Read-Love-Blog

Book Promotion & Review

Ultimate Temptation (Book one of the Temptations Series) by K.A. Robinson….Blog Tour & Review

KAUltimateTemptationsBookCover6x9eBookSm

Blurb

 Ella Wilkins only wants one thing out of life—to graduate from high school and escape her hometown where everyone knows her and the dark cloud surrounding her family.

Everything is going according to plan until two new students show up at her school. Asher and Cain, identical twin brothers, take an interest in her, and she can’t help but wonder why two gorgeous brothers would want anything to do with a social outcast like her.

As she gets closer to the brothers, she’s torn between the two. Asher’s kindness pulls her in and comforts her while Cain both tempts and infuriates her with his sarcastic and devious ways.

When she learns who they truly are—or rather, what they are—things start to get a little tricky.

Ella might not know it, but she is the key to winning the ultimate battle between heaven and hell. Both realms want her, and neither is willing to let her go.

She’s torn between the ultimate temptations of heaven and hell. Which side will she choose?

ULTIMATE TEMPTATIONS is now live!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1O2ebvJ

Nook: http://bit.ly/1JfCLWi (NOW LIVE!)

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/1HqYw7q

Excerpt

I watched as Asher hurried over to where I was standing. Cain rolled his eyes before joining the opposite team. I made room as Asher crowded between me and the boy standing next to me.

“What are we playing?” he asked.

“Dodgeball,” I said.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Seriously? You’ve never played dodgeball before?”

He shook his head.

“Basically, everyone attacks each other with those balls in the center of the gym. The goal is to hit as many people as you can without getting hit yourself. Once you’re hit, you’re out.”

“Seems simple enough,” he said.

I glanced at the muscles in his arms. I had no doubt that hurtling balls at innocent students would be easy for him. “Just don’t hurt anyone.”

He grinned when he noticed me staring at his arms. “I wouldn’t.”

Mr. Reynolds blew the whistle, and everyone took off at a full sprint toward the balls—that is, everyone, except for Amanda and me. We were both smart enough to stay against the wall as balls started flying.

Over half of both teams were hit within the first five minutes. After they were gone, things got harder for me. Without as many bodies to aim for, I soon became a target. I ducked and jumped out of the way as several students tossed balls at me. One hit right beside my head, and I winced. Whoever had thrown that one meant business.

I looked up just in time to dodge another ball flying right at me. It hit the wall just as hard as the other one. I glanced at the opposing team and noticed Jenny glaring at me. Of course it had been her.

She grabbed another ball and threw it. I dropped to the ground just in time.

The next few minutes passed in a blur as I dodged ball after ball. Almost all of them were from Jenny. Finally, she managed to hit me. Luckily for me, it was in the chest instead of the face. I glared at her before walking toward the bleachers to sit down with Amanda. I winced as another ball hit me in the back.

“Whoops. Sorry, Ella. I didn’t realize you were already out!” Jenny shouted sweetly.

“Skank,” I muttered under my breath as I sat down.

Two seconds later, I heard Jenny shriek in protest. I looked up just in time to see a ball nailing her in the chest. She frowned across the room at Asher before walking to the bleachers. Asher shot me a smile before turning his attention back to the game. I couldn’t help but smile back. He’d seen what she did to me, and he’d gone after her. I was really starting to like Asher.

For the rest of the game, my attention was split between Asher and Cain. I whistled under my breath as Cain nailed another guy hard enough to knock him down. The boy didn’t mess around. I counted my blessings that it was Jenny who’d hit me instead of him.

Finally, it was just Asher and Cain still standing. I looked back and forth between the brothers. They both openly glared at each other.

“This should be entertaining,” Amanda said from beside me.

“My money’s on Asher,” I muttered.

From across the room, Asher turned and grinned at me like he’d heard what I just said.

I rolled my eyes at myself. That’s ridiculous.

He was twenty feet away from me in a roomful of noisy seniors, and I hadn’t spoken very loud.

“Quit standing there, looking at each other, and throw the balls!” Mr. Reynolds shouted at the brothers.

Cain’s glare disappeared, and his trademark smirk returned. He grabbed a ball off the floor and threw it in Asher’s direction. Asher jumped out of the way just in time and grabbed a ball of his own. He threw it at Cain, and I tensed as it bounced off the wall. He’d thrown it with a lot more force than necessary.

“Come on, brother. That all you got?” Cain taunted as he tossed a ball at Asher.

On and on it went.

Both boys were throwing their balls without holding back in the slightest. The class went silent as we watched the epic dodgeball battle in front of us. My mouth dropped open when Cain did a flip in midair to avoid Asher’s ball. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he tossed a ball at Asher. It missed by inches and hit the wall next to the mats. I was only a few feet away, and my eyes widened in disbelief when I noticed the indent in the wall.

That’s impossible.

There was no way he could have thrown the ball hard enough to dent the wall. I was pretty sure the walls were made of concrete.

Cain growled in frustration when he saw that the ball had missed. Asher smirked as he picked up two balls at once. I watched in awe as he launched both of them at Cain. Cain dodged the first one, but the second made contact. It hit his lower stomach with enough force that he flew backward several feet.

Damn. That’s going to leave one heck of a bruise.

“Now, that’s how you play dodgeball!” Mr. Reynolds shouted.

Cain stood back up. Neither brother paid any attention to the teacher. Both were locked in a glaring contest.

Finally, Asher broke it. He glanced over at me and then back at Cain. “That all you got, brother?”

 

UTemptationsFACEBOOK2

Review

Once again, K.A. delivers another amazing story!!
Ultimate Temptations is about Heaven and Hell but with a slight twist on it.  Ella’s life completely changes one day but not the way she expects.  Cain and Asher enter her life when things are spiraling out of control.  But it’s the other actions when no-one else is around but her that make her question everything.   And that is all I am giving you about the story and even that I feel may too much.
K.A. does a perfect job of building up the plot of this story and giving us the background on the characters and each of their stories.  I love the new spin she puts on Heaven and Hell and how everything in between works.  I was immediately drawn into this story from the very beginning.  There are certain things that will be quite obvious to any reader, but it’s how Kelly writes that keeps you hooked and wanting to know where the next step leads.  There are quite a few things going on and you definitely need to pay attention to EVERYTHING!  While certain things seem obvious, they are other twists and turns that will leave you with even more questions as the story progresses.
“Do not fear me. You will be stronger that anything they’ve ever seen.  This is the gift I give you.”
K.A. really knows how to paint a picture with her words.  I am really excited to see where the next book takes us in this adventure of other realms.

C signature

Facebook giveaway: http://on.fb.me/1M3Rjx6

About the Author

K.A. Robinson is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of several New Adult and Contemporary Romance novels. She is both self-published and traditionally published through Atria Books (Torn and Twisted). She is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

She lives in West Virginia with her toddler son and husband. Her addictions include books, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy, coffee, and Rock Music.

Author links:

www.authorkarobinson.com

www.facebook.com/karobinson13

www.twitter.com/karobinsonautho

No Comments »

Professor Cline Redeemed by J.M. La Rocca

professor cline it's lvie

Redemption Awaits!

Professor Cline Redeemed is Now Available.

Grab your copy of this student/teacher romance at the following retailers:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Sh9dfJ

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

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1K0Wui9Ba

professor cline teaser bt

Blurb

The past never stays in the past. The pain, guilt, and darkness still flow through my veins and itch to come out. I’m not proud of my secrets, but I have never felt shame either…until her.
Emma makes me feel things I thought I’d become immune to. She makes me want to see light, to rid myself of my demons and it terrifies me.
There is so much from my past she doesn’t know. I told her I wasn’t good for her, that I’d ruin her, and I vowed to stay away. But I can’t get her off my mind.
I need her.
I need her in more ways than I knew were possible for me.
She is my saving grace and I’m ready for redemption.

**18+ due to sexual content and language.
This is the sequel and final book to The Professor Series.**

professor cline redeemed cover

Excerpt

Reaching under the covers, I ran a hand down the length of my cock and grabbed my balls, groaning at their tightness. I’d been lying in bed for the past half hour thinking about Emma.

The dream I’d woken from was so vivid in my mind. Her on her knees with my dick in her mouth, it was something I’d dreamed about many times, but this time was different. Her beautiful eyes stared up at me as she bobbed up and down, her spit shining off my skin like a beacon. The way she looked at me with want in her eyes as she enjoyed every inch I thrust into her mouth made me pump faster.

