When their parents got married, the only thing Caleb Luxan had in common with Wren Brashill was that they both hated their parents. When he was sixteen, Caleb discovered Wren’s closely guarded secret and vowed to protect her: from that day forward she became the reason for every decision he made.
Jealousy and long-suppressed desire overpowered Caleb’s fierce protectiveness and they spent one forbidden and unforgettable night in each other arms, but the aftermath left Caleb panicked, Wren heartbroken, and their relationship in shambles. In the time since that fateful night, he’d only seen her once and had only managed to make the situation even worse.
The sudden death of his estranged father calls Caleb home and face-to-face with Wren for first time in years. He is presented with a choice that forces him to confront the painful memories of his youth and his many regrets with Wren.
Like it or not, his father’s last, hard lesson, will demand Caleb deal with his long denied emotions for Wren, or let go of her forever.
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Excerpt
Caleb’s muscled frame was rigid and as Wren looked at him, she studied his profile, and could feel his coiled tension. The fingers in his right hand curled into a fist. “I was so mad. So many times, I wished he’d been the one to die.” His voice was full of pain, as the words tore from him. “I fucking hated him with every breath I took. You saw how much.”
Wren nodded, though he didn’t see her acquiescence. She knew what he went through growing up when they had formed an affable alliance against their parents. She hated her mother at least as much as Caleb hated his father and she understood his anger and pain; then the apathy that became a welcome alternative. They’d been unlikely allies against a common enemy.
“Maybe I deserved his indifference.”
Wren got up and went to Caleb, standing behind him as he stood still as stone, and staring out the window. Her heart ached with love and grief for Caleb. She wanted to touch him; to offer reassurance, to take away the ache in his voice and heart. Without considering her actions, her arms slipped around his waist and she pressed up against his strong back and leaned her head against him, between his shoulder blades.
Caleb was massive in comparison to her, and she was like a flower curling around him. Her hands fanned out against his hard stomach, her fingers finding the definition of his abs beneath his shirt. “Stop, Cale. I won’t let you do this to yourself. Your dad wouldn’t want that. None of it was your fault.” Her arms slid fully around him and held him tight against her body. “I can’t bear it. You’ve had enough pain. Enough.”
Caleb sucked in a deep breath, the action bringing her even closer. He could feel every curve of her body pressed so closely against his back. He could feel her breathing, could feel how she shared his pain. His hand came up and he ran the flat of his hand from her elbow down to her hand, and then wrapped his fingers around hers.
“When did you turn into the strong one?”
Wren’s arms tightened around him. “When I met you. ”
“Oh, Wren.” Should he just spill his guts? Would it fix everything? “I’ve got so much to say to you. How long can you stay?”
She nodded against him, unwilling to end the contact between their bodies; needing the closeness as much as he did.
He wanted to apologize for how he acted the last time he’d seen her, he wanted to say a hundred things… he needed her forgiveness.
“How long do you need me?”
In that moment a miracle happened; a sort of beautiful irony that taunted Caleb with it’s fragileness. It was as if he’d never screwed everything up between them. But would it stay this way?
How long do I need you? Caleb thought. His heart raced to the point of exploding, and he wondered if Wren could feel it.
Forever.
Tracey’s Review
Second-chance romance is one of my go-to genres. There’s always something so fulfilling about people that are able to reconnect and make a go of things, something redemptive and promising. When it works, that second chance is sweet and extremely gratifying.
ONE STEP CLOSER by author Kahlen Aymes makes the victory of a second chance even more powerful. Caleb and Wren both have so much from their pasts to overcome. Not only was there much emotional pain to get past, the two of them have the additional issue of the somewhat forbidden due to the fact that they’re step-siblings.
Both Caleb and Wren had suffered the loss, both physical and emotional, of a parent. When Caleb’s emotionally distant father and Wren’s emotionally abusive mother married, it wasn’t long before the two children were drawn to each other, he from a sense of protectiveness, her with gratitude. With only each other to look to for love and support, it didn’t take long for protectiveness and gratitude to turn to love and desire, feelings that neither Caleb nor Wren would have dared act upon. One night of unbridled passion changed their relationship completely, and it took the loss of Caleb’s father to bring them together again.
Kahlen has written a book full of emotion and fire, a story that does a good job of showing how the tie that binds Caleb and Wren cannot be broken, even over time and distance. I had a bit of a hard time warming up to Caleb, but, given the way that he was raised, and the lack of any parental warmth, it wasn’t unexpected. Wren is delightful, and, given the way that her mother treated her, a true survivor. Seeing the two of them get past the things keeping them apart made for an emotionally satisfying read that I thoroughly enjoyed. ONE STEP CLOSER is a solid 4 stars for me, and a nice addition to Kahlen’s body of work.
***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
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I’m a single mother of one daughter, Olivia. She’s amazing in every way.
I was born in the Midwestern United States and educated at a private university where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration.
I’ve always been creative with art, music, theater and writing. I decided to write a story as a way to build a network for a business venture. The reader support of my stories and my overwhelming desire to find out where my characters would take me, soon had the writing morphing the business. No one was more shocked than I. When readers began nominating my work for online awards, it took my breath away and only made me love it more. It soon became clear that writing was, and should be, my focus.
Did you fall in love with The English Brothers? Were you hot for the Winslows? Katy Regnery’s New York Times bestselling Blueberry Lane series continues with The Rousseau siblings in 2016!
For as long as Madeleine “Mad” Rousseau can remember, she’s been the “sweet” twin to her sister Jax’s “sassy.” But after an especially painful break-up, Mad decides she’s had enough of being sweet. Children’s librarian during the day, she begins visiting Philly’s seedier nightspots on a quest for adventure. When Cortlandt “Cort” Ambler, the ex-boyfriend of Mad’s sister, Jax, saves her from disaster on one such evening, an unlikely friendship is born between the rebellious librarian and the moonlighting pianist…and two broken hearts begin a journey toward being whole again.
Get to know the families of Blueberry Lane!
*All books in The Blueberry Lane Series can be enjoyed as standalone novels.*
Michel’s Review
It’s back to Blueberry Lane where five dynamic wealthy families lives are intertwined.
Madeleine “Mad” Rousseau has always been the sweet twin in the Rousseau family. She puts her family and friends first. She would never betray them. Her twin sister Jax has returned home from Hollywood after recently going through her own life changing dilemmas. As usual Maddy has put her sister first while her own life is in shambles. She’s keeping her troubles to herself because part of her problems could hurt Jax.
She has just gone through a painful break up that led her down a troublesome road. While trying to drink her problems away, she runs into Cort Ambler, a childhood friend and her sister Jax’s ex boyfriend in high school. Cort broke Jax’s young heart. Now Mad finds herself one again insanely attracted to Cort. He’s off limits because of Jax. The heart wants what it wants and hers wants Cort. Is Maddy brave enough to go for what she wants in life or is she going to settle with living a life in Jax’s shadow. Will she sacrifice her own happiness because of her sister.
Cort Ambler has always loved Madeline Rousseau. In high school he chose the wrong twin by mistake. Ten years later he has a second chance and he is going to do everything within his power to win Mad’s heart.
I love the Blueberry Lane series. I thoroughly enjoyed Marry Me Mad but found it bit a predictable and repetitious. The story seemed to go in circles with Mad’s indecisiveness and Cort’s declarations of undying love. It seemed like the characters were dwelling in their own minds more than they were interacting together as a couple. Even though I felt it lacked in some areas it was still a charming romance. Anything by Katy Regnery is good.
I am looking forward to the next Rousseau to take the fall in matters of the heart.
Make sure you don’t miss the start of the Rousseau series! Jonquils for Jax is now available!
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract and Katy’s first novel was published in September 2013.
Twenty-five books later, Katy claims authorship of the multi-titled, New York Times and USA Today Blueberry Lane Series, which follows the English, Winslow, Rousseau, Story, and Ambler families of Philadelphia; the six-book, bestselling ~a modern fairytale~ series; and several other standalone novels and novellas.
