Review/Giveaway: Her Perfect Man by Nona Raines

Title: Her Perfect Man
Series: The Man, #3
Author: Nona Raines
Tour: Sizzling PR
Published: June 2012, Wild Rose Press
Format: Ebook received for review

Kim Hansen has terrible luck with men. When her sexy downstairs neighbor shows a more-than-neighborly interest in her, she's suspicious. She's been burned too many times, by too many guys. Charlie Keller is smart, hot and successful--so what does he want with her besides a few nights of pleasure? 

Though Kim does her best to shut him down, Charlie's not put off by her attitude. He doesn't scare easy. Kim thinks she's clever, using sex to keep him off guard and to maintain her emotional distance. But Charlie sees through her prickly exterior to her tender heart beneath. 

But Kim needs to be won over. Sure, their bedroom action is awesome, but given her past mistakes, she's convinced that Charlie is too good to be true. Just too perfect. But if Charlie has his way, he'll prove that he's the perfect man for her.

Welcome back! This is the third book in the The Man series from Nona Raines, so if I haven’t inspired you to pick up this fantastic series – here I go with another try. Below you will find links to my other to reviews to books one and two.

Her Perfect Man is Kim’s book. Kim we have met in both book one and two, and right away I felt like this woman was someone I wanted to be friends with. And now I know I do. I mean, she’s got issues. Her self esteem is in the toilet. She doesn’t trust men… or women, really. Her family is for shit. But she’s got Groucho, the ever grumpy cat rescued from the streets. And she has herself.

Beeeeep…. We break in to interrupt this review process to draw your attention up up up upward to the cover. Beeeeep….. Holy Hell and Abs of Love!!!! Ahem. This is definitely my favorite cover from the series. This man needs to have shrines and monuments erected in his honor. Heheh heheh heheh. I said erected. Heheh. See, people? This is why I shouldn’t write reviews at night!!

Ok, back to my review. Sorry about that folks, my brain fell right out of my head as my jaw dropped to the floor.

Something that I absolutely love about this book is that it overlaps the last book a bit. Not a lot, but enough to fill in the timeline for you, and add something special to the mix. We get to see the breakup with Adam, which even though I feel bad for everyone involved , its still an awesome breakup. But there is definitely a new horse on the horizon, and his name is Charles.

Charles, if you remember, is the teacher who lives in the same building as Kim. Well, as it turns out, his little cameo in book two was no accident, my friends. His striking blue eyes had me at hello. But more than that, this man is a gentleman. And he wants to treat Kim the way she deserves to be treated. And for that I am so happy, because its about high time that Kim got some true happiness of her own. I mean, I loved Adam, but that situation wasn’t good for her no matter how you sliced it.

Charlie grabbed her forearm and pulled her through the doorway. “Get in here.” Before Kim could think, he smushed her against his chest and kissed her for all she was worth.

Oooooh yeah, gotta love kisses like those!! The chemistry in this book was hot. I mean it, the sparks between these two could light a fire. But even beyond that, you fall in love with them as they do. And that right there is worth the price of admission. But don’t take Charlie for a pushover. He stands up to her and doesn’t take her b.s. And that is great. You know what else is great? In Charlie’s inner monologue, he calls himself “chuckles” . Seriously, that had me cracking up! And it cinched it for me. I love Charlie. Yep, I do. I mean, I know I’m somewhat of a book boyfriend tramp, but come on… when a good guy comes around, who is learning to deal with his own issues, who will stand up for you like no one on this planet ever could (oh, you will love that one, trust me!) and wants you like the desert wants the sand, well, you stand up and take notice.

It’s not all roses and sunshine. There is some very real stuff that goes down in this book. There are lots of issues with the people around Kim, and they are very… shitty. Yep, I said it. But even then, Kim’s story made me laugh at times. It excited me. And it brought me to tears. Kim is like so many women I know. Like, ummm, me. While not everything rang true of course (hello, she is a fictional character, I’m pretty sure) so many aspects of her life reflected my own, or those of people I know. I felt very connected to this character and my heart broke for her through several tragedies. But have no fear, that girl isn’t some lonesome dove. She’s a phoenix.

