DGR Fave Review: Walk Of Shame by @_LaurenLayne

April 20, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

WALK OF SHAME
Series: Love Unexpectedly #4
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: April 18, 2017

Sparks fly between a misunderstood New York socialite and a cynical divorce lawyer in this lively standalone rom-com from the USA Today bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Love Story.

Pampered heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollow—and a whole lot lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing him is the most fun Georgie’s had in years—and the fuel for all her naughtiest daydreams.

Celebrity divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesn’t have much time for women, especially spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual job. Although Georgie’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also everything Andrew resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it. But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise kiss—a kiss that’s caught on camera—all of Manhattan is gossiping about whether they’re a real couple. And nobody’s more surprised than Andrew to find that the answer just might be yes.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Despite the high temps of that swampy July morning, the encounter had been the start of an epic cold war. Me, the socialite in apartment 86A against the uptight esquire in apartment 79B. I’m not entirely sure I’m winning the war, but I’ll never tell him…

Where has this book been all my life?!! Where?!! I don’t have the words to describe all the love I had for this story! It was addictingly delicious and wickedly funny! Walk Of Shame is a book that will leave you with a full heart and a goofy smile on your face. It will make you swoon and make you laugh. It’s a book that you’d be incapable of reading without smiling the entire time. It was, in a word, PERFECTION.

I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers and this was utterly delicious! Witty banter, snarky sarcasm, ah-mazing characters, and enough chemistry to zap your finger with electricity each time you turn the page. So. Dang. Good.

I don’t like games, Georgiana.”
“Which is why you need to play them, Andy.”
He blinks. “It’s Andrew.”
“Hmm. How about Drew?”
“No.” The word is a growl. “Georgiana.”
“Yes, Andy?”
He exhales. “I’m going to kill you.”
I can’t help the laugh. “See, I don’t think so.”
“Don’t you?”
“Nope,” I say, sucking sugar off my thumb. “You don’t send flowers to someone you’re going to kill.”

Georgie is no stereotypical socialite. This is a heroine that’s absolutely impossible not to love. She’s warm-hearted, genuine, witty and sweet. There’s no catty friendships and silly drama with her. Can I just say what a breath of fresh air that was for me? Because GAH! I loved that! Being the daughter to two moguls leaves her wanting for nothing, but she’s not spoiled in the very least. She truly cares about people and I adored the easy friendships that she developed and drew people to her with her presence. Even the doormen to her building weren’t immune to her easy charm. The one person that was, however, was the stuffy divorce attorney that seems to go out of his way to either ignore or insult her.

What exactly did you do for exercise, Georgiana?” he says, giving me a skeptical look. “Twirl your hair?”
“If I do it vigorously, it counts as cardio.”

Andrew Mulroney, boy genius, now successful and most sought after divorce attorney is the definition of routine. Up at 5 am, exchange snarky sarcastic barbs with Georgie, work, sleep, repeat. He was so adorably awkward that you can’t help but like him. He’s not your stereotypical playboy hero. Yes, he’s successful now, but he’s not the life of the party. He’s been on the fast track to success since high school, and he’s not about to let a party girl distract him…even if the party girl is a lot more than first meets the eye.

I loved the banter between these two and the slow burn of sexual tension. Between every barb and insult these two exchanged, there’s a crackle of attraction and I absolutely loved the pacing of their relationship developing. It goes from frenemies to a reluctant friendship to so much more.

The man whose head moves insistently between my legs is nothing like the buttoned-up lawyer who has spent the past few months ignoring me. This man is raw and primal, his touch sure and possessive, as though every part of me is his and he’s always known it. 

I adored every single page of this book. Every. Single. Page. The friendships between Georgie and her girlfriends, the witty banter between her and Andrew, the slow burn, the crackle of attraction, EVERYTHING. Everything just flowed effortlessly to make for one unputdownable read that left me with a goofy grin from beginning to finish. I can say with utmost certainty that this may have been my favorite book by this author to date. If you’re looking for a witty rom com with a dash of enemies to lovers, you seriously can’t go wrong with this book!

He palms my ass before his fingers explore, tracing the upper elastic of my underwear. “Georgiana. Are you wearing impractical undergarments?”
“Yes. One might even call them . . . ridiculous.”
He pulls back, eyes gleaming. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

BLURRED LINES | GOOD GIRL | LOVE STORY | WALK OF SHAME

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Cover Reveal: Tease by @EllaFrank2012

April 19, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

TEASE
Series: Temptation #4
Author: Ella Frank
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 9, 2017
Cover Designer: Shanoff Formats

Four years ago I met a man

who forever changed my life.

He dared me to try.

I dared him to love.

And while that’s where our story began, it’s certainly not where it ended.

-Tate Morrison

Start the Series Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

Try (Temptation #1)

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Take (Temptation #2)

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Trust (Temptation #3)

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Connect with Ella:

Newsletter | Bookbub | Facebook | FB Street Team | Instagram | Email | Website
Twitter – @EllaFrank2012

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Review & Excerpt Tour: Razr by @larissaione

April 19, 2017 by · 1 Comment

RAZR
Series: Demonica #11.8 | 1,001 Dark Nights
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Larissa Ione
Release Date: April 11, 2017

 

New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione returns to the Demonica Underworld…

A fallen angel with a secret.

An otherworldly elf with an insatiable hunger she doesn’t understand.

An enchanted gem.

Meet mortal enemies Razr and Jedda…and the priceless diamond that threatens to destroy them both even as it bonds them together with sizzling passion.

Welcome back to the Demonica Underworld, where enemies find love…if they’re strong enough to survive.

 Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Paperback

Shivering, she went back inside and fetched the med kit from the bathroom. Razr was still passed out cold, so gently and carefully she stripped off his slacks.He didn’t wear underwear. Oh, my.

Her mouth went as dry as the sand forest in her elven homeland as she took in his magnificent body. Everything began to burn, parts of her she’d all but forgotten she had in the five years since she’d last been with a man. The fallen angel was about as perfect as anything she’d ever seen. Made sense, she supposed—she’d never thought angels would be anything less than perfection. But seeing one naked and up close? No one could blame her for wanting to take pictures and post to all her friends on Instagram, right?

Cursing her ethics, she arranged him on his belly to allow access to his shredded back. Shame at the fact that she’d just ogled him shrank her skin. Gods, he must have been in so much pain. She’d nearly passed out herself during the beating, unable to stomach the sight of muscle and bone exposed by the deep lacerations.

Making matters worse, Shrike had reveled in the gore, growing angrier with each strike, as if he’d been taking some deep inner pain out on Razr. When it was over, he’d thrown down the cat and fled the office without a word, leaving her to gather Razr’s unconscious body and find her way out of the castle.

