringing stories to readers that I’d enjoy reading and creating characters that are flawed, but lovable is such a joy.
When not writing, I’m with my family doing something fun. My husband, Gene, and I are bikers and enjoy riding to new locations, meeting new people and generally enjoying this fabulous country we live in.
I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather, father, brother, two sons, and one daughter-in-law are all veterans. Needless to say, I am proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given.[/symple_box]
Ford
P.J. Fiala
Contemporary Romance/Military
Sometimes the flames of desire run hotter than a mere fire.
Ford Montgomery is working the case of his life. Trailing the arsonist who killed his parents, the former bounty hunter will soon make this guy pay for his crimes. After that, Ford plans to reclaim his house from his ex-wife and retire to his home in the mountains.
Megan Marshal thought she’d ditched her ex husband, until she finds out the lying scumbag stole from a man nobody steals from. Megan has no clue where he is now, but the cartel is convinced she’s the key to getting their product back and they’re determined to make her talk.
When Ford rescues Megan from a burning building, their paths abruptly align. However, Ford keeps secrets from her, and she’s had enough of men and their secrets. Can they work together to accomplish their goals? Or will they get scorched by the blazing passion sparking between them?
Excerpt
Rummaging in the cupboards to find something to scrounge up for dinner he tried relaxing his jaw. If he kept it clamped tight like he was doing now, he’d end up with lock jaw, or arthritis or something equally awful. But, he was irritated that he was here, in this house, that he swore he wouldn’t come back to until it was his, completely, lock stock and barrel. Trouble was, when he tried to think of a safe place to keep Megan, this was the first place that came to mind. He knew it was safe, he’d built it with safety in mind. In his line of work, it wasn’t uncommon for some of the people he had to locate to have angry family members or associates and he didn’t want to be taken unawares. Which reminded him. Walking to the desk in the corner of the living room, he unlocked the top drawer. Lifting the lid on the laptop he kept in there he waited for it to wake up, logged in, pulled up his security system. Turning all the cameras on and monitoring the entire property via closed circuit monitors, he went back to the kitchen to finish looking for something to eat. Tomorrow he’d have to see if Emmy could bring some food up here.
A few cans of soup, some crackers, and some cans of peaches would be lunch. Pretty bleak, maybe he’d call Emmy to bring supper up here. Turning he spied the wine rack, ah things were looking up. Selecting a nice, full bodied red sangria, he set it on the counter as he pulled a pan from the drawer below the stove to heat the soup in. Setting to the task of pulling bowls and spoons from their respective spaces, he set their eating places at the counter. Wiping the dust from the wine glasses he set them in front of the bowls and opened the shallow drawer that held the wine opener.
Popping the cork from the top, Megan entered the kitchen, a soft smile on her face. “How long have you lived here?”
“About eleven years.”
She walked to the french doors and looked out over the scenery. “But, you don’t live here now?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“It’s a long story.” Pouring their glasses of wine. “It’s also temporary.”
She turned toward him, crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. “Where do you live since you’re not living here?”
He took a deep breath. Figures she’d want to know all about him. He didn’t usually share much of his life. Still too much up in the air.
“I have a little cottage down the mountain by my sister’s house. I stay there when I’m not working.”
He watched her move toward him, the sun streaming in the French doors perfectly outlined her body in those sexy jeans and pink t-shirt. Purely sexy from head to toe. He’d bet she didn’t even know it. Her full breasts jiggled as she walked and his mouth went dry. It’d been far too long. Unfortunately he hadn’t thought this through completely. Staying here with her just might be harder than he thought.
“So, you work so much you have a house in the mountains you don’t want to live in because it’s a long story so you stay in the cabin down by your sister. And then you go to work. Is that about right?”
“About.”
She chuckled. “Well, I don’t know how I’m going to get any peace here what with you talking so much and all.”
Turning to the stove, he stirred the soup, twisted the knob on the stove to turn the burner off and filled both of their bowls.
“Vegetable soup and crackers and wine. It’s not much, but it’s all I have. I’ll call Emmy to bring up some food later. I also have some meat in the freezer downstairs that I can thaw if Emmy’s busy.”
He sat next to her at the counter and they began eating in silence. Or so he thought.
“What does Emmy do for a living?”
“She’s a defense attorney. A damn good one too.”
“Is your whole family involved with criminals?”
He chuckled, “Nah, just Emmy and me. Dawson is a plumber and owns his own company. He deals in shit, just not the same kind as Emmy and I.”
She giggled. “That’s a good one.”
“So tell me about Waylon. Why did you marry a piece of scum like him to begin with?”
She bit into a cracker and stared straight ahead. “Gosh damn, but isn’t that the million dollar question right now? I’ve been kicking myself since the first year.”
She sipped her wine and he watched her swallow, the graceful curve of her neck, her unblemished skin, her auburn hair looked thick and shiny and he wanted to touch it. Run his fingers through its softness. Tuck the strands that had escaped her ponytail behind her delicate ear.
Uncaged Review
One of the things I really liked about this book is that the characters are not the average younger adults, instead the author has given us mature, older adults and showing that love can be even better the second time around and just as hot. With both Ford and Megan, two people that have already have well-tuned backgrounds to draw from and can really believe that their less-than-perfect lives have made them who they are today.