Previous Posts 

One Good Man

Take This Man

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble / Amazon /The Wild Rose Press

Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Prize is EBook of Her Perfect Man.  Ends 11-12-12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review/Giveaway: Her Perfect Man by Nona Raines

Title: Her Perfect Man
Series: The Man, #3
Author: Nona Raines
Tour: Sizzling PR
Published: June 2012, Wild Rose Press
Format: Ebook received for review

Kim Hansen has terrible luck with men. When her sexy downstairs neighbor shows a more-than-neighborly interest in her, she's suspicious. She's been burned too many times, by too many guys. Charlie Keller is smart, hot and successful--so what does he want with her besides a few nights of pleasure? 

Though Kim does her best to shut him down, Charlie's not put off by her attitude. He doesn't scare easy. Kim thinks she's clever, using sex to keep him off guard and to maintain her emotional distance. But Charlie sees through her prickly exterior to her tender heart beneath. 

But Kim needs to be won over. Sure, their bedroom action is awesome, but given her past mistakes, she's convinced that Charlie is too good to be true. Just too perfect. But if Charlie has his way, he'll prove that he's the perfect man for her.

Welcome back! This is the third book in the The Man series from Nona Raines, so if I haven’t inspired you to pick up this fantastic series – here I go with another try. Below you will find links to my other to reviews to books one and two.

Her Perfect Man is Kim’s book. Kim we have met in both book one and two, and right away I felt like this woman was someone I wanted to be friends with. And now I know I do. I mean, she’s got issues. Her self esteem is in the toilet. She doesn’t trust men… or women, really. Her family is for shit. But she’s got Groucho, the ever grumpy cat rescued from the streets. And she has herself.

Beeeeep…. We break in to interrupt this review process to draw your attention up up up upward to the cover. Beeeeep….. Holy Hell and Abs of Love!!!! Ahem. This is definitely my favorite cover from the series. This man needs to have shrines and monuments erected in his honor. Heheh heheh heheh. I said erected. Heheh. See, people? This is why I shouldn’t write reviews at night!!

Ok, back to my review. Sorry about that folks, my brain fell right out of my head as my jaw dropped to the floor.

Something that I absolutely love about this book is that it overlaps the last book a bit. Not a lot, but enough to fill in the timeline for you, and add something special to the mix. We get to see the breakup with Adam, which even though I feel bad for everyone involved , its still an awesome breakup. But there is definitely a new horse on the horizon, and his name is Charles.

Charles, if you remember, is the teacher who lives in the same building as Kim. Well, as it turns out, his little cameo in book two was no accident, my friends. His striking blue eyes had me at hello. But more than that, this man is a gentleman. And he wants to treat Kim the way she deserves to be treated. And for that I am so happy, because its about high time that Kim got some true happiness of her own. I mean, I loved Adam, but that situation wasn’t good for her no matter how you sliced it.

Charlie grabbed her forearm and pulled her through the doorway. “Get in here.” Before Kim could think, he smushed her against his chest and kissed her for all she was worth.

Oooooh yeah, gotta love kisses like those!! The chemistry in this book was hot. I mean it, the sparks between these two could light a fire. But even beyond that, you fall in love with them as they do. And that right there is worth the price of admission. But don’t take Charlie for a pushover. He stands up to her and doesn’t take her b.s. And that is great. You know what else is great? In Charlie’s inner monologue, he calls himself “chuckles” . Seriously, that had me cracking up! And it cinched it for me. I love Charlie. Yep, I do. I mean, I know I’m somewhat of a book boyfriend tramp, but come on… when a good guy comes around, who is learning to deal with his own issues, who will stand up for you like no one on this planet ever could (oh, you will love that one, trust me!) and wants you like the desert wants the sand, well, you stand up and take notice.

It’s not all roses and sunshine. There is some very real stuff that goes down in this book. There are lots of issues with the people around Kim, and they are very… shitty. Yep, I said it. But even then, Kim’s story made me laugh at times. It excited me. And it brought me to tears. Kim is like so many women I know. Like, ummm, me. While not everything rang true of course (hello, she is a fictional character, I’m pretty sure) so many aspects of her life reflected my own, or those of people I know. I felt very connected to this character and my heart broke for her through several tragedies. But have no fear, that girl isn’t some lonesome dove. She’s a phoenix.

Previous Posts 

One Good Man

Take This Man

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble / Amazon /The Wild Rose Press

Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Prize is EBook of Her Perfect Man.  Ends 11-12-12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Take This Man by Nona Raines

Title: Take This Man
Series: The Man, #2
Author: Nona Raines
Published: 2011, Wild Rose Press
Format: Ebook provided for review

Genre: Contemporary erotic romance m/f

The biggest mistake of Elyse Zemanski's life was falling in love with Adam. When a night of sexual fantasy went too far, she was crushed and couldn't leave town fast enough.

