Tag Archives: 5 Star Review

Release Day Blitz + Excerpt + Review: Everest by S.L. Scott

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Title: Everest

Author: S.L. Scott

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Release Date: December 7, 2017

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2B7ufQt

AMAZON CA: http://bit.ly/EverestCA

AMAZON UK: http://bit.ly/EverestUK

AMAZON AUS: http://bit.ly/EverestAUS

 

SYNOPSIS

From New York Times Bestselling Author, S.L. Scott, comes a ROMANTIC SUSPENSE STANDALONE that will have you on the edge of your seat and swooning over this ALPHA BILLIONAIRE.

Six foot three. Dynamic green eyes. Utterly irresistible.

Ethan Everest stole my breath the first time I saw him. He romanced me with skill, dazzled me with his charisma, and proceeded to steal my heart right after.

I might have fallen for his easy going smile the first time we met, but I fell for him the second time.

Honey-colored hair. Cherry-kissed lips. Captivatingly gorgeous.

Singer Davis was the first, and only, woman to ever intimidate me. She spoke to my heart with her wit, seduced me with her eyes, and became the only thing that made sense in a world that made none.

I let her slip through my fingers once. I won’t make that mistake twice.

Secrets broke us apart. Can a second chance bring us back together?

 

 AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

 

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2B7ufQt

AMAZON CA: http://bit.ly/EverestCA

AMAZON UK: http://bit.ly/EverestUK

AMAZON AUS: http://bit.ly/EverestAUS

PAPERBACK: http://bit.ly/EverestPB

FREE in KINDLE UNLIMITED

 

EXCERPT

Singer

Slipping off my shoes, I dim the lights on the wall panel. I take my clothes off and hang them on a hook near the door before returning to the tub.

   The tub, warm and inviting as I step in, eases my aching feet from my high heels and the tension in my shoulders. I pour some of the bubble suds and giggle. That was so cute and showed me a whole new side to Ethan—the at-home Texan who relates to his roots—instead of the strong, quieter, broodier man I see sometimes.

   While the suds foam and the tub fills, I look out the window. The sky is clear up here. The buildings are far enough apart to avoid spying on neighbors. It’s like floating in heaven.

   I hear his knock on the door, so I call, “Come in,” while making sure the bubbles cover all the important parts.

   Ethan walks in with two glasses of champagne in one hand and the bottle in the other.

   “You came prepared,” I note, leaning back on one side of the tub.

   “I thought I might join you.” He waggles his eyebrows.

   I giggle and reach for a glass. “Come on in,” I reply and wonder if he will really take me up on my dare.

   He sets the bottle and his glass down on the side of the tub. His tie was removed before he came in and I notice his shoes are long gone, along with his jacket. When he starts on the buttons of his shirt, I sit up, scooping suds over me. “Wait, for real?”

   “Yep. I think that tub’s big enough for the two of us.”

   “But you said you don’t take baths.”

   “I also said I’ve never used this one. Seems like an opportune time.”

   “But I’m naked,” I say, worried about everything—his body naked next to mine, not shaving my legs before I went out tonight. My mind flickers through my flaws. Ugh. No. Just no. Not like that. That stuff should be shared in the dark of a bedroom under the influence of alcohol and desperate sex. We’re too sober for this. I’m too sober for this. What does he possibly see in me when he has women like Nicolina waiting?

   He’s more than I’ve imagined, and in some senses, it scares me. He’s the sort of man women like Nicolina land. For once though, it was as if she saw me as competition. The feeling is exhilarating.

   “Like I said, seems like an opportune time.”

   His shirt is dropped, his undershirt following quickly behind. Good God Almighty. What does a guy who looks like that see in me? “I see you like to work out.” I clear my throat and want to bonk my head on the side of the tub for saying it out loud.

   Chuckling, he says, “I have a gym down the hall. It’s how I relieve stress.”

   “I thought that’s what sex was for.” I gasp and cover my mouth, wishing I could keep my crazy thoughts in my head where they belong instead of on my tongue. His eyes are heavy, a smirky smirk restraining a laugh. “God, you cannot let me talk when I’m nervous.”

   “If this is what happens when you’re nervous, I’ll make you nervous more often.” His pants come down and my curiosity is answered. Tonight he’s in boxers. When he catches my eyes on his package, I’m thankful I’m wearing waterproof mascara because I immediately go underwater. Screw my makeup. It’s really the only way to keep my mouth in check at this point. I count to five and then pop back up. With my hands covering my boobs, I ask, “You’re really coming in?”

   “Yes, scoot over.”

   Good God Almighty.

