Review: Love is Murder anthology

Love is Murder by Roxanne St. Claire, Carla Neggers, Beverly Barton, Robert Browne, Andrea Kane, William Simon, Laura Griffin, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love, Patricia Rosemoor, Jon Land, Jeff Ayers, Heather Graham, Mariah Stewart, D.P. Lyle, Cindy Gerard, J.T. Ellison, Bill Floyd, William Bernhardt, Brenda Novak, Vicki Hinze, Julie Kenner, James Macomber, Alexandra Sokoloff, Pamela Callow, Debra Webb, Toni McGee Causey, Lori Armstrong, Allison Brennan, and Lee Child
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9780778313441
Source: Publisher
Blue Ribbon Rating: 4 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link
Sherrilyn Kenyon Reading Order

DIAMOND DROP by Roxanne St. Claire
A mysterious woman in leather and heels. A diamond drop worth two million dollars. An unknown threat in a European rail station… It’s all in a day’s work for Bullet Catcher Donovan Rush. Donovan’s got an assignment to impress a new Bullet Catcher client and not even a siren in killer platforms can stop him.

DIAMOND DROP kicks off the LOVE IS MURDER anthology with a bang! Author Roxanne St. Claire has written a sexy, stunning story that drew me in from the start. DIAMOND DROP reminds me of the silver screen suspense films in that it’s energetic, edgy and just plain fun. I absolutely loved the vibrancy of DIAMOND DROP — this is a story I won’t forget.

DIAMOND DROP is part of Ms. St. Claire’s BULLET CATCHERS series, but since I haven’t read any BULLET CATCHERS books, I can safely say DIAMOND DROP stands on its own. That being said, I’ll definitely be checking out the BULLET CATCHERS novels now!


B.A.D. MISSION by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Former B.A.D. agent Sam Garrett is being called back into the field, and this time it’s personal. The only woman he’s ever loved is being accused of selling a weapon to terrorists and Sam has to figure out if she’s guilty or is an innocent who’s in over her head.

I absolutely adore Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love’s B.A.D. AGENCY series, so I admit to being biased in favor of B.A.D. MISSION. In Sam and Danielle’s story Ms. Kenyon has penned a fast and furious defeat-the-terrorists plot that’s mixed in with a sensual reunion romance. The sparks that flew between Sam and Danielle were my favorite part of the story, but that doesn’t mean the suspense plot isn’t engaging as well. Fans of the B.A.D. AGENCY series will undoubtedly be pleased with B.A.D. MISSION and readers who haven’t read any of the books will get a glimpse into B.A.D.’s fight against the Fratelli de il Sovrano, a terrorist group that’s the overarching enemy of the series.


DEADLY FIXATION by Dianna Love
Belador warrior Devon Fortier has caught wind of some Noirre majik-wielding mercenary trolls and it’s up to him to bring them in to face justice. There’s just one problem: bounty hunter and thorn in Devon’s side Joleen Mac is after the same target. If he wants to bring down the bad guys — or trolls, as it were — Devon will have to make a bargain with his own personal devil.

Svart trolls and leprechauns and bounty hunters, oh my! Set in the world of Dianna Love and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s BELADOR series, DEADLY FIXATION is an exciting paranormal romantic suspense that will have you avidly turning the pages. The sexual tension between Devon and Jo is to-die-for and I thought the honorable Belador warrior and the kick-ass assassin with a secret were a great match. If you haven’t read the BELADOR series, DEADLY FIXATION provides a small sample of what the world of the books is like. I’m desperately hoping Jo and Devon show up again in the series because Ms. Love left me wanting more of these two!


AFTER HOURS by William Bernhardt
When Major Mike Morelli and his partner, Lieutenant Kate Baxter, are called to a homicide scene, they have no idea that this isn’t a straightforward murder. A beautiful woman’s been killed, and the clues to her killer lie in the fact that neither the victim nor her grieving boyfriend are what they appear to be.

Author William Bernhardt takes readers through a homicide case with plenty of unexpected twists in AFTER HOURS. Mr. Bernhardt’s writing drew me into the story from the start and I found the case itself fascinating. A dash of romance and a message about finding happiness rounds out AFTER HOURS, making it an all-around wonderful read.


LOVE IS MURDER is a fantastic anthology with twenty-nine very different tales of romantic suspense. Editor Sandra Brown outdid herself with this collection. As with any mega anthology, there will be some stories readers like more than others. I highlighted four of my favorites, but there are a few other notable tales I’d feel awful if I didn’t mention. Heather Graham delivers a spine-tingling thriller with GRAVE DANGER. A wedding and a honeymoon take a potentially deadly turn in Andrea Kane’s LOCKDOWN. A dangerous stalker threatens two people who have nowhere to turn in VACATION INTERRUPTED. A rescue mission turns into something more in Laura Griffin’s NIGHT HEAT. Julie Kenner does the unexpected in THE HONEYMOON. And there’s something incredibly haunting about Lee Child’s one paragraph tale, I HEARD A ROMANTIC STORY. All in all, I recommend reading LOVE IS MURDER. With thirty incredibly talented authors delivering twenty-nine unique stories, LOVE IS MURDER is one anthology fans of romantic suspense won’t want to miss.


