Two stories so deeply intertwined, you’ll think you know how they intersect…but you’ll be wrong….
Zack Martin
The day I met Emily Bennett my whole world changed. Sure, we were just kids, but I was old enough to know my life would never be the same. She was my best friend. My destiny. My fate. I wasn’t wrong…I just didn’t know how twisted fate could be.
Nikki Fallon
After the death of my mother, moving from my dark and dreary trailer park to sunny California, I was focused on one thing – finding a sister I’d only just learned existed. Falling in love with him wasn’t part of the plan. But he filled a void I never knew was possible to fill. He had to be my fate. My destiny. Until the day I finally found out who my sister was…and how twisted fate could be.
Except
He looks up and I watch his eyes take me in. Slowly. They rake over me, dropping from my eyes to my glossed lips down to my exposed shoulders. Taking his time, he follows the neckline of my simple, yet body contouring sundress, lingering when he reaches my full breasts. I’m sufficiently covered, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t aware that the dress showed off my assets well. Tight around my chest, gathering snuggly at the waist, with a scant amount of cleavage. Just enough coverage to still leave something for him to imagine. And I watch his face change as his imagination takes off running.
His eyes drift down my legs, tanned now from the eternal California sun. Momentarily he’s lost in what he sees and doesn’t even notice I’m watching him leer. Totally worth the extra effort getting ready tonight, I couldn’t be happier at the reaction I get. Eventually, his eyes make their way back up to mine and I arch one eyebrow, letting him know he’s been caught. A normal reaction might be to look embarrassed or perhaps even flustered a little. But not Zack. Instead, he flashes me a wicked grin. “You look incredible.” He’s the one doing the leering, yet I’m the one who ends up blushing.
Author Bio:
Vi Keeland
Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!
Dylan Scott is a New York trial attorney, wife and mother of four. She believes her job as a trial attorney is a subcategory to the field of entertainment more than law. With a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature she believed teaching English was a destined career choice until she realized her life long talent of “argument” could actually be her job. A recent, fairly boring, midlife crisis resulted in a brief stint as a middle school English teacher which confirmed that she wasn’t ready to give up the law. Dylan has also taught legal courses at the college level and worked with at-risk inner city youth in the roles of mentor and coach. She is co-author Vi Keeland’s biggest fan.
At a friend’s lavish wedding, Harley McLain and her twin sister, Charity, meet sexy stock-car driver Cooper Brickman. The more reserved Harley is immediately smitten—until he hits on her twin. But Harley has had enough of being the “nice” girl, and after trading dresses with Charity, she seduces Cooper for a night of wild sex.
……ready for a hot lap.
What was supposed to be a one-night fling gets complicated when Cooper needs a nanny to look after his kid sister—and is convinced sweet, dependable Harley would be perfect for the job. She can’t resist the money—or Cooper’s hot bod. But when her deception is revealed, will it destroy her dependable image—or will he finally realize how sexy sweet can be?
Final Lap is the last book in the beloved Fast Track series by Erin McCarthy. The Fast Track series has ran a great race and will be forever in the winner circle of favorite book series. We have met the sexy Nascar driver’s and watched them get out lapped by strong sexy woman. These guys definitely know how to drive like champions in the bedroom. This series is loaded with excitement, quirky characters, fast humor, and sexy romances. It’s sad to see this series end.
Final Lap is the grand finale of the series. It starts out at Imogen Wilson and Ty McCordle’s wedding (book 2 in series). There Harley McLain meets the sexy driver Cooper Brickman. Naturally being a conservative, somewhat shy, and motherly type, she gains Cooper’s attention for all the wrong reasons. He sees her as someone to unload all his difficulties raising his twelve year old sister. He seeks her advice once she lets on that she is nanny professionally. Harley does not want to be seen as the motherly type for once in her life. She wants to be seen as a sexy woman like her twin sister.
What’s a girl to do when she wants to be sexy Cinderella? The twin swap of coarse. All she wants is one hot night with Cooper Brickman. And Cooper Brickman is the perfect playboy prince to fill Cinderella.
After her fairytale night with Cooper, life is back to normal. That is until Cooper convinces her to come to work as a nanny for his twelve year old sister.
Cooper’s twelve year old sister is smarter than the two of them put together. Her shenanigans will turn the house upside down, send them both into a spin, and open their eyes to what is most important. They will form a beautiful friendship that turns into love. They will find a perfect balance in their odd little family. All will be well until Cooper admits he slept with her twin sister.
Betweem the twin swap and Cooper’s horrible mother this couple will go through the wringer. It will look like their love is out of the race. But true love and family unity will save the day. Cooper and Harley will burn up the sheets and complete the Final Lap.
All the beloved characters from this series will make appearances throughout the book. They will all end up being winners in the Final Lap.
Thank you Erin McCarthy for this sizzling hot series.
Author Bio:
USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.
