Book Blast + Excerpt + Giveaway: The One Who Got Away by Ava Claire

Enter to Win a $50.00 Amazon eGift Card
THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY
An Alpha Billionaire Romance
Ava Claire
Released January 27th, 2016
It was supposed to be the best day.
I was marrying the love of my life–and nothing would ever be the same.
And then he left me at the altar.
Five years later, I get a job offer
I can’t refuse. The trouble is, the boss just so happens to be the one who got
away…
 
BUY NOW
Amazon  
 
Excerpt-Banner
Excerpt

Even from behind, he was something to behold. He had on a black leather jacket with a charcoal gray hoodie. On anyone else, it would have looked juvenile, hipster even. Like someone emulating ‘rugged’ based on what they saw in a magazine or on some TV show. This guy was all man, all testosterone with his broad shoulders and jeans that gripped an ass that I was dying to grip.

Realizing that I was staring at some stranger’s behind, my eyes shot up to tamer territory, but his dark wavy hair was even more dangerous. It was just long enough that he could do that man-bun thing that was all the rage. But nothing about this man was forced. He didn’t follow trends; he made his own. His dark locks were wild and free.

I hadn’t even seen his face, but I knew he was trouble. With a capital T. Which meant I was in trouble, because if I wasn’t sure I was gonna take the job before, well, I was positive now.

“Oh! Mr. Carraway, I didn’t know you were on site today.”

I gasped.

No.

The allure, that instant draw…I should have known. It had only happened once before when I was partnered with the hottest guy at Rhoades High in Advanced Chem.

He turned from the espresso machine and I stopped breathing.

Lincoln Carraway smiled at me like a wolf about to rip out the throat of its prey.

“Welcome to Make a Change, Catherine.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Ava
Claire 
is a sucker for Alpha males and happily ever afters.
When not putting pen to paper or glued to her Kindle, Ava likes road tripping,
watching an unhealthy amount of Netflix, karaoke and vintage fashion.

 

 


Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Ginger’s Heart by Katy Regnery… A Modern Day Fairytale… Little Red Riding Hood

GingersHeartBanner1-2

Ginger's Heart Cover

Ginger’s Heart

A Modern Fairytale… Little Red Riding Hood

By Katy Regnery

Release Date: March 22, 2015

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU/ Amazon CA /B & N / ITunes

/ Kobo /Google Play

b4248-goodreads

Synopsis

Once upon a time there were two cousins:
one golden like the sun,
one dark like midnight,
one a protector,
one a predator,
one a Woodsman
and
one a Wolf…
both owning equal,
but different,
parts of a little girl’s heart.

In this modern retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” the woodsman and the wolf are cousins, and Little Red is the girl with whom they both fall in love.

Beautiful Ginger McHuid, daughter of Kentucky’s premiere horse breeder, grows up on her family farm, best friends with Cain Wolfram, the son of her father’s Stallion Manager, and Cain’s cousin, Josiah Woodman, son of a local banker. Throughout their happy childhood, the three are inseparable friends, but as they mature into adults, complicated feelings threaten to destroy their long history of friendship and love.

*****
This is a standalone novel inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Ginger’s Heart is part of the a modern fairytale collection, which will include five standalone, unrelated novels:

The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) – available now
Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) – available now
Ginger’s Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) – available now
Don’t Speak (The Little Mermaid) – available 2017
Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) – available 2018

GingersHeartTeaser1-2

Excerpt

An hour later they stopped by the Glenn River, eight miles downriver from Ginger’s house and two from the distillery where Cain had partied last night.

“We should water them,” he said, reining in Thunder and dismounting with the ease of a lifelong horseman.

She reined in Heath, who nickered in protest, and grinned down at Cain who reached up for her. His hands lingered for an extra moment on her hips as she slid down the front of his body. Leaning her head back, she stared up at him, daring him to pull her closer, to kiss her, to admit that this whole “friends” thing was bullshit on fire. But, he clenched his jaw, cleared his throat and dropped his hands.

“Thanks,” she murmured, her voice husky in her ears as he stared down at her, his eyes flinty and dark.

Taking Heath’s reins with a grunt, he turned away from her, leading the horses to the river’s edge and leaving her to follow behind. She leaned down to pick up a flat stone and skipped it across the slow moving water.

“Not bad,” said Cain.

“You were always the best.”

“Nah,” he said. “Woodman was better.”

“Nope,” she countered, picking up another stone. “Woodman was good, but you were better. Remember that Fourth of July that you skipped eleven times? Eleven times. It was a record.”

Satisfied that the horses were calm and drinking their fill, Cain leaned down and grabbed a rock of his own, skipping it over the dark water.

One-two-three-four-five-six-seven…

“Wow!” she said, clapping lightly. “You’ve still got the touch!”

He turned to her, grinning. “You always get excited about the littlest things. What’s it like gettin’ a kick out of everythin’, Gin?”

“What’s it like gettin’ a kick out of nothin’, Cain?” she asked, her voice full of sass.

“I’m gettin’ a kick out of you right now, princess.”

A charge zapped between them as the words left his mouth, and her breath hitched and held for just a moment, but she looked down and picked up another rock. She was enjoying today too much to go back to Awkwardland.

She skipped her rock, which sunk after three measly hops.

“Remember when you saved my Cabbage Patch doll from certain doom in this river?” she asked him.

He screwed up his face as her. “Wasn’t me. Must have been Woodman.”

“It was you!” she insisted. “Not Woodman!”

“Savin’ a dolly? Please. That has Woodman written all over it. I couldn’t have cared less if it drowned.”

“But I cared,” she said softly. “Which is why you saved it.”

“Fine. Have it your way,” he said, sitting down on a large rock near the water’s edge.

She sighed, squatting down to wash her hands in the clear water before looking back at him. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Let Woodman take credit for all the good things?”

He shrugged, looking away from her, out at the water. “I don’t.”

“You just did. Twice.”

He sighed, giving her a long-suffering look. “If somethin’ good happened, chances were, it was Woodman’s doin’.”

“How do you figure?”

“He’s the better man, Gin,” said Cain, his eyes severe, his words deliberate.

She stood up slowly, turning her body completely to face him. “Do you really believe that?”
He looked away. “It’s the truth.”

“Cain. Cain, look at me.” Her words didn’t feel like enough so she beseeched him with her eyes too. “You’re just as good a man as he is.”
“Ha!” scoffed Cain, standing up and moving away from her. “Not in this life, princess.”

 

5Star

Michel’s Review

Ginger’s Heart by Katy Regnery is the latest release in the Modern Fairytale series.  This series has proven to be Katy Regnery’s strongest work.  The fairytales that kept us entranced in our childhood have once again come to life and captivated our adult imaginations.  Each modern fairytale follows the theme of the original story but takes it to another level that takes place in modern day times.  The big bad wolf and little red take on a new persona and their story engages the readers emotions on every level.

Usually I am not a huge fan of love triangle themed books.  I struggle with the conflict and indecisiveness.  I get extremely frustrated with the manipulations, the blind eye, and deceptive actions.  I want a story where the couple finds their true love for one another without another person pulling at the heartstrings.  I am just not a fan of that kind of book.

I loved the first two books in the Modern Fairytale series.  I can honestly say in many ways I was not looking forward to reading Ginger’s Heart because of the love triangle theme.  At the same time, I was looking forward to reading Ginger’s Heart because of my faith in Katy Regnery’s writing.  Katy steps out of the typical romance formula in this series.  She taps into an emotional fountain and delivers a heart wrenching story that follows the theme of the original tale but takes on a new life.  Ginger’s Heart was no exception.  The thing that impressed me the most was how Katy handled the love triangle. It worked on every level without making any of the characters deceptive or manipulative.  It showcased the true meaning of love no matter what the relationship was.  There are so many definitions of love and Katy made sure that the readers experienced more than the romantic definition.

Two cousins, one girl, and a history that began when they were small children. Two cousins that were brothers of the heart.  While one cousin was the golden child, the other was the black sheep.  One girl held their hearts captivated.  One girl was the glue that held them together and the thing that tore them apart.  Life also dictated very different paths that brought them full circle once again.  But first they had to experience their story, trip along the path in the woods, grow into mature individuals, and face their own big bad wolves.  The one thing that always stayed consistent was their love for each other.  The definition changed throughout their lives but was always there without conditions.

Katy wrote a powerful, emotional story that engaged all of my emotions.  Be sure to pull out the tissues before engaging in this book.  I loved Ginger’s Heart!

Ginger's Heart 1

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU/ Amazon CA /B & N / ITunes

/ Kobo /Google Play

______________________________________________

 

10730923_420123421481390_7238731193462811799_n

The Modern Fairytale Series

vixenandvetThe Vixen And The Vet – Book 1

Inspired by Beauty and The Beast

**2015 RITA Finalist!**

“With Southern charm and a deeply romantic plot, readers will fall in love with this modern day fairy tale.” –RT BOOK REVIEWS

In this modern-retelling of “Beauty and the Beast,” Savannah Carmichael, betrayed by an unreliable source, returns to her hometown of Danvers, Virginia with her once-promising journalism career in ruins. Given the opportunity to get back in the game by writing a patriotic human interest piece, Savannah turns her attention to the town hermit, Asher Lee, a wounded veteran who returned to Danvers eight years ago, and hasn’t been seen since.

After an IED explosion in Afghanistan took Asher’s hand and disfigured half of his face, he’s lived a quiet life on the outskirts of Danvers where the locals respect his privacy…that is, until Savannah Carmichael comes calling in a borrowed sundress with a plate of homemade brownies. When Asher agrees to be interviewed by Savannah, he starts feeling things for the beautiful reporter that he hasn’t felt in years.

Misfits in small-town Danvers, Savannah and Asher create a bond right away, touching each other’s hearts in ways neither thought possible. When a terrible mistake threatens to drive them apart, they’ll have to decide if the love they found in one another’s arms is strong enough to fight for their hard-won happily ever after.

This is a standalone novel inspired by Beauty & the Beast. Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity, realistically depicted scenes of war and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

(The next standalone a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e novel, Never Let You Go, inspired by Hansel & Gretel, will be released on June 19, 2015.)

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

*******

413tO1u8VCL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_Never Let You Go – Book 2

Inspired by Hansel and Gretel

In this modern retelling of “Hansel and Gretel,” 13-year-old foster children, Holden and Griselda, escape from their abductor after three years of brutal captivity and try to cross the Shenandoah River on foot. Tragically, one of them makes it to safety but the other is left behind.

Ten years later, Griselda’s boyfriend drags her to a fight club grudge match where her world is turned upside down when she watches Holden step into the ring.

Though the connection between them is fierce, bitter regret, simmering rage and a cache of physical and emotional scars lie between them, just as dangerous as the whitewater of the Shenandoah.

Never Let You Go is a story of fear and hope, defeat and survival, and two people – once profoundly broken – who discover that love is the only thing that can make them whole again.

This is a standalone novel inspired by Hansel & Gretel. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity, scenes of physical abuse and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. (Note: children are not sexually abused in this book.)

For June and July 2015, 25% of all gross royalties will be donated to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.

(The next standalone a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e novel, Ginger’s Heart, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, will be released in Winter 2015/2016.)

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

*******

GingersHeartEbookCoverUseGinger’s Heart

Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

In this modern retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” the woodsman and the wolf are cousins, and Little Red is the girl with whom they both fall in love.

Beautiful Ginger McHuid, daughter of Kentucky’s premiere horse breeder, grows up on her family farm, best friends with Cain Wolfram, the son of her father’s Stallion Manager, and Cain’s cousin, Josiah Woodman, son of a local banker. Throughout their happy childhood, the three are inseparable friends, but as they mature into adults, complicated feelings threaten to destroy their long history of friendship and love.

*****
This is a standalone novel inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Ginger’s Heart is part of the a modern fairytale collection, which will include five standalone, unrelated novels:

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU/ Amazon CA /B & N / ITunes

/ Kobo /Google Play

*****

Don’t Speak

Inspired By The Little Mermaid

Available 2017

****

Swan Song

Inspired by The Ugly Duckling

Available 2018

___________________________________________________________________________

Author Bio

katy regneryKaty Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy.

Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled “Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date,” in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet.

The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy’s novella “Frosted” will appear in the upcoming (Jan ’15) anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy’s short story, “The Long Way Home” will appear in the first RWA anthology (Feb ’15), Premiere.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Connect with Katy:

Katy LOVES connecting with her readers and answers every e-mail, message, tweet and post personally!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Ginger's Heart Cover

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite + Giveaway: When Lightening Strikes by A. L. Jackson – Bleeding Stars Series – Book 3

FB BANNER

Where Lightening Strikes__ebooksm

Where Lightening Strikes

Bleeding Stars Series – Book 3

By A. L. Jackson

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

6febe-good

 

Where Lightening Strikes__ebooksmDo you know what it feels like right before lightning strikes? How you can feel the current running through your veins? The trembles of warning that ripple through the air? It was a thrill Tamar King chased all her life until it became the very thing she had to escape.

For the last four years, Tamar King has hidden herself in an isolated world she created. She was safe. No one could touch her. Until Lyrik West walked through her door.

He’s the lead guitarist for Sunder and everything she can never have. The dark and beautiful rock star becomes everything she craves.

Lyrik’s life has been devoted to his band and that success has cost him. Bitter, hard, and filled with regret, he refuses to lose himself again, but from the moment he sees her, he wants one night with Tamar King.

The gorgeous bartender is more than he bargained for. Their attraction is consuming. Their desire overpowering. With one touch, they ignite.

But is it worth the cost of getting burned?

She’s a gorgeous nightmare and he’s a wicked dream…

WHERE LIGHTNING STRIKES, a Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel

 

Exclusive Pre-Order on iBooks

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

 

teaser 3

Excerpt

My smile faded when I looked back again to where he lingered near the door. My head drifted to the side to take him in as his expression shifted through a thousand emotions.

Regret. Sorrow. Lust.

And a longing that nearly brought me to my knees.

Desire trembled through my body.

I wanted to crawl inside him.

To discover every secret.

Even though I got the crushing feeling knowing him would be the end of me.

Cautiously, he edged forward.

Tall.

Beautiful.

Strong.

The air filled up with him. So thick I wasn’t sure I could breathe.

Gently he wound his fingers through my hair. Not so gently he tugged my head back and pinned me with that stare. Slowly he dipped down, my stomach in a thousand blissful knots as he left a dizzying trail of kisses down my neck.

Soft, silken lips.

Little flicks of tongue.

Tingles spread in a wildfire of sensation.

Then his voice was at my ear. Whispering belief. “Blue.”

Blue. Blue. Blue.

She was so scared and unsure and innocently brave. Because she wanted all the things I’d learned the hard way the world didn’t have to give. But she wanted me to fight for them anyway.

Callused fingertips trailed down my sides, and I trembled when they edged under the hem of my shirt. Skin to skin.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his voice like gravel.

My answer scraped from my throat. “Yes.”

Lyrik pulled my tee over my head, slow but sure.

A cool rush of air sent a rush of chills skating free across the flames. My chest heaved as Lyrik stared down at me in my jeans and bra. Eating me up with that irresistible intensity.

I knew my eyes were wild as I looked up at him. My pulse hammered and my spirit thrashed.

“Blue,” he murmured again as he went down onto his knees. He peeked up at me every few seconds as he worked the bandage free from my side. My belly shook as he peeled the bandage away and exposed the statement that had been etched into my side over my ribs, from my hip bone to just under my arm pit on the left side. And I knew the area needed to be cleaned. But somehow right then, I didn’t care.

I just wanted him to see.

The four simple letters were written in a big, scrolling font, and swirls and flowers extended from the first and last letters.

Rise.

Lightly, he drummed his fingertips over the design, not quite touching the raw skin.

His unyielding gaze latched onto mine. “I think you already have.”

Black and white image of young couple lovers embracing half naked

Black and white image of young couple lovers embracing half naked

SBJ2016Favorite

6+star

Tracey’s Review

The man was a bundle of mayhem, pushing and pulling and confounding. Yet in his arms, everything became so clear.

Lyrik West. Rocker, bad boy, a beautiful man with the face of a fallen angel and a heart full of buried pain. As part of the band Sunder, he has invaded the world that Tamar King has created for herself and brought a storm in his wake.

“Temptation. That’s what you are. An angel wrapped up in a demon’s body. Heaven and hell. A gift and my greatest demise.”

Tamar King. Bold, sassy, pin-up beautiful, with a take no prisoners attitude, she’s gotten under Lyrik’s skin like no one in a very long time. The feeling is mutual, and it scares the hell out of both of them.

Lyrik and Tamar, two beautifully broken people, engaged in a dance that will take them to places that they can’t even imagine.

Lyrik sees Tamar as a prize to be attained, the girl that keeps saying ‘No’ to his constant pursuit. But, the more that he gets to know her, the closer that they become, Lyrik senses that there is much more to her than she allows, or wants, the world to see. Since meeting when Sunder arrived in Savannah months before, the two have circled each other in a moody and emotional push and pull. Lyrik and Tamar, as different as they are, have more in common than they think. Both have pasts that they are trying to outrun, memories that bring nothing but pain, ghosts that keep them from truly living.

“…For a year, you’ve been chasing a runner. All I’ve done is hide while pretending I was strong…But that’s not me, Lyrik. All of this…” I waved my hand over my body, “it’s just a show.”
He pushed to his feet. His body moved in a slight sway. Mine followed. That magnet I couldn’t escape.
I was helpless to this fascinating man.
He placed his palm on my neck, and his thumb traced along my collarbone. “No.”
Obsidian eyes flashed, and he leaned in closer. “This girl…this bold, brave girl. She’s a part of you. I see her. She’s real. Red,” he murmured on a sigh, brushing his lips against mine.
He pulled back to look at my face. “But maybe…maybe you’re just outgrowing that season of your life. Maybe you don’t need her as bad as you used to and now Blue is bleeding through. Maybe she wants to be heard, too. To have a voice in your life.”

There is not a single book by A.L. Jackson that I do not love, but I have to say that WHERE THE LIGHTNING STRIKES is one of my favorite books of hers yet, and one of my favorites of 2016. Amy’s words are lyrical and evocative, lending a beauty to her books that make them impossible to put down. I was completely drawn into this story, so much in love with Lyrik, Tamar, and their journey that is, by turn, heartbreaking and uplifting. WHERE THE LIGHTNING STRIKES is one of those books that I will revisit and remember for a very long time, and that, to me, is the reason that I read. Thank you, Amy, for giving Lyrik and Tamar their story, and for allowing us to experience it. 6 beautiful, passionate stars for this book about a couple that, together, are a force of nature, and joy to behold.

Once I’d thought her the worst kind of temptation. Destruction and blinding light. The kind of girl who could wreck every last thing I believed.
Blue…
Guess she was.
Temptation.
She’d tempted me to live…
Could feel her racing through my veins.
Fire.
This girl was a bundle of fireworks.
Waiting for a match…
She touched my face just as sure as she touched my heart.
She was every hue of color, reds and blues, the darkest black and blinding white.
Energy and life.
Boom.

_________________________________________

aljacksonphotoA.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Connect with A.L. Jackson online:www.aljacksonauthor.com

 

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!

 

Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Where Lightening Strikes__high
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Collared by Nicole Williams


collared- blog tour.jpg

collared-williams-ebook-2Collared liveCollared

By Nicole Williams

Release Date: March 22, 2016

Buy the Book

 

Amazon US   Amazon UK   Amazon  CA  Nook  Kobo  Ibooks

 

goodreads-badge.png

Synopsis

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Nicole Williams:
When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes,
A community is shaken.
Parents turn desperate.
Friends hold vigils.
And the boy who loves her searches.

When a year goes by,
The community is recovering.
Parents feel hopeless.
Friends feel helpless.
And the boy who loves her continues his search.

When ten years go by,
The community has forgotten.
Parents cling to the past.
Friends move toward the future.
And the boy who loves her . . .

Brings her home.

Jade Childs spent ten years in captivity, but now that she’s back, the real battle for survival begins. The media shadows her. Flashbacks haunt her. Her old life evades her. Her so-called new life rejects her. She spent too many years in the dark to recognize the light. She spent too long repressing her feelings to remember how to express them. She spent a decade abandoning hope and cannot dare letting it back into her life. Jade’s not just defined by what happened to her—she’s collared to it.

When the twenty-seven-year-old woman is found,
A community wants to know the story,
Parents want to forget the story,
Friends want to be a part of the story,
And the man who still loves her faces the greatest challenge yet: letting her go.

 

AP- Excerpt.jpg

I feel something swirl at my ankle, then it grabs me. I’m sucked under instantly as the undercurrent slams me to the ocean bottom and tumbles me around. It’s happened before, so I don’t panic. I know that once it’s done with me, it will let me go. Once it’s twirled me around a few times, it will leave me alone.

I can feel it starting to lose momentum when two arms brace around me and break me free. When we pop through the surface, Torrin spins me around, terror drawing up his expression.

“Are you okay?” He holds me with one hand, inspecting me with the other like he’s going to find an elbow or organ missing.

I’m totally wet. I feel ocean water draining out of my ears and nose. My hair feels like a cyclone just had its way with it, and I know my skin’s red and blotchy from the sand exfoliation treatment I just received free of charge.

I laugh. This is what alive feels like. I remember.

It’s adrenaline pulsing so hard in my veins they feel about to burst. It’s feelings that twist my stomach into knots. It’s feeling so cold my body goes numb and so attracted to someone my body feels the opposite of numb.

This is it. Living. I can almost feel the blood warm in my veins as it starts to run again.

“Why are you laughing?” Torrin’s face flashes with relief when he sees I’m okay, but he doesn’t let go of me.

On the beach, my parents slowly make their way back to the beach blankets once they’ve seen I’m okay.

“That was fun.” I rub my stomach because it hurts. From the laughter. I’d forgotten stomachs could hurt from laughing.

“Fun? Not my idea of fun.”

I wipe the water from my face and find just as much sand pasted to it. “What’s your idea of fun then?”

Torrin’s still shaking his head when he suddenly shouts, “This!”

He pulls me under the water with him. He lets me go right away, but I don’t want him to. I don’t want him to ever let go.

I splash him when he resurfaces a few feet away. “Did you just dunk me?”

He splashes back. “I just did.”

“You’ve heard of payback, right?” I move a little closer, ignoring the way I can feel my parents watching us from the beach.

“I’ve heard of it. Not really a big fan though.”

When I lunge at him and try to knock him under, he’s clearly bracing for it because all I do is smash into him. My wet body against his, our arms tangled together, our faces too close to not be aware of where each other’s mouths are . . .

“What’s this payback thing again?” He’s practically gloating, so I come at it from a different angle.

My eyes drop to his mouth and stay there until his lips part from his breaths coming faster. When my hand curves against the side of his face, sweeping down the line of his jaw, I feel his chest moving hard against mine. His arms tangle tighter behind me because I’m slipping through them. When that doesn’t work, he hoists me higher, and his arms form a net beneath my backside.

I need to clear my head before I can’t remember what I’m doing.

My eyes lift to his and hold there. When he blinks, a drop of water rolls off his eyelashes. My hand slides lower until my thumb is touching the corner of his mouth.

“Torrin?” I whisper, my mouth lowering.

“Yeah?” His voice is rough, coming from low in his throat.

I move my mouth just outside his ear. “This . . . is . . .”—I burst free of his hold and slide his legs out from beneath him with my foot—“payback!”

He goes down with a surprised shout and an explosive splash. I’m laughing again, and so is he when he pops his head above the water.

“Well played, Childs.”

“Thank you very much,” I say with a bow, hoping he can’t see right through me the way I feel he can sometimes.

If he does, he’ll know. He’ll know I would have rather kissed him. I would rather still be kissing him. He’ll know that while I’m content to put most of the past behind me, there’s one part I want to pack and bring with me to the future.

Him.

I think he might see it though, because I think I might see it in him too.

The sun catches his eyes just right when he looks at me. “You always had a way of taking the ground right out from beneath me.”

Collared 1

SBJ2016Favorite

 

6+star

Michel’s Review

Wow!  Collared by Nicole Williams is a must read!  It’s one of those books that stands out among New Adult and Contemporary Romance books.  It’s a realistic view of how life would be after experiencing the horrid circumstances that shaped these characters lives.

When I first saw the title “Collared” my mind immediately categorized this book as a BDSM type of book.  Then I read the synopsis and realized this may be something different.  After reading the book I realized that Collared has many definitions and not all of them imply ownership.

Take a trip down memory lane and think about your senior year in high school.  Your world revolves around friends, boyfriends, school, and family.  Although you are in your final year of high school, you are still a kid.  You are still under your parents supervision.  You aren’t thinking about bills, responsibilities, and adult life.  Your views of the world are naive and innocent.  Your only thoughts of the future are the next social activity,next date, next test, or what college you should apply to.  Your wish list consists of what you can do once you are eighteen and can make your own decisions without your parents consent.  But in the back of your mind you still know your parents are going to be a big influence on most of your decisions.  We’ve all been there, it’s the normal passage in life.  Now imagine that you are yanked out of that life in a horrific way and you’ve become frozen in time.  Ten years later you are back in a world that moved on while you were still that same person you were when you were a senior in high school.  It’s a downright scary thought.  It would be downright scary to experience, especially on top of the horrific existence of the past ten years.

Jade Childs led a charmed life.  She came from a good family and lived in the perfect small town.  She was in love with her first boyfriend, Torrin Costigan, the boy next door.  Together they were learning the meaning of love and passion.  Until one night ripped their world apart.  Jade was taken from her front yard after being at Torrin’s house.  It changed both of their lives in a very drastic way. She spent ten years chained and collared. He spent ten years living with the repercussions of that night.

When Jade went missing, Torrin became the number one suspect.  After several years of being a person of interest, Torrin is finally able to move forward in his own life.  He has never given up looking for Jade because in his heart he knows she is still alive.  After ten years of searching, praying, and never giving up hope, Jade is finally found.  She’s not the same girl that went missing but beneath the surface the girl he once loved is still there.  She just has to find herself and her place in life.  The only difference is that he is no longer the boy she left behind.  He has moved on and made a lifetime commitment.  Now he has to choose between his present life and commitments or choose the girl he loved fiercely in the past.  It’s a choice that not only affects his heart but also his faith and integrity. The only thing he can do is live by the mantra he has lived by for the past ten years.

Try again. Fail again. Fail Better.

Jade is thrust into a life that moved forward.  Her siblings are grown and have their own lives.  Her friends have made new adult lives and are starting families.  Torrin is not the same boy she left behind.  He is out of her reach.  In many ways she is still chained and collared.  She no longer knows the girl she once was or the woman she wants to be. The only thing she can do is…

Try again. Fail again. Fail Better.

Nicole Williams wrote a powerful, emotional story.  I could not put this book down.  It pulled on all of my emotions and left me heartbroken from their experiences.  The ending was exactly the only way it could end at this point in their lives.  I am hoping that Nicole Williams will revisit Jade and Torrin’s lives in the next ten years.  Their journey has just begun and I think these two will find the futures they were meant to have.

AP - about the author.jpg

Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

 Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

Website   Facebook  Twitter  Blog

 

Ardent 4.JPG

 

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Playing The Witch’s Game by Zoe Forward

Today is the release day of Zoe Forward’s Playing the Witches Game! I am so excited about this fantastic paranormal romance!! Grab your copy and enter Zoe’s giveaway today!!

 

PTWG RDL Ban

Playing the Witches Game Synopsis:

Playing_the_Witchs_Game-500

 

Even a good witch knows how to play dirty….

Pleiades witch Jennifer Marcos is certain that the host of Extreme Survivor is her soulmate. All she has to do is find a fake boyfriend, get on the show, and voila! She’ll have her destiny. Unfortunately, she has to rely on ex-Russian spy Nikolai Jovec’s six-foot-something of gorgeous, infuriating hotness. To make matters worse, the electric attraction between Jen and Nikolai is hotter than ever. But the only way Nikolai can protect Jen is by hiding the identity of her true Destined…him.

Buy Links:

Amazon | BN | Kobo | ITunes 
Teaser_1 PTWG
Exclusive Excerpt:

“Since you no longer work for Russia I want to offer you a job.”

“What kind of job?” His gaze swung to her, the wariness back in his eyes. “To protect you from whatever might come after you? I’m not a bodyguard.” He folded his arms over his chest. “You obviously need a better bodyguard, if tonight is any indication of his skill.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my bodyguard. I didn’t invite him along tonight. I have a different job for you.”

His eyebrows shot upward.

She cleared her throat and then forced out quickly, “I would like to hire you to be my fake boyfriend on TV.”

TEASER 2 PTWG

Zoe Forward Bio:

Zoe Forward is a hopeless romantic who can’t decide between paranormal and contemporary romance. So, she writes both. In addition to being a mom to one rambunctious kindergartener and wife to a conservation ecologist who plans to save all the big cats on the planet, she’s a small animal veterinarian caring for all the small furries, although there is the occasional hermit crab.

 

When she’s not typing at her laptop she’s tying on a karate belt for her son or cleaning up the newest pet mess from the menagerie that occupies her house. She’s madly in love with her globe trotting husband of ten years and happiest when he returns to their home base in North Carolina.

Links:

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | GOODREADS | TWITTER | NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

 

Enter Zoe’s Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Playing_the_Witchs_Game-500

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Finley by Ella Frank

Finley-EllaFrank-CustomDesign-JayAheer2016-WM-Ebook-finalimage

Finley

M/M Contemporary Romance

By Ella Frank

Release Date: March 22, 2016

Buy : Amazon 

e2fb4-goodreads

Synopsis:

It’s time to come home, Finn.

 

It’s been seven years since Daniel Finley left his hometown in Florida for the hustle and bustle of Chicago’s city life.

Since then, he’s worked hard for his position at the prestigious law firm Leighton & Associates, even when it’s caused distance and isolation from his family and friends. But that’s all about to change.

 

On his thirtieth birthday, he receives the one thing he never dared hope for. Something that was promised to him years earlier—a note. One simple sentence from the man he’s never been able to forget.

 

Six words will forever change the course of their lives.

 

Brantley Hayes has it all. Or so he thinks. When he first made the decision to take a job down in Florida, his family thought he was crazy. But, after years of living in the quiet beach town, he finally feels a sense of community. He’s surrounded himself with friends who are like family, has a job he loves, and owns a spectacular beachfront property that is his sanctuary.

 

Yet he still feels unfulfilled, as if a piece of the puzzle is missing, and he knows exactly which piece it is. On an impulse, he follows through with a promise he made years earlier. A promise to call home the one he sent away.

 

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

 

After years of separation, the former lovers are reunited, but Brantley wasn’t expecting to encounter the high walls now guarding Daniel’s heart.
Daniel may not be the same person he was when he left, but he knows that the first step to healing is the note in his hand.

 

 

Finley-teaser2-jayAheer2016b

Excerpt

BRANTLEY KEPT A discreet eye on the final student to leave for the morning as Mr. Finley strode down the stairs to the front of the classroom. They were three weeks into the semester and he was ashamed to admit that, with every day that passed, his fascination with the young man grew.

At first, he’d tried to convince himself that it was purely academic. The kid was smart. He’d aced all the weekly quizzes, and Brantley was more than aware of the way he watched him lecture with keen, intelligent eyes that never strayed from him.

Oh, he was fascinated, all right, but he made sure to tell himself at the end of every class that it had nothing to do with the mischievous grin Daniel would flash at his friends or the easygoing laugh that would bubble up out of him at any given moment. But he knew he was lying. Daniel was quite possibly the happiest person he’d ever met, and his joy of life lit up the room and everyone in it. Including him.

When Daniel stopped in front of him and dropped his paper on the desk, Brantley acknowledged him with a glance before returning his gaze back to the notes he was going over.

“Any big plans this weekend, Professor?”

The question had been so unexpected that he didn’t think to catch himself before he replied, “Nothing too big. Just going out with some friends. You?”

Daniel smiled at him as he shoved his arms through the loops of his backpack, and Brantley couldn’t help but look at his shirt as it stretched across his broad chest.

“I’m going to hit the beach. Such great waves right now.”

“Ahh, you like to surf. That explains it.”

When the side of Daniel’s mouth crooked up, the effect was charming as hell. The kid was a knockout.

“Explains what?”

Annoyed that he’d made such a stupid slipup, he looked back at the papers in front of him, hoping Daniel would get the message and leave. No such luck.

“Explains what?” he asked again.

Brantley sighed and rested his arms on the desk as he studied Daniel’s inviting face. “It explains your hair.”

“My—oh,” he said, touching the ends of it. “Do you like it?”

Stunned by the direct question, he sat back in his chair and fought the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Do I like your hair?”

“Yeah.

“Does it matter?” Jesus, fuck. Stop it. Stop flirting with him.

But it was too late. Daniel put his hands on the desk and leaned forward, Brantley toed the ground, shoving his chair back.

“It could…”

“No. No, it couldn’t,” he said as he got to his feet, shaking his head.

Daniel straightened and tucked his thumbs into the straps of his backpack, no doubt to taunt him. His eyes were too knowing for someone his age, and when they held his longer than was acceptable, Brantley’s heart skipped a couple of beats.

“Was there something else, Mr. Finley?”

“You said you were going out with friends this weekend…”

Shit, did I? “Yes, that’s right.”

As Daniel ran his thumb down the left strap of his bag, he admonished himself for noticing every little move he made. He needed to get a fucking hold of himself.

“Are any of them more than a friend?”

If he hadn’t been watching Daniel quite so closely, he wouldn’t have believed the words that had just come out of his mouth. But he had been. So he did.

“I don’t believe that’s any of your business. You better hurry or you’ll miss your next class.”

Satisfied that he’d firmly dismissed Daniel, he sat down and made a show of focusing on the books lining his desk and didn’t dare look and see if he had left this time or not. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he was still standing there.

He reached up to adjust his tie, which suddenly felt a little too tight around his neck, and with each passing second that he was consciously not checking to see if he was alone, he swore that it was getting tighter.

“Professor Hayes?”

His head snapped up at his name, and when Daniel had his attention, he continued.

“Are you gay?”

Brantley’s eyes widened, and he wondered how his mouth hadn’t fallen open at the blunt question. Instead, he went with, “Excuse me?”

“I asked if you were—”

“I heard what you said. But I don’t see how that is any business of yours, either. You should think before you speak, Mr. Finley. I’m your teacher, and it’s time for you to leave. This conversation is over.” He flipped open one of the books on his desk and shook his head. He couldn’t believe the audacity of the kid—or the fact that he was so damn forthright. As he sat there, grinding his teeth in an effort not to look at his student—who was still standing in front of his desk—a bead of sweat ran down his collar and he cursed the fact that his nerves were getting the better of him.

“I only asked because, well, I am too. And I thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

Well, hell. He couldn’t fault him for that. The only problem was…talking wasn’t what sprang to mind when he was around Daniel Finley.

He clasped his hands on the desk and stared into the anxious face peering down at him. Daniel was worrying his lower lip with his teeth, and he suddenly looked very much the young man he was.

“Are you?” he asked again, and there was no way he could deny that hesitant curiosity.

“Yes, Daniel. I am.”

As his words drifted between them, Daniel’s mouth slipped into a smile. “Oh.”

Brantley laughed at that. He wasn’t sure what Daniel was thinking right then. He’d thought for sure with the way he’d been looking at him earlier that, if he’d admitted this, he would be fending off—or at least putting up a good show of fending off—an unwanted pass. But, instead, Daniel appeared thoughtful.

“Does that bother you?”

Daniel adamantly shook his head. “No.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed, and the look that entered Daniel’s eyes then was so hot that he thought he may overheat.

“Yes. I’m very sure.”

Oh, fuck. Okay. Where the hell did the nervous guy disappear to? One minute, Daniel was endearingly awkward, and the next, he was looking at him like he wanted to strip him out of his clothes and—“Stop right there,” he said, and he wasn’t sure if he was telling himself that or the contradiction eyeing him with newfound knowledge. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop thinking it.”

“Why?”

Yep, he was fucked. That wasn’t a word he generally used, but in this case, he was well and truly fucked. He should’ve just stuck to the runalongnow speech.

“Because I’m your teacher.”

“This isn’t high school. I’m an adult.”

He sighed. “That may be true. But I’m your professor and this conversation is inappropriate.”

“How? I just asked if you were gay and you said yes. I don’t see what the problem is.”

When Daniel aimed a mischievous grin at him, Brantley knew he was very aware of what the problem was.

“Out,” he said, pointing to the door. “Time to leave, Mr. Finley.”

This time, he made sure to watch Daniel so he knew he was actually leaving. He walked to the door, but at the last minute, he turned around to look back at him. Not willing to back down and show weakness, Brantley kept his eyes on his student as Daniel ran his tongue along his lower lip.

“You should call me Finn. Everyone else does.”

Christ. The kid was going to drive him to an early grave, but damn if he didn’t laugh at his audacity.

“Out,” he said again, and this time Daniel pushed out the door and disappeared into the hall.

Copyright © 2016 Ella Frank

______________________________________

 

About Ella Frank

IMG_2570Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, A Desperate Man. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at http://www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Find Ella Frank Online

Excerpt + Giveaway: Reunited With The Rebel Billionaire by Catherine Mann – Bayou Billionaires Series – Book 3

Enter to Win a Print Set of Bayou Billionaires (Bks 1&2)
HIS PREGNANT PRINCESS BRIDE & 
HIS SECRETARY’S SURPRISE FIANCE

 

REUNITED WITH THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE
Bayou Billionaires #3
Catherine Mann
Releasing on April 1st, 2016 (Digital) 
and April 5th, 2016 (Print)
Harlequin Desire 

 

 

Is it a real reunion, or one for the
cameras? It’s a second-chance romance from USA TODAY
 bestselling author Catherine
Mann! 
Football star Henri Reynaud won’t
let his career go down without a fight. If the only way to win is to reconcile
with his estranged wife, he’ll do what it takes. But spending time with Fiona
Harper-Reynaud isn’t just some ruse. The sultry beauty belongs in his bed.

 

Fiona doesn’t know where her sexy
husband’s public act ends and his real feelings begin. Can she afford to fall a
second time for the man every female wants? One thing is
undeniable—their attraction has never flared hotter!
 
BUY NOW
Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo
bbcc5-excerpt-banner
Excerpt

Fiona looked around at the packed event, a total success. Anyone would think she had a full life.

            Except she couldn’t bring herself to have sex with husband. She’d been so certain the surgery was the right decision. She’d gone to counseling before and after. Her husband had been completely supportive.

            And still the distance between them had grown wider and wider these past months, emphasizing how little they knew about each other. They’re married because of infatuation and great sex. Now that the initial glow of infatuation had passed and they didn’t even have sex to carry them through the rough patches, their marriage was floundering. Badly.

            And with a cancer scare looming over her today, she couldn’t bear the thought that he would stay with her out of sympathy.

***

Henri wasn’t in much of a party mood, no matter how much his brothers elbowed him and teased him about his latest fumble. His Texas cousins weren’t cutting him any slack either.

He’d been thinking about the divorce papers his wife insisted on pursuing.

While the love had left their marriage, he’d heard plenty say that marriage had ups and downs. He wasn’t a quitter. And damn it all, he still burned to have her.

His gaze skimmed along the guests around the pool, landing on his wife. Her loose hair and slim curves called to him, reminding him of the enticing feel of her back as he’d tugged her zipper up.

She smiled at whoever she spoke to – a man with his back to the rest the crowd – and nodded as she walked away. The man turned and Henri’s breath froze in his chest. He knew the man well. Dr. Carlson was a partner in the practice Fiona used to see before they’d transferred her to another physician for the surgery.

Fear gelling in his gut, Henri charged away from his brothers and cousins, shouldering through the crowd to his wife.

“Henri–.”

He grasped her arm and guided her toward the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. “In a moment. When no one can over hear us.”

Lights from yachts and boats dotted the distance. Along the shoreline, couples walked hand and hand into the distance. Henri opened the boat house door and stepped inside. Moonlight streaked through streaked through the windows, across her face. Confusion and frustration stamped along her lovely features.

He angled them beneath a pontoon boat on a lift. The boat was still wet from use, and water tapped the ground in a rhythm that almost matched his pounding heart. Inhaling deeply, he caught the musty scent of the boathouse with the cinnamon notes of Fiona’s perfume. He’d bought it for her on trip to France before all of these difficulties had really gotten out of control.

“Enough already, Henri. Would you please tell me why we’re out here?”

            He clasped both of her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “I saw you talking to Dr. Carlson.” He looked in her sherry colored eyes, trying to read her. Something flickered there but he wasn’t sure what.

            Staring at the floor, she chewed her bottom lip for an instant before answering, “We were discussing a fundraiser and party for the pediatric oncology ward.”

            Okay, but why was she looking away? “You’re sure that’s all?”

            She hesitated a second too long. “What do you mean?”

            Fear exploded inside him. “Are you feeling alright?” He clasped her shoulders. “Physically. Is there something wrong? If so, you know I’m here for you. Whatever you need, just tell me.”

            She squeezed her eyes closed, shaking her head, tears

            “Oh God, Fiona, is it …,” his throat moved in a long swallow, “do you have…”

“What were you laughing so hysterically about?” Anger edged through the fear. “And would you like to clue me in on the joke because right now I could use something to lighten the mood?”

            “No joke,” she said with a sigh, meeting his gaze again. “Just so ironic.”

            “Then what are you hiding?”

            “Not that it’s any of your business,” she chewed her bottom lip again, “but he asked me out for a drink to discuss the fundraiser.”

            He saw red. Pure red. “He asked you out for a drink? As in for a date? Not because of the fundraiser?”

            “Because of the fundraiser, but yes, he clearly meant a date as well.” She pulled at her curls, tension mounting in her cheeks.

            Henri had to stay calm. Had to make it through this conversation. “And what did you say?”

            “I told him I’m still married.” Eyes narrowing, the words launched at him like daggers.

            “Clearly that wasn’t a problem for him since you are wearing my ring.”

            She shrugged her shoulders, chandelier earrings swaying. “That didn’t bother him in the least.”

            He turned toward the door, ready to return to the party and deck the guy straight into the pool.

            Fiona placed a hand on his shoulder. “Stop, Henri. He mentioned hearing we’re splitting up. He thought I was available.”

            “How would he have heard such a thing?” His mind went back to the original concern. “Were you at the doctor’s office where he’s a partner?”

            She swallowed hard. “You seem to have forgotten his brother is our lawyer.”

            “Not anymore.”

            “I was thinking the same thing actually.” She picked at her French manicure. “We should get separate lawyers.”