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Barefoot in Lace by Roxanne St. Claire

Barefoot in Lace by Roxanne St. Claire
Series: Barefoot Bay Brides, Book 2
Publisher: South Street Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Kick off your shoes and fall in love again in with the Barefoot Bay Brides! Destination wedding planner Gussie McBain needs a man...specifically, a wedding photographer. Just her luck that the shutterbug she runs into is more used to snapping pictures of glamorous models in couture gowns than brides in white lace. But Gussie's never been one to let bad odds stop her from a good gamble, so she asks for a favor she never dreams superstar TJ DeMille will actually grant.

Tom DeMille lives his life exactly as he pleases—always alone. In fact, he’s got that motto tattooed in Greek on his arm. But when Tom is suddenly saddled with guardianship of his twelve-year-old niece, he'll lose more than his freedom if he can't figure out how to take care of her. Then an alluring young woman with pink hair and a sassy mouth shows up at his door, and he agrees to do the unthinkable...photograph a wedding in exchange for some help with his niece.

As they work together, Tom begins to take down the walls Gussie has erected around herself to discover a truly beautiful and tender woman he knows he could love. But will his own heartache and refusal to lay down roots prevent him from giving Gussie the family life she craves...or could she be the one woman who can finally break his vow of solitude?

Prepare to fall in love with Barefoot Bay all over again in Barefoot in Lace. Artistry and style are a gorgeous backdrop for a romance filled with heartbreak, hope, and new beginnings. Roxanne St. Claire definitely knows how to blend sensuality, emotion, and escapism into a great story and Barefoot in Lace has all these things in spades.

Who wouldn’t want to get gussied up with Gussie? The beautiful stylist excels at her job and is one of those genuinely nice characters you wish were real, just so you could be friends with them. But Gussie also has some very real scars that she hides – and I’m not talking about the physical ones. Tom sees beneath the wigs and bravado from the start to the woman within. His determination and care bring Gussie out of her shell and are the catalyst for her deciding to start truly healing from the incident that shattered her life long ago. And speaking of Tom, he’s not without scars of his own, though he guards his ghosts more fiercely than Gussie. Tom is also nearing the end of his rope. He’s just lost his sister and his life is in chaos as he tries to figure out how to balance his life and job with the challenges of raising his niece, a girl who is feeling lost and alone herself. Alex is every bit as important to Tom and Gussie’s story as our hero and heroine themselves. The three of them are clearly meant to be a family, but conflicting wants, views on how their lives should be, and old wounds make things difficult. Ms. St. Claire makes Tom and Gussie work for their happy ending, and the reward is definitely worth the journey.

Barefoot in Lace is the second book in the Barefoot Bay Brides series, a trilogy set in the larger world of Barefoot Bay. That being said, Gussie and Tom’s book can easily be read as a standalone, though I defy you to read it and not want to at least dive in to Gussie’s fellow wedding planners’ stories. Willow and Ari continue to delight and the love and friendship between these three wedding planners is simply wonderful. I finished Barefoot in Lace both wanting to re-read Barefoot in White (Willow’s book) and eager to dive into Barefoot in Pearls (Ari’s book).

Barefoot in Lace is every bit as lovely and romantic as the weddings Gussie puts on. I adored Gussie and Tom and I look forward to revisiting them in the future.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Best Books of 2014

With 2015 fast approaching (Can you believe it?), it’s time to take a look back and pick out the best of the best. 2014 was a bit of an uneven year for me in terms of reading. I read 159 books, some of them fabulous…and some not so much. I rediscovered my love of contemporary romance, the subgenre that first hooked me on romance novels in general. I also tried 33 new (to me) authors, and found some new favorites (Jenn Bennett and Macy Beckett are among my new autobuy authors). And finally, I participated in my fifth A to Z Reading Challenge, a challenge I always enjoy.

I read a number of excellent books this year, but I did manage to narrow the list down so I could spotlight the best of the best that I read in 2014:



Top Ten Books of 2014
Top Re-Reads of 2014
Honorable Mentions

My Top Ten Books of 2014

Note: Not necessarily all published in 2014, but all were new-to-me reads
Also note: The books are alphabetized by title as I love them all equally

1. Barefoot in White (Barefoot Bay Brides, Book 1) by Roxanne St. Claire
My Review | Buy Link





2. Bitter Spirits (Roaring Twenties, Book 1) by Jenn Bennett
My Review | Buy Link






3. Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School, Book 1) by Gail Carriger
Buy Link






4. Festive in Death (In Death, Book 39) by J.D. Robb
My Review | Buy Link






5. High Noon by Nora Roberts
Buy Link






6. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
My Review | Buy Link





7. Make You Mine (Dumont Bachelors, Book 1) by Macy Beckett
My Review | Buy Link






8. A Marriage Most Convenient by C.C. Galloway
My Review Coming Soon | Buy Link






9. Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling, Book 13) by Nalini Singh
My Review | Buy Link






10. Sin Undone (Demonica, Book 5) by Larissa Ione
Buy Link

My Top Re-Reads of 2014

1. Decadence (Emerald Valley, Book 1.5) by Riley Shane
Buy Link






3. Judgment in Death (In Death, Book 11) by J.D. Robb
Buy Link






4. A Very Personal Trainer by Justine Elyot
My Review | Buy Link







7. Victorian Valentine by Riley Shane
Buy Link

Honorable Mentions

These books were also new-to-me reads in 2014 and they barely missed making my top ten list.