At least the wounds had stopped bleeding and were already starting to heal. Still, this was one of the times she wished she’d chosen the garnet Gem of Enoch instead of the diamond. Jedda and her sisters hadn’t known what power each of the gems had possessed at the time they’d chosen and assimilated them, but neither Jedda nor Reina had been completely happy with the outcomes. Manda had embraced the killing power of her stone, but Reina had no desire to heal and had been furious. And while Jedda’s gem had given her an ability to violently repel demons that she actually used sometimes, being able to help now and then would have been cool too.

Very carefully, she cleaned Razr’s wounds and applied bandages, each one drawing an elven curse from her. Such a perfect body, torn to shreds on a regular basis. He had no scars—at least, none that were visible. She’d heard there were species of demons that could see scars no one else could, and she wondered what one of those demons would see if they looked at Razr.

Jedda saw a very fit, very toned male

Twisting, she looked over her shoulder at him, and in the glow of the nightlight from the bathroom, he was incredible. Passion and raw hunger lurked in his half-lidded eyes, his full lips parted on panting breaths, and she suddenly wanted that mouth on her body. Tasting her. Licking her. Kissing her

Have I mentioned how much I love Larissa Ione and her writing? Because man do I. SO HARD. Her world building is incredible. Her stories unfold in front of your eyes with the most stunning of visuals and I can never get enough. I’ve devoured her entire backlist and I love that she keeps giving us a taste of her Demonica world with these novellas.

And while this a somewhat short read at just around 120 pages, it’s as satisfying as a full novel. I don’t know how the woman is able to pack so much into those pages; the romance, the action, the mystery, the character development, all of it, but she does. And she does it WELL. I was hooked from the very first page.

Razr may say he’s a fallen angel, but he hides a secret. A big one. He may be in Azagoth’s service in the underworld, but he’s also a man on the mission. He mistake in his past that cost him everything and the reason for his years of punishment is not just a haunting memory for him. It’s a mistake that he continues to pay for and his salvation seems to be out of his grasp…until it isn’t. Now he just needs to convince a female that may hold a deeper secret than him to help him locate it.

Jedda has a gift for finding precious gems. But her gift isn’t one of luck; as a gem elf, it’s essentially her life calling. When her gift lands her in some hot water with a fallen angel, trusting another one doesn’t seem very smart…but there’s just something about Razr that runs deeper than attraction.

Fans of this series are in for a treat with this one! Ione delivers her signature witty banter and steamy passion all wrapped around a totally addictive story line that’s action packed from beginning to end. I loved the slow sizzle and burn between Razr and Jedda. I love Ione’s heroines, because while having their weaknesses, these are not wilting wallflowers and Jedda was no exception. It was ridiculously cool to get a peek into the elfin world because that’s not a species yet introduced in this super rich world building that the author has crafted. But as always, reading another installment has only whet my appetite and I already can’t wait for more!

 

Larissa Ione - author imageLarissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | 1001 Dark Nights

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#DGRFave Review: The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan

April 19, 2017 by ·

THE HOT SHOT
Series: Game On #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Date: April 18, 2017

First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…
What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.
No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

AMAZON | iBOOKS

So were going to…What? Be friends.”
He looks almost boyish then. “Yeah. We are.” His eyes spark. “Fair warning. I’ll still be picturing you naked half of the time. So get used to a bit of leering.”
I snort. “You just had to go and ruin the moment, didn’t you?”
“Probably should get used to that too.”

GAH. All of the stars! ALL OF THEM!

Do you know why I love that one quote up there? Because it’s the perfect summary of this book. It’s this incredibly endearing combination of humor, emotion, and passion. I seriously couldn’t get enough of it! Opposites attract in this sweet and sexy sports romance and I was absolute putty reading it. A happy pile of swooning goo. Can goo swoon? Hmm…no matter. What’s important is how much I seriously loved this book!

From bickering, to unlikely friendship, to roommates, to lovers, Chess and Finn stole my heart…and I never want it back

Like an inevitable collision with a charging linebacker, I suspect Ms. Chess Copper is going to take me down and make me feel it. Bitch of it is, I’m not sure if I hate the idea or kind of like it.

The last place Finn wants to be is in front of the camera. When the photographer hired by their team to shoot their annual calendar doesn’t automatically swoon at his feet like so many other women, he’s intrigued. She’s so far from his usual type, but there’s something about her sharp wit and sarcasm leaves him hooked.

Chess has just about given up on relationships, and the last person she would ever date is the playboy quarterback with the easy smile and a horde of women in his past. But then when she sees the depth hidden beneath his easy smiles, she’s intrigued, and what soon begins is the unlikeliest of friendships even when both of them yearn for something much more.

I want her with a ferocity that aches low in my gut, and I find myself reaching for her without thought, only to restrain myself at the last second. Because she is not mine.

I loved reading their budding relationship develop. There’s so much more than first meets the eye with Finn and watching his layers reveal themselves was utterly delicious. He’s so much more than Chess expected and watching that slowly crumble her walls left me a grinning fool. I adored their easy camaraderie. They were so different and yet so perfect together. I loved the slow burn; until the sexual tension was sprung so tight, I thought I might explode if they didn’t finally didn’t give in to the pull between them.

Finn was the perfect easy-going humor to off-set Chess’s prickly sarcasm. I simply couldn’t get enough of these two together. I loved their friendship but I definitely loved watching it develop into something more.

Finn, what am I going to do with you?” His smile is an easy glide, but his eyes hold mine a beat too long. “Keep me. I’m pretty sure I’m good for no one else.”

And then there was that epilogue. GOD. That epilogue deserves 5 stars for it alone.

Book four in what’s become one of my favorite sports romance series delivered on the promise with one swoony, funny, and sweet read. I adored every single page of it. If you’re a fan of this series, this book is an absolute myst read. I’m already in need of my next fix, I just don’t know who I want more, North or Jake.

THE SERIES

THE HOOK UP | THE FRIEND ZONE | THE GAME PLAN | THE HOT SHOT

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Sports · Tagged With: , , ,

Review & Excerpt: The Thing About Love by @juljames

April 18, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE THING ABOUT LOVE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Julie James
Release Date: April 18, 2017

Two undercover FBI agents can hide who they are from everyone but each other in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly One Summer.

FBI agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd have a past. The former lawyer and cocky Army ranger clashed during their training at Quantico, gladly going their separate ways after graduating from the Academy. Six years later, the last thing either of them expects is to run into each other again–assigned to work as partners in a high-profile undercover sting.

