Two of Hearts by Christina Lee

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional —not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

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Christina Lee is one of my absolute favorite authors and I was pretty damn stoked to see she was going to write an adult contemporary--usually she's NA. And Two of Hearts, while I still found myself slipping into the New Adult mindset now and again, was a luscious second chance  romance with a sexy hero, a damn strong heroine, a little suspense and some verra hot lovin' as a heartbreaking loss brings Shane back into Dakota's life years after their paths went separate ways.

#AFTH2014 w/ Christina Lee- those oh so heated moments... + giveaway

Eep! Yall today Christina Lee is with us. She's one of the authors I read for the first time this year and that absolutely blew me away. Every one was incredible and as the series has progressed I've fallen more and more with her writing. Her last--Promise Me This--got a Pick of the Litter rating which is a 5 star and yall know I am stingy as all get out with those. But goodness it was amazing. Anywho. She's here to heat things up a little today. Yups! Check out her post and leave her some comment love!  Anna

When We Met Anthology w/ Jackson, McAdams, King & Lee

Two of my new favorite authors this year are Christina Lee and Tiffany King. These ladies completely won me over to New Adult so I was ALL over When We Met. And it was a pretty entertaining anthology as four authors tackle a group of college roommates and each tell one of their tales. Overall, it was a nice antho. I enjoyed the set up and most of the characters. It was a little angsty now and again but not too bad. Each of the romances was unique, and the love stories sweet. A little humor, a little steam. Yeah, not a bad couple hours reading.

A little about each is below...

When four girls decide to live off campus together as juniors at a college in Michigan, they expect it to be their best year yet. Little do they know, it’s a year that will change the rest of their lives.

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Heat: 3 out of 5, Rating: 3 out of 5

The Quick of it: Misha's ex was a complete douche and just using her to win a bet which left her pretty broken and unwilling to let men close again until her edgy, sexy neighbor proves irresistible and just the one to mend her broken trust..

Promise Me This (Between Breaths #4) by Christina Lee *Pick of the Litter*

Nate has developed quite a playboy reputation around campus. It's not that he doesn't respect or trust women; he doesn't trust himself. The men in Nate’s family are prone to abusive behavior—a dirty secret that Nate’s been running from his entire life—so Nate doesn't do relationships. But he can’t help himself around one girl…

Jessie is strong, independent, and works at a tattoo parlor. Nate can’t resist getting close to her, even if it’s strictly a friendship. But it doesn't take long for Nate to admit that what he wants with Jessie is more than just friendly.

With Jessie, he can be himself and explore what he’s always felt was a terrifying darkness inside him. Even when Nate begins to crave her in a way that both shocks and horrifies him, Jessie still wants to know every part of him. Testing their boundaries together will take a trust that could render them inseparable… or tear them apart.

Type: New Adult
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 5 out of 5-- Pick of the Litter

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So this...was pretty much me the entire time I was reading Promise Me This.

You know how sometimes you read a book and it just takes a hit at your heart and when you turn that last page you're left sitting there just...kind of holding your breath because, whew, yeah....it was that powerful? And you really don't know what to do with yourself next? That was Promise Me This for me. And I don't even know if I can explain why exactly. It just...was.

Before You Break (Between Breaths #2) by Christina Lee

The star catcher of the college baseball team isn't supposed to have skeletons in his closet. But Daniel Quinn is hiding a guilty past so dark he refuses to let anyone get close. Except there’s something about gorgeous, studious Ella Abrams that goes beyond the electric attraction between them—something that makes him want to open up.

Ella has suffered enough heartache and guilt to fill one of her psychology textbooks, but she keeps that part of herself hidden behind a bubbly exterior. Until she receives an anonymous call while working the suicide helpline and the voice on the other end touches something inside of her that she can’t ignore.

Soon Ella and Quinn’s physical connection heats up, even as their deep and revealing hotline talks intensify. But by the time Ella realizes that her seductive jock and her sensitive caller are the same guy, it might be too late to save him—or to stop herself from falling too far.

Type: New Adult
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

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Whew! Before You Break was quite the read. It's not all smiles and roses but a powerful journey of two individuals whose lives were shattered by loss and are trying to come to grips with it. With the guilt, fear and heartache that's been a constant companion. And with finding a bit of peace, light and hope with someone they never expected.

All of You (Between Breaths #1) by Christina Lee

Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He's irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she's perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother's bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won't accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

Type: New Adult
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

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Oh yes. Lee definitely has a fan. I'm loving the Between Breaths series. Reading it a little backwards but still...loving it. I finally got back to book one and oh All of You was fun! And a little different seeing as the hero is a virgin. *lifts eyebrow* Yes. I love that little twist.

Cover Reveal--Promise Me This by Christina Lee

Oooo I'm gonna go a little squealy! I'm so excited about this one. I interviewed Lee in May and was so taken I had to read Whisper to Me and yall I totally loved it (and the hero had a pierced cock!) Even better! Anywho. We're helping with the cover reveal for book 4--Promise Me This. I'm kinda liking it! She looks so young but dude. Look at her tats! I so can't wait to find out about her.

What do yall think? Have you read Lee?   ~Anna

A new love will test the boundaries of passion between a privileged boy next door and the tattooed, blue-haired girl who helps him embrace his wild side...

Nate has developed quite a playboy reputation around campus. It's not that he doesn't respect or trust women; he doesn't trust himself. The men in Nate’s family are prone to abusive behavior—a dirty secret that Nate’s been running from his entire life—so Nate doesn't do relationships. But he can’t help himself around one girl…

Jessie is strong, independent, and works at a tattoo parlor. Nate can’t resist getting close to her, even if it’s strictly a friendship. But it doesn't take long for Nate to admit that what he wants with Jessie is more than just friendly.

With Jessie, he can be himself and explore what he’s always felt was a terrifying darkness inside him. Even when Nate begins to crave her in a way that both shocks and horrifies him, Jessie still wants to know every part of him. Testing their boundaries together will take a trust that could render them inseparable… or tear them apart.

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

Type: New Adult
Heat: 2.5-3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

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Yeah. In one fell swoop Christina Lee has totally just become my crack. I seriously couldn't put Whisper to Me down! omg it was addictive. I just...needed...to read...one...more...chapter. From amazing characters to some creative body adornments, best friends becoming lovers and a sweet romance I was just a goner as Kai and Rachel forge a new path for themselves.

Interview w/ Christina Lee--We're going retro, swooning and contemplating piercings + a giveaway!

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

Amazon | All Romance | BAM | Goodreads

Mornin' Christina! *waves* Welcome to herding cats & burning soup :) I'm ready to hear all the juicy deets on Rachel and Kai. *rubs hands together*

THANKS FOR HAVING ME! *waves back*

Alright. So if you had 10 seconds to hook someone hard on Whisper to Me what would you tell them?

It’s a friends-to-lovers story that involves secrets, sexual tension and angst between one hot Native American bass player and his sister’s best friend, who happens to be very comfortable with her own sexuality.