Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Kick★ by @CarmenJAuthor

Kick 
Author: Carmen Jenner
Release Date: January 26, 2015

When I was ten, my father indoctrinated me into the family.A brotherhood who would fight, protect, and give their lives for one another. A club whose ties ran thicker than blood, murkier than the dirt and grime that tainted my soul. Stronger than the bonds that connected me to my own family.

A band of brothers, where loyalty was kept and paid in a currency of blood.

When I was twenty-seven, I betrayed that brotherhood.

I’ve spent every day since running, avoiding paying back that debt.

My name is Daniel Johnson. I have betrayed everyone I ever loved.

And I’ll betray her too.

This is my story—if you’re screwed up enough to want to read it.

Warning: KICK contains graphic violence, profanity, drug use, and explicit sexual situations of a taboo nature. Intended for an 18+ audience only. Not intended for pussies.

Buy Links
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KICK Trailer

Join the KICK Release Day Party: http://on.fb.me/1t9xQnN
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Enter the KICK Paperback Giveaway: http://bit.ly/1t9xYnn
Visit the Saint Savage MC official website: http://savagesaintsmc.blogspot.com.au/
Review
4 stars

I’m not the hero in this story; I’m the motherfucking villain.

Are you easily offended? Do you like fluffy MC books with a touch of Disney? Do you like easily redeemable anti-heroes that even at their worst still have some sort of lightness to them? Well fuck that and your delicate fucking sensibilities! Because you sure as fuck are not going to find it here.

Kick is a brutal, gritty, unapologetic, and no-punches-pulled look at the underbelly of the violent and bloody world of the MC. The men of Savage Saints are not men that are going to make you swoon. These are men that you’ll find yourself thinking you should be rooting against, and yet you can’t help but feel an inexplicable connection to. They’re all utterly fucked up in their own ways, and in the midst of that is Daniel “Kick” Johnson; a recent Savage Saints member but no less fucked up than the rest of them.

Fans of the Sugartown series may remember Kick as Ethan’s old MC brother, but if you haven’t read it, no worries, you’ll get a hell of an introduction into his world here. Kick is an asshole of epic proportions, and I’m not just talking of the sexy asshole variety, I’m talking flat. out. asshole. Born to a a drug whore mother and an MC member father, he was indoctrinated into the life at just ten years old. He was forced to grow up fast and hard. Life spared no feelings for him, teaching him a lesson no man should ever learn in a way that he’ll never forget it…

Sometimes kindness is a far worse weapon than brutality…

He’s learned early on that there are no happy endings for him and not to get close to any woman long enough to let her rip his heart out.

I love the broken ones because for a brief second, in the heat of the moment, I can forget how fucked up I truly am inside. I can forget about the darkness that i crave. I can forget who I am and focus on someone else’s pain…

 

But then Kick’s already fucked up world gets twisted on it’s axis even more when he meets her. A woman that may be even more fucked up than any of the club whores that he’s been tangled up with in the past.

But before you go thinking this is a romance that’s centered around the MC life, think again. It’s nothing even remotely close to that. This is Kick’s story, and while it may be at times erotic, the romance is very much secondary, and it works. So if things like graphic sex with other women other than the one he ends up with bother you, well my delicate little friend, this book is sure as fuck not for you.

His dark eyes challenge, they dare me to run, but they also implore me to stay. It’s ironic that the only thing keeping me here, keeping me grounded, is the man who abducted me.

Most of the story is told in Kick’s POV but you do get glimpses inside Indie’s head every now and then. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to really make you connect with her. Ultimately, though, the star of this story is Kick.

I don’t wanna fuckin’ need her. I don’t wanna need her. I never wanted to feel this shit, this helplessness again.


This is definitely not a book for the faint of heart. It’s violent and it’s fucking brutal. It will grip you by the throat and keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. It will also leave you reaching for that liquor cabinet at quite a few scenes.

Carmen truly brought the gritty fucked upedness with this book. And I for one enjoyed the fuck out of it. Speaking of ‘fucks’, this book had over 500 of them. Yes, I did a fucking ‘fuck’ count. My kindle actually lost fucking count. No joke. Carmen Jenner has managed to out-fuck my kindle. Ironically I DNFd a book last month for being riddled with what I found to be too many “fucks” for the sake of trying to be gritty and dark. That was not the case here. While my second 4 letter word makes quite a few appearances here, it never felt forced. It actually fit the story as a whole, and that says a lot. I guess what I’m trying to say here is that if lots of cussing offends you…

I kid. But also, this book is not for you.

She’s been through hell and she looks like a fuckin’ warrior. But if she’s a warrior, then what does that make me?
Warriors don’t need saviors.
Warriors save themselves.

I seriously enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was a non-stop, heart-pounding ride. It’s no small feat to take two completely fucked up characters and yet somehow make them work. Together. It’s also no small feat to take a character like Indie, with everything that she’s been through, and yet still give her a backbone of steel.

In short? This book was fucking awesome. And I can’t wait to see what else the evil genius mind of Carmen Jenner has in store for this series.

…because revenge is sweet. Until it isn’t.

Additional books by this author

Welcome to Sugartown 
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Enjoy Your Stay
Greetings from Sugartown
Welcome to Sugartown Website:

 

About the Author

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA TODAY Best Selling Author, doctor, pilot and CIA agent. She’s also a compulsive, flagrant prevaricator who gets to make things up for a living.

While Sugartown may not technically exist, Carmen grew up in a small Australian town just like it, and just like her characters, she always longed for something more. They didn’t have an Elijah Cade, though.

If they did, you can be sure she would have never left.

Giveaway

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Cover Reveal & #Giveaway: ★The Slayer★ by @Kele_Moon

Title: The Slayer (Untamed Hearts, #2)
Author: Kele Moon
Genre: Erotic | Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Synopsis

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

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 off 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 had 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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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Second Debt★ by @PepperWinters

Second Debt by Pepper Winter is LIVE!
Read the dark & sexy continuation to Jethro & Nila’s Story!
Amazon / Amazon UK / iBooks / Nook / Kobo 
About The Book

“I tried to play a game. I tried to wield deceit as perfectly as the Hawks. But when I thought I was winning, I wasn’t. Jethro isn’t what he seems—he’s the master of duplicity. However, I refuse to let him annihilate me further.”
Nila Weaver has grown from naïve seamstress to full-blown fighter. Every humdrum object is her arsenal, and sex…sex is her greatest weapon of all.
She’s paid the First Debt. She’ll probably pay more.
But she has no intention of letting the Hawks win.
Jethro Hawk has found more than a worthy adversary in Nila—he’s found the woman who could destroy him. There’s a fine line between hatred and love, and an even finer path between fear and respect.
The fate of his house rests on his shoulders, but no matter how much ice lives inside his heart, Nila flames too bright to be extinguished.
Review
4.5 stars

I wanted to be like him. I wanted to protect my secrets so damn well that whatever I did next would come as a surprise.
I wanted to rule him.

When Debt Inheritance came out, Pepper Winters introduced us to the cold, brutal, terrifyingly unfeeling Jethro Hawk. And with each new installment of this series she has been systematically chipping away at his armor to reveal more and more of the man that keeps hidden inside, behind the icy persona. In Second Debt, if you’re not convinced of his internal struggle that he’s been facing since he first laid eyes on Nila Weaver, then we haven’t been reading the same book.

