Blog Tour: Afterglow by Maria Monroe

Afterglow-BlogTour-BANNERTitle: Afterglow
Author: Maria Monroe
Genre: 
Apocalyptic Romance
Cover Design:
Pink Ink Designs
Release Date:
July 13, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Afterglow-ebook

Who knew the apocalypse could be so sexy?

Nina can shoot a gun, start a fire, and kick some serious ass. So when a killer virus and solar storm decimate the country, she’s as prepared as possible to survive. She just needs a motorcycle to navigate the cluttered roads and meet up with her family.

Creed, former Marine, is tattooed and tough. He’s scarred inside and out. Loss is no stranger to him, and he avoids getting close to anyone at all costs.

When Nina tries to steal his motorcycle they have a vicious fight, but necessity and attraction force them into an uneasy alliance. They travel together through the dangerous landscape, where trouble lurks around every corner and they need each other to survive.

But the biggest danger just might be falling in love.

Equally as exciting as it is sexy, Afterglow contains graphic sex and some violence, so please read at your own risk. 18+ recommended.

This is a standalone

Buy LinksAMAZON AFTERGLOW-teaser3

About the AuthorMaria Monroe writes sexy and smart romance, often focusing on new adult characters. Bad boys, especially gruff and sexy ones, are her favorite alpha males to read (and write) about.

She also enjoys reading, playing Pokemon, drinking wine, sarcasm, hiking, and laughing about inappropriate things.

She’s from Chicago and currently lives just outside the city with her three awesome kids, two rescue dogs, two rescue cats, and the most supportive husband in the world.

AUTHOR LINKS

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motorcycle at sunset

motorcycle at sunset

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: No Pants Required by Kim Karr

NPR-SBPR-RT (1)No Pants Required
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kim Karr
Release Date: July 11, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

NPR_ebook cover

I, Makayla Alexander, am on a mission to reinvent myself. So when a super hot guy boards the plane and flashes his rock hard abs, I pay attention. When he sits next to me and offers me his nuts, I can’t resist. But when I choke on them and he tells me I need to work on my gag reflex, I realize I might be in over my head.

Before I know it we’re in the lavatory and attempting to join the Mile High Club. Let me just say this…anyone who tells you it’s easy to get it on at 37,000 feet isn’t telling you the truth. After the flight attendant busts us for getting frisky in the air, the only thing that can ease my total and complete mortification is the simple fact that I am never going to see him again.

Hours later, I can’t help but wonder if fate will ever allow me to become a new version of myself.

Because Fate, she’s a fickle bitch.

Case in point…my seatmate is my new next-door neighbor.

Even with the whole fate thing we have going on, we are so not meant to be together. He’s all cool and sexy in that make love not war kind of way. Guys like him are dangerous. With that bring-you-to-your-knees body, that handsome-as-hell face, and that dirty, dirty mouth, I guarantee one glance from him wets every girl’s bikini bottoms.

And then there’s me…the quirky girl looking to find herself in California. All I want to do is learn to let loose. Say words like peace and groovy. Bury my toes in the sand. Who knows, maybe even have sex on the beach.

Unable to get him out of my head, I entertain the thought of being more than just friends. I know the idea is absurd. And yet, I go with it. You see Camden Waters gets me. Really gets me. Like no other guy has before.

On this 7-mile stretch of paradise, I decide to keep things simple and just have fun…that is until fate decides to screw with me, again.

Can two people hell-bent on finding themselves realize the search should have ended the day they met? Find out in No Pants Required—a sexy, funny, romantic stand-alone, that will have you hurrying to grab your bathing suit and rushing to the beach to check out every lifeguard on duty.

Buy LinksAMAZON | KOBO | B&NNPR-Boost

Review-DGR3.5 starsNo Pants Required-DGR teaser

You don’t love someone and set him free to see if he comes back to you. You hold on tight and never let go.”

If you’re looking for a perfect beach read to spend an afternoon with, look no further than this book! No Pants Required was full of quirky humor and heavy steam. It’s a light, feel-good sort of romance that will leave you with a smile on your face.. and at times uncomfortably aroused. Because let’s be honest here, people, Camden Walters is one deliciously sinful dirty talker and if you’re not uncomfortably aroused through parts of this book, I’d say there may be something broken with your downstairs regions. Uhem.

I read this practically in one sitting because it reads very quickly. The chemistry between the two MCs is instant and only burns hotter with each page. I loved Makayla’s quirkiness. When she sets out to put a check mark on her “to-do” list, she doesn’t expect that the stranger she set out to check off her mile high club membership will be none other than her brand new neighbor.

Camden “Cam” Walters left behind the hustle and bustle of New York City to spend his days as a life guard. But there’s so much more to his character too. I absolutely loved the two of them together. They’re the perfect balance to each other and I loved watching Makayla really come into her own become less stiff. Both Cam and Makayla had their share of hurts from a previous relationship that rolled into their present, but somehow they seemed to bring out the best in each other.

The story is light on the angst and heavy on the steam. At times I almost thought it was too much steam, but then I’d slap myself and remind myself there can’t be too much steam when it comes to anything Cam Walters.

There were a few parts of the story that I had wished were more developed; especially Cam and his father. I also got a little restless in the last 30% of the book because it felt a bit stretched out at times. As always with any book I’ve read by Kim Karr, I loved all the secondary characters. I’d love to get a book for Maggie and Brooklyn. I really clicked with them in the story and devoured any tidbits about them.

Aside from a very few minor quibbles, I enjoyed this thoroughly. It was exactly what I was in the mood for this Saturday afternoon and it hit the spot just right. I definitely wouldn’t say no to more books like this from Kim! A great, feel-good, steamy beach read!

About the Author

kim karr bioReader * Writer * Coffeelover * Romantic

Kim is a daydreamer. So much so that if daydreaming could be a hobby it would be her favorite. It’s how her stories are born and how they take root. An imagination that runs wild is something to be thankful for, and she is very thankful. 🙂

She grew up in New York and now lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She’s always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. Kim currently works part-time with her husband and with the rest of her time embraces one of her biggest passions–writing.

Kim wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of her family. However, she always finds time to read.

She likes to believe in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. She loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

 

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Giveaway

Kim Karr is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card in celebration of No Pants Required’s release!

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Dirty Sexy Cuffed★ by Carly Phillips & Erika Wilde

CUFFED BT BANNER (1)Dirty Sexy Cuffed
Series: Dirty Sexy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Authors: Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde
Release Date: June 21, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

CUFFED cover

Are you ready to get Cuffed?

As a cop, Levi Kincaid is all about discipline and control . . .in the bedroom, and out of it, and he’s always been very careful about choosing women who abide by his rules.

Hot sex and intense pleasure?

No problem.

Emotional commitment and forever promises?

No way.

But he never anticipates falling for a blue eyed angel who makes him want to cuff her to his bed and do dirty, sexy things to her. And that control of his? It doesn’t stand a chance against Sarah Robins, the one woman he can’t resist . . .

 

Buy LinksAmazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlayExcerpt

“When are you going to face the fact that this chick just isn’t into you?”Levi Kincaid glanced across the dark interior of the unmarked SUV to his partner, Nick Catalano, who was alternating his attention between navigating the road and making sure Levi saw his smart-ass smirk. It wasn’t the first time his friend had given Levi shit about his request to stop by Circle K on their way back to the station after their shift ended.

For the past two months they’d been assigned to the DUI Strike Force in the area, which made stopping by the mart convenient. Seeing and flirting with Sarah Robins was just an added bonus.

“She’s totally into me, so that’s not the issue,” Levi refuted confidently, not at all bothered by Nick’s ribbing. There were many times he’d caught the tempting way Sarah looked at him when she didn’t think he was aware of her. And there was no mistaking the attraction between them she was so determined to fight. He just hadn’t figured out why yet. But he would.