Katy’s first modern fairytale romance, The Vixen and the Vet, was nominated for a RITA® in 2015 and won the 2015 Kindle Book Award for romance. Katy’s boxed set, The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, hit the USA Today bestseller list in 2015, and her Christmas story, Marrying Mr. English, appeared on the list a week later. In May 2016, Katy’s Blueberry Lane collection, The Winslow Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1-4, became a New York Times E-book bestseller.
In 2016, Katy signed a print-only agreement with Spencerhill Press. As a result, her Blueberry Lane paperback books will now be distributed to brick and mortar bookstores all over the United States.
Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, two dogs, and one Blue Tonkinese kitten create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home
Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck.
He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves.
Andrea ‘Dre’ Capulet is strung out and tired.
Tired of living for her next fix. Tired of doing things that make her stomach turn. Tired of looking in the mirror at the reflection of the person she’s become. Just when she decides to end it all, she meets a man who will change the course of both their lives forever.
And their deaths.
For most people, death is the end of their story.
For Preppy and Dre, death was only the beginning.
This is the fifth book in the King Series and it’s meant to be read after Soulless.
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Excerpt
“No! I hate you,” she spat, as I continued to tug her beside me.
“Good, you can hate me while I fuck you,” I said. “But first things first. My lesson obviously didn’t take in that brain of yours. You want what you want and I can’t stop you,” I said, as we approached the train tracks which were elevated on a mound of gravel several feet off the ground. The warning lights flashed orange, the neon reflective barriers dropped down to cover the service road, while the bells indicating an approaching train clanged away. “And since I can’t stop you, I’m going to help you out. Bullet in the head was so three hours ago. I’ve got something even better in mind now.”
“Wait. What?” she asked, her teeth chattering. “You…you wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t what?” I said, turning around to face her, almost losing my footing when I noticed the trail of dried tears on her cheeks. I looked away for a fraction of a second to regain my composure. “You think I wouldn’t kill someone?” I cocked an eyebrow. “You already know that I’ve been there, done that, bought the motherfucking t-shirt, doll.” Her eyes went wide and she made a move to step back. “Oh no, Doc, I read your letter and I saw what you wanted. And remember, I’m nothing if not accommodating.”
When I pulled her to climb the gravel mound her knees locked up so I bent over and picked her up by the waist, tossing her over my shoulder, carrying her onto the tracks while she beat on my back with her closed fists. When I got to the top I set her down roughly and she fell backwards onto her ass, bracing herself with her hands against the large pieces of gravel under the tracks.
The whistle of the train blew in the distance. It wouldn’t be long now. Dre made a move to stand up, but that wasn’t what I had in mind. I bent down and pushed on her chest, spreading her tiny frame across the tracks. I crawled on top of her, pinning her down with my thighs. I leaned over her, my chest to hers as we both breathed rapidly. She struggled underneath me to get up, pushing at my chest, but I wouldn’t budge. “Why the struggle, Doc? This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”
She glanced up at me as the train whistled again. Her gaze flipped to her right, where the single yellow light from the train emerged from around the corner, shining brighter and brighter as it chugged closer and closer. For a moment she stopped struggling, looking back and forth from the train to me.
“So what, you’re gonna die too?” she asked, hoping to appeal to my sense of self preservation.
I shrugged. “I get bored easily, maybe the devil will make me his errand boy or something.”
“Preppy, this isn’t funny. Get up and get off the fucking tracks,” she said, her concern shifting from herself to me.
I shook my head and yawned. She wiggled underneath me, and although there was a train barreling toward us my cock once again stirred to life. Maybe I should just rip down her panties and push inside of her. Train or no train, it would be one fuck of a way to go out.
“You have to choose, Doc,” I said, making my voice as serious as I was capable. “Life?” I asked, screaming over the sound of the train screeching against the track. I pushed my hard cock against her core and she gasped. Her trembling turned into a shiver, her mouth fell open. I glanced to the side at the blinding light of the approaching train as it bathed us both in a tunnel of light. I leaned down, so close that my lips were a whisper above hers, as I shouted, “Life? Or death? What’s it gonna be, Doc?” My hair blew around my face as the light grew brighter and brighter. “Answer the fucking question!” I demanded, my hands squeezing her shoulders, my fingers digging roughly into her skin. “DO YOU WANT TO FUCKING DIE?”
With only seconds left until we became shredded under the train, Dre closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them again they were glistening, fresh tears spilling from the edges.
She started to speak, her lips forming the beginning of the word, but before it could fully leave her lips I stood, pulling her up with me. I lifted Dre into my arms and took a running leap off the tracks, my legs flailing in the air as we fell the seven or so feet. Dre’s decision still on her lips, her scream surrounding the air around us as we crashed down into the field.
“I wanna liiiiiiiiiiiivvvvvveeeeee.”
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Michel’s Review
Love. Never. Dies. Samuel Clearwater, aka Preppy, will live on forever whether it be in memories or in the flesh. He left his MFing mark on the world. He captivated the readers hearts in the King series. His quirky, dynamic personality and high sense of fashion had the readers swooning the moment his character entered the pages in the first book of the King series. He has been a dynamic force throughout the series, alive or dead. He is the heart of the series.
Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater by T. M. Frazier is the first book in Samuel Clearwater’s life story. It takes the reader back to the beginning of the series when King has been arrested and sentenced to prison. While King was serving time, Preppy was holding down the fort, running the Grow Grannies business, and trying to find a way to get custody of King’s daughter. He will do anything for his best friend.
It all begins with a strung out junkie named Andrea “Drea” Capulet. Drea has found herself in hot water with Preppy after trying to rip off one of Grow Grannies. Rather than killing her Preppy decides to put her to use. First he has to clean her up, get her off the heroine, and make sure she is going to do right by her grandmother as well as hold up her end of the bargain. The bargain is much more complicated than either of them anticipated.
Preppy didn’t count on falling for the girl. He also didn’t count on wanting to do the right thing. He never has before. His life has been one been one cluster f*ck after another. Living his life to the fullest and not letting the past drag him down has always been his mantra. Loving with his whole heart is easy. Being worthy of love is harder than dying a million deaths. Death is not the end for Preppy… it’s only the beginning.
T.M. Frazier had me glued to the pages. The in depth story of Preppy was not only fascinating but also very entertaining. Preppy is one of the most complex characters I have read. On one hand he is a ray of sunshine and on the other he is the worst storm a person can encounter. His life story while King was incarcerated was complicated and unexpected. His choices were a complete surprise. His capability of loving is endless. Preppy will not be forgotten, he will live on long after his death.
The ending flashes forward to the present… the cliffhanger from Soulless. This time T.M. Frazier added another twist to the cliffhanger that leaves the reader screaming for more.
I can’t wait for Samuel Clearwater to arise from the grave… Preppy is coming back with a force stronger than the fiercest storm!
Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from.
A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, sex or a combination of all three.
King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go.
King is the first book in a two part series. Tyrant is the name of the second book due out August 2015.
When the fog is sucked away from my mind like smoke through a vacuum, the truth that has been beyond my reach for months finally reveals itself.
But the relief I thought I would feel never comes, and I’m more afraid now than I was the morning I woke up handcuffed in King’s bed.
Because with the truth comes dark secrets I was never meant to know.
I will put the lives of those I love most at risk if I let on that my memory has returned, or if I seek help from the heavily tattooed felon who owns me body and soul.
I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist the magnetic pull toward King that grows stronger every day.
He’s already saved me in more ways than one. Now it’s my turn to do whatever it takes to save him.
My real name is like a shadow, always close behind, but never quite able to catch up.
I fly under the radar because no one ever suspects I’m capable of the kind of brutal violence I commit each and every day.
You see, I’m a girl. I’m nineteen.
And I’m a killer.
This life is all I know. It s all I want to know. It keeps the s**t buried that I need kept buried. It allows me to live without thinking too much.
Without dwelling on the past.
Until him.
It all changes when an ordinary boy becomes my next target.