For both of them, being paired with a former rival couldn’t come at a worse time. Recently divorced from a Hollywood producer and looking for a fresh start, Jessica is eager to prove herself at her new field office. And John is just one case away from his dream assignment to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. In order to nail a corrupt Florida politician, they’ll have to find a way to work as a team–a task that becomes even trickier when they’re forced to hole up at a romantic, beachfront resort as part of the investigation. Suddenly, the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a whole lot more complicated. . .

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Steeling himself, John turned around and smiled as Jessica approached. “Yes, Agent Harlow. How can I be of service?”In response to his dry tone, she threw him a glare so cold it could’ve frozen all nine circles of Dante’s Hell. Fittingly, just nine of the many places he would rather be than stuck working with her on this investigation.

“Look, I’m not thrilled about this, either.” Keeping her voice low, she came to a stop next to him at the elevator bank. “I thought you were supposed to be on the Hostage Rescue Team already.”

“And I thought you were supposed to be in L.A.”

There was a quick flash in her eyes before she shrugged off his question. “Change of plans.”

The elevator arrived at their floor, and they both stepped inside. She hit the button for the seventh floor, where the public corruption squad was located. Standing on the opposite side, he pressed the button for floor five.

They faced off as the doors shut. She folded her arms across her chest and studied him with those crystalline blue eyes that could so cleverly mask her emotions.

As he knew well.

“We’re going to have to figure this out,” she said. “We’re supposed to be business partners in this.”

Thank you, yes, being a professional, he was aware of that. He took a step closer. “It’s called “undercover” work, Harlow. If I can pretend to be a gun-buying, murder-for-hire thug, I think I can handle playing some rich investor-type who wants to skirt a few measly zoning laws.” Even a rich investor-type who was apparently masochistic enough to get in bed with the likes of her.

Professionally-speaking.

“Measly zoning laws?” she repeated.

Ooh, now he’d gone and pissed her off. How nice it was, really, that they could pick up like this, right where they’d left off.

She drew in closer, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. He was over a foot taller than her, although he noticed that she was heightening a bit with those expensive-looking three-inch heels she wore.

“Our target in this investigation is the mayor of the thirteenth largest city in the United States. That’s a pretty big deal in my book.” She gestured to his facial scruff and hair. “And while I appreciate that this . . . Sons of Anarchy motif you’ve got going might ingratiate yourself with the gun-buying, murder-for-hire, organized-crime thugs of the world, that’s not quite going to fly with this sting operation.”

“’Thirteenth largest city in the United States?’” he scoffed. “Just how many hours did you spend reviewing the case files last night?”

She smiled sweetly as the elevator arrived at her floor. “Enough to get the jump on you.”

Then the doors sprang open, and she gave him a friendly wave, once again stepping into the role of Ms. Congeniality. “So glad we got to catch up like this, Agent Shepherd. We’ll talk again soon.”

He watched her stride confidently down the hallway as the elevator doors closed between them.

Enough to get the jump on you.

Not for long, sweetheart.

Time for him to get cracking on that case file.

Nearly fifteen thousand special agents in the FBI, spread throughout the United States in fifty-six field offices, and she had to show up in Chicago for what was quite possibly his last undercover assignment. As his new partner.


God but I love this author. She writes stories that are funny, swoony, full of witty banter and humor, and they just keeps getting better and better! First of all, if you haven’t read anything by her yet, you need to rectify it immediately by reading her FBI/US Attorney series. One, because it’s AMAZING. And two, because you’ll definitely appreciate a few of the cameos in this book. But let’s get back to the matter at hand; all of the awesome that was this book.

So let’s see? We already know that enemies to lovers is my catnip, and no one seems to write it better than Julie James.

In response to his dry tone, she threw him a glare so cold it could’ve frozen all nine circles of Dante’s Hell. Fittingly, just nine of the many places he would rather be than stuck working with her on this investigation.


What makes it good is not just the humor interlaced flawlessly throughout the story, but the wit and sarcasm. Her characters are perfectly balanced and equals of each other. I love how James has a knack for writing incredibly endearing and strong female leads. They’re just the right amount of witty sarcasm and strength and Jessica Harlow was no exception. After her dedication to her job cost her her marriage, she’s looking to dive in further into her work and forget men. She doesn’t need them. She certainly doesn’t need an incredibly cocky, smart mouthed, Thor lookalike that made her months at Quantico training a living hell. Too bad it appears that he’s her new partner for an undercover sting and she’s stuck with him. He may know how to start a fire with two sticks and the ass end of a lightning bug, but he’s a royal pain in her butt and she won’t let him forget it. Digs and sarcasm galore, you guys!

John Shepher is on the track to make the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. He has one final assignment before he finds out, and it may be the longest assignment of his life because his new partner is as equally infuriating as she is sexy. The sparks flew between them when they first met but a simply misunderstanding of intentions turned them into rivals. Now they’re older, at a different point in their lives, but the spark hasn’t diminished even a little.

Feeling her body tremble, he leaned down and reached between her legs, the words pouring out of him in a low, possessive growl. “I love when you’re on the edge like this. You’re so goddamn sweet. So mine.”

The chemistry between theses two was through the roof hot. What I especially loved was how balanced to each other they both were. John didn’t come charging in and unermine Jessica’s ability as an agent. She was fully capable and he knew it. They were perfect equals and that’s so rare to find in today’s romance.

As per usual James fashion there was plenty of sexual tension and humor to keep you glued to the pages. The Thing About Love was a laugh out loud, swoon till you melt, keep you turning the pages well into the night sort of read. I adored it. I simply adored it. I will never get enough of this author and I can’t recommend her enough if you love smart contemporary romance with swoony heroes and capable, strong heroines. It was perfection!

Okay,” he repeated. She knew that look. “You’re going to kiss me, aren’t you?” He pretended to consider this. “Well, with all the emotions flying around, it just feels … expected.”

MEET JULIE JAMES

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Release Blitz, Review, & Author Q&A: The Player by @ KBrombergDriven

April 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE PLAYER
Series: The Player #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K.Bromberg
Release Date: April 17, 2017

Baseball has never been sexier in an all-new novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, K. Bromberg.

Easton Wylder is baseball royalty. The game is his life. His passion. His everything.

So, when an injury threatens to end Easton’s season early, the team calls in renowned physical therapist, Doc Dalton, to oversee his recovery. Except it’s not Doc who greets Easton for his first session, but rather, his daughter, Scout. She may be feisty, athletic, defiant, and gorgeous, but Easton is left questioning whether she has what it takes to help him.

Scout Dalton’s out to prove a female can handle the pressure of running the physical therapy regimen of an MLB club. And that proof comes in the form of getting phenom Easton Wylder back on the field. But getting him healthy means being hands-on.

