THE PRICE OF FAME SERIES BY AIMEE DUFFY: THE MONSTER OF FAME AND NEVER SAY NEVER (NOW AVAILABLE)

The Monster of Fame
The Price of Fame Series #1
Aimee Duffy
Released October 15th, 2012
Ebook
Beachwalk Press
Gifted by: Author
Reviewed by: Lisa

Oh Aimee...What a fun Romance!!  We need more Miles and Anna!!

Can the voice of an angel heal a tortured soul?

Annabelle MacIntosh enters a reality singing contest to save her family from their mounting debt. Miles Oliver, celebrity judge and the owner of the biggest record company in the UK, doesn't think she has what it takes. She sings like an angel, but when she performs all he can focus on is the terror in her eyes. It's a look he knows only too well. After the pressure of fame destroyed his wife, Miles swore he'd never let the same thing happen to anyone else. Driven by the guilt he's carried for years, Miles tries everything in his power to make sure Annabelle doesn't succeed, because he doesn't believe she'll survive it.

Annabelle needs that prize money, and she's determined to win it. As she fights to make it through each round of the contest, an attraction begins to develop between the two adversaries. The longer Annabelle remains in the competition, the deeper her attraction grows to the man who's trying to prevent her from reaching her goal. Can she convince Miles she's strong enough to fight the fame monster and win?

This book was So Much Fun to read...not that I am a HUGE Reality Singing Competition person, but Aimee's account of the Behind the Scenes antics are hysterical, and I could so picture all the scheming and jealousy...and some of the descriptions..."Perve"....I was cracking up!! 

Let's talk yummy heroes...Miles Oliver...Well HULLO....Now ya know I love me a tortured bad-boy and this one was tortured and widowed....oh boy...."Yes, of course you may cry on my shoulder"...hee hee!  Anyway, Miles was trying to save Anna from the same fate that had essentially killed his wife.  But he fails to see that Anna is stronger than she looks...he was a bit blind at times...but boy did his kisses steam up my glasses!!

Anna was a great heroine.  I like my girls strong and those who push for what they want, yep, Anna kicked "The Monster of Fame's" butt and she lived to tell about it! 

That kiss in the kitchen...whew...got a little hot up in here...Want a Sneak Peak?

"We only have white. I hope that's okay," Annabelle said as she pulled a bottle from the fridge.

 

"White's fine," Miles assured her.

 

She reached for the top shelf of one of the cupboards, pulling out two glasses. A strip of pearly skin flashed at her waist as the top rose. His attention was drawn to the creamy concave of her stomach. His throat grew tight. Every part of him itched to be closer to her.

 

"Here we go." She carried the glasses over to the work surface he was leaning on. Her floral scent engulfed him.

 

"Annabelle," he whispered.

 

She looked up at him, surprise crossing her features until she looked harder. She must have seen the feral hunger in his expression, known that when his attention dropped to her plump lips it was because he wanted to taste them. When his gaze locked hers, a flush stained her cheeks, but this time it wasn't embarrassment.

 

Her cobalt gaze dropped to his lips and she moistened hers. Miles doubted anyone could resist this kind of desire. This feeling went beyond lust to an almost carnal level. It was all-consuming and he didn't have the strength to fight it.

 

Worse still, he didn't want to.

 

With his mind filled with nothing but her, he dipped his head down and brushed his mouth against pink lips as soft as rose petals. He intended to pull away after a second, but need sped through his veins with a force he couldn't control. Instead of pulling back, he cupped the nape of her neck with his hand and deepened the kiss.

 

Annabelle's mouth opened and he could taste her sweet breath on his tongue. She melted against him as she snaked her hands around his neck. Every part of his body that touched hers burned, and for the first time in six years, he was harder than granite.

 

He pulled back and feathered her jaw with kisses. She gasped when he reached her neck, igniting his desire to an inferno. "Annabelle," he groaned against the skin at her collarbone. She shivered all over.

 

He closed his eyes and nibbled her silky skin. Just as he was about to move back to her lips, Cassie's face—gray and lifeless—flashed to the forefront of his mind. His heated blood morphed into cold sludge in his veins.

 

Miles released her, instantaneously jumping back as if her touch burned him. Annabelle's skin flushed and her eyes were so dark they were no longer blue. Confusion colored her expression, and he couldn't speak. Guilt lay heavy in his gut, threatening to travel up his throat and choke him.

 

Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. Cassie's face—cold and lifeless—was ingrained against his lids and the sick feeling came back, the same as it had when he'd found her dead in their apartment.

 

"Miles?"

 

He opened his eyes to Annabelle's crestfallen face. His was so numb he couldn't imagine what kind of expression he wore.

 

"I…can't," he choked out and started toward the door, pushing away her outstretched hand. Once outside he gulped in a breath of cool night air and jumped into his car. What had he been thinking? He was supposed to befriend the girl, not kiss her until he became drunk with desire.

 

Miles barked out a hard, humorless laugh. There really wasn't any point in bothering to kiss anyone at all, especially since he couldn't take things further with anyone, let alone with Annabelle. No matter how much he might want to.

 

I know....HOTT!!  And yes, you will get PLENTY more of that if you give this one a read!!

Aimee writes Charmingly Romantic Heroes and Sparking Sassy Heroines, and I seriously recommend THE MONSTER OF FAME!

