Spotlight & Excerpt: ★Over The Top★ by Rebecca Zanetti

Spotlight OtTOver The Top
Series: Maverick Montana #4
Author:
Rebecca Zanetti
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Release Date:
July 21, 2015add-to-goodreads-button-2

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Dawn Freeze had a huge crush on Hawk Rain for years, and the entire town knows it. It’s understandable―the man is total hotness. That tall, lean body. Intense dark eyes. And always one foot out the door. Now he’s on leave for exactly one week. And this time, he’s made it crystal clear that he only wants one thing. Her.

Hawk’s been fighting his attraction to Dawn for as long as he can remember. She’s his best friend’s little sister, and that means hands-off. Except now she’s all grown up, and her sweet sexiness is exactly what he craves. But just as Hawk allows himself one mindblowingly intense night with Dawn, he learns that everyone he loves is in danger. Especially her.

And the only way to protect Dawn is to push her away…

 

Buy LinksAmazon / iBooks

Excerpt

“Yoo-hoo,” a cheery voice chirped as the kitchen door opened.

Hawk dropped Dawn to her feet and whirled around, reaching for the knife he’d forgotten to place at his hip. His gun was on the nightstand, damn it. His heart thundered, and the room narrowed into sharp focus as he moved to defend.

“Hawk,” Dawn hissed, shoving at his back. “Relax.” Her voice was low and throaty, and so sexy a shiver dashed down his torso. “It’s Mrs. Hudson.”

Ah, shit. Hawk blinked and took in the scene, forcing his body to relax. “Hi, Mrs. H.”

Mrs. Hudson, wearing a bright purple down jacket with “Hot Mama” bedazzled across the front, led Mrs. Poppins into the room.

Mrs. Poppins sighed. “Oh my.”

Mrs. Hudson whacked Mrs. P. with a humongous purse. “Look what you did, Bernie. Just look what you did.”

Hawk cleared his throat and fought the urge to shuffle his feet. Dawn stepped up next to him, her face a blazing scarlet.

Mrs. Hudson, oddly enough, looked more regretful than righteous or judgmental. “The cow, Dawnie. Come on. Surely you understood about the cow, sweetie.”

Dawn swallowed audibly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Hawk frowned, turning from Mrs. Hudson to Dawn to Mrs. Poppins. “Is there a problem with the herd, ladies?”

Mrs. Poppins coughed. “No, young man. It’s more of a milk issue and making it too readily available.”

Mrs. Hudson sighed. “Well, that’s two down. There are still three rules we could employ. I mean, he didn’t really rescue her last night, you know? You should’ve called him before she changed the tire.” Then, catching herself up short, she peered through bright red glasses at Hawk. “Don’t you have somewhere to be today, Hawk Rains?”

When she used that voice and gave him that look, he felt eight years old again. “Actually, I do.” He had to get back to work, which meant he had to stop thinking about sweet Dawn Freeze and concentrate.

About the Author

Author Bio: Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over twenty-five dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Her current series are: The Dark Protectors, The Maverick Montana Cowboys, and the Sin Brothers series. Upcoming series are: The Realm Enforcers and The Scorpius Syndrome. Find Rebecca at: www.rebeccazanetti.com

 

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READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

Book 1: Purchase

Book 2: Purchase

Book 3: Purchase

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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Spotlight & #Giveaway: ★Wicked White★ by Michelle A. Valentine

Title: Wicked White 
Author: Michelle A. Valentine
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 23, 2015

After his mother dies, rock star Ace White—lead singer of the red-hot band Wicked White—is done with the celebrity game. The phony people, the meaningless one-night stands: he doesn’t want any of it anymore. Quitting in the middle of a sold-out tour, Ace sets out to find some place—any place—where he can be alone.

Aspiring singer Iris Easton’s life has never been easy. First, her mother walked out on her when she was a kid. Now she’s buried in debt, weeks after losing her beloved grandmother. When a mysterious and sexy new guy moves in next door, Iris can’t help but be drawn to his soulful gaze. She can tell there’s something from his past haunting him—something he’s not telling her.

Just as Ace starts falling for Iris, the media go on a worldwide hunt to find the missing rocker. Will true love conquer all, or will the truth be the very thing that tears the couple apart?

“Iris…that was amazing. You’ve got so much talent,” I praise.

Her green eyes light up with excitement like a child’s do on Christmas morning. “You really think so? You’re not just saying that?”

“No. I never bullshit about music. You’ve definitely got the chops for Broadway, it’s just…” I hesitate, not wanting to hurt her feelings, but I know that in order for her to get better, she has to be told what she’s doing wrong.

She lays her hand on my forearm. “Please, tell me. I can take it. Promise.”

I stand beside her, so close that my chest nearly touches her shoulder. I’m itching to touch her, but I won’t do it without permission. “May I touch you?”

She draws in a ragged breath and then nods. “Yes.”

I curl the fingers of my right hand around her right shoulder and pull back a little so that her posture is perpendicular to the floor. At this angle, I can’t help but notice her heaving chest and how her perky tits move in sync with each breath she takes.

I slide my left hand against her toned stomach and my pinkie grazes the warm patch of skin that’s exposed between her T-shirt and the waistband of her jeans.

Our contact is fucking electric, and my own breathing picks up speed as I attempt to fight back the arousal I feel for her boiling beneath my surface.

“Everything about you is magnetic,” I whisper in her ear, and she shivers at the words. “Don’t be afraid to open your eyes and watch your audience enjoy you. Be confident and project. Let go.”

I let go of her shoulder, and move to face her before pressing the repeat button on the machine. As the intro of the song plays, I say, “Do it again, but this time I want you to look at me.”

This time when she opens her mouth to sing, when she begins to tip her head down, I slide my index finger under her chin and angle her head so that she’s forced to peer into my eyes.

Her words are just barely above a whisper, so I slip my hand back on her abdomen and say, “Project–from here. Sing it like you mean it.”

