Review: The Naked Truth by Lacey Wolfe

Posted on February 14, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

The Naked Truth

by: Lacey Wolfe

Publisher: Southern Girl Press
Length: 222KB
Sub-Genres: Contemporary Romance

Happy Valentines Day!! Today I have for you the latest release from Lacey Wolfe. Below you’ll find the blurb, my review, an excerpt, and all the details for connecting with Lacey. Click the pretty cover to see this book on Goodreads.

BLURB:

It’s amazing what one can find in strip clubs…

Josh Carter gets the shock of a lifetime when he shows up at a place of ill repute for a business meeting and sees the one that got away gyrating on the stage. Abigail Reese—the girl with so much potential, the girl that took his heart along with his body one night long ago—what brought her to this level?

Though stripping is not what Abigail set out to do, it’s putting food on the table and a roof over her daughter’s head. But just how much can she reveal to Josh without risking it all?

When Josh causes Abigail to lose her job, she has two choices: come clean about her past and her situation or push him out of her life as quick as he came into it. It’s up to her…only she has to think of her little girl too.

SJ’s REVIEW:

A quick satisfying read, that’s exactly what this is. The author painted a heroine to care about, one that doesn’t just fall over in love, but makes her hero earn his rights. The story moves fast too and it may be short, but Lacey didn’t miss giving the story any of the plot points you’ll want.

It’s a contemporary romance and there is one scene in particular that I remember. It was hot and very well written. The hero gives us one line that just simply made me melt, you’ll have to read it to find it 🙂

If you need a quick sweet read, without the drama, than this contemporary romance is for you. It’s a solid 4-star read.

EXCERPT:

Abigail stood in front of room one, took a deep breath, and lightly knocked before opening the door. Her nerves were on edge as she wondered who waited inside. The room was dimly lit with yet another pole in the middle for those customers who wanted private shows. The man’s head was slightly turned to where she couldn’t see who it was. But something in her gut told her she knew him. While she didn’t recognize him from this angle, she had a feeling things were about to change. Abigail wasn’t really sure what to say, so she leaned against the pole and asked in a sultry tone, “What can I do for you?”

He turned and looked at her. Abigail froze. Her mouth dropped open. She knew exactly who it was. She hadn’t seen him in years and he was slightly older now. But it was a face she’d recognize anywhere. In fact, she looked at a replica of it almost every day.

“Josh.” It came out an almost whisper.

He nodded. His expression was cold, not like the last time she’d seen him over four years ago. His hair was a light brown with a few streaks of gray and his dark green eyes bore into her.

“What are you doing here? Did you come looking for me?” she asked, needing to know if his being here was a mere coincidence.

“I’m here on business and when you came on stage, I recognized you. Years ago you were getting your degree to be a lawyer. You were doing so well and I have to say I was quite surprised to see you. So when I came in here, I certainly wasn’t looking for you. What happened? Anything I can do to help?” He patted the seat next to him. “Please sit. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

Abigail did as he requested, but she didn’t answer his questions. Just him being there scared her. She wasn’t sure how much he knew about her and decided it was best to keep quiet. He was a rich man and held a lot of power.

“Did you finish your degree?” he asked.

“No.”

“How come?”

Because I got pregnant and school doesn’t work with a crying newborn. “Life.”

“You’ve got to give me more than that. I’d like to help you. Obviously if you’re working here, you’ve hit a rough patch.” His gaze locked on hers. “I’ve thought about you many times the last few years. I never intended for our evening together to be a one-time thing.” Josh reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. A shiver shot down her spine.

Abigail thought back to that evening. It had been hot and perfect. He’d pleasured her more than anyone else ever had and they connected on so many levels. She’d known he’d wanted more than that one night—he’d been honest about the direction his thoughts were taking—but it had scared her and the next day, she’d left a fake phone number when they’d parted ways. By the time she realized the mistake she’d made, it had been too late, or so, she thought.

“I got scared.”

Josh removed his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders. “As much as I enjoy the view, I’m not here for that.”

She suppressed the grin she wanted to give him and asked, “Why are you here if you didn’t come to see me?”

