New Release + Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: King of Ruin by May Sage

Today we have a release day blitz for May Sage’s KING OF RUIN! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: King of Ruin

Author: May Sage

Genre: Paranormal Romance

About King of Ruin:

They say the fae used to take the most beautiful maidens and make them their brides.

They lied.

What they do with them is much worse.

 

After the seven lords of Sidhe are massacred in one day, the thrones of the fae realm pass down to their heirs.

The Iron Circle remains leaderless, as its true lord lives in another world.

The nobles of the realm will find the heir, and they will destroy him.

Or her.

 

West, in the Silver Circle, a new lord has taken the throne.

A warrior who never hesitates to crush ants for the good of the world.

A man whose rule will change the fate of their realms.

 

Melpomene has never known where she came from, and after centuries, she’s stopped caring.

Until the fae take her, dragging her to a land where bloodlines and power is everything.

To survive, she needs to embrace the monster buried inside.

Get Your Copy Today:

Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Google Play | Kobo |

Exclusive Excerpt:

“I warned you I could not protect you.” The boy winced as she bent forward to his ear. “So, stay close and you may just survive.”

Caim paused. He’d been mistaken. This wasn’t weakness. This wasn’t naivety. She was simply certain, absolutely certain, that she was in no danger here.

That she’d made it five minutes without any weapon had surprised him. Now, it didn’t.

Tired and spent as she was, her every move was fluid and precise. A Gaian darkling came from the side with a blade; she tilted her pelvis forward, and the blade hit air. She reached for the attacker’s hand and pushed it back to his skull, all the while avoiding another hit on her left shoulder.

Water.

She moved like water.

If she’d had a sword in her hand, Caim knew she could have made short work of all the prisoners, and most of the lords, no doubt. But she seemed content to let them murder each other, simply defending herself—and the boy holding on to her like the lifeline she was.

His lips parted and a delighted laugh escaped him. He laughed like a child, with enchantment, astounding himself and anyone who was paying attention to him.

She didn’t spare the boy another glance, but she let him stick to her. Grace and indifference. She was cruel. Cruel, untouchable, and beautiful.

They were supposed to watch slaves butcher each other. Instead, they were graced with a dance worthy of a fairy queen.

 

Enter May’s Giveaway:

A Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About May Sage:

May Sage is a USA Today Bestselling romance writer dabbling in different genres, although the readers who follow every series know they’re all related.

When she isn’t writing, she spends her time with her German Shepherd, her two Savannahs, and her black rescue cat, in England. She loves reading, ballet, running, and cake. Mostly, cake.

Follow her on Facebook or join her newsletter for the latest update.

 

Connect with May Sage:

Website | Facebook | Newsletter

Enter May’s Giveaway:

A Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Cover Reveal: Lilies On Main by J. Lynn Bailey

Today we are sharing an exciting cover reveal for LILIES ON MAIN from J. Lynn Bailey! This is the fourth title in the Granite Harbor series and it will release on July 30th. Check out the preorder links for it below, and links for the previous titles in the series.

PRE-ORDER NOW

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo

Lilies on Main by J. Lynn Bailey

Granite Harbor, #4 | Coming July 30

Book Blurb:

For bookstore owner Lydia Townsend, another geographical move doesn’t faze her. She doesn’t even bat an eyelash at one more curveball thrown into her life plan. Five years running from a man who broke her heart, and her spirit, has taught her to keep her walls up.

Scared to trust again, Lydia swears to keep all men off limits. Even Aaron Casey, who seems too perfect to be true. With a daughter to protect and a life to build, she simply can’t afford to let her guard down.

But when William Davis, a seventy-something recovering alcoholic, steps into Lydia’s bookstore for the first time, holding the secret to saving both of their lives, she might have to learn that trusting a man with her life is just as dangerous as trusting one with her heart.

PRE-ORDER NOW

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo

PURCHASE THE PREVIOUS TITLES IN THE SERIES

Peony Red

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo

Violet Ugly

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo

Magnolia Road

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo

————————-

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

J. Lynn is a bestselling author who hates to talk about herself. Loathes it.

More importantly, she’s the mother of two beautiful children and a wife to her high school sweetheart. She’s also a mother of two extremely needy cats, Leo and Vinni, and an Australian Shepherd named Grizz.

She lives with her family in a small town tucked away in the redwood forest, located on California’s northern coast.

 

FIND J. LYNN BAILEY:

Sign up for J. Lynn’s Newsletter

Join J. Lynn’s Reader Group

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads

InkSlinger Blogger Final

Cover Reveal: A Pizza My Heart by Teagan Hunter

 

A Pizza My Heart
By Tegan Hunter
Release Date: June 20, 2019
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Synopsis:
APizzaMyHeart_HRMost people would probably be
embarrassed to land themselves back in their hometown and working at a pizzeria
after an ugly divorce.



Not me.


It’s home, and I have one last shot to make Wren Daniels see me as more than
just her brother’s best friend.


When the opportunity to show her what’s been right in front of her this whole
time presents itself, I take it, holding nothing back this time.


Wren thinks we’re pretending, but there’s nothing fake about the way I feel.


After all, she’s always had…a pizza my heart.

Standalone Brother’s Best Friend Romcom! 







ADD TO GOODREADS

 
 
 
 
 
 
I’m a Missouri-raised gal,
but currently live in North Carolina with my US Marine husband and 9-year-old
dog. I spend my days begging him for a cat, and I survive off coffee, pizza,
and sarcasm. When I’m not writing, you can find me binge-watching various TV
shows, especially Supernatural and One Tree Hill. I like cold weather, buy more
paperbacks than I’ll ever read, and I never say no to brownies.




Writing is my passion, and this is just the beginning of my
journey.

 

Cover Reveal: Reel Love by Julie A. Richman

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Cover Reveal

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Title: Reel Love

Author: Julie A Richman

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 26th, 2019

Pre-order on iBooks here

Click to add to your TBR

***

Synopsis:

Is this Reel Love or Real Love?

Hollywood

The moment I laid eyes on Finn Parker’s headshot, I knew that if this guy could act, I wanted him for the hero role in the film being made from my book, Fleeing an August Moon.

The tall, blond, and ruggedly handsome actor looked exactly like the picture I’d seen in my head the entire time I was writing the book.

The studio, however, had different thoughts on a leading man.

Box Office crusher, Maverick Dailey, made it clear that he wanted the role. The producers, studio, and everyone involved were thrilled to score such a celebrity. Well, everyone except me.

And it’s my vote that counts since, according to my contract I get final say on casting. Maverick is amazing, yet I’m just not sure…

It certainly didn’t help that Finn Parker and I seemed destined to cross paths. We ran into each other all over Hollywood. And the more time we spent together, the more the sparks between us flew. We had an intense chemistry, something I’d only ever read about in books like mine.

Which made me wonder, was I really falling for Finn or just living out a fantasy with a red-blooded, live version of my hot hero character?

It’s easy to confuse fiction for reality in Hollywood. Everything is not as it seems in this town.

Not to mention, Finn’s life would forever change if he landed the role. Which made me question how good of an actor he really was? Was he interested in me, or the role I had the power to give him?

Is this Real Love or just Reel Love?

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_________________________________

About Julie Richman:

jarheadshotI must’ve been 5 or 6 when I started writing “stories”. I would write them and hide them.

Not wanting anyone to see my “secret” thoughts. I needed to write – even back then. Now I’m just not hiding them anymore. Is that a sign of maturity? Nah…

Writer, photographer, insatiable wanderluster, edge-player, foodie, music addict, pop culture fanatic, animal lover, warrior for the rights of people and planet, and avid cusser (am a Native
New Yorker, so very little offends me…and if I am offended, it must be pretty freaking bad..like
bad grammar!)

I am a big believer in signs and if we keep ourselves open, there are guideposts all along the way. Stay humble. Be true. Be you.

Life is not a dress rehearsal…

***

Make sure to sign up for my mailing list!

