Claimed by Love by Melissa Foster…Release Day Event with Excerpt & Giveaway

Today is the release day for Claimed by Love by Melissa Foster! I am so excited to share this fantastic new contemporary romance with you!! Grab your copy and check out the release festivities that Melissa is sharing with us!!

About Claimed by Love:

Family law attorney Gabriella Liakos has one true love, Elpitha Island, where she grew up and hopes someday to return. But Elpitha is in financial ruins, and Gabriella will do anything to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

Duke Ryder is a savvy real estate investor set on making Elpitha into an exclusive resort. Unlike other investors, he’s not scared of purchasing a property where one family has roots so deep they practically reach the ocean floor…until he meets his beautiful, stubborn, and enticing tour host―the daughter of the owner of most of the island.

Gabriella sets out to dissuade Duke from purchasing Elpitha, but Duke has other ideas. He wants Gabriella and the island. Duke’s powerful seduction draws Gabriella in, but can a savvy investor who’s used to glamour and glitz, and a woman interested in preserving the culture she adores find a happily ever after together?

The RYDERS are the newest addition to the Love in Bloom series. Each book may be read as a standalone novel, or as part of the series.

Buy Links:

KINDLE: http://smarturl.it/CBL_Kindle

KOBO: http://smarturl.it/CBL_Kobo

NOOK: http://www.melissafoster.com/CBL_Nook

GPLAY: http://www.melissafoster.com/CBL_GPlay

iBOOKS: http://www.melissafoster.com/CBL_iBooks

PAPERBACK: http://smarturl.it/CBL_Paperback

Exclusive Excerpt:

DUKE RYDER BALANCED his cell phone against his shoulder, listening to his buddy and investment partner Pierce Braden talk about their newest potential investment property as he followed the rickety wooden dock onto the white sandy beach.

“The dock just might be the most stable thing on Elpitha Island,” Pierce said. “Try to soak in a little sand and sun while you’re there. That’s the best part of the island.”

Duke’s eyes were immediately drawn to the sprawling oak trees he’d read about, standing sentinel over the forested acreage beyond. Long, thick branches spread like languid arms draped in moss, reaching for…what? One glance told him that there wasn’t much to reach for, save for a building that looked more like a forgotten Mediterranean villa than the welcome center of the small Southern island. The stone and wood building had a deep porch that spanned the entire length of the left side with stone pillars. A wooden trellis laced with the most captivating flowering vines shaded the area. Although the structure itself was in need of repair, it was surrounded by perfectly manicured, ornate gardens, which contrasted sharply with overgrown and unkempt bushes littering the far edges of the property.

“The proximity to the mainland isn’t bad,” Duke said to Pierce. He set his suitcase on the sand and looked back at the Atlantic. “It only took an hour fifteen to get here.” Elpitha was the smallest of the vacation islands off of South Carolina, and more than half of the land had been owned by the Liakos family for centuries. It was just over eight square miles, and not many investors wanted such a small tract of land, or to deal with families that were as entrenched as the Liakos family was thought to be. Some families might sell out, but they would fight tooth and nail against change, which could cause discourse on an island this small. Duke and Pierce weren’t deterred. The restrictive size of the property would only increase the value, making it an exclusive vacation spot for the elite.

“With Hilton Head and the other islands so overrun,” Pierce said, “Elpitha is ripe for development. Although we’ll have to work around that name. Who wants to go to an island called Elpitha? It sounds more like a disease than an island.”

Duke squinted up at the blazing sun and loosened his tie. “I don’t know. I kind of like it.” He noticed a plantation-style home tucked behind the trees in the distance. “They weren’t kidding about the strange mix of Mediterranean and Southern feel of the place. This should be interesting.” Duke knew some of the island’s history, and though he still didn’t understand why Greeks would immigrate to the South and try to re-create their country’s feel, it didn’t much matter. If he and Pierce decided to purchase the land, they would bulldoze every structure and give the island a complete Southern overhaul, making it the most desirable resort area in the South.

“Chuck called earlier and said Liakos’s granddaughter Gabriella is an attorney,” Pierce explained. “He thinks they might bring her in on things. Apparently their family keeps things tight. So if you meet her, play nice.”

The hollow clank of a screen door hitting its frame drew Duke’s attention. A woman stood on the porch of the old building, shading her eyes from the sun as she looked out at the water. Her long dark hair hung halfway down her back. Duke was too far away to see her features, but there was no missing her curvaceous ass and full breasts, not to mention legs that seemed to go on forever beneath her short summery dress. Duke watched with interest as he listened to Pierce relay the most recent information from the attorneys and engineers.

The woman glanced at her watch, then settled her hand on her hip. A voice rang out from inside the building, and the pretty woman hurried back inside.

“I just found proof of life,” he said to Pierce as he stepped onto the sandy path. “I’ll call you once I’ve done some recon.”

His black leather shoes quickly lost their shine from the dusty road as he approached the building. Voices filtered out the open windows as he mounted the steps. He glanced through the screen door, spotting the brunette he’d just seen. She was facing away from him, speaking heatedly in Greek, hands flailing as her exasperated voice pitched higher.

