March 2014 – Page 3 – Read-Love-Blog

Captured in Surrender by Liliana Hart ebook GIVEAWAY

Happy Weekend!

To start your weekend off right, I have FIVE kindle copies of Liliana Hart’s CAPTURED IN SURRENDER to give away! (if you don’t have a kindle, not to worry! You can download free Kindle reading apps HERE)

Enter to win in the rafflceopter below…the contest runs through midnight next Sunday and winners will be announced Monday, March 24.

Thanks for stopping by!

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Liliana for the 1,001 Dark Nights newsletter….here is a peek:

I love that all of your books have suspense in them. What are some of your favorite suspense films and have any inspired you to write?

I am a complete and total movie buff. It’s one of my favorite ways to let my brain recharge between books, so movies are definitely an inspiration to my books. All of the Mission Impossible movies, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, James Bond, The Last Crusade, all of the Jason Bourne movies, and pretty much anything that has lots of explosions and great fight scenes. Or Angelina Jolie. She kicks ass.

You currently write a few different series…how hard is it to keep track of what’s going to happen next in each series?

Oh, man. It’s getting harder and harder to keep them all straightened out, but it also helps that they’re all so different. I’m a mega-spazz when it comes to writing, which is why I have to change things up and write such different series. It keeps things fresh for me so I don’t get bored and I think it keeps it fresh for readers too.

Hmm, what’s going to happen next in each series? That’s a loaded question if I’ve ever heard one <g>. I get a lot of emails asking this exact question, because as you know, I like to leave my readers wanting more at the end of each book.

Everyone is waiting to see what happens with Shane MacKenzie in my MacKenzie series. I can tell you with absolute certainty that you’ll probably cry a little at his story. But I think you’re going to really like his heroine too, and you’ll be just as relieved as I am for him to finally get his happily-ever-after in SCORCH. That’s really all I can tell you <g>.

I also left Addison Holmes in a bit of a pickle with the whole pregnancy test thing. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen in WHISKEY, YOU’RE THE DEVIL, because what fun would that be? Just know it will be a wild ride.

As far as the J.J. Graves Series, I can tell you that J.J. and Jack will be getting married in DOWN AND DIRTY. But they’ll be solving a doozy of a crime while trying to get down the aisle.

Your steamy scenes in Captured in Surrender are pretty amazing and delicious. What do you think the hardest part of writing a great sex scene is?

Should I admit that I love writing the sex scenes and they come pretty easy? No pun intended <g>. I’d say in general the hardest part of the sex scenes are making sure it’s not just body parts involved, but also emotions and dialogue. I think that’s what makes my sex scenes different. I love for my H/h to talk during sex.

Lane and Nayaare a great pair and I loved their story. What made you choose them for your novella?

Well, sometimes people just pop into my head for no reason. Naya was one of those people, and I couldn’t get rid of her. But at the same time I wasn’t sure what book she belonged in. (I’m seriously amazed every day that men in white coats don’t try to have me committed, because I know that sounds crazy). I also figured she’d be a great fit in the MacKenzie universe, but I knew she wasn’t the heroine for any of the MacKenzies. But I thought she’d be perfect for one of their friends, so Lane Greyson was born and they hit it off immediately in my head.

Lane and Nayaalso make one hell of a bad-guy-ass-kicking team. Will we see more of them in the MacKenzie Series?

It’s possible. I never know who’s going to show up when I start writing a MacKenzie book. They pretty much do and say what they want.

How much fun is it to work with police for you book research? Have there been any intense moments?

I love, love, love getting to do research for my books, and I’ve met a lot of great people who do very intense and dangerous jobs, and my respect for them is at the highest possible level. Many of them have also become good friends. I’ve gotten to do some pretty incredible things in the name of research, and these guys are greatat getting the adrenaline going whether in a dangerous situation or not. I love going to the range and shooting, but I also really enjoy sitting around a table with a bunch of cops and just listening to them talk. Most of my characters come from real life people.

