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From Sanctum With Love by Lexi Blake…..Blog Tour & Review

by Courtney

From Sanctum with Love

Masters and Mercenaries, Book 10

By Lexi Blake

Released February 23, 2016

Psychologist Kai Ferguson has had his eye on Kori Williamson for a long time. His assistant is everything he’s ever wanted in a partner—smart, caring, witty, and a bit of a masochist. More than a little, actually, but that’s the problem. Kori won’t admit her own desires. She’s afraid of him and what he has to offer. Luckily for her, helping patients face their fears is one of his specialties.

Kori knows she wants Kai. Her boss is the most amazing man she’s ever met. She’s also smart enough to stay away from him. Having been down this road before, she knows it only leads to heartache. She’s just found a place where she can belong. Another failed relationship is the last thing she needs. It’s better to guard her heart and let Kai think she’s frightened of his dark, dominant nature.

When Kai is recruited for an operation with McKay-Taggart, everything is turned upside down. Kai’s brother, international superstar Jared Johns, is in town and Kai must juggle his family issues along with a desperate hunt for a serial killer. The investigation throws Kori and Kai together, and they quickly discover the chemistry between them is undeniable. But even if their newfound love can survive his secrets and her lies, it may not be enough to save them both from a killer’s twisted obsession.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NdCDZ2

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

iTunes: http://apple.co/1WhT8xu

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1Hz6Wxa

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1YCw1vr

REVIEW

Well holy hell – where I have been??? How have I not read any the books in this series before now??

And I can’t say for sure if any of the other previous 9 books need to be read in order but I can say that this book can be read without prior knowledge of the other 9 books. However, I am damn curious as to what has happened before now.

With that being said – Lexi does a phenomenal job of writing this book. Not once did I feel lost or confused as to what was going on. She gave us just enough backstory on things to know what was going, who the other characters were and not take away from the plot in this book.

Lexi know how to write the perfect suspenseful, erotic story. I have never been so interested and sucked into a story that also gets my heart racing in a total other way. I loved every single page of this book! I loved the intensity of the scenes, both the suspenseful and action scenes, plus the scenes inside and outside of Sanctum between Kai and Kori. HOT DAMN!

And the characters – I don’t even know where to start. They all have their unique quirks and qualities that make them all so real and interesting. And the interactions between everyone was extremely entertaining. It just brings the whole story together.

I am very intrigued as to what will happen in the next book of this series. And I do plan on going back and reading the previous books in this series because Lexi has me sucked into this series with just one book.

EXCERPTS

Kori heard some movement and then felt the whoosh of air caress her skin right before something thin and hard thwacked against her flesh. A gasp made her chest pulse as pure fire licked over her backside.

“This is a cane,” Kai explained. “It’s bamboo, nice and not too flexible. It leaves a mark if you apply enough force.” He brought it down on her again, this time on her thighs. Again, she struggled for breath. “Are you bored now, Kori?”

“No, Sir.” She barely managed to get the words out of her mouth.

“Excellent, then we’re making headway.” The cane came down again and again. “Where are we on the stoplight?”

“Green.” She didn’t even hesitate. The pain was doing its job, heating her up and making her soft. Each strike of the cane lit her up and then brought her back down, sinking deeper and deeper into that soft, fuzzy place of submission.

“Now we’re getting some truth.” He kept up his punishing pace. “She didn’t take her time trying to find a way out of what she didn’t want to say.”

“Why would she lie?” Jared asked.

“That’s a good question.” The blows continued, making her ache as Kai spoke. “I suspect she didn’t want anyone here to know that she’s a naughty masochist who can’t get off without a little bite of pain. Or a big one. She hasn’t accepted her nature. Or she has and expects that no one else will.”

“I accepted my nature a long time ago,” she managed to say.

The caning stopped and suddenly Kai’s boots were in view again. He dropped to one knee, that hard hand in her hair again. “Then tell me why.”

She couldn’t tell him. It was too much. “I’m yellow now, Kai. Don’t make me safe word out over an explanation I’m not ready to give.”

“Fine.” His hand moved from her hair down, skimming over her skin until his fingertips found her breast. Kai Ferguson was touching her breast. God, he was cupping her and she couldn’t breathe. “How about I put a scenario forth and you think about it for a few days. I think the reason you didn’t mention your utterly beautiful and sexy inclinations is me. You didn’t want me to know because you were perfectly aware that I’m the only one here who can possibly give you what you need. You knew that once I found out, I wouldn’t be able to help myself because you’re the only one who can do the same for me, baby. Do you know how fucking good I feel right now? How good this makes me feel?”

He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and twisted with a vicious bite that left her panting.

She squeezed her eyes closed because she couldn’t look at him, couldn’t see how beautiful he was. “It won’t work, Kai.”

Another nasty twist got her squirming. “It’s working right fucking now. Darling girl, your ass is up in the air and that means I can see how wet your pussy is. Tell me some other Dom here got you wet and ready.”

“You know I can’t.” She tugged at her restraints, but they didn’t move. The rope rubbed across her skin, keeping her here with him. She couldn’t run, and she had to admit she didn’t want to. She wanted this moment with him. Her pride might make her get up and stride away but every other part of her begged for what she’d denied herself for so long. He was the only man here who could give her what she needed. It wasn’t about who hit the hardest. Any of those other Doms could have adequately provided her with pain. She needed more. She needed connection, the ebb and flow of pain and pleasure coming from a man who was there with her.

Her dark shadow lover. Kai.

“I’m not the exhibitionist you are,” Kai admitted. “And that’s the only reason I’m not fucking you right now, but we’re going to have a long discussion in the morning about the way this needs to go. For tonight, I’m going to start the process that will allow you to remain friends with all those people you lied to. So you are going to give me everything I want. You’re going to cry for me. You’re going to let go and show them that you’ll cry for me.”

She shook her head. “You’re asking too much.”

“It’s cry or come, baby. One or the other, unless you want to find yourself in Big Tag’s office. Let me show him I can handle you.”

“I can’t. I haven’t done either in a very long time.” She hadn’t cried since leaving LA. She couldn’t. Wouldn’t. She hadn’t come either. Not a man-given orgasm. Her mind worked overtime. He wasn’t joking about getting called into Big Tag’s office. Whatever punishment Kai could come up with—nothing would touch Big Tag’s disapproval. They were all mad at her. It was enough to make her want to run away again.

Except it wasn’t that they wanted to see her humiliated. This punishment wasn’t about hurting her. It was about this group of people knowing that someone among them could take care of her. When she looked at it like that, it didn’t seem like punishment at all. It was about the Dominants giving a shit.

Morgan hadn’t cared when she’d lied to him. All he’d wanted was the next bit of work from her. After a while, he hadn’t cared about her finding subspace or her pent-up sexuality. He’d doled out the pain like it was bait for his trap. He would give her enough to ensure she stayed around and did what he needed her to do.

This wasn’t the same thing at all.

“I don’t want to cry in front of anyone, Kai.”

“Then let me show them you can let go in another way.”

About Lexi:

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlexiblake

Website: http://www.lexiblake.net/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lexi-Blake/e/B005JVSDJ0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1450204047&sr=8-2-ent

His To Guard by Elizabeth Reyes…..Release Day Blitz

by Courtney

We’re so excited to be celebrating the release of Elizabeth Reyes’ HIS TO GUARD – Isaiah’s story is finally here! Fall in love with the forbidden in HIS TO GUARD, available now!

About HIS TO GUARD

Even if you’ve given up, it doesn’t mean your heart ever does.

With her life in danger, Raquel Santana had just begun to blend into the sleepy little town she’d escaped to, to start over. Now her father’s non-negotiable plan to protect her could ruin everything. After adamantly refusing to have someone watch over her, she finally relents.

Only nothing can prepare her for who arrives at her doorstep.

Finding out the beautiful woman Isaiah Romero is assigned to guard is someone he has a sizzling past with—someone he’s never been able to forget—should’ve been a good thing. But when that woman is someone who a)he’d never trust with his heart again and b)completely off limits to him forever now, his loyalties are tested.

When the forbidden becomes His to Guard . . .restraint becomes a torment.

Despite the attraction he’s surprised he still feels for her and the inevitable sexual tension he knows he’ll have to endure, Isaiah is adamant about one thing: even unwritten rules should never be broken—until they are.

Author’s note: Welcome to the Fate series! Each book in the bestselling series is a stand-alone love story following a new couple. There is no need to read the others to keep up with any of the stories. But you’ll enjoy reading each title and seeing familiar faces make appearances.

Add it to your Goodreads list here!

HIS TO GUARD is available today:

Get a Peek at HIS TO GUARD

Isaiah wasn’t even all the way down the back door steps when he nearly gave himself whiplash doing a double take. For a moment, he had the insane idea that maybe he’d done so much thinking of Kelli in the last month he was beginning to see her face where it wasn’t. It couldn’t be her. Why would she be here? He peered at her, still not a hundred percent sure it was her. Then she smiled as she said something to his sister Emi, who she was sitting next to. It was definitely her and his heartbeat sped up. He’d never forget that smile. It almost made him smile as well, but he still felt too stunned.

Was it possible she was a friend of Emi’s? Or was Kelli here for him? Other possibilities raced through his mind as he took a couple more steps down the porch into his uncle’s backyard, where family and friends were gathered. She sat there continuing her chat with his sister. Just like everyone else in attendance, she appeared as laid back without a care in the world. Then their eyes met and locked, and her sitting up straight with a jolt said it all. She hadn’t come here for him. Kelli was as stunned to see him here as he was to see her.

“Sai,” Nathan said breaking Isaiah from his thoughts. “I was beginning to wonder where you were.”

Isaiah glanced at him, taking the beer Nathan handed him. Before he could ask about Kelli, his brother smiled big, turning in her direction. “Check this out.” He started in Kelli’s direction. “There’s someone here I want you to meet.”

Isaiah followed him as the wheels in his head spun wildly. The tiniest of hopes that maybe she was there for him were squashed the moment their eyes had met. Kelli still hadn’t taken her eyes off him and Isaiah could feel in his gut this wasn’t going to be a happy reunion. He turned to his brother, who was smiling a bit too big, even as he brought his beer bottle to his lips. That’s when he noticed it. The twinkle in his brother’s eyes and how overdressed he was for Manny’s backyard shindig. It felt almost as if things slowed and they were walking in slow motion as he turned to back to Kelli. She, too, was a bit overdressed for a backyard gathering. Were they on a date?

Overwhelmed with panic, Isaiah gulped. He felt too dazed to come up with even a single excuse why he might need to make a mad dash back into his uncles’ house and back out the front door so he could get the hell out of there. More than anything the pain was back and it was even more brutal now.

Emi, who still sat with Kelli, leaned in and said something, motioning in Isaiah and Nathan’s direction. Kelli’s eyes widened in what appeared to be the same horror Isaiah was feeling. Emi very likely had just let Kelli in on who he was—Nathan’s brother. Obviously, she hadn’t had a clue whose brother she was now dating. Was it possible she might’ve been seeing Nathan before the weekend she spent with Isaiah just last month? Was that why, even after the unexpected amazing connection Isaiah thought they’d had, she’d blown him off like she had?

Nathan rarely brought girls to meet the family, let alone small intimate gatherings like this one where even more extended family would be . . . unless he was finally serious about one. Fuck.

What felt like the longest walk of his life finally came to an end when they reached her. Like a deer caught in headlights, Kelli continued to stare at him, appearing completely stunned.

“Sai,” Nathan said with that same twinkle in his eye. “This is my girl, Kelli Santana.”

Want to Win?

Want to win a signed copy of HIS TO GUARD? Enter via the Rafflecopter below!

Contemporary Romance Excerpt February 2016 Giveaway New Adult New Releases Release Day Event Romance

About Elizabeth Reyes

Award winning, USA Today Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Reyes continues to answer her calling on a daily basis. Since releasing her debut novel FOREVER MINE (MORENO BROTHERS #1) in 2010 she has since published seven more in that series, FOREVER YOURS, SWEET SOFIE, WHEN YOU WERE MINE, ALWAYS BEEN MINE, ROMERO, MAKING YOU MINE, and TANGLED with more stories about the Moreno family and their friends to come. She’s also published a second series, 5th Street which includes, NOAH, GIO, HECTOR, ABEL. FELIX. Her Moreno Brother’s spinoff series FATE includes FATE, BREAKING BRANDON, SUSPICIOUS MINDS and AGAIN (Sydney’s story). Her debut traditionally published title is DESERT HEAT and her latest release is her first ever three part romance serial DEFINING LOVE.

When she’s not writing (which is rare) she spends as much time as she can with her husband of almost twenty-one years, two young adult children, her Great Dane, Dexter and big fat lazy cat named Tyson.

Contemporary Romance Excerpt Excerpt Reveal February 2016 New Adult Pre-Order Romance Romantic Suspense

The Sins That Bind Us by Geneva Lee….Excerpt Reveal

by Courtney

View Chapter One here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QYp5iy2wk0BU3D4ogjnFkYw1vO3Kyl5EIK63qqAhhh0/edit?usp=sharing

Meet Jude in The Sins That Bind Us on March 15th

Pre-order Exclusively on iBooks:

iBooks: http://apple.co/1XcHUqW

Add to your TBR at: http://bit.ly/1RiCqdG

Blurb

I wasn’t given a choice. Not when I did my first line of cocaine. Not when I became a single mother. But I changed, and every decision I’ve made was to protect myself and my son from my weaknesses—and my past.

Until Jude came along and made me question everything, even my own secrets.

