Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review + Giveaway : Midnight Soul by Kristen Ashley – Fantasyland Series – Book 5

Midnight Soul - Tour banner

 

MidnightSoul

Midnight Soul

Fantasyland Series – Book 5

By Kristen Ashley

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * GooglePlay * iBooks* Kobo

 

MIDNIGHT SOUL is here! This amazing fantasy takes place in our world and a parallel universe where fantasies are true…but perhaps not all you would expect. MIDNIGHT SOUL is the highly anticipated finale to Kristen Ashley’s bestselling Fantasyland Series. Be sure you check out all of the stops on the tour and order the final novel in this amazing series today!

 

 

 

Midnight Soul - Tour teaser 1

 

 

 

Midnight Soul - cover

MIDNIGHT SOUL Synopsis:

Against his will, Noctorno Hawthorne, an undercover vice cop, finds himself embroiled in magic, mayhem and parallel universes. Too late, he meets an amazing woman only to find she’s destined for his identical twin in another world.

And things aren’t going real great there.

Noc is recruited to help save that world.

What he doesn’t know is his destined love resides there.

Franka Drakkar wears a mask. A mask she never takes off to protect herself in a world of malice, intrigue and danger.

When Franka meets Noc and he discovers her secrets, convinced she carries a midnight soul, having shielded herself from forming bonds with anyone, she struggles with accepting his tenderness and care.

When Noc meets Franka, over wine and whiskey, her mask slips and Noc knows it’s her—only her—and he has to find a way to get her to come home with him.

And then make her want to stay.

***

Order MIDNIGHT SOUL here!

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * GooglePlay * iBooks* Kobo

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

____________________________

Excerpt

~Franka~

“You need to leave,” I declared.

His brows drew together a moment before his expression showed clearly that comprehension had dawned.

Sadly, comprehension might have dawned but he didn’t leave.

He crouched by the bed and offered in a soft voice, “You need me to carry you to the other room so you can have a bit of privacy?”

Dear goddess.

He thought I needed a chamber pot.

But…

What was happening to my face?

Dear goddess!

The heat I felt in my cheeks could be nothing other than me blushing.

I didn’t blush. I’d never blushed. Not even when I’d set about seducing my first lover at age sixteen.

I needed to be quit of this man as soon as possible.

“No…I…do…not,” I bit out.

“Sure?” he asked kindly.

“I need you to leave, Noctorno,” I used his full name in an effort to irritate, something that worked if the flare in his eyes was any indication, “so Josette can prepare me. We’re away to Kristian’s this morning.”

Another drawing of his brows before he asked, “What?”

“After my toilette, Josette and I are to my sleigh so we can begin our journey to my brother’s home.”

His eyes got bigger as his mouth inquired peculiarly, “Are you high?”

“No,” I answered his ridiculous question unnecessarily, “Indeed, I’m low. As you can see since I’m lying abed.”

For a second he just stared at me.

Then he threw his head back and burst into loud, deep, beautiful laughter.

I wanted to throw something at him.

Unfortunately, in my current position, this was not an option open to me.

“I fail to see what’s amusing,” I noted.

He controlled his mirth only to mutter, “I’ll explain it later.” He went on more distinctly, “Frannie, you’re not goin’ to your brother’s today. Or tomorrow. Or until you’re fit. Then, maybe Valentine will spirit you there, or whatever the fuck that’s called. But for the foreseeable future, your ass is in that bed and you’re resting so you can heal.”

Well!

Who did he think he was, telling me what I would or would not do?

“As you’ve determined,” I began, “this is not the first time I’ve been in this condition so I do believe that I know best what I’m capable of and…”

I stopped speaking because he came slightly out of his crouch so he could put his face into my face and he was no longer looking mirthful.

He was looking angry.

Very angry.

“That was when you had no one lookin’ out for you but that’s not the case anymore. So this is how it’s gonna be,” he announced.

He then, to my shock, irritation and outrage, announced how it was going to be.

Like he had the right to tell me how it was going to be!

 ***

4 Star

Michel’s Review

Every summer I make it a goal to read a few series that I haven’t had time to get to.  One of those series was the Fantasyland Series by Kristen Ashley.  Although I am a huge Kristen Ashley fan, I am not really into fantasy romance.  I have to be in the “mood” to read this type of book.  Summer was the perfect time for me to dive into this series and give it my full attention.  Once again Kristen Ashley wowed me with her vivid imagination, her sexy alpha men, quirky capable women, sizzling hot romance with a touch of humor, and an entertaining story.  The Fantasyland Series had a bonus, it had a special blend of magic and mystique in two parallel worlds.

Midnight Soul should not be read as a stand alone in this series.  It is the grand finale.

As I have said many times before, Kristen Ashley is the bomb!  Once again she has taken a character that readers disliked and turned their hearts.  Kristen Ashley gave Franka Drakkar a complete makeover.  Readers got a glimpse into the real woman beneath the facade.  A woman with vulnerabilities,extreme loyalties, monumental insecurities,and a big heart waiting to be given.  Only a man like Noctorno Hawthorne could see beneath the surface and see the beautifull soul buried deep within.

After the mega showdown and resolutions, Franka is in a different place.  She is transitioning into a new life with the possibilities of new friendships, relationships, and life experiences.  She’s a bit lost because her life has completely changed and she’s not on solid footing.  Noc can see her internal struggles and offers friendship.  He introduces her to his world, the modern parallel world that leaves her with wonder and curiosity.

This newly found friendship leads Franka on a new adventure, an adventure of the heart.  Together Noc and Franka are going to discover the best of both worlds and the true meaning of happily ever after.

As most Kristen Ashley fans know, Kristen is the queen of happily ever afters that are told through epic epilogues.

I am happy that I opened my mind and embraced the Fantasyland series.  It was a reading adventure with Kristen Ashley magic.

I highly recommend the Fantasyland Series.

 

 

Midnight Soul - Tour teaser 2

And Don’t Miss the First Books in the Fantasyland Series!

WILDEST DREAMS

THE GOLDEN DYNASTY

FANTASTICAL

BROKEN DOVE

 

 

 

Kristin Ashley - headshotAbout Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

 

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * NEWSLETTER * GOODREADS * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

InkSlinger PR Blogger banner

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review + Giveaway: Sidelined by A. M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine

sidelinedbanner

release day blitz

SIDELINED_ebook_sm

Book Title: Sidelined (A Wilde Players Dirty Romance)
Author: A.M. Hargrove & Terrie E. Laine
Genre: Sports Romance
Release Date: August 11, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Goodreads Button with Shadow

amazon usamazon UKkoboiBooks

book blurb

From the USA Today Bestselling Authors, A.M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine comes a new standalone sexy sports romance, Sidelined – A Wilde Players Dirty Romance.

Cassidy

I hate him… I love him… He destroyed me… and now He needs me.

Fletcher Wilde, a gorgeous quarterback in the NFL, is the man I should have married. He’s is the one that walked away, choosing football over me. He shouldn’t be back, especially not looking that good. And not sitting in my waiting room chair with a bum leg and confident cocky grin that sets my insides on fire.

It’s impossible to forget how he rocked my world both in and out of the bedroom. Keeping things professional won’t be easy, especially given our history. My mission, however, is getting him back on the field—the place he loved more than me, while not losing myself in him all over again.

Fletcher

Cassidy Miller is the only physical therapist in town. And after a potential career ending injury, she’s my ticket back on the field or my NFL career is over. Unfortunately, she’s the same Cassidy who ripped my heart to shreds when I thought we were a team.

Sexy and intelligent, she’s the last person I thought I’d see again. As it turns out, she looks better than ever, making me want that smart mouth of hers doing things to me that would drive a sane man crazy.

Lucky for me, my determination is legendary. Winning is in my blood, which makes me number one on the field. Being a single-minded man, my focus is to get her back and this time for good.

excerpt

“Can we start from scratch? Like this whole night?” I ask.

“What do you mean?”

A frustrated sigh leaves me. “I don’t want it to be like this between us.”

I expect a snappy response, but that’s not what I get. “I don’t really either. But after you dumped me—”

What is she saying? “I didn’t dump you. I had to leave to go with the pros.”

She looks at me like she wants to say duh.

“Yeah, you dumped me for the pros.”

My hand drives through my hair. “That’s not how it went. I had to leave, and you were supposed to come.”

That one word has me harder than I thought possible. She speaks, but I’m barely coherent to what she’s saying.

“I had to finish college. Then there was PT school, my dad, and I couldn’t possibly go.”

Reaching out, I take her wrist and pull her closer. Her eyes widen, making her look like a doe in the middle of the road. And, damn, if that doesn’t make her my prey.

The words crawl out of my mouth like a growl. “Take your clothes off and get in this tub with me.” I shut off the water and push the button to get the jets running. This is a dead-end conversation, like it will always be.

Her head shakes, sending all that hair I want to wrap around my hand flying.