You can find the entire interview HERE

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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:

Liliana Hart spent five years teaching music in the public education system. She molded America’s youth, busted kids for smoking pot in the restrooms, and broke up illicit affairs behind the stage on a regular basis. She finally decided to hang up her hat and let someone else have all the fun. (Liliana’s Addison Holmes Mystery Series, about a small town teacher who gets into a whole lot of trouble, is somewhat autobiographical, but she won’t confess to which parts).

Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can’t help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.

Since self-publishing in June of 2011, she’s sold more than 2 million ebooks all over the world, hit both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and been nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Liliana is addicted to reading, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

Kissing Eden by T.A. Foster….Blog Tour Stop & Excerpt

Welcome to my stop on the Kissing Eden by T.A. Foster Blog Tour!

I have a fabulous excerpt to share with you all today…so thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Smashworks

Synopsis:

Have you ever thought of taking a vacation alone? I mean step on a plane, check into your hotel, and lie on the beach completely and utterly alone. No? Me either, but then right before senior spring break I got dumped.

Something about break ups makes you do things you didn’t want to do, and try things you didn’t know you were capable of.

That’s how I ended up at the Palm Palace.

That’s how I met Grey.

That’s how my spring break turned into the most unforgettable week of my life.

Excerpt:

“Grey—I …” My body was responding to every flick of his tongue and every time his lips moved against mine. He was the most incredible kisser. If he kept doing that thing with his tongue, he could convince me to do anything. I pulled myself into his lap, needing to be closer to him.

The roughness of his palm surprised me as it trailed over my leg, hiking the hem of my dress as he shoved the fabric out of his way. I moaned quietly as his thumb pressed deeply along my inner thigh. It was tender and possessive at the same time. The pressure in such a sensitive spot made my skin burn for more touching. I rocked my hips forward.

But just like that, he stopped. His hands went to his sides and his lips were gone. “I think we should head back.” His voice was breathy.

I froze, straddled across his hips and completely out of breath. “But— I thought—” Dammit. This boy was so hot and cold all the time. Although, I was completely turned on by the hot side of him. I crawled off his lap, not sure what had happened.

I stood to flatten my dress and took a few deep breaths.

“If you’re serious about helping, then we have an early morning.” He retrieved his T-shirt and pulled it over those abs I wasn’t done touching.

Annoyed he had abruptly stopped our second make out session, I wrapped myself back in his plaid shirt, picked up the beer, and trudged back to the boardwalk. Even if I wanted to have a spring break fling, I wasn’t so sure Grey was the guy to do it with.

He led me back to my room and deposited me on the doorstep. “Goodnight, Eden. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight.” I tried to take the poutiness out of my voice, hoping he would lean in for another kiss. He had to be as turned on as I was by what just happened. He, however, seemed to have more self-control than I was able to pull together.

I leaned against the room door and watched as he walked across the parking lot before disappearing into the room opposite of mine. My heart was still pounding from the kiss on the beach. How was I supposed to sleep after that?

Giveaway:

Win a beautiful beach-inspired necklace and a $20 Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

T.A. Foster once spent a monthlong spring break on South Padre Island, where she soaked in the Texas sun, beach, and learned what real Texas country music is. Sometimes fiction does spring from reality.

She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children, and two canine kiddos.

T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:

Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter

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

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster

Review….Tempted by the Soldier by Nicolette Day

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

When one touch isn’t enough, why resist?

Road trips are supposed to be fun. Or, at least, full of hot sex. For photographer Lilly Grayson, the fifteen-hour drive to her friend’s wedding with Nate Jennings will be neither. Not that Nate isn’t sexy—the man is six-foot-three-inches of mouth-watering Marine. But Lilly’s been there, done that…and he walked away. Now it’s time for a little payback. The kind that’ll make a man desperate for a taste of what he can’t have.

And Nate wants a taste—so badly that he can barely keep his hands on the wheel. But the scars and ghosts of his last tour still haunt him. He can’t give into temptation, not this time. Lilly deserves a whole man—one who can love her the way she deserves to be loved, even if she doesn’t believe it can happen. And that can’t be Nate. Not when he’s leaving again in two weeks, and this time, he’s not sure he’ll return…

My review:

Tempted by the Soldier is the second book in author Nicolette Day’s Falling For You Series and holy hell….this book was drop dead delicious!

