Blog Tour + Review: Breakaway by Sophia Henry – The Pilots Hockey Series – Book 5

Breakaway
Sophia Henry
Published by: Random House: Flirt
Publication date: September 5th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports

In a standalone hockey romance that tugs at readers’ heartstrings, a broken ex-pro learns to live and love again—all thanks to the complicated, wonderful nurse who gives him a second chance.

Brianna Collins needs to break away from her overbearing family. Her parents expect her to “fix” her brother after a series of concussions derailed his hockey career. Unfortunately, no doctor will give him clearance to play, and she’s finished with being the person they rely on to perform a miracle that will never happen. For Bree, a six-month nursing assignment at a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the perfect escape.

Luke Daniels, former forward for the NHL’s Charlotte Aviators, has spent close to a year rehabbing a career-threatening injury—and distracting himself however he can. Worlds collide when Luke realizes that the girl from his latest one-night-stand happens to be the new nurse at the hospital where he volunteers in the pediatric unit. What’s more, Bree’s the only person who makes him excited about life again.

Despite her initial reservations, Luke can’t help pursuing sweet, beautiful Bree. Then he realizes it was her brother whose career he ended with an accidental hit, and he falls back on the thing that’s always helped suppress his demons: alcohol. But if Luke doesn’t kick his old habits, he just may lose the one thing he loves more than hockey.

Don’t miss any of Sophia Henry’s exhilarating Pilots Hockey novels:
DELAYED PENALTY | POWER PLAY | INTERFERENCE | UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT | BREAKAWAY

Praise for Sophia Henry
“Sophia Henry’s hockey novels are fun and flirty, warm and sweet, with relatable heroines and swoon-worthy hockey heroes. They’ll bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.”USA Today bestselling author Kelly Jamieson

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Books-A-Million / Google Play

_______________________________________

Michel’s Review

Breakaway by Sophia Henry is the fifth book in the Pilots Hockey Series. Breakaway has a very different tone and vibe than the previous books in the series and this may be why this book is getting mixed reactions from the fans of this series.  If you are looking for a book that is hockey related but want more of the action off the ice away from the game, this is the book you want to pick up.  This is a book about second chances, redemption, hope, love, and life after hockey.  Each character is dealing with their own let downs and problems in life, a small part of it is due to their worlds coincidentally colliding one moment in time. The other part is what happens after all the pieces are broken and in need of repair.

Reading the synopsis gives the reader a good idea the direction this novel is going.  It’s what happens after that brings Bree and Luke true happiness in life. It’s learning to accept what you can’t control, learning to walk away when all avenues are exhausted, learning to forgive others as well as forgiving oneself, and finally learning that life has so much more to offer when you open your heart.

Breakaway is loaded with emotional angst as well as sexy romance.  Although I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous books in the series, I liked it a lot better once I took the time to digest the real message within the story.  I would recommend this book to new readers as well as fans of this series.  Sophia Henry took the Pilots Hockey Series beyond the ice.

_______________________________________

 

Author Bio:

Award-Winning Author, Sophia Henry, is a proud Detroit native who fell in love with reading, writing and hockey all before she became a teenager. She did not, however, fall in love with snow. So after graduating with an English degree from Central Michigan University, she moved to the warmth of North Carolina for the remainder of her winters.

She spends her days writing books featuring hot, hockey-playing heroes. When she’s not writing, she’s chasing her two high-energy sons, watching her beloved Detroit Red Wings, and rocking out at concerts.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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

XBTBanner1

Cover Reveal: A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

A Little Too Late, an all-new romantic standalone from Staci Hart is coming October 24th!

ALTL-wrap

A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

Publishing Date: October 24th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Designer: QuirkyBird Designs

I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with the nanny.

When my wife left, she took the illusion of happiness with her, and I’ve been caught in a free fall ever since. For nine long months, I’ve been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.

For nine long months, I’ve been failing.

When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I’d found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I’ve been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I’d packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.

She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she’s so much more.

The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn’t. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.

Preorder Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2ySQiGb

iBooks: http://apple.co/2iPPgH0

Nook: http://bit.ly/2ewscMg

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2xDG7F9

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2iZfozn

About the Author

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey.

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

AuthorPics

Connect with Staci:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hv5OA5

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacihartnovels

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaquirkybird

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/imaquirkybird/

Website: http://stacihartnovels.com

Newsletter: http://stacihartnovels.com/get-the-newsletter/

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Battle Scars by Jane Harvey-Berrick

Battle Scars

By Jane Harvey – Berrick

Release Date: October 1st, 2017

Buy: Amazon


Synopsis:

From the dusty plains of Afghanistan to the sleek corridors of the New York Times, journalist MJ Buckman seeks the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. What she doesn’t expect to find is a man who’s her complete opposite … and fits her perfectly.

Marine Sergeant Jackson Connor knows that relationships don’t work for men in the military. He’s living proof of that. But when a steely-eyed temptress in a flak jacket, who carries her moral cause in front of her, crosses his path, he’s furious, curious, and all kinds of in-lust.
* * *
A grown-up love story about two people who aren’t looking for love, but realize how precious it is when they find it. They don’t play games and there are no stupid misunderstandings, just life standing in their way.

Can they compromise? And what does that look like in a modern relationship between two driven people?

Assignment Vs deployment.

They’re always traveling in different directions. What relationship can survive that?