And with a man as irresistible as Easton, being hands-on can only lead to one thing, trouble. Because the more she touches him, the more she wants him, and she can’t want him. Not when it’s her job to maintain the club’s best interest, in regards to whether he’s ready to play.

But when sparks fly and fine lines are crossed, can they withstand the heat, or is one of them bound to get burned?

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO 

AUTHOR Q & A

DGR: Who’d be your dream cast for Scout and Easton?

KB:You know, I don’t really muses when I write. Most of the time the character is in my head and I see him there. I rarely see an actor or an athlete in this case and think “That’s Easton!”

DGR: What was your favorite scene to write in The Player?

KB: There were so many… I’d have to say the second interaction between Scout and Easton… she lays down the law and he just watches her with a smirk and some serious admiration. And sexual attraction of course.
DGR: What was the hardest scene to write in The Player?
KB:The ending. You want it to be perfect. 
(The problem with my fav scene… is the excerpt has to be super long to make it make any sense… my apologies!)

I’m putting myself out on a limb for a woman who wants to run, when for the life of me, I’ve never been one to stay. But I’m not going anywhere.

K. Bromberg can do no wrong. With each book she writes, her masterful writing gets better and better. I have yet to meet a hero of hers that didn’t melt both my heart and my ovaries, and Easton Wylder is certainly no exception. The man is baseball royalty, sexy as sin, and currently out of the sport that he loves due to an injury.

He’s hard lines and tanned skin. He’s confidence with a half-cocked grin, and he’s desire restrained with the tense set of his shoulders.

Scout Dalton is the woman hired to be his physical therapist, and sparks fly between them right away. Expecting to see his old PT, Doc, Easton has a hard time believing the delicate beauty is who she claims to be. But Scout is also no delicate wallflower and puts him right in his place and straight on his back…for the therapy, of course. What were you all thinking? *evil grin*

Scout is a woman with secrets. She’s fully accepted that nothing good stays in her life and won’t allow herself to put her heart out there, not even for the sexy baseball god that’s determined to prove to her that he’s different. Can I just say how refreshingly nice it was to have a famous hero that wasn’t a playboy? This is a man that knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it.

It’s going to be a bitch, isn’t it? To have to stretch me. Body to body. To have your hands on me. To have to watch me get hot and sweaty. To hear me groan when I lift weights and not remember that’s the same sound I made when I came. To rub me out—nice and slow. To be around me so much you’re sick of me, all the while denying there’s something here worth figuring out.”

I loved their mix of easy camaraderie, sexual tension, and banter. They practically crackled through the pages with their chemistry. I love a good slow burn and boy does K. Bromberg bring it with this couple. It was delicious.

We crash together in a torrent of lust and lips and tongues, where wants now become needs. Where greed becomes the game, and satisfying it becomes a by-all-means-necessary type of strategy. Where bodies mesh and meet and tease and pleasure.


Scout was stubborn and proud, almost to a fault. She’s determined to keep her secrets and her heart to herself. Her focus should be Easton’s rehab because it could mean a contract for the entire club, but her focus deviates more and more with each brick that he demolishes on the wall that she’s so carefully built around herself through the years.

This being book one of a duet you obviously get left wanting at the end, but you won’t find this girl complaining. It was perfectly paced and you get just the right amount of story to hook you and leave you salivating for the conclusion. But don’t go getting any ideas now, because Easton is ALL mine.


I want more. I’m going to take more. Right here. Right now. On this rural country road with fireflies outside the window and the scent of her everywhere.


New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow.

Since publishing her first book in 2013, K. has sold over one million copies of her books and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times.

In April, she’ll release The Player, the first in a two-book sports romance series (The Catch, book 2, will be released late June), with many more already outlined and ready to be written.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales: http://bit.ly/254MWtI

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author | Driven Group

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Release Day Blitz: Paper Fools by Staci Hart

April 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

PAPER FOOLS
Series: Hearts and Arrows #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Staci Hart
Release Date: April 17, 2017

 

Aphrodite knows love — just don’t ask her to figure out her own mess.

Rather than deal with her sticky love life, she toys with the hearts of unwitting humans. It’s a little game she plays, and the stakes are high. Lucky for her, she’s just found the perfect match.

Lex is everything Dean needs, but he can’t have her.

It doesn’t matter that her eyes speak to a long forgotten part of him, or that her art and poetry touch his shredded heart. She’s off limits — crossing that line would implode his band and everything he’s ever cared about. There’s only one option: stay away from her, no matter the cost. Even if the price is his heart.

Dean is everything Lex wants, but she can’t take the risk.

The second she meets him, she knows her heart is in danger. She’s convinced it’s only attraction that has her hung up on the dark, quiet lead singer, but with every day that passes, she knows it’s more. It’s just that she can’t put her heart on the line. She won’t — love has never been worth the sacrifice.

If only they knew they were just pawns in a much bigger game. And in the game of love, Aphrodite never loses.

*Formerly titled Deer in Headlights, Paper Fools has been rewritten and reedited for your enjoyment.*

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, even 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. Her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.

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 sleeping, cleaning, or designing graphics.

Connect with Staci:

Facebook | Pinterest | Website | Amazon

Twitter: @imaquirkybird

Instagram: @quirkybird

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New & Upcoming Releases: April 17- 20

April 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

Mondays may suck but they also mean yet another new release week is upon us! So get those one-clickers ready!!

AVAILABLE NOW

THE PLAYER by K. Bromberg

Baseball has never been sexier in an all-new novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, K. Bromberg.

Easton Wylder is baseball royalty. The game is his life. His passion. His everything.

So, when an injury threatens to end Easton’s season early, the team calls in the renowned physical therapist, Doc Dalton, to oversee his recovery. Except it’s not Doc who greets Easton for his first session, but rather his daughter, Scout. She may be feisty, athletic, defiant, and gorgeous, but Easton is left questioning whether she has what it takes to help him.

Scout Dalton’s out to prove a female can handle the pressure of running the physical therapy regimen of an MLB club. And that proof comes in the form of getting phenom Easton Wylder back on the field. But getting him healthy means being hands-on.

And with a man as irresistible as Easton, being hands-on can only lead to one thing, trouble,/i>. Because the more she touches him, the more she wants him, and she can’t want him. Not when it’s her job to side in the club’s best interest if he’s ready to play.

But when sparks fly and fine lines are crossed, can they withstand the heat or is one of them bound to get burned?

