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Book Tour + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Specimen by Shay Savage

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SPECIMEN BOOK TOUR

SPECIMEN IT'S LIVE

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Speciman

By Shay Savage

Release Date: February 24, 2016

*******

A soldier, a doctor, and a stark white laboratory full of lies.

Amazon / Amazon UK

Blurb

I awaken in a laboratory.

I don’t know who I am.

I’m inexplicably drawn to the doctor who cares for me. She tells me I’ve been altered, that I’m stronger and faster, that I’ll be a key component in a war between corporations. She says I volunteered for this. She says I volunteered to be transformed, but I have no way of knowing if what she says is true.

Something isn’t right. My memories have been taken, wiped clean, but dreams begin to slip into my conscious mind. I can’t let anyone know when that happens, or they’ll remove my memories again. Somewhere inside of me, I know I need to remember something important.

I’m fighting a war I don’t understand, and the one woman I rely on can’t be trusted.

specimen teaser

Excerpt

Suddenly, my body goes rigid. I can’t move at all, but I can feel a surge through my entire system. I can see it, taste it, smell it. My heart forces blood through my veins, warming my insides. As the blood flows, the muscles in my legs, arms, and chest flex.

“Sten? Are you all right?”

I try to focus on her face, but my vision is blurred.

“Hold on, Sten. You just need to ride it out.”

“What…” I can’t utter another word. My throat seizes up, and for a second, I am unable to take a breath.

Riley’s palm touches my face as she presses a sensor to my temple. My arm jerks, and I grasp her hand. I press it to my chest.

“Relax. Focus on your breath.”

“I can’t!”

She takes my free hand in hers and holds it to her body, right over her heart.

“Focus on me, then,” she says. “Feel my heartbeat.”

My fingers twitch. I can feel the steady beat in each fingertip. Closing my eyes, I count the beats. One hundred. Two hundred. Three hundred.

Minutes pass. I keep counting. Eventually, my body begins to adjust and my muscles relax. I become aware of not just her heartbeat, but of how close my hand is to her breast. My dick strains in my shorts.

I reach out with my legs, wrapping them around her waist and bringing her body toward my crotch. Releasing her hand, I reach up and grab the back of her head and use the other hand to push the collar of the lab coat out of the way. The blue of her blouse contrasts with her skin. It’s beautiful, enticing.

With one finger, I trace the edge of her collar, brushing over her skin. I can feel her heart beat under my fingertip, and I want to taste the spot where I’ve touched her. I look back to her eyes. She’s staring at my lips.

I bring us together, pressing my mouth to hers gently at first but then with more vigor. I can taste mint on her breath as my tongue slides over hers. I thread my fingers through her hair and tighten my thighs around her waist, holding her close to me. I trail my finger farther down her collar and spread my hand to cup her breast.

She pulls back, breaking the kiss.

“Sten, you’ll have to stop that now.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know.” She touches the side of my face, running her hand over my rough cheek.

“I want you. I need you.” I don’t understand why I’m explaining myself. It’s clear to me from her scent that she wants this too, but she keeps pushing me away. She denies me as she denies herself.

Why?

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5Star

Michel’s Review

Are you looking for something different to read?  A book where you can escape in the story as well as experience a sexy romance?  Look no further and read Specimen by Shay Savage.

I usually don’t read sci-fi or futuristic romance.  The blurb for Specimen caught my attention and I wanted to read this book.  It did not disappoint.

In the new world after a comet has destroyed the eco system two factions are vying for power.  The power comes from controlling the water and food resources.  After a lengthy war, they are now trying develop the perfect soldier.  A soldier that can survive without food and water for days.

When Sten wakes up in a laboratory without any memories, he’s confused and volatile. Dr. Riley Grace explains that he volunteered for the new program to create the perfect soldier. He doesn’t remember his past life, the war, or volunteering.  He has to take her for her word.

He has become the prime Specimen in this new program but something isn’t right.  He’s beginning to have memories and they aren’t of the same life they proclaimed he had.  To top it off he has become dependent on Dr. Riley Grace for more than sexual satisfaction.  She is the key to helping him regain control of his life once more.

Specimen is fast paced with an intense plot.  The characters, the pacing of the story, and vivid descriptions make this book seem like a movie.  I became engrossed in the story and could not put it down.  Shay Savage created a world that comes to life.

I highly recommend Specimen by Shay Savage!

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shay savageShay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her family and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, masquerading as a zombie, is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and member of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. When the geek fun runs out, she also loves soccer in any and all forms – especially the Columbus Crew, Arsenal and Bayern Munich – and anxiously awaits the 2014 World Cup. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.

 

Stalk Shay Here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Cover Reveal + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Misbehaved by Jessica Jayne

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Tasty Book Tours is Thrilled to Share the Cover for 
THE MISBEHAVED…
Make this Smoking Hot “Sexy Snax” a 2016 Must Read!
THE MISBEHAVED
Jessica Jayne
Releasing May 10th, 2016
Totally Bound

 

Natalea Jones has had a rough life.
An absentee father. A gambling addicted mother, who seems to show up only when
she needs something—preferably money. Natalea survives her childhood and
teenage years because of her best friend, Drake Harte, and his family. Even
though she’s been in love with Drake for years, she refuses to let her lust
come in the way of their friendship. Life without Drake is not possible and sex
would certainly complicate things.
Drake Harte is not only known as the
most eligible bachelor and firefighter in Gamble Park, Florida, but he’s also
known for sexing the ladies and leaving them. Only he knows the reason he can’t
make a commitment to the women throwing themselves at him—he’s in love with his
best friend. It’s time he either goes for it or moves on.
After Natalea and Drake share a
night of passion, an unexpected event occurs that proves to both of them that
life—and love—are too precious.
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Excerpt

Or what? Was his firecracker of a best friend challenging him? He may have gotten off his twenty-four-hour shift at the firehouse mere minutes ago, but he was always ready to rumble with Natalea. Her honey-colored eyes gleamed with the familiar twinkle she had every single time they provoked each other. She loved it as much as he did.

Damn!

He loved everything about her. She was a whole lot wrapped up in a five-foot-three package. She was beautiful—beautiful in a way that wasn’t cover model, but real. Sweet. Caring. Honest. Strong. Stronger than anyone he knew. Her life hadn’t been easy.

He exhaled a laugh before dropping the towel and placing his hands on the bar top. Having spent as much time as he had in The Misbehaved, he knew exactly how much space he had to clear before he’d be on the ground on the other side. He pushed off with his feet on the stool rungs and slammed it to the ground with a bang as he propelled himself over. He landed with a thud on the black rubber floor mat. Heads swiveled in their direction.

Natalea yelped and dropped the towel. She spun on her heels and dashed to get away from him. He swung his arm around her waist and jerked her flush against him. The feel of her softness against the rigid planes of his body made a groan bubble up in his chest. He bit it off.

He hoisted her over his shoulder and wandered out onto the floor. Her lush breasts pressed against him and made his cock twitch to life in his jeans. Her legs flailed in the air, her black work boots thudding against his abdomen. She may have been small, but she was mighty. He’d give her that. As the thought entered his mind, her teeth sank into his lower back muscles through his T-shirt.

“Ow,” he cried, surprised by her bite. “Watch it, baby girl. You know better than to walk this tough-girl path with me. It never ends well for you.”

She grunted and groaned at his words. Several of the male patrons hooted and hollered.

“Nice legs,” one of the guys standing by the pool table shouted. A few whistles followed and Drake realized what the fuss was about. Her already scant jean shorts had ridden up her legs, exposing all of her thighs, maybe more. Despite the crowd being predominantly female, the few males made themselves quite vocal.

A wave of possessiveness flowed over him. He didn’t like that the guys were gawking at her ass poised in the air, and at her tan, muscular legs draped over his shoulder. Legs he’d fantasized about encircling his hips as he buried himself inside her. That fantasy had recurred on numerous occasions over the last decade.

Yes, he pined after his best friend. Had for years. Whenever she was around, he popped a perpetual boner. He also needed to protect her, which pretty much ruined any chance she had for a relationship with anyone else. No one—and he meant no one—was good enough for her.

© Jessica Jayne

 

 

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Jessica Jayne is a born and raised small-town Ohio girl who moved to the
Sunshine State after graduating from college. She graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in English. What college major could possibly be better than one that
makes you read novels and write about them! Now she is thrilled to be able to
share all the hot stories floating around in her head.
 
Jessica loves to travel and travel often! She shares her love of
travel with her husband and children. She’s a huge sports fan, especially
football. She loves the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ohio State Buckeyes! She’s
a wine-making (and wine-tasting) aficionado. She loves all music. And nothing
is better than sunset at the beach!
 
In the journey of life, she also married a wonderful man and had
three beautiful (and sometimes crazy) children. Life is always an adventure!

 

 

Release Blitz + Review: Dance Of Desire by Christopher Rice

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Dance of Desire - RDL banner

 

We are thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice! DANCE OF DESIRE is a novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. DANCE OF DESIRE is the first contemporary romance told with the author’s trademark humor and heart. It also introduces readers to a quirky and beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country called Chapel Springs. Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!

 

DANCE OF DESIRE - Cover

Amazon eBook ** Amazon Paperback

 

EXCERPT:

“What time was it last night when you saw the moon?”she’d asked him.

“Past midnight.”

“But you only went to bed at eleven.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

They both knew what thoughts were keeping him awake, thoughts of his father’s drinking and of how crazy his mother was going trying to rein it all in.

“Wake me up next time,” she’d told him. “I’ll keep you company.”

Such simple words, but she’d felt like she was jumping off the edge of a cliff when she’d said them. Instead of answering, Caleb gave her a long look as he fiddled with the leg of his shorts. She’d silently cursed herself, called herself an idiot and worse.

Caleb was just a friend. Honestly, he wasn’t even that, was he? Circumstances had thrown them together, that was all. He was the son of her father’s best friend, so they were basically like distant cousins, only with no shared blood in their veins. Crazy of her to think there might be more there.

If her friends could see her now, they’d probably laugh at her; the same friends who’d swooned that day her father had picked her up from school with Caleb in the passenger seat of his truck, and Caleb, wearing a Stetson that was about a half-size too big for his head, had given them a cocky grin, looked right into her eyes and said, Afternoon, pretty lady. Not afternoon pretty ladies, even though she’d had about four other girls standing on the curb next to her when he’d said it.

Clearly she’d made way too much of that moment. Sometimes afternoon just meant, afternoonand pretty lady was what a guy called you when he was trying to look cool.

Or so she’d thought earlier that day. Before he took her up on her offer and woke her up in the middle of the night so they could look at the moon together.

Which they do.

Because it’s beautiful.

When he lowers his right hand, the same hand with which he was just pointing to the night sky, her breath catches. Every muscle in her body tenses in anticipation.

Where will it land?

 

Dance of Desire - RWB Teaser 2

 

 

About DANCE OF DESIRE:

When Amber Watson walks in on her husband in the throes of extramarital passion with one of his employees, her comfortable, passion-free life is shattered in an instant. Worse, the fate of the successful country music bar that bears her family’s name suddenly hangs in the balance. Her soon to be ex-husband is one of the bar’s official owners; his mistress, one of its employees. Will her divorce destroy her late father’s legacy?

Not if Amber’s adopted brother Caleb has anything to do with it. The wandering cowboy has picked the perfect time for a homecoming. Better yet, he’s determined to use his brains and his fists to put Amber’s ex in his place and keep the family business intact. But Caleb’s long absence has done nothing to dim the forbidden desire between him and the woman the State of Texas considers to be his sister.

Years ago, when they were just teenagers, Caleb and Amber shared a passionate first kiss beside a moonlit lake. But that same night, tragedy claimed the life of Caleb’s parents and the handsome young man went from being a family friend to Amber’s adopted brother. Has enough time passed for the two of them to throw off the roles Amber’s father picked for them all those years ago? Will their desire for each other save the family business or put it in greater danger?

DANCE OF DESIRE is the first contemporary romance from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice, told with the author’s trademark humor and heart. It also introduces readers to a quirky and beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country called Chapel Springs.

READER ADVISORY. DANCE OF DESIRE contains fantasies of dubious consent, acted on by consenting adults. Readers with sensitivities to those issues should be advised.

 

 

 

Dance of Desire - RWB Teaser 1

 

4.5 Star

Tracey’s Review

Telling her how he really felt should have been the last option. The absolutely dead-last, nuclear apocalypse option. And touching her? Well, that was beyond the nuclear option. That was a “zombies are breaking down the front door and the only way out is through the nearest window” kind of option.

Amber and Caleb have known forever that their feelings for each other were something special. But just when they were beginning to let each other know, life events changed everything, making anything other than a platonic kind of love unacceptable. True love, though, cannot be denied, and sometimes the heavens smile down on lovers after all.

I was lucky to happen upon one of Christopher’s earlier books in the 1001 Dark Nights series, and really enjoyed it, so when DANCE OF DESIRE came along, I put it right at the top of my TBR list. This little book was a true delight to read. Christopher’s combination of humor, steamy sexiness, and heartfelt emotions, along with great characters and a realistic story line made this one of the most enjoyable, feel-good books I’ve had the opportunity to read lately. The relationship between Amber and her mother had me laughing out loud, and Belinda, Dora, Amanda, and all of the supporting characters are just great. I enjoyed every single bit of this book, and would be happy to see more of these folks in future. 4.5 stars for DANCE OF DESIRE; add this one to your reading list, because you will thoroughly enjoy it.

***ARC generously provided by the publisher for an honest review.***

_________________________________________________

Christopher Rice - author photoAbout Christopher Rice:

After publishing four New York Times bestselling thrillers by the age of 30 and being declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive, award-winning writer Christopher Rice became the first author to make his erotic romance debut part of the 1,001 DARK NIGHTS series. THE FLAME: A Desire Exchange Novella kicked off a steamy new series set in New Orleans, featuring magical candles and a sexy new breed of supernatural beings, The Radiants, who are devoted to helping heroes and heroines realize their heart’s desire. THE FLAME earned accolades from some of the biggest names in erotic romance and was quickly followed up by THE SURRENDER GATE: A Desire Exchange Novel, available from Evil Eye Concepts as a Blue Box Special. Aside from authoring eight works of dark suspense, Christopher is also the co-host and executive producer of THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN, all the episodes of which can be downloaded at TheDinnerPartyShow.com and from iTunes. Make sure you’re subscribed to The Dinner Party Show’s You Tube channel to receive their newest content in 2016.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | DANCE OF DESIRE on Goodreads

 

Dance of Desire - Now Available

 

 

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Release Blitz + Excerpt: From Sanctum With Love by Lexi Blake – Masters & Mercenaries Series – Book 10

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From Sanctum With Love

Masters & Mercenaries Series – Book 10

By Lexi Blake

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Google Play

Synopsis:

Psychologist Kai Ferguson has had his eye on Kori Williamson for a long time. His assistant is everything he’s ever wanted in a partner—smart, caring, witty, and a bit of a masochist. More than a little, actually, but that’s the problem. Kori won’t admit her own desires. She’s afraid of him and what he has to offer. Luckily for her, helping patients face their fears is one of his specialties.

Kori knows she wants Kai. Her boss is the most amazing man she’s ever met. She’s also smart enough to stay away from him. Having been down this road before, she knows it only leads to heartache. She’s just found a place where she can belong. Another failed relationship is the last thing she needs. It’s better to guard her heart and let Kai think she’s frightened of his dark, dominant nature.

When Kai is recruited for an operation with McKay-Taggart, everything is turned upside down. Kai’s brother, international superstar Jared Johns, is in town and Kai must juggle his family issues along with a desperate hunt for a serial killer. The investigation throws Kori and Kai together, and they quickly discover the chemistry between them is undeniable. But even if their newfound love can survive his secrets and her lies, it may not be enough to save them both from a killer’s twisted obsession.

FSWLTeaser-3-v2

Excerpt

“Please gag me, Kai. Please.”

“With pleasure, baby.”

She could hear him moving around behind her, and when he came back he had a fresh pair of her undies in his hands.

“Unlike a lot of Doms, I personally enjoy pretty panties. They make such good gags when we need to keep our games private. Open. Since you won’t be able to talk through this spanking, all you have to do to get me to stop is hold up your left hand.”

He was giving her a way to safe word without speaking. She had to admit that the idea that her friends were right down the hallway and Kai was about to do dirty things to her aroused her unbearably. “I can do that.”

“Stand up and ask me to gag you again. Does my sub need a gag in her mouth so she won’t cry out?”

Her nipples were rigid against her tank top. “Yes, Sir. I need it.”

“Open your mouth.” His right hand caught her, forcing her head up. “And I damn straight meant what I said about stopping me if it’s too much. I know you like it, but I won’t damage you for anything. Take it.”

He was rough as he shoved the panties into her mouth. She would never be able to look at those the same way again. He pressed them, filling her mouth and making her jaw ache. It was the right side of pain, exactly enough to start up the chemical reaction in her brain. Some people got runner’s high. She found such peace in this place.

And it was better this time because she could trust Kai.

Because Kai was the one.

“Back down,” Kai ordered.

She turned again, placing her hands down on the bed. She could scream as much as she liked now. For the first time in forever, she could actually let loose.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are? I like having you gagged because you can’t talk back and argue with me. Did you think I didn’t notice that every single time I give you a compliment, you negate it somehow? When I told you that dress was lovely on you last Monday, you told me you had borrowed it from Sarah and I should see how she filled it out.” His hand smacked on her ass, fire skimming her skin. “I don’t care how Sarah fills it out. I care about you. I watch you. I fantasize about you.”

They were not words she’d ever expected to hear from him. Not once. She’d dreamed about him, but she’d convinced herself that nothing could ever happen between them. Tears pricked her eyes, sweet and pure emotion running through her.

He rained down on her skin, the soreness from the previous night making every strike more visceral. She groaned around the gag.

“So that’s a new rule. When I tell you how pretty you are, you’ll thank me. Maybe if you hear it from me enough, you’ll start to believe it, though I think you should know that while you’re gorgeous, it’s not the thing that attracts me to you the most.” Another long volley where all she could hear was the sound of his hand hitting her flesh and then the flash of heat that sank into her bones.

Fuck but she felt alive.

“No, what attracted me to you was the fact that you are the single kindest person I’ve ever met.” He smacked her on the underside of her ass, making her jump slightly, the sensation so close to her rapidly moistening pussy. “You try to hide it, but I see you. I see how you treat people, how you protect them and take care of them. I also see how you never ask for anything yourself.”

He made her sound like a martyr, but it wasn’t like she could defend herself. There was nothing to do but take Kai’s discipline and listen to his words. Over and over her skin lit up and she took in the pain before shaking it off and letting the sensation change deep inside her body. Metamorphosis. It was how she always felt when playing. Like she began as one person and changed somewhere in the middle into someone else—someone stronger, more at peace.

“I’m going to take care of that because I’m going to take care of you and you’re going to let me. You’re going to trust me to take care of you emotionally the way I’m taking care of you physically. I know that’s hard, but I promise I won’t let you down. After last night, after the connection we had, I can’t let us go back to what we were.”

She could see that now. How had she thought for a second that she could breeze back into the office and pretend nothing had happened between them? What happened the night before was more meaningful than simple play. They’d needed each other, filled something that had been missing deep inside.

The pain focused her, helped her to push aside those voices that always seemed so close to the surface. All her nasty doubts and self-loathing melted away when tested against Master Kai’s discipline. She knew so many people who would judge her a freak for needing this, but she’d learned long ago that smart people accepted who they were, what they needed.

She needed Kai and in more ways than one.

Her backside was on fire as he continued, his rough voice keeping a count. Ten and then fifteen. Twenty and more. Somehow he knew exactly what to give her to make her ache for more.

“Thirty.” His hand moved over her skin, holding the heat in as he stroked her flesh. “I don’t want to be finished with this, Kori.”

Neither did she. There was no reason to hold him off. They’d had years of friendship to build a trust like nothing she’d known. She wiggled her ass against his hand because she couldn’t talk and hadn’t been told she could move yet. Rubbing against him was the only way she had to communicate that she wanted him.

He hauled her up, turning her to face him. “You know what I want. I believe I told you the first rule I wanted to change.”

Kisses. He’d claimed he wanted kisses. He gently pulled the panties out of her mouth, tossing them to the side. He lowered his mouth to hers, lips pressing down. He didn’t allow her to control this kiss. His hands sank into her hair and tugged her head back, giving him full access to her mouth. His tongue plunged deep, rubbing along her own in a silky glide. He kissed her over and over again, sinking deeper. She didn’t give a crap that her pants were still around her ankles. All that mattered was the feel of his lips on hers, the way his hands gripped and dominated her. There was power in how he held her, how he moved her, and it made her submissive and willing.

“Please, Kai,” she whispered. She’d spent years without and it had been all right. She’d survived and not even thought about sex. Now she couldn’t stand the thought of him not being inside her. Not one second more. She needed him.

“Tell me you want me.”

“I want you.”

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

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Atone by Beth Yarnall – Recovered Innocence Series – Book 2

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ATONE
Recovered Innocence #2
Beth Yarnall
Releasing February 23rd, 2016
Loveswept

 

Beth Yarnall’s sexy and emotional
Recovered Innocence series continues as two broken souls discover that keeping
their hands off each other is even harder than facing their demons.
Beau: Six years. That’s how long I spent
behind bars for a crime I didn’t commit—the murder of the woman I loved. Now
I’m free, but life on the outside is a different kind of prison. I don’t know
who I am or who I want to be. At least I have my sister, Cora. She never
stopped believing in me. She even got me a job at the private investigation
agency that cleared my name. And then Vera Swain walks into Nash Security and
Investigations and kicks my world on its ass.
Vera: There’s only one thing that would
make me come out of hiding after two years on the run: finding my sister. I
made the mistake of telling a monster about her, the same monster who beat me
and broke me. Now I’m forced to confide in Beau Hollis of Nash Security and
Investigations. He looks at me like he knows me—the real me. He sees too much,
makes me feel too much. The pleasure he offers is exciting and
addictive. But I can’t fall for him . . . because my love could get us both
killed.
 
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& N |Google
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Excerpt

I don’t have much of value. I’ve left so many things behind that objects no longer have any meaning for me. I could walk out of this pay-by-the-week motel with nothing but the clothes on my back and I’d find a way to survive. It’s a skill that served me well as I got tossed from group home to foster home and back again, and then when I was finally spit out into the world with literally nothing. I left everything when I escaped . . . including my name. You don’t know what your limits are until they’re pushed past breaking. My boundaries have been stitched and restitched back together too many times. I no longer have a sense of what it’s like to be able to set my own parameters.

I’m working on that, but it’s slow going and meticulous. Mostly I stay isolated. Interactions with other people are kept to the bare minimum, unavoidable social necessities. I avoid eye contact and speak only when forced to. I don’t like what I see. You can tell a lot about a person by what lurks in the depths of their eyes. Every ugly thing they think and feel hides there. They smile, but it doesn’t pretty up the person they are inside. What’s that saying? Like putting lipstick on a pig. That’s what smiles are for me. People will smile at you while they hurt you. I no longer trust them.

Everybody has an agenda. I learned this from my mother, whose only plan was letting anyone who would pay her shove their dick in her so she could put a needle in her arm. I learned it from the foster families who accumulated children like part-time jobs, cashing in the checks they got for taking us in, then barely feeding us. And I learned it from the police who failed to protect, and the only serving they did was to their own self-interests.

I don’t know how long I can stay in San Diego. The need to keep moving rides me hard. I’m too close to where everything started and where it ended. Marie is the reason I’m here and the only reason I’ll stay for any length of time. I have to find her. Javier knows about her. I was too stupid not to mention her when I first met him. He’ll remember and he’ll use her to get to me, to get back at me. I can only fight him so far. I will never win against him. But I can try to outsmart him by staying ahead of him and finding Marie first.

Someone bangs on the door and I jump. No one knows I’m here. At least they shouldn’t know. I’ve been careful. But obviously not careful enough. I pull out my gun. It’s always on hand. I don’t have to check it to know it’s ready if I need it. At the door, I stand off-center and look through the peephole to see who’s there. My heart explodes in my chest and I sag in the corner between the door and the wall, breaking out into a sweat.

What the hell is he doing here?

He strikes the door again. “Vera!”

What does he want?

“I can see your shadow under the door,” he says. “Open up.”

I can’t make myself unhook the latch or answer back.

“I’ll keep your secret, but I at least need to know why I’m keeping it.”

I try to work up some spit so I can speak. How did he find me?

“The cameras in front of the agency picked up your Colorado license plate,” he says, answering my unasked question. “It wasn’t easy finding you.” His voice gets quiet, as if his face is pressed to the door. “I want to help you. Let me help you.”

I swipe the sweat off my upper lip. The gun is heavy and reassuring in my shaky hand.

“I didn’t tell Cora. I didn’t tell anyone. I promise. Please, open up.”

My feet barely support me as I come off the wall. I don’t know why I’m doing it, but I slide the lock back and open the door, staying behind it for whatever imaginary protection it can give me. Beau sidesteps through the door and into the room. He’s larger than I remember, crowding his big body into the small room. With the flat of his giant hand he closes the door. I hesitate for a moment before choosing the greater of two fears and slide the lock back into place.

His gaze goes to my gun. He shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and acknowledges it with a jerk of his head. Other than that, he doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t say anything. We stare at each other, sizing each other up. I hope I haven’t made a mistake letting him in. A thousand questions sit on my tongue, but I don’t ask them. He said he was here to help. I need help. I don’t want to need it. But there it is. I don’t want to trust him, yet somehow I do. I think I should be afraid, but there’s nothing about him that drives me to run.

“Why are you here?” I finally ask.

“Is she really your sister?”

“Yes.”

“You’re afraid for her.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not going to tell me why.”

“No.”

“Okay.”

He doesn’t ask the question I would ask: Who are you? Because there’s no doubt he knows I’m not who I say I am. He could’ve called the burner number I put down on the agency’s form. Instead, he tracked me down. Was it only to show that he could do it, or is there another reason? Maybe he’s trying to prove to me that I can trust him with this gesture. He could’ve handled it so many different ways, but he chose to maintain my need for anonymity.

“Do you mind if I sit down?” he asks.

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Beth Yarnall writes romantic
suspense, mysteries, and the occasional hilarious Tweet. She discovered romance
novels in middle school and hasn’t stopped writing since. For a number of
years, she made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and co-owned a
salon. Somehow hairstylists and salons always seem to find a way into her
stories. Yarnall lives with her husband, two sons, and their rescue dog in
Orange County, California, where she’s hard at work on her next novel.

 

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now on Sale for $0.99

Release Blitz + Excerpt: The Revenger by Debra Anastasia

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The Revenger

By Debra Anastasia

Release Date: February 22, 2016

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU /Amazon FR

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Synopsis:

The real hero of this story is dead. You should have met him. He was a beautiful man. The love of my life. I didn’t deserve him.

Now what’s left are the jagged edges of the person I am without him, and what I have to do to get by. This isn’t even a story about love. Not really. It’s a twisted tale of revenge and hate—a happily never after.

The only man in my life now is the one I have to kill.
I’m Savvy Raine.
I used to be a wife.
I used to be a mother.
Now I am the Revenger.

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Abstract vintage background

Excerpt

There was very little chatter after the alarming phone call. Savvy looked at the clock. It was only five, but the extra help Tallow had enlisted acted like she was about to disintegrate. When they were finally done, they hung Savvy’s costume from a door, fully expecting her to drop trou in front of all the strangers.
She looked at the silver outfit meant to demean her and classify her as his, just like all his other favorites.
“Yeah, I’m not actually going to be wearing that.” She looked from one shocked person to the other.
Tallow recovered first. “But this is what he told you to wear!”
Savvy laughed hollowly. “Yeah, he can suck his own d*ck for all I care.”
The atmosphere changed. The others now realized Savvy didn’t think it was a huge honor to be a f*ckhole.
“That’s not acceptable. I’ll put you in it myself if I have to, but you’re leaving here in that outfit.” Tallow bravely gathered up the skirt and came into Savvy’s personal space. He obviously thought she was just a regular girl.
In an instant she’d lifted Tallow into the air by his neck. “I’m not wearing it.” She stared him down until he began to turn blue. Then she set him back on his feet.
Tallow was a quick learner and smoothed his fancy shirt. “Okay then, let me see what else we have.”

Revenger Teaser Love falling Cover C

5Star

Michel’s Review

Looking for something different to read?  The Revenger by Debra Anastasia is the perfect choice.  It’s not the typical fictional story or a typical romance.  In fact I would say it is not a romance novel at all.  But it is a love story… a story about a mothers love.  A mother’s greatest gift is nurturing, teaching, sacrificing, and loving unconditionally.

Without giving away spoilers, I will say that Savvy Raine is an extraordinary character.  She is a hero, a villain,a teacher,a friend, and your worst enemy.  Her motivating factor is her love for her family.  She has lost her sense of self and is consumed by her need for vengeance.  As the story unfolds Savvy Raine gives more than most people only hope to give.

The Revenger is an unusual story that is emotional and entertaining.  I highly recommend this book.

___________________________________________

Smaller SHh Debra Anastasia TwitterThere are a lot of eyes in Debra Anastasia’s house in Maryland. First, her own creepy peepers are there, staring at her computer screen. She’s made two more sets of eyes with her body, and the kids they belong to are amazing. The poor husband is still looking at her after 17 years of marriage. At least he likes to laugh. Then the freaking dogs are looking at her—six eyeballs altogether, though the old dog is blind. And the cat watches her too, mostly while knocking stuff off the counter and doing that internal kitty laugh when Deb can’t catch the items fast enough.

In between taking care of everything those eyes involve, Debra creates pretend people in her head and paints them on the giant, beautiful canvas of your imagination. What an amazing job that is. The stories hit her hard while driving the minivan or shaving her legs, especially when there’s no paper and pen around. In all of the lies she writes hides her heart, so thank you for letting it play in your mind.

Debra is eternally grateful to Omnific Publishing, which has now published five of her books: two in the Seraphim Series and three in the Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series, as well as her novella, Late Night with Andres. That one is special because 100% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research. (So go get it right now, please!)

You can find her at DebraAnastasia.com and on Twitter @Debra_Anastasia. But be prepared…

 

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Out Of Focus by L. B. Simmons – Chosen Paths Series – Book 2

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Out of Focus

Chosen Paths Series – Book 2

By L. B. Simmons

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OOF FOR WEB - Copy*** Upper New Adult Spinoff Standalone to the USA Today Bestselling Novel, Under the Influence***

 

“Shhhh, Cassandra, it’s our little secret.”

Secrets are stubborn things when they refuse to remain hidden. They tear through your soul, clawing and lashing until the pain becomes so unbearable, you’re left no choice but to silently scream your agony. No one hears you, of course. You smile on the outside and drift through life as though your mind is at peace, but all the while, you remain your own tortured prisoner. Sealed inside the darkened, soundproof room of your conscience, deafening cries echo as you plead for someone to unlock the door and release you from your nightmares. And eventually, when no one comes, you find ways to cope. To dull the suffering the only way you know how.

But what happens when you’ve become so numb, when everything around you has become so blurred, that you begin to lose focus on the saving grace standing directly in front of you? When you’ve anesthetized yourself to the point of losing consciousness, forced to watch as his once solid image fades away, lost to your reach in the haze as it smothers you?

What do you do then?

You fight. You heal. Then you bring him back.

Well, my name is Cassie Cooper, and it’s time.

No more secrets.

This is my story.

 

***WARNING – The subject matter of this novel centers around the psychological effects due to sexual abuse experienced during childhood. For this reason, as well as sexual situations, language, and adult themes, suggested reading age is 17+.***

 

AMAZON US **** AMAZON UK

 

oofteaser1

Only twenty-three years old, and I’m so goddamn tired.

I used to be so much stronger. I somehow kept the voices at bay, the memories locked away safely, contained within the confines of my mind. But with each passing day, I feel the glow of my once-luminous strength fading. Darkness encases me now, bowing the walls of protection I put into place years ago. My past is an ever-present nightmare, repeatedly tapping, slowly fracturing the window of my sanity.

I have no doubt that it’s only a matter of time before the glass finally breaks. Blackness will eventually seep through its cracks and deliver me from the safety of my façade into a reality that will destroy me.

My reality.

I’ve done my part. I’ve kept the secrets thrust upon me with dedicated believability. My portrayal of who I am has become a blurred, hazy version of the once very distinct Cassie Cooper.

I read an ungodly amount of trashy romance novels.

I’m the overtly sexual and foul-mouthed friend who will say anything to get a laugh.

And I have exactly zero fucks to give to what anyone else thinks about my actions.

But the reality, the actuality, is this:

I read obsessively to escape my own world. To live the dreams of others when, for so long, the reoccurrence of my nightmares has been my reality. I read to fall in love and find a happily ever after, even if it is purely imagined. With each story I read, I’m able to live and love vicariously through the characters in my books. It’s the only plausible way for me to survive.

I threw away my virginity at the age of thirteen just to prove something. And when I found that proof, that vindication I was looking for, I sought it every chance I could. Sex is about control for me. Nothing more. The act will never be about making love, like it is for the heroines in my books. I will never be granted the beauty of that gift.

I use humor as a form of avoidance. I draw upon laughter to block the pain. And I smile to mask the agony of the eight-year-old soul who weeps within me.

And the fucks . . . well, that’s not entirely accurate either.

I have given two to be exact: One to my best friend of seventeen years. She knows nothing of my past, and although she so willingly disclosed the horrors of hers, mine remains hidden for no other reason than to avoid the pity she would undoubtedly cast my way if I were to ever tell her. I don’t want her pity. I would sooner die than have her look at me in any other way than with pride.

The other died with the person to whom it was given. Anthony “Rat” Marchione. He was my one allowance of naïveté. The one person I actually wanted to touch me, to hold me, to love me. He was going to rescue me from my brokenness as though I were a character in one of my books. Young and senseless, I thought he was to be my eventual happily ever after, but tragically, he was murdered five years ago.

Black coldness waits in vain to leech the void where his once beautiful existence filled the pieces of my irrevocably shattered heart. Where he temporarily healed the hurt of the innocent child and quieted the voices that tormented her.

He’s gone now. I’ve accepted that. And in turn, I have relinquished all dreams associated with finding the light at the end of this miserable tunnel.

I will keep trudging through this life . . . this sentence handed to me for someone else’s crime, my payment shackled by secrets and weighted with lies. I will continue to do so with the same fraudulent smile on my lips and play the part of the strong heroine so convincingly, that even I believe it.

It’s only a matter of time before my fictional strength wears out—when I’m no longer hidden safely inside my protective blur—and I have to face the very real and lucid image of my past.

But until that time comes, I’ll do all I can do.

All I have ever done.

I will pretend.

 

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5Star

Michel’s Review

I was quite surprised when L. B. Simmons announced the upcoming release of Out of Focus.  After reading Under The Influence, I was under the impression it was a stand alone novel.  Cassie Cooper was Spencer’s crazy BFF.  She was wild, loose, and free spirited.  The perfect supporting character in Spencer’s story.  I never thought twice about her.  But like most people, Cassie has a story.  Her story is dark and unexpected.

Cassie has always had a secret to hide.  A secret that has tormented her since she was a young girl.  A secret that has molded her into the woman she is today.  Most people look at Cassie as the life of the party.  An easy lay.  And she is all that but beneath the surface is a very frightened little girl that can’t face herself in the mirror.

When she joins Spencer in a Krav Maga self defense class, it ends up opening the door for her self awareness.  Grady Bennett, the sexy instructor, sees beyond Cassie’s facade.  He sees the little girl hiding behind the harlot.  His main goal is to make Cassie smile for herself not for others.  He wants her to see the dynamic woman she is beneath the facade.  He wants that little girl that got imprisoned in Cassie’s mind to be set free.

Cassie has a hard road ahead of her.  She wants to have a relationship with Grady but before she can do that she has to learn how to fall and let someone catch her.  She has to learn to love the image she sees in the mirror.  She has to let go of the past and run towards the future.  She needs to be whole.

Cassie’s story is heartbreaking.  She experienced horrific abuse as a child.  The kind of abuse that no one ever really walks away from.  With the support of Grady, she may be able to face her demons.  But first she has to be ready to open the door and let them out.

L. B. Simmons wrote an emotional story about a very damaged women.  It’s not pretty and it’s not an easy fix.  She allowed Cassie to reach rock bottom before she could climb back up.  Along the way she was lucky enough to find the kind of love that will always be there for her.

I highly recommend reading Out of Focus by L. B. Simmons

________________________________________________

L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and
holds a degree in Biomedical Science.
She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years. She lives with her husband and three
daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

Join her newsletter here

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Dawn of Forever by Jewel E. Ann – Jack and Jill Series- Book 3

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dawn of forever now available

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Jack & Jill’s dark & uniquely funny story concludes in

Dawn of Forever by Jewel E Ann!

Find out what happens!

******

Dawn of Forever

Jack and Jill Series – Book 3

By Jewel E. Ann

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / ITunes 

Synopsis

**This is the final book in this series. NOT A STANDALONE

’til death do us part.

Aric James Monaghan promised Jillian Knight Portland. With a heavy heart and a light bag, she travels to the West Coast for the man she loved. In a blink her worlds collide, holding her hostage to a past filled with lies, deceit, and revenge.

Four Caskets
Two Bodies
It all started with a boy and a girl—their tragic love story is shared through the eyes of the enemy.

Every word fades dreams and shatters memories as life slips away. Jillian needs a Knight, Jessica needs a miracle, and together they need a savior.

** This book contains explicit language and sexual content.

dawn of forever teaser 3

Excerpt

Tugging off her shirt, she smiled. Gone were the compression bras; she didn’t burn them, but they were hauled off with the trash shortly after the infamous refrigerator sex. Lace, satin, and underwire took their place.

“What you’re doing right now feels more intimate than anything you’ve ever done to me with your mouth.”

“We’ll see about that.” He wet his lips, eyeing her white lace bra. Approval glimmered in his eyes.

She removed the rest of her clothes, eager to be in his arms. He took a step back as she moved toward him.

“Stop.”

She froze. Her hands searched for a place to be: hanging idle at her sides, covering her breasts, shielding her neatly-shaven pussy?

“Repeat after me.”

“What?” Her voice squeaked with disbelief.

He grinned as his ego gobbled up her confidence. “I’m beautiful.”

Ryn squinted.

“Say it.”

She sighed. “I’m beautiful.”

“I’m taking back every bit of confidence that bastard took from me.”

It would never happen like that, but someone who hadn’t been in her shoes could never understand. However, she loved the naked man standing before her for saying it.

“I’m taking back every bit of confidence that bastard took from me.”

“I’m worthy of happiness.”

That one hit harder than it should have. She’d never given happiness much thought.

“Say it.”

“I’m … I’m worthy of happiness.”

“I’m going to marry Jackson Knight and love him in spite of his multiple fucked-up personalities.”

“Jackson—”

“Say it.” His voice carried a rare pain and vulnerability.

“I’m going to marry Jackson Knight…” she stepped closer and rested her hands on his chest “…and I’m going to love Every. Single. One. Of his fucked-up personalities.”

“I’ve had a shit day,” he whispered, brushing his thumb along her cheek. “Until now.”

She nodded slowly, then looked up at him. “I’ve had a shit life … until now.”

“Touch me,” he said.

“Where?”

“Everywhere. Make me feel human again.”

dawn of forever teaser 4

_________________________________

The Jack and Jill Series

4192VTNhelL._SX316_BO1,204,203,200_End of Day- Book 1

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life.

Four caskets. Two bodies.

Jessica and Jude Day witness their funeral and that of their parents a few yards away from mourning family and friends. Stripped of the only life they’ve ever known, the Days say goodbye to San Francisco forever.

Six months later, two thirty-year-old misfits with elite self-defense skills and penchants for alcohol, sex, and trouble arrive like an earthquake to Peaceful Woods, a retirement community in Omaha, Nebraska, that thrives on rules and gossip. Welcome home, Jackson and Jillian Knight.

Jackson celebrates his new beginning by embracing his job and wiping his cavalier past clean with a temporary oath of celibacy. But Jillian’s past is branded into her soul—the deaths, the insanity, Dr. Luke Jones, and the need to make her lovers bleed. Her chance for redemption comes in the form of a next door neighbor, one Senior Master Sergeant Monaghan. He’s sexy, dangerously alluring, and riddled with emotional issues from years of service. He’s also … So. Damn. Grumpy.

Their mission is simple: Let go, start over, don’t kill anyone, and pray that nobody wakes the dead.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

51bt--CUz6L._SX325_BO1,204,203,200_Middle of Knight – Book 2

Book 2 in the Jack & Jill Series – NOT a standalone.

The living seek forgiveness. The dead seek revenge.

A first love.
A last breath.
A haunting past.

Armed with a sinful past and an equally sinful body, Jackson Knight absolves his vow of celibacy to pursue Sergeant Monaghan’s unsuspecting—older—housekeeper.

Ryn Middleton, on the cusp of turning forty with a snarky daughter, a killer dog, and an abusive ex-husband, finds Jackson’s advances humorous and unbelievable. After intense negotiations including Vera Wang, Ed Sheeran, and sex four times a day, Ryn accepts Jackson’s marriage proposal on their first date.

What could possibly go wrong?

While struggling to lay claim to the woman of the dreams he never had, Jackson is forced to deal with a grief-stricken Jillian trying to hold on to her past without letting go of her future—the doctor who took her heart and the Sergeant who gave her a new one.

Beyond the hope for light, lies the middle of darkness, the illusion of truth, and a haunting past.

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

dawn of forever jewel e annDawn of Forever -Book 3

**This is the final book in this series. NOT A STANDALONE

’til death do us part.

Aric James Monaghan promised Jillian Knight Portland. With a heavy heart and a light bag, she travels to the West Coast for the man she loved. In a blink her worlds collide, holding her hostage to a past filled with lies, deceit, and revenge.

Four Caskets
Two Bodies
It all started with a boy and a girl—their tragic love story is shared through the eyes of the enemy.

Every word fades dreams and shatters memories as life slips away. Jillian needs a Knight, Jessica needs a miracle, and together they need a savior.

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / ITunes 

____________________________

Author Bio

www.annajon.esJewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor.

With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business.

After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing.

When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Intagram | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review + Giveaway: Hidden Heat by Carla Swafford

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HIDDEN HEAT
Brothers of Mayhem #1
Carla Swafford
Releasing on February 16, 2016

Loveswept

 

Sizzling
with passion and suspense, perfect for fans of Joanna Wylde and Julie Ann
Walker, the Brothers of Mayhem series revs up as a headstrong beauty faces off
against an outlaw motorcycle club—and falls for the bad boy she never saw
coming.

Cassidy
Ryder refuses to be intimidated by anyone, even the hell-raising, hard-drinking
Brothers of Mayhem. The daughter of their former president, she’s not above
smashing a few heads to keep her teenage brother safe. But when Cassidy’s big
mouth gets her in trouble, the only thing that saves her is some quick thinking
from the Brothers’ bartender. He’s commanding and strong, and as smooth as the
whiskey he pours: the ultimate temptation for a girl who swore she’d never be a
biker’s plaything. 
But
Thorn Savalas is no ordinary biker. He’s a cop, and he’s worked too hard
earning the Brothers’ trust to blow his cover over a female—even one who rocks
a pair of jeans like Cassidy. The only way to protect her is by claiming she’s
his old lady. Trouble is, Thorn can’t just pretend. He wants Cassidy, and every
scorching touch tells him she feels the same. But acting on their hottest
fantasies could leave them both exposed . . . even if nothing else has ever
felt so real.

 

 

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Excerpt

“Listen, sugar, I’ll tell you about your brother, but you need to keep your mouth shut.”

“What is it about you people? I can say whatever I like. This is a free country.”

He let his disappointment show on his face. “You’re smarter than you’re acting.”

“I’m smart enough to know—”

He slapped the wall, frustrated that he couldn’t make her understand. She straightened, face pale and eyes wide open. That got her attention.

“For Christ’s sake, listen to me before you get us both killed,” he said, grinding his back teeth in impatience. She finally closed her mouth. “Storm is running an errand for Stonewall. And no, I can’t tell you more than that. I’m taking a chance as it is. He should be back by midnight and then I’ll tell him to call you.” Finally, in control of his body, he walked around the desk and grabbed her arm, wanting to emphasize the danger she was in. He leaned down. “Go home,” he whispered.

Her eyes searched his. Probably trying to guess his game. All he wanted to do was keep her safe, but she refused to believe it. For now, they had one more problem: how was he going to explain to the club about their time alone in the office?

He had only one solution.

Moving a little closer, he added, “Before you head home, you need to look like we went at it hot and heavy back here.”

“What?” She took a step back, confusion on her face as she glanced around.

“There is only one reason for a Mayhem Brother to take a female in the back office, and that’s to fuck her. Unless you want me to do it for real, you need to look the part.”

“Huh?” She frowned. Why was she having such a difficult time imagining anyone wanting her in that way?

Whoa!

Had no one ever come on to her? Were the bastards around there blind? He sighed and then tightened his grip on her arm.

Guessing she would learn the hard way, he kissed her. Admittedly, he’d wanted to do that since the first time his gaze ate her up. All round curves in the right places, she looked like a sex doll come to life. He’d tried to stay away from her, but this opportunity was too good to pass up.

For a split second, she pushed against his chest and then her arms slid around his neck. He cupped her full breasts and pinched her nipples. She groaned in his mouth. Without wasting time, he pulled at her tee, twisting it slightly, and pressed her back against the wall. His hand ran across her stomach, flipping the snap open on her jeans with his thumb. She smelled so good, a mixture of healthy woman and a hint of flowers. Her mussed hair from earlier was no match for his fingers running through the soft strands again. She groaned and arched into him. Damn, she was deliciously responsive.

His willpower neared the breaking point and he let her go. He walked stiff legged to the door and peeked out. All clear. One deep intake of musty air, he braced for what he’d see. Rumpled and dazed, she appeared well fucked. He bit the inside of his mouth to stop from groaning in regret. What he’d give for it to be true.

“Come on.” He held out his hand. “Better leave now or I’ll finish what I started.”

She shook her head and hid her hands behind her back.

“Why are you helping me?”

“The hell I know,” he snapped. That was a lie. Anything he said would only lead to more questions he couldn’t answer.

Another shake of her head. She appeared stuck to the floor. Was she trying to clear her head or protest his option? Before she decided to cause more trouble, he clasped her arm. She winced, and he eased off a little.

Damn, last thing I need to do is leave bruises.

Tugging her out of the door, he headed toward the barroom. When she placed her hand over his and looked into his eyes, he loosened his grip a little more. Then she matched his stride.

Everyone stared. Two old men playing cards near the door chuckled and returned to their game.

Showtime. He hoped she’d play along.

“Next time, call me.” He lightly slapped her ass. “I’ll tell you when I can visit and help with your problem,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

She blinked and glanced around before nodding.

Slightly amused by the lost-little-girl look on her face, he lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her again. He sank into it wholeheartedly without any other motive but to enjoy her taste. Her lips parted without hesitation. Her tongue darted into his mouth, and he almost came in his jeans. Damn. Why hadn’t he shoved her out the door faster?

The room burst out in applause, wolf whistles, and several obscene suggestions.

Regaining control, he ended the kiss and propelled her toward the door. “See you later, sweet cheeks.” His hand smacked her ass one last time. It felt so good.

He watched her move like a zombie down the sidewalk to the parked cars. She looked back. He grinned at her angry, confused look. She jerked around and sashayed to her old beat-up sedan. That livened her up.

He liked that he stirred her up in every direction, from hormones to indignation. She needed something else to think about besides the whereabouts of a rebellious brother. That would likely get her into trouble.

As she stalked by, several Brothers hanging near the front porch checked her out and then glanced back to where he stood. One burly fellow gave a thumbs-up.

Curses filled the air. She struggled with opening the car door, and it opened with a loud metal squeak. The joints definitely needed oiling.

How did that piece of shit hold together? She needed a better ride, something safe.

Who was he to worry about that?

He turned back to the barroom and caught the expression on Stonewall’s face.

Well, hell. Thorn didn’t like that smile one bit. Meant nothing but trouble.

What in the hell had he gotten them into? How was he going to protect her and himself?

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Michel’s Review

Hidden Heat by Carla Swafford is not the typical biker romance.  Although the story revolves around the ruthless Brothers of Mayhem MC, it is more of an undercover agent story.  Would it be considered Romantic Suspense? Possibly. It’s one of those novels that stands in a class by itself.

Thorn Sevalas has infiltrated the Brothers of Mayhem MC.  He’s on a top secret case that could bring the entire Birmingham chapter down.  While trying to make a case and get out alive, a young woman comes in causing all kinds of trouble for him.

Cassidy Ryder is no stranger to the Brothers of Mayhem MC.  She knows how lawless and corrupt they are.  When she finds out that her younger brother has become involved with the club, she is determined to pull him out.  She will go to any lengths to save her brother.

Thorn is trying to protect Cassidy, keep his cover, and bring her brother out alive.  The members are ruthless.  The case is off kilter.  He is also trying to keep his own lawless family out of his business.

Hidden Heat was an engaging story.  It starts out with a bang but becomes a bit slow through the middle of story.  Once the reader gets to the last quarter of the book the action picks up and becomes very fast paced.  I found the Brothers of Mayhem MC a little off but as the story progressed I could easily imagine their violence and ruthlessness.

The chemistry between Cassidy and Thorn was sizzling hot and that is what kept me invested in this book.

It will be interesting to see were the Brothers of Mayhem go next.

I enjoyed reading Hidden Heat by Carla Swafford.

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Carla Swafford loves romance novels,
action/adventure movies, and men, and her books reflect that. She’s married to
her high school sweetheart and lives in Alabama.
 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Wherever It Leads by Adriana Locke

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Title: Wherever It Leads
Author: Adriana Locke
Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: February 15, 2016

 

Blurb

 

Smooth. Sexy. Irresistible.

Those qualities equal only one thing.Big. Freaking. Trouble. Brynne Calloway knows that anything that seems too good to be true usually is. Fenton Abbott and his cashmere voice, Adonis body, and a magnetism like no other clearly falls into that category. But what’s life without a little risk? It was supposed to be a rebound, an uncomplicated escape from reality. But nothing ever goes as planned. Fenton turns out to be so much more … in ways Brynne never sees coming.
 Coming Soon….
AMAZON 
iBOOKS
Excerpt

 

The plane begins its ascent, the engines roaring to life. Fenton whips out a file from his briefcase and gives it a once-over. Again, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do and it’s killing me.I pull my Kindle out of my bag and try to become invested in a second-chance romance about a rock star, but it’s nearly impossible sitting next to him. Each time I become engrossed in the words, he moves and my senses are assaulted by his proximity. The third time this happens, I search the ebook for ‘cock’ and start reading a sex scene. I need some form of undoing and if that has to be done via fictional character, so be it.

The heroine is taking the hero into her mouth when a low rumble radiates beside me. Startled, I look up and see Fenton smirking.

“What?” I push the power button on my e-reader and place it on my lap. I realize the jet has leveled off and it’s quiet in the cabin. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

“Just wondering what you’re reading.”

“Why?”

“Because,” he says, his eyes darkening, “your entire posture changed. Your lips parted, your breathing became labored. I’m intrigued.”

“I don’t think you’d be interested in this.”

“Trust me—if it gets that kind of reaction out of you, I’m definitely interested.”

Dragging in a lungful of air, I remember Presley’s pep talk and decide I have nothing to lose.

I switch on the tablet and find the page. “She drew his cock into her mouth, stroking his shaft as she licked a pool of semen from the tip.” I glance over my shoulder and his eyes are wide. I wink. “A growl escaped his throat as she stroked his velvety length, running her tongue—”

“Enough.” He snatches the Kindle from my grasp and places it on his briefcase. “Fucking hell, Brynne. Do you want fucked right here?”

 

 5StarTracey’s Review

“So have a little faith in the world, rudo. Have just a little faith that the current will take you wherever you’re supposed to go, that wherever it leads is where you’re supposed to be.”

Brynne Calloway is having a hard time believing that the Universe is not out to get her. The last year has been crazy, and not in a good way. So when her phone goes missing, she sees it as just one more thing, something else designed to make her lose her mind. But when Fenton Abbott (and some organic bananas) steps in to save the day, Brynne has no idea what she’s in for.

I’ll start by saying that I am a die-hard fan of Adriana Locke. Her books, always full of alpha men and the strong and sassy women that love them, never fail to win me over. I knew that WHEREVER IT LEADS would be great, because her reads always are, but I also knew to expect the ladies to own the spotlight here, which is a bit of a departure. Never one to let us down, Adriana has delivered a book that I just loved. Fenton is one heck of a hot, mysterious, and sexy man, but Brynne, along with best friend Presley, just steals the show. The two girls have an unbreakable bond, the sort of friendship that gets a girl through anything and makes the two stronger for having found each other. It’s so nice to see two female leads lifting each other up, no questions asked, yet being the voice of reason when the world gets a little crazy. And, I would argue, this relationship is just as important as the one between Brynne and Fenton, because, as events unfold, Brynne really needs her friend to be there for her, and Presley absolutely is.

Fenton, too, is different than any of Adriana’s other leading men. He’s got so much going on that is below the surface, and is sure that he’s not a forever kind of guy. He’s exactly what Brynne needs to take her mind off of the uncertainty that’s been her focus for the last year, and, in turn, to receive the emotion that he’s closed himself off from. His commitment to Brynne, and what’s important to her, is nothing short of swoon-worthy. Watching the relationship between the two of them evolve is sweet and uplifting.

“I just…I can’t wait to be your forever.”
“You already are.”

The story in WHEREVER IT LEADS grabbed be from the first page, and I did not stop reading until the end. I just couldn’t, because the story, both the developing relationship between Brynne and Fenton, and the sub-plot involving Brynne’s brother, was so compelling that I had to see what happened. When a book engages me this way, it’s an easy 5 stars for me, and I would definitely recommend this one. Add it to your TBR and enjoy.

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

 

Author Bio

 

USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.

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