 

 

Tracey’s Review

Okay, Suzie Scott, I am in love. As a long-time fan, I was pretty sure that no one could even come close to the place that Jack Dalton (he of The Resistance fame) holds in my heart. But you’ve gone and done it. You’ve written a character, one Ethan Everest, that stormed right in and took up residence, and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more.

So, EVEREST. This is a big book, but I flew through it like it was not. There was no putting this one aside for me, no going back to it at a later time. Once I started, I had to keep going, because Ethan and Singer, well, their story grabbed me and would not let go.

One of the things that I love about Suzie, and that I’m always so interested in, is how very varied her books are, her characters, her storylines, and how each of the different tracks are so very well done. We’ve had rockers, and bartenders (both some of my favorites), and, now, Ethan. Ethan is larger than life, but his story is extremely resonant these days. He’s a self-made man, but he’s made some decisions that have left his life in a holding pattern. When Singer Davis enters his orbit the first time, the world is his oyster. The second time, timing couldn’t be worse, but Ethan isn’t one to hold back, and this is one of the things that I love best about him. He’s an all-in sort of guy, and, this time, he’s leading with his heart.

Singer Davis is a treat. She’s following her dream, staying the course even though the going is tough. Love isn’t even on her radar, and then, Ethan happens. He encourages her, lifts her up, and takes care of her, all while urging her to be the person that she wants to be. And, soon, she’s his.

I loved absolutely everything about this book. The pages flew, and the story is, by turn, intriguing, suspenseful, playful, and passionate. I could not get enough of Ethan and his entourage, and Singer and Mel were the perfect foils for them and for each other.

I have the opportunity to read a lot of books in a year, and I like plenty of them, love several, and adore a few. EVEREST is on my Favorites of 2017 list, because it truly just hit all of the marks for me. Fans of Suzie’s books should definitely be reading it, as well as fans of sweeping epic romance, and romantic suspense. Ethan and Singer will win your heart, of this I am sure.

 

 

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

Website: http://www.slscottauthor.com

The Scott Scoop: http://bit.ly/2TheScoop

Facebook: http://bit.ly/SLFBPage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/slscottauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.l.scott

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/slscott1

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/SLBookbub

Amazon: http://bit.ly/SLScottAm

Book + Main Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/slscott

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Slscottauthor

Huffington Post Contributor Page: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sl-scott

S.L. Scott FB Reader Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/slscottbooks

S.L. Scott GR Reader Group: http://bit.ly/SLScottGRGroup

New Release + Blog Tour + 5-Star Review: Defiant Queen by Meghan March

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The Mount Trilogy continues with

Defiant Queen…

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt.

I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment?

They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body.

But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy.

I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules.

I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact.

But he has other plans . . .

 

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira’s story concludes in Sinful Empire.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | iBooks | BN | Kobo

Tracey’s Review

Lachlan Mount is King of NOLA, and he has certainly met his match in feisty Keira Kilgore. These two are on fire, and they are burning the town, and each other, to the ground.

This book, y’all. These characters. Oh, my gosh, Lachlan and Keira got me like, whoa. Meghan March is blowing me away with her Anti-Heroes Collection, and I am loving every minute of it. The action is non-stop, and the secrets just keep coming, making this the same twisty, turny delicious read that RUTHLESS KING was.

Meghan, in all of her crafty craftiness, leaves us with just as many questions, just as much, OMG, in this book, and I cannot wait for SINFUL EMPIRE, so that I can finally figure out what the heck is going on. In the meantime, 5 sexy, scandalous, decadent stars for DEFIANT QUEEN. This is a series that you do not want to miss.

 

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

 

ADD TO GOODREADS

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Paperback | iBooks | BN | Kobo

 

 

meghanmarchpic

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, 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.

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | PINTEREST

Release Day Launch + Excerpt + 5-Star Review + Giveaway: Hard Wood by Lauren Blakely

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From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes a hot and hilarious standalone romance about what happens when you have one week to convince your best friend’s little sister that you’re the one for her. What could possibly go wrong? It looks like things are about to get hard in the woods…Don’t miss the laugh-out-loud and insanely hot story, HARD WOOD!

Now available on all retailers! Grab your copy today, and get HARD WOOD in your hands!

 

 

✮✮✮ HARD WOOD is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a hot & hilarious new standalone romantic comedy…

Women often say a good man is hard to find. And a hard man is even better.

That’s why I’m quite a catch– good, hard, loaded, and wait for it…I’m ready to settle down too. But the woman I want to pitch my tent with lives clear across the country. Neither of us wants to get lost in those woods. All I have to do is resist her for the week she’s in town.

I try. I swear I try. But yeah, that doesn’t work out.