“You’re crazy.”

“Maybe.” I haven’t let go of her wrist, determined to convince her to stay. “Everyone’s entitled to a little crazy.

When she doesn’t answer, I give her hand a slight tug. “Take your clothes off, Cass, and get in here.”

“I might hurt your knee.”

“Chicken.” I splash her with some water.

She jumps back, and I lose my hold on her. “Fletcher, you got me wet.”

Her eyes narrow as my grin widens. “That’s the idea.”

____________________________

4 Star

Michel’s Review

The football season is almost upon us.  The training camps are underway and the fans are gearing up for opening day.  Sports romance fans are also getting in the mood for some football, or should a say a hot football romance.  A. M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine have delivered the opening football romance for the readers to devour.  First up on the players roster is Fletcher Wilde, NFL quarterback.  Are you ready for some hot passes and scoring touchdowns that will make your panties wet and your heart flutter?  Fletcher has the plays.

Fletcher Wilde has returned home to North Carolina on his season break to take care of his parents home and dogs while they are away on vacation.  Nothing ever happens in this sleepy small town and it’s a good rest before summer training camp.  He hasn’t been home since he signed with the NFL.

Twenty five seconds can be a game changer.  It can change the coarse of the game or change the outcome of your life.  Fletcher knows this but didn’t realize the impact until twenty five seconds changed everything.  His career is on the line and his heart is taking back his life.  A hit and run accident changed Fletcher Wilde’s life.  It brought him back to Cassidy, the only woman he has ever loved.

Cassidy Miller was devastated when Fletcher left her for the NFL.  Picking up the pieces of her broken heart was difficult.  She moved on, finished college, married, started a career, and became a business owner. On paper it looked like her life was perfect.  The fact is that she had a miserable marriage and is now divorced.  Although she is the only therapist in town, her business is struggling.  When Fletcher Wilde walks through her door for therapy, her heart is on the line.

Cassidy and Fletcher are finally going to get closure or the happily ever after they were meant to have.  They will have to deal with Fletcher’s injuries, Cassidy’s mistrust, a conniving agent, overprotective BFF, greedy team owners, and a diabolical ex husband.  Fletcher’s game for anything as long as Cassidy is his end zone.

A. M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine have a winner with this second chance romance.  I’m looking forward to seeing what Wilde is up next the game roster.

Sidelined was the perfect, sexy sports romance to kick off the season.

___________________________

meet the authors

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So she made a quick decision to quit her job and reinvented herself as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author.

Annie fancies herself all of the following: Reader, Writer, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Coffee Drinker (swears the coffee, chocolate, and ice cream should be added as part of the USDA food groups), Lover of Grey Goose (and an extra dirty martini), #WalterThePuppy Lover, and if you’re ever around her for more than five minutes, you’ll find out she’s a non-stop talker. Other than loving writing about romance, she loves hanging out with her family and binge watching TV with her husband. You can find out more about her books at http://www.amhargrove.com.

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Terri E. Laine, USA Today bestselling author, left a lucrative career as a CPA to pursue her love for writing. Outside of her roles as a wife and mother of three, she’s always been a dreamer and as such became an avid reader at a young age.

Many years later, she got a crazy idea to write a novel and set out to try to publish it. With over a dozen titles published under various pen names, the rest is history. Her journey has been a blessing, and a dream realized. She looks forward to many more memories to come.

You can find more about her books at http://www.terrielaine.com.

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

buy the book

AN-IG-1

***

amazon usamazon UKkoboiBooks

***

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

500x500 BEP Square

________________________________________________________________________

 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review & 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite : Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino

SOTLbanner
 9781501105791
Swear On This Life
By Renee Carlino
Buy

AMAZON | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Atria Books

 

9781501105791From USA TODAY bestselling author Renée Carlino (Before We Were Strangers), a warm and witty novel about a struggling writer who must come to grips with her past, present, and future after she discovers that she’s the inspiration for a pseudonymously published bestselling novel.

When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J. Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer.

Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio.

That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending.

 

The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?

***

AMAZON | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Atria Books

 ***
53148-swear-life-graphics-4d
 Excerpt

During the winter we pretended our way through the classics, read every popular kid’s book and by spring of our sixth grade year, the spring of all the rain, we were ready to be outside and explore again. There was a creek about half a mile back from our houses, past the tree line. Because of all the rain that year, it had become more of a river with the strongest currents right behind where we lived. Every adult warned us to be careful, even my dead-beat dad would say, “You better use that big brain of yours and stay out of the creek. You want to go swimming, you can go to the pool in town.”

Funny he would say that because the community pool was a seven-mile bike ride and it cost three dollars to get in. There was no way I was going unless Leila, Jax’s mom gave us a ride and even then, I would have to borrow the money to get in. Frankly, going to the town pool was a pipe dream. It became a myth to us, a fantasy like Disneyland or Europe. Jax and I would try to imagine what it was like to go there.

“I bet they sell popsicles and popcorn and they probably have clowns too,” I said.

It was a warm day; we had made a picnic in the weeds. I laid out my Toy Story sleeping bag I’d had from when I was a kid. Jax brought a jar of applesauce and I brought Fun Dip that my dad had 53148-swear-life-graphics-4abought me at the 7-11. We mixed the fun dip into the jar and took turns eating spoonfuls.

“Community pools don’t have clowns, genius.”

“How do you know?” I said.

“Because I just do.”

“I bet there’s a high dive, like fifty feet in the air.”

“Do you know how high fifty feet is? You would die hitting the water. The impact would kill you.”

“You’re such a know-it-all, Jackson. Why can’t you let a girl dream? We’re never going to that pool because no one will ever take us, plus, it costs money, and last time I checked you weren’t making any.”

He lay back on the blanket and propped his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. “I’m not a know-it-all, I just have cable. And as soon as I turn sixteen, I’m getting a job. I’ll pay for us to go to the pool. You’ll see, it’s just a big hole with water in it.”

I never really stared at him until that day. His eyes were closed so I took the time to inspect every inch of him. I was so curious about his body. My own body was changing and I was terrified of it. Jax was getting taller. He was going to be tall like his father, but he looked more like his mother in coloring and features. Jax’s mom was French, so they had this creamy skin that looked sun-kissed year around and his brown hair and brown eyes had streams of gold running throughout it. He was letting his hair grow longer because he’d been watching some show on TV that took place in California. He said everyone in California had long hair.

I was trying to grow my own unruly, brown locks out. I don’t know why, I always had it in a braid. Maybe because I thought I would go to California with Jax one day. We both yearned for more than weeds and corn. All the books gave us those silly ideas and filled our heads with things that might never be.

I lay down beside him and stared directly into the sun. He turned on his side and propped his head on his elbow.

“You’ll go blind doing that,” he said in a low voice.

“Leave me alone.”

“Why are you in such a bad mood? You PMSing?”

“What do you know about it?”

“A lot.”

“I doubt that and even if I were, it’s beyond rude to talk to me about it.” I hadn’t started my period yet but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

53148-swear-life-graphics-4f
 SBJ2016Favorite
 5Star+
Robin’s Review

Renee Carlino swept me away to a different time and place in the pages of her newest novel titled Swear on this Life. As I began reading, I found myself on a dirt road in rural Ohio. In the front yard of a ramshackle home located at the end of a dirt road. In a dilapidated shack found just beyond the tree line. From the moment I started reading, I was captivated by this story about best friends Emerson and Jackson – two poor, lonely and neglected children who only had each other to rely upon.

It didn’t take long for me to realize Swear on this Life would be special. First of all, this novel is an unusual blend of the young adult, new adult, and coming of age genres. Swear on this Life is also a second-chance romance, but what I love most about this story is that it’s about best friends who fall in love with each other! I’m very fond of friends-to-lovers romances, and from the beginning, I adored this novel!

Emiline is an aspiring author who has a daytime job as an adjunct creative writing professor at the University of California San Diego. She’s been dating Trevor since her senior year at Berkeley, although she feels her relationship with Trevor is not going anywhere. Our story really gets underway when Emiline’s roommate Cara begs her to read a bestselling novel titled All the Roads Between by debut author J. Colby.

As she begins reading Cara’s recommendation, Emiline realizes the story is familiar. From the first sentences, it’s apparent All the Roads Between is about Emiline and her childhood! She’s the female lead, Emerson, which means the novel has been written by her first love – Jason Colbertson, who is Jackson – someone she hasn’t seen or heard from in years!

Swear on this Life is essentially two stories written into one. With this writing technique, we are able to read about Emiline’s current life, while simultaneously reading about what took place during her childhood and teen years. We begin to understand Emiline’s character and how her life has been shaped. Although I have seen other authors use this writing technique, Renee Carlino was very clever with how she penned this novel. Swear on this Life has a savvy twist!