Want to send me a message? Email me at julie@juliearichman.com

Are you a Rogue? Join my readers’ group Richman’s Rogue BBCs

***

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter Sign Up

 

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Playboy In Paradise Trilogy by S.L. Scott

 

 

Playboy in Paradise Trilogy

 

Falling for the Playboy
Redeeming the Playboy
Loving the Playboy

 

Playboy in Paradise Complete Set

 

 

Falling for the Playboy
Author: S.L. Scott
Playboy in Paradise Trilogy
Release Date: June 10, 2019
Cover Design: Kari March Designs

 

Falling for the Playboy – Synopsis

It’s good to be me.
Thanks to my last name, money is no object. According to the ladies, I’m charming.
And if I do say so myself, and I do, I’m good looking too.
I’m used to getting my way. Every. Single. Time. That is until Mallory Wray, a brunette beauty, lands in Hawaii.
Now my new favorite pastime is how to bed the gorgeous co-ed. Again.

An escape.

I’ll call it what it is. But there are worse places to spend the next three months than in paradise.
A fresh start without the chill of Colorado or cheating exes is exactly what I need.
No one is going to ruin this for me, especially not gorgeous playboys.
That is until I decide to throw caution to the wind and fall right into Evan Ashford’s bed.
Unlike him, I can’t separate my heart from my head, so I get out before I get hurt. Again.
I thought I left my broken heart on the mainland, but now I’m starting to wonder if Evan can heal it.
Here goes everything . . .

 

Redeeming the Playboy
Author: S.L. Scott
Playboy in Paradise Trilogy
Release Date: June 12, 2019
Cover Design: Kari March Designs

 

Redeeming the Playboy – Synopsis

Love can overcome any obstacle.
I hope so because choosing to be together will take an act of complete faith, something I’ve never been capable of before Mallory.
But now that I’ve tasted Heaven I have no intention of letting her go.
The last three months were the best of my life and now our time together is over too soon. Selfishly, I need more.
I want all of her, which is more than she can give with the distance that divides us.
I don’t want a day without her in it. I can’t sleep a night with her gone. We’re passion on a hot night, fireworks on the fourth,
and more than an undeniable attraction. A pain in my chest won’t subside, so I’m forced to make a choice that will determine the
rest of my life.
Mallory or my family?
Listening to my ego got me into this mess.
Will listening to my heart get me out?

 

Loving the Playboy
Author: S.L. Scott
Playboy in Paradise Trilogy
Release Date: June 14, 2019
Cover Design: Kari March Designs

 

Loving the Playboy – Synopsis

Life is perfect.
Paradise is found in the arms of a redeemed playboy.
Evan Ashford’s cocky side never stood a chance against true love. He pursued me with an unbridled determination and
passion that couldn’t be denied, winning me over heart and soul. Our lives are now set . . . or so I thought.
Nothing stays perfect forever and happiness comes with a price. I thought we had paid that price, so when we’re thrown into the
biggest battle over our love yet, I’ll fight to claim my forever.
When life tears us apart, can our love bring us back to paradise?

 

 

Playboy in Paradise Complete Set
Author: S.L. Scott
Playboy in Paradise Trilogy
Release Date: June 19, 2019
Cover Design: Kari March Designs

 

Playboy in Paradise Complete Set – Synopsis

I came to Hawaii to get away from life, but the moment I meet Evan Ashford, I think I landed right where I was always meant to be.
Despite vowing never to fall for the cocky playboy, he makes me weak in the knees so I throw caution to the wind.
Our chemistry is unquestionable, emotions irrational, and our love undeniable.
He gives me his heart and his hard truths, and in return, I give him everything.

When family interferes and loyalty is questioned, life tears us apart. Can our love bring us back together?

Hold onto your heart because Evan Ashford is about to steal it. Escape to paradise with this alpha playboy in the Playboy in Paradise Trilogy, an Emotional, Contemporary, New Adult Bestselling Romance.

GIVEAWAY – Playboy in Paradise Cover Reveal

 

 

ABOUT S.L. SCOTT

 

Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed
with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her
home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.