And my first love.
I have to choose.
The only life I ve ever known has to die, or he does.
Either way, I ll be the one pulling the trigger…
All the Rage is a STANDALONE
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Author Bio:
T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier resides in sunny Southwest Florida with her husband and three feisty fur kids.
She attended Florida Gulf Coast University where she specialized in public speaking. After years working in real estate and new home construction, she decided it was finally time to stop pushing her dreams to the back burner and pursue writing seriously.
In the third grade she wrote her very first story about a lost hamster. It earned rave reviews from both her teacher and her parents.
It only took her twenty years to start the next one.
Some serious shit went down when I was in the Army. I mean brutal. After my last tour, I created the Shadow Alliance. Me and my team know how to get things done, and will take on all those jobs that others won’t. My name is Declan McAllister and when it comes to keeping people safe, I’m your man. Mess with me and I will rain hell-fire on you like you’ve never experienced before.
Few things get my motor running like beauty and brains. Okay, a nice ass doesn’t hurt either. Getting a chance to work with FBI Agent Allison Davies, who is the whole package, normally would be great, except when she followed my butt down to the flood ravaged country of Paraguay to track down a traitor, and ends up putting her career on the line.
Now here we are attempting to keep things professional, but the more I watch Allison pour her heart and soul into this case, the more I want to see what that same passion would be like between the sheets.
Kelley’s review
Sexy and sweet start to a new steamy Seal series!
5 Action-packed stars!
Declan is a former navy seal who will go on the rescue missions that even the government will not touch. Declan goes in when all hope is lost and he leads his team deep into the trenches to save the lives of those who would have been left behind. I fell in love with Declan’s hard ass attitude right from the start especially when he first meets Allison and from the start gives her a nickname.
Allison needs Declan’s help. She sure as hell doesn’t want to reach out to him but does not have much of a choice. Declan has intel and access to more that she needs. She had heard he was sexy as sin but what she didn’t plan to find was this man who would lay his life down to help a mother and child who were among the wreckage.
I really enjoyed how this book was written in first person male P.O.V. You really got know what was going on inside of Declan’s head. Caitlyn did an excellent job getting in enough dialogue so the reader could get to know how Allison was feeling as well. This story kept me on my toes until the very end. If you like romantic suspense that is action packed in and outside of the bedroom you will love Declan. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Excerpt
She pressed her lips to mine. Soft and gentle. I reciprocated. Loving the feel. I wanted—needed—to give her comfort. But then she changed the pressure. Her movements became urgent.
“Baby,” I tried to caution her.
“Declan, I need you. I need this.”
I’d take her to bed and just hold her. She needed comfort. Then, as if she could read my mind…
“Declan, I’ve known you were special since I read your file. I’ve wanted you since I saw you searching for Anna. I’ve needed you since you convinced me I’m beautiful in your eyes.”
“Oh, Allie, you’re the one who’s the diamond. I see all of your facets, all of your depths, and you shine, baby. You shine.” Her eyes lit up at my words, and I was so happy I’d found the right ones. I eased her off my lap and stood up. The hungry look in her eyes almost brought me to my knees. Before she started to stand, I whisked her into my arms, and her eyes melted. Good, I wanted her to feel as special as she was.
I headed to the bedroom I’d recently vacated. As soon as I got her to the room, I let her slide down my body. Since I was just wearing my boxers, there was no doubt how I was feeling. But I needed to be sure this was truly what she wanted. After I turned on the bedside light I found her sitting on the bed. I knelt in front of her.
“Allie, are you sure?”
“Aren’t you?”
I looked at my dick and then back up at her. She laughed.
“I really want this too,” she whispered.
“Then you might be wearing a few too many clothes,” I whispered back. Leaning forward, I captured her mouth for a kiss. Her lips parted and I unbuttoned her blouse. Slowly, I drew the cotton sleeves down her shoulders, touching the silk of her skin as I went. She gasped as I traced the curves of her breasts above the cups of her bra. I broke away from her lips.
“God, look at you.” I unclasped the front enclosure and her breasts spilled into my hands. I thumbed her pink nipples and she moaned, and pressed hard into my hands. She liked it when I plucked and pinched the tips of her breasts.
“Declan, that feels so good.”
I dipped my head and sucked her nipple into my mouth and flicked it with my tongue, loving her whimpers and gasps. She grabbed my head and her nails bit into my scalp. I wrapped my arms around her, and laid her down on the bed. She was rubbing her jean clad legs together. I thrust one hand between them and she slammed her legs together, locking it in place. Like I wanted it anywhere else. I rubbed against the seam of her jeans, and licked at the tender flesh of her swollen breasts.
“So good.” She sighed.
She arched up, but it wasn’t enough. I pulled off her jeans and panties. She was truly beautiful.
“Now you.”
“Huh?”
“Your boxers,” she said.
“Not yet. First I want to play some more.” The woman had legs that wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t believe that she ever doubted her attractiveness. Whoever had been her past lovers had been absolute assholes.
She reached out to me, and I lowered myself into her arms, kissing those plump lips of hers, reveling in the jolt she once again gave me as our lips met. Having our bodies meet was bliss. Her breasts touching my chest was heaven. I dragged my chest hair against her nipples and she groaned.
“Again. Do that again.” I did. Slowly I inched downwards, kissing silken flesh along my way. Peaches. I smelled peaches, until finally I smelled peaches and musk. Divine. Parting her thighs, I found glistening pink magic. Allie tensed.
“Relax.”
“I am.” Sure she was.
I pressed her legs wider apart, but it was a bit of a struggle. “Honey, I just want to play.”
“I know.”
“You like this, don’t you?” I blew against her folds.
“I don’t know.” Yep, she had only been with assholes.
I parted her slick flesh and licked her. She shuddered, but didn’t make a sound. Peaches, spice, and Allie. So good. I looked up, and she was biting the base of her thumb. Oh that was a challenge. Her body betrayed her, it showed me exactly what kind of touches it liked, and when I added my fingers, she started to pant.
Up and down, around and around.
“Declan? Come inside me now.”
“Not until you scream.”
My fingers found what they’d been searching for, and she squeaked and tightened in a good way. Carefully, I sucked.
“Declan! It’s too good.” She was drenched in pleasure.
Almost there.
I stroked inwards, and bit her clit gently, flicking my tongue against her swollen flesh. She let out a shriek, and pulsed her release.
I moved up to the nightstand and ripped off my boxers. I tore open the condom and looked at Allie.
“Please, now!”
Slowly, I entered her tight depths. I thought I was going to lose my mind. It was pure bliss. Those long legs curled around me, and she pulled me in.
“More!” I gave her everything. She gasped, but then smiled. “Perfect.”
“Thank God.”
I began to move, and she met me. We danced and twined, moving ever upwards. I felt my orgasm begin at the base of my spine. I wasn’t going to last. That beautiful face, those eyes that shimmered. I dipped in for another kiss that shot sparks.
“Allie?” I was hanging on by a thread.
She thrust up against me, her heels digging into my ass. I felt her sheath begin to tighten and I thought my head would explode.
This woman, this beautiful woman let out a joyful sound that was my name, over and over again.
“Yes, God yes, Allie.”
I shot ever upwards until I found heaven.
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Author Bio
Caitlyn O’Leary is an avid reader, and considers herself a fan first and an author second. She reads a wide variety of genres, but finds herself going back to happily-ever-afters. Getting a chance to write, after years in corporate America is a dream come true. She hopes that her stories provide the kind of entertainment and escape that she has found from some of her favorite authors.
Her Series Include:
THE FOUND:
It’s a bit Paranormal, a bit Sci-Fi and 100% Action/Adventure. The characters have special abilities, that make them targets.
MIDNIGHT DELTA
This is focused on a group of Navy Seals. What makes them special is their bond to one another, and the women they come to love.
FATE HARBOR
This is the series that started her career, it is a Menage Series that takes place in Fate Harbor Washington. It focuses on a tight knit community who live and love and care for one another.
