Blog Tour & Review: Throne of Truth by Pepper Winters

Throne of Truth
Series: Truth & Lies Duet #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Pepper Winters
Release Date: February 28, 2017

TWO YEARS

Since my life changed for the second time and not necessarily for the better. Two years since I traded prison bars for streets and hunted a runaway who I’d met in an alley.

TWO DAYS

Since I forgot how to lie, woke to fists, and chased after the girl who’d been stolen from me.

TWO HOURS

To save her, rescue her, keep my lies intact. She looks at me full of hate. I look at her full of confession.

TWO MINUTES

For our relationship to switch from mutual dislike to floundering with unknowns. I’ve hurt her. Now, she’s hurt me. I guess we’re even.

TWO SECONDS

For her to listen, to see, to finally know who I am. The answer comes with hardship. The answer isn’t what she wants to hear.

TWO BREATHS

For me to walk out the door.

TWO HEARTBEATS

For it all to be over.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

 

Start the series with Crown of Lies!

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On Audio:

Amazon | Audible | iTunes


Her apology echoed in my ears. Her tears glistened in memory. I’d hurt her, but she’d hurt me. And now, I was here, and she was there, and there was no way to fix what was broken.

Talk about your gripping conclusions. WOW. I did NOT see this book coming at all. Full of twists and revelations that will leave your head reeling, Throne of Truth was the much anticipated conclusion that definitely lived up to the promise of the first book! This duet was Pepper Winters at her finest and exactly why she’s an auto-buy for me when it comes to dark romance. The woman can write one twisty and emotional tale that’s as gritty as it is sexy.

To her, I would’ve been an adventure, nothing more. To me, she was untouchable, something I could never have.

Starting immediately where Crown of Lies left off, we’re thrown right back to the world of Elle and Penn and the fall out from all the truths that Penn has been holding back.

I don’t want to give you much of the story because it will ruin the first book for you. I’d highly recommend not reading many reviews for this book if you haven’t read the first. Trust me when I tell you that you’ll want the full effect of the twist and turns of this romance.

Throne of Truth gives us the full story of Penn. Who he is, what he’s been hiding, and why. Where Crown Of Lies was gritty and erotic, Throne of Truth is an angsty slow burn. I must have flew through the pages with lightning speed, absolutely riveted, and dying to know all his secrets. And boy does the man have some secrets. Elle’s eyes are wide open here, and she finally sees the man that’s both broken her and freed her for who he really is…and what he truly means to her.

How did I ever believe I could walk away from him? How did one truth delete so many lies and make everything seem inconsequential now he was back in my life?

These two were sizzling together. Pepper truly gives that slow burn of romance here, which is funny considering that these two were hot and heavy already. But, man, I loved that she pulled it off so flawlessly.

Let go and let me see you. Cry for me. Scream for me.” His voice slipped into volcanic ash. “Beg for me.”

My only quibble is I wished that the conclusion was a little more fleshed out. I’d have loved to see the chain of events rather then reading the wrap up. But that aside, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Pepper certainly doesn’t disappoint with this emotionally charged conclusion. I devoured it in one day. I couldn’t bring myself to put it down for even a second. And my sleep deprived self can’t find it in me to be even a little sorry.

His fingers wrapped around my throat as he angled my head, taking me past the realms of sanity and into chaos with his kiss. It hurt. It broke. It freed. It destroyed.

Pepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller.

After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 19 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-six times in three years.

Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.

Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian and Turkish. Audio Books for her entire back-list will be available in 2017.

Connect with the Author:

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Twitter: @PepperWinters

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Blog Tour & Review: For His Eyes Only by Lexi Blake

FOR HIS EYES ONLY
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #13
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM, Erotic Romance
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: February 28, 2017

A night he can’t forget

Five years ago, Nick Markovic found himself consumed by his quest for vengeance. The one time he managed to find peace was in the arms of Hayley Dalton. Being with her was like bathing in sunlight, and he ached to feel that again, but he couldn’t. He gave his oath to Hayley’s cousin Desiree, his partner at McKay-Taggart and Knight, that he’d never let his darkness infect Hayley’s innocent world.

A spark she can’t put out

It was years before that Hayley offered everything she had to Nick. After that one amazing night, all she wanted was to be his forever. Unfortunately, Nick’s reaction was to walk away from her and never look back. The warm and caring man she’d discovered was gone, and after Des’s death, he’d only grown colder. But when Hayley finds herself in mortal danger, she’s forced to seek protection from the man who broke her heart.

A flame that threatens to consume them both

Haunted by the women he failed, Nick can’t allow himself to grow close to Hayley again. Running to stay ahead of the powerful forces that endanger their lives, they travel from the lush Garden in London to the glittering lights of Rio. As the threat against her becomes clearer, he realizes that to keep her safe he must confront the demons from his past, even if it costs him a future with the woman he loves.

Amazon | Amazon UK | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble

I missed you. God, how I missed you.” She’d been a hole inside him and only now could he see it. For years she’d been a friend, maybe his only real friend. He’d ruined it all.

Why is it that every single time I finish a Lexi Blake book and feel so satisfied to get another hit of her awesome, I’m STILL left a drooling and twitching mess in anticipation of the next one?! It’s not fair! NOT FAIR I TELLS YA!

This series is my crack and I will never, EVER, grow tired of it. It’s high-octane suspense with sizzling romance in a way that no other author but Lexi Blake could pull off.

This series is one giant tease of what’s to come. The amount of forethought this author puts into all of her characters is downright mind-blowing. She begins to develop their stories long before they get their own book and this couldn’t be more true than with Nick. I’ve been anticipating his story ever since Master No. The moody Russian badass that lost his lover in a mission gone wrong has been lost in a cloud of regret and grieving since. I couldn’t wait to see who the heroine will be. I was also a little afraid that whoever she’ll be wouldn’t quite live up to what he had with Des. This book definitely disabused me of that fear. It was so much juicer than anything I could have hoped for. We already got a peak into the beginning of this story in the end of Submission is Not Enough but the true reality of the connection between Nick and Hayley is so much better than the small taste we initially got.

She wasn’t here to fix what had gone wrong with Nick. She wasn’t here to rekindle some stupid flame. She was here to take him up on his offer and to make sure she survived the next few days. That was all.

Nick and Des’s relationship was a volatile one filled with more lies than truth. Nick has never stopped pining for the woman that he walked away from, Des’s cousin, Hayley. She was too young, too naive, too sweet for him five years ago. Having her show up on his door step three years after Des died and demanding his protection from an unknown threat is not something he expected. He’d give his life to protect the woman he never stopped caring for, even if the chemistry between them is just potent as it was five years ago, he’s still not good enough for Hayley. He’s seen too much, done too much, and still carries the stain of his mistakes and actions.

I wasn’t good for you then. I’m toxic now. What you need, I’m not the man who can give these things to you.”

The push and pull between Nick and Hayley was equally delicious and frustrating. At times I wanted to shake him for being a stubborn ass.

I loved watching Hayley come into her own. She’s not the naive girl Nick left all those years ago. She’s a woman that knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to tear down his walls to get to it.

They were both damaged. Her by her childhood and him by so many things he wouldn’t talk about. Could she find some small healing for them both?

Of course all my favorites are back for this book, and can we even have a Masters and Mercenaries novel without Ian freaking Taggard?!

Bugger off, you useless cock.”
Taggart pointed. “See. That’s what I’m talking about. I don’t know why you people are so concerned with bugs, and my cock is totally getting used tonight. Big time used.”
Owen simply stood and dropped his towel, turning and giving Taggart a view of his naked backside. He slapped it. “Bite me arse, Tag.”
“That’s very Braveheart of you.”