1. Alpha & Omega (Alpha & Omega, Book 0.5) by Patricia Briggs
Buy Link





2. Azagoth (Demonica, Book 10.5 / Lords of Deliverance, Book 5.5) by Larissa Ione
Buy Link






3. Midnight Action (Killer Instincts, Book 5) by Elle Kennedy
My Review | Buy Link






4. Once in a Lifetime (Lucky Harbor, Book 9) by Jill Shalvis
My Review | Buy Link






5. One in a Million (Lucky Harbor, Book 12) by Jill Shalvis
My Review | Buy Link






6. Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley
My Review | Buy Link






7. Show Me, Baby (Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 9) by Cherise Sinclair
Buy Link






8. The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances by Matthew Inman
Buy Link






9. This Is Who I Am (Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 7) by Cherise Sinclair
My Review | Buy Link






10. Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson
My Review | Buy Link

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Author Interview: Roxanne St. Claire

I fell head over heels in love with Roxanne St. Claire's world of Barefoot Bay a few books ago, which is one of the reasons I'm SO excited I was able to interview her here on Wit and Sin! Ms. St. Claire's latest release is Barefoot in White, the first book in her Barefoot Bay Brides trilogy. You can read my review of Barefoot in White here, but I can tell you right now that this is already one of my favorite books of the year :)

Now onto the good stuff - Q&A time with Roxanne St. Claire!

Q: What inspired you to write the Barefoot Brides series?
A: When I looked for pictures to help me imagine the Casa Blanca Resort & Spa that grew from nothing to a jewel on the gulf in the first four books, I kept finding images of destination weddings on the beach. The idea just grew organically -- of course they’d have on-site wedding planners, and who doesn’t love a bride book? I introduced them in that fourth book as secondary characters visiting the property, and couldn’t wait to dive into their stories.


Q: The Barefoot Brides trilogy marks your third series set in Barefoot Bay. Was it always your intention to return to Barefoot Bay after the initial quartet, or is there something about Barefoot Bay that keeps drawing you back?
A: I knew I couldn’t leave Barefoot Bay! I had only planned four books in the original series, but regret set in when I started writing BAREFOOT BY THE SEA, the last of the quartet. I don’t really remember the light bulb moment, but as the resort setting grew, it seemed like a natural thing to have weddings there...and that led to the idea of wedding planners as heroines of their own trilogy! I had those billionaires on the brain, though, so I released them first. And now there’s a minor league baseball team moving to the island.... I guess there is something magical about Barefoot Bay. I like to joke that there’s been more water sex, proposals, and now weddings on that beach than anywhere else in the world!


Q: Do you have any favorites of the characters you’ve written?
A: Of course some of the earliest characters are close to my heart. I seem to find a role for Lacey Walker, the heroine of the very first book and lead owner of the resort, in every story. I also have a soft spot for her daughter, who might have to get her own book some day. I still love Ian from the last Barefoot Bay book and I just wrote a scene with Charity, the obnoxious owner of the Super Min convenience store. I love ‘em all!


Q: What's one thing about being an author you wish someone had told you before you were first published?
A: IT’S SO HARD IT HURTS. And it doesn’t get easier. In fact, each book is more challenging than the one before. I’m sorry, but this isn’t a fun job -- it’s an incredible amount of blood, sweat, and tears but after every book is finished, the work is incredibly satisfying.


Q: When you're not writing, what do you like to do?
A:There are so many aspects to the job that are “not writing,” sometimes it feels like I’m never not working! But when I escape, I love to spend time with my family and dogs, I read a lot, and since I live on the water, I get to kayak and enjoy the Florida sunshine. I volunteer at my church (in the nursery -- so much fun for a baby lover like me) and I kind of like to shop a little too much. Wait, is there such a thing?


Thanks for having me! If you or your readers have any other questions, fire away!



About Barefoot in White:
Destination wedding consultant Willow Ambrose has fought a battle with the scale for much of her life, but she has finally won the war. By putting her past behind her and cutting off all contact with anyone who knew her before and, of course, controlling everything she can, Willow has carved out a new body and a new life. But when she comes face to face with someone who left an indelible mark on her heart years before, all that threatens to crumble.

Navy SEAL Nick Hershey is on medical leave, doing a friend a favor as a stand in “man of honor” at a beach wedding. He might not be that interested in the nuptials, but the wedding planner catches his eye the minute they meet. When he realizes Willow is really a girl he knew in college — and a girl he unintentionally hurt to the core — he knows he has some making up to do.