LITTLE DANCER by Brianna Hale

Twenty-year-old dancer Abby Williams has only ever felt truly herself while she’s onstage. It’s the one place she gets the firm direction and focused attention she craves to keep her whimsical thoughts in order. Offstage she feels out of place, forced to give up her girlish treasures and bombarded at every turn with adult responsibilities. But one missed dance cue in front of the intimidating theater director could take all this away.

Summoned to Rufus Kingsolver’s office, Abby is terrified the darkly handsome, commanding man is about to end her dream. But Rufus has other ideas. He wants to be her Dom. He wants her to call him Daddy.

Abby is shocked, but the spark of curiosity and taboo desire have her wanting more. Under Rufus’s firm hand, they explore the erotic depths of their unconventional, yet beautiful, relationship. Abby is falling deeper in love with Rufus and the Little/Dom lifestyle, but it’s not long before she comes face-to-face with her darkest fear—judgment from the outside world.

Daddy knows best, but what if, this once, he can’t protect her?

This book is approximately 40,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

GAME ENDER by BJ Harvey

From USA Today bestselling author BJ Harvey comes the fourth and final book in the Game series and this time, it’s the last two single friends left standing; the reformed playboy and the single mom.

***
“You have chlamydia.”

Three words no man wants to hear.

I’ve always been liberal with my appreciation of the female form, a firm believer in the ‘try before you buy’ principle, but living life to the fullest obviously didn’t end well for me considering the unexpected—and very unwelcome—consequence of my free and easy past.

After living through the horrendous experience that was informing my recent sexual partners of my acquired ‘condition,’ I made a vow to myself – and a bet with my best friend—that the next woman I sleep with will be the ‘one.’

What I will learn is that even when something happens and the games come to an end, there’s always the chance of something—or someone—crashing in and changing everything.

So this is my story. It may start with a venereal disease, but I promise you, I’m determined to get my happy ending.

TRAVELER by HJ Bellus

From the USA Today and AMAZON best seller of The Reckless Series, HJ Bellus, comes a sexy romance: THE TRAVELLER.
Hart Richards has never found home.Sure, he was raised in a house…but it was far from a home.

He thought he’d found it in the Army, only to have his world shattered along with his band of brothers.

Hart settled in a small-town in Montana until the inevitable happened.

The call he dreaded the most…

His mom was dying and he needed to return to the place he grew up.

Leaving his business behind to his best friend Cub, he set out on a long road trip back to Nashville.

The endless road, his only solace as the miles ticked by.

His soul in his pocket travelled aimlessly…

Hart had no idea what was waiting for him back in Nashville. The Traveller’s adventure may turn into his reality.

Companion Novels
Book #1- Royal Atlas
Book #2- Gravity

ALL I WANT IS YOU by Candace Havens 

Hawke Vance will do whatever it takes to protect the family business, even if it means protecting it from his own father, a man who’s just gotten hitched in Vegas to wife number nine. Growing up seeing how much chaos wedded bliss creates, Hawke’s sworn never to fall into the matrimony trap. But to get the all-important controlling shares of the company, he does need a wife.

Being caught skinny dipping is not the way ballerina Amy Powell planned to start her vacation. When the hot biker who catches her turns out to be the owner of the house she’s staying in, she’s mortified. But embarrassment soon turns to confusion and a good dose of lust when Mr. Sex on a Stick offers her the money she needs to save her brother if she’ll agree to marry him and play pretend for two months.

Only this game of make-believe quickly starts feeling too real…

EMERGENCY ATTRACTION by Samanthe Beck

Ten years ago when Shane Maguire chose the Marines as his escape from some trouble of his own making, he only regretted one thing—leaving Sinclair Smith behind. Despite his best intentions, she ended up as the one that got away. Now he’s back, determined to reclaim everything he gave up, including Sinclair.

Sinclair is immune to Shane’s charms. She’s immune to stolen kisses behind the gym. And she’s definitely immune to that maneuver he did in the back seat of his car… Okay, maybe her hormones are susceptible, but she has absolutely no desire to risk anything on the bad boy who broke all his promises.

When a little emergency lands her at his mercy, he offers her a deal she can’t refuse. And this time, she’ll show Shane what it means to be left wanting…

Each book in the Love Emergency series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Emergency Engagement
Book #2 Emergency Delivery
Book #3 Emergency Attraction

THE HOUSE MATE by Kendall Ryan

What’s sexier than a bad boy? A bad ass man who’s got his shit together.

 

Max Alexander is nearing thirty-five. He’s built a successful company, and he’s conquered the professional world, but he’s never been lucky in love. Focusing so much time on his business and raising his daughter, adulting has come at the expense of his personal life.

His social skills are shit, his patience is shot, and at times, his temper runs hot.

The last thing he has time for is the recently single, too gorgeous for her own good young woman he hires to take care of his little girl. She’s a distraction he doesn’t need, and besides, there’s no way she’d be interested.

But you know what they say about assumptions?

This is book 3 in the Roommates series, but each book can be read as a complete standalone as they all feature new couples to fall in love with.

PAPER FOOLS by Staci Hart

Aphrodite knows love — just don’t ask her to figure out her own mess.

Rather than deal with her sticky love life, she toys with the hearts of unwitting humans. It’s a little game she plays, and the stakes are high. Lucky for her, she’s just found the perfect match.

Lex is everything Dean needs, but he can’t have her.

It doesn’t matter that her eyes speak to a long forgotten part of him, or that her art and poetry touch his shredded heart. She’s off limits — crossing that line would implode his band and everything he’s ever cared about. There’s only one option: stay away from her, no matter the cost. Even if the price is his heart.

Dean is everything Lex wants, but she can’t take the risk.

The second she meets him, she knows her heart is in danger. She’s convinced it’s only attraction that has her hung up on the dark, quiet lead singer, but with every day that passes, she knows it’s more. It’s just that she can’t put her heart on the line. She won’t — love has never been worth the sacrifice.

If only they knew they were just pawns in a much bigger game. And in the game of love, Aphrodite never loses.

*Formerly titled Deer in Headlights, Paper Fools has been rewritten and reedited for your enjoyment.*

FALLEN CREST HOME by Tijan

It’s been years since my mother was in my life.

I healed.

I learned to accept love.

I lived.

That’s all done. She was away, and now she’s back.

I avoided her for a year and a half, but I couldn’t hide anymore.

Mason had an internship in Fallen Crest, so we headed back for the summer.

And when we got there―no one was prepared for what happened.

RELEASING APRIL 18

THE THING ABOUT LOVE by Julie James
The New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly One Summer blows the covers of two FBI agents who can’t hide who they are from each other…

FBI agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd have a past. The former lawyer and cocky Army Ranger clashed during their training at Quantico and gladly went their separate ways after graduating from the Academy. Six years later, the last thing either of them expects is to be assigned to work as partners in a high-profile undercover sting.