It’s like lightening strikes this beautiful woman in my arms as she sings to me without fear. The words of the song come out effortlessly, and her voice could rival any of the greatest female vocalists of all time.

She’s that damn stunning.

I nod approvingly and smile. “Yes!”

With that little bit of encouragement, she shocks me even more when she pushes herself to hit notes that are above and beyond what she reached the first time.

Only on the last lyric does she close her eyes while she holds the note there until the music stops. She releases a contented sigh as soon as the music ends, and when her beautiful eyes meet mine again, they swirl with emotion.

Completely blown away, I fumble with the words to tell her just how impressed I am. “Iris, that was–”

Without warning, she throws her arms around my neck and crushes her lips against mine. I know kissing her back is wrong, but I’ll be damned if I don’t want her so badly at this point that I can’t stop myself from giving in. I’ve been so good with restraining myself when it comes to Iris, because protecting her from the chaos that I’ll bring her is what’s always been on the forefront of my mind.

Her fingers thrust into my hair, and I reach down and curl my hands around her thighs before hoisting her into the air. Instinctively she wraps her legs around my waist, and I thread one of my hands into her tousled curls while the other is busy cupping that perfect ass of hers.

“I’ve wanted you since you walked into my trailer,” she breathes against my lips.

A thrill shoots through me at her admission of how long she’s wanted me. “You’ve been driving me out of my mind from the moment I first saw you.”

“Then take me.”

Michelle A. Valentine is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Rock the Heart. Wicked White is the first novel in her Wicked White romance series. She attended college as a drafting and design major, but her love of people soon persuaded her to join the nursing field. It wasn’t until after the birth of her son that she began her love affair with romance novels, and she hasn’t looked back since. When she’s not writing, she feeds her music addiction, dabbles in party planning, and expresses herself by working with arts and crafts. She currently lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, son, and two beloved dogs.

 

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Spotlight & Excerpt: ★No Matter What★ by @KA_Merikan

A note from the authors:
We finished The Devil’s Ride with so many new book ideas. Some secondary characters simply have stories that need to be told, and it’s something almost impossible to plan. We knew we wanted to come up with a book about Ghost before we even finished TDR, but the idea for the story only came after we wrote the last few chapters. Ghost does mingle with bikers, he loves bikes, but he’s not a ruthless hardass like the others. He’s a good guy, who wants to do the right thing but keeps getting pulled into morally grey situations, because of his friendships and family connections. Even more so when he gets to fight for his and Luca’s love in No Matter What. Will he be able to stay true to what he believes in among all the mayhem?

ABOUT THE BOOK

 — A gentle heart has no place in an outlaw’s chest —Ghost.

Not a member of the Coffin Nails MC. Not a doctor anymore. Not gay.
Luca.

Bent, not broken. Will not let go of Ghost. No matter what.Ghost finds out the hard way that people you meet online aren’t always who they seem to be. When he met ‘Zara’ five years ago, they became inseparable. She’s been with him through the rough and the smooth. He’s been there for her when her abusive boyfriend had her in tears.She is The One, and despite all his friends considering him crazy, Ghost is about to propose.

But ‘Zara’ turns out to be Luca, and Luca is most definitely a guy. Yet Luca is the same person with big dark eyes, so desperate to be saved that Ghost can’t help but fall head first.

Luca’s so-called boyfriend is not just abusive. He is a Sicilian drug lord, a man dangerous and ruthless. If Ghost is to ever save the person who wreaked havoc on his heart, he has to make a deal with the Coffin Nails MC. But being a member is a destiny he’s always tried to avoid. And when a life of violence becomes too much to bear, he might be the one needing Luca to catch him when he falls.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS: 

Themes: Outlaw motorcycle club, criminal activity, hurt/comfort, abuse, catfishing, independence, sexual orientation issues, mafia, PTSD

Genre: M/M erotic romance, suspense, drama

Length: ~100,000 words standalone novel

WARNING: Adult content. Explicit gay sex, strong language, violence, potentially triggering sexual abuse scenes. Reader discretion advised.

Buy Links
You can check out some inspiration images for No Matter What here: https://www.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/no-matter-what
Excerpt
A photo came through. It was a red square plate of some vegetable rolls with a brown sauce. Ghost raised his head to have an even better look around. He frowned at the plate in front of the guy, and had a discreet look at him. He was close enough to see it was a very similar dish, but that could be a coinciden― Ghost’s heart stopped beating completely when an onyx bracelet slid lower down the guy’s forearm.
And then it hit him that the guy actually had a similar coloring to Zara in the picture: dark olive skin, wavy black hair that reached past his shoulders, and dark eyes. Only other than that, he was nothing like Zara. No softness in him, just firm jawlines and broad shoulders hidden in a coffee-colored shirt with rolled-up sleeves. As striking as he was, he was most definitely not the girl from the picture.
Ghost got up even though his legs were like made out of Jell-O. Five years. Five fucking years. This meant he’d had webcam sex with a guy. Many times. He couldn’t breathe, the ring in his pocket somehow burning like acid. How could he have been so stupid? He made his way toward the table as if it were a lucid dream. A nightmare he was about to wake up from.
With the young guy busy with his cell phone, one of the middle-aged businessmen noticed Ghost first. He straightened up and narrowed his eyes, tapping the chopsticks against his plate.
“Can we help you?” he asked in a heavily accented voice.
‘Zara’, or whatever his name was, raised his eyes, and the small smile he was sporting fell from his lips like slush on a sunny day. God, he was even prettier up close, with thick eyebrows and a straight, shapely nose. His mouth dropped open, but he made no sound as he stared at Ghost, wide-eyed.
Ghost ignored the older man, and looked straight into the eyes of someone whom he knew so well, yet didn’t know at all. “How could you do this to me?” was all he managed to choke out.