A blindfold was always in place with my conquests, never wanting my scars to be on display. Their hands were also held behind their back, so they didn’t grab on to me and feel the risen flesh from my scars.

It was the reason I did everything I did. I had secrets and I wanted them to stay hidden, but with Emma? With her, it was different. She’d seen my scars and all I could think of was her face. Every fantasy was with her in mind. She’d seen through my mask and for the first time, I saw light.

It terrified me. My whole life had been darkness. I didn’t know how to handle this new obsession I was beginning to obtain.

Wrapping my hand around my cock, I slowly stroked from base to tip and back again. Rolling the head of my cock in my hand, I kept picturing it down her throat.

I never thought I’d get to this point again. A point where all I’d think about was a woman. She consumed my thoughts just like Sophia did, but in a different way.

I wanted her to be consumed by thoughts of me, like I was of her. I wanted her to crave every inch of my body, like I did with her. I wanted her to need me, like I felt I needed her.

Squeezing my balls until I felt pain, I pumped faster and harder until my body tensed. I released all over my stomach and hands, groaning at every stroke against my sensitive head.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes and pictured Emma’s face. Staying away from her was what I should do. I’d told myself that many times. She didn’t need to be involved in anything that was going on in my life. After all, Donicko was up to something, and I still had no idea what that was.

professor cline teaser bt 2

Haven’t read this series yet?  Now is your chance,  book one is ON SALE for ONLY $0.99!

Professor Cline Revealed (Book One)

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Lwszh0

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1QXs5ow

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

Review

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting ever so patiently for this book and damn it was well worth it!!!
Redeemed starts right off where Revealed ended and gets right into everything.  Mason and Emma are still apart and struggling with staying apart for various and quite obvious reasons.
I love that we get to see Mason go through his struggles and conflicts.  There is no sugar coating what he is dealing with and J.M. does a fantastic job of not having Mason move past his problems and issues just like that or because of a woman.  He realizes what he feels for Emma is different and strong, but he still has his demons and issues.
Emma isn’t the typical female character who just throws everything she has worked for over a guy and I absolutely find that amazing.  She knows she wants to figure out where this thing is going with Mason but she also isn’t willing to lose herself or screw up everything she was worked for her because of him.
“No matter how many times I’d tired to get him out of my head, I couldn’t do it.  He was etched into my brain and permanently in my heart.”
J.M. does a fantastic job of writing two characters who are extremely strong and you feel a connection to them.  You feel their compassion for one another and also the struggles they face.  The plot is very well written and the suspense is just right for this story.  Everything flowed extremely well, except I wish we could have had more of a longer conclusion; I felt certain parts felt rushed but that still didn’t take away from the overall story.  And that could possibly be also because I just wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Mason and Emma.  LOL
You must read this series!!  It was one my favorite series this year and I look forward to more from J.M.  I actually hoping we might get a story or two from a character or two that we got a glimpse of in this story – HINT HINT!
Ok – stop reading my review and go buy this book – the whole series if you have not read the first, Professor Cline Revealed!

professor cline redeemed teaser

About the Author:

 

j.m. la rocca bio

J.M. La Rocca was born in Chicago, IL. At an early age, her family relocated to lower Alabama where she began her love for writing. She currently resides in Pensacola, FL with her husband and twin sons. As a stay at home mom, La Rocca was able to pursue her love for writing. It was always an unrealized dream to write her own books. With the love and support from her husband Tony, family, and friends, she set forth and fulfilled that dream.Aside from writing she also loves to read, listen to music, drink wine, indulge on chocolate, chase her little ones around, and spend time with her family and friends.

Stalk Jennifer Here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

2 SIGNED SETS of the series

$20 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

professor cline blog tour

No Comments »

Toxic by Kim Karr….Blog Tour & Review

 

TOXIC IT'S LIVE

Will they or won’t they?  #ToxicLove

Meet Phoebe & Jeremy in this second chance romance!

NOW AVAILABLE

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Hu5onD

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1HiL7eA

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1g3Ih7e

iBooks: http://apple.co/1efjb3Z

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1KpMRcv

RELEASE DATE: July 7th, 2015

toxic

New York Times bestselling author Kim Karr turns up the heat in a smoking hot, emotionally compelling romance that takes you into the world of Manhattan’s elite. Meet Jeremy McQueen, a sexy, intense, brooding entrepreneur who goes after what he wants, and Phoebe St. Claire, a socialite-turned-CEO who’s been drifting through life searching for something she thought she’d never find again–the right man to share her future.

Phoebe St. Claire has devoted herself to saving her family’s hotel empire–but her best efforts have not been good enough. With her whole world in turmoil, the tenacious go-getter turns to the once love of her life. Far from innocent, Jeremy McQueen was the guy from the wrong side of the tracks who her parents would never have approved of. Their years apart have only made the sexy bad boy more irresistible than ever–and their reunion is explosive.

When she asks Jeremy to help her salvage her family business, he agrees immediately, with only one condition–he wants her in his bed.

But soon surprising circumstances leave Phoebe reeling. Was this fairy tale romance just too good to be true? Will Jeremy’s secrets pull them apart all over again?

THIS IS A STANDALONE SECOND-CHANCE ROMANCE WITH NO CLIFFHANGER ENDING.

toxic teaser 4

Excerpt

Phoebe St. Claire

Feeling a bit drunk and overwhelmed with so many and so few choices at the same time, I needed some time alone and snuck off toward the beach path.

I ran toward the ocean and twirled in the sand as the wind blew around me. Once I started to feel dizzy from twirling, I still wasn’t ready to head back to the party, so I took the path that would lead me to the large Olympic-sized pool. I tugged my sandals off with thoughts of putting my feet in the water to rinse the mud and sand away. As I approached the pool, I noticed how it glowed like it was lit by small pale fires. Lost in the enchantment of it, the sudden movement beneath the surface startled me.

A fair-haired boy emerged from the water. He pulled himself up and out so quickly that I was momentarily stunned. And then when he drank me in with his eyes, I shuddered.

I couldn’t help it, the way he looked at me just made me shiver. No one had ever looked at me like that before and I found myself gazing back into his intense eyes.

He was utterly beautiful. His bare chest was sculpted but not overly bulky like Danny or Jamie. They worked out every day pumping obnoxious amounts of iron to look the way they did. In contrast, the boy standing before me had a swimmer’s build.

He stood stoic and a cautious look crossed his face. He was long and lean in a pair of bright green neon swim trunks.

Right away I could tell he didn’t care what anyone thought about him.

I loved the idea of that.

So I smiled at him.

He shook his head and his hair fell into his eyes.

I wanted to reach out and push it away. It wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short. It was perfect.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing a towel off the ground.

It didn’t belong to the club. It was small, beige, and a bit worn—not the large hunter-green fluffy ones monogrammed in white I’d always gotten when I used to come here to swim as a kid.

“Hey,” I said back, swinging my sandals nervously.

He grabbed a pair of jeans that lay next to where the towel had been and walked right by me.

I turned to watch him as he strode into one of the cabanas and dropped his trunks. I froze and squeezed my eyes shut, thinking I shouldn’t be watching him but then opened them quickly when I couldn’t resist maybe catching a glimpse.

“Didn’t your parents ever tell you it isn’t polite to stare?” His voice was low and sexy, and it tugged me out of my own head.

I put my hands on my hips. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to undress in mixed company?”

He pulled his jeans on and laughed. “My mother might have mentioned that once or twice but I’ve never been good at following the rules.”

And it didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t put any underwear on first.

Hot. Totally and completely hot.

I didn’t see anything I shouldn’t have seen, it was too dark, but something inside me electrified at the thought of seeing him naked and I stepped closer. That’s when I noticed the scuffed-up black work boots on one of the lounges with a T-shirt thrown next to them.

I raised a brow. “Is this your changing room?”

He laughed again but this time added a smile and put his hands up. “Okay you caught me. I better get out of here before anyone else does.”

He was adorable and charming and my heart skipped a beat or two.

Then I stepped even closer and entered the cabana entrance, effectively blocking his way. “Why? You’re not doing anything wrong.”

He shrugged but he didn’t try to move around me. “I usually swim in the ocean but when the water is too rough, like tonight, I come here.”

