The Way She Reads: Rozenn Scott

Showing posts with label Rozenn Scott. Show all posts

Monday, 28 November 2016

Snow & Secrets (Stanford Creek #3) by RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott - Review Tour

Author: RJ Scott

Publisher: OmniLit/AllRomance

Length: 50,000 words

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | AllRomance

Stanford Creek Series

Notes & Roses: Amazon US | Amazon UK | AllRomance

Love & Hope: Amazon US | Amazon US | AllRomance

Blurb

First comes trust, then love… then the fight to stay alive.

Pop star Tyler Hart is desperate for peace after a humiliating public scandal. It seems like Stanford Creek may well be the place to lay low. After all, it worked for his friends and former bandmates, Cody and Danny. He borrows a cabin and settles in for a quiet Christmas…well, not quite.

Garrett Campbell is on the run. Wounded in the line of duty, he escapes to the only place he feels safe, Stanford Creek and his brother’s cabin. Only he doesn’t realize he’ll have a roommate, and a sexy one at that.

Amid snow falls and winter winds, passion burns bright. When danger threatens to follow Garrett, he has to decide whether to run again before his secrets could kill him and the man of his dreams.

Review/Blog Tour

November 15 - Joyfully Jay, BooksLaidBareBoys, Books For Fun, Alphas Do It Better Book Blog, Gay Book Reviews, Carly's Book Reviews

November 17 - Prism Book Alliance

November 18 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, 2 Chicks & A Book

November 21 - Making It Happen, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews, Diverse Reader

November 23 - Nerdy Dirty & Flirty, Romantic Reads and Such

November 28 - The Way She Reads, Wicked Reads

November 30 - Bayou Book Junkie, Naughty Book Eden, Jim's Blog

December 05 - Bella's Blog, Romantic Fanatic, Alpha Book Club, PNR Book Lover Reviews

Review:

This book is just wonderful. It starts with a truck load of drama and danger, turns into the sweetest and hottest seduction tale, and then switches back to thrilling and danger-filled before giving us the happiest of ever afters. What’s not to love?

If you’ve read the previous Stanford Creek stories you’ll know that Garrett is a bit of an enigma. He comes and goes to and from his home town and family at unexpected times and while he claims to have a rather uninteresting job, everybody is convinced there’s more going on in his life than he’s willing to admit to. In this book we find out exactly what Garrett hasn’t been sharing and boy, is his job anything but boring.

Poor Tyler; he falls for the oldest trick in the book and finds himself in the middle of his personal tabloid hell. A few weeks away from the limelight are exactly what he needs and an isolated cabin near Stanford Creek appears to be just what the doctor ordered. Except that he discovers on arrival that he won’t actually be on his own.

The attraction between the two men is instant. More than that, Garrett has had a crush on the Tyler for some time. But there are a lot of good reasons for the two men to keep their distance from each other. Except isolation and close proximity soon wear down any reservations either of them may have had. Attraction soon morphs into something more, but it isn’t until danger comes knocking that Garrett and Ty discover exactly what it is they’re feeling for each other.

I loved the slow and oh so enticing build up of attraction and sexual tension between Garrett and Ty. And once they give into the pull between them….WOW; they made my Kindle steam up (not to mention what they did to me). I was also delighted to be reunited with the other inhabitants of Stanford Creek and catch up with their lives; I’ve become quite attached to these characters over these three books and I can’t wait to read what I assume will be Kyle’s story.

While I loved the whole story and adored both characters, Ty found a special place in my heart because of the growing process he went through. Just when I thought the situation might well get too much for him and half expected him to fall apart, he surprised me by coming into his own and firmly standing by his man, regardless of the danger or the secrets between them.

Over all this was, once again, a wonderful and gripping read. RJ manages to time and again create characters that worm their way into my heart and take up residence there. And that’s just one of many reasons I keep on returning to her books.

While this is the third book in the Stanford Creek Series it can totally be read as a stand-alone. Having said that, unless you are totally allergic to female protagonists and MF pairings, I have no idea why you would want to deprive yourself of the pleasure that is the first two books in the series. Have a look at my reviews:

Series review links: Notes & Roses Love & Hope

Author Bio:

RJ Scott is the bestselling gay romance author of over ninety MM romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn't with family either reading or writing.

RJ also writes MF romance under the name Rozenn Scott.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn't like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk

Website Facebook Goodreads Twitter Librarything

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, 26 October 2016

RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott The Code (Ice Dragons #1) - Release Blitz

Author: RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott

Release Date: October 26 2016

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Length: 50,000 words

Blurb

Falling for his best friend’s sister seemed like a good idea at the time.