About the Author

K. A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.

They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.

e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com

Series Blast: ★Cranberry Inn★ by @bethehemann

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Room for You (Cranberry Inn #1)

Four years ago, my dreams were shattered in an instant.
I tried to pick up the pieces and glue them back together the best I knew how, but something was always missing.
A father for my two girls.
But then, Brody Murphy landed on my doorstep, literally. He was a carefree, playful hockey player who barged into my life and messed with my head. He left me more confused than I had ever been.
What if the one thing I thought I needed was the only thing holding me back?
Buy Links
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Excerpt
“Shit!” The clock on my truck dashboard read 6:57.

Cutting it a little close, Murphy. Don’t blow it.

I rang the doorbell. Sophia opened the door, her face contorted with confusion.

“Hi, Ms. Jensen. I’m here to pick up Kacie.”

She giggled and stepped back. “Oh, you’re adorable. Come in, Brody.”

“These are for you.” I handed her a small bouquet of tulips.

“They are beautiful, thank you.” She furrowed her brow at me, still trying to figure everything out. “Hang on, I’ll get Kacie.”

She disappeared around the corner and I stayed in the foyer, waiting for my … friend. Lucy and Piper came tearing toward me from the back family room.

“Brody, are you sick?” asked Piper.

“Yeah, do you have a fever?” Lucy asked, tugging on my shirt.

I bent down to her level as she felt my forehead. “Nope, not sick. Why?”

They looked at each other and shrugged.

“Mom was on the phone with Auntie Alexa and she said you were hot. If you’re hot, you have a fever. Do you need medicine?” Lucy continued the inquest.

“She said I was hot, huh? Interesting. I promise you, kiddo, I’m not sick, but thanks for checking on me.”

I held my hand up and they each high-fived me before they ran off.

Kacie came around the corner and my mouth started salivating. She had on a white, lacy tank top and khaki shorts that showed off more of her legs than I had seen before. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun with a few random pieces falling onto her collarbone. The closer she got, the more her green eyes sparkled. She looked simple, yet incredibly sexy. I was going to need a fucking straight jacket to keep my hands off of her all night

Room for More (Cranberry Inn #2)

Four years ago, my dreams were shattered in an instant.
Three months ago, I found something I haven’t had in years.

Hope.

That hope came in the form of a sexy, carefree hockey player named Brody Murphy. He swooped in and won me over with his big heart and the way he cared for me…and my girls. When they look at him, they see the father they’ve never had.
Now, my past and present are colliding and the outcome might just be too much for me to bear. Can I make the right decision when I’ve spent my whole life making the wrong ones?
Buy Links
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Excerpt
“Why not? Do you ever want to be a stay-at-home mom?” Brody asked.
“I don’t know. After him, I swore to myself that I would never depend on a man again. It was embarrassing to move back home and rely on my mom to feed and take care of us.”
spun to face him, nearly dropping the eggs that were in my hand. “What?”
“Down the road, when there are dozens of little Brodys running around the house, do you want to be home with us?”
“Dozens of little Brodys?” I chuckled.
“Why not?” He grinned.
“Uh, I can think of a few reasons. My poor uterus for one.” I poked him in the chest.
“Okay, fine. Not a dozen, but at least like… six.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “After that, we can just practice—a lot.”
“I’m definitely down for the practicing.” I batted my eyes at him. “And what do you mean at home with us? You’ll be traveling most of the time.”
“Yeah, but not forever. Eventually I’ll retire and do the full-time dad thing.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I cocked my head to the side and looked at him skeptically. “Since when does staying home with kids all day interest you?”
He looked over at the girls, who were watching a movie in the living room, and shrugged. “Since them.”

 

Room for Just a Little Bit More (Cranberry Inn #2.5)

Five years ago, my dreams were shattered in an instant.
One year ago, a horrible rainstorm flooded a bridge in town, leaving us with an Inn full of stranded travelers. Turns out one of those travelers would give me a whole new set of dreams, ones I never thought possible. Brody Murphy spent the last year teaching me what it was like to live, and more importantly love, again.
Two days ago, he asked me to marry him, and if I’d said yes any faster, I would have interrupted the most romantic proposal ever offered. I can’t wait to marry him and spend the rest of our lives spoiling our Twinkies.
One year from now I’ll be Mrs. Kacie Murphy, assuming everything goes nice and smooth.
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Excerpt
“Oh, I know and it’s okay. I couldn’t care less what the public or whoever thinks of our wedding. It’s for us, you and me, and that’s all that matters.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” He bent his leg under him and turned to face me. “I had a thought while I was driving home.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not eloping.”
“No, no. I know that. But you’re right… about not letting them have our wedding, the paparazzi and leeches who thought it was okay to post a picture of the girls in the newspaper. I don’t want them having any part in our day, so I was thinking, what if we had the ceremony and the reception in my parents’ barn?”
My mouth fell open as he held his hand up. “Don’t freak. Just hear me out. I know it’s a crappy rundown barn, but I was thinking how cool it might look if we hung thousands of little white lights or even candles everywhere, though we don’t want to burn it down, but you get what I’m saying,” he rambled, barely taking a breath. “I can hire a company to come in and clean it up. We’ll rent some tables and chairs and whatever other crap you need for a wedding. Anything you want, Kacie. The sky’s the limit. I just want you to be—”
I put my hand over his mouth to stop the adorable, incoherent sentences that were tumbling out of his mouth.
When he stopped talking against my hand, I lowered it and scooted forward, cupping his face in my hands. I looked him straight in the eye. “Brody, I think that’s the best idea I have ever heard.”
About the Author

Beth Ehemann lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband and four children. When she’s not sitting in front of her computer writing, or on Pinterest, she loves reading, photography, martinis and all things Chicago Cubs. She’s represented by Jessica Watterson of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.

Spotlight, Exclusive Excerpt & #Giveaway: ★Kane’s Hell★ by @ElizabethFinn77

Confession time: I’m an angst whore. A total and complete angst whore and I make no apologies for it. So it should come as no surprise that I’m a huge Elizabeth Finn fan. If you’ve read her books, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t and you like your heroes to be alpha assholes, your heroines with an understated sort of strength, and enough angst to wallop you over the head and keep you glued to the pages from start to finish? Well, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite author.