This is a book with well written descriptives that doesn’t distract from the story, with just enough suspense, action and a heavy dose of hot romance. Reviewed by Cyrene
5 Stars
Uncaged Review – Soul Song by Mikea Howard
Soul Song
Mikea Howard
Paranormal Romance
Dottie thought she had it all: a successful singing career, a handsome fiancé, and a starlet’s wardrobe. Sudden betrayal brought it all crashing down around her. Those she trusted most played her as nothing more than a pawn. One misstep while fleeing the scene trapped her in another world alone, save a mysterious visitor.
Guatimozin, an eagle shifter, has spent ages assisting people through the realm between life and death, leading them to join loved ones on either side. No one had ever made him want anything for himself until he discovered this city girl.
Forces plot against them and time is short. Soon, their chance for a happily ever after might come too late.
Uncaged Review: If you love books that are about soulmates then sit down and enjoy!
While fleeing from her cheating fiancee Dottie ends up in another realm. Tim, an owl shifter and servant of the horned God is on his way to the birth of a dear friend’s baby when he senses Dottie and crosses over to help if possible.
From the moment Dottie and Tim lay eyes on one another you can sense the connection forming. Their story is just a short and sweet read that you just can’t help but fall in love with.
While this is a very well written love story it also has its sense of danger and adventure, which just makes it all the harder to set down.
In a world of shifters, weres and the complete unknown to a human, can Dottie and Tim seal their soulmate bond and live happily ever after or will something try to keep them apart? Reviewed by Danielle
5 Stars
Catch Up with Beth Carter – Review and Excerpt from Chaos at Coconuts
Beth Carter was a Feature Author in July 2017. This month she is back to tell us about her new book, Chaos at Coconuts, the sequel to the award-winning Thursdays at Coconuts.
Uncaged: You were a Feature Author in Uncaged in July, 2017. How was your experience with the magazine?
I was thrilled to be featured in Uncaged nearly a year ago. This literary magazine is top-notch. I always appreciate the professionalism of the staff, answering questions about my work, the writing process, and most of all, the chance to connect with new readers and fellow authors!
Uncaged: You’ve just released Chaos at Coconuts, the follow-up to the wonderful Thursdays at Coconuts. Can you tell readers about the series?
The main theme behind my Coconuts series is friendship, although there’s plenty of romance, humor and suspense. I love my girlfriends and working through all of life’s complications together. With my Coconuts series, my plan is for readers to laugh, cry, and cheer for the unbreakable bonds of friendship. I also love a happily ever after and page-turning thrillers, so I incorporate plenty of plot twists, surprises, and giggles along the way.
My main characters, Suzy, Alex, and Hope, have known one another since high school and are now in their late thirties. They each have chaotic personal and professional lives, so their weekly (or more!) Happy Hour ritual at Coconuts is their form of friendapy. They tell each other everything and I mean everything! Suzy is a wedding planner who often has neurotic brides and fun, themed weddings. Her son, Jon, brought home a shocker from Europe in THURSDAYS, and in CHAOS, he delivers even more of a bombshell. Alex is a bank marketer involved with a sexy, bad-boy cop whose ex is stalking her, plus she has a marketing intern from hell. Hope is a high school counselor who advises both at-risk and honor students. She grew up with hippie parents, hates her frizzy hair and looks, and deals with a monster tornado barreling toward Hilltop High. In Book 2, Cheri Van Buren arrives on the scene via a limo and paparazzi. The three best friends aren’t sure whether they’re threatened by the gorgeous, wealthy socialite or if they’ll invite her to their tightknit group.
THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS won a RONE Winner for Best Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit and I was named “Best Debut Author” by BTS Books in 2015. Happily, I’ve received over 230 reviews for this novel. CHAOS AT COCONUTS picks up where THURSDAYS left off (but both may be read as a standalone.)
Uncaged: Are you planning on keeping this series going?
Yes! My Coconuts series will be a five-book series. I’m about one-third finished with Book 3. I’m not a plotter, which is a struggle with a series and probably slows me down, but I enjoy being surprised by my characters. It makes the writing process more fun. I do use bullet points for major scenes now and have character bios. Plus, my readers are a great resource! I’m trying to write faster. A few readers have seen me out shopping and informed me I should be writing!
Uncaged: What’s coming up next that we can look forward to?
Last fall, I released a holiday novella, MIRACLE ON AISLE TWO. I love writing Christmas stories and may write another one this year, but I’m focused on Coconuts Book 3 (title not yet revealed.) I also have some non-fiction projects vying for attention.
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]After being a bank vice president and a hospital public relations director, Beth Carter shed her suits and heels and reinvented herself. She doesn’t miss the eight o’clock meetings whatsoever and now happily writes from home in her pj’s. While drinking copious amounts of coffee, she pens award-winning novels and children’s picture books.
Winner of a 2015 RONE Award, Named Best Debut Author, and a 2017 RAVEN Award runner-up, the author’s novels include: THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS, CHAOS AT COCONUTS, SLEEPING WITH ELVIS; MIRACLE ON AISLE TWO (A Christmas novella); and SANTA BABY, a novelette. Carter’s four children’s picture books are: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?, SOUR POWER, THE MISSING KEY, and SANTA’S SECRET. Her work also appears in four six-word memoir collections and numerous anthologies. The author splits her time between her home state of Missouri and sunny Florida where she is often found writing at Starbucks—if she isn’t shopping at T.J. Maxx.[/symple_box]
Chaos at Coconuts
Beth Carter
Contemporary Romance
To most, Coconuts is simply a bar. But for three best friends, it’s their oasis. That is, until everything comes crashing down.
