S.C. Stephens – Reckless

February 23, 2015 lizellyn Books Hot Rock Star Hero

This is the 3rd book in the Thoughtless Series

If it is true that you need bad days in order to truly appreciate the good days, then that explains why this book takes the reader on a gut-wrenching emotional ride. STOP reading here – SPOILERS ahead. Usually, I can avoid including spoilers but this book makes me want to share everything and I can’t hold back. Kiera and Kellan continue their epic love affair, but their love continues to get tested. There is no doubt that their love is strong and that they are completely faithful to each other. However, as Kiera’s mom had once pointed out – is Kiera strong enough to be the woman for Kellan? As much I seem to get engrossed in romance novels, I’m not one to cry at weddings. However, Kiera and Kellan’s was my one exception. Their vows to each other were beautiful. Then afterwards, Denny apologizes to Kiera, “For the record, I always thought you were gorgeous. I’m sorry if I didn’t make you feel that way.”

The second best part of the book was the Griffin transformation. The story between Anna and Griffin is always colorful and fun. The birth of their daughter, Gibson (coolest name), brings out a whole new side in Griffin.

(I originally baked this cake in the shape of a Gibson Workhorse for a friend, but it would definitely be perfect for Anna and Griffin’s daughter)

Finally, S.C. Stephens ties up all the relationships, which culminates in an awesome happily-ever-after. Ultimately, her last line in the novel was perfect, “Passion, friendship, love, loyalty, trust . . . if you found the right person . . . you really could have it all.”

THE BEST PART – THOUGHTFUL comes out February 24, 2015 – can’t wait to hear Kellan’s POV.

to S.C. Stephens!

Warm Cookies or Cookie Dough?

February 22, 2015February 22, 2015 lizellyn Sweets Chocolate, Cookie

Screen Shot 2015-02-21 at 9.31.45 PM Screen Shot 2015-02-21 at 9.30.24 PM Which do you prefer: warm chocolate chip cookies or chocolate chip cookie dough? It is an even split in my house; two prefer the dough and two prefer the warm cookies. In order to appease all the members of family, I baked one tray of cookies and placed cookie size portions of cookie dough in a sealed container in the freezer. That way my cookie-dough eating daughter can grab a chunk of cookie dough when she so chooses. And, I can pop a tray of dough in the oven when the males in the house want some warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies but I don’t have time to whip up a new batch. Hopefully, when I dig in the freezer, I won’t find an almost empty container of cookie dough. 🙂

If you are a fan of cookie dough, my daughter found the following cookbook. These recipes do not use eggs. So, you don’t have to worry about any bacteria issues.

to Lindsay Landis!

See my other posts with desserts from this book:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Triple Cookie Dough Cheesecake

I probably love cookie dough as much I do romance books. In Mystery Man (Book #1 Dream Man Series by Kristen Ashley) the main character, Gwen, is a fan of cookie dough, too. Hawk, Gwen’s fat-free-eating perfectly sculpted boyfriend, loves Gwen’s cookie dough curves.

Kristen Ashley is a fabulous author; I recommend both her Chaos Series and Dream Man series.

Chaos: Own The Wind

Tough biker dudes were a bit hard to warm up to, but once I did – oh my my. A great exploration of balancing of whether you can like someone in spite of their faults. Now that I’ve developed a greater understanding of the biker world – can’t wait to read more of Kristen Ashley’s books.

Dream Man: Mystery Man, Wild Man, Law Man, Motorcycle Man

Badass Commando, sexy DEA Agent, honorable police officer, and righteous biker make for some hot tales. It is very difficult for me to decide which highly protective character should win the most desirable. However, in Wild Man, Brock’s appreciation for Tessa’s cupcakes (not a euphemism) earns him my vote. Gotta love a guy that has a sweet tooth and an amazing body.

to Kristen Ashely!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeyes

February 20, 2015March 23, 2015 lizellyn more sweets, Uncategorized Chocolate, gluten free

Chocolate and Peanut Butter is almost always a good thing. These are definitely good-to-eat treats. But what in the world is a buckeye?