A thick-waisted man with salt-and-pepper hair sat at a table near the counter, amusement shining in his dark eyes as the brunette ranted to an older woman, and then the man said something Duke couldn’t hear.

“Ugh! Baba!” The younger woman threw her hands up in the air and flew out the screen door, nearly smacking Duke in the face.

He stumbled backward, giving the angry woman a wide breadth as she paced the front porch. She mumbled something in Greek and then crossed her arms, raised her shoulders, and dropped them quickly with a loud harrumph. Duke couldn’t help but drink in the flush on her smooth, sun-kissed cheeks. Her nose was small and straight, and her almond-shaped, dark—and currently angry—eyes were shadowed by lashes so long they brushed her cheeks.

Having grown up with a younger sister, Duke bided his time in announcing his presence, not wanting to take the brunt of her reaction to whatever the man had said to upset her.

She inhaled a deep breath, her breasts rising and pressing against the sheer fabric, then falling as she exhaled loudly. Her shoulders lowered, and the tightness around her mouth softened. She turned a full-lipped, mind-numbing smile to Duke, as if she hadn’t just come out in a firestorm.

“My father believes that no matter what he says, I hear something else.” She tilted her head to the side in a thoughtful pose, and in the space of a second her eyes filled with rebellion, making her even sexier. “Hearing and agreeing are two different things.”

Duke wondered what her father had just said that got her panties in a bunch. Christ. Now he was thinking about her panties.

“I’m Gabriella Liakos. Welcome to Elpitha Island.”

The granddaughter? Playing nice would not be a problem with this feisty beauty. Duke shook her hand, holding it a beat longer than he probably should, still mesmerized by the whirlwind of energy radiating from her. “Duke Ryder. It’s nice to meet you. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“No one intrudes on Elpitha,” she said sweetly.

Duke shifted his eyes to the screen door, and she laughed softly. It was the rare type of laugh that floated like the wind and wasn’t easily forgotten.

“We’re Greek,” she said with a shrug, as if that explained it all.

He arched a brow.

“When you combine a Greek father and a Southern mother, who learned all the best Greek ways, that’s what you get. Food, yelling, guilt, more food. Sweet love. Crazy love. More food. That’s who we are.” She dragged her gorgeous eyes down his suit to his shoes and put one hand on her hip as she had earlier, tapping her lips with the other.

Duke wouldn’t mind getting his mouth on those succulent lips for some crazy love.

“You’re the investor, checking out our island so you can line your pockets, right?”

He couldn’t tell if the look in her eyes was teasing or serious, but her sharp tongue piqued his interest even more. Duke respected confidence, and even though it wasn’t the greeting he’d hoped for, he liked knowing that Gabriella wasn’t a pushover.

“Something like that,” he answered casually.

As a real estate investor, Duke knew his clients were vulnerable and, more often than not, taking a deal they didn’t really care for because, by the time he swooped in to save the day, they had gotten a strong dose of what failure tasted like. A hard pill to swallow. Which was why Duke didn’t flinch as Gabriella measured everything about him, from his appearance to his answers. While other investors were cold as sharks, Duke had never quite mastered making ice flow through his veins. But he always got the job done.

Her eyes flicked toward the water, where another boat was nearing the dock. Her smiled turned genuine at the sight of a handful of children waving from the boat. She waved both arms over her head and yelled something in Greek, then settled her hands on her hips as she watched the children file from the boat.

“It was nice to meet you, Gabriella,” Duke said, hoping he’d see her later. The island had a population of just over two hundred and fifty people, so he imagined it would be hard not to see the same people throughout his stay. “I’ll just step inside and see about my room and a tour.”

“Lucky you,” she said, turning a steady gaze back to him, “I’m your tour host.” She didn’t wait for him to reply as she opened the screen door and hollered something in Greek to the people inside. Over her shoulder, she said to Duke, “Give me a sec to get your keys and the cart, and I’ll show you around and drop you at your place.”

It took a moment for him to remember that they drove golf carts or used bicycles on the island and that cars were prohibited.

She hurried inside and headed directly to her Baba, which Duke now knew meant he was her father, and said something that made the man laugh. She leaned in to kiss and hug her father, and her dress crept up, exposing the backs of her thighs and hugging her ass. He tried to ignore the stroke of awareness racing through him. She walked around the counter and grabbed a set of keys from a hook, then draped an arm around the shoulders of the woman with whom she was speaking earlier.

“Mama,” Gabriella said to the woman. Her mother’s hair was a shade lighter than hers. “Talk some sense into him, will you, please?” She whispered something, then kissed her, too.

The woman wiped her hands on an apron and smiled at Duke, catching him observing them. “Welcome to our island, Mr. Ryder. I’m Peggy Ann, and this is my husband, Niko.”

Her warm Southern drawl took Duke by surprise after hearing her speak fluent Greek, and he realized it shouldn’t have. They were in the South, after all.

He stepped inside. “It’s a pleasure to be here, and to meet you both.”

Gabriella’s father nodded. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Ryder.”

