Covers to Covet

Agave Kiss

by Ann Aguirre

(Corine Solomon # 5)

Available March 2013

Calculated in Death

by J.D. Robb

(In Death # 36)

On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn't seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. . .

Available February 26, 2013

Apollyon

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Covenant # 4)

Available April 9, 2013

Last Blood

by Kristen Painter

(House of Comarre # 5)

Available 2013



Thrill Ride
by Julie Ann Walker
(Black Knights Inc # 4)

HE’S GONE ROGUE

Ex-Navy SEAL Rock Babineaux’s job is to get information,
and he’s one of the best in the business. Until something goes
horribly wrong and he’s being hunted by his own government. Even
his best friends at the covert special-ops organization Black Knights Inc.
aren’t sure they can trust him. He thinks he can outrun them all,
but his former partner—a curvy bombshell who knows
just how to drive him wild—refuses cut him loose.

SHE WON’T BACK DOWN

Vanessa Cordova hasn’t been the team’s communication specialist
very long, but she knows how to read people—no way is Rock guilty of murder.
And she’ll go to hell and back to help him prove it. Sure, the sexy Cajun
has his secrets, but there’s no one in the world she’d rather have by her side
in a tight spot. Which is good, because they’re about to get very tight…

Available April 2013

ARC Review: Rev it Up by Julie Ann Walker

Rev it Up

by Julie Ann Walker

(Black Knights Inc # 3)

REV IT UP starts up pretty much where IN RIDES TROUBLE left off.  Jake "the Snake" Sommers has come back with one goal in mind, to get back the woman he loves.  That would be Michelle Carter, Shell, whom we met in the previous book and now know she's Frank's sister.

Lets start with my favorite trait.  Jake was determined to win her back.  He knew it wouldn't be easy, he knew he messed up royally in the past, but he's come to the realization that life is nothing without her.  Even though she had married his best friend.  Even though now she raising a son by herself after Preacher died.  Talk about loving someone when you are willing to jump feet first into a relationship with that much baggage.  Not to mention the fact that your ex-boss is her brother and might kick your ass if you hurt her again.

So now that you can probably tell I have a bit of a crush on Jake because he's the man every woman wants, then let me tell you his one flaw.  The Hawaiian shirts.  It was painful to read how he dressed!!!  The man needs a makeover, badly.  Leave him with me for about a week and we can take care of the problem.

Shell was a very strong heroine, she's gone through a lot by herself but I felt that she really didn't have to and should've been able to communicate more with Jake in the past.  Me being the good little detective that I am, I figured out what was going on there from the very beginning.

Shell and Jake as a couple were great though, they were passionate and they cared for each other.  And yes, they revved me up!  

Now the suspense element of this story was great.  The big bad guy from the first book reappears and wants the Black Knights dead.  He also develops a sick crush on Shell and goes after her.  Jake then has to protect her while the rest of the team are looking for the hired guns that are trying to kill them.  So there's a lot of thrilling action to keep you going.

Then there's the side romance.  We are introduced to the next couple, Rock and Vanessa.  They are teamed up while looking for the killers and all kinds of sparks were flying there.  I am really looking forward to seeing him fall hard!

My favorite in the series so far.

*ARC provided by netgalley

Purchase Links: Amazon

Interview and Giveaway with Julie Ann Walker

Maidens, we are so excited to have the lovely, funny and talented up and coming author Julie Ann Walker.  She's taken the romantic suspense world up by storm in the past few months and shot straight to the top authors list for most of us.  Please help us welcome her to UTC today as we get to pick her brain a bit.

Thanks for stopping by UTC! First, let's get to know you a little better! Who is Julie Ann Walker? Tell us five interesting things about yourself that readers wouldn't know.

Thank you so much for having me! I'm so pleased to be here! And I have to find five interesting things? Geez, right out of the chute with a hard one, huh? Okay, lets' see...

1. I have a fetish for red and/or black shoes... and clothes... and hats...
2. I was a math teacher before becoming a writer.
3. I was born and raised in Oklahoma riding horses, baling hay, and catchin' crawdads in the crick - otherwise known as the creek
4. I hiked the Great Wall of China - well, part of it.
5. I almost died in an erupting volcano.