Just what exactly is a buckeye and why is it Ohio State’s mascot?

“In preparation for Monday night’s national championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks(more on that in another story), it seems appropriate to clear the confusion up.

According to The Ohio State University’s athletics department website, a buckeye is “a small, shiny, dark brown nut with a light tan patch that comes from the official state tree of Ohio, the buckeye tree.”

According to folklore, the Buckeye resembles the eye of a deer and carrying one brings good luck. It has been the official Ohio State nickname since 1950, the website says, but it had been in common use for many years before that.”

See the full article at

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/01/what_exactly_is_a_buckeye_and.html

By Cheryl Wray | cwray@al.com

Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on January 12, 2015 at 5:45 AM, updated January 12, 2015 at 9:06 AM

Fiction Fan Friday 2/20/15

February 20, 2015February 20, 2015 lizellyn Books Bookish

Great romance authors make the reader fall in love with the characters. The descriptions of their build, the way in which they speak, and their prowess in bed electrify the characters and make them hot and desirable. I love to re-read the best of the best, but sometimes there isn’t enough time. Enjoy these pinterest boards that celebrate some of the most titillating characters and combine both provocative images and amazing quotes.

Kellan Kyle in Thoughtless Series by S.C. Stephens

https://www.pinterest.com/wallinmt/thoughtless-kellen-kyle/

Drew Evans in Tangled Series by Emma Chase

https://www.pinterest.com/mariskabell/emma-chase-%7E-tangledtwistedtied/

Remy by Katy Evans

https://www.pinterest.com/lilyslibrary/real-mine-remy-by-katie-evans/

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

https://www.pinterest.com/beckybookworm/travis-mad-dog-maddox-3/

Jaci Burton – Quarterback Draw

February 19, 2015 lizellyn Books Athlete, Strong Sexy Supermale

As a fan of the Play-by-Play Series, this one is a win. Katrina is a supermodel, which initially made me not like her. But, she is admits to having read a great deal of erotica – that I can relate to. Grant is a man with the right priorities. “He wanted to make her come again. And again. Until she wanted no one else but him.” Katrina and Grant are a hot pair and their steamy scenes will make you sweat, too.

The balance between family and romance is what makes this series particularly outstanding. In addition, being a native of St. Louis, I appreciate how well Jaci Burton incorporated elements of the city. Her description of the heat reminded me of how brutal the humidity in St. Louis can be in the summer. Also, she nailed it with the scene at the Jewel Box – it is an amazing place for wedding photos.

As a side note, I conducted a poll conducted last month: Quarterback Draw won for Favorite Jaci Burton Play-by-Play Cover. See all the results at:

Results of Favorite Jaci Burton Play by Play Cover

Check out all the drool-worthy covers at my original poll post:

Which is your favorite Jaci Burton Play by Play Cover?

I cannot get enough of this series! My life comes to a halt when I bring one of these books home. Ripped sports guys that have depth, too. The characters are amazing and I adore how the characters from all the books are intertwined. I’ll be racing faster than Gray Preston, in One Sweet Ride, to get the next in the series. “All Wound Up” is set to be released in August 2015.

to Jaci Burton!

S.C. Stephens – Effortless

February 18, 2015February 17, 2015 lizellyn Books Angst, Hot Rock Star Hero

This is the second in the Thoughtless series. Okay, so Kellan and Kiera still have issues of trust, which is still a very key element of the book. They realize that they both need to learn to trust each other, which is really difficult based on the fact their relationship started as an affair. Will the tour test each of them? Will they be able to stay faithful to each other? I found myself worrying about the characters between the moments I actually had time to read the book. At their most stressful moments, my chest physically ached.