For both of them, being paired with an old rival couldn’t come at a worse time. Recently divorced from a Hollywood producer and looking for a fresh start, Jessica is eager to prove herself at her new field office. And John is just one case away from his dream assignment to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. In order to nail a corrupt Florida politician, they’ll have to find a way to work together—a task that becomes even trickier when they’re forced to hole up at a romantic beachfront resort as part of the investigation. Suddenly, the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a lot more complicated…

WALK OF SHAME by Lauren Layne
Sparks fly between a misunderstood New York socialite and a cynical divorce lawyer in this lively standalone rom-com from the USA Today bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Love Story.

Pampered heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollow—and a whole lot lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing him is the most fun Georgie’s had in years—and the fuel for all her naughtiest daydreams.

Celebrity divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesn’t have much time for women, especially spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual job. Although Georgie’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also everything Andrew resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it. But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise kiss—a kiss that’s caught on camera—all of Manhattan is gossiping about whether they’re a real couple. And nobody’s more surprised than Andrew to find that the answer just might be yes.

Lauren Layne’s USA Today bestselling Love Unexpectedlyseries can be read in any order:
BLURRED LINES
GOOD GIRL
LOVE STORY
WALK OF SHAME
AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS

THE HOT SHOT by Kristen Callihan

First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more… 

What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.

No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea. 

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

MIXED UP by Emma Hart

Dirty cocktails, deadly enemies with a red-hot attraction, and one big, crazy, Greek family–what could possibly go wrong?

Hiring my brother’s best friend was not on my to-do list.
Neither was he.
Expanding my dirty cocktail bar into food was supposed to be easy, except finding a chef in my little town of Whiskey Key is anything but.
Until Parker Hamilton comes home—bringing his Michelin starred chef’s hat with him.
He has no work. I need someone like him in my new kitchen.
There’s just one problem: I hate his cocky, filthy-mouthed, sexy-as-hell guts.
Even if I might want him. Just a little…

Working for my best friend’s sister? Not on my to-do list.
She’s another story.
Whiskey Key was supposed to be a relaxing vacation, except I haven’t reached the heights I have by lying in a hammock drinking cocktails. So when Raven Archer is desperate for a chef, I offer up my skills.
I’m bored. She needs what I can give her.
Except there’s a problem: I’ve always hated her.
Her and her big, blue eyes, sassy mouth, and killer curves.
If only I didn’t want her.

GOING NOWHERE FAST by Kati Wilde

The brakes are off in this sizzling-hot new adult romance from the author of the Hellfire Riders MC Romance series…
 
One promise.
Two hearts.
Three rules.
Four weeks to break them all.
 
When Aspen Phillips’ best friend invites her on a month-long road trip, she has serious mixed feelings. Sharing their tight quarters will be Bramwell Gage, overprotective brother and all-around jerk. Bram may be ridiculously sexy, but he’s made no effort to hide how he feels about Aspen—that she’s trash who’s no good for his sister. But Aspen is determined to get along with the uptight millionaire—and to keep her promise, concealing a secret about his sister that Bram can never know.

But after a scorching kiss reveals that Bram’s feelings toward her run much hotter than she believed, Aspen’s emotions swerve into a complete 180. Suddenly the girl who has nothing has everything—but only as long as the truth about his sister remains hidden. Because when all the secrets and promises unravel, she risks losing it all…

DAMNABLE GRACE by Tillie Cole (buy link TBA)

EVEN THE BROKEN, THROUGH LOVE, CAN FIND GRACE…

Secrets never stay hidden.

The burden of guilt never lifts from the heart.

Born and raised in The Order of David, Sister Phebe knows nothing but cult life. Head of the Sacred Sisters of New Zion, Phebe was groomed from childhood for one purpose: to seduce. Prized as a harlot, as a New Zion whore, Phebe is taken from the doomed cult by Meister, the notorious leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. Taken as his possession. Taken to be the woman who will obey his every sexual demand. Under his heavy hand, Phebe finds herself in a place much worse than she could ever have imagined… with absolutely no one to help. And no glimpse of hope.

Xavier ‘AK’ Deyes is content with his life as Sergeant-At-Arms of the Hades Hangmen. Leader of the infamous ‘Psycho Trio’ and ex-special ops sniper, AK knows how to fight. Experienced in warfare and schooled in military operations, AK is vital to the Hangmen. When his Vice President needs help retrieving his missing sister-in-law, Phebe, from a Klan-funded trafficking ring, AK volunteers to go in. AK remembers the redhead from New Zion. Remembers everything about her from the single time they met—her red hair, blue eyes and freckled face. But when he finds her, heavily drugged and under Meister’s control, her sorry condition causes him to remember more than the beautiful woman he once tied to a tree. Saving Phebe forces hidden demons from his past to return. A past he can never move on from, no matter how hard he tries.

As AK fights to help Phebe, and in turn she strives to help him, they realize their secret sins will never leave them alone. Kindred broken souls, they realize the only way they can be rid of their ghosts is to face them together and try to find peace.

Despair soon turns to hope, and damaged hearts soon start to heal. But when their deep, painful scars resurface, becoming too much to bear, the time comes when they must make a heavy choice: stay forever damned; or together, find grace.

Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains explicit sexual situations, violence, disturbingly sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and very mature topics. Recommended for age 18 and over.

PROVOCATIVE by Lisa Renee Jones (Buy link TBA)

Book one in the sexy and scintillating new White Lies duet by Lisa Renee Jones!

There are those moments in life that are provocative in their very existences, that embed in our minds forever, and sometimes our very souls. They change us, mold us, maybe even save us. But some are darker, dangerous. If we allow them to, they control us. Seduce us. Quite possibly even destroy us.

The moment I walked into Sonoma’s Reid Winter Winery and Vineyard and made eye contact with Faith Winter for the first time was one of those moments. Provocative because I know at least one of her secrets, of which, I suspect she has many. Provocative because she believes I was a stranger to her when we met, but I am not. Provocative because I sought her out, with no intention of touching her. But now I have. Now I want her. Now I have to have her. But that changes nothing. It doesn’t change why I came for her.

Book two: Shameless will be out on July 11th!

RELEASING ARPIL 20

REVELRY by Kandi Steiner

From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey

Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.

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Spring Fling Spotlight & Giveaway #4: Our 2017 faves…so far

April 16, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

Confession time; we’re a bunch of picky bitches here at DGR. True story. Especially me. I have pet peeves for my pet peeves. Swear to god. It’s a curse. LMAO. But then our 2017 started off strong, and kept going and going and going, until we had so many 5 stars under our belts, we were positively full of good book mojo glee. It’s totally a thing. Go with me here.

