Review for An American Girl in Italy

Blurb:

An Italian paradise is the last thing she wants... but the one thing she needs!

Surely any girl would kill for the chance to tour Italy’s most famous cities for the summer? To experience the warmth of the Tuscan sun, the culinary delights of the pizzerias and caffés and to stroll along the cobbled streets of the City of Love itself...

Any girl apart from ambitious oboist Carly Davis that is! For her, the Easthampton Civic Symphony’s latest European tour is one massive inconvenience. She can’t even put her smartphone down long enough to snap a picture of the Coliseum.

Only, there’s one Italian attraction that Carly hadn’t quite expected to be a part of the tourist route...

Tour guide Michelangelo is as dark and delicious as Carly’s morning espresso. And when she needs a few lessons in the language of love to land her an important gig, he’s a more than capable tutor.

But with her promising career back in Boston, can Carly really afford to lose her heart in Italy?

 

My review:

Carly Davis is so focused on her career, she doesn't have time for anything else. As an oboist for the Easthampton Civic Symphony, she's looking forward to their tour in Italy. It should be good for her career! What she doesn't expect is that their tour guide Michelangelo is not only gorgeous, but the one that can help her with an important gig. The more time Carly spends with him, the more she realizes there could be more to life than her music. But is she willing to take that chance?

A wonderfully written romance that will leave you with the desire to slip away to Italy yourself. The beautiful settings come to life in this book, especially Michelangelo's vineyard. The way it's described makes it feel like it's magical.

Don't go looking for a hot and heavy romance here. This one is sweet, and the feelings the couple has for another bloom as they open each other's eyes to other possibilities in life. Carly is smart and driven, and I so easily see how she could be swept away by Michelangelo's charm. Unlike a lot of the typical arrogant heroes in this genre, he's a true gentleman. Handsome, intelligent, and compassionate. His big heart won me over.

 

Now available for the Nook and Kindle!

About the Author

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Harper Impulse, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Inkspell Publishing, and Lyrical Press. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Links-

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964057

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoraubrie

Blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

An American Girl in Italy release day!

An Italian paradise is the last thing she wants... but the one thing she needs!

Surely any girl would kill for the chance to tour Italy’s most famous cities for the summer? To experience the warmth of the Tuscan sun, the culinary delights of the pizzerias and caffés and to stroll along the cobbled streets of the City of Love itself...

Any girl apart from ambitious oboist Carly Davis that is! For her, the Easthampton Civic Symphony’s latest European tour is one massive inconvenience. She can’t even put her smartphone down long enough to snap a picture of the Coliseum.

Only, there’s one Italian attraction that Carly hadn’t quite expected to be a part of the tourist route...

Tour guide Michelangelo is as dark and delicious as Carly’s morning espresso. And when she needs a few lessons in the language of love to land her an important gig, he’s a more than capable tutor.

But with her promising career back in Boston, can Carly really afford to lose her heart in Italy?

Now available for the Nook and Kindle!

About the Author

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Harper Impulse, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Inkspell Publishing, and Lyrical Press. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Links-

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964057

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoraubrie

Blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Review for Pan's Conquest

Blurb:
Syrinx pulled a fast one on Pan to escape his raging lust. The God of Chastity wasn't about to break her vows and succumb to his temptations. Transported to the twenty-first century, she runs a florist shop—fulfilling her fake, mortal life. Until the breathtaking Parker Thomas hires her to decorate his grand estate for a gala. Five hundred roses? Easy enough. Except Parker makes her feel things she can't ignore...

As the God of Fertility, Pan is used to maidens flocking in droves to his pastures. So when Syrinx denies him, he's determined to win the one that got away. He poses as a mortal to get close to her, but he doesn't count on falling hard for his conquest—hard enough to make a life and stay.

But Syrinx is falling in love with a man that doesn't exist. Can Pan hide his identity forever, or will the truth tear them apart?

My review:
Syrinx has escaped the God of Fertility, Pan, untouched by his lusty ambitions. Transporting herself to the twenty-first century, she has a fulfilling life as a florist. She wants for nothing more until the gorgeous Parker Thomas orders hundreds of roses for a gala. While Syrinx loves her work, Parker is distracting, making her desire something she never thought she'd want. Except Parker doesn't really exist. He's Pan in disguise, and he's finding he wants more than just one night with Syrinx. Can the past be forgiven or will it break both their hearts?

A fantastic paranormal romance with a mythological twist. I've always been a fan of the story of Pan and Syrinx, and I love Aubrie Dionne's modern take on it. It's a light read packed with a lot of emotion, a very hot Fertility God, and a bit of mystery. It doesn't lean heavily on the paranormal aspect, but focuses on the characters themselves and that's what brings the magic to the tale.

Syrinx is the Goddess of Chastity and holds on to which is dear to her. I admire her strength and her compassion. Pan plays true to his randy role until his life as Parker begins to change him. I can see why all the maidens find him enchanting!

I highly recommend this to readers who like contemporary and paranormal romance.

Buy PAN'S CONQUEST here:

Amazon * B&N * Kobo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her writings have appeared in numerous publications including Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Follow Aubrie at: Website * Blog * Twitter

Alliance blog tour - review

Blurb:
“Saving him meant saving her colony…”

Lyra Bryan has been saving people her whole life from a chick in the ventilation pipes to her mentally ill brother when his mind drifts back to Old Earth. She meets her match when she finds a gorgeous alien man aboard the arachnid ship. Captured after a failed attempt to save his people, his spirit is broken, craving only vengeance. To save her colony, Lyra must save his body and soul.

Lyra’s lifemate, Tauren, is jealous of her obsession with the alien man and will do anything in his power to break them apart. While they travel to the arachnid’s home world to defeat the mother brain once and for all, they must set aside their differences and work as a team. But, can Tauren be trusted?

My review:
Lyra Bryan is a hero amongst her people. She's saved them many times, and even in private, she's rescued her brother from the hold of his strange mental illness. Now she's rescued a gorgeous alien from the arachnids' ship and she can't get him out of her head. She risks punishment just to learn his name. Asteran. He's as beautiful as his name and just as brave. Asteran tells them of the danger Paradise 21 is still in from the arachnids. Lyra and her people won't survive a second battle with them. With Asteran's help, Lyra and a few teammates travel to the arachnids' home world to destroy them at their source, but will they even make it there alive to complete their mission?

An incredible final book for this sci-fi romance trilogy. This is my favorite one in the Paradise Reclaimed series. It's fast-paced, suspenseful, and beautifully written. The author's description can sweep you off your feet into this whole new world.

Lyra is celebrated amongst her people and paired with the Commander's son, but she's afraid to tell him that's not what she wants. Over the story, Lyra grows and find the courage to do what's not only right for others but for herself as well. Of course her heart tells her that she's falling for Asteran. He's noble and brave, but he's suffered a great loss. His sorrow made my chest tighten. Lyra and Asteran are accompanied by a wonderful cast of characters. Leo is fascinating and entertaining, and I was already a fan of Nova from the second book in the series.

This book should be on everyone's must read list! I can't wait to see what Aubrie Dionne comes up with next.

Buy the book here:

Amazon * B&N

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her writings have appeared in numerous publications including Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Follow Aubrie at: Website * Blog * Twitter

Love on Loch Ness now available!

 The greatest beast she feared was in her heart...

Dr. Gail Phillips steps onto the shores of Loch Ness to disprove the Loch Ness monster theory for good so everyone can stop wasting their time. As a marine biologist with a background in archeology, she’s convinced all of the world’s myths such as Big Foot, the Tasmanian devil, and even Nessie are lies. Her father disappeared while following Yettie tracks in the Alps, and she doesn’t want to lose another mislead soul.

Flynn Maloney comes from a family of fanatic cryptozoologists. As a native of Scotland, he believes in Nessie as strong as Gail believes in science. Despite his initial attraction for her, he’s joined her research team to prove her wrong. He wants to find Nessie for a special girl in his life, to show her dreams really can come true.

As they conduct sonar studies and sweeps of the lake, their differing opinions are at odds with their budding attraction. Gail doesn’t believe in anything unscientific, such as romance, thinking the charming Flynn Maloney is full of baloney. Flynn can’t believe he’s falling for someone with no imagination or faith. To make matters worse, their videographer is covering his true identity. Together they must unravel his plan before he destroys everything they are working for. Will Gail force Flynn to question his faith, or will she discover more than she bargained for in the Scottish highlands? 

Buy now on Amazon
Add "to read" on Goodreads
Buy on Barnes and Noble

Alliance cover reveal

BLURB:

“Saving him meant saving her colony…”

Lyra Bryan has been saving people her whole life from a chick in the ventilation pipes to her mentally ill brother when his mind drifts back to Old Earth. She meets her match when she finds a gorgeous alien man aboard the arachnid ship. Captured after a failed attempt to save his people, his spirit is broken, craving only vengeance. To save her colony, Lyra must save his body and soul.

Lyra’s lifemate, Tauren, is jealous of her obsession with the alien man and will do anything in his power to break them apart. While they travel to the arachnid’s home world to defeat the mother brain once and for all, they must set aside their differences and work as a team. But, can Tauren be trusted?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her writings have appeared in numerous publications including Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

COVER REVEAL CONTEST!

Winner gets this awesome crystal paperweight from Paradise 21 series!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 13th Floor collection blog tour continues with two great hosts & Creepy Freebies

Today I'm excited to have two great hosts welcoming me on their blogs along with two unique posts.

Check out Aubrie Dionne's blog for a guest post from Elli. Who's Elli? She's Harriet's cat in THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE.

I have some helpful tips for writing urban fantasy on Nutschell Windsor's blog. It's not like traditional fantasy writing at all.

 It's the final Creepy Freebies of the month.

Don't miss out on this awesome scary giveaway.

Head on over to Milo James Fowler's blog for some treats from these fantastic authors:

James Garcia, Jr.

Bob Eccles

Michelle Ann King

Aaron Polson

And the winners of this week giveaway are:
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to the winners!

Emails have been sent. 

Day two of The Ghost blog tour

Another fantastic day of THE GHOST tour.
It is the final book in the series. If you haven't read any of them yet, you can get the first book, THE MARQUIS free on Amazon and Smashwords.

I have two more wonderful hosts lined up for today.

I'll be continuing my series on character romance with Kyra Lennon.
Do you think a sweet ghost can make it work with a vengeful one?

Read an awesome excerpt from THE GHOST
on Aubrie Dionne's blog.

Today's tidbit: I never expected Chiharo and the romance in this book to become so sweet. I wanted her to be more calculating, and the romance to be hotter. Yet who am I to tell my characters how to live their lives, or rather, their deaths?!

Reconnaisance Book Tour - Review and giveaway

Inkspell Publishing

Author: Aubrie Dionne

Genre: YA Sci-fi Romance
Length: Super Novel

ISBN: (Print) 978-1-939590-06-0

                                   ISBN: (ebook) 978-1-939590-05-3

Blurb: 
Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenant hood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.

While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.

Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

My review:
Striving to be better than her genes, Nova Williams pushes herself past her limits. She missed out on a grand promotion because her rival stole her glory and Sirius, the man she loves. Yet when an alien ship comes to their new planet, Nova heads a team to find out if the visitors are peaceful or not. This is her one chance to make everything right, and she isn't going to mess it up. Sirius is assigned to be her pilot, and she must learn to work with him no matter her feelings. Trapped on the strange ship, Nova is forced to work closely with Sirius as they attempt to save the rest of their team and battle beings that have walked out of nightmares. Not only is their survival at stake, but her heart and redemption.

This is another superbly written sci-fi romance by Aubrie Dionne. We start off just after the previous book in the series left us. This new world recently colonized by the people on the ship is rich and gorgeous. It's called Paradise 21 for a reason, and Aubrie gives us enough colorful details to enchant us. After a tantalizing taste of the planet, the reader is thrown into a more frightening and strange place within the alien ship. It's dark and terrifying, and also fascinating. I won't give away the surprise of what the aliens are exactly like, but from the cover you can guess, and you'll never look at a spider the same way again.

The characters are what drives this story. Nova is a strong and driven young woman. I admired her ambition and sympathized with her heartache. Sirius is smart, daring, and hot. He's in love with another woman. I loved the conflict between Nova and Sirius, and I wondered if it could be resolved. Aubrie is a master of surprises! This is a romance like none other.

The first book in this series, COLONIZATION, was my favorite one written by Aubrie. By giving me the creepy crawlies and taking hold of my heart, RECONNAISSANCE has taken that spot.

Purchase links: Amazon and B&N

Author bio: Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Inkspell Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. Her very first contemporary romance, Playing the Maestro, recently came out with Entangled Publishing in Feb. She recently signed with Spencer Hill Press for her YA sci fi novel titled: Frozen: Part One of The Timesurfers, which will release summer 2014. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Follow Aubrie at: Website * Blog * Twitter

Now on to the fabulous giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Playing the Maestro blog tour - Guest Post by Aubrie Dionne

State of the Orchestra in Today’s World

By Aubrie Dionne

One of the reasons why I decided to write Playing the Maestro was to bring attention to classical music. Sure, there’s smooching, romance, adventure, and wickedly evil deceit, but underlying all of the personal dramas is the story of a struggling orchestra and what it has to do to survive in today’s modern world.

With American Idol, sold out rock concerts, and Lady Gaga’s theatrics, classical music can seem very stuffy and boring. Less and less people go to orchestra concerts, and I consider classical music a dying art form. The NH Symphony- the first orchestra I soloed in front of in high school, went out of business years ago, and orchestras all over the country are struggling- the same struggles you’ll read about in Playing the Maestro.

The sad part is, classical music improves test scores, it makes kids smarter. It teaches them discipline, perseverance, and how to use their hands to do something other than play video games and text. It is totally worth it and essential to a well-rounded society. Besides that, it’s part of the classics like Pride and Prejudice in literature, and part of history. It shouldn’t die along with the white wigs and tights.

The main hero in the story, Wolfgang Braun, makes it his life mission to replace every video game controller with an instrument. We need more of these heroes today.

What do you think about the decline of classical music in today’s society? Do you think it should be saved?

Blurb:
Melody Mires has sworn off dating musicians, but when the sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony, her hesitation almost flies out the window with the notes of her flute—until he opens his mouth. Wolf is arrogant, haughty, and seems to have a personal vendetta against Melody. Oh, and he’s her boss. If she wants to keep her job as principal flutist, she’ll have to impress Wolf while simultaneously keeping her undeniable attraction to herself.

Wolf came to America to get as far away from his past as possible, and to recover some of the swagger he had as one of the world’s best maestros. He never imagined being forced to reassess the entire orchestra’s talent—and potentially fire anyone who doesn’t make his cut. Dating the attractive flutist is out of the question, but as their feelings reach a fever pitch, can they risk both their careers for a chance at love?

Buy it now at Amazon or B&N

Want to name a character in Aubrie's next book?

Add Playing the Maestro to Goodreads and enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final day of The Dragonslayer blog tour

It's been a fantastic five days.

Thank you so much to all my generous hosts

and to everyone who has followed me along the way.

Wait! We've got two more stops to go!

The first chapter of The Dragonslayer is available on M Pepper Langlinais' blog. Read and get hooked! 

Come over to Aubrie Dionne's blog to read about 13 of the most horrible dragon hoards and enter to win your own e-copy of the novella. One lucky winner could win the first three ebooks of the 13th Floor series and an ARC of The Harbinger.

Come back tomorrow for the cover reveal of the fourth book in the series, 1304 - The Harbinger.

Today's tidbit: It was my husband's idea what I should do for the list this tour. Yet he came up with some disgusting ideas of what might be in some hoards! It doesn't help that I Googled weird collections either. Yuck! 

Day 5 of The Marquis blog tour

The blog tour continues with another great excerpt and giveaway today on Aubrie Dionne's blog.

Congratulations to Hilary Melton-Butcher who won a copy of the novella from the first giveaway on Cherie Reich's blog. Enjoy!

Do you have your copy of The Marquis yet?

Amazon

B&N

Smashwords

Kobo 

Today's tidbit: I dedicated The Marquis to my father. He passed away in 2007. I originally had a longer dedication than what's in the book now. It read: "For my dad who battled against his demons and lost, but he always believed in me." Even five years later when I go back to visit family in my hometown, people will mention how my father talked about me being a talented writer and ask if I'm still writing.

Colonization Blog Tour - Guest Post with Aubrie Dionne

Please welcome sci-fi romance author, Aubrie Dionne.

Colonization is her newest book, and by far, my favorite of all her stories.

You can read my review of it here.

Take it away, Aubrie!

Why I Love Working with Inkspell Publishing:

When Inkspell publishing agreed to take Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed last spring, I was ecstatic. I’d had two offers from two different publishing companies, and Inkspell won hands down. Their website is gorgeous, their covers are phenomenal, and I loved the sound of the stories they had coming out. I thought my book would be a perfect fit.

Not only that, but they have a print contract for most of their books, which is hard to find nowadays with small publishers. Having a print book is a great marketing tool. You can only do a Goodreads giveaway if the book is in print, and some reviewers won’t take ebooks, not to mention book signings, so print definitely opens more doors.

As I got to know the people at Inkspell, I loved the company even more. They are polite, courteous, and always get back to me as soon as possible, unlike other companies I’ve dealt with that don’t return my emails at all. They make me feel special, and they support my book wholeheartedly. I think it’s important to find a company that believes in you and your work.

As I started to read the ARC’s coming out of Inkspell, I was amazed. Want by Stephanie Lawton was so irresistible, I couldn’t put it down. I ate it up like chocolate balls and ice cream. Frozen by Annabelle Blume was another steamy hit. Book after book that I read I liked. I knew I’d truly found a home for my YA books.

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. Her newest YA sci fi novel with Inkspell Publishing titled: Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed, was released in October. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras. She's a big Star Trek TNG fan, as well as Star Wars and Serenity.

Visit Aubrie at her website and her blog. You can find her on Goodreads and Twitter.

Colonization is now available on Amazon, B&N, and Inkspell Publishing.

Blurb: Finding a new home has never been so dangerous.

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius's ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn't expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love? 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

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Colonization Blog Tour Stop - My Review

Blurb:
Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to keep her protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?

My review:
Andromeda likes her life just the way it is. Her comfortable world is changing, though. She's now the age where she'll be assigned her role amongst the crew and be matched with her life mate. Not only does that stress weigh down upon her, but the ship will be arriving at their destination, Paradise 21, at the same time. Her hopes crumble as she's assigned a job with her mother working with plants, and she isn't matched with her best friend and secret love, Sirius. Instead she's paired with a young man named Corvus who's nothing like Sirius at all. Paradise 21 turns out not to be so perfect. Something deadly is looming in the lush jungle, and only Andromeda has the clues to figure out what that might be. Caught in an emotional tug-of-war between Sirius and Corvus, can she focus on solving the mystery and save the colony?

Aubrie Dionne has created a science-fiction romance masterpiece. She takes us from the cozy confines of the ship into a world full of vivid colors and great wonder. Paradise 21 looks every bit the Eden the colony had hoped, but things aren't always as they seem. There're mysteries and ghosts lurking about, and Andromeda finds herself in the center of it all. Andromeda is a fabulous protagonist. All her emotional turmoil builds a strong character, and I found myself cheering out loud for her. Usually I'm not a fan of love triangles, but Dionne works in Andromeda's mixed feelings about Corvus and Sirius very well. Her relationships feel pure and natural. Corvus and Sirius are opposites, and both equally likable. I wasn't sure who I wanted to win Andromeda's heart.

This is my favorite book by Dionne to date. She never fails to wow me with the twists and turns in her plots, and her smooth flowing prose. The threat in Colonization is highly original and more frightening than even the biggest of space monsters. Of course, you're going to have to read it to find out for yourself!

You can buy Colonization at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Inkspell Publishing.

About the author: Aubrie Dionne writes science fiction fantasy with romantic elements. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She’s also a professional flutist in New England.

Please visit her website: http://www.authoraubrie.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964057.Aubrie_Dionne
Blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com
Twitter: @authoraubrie 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Winners of the Birthday Bash giveaway

Thank you so much to everyone for the birthday wishes. I love this community! You guys are awesome.

I also want to give a big thank you to Aubrie Dionne who gifted me with a blog tour for FEARLESS from Shades of Rose Marketing. It's set for the week of the 22nd. I have the banner with the link on my sidebar.

The winners of the Birthday Bash giveaway are:

Summer Ross
and
Jeremy Bates

Congratulations!
I'll be in contact with you shortly.

Jeremy did ask if he won, the book be donated to charity or the library.
I'm going to the library today or tomorrow.
I've always wondered what you had to do to donate.

Haven 6 review

Blurb:
A product of an illegal pairing, Eridani is the only woman without a lifemate aboard the colonization ship, the Heritage, and she is determined her less than perfect DNA will not get in the way of finding love. As the ship nears it's final destination of Haven 6 after five hundred years of travel, images of the surface show evidence of intelligent life on a planet that's supposed to be uninhabited. Commander Grier assigns Eri to the exploratory team to spy on the alien society and return with information on how to defeat them.

When Eri's team lands, tribes of humans attack and Eri is saved by Striver, the descendant of a colonist and a pirate from Old Earth's colonization efforts in other parts of the galaxy. Striver helps Eri rescue her team and they are drawn to each other despite their different allegiances. While Striver battles with trusting Eri, Eri must decide whether to warn him and his people about the commander's intentions, or follow orders and complete her mission.

My review:
Eridani Smith is rejected one last time in her request for a lifemate. As a product of illegal pairing, her DNA is considered flawed and thus she's forced to face life alone. Most people shun her already except for her loving sister. Things are about to change, though. The colonization ship is approaching their destination and probes have discovered it's already occupied. Eri, being the colony's only linguist, is sent with an exploratory team to gather information, but they're attacked when they land. Her teammates are taken, but Eri manages to escape with the help of Striver, the gorgeous leader of a peaceful people. They shun technology, but their enemies greatly desire it and will stop at nothing to obtain what they want. And what they want is the ship with all its weapons. Eri must find some way to help her people and Striver's, going against her commander's orders. She loses her heart to the brave leader, but fears that she can't stop the commander's ultimate plan.

This is a magnificent tale of science-fiction and romance. The imagery is brilliant with its hulking ship with a brain in a jar and the dangerous swampy planet with its fearsome creatures. I could almost smell the stink of the boar! The story builds into a deep and twisted tale with a rich history. I enjoyed reading about Striver's people and what happened when they arrived on the planet. He's an impressive hero and it's no wonder Eri falls for him. Eri is an impressive character. She seems meek at the beginning, but she finds a great strength within her and grows into a heroine that I very much admired. Striver and Eri's romance grows slowly, and it's sweet to see it develop. They complement one another perfectly even having lived two very different lives.

Action, romance, and mystery. There's something in HAVEN 6 for everyone. Aubrie Dionne never ceases to amaze me with her outstanding writing. I highly recommend this book to all readers.

HAVEN 6 is now available on
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Amazon

HAVEN 6 blog tour and giveaway - what makes for great sci-fi romance guest post by Aubrie Dionne

Please welcome the wonderfully talented Aubrie Dionne to my site!

Her newest release is book 3 in the fantastic New Dawn series, HAVEN 6.

She's stopping by today with a post on writing science-fiction romance.

Take it away, Aubrie!

Elements of Great Sci Fi Romance

I’m so excited to talk about one of my all-time favorite genres today! I’ve seen lists of what makes great science fiction, but today I’m talking about what makes great science fiction romance. (The best kind in my opinion!)

I’ve always loved Star Wars and Star Trek because they had it all: adventure, science fiction, romance, action. (Although Star Trek could use a little more romance here and there for my tastes! I loved the relationship between Jean Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher, and who can forget Riker and Deanna Troi? Even Data had a bit of romance here and there.)

To write a great sci fi romance you need it all, and the blend has to be just right. I’ve come up with a list of what I feel makes a great sci fi romance story. In the comments section, I’d love to hear your own ideas.

1.      Must have romance. The romance should drive the plot forward, but also somehow be linked to the science fiction aspect. In Haven 6, conditions aboard the Heritage dictate all romantic encounters (The colonists are there to preserve human DNA without genetic mutations or inbreeding). Eri is a result of an illegal pairing, so the computer doesn't think she's adequate to be matched, which is why she finds love on Haven 6 instead! I’ve linked the romance to the science, and made it all drive the plot forward from the very beginning.

2.      Must have adventure in cool settings. The best part about science fiction is that you can write it anywhere; aboard a space ship, on an alien planet, or on Earth. Setting is very important, and traveling to different backdrops increases the adventure by tenfold. In Haven 6, I made sure to have scenes aboard the deep space transport ship, and on their colony planet. This planet was one of the most involved settings I've ever had to write. Haven 6 is mostly jungle, but it also has swamps, villages, mountains, and a mysterious golden liquid that seeps up from the planet's core.

3.      Must have high stakes action. Another awesome part of science fiction romance is all of the various technological weapons you can create: lasers, blasters, subsonic tranquilizer rays.  In Haven 6, there are a few laser fights, with a big one at the end. The lasers are crucial to the plot, and I can't tell you much more without spoilers! The stakes are high: they are battling for who will have rights to live on the planet.

4.      Must have science. The story must have some basis in reality with fantastical scientific ideas linked to today’s science. In Haven 6, I posed certain questions: What if people could live their entire lives on a space ship? What would people do when the Earth becomes uninhabitable? What if we reach a habitable planet, and there's already a civilization inhabiting it? Although these ideas seem far-fetched today as you drive to Dunkin’ Doughnuts to order your latte, reality is: the sun will burn out someday, and we may even pollute the Earth before that happens. People will have to find somewhere else to live if humanity is going to carry on. I took a scientific fact and ran with it, creating a fantastical scientific idea.

I’d love to hear your own ideas for what makes a great sci fi romance!

Thanks, Christine!!

You're welcome! It was a great pleasure to have you here. Please read on to enter in the awesome giveaway!


HAVEN 6 Blurb: A product of an illegal pairing, Eridani is the only woman without a lifemate aboard the colonization ship, the Heritage, and she is determined her less than perfect DNA will not get in the way of finding love. As the ship nears it's final destination of Haven 6 after five hundred years of travel, images of the surface show evidence of intelligent life on a planet that's supposed to be uninhabited. Commander Grier assigns Eri to the exploratory team to spy on the alien society and return with information on how to defeat them.

When Eri's team lands, tribes of humans attack and Eri is saved by Striver, the descendant of a colonist and a pirate from Old Earth's colonization efforts in other parts of the galaxy. Striver helps Eri rescue her team and they are drawn to each other despite their different allegiances. While Striver battles with trusting Eri, Eri must decide whether to warn him and his people about the commander's intentions, or follow orders and complete her mission.

Now available on
B&N
Amazon

 Aubrie Dionne grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over again until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation - favorite character was Data by far - and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be "A concert flutist" when she grew up. When she made that happen, she decided one career was not enough and embarked as a fantasy, sci fi author. Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She recently signed her YA sci fi novel with Inkspell Publishing titled: Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed, which will release in November 2012. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Please visit her website and pop on over to her blog!

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It goes on for the whole release month.

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