            Damn it. This conversation was not going the way he intended. He just wanted to pull her into his arms and take her here. Now. To say to hell with the past and future. No more jealousy or discussion about … hell.

            He just wanted her.

 

USA Today bestseller and RITA Award winning author Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Berkley, Harlequin, Sourcebooks and Tule. With over sixty books released in more than twenty countries, she has also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win. Catherine and her flyboy husband live on the Florida coast where they brought up their 4 children – and still have 5 four-legged, furry “children” (aka pets). Catherine is an active volunteer with an animal rescue, serving on their Board of Directors and fostering over 200 puppies, ill dogs, and dogs with service/working potential.


Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in 
The Bayou Billionaires Series

Excerpt Reveal: Adrenaline by Kelly Elliott – Speed Series – Book 2

 

 

adrenalinebanner

adrenaline_amazon

Adrenalize

Speed Series – Book 2

By Kelly Elliott

Release Date: March 22, 2016

Pre Order : Amazon / ITunes

6febe-good

 

 

Malcolm Wallace lived for the adrenaline rush. If he wasn’t living life on the edge, he wasn’t living.

He had no time for relationships, let alone love.

When one event changes Malcolm’s entire future, he must turn to the one person who makes him doubt his entire philosophy on life.

Paislie Pruitt.

She’s beautiful.

She’s strong.

She’s the one rush Malcolm never saw coming.

 adrenalineteaser3

Excerpt

“W-where are we going?” she asked as she glanced over her shoulder.

Opening the laundry room door, I pulled her in and pushed her against the wall.

“I need to feel you, Paislie … taste you.”

Each breath was forced as the rush grew bigger. I’d been waiting for so long for this moment.

My hand slid up her dress and moved softly along her thigh where I brushed my knuckles across the thin lace material. Son-of-a-bitch. My cock was throbbing I wanted her so badly.

My fingers pushed the material to the side as Paislie lifted her leg, allowing me better access.

I slipped two fingers in and moaned as my dick hardened painfully more. “Fucking hell. You’re soaking wet.”

Her head dropped back as she whispered, “Please. Malcolm, I’ve waited so long for you.”

My lips moved along her neck, placing soft kisses as I slowly moved my fingers in and out of her. Sliding another one in, I moved faster. “Yes,” she hissed as she pumped her hips. I didn’t want her coming yet. The first time she came, it was either going to be on my cock or my tongue.

Pulling my fingers from her, Paislie let out a whimper. I lifted her up and set her on the counter. It was going to kill my leg, but I needed to taste her.

“Lay back, Paislie. I want to taste you … now.”

Her eyes widened with delight as she smiled and laid back. I lifted her beautiful gown and moaned when I saw the garter and panties.

“Jesus, you’re perfect,” I moaned as I pushed her panties out of the way and licked up her pussy. Paislie gasped and grabbed onto my hair.

“Oh … dear … God,” she panted.

I’ve given plenty of women oral sex, but this was different. So very different. Paislie tasted sweet, addictive, like a drug. I instantly craved more as I licked and sucked her more. Her body quivered and I knew she was close. All I would need to do is concentrate on her clit and push my fingers in.

The knock on the door had us both freezing. Paislie lifted her head as we looked at one another. She shook her head and mouthed, Are you fucking kidding me?

 

kellyelliottKelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason…he claims it’s because he loves her!

She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message.

In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write.

One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus….her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER| WEBSITE | GOODREADS | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

adrenaline_amazon

Brought To You by:

 

Excerpt Reveal: Ride Hard by Laura Kaye – Raven Riders

RIDE HARD - Excerpt Reveal banner

 

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Excerpt Reveal for Laura Kaye’s RIDE HARD! A sexy romantic suspense, RIDE HARD takes you on a new adventure and kicks it into overdrive! RIDE HARD is set to release Tuesday, April 26th! RIDE HARD is the first novel in Laura Kaye’s highly anticipated Raven Riders Series. Make sure you pre-order today and get your special bonus story-more info on that is below!

 

RIDE HARD - cover

Order on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Add to your Goodreads

 

Laura Kaye has something hot and fun and new to share with you today – a scene from her upcoming book, Ride Hard, the first in her Raven Riders Motorcycle Club series about a new kind of MC with a protective mission. You might’ve first met the Ravens in the Hard Ink world, but this series stands on its own and is even sexier, edgier, and grittier! So read on for a taste and see below for a free bonus story offer!

 

Excerpt from Ride Hard:

So much better out here,” Haven said, the night air cool against the tingling warmth of her skin. Although she was pretty sure that not all of the heat burning through her insides was from the alcohol—her unusual flirtatiousness and closeness to Dare over the past half hour had made her desperate with a heat that had nothing to do with her drinking game.

She walked to the railing and leaned against it, chuckling a little at herself for needing the support it offered. She felt so damn free, and it was a heady, exhilarating thing.

“What’s funny?” Dare asked, settling a hip against the railing right beside her. Arms crossed, jaw ticking with tension, dark eyes blazing, he was staring at her like he wanted to reprimand her or devour her. Oddly, neither alarmed her the way she would’ve expected it to.

Haven shook her head, leaning it back and letting her gaze float over the night sky. Blurry points of light swam in the moonlit heavens. It was beautiful and peaceful despite the pounding bass beat of music thumping from inside the clubhouse. “Not funny, just good. Happy, you know? Being able to do something a little . . . scary, but knowing I’d be safe doing it.” When Dare’s gaze narrowed, she shrugged. “I don’t know.”

A long moment passed before Dare finally spoke. “You are safe here, Haven. Never doubt it.”

Peering up at him, she nodded, all kinds of words sitting on the tip of her tongue, challenging her to let them fly. “It’s weird feeling safe—or at least safer—after a lifetime of not. It makes me want to try things I could never let myself try before. It makes me . . .” She shook her head and dipped her chin.

Dare stepped closer, his thighs coming up against her hip. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. The contact combined with the command in the gesture lanced white-hot desire through her veins. “Makes you what?”

“Want to feel alive,” she whispered, her heart suddenly racing in her chest.

Dare’s jaw ticked again as his gaze swept over her face. She didn’t think she was imagining the raw emotion pouring off of him and wrapping around her, but she wasn’t sure if she was reading that emotion right or projecting her own desire onto him.

“Do you feel alive, Dare?” she asked, the alcohol flowing through her and the night spinning around her like she was walking through a dream.

“Jesus,” he bit out.

The rough desperation in his voice made her wet between her legs. “Just once,” she whispered, not sure what she was asking him for.

But he seemed to know. Because his hand was suddenly tangled in her hair and his mouth was suddenly on hers, claiming, probing, tasting. Haven moaned and parted her lips, inviting him deeper.

Dare jerked back from her, his fingers rubbing roughly over his lips. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

On instinct, Haven’s body pursued his, pinning his back to the railing. “Please don’t stop,” she said as her hands gripped his shoulders. She had the strongest urge to climb him, to wrap her legs around him, to grind against the hard bulge pressing electrically against her belly.

“Please,” she whispered, tilting her mouth toward his. “I liked it.”

Dare’s hand cupped the back of her head. “You’re killing me.”

“Dare,” she said, her body restless against his.

In a move that sent the world spinning, he flipped them around so that she was the one pinned against the railing. He pushed his legs between hers and leaned down over her, forcing her to arch her back, to yield, to open to him.“Tell me what you want from me. Say the words,” he said, his eyes absolutely on fire.

