Tag: LB Gregg

What I Read Last Week

Posted June 23, 2014 by Tracy in Features | 0 Comments

Hey folks!

Wassup? Hope you’re all well.

Last week was a bit crazy for me/us and our youngest daughter. She graduated from 6th grade which was awesome. I still can’t believe she’ll be starting Jr. High School in just a couple of month – yikes!

With her 6th Grade teacher

On Saturday she had another of her promotions in TKD. She was a little off her game but she still passed with flying colors.

Then on Sunday we attended her dance recital. She takes an intermediate tumbling class at a dance studio and as the studio was having their yearly recital she was in it. 🙂 She did a great job there as well and I was very proud of her…for everything she did last week! 🙂

While playing chauffer to my kids (and feeling like a mobile ATM) I got a little bit of reading in:

I started off the week with Men of Smithfield: Sam and Aaron by LB Gregg. A great story about Sam who is a Smithfield resident and pretty set in his ways. Aaron comes to town and mixes everything up – but in a good way. You can read my review of this one here. 4 out of 5

Next up was One Night With a Quarterback by Jeanette Murray. This is the story of Cassie and how she finds out who her father is when she’s a grown woman. They make contact and now Cassie is meeting her famous NFL coach father for the first time as well as his wife and 2 teen daughters. She also meets Trey who is one of her father’s players but she has no idea who he is and he doesn’t share that fact. It was a good read and I’ll post my review of this one this week. 4 out of 5

Rowan’s Lady by Suzan Tisdale is a medieval historical and book 1 in the Clan Graham series. This story follows Arline who has been wed to a horrid man, Garrick, who treats her like a prisoner. Her marriage contract states that if she doesn’t conceive in 1 year, 1 month and 1 day from the wedding he could get the marriage annulled – which he definitely plans to do. As he doesn’t have sex with her there’s no fear of getting her pregnant. Garrick then kidnaps Rowan Graham’s 4 year old daughter, Lily, and Arline takes care of her to save her from Garrick’s cruelty. Lily is rescued and Arline is set free after the annulment and ends up at Rowan’s keep acting as Lily’s governess. Rowan really likes Arline but isn’t sure he can share his heart again after the death of his wife. This was a pretty great story. There were quite a few times that Arline needed saving which got a little old, and a little long and slow a time or two, but overall it kept my attention and kept me reading. 3.75/4 out of 5

After finishing the previous book I picked up book 2 in the Clan Graham series – Frederick’s Queen by Suzan Tisdale. This story follows Frederick who was Rowan’s first in the previous book. Frederick won’t inherit the Lairdship from his father but would like to be a Laird. When given the chance to marry Aggie McLaren and become Laird of the clan McLaren when her father dies, he takes it. Aggie is mute and her father is beyond cruel. She’s had many horrible things happen to her in the past and has many secrets – including the fact that she can talk, just with a stutter. Aggie and Frederick end up falling in love but between her father, his first, a female clan member and an evil neighboring Laird life is dangerous and not exactly easy. FQ was another really good book by Tisdale. This one was slow in a few places and had some parts that were hard to read (a rape – but not complete details, and some nasty torture). Overall a good story though and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Too bad it won’t come out for another year or so. 🙁 3.75/4 out of 5 

Last for the week was A Tiger’s Claim by Lia Davis. Shayna, who is the adopted daughter of an Alpha, runs off after an argument with her father and ends up getting attacked by mutants – shifters that are stuck as half man half wolf. She is saved by Travis who takes her home to help her heal. She goes into heat and he takes care of her, of course, and discovers that she’s his mate. They end up with his daughter and mother back at Shay’s father’s compound but the danger from the mutants isn’t over. This was an OK read. I think this could have been a better read if it had been longer so that it could get a little more in depth with the characters as well as the background of how everything with the mutants started. It also needed a good editing as extra words and misspelled words became very annoying. 2 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Mended by Kim Karr 

Happy Reading!