Josh was older than her by at least ten years. His life was already established when she’d met him and hers had just begun. She’d kept up with him throughout the years from different news reports and tabloids. It was almost hard not to. Josh Carter was a billionaire. It was one of the reasons why she’d never sought him out. Abigail wasn’t a gold digger and didn’t want to be accused of being one.

“Business, of course. I think that’s my life. The guys I was meeting with are younger and this was the place they wanted to come and for one particular act. The amazing girl on the pole.” He leaned in closer to her ear. “I must say, I was impressed by your act.”

Her heart raced, the result of him being so close. Even after all these years, he still had an effect on her. Biting her bottom lip, she pushed those feelings away and remembered that if he knew her secret, he could take everything from her.

“How about you get dressed and we’ll get out of here? I’d like to catch up,” he suggested.

Hailey crossed her mind and the babysitter who was waiting with her. “I can’t. I have to get home.”

“I understand.” Josh reached into his pocket and took out a card, handing it to her. “Call me. I’ll be in town for the next week and I’d like to chat. Maybe we can meet up for dinner and if you’ll let me, I’d like to help you get back on your feet.”

“Okay, I will.” She stood and began to remove his jacket.

“Keep it. It’s the only way I can ensure I’ll see you while I’m in town.”

“Thank you.” She gazed down at him. “I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I’m doing well and happy, even though this wasn’t the life I initially set out to have.” Abigail didn’t say another word, but left room one and high-tailed it back to the dressing room to change and get home. Josh Carter being in town was either going to be a good thing or a bad. Or maybe it was time she faced the truth and did what was right by Hailey. After all, her daughter deserved better then she had it now.

BIO:

Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has the time to work on making her dream come true.

Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter, their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.

Author’s Site | Facebook.com | Facebook Page | Twitter | Pinterest.com

NOTE FROM SJ: The Naked Truth was provided to me for an honest and fair review

Beer and Groping in Las Vegas by Angela Quarles PLUS Fun with 10

Posted on January 9, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Beer and Groping in Las Vegas

by Angela Quarles

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy w/paranormal elements
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
ISBN: 9781618854612
Release Date: December 19, 2012
Length: Novelette (13,500 words)
Price: 3.99
Content advisory: Adult language, explicit sex

I’m thrilled to have Angela Quarles with me today. I’ve gotten to know Angela’s work though Six Sunday. Her sixes are always witty and fun, she’s a must stop for me each Sunday. I jumped at the chance to have her here today and I gave her ten questions. Her answers are entertaining, you won’t want to miss them, or the blurb for her new release and her bio is down their too, with her social media links. Enjoy. Oh! Be sure to come back up top for the buy links when you’re done. I read “Beer and Groping in Las Vegas” yesterday and loved it, 5-stars all the way. I’m hoping for more Beer and Groping, series please. 🙂 Well done, Angela.

10-QUESTIONS:

Picture your favorite place in the world. Now, can you tell us a little bit about the place you’ve pictured?

I’m actually living in one of my favorite places! I moved to Mobile, AL in 2009 to live in our old family home and so I’m the fifth generation to live here. It’s a decaying old Southern house that has exercised my imagination and that of my cousins ever since we were little.

Can you tell us about a criticism you’ve received that pushed you into a better writing place?

I think early on, it was hearing that certain things I wrote were examples of telling. Now, I’d already been reading that I should be telling, not showing, and thought I was doing that, but in these particular cases it was a very subtle difference and it drove me to learn more about what they meant. I remember looking at a sentence marked as “telling” and literally scratching my head and wondering how, since I was ‘in the moment’ and ‘showing’ things. This led me to discovering Deep POV and striving to get as much in the heads of my characters as I possibly can through word choices.

How do you come up with your titles?