Willow has learned how to beat every temptation...but Nick’s sweet as candy kisses just might be the one thing she can't resist. But the closer they get, the more the past threatens to tear them apart. Can overcome their history in order to have a forever future?

My Review | Amazon | B&N | Kobo



About Roxanne St. Claire:
Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels of suspense and romance, including three popular series (The Bullet Catchers, The Guardian Angelinos, and Barefoot Bay) and multiple stand alone books.

In addition to being a six-time nominee and one-time winner of the RITA Award, Roxanne’s novels have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense three times, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and are routinely included as a Doubleday/Rhapsody Book Club Selection of the Month.
http://roxannestclaire.com/

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Review: Barefoot in White by Roxanne St. Claire

Barefoot in White by Roxanne St. Claire
Series: Barefoot Bay Brides, Book 1
Publisher: South Street Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Destination wedding consultant Willow Ambrose has fought a battle with the scale for much of her life, but she has finally won the war. By putting her past behind her and cutting off all contact with anyone who knew her before and, of course, controlling everything she can, Willow has carved out a new body and a new life. But when she comes face to face with someone who left an indelible mark on her heart years before, all that threatens to crumble.

Navy SEAL Nick Hershey is on medical leave, doing a friend a favor as a stand in “man of honor” at a beach wedding. He might not be that interested in the nuptials, but the wedding planner catches his eye the minute they meet. When he realizes Willow is really a girl he knew in college — and a girl he unintentionally hurt to the core — he knows he has some making up to do.

Willow has learned how to beat every temptation...but Nick’s sweet as candy kisses just might be the one thing she can't resist. But the closer they get, the more the past threatens to tear them apart. Can overcome their history in order to have a forever future?

Barefoot in White is a gorgeous, emotional story of love, forgiveness, and new beginnings. Roxanne St. Claire has written many wonderful books, but Nick and Willow’s is my absolute favorite of hers to date.

Willow is now on my list of all-time favorite heroines. She’s fought hard to shed not just weight but the identity she held for the first twenty-six years of her life. Willow is a strong, successful woman but that doesn’t mean she’s invulnerable. Her past haunts her whether she wants to acknowledge it or not, and my heart absolutely broke for her. I loved Willow, plain and simple, and I wanted her to find happiness both with herself and with Nick. Nick Hershey is as sweet as his name suggests. In college, he unwittingly hurt Willow, but there’s no doubt that he deserves a second chance with her. Nick’s sexy as hell, but it’s his good heart and his own scars that really drew me to him. He and Willow have amazing chemistry and their story had me avidly turning the (digital) pages of Barefoot in White. However, Ms. St. Claire doesn’t make things easy for them. Neither acknowledges it at first, but both Nick and Willow have some healing to do over the course of the story, and it was a wonderful process to watch, ups and downs and all.

Barefoot in White is the first book in the Barefoot Bay Brides trilogy, which is set in the larger world of Ms. St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay. A couple of past favorite Barefoot Bay characters have cameos, but aside from our hero and heroine the supporting cast is made up of mostly new faces. The standouts are, of course, Willow’s friends and partners, Gussie and Ari. The two of them cracked me up and I can’t wait for these candy-betting wedding planners to get books of their own.

It’s hard for me to be objective when reviewing Barefoot in White because so many things about this story touched me. I laughed, I teared up, and I smiled when Willow and Nick got the happily ever after they so deserved. I absolutely loved Barefoot in White and I cannot wait to read the next Barefoot Bay Brides story, Barefoot in Lace!


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Seduction on the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire

Seduction on the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire
Series: Billionaires of Barefoot Bay, Book 2
Publisher: South Street Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Like everything in his life, becoming a billionaire was easy for Elliott Becker. He bought some land in Massachusetts and discovered he sat on two billion dollars worth of rare Goshen stone. Lucky, charming, and blessed with every gift from every god, Elliott expects his simple purchase of property in Barefoot Bay will go the way everything does for him in life...easy. Until he meets the woman who currently owns that land and suddenly everything is...hard.

Frankie Cardinale’s fondest memories took place on the tiny goat farm owned and run by her “Nonno” in the heart of Barefoot Bay. While she held her Nonno in her arms on his deathbed, she promised his land would never leave their family and that she would continue his legacy. Nothing -- not even a sexy, playful, intoxicating billionaire who always gets his way -- will convince her to break that promise.

Except Elliott Becker is a man who always gets what he wants even if that means a little seduction and double-crossing of a humble goatherd. But will his lucky streak hold long enough to keep him from making the biggest mistake of his life? Because it doesn't take long for Elliott to realize that all the money in the world can’t buy him what he really wants the most...her love.

A charming billionaire, a hardworking goatherd, and some seriously adorable animals are only a few of the reasons I fell in love with Seduction on the Sand. Roxanne St. Claire’s second Billionaires of Barefoot Bay story is a fast-paced, engaging romance that’ll simply leave you smiling and wanting the final book in the trilogy.