Kane’s Hell is Elizabeth’s upcoming release (scheduled for May 1, 2015) and is a standalone. I’m so excited to be able to spotlight this incredible book today AND offer you all an exclusive teaser! Read to the end of the post to enter the GIVEAWAY for your chance to win an ebook of Kane’s Hell.

About The Book

Kane and Helene were the best of friends until a nightmare devastated them… Hopes were destroyed, dreams shattered, a budding teenage love torn to pieces. Eleven years later their lives are nothing like they once were. Time has changed them … and not for the better.Helene is smart, driven, and accomplished—her education and achievements a smoke screen hiding the frigid and fragile child wounded long ago.Kane is equally obsessed with his coping mechanisms—fighting … drinking … screwing … compulsively destroying himself one vice at a time.

When their paths collide again, their past becomes an obstacle no coping mechanism in the world can protect them from. But confronting the past so they can heal in the present is no easy task. Can Kane reach Helene and recapture what used to burn so warmly between them, or will his own self destructive demons pull her into his hell?

A woman determined to look forward. A man always looking back. A love desperate to be restored.
“You’re the brightest, warmest star in my universe. You’ll never be less than everything to me.”

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Excerpt

Helene

“Do you want to have sex with me?” I asked. It was a loaded question, and given the nervous look on his face, he knew that. If he said he didn’t, he ran the risk of hurting my feelings. If he said he did, he ran the risk of objectifying me as nothing more than a piece of ass—much like the many pieces that had come before me.

He pulled his lower lip into his mouth, and I watched him. When he nodded it was tight, and he was staring at my chin instead of my eyes.

I nodded. “I see,” I said as I looked around for a way to end this and make my escape.

“No you don’t,” he said. “You’re… You’re—”

“Let me guess. Special,” I said with a cruel sarcasm I just couldn’t help.

“Fuck yes you are,” he spat back at me, his face pinched in anger. “Listen,” he continued as he shook his head. “I didn’t ask for a truce so I could fuck you. You asked the question. I answered it honestly. I’m just…” He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. “…attracted to you. I always have been. It doesn’t mean I expect you to have sex with me. But don’t ask me a question unless you want the honest answer, because you’re going to get the truth, however ugly it is, upsetting it is, or shocking it is.”

I stared at his chest, but he lifted my chin again.

“Please look at me.” His fingers squeezed gently against my skin. “I know this has been hard on you. The past few weeks, you’ve been forced to deal with the mess I’ve made of myself. You saw my ugly, and I was defensive, because you’re life looks beautiful to me. And it made me feel pathetic.”

“My life doesn’t feel beautiful,” I said quietly.

He nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. But please take that step over the line. I need you too.”

I nodded, and he sighed as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his body. I slid my right hand up under his T-shirt, knowing exactly where I’d find the scar, and I covered it with my palm. His muscles tensed under my touch, but then he relaxed into it, and he inhaled deeply against my hair.

We stood there for too long, and I listened to his heart beat, and I soaked in the warmth of him. This felt good again, being close to him. I needed it to stay that way.

When he walked toward the kitchen, I followed. There was a large garbage can in the center of the kitchen floor. It was the same one that had been in the middle of the living room floor a few weeks prior, but instead of being filled with just wood scraps and pieces of drywall, it was now littered with broken liquor bottles, and it reeked of alcohol.

I stared into the garbage can as Kane pulled a carton of whipped cream out of the fridge and started eating it with a spoon.

“You could have emptied the bottles first you know, rather than smashing them full in the garbage can.” I smirked.

He smiled. “I know,” he said around the spoon in his mouth. “But they always smash them full in the movies. Sometimes in the sink, which… Why? Right?” he asked jokingly.

He scooped up another spoonful of whipped cream, and he handed it to me. I stared at it for a moment, but I took the spoon, popping it into my mouth.

“Who the hell wants to pick glass out of a sink?” he continued. “This is my ode to Hollywood cinematic ridiculousness. I suppose it’s visually powerful though.”

I chuckled quietly, pulling the spoon out of my mouth. “Are you an alcoholic?” I asked him bluntly.

“No.” His answer was simple and came without pause. “No. I do, however, tend to deflect pain by masking it with other things. I just decided I don’t want a bottle of the-easy-way-out sitting nearby when things get messed up in my head again.”

I nodded. He yawned, and the sight of his yawn made me yawn too.

“I should get going,” I said.

“You don’t have to.”

I smiled. “I have an early call with my dissertation director tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll wake you up early.” He bit his lower lip as he waited for me to say something.

I wasn’t sure what to say. I wasn’t sure what he was even asking. But as I stood there trying to figure it out, he yawned again and took my hand, pulling me toward the hallway. I followed him, my nerves prickling with something that fell between excitement and absolute terror.

He stripped out of his T-shirt when he walked into the same bedroom he’d always had, and I looked around. It wasn’t a mess, it was just a sad, old rundown room. I reached out to a broken knob on the dresser that I remembered, even now, from childhood. He stepped behind me, pushing his hands up under the back of my T-shirt. He undid my bra, and then he helped me pull the straps down from under the short sleeves of my shirt.

When his hands reached around and fumbled with the waist of my pants, I held my breath. He pushed them down to pool at the ground, leaving my underwear in place, and then I felt him undoing his own pants as he kept his body close to mine. His breath touched the back of my ear, and he leaned down kissing the top of my shoulder.

He took my hand, leading me to the side of the bed, and I crawled in as he followed me. The mattress sat on the floor, and there was nothing plush about it. But the sheets, blanket and quilt smelled clean like his skin.

The bedside lamp was on behind him, and as I rolled toward him, he watched me. He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t frowning. He just watched me, pulling me up close to him, his legs intertwined with mine. He brushed the hair off my forehead, and he trailed his finger down along my jaw.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much,” he said quietly. “Nothing has made sense in my life without you.” His thumb stroked over my chin.