“I’ll meet you out front,” Gabriella said as she grabbed a large basket from the counter, then disappeared through a door in the back of the room.

As he stepped onto the porch, Duke had a feeling Pierce was wrong about the sand and sun being the best part of the island. Those things had nothing on the intriguing woman who’d just slipped out the back door.

MORE RYDERS coming soon!

Seized by Love (Blue) – Now Available! – http://smarturl.it/SBL_Kindle

Chased by Love (Trish) – Releasing Aug 2016 – http://smarturl.it/Chased_Kindle

Swept Into Love (Gage)

Rescued by Love (Jake)

About Melissa Foster:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

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Enter Melissa’s Giveaway:

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Cover Reveal…Race the Darkness by Abbie Roads

It’s precisely 7:22 pm ET, the sun has just set in the east, and it’s starting to get dark…

We are excited to reveal the cover of Race the Darkness, a dark, gritty, emotional and sexy romantic suspense novel by debut author Abbie Roads.

First in a gripping paranormal romantic suspense duo by a Golden Heart finalist debut author whose clinical work gives her chilling insights…

Cursed with a terrible gift
Criminal investigator Xander Stone doesn’t have to question you—he can hear your thoughts. Scarred by lightning, burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice that haunts him day and night—the voice of a woman begging him to save her.

That threatens to engulf them…
Isleen Walker has long since given up hope of escape from the nightmare of captivity and torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul. Except…there is the man in her feverish dreams, the strangely beautiful man who beckons her to freedom and wholeness. And when he comes, if he comes, it will take all their combined fury and faith to overcome a madman bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy.

About Abbie Roads:
Abbie Roads is a mental health counselor known for her blunt, honest style of therapy. By night she writes dark, emotional novels, always giving her characters the happy ending she wishes for all her clients. Her novels have finaled in RWA contests including the Golden Heart. Race the Darkness is the first book in the Fatal Dreams series of dark, gritty romantic suspense with a psychological twist.

Race the Darkness will be available on October 4^th.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/22nGnVk
B&N: http://bit.ly/1pwghOK
BAM: http://bit.ly/1RmOgoN

Dear Readers,

I wrote Race the Darkness from start to finish three different times, with three different story lines, and with three different titles! The only thing that ever remained the same between the versions was Xander and Isleen. I believed in them and the story they wanted to tell. I hope you love reading about their tragedies and triumphs as much as I enjoyed writing them… All three times! And isn’t the cover amazing, beautiful, gorgeous? I cried the first time I saw it! It made all the hard work to get this book to you worth it!

Abbie Roads

P.S. I would love to connect with you and hear what you think about the cover! You can find me here:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

An excerpt from Race the Darkness:

No fucking way was he going to die running. He stopped, turned and faced the truck barreling toward them. The tires ate up the ground at an indecent rate. He clutched Isleen tighter to his chest. For her sake, he wanted it to be a quick death. No more lingering. No more pain.

That thought infuriated him. None of this was right. They shouldn’t be on the verge of death. Again.

The truck kept coming—twenty-five feet.

Everything slowed, happened as if through the quicksand of time. A white dandelion floaty meandered on the breeze directly between them and the truck. His heart no longer ran a staccato rhythm. Duh…duhm.Pause. Duh…duhm.

Pause.

His life didn’t flash before his eyes. The future did. Isleen’s future. In an ethereal dream beyond time, her skin was gilded by firelight, her eyes void of sadness and fear, her body whole and healthy. She smiled, an expression so full of warmth and tenderness and undiluted joy that it plunked itself down inside his heart and wouldn’t leave.

He ached to create that kind of smile on her face, but their lives were over and it all could’ve gone so differently if he’d only listened to her, believed in her, found her years before now.

Felony Ever After…Release Day Event and Review

Summary:

Verity Michaels is new to New York City, but even she knows riding in a stolen a cab is not a normal way to meet someone. Damn it if that tattoo-covered would-be felon isn’t everywhere now, and lighting everything on fire under her skirt.

His name is Hudson Fenn, and he’s frustratingly impossible to pin down. He works as a bike messenger, but has the manners of a prince—along with a strange tendency toward breaking and entering. As much as Verity knows he’s not her type, and likely to land her in jail, she can’t help but find her truest self when they’re together.

Can she be brave enough to give Hudson a real chance? Will he be bold enough to reveal the man beneath the ink, or will his secrecy doom their connection? Also, WTF is the deal with Verity’s boss? No less than thirteen of your favorite romance writers have teamed up to tell this sexy, wacky, snort-inducing tale. With them you’ll visit the world’s most irritating office, a VIP room of questionable cleanliness, and the fanciest apartment a bike messenger has ever inhabited, but you’ll still never see this ending coming.

My Review:

Ok, so I’ll admit when I read that 13 individual authors were writing one story, I was a tad nervous. I mean how could they make that work? Each author has their own voice and puts their individual flavor into their characters, so how could 13 people write two main characters and two secondary characters? Well, I’m not sure of the how but I can tell you they freaking nailed it! This book was so damn good and the characters were amazing. I loved it all from start to finish and I’m so sad I’ve already finished it.

This group of authors, many I’ve read and am a huge fan of, created a hero and heroine I just adore. Hudson is such a dichotomy and the layers that make up his being are complex and amazing. Sure he’s hot, sexy, tattooed, and charming but he’s also got a huge heart and a hidden side I swooned over. The authors did an amazing job at revealing what makes Hudson Hudson. We were introduced to so much but kept in the dark about a few key parts of his life and I loved the pace in which we get to find out what makes him tick. SO good! Verity is equally fabulous. She’s funny as hell and is also wonderfully multifaceted. I loved her relationship with her friend and co-worker and her insane work situation. She had me laughing too many times to count and I loved it. Together these two are off the charts smoking hot. But where they really shine is in the quiet and tender moments. When they’re getting to know each other. Those times are both sweet and at times funny but make up a twenty-first century fairy tale like nothing I’ve ever read.

The extra added touch was the twitter convo between Verity and Hudson that end each chapter. I loved it so much and it totally gave this book and extra oomph that made it even more special. But the best part about that? Getting to the end of the book and seeing that I can actually follow them on Twitter and enjoy more interactions even after finishing the book! So amazing and so much fun!

From beginning to end this was a unique and enjoyable reading experience. The collaboration went off without a hitch and I highly recommend this book to any romance fan! Thank you, ladies, for one hell of a read!

Four-and-a-Half Loves

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29514879-felony-ever-after

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1LmYseF
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1V7qJb6
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/250Cg07
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1UtVTsH
Amazon FR: http://amzn.to/1MiYj6R
Amazon DE: amzn.to/1QYEX8S
iBooks: http://apple.co/1U8Vpd8

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

KOBO: http://bit.ly/1UbZnB5

Heartbreaker by Kat & Stone Bastion…Release Day Event

We’re absolutely thrilled to celebrate the release of Kat & Stone Bastion’s sexy and emotional new adult romance HEARTBREAKER!

PLUS visit their Facebook page today for a $25 Amazon Gift Card giveaway. Further details below.

Read for yourself what HEARTBREAKER reviewers are buzzing about…

Early Praise for HEARTBREAKER:

“Heartrending, passionate, and captivating! Heartbreaker is a riveting page-turner that will leave you breathless with raw emotions, and the need to hold tight to the ones you love!”
~ Beneath the Covers Blog

“This book has definitely earned its five stars and I am just floored right now. The passion is explosive, the story itself is beautiful, and the emotions are so real my heart is ready to burst. Beautiful book. Absolutely breathtaking.”
~ One Page at a Time

“I really, really liked this book…I’ve not read anything else by these authors but they are now on my radar.”
~ BFD Book Blog

“This is my first time reading this author but it definitely won’t be my last—I loved it…wonderfully compelling, a story that touched my heart in so many ways and characters I will remember for a long time to come.”
~ Girl Who Reads

“Heartbreaker is a great read… more than just a love story that can make you swoon. It touches a very sensitive topic that not all are brave enough to dwell on.”
~ Book Freak

“It has been a long time since I’ve read a love story like this. Solid from beginning to end Heartbreaker…draws its readers into the world of sacrifice and deep love. The writing is solid and flawless.”
~ Jeri’s Book Attic

“Reading a book by Kat and Stone Bastion is like eating one of the best meals of your life. It has the perfect flow from its appetizing beginning, its emotionally hearty entrées, to its deliciously sweet end.”
~ TJLovesToRead

“An extremely emotional story that really tugged at my heart…I highly recommend it.”
~ Loves 2 Read Romance

“I laughed, I cried, I cursed and I smiled. The end of the story was beautiful…totally loved it!”
~ Vasiliki, Goodreads early reviewer

“5 STARS. This book is pure bliss. I just couldn’t stop reading. I loved the writing, the story, nothing felt rushed or too easy…We have banter, sexual tension, love, angst, it’s perfect.”
~ Isa, Goodreads early reviewer

“This was so good! Highly recommend…well written and flowed with a great pace, I read it in a sitting.”
~ Angela, Goodreads early reviewer

About HEARTBREAKER:

Kiki Michaelson wants one wild night to forget her starving-artist worries. Simple.

Only instead of Darren Cole becoming her one-night stand, he taunts her with a challenge. Then while she’s trying to best him at his own game, he turns out to be the last thing she’s prepared for: someone she wants to keep.

Which means all he can ever be…is a friend.

Darren Cole never allows a girl to get close—not close enough to matter.

Then storms in Kiki Michaelson, a beautiful, fearless temptation that rocks his world off-balance. But he fights their attraction, unwilling to gamble something physical with their close ties. Until the passionate sculptor exposes her heart and breaks his wide open.

In that moment it becomes clear: she could never be just a friend.

Sometimes what you run from…is exactly what you need.

HEARTBREAKER Release Day $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Be sure to visit Kat & Stone on their Facebook page today to enter: Kat & Stone Bastion’s Facebook

Have You Joined Their Email Notification List?
Keep informed of new releases by signing up:
Kat & Stone Bastion’s Email Subscription

One lucky subscriber wins an eBook of their choice from the backlist AND a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card with each announcement.

About Kat & Stone Bastion:

Kat Bastion won several awards for her bestselling debut novel Forged in Dreams and Magick.

Kat and Stone Bastion’s bestselling first novel No Weddings and the No Weddings series were named Best of 2014 by multiple romance review blogs.

When not defining love and redemption through scribed words, they enjoy spending their time mountain biking and hiking in the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona.

Stay in touch with them on their social media pages…
Blog * Facebook * Kat’s Twitter * Stone’s Twitter * Website

Collared by Nicole Williams…Release Day Blitz

Buy the Book

Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Nook Kobo Ibooks

When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes,

A community is shaken.

Parents turn desperate.

Friends hold vigils.

And the boy who loves her searches.

When a year goes by,

The community is recovering.

Parents feel hopeless.

Friends feel helpless.

And the boy who loves her continues his search.

When ten years go by,

The community has forgotten.

Parents cling to the past.

Friends move toward the future.

And the boy who loves her . . .

Brings her home.

Jade Childs spent ten years in captivity, but now that she’s back, the real battle for survival begins. The media shadows her. Flashbacks haunt her. Her old life evades her. Her so-called new life rejects her. She spent too many years in the dark to recognize the light. She spent too long repressing her feelings to remember how to express them. She spent a decade abandoning hope and cannot dare letting it back into her life. Jade’s not just defined by what happened to her—she’s collared to it.

When the twenty-seven-year-old woman is found,

A community wants to know the story,

Parents want to forget the story,

Friends want to be a part of the story,

And the man who still loves her faces the greatest challenge yet: letting her go.

He exhales like there’s some war being fought inside him. I don’t think he’ll answer. He has a right to keep his secrets—god knows I should be able to empathize with that.

His hand dangling over the steering wheel curls into a fist. “The woman I wanted to spend my life with was gone. I wasn’t in the mood to find a backup.”

My chest does that thing again—contracting like someone just hit me in the ribs with a hammer. When Torrin glances at me, it looks like someone’s swinging a dozen hammers at him too.

I can’t keep looking at him watching me like that. I know we’re feeling the same thing—the ache of what could have been. The pain of accepting it never can be again.

I find myself focusing on the dashboard. I don’t notice it right away, but when I do, I touch the bright coral smear running down the front of it. “You never cleaned it.” I trace my finger down the dried nail polish, reliving the moment like it was happening right now.

“I could never bring myself to.” Torrin’s eyes land on the stain from the bottle I accidently spilled when I was painting my toenails on a drive to the beach. “I couldn’t bring myself to just . . . erase it.”

I don’t know a tear’s slipped out until it falls onto my arm that’s still reaching out, touching the stain. It’s only one tear, no more are coming, but Torrin doesn’t miss it.

He sighs and clenches the steering wheel a little harder. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. How to act around you. I don’t think I’m doing anything right.” His knuckles are white when we exit the freeway. “This is all very surreal. What happened. You being back. I’m totally lost.”

I don’t know why he’s apologizing. The only time I’ve felt like life hasn’t siphoned every last drop of emotion out of me is when I’ve been with him.

“You’re treating me exactly like you used to.” My fingers fall away from the dash. The good memories have turned to painful ones, a spilled bottle of nail polish included. “I’d rather have you act like nothing happened and I’m the same person you remember than have you second-guess everything you say and do.”

His knuckles loosen around the steering wheel. He rolls his fingers, popping them.

“Just do what comes naturally to you.” I turn in my seat to face him. “I’ll do what comes naturally to me, and maybe things will get easier.”

We’re stopped at the light leading to the zoo, and he looks at me. His forehead is folded into creases. “What comes naturally to me?” He doesn’t pause long enough for me to reply. “I’m not sure that would be helpful to either of us.”

It’s not my chest that hurts when he says that—it’s my stomach. It’s not really pain though—it’s something else. I haven’t felt it in a long time, and I know I shouldn’t feel it right now.

I can’t let that look in his eyes keep doing this to my stomach. I can’t let the way his chest is rising and falling harder now affect mine.

The light changes, thankfully, and his eyes move from me to the road. The air inside the cab takes a while to clear though despite the cracked windows.

“That’s when I started to fall in love with you—after my dad died and you acted the exact same around me. You treated me the same as you had every day before. Still rubbing it in my face when you scored higher on a test. Still knocking on my door and seeing if I wanted to shoot hoops. When everyone was understanding of me wanting to lock myself in my bedroom, you got me to play basketball.” He smiles at the windshield like he’s watching the twelve-year-old versions of us playing a game of Around the World. “You brought me back . . . when everyone else just kind of left me behind.”

I find my eyes drifting back to the nail polish stain. “And when did you finish falling in love with me? When I finally let you win a game of one-on-one? Or was it the night we . . . you know?” Thinking about that night makes me blush. Talking about it makes me shift.

Torrin glances at me for a moment. “I’ll never finish falling in love with you.”

Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

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Palm South University: Season Two Episode Three….Release & Review

Title: Palm South University: Season Two Episode Three

Author: Kandi Steiner

Release Date: March 22, 2016

Find on Goodreads

Drama. Lies. Sex.

Welcome to Palm South University.

The weather isn’t the only thing heating up in South Florida. At a school where fraternities and sororities don’t exactly play by the rules, relationships are bound to be tested. Parties and sex are definitely key ingredients in the Palm South recipe, but what happens when family issues, secret lives, and unrequited love get tossed in the mix?

Follow Cassie, Bear, Jess, Skyler, Erin, Ashlei, and Adam as they tackle college at a small, private beach town university. Written in television drama form, each episode of this serial will pull you deeper and deeper into the world of PSU.

Where the sun is hot and the clothes are scarce, anything can happen.

Amazon

You can also grab the Season One Box Set today!

I am absolutely loving this season!!! Each episode just gets more intense and interesting as we go.

Episode three surrounds Cassie, Jess, Skyler and Bear. While there isn’t a lot of intriguing new things that pop up, it’s the realizations that some of them are finally coming around to.

Cassie – this girl is starting to find her feisty side and I love it!! She definitely shines in this episode and really shocks everyone. All I am saying is “don’t put Cassie in a corner!”

Jess – sometimes she just really makes me want to smack her. LOL I know she wants to have things go a certain way but she really just needs to stop fighting reality.

Bear – this boy is in trouble with a capital a S as in Shawna. I really think she is going to give him a run for his money. And I love that he is up for the challenge!!

Skyler – this girl has her shit together even if she doesn’t realize it. I think there are certain things she is just scared to admit. Sometimes when things get too comfortable, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s right.

All in all, I think this season is shaping up to be interesting one with many events unfolding.

“What I can’t understand in this moment is why you’ve been ignoring me.” His dark eyes are hard on mine. “You said it’s mostly because you’re sick. What else?”

I take another bite, mainly to buy myself another minute to think. “Well, remember how you fucked me into admitting I was jealous over Spencer?” He nods. “I, uh, I saw you two together. At Pie Heaven.”

Jarrett sighs, rubbing his face. “I told you she’s just my boss’ daughter. We surfed that morning and grabbed lunch after.”

I shake my head. “Stop. You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I know we’re not together, and that’s why I’ve been avoiding you, because I shouldn’t feel jealous over who I see you with, Jarrett. Jealousy is dangerous. It leads to more intense feelings.”

He watches me carefully, chewing the inside of his cheek. “Come here.”

“Ew, I’m so gross right now.”

Jarrett fights a smile. “Jess, come here.”

I’m hesitant, but eventually comply, setting my bowl on the coffee table and maneuvering until we’re both lying on the couch spooning. Jarrett wraps his arms around me, tight, pulling me into him and kissing my bare shoulder. “You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met.”

I snicker, pulling the blanket up under my chin. “How long before I chase you away?”

He’s quiet for a moment, his free hand running through my hair, lulling me into a sedative state. “You can’t chase someone who’s not running.”

Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.

Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).

When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website | Goodreads

Elastic Hearts by Claire Contreras…..Release Blitz

Meet Victor and Nicole in Elastic Hearts.

This sexy, forbidden standalone by Claire Contreras is

NOW LIVE!

Grab your copy at the following retailers:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1R86SXA

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1TZc6XW

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1PkT2vg

**Special release week pricing**

Blurb

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Claire Contreras, comes a sexy new standalone novel.

Victor Reuben.

Most sought out divorce attorney in LA.

Nicole Alessi.

Soon to be ex-wife of Hollywood’s biggest star, Victor’s latest client and his boss’s daughter.

In such a high profile divorce, they can’t afford any extra drama. Luckily, neither one of them has anything to hide.

Unless you count the mind blowing sex they had…

Once…

Twice…

Three times all those years ago.

As long as they leave the past where it belongs, they’ll be fine. But with her wearing those tight dresses and him giving her those heated glances, keeping their hands to themselves is proving to be more difficult than either one of them realized.

It won’t be long before the paparazzi start to smell smoke, and where there’s smoke…

*Each book in the Hearts Series follows a different couple and can be read as a standalone.*

Excerpt

“This isn’t going to work,” he said finally, turning to face me as he stood behind the desk.

“What?”

“This. Us. Me on this case. It’s not going to work.”

“Because you want to fuck me against the window,” I said.

He gripped the top of the chair tightly and dropped his head, but didn’t comment on what I’d said. “Maybe we should just see each other when we have to . . . for the divorce,” he said.

I let out a laugh. “I didn’t plan to come here tonight, let alone run into you.”

“You’re right,” he said, meeting my gaze. “You’re right, but we should still stick to that plan.”

“As my lawyer, I don’t think you should let me make rash decisions when I’m drunk,” I said. He looked down again, but I saw his smile before he tried to hide it.

“I’m serious, Nicole.”

“That’s fine, Victor. I get it. Is that it? I was talking to a really cute guy upstairs, and I still need to use the restroom. Maybe I’ll take him with me.” Even in my current state, I could see the way his eyes darkened at my suggestion.

“You just said you were drunk,” he growled, gripping the chair harder.

“Not that drunk.” I paused to search his face. “Would that upset you? If I hooked up with that guy in the bathroom? I kind of like bathroom hookups.”

“Nicole,” he said, his tone hard, his eyes searing into mine.

“You know, you’re actually the only guy I’ve done that with,” I admitted. “But it was so hot. You kept saying all these dirty things in my ear, remember?”

“I remember,” he said, voice grating.

“You were doing that,” I said, pointing at his fingers, which were digging into the top of the chair. “Gripping my ass. I had marks the next day, the soreness. So hot.”

“Nicole,” he growled.

Haven’t read this series yet?

What are you waiting for?

*Each book in the Hearts Series follows a different couple

and can be read as a standalone.*

Kaleidoscope Hearts (Book One)

ONLY $2.99

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

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/1YswiR9

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LbGJ9H

Paper Hearts (Book Two) Mia & Jensen

ONLY $3.99

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Lben8Y

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1M21cgB

Elastic Hearts (Book Three) Victor & Nicole

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1R86SXA

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1TZc6XW

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1PkT2vg

**Special release week pricing**

Author Information

Claire Contreras graduated with her BA in Psychology from Florida International University. She lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, two little boys, and three dogs.

Her favorite past times are: daydreaming, writing, and reading.

She has been described as a random, sarcastic, crazy girl with no filter.

Life is short, and it’s more bitter than sweet, so she tries to smile as often as her face allows. She enjoys stories with happy endings, because life is full of way too many unhappy ones.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Through Her Eyes by Ava Harrison…Promo Blitz

Meet Chase Porter in Through Her Eyes by Ava Harrison!

NOW AVAILABLE!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Pkn5Do

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

BLURB

One phone call changed me.

Three simple words and I was shattered.

Damaged.

Broken.

Alone.

So I started over.

And my journey of rediscovery led me straight into his arms.

Chase Porter.

The stranger who showed me life from a different perspective.

But we both had secrets…

His would destroy my world.

PROLOGUE

I was a horrible person.

Truly.

But I had goals, and he didn’t fit into them.

I didn’t know how to take back the words I’d said. They filtered through my brain like a bad dream that I just couldn’t awaken from. Just when they started to slowly slip away, they resurfaced. Rooted so deeply in my psyche, there was really no place for them to hide.

If only I’d known the ramifications of my actions. If only I’d known how my decisions would hurt me beyond repair.

But at the time, I couldn’t let him halt my progress. I was so close . . .

“Are you in love with me, Aria? Do you want to be with me?” Parker asked, and my heart completely stopped. I had waited so long to hear those words, for him to see me as more than a friend.

“No. I don’t want to be with you,” I replied. Even as the words left my mouth, I knew they were a lie.

I didn’t just love him. It was so much more than that. So much more than love. He was my rock, my friend. He was the lifeline that ran through me.

At the time, I thought I had no choice . . . I thought he would be able to see that after everything I’d been through I needed to succeed. I needed to make up for the loss of my brother Owen. In the end, though, my decisions were always toxic.

Toxic to him.

Toxic to Owen.

Toxic to everyone.

“No, I don’t love you.”

Those were the last words he heard as he turned and walked away.

My heart tightened in my chest as the words replayed over and over again that afternoon. A record skipping that I just couldn’t turn off.

Then the phone rang.

Three words were uttered.

Three words that changed my life.

The phone slipped from my trembling hand, and I dropped to the floor.

I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t scream.

Cemented in place.

My shoulders curled in, and I clutched my stomach through dry heaves.

I’d lost my soul mate, and now I’d lost my future.

Everything I’d worked for crumbled, and it all no longer mattered.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ava Harrison is a New Yorker, born and bred.

When she’s not journaling her life, you can find her window shopping, cooking dinner for her family, or curled up on her couch reading a book.

Facebook Page | Pinterest | Perfectly Flawed Support Group on Facebook.

Personal Apocalypse by Nazarea Andrews….Release Day Blitz

Today we are celebrating the release of PERSONAL APOCALYPSE by Nazarea Andrews. Personal Apocalypse is an adult dystopian, standalone novel, that is the first in a spin-off in the world of The World Without End series. Check out the buy links and an excerpt below.

Click here to add PERSONAL APOCALYPSE to Goodreads

PERSONAL APOCALYPSE Blurb:

Personal Apocalypse: A World Without End novel

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

PURCHASE NOW

Amazon

EXCERPT:

Nightfall comes quickly and settles over the hotel with a shuddering silence that chills me. Finn and Ren are back, and he’s sure that no one else is lurking nearby. But we don’t really know that. Our houseguest is watching with that faint, damning smile that tells me we’re missing something. I just wish I could figure out what the f*ck it is.
As night falls, she comes alert, still and stiff in her chains, with a bright-eyed stare as she looks out the window, into the night time.
That’s when the night comes to life.
I’m used to the sounds of the Holdout—the crash of the waves, and the low murmur of life, the hiss of snakes and splash of gators in the swamps that border our tiny home. The lazy hum of bugs in the air so thick it’s like a physical thing.
And I’m even used to the noise of our boat. Finn’s low rumble and Ren’s sharp laugh and sarcastic humor. Parker’s quiet voice that is the backbone for all of the important things in my life. The sound of the water against the hull, and the creak of the boards and the lines, the rattle of rigs and weapons and the whistle of the wind as we slept.
But nothing. Nothing. Could prepare me for the wildness of Africa at night.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binging watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Reign by M.N. Forgy…Sales Blitz

One bad biker. One gorgeous sheriff.

One intense biker romance.

REIGN IS NOW ON SALE

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1W0eSdq

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

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1PW98BW

iBooks: http://apple.co/1R8tNCO

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QdBQy7

As the president of the Sin City Outlaw Motorcycle Club, l fuck as hard as I ride and rarely go to bed alone.

The women are fast and the violence is intense.

I excel in both.

People either respect me or fear me. I’m not arrogant. It’s just the truth.

I was a king, reigning over Vegas without complication, until one gorgeous sheriff made everything fall apart.

When I saw her, I became a Neanderthal, wanting nothing more than to be between those legs.

I guess that’s where I went wrong, because my reality was shot to hell real

fucking fast.

One kiss caused her to step over that blue line.

One night in her bed made me a traitor.

And now… we’re both screwed.

The conclusion of Zeek and Jillian’s romance releases April 4th!

Now Available for Pre-order Mercy here:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1R7WJWx

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

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

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

About the Author

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Sins That Bind Us by Geneva Lee…..Blog Tour & Review

Meet Jude in The Sins That Bind Us by Geneva Lee!

NOW LIVE!

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1V49irN

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

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/21pQP8Q

View Trailer Here: https://youtu.be/ceS3oGVFZ60

BLURB

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

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

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

We write our own stories.

We build our own prisons.

We weave our own lies.

We commit the sins that bind us.

REVIEW

Geneva Lee is a new author to me so I had no idea what to expect when I started this. I had heard of her books prior and many people have raved about her but I personally have never read anything by her. And we’ll just say that after reading this, I will be reading more by Geneva.

“Hope that we’re still capable of change and believe there are blank pages to fill in our stories.”

This book definitely deals with some tougher issues. Geneva doesn’t dig too deep into the ugly sides of them but she doesn’t sugarcoat it either. She shows more of the side where other people’s actions affect those around them. And she did a great job of keeping it real and not making anything unrealistic.

“Face your past, then let it go.”

The story is told from the present with a mixture of parts of the past revealed, giving us a background on how everything happened. It’s a very fast paced story filled with tension, heartache, fear, and love. There are some twists in this book that I didn’t expect and made the book even more intense.

“That night she gave Grace a line of coke to help her forget something Faith couldn’t remember-and Grace could never forgive.”

All in all, this is great story with some impactful words. A book I recommend to anyone.

EXCERPT

“Maybe he was already as tightly wound as me, but I can’t help but squirm under his possessive stare. I ignite that ferocity. I’m the storm that unsettles the peaceful blue pools of his irises. And realizing that vanquishes my fear. Because I’ve undone this man.”

“I want to say something but my mouth is empty. Before I can find words his lips find mine instead. He crashes against me, and I’m powerless against his force. He’s washing me out into the unknown and I don’t care if I drown.

My body shapes to his as his hand slides under my ass, lifting me from my feet. I coil around him, instinctively pressing the core of my want against his groin. A low growl vibrates through him and his arms bind me closer.

I want as much of him as he’ll give me. It’s the only need I’m capable of processing and I open to him, allowing his tongue to stroke across my teeth and then massage over mine. It’s an invitation and I RSVP by tangling my fingers into his hair. I grip it tightly, desperate to possess him as fully as he has me.”

When he backs into the kitchen table, we both spring into action, unbuttoning and unbuckling as quickly as our impatient fingers allow. Wiggling off my jeans, I return my attention to his body. I trail my palm over the swirling black ink and then I lunge forward and sink my teeth into his skin.

“Christ, Sunshine,” he grunts, but before I can register it as a complaint, he’s pushed me flat against the table and unsnapped my bra. I move to slide it off and my wrist knocks over a box of crayons.

Our eyes lock as they scatter to the floor and before I can raise the white flag, I’m back in his arms. Jude kicks open the door leading to the garage.

“I’ll fix it later,” he promises, sweeping me out the door. Twirling me around, he barricades it with our bodies. “Hold on.”

“I wrap my arms around his shoulders and cling to him as he frees his dick. I feel its heat prod against my belly. His whiskers scratch against my cheek as his mouth slants toward my neck. “I can’t be patient,” he warns me.

“Don’t be,” I beg.

He doesn’t need coaxing. His hand slips between my thighs and shoves my panties to the side. My bare back smacks against the wood as he thrusts into me. Jude’s chest smashes against my breasts as his weight overwhelms me. I lose myself to the rhythm. To the crash and the ebb. There is only each stroke, and the glorious, violent inevitability of being abandoned and filled.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GenevaLeeAuthor

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