Book Blitz + Giveaway: How To Series by Cassie Mae

Welcome to this week’s Swoon Romance YA Wednesdays! This week features How To Series by Cassie Mae! Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

How to Date a Nerd (How To #1)

by Cassie Mae

Publisher: Swoon Romance

Publication Date: September 24th, 2014

Synopsis:

Zoe has a great pair of legs, perky boobs, and wears exactly what she needs to show it all off. She works hard for the easy sleazy ‘you only wish you were me’ reputation, burying who she really is—an all-out nerd.

The only time Zoe gets to be herself is when she hides under her comforter to read X-Men comics, sending jealousy stabs at everyone who attends Comic-Con. Keeping up her popular rep is too important, and she’s so damn insecure to care about the consequences. But when Zoe’s sister takes her car for a ‘crash and burn into a tree’ joyride, her parents get her a replacement. A manual. Something she doesn’t know how to operate, but her next door neighbor Zak sure as heck does.

Zak’s a geek to the core, shunned by everyone in school for playing Dungeons and Dragons at lunch and wearing “Use the Force” t-shirts. And Zoe’s got it bad for the boy. Only Zak doesn’t want Popular Zoe. He wants Geek Zoe.

She has to shove her insecurities and the fear of dropping a few rungs on the social ladder aside to prove to Zak who she really is and who she wants to be… if she can figure it out herself.

How to Seduce a Band Geek (How To #2)

by Cassie Mae

Publisher: Swoon Romance

Release Date: 05/06/14

Read my review

Synopsis:

Sierra Livingston’s got it bad for her sister’s best friend, Levi Mason—the boy who carries his drumsticks in his pocket, marches with the school’s band, and taps his feet to whatever beat runs through his head. Sierra racks her brain for ways to impress the sexy drummer, but the short skirts and bursting cleavage don’t seem to cut it.

When Sierra gets paired with Levi’s sister, Brea, for a mentorship program, they strike a deal. In exchange for Sierra keeping her mouth shut about Brea ditching the program, Brea lets Sierra dig for more info on Levi to help get the guy of her dreams. 

But when Sierra discovers Levi no longer plays the drums, his family has moved into a trailer, and he’s traded in his Range Rover for a baby blue moped, Sierra’s not sure if she can go through with violating his privacy. She’ll have to find the courage to ask him straight out—if he’s willing to let her in—and explore other ways to seduce the school’s band geek.

Amazon multi-category and international bestselling author of HOW TO DATE A NERD, HOW TO SEDUCE A BAND GEEK and HOW TO HOOK A BOOKWORM

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. Her angel children and perfect husband fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Cassie Mae is an Amazon.com bestselling author of the teen contemporary romance novel REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, which she self-published. In addition to publishing with Swoon Romance, she is published by Random House Flirt.

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Book Blitz: Taken by Storm by Tamara Mataya

Taken by Storm
by Tamara Mataya
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Release Date: December 2nd 2014
Genres: Erotica, Romance

Synopsis:

Leilani’s plan was simple: Return for her father’s wedding, housesit for the happy couple while they went on their honeymoon, then get the hell outta dodge. She’d thought the worst thing would be returning to the town she grew up in (and despised). She was wrong.

A flashflood hits the small town, stranding Firefighter, Ryan, and a few strangers at the local bar. Worst of all, Leilani, his old high school rival – and last night’s scorching one-night-stand – is one of the people stuck in the bar. With waters rising, they need to stick together and wait for rescue.

The power grid’s knocked out, and cell phones aren’t working. When the others panic and leave, Leilani and Ryan are left alone in the dark. Fortunately, words aren’t necessary to keep the former rivals warm. But when they’re forced to leave their refuge, they must cooperate to navigate the flood ravaged town and reach safety.

Rising waters bring them closer together. Rising tempers might tear them apart.

Taken by Storm

by Tamara Mataya

She’d spent a good three minutes salivating over his body before she saw his face and realized she knew who he was. Ryan Benton. Two years her senior, his class was one of the wildest to tear through Silver Springs High. They’d banned hazing the year after because the seniors had been so brutal.

Leilani hadn’t been back to this drawn-out yawn of a town since graduation day six years ago. She’d thought nothing could make her return, but her dad managed to guilt her into coming for his wedding to his girlfriend, a lovely woman Leilani adored. It wasn’t the wedding she objected to—it was the location. She even offered, to no avail, to fly everyone to a beach somewhere—an option that looked better by the raindrop. It had been pouring off and on for the past four days, and the heavy rain had forced them to move the ceremony and picnic dinner from Phillip Street Park to the hotel.

The picnic dinner had been switched to a table of refreshments at the dance. Leilani was glad no one would stare at her sitting alone at the wedding party table, wondering why she didn’t

have a date. Dad and her new stepmom had left half an hour ago, needing to make the flight Leilani and her older brother Kyle had gifted to the happy couple for their honeymoon. Kyle had made it for the ceremony but had to return to the station—a couple of the other firefighters had caught a vicious stomach bug going around. Leilani was alone.

Was Ryan alone? Was the high school hero trolling her dad’s wedding for skank? He’d always been a big guy, but rangy, not built like he was now. He’d been the hottest jerk in school, and she’d done her best to ignore him. Not easy when she’d had to cheer for him at every football game, and was in the same social circle. Worse, he’d basically followed her around, stealing her thunder in everything from debate team to talent night.

