Read-Love-Blog

Book Promotion & Review

Dark Surrender by Rachel Van Dyken….Release Blitz & Review

dark_surrender_release_blitz

Dark Surrender is LIVE and only $1.99! So snag this complete paranormal stand alone and read all about why having a male siren try to seduce you isn’t all it’s cracked up to be!

dark_surrender_live

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2htmYRu

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2he9Hv0

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2gpT0bO

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2hjomp6

iBooks: http://apple.co/2gJFTmO

B&N: http://bit.ly/2eUpon5

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fjEAgq

 dark-surrender

Blurb

Never met a male siren before?

You’re about to….

I grew up as a prince…

And lead the life of a King.

There isn’t anyone or anything that doesn’t want me, that isn’t attracted to me. They can’t help it. And I sure as hell don’t want them to. I live for their lust, I crave touch like an addiction, I make them beg on their knees for one, simple, caress.

As a male siren it’s my job to feed off emotion.

And I was happy to do it.

I am happy to do it.

What I’m not happy about? Being told I have to mate with some withering human and stay loyal to that one person for the next few centuries. There’s a war coming and being the idiot I am–I offered to take one for the team in order to help a friend.

Now my sexual appetite is taking a freaking kick in the nuts.

And I’m left wondering if it’s worth it.

If she’s worth it, with messy hair and dirty human hands.

But I have a world to save.

A job to do.

Now, if only, she would just let me do it rather than fighting me at every turn. I’ve lived lifetimes as the most irresistible being on the planet.

Only to meet my match.

With one.

Measly.

Human.

They say hells hot. They’re wrong.

Because Hope, my little human, is way hotter.

And before this is over–she may just singe me alive.

 dark-surrender-teaser-3

Excerpt

To say I was pissed.

To say I was angry

To say I was intrigued.

I couldn’t decide which emotion was going to win out, which made her all the more exciting. Sirens, for the most part, kept their physical appearance at a five. On a scale of one to ten, a five meant that you were clearly above average but not to the point that a person would literally sell a kidney and spleen in order to sleep with you.

No, the selling of body parts came at six.

Seven meant they were willing to commit a crime and sell body parts.

Eight was when they neared the wailing stage. I typically called it bartering, where they asked what they could possibly do in order to gain just one taste, anything, anything at all!

Nine was a rarity. I was a nine when I was tired, when I wanted a piece of ass from someone hot, and I didn’t want to make a big fuss over it. But a nine was dangerous because showing myself at a nine made it easier to wipe the individuals’ memories. Meaning I was more than likely cursing them to a life where they would never settle down because they’d be stuck comparing me to some sad human male with a beer gut, and he’d always fall short.

Even the Toms fell short.

Tom Brady.

Tom Hardy.

You get the picture.

In my entire existence, I’ve pulled a nine maybe four times. And each time I felt regretful — after all the sex had never been worthy of ruining some pathetic human’s chance at love.

And tens?

Tens weren’t done. To become a ten in front of a human would be the equivalent of a human discovering the sweetest tasting sin, the most physical and emotional ecstasy known over and over again. Add that in with good looks that made women, men, plants, atoms — you get the picture — full-on weep, and it just wasn’t done.

Never.

In fact, some might say it was forbidden.

I’d never been tempted.

Until five minutes ago.

I was currently at an eight, flirting with a ten, and she’d finally succumbed enough to fall to her knees, but when she glanced up, she blinked a few times then stood. “Sorry, I don’t know what happened.”

The hell?

I did a double take, my eyes narrowing as she shuddered before me, but still, nothing. No weeping. No sudden burst of adoration.

Nine, here I come.

I exhaled as I allowed my hair to go pure gold and my eyes to turn a shade of amber that looked like a never-ending ring of fire around my blue iris. I released waves of energy that I could see pulsing from my body with each exhale, and I was aware that she was being assaulted with my scent, a mixture of rain, fresh air, and finally a deep sweet chocolate.

The most addicting scents known to mankind.

The most cleansing scents to a human.

Her eyes widened as she gulped and then squeezed them shut and covered her face with her hands, her knees knocked together as she swayed.

“Open your eyes, human!”

“I-I’d rather not,” she said in a weak voice.

“Now!” The walls of the room shook causing a shriek to explode between her lips, and suddenly she was moving towards me and launching her plump body into the air.

Directly onto mine.

Mine.

My body.

Without any other option, I braced myself for her impact. Not that she could physically harm me, it was more of a mental brace of, oh shit the woman might be plump, but she moved with the speed of a torpedo.

I caught her in my arms.

The shaking stopped.

Her hands clung to the front of my shirt, her breathing was unsteady, her body sweaty, hot, and curvy.

I appreciated all types of beauty.

Even hers.

I would have preferred a small mate, one that I could terrify into submission — one I had no risk of falling in love with.

Because a siren in love — was a dangerous thing.

And a part of me wondered if that was what Cassius had planned all along. In order for me to be at my strongest, I needed to be in love.

Something I’d never experienced in all of my years of living, screwing, and toying with males and females alike.

“What.” I gave her a menacing glare. “The hell, do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m scared of earthquakes,” she whispered, licking her lips repeatedly until I thought I was going to go mad with the motion of her tongue sliding across the pink of her mouth. “Terrified, actually.”

“This is Seattle.” I was still holding her, for reasons beyond my realm of understanding.

“They say the next earthquake is going to be really big and half of downtown is going to slide into the Puget Sound, so excuse me for being scared!”

“And you live downtown?”

“Well… no.” Her brown eyes focused in on mine.

“Then you must visit there often?”

“No.”

I sighed impatiently. “So your fears are completely unfounded and illogical. Simply stop fearing it.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“I tire of holding you, human.” The lie fell easy; in fact, I had forgotten I was holding her until she fidgeted in my arms like she was the offended party, when I was the one who had just been assaulted. “The only thing you need to fear is me.”

“Because you…” She sighed. “You’re going to sacrifice me?”

I tried to hold the laugh in.

But it was all too ridiculous.

“Yes.” I nodded seriously, my lips twitching with the urge to smile. “The process will be painless. I’ll tie your hands and feet to the bedposts — strip you naked, and then plunge an immortal sword into your heart. You’ll need to repeat the words ut animam meam and then once you drink my blood — if it accepts you, you will live.”

Her face paled as she struggled to get out of my arms.

And then I lost it, dropping her back to her feet, laughing so hard I felt my body shook with it.

“I don’t even remember the phrase!” Her wild eyes darted between me and the bed, clearly not catching on. Joke. It was a joke.

“Well,” I lifted a shoulder and shrugged. “Then I guess you die.”

“But—”

“Better do it quickly, less pain that way.”

“What about the plants?”

My smile froze. “Either you’re extremely simple minded or mentally ill. What the hell are you talking about?”

“The—” She tugged at her low ponytail. “The plants, you know, around the grounds. I take care of them and Cassius—” Her eyes lit up. “Cassius said I was getting a promotion, so sorry, but you can’t kill me.”

I grinned. “Okay.”

She frowned.

I was still confused how she was shielding herself from my essence, but already I was mentally drained from the energy it took to get her to worship me — instead I returned to my normal everyday state and held out my hand.

She stared at it.

“Take my hand.”

“No.” She swallowed. “I think I’ll just wait for Cassius.”

“He’s already mated.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not mating him.”

“No.” This, this was my favorite part, watching humans try to logically put together all of the pieces of the puzzle only to realize their brains were too small to comprehend the different parts they held, the angles, the colors, “You’re going to mate with me.”

I expected her to cry.

Maybe throw something.

Instead, she froze and then with a scream ran head first directly into my body sending me sailing backward against the marble floor.

I was caught unaware.

Meaning, I barely had time to stop myself before my head slammed back against the hard ground.

She tried to run toward the door.

“Cat and mouse.” I sighed from my position on the ground. “I always did like foreplay.”

She jerked against the doors with fervor, I’d give her that, but they wouldn’t budge.

Not until she was mine.

Not until the doors sensed my blood running through her veins.

“Why won’t it open?” Her voice was strangled as pieces of her hair fell out of its restraint and brushed against her shoulders. “You can’t keep me here forever.”

“I can.” I yawned. “I will.”

 dark-surrender-teaser-4

my-review

My friend, Christine, said it best when it comes to Alex.  “Le Sigh.”

Dark Surrender is Alex’s story.  He’s the next immortal that needs to be mated in order for them to reach their full strength.  If you’ve read the previous books, you will know that he volunteered himself so Mason could still mourn his mate.  As Alex would call – It’s the Immortal version of the Hunger Games.  HAHA

Alex has to choose a human as his mate, as do all immortals.  But he’s a siren so choosing a mate and being able to find true love with them, for him that seems an impossible feat.  Until Hope.  But Hope isn’t enchanted or bewitched by Alex’s beauty.  And he finds out quickly, she’s not exactly human either.  And that’s something that both Alex and Hope are surprised by.

Rachel’s stories, whether they are paranormal, romantic suspense or contemporary romance, she is able to suck you into their world.  You can easily picture everything that is going on around you.  And Dark Surrender is no different.  I saw everything single moment play out before be as if I was watching a movie.  And she’s able to write the perfect mix of humor into some pretty damn serious situations.  And it’s not cheesy at all!

I don’t think Rachel will ever be able to write a sh*tty story.  There, I’ve said it.  She’s an extremely talented writer.  There isn’t a story of hers that I have no read and loved.

Another fantastic read to add to The Dark One Saga.  I can’t wait to read Mason’s story next!!

Side note – you can read each book as a standalone.  However, I HIGHLY recommend reading them in order to get the true understanding of each character and how they are all intertwined together.  Plus there’s an overall backstory involving every character that plays out in each book.

5LovesRLB

C signature

dark-surrender-teaser-1

Haven’t read this series yet?

The Dark Ones (Book One)  FREE

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Lx04QG

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1PtRkds

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1iMvS9f

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

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1P031I8

http://bit.ly/1J6jY5m

Untouchable Darkness (Book Two) $1.99

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1LauP93

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Pn1f7d

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1m7WgME

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1U7hvsr

B&N: http://bit.ly/1WS38IQ

iBooks: http://apple.co/1HuCC1d

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1SjkRaE

About the Author:

 rachel-van-dyken-2

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

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

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

2 Comments »

Road To Nowhere by M. Robinson…Blog Tour & Review



BLOG TOUR
ROAD TO NOWHERE
USA TODAY BESTSELLING
@AUTHORMROBINSON
COVER MODEL: MARSHALLPERRIN
PHOTOGRAPHER: WANDER
COVER DESIGN: THE FINAL WRAP

 

I once read that every warrior hoped an honorable death
would find him. I always went looking for mine, but not even the Reaper wanted
me.
I was trained to kill. I was trained to not ask why. To take
orders and just march in line. Hooah motherfucker.
Life or death.
Ride or die.
And I’m not only talking about the military. I’m talking
about the life that led me on the road to nowhere.
My life.
I fought for my brothers.
I fought for my family.
I fought for my country.
And I fought for her…
Never realizing I might die for them too.


READ THE FIRST FOUR CHAPTERS HERE
my-review

5+++++ Stars

I really have no idea where to start this review. I truly don’t. This book hit me hard. And probably not for reasons it will hit others. Road to Nowhere blew my expectations out of the water. And the ending…OMG!!

Road to Nowhere had me crying hard. Yes, this book is suspenseful romance. But it’s the suspense and the horrific shit that Creed endures and sees that really got to me. September 11, 2001. War. The shit as citizens we are never told about on the news but hear from family and friends who served for our county had to see first hand. Those are the things that truly gutted me in this book. It brought it all back for me. It gutted me and made me feel everything.

Monica’s writing was so on point and so damn descriptive, it’s impossible to not feel, see or understand what was going on. What Creed went through. It just caused a lot of raw emotions in me. But then it’s also what Mia has yet to experience. Everything that has led up to those last few moments at the end.

Everything in this book, it’s just so damn good. The overprotectiveness that Mia had to go through. Her father, a Good Ol’ Boy, not allowing her to truly grow up. The choices she made because of that – I truly felt her frustration, anger and her passion to live. I love how everyone is somehow intertwined in this book. Creed is friends with Mason who is the son another Good Ol’ Boy. It just makes the entire story even more interesting.

The ending. Holy shit. Seriously?!!? Killing me here! I know it’s with good intentions. But damn, I am dying here. I am seriously sucked into this whole story and I need the rest so badly.

I apologize for my review being all over the place. And jumping from one thing to the next. But that’s just how mind is right now. It’s just all over the place with everything that Monica has given us to digest.

Monica truly knows how to write a story. You will devour every word in this story. And it will leave you begging for the next book. I am not sure how I will be able to wait for the next one, but I know that I will not forget one bit of this book when the next one comes out.

Bravo Monica. You only get better and better with each book. Which is pretty damn impressive considering you are already at the top of the game!

5LovesRLB
C signature
BUY TODAY! ON ALL PLATFORMS FOR A LIMITED TIME
 
AMAZON / NOOK / I-TUNES / KOBO
OTHER BOOKS BY M. ROBINSON
 
 
USA TODAY BESTSELLING STANDALONE SERIES THE GOOD OL’ BOYS 
 
EL DIABLO (STANDALONE- GOOD OL’ BOYS SPIN-OFF)
USA Today Bestselling Author of Road to Nowhere, EL Diablo, 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. 

 

 

KINDLE FIRE
SIGNED COPY OF ROAD TO NOWHERE
1 Comment »

The Pawn by Skye Warren….Release Day Blitz & Review

the-pawn-rdl-temp

Today is the release day of Skye Warren’s sexy new THE PAWN! Check out this fantastic contemporary romance and grab your copy today!

 thepawn-1600x2400

About The Pawn:

The price of survival…

Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.

There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.

My virginity.

A forbidden auction…

Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.

Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.

THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.

Get Your Copy Today!

Amazon: http://www.skyewarren.com/the-pawn-amazon

iBooks: http://www.skyewarren.com/the-pawn-ibooks

Nook: http://www.skyewarren.com/the-pawn-bn

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-pawn-14

thepawn-teaser-v1

 

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

A sense of familiarity fills the space between us even though I know we haven’t met. This man is a stranger, but he looks at me as if he wants to know me. He looks at me as if he already does. There’s an intensity to his eyes when they sweep over my face, as firm and as telling as a touch.

“I need…” A thud against my ribs as I think about all the things I need—a rewind button. One person in the city who doesn’t hate me by name alone. “I need a loan.”

He gives me a slow perusal, from the nervous slide of my tongue along my lips to the high neckline of my dress. I tried to dress professionally—a black cowl-necked sweater and pencil skirt. His strange amber gaze unbuttons my coat, pulls away the expensive cotton, tears off the cotton fabric of my bra and panties. He sees right through me, and I shiver as a ripple of awareness runs over my skin.

I’ve met a million men in my life. Shaken hands. Smiled. I’ve never felt as seen through as I do right now. Never felt like someone has turned me inside out, every dark secret exposed to the harsh light. He sees my weaknesses, and from the cruel set of his mouth, he likes them.

His lids lower. “And what do you have for collateral?”

Nothing except my word. That wouldn’t be worth anything if he knew my name. I swallow past the lump in my throat. “I don’t know.”

Nothing.

He takes a step forward, and suddenly I’m crowded against the brick wall beside the door, his large body blocking out the warm light from inside. He feels like a furnace in front me, the heat of him in sharp contrast to the cold brick at my back. “What’s your name, girl?”

The word girl is a slap in the face. I force myself not to flinch, but it’s hard. Everything about him overwhelms me—his size, his low voice. “I’ll tell Mr. Scott my name.”

In the shadowed space between us, his smile spreads, white and taunting. The pleasure that lights his strange yellow eyes is almost sensual, as if I caressed him. “You’ll have to get past me.”

My heart thuds. He likes that I’m challenging him, and God, that’s even worse. What if I’ve already failed? I’m free-falling, tumbling, turning over without a single hope to anchor me. Where will I go if he turns me away? What will happen to my father?

“Let me go,” I whisper, but my hope fades fast.

His eyes flash with warning. “Little Avery James, all grown up.”

A small gasp resounds in the space between us. He already knows my name. That means he knows who my father is. He knows what he’s done. Denials rush to my throat, pleas for understanding. The hard set of his eyes, the broad strength of his shoulders tells me I won’t find any mercy here.

 

 thepawn-teaser-v2

 my-review

Five Loves!!! Five hot, intense, painful, heart-shattering loves!!!
Skye Warren has an amazing talent and I am so glad she shares it with the world! She never fails to deliver an amazing plot (or leave me hot and bothered). In her newest installment of mind-blowing-fuckery, The Pawn, she introduces us to a new favorite couple of mine, Avery and Gabriel. I started this book before bed one night thinking that I would read a few chapters before falling asleep… I should have known better! Four hours of missed sleep later, checkmate. It was 100% worth being dog-tired at work the next day!
Avery’s father was convicted of fraud and shortly thereafter, beaten to a pulp and left to dead. Since then, it’s been up to Avery to take care of him and the bills. Unfortunately, even after selling off all of her family’s belongings, she has no money left and is facing eviction. In an effort to get money to help her stay afloat, she ends up at The Den, where the high-class, powerful men of Tanglewood come to play.
“Officially the Den is a gentlemen’s club, the old-world kind with cigars and private invitations. Unofficially it’s a collection of the most powerful men in Tanglewood. Dangerous men. Criminals, even if they wear a suit while breaking the law.”
When the front door to The Den opens, Avery is met by Gabriel Miller. As soon as she lays eyes on him, she is struck by both his beauty as well as the power that emanates from his body. He is a dangerous, cunning man that once you cross, you may pay for it with your life. She was about to find out just how true that was.
“I’m struck by his eyes, a deep amber color like expensive brandy and almost translucent. My breath catches in my throat, lips frozen against words like please and help. Instinctively I know they won’t work; this isn’t a man given to mercy. The tailored cut of his shirt, its sleeves carelessly rolled up, tells me he’ll extract a price. One I can’t afford to pay.”
Once inside The Den, Avery meets Damon Scott, the notorious loan shark. She pleads with him to give her a loan, but he insists that he can’t help her. Until Gabriel reminds him that there is one way he can help…
“They’re talking about selling my body for sex. My virginity.
‘No, I whisper. I won’t do it.’  
‘You see,’ Damon Scott says. ‘She won’t do it.’
Gabriel’s gaze sweeps over my body. He meets my eyes, his expression intent. She doesn’t have a choice. It’s the most valuable thing she owns.”
Avery might have been a meek, little virgin at the beginning of this book but oh, the sizzling, sinful things that Gabriel does to Avery’s body…  she finds out very quickly how amazing letting herself go, letting herself feel, can be. Gabriel takes her to places that she was previously too scared and ashamed to go before.
“Then his lips are on mine, hot and soft and persistent. I’m helpless to his demands, opening to him, a sigh of acceptance drifting from my mouth to his. I know that everything happening here is inevitable, almost fated, but this part doesn’t hurt. It feels almost like pleasure, his tongue swiping across mine, his teeth grasping my lower lip in carnal warning.”
It doesn’t take long for Avery to believe that Gabriel sees more in her than a prize won at an auction, but a part of her had forgotten who he really is, what he is capable of. For as much as he is helping her, she doesn’t realize that he has her entire life by a string. Until one day, everything that she sold her soul to save comes crashing down around her. Gabriel is there to remind her that she is just pawn in his game and he has checkmate.
I don’t know what I’m going to do until January when the next installment, The Knight, comes out, but I can tell you that I will be counting down the days until then.
5LovesRLB

Emily signature

About Skye Warren:

13680481_812207255582123_3040574096772318693_o

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.

Connect with Skye:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/skye_warren

Instagram: https://instagram.com/skyewarrenbooks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SkyeWarrenBooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/skyewarren

Website: www.skyewarren.com

 

 

Enter Skye’s Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Comments »

Closer by Mary Elizabeth…Release Day Blitz & Review

 

 

Title: Closer
Series: Closer #1
Author: Mary Elizabeth
Genre: Contemporary Romance/New Adult 
 Release Date: December 6, 2016

 

Blurb

Gabriella Mason is damaged.Teller Reddy is wrecked.Misery loves company, and that’s exactly what Ella gets the afternoon her path crosses with Teller’s: the misunderstood premed student who instantly becomes her lifeline when she moves to Los Angeles, an attempt at escaping her heartbreaking past.

In the beginning, Lonely and Defensive complete each other. But in the end, their relationship is like broken glass—cutthroat and jagged.

Calling it off before they kill each other, Ella and Teller decide to “just be friends” despite the intensity that binds them together. It’s a delicate foundation rocked by tragedy, effectively destroying the illusion they’ve so carefully built.

Unable to deny what’s between them any longer, this is what happens when wrecked and damaged collide and close is still not close enough.

 

 

 

Purchase Links

 

AMAZON US / UK

 

my-review

Intense.  Passionate.  Chaotic.  Beautiful.  Those are the only words that I can think to use to express what this books stands for.

Closer is told from both Teller and Ella’s POvs.  It’s told from both their past and present.  These two will infuse themselves into your bones.

“This is what happens when wrecked and damage collide.”

I won’t go into any details on this book.  These two are each other’s support through everything.  Especially when a tragic accident effects them and everyone around them.

I will just leave these quotes to give you an idea of what you are in for.

“For seven years, she’s been everything to me.  For the last seven years, I’ve taken what I can get from her and stolen what I could not.”

“I’m terrified of us.  I can’t shake the feeling that we’re going to fuck up so bad one of these days and this will be gone.  I won’t survive it.”

“Eighty-four months of breaking boundaries.  Two thousand five hundred fifty-five days of trying to crisp blurred lines.  Eight thousand seven hundred sixty hours of disorderly conduct to finally realize we’re better as friends but the blaze between us remains the same.”

Those quotes are only small bits and pieces of what this story is about.  I loved every single word of this story.  I couldn’t get enough of it.  I was drowning in their passion and didn’t care if I came up for air, ever.

Mary – you have just earned yourself another huge fan.  I am not sure what rock I have been hiding under and have not read your work before.  But I going to rectify that immediately.  So if you are like me and totally new to Mary Elizabeth, I am begging you to read this book. I promise you, you won’t regret it.

5LovesRLB
C signature
Author Bio

 

Mary Elizabeth is an up and coming author who finds words in chaos, writing stories about the skeletons hanging in your closets.Known as The Realist, Mary was born and raised in Southern California. She is a wife, mother of four beautiful children, and dog tamer to one enthusiastic Pit Bull and a prissy Chihuahua. She’s a hairstylist by day but contemporary fiction, new adult author by night. Mary can often be found finger twirling her hair and chewing on a stick of licorice while writing and rewriting a sentence over and over until it’s perfect. She discovered her talent for tale-telling accidentally, but literature is in her chokehold. And she’s not letting go until every story is told.
Author Links
WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
1 Comment »

The Only One by Lauren Blakely…..ARC Review

the-only-one-cover

About THE ONLY ONE:

From the New York Times bestselling author of THE SEXY ONE comes a romance about fate and second chances.

Let’s say there was this guy. And he gave you the most mind-blowing night of sex in your life. And you never saw him again.

Until ten years later.

Now, it turns out he’s the ONLY ONE in all of Manhattan whose restaurant is available for my charity’s event.

The trouble is, he doesn’t recognize me.

***

This woman I’m working with is so damn alluring. The first time I set eyes on her, I’m captivated and I can’t get her out of my mind. Even if it’s risky to tango with someone I’m working with, she’s a risk I’m willing to take.

The trouble is, she won’t give me the time of day.

But I’m determined to change that.

My Review:

The Only One is part of author Lauren Blakely’s One Love Series as well as book number eighteen in the 2016 1,001 Dark Nights lineup.  If you don’t already know I’m a HUGE fan of Ms. Blakely’s and was so excited to hear she would be in the 1,001 Dark Nights project and let me tell you, this book was amazing. It had everything I have grown to love from a Lauren Blakely book…heat, emotion, humor, and so much more.  I loved it!

I love a good second chance romance and when it involves some serious heartbreak, it makes things that much better.  I know, I know, I can’t help it!  That kind of emotion gets me every time.  Add into that two characters you want nothing more than to have a second chance at a passion that sizzled off the pages and I was glued to each page of this book.

A sad twist of fate tore new lovers Penny and Gabriel apart years earlier and neither one ever forgot the other.  Now, with fate wising up, they find themselves in a chance meeting.  What happens next is pure magic.  I mean how could it not be?  Gabriel is a sexy, sweet, tattooed chef with a passion for everything he does (yes, that includes Penny 😉 ) and it’s impossible not to swoon over him.  Penny is a gal with a great head on her shoulders and a huge heart.  She’s a gal I would love to be friends with!  Together they burn up the pages and melted my heart.  I couldn’t get enough!

Whether you’re already a Lauren Blakely fan or this is the first of her books you pick up, I have no doubt you’ll love this story!  Thank you, Ms. Blakely, for a delicious read!

5LovesRLB

Five Loves

J signature

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon Paperback

 

the-only-one-rdl-teaser-1

 

 

Direct Link:https://video214.com/play/itFttmgwXE26fxl5YdB7XA/s/dark

 

 

 

 

author-pic-lauren-blakelyAbout Lauren Blakely:

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US over three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1.5 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With thirteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than seventy times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone hit romances like BIG ROCK, MISTER O, WELL HUNG, and THE SEXY ONE which were all instant New York Times Bestsellers. In January she’ll release FULL PACKAGE, a standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter.

 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

 

 

1 Comment »

Dashing Through the Snow by M. Leighton…..Release Day Blitz & Review

dashing-cover

 

Need some fun to brighten up the holidays? Need some heat to warm up the cold nights? Well,this is just the thing. DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW, a sexy, snowy Christmas story by M. Leighton is LIVE!

 

 

A dash of perfect for the holidays!

Dilyn Hart hates Christmas, so when her boss (and ex-boyfriend) hands her an assignment to interview champion snowboarder and gorgeous playboy extraordinaire, Dash Grainger, on Christmas Eve, she takes it. There are several things she doesn’t plan for—a surly driver, a chalet in the middle of nowhere, a freak snowstorm—but the biggest surprise of all is Dash himself.

Dash Grainger lives for the high, and so far in his twenty-six years, he’s never met anyone or anything he loves more. Nothing has ever thrilled him as much as slick snow, cold air, and breakneck speed.

Until he meets Dilyn.

But one perfect night doesn’t mean clear, blue skies the next day. Some storms can’t be weathered.

Christmas might just be one of them.

teaser-give-her-everything

live-pp

GET YOUR DASH OF CHRISTMAS CHEER TODAY!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

Kobo

Goodreads

my-review

How do I summarize this novella??  A novella that gave me all the feelings in a cute little bundle!!

I love the characters that Michelle creates for us.  Dash is an amazing man in so many ways.  What the public sees of him is not who he is in private.  And I love that we got to see both sides of him.

Dilyn is a sweetheart.  However, Christmas is not her favorite holiday.  And when she finds herself stranded in the mountains with Dash, she has no idea what to expect.  I want to say so much but I am afraid it will give crucial parts away of this story.

So let me just say that you MUST read this quick and feel good novella.  You will go through a mix of emotions quickly but Michelle does a great job of wrapping everything together and creating this perfect novella.

5LovesRLB

C signature

teaser-his-bite

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

Facebook

Facebook Group

Instagram

2 Comments »

Perfectly Paired by Lexi Blake…Blog Tour & Review

perfectly-paired-available-now

 

 

perfectlypaired_highresA table for two

Waitress Tiffany Hayes knows what she wants and she wants Sebastian. Top’s grumpy sommelier calls to her in a way no man has before. She simply needs to show him that they belong together. Finding an opportunity to spend some quality time with him turns out to be the easy part. Convincing Sebastian to look beyond his damaged heart and soul is far more difficult.

A thirst he can’t deny

After losing everything he held dear, Sebastian Lowe has finally rebuilt his life and the walls around his heart. Tiffany is a sweet temptation he struggles to resist. She’s bright and complex, but he’s sure she can’t handle his dark desires. When they’re thrown together on an assignment, he can’t help himself.

A perfect pairing

 

As passion builds, the new lovers are both forced to face their pasts. To have a future, they must find a way to heal the wounds they thought would haunt them forever.

* * * *

 

Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble

 

Damn but she was a beautiful woman. She was also something he needed to keep his hands off of. No matter what Big Tag said, he did not date women he worked with.
He didn’t really date anyone. He played with subs. When the need got too great, he found a partner for a brief time. He didn’t sleep with anyone. He fucked, and that was starting to get very old. Empty.
“So you said something about house rules?” Tiffany leaned forward, her elbows on the bar. “Are these housekeeping rules or like big bad Dom rules?”
“I don’t suppose I differentiate.” He couldn’t let those big eyes of hers soften him up. It had almost happened at her apartment. When she’d stood up after he’d spanked her and there had been tears running down her face, his impulse had been to reach for her. He’d wanted to draw her in the way he had that night when she was drunk and she’d cried on his shoulder. He’d wanted to smooth back her hair and promise her everything was going to be all right, that he could fix things for her. It was a path that was sure to lead to discomfort for her and humiliation for him. “I prefer a clean living space. I don’t like for things to be messy. I expect that you will keep your things in their proper place.”
Because no matter how hard he tried, he could still trip. The legs he now walked on were only a year old. He’d spent the first two years in a wheelchair.
The Garden’s Wheelchair Dom.
He still wasn’t completely comfortable in the prosthetics.
“I can try,” she said with a frown. “I’ll be honest, I’m not the world’s biggest neat freak.”
He’d been able to tell that from the state of her apartment. It had been cluttered, a bit dusty. With the exception of her easel. That had been perfectly taken care of. He rather wished he’d taken the time to ask to see her art.
He’d seen one painting that night he’d taken her home. It had been a painting of three laughing girls, the swirling colors so vibrant he could hear them giggling as they splashed in a puddle on a rainy day. The figures had been more impressions than photographic reality, but he’d known what she was trying to convey.
“If you cook I’ll clean, and the other way around.” He’d started a list in his head on the long drive. The drive that would have been considerably shorter had they left at the proper time. As she’d sung along to sugary pop songs after she’d changed his radio, he’d sat and considered how to proceed.
With caution. Lots and lots of caution.
“I’m not the best cook in the world,” he continued, “but I can manage. Most nights, of course, we’ll be eating at Top as our training sessions for the new restaurant will last long hours, but I would prefer to eat breakfast here rather than skipping the meal or picking up fast food. Eric made sure the fridge was stocked with a few items I requested.”
“Breakfast.” She gave him a little salute with her free hand. “I can manage that.”
“In addition to our duties at Top, we will now be taking on the additional task of appearing to be a long-term D/s couple, and we need to talk about what that should look like.” Another thing he’d been thinking about ever since that moment the trap had closed around him. “You know you probably could have gotten us out of this assignment. It’s much more difficult for the Dom to say no. The sub always holds the power. Is there a reason you didn’t use yours today?”
“I didn’t want to,” she replied simply. “I don’t have a full-time Dom and I thought it would be interesting to see what that’s like.”
Was she thinking at all? “You know nothing about how I function as a dominant partner.”
“And now I do,” she replied. “You like rules and schedules and you tend to be very fair.”
“I can be quite exacting in my standards.”
“I can be quite flexible,” she shot back as the sexiest smile crossed her face. “I’m serious about that. I can still do the splits and everything.”
“You’re far too reckless, Tiffany.” He didn’t appreciate recklessness so why was she like a siren calling to him? If he listened, he would end up wrecked.
“You’re far too uptight, Sebastian.”

 

my-review

I am just going to throw it out there now.  Lexi Blake is officially my go-to author for true BDSM stories.  And it’s not because of the kink but because of how she accurately portrays this lifestyle.  She’s just flat out amazing.

Perfectly Paired is part of the Topped series which is a spin-off from her Masters and Mercenaries series.  If you want to get the true and full awesomeness of this whole world, you have to start from the beginning, and I mean all the way back to the first Masters and Mercenaries.  BUT, if you want to get a glimpse as to why I love reading Lexi’s books, this is one you want to read.  You will instantly fall in love with all of these characters and will find yourself wanting to know more about all of them.

Back to the book.  This is Sebastian and Tiffany’s story.  I have been waiting for Sebastian’s story for what seems like forever. He is a tough nut to crack, this one.  He is very closed off and keeps everyone at arms length.  Most know that he went through a lot after losing both his legs in the army. But what they don’t know is that there is something deeper too.

Tiffany is a spunky, off the cuff nut job and I love her for that.  She is a wild card.  You never know what to expect of her, except her loyalty and true friendship.  And she’s determined to crack down Sebastian’s walls.

Perfectly Paired is a sweet yet slightly angsty read.  There are some troubling times between these two but Lexi does a great job of quickly overcoming things and setting things right.  And do not even get me started on the steamy, BDSM lifestyle added in.  Let’s just say that you will need a drink or cigarette or whatever your poison is afterwards. HOT!!!

 

 

5LovesRLB

C signature

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh 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 / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

2 Comments »

Over the Edge by Meredith Wild…Blog Tour & Review


Over The Edge by Meredith Wild

Genre: Contemporary Romance

********AVAILABLE NOW********

 

 

 

“An intriguing, sexy story about unexpected love and balancing others’ expectations against your heart”
NYT Bestselling Author Shayla Black
“The third book in Wild’s Bridge series is a fantastic read, certain to woo new readers and satiate her returning fans. Over the Edge checks off all the boxes: it’s emotional, intense and extremely sexy. Wild taps into an often thought of as taboo fantasy — one woman sharing two men — and makes it a possibility, allowing the reader to live vicariously through the main character. While this is part of the Bridge series, it’s also effective as a standalone novel.”
RT Book Reviews

Synopsis

Olivia Bridge has always been a good girl—good grades, good friends, and a good job that her wealthy parents handed her. Desperate to carve out a life that is truly hers, Liv walks away from it all and takes on the challenge of helping her brothers open a chain of fitness centers in New York City. Just as she’s beginning to find her footing in a new place, she’s caught between two men who couldn’t be more determined to turn all her goodness inside out.
Will Donovan has the capital to make the Bridge brothers’ entrepreneurial dreams a reality. Taking their uptight sister to bed seems a reasonable perk for the risk. Liv is the smartest, sexiest prude Will’s ever met, and he can’t wait to break her down.
Life is too short for Ian Savo to play by anyone’s rules. Sharing women with his friend isn’t anything new, so when Will introduces him to Liv, he can’t wait to get a taste. But falling for the same girl, or falling at all, was never in the plans…
my-review

Five SCORCHING HOT loves!

When I first met Olivia Bridge in On My Knees, I was so not a fan. From her entitled rich-bitch attitude to the way she treated Maya like dirt, there wasn’t anything that I liked about her.

I wanted to read Over the Edge because Meredith Wild is a favorite of mine, and I like to finish what I’ve started. I never thought that I would end up loving Olivia more than Maya and Vanessa combined!

Her story hits the ground running and never looks back. Ms. Wild added a little extra layer of intrigue that I haven’t seen in any of the other books of hers that I’ve read.

Raised to please her parents and marry for money and status, Olivia wants nothing more than to break free of the shallow values held by her mother and father. After dealing with an unfortunate relationship, she leaves home and stays in the city with her brothers, Darren and Cameron.

It’s here, where she is (literally) caught between Ian Savo, firefighter and brother Darren’s best friend, and Will Donovan, entrepreneur and investor in Bridge Fitness’ newest location.

She isn’t interested in a relationship, but she can’t deny a heady attraction toward each guy. When she accepted a proposition from Will, granting her full creative power in the new Bridge Fitness location in exchange for creative power over her body in the sheets, she didn’t realize that meant that Ian would also be part of the equation.

However, when she is in their presence, she allows herself to feel something that she wants to feel, rather than what she is told to feel, for the first time in her entire life…

… and she loves every scorching-hot, dominating, lust-filled second of it!

5LovesRLB
Emily signature
The Bridge Series follows Cameron, Darren, and Olivia Bridge, three siblings living in New York City. Desperate to break away from the crushing expectations of their wealthy and privileged and equally broken family, they carve out a new path together. But can they find real love along the way?
Each book follows a different sibling’s journey and can be read as a standalone.

Buy The Book

All buy links: http://www.meredithwild.com/book/over-the-edge/

About the Author


Meredith Wild is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of romance. Living on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband and three children, she refers to herself as a techie, whiskey-appreciator, and hopeless romantic. When she isn’t living in the fantasy world of her characters, she can usually be found at www.facebook.com/meredithwild.


Other Books in the series:
 

Into The Fire (The Bridge Series #2)
All buy links: http://www.meredithwild.com/book/into-the-fire/

 


On My Knees (The Bridge Series #1)
All buy links: http://www.meredithwild.com/book/on-my-knees/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Comment »

More Than Friends by Monica Murphy…Blog Tour & Review

 

sbpr-mtf-rt-1

 

More than Friends by Monica Murphy

Release Date: November 14th, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Romance

more-than-friends-for-web

Synopsis:

He’s not perfect, but he’s all I want…

I’m your average girl at your average high school, trying to figure out my place in life. After catching my now ex-boyfriend messing around with my now ex-best friend, I’ve made some big changes. No more band, no more backstabbing friends and no more boring old life. Now I have new friends, a new job and new interests.

But there’s a certain someone who’s interested in me, and I don’t get it. Jordan Tuttle could have anyone he wants. He’s the most popular boy in school. Rich, gorgeous, smart and the star quarterback, he’s perfect. Yet he acts like he wants no one else but…me.

So despite my fears and doubt, I let him get close. Probably too close. I discover that he’s not so perfect after all, but it doesn’t matter. I’m falling for him, even though he runs so hot and cold. I know someday he’s going to break my heart.

And I’m going to let him.

morethanfriends-teaser6

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2dFqLse

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2f4jdwJ
iBooks link: http://apple.co/2elBtCx
Nook: http://bit.ly/2e4sAPn
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fwwj9U
Amazon US (print): http://amzn.to/2e4tjAa

morethanfriends-teaser8

my-review

Monica Murphy – you are killing me here!!  KILLING ME!!!  But I freaking love you for it. Sort of.  LOL  Gah!

I am so damn stressed out right now after reading this.  Yes, this book does end in a cliffhanger and it’s a cliffhanger of epic proportions.  SO, if you don’t like cliffies, don’t read this til the next book comes out.

This book was amazing, even with the cliffhanger.  I am one who doesn’t get real upset when books end like this.  I do hate having to wait, but part of that excitement is the wait to see what happens next.

We met Amanda and Jordan (Tuttle) in Just Friends.  You don’t need to read that book to really understand their story.  BUT, I do recommend reading it to know all about the other characters in this book.

Amanda is a very strong young woman.  She’s already had her trust betrayed by two people she trusted implicitly.  And that’s only made her stronger in the end.  But she loves pleasing people and sometimes has a problem saying no and possibly letting friends down.  And people take advantage of her sweetness at times.

Jordan aka Tuttle, is the schools quarterback and has the reputation of being a ladies man.  He doesn’t do relationships and has never been with one girl more than one time.   He’s extremely smart so he’s not the typical jock stereotype.  But he keeps himself very closed to everyone.  He refuses to give people more than what’s on the surface. 

So when he starts approaching Amanda, her warning bells go off and she’s very smart in trusting in her instincts.  These two go back and forth a lot, with everything.  Tuttle is very persistent in his pursuit of Amanda.  But Amanda isn’t one to easily hand out her trust to anyone.  And when Tuttle isn’t willing to open to anyone, things become very conflicted for these two.

I loved how Monica has written this book.  There is so much going and so much more to these two characters.  I can see why Monica had to end this book the way she did.  And hell, do I need the next book like yesterday.  I need to know what happens next. 

Be prepared to fall into this high school world and never want to leave.

5LovesRLB

C signature

About the Author:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Connect with Monica:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2c9ViiI
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bRP5bR
Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

 

2 Comments »

Managed by Kristen Callihan…Review Tour

managed-banner

 

 

managed-amazonIt started off as a battle of wits. Me: the ordinary girl with a big mouth against Him: the sexy bastard with a big…ego.

I thought I’d hit the jackpot when I was upgraded to first class on my flight to London.

That is until HE sat down next to me. Gabriel Scott: handsome as sin, cold as ice. Nothing and no one gets to him. Ever. He’s a legend in his own right, the manager of the biggest rock band in the world, and an arrogant ass who looks down his nose at me.

I thought I’d give him hell for one, long flight. I didn’t expect to like him. I didn’t expect to want him. But the biggest surprise? He wants me too. Only in a way I didn’t see coming.

If I accept his proposal, I leave myself open to falling for the one man I can’t manage. But I’m tempted to say yes. Because the real man beneath those perfect suits and that cool façade just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I just might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.

 

Let the battle begin…

 

AMAZON | iBooks | B&N | KOBO | Paperback

 

 

managed-teaser-5

 

In all this time, I had yet to see Gabriel without a shirt. He hides his body like a pious Victorian, never letting me see anything other than him fully dressed and polished. Now I know why. Had he let me get a glimpse, I might never have been able to form a coherent thought around him.

This man’s chest is a work of art. It’s every fantasy I’ve had about a man’s body made real. I don’t even know how that’s possible, but I’m not about to complain. God, he looks touchable. Olive skin, tight little brownish nipples, a smattering of dark chest hair over the most incredibly honed—

“You’re staring.” His tone is dry.

“Yes, I am.” I drag my eyes up and find his expression bemused.

A thick brow lifts. I try to mimic the look and fail when both of my brows lift as one. His lips twitch in amusement.

He shifts his weight, causing his abs to clench. Good Lord. He’s not some overdeveloped gym worshiper, just solid and strong, that perfect balance between defined musculature and healthy male—

“You’re still staring, Sophie.”

“You think it’s easy looking away from all this splendor?” I ask his belly button, licking my lips when he huffs out a laugh and just a little bit more of his lower abs are revealed, slanting toward the thick bulge of his cock, which is lamentably hidden behind his slacks.

“You’re impossible,” he mutters, though there is humor in his voice. He strolls farther into the room and then practically kills me when he sits in one of the low-slung armchairs. That body, sprawled out on display, those thick, long thighs braced as if to take me in his lap—it’s too much.

I want to straddle him and lick my way from the hollow of his throat to the tip of his cock.

He eyes me as if he knows what I’m thinking, and the air thickens. So many things we left unsaid. I’m remembering his lips now, surprisingly soft, but strong with purpose.

From the way his lids lower, I wonder if he’s remembering things as well. But he doesn’t move. Tension glides over his body and snakes around the room. I feel it in my throat and down my spine. We’re closing up again, retreating.

Slowly, I toe off my shoes and set my gear down, never breaking eye contact. “I was being completely honest,” I tell him. “I see you like this and I want to stare forever.”

He snorts, shaking his head even as he rests his temple on his knuckles. “What do you mean ‘like this’?”

“Undone.”

He tenses. It does lovely things to that chest. I focus on his face, mainly to maintain some semblance of decorum.

“You think this is me undone?” he asks quietly.

“It’s a start.” I reach for my camera bag. “Will you let me photograph you?”

There is safety to be found with the camera between us. A way for both of us to hide until we’re comfortable around each other again.

“You’re serious?”

“You sound surprised.” Holding my camera, I sit in the sofa opposite him. “Don’t tell me no one has asked to take your picture before.”

“They’ve asked. I never saw the point.” He shrugs. “I’m not the story.”

You’re my story. You always were.

“This is just for me,” I say instead. “No one else.”

His shrewd gaze pins me. “Why do you want this?”

So I can have a bit of you forever. “Pictures capture moments in time. I want this one—when you finally let me see a sliver of the man behind the clothes.”

His nostrils flare on an indrawn breath, and he slowly lets it out. When he speaks, his voice is a rasp. “Take the pictures.”

 

 

managed-teaser-3

my-review

Scottie’s book!!!  OMG!!  I have been dying to read this book and it was well worth the wait.

Gabriel “Scottie” Scott is the manager for Kill John.  We know that is very business savvy and never shows emotion.  He is all business.  He keeps the guys on the straight and narrow and is their voice of reason.

Sophie is a very quick-witted and strong-minded.  She has no problem speaking her mind or being able to hold her own.  She’s traveling abroad for a possible new job when she meets intense Gabriel Scott.

I won’t give you any more details about their meeting.  Or what happens when they both realize that Sophie will be most likely working with Kill John during their tour.  It’s just too damn too witness firsthand. 

Sophie and Gabriel will keep you on edge.  Their banter and feisty dialogue do so much to add to the tension between.  It’s like stoking the fire at each and every turn.  It’s amazing how two people can be so alike yet so different.

But do not think it’s all good laughs and witty banter.  Gabriel hides some dark secrets and holds a lot back.  It explains alto about him.  And why no-one has ever been able to break through his shell.

Kristen has a unique way of writing some hilarious scenes mixed with heart-warming gushy stuff.  Oh and don’t get me started on the sexy scenes.  She will have you needing a smoke after reading those scenes.  HOT DAMN!

I am so excited to see which character we read about next!!

 

5LovesRLB

C signature

 

 

KCauthor

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal , best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

2 Comments »

Endurance by Georgia Cates….Release Day Blitz & Review

 

release-day-banner-_1

 

 

 

endurance-coverI’m a doctor. Mobster. Killer.

My hands are covered in filth. I don’t have the right to touch anything as clean and pure as Ellison MacAllister.

 

I distance myself … always remaining obscure, composed, restrained.

Careful to never allow my eyes to linger too long.

Careful to hide my interest.

Careful to keep my burning desire buried beneath the surface.

 

I do it for her—suffer in silence—because it’s what is best for the woman I love.

And she has no idea.

 

She’ll be initiated as a Fellowship member soon. One of my mafia brothers will go through endurance so he’ll earn the right to claim her.

Make her his wife.

Kill. Me. Slowly.

 

I’m running out of time. Only a month remains before she’s beyond my reach forever.

I want to taste her. Share sleepless nights. Ride out her storm.

I want to give her the kind of nights she will still feel between her legs the next morning.

I want us to share the kind of passion that forms on our skin and drips down to saturate the sheets.

Between the sweat and the moans and the messy hair, I want her to know how hard she’s been loved.

 

To have her is to taint her.

I should stay away. But I won’t. I can’t.

I’m a selfish bastard.

A selfish bastard in love.

 

AMAZON

 

 

 

release-day-banner-_4

 

 

Prologue: Ellison’s POV

I left everything behind. Every. Thing. My possessions. My career. My friends. My past. My present.

My future.

I’ve traded my nursing clogs for rain boots. Shorts and tank tops for jackets and scarves. Sunscreen for an umbrella.

I’ve been calling bonny Scotland home for the last nine months. I spent the first five weeks living in a bubble within my sister’s domain where the criminal world known as The Fellowship didn’t exist. I believed Bleu and Sin were a normal husband and wife expecting not one, but two babies, to go along with the precious baby girl they’d adopted. They were a beautiful family. A living and breathing fairy tale in my mind. He was her rich and handsome Scottish knight in a shining black luxury sedan. She was his beautiful, badass princess who carried a Beretta . . . but still needed saving.

I envied the fuck out of them.

And then the bubble burst.

That was almost eight months ago. Everything changed. I know about the brotherhood’s world of organized crime. Or at least as much as any outsider can know without being clipped. Burned. Marbh. I don’t know what that word means but I’ve heard Sin use it with an angry tone more than once when talking to a brother. I haven’t asked but I’m pretty sure it means somebody fucked up big time and they’re about to get whacked.

Fellowship 101. Lying. Cheating. Stealing. Killing. That’s just the shortlist. I got the CliffsNotes version but it didn’t change my mind about staying in Edinburgh. Nothing will ever separate me from my sister or those precious babies.

Sin’s finally resigned to my choice to become part of the brotherhood. He agreed to let me attend an official Fellowship function tonight for the first time. The babies’ consecration—their official dedication to the brotherhood where Bleu and Sin vow to raise the children in the way of The Fellowship.

Oddly, I didn’t feel surrounded by liars, cheaters, thieves, and murderers when I was at the consecration ceremony earlier tonight. I felt the deep love The Fellowship has for Sin, Bleu, and their three babies. Their affection radiated like a fire emitting both light and warmth. It was a beautiful thing, yet one lone, uncontained spark has the power to burn down everything within its path.

My sister calls those dangerous people family.

And I will as well. Soon.

The normal procedure for someone who isn’t born into The Fellowship, but wishes to become a member, is to participate in endurance. The man wishing to join must prove he is strong enough to endure a beating that will send him so close to the gates of hell, he’ll return with singed eyebrows.

Barbaric.

The case is different for a woman. No female has ever undergone endurance. Not even my tough-as-a-muthafucking-former-FBI-agent sister. Sin voluntarily stood in her place so she wouldn’t be hurt. He was beaten to a bloody pulp so his people would accept the woman he loved as one of their own. She was the first of her kind to be adopted into the brotherhood by this method. And that’s what a man, a Fellowship brother, will have to do for me.

Bleu says it’s an act of love in its purest form. Sounds more like an act of stupidity. But apparently, a necessary idiocy if I’m to stay.

It isn’t right that some innocent man—the word innocent being used loosely—should endure that kind of suffering so I can be with my own family. But I don’t think these people really get the gist of what’s right anyway. They aren’t exactly sitting around polishing their halos.

I agree with one thing Bleu says: No man will volunteer to go through something so barbaric unless he loves me madly. Men are horny bastards, but I don’t know a one who would sign on for endurance just to get between my legs. That means he will truly love me. And no one in The Fellowship will ever question it.

I haven’t been allowed to mingle with the brothers with the exception of Jamie, Leith, and Mitch. Sin says I need to be properly introduced before that can happen. He wants the brothers to know and understand exactly who I am and how he expects them to behave toward me. He acts like the big brother I never had. I like it; it’s sweet. But I almost feel inclined to tell him it’s unnecessary. I know how to manage men even when they have no clue how to handle me. Just call me the man whisperer.

Thane and Isobel plan to throw some kind of bash at their house to introduce me to the brotherhood. Sounds very much like a matchmaking party to hook me up with a bro. But it can’t happen until this takeover thing with their enemy, The Order, is finished. That means I’m a good two months from being introduced into the fold and matched with the man who will take responsibility for me. My future husband.

All of this worry and uncertainty would be unnecessary if the beautiful man driving me home from the consecration would open his eyes and see what’s right in front of him: me, standing before him with my heart in my hands. Silent but wanting so, so, so badly to give him everything I have to offer.

Jamie Breckenridge. The blind bastard just won’t see me. But how can he when he rarely even looks my way? I’m as unnoticed as the air around him. I exist. I’m right next to him. And I’m invisible.

I’m standing on the corner of Screw This and Keep Pursuing and it’s time to choose which route I’ll take. I’m leaning toward giving up but it’s killing me. I’m Ellison MacAllister. A white flag isn’t part of my repertoire. Normally.

 

release-day-banner-_3

my-review

 

WOW!  Talk about intense.  I need a strong drink after reading this book.  Georgia definitely makes you endure a lot in this story.

First off – let me tell you that really don’t need to read the first 3 books in this series.  However, as someone who hasn’t (and now truly regrets that), I strongly urge anyone to read them first.  It doesn’t take away from this book in particular.  But it does take away from the overall understanding of who the Fellowship is, who The Order is and everything that revolves around that.  I get a pretty good broad overview, but can say with 100% certainty, reading the books in order will make this whole world so much better.

Ok.  So on with this book.  WOW.  I am still breathing heavy from the intensity of this book.  And yes, I had to write the review immediately because I just need to get all this emotion out.  Ellison and Jamie put me through the ringer.  Sheesh.

“Into me, you see.”

Ellison is not part of the Fellowship but has chosen to become a part of it since she learned about it.  She’s been in Scotland for 9 months since deciding to stay there and be with her sister, whom is married to Sin.

Jamie is the physician for the Fellowship and also holds a seat.  However, because of his choce in profession, he doesn’t feel that he is suited for Ellison since she is  the sister-in-law to the leader of the Fellowship.  He won’t be able to protect like she deserves.

Let me tell you, I wanted to slap Jamie so hard quite a few times.  Wanting to be her safety above both their happiness is just ludicrous.  Sweet but damn.  And keeping his feelings hidden, again for her, just drove me nuts.  GAH!!

Before I give everything away because that’s what I will end up doing, I will say this.  Jamie and Ellison are put through a lot.  ALOT!!  And none of it’s pretty.  And it made me heart go all over the place.  But it was damn worth it.

I am very anxious for Westlyn’s book next.  But I will be going back and reading the first three so that I am full prepared to understand everything!!!

Another heart-pounding book from Georgia.  She just may be the death of me one day with her books.

 

5LovesRLB

 

C signature

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

gaauthorGeorgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

Representation: All questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of my books, inquiries regarding foreign translation and film rights should be directed to Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich.

FACEBOOK | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

1 Comment »