 

AUTHOR LINKS
S.L. Scott’s Facebook Reader Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/slscottbooks
S.L. Scott Goodreads Reader Group: http://bit.ly/SLScottGRGroup




Cover Reveal + Pre-Order: Already Gone by Kristen Proby and K.L. Grayson

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Already Gone by Kristen Proby and K.L. Grayson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publishing date: August 27, 2019

Cover Designer: Kari March

Photographer: Sara Eirew

Already Gone.jpg

Falling in love is easy…

New Hope, South Carolina is my home. It’s where I grew up, got into trouble, and fell in love for the first time. Scarlett Kincaid was more than the girl next door, she was my best friend, until she decided that small town life wasn’t for her. One minute she was here, and the next she was gone.

The girl I used to fish with down at the creek is now the biggest name in country music. She headlines world tours, has won four Grammys, and I haven’t seen her since. Until today when she sped through town in her fancy car. One look at her big brown eyes was all it took to stir up a whole slew of emotions. Emotions I’d long ago buried and sure as hell don’t have time for.

It’s the aftermath that’s hard…

There are two things in my life that matter. My music, and my dad. Twelve years ago, I packed a bag and chased my dream. Leaving New Hope and escaping the gossip mill was the easiest decision I ever made. I never planned to return, but my father needs me, and he always comes first. So, I did what I had to do. I cut my tour short and came home, despite having a sister who hates me, and a community that doesn’t trust me. And then there’s Tucker Andrews.

When he propped an arm on the roof of my car, pulled down his sunglasses and flashed his police badge, I nearly swallowed my tongue. Gone is the lanky boy who used to throw rocks at me and pull my pigtails. Tucker is now a six-foot package of brawny, sexy man wrapped in more muscle than I have hit singles. Did I mention he’s a cop and a single dad?

My goal was to help Dad, and get back to my life. But what am I supposed to do when the life that used to strangle me suddenly fits like a glove, and makes me dream of things I never thought I’d have? What happens when the boy I walked away from years ago becomes one of the most important people in my life? I don’t have room for a man much less love.

Right?

Because it’s impossible to hold onto someone who’s already gone.

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Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/317QTSH

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/AlreadyGoneKLGKP

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/KLKPAGAB

Nook: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPK

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPGR

Already Gone Landing Page: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/already-gone

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About Kristen:

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

Connect with Kristen:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByKristenProby/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Handbagjunkie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenproby/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kristen-proby
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kBRdpj
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2BD4vfq
Pinterest: @handbagjunkie
Website: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/kristenproby/newsletter-sign-up

About K.L. Grayson

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained

daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she

writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the

day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males,

brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that

order.

Connect with K.L. Grayson

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/booksbyklgrayson/

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-l-grayson

Website: www.klgrayson.com

Chapter Reveal: Raphael by Tillie Cole – A Deadly Virtues Novel

 

 

 

 

 

They are the Fallen. A brotherhood of murderers whose nature compels them to kill. But guided by their leader, Gabriel, the Fallen have learned to use their urges to rid the world of those it is better off without.

For Raphael, sex and death are intertwined. Where there is one, there must be the other. He is a lust killer, luring his victims with the face of an angel and a body built for sin.

And Raphael lives to sin.

His newest mission takes him into the sadistic underworld of Boston’s secret sex clubs, and puts him face to face with his greatest fantasy made flesh.

Maria is everything he’s ever dreamed of, the kill he’s always longed for. She’s not his target. And he knows he must resist. But the temptation is too strong…

Yet Raphael is not the only one with a mission. Maria is not quite what she seems. And as her secrets and Raphael’s unravel, Maria begins to question everything she thought she knew—about evil, about the place she calls home, and about the beautiful sinner she was sent to destroy.

Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains sexual situations, violence, sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and topics some may find triggering. Recommended for age 18 years and up.

 

The Fallen: Genesis a prequel novella in The Deadly Virtues Series and MUST be read before RAPHAEL (DV: book one).

 

 

 

 

The sound of Gabriel’s Gregorian chant music drifted up the Tomb’s steep, winding stairs. Raphael ran his fingertips along the gray stone walls. They were damp underneath his skin, slick with the stagnant water that trickled in from the overflowing lake outside. Forest-green moss crept in through cracks and fractures in the brick, betraying the manor’s age.

