Book Review | Whole Latte Love by Rachelle Ayala

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Investment banking intern Carina Chen doesn’t need any distractions—especially the sexy, guitar-playing barista she rooms with for the summer.

Free spirit Dylan Jewell appreciates the delightful universe of women who vie for his attention. His goal in life is to do good, make happy coffee, and help the homeless.

When Carina moves in, she insists on rules of conduct to quell her instant attraction to Dylan. But when her boss asks her to turn Dylan into a businessman, she can’t think of a reason not to take advantage of his hospitality.

Their chemistry is white hot, but Dylan refuses to play Carina’s game, unable to understand how he can fall in love with a woman who puts profits in front of people. When Carina realizes Dylan isn’t budging, she risks all to gain a single night with him. Will her gambit backfire or will Dylan discover Carina’s true heart before she runs away with his?

Set in Berkeley, California, Whole Latte Love is an opposites-attract romance mixing bluesy rock music, hot, steamy love scenes, and financial shenanigans.

My Review:

I'm not too excited about this type of book usually but I decided to give it a try. I will say that the author does a very good job at painting the pictures of the story in your head. So well, in fact, that you just fall in love with the characters. It's not one of those cheesy romance books where they meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after. It actually has a somewhat more normal story line. I won't spoil the book for anyone by giving examples. I'm sure you can figure out what I mean when you read this. If you are into romance novels and don't want the cheesy stories that most write about these days, pick this book up! You won't be disappointed. Hot, steamy, and a real story. I would recommend this book again and again!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Learning Success Program Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I decided to give this program a try through Tomoson after noticing how my son acts when we try to do his homework in pre-k. Yes, I said pre-k. He had homework 3 times a week and had 2 short little take home books that they had to read twice a week. He could usually read them pretty well but if he wasn't feeling like it, he wouldn't even try. My son has never been diagnosed with any of these "learning difficulties" but that doesn't mean he does or doesn't have them. I don't have a color printer so I actually ended up printing some of these out in black & white and then using crayons to match the colors in the emailed exercises in order to complete the activities. My son has started to like some of the activities and has even fully finished a few of them but we are still working on it. This program is only going to be useful to you if you stick to it. Like the program description below says, results start at around 3 months. I haven't been doing the program with my son that long, so I haven't started to see many results. I have confidence that I will in the future by sticking with this program my son will be able to overcome some of the issues that he has had in school. He starts kindergarten next year so I'm hoping we can get some of these issues worked out by the time he goes back to school.

Program Description:
The learning success program is a simple do-at-home program that will show you how to find the core problems and overcome them. Learning is made up of basic core skills. There are 16 of them in all. Typical learning difficulties are small weaknesses in a combination of two or three of these skills. Helps overcome learning difficulties such as:

• Dyslexia 
• Dyscalculia 
• Dysgraphia 
• ADD/ADHD 

Each of these terms simply means that there is a weakness in two or more of these basic learning skills. But it doesn't define which. Once you get started in the course you'll quickly find the trouble spots. Once you do that your child will be on the path to learning success. You will learn simple exercises that strengthen the skills needed for successful learning. Modern scientific breakthroughs have discovered a number of methods for overcoming these problems. Once you do your child will actually enjoy homework.
The normal price for this course is $564
The course is delivered via email. You will receive emails each day with exercises you simply print out and do with your child. Takes approximately 15 - 20 minutes 3-5 days per week. Results are typically seen starting at about 3 months but can come earlier. Severe problems will take approximately 1 year to overcome. We will continue delivering exercises for one year or until you cancel.

For more information or to purchase the program for yourself - click here.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Giveaway | Haven Series Collection by D.C. Akers

One lucky winner will receive a code to download the Haven Series Collection - Two Book Set - By D.C. Akers. Enter now!

Book Review | Haven Series Collection By D.C. Akers

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I'll admit that I haven't done a whole lot of reading in a while. I decided to go ahead and give these books a shot because they were new and from an author I've never read. I will quite often deny that I like fantasy type books but that is mainly because I am so picky on the types of fantasy books I read. I couldn't get into Harry Potter or the Twilight books. Some books are either too juvenile for my liking or they start too slow. I prefer books to jump out, grab me, and keep me hooked until I've read the book in a day or two. I'm beginning to think that I prefer the more twisted fantasy books over others. It really all depends on my mood though. 