As Reapers Motorcycle Club president, Reese “Picnic” Hayes has given his entire life to the club. After losing his wife, he knew he’d never love another woman. And with two daughters to raise and a club to manage, that was just fine with him. These days, Reese keeps his relationships free and easy—he definitely doesn’t want to waste his time on a glorified cleaning lady like London Armstrong.
Too bad he’s completely obsessed with her.
Besides running her own business, London’s got her junkie cousin’s daughter to look after—a more reckless than average eighteen-year-old. Sure she’s attracted to the Reapers’ president, but she’s not stupid. Reese Hayes is a criminal and a thug. But when her young cousin gets caught up with a ruthless drug cartel, Reese might be the only man who can help her. Now London has to make the hardest decision of her life—how far will she go to save her family?
I shuddered, and shook my head, burying my face in his shoulder as he started working my clit harder. My hips twisted over his, grinding his cock down hard as the tension built inside me.
“Ladies first,” he whispered, then used his hand on my ass to lift me just enough for him to shove three fingers down deep inside. Holy crap. I don’t know how he pulled it off logistically and I didn’t care. All that mattered was the way he filled me up and ground down on my clit at the same time. My heart was beating too fast and I felt dizzy with need and desire and pleasure that wound so tight I thought I might explode. Oh, God… please explode! Then it hit and I bit his shoulder so I wouldn’t scream, waves of ecstasy shattering me. My body went lump over his, and he pulled the hand that’d tortured me free. Then it was at my mouth, pushing inside until I tasted myself all over him as he gripped my jaw in a soft but firm hold.
“You ready to suck my cock?”
I nodded so fast it made me dizzy. Then I slithered down his body, ripping at his jeans and pulling his belt free. he lifted his hips to help me, his erection springing free to slap up against his belly. Id seen it before, of course, but never quite this close and personal. We hadn’t had a normal courtship, and I realized with a shock that we’d only had sex three times, total. Wow. Felt like so much more than that.
A little frission of excitement raced up my spine- there was so much more about him I couldn’t wait to learn. I giggled, giddy and he grinned down at me, wrapping his fingers tight into my hair.
“I feel like a kid when I’m with you.”
“I do, too,” I whispered back.
Michel’s Review
I am a huge fan of the Reaper’s MC series by Joanna Wylde. I have been looking forward to this book, Reaper’s Stand. Throughout the series we have gotten some really harsh glimpses of the perilous leader of the Reaper’s MC. Reese “Picnic” Hayes has inserted his bad ass attitude through out the series. At the same time we saw some vulnerabilities that made the reader’s crave his story. We wanted him to find a woman that could stand up to him and love him, regardless of who he is. What Joanna Wylde gave Reese “Picnic” Hayes was a lot more than he bargained for. She gave him a strong woman that could hold her own in his world and give him a special place in her world.
With the upcoming troubles with the cartel, the future of the Reaper’s MC is looking grim. War is coming to the Reaper’s MC and their allies. The last thing Picnic needs is a woman. Especially a woman like London Armstrong. She is not a part of his world and doesn’t belong in it. He’s had the love of a good woman, lost her, and raised his children alone. He’s had the best of the best and the worst of the worst. There’s something about London’s honest attitude, dedication to her family, and hard working ethics that appeals to him. Not to mention her natural beauty and smoking hot body.
London Armstrong owns the local cleaning business. She has taken on some contracts for the Reaper MC club. She has been raising her niece alone for the last six years and dealing with a very troubled teenager. She doesn’t have time in her life for a man. Especially a man that brings trouble of his own. Reese “Picnic” Hayes puts a whole new meaning to the word trouble.
When her niece gets tangled up in trouble with Reese’s club, London has to bargain for her nieces safety. She appeals to Reese’s softer side, his position as a parent. How can he deny her? But he has conditions of his own that include getting into London’s bed.
London has been dating the local deputy in town. Now she will have to chose between her attraction to Reese or Deputy Nate Evans. Once she makes her choice all hell breaks loose.
Her niece Jessica finds more trouble than London can handle. The war with the cartel is escalating. The deputy is not all he seemed to be. Reese is giving London more than she bargained for. It will come down to London choosing between Jessica, Nate, and Reese. She will always chose her family first. She will become a prime player in the war. She will pay dearly in this deadly war.
I absolutely loved Reaper’s Stand. No only was it an intense love story, it was the climatic ending in the ongoing war the Reaper’s have been fighting. This story was suspenseful and thrilling. Reaper’s Stand not only focused on the club but also focused on the importance of family. It also portrayed the honest emotions that go into parenting and protecting your children no matter what age they are.
The romance between London and Reese was steamy. Although these two were mature adults, they found the playfulness and excitement that most experience in their youth. They are realistic with their expectations in their relationship. When trouble comes knocking on the door, both will have to make some hard choices. These choices aren’t about their feelings for one another. They are choices that will affect their families, the club, and the future.
