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.
It was only a matter of time until the truth came out.
I never thought it would come to this… I tried, God knows I tried to stay away from her but eventually I crossed that line and broke that trust. I could no longer go back and I sure as fuck didn’t regret a single moment of it. I knew there would be hell to pay, I knew the wrath I’d be facing but I would willingly take the burns and scars just to have the love of my best friend’s sister. If there is one person I’d willingly go to hell and back for it was…
Lillian Ryder
I met her when I was sixteen.
I fell in love with her when I was seventeen.
She brought me to my knees when I was twenty.
I loved her against reason.
I loved her against hope.
I loved her against all odds.
Now she’s back, a constant reminder of what I lost, what could have been.
I hate her.
I resent her.
I still love her.
Can I forgive her…
Will she be my end once again or my beginning?
They say in order to find yourself you have to go home.
What if home was what you were running from? Where did that leave you? Always on the other side of the fence. Always looking in. Always wishing you were someone you couldn’t be. Until one day you meet her. The one. She was my high, but she was also…
USA Today Bestselling Author of The Good Ol’ Boys Standalone Series, The VIP Trilogy, Tempting Bad, and Two Sides.
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.
Photo & Cover Design: Regina Wamba / MaeIDesign and Photography
Models: Ty Sundeen & Lindsey Jo Angelo
Synopsis
Sadie Jenkins’ most recent site of preservation is a sunken WWII cargo ship off the coast of the Bahamas. When a giant corporation threatens to blow it up to make way for an underwater gas pipeline, Sadie is forced to prove to the Head of Government the importance and value of her site. And when assistance comes from a bad-boy welder who works for the corporation, she ends up battling not only the people trying to demolish her site, but her heart as well—because its latched on to the one man who can save her ship or destroy it.
Connell Murphey is the best underwater welder this side of the Atlantic and thrives when the stakes are highest. When Slade Industries offers him a dangerous gig with a big pay off, he can’t wait to sign on. When a local marine preservationist gives Slade trouble—her site’s protection would cost him millions to go around it instead of through it—Slade offers Connell the deal of a lifetime: twelve million has his name on it if he gets close to Sadie and testifies to the Head of Government that her site isn’t worth saving. Should be easy money.
That is, until he meets Sadie. She’s a force to be reckoned with and the only woman who has ever been able to not only keep pace with him on a dive but completely surpass him on every level. She’s smart, sexy, and their chemistry is off the charts. The more he gets to know her, the harder he falls but he’s already in too deep with the deal he made with Slade.
When the time comes, will he be able to turn down the money and choose the girl of his dreams, or will too many lies kill his only chance at forever?
Depths of Salvation is the second book from author Molly E. Lee and after falling in love with her debut, I was so excited for this book. Well, let me say, Molly once again nailed it and I loved this story from start to finish. Dare I say even better than the first? Totally didn’t think it was possible but she did it…
In this book, Molly delivers once helluva kick ass heroine and a damaged hero I couldn’t help but love. Sadie is a smart, driven, funny, no-nonsense woman I would love to meet and hang out with in real life. She has no problem fighting for what she believes in and what’s right. I loved her tenacity and her willingness to always go the extra mile for the people she holds close. On the flip side, Connell is almost opposite Sadie in some sense but the same in others. He’s not nearly as open with his feelings and is quite broody but in an endearing way. The circumstances that put these two together had me both nervous and happy. Happy because I knew their interactions would be amazing and intense but nervous because I knew someone was bound to get hurt. Now, don’t worry, kick ass endings is also another one of this author’s specialties so I can assure you it all works out for the best! Reading the evolution of Sadie and Connell’s relationship was simply fantastic. I loved seeing Connell open up to Sadie and have her bring his defenses down. I loved the emotion that poured out of the pages and I knew no matter what happened, these two would be able to weather any storm headed their way. The heat and chemistry between them was delicious!
On top of two amazing characters, one of the other aspects I love about Molly’s writing is her ability to deliver interesting and fresh story lines. I mean a marine preservationist and a dive welder? Who else has written anything like that? It adds such an interesting layer to this story and was done so damn well. I just loved it so much! This is totally a Laughing Cow story! (If you have no clue what I’m talking about with that reference, click HERE)
This is one of those authors I am so thrilled to be able to read form the very beginning of her career and I have no doubt she will continue to deliver amazing books as the years go on. Thank you, molly, for a fantastic book!
Molly E. Lee is an author and editor best known for her debut novel EDGE OF CHAOS, and as a fourth year mentor at Pitch Wars – a program which connects promising writers to established authors in the community. Molly writes New Adult Contemporary and Young Adult Urban Fantasy featuring strong female heroines who are unafraid to challenge their male counterparts, yet still vulnerable enough to have love sneak up on them. In addition to being a military spouse and mother of two + one stubborn English Bulldog, Molly loves watching storms from her back porch at her Midwest home, and digging for treasures in antique stores.
He taunts me for being a good girl and mocks my high standards.
He’s cruel, crass, and has enough confidence to last two lifetimes.