She loves to hear from her readers. caitlyn@caitlynoleary.com
From USA Today bestselling author Meghan March comes another dangerously sexy alpha hero…
The only permanent thing in my life is the ink I put on my clients.
I drift form city to city, in and out of beds, from one tattoo shop to the next.
Every time I start to put down roots, I rip them up.
Until New Orleans.
Until her.
She’s everything I’m not.
Full of fire and life. An innocent where I’m a sinner.
I want to consume her. Protect her. Keep her.
But first, I have to escape from beneath these shadows.
Beneath These Shadows is a STANDALONE romance set in the world of the Beneath series. You DO NOT have to read any other books in the series to enjoy it.
I expected a quick and unequivocal no, but it didn’t come as fast as I thought it would.
“I don’t think so. I mean, I’m sure I have by accident sometime. I’ve jaywalked. But I’m not some kind of criminal.”
Well, that makes one of us, I thought.
My anger from earlier started to fade and be replaced by the heat of the knowledge that Eden’s naked tits were only inches from my chest, separated by water I could see right through. Last time I’d seen them under her pink bra, she’d been too fucked up for me to take advantage . . . but tonight she was completely sober.
I raised my gaze from her chest, expecting her cheeks to be red when she realized I was staring at her nipples, but she wasn’t watching my face. She was staring down at my body.
“Like what you see?”
That got her attention.
Eden jerked her head up to meet my eyes, and the blush colored her skin like I’d timed it.
“You’re . . . big.”
A booming laugh broke free from my throat at her unexpected response, and her cheeks flamed even brighter.
“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean . . . everywhere. Not just, in the . . .” She looked down, then jerked her gaze back to mine. “I’m going to shut up now.”
That kind of awkward and fumbling response couldn’t be faked, and protectiveness rose in me again. Eden was no con artist. She was a girl who couldn’t even say the word cock without turning red.
“Ain’t no shame in my game.”
She reached out a hand and covered my lips with her fingers. “Stop. You’re just making it worse. I wasn’t checking out your . . . package. I mean, I did before you got in the pool, but that’s only because I thought you’d have underwear on because who doesn’t wear underwear?” The babbling continued, and so did my laughter.
Hell, I hadn’t laughed this much since Delilah had given in to a customer’s request and tattooed a flexing veined eggplant cartoon on a client so he could send pictures of it instead of dick pics.
Eden pulled her hand back and covered her face. “I’m going to stop talking now. I seriously can’t be trusted to say anything that’s not completely humiliating when you’re standing this close to me naked.”
“I disagree, and since I’m not ready to get out and put my clothes on, you’re going to have to deal with it.”
She mumbled something under her breath.
“Come again?”
Eden pressed her lips together for a beat before saying, “I don’t know how to deal with it. This isn’t something I’ve ever dealt with before.”
A crazy thought popped into my brain. “Are you a virgin?”
If there was a red brighter than fire engine, that was the color of Eden’s cheeks. “No! Of course not. Really. I’ve touched a dick before. I mean, just the one, but it still counts. Well, I didn’t really touch it. Except, you know, inside me. Oh my God, I’m just going to shut up now.”
Realization dawned on me as her babbled protest silenced. “You’ve had sex with one guy? Once? How old are you?”
Eden turned to bolt, but instead smashed her tits into my arm. I stepped close enough so that only an inch of water separated us.
Her gaze went skyward. “This is so humiliating.”
That’s where she and I had differing opinions. “Why? Because you haven’t fucked every guy you’ve ever met? What’s wrong with that?”
Eden’s gaze snapped down to mine and her brows drew into slashes. “Hey, whoa now. You can toss that double-standard crap right in the trash. What if I had screwed every guy I ever met? Would that make me less of a person? I mean, it’s not like you probably haven’t been with dozens and dozens of women. I’m not judging you. Except for maybe that Kitty girl. I mean, really? You’ve got to have some standards.”
My laughter boomed out again across the courtyard. “Cupcake, just because I can get most any pussy I want, doesn’t mean I do it.”
“Still, double standards are—”
When she started on another tirade, I decided to silence her the best way I knew how.
I leaned down and covered her lips with mine.
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Tracey’s Review
All right, here’s the disclaimer: I’ve never ever previously read a book by author Meghan March. But, let me be the first to tell you, once I recover from the heat, intensity, and edge-of-my seat feelings that were sparked by BENEATH THESE SHADOWS, I will. Oh, yes, I will.
This is the 6th book in the Beneath series by Meghan, and, even though I’m new to the series, I had no trouble keeping up at all. I’m trying to imagine knowing so many beautiful, powerful, interesting people, because, man, the folks in this book just have it. Alpha men, beautiful, feisty, independent women, and New Orleans. I didn’t need much more to grab me and keep me reading from the first to the very last page.
Bishop. Oh, my goodness, this man. He comes off as the strong silent loner, but there’s much more there. When he gives his heart, he goes all in, whether it is his family, his friends, or Eden.
“You don’t have a…choice anymore, Eden. You’re mine. I don’t have much, but what’s mine I keep. I protect. I don’t ever let it go.”
And, flames. That’s me going up in flames. That’s Bishop all over, and, while I’ve met some yummy alpha men before, he’s right up there at the top of the ‘Keeper’ list.
Eden may be young and inexperienced, but she’s not to be written off as an ingenue. Having grown up as the illegitimate daughter of a crime lord, she knows the game, but, given the chance, chooses to live life on her own terms. It may take him a hot minute to figure it out, but Bishop has totally met his match in her.
BENEATH THESE SHADOWS is a sexy, intriguing, emotional read, and is definitely worth a spot on your “I need to read this really soon” list. It’s made a fan of me, and I will most certainly be going back to read the earlier books. 4.5 stars; you don’t want to miss it, I guarantee.
***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
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About Meghan March:
Meghan March has been known to wear came face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered books, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.
From the USA Today Bestselling author of Magnificent Bastard comes a sexy, flirty, dirty standalone…on ice.
They say Jake “The Dragon” Falcone earned his nickname by setting fire to the ice his first season in the NHL. But just between us ladies, I’m pretty sure he earned it for the dragon in his pants.
Lord have f*cking mercy, but the man’s been given a gift. (And I’ve heard he knows exactly how to use it.) From my first hug as his fake girlfriend, it’s clear he’s packing below the belt. After a few fake dates I realize he’s packing…everywhere.
Heart, brains, sex-vibe, and the ability to make me laugh so hard I almost pee my pants—Jake is everything I’ve ever wanted in a man.
He’s also my client and OFF LIMITS. Oh, and he has an ex who’s completely crazy and out for my blood.
I should steer clear, and I would, if my dragon weren’t so completely incredible…
***
The name sounded like a joke. Who in his right mind wants a “Miraculous Mess” running damage control on his f*cked up love life?
Well…me, it turns out.
By the time I leave her apartment on day one, I’m halfway gone on Shane “Miraculous Mess” Willoughby. By the end of our first date, I know my life won’t be complete until I’ve had this beautiful, sexy, perfectly wild woman in every filthy way I’ve imagined since our first kiss.
I want her, all of her, from the smart mouth that makes me smile to the wounded heart I know I can heal. If she’ll let me.
Can a Madison Avenue princess and a dragon from the wrong side of the tracks live happily ever after?
If I have my way, the world is about to find out.
Warning: Incredible You is a sexy, standalone romantic comedy told from BOTH the hero and the heroine’s point of view. No cliffhanger. Lots of hot steamy sexy times, laugh out loud textual healing, and an aw-out-loud happily ever after.
EXCERPT:
“You’re not a klutz,” I say, guiding her closer. “I love the way you move.”
“Yeah?” She bites her lip, bringing to mind that list of bitable body parts I hope to be getting from her later.
“Yeah,” I say, my gaze fixed on her sexy mouth. “I could watch you walk across a room all day long. Just the way your hips shift beneath your clothes drives me crazy.”
“Real life crazy,” she says softly.
“Real life crazy,” I confirm. “So crazy that on the way up in that elevator, it was all I could do not to flip the emergency switch.”
Her lashes sweep down and back up, heat flickering in her eyes. “And what would you have done after you flipped the switch, dragon?”
“I would have kissed you, princess.” I don’t bother to hide the hunger in my voice. “I would have pushed you up against the wall and kissed every part of you not covered by that sexy as fuck dress. And then I would have gone after the covered parts, just to see how far you would let me go before you told me to stop.”
“And what if I didn’t tell you to stop?” Her tongue sweeps across her lips and my cock jerks hard in my pants, losing the battle against what this woman does to me.
“Then I guess our first time would have been in an elevator.” I pull her closer, jaw clenching as her stomach presses against where I’m hard enough to slay dragons with my cock.
“Good God,” she mutters, her breath rushing out with this sexy little moan that destroys the last of my self-restraint.
“I would have had you up against the wall,” I say, speaking low so my words are for her and no one else. “But first, I would have made you come, princess. On my fingers, my mouth, my tongue. I’ve been dreaming about fucking you with my tongue since I left your apartment that first afternoon.”
“Me, too,” she whispers, arching closer. “But you have to stop.”
“No, I wouldn’t have stopped,” I promise, deliberately misunderstanding her, because I need to make that blush staining her cheeks spread across her entire body. “I wouldn’t have stopped until you were completely fucking useless, Willoughby. Until you’d come so hard your knees were weak and I had to carry you out of the elevator.”
“Jake, I—”
“But I wouldn’t have carried you into the party,” I push on. “I would have hit the ground floor button, carried your fine ass straight into a cab, and told the driver to break every traffic law required to get us to my place in five minutes. Because I wouldn’t have been able to wait more than five minutes to have you, to be inside of you.”
She trembles against me as her forehead falls to rest against my shoulder. “This is so wrong. So wrong.”
“No, it’s not,” I insist. “It’s the rightest thing I’ve felt in so damned long. And as long as you want me, too, I don’t—”
“Oh, I do.” Her words send a fierce wave of relief rushing through me. “I want you, Jake. I want you so much I can barely think of anything else.”
“And I want you. I want to be inside you so fucking bad, princess,” I whisper, my balls aching miserably between my legs. “I want to feel you come on me. I want you naked and wet and—”
“Screw the pictures.” Her breath rushes out as she grabs a fistful of my shirt and pulls me to a stop at the edge of the dance floor, her eyes hungry and wild. “I need to be alone with you, Falcone. Right fucking now.”
And that’s all I fucking need to hear.
Without another word, I wrap my arm around her waist and aim us both toward the cocktail lounge.
It’s a jungle out there, and not even the biggest and the baddest among us are immune to the danger.
That’s why I took this job for Magnificent Bastard Consulting–get revenge on your ex or your money back. Jake “the Dragon” Falcone may be a professional hockey player with a body built for tossing boulders up mountains, and legs thick enough to snap defensive guards in two with one flex of his manly thighs, but sometimes even a dragon needs a princess to help him get out of trouble.
Sometimes being a member of the fairer sex comes in handy. When Shane Willoughby is pressed into service as a temporary employee of MBC, it’s because, underneath the girly girl facade, she’s New York tough, more than able to hold her own, and has the skills to get the job done. Shane shouldn’t notice that Jake sets her senses alight like no one has in, well, forever, because that just wouldn’t be professional. But like the Magnificent Bastard and the Spectacular Rascal that have gone before her, Shane’s about to find out that business can sometimes be a real pleasure.
I have been waiting for this book since Shane showed up and stole the show in SPECTACULAR RASCAL. She is savvy, sassy, and totally someone that I would want to hang out with. There are layers to Shane that are revealed over time, showing her to be much more than she appears on the surface. And Jake, he’s more than a pretty face and a beast on the ice. Refusing to be a product of his past, he’s determined to bring the best of who he is and shine that light into the world.
The chemistry between Shane and Jake is, as to be expected, off the charts. It’s fast, it’s hot, and I loved every minute of it. I don’t even care that sparks flew as quickly as they did, because, dang, just, phew!
I have to say that Lili Valente has found her calling with these romantic comedies. The story lines, the characters, and, oh, my gosh, the TEXTING, they are wonderful. As an aside, I will say that the texts that are such a big part of all three of the stories in this series are some of the best parts of the books. They capture perfectly the spirits of the characters and how they interact with each other, and had me laughing out loud every single time.
INCREDIBLE YOU is a great addition to Lili’s catalog of work, and one that I enjoyed absolutely. Shane and Jake, their kids, their friends, I can’t think of a more enjoyable group of characters to spend time with. 5 classy, sassy, sexy stars for another fun read. These books are guaranteed to entertain and delight, so grab them and read them. You can thank me later.
***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
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Meet the Author:
Lili Valente has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.
These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.
Cyrene Strohm is a Queen’s Affiliate, a high-ranking official of the court of Byern, with power and privilege to spare. But she’s also a keeper of dangerous secrets: like the fact that she holds the heart of the King, and that she possesses magic in a world where magic no longer exists.
Determined to discover what this means and how to use her newfound abilities, Cyrene sets off for the distant land of Eleysia. An island nation where Affiliates are strictly forbidden from entering.
But the journey is perilous, and the destination may mean utter ruin, as Cyrene comes to learn that everything she’s been told her whole life – about her court, her homeland, and even herself—are bound in a beautiful lie.
Staggering down the hallway, she didn’t even look up when she heard her name.
“Hmm?” she asked.
“Cyrene, there you are!”
Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she tipped her head to look up into the most beautiful face. She smiled and felt a renewed burst of energy flow through her.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he said, threading his fingers through hers. A shiver ran up her back. He glanced around the empty hallway and then tugged her away from the main corridors. She turned a corner, and he pressed her back into a darkened alcove. His mouth was only inches from hers.
Her exhaustion was wearing off from the excitement of being with him.
“I was really worried about you,” he breathed.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said, trapped in his gaze. She teetered on her tiptoes and nearly brushed their lips together. Her heart was racing ahead of her. This felt almost better than reaching for her magic. Definitely better than moving one drop of water at a time all day.
“You’re wrong.” Then, he softly dropped his mouth down on hers. His lips were tender and slow as they caressed hers. “I will always worry for your safety.”
Cyrene’s cheeks heated, and she sighed, leaning back against the hard stone of the alcove. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
His hands pushed up through her hair and tilted her head back up to look at him. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was so tired, and just the feel of his fingers was lulling her to sleep.
“That feels good.”
His mouth found hers, and despite her exhaustion, she pushed back against his lips with more force. She refused to let the fact that she was tired get in the way of her time with him.
“Whoa,” he said, pulling back from her. He rested his forehead against hers, and she could tell he was breathing heavily. “As much as I want this, and I do, I want to make sure you’re okay. This didn’t scare you away?”
She shook her head. “This, most certainly, does not scare me.” Then, she kissed him again for good measure.
He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first met you.”
“You have not!” she insisted.
“Are you kidding? A gorgeous, feisty woman who wasn’t afraid to put me in my place the first time she met me? I mostly certainly have.”
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Robin’s Review
When readers consider the works of USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde, I’m certain her new adult and contemporary romance novels come to mind. Linde is the successful author of the Take Me duet and the Avoiding, Record, and All That Glitters series. But during the fall of 2015, Linde branched out into young adult fantasy with the release of The Affiliate, the first novel of her Ascension series. And you know what? I was really impressed – so impressed that it’s been difficult to contain my excitement for the release of The Bound, the second novel of the series!
Cyrene Strohm is an Affiliate, the highest ranking position a woman can attain in the court of Byern, but she also has secrets. She holds the heart of King Edric, and she also possesses magic. Magic has been strictly forbidden, even nonexistent, in Byern for nearly two thousand years. Having intense feelings for Edric, while also fighting something so innate is a difficult predicament for Cyrene to be in – especially when she has little to no control over her newly discovered abilities. Advised to travel to the island nation of Eleysia, Cyrene sets off with her friends on a search for Matilde and Vera, two women who can teach her how to control her magical abilities.
The prologue of The Bound is ONE OF THE BEST that I have ever read! Linde chose a very bold way to begin this novel, revealing something which is key to the overall plot of the series. After reading The Affiliate, the prologue was eye-opening to say the least! In the first few chapters of The Bound, Linde nicely recaps what we have already learned about Cyrene, while also refreshing our memories of events which occurred in The Affiliate. This will be helpful for those who are considering a reread of The Affiliate prior to reading The Bound.
In The Bound, Linde introduces us to several new characters who I think will be important to the overall series. At the end of The Affiliate, Cyrene convinces Orden, her friend Affiliate Maelia Dallmer, and High Order Ahlvie Gunn to flee Byern with her. It doesn’t take long before we meet Avoca and Ceis’f in the Hidden Forest, and as you will find, Avoca is especially important in The Bound. Then, we are introduced to Dean Ellison in the woods of Aurum. Dean is positively dreamy, and he’s definitely a character I’ll be watching for in future novels!
At different places in the novel, I’m pretty sure Linde is foreshadowing. Linde plants seeds in the minds of readers by showing us possible future outcomes. She did this with the Ring of Gardens Ceremony in The Affiliate, and she does it again in The Bound. I also began to notice that history seems to be repeating itself, two thousand years later. With Cyrene’s dreams and/or visions, we are able to see parallels between current characters and those who lived in the past. Between foreshadowing and history repeating itself, I’m extremely intrigued to see where Linde is taking Cyrene’s story.
Linde’s world building is imaginative, and her descriptive writing calls forth the senses. She uses colorful, evocative descriptions in The Bound. As an example, she gives us vivid illustrations of cities and random details about customs, clothing and traditions. The Ascension series also appears to have a complex plot, with The Bound being a piece of a large puzzle. Linde must have put a great deal of time and effort into plotting this series because it feels like we are only now beginning to crack the surface.
Overall, The Bound is a great fantastical adventure, and I enjoyed it even more than The Affiliate! The Bound is one of my 2016 favorites, and I’m giving it 5 stars!
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The Affiliate: Book 1
“With rich romance and twisty political intrigue, THE AFFILIATE is a breakneck fantasy ride that’s perfect for fans of THE SELECTION or THRONE OF GLASS.” –Susan Dennard, NYT bestselling author of TRUTHWITCH
On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm’s lifelong plans come to fruition when she’s chosen for one of the most prestigious positions in her homeland–an Affiliate to the Queen.
Or so she thinks.
When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene’s position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have…
King Edric himself.
Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series. Great for fans of Game of Thrones, Tudors, and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.
K.A. Linde grew up as a military brat and created fantastical stories based off of her love for Disney movies, fairy tales, and Star Wars. In her spare time, she is an avid traveler, loves reading young adult novels, and dancing. Additionally, K.A. has written more than a dozen adult novels and is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Lubbock, TX with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!
You can contact her at kalinde45@gmail.com or visit her online at one of the following sites:
Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck.
He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves.
Andrea ‘Dre’ Capulet is strung out and tired.
Tired of living for her next fix. Tired of doing things that make her stomach turn. Tired of looking in the mirror at the reflection of the person she’s become. Just when she decides to end it all, she meets a man who will change the course of both their lives forever.
And their deaths.
For most people, death is the end of their story.
For Preppy and Dre, death was only the beginning.
This is the fifth book in the King Series and it’s meant to be read after Soulless.
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Excerpt
PROLOGUE
PRESENT
PREPPY
Tiny flashes of dim light spark in the darkened corners of my mind. Slowly, it turns from dusk to dawn, awakening my thoughts as the inner light grows brighter and brighter.
I hear a sound, a faucet running, and I realize it’s the blood rushing through my ears. When it reaches my heart I choke as it comes back to life like a bass drum. Boom. BaBOOM it beats, on and on, until it falls into a quick yet steady rhythm. The new life inside me grows louder, stronger, until death fades away and I awake on a gasp.
My eyes spring open. I try to take in air, but nothing happens. I try again and my lungs burn as they finally decide to cooperate. I can breathe, but it hurts like a son of a bitch.
I’m fucking alive.
My first thoughts shock the shit out of me. They’re of a girl. A sad looking girl with shiny black hair and huge dark eyes sitting on the edge of the water tower.
My heart falls out of rhythm, beating faster and faster until it’s thrumming against my chest like the vibration of a jackhammer.
Her.
Although my vision is blurry as shit, my thoughts of her are clearer than they’d ever been, and for the first time in my adult life, I’m fucking scared.
I don’t even need to see the big motherfucker standing over me with a baseball bat to know I am completely and totally fucked.
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Michel’s Review
Love. Never. Dies. Samuel Clearwater, aka Preppy, will live on forever whether it be in memories or in the flesh. He left his MFing mark on the world. He captivated the readers hearts in the King series. His quirky, dynamic personality and high sense of fashion had the readers swooning the moment his character entered the pages in the first book of the King series. He has been a dynamic force throughout the series, alive or dead. He is the heart of the series.
Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater by T. M. Frazier is the first book in Samuel Clearwater’s life story. It takes the reader back to the beginning of the series when King has been arrested and sentenced to prison. While King was serving time, Preppy was holding down the fort, running the Grow Grannies business, and trying to find a way to get custody of King’s daughter. He will do anything for his best friend.
It all begins with a strung out junkie named Andrea “Drea” Capulet. Drea has found herself in hot water with Preppy after trying to rip off one of Grow Grannies. Rather than killing her Preppy decides to put her to use. First he has to clean her up, get her off the heroine, and make sure she is going to do right by her grandmother as well as hold up her end of the bargain. The bargain is much more complicated than either of them anticipated.
Preppy didn’t count on falling for the girl. He also didn’t count on wanting to do the right thing. He never has before. His life has been one been one cluster f*ck after another. Living his life to the fullest and not letting the past drag him down has always been his mantra. Loving with his whole heart is easy. Being worthy of love is harder than dying a million deaths. Death is not the end for Preppy… it’s only the beginning.
T.M. Frazier had me glued to the pages. The in depth story of Preppy was not only fascinating but also very entertaining. Preppy is one of the most complex characters I have read. On one hand he is a ray of sunshine and on the other he is the worst storm a person can encounter. His life story while King was incarcerated was complicated and unexpected. His choices were a complete surprise. His capability of loving is endless. Preppy will not be forgotten, he will live on long after his death.
The ending flashes forward to the present… the cliffhanger from Soulless. This time T.M. Frazier added another twist to the cliffhanger that leaves the reader screaming for more.
I can’t wait for Samuel Clearwater to arise from the grave… Preppy is coming back with a force stronger than the fiercest storm!
Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from.
A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, sex or a combination of all three.
King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go.
King is the first book in a two part series. Tyrant is the name of the second book due out August 2015.
When the fog is sucked away from my mind like smoke through a vacuum, the truth that has been beyond my reach for months finally reveals itself.
But the relief I thought I would feel never comes, and I’m more afraid now than I was the morning I woke up handcuffed in King’s bed.
Because with the truth comes dark secrets I was never meant to know.
I will put the lives of those I love most at risk if I let on that my memory has returned, or if I seek help from the heavily tattooed felon who owns me body and soul.
I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist the magnetic pull toward King that grows stronger every day.
He’s already saved me in more ways than one. Now it’s my turn to do whatever it takes to save him.
My real name is like a shadow, always close behind, but never quite able to catch up.
I fly under the radar because no one ever suspects I’m capable of the kind of brutal violence I commit each and every day.
You see, I’m a girl. I’m nineteen.
And I’m a killer.
This life is all I know. It s all I want to know. It keeps the s**t buried that I need kept buried. It allows me to live without thinking too much.
Without dwelling on the past.
Until him.
It all changes when an ordinary boy becomes my next target.
And my first love.
I have to choose.
The only life I ve ever known has to die, or he does.
Either way, I ll be the one pulling the trigger…
All the Rage is a STANDALONE
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Author Bio:
T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier resides in sunny Southwest Florida with her husband and three feisty fur kids.
She attended Florida Gulf Coast University where she specialized in public speaking. After years working in real estate and new home construction, she decided it was finally time to stop pushing her dreams to the back burner and pursue writing seriously.
In the third grade she wrote her very first story about a lost hamster. It earned rave reviews from both her teacher and her parents.
It only took her twenty years to start the next one.
“You think you know me. You think you want to know me. But trust me, Miss Lang. Pursuing me will be the worst mistake you ever make. I’m broken beyond repair…
…and I take great pleasure in breaking everyone else around me.”
Ophelia Lang needs money, and she needs it bad. Her parent’s restaurant is going under, and ever since she lost her job teaching third grade elementary, scraping enough cash together to pay the bills has proven almost impossible. Her parents are on the brink of losing their home. The vultures are circling overhead. So when Ophelia is offered an interview for a well-paid private tutoring gig in New York, how can she possibly say no?
Ronan Fletcher is far from the overweight, balding businessman Ophelia expected him to be. He’s young, handsome, and wealthy beyond all reason. He’s also perhaps the coldest, rudest person she’s ever met, and has a mean streak in him a mile and a half wide. A hundred grand is a lot of money, however, and if tolerating his frosty temperament, his erratic mood swings and whatever else he throws at her means she’ll get paid, then that is what Ophelia will do.
Her new boss is keeping secrets, though. Awful, terrible secrets.
The ghosts of Ronan Fletcher’s past are about to turn Ophelia’s future upside down, and she can’t even see it coming.
Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
AFGHANISTAN
2009
“Get back, Fletcher! Get back! The tank’s gonna blow!”
I was running. Behind me, seven miles of desert stretched out toward Kabul city, glowing in places where burned out military trucks were being devoured by fire. Twisted metal rained down from the sky, on fire and sharper than a razor’s edge, impacting in the dirt. Thud. Thud, thud.Thud. Shrapnel whistled through the air, striking the ground a few feet away from me as I weaved my way through the wreckage. Smoke was biting at my lungs, acrid and burning, making it hard to breath.
“Fletcher! What the fuck, man!”
Behind me, Specialist Crowe was losing his mind. Alternating between shouting into his radio and shouting at me, he couldn’t seem to decide which course of action to take. I’d ordered him to follow, but I could understand why he hadn’t. The situation was more than unsafe; charging headlong into the fire and destruction was a suicide mission, and I knew it. I also knew that my men were trapped inside the upturned vehicle still a hundred feet ahead of me, however, and I knew the truck was going to blow any second. They were going to burn to death if I didn’t help them. I wasn’t going to abandon them to that fate.
“Captain! God, man, stop!”
My heart was surging, my veins overflowing with adrenalin. My boots hit the dirt, left, right, left, right, left, right, my fists pumping back and forth as I sprinted toward the truck that was laying on its roof up ahead. Through the fractured windshield, I could see Hellaman and Wicks still strapped into the front seats of the vehicle, upside down and unmoving. They were either unconscious or dead. Hopefully they were just out for the count, but there was a lot of blood splattered on the inside of the glass. A lot of blood.
Black smoke curled upward from the underside of the truck, and I could already hear the hissing sound of fuel burning and sizzling somewhere. Groaning. I could hear groaning, too.
I reached the truck just as something inside the engine caught fire, and Hellaman came to. His eyes were wide with pain and fear as I dropped down onto my belly next to the driver’s side window, which was smashed out, small cubes of safety glass scattered into the dirt.
“Captain? Captain Fletcher. Shit, I can’t breathe. I can’t…breathe.” His face was deathly pale, and his hands shook violently as he tried to claw at the seatbelt that was digging into his chest.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, Private. We’re gonna get you out of there, okay? Just hold on a moment.” My bowie knife was in my hand. I took it and made quick work of slashing through the webbing holding Hellaman in place. There was nothing I could do to cushion his fall. Slamming into the roof of the truck, Hellaman groaned weakly, and then passed out again, either from pain or from the shock, I didn’t know. I stowed my blade and grabbed him by the shoulders, then wrestled him free through the window. His face was cut; his arms were striped with blood and running rivers of crimson out onto the ground. No time to be gentle, though. No time to be safe. I hooked my hands under his arms and I quickly jogged backwards, dragging him away from the wreckage. Twenty feet was enough.
I ran back to the truck. Flames were visibly licking at the underside of the vehicle now, snaking upward toward the night sky. Wick was still out cold. I ran around to the back of the truck and tried to force the loading doors open, but they were jammed closed, bent and warped, refusing to budge.
“Shit.”
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
There was someone alive inside. Running out of time. Almost no time left. I positioned myself by the truck’s rear right window, thanking god the thing was already splintered. The bulletproof windows on military trucks were no joke. You could take a semi automatic to them and it would take longer than I had to smash them. The impact of rolling three times had obviously been enough to compromise the glass, though.
“Shield your faces,” I hollered. “Glass, glass, glass!” Bracing, I spun around and smashed the sole of my boot against the window as hard as I possibly could. The glass groaned, fracturing some more, but it didn’t shatter. I kicked again, and again, and again. Finally, the window exploded in a shower of bright shards, giving in under the force of my boot.
“Captain, there’s fuel in here,” someone inside yelled. “Get back!”
I ducked down and lay flat on my stomach again, crawling in through the now empty window frame. Inside the truck, gasoline hung heavy in the air, burning my nostrils and my eyes. Next to me, Roberts was dead, his head twisted at an odd angle, eyes staring, unseeing into the abyss.
On the other side of the truck Private Coleridge, Sam, a nineteen-year-old kid from Houston, was lying on his back on the roof, holding his rifle in both hands, his body convulsing wildly. His eyes swivelled to look at me, but his head remained locked in position, his teeth grinding together.
“What…what happened, Capt’n?” he asked. “We were drivin’ along, and then…everything was…spinning.”
“IED,” I told him. “Desert’s full of them. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
“I can’t…move. I can’t feel…anything.”
He wasn’t paralyzed. If he were, he wouldn’t be shaking the way he was right now. He was just in shock. A sharp slap to the face would probably go a long way to getting him moving, but there simply wasn’t time for that kind of motivation. Grabbing him by the webbing stitched onto the strap of his pack, which was still on his back, I hauled him to me and then backed out through the window as quickly as I could. The fire was raging now. I dragged Sam back to where I’d left Hellaman and was about to run back to the truck when a loud metallic crack split the air apart, and then a ball of fire rocked the truck, a wall of heat and pressure slamming into my body, sending me reeling back into the dirt.
“Oscar!” Sam yelled. “Oscar’s still alive in there!”
“Fuck.” I was up on my feet and running. The heat was intense—so intense that I had to shield my face as I grew closer to the wreck. The fire had consumed the underside of the truck, the tires blazing, the gas roaring as the fuel line was engulfed. And I could hear screaming. The kind of blood curdling, awful screaming of a man being burned alive.
My radio headset crackled with static, and then Colonel Whitlock’s voice barked out through the speaker. “Fletcher, do not go back inside that vehicle. Do you hear me? Do not go back inside that vehicle.”
Disobeying a direct order from a colonel was an offence worthy of court marshal. I ripped my headset from my ears and threw it to the ground, ignoring it. Ignoring the consequences. Another blood curdling scream reached me, and that was it. I was on my stomach, crawling into the mouth of hell.
My side pressed up against the frame of the window, and pain tore at me, sinking its teeth into my skin. Heat. The heat was overwhelming, so fierce and violent that there was no oxygen inside the truck. Only smoke and confusion. Only death.
“Oscar!” I called out, reaching with both hands, trying to find him. “Where are you, man?” The truck was only a six-guy transport, but the billowing, rolling clouds of black smoke hid everything. I went by touch until I heard him cry out again, weaker this time, voice riddled with agony. He was at the very rear of the truck. A few seconds was all I had. Any longer and I would either suffocate or burn up myself. My head was pounding, my lungs begging for clean air, and I could feel myself start to drift.
The journey to the back of the truck took an eternity. One hand over the other, I pulled myself around an upturned transport box, and jammed my body in between the narrow gap at the right hand side of the vehicle, reaching out, groping, searching, until I found what I was looking for. A leg. A foot, to be precise. I grabbed hold of it and pulled. An agonised yell filled the truck.
“Ahh, my leg. My leg. It’s fucked!”
“I know. I’m sorry, man. I can’t get you any other way.” I gritted my teeth, and I pulled. In any other situation it would have been a crime that I was handling an injured man this way. The clock was running down, though, and if causing more pain, causing even more damage meant the difference between one of my guys being injured or being dead, then I was going to do what I had to do.
I somehow managed to maneuverer myself so that I was over Oscar—I couldn’t even see his face, the smoke was so thick—and then I started shoving. Six hard pushes and I managed to drive him through the gap in the window frame, out onto the desert floor. His body was ripped away, pulled free by someone else, and then he was gone. I was almost too tired to heave myself free, but I scrounged up my last scrap of energy and I crawled forward, determined to make it out before the entire vehicle was enveloped. Halfway out, my fingers clawing in the dirt, my body lit up with pain. Indescribable. Unbearable. A pain so sharp and breathtaking that I couldn’t even cry out. It felt like something was ripping my body in two. I spun around and looked up to see a burning line of fuel pouring down on me, hitting my side, burning into me. I was on fire.
I kicked and jerked myself out of the truck, ripping at my jacket. Tearing at the material, trying to get it off. The fabric seemed to come away in my hands, and then I was shirtless in the cold, cold desert, rolling on the ground, trying to put the flames out.
The world went black. Someone threw something over me, and then hands were beating at my body, slapping and trying to roll me. A strangled gasp worked its way out of my mouth, but that’s all I could manage. The flames were out. The thick, heavy material that had been thrown over me was pulled back, and Crowe stood over me, face covered in soot and grease, eyes the size of dollar coins. I could barely see him properly. Barely hear the words coming out of his mouth.
Colonel Whitlock appeared next to him, and then the sky was filled with the beating thump of helicopter blades. They spoke for a second, and the thundering drum of the helo overhead dipped long enough for me to make out what Crowe said to Whitlock.
“He didn’t stop, sir. He didn’t stop until they were all out.”
Whitlock scowled. “I can see that, Specialist. He disobeyed a direct order in doing so, too.”
“He’ll be reprimanded?” Crowe asked. He was speaking as if I was no longer present; both of them were.
“No,” Whitlock said sternly. “Ironically, I think Captain Fletcher’s more likely to be honored than punished in this particular instance. Now get him on the chopper before I change my mind. The crazy bastard’s bleeding everywhere.”
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Michel’s Review
*** Spoiler Free ***
As a blogger and avid reader I consume over 300 books yearly. I can honestly say that there isn’t much that surprises me at this point. There are only so many plots, subject matters, and themes to be covered. What I look for is the creative flare the author brings to the story. I look for character development, original delivery of the story, descriptive enhancements, and the overall flow of the story. I want to be taken away, entertained, and experience the story right along with the characters. Between Here And The Horizon by Callie Hart had all these elements and more. It was completely original and had two separate stories going on that came together cohesively and made this book even more spectacular.
The moment I began to read this book I was drawn into the world of Captain Fletcher. The vivid descriptions made it feel like I was a bystander witnessing the monumental events unfolding on the pages. I felt the tension, the intensity of the moment, and the fear of the outcome. By the end of the first chapter my mind formed an opinion of how this story was going to unfold. Boy I was I wrong. I am rarely surprised or shocked senseless, but by the time I read a few more chapters I was completely stunned stupid. The shock factor was riveting! I kept thinking …. No No No… this didn’t just happen… No way. Once I accepted that shocking moment my mind fast forwarded and I was thinking, okay Callie Hart is going to fix this. It going to be some kind of mistake or a life changing monumental moment. So I was kind of right… it was a monumental life changing moment. I was also wrong because that monumental life changing moment took the story in a completely different direction. A direction I did not see coming.
Once the story was on a new path, I became enthralled with the new world that sets the scenes. Callie was meticulous with her vivid descriptions of life in the coastal Maine area. Her meticulous attention to details and capturing the stoic New Englanders attitudes validated the direction of the story. It became an integral part of the journey leading all the characters to a better life. At this point the story is on a completely different direction than how it began. Callie then added another brilliant element, snippets of past lives in a time of war. These snippets were important in developing two of the leading characters. The outcome of these snippets tied both stories together and added another twist to the ending.
By the end of the book, everything makes sense in a very different way leaving the readers with different perspectives of each of the characters.
I hung on every single word throughout this book. I could not put it down. When I finished this book I felt like I had just experienced an incredible story that I witnessed first hand, up close and personal. I experienced a multitude of emotions throughout this book.
Between Here And The Horizon by Callie Hart is one of the best books I have read in 2016.
Read Between Here And The Horizon by Callie Hart… it’s an amazing reading experience!
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Meet Callie Hart:
Callie Hart is an obsessive romantic who loves throwing a dark twist into her stories. Her characters are imperfect, flawed individuals who dictate when she eats, sleeps and breathes. Callie’s Internationally Bestselling Blood & Roses series has garnered well over 1000 5 star reviews.
That’s all it took to send my brother’s and my life into a tailspin with no end in sight. I was going to be something. I was going to be the best. I had the Olympics in my sights. And it all went to shit in one flash. Brayden wasn’t ready to raise a younger sister when I was thrown into his lap. He had his life and everything going for him. Thankfully, he was still drafted to his dream hockey team. The same one dad played for when we were growing up.
It took time, but I started to get better, started to open up, started skating and even dating again. I even thought I found the perfect guy for me.
Isn’t it funny how guys hit on you when they know you’re not available, but when you’re single they won’t give you the freaking time of day? I guess the game is more fun that way. And for the captain of my brother’s team, that’s exactly what I was. A hat trick is three goals in hockey. Some say three is a crowd and they might be right.
I was Gavin Hayes’ unobtainable goal.
*A No Cheating Standalone*
Kristen has an amazing Teespring campaign going on RIGHT NOW where 100% of the profits are going to support The Marcie Mazzola Foundation
Hat Trick is the first book I have read by Kristen Hope Mazzola. I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was more than a romance, it was a journey for three people. It was written from each characters POV and flowed beautifully. The romance was a bit fluffy and little rushed, but overall very good.
Hat Trick begins with a brother and sister that survived a scarring childhood. The important thing is that they have each other. Brayden’s life is changing once he became a part of the team although he is still dealing with a lot of anger. Myla was an extraordinary person, she didn’t let the past drag her down. She moved forward in a positive way.
Throughout a one year time frame, Myla and Gavin come together. Gavin has his own issues he is dealing with but Myla helps him put them in perspective. The chemistry between the two in undeniable.
It was interesting to watch three lives begin to unfold and become better.
I will definitely be reading more from Kristen Hope Mazzola.
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About the Author:
I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams. I have a full time “day job” and by night I am an author. I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those). I am the lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.
Please feel free to contact me to chat about my writing, books you think I’d like or just to shoot the, well you know.
A portion of all my royalties are donated to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.
I’m a single mother of one daughter, Olivia. She’s amazing in every way.
Cyrene Strohm is a Queen’s Affiliate, a high-ranking official of the court of Byern, with power and privilege to spare. But she’s also a keeper of dangerous secrets: like the fact that she holds the heart of the King, and that she possesses magic in a world where magic no longer exists.
The Affiliate: Book 1 
K.A. Linde grew up as a military brat and created fantastical stories based off of her love for Disney movies, fairy tales, and Star Wars. In her spare time, she is an avid traveler, loves reading young adult novels, and dancing. Additionally, K.A. has written more than a dozen adult novels and is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Lubbock, TX with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
Saucy Southern Readers 