Defenceman Ryan Flynn’s life and career is defined by the codes of hockey; friendship, respect, leadership and protection. A call from his best friends sister ends up with him taking her home and it’s all he can do to remember that she’s off limits. Doesn’t matter that she’s too much of temptation for a man on the edge, he promised her brother he wouldn’t go anywhere near her.

Kathryn Lecour has been in lust with hockey player Ryan Flynn since she was first laid eyes on him. The problem? Ryan is her brother’s best friend, bound by a complicated code of chivalry both on and off the ice.

Will Ryan, the hard man of the Dragons ever see her as anything more than his best friend’s little sister? And will Kat be able to tame the Dragon with ice in his heart?

Excerpt

“You have to promise,” Loki had said to him.

They were nineteen years old and drunk on cheap beer. Kat’s prom date vanished into the darkness, and that was a good thing: the baseball captain and high achiever wasn’t good enough for her.

Not in her brother’s eyes, and not in his.

“Promise what?” Ryan had been worried that what he and Loki had done made Kat’s date leave and left her in tears. They’d only meant to intimidate him to playing nice, not get him to run away with his tail between his legs.

“Don’t ever let her near a jock,” Loki snapped. He didn’t appear to have any remorse at seeing the guy run, but then, he ’hadn’t seen his sister’s tears. “No one like us. Because all we are is hockey, and all we do is for the team.”

“I promise.”

“We fuck and leave, and nothing means anything.”

“Loki—”

“Don’t you ever let anyone hurt her.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

The smile slipped from his face when the enormity of what he’d promised sunk into his soul, and for a second he hesitated. He had to go in there and be her brother, be the friend she’d need. Not the idiot man who fancied himself in love with her.

He settled his breathing. And then he opened the door, slipped inside, and shut it behind him before he could second-guess why he was here.

The room was simple: sofas, a coffee table in the middle, a large roof window that would let in light in the daytime. At the moment, the room was lit by a soft lamp in the corner.

Sitting bolt upright in one corner of the largest sofa was Kat.

Ryan took one look at her face and couldn’t help himself; a curse fell from his lips without conscious thought. A vivid scarlet mark ran from her eye socket to her cheekbone, as if someone had deliberately slapped her; bruises ringed her neck and her lip was cut, evidenced by a butterfly bandage just below the left corner. She was so beautiful, and he couldn’t bear to see the marks on her soft skin.

She looked up at him, her green eyes bright. He stepped closer and she stared at him. Her lower lip trembled as though she was fighting tears; he wanted to hold her and stop her from crying.

God, all I want is to hold her.

“Take me home, Ryan,” she said, her voice broken. Then she added a much smaller, quieter “Please.”

Author Bio:

RJ Scott is the bestselling gay romance author of over ninety MM romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn't with family either reading or writing.

RJ also writes MF romance under the name Rozenn Scott.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn't like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk

Website Facebook Goodreads Twitter Librarything

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, 26 September 2016

Snow & Secrets (Stanford Creek #3) by RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott - Cover Reveal

Author: RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott

Publisher: OmniLit / All Romance eBooks, LLC

Release Date: November 15 2016

Length: 50,000 words

Blurb:

Secrets could kill him. Will trusting another keep him alive?

Garrett Campbell is a man on the run. Wounded in the line of duty he returns to a town that is the only place he feels safe. When danger threatens to follow him there he has to run; only he appears to have picked up an unwanted guest.

Tyler Hart needs some down time, with the press hounding him after a failed relationship, he is desperate for peace. It seems like Stanford Creek may well be the place to go. After all, it worked for his friend Cody. Unfortunately, his timing is off, and he finds himself on the run with the very sexy Garrett Campbell.

First comes trust, and then comes love. Now they just have to stay alive.

Author Bio:

RJ also writes MF romance under the name Rozenn Scott.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn't like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk

Website Facebook Goodreads Twitter Librarything

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, 6 September 2016

The Code (Ice Dragons #1) RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott - Cover Reveal & Giveaway

Author: RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott

Release Date: October 26 2016

Exclusive to Amazon

Goodreads

Blurb

Falling for his best friend’s sister seemed like a good idea at the time.

Defenceman Ryan Flynn’s life and career is defined by the codes of hockey; friendship, respect, leadership and protection. A call from his best friends sister ends up with him taking her home and it’s all he can do to remember that she’s off limits. Doesn’t matter that she’s too much of temptation for a man on the edge, he promised her brother he wouldn’t go anywhere near her.