Socialite Cheri Van Buren makes a splashy, paparazzi-filled visit to Coconuts. Secretly dabbling in disastrous online dating, the wealthy caterer desires normalcy away from the society pages. A few girlfriends would be nice too.
Hope’s life is routine, if not dull. The most exciting part of her day is counseling students until a monster tornado heads toward Hilltop High. Now she’s in shock—and not just from the devastating twister.
Alex oversees a marketing intern from hell who appears intent on stealing her job. Her relationship with her sexy cop boyfriend isn’t so sexy, especially after his ex-wife stalks her.
Suzy’s new marriage is challenged by her surly teen stepdaughter, a unique Halloween wedding, and her son’s ever-changing nuptials. If that isn’t enough, the family discovers an astonishing revelation requiring a giant leap of faith.
Will the women overcome the chaos or will it tear them apart?
Excerpt
“Who the hell is that?” Alex jumped off her bar stool to get a better view as a shiny, black stretch limo stopped in front of Coconuts.
Her two best friends, Suzy and Hope, swiveled their heads in an obvious attempt to follow Alex’s gaze. Hope’s eyes widened as she waved a salsa-laden chip in the air. “Looks like we have a celebrity in Crystal City.”
Suzy craned her neck around the fake palm tree near the front. “Nah. My money’s on a Branson entertainer.”
The threesome observed the hubbub as Gus, the flip-flop wearing server, inquired about refills. The women nodded affirmatively without taking their eyes off the scene. Soon Gus plunked fresh drinks on the table—a chardonnay for Alex, a margarita for Hope, and a merlot for Suzy.
Alex concentrated on the entrance, so she wouldn’t miss a second of the commotion as a driver opened the passenger door. A toned leg wearing expensive red-soled heels appeared underneath. Photographers leapt out of the bushes and dozens of cameras flashed. Alex rubbed her hands together. “This isn’t a local. This is going to be good.”
Uncaged Review: This is a sequel that I was looking forward to all year and the author didn’t disappoint. Set after the events of Thursdays at Coconuts, this book hit the nail on the end on almost every level for me. The three ladies I fell in love with are back, and this time the author added a wonderful new addition with Cheri and I really am looking forward to more about her. The author ramps up this story with a tornado, a whacked-out ex-wife and a teenager you’d like to throttle. Add in a few twists and turns, and the amazing friendship shared by these women, and it’s a recipe for success.
Even though you could read this as a standalone, I highly recommend you read Thursdays at Coconuts first as you will get the full-on background of the ladies. I was only upset that the book ended too soon, but the author assures us there is more to come, if there wasn’t, I’d probably pitch a tent and camp out in her backyard until she changed her mind. Reviewed by Cyrene
5 Stars
Uncaged Review – Heart of a Highlander by Collette Cameron
Heart of a Highlander
Collette Cameron
Historical Highlands
Prequel to Highlander’s Hope, Castle Brides Book 2
How can she love the man responsible for her husband’s death?
When Giselle McTavish left France as the wife of a Scottish laird, she never expected to be widowed two years later and left with a toddler to raise. Filled with animosity toward Highlander, Hugh Ferguson—the man she holds responsible for her husband’s drowning, and a man she must see every day because he, too, lives at Craiglocky Keep—she’s determined her son, the next laird, will be raised in Scotland, nonetheless. Her struggles to overcome loneliness and homesickness are compounded as it becomes more difficult to fight the warm feelings Hugh now stirs in her.
Hugh has loved Giselle almost from the moment he laid eyes on the petite Frenchwoman. But as the wife, and then the widow of his dearest friend, he has refused to act on his feelings. He blames himself for his friend’s death. Guilt as well as the belief Giselle hates him, keeps Hugh’s lips firmly closed and his heart sealed. That all changes one providential Valentine’s Day when he risks everything by using Scottish folklore and legend to at last proclaims his love.
Uncaged Review: A short prequel novella to the Castle Bride series and it truly sets the mood and grabs hold of you right away. I’ve come to expect I’m in for a nice read when I pick up a Collette Cameron book, and this is the shortest I’ve read from her yet. It amazes me how much back story and character development the author squeezes into these pages. Something a bit different is the fact that Giselle is French and along with the Scottish brogue, the French words are interwoven and gives it even more depth to the book.
My only complaint is it was way too short. I wanted more Hugh and Giselle. A worthy prequel for a terrific author. Reviewed by Cyrene
4 1/2 Stars
Author Interview with Brooke May, Review and Excerpt from Roosted
As seen in the May issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your Moto X series? What inspired you to write about these racers? How many books are you planning for this series?
Like all my books, Moto X started off as just an idea. I originally tried to convince my best friend who isn’t an author to write it with me, her doing one perspective and I would do the other. But neither of us ever had the time to sit down together and I continued on dreaming up ideas on my own. Well, after Deadpool came out, Axle’s voice came to me, loud and wild. I sat down and wrote all three books in a six month period.
I’ve always like motocross and thought it would be fun to do racers and a romance through the man’s eyes. I also thought that there are great books out there written where the woman saves a broken man, so why not a man saving a broken woman? Tada! Axle and Paige!
There is three books for Axle and Paige, I am planning three more for down the road but I write where the voices in my head takes me and it isn’t back to that little universe yet.
Uncaged: What are you working on now?
