Review of Catch Your Breath by Shannyn Schroeder and a giveaway

Blurb

As kids they steered clear of one another–but now a beautiful, well-connected reporter and a sexy, driven detective are all grown-up and on the job. . .

Moira O’Leary’s work as a reporter gives her access to some of Chicago’s swankiest soirées. She knows how to navigate the jet-set crowd, and her style and confidence help her blend right in. But when her childhood crush starts popping up at posh events, her poise begins to falter–until she realizes she has the upper hand in a high-stakes game of secrets and seduction. . .

Jimmy O’Malley has always tried to avoid his friend Liam’s little sister. Something about Moira spelled trouble. But he’s out of his element working undercover in Chicago’s high society, and Moira is his ticket to the inner circle. As sparks begin to fly–and their chemistry heats up–Moira gets dangerously close to his investigation. Will Jimmy be forced to push her away to keep her safe–or will they surrender to a desire that could leave them breathless?

Catch Your Breath

The O’Learys Book #4

By: Shannyn Schroeder

eKensington

Releasing July 3rd, 2014

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Excerpt:

In this scene, it’s the annual block party and Moira is doing a water balloon toss before getting distracted.

Colin whistled to announce the start of the toss. After the first lob, the lines took a step back.

Olivia asked, “When’s Maggie coming home?”

“She was here at Christmas. Didn’t you see her?”

“Yeah, but I thought she’d be back by now.”

Moira shrugged as the balloon came back to her. Another step back, widening the gap between players. Balloons were dropped and handled too harshly. Women squealed as cold water splashed against them. It only took another ten minutes until they were down to the final three couples.

Olivia released the balloon into a high arc as someone yelled, “Hey, Moira.”

Moira looked next to Olivia and saw a second balloon in the air. This one coming like a line drive at her. What the hell?

She tried to keep her eye on her balloon, but the other reached her first and smacked her on the chest, exploding with cold water. In the meantime, her balloon landed at her feet, soaking into her gym shoes.

The cackling laugh sounding behind Olivia told her exactly who had thrown the balloon. Kevin. She was going to kill him. He ran down the block, laughing, so she took off after him. They neared his house and he whipped by Jimmy.

Jimmy stood and stopped her progression. “Don’t you think a wet T-shirt contest is a little inappropriate?”

She looked down at her chest and realized how exposed she was. Leave it to Jimmy to embarrass her. She clamped down on her jaw and held tight to her anger. “You think this was my idea? It was a water balloon toss that I haven’t lost for over ten years. If your stupid ass brother didn’t attack me with a water balloon, I would’ve won.”

“Kevin did this?”

“Doesn’t he always?”

She plucked the material from her skin and allowed a calming breath to ease past her lips.

Then Kevin made the mistake of yelling from his porch, “Looking good, Moira.”

Her rage returned tenfold and she leaped for him, but got nowhere. Jimmy had swooped in and scooped her up by her waist. She scrambled like a cartoon character with her feet off the ground.

He whispered in her ear. “Why don’t you go change? I’ll deal with Kevin.”

She smacked his chest and he set her down, but didn’t allow enough room for her escape. “Change into what? Unlike you, I don’t live at home. I don’t have clothes here.”

“Borrow something of Maggie’s.”

She laughed. “Have you ever taken a look at my baby sister? There’s no way her shirt would fit me.”

He sighed and his eyes darted everywhere but at her. Then he reached over his head and tugged his shirt off. Moira lost the ability to think. Whoever said Chicago cops carried a spare tire around the middle and ate nothing but doughnuts had never laid eyes on Jimmy. Lots of delectable muscle.

The shirt landed on her shoulder.

“Here. Lucky for you, I do live here and can get a new shirt.”

Her brain came back online and she said, “Thanks.” He always took her off guard when he did something nice. She couldn’t quite read him and it annoyed the hell out of her.

“Whatever. I’m sure your brothers don’t want everyone staring at you. I’m saving you some embarrassment.”

And he was back. The Jimmy she was used to, treating her like the bothersome kid sister who needed to be protected.

Author Info

Shannyn is a former English teacher, who now works as a part-time editor while raising her three kids.

Even though she wrote from high school through college (mostly poetry), she’d never considered a career as an author. Writing fell by the wayside as she focused her energy on creating lesson plans and new and fabulous ways to torment her teen students. One group in particular dubbed her “The Torture Master,” a title she carried into motherhood.

After the birth of baby number two, Shannyn resigned from teaching and fell in love with reading romance novels. She read so many books so quickly that her husband teased, “If you’re going to read so many damn books, why don’t you just write one?”

So she did.

That first book is safely buried on her hard drive, but the process set Shannyn on the path to where she is today—agented with a debut ebook coming out with Kensington in late 2012.

She is recovering from her Diet Coke addiction, fears putting her foot in her mouth on social media, and has a renewed appreciation for the bad girls of the world.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway ($10 gift card to Amazon or B&N, a digital copy of one of the first 3 O'Leary books (More Than This, A Good Time, or Something to Prove) or Three Swag packs including: Keeper Kase with signed cards, O'Learys bottle opener, and O'Learys post-its)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


My Thoughts:

Catch Your Breath is the fourth book in the O'Learys series. It was a great stand alone book so don't worry if you haven't read all of the previous books. That is not to say that you won't want to read them. Just that you could read this one and then work your way through the others if you chose to. Which would probably be the case. :D

This book had some danger, mystery, a childhood crush, a cop, a reporter, and lots of family interaction and banter. 

I love the characters, the neighborhood, the camaraderie,  the setting. It was a really enjoyable story.

When you add in the fact that there is some major attraction between Moira and Jimmy, the flirting, and the way they get under each other's skin. Oh my! 

If you like some mystery with your romance, a career minded heroine who won't back down, or a great family dynamic in your books, you want to read this book.

I received an ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I laughed, wanted to strangle Jimmy and couldn't help but admire the relationship between the family members.




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