Kathryn Lecour has been in lust with hockey player Ryan Flynn since she was first laid eyes on him. The problem? Ryan is her brother’s best friend, bound by a complicated code of chivalry both on and off the ice.

Will Ryan, the hard man of the Dragons ever see her as anything more than his best friend’s little sister? And will Kat be able to tame the Dragon with ice in his heart?

Author Bio:

RJ also writes MF romance under the name Rozenn Scott.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn't like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk

Website Facebook Goodreads Twitter Librarything

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, 1 September 2016

Love & Hope (Stanford Creek #2) - RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott

Author: RJ Scott writing as Rozenn Scott

Release Date: September 1 2016

Length: 54,000 words

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK AllRomance

Notes & Roses (Stanford Creek #1) Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK AllRomance

Blurb

Falling in love can be easy if you want it badly enough.

Stanford Creek, Book 2

Danny Hudson has finally found a place to stop. With his daughter Hope in his arms, and his place in the music group Hudson Hart gone, he has a future to plan and a family to raise. Staying at his friend Cody’s house is hard enough, but finding a home of his own is impossible. A place to stay over the coffee shop in town is a godsend, but it comes with one proviso—he must work the cost of the room off in redecorating and rebuilding.

Rachel has secrets that she doesn’t even want to admit to herself, let alone her close-knit family. Dating the wrong guys is one way to protect her heart, but meeting Danny could change all that.

Can Rachel ever get past the reasons why she thinks real love isn’t possible and realize that love is the only thing that actually matters?

Excerpt

He was the very definition of hot, tall, built, and with an impressive line in tips on which boring team would win which dull tournament. But there was nothing between his ears, other than sports stats, and there was certainly not a single spark between them.

Which was exactly how she liked it. She only dated to look normal to friends and family. Normal was something critical to her, in her normal life, and her regular town.

So, she’d give him one kiss, and send him on his way with a pat on the back and a see you later, big guy. Getting serious with Eric—or any man, come to think of it—was not on the cards. The sound of a baby crying filtered through the cooling night air and Eric glanced in the direction of the noise, allowing her to get past him.

“No, Eric.” She caught her stupidly high heels on a paving stone, and it slowed her down enough so that Eric held her arm. With remarkable agility which belied his size, he got in front of her and pasted what he probably thought was a cute expression on his face.

“One. Just one.”

Rachel sighed. Eric was not going to stop. She opened her mouth to discuss rationally why she wasn’t kissing him, but the words left her in a huff as Eric gripped her upper arms. He shuffled her back into the darkness against the fence and pressed her there, and she was squashed between the wall and the heavyset man.

“Eric, stop,” Rachel said, a lot louder. He grinned down at her like this was a big game to him.

“C’mon, baby, one kiss.”

“Eric!” Rachel attempted to shove him, but she couldn’t get purchase in her heels and toed them off as best she could.

“No one can see us,” Eric muttered. “So fucking hot, I want you out of that dress.”

A dozen scenarios went through her mind, all the Krav Maga techniques she’d learned to take care of herself. The quick sharp movements that kept her life under control. The first step of which was stopping action before escalation. She’d failed that part; thinking she’d had control over the laughing drunk guy who just wanted to dance. Until, that is, she wanted fresh air, and he seemed to think what she was really asking for was sex in the gardens. That left talking and getting him to move back just enough so she could get purchase.

“C’mon, sweetie, not here,” Rachel said, in her best girly tone.

He didn’t move, just nuzzling her neck, sucking at her neck. No fucking way was he marking her skin, and she shuddered at the thought of his teeth on her.

Too many shadows in my head. Too many memories that won’t leave me alone.

“Let’s go somewhere else,” she said.

“For more than kissing,” Eric said with a chuckle as he pressed his erection against her stomach and she insinuated her hands between them. All she needed was a pivot point, and she could get him off her, but it would take some time.

“My family is here,” she said, still smiling up at him, even though panic began to filter into her thoughts. She desperately attempted to focus on sounds and smells around her—the baby crying, soft talking, the music filtering outside from the party, the scents of spring in the air. Anything to find peace.

“We can go in a minute, I want to fuck you here, right here,” Eric said. “So beautiful.”

“No.”

“C’mon, sexy, you could just suck me off.”

“Eric, get off me,” she said with more force. He still didn’t move.

“You should let her go,” a voice said from their side.

Eric looked sideways. “Fuck off, pretty boy,” he snapped. “Not your business.”