With every step he descended into the candlelit darkness, Raphael’s heart began to thunder into a heady velocity. The string that forever sat on his right index finger was so tight he could feel his pulse throbbing in the very tip. He focused on the rhythm of the beat, on the tightness of the string wrapped around and around and around his flesh. A fire of pleasure broke out in his chest and surged through his veins at the tightness, the suffocation, the hedonistic asphyxiation of the digit. It was a denial of blood, of the life his finger needed to survive, to thrive—to exist. Raphael’s lip kicked up in a smirk. He knew the tip of his finger would be blue, starved of the sustenance it needed to function. He hissed out in pleasure when the fire that vision ignited darted straight to his cock. Raphael didn’t care if his brothers heard him moan out loud. They would be caught in their own heads, their own excitement of possibly getting the kill, to care—they never cared.

Raphael felt Michael breathing heavily behind him, affirming his point. He knew Michael would be stroking the vial of blood around his neck while almost coming in his leather pants at the thought of sinking his sharp teeth into a vein and sucking down the blood. Gabriel told them Michael had something called hematolagnia. He had a word for what he claimed “ailed” all of them.

Nothing ailed them.

Gabriel just didn’t understand the way the six of them were, the way they had to be. The six of the Fallen who were nothing like Gabriel. They liked to kill. Needed to as much as they needed to breathe. It wasn’t abnormal to them. Blood and flesh and cries of pain inflicted by their hands didn’t bring repulsion, only satisfaction.

It was simply who they were.

Out of all the brothers, Raphael was closest to Michael. But right now, each of the brothers was completely alone. The Revelation ceremony brought out the utmost selfishness in them.

The chance to bring death consumed them.

Controlled them.

And Raphael wouldn’t have it any other way.

Raphael’s cock grew hard in his jeans at just the thought of taking someone’s last breath. He pushed the heel of his hand against his crotch as the blood rushed to it, but the burst of painful pleasure that spiraled up his spine only made him groan louder. The rubber cage he always wore around his dick constricted his flesh and began to strain, biting into him as the rubber rebelled against his hardening. The BDSM contraption was designed to bring pain. And it was successful; pain it brought. But Raphael didn’t see pain as a punishment. He lived for pain. The more agony he felt, the more pleasure he felt. He basked in the throttling of his penis, relished the choking of his erection as it tried to break free of the rubber constraints.

Raphael lost his footing, his back slamming into the wet wall. He barely even noticed his shirt growing damp as his eyes closed. All Raphael could focus on was the cage’s incessant strangling. His hands curled into fists as the addictive fire ravaged his body.

Flashes of his ultimate fantasy poured into his mind, fueling his ecstasy. He was powerless. He couldn’t stop them if he tried. But why would he? It was what inspired him to get out of bed each day, birthed every single breath his lungs inhaled. What he had waited years for, and would wait a lifetime more to capture. Raphael’s breathing became deep and labored as he imagined the scene—the king-sized bed, the red rose petals thrown on the pure white Egyptian cotton comforter. And her, the one, sprawled out for him on her back, naked, a temptation made true. Her cheeks would be flushed, and her lips would be cherry red. Her skin would be so soft, no blemish in sight, eyes bright and fixed on Raphael, piercing his gaze with nothing but adoration. She would be his, and he would be hers. There would be nobody else for either of them. She would be his one possession that he would have for all of his days.

Raphael knew his pupils were dilated beneath his closed lids—oddly colored golden-brown eyes that set him apart from everyone else. His greatest tool, eyes that lured in his victims—meaningless women he would chase for a while, seducing, enticing, making them enamored with everything he pretended to be . . . before he pillaged their lives, fucking them hard as death collected their souls, releasing into their dying bodies as he consumed their final heartbeat and breath with his unyielding hands.

Raphael’s eyes snapped open when he heard the church bell echo around the stone basement—Gabriel’s signal to robe for Revelation. As he descended the final steps, the tight rubber cage around his cock caused pre-cum to leak into his jeans. He lived for the sexual strangulation. He needed it as much as he needed to breathe.