Elliott has lead a pretty charmed life and has always taken the easy way. He’s in over his head when he meets Frankie. She’s the first person who doesn’t fall at his feet, swayed by his charm. Money and looks mean nothing to her (though Elliott’s looks don’t exactly hurt…) when compared to the weight of keeping a promise and making her Nonno’s dream come true. Though I generally hate secret-keeping, especially when it’s for less-than-honorable reasons, I was far more easily seduced by Elliott than Frankie was. At heart, he’s a good man and it’s easy to forgive his sins. Whether Frankie’s take on this falls in with my line of thinking or not is something I’ll leave readers to discover on their own, but I will say that she’s equally impossible to resist. She’s got a strong worth ethic and a battered heart that both called to me and I wanted to see her find some brightness in life. As a couple, she and Elliott fit like lock and key, though it surprises them both. Their slightly bumpy slide into love kept me turning the pages of Seduction on the Sand – I did not want to set the book down. Add in a couple of incredibly adorable goats who threaten to steal the show at times and what’s not to love about this book?

Seduction on the Sand is the second story in the Billionaires of Barefoot Bay series and though it can be read as a standalone, Elliott’s fellow billionaires, Zeke and Nate, do play supporting roles (much to my delight). There’s also a few cameos made by characters from the original Barefoot Bay quartet, and it was lovely to catch up with well-loved characters. Barefoot Bay is as irresistible to me as it is to its residents, and I can’t wait to revisit its sandy shores in Naughty Nate’s story, Scandal on the Sand.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Secrets on the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire

Secrets on the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire
Series: Billionaires of Barefoot Bay, Book 1
Publisher: South Street Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

In high school, Zeke Nicholas was known as “Ezekiel the Geekiel” while the girl of his dreams had the much more flattering moniker “Mandy the Magnificent.” It’s been over a decade since high school, but when Zeke – now a handsome billionaire – sees Mandy again, his old crush comes flaring back to life.

Amanda Lockhart doesn’t feel so magnificent anymore. In fact, she’s downright worn out. After a disastrous marriage left her deep in debt and wary of men, all she’s focused on is working hard to get by. She’s a maid at Casa Blanca, Barefoot Bay’s premier resort, and when she runs into Zeke, her life is turned upside down once more. Amanda no longer believes in fairy tales, but this nerdy Price Charming makes her feel like Cinderella. Only this Cinderella has a secret…one that could cost her everything – including Zeke.

Get swept away by Roxanne St. Claire’s modern-day fairy tale, Secrets on the Sand. Amanda had it all in high school, but since then she’s had more than her fair share of hard knocks. She’s been hurt in more ways than one and I understood and appreciated why she guards herself so closely. It’s not easy for Zeke to break down the walls Amanda erects, but the genius billionaire doesn’t give up. I was utterly charmed by Zeke. He’s a geek with polish, and that’s one of my favorite kinds of heroes. He and Amanda have great chemistry, which makes their story an enticing read. Though Secrets on the Sand begins with Zeke trying to make his high school fantasy come true, their relationship turns into something real that readers can root for.

Secrets on the Sand is a story that will make you smile, particularly if you’re already a fan of Ms. St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay quartet. Though Secrets on the Sand is the first book in the Billionaires of Barefoot Bay series, some of the beloved Barefoot Bay protagonists show up in this novella (Lacey, of Barefoot in the Sand, plays a particularly important supporting role). But while I liked the callbacks to the Barefoot Bay quartet, I’m more excited about what Ms. St. Claire has in store for Zeke’s friends and future Billionaires of Barefoot Bay heroes, Becker and Nate.

Zeke and Mandy made me fall in love with Barefoot Bay all over again. I finished Secrets on the Sand a well-satisfied reader, and I can’t wait to dive into the next Billionaires of Barefoot Bay tale, Seduction on the Sand.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Blog Tour: Barefoot by the Sea by Roxanne St. Claire

I loved Roxanne St. Claire's Barefoot by the Sea (see my review here), so I'm delighted to have been invited to participate in this blog tour! Ms. St. Claire's publisher, Forever, has gifted me with some absolutely wonderful content to share, so scroll down to read an interesting Q&A with Ms. St. Claire and read an excerpt from Barefoot by the Sea.

Never read any Barefoot Bay books? You're in luck! Simply comment on this blog post to enter for your chance to win a complete set of ALL FOUR Barefoot Bay books. US entries only, and please leave your email so I can contact the winner for their shipping info.

Q&A with Roxanne St. Claire

How do you come up with the names for your characters and titles?

Names can be fun...or frustrating! My characters brew for a long time and during that period, their names usually come to me. Sometimes I hear a name out in the world and I know immediately that has to be a character. But I have to be careful with that...I have used names of people I barely knew and then became friends with them. I’m still waiting for one of my daughter’s friends to discover I used her name as the villain in one of my old romantic suspense novels. I didn’t know the girls would become friends when they were in the same dance class ten years ago! Her name was so perfect for the bad girl villainess and now I hope she never reads that book.