And I hate him.
It wouldn’t matter so much if he were avoidable.
But considering he’s my older brother’s best friend and roommate, I see him more than I’d ever want to.
His sculpted abs and gorgeous eyes are wasted on such an arrogant man, which makes me hate him even more.
Even though I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten, the feelings weren’t mutual and he’s made that very clear.
He’s always loved getting under my skin and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed.
I’ve succumbed to his manwhore ways, but that doesn’t change a thing.
Because the King is about to get played at his own game—and lose.
Checkmate.
PROLOGUE
VIOLA
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, lived a young princess who awaited a prince who would give her everything she ever dreamed of… love, passion, loyalty. He’d be the sweetest, kindest, most heartwarming gentleman a girl could ever ask for. And he’d be perfect.
…Excuse me while I vomit.
There is absolutely, positively, no way that a man like that exists on this earth. I used to think he was, but of course, I was proven wrong. I was young and naive, and didn’t know any better.
And he was Travis King.
I remember how clear the sky was as I sat on my rooftop outside of my bedroom window. Summer was fading away and the start of my seventh grade year was right around the corner. The stars were super bright and as I counted them, I heard Travis’ father screaming from the house across from mine. He did that a lot and occasionally, I’d see Travis through the window of his bedroom. He’d put on his headphones to tune out the yelling, as if it was something to which he was accustomed. But that night he didn’t go to his bedroom. He ran out of his front door, slamming it behind him, and began pacing his front yard. I swallowed, watching him intently as his hands balled into fists at his sides.
When the Kings moved across the street from us, Travis and my older brother, Drew, instantly became best friends. They were both going into their first year of high school and I was sad I wouldn’t be at the same school as them anymore. Well, mostly about Travis. Drew had made it very clear he didn’t like his little sister tagging along, but Travis never made me feel like I was a nuisance.
As I watched him kick the dirt on the sidewalk, he looked up at me. His lips were turned down and I could see the anger in his eyes. My breath stilled as he watched me watch him, and I was certain he’d tell my brother I’d been spying on him.
Instead, he walked across the street, climbed up the trellis and sat down next to me. He stayed silent for a long while, but then he finally turned and spoke.
“I hate my dad sometimes.”
“Why does he get so mad?” I asked.
He looked away and rested his arms over his bent knees. “He drinks. Sometimes too much.”
“Does he hurt you?” He didn’t look at me. “Or your mother?”
He winced. “No. Just yells.”
We sat in silence, both lying on our backs as we looked up at the sky above us, the stars so bright and big.
“You can sit up here anytime, you know? My parents won’t mind.”
“Drew would,” he said matter-of-factly. “He’d call me a pansy.” He chuckled.
“Drew calls everyone that.”
He laughed again.
I turned my head and looked at him. “I don’t think you’re a pansy.”
Travis tilted his head and looked into my eyes and everything went serious. I watched his throat move, swallowing hard. He licked his lips and moved in close. Feeling his breath against my skin made me so nervous, I instinctively turned my head.
“Are you excited about going into high school?” I spit out, trying to change the subject, looking back up at the stars. I could’ve sworn Travis was about to kiss me. It would’ve been my first kiss.
Moments passed and he finally responded. “Yeah, I guess. It’ll be nice getting back into basketball season and staying late for practices and games.”
I knew what he was implying without saying the words. Less time at home.
“Why do you think she puts up with it?” Curiosity got the best of me, and I could no longer keep it in. “Can’t she leave him?” I asked.
He shrugged. I supposed it wasn’t that simple for adults, but to me it just sounded like common sense. Why would anyone want to be with someone that treated them like crap?
That wasn’t the last time Travis snuck up the rooftop and sat with me under the stars. We shared details with each other that we hadn’t shared with anyone else before. It was our secret little spot where we could talk or just sit and stare up at the sky.
It was easy.
He wasn’t my brother’s best friend.
I wasn’t his best friend’s little sister.
And the lines between us weren’t blurred.
I was only twelve years old, so I truly believed prince charming existed. As I grew older, I came to realize he never really did. Because if he did, he most certainly wouldn’t be available. And he most definitely wouldn’t be interested in a girl like me. I’m not saying that because I want anyone to tell me otherwise, but if such a man existed, he’d have no chance with me anyway. Because for some only-God-knows-why reason, my heart only beats for one man. My pulse only increases when he walks into the room. My cheeks flush and my body hums when he looks at me. I feel the blood in my veins as my skin heats from his very existence. He’s the epitome of perfection.
…Too bad a decade later, he’s a complete asshole.
Travis King.
He’s no knight in shining armor; more like a royal jackass. He may look like a prince on the outside, but on the inside he’s a cocky, arrogant womanizer that I want to shove over a cliff.
All right, that might sound dramatic and all, considering I just confessed my feelings about him, but those are feelings of hate…not love.
From being head over heels for him as a young girl to loathing him as a woman, Travis King needs to remember the golden rule—never admit defeat.