Book Descriptions:

Haven Series Collection (Books 1 & 2): 

Known as a place of refuge, Haven is a sanctuary for those with supernatural abilities. Decades of peace between the Witches, Vampires, Goblins, Elves, and Orcs is coming to an end. Now the once tranquil world is shrouded in deception and corruption. Dark secrets tear at the very fabric of their alliance, giving way to an evil that stirs in the shadows. Exhilarating and utterly gripping, the HAVEN series is an action-packed journey full of suspense, magic, mystery, and intrigue.

A Stranger Magic (Book 1):

Sam Dalcome thinks he is so completely average that no one ever notices him. Until he discovers a mysterious stranger outside his home. Bewildered, he tries to uncover the stranger’s intentions. But Sam is sidetracked when he and his friend Travis discover a secret passageway deep in the town’s quarry that leads to a hidden cavern. What they uncover next will not only change their lives forever, but will uncover the first clue to a deadly Dalcome family secret. Sam finds himself drawn into a world of mystery and magic he never knew existed, which brings him closer to a destiny he never knew was possible. Get it today for FREE.

Revenge of the Viper (Book 2):

The Great War of Haven ended thirteen years ago but Alisa Dalcome is about to discover that the war did not end for her. Placed on Earth as a sleeper agent for the Majesty of Haven, Alisa had one objective—protect the portal keys at all costs. In the wrong hands the magical keys could jeopardize the safety of everyone on Haven. But Alisa’s relocation was more than just Majesty business; it was also a chance for her to escape her enemies, enemies that still wanted her dead. Alisa wasn’t thinking about herself when she left Haven, she was thinking about her children Sam and Sarah. The Great War had already taken her husband Rylan; she would be damned if she would let it take her children too. But what Alisa didn’t count on was her inquisitive son Sam and his friend Travis. Sam’s world has turned upside down after discovering magic is real. After barely escaping the caves Sam begins to piece together the past day’s events when he stumbles onto his mother’s secret past. With the clues mounting, Sam must dig deeper to uncover the truth that could change his life forever.
But Sam doesn’t realize that his mother’s past has already caught up with them. Hidden within the shadows nearby is Haven’s most malevolent predator—the Viper. A hunter forged from the blackest of magic, it watches, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Can Sam uncover the truth in time or will his mother’s past collide with the present placing them all in grave danger?



My Review

I don't plan to spoil the books for you, so please feel free to continue reading. 

Everyone seems to have different opinions about the pace of these books. I, personally, find the book to be a little on the slow paced side. I'm not sure if that is due to the shorter chapters with longer descriptions and details or if my mind is automatically comparing it to other fantasy books I have read. That isn't necessarily a bad thing though. I am a single mother of a 5 year old that wants Mommy's attention all the time, so the slower pace and shorter chapters make it easier to put the book on hold until you get another chance to read. Some people are able to put a bookmark anywhere and pick up right where they left off, but I have to stop at chapter marks. It's almost like I will forget everything I've read if I bookmark anywhere else. I might just be OCD though :)

One thing I do love about the author is the details and descriptions. Some people love a good fantasy book but don't have the mind that creates the vision like others do without deeper descriptions to help. He is very good at painting the picture that helps us envision the story in our minds while we read. These books definitely take you to another place and help capture your attention. There are other worlds and characters that could use more descriptions but with any series, that just means there is room for more books where they will quite possibly be featured. 


The Conclusion

I would definitely recommend reading these books if you are into other fantasy books like Harry Potter and Twilight. They are great books for someone with a hungry imagination that wants to be taken to another world. 

You can purchase the ebooks on Amazon.com for the Kindle Price of $4.95 which includes both books. If you prefer a physical book, you can get the paperback in large print for $11.81 (as currently listed on Amazon.com).


