“One day, I will be more than an item to be bought or sold, won or lost.”
At fifteen, she was helpless. At eighteen, she was ruined. LoraLeigh Riffel fights every day to hold on to herself as she is tossed from the loser to the next winner, time and again.
Heath ‘Hitman’ Thomas works hard and plays even harder. From tripping pipes to winning fights, his world is in his hands.
When a battered and unstable woman is left at his doorstep for payment on a fight, every-thing changes in an instant.
She is the prize, but is he willing to accept the payment?
This book contains mature content not suitable for those under the age of 18. Involves strong language and sexual situations. This book contains some elements of violence that may be a trigger for some readers.
Originally released as part of the Blue Colla Make Ya Holla Box Set.
— MY THOUGHTS —
Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
The cover, in it’s subdued watercolor-esque palette, is hard-pressed to catch and keep your attention. However, if it *does* manage to do so, you’ll notice the few overlapping layers that are trying to co-exist. Synopsis reads much darker than MAVERICK was. With such a short story, I am curious how Ms. Camaron will convey all the necessary elements to create a rich and full story.
Looking Deeper:
Alternating first-person POVs in present tense, clearly defined and easy to follow. Heath works on the oil rigs as a derrick-man. He also participates in the underground fight circuit. LoraLeigh or “Annie” as she’s first known, has been one person or another’s property since fifteen when her mother’s drug addiction spiraled out of control. From the drug cartel to other organized crime, she became an unwilling sex slave, used as payment to settle debts.
The prologue mostly concentrates on the beginning of her nightmarish life as a teen. The main body of the story focuses on present time, jumping to four months later. The epilogue concludes with a “one year later” caption, allowing for a pseudo time span to exist. Heath is a great character, very likable. After the “day one” incident at Heath’s, LoraLeigh becomes a stronger character. She’s more complex and developed, due to the perceived timeline we are given on her. The secondary characters play a minor role in this short story, with cameos from Mav and Kenzy. Lance was not mentioned or seen in this episode. There was a mostly natural feel to the dialogue and interaction. For being such a short and quick read, Ms Camaron managed to put together a strong plot with easy readability. There were plenty of conflicts along the way, but they were handled and managed well. There was not a lot of predictability and the conclusion was tight. It can stand alone, it does not need to be read in order. Makes for a nice, little, quick read.
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The Roughneck Shorts
Maverick – Book 1
Invisible – Unseen
He was the high school crush who never knew I existed. I am still the girl hiding against the wall.
Life for Kenzy Davis is far from easy right now. After ending a long term relationship, she is back in her hometown, starting over.
Maverick Collins works hard and plays even harder. An invisible illness shakes his world at its core as his father fights for his life. Everything he ever took for granted stares him in the face, including the shy girl from his past.
Watching someone you love battle an illness is never easy. When the ICU nurse caring for his dad is the one girl from his past he saw around but overlooked, does Maverick find comfort in her embrace? Does Kenzy find a new calm in the chaos of her life? Or do their feelings remain invisible yet again?
Intended for mature audiences only. This book contains strong language and strong sexual situations. Please do not buy if any of this offends you.
“One day, I will be more than an item to be bought or sold, won or lost.”
At fifteen, she was helpless. At eighteen, she was ruined. LoraLeigh Riffel fights every day to hold on to herself as she is tossed from the loser to the next winner, time and again.
Heath ‘Hitman’ Thomas works hard and plays even harder. From tripping pipes to winning fights, his world is in his hands.
When a battered and unstable woman is left at his doorstep for payment on a fight, every-thing changes in an instant.
She is the prize, but is he willing to accept the payment?
This book contains mature content not suitable for those under the age of 18. Involves strong language and sexual situations. This book contains some elements of violence that may be a trigger for some readers.
Value, worth—these are things I don’t have. College degree, great job—none of that matters if you look in the mirror and can’t find anything to love.
Structure, dedication, and determination are the traits that Candace Jones has survived and thrived on. When no one cares at home, it takes her self-drive to push and work her way through college. Life is funny while you’re growing up, and adulthood isn’t any easier than childhood. Little girl dreams are often destroyed before they can even begin.
Lance ‘Rush’ Miller works hard and plays even harder. He lives life from one adrenaline rush to the next, from working as a roughneck to trick riding his street bike. He has it made and knows it.
What happens when firm resolve crashes into wild abandon? Two complete opposites are thrown together when Candace finds herself in need of a quick escape that Lance is all too willing to give her.
_______________________
Author Bio
Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming.
Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice.
Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works.
When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in.
She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.
Dylan Paris is a working class kid from Atlanta. A former high school dropout who is trying to clean up his act, Dylan is stunned to be selected for a six-week foreign exchange program to Israel.
Alex Thompson is the daughter of a wealthy US Ambassador. Several weeks overseas with an exchange program is just what she needs to get out from under her over-controlling parents.
They only have five weeks before they go back to their homes.
They have completely different lives.
The last thing either of them want or need is to fall in love.
A View From Forever by Charles Sheehan-Miles is the latest release in the Thompson Sisters series. Although it is the latest release in the series, it is not the most current book in present times. It is now book 3 in the series and goes back to the beginning of Dylan Paris and Alexandra Thompson’s story. It is the perfect introduction to these characters that have their full story in Just Remember To Breath. This couple also plays a major part in the Rachel’s Peril series.
The reader gets to meet Dylan Paris and Alexandra Thompson as teenagers. Dylan is a senior in high school that comes from a troubled past. He had quit school and gotten into drugs which led to him living on the streets. After a year on the streets he has cleaned up his act, returned home, and enrolled back in school. One of his accomplishments is winning a spot as a foreign exchange student for six weeks in Israel. This is where he meets Alex Thompson. It is also where he gets a new perspective about the world that alters he original direction after high school.
Alex Thompson has finally found a way to step away from her political family when she obtains a spot on the foreign exchange program. Although she has different ambitions for her future than what her politically powerful father has for her, she sees this trip as an opportunity that will help her in the future. What she didn’t count on was meeting a boy that would change her life.
Both Dylan and Alex come from different walks of life and different areas of the country. In their ordinary world their paths would of never crossed. For six weeks they will get to know one another and start a relationship that will affect both of their futures. They will also get some eye opening experiences that will change them and their view of the world.
Once again Charles Sheehan-Miles wrote another captivating segment in the Thompson Sisters series. He captured the very essence of youthful hope, young love, and new beginnings. It was perfect for this series.