Kennedy Fox is a duo of bestselling authors who share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate together under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you! Both authors are from Manhattan living the glamorous bachelorette life, or perhaps they’re just confusing themselves with an episode of Sex and the City (Total #Girlcrush SJP). Either way, they’re looking forward to bringing you many more stories to fall in love with!
A Fixed Trilogy Spinoff Release Date: September 20th, 2016 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
I’m good in a boardroom, but I’m better in the bedroom. Much better. I can charm the skirt off any woman in one encounter. I’ll even give her an orgasm before I put her in a cab. Or three. No more or she’ll start making plans for the future and I’m not into that.
Or I wasn’t until Genevive Fasbender. She’s the first woman in five years that I want to spend the whole night with. And she’s the first woman who’s told me I’m not what she wants in a lover, even after multiple O’s. She’s brash and bold and stubborn as hell, and she doesn’t believe it’s possible to satisfy her.
But I’m up for the challenge.
And after an incident in my brother’s office closet―a downright dirty incident―I think I’m just the guy to deliver.
Five minutes later, the valet pulls up with my car. Genevieve raises an eyebrow. “A Bugatti?”
I’m so impressed she can name the model that I practically jizz in my pants. “It’s the best.”
She shakes her head, and I swear I hear her mutter something about rich men and their toys, but I don’t respond, too occupied with inspecting my car and then passing the attendant the cash I promised him earlier for returning my vehicle in perfect condition.
I slide into the driver’s seat, and when I look over at Genevieve as she buckles her seatbelt, a wave of pure, unadulterated lust rolls through me. I’m very aware that I’ve trapped her, that she’s now defenseless to my whims. Not that I’d take advantage, but goddamn, to think that I could…
I nearly shiver at my own vile thoughts.
Glad she can’t know what I’m thinking, I flash her a smile. “So. Where am I taking you?”
“I’m staying at the Park Hyatt on 57th Street.”
“Fancy.” The Park Hyatt is one of the nicest luxury hotels in New York. That means this girl has money, which isn’t a bad thing. Just, the swell of my wallet in my back pocket is usually one of my better attributes. If wealth doesn’t attract her, I hope I’m not shit out of luck when it comes to getting an invitation up to her room.
Apparently, I’m transparent because she asks, “Not impressed?”
“Quite the opposite. I’m worried you won’t have a reason to be impressed with me.” Now I’m the one who can’t believe how honest I’m being.
“It’s a valid worry,” she says after a beat, and I can’t tell if she’s teasing or being blunt. Can’t tell if I should prepare for gut-wrenching disappointment or dive into another round of sexy banter.
I concentrate on my driving instead, speeding up before slipping expertly into a tight opening in the adjacent lane.
I’ll admit I’m showing off.
“Smashing,” she says with a tone that vibrates through my body like I’m a tuning fork.
Then, abruptly, she laughs, and I turn my head toward her, alarmed at the source of her amusement.
“I still can’t believe you drive a Bugatti in the city. I can’t decide if that makes you brilliant or as mad as a bag of ferrets.”
“Brilliant, of course.” Though, with her so close, I feel more like I’m going crazy. “What can I say? I like things that are fast.”
“Of course you do.”
“You don’t?” I raise a questioning brow. “Maybe you don’t understand how awesome fast can be.” I put my foot on the gas and race down the next block to prove my point.
The traffic light turns red as I approach the intersection, and I ease the brakes. “See? Fast is fun.”
“The problem with fast is it’s over too quickly.”
Is that innuendo? Her gaze pierces into me, and the air around us feels tight and charged, and I’m suddenly certain that I will die if I don’t get to taste her tonight.
Even if she didn’t mean anything more when she made her statement, I certainly do when I say, “Don’t worry. I know when to take my time.”
She exhales, slowly, and I swear I can feel it. As though she’s already in my arms and her breath is grazing every inch of my bare skin. No matter what happens after this, I know she at least feels this…this attraction. Or whatever it is.
Her voice is low and sultry when she replies. “You’re not talking about cars anymore. But do you really take your time? I’d guess you bolt the minute you’re finished.” She’s so blunt, so direct, and I don’t know if it’s a her thing or an English thing, but I like it.
I also like this conversation we’re having. Because we’re drawing the lines, and that means the potential for tonight is high. So I answer with a nod, making sure she understands that she’s correct in thinking I’ll bolt. Because I will.
Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.
It’s crazy how fast the buzz comes back after you’ve been sober for so long.
Whiskey stood there, on my doorstep, just like he had one year before. Except this time, there was no rain, no anger, no wedding invitation — it was just us.
It was just him — the old friend, the easy smile, the twisted solace wrapped in a glittering bottle.
It was just me — the alcoholic, pretending like I didn’t want to taste him, realizing too quickly that months of being clean didn’t make me crave him any less.
But we can’t start here.
No, to tell this story right, we need to go back.
Back to the beginning.
Back to the very first drop.
This is my love letter to Whiskey. I only hope he reads it.
The first time I tasted Whiskey, I fell flat on my face.
Literally.
I was drunk from the very first sip, and I guess that should have been my sign to stay away.