I love the Reaper’s MC series. It is one of the best Biker series in publication. The characters and their club life are very real. Joanna not only gives the readers badass bikers, she also shows the very human side of their lives. I highly recommend this book and series.
Joanna is a freelance writer living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She started writing fiction in 2002, then took a long hiatus to explore other writing opportunities. She returned to fiction in January 2013 with ‘Reaper’s Property’, the first book in the Reapers Motorcycle Club series, and has recently released ‘Reapers Legacy’, the second of the series.
Mercy is no friend of mine. Karma, she has yet to show kindness to me.
Her childhood aspirations to be a nurse long since disappeared after a college spring fling both blessed and cursed her with a baby boy. Dropping out of school, she returns to her hometown and begins to settle in. Getting the only job she could as a bartender she spends her days caring for her son and nights serving the Hellions Motorcycle Club and their affiliates.
Andy ‘Shooter’ Jenkins has always been around. Too wrapped in Rex she’s never really noticed him before. He has never been loud or known to have the girls hanging all over him. He is a mystery. A chance encounter brings him to her rescue not once but twice.
Secrets revealed putting two brothers in the Hellions Motorcycle Club at a serious crossroads in their lives.
This book contains strong language, strong sexual situations, violence and is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. Please do not buy if any of this offends you. This is a work of fiction and is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club but rather a book meant to entertain.
“Look, your car, we gotta order parts, I told you that already. Those take a few days to get in. I can’t leave you with no way to get to Axel, your mom, and to work.”
“I’ll rent a car,” she replies firmly.
“Tessie, don’t be stubborn. We don’t even know what your car will cost to repair. Take the Challenger.”
“Why are you so willing to help me?” Tessie asks me.
“Call me selfish. If you don’t have a car, you can’t get to work, and then who would serve me a beer?” I ask in mock innocence.
“Corinne will happily serve you, Shooter.”
“Ha. Got jokes do ya? Corinne will happily serve up more than just drinks. Tessie, I’m just tryin’ to be a friend here.”
“I would hardly call us friends.” Her face set in stone, not giving anything away. She’s tough, but there is a sadness deep in those brown eyes that pulls at me.
“We could be,” I state watching for her to give me some sort of clue or opening. Yet, she gives away nothing. “Take the car, Tessie.”
“I don’t need any new friends, Shooter. Keep your car. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll get my car sorted. I’m no trouble of yours.”
“Come on, Tessie. Look, I get it, you haven’t had it easy. Neither have I, but I have an opportunity to help you and I want to take it. No strings, no favors, no debts, no markers, just me paying it forward so to speak.”
When she doesn’t reply or change her stance, I throw out the big guns so to speak. “Okay, I’ll call Rex and have him arrange for your transportation.” I begin to step backwards, making my exit.
“Wait! You wouldn’t really involve Rex would you?”
“If you don’t take the car, yes, I will. Tessie, you’re part of the Hellions family in a way. None of us want to see you struggle. Take the car.”
“You won’t call Rex if I take the car?” She questions as I watch the determination flash in her face. For whatever reason she does not want to rely on my brother.
“If you take the car and agree to have dinner with me,” I add totally knowing I’m pushing my luck here.
“Shooter!” She cries out in frustration, losing some of her firm resolve to keep me shut out.
“What? I want us to be friends, that’s all. Seriously, I’m a man with far too much bad history to bring a woman along for my ride. I want to get to know you as a friend. I get the feeling you could use a friend right now and just that.”
“I’ll take the car, but only until my car is fixed. Things are complicated for me. I can’t accept your dinner invitation. To be honest, it’s not in your best interest to be my friend.”
My buddy, Nathan ‘Boomer’ Vaughn pulls into Tessie’s driveway. Handing her the keys to the Challenger, I smile.
“Baby, I’ve never been one to do anything that’s in my best interest. We’ll have dinner one night, Tessie. Mark my words.” At that final statement, I walk away.
Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice.
When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in.
She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.
It’s rule breaker Emily Foster’s birthday, and like everyone at The Jungle Room, she just wants to get some action. Unfortunately, she stumbles on the wrong kind, witnessing a mob hit. To protect her, she’s entered into the Witness Protection Program with by-the-book Special Agent Jake Ward as her chaperone.
When the location of their safe house is compromised, Jake stashes Emily deep in the Texas backwoods. The city-girl might be safe from the Mafia, but she has to contend with a psychotic rooster, a narcoleptic dog, crazy cowboys, and the danger of losing her heart to the one man she can’t have.
Jake’s as hot as he is infuriating, and she can’t help but push all his buttons to loosen him up. Their mutual, sizzling sexual attraction poses a dilemma: Jake’s determined to keep her safe and out of the wrong hands; she’s determined to get into the right ones—his.
It’s her 28th birthday and she spends it at The Jungle Room in Chicago with her two best friends. After meeting an insanely hot guy and seeing him duck into the back area, she can’t help but follow. Instead of finding Mr. Hottie, she witnesses the murder of Sergio, one of Mr. Felts’s employees, in one of the back rooms of the club.
Special Agent Jacob Ward, FBI, has been working with US Marshals to build a case against Frankie Felts for money laundering and drug trafficking. Every time they get close to a bust, their witness turns up dead. When the safe house is compromised, he sure there’s a leak in the department. Determined not to let this sarcastic, stubborn and feisty woman suffer the same fate, he will do whatever it takes to keep her alive.
Not halfway through the first chapter, I’d already figured that I’d like the book based on the wry humor, but as it progressed I wished that Jake would ease up on being a man-handling Neanderthal and wondered why she accepted it without slapping the ever-loving crap outta him for it. I wanted Emily to grow up and mature a little; she seemed to completely disregard the severity of her/their situation. There were plenty of witty narratives and dialogue comments to make you laugh but at times it was too much; there’s a time and place for the snark and this book was almost too-heavily loaded. The secondary characters were very well written and several are extremely enjoyable. Despite the first person POV, the story had good fluidity. The plot had many elements: fun and sass as well as action and intrigue. I enjoyed the numerous second chance scenario presented to several of the characters, it added more depth to the already multifaceted individuals. There was plenty of dimension in the plot, the climax was exciting and the resolve was well done. I can’t say that it was predictable, so I am pleased. We never did learn Emily’s real name, which is a bit strange in a way, but I guess in the long, unnecessary. Overall, a decent read that I’d probably recommend to others.
Author Bio:
As the youngest of five girls, Alison Bliss has never turned down a challenge…or been called by the right name. Her writing career may have started out as a dare by one of her sisters, but Alison hasn’t put her pen down since.
She grew up on a small island off the Texas Gulf Coast, where most of her childhood vacations consisted of camping or hunting trips to the deer lease. Although she’ll always be a Texan at heart, Alison currently resides in the Midwest with her Iowa farm-boy husband and their two sons. With so much testosterone in her home, it’s no wonder she writes “girl books.”
She’s an animal lover, a closet video game enthusiast, and believes the best way to know if someone is your soul mate is by canoeing with them because if you both make it back alive, it’s obviously meant to be. Alison’s an avid romance reader who enjoys penning the type of books she loves to read most: fun, steamy love stories with heart, heat, laughter, and usually a cowboy or two. As she calls it, “Romance…with a sense of humor.”
Cricket Creek, Kentucky, is no Nashville—it’s a sweet, small town outside the big-city limelight. But here, two headstrong country music stars will need to rely on their Southern roots and explosive chemistry to top the charts together.
When Cat Carson drops her record label and signs with an independent label based in Cricket Creek, it’s a huge upset in the music world. But the residents of Cricket Creek are thrilled to have a real country music star in their midst. Everyone except Jeff Greenfield, that is—a local rising star himself, who’s been asked to record a duet with the stunning beauty.
Jeff grew up on a farm, but his smooth, soulful country style is starting to get him noticed outside Cricket Creek. And while a duet with Cat Carson could send his career skyrocketing, he doesn’t want to lose touch with his roots—or lose his head. Because sparks are flying every time he and Cat hit the studio. And it’s more than a little distracting….
When Cat Carson, a country star phenomenon with a Top 40 fan base leaves her big time label to relocate to a small town in Kentucky to find herself, she has no idea of how her life is about to change. Jeff Greenfield, wants nothing but to sing, to make a name for himself as a performer of traditional country songs. While he can appreciate the talent in a singer like Cat, he thinks that she’s better suited to pop radio stations than to the Grand Ole Opry. But Fate, in the form of the owner of their mutual record label, steps in, forcing them to put aside their differences and work together.
Sweet Harmony by LuAnn McLane is more than your typical opposites attracting sort of love story. Cat and Jeff are both strong characters who know what they want, at least professionally. They are both determined to make the kind of music that they want, the type that will define them as more than just one-hit wonders or Top 40 fan favorites. And that refusal to back down, to be other than they feel called to be, is what sparks the interest between the two of them as well, and draws them to each other. Their chemistry, combined with strong supporting characters like Maria, Pete, and Snake, are what make it such a fun read, along with the sense of community that comes from a small town full of people that know and love each other.
This is the seventh book in the Cricket Creek series, and while it is the first one that I’ve had the pleasure of reading, it will not be the last. I look forward to reading the previous books and to spending more time in Cricket Creek, Kentucky.
Author Bio:
Becoming an avid reader at a young age, McLane soon knew she wanted to be a writer. Encouragement from teachers led to creative writing classes on both the high school and college level. In the mid 1980’s she became a staff reporter and wrote human-interest stories for several local newspapers and at one point had her own award-winning column in The Kenton County Recorder. Fiction, though, was what she really longed to write. She joined an eclectic literary group called Night Writers and met romance novelist Nicole Jordan who invited her to join Romance Writers of America. With a handful of women, they founded the Ohio Valley RWA chapter that is now a huge national chapter.
Four children and a traveling husband, however, curtailed McLane’s writing career until a now-or-never mid-life crisis made her overcome her fear of computers and jump back into the crazy business of romance writing and she hasn’t looked back.
Darkness is the only thing I see. Ever since the day my life changed. The day that everything and everyone I held close to me ceased to exist. The day I lost it all and the demons of my past consumed my every waking moment.
I tried to keep others at arm’s length. Tried not to let my darkness taint them. Ruin them. Harm them. And whether I want to admit it or not, as much as I wish I could keep them locked out, they refuse to leave. Refuse to let me suffer alone.
If I hadn’t been so focused on keeping those demons from flying free, I wouldn’t have missed how one perfect angel was able to sneak her way under my skin—refusing to let go. Making me want things I don’t deserve.
She consumes me. Her beauty knows no end. The love she promises tempts me every time she’s near. But that pure heart that makes her MY Emmy is the one thing I’m convinced I’ll destroy if I ever let her close.
I’m a broken man. A broken man with too much darkness in his soul to ever let her light shine upon me. But even that doesn’t stop me from craving her with every single breath in my body.
**This is the final book in the Corps Security series. This book is not suitable for younger readers. There is strong language, adult situations, and some violence.*
I think reader’s have been biting at the bits for this book in the Corps Security Series by Harper Sloan. Locke has been a complete enigma since book one. His stand offish behavior and deliberate avoidance has intrigued the readers. We have seen glimpses of his softer inner self when it comes to the women in his circle being emotionally troubled. He is a warrior where they are concerned except for one woman. Emmy touches something deep inside and that is the last thing Locke wants. He has repeatedly spurned her, hurt her feelings, egged her on, and desired her throughout this series. He gives her mixed signals and keeps her emotions tangled. After the tragedy with Cooper in the former book, Emmy is done with Corps Security and Locke. She just can’t handle the emotional roller coaster Locke brings to the office. Most of all she can’t handle the memories from Cooper. It’s time to cut her losses, move on, and start another life.
She moves back home to Florida. Home is not a pleasant place. Her parents own the local slimy strip joint and they expect her to be their headlining princess. They have also found a despicable prince charming for her. Charming he is not. He is a volatile and ruthless monster that wants her only to gain her parents club. If she won’t give in to him willingly, he will take her by force.
Once Emmy is gone, Locke realizes that he has lost the only thing that is good in his life. He is done with running from Emmy. He plans to claim her for life and love her until death. He is going to Florida to get his woman.
As the rest of the story unfolds the reader’s will find out about the deep scars Locke has carried on his soul. It will break your heart. We will also see a man hopelessly in love and trying to do his best to make the changes Emmy needs from him.
Like all the books, the plot will have some intense action and seriously screwed up villain. Locke will not only have to prove his worth, he will have to protect her with his life.
Locke is a classic Corps Security book. The Corps Security Series is loaded with dynamic alpha men, smart women, sizzling romance, thrilling action, and Sway. What’s Sway… the sparkly golden glitter that glues all these characters together.
A Portion of the proceeds from Locke Sale will be donated to the Semper Fi Fund.
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husbands chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.
***PULL is the continuation of Claire Wallis’ sharp and shocking debut novel, PUSH. It is the second book in the series and is not intended to be a standalone.***
“It is impossible for someone like me—someone with a sin-list capable of wrapping itself around the world—to find redemption. To be repaired.”
David Calgaro has secrets, and the only woman he’s ever loved is about to pay the ultimate price to protect them. He’s spent a lifetime searching for purpose and control. And the only place he’s managed to find them is in a single, perfect moment; a moment in which he has absolute control over someone else’s life.
David is unredeemable, unfixable, unsalvageable. But Emma Searfoss has forced a tiny sliver of hope to penetrate his soul. Hope that, even though redemption is impossible, maybe life isn’t. Maybe he isn’t who he thought he was. Maybe he’s meant to be more.
This is a new adult novel with mature content for readers 17 and up.
I feel like I am wrapped in a cyclone. Everything is whirling around me, drawing the air out of my lungs and filling me with the best kind of turmoil. Every time his tongue slides against mine, a prickle in my gut tells me how right we are together. How much I need David. How much I need us.
I hope the cyclone never stops.
Emma Searfoss has spent a lifetime trying to escape her abusive stepfather. It’s why she moved far away from home. It’s why she’s kept no ties with her remaining family. And it’s why she’s got a major rage problem. When her neighbor shows up to fix the kitchen in her new apartment, his enigmatic charm calms the fire in her. David is cool and collected, and he makes Emma feel safe for the first time ever. But David has his own chilling past—his six previous girlfriends have all disappeared without a trace. Emma’s walking a dangerous line, but David’s pull is intoxicating. And impossible to resist…
Michel’s Review
*** I wrote this review in May 2014 when Push was first released. After 5 months and several books reviewed, I have not been able to forget this book. I am still blown away by the intensity and the emotional impact this book had on me. I have recommended this book to several of my seasoned reader friends and they have had the same kind of reactions. Claire Wallis delivered a unique story with a very untraditional writing style. There were two prologues and two epilogues are written from each character’s POV. The content of the book is mostly written in third person but has chapters throughout the book written in first person POV from supporting characters. It is choreographed in a very deliberate manner that stuns the readers. The writing is absolutely brilliant! ***
Push by Claire Wallis is getting a lot of attention in the reader world. There are discussion groups dedicated to this book. All the major review sites and bloggers are blowing up over this book. It has every reader reacting! How could I not read this book? I had to know what was causing this kind of hysteria.
Now that I have finished this book, I completely understand all the reactions and sensation this book is generating.
Everything about Push is completely original. The plot is intricately woven. The reader gets a look at both the characters pasts as well as their present. The book is mostly written from Emma’s point of view. We get to know David through their conversations, Emma’s point of view, past girlfriends’ point of views, the prologue and epilogue. The author brilliantly takes the reader into the complicated worlds these characters evolved from. She develops a story that will keep the reader consumed to the very last word. When all is said and done, all the reader can think is WTF! I had to peel my jaw off the ground. I felt like I needed a shot of whiskey to calm me down. I felt like I needed a whole bottle of antacid to get my stomach out of knots. I needed the next book….. like YESTERDAY!
Push is exhilarating, chilling, horrific, distressing, anguishing, tormenting and heartbreaking. At the same time, the reader experiences an unusual but beautiful relationship. A relationship that goes beyond the kind of love most relationships are based on. Everything about this couple worked. They were exactly what each other needed. But sometimes having that perfection is not enough. This is the case with David and Emma.
When I started this book I was immediately drawn in. There are two prologues, one from Emma’s point of view and the other from David’s point of view. The prologues made it very clear what was going to happen at the end of the book. I was flabbergasted! I had to know more. I had to find out how they came to this point. I was hoping that the ending would turn out differently.
Emma was a very impressive heroine. She had a horrible childhood. She was mentally and verbally abused by her stepfather. Her stepfather ruined her family. But despite her ugly past, she didn’t let it drag her down. She is feisty, independent, self sufficient, aggressive, tough, and hard. She doesn’t believe in love. She doesn’t trust easily. She never gives anyone a piece of her heart. She’s okay with who she is. When she meets David, pieces of herself that she locked away begin to surface. He accepts her for who she is. He wants to protect her and take care of her. He is tender, caring, and supportive. He is everything she never knew she needed. He is perfect for her even though he has a slew of hidden secrets. She is okay with that. She accepts him for who he is because like her he has been to hell and back.
David is one of the most complicated characters I have ever experienced. On one hand I absolutely loved him. He is compassionate, giving, tender, and loving in his own unique way. He has a mesmerizing personality that is hard not to love. On the other hand, deep down he is a monster. He is your worst nightmare. Your heart breaks when you find out how he evolved into this horrific person. You are hoping that his relationship with Emma will somehow change him. Some people are not fixable.
Somehow these two messed up souls are beautiful together. They give each other what they need. They bring out the very best and the very worst in each other. They embrace it all. They are chaotic perfection together.
When you reach the end, there are two epilogues. One epilogue is from Emma’s point of view and the other is from David’s point of view. The ending will leave you with your heart in your feet, stomach in knots, and ugly tears running down your face. It ends on a major CLIFFHANGER!
Push by Claire Wallis blew my mind! I cannot wait for the sequel. I hope the publisher does not leave us readers hanging for long. I don’t think I can get this book out of my head.
Push by Claire Wallis is clearly the book that is going to soar to the top of 2014 Book of the Year list.
Note: This review is based on my reactions and emotions. The writing was flawless. The plot was brilliant. The overall story to this point is heart wrenching.
Robin’s Review
It has been three weeks since I finished reading Push by Claire Wallis, and I still think about this novel. Or should I say obsess? This is the exception. Generally, my head shifts focus with each novel that I begin reading. Reviewing novels is hard. Sometimes it takes all of the fun out of reading when you have to focus on what you want to say when you write the review. When I read Push, I knew our blog had already covered this story. So, I read it for sheer enjoyment. And I can’t forget it. I can’t escape this story. Have you read the synopsis? Push is dark romance at its finest. Go read this thriller now because the sequel Pull is being published soon! 6 stars to Claire Wallis for her debut novel!
Author Bio:
Enamored with the process of creating messy characters filled with imperfections and wicked inclinations, Claire believes that you don’t actually have to like a character to fall in love with them – a good story, after all, is best served with a hearty side of evil (just ask Disney). Claire’s first New Adult novel, Push, was released by MIRA Books on May 1st 2014. The story speaks to her appreciation of enigmatic male characters, perfectly capable of charming themselves straight into your unwilling heart. She enjoys writing about characters that are, at any given moment, both loathed and loved. You know, the ones that refuse to be forgotten.
Claire Wallis has penned hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles over the last ten years, with science playing the lead role in almost all of them. Though non-fiction writing will forever be her first love, fiction has unexpectedly swooped in, hooked her by the soul, and become her true love. As a result of this coup d’état, Claire’s writing career has made a complete U-turn, and instead of rocks, plants, insects, and microbes, she is now putting human characters in the lead.
Claire’s previous jobs include working at a limestone quarry, hawking vegetables at a farmer’s market, clerking at the dollar store, and convincing new mothers that they need to renew their subscription to that parenting magazine in order for their child to survive. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly awesome husband and son.
He’s a broken young boxer whose championship dreams were cut short by a tragic accident. She’s a beautiful young widow whose defenses against love are as strong as his left hook.
When Kenny and Slayde are thrown together one fateful night, they are shaken by their undeniable attraction, and the closer they get, the more they start to believe in second chances.
But Slayde’s troubled past threatens to destroy their dreams, and Kenny must choose between rebuilding her walls or risking her heart for the one to love.
WARNING: Recommended for adult readers (18+) only. Mature themes, strong language, and sexual content.
Excerpt
The muscle in his jaw moved, and his voice was a throaty whisper. “Being with you is incredibly easy. Whether it’s a mistake, I guess we have to wait and see. I’d like to think it’s not.”
My body swayed with the movement of his thumbs over my breasts. “I want you to kiss me.”
In one swift movement, his mouth covered mine. An ache of longing moaned from my throat into his lips, and he pulled my bottom lip between his teeth. Wrapped in his arms, tight against his firm chest, heat sizzled under my skin.
He whispered over my lashes as he pressed his lips to my forehead, the scruff of his beard roughing my skin. “I’ve dreamed of holding you this way since that first night. I hated myself for it because you’d been hurt—”
“You kept me from being hurt.” My voice was breathless with desire.
His lips moved back to my cheek, down to my jaw. “You’re so beautiful standing here in the moonlight.”
Dropping to his knees, cool air flooded where the warmth of his body had been. Strong hands moved to my waist, one holding my side, the other flat against my lower back as full lips kissed my stomach through the damp shirt. His mouth moved to my hip, and I felt my legs start to tremble.
“Slayde,” I whispered, barely staying on my feet. It had been so long since I’d been touched this way, I wasn’t sure how much I could bear.
One To Hold Series
Check out what readers are saying about the One to Hold series
“FIVE STARS! Tia Louise is an author that surprises me in a pleasant way with each book that she releases in this highly enjoyable, and completely addictive series. I cannot recommend it highly enough.” —Claire Robinson, Goodreads
“Tia Louise hit it out of the ballpark. The One to Hold series is hot, sexy, and full of surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat!” –Sommertime Book Blog
**AMAZON BESTSELLER: Top 50 in Kindle Sales and #1 in Military Romance** Derek Alexander is a retired Marine, ex-cop, and the top investigator in his field. Melissa Jones is a small-town girl trying to escape her troubled past.
When the two intersect in a bar in Arizona, their sexual chemistry is off the charts. But what is revealed during their “one week stand” only complicates matters.
Because she’ll do everything in her power to get away from the past, but he’ll do everything he can to hold her.
THIS IS A STAND-ALONE, ONE TO HOLD NOVEL. Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
When Sloan Reynolds beats criminal charges, Melissa Jones stops believing her wealthy, connected ex-husband will ever pay for what he did to her.
Derek Alexander can’t accept that—a tiny silver scar won’t let him forget, and as a leader in the security business, he is determined to get the man who hurt his fiancée.
Then the body of a former call girl turns up dead. She’s the breakthrough Derek’s been waiting for, the link to Sloan’s sordid past he needs. But as usual, legal paths to justice have been covered up or erased.
Derek’s ready to do whatever it takes to protect his family when his partner Patrick Knight devises a plan that changes everything.
It’s a plan that involves breaking rules and taking a walk on the dark side. It goes against everything on which Alexander-Knight, LLC, is based.
And it’s a plan Derek’s more than ready to follow.
WARNING: Recommended for adult readers (18+) only! Mature themes, strong language, and sexual content…
LOTS of sexual content. Patrick is a naughty boy until he meets Elaine. So there’s the warning–if you keep reading, have fun! (It’s meant to be fun. *wink*)
There’s a new guy in town…
“Patrick Knight, single, retired Guard-turned private investigator. I was a closer. A deal maker. I looked clients in the eye and told them I’d get their shit done. And I did…”
Patrick doesn’t do “nice.”
At least, not anymore.
After his fiancée cheats, he follows up with a one-night stand and a disastrous office hook-up. His business partner (Derek Alexander) sends him to the desert to get his head straight—and clean up the mess.
While there, Patrick meets Elaine, and blistering sparks fly, but she’s not looking for any guy. Or a long-distance relationship.