I just finished up the second book in a were
wolf series I have been working through for years. The one I just finished was originally the first book, but I switched it up. There will be six books in this series with the possibility of a novella. Now, I’m getting ready to work on a secret project that I will be releasing next year.
Uncaged: You also have a couple other series running. Can you tell readers more about those series?
I have my debut series, My Cowboy which has three books about three different couples from a small town in Wyoming. Emma and Cade’s book is the first one and it is a pseudo second chance romance where Emma’s childhood crush, Cade comes back after ten years of being gone. Faith in My Cowboy is focused on Tucker, Emma’s brother, and Maddi. Tucker is in the military and ends up injured and lost. Maddi fights to keep hold of their love. The third, but not final book, is Loved by My Cowboy which focuses on Emma’s best friend, Libby, and her man, Justin. I had fun with this story. Libby fought against Justin’s advances for years, but things change when he comes home. Each story has a sort of healing undertone to it.
My other series is the Predator Series, also three books, though one is a novella. This series was a complete change for me. I set it in Boston, a place I’ve never been so I relied on Google Maps to familiarize me with the areas I was writing about. The first two books are a duology centered around K.C. and Chamberlain. The first book you get only K.C. and how she fell in love with the Predator himself. In part two, it is both Chamberlain and K.C. telling the story. Both of them overcome a lot to be together.
The novella of the series is called Wildfire Knockout and is a short story between Chamberlain’s best friend, Scott and K.C.’s best friend, Beth. It was fun and light with some heavy undertones to it.
Uncaged: You are an attending author at Wild Deadwood Reads this year. What are you looking forward to the most from this convention?
Everything! I don’t get to attend the side events because I still have to work up until the day before, but I’m excited to see familiar faces I met last year and new ones this year. I love meeting and talking with fellow authors and sharing a love of books with readers.
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?
Occasionally, I will read them. I write because it is my passion and I want to share it with the world, so I try to view any and all reviews for other readers who might be interested in my books. I feel like I’ve grown a lot since I first published My Cowboy and continue to grow, so I hope the reviews reflect that.
Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?
Someone told me once I’m very transitional. I can float from cowboys to fighters and then to a foul mouth, bad boy with ease and that I like. I don’t want to be pegged as one type of an author or another. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but I want to write about anything and everything in the world of romance. Being transitional is something I strive for so having a reader tell me I am makes me pretty happy.
Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?
My favorite parts are the actual writing and formulating a new story. I love losing myself in a different life. I especially like writing in the male perspective.
My least favorite? I’m not sure if I have one. I guess finding and getting reviews? It is so difficult anymore to have readers post reviews and they are helpful to the readers.
Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?
I love being outside in the mountains close to my home. I was born and raised in Wyoming and the mountains have always been my true home. I feel at peace there, especially with no cell service and away from all technology. My family and I hike, fish, and hunt together so I love doing that with them, especially exploring a place I’m familiar with but my family isn’t.
My favorite place is a canyon called Little Horn Canyon. It is pretty, but I remember watching a bear chase three cow elk when I was little and I’ve loved it back there ever since.
Uncaged: What is the hardest part of a book to write? What is the easiest? From start to finish, how long does it take to finish a complete book?
For Moto X, the hardest part for me was writing something that could affect two people in such different ways. Paige and her twin brother Parker have had a hard life and writing something bad happening to children is difficult for me because I think of my own kids.
The easiest part is the chemistry to bring to people together, even though I run out of date ideas. I have a dry sense of humor so humor to me is funny in my books but I don’t know if others laugh at it.
It depends on the book. Last month, I wrote a short story about a cupid that only took me a couple of weeks. Moto X took me six months to write all three books and my secret project will probably take me a month and a half.
Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
That I love and cherish you. I could easily publish for myself and not have a single person read my work, but having readers and fans to share in the adventure and fall in love with my words makes it that much better.
I have a lot of social media pages so whatever you prefer, I’m sure you can find me there.
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Romance author Brooke May spends her days writing whatever her overactive imagination has brewed up and her evenings reading while she works alongside her mom. Telling stories is second natural to her, from a young age she has told anyone who would listen what she had thought up.
Now, a mom of two, she splits her time writing, playing with her kids, and of course, hiking, hunting, fishing, and four-wheeling in her beloved Bighorn Mountains. While on maternity leave with her youngest, Brooke was putting laundry away when she looked at a poem she had written in high school that was framed in her son’s bedroom. That poem triggered the idea of My Cowboy and soon she was sitting in front of her computer with her infant next to her writing her first love story that wasn’t a fanfiction.[/symple_box]
Roosted
Brooke May
Contemporary Romance
Living day to day in a never ending hell he created himself, Axle Ryan’s life is an abyss of torture. Constantly questioning what happened to his life and how he lost himself after two epic blunders until she stormed into his life. Paige Bartin thundered into Axle’s life in the form of a dark, tattooed goddess who would soon rock his world in more ways than he ever thought possible. With her, Axle feels he is finally getting something wonderful. This woman may be shrouded in mystery but she brings much needed sunshine to his soul. But the enigma of her is only enticing for so long. She has no plans on sharing her past or opening up to Axle. He should stir clear of her, but he won’t. Everything in Axle is telling him she is meant to be his, even if she doesn’t want to be.