Raphael realized he was late. He raced through the wide wooden door of the Tomb. His brothers were already in robes, the heavy hoods covering their heads as they silently awaited his arrival.

 

Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

Author Links

 

 

 

 

New Release + Release Blitz + Excerpt: Luca’s Lessons by Deana Birch and Amelia Foster

Luca's Lessons (1)

Title: Luca’s Lessons

By: Deana Birch and Amelia Foster

Release Date: June 4, 2019

Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing

Genre: Adult Erotic Romance

Blurb:

An Italian Dom guides a Swiss banker through the world of BDSM and she threatens his most important rule.

Sparked by curiosity and drawn by need, Swiss banker Claire asks Italian businessman Luca to introduce her to the D/s lifestyle. He agrees, as long as she abides by his number one rule of not falling in love. The two then embark on a slow, complete and realistic path of liberating Claire’s true submissive nature.

But as their lessons progress, blurred lines morph into a child’s scribbled drawing when feelings creep into their playtime. And with new emotions bubbling under the surface, Luca questions Claire’s hard no. She calls “red” and walks away, leaving the Dom sure he’s lost the one sub who finally saw his true desire to be cared for.

Now, certain she’s broken his only rule and torn by thoughts of betraying her dead husband, Claire must decide between exploring the love she’s found or locking away her heart with the ghosts of her past.

Scene Excerpt:

Luca

Four.

Five.

Si-

The joints on the wooden door of Luca’s suite squeaked open and Claire slipped in. She pressed her lips tightly together. In her Burberry overcoat, black heels and with her hair in a well-groomed ponytail, she was impeccable.

“There was traffic.”

At least she’d acknowledged her tardiness. And in the six minutes she’d kept him waiting, he’d concocted the most perfect first lesson around her self-inflicted theme.

Luca tapped his fingers on the armrest of the leather sofa and grinned. ”Last chance to back out, Ms. Favre.”

Her eyes widened at the name. “No, Mr. Bernardi. I’m ready to learn.”

Was that her attempt at sass? Tsk. Tsk.

“Sir,” he corrected with sternness. “In this room and wherever else I take you during your training, you will call me Sir.”

“Yes, Sir.” Her hands twisted just below the cinched belt of the taupe overcoat.

The desire to address her fidgeting was overpowered by the fact that she’d called him ‘Sir’ for the first time. His chest swelled. Had he known he’d been addicted to the sound of that word from her mouth, he would have sought her out sooner. But just as she’d helped him with the purchase of the club, this arrangement was serious. She wanted to train, was willing to devote herself to him. He had a responsibility to do it right.

Luca continued, “Good girl. And from here on out, when I want your eyes, I will ask for them. Do you understand,sotto?” Sotto? Surely, he’d meant ‘sub’. Had she endeared him so much that it warranted an Italian nickname?

Her gaze dropped to the floor and she said, “Yes, Sir.”

He needed to return to the basics. Formalities would bring him peace. “Brava. Claire, what do you say to me when I approach a limit and you think you need me to stop?”

“Yellow, Sir.”

“Yes.” Good. This was all good. “And what do you say to me when I’ve gone too far, and you absolutely need me to stop?”

“Red, Sir.”

Even better.

“Correct. I’m putting all my trust in you to use these words whenever you need to. All my trust. You hold the power. Can I trust you, sotto?”

She swallowed and licked her lips. Her surrender was enchanting. “Yes, Sir.”

“Take off your coat and dress and hang them in the closet. Put your shoes in there as well.” He stood and rolled his white sleeves. “When I walk into this room, you will already be here. You will kneel next to the bed and your eyes will remain on the ground. Show me how I will find you, sotto.” The Italian word for ‘bottom’ slipped off his tongue yet again before his mind could stop it. Apparently, the nickname was hers now.

In her assigned—and beyond pleasing—white lace bra and matching panties, Claire obeyed. Luca brought a hand to his cheek and rubbed his soft beard in circles. He smiled.