So we figured, being the picky bitches that we are, these 5 star reads need to be shouted from the rooftops. So this will be a HUGE spotlight we do for the next several weeks. We’ll be featuring a book per post and telling you just why this happened to make our top favorites (so far) list.

 

It’s post four of our spring fling spotlight, and no list could be complete without my obsession with Nashoda Rose and full on fangirl gushing. It’s no secret that I love everything this woman writes. She creates this mix of angst and grit that I gobble up with a spoon and beg for more. Her alphas are tortured, protective, sexy as all get out, and of course they’re dirty talkers…because DUH. But in all seriousness, ever since she first wrote Torn From You, I became completely obsessed with all things Tear Asunder. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for Kite to finally get his book and finally, FINALLY it was in my grabby little hands. You know when you spend years waiting for a certain character, you build him up in your head, your hope and anticipation gets the best of you and you think no way can the book be as good as I hope? Well that was definitely the case with Kept From You. Because it wasn’t as good as I hoped, it was BETTER. This never happens to my picky self and I will forever worship at the alter of this author’s greatness because of it. If you haven’t read this series yet, you’re sorely missing out. And if you’ve read it, you already know why I’m obsessed with it! I adored this second chance romance. So much. If you haven’t read it yet, you need to. You can easily read it as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series be read in order to really appreciate each detail.

KEPT FROM YOU
Series: Tear Asunder #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Author: Nashoda Rose
Release Date: March 5, 2017

A sexy second-chance romance from New York TimesBestselling Author Nashoda Rose. Can be read as a standalone.

A first kiss that changed everything.

Killian Kane.
He was the most feared guy in high-school.
Guarded. Angry. A fighter.
But when I caught him watching me with his captivating green eyes I saw something more. Something protective and kind.

He warned me to stay away from him.
I did.
Until I didn’t and he kissed me. A knee weakening, body tingling kiss that left me breathless. 
And scared the hell out of me.

And then…
He warned me never to come near him again or next time he wouldn’t let me go.

That was eleven years ago.
We aren’t teenagers anymore. He has probably forgotten me. 
He’s a famous rock star now. I’m a dance instructor with a broken dream and desperate for a job.
So, when we cross paths again I don’t expect him to remember me.
He does.
And his warning eleven years ago? I’m about to find out exactly what that meant.

 

AMAZON | iBOOKS 

Enter to win a SIGNED paperback of KEPT FROM YOU HERE

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Release Week Blitz, Author Q&A, Review & Giveaway: Beautiful Liar by @ZCoxBooks @ForeverRomance

April 14, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

BEAUTIFUL LIAR
Series: Dark Desires, #1
Author: Zara Cox
On Sale: April 11, 2017
Publisher: Forever
Trade Paperback: $14.99 USD
eBook: $4.99 USD

**NOW AVAILABLE IN TRADE PAPERBACK**

People call me many things: CEO, billionaire, bastard. Q.

I love women. I love sex. I love money. I love hot, wild nights with no promise of a future, because a future is one thing I don’t have. I’m twenty-eight years old. I won’t live to see thirty, and I don’t care. Or I didn’t, until her.

Nobody plans for a life like this. Some of us just end up here.

They call me Lucky, though luck has never been on my side. Before I met Q, my life was a big, twisted mess. Never enough money, never anyone to trust. No way out. With Q, the shame and fear disappear. Instead I feel pure pleasure, and that’s something I’ve never had before. But if what I’ve just learned is true, we’d better enjoy every second together while we can…before our time runs out.

BEAUTIFUL LIAR was previously published as Porn Star

AMAZON | B&N | BOOKS-A-MILLION | GOOGLE PLAY | iBOOKS | INDIEBOUND | KOBO

“So it’s true? It’s not a con? This job really pays a million dollars? For…sex?” she rasps.“You think I’d admit it if it was a con? What did the ad say?”

Her delicate jaw flexes for a second.

“One million uninhibited reasons to take a leap.

One million chances to earn a keep

One million to give in to the carnal

Are you brave enough to surrender,

For a payday to remember?”

It speaks even more to her desperate state of mind that she remembers the ad verbatim.

I remain silent and wait for her to speak.

“So…assuming it’s not a con, how will this work, then?”

“If you pass the next few tests, and I decide you’re a good fit, you get the gig. You’ll receive one hundred thousand dollars with each performance.”

“So…ten performances…over how long a period?”

“Depending on how many takes are needed, anywhere between three weeks and a month. But I should warn you, it’s hard work, Lucky. If you think you’re just going to lie back and recite the Star Spangled Banner in your head, think again.”

Her fingers drum on the table, the first sign of nerves she’s exhibited. “I…I won’t be doing anything…skanky, will I?”

“Define skanky.”

“This is going to be straight up sex. No other…bodily stuff? Because that would a firm no for me.”

My mouth attempts another twitch. “No water works, waste matter or bestiality will be involved in the performances.”

Her fingers stop drumming. “Okay.” She waits a beat, stares straight into the camera. “So when will I know?”

I hear the barely disguised urgency and I rub my finger over my lip again. “Soon. I’ll be in touch within the week.” I’m not sure exactly why I want to toy with her. But I sense that having her on edge would add another layer of excitement I badly need.

When she opens her mouth, I interrupt. “Goodbye, Lucky.”

A passing thought about the origin of her name is crushed into oblivion. I press the remote to summon the bodyguard to escort her out, and I leave the room.

In my study a few minutes later, I bring up the screen on my desk and activate the encrypted service I need. I open the application and within minutes, the members of my exclusive gentlemen’s club are logging in.

My email is short and succinct.

The next Q Production is scheduled for release on 20 May 2015.

Limited to ten members.

Bidding starts in fifteen minutes.

I start the countdown and rise to pour myself a neat bourbon. I swallow the first mouthful with two prescribed tablets, which are meant to keep me from going over the edge, apparently, and stroll to the floor to ceiling window. I look down at Midtown’s bumper-to-bumper traffic. This mid-level penthouse is one of many I own in this building and around New York City.

Technically, I don’t live here. I only use it when volatile pressures demand that I put some distance between the Upper West Side family mansion and myself. I would never stray far for long. For one thing, I’ve accepted that my family would never leave me alone.

I know what I know. So they’ve made it their business to keep me on a short leash. But with over three hundred properties in my personal portfolio, and a few thousand more under the family firm’s control, there are many places to disappear to when the demons howl.

Today, the Midtown penthouse is my temporary haven.

I turn when the timer beeps a one-minute warning.