Michel’s Review

Jane Harvey-Berrick has become on of my go to authors.  When I open one of her novels I know I am not only going to get an emotional romance but I am also going to get a truthful and compassionate story about people dealing with unpleasant circumstances in life.  Whether it is a soldier suffering from PTSD or a seventeen year old boy becoming a man in his turbulent world or a dare devil stuntman with showmanship in his blood or a convicted felon acclimating to the outside world after years in prison, there is one thing in common in all of these novels.  Jane Harvey-Berrick captures the vulnerability as well as the strength of the human spirit in an imperfect world.  The one idea or emotion her novels clearly illustrate is HOPE no matter what the life circumstances are.  With all the tension in today’s world people have forgotten the very basic thing that makes us stand out as humans, the potential to make a better world because of HOPE.

Battle Scars is a bit different from most military romances.  This is a story of two people becoming a couple when their lives are on very different paths.  One is a career military officer and the other is a journalist traveling throughout the world in search of the next story.  Both of their jobs are fueled by adrenaline. They can be in very dangerous situations at any given moment which makes their jobs unpredictable.  Somewhere in the midst of their chaotic world they found one another.  Their love for one another changed how they looked at their own lives as well as their careers.  Their mutual respect and acceptance of one another’s chosen careers was the foundation of their future relationship.  Their choices may not have always been theirs to make but they learned to compromise.  What was most important was the knowledge of each other’s love.

Jane Harvey-Berrick not only showed how difficult “military” relationships can be, she also showed the strength of these relationships.  I admired the honesty her words delivered.

Jane Harvey-Berrick has delivered another outstanding book that went beyond the usual romance novel!

I highly recommend reading Battle Scars by Jane Harvey-Berrick.

______________________________

 AP new -about the author.jpg

Jane is a writer of contemporary romance fiction, known for thoughtful stories, often touching on difficult subjects: disability (DANGEROUS TO KNOW & LOVE, SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM); mental illness (THE EDUCATION OF CAROLINE, SEMPER FI); life after prison (LIFERS); dyslexia (THE TRAVELING MAN, THE TRAVELING WOMAN).

She is also a campaigner for former military personnel to receive the support they need on leaving the services. She wrote the well-received play LATER, AFTER with former veteran Mike Speirs. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk1CyB8c0xA )

 

Author Links

 

ArdentProse_LogoMain.jpg

 

 

Promo Blitz: New Covers, New Names: SLOTH and MURDER by Ella James

 

Sloth and Murder had makeovers!! New covers for both!

Murder has also been renamed MY HEART FOR YOURS!

Sloth has an ALL NEW bonus scene!

To celebrate this exciting news, Ella James has put both books on sale for ONLY 99¢

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, 10/02-10/05

 

MY HEART FOR YOURS will be FREE for ONE DAY ONLY on 10/02!! Then 99¢ 10/03-10/05

Sloth also available in KU:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xP6N62

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1e1xlFV

 

My Heart for Yours available in KU:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xUXXG5

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1UkknB0

 

 

SLOTH BLURB:

Dear A. –

I am writing to express my gratitude for your gift. There are no sufficient words, but please accept my sincerest thank you.

Yours,

She writes me back.

I didn’t expect that.

She tells me she’s a lover of chicken pizza and video games, a hot sorority girl with the nickname Sloth. She wants to know something about me in return. She says I owe her.

This is how she saves my life. She doesn’t even know it. We’ve never even seen each other. But I need a reason. Just one reason to continue. She becomes mine.

The anonymity is good. She doesn’t need to know me, but I need her kindness. We both live our lives: a letter here, a post card there. For three years, I escape my demons. And then one day I’m pulled back in.

I’ve resigned myself to what I know is coming. Until the girl I’m spanking gives her safe word: Sloth.

And then the lie I’m living starts to unravel.

Sloth is a standalone love story with many twists, one huge secret, and a non-cliffhanger ending. It will wreck you, but you’ll like it.

BTW: Part of the fun of reading this book is trying to guess the secret. I would appreciate it if you could avoid spoilers in reviews and review headlines, so others will be able to enjoy the guessing game.

*Sloth is part of a collection of standalones inspired by a sin, and centered around a huge secret. The other standalone, My Heart for Yours, is inspired by the sin of murder, and is the story of Kellan’s oldest brother, Barrett Drake. It’s free via Kindle Unlimited and also for sale here in the Kindle Store.

*This book was updated and re-edited in fall 2017, and now includes a bonus story.

 

 

MY HEART FOR YOURS BLURB:

 

FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLER ELLA JAMES…

Gwenna White’s new neighbor is…distracting. He’s a beautiful, motorcycle-driving enigma. One she can’t allow herself to think about. Since the accident that ruined her face and stole her career, Gwen, a former model, lives under the radar, seldom leaving the bear sanctuary she runs in the Tennessee mountains. She’s not reclusive, but that doesn’t mean she’s looking for a lover. Definitely not someone who looks like that.

*

Barrett Drake could use a friend: a tall order, since most of his are dead. His damaged hand may be the reason he’s out of special ops, but it’s not his only wound. Not by a long shot. All that’s left between Bear and a new life is one last job. If he can hold on, get it done… He won’t be here that long. Just long enough to ruin Gwen’s life and make a speedy exit. That’s the plan.

But things don’t always go as planned.

You can’t choose who you love.

You can’t fix fate.

And that’s the problem…

*My Heart for Yours is a standalone forbidden romance with a hint of mystery. It’s the second stand-alone in a collection of books that are inspired by a sin and centered on a huge secret. This book is inspired by the sin of murder. It was formerly sold under that title.

*The other novel in the Sinful Secrets collection, Sloth, is a USA Today bestseller and can be read free via Kindle Unlimited.

 

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: The Choices I’ve Made by J.L. Berg

SBPRBanner-TCIM-BT.jpg

The Choices I’ve Made by J.L. Berg is available NOW!

tCiM BN Kobo

The Choices I’ve Made by J.L. Berg

Release Date: October 1st
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Death is easy.

Surviving it? That’s the hard part.

Dr. Jake Jameson knows this all too well. Losing his mother at the age of eighteen, he walks away from his small hometown and the painful memories it holds, vowing to never return again.

Twelve years later, he finds himself driving back down the coast of North Carolina. When his father leaves him a small medical practice, he has no choice but to heed the call until he can find someone else to take it off his hands.

But coming back home means facing everything he left behind, including the one woman who might make it impossible to leave again.

Molly McIntyre has spent her entire life in one town. Taking over her parents’ small inn, she’s settled into a quiet, happy life. But all of that comes to an abrupt halt when Jake shows up at her door in need of a place to stay.

Molly loathes everything about this man, but she can’t find it in her heart to refuse his request.

After over a decade, these former lovers quickly discover what once burned brightly between them has only grown in their time apart. Soon they must decide if the choices they’ve made have led them back to each other for a second chance or one final goodbye.

Excerpt:

After two glasses of wine and an hour of feeling sorry for myself, I decided I’d had enough self-pity for one day. Rising from my cozy chair, I took one last look at the sparkling water as the moon rose high in the sky. How one could ever get used to a view like that, I’d never know. I’d been raised in this house, and still, it never ceased to take my breath away.

After a quick stop by the kitchen sink to rinse out my glass, I headed to the large pantry, deciding I needed a little baking therapy to pass the time. Although the Lovells had offered to take care of their own meals since I comped the room, I decided to treat them for their help over the last week.

As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t have done it all without them.

Grabbing flour, sugar, and a few more items, I settled on a family favorite recipe—zucchini bread. I’d added my own little flair to it over the years, but the basic recipe was still the same.

There was something almost restorative about the process of mixing ingredients. With no need for a recipe anymore, I found myself humming a song I’d heard on the radio earlier in the day, and my mood began to lift.

That was, until the doorbell rang.

Wiping my hands on a dish towel, I checked my appearance in the hallway mirror, rolling my eyes at the flour that coated my cheeks.

My mom always said I was a messy baker. I guessed some things never changed.

Putting on my best face possible, I prepared myself, morphing into the hostess with the mostest. It didn’t always happen, but every now and again, I’d have unexpected visitors. People who’d missed the last ferry and were in desperate need for a place to stay or others who had just fallen in love and didn’t want to leave.

In every case, I always found a place for them, sometimes even giving up my own rooms to accommodate them. Pulling open the door, I greeted the late-night visitor with a bright smile. But, the moment I saw his face, that familiar rugged jaw and piercing blue eyes, my smile faded into something less than pleasing.

“What are you doing here, Jake?” I nearly snarled.

“Is that any way to greet a guest?” he replied sluggishly. He was clearly drunk.

“Did you drive here in that state?” I asked, looking over his shoulder to make sure a car wasn’t wrapped around the neighbor’s tree.

“No,” he answered. “Waited until I was parked outside before I popped open the bourbon. Did you know, if you park right there”—he pointed behind him, making his sloppy posture even worse—“you can see the backyard? You still like to sit out on the deck, huh?”

My cheeks heated with anger as I realized my private moment of sulking had been witnessed by none other than hotshot Jake Jameson. I sighed, noticing the way his eyes followed mine.

“What do you want?” I finally asked, averting his gaze.

“I’m a wayward tourist in need of a place to stay.”

My arms folded across my chest as he made himself at home, breezing past me to stumble into the sitting room. His large body seemed to melt into the couch as I tried not to think about all the things we’d done in this room while my parents were out of the house.

“You have a place to stay, Jake,” I reminded him. “And, no matter how much you try to convince yourself, you’re no tourist. Not even a fancy degree could change that twang in your voice.”

He laughed, a sound that made my spine tingle. “You’re right. I can’t seem to shake it. But it does do me some favors every now and then.” He gave me a quick grin and a wink, causing me to nearly spit fire.

The idea of him using his stupid accent to get women into bed—it shouldn’t have affected me so, but it did.

It really did.

“Look,” I said, feeling my never-ending river of patience suddenly drying up, “it’s late, and I know you’ve had a rough day, but—”

“I tried, Molly. God, how I tried.”

“Tried what?” I asked, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“I tried to forget you. But I never could. I tried to forget this place and all it represented, but the memories never faded. You never faded.”

My heart galloped a little faster, but luckily my anger won the race. “You’ve got to go, Jake. You can’t stay here.”

“But I can’t go back there, Mols. I can’t go back to that house. There are too many ghosts. Too many memories. It hurts.”

The way he’d said it reminded me of the scared boy I’d once held in my arms as he wept for his mother. It tugged at the few remaining heartstrings I had for this man, and suddenly, I found myself caving.

“Fine.”

He instantly perked up, turning his head, as his bright blue eyes found mine again.

“But you will pay double, and don’t expect any special treatment.”

He nodded as he tried to stand, swaying back and forth. I ran forward, keeping him from crashing into my antique coffee table. The generosity I’d felt just moments before was already starting to bite me in the ass.

“Got it,” he said as my hands wrapped around his muscled biceps. That intense stare of his was back as his fingers found mine. “You won’t even know I’m here,” he whispered, the smell of bourbon on his breath.

“Highly unlikely,” I grumbled, pulling my hand from his. The heat of it remained, like a brand against my skin. “Now, you can take the—”

“Yellow room,” he said, finishing my sentence.

It had always been a favorite of his. Mine, too.

“Fine,” I replied, trying to seem unaffected by his demand. “I assume you still remember the way?”

He held up his palm in front of his face. “Like the back of my hand.”

“That’s the front, Doctor.”

He laughed, sounding drunker than I’d ever seen him. “Right.” Taking a few steps forward, his body brushed against mine. “I like it when you call me doctor.”

I took a deep breath, putting some much-needed space between us.

“You would. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have bread to bake.”

“Bread!” he nearly shouted before chuckling under his breath. He said in a hushed tone, “I love bread.”

“Go to bed, Jake.”

“You first.”

Those two words were like a cold bucket of water. His gaze suddenly sharpened as a tingle went down my spine. Both of us knew he wasn’t talking about sleeping, and for a moment, I let him know it.

No eye roll or quick-witted comeback. I just stood there, letting myself indulge in a single moment that signified a lifetime of memories.

And then the jerk threw up on my shoes.

TCIM-AN
Read Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yxsF5i

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2xS34Hf

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2wlPuLX

BlogTour.jpg

About the Author:

I’m a California native, who lives in the South – Virginia to be exact. I still prefer sushi to fried chicken, avocados to okra, and I absolutely loathe humidity. I do love watching the seasons change though. My husband and I have been here for over a decade, and I still get giddy like a school girl every time it snows. It’s magical!

I’m married to my high school sweetheart, and we’ve been blessed with two beautiful daughters and two rescue pups I like to call my “coworkers”. I’m obsessed with chocolate, minions, anything Harry Potter and I love to watch re-runs of Friends and Gilmore Girls!

JLBERG

Connect with the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjlberg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorjlberg

YouTube: http://bit.ly/2xdlYsu

http://jlberg.com

Cover Reveal + Excerpt + Pre-Order: Fault Lines by Rebecca Shea

From USA Today bestselling author, Rebecca Shea, comes a new, heartbreakingly beautiful standalone romance, FAULT LINES. Don’t miss the amazing cover below, and pre-order your copy today!

 

Cover designed by Letitia Hasser of RBA Designs

At eleven he was my first crush. At sixteen he became mine. At nineteen he broke my heart and destroyed me. That was ten years ago and the last time I saw Cole Ryan.

They say you never get over your first love…I beg to differ. I left my shattered heart buried in a town I never expected to return to. I erased every thought of him and buried the memories never to be found.

I moved on…now ten years later I have the perfect life, the perfect fiancé, the perfect career. Everything I ever wanted until I’m forced to go back and face my past and the man that destroyed me.

He won’t stop until I know the truth no matter how hard I fight it. In the end, lies will be uncovered, hearts will be broken, and my life as I’ve come to know it destroyed.

FAULT LINES is coming October 30, 2017! Pre-order your copy today!

Barnes& Noble: https://goo.gl/3AkREE
iBooks: https://goo.gl/nXsHku
Kobo: https://goo.gl/8LDS2J
GooglePlay: https://goo.gl/rWbh1V
Amazon Live Release Alert: https://goo.gl/E3yiVS

Add to your Goodreads

 

 

Can’t wait for a taste of FAULT LINES? Check out this sneak peek below!

 

Pushing through the doors to Manny’s, I see everyone assembled near the bar. Friends and colleagues that I have worked with throughout the years have been waiting on me to arrive to celebrate today’s verdict.

“Congratulations!” Everyone cheers as Ted and I approach the bar. I toss my purse on a bar stool and reach for the glass of white wine that Eduardo, my co-counsel, is holding out for me.

Pressing the cool glass to my lips, I let the smooth wine settle on my tongue before swallowing.

“I’m so damn proud of you.” He leans in and whispers, wrapping one arm around my shoulders.

“I couldn’t have done it without you. I mean that.” I smile at him and squeeze his arm in a gesture of gratitude. Eduardo took me under his wing when I joined the county attorney’s office a little over four years ago. I was an experienced trial lawyer, having learned the ins and outs of trial law with Ted’s firm, but this is new. I’m on the prosecuting end now. This is where I always dreamed to be. Ted’s firm helped me get here and Eduardo has been my mentor and basically my best friend since I arrived.

“I’d be surprised if they even try to appeal,” he says, taking a sip of his vodka tonic. “You were that good. There were no holes in your closing arguments. You presented solid evidence and left nothing for them to come back at us with.”

“She learned from the best,” Ted says, leaning over my shoulder.

Eduardo’s eyes glance away from mine and up to Ted’s. “Mr. Winters,” Eduardo says, reaching out to shake Ted’s. “Nice to see you again.” It’s hard to miss Eduardo’s visible disdain for Ted. His jaw ticks and he swallows hard, but as always, he is the epitome of professional and is always gracious.

“I’ve learned a great deal from both of you.” I smile and wish for the pissing contest to end. “Let’s enjoy our victory.” I hold up my glass of wine to toast, raising my eyebrows, a silent plea to Ted to be nice and he obliges.

“To guilty verdicts,” Eduardo cheers, raising his glass.

Ted gives his head a little shake but reiterates Eduardo’s sentiments.

“To guilty verdicts,” we all repeat and take a drink.

I notice Ted step away to take a phone call and I turn my attention back to Eduardo.

“First and only time I think I’ll ever hear him say that,” Eduardo jokes.

“I think that’s the first and only time I’ll ever hear him say that, too.” I laugh.

My fiancé, Ted Winters, is partner in Winters and Seldon, one of the smallest yet most prestigious law firms in Los Angeles County. Ted is known for representing some of the most high profile, and even dangerous, criminals in California. What cases he doesn’t win, he prides himself on reduced charges, jail time, and fines.

Not guilty—those two words drive him to be the greatest. He’s the best of the best, and he hired me right out of law school. He taught me the way around a courtroom, the best oral arguments, and the tricks to dissect evidence and to look for what everyone else is missing. I took what I learned from Ted and am finally putting it to use as a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County. I always wanted to be on this end of the law, finding justice and doing right by the law.

To avoid any conflict of interest, I avoid all cases where Winters and Seldon is concerned. There are plenty of other prosecutors to try those, and it’s best, both professionally and personally, if I avoid any cases Ted or his firm are involved in.

As I look around the bar at my friends and colleagues, I can’t help but smile proudly at how far I’ve come—and for the people who’ve been with me on this journey.

As my smile fades, I feel the exhaustion hit me like a freight train and, with a few glasses of wine on top of that, I find the need for fresh air. I weave through a sea of bodies in the bar area and push through the large glass door, which leads out onto the rooftop patio. Los Angeles has far from quality air, but pulling the mild summer breeze into my lungs feels good. A sense of calm falls over me as the adrenaline from the day wears off. Carrying the stress of this trial on my shoulders for weeks has wreaked havoc on my sleep, my diet, and exercise, and I can feel the toll it’s taken on my body.

I watch the cars below, crawling along the busy Los Angeles streets, and the hustle and bustle of the city just fifty stories below me. It’s windy up here on the patio, and the soft afternoon breeze whips my hair around. I tilt my face to the sky and let the setting sun cast its warm rays on me when my phone buzzes in my hand. I hesitate, wanting to indulge in a few more moments of silence, but I think better of it.

Glancing down, I see my mom’s home number flashing on the sleek screen of my oversized mobile phone.

“Hi, Mama.” I take a deep breath, excited to hear her voice.

“Frankie?”

My heart sinks when I hear a man’s voice. A voice I could never forget. A voice so familiar that it still haunts me to this day.

Cole. The only person to ever call me Frankie. My heart stills as I wait for him to say more.

“You need to come home,” he says gruffly.

My stomach drops as his voice takes my breath away. The pull it still has on me shakes me to my core. Before he says anything else, I close my eyes and find myself lost in time, back to when I was eleven years old, spending my afternoons down at the fault line, soaking up the last of the days sunlight with Cole by my side.

Crescent Ridge, Nevada resides right on top of a fault line, a town with less than eight hundred people, and sits on the California/Nevada border. A town I left ten years ago and haven’t returned to—because of Cole.

 

Rebecca Shea is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Unbreakable series (Unbreakable, Undone, and Unforgiven) and the Bound and Broken series (Broken by Lies and Bound by Lies). She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family. From the time Rebecca could read she has had a passion for books. Rebecca spends her days working and her nights writing, bringing stories to life. Born and raised in Minnesota, Rebecca moved to Arizona in 1999 to escape the bitter winters. When not working or writing, she can be found on the sidelines of her sons’ football games, or watching her daughter at ballet class. Rebecca is fueled by insane amounts of coffee, margaritas, Laffy Taffy (except the banana ones), and happily ever afters.

 

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

 

 

 

Release Blitz: The Choices I’ve Made by J.L. Berg

SBPRBanner-TCIM-RB.jpg

The Choices I’ve Made by J.L. Berg is LIVE!

tCiM BN Kobo.jpg

The Choices I’ve Made by J.L. Berg

Release Date: October 1st
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Death is easy.

Surviving it? That’s the hard part.

Dr. Jake Jameson knows this all too well. Losing his mother at the age of eighteen, he walks away from his small hometown and the painful memories it holds, vowing to never return again.

Twelve years later, he finds himself driving back down the coast of North Carolina. When his father leaves him a small medical practice, he has no choice but to heed the call until he can find someone else to take it off his hands.

But coming back home means facing everything he left behind, including the one woman who might make it impossible to leave again.

Molly McIntyre has spent her entire life in one town. Taking over her parents’ small inn, she’s settled into a quiet, happy life. But all of that comes to an abrupt halt when Jake shows up at her door in need of a place to stay.

Molly loathes everything about this man, but she can’t find it in her heart to refuse his request.

After over a decade, these former lovers quickly discover what once burned brightly between them has only grown in their time apart. Soon they must decide if the choices they’ve made have led them back to each other for a second chance or one final goodbye.

TCIM-AN.jpg

Read Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yxsF5i

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2xS34Hf

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2wlPuLX

ReleaseBlitz.jpg

About the Author:

I’m a California native, who lives in the South – Virginia to be exact. I still prefer sushi to fried chicken, avocados to okra, and I absolutely loathe humidity. I do love watching the seasons change though. My husband and I have been here for over a decade, and I still get giddy like a school girl every time it snows. It’s magical!

I’m married to my high school sweetheart, and we’ve been blessed with two beautiful daughters and two rescue pups I like to call my “coworkers”. I’m obsessed with chocolate, minions, anything Harry Potter and I love to watch re-runs of Friends and Gilmore Girls!

JLBERG.jpg

Connect with the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjlberg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorjlberg

YouTube: http://bit.ly/2xdlYsu

http://jlberg.com

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt + Giveaway + 5-Star Review: Too Beautiful To Break by Tessa Bailey

A love of a lifetime . . .

Leaving Belmont Clarkson is the hardest thing Sage Alexander has ever done. From the moment they met, she knew Belmont was the one, and getting up close and personal with him on his family’s epic road trip has taken her desire to a new, even hotter level. But there’s no way she can go there—not without revealing secrets that could devastate them both.

Losing Sage is not an option. Belmont’s heart is hers, has always been hers. He knows she’s hiding something from him, but nothing will stand in his way of telling her just how much she means to him. Finding her is easy—saving her from her past could cost him everything.

 

Title: TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK

Author: Tessa Bailey

Series: Romancing The Clarksons, #4

On Sale: September 26, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 USD

eBook: $5.99 USD

Add to: Goodreads

 EXCERPT:

“You don’t have to leave right away,” Sage said when Belmont turned, watching her from beneath his eyebrows. “Can you wait here while I take a quick shower?”

Maybe that hadn’t been the right thing to say. His big back heaved and the touch of his tongue in her mouth came crashing in like a behemoth wave. They had crossed an unspoken boundary on the train platform. There was no going back to before, to when they stopped at rough, crushing embraces. As if that hadn’t been…more than sexual somehow.

“Yes, I’ll wait,” he said, his voice sounding like serrated metal. “I can light the fire for you.”

I’ll say. God, why did everything sound like an innuendo now? If her body weren’t flush and sweating beneath the jumpsuit, she would have laughed about it. But there was nothing funny about having Belmont looming mere yards away, looking like one word of encouragement would snap his chain and send him barreling toward her. “That would be perfect. I’ll just be…a few minutes.”

Sage all but dove into the itty-bitty bathroom, pressing her back up against the door and willing her racing heart to calm down. Why had she asked him to stay? Her resolve would weaken with every passing second. Biting down on her lower lip, she began the excruciating task of lowering the zipper of her jumpsuit, which kicked up a protest in her triceps and shoulder muscles. When she finally got it down, she gripped the hem of her T-shirt and attempted to lift it over her head.

Her arms wouldn’t cooperate. They flat out wouldn’t rise any higher than her ribs, leaving the T-shirt suspended in midair. Her muscles burned like someone had doused them in lighter fluid and held them above a flame. Sage’s agony must have escaped in the form of a whimper, because Belmont’s boots scraped just outside the door. And her stomach hollowed with awareness, lightning racing all over her skin.

“Sage.” His voice was deep, urgent. “Do you need help?”

No. Say no. She’d only gotten finished reminding him she didn’t need him. But in this case, it would be a lie and she’d done so much of that lately. With Belmont. The most truthful person she knew. “I can’t get my shirt off.” Her nose started to ache, the tip probably turning red. “My arms hurt.”

His growl was short and broken. A beat passed before the door opened and she felt Belmont filling the doorway behind her. She flicked a glance up to the ancient mirror and confirmed what she’d seen in her mind’s eyes. Belmont towering over her like an avenging angel, outlined by candlelight. He’d taken off his coat, leaving him in a black long-sleeved shirt, which he’d rolled up to the elbows. Every inch of visible skin was shot through with strained cords of muscle, as if his frustration were written on him like a road map.

Sage still had the shirt halfway lifted, so her lower back was visible. Not a big deal to most people. But Belmont had never seen anything below her neck. Or above her knees. With the jumpsuit peeled halfway down, the band of her underwear might even be peeking out.

Breathing grew difficult as Belmont took one step closer and took hold of the T-shirt, his knuckles grazing the small of her back. “You’re wearing”—his breath ghosted down her neck—“my shirt.”

Sage only realized she’d closed her eyes when they popped open. Oh God. In the shock of Belmont arriving, she’d forgotten. “I am?” Her mouth was parched. “L-look at that.”

“I am looking.” She jumped when Belmont reached over her shoulder with his left hand and turned on the shower, the sound of spray filling the room. Then the roughness of his knuckles returned, sliding up her spine along with the shirt. “I like knowing there was a layer of me standing between you and the earth.”

Her legs took on the consistency of Jell-O. His touch was a drug, making her languid, although it was different than the way he usually touched her. There was sex this time. So much of it. And it was that major difference that allowed Sage to accept the skimming of his fingers. Accept the part of herself that lusted. They were in a dark room and time had surely suspended anywhere outside this little plot of square footage. Words ached to leave her mouth, words that wouldn’t be suitable in the sunlight. This man, so warm and brave and large at her back, knew things about her no one else did. What was one more secret? “I stole it out of your suitcase. I broke a commandment and everything.”

“Why?” He breathed into her hair, sinking heat like an anchor in her belly. The shirt came off, her arms dropped to her sides, and she was left in nothing but a bra from the waist up. Inches from Belmont. “Why, sweetest girl?”

A light steam had begun curling in the air like beckoning fingers. Maybe this is a dream. It felt like one of the fevered fantasies she woke from on occasion, sweat slicking her breasts and neck. “Because I like the way you smell and it hadn’t been washed.”

His exhale was gravelly. “Sage.

“Yes.”

She thought he might not respond, but finally he asked a question that made her nipples turn to hard points. “Can you manage”—a long, windy inhale—“the bra?”

Sage tried. She really, truly did. Her arms felt as though they might break off and hit the floor, but she reached back until her muscles locked up, refusing to move farther. But Belmont was already there, pushing them back down, holding them at her hips.

Jesus. Please, stop. I can’t watch it.” His touch disappeared only for a second and then the cotton material of the bra tightened over her breasts. She could feel him working the back clasp with fingers she knew so well. They’d tunneled through her hair so many times, twisted in her clothing, but had never, ever, touched her with any kind of…intent. Intent to seduce. And that’s what he was doing, intentional or not. The inhibitions she’d held close forever, circled the drain, along with the shower water. “Your back is so beautiful.” A ghost of a fingertip traced down her spine. “But I need to leave before I—”

“What?”

“Before I turn you around.” They weren’t touching, but she could sense the shudder that ran through him. “Or look in that mirror.”

Right or wrong, the mine, their codependency aside, Sage knew if she let him leave just then, she would regret it for all time. Her body had been woken up. By one man. He’d kept her on the razor’s edge for thousands of miles, surrounding her with his power and taking it away. Over and over. And this fever wrapping around them in the tiny bathroom was completely different from easing his anxiety. Finally, she felt like a woman standing in front of him, instead of a calming device. This was mutual and alive and she couldn’t stand it to end. Tomorrow might be a different story, but this moment was the culmination of a thousand dreams and she could no more deny herself than she could forget his face.

“Belmont, do you think of the kiss?”

I never stop,” he groaned into her hair. “Never.”

She took a deep breath for courage. “Will you shower with me?”

 

Tracey’s Review

I can say one true thing, without hesitation. The Clarksons are one intense family. They come by it naturally, of course, imbued with it, as they were, by their mother, Miriam. And, of all of the Clarksons, a family that I adore beyond measure, Belmont is extra-special, the one whose book I have been waiting for. Thank you, Tessa Bailey, for doing this special character justice in TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK.

Throughout the entire Romancing the Clarksons series, Belmont has stood out from his siblings. Stoic, quiet, intense, and ever-present, while the other Clarksons got their stories, their resolutions, the smoothing away of their life-hewn rough edges, Belmont, well, Belmont carried on. It’s clear throughout the books that there is something else going on with him, something simmering just below the surface, something that only Sage Alexander truly understands.

The pull between Sage and Belmont is truly magnetic. Their relationship is absolute yin and yang, and Sage understands before Belmont that they have to break the bond in order to become who they need to be. They both have unfinished business in their lives, and only by learning to step into their own fears and responsibilities will they be able to move forward.

Tessa Bailey has such a way with words, with characterization, and stories that grab you and don’t let go. I have no doubt that, like any good mother, she loves all of her characters equally, but I have to believe that Belmont holds a special place in her heart, because he certainly does mine. I have loved him throughout, and couldn’t to see his relationship with Sage blossom into the fullness that it was destined to be. Finally, in TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK, Bel and Sage are there, and I could not have enjoyed this book more. It’s an easy 5-stars for me, and a great way to wrap up this series. Perfect for fans of contemporary romance with plenty of angsty twists and turns on the way to happiness, the Clarksons should definitely be on TBRs everywhere. And, while I’m sorry to see this series end, I can’t wait to see what Tessa has in store for us next.

BUY THE BOOK HERE

 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Google Play

iBooks

Indie Bound

Kobo

 

THE ROMANCING THE CLARKSONS SERIES

 TOO HOT TO HANDLE, #1

TOO WILD TO TAME, #2

TOO HARD TO FORGET, #3

TOO CLOSE TO CALL, #3.5

TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK, #4

 

Series Page on Goodreads

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.  

 

CONNECT WITH TESSA: 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Goodreads

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

 

Enter the FOREVER GIVEAWAY here

 https://app.viralsweep.com/view_widget/a7fc51-24705

Cover Reveal + Excerpt + Giveaway: Ty’s Heart by Selena Laurence

A single father must face the past when the woman who left him alone with their daughter returns to town, sparking a renewed attraction and fears for his daughter’s future.

Follow the reveal and enter to #win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter at: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29430/?

Title: Ty’s Heart

Series: A California Cowboys Novel

Author: Selena Laurence

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 24, 2017

Length: 60,000 words

 

Blurb:
She’s come back to steal his heart.

Ty Jenkins is a good man. For five long years he’s devoted his life to his young daughter, Katie, giving everything he’s got to make sure she won’t miss the one thing she can’t have–a mother. When that very woman blows back into town, Ty’s world is turned upside down. He’d do anything to care for Katie, but caring for her gets complicated when he still has feelings for the woman who abandoned them both.

Jodi Morgan has made a lot of mistakes in her life, and the biggest one of all was giving up her infant daughter the day she was born. But now she’s back in Big Sur, California, determined to be there for her girl however she can. What Jodi didn’t count on was the way she feels about Katie’s father. Between his devotion to Katie and his work-honed body, Ty is one hell of an attractive package.

As two parents begin a journey to do what’s best for their child, they rediscover the feelings they once had for one another. Can Ty trust Jodi not to leave again? Has she come to be part of Katie’s future? Or will she steal his heart?

 

Find out more at: Goodreads

 

Excerpt:
Ty stood and watched her as she gazed out at the ocean beyond the railing of the deck. He remembered the first time he’d laid eyes on her almost six years ago. She’d been standing behind the counter of his aunt’s coffee shop, all that pale blonde hair piled in a mess on top of her head. Her cornflower-blue eyes—eyes he knew as well as his own now—sparkled when she smiled at customers, and he’d felt it immediately. As if a bolt of lightning had struck him, he’d wanted that girl. He’d wanted that sparkle and glow to be for him.

And for a brief time, it was.

But now, as he quietly watched her, none of the sparkle was there anymore. None of the vibrancy that had been so magnetic when they’d known each other earlier. No, Jodi was different. He could see it in the set of her shoulders, the way she held her arms so tight against her body. Then she turned and looked at him, and it was in her eyes. It was breath stealing, the sorrow he saw there, but he steeled himself against it. Closed himself off and let a layer of armor wind around his heart and his body. Because no matter how sad she might be, she was here to upend his life, to try to take the single most important thing he had, and even if it made her sad for the rest of her life, he wasn’t about to give her what she wanted.

Katie wasn’t negotiable.

“You came,” she said, giving him a small smile as she turned more fully, the thin embroidered cotton dress she wore blowing around her thighs in the breeze.

Her hair was still that same shade of platinum it had always been—so rare for an adult to be that blonde naturally, but Jodi looked like the fae out of some Nordic fairy tale, all fair skin, white-blonde hair, and pale blue eyes. She was tall at five ten, he was taller at six two, and she was strong—long legs, wide shoulders, narrow hips—but buxom as well, a Viking warrior princess.

He gave himself a little shake, remembering that if she wasn’t exactly the enemy now, she sure as hell wasn’t his friend.

“Surely you didn’t expect me to find out you were in town and just ignore it?”

 

 More from the California Cowboys!

Cade’s Loss

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

 

Vaughn’s Pride

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

 

 

About Selena Laurence:
Selena Laurence is an award-winning and USA TODAY bestselling author who loves Putting the Heat in Happily Ever After. Her super sexy stories take place everywhere from rock concerts to family ranches, and her books can be found around the world in four languages, at libraries, bookstores, online, and in audio. 

Selena lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she can often be found at a local coffee shop, hiking the trails, or watching soccer. At home Mr L, her kids, “goldendoodle” and “demoncat” keep her busy trying to corral chaos. A veteran Indie author, Selena also coaches writers through her blog and workshops on turning #Passion2Profession. 

If you’d like to get to know her better, join Selena’s reader/reviewer group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/180909955632263/

Or subscribe to her newsletter and get FREE books: http://www.subscribepage.com/JoinSelena

You can connect with her online at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Racer by Katy Evans – The Real Series – Book 7

SBPRBanner-Racer-RB.jpg

Racer by Katy Evans
Publication Date: September 28th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Racer, an all-new standalone in the Real Series from New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans is LIVE!

Racer Amazon.jpg

A bad boy with something to prove.

A woman with a mission.

The race of their lives.

The love of a lifetime.

I don’t think his parents expected him to live up to his name—Racer Tate—but once he felt the adrenaline rush behind the wheel, he was addicted.

He’s the fastest, fiercest driver around.

Scouting new talent brings me to his doorstep…

but his smile sends me to my knees.

The sexy, mysterious Racer Tate is not the kind of man a girl like me falls for. He’s secretive, reckless, elusive. But his proximity pushes me beyond reason, and his kiss….

This is our last chance to win, and he is our only hope. I’m supposed to watch him—make sure he doesn’t get into trouble. But it’s an impossible task. And now the one in heart wrenching, toe-curling, soul-crushing trouble is me. Because when your heart belongs to someone, their truths become your own, and their secrets become your salvation…or your curse.

He says he wants me. He says I’m the One. But he also thinks he’ll break my heart, one piece at a time until it’s gone.

Racer-AN.jpg

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2vkUzTi

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/u6Afj4

iBooks: https://goo.gl/s1EHS7

Nook: https://goo.gl/zoTe8X

Kobo: https://goo.gl/WgX9oJ

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/JFvQ6D

Release Blitz.jpg

___________________________

Michel’s Review

I have been waiting for a book like this to release for a long time.  I remember when Real by Katy Evans released and stole the readers hearts.  The intensity of the characters, the pureness of their romance, and the raw vulnerability made this book stand out.  As the series progressed with new characters, it was still very good but not quite like Real until now.  Racer by Katy Evans, the seventh book in the Real series, brings this series full circle.  Racer Tate has grown up and demanding his own story.

Lana Heyworth is part of the formula one HW Racing Team which is owned by her family.  The team is about to go under unless they can find a new driver to bring the team to greatness once again,  As head of PR, Lana wants to find a driver that can save her family legacy.  Her search brings her to St. Pete, FL  where she meets Racer Tate, the legendary illegal street racer.  After watching him drive she’s convinced he is the one.  Not only is he the driver their team needs, he is also the one that makes her heart race.

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Racer is every bit as intense as his father.  He is also harboring secrets that could affect his future with Lana.

Lana has scars from the past she needs to overcome.  She needs to learn to open her heart up and let love in.  She can’t let past influences or her family hold her back.

I must say Katy Evans delivered the book I have been waiting for the past four years.  I fell hopelessly in love with Racer like I did with his father, Remy.  This book had the right amount of intensity, sexiness, and romance.  I loved it!

___________________________

About the Author:

Katy Evans is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her debut REAL shot to the top of the bestselling lists in 2013 and since then 9 of her titles have been New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages across the world.

14641897_1296497593718343_3282326832694013349_n.jpg

Connect with the Author:

Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans

Twitter @authorkatyevans