The biggest mistake of Adam Vostek's life was letting Elyse go. He'd been afraid of the love she promised and pushed her away—into another man's arms...and bed.

When Elyse returns to Summit to help a friend, Adam wants a second chance to prove he’s worthy—in and out of the bedroom. She claims she's over him, but one look from those smoldering dark eyes, and she throws caution to the wind. Elyse offers him seven days of wild sex, hoping to get him out of her system. Adam's good to go on the sex. But will a week be enough to win back Elyse's love and trust?

A few days ago I reviewed One Good Man, which is book one in the The Man series.  Now Take This Man is book two.  And things just got kicked up a notch.  I wasn’t expecting to like Adam Vostek more than his brother Matthew.  In fact, I kind of thought he was a jerk when he made his appearance in book one.   Yeah, sure, he had his reasons…whatever.  He was a bit of a jerk.  But now in this book we get to peel back his layers a bit, and there is really quite a gem of a man there.

This story has a few flashbacks in it, and they really help round out the story.  This one is split between Adam’s and Elyse’s point of view.  Elyse is Adam’s ex, and she has a pretty good reason to have a dislike of Adam.  At one point its said that she could actually hear her heart cracking as it broke, and I can totally believe it.  The woman has been through a lot in her relatively young life.  She’s in her early 20s, but she definitely has the wisdom of an older woman who has had more experiences.  I definitely felt connected to Elyse, even as I wanted to push her to move forward with this situation or that one. 

And then there is Jason.  There is not a whole lot I can tell you about him without giving up some major spoilers.  But I like him.  He is funny and intelligent, and he cares a lot about the people in his life.  He is quite the character, and I can only imagine that it was fun to write him.

“With her heart beating in her chest, Elyse crossed the street.  Her feet slowed, and her eyes remained glued to the truck.  It felt surreal.  Had her thoughts about Adam somehow conjured him?”

The thing about real true love is that you never ever get over it.  Even when love does you wrong and you don’t end up with the person you are supposed to.  You still never get over it.  That person is always there.  They are in the back of your mind, living as a benchmark for every love that will come after them.  You think you’ve moved on, you think you can forget them… but you are wrong. You’ll see something the exact shade of their eyes, someone will walk by in a crowd wearing their cologne, you’ll pass their favorite food in the grocery store – and just like that they are right there in the front of your brain.  So when you subconsciously place yourself right in their path, you should not really be surprised.  And this is what happens in Take This Man. 

Much in the way any dramatic and wonderful love story must go, there are misunderstandings galore within these pages.  What is it about two people in love?  Do they forget all rational means of communication?  Sometimes it leads to funny situations, sometimes frustration, and sometimes tears.  And in this book you will find all of that.

“By the time he manned up and faced his feelings for her, she was long gone.”

This book has its bits of humor.  And there are cameos from some of my favorites from One Good Man.  And if you can’t tell by now, I think you should read it.  But start with the first book.  This book is a great emotional story, and now I am totally geared up for the next book in the series, Her Perfect Man, which I have coming up on a review post for Nona Raines tour in the beginning of November.  See you then!

Previous Posts 

One Good Man

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble / Amazon/ The Wild Rose Press / All Romance ebooks

Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Review: Take This Man by Nona Raines

Title: Take This Man
Series: The Man, #2
Author: Nona Raines
Published: 2011, Wild Rose Press
Format: Ebook provided for review

Genre: Contemporary erotic romance m/f

The biggest mistake of Elyse Zemanski's life was falling in love with Adam. When a night of sexual fantasy went too far, she was crushed and couldn't leave town fast enough.

The biggest mistake of Adam Vostek's life was letting Elyse go. He'd been afraid of the love she promised and pushed her away—into another man's arms...and bed.

When Elyse returns to Summit to help a friend, Adam wants a second chance to prove he’s worthy—in and out of the bedroom. She claims she's over him, but one look from those smoldering dark eyes, and she throws caution to the wind. Elyse offers him seven days of wild sex, hoping to get him out of her system. Adam's good to go on the sex. But will a week be enough to win back Elyse's love and trust?

A few days ago I reviewed One Good Man, which is book one in the The Man series.  Now Take This Man is book two.  And things just got kicked up a notch.  I wasn’t expecting to like Adam Vostek more than his brother Matthew.  In fact, I kind of thought he was a jerk when he made his appearance in book one.   Yeah, sure, he had his reasons…whatever.  He was a bit of a jerk.  But now in this book we get to peel back his layers a bit, and there is really quite a gem of a man there.

This story has a few flashbacks in it, and they really help round out the story.  This one is split between Adam’s and Elyse’s point of view.  Elyse is Adam’s ex, and she has a pretty good reason to have a dislike of Adam.  At one point its said that she could actually hear her heart cracking as it broke, and I can totally believe it.  The woman has been through a lot in her relatively young life.  She’s in her early 20s, but she definitely has the wisdom of an older woman who has had more experiences.  I definitely felt connected to Elyse, even as I wanted to push her to move forward with this situation or that one. 

And then there is Jason.  There is not a whole lot I can tell you about him without giving up some major spoilers.  But I like him.  He is funny and intelligent, and he cares a lot about the people in his life.  He is quite the character, and I can only imagine that it was fun to write him.

“With her heart beating in her chest, Elyse crossed the street.  Her feet slowed, and her eyes remained glued to the truck.  It felt surreal.  Had her thoughts about Adam somehow conjured him?”

The thing about real true love is that you never ever get over it.  Even when love does you wrong and you don’t end up with the person you are supposed to.  You still never get over it.  That person is always there.  They are in the back of your mind, living as a benchmark for every love that will come after them.  You think you’ve moved on, you think you can forget them… but you are wrong. You’ll see something the exact shade of their eyes, someone will walk by in a crowd wearing their cologne, you’ll pass their favorite food in the grocery store – and just like that they are right there in the front of your brain.  So when you subconsciously place yourself right in their path, you should not really be surprised.  And this is what happens in Take This Man. 

Much in the way any dramatic and wonderful love story must go, there are misunderstandings galore within these pages.  What is it about two people in love?  Do they forget all rational means of communication?  Sometimes it leads to funny situations, sometimes frustration, and sometimes tears.  And in this book you will find all of that.

“By the time he manned up and faced his feelings for her, she was long gone.”

This book has its bits of humor.  And there are cameos from some of my favorites from One Good Man.  And if you can’t tell by now, I think you should read it.  But start with the first book.  This book is a great emotional story, and now I am totally geared up for the next book in the series, Her Perfect Man, which I have coming up on a review post for Nona Raines tour in the beginning of November.  See you then!

Previous Posts 

One Good Man

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble / Amazon / The Wild Rose Press / All Romance ebooks

Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Review: One Good Man by Nona Raines

Title: One Good Man
Series: The Man, #1
Author: Nona Raines
Published: August 2011
Format: Ebook provided for review

Just one touch...that’s all Andie Benedetto wants when she glimpses her father’s sexy neighbor. Images of deep, long kisses and down and dirty sex heat up her fantasies. When he catches her watching him, she’s embarrassed but undeniably turned on.

Just one weekend...that’s all Matthew Vostek can offer Andie. He recognizes her shyness, but also senses her desire, the same desire he feels. Maybe they can fulfill each other’s hottest fantasies.

Just an adventure...that’s what Andie tells herself. Tired of playing the good girl, she’s ready to accept Matthew’s challenge and enjoy the most exciting sexual escapade of her life. But when the weekend is over, will Andie finally take what she wants instead of settling for second best?

After reading One Good Man I am certainly glad I have signed up for the rest of this series’ book tours!  I even have an interview coming up with author, Nona Raines, coming up in November – so you’d better be sure to stay tuned into Fictional Candy for all kinds of Man-ly goodness!

Andie’s boyfriend, Douglas, has recently moved out and Andie just found out why.  She’s a bit ticked, a little hurt, and seeking some revenge sex.  Cause hey, the best way to get over one man is to get under another, right?  Errr…. Yeah.  So anyway!  She’s been dog slash house sitting for her father and kind of being a peeping-Andie at the neighbor, Matthew.  Matthew is the kind of hot that makes girls fall speechless.  He’s also off a break up, but he’s not just another pretty face.