Patrick’s ready to do anything to keep her, but just when it seems he’s changed her mind, the skeletons from his past life start coming back.
Tia Louise is a former journalist, world-traveler, and collector of beautiful men (who inspire ALL of her stories… *wink*)—turned wife, mommy, and novelist.
It’s possible she has a slight truffle addiction. And she will never look at a family restroom the same way again.
Enter to WIN a Signed SET of the One to Hold series, a Signed Copy of One to Love, a Signed copy of ANY Tia Louise book (winner’s choice!), or signed series SWAG!
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . .
At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.
But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought shed left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.
Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from they moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.
As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he’d said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn’t understand.
“Why?” I asked.
There was a beat. “Why what?”
Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was now tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn’t. “Why are you here? You don’t know me and . . .” I trailed off, because there really wasn’t anything left to say.
A minute went by, and he hadn’t answered my question, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn’t even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here.
But then he moved.
Jax pressed against my back, and the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Getting comfortable.” He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. “It’s time to sleep I think.”
“But—”
“You can’t sleep when you talk,” he remarked.
“You don’t need to be all up on me,” I pointed out.
His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. “Honey, I’m not all up on you.”
I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he announced casually, as if he wasn’t holding me prisoner in the bed.
Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn’t letting me up. Not when he was getting all kinds of comfy behind me.
Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe?
“Sleep,” he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. “Go to sleep, Calla.” This time his voice was softer, quieter.
“Yeah, it doesn’t work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn’t hold the power to make me sleep on your command.”
He chuckled.
I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I . . . I actually settled in against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else—something I hadn’t felt in years.
I felt cared for . . . cherished.
Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.
Michel’s Review
Stay With Me by J. Lynn is another fine addition to the Wait For You series. It delivered an emotional romance that brought me to tears. This story showed readers the true meaning of unconditional love. It redefined the term “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It also showed how building ones self esteem and confidence can heal more than the wounded soul.
Stay With Me is quite different from the other books in Wait For You series. Unlike the other books, this book takes place off campus. It also has an edgier plot that has some violence. The background and undertones of this book are bit darker than campus life. It depicts the ugly underside of a failing small town. But in all it’s darkness the characters make this book shine brightly.
Calla has endured many ugly things in her young life. Her mother is a junkie and has brought the dregs of society into her home too many times. Calla finally thought she escaped her mother for good when she left for college. Her mother has managed to pull her back when she takes all of her college money and runs up her credit cards. Calla is forced to return home to get her money back.
When she arrives home, not only has her money gone missing, her mother has gone missing as well. Left destitute, she cannot return to college. She is forced to take a job as a waitress in the family bar. She is dreading going back to that hole in the wall where she spent many of her childhood years. But like most things in life, the bar has changed since she has been gone. It no longer seems as seedy as it once was. There is a better crew running the place in her mother’s absence. One of these people is the sexy bartender Jax.
Jax sends her world spinning with his sexy flirting, genuine concern, protectiveness, and fun personality. He gives her a chance to let her guard down and be the person she really is. He gives her the hope that she can finally find a real boyfriend, experience a real kiss, and maybe find a love loyal to her.
Jax fell for Calla the moment she walked through the door. She is the kind of girl he has been waiting for to share his life. He wants to see Calla healthy, happy, and at peace. He knows her history, he knows how her mother is, he knows the demons she fights, and he loves her all the more for it.
Calla’s mother has severely scarred Calla emotionally and physically. She has ruined their lives. She has brought trouble to Calla’s doorstep when she skipped town with Calla’s money. Her mother has buried herself deep with the dregs of society. She has burned the wrong people. She has stole drugs from the wrong people. They want their money back. They don’t care how they get it, who they hurt, or what consequences will be paid. They want retribution. That retribution is Calla. Jax will do everything in his power to protect Calla from her mother’s enemies. It looks like the only thing that is going to save them both is the reappearance of her mother. No one is holding their breaths.
Through all the threats and violence, Calla and Jax will find a love filled with beauty.
Stay With Me was loaded with suspense and mystery. It also had all the elements we love in a new adult romance. The wonder of new love, the recognition of self worth, and finding the inner strength to build a better life. Some of the old characters from the series put in their appearances and we met quite a few new intriguing characters.
I highly recommend Stay With Me. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.
Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio:
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Left Behind
Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!
Dylan Scott is a New York trial attorney, wife and mother of four. She believes her job as a trial attorney is a subcategory to the field of entertainment more than law. With a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature she believed teaching English was a destined career choice until she realized her life long talent of “argument” could actually be her job. A recent, fairly boring, midlife crisis resulted in a brief stint as a middle school English teacher which confirmed that she wasn’t ready to give up the law. Dylan has also taught legal courses at the college level and worked with at-risk inner city youth in the roles of mentor and coach. She is co-author Vi Keeland’s biggest fan.
Saucy Southern Readers 