“I missed you too.”

He studied me for a while, not closing his eyes, not saying a word, and it was odd and comfortable at the same time. It gave me a chance to study him too, and I did. He was aging well, and he still looked young and handsome—even if he carried a heavy past.

I reached for his chin, stroking the whiskers.

“What are you thinking?” I asked him.

He looked at my mouth. “That I’ve never kissed you. And that I want to. Very much.”

I bit my lower lip, and he smiled. When I leaned to his mouth, his eyes opened wider for a moment, but then they fluttered. After that, I was too close to see or care what his eyes were doing. I was also entirely too stunned by my own actions to think straight.

My lips met his, and I could feel his whiskers tickling my chin. He moaned this deep low sound from the pit of his chest, and I could feel the vibration of it. He sucked on my lower lip, tugging it gently and then releasing it so he could capture my top one between his. His hand met my cheek, his fingers curling behind my jawline and pulling my mouth harder to his, and the kisses came fast then—one after another.

My top leg was between his thighs, and the smacking sound of our lips left warmth in my groin as I rocked against his thigh.

“Oh, fuck,” he murmured between kisses. “You’re torture. Do you know that?” But he never stopped kissing.

He finally groaned through gritted teeth, forcing his kisses to move off my mouth to my cheek and then down the side of my throat to the crook of my neck that met my shoulder. He stopped kissing, breathing heavily against my skin. I could feel the hardness and the size of his erection against my top thigh that was sandwiched between his legs.

“There is nothing frigid going on between your legs right now, Hell. The heat coming off your pussy is intense,” he said with his lips to my skin.

Yes it was. I sighed as my hips stopped trying to screw his leg like a dog in heat. What the hell was going on inside me right now?

“Go to sleep, baby,” he whispered even as he still breathed heavily. “I don’t think either one of us are ready for this yet.”

I pulled back, trying to figure out if I was offended or not.

He smiled instantly. “Tell that analytical brain of yours to shut up. I didn’t mean it in a bad way.”

“How did you mean it?” I asked.

He yawned again, but his expression became intense and focused. “This is a complicated thing for us.” He glanced over my shoulder for a moment, but then he looked back at me. “I always kind of assumed it would be me,” he said simply. “Your first. And in some twisted way … I’m still glad I was.” The side of his lip pulled up, but it fell just as quickly.

I understood what he was saying, and I nodded.

“But God it was supposed to be so fucking different,” he said almost angrily, and he shook his head. He finally smiled again. “Go to sleep.” He leaned forward, kissing me in the middle of the forehead. He reached back and turned the lamp off, and I closed my eyes.

* * * *

I woke up when his arms tightened around me, and he hummed warmly against the back of my ear. “Do you want coffee?” he asked quietly, his voice hoarse with sleep.

I sat up, looking over Kane’s shoulder at the clock on the nightstand. It was six-thirty. “I better not,” I said as I stretched.

His hand slipped under the back of my shirt, and his palm ran over my skin, gently rubbing as it traveled up to the middle of my back. I sighed as I stretched my neck.

“When Dr. Briggs says she’s calling first thing in the morning, she means first thing in the morning. The woman once called me at seven-fifteen to review my grades. Talk about a rude awakening.” I chuckled as his hand continued to move and graze across my back. I glanced over my shoulder at him. I studied his face, and my cheeks flushed as goosebumps popped over my entire body. His eyebrows shot up as he felt it under his palm.

“What on earth are you thinking about?” he asked with a sly smile.

I didn’t say anything for a moment. “What would it be like if we decided to have a sexual relationship?”

His hand moved some more. “Emotionally or physically?”

My cheeks flushed again. “Physically.”

“I suppose…” he spoke slowly. “My mouth would likely be where my hand is right now. And if you wanted to ride my fucking thigh like you did last night, you wouldn’t feel the need to stop until you’d come all over my leg.” He sat up, still running his hand over my back. He rested his chin on my shoulder and I turned to face forward. “And I guess that kiss would have turned into full on fucking.”

The flush turned into warmth that radiated out through my limbs and then pulled back into my core to settle in my groin. “Emotionally?”

He kissed my shoulder again. “That’s more difficult,” he said.

I turned to look at him. His face was close to mine.

“In what way?” I asked.

He inhaled deeply. “It’s easy to make the physical things happen the way you want them to.”

“Sex, fighting, alcohol,” I said.

He nodded. “Good insight. Yeah. Those things have a very tangible feel to them. There’s a cause and effect. If you do this, you get that. It’s simple. It’s uncomplicated.”

“You’re saying the emotional side of all this is more complicated?”

“Do you see it any other way?” he asked.

I turned my body toward him then, and his hand slipped from underneath my shirt. “No, I don’t,” I said as I shook my head. My eyes drifted away as I contemplated that.

“Hey.” He pulled my face to look at him. When he opened his mouth to speak, he quickly closed it and sighed. But then he opened it again. “Complicated is okay.”

His eyes shifted down to my mouth. He looked vulnerable as though he were afraid of what I was thinking. Odd thing was I felt the same of him. He finally looked back at my eyes.

“If you want to know what it looks like… it’s open, it’s honest, we talk, we listen, we spend time together. The thing is, I told you I want to be close to you. That’s an emotional thing for us whether there’s sex involved or not.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

He reached for my mouth, cupping my chin and running his thumb over my lower lip. “Don’t kiss me again…” he said quietly.

I gasped, and my eyes dropped to his chest.

“…unless that’s the direction we’re going.”

My pulse spiked, and I had to force myself to make eye contact. I was holding my breath when I did.

“Because I liked it too much. I need to know you’re not going to take that away from me if it happens again.”

My breath left me in a rush, but I nodded. He smiled gently, even seductively, but it was reassuring nonetheless.

I glanced at the clock again. “I really have to go. I’m sorry.”