I highly recommend the Thompson Sisters series. It is a series filled with romance, deep emotional events, intrigue, suspense, and family saga. Each and every book has a powerful story that will keep the reader glued to the pages.
Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America’s Future. Charles and his partner Andrea Randall live and write together in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Along with Trudy Stiles, we are very excited to share with you the Release of “Dear Juliet”, the 3rd book in The Forever Family Series! Don’t miss the special Release Price of ONLY $.99 (2 days only)!
Make sure to check out the Book Trailer, add this series to your Goodreads, enter the Giveaway below and join the Facebook Release Party Event for more fun and giveaways!
Dear Juliet by Trudy Stiles
Book #3 in the Forever Family Series
Release price $.99 for TWO days only
Robin’s Review
Alcoholism. Teen pregnancy. Child abuse. Rape. Adoption. Anxiety. Depression. Each of these are social problems or mental health issues that are relevant in contemporary society. These are just some of the topics Trudy Stiles explores in her new adult Forever Family series, but you should also know she writes stories of redemption, family, and love.
Dear Emily was the debut novel for Trudy Stiles. We meet Carly and Kyle in Dear Emily, a couple who desperately want to adopt a child. It’s a story of hope and love for an unborn baby girl named Emily, but this novel is also about a woman named Tabitha who has a background of abuse and finds herself pregnant and scared.
Dear Tabitha is a second-chance romance focusing on Tabitha and Alex, and how the two of them create their own family. It’s an incredibly sweet story of redemption for both characters, and a powerful story of healing, love and family.
Dear Juliet is the final novel of the Forever Family series. It centers on characters Juliet Oliver and Seth Tyson, two friends who started corresponding as pen pals in the fourth grade. Stiles alternates back and forth between each of their points of view, so we are able to read how their friendship evolves over the course of twenty years.
Juliet was adopted by a wonderful couple. She’s been surrounded by love her entire life, but Juliet struggles with knowing she was unwanted by her 16-year-old birth mother. Juliet knows her parents have a letter that was written to her from her birth mother, but she fears what the letter will say. Juliet believes she was a mistake and unwanted, which leads to her becoming emotionally unavailable. She has perfect parents who love her more than anything, but the unread words of her birth mother’s letter hold an incredible amount of power over her.
Seth comes from a wealthy family. It was much better for Seth and his siblings when they were young children, but as the years have passed by, their parents have drifted apart. His father is always gone, and when he does come home, his parents fight. His mother is a heavy drinker. Seth doesn’t feel loved by his parents, and he deals with self-hate for not being able to bring normalcy to his family.
Dear Juliet should not be read as a standalone novel. Stiles ties the Forever Family series together through her characters and their story arcs. A good example of why these novels should be read in order is Seth. His character is introduced in Dear Emily, and he plays an important role in the first two novels of the series. But you should also know that most of Seth’s story in Dear Juliet is new material.
Dear Juliet is about lifelong friendship. Healing. Redemption. It’s a story about best friends who become lovers. It’s an emotional story. There were times the story was very sad, and I really struggled with what Seth and Juliet were experiencing. Please follow these characters through the years, and I promise you will be rewarded. I finished this novel with a huge smile on my face! My rating for Dear Juliet jumped from 4 to 4.5 stars during the last third of the book, and I applaud Trudy Stiles for a very strong ending!
Dear Emily – Book #1 in the Forever Family Series
This book is not suitable for young readers. It is intended for mature adults only (18+). It contains strong language, adult/sexual situations, non-consensual sex and some violence.
Dear Tabitha – Book #2 in the Forever Family Series
The Epic Fail series will begin this summer (2015) This is a spinoff of the bestselling Forever Family series. These will all be standalone novels focusing on the various characters from the band Epic Fail that were introduced in Dear Emily.
Trudy Stiles is a New Adult author, mom to two beautiful children, and married to the love of her life. She is the author of the Forever Family series including “Dear Emily” and “Dear Tabitha”. There will be many more stories from this series and you never know who may have a standalone or novella written for them. Stay tuned! Trudy is a music junkie and you’ll know that she’s writing when you see her plugged into her laptop with her earbuds in. Her playlist is unique and is a must for her writing sprints.When she’s not writing, she’s carting her children to their various activities while avoiding any kind of laundry or housework. She also loves to run along the boardwalk of the beautiful New Jersey shore.She’s always been an avid reader and frequently escapes into the fictional worlds of the many characters that she has come to love. Well, now there are some fictional characters in her head dying to get out!Her first story “Dear Emily” was released in December 2013. “Dear Tabitha” was released in March 2014. The Forever Family series will continue with several companion/stand alone novels.
Email: authortrudystiles@gmail.com
Website: http://trudystiles.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortrudystiles
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/trudy_stiles
Twitter: @trudystiles
Instagram: https://instagram.com/trudystiles/
The third installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.
Grayson and Emma. First love. True love. And… they have a daughter. Abandonment is his curse. He left his woman, survived his team, and missed the moment most precious to a father. Until now.
I didn’t know you were killing yourself with work. I didn’t know you’re raising our daughter. So help me God, had I known, there is no military force on earth that would’ve kept me from you.
Love needs to heal all, or they won’t survive the collision of their separate lives. Emma must reach deep into her heart that is barely hanging on and find forgiveness. Grayson, wrecked with PTSD-filled nightmares, must prove that he’s here to stay and able to rebuild his family against all odds.
I need to say I love you. But what I mean is I love you–in a way that defies definition and exists only in a world that you and I are in.
Only for Us is the third installment in the Only series. All novellas will release Spring 2015.
“I’ve done nothing for you to give me that trust, but I need you to anyway.”
I’m not pressed against his chest anymore. The warmth that encapsulated me moments ago is gone, but I feel different. Life’s shifted—I’ve been hanging on this roller coaster for years, and now it’s as if we’re cautiously slipping toward smooth sailing. The lump in my throat eases, and my eyelids lift, my gaze falling on the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.
“What do you say?” He inches closer.
“I love you, Grayson.” Deep breath. “When it comes to us, I’m all in.”
Michel’s Review
Grayson and Emma have found their way back to one another. Their separation was the catalyst to a very hard journey for both of them. For Grayson it was turning his back on the only thing he loved to serve in the military. For Emma it was mission of daily survival after the only man she ever loved left her without a word. The only thing that has made this betrayal easier is the beautiful baby he doesn’t know he has left behind. Their daughter is the only thing that came out good and pure.
Now Grayson is back and wants to reclaim the future he and Emma should of had. The separation has left a lot of mistrust and emotional scars. He vows he has become a better man. A man that will honor the woman he loves and cherish the daughter they created.
Emma and Grayson want to put their lives back together. They want to hang onto the love they have for one another. Although they have accepted and forgave each other, their path still will not be easy. They will have to win over Emma’s family, put Grayson’s childhood in the past, and find a new path to travel. First on the agenda is for Grayson to find a job in the civilian world. Lucky that Titan has their eyes on him. He may find a job that suits his skill set and will keep him close to home with Emma. It may be dangerous but not as bad as his job in the military. Emma will have to come clean to Grayson on how she has been supporting her daughter while going to college. It could be a deal breaker for them.
Just as things look like they are going to work out, Emma’s secret will be exposed in the worst possible way. What happens next? Cliffhanger. The final installment in the Only series, Only Forever, will release soon.
The Only Series is addicting. Cristin Harber has written an emotional story of first love and true love that will forever stay true. Read this series!
Only Series
Only For Him
Only Series – Book 1
Genre – New Adult
By Cristin Harber
Synopsis
Grayson Ford and Emma Kinglsey–close since they were kids, opposites in every way. He’s the stuff high school crushes are made of, Mister Popular, and captain of every team. She’s artsy, cute, and not in his league, though fully aware of Summerland’s “I Dream of Dating Grayson Ford” support group.
I can’t say no. The girl’s had my heart since before I knew it went missing.
He hides a life of hell. His father hates him, his mother’s gone. Emma is his only savior, yet she doesn’t know her power over him. She’s the only girl he wants, the only one he could ever tell–though he won’t.
I’m stronger, bigger, more of a man than he’ll ever be, but because I ruined his life, I’ve taken his crap, his attacks, the vulgar nature of his existence.
Until she discovers Gray’s embarrassment, his humiliation. Emma fights for him and for a chance. Theirs is a Cinderella story that she believes impossible. But as the layers peel back, it’s just a guy who needs a girl in order to keep breathing.
My mind is already doodling Mrs. Grayson Ford in imaginary notebooks. He has no clue where my head is at… But, given that I didn’t see what just happened coming, maybe I have no clue where his head is at either.
Only for Him. Only series, Volume One.
All novellas will release Spring 2015.
The second installment in the Only series. Must read book one first!!
First loves never die but Grayson Ford comes close. Bleeding out in a war zone, he barters with God. Bring him back alive, and he’ll make it right with his girl.
All I want is Emma. I need her, and I fight for her memory. A story. A smile. Anything. But it’s all blank.
Emma is not his girl anymore. Time has skipped by and life’s been hard. She strips to pay the bills, waitresses to fill the hours between classes and her third job. All while working to be the best mama she can be to the little girl who will never know her daddy. Even though Grayson abandoned her, she mourned his death. Until he calls, and everything she knew was wrong.
It’s him. The him that ruined my life. That made my life. That confused my mind to the point that I can’t figure out if I’ve been destroyed or set free. The him that… is… dead.
He’s back with one objective–Emma Kingsley–and she never sees it coming.
The third installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.
Grayson and Emma. First love. True love. And… they have a daughter. Abandonment is his curse. He left his woman, survived his team, and missed the moment most precious to a father. Until now.
I didn’t know you were killing yourself with work. I didn’t know you’re raising our daughter. So help me God, had I known, there is no military force on earth that would’ve kept me from you.
Love needs to heal all, or they won’t survive the collision of their separate lives. Emma must reach deep into her heart that is barely hanging on and find forgiveness. Grayson, wrecked with PTSD-filled nightmares, must prove that he’s here to stay and able to rebuild his family against all odds.
I need to say I love you. But what I mean is I love you–in a way that defies definition and exists only in a world that you and I are in.
Only for Us is the third installment in the Only series. All novellas will release Spring 2015.
The third installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.
Grayson and Emma. First love. True love. And… they have a daughter. Abandonment is his curse. He left his woman, survived his team, and missed the moments most precious to a father. Until now.
I didn’t know you were killing yourself with work. I didn’t know you’re raising our daughter. So help me God, had I known, there is no military force on earth that would’ve kept me from you.
Love needs to heal all, or they won’t survive the collision of their separate lives. Emma must reach deep into her heart that is barely hanging on and find forgiveness. Grayson, wrecked with PTSD-filled nightmares, must prove that he’s here to stay and able to rebuild his family against all odds.
I need to say I love you. But what I mean is I love you–in a way that defies definition and exists only in a world that you and I are in.
Only for Us is the third installment in the Only series. All novellas will release Spring 2015.
ABOUT CRISTIN HARBER
Cristin Harber is a USA Today bestselling romantic suspense and military romance author. Fans voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was #1 romantic suspense, #1 military romance, and a USA Today Top 100 bestseller.
She lives outside Washington, DC with her family and English Bulldog.
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
“Hey,” he said calmly. “Why aren’t you resting?” Rick put his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging her arms.
Quinn’s eyes grew large and went to his gloved hands.
Fuck, she hates fighting. Now I know why she looks freaked out.
Rick yanked his hands away and took a step back. “I didn’t mean for you to see me fight, Quinn. I’m sorry.”
To his surprise, Quinn stepped forward, closing the distance Rick had put between them. He watched as she hesitantly lifted her arms, placing her hands on his sweat-slicked chest. Her eyes met his and his breath left in a sharp huff. The fear he had expected to see wasn’t there. No… Quinn’s eyes were dark and glistening with lust.
“I didn’t know that watching you fight would be so comforting. It makes me feel safe, and… turned on,” she murmured. Rick shivered as her hands ran down his torso, moving over each defined muscle until they were resting on either side of his waist.
“Turned on?” Rick swallowed, barely able to speak with Quinn touching him like that. She was only just about healed from the attack. He figured it would be months, if not longer before she’d be interested in pursuing anything physical.
“Yes, turned on.” Quinn’s fingers dug into Rick’s waist, her thumbs making small circles on the ‘v’ shaped ridges of his lower abs. Scorching waves of pleasure rippled down his spine, instantly making his cock come to life.
“Jesus,” he muttered softly. Using every last bit of willpower he had, Rick captured Quinn’s wrists, removing her hands from his body. “Not here, doll.” He glanced around, but none of the other fighters were looking their way. Still, he’d kill them if they saw the lust in Quinn’s eyes. That was for him, and him alone.
Quinn pouted, crossing her arms and glaring like a kid denied her favorite candy.
He couldn’t help himself. The sight of this tiny thing trying to look intimidating was funny. Rick laughed. “You’re too much, doll.” The corner of her mouth twitched up—it was just a hint of a smile, but it made Rick’s day. Quinn hadn’t smiled once since his team rescued her. Seeing some of her personality coming back flooded him with emotion.
