Blow by Kim Karr….Blog & Review

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An Undeniable Love

A Tainted Attraction

An Unforgettable Story

Blow is

NOW LIVE!

**ONLY $0.99 for a limited time**

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1WbHCAe

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1iGMi3a

View the Blow Book Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/139275727

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Blurb

2 fatal sides.

1 epic love.

7 days to survive.

They met in the face of danger. They weren’t looking for love. They both knew better. But they couldn’t stay away, and they fell hard.

He is heart-stopping handsome, fearless—and haunted by deadly ties.

She is breathtakingly beautiful, determined—and in harm’s way.

They should have parted. They didn’t. They never should have fucked. They did. And now time is running out. One hundred sixty eight hours. That’s all that remains. While Logan McPherson fights to save them, Elle Sterling is forced to make a choice that could change everything.

When torn between right and wrong, tainted love doesn’t have a chance…or does it? ‪#‎taintedlove ‪#‎weshouldhaveknownbetter

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REVIEW

I am still reeling from the ending, so please bare with me as I try to get my act together here.

Blow – first off, I love this title!  Perfect title for this book.  And trust me, if you have not read the book, it’s not what you think.  Read this book and you will be surprised.

Blow took me by surprise.  I knew there was going to be some suspense in it.  What I didn’t expect was the amount of layers in this clever plot.  Kim wove an intricate puzzle and just kept giving us more pieces to make us on our toes.

The instant attraction and chemistry between Elle and Logan is very obvious from the get-go, but they keep their distance.  And that just added to the whole suspense in this book.  They didn’t fight it where they were oblivious to what was happening; they fought it to protect themselves and their loved ones and in a not surprising way, each other.

The whole book made me feel like an adrenaline junkie on a huge high!   I won’t give away any of the plot or how all these characters intertwine because everything ties together.  And it’s put together so beautifully.  I want to read it again – and I will because I was left needing more!

Yes, we were left dangling off a huge cliff……however, the drop isn’t too far down.  We get our next rush in Crush that releases in Nov.

And since I now get the meaning of this title, I am a little paranoid as to what Crush possibly means.  See Kim – you still have my mind reeling trying to figure this all out!!

Go buy this book people – YOU HAVE TO!!!

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EXCERPT

Prologue

Four Months Before

Logan

Mile after mile, I ran. Faster, feet pounding against the broken asphalt, breath crystalizing in the air. I’d been fleeing along the edge of the road for what seemed like eternity. Trucks zoomed past me, taillights fading in the distance, and still there were no sirens.

The moon slipped behind a cloud and left me moving blindly. Finally, a whistle filled the darkness. It was what I’d been waiting for.

Let’s see how bad they want this.

I spun in the opposite direction and spotted the familiar red and blue lights. With a quick jump, I vaulted over the damaged guardrail and found myself tumbling down a steep ravine.

Landing on my stomach, blood dripped from my nose, and the taste of rust flooded my mouth. I didn’t take the time to wipe it away. I had to keep moving. I’d started this game and I was going to finish it.

Quickly, I leapt to my feet and began to run again. When a sharp burning and throbbing pulsated in my right ankle, I knew my speed would be impaired. I must have twisted it in the fall. With everything I had, I tried to ignore the pain.

Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream, making my heart race and giving me the strength I needed. I was no longer on the pavement and my terrain was harder to navigate. Trees, broken branches, and the sickening smell of the stagnant river surrounded me. I pushed onward.

It could have been worse—at least there wasn’t any ice.

Still, it was fucking freezing out here. Snow fell around me. Chilled to the bone, I tugged my hat farther down over my ears.

I didn’t stop, though—I had to keep going.

When my eyes were streaming from the cold and my leg muscles began to seize up, I knew my body needed a break. I’d find cover and play the wait-and-see game.

The dilapidated abandoned warehouse a few yards away seemed like my best choice. The hinges were rusted and appeared broken, but when I yanked on the door, it wouldn’t open.

With a sigh, I stomped my salt-stained shoes in the slush I was standing in and looked around.

No sign of them, yet.

They’d be here soon enough.

My lungs burned as I bent over with my hands on my thighs in an attempt to catch my breath.

Poised to move in any direction, I thought about my decision to bait them.

Smart?

Stupid?

I couldn’t believe the game of cat and mouse I had entered into—with the Boston Police Department nonetheless.

But I’d had enough. They’d been following me around for almost a week. Their more-than-obvious tail was bordering on harassment. Pushed to the limit, today I’d decided it was time to find out what it was all about. I was going to force their move. I left my vehicle and took off. They were tracking me, but what they were waiting for to approach me, I had no idea. At this point I had two choices—approach them or keep going. Since I didn’t want to make it easy, I kept running.

Time seemed to be at a standstill as I looked around again. I knew they were close. Yet, as I searched my surroundings, there were no signs of life; everything around me was dark except for the golden glow from the cables of the Zakim Bridge.

The bridge.

I couldn’t believe I’d ended up on the West End. That was more than a slight hike from the tip of the South End, where I’d started all this.

What time was it anyway?

Before I could look at my watch—the one my grandfather had given me, the one worth more than most of the houses in the surrounding area, the pretentious Patek Philippe with an authentic enamel dial and custom-made rubber watchband, the one almost a match for his own—a yellow beam of light shined down on me.

I guess the BPD finally decided to make their move.

A heavily Boston-accented voice carried through the wind. “Put your hands in the air where we can see them.”

“Fuck me. Really? You’re going to arrest me? For what?” My gaze scoured the area until they came into sight.

There were three of them and one of me. I didn’t plan to keep running. I didn’t need to, but even if I wanted to, there was nowhere to go. The riverbank was on one side and they were on the other. The trio moved closer and drew their weapons. I responded with equanimity and raised my palms. Still, not a single one of them lowered a gun. Step by step, they moved toward me. When they were about five feet away, I decided to help them out and face them, but before I could, the tallest figure lunged for me.

He pinned me to the wall. “I just wanted to talk. I wasn’t going to arrest you until you assaulted me. But thanks for giving me a reason.”

“I was putting my hands behind my back, asshole,” I grunted.

“Right,” he snickered.

Nostrils flaring, the fatter one grabbed me by my collar and yanked me to him. “Stop resisting.”

What the fuck?

A quick punch to the gut and a kick to my leg had me belly down in a matter of seconds.

Most men would have been scared shitless, but not me. I grew up living in two very different worlds, the only similarity being power and greed. To look at me, you wouldn’t believe I was capable of doing the things I had done. Born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was the grandson of one of the wealthiest men in New York City.

It wasn’t my trust fund background that anyone had to worry about, though. I was also the grandson of the former head of Boston’s Blue Hill Gang—a piece of me I had tried to renounce. That I wanted to escape. But my family ties kept me bound. The Irish Mob might have changed since my father’s father ran things, but there were some things that never changed.

I’d been raised in both worlds and these cops knew it. They were counting on the Blue Hill Gang part of me to greet them.

Well fuck them very much—but that’s not what they were going to get.

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Meet Kim Karr

kim karr bio [475850]

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.

Stalk Her:

Website:  http://www.authorkimkarr.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKimKarr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkimkarr

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6644044.Kim_Karr

GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Lies Between Us by M.N. Forgy….Blog Tour & Review

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The Lies Between Us (Book Four) in the

Devil’s Dust MC Series by M.N. Forgy

is finally here!!

Cherry & Lip’s standalone romance is

NOW AVAILABLE

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Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HUdwaL

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JljRBe

B&N: http://bit.ly/1MzHWW9

Apple: http://apple.co/1MB3LpJ

Blurb

Cherry’s life growing up was nothing short of a nightmare. Having an abusive father forced her to fend for herself from an early age. Bruised and emotionally broken, she finally escaped, running straight into the comfort that Lip’s arms brought. In the beginning, everything seemed to fall into place perfectly. He made her forget the messed-up ways of her life. But secrets can’t stay neglected. They have a habit of revealing themselves regardless of the consequences. Terrified, Cherry can’t speak a word or she’ll lose it all.

Lip is no stranger to the criminal life. Growing up among convicts, he wanted nothing more than to show his worth. He’ll do anything for the club without question, including serving six years in prison. But nobody could have predicted life’s plan. Rugged, tattooed, and wanting nothing more than to have Cherry, Lip is no longer the man whom Cherry remembers. After his release, he came out a beast with more secrets and lies than his cage could hold.

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Review

This is the 4th installment in The Devil’s Dust series and I swear each book gets better and better.

We read bout Lip and Cherry in previous books and they definitely have had my interested piqued since then.

“Something you should know about me, babe: I’m a rule-breaker”

Cherry didn’t have an easy life growing up.  But she never gave up.  Lip had always grown up in the MC world.  He lives and breathes for his club.  These two have one hell of a passionate relationship. 

While Lip is doing his time in prison, he changes.  But that doesn’t make any of the feelings Cherry feels for him falter – she wants every part of him. 

“I know in my head I should give you up, walk away. But my heart wants you, and I can’t for the life of me turn my back on you.”

I could feel everything so strongly in this book.  The angst grips at you.  The build up between was it the truth and what is a lie will have you on edge.  Just when you think you have it all figured out, BAM – another twist is thrown into the mix.

I thoroughly enjoyed every single damn page of this book!  I couldn’t put it down, even if I tried.  This series  is another favorite of mine.  I get lost with every story she writes.

M’s writing has evolved so much since her first book.  Her writing is impeccable and just continues to surprise with each book.

I can’t wait to see what she brings us next!!!

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Excerpt

After he leaves, I open his wallet, reading his name, address, weight. All of it.

“Phillip DeLuca.” I taste his name running off my lips as I trace my finger over his picture. He’s so handsome. He’s the kind of guy most people would be afraid of, but not me. I want to get to know him. Lost in a daydream, my car door is yanked open.

“Where the fuck is it, bitch?”

“What?” I shriek as I’m pulled out of the car and slammed forward onto the hot hood. “I don’t have anything!” I scream, trying to pull free. He shoves me back down on the hood. His hand tangled in my hair.

“Don’t think about moving,” he spits, his tone harsh. I roll my eyes and continue leaning over the hood. My heart slams against my chest in pure panic, and my hands shake. He pulls away and leans in to the car. Within seconds, he finds his wallet. Shit.

He peers at me with a fierce energy in his eyes. The intensity has me pulling off the hood, scared out of my mind.

“You have some balls,” he mutters, shoving his wallet back in his pocket. His tone is soft and tender suddenly. I turn my head and eye him angrily.

“Fuck you.” I cross my arms and lean my hip against the car. My choice of words more confident than I’m feeling.

He steps up to me and grabs my hips hard with both hands. My skin burns, and my mouth parts with desire. His brown eyes find mine, and his hands yank my body closer to his. I feel like all the air is sucked from my lungs as I search his dark eyes. Placing my hands on his solid chest to steady myself, my palms buzz with excitement.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He looks me up and down and leans in close. “You’d like it if I pushed you over the hood of this car and fucked you ‘til your legs gave out.” His words feather against my lips, he’s so close. I hold my breath, willing my body to pull away, but I don’t move. Just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he grabs my hand and pulls it upward. I furrow my brows and watch as he pulls a pen from his back pocket, pulling the cap off with his teeth. He writes his number and the word ‘Lip’ on my hand.

“Call me. Don’t make me come find you, Cherry.”

“Cherry?” I ask out loud.

“Your swimsuit,” he yells over his shoulder before starting his bike. I look down at my white shirt noticing my cherry bikini peeking out from the bust line. A smile creeps across my face. I know I shouldn’t like him, but I kind of do. Driving past me, he winks and I swear I sigh like a damn fool.

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The Devil’s Dust Series

What Doesn’t Destroy Us (Book One) The Devil’s Dust

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1MghKfL

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NvBjnL

B& N: http://bit.ly/1BUw5xk

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1zqhR0Y

The Scars that Define Us (Book Two) The Devil’s Dust

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1GdpVrd

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NvBmzU

B& N: http://bit.ly/1BUvL1J

iTunes: http://apple.co/1x5EiJf

The Broken Piece of Us (Book 2.5) The Devil’s Dust

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1NvAGdU

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1DXnUwV

B& N: http://bit.ly/1HfdTPd

iTunes: http://apple.co/18rMayu

The Fear That Divides Us (Book Three) The Devil’s Dust

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HUdwaL

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JljRBe

B& N: http://bit.ly/1FsVuNz

iTunes: http://apple.co/1EYNXrP

Love That Defies Us (Novella)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1HfbMLj

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1wfkojP

B& N: http://bit.ly/1DV0vxI

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1zQk8X4

About the Author:

m.n. forgy bio [476016]

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Stalk Her:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Swag pack, including a signed paperback of What Doesn’t Destroy Us, & $50 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

the lies between us book tour [718521]

 

Complicate Me by M. Robinson….Blog Tour & Review

BLOG TOUR
Title: Complicate Me (The Good Ol’ Boys)
Author: Best Selling Author M. ROBINSON
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Day: September 14th
Cover Design: Rebecca Marie at The Final Wrap
It was complicated, it was
also just the beginning.
A decision.
A simple choice.
There is always that one
moment in life where things could have been different. That one moment where
you could have chosen a path that would lead you down a certain road.
A different life.
It was easier to pretend that
we were still best friends, and that she was my girl and I was her boy.
Pretending was better than
knowing the truth…
I. Ruined. Us.
I had her.
I lost her.
I love her.
All I did was complicate us. 
 
Buy Links:
(Nook Coming Soon)

 REVIEW

Ok, so first off, I must admit that shamelessly this is the first book I have ever read by the lovely M. Robinson.  I know, I know – I am a complete tool for just now getting my shit together and reading something by her.  However, I will be rectifying that!

Anyway – Complicate Me was absolutely amazing.  My only small issue was certain parts felt as if they sort of dragged on, but it wasn’t enough to make me stop reading altogether.  I truly understand that without everything being told as is, the story would have made such a huge impact on me like it did.

“Our first kiss was our beginning and n some ways ours end.  This is where our complicated love began.”

I won’t give much of the plot away.  I hate when things for me are spoiled in a review and takes away that feeling you get while you are reading cause you know what’s going to happen.  But I will say that M. wrote this book beautifully.  I love how she wrapped pieces of the future into the past – a foreshadowing.

I have to say that I really connected to these characters.  I was able to feel their emotions as everything played.  I felt the connection between all of them.  Even though we only got to know Lucas/Bo and Alex/Half-pint, you still felt a strong connection to the other characters.  And that says a lot about the author and their writing.

“You can’t pretend to be something you’re not.  It doesn’t matter if no one understands it, at the end of the day if you’re happy then to hell with everyone else.”

I absolutely enjoyed this story so much.  I laughed hard (like serious belly laughs), cried (freaking ugly tears down my cheeks) and everything else in between.  At one point, I had to stop reading because I couldn’t see my through my tears.  This book just really made me feel everything and made me feel it deep.

I normally need a story with a really good plot and action to keep me enthralled.  But this book, the characters and their past are what kept me hooked.  I had to see what happened in their lives and where they ended up.

“My Good Ol’ Boys”

And I am looking forward to reading the next book.  And the many more after that!!! 