Author Contact Information

D.C. Akers

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | YouTube






I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Listerine 21 Day Challenge

I received 2 bottle of Listerine courtesy of CrowdTap in exchange for taking part in the 21 day challenge. I didn't receive mine in time to do the full 21 days. More like half that. I was using a non-alcohol type mouth wash due to my mouth being sensitive. I went ahead and tried Listerine again in hopes that it would be better this time around. I was quite surprised. I don't have the greatest teeth. They aren't like falling out of anything but I have 2 back teeth that are chipped from back when I first got my tongue pierced (the metal barbell) and I was a smoker. I have since stopped smoking and am strictly vaping so that is helpful and I don't have to worry about chipping teeth with a plastic barbell in my tongue. When I previously used Listerine it was sooooo strong that a few seconds after I started swishing my eyes would water like crazy and my eyes would start burning. My mouth would start burning and tingling and my teeth would hurt because they are kind of sensitive. I'm not sure if they changed anything or my mouth quit acting crazy. Now when I use it I still have the burning in my cheeks and my eyes still water, but it's nowhere near as bad as before. I can actually stand using it now. It helps my mouth feel clean and my breath fresh. I definitely will switch back to Listerine after this challenge. I think the best part of the challenge was the fun picture challenges CrowdTap had us do. Funny faces are always fun. Not the typical picture challenge. I love trying products through CrowdTap. I always have a great time doing them! You can purchase Listerine at most retailers (I get mine at Walmart) or you can click here for a list of online stores to purchase at.

The bottom picture is one of the challenge pics. Swishing with shades :)

Kellogg's Special K Coffee House Breakfast Shakes

I usually drink special k shakes but am strongly opposed to anything chocolate. It usually tastes extremely diet-y. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the taste of this shake. The chocolate didn't taste weird, It had a good coffee taste to it, and it was smooth. I think it's great to have if you are on the go a lot. This not only gives you a quick breakfast shake but a free caffeine boost along with it. I would definitely purchase this again that's for sure! I figured that the vanilla cappuccino would be my favorite because I love the regular vanilla protein shake but this time I was wrong. The flavor wasn't very good. It tasted a little chalky to me with a hint of vanilla and a tiny coffee after taste. It does taste a little diet-y too. If this was my only choice, I could deal with it since it's easy to chug. Otherwise, the chocolate mocha is my favorite. You can find these at your local retailers, such as Walmart or purchase online through Amazon. For Chocolate Mocha clickhere and for Vanilla Cappuccino click here.

Herbal Essences Body Wash - Hello Hydration

I was a bit iffy on trying this body wash out. I don't usually end up with a hair product that starts making a body wash. First off, the smell is awesome! Hello Hydration is made with coconut extract. I'm not a huge fan of coconut when it comes to food but I love it as the scent of products I buy. The product itself is eye catching due to the beautiful, vibrant, blue color of the body wash. I have a thing for bright colors, so it helps that it is eye catching. The other great thing about this product is that there are matching hair products. If you don't want to have to worry about what scents mesh well, this is a great product for you. The body wash lathers great. I personally use a pouf, so the lather may be different depending on how you use your body wash. It definitely works great with a pouf. You don't have to use but maybe a quarter size dot on your pouf and it bubble up quick and stays that way throughout washing your entire body. Obviously if you run the pouf under water while soaping up, you may have to add more. For me, the one application was enough for me. Pair this body wash with the Hello Hydration hair products and you'll smell like beautiful orchid and coconut all day. I can't make a huge comment on whether this product moisturizes your skin or not due to the condition of my water and where I live. We have well water which has a tendency to dry my skin out and the temperatures went from freezing to 90's with a quickness around here in Oklahoma. So needless to say, my skin is always a little dry. I would definitely recommend this product and plan to buy this in the future. Maybe they should make a body lotion for this next. Then the collection would be complete! You can purchase this body wash at Walmart and other retailers or online here. Have you tried it? Let me know what you thought! I received a sample of Herbal Essences Body Wash in Hello Hydration from Crowdtap in exchange for my opinion. #THEHERBALISTAS

I'm Baaaaack!