“Then what’s the problem?” Nick persisted—this from a man who was all about instant gratification when it came to women, while Levi was more . . . selective.

“I’m not sure yet,” he replied honestly.

Truthfully, he was having a hell of a time getting past that wariness of hers, which only made him more curious about who Sarah Robins was— and where she’d come from. Admittedly, his interest in her had nothing to do with him being an inquisitive cop, and everything to do with him wanting her, in a deeper way than any female had gotten to him before. He just had to get her on the same page as him.

Levi wasn’t normally the type of guy who’d continue to pursue a woman who’d already turned him down half a dozen times. A smart man would have cut his losses after the first rejection, but from the moment he’d looked into Sarah’s sweet, soulful blue eyes, he’d felt a connection that only seemed to grow stronger every time he saw her.

And he certainly didn’t miss the irony of that realization, when he was a man adept at maintaining strict control of his emotions—in all aspects of his life.

“This is a shit part of town,” Nick said, stating the obvious, which brought Levi’s thoughts back to the present. “As soon as we’re off this DUI task force, I don’t want to drive through this part of Englewood unless it’s for a call, so close the deal with Sarah already.”

“Winning a woman over takes time, Catalano,” Levi said easily—especially one as wary as Sarah. “Though that’s something I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“Hell, no,” he agreed with a quick, player’s grin. “That’s too much fucking work when there are plenty of women who take one look at this uniform and are instantly willing and eager to bend over and drop their panties. Trust me, getting laid, and regularly, is not an issue for me.”

Levi had plenty of offers; he was just more particular about his bed partners. He didn’t do one night stands, but he didn’t do long term committed, either. The few women he’d dated and allowed into his private life were looking for the same thing he was—a mutually satisfying physical relationship without any emotional involvement. More importantly, they were willing to let him be in control during all aspects of sex.

And Sarah, from everything he’d learned so far, didn’t strike him as the type looking for long term either. Which made his pursuit easier for him to justify … and live with.

Arriving at the Circle K, Nick turned the SUV into the deserted lot. He drove past the gas station area and stopped in front of the convenience store instead of parking the vehicle.

“I noticed the back tire was low at the DUI check point,” Nick said, explaining why he hadn’t pulled into one of the many empty spaces in front of the mart like he normally did. “While you run inside and do your thing, I’m going to drive around back and fill the tire up with air. I’ll meet you out front when you’re done.”

“Sounds good.” Levi released his seat belt and opened the door. “You want anything?”

Nick grinned. “Yeah, I’ll take a root beer and a Snicker’s bar.”

“You got it.” Levi hopped out of the truck, and while his partner drove off and disappeared behind the building, he headed toward the store.

Out of years of habit, he glanced around the area, looking for anything, or anyone, who might be out of place. Especially in this part of town. But it was a quiet evening, and there weren’t any other cars or people around, which wasn’t unusual for a late Tuesday night. He walked into the store, and to his immediate left was the main counter and two registers. Sarah was sitting on a stool reading a magazine, and as soon as she heard someone enter, she looked up.

Her bored expression immediately transformed to one of pleasure as a genuine, happy-to-see-him smile curved her soft, lush mouth, which never failed to make him think about slowly licking his tongue across that full lower lip before kissing her, or how that mouth would feel sliding down the length of his cock as she looked up at him from a kneeling position on the floor at his feet.

Heat and desire mingled in his belly, and lower, as he strolled toward the counter. Yeah, he’d stored up five long week’s worth of the hottest, most sinful fantasies of Sarah, in some of the most erotic scenarios he could imagine. Those dirty thoughts had come in handy when he’d lain in bed, hard and aching and needing relief. With his hand wrapped tight around his dick, those decadent visions playing through his mind never failed to alleviate his lust.

But the relief was always temporary. He wanted the real thing. He wanted Sarah, her body soft and warm beneath his, and her willing to give herself over to him in all the ways he desired. And that kind of trust took time. And patience. Both of which he had in abundance.

CUFFED AN

Review-DGR3.5 starsDirty Sexy Cuffed-DGR teaser

…this went beyond simple attraction. She was the first woman to stir something deep inside of him when he honestly thought that part of him was damaged beyond repair.

I’ve been looking forward to Levi’s book for a long while now. There’s always been something about him that showed hints towards a certain intensity that I love in my alphas. Still waters run deep with that one, that’s for sure. Because Officer Levi is not the quiet man he seems to be at first sight. This is a man with some dirty dirty kinks, and it hit the spot just right for me.

If you’ve read the previous books, you already know that Kincaid brothers had a difficult childhood. And while you got to see Mason and Clay’s sides of it, you never quiet know Levi’s and this book will delve into that. I knew it had to be pretty dark but I never imagined what poor Levi had been through.

Sarah is the pretty clerk at a convince store that Levi has been frequenting just for the chance to see her. There’s something about Sarah that catches Levi’s interest and he knows that while she’s been admiralty yet sweetly turning him down for a date, she wants him just as much as he wants her. Levi is relentless in his pursuit, but when he puts himself in the line of danger to save her life things really take off between them. But Sarah is running from something that Levi has no idea about. Sarah’s childhood hasn’t been any easier than his but unlike Levi, her present continues to be rough. Levi’s protective instincts kick in with her and all of a sudden a man that’s never been interested in relationships begins to crave just that.

This is where I belong, Sarah,” he said raggedly, slamming his body against hers, again and again. “Right here, with you. Inside you.”

I really liked both these characters. Levi is so sweet and protective with Sarah and yet he still maintains that dominant edge to him throughout without coming off as domineering. Sarah has been through so much in her young life and yet she never has a woe is me mentality. She’s strong in her own right and determined to fight her own battles. But what I loved is she wasn’t hesitant in letting Levi in and there was no unnecessary drama spanning from secrets here.

So what didn’t quite work for me? Well, I felt like this book lacked a certain intensity that seems to fit Levi. There wasn’t really a major conflict at the end which I’ve come to expect in most romance, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just different. The one thing that I did have trouble with is the way Levi handled a particular thing at the end; especially with him being a cop. I was a little surprised that it was handled the way that it was considering a good portion of the book built up to that scene. I suppose it left me craving a little bit more. But that’s simply a matter of my expectations getting the best of me because Dirty Sexy Cuffed is certainly a fun and sexy installment in what’s come to be one of my favorite series. I’ve fallen hard for the Kincaid brothers and was dreading this book because it may mean the end of it. So boy was I happy when the authors thew in a crazy surprise at the end and I’m beyond thrilled to be getting a 4th book because of it.

If you like sweet heroines, protective heroes with a sexual edge, and a wonderful romance tying it all together, this is definitely a book you’ll want to check out. I highly recommend the entire series, even though you could easily read this as a standalone as well. But I appreciated Levi’s story that much much more knowing his backstory with his brothers.


Check out the other Dirty Sexy books!

Each can be read as a Standalone

Dirty Sexy Saint
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Dirty Sexy Inked
Amazon | iBooks | B&N | KOBO | Google Play


About the Author

Meet Carly Phillips:

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

Connect with Carly Phillips:

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


Meet Erika Wilde:

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

Connect with Erika Wilde:

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

Giveaway

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Man Candy★ by @MelanieHarlow2

MAN CANDY BT BANNERMan Candy
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 20, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

mhmancandybookcover5x8_high-2

He’s back.

Not just back in town, but living in the flat right beneath mine. And he looks good enough to eat, which is just one more reason to stay away from him.

But I can’t resist.