Michel’s Review
Richochet: Extraction Point is the third and final book in the Ricochet Series. This book had my heart racing, my stomach rolling, and my fear for Quinn escalating. The abuse she endured during her marriage was bad but nothing compared to what is in store for her now since she defied her husband. The one thing she has going for her now is her new family at Sanctum MMA Gym and Rick Ricochet Brennan’s love. Even though she has not revealed her secrets to these men and her lover, these men are resourceful enough to find her and rescue her.
Rick is out of his mind with Quinn missing. He never told her how he felt about her. He never really made her believe she was his. He is going to rectify that and claim his woman.
When they finally rescue Quinn she begs Rick to let it go and not seek retribution. Can he do that?
Like the old saying goes…what goes around comes around… karma can be your friend or your worst enemy. It looks like Karma smiled on Rick and Quinn and shook her fist at their enemies.
I loved this final book in the series. It was intense and gave the reader a better insight into the members of the exclusive Sanctum MMA gym. These men are fighters…these men are warriors.
I hope they all get their own mini series or books.
Read the Ricochet Series, it will not disappoint!
Ricochet: Locked & Loaded
Ricochet Series – Book 1
By Heather C. Leigh
Synopsis
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-four year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts.
***This book contains hot sweaty men, sexy scenes for those over 18, and uncomfortable, sometimes violent scenes.***
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Friendly Fire is part 2.
Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.
Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.
When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.
Ricochet is a full-length novel to be released as three parts. Extraction Point is part 3.
I’m the author of the Amazon best selling Famous series. I like to write about the ‘dark’ side of fame. The part that the public doesn’t get to see, how difficult it is to live in a fishbowl and how that affects relationships.
I was born and raised in New England and currently live outside Atlanta, GA.
I love the Red Sox, the Patriots, and anything made of chocolate (but not white chocolate, that doesn’t count).
My favorite authors are Dan Wells, Tina Reber, Ken Follett, and Stephen King. Happy reading!
In the third and final book of the USA Today bestselling By
His Game series, the rules of the game no one knew they’d have to play are
blurring, and when the past becomes the opposing team, hearts aren’t the only
thing at stake of being lost…
Finding naked pictures of her best friend on her boyfriend’s
phone wasn’t in Everleigh White’s five year plan. Neither was moving back to
Los Angeles, the city of dreams that never managed to make hers come true.
There’s only so many years you can be in love with your best friend before you
realize he’s never going to love you back, after all. If only her ex would stop
showing up at the gym where she works, she’d be much happier.
Being a father at nineteen wasn’t how Reid North, the
Vipers’ wide receiver, imagined his life going, but when his ex-girlfriend
tricked him into parenthood, he accepted it. Eventually. Now, with his ex on
the verge of being released from prison, he’s holding onto full custody of his
seven year old son, Leo. Football and Leo have left Reid no time for dating…
Until Everleigh comes back.
His best friend his whole life, Everleigh never knew Reid
loved her. She left before he could tell her. Now she’s back in front of him,
and he’s not letting go. Even if all he gets is her friendship again. But in a
city like L.A., dreams come true when you’re least expecting it.
So do nightmares.
With their exes beating down their doors with demands and
explanations, their hesitant and building relationship is threatened at every
corner. They’re at serious risk of being intercepted by the past, and that’s a
ball Reid is determined to catch.
Except desperation can lead to stupidity—and Reid soon
realizes he can’t catch every ball, no matter how perfectly it’s thrown to him.
This time a fumble could cost more than a few points.
It could cost him everything.
(INTERCEPTED is the third and final book in the By His Game
series and can be read as a standalone, although it is advised to read
BLINDSIDED and SIDELINED before, in this order.)
EXCERPT
“Why’d you leave, Ev?” I ask her quietly, sitting forward. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why’d you ignore me?”
“I didn’t want to,” she whispers. “But I had to. It was easier for me.”
“Not for me!”
“I know!” Her eyes snap to mine and she twists her whole body to face me. “But I couldn’t say goodbye to you, Reid. It would have hurt me too much to do that. And it was pathetic and childish, but there. It was easier to run without thinking of you as long as it meant I didn’t hurt even more.”
Stupid, stupid girl.
I reach over and rest my hand against the side of her face. Tears are shining in her bright-blue eyes, making them gleam even more brightly. When one drips over her lower lid and onto her cheek, I catch it with my thumb and wipe it away.
I move along the sofa, closing the distance between our bodies, and pull her face toward me. “Don’t cry, Ev,” I whisper just before I lean in and cover her mouth with mine.
She draws a breath in through her nose, but she doesn’t push me away. She wraps her hand around my wrist at the side of her face and moves in toward the kiss.
Her lips are soft and sweet, and if the way I’m kissing her is half as tender as she feels, then dammit, I’m fucking screwed.
“I didn’t hate you for leaving,” I say in a low voice, threading my fingers into her long hair. “I didn’t hate you at all. I was fucking mad because you left before I could do that.”
From Emma Hart, the New York Times bestselling author of the Game series, comes a brand new series where the game is realer, the tension is tighter, the sex is hotter, and the stakes are the highest of all…
Blindside- Book 1
Two people. Two agendas. Two games.
What happens when the out-there It-Boy of football meets the secret It-Girl of fashion?
As the daughter of Hollywood’s sweetheart, Leah Veronica can’t even buy a coffee without finding her face on a magazine stand, so it’s no wonder she’s launching her first fashion line in secret. With it debuting at New York Fashion Week in just under a month, extra time in the spotlight is the last thing she needs.
The son of the best quarterback the league has ever seen, filling legendary shoes as the L.A. Vipers’ quarterback was inevitable for Corey Jackson. So was meeting Leah Veronica—the first girl to hand him his ass without putting a hair out of place.
Getting the handsome, prickly blonde into his bed becomes his number one goal. But getting the sexy, over-confident footballer the hell away from her becomes Leah’s—at least until she realizes the best way to do that is to give him what he wants.
If only it was that simple.
When Corey discovers who she is, and private photos of Hollywood’s finest find their way online, everything they thought they knew is thrown into disarray.
And when secrets are exposed and hearts are shattered, they have to figure out if they’ve been blindsided by love or reality, and if it’s worth running the extra yard to win the game they never meant to play.
When the game leaves the field in the second book in the USA Today bestselling BY HIS GAME series and mixes with sex, lies, and betrayal, the future isn’t the only thing on the line…
Macey Kelly has sworn off men. Unless they’re going to zip in and out of her apartment—and her vagina—quicker than they can give her an orgasm, she’s not interested. Finding out her boyfriend of three years got her cousin pregnant was a total confidence knock. Luckily for Macey, confidence is
something she has in abundance, so all Mitch’s asshole move did was make her pretty cynical toward men.
The last thing Jack Carr needs at the start of the season is for a dark-haired, sexy as sin, gyspyesque beauty to be consuming his thoughts. Football is his life, which leaves no time for girls. Unless they’re the love ‘em and leave ‘em girls. Becoming one of the best running backs the league has ever seen by racking up the yards is his top priority… not bedding Macey Kelly, despite her affinity for blow jobs and total sexual abandon.
Avoiding each other is the perfect solution, but when your best friends are in a serious living together kind of relationship, that isn’t always an option. Sometimes, sex on tap is the easiest option. And the sweetest.
Until Mitch shows up with a bombshell that could shatter Macey’s perfectly carved out life. It’s been a year, but he isn’t giving her up, not now he has a chance at winning her back. And he knows her buttons. Every single one of them.
Unfortunately for him, Jack Carr isn’t a loser. The star running back has his eye on the Vince Lombardi—and on Macey. But seeing her hanging between them both isn’t something he’s down with, not when he discovers why she’s so against anything more-ish, as she puts it.Macey quickly realizes she’s the ball being passed between two desperate yet opposing teams, and that only one of them can score the touchdown. But will the winner be the guy she lived with and loved for three years, or will the winner be the guy who understands her and makes her body come alive?
In this game, someone will be sidelined, and calling the play isn’t always as easy as it seems.
By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.
Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.
She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.
“Fifty Shades of Grey meets Fight Club.”-RT Book Reviews on Against the Ropes
Ray wraps his arms around me and holds me tight as if something terrible has happened and he doesn’t want to let me go.
Full Contact. This is how Ray speaks when his emotions overwhelm him. I melt into his stillness. His body is hot and hard, his breath warm on my neck. He smells of leather and sweat, sex and sin. Nothing can tear me away.
When you can’t resist the one person who could destroy you…
Sia O’Donnell can’t help but push the limits. She secretly attends every underground MMA fight featuring The Predator, the undisputed champion. When he stalks his prey in the ring, Sia is mesmerized. He is dominant and dangerous and every instinct tells her to run.
Every beautiful thing Ray “The Predator” touches he knows he’ll eventually destroy. Soft, sweet and innocent, Sia is the light to Ray’s darkness-and completely irresistible. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he knows he’s going to have to put his dark past behind him to win her body and soul.
Ray grabs my wrists and pins them to the mat over my head, his body angled over me. My breath catches in my throat, and I steel myself for the memories, the black rush, the heart-pounding fear, but it doesn’t come. Instead, a red haze settles over my vision, and I press my lips together and buck my hips, throwing him slightly forward.
Bad plan. Now his groin is only inches away from my face. He’s still wearing his jeans, which means that bulge isn’t a cup.
“Ray…” His face softens. “I hurt you.” “Yes, you hurt me. Keeping secrets hurts me. It makes me feel like you don’t respect me. And it makes me feel like I can’t trust you. So maybe you could return to your proper seat now. Tray table up.”
He shifts down, settling his weight over my hips, but he doesn’t release my hands. “I hurt you. Means you care.”
I swallow hard and meet his gaze. “You hurting me means I was being stupid. Things were going where I didn’t want them to go. Now I’ve had a wake-up call. You have secrets you can’t share. You need to protect your secrets. I need to be with someone I can trust, and I need to stand on my own two feet. It’s just not going to work between us.”
His gaze darkens, searing me to the core. “You want to be done? Or are you scared and trying to push me away?”
The air shifts between us, electrifying, tightening my nipples and heating my blood. I am hyperaware of his thighs tucked against my hips, carrying most of his weight as he sits astride me in a dominant MMA position. My wrists, hot under his palms, press against the cool mat, restrained in a way I could never have imagined allowing them to be restrained. My chest rises and falls twice for every one of Ray’s breaths, and my core tightens. The innuendo isn’t lost on me. God, yes. I want to be done in the carnal sense of the word. But only by Ray. And I don’t really want to let him go.
“I don’t want to lose you.”
Ray’s hands tighten on my wrists, and he leans down and brushes a kiss over my lips. “I don’t want to lose you either, but I live in a dangerous world. I’ve got stuff in my life that would make your head spin. I need to protect you from that, and I’ll do what it takes to keep you safe, even if it means you hate me for it, because for the first time in my life, I want something more than doing my duty. I want a life and I want you in it. I’ve got one bad guy to catch and then I’m free. And after I’m done and after what went down this evening, you’ll never have to worry about being safe again.”
Finally, he releases my hands but I don’t move. Heat sweeps through my belly. I feel both vulnerable and curiously safe lying beneath him. My gaze shifts from his intense gaze to his sensual lips, and my breasts swell, remembering the touch of his hands, the gentle press of his lips. He wants me. Not just today, but tomorrow and the tomorrow after that.
“You make it sound like I don’t have a choice about being with you.”
“You don’t.” He leans down and kisses me with a savage fierceness that takes my breath away.
___________________________
Michel’s Review
Looking for a very hot and sexy book? Looking for a hot Alpha MMA fighter that will knock your panties off? Looking for a book that is about healing, loving, and redemption? Look no further, Full Contact by Sarah Castille is the book that delivers all of these things and more.
Full Contact is the third book in the Redemption Series by Sarah Castille. Each book can be read as a stand alone romance or can be read in series order. Either way this book is going to capture your attention and keep you glued to the pages.
Sia O’Donnell is a broken soul. She had a horrific experience five years earlier that left her broken, fearful, and an observer of life rather than a participator. Her only solace is her work as a tattoo artist. Another one of her secret passions is watching MMA fights and one fighter in particular. She knows he is out of her league and beyond what she can handle, but her fascination with him is the fuel for her fantasies. When she finally meets Ray “The Predator” Black face to face, the rules of engagement may change.
Ray has his own demons that haunt him. Fighting is a way to keep his demons at bay. Outside the cage he keeps people at arms length and never gets close to anyone. That is until he meets Sia O’Donnell. He wants to dominate this woman in the most decadent and fulfilling way.
Can Sia overcome her fears and allow Ray to dominate her. Can she let him go where no other man has been by choice? Can Ray let go of his guilt and redirect his feelings into something that will heal his soul?
Together these two will find something worth letting go for, worth fighting for, and worth surrender. They will find true love and passion.
I really enjoyed this book. It had the right amount of humor, the right amount of angst, and the right amount of red hot passion. The main characters and secondary characters were full of life and jumped off the pages.
I highly recommend Full Contact by Sarah Castille.
The Redemption Series
Against The Ropes – Book 1
He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…
Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an elite mixed martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Then again, at her first sight of the club’s owner, she’s the one feeling breathless.
The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…
A Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book and one of Amazon’s Best Books of the Year (Romance)
“You have to go. I won’t be able to control myself. I’ve wanted you so bad for so long and after I’ve been in the cage…I can’t think straight.” He gives a guttural groan and his fist clenches on my hip.
Primitive. Primal. His need speaks to me. I tighten my grip on his neck and rock up to kiss him. He takes over. His kiss is hard and demanding.
“Mine.” His voice is raw, savage and for a moment I truly believe he may lose control.
He rules in the ring
Two years ago, Jake and Amanda were going hot and heavy. But when Jake wanted more, Amanda walked away. Jake immersed himself in mixed martial arts, living life on the edge. But that didn’t dull the pain of Amanda’s rejection-until a chance encounter throws them together.
A high-powered lawyer, Amanda was a no-strings-attached kind of girl. But two years after her breakup with Jake, she still hasn’t found anyone who gets her heart pumping the way he did. And then he shows up in her boardroom, hot as sin and needing help…
But can he rule her heart?
Jake is darker, sexier, and impossible to resist. As their chemistry builds, Amanda’s not sure if she can stay in control, or if she’s finally willing to let him claim her body and soul.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha males and the women who tame them. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and travelled abroad before trading in her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home in shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
Sarah loves to connect with readers. Sign up for her newsletter to hear about new releases:
We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for EVERY LAST BREATH, the hotly anticipated conclusion to the Dark Elements trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout!! EVERY LAST BREATH is a Young Adult Paranormal being published by Harlequin Teen and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Dark Elements Series. It is being released on July 28th, 2015. Pre-order EVERY LAST BREATH and then be sure to read the first books in this amazing series before its release!
Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.
Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.
Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…
“Armentrout is a major talent…I just can’t stop reading!”
—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter
“Armentrout works her magic with swoon-worthy guys and a twist you never see coming.”
–#1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines on White Hot Kiss
And we have a surprise for you! The first books in the series have been given a new look too!!
Don’t miss the previous titles in The Dark Elements Series-now with new covers! Readers interested in downloading the new cover jackets for their previously purchased Dark Elements Series titles, can download them HERE!
For best results when downloading the new cover jackets:
Print on 8.5×14″ (Legal paper)
Use landscape or horizontal setting = 8.5″ tall x 14″ wide
Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she’s anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.
Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.
Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul.
But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.
Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.
But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…
“Constantly entertaining…the narrative sizzles with as much tension as romance.”
In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series The Dark Elements, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.
Dez wasn’t just Jasmine’s crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn’t help that Jas’s father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.
And now he’s back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn’t taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again…
“With her signature flare for combining humor, romance and action, Armentrout weaves a fast-paced read that will have readers’ hearts racing in more ways than one. Like Armentrout’s previous heroines, Jasmine is fun and full of attitude, while Dez is as snarky as he is sexy. This is a must read for new and old fans alike!” –RT Book Reviews
Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio:
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Christopher Moore gave up on the idea of love years ago. Now, his life is an endless string of parties and an even longer string of girls. Enjoying the physical perks with none of the emotional mess, hes convinced everyone that hes satisfied—everyone but himself.
Samantha Schultz has moved on with her life. Finishing her student teaching and living with her boyfriend, shes deluded herself into believing shes content. But there is one boy she never forgot—her first love—and she keeps the memory of him locked up tight. She will never allow any man to break her the way Christopher did.
When Christopher’s sister and her family move into a new neighborhood, Christopher is completely unprepared to find Samantha living at the end of the street. Memories and unspent desires send them on collision course of sex, lies, and lust. But when guilt and fear send Samantha running, Christopher will have to fight for what has always been his.
She lowered herself, gave a little shove, and slid down. I stopped her
descent at the bottom, her back pressed into the metal. I grasped the sides,
holding myself up, my nose an inch from hers as I hovered in her space. Her
eyes were doing that wild thing again, a raging sea that churned with all that
shyness, but flamed with bold strikes of courage, a storm that didn’t know which way to turn.
“Anyone ever kiss you before, Samantha?”I murmured low,
letting my nose do a little exploring along her jaw.
She shook her head no.
“Didn’t think so,”I whispered, before
I took a chance I was pretty damned sure was worth taking, and brushed my mouth
against hers. And was I ever right. She tasted like sugar and all things sweet,
like a spoonful of pure honey. A remedy.
Her kiss was every kind of timid, cautious in her inexperience, but it
didn’t take a whole lot to convince me that this kind of kiss was my
favorite.
_____________________
Tracey’s Review
“From the moment we met, he always had the power to bring me to my knees. I should have known his control over me would never diminish or dim. I should have known it would only intensify. Maybe I should have run. But somewhere inside, I knew he’d never let me get far.”Samantha Schultz, the daughter of a pastor, and Christopher Moore, wild child and bad boy, were never supposed to be together. When he rescued Samantha from the girls that were making her life a living hell in high school, neither one of them could have know what they were setting in motion.”He was gorgeous. Beautiful. And a little bit terrifying. He was trouble with a capital T. And I didn’t do trouble.””You don’t even know me.”
“I know your name is Samantha Schultz. I know you sit one row over and two seats in front of me in English Literature because I can’t stop watching you.”Once sure that they would be together forever, life as they knew it had changed, seemingly overnight, ripping Christopher and Samantha apart, and sending them on separate paths in life. Still reeling from those events of the past, Christopher has chosen to numb his pain by losing himself in meaningless hook-ups, going through the motions of life, refusing to allow himself to love again. Having been completely broken by Christopher, Samantha now finds herself in a safe but passionless relationship. A chance encounter with Christopher’s sister Aly, now married to Christopher’s best friend Jared, brings the past flooding back, and Samantha can no longer deny that she is settling for something less than she wants.Good Lord, the things that I felt while reading this story. A.L. Jackson is a master of writing the kind of book that evokes every possible emotion. Joy, sorrow, anger, edge-of-your seat, nail-biting angst, I experienced every one of these while reading Come To Me Recklessly.I absolutely love this story. Samantha and Christopher are inextricably bound together, unable to move on from their intense first love, even over the intervening years. Their love is truly like a force of nature. Tragedy, broken trust, distance, none of these has dimmed the power that each of them holds over the other, try as they may to forget.
“God, how many times had I imagined this? Seeing him again. What it would feel like, if it’d feel the same or less or more, if I’d burn up with desire or if I’d realize the years had only exaggerated the memories of him, building him up into something he was not. What I never imagined was he would crush me anew. As much as I wanted to look away, my gaze was locked on the boy who held every piece of my heart.”
I really appreciated having the past interspersed with the present and the alternating POVs between Samantha and Christopher. It brought their story full circle, while filling in the gaps, and allowed me to understand all of the circumstances that have brought them to their current place. Come To Me Recklessly is a book that I cannot recommend enough, and unequivocally give it and A.L. Jackson 5+ stars. If I could rate this read any higher, I would. Add this one to your TBR, because it is an absolute must-read, and you will not be sorry.
“What is this?” I forced out, the words shaky.
He grasped both sides of my face, bringing us nose to nose. “This is unstoppable.”
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Come to Me Quietly, Come to Me Softly, Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.
She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.
Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.
To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!
The much anticipated release of Fisher Amelie’s third standalone installment of The Seven Deadly Series, FURY, finally has a release date! Stay tuned below for the reveals of her new covers for VAIN and GREED, a chapter from FURY, as well as the heart-stopping trailer for FURY, due out May 4th, 2015.
Prepare Yourselves.
About FURY:
Revenge is an euphoric thing. Trust me on this. Nothing compares to the release you get when you ruin someone’s life. When they’ve stolen important things. Things that didn’t belong to them. Things I revel in making them pay for.
What? Have I offended you? I’m not here to appeal to your delicate senses. I have no intention of placating your wishes or living within your personal belief system nor do I care if you hate me. And you will hate me. Because I’m a brutal, savage, cold-blooded murderer and I’m here for my revenge.
I’m Ethan Moonsong…And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most sacrificing man to the most feared and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
The new cover for the first standalone in The Seven Deadly Series, VAIN.
And now for an excerpt from FURY, due out May 4th, 2015…
I heard a snap and the light cracked on, piercing through my closed lids. My head pounded and I groaned then rolled over, pulling my cover over my head to drown out the source of my pain.
“Get up,” a deep voice commanded. “Get up,” he continued, kicking my shoe.
“Dad,” I rasped. “I’m hungover and feel like shit.”
He was silent for a moment so I pulled the cover down just enough to see his face. He was not amused.
“Ethan, watch your language, get your butt up, and find a job.” I didn’t answer him. I had nothing to say that would please him. “And while you’re at it, stop this ridiculous drinkin’, son.”
I sat up, ran my hands through my long black hair and wrapped the length around my fist. I sat back against the wall, reveling in how cool it was, and tried not to vomit.
“Did you see them today?” I asked him, unable to help myself.
My dad removed his hat and leaned against the jamb, scrubbing his face with his free hand. “You like to torture yourself,” he said, shaking his head then sighing. “You remind me so much of your mama.”
The mere mention of my mother sent me spiraling down once more in depression. We’d lost her a few years before and I was still in agony. That, coupled with the fact that Spencer Blackwell stole my girl right out from underneath my nose, was enough for me to drink to excess every night. I hate him.
“Are they,” I swallowed, afraid of his answer, “are they together now?”
My father sighed again. “Ethan, get dressed.”
“Are they?” I asked again, letting my hand drop to my side. My hair slid with it and cascaded down my back.
“You are a stubborn boy. Yes, okay? Yes, they’re together. All the more reason to move on, son.”
My body suddenly weighed a thousand pounds and I felt my head reeling. So it was true then. They were together and they would probably get married and I was going to have to sit there in that godforsaken small town and watch it all happen. I was going to get a front row seat to my own misery.
I nodded once, rested my hands on my knees for a brief moment, then ran past my dad, shouldering him as I did so and nearly knocking him over before making it to the small bathroom across the hall and retching everything in my stomach into the toilet.
My dad stood in the bathroom doorway shaking his head in disappointment. When I was done, I fell back into the wall. That look shamed me to my core. Any time my dad felt let down, I felt the weight of my disgrace so heavy the only thing I could think to dull the ache was to drink myself into a stupor. It was a vicious cycle.
I let my hair cascade over my face. I heard the old wood floor creak beneath his feet as he left without another word and jumped when the front door slammed. My eyes closed as my head pounded.
The claw foot tub sat to my left so I leaned up and turned on the water, slowly removing my clothing one piece at time. Each movement felt like a hammer slamming into my head.
“God,” I groaned. “I am an idiot.”
I stood then stepped underneath the warm water and just stood in silence, letting the water absorb into my hair and seep into my skin. I breathed in the steam deeply. I was miserable. Not just physically but my heart was the heaviest it’d felt since my mom passed and I had no one to blame but Spencer Blackwell for that.
The asshole who rode into my life under the guise of helping his sister only to yank what I thought was a stable foundation right out from underneath me. He stole from me, a bona fide thief, and I wanted to make him pay. No, I needed to make him pay.
But how?
I finished showering and threw a towel around my waist, stepping from the tub and toppling onto my bed when I reached my room and fell to sleep, not even bothering to dress myself. I fell quickly, fantasizing about my revenge.
I must have slept for hours because when I woke, it was pitch black outside. I rolled onto my side and checked my alarm clock. Eleven o’clock. Perfect timing, I thought.
I sat up and tucked my towel around my waist a little tighter, stood and went straight for my dresser. I grabbed a pair of boxers and socks and put those on before heading for my closet and tossing an old, worn pair of jeans on, a thermal and an old tee. I brushed my teeth, grabbed my wallet and keys, threw on my boots and headed toward my piece of shit truck.
I knew exactly where I was going because it was where I planned on going every night until I forgot about Caroline Hunt.
My truck started but barely and I tore out of our driveway not bothering with my seatbelt, kicking up dust and rocks as my tires spun against the loose gravel. I’d replaced my stereo because I couldn’t stand radio, at least not Kalispell radio, and plugged my phone into the audio cable. Bastille’s Dreams remake blasted and I turned it up, letting the painful lyrics wash over me, fueling my desire to get plastered as quickly as possible.
I entertained myself with thoughts of strangling Spencer Blackwell with both hands then beating the crap out of him with my fists. Bastard. I pulled into the local pub and put my piece into park before tucking my left foot into the emergency brake.