C signature

My brown eyed girl sat on our blankets with her arms wrapped around her knees, hiding her face. The tiny frame that I adored so much shook uncontrollably, only heightening the deepest sobbing that escalated with each passing second. It was such an intimate moment, not to be shared with anyone, especially me. Alex didn’t cry. I watched her bawl for the first time in my life. I had never seen anyone cry like that before, and it shook me to my core, slicing me whole, and making me feel like I was dying. Carving a memory that I would take to my grave. 
There was no going back…
No erasing.
No do overs.
No deleting.
What I witnessed tonight would be my purgatory; I would now close my eyes and forever see her falling apart in front of me. Shattering before my very own eyes and I found it hard to breathe.
Hard to move.
My feet were glued to the goddamn floor as she continued to weep, sob, bawl, violently sucking in air that wasn’t available. I accepted it all; each tear that fell from her face becoming pieces of me. Circulating through my veins and blood, it flowed endlessly, a river of her sadness and sorrow and of my broken promises. No beginning or ending to her cries, just an infinite current, flooding the hole
where my heart should be. The shadow of her trembling petite body reflected off
the walls, leaving a trail of regrets in its wake.
Mine.
Hers.
Ours.
Growing up in a small town you overheard a lot of things. People talking, stories told, town gossip. You listened a lot. You learned a lot. Tourists, townies, friends, and especially family all shared wisdom and advice that you think you will never need.
Bunch of bullshit.
They say you have that one moment in life where things could have been different, that one moment that changes the course of your life or the direction you could have taken. That one moment that could forever change you and everything you wanted to be true,
everything you wanted to believe.
One simple decision could
alter your entire future.
My entire world.
I would forever remember this moment for the rest of my life. This is the moment that changed everything. This is the moment where I took another direction, another road that led me to my own demise. My own regrets.  I should have walked in there. I should have apologized. I should have begged for her forgiveness. I should have promised that I would never hurt her again. I should have done whatever it took to make her look at me the way she had our entire lives.
But I didn’t…
I did none of those things…
Not one.
Nothing was said between us.
No words.
No actions.
I was a coward and couldn’t do it. I couldn’t see her like that. I couldn’t look into her eyes and know that I had hurt her. That I had disappointed her. That I ruined her love and lost her respect for me.  
The boy who promised he would never hurt her.
The boy who swore he would always protect her.
The boy who vowed he would never let anything happen to her.
That same boy was me.
I was the reason she was bawling.
I was the reason she was hurt.
I was the reason she was broken.
She knew the truth. It had finally caught up to me… I shattered her illusion that I was hers. I ruined the one good thing I had in my life. The girl that owned my heart was bleeding out for me in a way that I had never seen before. The house was no longer our safe place.
I had brought my hurricane with me…
I couldn’t risk the possibility of losing her permanently if I walked in there and admitted my truths. She wouldn’t love me anymore, she wouldn’t look at me the same anymore, and she wouldn’t be mine anymore.
My brown eyed girl.
The girl that I had loved all of my life.
The same girl that I would
love for the rest of my life.
Alexandra.
I gave her the only comfort I could in her moment of despair. I turned around and left. I walked down the stairs and got into my truck. I turned the engine on and drove my sorry ass home. I took a shower and never once looked at myself in the mirror. I pretended that nothing changed. That I didn’t cause her pain, and that she didn’t know the truth. That I didn’t see her sobbing and that she wasn’t even bawling to begin with. That we were still just best friends, and that she was
my girl and I was her boy.
My Half-Pint and her Bo.
It was better than knowing…
I ruined us.

 

Best Selling Author M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has angst, romance, triangles, cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein.
She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa Fl. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D in psychology, with two years left.
She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces. They have two German Shepherd mixes and a Tabby cat.  
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Unsaid by Avery Aster…Blog Tour & Review


Unsaid Blog Tour Banner

 

 

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For fans who loved the snarky wit of Will & Grace and the epic love drama found in Brokeback Mountain comes Avery Aster’s new full-length, standalone contemporary M/M romance novel, Unsaid.

Chelsea’s hottie Blake Morgan III has reemerged from a nasty breakup. His marriage was a frigid disaster beyond repair, and he vows to be single—forever. Bruised, but still hot in Prada, he creates his Seven Desires wish list, his sexiest imaginings. Blake soon realizes there’s only one man he may trust to make these uninhibited intentions come to fruition: his best friend Miguel Santana.

Lower East Side multimedia artist extraordinaire Miguel Santana may be known as the cocky Latin stud in the city, but all he’s wanted since college was Blake’s hand in marriage. He was livid when Blake walked down the aisle with the wrong guy. Miguel has his own list titled the Seven Needs, which are quite contrary to Blake’s dirty-boy deeds. They involve serious commitments, which may leave his new-to-the-singles-scene buddy sprinting for the door, destroying any hopes Miguel has for happiness.

Can these two hunks conquer their intimate fears and love one another as only best friends can? Join the star-studded cast in The Manhattanites series and see for yourself!

 

goodreads link

 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes 

Kobo 

 

 


Unsaid Teaser 1

 

review

 

Avery Aster – you have done it again!!!   Phenomenal story!!

Avery’s writing is unique in the sense that her character are loud, quirky and so fun to read!  She holds nothing back and yet it all works out beautifully.  And with Unsaid, Avery definitely throws it all out there.

I won’t go over the blurb and explain who Blake or Miguel are – you already gathered that. However, it’s those Seven Desires/Needs that drives these two together.  Even though they are looking for completely opposite things, it all comes down to wanting the same thing – a loving and committed relationship – unconditional love.

I truly enjoyed how Avery was able to give more of an emotional pull on this book and yet still add all the humor that we can expect from these characters. We get to read about the others and their added input on things.  This group of friends is definitely a crazy yet fun group.

This is probably my favorite story out of the whole series.  Avery wrote is beautifully.  And even though Avery is known for her witty writing, she also knows how to delicately write about the more serious issues.  Avery gives you the perfect blend in her writing.

If you are looking for a funny yet emotional M/M romance, look no further than Unsaid.  It is the third book in the Manhattanites series but it can most definitely be read as a standalone.

Another hit for Avery!!!

 

Unsaid Teaser 3

 


 

Excerpt

Exciting him all the more, Miguel pushed him against the table. His friend’s actions may have been plain old-fashioned lust, but someone sought him, in the flesh. Not for his monetary assets, but for his ass. “I want my tongue inside your hot mouth.”

He wrapped his right leg around his friend’s tight waist. The warm friendship blanketed them, making him feel desired. He’d never been kissed by anyone but his ex-husband before. This felt different. Real. Mutual.

His buddy tilted his head to the side. Bit by bit, Miguel gazed down over his forehead and finally rested upon his eyes, almost speaking intently, as if saying, I’m going to give you the passion you’ve always wanted. I’ll fill your need.

Miguel brought his tongue to a long-stroked lick over Blake’s bottom lip before plunging into his mouth, deep and hard with a grunting moan.

Breathless as a teenager kissed for the first time, his cock stiffened all over again.

“You’re going to be my niño this week,” he muttered in a thick accent. “All mine.”

Relishing in the forceful kiss, exhilarated in agreement, he forgot the Hell and nightmare he’d been living in and answered, “Yes, I’ll be your boy this week.” Blake wondered how he’d ever be able to walk away from him once the lists were completed. Would they be able to go back to being best friends? More importantly, if he told Miguel the truth, could he keep it a secret?

 


 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Unscrupulous_highres

Fans of Alice Clayton, Karina Halle, Emma Chase, and Tara Sivec will enjoy this hilarious and naughty, full-length, stand-alone, cliffhanger free, m/f contemporary erotic romance novel from New York Times Bestselling Author Avery Aster.

