Jilly

ARC Review….To The Limit by Jo Leigh

Book links:

Synopsis:

Subject: Captain Sam “Jaws” Brody

Mission: Test his limits…and push hers!

Air force pilot Sam Brody’s posting at Holloman AFB is a new start…and a brutal reminder that he’ll never fly again. The bright side? It’s the same town as teacher (and widow) Emma Lockwood—the woman he’s always had a major thing for. The woman who married his best friend….

For years, Emma ignored the spark between her and Sam. Now that he’s in town, the spark has turned into full-on electrical overload! She tells herself to stay grounded. She doesn’t want another hotshot flyboy, no matter how sexy. But with every night of wicked passion with Sam, she finds herself closer to the point of no return….

Uniformly Hot! The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.

My review:

To The Limit is part of the Uniformly Hot Series and the first book of Jo Leigh’s that I have read and I was hooked after just reading the summary….I mean, really, who doesn’t love a sexy fighter pilot?

Even though Sam Brody has had a year to get used to the idea that he’ll be in the classroom rather then a cockpit, it still isn’t getting any easier to swallow. Now, it seems the only bright spot is that his assignment takes him to the same town that Emma hopefully still lives in. Emma had married his best friend but that didn’t stop him from loving her from afar since they all met years ago while the guys had been in flight school. However, after his best friend Danny died in a tragic accident, she had asked for space and he hadn’t seen her in almost three years. Faced with an uncertain future, he is hoping she can be the friend he desperately needs…and secretly he hopes for more.

Emma Lockwood, widowed three years earlier, has made a life for her here in Alamogordo, NM, and is content teaching and volunteering…well, as content as one can be as a young widow. Sure, she knew the risks marrying a fighter pilot, but she really never thought her late husband was anything but invincible. She missed him, and the life she had with him and his brother-like best friends and thought of them all from time to time but knew they had respected her wishes for space after the funeral. That was three years ago. Imagine her surprise when she gets a call from Sam, completely out of the blue, and learns he’s moved here and wants to know if they can meet. She’s kept hidden the attraction she’s always felt for Sam, but now? Now there wouldn’t be anything to keep her from exploring it…but that would never happen. She couldn’t allow it. Besides, Sam only thought of her as his best friend’s widow…..little did she know that was so far from the truth.

Together, the obstacles they face are great and many. Not only does seeing one another open old, unhealed wounds, but the attraction they feel is undeniable. The emotions that come with that attraction are almost crippling at times…the guilt, uncertainty and fear of history repeating itself. Will they be able to put their past behind them and learn to live with the chance they’ve been given?

This story was so emotionally charged from the first pages and was amazing. I loved every second of it. Sam, while being a modern day warrior fighter pilot has one of the biggest hearts and his not being able to fly hurt in a way that was tangible. He is loyal and kind and thought so much of the feelings of others before himself…I lost count of how many times I said “oh, Sam” with a pout while reading. I adore him! Emma is equally big hearted and a great match for Sam. I loved her strength and willingness to take a chance. Their story is one that was told beautifully…especially the last two chapters. I was literally biting my nails! No spoilers from me but I promise you, you will love how it ends just as much as I did!

Thank you, Jo, for giving us Sam and Emma’s story!

Four Loves

About the author:

Award winning author and screenwriter Jo Leigh began her career in 1975 as a reader in the Comedy Development department for 20th-Century Fox. She left Fox in 1977 to go on location with THE DEER HUNTER. She then worked as an auditor, associate producer and producer on such projects as WHEN SHE SAYS NO for CBS, BEULAH LAND for NBC, GREAT AMERICAN TRAFFIC JAM for NBC and CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR for Jozak Productions. In 1987 she became head of development for the McCarran Film Corp., overseeing a roster of twelve feature films.

As a screen writer, she’s had a series idea purchased by Cinemax, and has worked as a script consultant on more than 50 screenplays. Currently, her screenplay APACHE TEARS was optioned by Northern Lights Productions in Canada.

Ms. Leigh also teaches writing at workshops across the country and on-line, and is a frequent guest speaker at writing conferences. Her tape on Advanced Plotting from the Dallas Romance Writers of America conference is the best selling tape in RWA’s history.

Her first Silhouette novel, SUSPECT, was awarded BEST FIRST SERIES BOOK by Romantic Times Magazine, garnered the 1994 ROMANCE WRITER OF THE YEAR award from Pike’s Peak RWA, and was a finalist for BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVEL OF 1994 by Romance Writers of America.

Her first Temptation novel, ONE WICKED NIGHT was a finalist for BEST SHORT CONTEMPORARY NOVEL OF 1998 by Romance Writers of America.

Jo was invited to write one of the launch books for the Harlequin imprint, Blaze, with her book GOING FOR IT!

Her 2006 Blaze RELENTLESS was a RITA finalist for BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE.
She also ghost-wrote GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL DOLL – THE ANNA NICOLE SMITH STORY for Barricade Books.

Jo lives in an incredibly rural area of Utah where her many rescue dogs have room to run and play and her rescue cats are determined to win the International Shedding Award. She spends an inordinate amount of time reading about how the brain works, listening to music and trying not to kill the basil.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter

ARC Review….Dear Adam by Ava Zavora

Dear Adam releases September 16

Book links:

Goodreads

Synopsis:

“You’re the more real to me than any man I’ve ever known … ”

To book blogger Eden, Adam is the embodiment of every literary fantasy she’s ever had. Intelligent, wickedly funny, sexy, and attentive – he and his fascinating life seem right out of a novel. Their whirlwind relationship is so intense and all consuming that soon she can’t imagine being with anyone else.

But there’s one little thing that’s keeping Adam and Eden from their happily ever after.

They’ve never met. She doesn’t even know what he looks like.

Despite how hard she’s fallen for him and how he makes her feel, Eden’s doubts begin to threaten their passionate love affair. Why is he so mysterious? Why does he seem reluctant to meet her? What is Adam hiding?

Afraid that she’s being made a fool of, Eden is forced to choose between her heart and her head. Is Adam too good to be true, as her common sense is telling her, or is the truth more startling than fiction?

My review:

Dear Adam is the second work of author Ava Zavora’s that I have read and I’m really, really hoping that I can adequately convey how much I adored this book in my review…..here goes nothing!

A thirty-something single mom, Eden has taken her love and comfort in books to the blogging world and for the past three years, it has been her happy place. She’s tried the relationship route, but the thought of spending time with a good book usually beat out any of her dating prospects. And that was enough for her. Until she starts chatting with Adam. Not one to be very chatty in on-line forums, Eden is surprised with herself when she finds the friendly banter between her new on-line friend, Adam, something she increasingly looks forward to. Before she realizes it, they have formed quite a meaningful relationship…even if they haven’t actually met in person. After months of phone calls, emails and messaging, Eden and Adam seem to be a perfect match in every way possible. Their interests and personalities just click, and even with opposing views on some issues, they still have a special and undeniable connection. Or do they? As open as Eden eventually becomes, Adam is equally secretive at times and she starts to wonder if he really is who he says he is. Will Adam ever truly open up to Eden and let her see all of him? Will Eden wait around long enough to find out?

So, I read a lot of books. Most of the stories I read are somewhat similar, which is fantastic and keeps me happy and my library full. Then, every so often, a book comes out that is completely unlike anything I have ever read and keeps me in my seat, e-reader in hand, for hours, from start to finish….Dear Adam is one of those books. I’m not sure exactly what I loved most. Maybe it was that in the digital age, and the heroine being a book blogger like myself, it was easy to relate to? I understand her reluctance to reveal too much about herself but understand how it’s equally as easy to fall into fun, lively conversation and friendship on-line. Maybe it was that this book was written so differently in that we read much of Eden and Adam’s email interactions and we got to see the relationship blossom from innocent chatting to something much deeper? Maybe it was the way Ava had me going back and forth the entire time between being afraid Adam wasn’t real, the suspicions that came and went about him and the desperate hopes I had for Eden that he was real and she get her happy ending. Perhaps it was the entire package. I can’t exactly put my finger on just one thing that I loved about this book….I simply loved it all! I will tell you one part I can say I loved a tad bit more than the others though. The epilogue. Completely surprising and not at all what I had expected but so amazingly perfect….I think I have lost count as to how many times I have re-read the epilogue. Five? Ten? Who knows, honestly. The epilogue was like the fluffy, sweet icing on the deliciously decadent cake otherwise known as the book Dear Adam…..deliciously perfect.

I hope that if you’ve gotten one thing from this review, it’s how much I am imploring you to read this book. It’s different and smart and entertaining and adventurous and relatable and well written and romantic and so truly refreshing and amazing. People, this book will NOT disappoint!

Ava, thank you for bringing us Dear Adam and for bringing me on an emotional, sweaty palmed (those last few chapters had me a nervous wreck!) journey with some awesome sigh worthy moments. Such a treat!

Five Loves

About the author:

“In my childhood, I used to ride water buffaloes and wade in swamps. When I discovered books, I would go adventuring with Anne of Green Gables, the Pevensies, Bilbo Baggins, or Alanna of Trebond. I incurred my mother’s displeasure for reading too many romance novels, so I learned to hide them and read underneath covers with a flashlight late at night. Nowadays, I travel and write dark fairy tales and romantic novels about adventurous women. And I still stay up too late reading, even though I don’t get in trouble for it anymore.”

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Website

Cover Reveal and Giveaway…Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin

Yahooo! I am super excited to bring you the gorgeous cover for Jen McLaughlin’s upcoming release, OUT OF LINE!

Out of Line releases September 2013

Book Summary:

Desperate to break free…

I’ve spent my entire life under my father’s thumb, but now I’m finally free to make my own choices. When my roommate dragged me to my first college party, I met Finn Coram and my life turned inside out. He knows how to break the rules and is everything I never knew I wanted. A Marine by day and surfer by night, he pushes me away even as our attraction brings us closer. Now I am finally free to do whatever I want. I know what I want. I choose Finn.

Trying to play by the rules…

I always follow orders. My job, my life, depends on it. I thought this job would be easy, all the rules were made crystal clear, but when I met Carrie Wallington, everything got muddy. She’s a rule I know I shouldn’t break, but damn if I don’t inch closer to the breaking point each time I see her. I’m ready to step out of line. And even worse? I’m living a lie. They say the truth will set you free, but in my case…

The truth will cost me everything.

And…….Jen McLaughlin (aka Diane Alberts) is also offering up a special contest. For every 100 adds she gets on goodreads for OUT OF LINE before the release (September 10th), she will reveal 5 pages of the book early!

If the book hits 600 adds before the release, she will release a bonus scene from Finn’s POV! She will also choose random people who use the tag #OUTOFLINE on twitter and facebook, or adds the book to their TBR list, to receive swag!

To add OUT OF LINE to your Goodreads, click HERE and then click on the WANT TO READ button under the book cover….it’s that easy!

Also, Jen is offering a signed/personalized copy of OUT OF LINE to one lucky reader! The rafflecopter is below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Jen McLaughlin writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, is due out September 2013. She also writes Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts. She is a multi-published, bestselling author and is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency. Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is too write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Exclusive excerpt from All My Life by Rucy Ban

Happy Monday!

I am BEYOND excited to share an exclsive excerpt from Rucy Ban’s book, All My Life, from Neil’s point of view.

Huge thanks to Rucy and a big dreamy sigh for Neil!

Enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

(you can find my review of All My Life here)

Exclusive Excerpt:

Thank you dear readers for all the love you’ve shown me! You are all amazing and I wanted to share this new scene from ALL MY LIFE with you as a special thanks! So go ahead and enjoy the ‘drive-in’ scene from Neil’s POV!

The following excerpt is for 17+ due to the hot, steamy foreplay and liberal use of the F word.