I’ve come to think of these characters as family after all these books. I’ll never get enough of them.

As for Nick and Hayley, I loved these two together. I was afraid that Hayley may be drowned out a bit by the memory of Des, but the author did a fantastic job in weaving her in perfectly. She never felt like a consolation prize. She always felt like exactly what she was, his first and only choice.

Yes, we’ll get to this eventually. We’ll get to the part where I touch you in places you never imagined. There won’t be any part of your body that you don’t cede to me. You’ll allow me everywhere. You’ll crave my touch. The touch of my hand, my mouth and tongue, my cock.”

For His Eyes Only was everything you’ve come to expect from this author; non-stop action, twisty suspense, sizzling hot romance, and a gang of characters that you only love more with each new book. I can’t wait for more. I hope this series never ends!

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

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Review: If You Were Mine by Melanie Harlow


If You Were Mine
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 28th, 2017

Theo MacLeod wasn’t supposed to be the one.

Tall, dark and handsome suits me just fine, but the cocky grin, know-it-all attitude, and mammoth ego? No thanks. I only hired him so I wouldn’t have to sit at the singles table again. It was just pretend.

He wasn’t supposed to kiss me.

My heart wasn’t supposed to pound.

We weren’t supposed to spend the night together—the hottest night of my life.

One night turns into a snowed-in weekend away, and even the blizzard of the century can’t cool the fire between us. I can’t get enough—of his smile, of his body, of the way he makes me feel.

We’re nothing alike. He’s a daredevil, and I’m a nervous Nellie. He’s a drifter, and I want to put down roots. He’s an opportunist with a checkered past, and I’m a Girl Scout volunteer.

But none of it matters when I’m in his arms.

I know he’s made mistakes. I know his wounds are deep, and he doesn’t trust easily. I know he doesn’t believe he could ever be enough to make me happy, but he could.

All he has to do is stay.

Amazon US |Amazon UK | iTunes | Nook

A guy in a black leather jacket set a coffee cup down on the table and sat opposite me.

I looked over at him, feeling slightly awkward since I’d have to tell him he couldn’t sit there. He was handsome, with warm brown eyes and short dark hair, but he wasn’t Fred. “I’m sorry, I’m waiting for someone,” I said. “But I can move.”

To my surprise, he smiled confidently. “Claire, right? I’m Fred.”

I screwed up my face. “You can’t be. Fred has blond hair and blue eyes. I saw his picture.”

He laughed, almost condescendingly. “I don’t use my real picture, Claire. People are crazy.”

What? This made no sense. “I don’t understand. How can you advertise yourself with someone else’s photo? Don’t women get mad when you show up?”

He shrugged, his grin turning a little cocky. “Haven’t had any complaints so far.”

Actually, he was more attractive than the photo he’d used online—more rugged and masculine, with his scruffy jaw, big shoulders, and brawny chest. Meeting the real Fred was kind of like ordering the chicken piccata and being brought the Porterhouse, which hadn’t even been on the menu.

But that wasn’t the point.

(And I’d described someone completely different to Elyse.)

“So, what, you use a fake photo to lure potential clients and then you set up the coffee meeting to check them out first?” I asked indignantly.

“Wouldn’t you?” He shrugged out of his jacket. “It’s a scary world out there.”

I crossed my arms, sitting up tall. “No! That’s a scam. I don’t like scammers.”

“No, it isn’t. I don’t take any money from them. I don’t even talk to them, I just leave.”

Frowning, I said, “That doesn’t seem right to me. These people are willing to pay you to hang out with them and probably feel bad enough about themselves already, and you just walk out without even giving them a chance?”

He shrugged. “Look, if it makes you feel any better, I’ve only walked off a job once, and that was because I thought I recognized the woman. I prefer to keep my personal and professional identities separate. That’s fair, isn’t it?”

Professional identity? He was a rent-a-date! I shook my head in disbelief. “Is your name even Fred?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “How am I supposed to know what to call you?”

He grinned as he leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “Call me anything you want. You’re the boss.”

Was he flirting with me or making fun of me? I cleared my throat and pressed my knees tighter together. “I’d like to call you by your actual name, please. Bad enough I have to pay someone to play my fake boyfriend. I’d like something to be real, at least.”

He held his eyes steady on mine for a moment. I felt like he was sizing me up, trying to decide if he could trust me, so I stared right back without blinking. If anyone at this table was trustworthy, it was me.

“Theo,” he said quietly, his eyes dropping to my lips for the merest fraction of a second. “My name is Theo.”

There. Was that so hard? I smiled at him before picking up my latte.“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Theo.”

“What, you’re just going to believe me? You’re much too trusting, Claire. I bet people take advantage of you.”

I set the cup back down on the saucer with an angry clank. “Is your name Theo or not?”

“Shhh, it is, it is,” he said, laughing. Then he glanced over his shoulder like he was in the fucking CIA. “But I don’t give that out to just anyone. You should feel special.”

Tall, dark, and handsome was fine, but Theo was the kind of guy who thought he knew everything, and furthermore, he was going to enlighten you on it, whether you asked him to or not. I liked his smile, but not his smirk.

Melanie Harlow never disappoints. With a perfect blend of angst and humor, If You Were Mine hit all the right spots for me. A delicious blend of swoony and sexy, it was everything I’ve come to expect from this super talented author.

Theo MacLeod.

*shivers*

This. Man.

*shivers*

How does Melanie keep doing it? How does she keep coming up with a hero that’s even better than her last? And let me just tell you, I’ve LOVED every hero this woman has written to date. But man, something about Theo just spoke to me. The mysterious past, the broken soul, and the pure magnetism that’s his mere presence…it all just did it for me. It did it for me SO HARD.

But I want to touch you.” I moaned as he kissed his way up one trembling leg.
“I’m going to let you.” His lips and tongue traveled up the other leg. “But not until I make you come.” My breath caught as I felt his tongue stroke up my center and circle slowly over my clit. My fingernails scraped at the upholstery on the couch. “Not until I make you scream.” He slid two fingers inside me, so deep I gasped. “Not until I make you beg.”

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And when you’re facing the dreaded singles table at a wedding and no hope of getting a date the real way, you find yourself scouring the inter webs for a fake one. Hotties4Hire seemed like a good idea to Claire after a desperate internet search and a glass of wine. But with the clarity of morning, she finds herself confirmed for a date with a man promising to be her “platonic” date and it’s too late to back out now.

Theo is not at all what she expected when going to meet her fake date. Neither of them ever expected for a fake date to soon turn into something real. Something that’s almost too good to be true for self-depcriciating Claire, and something Theo is simply not good enough for.

I loved the balance of angst and humor in this story. It all wove together so flawlessly. Theo was sexy and moody. Claire was sweet and funny. Together they shouldn’t make sense, but yet, they really do. I loved how Theo brought out her confidence. And I loved how Claire unknowingly kept breaking down all of Theo’s walls.

As I moved deep within her, I vowed to myself that I would honor that trust. That I would keep my promises. That somehow I would become the man she saw when she looked at me, rather than the one I saw when I looked at myself.

Theo was such a complex character. It’s difficult not to fall for the bad boy here, especially a reformed one. His history is filled with mistakes and regrets. He doesn’t think he deserves Claire, but the chemistry between them is simply too strong to deny.