When I’m stuck for a name, I dig through character name books -- I use The New Age Baby Name Book and The Baby Name Personality Survey -- to find ideas. Sometimes, as was the case with the hero of BAREFOOT BY THE SEA, I ask my Facebook Fans for ideas! They named Ian!

And, yes, I have given characters the wrong name. I usually know it a few pages into the story, but I have been known to get much further when I realize that I’m struggling with a character who doesn’t have a name that reflects their real nature or backstory. For a long time, Clay, the hero of BAREFOOT IN THE SAND, was named Elliott (all wrong for him). The heroine, Lacey, was Lily. Very early into the book, I realized that Lily didn’t capture her whimsical personality. “Lily” felt a little too elegant for this strawberry-blonde heroine who thinks her boobs are too big. Lacey felt brighter and more alive, so I changed her name before I hit chapter two. Clay took a little longer. His backstory was a moving target for a while, since he wasn’t a character that came fully formed. (Oh, I love those gifts from God!) As that hero took shape, I realized that this southern boy wouldn’t have such a northeastern name and Elliott didn’t fit him. I changed his first name to Clay and loved the transformation. I kept his last name Walker, and never Googled “Clay Walker” to learn that is a country music singer. No one ever caught that during editing, so now my hero has a famous name.

The trickiest thing about writing a series is once a name is published, it can’t be changed! So I have to be careful naming secondary or even tertiary characters...they can be a hero or heroine of their own book in the future and I don’t want to be stuck with Lucretia or Agnes. (Not that I don’t love those names -- in fact, I’m using in a book I’m writing right now!!)

Excerpt from Barefoot by the Sea

“Tessa,” he said softly, looking from side to side for a second. “I have to tell you something about me. Something you didn’t ask in your interview.”

Interesting, since he didn’t even answer the questions she did ask. Still, she waited, dying to see where he’d go with this.

“I don’t shy away from anything,” he finally said. “When I see something I want, I get it.” He gave her a hard, straight look.

Did he mean the job as chef or…her?

“So, what are you here to get?”

“My plan is that we start all over again.” Reaching down, he lifted her hand and very slowly drew off the gardening glove, sliding one finger out at a time out of the rough canvas. She couldn’t do anything but stare at his large, tanned, masculine hand undressing her much smaller one, her throat parched and every nerve ending dancing at the touch.

“We could shake on it,” he said, dropping the glove to the ground but still holding her hand. His skin was warm. A little rough, a little dry, but very warm. “But I’d rather do this.”

He lifted her fingers to his lips, barely brushing the knuckles, the sensation shooting fireworks down her arms. “To new beginnings, pretty Tessa. A new job, and a new…” He looked up from her hand and met her gaze, his own so serious she forgot to breathe again. “Friendship.”

For a moment, she stared at him, a thousand emotions erupting like a volcano in her chest. Disbelief and excitement and desire and disbelief and longing and—yeah, mostly disbelief.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Well, I’m not really trusting by nature, so I’m fighting the sensation that you might be full of shit.”

He laughed. “I deserve a chance.”

Did he? “And you’ll probably get one, but what happened?”

He lifted both brows. “I want the job.”

“So you’re suddenly Prince Charming? After being guarded, evasive, and walking out in the middle of an interview?”

He curled his fingers around her hand and sighed with resignation. “I guess I’m going to have to do some seriously high-quality groveling.”

“Major high,” she agreed.

“Let’s start with dinner tonight. We can finish the interview.”

Obviously, he didn’t know she’d called all his references and they glowed like polished gold, and he certainly didn’t know about the wedding planners and the urgent need for a chef. Instead, he’d come to grovel and take her to dinner.

“I’ll give you time to clean up and change for our date,” he said, as if she might be looking for an excuse to say no.

As if a groveling man offering dinner and looking like a sex god fell into her lap on a daily basis.

“I thought it was an interview,” she said.

He shrugged. “You call it an interview, I call it a date.”

“I call it a pretty remarkable turnaround for the guy who suggested a one-night stand of tongue-tattooing the last time we talked about going out.”

His smile was sinfully slow and so damn confident. “Haven’t you ever changed your mind about something, Tessa? Ever looked at a situation in the light of day and realized you’d need a new approach to get what you want?”

She tried to ignore the little thrill of his words and be smart about this. “What about trust?”

He lifted his brows. “What about it?”

“Did you change your mind about the advice you gave me in the bar? Or don’t you remember when your one word about trusting you was ‘Don’t’?”

She could have sworn a little bit of color left his face.

“How else are you going to know if you should or not unless you have dinner with me?”

She couldn’t argue with that logic. Or maybe she just didn’t want to.