The sex is incredible (pretty sure we’ve shaken the house right off its foundation), but he can’t fool me—not this time. A degree in marketing and five years in advertising have taught me that “true love” is a fairy tale used to sell lipstick, diamonds, and perfume. It doesn’t exist.

He thinks I’m wrong, and he wants to prove it.

I think he’s crazy, so I dare him to try.

It might be the biggest mistake of my life.

Buy Links

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Excerpt

“It’s so good to see you, Jaime,” he said. “You look great.”
“You too,” I said before I could stop myself. I didn’t want him to think I still cared—in fact, I wanted him to know I wasn’t fooled by his charm. I wasn’t that silly little girl anymore, the one who’d doodled his name in her notebooks and blushed when he said hi at school and cried herself to sleep when he asked another girl to his prom. That silly little girl was gone, and in her place was a confident, smart, professional woman who knew her worth and, even better, the truth about love. No more stars in her eyes.But why did he have to be so hot?OK, pull yourself together. No drooling.“I’m so glad this worked out.” Quinn let me go but stood too close, his feet planted wide and his arms crossed over his chest. He wore jeans, a gray knit pullover that hugged his muscular chest and arms, and his feet were bare. His hair was damp and messy on top, just like it had been the last time I’d seen him in person. His full lower lip made me want to bite it. Maybe even draw blood.“Sorry, I just got out of the shower,” he said sheepishly, ruffling his hair. “Want to come in and catch up? Or maybe go out for a drink? I just need to throw some shoes on.”“No.” Trying desperately to shove the image of him in the shower from my mind, I elbowed past him and trudged up the stairs. My cheeks were hot, which meant they were probably turning scarlet. They ruined my poker face every time.

“Come on, it’s Friday!”

“I have work to do.” He was naked a few minutes ago. And wet.

“Did you have a bad day?”

“No.” Rivulets of water streaming over those muscles.

“You already have plans tonight?”

“No.” Steam rising as he stroked himself beneath the spray.

“You don’t love me anymore?”

I froze as the shower fantasy exploded into bits, replaced by a humiliation that paralyzed me, one foot on the top step, one hand on the banister. Slowly, I turned my head and glared at him over one shoulder.

Now the grin cocked up on one side. “Because you used to, you know. You told me.”

“You need to forget about that.”

“Have you?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “That was a long time ago. Back when I was young and impressionable and believed in love.”

His brows went up. “You don’t believe in love anymore?”

“Not the romantic kind. That’s a fantasy used to sell things like lipstick and roses and diamonds.”

“Pretty jaded for twenty-seven, aren’t you?”

I resumed heading up the stairs. “I’m not jaded, Quinn. I’m just a realist.” And I’ve been burned before, trusting guys way less attractive than you.

He said nothing more, and I let myself into my flat. As soon as the door was shut behind me, I leaned back against it, exhaling and fanning my face.

He still got to me. That was so aggravating.

I mean, how was I supposed to sleep at night? Quinn Rusek was one fine piece of man candy, and I had a sweet tooth for him that wouldn’t quit.

But he’d made fun of me! Again! A nice guy would have at least pretended not to remember what I’d said. Or maybe apologized for humiliating me. Or not have brought it up at all!

What an asshole.

A hot asshole—the worst kind.

Curse you, Alex, and your generous heart.

And curse you, Quinn, for getting under my skin again. You stay away from me.

But a traitorous little part of me hoped he wouldn’t.

(Bet you can guess which part.)

Review-DGR4.5 starsMan Candy-Dirty Girl Romance teaser

You don’t believe in love anymore?”
“Not the romantic kind. That’s a fantasy used to sell things like lipstick and roses and diamonds.”

Melanie Harlow books are my happy place. The quirky humor, the steam, the ridiculously endearing characters she writes, all of it simply does it for me. Man Candy was yet another reason why she’s become my go-to author when I’m in the mood for something cute and steamy.

I love the older brother’s best friend trope, so of course I gobbled this up with a fangirling sort of glee. Add into this the fact that the heroine was basically my long lost twin and it was a recipe for a guaranteed win for me!

Ten years ago, Jaime put her heart on the line and confronted Quinn with her crush…only to have him crush her. She never got over the sexy asshole and when her brother tells her that Quinn is back in town on break from his successful modeling career and will be living in the flat below her, she’s not exactly thrilled. But Quinn? He’s ready to claim Jaime once and for all. She was too young ten years ago, but he’s ready for her now. The only problem? The Jaime of today is a jaded relationship phobe the shuns the idea of true love.

I lay there for what felt like hours, imagining her right above me, wishing she were curled up beside me, and wondering where the crack in her armor would be.

The banter between these two was one of my favorite parts about the book. I loved the way Quinn teases her and Jaime’s inevitable crumbling to his sexy ways. It’s so refreshing to get a role reversal where the man wants the relationship and the woman is hesitant. But all that hesitancy built up to some of the best banter and sexual chemistry I have read in a long while…

I want you I want you I want you.
I couldn’t stop thinking it, couldn’t stop fucking her, couldn’t bear the thoughts that she didn’t want me, didn’t want this, more than she wanted to protect herself.
I was inside her.
And I didn’t want to leave.

Quinn was absolute perfection. I had expected a cocky manwhore but he was so much better! He was the perfect combination of sweet and intense. He was incredibly sweet with Jaime and understanding when he needed to be. He was meticulous at chipping away at her carefully constructed walls. But when it came down to the sex? Holy mackerel! The man was crazy intense and had one heck of a mouth on him. GAH but I loved it.

Jaime, while stubborn as hell, was so endearing. I’m not even sure what it was about her. Maybe it’s because she reminded me of myself with her disgust of mushy relationship stuff, but I loved her even when I wanted to throttle her! She puts on a brave front but there’s definitely chinks in her armor where Quinn is involved.

I wanted him to have me in a way no one else ever had. I wanted to share myself in a way I never had.

Man Candy was fun and sexy. It was a romance lover’s dream! It had me swooning and laughing well into the night, and even panting in some places. I loved it to pieces and can’t recommend it enough if you’re in the mood for something light but incredible satisfying!

All my rules were broken. All my walls were down.

 


About the Author

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

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

Connect with Melanie:

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Giveaway

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Blog Tour & Author Interview: ★Last Kiss★ by @LaurelinPaige

Last-Kiss-Blog-TourLAST KISS
Series: First & Last #2
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Laurelin Paige
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication Date: June 14, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Last Kiss

A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE FILLED WITH DARK DESIRES AND DANGEROUS SECRETS…

Emily Wayborn has made a decision.

She might not fully trust handsome and deadly Reeve Sallis, but he is the one person that gives her what she needs. With Reeve she can finally be herself. Submitting to him is the only thing keeping her grounded as the rest of her life falls apart. But the hotelier is a master at keeping secrets and as she continues her quest for answers someone is making sure she doesn’t find them.

Time is running out and she is questioning everything she thought she knew about friendship and love. She must now make an impossible choice that will determine if she will survive with her heart…or at all.

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKSReview-DGRREAD MY FULL REVIEW HERE

Excerpt

“Oh, hi! I didn’t see you there.” I sounded flustered and on edge. “Sorry to have surprised you.”The man’s head tipped toward me. “Emily, right?” he asked, as he exhaled a puff of smoke.

I squinted at him, trying to place him, but I couldn’t. In fact, I was certain I hadn’t seen him before. He had to be one of the ranch guests, which didn’t explain how he knew me. “That’s right,” I said tentatively. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

He tilted his head as he took another slow draw from his ciga- rette. “Nope. We haven’t.” Even in the dark, I didn’t miss the hun- gry way his eyes groped my frame.
He took a step toward me, and I readied myself to run. Just then, the front door slammed open. I looked up to the porch to see a couple of Reeve’s men leaving the house. W hen I turned back, the man wasn’t there anymore. I glanced around and caught sight of him circling around behind the building.

A man didn’t run off that easily if he hadn’t had ill intent.

I shivered. I wondered if all of the guests were that creepy. No wonder Reeve was wary of them. Suddenly, I wanted to run and tell him about the encounter.

Then, at the top of the stairs, I noticed his door was shut, which meant he was in there. But what if he wasn’t alone? What if the con- versation with Amber at dinner had led them to his bedroom?
Before I let myself get worked up, I looked to Amber’s door. It was shut too. It was the first time I’d seen it closed since her arrival, and my mind jumped to a hundred different possible conclusions. Maybe she was exercising her new babysitter-free status. Maybe she was puking again in the bathroom and wanted privacy. Or she was making out with one of the ranchers. Or crying over whatever Reeve had said to her after I’d left them.
Or she wasn’t in there at all.

I could easily knock on her door to find out, but I wasn’t sure I could face her if she answered, and I was absolutely sure I couldn’t take it if she didn’t.

Hoping I would be better equipped to handle the situation after a good night’s sleep, I retreated to my own room with a sigh of res- ignation.

Though it was late enough to go to bed, my emotions were too frazzled for sleep. And I was cold. My evening walk had set a chill in my bones that lingered even in the warm house. W hile I wished it was Reeve warming me up, a hot shower would be just as effec- tive at raising my body temperature and would also calm my nerves.

I stripped, tossing my clothes onto the chair in the corner of my room, then went to start the shower. I turned the water on without getting in, sticking my hand under the stream until it was hot enough. Then I crossed to the linen closet at the other end of the bathroom and picked out a couple of towels. When I shut the door, I turned back toward the shower and nearly jumped out of my skin.

“Reeve!” I patted my breastbone, trying to calm the thudding
in my chest. “Goddammit, you scared the hell out of me.” Between his sneaky arrival and the lurking cowboy outside, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I was on my way to a heart attack.
His lip curled up with amusement.

I scowled. “I’m glad you think sending me to an early grave is funny.” But I wasn’t really irritated by his arrival in the least. I was glad, and I was certain the accelerated tempo of my heart rate had as much to do with his appearance at all as it did with the element of surprise.
He leaned his hip against the vanity and folded his arms across his chest, a position that highlighted both his broad shoulders and toned biceps. “You like it when I keep you guessing,” he said dis- missively, not an entirely inaccurate statement, though it was a bit discomforting that he knew it so well.

“And I like you on your toes,” he added, his eyes dark as they slid the length of my body. I felt them like silk as they caressed over the slopes of my breasts, down the plane of my stomach, zeroing in on the landing strip above my pussy. Suddenly I’d warmed up quite sufficiently, the pool of moisture between my thighs as hot as the steam gathering in the room.
I met his scrutiny with ogling of my own, biting my lip as my eyes landed on the large bulge at the front of his pants. He was bare- foot, and I tried not to wonder if that meant he’d been undressed once already in the evening. Tried not to wonder if it was his first or second erection of the night.

Bringing the towels in front of me as a much-needed barrier, I mirrored his crossed arms. “W hat are you doing here, anyway?” He shrugged. “You wouldn’t come to my bed so I had to come to yours.”
It was surprising how easily happiness bubbled in my chest. Teasingly, I threw his words from the night before back at him. “This isn’t my bed.”

He was already walking toward me. “It’s close enough.” The towels fell to the floor as he seized my hips and turned my back to the counter. His mouth captured mine, greedily stealing my breath and sense of reason with his lips and tongue.

God, I was hungry for him. I roved my hands over his chest, wanting to touch all of his body at once, delighting at the hard muscles that met the underside of my palms. He was solid every- where. A wall of strength and potency that could so easily over- power me. I was weak in his presence, incapable of anything except to yield.

A warning bell sounded in the back of my head, though, urging me to get my wits together and address… something. It was dif- ficult to remember what exactly when his hands were on my breasts, squeezing and pinching. The bite of pain sent jolts of electricity through my nervous system, signals that my brain read as pleasure. Pleasure I couldn’t resist.

Last Kiss2-DGR

Author Interview

DGR: What was your inspiration for the First and Last series?

LP:For a long time, I’d wanted to write a story about a love triangle where one of the characters wasn’t present. Much like the book, Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier or Jane Eyre. At one point, I’d thought it would be a sweeter take on the story. Something where the memory of a dead friend permeated a current relationship so thoroughly that it placed a burden on the characters.

I also wanted to write something in the vein of Gone Girl and Girl on a Train – a psychological thriller, but with romantic elements. I’m very fascinated by characters motivations and a psychologically suspenseful plotline just intrigued me to no end.

I thought, at first, that these were two different stories, and I hadn’t quite figured out what either of them would look like exactly until I read a description of a book that was about to be published (I don’t remember what it was) about a woman who had to go to extreme lengths to look for her sister who’d gone missing. The pieces started to click together, and soon I had the idea of a woman setting off in search of a friend/sister in a dangerous place that required her to face her own psychological demons as well as some very real threats. Next thing I knew, the plot to First Touch had been born.

DGR: Who was your favorite character to write in the First and Last series and why?

LP: My favorite character in First and Last is probably Reeve. He continually surprised me with his intensity and depth of emotion. He made me feel things I didn’t think he’d make me feel.

But I also really enjoyed writing Joe. He got to ask all the questions that I wanted answered and he was sincerely committed to his cause.

DGR: Did you have a favorite scene to write in Last Kiss? What about a favorite scene to read?

LP:I really liked writing the first scene in the whole book, where Reeve and Emily meet. It was such fun to explore the superficial aspects of these characters, to have them flirt and tease while hinting at deeper agendas for both of them. At that point in the book, I knew everything and the readers knew nothing. I got to drop whatever clues I felt like dropping and that was just fun.

I don’t particularly enjoy reading most of what I’ve written. I’m too anxious about it. Too critical. That being said, I really don’t mind reading the porch scene in Last Kiss. It’s sweet and sexy and gives me all kinds of feels.

DGR: Reeve Sallis. *pervy shudder*
Holy cr*ap but the man has a presence. If you had to describe Reeve in 5 words, what would they be?

LP: Dark, Dangerous, Conniving, Dominant, and, according to my publicist Jenn Watson, Sexual Napalm. 🙂

DGR: What would you say is a trait that Reeve has that some may not realize?

LP: His heart is huge. When he loves, he loves deeply. He’s not afraid of who he is, of what his proclivities are, but his greatest fear is that his interests will drive away the people that he loves the most.

DGR: Emily is a bit of an enigma in her own right. This is a non-traditional heroine if ever there was one. What would you say is a trait of hers that some may not realize at first?

LP: I think people overlook how strong Emily is. She’s very courageous and determined despite her submissive nature. Not many people would go to the lengths she goes to for someone she cares about. I think even Emily would be surprised if someone told her she was strong.

DGR: One of my favorite things about the First & Last duet is that the eroticism always skates right on the edge of depravity. It’s like there’s no clear lines in the relationship between Reeve and Emily. The chemistry practically crackles off the pages. What was it like writing these scenes? Was it something out of your comfort zone or something you’ve always wanted to write?

LP: Great question. First & Last really challenged me in so many ways. I could mentally grapple with writing scenes that didn’t turn me on, scenes that made me uncomfortable to think about. But, emotionally, it was much harder to cope. I got really depressed as I neared the end of the series, and I know it was because the book was so much darker than I usually write.

That said, though I was outside of my comfort zone, it was also something I very much wanted to write. I’m fascinated by psychological motivations behind the people who are into kinky and degrading sex. I’m glad I got the chance to explore it.

 

DGR: If you had to describe this story in less than 2 sentences, what would you say?

LP: A game of cat and mouse filled with dark desires and dangerous secrets, First Touch and Last Kiss is a very different kind of love story. It will have you questioning everything you ever thought you knew about sexy psychological thrillers.

DGR: What made you decide to go with a duet instead of a standalone or trilogy? What would you say was the hardest part about writing this duet?

LP: I wanted that awesome cliffhanger, of course! I wouldn’t have been able to torture my readers with the wait between books. But also, and more importantly, the story I wanted to tell was constructed very much to be before a particular event and after. It’s a very clear dividing line, and it felt like the best way to tell it was in two acts.

DGR: What are you currently working on? Any chance there may be a potential story for secondary characters in LAST KISS in the near future?

LP: Currently, I’m writing Chandler, a standalone novel in my Fixed Universe series that will be coming out in September. On top of that, I’m co-writing Screwmates with Kayti McGee which will be coming out later this fall.

 

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

LP: I’m so thrilled with the love readers have shown for Emily and Reeve. It was a very difficult story for me to write because of its dark nature, but the enthusiasm for the series has really made the effort worth it.


About the AuthorLaurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.

 

Review: ★Idol★ by Kristen Callihan

review-IdolIDOL
Series: VIP #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Day: June 7, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Idol VIP

Libby

I found Killian drunk and sprawled out on my lawn like some lost prince. With the face of a god and the arrogance to match, the pest won’t leave. Sexy, charming, and just a little bit dirty, he’s slowly wearing me down, making me crave more.

He could be mine if I dare to claim him. Problem is, the world thinks he’s theirs. How do you keep an idol when everyone is intent on taking him away?

Killian

As lead singer for the biggest rock band in the world, I lived a life of dreams. It all fell apart with one fateful decision. Now everything is in shambles.

Until Liberty. She’s grouchy, a recluse —and kind of cute. Scratch that. When I get my hands on her, she is scorching hot and more addictive than all the fans who’ve screamed my name.

The world is clamoring for me to get back on stage, but I’m not willing to leave her. I’ve got to find a way to coax the hermit from her shell and keep her with me. Because, with Libby, everything has changed. Everything.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview4 starsIdol-DGR

I’m a twenty-seven-year-old, multimillionaire singer-guitarist in the biggest rock band in the world, and I have no earthly clue how to have a relationship with a woman. I could laugh. But I don’t find it funny. Because I want Liberty Bell.

*pause for dirty thoughts about Killian*


And I’m back!
Seriously though, even the man’s name is hot. Killian. *rarr*
But I digress…

Idol marks book one in Callihan’s sexy new VIP series and if this book is anything to go by, this is the start of something addictingly good. This book had a little bit of everything that I love; hot rockstars, angst, tortured rockstars, angst, sexy times, sassy heroines, amazing secondary characters that I’m already itching for a book for, sexy times, fantastic writing, sexy times, humor, and lots and lots of sexy times. You getting the drift here?

I don’t spend time with anyone. It’s writing-composing, practicing, recording, touring, fucking, sleeping. Same old record spinning round and round.

Kristen is a masters of weaving some grade A sexual chemistry and boy do you get that here. When Liberty “Libby” finds a drunken bum passed out on her well manicured lawn, she’s not exactly thrilled. When she finds out that the same ‘bum’ will also be her next door neighbor for the summer, she’s not jumping for joy either. But a few snarky barbs soon turn into an unwilling friendship that soon begins to turn into something much more. But what happens when Liberty finds out that her new neighbor is also the lead singer of the world’s hottest rock band?

Tell me you want this too, baby doll.”
“Want what?”
“Everything.”

The chemistry between these two is so hot, it practically sizzles. What a refreshing change of pace to get a rockstar that doesn’t want to manwhore his way around town. Killian realizes what he wants early on and he’s not shy about going about it. I loved the way he was with Libby. He’s patient and sweet and yet there’s always an edge to him to with his dirty talking ways

There’s no one else like her. There never will be.

Libby is endearingly sassy. Girl can definitely hold her own and she’s not shy about telling it like it is. I loved her spunk and backbone. Sure, she has her issues, but she never lets it own her.

The characters are perfectly developed, and their romance is a natural progression. I love when the author can make that sexual tension burn and Kristen makes it hurt so good here.

I also fell hard for all the secondary characters, especially the tortured Jax. I can’t wait for his story along with the rest of the guys from Kill John. But I’m especially excited for the next book ESPECIALLY after the preview at the end. YUM.

Clearly I loved this book, so why not 5 stars? Well, while I loved the tension and build up of the first and last 30%, the in-between of it didn’t have me as riveted. It was still a fun read, but I had no problems setting it down for a bit and picking it back up later. So while it wasn’t quite the perfect five stars, it was a super solid 4 that I enjoyed thoroughly. If you’re a fan of this author, this is an absolute must read. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

Love breaks your heart, fucks you up- perfect, all-consuming chaos.


About the Author

KCauthorKristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

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Release Blitz, DGR Top Fave Review, & Giveaway: ★Unbreak My Heart★ by @AuthorNicoleJ

Unbreak My Heart Blitz BannerUNBREAK MY HEART
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Nicole Jacquelyn
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Formats: Trade Paperback & eBook
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Jacquelyn_UnbreakMyHeart_TR

What do you do when your soul mate marries your best friend?

If you’re Kate Evans, you keep your friend Rachel, bond with her kids, and bury your feelings for her husband. The fact that Shane’s in the military and away for long periods helps-but when tragedy strikes, everything changes.

After Rachel, pregnant with her fourth child, dies in a car accident and the baby miraculously survives, Kate upends her entire life to share parenting duties. Then on the first anniversary of Rachel’s death, Kate and Shane take comfort in each other in a night that they both soon regret.

Shane’s been angry for a year, and now he feels guilty too – for sleeping with his wife’s best friend and liking it…liking her.  Kate’s ability to read him like a book may have once sent Shane running, but their lives are forever entwined and they are growing closer.

Now with Shane deployed for seven months, Kate is on her own and struggling with being a single parent. Shane is loving and supportive from thousands of miles away, but his homecoming brings a betrayal Kate never saw coming. So Kate’s only choice is to fight for the future she deserves – with or without Shane…

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Excerpt

I don’t remember the drive to the hospital or even where I parked that afternoon. I can’t recall what the nurse looked like as she searched for Rachel’s name in their computer system or the walk toward the room where I waited for someone to speak to me.The first thing I remember clearly is the white-haired doctor’s kind face as he sat down across from me, and the young chaplain’s small smile as he chose the chair to my left. Their words became a litany that I would hear in my dreams for years.

My Rachel was gone, but her son was alive and in the NICU.

“Is there anyone you’d like for us to call? Any family or friends that you’d like to be here?”

The question jolted me out of the fog that seemed to be getting thicker and thicker around me. Dear God.

“I’ll make the calls,” I answered, looking blankly at the wall. “Can I have some privacy please?”

“Of course. I’ll be right outside if you need me,” the chaplain answered, reaching out to pat my hand. “I’ll take you up to the NICU when you’re ready.”

The room was silent after they left, and I fought the urge to scream at the top of my lungs just to hear it echo around me. I understood then why people hired mourners to wail at funerals. Sometimes the lack of sound is more painful than the anguished noise of a heart breaking.

My hands shook as I pulled my phone out of my front pocket and rested it on the table in front of me.

It only took a moment before the sound of ringing filled the room, and I rested my head in my hands as I stared at the name across the screen.

“Hello? Kate? What’s wrong?”

“Shane—” I said quietly, my voice hitching.

“What? Why are you calling me?” His voice was confused, but I could hear a small thread of panic in the urgency of his words.