You want to know the story behind that last one, right? Another time. Ha! That's what we authors like to call "a hook." :-)

Combining in an intoxicating mix of alpha men, humor and hot rides, you've really put all my favorite things together! How did the idea of the Black Knight Inc series come to be?

I volunteer at the USO, so I see a lot service men and woman. And their courage and sacrifice definitely inspired me to tell their stories. That's the genesis of the military aspect of my series. As far as the motorcycle thing goes, I just thought to myself what's sexier than a man in uniform? The answer I came up with was the bad-boy, leather-clad biker. I took a little from column A, a lot from column B, stirred until frothy, and voila! Black Knights Inc.!

Could you please describe the following characters in three words each?

Nate "Ghost" Weller: Wounded, Solemn, Aloof
Becky "Rebel" Reichert: Audacious, Rambunctious, Tomboy
Jake "The Snake" Sommers: Soulful, Brave, Ardent
Frank "The Boss" Knight: Bold, Confident, Commander

REV IT UP (coming October 2012) opens with some pretty emotional stuff. What would you say is the most difficult part of writing this particular book? 

Well, without giving too much away, Jake is dealing with PSD and fighting the same kinds of inner demons MANY soldiers face. In order to get inside his head, in order to understand the how and why he could do some of the things he did, I read first-hand accounts of soldiers who'd experienced much of the things I had my character, Jake, experience. Believe me, it was a harrowing process. It humbled me and left me with a better understanding of what it means to be a soldier.

Of ANY book character, who would you want to have a date with? 

Hands down, that'd be Ozzie, the Black Knights' resident techno-geek. He's just so irreverent and funny. And he's prone to referencing song lyrics and movie quotes, which is right up my alley. I'm a total pop-culture junkie.

And which female character in ANY book would you take out for a drink? 

Becky "Rebel" Reichert is my kind of girl... a take charge, take-no-guff, get a little tipsy and dance your ass off kind of girl. ;-)

Were there any particular writers that influenced your craft or your desire to be a writer? 

I have eclectic taste when it comes to reading, but I like John Grisham's ability to twist a plot, Stephen King is genius at making you FEEL what the character is feeling, and Sandra Brown writes some of the most complicated heroes in the genre.

If you only had twenty dollars in your purse, what would you buy? 

Coffee, coffee, and then another coffee.

Quick Fire
What was the last movie you watched? The Big Lebowski - watched it for the 1000th time last night with the hubs. "That rug... it really ties the room together."
What is the last book you read? Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson
Morning person or Night Owl? Don't talk to me before 9AM or I'll clock you over the head with my coffee mug.

What's next for Julie Ann Walker? 

I'm putting the finishing touches on the fourth book in the series. It'll debut in April and it's the story of Richard "Rock" Babineaux, the super-sexy ragin' Cajun, and Vanessa Cordero, BKI's communications specialist. It's set in the jungles of Costa Rica and it... is... so... steamy. Even if I do say so myself!

IN RIDES TROUBLE BY JULIE ANN WALKER – IN STORES SEPTEMBER 2012

Black Knights Inc.—Behind the facade of their tricked–out motorcycle shop is an elite special ops team assigned the jobs too hot for anyone else to handle.

Rebel With A Cause...

Becky "Rebel" Reichert never actually goes looking for trouble. It just has a tendency to find her. Like the day Frank Knight showed up at her door, wanting to use her motorcycle shop as a cover for his elite special ops team. But Becky prides herself on being able to hang with the big boys - she can weld, drive, and shoot just as well as any of them.

Man With A Mission...

Munitions, missiles, and mayhem are Frank's way of life. The last thing the ex-SEAL wants if for one brash blonde to come within fifty feet of anything that goes boom. Yet it's just his rotten luck when she ends up in a hostage situation at sea. Come hell or high water, he will get her back - whether she says she needs him or not.