It’s been said that teenagers feel everything more acutely. Renee Carlino perfectly captured the intense emotions of two poor, neglected teenagers who are lovesick, who are desperately trying to stay together! I really connected with these characters. I fell in love with Emerson and Jackson, fell in love with their story! I felt their joy, pain and uncertainty as they supported each other through the abuse and neglect. All the Roads Between is a fascinating story all by itself!

And, of course, there is Emiline. I struggled with her character early in the story, but Emiline showed real growth over the course of the story. She faced down her demons and a past that she has ardently avoided. I couldn’t help but root for her to heal, find closure and get the guy! I wasn’t really sure what to think of Jason at first, but I think it’s because I was reading from Emiline’s point of view. She wasn’t sure what to think of Jason after he wrote down the story of her childhood and teenage years in the pages of a bestselling novel. But my love for Jason came as Emiline’s love for Jason became apparent.

In the end, Swear on this Life is not a story about four people, and it’s not just two separate novels. It’s one story about two individuals – Jason and Emiline. This is their story, and it’s one that is extremely fulfilling! Swear on this Life is a 2016 favorite of mine, and I’m giving Renee Carlino 5 stars!

6+star

Michel’s Review
From the moment I opened Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino I was captivated from the beginning to end.  I became immersed in the story and became a part of Emiline’s and Jason’s lives, past and present.  I experienced their emotional journey on a very personal level.
***
Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino was written with a very unique plot delivery.  It all begins with Emiline.  She’s a struggling aspiring author teaching creative writing as an adjunct professor.  Her life is anything but perfect.  She’s involved in a long term relationship with Trevor, a former college football star, that seems to have stalled just like her writing.  She’s beginning to question her relationship, her career aspirations, and her life direction.  In her mind she knows she has made the right decisions that have her on the road to a normal, stable life.  A life that is far better than her past.  A past that she chose to put behind her, a past she chose to forget.  The past is part of what shapes and molds an individual.  Good or bad it is a part that should never be forgotten.
***
When her best friend recommends a highly acclaimed novel, All The Roads Between by J. Colby, it’s the beginning of Emiline’s journey in the story of her life.
***
From the very first sentence in All The Roads Between, Emiline is drawn into the story.  Two impoverished kids on a dirt road depending on one another to survive their destructive and destitute lives.  Jackson and Emily are clinging to one another in a world beyond their control.  Their journey from childhood to adolescence is far from the carefree and innocent life most people experience.  There are no rose colored glasses to make their lives look better.  The only thing they have that’s good in their lives is each other.  A love that is completely pure, untarnished by the circumstances of their lives.  Good things are only fleeting in their lives and the ugly world once again rears it’s ugly head.  This time it destroys the only pure thing in their lives, it destroys their love for one another.
***
As Emiline reads this book, she begins to see a parallel of her own life.  All The Roads Between is the story of her childhood.  She is Emily and Jackson is Jason.  Upon further research she finds the author J. Colby is none other than Jason Culbertson, her first love and best friend.  He has betrayed her once again and exposed her dirty secrets.  Secrets that should of stayed buried in the past.  She’s beyond angry, she’s devastated.
***
While reading the book, she discovers that J. Colby will be doing a book signing at a local book store near her.  This is her opportunity to confront Jason after all these years.  She will finally be able to exercise the demons that have haunted her.  She will finally be able to let go of Jason’s betrayal.
***
The confrontation is anything but a long awaited reunion.  It is only the beginning for both Emiline and Jason.  Emiline needs to finish the book before she can move forward.  Jason released his demons long ago, the book is his redemption.  Emily and Jackson’s story is only a part of Emiline and Jason’s story.  It is up to them on how the ending plays out.  It’s time for them to write the rest of their story.  They are long overdue for their happily ever after.
***
Renee Carlino is a brilliant writer.  Two novels merge into an epic love story that take the readers on an emotional journey.
***
Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino should be on the big screen.  It is an epic romance that will touch every soul.  It is a true love story.
_________________________________

Renee-121Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women’s novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. Learn more at www.reneecarlino.com

9781501105791

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Matchmaker’s Replacement by Rachel Van Dyken – Wingman Inc. Series – Book 2

The Matchmaker's Replacement Banner - Aug 9

 

 

 

VanDyken-TheMatchmakersReplacement-CV-FL-vC6-RGBWingman rule number two: never reveal how much you want them.

Lex hates Gabi. Gabi hates Lex. But, hey, at least the hate is mutual, right? All Lex has to do is survive the next few weeks training Gabi in all the ways of Wingmen Inc. and then he can be done with her. But now that they have to work together, the sexual tension and fighting is off the charts. He isn’t sure if he wants to strangle her or throw her against the nearest sturdy table and have his way with her.

But Gabi has a secret, something she’s keeping from not just her best friend but her nemesis too. Lines are blurred as Lex becomes less the villain she’s always painted him to be…and starts turning into something more. Gabi has always hated the way she’s been just a little bit attracted to him—no computer-science major should have that nice of a body or look that good in glasses—but “Lex Luthor” is an evil womanizer. He’s dangerous. Gabi should stay far, far away.

Then again, she’s always wanted a little danger.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

 

 

 

Excerpt

“So,” a familiar voice said above the music. “New job?”

Damn it! “I didn’t even say your name three times!” I whined, turning around to face Lex. He was wearing a tight vintage black T-shirt with low-slung jeans on his hips and the ever-present sex-oozing smile.

“Three times?” He smiled wider. “You said my name three times out loud? Is it your new curse word? You know, like ‘Oh, Lex! Good Lex! Mighty Lex . . .’” His eyebrows drew together. “Somehow all of those sound like very familiar noises women make in my presence.”

“Die, Lex,” I said in an annoyed tone. “How about that one?”

“That’s new.” He snapped his fingers. “But it’s growing on me. Maybe it’s the way you say it, like you want me to die in your arms all Romeo and Juliet style . . .”

“Wow, ten at night and you’re already wasted.” I slapped him on the shoulder. “Take a cab.” I tried to move past him, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, pressing us together. Whether it was on purpose or not I wasn’t sure, but he was warm.

And he felt . . . safe, familiar. My body was playing tricks on me; it was because I was vulnerable.

Like that night when . . .

I locked down my memories, especially that one, and threw away the key. “Lex, what do you want?”

“You,” he said in a serious tone. “Now get up on stage and take off your clothes. I paid for a show.”

I rolled my eyes. “Waitress, Lex. You’ll have to call one of the many numbers on your phone to get a free lap dance.”

“What if I pay?” His breath tickled my ear as my eyes burned with unshed tears. Normally, I wouldn’t let what he did affect me. Normally, I brushed him off, but my armor had already been stripped. Call it exhaustion or maybe just the last remnants of pride I had toppling to the floor.

But I couldn’t hold them in any longer.

One tear fell.

Then another.

I tried to wipe them, tried to jerk free from Lex’s strong arms, but he turned me so abruptly that all I managed to do was soak the front of his shirt with my tears and smear it with mascara.

“Gabs?” His voice rasped as he hugged me tighter. “Come on, we’re going.”

“No.” Panic surged through me as I tried to pull away. “You don’t understand!” I’d given the last of my paychecks to my mom so she could pay the bills at the house, leaving me completely broke for this week’s rent check. I was hoping to make enough money in tips for the rent.

Lex’s eyes crinkled at the sides as he took one look at me and the rest of the seedy bar. I knew what he saw: girls dancing on poles, guys getting drunk and shouting at the girls while they threw dollar bills onto the stage, and a scared, stupid girl clinging to him like her lifeline.

Finally, he released me. “Gabs, I’m sorry, I was joking. We always—” He licked his lips and glanced down at the filthy floor, cursing. “Where’s the money going?”

“Money?”

“New girl!” Dean, my boss, never called me by name, the idiot. “You working or flirting? If he wants time with you, he’s gotta pay.”

“Still a waitress?” Lex’s eyebrows shot up.

I held up my fingers to indicate I needed a few more seconds, but Dean was apparently in a mood and stomped over to us.

“Problem?” he asked, crossing his arms over his skinny chest. The guy was small; Lex could probably break his face blindfolded.

“Yeah,” Lex said, surprising me. “Your waitress just refused to dance with me because you guys are out of private rooms . . . so.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed. “You her boyfriend?”

“Do I look like a man who wants to commit to crazy?” Lex fired back. “But I do have this . . .” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out what looked like at least six hundred dollars in cash. “How long will that get me with your waitress?”

Dean’s eyebrows kissed his hairline as he sputtered out, “At least three hours.”

“I’ll add in another six hundred if I can have table service and a private room, no interruptions.”

“Done.” Dean snapped his fingers above his head as one of his security guards came barreling over. “Please take them to the Diamond Room, no interruptions. Stand outside the door. One waitress goes in and out to provide drinks.”

The security guard nodded.

And five minutes later I was stuck in a personal nightmare. A bottle of champagne rested on ice; two glasses were left on the table. Music pumped through the speaker system. A small stage was set up in the middle of the room, with two poles and some sort of swing that dropped down from the ceiling. I seriously didn’t even want to know what it was for.