At thirty-three, Warner Truman is one of the richest men on the planet, a spa mogul who buys and sells resorts at will. He holds powerful executives’ careers in his well-groomed hands. Nothing is beyond Warner’s reach…until he meets her.

Stunning, tantalizing and perverse, Taddy Brill captivates Warner’s carnal desire like no woman he’s ever met. A self-made millionaire, Taddy is tougher than steel, more brilliant than diamonds and, at twenty-seven, she’s never depended on a man for anything…until she meets him.

The more Taddy plays with Warner’s affections, driving him to erotic heights, the more she is confronted by a dark past. Before she can love him, Taddy must meet her worst fears head-on or risk losing it all, including herself.

Out Now! @

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

Kobo


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Fans of Sylvia Day, R.K. Lilley, Christina Lauren, and Maya Banks will enjoy this hilarious and naughty, full-length, stand-alone, cliffhanger free, m/f contemporary erotic romance novel from New York Times Bestselling Author Avery Aster.

Milan’s notorious playboy, Prince Tittoni, seems to have everything–Lamborghinis, exotic women, palaces throughout Europe and business success. Ramping up his fabric company to go global with a new apparel brand, he ruthlessly stops supplying fabrics to the American client who inspired the collection. But once they meet, what’s he willing to give to get her in his bed?

Upper East Side designer Lex Easton has already endured her fair share of hard knocks. She’ll be damned if she’ll let an Italian stud muffin knock her down. So what if she named her favorite vibrator after him? With Fashion Week approaching, she’ll do whatever it takes to secure the fabrics she needs to make her clothing line an international success–even sleep with her rival.

Lex’s Louboutins are dug in deep to win this war. All’s fair in love and fashion!

Out now! @

Amazon

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iTunes

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About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Avery Aster pens The Manhattanites, a contemporary erotic romance series of full-length, stand-alone novels, and the naughty new adult prequel companion series The Undergrad Years.

As a resident of New York City and a graduate from New York University, Avery gives readers an inside look at the city’s glitzy nightlife, socialite sexcapades and tall tales of the über-rich and ultra-famous.

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3 Seconds by Bethany Lopez…. Review & Giveaway

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Title: 3 Seconds

Author: Bethany Lopez Release Date: August 25, 2015

Synopsis:

A lot can happen in 3 Seconds. It’s the space of time between walking onstage and stepping up to the mic. It’s that moment when your eyes meet across a crowded room and the chemistry between you is undeniable. Bronagh has accomplished a lot in her thirty-five years. A successful pub owner and happy divorcée, she’s learned to enjoy life, but have realistic expectations. Her past has taught her that it’s best not to depend on others, but that doesn’t mean she won’t sample a tasty morsel when it’s right in front of her. After taking a break from culinary school to travel abroad, Brendan is back and eager to finish what he started. Although he relishes the nights he gets to play with his brothers in their band, and enjoys their healthy supply of groupies, he’s ready to start acting like the twenty-something that he is…a fact he craves to prove with Bronagh. What starts as a one-night-stand becomes more when Bronagh and Brendan realize that they can’t walk away. But can a younger man who’s prone to late nights and scantily-clad women convince a woman who’s been hurt that age doesn’t matter, and he’s the man she needs?

Review

This is my first time reading any books in this series.  You definitely don’t need to read any of the previous ones, to understand what is going on in this book.  However, previous characters are involved in the book, which make me curious about the other stories.

For me personally, I like my books to have more depth to them and the characters more developed.  But I knew going into this story and based on the page amount, that this book wasn’t going to be that.

I enjoyed Brendan and the family dynamics between him and his brothers.  You can sense the closeness between them all.

Bronagh (love this name!) is a very strong and confident woman who has her shit together.

When these two meet, it’s just suppose to be a hook-up and nothing more.  Well, fate wants to hand them a different plate than they both expected.  I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom quickly.

I won’t give too much about the book away aside from that.  I like this book was about people at different points in their lives and the age gap (he’s younger and she’s older)  I think will really please the readers.  And this just proves that age really is just a number.

3 Seconds is an enjoyable and quick read.  It captured my attention and definitely has me wondering about the other stories in this series.

About Author Bethany Lopez:

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Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She’s a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In N Out burgers.

Bethany Lopez is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Buy Links

iBooks – http://apple.co/1Aws6YV Kindle – http://amzn.to/1JokPPg Smashwords – http://bit.ly/1Js3keQ Nook – http://bit.ly/1E38aPl

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1h3Vzko

TAKES [645932]

Excerpt:

Brendan stepped forward, into the bar, and was immediately surrounded by greedy, shouting women.             That ugly seed of jealousy grew, even as I tried to bury it within me, but I watched as Brendan kept as smile on his face for his fans and scanned above their heads, searching for me. When he found me, his grin grew and I heard him say, “I’m glad you enjoyed the show, ladies, but I’m afraid I’ve got a hot date,” as he sauntered right to me.             I barely registered the chorus of boos and awes, his pull already taking hold of me.             He didn’t pause when he reached me; instead he came at me full force, pulling me into his arms and fusing his lips to mine. The desire that had been building throughout his performance came to a head, and I met his passion full force, opening my lips and inviting him in for a taste.             Just as we were reaching the point of no return, Brendan pulled back and smiled beautifully down at me, his eyes flashing with the heat I knew he was feeling.             “Let’s get out of here.”

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Giveaway:
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Alexa Crushed by T.R. Cupak…..Blog Tour & Review

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Book & Author Details:

Alexa Crushed by T.R. Cupak  (Alexa Crushed #1)  Publication date: May 20th 2015 Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Alexa Morgan lost her mother when she was two. At eighteen, her father and stepmother died when a devastating earthquake hit the Bay Area. Only one person has remained a constant in her life: Devin.

Devin has been Alexa’s best friend since childhood. The two are inseparable—or they were until Devin declared his love for her at sixteen. When Alexa can offer him only friendship in return, Devin retreats, brokenhearted.

Alexa, on the other hand, longs for Ethan, the boy next door. Four years older than her, and with an ever-changing roster of girlfriends, Ethan is everything Devin isn’t: wild, sensual, and unpredictable.

In the aftermath of the deadly earthquake, Ethan makes his move on Alexa, who reciprocates in a confused whirl of grief and desire. When Ethan leaves town shortly after, Devin comes back into Alexa’s life, offering support and expecting nothing in return.

Alexa begins to see the advantages of Devin’s quiet, stable love. But just as her feelings for her old friend begin to blossom, Ethan returns. Now Alexa must choose—the perfect boyfriend or the wild, thrilling bad boy. It’s a choice that changes her life forever.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24820984-alexa-crushed?from_search=true&search_version=service

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alexa-Crushed-1-T-R-Cupak/dp/1511735392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434633707&sr=8-1&keywords=Alexa+Crushed

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alexa-crushed-t-cupak/1121911844?ean=2940151561884

AC

REVIEW

T. had contacted me wanting to know if I could read her debut novel in exchange for an honest review. Here I am a little over 2 months later finally reading it (she knew I was slightly busy with other commitments) and damnit I wish I would have read this sooner!

Alexa Crushed is definitely a book that needs to get into more hands than it has and pronto!

Alexa has some earth shattering events happen with her family and her strength and strong-will are tested after her the biggest blow – her parents dying. She has her best friends around to help her through everything and not let the drown in her sorrows.

Alexa’s best friend, Devin may have dropped from her life periodically but he will always be there when it matters most. As Alexa is struggling to get through her latest crushing blow, he shows up and gives her that stability she needs. And he comes in right as someone else vanishes completely.