I bit my lip in contemplation before speaking. “Does it really matter if you get caught?”

He crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Let’s just say it’s not just the swimming. It’s more that I’ve been caught doing a few too many things that I shouldn’t have been doing in the past.”

A bad boy.

The thought made my pulse thunder. “So you’re not a member at this club?”

He cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot. “No,” he laughed but his laugh was anything but genuine. “Are you?”

I hesitated as I considered my answer. “No, I was just walking the beach and wanted to rinse my feet. I’m Phoebe,” I said extending my hand. Technically, I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t a member, my parents were. I hadn’t even been here in years. And I was out for a walk.

Amusement danced in his blue eyes. “Jeremy,” he said back.

When I chewed on my lower lip, I noticed how his eyes focused on it.

Mine focused on the entirety of his mouth—his strong, firm jaw, his sensuous lips, and his tongue that had snuck out to lick his lips.

That mouth.

It was almost too much.

Almost.

toxic teaser goes with excerpt 1

REVIEW

When Kim Karr promises to deliver an angsty story – she definitely delivers!
The story of Jeremy and Phoebe is definitely an up and down roller-coaster ride.  Just when you think these two can finally get themselves together and work it out, something else is thrown into their path.  But one thing that can not be denied between them is their undeniable attraction and connection.
Kim does a great job of making Jeremy and Phoebe’s love for one another come to life.  Their struggles, their feelings – all of it is so real and very relatable.  Even the smallest things can turn into something monumental.
Jeremy and Phoebe definitely prove why a love this story can be toxic – but only if you allow it.  There were many times I wanted to smack the hell out of these two with how they were reacting to situations.  I found myself many times wanting to strangle my kindle as I read certain scenes or felt like screaming to the characters “WTH are you thinking?”  And when a book is able to draw out strong reactions from me, no doubt this book is definitely a winner!!
Every single character played a key role in this whole book.  And they were all so realistic too.  I am looking forward to hopefully future stories on these characters.  I became quite invested in them as much as Jeremy and Phoebe.
Overall – fantastic job Kim!   The story moved along perfectly and Kim unfolded everything smoothly.  You definitely want to read this one!

toxic teaser

About the Author:

 

kim karr bio

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.

Stalk Her:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

TOXIC BOOK TOUR

No Comments »

Sealed In Blood by Jenna Fox….Blog Tour & Review

 

 

Synopsis
Determined to forget her ex-fiancé and gather the remains of her betrayed heart, Charisma Claiborne scrapes together her hard earned pennies for a dream trip to Las Vegas.  On her first day in town, she has an accident with an eccentric casino owner.  Enthralled by his good looks, she falls into his bed for a steamy one night stand.
But Hunt Blackwater is more than a mysterious, gorgeous casino owner.  Rumors of a Native American curse and a string of inexplicable deaths follow in his wake – but the most terrifying is his ability to reach right into Charisma’s soul and make her want the things she’s convinced herself she can do without.
Unwilling to get in over her head, Charisma cuts her trip short and returns home, but trouble seems to follow her.  With remembered whispers of curses in her ears and the lingering smell of death in her nose, she wonders if she is his next victim.  Things go from puzzling to harrowing as Charisma comes face to face with the greatest betrayal she could ever imagine.
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links

REVIEW:

Sealed in Blood is a very quick read and doesn’t leave you hanging.

I must say I was floored at how quickly things transpired and how Charisma acted after her first initial bump in with Hunt.  But I didn’t let that deter me from continuing the story.
Charisma is a charming young woman just trying to enjoy life.  She visits and old friend in Vegas and things from there don’t go so well.  Let’s just say that Charisma is definitely put through the gauntlet.
Hunt is definitely a very dominant man and doesn’t hide that.  When it comes to Charisma, there is a pull to her that he understands but has to somehow explain to her and not push her away.
I enjoyed the plot and how quickly everything unfolded.  I personally enjoy a story that has more depth and detail to it.  However, this book was made to be a quick read and Jenna does a good job of keeping the book moving along at a great pace.
And I enjoyed that I wasn’t left hanging at the end of the book.  I rather enjoyed how Jenna ended the book and found myself smiling.
About the Author
Jenna Fox is a multi-published author of erotic romance residing in Eastern Tennessee. Besides juggling a busy family life, Fox reviews and critiques for other authors and crafts her own dark erotic tales. Stories always feature a mysterious alpha male with unexpected twists to shock the reader. She believes in HFN and HEA endings, although not always in a romantic or conventional way.
Her work is born from real life experiences, an overactive imagination and a consuming caffeine addiction.  Fox is a listener of bad-ass music and a watcher of classic slasher films. In short, she’s a multi-tasker – a writer, a storyteller, able to make a boo-boo all better with just one kiss and a proud, world class expert at screwing up recipes and scaring away closet monsters.  She believes in ghosts and God and is absolutely convinced chocolate soothes the savage beast.
Author Links

 

Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 Comments »

Ruin & Rule by Pepper Winters…Blog Tour & Review

ruin & rule it's live

Meet Killian in Pepper Winter’s new MC Romance!

NOW AVAILABLE

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HGr7ac

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1f574HK

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

Nook:http://bit.ly/1G1y53T

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1S1hy76

Google Play:http://bit.ly/1LQNjRE

ruin & rule

BLURB

“We met in a nightmare. The in-between world where time had no power over reason. We fell in love. We fell hard. But then we woke up. And it was over . . .”

RUIN & RULE

She is a woman divided. Her past, present, and future are as twisted as the lies she’s lived for the past eight years. Desperate to get the truth, she must turn to the one man who may also be her greatest enemy . . .

He is the president of Pure Corruption MC. A heartless biker and retribution-deliverer. He accepts no rules, obeys no one, and lives only to reap revenge on those who wronged him. And now he has stolen her, body and soul.

Can a woman plagued by mystery fall in love with the man who refuses to face the truth? And can a man drenched in darkness forgo his quest for vengeance-and finally find redemption?

“Ruin & Rule is a full-length book at 436 pages and ends on a cliffhanger. Cleo and Kill’s story continues in SIN & SUFFER.”

ruin & rule bt teaser 2

Prologue

We met in a nightmare.

The in-between world where time had no power over rhyme, reason, or connection. We met. We stared. We knew.

There was no distortion from the outside world. No right or wrong. No confusion or battles from hearts and minds.

Just us. In our silent dreamworld.

That nightmare became our home. Planting ghosts, raising fantasies. Entwined together in our happily skewed reality.

We fell in love. We fell hard.

In those fleeting seconds of our nightmare, we lived an eternity.

But then we woke up.

And it was over.

Chapter One

I always believed life would grant rewards to those most worthy. I was fucking naïve. Life doesn’t reward—it ruins. It ruins those most deserving and takes everything. It takes everything all while watching any remaining goodness rot to hate.

—Kill

[ORN_SB]

Darkness.

That was my world now. Literally and physically.

The back of my skull hurt from being knocked unconscious. My wrists and shoulders ached from lying on my back with my hands tied behind me.

Nothing was broken—at least it didn’t feel that way—but everything was bruised. The fuzziness receded wisp by wisp, parting the clouds of sleep, trying to shed light on what’d happened. But there was no light. My eyes blinked at the endless darkness from the mask tied around my head. Anxiety twisted my stomach at having such a fundamental gift taken away.

I didn’t move, but mentally catalogued my body from the tips of my toes to the last strand of hair on my head. My jaw and tongue ached from the foul rag stuffed in my mouth and my nose permitted a shallow stream of oxygen to enter—just enough to keep me alive.

Fear tried to claw its way through my mind, but I shoved it away. I deliberately suppressed panic in order to assess my predicament rather than lose myself to terror.

Fear never helps, only hinders.

My senses came back, creeping tentatively, as if afraid whoever had stolen me would notice their return.

Sound: the squeak of brakes, the creak of a vehicle settling from motion to stopping.

Touch: the skin on my right forearm stung, throbbing with a mixture of soreness and sharpness. A burn perhaps?

Smell: dank rotting vegetables and the astringent, pungent scent of fear—but it wasn’t mine. It was theirs.

It wasn’t just me being kidnapped.

My heart flurried, drinking in their terror. It made my breath quicken and legs itch to run. Forcing myself to ignore the outside world, I focused inward. Clutching my inner strength where calmness was a need rather than a luxury.