I wrote a blog post recently on Jillian Chantal’s blog, The Case for an Awesome Title: Why It’s Important and How to Come Up With One,but in short, they come to me now during the brainstorming phase. I say ‘now’ because MUST LOVE BREECHES did not come to me until the third draft. However, after I got my brain tuned to the idea that I needed good titles, they’ve come either before the story idea or during brainstorming (so far!). BEER AND GROPING IN LAS VEGAS, which released less than a month ago, is the only one where the title came first. I work in a bookstore and was trying to think of possible titles for a new project (but one I didn’t have a premise for yet), and was shelving some Hunter S. Thompson, and I was like hmm, what could be a twist off of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and first I was like Beer and Loathing, but I write lighthearted romances, and then ‘groping’ popped into my head. In the next instant I had the hero, as I thought he should be a microbrewer, and that the heroine would be an overworked software programmer. Once I had that, things started falling into place, including the description for him of being a geek trapped in a good ole boy’s body. I had that tagline for him before I even started writing the story. The genesis for MUST LOVE BREECHES, was the same as BEER. I was wandering around the aisles of the bookstore, straightening up and looking at titles for inspiration and saw Must Love Dogs, and “Must Love Breeches” just popped into my head.

What turns you on creatively?

Probably reading, both fiction and non-fiction. Also just observing others around me and letting my mind wander. I love doing What If exercises.

What quality do you most admire in yourself?

Er, man, I’m not sure. I guess actually the aspect I like the most about myself is sometimes the one I hate the most. I have a tendency to get obsessed with things and pore all my energy into it. This can be incredibly beneficial, but sometimes I forget there’s a whole world out there that I should be participating in. I can also lose my focus on that ‘project’ and have a hard time finding that same intense obsession I’d had for it.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I’ve always wondered if I’d have been a good archaeologist or linguist. I love getting to the origins of things and both of these would have answered that desire.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I probably over indulge in books. Every once in a while, I’ll splurge on a computer game 🙂

Tell us one thing that’s on your bucket list?

Going on an archaeological dig, preferably in Egypt! Also to be photobombed by Nathan Fillion.

What is your favorite music (genre/artist/album/song)?

I love the Cowboy Junkies…

Tell us a bit about the projects you are working on now?

I’m needing to revise two novels, one a steampunk romance called STEAM ME UP, RAWLEY, and the other is a meta fiction romance called NOT ANOTHER DARCY. Right now I’m in the pre-plotting phase for the sequel to MUST LOVE BREECHES, my time travel romance. This is the novel for which I landed an agent back in October.

BLURB:

Can a djinn and a magic slot machine bring two geeks together?

Riley McGregor is a geek trapped in a Good Ole Boy body and as owner of a microbrewery, smart chicks never look at him twice.

Rejected by a geek who wanted to “trade up,” Mirjam Linna would rather immerse herself in work than be the girlfriend-of-the-moment. Stranded in a Vegas hotel, she makes a wish—a night of hot sex with the man of her dreams. It’s granted. She agrees to dinner, but afterward, she’ll say thanks, but no thanks, and see what’s on the SyFy channel. But when they meet, they’re surprised to find they had a shared connection in their past. Sparks fly as these two learn to be in the moment, be themselves and find love.

Fans of Star Trek, Star Wars, Monty Python, Firefly and Marvin the Martian will enjoy this romantic comedy.

BIO:

Angela works at an independent bookstore and lives in an historic house in the beautiful and quirky town of Mobile, AL, with her two matched gray cats, Darcy and Bingley. When she’s not writing, she enjoys the usual stuff like gardening, reading, hanging out, eating, drinking, chasing squirrels out of the walls and creating the occasional knitted scarf. She’s had a varied career, including website programming and directing a small local history museum.
She’s an admitted geek and is proud to be among the few but mighty Browncoats who watched Firefly the first night it aired. She was introduced to the wonderful world of science fiction by her father, by way of watching reruns of the original Star Trek in her tweens and later giving her a copy of Walter M. Miller Jr’s A Canticle for Leibowitz as a teenager. She hasn’t looked back since.
She has a B.A. in Anthropology and International Studies with a minor in German from Emory University, and a Masters in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. She was an exchange student to Finland in high school and studied abroad in Vienna one summer in college. She recently found representation with Maura Kye-Casella at Don Congdon, Assoc.

Find Angela here

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