Purchase Barefoot by the Sea here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | B&L Books (autographed copies)



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Review: Barefoot by the Sea by Roxanne St. Claire

Barefoot by the Sea by Roxanne St. Claire
Series: Barefoot Bay, Book 4
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781455508235
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Tessa Galloway has a job she loves and a family-by-choice anyone would envy, but her life isn’t complete. Though she can make flowers bloom in the most difficult of circumstances, Tess can’t seem to grow the one thing she wants most in the world: a baby. Her friends are convinced she’ll find the right guy to make her dreams come true, but Tess believes they’re wrong. Until John Brown is hired as the new chef for the resort Tess and her friends run. John’s utterly irresistible and seems to be falling as hard for Tess as she is for him, but she can’t seem to shake the feeling that something about the man is too good to be true.

Ian Browning is a man with many secrets. Over three years ago, his life was shattered and he was forced into a witness protection program. Now living in the US and going by the name of John Brown, Ian is determined to do anything to be reunited with his children, who are in a different program in Canada. Thanks to a heavy amount of red tape, Ian’s window of opportunity for getting his kids back is closing fast. He needs to prove that he’s a model citizen, complete with a steady job and a wife. The first is easy, but the second leaves him conflicted. He knows Tessa’s deepest desire and he also knows he can’t possibly fulfill it. Nevertheless, he pursues her, all-too-aware that she’ll hate him forever when she learns of his deception. The more time he spends around Tessa, the more in love with her Ian is. But how can he be the man she needs without sacrificing his children?

Barefoot by the Sea is the beach read you’ll want to have with you all year long! The final installment of the Barefoot Bay quartet features secrets and heartbreak that can only be overcome by determination, love, and hope.

I loved this book, plain and simple. Tess is a heroine who spoke to me. She’s hardworking, loyal, and caring, but not perfect. She tends to be too focused when she sets her mind on something, and not seeing the bigger picture hampers her in some ways. She almost defines herself by her inability to have a child, and what made Barefoot by the Sea special was watching her come into her own over the course of the story.

Ian is definitely Tess’s catalyst for change, and man, oh man, does Roxanne St. Claire deliver when it comes to Ian. Much like Tess, I hate secrets and they’re normally a big red flag for me in books. However, Ian’s the exception that proves the rule. How can you hold his actions against him when the entire reason for his deception is rooted in a tragedy he had no part in creating? Ian’s a father willing to sacrifice everything to be reunited with his kids and his love and devotion to his children would alone be enough to make him a great hero in my eyes. Add in his culinary skills, innate sexiness, and obvious love for Tess and I’m a goner.

Neither Ian nor Tess live the lives they’d originally mapped out for themselves, but watching them find love and happiness in the lives they do lead was absolutely wonderful. Their romance was by turns sensual and touching and I was so drawn to them as a pair that I couldn’t put Barefoot by the Sea down.

Barefoot by the Sea is the fourth book in the Barefoot Bay quartet but it can be read as a standalone. Tess’s best friends, Lacey, Jocelyn, and Zoe (the heroines of Barefoot in the Sand, Barefoot in the Rain, and Barefoot in the Sun) all play strong supporting roles, as does Lacey’s daughter, Ashley. Tess’s relationships with these women is every bit as important to the story as her burgeoning romance with Ian is. And speaking of developing romances, fans of the series will undoubtedly be pleased to learn that Barefoot by the Sea provides a lead-in to Ms. St. Claire’s next series, the Barefoot Brides. Here’s hoping that Tess, Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe, and their loved ones show up in the Barefoot Brides books.

Barefoot by the Sea is a compelling, emotional read that will grab you by the heart and not let go. I absolutely loved Ian and Tess, and their story is a shining example of Roxanne St. Claire’s talent as an author. I can’t wait to re-read Barefoot by the Sea over and over and over again.

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Review: Barefoot in the Sun by Roxanne St. Claire

Barefoot in the Sun by Roxanne St. Claire
Series: Barefoot Bay, Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781455508259
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Zoe Tamarin has been on the run since childhood and she’s never regretted it…except once. Now temporarily living in Barefoot Bay near her three best friends, Zoe is faced with a frightening development: her Aunt Pasha, the woman who saved her all those years ago, has cancer. Pasha can’t get treatment, lest she find herself in jail, which leaves Zoe with only one person to turn to. Nine years ago she broke Dr. Oliver Bradbury’s heart but now she needs to face the renowned oncologist again if she hopes to give Pasha a chance at surviving. Even if she can convince Oliver to help her aunt, Zoe is worried that she won’t be able to resist Oliver. He’s the only man she’s ever loved, the only man who has made her want to stay in one place. Will Zoe be able to make a life for herself in Barefoot Bay, or will the temptation to run be impossible to resist?

True love gets a second chance in Barefoot in the Sun. Zoe and Oliver make a great pair, but secrets, misunderstandings, and ingrained behavioral patterns threaten to keep them apart. I liked both Oliver and Zoe, but I had a bit of trouble connecting with them, Zoe in particular. Roxanne St. Claire did a great job of making me understand Zoe’s character and why she kept pushing Oliver away, but even with said understanding I grew a bit frustrated with her. When a cold case involving Pasha was added in, the amount of drama in Barefoot in the Sun slowed the momentum of the story and detracted from the main characters and the romance.