Excerpt
Prologue
Don’t f*ck the boss. This should be rule number one; the very first f**ing thing anyone tells you when you reach adulthood. Work hard, stay focused, do your best each day, and—the best f**king one—strive for greatness. Yeah, it’s all a bunch of bullshit. All of that is shit your teacher and professors tell you as you graduate from secondary school or whatever university you found yourself at. They should just be real and tell you the truth. Kiss their arses, but don’t f**k them. Keep your mouth shut, and be a yes man kind of person. Oh, and the second most important thing; your education—the degree you put blood, sweat, and tears into—doesn’t amount to anything and doesn’t guarantee you the f**king job you deserve. But the most important is to never, ever f**k your boss, or your boss’s wife, daughter, son, husband—you get it; the list can go on and on. No matter what you think certain p***y will taste like, control your f**king dick. Keep it in your pants. Don’t beat off to thoughts of them in your head; don’t even look at them when you are at work. Keep your nose down and stay focused on the real reason you are there. To bloody work! This shouldn’t just go for us guys. No, it should go both ways. Ladies, you get a job and you think your boss has a fine arse and can give you everything your heart desires just because they’re rich, leave it the f**k alone. I don’t care what those novels you read tell you. F**king the boss never ends well.
It sure didn’t improve my life six years ago after I moved to the States. At the time, I was unstoppable—bullet proof, if you will—and I f**ked myself over. Not only did I put a damper on my professionalism and career, but my ego took a massive hit as well. That’s what leads me to where I am at today. I’ve been with Havre and Bell Accounting Firm since I landed on this side of earth. Since I’ve been here for six years, you would think my seniority would mean a better job, but it doesn’t. Stuck in an entry-level position is just the start of my woes. Expendable, useful at times, but overall, I’m a f**king grunt worker. My education goes to being the aid to my boss, Candy—the very one I f**ked by the way—bringing in new clients to keep our firm going. And let me be clear; Candy Havre is the only daughter of one of the firm’s owners. I’m a legend around here now and not a good one. Think Clinton-Lewinsky kind of fame. The new people quickly learn about me and advance while I stay where I’m at. In a tiny arse cubical forgotten in a corner.
I overlook work functions unless they are mandatory. Every company picnic, Christmas party, or any other function my attendance isn’t required is one I stay the f**k away from. I don’t care to be around people who judge me by my appearance. They see the typical bad boy with my arms, back, and chest inked. My nipples and d**k are pierced, too, but no one aside from Candy knows that. Hell, they even judge me based on my haircut. F**kers. It doesn’t matter that I work hard; researching, providing estimates, and so on to draw new clients in. I help sweet talk them, and then get cast away. No one sees my other side; the good guy who wants to do a good job and has dreams.
Why don’t I leave my shithole job? I like the United States. Don’t get me wrong, I love my homeland of Australia, as well, but I feel freer here. I’m away from my family and allowed to be myself. I love my parents and little sister, but they don’t let me breathe when I’m there. Not after what I went through. My parents are blue-collar workers, and great. My sister, Priscilla, and I never went without. As kids, we knew we couldn’t ask for a whole lot, but we never felt deprived. My dad is a full-time mechanic at an auto dealership in Sydney. He’s been working on vehicles since before I was born. I was lucky enough to spend an exuberant amount of time during my childhood under the hood with him. It was his dream I would do something great with the knowledge he passed down to me, or at least follow my own dreams of becoming a professional motocross racer, but I didn’t.
Instead, I chose a profession no one would have guessed—accounting. What can I say? I like numbers. It’s steady, and I don’t have to make regular trips to the doctor’s office to set a broken bone or get any scans. My mum is a sweet little soul. By day, she cleans the homes of wealthier people, and at night, she cleans a couple of small businesses. She made sure Priscilla and I was able to attend college and neither she or my dad would accept a single cent from my sister or me as payment for our educations. They were heartbroken when I left for the States, but they understood why. At twenty-two years old and fresh out of college, my life was racing with my best mate, Jax, who happened to be an American.
Until my last race.
We ended up in a pileup, which stole Jax’s ability to walk, and I couldn’t live with the guilt. I still can’t handle it most days, and I refuse to get back on a bike. Part of my mind knows it wasn’t my fault, but it still feels that way. Well into the race, I was following the rider in front of me too closely, and Jax was right on my arse. It happens with races; everyone is gunning to get to the front and take the win. But I should have been paying closer attention to the rider in front of me. He was unfocused by the corner, and I was far too close to react when he slammed on his brakes. I tried to turn, but I had nowhere to go. My front tire slammed into the side of him as Jax’s bike hit me from behind. It continued until we were in a massive pile. Most of us walked away with a few scrapes and bruises, but not Jax. I could still hear his screams as we pulled him from under the mountain of mangled machines. That day changed everything. No matter how much Jax tried to get me to realize it wasn’t on me, I couldn’t look at another bike, another race track, or anything related to the sport again and feel the same joy I had before. I tried to push the pain away, but I still carry it with me.
I sold my bike, forced the money into my parents’ account, and settled on where in the world I would go. Sandy, Utah, the southern part of Salt Lake City, is where I decided. Jax’s hometown became where I would hang my hat if I wore one. I helped him through rehab, physical therapy, and when he healed he tried to encourage me to get out on my own, but I still live with him. I want to make sure my friend is always okay. Jax is still part of the motocross world with his own work. He, along with our other American friend, Levi, tell me daily to go for it again; to get back on a bike, and to fall back in love with the one thing that always made me happy. I was too good to hang up my gear. I brush it off, but I’ve come to realize how much I hate my bloody life.
Uncaged Review
This is a different type of book than I normally read, and one thing that was cool about the book is that it’s all told in Axle’s point of view instead of the woman. Even though I prefer third person narration, the author does a fantastic job with this and I never felt like I was missing any kind of information like sometimes happens in first person narratives.
Don’t go into this book thinking it’s your mother or grandmother’s romance book, this is a hard hitting book and there is a lot of swearing. But if you don’t mind that part, which I don’t, then you find a well written romance about two people trying to put their lives back together after some rough pasts. The author doles out information on the backgrounds slowly, but knows when the reader needs to know more. This is the first book in the series, and there is still quite a bit to learn about our couple of Axle and Paige, both together and separate. It did end on a mild cliffhanger, but it’s nice to know book two is already available. Reviewed by Cyrene
4 1/2 Stars
Uncaged Book Reviews – May 2018 – Issue 22 Now Available
Uncaged Book Reviews – May 2018
Featuring authors:
Brooke May
N. Jade Gray
Danica Favorite
Meara Platt
R Weir
PF Fiala &
Tom Leins
Catch up with Beth Carter
Uncaged Interview and Review – See by Lee Ann Ward with Excerpt
As seen in the April issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Uncaged: You definitely captured a teenager perfectly in See with Carlie and her friends. Can you tell readers more about See?
Thank you so much! Certainly. SEE is the story of Carlie Henson, a pretty and popular, All-American girl. She has a gorgeous boyfriend and a mother who lives to keep her safe. Probably because everyone is drawn to Carlie…including the murderers she has the ability to identify when she looks in the eyes of their victims. Keeping Carlie’s secret seems simple when all she has to do is avoid dead people. But when a cheerleader at her high school is murdered and the killer seems to have gotten away with it, Carlie knows what she has to do. With the help of her boyfriend, Dillon, she devises a plan to see what she must, no matter her personal safety. But when Dillon is the one who’s injured in the showdown with the killer, Carlie vows to never help anyone again…until the next young woman attacked is her best friend, Jenna.
Uncaged: What inspires you to write in the YA genre? Have you dabbled in other genres or plan to in the future? What do you have coming up in the near
future?
I have always adored the YA genre. Probably because I devoured books as a teen, and I enjoyed the relatable voice in young adult fiction. Fortunately, as an author, I’ve never lost that voice. I do have books published in the adult romance genre as well, but I do prefer YA. I have sequels to SEE and two of my other YA titles coming about in the near future, and I recently completed an adult women’s thriller novel with my writing partner, Michael Neff. Our penname is Michael-Ann Ward.
Uncaged: You had a Facebook launch party for See. How do those types of promotional events work for authors?
Launch parties are great because you capture the excitement of your readers, who are always asking, “Hey, when’s your next book coming out?” They can order your new book during the party and receive prizes for doing so. It’s great! And, they get to interact with me, other guest authors, and fellow readers as well. It’s a total blast!
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?
Yes, I read all of my reviews. And I love it when readers are specific about why they liked the book, or even when they point out areas where the story could’ve been stronger. There is no growth as a writer without constructive criticism, and I learn something new every day. I encourage all readers to leave reviews, especially on Amazon. Reviews are a writer’s best friend.
Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?
The nicest thing anyone has ever said to me about one of my books was that it helped her through a dark time in her life, and after reading my story, she knew someone understood and she didn’t feel so alone anymore. That phone call from a fan solidified my passion to write. And I love what I do.
Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?
My favorite part about being an author is connecting with my fans. I love reading their messages or autographing one of my books for them (and when they say it’s their favorite). I write for my readers, and they are the favorite part about what I do. My least favorite part about being a writer? Rejection. Querying and pitching publishers IS NOT FUN!! But I am thrilled to be a part of the Evernight Teen and Inkspell families. I have two amazing publishers.
Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
I love to read, and baking designer cakes is my second career. I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my 18-month-old granddaughter, Lilliana Rose.
Uncaged: What is the hardest part of a book to write? What is the easiest? From start to finish, how long does it take to finish a complete book?
To me, the hardest part of a book to write is the beginning. You must hook the reader from the first page, or you’ll lose them. The easiest is writing action scenes. When there’s a lot going on, my fingers start flying. The longest it has ever taken me to finish a book is 3 years (my book set in ancient Egypt took almost 3 years of research, and only 4 months of actual writing), and when SEE was originally titled Beholder, I wrote it in 6 weeks (keep in mind that it has since been rewritten 9 times, though). Each story is different, and so are the timeframes to write them, but I do always keep one hard, fast rule. I storyboard every book before I write it.
Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
I would like to thank all of my fans, first and foremost. It thrills me when I hear from you, and I answer every single fan message or letter. You are why I do this.
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Lee Ann Ward is an award-winning fiction author with a background in journalism and mass communications. She is also the former Senior Editor of Champagne Books. Her love of books started at the age of three, and she’s been addicted ever since. She’s published 9 novels and has written several more. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, singing, baking designer cakes, bowling and dreaming. She’s married to Joe and they have 4 sons whom they adore, and a granddaughter who is the love of their life. They make their home in the small fishing community of Bayou La Batre, Alabama.[/symple_box]
See
Lee Ann Ward
YA/Paranormal
Carlie Henson is pretty, popular, and an All-American girl. She has a gorgeous boyfriend and a mother who lives to keep her safe. Probably because everyone is drawn to Carlie…including the murderers she has the ability to identify when she looks in the eyes of their victims.