Her heart was a runaway train in her chest, frantic and picking up speed. The thought of giving voice to her desires was terrifying and thrilling and dizzying all at once.

“I want your mouth,” she said. The words sounded odder out loud than they had in her head, but they were more accurate than asking him to kiss her—because her mouth wasn’t the only place she wanted his.

“Jesus,” he rasped again, his mouth coming down on hers once more.

The whimper she released was part relief, part anticipation. It had been so long since she’d kissed someone that she felt a little uncertain, but Dare’s intensity barely allowed her the capacity to worry about it. He was like a dark storm bearing down on her, relentless, magnetic, all-consuming.

Rough callouses from his hands scratched against her cheeks as he guided her. Hard breaths spilled over her lips, and the wet slide of his tongue tasted like whiskey and desire and man. Her hands found the soft length of his hair, and her breasts pushed against the hard plane of his chest.

Then her lips were freed as his mouth slid over her skin—exploring her cheek, her jaw, her ear, her neck. He hiked her up to sit on the wide railing, the move surprising a gasp out of her, especially as he crowded the space between her legs, pushing himself closer, bringing his erection against the place between her legs craving friction, hardness, so much more of him. Maybe even all of him.

One strong arm wrapped around her back and held her steady, while the other hand stroked her hair, her face, her breast. The soft groans and breathy grunts spilling out of him were delicious and thrilling, and bolstered her confidence that she wasn’t the only one losing herself in this moment, in these touches. She almost couldn’t believe this was happening, and part of her was certain she must be dreaming. Because Haven Randall didn’t have beautiful things in her life. At least, never before.

 

 

Get a FREE bonus story from Laura’s Hearts in Darkness world for buying RIDE HARD before April 30!

 

Ride Hard - bonus stry graphic

 

 

About Ride Hard (Raven Riders #1):

Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.

These are the Raven Riders…

Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before…

 

 

Laura Kaye - author picAbout Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

 

 

 

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Newsletter Sign Up | RIDE HARD on Goodreads

 

InkSlinger-Blogger-New

Book Tour + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Killer by Heather C. Leigh

killer book tour

 

Ten years ago, their lives shattered to pieces…

And he’s the KILLER that has to live with it.

Two people. One incident.

Interwoven between two damaged souls in ways they don’t understand.

#DarkRomance #Fighter

Killer it's live

****************

Killer

By Heather C. Leigh

Buy: Amazon / B & N /  ITunes / Kobo

Release Date: March 15,2016

Synopsis

Ten years ago, their lives shattered to pieces…

And he’s the KILLER that has to live with it.

 

Two people. One incident. Interwoven between two damaged souls in ways they don’t understand.

 

But now, they must fight the same war–a past that wrecked them both–destroyed the two people they used to be. With a hurricane of love, hate, anger, fury, and fear, can two broken lives find a way to let it all go for a chance at happiness?

killer banner

 

killer teaser

Excerpt

Britt and Gabriel are waiting for me in his office so we can start our meeting. After my interaction with Wolfe, I’m seething and frustrated. All I want to do is jump into the cage and beat the fuck out of something, release this shit building up inside. Confusing new emotions like jealousy are dueling with my usual focused, raw fury.

The dark, hollow place in my chest isn’t equipped for this. I fight, I fuck, I exist. Nothing more, nothing less.

Furious, I walk over to Gabriel’s office and shove open the door. It bangs against the wall with a loud crack, causing Gabriel to frown and Britt to cry out. Just like that, she drops to the floor, curling into a ball and covering her head with her hands.

Gabriel leaps to his feet, hurrying around his desk to crouch next to a huddling, quivering Britt. Stunned, I stand at the door frozen, unsure what is going on or what I should do.

Meu filha! Britt! What is happening?” Gabriel’s voice hitches as he tries to pull Britt out from under his desk. His head whips around to face me. “Killer! ¡Venha aqui e ayudar!” (Get over here and help..)

I cross the space in two quick steps, approaching Gabriel’s desk from the opposite side. Britt’s tiny frame is tucked into a tight ball, her knees pulled to her chest, head ducked, and arms curled protectively over her head.

Protecting her from what?

“Britt,” I say in as composed of a voice as I can manage, which at this moment, isn’t saying much. Not a lot freaks me out, but right now, watching Britt fall to pieces, has me struggling to keep calm. “Please, come out.”

Britt is quietly sobbing, her body shuddering in fear. Watching her in such obvious distress sends a stabbing pain through my chest. Not sure this is the best thing for her, but not knowing what else to do, I crawl under the desk. Being as large as I am, I can only get my head and shoulders in next to her.

Gabriel slides into nervous, staccato Portuguese. “I will leave you to take care of her. Let me know when she’s feeling better and I will return.” He stands and leaves the room, gently closing the door behind him.

He left me with her?

What the fuck am I supposed to do? At a loss, I do the only thing that comes to mind. It worked to relax her before, so why not? I gather her tiny, trembling body up in my arms, and hold her. Britt immediately unwinds her arms, clutching me tight, burying her face into my shirt, her tears dampening the fabric.

On the floor in my trainer’s office, lying half under a desk, a tiny shard of my black soul becomes human again.

killer heather leigh

5Star

Michel’s Review

Spoiler Free Review

Keller and Britt have one thing in common.  A horrific incident that forever changed their lives.  For the past ten years that incident has dictated their lives.  Both of them refuse to acknowledge that day. They have kept the past a secret in their present lives.

One walked away from the incident with tremendous guilt and remorse.  He became Killer.  The other barely survived and doesn’t remember a thing but she still lives with aftermath of that day.  She lives in fear.  She lives with the health issues that resulted from the damage of that day.  She is a miracle.  She is a survivor.  Ten years later when their paths cross again, they are still literally strangers but drawn to one another.

As this story unfolds, Keller and Britt find solace in one another.  They are finally finding peace within their souls.  They are finally stepping out of the past and letting someone in. They are learning to trust and love once again.

As they open their hearts the past comes back to haunt them in many ways.  Both of their parents want them to become a part of a cause that both of them want nothing to do with.  Keller is finally learning to forgive himself for his carelessness of that day.  Britt is starting to remember what happened and is even more terrified.

They are working together in an MMA gym.  Britt is a trainer and Keller is the new champion fighter known as Killer.  The gym is their safe zone until another fighter decides to declare war on Killer and claim Britt for himself.

This leads to psychotic stalking and facing a potential killer once again.

Heather wrote a powerful story that portrays the after effects of a reality that is sadly present in our society.  She didn’t glorify the event.  She gave the victims a strong voice and glorified their survival.  She gave them the happily ever after they should of always had.  She gave them back their lives.

__________________________________________________

About Heather C. Leigh

Heather C. LeighI’m the author of the Amazon best selling Famous series. I like to write about the ‘dark’ side of fame. The part that the public doesn’t get to see, how difficult it is to live in a fishbowl and how that affects relationships.

I was born and raised in New England and currently live outside Atlanta, GA.

I love the Red Sox, the Patriots, and anything made of chocolate (but not white chocolate, that doesn’t count).

My favorite authors are Dan Wells, Tina Reber, Ken Follett, and Stephen King. Happy reading!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

killer

trsor promotions