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Review: Men of Smithfield: Sam and Aaron by LB Gregg

Posted June 18, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 4 Comments

Review: Men of Smithfield: Sam and Aaron by LB GreggReviewer: Tracy
Men of Smithfield: Sam and Aaron by L.B. Gregg
Series: Men of Smithfield #5
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: June 16th 2014
Genres: M/M
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

A never-before-published Men of Smithfield book
With our family's legacy, Meyers B&B, in the flailing hands of me, Sam Meyers, and my sister Wynne, we're determined to revive the place. We've started a series of blind-date cooking classes, and taken on our first boarder. Granddad is even now rolling in his grave.
Signed up for the class is our new guest, Aaron Saunders, a Californian transplant who's distractingly handsome and clearly up to no good. I can't quite figure him out. He blew into town and has been relentless in his search for…something.

The sexy sneak is intriguing. And we've had a steamy moment. Or two. But now I can't stop wondering why he's searching in secret. From the library to my own backyard, Aaron leaves no stone unturned or record book unopened. He's definitely gotten my attention. But that might not be the only thing he's after.

Sam Meyers is returning books to the library one night when he gets a little stuck – literally. He is aided by Aaron Saunders (a man he doesn’t know and Sam knows everyone in Smithfield) who is dressed all in black and was actually in the library when Sam got stuck. Considering that they library was closed that’s a bit odd. Sam’s not sure who this guy is but he believes that Aaron can’t possibly be up to any good.

When Sam gets home that night he discovers that a new guest has checked in at the B & B that he and his sister, Wynne, own. That guest is none other than Aaron Saunders. Once Sam gets a chance to talk to Aaron he’s incredibly intrigued but there’s just something too secretive about the guy and it makes Sam suspicious.

Sam gets to know Aaron better but there’s still an air of mystery around him. Sam does end up surprising Aaron eventually as Aaron believed Sam to be a bit of a bore. The story revolved mostly around Sam trying to figure out exactly what Aaron was up to. When Sam found out what that was he was a bit freaked out that he liked a guy who might be a relative (yikes!) but that didn’t stop him from crawling in to bed with him. For someone who was supposed to be a bore Sam really proved Aaron wrong.

The humor and family that are always part of Gregg’s writing were present in a big way in this story. I loved Sam and his sister Wynne’s relationship as well as the relationship they both had with their friend Claire. This story had as much to do with Wynne and Sam’s family heritage as it did with Aaron’s and Sam’s romance. I loved the dual storyline and I thought they blended well with each other.

I do wish that the book had been a tad longer so that the last part of the story, after all the secrets had been revealed, could have flourished a bit, but I guess I can’t have everything. 😉

The romance, the family, Wynne’s cooking classes…it all made for a fun and enjoyable book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

LB Gregg

four-stars

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What I Read Last Week

Posted November 25, 2013 by Tracy in Features | 0 Comments

Well it was a pretty quiet week for me as I’m still playing the role of gimpy girl. 🙂

Yes, still on the crutches but I’m optimistic that when I get re-x-ray’d on Friday the docs will set me free! crosses fingers Since I couldn’t get around much and the crutching exhausts me I wasn’t very active this week. This made for a lot of down time, therefore a bit of reading was done.

What I read:

First up was Dragos Takes a Holiday by Thea Harrison. This was a novella in the Elder Races series and it centered around Dragos Cuelebre and his mate/wife Pia. They head down, with their son Liam, to the Caribbean for a holiday and some treasure hunting. A really good story. You can read my full review here 4 out of 5

Next was How I Met Your Father by LB Gregg. I thought this was gonna be about telling a kid how their fathers met but it was really about a guy who meets someone’s father (don’t worry, the dad’s only 44!) Really great story. You can read my full review here. 4.5 out of 5

Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye is about an ex-Special Forces team who was discharged from the Army after an ambush that was caused by the CO. The CO was crooked but they were blamed for the FUBAR. When the daughter of the CO looks up one of the SF guys, Nick, he wants nothing to do with Becca and helping her find her brother but he finally agrees. Not only that but he gets the remaining SF guys and what starts out as a search and rescue turns in to a possible way for the men to get their honor back. This was a great story and I really enjoyed it. I’ll post my review this week. 4 out of 5

A Dance in Moonlight by Sherry Thomas was a novella in the Fitzhugh trilogy. In book 2 of the trilogy, Ravishing the Heiress, we see Isabelle Inglewood who was Fitz’s love who he had to reject in order to marry an heiress to save his family’s estate. This story is how Isabelle meets a man who looks just like Fitz which is the initial attraction but she soon finds that Fitzhugh and Fitzwilliam are nothing alike. This was a very romantic novella and I just love the way Thomas brings her characters together. So good. 4 out of 5 (This was originally in the Midnight Scandals anthology)