“I need you to come to Tri-City Hospital,” I answered, tears rolling down my face and landing on the glass screen of my phone, distorting the letters and numbers.

“Who?” His voice was frantic, and I could hear him moving around, his breathing heavy.

“Rachel was in an accident.” I sobbed, covering my face to try and muffle the noise.

“No,” he argued desperately, as I heard two car doors shut almost simultaneously. “Is she okay?”

I shook my head, trying to catch my breath.

“Kate! Is she okay?” He screamed at me, his anguished voice filling the room as I’d wanted mine to just minutes before.

“No,” I answered through gritted teeth, feeling snot running down my upper lip as I heard him make a noise deep in his throat. “She’s gone.”

He didn’t say a word, and less than a second later, the connection was broken.

I rubbed at my forehead, trying to convince myself that it was all just a nightmare. Where was I supposed to be? What was I supposed to do now? My best friend in the entire world was there in that hospital, but not really. I couldn’t bear to see her. I couldn’t help her. Where the fuck was I supposed to go?”

I made my way to the NICU as quickly as I could, and within minutes, I was holding my new nephew in my arms. The nurses told me that he’d passed all of his tests with flying colors, and I was in awe as I sat down in a rocking chair, cradling him to my chest.

“You sure got a shitty beginning, little man,” I murmured against his fuzzy scalp, rocking back and forth gently. “I’m so sorry, buddy. You’re probably missing your mama and that warm bubble you’ve been in for so long. I can’t help you there.”

I sniffled, closing my eyes as tears rolled down my cheeks. My whole body ached, and even though I had that little boy in my arms, the whole day seemed like some sort of surreal dream, foggy in some parts and crystal clear in others. I wanted to hop up and take his sleeping, little form to Rachel, to tease her about the weird Mohawk thing he was sporting and make joking comments about how men always seem to sleep through the hard parts of life. I wanted to see her smile proudly at the sturdy boy she’d produced and grumble that I was hogging him.

I wanted everything to be different.

I hummed softly with my eyes closed for a long time, holding the baby close to me. It was quiet where we sat, nothing breaking up the stillness of the room until I heard someone open the door.

“There he is,” the nurse murmured from the doorway.

My eyes popped open to see Shane’s ravaged face just feet from me. He looked like he was barely holding on. I swallowed hard as his red rimmed eyes took in his son carefully before rising to meet mine.

“Is he okay?” he asked thickly, searching my face. I’d never seen him so frightened.

“He’s perfect,” I answered, my voice throbbing with emotion. “The nurses said he’s a rock star.”

He nodded twice, reaching up to cover his mouth with his hand, but before he could say another word, he was stumbling and falling to his knees with an almost inaudible sob.

Author InterviewDGR: What was your favorite scene to write in Unbreak My Heart and what is your favorite scene to read in Unbreak My Heart?

NJ: My favorite scene to write was probably the scene when Kate is singing to the kids over the phone. She was devastated but pulled it together to get her kids to sleep from a thousand miles away. That’s such a mom thing to do.

My favorite scene to read is when Shane is taking the kids back to California and Keller decides that he’s going to stay behind. He comes across as a bit of a brat in this story, but when the chips are down he’s worried about who’s going to be taking care of Kate. That’s Keller. He might not get his point across in a constructive way, but he feels things very deeply.

What can I say? I like the ones that seem to punch you right in the belly.


review-Unbreak My Heart5 starsUnbreak My Heart2-DGR

I’d pushed her aside for so long that there was no foundation to build on. Just a mess of shattered pieces that I’d crushed with a sledgehammer every time she’d grown closer than I was comfortable with.

God. GOD. This book. This heartbreaking, incredibly written, gut wrenching book. If it had any more of my favorite elements in it, I’d feel like it was custom written for me. I don’t remember the last time I read a book that gripped me the way this one did. To the point that I felt it on a visceral level. To the point that now days later after finishing it, I still can’t stop thinking about it. This was easily one of my top favorite reads this year. I picked it up and read it straight through because I couldn’t bear to put it down for even a second. I was an ugly crying, sniveling, raging mess the entire time and loved every painful second of it.
If The Unwanted Wife and Walk Through Fire had an angst baby, this book would be IT. I’m so book hungover right now, I can’t even form words.

Unbreak My Heart is an unbelievably gripping story of love and loss and second chances. This book absolutely owned my heart. It was a compelling, angst-filled, emotional, and completely unputdownable read from beginning to finish. You will love to hate this hero and then you’ll just flat out love him.

I don’t need you to save me…
I never needed you to fucking save me.”

Nicole Jacquelyn has a true gift with words because her characters are so incredibly compelling, you don’t just read about them, you experience them. There is not an ounce of telling in this book. Everything is shown, including the character descriptions. Yeah. I was blown away to say the least.

Shane is not an easy hero to love. As a matter of fact he will make you down right hate him. He will break your heart so many times over, you’ll wonder if there is a road back. But there is. Oh but there is.

I didn’t know how to be with someone like Kate. She’d demand more from me than anyone ever had before, and that was terrifying.

You may be asking yourself if it’s possible to write a book with a dead spouse and not make the heroine feel like a consolation prize prize. And to you I say, abso-freaking-lutely.

Kate is a character with so much depth. She takes so much emotional punishment throughout this book that you want to say that she may be too forgiving. But the author instills so much growth in her throughout the story that you’ll love her more and more with each page.

I won’t give you anything about the plot, because to be quite honest, everything you need to know is in the blurb. Anything more than that will be a spoiler. And if there’s one thing I can recommend is to go into this book absolutely blind with NO preconceived notions.

I couldn’t change the past, but hell if I didn’t want to be what Kate needed now.

Everything about this story is brilliant; from the feelings it will wrench from your very soul to the emotional mess it will leave you at the end of it. Shane and Kate’s story is not an easy one. It’s filled with pain and heart break but it’s also beautiful in its own right. You don’t read the characters’ journey, you experience it. Everything from the fundamental changes in their relationship to their feelings and everything in between.

For the past couple of nights when I’d lain down beside her, after she’d called asleep and I knew she couldn’t hear me, I’d promised her that she’d never have to forgive me again if she could do it one last time.

If you’re questioning picking this up, don’t! If you’re a fellow angst-whore like me, if there’s one book I can recommend you read, it’s this one! Grab some tissues and some alcohol and prepare to read the whole night through because I guarantee this book will own every piece of you by the time you’re finished.


About the Author

Nicole Jacquelyn NO CREDIT

 

When Nicole Jacquelyn was eight and people asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she told them she wanted to be a mom. When she was 12, her answer changed to author. Her dreams stayed constant. First, she became a mom, and then during her senior year of college–with one daughter in first grade and the other in preschool–she sat down and wrote a story.

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Review: ★Chasing Butterflies★ by Terri E. Laine

Chasing-butterflies-blog-tourCHASING BUTTERFLIES
Standalone
Genre: NA Romance, Second Chance Romance
Author: Terri E. Laine
Release Date: June 2, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

CHASING BUTTERFLIES EBOOK B&W

USA Today Bestselling Author, Terri E. Laine brings a new standalone New Adult Romance novel, Chasing Butterflies, about second chances on and off the field.

One night … one kiss … one touch … will change everything.

Kelley Moore’s tragic home life should make him a survivor. But when he’s uprooted yet again, his plans for a better future seem impossible. Being a player on and off the football field is all he knows, until Lenora Wells. The beautiful town princess makes him feel and want things he never thought he could have…

Lenora will do anything to get out of her town, even if it means dating the wrong guy. There’s one problem: she can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous, complicated boy with the unusual eyes who gives her butterflies and makes her question her choices.

When their lives collide, the world shifts and not in their favor. Four years later, the sins of their past can never be taken back and forgiveness won’t come easy.