There are some other variables that come into play and keep Alexa on her toes. Alexa is a sweet girl who has the best upbringing anyone could ask her. But it’s others that want to threaten that happiness.

T. does a great job of throwing quiet a few twists and turns into this beautiful story that keep you guessing. You know that something isn’t right, but what exactly it is, remains to be seen.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. It was definitely a quick, but really exciting read for me. T. paints Alexa’s life beautifully and you can feel her happiness and pain as she goes through it. The suspense is built up just perfectly and has you not so patiently waiting to see what comes next!!

Great debut novel by T.R. Cupak!! I am very excited to read the next book!!

 

AUTHOR BIO:

TR

T.R. Cupak was born and raised in the suburbs of a Bay Area city in California. She was the closet nerd who hid her love of reading and writing short stories and poetry when she was younger. Back then it wasn’t considered cool to be into those types of activities for pleasure, whereas today you have TV shows, movies and books that glamourize that being a nerd is actually cool.  T. lives in a quiet, little, country town south of where she grew up. She is happily married to an amazing man who supports her in everything she does and spoils her rotten. They have a crazy little Shih Tzu named Harley. He’s their fur-baby and even though he’s a pain in the arse most days, they love the little guy. She has an obsession with cars, especially fast ones. She enjoys her music louder than anyone should. Admittedly it’s to drown out hearing her own singing voice, or lack thereof. When she’s not at work or busy writing you can find her curled up reading a book on her Kindle with a glass of wine or Dirty Shirley. T. lost touch with her creative side and stepped off the path of all things written in her early twenties. Six years ago, her passion for reading was rekindled. She began to utilize reading as a way to escape everyday chaos. Late 2013 she began journal writing. After a couple of months of journaling T. realized that this form of writing wasn’t keeping her interest nor was it helping her to relax. After that realization settled in she changed the direction of her writing. Her creative aspirations were flowing once again and she happily embraced it. As her fingers started to dance across her keyboard she began to see her fictional characters begin to breathe life. Writing was only supposed to be a way for the new author to relax, but a story was born and T.R. Cupak is excited to be releasing her self-published debut novel, Alexa Crushed.

Author links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13452439.T_R_Cupak

https://twitter.com/AuthorTRCupak

https://www.facebook.com/pages/TR-Cupak/647978012015198?fref=ts

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End of Day by Jewel E. Ann….Blog Tour & Review

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Meet Jack & Jill in End of Day by Jewel E Ann!

Be sure to grab your copy of this uniquely dark and funny read at the following retailers:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1TGxxgW

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1TGcu99

iTunes http://apple.co/1UEUj61

Kobo http://bit.ly/1JeJ1U6

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Blurb

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life.

Four caskets. Two bodies.

Jessica and Jude Day witness their funeral and that of their parents a few yards away from mourning family and friends. Stripped of the only life they’ve ever known, the Days say goodbye to San Francisco forever.

Four months later, two thirty-year-old misfits with elite self-defense skills and penchants for alcohol, sex, and trouble arrive like an earthquake to Peaceful Woods, a retirement community in Omaha, Nebraska, that thrives on rules and gossip. Welcome home, Jackson and Jillian Knight.

Jackson celebrates his new beginning by embracing his job and wiping his cavalier past clean with a temporary oath of celibacy. But Jillian’s past is branded into her soul—the deaths, the insanity, Dr. Luke Jones, and the need to make her lovers bleed. Her chance for redemption comes in the form of a next door neighbor, one Senior Master Sergeant Monaghan. He’s sexy, dangerously alluring, and riddled with emotional issues from years of service. He’s also … So. Damn. Grumpy.

Their mission is simple: Let go, start over, don’t kill anyone, and pray that nobody wakes the dead.

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Excerpt

“Have you ever killed anyone?”

         Jessica’s smile slipped. “If I told you then I’d have to kill you.”

         “So you’re a secret agent?”

         She flipped onto her stomach, resting her chin on her crossed arms. “If I said yes then it would no longer be a secret. Come on, Jones, you’re losing your focus. Don’t let me feel smarter than you or our time together will be over and I rather like hanging out here.”

         “Luke,” he corrected.

         “Lucas.”

         “Luke.”

         “Lukey.”

         “LUKE!”

         “Lulu.”

         “I mean it!” Luke showed another rare moment of teetering emotion.

         Jessica chuckled. “What are the chances of us having sex? I’ve never done it missionary, but you could possibly counsel me through it.”

         He refocused on his crossword puzzle, filling in a word in pen. “Less than zero percent.”

         “So, not in my favor, eh?

         “Why not missionary?”

         Jessica smiled in delight that Luke continued with the topic of conversation. “I’m sure you already know, but if you want me to say I need control, then sure, I need control. But the truth is I’d control any sex position you want to put me in.” Jessica winked as Luke gave her a fleeting glance. “I just don’t want you thinking you have control, even if I know it’s not the case. Pisses me off to see the smirk on a guy’s face when he thinks he has control.”

         “Tell me why you need control.” Luke continued with his crossword.

         “In bed?”

         “Yes.”

         “Someone has to have it.”

         “Why?”

         “Because someone initiates it.”

         “So if I initiate sex with you will I have control?”

         “There’s only one way to find out.” Jessica wiggled her eyebrows at an ill-humored Luke.

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REVIEW

WOW! WOW! WOW!

First off – this is the first book I have read by Jewel E Ann and I abso-freaking-lutely loved it!!

I can’t really give you ANY of the plot about End of Day without explaining whole book, so I am going to apologize in advance for giving you nothing about it – expect a few character details.

You know that Jack/Jude and Jill/Jess are twins.  They are starting (or trying to start) a new life together.  And these two spar – physically and verbally with each other.  They love each other alot so the abuse is just sibling love.

Jill is a no-holds bar, in your face type of woman. She doesn’t sugar coat anything and pretty much gives the new neighbors heart attacks every waking moment.  However, she is having difficulty moving on from the past.

Jack is the more level-headed one and seems to try and make their new life better.  He is the rock for Jill and tries to keep her from getting to caught up in the past and not able to enjoy their new life.

This story is told in 3rd person.  If you are looking for a light, easy read – don’t read this.  End of Day is in-depth and has some grey areas.  It’s not extremely dark but it’s definitely not all pretty rainbows.  I thoroughly enjoyed this story line.  The characters are well-developed and complex.  I love the added humor into this book – doesn’t allow things to get too dark and serious and keeps it more real.

Jewel did a wonderful job of writing a very unique and interesting plot.  And she wrote it exquisitely.  We get snippets of the past to explain why things are the way they are in the future and it doesn’t get confusing in the least.

And then we have the ending.  The book ends in a cliffhanger, however you are given an optional cliffhanger that you can read her ending.  I am not telling you if I chose to continue or not, but I will say that I need book 2 NOW!!!!

An extremely awesome start to a great series!!!

About the Author

www.annajon.es

Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor.

With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business.

After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing.

When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest

GIVEAWAY

Maya Custom Design (by winner) Timbuk2 bag ($100 value)

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Capture by Rachel Van Dyken….Blog Tour & Review

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Losing your ability to speak at the age of seventeen; it’s not normal or fair.
But trauma, has a way of throwing normality out the window.
Dani lives anything but a normal life.
Her sister is married to one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Her best friends are rockstar duo AD2.
And she has more love around her than most people experience in a lifetime.
But that doesn’t change the fact their parents are dead.

Or that it’s her fault.

It seems her new normal is being a mute, living on the inside, unable to actually communicate on
the outside.
That is until Hollywood’s newest heartthrob Lincoln Greene hires her as his assistant for the summer. 
He’s gorgeous, completely unavailable, and unobtainable.
But that doesn’t stop her from wondering…if things were different…would he want her?
If she was whole, would he be the other half? 