And while Jethro’s steely reinforcements have been tumbling down, Nila has been busy building hers back up. When she comes face to face with the cold hard truth of her imminent future, she can no longer deny it. She knows what’s coming for her and she needs to accept it. She also has to accept the fact that the one man that she’s felt an unwilling connection to will also be the man that deals the death blow. She can’t possibly care for a monster. She needs to be just as cold and lethal as the rest of the Hawks.

I didn’t want food or water or shelter.
I didn’t need love or understanding or connection.
I wanted retribution.
I wanted justice.

But now the tables have turns, and it’s not only Nila that’s facing a danger. For years Jethro has been hiding a secret about who he is…what he is. A secret that just may cost him everything, including his life. It’s a secret that he’s been diligently keeping from everyone in his family. All but his sister Jasmine.

But ever since Nila Weaver has stepped into his life, his methods of keeping it secret no longer suffice. He yearns for her and knows that she may be the only cure to what he needs. Nila is no longer the naive woman that first stepped through the doors of the Hawk estate. She’s learned pain, she’s learned hatred, and she’s ready to taste revenge. But no matter how much she tells herself that Jethro should be at the center focus of her hate, she can’t deny the inexplicable connection that they’ve formed; a connection that he seems to feel just as much.

Our eyes locked with fury.
Then something happened.
Something switched.
Fury became desire.
Desire became insanity.
I couldn’t withstand the command.
“Fuck this.”
I kissed her.

Much like the installments before it, Second Debt is a book that will keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time. Pepper will leave you crying and begging for any new scraps of information that she deems worthy to throw your way. It’s as painful as it is engrossing. You’ll get some answers only to be left with even bigger questions.

What was this…this tether? How had she captured me so completely, and how the fuck did I sever it?
The deeper I fell into her, the worst it got.

Then comes that cliffhanger. I should be used to this by now, 3rd book in, right? Fucking wrong! That was freaking painful. This woman is the queen of giving you just enough while leaving you begging for more. It’s truly a skill, and I for one can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeve next

Series Reading Order

Debt Interitance (Indebted #1) ONLY $0.99

First Debt (Indebted #2)

Second Debt (Indebted #3) January 26th:
About the Author

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:

Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)

Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Twisted Together (Monsters in the Dark #3)

Her Grey Romance books include:

Destroyed

Giveaway

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Release Blitz, Spotlight, Author Top Five & #GIVEAWAY: ★Blind Faith★ by @RebeccaZanetti

Blind Faith 
Sin Brothers #3
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Genre: Romantic Suspense
 (January 27, 2015; Forever Mass Market; $8.00)

A betrayal he couldn’t forget…For Nate Dean, love is a four-letter word. As part of a secret black-ops military unit, he and his brothers were genetically engineered by the government to be ruthless soldiers with an expiration date. They were loyal only to one another . . . until Nate laid eyes on the woman who stole his heart and blew his world apart. Now, years later, his family is still paying the price for his mistake. But as time runs out, there’s only one person who can save his family: the very woman Nate swore he’d never trust again.

A love she couldn’t deny…

The moment Audrey Madison spies Nate across a crowded ballroom, she can barely breathe. He’s just as undeniably sexy as she remembers, yet there’s an edge to him now that’s as irresistible as it is dangerous. When he asks for her help, Audrey can’t refuse. But she has secrets of her own-secrets that, if Nate ever discovers them, may cost them both their lives…

Buy Links
Amazon / B&N / BAM / IndieBound / iBooks
Excerpt

Nate studied her, wondering how their very different childhoods had somehow brought them to the same place once again. “Why haven’t you slept with anybody but me?” he asked, surprising himself.

Her head jerked up. Vulnerability flashed across her delicate face to be quickly hidden as she slid her arms into the robe and belted it around her tiny waist. “I haven’t had a lot of time, with being blown up, operated on, and then trying to commit fraud on the US Government on behalf of your sworn enemy.” Sarcastic humor lifted her top lip, but the lightness failed to reach her eyes or flash that devastating dimple. “Sometimes a girl just has to prioritize.”

He’d loved her sense of humor. This one? Not so much. Sarcasm and fatalism didn’t fit with the person deep inside Audrey, the one she’d shoved down to survive. “I understand why you stayed to receive medical attention.” The commander’s medical team and facilities beat any other in the world, without question. If anybody could have saved her leg, it would’ve been them. “But now it’s time to go.” As much as the thought cut through him like a blade, he didn’t trust her enough to send her to his brothers in Montana. But he could find her safety. “Let me help you.”

“I don’t want your help.” Her stance widened slightly as if they faced off under high noon.

Worse yet, absolute truth lived in every word. The woman really didn’t want his help. A surprising hurt compressed his lungs. “Why are you still working with him?” he breathed out. Could her mother’s approval mean that much to her? After everything?

Audrey lifted her chin. “They saved my life and gave me a second chance. It’s the only life I’ve truly known, and I’m doing some good with the senator.”

“Find another life,” Nate ground out.

“No.” Regret filled her sigh. “You’re the one who told me that our childhood shapes us. I’m just doing what I can right now.”

He shook his head. Why did he get the feeling she wasn’t telling him everything? There was enough truth in her statement that he couldn’t find the lie, but a lie was there. He was sure of it. “I’m going to kill him, Aud. Then I’m going to blow up every facility he owns and make sure they never function again. You don’t want to be here for this.”

Awareness pursed her lips as she studied him. Her breath hitched as her chest lifted. Those amazing eyes widened. “Suicide mission?”

“Probably.” Which was yet another reason the previous night had been a one-shot deal. Chances were slim he’d survive the attack he planned after saving his brothers.

She nodded, regret twisting her lip. “Hasn’t that always been your plan?”

“Yes.” Except for the brief time she’d been his. Then his plans had changed dramatically to a future with possible kids and even a fucking picket fence. He’d known better, without a doubt. A bullshit every-day life had never been for him. He’d been created to kill, and through a lucky turn of fate had been given brothers to love—to protect and ultimately save. They were happy, and once the chips were deactivated, they wouldn’t require his skill set any longer.

He wouldn’t be needed, and he needed them so very much. Too much.

“Hmmm.” Pain lived in her eyes, but no give existed in her jaw. “I just realized—I can’t save you.”

“No.” He frowned. What was she talking about? “I don’t expect you to save me.”

“I know.” She tightened the belt, her eyes glimmering with tears. “I’ll get you the codes and any info on Jory, but you need to decide to save yourself. When this is all over, if you and your brothers survive, you need to save yourself. Decide to keep going.”

That was the rub, now wasn’t it? The life he’d been created for, the one he’d excelled at, was over. Where exactly was he supposed to go?

 Guest Post

AUTHOR’S TOP FIVE

Top five favorite scenes in the Sin Brothers series

Hello, everyone!  Thanks to the gang here for having me over to talk about my top five favorite scenes in the Sin Brother series.  I just love the first scene of any book when the hero and heroine first are on the page together, so it’s probably not a surprise that four of these are from the first scenes in the books, in the order of the books:
1.     FORGOTTEN SINS:  This is the first scene of the entire series, and it has Josie Dean called down to the hospital because her husband has been attacked and has amnesia.  The thing is that Josie hasn’t seen Shane for two years and didn’t really know him all that well during their brief marriage.  She heads down to the hospital to find him wounded, sexier than ever, with danger on his heels.
2.     SWEET REVENGE:  This one starts out with the oldest brother, Matt Dean, wounded in a back alley.  The heroine, Laney Jacobs, finds him and helps him into her bar.  He’s instantly attracted and intrigued by her, and she’s wary…and soon passes out from the sight of blood.
3.     BLIND FAITH:  This one actually starts with Nate Dean hunting down Audrey Madison, the woman who’d broken his heart years ago.  He finds her in a ballroom in DC, and he immediately squires her away to ask for her help in saving his brothers.  There’s a lot of tension and pent up feelings between the two, and they’re kissing more than talking in record time.
4.     TOTAL SURRENDER:  This one starts with sexy Jory Dean, the youngest brother who’s been missing for two years, held in a cell staring out at the heroine, Piper Oliver, who’s been hired to save his life.  They don’t trust each other, but they have a common goal…and attraction.
5.     There’s a scene in TOTAL SURRENDER where all four brothers are reunited, and that’s one of my absolute favorite scenes in the entire series.
About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho.Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day-or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

 

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#TheSlayer is coming! Countdown Series Spotlight & #Giveaway with @Kele_Moon

And so, week 2 of my Kele Moon Spotlight and countdown till The Slayer continues. If you missed my previous post, last month I was incredibly lucky to read a super early ARC of The Slayer and It. Blew. Me. Away. One of the best books I’ve read to date. Period. And also one of the best books Kele’s ever written. Considering I’ve loved pretty much every book on her back list, that’s REALLY saying something. I can’t even describe to you all the amount of feels, the swoons, and the hot flashes that Chuito gave me, so I won’t even try. The Slayer will be released on March 31, and I’ll be sharing lots of teasers with you guys in the meantime.

But before you get to get your grabby little hands on MY Chuito (uhem), I want to take you all back to the series that started it all for me; The Battered Hearts. Each week I’ll be spotlighting a different book from that series, leading up to Untamed Hearts with The Viper & The Slayer. In case you’re curious, you don’t necessarily need to read The Battered Hearts series before Untamed Hearts and each book has a different couple. I would still highly recommend reading Battered Hearts first simply because it’s a fantastic series and each of the characters from that series continues to appear in Untamed Hearts. You’d enjoy and appreciate every book that much more if you read them in order.

For those of you that haven’t yet read the Battered Hearts series, don’t forget to enter the Giveaway below. You’ll get a chance to win every book in the series or a $10 Amazon gift card!

So let’s continue, shall we, with one of my favorite takes on Romeo and Juliet; Romeo and Jules from Star Crossed. This is also the book where my favorite brothers get introduced (cough Tino and and Nova cough). I adored this book. It was the book that truly made me fall in love with this series, and I simply can’t recommend it enough. A must read!

About The Book
Star Crossed

Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance (fighter romance)
Length: 432 pages

Heavyweight UFC fighter, Romeo Wellings comes from the hard streets of New York where his family ties to the mafia cause him nothing but pain. His life takes a surprising detour when he crosses paths with the twin sister of his long-time enemy. After a steamy, one-night stand, he faces the fight of his life, but it’s not in the cage.
The secret relationship that blooms between Romeo and his real life Juliet has him battling his family and a dark past rather than let her go.
The only lawyer in her hometown of Garnet, Jules Conner is also a volunteer Sheriff’s deputy and co-owner of a successful MMA training center. Strong and dependable, Jules is always there for those who need her. Until one forbidden night in Las Vegas with Romeo leaves her feeling so alive she can’t stop reaching out to the sexy bad boy of the UFC, even knowing the forbidden love affair could jeopardize everything.
As the tide rises against them and the people they love work at keeping them apart, Romeo and Jules hold onto a dream for a better life together and vow to go down fighting rather than accept a tragic ending.
Buy Links
Excerpt
“I’m Jules Conner.”
“Like Wyatt Conner?” Romeo couldn’t help but ask as he shook her hand and felt that electric pulse once more. “The Deputy.”
“Yeah.” Jules rolled her eyes. “He’s my brother, but don’t hold that against me.”
Bingo.
Romeo grinned in triumph. Of course she was his sister. He should’ve known with how tall she was. Wyatt Conner was nearly his height, and Romeo was sure if he had a full-blooded sister, she’d have easily been as tall as Juliet.
“I’m Romeo Wellings,” he offered, though it seemed redundant. He just used the moment to hold on to her hand for a few more milliseconds. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Are y’all in town another night?” Jules asked, looking from Romeo to his brothers beside him.
Nova and Tino spoke in unison. “No.”
“Yes,” Romeo said at the same time. His brothers turned to him, dark eyes wide and concerned, but he ignored them. “They’re leaving tonight,” he lied and stomped on Nova’s foot for good measure when he made a choked sound of denial. “Now, actually. But I’m free all night.”
“Lemme buy you dinner,” Jules said so earnestly Romeo would have been inclined to agree even if this woman didn’t have him feeling fidgety and sixteen. “It’s the least I can do.” Her smile grew broader, more endearing and genuine. “Say yes.”
“Yes,” Romeo said without hesitation. “What time?”
Jules glanced at her phone and then looked up with a guilty wince. “I’ll be a while. I’m Clay’s lawyer. I got to finish a few more things with the police, and I wanna make sure Clay’s settled. Melody’s likely staying the night with him at the hospital, so I’ll have to grab them some things from the hotel. Is eight too late?”
“Eight’s perfect.” Romeo resisted the urge to take in all of her with a long, sweeping look, because it was obvious Jules was in that strange lawyer mode that was common for her breed. She was friendly and professional and obviously intent to wrap up everything for Clay, including a proper thank-you to the big fool who’d saved Melody’s life. Trying to play the game, he became cordial. “You wanna give me your phone number, and we’ll touch base once you’re done with everything here?”
“Oh yes, good idea.” Jules reached into her purse to pull out a business card and an expensive gold pen. She laughed to herself, shaking her head as she wrote on the back of the card. “If you would’ve told me yesterday I’d be buying Romeo Wellings dinner, I’d have called you crazy. Things change faster than I can keep up with sometimes.”
Romeo had to agree. The very last thing he expected to be doing on his remaining night in Las Vegas was having dinner with Wyatt Conner’s sister. He’d spent a good deal of time hating the bastard. The irony wasn’t lost on him, and his smile was wide as he took Jules’s card when she offered it. He stared at her cell number on the back.
“I’m not your enemy.” Romeo lifted his gaze to hers and studied her beautiful face under the bright Nevada sun. “Juliet.”
She gasped in surprise, her eyes growing wide. “I don’t—” She floundered. Her cheeks flushed pink as she narrowed icy eyes at him. “How?”

“That’s what Jules is short for, isn’t it?” he asked simply, refusing to look away. “Juliet.”
“I go by Jules,” she said rather than rise to the bait. For a brief moment it looked like she might reach over and snatch the card back. Her guard was obviously up, but instead of lashing out and rescinding the offer, she looked to his left hand that was wrapped in a white gauze bandage and sighed in defeat. “I’ll see ya at eight, Wellings.”
“I go by Romeo.”
“Fine.” Jules took a deep breath, her cheeks more flushed than ever. “Then eight o’clock, Romeo.”
He did it then, took one long, hard look of Jules Conner standing there in formfitting jeans that clung to her long legs like a second skin. It took everything he had not to adjust himself, because eyeing her made his jeans tighter than usual.
Romeo gave her a devious smile. With a voice low and husky with anticipation, he said, “I’ll look forward to it.”
Giveaway
The Battered Hearts ebook series
&
$10 Amazon GC
All for 1 lucky winner!

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#TheSlayer is coming! Series Spotlight & #Giveaway with @Kele_Moon

Last month I was incredibly lucky to read a super early ARC of The Slayer and It. Blew. Me. Away. One of the best books I’ve read to date. Period. And also one of the best books Kele’s ever written. Considering I’ve loved pretty much every book on her back list, that’s REALLY saying something. I can’t even describe to you all the amount of feels, the swoons, and the hot flashes that Chuito gave me, so I won’t even try. The Slayer will be released on March 31, and I’ll be sharing lots of teasers with you guys in the meantime.

But before you get to get your grabby little hands on MY Chuito (uhem), I want to take you all back to the series that started it all for me; The Battered Hearts. Each week I’ll be spotlighting a different book from that series, leading up to Untamed Hearts with The Viper & The Slayer. In case you’re curious, you don’t necessarily need to read The Battered Hearts series before Untamed Hearts and each book has a different couple. I would still highly recommend reading Battered Hearts first simply because it’s a fantastic series and each of the characters from that series continues to appear in Untamed Hearts. You’d enjoy and appreciate every book that much more if you read them in order.

For those of you that haven’t yet read the Battered Hearts series, don’t forget to enter the Giveaway below. You’ll get a chance to win every book in the series or a $10 Amazon gift card!

So let’s start things off, shall we, with the man that started it all; Clay from Defying The OddsAbout The Book

Defying the Odds 
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance (fighter romance)
Length: 252 pages

When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn. The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay’s large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it’s obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie.

Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can’t resist Clay or the tender connection they share.

Finding love in the most unlikely of places, the passion is undeniable, but Clay and Melody know their haunted pasts and unpredictable futures leave the odds stacked against them.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: violence.

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Excerpt
“For you.”
Clay looked at the small blue plate placed in front of him, his usual scowl growing deeper. “I didn’t order this.”
“It’s a gift.”
Clay’s gaze snapped to the new waitress. He eyed the attractive blonde in surprise. “For what?”
She gave him a broad smile that made her green eyes glow bright and vibrant beneath her black-rimmed glasses. “For Thanksgiving,” she said, her voice soft and musical to his ears. “I saw you were eating alone, and I thought, that man needs a piece of pumpkin pie.”
“Oh.”
He glanced back at the plate, resisting the urge to gag. He swallowed hard, choosing instead to focus on the warm feeling in his chest. He was oddly touched by the gift, simple though it might be. With the exception of his best friends, Wyatt and Jules, this waitress was the first person in a very long time that bothered to do something nice for him without expecting him to sweat or bleed in return.
She turned to leave, but he didn’t want her to. He liked the pretty waitress with her sparkling eyes and thick hair wrapped up in a bun on top of her head that showed every color of blonde imaginable. He thought her glasses were charming and her figure was lush. Full hips, even fuller breasts, she looked sort of like a very huggable angel. The fluorescent lights framed her beautiful, round face with deep dimples that magically appeared when she smiled.
Everything about her was soft and innocent in a way most of the women he knew would never be.
Without thinking, he reached out with lightning-fast reflexes. He grabbed her wrist before she could get too far, making her jump in shock.
Clay winced at her sharp reaction, knowing he was intimidating whether he wanted to be or not. “I’m sorry.”
“’S okay,” she said, her smile back, bright and happy once more. “I’m jumpy sometimes, but that’s not your fault.”
“I wanted to say thank you,” he said, trying very hard to put emotion in his usually gruff voice. “No one’s ever done this for me.”
“Bought you a piece of pie?”
“No.” He felt his cheeks heat, and he looked to the pie in an effort to hide. “Nobody’s just nice to me, for free, without, you know, expecting something for it.”
“Sweetie, you keep being sweet and I’m gonna have to buy your dinner, and between you and me, I can barely afford my own dinner, let alone feeding a big guy like you.” She squeezed his hand, making him realize he was still holding on to her wrist. “So you enjoy your pie. Happy Thanksgiving.”
Clay nodded his agreement and reluctantly let go. He bit his lip against doing something stupid like asking her on one of those dates real people had with flowers and candlelit dinners, or just simply blurting out he thought she looked like an honest to God angel in that waitress uniform.
Rather than gawk at the waitress, which was what he really felt like doing, he focused his attention on the pie, trying to decide if big bites would make it easier to choke down or small ones would lessen the impact.
He tried a small bite first as the chime of a bell signaled someone entering Hal’s Diner, one of the few places to eat in the small town of Garnet and the only one currently open on Thanksgiving. Despite the lack of choices for the holiday, Hal’s was still empty save a few bachelors.
Clay knew what lost soul had walked in without looking, and turned his focus back to the dreaded pie.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Sheriff.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Judy,” came the upbeat, typically charismatic reply. “What does a hardworking sheriff have to do for a cup of coffee? Damn, but it’s cold out there. Where’s summer when ya need it?”
“Gonna be a nasty winter,” Judy agreed, sounding equally disheartened. “Take a seat. I’ll bring it to you. Are ya gonna catch a quick bite?”
“Sure, bring me whatever turkey special Hal’s dishing up. You know I can’t stay away from ya, darling. Having you serve me is always the highlight of my night.”
“Hush.” Judy laughed, sounding pleased. “You know I’m taken.”
“Tell Jerry he better spoil you rotten or I’m gonna steal you right out from under him.”
Clay rolled his eyes, deciding he’d rather eat pumpkin pie than listen to this shit. He was poking at it with his fork when a large, ominous shadow darkened his table. “Wyatt.”
“Is that pumpkin pie?” Wyatt asked, scooting into the booth seat across from Clay and tossing his hat on the table.
“So what if it is?” Clay frowned at his best friend, who was running a hand through his blond hair, forcing away the unnatural wave caused from his hat.
Handsome and cocky as ever, Wyatt gave him a bemused smile. “But you hate pumpkin pie.”
“Yeah, I know that.” Clay scowled. “You think I don’t know I hate it?”
Wyatt gave him a look. “Then why are you eating it?”
 “That new waitress brought it,” Clay explained, the reminder compelling him to take another bite. He choked, forcing himself to swallow it. “Christ.”
“You’ve officially taken one hit too many,” Wyatt said in exasperation, turning to Judy when she showed up with his cup of coffee. “Darling, dontcha have something else back there besides pumpkin pie?”
“We got praline,” Judy offered, her cheeks still flushed beneath her freckles. The redhead was always pink-cheeked when Wyatt was around. “You want it before your dinner?”
“Nah, it ain’t for me.” Wyatt gestured to Clay. “He hates pumpkin pie. I dunno why he let her serve it to him. Get him a piece of praline.”
“No, it’s all right,” Clay said quickly, not wanting the new waitress to know he’d sent it back. He’d rather choke down the whole thing. “I like it.”
“Bullshit.” Wyatt reached across the table and pulled the plate away when Clay took another stubborn bite of the pie, only to gag on it a second time. “Look at that. He can’t even swallow it to prove a point.”
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3K Likes Author Spotlight & #Giveaway: Week 5 with @mstessabailey

“If you have any doubt about my ability to fuck the ever-loving sarcasm right out of you, I’ll be more than happy to clear it up.

Asking for Trouble by Tessa Bailey


Bow down, bitches, because we got royalty in the house. The Queen of Dirty Talk, Miss Tessa Bailey has decided to be gracious enough to honor me here at Dirty Girl Romance with all her pervy awesome. Having read her entire backlist I can definitely tell you that this woman has written some of my favorite dirty talking heroes. I’m talking the books that I specifically reread numerous times for a few…uhem…choice scenes. If you haven’t read anything by this author yet, I’m really not sure what you’re waiting for. And if you have, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m so excited to introduce you all to one of my favorite authors and to get to pick the brain of this very talented lady.

DGR:      Hi Tessa! Thank you so much for being here today. Can you start by introducing yourself to the readers that maybe don’t know you yet? (Though I’m not sure how that’s possible)

TB: Thank you so much for having me! As the lovely Lana mentioned, I write heroes who love to express their wants and needs in a very specific (read: dirty) manner. Recently, I wrapped my Line of Duty series, which centered on a group of NYPD cops and the woman who rock their worlds. I have a spanking (heh!) new series out NOW called SERVE that just kicked off with back-to-back releases. OWNED BY FATE and EXPOSED BY FATE take place at a club for the adventurous-minded in New York City. It’s h-o-t and introduces a new cast of characters to love 🙂

DGR:       Having read your entire backlist, I don’t think I’d be able to pick, but I have to ask; do you have a favorite that was to write out of all your books?

TB: Whichever one I’m writing at the moment is always my favorite. Looking back, though, I think the very first book in my Line of Duty series (PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS) was a great experience because I was letting loose all the creative impulses I’d buried for so long. It was very freeing and cathartic. I think I smiled the whole time. DGR:       OK, admit it. Do you have a red room of pervy awesome? How DO you keep giving us better and better dirty talkers? I swear these guys just keep getting hotter.

TB: I do NOT have a red room of pervy awesome – do they sell those ready-to-assemble at IKEA?! Thank you for saying that about my menfolk. I think I’ve tapped into some kind of weird dirty-talking muscle that gets stronger with exercise. And I exercise it a lot! Every time I think I’ve gone as dirty as I can, I think of something dirtier. Basically, if it makes me slap a hand over my mouth, it’s going in the book.

DGR:       I loved your Line of Duty series, but I think I may love your Serve series even more. How do you make a dirty talker better? Make him a Dom dirty talker. But I digress… What made you decide to write a BDSM-y series. Was it something you’ve been thinking about for a while?

TB: No, I hadn’t. I was approached by another author who wanted to write the series with me. When she explained it was BDSM, I initially declined because I didn’t think I could write BDSM convincingly, being that I don’t practice it myself. But I found a way to write what turned me on(personally) and not take it anywhere beyond that. There is a character in each book that, like me, isn’t adept in all aspects of BDSM and we discover/learn through that character simultaneously.

DGR:       So what’s your writing process like? A lot of mood lighting and wine?

TB:  Full disclosure, I love to drink. Wine is huge part of my writing process. I actually write faster when I’m drinking, because my ability to second-guess my decisions has gone out the window. I don’t day-drink often (I usually abide by the 5pm opening bell), but every once in a while I’ll take my laptop to a pub for lunch and work on a scene. It relaxes me and I’m inspired by the atmosphere. And the wine, obviously ;p
DGR:       You wrote a New Adult novel recently that I absolutely loved, Unfixable. Are you planning on writing any more in that particular genre?
TB: YES. I am so ridiculously excited about my NA series

with Avon Impulse (coming MARCH 2015). It’s a different style than UNFIXABLE (thank you for loving that book) but the heroines have the same sensibility as Willa (from UNFIXABLE). They’re strong, loyal, talented young girls who are just trying to get a foothold in adulthood. It takes place all over New York City and has some heroes to die for. I want to marry them all myself. The series is called Broke and Beautiful, and kicks off with CHASE ME in March 🙂 

DGR:       Let’s talk future books. I saw you have a new series in the works, Risking It All (and HELLO hot cover) Can you tell us a little more about it?

TB: Okay, I have to take a deep breath before continuing. BOWEN DRISCOL. He was introduced in a novella I wrote called HIS RISK TO TAKE, way back in April 2013. I begged and cajoled my way to getting this book out there because he refused to leave me alone, day or night. Bowen isn’t a hero, he’s an antihero. He’s tortured and damaged and a touch out of control. His father, a crime lord, was just put in prison and thus, the enterprise has fallen on his shoulders. Unfortunately, he falls (mega hard) for an undercover cop. My heart and soul is in this book, plain and simple.

DGR:       What’s your favorite part of writing?

TB: That moment when the hero realizes he’s lost the heroine. I live for that moment – I can feel it in my stomach, heart and head. If I don’t feel it, I know I have to go back and fix something in the book.

DGR:       If you had to pick your top 5 favorite authors, who would they be?

TB: SO HARD. Weirdly, most of my favorites are paranormal romance writers and I don’t even write that genre. Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Julie Garwood, Karen Marie Moning and…like fifteen authors are tied for the final spot, so I’m copping out and pleading for mercy.

DGR:   What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?

TB: I once worked as a model scout on the streets on New York City. It sounds really glamorous, but it was awful. People wanted nothing to do with me and thought I was a scammer. I’d been waitressing and bartending up until that point and couldn’t go back to it fast enough.
DGR:  What’s coming up next for you? (Please say the next Serve book, please say the next
Serve book. Trust me guys, if you saw the teaser that Tessa posted about Porter’s book, you’d be begging too)
TB: Haha! I’m WRITING the next Serve book right now (Porter and Frankie’s book) but next up, release-wise after EXPOSED BY FATE, is a novella in January. It’s called RISKIER BUSINESS and is the sequel to Troy and Ruby’s book, HIS RISK TO TAKE (the pool hustler book). We’re releasing it in January because it will set readers up for Bowen’s book, RISKING IT ALL, which also releases in January! The 27th, to be exact 🙂 Lots of fun stuff coming up!!
DGR:    Anything you’d like to leave the readers with?
TB: Yes! Here is a quote from Oliver (my hero from EXPOSED BY FATE – available October 27th!) 

“You know me as Oliver, your friend’s brother. The guy who asked you about your college classes or whether or not you liked your professors. I’ve got news for you, Eliza, I didn’t give a fuck about your classes, or your professors. I wanted to get you alone and screw your little college coed body silly.”

 

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Review, Guest Post Character Interview & #Giveaway: ☆Until Alex☆ by J. Nathan

On the outside, Hayden is every girl’s living breathing fantasy, brooding and devastatingly gorgeous. He spends his nights losing himself in alcohol and faceless girls, but it’s all just a facade. An elaborate cover for the emotionless shell of a man he is. One who harbors too many secrets and destroys lives the way his was destroyed. It’s the reason he avoids relationships and keeps everyone at arm’s length…

Until Alex

Alex’s life just shattered into a million pieces, leaving her with more grief than she knows what to do with and guilt so deep it’s destroyed the carefree girl she once was. Now she’s hundreds of miles from home, living with an aunt she doesn’t know, finishing senior year at a college she’s never been to, and trying desperately to get through a single day without breaking down. She’s never felt more alone in her life…

Until Hayden

The trouble with Hayden is who he wants to be and who he is are in constant flux. And though he’d die before letting Alex learn the truth about him, he can’t be sure he’s strong enough to let her in…or push her away. She’s the one person who just might see the real him.

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Sometimes a book comes along that equal parts takes you by surprise and captivates you. This was one of those books to me. I want everyone to know about the pure awesome that is the writing of J. Nathan, so read below and see for yourself 😉
Review4.5 stars

I never thought that would happen for me. I always thought I deserved what no one else wanted.
Until Alex.

When I finished this book, I had to go back and make sure that I read it right because I couldn’t believe this amazing story was a debut novel. Wow. Just wow. If you’re looking for an incredibly emotional and angsty NA book with endearingly broken characters, a heartbreaking and heart-melting love story, and fantastic writing…You. Need. To. Read. This. Book. You will be hooked from the epilogue alone.

Hayden is the ultimate bad boy. He has the looks and the attitude that attracts women to him like no other. But beneath the surface of the womanizing, brooding and cocky playboy, is a dark secret and a past that plagues his every thought and makes him keep everyone at arms length. He’s not looking for a relationship or anything lasting. Just alcohol and countless of faceless girls that he can lose himself in for a few moments to drown out the memories.

If I learned one thing from my messed up life, it was that you didn’t let people in, and you didn’t let your emotions out. You couldn’t. I wondered if I even had any. Emotions that is. Because if you asked me, life had hardened me beyond repair.

But then she moves in down the hall. A girl who cries quietly every day outside. A girl he has no business paying attention to. Alex.

But just like Hayden, Alex is not what she seems to be beneath the surface. She’s running. Running from a devastating event that forever changed the course of her life. She’s running for the memories and the constant reminders of her pain.

How ironic that the one person that manages to drown out the memories for her is the brooding and mysterious Hayden.

But as much as Alex is determined to get to know Hayden, Hayden is just as determined to keep her at arm’s length.

I hated myself in that moment for not being able to control that part of me. The fucked-up part that kept people at a distance. It was a defense mechanism. My very own alarm system that kicked in when things got too uncomfortable, or in this case, too close to being normal.

The relationship between them is a very slow burn. But it’s also perfectly written, in my opinion, as it gives you the time to truly get invested in both the MCs AND their relationship. It gives you the time to really understand them. It gives you the time to really fall for them.

With each details of Hayden’s past coming to light, your heart just breaks for him all the more. As hard as he tries to stay away from Alex, his fight is already lost the second he lays eyes on her. But don’t get me wrong, this was no insta-love…or insta-anything. Their road to being together is filled with angst filled bumps that will tear at every heart string you have.

I don’t know what this is. This thing between us. But I really need it.

Even at times when Hayden truly fucks up and you want to throttle him for his decisions, you still can’t help but love him.

I will do whatever it takes to make you forget. I’ll say whatever you need me to say. Go wherever you need me to go. And I’ll be whoever you need me to be.

This is definitely more PG13, so don’t expect a lot of steam here. Now typically I am NOT a reader that reads PG13 anything, but the story here just captivated me. The little steam that there was was satisfying while still leaving you wanting more…but in a good way.

He kissed me like he needed me to breathe.

This is not just a NA Romance novel, it’s so much more than that. It’s about second chances, finding your inner strength, and facing your darkest demons. I was glued to my kindle until the very last page. I eagerly anticipate ANY future books by this author. J. Nathan is going straight to my auto-buy list.



Guest Post

MOTIVATION FOR UNTIL ALEX

When I was in my early twenties, I wrote a screenplay. I worked on it relentlessly, confident that if it just got into the right hands, it could go somewhere. Then, somehow, the fates aligned. Drew Barrymore read it! I know, dream come true, right? And wait for it…she actually liked it! Unfortunately, her production company partner, who just so happens to be Jimmy Fallon’s wife, gave me a painful dose of reality and passed on it. Ten years and plenty of rejection letters later, the screenplay remains on a flash drive in my desk drawer.

Needless to say, I lost the motivation to write. It seemed like a losing battle. Too much time and effort spent on something no one would ever see…

Then, a year and a half ago, I had one of the most vivid dreams I’d ever had. It was about a girl who moved in with her aunt after suffering a horrific tragedy. She befriended a standoffish neighbor, who for some reason put her at ease, and they grew close—until others threatened their friendship. That’s when he intentionally hurt her to keep her safe. But, as hard as he tried to stay away, there was an undeniable connection between them, one that could not be ignored. From there, a slow, yet well-deserved romance ensued.

Upon waking up from that dream, I immediately wrote down everything I could remember (while still in bed). I ended up with three pages of sloppy handwritten notes. Throughout the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about those two broken souls and their story, so I added three more pages of notes. If you check out my website under About Self Publishing, you can see them.

Those sloppy notes served as the perfect outline for my first novel. After a year and a half—and many tweaks later—Until Alex was completed. My husband forced me to do something with it so it didn’t end up like my screenplay tucked away in some drawer. Thank goodness for self-publishing because I would have never been able to endure another set of rejection letters!

Tweaks I made to Until Alex worth noting:

Hayden: His original name was Aiden, but having two main characters with a name starting with A, especially when Alex’s name could be a guy’s name, seemed like it could get confusing.

The Title: The not-so-original, original title was Aiden and Alex. I know, I know. Then I got creative and changed it to Alex and Hayden. Yup. I’m very clever. I came up with Until Alex right before I started sending out ARC’s.

The competition: Alex originally tried out for the musical Legally Blonde instead of a singing competition. But it ruined the timeline of the story since play preparations take months, and I didn’t want to jump weeks. I hate stories that do that. I don’t want to miss time with the characters. I want to live every moment with them.

YA versus NA: Initially, this story was about seniors in high school. But because I primarily read new adult novels, I wanted to write something my friends and I would be more apt to read.

The Prologue: Thanks to my wonderful editor Stephanie Elliot, I changed the initial prologue. I only wrote the scene with Hayden’s father a couple months ago. Originally, I had the flashback of what happened in the alley as the prologue (instead of spreading it throughout the first few chapters). But Stephanie pointed out that she hated Hayden in the beginning because of the prologue. I knew I needed to find something that would make people feel compassion for him, understand his distance from others, and love him as much as I did. Hence, the new prologue, which so many readers have noted is what made them read the book. To think it almost didn’t exist…

DREAM CAST

When I read, I don’t really see a character in my mind. It’s more of the idea of them. Their qualities, flaws, maybe their eyes. But usually they’re “faceless.” So trying to cast my characters is really tough.

I love your casting on Goodreads for the leads! Those models definitely fit what I was going for. I particularly like the Hayden with the words “I would’ve given anything…” on it. My fave! Sooo Hayden!

I used to watch E! News religiously. But being a mom to a four year old, a high school English teacher, an avid reader, and a when-I-have-time writer, I’m totally out of the hot actors and actresses under 25 loop. But if I had to choose actors and actresses to bring my characters to life, these are some I may consider (knowing their ages are a little off).

Interview with Hayden

What’s your greatest flaw?

My anger. I normally can’t control it which makes me volatile. My “friends” understand when I go quiet and need to excuse myself from a situation. They don’t know the true cause of it, where it stems from, but they respect my mood swings and my privacy. Remy’s the only one who really gets me. 

What do you think others think of you?

Girls want to sleep with me, guys want to be me, and this girl who just moved into my building thinks I’m some kind of miracle worker. For the record, she’s fucking delusional.

Would you consider yourself a lucky guy?

On the outside? Yes. Different girls all the time, a friend who’d stand by me no matter what, my own apartment and truck, good looks—I’m not conceited, but when you hear it enough, you’ve got to believe it, right? But all that shit’s just superficial. If people really knew me, knew the truth about me and what I’d been through, they’d know I have shit for luck. No one, and I mean no one(except Remy of course), looks out for me but me. Anything that happens is because I make it happen. Fuck luck.

You mention you’ve been through some stuff. What in your past would you most want to forget?

All. Of. It. 

Do you consider yourself a romantic guy?

(His narrowed eyes and creased forehead answer for him) 

I’m sure the ladies are curious; do you have a preference, blondes, redheads, or brunettes? 

For a long time, it didn’t matter. If she was a willing female, she was for me. But lately, I’m more into brunettes.

Colors say a lot about a person. Do you have a favorite?

Green. Like the color of tropical fish.

Care to elaborate?

Nope.

What’s your most embarrassing moment?

One word. Jake’s.

If you could be stranded on a deserted island with one person, who would it be and why?

(He considers the question for a long time before answering) 

My neighbor Alex. For some strange reason, I want to be the guy she thinks I am. In a situation where I’d normally flip the fuck out, she calms me down. It’s inexplicable, but this girl I barely know brings out the best in me. I would do whatever it took to help her survive and get her off that island.(His brows squished together) Would we have clothes? Because if not, that would make this situation a whole lot more interesting. (His dimples popped)

If someone were to write your life story, what are two things you’d want them to make clear?

I’m not this bad boy people think I am. I got the reputation because I hang with Remy. Now I can’t seem to shake it. I guess I’ve never really done anything to try because it keeps people away.

Some might say I’ve got daddy issues. Damn straight I do. I mean, how could I not? Mine screwed me up beyond repair. But I don’t blame anything I say or do on him. I make my own choices, pave my own path. Yeah, I chose my job which was a dumbass decision, but it was mine to make.

I am who I am. Love me or hate me.

 
About the Author

I’m an avid reader of all things romance-especially those with alpha males. The more unlikable they are in the beginning, the better. Happy endings are a must. Don’t leave me with an unexpected cliffhanger or someone dying in the end. I’ll mope around and be too embarrassed to explain why. Love triangles and negative people are the bane of my existence. My family, friends, sangria, and watermelon margaritas are the light…

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ARC Review & #Giveaway: ☆Denying Ecstasy☆ by @SETTAJAY_

A headstrong sassy mortal, Rain is a Mageia living in Tetartos, the Realm of beasts and Immortals. Her nights have been restless, filled with sensual dreams of a big blonde Guardian whose glares indicate he wants nothing to do with her. She is determined to shake off the odd feelings until she finds out her dream lover is responsible for her rescue from a demented Demi-God. In doing so, his touch ignites something rare and coveted. Something that she’s never anticipated… Something he should have told her about. Rain is set on making him explain and then feel the full force of her ire.

After a devastating betrayal resulting in the loss of a close friend a century ago, Dorian refuses to trust or engage with Immortals other than his Guardian family. His years of brutal fighting in the underground Immortal rings are over. He patrols the Realms and slakes his lust with the humans on Earth. Existing, but not living as he used to. He knows the moment he scents Rain that he has found his mate and after touching her he plans to avoid her as long as he can… Until he learns she is in danger. Raging, his beast demands that he go to her, but taking her from their enemy has repercussions he fully plans to escape at all costs.

For Dorian, finding a way out of mating Rain means he could succumb to madness and harm those that mean so much to him… but giving in to his burning urge for her means losing control in a heated mating frenzy sure to ignite them both and link them forever.

Warning: This book is intended for adult audiences; brief instances of M/F/F and M/F/M ménage; voyeurism and sexually explicit scenes.

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Review4.5 stars

Are you saying you don’t want me, nymph? Because your pussy is calling you a liar.”
“Oh, my body wants you. It’s my mind that wants nothing to do with you, my little guppy.”

This series needs to come with a warning. Read at the risk of your ovaries. Spare panties are not just recommended but required. Sweet mother of orgasms but Setta can write a smoking hot sex scene. But the best part? She can also write a fantastic story with phenomenal world building, hot as fuck alpha heroes and sassy-make-you-want-to-reach-through-your-kindle-to-high-five-them heroines.

I’ve been hooked on this series since the very first book and the author seems to only get better with each new release. It’s like she’s taken all my constructive criticism from the previous two and put all of it to work here to blow me away with this latest installment.

Meet Dorian…

Intrigued? You should be. After a brutal betrayal by a woman a century ago, the last thing he wants is to be caught up in the claws of another one. A mating? Forget about it. Even if it’s with his destined mate. He may burn for her like nothing he’s ever experienced before, but he’ff fight it with everything he’s got. After all, his memories and guilt won’t allow him to move on from what happened all those years ago and he doesn’t feel worthy of it. When he learns of his mating to Raine, let’s just say he’s less than thrilled about it. OK, let’s just put it out there, he was a grade A asshole about it.

I think that’s what I truly appreciate about this series; while you have your usual PNR “mating” heat, there’s no insta anything here. These characters don’t just tumble into bed together. There’s plenty of development to truly make you believe and feel their pairing.

Rain was a fantastic heroine. She gave as good as she got. While Dorian may have been a total asshole to her in his attempt to fight the mating, she certainly doesn’t take it lying down…well…later she does. But really, who could resist all that is Dorian?

I loved the sexual tension in this story. Nothing better than that burn of anticipation, and the author really makes you feel it here.Though not gonna lie, it did leave me a raging sexually-frustrated-blue- ovaried mess at times that made me want to equal parts throttle Dorian ans scream at him to just

But I appreciated the burn nonetheless.

In addition to the romance there was also plenty of action, world building, and bad guys to add to the entertainment. And the author manages to weave it all together effortlessly.

There is also a side plot going on with another couple, but that only added to the enjoyment. Setta is able to combine these multiple POVs flawlessly without any confusion and making it feel necessary as opposed to a filler or addition. That’s no small feat, let me tell you.

This was easily my favorite book in the series. If you’re looking for a smoking HAWT PNR series, you really need to look no further than this. Just make sure you have certain “provisions” on hand as you read. Just sayin 😉

Then there is that teaser of an ending. GAH! How can an author end a book in a satisfying HEA while still leave you begging for the next one? I have not a clue, but fucking A I need Conn’s book like yesterday.

**ARC gifted (and gleefully received) by author in exchange for an honest review**

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ☆Breaking Shaun☆ by E.M. Abel

Breaking Shawn
Author: E.M. Abel
Breaking Free #2
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Release Day Launch: Breaking Shaun by E.M. Able

Some men fall in love and hand their balls over to the first woman who keeps them interested—but not me. Surfing and my freedom are the only two things I’ve ever needed. Meaningless one-night stands are fun, but the drama and jealousy that follows them aren’t worth it.
Until I met Natalie, I never realized there were women who thought like me. She enjoys sex with no strings, and with a body like that, there isn’t a man around who doesn’t want a piece of her—including me.
But our friends and relatives all run in the same circles. And we all know friendship and sex leave a mess. Hearts always end up broken.
I know it.
But I still want her.

Sometimes, the things we want don’t always come easily. Every choice, every action has consequences that can change you.
They can change everything.
And no matter how fiercely guarded, even the strongest hearts can break.

**WARNING** Not recommended for younger readers due to sexual content, language and recreational use of marijuana.
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“Is this what you wanted?” he whispered as he took my wrists in one hand and the other came down to cup my breast.
I swallowed as moisture gathered in my mouth and my brain scrambled for a response. It was just so difficult to think with Shaun’s hard body pressing against mine in the middle of his apartment building where anyone could see us.
His gaze finally broke from mine and moved down to my lips as he glided his thumb across my hard nipple. I could smell the soap on him, feel his wet, warm skin pressed against me. My eyes fluttered closed and I pressed my head against the wall as the lust took over.
Shaun moved his hips forward making me very aware of his arousal before lowering his head and slowly dragging his tongue across my bottom lip. I was panting now and my entire body was tingling. I don’t know how he’d done it but Shaun had completely turned the tables on me. I’d come over to assert myself and show him the side of me he hadn’t seen, yet here I was getting pressed against a wall and turning into putty in his hands.
Review
3.5 stars

Let’s fall in love
Before the world breaks through
Before time catches up
And I break you.

I’ve been stewing and stewing on my rating for a couple of weeks. It’s very tough to rate a book when a personal bias comes into play as it did for me here. I had originally rated it a 3 star (liked it) read, but now bumping it up to a 3.5-4. Here’s the thing, my personal bias aside, this was a highly entertaining and steamy book. I enjoyed the story and I loved the characters. Had it not been for a couple of things, this would have been a very solid 5 star read for me. So on to the review we go
There is one thing (well aside from a hot as fuck hero) that is guaranteed to make a book for me, and that’s a fantastic heroine. I’m talking the type of heroine you don’t read about about often enough. The type of heroine that isn’t shy or meek. The type of heroine that owns her sexuality and isn’t afraid of a little harmless sex. The type of heroine you’d call a cool as fuck chick, and Natalie was certainly all that and more.
She pretty much had me at
I never got nervous around guys. If anything, it was the other way around, and that was how I liked it. I had the pussy, which meant I called the shots. Sure, men liked to think they were in charge, and sometimes, I’d let them. It was easier that way. I’d play the role, smile and flutter my eyelashes, but I also had no problem telling men what I wanted and taking it. Men’s egos were a lot like their dicks, always needing to be stroked. As long as they kept me satisfied, I didn’t mind doing it.
Natalie was no sexual wallflower. She likes sex, but she’s not looking for commitment. Her past hasn’t exactly given her a reason to think that relationship of any sort lasts. So what happens when the manwhoring Shaun meets him female match?
Sparks fly.

Shaun is used to getting what he wants, and that includes his pick of women. He’s not exactly lacking for female companionship. He’s not looking for strings, just some mutually satisfying time between the sheets with whatever willing woman crosses his path. They may hate him in the morning when he sends them packing, but they certainly go home satisfied.
So when Natalie turns Shaun down flat, he’s intrigued. When he discovers three months later that they share an inner circle of friends, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead out of his head. But Natalie is having none of it. She may be intensely attracted to Shaun, but she knows sex complicates things, so friendship it is. But can their friendship survive the scorching sexual chemistry between them?

Definitely not.
I loved that the author didn’t throw Natalie and Shaun into bed together right away. She really lets you feel that sexual chemistry and burn between them. I also liked they neither of them were exactly abstinent during this time. E.M. Abel really stayed true to Natalie’s character. She didn’t just stop her normal sexual routine simply because she was intrigued and attracted to Shaun.
There was one part at around 28% that had me in a bit of ‘what the fuck’ and ‘why did he do that’ rage. I had a feeling that it was heading in a certain direction, but I kept hoping the author wouldn’t take it there. I don’t want to spoiler it but if you’re curious about the first part of it (highlight to view spoiler)[you sure you want to know? Would’t you rather just read it?Damn you’re persistent. Oh alright, I’ll spoiler it.
******SPOILER*****
Shaun gets drunk and sleeps with a girl that he meets in a bar. This is all fine and good had it not felt like a pity fuck on his behalf. She’s very shy and begs Shaun to help make her ex jealous that they see at the club. They’re both extremely drunk and don’t remember much the next day.
***end of spoiler***
This is in part why I had such a big issue with what happens later in the story, but I definitely won’t be telling you what THAT is.
I also wouldn’t have minded a little more story and a little less sex. It did feel stretched out at parts and could have been shorter. But then again, the sex was pretty damn hot. Shaun certainly doesn’t disappoint, even if he does like to say “Goddamn” a bit too much. He made up for it with the rest of his delicious dirty talk.
The ending is the part I wasn’t thrilled about. Well, not so much the ending itself, but parts that happen during it. Don’t fret, there’s a very nice HEA, even though I am extremely disappointed at one big part that played in it. I’m not sure why, but considering how the rest of the story stretched, I though the ending was a little rushed. I may think that simply because I’m still pissed about a certain thing that happens, so I may very well be the only one to think this.
Would I recommend this book? Definitely. My personal bias aside, I truly enjoyed it.
Would I read the next book? Definitely, though I’m a bit worried that I know who the heroine will be and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I hope I’m wrong.
Writing Style:Dual first person POV
Also in the Series:

My husband is awesome and also a Chief in the US Navy. This means crazy schedules, uncertainty and lots of nights spent alone writing on my computer.

I have two amazing kids who always know how to make me laugh.

I’ve been passionate about writing since I wrote my first poem in the 3rd grade and I’ve been using it as a means to express myself since.

I think because I hold my emotions so close and fear being vulnerable I use different forms of self expression- writing, drawing, painting, photography, tattoos- to show the world who I am.

The one rule I use everyday is the Golden Rule–“Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.” I believe karma is very real and sometimes she can be a bitch if you make her that way.

I love acting crazy, I love to laugh, I love making people laugh, I love the ocean, I love dancing like no one is watching, I love good music, I love good books… oh man I should probably stop there. I love a lot of stuff.

Giveaway
Prizes:

$10 Amazon Gift Card

$10 B&N Gift Card

$10 iTunes Gift Card

3 signed paperbacks of Breaking Shaun

10 ebooks of Breaking Shaun

5 swag packs

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