Contemporary Romance Review: First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Description:
A star quarterback and a feisty detective play for keeps in this sporty, sexy, sassy novel—a long-awaited new entry in the beloved, award-winning, New York Times bestselling author’s fan-favorite Chicago Stars football series.

Piper Dove is a woman with a dream—to become the best detective in the city of Chicago. First job? Trail former Chicago Stars quarterback, Cooper Graham. Problem? Graham’s spotted her, and he’s not happy.

Which is why a good detective needs to think on her feet. “The fact is...I’m your stalker. Not full-out barmy. Just...mildly unhinged.”

Piper soon finds herself working for Graham himself, although not as the bodyguard he refuses to admit he so desperately needs. Instead, he’s hired her to keep an eye on the employees at his exclusive new nightclub. But Coop’s life might be in danger, and Piper’s determined to protect him, whether he wants it or not. (Hint: Not!) If only she weren’t also dealing with a bevy of Middle Eastern princesses, a Pakistani servant girl yearning for freedom, a teenager who just wants to fit in, and an elderly neighbor demanding Piper find her very dead husband.

And then there’s Cooper Graham himself, a legendary sports hero who always gets what he wants—even if what he wants is a feisty detective hell bent on proving she’s as tough as he is.

From the bustling streets of Chicago to a windswept lighthouse on Lake Superior to the glistening waters of Biscayne Bay, two people who can’t stand to lose will test themselves and each other to discover what matters most.


My Thoughts:
Yay! A new Chicago Stars book! This is filled with quirky characters and witty banter. Piper and Cooper are both flawed yet likable. They seem so wrong for each other yet so right at the same time. He's a former quarterback with a successful nightclub. She is a detective. He hires her to clean up his staff. There is a  mystery for Piper to solve. This book is entertaining from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down. If you haven't read a single Chicago Stars book, you won't have a problem with this one. If you're already a Chicago Stars fan, you'll recognize some characters. I highly recommend this one. A fun read!


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!
*Notes: some language

My Source: BEA


Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram| Goodreads

Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Weekend 2016 #BVW16 - #Giveaway

Now that I am back from BEA/BookCon, I am finally getting to my write-up for this amazing weekend! Getting home and back into the real world was a major let-down, and I've been busy getting ready for my first BEA. I had such a great time and already can't wait for next year!

This event just gets bigger and better every year. This is my third year attending, the second year with my husband along.

Bingo!

The fun started Friday afternoon with a bingo party hosted by Winnie Griggs,Sharon Sala, Holly Jacobs, Liz Talley, and Lenora Worth. Instead of traditional bingo with a letter and number, they used the author's name and the title of one of their books. It was clever and I was mentally adding to my TBR list. I had a great time even before I won a goodie bag with a Kindle fire and some other fun stuff during the first game of blackout.

Kindle Fire and other good stuff

Later Friday evening was the author Q&A. This is always fun as the authors get a random question that they pick out of a bowl. The questions ranged from questions about writing and books to "how did you meet Barbara Vey?" There were a lot of interesting answers. It was a fun and entertaining time. Even my husband enjoyed it. After the questions and answers, people stuck around for drinks and chatting with authors and other readers.

Tonya Kappes and the author formerly known as Jade Lee

Saturday was the luncheon. First, you stop in to get your goodie bag to see the books and other good stuff in there. We took ours back up to our room so we didn't have to carry it around for the signing. 

Bag room

Books and swag from the bag

This is also the time that you can buy raffle tickets for all of the available raffle baskets. The money goes to a different charity every year.

Raffle baskets

The doors for the luncheon open at 10:30 and you can go in and chat with people and see all of the table decorations. The authors try to out-do one another with their tables and it is interesting to see what they come up with.  I sat at Shiloh Walker's table. She brought alcohol, so she wins. :) 

Shiloh Walker's luncheon table

From the Shiloh Walker goodie bag

The keynote speaker during the luncheon was Eloisa James. She spoke about not being ashamed of what you read, to embrace it and read what you like. She also talked about pouring yourself into your work as an author. She talked about how genre fiction is harder to write than literary fiction due to the fact that, since you know how it's going to end, it's harder to surprise the reader. 

Eloisa James

 During the luncheon the authors each gave away a basket that they donated. At the end of the luncheon they drew tickets for the raffle baskets.

There were so many baskets to give away that it went all the way up to the author signing. The signing was set up much better than last year. This was an opportunity to chat with the authors, get books signed, and buy more books. This was a lot of fun. 

Josie Brown

Sharon Sala

Tina DeSalvo

Tiffany Snow

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Nancy Naigle and Brinda WiLoveBooks (me)

Eloisa James

Brenda Novak and Brinda WiLoveBooks

Julie Moffett 

Brinda WiLoveBooks and Tonya Kappes

After the signing was pizza, followed by game night hosted by Eloisa James and Damon Suede. There were authors that rotated around the room for the games. The first was a game where each table had to pick their favorite book to pitch to the rest of the room. This resulted in quite an impressive list. There was also romance novel charades and a crazy game of Mad Libs. 

Eloisa James and Damon Suede

The Sunday morning breakfast was new this year. I sat with Toni McGee Causey, who was a new-to-me author. She is from New Orleans and had her table decorated with authentic Mardi Gras beads. Author Lauren Dane also sat at our table. The two authors had some interesting stories and it was a great time. Then Jade Lee made my husband blush from the next table, which was pretty funny.

Toni McGee Causey's breakfast table

From Toni McGee Causey's breakfast goodie bag

It was a fantastic weekend even though I was exhausted when I came home. Every author and reader I have talked to about this event says what a great event it is. I already have the date on my calendar for when tickets go on sale for next year. 

Books and swag

I brought so much stuff home with me. Authors donated books and swag for giveaways, and my husband came along. So let's have a giveaway!

Giveaway

Leave a blog post comment or use the Rafflecopter below to win a random book or swag. US only please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Description:
The dead of winter.

An isolated island off the coast of Maine.

A man.

A woman.

A sinister house looming over the sea ...

He's a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

It's going to be a long, hot winter.


My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this one. How great is this first line: "Annie didn't usually talk to her suitcase, but she wasn't exactly herself these days." I love it. Sort of sets a tone. Annie is not looking forward to living on the island, but she doesn't have any other choice right now. And she definitely doesn't want to be around Theo Harp, although she is not the frightened teenager she once was. I loved the quirky characters and the mystery. There is some humor as well. A combination that kept me reading until the very end.


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!


My Source: purchased


Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Description:
Lady Emma Wells-Finch, the oh-so-proper headmistress of England's St. Gertrude's School for Girls, knows only one thing will save her from losing everything she holds dear: complete and utter disgrace! Skirts flying, umbrella pointing, and beautiful mouth issuing orders, she arrives in Texas on a mission ... She has two weeks to lose her reputation.

World famous playboy-athlete Kenny Traveler has been suspended from the sport he loves. Now only one thing can restore his career: complete and utter respectability! Unfortunately, he's been blackmailed into chauffeuring bossy, single-minded Lady Emma, who's hell-bent on visiting honky-tonks and tattoo parlours ... and worse. Lots worse.

When a gorgeous man who can't afford another scandal meets a hardheaded woman who's determined to cause one, anything can happen. But love? Oh dear, that's impossible, outrageous ... inevitable!

My Thoughts:
I loved everything about this book. It is so funny, I was already laughing out loud during the first chapter. The characters are so much fun. Kenny Traveler has fun pretending to be dumb and lazy. He gets suspended from PGA for a scandal when golf is his whole life. He agrees to help Emma because he is trying to get back on the tour. Lady Emma thinks she can escape from a bad situation back in England by ruining her reputation. They meet through a friend and sparks fly, though their personalities are completely opposite.  A cute, fun read. Can't believe I missed this one earlier.


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!


My Source: purchased

Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | Other


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Pictures

Saturday I spent the day in Milwaukee at the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Lunch. This was my first reader event and I had a great time. It was a little overwhelming at first. There were close to 500 people and 60 authors. All the authors I talked to were so incredibly nice. Authors are the best people. :)

Welcome

Raffle

Goodie Bags

Lunch

Cupcakes and Author Goodie Bags

I sat at Kate Meader's table.

Book Signing

Kate Meader

Eloisa James

Dianna Love

Tracy March

Maddie James

Darynda Jones

Sara Humphreys

Elizabeth Hoyt

Tonya Kappes

Susan Elizabeth Phillips 

Ruthie Knox

Sylvia Day

Books!

Swag!

Kate Meader Goodie Bag

More Goodies and Books I Bought

Goodies I Forgot In My Purse

I now have so many new books to read! I had so much fun and met great people. I would definitely do it again. If you want to see more pictures, check out http://barbaravey.com/. There should be pictures up soon. Or check the social media of the authors that were there. Like Twitter. 

Tell me, have you been to any reader events?