“You being the best goddamn people!” I tell her and tug on her hand. Her softness slams against me and I bite my cheek to stop myself from groaning out loud.

I know it’s too soon for her. The marks haven’t left her yet and I shouldn’t push her. I don’t want her to get that horrible hollow look on her face again. My heart clenches every time I see her like that. Like something inside her died.

I wish I could kiss away all the scars he’s left on her heart. Maybe sing her one of those songs she likes so much or sketch her face just the way I see her. Those soft brown eyes, pink lips, her dimples etched out and a cheek-cramping smile covering her face. No trace of sadness anywhere on her. But I’m neither a singer nor an artist. I’m none of that.

I’m just hoping my love will be enough to make her forget. She raises her hand and quickly wipes something off her cheeks. I lower my head and whisper in her ears, “No tears, Angel.”

She looks up at me and there’s a playful annoyed look on her face that makes me relax. She’s happy.

Not scared. Not nervous. Happy. Thank fuck.

Then she pouts her pink lips at me and my gut clenches. Somehow that little act of hers snaps something inside me and I just can’t wait any more. I have to taste her…now. I crush my lips to hers and God it’s like I’ve just tasted heaven. Soft, hot, wet and sweet. My tongue delves in her mouth and the beat between us flares. Her heart pounding against my chest, the chills covering her arms, the soft moans she’s whimpering in my mouth, everything tells me she wants me. And when she raises her legs, wrapping them around me, it’s all the confirmation I need.

Whatever little doubt I have is crushed just as she pulls my shirt out and slides her soft hands on my chest. She moans at the contact and damn the purr in her voice drives me right over the edge. This is my chance and nothing on this planet can stop me from taking it.

I pull her waistband down and graze my hand just under her belly. She stops breathing and I can tell she really wants me to go on. But I don’t want to rush this. I change direction and lower my hands on her back, squeezing her behind. God but having her in my hands is the most incredible feeling I’ve ever had. I just hope she doesn’t ask me to stop because I think it’ll kill me if I have to.

I look down at her and will her to open her eyes, to give me her approval to continue. But she doesn’t and just when I think I should tell her I’ll stop and we’ll take it slow, she lets out a long overdue breath, opens her eyes and gives me the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen in my entire suckass life. A fist clenches around my heart, freezing me to the spot. Her fingers reach for the zipper on my jacket, pulling it down. It falls open and I shrug it off, soon followed by my shirt. All this while her lips keep mussing with mine, her tongue keeps making short, hesitant strokes in my mouth and her teeth nibble on my lower lip. God help me but I’m only human.

I drive into action like a man possessed. I remove her coat, flick off her shirt and am rewarded with the sight of her in a white lacy bra. My eyes trail over her nipples pebbled and straining against the cotton, almost as if they’re calling out to me.

My heart slamming against my chest, I look up at her face to judge where she’s at. Her eyes closed, her lips apart, her breath coming in short, fast gasps and her long, silky hair falling in a sexy mess on her white, creamy shoulders. It’s the most erotic sight I’ve ever seen.

A sigh escapes my lips just as I lower them on her neck. The pulse racing through her veins quickens as I press my lips on her skin and then graze them down to her breast. I thrust them into the soft swell there just as I bring my hand up to cup it from below. Both of us groan at the same time at the intensity of feelings that rock our bodies.

But I don’t want to act on them just as yet. I want her body to go completely wild with need, till there is not an ounce of shyness or unease left behind in her.

I slip off her straps and take off the cups still molded to her breasts. Fucking hell’s angels. I was so wrong. This is the most erotic sight I’ve ever seen. My chest is thrumming for a taste of those hardened peaks and I just cannot fucking wait. I bend my head and pull in a nipple in my mouth.

“Oh!” she gasps and immediately melts into me. I tighten my hold on her and as I keep sucking, her breath starts coming in soft desperate pants, her fingers dig into my skin and her musky scent surrounds me completely. I can tell my angel really likes my lips on her.

Dear readers, hope you enjoyed this scene! Leave me a message on my Facebook page or my blog if you like this or want more!

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/rucy.ban

BLOG – http://jiltedgenius.wordpress.com/

ALL MY LIFE ON AMAZON – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CFB35UO/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Adult Angles of Omnific Event

Omnific Publishing is celebrating all things Omnific, Romance, and Angels! August 5^th-10^th, participating blogs will be featuring different guest posts, interviews, and excerpts by the authors of The Omnific Angels. Don’t forget to enter the giveaways and visit the other stops by clicking the linky list below. Different blogs will be hosting three different giveaways for each author.

Omnific and the authors would like to invite you to join the Angel Goodreads Group! Head over to Goodreads and see what’s going on: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/100102-angels-in-romantic-fiction.

Click here to view the other Angels of Omnific stops and giveaways…

Read-Love-Blog was chosen to host Patricia Leever! I have a fabulous excerpt, a fun round of questions with a character as well as all of her book info and she has a fantastic giveaway! All the info you need is below:

Patricia Leever’s Adult Event Giveaway: ( US Only)

(1) Print copy of Divinity

(1) Beaded angel wings bookmark

(1) Angel wings earrings (gold toned, hypoallergenic, nickel free)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Divinity

(Divinity, #1)

Demons.

They’re everywhere, hiding in plain sight. Chances are, you’ve interacted with one or two of them in your lifetime without even realizing it…

Demon hunter Evelyn Brighton saves unsuspecting humans from the malevolent creatures masquerading around them every day. Working under the Lebriga Corporation’s direction, she never fails to bring her A-game with her keen skill, fiercely independent spirit, and the best weapon in her arsenal: the Divinity blade.

Evelyn’s world is turned on its ear, however, when she is ordered to train cocky new recruit Daniel Summers. They both feel an instinctive pull drawing them to one another, the ancient spells tattooed into their skin illuminating whenever the two hunters come into contact. But with evil looming over the city of Los Angeles, Evelyn and Daniel’s mutual competitiveness and sense of duty to Lebriga and all humankind forces them to hold back their desires. Will their restraint be enough to keep them focused and save southern California, or will the dark forces prevail?