The sins I carry with me can never be discovered. Life handed me broken bits of people and left me to construct my own world, and it’s too fragile to take a chance on Jude Mercer.

We write our own stories.

We build our own prisons.

We weave our own lies.

We commit the sins that bind us.

About the Author:

Geneva Lee prefers fantasy to reality, especially fantasies involving powerful, dangerous, and sexy men. You can find her devouring a good romance while avoiding the laundry and the children. She lives in Kansas City with her family.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GenevaLeeAuthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/genevaleeauthor

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/genevaleebooks?fref=ts

Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/805941596129318/

Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8056653.Geneva_Lee?from_search=true&search_version=service

Goodreads Fan Group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/159927-geneva-lee-books

Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/LVO81

9 Letters by Blake Austin….Book Tour

by Courtney

Meet Luke Crawley in Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love!

NOW AVAILABLE!

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/20TgV3N

Blurb

Luke Cawley is a broken man. After his wife’s tragic death, he lost everything that mattered in the world. Now, his life is filled with hard days, harder nights, and a steady stream of alcohol and the wrong kind of women. Nothing helps.

Until the letters arrive on Luke’s doorstep.

Nine envelopes. Nine messages. Nine chances to find his way back.

Rae Goode is looking for the real thing. After fighting her way out of a string of bad relationships, she’s ready for something different–something true.

She meets Luke while piecing her life together, and right away she can tell that he’s different. Drawn together by fate and the desire to heal, Rae and Luke discover new ways to mend their broken hearts–one letter at a time.

Discover Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love.

Excerpt

I was about twenty minutes early for my shift, but I got up to the bar, grabbed a rag, started wiping it down, bussing some dishes.

“Damn, Luke,” Jake said, watching me work. “You win the lotto or something? Royals win the pennant last night and I forgot to watch?”

“I’m just in a good mood, that’s all,” I said.

I thought about it a moment longer, decided I should tell him more. Impart some wisdom learned from my not-particularly-advanced years.

“When everything’s dark for so damn long and your eyes get used to it,” I said, “just a little glimmer of sunshine lights up the whole world.”

He nodded, then grabbed a bus bin and headed back into the kitchen.

Warren though, Warren wasn’t impressed. He was sitting by one of the daytime barflies, but he’d stopped talking and was just watching me. I was on thin ice, and I knew it. I couldn’t afford to lose my job. A heartbroken, drunk, angry widower is probably as unemployable as the average ex-con.

I came on at the end of the day shift. Warren liked tending bar during the day, because it meant just shooting the shit with the regulars. That day I had a smile for every customer, sparse words of wisdom like day drunks want to hear. Tending bar wasn’t my dream. But to hell with letting that make me lazy. I kept the place clean, I poured drinks like I cared.

I was getting into the swing of it when happy hour kicked in and a few more people filtered through the door. Couple of middle-aged bikers, a retired couple that parked their RV out front.

The door swung open again, letting in a little bit of that early-evening cold, and I glanced up to see a crowd of three women, with two men. One of the women was a reddish blonde, radiant. Sort of stole the light out of the room. It was Rae. Our eyes met and her smile gave the room back its light.

She’d been in jeans at the shelter, but she was in a blue dress now and she looked damn fine in either. Took my mind right off Maggie, faster than I thought it would be possible. I met her eyes, and she gave out a little gasp and giggle. I was probably smiling in surprise myself.

The crowd came over to the bar. I’d thought the other four were two couples, but I realized pretty quick that the black girl with the afro was dating the quiet white guy in a beard and glasses and tattoos, and that the other guy was trying to impress Rae. He had a John Deere hat, but his clothes were way too clean for me to buy it that he worked on a farm. I hated him, right off. I probably would have hated him if he was the best guy in the world, though. The other girl, she was tall, latina, and for some indiscernible reason was interested in the poser farmer.

Most of the time, I’m awful at reading people. But for some reason, at work I can tell you everything about everyone who walks in the door. About who’s into who, about who had a bad day at work. Who wants to get drunk and miserable, who wants to get drunk and happy, who wants to get drunk and start trouble. Maybe it’s some magic of the job, maybe it’s just how people carry themselves at a bar. Helps with tips, that’s for certain. You wingman right, and the money flows in.

Warren, he likes to upsell them drinks when he’s doing that. Get them excited about the top shelf. Not me.

“Hey, Rae,” I said.

“Luke,” she said.

John Deere looked at me like I was the scum of the earth. And maybe I was, but if I was the scum then he was… I don’t know, something worse than scum. Wannabe scum.

She introduced me to her friends. Nicole had the afro, her boyfriend was Eric. The girl with bad taste was Irina, and John Deere had some name but honestly it went in one ear and out the other. He was John Deere to me. Yeah, maybe I’m an asshole.

“So, how do you know this guy?” Deere asked, tossing me a look that said I clearly wasn’t good enough to be friend with someone like Rae.

“Oh, he came in just the other day. Adopted the sweetest dog, a bloodhound.” She turned to me, flashing that dimple high on her cheek. “How is he? You guys call a truce yet?”

“King’s great,” I said. “I mean, he’s probably at home right now, eating everything I’ve ever owned, but I figure I was due for a purge anyway, right?”

It was a lame attempt at humor, but Rae laughed.

“What can I get you all? Friend of Rae’s is a friend of mine.”

About the Author

Blake Austin is a guitar playing father of one, who lives in Los Angeles. He’s written music for as long as he can remember and was inspired to add book writing to his repertoire. 9 Letters is his debut novel.

For updates: Follow Blake Austin on Facebook here: http://on.fb.me/1ZUj6sR

GIVEAWAY

$20 Winner’s Choice Book Retailer Gift Card & Signed Paperback (1 Winner)

Blog Tour Book Tour Contemporary Romance Excerpt February 2016 Giveaway New Releases Release Day Event Romance

Cover Reveal Excerpt Excerpt Reveal Fantasy February 2016 New Adult Paranormal Sci-fi

Personal Apocalypse by Nazarea Andrews….Cover Reveal

by Courtney

Today we are having a cover reveal for PERSONAL APOCALYPSE by Nazarea Andrews. This book will release March 21st. Personal Apocalyse is an adult dystopian, standalone novel, that is the first in a spin-off in the world of The World Without End series.

Click here to add PERSONAL APOCALYPSE to Goodreads

PERSONAL APOCALYPSE Blurb:

Personal Apocalypse: A World Without End novel

Josiah grew up in a dying world. The Holdout survived, but when you are the son of Sylvia Cragen, you give up delusions early. He knew that they would die bloody–it wasn’t a matter of if. Only when.
Parker shouldn’t be alive. He should have died long before scouts from the Last Holdout rescued him. And he knows better than to believe that sailing away from the safety of the Holdout is a good idea.
Now, without the Holdout to protect them, all of his nightmares are coming true. Josiah is just crazy enough to believe that a fresh start is a good thing. But Parker has lived as prey, hunted by zombies and survivors before–and he knows that no one really survives. In the wild, zombie claimed world outside the walls of safety, there is only the dead walking.

EXCERPT REVEAL:

I was seven when I realized that the world wasn’t always broken. That the way we live isn’t how it’s always been.
I beat the shit out of the little asshole who broke that news to me, and then ran to the Doc’s. Because she was always good for the truth.
Even when the truth was ugly as fuck.
I learned three things that day and it stuck with me, over the eleven years since.
Dusty Pate was fucking bully.
Punching someone in the nose is a learned skill set.
And the truth is better than a lie. Even when it’s ugly.
That thought more than any resounds through me as I stand on the rocking deck of a nameless boat in the middle of a nameless ocean, staring at a nameless coast.
Not really. All of them have names. But none of them matter and there’s no one left alive to give a fuck, so nameless works just as well.
“what do you think?”
I tilt my head just a little as Parker comes up behind me, reaching over my shoulder for my binoculars. He fits there, as natural as breathing, as familiar as the gun on my hip and the knife strapped to my back.
“I think we don’t have a lot of choices.”
He mutters a curse and from below, it’s echoed in a shrill furious voice.
“Any change in the princess?” I ask, my voice a low drawl.
Parker doesn’t take the bait. He’s still watching the coast and I take a moment to drink him in.
He’s still pale, even after the time on the boat, a kind of creamy paleness that begs to be dirtied. His straight black hair hanging in his dark eyes, and he’s tense. Coiled like a spring that’s waiting to burst, full of nervous energy that has been forced down and contained.
“No sign,” he murmurs. “We should go soon.”
I nod.
The truth is—I don’t like unknowns. I can patrol up and down the south eastern seaboard, in and around the deadzone.
I’ve built my name on that. On my cold assessments and willingness to defend the Holdout.
But I hate walking in blind. And I hate it most when Parker is with me.

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.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/his-to-guard-fate-6

Again by Elizabeth Reyes…. Read-A-Long

by Courtney

What happened in chapter 11 – chapter 15?:

Sydney is jealous of Sly’s relationship with Sydney, and how much time he’s taking up that she used to spend with him, so he distracts himself with a movie star who lives in their building, Scarlet. He feels a little bit bad about using her as a distraction, but it’s sort of a mutual relationship.

One night Sydney gets a call from his mother in Arizona – there was a smaller fire in her garage. He leaves to immediately get on a plane, but he runs into Scarlet in the building when he’s leaving – she’s having a melt down over her mother publishing a tell-all about her life, so he invites her to come with him to see his mother.

They take off without a word, and Emi only finds out where he is and who he’s with from the paparazzi pictures of them at the airport.

Lynn calls Sydney and confronts him about Emi. She wants to know if he’s only seeing Scarlet because Emi is seeing Sly. Sydney tells her that Scarlet coming to see his mom with him was totally unplanned and they end up fighting about his feelings for Emi. Lynn thinks he should go for it, but he insists they’re too different and at entirely different points in their lives, with him looking to settle down and her being so much younger than him.

When Sydney gets back from Arizona, he and Emi get into a fight about him not telling her where he was going and not inviting her to go with him. He apologizes and tries to make plans with her for the weekend, but she’s flying out to Chicago for the weekend to be with Sly.

Their birthdays are fast approaching, and Sydney mentions to Emi that he’s considering going to Cape Cod with Scarlet for his birthday. She gets upset because they had been planning to celebrate their birthdays together, so he decides to stay and take her out drinking for her 21st birthday.

Emi is a lightweight and she gets wasted the night of their birthday celebrations. He takes her home and she does a strip tease, telling him that he loves her and she begs him to stay with her that night. He has trouble resisting her, but he doesn’t want take advantage of her drunken state.

Favourite Quotes:

“As much as Sydney hated to admit it, there were no two ways around it. Sly Sabian was a good guy.”

“Congratulations. You’ve done it again. You’ve fallen for your best friend.”

“What he had to admit after that day was that he didn’t just enjoy Em’s company. He craved it.”

“You have very suckable lips.”

Discussion Question:

Why do you think Sydney didn’t tell Emi when he left to see his mom?

About AGAIN

No regrets. Just lessons learned.

Having lived through the torment of losing his first love to someone else–all because he never spoke up–Sydney Maricopa vowed never to repeat that mistake again.

So when he finally admits he’s fallen for his new best friend, he refuses to lose her too, especially once he realizes his feelings for her might be requited. There’s only one problem.

Her perfect boyfriend.

Still, Sydney’s determined to fight for the girl he loves this time. He has what it takes to go up against Mr. Perfect. Most importantly, he and his new best friend have something even her boyfriend can’t compete with–their profound connection. One he intends to use to win her over.

Until he finds out what she’d be giving up if she chooses Sydney.

Something no one should ever give up. Would he dream of selfishly asking her to? Or should he do the honorable thing and sacrifice his own happiness for hers? Allow the girl he loves to sail off into the sunset with another man as he stands back and watches in agony . . . again?

Get AGAIN now: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iBooks

I truly, truly enjoyed reading this book. It has been quite some time since I have read a book by Elizabeth Reyes (not on purpose). And this book just brought back all the reasons why I love reading her books. I will definitely be going back and reading books 2 and 3 in this series.

Again is Sydney and Emi’s story. Sydney is Sarah’s best friend from way back and I am so happy that he got his own book. Emi is part of the Moreno/Romero in an extended way. These two are living in the same building and don’t realize how close they really are til a family gathering.

They develop a beautiful friendship, one that neither expected due to not only their age differences but where they are in their lives. But their friendship grows and becomes one that neither can live without. That makes things extremely difficult when Emi becomes serious with Sly and he is not thrilled that her best friend is a guy. Unfortunately, that is the only obstacle or problem that Emi and Sydney face. I won’t give away much more about the plot or the storyline. Just know that this is one story where you are thrown a few curve balls at very unexpected times.

Elizabeth does a fantastic job of making this story so real and very relatable. The banter between all the characters is amazing. There isn’t one instance that seems too far fetched. The entire story moves at the perfect pace and keeps you entertained. There were a few scenes where I found myself having to put the book down because I was overcome with emotions and had to get myself together before continuing. But I found myself smiling a lot in this book.

Even if you have never read any of the previous books in this series or her other series, you will still thoroughly enjoy this book. Elizabeth does a fantastic job of giving each of the characters a brief overview of how they all intertwine and it doesn’t deter from the story line.

I am looking forward to reading more from Elizabeth in the future!

HIS TO GUARD releases February 26th – add it to your Goodreads list here!

BUY LINKS

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/His-Guard-Fate-Elizabeth-Reyes-ebook/dp/B01C0VV7US/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Guard-Fate-Elizabeth-Reyes-ebook/dp/B01C0VV7US

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-to-guard-fate-6/id1086531595?mt=11

Nook (coming soon)

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/616959

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Contemporary Romance Excerpt February 2016 Giveaway New Adult Read-A-Long Romance

Follow along with the Again Read-A-Long!

Again, Day One: Monday, Feb. 22nd – Those Crazy Book Chicks & Margie’s Must Reads
Again, Day Two: Tuesday, Feb. 23rd – Morning Books and Coffee & Margay Leah Justice
Again, Day Three: Wednesday, Feb. 24th – Read Love Blog & Ripe For Reader
Again, Day Four: Thursday, Feb. 25th – Alpha Book Club & Disheveled Book Blog
Again, Day Five: Friday, Feb. 26th – Romance Bytes

Make sure to join InkSlinger PR on Monday, February 29th to begin the read-a-long of A.J.’s story, Rage, the fifth book in the Fate series.

About Elizabeth Reyes

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From Sanctum With Love by Lexi Blake….Release Day Blitz

by Courtney

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“How did everyone else get here?”

“My brother seems to be stalking me and Case came over because he was worried about you. Apparently he knew about someone vandalizing your car.”

That was news to her. “He did? I didn’t tell him.”

“Who did you tell?” The question came out with an edge of irritation.

“Sarah and Mia. I decided to wait until this morning to call someone because it was late last night.” And I’d been trying to avoid you only to end up having the best sleep of my life because I was wrapped around you. Yeah, she wasn’t going to say that.

“How about the police? Were you going to call them? If you’re going to make an insurance claim, you’ll need a police report. Or are you going to claim that your tires died of natural causes?”

She held her hands up, attempting to placate him. Why did her room seem so much smaller when he was in it? It was a good-sized room, but Kai took up all the space. “You’re right. I should have called last night, but I was tired and I wanted to get home and get in bed.”

His gorgeous eyes narrowed. “You weren’t in bed. You were sitting up with your friends drinking wine. Try again.”

“Kai, what’s going on here? It’s a couple of tires.”

“You were supposed to call me if you got in trouble.”

“I wasn’t really in…” What was she doing? Before yesterday she would never have lied to Kai. Not right to his face. “I was nervous about seeing you after the scene.”

“Finally some honesty. I’ll handle it. I’ll deal with the police and get you what you need for your insurance. The boys from McKay-Taggart will set up some discreet surveillance cameras around our parking lot.”

There was a reason they didn’t have that. “I thought you didn’t want the patients to feel like they were walking into a secure zone.”

Some of them had serious issues with people watching them. They dealt with a lot of PTSD patients.

“I will deal with them. Your safety is more important. Now turn around, pull your pants down and place your palms flat on the bed. It’s a count of thirty.”

She could actually feel her womb spasm. “What?”

Nothing about his face or stance conveyed that he was anything but dead serious. “This was a condition of your employment. It has been from the beginning.”

If she wasn’t careful her damn jaw was going to hit the floor. “I remember the conditions of my employment. Are you saying if I’d been late and hadn’t called, you would have spanked me?”

“I suppose we should be happy you’re a very prompt girl. And you tend to be good about calling. We’ll never know. What I do know is that after last night, I will definitely spank you and you’ll enjoy it. You might start showing up late just so you can walk into my office and present that juicy ass to me.” He moved in front of her, staring down at her with heat in his eyes. “I want you to think before you tell me no. I want you to question which side of the Kori I know is going to win this battle. Is it the funny, happy, brave Kori who never stands down from a challenge, or the one who’s denied herself for years because some idiot asshole Dom made her feel small. I won’t ever make you feel small. My job in life will be to lift you up, to help you be strong.”

His words cut through her. “What are you saying, Kai? Is this about you being my boss or acting as my play partner?”

She thought they’d worked it out last night.

His hands cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look up at him. “I’m acting as your Dom, Kori, and you know it. You can pretend all you like. You can call it whatever you want to, but you know how this ends. This ends with you and me.”

She shook her head. “Kai, yesterday we were nothing more than friends.”

“Yesterday I didn’t understand you. Today I do, and I want you more than I want my next fucking breath. I’ll go slow. I’ll give you all the time you need to wrap that gorgeous brain around the idea. I’ll be indulgent as hell with the exception of two things.”

“Do I dare ask?”

“You play with me and only me. I won’t play with anyone but you. And when something goes wrong, you call me. You give me the chance to protect you, to shelter you.”

“I thought we agreed to keep it to the club.”

“I didn’t agree to that and why should we?” He sounded so reasonable. “What does scared Kori say?”

“Scared Kori thinks this is all moving too fast, but she’s kind of drowned out by Wants to Kiss You Kori.”

His lips curled up in the sweetest smile. “I know who I’m voting for. Come on, baby. We’ve been dancing around this since the day we met. I’ve put up stupid boundaries because I was scared, too. I’ve pushed away a lot of good in my life because I couldn’t trust it. I cuddled you last night and all I could think about was the fact that I trust you. Of all the people in the world, I trust you most. I want to be with you. When I’m with you I’m not lonely.”

The man knew exactly what to say to shut Scared Kori up. When she was with him, she didn’t feel the hole in her soul the way she did before. Somehow even simply being friends with the man had filled her in a way no one had before. Was she going to let him go because Morgan had been a giant massive asshole?

If he hadn’t been, she wouldn’t have found Kai.

She went on her toes before she could talk herself out of it and brushed her lips against his. Warm, soft. Those lips were plump and sensual and he somehow made them masculine. They were like the rest of Kai. Utterly beautiful and on someone else perhaps a bit feminine, but Kai was all man.

He was still as she kissed him, her lips moving softly over his. It wouldn’t last long. He was giving her this time. He would take over and her whole body thrilled at the idea. He was right. They couldn’t go back after last night. They’d connected in such an intimate way that she didn’t want to. Yes, she was still afraid, but this man was worth the risk.

When she eased back down, he was smiling at her. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to kiss me?”

“Probably since last night.”

His hands smoothed back her hair, making her feel so wanted and cared for. “Since the day I met you.”

Erotic Excerpt February 2016 New Adult New Releases Release Day Event Romance Romantic Suspense Suspense

Deep by Skye Warren…Release Day Blitz

by Courtney

Title: Deep

Series: Chicago Underground

Author: Skye Warren
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: February 23, 2016

Blurb

Dark. Powerful. Dangerous.

Philip Murphy has all of Chicago under his thumb. Except me.

We met in a perfect storm of violence and lust. He saved me and then disappeared from my life. Now I pretend I never knew that kind of darkness. I focus on midterms and campus parties, as if they can wipe the slate clean.

Then he turns up outside my dorm room—wounded and barely conscious. He’s the head of a crime syndicate, a powerful man, but he needs me now. There are traitors in his midst.

I can help him, but I can’t fall for him.

Not again.

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Excerpt

It was dark outside, grown late, and I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. Somewhere out there, Philip was probably dining with crystal and expensive wine. Meanwhile I’d probably order a pizza with one of those coupons by the door.A low sound raised the hair on my neck.

Oh God, I’m not alone.

My gaze swept over the small dorm room. From here I could see the tiny bedroom area and the kitchenette. I could see almost the entire space. Empty.

Maybe it was just one of my neighbors getting busy and—

The sound came again, louder. A shiver ran through me. It was coming from outside the room, but not from either side. It was coming from the door.

I crept over and looked out the peephole. An empty hallway bulged in the distorted lens.
Now I was doubting myself. Had I actually heard something? Maybe it had come from the dorm room across the hall. When I first moved here, it had been shortly after my “ordeal,” as my adoptive mother called it. I had jumped at every sound, both real and imagined, more traumatized by my brush with danger than I’d wanted to admit.

My gaze snapped to my phone.

I could call my adoptive mother right now, but I knew she wouldn’t want to be bothered. I could call the building management, but I knew what would happen. The same thing that had happened last time I called them. They’d send my floor advisor to check on me. If there was anything scary in this hallway, she’d have to face it first.

And if there wasn’t anything scary, if it was my imagination again, the PTSD I didn’t want to acknowledge, well then everyone would know how fucked up I was inside.

No, I had to be overreacting. This was nothing. There was no one in the hallway. And even if there was, it would be some drunk guy, passed out on the wrong floor.

I’m a normal college student, I reminded myself. I’m not afraid of anything.

Both of those things were lies, I was neither normal nor brave, but at least I could send a drunk frat boy on his way.

I opened the door a crack. Nothing.

Relief filled me, and I opened the door wider.

A body slid inside, slumped over without the door to support him. A short scream escaped me before I caught myself.

He was wearing a three-piece suit stained with blood, his expression slack, eyes glassy with pain and delirium. Philip.

Oh God, he was hurt. Really badly hurt if he couldn’t stand up. Horribly hurt if he’d ever have come to me of all people. I didn’t have time to process the shock of it, of seeing him again. I had to get him out of sight. If he’d been injured like this, someone was after him. Someone would want to finish the job.

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Author Bio

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, four dogs, and one evil cat.

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Excerpt February 2016 Giveaway New Releases Release Day Event Romance Romantic Suspense Suspense