Monday, February 3, 2014

Blog Tour: The Howling Heart by April Bostic - Excerpt, Review & Giveaway


Welcome to my stop on The Howling Heart review tour, hosted by RBTL World of Books Blog Tours. Below you'll find an excerpt and my review. Don't miss the giveaway at the bottom of the post.

The Howling Heart

April Bostic

Paranormal Romance
Eternal Press

Available at Amazon * B&N * Books a Million



Blurb

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.

Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv---wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.


Excerpt

I stood in the hardware section looking at flashlights, when I suddenly felt someone staring at me. I tried to remain inconspicuous as I glanced to my left without turning my head. At the end of the aisle stood a slender, young man at least six feet tall, wearing a red and black plaid, flannel shirt with cut-off sleeves. Lean muscles flexed on his bicep as he grabbed something off the shelf. His bare arms revealed a tattoo on his right shoulder, but I wasn't close enough to read it.

He must've felt my gaze on him, because he looked over at me. The sun gently kissed his skin with a golden tan, and his full lips spread into a charming grin. He had a clean-shaven, square jaw and sharp cheekbones that would make any woman envious. His sandy blonde hair flowed like waves and curled softly on the ends, brushing his ears and collar. A few, untamed strands fell in his eyes, making his hair appear disheveled. There was no doubt in my mind he was handsome.

Immediately, a heat wave crashed beneath my skin...and I knew it wasn’t due to the summer weather. I blushed under his steady gaze and looked away in an attempt to ignore him. For some reason, I couldn't control myself. My gaze kept finding his. A smirk played on his lips—the color of a summer peach—and I wondered if they tasted as sweet.


My Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

The Howling Heart opens with a frequent memory that plagues main character Paige, an event that occurred thirteen years ago at the family cabin in the woods. Soon after she learns her father has died and she is now the owner of said cabin. She feels a strong pull to return, one that she can't rationalize or ignore.

Paige is emotionally fragile when she arrives in the Colorado small town. She just lost her father and also caught her boyfriend in the act of cheating. When she sees Riley in the general store, it's lust at first sight. Paige is a strange woman. One moment she seems so put together and practical. The next she's jumping into a strange situation with both feet. I almost died laughing when she finally began asking the town doctor life altering questions toward the end. I guess better late than never...


Riley fell in love with Paige the moment they met in the forest when he was a pup and she was a girl. When she arrives at the cabin, he wastes no time professing his undying love. He's another strange one. At times he's a dominant alpha-male type, at others a complete pushover. The love Riley has for a woman he doesn't know is sweet in that 'love at first sight' or 'instant soul-mate' sort of way. It was funny how they'd proclaim love for each other, and then Paige would lament how little she knows about him.


By the end of the story, it's obvious that Paige truly does love Riley—all of him body, heart, and soul. It's really rather sweet (in a somewhat creepy kind of way) that she feels this way. The entire time I was reading I kept wondering how a relationship could possibly work when they come from two very different worlds. But sometimes love really can conquer all, so why fight it.


I enjoyed the ending quite a bit. It gave the story closure as well as providing a decent laugh. The Howling Heart is for ages 18+ due to mature content. If you like paranormal stories featuring shapeshifters, add this one to your TBR list.



About the Author

April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled "A Rose to the Fallen".

Her first short story, "Right Here, Right Now", released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled "Eros, My Love", and a sexy romantic comedy entitled "Love Addiction".

After five years, she released her second novel, "The Howling Heart" in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April will release her fourth short story in December 2013, a historical paranormal romance entitled "A Dark Scandal".

Author Links


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