Amazon UK/ Amazon US/ Barnes & Noble/ Beachwalk Press /All Romance Ebooks/ Bookstrand /Kobo/ Coffee Time Romance

 ~~~~~

 

Never Say Never
The Price of Fame Series #2
Aimee Duffy
Released April 15th, 2013
Ebook
Beachwalk Press
Gifted by: Author 
Reviewed by: Lisa

Um....May I just say....Well HULLLLLLO Sander!!  Yum!

When pretend turns to desire, heartbreak is unavoidable.

Sander Chase needs a date for his ex-fiancée's engagement party, but he doesn't have time for a woman in his life. Between working on the TV show Do You Have What It Takes? and his band reforming, he's too busy for a relationship. What he needs is a pretend girlfriend. He thinks he may have found the perfect woman for the job, and the bribe he offers means she's sure to accept.

After losing her job in the film industry, breaking up with her movie star boyfriend, and finding out her mum has dementia, Chloe Butler returned to the UK determined to put her life back together. The last thing she needs is to parade around London on the arm of a celebrity, and after the heartbreak caused by her ex, she swore she'd never again date a star. But when Sander offers her a chance at her dream job, it's not something she can turn down.

As Chloe gets to know Sander she learns he's nothing like her scumbag ex. But she struggles to fight her attraction to him, knowing their relationship is only for show and their separation date is closing in fast.

Ignoring the insane chemistry between them should be easy for Sander, especially since he carries a secret that means there can be no future for them, but the more time he spends with Chloe, the harder it is to keep his hands to himself.

OK...It's official...I have found my new Book Boyfriend...Sander Chase...yes, you have made the cut!  Aimee...why do you do this to me...sexy hunk of man meat...just the way I like em!! Oh yes, Sander Chase is one you will be thinking about before, during and after....get your minds out of the gutter...I mean while reading the book!!  haha

Aimee did it again..she had me sucked into the story from page one, when Chloe is propositioned by Sander to be his "pretend girlfriend" for a few days so that he can show his face at his ex-fiance's engagement party.  Well, lets just say these two are REALLY GOOD at the whole "Pretend Dating" thing...they really had me going...especially when her dress was around her waist and ....oh wait...I can't tell you that...you will just have to read the book!!

Here is a little Sneak Peak....

Chloe Butler’s mouth dropped open. She struggled to remember how to close it as she stared at the man with the expectant expression on his avenging angel face. She couldn’t have heard him right. Sander Chase would never ask someone like her out on a date.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

He flashed his Hollywood smile. “Come on. Don’t make a guy ask twice.”

 

Nope, she’d not misheard him, nor had she gone mad. Months of serving him coffee and this was the first time he’d shown any kind of interest in her.

 

“I’m sorry.” She retreated a few steps. She couldn’t date a celebrity, not after what happened the last time. She was just beginning to get her life back together. Not to mention the fact her mum needed her around more than ever. “I can’t. Thank you for the offer.”

 

Chloe tried to smile politely, but it was harder than usual. She turned to head back to the counter to get on with her work. If her boss Richard caught her talking to a celebrity, he’d get the wrong idea and hand her a P45 before she could explain. After all, the coffee shop was a classy place. Not even the press were allowed in.

 

A large, warm hand ensnared her wrist and drew her to a halt. Electrified jolts shot up her arm from the contact.

 

“Can’t or don’t want to?”

 

She turned back to Sander and saw his brow was raised and amusement glittered in his baby blue eyes. Pushy, wasn’t he?

 

“Don’t want to,” she replied, determined not to give him any hope.

 

Can’t left wiggle room, and there was definitely no wiggle room. She’d sworn off men after the last one had taken her for a mug.

 

Her reply seemed to please him. His grin grew huge and her heart sped. She frowned at the reaction and put it down to the stress of the situation. After all, as far as she was concerned, her libido was extinct.

 

“That’s perfect.”

 

Was he mad? From her experience, celebrities could be a little…odd. But she’d never met a full-blown lunatic before. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean.”

 

Why wasn’t she backing away? Better yet, why wasn’t she demanding he let go of her arm? She darted a glance around the coffee shop. Most of the customers’ attention was on their morning papers.

 

“I don’t need a date. I need a pretend one.”

 

Hmm, definitely time to call the men in white jackets. Sander had clearly lost his marbles. “I really have to get back to work.”

 

She couldn’t believe a man who’d been in one of the best male vocal pop groups of all time had lost his mind. Or maybe that’s what the pressure of it did to him. She vaguely recalled the rumors surrounding their split, but hadn’t paid much attention to the international news. At the time she’d been in LA and stupidly in love with a jerk.

 

Sander released her arm and sighed. “I’m not saying this right, am I?”

 

He raked a large hand through his golden hair and blew out a breath. She smiled at his exasperation, but still didn’t move away. Chloe shook her head in answer to his question.

 

“My manager called today.” Sander waved his hand to urge her closer. She obeyed. “He wants to get the group back together.” His hot breath caressed her neck and she shivered. The smell of espresso mingled with his spicy aftershave resurrected those bloody extinct hormones. “One of his conditions is that I attend Paul’s engagement party next Friday to show the world I’m over our…fallout.”

 

Watching Sander and Chloe fall for each other was such a delight to read, and again with Aimee's charming sense of humor coming out on the pages, I found myself with a big doofy grin across my face numerous times.  Sometimes all it takes is one person to love you enough and to be on your team, and that was what Chloe and Sander have with each other.  Yes, you will fall in love...and I highly suggest you do it now!! 

Amazon US/ Barnes and Noble / Beachwalk Press