 

 

 




REVIEW

Capture is the start of a spinoff series from RVD’s Seaside series.  But you really don’t need to read the Seaside series to understand anything that is really going on in this series.  But if you haven’t read that series, just my recommendation that you probably should cause it’s just as awesome!
Back to Capture…..
This book is why I love reading anything by RVD.  She is one author that I love reading.  Her writing style always captures me from the very beginning and keeps me glued in til the end.
Capture is a very light-hearted, sexy, sweet and funny story.  It’s full of characters you will instantly love mixed in with a few characters from her previous book to round everything out.
Dani is selective mute due to an accident.  But she is witty, funny and downright sassy – which I love!  She may seem weak, but she is anything but.
Lincoln (Linc) – he’s the playboy Hollywood hottie.  And Dani is hired to be his assistant.  She’s surrounded by celebrities constantly but something about Linc makes her crave him.
The interactions and banter between these two is quite endearing and very funny.  I like that they push each other buttons yet without realizing – rely on the other to get through the day.  I won’t give away any of the plot or scenes.  However, I will say that Rachel knows how to really build up to things and deliver some hot scenes!!
Rachel wrote a beautiful love story and built up another set of great characters – ones that I am looking forward to reading about more.  Such as Zane – just the small snippets we learn about him from his friendship with Dani has my curiosity spiked.
Another great start to what I am sure will be a huge knock-out series!!!

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EXCERPT
 
“Finally!” Jaymeson pointed at both of us. “Lincoln, show her to her mark. Dani, for this scene you’re simply staring at him like you want to eat him. Think you can do that?”
I nodded.
Any woman could do that.
Most men too.
“Cue music!” Jaymeson called out. “Action.”
A techno mix of AD2’s latest song filled the air as the extras started dancing around us. I stayed glued to the wall while Lincoln delivered his lines to Pris, and then he lifted his head, meeting my gaze.
It’s just a movie. It’s just a movie.
The breath left my chest on one slow exhale as he moved toward me, his body making fluid purposeful movements through the crowd.
My lips parted; my entire body felt heavy as he approached.
He stopped in front of me, his forehead grazing mine as he leaned in a few inches. Our breath mingled as the music and scene faded around me.
“Cut!” Jaymeson yelled.
Holy crap on a cracker. I almost experienced my first stroke — at seventeen.
“You okay?” Lincoln’s eyebrows knit together in concern.
I licked the lipstick from my lips and nodded quickly.
Jaymeson approached. “Time for the kiss, remember kissing, not hockey. Clearly, you were confused earlier.”
Lincoln gritted his teeth and let out a little groan.
I patted his arm and grinned, my way of encouraging him. He seemed to pale more.
My stomach sank.
Maybe it was me.
I was the problem.
Not the kiss, but me. If he’d had trouble kissing my gorgeous sister, how was he going to be able to kiss me?
“Hey…” Lincoln cupped my cheek. “… focus on me, nothing else, alright? It’s only us.”
I nodded.
“You ever been to a party?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Ever made out with a guy at a party that wasn’t your boyfriend?”
I thought about it then slowly shook my head.
“So that’s what this scene is about. It’s about a guy seeing a girl from across the room and wanting her so badly that he’s willing to cheat on his own girlfriend for just one taste. Granted, he’s supposedly drunk and high, but that just takes the romance out of it, doesn’t it?”
He released my cheek and stepped back. “Imagine you’re trying to attract me, make your body as inviting as possible. Hell, just stand there and look at me, and you’ll sell it.”
Sell it. I repeated the words in my mind.
I could do that.
Because I wanted him to kiss me.
It made my heart beat faster.
My blood pump harder.
And for the first time since my parents’ death, I was actually excited about something. Nervous, but excited.
“Okay,” I mouthed.
I must have surprised him again because his eyes darkened, and then he grinned. “One day, Dani. One day I’m going to hear my name coming from that gorgeous mouth of yours, and I’m not going to be held responsible for my actions… damn the consequences.”
My breath hitched.
“Quiet on set! And action!”
There was no warning. Suddenly, Lincoln’s mouth was fused against mine, no teeth, just his soft lips pushing, prodding, moving slowly back and forth until his tongue slid through and made contact with mine.
Heart racing, I opened my mouth enough to deepen the kiss as heat washed over me.
He groaned and dug his fingers into my shoulders then slid his hands down my back and gripped my butt. I let out a squeak of surprise as I flicked his tongue with mine.
“Cut!” Jaymeson yelled.
I kept kissing.
So did Lincoln.
His chest brushed roughly against mine; my breasts ached at the sharp contact. I let out a little hiss at the exact time Linc let out a groan and nudged his knee between my legs.
“Cut!” Jaymeson yelled again.
Slowly, Lincoln pried himself away from me, chest heaving.
“Good enough,” said Jaymeson.
“No,” Lincoln argued without taking his wild grey eyes off me, “I went off script. We need to do it again.”
“The hell you do,” someone mumbled. I wasn’t surprised to see Demetri glaring daggers at Lincoln’s back. Alec was next to Jaymeson, giving him an earful. I noted the strong tick in his jaw.
“Fine.” Jaymeson waved them both off. “We’ll do it again.”
“Take two, and action!”
This time the kiss was slow, languid in its movements. Hot waves of pleasure coursed through my body as his tongue slid seductively pass my lips. His taste, the feel of his mouth was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Greedily, I moaned, desperate for more of him as I reached for his shirt then fisting it with my hands and tugging him tighter against my body, wanting more contact with him. I felt every plane of muscle as he slowly turned us so his back was semi facing the camera. His knee nudged my legs apart as pressure increased down the middle of my body. I hadn’t really looked long at the script, but I was pretty sure that this wasn’t part of it.
Not that I was complaining.
He rocked into me, my back connected with the wall. With a possessive growl, he nipped my lower lip then started kissing down my neck. Kissing in public had never been my thing — but maybe that was because I’d never kissed Lincoln.
I would kiss him anywhere.
All he needed to do was ask.
Body humming with pleasure, I let out a little gasp as his warm lips met the pulse on my neck. Then his tongue licked where his lips had just been.
His knee rose higher and higher as my body sank onto his; the first contact of his leg had my body screaming with pleasure — just a little higher, just a little more.
“Cut!” someone shouted, though it didn’t sound like Jaymeson.
Suddenly, Demetri was pulling Lincoln away from me and glaring daggers at both of us. “I think you guys got the scene.”
Embarrassed, I looked down, tucking my silky hair behind my ear. Did I really almost just dry hump Lincoln Greene’s leg? In front of about twenty people, including my sister?
“You sure?” Lincoln asked, voice hoarse. I glanced up at him, his chest was heaving with exertion, his lips swollen. “Because I could have sworn I messed up my lines.”
“There are no lines, you bastard,” Demetri muttered under his breath.
“Damn it!” Jaymeson shouted. “Hey, guys, I’m going to need you to shoot it one more time. Remember, Lincoln, you’re supposed to proposition her.”
Lincoln grinned smugly at Demetri.
Demetri didn’t move.
 

 

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency
and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking
coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from
readers!

Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken
or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com 


Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino…Blog Tour & Review

 

From the USA TODAY
bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a love story about
a Craigslist “missed connection” post that gives two people a second chance at
love fifteen years after they were separated in New York City.
To the Green-eyed Lovebird:
We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my
stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House.
You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more.
We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves
through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t
stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all
the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year
than any other.
Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer
after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic.
When I came back, you were gone. A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too
hard after the wedding…
I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a
Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow
line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t
know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said
my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I
could say hello.
After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories
came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month
wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would
you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half?
M

 

2. Five Days After I Saw You
MATT
I took the damn F train, an hour-long ride to Brooklyn
from Midtown and back every day, at lunch, hoping I would run into Grace again,
but I never did.
Things were bad at work. I had submitted a request to
go into the field three months earlier but had been denied. Now I had to watch
Elizabeth and Brad walk around in bliss as people congratulated them on the
baby and Brad’s promotion, which came right after the announcement.
Meanwhile, I was still rejecting any forward motion in
my life. I was a stagnant puddle of shit. I had volunteered to go back on
location to South America with a National
Geographic
film crew. New York just wasn’t the same anymore. It held no
magic for me. The Amazonian jungle, with all of its wonderful and exotic
diseases, seemed more appealing than taking orders from my ex-wife and her smug
husband. But my request hadn’t been approved or denied. It just sat in a pile of
other requests on Scott’s desk.
I pondered the current state of my life while I stared
at a blank wall in the office break room. Standing next to the water cooler,
holding a half-empty paper cone, I tallied the insubstantial years I had spent
with Elizabeth and wondered why. How had things gone so terribly wrong?
“What are you doin’, man?” Scott’s voice
came from the doorway.
I turned and smiled. “Just thinking.”
”You seem a little brighter.”
“Actually, I was thinking about how I ended up
thirty­six, divorced, and trapped in cubicle hell.”
He walked to the coffeepot and poured a mug full then
leaned against the counter. “You were a workaholic?” he offered.
“That’s not why Elizabeth was unfaithful. She
fell right into Brad’s skinny arms, and he works more than I do. Hell,
Elizabeth works more than I do.”
“Why are you dwelling on the past? Look at you. You’re
tall. You have hair. And it looks like”—he waved his hand around at my
stomach—”you might have abs?”
”You checking me out?”
”I’d kill for a head of hair like that.”
Scott was the kind of guy who was bald by twenty-two. He’s
been shaving it Mr. Clean-style since then.
“What do women call that thing?” He pointed
to the back of my head.
“A bun?”
“No, there’s, like, a sexier name for it. The
ladies love that shit.”
“They call it a man-bun.”
He studied me. “Jesus, you’re a free man, Matt.
Why aren’t you prowling the savannahs for new game? I can’t watch you mope
around like this. I thought you were over Elizabeth?”
I shut the break-room door. “I am. I was over
Elizabeth a long time ago. It’s hard for me even to remember being into her. I
got caught up in the fantasy of it, traveling with her, taking photos. Something
was always missing, though. Maybe I did work too much. I mean, that’s all we
talked about, that’s all we had in common. Now look where I am.”
“What about Subway Girl?”
“What about her?”
“I don’t know. I thought you were gonna try to
get in touch with her?”
“Yeah. Maybe. Easier said than done.”
“You just have to put yourself out there. Get on
social media.”
Will
I find Grace there?
I went back and forth between wanting to
do everything I could to find her and feeling like it was totally pointless.
She’d be with someone. She’d be someone’s wife. Someone better than me. I wanted
to get away from everything reminding me that I still had nothing.
“If you care so much, why haven’t you approved my
request?” I asked.
He scowled. I noticed how deep the line was between
his eyebrows and it occurred to me that Scott and I were the same age…and he
was getting old. “I don’t mean the actual savannahs, man. Running away
isn’t going to solve your problems.”
“Now you’re my shrink?”
“No, I’m your friend. Remember when you asked for
that desk job?”
I walked toward the door. “Just consider it.
Please, Scott.”
Right before I left the room he said, “You’re
chasing the wrong thing. It’s not gonna make you happy.”
He was right, and I could admit that to myself, but
not out loud. I thought if I could win an award again, get some recognition for
my work, it would fill the black hole eating away at me. But deep down, I knew
that wasn’t the solution.
After work, I sat on a bus bench just outside the National
Geographic building. I watched hordes of people trying to get home, racing down
the crowded sidewalks of Midtown. I wondered if I could judge how lonely a
person was based on how much of a hurry he or she was in. No one who has
someone waiting for him at home would sit on a bus bench after a ten-hour
workday and people-watch. I always carried an old Pentax camera from my college
days in my messenger bag, but I hadn’t used it in years.
I removed it from the case and starting clicking away
as people flooded in and out of the subway, as they waited for buses, as they
hailed cabs. I hoped that through the lens I would see her again, like I had
years before. Her vibrant spirit; the way she could color a black-and-white
photo with her magnetism alone. I had thought about Grace often over the years.
Something as simple as a smell, like sugared pancakes at night, or the sound of
a cello in Grand Central or Washington Square Park on a warm day, could
transport me right back to that year in college. The year I spent falling in
love with her.
It was hard for me to see the beauty in New York anymore.
Granted, much of the riffraff and grit was gone, at least in the East Village; it
was cleaner and greener now, but that palpable energy I had felt in college was
gone, too. For me, anyway.
Time passes, life goes on, places change, people change.
And still, I couldn’t get Grace off my mind after seeing her in the subway. Fifteen
years is too long to be holding on to a few heart-pounding moments from
college.

 REVIEW

I truly enjoyed reading Before We Were Strangers because it gave me that feeling of belief and hopes that we adults once had as a child. The dream that we were told to never give up on.

This is an extremely beautiful love story.  But to get to that beautiful part, there were many obstacles along the windy path.  Renée did a superb job of keeping the story flowing at the right pace and allowing the reader to see and feel each characters POV.

Matt and Grace are two characters you will find yourself getting completely attached to and understanding everything they go through.  And as the story progresses, things start to come together. This is story of second chance love and Renée delivers it perfectly!

I loved happy feeling I got when reading this – I actually felt myself smiling at certain parts.  I cried, both happy and sad tears.  I felt the love in this book.

Before We Were Strangers is one book that you definitely have to read.  Renée wrote this book flawlessly.  You will find yourself wanting to reread this book just to experience it all over again!

 

 

 

 

 

Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of
romantic women’s novels. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two
sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or
working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to
concerts, and eating dark chocolate.

Better When He’s Brave by Jay Crownover….Blog Tour & Review

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We are so incredibly excited to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Jay Crownover’s BETTER WHEN HE’S BRAVE!! BETTER WHEN HE’S BRAVE is a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel being published by HarperCollins, and it is the 3rd book in Welcome to the Point Series. This amazing book releases on August 11th!!

 

Better When Hes Brave - cover

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes

 

BETTER WHEN HE’S BRAVE – Review & Excerpt Tour

August 3rd

Textteaser – Review & Excerpt

People Like Books – Review & Excerpt

Vilma’sBook Blog – Excerpt

Book Babes Unite – Review & Excerpt

August 4th

Ceres Books World – Review

LuLoFangirl – Excerpt

Random Book Muses – Review & Excerpt

Martini Times Romance – Review & Excerpt

August 5th

Greyland Reviews – Excerpt

Talk Books to Me – Review

Ficwishes – Review

Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt

Words with Sarah – Review & Excerpt

August 6th

Must Read Books or Die – Review

NightOwl Reader – Review & Excerpt

From the TBR Pile – Review & Excerpt

TjLovesToRead – Review & Excerpt

August 7th

Book Freak – Review

The Book Hoarders – Review & Excerpt

The Fairest of All Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Total Book Geek – Review & Excerpt

