Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway : Smoke Screen by Ahren Sanders

Title: Smokescreen
Author: Ahren Sanders 
Genre: Adult, Romance
Release Date: February 5, 2015
Stella Sullivan
Bright. Dedicated. Loyal.
The day I walked into his boardroom, I had no idea my life was about to change forever. It was supposed to be a simple proposal that would catapult my career. The chance to help Hurst & McCoy save one of their flailing business lines seemed simple enough. However, I never expected that one look at Maxwell McCoy would have me grasping for control. He’s demanding, charming, powerful; most of all he’s beautiful, inside and out. As hard as I fought against the attraction, he broke down my defenses. But he’s hiding things. Even when secrets, lies, and greed threaten everything I have worked so hard for, I couldn’t walk away. There’s no denying, the moment my eyes landed on Maxwell McCoy was the moment I became his.
Maxwell McCoy
Rich. Brilliant. Powerful.
People only see me as CEO of Hurst & McCoy. The ruthless businessman whose mere presence demands respect. People don’t know I chose to leave a life I loved in order to protect my father’s legacy and reputation. When my company’s future was threatened, I had no choice but to seek assistance. The day Stella Sullivan walked into my boardroom was the day my heart started beating again. One business proposal, from the topaz-eyed beauty, changed my life. She tried to deny our unyielding chemistry, but I wouldn’t. I should let her go, but I didn’t.
The smokescreen I created soon comes crashing down, forcing me to fight for everything I love.

Stella groans lightly and rolls over. I’ve been watching her from my desk for half an hour, trying not to wake her. But as soon as she realizes my side of the bed is empty, she sits up dazed. Her head turns toward the bathroom and then turns to me.

“What are you doing?” she asks sleepily.

“Working a bit.”

“What time is it?”

“A little after seven.”

“Why the hell are you up? Do you ever sleep?” She falls back onto my bed and the sheets slip down her naked body.

I jump to my feet and make my way to her side of the bed in a second. “Yeah, I slept, then I worked out, showered, and decided to work until you woke up.”

“You worked out? Showered? What the hell is wrong with you? I thought we weren’t going anywhere this morning.”

She throws an arm over her eyes and I take the opportunity to kiss the skin up to her elbow, then pull her arm down so she has no choice but to look at me.

“I didn’t go anywhere. I have a home gym down the hall. I showered because I was gross, and we are staying here this morning. We have a meeting at ten, but until then, it’s us.”

“You have a home gym? Where?”

“Yeah, babe, there’s about two thousand square feet you’ve not seen yet. Two more rooms and a gym.”

“What?”

“Babe, you’ve only been here a few times, I haven’t had time to show you.”

“This is a whole lot of information for me this early, without coffee. Remember I’m not a morning person.”

“So you keep saying, but I love proving you wrong.” I kiss her softly and slide my hand under the sheets and down until it reaches her pelvic bone.

My fingertips run lightly back and forth from hipbone to hipbone until her breath catches. Every time I hear that small sound, I know she’s getting turned on. Then my hand slinks lower to her slick heat and I press one finger in, sliding her wetness back and forth. “You are the best morning person I know.”

“That’s because you give me orgasms before my coffee.”

4 star read
Tracey’s Review
Landing an account with Hurst & McCoy is the brass ring that Stella Sullivan has been waiting for. She knows that her small PR firm is the right fit for the job. Fortunately for her, Max McCoy is in total agreement, regardless of what others say. Little do either of them realize, though, what this partnership will mean to them.There are a lot of things that I enjoyed about Smokescreen by Ahren Sanders. Both Stella and Max are strong engaging characters. Stella is an independent woman. She owns her own business, has a strong support system of family and friends, and is not afraid to speak her mind. Max is absolutely alpha, but, immediately smitten by Stella, he is willing to be softer for her. Their chemistry is immediate and all-consuming. Max has secrets, secrets that he is afraid will drive Stella away, but she is completely supportive of him. I really enjoy the family and friend scenes; Laci, Jake, Landon, Pedro, and all of the respective Sullivans, Barnes, and McCoys are endearing, and the story definitely would not be the same without them. Add in the business intrigue that Stella and Max are drawn into, and this book makes for an action-packed adventure as well as a hot romance.

There were a couple of things that gave me pause as I was reading. I get that things tend to move quickly in romance books, but insta-love is a hard sell for me. Max was head over heels from Day 1, but, to give credit to Ahren, Stella and Max do discuss the speed with which their relationship is moving, and it does eventually work. Also, with all of the action and drama surrounding Max, and, by default, Stella, there was an awful lot to keep up with and to accept as believable.

Overall, I enjoyed Smokescreen. The plot and action kept me engaged; I was interested in seeing how everything was resolved, and am happy with the way Ahren wrapped things up. I will absolutely read other books by Ahren in the future, and give Smokescreen 4 stars.

Ahren spent her formative years living in an active volcano. There her family made collectible lava art. She studied rock collecting at the Sorbonne in France. There she met the love of her life-her pet pig Sybil. She returned to the states and started writing. She is happily married to a guy who used to live under a bridge and she met while pole-dancing. They have one amazing daughter.
Now, meet the real me. I grew up in the south and consider myself a true “Southerner”. Most of the special locations mentioned in my books are reflections of my favorite places. Living on the Florida coast, my family spends a lot time at the beach which is where I usually can be found with a book in my hand. I started writing my Surrender Series, in the spring of 2013 and have received incredible support from the Indie community. Throughout this year, I have been privileged to meet some amazing people that I am thankful to have in my life.
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