“That will be all,” Lex said in a gruff tone. The waitress—I think her name was Holly—bobbed her head, then looked at me out of the corners of her eyes as if scared to leave me alone with the giant.

“It’s fine.” I waved her off and forced a smile.

The door closed.

“Stop pacing.” Lex grabbed a bottle of champagne. “And that ass better give you part of that money . . .”

“Huh?” I turned. Lex had his feet up on the table and was texting. TEXTING!

He glanced up. “What? Something wrong?”

“Uh . . .” I lifted my arms into the air. “You sick bastard, you just paid for private dancing! From me!”

“No I didn’t,” he said calmly. “Nobody knows what goes on in here. Take a nap for all I care, drink some champagne—or you can shock the hell out of me and cry again, but fair warning, I only had one hug in me tonight and you stole it, so . . . I’ll be reverting to the back pat.”

“Who are you?”

“Lex Luthor, philanthropist by day and rescuer of hot waitresses by night.” He smirked and held up the bottle. “Champagne?”

“Unbelievable.” I choked out a laugh. “You just paid over one grand to sit in a crappy club and drink champagne with someone you hate.”

“It’s my good deed for the decade. Just don’t tell Ian. He’ll think I’m sick or something, and the last thing I need is Mother Hen helicoptering around my inner sanctum. He’ll get pissed all over again if he finds out that I’m hacking.”

My skin felt sticky and sweaty, and my feet ached. With slow movements, I made my way over to the couch and sat, not even wanting to know how many germs were on the leather.

“So,” Lex said above the music. “Champagne? Or want me to order you something else?”

“Champagne’s good.” I swallowed and looked down at my hands. “I’m sorry I cried.”

“As you should be. Big girls don’t cry . . . they kick ass. Don’t freak me out like that again, it’s not good for my heart.”

“Finally admitting you have one?”

Lex spread his arms wide. “Clearly, otherwise you’d still be waiting tables.”

“Or dancing,” I muttered.

“Hah.” Lex laughed, actually laughed as if it was funny. “No offense, Gabs, but you’re not like those girls on stage. You can’t . . . you just can’t.”

“I can’t?” Why the hell was I getting offended? “What do you mean I can’t?”

Lex laughed harder. “Gabs, look, there’s nothing wrong with being innocent. Lots of guys dig a girl who has fields that have never been touched, watered, planted, plowed—”

I held up my hand. “I get it.”

“But those types of girls, the good girls, the ones who’ve never been . . .” He smirked. “Conquered? They don’t typically know how to use their bodies in a way that mimics sex on stage. Get it?”

“No.” I crossed my arms. “I don’t get it! Dancing is dancing! A two-year-old can do it!”

“Bad example, bad mental picture all around, Gabs, again solidifying my point. Good girls don’t dance, not like that.” When I didn’t say anything, he added, “Embrace your goodness, don’t get pissed. It’s a compliment.”

“The hell it is!”

“Damn, I love it when you swear,” Lex murmured, taking a long draw of champagne. “See, at least you do that right.”

“I can’t last in here for three hours,” I muttered, jumping to my feet and starting my pacing all over again.

“Want to play games on my cell phone?”

“Like a child!” I blurted. “That’s it! You’re treating me like I’m . . . a toddler! Like I should be thankful you just saved me from hell. Be honest: if you had a sticker and a sucker, would you give them to me if I shut my mouth the entire time?”

Lex gave me a guilty look.

“I’m a woman!”

“Well, if you were a dude, we’d be having a different conversation and you probably would have punched the guys grabbing your ass earlier . . .”

Without thinking, I grabbed my glass of champagne, chugged it, poured another, chugged that one, then with shaky hands grabbed the little remote, turned up the music, and jumped on stage.

I expected Lex to say something inappropriate or at least roll his eyes. Instead, he looked . . . panicked.

“Gabs!” he yelled above the music. “Look, I’m sorry! Just get down!!”

“Oh, I’ll get down!” I grabbed the pole with one hand and leaned back. “Just wait.”

5Star

Michel’s Review

Okay ladies, it’s time to get your capes out and super reading powers fired up. Gabbi needs all the girl power she can get. As her designated sidekicks, we the readers have to have her back. We cannot and I repeat cannot fall in love with Lex. He is an evil villain put on this earth to make Gabbi’s life miserable. Do not look into his sexy eyes, do not swoon over his sexy evil smile, and do not peak at those six pack abs he’s packing. I’m telling you… this villain is a thief , he will steal your willpower and heart. Gabbi needs us to help her slay this evil villain or at least put a gag in his sweet mouth.

Gabbi and Lex are world war three waiting to happen. They can’t be around each other without objects flying ( mostly their clothes). Their verbal sparring is their foreplay. Each has quick wit, smart mouths, and sexual weapons. Beneath the battlefield lies two hearts meant for one another.

Lex is a villian. He is going to steal Gabbi’s complete heart. He is going to destroy anything that stands in the way. He’s bringing out his secret weapon, he’s bringing the pirates booty.

Along the way a love story is going to emerge in the aftermath of the destruction from the Matchmakers Replacement.

Rachel Van Dyken has knocked it out the park with this fun diabolical romance.

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

rachelborderRachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE / NEWSLETTER

 

 

 

 

 

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Hard Rules by Lisa Renee Jones

Hard Rules release blitz

About Hard Rules:

Hard Rules Cover

Wall Street meets the Sons of Anarchy in Hard Rules, the smoldering, scorching first novel in the explosively sexy new Dirty Money series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones.

How bad do you want it? The only man within the Brandon empire with a moral compass, Shane Brandon is ready to take his family’s business dealings legitimate. His reckless and ruthless brother, Derek wants to keep Brandon Enterprises cemented in lies, deceit, and corruption. But the harder Shane fights to pull the company back into the light, the darker he has to become. Then he meets Emily Stevens, a woman who not only stirs a voracious sexual need in him, but becomes the only thing anchoring him between good and evil.

Emily is consumed by Shane, pushed sexually in ways she never dreamed of, falling deeper into the all-encompassing passion that is this man. She trusts him. He trusts her, but therein lies the danger. Emily has a secret, the very thing that brought her to him in the first place, and that secret that could that destroy them both.

Elegant young man in tuxedo looking down while sitting on a stool, on grey studio background.

Elegant young man in tuxedo looking down while sitting on a stool, on grey studio background.

Get your copy today:

eBook

Amazon / Amazon CAB & N / IBooks / Kobo / Google Play

_1

 

UK Edition (releases same day as US!)

Amazon UK / IBooks UK

Amazon AU / IBooks AU / IBooks NZ

 

 

Print

Amazon / B & N

 

Other links found here: http://lisareneejones.com/books/hard-rules/

 

Add it to your GOODREADS SHELF: http://bit.ly/HardRulesGoodreads

Close-up portrait of a passionate young people in love.

Close-up portrait of a passionate young people in love.

EARLY PRAISE:

“Angst-y, sexy contemporary romance with big emotional and financial stakes set against the backdrop of two dynamic families. Sure to leave readers desperate for the next installment.”

-Kirkus Reviews

 

“High-octane romance set above the glittering lights of Denver is enhanced by the dominance of a powerful man and the cunning sweetness of a woman who isn’t cowed or swayed by his wealth…a fascinating mystery and characters with distinct voices.”

-Publishers Weekly

__________________________________

5Star

Tracey’s Review

Six pages. Less than one chapter. That’s how long it took for me to fall for Shane Brandon, and to be completely in love with this new series from author Lisa Renee Jones. I’m not surprised, really, because there is nothing that Lisa’s written that I don’t enjoy tremendously, but HARD RULES starts out fast and furious, and just keeps going.

Lisa is a mistress of writing the strong alpha man that we just can’t say no to, and Shane is true to form. A good man in a nest of vipers, he’s doing everything he can to right the wrongs of his father, and save the family empire from the corruption that threatens at every turn. When chance pulls Emily Stevens into Shane’s orbit, he’s intrigued. Emily is truly an enigma, but one that sparks Shane’s interest in a way that he hasn’t experienced before. One night leads to another, and soon these two people that don’t ‘do’ relationships are trying to find their way in the midst of secrets and chaos.

HARD RULES is a tautly written, engaging read, and I could not put this book down. The characters, the premise, the dark heat, all worked together to draw me in and keep me hooked. Thank goodness this is the first book in a series, because I am a fan, and I cannot wait for DAMAGE CONTROL, Book 2. 5 fast-paced, sexy, secret-filled stars for HARD RULES. Pop this book right to the top of your TBR, because it is a must-read for Lisa’s fans. Grab it, read it, thank me later.

***ARC generously provide for an honest review.***

Hard Rules Teaser 4

A NOTE FROM LISA:

This series will have FOUR full-length books in it. The first four will be Emily and Shane’s story and there will be a fifth fir a secondary character’s story (more information to come soon). I don’t have covers or buy links for books 3 and 4, but I DO have a little information on book 2, DAMAGE CONTROL!!