He stood and pulled me up to my feet, and then he snatched my jeans from the floor. Once I’d put them on quickly, he stuffed my bra into the pocket, smirking down at me. He walked me to the door, and I ran out to my car as he watched from the porch.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight & Guest Post: ★The Australian★ by @LesleyYoungBks

The Australian (Crime Royalty Romance #2)
Author: Lesley Young
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 25, 2015
● Fall in love with an unforgettable female heroine!
● Lose yourself in multiple plot twists!
● Take a trip down under for only $2.99!

Charlie Sykes takes everything and everyone at face value, and believes life would be a lot easier if everyone else did, too. Jace Knight, international Aussie hotelier and purported playboy, has never met anyone like the absurdly literal and obliviously beautiful American who applies to his personal assistant position. The trouble is, how do you seduce a woman whose definition of flirting comes straight out of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary? That, and he’s not the only one after Charlie.

Seems Mr. Knight may not be a reformed criminal after all. Charlie soon finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of dangerous international espionage that takes her from the hip streets of Sydney to the majestic Great Barrier Reef and the wild, desolate outback.

A terrible trap’s being laid, but how will Charlie protect herself and prevent a devastating betrayal when she can’t even sort out what her heart’s telling her?

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GUEST POST

3 Things an Authentic
Dirty Girl Heroine Must Have
By The Australian author
(and romantic suspense obsessed reader) Lesley Young
Thanks so much for featuring me on your fantastic blog! I am a
big fan, and thought it would be fun to weigh in with the expectations I have
for realistic dirty girl heroines. In other words . . . turning ereader on . .
. .please let this heroine be real enough to take me on an amazing
rock-my-world vicarious journey.
Heroine must have a strong
sense of self
In order for me to get sucked into a character’s
heart-racing, sexy interludes, she must be self-possessed, self-aware and
generally heartfelt. Now, that doesn’t mean she has to be confident, or sexual
experienced or even a genuinely a good person. But she has to have opinions,
desires and be real enough that the sexual encounter she’s experiences has true
meaning.I guess the hottest dirty girl scenes, for me, have to have significant
meaning for the character’s journey.
Heroine must be torn.
Have you ever experienced absolutely script-worthy sexual encounters, in you
know, real life? And if you did, with say a hot Aussie like a Hemsworth (just a
suggestion), would it be that exciting? Okay, probably any kind of sex with a
Hemsworth would be sexy…I digress. My point is that the best sex scenes, for
me, aren’t a simple sharing and exploration of perfect love where each
character says and does just the right thing in the right moment. No way. I
much prefer sex scenes to be a “sensual conversation” full of rocky emotional
torment. The heroine wants the hero, or vice versa, but there are hang ups,
sacrifices, compromises at stake every time they fall into each other. The
bonus here is the sexual encounters are typically much more spontaneous.
Heroine must be empowered.
Confession: I do like the occasional tryst that involves the hero manipulating
the heroine’s sense of choice (but only when she doesn’t know better and is
totally into him). But generally the most successful dirty girls are those who
know what they want and take it. They may not take it in just the right way at
just the right moment, but they’re willing to take risks in the bedroom to
learn more about themselves and also maybe but not necessarily, to connect
deeper with the hero. If I feel for the second that the author has objectified
the woman needlessly, I’m out.
I hope I stayed true to these aspects with Charlie Sykes, the
quirky heroine in my novel The Australian,
and Fleur Smither, the funny heroine in The
Frenchman
. Both are available in my stand-alone Crime Royalty Romance
series (crime is light, suspense is not!). About the Author

Lesley Young is a genre-defying author of unforgettable heroines who experience thrilling life- and love-altering journeys. Her debut novel was Sky’s End; her most recent stand-alone series, Crime Royalty Romance, includes The Frenchman and The Australian. She loves to hear from readers. Follow her at Facebook.com/LesleyYoungBooks, @LesleyYoungBks and lesleyyoungbooks.com/blog.

Carly Phillip’s Dare to Love Kindle World New Releases, Contest & #Giveaway

 

Carly Phillips – Contest and More Dare to Love Kindle World books

Dare to Hold Preorder Contest:

From the fabulous Carly Phillips:

Huge contest – with lots of goodies!

Dare to Hold is releasing on April 14th and I’m SO excited.To share in the excitement and to give back to my wonderful readers, I’m holding a BIG pre-order campaign contest. I’ve set a goal to have 8,000 preorders by release day, and I need YOUR help to reach my goal.

First up – is to hit my first goal of 5,000 preorders (lofty I know!)

Once I hit that number I’ll be giving away a $25 gift card to Amazon and I’ll post the first three chapters of Dare to Hold on my site for everyone to enjoy!

But that’s not all – I’ve set “milestones” to happen along the way with some terrific prizes that include:

$50 Amazon Gift Card

$100 Amazon Gift Card
$250 Amazon Gift Card
5 Early E-copies of Dare to Hold
Signed copies of ALL the Dare booksTea/Drink/Lunch with me for one lucky winner at RWA in New York or NINC in St. Pete’s Florida (don’t’ worry if you can’t attend either event, you’ll have your choice of a gift card to an online retailer that allows e-gift cards for $200)

And if we surpass my preorder goal, I have a super exciting grand prize that I’ll announce later.

How to enter? Share this post with your friends, like this post, comment on this post AND fill out the form at the bottom of this post.

Once I reach each goal, I’ll pull a winner from the list and share with everyone!

Preorder:
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / Google Play
Giveaway
New Dare to Love Kindle World Books:
6 new Dare to Love Kindle World books just released – check them out:

Mari Carr – One Daring Night

Joni’s had better birthdays. Catching her boyfriend at a fancy restaurant with some bimbo certainly wasn’t what she’d wished for when she blew out the candles. Newly unattached, she’s ready to embrace singlehood by going wild, being reckless, maybe even indulging in some meaningless sex.Depressed with his shallow love life, Eric Bryant is commiserating with his friend, Alex Dare, over a meal at his favorite restaurant. He vows to marry the next woman he sleeps with—just before a firecracker confronts her cheating boyfriend at the next table. Intrigued, Eric offers to buy her a beer. Joni agrees on two conditions: She wants tequila, and complete honesty. Eric promises nothing but the truth.