The push and pull between them added a delicious level of angst to this sexy romance. While at times I wanted to shake Theo or slap him for the decisions he makes, I still couldn’t help but feel for him. His decisions are rooted in self doubt that stems from his past. Your heart hurts for him.

I loved seeing my past favorites from Man Candy and After We Fall make an appearance here. If you’ve read those books, you’ll definitely appreciate their cameos. And if you haven’t, I highly recommend you do.

As for this one? You’re looking at one satisfied reader. Because Claire and Theo was pure swoony perfection.

I just had to figure out who he was. And how to make him stay.

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

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Blog Tour: A Lady’s Code of Misconduct

FROM THE USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FOOL ME TWICE, THE 2015 RITA AWARD WINNER FOR HISTORICAL ROMANCE

AND LUCK BE A LADY, AN RT BOOK REVIEWS NOMINEE FOR BEST BOOK OF 2015 HISTORICAL NOVEL

A LADY’S CODE OF MISCONDUCT
Fifth in the Rules for the Reckless Series
Author: Meredith Duran
Pocket Books
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
ISBN: 9781501139024

 

USA TODAY  bestselling author Meredith Duran’s A LADY’S CODE OF MISCONDUCT is the fifth sizzling novel in the Rules for the Reckless series—a sexy and evocative Regency romance between a famous heiress and an infamous crime lord.

 A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL…

Trapped in the countryside, facing an unwanted marriage and the theft of her fortune, Jane Mason is done behaving nicely. To win her freedom, she’ll strike a deal with the most dangerous man she knows—a rising star in politics, whose dark good looks mask an even darker heart.

 …NEVER GOES TO PLAN.

The bitter past has taught Crispin Burke to trust no one. He’ll gladly help a lovely young heiress, provided she pays a price. Yet when a single mistake shatters his life, it is Jane who holds the key to his salvation. And in a world that no longer makes sense, Crispin slowly realizes that she may be the only thing worth fighting for…

AMAZON

Praise for A Lady’s Code of Misconduct:

“Political intrigue and conspiracies abound in Duran’s engrossing fifth Rules for the Reckless Victorian romance (afterLuck Be a Lady), which boasts plot twists galore…Duran is at the pinnacle of her craft as she weaves together humor, forgiveness, and love in a flawlessly executed plot. Jane, Crispin, and the rest of the characters are all well drawn, and the love scenes strike the perfect balance of steamy and sweet. Each layer in the story is suspenseful and delightful, making this the best installment so far.”

Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW 

“A sham marriage, political intrigue, and a case of amnesia provide a backdrop for this absorbing Victorian romance. Although Duran (Luck Be a Lady, 2015, etc.) has written a novel as layered as an onion, the characters are well-drawn and the plot flawlessly executed. Add in some very steamy sex, and the fifth installment of Duran’s Rules for the Reckless series can’t help but delight. This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting. A masterful tale of suspense, forgiveness, and love.”

Kirkus STARRED REVIEW

 “Political intrigue drives a captivating historical romance…This Regency romance, part of the Rules for the Reckless series, is a smart love story, peopled with complex and absorbing characters.”

BookPage, TOP PICK IN ROMANCE

“A riveting story.”

—Heroes and Heartbreakers

“A masterful author of historical romances…A Lady’s Code of Misconduct takes worn threads of old tropes, like amnesia and the tortured hero, and weaves them into a lush tapestry with sophisticated, beautiful writing. Crispin seems power-mad and Jane seems saintly, but as Duran slowly unravels their characters amidst a plot of intrigue, betrayal, and dark secrets, we discover they’re more alike than they (or we) realize. The hero is swoonworthy, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Jane as his flaws shine a light on her own. The tale and characters so captivated me, that I literally couldn’t put it down.”

—Omnivoracious Amazon Book Review by Sabrina Jeffries

“Thoughtfully written and the story creates not just a simple story of two people but an entire world for them to inhabit. If you like your historicals to have some meat to them, I highly recommend this one.”

—All About Romance

“Extremely relevant to our current political state…I could have easily sat and devoured this in one evening as each of the chapters seemed to end on a cliffhanger that just won’t let you put the book down. Quill says: A Lady’s Code of Misconduct is the perfect book to sit in your favorite chair with and let the world pass by for a little while you get lost in the past.”

—Feathered Quill

“I absolutely love this series… Meredith writes intelligent characters with a fast paced plot.  Her writing is sensual, witty and totally captivating.  This book has everything you would want in a Historical Romance.   It is witty, sensual with a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end. Crispin and Jane are extraordinary characters in a riveting story that will leave you wanting more.  The journey of Crispin and Jane to their HAE is fabulous.  I will read anything that Meredith writes.”

—The Reading Wench

 

“A fun read. I enjoyed Duran’s characters and plot…there’s a villain who made me think of a Regency era James Bond villain.”

—Bookfan


Meredith Duran is the author of ten previous novels, including The Duke of Shadows (winner of the Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition); Wicked Becomes You (included on the Woman’s World List of Best Beach Reads for Summer 2010), and the USA TODAY bestseller and RITA Award Winner Fool Me Twice. She blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history, and for convincing her that princely love is no prize if it doesn’t come with a happily-ever-after. She enjoys collecting old etiquette manuals, guidebooks to nineteenth-century London, and travelogues by intrepid Victorian women. Visit her at MeredithDuran.com, on Twitter @meredithduran and Facebook AuthorMeredithDuran.

 

Reckless Reward:

The twenty starred blogs (*) below will giveaway one set (Reckless Reward!) of three autographed copies in the Rules for the Reckless series: Fool Me TwiceLady Be Good, and Luck Be A Lady. You can enter on all participating sites, but you can only win once. To celebrate the fifth in the series, there will be five Reckless Reward giveaways per day beginning publication day, Tuesday, February 28th – Friday, March 3rd. U.S. only.

Blog Tour:

Bookaholics Romance Book Club INTERVIEW WITH MEREDITH DURAN and  GIVEAWAY

Sunday, February 26th

Nikbooklovers Blog

Monday, February 27th

Books for Her

Tuesday, February 28th

*The Romance Dish
*Canadian Book Addict
*Just Another New Blog
*Top 10 Romance Books
*Unabridged Chick
Buried Under Romance
Dear Author
Toot’s Book Reviews – Feature
Il Profumo delle Pergamene
Marvelous Things
My Book Addiction and More

 

Wednesday, March 1st

*Book Nerd
*Reviews by Crystal
*All About Romance
*Booktalk with Eileen
*We So Nerdy
Roses Are Blue
In the Hammock
Feeding My Addiction Book Reviews – Spotlight
Romance Book Reviews for You

Thursday, March 2nd

*I am, Indeed
*A Midlife Wife
*Literary Gossip
*Undeniably Book Nerdy
*Dew On The Kudzu
Books and Beauty Are My Bag
Ebook Obsessed
Abigail Books Addiction
Dirty Girl Romance – Spotlight
Bookhounds – Q&A
Authors on the Air Global Radio Network – An Interview with The Librarian, 9:00 pm ET
Authors on the Air Global Radio Network – Facebook Event

Friday, March 3rd

*Black ‘N Gold Girl’s Book Spot
*JoJo the Bookaholic
*Sportochick’s Musings
*The Reading Wench
*Got Fiction Book Blog
Cup of Tea and Book
The Reading Addict
Nicely Phrased
Ladeetda Reads
Silvatrend8553 Book Blog
Night Owl Reviews – Author Guest Post
Bookbitch

Saturday, March 4th

Passionate Encounters

Sunday, March 5th

My Little Book Corner

Monday, March 6th

Reading Frenzy – Spotlight
Bookish – Giveaway
Foreign Circus Library
Poof Books

Tuesday, March 7th

I Love Romance
Bookworm2bookworm – Spotlight, Excerpt, and Review
Dirty and Thirty
Wild Wordy Women
Polished Bookworm
Sammi’s Bookish Reality
Passionate Reads
Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh my!
Everyday Gyaan
Celtic Lady’s Reviews – Spotlight

Wednesday, March 8th

Moonlight Rendezvous
One More Chapter
Poof Books
All Things Bookaholic
Fresh Fiction – Spotlight

Thursday, March 9th

Happy Ever After Romance Book Reviews
The Book Junkie Reads
Three Boys and an Old Lady blog

Friday, March 10th

Smitten by Books
Celtic Guardian
Reader Girls
Jathan & Heather

 

 

Blog Tour & Excerpt: Lost In Between by KL Kreig

LOST IN BETWEEN
Series: Finding Me
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: KL Kreig
Release Date: February 20, 2017

We all have one.

A price.

That magic number that will get us to agree to do anything, be anything.

Don’t sit on your gold-plated high horse and say you don’t because you do. Everyone does. Each of us has something we covet enough that we’d sell ourselves to have it.

What’s my tipping point, you ask? Apparently a cool quarter mil will do the trick.

What does one do for 250 large, you wonder? Anything the infamous, gorgeous playboy of Seattle wants. For the next four months I’ll be Shaw Mercer’s arm candy, his beck and call girl, his faux girlfriend. I’ll be his to command, mold, push and pull in any direction he sees fit.

I’ll fight falling into bed with him. I’ll fight falling in love with him even harder. I’ll fail at both. And when my past and present collide in the most unexpected of ways, I’ll learn that while one man’s love for me has never died, the only man’s love I really want will never be mine.

AMAZON US | UK | CA | AU | KOBO | iBOOKS | B&N 

As long as Noah and I have known one another and as close as we are, he’s far from an open book. He holds some of life’s secrets so close to the vest, he’ll likely take them to his grave. So how he knows Ms. Randi Deveraux of La Dolce Vita is still a mystery he won’t divulge.When he told me his plan and showed me the picture of the woman who’d play my love interest for the next several months, I was immediately drawn to the her, but it took me a few seconds to realize why.

It was her.

My spicy little Goldilocks.

The one I haven’t heard from.

The one I haven’t been able to get out of my fucking head for the past eight days.

The one my cock involuntarily gets hard for in the dark of night.

The glossy-colored print I stared at for long minutes was a complete contradiction to the fiery woman I’d met.

On paper her exterior was flawless. Not one sculpted eyebrow out of place. Striking blue eyes rimmed with the right amount of shadow, liner, and mascara that made them alluring but not slutty. Pouty lips painted a deep shade of maroon, lined impeccably so the stain didn’t seep, then glossed enough in the middle to draw your attention to their fullness. Hair curled into loose ribbons that fell over her shoulders and down her slim back.

But while the outside was practiced perfection, the inside screamed dead. Not damaged, not broken or bruised, but lifeless. This beautiful creature went through the motions. She moved through life without living. I don’t know how I saw it, or why, but I know it wasn’t a product of my overactive imagination. This woman’s pain was rooted deep but she put on an award-winning façade that told the outside world otherwise.

I saw the same thing when I stared into her fierce eyes under the cover of my sunglasses days ago, but I also saw something else. Smoking embers buried under piles of ash. God help me, but for some reason I want to be the man who stokes those smoldering cinders until they spark into a burning inferno, bringing her roaring back to life.

Standing before her now, I’ve no doubt I’m the igniter, the single match needed to wake her from the living dead.

“Summer, is it?” I close the door behind me and move to the couch, gesturing for her to sit.

She doesn’t. She just blinks rapidly like she’s seeing a ghost. That makes me smile for some reason.

I know the name she’s using is fake. I hate it. Not the name, per se, but the fact that I don’t know her real one. I told Ms. Deveraux my circumstances and my concern around using a fake name. The press will eventually find out and it’s best if we’re up front in the beginning rather than if they dig, thinking we’re hiding something. That would be disastrous. She agreed but told me the decision was up to Summer. If she agreed to my terms, I could plead my case. If not, then her anonymity was still protected.

“You don’t look like a Summer,” I say casually as I take a seat and cross my legs.

Although in a way she does. She’s hot and sultry and I’ve no doubt she’s nice and moist in the place I’m dying to drive my cock. Jesus, she is absolutely mouthwatering. And she has the sexiest fucking voice I have ever heard. It’s no wonder I can’t stop thinking about her.

She crosses her arms and cocks a hip in irritation. “Is that so? What do I look like then?”

Mine.

Why that disturbing word pops into my head, I haven’t a clue. She is yours temporarily, though. If she agrees.

“How is your neck by the way?”

That seems to catch her off guard because her cocky bravado falters. “Uh…fine. It’s fine.” She unconsciously reaches up to palm it. My fingers itch, wishing they were on her skin instead. I still remember the electricity that ran down my arm when I touched her before. It set my cock on fire and it hasn’t stopped burning since. “You’re lucky, you know. I could be wearing a neck brace right now and be lawyered up.”

“And you’d still be just as beautiful.” I ignore the lawyer comment. I know it’s just a dig. When she blushes and looks away, my grin gets wider and I allow myself a few seconds to absorb her, head to toe. I find myself zeroing in on that tiny diamond stud in her nose, now catching the light. I first noticed it when she pounded on the window of my Rover calling me names. I generally find them childish, yet on her, I find myself incredibly turned on by it.

“Why don’t you take a seat?” On my lap would be preferable.

Defiant eyes snap back to mine. “Hit and run anyone else lately?”

“Hit and run?” I chuckle. “I didn’t hit and run you. I took accountability.”

“Yeah. After I dumped car parts into your lap, it was pretty hard to deny it any longer.”

Hell. This woman is full of restrained passion. She just needs someone to help her unleash it in a very controlled manner.

“Why haven’t you called about your car? Change your mind on whose fault it was?” I’m goading her, but Hot. Damn. The sparks firing from her are overly addictive.

“Oh, it was your fault, all right,” she snaps. “And I’ve been…busy.”

“Yes, I can imagine you have a very full schedule.” I sound more sarcastic than I intend, but the thought of her with other men makes me feel exactly the way I felt when I thought of Noah with her.

Her lips thin. She’s madder than a hornet. I’m harder than a two by four.

“Why are you here, Drive By?”

Drive By? I laugh at her feisty spirit. God, I want to kiss her. Feel her tongue sparring eagerly with mine. See if she tastes of rage and raw energy.

“I was under the impression you were agreeable to meeting with me.”

When Noah set this up, I insisted on three things.

One: it take place in Ms. Deveraux’s private home with her alone. There’s no way in hell I will be caught on film coming and going from her “business.”

Two: I meet with Ms. Deveraux in advance and work through the contractual details to my satisfaction. Let’s just say I now feel comfortable we have a mutual interest in keeping this arrangement buried deep.

And three: I be allowed to personally meet with “Summer” before she signs the contract. Surprisingly, that was the toughest piece to negotiate. Seems Ms. Deveraux is very protective of her, or maybe she’s that way with all of her employees.

Everything I have done to secure her has deviated from Ms. Deveraux’s normal course of business, but this situation is far from normal. It’s reckless at worst. Precarious at best.

“How did you find me?”

Sheer, dumb luck.

“I’m very resourceful.”

Her forehead creases. “This is a mistake.”

She turns to leave and I panic. True blistering panic sears through me at the thought she’s about to walk through that door and I may never see her again. I don’t know her real name. I don’t know how to contact her and if this meeting goes south, I know I won’t get anything further about her from Randi Deveraux. If she walks out on me now, I highly doubt she’ll give me the time of day when she finally does call Dane about her car.

I don’t know why I care that I spend the next few months with her and only her so damn much. I just do.

“Wait,” I plead.

She stops but doesn’t turn. I have no idea what possesses me, but I close the distance between us until I’m a whisper away. Our body heat plays off each other, growing hotter by the second.

“You haven’t even listened to my proposal,” I say against her ear.

Her breath kicks up. Good. She’s not unaffected by me, and that will play into my hand nicely.

“You can get someone else,” she replies softly, without conviction.

Drawing her long hair off her shoulder, I let my finger feather across her bare flesh. It’s soft and silky. She shivers. I suppress a moan. Fuck, I want her so much. It makes no sense.

“I don’t want anyone else,” I tell her truthfully, keeping my voice low.

“Why?” she breathes.

I don’t know why. I have no idea what it is about her that draws me in. I wish I did. I need to stop it. I should end this right now—look at a dozen other pictures and pick a woman whose very presence doesn’t twist me into knots and make me have thoughts I’ve never had before. Thoughts that make me uncomfortable. It’s unnerving.

But, fuck me. I can’t. There is just something different about this woman and I won’t rest until I find out what it is.

“Have a seat. Just hear me out. Please,” I tack on sincerely.

She stands motionless and I wonder what her next move will be. My hands curl into fists as I restrain myself from throwing her over my shoulder and hauling her to my house. I think she could benefit greatly from a hard hand and a red ass. I have a feeling she might even enjoy it.

When she floats effortlessly to one of the velvet-covered chairs, I release a veiled breath. Picking up the contract from the edge of Ms. Deveraux’s desk, I make myself comfortable across from her and place the paperwork on the table separating us. Her eyes drop to it but she makes no move to pick it up.

“So what’s your proposal, Mr. Knowles?”

“Mr. Knowles?”

“That’s your name, right? Dane Knowles. Wildemer & Company?”

Amused, I rest my elbows on my knees and grin at her. “No. Dane is my assistant. I told you to call him and he’d take care of the damage to your death box.”

“Death box?” She sounds offended.

“Do you know what the safety rating is on that little tin can you drive?” When she opens her mouth to respond, I talk over her. “Five point seven out of ten. You’re basically driving around in your own steel coffin.”

I expect a hot retort or for her to leave in a huff. What I don’t expect is a genuine, breathtaking smile that lights up her face like summer and makes my cock knock uncomfortably on my zipper in a futile attempt to reach her. My God, she’s trying to kill me already.

“Are you a walking Kelly Blue Book of safety ratings, Mr.…?”

“I have a vast array of useless Trivial Pursuit knowledge up here,” I retort with a smirk, finger pointing to my temple. I’ll never admit that I looked it up after our little accident. She could be seriously hurt in that ridiculous miniature box on wheels that somehow passes for a fucking car. Hell, had I hit her any harder, she would be in the hospital. “And I’m Shaw. Shaw Mercer.”

“Shaw Mercer,” she repeats slowly like she’s tasting my name for the first time. Savoring every consonant and every vowel. Fuck. I sit back and cross one leg over the other to hide my rock-hard erection.

“Any relation to Preston Mercer?”

I nod, impressed that she tied me back to my father instead of referring to me as one of Seattle’s most eligible bachelors. She’s intelligent and up on politics. I like that. Immensely. If you ask three-fourths of the residents of Seattle, they wouldn’t be able to tell you how many branches of government there are, something that’s taught in middle school, let alone who the mayor of Seattle is.

“So why is the mayor’s son…here?”

Her eyes are locked on mine, waiting on an answer.

When she swallows I follow the delicate line of her neck down to the swell of her breasts that peek out from the light pink strapless flowing dress she’s wearing like a fucking Greek goddess. One flick of my finger and I could find out the color of her areolas and the size of her nipples before I draw one into my mouth for a sample. My mouth waters at the thought.

The conversation that Ms. Deveraux and I had earlier about expectations sits hard in the pit of my stomach. On one hand, I was relieved to get confirmation she doesn’t sell herself, only her “time,” but now that I’m sitting here in front of her, I won’t rest until she lets me explore every square inch of not only her perfect body, but her complex mind. I want to know her like no one else has.

When our gazes connect again I’m sure mine is full of unmistakable heat. Hers definitely is.

She clears her throat and straightens her back. “I think you have the wrong idea about what it is I do.”

“I don’t,” I state plainly.

“I don’t sleep with my clients, Mr. Mercer.”

Oh, but you will. We both know our ingredients are explosive.

“Women would pay to have sex with me, not the other way around.”

She huffs a laugh as a wry look crosses her face. “Then what is it you need if not a good fuck?”

I chuckle and when I lean forward she straightens her spine. I love that even the simplest of movements I make in her direction affect her, just like she does to me. “Is that what I’ll be missing with you? A good fuck?” I won’t be missing a damn thing. She will be mine in every conceivable way. I know it and so does she.

“Not just good. Life altering,” she banters smoothly.

Now it’s my turn to smile slowly. What I wouldn’t give to throw her up against the wall and show her just what a life-altering fuck really is. For what seems like forever we stare at each other in some sort of weird silent challenge where we’re waiting to see what move the other will make.

Shaking myself out of her spell, I pick up the papers and hand them to her.

“What’s this?”

“Your employment contract.”

“All the paperwork is handled through Randi.”

“I want a little extra insurance.”

She quickly flips through the five-page document before lifting her eyes. “Nondisclosure agreement? This is sounding very fifty shades-ish. And just so you know, if I find any mention of hard limits or safe words, that’s a deal breaker.”

I can’t help but laugh loudly.

“I’m not kidding,” she says, her voice stern.

“Trust me, Goldilocks, if I could have gotten that past your warrior she-devil, I would have.”

Her eyes narrow, but I see a little twitch at the corner of her mouth so I forge ahead, making a mental note to invest in handcuffs and a flogger. Or six.

“The duration is for approximately the next four months. Ten hours a week, maybe more, maybe less, depending on my schedule. You may be required to travel and you will be available at all times when I need you, day or night. You will attend social events, fundraisers, business dinners, and family functions. You will be photographed and it’s only fair to warn you, you will likely be hounded by the press but I’ll try to shield you as much as possible.”

She regards me quietly. I wish I could tell what’s spinning around in that pretty little head of hers. A corner of my mouth tips when she says, “Reelection is just around the corner.”

Not a question and I don’t answer, but score another point for her.

For not the first time I wonder if this little plan of Noah’s will backfire, taking us all down in a curl of hot flames. She figured out what I was doing within two minutes. Lianna would be a far safer, more believable choice. But there’s also an undeniable, powerfully charged connection between us that will be hard for people to refute.

“And what is my role, specifically?”

Deciding I don’t care if this entire thing blows up in my face because that means I won’t get what I want—which is her—I stand and step around the table, holding out my hand.

When she tentatively sets hers in mine, I help her up and wrap one arm around her waist.

Pulling her close, I relish in the hitch of her breath. Cupping her cheek, I savor the baby-fine skin under the pad of my thumb. I take a deep breath, drinking in her delicately floral scent. She’s intoxicating and my head is already spinning.

“What are you doing?” she whispers, her small hands going to my chest.

Dipping my head, I trail my nose along her jaw, stopping so my lips brush her ear. “Making sure we have chemistry.”

She mutters a curse under her breath I know I’m not meant to hear before stuttering, “Wh…why?”

Fuck, if she only knew the dirty things running through my head right now.

“Because, my wide-eyed little pretty, you’re going to play my new love interest. My girlfriend. My serious girlfriend.” I emphasize the word so she understands what she’s getting herself into. I won’t pay her to be in my bed but that doesn’t mean she won’t end up there anyway.

“I…I haven’t agreed to anything yet.” Her breathlessness is testing me and she’s only about half an inch away from finding out exactly how much.

Walking into this meeting, I had already agreed to what I thought was a generous offer with her boss, madam, keeper, whatever she’s called. But after the last fifteen minutes, I’ve decided I will pay whatever it takes to have her. To own her. I think I would give away my own soul.

Framing her face with both hands now, I lean in until my mouth is a hairsbreadth from hers. Her eyes fall to my lips. I feel her wariness, but I also feel her hunger. She parts her lips and I watch with a deep ache in my groin as her tongue darts out to moisten them in anticipation of my kiss.

I restrain from slamming my mouth to hers, taking what I want. What she wants me to take, regardless of how she’s trying to refute me.

“But you will. Everyone has a price, Summer. What’s yours?”


As a USA Today Bestselling author, I write stories that are deeply emotional with flawed characters, because humans ARE flawed and if we read about perfect characters living in their perfect world, first of all, snoozer, but secondly, we never experience the gratification of redemption.

Outside of writing, I’m just a regular ol’ Midwest girl who likes Game of Thrones and am obsessed with Modern Family and The Goldbergs. I run, I eat, I run, I eat. It’s a vicous cycle. I love carbs, but there’s love-hate relationship with my ass and thighs. Mostly hate. I like a good cocktail (oh hell…who am I kidding? I love any cocktail). I’m a huge creature of habit, but I’ll tell you I’m flexible. I read every single day and if I don’t get a chance…watch the hell out. My iPad and me: BFFs. I’m direct and I make no apologies for it. I swear too much. I love alternative music and in my next life I want to be a bad-ass female rocker. I hate, hate, hate spiders, telemarketers, liver, acne, winter and loose hairs that fall down my shirt (don’t ask, it’s a thing).

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Release Tour & Geri’s Review

PUCKED OFF
Series:
Pucked #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Author: Helena Hunting
Release Date: Feb 21, 2017

***A Standalone novel in The Pucked Series***

I’m NHL defenseman Lance Romero, AKA Lance “Romance.”

I’m notorious for parties and excess. I have the most penalty minutes in the league. I get into the most fights. I take the most hits. I’m a player on and off the ice. I’m the one women with no inhibitions want.

Not because I like the notoriety, but because I don’t know how to be any other way.

I have secrets. Ones I shared with the wrong person, and she used them against me. Sometimes she still does. I should cut ties. But she makes it difficult, because she’s the kind of bad I deserve.

At least that’s what I believed until someone from my past gets caught up in my present. She’s all the good things in this world. She lights up my dark.

I shouldn’t want her.

But I do.

I should leave her alone.

But I won’t.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO 

For the first time in my entire life, I understand what it means to be with someone who will give and not just take.” 

Full disclosure: This my first Helena Hunting book ever. And I know it’s already the 5th book in the series and all that but this was marketed as a standalone. Not only that, the blurb/summary for this book spoke to me. This is my kind of book.

Lance is an NHL defeseman known for his excesses and hotheadedness on and off the field. Despite being successful at hockey and surrounded by people everyday, Lance still feels lonely and isolated. It’s a theme throughout his life.

His pain and loneliness was exacerbated when he got into an ill-advised relationship with their team trainer. The relationship crashed and burned and it left Lance more broken than ever.

I kept hoping she’d decide I was enough. Stupid, huh?”
“It’s not stupid, Lance. Sometimes it’s hard to tell your heart not to want someone, even if all they do is hurt you.”

Enter Poppy, a woman who shares a history with Lance. For Poppy, Lance is her “what could have been.” She has this idealized version of Lance that is far from who he is now. The problem is Lance doesn’t quite remember her.

What I really loved about this book is the way Lance and Poppy’s story sort of came full circle. Not just their love story and how that developed but also with their character arcs. Poppy is the perfect foil for him. She’s light to his dark. She’s everything that Lance craved and wanted for in so long but never succeeded in attaining.

There’s something about a broken hero who strives to be good but fails most of the time. He’s also the kind of hero who made mistakes and has to pay for those mistakes. Lance embodies that perfectly.

You’re all the good things I didn’t know I was missing.”

My only complaint–and this is probably because I’ve never had a chance to meet her before this book–is Tasha. She’s bordering caricature villain. The only perspective we got is from Lance, which isn’t flattering to say the least.

Again, maybe those who’ve read the book will have deeper understanding about her character but for me, meh. Despite all the “bad” things she’s done to Lance, her character is uninteresting. And while her presence served as a conflict at the beginning of the story, it got weaker and weaker towards the middle and through the end.

Despite my issues, this was a book that captured and held my attention from beginning until the end. Lance and Poppy’s HEA was well earned and well deserved. And that sweet epilogue was just icing on top.

My darling girl. I’ve never had someone who was just mine, body and soul—mine to protect and hold and love. And that’s what Sarah is . . . she belongs to me now. We belong to each other.

Armed with my clipboard, I walk down the hall to the waiting room. Lance is impossible to miss. Despite the fact that he’s wearing a sweatshirt and the hood is covering half of his face, he’s more than six feet of broad, hockey-playing man.

He’s so wide his shoulders encroach on the chairs on either side, which would explain why no one is sitting next to him. He’s slouched down so his head rests on the back of the chair, and his hands are clasped in his lap, a baseball cap hanging off one knee. His lips, plush and soft—I know since I’ve had them on mine; it might have been a decade ago, but I remember it clearly—are parted. He looks like he’s asleep.

I clear my throat. “Lance Romero?”

He doesn’t move.

Bernadette, the receptionist, gives me a meaningful look.

I clear my throat again and call his name a second time. He jolts awake and the hood falls back, exposing his face. It’s not in good shape. He has a black eye and bruises on his left cheek. There’s a fly bandage across one eyebrow.

Sadly, he’s still hot.

He blinks a few times, yawns, and smacks his lips, his tongue touching the split in the bottom one. His gaze sweeps the room and finally lands on me. Heat explodes in my cheeks and courses through my limbs, warming me from the inside out as he starts at my sneaker-clad feet and roams up over my yoga pants to my company-issued T-shirt before stopping at my face. I can’t look directly at him for more than a couple of seconds. I sincerely hope he doesn’t remember me. I cannot go there and also be professional.

I’m sure the smile he gives me has melted many a panty off a slutty bunny. Mine stay right where they’re supposed to, wedged up my ass.

I force a polite, professional veneer. “I’m ready for you now.”

NYT and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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Blog Tour: A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart

A Thousand Letters
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Author:
Staci Hart
Release Date: February 9, 2017

“Lyrical, heartbreaking, and emotionally intense, A THOUSAND LETTERS is a beautiful portrait of an undying love that deserves a second chance.”

Melanie Harlow, USA Today Bestselling Author

A Thousand Letters, an all-new emotional standalone by Staci Hart is LIVE!!!


Sometimes your life is split by a single decision.

I’ve spent every day of the last seven years regretting mine: he left, and I didn’t follow. A thousand letters went unanswered, my words like petals in the wind, spinning away into nothing, taking me with them.

But now he’s back.

I barely recognize the man he’s become, but I can still see a glimmer of the boy who asked me to be his forever, the boy I walked away from when I was young and afraid.

Maybe if he’d come home under better circumstances, he could speak to me without anger in his voice. Maybe if I’d said yes all those years ago, he’d look at me without the weight of rejection in his eyes. Maybe if things were different, we would have had a chance.

One regretted decision sent him away. One painful journey bought him back to me. I only wish I could keep him.

*A contemporary romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion*

AMAZON

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey.

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

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Blog Tour & Review: P.I.T.A by @ BrookeBlaine1

P.I.T.A. (L.A. Liaisons, #3)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Author: Brooke Blaine
Release Date: January 30, 2017

As one of the most prestigious wedding coordinators in Los Angeles, Paige Iris Traynor-Ashcroft is known for being classy, elegant, and the orchestrator of many happily-ever-afters.

But in the words of Paige herself: “What a crock of shiitake.”

Known affectionately (or not) as P.I.T.A. to those closest to her, she’s never been one to buy into the whole monogamy thing for herself. Sure, her BFFs are getting picked off by Cupid one by one, but his arrows have nothing on her semiautomatic.

Richard “Dick” Dawson does his best to live up to his name. A long-time frenemy and manwhore extraordinaire, he thrives on pushing limits, pushing up skirts—and pushing every single one of Paige’s buttons. He’s the itch she can’t scratch, and doesn’t want to. Or does she?

What happens when blazing-hot rage turns to crazy, unexplainable lust? Surely not…love? Because that would just be a total P.I.T.A.

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

That was how it always was with us—constantly trying to one-up each other, always fighting for dominance. It put things back on comfortable ground.

So this book….*giggles*
Sorry. As I was saying…*wiggles with glee*
Dammit. Back to the subject at hand…*flails with happiness*

I give up! I can’t. I just can’t talk about this book without a goofy grin on my face. It’s impossible. Because this story was EVERYTHING I love about a good rom com; undeniably flawless storytelling, fabulous characters that you want to be your own BFFs, swoony hero, a heroine so sassy it’ll make you jealous, enough antagonistic hate/lust to make a cynic swoon, and so many laugh out loud parts that I won’t recommend reading in public for fear of judgy side eyes. It was perfect. Perfect I tells ya!!!

You know, this is a perfect example of why I call you Pita.”
“Why? Because I stick up for myself? Because I call people out when they’re assholes? Because I have fucking balls of steel?” One of the bellhops we passed stopped in his tracks at my admission, and stared at me with wide eyes. “What?” I asked. “You wanna see my steel balls? Dawson, put me down so I can show him.”

Paige and Dawson have been frenemies almost as long as they’ve been friends. The only thing constant between them are their snarky barbs and sarcastic remarks. It doesn’t matter that they grew up together or that their parents are friends, Paige can’t stand the guy…right?

A successful party turned wedding planner, Paige is the unlikeliest of them all; the kind that doesn’t believe in marriage. Her parents show and tell marriage successfully burned the idea of a happy marriage right out of her. Richard “Dick” Dawson has been one constant in her life… a constant pain in the ass that is, but when some seriously comical circumstances put them together, the undeniable sparks between them fly.

Remember when I said Dawson was a breast guy? That wasn’t the whole truth—Dawson was a sex guy, plain and simple, one of those rare men who wanted to worship every single inch of you, and I was more than willing to let him.

Watching two of her girlfriends find relationship bliss doesn’t mean that Paige wants it for herself. Especially not with her former best friend turned bane of her existence. So why does the man have to be so blasted sexy, persistent, and damn it all, irresistible?!
Dawson was just….rarrrrrrrr. The man was sex on a stick. He was funny, swoony, and just total perfection. I couldn’t get enough of him, especially when he was determined to drive Paige out of her mind with either frustration or lust.

I’d be up for show-and-tell anytime you wish, love, but if you could sit on my cock sometime soon, I’d love to fuck you.”

This book was by far my favorite in the series. I adored every single hilarious page of it. And it was hilarious. Like laugh until you have tears in your eyes hilarious. Not only is it my favorite Brooke Blaine book, but it may easily be my favorite rom com I’ve read to date. Yeah. It was that good.

I want to be the goddamn reason you can’t wait to wake up in the morning. I want you to be unable to sleep if I’m not there with you at night. And I want to be the only fucking man that you let come near you when you’re moving those hips like you’re having sex on the dance floor.”

If you’re looking for a swoony rom com, this is a no-brainer one-click. Seriously.

As for me? I’m off to stalk Brooke instantly for Quinn’s book, because that hooker has been teasing me with the what ifs too long. TOO LONG I SAY! And what can I say? Patience has never been a virtue of mine.


You 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.

Brooke enjoys writing sassy contemporary romance, whether in the form of comedy, suspense, or erotica. 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.

You can connect with Brooke here:

 Website Facebook |  Twitter |  Instagram | Amazon Author Page |  Brooke & Ella’s Facebook Group

If you’d like to be the FIRST to know about a new release, sale, giveaway, or upcoming signings & events, make sure to join Brooke’s newsletter:

http://eepurl.com/brxPkP

And make sure to follow me on Bookbub!

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brooke-blaine

Read the series!

Licked (L.A. Liaisons, #1)

Licked Cover
Amazon US | Amazon UK

Hooker (L.A. Liaisons,#2)


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Blog Tour, Jennifer’s Review & Giveaway: How To Date A Douchebag: The Failing Hours by @SaraNey

How to Date a Douchebag: The Failing Hours
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance, College Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: January 31, 2017

Zeke Daniels isn’t just a douchebag; he’s an asshole.

A total and complete jerk, Zeke keeps people at a distance. He has no interest in relationships—most assholes don’t.

Dating? Being part of a couple? Nope. Not for him.

He’s never given any thought to what he wants in a girlfriend, because he’s never had any intention of having one.

Shit, he barely has a relationship with his family, and they’re related; his own friends don’t even like him.

So why does he keep thinking about Violet DeLuca?

Sweet, quiet Violet—his opposite in every sense of the word.

The light to his dark, even her damn name sounds like rays of sunshine and happiness and shit.

And that pisses him off, too.

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The clock on the wall counts the seconds, steady as the rhythm of my beating heart, which thumps wildly within my chest until the glass door to the library opens, propelled by a gust of wind.Some new fallen leaves flutter in, the heavy doors slamming from the draft.

Along with them? Zeke Daniels.

He shuffles in, dark gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, black Iowa Wrestling hoodie pulled up over his head, the university’s bright yellow mascot screen-printed across the chest. Backpack slung over one shoulder, black athletic flip-flops, and a pair of black sunglasses perched on the bridge of his strong nose complete the overall ensemble.

He is utterly…ridiculous.

Unapproachable.

Daunting.

His arrogance knows no bounds; I can see it in his loose gait, the exaggerated swagger, and the too-casual way he’s dragging his flip-flops across the cold, marble tile floor. It’s noisy, irritating, and completely uncalled for.

In the moment, my mind drifts to his personal life, and I theorize that he listens to heavy metal music to sooth his foul temperament, drinks his coffee black—as black as his soul—and his liquor straight up. I imagine once he’s had sex with someone, they’re never invited back. I go one step further and theorize that they’re never invited to spend the night at his place, either.

Zeke Daniels makes his way to a table at the far end of the room, near the periodicals, one out of the way with plenty of privacy.

Sets his bag down in one of the four wooden chairs. Flicks on the small study lamp. Plugs his laptop cord into the base and stands.

Turns.

Our eyes would have met then were it not for those ludicrous sunglasses. I choose the exact moment he lifts his gaze to look down at the ground. Busy myself with shuffling papers on the counter. Count to ten instead of chanting, Please don’t come over, please don’t come over, please don’t come over…

But luck isn’t on my side because he most decidedly does.

Makes his way over like a predator at a pace so deliberate, I’m convinced he’s doing it on purpose. As if he suspects I’m watching from under my long lashes, dreading his imminent arrival.

He basks in my discomfort.

The distance between us closes, his strides purposeful.

Twenty feet.

Fifteen.

Ten.

Eight.

Three.

His large hand reaches up, pushing down the hood of his sweatshirt, his fingertips pinching the earpiece of his sunglasses and pulling them off his face. My eyes follow the movements as he folds them closed, hanging them on the neckline of his hoodie.

His gaze lingers—those clear gray eyes famous around campus—and finds the shiny silver bellhop bell perched on the counter with the sign next to it that reads, Ring for help.

Ding.

The tip of his forefinger presses down on the small bell.

Ding.

He hits it again, despite me standing not three feet in front of him.

What an ass.

This book has ALL MY LOVE! Oh my…….Zeke and Violet have ruined me! I was giggling so much throughout this entire book. Zeke is absolutely hilarious, and Sara Ney writes the male POV PERFECTLY!
This book is the epitome of why I love assholes so much. Zeke is a pissy, giant bear. Ugh. I loved him. He’s so broody and angry all the time. Zeke needs a tutor, but Violet stands him up because he is so damn intimidating. He is forced into a Big Brother role by his coach and ends up partnering with Violet anyway. Violet is such a good person, but Zeke is not good. He is downright mean and grouchy.

My Violet & Zeke:

 : Violet is happy sunshine, but not in an annoying way. She truly cares about people, but she is a stuttering little mouse. Zeke and Violet couldn’t be more opposite. But they have no idea how much they have in common. They are both lonely, so they truly need each other.

Zeke pounces and stomps all over Violet through most of this book. She puts up with some of it, but there is a pivotal point where she puts her foot down. I loved how Zeke had to learn to let go of some of his issues. I could truly feel how he wanted to feel something good for Violet, but he is a true douchebag.

Once Zeke and Violet get it on…..Holy Hot Panties! I was hot and sweaty and laughing at the same time!

This book is all kinds of my favorite. I love broody Zeke. I love mousey Violet. I love the writing. I love the FEELS. I didn’t expect the feels and the swooning. Zeke falls HARD for Violet, and I fell HARD for Zeke and Violet.
à la Mode St. » fashion

Soon she’s going to have me holding babies and volunteering with old people, I just fucking know it.
Whatever.
I’d do it.
I’d do it just to see those eyes of hers light up. I’d do it because when her small, slender body is pressed against mine, mine lights on fire. I could get used to these feelings, could get high now that I know how fast my heart beats when she’s near.

à la Mode St. » fashionSara Ney writes the male POV so well! I can’t believe this was my first book that I’ve ever read by her. I will definitely be reading all of her books.


In The Series:

How to Date a Douchebag: The Studying HoursAmazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Purveyor of all things witty & romantic, I love: iced latte’s, traveling, and bright, bold colors. On any given day, you can find me in my office, lovingly gazing at my bookshelf or shuffling my Bic felt-tip pen collection. I love hand writing letters, and sarcasm.

I live in the midwest, but “Will Write for Travel,” and believe everyone should follow their dreams, no matter how big or small. My favorite authors include Cindy Miles, S Walden, Suzanne Enoch, Tessa Dare (to name a few). I am a glutton for Historical, RomCom, Sports and MC romance.

One husband. Two daughters. Plenty of chaos.

 

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Blog Tour & Review: Big Shot by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde

BIG SHOT 
Series: Book Boyfriend #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Authors: Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde
Release Date: January 17th, 2017

Big Shot, a sexy new standalone from Carly Phillips & Erika Wilde is now live!!

Fall in love with your next Book Boyfriend . . .

Wes Sinclair is a notorious heart-breaker, a hot as sin bad boy with a panty-dropping smile no woman can resist.

Except for his best friend’s little sister and business adversary, Natalie Prescott, who seems immune to his flirtatious charms.

While she’s become a permanent fixture in his dirtiest, most scandalous fantasies, she wants nothing to do with him, or his seductive promises.

Challenge accepted.

His goal?

To bring her to her knees, make her beg, and show her just how good being bad can be.

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I need to know it’s okay, because I’m not going to stop at just one taste this time, and I can pretty much guarantee that once my lips touch yours, there will be no going back.”

Older brother’s best friend trope? Check!
Sassy heroine? Check!
Playboy hero that’s used to getting every woman he wants but can’t have the one he needs? Check!
A bit of a hate lust going in the beginning with a side of frenemies? Check!
Plenty of sexual sizzle? Check and CHECK!
A light and sexy romance sure to satisfy any mood? Check!

I’ve been curious for Wes’s story ever since I first got a glimpse into the set up with him an Natalie in Dirty Sexy Sinner. What can I say? I’m a sucker for that enemies to lovers vibe, and these two had it in spades.

Natalie is the younger (and hands off) sister of Wes’s best friend and business partner. She’s also the current bane of his existence. Ever since Wes unequivocally voted no on her joining their real estate firm, she’s had something to prove. And she’s been proving her point perfectly by closing what should have been his deals. The sexual tension that’s always running between them? Well, he can’t help that…and he certainly can’t do anything about it either. Natalie has recently come off a disastrous relationship, and a playboy that’s known for anything BUT monogamous relationships is not what she needs. But when a bet between them takes a detour from rivalry to bedmates, things get interesting.

This was a cute and sexy little romp. Though not really anything I haven’t read before, it was still an entertaining read. There was almost a bit too much of the sexy times for me at times, where I would have preferred more relationship development and plot, but it is what it is. Having read and loved the previous series from these authors, I couldn’t miss on this one when I saw it. While it wasn’t my favorite of theirs, it still hit the spot nicely. And if you like the older brother’s best friend trope with a side of hate lust thrown in, this is sure to hit the spot for you as well.

Meet Carly Phillips:

Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels, including the Indie published, Dare to Love Series. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

Connect with Carly Phillips:

Sign up for Carly’s Newsletter at: http://www.carlyphillips.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Sign up for Blog and Website updates at: http://www.carlyphillips.com/blog
Sign up for Text Updates of New Releases: http://tinyurl.com/p3upm5s
Friend Carly on Facebook: www.facebook.com/carlyphillipsfanpage
Hang out at Carly’s Corner! (Hot guys & giveaways!) http://smarturl.it/CarlysCornerFB
Instagram: https://instagram.com/carlyphillips
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlyphillips
Website: www.carlyphillips.com

 

Meet Erika Wilde:

Erika Wilde (aka Janelle Denison) is the USA Today bestselling author of over 50 contemporary romances for multiple print publishers.

Connect with Erika Wilde:

Sign up for Erika’s Newsletter at: http://smarturl.it/ErikaWildeNewsletter
Join Erika’s Private Fan Page – Books & Exclusive Giveaways! http://smarturl.it/ErikaWildeFanPage
Friend Erika on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ErikaWildeAuthorFanPage/
Twitter: www.twitter.com@erikawilde1
Erika’s Website: www.erikawilde.com

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