I refused to lose myself in a fog of tears. Desperation was a curse and I wouldn’t succumb, because I had every intention of being prepared for what might happen next.

I hated the sniffles and stifled sobs of others around me. Their bleak sadness tugged at my heartstrings, making me fight with my own preservation, replacing it with concern for theirs.

Get through this, then worry about them.

I didn’t think this was a simple opportunistic snatch. Whoever had stolen me planned it. The hunch grew stronger as I searched inside for any liquor remnants or the smell of cigarettes.

Had I been at a party? Nightclub?

Nothing.

I hadn’t been stupid or reckless. I think…

No hint or clue as to where I’d been or what I’d been doing when they’d come for me.

I wriggled, trying to move away from the stench. My bound wrists protested, stinging as the rope around them gnawed into my flesh like twine-beasts. My ribs bellowed, along with my head. There was no give in my restraints. I stopped trying to move, preserving my energy.

I tried to swallow.

No saliva.

I tried to speak.

No voice.

I tried to remember what happened.

I tried to remember…

Panic.

Nothing.

I can’t remember.

“Get up, bitch,” a man said. Something jabbed me in the ribs. “Won’t tell you again. Get.”

I froze as my mind hurtled me from present to past.

I’ll miss you so much,” she wailed, hugging me tighter.

“I’m not dying, you know.” I tried to untangle myself, looking over my shoulder at the final call flashing for my flight. I hated being late for anything. Let alone my one chance at escaping and finding out the truth once and for all.

“Call me the moment you get there.”

“Promise.” I drew a cross over my heart—

The memory shattered as my horizontal body suddenly went vertical in one swoop.

Who was that girl? Why did I have no memory of it ever happening?

“I said get up, bitch.” The man breathed hard in my ear, sending a waft of reeking breath over me. The blindfold stole my sight, but it left my nose woefully unprotected.

Unfortunately.

My captor shoved me forward. The ground was steady beneath my feet. The sickness plaiting with my confusion faded, leaving me cold.

My legs stumbled in the direction he wanted me to go. I hated shuffling in the darkness, not knowing where I came from or where I was being herded. There were no sounds of comfort or smothered snickers. This wasn’t a masquerade.

This was real.

This is real.

My heart thudded harder, fear slipping through my defenses. But full-blown terror remained elusive. Slippery like a silver fish, darting on the outskirts of my mind. It was there but fleeting, keeping me clear-headed and strong.

I was grateful for that. Grateful that I maintained what dignity I had left—remaining strong even in the face of the unknown terrors lurking on the other side of my blindfold.

Moans and whimpers of other women grew in decibels as men ordered them to follow the same path I walked. Either death row or salvation, I had no choice but to inch my way forward, leaving my forgotten past behind.

I willed snippets to come back. I begged the puzzlement of my past to slot into place, so I could make sense of this horrible world I’d awoken in.

But my mind was locked to me. A fortress withholding everything I wished to know.

The pushing stopped. So did I.

Big mistake.

“Move.” A cuff to the back of my head sent me wheeling forward. I didn’t stop again. My bare feet traversed…wood?

Bare feet?

Where are my shoes?

The missing knowledge twisted my stomach.

Where did I come from?

How did I end up here?

What’s my name?

It wasn’t the terror of the unknown future that stole my false calmness. It was the fear of losing my very self. They’d stolen everything. My triumphs, my trespasses, my accomplishments and failures.

How could I deal with this new world if I didn’t know what skills I had to stay alive? How could I hope to defeat my enemy when my mind revolted and locked me out?

Who am I?

To have who I was deleted…It was unthinkable.

“Faster, bitch.” Something cold wedged against my spine, pushing me onward. With my hands behind my back, I shuffled faster, negotiating the ground as best I could for dips or trips.

“Step down.” The man grabbed my bound wrists, giving me something to lean against as my toes navigated the small steps before me.

“Again.”

I obeyed.

“Last one.”

I managed the small staircase without falling flat on my face.

My face.

What do I look like?

A loud scraping noise sounded before me. I shied back, bumping against a feminine form. The woman behind me cried out—the first verbal sound of another.

“Move.” The pressure on my lower back came again, and I obeyed. Inching forward until the stuffy air of old vegetables and must was replaced by…copper and metallic…blood?

Why…why is that so familiar?

I gasped as my mind free-fell into another memory.

“I don’t think I can do this.” I darted away, throwing up in the rubbish bin in the classroom. The unique stench of blood curdled my stomach.

“Don’t overthink it. It’s not what you’re doing to the animal to make it bleed. It’s what you’re doing to make it live.” My professor shook his head, waiting for me to swill out my mouth and return white-faced and queasy to the operation in progress.

My heart splintered like a broken piece of glass, reflecting the compassion and responsibility I felt for such an innocent creature. This little puppy that’d been dumped in a plastic bag to die after being shot with BB gun pellets. He’d survive only if I mastered the skills to stem his internal bleeding and embrace the vocation I was called to do.

Inhaling the scent of blood, I let it invade my nostrils, scald my throat, and impregnate my soul. I drank its coppery essence. I drenched myself in the smell of the creature’s life force until it no longer affected me.

Picking up a scalpel, I said, “I’m ready—”

“Holy fuck!” The man guiding me forward suddenly whacked the base of my spine. The hard pain shoved me forward and I tripped.

“Wire—get me fucking reinforcements. He’s started a motherfucking war!”

Wind and body motion swarmed me as men charged from behind. The darkness I lived in suddenly came alive with sound.

Bullets flew, impaling themselves into the metal sides of the vehicle I’d just stepped from. Pings and ricochets echoed in my ear. Curses bellowed; moans of pain threaded like a breeze.

Someone grabbed my arm, swinging me to the side. “Get down!” The inertia of his throw knocked me off balance. With my wrists bound together, I had nothing to grab with, no way to protect myself from falling.

I fell.

My stomach swooped as tumbled off a small platform and smashed against the ground.

Dirt, damp grass, and moldy leaves replaced the stench of blood, cutting through the cloying sharpness of spilled metallic. My mouth opened, gasping in pain. Blades of grass tickled my lips as my cheek stuck to wet mud.

My shoulder screamed with agony, but I ignored the new injury. My mind clung to the unlocked memory. The fleeting recollection of my profession.

I’m a vet.

The sense of homecoming and security that one little snippet brought was priceless. My soul snarled for more, suddenly ravenous for missing information.

I skipped straight from fumbling uncertainty into starvation for more.

Tell me! Show me. Who am I?

I searched inside for more clues. But it was like trying to grab on to an elusive dream, fading faster and faster the harder I chased.

I couldn’t remember anything about medicine or how to heal. All I knew was I’d been trained to embrace the scent of blood. I wasn’t afraid of it. I didn’t faint or suffer sickness at the sight of it pouring from an open wound.

That tiniest knowledge was enough to settle my prickling nerves and focus on the outside world again.

Battle cries. Men screaming. Men growling. The dense thuds of fists on flesh and the horrible deflection of gunshots.

I couldn’t understand. Had I fallen through time and entered an alternate dimension?

Another body landed on top of mine.

I cried out, winded from a sharp poke of an elbow to my ribs.

The figure rolled away, crying softly. Feminine.

Why aren’t I crying?

I once again searched for fear. It wasn’t natural not to be afraid. I’d woken up alone, stolen, and thrown into the middle of a war, yet I wasn’t hyperventilating or panicked.

My calmness was like a drug, oozing over me, muting the sharp starkness of my situation. It was bearable if I embraced courage and the knowledge that I was strong.

My hands balled, grateful for the thought. I didn’t know who I was, but it didn’t matter, because the person who I was in this moment mattered the most.

I had to remain segmented, so I could get through whatever was about to happen. All I had was gut instinct, quiet strength, and rationality. Everything else had been taken.

“Stop fighting, you fucking idiots!”

The loud growl rumbled like an earthquake, hushing the battle in one fell swoop. Whoever had spoken had power.

Immense power. Colossal power.

A shiver darted over my skin.

“What the fuck happened? Have you lost your goddamn lovin’ mind?” a man yelled.

A sound of a short scuffle, then the fresh whiff of tilled dirt graced my nose.

“It’s done. Throw down your weapons and bend a fucking knee.” The same earthquake rumbled. The weight of his command pushed me harder against the damp ground.

“I’m not bending nothing, you asshole. You aren’t my Prez!”

“I am. Have been for the past four years.”

“You’re not. You’re his bitch. Don’t think his power is yours.”

Another fight—muffled fists and kicks. It ended swiftly with a painful groan.

The earthquake voice came again. “Open your eyes and follow the red fucking river. Your chosen—the one you hand-picked to slaughter me and take over the Club—he’s dead. Did you ever stop to think Wallstreet made me Prez for a fucking reason?”

Another moan.

“I’m the chosen one. I’m the one who knows the family secrets, absorbed the legacy, and earned his way into power. You don’t know shit. Nobody does. So bend a fucking knee and respect.”

Another tremor ran down my back.

Silence for a time, apart from the squelch of boots and heavy breathing. Then a barely muttered curse. “You’ll die. One way or another, we won’t put up with a Dagger as a Prez. We’re the Corrupts, goddammit. Having a traitor rule us is a fucking joke.”

“I’m the traitor? The man who obeys your leader? Who guides in his stead? I’m the traitor when you try and rally my brothers in a war?” A heavy thud of a fist connected with flesh. “No…I’m not. You are.”

My mind raced, sucking up noises and forming wild conclusions of what happened before me. Was this World War Three? Was this the apocalypse of the life I couldn’t remember? No matter how I pieced it together, I couldn’t make sense of anything.

The air was thick with anticipation. I didn’t know how many men stood before me. I didn’t know how many corpses littered the ground, or how such violence could be permitted in the world I used to know. But I did know the cease-fire was fragile and any moment it would explode.

A single threat slithered through the grass like a snake. “I’ll kill you, motherfucker. Mark my words. The true Corrupts are just waiting to take you out.”

The gentle foot-thuds of someone large vibrated through the ground. “The Corrupts haven’t existed for four fucking years. The moment I took the seat, it’s been Pure Corruption all the way. And you’re not fucking pure enough for this Club. You’re done.”

I flinched as the sulfuric boom of a gun ripped through the stagnant air.

A crash as a body fell lifeless to the grass. A soft puff of a soul escaping.

Murder.

Murder was committed right before me.

The inherent need to nurture and heal—the part of me that was as steadfast as the beat of my heart—wept with regret.

Death was something I’d fought against on a daily basis, but now I was weaponless.

I hated that a life had been stolen right before me. That I hadn’t been able to stop it.

I’m a witness.

And yet, I’d witnessed nothing.

I’d been privy to a battle but seen nothing. Knew no one. I would never be able to tell who shot whom, or who was right and who was wrong.

My hands shook, even though I managed to stay eerily calm. Am I in shock? And if I was, how did I cure myself?

The woman beside me curled into a ball, her knees digging into my side. My first reaction was to repel away from the touch. I didn’t know who was friend or foe. But a second reaction came quickly; the urge to share my calmness—to let her know that no matter what happened, she wasn’t alone. We faced the same future—no matter how grim.

Voices cascaded over us, whispers mainly, quickly spoken orders. Every sound was heightened. Being robbed of sight made my body seek other ways in which to find clues.

“Get rid of the bodies before daybreak.”

“We’ll go back and make sure we’re still covered.”

“Send out the word. It’s over. The Prez won—no anarchy today.”

Each voice was distinct but my ears twitched only for one: the earthquake rumble that set my skin quivering like quicksand.

He hadn’t spoken since he’d condemned someone to death and pulled the trigger. Every second of not hearing him made my heart trip faster. I wasn’t afraid. I should be. I should be immobile with fear. But he invoked something in me—something primal. Just like I knew I was female and a vet, I knew his voice meant something. Every inch of me tensed, waiting for him to speak. It was wrong to crave the voice of a killer, but it was the only thing I wanted.

Needed.

I need to know who he is.

Wet mud sucked loudly against boots as they came closer.

The woman whimpered, but I angled my chin toward the sound, wishing my eyes were uncovered.

I wanted to see. I wanted to witness the carnage before me. Because it was carnage. The stench of death confirmed it. It was morbid to want to see such destruction, but without my sight all of this seemed like a terrible nightmare. Nothing was grounded—completely nonsensical and far too strange.

I needed proof that this was real.

I needed concrete evidence that I wasn’t mad. That my body was intact, even if my mind was not.

I sucked in a breath as warm fingers touched my cheek, angling my face upward and out of the mud. Strong hands caressed the back of my skull, fumbling with my blindfold.

The anticipation of finally getting my wish to see made me stay still and cooperative in his hold.

I didn’t say a word or move. I just waited. And breathed. And listened.

The man’s breath was heavy and low, interspersed with a quick catch of pain. His fingers were swift and sure, but unable to hide the small fumble of agony.

He’s hurt.

The pressure of the blindfold suddenly released, trading opaque darkness for a new kind of gloom.

Night sky. Moonshine. Stars above.

Anchors of a world I knew, but no recognition of the dark-shrouded industrial estate where blood gleamed silver-black and corpses dotted the field.

I’m alive.

I can see.

The joy at having my eyes freed came and went as blazing as a comet.

Then my life ended as our gazes connected.

Green to green.

I have green eyes.

Down and down I spiraled, deeper and deeper into his clutches.

My life—past, present, and future—lost all purpose the second I stared into his soul.

The fear I’d been missing slammed into my heart.

I quivered. I quaked.

Something howled deep inside with age-old knowledge.

Every part of me arched toward him, then shied away in terror.

Him.

A nightmare come to life.

A nightmare I wanted to live.

If life was a tapestry, already threaded and steadfast, then he was the scissors that cut me free. He tore me out, stole me away, changed the whole prophecy of who I was meant to be.

Jaw-length dark hair, tangled and sweaty, framed a square jaw, straight nose, and full lips. His five-o’clock stubble held remnants of war, streaked with dirt and blood. But it was his eyes that shot a quivering arrow into my heart, spreading his emerald anger.

He froze, his body curving toward mine. Blistering hope flickered across his features. His mouth fell open and love so achingly deep glowed in his gaze. “What—” A leg gave out, making him kneel beside me. His hands shook as he cupped my face, his fingers digging painfully into my cheekbones. “It’s not—”

My heart raced. Yes.

“You know me,” I breathed.

The moment my voice webbed around us, storm clouds rolled over the sunshine in his face, blackening the hope and replacing it with pure hatred.

He changed from watching me like I was his angel to glowering as if I were a despicable devil.

I shivered at the change—at the iciness and hardness. He breathed hard, his chest rising and falling. His lips parted, a rumbling command falling from his mouth to my ears. “Stand up. You’re mine now.”

When I didn’t move, his hand landed on my side. His touch was blocked by clothing but I felt it everywhere. He stroked my soul, tickled my heart, and caressed every cell with fingers that despised me.

I couldn’t suck in a proper breath.

With a vicious push, he rolled me over, and with a sharp blade sliced my bindings. With effortless power, so thrilling and terrifying, he hauled me to my feet.

I didn’t sway. I didn’t cry. Only pulled the disgusting gag from my mouth and stared in silence.

I stared up, up, up into his bright green eyes, understanding something I shouldn’t understand.

This was him.

My nightmare.

ruin & rule bt teaser 4

REVIEW

Ok – I must take a few minutes (possibly hours or even days ) to catch my breath and then try to form something that isn’t a bumbling thought.
Who…
What…
Where….
Huh…..
WOAH!
Yea – that was pretty much me through this entire book.  And damn it had me wanting more and more with each read word.
Pepper Winters is definitely at her finest with this book.  It’s not a dark as her others books, but it’s definitely a greyish dark read.  But this book just claws and digs its way through you.  Pepper is a mastermind of writing the twisted and dark books.  She gives us a cookie crumb trail to follow in the story.  However, this story the cookie crumbs are here, there and everywhere with nothing making any sense yet all of it somehow linked together.  AND I LOVED IT!!!!
We are walking the same path as our Heroine – trying to piece together all the broken parts, half truths, blotchy memories, secrets…..GAH!!!! Trying to walk through the maze and figure out the puzzle is what makes this book so incredibly awesome.  The characters are amazing – both of them are very strong and stubborn.  He’s an asshole that can’t see past his vengeance.  She’s trying to figure out who the hell SHE is!
It’s chaotic, messy, mind-blowing but so damn intriguing.  You have all these questions and as you get some answers, more questions pop up and you are sent on a new crazy path.
Pepper does a phenomenal job of delivering us one hell of a story and executing it brilliantly!!  The twist and turns that make our heads spin, the achingly beautiful romance that will rip our heats to pieces – all of it just keeps us enthralled in the story.  After you finish, you will be so invested in this story, that I can see us begging for an early release on Sin & Suffer.
ruin & rule bt teaser

About the Author:

 

pepper winters banner

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:

Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)

Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Her Grey Romance books include:

Destroyed

STALK Pepper: Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

ruin & rule book tour

No Comments »

Fighting To Breathe by Aurora Rose Reynolds….Blog Tour & Review

fighting to breathe live

Meet Lea & Austin in this amazing love story!

**10 cents from every book sold will be donated to fighting cancer one chapter at a time**

NOW AVAILABLE

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1HE0gNL

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1KEyik0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1KB71R8

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

fighting to breathe cover

Blurb

Lea Lamb and Austin Wolf were young when they fell in love. They never imagined the future could hold anything other than together-forever.

When Lea’s father dies in a tragic fishing accident, she’s crushed under the weight of her grief and catches a glimpse of another type of future, one she knows she’s not strong enough to face.

Austin is angry. For the past fifteen years, he’s believed the woman he loved with every ounce of his soul left him without so much as a backwards glance.

When Lea unexpectedly returns to their hometown, all the years of heartache inside Austin bubbles to the surface and presents itself as blinding rage.

Faced with the truth about the past, a newly discovered secret, these former lovers will learn that if they want to have any chance at the future they’d given up on all those years ago, they will have to rescue one another from drowning in pain so debilitating it will leave them both fighting to breathe.

fighting to breathe teaser 2

REVIEW

Fighting to Breathe is breath-taking novel.  It’s heartfelt and very will tug at your emotions.
I love that this story has the background of these two, Lea and Austin, as a couple in their teenage years.  It gives a lot more depth to their emotions, both ugly and beautiful.
Lea returning home after she left due to a tragic accident, says a lot about her character.  And she is returning knowing that another unsettling event will take place.  And on top of that, she has to deal with possibly running into the one person she thought she’d never be without.
There is a lot of emotions that swirl throughout this book.  Love, hate, confusion, trust, desperation, hurt, anger, hope, fear…..I could go on and on.  Lea takes on a lot by returning and really having no idea what her future holds afterwards.  She is extremely strong in being able to handle so much.  But when she never fully deals with her feelings and past tragedies, things tend to catch up.  Austin is something else, let me tell ya.  This man has so much hurt and anger built up, I am surprised that man hasn’t combusted.  And when he sees her the first time, his reaction is exactly as I expected.  But its what he does throughout the story that really wins me over.
I love this story.  Aurora does a phenomenal job of painting the whole picture and making you feel as if you are watching this story unfold before you.  The setting is gorgeous – I loved every aspect of that!  The characters are very well written and the secondary characters add more depth to the story.
This is one book you definitely need to add to your TBR list and read soon!
fighting to breathe teaser 1

Excerpt

“CAN WE STOP by the liquor store on the way to dinner?” Mom asks from the passenger seat of my car.

“Should you be drinking?” I frown then turn onto the main road—well, really the only road in town.

“What’s it going to do, kill me?” she jokes, making me inhale a sharp breath. “Honey,” she says quietly, and I look at her briefly, wondering how the hell she can be so casual about this. “I’m dying. When it will happen, only the good Lord knows, but it is happening, and there is nothing you or I can do about it. I have made my peace with it, and I want you to do the same.” She reaches over to pat my thigh.

“Make peace with it?” I repeat, shaking my head in disbelief.

“Yes, make peace with it. If you think about it, I’m lucky. I know I’m going to die. I know that sooner rather than later God is going to come take me home, and when he does, I will be ready. I will have had a chance to say goodbye to the people I care about and right any wrongs I’ve caused. I’m lucky, honey.”

“What about me?” I wring my hands on the steering wheel, feeling my chest get tight as I fight back tears.

“I love you, honey. I loved you before you were even a sparkle in my eye, and I will always be with you. I know this isn’t easy for you. I know there are going to be a lot of tears shed, but we’re lucky, honey.”

I press my lips together to keep from saying something I might regret. I’m not lucky; in fact, I’m unlucky to the tenth power. How many people have I lost, how many people do I have to loose before it’s enough.

“Oh look! Sheryl!” She yells, pulling me from my thoughts as she reaches over, pressing the horn on my steering wheel while her other hand shoots across me so she can wave out my window. Looking to where she’s waving my heart begins to beat wildly

against my ribcage when I see not Sheryl, but Austin walking into one of the many bars that litter Main Street, only it’s not just Austin—it’s him and a woman with her arm wrapped around the back of his waist as he holds the door open for her.

Even from the distance separating us, my lungs compress at the beauty that is him. The years have been good to him. His hair is still shaggy, only now a little lighter; his face is tan and covered in a beard that makes his crystal blue eyes stand out even more. My eyes travel from his face to his torso, which is covered in a dark green thermal that shows off the muscles of his arms, chest, and tapered waist, then down to his denim-covered thighs. When my gaze sweeps back up, his eyes are on me, and I see them crinkle in confusion then realization that soon turns into anger.

“You missed the liquor store,” my mom complains as I speed up.

About the Author:

aurora new bio

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who’s husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She’s married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires it’s beauty.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway —  $50 Gift Card

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

fighting to breathe blog tour

No Comments »

Sweet The Sin by Claire Kent….Blog Tour & Review

Sweet the Sin Revenge Saga # 1

By: Claire Kent

Releasing July 7, 2015

Loveswept

Sweet the Sin

Blurb

 

In the first novel in USA Today bestselling author Claire Kent’s deeply sensual story of love, lust, and deception, a woman searching for the truth discovers that she’s sleeping with the enemy.

 

Portrait artist Kelly Watson keeps her relationships simple and steamy, with no strings attached. She’s had a hard time trusting other people since she was a child, when her father was murdered for trying to blow the whistle on corporate corruption. Nearly twenty years later, Kelly finds herself in the arms of a seductive stranger—the very same man who may have ordered her father’s death. And even as she plays him, using hot sex as a means to revenge, Kelly is tormented by one question: Is she committing the ultimate betrayal?

Caleb Marshall has spent decades forging a high-powered career, rejecting intimacy for the convenience of fast women and cheap thrills. But Kelly intrigues him, pushing commitment buttons he didn’t know he had. Still, something is wrong. Despite their physical and emotional chemistry, Caleb feels the fear inside of her. Now the only way to keep her safe is coming clean, before secrets and lies destroy their connection—no matter how deep, intense, and addictive it may be.

EXCERPT

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so deeply attracted to a man. He wasn’t even her type. He was too old for her—with a dusting of silver in his hair—and she normally preferred blue-collar types. Military men. Cops. Firefighters. Construction workers. Men with calloused hands.

Not like this guy at all.

“I know who you really are,” he said, easing even closer to her so that her breasts brushed lightly against his chest for a moment. “You believe in love, don’t you?”

It was so far from the truth, Kelly almost laughed. She hadn’t believed in love since her father was murdered. “You are so wrong about me, it’s not even funny. I bet I believe in love even less than you do.”

“What do you believe in, then?” He was touching her hair again, skimming the tips of his fingers down the length of one loose strand.

She could hardly believe he was a stranger. It felt like she knew him—all the way down to the core. “I believe in being self-sufficient, just like you do.” She leaned toward him just enough to graze her nipples against his shirt before she pulled back.

“Do you?” There was a slight flush to his cheeks now, and it looked like he was breathing more quickly. He was definitely turned on. Just as turned on as she was. “What else do you believe in?”

“I believe in seeing the world as it really is and not dreaming of romantic fairy tales, just like you do.” She knew this about him, as well as she knew it about herself.

She saw the affirmation in his eyes, mingling with the blaze of desire. “And what else?”

“And I believe in sex.” They were in a public park, but she didn’t care. Responding to the challenge he posed, she slid one hand down his chest, then his belly, until she reached his groin, which she gave a brief caress.

She hadn’t been wrong. He was aroused. Hard in his jeans.

His breath hitched at her touch, and she could see he was holding himself back. “What do you believe about sex?”

“I believe people can come together for mutual gratification without all the baggage the world has built up around it.”

“Ah,” he murmured thickly, settling one hand on the small of her back. “Free love, then? To go with the puppies and flowers?”

“Not love. Sex. There’s no overlap unless you make it so.”

“I don’t make it so.” He pushed her hips toward his body until she could feel his arousal against her middle.

She was fighting to catch her breath, her pussy pulsing with desire, and her mind struggling to keep up with his quick wit. “Somehow, I knew that about you.”

“I’ve met a lot of women who make such claims, but then they’re crying when I don’t call them the next morning.”

“I’ve met a lot of men who do the same thing.”

He shook his head, pushing his erection against her very slightly. To the people in the park, they must look like they were just hugging, but a hug was very far from what was going on between them.

To Kelly, it felt more like battle. And she liked it. A lot. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this turned on, this invested in a conversation.

“So, you don’t cry?” he asked, his brown eyes smoldering with lust, excitement, and intelligence.

“I haven’t cried since I was ten years old.”

That was true too. She hadn’t cried since the months after her father died. Her whole world had changed that year.

“I still have no proof this is nothing but pretense on your side.”

“Because I’m a woman? Because I have a sweet face? You’re old enough to know that appearances deceive. You can fuck me now, and I’d never give you a second thought. You’d never hear from me again.”

“If I fuck you,” he murmured, “I promise you’ll think of me again.”

“There’s no way you’re that good.”

“You shouldn’t say such things. You’ll only be proven wrong.”

“Your arrogance is astounding, but I still haven’t seen you follow through.”

“You want me to follow through?” It was a genuine question. She could see that he was waiting for an answer as he watched her, even through the growing desire.

“Oh, yeah.”

She’d had sex with strangers before. All she’d ever had was sex with strangers. She didn’t normally have sex on a Saturday morning in the park, but there was no good reason not to.

She wanted this man—like he was a challenge that must be met, a battle that must be won.

“We’ll see,” the man said, sounding faintly skeptical, as if he still didn’t believe she took sex as casually as he did.

“See how, exactly?” She raised her eyebrows in a question, a call to action.

The man met the call, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the wooded area nearby. He snapped his fingers, and the dog stopped chewing his Frisbee and jumped to his feet to follow.

Kelly’s breath caught in her throat as they neared the trees. “The car might be more comfortable.”

“I’m not going for comfort here.” His grip was firm and strong and authoritative as he pulled her after him.

She felt a wave of panic as they entered the trees, not at one of the trails, but in the thickly grown area closest to where they’d been standing.

The woods were dark, unknown, everything hidden—masking horrors she just couldn’t face.

When they’d gone a few feet in, she couldn’t make herself go any farther. She physically couldn’t do it, yanking her hand out of the man’s.

He turned around with a resigned expression. “That’s what I thought.”

He thought she’d given up. He thought he’d won.

But he wasn’t going to win this, her phobia about the woods be damned. She grabbed his shoulders and pushed him against a large tree. “What did you think? That we would go deep in the woods where you could safely hide, where no one could ever see what we were doing? This is far enough.”

There was more risk of being discovered, this close to the edge of the woods. They would be out of sight, but not very far.

Kelly didn’t care. The fear of being caught was far milder than her fear of going deeper into the woods. Even now, a chill had broken out on her skin, almost distracting her from her arousal.

Almost.

REVIEW

I have to give it to Claire – she had me so entrapped in this book, that when it ended, I am going….”really – you’re going to make me wait til book 2?!?”
You already know who Kelly and Caleb are from the blurb, so I won’t rehash all of that.  But I will tell you that Kelly may shock a few readers but she is her own woman and I love that about her. Caleb is the typical asshole who believes that he can have anything he want and really, he does.  He doesn’t let anything stop him from getting what he wants and is ruthless in getting it.
Claire really doesn’t waste time in getting right into the heart of the story.  Kelly is put into a position where it’s hard for her to say no and walk away.  Caleb has always been able to keep his relationships simple and never get involved.  But when it comes to Kelly, he seems to enjoy her company.  But everything isn’t always as it seems.
The story is told from both Kelly and Caleb’s POV and it definitely helps give you a better inside on what they are each thinking as the story moves along.  This isn’t a light and fluffy read.  There are some twisted and messed up scenes that will leave you going “WTF!?!”  Claire does not sugarcoat anything choices that Kelly makes or the type of man Caleb is.  I really felt myself understanding Kelly’s choices and hoping nothing blows up in her face.  There were times when I felt things dragged on a bit, but that didn’t last long or make me want to put the book down.
Just when you think that we finally get the answers we want, BAM!!!  Yes, the book ends in a cliffhanger and damn what a cliff we dangle over.  I am beyond excited to see where Claire takes us in the next book.
C signature

Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Claire Kent has been writing romance novels since she was twelve years old. She has a PhD in British literature and, when she’s not writing, teaches English at the university level. She also writes contemporary romance under the pen name Noelle Adams.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Website: http://clairekent.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/noelleadams3

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6861359.Claire_Kent

Rafflecopter Giveaway

One Loveswept Mug

One Flirt Mug

Ebook copies of:

CLAIMED by Stacey Kennedy

MY OBSESSION by Cassie Ryan

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT by Elisabeth Barrett

TAKE THE FALL by Marquita Valentine

YOUR TO KEEP by Serena Bell

SWEET THE SIN by Claire Kent

a Rafflecopter giveaway

sweetthesin-banner_edited-2

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/04/sweet-sin-revenge-saga-1-by-claire-kent.html

1 Comment »

Sloth by Ella James…Blog Tour & Review

Sloth BT Banner

 

Sloth Cover

 

Ella James Note

She writes me back.
I didn’t expect that.

Tells me she’s a lover of chicken pizza and videogames, a hot sorority girl with the nickname Sloth. She wants to know something about me in return. She says I owe her.

This is how she saves my life. She doesn’t even know it. We’ve never even seen each other. But I need a reason. Just one reason to continue. She becomes mine.

The anonymity is good. She doesn’t need to know me, but I need her kindness. We both live our lives: a letter here, a post card there. For three years, I escape my demons. And then one day I’m pulled back in.

I’ve resigned myself to what I know is coming. Until the girl I’m spanking gives her safe word: Sloth.

And then the lie I’m living starts to unravel.

Sloth is an erotic romance. It’s a dark mystery, so if you’re sad, go read another book. This one is real, and hard. Not that kind of hard. (That kind of hard, too). Consider yourself warned.

 


 

Sloth Teaser 2


 

EXCERPT

“What do you need?” He’s deadly serious. If I wasn’t already on edge, I would be now. My skin tingles. My heart pounds. My clit throbs.

I leave my shirt on the bed—a necessary sacrifice, I’ve decided—and slide off the mattress. I close the distance between the two of us with one stride and press my palms against his chest. “I want to suck your dick first, Kellan. Feel you in my mouth. That’s how I’ll really know if this is worth it for me.”

I can see the surprise on his face. The arousal in his eyes. He nods once. “Come with me.”

He pulls me over to the wing-backed chair and sinks down into it. He unfastens his pants and tugs them down, revealing an enormous, straining cock. I give myself a minute to behold its perfect shape and thick, outlandish size. To appreciate the nice, big balls that hang beneath it.

I think, if I liked him, I would definitely enjoy getting him off.

“Kneel,” he orders.

With a hungry smile, I do.

“Put your mouth around me, and I’ll tell you how I like it done.” So bossy. I kind of like that, given what I’m setting up here. Boss me around, baby. You just tell me how you like it.

I decide to tease him a little first. I try to wrap my fingers around him, and of course, he’s too thick. I encircle his shaft, just under the plump head, and feel him jerk a little. Damn, that’s hot. I run my hands up and down him, heady at the softness of his warm skin over the stiff erection.

I can feel him take a deep breath as I explore him with my hands. The trick here is to be gentle: a light touch as I roam under his balls—he makes a delicious, throaty sound—and travel up his shaft, where I rub my thumb under the rim of his head, right there where it meets the underside of his shaft. I don’t know what this little hot spot is called, but when I stroke it softly, guys go crazy.

Like right now. I feel his thighs tense as he blows his breath out. His hands tighten on my shoulders as I trace my fingertip around the rim of his head. I grip him with my other hand and start to pump… He grunts, hands clenching.

“Fuck…”

I pump his shaft and lick him there—one soft, slow lap at that sweet little indention on the underside of his head. He moans, and it’s too soon to give him more. Instead I trail around the rim again, exquisitely soft and light…a tease, designed to make him brainless.