Photographer Lilly Grayson had never hated Mother Nature more than she did right at this very moment. She’s supposed to by flying to Vermont for her friend’s wedding but of course, a freaking hurricane has to be blowing through so now she’s sitting and waiting for the absolute last person on this earth she wants to see to come pick her up so they can drive the 15 hours together. Oh, joy. Nate Jennings. Brother of the groom, smoking hot Marine and former one night stand….and now she can add tardy to that list since he was two hours late. Luckily sitting, and stewing, gives her time to formulate a plan. A plan to get back at him for leaving her feeling cold and cheap after their one and only night of hot and steamy sex. She shouldn’t be bitter because they really only had one night together but the fact was she couldn’t stop thinking about him since that night. So now she was planning on using her female wiles to get back at him during their 15 hour excursion and leave him wanting her as badly as he left her wanting him. But you know what they say about the best laid plans, right?

Of all the dangerous missions Nate Jennings had been on, this was by far the most risky. Why did he have to be stuck in the small confines of his truck’s cab with Lilly for a grueling 15 hours? It was bad enough he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since their one night together and now he had to deal with her animosity toward him. Not that he could blame her. She had every right to be pissed at him…but did she have to make pissed off so sexy? There was no way he would be able to keep his hands off of her through this trip. But he needed to stop thinking that way. She deserved a man who was whole and not screwed up beyond repair…which is the exact opposite of what he was. She wouldn’t want to be saddled with a Marine carrying more baggage than a department store. The problem is, he wanted her with a desperation that defied logic. It was going to be one hell of a roadtrip…

With so much raw emotion and lust crammed into such close quarters for hours on end, it will be one hell of a ride for Nate and Lilly….and one that will change their lives forever.

You know that one meme of the kids wearing their “time-out” shirt? If you don’t, I’ll explain. Two kids who love each other but fight like cats and dogs are forced to wear one extra-large shirt and work out their problems ultimately reminding them that they do, in fact, care for each other and that differences can always be figured out. Well, Nate and Lilly’s situation reminds me so much of that shirt! There is so much chemistry between them that it practically burns the pages but their differences are getting in the way. Nate is delicious. He’s smoking hot and is so alpha that I loved reading every man-handling and cave-man-like scene. He’s also beyond stubborn. He doesn’t see himself worthy of Lilly. He’s got emotional scars that are in dire need of healing and if he could just take a step back and see that Lilly is willing to help him, he could have a chance at happiness. Lilly is just as stubborn but in a different way. She is trying so hard to deny her attraction to Nate and tries so hard to put up an angry front. But in the end, they both let down their defenses and ultimately give in. Dear God…when they give in it is pure passion. Yum, yum, yum. But there’s more than just smexy scenes to this story and the emotions run really high at times. Hurt, loss, tragedy, and guilt all play a big roll and it made this story that much better.

Oh, and the end? Freaking BEYOND perfect! I finished this book after midnight and was so tempted to wake my husband up just to tell him how much I loved this ending. Lucky for him, I refrained!

I am really, really hoping we get more from this series because I absolutely loved these characters! Thank you, Nicolette, for one hell of a book!

Five Loves

About the author:

A mom by day and a romance writer by night, Nicolette Day harbors a weakness for black and white mochas and books that steam up her Kindle screen. She grew up in a one stoplight town where she once upon a time she only dreamed of becoming a writer. Now she lives in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights. If you love young adult romance, check out Nicolette’s alter ego, TaraFuller!

TWITTER * FACEBOOK *WEBSITE *GOODREADS *BLOG

Blog Tour & Review….Every Shattered Thing by Elora Nicole Ramirez

Welcome to my stop on the Every Shattered Thing by Elora Ramirez Blog Tour! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy my review.

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Stephanie fights reality every day. The voices inside, the ones declaring her worth, deem her broken, used and dirty. She is an object. A toy. Something to be tossed aside when bored. Who will believe her if she whispers the truth about her wrecking ball of a family? Eventually, her secret explodes and the person who means the most to her knows just how shattered she is and why she’s so afraid. But rescue is closer than she realizes. Hidden in plain sight, her horror hasn’t been ignored by everyone. Racing against the truth of what she faces, forces are joining together and developing a plan to free her from the hell in her own backyard. And while she’s at her lowest point, she’s hit with the beauty of love at any cost – redemption in the face of ruin. Will it be enough?

*Warning: Contains mature content that may not be suitable for younger audiences*

My review:

Every Shattered Thing is a novel from author Elora Nicole Ramirez and deals with some pretty dark and upsetting situations but it’s those situations that left me loving the characters and really pulling for them from the very first chapter.

To say that Stephanie has had an awful life would be a terribly gross understatement. Her father has abused her both physically and sexually for too many years to count and her mother isn’t much better. As if that’s not horrid enough, her poor excuse for a father has some friends that like to use Stephanie as well. What’s even worse is the community’s lack of action and empathy. The teachers see her bruises, but do nothing. Stephanie is actually relieved they stopped calling the police. Why? Because the police already know about it. A few of the police are her father’s friends. And they use Stephanie, too. So calling the police or CPS only makes her life worse….as if that was possible. There are two things keeping Stephanie in this town and in this situation. Her little brother and her boyfriend. Her little brother needs her to keep him safe from their abusive parents and she needs her boyfriend to remind her that there is at least one kind and caring person in this world. But for all of the darkness and despair in Stephanie’s life, she always remembers there is hope. Hope for a better life someday. Hope for some justice. Hope to be free of all of this pain and suffering. The sun always rises the next day and with that sunrise comes the hope of a brand new day with new possibilities….of peace and love. Will she ever be free of her old life and able to find a new one?

Oh my, this book was really heavy. But it was also a stark reminder that there are very similar and very real situations happening in this world right this very minute. I appreciated Elora bringing these situations to life in this book because sometimes we need a reminder that there is someone out there in need of help. Maybe it will be a call to action for some readers and that would be an amazing thing. Stephanie absolutely broke my heart. She broke my heart not because of what she is going through, but because her spirit, though buried deep, was never broken. I can’t imagine living her life. Now, onto the rest of the characters. I wish Stephanie’s father a long afterlife in hell. And I wish his “friends” ended up there to join him. Oh, and her mom, too. They all deserve a special kind of hell. But Kevin, Stephanie’s boyfriend, is beyond special. He’s a football star and I admired his ability to look past outer appearances and to be able to discover who Stephanie is a person. He picks her up when she is beyond down and is always there to remind her that she is worthy of a happy life. This brings me to the ending….which I have to say I had a love/hate relationship with. It gave me some closure and hope for Stephanie but was also a bit of a cliffhanger. (Knowing that some of you aren’t fans of cliffhanger endings, I feel as though I should mention it.)

There is (hopefully!) going to be a book two and I will be anxiously waiting to see what the future holds for Stephanie and Kevin.

Thank you, Elora, for a relevant, harrowing and poignant story that will stay with me for quite some time. I will be thinking of Stephanie and Kevin until the next installment!

Four Loves

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About the author:

Elora Ramirez lives in Austin, Texas with her chef-husband. At the age of four, she taught herself how to read and write, cutting her teeth on books like Dr. Seuss and writing anywhere she could find the space–including her Fisher Price kitchen set, the pages of picture books and Highlights Magazine. Since then, she’s grown to love the way words feel as they swell within her bones. Writing holy and broken is her calling, and pushing back the darkness and pursuing beauty through story is her purpose. She embraces the power of story and teaches women from all parts of the world how to embrace theirs. She has a knack of calling things out , the truth and the detail, the subversive threads that make a life a story. She loves hip-hop, wishes she lived by the beach and cannot write without copious amounts of coffee, chocolate, music, and her husband’s lavender liqueur.

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Author Goodreads ~ Every Shattered Thing Goodreads

Sweet Ruin by Nazarea Andrews….Release Day Blitz

Happy Release Day to Nazarea Andrews and Sweet Ruin!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Amazon Paperback

Synopsis:

He’s just landed the biggest job of his career. And he’s miserable.

She’s fighting her way from the bottom… Megan Beauchamp has no illusions about why she was chosen to be Asher’s PA. She’s pretty, and down to earth, and everything the Hollywood star always falls for. Too bad Megan is just paying her dues and has no interest in anything but advancing at her PR firm.

He’ll throw it all away…Luca James knows what he wants. And he’s waited a long time for the window to open—when it does, he’ll walk away from the career he’s built for a chance at something real.

When Megan’s boss threatens to fire her, Luca and Asher convince her to leave town with them. Between bad hotels and pit stop confessionals, the three are drawn closer together. And the lines blur even more in Branton, where Megan is forced to look at everything she left behind. But when the boys want more, Megan will be forced to choose between the men she loves and the life she thought she wanted. And in a town like Branton, the secrets she keeps won’t be hidden for long.

About the author:

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Site ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Cover Reveal…Pieces of Olivia by Melissa West

Today, we’re revealing the cover for Melissa West’s upcoming NA contemporary romance, Pieces of Olivia!

TITLE: Pieces of Olivia

AUTHOR: Melissa West

PUBLISHER: Penguin/InterMix

RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2014

Synopsis:

Olivia Warren used to be a normal girl with a bright future. But on one fated night, everything changed.

Hiding the scars of her past up her sleeves, Olivia transfers her enrollment from Columbia University to The College of Charleston, determined to pursue her own dreams for the first time in her life.

She intends to allow herself a bit of alone time to heal… that is, until she meets Preston.

Preston is best friends with her roommate, completely hot, and off-limits. But the chemistry between them is instantaneous—and as the pair begins to spend more time with one another, their feelings for each other build into something undeniable, something powerful enough to heal Olivia’s deepest scars.

Olivia tries to put her own past behind her and trust Preston, but she discovers that his past might be more present than she ever bargained for…

Excerpt:

His eyes swept over my face, and I knew what was about to happen. I could see the resolve in his face. Feel the swift change in the air as the charge between us sparked. He leaned toward me, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I’m not going to kiss you,” I whispered.

“I didn’t ask.”

“Preston, we…”

He tucked my hair behind my ear and moved still closer. “I can’t promise anything. I have nothing in me to promise, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try.”

I swallowed, feeling the walls around me crumbling down.

“Let me be what you need.”

My breath caught, the fight in me diminishing with each spoken word. What was I so afraid of? I reached out, gliding my fingertips over his face and into his hair. Briefly, I thought of how often I’d dreamt of touching his hair, and then his mouth was on mine, and all thought was gone, except him and us and this moment. His lips took control, first soft and careful, and then full of urgency and need. Every unspoken word, every missed opportunity, was pushed into that single kiss.

Preston laid me back on the sofa, his body warm and inviting. My fingers gripped his hair, pulling him closer, and he left my lips, kissing a trail down my chin to my neck. A soft moan of pleasure escaped my lips, and he thrust his hips against mine in answer to my ache. Our bodies moved together, our clothes the only thing keeping us from taking this further.

I tugged his chin up so his lips were back on mine, the kiss growing to a frenzy of passion. His hand slid under the edge of my shirt, gliding over my stomach, before finding my breast. He groaned with pleasure, and I reached down to take his shirt off, eager to touch his impeccably toned chest and stomach. Preston slipped his shirt off and gripped mine, his intentions clear, when reality yanked me from pleasure and threw me into a sea of painful thoughts. I remembered my scars, Preston’s expression when he’d gotten a glimpse of them through my shirt at the pier. I shook my head, feeling myself tumbling deeper into sadness and farther from the moment.

Preston glanced down at me. “We can stop.”

“No.”

“Olivia, you don’t have to—”

I bit my lip, forcing myself to push away the fear and sadness and guilt that riddled my mind and peered back at him. “I don’t want to take my shirt off.”

“Okay,” he whispered.

“And I don’t want you judging that I don’t want to take my shirt off.”

“Okay,” he repeated. I felt his heart beat against my chest, fast and sure and strong. A part of me wanted to disappear, embarrassed and ashamed that I’d yet again shown Preston Riggs just how crazy I was deep inside. But another part, a greater part, felt a surge of happiness that he’d stayed. He knew that I was broken and scarred and more than a little crazy, yet still, he didn’t run. He staye

About the Author:

Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

Connect with Melissa at www.melissawestauthor.com or on Twitter @MB_West.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Return to Branton Blitz…University of Branton Series by Nazarea Andrews

Author Note:

University of Branton is a special place for me. It’s a conglomeration of my hometown and the town I made my home when I got married and combines with it the small town feel of a college. College changed my life–and I wanted to share that in my stories. Each book focuses on a different romance–Atti and Avery, Dane and Scout, Megan, Asher and Luca–and challenges relationships pose, while circling back to the previous couples and friends you’ve made in earlier books. Each can be read as a standalone–much the way each family is a separate entity in a small town–while it still ties to the others. Which is my favorite thing about small towns.

So! Come spend a little bit of time in the sleep small Southern town. I hope you love the University as much as I do. <3

P.S- This attached bonus scene is set in the weeks after Beautiful Broken, after the fight that was never quite resolved between Dane and Atti. (scene below)

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ My review

Synopsis:

She wants a summer job and a ride to a wedding.

He wants an assistant and a distraction from the mess his life had become.

They didn’t know they needed each other.

Avery Emili needs two grand. Two grand and a plane ticket–her sister is counting on her to get to Jamaica for her wedding. But the semester is over, and tutoring college freshman and high school students has dried up until the fall.

Atticus Grimes needs help–the messy split with his wife left the twenty-eight year old professor scrambling to keep things together as the semester winds down. Now he’s got a research grant he has to actually do research for and all he wants to do is drown himself in a tall bottle of bourbon.

When Avery sees his ad for an assistant, all she’s thinking is a summer job. But as they spend time together, in the office and out, both of them begin to realize something is there. Something that can’t happen–he’s a professor and she’s a student. And both of them have histories, pasts that won’t let go. Can two broken people pulled apart by expectations find a way to be whole?

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ My review

Synopsis:

She’s been broken by her past. He’s been breaking for as long as he can remember.

Together, they can make each other whole–or destroy each other.

When his best friend asks for something, Dane rarely says no. But babysitting a newly sober Scout Grimes for three weeks isn’t exactly a normal request. And with their history, it’s a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, she’s drop dead gorgeous and he can’t touch her.

There are few people Scout trusts as much as Dane Guillot. He’s always been her safe place, where nothing can hurt her. He’s also been the only man she’s never let herself want–screwing up their friendship isn’t worth one amazing night together.

They have too much history, and too much personal baggage to ever work. But if they are willing to take a chance on love–it might be worth the risk.

Book links:

(releasing tomorrow 3/13)

Synopsis:

It’s good to be on top… Asher Knox has it all. Girls, wealth, a career most would kill for. He’s just landed the biggest job of his career. And he’s miserable.

Bonus Scene:

It’s fucking freezing. One of the nice things about Louisiana, supposedly, is that it’s warm. But this winter has been colder than a witches tit. And I’m about over it. I blow on my hands, stomping the mud off my shoes.

The office is quiet, this early. None of my staff have shown up. I don’t mind–I wanted the quiet to get some work done before I was forced to be the boss.

But leaving Scout sleeping in my bed was probably one of the harder things I’ve done. I keep thinking leaving her will get easier, or the sex would get a little less hot. That seeing her wouldn’t turn me on.

But it does. Every fucking time. It would be annoying as fuck, except I’m enjoying it too much.

Like last night…

Wait. Stop that shit right now. There will be plenty of time for that later, but right now I have several cases demanding my attention and I’m still too far behind.

Taking time off when she was in her accident was a no brainer. I had come too close to losing her to want to be farther than her bedside. But it didn’t mean it was easy to leave the practice. I was still feeling the effects of that and I had to get my shit together before Tripp decided to come back and nose around.

There’s a sharp rap on the front door and then Atti’s voice, “You here?”

It’s an annoying question. Or maybe everything about Atti is annoying me lately. I’m still pissed at him and he knows it.

“Office,” I yell.

A few seconds later, he appears in the doorway to my office and I stare at my best friend, not sure what to say.

Fuck it. This is his party–he came to me. He can decide what to say. I glance back at my paperwork and Atticus curses. Walks into the office and throws himself into one of the chairs across from me.

Scout sat in that chair, before I kissed her for the first time. Hmm. Possibly not the best train of thought at the moment.

Atticus

He’s staring at me, a tiny smile on his face easing the scowl I’ve seen too often in the past month.

“Avery bitched me out this morning,” I say, stretching my legs. The scowl eases a little more, and Dane actually smirks.

“Is that why you’re out of her bed this early in the morning?”

I nod, “Pretty much the only reason.”

He laughs and I feel the tension in the room relax. “Look, I’m sorry, man. I was wrong.”

Dane looks like he swallowed something insectile and it’s still wiggling. He shakes his head slowly. “I don’t think you get how bad you fucked up, Atticus.”

Avery said the same thing. I wondered, distantly, if they had discussed it, then dismissed the thought—Avery and Dane tolerated each other. They would never be friend, never be much more than they were now—cautiously trusting because of me.

“Explain it to me,” I say.

“If you need to have it explained, you aren’t going to understand.” He snaps, a hint of heat entering his voice.

“We’ve both made mistakes, Dane. You dumped coffee on Avery.”

“That,” he points at me, “was a fucking accident and you damn well know it. You told Scout I wasn’t good enough for her. You told me she wasn’t my business. You left her with me—time after time after time. And you never once had an issue with it, until we fell in love. Do you know how fucked up that is?”

He’s furious, and I don’t know why. I don’t understand why he’s this mad. “Explain it to me.” I say again.

“Fuck you, Grimes.” He snaps. “I’m good enough to be friends with her. I’m good enough to be the shoulder she cries on and to be her surrogate brother. I’m good enough to carry her secrets, but I’m not good enough to be with her? Fuck you to hell and back.” He stands and I sit still, reeling.

Is that what he thinks?

Well of course it is. I haven’t given him no reason to think otherwise.

“You know, I’ll do anything for you. Anything in the world. But I’m doing this for me. Scout and me—we’re good together. I won’t give that up because you think it’s a bad idea or I’m a douchebag.”

“I don’t want you to,” I say, hoarsely.

Dane hesitates, staring at me with narrowed eyes.

I sigh and shake my head. “She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her, man. And I know it’s because of you. You’re happy—when you aren’t yelling at me. Why do you think I’d want to take that from you?”

He gives me a flat stare and I nod. “Ok, so I get why you’d think that.” I hesitate, and then say, “I’m a shitty brother, man. I get that. I’m going to try to be better—Scout deserves better.”

“You are,” Dane agrees and I choke on my laughter. His eyes sparkle when he grins at me, and the last of the tension vanishes. My best friend is grinning at me, and I haven’t seen that—not really—in almost a month. “She doesn’t need you to be her safe place,” Dane says. “She’s got me for that.”

I nod, and stand. “She does. And she’s a lucky girl.”

Dane blinks, startled and I walk backward a few steps. “Think you can leave her home alone tomorrow night?”

“Why?”

“I want your opinion. I need to go shopping.” I say, “For Avery.”

A slow smile spreads across his face and I add, turning away, “Don’t get any ideas, Guillot.”

He laughs, a low rumble that makes me grin as I leave.

GOODREADS links:

THIS LOVE ~ BEAUTIFUL BROKEN ~ SWEET RUIN

About the author:

photo-11 Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

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Cover Reveal….Night Moves by Kristen Strassel

Night Moves (The Night Songs Collection, #2)

Book Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Book release date: March 26th, 2014 by Fast Foreword Publishing

Night Moves (book #2) on Goodreads

Night Moves book blurb:

We bonded in darkness, over darkness.

Melanie Vaughn’s job ruined everything. Her social life, nonexistent. Her relationship with her boyfriend, a hostile roommate situation. She resolves to fix everything one snowy afternoon, but instead comes home to discover her boyfriend is already exploring other options. Blonder, bustier options. Rage drives Melanie to do the unthinkable.

When Soul Divider was on the top of the world, so was Ryder Maddox. When the band faded into obscurity, Ryder’s luck plummeted with it. In a last ditch effort to rekindle the band’s heyday, Soul Divider teams up with powerful vampire clean leader, Talis de Rancourt. In return for her services, the band pays the ultimate price for never ending fame.

Now on the run, Melanie meets Ryder in a middle of nowhere hotel. She never expected her teenage rock star crush to be as lost and as in need of a companion as she is. Their connection is all consuming, even before they find they share another kinship: murder.

The newly turned vampires in Soul Divider still have a lot to learn. The police and public begin to connect the girls that go missing or die in sync with the band’s tour schedule. Back at home, clues are also adding up against Melanie as well. Between constant media coverage and unrelenting attention from the authorities, Melanie and Ryder find themselves in unchartered territory

About the author Kristen Strassel:

Kristen shares a birthday with Steven Tyler and Diana Ross. She spends each day striving to be half as fabulous as they are. She’s worn many hats, none as flattering as her cowboy hat: banker, retail manager, fledgling web designer, world’s worst cocktail waitress, panty slinger, now makeup artist and aspiring author. She loves sunshine, live music, the middle of nowhere, and finding new things to put in her house. Kristen is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg of Foreword Literary.

Kristen on Goodreads:

Kristen on Twitter

Kristen’s Blog

Other books by Kristen:

Because the Night (book #1) on Goodreads

Because the Night (book #1) on Amazon

Seasons in the Sun (book #.5) on Goodreads

Seasons in the Sun (book #.5) on Amazon

Don’t forget to join in on the book buzz using hashtag #NightMoves

Bad Boy vs. Boy Next Door….Entangled Embrace GIVEAWAY!

Which do you prefer…..

Bad Boy vs. Boy Next Door

Do you love the Bad Boy, or are you more into the Boy Next Door? Either way, Embrace, Entangled’s New Adult imprint, has you covered. With swoon-worthy heroes, kick-butt heroines, contemporary issues, intrigue, fantasy, and so much more, there’s something for everyone.

As part of our March Madness extravaganza, Entangled is having a massive sale on all their New Adult books. Each one is only 99¢ throughout the month of March!

So go on, pick your hero, and discover New Adult fiction you won’t be able to forget.

Not only is Entangled slashing prices, but they’re also giving away 1 book to 1 lucky winner at each participating website.

To enter to win 1of the New Adult books in the poster above, leave a comment here. Tell us who your ultimate “Bad Boy” or “Boy Next Door” is, or let us know how many romance books you read each month.

Discover Embrace and endless possibilities.

**Prizes sponsored by Entangled Publishing, LLC. No cash value. No purchase required. Sorry, but Entangled Publishing contracted workers, employees, and their family members are not eligible to enter. Entrants must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to qualify.

Masters of Seduction and Lara Adrian for your Monday

Happy Monday!

I’ve got some fabulous info to share about a new series from Lara Adrian, Donna Grant, Laura Wright Author and Alexandra Ivy.

Summer 2014 is going to sizzle!

This is an original new series Lara is writing with her friends. Master of Seduction releases on July 14 in all ebook formats, plus trade paperback.

And it’s available for *99cent* pre-order at Amazon right this very second!

★✩★ What’s even more exciting is that Lara will be stopping by my Facebook page at some point today to chat! Head on over to Read-Love-Blog’s page and look for the #MastersOfSeduction pinned post and comment with any of your questions for Lara, fun things you;d like to say or just say hi and bee on the lookout for her to respond! Oh, and she’s bringing GOODIES! Seriously, is this the way to start a week off or what? ★✩★

I look forward to seeing you over on Facebook and have a great day!

~Jillian

Cover Reveal….Heart in Wire by R.L. Griffin

Have you ever been involved in an epic love story where you wound up alone? Have you devoted yourself so completely to someone that you lost yourself in their abyss?

Patrick Greer spent the past five years revolving around Stella Murphy. He fought like hell to not feel the emotions for her that were hidden deep in his gut, until he couldn’t anymore. He was so sure of them, of her, of what they were to each other, until he wasn’t.
Patrick couldn’t even imagine the things he’d done for her, with her and to her. El broke him.

He was a liar, a friend, a lover, a fixer, a runner and a killer.

Now he had to figure out who he was without her.

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Cover Model: Assad Shalhoub with Love N. Books