Rodeo Queen by TJ Kline has rodeo queen and horse trainer, Sydney, getting her dream job. Unfortunately one of the co-owners of the ranch has a love/hate relationship with her. Scott’s not thrilled with Sydney being there but he can’t seem to keep his hands off of her. Unfortunately a past lover might mess up everything that’s between them. This was a good contemp. western. I’ll post my review of this one this week. 3.5 out of 5 

Desperately Seeking Heaven by Jill Steeples has Alice falling in love with Jimmy and vice versa but there’s one hitch…Jimmy’s dead. Yep, Jimmy’s a ghost. The story was very sweet but I couldn’t get over the fact that I was seeing this lovely romance between two people who could never be together. Very frustrating. 3.5 out of 5 (read for Book Binge) 

Last for the week was Kisses, She Wrote by Katharine Ashe and it was really great. Cam is a beautiful man and a rake. Jacqueline is the quiet and plain princess whose family wants to see her married – to the man of their choosing. He reads her diary and falls in love with her. It’s very romantic and I loved it. I’ll post my review for this one next week. 4 out of 5

 

My Book Binge reviews that posted:
The Virgin: Revenge by J. Dallas
The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas

Happy Reading! 

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Guest Author (+ a giveaway!): L.B. Gregg – How I Met Your Father Blog Tour

Posted November 22, 2013 by Tracy in Promotions | 14 Comments

Hi! My name is LB Gregg and I write m/m romantic comedies. Thanks for stopping by on the How I Met Your Father blog tour. I’m thrilled to be part of the Home for the Holidays collection and want to encourage you to purchase my book—as Riptide will donate 20% of the proceeds of the sale of this book, and the collection, to the Ali Forney Center in New York. The centers mission “is to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) youth from the harm of homelessness, and to support them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood.”

 
A quick Q&A with LB Gregg:

 Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Connecticut, and consider myself a New Englander. I love clam chowder (the Rhode Island kind with the clear broth) and clam fritters and a good Yankee pot roast and Sam Adams. I love autumn and small towns and the New England Patriots.

What’s your favorite place to visit?

The British Virgin Islands. The snorkeling is wonderful, the rum is plentiful, and the scenery is beautiful. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there almost 25 years ago and have been back over and over again to sail and to reconnect with each other and to bleach our bones in the sun. Each trip is better than the last.

What do you love about being an author?

The people I’ve met—editors, writers, fans, bloggers, publishers, actors, artists—it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to meet a new world full of interesting people. It’s been such a blessing.

What do you hate about being an author?

The sedentary life style.

What inspires you?

Family. Community. New England. Travel. Wine. Books. Magazines. Popular culture. My dog. Yoga. And an assortment of playlists from musicians and bands from Dubstep to Folk— Simple Gifts was inspired by the Counting Crows song Colorblind.

Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

Totally from my imagination.

What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself while writing How I Met Your Father?

How much of my time on Nevis translated into a short story. The flora and fauna, the visitors as well as the locals, the bars, the Christmas carols, the mast lights on the boats, and the double rainbow that appears over the Narrows between Nevis and St. Kitts—those details come from my experience. This novella is very special to me because we were fortunate enough to spend our holiday on the island last year.

Favorite Song: Today? Pride by Manchester Orchestra or Grace Kelly, by Mika

Favorite Movie: Silver Linings Playbook

Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad/Modern Family

Leather or Latex? Leather

Naughty or Nice? Nice

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?

I was in Southern California visiting friends. A group of us went to Victoria Gardens to the PF Chang’s where I stuffed myself on lettuce wraps and gossip and heard the most outrageous story about a tiny fairy princess making love to a full grown man and his, uhm, rather large manhood (thank you Holly, from Book Binge).

After lunch, there was a book swap in the parking lot. I’d never experienced an outing with fellow readers before—just a bunch of fun, local women who loved romance novels and blogging and would get together to eat and chat about books. Blogging introduced me to a community of other romance readers. It was incredibly special to spend the afternoon my first book was published with those women.

Do you have any special writing rituals?

Coffee and my cat-eye rhinestone glasses. In the winter, I add a cashmere sweater and sweat socks.

What’s next for LB Gregg?

Simple Gifts audio and, if I meet my deadline, the next Men of Smithfield: Sam and Aaron, coming next spring from Carina!

