Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Reclaim Me★ by Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers

reclaim-me-virtual-tour-3aRECLAIM ME
Series: Chasing Fire #3
Authors: Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers
Release Date: October 20th, 2015
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As the heart-pounding Chasing Fire trilogy concludes, a dangerous entanglement leaves Hudson and Allie wondering how much they’re willing to risk for the love they can’t live without…

There’s almost nothing Alessandra Sinclair wouldn’t do for Hudson Chase. He was her first love, and she’s determined that he’ll be her last. But when the terrible truth Hudson has been hiding comes to light, Allie finds herself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a man from her past who’s determined to use what he knows to ruin Hudson. Now, the only way to save the man she loves may be to lose him forever…

Hudson has always known that the secrets he keeps could be his downfall, but he never expected them to put Allie’s life in danger as well. It’s time for him to come clean–before everything he’s ever wanted is destroyed…

Includes previews of REMIND ME and RELEASE ME, the first two books of the Chasing Fire trilogy.

Praise for the Chasing Fire trilogy

“Exceptional…Seriously sexy and sinfully steamy. Can’t wait for more from this writing duo!”–New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me

“Walker and Rogers strike the perfect balance between blistering physical desire and heartfelt connections…”–RT Book Review  

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ExcerptHudson pored over the dossier, trying to find something, anything, that might explain what the hell was going on. Had the past few days been an act, waiting for the perfect out? Or had it been a final good-bye, fucking each other senseless just to purge it out of her system? Had Allie realized that no matter what his zip code, he still wasn’t good enough? He gripped the document in his hand to avoid punching his fist through the tinted glass. He hadn’t even had a fighting fucking chance to talk her out of it.

“Mr. Chase.” Max’s voice cut through the rhetoricals and Hudson’s laser-sharp eyes darted to the rearview mirror. “The plane is on standby and the crew is ready to depart as soon as we arrive. ETA, eight minutes.”

Hudson checked his watch. “Thank you.” He took a deep breath in an attempt to downshift his nervous energy into focused calm, but his need to find Allie overrode all logic. If she thought she was walking without hearing him out. . . . Well, news flash, she was wrong. So fucking wrong.

After going through the airport’s private security entrance, the Mercedes shot down the tarmac and around the fat turn that lead to the hanger housing the Chase Industries plane. The car came to an abrupt stop inside, its tires squeaking against the highly polished concrete floor. Hudson exploded out of the vehicle. He didn’t give a shit if he had to fly halfway around the world to do it; he was going after her. Winning Allie back was a necessity, and if this was the way she wanted to play it, he was all fucking in.

groom putting on cuff-links as he gets dressed in formal wear close up


 GUEST POST


“Top 5 Hudson Chase Pick Up Lines” from RECLAIM ME

  1. “There is no one else, Allie. Just us.”
  2. “I can’t go this long without you,”
  3. “Spread your legs. Show me how much you want me.”
  4. “You’re aching to feel me inside you, aren’t you?”
  5. “Bend yourself over the desk and lift your skirt.”

 


Review3.5 starsReclaim Me-DGR

He had no idea what tomorrow held. But for now, she was his.

A sexy, captivating and thrilling conclusion to a trilogy that captured me from the very start! If you haven’t met Hudson Chase, you haven’t lived. The man is intense, sinfully sexy, protective, with a touch of broody. While I’m not usually a reader of trilogies since my attention span seems to wane somewhere around book 2, I’ve been dying to get my hands on this book for one reason and one reason only: Hudson.
Reclaim Me teaser-DGRRelease Me ended on a cliffhanger that was guaranteed to leave readers desperately panting for the final book. After everything that Allie and Hudson have been through, will the secrets that Hudson kept from her and a man determined to ruin everything finally tear them apart? I already knew that Julian was going to be playing a huge role in everything that happens in Reclaim Me from the events of Release Me. And now he finds himself with an ace in the hole with the information he’s holding against Allie. He’s determined to get what he believes is rightfully his; Ingram media. This was one villain that I loved to hate. What a slimy, little asshole this one was. Everything considered, however, the suspense part of the story really took a backseat to Allie and Hudson’s relationship. I never thought I’d find myself saying this; but there was a touch too much sex in this story. So much so, that it almost felt like filler at parts. I could have done with less of that and more fleshing out of the actual plot. As it was, I found a lot of it to be almost overshadowed by the amount of sex that took place.

Not to say that I complained too much because said sex happens with Hudson and there’s never a dull movement with that man. He’s that good. Add in a touch of humor and I was putty in his very skilled hands.

How was that?”
“Amazing…Adventurous. Arousing…Awesome.”
He chuckled quietly. “Allie’s orgasm brought to you by the letter ‘A’?”

My only other minor quibble is the big secret from Hudson’s past that has been hovering over him and Allie like a dark shadow for the last two books. I suppose that I built it up in my head and that’s mainly to blame for my finding the big reveal to be anticlimactic , but it did explain quite a few things.

For those that enjoy a thrilling trilogy with intense alpha males that are as protective as they are kinky, this is surely not to be missed. While I enjoyed the previous two books more, the conclusion was still highly satisfying. I’m definitely a big fan of these two authors and look forward to whatever they have in store for the future.


About the Author Though thousands of miles apart, Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers are in constant contact, plotting story lines and chatting about their love of alpha males, lemon drop martinis and British supermodel, David Gandy. You can find them on twitter as @AnnMarie_Walker and @Amy_KRogers. 

Amy K. Rogers
Ann Marie Walker
 

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Exclusive Excerpt, Review & #Giveaway: ★Exposed★ by @ivystoneauthor

Exposed-spotlightExposed
Series: Unguarded #1
Genre: Erotic Romance / Romantic Suspense
Author: Ivy Stone
Release Day: October 12, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

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One explosive encounter brought them together.
One infatuation led to a love like no other.
One secret tore them apart.

As head of the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau in Manhattan, Chief Detective Mason Cole walks in the line of fire every day. Between dodging bullets and braiding his daughter’s hair, Mason is tormented with haunting memories that refuse to relinquish control over him, no matter how hard he tries. After a bust gone wrong, he’s thrown for a loop by a woman who will fill his life with more chaos than ever before.

Lindsey Jenkins is a self-made woman. Bold and independent, she lives unapologetically in a life of deception. That is until her facade is threatened by a force stronger than anything she’s ever felt before—love.

Leaving their hearts unguarded could lead to destruction. Even worse, it could expose them both to a war they never saw coming.

In a city coerced by corruption and treachery, what happens when your greatest passion becomes your biggest weakness?

Buy LinksAmazon / iBooks / B&N /Kobo 


I am beyond excited to be able to share this book with you all. If you follow my reviews then you know that I love to discover new authors to love and boy was I blown away by Exposed! I have a feeling that I found myself a new favorite author to stalk and this is coming from one picky bitch. Read below for an exclusive excerpt, my review, and don’t forget to scroll down to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of Exposed or one of 2 ebooks!(sml) Exposed Teaser 2


EXLUSIVE EXCERPT!


I swallow a sigh. Where did this man come from? “You, Mason Cole, are a good man.”

Pushing his chair backwards, he steps out from the table and comes over to my side. His hands come out and he lifts me from under my arms before I know it’s happening. I’m pulled up, my body flush against his. My hands wrap around his neck and my legs naturally grip around his hips so I can steady us. Mason’s hands slide down to my ass and he walks with me in his arms, while piercing me with a perplexed stare I’ve seen before. He’s trying to do what others have attempted and failed. He’s trying to work me out. What he doesn’t realize is he already has me trapped in a fantasy where I can do nothing but imagine a different life, a different me, one where the heat burning within never disintegrates to ash. How does he do this to me? I can’t control it and it agitates me to no end that I can’t do a thing about it. I hear a lock click into place and he closes the door behind us.

“You don’t give much up, do you?” Mason’s voice trails off and his eyes narrow at me as he lays me down, my back hitting the soft cushioning of a bed.

“What do you mean?” I feign ignorance as my heart begins to thump rapidly in my chest. He grinds his hips forward and my body temperature shoots through the roof. How much longer can I hold out before giving into one temptation there may be no coming back from?

Mason shakes his head. “You’re a mystery, Lindsey Jenkins.”

My tongue darts out and I lick my lips, my mouth now drier than a desert because it craves a thirst only Mason can satisfy. “The best kind always are, Detective.”

I watch him search my face as heat pours off him in waves of desire.

“You’re not making this easy for me, you know.” I sigh.

“Life’s not easy. Relationships sure as shit aren’t either. You’re not the kind of woman to let anything or anyone get in her way, so why are you letting the shit in your own head mess you up so much you’ll let it keep you from something that could bring you happiness?”

I look away, not able to look him in the eye anymore. I don’t want to lie to him. “Because of you.”

Mason gently cups my face, bringing it back so he can see me. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s because you’re a good man, because deep down on some level I do trust you. It’s because of those reasons I can’t let myself fall for you.”

“It’s too late for that, sweetheart. You’ve already fallen, just like I have. Now let me catch you.”

My heart soars.

I lie. “Okay.”

I’m going to hell.


Review4.5 starsExposed- DGR

Fate. I never believed in it. Fate was a bitch I wanted to bury. But one chance meeting, one touch, it left me questioning everything.

You know how sometimes you read a book by a new author and you just know that this is someone that you’re going to be hooked on for a long time? Exposed by Ivy Stone was that book for me. It was a page turner I never wanted to set down. The writing was complex, enthralling, with a touch of grit and incredibly sexy. The characters were well developed and multi-layered. What truly hooked me was the author’s voice and writing style. I simply couldn’t get enough of it. If this book is anything to go by, Miss Stone has quite the career ahead of her and she certainly got herself a huge fan in me.

It’s been a few months since I found a book that kept me up well into the night reading. A romance with a deliciously slow burn that crackles with electricity until it finally explodes with so much sexual chemistry it scorches. A heroine that’s kick-ass and a hero that will protect her at any cost. A sinfully sexy romance set around secrets, suspense, and enough twists to set you reeling. I loved the absolute hell out of this book!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but this day, this second, was the fundamental moment that would change everything. When paths would be crossed for reasons still unkown, when lives would become intertwined.

Lindsey Jenkins has been to hell and back. She’s lost everything and had to pick up the pieces not only for herself but her younger sister when she was just a kid herself. Now she’s older, stronger, and with enough secrets that may very well bury her.
Exposed teaser 2-DGRChief Detective Mason Cole has secrets and demons of his own. Working for the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau in Manhattan guarantees that he’s seen the evil that world has, but there’s one particular job that continues to haunt him.

I should have listened to my instincts. Instead, I walked the path to hell, into a nightmare bearing an unexpected gift, one that would guarantee a bittersweet demise.

One night changes the course of both their lives and brings them crashing together into a world of deadly secrets and undeniable chemistry.
Exposed teaser1-DGRI loved the complexity of both Mason and Lindsey. It’s refreshing to read about a heroine like Lindsey, and without giving anything away it’s a role reversal I enjoyed a hell of a lot. This is no sweet blushing virgin. This is one tough chick but not over the top tough. She has just that right amount of vulnerability to endear her to the reader while at the same time not losing the kick-ass intensity that she has. She’s fiercely protective of her sister and willing to sell her soul to the devil to keep her safe.

How far would you go to protect the ones you love? I’d bleed lies to set her free. I’d bleed truth to watch her fly

There’s another element to this story in the shape of her sister and Mason’s partner, Roamyn. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure if I’d like Ali at first. When you first meet her, she’s deep in the bowels of her addiction and barely functioning. But there’s also so much more to her than meets the eye. Roamyn was just the icing on the cake with his broody intensity.

It’s great how the author managed to introduce and hook you on the secondary characters without ever losing focus from the main couple and their romance. And let me just tell you, the story of Mason and Lindsey is a hell of a wild ride.
Exposed teaser 3-DGR

I want him, bad. I want him to slap those cuffs on, tell me what a bad girl I’ve been, and fuck me into oblivion. I hold back my grin. This is so not going to end well.

I loved the way that Mason pursued Lindsey and broke through all her carefully built barriers. This is not your typical manwhore hero and as much as I love me the manwhores, he was the perfect change of pace. He’s not just looking for a meaningless hookup. But at the same time, this is a man with secrets of his own. Demons that he still continues to fight.

You keep putting those walls up, sweetheart, I’m just going to keep knocking them down.”

There were a few things that left me with questions about both Mason and Lindsey. Things that I wished were fleshed out a little bit more. Things about Lindsey’s past and how she got into the life that she did that I wish we got more development on. I also found myself questioning a few decisions that Mason made as a cop that I had difficulty suspending my disbelief on.

However, it’s clear that there’s still much more to be told with both of them in the upcoming books so perhaps that will be something that’s addressed later on. And even while I can’t say that this book was perfect, I still found myself enjoying the story so much that I barely batted an eye lash at the minor issues.

One thing is for sure; I am completely and utterly hooked on this series and can’t wait for more. I’m already salivating for Roamyn’s story. If there’s one book you read this year, let it be this one. This is definitely an author that has some big things in her future. This is one debut you do not want to miss. Trust me on that.


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GiveawayDrop by my Facebook page HERE to enter this giveaway!Exposed- Giveaway

New Release & Spotlight: ★Always Dangerous★ by Dee J. Adams

Guest Post- AD

Today is the release day for Always Dangerous, book 6 in the Adrenaline Highs series by Dee J. Adams. If you follow my blog, then you already know how much I love anything Romantic Suspense so I’m beyond excited to have Dee J. Adams at DGR today to talk about all things Always Dangerous with a guest post and a little teaser of an excerpt!


About The BookAlways Dangerous
Series: Adrenaline Highs Book 6
Release Date: October 6, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

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Leo Frost has lost his house, his car and possibly his acting career. Releasing an independent film is his only hope of paying for his sister’s twenty-four/seven care, but he’s got to finish it first. The last thing he needs is a curveball from the one woman who could break his focus with a look, a smile and the most unexpected news of his life.

Kim Jacobs wants it all—a career in a big city, a husband and a family, but a tryst two months ago with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars leaves her pregnant. Knowing Leo doesn’t want kids or a wife, Kim decides to make her own happily-ever-after with the help of a recent inheritance. All that’s left is to tell the man and move on.

Kim’s short visit to L.A. turns deadly with a series of mysterious attempts on her life. Suddenly Leo not only has to save his career, he has to find out who’s trying to murder the lady who is stealing his heart. As an actor, danger was staged and nothing was at stake, but now the threats are all too real. If Leo wants a future and a family with Kim, he has to prove he can do more than play a hero onscreen, he has to be one in real life.

Buy LinksAmazon / iBooks / B&N / Kobo / ARe


GUEST POST


The Series. The Whole Series and Nothing But the Series.

First of all… A big thank you to Lana for having me at Dirty Girl Romance, especially on release day for Always Dangerous! Now… onto the topic!

What matters to you? Is it money? Looks? Personality? A sense of humor? What turns you on? What attracts you to the opposite sex?

I love that the characters in the Adrenaline Highs series all found different reasons to fall in love with each other.  From Trace and Mac in Dangerous Race to Kim and Leo in Always Dangerous, the qualities that bring them together are the same ones that threaten to tear them apart.

Money doesn’t make the world go round for Ellie and Quinn in Danger Zone and Ashley and Mel learn what’s most important to them in Dangerously Close. There are more couples and more stories, but I think you get the idea that these characters deal with the same problems we all do… the only difference is someone is usually trying to kill one of them for one reason or another! 

Always Dangerous takes two of the most world-weary characters and gives them something to fight for. Leo and Kim are both lonely and have very different ideas about what they want in life. Too bad their attraction is more than they can fight. Or…maybe not! It’s those things worth fighting for that make our lives richer and these two discover that the hard way. 


Excerpt

Leo had been up most of the night working on the numbers for his movie, so she felt confident that she wouldn’t wake him when she left for her hike. She needed some serious space from the guy. He jumbled every one of her senses. He was a man who didn’t want commitment and she was a woman who did. Her head knew he wasn’t the guy for her, but her heart didn’t care. And her duplicitous body…forget about it. Her heart pounded like a damn drum whenever he was around, her eyes always searched him out and her hands ached to touch. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

She’d just finished writing him a note when he showed up in the kitchen, looking bleary-eyed, rumpled and gorgeous as hell in shorts…and only shorts. His washboard abs made her mouth water for a taste. For all the hours she’d spent last night hardening her heart to this man, all it took was one look for the traitorous organ to pound out of control.

His sleepy eyes narrowed as he took in her outfit. “What the hell are you planning now?”

She ignored his tone and the way it made her girl parts tingle. “I’m going on a little hike. If you don’t see me back here tonight, then call the fire department again. I may need rescuing.”

He shook his head slowly as his tired eyes opened wider. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Uh oh. Too late.” She zipped past him, but he caught her arm and twirled her about face.

Leo exhaled a measured breath. “Nothing I say is going to stop you, is it?” She shrugged a shoulder and opened her mouth to tell him she was a grown woman, perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but he cut her off. “Fine. Give me time to get dressed and pack us some provisions.” He gestured to the tiny pack she had over her shoulders. “That doesn’t hold nearly enough water for the amount of energy we’ll be expending.” He leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers. “Give me ten minutes or else.”

Kim smothered a grin. He was kind of funny when he ordered her around. “Or else what?” She kept a straight face. Sometimes she liked goading him just to see what he would do.

“Or else when I see you next, I’m going to put you over my knee and spank that sweet ass of yours.”

A blast of heat exploded in her stomach and moved directly south. Though the picture he created sounded erotic as hell, Kim was totally not into that. “Don’t count on it,” she breathed. “That is not on my to-do list. Ever.”

“Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.” He pulled away. “Ten minutes starting now. You better be here.”


CONNECT WITH DEE J. ADAMS

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Exclusive Excerpt & Character Interview with Rick “Riff” Rotten SOFTER THAN STEEL

Spotlight- STS Softer Than Steel
Series: Love & Steel #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jessica Topper
Release Date: September 15, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

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From the author of Deeper than Dreams and the Much “I Do” About Nothing novels, a story that proves that you have to find yourself before you can find love…

As rock star “Riff Rotten”, Rick Rottenberg has enjoyed all the perks that fame can offer, especially now that he’s reunited with his former band mate, Adrian “Digger” Graves. But despite his success, Rick is a mess. Still reeling from the death of his wife years ago and terrified his demons will end his career, he agrees to seek help for his anxiety.

Burned by a musician in the past, Sidra Sullivan has closed her heart to love. So when Rick walks into her yoga studio, she wants nothing to do with him–until the bad boy shows an unexpected soft side.

As Sidra and Rick work through their painful pasts, they realize just how strongly opposites can attract. But when a crisis threatens the delicate balance they’ve forged, they’ll discover if their love is strong enough to weather another storm or just too broken to survive…

Buy-Links10Amazon / iBooks / B&N


I have been obsessed with all things Jessica Topper ever since she made me fall in love with a drunken reclusive rocker, Adrian “Digger” Graves in Louder Than Love. Then she made me fall even harder for him and Kat in their follow up novella, Deeper Than Dreams. All the while teasing me incessantly with the promise of  “Riff Rotten”, Adrian’s band mate and the man that’s still healing the wounds of his past. To say that I’ve been salivating to finally get my hands on his story would be an understatement. So I am beyond excited to be able to get the man himself on DGR today to answer all my questions. Plus don’t miss an exclusive excerpt and Jessica’s dream cast for Softer Than Steel after the interview. And now, without further ado, please welcome, Rick “Riff Rotten” Rottenberg….

 


ROCK STAR ALERT: Front man Rick “Riff” Rotten from the legendary British metal band Corroded Corpse, drops in on Dirty Girl Romance today! Riff’s been living under the radar in Hawaii since the death of his wife, raising his kids and staying out of the limelight. But the band is now back, in action and in high demand! This sexy singer has some secrets lurking under that dark and brooding brow of his. Not sure how much we can dig out of him, but let’s give it a shot. Here we go!

 

DGR: So…care to state your name and occupation?

Riff: The name’s Riff…and I’m here to soil your reputation rotten, my dear Lana.

DGR: (Fans self) Oh my, that accent! Is that all you do?

Riff: I guess I’m – to quote The Moody Blues – “just a singer in a rock and roll band.”

DGR: And lead guitarist, too – right?

Riff: Rhythm. (Leans back in chair, crosses arms) Digger plays lead.

DGR: You guys were huge back in the day, all over MTV and the radio. Then you just disappeared. Did you ever think you would be here, doing it all over again, in the 21st Century?

Riff: No way. We were such pompous and cocky young bastards. Self-destructive doesn’t even begin to describe it! I think my last words to Digger were “See you in hell.” I figured one of us would be dead, and the other would follow soon after. I never thought we’d be in the same room again, let alone share a stage! But it’s been great. We’re at the top of our game now.

DGR: I’ll say! All of Asia, then Germany, France, Spain…and now you’re plowing through the States…this reunion tour has been massive. Which country has the best fans?

Riff: Japan. Such polite people. Plus they pick up after themselves. Nothing worse than finishing a festival gig and watching people leave it littered like a bloody landfill.

DGR: So would you say you’re an environmentalist, Riff?

Riff: (shakes his long curls out) Not exactly. But I’ve got three boys to think of. Would like to leave the world a better place for them, you know?

DGR: Wow. Three sons. How do they like having a rock star for a father?

Riff: They’re like any other kids, really. Probably embarrassed by their old man, except when they need a loan or the keys to the car. (laughs)

DGR: I guess all kids are the same, huh? So, let me ask you some Coke or Pepsi-type questions. What’s your poison?

Riff: (laughs) Well, if we’re on tour, it’s more like Wine or Whiskey. If Digger’s fiancé is accompanying him, we stock the bus and green room with wine. Kat likes her Pinot! Juice boxes for Abbey, of course. As long as there’s a proper ale for Sam, and some craft beer for Jim, they’re happy as clams.

DGR: And for you?

Riff: Whiskey, now and then. I like the slow burn.

DGR: Fame or fortune?

Riff: Bloody hell. Both? Neither? Pass!

DGR: Tux or T-shirt?

Riff: (laughs and gestures down to his tight black tee, jeans and motorcycle boots) Pretty much my uniform. Although what did Kat call me when she saw me in a tux? Oh, yes – the James Bond of heavy metal.

DGR: You’ve mentioned Adrian – um, Digger’s – fiancée quite a bit. I take it you two get along?

Riff: She tolerates me. (chuckles) But seriously, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you right now. There would be no album about to be recorded. She was instrumental in bringing us all back together.

DGR: Cheers to Kat! So you’re about to hit the studio in New York City and record your first new album in years. Exciting! What do you like to do in your off-time, in the city? Do you like to people-watch?

Riff: I like to find the prettiest girl in the room, and imagine taking her to bed. (Arches an eyebrow, stares pointedly) Usually, I’m not left imagining for very long.

DGR: Whoa. (blushes) That’s one way to pass the time. So I take it you’re single?

Riff: (somber) I’m a free agent, yes.

DGR: Watch out, ladies! Last one: Brains or beauty?

Riff: Actually, there’s nothing more beautiful than a woman who knows her own mind. (Smiles wistfully and stands) Thanks for humoring me today, luv. See you down at the show, then, right? Cheers.

DGR: Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Riff. Thanks for stopping by today!


DREAM CAST

Dream Cast- STS

Exclusive Softer Than Steel excerpt

Seventeen thousand fans can’t be wrong.                                                                            

Rick Rottenberg clipped his mic into its stand, lifted his face to the spots and hazers shining high above the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy stage, and threw his head back, exalted. Sweat-soaked ringlets grazed the middle of his slick bare back. It had taken four years to grow his hair back out to acceptable headbanging, rock-and-roll length. Running a hand through the dark, unruly mass of curls, he smiled. Sometimes he forgot it was there, even dreamed his head was still shaved clean. He had kept it shorn like a Buddhist monk for so long, first in solidarity for Simone, then for years after for no reason he could ascertain.

Simone’s gone.

Gone.

Even in a sea of thousands, you’re alone.

Grimacing, he hoisted his guitar by its neck, high overhead.

The crowd’s response was visceral. A rolling current of fists raised, eyes squeezed shut, and a collective hoarse roar emanated from their throats. Rick ripped out his in-ear monitors by their cords, letting the sound hit his eardrums full-force. Like bracing himself for a hard wave, he took a wide stance in his black leather boots and steeled himself.

I was born to do this.

It was less a thought and more like a full-on sensory experience, as his eyes adjusted to the raised house lights and his ears welcomed the cacophony of applause. Dry ice from the fog machines burned his nose, and the ten-gauge steel of the guitar strings cut into his palm as he used his instrument like a conductor’s baton to whip the French crowd into a frenzied cyclone.

And he tasted victory.

It had taken four years. But Riff Rotten was back.

Because seventeen thousand screaming, rabid, shining, elated metal fans can’t be wrong.

Right?

 

Review, Author Interview & #Giveaway: ★Sustained★ by @EmmaChse

Spotlight Sustained

If you follow me on social media, then you may have already seen me gushing and raving about Jake and this absolutely FABULOUS book. Whenever I need sexy romance and laugh out loud scenes, Emma Chase is my go-to and she hasn’t let me down yet. But this book? Oh I think I may have my favorite one by her yet with Sustained. Drew from Tangled may be my number one still, but Jake Becker is now standing right there alongside with him. If this book isn’t on your TBRs, it NEEDS to be. Trust me on this. You’ll thank me for it after 😉

I’m super excited to have the awesome Emma Chase on the blog today answering all my (intrusive) but still totally fun questions. And don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of the post to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of Sustained (US/CAN residents)


About The Book SUSTAINED
Series: Legal Briefs #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: August 25, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

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Emma Chase, New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled series, returns with the second installment of the Legal Briefs series!

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.

Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will get you off. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.

Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy & Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and am knee deep in a damn compost pit.

Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, and defend her…and the kids.

And that—that, I know how to do.

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Emma Chase interview

DGR: Can we start out with having you introduce yourself?
 
EC:  Hi, I’m Emma Chase, author of the Tangled Series and the Legal Briefs Series. I live in New Jersey with my highly entertaining husband, two brilliant kids and two badly behaving dogs, whom I love to the moon and back (all of them – not just the dogs). 
DGR: You have written some of my favorite male POV books, hands down. How are you able to channel the male perspective as well as you do?
EC: Thank you! Growing up with a rowdy, raunchy group of boys as my best friends probably had a lot to do with it. Their voices, all their opinions and advice are definitely running around in my head. But there’s also a freedom for me, in writing from the male POV. And I think that’s because my guy characters have such confidence – so much swagger – that they believe pretty much no matter what they say or do, readers are going to love them anyway. So in their voices, there’s no self-doubt, very little indecision. That makes for some very fun writing.
DGR: Let’s talk Sustained. I don’t know if you remember, but I met you at a Vegas signing (I was the chatty redhead LOL). And when you talked about Sustained with the passion that you had for it, I swear right then and there that was going to be my next read. Clearly this book holds a special place in your heart, can you tell us about it?
EC:  Yes – I actually do remember you! Sustained is definitely very special to me – for a few reasons. There’s something so heartwarming about Jake and Chelsea, an amazing mix of strength and vulnerability – it’s beautiful to see their journey, to watch them find their place with each other. And the kids are just so fun and entertaining – I knew even before I wrote it that much of the humor would come from the kids (my own children are two of the funniest people I know). 
I think another reason Sustained is so dear to me, if I’m being honest, is, for a long time I never thought I’d be able to write something as special as Tangled. I’ve loved all my stories, but there was something different and so entertaining about that first book. And I was okay with it possibly being the best thing I’d ever write. But then Sustained came along and though they are different stories – it has that same special quality to it – that same feeling of a book that will make readers really happy and characters that will stay with them in the best kind of way long after they finish.
It’s rewarding to read reviews that feel this is my best work – to know that I’m improving in my craft and able to give readers fun, sexy stories that are just as good as the book that made them start reading my work in the first place.  
DGR:  What was your favorite part about writing Sustained? And don’t say everything, because that’s all I loved about it and couldn’t pick. I’ll put you on the spot though LOL
EC: Haha! You took my answer! I really did love every scene, lol! But beyond that, I loved the experience of writing these characters, of watching them grow, change, find themselves and their place with each other. They deserved each other, they deserved that happiness, so much! And because I adored them, writing Sustained was a beautiful journey to take.  
DGR:  If you had to describe Jake Becker in 5 words or less, what would they be?
EC: Honorable, gorgeous, protective, shrewd, loving 
DGR:  I think one of my favorite parts about this book were the kids and then Jake’s relationship with them. I think I actually cried myself laughing at the One Direction concert scene. Did you have any inspiration for the kids when you were writing them?
 
EC: Yes! So much of my own children’s energy and humor went into the McQuaid’s personalities. And so many hilarious memories (things I can laugh about now, that I didn’t laugh about then) of moments with my kids growing up inspired Jake’s interactions with the kids. The way he talks to them, treats them with respect and honesty but also gentleness was such a joy to write.
DGR: Do you have a favorite scene in Sustained? 
EC: My favorite scene is when Jake and Chelsea are in bed, having a deep, revealing talk. There’s something so moving about that scene for me – and it’s a pivotal moment for Jake and Chelsea. I also love the scene when Jake and the kids are waiting for Chelsea to get home and kind of ambush her when she does.
DGR: Any little teasers you can give us to whet the reader’s appetite for Jake?
EC: Does this work?
Chelsea is drawing. Me. 
“Am I gonna have to pay you a dime, Jack?” My voice is gravelly with sleep and sex.
She smiles. And it’s beautiful. “This one is on the house, Rose.” 
Yeah. Time to remind her I’m definitely not a Rose. I throw back the covers, sit up, swing around to sit on the edge of the bed, feet on the floor. I lower my hand, wrap it around my dick, and bring him back to life with just a few rough strokes. And Chelsea’s drawing suddenly stops short. 
“I’ve never done an X-rated sketch. Are you auditioning to be my first?” she asks lightly. 
“I wasn’t sure what the focus of the piece would be. I wanted to make sure it’s to scale.” 
“That’s so helpful of you.” 
“How about you? You in a helpful mood?”
DGR: Jake’s friend Brent is up next. Any hints about what we can expect for his book? 
EC: What’s great about this series is each of the guys have very distinct personalities. Stanton is the southern charmer, Jake is the more serious protector, and Brent is definitely the carefree playboy. There’s a lot of quick banter, sexy sexual-tension, and clever arguing in Brent’s story – he and Kennedy argue really well. Theirs is a story about first crushes and second chance love that’s light and pure fun! 
DGR:  Anything you’d like to add to leave the readers with?
EC: Just that I’m super excited for everyone to read Jake and Chelsea’s story. It’s very special to me and I hope it will be just as special to all of you!

Review

5 stars
Sustained- Dirty Girl Romance

 

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

No one, and I mean no one gives male POV quite like Emma Chase. The woman is the queen of male POVs and nothing beats her. While Drew from Tangled is still my number one, Jake is now right there alongside with him. I want to tell you that I liked this book, but that’d be an outright lie. Because I didn’t just like it. I fucking loved it. Hard.
Sustained teaser-DirtyGirlRomanceI had the immense pleasure to meet Emma at an author signing earlier last month, and hearing her talk about this book alone let me know that I’m in for a heck of a treat. Why? Because when an author is clearly so passionate about a character and book that her entire face lights up when she talks about it, you just know that it will be transferred to the writing. And you know what? It’s so true. The writing and the characters practically leap off the pages at you. The romance, the MCs, the secondary characters, the story, the kids, EVERYTHING about this book just did it for me. It was absolutely fabulous.

You don’t have to be an asshole.”
I shrug. “I don’t HAVE to be…it’s just easier that way.”

Yep. That’d be Jake and he’s one of those. You know the type I’m talking about. The womanizing, successful types that thinks that relationships are for suckers. But then again you also know what they say about “the bigger they are.” And when Jake falls, he definitely falls hard.
Jake was a character that I fell for hard in just the first chapter. The man is a successful defense attorney but there’s just something so sardonic about him that he endears you to him straightaway.

Criminal defense really isn’t so different from proctology. In both fields, it’s one asshole after another.

He’s the asshole at work and outside of it and he’s just fine with that. But then a chance meeting with a woman tilts his entire world on it’s axis, especially when the woman’s six orphaned nieces and nephews steal his heart right along with her. I have to say that Jake’s “manny” relationship with those kids absolutely melted my heart. It was easily one of my favorite parts of this book. His banter with them never failed to put a goofy smile on my face. I honestly couldn’t get enough of it.

Riley, boys your age….are really not worth your time. They’re selfish and stupid. It’s not their fault; they’re just programmed that way- but they’re still a lost cause. I think you should stay away from all of them until you’re at least…twenty-five. Or…have you considered being a lesbian?”

The romance, while almost secondary to the story, was perfectly balanced with it though. I’m not sure if that makes sense but it does in my head. What I mean is, it wasn’t ALL romance, but there was just the right amount of it to bring this book from good to absolutely fantastic. There’s nothing better for me than to watch the “asshole” fall and fall heard for a woman when he least expects it, and watching Jake fall for Chelsea was perfection.

Now I’m going to make you come. And it’s going to be ever bit as fucking good for me as it is for you. Probably better.”

Don’t get me wrong, both Chelsea and Jake are far from perfect and I wanted to shake them for their stupidity more than a few times. But at the same time it just worked. I adored these two together. It wasn’t instant and I loved the burn of their sexual chemistry until they finally ignited together.
Sustained-DGRSustained was just one of those laugh-out-loud, feel good romances that I never wanted to end. It was funny, and sweet, and oh so sexy. It reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Emma Chase’s writing and heroes to begin with. In a word, it was perfect. It was everything I’ve come to expect from this incredibly talented writer and yet so much more. I loved the absolute hell out of it. I can’t recommend this book enough. You will fall in love with Jake, you will absolutely fall head over heels for the kids, and you’ll adore Jake and Chelsea together. It’s simply impossible not to. Now I’m anxiously awaiting Brent’s book in Appealed.
Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of Sustained HERE

Flashback Friday with @mstessabailey

FBF-Dirty TalkersConfession time: I. Love. Dirty. Talkers. True story. The filthier their mouths, the more I lust after them. And when it comes to dirty talkers, let’s just be honest here; no one writes them quite like Tessa Bailey. There’s a reason I say that Tessa Bailey books make my ovaries happy and her dirty talkers are the biggest reason for it. The woman is the queen of dirty talk. I’m not even kidding. I tried to think back to the book hat truly started this obsession for me, and the only name that kept popping up in my mind was Derek Tyler. Hot cop and dirty talker extraordinaire. Now I’ve read plenty of erotic romance before this book, so I’ve read my fair share of dirty talkers before it as well. But then there was just something about Tessa’s dirty talking alphas that just flipped a switch for me. So no matter how many other alphas I read before this, I can say without a doubt, that Derek Tyler is the one that truly began my confession with dirty talkers. I read this pretteh the day it was released in February of 2013 and still remember everything about it like I read it yesterday.

Let me be clear, Ginger, since you insist on talking in circles. I want you underneath me in my bed. I want to be buried inside you so deep that I have to remind you of your own name. And I want those motherfuckers leering at you from the other side of the bar to smell me on you for a week afterward.”

Got your attention now? Good! So let’s talk about this book a little, shall we?

The longer it takes me to get between your thighs, the rougher I’m going to be when I finally get there. Understand?” 

Yes, Derek, we got it. Quit interrupting me, I’m trying to gather my thoughts here! Gawd. Where was I?

That was for the hard-on I’ll be walking around with tonight. And you’ll goddamn wear the imprint of my hand on your ass for it.”

Dammit! Now I lost my train of thought again….

If you’ve read this book, then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about here. And if you haven’t, I’m pretty sure it’s getting a little dark under that rock you’ve been living under and you need to crawl out and finally see the light.

This book had everything! A sassy heroine, a super sexy, dirty talking hot cop, great banter, hot sex, and an awesome story to boot. It was what first began my obsession with this author and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve read her entire back list for fuck’s sake and I’ll never get enough of her alphas.

What color are your panties?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“Why?”
“Baby, if I’m going to take you into a room full of men wearing that dress, I’m damn well going to be the only one who knows the color of your panties.” 

and because I can keep these coming ALL DAY LONG, here’s another Derek quote

Listen to me, baby. From the time we walk in the door to my apartment, you will have less than a minute before I put my cock inside you. No foreplay. No kissing. There won’t be any time, because you’ve got me strung so damn tight I can barely think straight. I need you to keep yourself wet for me on the ride home. Starting now.”

I swear I’m done now. I’d love to hear about your favorite dirty talkers in the comments! 😉


About The Book PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS
Series: Line of Duty #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 25, 2013add-to-goodreads-button3

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She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad.

The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come…

Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin’ cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who’s on the lam. But one thing is certain—Derek’s onto her, and he wants more than just a taste.

And as far as he’s concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law

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Review, Character Interview & #Giveaway: ★HOT & BOTHERED★ by @LynnRayeHarris

Spotlight HOT& BOTHERED

If you follow my reviews at all then you already know my obsession with all things HOT. I’m a huge fan of Romantic Suspense and Lynn Raye Harris’s Hostile Operations Team series has quickly become my go-to books when I’m in the mood for some sizzling and action packed romantic suspense. Her heroes are to die for and her heroines are no females to be reckoned with; they can kick some serious ass. Having read the entire series to-date, I can honestly tell you that these books only continue to get better and better.

Today I have the uber sexy Ryan “Flash” Gordon from Lynn’s most recent release, HOT AND BOTHERED. Hot and Bothered is the 8th book in the series and features Ryan and Emily, who we briefly met as Victoria Royal’s sister in HOT REBEL. While Hot and Bothered may be read as a standalone, you’ll enjoy the books a lot more reading the series in order. Or if you’re thinking of starting with Hot and Bothered, I recommend that you at least read Hot Rebel first to better get the background of these characters.

Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post to enter the awesome giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback of any book from the Hostile Operations Team series.


About The Book

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He can never have her. Having her means the end of his career in the Hostile Operations Team. But when he learns she’s carrying his child, he’ll have to make a choice…

Ryan “Flash” Gordon has been drawn to Emily Royal bin Yusuf since the first moment he met her. But she’s a terrorist’s widow, which means she’s completely off-limits. A HOT special operator can never be with a woman whose name is on government watch lists the world over.

But when Emily begs him for just one night, he can’t refuse. The next morning, she’s gone. Not just from his bed, but from his life.

Emily can never clear her name—or can she? When a rogue CIA operative offers her a chance to put her past behind her and do something for her country, she leaps at the opportunity—even though it means leaving behind the man she’s fallen in love with. But not before she lets herself have one night with him.

One night with stunning consequences…

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He speared his free hand into her hair, tilted her head back. “Emily. Jesus, what you do to me…”
“What, Ry?” she whispered, her throat tight and raw. “What do I do to you?”
“This,” he growled- and then he kissed her.

Lynn’s Hostile Operations Team is one of those series that just addictingly good. It doesn’t matter how many books she’ll write for it because I know I’ll read every single one. Every. Single. One. They’re that good. It’s the perfect combination of sizzling romance with heartpounding suspense. It’s action packed and sexy. It’s everything I love about romantic suspense and I can’t recommend this series enough!

Each book in this series may be read as a standalone as each one features a different couple with a fully finished suspense plot and a HEA. With this book, however, I highly recommend you read Hot Rebel first. Hot Rebel serves as the perfect set up for Emily’s book and will give the reader some bonus backstory that will make Hot And Bothered a much more enjoyable read. (Also it was an amazing book). Hot Rebel features Emily’s sister, Victoria Royal, but it also introduces Emily. I think it will make you understand her better as a character, as well as her connection with Ryan. I felt like the story here almost began in the process of their relationship, and readers that haven’t read Hot Rebel may feel a slight disconnect. That being said, on to the review.

How did she do this to him? How did she twist him up inside so thoroughly and make him uncertain which way was up?

Ryan “Flash” Gordon has always been the easy-going jokester in his HOT team. But when Emily Royal came along, it threw everything he thought he knew for a loop.

Emily’s connection to a known terrorist, albeit a now dead one, has forever tarnished her life. Being the wife of said terrorist, it doesn’t matter if she was the one to help bring him down, she’s on the government watch list and even though she yearns for Ryan with her whole being, she knows that they can never be together. After all, he’s a soldier, and she’s the widow of a terrorist that’s on the government’s no fly list. She’s be the death of his military career. But when the mysterious Ian Black offers her an out that will clear her record, even while putting her in danger, she doesn’t even have to think twice. She leaves everything and everyone she knows behind to fly back to the one place she hoped never to see again. But not before spending one unforgettable night with the man that means everything to her…

If she could get closer to him, she would. if she could be a part of him, she would. But this had to be enough, this beautiful melding of two sweat-slick bodies.

Hot and Bothered offered a little something that it’s predecessors have not, additional POVs. And while usually I’d feel it would take away from the main story, here it only heightened it. That could be in large due to the additional POVs being those of Ian Black and Commander Mendez, the two men that I’m absolutely dying for a story for. There’s definitely the set up for a hell of a book for both of them, and I can’t wait to get my grabby little hands on those.

I was a little afraid that Emily would be a little too weak for my tastes, especially given her history. I was very happy to see that she truly grew into her own in this book. She came off as a little different, weaker, in the beginning, which threw me off a bit, but that certainly changed further in the book. Ryan was always walking on egg shells when it came to her, but I was happy to see that he got his growly and possessive side here.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it just didn’t have that added oompf that the rest of this series had for me. Now considering I’ve loved every single book in the series, that’s not exactly a bad thing. I still liked it, it just wasn’t my favorite. I’m not sure exactly what was missing, but it just never grabbed me like the others did. Maybe because I felt like the romance felt rushed in some ways (view spoiler). Hot and Bothered was still a fantastic addition to an already favorite series and I can’t wait to see what the next books brings. I’m really hoping Ian will be next because you already know his book will be one hell of a ride!


Now without further ado, since I do have a sexy soldier in my presence right now, let’s get to the interview, shall we?


DGR: Ryan “Flash” Gordon, I’m so excited to have you at DGR today. Hope I’m not keeping you from any dire HOT missions.

Ryan: Nah, glad to be here. Anything for a lovely lady. *winks*

DGR: Can we start out with you introducing yourself and telling us a little more about yourself.

Ryan: *scratches back of neck* Not much to tell. I’m Ryan Gordon, known as Flash to my teammates. After a hard day saving the world, I like a cold beer and a soft woman in my bed. I drive a Ram Big Horn, listen to country music, and my favorite food is a cheeseburger. What else is there to know?

DGR: You HOT boys sure have some great nicknames, Ice, Knight Rider, Big Mac, Hawk… How’d you get the name “Flash”?

Ryan: Team names are meant to be an inside joke most of the time. No real surprise then that the guys thought it was amusing to call me Flash Gordon. *smirks*

DGR: You’ve always been the easy going jokester in the group, does that help you get through the difficult missions with your team?

Ryan: *looks a little sheepish* Yeah, maybe so. I think life is hard enough so why not laugh at it, you know?

DGR: How did you get involved with HOT to begin with? What was the appeal of it for you?

Ryan: I joined the Army for the usual reasons. A job with good pay and benefits and the GI Bill for school. But I kinda excelled at the hard stuff. I enjoy it. So I went through Ranger training. After some time with the Rangers, I got recruited for the Green Berets and then HOT. It wasn’t easy getting in, but I worked my ass off. I like doing things no one thinks possible. HOT is damned near impossible for most recruits. We’re elite, and I like it that way.

DGR: Which HOT member would you say is the most serious?

Ryan: If you count the colonel, then it’s definitely Mendez. If we’re talking my squad, then I’d probably have to go with Ice. Not that he’s all that frigging serious — but he’s quiet and he’s got a raw edge that makes him look deadly serious at all times. Then again, Hawk is pretty serious too.

DGR: You recently got some SEAL additions to the team, have you gotten to know much about them yet?

Ryan: Dane’s a good guy to have at your back in a firefight. If the rest of the SEALs are like him, then yeah, I can’t wait to work with them. They’ve only just arrived so I don’t know them too well yet. But Remy Marchand is a Cajun like my team leader, Matt “Richie Rich” Girard, and they seem to have hit it off. I trust Richie with my life, so that’s good enough for me.

DGR: There’s been a lot of pairing off with the HOT boys lately, marriages and babies on the way, any special lady you have your sights on?

Ryan: *drops gaze to lap* Yeah, well, maybe that’s not for me. There’s this one woman… but, no, it’d never work. She deserves better than a guy who does what I do for a living.

DGR: Can you describe your perfect woman for us?

Ryan: She’s smart and strong but she lets me take care of her because she knows it’s what I do. I don’t want a yes woman. I want a woman who challenges me — but not too much, right? *winks*

DGR: Do you ever see yourself quitting HOT and joining civilian life if you meet the right woman?

Ryan: I try not to think about that. I just have to get through the next mission.

DGR: What would you say your biggest strength is?

Ryan: I’m loyal. And I have a big (there’s a long pause) heart. *grins* What did you think I was going to say, sugar?

DGR: Now what about your biggest weakness?

Ryan: Honey, I don’t have any weaknesses. I can’t afford to be weak.

DGR: What would you say is your biggest desire?

Ryan: Long walks on the beach, cuddling by the fire, listening to everything about your day…. *snorts* Nah, it’s hot sex with a beautiful woman. Pretty much the same for all dudes.

DGR: Well, I don’t want to keep you too long since I’m sure you have more important things to do, like protecting the country and all that. Let’s end things on a light note; tell us about your fondest memory.

Ryan: I thought it was the day I got my Ranger Tab. Then I thought it was the day I got through the Q-course for being a Green Beret. But nope, it was the day I got selected for HOT. Not that I can confirm or deny the existence of HOT, you understand. Just wanted to add that. I know you’ve mentioned it a couple of times now, but it’s all hypothetical.

DGR: Thanks so much for stopping by DGR today, anything you’d like to say to end things with?

Ryan: Thanks for inviting me to be here with the dirty girls. I like dirty girls. I like them very much. You just let me know how dirty you want to be, sweetheart. I’m down with that…


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Blog Tour & Character Interview: Undesired Lust by Eden Summers

Undesired Lust (Mason Lynch)
Series: Reckless Beat Series #3
Author: Eden Summers
Genre: Contemporary Rockstar Romance
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They used to be the perfect team.

Two years ago, songstress Sidney Higgins ruined her life by sleeping with not one, but two of the famous Reckless Beat men, Mason Lynch and Sean Taiden. Their night of intimate celebration turned into a worldwide sensation when the video Mason vowed to keep private was uploaded to the internet, destroying her squeaky-clean reputation and turning the orld against her. Now she’s broken and left without hope, trying to find the one thing that can get her back on her feet.

A mistake neither one of them is willing to forgive.

When the sex tape went viral and his best friends held him accountable, Mason bore the stigma of asshole with pride. Now, bitterness has destroyed him, driving away his muse and making him worthless in the industry he loves. There’s only one option left to reclaim his creativity, but that would mean collaborating with a woman who wants to castrate him with a plastic knife.

A palpable chemistry even hate can’t diminish.

Forced to work together, neither one of them is prepared for the undesired lust which immediately takes hold. The lies fade away, exposing the truth; however, it also awakens a threat from their past. The person responsible for tearing them apart is back to ensure they don’t rekindle a spark. With their safety in the balance, Sidney and Mason need to determine what they’re willing to risk to reclaim a relationship they wish they’d never lost.

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Interview with Mason Lynch
 

Name(s):

Mason: Mason Lynch aka Mr. Fanfuckingtastic

Family:

Mason: I have a remarkably annoying sister, Toni. And my mother is as harmless and annoying as a moderately sized hemorrhoid.

Physical appearance:   

Mason: Brown eyes, Blonde hair. 100% fuckable, if I do say so myself.

Will readers sympathize with you right away?

Mason: Not at all. I’m arrogant, annoyingly so. But if you did a little deeper, you might expose someone different.

In your opinion, what is your best feature?

Mason: Just one? It’d be a shorter list if I mentioned my worst features.

Where do you live?

Mason: I have two homes. A mansion in Richmond, Virginia where I can relax and spend time in the studio at my leisure. I also have a penthouse apartment in New York where all the craziness happens.

What one word best describes you?

Mason: Perfect.

What were you like in high school?

Mason: I was in the popular crowd. Always have been.

What were your high school goals?

Mason: Does popping cherries count?

What is your boss like?

Mason: Leah Gorman, the Reckless Beat band manager is a pit bull. If my mother is a hemorrhoid, Leah is akin to a colonoscopy. She’s always up my ass, trying to expose all the shit she can in an effort to ‘protect me from myself’.

What are your bandmates like?

Mason: My bandmates are my brothers. I love them with all my heart and want to kill them in the same breath.

What is something you had to learn that you hated?

Mason: To be humble. I’m not very good at it.

Is there any sexual activity that you will not, under any circumstances, do?

Mason: I will never, ever again tape myself having sex.

Describe the perfect romantic partner for you.

Mason: I’ve been told the best partner for me would be someone who could love me more than I love myself. I’m not sure I’ll ever find that woman.

What do you do when you are bored?

Mason: I don’t have the luxury of boredom. If I’m not on tour, doing promo or with friends, I’m creating music for the next album. It never stops. Hopefully it never will.

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Interview with Eden Summers on Undesired Lust

Today I’m very excited to be interviewing Eden Summers author of the Reckless Beat series. Hi Eden, thank you for agreeing to this interview.

Eden: Thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Eden: Drink vodka…does that count?

Just joking…kinda.

In reality, I’m either doing motherly duties for my two boys, working part time or reading. Most of the time I’m writing though, or promoting J There isn’t a lot of spare time to do much else once the word target is hit for the week.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way wither growing up or as an adult?

Eden: There’s a long list of authors who have taught me innumerable things, from how to write, to what NOT to do when writing and promoting.

It’s a constant learning process. The industry is changing all the time with authors pushing new boundaries.

If you could have given your characters one piece of advice before the opening pages of the book, what would it be and why?

Eden: To both Sidney and Mason — forgive and forget. Suck it up. Deal with it. Move on…Remember a condom!

But if I told them that beforehand we wouldn’t have Undesired Lust 😉

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Eden: Both protagonists are song writers, so I had a great deal of fun writing lyrics. Mason’s muse plays with him throughout Undesired Lust. You get to see the snippets that are thrown into his head at any given time. And there are also a few verses from a humorous song Sidney put together on the spot, which is dedicated to Mason’s womanizing ways.

Which of your prior characters would you most/least likely invite to dinner and why?

Eden: I’m always going to be a sucker for Blake from Passionate Addiction—tattooed, damaged and big-hearted—he’s my go-to guy. I’d love to sit down with him and let him know just how proud I am of him.

There may also be the need to swipe all the food from the table and have my wicked way with his inked body too.

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.

Eden: Thank you for having me. I hope you all enjoy my rockers.

 
   
About the Author
Eden Summers is a true blue Aussie, living in regional New South Wales with her two energetic young boys and a quick witted husband.

In late 2010, Eden’s romance obsession could no longer be sated by reading alone, so she decided to give voice to the sexy men and sassy women in her mind.

Eden can’t resist alpha dominance, dark features and sarcasm in her fictional heroes and loves a strong heroine who knows when to bite her tongue but also serves retribution with a feminine smile on

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 Other Books in the Reckless Beat Series   

Blind Attraction
(Reckless Beat #1)

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Passionate Addiction (Reckless Beat #2)

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Reckless Weekend
(Reckless Beat #2.5)

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Sultry Groove
(Reckless Beat #4)

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Reckless Rendezvous (Reckless Beat #4.5)—> Coming Soon

Author Interview, Review & #Giveaway: ★Flash Point★ by @BrookeBlaine1

Blog Tour Banner - Flash Point Flash Point
Author: Brooke Blaine
Genre: (Standalone) Romantic Suspense Novel
Release Date: July 12, 2015add-to-goodreads-button-2

Flash Point EBOOK Cover

The first time I saw her, I knew I’d have to kill her.

It’s been five years since the brutal death of her mother, and Katherine Shaw still relives the nightmares of that night.

She escaped.

The danger should’ve been over.

She couldn’t have been more wrong.

When her father, a prominent judge, receives a chilling death threat, her past comes hurtling into her present.

The warning is clear: They’ve got unfinished business, and they’re coming for her.

Katherine Shaw.

Rich girl? Check.

Spoiled and obstinate? Check.

A beautiful fireball who pushes every button he has? That was not listed on the dossier Jason Garrett receives when he’s assigned as one of her bodyguards. The last thing he ever expected was that his tempting client would prove to be more dangerous than those he’s protecting her from.

Their attraction would be forbidden even under the best circumstances. But as the threat draws near, the tension between the two of them rises, culminating in an explosive flash point that will blindside them both.

Buy LinksAmazoniBooks / B&N / KoboFlash Point Teaser 3 by Michelle Tan


Interview bannerDGR: Hi Brooke! Thanks so much for being her at DGR. I got some verra interesting questions lined up for today! I hope you left your delicate sensibilities at the door 😉

Brooke: Thank you so much for having me! You know I only signed up for this for the naughty questions, right?

DGR: Let’s start easy; can you introduce yourself to readers that may not be familiar with you yet?

Brooke: Absolutely not.

Oh, all right, twist my arm. My name is Brooke Blaine, and I’m a bookaholic, chocoholic, 80’smovieandmusicaholic, and coffeemugcollectoraholic. I also like to write stories and make ridiculous dubsmash videos for my friends. No, you won’t find those on YouTube unless my phone gets hacked. Flash Point is my first solo novel, and I’ve also co-written a naughty, naughty serial with my best friend.

DGR: You co-wrote A Desperate Man with Ella Frank, and now you have your very own debut novel, how’s it feel?

Brooke: Fan-flippin-tastic. Actually, it was great to co-write with Ella too (we’re writing ADM 3 right now and have more collaborations up our sleeves), but it feels amazing to have my own book out. It’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure.

DGR: A Desperate Man was erotica and Flash Point is a sexy Romantic Suspense, do you have a genre you prefer to write in?

Brooke: Um. My next book is a Romantic Comedy. I know, I know. I’m doing this all wrong. But I’m the kind of reader that switches up my genres with every book I read, and my writing reflects that as well. I tend to write based on what I’m feeling and where my head is at…for instance, with A Desperate Man, I had some frustrations that just needed to be channeled, and Evan James and his sex addiction came out. My first solo book was actually intended to be the comedy I’m working on now, but I just wasn’t in the right mindset for it. That hot bodyguard was adamant he be the one you met before the others. Bossy bastard.

DGR: So you ARE at DIRTY girl romance, so how’s about some hard hitting questions? Sex scenes. What are some no no words you will never use in your writing. (please say lady flower or pearl? LOL)

Brooke: Oh God, I never would’ve THOUGHT lady flower or pearl. You’re just trying to gross me out now. I’d never say flicking the bean either, though it was funny when Gerard Butler said it. Ella is my critique partner, and she is SO PICKY about her sex scenes, so she would never ever let me write the words “baby arm,” “mayo shooting hotdog gun,” or “soft-shelled tuna taco” unless I was writing something intended to be crude or for shock value. And um, I’m not currently doing that, so I think we’re good.

DGR: Where do you get the inspiration for them? *waggles brows*

Brooke: For my sex scenes? I should say porn or movies or books, but the truth is, I just make them up depending on what’s going on. That’s such a boring answer. Let me give you a better one—

From my real life wallbanger boyfriend!

That’s not true, but let’s pretend it is.

DGR: Coffee, tea, or COCKtails?

You can’t make someone choose between coffee and cocktails. They are both crucial to my survival. Tea, on the other hand…well, I tried Twinings for Ana Steele, but it just didn’t work for me. Even my sink protested when I dumped it out.

DGR: Tell us something most people don’t know about you.

Brooke: My real identity. Where I live.

Oh, wait, you wanted me to tell you?

Um…I sleep with the TV on in another room when I’m at home by myself. Yeah, I’m a big chicken. I have no idea why I decided it was a good idea to write a suspense book. NIGHTMARES.

OK, now let’s talk Flash Point.

DGR: I love how assertive Katherine was. She had just the right amount of confidence without being brash. What are your thoughts on whiny or insecure heroines?

Brooke: Thank you! I have a pretty strong opinion on whiny and insecure heroines. I do enjoy flawed characters, but I prefer to read and write about the kind of women I surround myself with in real life. Yes, we all have our insecurities, and yes, I whine when I go too long without chocolate of some kind, but I don’t particularly care for women who have to be saved by a man or who put their lives on hold to do whatever it is they want her to. There’s nothing wrong with those kinds of books, and I’ve read and enjoyed them on occasion, but I’m a super independent single female, and I choose to reflect that in my writing.

DGR: Jason was (pause for lusty thoughts…..and I’m back) YUMMY! I may have taken a peek at your Pinterest board. Was Jason Statham your inspiration for his character?

Brooke: He definitely was! When you think badass, hot bodyguard who could kill you with a look…I mean, there was only one guy that fit that criteria for me. He’s so smooth even when he’s kicking ass. That’s what I was going for. I may or may not have binged on his movies.

DGR: If you had to describe Flash Point for us in 5 words, what would they be?

Brooke: BEST DAMN ROMANTIC SUSPENSE EVER!

Of course. 😉

DGR: Did you have a favorite part to write in the book?

Brooke: Yes! The end. Always the end. It was the same with A Desperate Man too. I get so excited to hurry up and get to that part that I end up writing it before the middle section is done.

DGR: Flash Point is quite a bit different from A Desperate Man. It’s definitely one sizzling romantic suspense. Are you planning on writing more in this genre or something totally different next?

Brooke: I will definitely write more romantic suspense in the near future. I’m thinking a certain character from this book should tell their story in a separate standalone, but the pieces are still coming together so it won’t be next. I anticipate that book will come in the first half of 2016. DGR: Any delicious little tidbits you can share with us? (Spoiler free, of course)

One of the characters in Flash Point was quite a bit older until the last week of writing. There is a HUGE thing that happens at the end of the book that was not part of the original draft. It was changed the day before the rest of my critique readers received their copy. Katherine’s father looks like a local judge from my hometown who is also grade school friend’s father. Many of the character names and places are Easter eggs for my family if/when they read it. Actually, that goes for all of my stories.

DGR: So what’s up next for you?

Brooke: Next up is my romantic comedy, Licked. Is that a dirty enough title for you? It will be the first in a series focusing on a group of girlfriends, but I can’t tell you toooooo much more yet. I’ll be announcing the release date/blurb/cover reveal in the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled on my website, (www.brookeblaine.com) subscribe to my newsletter (http://eepurl.com/brxPkP) or hang out with me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BrookeBlaine.Writer) so you don’t miss it. Dammit, I wish I could show you now!

DGR: Anything else you’d like to leave the readers with?

Brooke: I’d leave them with a copy of my book and a shot of whiskey if I could, but since my smart computer is not quite that smart, a simple thank you will have to do. I appreciate all of you who have picked up/will up my books. There are so many choices out there, (my TBR is insane too!) and I’m so appreciative of everyone who takes a chance on a newbie. Many spanks for that!

Thanks so much for having me, Dirty Girl! <3

Here are my links again, in case you want them:

 

Flash Point Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1OfkYmk

Amazon Non-US link: myBook.to/FP

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://bit.ly/1ULDQxR

Apple iBooks: http://apple.co/1LYP4LD

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1HvHIZO

A Desperate Man (Read for FREE exclusively on KU through August 2015)

ADM 1 Link – http://amzn.to/1OflpNs

ADM 2 Link – http://amzn.to/1Hz7U6Q

Brooke’s Contact Links

Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/brxPkP

Website: http://www.brookeblaine.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrookeBlaine.Writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrookeBlaine1

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+BrookeBlaine

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/BrookeBlaine

Instagram: www.instagram.com/BrookeBlaine1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brookeblaine11


 Review4 starsFlash Point-DGR

He’d made a decision tonight. One that would ignite the world around him, but he was willing to scorch it to the ground to get what he wanted.

So here’s the thing, when it comes to my romantic suspense, I’m one picky girl. It’s the first genre that originally got me into reading and I read a lot of it. So suffice it to say it takes quite a bit to impress me. What? I said I was picky. Having had a bit of a taste of Brooke Blaine’s awesome in A Desperate Man: Volume 1 that she co-wrote with Ella Frank, I already had a feeling that her own debut would rock my world, and I wasn’t even a little bit wrong. I freaking loved this book! Suspenseful, sexy, and with twists and turns that will leave your mind reeling, this book kept me up well into the night because I couldn’t put it down.

He always asked her what she wanted, but it was never clearer than now. This. Him. That was what she wanted.

Have you ever read about a character that felt so alive in your head he practically jumped off the pages? That’s how you know the true talent of an author, when she’s able to accomplish this with her MCs. And let me just tell you, if Jason was that character for me. You could hear his voice and feel his intensity from the very first page. Man but I gobbled that up.
FP1-DGRKatherine Shaw witnessed the brutal murder of her mother five years ago. Powerless and unable to do anything but watch, she’s still dealing with the nightmares of that night. Having the killers responsible never been caught certainly doesn’t make her sleep any better. But now it seems like the threat is back and this time they’re after her and they won’t stop until she suffers the fate she was meant to along with her mother.

Jason Garrett is a bodyguard and part of the team hired by Katherine’s father to protect her. Intense would be an understatement for what he is. He lives, breathes and sleeps his job. Just because the little spitfire that is his client is determined to seduce him doesn’t mean he’ll lose sight of what he was hired to do and succumb to her advances.

It was the first rule in the handbook: “Thou shalt not have fucking relations with a client, current of former.”

Katherine was a badass in her own right. It’s not often you meet a heroine that’s not shy about going after what she wants but doesn’t come off as brash while doing it. Katherine was no wilting wallflower, that’s for damn sure. The girl was determined to get Jason in her bed and she went at him with all the arsenal she had. Have to respect her game.

She cried out his name and dug her nails into his back as he held her close, her body bucking, and pleasure, vicious and exhilarating, tore through her.

After finishing Flash Point I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Brooke Blaine has definitely got a new fan in me. I can’t wait to see what else the woman has up her sleeve with her future books.

There was a few things that I was left to assume (which was definitely the author’s intent). There were a few things that took place that I would have liked more detail for and explanation. It left several questions in my head, and maybe that’s not a bad thing since I’m still thinking about it. The book ends on a HFN, however, for a romantic suspense, the ending did justice to the kind of story it was. I don’t think it would have been as believable had it ended any other way. If you’re on the fence about reading it, I highly recommend you do. You won’t be sorry. If sexy romantic suspense is your cuppa, this is definitely a must read. Cleverly written, packed with humor and action, and unpredictable until the very end, Flash Point was one hell of a debut from the fabulous Brooke Blaine.

About the AuthorYou could say Brooke Blaine was a book-a-holic from the time she knew how to read; she used to tell her mother that curling up with one at 4 a.m. before elementary school was her ‘quiet time.’ Not much has changed except for the espresso I.V. pump she now carries around and the size of her onesie pajamas.

Flash Point is her debut solo novel, and she is the co-author of the erotic serial, A Desperate Man, with Ella Frank. The latter has scarred her conservative southern family for life, bless their hearts.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for ten years.

Contact Links

Newsletter / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google+ / Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest

Giveaway
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Author Interview, Review & #Giveaway: ★Toxic★ by @authorkimkarr

Interview & Giveaway

Last week I read this book that made me want to rip my hair out and throw my kindle at the wall. If I could have done both at the same time, I’m pretty sure I would have. I was enraged…and I was entranced. Phoebe and Jeremy together was a train wreck that you just couldn’t tear your eyes away from. I loved each agonizing, made me want to curl into a ball of rage and scream to the ceiling second. I have the super fabulous Kim Karr on the blog today for an interview where I got to pick her brain about all things Toxic. Read on to read that along with my full review below. And don’t forget to scroll to the bottom to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a paperback of Toxic!
About The Book
TOXIC
Author: Kim Karr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 7, 2015
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The New York Times bestselling author of the Connections novels turns up the heat in a sexy new romance about money, power, danger, and passion…

Sometimes you have to wonder if your life is just too good to be true.
Is it real or just an illusion?
Does the man lying beside you really love you like he says he does?
If the answer is yes, you’re meant to live happily ever after.
If the answer is no, you’re living my life…
and nothing will ever be the same.

I know I should walk away, but I can’t.

I’ll take whatever I can get for as long as it lasts.
I know when it’s over…
I’ll never find another man like him.

Buy Links

Amazon / iBooks / B&N / BAM / IndieBound / Google / Kobo 

Author Interview

If you haven’t added this deliciously angsty book to your TBR yet, I’m pretty sure this interview just may convince you 😉

DGR: Can we start out with a quick introduction for any readers out there that haven’t heard of you yet (if those even exist?)

KK: I’ll be 49 soon and can’t believe I’m one year away from 50. I don’t feel old at all and I hope to stay that way. I grew up in Rochester, NY and now live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I have always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I write romance books because I love to watch love blossom.

DGR: I’m a HUGE fan of the second chance romance. Do you have a favorite trope to write? Or is it more about when inspiration strikes you?
KK: I love second chance romances as well. That feeling you get in your stomach when it flips the first time they see each other again—it’s priceless.

DGR: Did you have any inspiration behind the story and/or the characters of Toxic?

KK: I’d read an article about underground nightclubs and thought it was such a cool idea. People show up in the oddest of places to party and then move to another. That transformed into Jeremy’s business in a more legit way. As for Phoebe and friends, I wanted to create a group that was somewhat against the grain of how we think of socialites.

DGR: Jeremy McQueen. The blurb describes him as a sexy, intense, sometimes brooding entrepreneur that goes after what he wants. I have to admit I was sold on the book from that alone. What else can you tell us about the brooding Jeremy?

KK: He was always the hired help’s son. A guy from the wrong side of the tracks so to say that turned his life into something good. He, like everyone, has issues and his stem from his childhood, from believing he was a bastard and then learning that wasn’t the case. All he wants is for someone to believe in him. However, sometimes his darkside makes it hard to do that. I just love him. Can you tell?

DGR: If you had to describe Phoebe St. Claire in 6 words or less, what would they be?

KK: As bold and delicate as a rose. I think that’s 7, oops.

DGR: What was your favorite part about writing this book?

KK: The intensity these two characters felt for each other. I felt it on every page. They were meant to be together.

DGR: Now without giving away any spoilers, what was one of your favorite scenes from Toxic?

KK: When Phoebe sees Jeremy after 5 long years. Here’s a peek: “Someone stepped between us. The distressed leather was the first thing my eyes were focused on when my skin started to tingle with a sense of familiarity. The tingling quickly turned into trembling as my gaze lifted and I saw the bluest of blue eyes.”

DGR:  If you had to describe the book to us in a twitter size type sum-up, what would you say?

KK: #Toxiclove I’m so not good at twitter. Sorry.

DGR: Any little teasers or excerpts you can entice us with? Pretty please?

Phoebe St. Claire
————————
Feeling a bit drunk and overwhelmed with so many and so few choices at the same time, I needed some time alone and snuck off toward the beach path.
I ran toward the ocean and twirled in the sand as the wind blew around me. Once I started to feel dizzy from twirling, I still wasn’t ready to head back to the party, so I took the path that would lead me to the large Olympic-sized pool. I tugged my sandals off with thoughts of putting my feet in the water to rinse the mud and sand away. As I approached the pool, I noticed how it glowed like it was lit by small pale fires. Lost in the enchantment of it, the sudden movement beneath the surface startled me.
A fair-haired boy emerged from the water. He pulled himself up and out so quickly that I was momentarily stunned. And then when he drank me in with his eyes, I shuddered.
I couldn’t help it, the way he looked at me just made me shiver. No one had ever looked at me like that before and I found myself gazing back into his intense eyes.
He was utterly beautiful. His bare chest was sculpted but not overly bulky like Danny or Jamie. They worked out every day pumping obnoxious amounts of iron to look the way they did. In contrast, the boy standing before me had a swimmer’s build.
He stood stoic and a cautious look crossed his face. He was long and lean in a pair of bright green neon swim trunks.
Right away I could tell he didn’t care what anyone thought about him.
I loved the idea of that.
So I smiled at him.
He shook his head and his hair fell into his eyes.
I wanted to reach out and push it away. It wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short. It was perfect.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing a towel off the ground.
It didn’t belong to the club. It was small, beige, and a bit worn—not the large hunter-green fluffy ones monogrammed in white I’d always gotten when I used to come here to swim as a kid.
“Hey,” I said back, swinging my sandals nervously.
He grabbed a pair of jeans that lay next to where the towel had been and walked right by me.
I turned to watch him as he strode into one of the cabanas and dropped his trunks. I froze and squeezed my eyes shut, thinking I shouldn’t be watching him but then opened them quickly when I couldn’t resist maybe catching a glimpse.
“Didn’t your parents ever tell you it isn’t polite to stare?” His voice was low and sexy, and it tugged me out of my own head.
I put my hands on my hips. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to get dressed in mixed company?”
He pulled his jeans on and laughed. “My mother might have mentioned that once or twice but I’ve never been good at following the rules.”
And it didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t put any underwear on first.
Hot. Totally and completely hot.
I didn’t see anything I shouldn’t have seen, it was too dark, but something inside me electrified at the thought of seeing him naked and I stepped closer. That’s when I noticed the scuffed-up black work boots on one of the lounges with a T-shirt thrown next to them.
I raised a brow. “Is this your changing room?”
He laughed again but this time added a smile and put his hands up. “Okay you caught me. I better get out of here before anyone else does.”
He was adorable and charming and my heart skipped a beat or two.
Then I stepped even closer and entered the cabana entrance, effectively blocking his way. “Why? You’re not doing anything wrong.”
He shrugged but he didn’t try to move around me. “I usually swim in the ocean but when the water is too rough, like tonight, I come here.”
I bit my lip in contemplation before speaking. “Does it really matter if you get caught?”
He crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Let’s just say it’s not just the swimming. It’s more that I’ve been caught doing a few too many things that I shouldn’t have been doing in the past.”
A bad boy.
The thought made my pulse thunder. “So you’re not a member at this club?”
He cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot. “No,” he laughed but his laugh was anything but genuine. “Are you?”
I hesitated as I considered my answer. “No, I was just walking the beach and wanted to rinse my feet. I’m Phoebe,” I said extending my hand. Technically, I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t a member, my parents were. I hadn’t even been here in years. And I was out for a walk.
Amusement danced in his blue eyes. “Jeremy,” he said back.
When I chewed on my lower lip, I noticed how his eyes focused on it.
Mine focused on the entirety of his mouth—his strong, firm jaw, his sensuous lips, and his tongue that had snuck out to lick his lips.
That mouth.
It was almost too much.
Almost.

DGR: Anything else you’d like to leave the readers with?

KK: I hope you read Toxic and fall in love with Jeremy and Phoebe’s world. Enjoy!

Review

4 stars

Toxic-DGR

Jeremy McQueen.
He wasn’t just any boy- he was “the boy”. The only one I never should have met, and the one I’d never trade meeting for the world.

It’s been over a week since I read Toxic and it’s taken me this long to be able to sum my feelings and clear my head enough to rate it. If I can describe this book for you in one word, it would be exhausting. I was absolutely emotionally spent when I finished it. I spent a good 40% of it feeling like I want to rip my hair out. And this is coming from a self-professed angst whore, mind you.
But then here’s the thing; I liked it. Even though the constant back and forth between Phoebe and Jeremy left me feeling like they’re going to give me whiplash, I still liked it and gobbled it up like the angst starved junky that I am. Was it delicious? Heck no! I thought I may choke on it. But god help me, I still liked it. My favorite trope is the second chance romance and Toxic delivers it in spades.

It was emotionally draining, erotic, touching, and rage inducing all at once. Yeah. Try wrapping your head around that.

I loved him once, even though I’d never told him I did. And as I looked at him, everything I’d ever felt for him came rushing back.

Toxic1-DGRPhoebe and Jeremy first met as teenagers years ago. Phoebe was the rich girl with the golden spoon in her mouth and Jeremy was the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Their connection was instantaneous and burned hot and bright, but then lies tore them apart. While Phoebe never got over the boy that once made her entire body and heart burn, she moved on. Now years later fate brings them together again, but he’s no longer the boy she once knew. He’s successful and rich but still invites everything in her like they never spent any years apart.

He took all my air away. I didn’t care- I didn’t need to breathe.

While both Phoebe and Jeremy know they may be toxic together, they can’t stay away from each other. Their chemistry practically crackles in electricity. There’s one thing that’s certain, Kim Karr can write some scorching sex scenes. But the lies between them are like poison that won’t leave. Much as they try to purge it from their relationship it remains that one toxic factor that brews the way for mistrust and mistakes. I think it would be safe to say that neither of these characters are perfect, far from it in fact. These two fuck up so many times it made me want to throttle them and chuck my kindle at the wall. It was rage inducing.

That’s the thing with jealousy- it festers and builds until there is nothing left.

There’s a wealth of secondary characters that were introduced that added to the story in a very significant way. Maybe that’s what helped dilute the angst between Jeremy and Phoebe? It made the book evolve like a movie in front of my eyes and it made me really connect to the characters’ lives. I’m not sure I’d be able to say the same thing if this happened in any other book, but in this one it just worked.

The focus of the story of course are Jeremy and Phoebe and their romance and road to forgiveness and maturity.

We were frantic for each other- time hadn’t done anything to quash what we felt physically for each other. In fact, it only fanned the flames and the fire was bigger than ever.

Toxic2-DGRI think I felt every emotion along with them and that really helped connecting with them. Kim Karr did an amazing job creating two imperfect characters that were imperfectly perfect together. Does that even make sense? In my head it does, but then again I’m still getting over this book. As much as I wanted to rip my hair out for the last 40% of the book, I also secretly loved it. I guess I’m just a masochist that way.

With my eyes closed, I felt the earth move and the sky shift. In my own darkness, I felt a million different things but I didn’t feel lost in him. I knew then for certain, I wouldn’t get lost in him. There was no way I could. Not when I had found myself in him.

If you’re looking for a book that will enrage you and enrapture you all in one, Toxic is that. It’s a make you want to rip your hair out while still rooting for the characters kind of second chance romance. It was far from perfect, but yet it worked. It may not be for everyone, but if you’re a reader that enjoys your angst in rage inducing proportions while getting an unforgettable second chance romance, Toxic is definitely a must read.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

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