READ OUR REVIEW

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deep in the heart of the Windy City, a keyboard, a carafe of coffee, and an ever-patient husband, keep Julie Ann grounded as her imagination flies high. Look for the first and third books in her fast-paced series: Hell On Wheels (August 2012) and Rev It Up (October 2012). For more information, please visit www.julieannwalker.com or follow her on Facebook www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor or Twitter @JAWalkerAuthor.

Ms. Walker has a signed copy of both HELL ON WHEELS and IN RIDES TROUBLE. That means we will have two winners!  Each will get one of the books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: In Rides Trouble by Julie Ann Walker

In Rides Trouble

by Julie Ann Walker

(Black Knights Inc # 2)

I started this book knowing I was giong to enjoy it more than the first one by the characters alone, and they didn't disappoint.  Becky and Frank live up to their full potential in IN RIDES TROUBLE and even give us what I would consider a fun plot.  Because I just can't take pirate themes too seriously. =)

At the end of book one Becky had decided it was time for her to leave the Black Knights because she didn't think Frank could deal with letting her work on cases.  While she's vacationing with her best friend, their boat gets attacked by pirates and she's being held for ransom.  When the rescue finally comes, things get ugly before they get better and leave a hurt and traumatized pirate with nothing on his mind but revenge against Becky.

Frank has a lot of things to deal with in this book.  The age difference is a big one for him.  Then there's the fact that he doesn't see himself as good enough anymore.  He's too tough, rough, hurt and useless at times.  But it gets to the point that the things he wants to do to Becky can't be denied any longer, especially when she's clearly offering.

My one complaint about Frank was his whole relationship that he kept hidden out of town.  For a good part of the book I actually thought there could be a woman there he was going to see and I was starting to get upset about it.  I just wished there would've been a hint as to the nature of that relationship beforehand to us, the readers.

Becky, well, what can i say?  I do a tough woman and she is one as much as I think I could ever be one if put in her shoes and with her knowledge.  She's still girly even when she's fixing bikes.  She knws how to defend herself.  But on the inside she's only looking for Frank's attention.

A surprisingly sweet story to read.  Now I can't wait for the next one, since we got a major tease of the characters that will feature in that one and I can alreayd say I like them!

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon

ARC Review: Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker

3.5 Feathers

Hell on Wheels

by Julie Ann Walker

(Black Knights, Inc # 1)

I must seriously be the odd one out.  Everyone has absolutely loved this book and although I enjoyed it, I didn't get to the total adoration.  Mainly because of the hero and heroine.  The writing in the book is great and the concept of this series is awesome.  I mean you can't go wrong with hot ex military working as a private operation and the coverup is...a motorcycle shop.  Can't get sexier than that! *fans self*

But then we meet Nate.  Although I think he's very hot, handsome, sexy, has that brooding alpha thing going for him, I really didn't get to love him.  It may be that he's not very outspoken.  And yes, this is an issue brought up during the book, but I don't think I can like a guy who answers in one word answers.  Then there's the issue of him having hangups about being a few years older and in love and lust with his best friend and teammates' sister, Ali.  He's fought the attraction for most of the time they've known each other.  He doesn't talk to her about anything, doesn't let her in.  I think they both just have a crush!

Then there's Ali.  Well, I liked her but she annoyed me as well.  I think with her being so young she was a bit immature and it came across as immature, which got on my nerves at times.  Damn, am I starting to get too picky?  She is still a very strong person.  The premise of this book is that her brother is killed during his work with the Black Knights (who she knew nothing about) and now one of the bad guys that his brother was sort of investigation is after her because her brother sent her sensitive information (proof) of this guys' crimes.

The only ones to keep her safe are the Black Knights while they figure out who is trying to get at her and what her brother was really involved in.

I am not happy to say that Nate and Ali were dancing around each other, aggravating each other, teasing each other for most of the book, but doing nothing about it!

I also have a confession to make.  I was so much more into the bits and pieces in this book about the next couple, Becky and Frank.  Now, I think they will be more to my speed.  I liked them already.  Him being older (I see a recurring theme lately on what I'm reading) and thinking he's done, seen and experienced too much to be good enough for anyone, and when it comes to Becky add the fact that he's too told for her.  Can't wait to read their book!

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble