Rebecca Martin has achieved most things one might hope to by thirty. She is a successful business owner, drives a nice car and is wrapping up the details on a custom built home on the lake. The only thing she is missing is someone to share her accomplishments with.
One man has never been far from her thoughts – Kade McMillian, but his return to town after far too many years of chasing his dreams couldn’t be more poorly timed.
With a younger man demanding Rebecca attention at the office, she has to decide between reconstructing a relationship from her past or diving in deep to something new and seemingly forbidden.
Trust what you know or step out and hope that you don’t end up Baited …
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Friendly Fire is part 2.
“Law breaker? Hardly,” she scoffed. “I just don’t want to go through the trouble to get a license and then have to change my…” The conversation came to an abrupt halt. Quinn looked up at Rick slack-mouthed, with discernible fear in her wide eyes.
“Change? Change what?”
She waved a shaky hand in the air dismissively. “Nothing. I don’t know what I was saying.”
Rick knew she was lying. He didn’t even need the extensive interrogation training he received in the Marines to see the blatant lie.
What in the hell is she hiding from me?
He was getting damn sick of the evasiveness and the games that Quinn played. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time or the place to get into an argument with her and he promised that he wouldn’t push her to discuss things. Rick silently seethed, clenching his hands under the table.
The rest of the meal was finished quickly. Neither of them touched on subjects other than safe, impersonal ones, sports, traffic, and the weather.
Fuck! I’m sitting here discussing the mother fucking weather while the girl I love slips through my fingers.
Love? A bolt of fear shot through Rick’s heart, jump starting it until it was pumping erratically against his chest.
I love her?
Rick mulled it over as they drove back to Quinn’s apartment, turning it over in his mind a hundred different ways with no clear answer. He walked her up the stairs, waiting for her to unlock the door. As he stood there watching her, the sun glinting off of the golden highlights in her dark hair, it finally hit him, sucking the air from his lungs.
Without a doubt, I fucking love her.
Quinn opened the door, turning to say good-bye. This time, Rick wasn’t going to let her push him away. There would be no more keeping him at arm’s length. He loved her, and he wasn’t going to give up. Pride be damned, he’d fucking grovel on his knees if that’s what it took.
Rick inhaled a deep breath and moved into the apartment, forcing Quinn to step back so he could fit through the doorway.
“Rick, what—”
Done with the bullshit dance they’d been doing, he silenced Quinn by crushing his mouth over hers, spinning them until her back hit the partially open door, slamming it closed. Rick pressed his weight against her, pinning her soft body against the thick slab of wood as he dominated her, thrusting his denim-covered cock against her abdomen. He could sense the exact moment Quinn stopped fighting, giving herself over to the pleasure. Her tense muscles relaxed and her mouth joined in, yet she allowed Rick to control the kiss.
Lips and teeth mashed together brutally, Rick’s tongue plunging into the depths of her mouth. This wasn’t a gentle kiss meant to be romantic. No, it was a rough display of possessiveness, of pent up desire. It was all of Rick’s love and anguish coming out in one overwhelming display of need and power.
He slid his arms around Quinn’s waist, gripping her round backside and pressing his fingers deep into the soft flesh. He tugged her hips forward, grinding their groins together almost painfully. Quinn moaned into Rick’s mouth, her desperate sounds acting like gasoline on the fire roaring through his body.
“Fuck, doll.”
Michel’s Review
Richochet: Friendly Fire is the second book in the Ricochet series by Heather C. Leigh. This book cannot be read as a stand alone, the first book in the series must be read.
This second installment was exactly as I predicted. It was an intense delivery of Rick and Quinn’s relationship. It also built up to the suspenseful event that happens at the end. It gives the reader an idea of who Rick and Quinn are. They both have secrets. They both are harboring scars from the past. They have finally given into their attraction, but can they let go of their secrets? Can they move forward? Neither one is ready to admit their true feelings and it could cost not only their love, but possibly their lives.
This installment in the Ricochet series kept me enthralled. I loved the pacing, the chemistry between the characters, and the build up of suspense. It ended on the perfect cliffhanger that will leave readers begging for more.
The third book will be out on April 12, 2015. I am ready!
Ricochet: Locked & Loaded
Ricochet Series – Book 1
By Heather C. Leigh
Synopsis
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-four year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts.
***This book contains hot sweaty men, sexy scenes for those over 18, and uncomfortable, sometimes violent scenes.***
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Friendly Fire is part 2.
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Extraction Point is part 3.
I’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!
Eighteen-year-old Kricket Hollowell was looking for her place in the world when she discovered that the universe was bigger—and more dangerous—than she had ever dreamed. Now, whisked across space to the planet Ethar, Kricket learns that her genetic ability to see the future makes her a sought-after commodity…and the catalyst for war between her star-crossed parents’ clans. According to Alameedan prophecy, one house will rise to power and the other will be completely wiped out, and Kricket’s precognition is believed to be the weapon that will tip the scales.
A target of both the Rafe and the Alameeda houses, Kricket finds protection—and a home—in the arms of Trey, her Etharian bodyguard-turned-boyfriend. But her visions of what’s to come disturb her deeply, especially since she must discover whether the gift of foresight will allow her to rewrite the future, or if her fate is as immovable as the stars.
The highly anticipated sequel to Under Different Stars, winner of four 2014 utopYA Awards.
If you have not read the novel Under Different Stars, this review may contain spoilers. I would like to express my appreciation to NetGalley and 47North for the opportunity to read and review Sea of Stars.
I’d like to introduce you to the world of author Amy A. Bartol. She writes novels in the young adult genre. Paranormal, science fiction and fantasy with a touch of romance. She is probably better-known as the author of the Premonition series. I plowed through every novel of the Premonition series during the early months of 2013. Although her paranormal romance series about angels continues to be a work in progress, Bartol surprised readers with something completely different back in December of 2013. It was a novel titled Under Different Stars, and it was the first novel of a brand new series.
The Kricket series is a combination of science fiction and fantasy. Science fiction is not my usual cup of tea, but I knew Amy A. Bartol was capable of writing a creative and exciting new story. This review is specifically for the second novel of the Kricket series, Sea of Stars, but I’ll give a brief summary of Under Different Stars for readers who are interested in this series.
In Under Different Stars, we learn eighteen-year-old Kricket Hollowell grew up in the foster care system of Chicago, Illinois. In recent years, Kricket has become an expert at evading case workers, learning how to blend in and live on her own. She has always longed for someplace she could call home. Trey Allairis is given the assignment of locating Kricket. He is to retrieve her from Earth and bring her to Ethar. Kyon Ensin knows just how special Kricket is. She’s not just your average teenager from Chicago, and he is also in the process of locating Kricket.
Trey is from the House of Rafe; Kyon is from the House of Alameeda. Kricket learns her father is Rafian, and her mother is a Priestess from the House of Alameeda. She learns her ability to see the future is a catalyst for a war between her parent’s clans. Under Different Stars is a fantastic start to the Kricket series. We learn about the differences and conflict between the five houses of Ethar and why Kricket is so important to their future.
This brings me to Sea of Stars. If you have read any of her novels, you already know Amy A. Bartol has a fantastic imagination! Under Different Stars sets the stage for the rest of the Kricket series. We are introduced to the world of Ethar, which is very different from Earth. When I think of the differences, it makes me realize the amount of thought Bartol put into this series! Bartol created a unique language specifically for the Etharians. When I sat down to read Sea of Stars, it had been months since I read Under Different Stars. I had forgotten what many of the Etharian words mean, so I was very happy to discover Bartol included a glossary for her readers to refer to. And that glossary was a lifesaver for me – don’t be afraid to use it!
Sea of Stars is full of strategy and nonstop action and completely unexpected twists and turns! I really thought I understood who the bad guys were after reading Under Different Stars, but now I’m not so sure. We have an antagonist who I am strangely empathizing with. This is confusing for me because I absolutely love the relationship between Kricket and Trey. We are introduced to new characters who are in pursuit of Kricket in Sea of Stars. What are their agendas? Do they have good or bad intentions? And, finally, war breaks out on Ethar. All of that nonstop action that I mentioned earlier? Sea of Stars just steamrolls into pure awesomeness throughout the entire story! It keeps getting better and better until we finally reach the climax! For all of these reasons, I am giving Sea of Stars a 5-star rating and placing it on my list of 2015 favorites! Don’t be afraid to try something different. I highly recommend the Kricket series!
The Kricket Series
Under Different Stars
The Kricket Series- Book 1
By Amy A. Bartol
Synopsis
Kricket Hollowell never wished upon stars. She was too busy hiding in plain sight, eluding Chicago’s foster care system. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, she now eagerly anticipates the day she’ll stop running and finally find her place in the world.
That day comes when she meets a young Etharian soldier named Trey Allairis, who has been charged with coming to Earth to find Kricket and transport her to her true home. As danger draws close, he must protect her until she can wield the powers she cannot use on Earth…and he soon realizes that counting a galaxy of stars would be easier than losing this extraordinary girl.
Kyon knows the powerful depths of Kricket’s gifts—gifts he’ll control when he takes her for his tribe and leads the forces that will claim Ethar and destroy his enemies, starting with Trey Allairis. Now, Kricket faces the most difficult choice of her life: whether to wage a battle for survival or a fight for love.
Winner of four 2014 utopYA Awards, including Best Book of the Year and Best Sci-Fi Book of the Year.
Author of Inescapable: The Premonition Series (Volume 1), Intuition: The Premonition Series (Volume 2), Indebted: The Premonition Series (Volume 3) , and Incendiary: The Premonition Series (Volume 4). Currently working on a fifth novel in the Premonition Series entitled Iniquity.
Under Different Stars (Kricket Series Book 1)
Sea of Stars (The Kricket Series Book 2) – (Release date 3/31/15)
The Divided – A Science Fiction Romance short story, which is included in the Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology.
I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed. Please visit me at my website: http://www.amyabartol.weebly.com
Your all access backstage pass to the world’s most dysfunctional rock band.
Tempest rocking.
Tempest rolling.
Tempest raging out of control.
IRRESISTIBLE REFRAIN
Two years ago everything changed for the remaining members of the Seattle rock band Tempest.
Two years is a long time.
Too long to keep on remembering.
Not nearly long enough to forget.
In trouble with nowhere else to go songstress Lace Lowell seeks refuge with the band during their stop in New York City. It’s a risky move for her because they are both there, two impossibly good looking men whose lives are inseparably entwined with hers. One who bruised her heart and one who smashed it into pieces.
Warren “War” Jinkins, the mercurial lead singer of Tempest, has always had a thing for Lace. But then again so does his best friend and band mate.
Bryan “Bullet” Jackson, the sinfully handsome tat-sleeved lead guitarist, has a bad boy reputation befitting his nickname. For the past two years Bullet’s had a rule with the groupies: one time, never twice, leave ‘em satisfied, but always leave ‘em.
Two guys, one woman, and a host of dark secrets all together within the tight confines of a tour bus as the group travels cross country.
Can the past be forgotten and buried?
Will friendships prevail?
Or will the three of them succumb to seductive impulses too addictive to resist?
ENTICING INTERLUDE
To the talented vocalist Justin Jones, love is merely a game that he plays by his own rules.
But to Bridget Dubois, love and heartache are one and the same.
Broken too many times before, the delicate beauty keeps her emotions carefully concealed. Bridget has her own set of rigid rules when it comes to men. She prefers to avoid them altogether, especially dangerously seductive auburn haired emerald eyed players like Justin.
But the new lead singer of the rising rock band Tempest doesn’t like to be ignored. Justin is used to getting what he wants, and now he’s set his sights on Bridget.
Suddenly, it’s no longer a game.
What do you do when the one you can’t have turns out to be the one you can’t live without?
As the pressure builds, will it temper them or will it shatter them both like fragile crystal?
CAPTIVATING BRIDGE
Warren “War” Jinkins is that guy.
The bad one.
Tempest’s ex front man, an arrogant rock god.
The only thing larger than his ego is his capacity for self-destruction.
His bad attitude has cost him. His woman. His best friend. His band. Everything.
Shaina Bentley is that girl.
The good one.
Hollywood’s pink candy-coated sweetheart.
The star of Pinky Swear, television’s top rated teen show.
She’s been practically perfect since that horrible day. But she’s starting to crack under the strain of being everything to everyone.
He’s a one man island. She’s a fragile captive soul.
Is love a current too dangerous to cross or will it be the bridge that brings them together?
RELENTLESS RHYTHM
The one she really wants is out of reach.
The one he really needs is already taken.
Dizzy Lowell, rhythm man for the rising rock band Tempest is a wizard on the guitar and a wonder with women. But the hookup specialist hides his emotional scars beneath his suave exterior. He never lets anyone truly touch him.
April Reynolds, the confident bartender of the Diamond Mine, knows her way around a cocktail, but Dizzy has her all mixed up. She knows what’s safe. She’s tired of settling, though. It would be so easy to fall under his spell.
Except for that ring around her finger.
Two searching souls separated by a thin metal band.
Some dreams are dangerous.
Some secrets shouldn’t be shared.
Sometimes what we wish for most can never be.
Excerpt
“Why do you stay with him?” I laid it all out there. “You don’t love him, and you’re obviously afraid of him. How does that even work?”
“Don’t.” She tried to turn away, but I framed her delicate face so she couldn’t. Her cheeks turned pink and her eyes got even brighter. “I don’t want to talk about him. Please. I don’t even want to think about him.” Her impassioned tone and her expression revealed her desperation. “Just for one night. I want to pretend he doesn’t even exist. To pretend I’m a woman a guy like you might be interested in.” She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as if wishing with all her might.
“Oh, Kitten. I’m interested all right.” I swept the pad of my thumb over the pink gloss of her plump bottom lip. Her eyes fluttered open, and I saw the raw desire in them.“ I’ve got no problem with forgetting about him.” I wanted to help her wipe every trace of sadness from her life.
Reimagining classic stories with sexy rock stars and thought provoking issues.
For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn’t kill her but the hours and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander.
Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a Brutal Strength centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock ‘n roll industry.
Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the Tempest series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.
Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the Magic series.
When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.
GIVEAWAY 4 audio books 4 paperbacks, Tempest tour lanyard, a couple of temporary tattoos and an adjustable chain ring from soul of rose jewelry (> than combined $100 value) 1 WINNER
The Evil Dead Motorcycle Club gave Wolf his nickname. They said it was because women stood about as much chance with him as Little Red Riding Hood stood against The Big Bad Wolf. And maybe that was true.
For Wolf, when it comes to his club, he’s all about loyalty. He loves his brothers, he loves the freedom of the road, and he loves his independence. When it comes to women, Wolf is all about the chase. He likes the hunt, he likes the challenge, and he loves women. And for the hot-as-hell badass biker, they’ve always come too easily. But they never fully satisfy him.
That is, until he met Crystal.
Buried under that hard-edged sexy-as-sin tomboy with the smartass mouth that can put any brother in the MC in his place, is a feminine side she only reveals when pushed. And Wolf is just the man to push. Problem is she’s the only woman to ever push back. Which only makes him more determined to have her.
Life in the Evil Dead MC isn’t easy, and neither is loving one of them. It’s a life that can leave a man scarred and bloody. And sometimes the fallout is far reaching and takes more than a man is willing to give.
It can be just as risky for any woman brave enough to love one of them.
The scars of life run deep, for both of them.
Sometimes life doesn’t give you a fairytale, sometimes you have to make your own.
And sometimes it takes a spitfire to tame a hell-raiser.
When outlaw biker, Cole Austin sees a young woman handcuffed and being dragged across the yard of the Dead Souls Motorcycle Club’s remote clubhouse, he’s stunned by the realization of just how dark his world has become. This scene is even more than his twisted soul can stomach. Compelled to intercede and save her, he has no idea his whole world is about to change. He believes he’s doing the right thing until a secret she’s hiding makes him question if saving her may be the biggest mistake of his life. The two strike a deal, a deal they may both come to regret. Can his soul be saved? Is there anything he won’t do for her? Are there some things he just can’t? And are there some things she can never forgive?
When outlaw biker Tyler “Crash” Shaw volunteers his services to his club brother, Cole Austin, VP of the Evil Dead MC, he suddenly finds himself a rich girl’s bodyguard and babysitter. Well, it’s a bitch of a job, but maybe he can have a little fun with it. He thinks he’ll get a kick out of teaching the pampered stuck-up girl a lesson or two on how the other half lives. She can cook and clean for him in exchange for his help. No free ride for her. He intends to teach her that money can’t buy her way through life.
The world saw a classy pulled-together wealthy lady. All he saw was a spoiled little rich girl. A troublemaker, that’s all she was to him. Until she revealed the shattered girl inside that tried so hard to hide her weaknesses and fears with a façade of arrogance, attitude, and sass.
He’d tear down those walls she tried so hard to build, if only she’d let him.
Could the love of a man so wrong for her be the only one to save her?
And in his darkest hour, would her love be enough to save him?
From the MC’s California charter in San Jose, to the casinos and brothels of Reno, to brother charters in the Deep South, this story will take you on a ride of highs and lows that lead ultimately to redemption.
Shades hadn’t seen Skylar in years, and now here she was, the love of his life, riding back into his life on the back of a brother’s bike.
For years after Shades had lost Skylar, he’d tried satisfying the emptiness of losing her with booze, pussy and the club. He’d turned his frustration at having to give her up into a determination to climb the ranks of the club, but he hadn’t counted on the fact that the pull he’d felt toward Skylar had only laid dormant in him all these years. Or that all it would take to reignite it was just one look at her. And he sure as hell hadn’t counted on her showing up on the back of a brother’s bike.
When Skylar finally comes back into his life, will his desire for earning that VP patch stand in the way of any future he could have with her?
And when a rival MC shows up looking for Skylar, things go from complicated to damn near impossible.
Does Skylar come with more baggage than Shades is willing to sign up for?
____________________________________
Author Bio:
Nicole James grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. As a child, she wrote her first book, Charlie the Firefly, at the age of eight. Her mother knew long before she did that she would someday become an author. Growing up, she spent many happy weekends and summers in Michigan at a cabin on a lake. Winters, she loved to ski. As an adult, Nicole has traveled all over the West and South. She has lived in Illinois, Arizona, Georgia and Alabama. She has a love of motorcycles, writing, reading and the beach. Her favorite city is New Orleans. She loves music of all kinds, but especially the blues. She has two wonderful sisters, two fabulous kids, one awesome son-in-law, and an adorable granddaughter.
We are so excited to share with you the cover for CHOOSE ME, book 2 in The Archer Brothers Series by Heidi McLaughlin releasing on April 1st. This is a MUST READ series – make sure to add it to your TBR! Isn’t the cover gorgeous?!?!?!
Evan and Nate Archer: Brothers, best friends, warriors and now enemies. Both in love with the same woman. Both determined to fight for what they want.
Nate Archer promised to protect Ryley Clarke in the event Evan didn’t make it back. It’s a promise between brothers since the early days of basic training. Nate never considered that his feelings, long buried since high school, would resurface and grow stronger.
Evan Archer wants answers. He wants someone to pay. After being gone for an unprecedented amount of time, nothing is making sense now that he’s home. Most of all, he can’t understand how his brother ended up engaged to his fiancée. Evan is determined to uncover the mystery, and win back his family.
The moment I woke up on April 1, 2015 the first thing I had to do was check my kindle. I was anxiously awaiting for Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin. It is the sequel to Here With Me, the first book in the Archer Brothers series. Low and behold it was there on my kindle just waiting for me to read. After I rushed my kids off to school and shoo’d husband out the door, I sat down to read. I could not put this book down until it was finished. Hours later as I read the last word, I realized I had not gotten out of my pj’s, had not showered, and had not ate a thing. I was captivated by The Archer Brothers story and how it ended.
As I expected, it was another 6 + Star book that would go on my 2015 Favorites list.
Choose Me cannot be read as a stand alone novel. It is the sequel to Here With Me.
Here With Me ended on a major cliffhanger. Nate Archer had returned home from training exercises to find his dead twin brother, Evan Archer, alive and well. Not only was he alive and well, he was also with his fiance and son. He was a threat to his family, his life, and his happiness. It was hard to overjoyed to see his brother alive and well. Where had he been for the last six years? Was it really him or an imposter? What would this mean to his life as he knew it? Would he have to give up the woman he loved and the son he raised because his brother was the biological father? What had the Navy done to their lives?
As this emotional story unfolds, it will pull at all of your heartstrings. Nate Archer is not a bad guy, in fact he is a very honorable good man. He stepped up to plate when his brother lost his life. He was there when his brother’s son came into the world. He has raised the boy as his own. He didn’t purposely set out to fall in love with Ryley, he just wanted to take care of her like he promised his brother he would. He has made sacrifices so that his brother’s memory would be honored. He has everything to lose and nothing to gain except a shattered heart.
Evan Archer has lost everything he loved including his twin brother. He has had to fight for every moment with his family since his ascension from the grave. His own son, flesh and blood, is calling his brother daddy. His woman is wearing his brother’s ring. His brother may be responsible for his demise. He wants his life back. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Ryley is in a situation that no woman would ever want to be in. She is in love with two brothers. One was her first love. He was her once in a lifetime kind of love. He captured her heart and gave her a son. He was her first for every emotional experience she would encounter, including grief. The other brother was there to pick up the shattered pieces. He shared her grief and experienced the same loss. He supported her, he nurtured her, he gave her friendship, and finally gave her a new love to look forward to. He has been a father to her son. How can she chose between two extraordinary men? Both have important places in her heart. How will this affect her son? He is the one innocent victim that is going to suffer from the decisions the adults make in his life.
Not only are there decisions about life to be made. There are still questions about the mission that destroyed all their lives. This mission did not only affect the Archer family, it affected and destroyed the lives of the three other men on this six year mission. Why would the Navy do this and cover it up?
As they start to question all the facts, the danger begins to escalate. Their lives are being threatened. The more they uncover, the more dangerous it becomes. When they finally get the truth of what happened it will be devastating for all that are involved.
In the end they will have the answers they needed but their lives will be forever changed. There were no victors in this story. Each person walked away scarred in some way. They will all find the peace they need to move forward in life. They will find that love comes in many ways. It’s not always what we thought it was.
Heidi McLaughlin has written a story that readers will never forget. It digs deep and touches your soul. The reader will experience every single emotion a person can experience throughout this book. Each of the characters is equally important. There are no heroes or heroines. They are real people trying to survive their lives.
Everyone may not get the happy ending they were hoping for. That is the way life is. When one door opens another one closes. Sometimes what we want is not what really need. In the end the most important thing is to love to the best of our ability. Give the best of ourselves. Give respect to the other people in our lives. Always put family first.
This is one the most emotional series I have read. Heidi McLaughlin has risen above her high standards and went beyond excellence with her Archer Brothers Series.
See the review for Here With Me, the book that started it all below……
Don’t Miss Out on book one in The Archer Brothers Series
Here With Me
A Smut Book Junkie Reviews 2014 Favorite & 6 Star Review
Michel’s Review
October 24, 2014
Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin is the first book in her new series. This series is called The Archer Brothers. Being a huge Heidi McLaughlin fan, I had to one click this book the moment it went live. I devoured the book and am experiencing the ultimate reading hangover.
Wow! Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin is her best book yet. The writing was superb! Heidi reached deep within the realm of emotions and executed them flawlessly throughout the book. The reader instantly becomes invested in the characters and feels every emotion they are experiencing. The characters are larger than life and jump off the pages. The secondary characters are an all-star supporting cast that completely makes this story surreal. The plot has been intricately woven into a book that reaches far beyond a second chance romance. Heidi adds suspense, drama, and an impossible love triangle. She adds the important elements that make these characters lives become even more real. Their families, their friends, and their support networks validate their lives. What holds all these characters together and makes them work harder to accept the unacceptable is a young boy. The five year old son that loves unconditionally. The book is written from duel POV ‘s. It flashes from past to present. The reader gets a strong sense of what brought this young couple together. They share their young love, their passion for one another, and their growth as a couple. We see them grow from teenagers to mature adults. We see their strengths and weaknesses. The one thing the reader can count on is their love for another. It is unquestionable. Their love is not the problem, it is their lives in the present, and their futures. There are difficult choices to make. Not only will these choices determine the future, they will destroy the fragile lives they have built. There is no winner. Each person will walk away hurt in some way.
Evan Archer was a Navy Seal. His last assignment should have been easy. An in and out. That mission stretched into six long years. When his team is finally able to come home they are in for a complete surprise. There are no welcoming committees, no military personal, and no transports home. Why? Because they are dead! They have been dead and buried for over five years. The lives they once had are gone. Their loved ones have moved on in life. Imagine the shock.
The only thing Evan wants is to return home to the love of his life and meet his son face to face. Riley Clarke has held his heart since he was a teenager. Imagine his shock when he finally meets up with Riley and she is not happy to see him. Imagine finding out that she is now engaged to another man. Imagine finding out that man is your twin brother. Imagine your son calling that man daddy.
Riley Clarke lost the love of her life when Evan was killed in action. She has spent the last six years moving on from that devastating loss. She had to give birth to her son alone. She has watched him grow alone. The only thing that held her together was the support of her family and Evan’s twin brother Nate. The two of them have mourned together, supported each other, and built a strong friendship that led to a loving relationship. When the man that owned her heart rises up from the grave she is once again devastated. She is angry with the world. She feels powerless and out of control. How can she choose between the man that owned her heart and the man that brought her heart back to life. Any choice she makes will destroy one of these men. Any choice she makes is going to forever break their brotherly bonds. It is going to destroy them all.
On top of all the emotional turmoil are the underlying facts about the mission. Clearly something went wrong. As the story unfolds it will raise many more questions.
I loved all the characters in this book. I am definitely rooting for Evan. I loved how he not only loved Riley as a teenager and grown woman, but how he respected her feelings and emotions at all times. He is truly a very good man. The readers did not get know much about Nate in the present times. We got to know him through memories and passages of the present. I think we will get to know his character in the next book. I think he is going to be more complex than we are anticipating.
This book ended on an emotional cliffhanger. It left the readers with so many questions. It also left the readers wanting to know Nate’s POV. I cannot wait for the next book, Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin. I need it now!
Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive… until Evan’s twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.
After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable – the love of his life, Ryley Clarke – engaged to his brother, Nate. With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.
Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup, two Parakeets, Gonzo & Hedwig, and their newest addition of a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, Jill.
During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she’s writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter’s basketball games.
First in the new Silver Valley series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reapers Motorcycle Club Novels
Fourteen months. For fourteen months, Puck Redhouse sat in a cell and kept his mouth shut, protecting the Silver Bastards MC from their enemies. Then he was free and it was time for his reward—full membership in the club, along with a party to celebrate. That’s when he saw Becca Jones for the first time and set everything in motion. Before the night ended he’d violated his parole and stolen her away from everything she knew.
Five years. It was five years ago that Puck destroyed Becca and saved her all in one night. She’s been terrified of him ever since, but she’s even more terrified of the monsters he still protects her from… But Becca refuses to let fear control her. She’s living her life and moving forward, until she gets a phone call from the past she can’t ignore. She has to go back, and there’s only one man she can trust to go with her—the ex-con biker who rescued her once before.
Puck will help her again, but this time it’ll be on his terms. No more lies, no more tears, and no more holding back what he really wants…
“The Longnecks—they’re the MC my stepdad hung around with—they kept a lot of club whores around. Do the Silver Bastards do that, too?”
“Yup,” she replied. “It’s a free country and the brothers bring guests here all the time. Some of them stick around, some of them don’t. Some find they aren’t as welcome as they thought.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Boonie’s dick is the only one that matters to me,” she replied, her voice matter-of-fact. “As for the women, I care less about who they’re sleeping with than how they act the rest of the time. Like I said, fuck with the sisters and you won’t last. Bridget won’t be back if she keeps this shit up.”
“Old ladies didn’t get to make those decisions in the Long- necks.”
Darcy smiled sweetly. “We don’t get to make those decisions in the Silver Bastards, either. Yet the right decisions still magically happen. Nobody knows how, really. Guess it’s just all our good karma coming back to us.”
My mouth dropped. Darcy winked.
“You think those men don’t need us?” she asked. “Boonie likes sleeping next to me. Gets cold and lonely when all the old ladies take a girls’ weekend in Seattle. Would be even colder and lonelier if we didn’t come back, and one time we forgot to for nearly a week. Fortunately things worked out and we found our way home again. Now things tend to work out faster.”
My eyes went wide.
“You serious?”
“Do I look like a woman who will eat shit?”
Point taken.
“Let’s get this trash out. I’m sure Puck will be looking for you soon, and I want to make sure all the girls meet you first. That boy’s crazy about you—it’s cute. Like a pit bull crushing on a kitten.”
About Joanna Wylde
Joanna is a freelance writer living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She started writing fiction in 2002, then took a long hiatus to explore other writing opportunities. She returned to fiction in January 2013 with ‘Reaper’s Property’, the first book in the Reapers Motorcycle Club series, and has recently released ‘Reapers Legacy’, the second of the series.
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-four year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts.
***This book contains hot sweaty men, sexy scenes for those over 18, and uncomfortable, sometimes violent scenes.***
The Ricochet series by Heather C. Leigh has a very special unique combination of the kind of romance heroes that readers love. The series is based around an MMA Training Center that is the cover for a secret private special ops organization. The men that run this gym are not only professionally trained fighters, they are also lethal warriors. How could I not read this new series?
Ricochet: Locked & Loaded is the first book in this three part series. As in most series, the first book introduces the reader to the characters, sets the stage for the overall plot, starts to build the undeniable attraction and heated chemistry between the characters, and starts to weave the story. In Ricochet: Locked & Loaded the reader gets a good idea of who Rick and Quinn are. The reader also gets a taste of the heated attraction between the two. The reader also gets an idea of both of their demons that chase them.
I really enjoyed this first installment to this series. I am really looking forward to the next book, Ricochet: Friendly Fire. I think the reader is going to get the meat to this story in this installment. I have a feeling the suspense and romance are going to heat up beyond boiling point.
The great thing about the Ricochet series is that readers don’t have to wait weeks or months for the next book. Each book is being released one week apart.
Don’t miss out on the Ricochet series by Heather C. Leigh
______________________________________
Coming Soon
Ricochet : Friendly Fire
Ricochet Series – Book 2
Release Date: April 5, 2015
By Heather C. Leigh
Synopsis
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Friendly Fire is part 2.
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Extraction Point is part 3.
I’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!
The much anticipated release of Fisher Amelie’s third standalone installment of The Seven Deadly Series, FURY, finally has a release date! Stay tuned below for the reveals of her new covers for VAIN and GREED, a chapter from FURY, as well as the heart-stopping trailer for FURY, due out May 4th, 2015.
Prepare Yourselves.
About FURY:
Revenge is an euphoric thing. Trust me on this. Nothing compares to the release you get when you ruin someone’s life. When they’ve stolen important things. Things that didn’t belong to them. Things I revel in making them pay for.
What? Have I offended you? I’m not here to appeal to your delicate senses. I have no intention of placating your wishes or living within your personal belief system nor do I care if you hate me. And you will hate me. Because I’m a brutal, savage, cold-blooded murderer and I’m here for my revenge.
I’m Ethan Moonsong…And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most sacrificing man to the most feared and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
The new cover for the first standalone in The Seven Deadly Series, VAIN.
And now for an excerpt from FURY, due out May 4th, 2015…
I heard a snap and the light cracked on, piercing through my closed lids. My head pounded and I groaned then rolled over, pulling my cover over my head to drown out the source of my pain.
“Get up,” a deep voice commanded. “Get up,” he continued, kicking my shoe.
“Dad,” I rasped. “I’m hungover and feel like shit.”
He was silent for a moment so I pulled the cover down just enough to see his face. He was not amused.
“Ethan, watch your language, get your butt up, and find a job.” I didn’t answer him. I had nothing to say that would please him. “And while you’re at it, stop this ridiculous drinkin’, son.”
I sat up, ran my hands through my long black hair and wrapped the length around my fist. I sat back against the wall, reveling in how cool it was, and tried not to vomit.
“Did you see them today?” I asked him, unable to help myself.
My dad removed his hat and leaned against the jamb, scrubbing his face with his free hand. “You like to torture yourself,” he said, shaking his head then sighing. “You remind me so much of your mama.”
The mere mention of my mother sent me spiraling down once more in depression. We’d lost her a few years before and I was still in agony. That, coupled with the fact that Spencer Blackwell stole my girl right out from underneath my nose, was enough for me to drink to excess every night. I hate him.
“Are they,” I swallowed, afraid of his answer, “are they together now?”
My father sighed again. “Ethan, get dressed.”
“Are they?” I asked again, letting my hand drop to my side. My hair slid with it and cascaded down my back.
“You are a stubborn boy. Yes, okay? Yes, they’re together. All the more reason to move on, son.”
My body suddenly weighed a thousand pounds and I felt my head reeling. So it was true then. They were together and they would probably get married and I was going to have to sit there in that godforsaken small town and watch it all happen. I was going to get a front row seat to my own misery.
I nodded once, rested my hands on my knees for a brief moment, then ran past my dad, shouldering him as I did so and nearly knocking him over before making it to the small bathroom across the hall and retching everything in my stomach into the toilet.
My dad stood in the bathroom doorway shaking his head in disappointment. When I was done, I fell back into the wall. That look shamed me to my core. Any time my dad felt let down, I felt the weight of my disgrace so heavy the only thing I could think to dull the ache was to drink myself into a stupor. It was a vicious cycle.
I let my hair cascade over my face. I heard the old wood floor creak beneath his feet as he left without another word and jumped when the front door slammed. My eyes closed as my head pounded.
The claw foot tub sat to my left so I leaned up and turned on the water, slowly removing my clothing one piece at time. Each movement felt like a hammer slamming into my head.
“God,” I groaned. “I am an idiot.”
I stood then stepped underneath the warm water and just stood in silence, letting the water absorb into my hair and seep into my skin. I breathed in the steam deeply. I was miserable. Not just physically but my heart was the heaviest it’d felt since my mom passed and I had no one to blame but Spencer Blackwell for that.
The asshole who rode into my life under the guise of helping his sister only to yank what I thought was a stable foundation right out from underneath me. He stole from me, a bona fide thief, and I wanted to make him pay. No, I needed to make him pay.
But how?
I finished showering and threw a towel around my waist, stepping from the tub and toppling onto my bed when I reached my room and fell to sleep, not even bothering to dress myself. I fell quickly, fantasizing about my revenge.
I must have slept for hours because when I woke, it was pitch black outside. I rolled onto my side and checked my alarm clock. Eleven o’clock. Perfect timing, I thought.
I sat up and tucked my towel around my waist a little tighter, stood and went straight for my dresser. I grabbed a pair of boxers and socks and put those on before heading for my closet and tossing an old, worn pair of jeans on, a thermal and an old tee. I brushed my teeth, grabbed my wallet and keys, threw on my boots and headed toward my piece of shit truck.
I knew exactly where I was going because it was where I planned on going every night until I forgot about Caroline Hunt.
My truck started but barely and I tore out of our driveway not bothering with my seatbelt, kicking up dust and rocks as my tires spun against the loose gravel. I’d replaced my stereo because I couldn’t stand radio, at least not Kalispell radio, and plugged my phone into the audio cable. Bastille’s Dreams remake blasted and I turned it up, letting the painful lyrics wash over me, fueling my desire to get plastered as quickly as possible.
I entertained myself with thoughts of strangling Spencer Blackwell with both hands then beating the crap out of him with my fists. Bastard. I pulled into the local pub and put my piece into park before tucking my left foot into the emergency brake.
I disconnected my phone and the stereo went silent, reminding me of how alone I really was. I turned the engine off and absolute silence surrounded me. I couldn’t take it. My door creaked with age as it swung open and I slammed it shut, unable not to. The fury raging in my blood was more than I could contain.
Before heading inside, my hand went to the empty space between the cab and the bed and searched for the bottle of whiskey I always had wedged in between. I took a large swig, not wanting to spend too much of my savings on the liquor inside the crap establishment. After all, I was going to need it. Revenge was a costly business.
I took one more swig for good measure and wedged it back in its usual place then wiped my mouth on the back of my sleeve. My hair swung heavy in my eyes. It was still a little wet from my shower and I thought about tying it back with the extra leather tie I usually kept in my glove compartment but thought better of it. It helped me hide and I wanted to hide.
I looked around me. The lot was full but I only recognized a few cars this time which was good because I had no intention of making conversation. Regardless, most of Kalispell had stopped trying because I’d rarely done any responding since Cricket cut out my fucking heart and ate it raw. The hair was only insurance.
I took two deep draws of air, gulping it down, desperate for it to soothe me but, of course, it didn’t. I let each escape my lips in shaky breaths and clenched my fists over and over before deciding to head inside.
My boots crunched the gravel beneath my feet as I headed toward the door. When I entered, I ducked my head toward the floor and let my hair cover me, not that it did any good other than to conceal me. I could still feel the heat of their stares, though, still feel the pity in their gazes. I wanted so badly to yell at them to fuck off but I kept as much composure as possible. I couldn’t get kicked out of the only real bar in Kalispell.
I picked a stool at the end of the bar, the same stool I always did in the corner and in the back because it was dark. I sat and met Vi’s eyes. She sauntered over to me, placing her elbows on the bar top, giving me a clear view of her generous chest. I held back my eye roll.
“Hello, darlin’,” she drawled. “You look like shit.”
“The usual, Vi,” I told her as quietly as I could.
“How ‘bout a kiss then first?” she asked, leaning in a bit more.
“Christ, Vi, how many times? Huh? Just get me the gosh damn drink.”
She laughed. “Already worked up then, I see. I like it,” she said, winking.
Vi, or Violet, was thirty-nine years old, had lived in Kalispell her entire life, and had worked as a bartender for over fifteen years. I could tell at one time Vi had been a beautiful woman but I could also tell she had heard many hollow promises from equally hollow men and that she obviously believed them all. Otherwise, why would she still be there? I watched her tired eyes and her slightly too-forced smile. She had the look of someone who used to be chased but had graduated to the chaser. She looked miserable.
She left and returned with an empty glass and a bottle of Jack. She set the glass on the bar and filled it to the brim. She was being generous. She was always this way. She told me once she hoped I would drink it all away and decide to take her up on her offer. I told her that would be a cold day in hell, to which she only laughed.
“Drink up, buttercup,” she said, smiling lasciviously.
“I will,” I told the bar top.
I watched the world around me through the breaks in the hanging strands and six glasses later, I was starting to finally feel numb. I lifted my head a little feeling slightly relieved, feeling like I could breathe a little deeper now that the ache wasn’t so severe. I continued to search the crowd, not knowing who I was really looking for.
A quiet but persistent nagging awareness took residence in my chest for some unknown reason as I watched a girl dance on her own in the middle of the dance floor. Others around her paid no attention to her but she was the first person my eyes were drawn to. I studied her.
Her hair was tucked into a blue scarf, little tendrils peeking through and grazing across her neck whenever she moved. She was extraordinarily tall and her hips and rear end were more indulgent than I’d ever considered before. She turned slightly, giving me her silhouette. Her stomach was flat and her breasts were full. She was beautiful, I could tell, even if I couldn’t see her fully through the low lights.
“Jeez,” I said, swiping a hand down my face. “I’ve had too much.”
But I still couldn’t stop watching her. She wore worn jean cut offs, a fitted button up with the sleeves rolled up her forearms and ankle boots. She rolled her shoulders playfully, enticing someone she knew just off the dance floor. Another girl joined her side and they did the robot. She threw her head back and laughed.
This shocked me almost sober. “That laugh,” I whispered to myself. “That laugh,” I repeated. I knew it but couldn’t quite place it.
She took her friend’s hand and twirled her around the floor vivaciously. She was so full of life. So my exact opposite.
She lightheartedly skipped in place and raised an arm in salute to her friend before turning toward me.
That’s when I got a good, clear look at her. I gasped out loud and placed my hand on the back of my head, my elbow on the bartop, ducking my head down lower to hide myself further.
Please, please, please do not recognize me, I thought, still watching her from the corner of my eye.
She stood two seats down from me. “Vi!” she said, laughing a little. “Vi!”
Vi turned toward her. “Hey, baby! What’ll it be?”
“Can I have a water, please?” she asked, sitting down and releasing a breath of exhaustion. She continued to smile, though, and it ate a little at my gut.
“Of course,” Vi answered and started to pour water into a clear plastic cup. Vi’s eyes pinched a little. “Hey?” she said.
“Yeah?” she asked.
“How come I never see you drink anything harder?”
Her face fell a little but picked right back up. No one would have noticed it but me. “I’ve never had good luck with alcohol,” she admitted a bit sadly.
Vi was quick enough to recognize something there that didn’t want to be said and let it go with a nod, handing over the water without another word.
“Vi!” someone else called out and she walked their direction.
She took a long drink from her water and set it down, turning toward the crowd and surveying the dancers. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, some private joke she shared with herself.
I looked on her for a long time. Long enough for my heart to calm itself. Long enough to struggle with myself in an internal argument. Finally, I decided that I wasn’t watching her because I found her attractive, though I knew she was. Only that I was wondering what she was doing there.
She turned around in her seat after catching her breath and glanced at me. For a moment, I believed she didn’t recognize me but I was wrong. A second scan confirmed it for her. She leaned in and narrowed her eyes. Shit.
“Ethan?” she asked. “Is that you?”
“Hello, Finley,” I answered.
Check out the FURY Trailer!!
About Fisher Amelie:
Fisher Amelie resides in the South with her kick ace husband slash soul mate. She earned her first ‘mama’ patch in 2009. She also lives with her Weim, ‘Jonah’, and her Beta, ‘Whale’. All these living creatures keep the belly of her life full, sometimes to the point of gluttony, but she doesn’t mind all that much because life isn’t worth living if it isn’t entertaining, right?
Fisher is the author of The Seven Deadly Series, The Sleepless Series, and Leaving Series, and was a semi-finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award.
The girl who’s had everyone meets the boy who has no one.
For Bella, the sweet-talking, free-loving, hip-checking student manager of the Harkness men’s hockey team, sex is a second language. She’s used to being fluent where others stutter, and the things people say behind her back don’t (often) bother her. So she can’t understand why her smoking hot downstairs neighbor has so much trouble staying friends after their spontaneous night together. She knows better than to worry about it, but there’s something in those espresso eyes that makes her second guess herself.
Rafe is appalled with himself for losing his virginity in a drunken hookup. His strict Catholic upbringing always emphasized loving thy neighbor—but not with a bottle of wine and a box of condoms. The result is an Ivy League bout of awkwardness. But when Bella is leveled by a little bad luck and a downright sinister fraternity prank, it’s Rafe who is there to pick up the pieces.
Bella doesn’t want Rafe’s help, and she’s through with men. Too bad the undeniable spark that crackles between the two of them just can’t be snuffed.
I heard the band start to play the classic one-two Merengue rhythm that I’d heard my whole life. On the dance floor, the energy picked up as the geezers began to move to the faster beat.
“Let’s go,” I said, standing up. I offered Bella my hand.
But Bella shook her head. Even worse, she scooted her chair toward the wall.
“Don’t leave me hanging,” I said, my hand still waiting in the air. “Come on now. Nobody puts Bella in a corner.”
On the other side of the table, Bella’s sister snorted into her white wine.
Bella rolled her eyes. Hard. “You did not just quote Dirty Dancing.”
I leaned down near Bella’s ear. “I did. Now get your ass out of that chair, like the girl in the movie, or I’ll have to put you in a fireman’s hold.”
Her mouth tight, Bella stood up. Not one to waste an opportunity, I clasped her hand, tugging her onto the dance floor. When we were right in the center, I put one hand onto Bella’s waist and took her opposite hand in mine. She was as stiff as a piece of wood. “Shake it off, chica. This is supposed to be fun.”
“Your job tonight was to make my life less embarrassing. Not more.”
“I am doing that. We’re going to be the best looking dancers on this floor, and everyone in this mausoleum is going to wonder how I got so lucky as to be here with you. Now listen to this rhythm, okay? Just step to the beat. And let your hips absorb the motion.” I began to move to the music. The merengue is a Dominican dance, and every kid in my neighborhood can merengue before his fifth birthday. It’s just not that complicated.
With nervous eyes, Bella began to move.
“Use these hips,” I prompted, touching the silky fabric of her dress. As I watched, she loosened up a tiny fraction. “Yes! But even more. You look great. I wouldn’t steer you wrong. And think of pressing the balls of your feet into the floor.”
Biting her lip, Bella moved with me.
“That’s it! See? Nothing to it.” Just like that, we had a proper merengue going on.
“Can I sit down yet?” Bella asked.
“Not even close,” I laughed. “See, I knew you could move.”
Bella pouted. “We’ve seen each other’s moves, Rafe.”
She lifted her eyes, and the heat in them went straight to my dick.
Jesucristo. That was the trouble with getting so close to Bella. I was always going to be susceptible to her. Anything she did to remind me of that night was always going to knock me right over.
“Ha.” She said. “I finally found a way to shut you up.” Bella put a little more effort into her merengue then, looking smug.
The Ivy Years
The Year We Fell Down – Book 1
The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else. What now?
She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.
Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.
Also, he’s taken.
Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else understands.
They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.
But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.
She’s hiding something big. He’s hiding someone small.
Scarlet Crowley’s life was torn apart the day father was arrested for unspeakable crimes. Now the shock has worn off, but not the horror.
It’s a safe bet that Scarlet is the only first year at Harkness College who had to sneak past TV news trucks parked on her front lawn just to leave town. But college will be Scarlet’s fresh start.
Clutching a shiny new student ID — with a newly minted name on it — she leaves it all behind. Even if it means lying to the boy she’s falling for.
Bridger McCaulley is a varsity hockey star known for being a player both on and off the ice. But a sobering family crisis takes that all away. Protecting his sister means a precarious living arrangement and constant deception. The only bright spot in his week is the few sensual, stolen hours he spends with Scarlet.
The two form a tentative relationship based on the understanding that some things must always be held back. But when grim developments threaten them both, going it alone just won’t work anymore. And if they can’t learn to trust one another now, the families who let them down will take everything they’ve struggled to keep.
A blind date. A nervous sorority girl. A mean-spirited fraternity prank. What could go wrong?
As a sorority pledge, there are commandments that Katie Vickery must live by. One: thou shalt not show up for the party without a date. Two: the guy shall be an athlete, preferably an upperclassman.
Unfortunately, Katie just broke up with her jerkface football player boyfriend. Even worse, her last encounter with him resulted in utter humiliation. She’d rather hide under the bed than attend a party where he’ll be.
Yet staying home would mean letting him win.
Enjoying herself tonight was out of the question. She could only hope to get through the evening without her blind date noticing that he was spending the evening with a crazy person.
Andrew Baschnagel is living proof that nice guys don’t finish first. He’s had his eye on Katie since the moment her long legs waltzed into his art history class. So when her roommate sets Andy up to be Katie’s date, he’d be crazy to say no. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot of practice with either girls or parties. Yet.
What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.
Five years ago, Michael Graham betrayed the only person who ever really knew him. Since then, he’s made an art of hiding his sexual orientation from everyone. Including himself.
So it’s a shock when his past strolls right into the Harkness College locker room, sporting a bag of hockey gear and the same slow smile that had always rendered Graham defenseless. For Graham, there is only one possible reaction: total, debilitating panic. With one loose word, the team’s new left wing could destroy Graham’s life as he knows it.
John Rikker is stuck being the new guy. Again. And it’s worse than usual, because the media has latched onto the story of the only “out” player in Division One hockey. As the satellite trucks line the sidewalk outside the rink, his new teammates are not amused.
And one player in particular looks sick every time he enters the room.
Rikker didn’t exactly expect a warm welcome from Graham. But the guy won’t even meet his eyes. From the looks of it, his former… best friend / boyfriend / whatever isn’t doing so well. He drinks too much and can’t focus during practice.
Either the two loneliest guys on the team will self destruct from all the new pressures in their lives, or they can navigate the pain to find a way back to one another. To say that it won’t be easy is the Understatement of the Year.
Warning: unlike the other books in this series, this heartbreaking love story is about two guys. Contains sexual situations, dance music, snarky t-shirts and a poker-playing grandmother.
The Ivy Years Collection- Three Full Length Novels + Novella
Life at the elite Harkness College is brought to you in four tales, each one sexier and more heartbreaking than the last. Contains: hockey hotties, snarky T-shirts, a slow-burn love affair, a liar (with reasons,) a virgin (with reasons,) and one adorkable basketball player.
Book 1: The Year We Fell Down
The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else.
Corey was supposed to start college as a member of the women’s ice hockey team. Instead, she’ll spend it in a wheelchair. The only upside? Her too-delicious-to-be-real neighbor across the hall.
Book 2: The Year We Hid Away
She’s hiding something big. He’s hiding someone small.
Dorm rooms are supposed to be for sleeping, studying, and partying. Not for hiding your eight-year-old sister.
Novella: Blonde Date
A blind date. A nervous sorority girl. A mean-spirited fraternity prank. What could go wrong?
Book 3: The Understatement of the Year
What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.
Michael Graham will never tell anyone the truth about himself. Too bad his past walks right into the locker room on the first day of hockey practice.
Sarina Bowen writes steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction from the wilds of Vermont.
The Year We Fell Down, Book #1 in The Ivy Years series, began breaking hearts in March 2014. Book #2, The Year We Hid Away, is brand new.
For Harlequin-E, Sarina writes the Gravity series. Coming in From the Cold features an angsty downhill ski racer and one of the most unique plot conflicts in contemporary romance today.
Sarina enjoys skiing, coffee products and a nice glass of wine. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.
Baited Series
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