She didn’t recognize the new voice, and couldn’t see who it was, given her head was smushed up against Eric’s chest and turned the wrong way. It didn’t sound like her brother, though, or Justin, or Garrett, thank God. All of them would, in turn, yank Erik off, beat him into a bloody pulp, and then lecture her, and she’d stand there and take it like she always did, because she had no choice.

Choice had been taken from her, violently, brutally, and with utter finality a long time ago.

“Let me go,” Rachel snapped.

“Step away,” the man she couldn’t see said again. He was closer, or he was talking louder. Either way, she recognized that voice and her shame was complete. Danny Hudson.

“And I said, Mr. Millionaire, that you should fuck off back to wherever you came from.” Eric rested back on his heels, and that gap was enough to allow her to twist her hands, and kick his shin with her foot followed up by a knee to the groin as he stumbled back. With a shout of pain, Eric fell to his knees, cursing a storm.

“I said no,” Rachel said. She didn’t raise her voice, couldn’t even face Danny directly who was standing right there with a sleeping baby in his arms. She could see him move closer in her peripheral vision, hand outstretched, probably to help her, to reassure her? She didn’t know, but she didn’t need another man’s hand on her right now.

“Fucking cock-tease,” Eric cursed, pushing himself to stand, but not getting any nearer.

“You’re drunk, Eric,” Rachel said patiently.

“I’ve wasted a whole night on you,” Eric said. “I bought a fucking suit,” he added, a little more pathetically. He stepped toward Rachel and she tensed, sideways on, ready to take him down if she needed to, even though he’d passed from horny to affronted. He must have sensed her intention; either that or he was so drunk that he wasn’t focusing on what he wanted.

“It’s okay, Eric, you can go now,” she said, with patience, even though she felt sick and angry. Calm the situation, pay attention to the cues. The only cues Eric was giving were ones that screamed he was pissed.

My thoughts

I recently read Notes & Roses, the first book in the Stanford Creek series and as soon as I finished it I knew I needed to read the subsequent titles too. Love & Hope proved how I right I was. This book is at least as entertaining and gripping as the first title was. Both books are extremely well written, have a fabulous cast of characters and story-lines that hook the reader from the start. And yet, I wouldn’t call these similar stories. Where Notes & Roses had a suspenseful undercurrent, in Love & Hope it is the emotional tension that captured me.

Danny’s life doesn’t resemble what he imagined he would be. Gone are the days of touring with the boy band he was a member off, gone is the woman who was supposed to love him, and gone is most of his money. He’s left with his fragile baby daughter and no clear idea what the future might hold for him.

Rachel appears to be a fun and confident young woman, but underneath the disguise she wears like armor, hides a broken woman who doesn’t believe she deserves the sort of happy ever after her cousin and business partner Megan has found. Not that she’ll tell anybody about her insecurities, never mind the reasons she has them. No, she hides behind a happy façade while making sure to only date no hopers.

Danny and Rachel are attracted to each other from the start. But between Danny’s concerns about his daughter and Rachel’s determination not to have feelings for any man, a future for them appears impossible.

This is a very touching story. To the observant reader it is clear, almost from the start, what Rachel’s secret has to be even if she only admits to it later on in the story. And while her issue is serious and heartbreaking, this story is remarkably angst free. Sure, Danny and Rachel have more than their fair share of problems to face and overcome, but they do it with a refreshing lack of belly-aching. Those who know me and my reading preferences won’t be surprised when I say I greatly appreciated that fact.

I loved that Rachel, despite the hurt she carries, was portrayed as a strong and self-reliant young woman almost as much as I appreciated that Danny came across as a sensible yet sensitive young man. The lack of stereotypes (as in a fragile girl being ‘rescued’ by the alpha male) was refreshing. And Rozenn Scott’s writing is flawless and smooth, resulting in a delightful reading experience.

I had one minor issue with this story. For me Rachel’s transition from closed off and distant to relaxed and willing to embrace life and love, happened a bit too fast. While it made sense for her change after she made her breakthrough, the complete turnaround almost in the blink of an eye felt a bit too good to be true. Having said that, in what was otherwise a wonderful and intriguing story, this really was a minor hiccup and even I can’t deny that after everything the girl had been and put herself through she more than deserved that happiness.

Over all Love & Hope was a great and hard to put down story. I can’t wait to spend more time with these characters and am very much looking forward to others finding their own happily ever afters. Bring on book 3; I’m ready.

Related review: Notes & Roses

Author Bio: