Risking It All by Tessa Bailey…ARC Review & Special Event Announcement

 

Risking It All releases Tuesday 1/27

Risking it all cover

 

Synopsis:

NYPD detective Seraphina Newsom will avenge her brother’s death at any cost. Even if it means insinuating herself into a rough, Brooklyn street gang and going so far undercover, she’s not sure she’ll be able to get out. Every minute she spends in their midst means the clock ticking down on her life, especially when she overhears something that could get her killed.

Bowen Driscol is the heir to a crime enterprise. He never asked for the job, but with his father behind bars, he has no choice but to step in and keep the operation running. But when the NYPD blackmails him with a piece of damning information in exchange for aiding an undercover cop, he finds himself on the other side of the law for the first time in his life.

Bowen knows the danger Sera is in, and keeping her safe trumps saving his own ass. The problem? She can’t know he’s on her side. And there’s the matter of the seriously inconvenient heat sparking between them that’s incinerating his resistance. But Sera only sees Bowen’s past, and men like him are the reason her brother is dead. If they’re to get out alive, he’ll have to risk exposing the man beneath, and hope to hell he doesn’t blow the whole operation in the process.

 

My review:

Risking It All is the first book in author Tessa Bailey’s Crossing the Line Series, a series that I have already fallen in love with when the prequel novella released a few months ago. I thought I had an idea of just how much I would love Bowen and his story…I was wrong. This book crushed all of my expectations and I loved it more than I ever could have imagined. It was freaking amazing.

Being an NYPD detective, Seraphina Newsom was used to being in some tough situations. But this current situation is proving to be the most dangerous and toughest yet. She’s deep undercover and quite possibly in over her head. That won’t stop her though. She’s as determined as ever to make the people responsible for her brother’s murder pay, and she will do it, no matter what the cost. She had planned on the danger. She had planned on the risk. What she hadn’t planned on was Bowen. And she sure as hell didn’t plan on all of the feelings his presence was bringing about in her. He was everything she shouldn’t want. He was on Team Bad while she personified Team Good. Of course none of that matters when she’s with him. She sees the man he is, underneath all of his gruff exterior layers, underneath his position in the crime world. She sees so much more…she sees that real man he is and, lord help her, she is falling hard and fast. Would a relationship between them with so many obstacles ever stand a chance?

The last thing Bowen Driscol ever thought he would be doing is helping the police. A guy like him only dealt with the police for one reason, and it surely wasn’t to play nice in the sandbox. But here he was, helping the NYPD on the down low. As if it wasn’t bad enough, he was stuck with a woman who rocked him to his core and threw him totally off-balance. A woman he shouldn’t even think about, let alone have the desire to be with her. She was everything pure and good, and we was everything opposite. Dirty and bad. He just prays that when this is all over, and his debt to the NYPD has been paid, he has the strength to walk away from Seraphina….because as it stands now, there was no way he wanted to ever let her go.

The odds are many and great against Seraphina and Bowen. They are opposites in every which way possible…but none of that matters. Not when the attraction and emotion shared between them has the ability to knock those odds right out of the picture. But in the trenches of the criminal underworld, none of that attraction and emotion will matter if one of them ends up dead…

I’m pretty sure I say this with every review I write about Tessa’s books, but holy hell, this gal just keeps getting better and better. I was so excited to get my hands on this book and start this new reading adventure and I was completely drawn into Bowen and Seraphim’s world from the very first chapter. There are so many things to love about this book.

I read a lot, so it’s easy for story lines and characters to get lost in the shuffle. That is NOT the case here. I truly felt like I was in this story. In my mind’s eye I could picture the places Bowen and Sera were in. I could picture what the characters looked like and the clothing they wore. I could feel the fluttering of emotions ranging from fear and tension to heat and passion. Truly, that is a gift. A gift that Tessa has given us with this story. Bowen reminds me of a Brooklyn version of James Dean. Smoking cigarettes, wearing that leather jacket with his rough-hewn good looks. But there’s a softer side to him that in a million years I never would have expected. It’s a side I don’t want to spoil by writing it here, because it’s a side you need to read for yourself. When Tessa reveals this beautiful hidden facet to his personality, I literally gasped and teared up. I never suspected it and it was just so damn good. Sera is a heroine I loved reading and an amazing compliment to Bowen. She is strong and determined. She’s smart and patient and kind. I loved her for loving Bowen the way she did. Together they are pure magic. The differences between them make for a combustible amount of fire and passion and it was delicious to read.

On top of all of that, we are introduced to the basis of this series…creative, somewhat rehabilitated, criminals working on the side of good. Freaking GENIUS. I have a feeling the other players in this game will be just as amazing to read as Bowen and Sera were. I know I sound like a broken record, but Tessa just keeps getting better!

If you are able to take away one thing from this long-winded review, it’s that you really need to grab a copy of this book. You will NOT be disappointed! Thank you, Tessa, for bringing us Bowen and Sera and for this amazing intro to a series I know I will adore!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Special Event:

Be sure to stop by the blog on Thursday, 1/29/15, for a very special event….

The Risking It All Location Photo Shoot!

Tessa traveled around to some of the locations mentioned in the book and took some amazing photos and wrote a bit about each one. How awesome is that?! 

So be sure to stop by! 

Book links:

Amazon  |  B&N  |  iBooks

 

About the author:

highres-MJB_5140.jpgTessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband of seven years and three-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook 

Blurred Lines by Jen McLaughlin…Book Trailer Reveal

BlurredLines

Blurred Lines by Jen McLaughlin will be releasing January 26th, but first we have some exclusive content to share. FINNClub team members have been sharing special details from the book this week in order to share their excitement for the new novel. Be sure to check out the contest below for a chance to win the series.

Today we have the incredible book trailer from Blurred Lines.

 

OOLSeriesBanner

BOOK TRAILER

 

 

BOOK BLURB:

Once burned…

Finding my fiancée naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

Twice shy…

I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again. That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition.

 

BL_TeaserPACK2

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

JenM

 

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website: www.jenmclaughlin.com
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

 

Blogger Button

Cover Reveal…Black Dawn by Cristin Harber

We’re so excited to reveal the full cover of BLACK DAWN by Cristin Harber! We cannot wait to get our hands on Parker’s story! Check out the cover below, as well as an excerpt from BLACK DAWN!

CristinHarber_BlackDawn_1400px

Excerpt from BLACK DAWN

Jared walked in, giving Parker the eye that said he’d have to explain the lady reading a book in the war room. So this conversation was going to get so much worse.

“What’s up?” Boss man grumbled.

Winters gave him a look long enough to answer, but he didn’t, so he turned to Jared. “Parker’s got problems.”

“I don’t have problems.”

“Then he has a chick with a problem.”

“Lady in my war room?” Jared’s eyes sliced to him. “Fix it.”

“Yeah. Working on it.”

Winters chuckled.

Jared pushed, eyeing the dynamic between him and Winters. “Fixed soon? Fixed, when?”

Parker rubbed his temples. “Think I need some time off.”

Jared’s brows bit together. “You need time off for a problem that you haven’t explained with a chick I know nothing about who is sitting my war room?”

“Yeah. Basically.” Though when it was laid out like that, it had a problematic vibe.

“No.” Jared’s boots turned and he pounded out of the room, growling as he went.

The headache punching at Parker’s temples worsened. “Alright, wait.”

Jared pivoted, hands on hips, and glared. “You have twenty seconds to try again.”

“The Union Station shooting, looks like… a buddy was the target but she lucked out and is now on the run.”

“And that buddy is a woman,” Winters added. “The woman.”

Jared frowned. “And she was at the safe house I just had to send a clean-up team to?”

“Yup.”

“She’s your girl?” Jared looked a couple notches past his normal pissed off.

“No. Not my woman.”

“Then what is this about?”

Parker pulled a breath through his teeth. Explaining the intricacies of something Jared didn’t care for wouldn’t help his case. “First, it’s a hacker thing. Looks like she was targeted and she’s on the run.”

The line between Boss Man’s brows deepened. “A hacker thing?”

“More or less.”

“And your woman’s involved.”

“I don’t have a woman.”

“But still, she’s the one in my war room that you had at a compromised safe house?”

Frustration wasn’t making this explanation any easier. “Yeah—”

Winters, staring over Parker’s shoulder, whistled low and long. “Tell me that’s not her.”

Parker followed his gaze but already knew what was there. The perfect beauty he’d pulled from security footage. Lexi Dare. The woman was all woman.

“That’s her.” He nodded, suddenly not interested in having either married man looking at her.

“Thought you were smart.” Jared shook his head. “Fuck me, I was wrong.”

“What?”

“Man, you do not think you need some time off. Something looking like that running free with some attack dog after her, you say call up the fuckin’ troops, we’ve got work to do.”

Parker blinked. “This is off the books.”

“Everything’s off the books.”

“This doesn’t pay.”

“The best jobs don’t.”

Parker leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “I’m not sure what I’m getting into. Titan doesn’t need that.”

“Shit. If there is one person that knows what shit Titan gets into, it’s you.” Jared shook his head. “Get Rocco, debrief with him. Winters sit in, keep your boy on point. You have whatever resources you need.”

Parker stood. “Seriously, Boss Man—”

“What?” Jared growled.

“This is personal.”

“Somehow, however long you’ve worked here, you missed this memo. If you have personal, we deal with personal. And, brother, you never have got personal. So when shit pops up like it’s done now—and there’s a lady here to prove it—we go in and fix it.”

“This isn’t like that.”

“Then whatever it’s like, it’s the only outside-of-Titan personal connection you have. Whatever the woman is to you, you make her fuckin’ day. That means you save her life, you kill some rogue shooter, you do a hacker thing, you get the job done. Read me?”

His stomach dropped. “Loud and clear.”

Add BLACK DAWN to your Goodreads list here! You can also preorder on iBooks here!

 

 

ABOUT CRISTIN HARBER

Cristin Harber is a USA Today bestselling romantic suspense and military romance author. Fans voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was #1 romantic suspense, #1 military romance, and a USA Today Top 100 bestseller.

She lives outside Washington, DC with her family and English Bulldog.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Team Titan Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Her Soldier by H.J. Bellus…Cover and First Chapter Reveal

Release Date:  March 10th
  Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Photography By: Perrywinkle Photography
Models:  Teale Shawn Murdock & Aaron Lesue’
Cover Design: RedbirdDesigns
Sergeant Jeremiah Abbner died in the line of duty serving his
country. Or at least that’s what the newspapers said…
The US Government handed him a new identity, and
strict orders not to make contact with anyone from his past. As far as society
was concerned Sergeant Jeremiah Abbner was dead, and buried six feet under.
Not having contact with his ex-wife would be
easy. She was a manipulator and a cheater.
Not seeing his daughter on the other hand would
devastate him…
Beau Morgan, aka Jeremiah, settles down in a
town far away from everything he’s ever known. Coping with the trauma he’s
experienced and discovering a new life Beau finds himself the most aggressive
he’s ever been. His blood simmers with rage while his fists are thirsty to let
it all out .
In the middle of his own living hell he never
expected to run into an old familiar face. And to top it off, one who
recognized him as Jeremiah.
He’s vowed never to love again, but as
circumstances land him in the arms of a woman, Jenni Lee, this time he may not
have a choice, as she rarely takes no for an answer.
Can Beau Morgan control his temper long enough
to settle into his new life? Or will resentment taint him forever?
 

 

 

Chapter 1
Streetlights
whiz past my peripheral vision as I roar down Main Street to the restaurant. The
familiar rage inside me begins to boil. Just the mention of that name can do
dangerous things to me internally. I never want to hear it again. Everything
was taken away from me with that name.
I
try to focus on Michelle’s face instead of the rage. She looked so different,
yet it was the same girl. I could tell from her tattoo. What a mysterious mind
fuck that girl is. I searched everywhere for her after the night she abandoned
me at the tattoo parlor. Her wrist. Holy fuck. It hits me if that’s Michelle, I
knew then she’d have a lump on her wrist, because I can guarantee she never
visited a hospital.
The
night we spent together was something magical. There aren’t many things in my
life I’d classify as magical—my gran’s baking, the birth of my child, and that
night with her. She had a serious effect on me, but ran. She literally ran off
into the night. I deployed two months later. End of story.
My
thoughts occupied me while loading the food and heading back to the reception.
As I step out of the delivery truck, a sound catches my ear. It’s not one many
would pick up on, but I do easily. Someone is being beaten. The darkness of the
night with the faraway lights makes it easier for me to detect the sound of
bones being beaten. I spent many nights this way.
The
ground is uneven, with little paths leading in every direction. Being
unfamiliar with the lay of the land is making it beyond difficult to maneuver
my way to the punches. A desperate plea sounds, making me damn near desperate
to find where it’s coming from. Instinctively, I reach for my gun, but only
find keys in my pocket. Army life is still so second nature that even after
years I find myself reverting to old habits.
“You
fucking cunt.” The voice becomes clearer, and the surroundings light up a bit.
Finally rounding a corner, I spot a petite blonde cowered down on the ground
with a brooding man standing above her. It’s clear by the sheer size of the man
he would be able to snap her neck in a second. The pale pink color of the
wedding party catches my eye, and instantly I wonder if it’s Michelle. There’s
way too much blonde hair. It’s not her.
The
blonde lifts her face up from the ground, and this is when I lose it. Blood is
flowing down her face, making her features difficult to recognize. Her hair is
pulled out of its fancy up-do. The man jerks her up by the hair to a standing
position.
Everything
inside me boils. Clearly, the situation is exactly what I think it is.
“You’re
going home with me right now, Jenni. I’ll fucking drag you if I have to.” The
man pulls the helpless woman closer to him, tearing her pink dress with the
action. “You’ll never hang around the Wilks boys again.”
Stepping
into the slice of light covering the duo, I ask, “Is there a problem here?”
I
feel the rage inside me boil further, if that’s even possible, when her brown
eyes reflect back at me. She’s beyond desperate and scared. I’ve seen this look
on civilians before, and every time it turns on a switch within me. I’m not
playing the hero card. It’s more like knowing the difference between right and
wrong and acting on it. It takes someone to make a stand.
The
blonde is pulled even tighter into the man, and the sound of her dress being completely
ripped from the top of her body fills the air.
“We’re
fucking fine, man. Leave.”
I
move in closer to the situation, watching her reaction as I do. Once I make eye
contact with her, I don’t break it. “I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to the
young lady.” My gaze bores holes into her desperate eyes. “Are you okay?”
She
begins to speak, but the man rips on her hair again. This time is enough. I
don’t wait for an answer or another moan of pain from the woman. Before I know
what is happening, I step up and hammer the man in the face. Taken by surprise,
he lets go of the girl. I grab for her and push her behind me to safety. However,
my need to punish this man isn’t nearly satisfied. He’ll pay for every single
ounce of pain he’s inflicted on her.
My
fists fly into action, nailing him with each blow. Now the sound of crunching
bones is caused by me and well deserved. I leave him with one final kick to the
ribs. I’m fairly certain he’s unconscious, as his moans and begging have now
stopped. I wipe my bloody knuckles on the back of my pants before turning to
face the woman.
She’s
cowered back down on the ground with her face buried. Her blonde mane is
splayed out over knees and is dappled with spots of blood. I’m pretty sure
she’s past the point of being cleaned up to go back to the wedding.
“Are
you okay?” I mentally berate myself for asking such a dumbass question. Of
course she’s not okay. My hands fumble a bit before they finally grab for her
and rest on the top of her knee. I push away her loose hair before I find her
exposed kneecap, which is scraped up too. “What can I do?”
  She doesn’t respond with words. Instead her
body shudders as her tears flow. She’s beyond talking and clearly not okay.
“I’m
going to get you out of here.” I pat her knee, finding a piece of her flesh
that’s not damaged. I run my hand up and down this spot trying to comfort her.
“I’m going to pack you to my truck and take you where you need to go. Would you
like me to let anyone know you’re leaving?”
I
watch as her long hair sways back and forth, signaling no.
“No
to me helping you, or to letting someone know?”
She
slowly drags her head up to look at me, with her hair matted to both sides of
her face. Her left eye is swollen shut, while most of the blood has started to
dry up.
“Don’t
tell anyone, please. I need to leave,” escapes her cut lips.
Without
any further questioning, I stand and go back to the man who caused all of this
and give him a little more of what I think of him. This time the sound of his
bone crushing under my fist feels even better than last time.
I
don’t take long because I don’t want to leave her in too much pain and in front
of her assailant. Slowly and with more ease than I’ve used in years, I pick her
up in my arms. The top half of her dress falls away from her body, while the
skirt portion barely hangs onto her. She’s tense in my arms, not one bit
relaxed or comforted.
I’ll
never understand the urge to lay a hand on a woman. I’ve been pissed before at
the opposite sex, but using my fists to solve the problem has never even
crossed my mind.
With
each step I take toward the parking lot, I feel her become more panicked. Her
tiny hands grab at my biceps, clenching tight.
“It’s
okay. I’m just going to take you to my truck, and then to wherever you need to
go.” She finally makes eye contact with me, and I think she might believe I’m
not the enemy, but I want to reassure her. “I won’t hurt you. I can even call
the cops right now and get you help.”
Music
fills the dark night air as we close in on the parking lot. When she hears the
music, she begins to sob in my arms.
“Do
you want me to go get one of your friends?”
“No.”
Her
sobs continue as she clings harder to my arm, but the rest of her body begins
to relax a bit. I desperately want to keep talking to her, or even hold her
longer to show her I’m not the enemy and will never hurt her. I’m not sure how
to act in this situation. We are two strangers in a very difficult situation.
“Okay,
this is my truck. Are you sure you don’t want me to go get someone?”
This
time she struggles from my arms and tries to stand on her own. Of course her
fragile little body can’t handle it. I steady her and keep her from collapsing
to the ground. Her bare chest is exposed to the world, with a dainty, baby blue
bra covering her. I pull off my white button up staff shirt and cover her up
with it.
“Please
don’t tell anyone. Please? They’ll just think I’m an idiot.” She fiddles with
the hem of my shirt as she sits in the front seat staring at her feet. “And
they aren’t that far off.”
“Don’t.”
I grab her hand, stopping her from fiddling and berating herself. “Don’t you
dare think that way.”
“Beau.”
I turn to see one of my co-workers in a frantic state. “Where is the truck with
the food? We are almost out of everything. Boss man, Juan, is going nuts.”
Standing
in front of a co-worker in a white wife beater is somewhat awkward, though no
more than having a beaten woman behind me, but the last thing I want to do is
expose her to anyone. Before I have the chance to speak, a very red faced and
pissed off Juan joins the small crowd.
“Beau,
where in the fuck is the food?” He
pauses, with an odd expression covering his face. “Where’s the company truck?”
I
nod in the direction where I parked the company truck, loaded and ready to go with
food for the reception. His beady black eyes follow my nod and then turn back
to me.
“And
what do you think you’re doing?” Juan throws his hands behind his head in a
fit. “Get back to work now, Beau, and get your fucking shirt on.”
The
woman behind me lets out a light groan as she tries to get out of the truck. Her
shoes are missing, dress ripped, and she’s obviously in an insane amount of
pain.
“Fuck
you, I quit.”
The
words come out effortlessly. The way I see it, there was no other choice. I
round the front of the truck, moving as fast as I can to get next to her. She
needs help.
“I’m
going to take you to the hospital.”
She
faces me with a desperate plea before any words leave her mouth. I know what
her next words will be, but the thing is, I’ve already let one woman in need of
medical attention escape me. I’m not repeating the same mistake. She will go to
the hospital.  

 

 
 
I am an independent author excited about releasing my first novel
very soon. A big dream coming true!!! I’m all country…the kinda country where
green grass grows and corn pops up in rows….love Miranda and her bad ass
music!!! Just a simple country girl getting one story out of her head at a
time…I always fall hard for a trucker style hat…especially if it’s a John
Deere hat….loves me a good ol’ farm boy!!!!!!

Follow HJ Bellus

 

Hosted by

 
 

Wicked Wolf by Carrie Ann Ryan Ebook Giveaway

Happy Thursday!

I have THREE kindle copies of Carrie Ann Ryan’s WICKED WOLF to give away! (if you don’t have a kindle, not to worry! You can download free Kindle reading apps HERE – This is actually how I read my kindle books, through the app)
Enter to win in the rafflceopter below…the contest runs through midnight Monday and winners will be announced Tuesday, January 27.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wicked Wolf 3D giveaway

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Carrie Ann for the 1,001 Dark Nights Monthly Newsletter.

Here is a snippet:

The chemistry between Gina and Quinn in Wicked Wolf is fantastic and I loved their story! What made you choose them for your 1,001 Dark Nights novella?

Thank you so much for saying that! Gina and Quinn surprised me how much they burned up the pages as I wrote them. As for how I chose them, you actually have Liz Berry to thank for that. The two of us were talking about the future of the Redwood Pack and where 1,001 would take the series. You see, the first arc of the series ended with Fighting Fate, however the series isn’t over yet.

I knew that the book right after Wicked Wolf would be 30 years in the future and start my Talon Pack series spin off, but I didn’t want to jump too far ahead. Instead, I jumped 15 years and low and behold, I knew who I wanted to write about. Gina was adopted into the Jamenson family during the course of the series and was the perfect age to find her mate. Since she was a Redwood Pack wolf I knew I wanted to write about her finding love with a Talon to bridge my two series. It was fun!

You have a few different series and have worlds set in both paranormal and contemporary romance. Do you find going between the two challenging?

Yes and no. My Montgomery Ink series is my only contemporary series so far and luckily I have been able to turn off the vast world building and focus on the world building that comes with finding out how a character fits into a world we already live in. With my 4 -5 paranormal series (Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, Dante’s Circle, Holiday Montana and Branded Packs series), I get to jump outside the box and fit in the parameters I set for myself. It’s all about balancing that with my characters. Each way I feel like I write sexy stories with characters you could be friends with.

Who have been some of your favorite characters to write?

Oh my! That’s such a tough question. I think Dante from Tangled Innocence (A Dante’s Circle Novel) since he’s a dragon, Maddox from Shattered Emotions (A Redwood Pack Novel) because he was so emotionally broken that I got to see how he put himself together again, and Gina from Wicked Wolf is up there because she’s a kick-ass heroine! She doesn’t take crap from anyone but will totally sacrifice everything in her own life to help others.

You are another author who is fantastic on social media. Do you find it challenging to keep in touch with fans and get all of your writing done?

Well thank you! I try. And as for social media, it’s all about balance. I set goals for myself writing and admin wise and then I try to talk to readers daily. I also know how to turn off the Internet and focus since everything is so shiny there! But I do love talking to readers about not only my books but about books I read as well. It makes all of this so much more worth it.

 

You can read the entire interview HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

About 1,001 Dark Nights:

1001 Dark Nights is a collection of novellas that are breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic. Some are paranormal, some are erotic. Each and every one is compelling and page turning. Inspired by the exotic tales of The Arabian Nights, 1001 Dark Nights features 12 New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. In the original, Scheherazade desperately attempts to entertain her husband, the King of Persia, with nightly stories so that he will postpone her execution. In our versions, month after month, each of our fabulous authors puts a unique spin on the premise and creates a tale that a new Scheherazade tells long into the dark, dark night.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.

Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Pinterest

 

Shoalman Immortal by Toni Decker….Blog Tour Stop & Guest Post

600x958_eBook_Shoalman_Immortal

About SHOALMAN IMMORTAL:

Falling in love was never supposed to be part of the picture.
Kyrissa Spears was born with a powerful, and deadly, gift. When she paints, she captures emotions so strong they cankill.Desperate to find a teacher capable ofhelping her unlock and controlher abilities, Kyrissa’ssearch leads her toan artist who may be able to help her.And he’s the one person she can’t accidentally kill.

After five centuries of pain and loneliness, Robert Shoalman craves release from his immortality. He’s all but given up hope until he meets the beautiful and intriguing Kyrissa.She could paint his death and break the curse, but at the cost of destroying her gift and being lost to him forever—none of which will matter if the demon hunting him finds them first.

 

Guest post:

People often ask us what it’s like to co-write a book. *chuckles* We call it “choose your own adventure”. You see, although we share a brain where our characters are involved, we have very different writing styles. But they complement each other.

Toni is one of those cheery morning people (once she gets her coffee verses blood levels regulated **hey, I resemble that**). Beginnings are her strength, thus she does her best writing in the morning. Kira likes strong endings and usually writes late at night (and yes, Kira wrote her part at midnight). Toni posts her morning chapter, which Kira finds later that night. Kira then gets to “choose” where the characters go on their next “adventure” in the story, saving it for Toni to discover and add to the next day. Read. Write. Repeat.

We each take a main character, the one that resonates with us the most, and tell our stories from alternating points of view. What makes co-writing so fun is trying to guess how (or in Kira’s case provoke) the other person into reacting in the follow-up scene and vise-a-versa. Kinda like real life. And no, Toni’s don’t always do what’s expected. Neither do Kira’s *grin*

We try to work from a story outline—Toni’s Plotter personality loves color-coded spreadsheets—but it’s loose enough to allow Kira’s Pantser personality free reign, to a point. (Okay, I admit it—the outline helps me too. Shhh, don’t tell Toni. **I heard that**) The outline usually keeps us on track. Although it’s amusing when one or both of us steal a story point for their chapter and mess up the timeline.

We collaborate online and store files where we can both access them when we move into the editing phase. We also chat and text each other constantly. Kira wakes to 5 am texts of “Oh, what if we…” and Toni gets late night chat messages of “I figured out how to fix…” There are compromises on both sides. In the end, we always manage to figure out what’s best for the story. We push each other to make our reads enjoyable (and sexy), stay true to the characters, and put out the best book we can.

They say writing is a lonely journey. When you co-write, you get to have a friend along for the adventure and you never quite know what’s going to happen next. That’s the best part!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pre-Order available now. (On sale now until end of blog hop – Jan 23rd – for $0.99)

SHOALMAN IMMORTAL, Book 2 – Amazon only (for now)

IMAGES ETERNAL, Book 1
Amazon  |  Nook  |  Kobo

About Toni Decker:

ToniDecker1Who is Toni Decker?

Two authors telling one sizzling story after another about twenty-somethings getting along in their own crazy, fantastical worlds. Both women are wives and mothers, sharing brain cells and characters as if they only exist with the other.

Toni, one half of the Toni Decker brain, is an avid reader of all things Young and New Adult while Kira, the Decker half of Toni Decker brain, devours fantasy for midnight snacks.

Together, their stories are one part New Adult, one part Fantasy and three parts of Holy Hotness.
We leave it up to the readers to decide who writes which character.

You can follow our journey on:

Twitter: @ToniDeckerBooks and @KiraDecker & @ToniPicker
FaceBook: Toni Decker Books, Kira Decker, Toni Picker
Tumblr: tonideckerbooks
Goodreads: Toni Decker
Wordpress: Toni Decker Books

Hero By Night by Sara Jane Stone…Release Day Event

Hero By Night

Book Three: Independence Falls

January 20, 2015

Synopsis

He was nobody’s hero until he landed in the wrong bed …

Armed with a golden retriever and a concealed weapons permit, Lena Clark is fighting for normal. She served her country, but the experience left her emotionally numb and estranged from her career-military family. Staying in Independence Falls seems like the first step to reclaiming her life until the town playboy stumbles into her bed …

Chad Summers is living his dream—helicopter logging by day and slipping between the sheets with Mrs. Right Now by night. Until his wild nights threaten his day job, leaving Chad with a choice: prove he can settle down or kiss his dream goodbye. But when he ends up in the wrong bed, the one woman in Independence Falls he can’t touch offers a tempting proposition. Chad is ready and willing to give in to the primal desire to make Lena his at night—on one condition. By day, they pretend their relationship is real.

But their connection extends beyond the bedroom, threatening to turn their sham into reality if Chad can prove he’s the hero Lena needs night and day … forever.

Order Hero by Night for only $2.99!!

Links to Buy: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google ~ Kobo

Other Books By Sara Jane Stone

SJS12-2

FullExposure (1)

Full Exposure

No touching allowed …

After serving her country, Georgia Trulane craves adventure—and sex. She’s set her sights on her brother’s best friend—now her boss, since she took a temporary job as his nephew’s live-in nanny. Only problem? Eric refuses to touch her. That doesn’t stop Georgia from seducing him. But an earth-shattering encounter leaves her fully exposed, body and soul.

Eric has a long list of reasons to steer clear of the woman he has wanted for as long as he can remember. For one, he refuses to be her next thrill ride. When he claims her, it will be for good. But the attraction is undeniable, and the more they fight it, the stronger it pulls. But will it be enough to conquer their obstacles?

Links to Buy: Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google Play ~ Kobo

Caught in the Act caught in the act

Falling for his rivals’ little sister could cost him everything …

For Liam Trulane, failure is not an option. He is determined to win a place in Katie Summers’ life before she leaves Independence Falls for good. But first, he needs to make amends for the last time they got down and dirty.

Only problem?

His professional success hinges on striking a deal to buy Katie’s family business. And after Liam’s relationship with their Katie went south years ago, the Summers brothers are more enemy than friend. If both parties agree to set the past aside, they can reach an understanding. But when Katie welcomes him back into her bed, Liam risks everything to make her his.

After Liam betrayed her trust, Katie Summers will do anything to keep him from walking away with the family business. She decides to seduce him, knowing that when her brothers find out, they will back off from the deal. And she’ll finally have her revenge. But when her plan spirals out of control, Katie learns that payback may come at too high a price …

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google Play ~ Kobo

SJSauthor photo

Author Bio
After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com or find her on Facebook at Sara Jane Stone.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Goodreads

Hero By Night

Chapter One Revealed:

“Thirty minutes,” Lena murmured. “That has to be a record.”

Lena Clark stared at the Cascade Mountains, the postcard-perfect backdrop to the backyard barbecue on the verge of turning into a full-blown party. Hero, her golden retriever, sat at her feet by the man-made pond in Eric Moore’s yard. Although the cleared field behind the sprawling timber-framed structure, home to the owner of the largest timber operation in Oregon, could hardly be classified as a “yard.” Inside the Portland city limits, where she’d lived on and off for the past six years—more off than on, really, due to training and deployments—people had the traditional postage stamp–size grassy areas behind their homes.

But she’d escaped Portland. And landed in Independence Falls, hoping to find her way to normal. Now she was thirty minutes closer.

“I talked to half the people here,” Lena continued, her fingers brushing her dog’s golden fur. Hero’s ears perked up, his head cocked to one side in what she’d come to think of as his I’m-listening expression. A stuffed yellow duck, the doggie toy she’d bought to keep him from chewing on furniture, hung from his mouth. “I mingled without running away and hiding.”

She hadn’t shaken a single hand, and Hero had been by her side the entire time, but she wasn’t looking for major breakthroughs or big victories. At twenty-eight, she knew a war was not won overnight. It took time, bravery, and determination. She possessed all of those things. Even if she had lost more than she liked to admit on the battlefield—like the ability to let anyone get close to her.

“Hey, Lena. Are you OK?”

She turned at the sound of Katie Summers’s voice, glancing past her friend to the crowd gathered on the blue stone patio. “Fine. I just needed some space from the party.”

And a chance to talk to her dog …

OK, so maybe normal was still out of reach.

“Georgia told me that you were looking for a place to stay,” Katie said.

“Just for a night, maybe two. I’m planning to find my own apartment soon.” Along with a job and her equilibrium. “But I wanted to give Georgia and Eric some space seeing as Nate is visiting his grandmother.”

“You think they might get down and dirty on the kitchen table while the three-year-old is out of town?”

“Yes. I do.” Lena looked up the hill. Eric stood behind Georgia, his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close against his body. Georgia held a beer in one hand, her other reaching back, brushing against Eric’s leg as if she had to touch him. The kitchen table would only be the beginning for those two—if their home was free and clear of a guest who moved in for a couple of nights, and more than a week later, still hadn’t left.

“The apartment over our barn is yours for as long as you need it,” Katie said.

“Your brothers won’t mind?” Lena slipped her hands into the hidden pockets in her long halter dress. Katie still lived with her three older brothers on their family farm. Granted, Josh, the youngest of the three, was in the hospital right now recuperating from a logging accident that had landed him in a coma. But Chad and Brody might object to Katie lending out the apartment to an almost-stranger. Lena hadn’t met Chad yet, but she knew the family was close and the brothers were protective of their little sister.

Liam Trulane, Georgia’s older brother and the man head-over-heels in love with Katie, might not like the idea either. “And you don’t need it?”

“Liam and I have other plans,” Katie said. “Far away from my brothers’ watchful eyes. There is a spare key under a rock to the left of the door. Once you’re inside, move it to the right and take the key upstairs with you. That is the in-use signal.”

“But Hero—”

Katie’s expression turned serious. “Lena, I would never ask you to leave Hero behind. He’s welcome in the apartment too.”

Lena felt a rush of relief. The thought of leaving her golden retriever outside, even for a night, sent her barreling toward panic. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow? Georgia and I were planning to take a hike. Nothing crazy. I made her promise.”

“Sure.” Lena knew all about Georgia’s need for adventure, the drive that had followed Georgia home from a war zone. And Lena understood it too. Probably more than most, even if she didn’t share the same pull. PTSD refused to follow a linear, predetermined path. Nightmares and survivor’s guilt haunted Georgia. Those symptoms were on Lena’s list, but anxiety topped the chart.

In Lena’s shattered world, every little touch triggered fear. If her ex or one of her friends wrapped an arm around her, took her hand, or pulled her into a hug, she would brace for an attack. Fear would build until panic won. And afterward, once it receded, she’d sink further into depression, cutting herself off from the world around her.

Anxiety had become her constant companion, leading her to an isolated place. Until she’d decided to do something about it, entering therapy and finding the golden retriever lying at her feet, gnawing on a stuffed dog toy.

Katie turned to head up the hill. Lena watched, wondering if she should go back to the party and try for another thirty minutes. She scanned the group of people mingling and drinking—and spotted him.

Jeans and a button-down flannel shirt hugged his body, not too tight, but enough to suggest that this man had muscles begging to be touched. He raised a hand, running it through his short, wavy brown hair. Everything about him screamed for hands-on exploration. That chiseled jaw, the light dusting of stubble as if he hadn’t shaved in a day, the way he smiled …

Lena drew a sharp breath and tried to look away. But her brain short-circuited and her eyes refused. His sex appeal flowed down the grassy slope like rushing water. And if she weren’t careful it would sweep her off her feet, and leave her fighting for air. Looking at him, she wished the road to normal led straight to orgasms.

He turned his head and their gazes met across the empty space. And she swore his warm, I-promise-you’ll-like-me-if-you-get-to-know-me grin touched his eyes.

Lena dropped her gaze to the ground, breaking the contact. He wasn’t touching her, not even close. But that smile …

She turned to face the water. It was better not to look at what she couldn’t have. And that man—he was one giant step beyond thirty minutes of small talk.

 

Sometimes beauty knocked a man on his ass, leaving him damn near desperate for a taste, a touch, and hopefully a round or two between the sheets—or tied up in them. The knockout blonde with the large golden retriever at her feet took the word “beautiful” to a new level.

Chad Summers stared at her, unable to look away or dim the smile on his face. He usually masked his interest better, stopping short of looking like he was begging for it before learning a woman’s name. But this mysterious beauty had special written all over her.

She stared at him, her gaze open and wanting. For a heartbeat. Then she turned away, her back to the party as she stared out at Eric Moore’s pond.

Her hair flowed in long waves down her back. One look left him wishing he could wrap his hand around her shiny locks and pull. His gaze traveled over her back, taking in the outline of gentle curves beneath her flowing, and oh-so-feminine, floor-length dress. Chad had nothing against jeans on a woman. But he loved clothes that offered access to a woman’s legs. The thought of the beauty’s long skirt decorating her waist propelled him into motion. Chad headed in her direction, moving away from the easy, quiet conversation about God-knew-what on the patio.

He appreciated the fact that Eric Moore—who’d recently become his boss/business partner after Moore Timber bought the Summers Family Trucking business—had decided to throw a party celebrating Chad’s little brother’s return to the land of awake and alert. But the laid-back gathering lacked excitement. Music. Dancing. Something more than a small group of people he’d known most of his life—three dozen at most—drinking beers and eating burgers.

The blonde, a mysterious stranger in a sea of familiar faces, might be the spark this party needed. He was a few feet away when the dog abandoned his post at her side and cut Chad off. Either the golden retriever was protecting his owner, or the animal was in cahoots with the familiar voice calling his name.

“Chad Summers!”

The blonde turned at the sound, looking first at him, her blue eyes widening as if surprised at how close he stood, and then at her dog. From the other direction, a familiar face with short black hair—Susan maybe?—marched toward him.

Without a word, Maybe Susan stopped by his side and raised her glass. With a dog in front of him, trees to one side, and an angry woman on his other, there was no escape.

“Hi there.” He left off her name just in case he’d guessed wrong, but offered a warm, inviting smile. Most women fell for that grin, but if Maybe Susan had at one time—and seeing her up close, she looked very familiar, though he could swear he’d never slept with her—she wasn’t falling for it today.

She poured the cool beer over his head, her mouth set in a firm line. “That was for my sister. Susan Lewis? You spent the night with her six months ago and never called.”

Chad nodded, silently grateful he hadn’t addressed the pissed-off woman by her sister’s name. “My apologies, ma’am.”

“You’re a dog,” Susan’s sister announced. The animal at his feet stepped forward as if affronted by the comparison.

“For the past six months, my little sister has talked about you, saving every article about your family’s company,” the angry woman continued.

Whoa … Yes, he’d taken Susan Lewis out once and they’d ended the night back at his place, but he could have sworn they were on the same page. Hell, he’d heard her say the words, I’m not looking for anything serious, and he’d believed her. It was one freaking night. He didn’t think he needed signed documents that spelled out his intentions and hers.

“She’s practically built a shrine to you,” she added, waving her empty beer cup. “Susan was ready to plan your wedding.”

“Again, I’m sorry, but it sounds like there was a miscommunication.” Chad withdrew a bandana from his back pocket, one that had belonged to his father, and wiped his brow. “But wedding bells are not in my future. At least not anytime soon.”

The angry sister shook her head, spun on her heels, and marched off.

Chad turned to the blonde and offered a grin. She looked curious, but not ready to run for the hills. “I guess I made one helluva first impression.”

“Hmm.” She glanced down at her dog as if seeking comfort in the fact that he stood between them.

“I’m Chad Summers.” He held out his hand—the one part of his body not covered in beer.

“You’re Katie’s brother.” She glanced briefly at his extended hand, but didn’t take it.

He lowered his arm, still smiling. “Guilty.”

“Lena.” She nodded to the dog. “That’s Hero.”

“Nice to meet you both.” He looked up the hill. Country music drifted down from the house. Someone had finally added some life to the party. Couples moved to the beat on the blue stone patio, laughing and drinking under the clear Oregon night sky. In the corner, Liam Trulane tossed logs into a fire pit.

“After I dry off,” Chad said, turning back to the blonde, “how about a dance?”

“No.”

Chad waited for an excuse, expecting a lie—her dog would be lonely or she had a boyfriend. That latter one, lie or not, would send him on his way. But she didn’t say another word.

He stepped toward her, as close as the dog would allow. He was close enough to smell her floral scent. It was too faint for a perfume, most likely her soap. There was a hint of lavender and a touch of honey. As if the sight of her wasn’t enough, the smell made him want to taste her. He leaned in, a fraction of an inch, nothing more. But the next thing he knew, her dog was pushing at his legs.

“Hero is protective of my space.” Lena’s voice had a breathless quality that suggested maybe this time she wished her dog would butt out. Or maybe that was his imagination.

Chad moved back, looking at the golden retriever with renewed interest. For a breed with a reputation for being kind and friendly, this one looked as if he was debating dropping his chew toy and sinking his teeth into Chad’s leg.

“So what brings you two to Independence Falls?” he asked, keeping one eye on Hero.

“Georgia offered me a place to stay. While I get back on my feet.”

“Between jobs?” The rest of the country might be headed toward recovery, but rural Oregon was still suffering high unemployment. A lot of people around here were doing their best to “get back on their feet.”

“I guess you could say that,” she said.

She didn’t give an inch. And hell, he liked that. Rocking back on his heels, Chad pretended to think. “What did you do before? I might know someone who is looking.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I can’t go back to it.”

“Being a model is that tough?” He offered her a teasing look that he knew for a fact helped separate women from their panties.

Lena raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t know. And you can drop the sweet-talking act.”

“You’d prefer I talk dirty?” Chad cocked his head, studying her. There it was. A spark of interest in her blue eyes. But she hid it quickly.

“I’ve spent most of my life on army bases. I’m betting you don’t have anything I haven’t heard before.”

So the drop-dead gorgeous, not-a-model woman was a military brat? He took that tidbit and filed it away. He wanted to know more about her—where she’d grown up, where she’d worked, if she screamed during sex or maintained the calm control he was finding wildly attractive.

“I might use some of the same words,” he said. “But they would have a different effect on you.”

“You’re that good with your words?”

“Yes. And that’s not the only thing I’m good with.” He paused for a beat, expecting a laugh and hoping for a breathy sigh. Nothing. Her face was an impartial mask. “So how about that dance? I could whisper naughty things in your ear.”

“No.” The way she said that one word sounded like a reflex.

“A walk under the stars?”

“Romantic, but I can’t.” She stepped away even though he’d been careful not to move a muscle in her direction. “I wish I could.”

This time her words were not a quick dismissal. She said the word “wish” with the fervor of a kid looking up to the stars and asking for a snow day in July. Hell, if there was one thing he understood, it was wishing and hoping for things he couldn’t have.

His mother walking through the front door to the farmhouse and admitting that leaving her family had been a mistake … His dad seated beside him in a helicopter one last time …

“Can I ask you something?” Chad said.

She nodded. A strand of blond hair fell across her face and he resisted the urge to brush it away. With any other woman, he would not have thought twice about an innocent touch in a public space. But he sensed Lena had boundaries that demanded respect.

“Where did you meet Georgia?”

“In therapy.”

The words, coupled with her matter-of-fact tone, nearly knocked him on his ass. “You’re a veteran. I never would have guessed that one.”

“A little different from a model,” she said with a small smile. “I was in the army. Until eighteen months ago.”

“The job you can’t go back to,” he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

She nodded, her blue eyes trained on him as if tracking his movements. Had someone hurt her? The thought of it pissed him off. Or had the time spent serving her country left her battle-scarred on the inside? Either way, he wasn’t the man to fix her problems. He’d never been drawn to wounded creatures.

Chad glanced at the dog. Whatever had happened to her, Lena already had her hero. She didn’t need him. And he didn’t want a woman in his life he couldn’t walk away from come sunrise. Or a woman he couldn’t touch …

He looked up at the patio and spotted another blonde. With her jeans and low-cut blouse, the other woman possessed the same petite build as Lena. But there was nothing striking about her. Looking at her didn’t leave him wanting to pull her hair, or hear his name on her lips, never mind learn her secrets.

“She looks like fun,” Lena said.

Busted.

He glanced at the woman who made him want to do all those things and more. “Sure you’re not?”

“I can be,” she said with a wry smile, as if this bit of information was a carefully guarded secret. “But not the kind you’re in the market for. Not tonight.”

“That’s a shame. I was looking forward to whispering dirty things in your ear.”

She pursed her lips, her eyes filled with wistful wanting. “I’m not ready for that kind of fun,” she said, her voice low, but certain. “Not yet.”

“That’s fair.” Yeah, those words made it crystal clear she wasn’t up for his no-strings-attached, down-and-dirty nights. But it didn’t keep him from hoping.

“If that changes, I’d like to know,” he added. Chad slowly backed away from the woman and her dog, offering her one last smile. “Try and have a good time tonight, Lena. This is a party.”

“I’ll take that under consideration,” she said, the golden retriever returning to her side. “Good-bye, Chad Summers.”

Hero by Night 1

Giveaway

2 Signed Copies of Full Exposure and Caught In The Act

$10 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Exchange of Fire by P.A. DePaul…Blog Tour Stop & Excerpt

tour resized

 

Exchange of Fire Cover

Series: SBG

Book: Exchange of Fire, SBG #1

Published: Aug 19, 2014

Publisher: Penguin Intermix

Format: ebook

Genre: Romantic Suspense

 

 

Faking her death was easy, living with her past is harder, but nothing is more dangerous than falling in love…

Sandra Walsh was a deadly sniper for the Sweet Briar Group, a covert agency with assassins for hire, until her last mission went horribly wrong, accidentally killing an innocent girl. Knowing she’s a danger to her team, Sandra goes off the grid, becoming a Shade—an agent declared dead but secretly hiding among the living. She intends to honor her vow never to pull another trigger or have contact with the spy world again. Until she meets Casper Grady…

Grady is a former Marine with a troubled past and a debt to pay. His life mission has gone from protecting the nation to helping local children and their families. The moment he meets Sandra, he knows there’s more to her than meets the eye, but he can’t help but be drawn to the mysterious femme fatale. And when Sandra’s past suddenly catches up to her, Grady is determined to protect her at all costs, no matter how dark and dangerous her secrets are.

As the danger increases, so does their intense attraction. But when they’re forced to choose between each other and the people they’ve sworn to protect, their growing love might not be enough to keep them together—or alive…

 

Exclusive excerpt:

From the author:

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today! I just wanted to give a quick introduction of myself before we get to the fun part…the excerpt! My name is P.A. DePaul and I’m the author of the Romantic Suspense, SBG series. Exchange of Fire, SBG #1 introduces a clandestine Black Ops team working for SweetBriar Group (AKA SBG), a corporation the rest of the world believes is an environmental company. I truly appreciate you stopping by and I look forward to chatting with you. If you have any questions or just want to say hi, please feel free to comment! 🙂

In this excerpt, our hero, Casper Grady, and Talon, a teammate of Wraith (heroine) in Delta Squad are at it again. Grady has suspected from the moment he met Talon that the man is in love with Wraith. It’s rankled Grady something fierce and even though he currently has no claim on Wraith, he can’t help but stick it to Talon. Prior to this scene, Grady and Wraith, with the help of Delta Squad, just thwarted another assassination attempt.

 

Excerpt:

Talon dropped a backpack by the corner as well as a few other items they must have gotten from the assassin. “Car’s already in a prime spot to be picked up by the police.” He took his wet hat off and tossed it by the backpack. “We stripped it and wiped it down. Disposed of the trash in the woods too.”

“Dry clothes are still in the truck,” Magician said, thumbing toward the garage.

Grady swallowed the last of his beer and held it up. “Talon, make yourself useful and grab another one for me since you’re headed that way.”

“I look like a barmaid to you?”

Grady smirked. “You look like a lot of things to me, but, hey, if you want to call yourself a woman and chase after men, who am I to judge?” He plunked the bottle down and smiled at Talon’s clenched fists. “Fugly or not, I’m sure you can find a guy—”

Talon leapt but got jammed back by Romeo.

Cappy gripped Grady’s shoulder, and he sucked in a breath at the pain. Glass buried in farther. “Knock it off, both of you,” Cappy ordered, his tone drill-sergeant sharp.

Grady continued to hold Talon’s stare, refusing to be the first to back down.

The prick narrowed his eyes and opened his stance as if to invite Grady to launch himself this time.

“I said knock it off,” Cappy barked. “That’s an order.”

The bastard lifted his chin and mouthed, Later. Grady nodded and the prick looked away.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance | Goodreads | BAM | Kobo | iTunes

 

 

About the Author

Author-PA DePaulP.A. DePaul is a multi-genre romance author including paranormal fantasy and romantic suspense. She originally hails from Carroll County and Baltimore County, Maryland, but also lived in Macon and Warner Robins, Georgia. She currently resides in a beautiful community just outside Philadelphia. Exchange of Fire is the first novel in the SBG series with the second novel, Shadow of Doubt, releasing April 2015

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

 

excerpt 7 image

The Giveaway!

PA is offering a tour wide giveaway of 5– $10 Amazon or B&N gift cards (winner’s choice) plus 4 e-copies of Exchange of Fire (sent via Netgalley). Just check out today’s post, leave a comment, and then fill out the giveaway widget!

 

 

Follow the Tour!

 

Be sure to check out all of the stops! Read fun,new content at each stop plus learn extra ways to enter the giveaway! For the main event page please visit… this page.

 

 

 

 

Harlequin Romance January “Me Time” Blog Tour: Movie Star Cast post for Kathleen Eagle’s book NEVER TRUST A COWBOY

I am beyond excited to be a part of The Harlequin Romance January “Me Time” Blog Tour!
Throughout this month I will have a few fun features and one review that all tie into a Harlequin Romance title. How much fun is that?

Me time blog tour logo

Today’s post is:

Movie Star Cast post for Kathleen Eagle’s book

NEVER TRUST A COWBOY

NeverTrustACowboy_Cover

About the book:

The last thing harried Lila Flynn needed was another cowboy to deal with, but new hire Del Fox was different than most sweet-talking wranglers. The hard worker had a gentle touch and eyes that spoke of a past he didn’t share. Lila soon found her hardened heart softening, frightening her more than any other hurdles she was facing.

Del’s assignment in Short Straw, South Dakota, was meant to be fast and simple. Falling for Lila Flynn, however, had complicated everything. If he did his job right it would mean destroying everything Lila had worked for. He’d given her every reason never to trust him with her heart, but when all was said and done, would she trust their love enough to give them a second chance?

 

Movie Star Cast:

As you’re reading a juicy romance novel, it’s difficult not to picture your favorite sexy celebrities in the characters’ roles and we’re sure you’ve wondered who the author might cast if the novel were to hit the silver screen.

New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Eagle puts this question to rest for her latest romance, NEVER TRUST A COWBOY. See her picks below…

If I were casting Never Trust a Cowboy, Del Fox would be played by Scott Eastwood, who looks great on a horse and has his father Clint’s chiseled face. I figure he’s born to play a cowboy.

Scarlett Johansson would play Lila Flynn. Scarlett started her career in a movie about a girl who loved horses, and she plays strong, sassy, vulnerable characters beautifully.

KATHLEEN EAGLE published her first book, a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award winner, with Silhouette Books in 1984. Since then she has published more than 40 books, including historical and contemporary, series and single title, earning her nearly every award in the industry. Her books have consistently appeared on regional and national bestseller lists, including the USA Today list and the New York Times extended bestseller list.Born in Virginia and raised “on the road” as an Air Force brat, Eagle earned degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Northern State University. She taught at Standing Rock High School in North Dakota for 17 years. She continues to teach writing at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.

 

Claiming Serenity by Eden Butler….Blog Tour Stop & Review

 

Title: Claiming Serenity (Seeking Serenity, #3)
Author: Eden Butler
Genre: NA | Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 22, 2014
Synopsis
 

Synopsis:

She left glitter in his AC vents. He put green dye in her conditioner. 
 
She buttered his bathroom floor, and he kidnapped her precious puppy. 
 
Layla Mullens hates Donovan Donley. His crude language, his wide shoulders, his crystal blue eyes…she hates that she can’t stop herself…from kissing him or landing in his bed. 
 
And Donovan Donley wants nothing more than to knock Layla off her princess pedestal. He hates her stuck up attitude and her soft, tempting lips. He especially hates that her father is his coach. 
 
But he’s fine with their arrangement—act horrible to each other during the day, attack each other naked at night. It works. 
But one night changes everything. When Layla doesn’t show, and Donovan’s cold bed stays empty, the lies he tells himself to keep Layla out of his mind aren’t enough to keep him from missing her. And needing her. Something he promised himself would never happen. 
The white flags in their prank war have been lowered but their high stakes battle has just begun.

My Review:

Claiming Serenity is book number three in author Eden Butler’s Seeking Serenity Series, a series I have loved from the very beginning. This book is Layla and Donovan’s story…a relationship that has been quite intense since we first met them. This was a wonderful friends-to-lovers story and had an ending that had me crying big fat happy tears.Layla and Donovan have had an intense relationship for years….and not necessarily intense in a good way. They were like oil and water. Never mixing well and always settling in separate parts. Constantly in a prank war and always spewing insults at each other. No two people couldn’t stand each other more. Until one night that all changed…thanks in part to some tequila and those high emotions always between them. Once they crossed the line and ended up spending the night together, there was no going back. It seemed as though the emotion they share has changed and gone from hatred to something quite the opposite. But no matter what had happened between them, no way could they let their friends know. They would never hear the end of it. So keeping things on the down-low was the best way. Keep up appearances during the day, insults flowing, and then turn that passion into so much more behind closed doors. It was going well until things chanced…drastically. Now Layla and Donovan are faced with a serious situation.. A situation that would test their relationship and what side they would come out on….the lovers version of Layla and Donovan or the enemies version of Layla and Donovan…

Talk about one hell of a ride! This book was packed with ups and downs and even a few sideways. Layla and Donovan’s relationship was intense form the very start but you could always feel a little something more lurking beneath the surface and we finally got to see them in a completely different light. And oh my, what a sexy and hot light that is! These two take the fiery passion they put towards pranking and brought it into the bedroom and the result is a delicious mix of sexy and intense!

Now, I binge read most of this book in one sitting and stopped for the night at around 75%. I picked it up the next morning while I was on the treadmill. Bad. Idea. The last few chapters of this book had me all sorts of choked up and crying. It was amazing, and packed with so many emotions and I loved it….but it didn’t mix well for trying to breathe while exercising. Man, I loved the last 25% of this book. It was honest and real and really well done.

I don’t really recommend reading this book if you haven’t read the first two, for the simple fact that you’ll miss out on all of the build up if Layla and Donovan’s relationship and probably won’t be able to appreciate how far they come in this book.

Overall I was so pleased with how things ended up for these two characters and I can’t wait to see what author Butler has in store for us next (hopefully Sayo!!). Thank you, Ms. Butler, for one hell of a read!

4LovesRLB

Four Loves

CS Teaser #4
“You’re disgusting,” she told him, but her voice carried no venom.
 
“And you’re a complete and utter bitch.”
 
She wanted to hit him. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted Donovan to do something, anything but glare at her the way he was.  And then, before she could think which she wanted more, Layla got her wish.
 
His mouth was controlling, consuming, teeth against her bottom lip, opening her up to the invasion of his tongue. It was warm, thick and she felt it all over her body, with every thrust of his mouth on hers, with how tight his fingers pulled and squeezed her ass.  Donovan wasn’t gentle, wasn’t sweet. This wasn’t a kiss that was meant to be tender. This was a full bodied, take control kiss and Layla had no idea why she wasn’t resisting, why she liked it so much. But she didn’t resist, and she did like it, so much.  Too damn much.
 
She moved her hand, curling her fingers into his t-shirt, let a low, soft moan work up her throat and she didn’t think about how much she hated him, how surely, kissing Donovan should repulse her, that the idea of Donovan doing anything remotely sexual had always repulsed her—hadn’t it? —but his tongue battled against hers, obliterating her thought.  Caught in the fray, Donovan pushed his hands into Layla’s ass and that deliciously hard erection pressed against her. Layla was lost. 
 
For a moment.
 
Her thoughts were warring, scattered telling her how stupid she was being, reminding her that she had a backbone, that she hated, hated Donovan and no matter how incredible his mouth and hands felt, she could pull away from him. Any minute now.
 
Eden Butler is an editor and writer of New Adult Romance and SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-times great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. Her debut novel, a New Adult, Contemporary (no cliffie) Romance, “Chasing Serenity” launched in October 2013 and quickly became an Amazon bestseller.
 
When she’s not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden edits, reads and spends way too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football.
 
She is currently living under teenage rule alongside her husband in southeast Louisiana. Please send help.

 

♡♡ Follow the Blog Tour ♡♡






a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Curvy Girls Club by Michele Gorman…Review

The Curvy Girls Club US cover
Synopsis:

Where Confidence is the New Black. Fed up with always struggling to lose weight, best friends Katie, Ellie, Pixie and Jane start a social club where size doesn’t matter. It soon grows into London’s most popular club – a place to have fun instead of counting carbs – and the women find their lives changing in ways they never imagined. But outside the club, life isn’t as rosy.

My Review:

The Curvy Girls Club is the second work of author Michele Gorman’s work that I’ve read and was an enjoyable read with likable characters, relatable experiences and circumstances I’m sure most women, including myself, have experienced.

Friends through their issues with weight, Katie, Ellie, Pixie, and Jane come together after deciding that instead of trying to fix what they think is wrong with themselves, they should embrace who they are and celebrate their diverse sizes. It’s this decision that leads them to create The Curvy Girls Club, a club where women (and some men) can try different things like salsa dancing and theater while putting their insecurities aside, even if for one evening. Wildly successful, the ladies are thrilled….until other issues in their separate lives threaten to derail their friendships and the very reasons they came together in the first place.

The things I really enjoyed about this book were the relatable moments each of these women experience. Feeling down on yourself because your jeans don’t fit, having a crush on a man you know will never reciprocate your feelings, being stuck in a relationship you don’t know how to end, always thinking the grass is greener on the other side…just to name a few. This story is really about embracing who you are, not just on the outside, but the person you are deep down and sometimes may be afraid to let out. I felt for these women at times and cheered them on at other times. I also wanted to shake them a time or two while reading…but overall it was a heartwarming story and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you, Michele, for another fun read!

3andaHalfLovesRLBThree-and-a-Half Loves

 

Book links:

Amazon UK
Amazon US

 

About The Author

Michele Gorman is the USA Today best-selling author of eight books, including Bella Summer Takes a Chance and The Expat Diaries (Single in the City) series. Her first book, Single in the City, debuted at number 8 in The Bookseller’s Fiction Heatseekers bestseller chart. She is also a founding member of the publishing collective, Notting Hill Press, and has published upmarket commercial fiction under the pen name Jamie Scott. Born and raised in the US, Michele has lived in London for 16 years. She is very fond of naps, ice cream and Richard Curtis films but objects to spiders and the word “portion”.