Quick note:  Matt is definitely one of my favorite men ever.  He has two rescue dogs, and they are pits!  This is absolutely my favorite breed on the planet, and the misunderstanding of their temperament is so deeply rooted into society.  Any time I see something positive, I do a little cheer inside!  So Nona Raines, thank you! And positive light you can shed on such an issue is always a good thing J

Ok, back to the book. Andie leaves her fears at the door and makes a move.  And Matthew counters.  And then what can only be described as “Best Weekend Ever” ensues.  Seriously, I was so excited and happy, it was perfect.  And if you are looking for a little steam with your fling, you are definitely going to find it in this story!

But of course, there are to be some drama, and “B.W.E.” ends in disappointment and disaster.  Heck, misunderstandings often do.  And when drama tears these two apart, I was very sad for both of them.

This wasn’t a super long book, but I really loved the story.  Andie is a bit down on herself, and she’s not a super-model.  Hooray for a normal looking woman! But she is a good person, and Matthew is definitely enchanted with her.  And not all of the issues in this book are based just on these two people, so its nice to get a breather now and then as they deal with OPP. (that means Other People’s Problems in this case!)

So if you are looking for a quick read with some super hot between the sheets (or outdoors!) action, some definite drama, and a couple “what the hell!??!” moments – then you can not go wrong with One Good Man! And come back on Thursday when I have a review of the next book, Take This Man.  We are going to have some definite Man-fun!

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble / Amazon/ The Wild Rose Press / All Romance ebooks

Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Review: One Good Man by Nona Raines

Title: One Good Man
Series: The Man, #1
Author: Nona Raines
Published: August 2011
Format: Ebook provided for review

Just one touch...that’s all Andie Benedetto wants when she glimpses her father’s sexy neighbor. Images of deep, long kisses and down and dirty sex heat up her fantasies. When he catches her watching him, she’s embarrassed but undeniably turned on.

Just one weekend...that’s all Matthew Vostek can offer Andie. He recognizes her shyness, but also senses her desire, the same desire he feels. Maybe they can fulfill each other’s hottest fantasies.

Just an adventure...that’s what Andie tells herself. Tired of playing the good girl, she’s ready to accept Matthew’s challenge and enjoy the most exciting sexual escapade of her life. But when the weekend is over, will Andie finally take what she wants instead of settling for second best?

After reading One Good Man I am certainly glad I have signed up for the rest of this series’ book tours!  I even have an interview coming up with author, Nona Raines, coming up in November – so you’d better be sure to stay tuned into Fictional Candy for all kinds of Man-ly goodness!

Andie’s boyfriend, Douglas, has recently moved out and Andie just found out why.  She’s a bit ticked, a little hurt, and seeking some revenge sex.  Cause hey, the best way to get over one man is to get under another, right?  Errr…. Yeah.  So anyway!  She’s been dog slash house sitting for her father and kind of being a peeping-Andie at the neighbor, Matthew.  Matthew is the kind of hot that makes girls fall speechless.  He’s also off a break up, but he’s not just another pretty face.

Quick note:  Matt is definitely one of my favorite men ever.  He has two rescue dogs, and they are pits!  This is absolutely my favorite breed on the planet, and the misunderstanding of their temperament is so deeply rooted into society.  Any time I see something positive, I do a little cheer inside!  So Nona Raines, thank you! And positive light you can shed on such an issue is always a good thing J

Ok, back to the book. Andie leaves her fears at the door and makes a move.  And Matthew counters.  And then what can only be described as “Best Weekend Ever” ensues.  Seriously, I was so excited and happy, it was perfect.  And if you are looking for a little steam with your fling, you are definitely going to find it in this story!

But of course, there are to be some drama, and “B.W.E.” ends in disappointment and disaster.  Heck, misunderstandings often do.  And when drama tears these two apart, I was very sad for both of them.

This wasn’t a super long book, but I really loved the story.  Andie is a bit down on herself, and she’s not a super-model.  Hooray for a normal looking woman! But she is a good person, and Matthew is definitely enchanted with her.  And not all of the issues in this book are based just on these two people, so its nice to get a breather now and then as they deal with OPP. (that means Other People’s Problems in this case!)

So if you are looking for a quick read with some super hot between the sheets (or outdoors!) action, some definite drama, and a couple “what the hell!??!” moments – then you can not go wrong with One Good Man! And come back on Thursday when I have a review of the next book, Take This Man.  We are going to have some definite Man-fun!

Buy Links: Barnes and Noble / Amazon / The Wild Rose Press / All Romance ebooks

Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Website / Facebook / Twitter