This book is different from the first, as it is also about the development of love. How it can grow and change. One of my favorite lines is when Kiera tells Kellan,”I love you more. I love you enough to let you go and live your dream.” Also, this book has a lot more heat. Kellan is a hot sexually charged rock star – NO DOUBT. But what is surprisingly fabulous is Kellan’s adorable romantic side.

See my other post for the Thoughtless Series:

S.C. Stephens – Thoughtless

to S.C. Stephens!

S.C. Stephens – Thoughtless

February 16, 2015February 18, 2015 lizellyn Books Angst, Hot Rock Star Hero

I just read this book for the second time, because I wanted the story fresh in my mind before Thoughtful releases on Feb. 22, 2015.

This is a painfully wonderful story about a love triangle. The words come off the page and warm the heart with the intensity of love that the characters feel for each other. At the same time, the words choke and crush the heart when the characters are devastated. One of my favorite lines is when Denny tells Kiera, “I want to be someone’s everything. I want fire and passion, and love that’s returned, equally. I want to be someone’s heart. … Even if it means breaking my own[.]”

Why does this story stand out above other love triangles? Well, beside some great writing, all three characters possess a well-crafted balance of positive and negative characteristics that make them both attractive and realistically flawed. Needless to say, Kellan is extremely physically attractive (he is the definitive sexy as all get-out Rock Star), but it is the vulnerability of his heart that makes him incredibly alluring. Kellan’s challenge is dealing with feelings of love that are entirely new to him. In contrast, Denny is a good looking man with an irresistible Australian accent, but he is young and foolishly makes decisions on his own without consulting Kiera. As a side note, I love that both Kellan and Denny’s voices are both similarly one of their most seductive qualities. Lastly, Kiera – the point of the triangle – balances precariously between being considerate, heartless, loving, and selfish. Her naivete and lack of confidence is her ultimate shortcoming. She never comes across as being intentionally mean or malicious.

Finally, this story works so well because the theme is all about trust: trusting one’s own feelings and trusting in another’s person’s love. This applies to relationships of all ages, not just couples in their early twenties.

See my other post for Thoughtless Series:

S.C. Stephens – Effortless

to S.C. Stephens!

Valentine’s Heart Pound Cake

February 15, 2015 lizellyn Sweets Cake, Chocolate

This was my Valentine’s gift to my family – a pound cake in a pound cake. The pink (vanilla) cake stayed remarkably moist after being baked inside the chocolate cake. My kids really liked snacking on the extra leftover pink cake. My daughter is a true chocolate lover and she doesn’t believe that chocolate cake actually is an acceptable form of chocolate. She prefers ganache and fudge to chocolate cake. However, she appreciated the fun look of the cake and enjoyed a few slices. Less than 24 hours later, all the cake is gone (the pink scraps and the one with the heart inside).

Fiction Fan Friday 2/13/15

February 13, 2015February 12, 2015 lizellyn Books Bookish

Drew Evans in Tangled Series by Emma Chase

https://www.pinterest.com/mariskabell/emma-chase-%7E-tangledtwistedtied/

Remy by Katy Evans

https://www.pinterest.com/lilyslibrary/real-mine-remy-by-katie-evans/

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

https://www.pinterest.com/beckybookworm/travis-mad-dog-maddox-3/

Myla Jackson – Boots and Chaps

February 12, 2015 lizellyn Books Cowboy, Erotic, Three or More Galore

This is the 1st book in the Ugly Stick Saloon Series.

Who says it is only a woman’s prerogative to change her mind? Men should be able to change theirs as well. Let’s hear it for a little equality in life. Jackson may have originally claimed not to be into foursomes, but enticing circumstances brought him into the game. His change of heart leads to some wicked fun reading. The mischief scenes are hot and engaging with a realness that welcomely makes it a far cry from unbelievable fantasy erotica.

The women in this book are strong, independent, and aggressive. Jackson may claim to be the master, but Audrey does a lot of topping from the bottom. In addition, the women at the Ugly Stick Saloon on Ladies’ Night are fantastically unruly.

I plan to read more in the series.

to Myla Jackson!