Keeping Carlie’s secret is pretty simple when all she has to do is avoid dead people. But when a cheerleader at her high school is murdered and the killer seems to have gotten away with it, Carlie knows what she has to do. With the help of her boyfriend, Dillon, she devises a plan to see what she must, no matter her personal safety.
But when Dillon is the one who’s injured in the showdown with the killer, Carlie vows to never help anyone again…until the next young woman attacked is her best friend, Jenna.
Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
I was five and a half when I realized I could see him. I was five and a half, two days, and six hours when I realized he could see me too.
There was nothing extraordinary about that night. Mom had long put me to bed, and she and Dad were watching an unsolved cold case show on TV. By the time I’d made my way downstairs for an unnecessary drink of water, a picture of a murdered lady was flashing on the screen. No one knew who’d killed her, and the cops had looked for the murderer for several years and given up.
“That’s such a shame,” my dad had said. He was still around then.
“Yeah, it is.” Mom’s words were dragging and nonchalant, as if she were reacting to some lame laundry detergent commercial or something.
But not me. There I stood in my Belle Disney Princess nightgown, my gaze transfixed on the television. I couldn’t move—couldn’t look away. Something about the image of that dead woman struck a chord—her lifeless body and wide, opened eyes.
All I could do was scream. “I know who killed her!” I remember the panic, the way it made my stomach ache and my skin crawl. “I know who did it! I can see his face!”
“Carlie.” Dad picked me up, the exasperation in his voice as clear to me now as it had been ten years ago. “What are you doing out of bed? This is way too scary for you to be watching.”
I was crying so hard my nose was running. “Daddy, I know who killed her! I can see him! I really can!”
Mom turned off the TV and took me from Dad. The puzzled look she threw him let me know she was at least listening to my wild claim, and to this day I’m grateful for her next move.
“Do you want Mommy to draw a picture of the face you’re seeing, sweet girl? Would that make you feel better?”
“Linda, what the hell are you doing? Don’t encourage her.” Dad was pissed at me to be up that late. He was always such a tight ass about things like bedtime.
“It might help her,” Mom insisted. “Something obviously has her freaked out, Patrick. I’m getting my sketchbook.”
It’s the one time I was actually glad that my mom’s a sketch artist for the Pensacola Police Department’s Homicide Division. People describing perps to her so she can draw them never bothered me. But the photos of decomposed bodies—the ones of unidentified missing persons that she has to create faces for—totally creeps me out.
Mom lit a lavender candle to help me relax and set me on her knee. “Go ahead, honey. Tell me what the man looks like.”
One hour and three holy shits from Dad later, I’d described a killer’s face, and Mom had him on paper. I was sure of it. But my parents were convinced I was simply spooked from seeing the dead lady on that show.
Until two nights later when he came for me.
A scratchy hand on my ankle wakes me, yanking, pulling, suspending me in mid-air for several seconds until my face is buried in a wide chest, wider than Daddy’s. Maybe it’s a giant. The stranger smells like dirt and worms—the fat ones in Granny’s garden. Slimy. Greasy. Nasty. I hate worms.
“Dad—”
The man shoves a hand against my mouth so hard I bite my lip. I want to cry out, but it’s useless. My lips are crushed. No sound comes from my racing lungs, no matter how hard I try to scream. His face is in my hair, against my ear. “Don’t make a sound,” he whispers, “or I’ll kill your parents.”
Kill my parents? I’m frozen, silent.
He tugs me to the window and my elbow scrapes the ledge on the way out. It burns and stings. Tears sting my eyes too, but I’m quiet. So quiet. We reach a car and he digs in his pocket with one hand while the other keeps me tightly against him. When he finds the keys and opens the car’s trunk, he starts to shove me inside it. I hate the dark. I can’t ride in there. Before he lets my mouth go, I bite down as hard as I can on two of his fingers.
“Shit!” he screams. “Let go! Ahh, shit!”
It hurts my mouth, but I don’t care. Something that tastes like dirty pennies hits my tongue as he throws me to the ground. I cover my face when I see a foot coming down in front of it, but then I hear a loud crack and the man falls.
“Carlie!”
“Daddy!” He drops the wooden bat and scoops me in his arms. Mom isn’t far behind, her eyes wide and hands shaking. After they call the police, Dad stands over the guy, daring him to wake up, and Mom rushes me to the couch to look me over for injuries.
“Did you see him?” I ask when she brings me a glass of water and tells me to drink.
“What do you mean, Carlie?” she asks, kissing my forehead and stroking my hair, still grateful he hadn’t made off with me and that Dad had played baseball in college.
“It’s him,” I mumble.
“Him who?”
I open the drawer on the coffee table and pull out the sketch we’d created two nights before. “The man who killed that lady.”
She takes the drawing and springs from the couch. “Wait here, baby. Patrick!” She sprints outside to Daddy, but leaves the front door open. “Look at this. Oh my God! She’s right. It is him!”
By the time the police arrive, the guy’s coming around from Dad’s brain bash, and all he says is, “She knows what I did. All these years, and that kid knows what I did.”
Several months later, the scumbag is convicted and sentenced to death for killing Tara Shaw, the lady from the show. Trying to silence a five-year-old had sealed his fate…and mine too. Now we know that if I look in a murder victim’s eyes, I can see their killer. The only hang up with that is I attract the murderer straight to me as well. Irony blows.