Under the influence of one too many lattes, LB Gregg writes m/m contemporary romantic comedies for a variety of publishers including Riptide, Carina Press, Samhain and Musa. For information about LB’s books, visit her on the web at lbgregg.com or say hello to her on Facebook.

 

https://www.facebook.com/lb.gregg.1https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2833117.L_B_Gregghttps://twitter.com/lbgregg

Blurb:

The man of your dreams could be sitting right next to you.

Former boy band member Justin Hayes isn’t looking for a man. He just wants a quiet, scandal-free Christmas at home in Chicago, out of the public eye. But his best friend and bandmate is subjecting everyone to his destination wedding, and Justin can’t dodge the “best man” bullet. All he has to do is get to the island on time, survive the reunion, and get Chuck to the altar with as little drama as possible. What could possibly go wrong?

Jack Basinger’s own plans for a quiet Christmas have been dashed by the summons to his daughter’s hasty wedding with a man Jack has hardly met. On the bumpy flight to the island, he finds himself comforting a nervous — and extremely attractive — young man. One hasty sexual encounter in an airport bathroom later, they both feel much better. No one ever has to know, after all.

Now Justin and Jack must find a way to explore their attraction, despite the distractions of disapproving family members, unexpected announcements, an impromptu concert, and an island paradise that proves there’s no place like home. 

Giveaway:  Enter your details in the Rafflecopter below and leave a blog post comment to gain entry into the “Home for the Holidays” giveaway!  This week of the tour closes at midnight, EST on 11/23/13.  One grand prize winner will be contacted at the end of the tour on December 15th.  Contest is valid worldwide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: How I Met Your Father by LB Gregg

Posted November 22, 2013 by Tracy in Reviews | 3 Comments

The man of your dreams could be sitting right next to you.

Former boy band member Justin Hayes isn’t looking for a man. He just wants a quiet, scandal-free Christmas at home in Chicago, out of the public eye. But his best friend and bandmate is subjecting everyone to his destination wedding, and Justin can’t dodge the “best man” bullet. All he has to do is get to the island on time, survive the reunion, and get Chuck to the altar with as little drama as possible. What could possibly go wrong?

Jack Bassinger’s own plans for a quiet Christmas have been dashed by the summons to his daughter’s hasty wedding with a man Jack has hardly met. On the bumpy flight to the island, he finds himself comforting a nervous—and extremely attractive—young man. One hasty sexual encounter in an airport bathroom later, they both feel much better. No one ever has to know, after all.

Now Justin and Jack must find a way to explore their attraction, despite the distractions of disapproving family members, unexpected announcements, an impromptu concert, and an island paradise that proves there’s no place like home.
Justin is on his way to his friend Chuck’s wedding in Puerto Rico. Justin doesn’t like heights so flying isn’t his favorite thing. When the plane encounters extreme turbulence he’s more than a bit freaked out. He losing it when the man in the next seat over calms him by holding his hand. Justin is definitely gay but his worldwide persona is that of a straight man. He freaks even more after the plane lands and practically runs from the golden man who had his heart beating faster. He can’t get away that quick though and the man corners him in a restroom and they have a bit of fun.

When Justin finally gets to Puerto Rico he’s excited to see his old band mates (they were a very famous boy band at one time) but he’s not excited to see the father of the bride, Jack, who ends up being the man he had his oh so exciting encounter with at the airport. Jack’s only 44 years old to Justin’s 29 and that’s fine with Justin. Once he gets over his initial shock he can’t wait to taste more of what Jack has to offer. Of course once his band mates and Jack’s son find out about the two of them things aren’t so easy to deal with.

This was just a great story. I loved Justin and his sense of humor. I loved Jack and his confidence and the sensual pull he had on Justin. They were just perfect for each other and watching them overcome Justin’s mental obstacles was a joy to read.

The secondary characters in the story were awesome as well. The friendly and family-like banter that the band mates shared throughout the book just showed how much they loved each other. They stood by each other even when they wanted to slap one another. That’s how friends should be – no matter what happens they love you and stand by your side. Gregg did a wonderful job of creating a non-blood related family with Chuck, Justin, TJ and Matt. In fact so much so that I’d love to see more from these guys in the future.

Overall an excellent read and one I definitely recommend.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

LB Gregg

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