Hey everyone! I got busy working and not having a computer once I got time to get back to blogging. I am definitely back and ready to get some hopefully informative and helpful posts up soon. I have probably at least 10 products I will be reviewing over the next month so be on the lookout! Thanks for reading! :) Jessey aka Redhead Momma

Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths

I received Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths courtesy of Crowdtap in exchange for my opinion.
I've been a fan of these cloths since they came out with them. The dispenser was better than the one on baby wipes but still dried out sometimes because the top wouldn't always close right. I LOVE this new dispenser. You take them out of the packaging and put it right in the dispenser. The cloths no longer come out on top so it's much easier to pull one out. They don't dry out easily. And the top closes easily without popping back open. I also love them because I don't have to buy baby powder smelling baby wipes to help feel a little fresher after a potty break. I also don't have to buy anything special for anyone in my house. Everyone can use these and they are safe to use with a septic. That's not always easy to find. The price isn't too bad. Usually you can get a discount on the cloths if you also buy the cottonelle toilet paper. I love both, so I would recommend both to anyone.
For more information CLICK HERE!
I want to thank crowdtap and cottonelle for this awesome sample & share!

ZonePerfect® Greek Yogurt Bars

I received a Zone Perfect Greek Yogurt Raspberry bar courtesy of Influenster to try out!
I enjoy granola bars with Yogurt but am usually pretty iffy on greek yogurt. It's usually a little too sour for me. I actually thought it was pretty tasty. I love raspberry and yogurt so this was a great combination. 1 bar is 190 calories and it actually curbs my appetite pretty well. It also has 3 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein. The only bad thing is that there are only 3 flavors currently. Raspberry, vanilla berry, and chocolate.
Check them out HERE and own your zone!

Mary Kay Voxbox

I've never used Mary Kay products before. I always love a chance to try new products and thank Influenster for the chances I get. I believed that the products would be just like buying them from shhhh (avon) but I was proven wrong!
The Lash Love lengthening mascara and primer are amazing! I'm very picky about my mascara and was very pleasantly surprised. The primer goes on clear and leaves no white stuff on your lashes like other primers do. The mascara definitely helps with lengthening. It doesn't clump nor does it take a million applications to get it to look like you're wearing any makeup. The lengthening part makes no difference to me because I have long lashes to begin with but it helps make them look nice.
The lipstick was nice. It went on smooth. I'm not a huge lipstick fan so I didn't really use it after I tried out out. It was also a shade of pink that isn't made for a ginger.
The cream eye shadow was a pretty purple but I can't wear it. I don't care what brand it is or what applicator you use on me, it's not going to come out right. It takes a lot of applications and ends up in the crease of my eye. The brush works awesome but cram color just isn't for me.
I loved this Voxbox because it helped give me more makeup brand options. Thank you Influenster and Mary Kay for letting me try out these products.

Old Navy Activewear Review

I received an awesome sample and share opportunity from Crowdtap to try Old Navy Activewear for me and a friend.
The coupon: 1 free top and 1 free bottom (activewear only, of course) for me and a friend (I picked my mom).
One great thing about the coupon is that there was no price restriction. Not that my aim was to get the most expensive items but having a price restriction makes it not so fun.
Anyways, it took me and mom about 30 minutes to pick out what we wanted. We're just alike with our indecisiveness but very similar.
We settled on compression pants and a zip-up fleece jackets.
Let me just say, these compression pants are the most comfortable pants everrrr! I wear them ALL the time. Whether I'm going for a walk or just lounging around the house. I love, love, love them!
My mom is the same way. She mainly jusy uses them for lounging but said that they are the most comfortable pants she's ever had. Her only complaint is that they are too long (she's 5'5") but I love the length because they aren't high waters on me. They keep me warm. I'll definitely be buying more of these!
As for the tops...the zip-up fleece are very comfortable. My only problem is that I'm very top heavy so my only option is to leave it unzipped or zip it and havs squashed boobs lol. My mom is smaller than me so she didn't have that problem.
This was the best experience ever. Even the girl at the checkout counter at Old Navy was jealous and wanted to know how I got this awesome opportunity.
Thank you Crowdtap and Old Navy for this AWESOME sample and share! This was my first and hopefully not my last.