  • Book One – Hard Rules – August, 9, 2016
  • Book Two – Damage Control – February 2017 (more info here: http://lisareneejones.com/damage-control-release)
  • Book Three – Bad Deeds – August 2017
  • Book Four – End Game – February 2018

I am SO excited for this series to come out, because it is so unlike my other series. I am hoping my readers love it just as much as I did when I was writing it! PLEASE be sure to sign up for my TEXT LIST (link below). That will be where/how I communicate when these titles, and others, are available for pre-order, on sale or when I have a big giveaway!

 

XOXO,

Lisa Renee Jones

Lisa Renee Jones

About Lisa Renee Jones:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series, which is now in development for a television show to be produced by Suzanne Todd of Team Todd (Alice in Wonderland). Suzanne Todd on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy – a modern girl we all can identify with. I’m thrilled to develop a television show that will tell Sara’s whole story – her life, her work, her friends, and her sexuality.

In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin’s Press.

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

 

Connect with Lisa:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaReneeJones

Twitter – https://twitter.com/LisaReneeJones

Instagram – http://instagram.com/lisareneejones

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LisaReneeJones

Text List and Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LRJTextList

Hard Rules Teaser 7

 

Enter Lisa’s Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

 

 

Hard Rules Teaser 8

 

 

Release Blitz: Reaper’s Fire by Joanna Wylde – Reaper’s Motor Cycle Club – Book 6

 

reaper's fire release blitz

reaper's fire now available


reaper's fire

Are you ready for Gage and Tinker’s story?

*******

Reaper’s Fire

Reapers Motorcycle Club – Book 6

By Joanna Wylde

Release Date : June 28th, 2016

*****

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde returns to the “wild and raw”* world of the Reapers MC with the story of Gage and Tinker…

The club comes first.

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.

Previously_sent_RFTEASER8-2

Excerpt

Tinker

It was almost seven that evening when I felt the AC kick back on. I’d been lying on my back on the (relatively) cool tile floor behind the counter, staring up at the pressed-tin ceiling and trying to remember why I hadn’t already moved back to Seattle.

In Seattle it rained.

Cool breezes blew off the bay and the lush greenery covered everything with its shaded canopy. People didn’t really need air-conditioning, but if they happened to have it and it broke, there were lots of repair men available.

Of course, Seattle also had Brandon. Not only that, my dad didn’t want to move, and I’d come to realize I couldn’t leave him here alone. It wasn’t safe for him, not since Mom died.

Ugh.

At least the AC was working again, blowing down from the ceiling vent across my sweaty body, reminding me that while the world might not be crawling with perfect men, at least there were still a few useful ones running around. Cooper Romero was a keeper, and it had nothing to do with how sexy he was . . . although the fact that he was sex on a stick—make that sex with a stick—didn’t exactly diminish his appeal.

When I’d dragged him up to the black tar roof to show him the ancient AC, I’d expected him to make a run for it. Any sensible man would. Instead, he’d spent the whole afternoon busting his ass to save my chocolates—Oh God, I wish that were code for something more exciting—officially qualifying him as a superhero in my book.

As for me, there wasn’t much I could do once I got all the sweets safely downstairs into the basement. There weren’t any customers walking in off the street, and seeing as I couldn’t make or ship candy in a 102-degree shop, I’d alternated between attempting to read a book, looking over orders I couldn’t fulfill on my laptop, and bringing Cooper glasses of iced tea. I’d been nervous around him at first, but you can only stay nervous for so long when you’re sweating like a pig—there’s a certain freedom in knowing you look like hell and there’s no saving your hair. I’d thrown my arm across my eyes in a pathetic attempt to block out reality toward the end.

When cold air started flowing into the room, I could’ve cried with relief. He’d never had a chance to fill out the application form, and I’d long since decided it didn’t matter. Unless he was an ax murderer, I’d give him the apartment and the job.

Might give it to him even if he was, to be honest.

“It’s working again,” Cooper announced, and I jerked, startled. Shit, had I fallen asleep? Opening my eyes, I looked up to find him standing over me. Dear God in heaven—that was one hell of a bare chest.

Holy. Shit.

I’d taken note of his build when he first walked in the shop, but everything under his shirt had been theoretical. Now there was six-foot-plus of raw sex appeal right there, all sweaty and sculpted and . . . well, let’s just say I’d be stopping off on the way home to pick up some fresh batteries.

That’s when the situation hit me—Cooper Romero was the hottest man I’d met in forever, and he’d just found me lying on the floor in my own sweat and filth like a dog. Typical luck. I scrambled to my feet, pretending I wasn’t totally embarrassed (I was) and not in the least bit freaked out by how unspeakably attractive this guy was. Okay, “attractive” wasn’t quite the right word, because it implied a certain level of polish and class that just didn’t fit Cooper at all.

Brandon was attractive.

Cooper?

I’d lick him all over and massage his butt if he asked. He stared down at me, his eyes carefully blank, making it very clear he wasn’t asking. Story of my fucking life. Sitting up, I pushed myself to my feet without bothering to dust off. Lost cause at this point.

“Not sure how much life the AC has left,” he said slowly. “I managed to get it going, but fixing it right would cost more than it’s worth and then some.”

Of course it would.

“I just need to get through the summer,” I told him, wiping a finger under my eye. My perfectly applied, vintage-style makeup had melted, leaving me with a clown face. Fortunately I’d (mostly) given up on caring three hours ago, right around the time I’d discovered the floor tiles were cooler than the rest of the room. “After that, I’ll worry about the furnace and by next summer I might not even be here anymore.”

“Really?” he asked, cocking a brow. “You selling out?”

“Not sure,” I told him. “I’m not thinking that far ahead right now. Things are very iffy with my dad . . . I think he’s got some—”

No. I couldn’t say it. Saying it out loud made it too real, plus the last thing I needed were a bunch of rumors flying around town. So far we’d kept dad’s situation mostly to family and friends.

“Tinker?”

Shaking myself, I smiled at him. “Thank you so much for fixing that. I’m not even sure what I would’ve done—I can’t afford to miss a week’s worth of orders. Not only would it put me behind, it would burn my customers.”

He nodded, studying me thoughtfully. God, he really was beautiful . . . Nothing like Brandon’s polished sophistication. No, Cooper gave off more of a warrior-tossing-you-over-his-fearless-steed kind of vibe. Yeah, like that would end well, because my track record with men was so fucking perfect, right?

Pull your head out of the gutter. He probably has a girlfriend.

At least I could finally lock up this hellhole of a shop and get a shower.

“Thank you so much—you have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

“No, but the whole throwing yourself at my feet thing was a subtle hint,” he said, and I realized he was teasing me. Was he flirting? I couldn’t decide if that kicked ass or scared the shit out of me.

“Anyway, it’s getting late,” I told him, feeling suddenly awkward. “I’m going to grab some dinner down the street, and then I could take you over and show you the apartment.”

A small, knowing smile crossed his face, and I realized he thought I was hitting on him.

“No,” I said quickly, mortified. “I wasn’t asking you out. Omigod, this is weird.”

“What, you aren’t turned on by a man who smells like old socks?” he asked lightly, raising his arm and giving a sniff. He was joking, but the sweat wasn’t a turnoff. Nope. Not even a little bit. “If that’s not enough for you, the roof tar on my ass should be a big attraction.”

Closing my eyes, I bit back a groan. He started laughing. Not in a cruel way, but companionably, which I guess made sense because both of us were disgusting as hell. Of course, now I wanted to check out his ass, but I managed to keep my eyes on target (mostly) when I answered him.

“Well, it’s sexy but I’ll manage to control myself somehow. I do want to grab dinner, though, and we need to figure out the apartment details.”

“I’ll take the place, doesn’t matter what it is,” he replied. “I’m in a hotel and it’s getting old. I’d love to move in on Sunday, but I can’t go look at it right now—gotta get my ass cleaned up. Meeting up with someone later.”

Of course he was, because men who looked like Cooper didn’t spend Friday nights alone.

“Sounds great,” I told him, refusing to show any disappointment. “Just text me when you’re ready, and I’ll get you the key.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden pounding against the locked shop door caught us both off guard. I spun around to find Talia Jackson glaring at me through the glass. Talia and three of her skankier friends, including Sadie Baxter, a girl I used to babysit when I was in college.

A girl who was now twenty.

Damn.

“Cooper!” Talia shouted. “What the fuck are you doing?”

I glanced at my new handyman, startled. Talia Jackson and her brother, Marsh, were two of the nastiest people I’d ever met. Marsh was president of the local motorcycle gang, a group called the Nighthawk Raiders motorcycle club. The club had been around most of my life, but it was only in recent years that they’d turned really bad. I mean, they were never the kinder, gentler sort of bikers, but I’d never been actively afraid when I’d heard a motorcycle, either.

Now? Let’s just say we’d all gotten a little edgy.

“That’s my girl,” Cooper said, and something deep down inside of me died a little. Of course he’d go for someone like Talia. She might have the heart of a deranged circus clown—you know, the kind that survives by eating the souls of innocent children—but she was hot.

Really hot.

Not only that, she was slutty, and while I wasn’t into the whole slut-shaming thing (like I had room to judge after the bachelorette party debacle . . . ugh), I wasn’t naive enough to think he was attracted to her personality. Cooper Romero might have a sweet smile, and he’d fixed my AC, but now I had proof positive that he’d never be into a girl like me.

Specifically, a grown-up with curves.

All righty, then. Probably for the best anyway.

“Just a sec!” I called to her, determined to take the high road, then I grabbed my keys so I could open the door. She pushed inside with her posse, and I do mean pushed. Little bitch shoved me so hard I nearly knocked over the display of antique Russian teacups my mother had lovingly collected. (So far as I knew, she’d never sold a single one of them, but it’d made her happy.)

“Careful,” I warned, and Talia turned on me.

“What did you just say to me?”

“Babe, let’s talk,” Cooper said, catching her arm and pulling her into his body. She squealed, going from aggressive to flirty in an instant.

“You’re all sweaty. It’s sooo disgusting.”

I noted she wasn’t trying to get away. Cooper smiled down at her, a hint of something feral in his eyes. Yeah, okay—whatever smile he’d been giving me, it hadn’t held any of that kind of intensity.

Yours truly was officially chopped liver.

“I was just about to head out and grab a shower,” he told her. “Wanna come with me?”

She pouted. “I can’t. The girls and I need to get fixed up. I’ll see you at the bar, though, right?”

He looked down at her, offering a sexy, indulgent smile. “Can’t wait.”

“Perfect,” she said, reaching around to grab his ass for a quick squeeze. Then she turned and strutted back out without a word to me, her gaggle of girls following like well-trained geese. Sadie gave a little finger wave on the way. The door closed behind them with a cheerful little jingle, and I wondered why the hell I even bothered with Hallies Falls.

I missed Seattle.

So what if it had Brandon? I could drown him in Lake Washington. Problem solved.

“Sorry about that—Talia is a little high-strung,” Cooper said.

“Oh, I know all about her,” I replied, hoping I didn’t sound as catty as I felt. Cooper didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m new to town, but she’s been showing me around,” Cooper continued, stepping over to stand in front of me, hands shoved deep in his front pockets. “I should get going.”

“Of course—don’t let me keep you. What time do you think you’ll be in touch tomorrow?”

“Afternoon work?”

“No problem. Looking forward to hearing from you.”

He nodded and pushed through the door, walking down the street without a second look back. I locked up behind him, wondering why all the hottest guys were douchebags. Not that Cooper had acted like a douche, but he had to be my age or older—late thirties—and Talia was the same age as Sadie. She was also a raging bitch. There was only one reason a man like him would date a girl like that, and it had nothing to do with personality or character.

Cooper Romero might be beautiful, but obviously he was shallow. Suppose it was too much to hope for a man who could fix an air conditioner and have a soul at the same time.

Pity

RFTEASER2

___________________________________________________

Have you heard?

Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde has a NEW COVER!

reaper's property new cover

Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde has a NEW COVER!

Meet Horse & Marie for ONLY $3.99 (normally $7.99)

Author’s Note: This book was originally released through a small publisher in 2013. This independent edition has been lightly edited, and contains a bonus short, “Sticky Sweet” (originally published on the author’s website) and a Q&A with the author.

******

Reaper’s Property

Reaper’s MC – Book 1

By Joanna Wylde

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Marie doesn’t need a complication like Horse. The massive, tattooed badass biker who shows up at her brother’s house one afternoon doesn’t agree. He wants Marie on his bike and in his bed. Now.

 

But Marie just left her abusive jerk of an ex-husband and she’s not looking for a new man. Especially one like Horse. She doesn’t know his real name or where he lives. She’s ninety percent certain he’s a criminal and that the “business” he talked with her brother wasn’t website design. She needs him out of her life, which would be a snap if he wasn’t so damned sexy.

 

Horse is part of the Reapers Motorcycle Club, and when he wants something, he takes it. What is he wants is Marie, but she’s not interested in becoming some biker’s property.

 

Then her brother steals from the club. Now Marie can save him by giving Horse what he wants—at home, in public, on his bike… and if she’s a very, very good girl, he’ll let her brother live.

___________________________________________________

About Joanna Wylde

joanna wyldeJoanna 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.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

 

 

 

reaper's fire

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review + Giveaway: Close To You by Kristen Proby – Fusion Series – Book 2

Close To You - Available Now

 

Kristen Proby is known for writing heartfelt characters with deep connections and sizzling passion. In her brand new Fusion Series from William Morrow, she seduces readers’ senses with the sexy, contemporary romance in which five best friends open a hot new restaurant together. Today, we are thrilled to bring you CLOSE TO YOU, the second book in the Fusion Series! CLOSE TO YOU brings readers the next story in this amazing cast of characters. Grab your copy of CLOSE TO YOU today and check out the special offer below!

 

 

CLOSE TO YOU - cover

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby comes the second novel in her sizzling Fusion series.

Camilla, “Cami,” LaRue was five-years-old when she first fell in love with Landon Palazzo. Everyone told her the puppy love would fade—they clearly never met Landon. When he left after graduation without a backward glance, she was heartbroken. But Cami grew up, moved on, and became part-owner of wildly popular restaurant Seduction. She has everything she could want…or so she thinks.

After spending the last twelve years as a Navy fighter pilot, Landon returns to Portland to take over the family construction business. When he catches a glimpse of little Cami LaRue, he realizes she’s not so little any more. He always had a soft spot for his little sister’s best friend, but nothing is soft now when he’s around the gorgeous restauranteur.

Landon isn’t going to pass up the chance to make the girl-next-door his. She’s never been one for romance, but he’s just the one to change her mind. Will seduction be just the name of her restaurant or will Cami let him get close enough to fulfill all her fantasies?

Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

______________________________

 Excerpt

~Cami~

He’s back.
I take a deep, cleansing breath and push my hands through my blond hair, scrutinizing my makeup. I don’t wear much, and I’m certainly not as talented with it as my best friend, Addie, but it’ll do. My green eyes are accentuated nicely, lips are pink, and heart is beating faster than ever.
“You’ve known him your whole life. It’s not like he’s new,” I remind myself in the mirror. “You’re just going over to say hi. It’s no big deal.”
I don’t look convinced, so I narrow my eyes and lean in. “He’s just an old friend. Suck it up, buttercup.”
Landon is my other best friend, Mia’s older brother. Addie, Mia, and I grew up together, and I’ve been in love with Landon for as long as I can remember. God, one look at him usually sends the giant birds in my stomach into overdrive. He’s handsome— understatement of the year— and sweet and . . . damn.
I’m ridiculous.
I shake my head at my reflection and turn away to grab my purse and set out to Landon’s parents’ place, where he’s been staying since arriving home a few days ago. Landon was in the Navy since he graduated from college. He was a pilot, until an accident a few months ago that resulted in him ejecting from the plane.
I’ve never felt fear like I did the day we received the call that he’d been hurt. And the past few months of him being on the other side of the world have been torture. I couldn’t see him to make sure he was okay. He had to recover, then go through the process of being discharged from the Navy before he could come home.
Thank God he’s back now. I gave him a couple of days to acclimate, but I just can’t stay away anymore. I need to see him.
And I’m nervous as hell.
I park at the curb by his parents’ house, gather my courage about me, and walk up the sidewalk to the front door, knocking with more conviction than I feel.
There isn’t any movement in the house, making me frown. It’s early enough in the day that he should be home.
I knock again, and just when I’m about to give up and leave, the door is yanked open and there he is.
Half- naked.
Hair rumpled.
Eyes blurry.
Did I mention that he’s half freaking naked?

________________________________

  4.5 Star

Tracey’s Review

“I didn’t think I believed in soul mates…It’s always sounded like a romantic notion for movies and books, but I’ve realized that a soul mate isn’t someone who just slips into your life and one day you realize, Oh, there you are. It’s the person that you measure time against.”

For Cami LaRue, Landon Palazzo has always been more than just her best friend’s older brother. For as long as she can remember, there’s been something between them, something more, but the timing was never right, and time and years separated them. Now that Landon is back home in Portland, though, things are different, and feelings long buried are brought to light.

CLOSE TO YOU is the second book in Kristen’s new Fusion series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kristen’s ability to write a group of characters that make you want to join right in with them and hang out is one of the first things that drew me to her books way back in the With Me In Seattle days, and Cami and her circle of friends are another great example of this.

Love, family, and friendship always play a big role in Kristen’s books, with stories interwoven, but not necessarily dependent upon each other. The characters in the Fusion series truly are family, friends that have known each other so long that it’s like they’re one big clan. Although they are each fine on their own, with strong support systems, and their own lives, Cami and Landon are truly just what each other needs. Being able to finally explore the feelings that they have both tamped down for so long feels like the most natural thing in the world for them, and seeing them find their ‘other’ and get to their HEA is so rewarding.

One of my most favorite things about Kristen’s writing is her scenes when everyone is pretty much unguarded and letting their hair down, so to speak, and CLOSE TO YOU has plenty of those moments. The five ladies of Fusion are great foils for each other, and seeing such a strong and enduring friendship between these women is refreshing and uplifting. As well, Kristen’s men are both strong yet tender, and Landon is a definite keeper (I mean, seriously, that quote, though!). His love and eloquence when it comes to Cami are downright swoon-inducing, and I thank Kristen for writing him in such a realistic and human way.

CLOSE TO YOU is, at heart, a book designed to give us the HEA we readers are looking for, and Kristen is absolutely on her mark. 4.5 romantic, steamy, friend-to-lovers stars for this book. I can’t wait to see what the remaining ladies of Fusion are in for, and look forward to each of them in the near future.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

Grow With Me - banner

Order CLOSE TO YOU during release week, fill out this form, and receive an email with the Exclusive Short Story, GROW WITH ME, featuring Will and Meg from Kristen Proby’s PLAY WITH ME in the With Me in Seattle Series after Release Week!

 

 

Listen to Me - cover

And Don’t Miss the First Novel in the Fusion Series, LISTEN TO ME!

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes ** Kobo

 

 

Close To You - RWB teaser 2

 

 

 

Author Pic - Kristen ProbyAbout Kristen Proby:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

 

 

 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter** Newsletter Sign Up

CLOSE TO YOU Goodreads ** Kristen Proby Goodreads

 

 

Close To You - RWX teaser 1

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

InkSlinger-Blogger banner-New

Release Blitz: Kaden / Simon by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright – Bayou Heat Novellas – 1001 Dark Nights

KAYDEN-SIMON RDL Banner

 

KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright, novellas in their Bayou Heat Series brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights, is here! Be sure you check out the trailer and excerpt below, and grab your copy today!

 

 

KAYDEN-SIMON RDL teaser 1

 

 

Excerpt:

Xavier, the leader of the Geeks, winced at the noise assaulting his sensitive ears.

The center of the Wildlands was usually bustling with activity. It was the heart of the pack. The area where the Pantera gathered to enjoy meals and watch the cubs play in the dappled sunlight.

Over the past few weeks, however, it’d been crowded with the temporary shelters used by the various factions—Diplomats, Geeks, and Hunters—while the main headquarters was being rebuilt.

Standing at the edge of the clearing, the two males studied the roof being nailed down on the large, colonial-styled structure. The new headquarters would look a lot like the old one, although it would be larger, with the latest technology built in.

Xavier had just received an update from the electrician who was preparing to install the solar panels. He was a tall male with mocha-toned skin and brilliant blue eyes. He had powerful shoulders, a broad chest, and sharp features that were emphasized by thebuzzed cut of his dark hair.

Beside him was Raphael, the head of the Diplomats. He was equally tall, although his frame was lean rather than heavily muscled, and his blond hair was long enough to brush his shoulders. His eyes werejade, until his inner puma was aroused. Then they smoldered a pure gold.

The two alphas had been working closely together to not only repair the damage from the recent attack, but to reassure their people they were doing everything in their power to keep them safe.

Xavier was just filling in Raphael on the status of the electronic surveillance they were installing on the border of the Wildlands when he caught sight of the male

Pantera strolling toward him with a grim determination.

Kayden.

The younger male was a fellow Geek with short dark hair that always looked messy to Xavier, but his mate told him was mussed in a sexy way. Just as she claimed that Kayden’s neatly trimmed goatee was sexy. Whatever. Women were the strangest creatures.

 

 

http://embed.animoto.com/play.html?w=swf/production/vp1&e=1470064297&f=0csRk39Ee9iwdpYYlbF3Dg&d=0&m=p&r=360p+720p&volume=100&start_res=null&i=m&asset_domain=s3-p.animoto.com&animoto_domain=animoto.com&options=autostart

 

 

KAYDEN-SIMON
ENEMY TO LOVER

Kayden is obsessed with revenge after his parents disappeared when he was just a cub. Now the gorgeous Hunter has discovered the man responsible for betraying them – Joshua Ford – and it’s time for payback. Beginning with the kidnapping of Joshua’s daughter, Bianca. But last thing he expects is to be confronted with the horrifying realization that Bianca is his mate. Will he put revenge before his chance for eternal happiness?

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Sexy male model, Simon refuses to give up his exciting life in New York City to return to the slow heat of the Wildlands. For a decade, many pantera have tried to capture the rogue Diplomat and bring him home, but all have failed. Now it’s Tryst’s turn. The hard, brilliant, and gorgeous, Hunter is the ultimate tracker. But can the admitted beast-girl of the Wildlands capture her prey without losing her heart in the process?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon Canada

Download the Free Kindle App

Alexandra Ivy - headshotAlexandra Ivy is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From Alexandra: “I’m not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother’s knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library.

Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.

Years later (no, I’m not admitting how many) I’m still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter

 

Laura Wright - headshotLaura Wright is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From Laura: “Unlike many of my peers in the writing world, I wasn’t a writer or a reader until I left high school. During my youth I was into theater, song and dance, commercials and boys. I loved romance surely, but I had never read a romance novel until my late teens. With that said, I remember the day I did like it was a moment ago – my aunt gave me the Jude Deveraux novel, Knight in Shining Armor and I couldn’t put it down until the very last word. Then I went straight to the library and got another – then another until I’d read everything she’d ever written. After that, it was McNaught, Howard, Schone, Kleypas, and the Silhouette line, Desire. I instantly loved those emotional, sexy reads, so much so that I began to carve out ideas for my own stories, themes that were unique to me and moved me. In 1997 I enrolled in UCLA extension writing classes, met my mentor and critique partners and since have never stopped writing. I was committed then and I still am now; the need to tell my own romantic stories a full on obsession. My first manuscript was rejected, and though the second one was as well the editor who’d rejected it wanted to see something else from me. I had something (note to authors; always keep working, even after you’ve sent in a proposal) and sent it right away. The day I got the call telling me Desire wanted to buy Cinderella and the Playboy was the best day of my life. That is until I married my husband, and had my two beautiful children. But I must say, writing is much like motherhood – tough, grueling, surprising, delicious and for me, a dream come true.”

 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter

 

 

 

KAYDEN-SIMON - Available Now

 

 

 

InkSlinger-Blogger-New

Release Blitz + Excerpt : Ruthless by Lexi Blake – Lawless Series

 

Ruthless FBbanner

Ruthless_CVFThe first in a sexy contemporary romance series featuring the Lawless siblings—from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.

The Lawless siblings are bound by vengeance. Riley, Drew, Brandon, and Mia believe the CEO of StratCast orchestrated their parents’ murder twenty years ago to steal their father’s software program. And there’s only one way Riley can find some solid evidence…

Heir to the StratCast legacy, Ellie Stratton hires a new attorney to handle a delicate business matter—and she’s shocked by her attraction to him. Over the course of a few weeks, Riley becomes her lover, her friend, her everything. But when her life is threatened, Ellie discovers that Riley is more obsessed with settling an old score than in the love she thought they were building. And Riley must choose between a revenge he’s prepared for all his life and the woman he’s sure he can’t live without…

Buy Now

Amazon | Amazon UK | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Google | Kobo | Print

 

EARLY REVIEWS FOR RUTHLESS

“Smart, savvy, clever, and always entertaining. That’s true of Riley Lawless, the hero in Ruthless, and likewise for his creator, Lexi Blake. Both are way ahead of the pack.” ~ New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry

“I love Lexi Blake. Read Ruthless and see why.” ~ New York Times bestselling author Lee Child

With Ruthless, Lexi Blake has set up shop on the intersection of Suspenseful and Sexy, and I never want to leave. ~ Laurelin Paige, New York Times bestselling author

Ruthless is full of suspense, hot sex, and swoon worthy characters — a must read!” ~ New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst

Blake Ruthless teaser 1

 

 

“Why did you do that?”

It was the first time she’d spoken without being prompted. “Do what?”

Her face flushed the sweetest pink. The color went all the way down that sexy V-neck. Her breasts flushed as well as her face, and it made his damn dick tighten. “Kiss me. Why did you kiss me like that?”

Oh, so many reasons, but he gave her the most compelling one. “I wanted to.”

The minute she’d opened the door and he’d seen her standing there looking anxious, he’d known how to calm her down. All he’d had to do was put his hands on her and some odd connection flared between the two of them. She hadn’t fought him. He could have gone on kissing her. He’d been the one to pull away.

It was like the minute he walked in, he was the only thing that existed for her. It made him feel ten feet tall, but it also made him want to please her.

It was an unsettling sensation.

Her hands came up, fingers on the sides of the table. “You know what I’m asking. You knew I wasn’t alone. Why did you pretend to be my boyfriend?”

It was easy to see she’d wanted him to wait for her at the restaurant so as to avoid him meeting her sister and ex. When she’d opened the door, he’d immediately known something was wrong. He’d gotten a glimpse of her sister and known Ellie had likely needed a hand. It had to be tough on a woman’s ego to lose even a pathetic excuse of a husband to a younger sister.

“You were alone with your sister who slept with your husband. Excuse me. Ex-husband.”

She shook her head. “At the time, we were definitely married. How did you know he was my ex-husband?”

“He took half your net wealth. I’m your lawyer. At this level, a good lawyer is less legal counsel and more war consultant. I can’t properly perform my duties if I don’t know everything about you, including the fact that you tend to have terrible taste in men.”

She frowned. “I haven’t had a ton of boyfriends. I’m not sure what my taste is.”

He really wanted to understand why she’d married that obvious prick. “What attracted you to him? Because from where I was standing, he looked like a dickwad desperate to be twenty-one again.”

She bit into her bottom lip, her eyes glancing away from him. “He wasn’t always like that. I actually met him when he was twenty-one. He was far more mature then.”

He liked her candor. “You were in college?”

“Last year of undergrad. We dated for two years and then it seemed like it was time to get married. We’d moved back here to Manhattan so I could take my place at StratCast. I thought he was going to go to grad school, but he decided on a different path.”

“What path was that?”

A single brow rose over her right eye. “You don’t know?”

Of course he knew. He knew everything. “Are you referring to your ex-husband’s penchant for swinging for the fences? When it comes to investments, that is.”

It was what he liked to call “idiots who funded ridiculous ideas.” They never wanted a simple profit out of their money. They wanted millions and really fucking fast. They swung for the grand slam when all they needed to do was get on base.

It took a true genius to take a single idea and make millions off it. Drew had.

Her shoulders straightened. “He wanted the easy solution. A get-rich-quick scheme. He wasn’t that way at first. At one point he was very intellectual. It’s what attracted me to him. He was curious about the world and liked to discuss everything from politics to social jus- tice to movies we saw. He changed. I didn’t. In some ways, I blame getting involved with me for what happened to him. He got around my father and real wealth and wanted some of his own. When I met him, he wanted to be a professor. He wanted to teach.”

At least he’d gotten her this far. She was talking. Now he needed to get those shoulders down from around her earlobes. For one moment, for that moment when he’d drawn her into his arms and pressed his mouth to hers, she’d relaxed against him, given over to him. Her body had softened and she’d leaned into him, and if he’d pressed her, he didn’t know what would have happened. She might have continued kissing him, forgetting all about the other people in the room. He could have cupped her breast, her ass. Put his hands anywhere he liked.

She hadn’t given a damn that they hadn’t been alone. All she’d cared about was him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review: Fool Me Once by Katee Robert – Foolproof Love Series – Book 2

Robert_FoolMeOnce_badge

FMO_1600

Fool Me Once

Foolproof Love Series – Book 2

By Katee Robert

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

They say opposites attract, but this is just ridiculous.

Aubry Kaiser doesn’t like people—actually, that’s not right. She loathes people. With her crippling anxiety, there’s no way she can demo her favorite video game at a convention with five thousand other people. Maybe if she brings someone to act as a shield…

But the only person available is the sexy cowboy she can’t stand.

Quinn Baldwyn is in a mess of his own. He’s been dodging his wealthy family’s matchmaking attempts—and life advice—for years, but with his sister’s wedding on the horizon, he needs of a shield of his own.

He and Aubry can barely hold down a civil conversation, but in bed…fireworks. And the closer they get to Quinn’s sister’s wedding, the more he realizes that he might actually like Aubry.

Now it’s up to him to convince her she might actually like him, too.

FMO_understatement

Excerpt

“You know, I’ve been thinking—”

“Good God, don’t strain yourself.”

“—and I’m thinking that I need a better nickname for you. Sweet cheeks might be accurate, but no one in my family is going to believe I’d call the woman I’m in a relationship with something that…lowbrow.”

She tilted her sunglasses down to stare at him over the top of them. It made her amber eyes stand out all the more. “How about you call me nothing at all? Because that sounds ideal from where I’m sitting.”

“Nah. I’ve always been a fan of pet names.”

“One—I can tell. Two—save your pet names for your actual animals.”

She’d left that one wide open, but he chose to ignore it. Just this once. He twined her hair around his finger again. “I was thinking bunny.”

“You can call me bunny if you want to provoke me to actual physical violence.”

Yeah, it didn’t fit, either. He relaxed back into his seat, starting to enjoy the idea of this. “Cherry.”

“Hard pass.”

“Cookie.”

“No way.”

He wondered when she’d noticed that he was still stroking her hair. He hadn’t been lying when he said they would have to put on a good show for his family. That meant he had to get her used to him touching her, at least in these innocent ways. Or that was what he told himself as he kept playing with the ends of her hair.

And touching in the not-innocent ways?

To distract himself, he said, “Peaches. No, don’t look at me like that. You got to pass on three—that’s your limit. And you smell like peaches.” He leaned a little closer, keeping one eye on the road, and adopted his best Nicholas Cage voice, “I love peaches. I could eat peaches for hours.”

“Ew, gross.”

He sat back and laughed. “You have a problem with a man worshiping you that way?”

“I have a problem with Nicholas Cage comparing my lady bits to a fruit and, frankly, the image of him down there is enough to kill any desire the act would cause.”

She sounded so horrified that he laughed again. Or he started to. The problem with teasing her like this was he was now picturing himself between her thighs. Quinn shifted, trying to get his instant physical reaction under control. His cock wasn’t in a cooperative mood, though, and his brain kept serving up images of Aubry’s back arching, her fingers digging into his forearms, her head thrown back in ecstasy he was giving her.

Jesus Christ.

FMO_Obsession

4.5 Star

Tracey’s Review

***4.5 Hot, Sassy, Zombie-Fighting Stars***

Aubry Kaiser and Quinn Baldwynn have what you might call an understanding. Aubry understands that she can’t stand him, and Quinn understands that, while it’s a lot of fun to get under her skin, she’s about as cuddly as an armadillo. When circumstances arise that would make it mutually beneficial for them to drop the gloves and help each other out, Aubry’s not sure that she can manage not to kill Quinn for even just a few days’ time.

I like nothing more than a hot and sassy enemies-to-lovers read, and Katee Robert can write one like nobody’s business. Having met Aubry and Quinn in FOOLPROOF LOVE, the first book in this series, I knew that they were like oil and water together, and when I saw that these two were getting their own story, I was all in.

Aubry is a take-no-prisoners, equal opportunity loather. She’s made a career of shutting herself off from people, spending most of her time perfecting her skills as an online gamer. With a past like hers, it’s no wonder that she’s leery of letting anybody get too close, and is just as happy keeping to herself and keeping people at bay with her vitriol and snark, hiding her debilitating anxiety from everyone but her closest friend.

Quinn could not have come from a more different background, but he’s happily left it all behind to do what he really loves, much to his family’s dismay. When duty calls in the form of his sister’s wedding, Quinn needs someone to step into the gap to help shield him from his parents’ matchmaking ways. As luck would have it, the one person available to fill the bill is Aubry. Match made in Heaven? Uh, no, but desperate times require desperate measures, so a deal is struck, and the fun begins.

“I think you’re asking the impossible.”
“Do you? I think you’re just a bit disappointed that you don’t get to experience all I have to offer…I think the lady doth protest too much when it comes to wanting me.”
“Oh my God, does that line actually work with women?”
“I think it just did…But it’s not meant this time. This arrangement is purely business.”

When Aubry and Quinn hit the road, it’s with every intention of getting through the next few days without killing each other. That way of thinking comes to a screeching halt fairly quickly when it becomes apparent that the sparks that these two set off are Stage 4 epic, and not to be denied. Hot? Yep. Panty-melting? Definitely. Scenes so hot that a fan is definitely required? You bet. Because Katee is a mistress of hotness, and the action between Aubry and Quinn does not disappoint. And, if some feelings develop along the way, well, who could blame them?

I knew that FOOL ME ONCE would go on the list of my favorite recent reads, and I was right. Katee’s second foray into the world of Devil’s Falls and its residents is everything that I’d hoped for, and Aubry and Quinn and their quirky kind of love just make me happy. Now we just need Daniel’s and Hope’s book, and I’ll call this series perfect. Add these books to your TBR. They’re just what you need when you’re looking for a sexy, sassy, smart book that will lift your spirits along with your temperature.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

_________________________________

 Katee Robert.04.205px.pngNew York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. Connect with Katee at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Instagram | Tumblr | Youtube

FMO_1600