And after one fantastic night with my good friend Mia, I’m ready to give her years of nights under the stars. What’s a few thousand miles when love’s involved? But there’s a hitch in my plans — she just hired my adventure tour company. If there’s one thing I’m committed to, it’s running a squeaky clean business. Number one on my list of iron-clad rules?

Don’t screw your customers.

But what’s a guy to do when she’s so hard to resist? How hard can it be to keep our hands off each other for a quick group tour down the hills and over the trails? I’m about to find out, and I have a feeling I’m going to need a new badge of honor because things are about to get very hard in the woods.

You can find this sexy standalone romantic comedy available across all retailers now!

✦Kindle US ➜ http://amzn.to/2gvaTbG

✦Kindle UK ➜ http://amzn.to/2xXwncq

✦Kindle CA ➜ http://amzn.to/2zsvfdd

✦Kindle AU ➜ http://amzn.to/2gvLhLS

✦iBooks ➜ http://apple.co/2xoVy6k

✦Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/2tIJoQo

✦Nook ➜ http://bit.ly/2gLRTJ2

✦Google Play ➜ http://bit.ly/2x5DHPH

✦Amazon PB ➜ http://amzn.to/2x8Y54c

✦Amazon Audio ➜ http://amzn.to/2znV6Uu

✦Audible ➜ http://adbl.co/2x5FyE6

 

 

✦ The audiobook is narrated by Sebastian York! Get your copy today! ✦
Audible * Amazon Audio

 

 

 

Excerpt:

I haven’t seen Mia in almost a month, since the last time she was in town staying with Max. I didn’t realize she’d be back a full week before her other brother Chase’s wedding, and am I ever glad to see her again.

She makes all parts of me quite happy indeed.

By happy, I mean hard as a rock.

Okay, fine. It’s not like I’m operating at full power this second. I’m thirty-three, not fifteen. I have plenty of self-control in the “when and where to pitch a tent” arena. All I’m saying is this woman gets me going, and I feel that zip down my body when I see her.

She’s on the phone, her eyebrows pinched, her expression harried. She drags her hand through her caramel-blond hair. As I walk closer, I hear her say, “I understand. Yes, I understand. Things happen.”

And that’s the sound of someone being disappointed.

Which is a terrible thing for this sexy-as-a-fiery-sunset woman to experience.

When she stops and ends her call, she spots me. She tilts her head, her eyes piercing, her brow furrowed, and her dimples killing me with cuteness. Her eyes roam from me to Zeus, and then she points at my boy. “I don’t know if anyone has told you this . . .”

I raise my eyebrows. “Tell me. What could it possibly be?”

Her eyes drift to the ground then back up. In a deadpan tone, she says, “But there’s a cat in your hat? Well, on your back, actually.”

“There is?” I crane my neck to peer over my shoulder. “You’re right. How did he get there?”

She parks her hands on her hips. “You’re in big trouble.”

“I’ve been bad, have I?”

She pushes my shoulder then wags her finger at me. “How did you keep this from me?”

I quirk an eyebrow. “The fact that there’s an awesome new Italian place down the street? It opened last month, and I planned to tell you.”

She huffs, rolling her eyes. “I’ve known you for months and you didn’t tell me you had a cat. Friends don’t hide pets from friends.”

She’s not in town that often. She hasn’t ever been to my apartment. And I don’t take Zeus upstairs to Max’s. But I’m not going to state the obvious. I’m going to have a little fun with her. Flirt with her. Because . . . that’s what we do.

“There’s a reason for that.”

Her eyes go wide, and she taps her toe, waiting. I drag a hand through my hair. Evie says my light brown hair is floppy, and she tells me this is a good thing. The ladies love floppy hair, she says. She’s been right so far. My hair’s been a big hit with the ladies, and other parts have, too.

“It’s a good reason,” I add.

“I’m waiting, Patrick. This really isn’t the type of intel you should hold back.”

I heave a sigh as if I’m going to make a huge admission, then I park a hand on her shoulder. Because, well, I’m a sneaky bastard and I’ll look for any opening to touch her. “Look, I’m going to be blunt. If I told you I had a hiking cat who rides shotgun in a backpack and can purr like he’s a jazz superstar, you’d have had no choice but to fall in love with me.”

Tracey’s Review

As I walk along the trail, the lightening sky keeping me company, I think of Mia, and all the times we’ve shared. I think of our nights, our days, our moments. I’ve been so caught up in whether they’ll become more than that, that I’m not sure I’ve seen them completely for what they are. My perfect days…Mia is the life I’ve imagined. She’s the dream I want to make real.