Jenna and I were running the trail around the lake near her house, sweat dripping into our eyes from the intense South Florida heat. It was early September, but in South Florida, it might as well have been July. There was no “boots and scarves” season, unless you counted the approximately six weeks in January and February where the temperature dropped below eighty degrees.
As it was, we were battling ninety-plus degrees, me trying to be a show off and prove I could keep up with Jenna’s cheerleading training program. She had finally made the varsity squad, and with that privilege came ridiculous standards she had to uphold. I hated running — absolutelyloathed it. I would much rather have been on my surf board that day. But fortunately for Jenna, she had a competitive best friend who never turned down a challenge. So when she asked me to train with her, I’d agreed eagerly, even knowing I’d have screaming ribs and calves by the end of the day.
I saw him first.
I was just a few steps ahead of Jenna, and I’d been staring down at my hot pink sneakers as they hit the concrete. When I looked up, he was about fifty feet away, and even from that distance I could tell I was in trouble. He seemed sort of average at first — brown hair, lean build, soaked white running shirt — but the closer he got, the more I realized just how edible he was. I noticed the shift in the muscles of his legs as he ran, the way his hair bounced slightly, how he pressed his lips together in concentration as he neared us.
I looked over my shoulder, attempting to waggle my eyebrows at Jenna and give her the secret best friend code for “hot guy up ahead”, but she had stopped to tie her shoes. And when I turned back around, it was too late.
I smacked into him — hard — and fell to the pavement, rolling a bit to soften the fall. He cursed and I groaned, more from embarrassment than pain. I wish I could say I gracefully picked myself up, smiled radiantly, and asked him for his number, but the truth is I lost the ability to do anything the minute I looked up at him.
It was an unfamiliar, warm ache that spread through my chest as I used my hand to shield the sun streaming in behind his silhouette, just how you’d expect the first sip of whiskey to feel. He was bent over, hand outstretched, saying something that wasn’t registering because I had somehow managed to slip my hand into his and just that one touch had set my skin on fire.
Handsome wasn’t the right word to describe him, but it was all I kept thinking as I traced his features. His hair was a sort of mocha color, damp at the roots, falling onto his forehead just slightly. His eyes were wide — almost too round — and a mixture of gold, green, and the deepest brown. I didn’t coin the nickname Whiskey until much later, but it was that moment that I saw it for the first time — those were whiskey eyes. The kind of eyes you get lost in. The kind that drink you in. He had the longest lashes and a firm, square jaw. It was so hard, the edges so clean that I would have sworn he was angry with me if it weren’t for the smile on his face.He was still talking as my eyes fell over his broad chest before snapping back up to his sideways grin.
“Oh my God, are you fucking blind?!” Jenna’s voice snapped me from my haze as she shoved Whiskey out of the way and latched onto my hand, ripping me back to standing position. I’d barely caught my balance before she whipped around to continue her scolding. “How about you brush that long ass hair out of your eyes and watch where you’re going, huh champ?”
Oh no.
I didn’t even have time to call dibs, I couldn’t even think the word, let alone say it, before it was too late. I watched it, in slow motion, as Whiskey fell for my best friend before I even had the chance to say a single word to him.
Jenna was standing tall, arms crossed, one hip popped in her usual fashion as she waited for him to defend himself. This was her protocol — it was one of the reasons we got along. We were both what you’d call “spitfires”, but Jenna had the distinct advantage of being cripplingly gorgeous on top of having an attitude. She flipped her long, wavy blonde ponytail behind her and cocked a brow.
And then he did, too.
His smile grew wider as he met her eyes, and it was the same look I’d watched fall
over guy after countless guy. Jenna was a unicorn, and men were enamored by her. As they should have been — she had platinum blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, legs for days and a personality to boot. Now, before you go thinking that I was the insecure best friend – I had it going on, too. I worked hard, I was talented – just not at the things traditional high school boys valued.
But we’ll get to that.
“Hi,” Whiskey finally said, extending his hand to Jenna this time. His eyes were warm, smile inviting — if I had to pick the right word for him, just one, I’d say charming. He just oozed charm. “I’m Jamie.”
“Well, Jamie, maybe you should make an appointment with the eye doctor before you run over another innocent jogger. And you owe Brecks an apology.” She nodded to me then and I cringed at my name, wondering why she felt the need to spill it at all. She always called me B — everyone did — so why did she choose the moment I was face to face with the first boy to ever make my heart accelerate to use my full name?
Jamie was still grinning, eying Jenna, trying to figure her out, but he turned to me after a moment with that same crooked smile. “I’m sorry, I should have been watching where I was going.” He said the words with conviction, but lifted his brows on that last line because he and I both knew who wasn’t paying attention to the trail, and he wasn’t the guilty party.
“It’s fine,” I murmured, because for some reason I was still having a difficult time finding my voice. Jamie tilted his head just a fraction, his eyes hard on me this time, and I felt naked beneath his gaze. I’d never had anyone look at me that way — completely zeroed in. It was unnerving and exhilarating, too.
But before I could latch onto the feeling, he turned back to Jenna, their eyes meeting as slow smiles spread on both of their faces. I’d seen it a million times, but this was the first time I felt sick watching it happen.
I saw him first, but it didn’t matter.
Because he saw her.
Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.
Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).
When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.
From the New York Times bestselling authors of Stuck-Up Suit and Cocky Bastard, comes a sexy new standalone novel. Money or love? Which would you choose? You probably just answered the question in your head thinking it’s an easy decision. For me, it’s not. Did I mention it’s a lot of money? A hell of a lot. I needed to go far away to think it through. As I embarked on an impulsive trip, I hit a detour when I met sexy Carter in the airport lounge. We struck up a heated conversation. Then, he left. I thought I’d never see him again. But fate had other plans. Surprise! He was the pilot of my flight. The bigger surprise was the adventure that followed after the plane landed. Carter was dangerous and always on the move. Even though our connection was magnetic, I knew it was only temporary. He would give me tickets, and I would follow him around the world to exotic places. A bevy of flight attendant exes and rumors about Carter’s reputation were never far behind. I didn’t know what to believe. But I was addicted. Nothing else mattered anymore. And I was going to get hurt. Because a part of me wanted to be the one to finally ground the playboy pilot. At the very least, he was taking me on a thrilling ride. All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.
My Review:
Playboy Pilot is the newest work from a writing duo I just adore. I have loved every book they’ve put out together as well as separately, and this was no exception. And that, right there, is the problem. Bear with me here, this may go a bit off topic but I promise I have a point…
So, I’ve been writing reviews for over four years and every time I read a book like this, a book I just love and want to buy a copy for every one of my friends to own, I sit down to write the review and I get all clammed up. It should be easy, right? Writing a review for a book you LOVE! It’s easy to tell you what I loved and why I loved it but how can I really explain it in a different way than all the other reviews saying the same thing? (Hope I haven’t lost you yet…lol!) Well, I think I figured it out…
I was talking with one of my closest friends a few weeks ago about a book we both just read. We got on the phone to discuss it. It was a great book with fun characters and a good storyline. There wasn’t anything wrong with it but there was that little bit lacking. And then she said this: “you know, this book, and a lot of others, are like eating potato chips. They’re really great, it’s a treat you don’t have every meal, and you can eat a whole bag in one sitting before you realize you’ve eaten that much.” And there was my “aha” moment.
Have you seen the Laughing Cow commercial about snacking? The one where the cartoon cow asks what happened to the art of snacking? (I’ll put a link below in case you haven’t) She shows you that there’s other snacking options that eating a bag of chips, like little fun crackers and cheese. Playboy Pilot was the Laughing Cow snack. It was the snack that you finished and thought how nice it was to break away from the chips and enjoy your snacking moment in a different way.
Playboy Pilot’s characters were multifaceted and have a depth to them that jumped off the page. The story was unique and fresh and new and I freaking loved it. I loved how Carter and Kendall met, how their pasts affected where there were at this very moment, how they both were at a crossroads of sorts, how they both couldn’t explain why they felt what they did and knew it was nuts but took a chance anyway. I loved Carter’s quirk of putting moments in his life to Beatles songs and Kendall’s willingness to take a blind leap into the unknown. But most of all, I loved how these writers made me feel for these characters. From start to finish, every damn thing about this book was awesome. These characters weren’t the chips you just munch on…these characters were the Laughing Cow snack with fun flavors and new tastes.
So, if you’ve gotten anything at all from this sort of crazy review it’s that I loved Playboy Pilot and highly recommend it for your shelf! It was totally a Laughing Cow book for me.
Five Loves
Excerpt
“Carter? What are you doing?”
Shit.
I laughed under my breath and banged the back of my head against the wood. “Praying?”
“Do you always breathe like that when you’re praying?”
“It’s an intense prayer.”
“What are you really doing?”
“I think you might know what I’m really doing, Kendall.”
“Can I come in?”
Still fully erect, I tucked my cock back into my pants as best I could before opening the door.
Her eyes trailed down to my massive erection. “I’m sorry….to make you resort to that.”
“It’s okay. My hand and I haven’t spent time like this since I was a teenager. I think he missed me.”
“What were you thinking about?”
“You.”
“Yeah…but what specifically?”
“It was this fantasy of fucking you on the dance floor back at the club.”
She looked down at me again. Her expression was serious when she asked, “You need some help?”
“I thought you said we weren’t going to go there.”
“I can’t have sex with you. But I want to touch you. I could take my clothes off, let you finish what you started. You know…help you.”
Looking up at the ceiling, I shook my head. “You have no fucking clue, do you?”
“What do you mean?”
“How crazy you make me. There’s no halfway with you. Jerking off with your naked body right in front of me…not being able to do what I really want to you…would be torture. I don’t have that kind of willpower, not with you, not anymore. Even when I kiss you, all I can think about is burying myself inside of you. But you naked in front of me? Too much, Kendall. When you strip down for me, I want it to be when you’re ready to let me have you. Otherwise, it’s better if I don’t know what I’m missing out on.”
Looking filled with remorse, she waved her hands. “Okay. I get it. I’m sorry…for interrupting.”
“Go back to bed. I’ll be right there.”
After Kendall left, I closed my eyes in regret. Was I crazy for turning her away like that?
Now that she knew what I was up to in here, I couldn’t relax. Still needing release like a motherfucker, I turned on the shower and got in. Ironically, I jerked myself to thoughts of her naked body against the bathroom door and imagined she was watching me.
Fuck my life.
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Meet Penelope Ward
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eleven novels. Her books have placed on the New York Times bestseller list fourteen times. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in ten languages. She lives in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
I’m naturally gifted on the field and between the sheets. With flashy cars and enough media attention to put the Royal Family to shame, I’m the definition of Most Eligible Bachelor.
I’ve never met a man who doesn’t want to be me or a woman who doesn’t want to tame me. Until I meet Camila.
From the moment I lay eyes on her, I know I have to have her.
She wants to keep me at arm’s length.
I want her naked in my bed.
She thinks our worlds are too different.
All I want her to think about is screaming my name.
From New York Times Bestseller, Kendall Ryan, comes a sexy new standalone novel.
My tempting, and very alpha friend Sterling Quinn is someone I consider off-limits.
It’s not just that we’re friends, he’s also cocky, confident, and British, which means he’s a walking aphrodisiac.
But lately he’s been giving me the look. You know the one. When he thinks I’m not paying attention, and his gaze lingers for too long.
And then we start working together, and that’s when the sexual tension between us gets so thick, I want to hack through it with a machete. I want to make all these deep feelings I’ve harbored for him disappear, because there’s no way this can end well.
The lines between business and pleasure become irrevocably blurred, and I’m stuck between a rock, and Sterling’s very, very hard place.
Rather than keep a level head about our growing attraction, Sterling wants to go all in, showing me just how explosive we can be together.
But I’ve been around long enough to know that this British bad boy is more than my heart can handle. I’m not about to be cast aside like yesterday’s underwear when he’s done having fun.
Sterling’s never been told no, and he’s not about to put his ego aside and play by my rules. But I never thought he’d fight so dirty.
“Hey, Camryn. Did I forget something at your office?” he asks.
“No, I just . . . I had some questions for you about tomorrow.”
“Of course. What’s on your mind?”
“Well, when you said hang out, what did you mean?”
Anna’s hand flies over her mouth and her eyes widen.
No sense in beating around the bush.
I can almost hear the smile in Sterling’s voice when he replies. “What do you want it to mean?”
Straightening my shoulders, I sit up taller in my chair. “Oh no, you don’t, mister. Before I agree to spend time with you, there are a few things I need to know.”
“Go for it.”
“How many women have you slept with?”
“Pardon?” Sterling coughs.
Anna is on her feet, making slashing motions across her throat with her hand.
“Your number. What is it?” My tone is calm, controlled. I’m actually enjoying this.
“Is that information you need as my publicist, or as the woman I’ve asked to hang out?”
“Just answer the question, Sterling. Or can you not count that high?”
He lets out a sigh, so brief I barely heard it. For a second, I’m sure he’s going to dodge the question. “Enough to know what I’m doing. Not enough to make me a total fucking wanker.”
I laugh, despite myself. It’s actually a good response.
“Let me make this clear for you. I like you, Camryn. We’re both adults, and there’s no reason why we can’t hang out and enjoy each other’s company without it turning weird.”
What the hell does that mean? I’m more confused now than before. Maybe this is his last hurrah before becoming a married man.
“I’m not quite sure what to say.”
“We have fun together. Let’s keep it casual and fun; we both deserve that.”
The man has a point.
“But you’re about to be married,” I say.
“Not tomorrow. Not the next day.”
“But soon.”
He exhales. “Yes, and that’s kind of stressing me the fuck out, so I could use a little downtime with someone who gets me.”
I swallow.
“Say yes,” he murmurs.
“Sterling . . .”
“I would never hurt you,” he adds softly.
“Fine, but I’m not having sex with you.”
Anna is now lying on the floor of my office, her face scrunched up in agony, her head in her hands.
“We’ll see,” he says.
A girly bubble of laughter escapes my lips, and I clamp a hand over my mouth. I want to bitch-slap myself for that outburst. But Sterling only seems amused.
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.
He’s her patient. She’s his doctor. They shouldn’t. But God, do they want to.
Camden Harris, the famously hot, hulk of a footballer is laid up in a London hospital. But his busted knee doesn’t stop him from running his well-practiced game on Indie Porter—his redheaded spitfire of a doctor. She’s not his type, not even close. But she could be the perfect distraction from the soul-crushing damage this injury could cost him.
Indie’s tired of her naivety putting a target on her back. As a gifted child, she’s let her education take the front seat her whole life. But a fling with a footballer like Camden might be just what she needs to grab life by the balls.
And he could be the perfect guy for the plan she’s been sitting on for over two years.
But when feelings make a final play, there’s no amount of medicine that can heal the damage to their hearts.
We arrive at my building and take the lift up to my fourth floor flat. As I’m unlocking the front door, she asks, “Are you a good dancer, Camden?”
This question is odd, even for her. “Why do you ask?”
She sighs and leans against the wall just as I open the door. “I envisioned you were tonight when I was dancing with some bloke.”
My jaw clenches. “I don’t need to hear about you dancing with other guys.”
She smirks. “But I was thinking about you so it shouldn’t count.”
“It counts.”
“I think I like this jealous side of you. I might have to use it to my—”
Her snarky comment is cut off by a satisfying yelp as I wrap my arms around her waist and throw her over my shoulder.
“What are you doing?” she squeals as I savour the feel of her bare legs in my hands.
I turn and walk her inside, kicking the door closed with my foot. “Do you think you’re smart, talking to me like that?” I ask, completely unable to hide the smile on my face.
Her hair tickles my back as she giggles. “I am quite smart, actually. I skipped three whole grades in primary school. Did you know that?”
“I didn’t know that. Tell me then, what did they do to punish clever girls with smart mouths in boarding school?”
“Oh, naughty, naughty things.” She giggles again and I have a momentary desire to put her down just so I can see her face when she does it.
“I might need a demonstration.” I walk down the hallway and straight to my room, forgoing the polite flat tour, the offering of drinks, and the inane small talk. Our arrangement is for sex and sex alone.
“I might be inclined to oblige.” Her voice is breathy when we reach the quiet darkness of my room.
Amy Daws lives in South Dakota with her husband, and miracle daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s first book, Chasing Hope, and her passion for writing. Amy is a lover of all things British and her award-nominated contemporary romance series, The London Lovers Series, is centered around Americans in London. It’s emotional and self-deprecating with lots of humor sprinkled in.
On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle.
Today we are celebrating the release of BROKEN GOD by Nazarea Andrews. Broken God is an adult contemporary fantasy, standalone novel. Check out the buy links and the excerpt below. The book is on sale for .99¢ for 2 days ONLY!
Apollo has lived alone for centuries, content to spin out the years wandering a new and strange world, lost in the past and endless versions of the future. He has cut all ties with the remains of Olympus and his power, and hidden himself in humanity.
His twin thinks he’s depressed, spending his time in coffee shops, hospital waiting rooms, and concert halls…and nothing matters. Not really.
Until her.
Iris. With her teasing mouth and soulful music and eyes that remind him of the past.
He can’t resist her smile.
A girl as wild as he was, once, with a poet’s tongue and the body of a siren, who for one night makes him forget all the years and everything he gave up.
And he can’t stop fate.
Gods knows he’s tried.
He can’t help taking her.
Even if he knows better.
When Iris wakes up screaming, caught up in visions of the future, Apollo realizes that he didn’t leave his power quite as far behind as he thought.
He’s the god of prophecy and he’s been running from it, for centuries.
Iris is everything he has to avoid.
Now he has a furious Oracle on his hands, his sister trying to fix him, and someone is killing the gods.
It’s not just his tenuous sanity that hangs in the balance this time.
It’s all of Olympus.
Godhood really wasn’t supposed to be this hard.
——————-
Excerpt:
There are a few things that will never change, despite everything else that has.
When I call, my sister will come.
Always.
It is the unshakable truth that my entire world is built on, from my first memories to this day. So when I piece it together, I don’t think.
I slide my phone out, even in the hospital room while Iris murmurs at her brother and Heath eyes me like I might break her.
Stupid boy. I already have.
I text her and slide the phone away. I don’t need to watch to know she’ll answer, any more than I need the answer to know she’ll be at my apartment when we return.
This is Artemis, who has made a life of taking care of me and worrying about me.
I listen to Heath and Lily talk around Iris, listen to her increasingly fragmented babble, and when Heath sends Lily a confused look, I intervene. Catch her hand and let a thin trickle of power seep from me to her. “We had a very long day, and she didn’t sleep well. I think I should probably take her home and let her get some rest. Do you mind?”
Heath does. I can tell, the way he’s bristling but Iris slumps into me and yawns, impressively, backing up every lie I’m spinning.
“I’ll be back tomorrow, ok? You just. You rest. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
She’s still looking over her shoulder when I pull her from the room.
Her eyes are wide and serious when we duck into a stairwell. “What happened to him?” she asks. Staring at me like I might give her answers. Like she has the right to demand answers from me.
Smart girl.
I tuck her hair back, behind her ears and ignore the low growl of warning it earns me. “If I promise to tell you when we reach my apartment. Will you trust me a little bit longer, sweetheart?”
Her eyes narrow. “Last time we got to your apartment, you and I didn’t do much in the way of talking.”
I grin at that. Because. Fair point.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binging watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.
Alice Gaines loves her romance hot. She’s been writing since forever and has no plans to give it up.
Alice lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in a fixer-upper she never fixed up. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her knitting, crocheting, cooking, or vegetable gardening. Her main companions are her pet corn snake, Casper, and a collection of neglected orchids.
She loves to hear from readers at authoralicegaines@gmail.com. You can join her newsletter at http://alicegaines.blogspot.com. She periodically gives out her handmade items to people on her mailing list.
“Alice Gaines will tantalize your romance taste buds with a book you can’t put down until the very last page.” NYT bestselling author Jasmine Haynes
Her brother’s best friend is not only the hottest man Michelle Dennis has ever seen, he’s the one man she hopes to avoid after leaving town eight years ago. Of course he’s the one waiting at the airport. Worse, he made sure they’re staying in the same house.
Pro football player Alex Stafford is expecting to pick up his friend’s kid sister, not a full-fledged bombshell. He was planning to apologize for their past, but the feelings he had years ago come roaring back…and this time, there’s no denying them.
Keeping his hands off is a test he’s bound to fail—especially when they’re stuck in close quarters. But falling in love with Michelle, living in her world, isn’t an option for a guy like him. And remembering that will save them both a lot of heartache…
There are romance tropes that I just can’t get enough of and this story had some of my favorites. Best friend’s sibling? Check. Forced together or stranded? Check. (Even if it was contrived by out hero.) Opposites attract? Check. Second chance romance? Check. I also really liked the premise – that after having her heart broken by our hero, Alex, eight years earlier before leaving home for college, Michelle decides that she can muster up the strength to return home for the first time to attend the anniversary party for Alex’s parents who she’s very close with.
Michelle figures she can handle just one week with Alex.
Except she can’t. And thank god or we wouldn’t have much of a story! Just One Week was a fun, sweet, light-hearted romance. Alex is a professional football player and Michelle is a brainy, nerdy type. I loved watching them overcome their differences in personality as well as their past to get to their happy ending.
Just One Week is an enjoyable read with a likable couple you want to root for, some great secondary characters in Alex’s family, and just enough humor and chemistry. Bonus points for thoughtfully working in a learning disability plot line.
Three-and-a-Half Loves
Excerpt:
Later that night, Alex found the opening he’d been looking for ever since deciding he’d surrender to the inevitable and make love to Michelle. He’d sat in his bedroom after everyone had gone to bed, digging up enough courage to go out and knock on the cottage door. Instead, he watched as she emerged into the moonlight and walked slowly toward the pasture.
An invitation? She couldn’t be sure he hadn’t gone to sleep. On the other hand, she would know that she’d be visible from his window. She could have simply taken a chance he’d realize she was out there. She’d won.
He stuck his feet into his slippers and put on his robe. Before he left the room, he grabbed the condoms and put them in his pocket. He’d need at least one tonight. Then he left his room and went downstairs as quietly as he could manage.
No sound came to indicate he’d awakened anyone. The house was silent except for the hum of the refrigerator as he let himself out the back door. A little mental geography told him the direction to go in, and before long, he spotted Michelle where she stood with her face lifted toward the moon.
She wore something of a filmy, white material that glowed in the soft light. A breeze ruffled the material around her legs. With her graceful limbs and her hair falling down her back, she resembled a character from mythology—a creature you could only find in the moonlight and could never truly call your own. Someone who’d evaporate like mist in the heat of day and only return in your dreams.
Poetic and probably silly, but real in his heart. He stepped on something that made a snapping sound. Most likely a twig. She turned and spotted him, and a smile tugged at her lips.
“Following me?” she said.
“Did you come out here to invite me to join you?”
She shrugged. “I thought you’d gone to bed.”
Yeah, sure. Everything about her smile said she’d planned this encounter to invite him into her web. But then, he’d come of his own will, needing nothing more than an opportunity.
He’d make love to Michelle Dennis tonight. As surely as the moon spilled silver light over both of them, they’d be joined before the morning came.
“Lovely, isn’t it?” she said. “I’ve missed this.”
“You must have full moons in Massachusetts.”
“I don’t mean the moon,” she said. “I mean being with you.”
Of course, their togetherness could be nothing like their earlier, innocent friendship. She’d never come to him wearing a negligee, and he’d never had condoms in his pocket. She shivered a bit, and he got up close behind her. When he opened his robe and wrapped it around her, she fit against him like pieces in a puzzle. When he bent to place the side of his face against her, the perfume of her hair surrounded him. He almost groaned out of pure pleasure.
“What am I going to do with you, Dr. Dennis?”
She gave him a wicked laugh. “I can think of three or four things off the top of my head.”
“Evil woman.”
“You have no idea how evil.” She turned in his arms, and now her softness pressed against him everywhere. He wouldn’t be able to hold her this way for long before he became completely aroused. The stirrings had begun when he’d first spotted her out here and the reality about what he was going to do registered.
She became even bolder, lifting her face to nuzzle the tip of her nose against his jaw. She followed that with a kiss to the underside of his chin.
“You know what’s going to happen if you keep doing that, don’t you?” he said.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eleven novels. Her books have placed on the New York Times bestseller list fourteen times. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in ten languages. She lives in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
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