So I learned a long time ago not to open the oversized envelopes littering my kitchen table. Those are Mom’s bad photos. She spends hours drawing faces for them, and equally as much time reminding me to never look in the packages. Can’t have some psychopath coming after you like what happened when you were little. So that’s my life—avoiding yellow envelopes, true crime shows, the news, or anything corpse-like for…well…forever I guess.
Uncaged Review
This has to be one of the best YA books I’ve read in a long time. Ms. Ward captures a teenager perfectly, without the overabundance of angst that you find so much of. The paranormal part of the book is light – just the right touch. Carlie could have been me as a teenager, or any other reader. She’s moody but smart, and she’s not whiny, she’s a strong young woman that is loyal and stands up for herself and her friends. I even smiled at some of the interactions with her mother which I’m thinking a lot of readers will be able to connect with.
On to the story. If Carlie looks into the eyes of a dead person, she can see the killer. The one bad part about that, is that the killer sees her too. So she makes it a point not to look, and that’s worked up until now. But when a friend is killed, Carlie will risk everything to bring the killer to justice. With her boyfriend trying to keep her safe, this book will keep you on the edge of sanity – and I hope you don’t have a habit of biting your fingernails, or you may not have any left. This is also a book that is written in first person that is done so well, that I had no problems picturing the places or the characters as I read along – which doesn’t always happen.
A great suspenseful YA that needs more readers. Lee Ann Ward is one to watch. Reviewed by Cyrene
5 Stars
Uncaged Review – Sara’s Last Resort by Kendra Vasquez
Sara’s Last Resort
Kendra Vasquez
Contemporary Western
Educated automotive technician Sara McDaniels drives her truck off the road in a small, Rocky Mountain town. She never intended needing another mechanic in her life, but Jason Cole, Sauk City’s only grease monkey, has the resources she needs. After abandoning Denver, Colorado, with its cheats and liars in the auto repair business, she has no reason to trust Jason, but, after she meets his intense gray gaze, her defenses weaken. Her fierce will builds up walls, ever wary, for how can she learn the truth about him without revealing her hopes and heart in the process?
Jason Cole must salvage his shop from a greasy pit of fraud, compliments of his ex-employee. Hearing of Sara’s arrival in town and her background in automotive, he seeks her out and finds her completely unwilling to cooperate. Her education could get his shop back on track, but her prejudice keeps anything automotive-related at bay. He takes the personal route, discovers the mountains are her natural element, and stumbles upon her more fragile side. The last thing he’d planned was getting lost tracing trails in her wide, forest-green eyes. He holds off telling Sara about his business’ fraudulent past. If he breaks her burgeoning trust, it may be the one thing he can’t rebuild.
Neither of them wants Jason’s business to fail. Sara means to see this through to the end, see if Jason can exceed her expectations. When she discovers his secrets, will Jason’s past make her run again, or is he truly her last resort?
Uncaged Review: Now this was a totally unexpected fun book. Sara is an auto technician. She has one semester to complete of school before she is certified. What she discovered was how the biggest share of mechanics are frauds. They will take the customer for what they can get without realizing they are losing the repeat service. She is looking for one “car shop with an honest reputation which would offer real employment.”
Sara is staying with her best friend Lauryl and working as a vet assistant and at the opening she is on her way to work when her truck breaks down. She discovers it will need a new pivot arm or a tow.
Enter Jason, the local mechanic. She denies having car trouble when she realizes who he is. She thinks of him as ‘the mechanic’ who would take her for an arm and a leg to repair her truck and negating her attraction to the big man with the nice voice.
During the story, Sara goes back and forth with whether she can trust him or not. Jason meanwhile does what he can to find out why she isn’t working as a technician/mechanic thinking she may be a fraud. He is worried about her finding out how he had hired a mechanic who committed fraud while working for him.
Jason tries to get past her defenses by talking and doing things which aren’t related to car repair. He is attracted to her and wants her to stay, but he also needs her help. He decides to do a deal. He will show her the area for the weekend and she will help him with a car where he can’t find the problem.
Enter Cameron, who tries to get a date with Sara then to guess Sara’s real name when she says it is related to an alcoholic beverage. (Syrah) He makes a play for her, but it doesn’t work.
Throughout the book, there is a back and forth between Jason and Sara. Cameron keeps trying, but Sara lets him know she isn’t interested. She and Jason share who they began in automotive repair. It brings them closer together.
As she begins to trust Jason, her world comes crashing down when she finds a box of receipts when she helps a lady who told her where the receipts showing fraud were kept. She repairs the woman’s car, but decides it’s time to lock up her heart and say goodbye to him.
Jason discovers she had found the box of receipts he kept, attempting to make thing right with those who were scammed. He goes after her and tells her the truth about the guy he had hired who was a fraud and how he was still picking up the pieces from what the man had done. He leaves, letting her decide if she wants him or now.
She ends up going to him only to discover, he had solved the riddle of her name and her.
You could feel Sara’s mistrust of Jason and all mechanics while she is attracted to him as a person. Jason’s worry that she is like the man he had hired keeps him from fully trusting her. It’s easy to see in the way he keeps backing off from having her help him. Of course, I’m a sucker for the happy endings.
I loved the originality of the characters and the automotive theme. It’s one which I haven’t seen before in the quick read romances. I’ll give it 5 stars for originality and being well written. Reviewed by Barbara
5 Stars