After one daring night, what happens when two people with such similar hungers want such different futures? 

 

Erin Nicholas: A Dare Worth Taking
Sometimes there’s no escaping Destiny…When Miami Thunder star receiver Jax Elliot fell in love with Destiny Duncan, it felt right. He didn’t care that she was a trainer from the Thunder’s biggest rivals. Didn’t care about this boss or hers, didn’t care what the fans or the media thought. Destiny was the best thing to ever happen to him—until he started dropping the ball. Literally. And he was forced to make a choice. The woman he loved. Or the game he loved.
He chose poorly.

Months later, in need of a trainer he can trust, Jax turns to the woman he still wants above all others. Things quickly turn physical—the sex between them more explosive than ever—and the physical quickly becomes emotional. One thing hasn’t changed: Jax and Des are still deeply in love. But something else remains the same as well. He still can’t catch a damn ball with Destiny in his head.

It’ll take a Dare—or three—to help Jax understand it’s not about catching every ball…it’s about knowing the woman he loves will always be there to catch him.

Sami Lee: Twice as Daring

Publicist Abby Lehman likes her job—until she finds herself working as a glorified babysitter for cocky-as-the-devil NFL star Sam Cormack. Sam is unpredictable, unruly, impossible—and also impossibly sexy. It has taken all Abby’s willpower to keep from throwing herself at him like one of his groupies. When her boss insists she accompany Sam to a black tie restaurant opening, things heat up even further. And when she finds out Sam has also been lusting after her she throws caution to the wind and indulges in a hot tryst with him that threatens her career as well as her heart.Sam knows he screwed up with Abby and curses his impulsive nature. Making love to her was something he’d wanted for a long time, but he should have taken things slower with her, made sure they got to know each other. Now she thinks he only wants her for sex, just when Sam’s realizing she’s the first woman to make him want the real deal in a long time.

Can he make her believe he’s ready to put his playboy days behind him and start something real with his Miss Right?

Cari Quinn: If You Dare
He’ll help her speed right past her limits…if she dares.Pop princess Peyton Pryor wants just one night to break out of the mold she’s been stuck in for way too long. Successful beyond her wildest dreams, she can’t help wanting more—to write her own music, to head into edgier territory, to have some fun. Particularly the naughty kind that doesn’t match her pristine, sanitized image.

An illicit joyride in a borrowed Porsche leads her straight to ex-Detective and current romantic suspense author Noah Keaton, who has been feeling itchy about his own mold lately. After turning his back on being a cop, he’s been on the straight and narrow for far too long. If Peyton’s hungry for experience, he’s just the man for the job. Because he’s hungry for her.

Maybe this time, one dare will become so much more…

Rhian Cahill: Her Daring Mistake

There’s something familiar about the gorgeous woman across the crowded club. When he “accidentally” bumps into her, Alex Dean is shocked to discover what it is: The tall, leggy blonde is none other than Sadie Emerson, his college math tutor—and the subject of more fantasies than he could count. Years later, she’s looking better than ever. He has to have her. Tonight. Immediately.Does it really matter that she thinks she’s going home with his buddy, Alex Dare?

Apparently it does. Because she sneaks away the morning after. Twice. First, when she discovers her mistake, then when she decides her upcoming more to New York makes them a two-day stand at best. But the sex is off-the-charts combustible, and Alex is already seeing stars, hearing bells…envisioning houses and picket fences and other things he’d never considered.

Now all he has to do is convince Sadie his feelings are real. His shy wallflower might consider him a daring mistake—but Alex has never been more certain.

 

Taryn Elliott – Double Dare

A blind date from hell turns into a dare that changes everything.Jewelry designer Presley Warren is sick of spending every single night alone. The crushing weight of running her family’s business leaves little time for the designing she loves. It’s no surprise that dating is last on her to-do list. In a moment of weakness she agrees to let her best friend set her up.

In a funk, millionaire Vance O’Neal is dragged to the first home game of the season for the Miami Thunder. He literally runs into a gorgeous blond as soon as he walks into the stadium. She’s light and laughter and the first woman to pull at him in years. One problem—she’s already taken. In a twist of fate, he’s seated next to Presley at the game. Her date shows his true colors as a rude, self-involved jerk so Vance can’t help himself when the Halftime Kiss Cam pans onto them. He dares her to kiss him—in fact, he double dares her to take a chance on a stranger.

He’s convinced her to start with one night—now he wants a shot at forever.

 

Author Interview & #Giveaway with @authorkatyevans

 
Manwhore (Manwhore #1)
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Author: Katy Evans
Release Date: March 24, 2015

Is it possible to expose Chicago’s hottest player—without getting played?

This is the story I’ve been waiting for all my life, and its name is Malcolm Kyle Preston Logan Saint. Don’t be fooled by that last name though. There’s nothing holy about the man except the hell his parties raise. The hottest entrepreneur Chicago has ever known, he’s a man’s man with too much money to spend and too many women vying for his attention.

Mysterious. Privileged. Legendary. His entire life he’s been surrounded by the press as they dig for tidbits to see if his fairytale life is for real or all mirrors and social media lies. Since he hit the scene, his secrets have been his and his alone to keep. And that’s where I come in.

Assigned to investigate Saint and reveal his elusive personality, I’m determined to make him the story that will change my career.

But I never imagined he would change my life. Bit by bit, I start to wonder if I’m the one discovering him…or if he’s uncovering me.

What happens when the man they call Saint, makes you want to sin?

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INTERVIEW WITH KATY EVANS

DGR: Hi Katy! Thanks so much for stopping by DGR today. I’m so excited to have you here!

