The latest Hot Hot Hot Off the Press new looks:
DARK DESIRES AFTER DUSK
KISS OF A DEMON KING
Each of the above will be available in eBook format at a special price of $1.99 from
June 1st – July 6th.
Category: May 2015
What Piper Needs by Amanda Abbott….Review Tour Stop
Synopsis:
Piper and Michael Collins have it all. They’re in love, both have successful jobs, live in a nice neighborhood, and have a great sex life—that is, up until recently. Over the past six months everything has started to drag. Even though they’ve led an “extracurricular” lifestyle for a long time, things have gotten boring.
It’s up to Piper to liven her marriage up, which she does with a little encouragement from her pal Caroline at their weekly STD happy hours. She jumps in without pause and sparks between she and Michael fly. First with hot selfies, office sex, and later with some much needed risk-taking.
From there, Piper and Michael make a Top Ten Sex List and start ticking off their wildest fantasies. Piper is fearless, but when they both arrive at Michael’s number ten, is Piper really ready?
*This book is super steamy hot, filled with out-of-the-box moments. The book contains: explicit sex, hardcore toys, and group sex.
My Review:
What Piper Needs is the second installment in author Amanda Abbott’s Pushing The Boundaries Series and follows married couple Piper and Michael Collins, whom we met in the first book, What Caroline Wants. While this book can absolutely be read as a stand alone, I do recommend reading the first book just so you can get a bit of background on this couple.
What I liked about What Piper Needs is similar to what I appreciated in What Caroline Wants, in the sense that this follows a happily married couple who are able to grow together and explore what makes them sexually fulfilled and satisfied. In this book, Piper has come to a bit of a crossroads and needs to figure some things out…primarily why her previously satisfying sex life with her husband of fourteen years has become, for lack of a better word, unsatisfying. Lucky for her, her husband is willing to explore and give her what she needs. They almost have to start over, in a way, and learn new ways to get Piper to where she needs to be. I enjoyed the mutual respect and love Piper and Michel have for one another and think their marriage is a wonderful example of two partners willing to grow and change.
Of course, the sex is off the freaking charts hot and there is plenty of it!What Piper Needs is well written and smoking hot. I will certainly be looking forward to more of this series.
Thank you, Ms. Abbott, for another scorchingly hot read!
Four Loves
Excerpt:
Honestly, Piper. You never listen to me anyway. If you did, you might find my advice helpful.” “I do listen. It’s just hard to focus when, you know, focusing takes so much effort.” Piper
Collins sat in her usual spot, a comfy overstuffed chair by the window, half-listening to her sex therapist, Marianne Cummings, talk about all the changes she needed to make in her life.
Piper suppressed a snicker when she thought of her therapist’s last name, which she did often, sometimes right in the middle of a session. She’d chosen this woman solely based on her name when she’d found it listed in the directory under sex therapists.
I mean, come on. It’d been a no-brainer.
Piper had been seeing her weekly for the last eight years, without fail, and Marianne really was worth the money. But Piper never took her advice.
Well, hardly ever.
Piper was a little more attentive today because she was looking forward to sharing Marianne’s sage advice with her bestie, Caroline Stratton, tonight for their weekly STD meeting, which included wine, lots of laugher, some lewd jokes, and plenty of talk about sex.
The acronym stood for Sexual Therapy for Deviants.
It was an utterly nonsensical name for their weekly wine-soaked therapy sessions, but Piper thought it was funny, so she had christened it the very first night, and STD it had stayed.
Caroline, her best friend and neighbor, had gone through her own sexual metamorphoses a few months ago. Mostly in thanks to Michael, Piper’s husband of ten years, spilling the beans about their own extracurricular sex lifestyle. But Caroline wouldn’t be caught dead talking to someone about sex, except for Piper and her own husband, Jason. She was too embarrassed and too proper to open up to a stranger.
So this was Piper’s way of paying it forward.
But, in reality, these new weekly meetings were helping Piper almost as much as they helped Caroline. Caroline had actually made Piper feel more normal than she had in years, so there was something to be said about your girlfriends being the best counselors.
“It’s a wonder your brain isn’t the consistency of scrambled eggs with all that’s going on in there. I see you’re thinking about something hard,” Marianne interrupted her thoughts. “You have no idea what it is you need. That’s why you come here to see me.”
“My brain is not the consistency of scrambled eggs,” she told Marianne, smiling. “I’m just really good at compartmentalizing.”
“I’d say avoiding is a more apt description of what’s going on inside that head of yours.” Marianne took her glasses off her nose and let them rest on her chest, using the rhinestone chain Piper had given her as a gift years ago.
“Fine, avoiding. But, whatever. It’s not going to happen.”
“I think you should rethink that,” Marianne told her. “It’s high time for you to stop being afraid of your own sexual pleasure and jump back in. Start taking risks again. No more watching from a safe distance, feeling left out of the fun. It’s time to be adventurous again, just like in the rest of your life. You’re such a vibrant soul. It’s a pity to constantly miss out on all the sexual
adventures that await you.” Ms. Cummings was a product of the sixties. She advocated a lot of free love, which Piper was totally on board with.
But this was different.
Jumping in could produce a ripple effect, one she might not recover from. Or at least, that was her fear. “I’m not afraid. I’m terrified. What if that thing”—Piper waved her hand in the air aimlessly—“happens again? I can’t risk it. I don’t feel ready.”
“That thing? You mean your mental breakdown?” “Um, yes. Exactly that.” Piper still had trouble admitting it had ever happened. It’d been a dark time in her life, and it’d been a blessing that she’d only been out of it for
a few weeks, not months, or even years. When she’d been right in the thick of it, she’d felt like the weight of the world was crushing the life out of her. And she felt like she couldn’t breathe for days on end. Her husband Michael had finally coaxed her out of it, giving her a lot of love and understanding, but she wasn’t willing to risk it again, not even for something she needed desperately—to feel sex again. To be scintillated by something.
To have an orgasm shake her to her core.
“Well, that was over seven years ago,” Marianne reminded her, “and from everything you’ve told me, you’re no longer satisfied with your sex life the way it is right now. Things have to change, or it’s going to adversely affect your marriage. You’ve been participating in open sex for the last nine years, and I shouldn’t have to remind you that you’ve assimilated very well to the lifestyle. Even though what brought you here was sex with another man other than your husband. You need to start putting yourself out there again so you can find your real pleasure, and in the process strengthen your marriage.”
“Or things can just stay the same.” Marianne chuckled.
Piper didn’t think it was unprofessional for her therapist to laugh at her. They’d been together for too long to not be completely comfortable with one another. “I know that’s your fear talking. And I’ve been saying the same thing to you for the past year. So you’re either going to listen or you’re not. But now that you have this friend to confide in—what’s her name again?”
“Caroline.”
“Yes, Caroline. Maybe she can help you see the light better than I can. Piper”—she leaned forward in her straight-backed chair—“there is sexual pleasure in your future if you allow it to happen. Lots of it. You are a bright light on this earth. All you need to do is make up your mind to live again.”
Now it was Piper’s turn to chuckle. “I have news for you. Caroline is not going to be an advocate of me swapping things up. She had her own little run-in not too long ago, and she’s still recovering. She will want me to stay nice and safe.”
“Have you explained everything to her?” “Not exactly.” “Try it. She might surprise you.”
***
“I think you should fuck the shit out of him.” Caroline drained her third glass of wine and peered over the rim at Piper, her eyebrows up at her hairline. “What? Was that too much?”
“Caroline Elizabeth Stratton!” Piper was legit shocked. And, to date, not a lot of things shocked her. “I cannot believe that just came out of your proper Southern mouth! I’m aghast.” She laughed.
Caroline set her glass down and smiled at Piper across the table like a shrew. They were in Piper’s kitchen for a change, the breakfast nook to be exact.
“I’m no Southern belle,” Caroline replied. “I think we’ve established that many times over. But I’m having trouble wrapping my head around the fact you haven’t had an orgasm in six months! And this is the first I’m hearing about it! What the hell, Piper? I thought we shared everything now. I shouldn’t have to remind you that you’re the one who’s responsible for me being in this lifestyle at all, which has been less than six months. You sat there in my kitchen and painted this fantastical picture of raw carnal pleasure, delights around every corner, and you’re not even living it! What a farce!”
Piper swirled the wine in her cup. The ruby liquid arced close to the rim leaving a thin film behind. This was one of her favorite wines. A Cabernet mix. She saved the good stuff for her nights with Caroline.
They’d been meeting every Thursday for three months like clockwork.
Most of the time at Caroline’s, because she worked from home and it was easy for her to host. But Michael, Piper’s husband of ten years, was out of town and Piper had taken a rare day off from her hectic job at the ad agency and had made them a bunch of their favorite foods, including homemade guacamole, which Caroline was currently munching on.
Piper set her glass down and rested her arms on the table. “I couldn’t tell you before because it’s embarrassing. I used to be the queen of orgasms. I could have ten in a row. Now, zilch, nada, nothing. Telling you I’m failing in the sex department, when you were all hopped up on free love, wasn’t going to happen. I don’t do Debbie Downer. I’m a perpetual Debbie Upper. You should know that by now.”
Caroline leaned over the table, a chip in one hand, and a recently refilled wine glass in the other. “Well, we’re going to fix your sex slump. You just have to leave it to me…”
Book links:
About the author:
Amanda Abbott lives in the Midwest. She’s the author of many books, both on her own and some published in New York. She loves traveling, seeing the world, and above all she loves to write. These stories have blossomed out of her pure love of all kinds of romance, but especially humor + sexy combined. Taking the question of “what if” and making it real was an absolute thrill to write. And there’s more in the hopper! To keep up with new series and new releases, be sure to sign-up for her NEWSLETTER. That’s the place you get to hear from her personally.
Dare To Run by Jen McLaughlin…Cover Reveal & Scavenger Hunt Stop
Today we are celebrating the release of the DARE TO RUN cover! DARE TO RUN is a gritty, super sexy, adult title coming out on February 2, 2016 from Jen McLaughlin and published by Penguin (NAL Signet). To celebrate, we are having a scavenger hunt! There are 8 clues scattered around groups of bloggers hosting this feature. All you have to do is find all 8 clues and figure out the scrambled word.
To make it easy for you, we will tell you where you can find Clue #1.
Just go to this article on DARE TO RUN, found at USA Today HEA!
In order to find the groups of bloggers posting, go to Jen McLaughlin’s blog and she will have the lists so you can check out each group and find the remaining 7 clues.
For this site, the clue is listed below, along with the rafflecopter.
DARE TO RUN Summary:
The New York times bestselling author of the Out of Line Novels takes readers to Boston where one gang of criminals knows how being bad can be so good…
She knows what he’s like on Boston’s mean streets. Now she’s going to find out if he’s got some heart.
Lucas Donahue is not ashamed of his criminal past, but after a brief stint in prison, he’s ready to go legit and live a normal life. The problem is, no one leaves the gang without permission—even if he is one of the boss’s top men. Plus someone’s placed a hit on him. And then there’s that feisty little bartender who’s going to cause him even more trouble.
Heidi Greene knows to keep her distance from a ladies’ man like Lucas—even if she can’t keep her eyes off him. When he rescues her from an attack in the alley outside her bar, she’s forced to stay by his side for safety. But the longer she spends time with him, the greater her chances are for getting hurt in more ways than one.
ADD THE BOOK TO GOODREADS
PRE-ORDER THE BOOK NOW
AMAZON | THE BOOK DEPOSITORY | KOBO
AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
FIND HER HERE:
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS
Our Summer Lovin’ Beach Reads Picks
We are thrilled to be a part of this super summer fun beach read post! Thanks for having us, Straight Shootn’ Book Reviews, and thanks to all of you for stopping by…enjoy!
Jillian’s Picks:
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Sugar O
n Top by Marina Adair:
This is a fun, flirty, sexy small town romance with a kick ass heroine and a hero that had me swooning too many times to count. I loved the balance of sweet and sassy and Marina is an author I always can count on for a great read!
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Her Forbidden Hero by Laura Kaye:
This is one of my all-time favorite books and one I always recommend. Laura knocks it out of the park with this sexy damaged way hero and his brother’s younger sister in this forbidden romance that heats up the pages and had me an emotional wreck more than a few times. I love everything about this book!
Flirting With Fire by Kate Meader:
I mean is there anything better than a hot, sexy, alpha fireman? Nope! I loved so many things about this book from a heroine who had a quick wit and a flirty streak to a hero who was so sexy and equally vulnerable. This one was of the best series debuts I’ve read to date and highly recommend!
The Surrender Gate by Christopher Rice:
With a healthy dose of mystery and a huge spoonful of sexy and sensual, this is one of my favorite reads this year. I love everything about the way Christopher Rice writes and am always swept away into sexy and magical world. Totally delish!
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The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose:
Stunning, beautiful, dark, sensual…this book was so many things and I loved every page of this gothic romance. I couldn’t put this book down and am anxiously awaiting the next in this stunningly written series. Again, one of my favorite reads from this year!
Courtney’s Picks:
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Walk Through My Door by Anthony Bryan:
I can’t say enough awesome things about this book. This book feels so real because of the story and the characters just suck you in. Anthony’s writing is so unique that he makes everything come to life. And then he has added the EPE (Enhanced Playlist Experience) and that just takes this book to a whole new level!
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The Virgin Romance Novelist by Meghan Quinn:
This book is just non-stop laughs. I absolutely love the whit and humor in this book. The story line is absolutely sweet but the way Meghan delivers it, is just superb. Her writing style is what makes her stores stand out amongst the rest!
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Henry’s End by Julie Richman:
Julie out did herself with this book. I dare anyone to try this M/M Romance – you will be blown away at how quickly you forget it’s a M/M Romance. Julie does a fantastic job of writing a heartfelt story and showing how it doesn’t matter who you fall in love with – what matters is that allow yourself to fall.
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Contrite by Kathy Coopmans:
Contrite is one complete mind f*ck!! You will be blown away by this book – and do not try to figure anything out as you read – you will just drive yourself mad. Trust me! You will find yourself glued to the book til you finish it.
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Professor Cline: Revealed by J.M. LaRocca:
I absolutely love this dark and intense romance story. I love the twists in this book and how I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time. The chemistry between the characters is very hot and oozing off the pages. You have to read this story to see what I am talking about. It’s not your average Professor/Student plot.
…and be sure to check out our fellow beachy blogging gals and their picks:
Straight Shootin’ Book Reviews
Angie & Jessica’s Dreamy Reads
&
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Cover Reveal…My Serenity by M. Clarke
Meet Seth & Josefina in this second-chance romance releasing July 16th!
Add to your TBR at: http://bit.ly/1J2BogQ
Blurb
When tragedy strikes, Seth Stewart is forced to return home after the death of his beloved father. The unexpected detour forces him to oversee the family’s auto shop and restaurant business, and Seth must kiss the prestigious internship goodbye after his first year at Berkeley Business School. When he collides with his first crush after his arrival, Seth wonders what possibly could have happened to Josefina Anders.
Josefina has hidden many secrets she is too ashamed to share with anyone, especially Seth. When they cross paths again, the urge to relive their past lingers in her mind even though she knows he couldn’t accept her sketchy past. Things get even more complicated when her mother returns, as well as her overly possessive ex, who decides to crash into her fragile existence all over again.
Will Seth’s connection for Josefina be strong enough to see past her secrets, or will he realize he can’t rekindle an old flame?
Excerpt
When she pulled away to look at me, our eyes locked and thousands of emotions rocketed through me. I felt so much, almost too much for my heart to handle…for my body to control. My hands glided up her back, and the soft silky blouse lured me to rip it off her. Lacing through her hair with my hands, I gave in to the temptation I could no longer control and kissed her in madness. Josie kissed me back and her tongue swirled in hunger. I got hard when she rocked back and forth on me. I thought I could come just from this action alone. I wanted so much of Josie, but not here…not now.
My Clarity (Book One)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1nxGeJW
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Author Information
Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crossroadsbook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryTing
Website: http://www.authormaryting
Blog: http://www.marytingbooks.blogspot.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7181038.M_Clarke
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mting888/boards/
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TSU: https://www.tsu.co/AuthorMaryTing
THANK YOU!
Review….Just One Taste by Kimberly Kincaid
Synopsis:
A little home improvement can go a long way…
Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan, but back home in Pine Mountain he’s happy to switch gears as the Double Shot bar’s new sous chef. When his apartment floods and his old Army buddy offers the family’s dilapidated lake house as temporary quarters, Jesse thinks a little remodeling on the creaky duplex sounds like a fair return favor. That’s before he sets eyes on the gorgeous woman moving into the other side of the cabin—and discovers she’s his buddy’s kid sister, a.k.a totally off limits.
Kat McMarrin has fought hard for her space, and she’s not too interested in sharing it. Of course, her job as a physical therapist means she won’t see much of Jesse, even if he’s a few thin floorboards away—unless she seeks him out. And with his sculpted body and slow-burn gaze, she might be tempted. Maybe the fixer-upper projects she has planned for the cabin will keep her mind off him. Or maybe her instincts to strip the place down will get out of hand…
My Review:
Just One Taste is story number 4.5 in author Kimberly Kincaid’s Pine Mountain Series, a series I have loved reading since the very first installment. This novella just added to my enjoyment and I loved getting to read Jesse and Kat’s story!
When catastrophe strikes and their apartment building must be vacated for a month, Jesse and Kat had no way of knowing that fate would step in and put them in very close living quarters. Jesse’s good Army buddy happens to be Kat’s big brother and when he offers Jesse a place to stay, in his family’s lake house, no one realized Kat would be staying there, too. As I said, fate sure had a plan for these two! What happens next is just pure magic, like Kimberly Kincaid is excellent at delivering.
Jesse is a bit broken since leaving the Army as a combat medic and Kat, as a physical therapist, has that innate need to heal. Is there a better match? I don’t think so. There chemistry and attraction is undeniable from the word “go” and their personalities complement one another so well. Sure Jesse needs a bit of help coming to grips with his new life roles, and already having a step in the right direction after finding his love of culinary arts, he just needs to realize he is worthy of happiness. Happiness he finds in Kat’s arms. Kat is no-nonsense and calls Jesse out on almost all of his issues and I loved that about her. She is definitely my kind of gal. There are also more than a few laughs along the way and that’s just another thing that author Kincaid does so well. Her stories are always balanced beautifully.
Overall, this is a fun, steamy, and feel good read and a perfect way to spend a summertime afternoon! Thank you, Ms. Kincaid, for yet another great visit with my favorite Pine Mountain gang!
Five Loves
Book links:
About the author:
Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.
Afraid To Fly by S.L. Jennings….Release Day Event
Meet Dirty Dom in this fantastic stand-alone!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PKCcwq
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cgpYcq
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/AfraidToFly_BN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1F8nbsV
Blurb
I’d like to tell you that I’m ok.
That the meaningless sex with countless women has somehow numbed the pain. That it’s deciphered the constant confusion in my head. Eased the self-hatred that sinks into my gut every time I look in the mirror.
I’d like to tell you that time heals all wounds.
That we evolve and grow into well-adjusted, stable adults, set on a path to right the world’s wrongs. That we are not our past…we are not our pain.
I want to tell you all those things. Hell, I want to believe all those things. But I’d be lying. I’m good at that. Living a lie is the only way I truly know how to survive.
But the day I saw her, I stopped surviving. I stopped existing. And for the first time in 24 years, I started living.
She brought me back to life. Set me free and sent my soul soaring. Made this useless shell of a man feel like…something. Something whole and real and good.
She saved me.
Although she believes I wasn’t even worth saving.
This story chronicles the journey of Dominic Trevino, a character from Fear of Falling. However, it can be read as a standalone.
Excerpt #1
I approached her slowly, letting my eyes take in her soft, feminine curves. That’s what I loved the most about women—their softness, their delicateness. It made them appear breakable, just like me. And it made me appreciate that vulnerability, in hopes that someone could—and would—one day, appreciate mine.
That’s why even though I never offered more than a few hours of toe-curling pleasure, I assured each second was spent tending to their sexual desires and making them feel treasured. Just because I was a whore, it didn’t make me callous or uncaring. If anything, it made me more aware of my humanity.
I pushed it all away, trading my own hang-ups and idiosyncrasies for the mental numbness that sex could provide and did what I do best: Fuck. I was good at this part—touching, kissing, licking. And when we were both ready—too ravenous with desire to consider my aversions—I drove into her slowly, all the way to the hilt. Until her body completely covered mine and soothed the ache of loneliness with wet warmth. This was the feeling I had been chasing since I was just a child, barely a man. That sweet oblivion that only mindless sex could provide. I was made whole by emptying myself into another, and for the barest of moments, I became separate from my pain and anger. I became the type of man that could look himself in the mirror and not see the horror of his past standing behind him, its razor sharp claws cutting into the skin of his shoulders while it smiled in that sinister way that still made my skin crawl.
I had seen that malevolence in my dreams every day since as long as I could remember. Sometimes it was in the form of a smile, a laugh. Sometimes it wore the face of ecstasy and passion. But it was always terrifying.
I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling long after Alyssa had passed out in blissful exhaustion. She came twice, once by my tongue, the other with her ankles on my shoulders. She was a screamer, and I kept wondering if Angel would bust in here, wondering if I was fucking or killing the girl. Then, if Alyssa was up for it, she’d join, like she had just this past weekend with Cherri. It wasn’t that we wanted each other in that way—oh hell no. We were just better…together. It made it even easier to get out of our heads and lost in the movement of our bodies.
It was co-dependent like a motherfucker. And unhealthy. And unconventional. But it was all we knew.
Excerpt #2
Velvet sucked me until I was on the brink of release and for a quick moment, I thought about just getting it over with. But I needed more. I needed that physical connection. I yearned for her touch, her kiss, her smell. It reminded me that I was not like him. I was not what he had hoped I would be. It stated that just because I had been violated, that didn’t make me…it didn’t make different. It didn’t make me gay. I didn’t want that. I wanted this.
Spreading those shapely, toned thighs and filling her up until I pulsed in her womb validated me. Every stroke was a confirmation, and the deeper I went, the more whole I felt. But the moment it was over, the moment I pulled out of her, my latex-sheathed cock wet with her gratification, the doubt began to claw its way back in. Telling me that I was dirty—stained. Used. Useless.
She smiled lazily at me, the dark kohl outlining her eyes smudged along the apple of her cheek. I brushed it tenderly with the pad of my thumb and told her she was beautiful.
“Oh, Dom. You’re such a sweet gent. Too bloody sweet for this shit,” she giggled, looking soft and girlish. I liked her better that way, untarnished by the hardness of life.
“You think so?”
“I know so. Good guys like you shouldn’t be fucking strippers in the middle of the day. I mean, I’m not complaining—I can still feel you inside me, for crying out loud—but, I don’t know. You deserve better.”
I winced at her words, and how much I longed for them to be true. She was just feeding me more lies, and I was ingesting them like candy.
Except this one. This one I knew would never be true. Even if it was the one I wished for the most.
“Nah, I don’t. They don’t call me Dirty for nothing.”
Fear of Falling (A Fearless Novel)
ON SALE FOR $0.99
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GvEwSe
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About the Author:
S.L. Jennings is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, reality TV junkie, obsessive coffee drinker and collector of crazy.
Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Goodreads
GIVEAWAY
$25 Amazon Gift Card
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The Fall and Rise of Kade Hart….. Cover Reveal
The Fall and Rise of Kade Hart by A.M. Hargrove
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release date: June 25, 2015
Cover Artist: A.M. Hargrove
“Hello, my name is Kade Hart and I’m a drug addict.” Isn’t that what recovering addicts are supposed to say? Hell if I know. I’m not sure about anything anymore. Not since I met her. Juliette. She’s my game-changer.
I’ve lived on the streets, been in places no one ever wants to see, survived pure hell with the bastard who raised me. I thought I’d finally managed to put all that behind me, come to terms with who and what I am. Until she walked into my life. She’s running from the people who slaughtered her family, people who want her dead, too, and she makes me want to be the kind of man who can protect her, who can save her. But I’m not sure I’m that guy. I’m no one’s hero.
Or am I?
One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss, and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).
So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon Series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent, and Beginnings); Dark Waltz, Death Waltz, Tragically Flawed (Tragic 1), Tragic Desires (Tragic 2), Exquisite Betrayal, Dirty Nights; and lastly Freeing Her, Freeing Him, and Kestrel—all part of the Hart Brothers Series.
Other than being in love with writing about love, she loves chocolate, ice cream, and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.
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The Consequence of Revenge by Rachel Van Dyken….Teaser Blitz
#SAVEMAX
After losing his best friend to another guy, the notoriously too-co
nfident Max Emory suddenly feels lost. He may have devastatingly good looks, an abundance of charm, and a claim to one of the biggest hotel empires around, but he has no ambition anymore. So when his fed-up friends decide they’ve had enough of his moping, they sign him up to be the next bachelor on the reality series Love Island. And between his pride and his forged signature on an ironclad contract, Max just can’t say no.
Now he’s stranded in paradise with twenty-four women, one terrifying goat, and Becca, the breathtaking barista who already turned him down back home. The closer Max gets to Becca, the more determined he becomes to win her over. As she gets to know him better, things start heating up. But is Becca really after Max’s heart—or is she after the cash prize she could claim once the cameras stop rolling?
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!
You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .
Harlequin May Spotlight…Q&A with Lynne Graham author of The Sheikh’s Secret Babies
Q&A with Lynne Graham
author of
THE SHEIKH’S SECRET BABIES
- Tell us a bit more about the relationship between Prince Jaul and Chrissie Whitaker.
It’s such a shock for Chrissie when her husband – a Prince no less – returns to claim her and his heirs after the awful way her father – and in her mind initially – he treated her. And they both have to learn that the people who were married two years ago are not necessarily the people they are today. But the one thing that binds them together, stronger even than their children, is that the love they once had for each other is still there.
- What are the three ingredients for the perfect romance novel?
Passion, commitment, and love.
- What was the moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
I realized that I wanted to be a writer at the age of 5. I was hidden away, writing stories about cats and dogs. The stories had become about people by the time I was a teenager. But I was a great reader of fairytales when I was a child. For me they were the first—and some of the best—romances.
- Who would you cast as Prince Jaul and Chrissie if the book were to be made into a movie? Why?
For Chrissie it would have to be Emilia Clarke who plays Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Her white blonde hair makes her perfect for Chrissie. And for Jaul, it would have to be Joe Manganiello. Surely there is no explanation needed for that!
- You have sold more than 26 million books worldwide. What do you think is the secret to your success?
Passionate heroes and heroines that you can recognize, that you can identify with. But above all that, I just try to tell a good story with a happy ending.
Praise for Lynne Graham
“Secrets, betrayals and misunderstandings fill every page of Graham’s remarkable re-do romance. The melding of cultures, exotic desert customs and locales are unforgettable.”
–RT Book Reviews
“The romance was passionate, angst ridden and so intense.”
–Harlequin Junkie
“I have always been a fan of Lynne Graham as she is one of the authors who instilled in me the love for the Harlequin romances…”
–Maldivian Book Reviewer’s
THE SHEIKH’S SECRET BABIES
By USA Today Bestselling Author
Lynne Graham
Synopsis:
Prince Jaul of Marwan’s royal duty is to marry a suitable bride. But first he must divorce the woman who betrayed him. Locating his estranged wife? Easy. The intense passion still burning between them? Manageable. Discovering he has two royal heirs? Impossible!
Devastated when her handsome prince deserted her, Chrissie Whitaker’s beautiful twin babies were the only balm to her broken heart. Now Jaul will stop at nothing to claim his legitimate heirs, but can Chrissie forget their painful past and recognize him as her husband in every sense of the word?
LYNNE GRAHAM’S first book was published in 1987. Today she is the bestselling Mills and Boon Presents author with sales of 26 million books worldwide. Born of Irish/Scottish parentage, Lynne Graham has lived in Northern Ireland all her life. She has one brother. She grew up in a seaside village and now lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which is wonderfully private. Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. They married after she completed a degree at Edinburgh University. Lynne wrote her first book at 15 and it was rejected everywhere. She started writing again when she was at home with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold her first book and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in the local newsagents has never been forgotten. www.lyneegraham.com
ABOUT THE MAY SERIES SPOTLIGHTS
HEART OF A BULL RIDER
By USA Today bestselling author Tina Leonard
When New York billionaire John Carruth is summoned to No Chance, Texas to save the local rodeo he has no idea he is going home. Now the long-lost twin to the town’s favorite son is determined to win over the people he left behind—and capture the heart of Chloe Winters, a Texan who has her own ideas of what it means to be part of a small town. Jake Fitzgerald, champion bull rider, didn’t know he had another half. John may be kin, but he’s still a stranger in these parts. With his billionaire brother hell-bent on changing Jake’s world, Jake knows he has to take a stand. Will he choose family—or will he take a chance on Erin O’Donovan, a woman who has always meant family to him?
MINDING HER BOSS’S BUSINESS
By USA Today bestselling author Janice Maynard
Diplomat Alex Ramon’s Miami mission is on the rocks. Convincing the exiled Montoros to give up their American life and return to Alma’s throne has become personal. Not only is his trusted aide Maria Ferro flirting with a potential prince, but Alex is actually jealous! So jealous, he might sabotage his goals so he can take Maria to his bed—a prize more tempting than any commission from the crown. But Alex doesn’t know that Maria has a longtime crush of her own—and it isn’t on the playboy prince.
THE SHEIKH’S SECRET BABIES
By USA Today bestselling author Lynne Graham
Prince Jaul of Marwan’s royal duty is to marry a suitable bride. But first he must divorce the woman who betrayed him. Locating his estranged wife? Easy. The intense passion still burning between them? Manageable. Discovering he has two royal heirs? Impossible!
Devastated when her handsome prince deserted her, Chrissie Whitaker’s beautiful twin babies were the only balm to her broken heart. Now Jaul will stop at nothing to claim his legitimate heirs, but can Chrissie forget their painful past and recognize him as her husband in every sense of the word?
A Match For Marcus Cynster by Stephanie Laurens…Excerpt Tour Stop & Giveaway
About A Match for Marcus Cynster:
Duty compels her to turn her back on marriage. Fate drives him to protect her come what may. Then love takes a hand in this battle of yearning hearts, stubborn wills, and a match too powerful to deny. #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens returns to rugged Scotland with a dramatic tale of passionate desire and unwavering devotion.
Restless and impatient, Marcus Cynster waits for Fate to come calling. He knows his destiny lies in the lands surrounding his family home, but what will his future be and with whom will he share it?
Of one fact he feels certain: his fated bride will not be Niniver Carrick. His elusive neighbor attracts him mightily, yet he feels compelled to protect her—even from himself. Fickle Fate, he’s sure, would never be so kind as to decree that Niniver should be his. The best he can do for them both is to avoid her.
Niniver has vowed to return her clan to prosperity. The epitome of fragile femininity, her delicate and ethereal exterior cloaks a stubborn will and an unflinching devotion to the people in her care. She accepts that she cannot risk marrying and losing her grip on the clan’s reins to an inevitably controlling husband. Unfortunately, many local men see her as their opportunity.
Soon, she’s forced to seek help to get rid of her unwelcome suitors. Powerful and dangerous, Marcus Cynster is perfect for the task. Suppressing her wariness over tangling with a gentleman who so excites her passions, she appeals to him for assistance with her peculiar problem.
Although at first he resists, Marcus discovers that, contrary to his expectations, his fated role is to stand by Niniver’s side and, ultimately, to claim her hand. Yet in order to convince her to be his bride, they must plunge headlong into a journey full of challenges, unforeseen dangers, passion, and yearning, until Niniver grasps the essential truth—that she is indeed a match for Marcus Cynster.
Excerpt:
The last words came out on a tide of frustration.
Marcus’s instincts pummeled and pushed him to volunteer, to leap to her defense, especially against importunities of such a nature. But when it came to her, he didn’t know if he could—if he should—trust his instincts; far from protecting her—their immutable goal—they might, in such a case, lead him to unintentionally hurt her, and that was not a possibility he would ever willingly court. Not in this lifetime.
Protecting Niniver Carrick had become his personal touchstone, at least in guiding his actions with her. Yes, he was attracted to her—deeply, viscerally. So attracted that, as soon as he’d become aware of the nature of that attraction—at her father’s funeral, of all places—he’d asked his mother and his sister to see what The Lady, the deity their family served, could tell them of his future. But all they’d seen was that his fated future lay somewhere in The Lady’s lands, meaning somewhere in the local area, but at that time, all they’d been able to tell him was that his fated future was “not yet.”
Was it now? Was that why Niniver had come to him? Why she’d finally come to call in his promise of two years ago?
Was she his fated future, or…?
It was that “or” that had kept him from her through the intervening months. That, and his impossible to shake, impossible to deny, drive to protect her. If he’d approached her, if he’d wooed her as he’d wished, she might well have been happy to succumb—but what, then, if his fated future came calling, and said future was not with her?
He couldn’t harm her, so he’d had to keep his distance in case she wasn’t for him.
Knowing the ficklessness of Fate, he’d been disposed to believe that the very last woman Fate would hand him as his destiny was the one woman he desired—at least at this time, desired above all others.
He’d convinced himself that Fate would send him some female he’d never met before.
Instead, Niniver had come knocking at his door.
Was Fate laughing at him—or testing his mettle? Testing his commitment not to harm Niniver?
Or was this his destiny calling?
Her gaze had remained leveled on his face, the expectation in her expression patently clear. He shifted, straightening in his chair as he searched for options, for what other choices he—and she—might have. “I understand…your difficulty.” She was such a tiny thing, and quiet, and—as far as he knew—sweet-tempered. He knew her clan folk thought the world of her—quite obviously, as they’d elected her their lady. But she was kind-hearted and loved deerhounds; dealing with large angry men wasn’t something she was well equipped to do. “You need someone your clansmen respect, someone whose statements they’ll accept.”
He met her eyes; her gaze didn’t waver but remained fixed on his face. “What about Thomas? They know and respect him—and, what’s more, he’s clan himself.”
Her eyes narrowed a touch. “Thomas—as you must know as well as I do—has all he can handle with his daughters. I’m not going to ask him to come and rescue me. I wouldn’t do that to him, much less to Lucilla.”
Marcus inwardly winced at the implied rebuke. His twin sister had given birth to twin girls five months ago, and both Lucilla and Thomas were, indeed, fully engaged with caring for the tiny but demanding bundles of joy. “Indeed. You’re right.” No help there. He frowned. “What about Norris?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs; her remaining brother was surely the right person to defend her. “I know he’s younger than you, but only by about a year—which means he’s what? Twenty-five?” Old enough.
Her lips firmed into a line. Her eyes narrowed further. “I’m twenty-five—he’s not yet twenty-four. But he left. He’s pursuing his own life in St. Andrews, and I’m not about to call him home—besides which, none of the men in the clan would pay the slightest attention to him.”
Niniver paused but felt compelled to push. “I need someone with standing. With a status that will command attention at least, if not outright obedience.”
She needed someone like him; that was so obvious it barely needed stating.
Abruptly, she stood. When he started to rise, too, she brusquely waved him back; the last thing she needed was a crick in her neck. She started to pace back and forth across his hearth. She only paced when she was agitated or anxious; she’d worked to break herself of the habit—it revealed too much—but in this instance, she wasn’t sure she cared.
She’d steeled herself to do this—to hide her reaction to him, to ignore the waves of prickling awareness that washed over her skin whenever he was near. She’d told herself she could face him and ask him to honor his promise even if he wasn’t attracted to her, as she, so very definitely, was to him. She’d pushed herself to do it, and she’d done it and asked, but for some reason, he was now reluctant.
The realization didn’t please her at all. Now that she was there, making her case, she wasn’t about to let him off any hook she could find. “I had hoped”—pausing and facing him, she enunciated the words evenly, endeavoring to remove all emotion from them—”that you would see your way to assisting me in dealing with this situation as a favor to a neighbor.”
His face was all chiseled angles and planes, sharply prominent cheekbones above lean cheeks. His lips were mobile, fascinatingly so, but as he looked up at her, his blatantly squared chin left no doubt of his ability to remain unmoved. The arrogance born of supreme confidence etched his features, yet as she met his eyes, she saw that her comment had reached past his façade; even though he gave no sign, she knew she’d prodded him in a sensitive spot. Neighborly assistance, if requested, was taken for granted in the country.
She’d avoided him for months, and if her senses’ preoccupation with his appearance—with every little thing about him—was any guide, that had been one of her wiser decisions. Even though she’d remembered his promise, she’d previously hesitated to ask for his help precisely because of the unnerving attraction—avid and compelling—she felt for him. Because that attraction was obviously one sided. He was a Cynster; she knew what sort of man he was—a gentleman descended from a noble line and with all the natural arrogance and confidence that background bestowed. If he’d harbored any interest in her, he would have approached her—he would have let her know.
Just as her idiot clansmen were doing, but doubtless with more panache.
His dark gaze had locked on her. “How, exactly, do you imagine I, as a neighbor, might aid you?”
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About Stephanie Laurens:
New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens originally began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science. Her hobby quickly became a career; she has been writing historical romance novels for more than 20 years. Currently living outside Melbourne, Australia with her husband and two cats, she spends most of her days writing new stories in her signature ‘Errol Flynn meets Jane Austen” style.