***I received the coupons from Crowdtap in exchange for my opinion.

Charmin Freshmates Review

I think these are a great item to have in the bathroom. Toilet paper may be soft and able to clean but the Charmin wipes give that extra sense of cleanliness. They aren't very expensive. They have a nice, soft scent. They aren't too moist. They're a great alternative to using the baby's wipes lol. Thank you vocal point! Loved the towel too!

**I received this product from vocalpoint for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Review

My skin needs help for real. I won't lie. Totally not in denial. I give most products a try as long as they don't cost an arm and a leg. I started using this product on my face and within a week I noticed a huge change! I have combination skin. T-zone oily, forehead dry. It sucks! But this has made my skin more moisturized, and started looking a lot better. I'm super excited. I will definitely be buying more of this!
I got to try this product thanks to influenster in exchange for my review.

Kiss® Ever PRO Lashes Review

<p>I have crazy long lashes already because I cut them off when I was a child. Apparently I shouldn't have been near scissors back in the day lol. <br>
Anywho, I gave these lashes a shot. I don't know if it's me or the lashes (probably me) but they just wouldn't go on. Part would stick and part wouldn't. It was a mess. Maybe if I had less lashes it would work. Maybe I just don't know what I'm doing. It could be either one. I think they just weren't my thing. They aren't made for everyone.
I received this product from influenster in exchange for my review.

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin Review

I work in a casino in the cage where there is a lot of constant movement and required bending down so I always have my hair up. I usually have a clip in my hair. Bobby pins don't work, putting my hair I'm a pony tail didn't look very good with my big forehead, and leaving it down gets in my way. I tried out the spin pins and feel in love! They go in so easily and they stay! There is no fixing them every 20 minutes like everything else. I love them. Very glad I got to try them out. I'll definitely be using them more!

I received this product in exchange for my review from influenster.

NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Review

I'm a pale, freckled redhead that doesn't look good in dark eye shadows. I gave it a go anyways. The shadow went on smooth and blended very nicely. I still don't think it looked good on me but I think it came out nicely lol. It also didn't end up in the crease of my eye like other shadows do which was nice.
On a sidenote: it worked well as a face make-up on my son's face to make him a zombie killer. I'm not sure if it came out right but he thought he looked awesome so I guess I did something right.

I received this product in exchange for my opinion from influenster.

Bath & Body Works Mini Candle Review

Within my wonderful box of goodies from influenster I received a black pepper bergamot scented mini candle from bath & body works. At first smell it wasn't so great. But I discovered that once lit it smells quite nice. The scent of pepper and orange works quite well together. At least I thought so. The other half didn't like it so much. He likes fruity or clean scents I guess. I can't wait to try more scents!
Thank you influenster and bath & body works for giving me this opportunity!

UNREAL candy review

OH-EM-GEE! If you love chocolate like i do, I'm sure you love reese's cups, m&m's, snickers, and milky way. These candies are made as they say "un-junked".  No artificials, no hydrogenateds, no corn syrups, no preservatives, and no gmo's. The taste is amazing. I was a serious skeptic when i read about this candy but they have changed my mind. Even though i had to go to staples to find them, I'll keep going back! FYI: I RECEIVED COUPONS TO TRY THESE CANDIES FREE FROM BZZAGENT IN EXCHANGE FOR MY OPINION.

Glade expressions review

I had a bit of trouble getting my products but i finally got them! One Wal-Mart only had the mist and the other had the oil diffuser. Unfortunately neither had anything but the pineapple mangosteen scent. Thankfully i love fruity smells! I tried the mist first. I think it smells great. Not too strong. Love that i can control how much is sprayed and that it's not overbearing. The scent could last a bit longer but overall is great to have in my home. I also love that the packaging can be taken off the sprayer so it is just plain. Our i guess if someone wanted to, they could decorate it themselves. I tried the oil diffuser next. Very simple abc's easy to put together. Not messy at all, unlike some oil based products. It has a very strong smell. I had it on my coffee table since it looked nice but had to move out because the scent was so strong. I wish there was a way to lighten the scent a bit out at least have that control but overall i love it and the design. I'm glad i was chosen to try out these glade expressions products. Thank you bzzagent! ***i received this product free from bzzagent in exchange for my opinion. All opinions are my own.