Katy: Hey back! I’m so excited to be here, thanks for having me over. 🙂

DGR: Can we start out with a quick introduction for any readers out there that haven’t heard of you yet (though I’m not so sure those exist LOL)

Katy: Absolutely! I’m Katy Evans, author of the Real series and the upcoming Manwhore series. My debut, Real, came out in 2013 and from then on, I’ve been thrilled to be sharing my characters and stories with readers. I’m especially excited about sharing with them the very first book in my Manwhore series, MANWHORE, out March 24. 🙂

DGR: Let’s talk about Manwhore. If readers haven’t seen this, here’s what you said about your idea behind the book:

Dear Readers,

I am super excited to be introducing you to my new series today. A series that has taken me on such an exciting journey, I’m so very glad it’s only the beginning!
It was on a trip to Chicago that I first met my hero. He was on a social media page that made the news, and the sight of him startled me. There he was. This ostentatious young billionaire, dark-haired, bare-chested and beautiful, surrounded by half-naked groupies, with more than a million online followers. By the time I returned home a week later, I was still haunted by the look in his eyes. He was a mystery that I simply had to unravel, and when he started appearing in my dreams, I set out to do just that.
His name is Malcolm Saint. As I sat down to get to know this “manwhore,” I fell so hard and so irrevocably in love with him. And, now, I hope you will too. This is the first book in the Manwhore series and I hope you’re ready to catch fire!
Katy
Anything else you can tell us about this inspiration?
Katy: Oh, sigh. I don’t even know how to explain it. It was a book that captivated me from the start, the setting, the characters, the story, THE INCREDIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN MALCOLM AND RACHEL. It all started with an idea, a spark, and a curiosity and a real live player, and it all suddenly exploded for me. I can’t wait for readers to read!

DGR: Malcolm Kyle Preston Logan Saint. Now there’s a mouthful for you (pun intended). Can you describe Malcolm for us in 5 words or less?Katy: Intense. Unstoppable. Mysterious. Electric. Momentum.

DGR: Can you describe the heroine, Rachel, in 5 words or less?

Katy: Responsible. Hard-working. Human. Modern. Normal.

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

Katy: Definitely Malcolm and Rachel, although the story itself, the setting, and the secondary characters were so extraordinary to me as well!
DGR: Now without giving away any spoilers, what was one of your favorite scenes from Manwhore?

Katy: I love every scene in this book, truly. I never got bored, never wanted to stop writing. My favorite scenes always have Malcolm and Rachel in common. One of them is a very forbidden club scene where Rachel manages to get invited to. And there is Malcolm Saint, with his friends, partying, and making her world spin a little faster.
DGR: If you had to describe the book to us in a twitter size type sum-up, what would you say?

Katy: One young journalist puts her heart and body in danger when the exposé she’s writing leads her into the arms of a notorious womanizer…
DGR: Manwhore marks book 1 in this series, with the continuation of Rachel and Saint’s story in book 2. Will their story also be finished in book 2 or do you plan for it to be longer?
Katy: I’m still finishing book 2 so I don’t know what to expect…yet. But I can’t wait to see where they lead me and I’m super eager to share them with you again!

DGR: I have to say that you definitely have my curiosity peaked with several secondary characters like Gina and Wynn, and Malcolm’s friends Callan and Tahoe. Any chance you plan on writing a story for either one of them?Katy: I’d love to. I love all the secondary characters in MANWHORE. Usually I always focus on whoever’s story I’m writing, but the moment I finish, it happens that their friends start to talk to me – and loudly – telling me their stories. I wonder who it’ll be next, but I deeply suspect it will be Tahoe. 🙂

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

Katy: I’m attaching a teaser pic that I absolutely love and hope you like. 🙂 And…I hope that once I finish writing MANWHORE +1 I can share some teasers from it as well!

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

Katy: My complete and honest gratitude for their support and encouragement throughout the years. Every message, review, tweet, recommendation, email, every moment they spend with one of my characters, it means the world to me. Thank you readers, for reading and for all the support you’ve given my people and me since I published Real in 2013. Love you all! And thank you so much for having me!! :d
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Release Blitz & Part 1 of Girls Night Out, an Exclusive Serial Short Story by @katee_robert

When Sara Reaver finds herself in dangerous trouble, Mercenary Z Loreto, the one man she cannot resist is tasked with protecting her in, PROTECTING FATE. Fans of Tessa Bailey’s Driven by Fate or Maya Banks’ Sweet Seduction, will enjoy the sexy and suspenseful addition to the Serve series by NYT Bestselling Author Katee Robert.

He’ll keep her safe…but who will protect her from him?

Fixer Sara Reaver is in serious trouble. She’s stepped on the wrong toes, and now her uncle is sending her out of the city in an effort to keep her safe—and he’s assigning her a glorified babysitter. The last person she expects to show up is the gorgeous Z, or for him to tempt her and then reject her in the space of a single night. Twice. Now she’s out to prove to him just how good they’d fit up together in every way imaginable.Mercenary Z Loreto hates protection jobs, but he’s willing to make an exception for his best friend’s little sister. The only problem is she calls up things he’s been doing his damnedest to keep under wraps for the last seven years. But when she pushes him too far, it all comes rushing to the fore, and the fact she’s willing to submit to his every desire only makes the loss of control sweeter.Sara and Z have a boatload of issues between them, but they’re sure they can make things work if they take it one day at a time… Right up until things spiral beyond their control. Now Z’s playing for keeps in a big way, and Sara’s got to decide if a chance at true happiness is worth the risk of repeating history.

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Girls Night Out, an Exclusive Serial Short Story by Katee Robert!

To celebrate the release of PROTECTING FATE, Katee has written an exclusive short story that gives us a sneak peak into Girls Night Out with Ridley, Penelope and Sara. I’m beyond thrilled to be hosting the first part here at Dirty Girl Romance.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT will be posted in four parts as part of the release event, so be sure to check out these other 3 fantastic blogs for the exclusive story!
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:

About the Author
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
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Spread the love and enter to win the tour-wide giveaway!
1 $50 Gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble and 3 winners of Katee Robert swag pack

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