Zili in the Sky – Review & Excerpt

August 8th

Ramblings From This Chick – Review

Nose Stuck In A Book – Review & Excerpt

Reese’s Review – Review & Excerpt

Guilty indulgence – Review & Excerpt

August 9th

Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt

Oh My Shelves – Excerpt

Romance Addict Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review

This is the Story of My(Reading) Life – Review & Excerpt

August 10th

Morning Books and Coffee – Review & Excerpt

Jen in Bookland – Review & Excerpt

StuckInBooks – Review & Excerpt

Belle of the Literari – Review

August 11th

Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt

Literati Literature Lovers –Review & Excerpt

Love Between the Sheets – Review

Book Starlets – Review & Excerpt

Waves of Fiction – Review

August 12th

Desert Divas Book Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Emilie’s Book World – Review & Excerpt

Biblio Belles – Review

Ali’s Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

August 13th

Works of Fiction – Review

kimberlyfaye reads – Review

Fiction Fangirls – Excerpt

Reading is Sexy – Review & Excerpt

Obsessive Book Nerd – Review & Excerpt

August 14th

t’irla’s talk – Review & Excerpt

Book Sojourner – Review & Excerpt

Shameless Book Club – Review & Excerpt

Typical Distractions – Review & Excerpt

Read Love Blog – Review & Excerpt

August 15th

Pages Abound – Review & Excerpt

2 Girls Book: An Asian & White Chick Walk into a Book Blog – Review

Girls With Books – Review & Excerpt

Cocktails and Books – Review

August 16th

BBF BookBoyfriends – Review & Excerpt

Scandalous Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Romance Obsessed Book Blog – Review

Four Brits and a Book – Excerpt

August 17th

Resch Reads and Reviews – Review

Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess – Review & Excerpt

Cruising Susan Book Reviews – Review

Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt

August 18th

Alii’s Book Jungle – Review & Excerpt

Mommy Reads What?! – Review

Buchjunkies (exclusively German blog) – Review

Love N Books – Review

August 19th

Flirty Fiction Blog – Review & Excerpt

Live Read and Breathe – Review

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

Got More Books – Review & Excerpt

August 20th

The Revolving Bookcase – Review & Excerpt

NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt

Made For You Book Reviews – Review

PBC – Excerpt

August 21st

The Book Enthusiast – Review & Excerpt

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Excerpt

EscapeNBooks – Review & Excerpt

A Literary Perusal – Review & Excerpt

 

And don’t miss the previous books in The Point Series!

Better WhenHe's Bad

BETTER WHEN HE’S BAD

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Better When Hes Bold

BETTER WHEN HE’S BOLD

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About BETTER WHEN HE’S BRAVE:

In New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jay Crownover’s third novel in her sexy, thrilling Welcome to the Point series, a woman’s search for repentance leads her to the one man from her past she can’t forget as they join forces to save their city—and the explosive love neither can live without.

Titus King sees the world in black and white. Right and wrong. Which is why as a teenager he left behind the only family he’d ever known to make a better life for himself. Now a police detective in one of the worst cities in the country, he can’t deny his life has turned into a million different shades of gray.

The new criminal element in The Point has brought vengeance and destruction right to Titus’s front door, and the difference between right and wrong is nothing compared to keeping those he loves alive. To add to his already strained moral compass, the beautiful and mysterious Reeve Black has made her way back to town, and she might be as dangerous to Titus as the guy trying to destroy the Point because he needs her—in more ways than one.

Reeve knows all about how ruthless this new threat to destroy The Point can be… and instead of running away, she wants to help. She has a lot to repent for and saving the city, plus the hot cop that she hasn’t been able to forget might just be the only way she can finally find some inner peace.

With an entire city poised on the brink of war, Titus and Reeve stand in the crossfire—and it will take two brave souls to fight for the ultimate love.

 

REVIEW

Better When He’s Brave is the third installment in The Point series and with each one, I am more drawn into this world.

Titus is man who stands by law and the love of his job always comes first.  It’s always been black and white for him been it comes to the law.  But when he sets his eyes on Reeve, things get a little grey.

Reeve has made some shitty choices but she owns them.  She’s returned to the Point and when things get even worse, she wants to do what she can to prove she’s trust worthy and end this.

These two couldn’t be more different from one another but are the perfect other half.  Where Reeve can see the bending of a rule to make something work, Titus shows her where things can go wrong.  Even though on the surface these aren’t good for another, their deeper connection is what pulls them together.

I love reading Jay’s books. She knows how to exquisitely bring a story together.  She always has complex and intriguing characters that grow on you. Her plots are always thick and riveting with just the right amount of suspense in them.  I find myself constantly blowing through her books because I can’t wait to see what happens and how everything ends.

Each book in this series can be read as a standalone but I HIGHLY recommend reading them all!! Jay is a mastermind when it comes to writing books with hot scenes, a gritty storyline, well developed characters and delivers it all in one perfect package.

Another Five star read for me from Jay Crownover!

 

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Jay CrownoverAbout Jay Crownover:

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men and The Point series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

 

 

 

Website ** Blog ** Facebook ** Twitter

BETTER WHEN HE’S BRAVE Goodreads ** Jay Crownover Goodreads

 

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Beneath Blood and Bone by Madeline Sheehan & Claire Riley…..Blog Tour

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It is the end of the world.

They call him Eagle, like the grand and beautiful bird that symbolizes freedom. During these dark times, when humanity is experiencing nothing but suffering, a man with such a powerful name should be a beacon of hope, yet he is anything but.

Her name is Autumn, but she hasn’t said this name or much of anything else in the four years since the fall of civilization. A shell of her former self, living wild in a cave at the bottom of a ravine, Autumn is accustomed to being alone. She prefers it, actually, especially when her only options for company either try to kill her, or worse, to lock her up inside their walls.

Captured by Eagle’s people, Autumn is suddenly thrust back into the land of the living, but she would hardly call it living. The community of Purgatory is full of sinners, the most evil of whom seem to have set their sights on her.

In an act born of anger and defiance, Eagle becomes Autumn’s unexpected savior, forcing these two solitary people into each other’s broken worlds. Neither knows quite what to make of the other, but one thing is certain. To survive Purgatory, they must learn how to rely on each other, a feat that could possibly teach them both how to live again.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1McS9rp

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-blood-and-bone-claire-c-riley/1122478698?ean=2940152079890

Review

I have been staring at my screen and keyboard for the last oh so many hours, yes hours, trying to put together all the rampant thoughts and emotions that I have running through my head and body.

Madeline and Clarie are powerhouse writers that really bring so much more to a story than just the words.  They are able to make you feel something towards one character in a previous book and have you contemplating those thoughts in the next book.

We meet Eagle in the first book, Thicker Than Blood and he was an effing pompous ass who I wanted to die.  He has no morals, cares about no-one but himself.  The aftermath of this disease and living in Purgatory has turned this man into a monster.  But as we read Beneath Blood and Bone, we actually get a tiny glimpse into who this man was before.

Autumn has been living on her own in the wild for the last four years.  Battling the weather and biters since the world was destroyed.  She kept herself hidden and obscure in anyway she found feasible and that has kept her alive this whole time.

“None of us is innocent, and sooner or later we’ll all get what’s coming to us.”

These two are survivors in the cruel hand they were dealt.  Nothing is pretty or easy in the world of Purgatory.  Yet these two somehow are able to see beneath the dirty and gritty surface to find the speckle of beauty in each other.

This book is different than TTB in that there is a bit more of romantic side to it.  But don’t think it’s all roses and rainbows.  This is Purgatory – it’s ugly, hard-nosed and down right scary.

And the scariest of them all comes in a tiny package with hot pink hair – Liv.  She can and will make anyone’s life in purgatory worse than it already is.

“The Vaal fever might have killed our fellow man, but it was we who had destroyed ourselves.”

Beneath Blood and Bone is one book that you do not want to miss out on this year.  Madeline and Claire prove that beneath the blood and bone, there just might be something worth the sacrifice of saving.