Set in modern-day Los Angeles, Divinity is an action-filled, fast-paced marriage of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Edgy, witty, and sexy, it will bind you in its spell.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Clarity

(Divinity, 0.5)

Gasping for air inside an ice-filled tub. Convulsing from an electric shock to the brain. Struggling against restraints that bind and gag…

Just another day at Agnews, The Great Asylum for the Insane.

But for Evelyn, the night is so much worse.

“Demons—wearing white coats and crisp white hats—prowled the halls, searching for a patient who would serve as their evening’s entertainment. And from the moment I’d arrived, I seemed to be their favorite play toy.”

A young woman committed to the asylum during the late 19th century, Evelyn knows she isn’t insane, that the creatures she sees and suffers at the clawed hands of aren’t hallucinations. Yet she’s all alone but for their unholy company and the doctors trying to vanquish these “visions.”

All alone but for the others who can see what Evelyn sees, too. And they’re coming for her.

In this short-story prequel to Patricia Leever’s Divinity, we meet Evelyn Brighton before the tattoos—before a century of training and supernatural combat makes her an official bad-ass. Both eerie and endearing, Clarity transports you back to Evelyn’s origins, revealing the crucial turning point that delivers her from misunderstood maiden to deadly demon hunter.

Available for FREE at Omnific Publishing to download: http://omnificpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=47_38_39&products_id=90

Today’s book blurb is brought to you from Clarity, the short prequel to Divinity (available for FREE download at Omnific Publishing)

And, with that, we accepted Gabriel’s offer.

Kneeling before him as the train careened along, we grasped hands. Alexander and Isolde stood behind us, Alexander’s hand on my shoulder and Isolde’s on Tessa’s. Gabriel likewise placed a hand on each of our heads, and as warmth filled my body, radiating out of every limb, every hair, every fiber of my being, his voice became all-consuming.

“I bestow upon you these angelical gifts: you will fear no illness, for none shall touch you; you will not fear age, for that shall stand aside for you; you will not fear weakness, for my strength shall course through you; you will not fear ignorance, for you shall have the knowledge you seek without effort; and you will not fear death, for when it comes to you, it shall bring you to my side.”

Bright light painted in brilliantly beautiful colors filled the air around us, swirling with life. Warm angelical breath washed over everyone, and I could almost feel Gabriel’s presence within me, building me up, fortifying every molecule in my body. The sensation seemed endless, but in truth, it only lasted for a moment.

When the inside of the car returned to normal, Gabriel was gone and Tessa and I could start our life anew.

One more fun thing for you all today…… Three Random Questions with Gabriel

Greetings my name is Gabriel, I am the archangel featured in Patricia Leever’s Divinity series and I’m here today to answer three random questions.

Where are your wings?

Really? *sigh* I understand your human minds perceive that being an angel that I must sport a gigantic set of snow white wings. I fully admit that there was a time, in a different millennia, where that was the case and I did, in fact, allow my wings to be visible by the human eye. However, today I find them to be…passé and more than slightly ostentatious. Not to mention, they are enormous when they are unfurled and quite frankly more trouble than they are worth.

2. I’ve heard that angels have no genitalia, is that true?

Oh for God’s sake that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I can assure you that while I do not possess the ability to procreate I do indeed have all the proper, working, equipment. Just because I cannot give a woman a child does not mean I don’t enjoy giving it my best go. Frequently. *wink*

3. You don’t have a big part in Divinity, but I hear you are going to have a larger part in the sequel, Entity, is that true?

Yes, my part in Divinity is on the small side, but as you mentioned, Patricia has given me a larger part in Entity. I do enjoy interacting with the other characters, even that rude, disgusting bastard, Lucifer who is pleased as punch to make his debut in the series. Honestly, I don’t know why Patricia insisted on bringing that…creature…into the series, but c’est la vie, this is all her her twisted little mind, not mine.

Well, I thank you for joining me in this rousting round of Three Random Questions, it has been an honor to entertain you. I do hope you check out Divinity, and the short prequel, Clarity, which is available for free download at Omnific Publishing. Stay safe and ladies, remember the answer to question two.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this stop on the Adult Angels of Omnific Event!

About the Author

Patricia Leever is a wife, stay-at-home mom of four and owner of one dog and one little black cat. On the average school day she runs about town like a lunatic picking-up and dropping off kids and trying to find a moment of quiet to write down a word or two. She’s a sci-fi geek that loves to dress up like a zombie and participate in the local zombie march down Main St. and laugh as much as possible; laughter frees the mind and heals the soul.
Live. Breathe. Write.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Embed code:

Young Adult Angels of Omnific Event

Click here to enter your link if you would like to participate and also to view the other Angels of Omnific stops…

Read-Love-Blog has been chosen to host author Carol Oates! PLease enjoy two fantastic excerpts and be sure to enter the giveaway Omnific is hosting….enjoy!

Young Adult Event Giveaway: The publisher/author is offering an Event Giveaway of :

(1) Print Copy of Ember and Iridescent

(1) Beaded angel wings bookmark

(1) Angel wings earrings (gold toned, hypoallergenic, nickel free). (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ember

When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn’t her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.

Excerpt:

“She is not a toy,” she hissed like a cat arching its back and instinctively unfurled her jet black wings tipped with scarlet, resembling an oil slick creeping outward in a pool of blood.

Sebastian felt Candra’s weight against him increase when she leaned forward to look over his shoulder. There was no longer merely a shadow of Ananchel’s wings. Candra’s warm breath made the hairs on his neck rise when she gasped at the sight of Ananchel’s magnificent, dark, silken plumage brushing against the unsuspecting dancers around her.

Sebastian knew Ananchel’s words were for Candra’s benefit. If it was to her advantage, Ananchel would be just as willing to claim Candra as he was.

“This isn’t the time or the place for this discussion,” Sebastian told her pointedly.

“Excuse me,” Candra screeched from behind him, once again pushing to get past.

He heard her utter a small gasp and felt her breath against the back of his neck when all the air left her lungs. Just like everything he seemed to do lately, uncurling his wings wasn’t intentional. His only thought was to keep Ananchel away from Candra. As soon as his mind thought the word barrier, there they were. He was sure Ananchel could see his weakness; his desire to protect Candra at any cost to himself was perfectly apparent. He turned his head to catch a glimpse of the girl behind him, and her shocked eyes stared back at him. Her mouth was hidden behind her two hands.

“Go!” Sebastian bellowed fiercely to Ananchel without fully turning from Candra, his nails digging into the palms of his clenched fists.

“You go,” Ananchel laughed in return, apparently amused by Candra’s reaction.

When his eyes met Ananchel’s again, he confirmed by the way her smile faded infinitesimally that he had exposed himself. She had forced him to prove to Candra once again that he wasn’t human, not even in the smallest measure. He should have known she wouldn’t stop there. They had played this game a long time.

The trembling began in his stomach, shooting downward like tiny electrical pulses, and his already tense muscles tightened further. All over his body, his skin felt like it was on fire, and it made him shudder. He fought it, closing his eyes to keep from looking at Ananchel and keeping Candra out of his peripheral vision. He couldn’t look at Candra now. The volume of the music seemed to grow until the bass was an eruption inside his brain and every thump matched his heart.

Cover ~ Trailer ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Iridescent

Candra Ember used to dream of saving the world one person at a time. She never expected to become an angelic weapon and the last hope in the battle against ultimate darkness.

Falling for a Nephilim wasn’t part of Sebastian’s plan. Distraction is something he can’t afford when his rival, Draven, wants what Sebastian has.

Lies, manipulation, and corruption are twisting the lives of the citizens in Acheron. The Arch is missing from Heaven, and a demon is intent on claiming the city. At a time they should be growing closer, grief and paranoia is driving Candra and Sebastian apart.

If the price of restoring the Watchers to Heaven is a human soul, who deserves to be saved?

Excerpt:

Sebastian had showered and the scent of death and Guinness no longer clung to him the way it did to her. Instead, he smelled of soap, spices and heat. His damp hair brushed against her forehead. In moments like this, his embrace made her feel secure and loved unconditionally. On other occasions, it was much easier to doubt herself and doubt him. Watchers perceived an innate goodness in her that Candra wasn’t sure of. When given a choice between love and war, she was very much tempted to choose war. Sebastian made no secret of the rage in his heart, a rage she knew could easily destroy him.

“I do,” she murmured, shifting to sit across his lap and linking her fingers around his neck. As always, it brought on a strange little flutter in her stomach. Loving Sebastian was one of those things that was never meant to happen. It had blindsided both of them. If there were two people in the world less likely to fall in love, it was Sebastian and Candra.

She pressed her lips to his quickly, weaving her fingers up into his soft as silk hair. One of his hands tightened on her thigh and the other slid up her spine, stopping between her shoulder blades where his fingers spread out wide.

She pulled back and giggled when Sebastian’s lips chased her with a playful pout. “I wasn’t finished.”

“I haven’t brushed my teeth,” she told him, making a show of covering her mouth when she spoke. “Morning breath.”

“It’s eleven at night.” He pushed forward.

Candra applied pressure against his shoulders, blocking his advance. “And I need a shower. I smell like an Irish man.”

Breath left her in a whoosh followed by a squeal as Sebastian spun her around and pinned her to the bed beneath him. His full weight pressed down on her, giving Candra a comfort she didn’t fully understand. He made her feel protected, hidden away and small. She shivered all the way to her toes. Sebastian would die to keep her safe if he had to.

“Who would have thought I’d find the smell of an Irish man so appealing.” He breathed the words close to her ear and then glided his hot lips to the throbbing artery just below.

Candra felt the warm, grainy flesh of his tongue peek out and swirl in a small circle over her skin. She bit down on the inside of her cheek to hold back the whimpering noise she was sure would escape her lips otherwise. She squirmed below him until she was breathless, and he dragged his fingers down the length of her forearms to secure her wrists by the side of her head.

“You fight me on everything,” Sebastian reprimanded her, slipping his fingers between hers and clasping them firmly. “When will you ever give in quietly?” His eyes blazed and flickered to her mouth.

Cover ~ Trailer ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Author information:

Carol Oates has never been one to remain still for long. After her parents’ mad dash to the hospital through the empty city streets of Dublin, Ireland, Carol made her debut into the world in the early hours of Christmas morning. Since then her pace has not slowed down in the least.

Carol was introduced to the world of supernatural books when, as a child, her family moved to a coastal suburb on the northern border of Dublin known as Clontarf, famous as the birthplace of Bram Stoker, the prolific author responsible for breathing life into the legendary story Dracula. This stirred in Carol an early passion for reading about all things supernatural. Combine that passion with a deep interest in the history and folklore of Ireland, as well as an active and vivid imagination, and Carol Oates the author was born. Carol’s love of writing about anything not entirely “human” emerged, and the premise for her debut novel, Shades of Atlantis, was born.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Review….Facade by Nyrae Dawn

Genre: New Adult

304 pages

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?

My review:

Façade is the second book in author Nyrae Dawn’s Games Series and the first of her work that I have read. Two things: first, I am happy to say that you don’t have to read the first in the series to enjoy this amazing book and second, what a positively remarkable and emotional story this was!

Delany had been living a pretty decent and normal childhood. Older football player brother, working dad, stay-at-home mom….your typical all-American family. Until her father has a horrific accident and ruins their picture perfect life. Well, if she’s being honest, the cracks in their foundation were starting to show even before the accident. Always one to want to fix things, Delany sets off with her brother to attempt to reach out to the other family that was affected by the terrible tragedy. She’s hoping that maybe she can help the healing process not only for her, but also for Adrian…the handsome, brokenhearted parallel victim.

Adrian Westfall never really had it very good. His father was an abusive bastard and his mother a battered wife. The only bright spots in his life were his sister and Ash. Now that he doesn’t even have those two bright spots in his life, he has learned to master the façade that now carries himself through his lonely and depressed days. His poetry and his writing have been the only things helping him keep a loose grasp on his sanity. Some days the sadness threatens to swallow him whole. Then, he meets Delany and thinks there may be something in her that can relate to him…he has no idea how right he is.

The secrets and unimaginable hurt that ties Delaney and Adrian together will prove to be a tie that binds and also the bond that can tear them apart. They are instantly drawn to one another and find solace in each other’s company and what starts out as an innocent attempt at healing turns into something so much more. Will they find happiness again? Can they truly ever heal?

If you could see my right at this moment, you would see that my eyes are still puffy and swollen from finishing this book last night. Partly because I couldn’t put it down and read late into the night but mainly because I was a sobbing, blubbering mess by the time I was done. This book was intense and emotional and broke my heart more than once…..but you know I don’t think of that as a bad thing! Adrian and Delaney’s story is painful and beautiful and ran through some pretty intense emotions. Grief, betrayal, guilt, overwhelming sadness….but also love and strength. The connection they share is a heartbreaking one and they truly need each other to start the healing process and attempt to find happiness in life again, even if Adrian isn’t as knowing as Delaney is in the situation. Delany is strong and determined with an innocence she still is able to hold on to despite the terrible hand dealt to her. She knows she can’t change the past and what happened but she is willing to try to bring some peace to Adrian and help him heal. Adrian is a broken soul. The accident left him completely ruined emotionally and no matter how he’d like his life to be different, he can’t change what has happened and that has made him who he is today. He tries hard to keep up a cool appearance and act as though he’s into his partying and sex filled social status, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. The road Delany and Adrian travel down is absolutely gut wrenching but also extremely necessary in healing. I have to mention there was a twist near the end that I didn’t see coming….and it made the story even more emotional than it already had been, which I didn’t think was possible. THAT was what turned my sad sniffles into an all out ugly cry. But remember, I don’t think of that as a bad thing (my family may disagree since I looked like hell the next day, but pffft to them!).

Emotionally stunning is how I would best describe this book. I was drained when I finished but happy with how the book ended…I say book, because I know Delany and Adrian’s story will continue on even when we aren’t reading it.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn’s passion. There have been times in her life where she wasn’t able to chase that dream the way she desired, but she always found her way back to telling stories.

One of her loves has always been writing about teens. There’s something so fresh and fun about the age that she loves exploring. Her husband says it’s because she doesn’t want to grow up. She doesn’t think that’s such a bad thing and luckily for her, he doesn’t either.

Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she’s a total romantic at heart and proud.

Nyrae resides in sunny Southern California with her husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two awesome kids.

When she’s not with her family, you can be pretty sure you’ll find her with a book in her hand or her laptop and an open document in front of her.

She writes for Entangled Publishing, Grand Central Publishing and is self-published.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Cover Reveal….Unlocked by Maya Cross

I’m so excited to bring you the cover for Unlocked by Maya Cross! Maya also has a great giveaway starting as well as a fantastic teaser she is sharing with all of you! You can find both below.

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Unlocked releases August 18th

Book Blurb:

The breathtaking conclusion to the USA Today best selling Alpha Group Series.

Who is Sebastian Lock?

The heart can lead you to dangerous places. Abandoned by the man she loves, with nothing more than sweet words and riddles for an explanation, Sophia Pearce felt like her life was crumbling before her eyes. And then they came for her. Now, things will never be the same.

Confronted with the truth about Sebastian’s identity, she’s thrust into a high stakes world beyond anything she could have imagined. A world that threatens much more than just her feelings. Sebastian’s enemies will stop at nothing to get what they want, and they want her.

The energy between them is as intense as ever, but as the danger mounts, and loyalties are tested, Sophia must answer one simple question. What is she willing to risk for love?

This book will be approximately 45,000 words, or about 160 printed pages. It contains erotic content and a dominant man who always gets what he wants in the bedroom. It is intended for readers aged 18 and over.

Teaser:

The third or fourth time I woke, it was with a sob. Moonlight cast the room as a series of jagged silhouettes, and despite knowing that I was somewhere safe, the unfamiliarity of my surroundings sent something sharp skittering through my chest. Suddenly, it felt like everything was closing in around me. I let out another cry and burrowed deeper under the covers, feeling fresh tears welling in my eyes. I didn’t want to be this person, this person who cried at shadows, but I didn’t know how to deal with the emotions that were roaring up inside me.

I felt another bolt of fear as I heard the door open, but in a moment there was a familiar weight on the bed, and then Sebastian’s arms were circling my body from behind.

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “Let it out.”

I have no idea how he knew I was in distress, but in spite of everything that was still unresolved between us, I loved that he’d come. The sheer strength of his presence dwarfed everything else, dulling the fear. He was like an anchor, and I clung on for dear life lest I slip back below the surface again.

He didn’t say anything else, and so neither did I, but just the act of being together was enough. I lay there, listening to the sound of his breathing, enjoying the sensation of that solid chest rising and falling against my back. Gradually, my turmoil began to dissipate. I had no idea how he had such a calming effect on me. When we were together, nothing else seemed to matter.

He felt like home, and for just that night, I pretended like he still was.

Links to Other Books in the Series:

Locked (The Alpha Group Book One):

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Barnes & Noble

Lockout (The Alpha Group Book Two):

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Barnes & Noble

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Maya Cross is a writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. She’s tried her hands at a whole variety of genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, but funnily enough, it was the sexy stuff that stuck. She has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life.

She believes in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of her stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique. Whatever genre she’s writing, finding a fascinating concept is the first, and most important step.

The Alpha Group is her first attempt at erotic romance.

When she’s not writing, she’s playing tennis, trawling her home town of Sydney for new inspiration, and drinking too much coffee.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

ARC Review….Outside the Lines by Kimberly Kincaid

Outside the Lines releases TODAY!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

As an ivy-league ER doctor who eats double shifts for breakfast (and lunch…and dinner), Blake Fisher has little appetite for anything other than work. Being on the staff at Brenstville Hospital means taking care of people, a need Blake understands all too well from losing his brother to cystic fibrosis eight years ago. When he’s asked to coordinate a carnival fundraiser for the cause, he jumps at the chance to help others with the disease…until it lands him side by side with the one woman he never thought he’d see again: his ex-fiancée.

Streetwise and rough around the edges, Jules Shaw is no stranger to earning a living through hard work. But when her job as the restaurant manager of Mac’s Diner puts her shoulder to really broad shoulder with Blake Fisher, she nearly balks. She’d rather dodge and deflect than admit the real reason she broke things off, but the catering contract for the carnival means big business for Mac’s, and feeding people is Jules’s lifeblood.

As Blake and Jules join reluctant forces, they quickly rediscover the spark between them. But the possibility of a future together hinges on coming clean about the past, with potentially devastating consequences. Can Blake and Jules overcome their drastically different backgrounds and learn to love again, or will they always be outside the lines?

My Review:

Outside the Lines is the newest piece from Kimberly Kincaid and follows her novella, Drawing the Line, a story I really enjoyed. Well, Kimberly has worked her magic again! Outside the Lines was wonderful!

Jules Shaw, the manager at Mac’s Diner, has faced her share of hardships in her past and is finally feeling like she’s overcome them. She feels at home running the restaurant and feels like she’s doing some good in the world making and feeding people with foods she loves. So, you’d think she knows her way around the kitchen but when she burns her arm and heads to the hospital the last person she expects to have treat her wound is the ex-fiancé she left behind eight years ago. Adding insult to injury, after being treated and thinking she could outrun her past again, she finds out she will be working with the good doctor for a charity event she has busted her chops to land the catering contract for. The fates really do have it in for her, it seems.

Blake Fisher must have worked entirely too many shifts in a row…because surely his eyes are playing tricks on him. The woman who took his heart with her when she left him eight years earlier cannot be sitting in his ER. He never would have thought he’d run into her when he moved away from the city and back to his roots and this hospital. But sure enough, here she is, and his reaction to her is exactly as strong as it was back then. Can he be lucky enough to have a second chance with the beautiful, strong and talented woman he hasn’t been able to get out of his mind for all this time?

Will Blake and Jules find out what went wrong and what caused her to leave him with nothing more than a Dear John letter? Having to work together for the next six weeks planning the hospital’s annual charity event will give them plenty of time spent in each other’s company….and will make it damn hard to ignore the spark that still lingers between them.

Well, let me say that for just 109 pages, this novella packs a punch! I sat down to start this, and before I knew it, I had ignored a whole afternoon worth of responsibility because I was so into this story. Jules is a gal I really enjoyed. She’s overcome many obstacles and never forgot where she came from. She is always baking or cooking and making sure the people she cares for have what they need. Blake is just as enjoyable. He’s an honest to goodness, all around good guy wrapped in a handsome package. He’s got a great big heart that shows when he’s caring for his patients and when he’s with Jules. Together, their relationship is just very honest to me. They realize their attraction and are simply two people trying to figure out how to make it work. What I liked best about this novella was that there had been a history between the characters before the story picked up, which made the story really easy to get in to, and a pleasure to read. The back-story and current situations both were balanced out really well and I didn’t feel I was missing anything or that I was getting too much of somthing. I imagine that’s hard to do with a shorter story, but Kimberly does is flawlessly here!

Thank you, Kimberly, for another delicious read! I cannot wait to see what treats she has in store for us in the future (…and I’m hoping it involves a sexy fireman named Aaron!)

Five Loves

About the author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Play Me by Diane Alberts Release Day Blitz

Happy Release Day to Diane Alberts and Play Me!

Exciting things happening today! I’ve got a fabulous excerpt for you below and Diane is having a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card giveaway (rafflecopter to enter is also below)!

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Even the best-laid plans can go awry.

Single-mom Kiersten Worth knows a bottle of champagne and night of hot, no-strings-attached sex is the perfect solution to her jilted bride blues…and Garrett Kelly, long-time friend and her teenaged son’s sexy basketball coach, is just the stud for the job.

Garrett wants more from the elusive temptress than a casual affair, but he never expects it to come in the form of an unexpected pregnancy. When he proposes an unorthodox solution—move in and raise their baby together—Kiersten has to decide whether to let down her guard and open her heart to the man who secretly loved her for years, or risk losing his tender embrace for good.

Excerpt:

Three months, two weeks, one day, and nineteen hours.

That’s how long it had been since Garrett walked away from Kiersten. She barely even spoke to him anymore, other than a soft hello as they passed on the court after practices. It was probably better that way. Anything more than a brief encounter hurt too much. He’d spent most of his life pretending not to care about her. Pretending he was fine without her. But now that he’d had one night in her arms, he knew he wasn’t.

And he wanted her more than he could ever possibly describe.

Oh well. Tough shit. He wasn’t going to get her on his terms. And he wouldn’t accept hers.

He needed a drink. Or three.

He unlocked the door to his apartment and froze. Pots clanged in the kitchen. Dropping his gym bag to the carpet, he walked around the corner. Only his buddy Mike had a copy of his key, and that was just in case of an emergency or if he somehow lost his own set. But why would Mike let himself in and then cook? To the best of his knowledge, Mike didn’t even know how to cook.

“Mike?” he called out.

“Uh, no,” Kiersten replied. “It’s me.”

He tensed and walked slowly into his kitchen, his heart beating rapidly in his ears. “How did you get in here?”

She flushed. “I asked Mike for the key. Told him I needed something for Chris to practice at home.” She waved a hand. “He didn’t question me, thank God. My story was weak.”

He studied her. “Why are you here? You could have just knocked.”

“I was worried you wouldn’t let me in,” she said softly, averting her eyes. “So I took matters into my own hands.”

“And the dinner?”

“A way to try to make up for what I did. It’s pathetic and not big enough, I know, but I had to do something.”

He raised his brows. “You could give me space, like I asked. Why cook for me? What do you want?”

She looked at him. “I thought you might like to eat some food. Last time I checked, you were human.”

“It’s been over three months since we talked or hung out.” He crossed his arms over his chest, not sure what her sudden reemergence in his life meant. What game did she play? “And last time I checked, we weren’t really on speaking terms. Yet here you are. Cooking me dinner.”

“Yep.” She set down the spoon she was stirring the sauce with, shoulders tight as she leaned on the counter. “Pretty much.”

He looked away from her and swallowed hard. Did she realize how much it hurt him just to see her face or to hear her voice? Probably not, since he’d been the only idiot who had wanted more. Every woman paled in comparison to her. No matter how hard he tried to move on, to be attracted to another woman, there was only one person on his mind. Kiersten. But if she was here…

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Have you changed your mind about us?”

She paled and he cursed himself for jumping to foolish, optimistic conclusions. “I—no, not yet. But—”

“Then you need to leave,” he said. He raised his head and met her eyes, unwilling to back down. “I haven’t changed my mind, either. I need space.”

“It’s been three months. Isn’t that enough space?”

“No.” He drew in a ragged breath. “It’s not. Now please leave.”

She bit her lip. “No.”

“Yes.” He stalked toward her, picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and headed for the door. He tired not to remember that the last time he’d carried her like this, they’d been going up to her bedroom. “If you won’t walk out on your own, then I’ll carry you out.”

She punched his back and squirmed. “Let me down. We need to talk.”

“The time for talking is over. I need distance right now. Eventually we can be friends again. But for now?” He opened the door, set her in the hallway, and closed the door in her face. “Please go home.”

He turned away and stomped into the kitchen. Damn it, he wasn’t doing this anymore. He may have played the part of the lovesick friend for months—hell, years—now, but he was done with being a benchwarmer she pulled out when it suited her mood.

From now on, it needed to be a starting position for him…or nothing at all.

Shutting off the stove, he picked up the pot and peeked inside. She’d made his favorite meal. Cheese ravioli. Vodka sauce bubbled away in a different pot and he could smell the garlic bread in the oven.

“Listen, Garrett, we need to talk,” Kiersten said.

Garrett jumped and faced her with a glare. “What are you doing in here—again?”

“I have a key.” She waved a gold key under his nose, her nose tilted up in the air stubbornly. “And I know how to open a door on my own. I’ve been doing it since I was three.”

“Congratulations.” He snatched the key out of her hand and reached for her, determined to put her right back where he had left her. “But you need to go. I’m serious.”

She jumped out of his reach and sprinted behind the relative safety of his favorite chair. “Not until you listen to me. Sit down and shut up for a second, will you?”

He pursued her, ready to stick her back out in the hallway, sans key this time. “All I asked for was a break. Can’t you respect that?”

He bolted around the chair, reaching for her arm. Her eyes widened and she darted to the side when he feinted left and ran right, hoping to fool her into his arms. “I can’t leave until we talk,” she replied.

“Why not?” he asked in exasperation, holding his hands up. “What could possibly be so damn important?”

She blinked at him, wringing her hands. “I’m pregnant.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.

She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing, Swoon Romance, and Decadent Publishing. ON ONE CONDITION hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. CAPTIVATED BY YOU hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name. She also writes New Adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. Diane is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency.

Website ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer…..Selene’s Review of Branded As Trouble by Lorelei James

Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer continues with Selene’s review of Branded As Trouble by Lorelei James

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

…It’s hard to trust the future when you’ve been branded by the past

As a walking advertisement for the tattoo shop she’s set up in a small Wyoming town, India Ellison is well acquainted with preconceived notions. Despite the odd looks and off-color comments about her off-color hair, life is good. She’s clean and sober, dotes on her sister’s kids and, best of all, spends most of her free time with her best buddy, cowboy Colt McKay.

Reformed bad boy Colt never expected three years of sobriety to lead to three years of abstinence. Curbing his craving for booze and random sexual encounters is nothing compared to the ever-increasing craving for his hot-tempered, hot-bodied best friend, India. Too bad she’s his A.A. sponsor. Too bad she hasn’t a clue that Colt’s been head-over-bootheels in love with her from day one.

After an unexpected, steamy interlude, all India can think about is riding the sexy cowboy instead of her motorcycle, even when Colt is determined to show her a slower ride is worth the wait.

Or are they risking their friendship for a fling that could burn them both?

Selene’s Review:

A [personally] highly anticipated book… that did not let down.

From the outside perspective, India, a tattooed, hot-tempered, and impossibly stubborn beauty, and Colton, an only-in-dreams-is-someone-this-beautiful former-bad boy cowboy, could not be more of opposites if they tried. But their experiences, both internal and external, have made them…well, absolutely perfect for each other. Too bad it took them so long to see it for themselves!

What author Lorelei James does best is delayed gratification. Her building up of Colt and India’s tension and their breaking point is just as delectable as when the two experienced lovers come together. And I definitely couldn’t get enough of their sexual moments; it left a brand on the reader like nothing else.

Another thing I had been waiting for besides the long-awaited couple’s union was the acceptance of Colt’s hard work throughout the years by his McKay family, specifically his older brothers. It took younger brother and war hero Cameron McKay to initiate this and it was absolutely tear-jerking. And it was wonderful to see Colt reformed and be the strong man that he is…with an equally strong woman backing him up, of course. It took India awhile to own up to her faults, but when she did, damn it was romantic.

I highly recommend this book for those readers that believe that friendship first can turn into the greatest of loves.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

From author website:

A bit about me: When I’m not squirreled away behind my laptop writing fun, sexy, contemporary erotic romances set in the modern day Wild West, I can be found reading everything under the sun, practicing yoga until I’m a pretzel, shootin’ my .22, watching the Professional Bull Riders tour on Versus, and running a kid’s taxi service, all in the guise of avoiding housework and rustlin’ up vittles.

Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.