There she was, the beautiful, smart and successful Claire Favre, below him. He’d been right all those weeks ago when he’d seen her picture in the magazine. She was even more stunning on her knees.

“I read your email. Every word.” More than once. He might just do the same every night before bed for the rest of…her training. The rest of her training.

“Your limits are impressive and, I must admit, inspiring. I had a delectable first lesson planned for you.”

Her face pinched. Good. She’d caught the past tense.

He continued, “But it seems you had other plans. You thought I should wait.”

Luca stepped around his sub, trailing a finger on her bare shoulder as he went. Goosebumps peaked to life along her upper back.

“It is a pity, this foul habit of not being on time, making people wait.” He drew his hand back, but Claire stayed still. ”I do wonder why you would think your time is more important than mine. And now, my plans have been changed. Quite inconvenient.” He clicked his tongue.

Luca leaned down and took in her lovely light scent. In her ear, he whispered, “And I am quite disappointed. I’d been imagining for weeks the look on your face when I make you come the first time.”

She flinched, and Luca stood back up.

“Oh yes, sotto. Many weeks.” He sighed dramatically and crossed his arms. “But you decided to make me wait. You see all the power you hold?”

She stared at the ground and her chest stuttered on her inhale.

“I asked you a question. But today seems to be a day of firsts—the first lesson for you and the first time a sub has dared to be late for a first meeting with me. So, I shall commit another virgin act and repeat myself. Don’t get used to it.” He slowed his speech. “Do you see how your actions—your decisions—hold power?” He walked back in front of her.

“Yes,” she said in a meek voice.

“Eyes!”

Her blue beauties snapped up.

He corrected, “Yes, Sir.”

“Yes, Sir,” she said with more strength.

Better. “You may return your gaze to the floor.” Luca checked his watch. He had only intended on spending an hour in the scene then however long she needed in aftercare. It was her first day. He reminded himself to be gentle. No ropes.

“I am a strong believer that the punishment should fit the crime. So yours should, too. You shall wait.”

Luca’s dress shoes scuffed over to the end of the large four-poster bed.

“Stand.”

Claire did as she was told, keeping her eyes down. She was doing well. Very well.

“Lie down on your stomach in the middle of the bed and spread your legs. Put your arms overhead and cross your wrists.”

Again, his new sub followed his orders. He checked his watch and stood silent for three minutes.

When the needle ticked the final second, he sat down on the side of the bed.

“Close your eyes, sotto.” A rasp had taken over his stronger commanding voice and he reached to the curve at the base of her spine. He trailed his fingers along an aimless path on her soft, creamy skin.

His discovery continued, sometimes brushing over the hem of her underwear, but mostly central to the little dip in her back.

“Did you learn, in all your reading, that your orgasms now belong to me?”

“Yes, Sir.” Her faint voice matched the quiet energy of the room.

Brava. You understand that there will be none without my express permission for the duration of our time together.”

“Yes, Sir.”

He ventured his fingers south and ran them up and down the outline of her white lace. The hint of heat between her legs called to his depths.

“This color is perfect for you, Cara. Always wear white unless I tell you otherwise.”

Claire wet her lips and said a breathy, “Yes, Sir.”

He touched her inner thigh and she whimpered. “Do you like my touch?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good.”

LDW IG Story4

Where to find Luca’s Lessons:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WbnyDl

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/luca-s-lessons

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Deana_Birch_Luca_s_Lessons?id=uGOTDwAAQBAJ

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucas-lessons-deana-birch/1131290100?ean=9781786864710

Totally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=70650

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45027479-luca-s-lessons?from_search=true

New Release + Release Blitz: Hooked by Joanne Schwehm

Title: Hooked
Series: Prescott Series #5
Author: Joanne Schwehm
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Blurb

I love my life. As owner and chef at one of the hottest restaurants, I know how to keep things sizzling in and out of the kitchen. What more could I ask for? But I’ll tell you what I didn’t ask for… a klutzy, curly-haired woman slamming into me with a unicorn cake. Yes, you read that right—a damn cake decorated to look like the mythical creature bathed in every color of the rainbow.