I disconnected my phone and the stereo went silent, reminding me of how alone I really was. I turned the engine off and absolute silence surrounded me. I couldn’t take it. My door creaked with age as it swung open and I slammed it shut, unable not to. The fury raging in my blood was more than I could contain.
Before heading inside, my hand went to the empty space between the cab and the bed and searched for the bottle of whiskey I always had wedged in between. I took a large swig, not wanting to spend too much of my savings on the liquor inside the crap establishment. After all, I was going to need it. Revenge was a costly business.
I took one more swig for good measure and wedged it back in its usual place then wiped my mouth on the back of my sleeve. My hair swung heavy in my eyes. It was still a little wet from my shower and I thought about tying it back with the extra leather tie I usually kept in my glove compartment but thought better of it. It helped me hide and I wanted to hide.
I looked around me. The lot was full but I only recognized a few cars this time which was good because I had no intention of making conversation. Regardless, most of Kalispell had stopped trying because I’d rarely done any responding since Cricket cut out my fucking heart and ate it raw. The hair was only insurance.
I took two deep draws of air, gulping it down, desperate for it to soothe me but, of course, it didn’t. I let each escape my lips in shaky breaths and clenched my fists over and over before deciding to head inside.
My boots crunched the gravel beneath my feet as I headed toward the door. When I entered, I ducked my head toward the floor and let my hair cover me, not that it did any good other than to conceal me. I could still feel the heat of their stares, though, still feel the pity in their gazes. I wanted so badly to yell at them to fuck off but I kept as much composure as possible. I couldn’t get kicked out of the only real bar in Kalispell.
I picked a stool at the end of the bar, the same stool I always did in the corner and in the back because it was dark. I sat and met Vi’s eyes. She sauntered over to me, placing her elbows on the bar top, giving me a clear view of her generous chest. I held back my eye roll.
“Hello, darlin’,” she drawled. “You look like shit.”
“The usual, Vi,” I told her as quietly as I could.
“How ‘bout a kiss then first?” she asked, leaning in a bit more.
“Christ, Vi, how many times? Huh? Just get me the gosh damn drink.”
She laughed. “Already worked up then, I see. I like it,” she said, winking.
Vi, or Violet, was thirty-nine years old, had lived in Kalispell her entire life, and had worked as a bartender for over fifteen years. I could tell at one time Vi had been a beautiful woman but I could also tell she had heard many hollow promises from equally hollow men and that she obviously believed them all. Otherwise, why would she still be there? I watched her tired eyes and her slightly too-forced smile. She had the look of someone who used to be chased but had graduated to the chaser. She looked miserable.
She left and returned with an empty glass and a bottle of Jack. She set the glass on the bar and filled it to the brim. She was being generous. She was always this way. She told me once she hoped I would drink it all away and decide to take her up on her offer. I told her that would be a cold day in hell, to which she only laughed.
“Drink up, buttercup,” she said, smiling lasciviously.
“I will,” I told the bar top.
I watched the world around me through the breaks in the hanging strands and six glasses later, I was starting to finally feel numb. I lifted my head a little feeling slightly relieved, feeling like I could breathe a little deeper now that the ache wasn’t so severe. I continued to search the crowd, not knowing who I was really looking for.
A quiet but persistent nagging awareness took residence in my chest for some unknown reason as I watched a girl dance on her own in the middle of the dance floor. Others around her paid no attention to her but she was the first person my eyes were drawn to. I studied her.
Her hair was tucked into a blue scarf, little tendrils peeking through and grazing across her neck whenever she moved. She was extraordinarily tall and her hips and rear end were more indulgent than I’d ever considered before. She turned slightly, giving me her silhouette. Her stomach was flat and her breasts were full. She was beautiful, I could tell, even if I couldn’t see her fully through the low lights.
“Jeez,” I said, swiping a hand down my face. “I’ve had too much.”
But I still couldn’t stop watching her. She wore worn jean cut offs, a fitted button up with the sleeves rolled up her forearms and ankle boots. She rolled her shoulders playfully, enticing someone she knew just off the dance floor. Another girl joined her side and they did the robot. She threw her head back and laughed.
This shocked me almost sober. “That laugh,” I whispered to myself. “That laugh,” I repeated. I knew it but couldn’t quite place it.
She took her friend’s hand and twirled her around the floor vivaciously. She was so full of life. So my exact opposite.
She lightheartedly skipped in place and raised an arm in salute to her friend before turning toward me.
That’s when I got a good, clear look at her. I gasped out loud and placed my hand on the back of my head, my elbow on the bartop, ducking my head down lower to hide myself further.
Please, please, please do not recognize me, I thought, still watching her from the corner of my eye.
She stood two seats down from me. “Vi!” she said, laughing a little. “Vi!”
Vi turned toward her. “Hey, baby! What’ll it be?”
“Can I have a water, please?” she asked, sitting down and releasing a breath of exhaustion. She continued to smile, though, and it ate a little at my gut.
“Of course,” Vi answered and started to pour water into a clear plastic cup. Vi’s eyes pinched a little. “Hey?” she said.
“Yeah?” she asked.
“How come I never see you drink anything harder?”
Her face fell a little but picked right back up. No one would have noticed it but me. “I’ve never had good luck with alcohol,” she admitted a bit sadly.
Vi was quick enough to recognize something there that didn’t want to be said and let it go with a nod, handing over the water without another word.
“Vi!” someone else called out and she walked their direction.
She took a long drink from her water and set it down, turning toward the crowd and surveying the dancers. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, some private joke she shared with herself.
I looked on her for a long time. Long enough for my heart to calm itself. Long enough to struggle with myself in an internal argument. Finally, I decided that I wasn’t watching her because I found her attractive, though I knew she was. Only that I was wondering what she was doing there.
She turned around in her seat after catching her breath and glanced at me. For a moment, I believed she didn’t recognize me but I was wrong. A second scan confirmed it for her. She leaned in and narrowed her eyes. Shit.
“Ethan?” she asked. “Is that you?”
“Hello, Finley,” I answered.
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About Fisher Amelie:
Fisher Amelie resides in the South with her kick ace husband slash soul mate. She earned her first ‘mama’ patch in 2009. She also lives with her Weim, ‘Jonah’, and her Beta, ‘Whale’. All these living creatures keep the belly of her life full, sometimes to the point of gluttony, but she doesn’t mind all that much because life isn’t worth living if it isn’t entertaining, right?
Fisher is the author of The Seven Deadly Series, The Sleepless Series, and Leaving Series, and was a semi-finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award.
Maverick – Book 1
Lance – Book 3
Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming.
Saucy Southern Readers 