College is a different game, a second chance for something better.

She’s not the girl he remembers and he’s the one boy she can never forget.

He’s made a name for himself as the star quarterback — the golden boy who can do no wrong. But he’s only interested in being her hero.

Despite everything, she can’t deny he still makes her heart flutter; and she’s got him chasing butterflies.

Buy Links

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ChasingButterflies-Teaser2Review3 starsChasing Butterflies-DGR

 

I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that with anyone else.”
“Felt what? Butterflies?”
“If that’s what they call it. You’ve got me chasing them.”

Wow. Before I get to my review, let me say this. Don’t let my rating fool you. This book had me riveted to the story from beginning to finish. Aside from a few quibbles that I had, the story itself was beautiful. It drew me in from the very first chapter and kept me glued to the pages. The author clearly has an incredible talent and I strongly believe she has great things ahead of her. While this may not have been a full four star read for me, it was a damn solid 3 and I’ll get to my reasons why shortly.

Go back to the ball, princess. You won’t find any castles or princes here.

Kelley Moore has grown up in a way that no boy should ever have to endure. From a volatile home life to numerous tragedies throughout his life, he’s never had it easy. He dreams of making it big in football and making it out on his own.

Lenora Wells may not have had the tragic life that Kelley has, but doesn’t live an ideal one either. At the instance of her parents for the good of a potential business deal, Lenora allows them to convince her to date the most popular boy in school. But the boy that gives her butterflies isn’t her seemingly too good to be true boyfriend, but the boy from the wrong side of the tracks with the beautifully unusual eyes.
What starts as stolen encounters soon turns into something more only to shatter before their eyes and leave both of them grasping at the jagged pieces.

But time didn’t heal wounds. They only dug horrible gouges in my heart as I felt pierced through my very soul.

Chasing Butterflies is told in two parts: past (high school) and present (college). The first half is almost 60% of the story and so emotionally gripping I forgot at times that I’m reading about teenagers. I’m not typically a fan of YA but yet something about these characters simply stood out for me.

Admittedly there was a few minor issues I had with the writing; odd transitions (one chapter being told in Lenny’s POV and the next chapter jumps back a day or a few hours and retold in Kelley’s). There was a lack of clear transitions between these scenes at times, that while it wasn’t confusing, it did stand out enough to take me out of the story a bit. There were also some odd phrases like …my brain shorted and some strange analogies that stuck out to me as well..

But even those few issues aside, the story was so strong that it was easy to overlook it. Ultimately what made me lower my rating was the second part of the book that’s told in present. While their high school years have strong development and spans over half the book, I had hoped that their college years would bring the same, but alas it didn’t. I wanted that sizzle of a second chance romance, and I didn’t get that. It felt almost rushed. There were also some (redundant) choices made by the characters that left me scratching my head.  And as much as I hate to use the term cliche, there were quite a few scenarios of it present in the last half. I liked Lenny in the beginning even though some of her decisions and choices frustrated me. While I can understand why she did what she did when she’s older, I still feel like she regressed a bit as a character. I wanted her to find her inner strength and that didn’t happen until pretty much the last pages. I suppose I just wanted that sooner.

But here’s the thing; even with the aforementioned, this is still a book I would definitely recommend to any lovers of NA romance. The author spins a tale that’s tragic and beautiful that even managed to bring a tear to my eye on more than one occasion. The story is well developed, the characters are multi-layered, and it’s certainly not a book I’ll be forgetting any time soon. So if that blurb intrigues you, read it. One thing guaranteed; it will keep you up all night reading. I definitely look forward to any future releases this author has in store.

ChasingButterflies-Teaser1 (1)About the AuthorTerri E. Laine, USA Today bestselling author, left a lucrative career as a CPA to pursue her love for writing. Outside of her roles as a wife and mother of three, she’s always been a dreamer and as such became an avid reader at a young age.

Many years later, she got a crazy idea to write a novel and set out to try to publish it. With over a dozen titles published under various pen names, the rest is history. Her journey has been a blessing, and a dream realized. She looks forward to many more memories to come.

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Devil’s Kiss★ by Ella Frank

DEVILS KISS BANNERDEVIL’S KISS
Series: Sunset Cove #2
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Author: Ella Frank
Release Date: May 24, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

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What do you do when the one you least expect to matter…

Ends up mattering the most?

Derek Pearson likes to think he’s an easygoing guy. Uncomplicated, upfront, and unapologetic with what he wants. His what you see is what you get attitude is on prominent display for anyone who cares to look, and his foul mouth is right there to back it up should you miss the point.

However, what you see isn’t always what you get, and only a select few have ever glimpsed the real man under the brash exterior.

Among them? Professor Jordan Devaney. Complicated, high-maintenance, and vibrant, he’s Derek’s opposite in every way. From the moment they saw each other, a love-hate relationship began.

But what happens when one person wants more?

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Excerpt

DEVIL’S KISS

Ella Frank

Copyright © 2016 Ella Frank

* * * *

THE CALL

Present Day

DEREK PEARSON PUSHED open the door of Leighton, Finley & Associates, and stepped out on the paved sidewalk. It was the first day of August, and if the sweltering Floridian sun was any indication, today was going to be hotter than hell’s waiting room.

As he strolled toward the curb, he pulled a pack of Marlboros from the pocket of his shorts and flipped open the top. He needed a fucking cigarette after watching Daniel Finley and his damn professor get all sappy and shit. That was gonna get old real quick if he had to stomach their nauseating displays of I love yous longer than the fifteen minutes he’d been in there. But he’d known he had to make an appearance sooner or later; otherwise Danny boy would’ve shown up asking questions. Questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

There’d been a reason he hadn’t come around to see Finn when he first moved back from Chicago two months ago, but it wasn’t something he was in the mood to talk about yet, even if he was one of the two people on the planet who would get all the shit he’d been dealing with.

Yeah… He just wasn’t ready to go there.

With a smoke between his lips, he lit up, then shoved the pack back in his shorts. He was so damn antsy lately, and for that he could thank his brother, Alan.

He walked around to the side of his Jeep and pulled open the door. After climbing inside, he grabbed his cell phone and stared at the dark screen, contemplating his next move.

Am I really planning to do this?

Fuck, it seemed that he was, even when he knew better.

If he did this, it would be nothing more than a Band-Aid over the real problem. A shot to numb the more painful issues he was dealing with right now. He would be slipping back into a pattern he had pulled himself out of. An addiction he’d broken free from. But he was also aware that if he didn’t do it, the alternative would be to spiral out of control, and solitude was no longer helping his fucked-up nerves.

He brought the phone to his ear and waited. The phone rang and rang, and fucking rang, until he was close to hanging up—and then it connected.

“You free?” were the only two words out of his mouth. He waited, not caring to pursue small talk. That wasn’t what this was about. All he cared about in that moment was getting what he needed.

When an affirmative came through the phone, he hung up, tossed it on the dashboard, and brought the Jeep to life. As he sped across town, he white-knuckled the steering wheel and didn’t allow himself to think about the consequences of what he was about to do.

It took him less than ten minutes to pull into the underground parking garage of The Palisades and take the elevator up to where his drug of choice waited for him. He glanced up into the camera in the corner of his metallic confines and stared boldly into the face of the one who was waiting at the other end of this ride.

Yeah, he was about to fall off the fucking wagon big time. Was about to slide back into the one place he promised himself he wouldn’t go again. Yet as the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, there was no denying this was exactly what he wanted.

“I have thirty minutes,” were the words that greeted him.

Derek walked off the elevator and over to the naked man waiting for him. He took the haughty chin between his thumb and forefinger and promised in a voice thick with arousal, “I only need ten. Take me to your room, Jordan. Time’s a wasting.”