What could be worse, right? I’ll tell you. My brother hired her to be my pastry chef. You’d think that would be my biggest problem, but that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Aside from her being one of the clumsiest women I’ve ever met, she turns me on like no other woman has. She tastes sweeter than anything she creates, and we make a great team in and out of the bedroom… I mean kitchen.

When we first met, I worried my restaurant wouldn’t survive her. Now I worry that my heart won’t.

I never wanted to fall in love, but sometimes life isn’t all unicorns and rainbows.

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Available at the following retailers
for a LIMITED TIME only
Also Available
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio

Joanne is a bestselling independent romance author and has written several contemporary romance novels. She strives to create relatable characters that readers will laugh and fall in love with.



Above all else, she’s a mother and wife and loves spending time with her family. She enjoys meeting new people, traveling, reading, and relaxing on a beach.
When she’s not writing or devouring a great book, Joanne is also an avid sports fan, especially when it comes to the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys. She also enjoys playing and watching golf. 
Joanne loves everything about romance—she attributes this to her Italian upbringing. She believes everyone should have romance in their lives and hopes her books bring joy and happiness to readers. Joanne looks forward to sharing more love stories in her future novels. 
A message from Joanne: When that unexpected chance comes, take it. You never know what you could be missing. Xoxo

Author Links

New Release + Release Blitz + Excerpt: SLAY – Rivalry by Laurelin Paige

 

SLAY: RIVALRY (Slay Quartet #1) by Laurelin Paige
Release Date: June 4th

 

AVAILABLE NOW!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IigOOT
Amazon International: http://mybook.to/SlayBook1
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JOIN the SLAY ONE: RIVALRY RECOVERY GROUP when you’re done reading!! Enter at your own risk however!! There WILL BE spoilers!!
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Add SLAY #1 to Goodreads:
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Blurb
Edward Fasbender is a devil.

He’s my father’s business rival, a powerful, vicious man who takes what he wants and bows to no one. I only took the meeting because I was curious. I thought he was going to offer me a job.

But that’s not what he’s after at all. His proposal is much more intriguing, and I see an opportunity. An opportunity to turn the tables and bring down the devil.

I’ve gotten in trouble playing these games before. I know when the risk is too great, when the stakes are too high. I know how to be cold and strong-willed and destructive. I know how to withstand dominant men with arrogant charm and rugged features.

Yet I can’t resist taking on Edward.

And I can’t resist the pull he has on me.

Soon I’m not so sure which side of the battle I’m standing on–if I’m the warrior meant to slay,

Or the one who will be slain.

 

 

Excerpt
Sitting like this, on the arm of the chair, his back straight, we were practically the same height. It occurred to me that this was the closest we’d ever been to having equal footing, and somehow that made me both heady and encouraged.

I reached out to rub the collar of his shirt between my thumb and forefinger, my breath stuttering under the thick weight of apprehension, my mouth watering from how close I was to touching his skin. This close, I could smell the liquor on his breath and the musky scent of his cologne and the fainter scent underneath of pure man.

“Tell me your requests.” Was it my imagination or did his voice suddenly seem darker? Less steady?

“There’s only one.” I leaned in until my lips were near his ear. “I want to add sex to the deal.”

He made a sound low in his throat, half like a laugh, half like a moan. “What, now?”

He turned his face toward mine, and now our mouths were only inches away from touching. I could feel the warmth of his exhale on my skin, sending a trail of goosebumps down my arms.

“Now, sure.” Fuck, I was wet already. “But I meant in the marriage, too.”

His lips danced around mine. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. You want to be humiliated, degraded, and hurt?”

Yes.

Because that was the goal of The Game.

But, also, YES!

Because, in that moment, there was nothing more I could imagine wanting than to be all those things, to be humiliated and degraded and hurt, by him. I wanted it so much I ached. Ached in places I hadn’t known could feel.

I reached my neck forward, pushing my mouth toward his.

Just when I thought the kiss was inevitable, he leaned back. “You couldn’t handle it.”

 

 

About the Author
With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however.

When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.

She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

 

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