She’d joined the school paper so she could write articles. The next week he’d come to school bragging about how one of his short stories had been published in a real magazine. The glossy evidence came a couple months later in April’s issue. Asshole. At least he’d been older and she wasn’t forced to suffer his presence for her whole high school experience.

Maybe he wasn’t as hot as he used to be. Some people aged horribly. She did a subtle eye sweep of the room, finding him at the bar. His long limbs and shaggy brown hair were pretty much the same as in high school. His back was to her, but the exact deep blue shade of his eyes was seared into her mind. He turned to the older man next to him and they smiled as they talked about something. Damn it. He was good looking. His nose was slightly too big, but matched the rest of his strong features and only made him look masculine and sexy.

Of course, it would be him. Treacherous subconscious must have known. The way he moved captured her attention right away—everything about him screamed man. He was tall, built, muscular, and hot. But Ryan Benton was off-limits. Completely.

Probably.

I should ask what the hell he’s doing here. He traced patterns in the condensation on his pint glass, and she imagined those strong, cool, damp fingertips on her skin. She licked her lips before noticing his gaze locked on hers in the reflection of the mirror behind the bar. Shit! She ducked through the closest door, heart pounding, and realized she was in the hallway leading to the washrooms. She pushed open the ladies' door, headed for the sink, and trickled cool water over her wrists, hoping to cool the fever racing beneath her skin.

Her family had moved to Silver Springs halfway through Leilani’s freshman year. The town was tiny, and multicultural diversity non-existent. She’d met Ryan and his friends her first day when they swarmed her table in the cafeteria.

Tamara Mataya is currently a librarian; she lurked there for so long recommending books to patrons and shushing people, that she suspects they only hired her so it would be less creepy. Now she’s armed with a name tag, and a thin veneer of credibility. She’s also a musician with synaesthesia – which isn't an issue until someone plays a wrong note, which makes her want to squirm inside out. It makes for a good live show.

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Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars (Rock Canyon Romance #2) by Codi Gary

Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars (Rock Canyon Romance #2)
by Codi Gary
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Release Date: April 22nd 2014
Genre: Romance, Adult, Contemporary

Rate: Enjoyed it (3,5 stars)

Synopsis:

Gemma Carlson didn't plan on waking up married.

She also didn't count on running into her old flame—and her son's father-turned-country rock star—Travis Bowers, followed by a night of drunken dares. Apparently one of those involved a ring on her finger and a vow … neither of which she intends to keep. Now with a hangover from hell, this good-girl-gone-bad knows there's just one thing to do: run.

Travis has been all over the world, but Gemma has never been far from his thoughts. So when they had the chance to catch up over a few drinks, he didn't hesitate. Of course, he didn't expect it would lead to marriage, or a runaway bride! Travis finally has a second chance and doesn't plan on losing Gemma again—or the son he didn't know he had. He proposes, albeit belatedly, a date. Or rather, a few. If they can make this marriage work by starting over, he stays. If not …

Gemma's not interested; she's got a son to protect and a heart to heal. But having Travis around could make both a little easier. Still, good girls don't date rock stars . . . right?

Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars is the perfect romance book about second chances at love. It reminded me a lot to the first book in the Beaumont series by Heidi McLaughlin, with a slightly more mature touch, since I would definitely categorize this book into the Adult section and Heidi's into the New Adult section, with the waking up married scene from the What Happens in Vegas movie.

Gemma Carlson's in Vegas for a book conference when she runs into her old lover, her first love, and her son's father, Travis Bowers. He's a rock star and Gemma finds herself into a lot of trouble when with just one look from Travis all her feelings for him come back like ten years hasn't gone by.

Getting married in Vegas, was not into her plans and definitely not with Travis. She tries to forget that her marriage ever happened, but Travis has other things in mind. He's not willing to let the love of his love go once again and he's determined to fight for her this time.

However, their so dreamy reconciliation might be broken even before it starts due to the lies and mistrust between the two characters.

I loved the two main characters. They are good people and you can only see it by reading the first chapter. I love that Travis didn't mind Gemma's weight when they were back in high school, that means that he was way more mature than other boys his age, and that he fell in love with Gemma for who she was. I love it! I haven't read a single romance story that mentioned this and it made me fall even more for the male character.

You can easily relate to Gemma since she's a bookworm like us and, after all, she was in Vegas for books. What more can I say? She's a good person, kind and forgiving, but she also stresses about the consequences a bit too much. So I can tell you she's also a little bit temperamental. 

Their story is a sweet one and it makes completely sense that one of the two main characters wanted to have it back. They start amazingly great, but when reality comes crashing back, they find themselves really trying to have a second chance. Travis gets to meet his son and he and Gemma heal from their mutual past.

This story is full of sweetness, romance and drama, but it's also a funny read and one of those reads that romance lovers need to read. I had a great time getting to know Gemma and Travis, their story and their son. And if you want to know if these two end up together and heal from their past lies and mistrust, you'll have to read Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars. You'll definitely enjoy it!

From the time I could put a Disney Book cassette into my little stereo,and read along, books have held a fantastic distraction. When I was eleven, I decided I wanted to be one of those magical people that brought stories to life. Devouring a book a day sometimes, my first romance novel stuck with me. I've always been a sucker for a happy ending (and the great romantic gesture)and that's what I try to put into my stories. I am so honored to be a part of Avon, and am so excited to have my own dreams coming true.