I return to my desk and adjust the voice distorter. When the clock reaches zero, I click the mouse. “Gentlemen, start your bids.”

My words barely trail off before the first five bids appear on the screen. Sixty seconds later, the total bid is at a quarter of a million dollars. I steeple my fingers and wish I were more excited. The money means nothing. It never has. It’s the end game that excites me.

My mind drifts back to Lucky. I turn the gem of her elusiveness this way and that and admit to myself she has potential.

I want to take a scalpel to all her secrets, bleed them and soil my hands with the viscera. I also want to fuck her until her body gives out. Right in this moment, I’m not sure what I want more.

So I concentrate on the numbers racing higher on the screen.

Half a million. One million. One point five.

My phone beeps twice. I pick it up and read the two appointment reminders on the screen.

7pm – Dr. Nathanson. My shrink.

9pm – Dinner with Maxwell.

I re-confirm the first and delete the second.

Cancelling dinner with Maxwell will bring a world of irritation to my doorstep. No one cancels dinner with Maxwell Blackwood. For a start he’s one of the most powerful men in the country.

He’s also my father.

Yeah, my name is Quinn Blackwood, heir to the Blackwood Estate, only child of Maxwell Blackwood and Adele Blackwood (deceased). My family owns a staggering amount of property across the eastern seaboard of the United States and a few in the west. According to the bean counters, I’m personally worth twenty-six billion dollars.

But tangling with my father in hell is what I live for. Have done since I was fifteen. So I ignore his summons and watch the stragglers fall away until I’m left with the top ten bidders. The bids wind down, and within the space of half an hour, I’m just under two million dollars richer.

I spot the familiar name of the top bidder and I sneer. Taking his money on top of everything else is darkly satisfying.

Once bidding ends, I close down the application and call up another list. Dozens of charity websites showing pictures of starving children flood my screen. Within minutes, fifty charities are the grateful recipients of two million dollars.

I may be Quinn Blackwood, occasional user of prescribed meds to keep the demons in check, who moonlights as Q, porn star to an exclusive few who pay millions for my work.

And I may be an unhinged asshole with serious daddy issues.

But no one said I wasn’t a giver.

AUTHOR Q & A

DGR: What was your favorite scene in Beautiful Liar?

ZC: It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite scene but one of my favorites has to be the first time Quinn & Elly meet “in real life”. He doesn’t look at or acknowledge her as she serves him his lunch, but she’s completely electrified by him. When he gets up to leave he sees this woman that he’s only seen through his camera lens and he’s in turn captivated, but only for a second because he can’t reveal who he is. Portraying their emotions during that scene was fantastic to write.

DGR: What was the most difficult scene to write in Beautiful Liar?

ZC: Hmm, maybe this should come with a spoiler alert, but it’s the heartbreaking moment when Quinn watches his mother take her own life. That was heartbreaking to write because he lost the only person who loved him, until Lucky came along.

The hate, the vengeance and sex are instruments that oil my existence and keep my compass true.

HOLY. SHIT.

I did NOT see this book coming. I’m so happy it got a title and cover change because the old one didn’t do it justice AT ALL. I’m serious. If you think this is yet another run of the mill smut filled romance read, think again. The writing. The story. It was hauntingly captivating. I’m absolutely blown away and got myself a new author to stalk.

I may be Quinn Blackwood, occasional user of prescribed meds to keep the demons in check, who moonlights as Q, porn star to an exclusive few who pay millions for my work. And I may be an unhinged asshole with serious daddy issues. But no one said I wasn’t a giver.

Q is a man of wealth and power. He’s a man skirting the fine edge of revenge and depravity and he makes no excuses or apologies. Every single move is calculated to achieve his end goal. His revenge. To right a wrong of years past, to punish those responsible, even if he doesn’t survive to bask in the glory of the fallout. It’s not time to make his most calculated move yet. Everything he’s been doing has been leading up to this…his grand plan. And the key to it is a woman with haunted eyes and a closet full of skeletons who may be hiding more baggage then even him. Lucky.

I want to take a scalpel to all her secrets, bleed them and soil my hands with the viscera. I also want to fuck her until her body gives out. Right in this moment, I’m not sure what I want more.

The writing in this story is absolute perfection. It’s haunting and lyrical. The characters are so well developed, they practically have an energy that you can feel through the pages. The sheer power of Q’s presence is enough to captivate even the most cynical reader.

Quinn Blackwood’s eyes are soulless pools. Staring into them is like staring into a bottomless abyss in the middle of a post-apocalyptic nightmare.

Every word has a purpose. Every description leading to a new revelation. It was dark and hypnotic. Erotic and captivating. I was glued to every single page, practically salivating for more.

While Q was an erotic enigma full of sex appeal and secrets, Lucky was an interesting blend of cracked glass about to shatter but with a hidden steel reinforcement. This is a woman that survived her own hell and will do anything to escape it…even sell her body and her dignity for a million dollars.

We’re caught in a cycle of wrath and cruelty and sex. He’s unleashed his darkness, and I’m the sex-hypnotized recipient of all of it. Even after he roars his climax, he keeps going, keeps flaying me.

A voice cleverly disguised by state of the art technology and a face hidden behind a steel mask is all she sees of Q. The rest is a veil of blindfolds, mind games, and sex so mind-blowing that she struggles to hold on to the fact that none of it is real…and it doesn’t take long for the lines to begin to blur… for both of them.

God, I want to fuck you till you break. I may not be the right person to put you back together, but I want to do it anyway.”

This story is so much more than a romance. It’s a story of survival and revenge. It’s a sizzling romance wrapped around a captivating mystery. It’s a splash of dark and suspense. And while the book is long, the pacing was perfect.

If you’re looking for a new author to check out and a read that’s totally different from the norm, this is the one book I can’t recommend enough. Zara Cox now has a forever fan in this girl. I will gleefully pick up anything this woman writes. No questions asked. She’s a talent that I wish I discovered sooner and am kicking myself for not reading this book when it first hit my radar. But better late then never, if you ask me.

Maybe my cracks aren’t so bad. Maybe the chasm isn’t as deep as I thought. Maybe she’ll take the leap with me. Maybe with her, I’ll survive the fall. Maybe she’ll even save me. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe…it’s too late.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to immediately dive into book 2!

THE DARK DESIRES SERIES

BEAUTIFUL LIAR, #1
BLACK SHEEP, #2
WICKED S.O.B, #2.5 (August 8, 2017)
ARROGANT BASTARD, #3 (September 12, 2017)

Zara Cox has been writing for almost twenty-five years but it wasn’t until nine years ago that she decided to share her love of writing sexy, gritty stories with anyone outside her close family (the over 18s anyway!).

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