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Review3.5 starsDevil's Kiss-DGR

Most days he was convinced that Jordan was the devil. A beautiful seduction put in his path to offer salvation at the cost of one thing- his soul.

If there’s one thing that Miss Ella Frank can write, it’s a smokin’ hot MM romance. No, truly. The woman may be a genre chameleon, but there’s just something about her MM that hits me just right…in both ovaries. True story.

Ever since I read Finley, I’ve been itching to get my hands on Derek and Posh Spice aka Jordan’s story. The hate lust vibes were strong with these two in the previous book. So much so, that you just knew something big must have happened between them to make it so. And I for one was ready to part with an ovary to find out what that something was. What? I never said patience was a virtue of mine.

For those of you that are used to mainstream MM, this will be a touch different. Jordan Devaney is an incredibly endearing character, but an ‘alpha’ alpha he is not. He’s charismatic, a touch flamboyant, fun loving and just one of those characters that leaps off of the pages at you. I adored him. He’s the perfect balance to Derek’s uber brooding, tatted and tortured alpha ways. And boy are you in for a surprise when it comes to how things play out between them…in bed and out.

Derek’s size and pissy attitude was like a bright neon warning sign flashing: Danger. Danger. And it was like a rush of blood to his head, and not the one on his shoulders.

The relationship between them is a slow burn and begins just around the time of Finn and Brantley’s, when Derek is in college and Jordan happens to be his new professor; spanning 11 years. And while there’s a touch of similarity there between the two books, that’s where it also ends. Because while Finn and Brantley begin seeing each other then, Derek and Jordan do not. Their “relationship” may start then, but they don’t give into the pull between them until Derek is graduated. This is also where the book began to lose me. The time jumps tend to be a hit or miss for me, and in the case here, it was a bit of a miss. It left me feelings like parts of the story were missing. A chapter would end and then it would jump to two years later and picks up there where the other chapter left off. While I can understand that Derek and Jordan could go 2 years without seeing or interacting with each other, I’m not sure if the time jumps worked to an advantage in order to build on their relationship. I felt like I was missing chunks of the story; left wondering what else took place during those years. Did they not see each other at all? Did they date other people? Did they think about each other? I would have rather if perhaps they just meet during Derek’s college years and then start their relationship in present day. As it was, all the time jumps through the 11 years just didn’t do much for me.

Thank you for picking up.”
“You’re welcome. But I haven’t done anything.”
“You answered. That’s everything to someone with nothing.”

I fell hard for Derek’s character. It’s impossible not to. Everything about the man worked for me. Alas, as much as I loved Jordan’s humorous 180 to Derek’s brooding, he was a source of frustration for me for a good chunk of the book. While Derek’s character was extremely multi layered, I didn’t feel that I had enough about Jordan to make me understand some of the decisions he made when it came to their relationship. He was the one that kept Derek at arm’s length (romantically) for much of the book, and I felt like there was no good reason why for me to connect to it. When Derek was still in college, sure. But then later? It just fell flat for me.  I needed a better reason…especially after their first night together.

Ella Frank is a true talent and she can spin one hell of a story. I have a feeling that most will enjoy this wonderful romance. While it may not have been the 5 star that Finley was for me, it was still a highly enjoyable read. I did love these two characters even if they did frustrate me to the point of hair pulling at times. Ella has created a fantastic wold with her Sunset Cove series and I hope she’ll continue with more books. There’s a certain someone introduced in this book that I’m already craving a book for. Ultimately, Devil’s Kiss was an enjoyable read that although didn’t quite tick all of my boxes for me, I’d still enthusiastically recommend to any lovers of steamy MM romance.


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About the Author

IMG_2570Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling 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.

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★The Enforcer★ by @Kele_Moon

The Enforcer-Blog Tour BannerTHE ENFORCER
Series: Untamed Hearts Book 3
Author: Kele Moon
Genre: Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 22, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

The Enforcer Cover

They are the lost boys.

Sons of mafia mistresses expected to keep their fathers’ sins in the shadows. The lucky ones are forgotten.

Unfortunately for Valentino “Tino” Moretti, his brother Nova was too smart to be forgotten, and too valuable to risk when he resists a life of crime. So they punished Tino instead. Forced into the cruel world of the Sicilian Mafia at twelve, Tino was broken before he was old enough to know the man he was supposed to be. Now he’s what the mafia made him.

The enforcer.

A trained killer forbidden to love, but he did anyway. He’s loved Brianna all along.

Raw and beautiful, their romance was all consuming and far too dangerous. They were ripped apart a long time ago. It’s not until the borgata puts out a hit on her that Brianna falls back into Tino’s arms, churning up their dark past and unraveling all the Moretti brothers’ closely guarded secrets.

This isn’t the end of the story. It’s only the beginning, and it is brutal.

There’s a reason enforcers are considered too deadly to love.

“We have to be better than them. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. Lost boys have to fly.” ~Carlo Moretti, original lost boy 

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Review

READ MY FULL 5★ REVIEW HERE


 THE ENFORCER SPOTIFY PLAYLIST


UNTAMED HEARTS Series

 The Viper (Untamed Hearts Book 1 )

The Viper Cover

Marcos Rivera is a fighter. A gang member. Someone who has seen the dark side of humankind and survived. He has lost family and gained enemies. He has stolen cars and destroyed hearts, stripping one for money and the other for pleasure. His past is haunted and his future is bleak.

Until her.

Katie Foster is a high school history teacher. Smart, strong, and sexy. She is a woman Marcos shouldn’t want. Shouldn’t touch. Shouldn’t love. He met her in Garnet, a backwards, hick town that’s the last place in the world he wants to be, but he finds himself going back, all for a taste of the forbidden.

Katie represents all that is good in the world, and Marcos knows he’s nothing but trouble for her perfect life. He fights and he screws. He commits crimes and he breaks the rules. He will never change and he will never escape his gang lifestyle.

Or can he?

What happens when two different people from two very different walks of life risk it all by giving into the passion that threatens to consume both of them? Can a woman who only knows how to play it safe give her heart to a man who lives hard and loves harder?

Can she survive The Viper?

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 The Slayer (Untamed Hearts Book 2)

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To Chuito the apartment was a self-imposed prison for a lifetime of sins. To Alaine, the girl next door, it was salvation from her overbearing, religious father.

He was a devil.
She was an angel.

Two people who should’ve never met, let alone become friends, but it’s not until they give into the dangerous passion that’s been simmering under the surface for five years that things go to hell.

On the outside, Chuito ‘The Slayer’ Garcia is on top of the world. He’s successful. He’s wealthy. He’s a champion MMA fighter surrounded by friends who support him, but they don’t know what he was before he came to Garnet.

A gangster.

A thief.
An addict.
A murderer.

Now his past is churning up demons he can’t ignore. Chuito knows he needs to go back to Miami to end it, but there’s something holding him back, a single temptation he can’t resist before leaving.

Alaine.

She’s the one drug he can’t give up…even if it destroys them both.

“To me you’re coke. Fine. Smooth. Perfectly white. Very bad for me, but so fucking sexy I don’t give a shit. It’s worth going down for.” – Chuito Garcia

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Haven’t read Battered Hearts yet? Book 1 is now only $.99 or free on KU!
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Defying the Odds (Battered Hearts Book 1)

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Star Crossed (Battered Hearts Book 2)

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Crossing The Line (Battered Hearts Book 3)

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About the Author

Kele photo

A freckle-faced redhead born and raised in Hawaii, Kele Moon has always been a bit of a sore thumb and has come to enjoy the novelty of it. She thrives on pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her story telling. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love, there are no rules and true love knows no bounds.

So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.

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