The shining stars of the story were, for me, Oliver’s son, Evan, and Zoe’s best friends. Evan’s a bright, endearing child who won me over from the first and I longed to see him get the love and attention he deserved. As for Zoe’s friends, Lacey and Jocelyn are previous Barefoot Bay heroines whom readers of the series will undoubtedly be thrilled to revisit. The love Lacey, Jocelyn, and Tess have for each other and Zoe made the quartet’s scenes in Barefoot in the Sun warm and inviting. While I haven’t read the first two Barefoot Bay stories, after meeting Lacey and Jocelyn I’m interested in reading Barefoot in the Sand and Barefoot in the Rain. And after finishing Barefoot in the Sun, I’m definitely eager to get my hands on the final Barefoot Bay book, Barefoot by the Sea. I can’t wait to see what Ms. St. Claire has in store for Tess!

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Review: Kiss Me, I'm Irish by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis, and Maureen Child

Kiss Me, I’m Irish by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis, and Maureen Child
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9780373776542
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Jill Shalvis Reading Order

“The Sins of His Past” by Roxanne St. Claire
For one incredible night, Kendra Locke gave Deuce Monroe everything she had. Then he walked away without a backward glance to chase his big-league dreams. Now after one too many daredevil stunts, he's back in his hometown ready to pick up where they left off—but Kendra has no intention of giving in so easily….

“Tangling with Ty” by Jill Shalvis
Dr. Nicole Mann, a child prodigy who graduated high school at the age of thirteen, has no room in her mind or her schedule for romance. But when the architect renovating her apartment turns out to have a charming Irish accent, all bets are off—and Ty Patrick O'Grady plans to use every trick in his book to stay in her life for good.

“Whatever Reilly Wants” by Maureen Child
Connor Reilly only has a few weeks to go in his "no sex for ninety days" bet with his brothers—and he figures no woman is safer to be around than his best friend, Emma Jacobsen. Until Emma shows up at a bar in a short skirt and high heels, and suddenly seems anything but safe!

“The Sins of His Past” by Roxanne St. Claire
I suppose I should start off by saying that I’m a sucker for reunion romances, so I was really looking forward to reading “The Sins of His Past.” That being said, “The Sins of His Past” wasn’t a story I particularly enjoyed. Kendra’s intelligent and easy to like, but Deuce is so self-centered for the majority of the book that I did not find him appealing at all. To clarify, Deuce isn’t a bad person – he just seems to think that the world revolves around him. Even situations which only marginally have something to do with him are put in terms of how said situations affect him. The highlight of “The Sins of His Past” was not the romance, but rather when Kendra finally called Deuce on his behavior. With such an annoying hero, it was pretty much impossible for me to become invested in “The Sins of His Past.”

Roxanne St. Claire is an author whose work I’ve been meaning to read for years and I hope I’ll have better luck with another one of her books.


“Tangling with Ty” by Jill Shalvis
I’ve been steadily glomming up Jill Shalvis’s backlist and with a story like “Tangling with Ty,” it’s easy to see why. “Tangling with Ty” has heat, heart, and a dash of humor — three things you’re guaranteed to find in Ms. Shalvis’s stories. Nicole is a hard worker who isn’t the most socially adept of people, something that adds a dash of vulnerability to her character. And with a brilliant, beautiful doctor like Nicole for a heroine, that bit of vulnerability is definitely needed to keep her from being too perfect. I simply adored Nicole. As for the other half of “Tangling with Ty”…whew! Ty Patrick O’Grady is one sexy Irishman. The way he handles the sometimes-prickly Nicole charmed the hell out of me and the depth of caring he shows added to the devastatingly hot package he presented. As a pair, Nicole and Ty were fabulous, and I devoured “Tangling with Ty” in one sitting.

“Tangling with Ty” is the second book in Ms. Shalvis’s South Village Singles series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. However, I loved Nicole’s friends Suzanne and Taylor, so I hope HQN plans to reissue “Roughing It with Ryan” and “Messing with Mac”


“Whatever Reilly Wants” by Maureen Child
Friends becoming lovers is a beloved romance trope for a reason. Stories like “Whatever Reilly Wants” exemplify the best of the friends-to-lovers storyline. Connor and Emma have never really seen one another as potential lovers – until Connor puts his foot in it and practically declares Emma to be asexual! I was with Emma all the way on her plot to seduce Connor for revenge, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before she and Connor would fall in love. It’s clear for all to see that Connor and Emma are perfect for one another, so as a reader I simply sat back and enjoyed the wonderfully entertaining ride Maureen Child took me on.

“Whatever Reilly Wants” is the second story in Ms. Child’s Three-Way Wager series, but it stands on its own just fine. However, I’ll definitely be looking for the other two books in the series, as Connor’s brothers charmed the heck out of me.


There’s no reason to wait for St. Patrick’s Day to read Kiss Me, I’m Irish. With its trio of delightful heroines, not to mention a few red-hot heroes that are Irish or of Irish descent, Kiss Me, I’m Irish is sure to please fans of contemporary romance all year long!

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