So, Patrick Milligan. He’s no stranger to fans of Lauren Blakely, having made his first appearance in JOY RIDE, as upstairs neighbor and friend of Max Summers, the very same Max Summers who’s got a sister named Mia…Yes, I am totally in love with Patrick. Why? Because he knows what he wants, and he’s ready to go after it, whether it’s creating the life he wants, or winning the girl. There is no, erm, pussyfooting around for Patrick (yep, see what I did there?). He’s had it bad for Mia from their first meeting, and is all about going all in to make sure that she knows it.

Lauren’s heroines are always strong, self-sufficient women, and each of them has won me over. I adore that Mia is so down-to-earth, making her the perfect foil for Patrick. She’s funny, loyal, and passionate, and her personality shines. Like the ladies in the other books in Lauren’s series of romantic comedies, Mia is someone that I would love to call a friend.

And, then, Zeus. Because, this story would not be complete without Zeus the hiking wonder cat. His inner dialogue is spot on, and, seriously, who else but Lauren would have, as a main character, a cat, let alone one that hikes, rides around town in a backpack, and has his very own Instagram account? We all need a Zeus in our lives.

Lauren is the undisputed queen of the romantic comedy, and HARD WOOD rounds out this series of standalones perfectly (And, as an unabashed fan of epilogues, let me just say that LB never disappoints!). Although Patrick and Mia are the last in this group of friends to get their HEAs, I hope that we’ll see more of everyone in future books. 5 sexy, swoony, ‘oh, my, that shower scene!’ stars for Patrick, Mia, and Zeus.

 

 

Add it to Goodreads here!
http://bit.ly/2uAoPJW

 

 

And don’t miss Lauren Blakely’s other standalone Romantic Comedies!

BIG ROCK
MISTER O
WELL HUNG
FULL PACKAGE
JOY RIDE

 

 

✮✮✮ Enter to win this amazing HARD WOOD GIVEAWAY! ✮✮✮

The HARD WOOD Urban Adventure Pack ($380 value) is filled with:

✮ A stylish Michael Kors backpack for when a purse is not enough for your shopping adventture

✮ $50 Gift Card to The Body Shop to pamper yourself after a long day

✮ Your very own plush Zeus to snuggle with

✮ A Smores Making Kit for a backyard adventure

http://laurenblakely.com/hard-wood-giveaway/

 

About Lauren Blakely:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In October, she’ll release HARD WOOD, the final standalone romantic comedy in the Big Rock series. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

 

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Played by Jen Frederick – The Grid Iron Series – Book 4

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Played

The Gridiron Series – Book 4

By Jen Frederick

Buy: Amazon


Synopsis:

She’s been playing it close…

 

Ara Martin and college football star Ty Masters have been best friends since the first day of school when Ty literally ran her over. She fell for him immediately, but having lived under the shadow of her famous father, she knows a relationship with irresistible Ty would only end in heartbreak. For four years, she’s kept her feelings hidden. But one drunken encouter weeks before graduation is about to expose Ara’s biggest secret and destroy her most treasured relationship.

 

He’s been playing for keeps…

 

Ty is about to be drafted into the NFL, but his personal life is a mess. He’s got an agent he doesn’t like, a brother who can’t stop offering his opinion, and a beautiful woman he craves but can’t have. He can fire his agent and ignore his brother, but he’s not sure what to do about Ara. Ty’s been able to run down every quarterback he’s faced, but his sexy, stubborn best friend keeps slipping through his fingers.

 

Luckily, he’s not one for giving up, and once he gets his hands on her, he’s never letting go.

Gridiron Series $.99 on Release Week

______________________________________

Michel’s Review

With all the negativity going on in today’s world with NFL football and illegal recruiting in college sports, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to dive into this book.  Played by Jen Frederick is the fourth book in the Grid Iron series.  This series focuses on college football players finishing up their college football careers.  For many of them the next step is the NFL, for others it’s stepping into their perspective professional careers.  Either way they are at crossroads in their lives and the pressure is high.

Ty Masters chose to play five years rather than four so he didn’t have to compete with his twin brother Knox in the professional draft since they both played the same position.  He also chose a different college across the country so they could both live out their individual glory rather than share a collective spotlight.  They are extremely competitive with one another but also extremely close.  When his brother went into the draft a year early it took some of the pressure off of Ty but also added a bit of pressure to live up to his brother’s pristine image.  Like most twins, Ty and Knox differ like night and day.  The one thing they have in common is their focus on football, the difference is their approach with that focus.  Unlike his brother, Ty has enjoyed the dating life in college.  While his brother stayed away from women, Ty enjoyed them but never let them come before his game.  He’s gained the reputation of being a crappy, uncaring boyfriend.  He could care less.  The only woman that is important in his life is Ara Martin, his best friend.  With the upcoming draft his agent is pressuring him about everything from his diet to dating.  His agent is concerned about his reputation and how it will affect his draft round.

Ara Martin has been living within her parents shadows after their divorce.  Her father is a renowned sculptor who tends to remarry with every masterpiece he creates.  Her mother is a driven professional that thinks art is a frivolous and insecure career.  She’s also a bit cold hearted with her views on family and marriage.  Ara is trying to carve out her own place in the art world without her father’s influence or her mother’s negativity.  After being a product of numerous divorces in her childhood, she chose to put Ty Masters in the friend department because she valued their friendship too much.

So this book focuses on the final semester of their senior year in college.  Ty and Ara are both struggling in very different ways.  The one thing that is easy in their lives is each other.  From the social media to Ty’s twin brother, a nasty agent, and a rancid ex girlfriend, the pressure has become a hotbed in Ty’s life.  Ara’s determination to prove herself in her own world is hard enough let alone the different types of pressure her parents are separately creating, Ty Masters is the only thing that isn’t a boiling point in her life.  The problem is deep down Ty is a boiling point, she is hopelessly in love with him but doesn’t want to ruin their friendship.  Little does she know Ty is realizing that he is in love with her.  Ty’s approach is like his approach to football, full focus and winning what he wants on his own terms.

Jen Frederick once again scored big with Played.  She showed a very different side to the sport that most fans don’t see and added a breathtaking romance to the mix.  It is a great addition to the series and I think I might love Ty Masters a little more than I loved Knox Masters.

So if you are tired of all the crap going on in real life sports, take yourself to Jen Frederick’s Grid Iron sports world, it will not disappoint.

_______________________________________________

 

Author Bio:

 

jen frederick bioJen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

 

 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: The Consort by K. A. Linde

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After the loss of a friend and false imprisonment in an Eleysian dungeon, Cyrene has no interest in destiny. Her heart was shattered, friends scattered, and her home is nothing but a pretty illusion. Even her magic won’t cooperate.
When all seems lost, she turns to the one person she never thought that she would trust:

Prince Kael.

His darkness mirrors a growing force lurking within her. A struggle she never imagined threatens to consume her. And as friends and foes begin to show their true colors, she starts questioning whether anyone is who they seem.
Even herself.

✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo ✦ Google Play

 

Time was a wily beast.

It stole. It destroyed. It healed.

Constant and immovable.

And each day brought a new morning.

Time was dependable. And only time could move the world forward.

Time had slipped away from Cyrene. It was a thief in the night, scrubbing away the hours and leaving her disoriented.

At first, all she could feel was the soft bed beneath her body. For a moment, she thought of Dean. Lying against his chest, waking in the morning with his arms wrapped tightly around her, knowing that another night had passed. Another night closer to their wedding.

Then, another second ticked by, and that memory stabbed her in the chest. There would never be another morning like that. There would never be another dawn with Dean. There would never be another moment in Eleysia. For she was bound to Byern. And always would be.

Her eyes flew open, and she scrambled across the bed in horror. Her hand touched her mouth…and Kael Dremylon’s eyes slowly opened with a lazy smile on his pretty face.

“Morning,” he said, biting back a yawn.

“What in the Creator’s name are you doing in my bed?” she all but shrieked.

“Sleeping.”

“How dare you come into my quarters and share my bed with me! Do you think I have no honor? Do you think I have forgotten what you tried to do to me?”

She had woken up curled around Kael! Her leg wrapped around his. Her arm flung across his bare chest. His arms cradling her, as if he even knew what comfort was.

Now, he was staring at her as if she had gone completely insane. How could he possibly think this was okay?

“Do you know where we are?” Kael asked.

He sat up and leaned on one elbow. The sheet slipped off his body, revealing every rippling muscle. She snapped her gaze back up to his face.

“I don’t see how that matters.”

“We are on a Byern warship. This is the only room on the ship with quarters this nice. Otherwise, you can sleep below decks with the crew. Is that what you want?”

She shook her head. “Surely, there must be somewhere else. I can’t be expected to sleep here. What will everyone think?”

He laughed a bitter, rough laugh. “Now, you are concerned about this?”

“If I am to be carted back to Byern, then I should have the luxuries of an Affiliate.”

He held his hand out. “And you are afforded those luxuries.”

Cyrene opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off.

“This is a war vessel, not a pleasure ship. We are not on procession, like the last time you had the full attention of Byern royalty in your bed,” he said viciously. “If you do not sleep with me, in my rooms, then you sleep below decks. With the crew.”

Cyrene glowered at him. Of course, he would use every advantage that he had while he had her here. And, even though she had never slept with King Edric, it still prickled her to think that everyone, including Kael, believed that she had. But, if it irritated him to consider it, then she wouldn’t contradict him.

“So, you expect me to sleep next to you the entire time I am trapped here?”

“Yes,” he said simply. “Now, if you want to roll back over and lie on me again, I won’t object.”

_____________________________________________

Robin’s Review

Fans of The Ascension Series have been waiting nearly a year for their next dose of young adult fantasy from author K.A. Linde. Although it’s been a long time coming, I promise The Consort will not leave you feeling disappointed! Rife with magical action, excitement and mystery, Linde packs so much adventure in this book that by the time you have finished, you’ll feel as if you’ve read two novels!

The Consort undeniably has a darker feel to it than the previous Ascension novels, beginning with Cyrene being held as a prisoner, accused of a crime she didn’t commit. Feeling betrayed and heartbroken, our lonely heroine finds herself at the complete mercy of others. Cyrene’s at the lowest point of her life, grasping for a way to move forward. We see Cyrene turn to an unlikely ally – Prince Kael Dremylon.

K.A. Linde left readers ruminating over a killer cliffhanger at the end of The Bound, but your questions about what happened at the end of that book will be answered. Just expect to have a whole new set of questions when you finish reading The Consort! If you are familiar with Linde’s writing, you know she has an evil streak. Prepare yourself because she doesn’t go easy on us! Characters will die, and in typical fashion, Linde will play with your emotions regarding Cyrene’s three suitors: King Edric, Crown Prince Kael, and Prince Dean Ellison of Eleysia.

Although a large portion of The Consort takes place in Byern, Cyrene’s adventures have her crisscrossing the continent of Emporia in the company of her friends. Linde revisits many of the secondary characters from the previous two books, The Affiliate and The Bound, but we are also introduced to several new characters, both good and bad. An obvious darkness has descended over the palace, so prepare yourself for plenty of deception, reveals, and court intrigue!

The information we learn in The Consort is more in-depth, as Cyrene digs even deeper into the mysteries of the ancient Doma. Cyrene discovers more about the Domina Serafina and how Sera’s past relates to her own uncharted destiny. In three novels, we have seen Cyrene develop beautifully from a naïve, young lady who only hopes to be named an Affiliate to an incredibly powerful woman who has the ability to control her own destiny. I’m excited to read about her continued journey and to see what she becomes!

For those who love reading new adult/contemporary romance novels written by K.A. Linde but have yet to venture into reading her Ascension Series, consider trying something new! You’ll find her same talent for writing romance and conversational dialogue, along with her penchant for lovingly playing on our emotions, mixed with the results of a brilliant imagination and rich world building. I LOVE this series! The Consort is one of my 2017 favorite novels! Congratulations to author K.A Linde for this 5-star rating!

 

 

 

 

 

ta-amazonThe 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.

 

✦ Amazon ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo

 

 

tb-amazonCyrene 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.

 

 

✦ Amazon ✦ iBooks ✦ Kobo ✦ Goodreads

 

 

 

 

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:

www.kalinde.com

www.facebook.com/authorkalinde

@authorkalinde

 

 

Blog Tour + 5 Star Review: Battle Scars by Jane Harvey-Berrick

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Battle Scars

By Jane Harvey – Berrick

Release Date: October 1st, 2017

Buy: Amazon


Synopsis:

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

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

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

Assignment Vs deployment.

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

Michel’s Review

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

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

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

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

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

______________________________

 AP new -about the author.jpg

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

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

 

Author Links

 

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Reviews + Giveaway + Tour Dates: Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

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Without Merit

By Colleen Hoover

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us and November 9 comes a moving and haunting novel of family, love, and the power of the truth.

“Not every mistake deserves a consequence. Sometimes the only thing it deserves is forgiveness.”

The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a repurposed church, newly baptized Dollar Voss. The once cancer-stricken mother lives in the basement, the father is married to the mother’s former nurse, the little half-brother isn’t allowed to do or eat anything fun, and the eldest siblings are irritatingly perfect. Then, there’s Merit.

Merit Voss collects trophies she hasn’t earned and secrets her family forces her to keep. While browsing the local antiques shop for her next trophy, she finds Sagan. His wit and unapologetic idealism disarm and spark renewed life into her—until she discovers that he’s completely unavailable. Merit retreats deeper into herself, watching her family from the sidelines, when she learns a secret that no trophy in the world can fix.

Fed up with the lies, Merit decides to shatter the happy family illusion that she’s never been a part of before leaving them behind for good. When her escape plan fails, Merit is forced to deal with the staggering consequences of telling the truth and losing the one boy she loves.

Poignant and powerful, Without Merit explores the layers of lies that tie a family together and the power of love and truth.

________________________

Robin’s Review

Author Colleen Hoover touches on a very important topic in her new novel titled Without Merit. Her distinctive wit and humor dance around the subject of mental health. Readers will find comfort in her familiar writing voice but will also notice Without Merit is a bit different from anything she has ever written. Packed with unconventional characters and intense family drama, this book was nearly impossible for me to put down!

Our primary character, Merit Voss, lives in a re-purposed church building located in a small Texas town. Dubbed Dollar Voss, the church building is now the home to seven Voss family members. Merit is the self-proclaimed keeper of Voss family secrets. From her point of view, her family is embarrassing and completely dysfunctional. She harbors pent up anger towards family members, resents her eccentric living circumstances, and blames both of these reasons for her lack of a social life.

We’ve all heard some of these questions asked – how do you know if your family is normal? Which human behaviors are considered dysfunctional? Is there even such thing as a normal family? While I was reading this novel, I found myself focusing on questions such as these. Without Merit forced me to consider my own family dynamics and other important themes such as perspective, judgement, and resentment.

From the viewpoint of a teenage girl, the behaviors or makeup of a family unit can be traumatic, even embarrassing and frustrating. Colleen Hoover was very clever as she penned Merit’s passive-aggressive point-of-view. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but throughout this story I had this sense that we were building towards something important. It was subtle at first, barely there, and then it became more gradual. But it was there – I felt this impending sense that something climactic was coming.

Without Merit has solid character development, creativity, romantic tension, and eccentric secondary characters – all the characteristics we love to see in a top Colleen Hoover novel. Hoover took a step away from the new adult genre with this novel – something that I was delighted to see! This fiction novel falls soundly into the young adult age group, with a lean toward the coming of age genre.

Without Merit is a fantastic read, but the truth is, this story has the potential to touch people’s lives. At the very minimum, it will open the eyes of readers to the importance of mental health. I am sure of this. I highly recommend Without Merit. I’m giving this book a 5-star rating and will be adding it to my list of 2017 favorites!

*****

Michel’s Review

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover is one of those unique novels that doesn’t quite fit in any specific genre.  It is the type of novel that will appeal to readers of all ages and all backgrounds.

Without Merit features a dysfunctional family seen through a teenager’s perspective.  Like most modern day families,the Voss family structure is based upon busy schedules, individual agendas and poor communications. It is their normal until it no longer works. When one family member disrupts the cogs in their wheels, it’s the beginning of the breakdown of their family unit until they find a better way to function as a unit rather than a bunch of individuals living under one roof.

Merit Voss feels invisible amongst her family members and permanent house guests. Her family is dysfunctional in every way.  Her mother lives in the basement while her father’s new wife is running the house.  Her siblings are busy with their involvement in school activities and extra curricular activities.  They each have their own quirks that add to the family dysfunction.  Her twin sister’s boyfriend has moved in with them and she finds herself falling for him.  The last thing she needs is to deal with the guilt of coveting her sister’s boyfriend.  When her stepmom’s crazy younger brother joins the family home it disrupts the family dynamics all the more.  His crazy antics and insightful observations add to the chaos.

One fateful moment brings clarity to the family. One dog bonds them together in an unusual way.  Things have to change because no matter what happens, they love one another.

Colleen Hoover touched upon so many issues that plague the modern day family. Not only was the family dysfunctional, every person in the household had their own issues they were dealing with.  Colleen added her quirky sense of humor to all of the characters and gave them individual traits that were easy to love. This lightened the heaviness of the subject matter in this book.  She also showed that whether it’s blood or by choice, family is the foundation that made each individual strong in their own way.  The family bond is what healed them all and led them on the path of healthier lives.

I would highly recommend Without Merit by Colleen Hoover.

_________________________________________________

Now for the fun….the #WithoutMerit Contest!

Enter the Rafflecopter  to win a limited edition signed hardcover copy of WITHOUT MERIT! (5 winners in total) Contest is open until October 30th!

 

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

 

Don’t miss Colleen on tour for WITHOUT MERIT:

 

SEATTLE, WA

Monday, October 2nd

THIRD PLACE BOOKS

7:00 PM    

17171 Bothell Way NE

Lake Forest Park, WA  98155

https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/colleen-hoover-without-merit

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/137295906877328/

 

LOS ANGELES, CA

Tuesday, October 3rd

CHEVALIER’S BOOKS

7:00 PM    

126 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90004

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-talk-and-signing-with-colleen-hoover-for-her-new-book-without-merit-tickets-37139282594

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1911946199130358

 

KANSAS CITY, KS

Wednesday, October 4th

WOODNEATH LIBRARY CENTER

7:00 PM    

8900 NE Flintlock Rd

Kansas City, MO  64157

http://www.mymcpl.org/events/calendar/story-center-speaker-series-colleen-hoover

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/174560183089713

CHICAGO, IL

Thursday, October 5th

ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP – LA GRANGE

7:00 PM    

26 S La Grange Rd

La Grange, IL  60525

http://hooverandersons.brownpapertickets.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/264445024062577

CINCINNATI, OH

Friday, October 6th

JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS

7:00 PM    

2692 Madison Road

Cincinnati, OH  45208

www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3081217

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/113057092698266

 

POTTSTOWN, PA

Saturday, October 7th

BOOKS-A-MILLION

6:00 PM    

Coventry Mall

351 W. Schuylkill Road Ste G16

Pottstown, PA  19465

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-colleen-hoover-at-books-a-million-pottstown-pa-tickets-37311651153

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/352249878530498

 

NEW YORK, NY

Sunday, October 8th

NEW YORK COMIC CON

3:00 PM to 5:00 PM   

500 West 36th Street

Hudson Mercantile

New York, NY  10018

https://www.showclix.com/event/ColleenHoover5yf6nuy

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1979991848924145

DALLAS, TX

Tuesday, October 10

SMU BOOKSTORE

7:00 PM    

B&N College

Southern Methodist University Bookstore

3060 Mockingbird Lane

Dallas, TX  75205

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/colleen-hoover-book-launch-for-without-merit-tickets-37360492238?ref=elink

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/746877452165014

______________________________________

 About Colleen Hoover

Author Bio:

image005Colleen Hoover’s love for writing began in 1985 when she was five years old. Her first story was titled “Mystery Bob” and was a huge hit with her mother, who was really good at faking interest.
Colleen continued to write short stories for friends and family until December of 2011, when she decided to write a long story she titled, “Slammed.” She self-published SLAMMED to Amazon in January, 2012 and it hit the NYT’s bestsellers list in May, 2012. She has since signed with Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, and now has six NYT’s bestsellers. Colleen prefers to be called a writer, as the term “author” still terrifies her and makes this feel like a job with expectations. She doesn’t work well under pressure and hopes writing will always remain fun and exciting.
Colleen’s newest novel, UGLY LOVE, releases August 5th, 2014. She is currently working on a new novel, CONFESS, which she is writing as fast as she can before she wakes up from this crazy dream.

You can follow Colleen on Instagram and Twitter @colleenhoover. You can also find her on her blog at http://www.colleenhoover.com where she holds a daily book-a-day giveaway, or on her very active Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/authorcolleenhoover where she loves to give away more free stuff when her husband isn’t looking.

Colleen also wants the world to know that writing short biographies in third person is incredibly awkward.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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

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Battle Scars

By Jane Harvey – Berrick

Release Date: October 1st, 2017

Buy: Amazon


Synopsis:

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

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

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

Assignment Vs deployment.

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

Michel’s Review

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

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

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

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

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

______________________________

 AP new -about the author.jpg

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

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

 

Author Links

 

ArdentProse_LogoMain.jpg

 

 

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

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A love of a lifetime . . .

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

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

 

Title: TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK

Author: Tessa Bailey

Series: Romancing The Clarksons, #4

On Sale: September 26, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 USD

eBook: $5.99 USD

Add to: Goodreads

 EXCERPT:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His exhale was gravelly. “Sage.”

“Yes.”

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

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

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

“What?”

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

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

“Belmont, do you think of the kiss?”

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

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

 

Tracey’s Review

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

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

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

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

BUY THE BOOK HERE

 

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THE ROMANCING THE CLARKSONS SERIES

 TOO HOT TO HANDLE, #1

TOO WILD TO TAME, #2

TOO HARD TO FORGET, #3

TOO CLOSE TO CALL, #3.5

TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK, #4

 

Series Page on Goodreads

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

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A bad boy with something to prove.

A woman with a mission.

The race of their lives.

The love of a lifetime.

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

He’s the fastest, fiercest driver around.

Scouting new talent brings me to his doorstep…

but his smile sends me to my knees.

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

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

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

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Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2vkUzTi

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

iBooks: https://goo.gl/s1EHS7

Nook: https://goo.gl/zoTe8X

Kobo: https://goo.gl/WgX9oJ

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

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Michel’s Review

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

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

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

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

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

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About the Author:

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

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Connect with the Author:

Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans

Twitter @authorkatyevans