And it works. He lifts his hips. “Oh fuckkk.” He squeezes my shoulders hard enough to hurt. I twirl my tongue under his head…and open wide…and close my lips around him. Fuck, he’s big. I-can-barely-fit-my-lips-around-him big.

I don’t have room to twirl my tongue around him, so instead I use my lips—rubbing them just underneath the rim of his head, which is pushed against my tongue.

I feel him inhale. Exhale. His legs are shaking. “More.” He shifts a little, and I’m surprised to find he’s holding back. He wants to slam that big dick down my throat—I know he does—but he’s trying to be polite. The effort costs him, clearly. One big hand tunnels into my hair and tightens, pulling harshly as I stroke his shaft and suction my mouth around his head.

He groans. My eyes flick to his face, finding it rapt and tense.

“Your throat,” he moans. “Suck me…down into your throat.”

I cup one hand under his balls and keep pumping his cock. I’m gripping harder now, stroking faster. As I roll his full sac in my hand, his hips tremble. I hum a little, just to be a tease.

His eyes flip open. He looks wasted. Drugged. “Deeper,” he growls.

I suck my cheeks in around him, easing him carefully deeper as he wraps his hand around my head. My eyes begin to water. He’s so big and thick. I’ve got his head completely in my mouth now, and I can feel the pressure at the back of my tongue. To truly take him in, I’ll have to open wide and gobble down his cock.

I take him deeper, looking up at him as saliva floods my mouth. His eyes are heavy-lidded…almost shut, long lashes tipped down. I can see some color in his cheeks that wasn’t there before. His perfect lips are slightly parted.

I take still of him and feel his legs spread wider. Fuck, they’re muscular. I stroke my fingers over his sac, and his cock rewards me with a soft throb I can feel against my cheeks.

Oh yeah. He really wants this.

Deeper and I’m almost gagging. I taste something salty. His fingers stroke my scalp.

He moans and shudders. I’m deep-throating him. Go me!

I shut my eyes and focus on relaxing my throat, while one of my hands grips his hard hip. The other strokes his balls, which pull taut as he settles deep in my throat. Tears slide down my cheeks as I swallow against his length and suck my mouth tightly around his base, until he’s thrusting those granite-carved hips; making me gag around his huge girth; rocking into my throat as he pants and flexes his legs and I suck air in through my nose.

I look up at him once more. He’s beautiful. Perfection, really, even more so as he comes undone. His cock is so responsive. Swelling when I suction my cheeks around the base of him, leaking salty precum when I suck and swallow deeper.

His fingers quiver in my hair and he starts snarling…talking dirty. Calling me his fucking whore, his cock-tease, slut, even as he slumps back in the chair, more swollen-cock-that-needs-to-come than guy.

His body trembles as I give the best blow job I’ve ever given. “’M…gonna make that pussy…pay for this,” he pants. He grasps my breast and pushes further down my throat.

So aroused… I’m surprised to find that even I feel hot and bothered.

So it’s a shame what I’m going to do. What I must do, to ensure my safe departure, and also to get some insurance: a way to invalidate his story if he tries to set me up.

I swallow one more time against his thick head—something all men seem to love—and focus my mouth around the base of him. I taste another drip of pre-cum. His hands, now threaded through my hair, curl into fists as he thrusts into my throat. He groans loudly. Grunts. I feel a flash of sheer lust, imagining his huge dick in my pussy. Damn, he’s close. I’m close. I realize with a bolt of shock that I am wet and throbbing too.

And then, as I suck my cheeks in hard and grasp his sac, his hips buck; he spurts like a fountain down my throat. His body shudders mightily, and I marvel at the moisture that’s pooled in between my thighs. I’ve never enjoyed giving blow jobs, but this was something else.

I stare down at him as I stand up. His eyes are closed, his head leaned back against the chair.

But his legs are wide open—cock still mostly hard, his balls hanging without a care.

His eyes peek open too, right then, confirming my hunch that Kellan Walsh is not someone who relaxes for long. His gaze connects with mine. I grin.

And then, before he or I can speak, before another proposition can be made or another kinky phrase exchanged, I ram my knee between his legs.

I hear him grunt, but I am on the move, grabbing my shirt and shoes and darting out the door, dashing down the hall and down the stairs. Down the stairs and to my car. I hit the driver’s side so hard it hurts my ribs. I hoist myself over the door and fumble with my keys. I’m cranking the car before I catch my breath, gassing it as my head spins.

I glance behind me, half expecting to see his Sexcalade bouncing down the dirt drive after me. Half expecting to see him in my back seat.

But…nothing.

Nothing as I leave his dirt road.

Nothing as I pull over to put my shirt and shoes on.

Nothing on the drive home.

Nothing as I contemplate if he was really what he said. If he really wanted what he said, or if he was simply playing me.

Nothing as I shower, study, slip into my bed.

And then my phone lights up.


REVIEW

 

If you could get a look inside my brain right now, it would be full of confusion and “WTF” that it would be fruitless to try and figure out.

As soon as I saw Sloth on my kindle, I halted whatever book I was reading (sorry to that author) and immediately started reading Sloth because the blurb had me so captivated, that I had to dig in immediately.

What I wasn’t expecting was to FLOVE this book so much.  I will say that some people will feel the way I do about this book and others will feel the complete opposite.  It’s just a personal preference.

I won’t give A THING away about this.  I am sorry but to do that would completely ruin everything.  Just know that are lots of secrets and more twists and turns than I thought my heart could take.

If there is one book that you have to read this year, it’s the one.  It’s told from both main character’s POVs and is extremely well written.  It is a lengthy book but once you start, it feels like the shortest because you are too damn caught up in the story, to realize how much time has passed. And before you know it, you are at the end and possibly have the deer in the headlights look.

Ella – you have me completely reeled into this series.  I CANNOT wait til the next one comes out!

C signature

Sloth Cover

amazon link


Sloth About Ella

Ella James is a USA Today bestselling author who writes teen and adult romance. She is happily married to a man who knows how to wield a red pen, and together they are raising a feisty two-year-old who will probably grow up believing everyone’s parents go to war over the placement of a comma.

Ella’s books have been listed on numerous Amazon bestseller lists, including the Movers & Shakers list and the Amazon Top 100; two were listed among Amazon’s Top 100 Young Adult Ebooks of 2012.

To find out more about Ella’s projects and get dates on upcoming releases, find her on Facebook at facebook.com/ellajamesauthorpage and follow her blog, www.ellajamesbooks.com. Questions or comments? Tweet her at author_ellaj or e-mail her at ella_f_james@ymail.com.

Ella is represented by Rebecca Friedman of the Hill Nadell Literary Agency.

1 Comment »

Brand of the Pack by Tera Shanley….Blog Tour & Review

Brand of the Pack

BLURB

The last of her kind

As the last of the Silver Wolves, and the only female with the ability to produce werewolf offspring, Morgan Carter is a wanted woman. Male suitors from all packs vie for her, and threaten the safety of her young niece, Lana. But there is only one man Morgan wants . . .

The last of his control

Greyson Crawford has been through hell and back for Morgan. And he’d do it again. But until she learns to trust him, and lets him claim her as his own, he can’t fully protect her. When a force more powerful than either have known threatens to tear them apart, can Greyson convince Morgan to accept him as her mate once and for all, before it’s too late?

PRE-ORDER INFORMATION

Brand of the Pack is available for pre-order at  Amazon, B&N,  Kobo and Google Play

REVIEW

Brand of the pack is a great third installment in this series.  While the books are fairly short, I enjoy the depth that Tera puts into each book.

This book is about the joining of Morgan and Grey and finally starting the Silver Wolf clan.  While the is fairly seamless, as the news reaches other packs, things are going to start to heat up for them.

I really enjoyed reading about Grey and Morgan finally being together and watching them bond together.  The story has left a few twists that I am hoping to read about more in the next books.

This story is much more “lighter” in the ways where there is more love than not so much fear and ugliness.  And Tera continues to build her world of werewolves and their ever-evolving clans.

If you have not started this series, I highly recommend it.  All the books are fairly short and the story is intricately told in each book.  You can definitely catch yourself in a few days.

This is a perfect “interlude” from where Morgan and Grey were to where the Silver Wolf Clan will be headed and the challenges they will face.

Brand of the pack is a great third installment in this series.  While the books are fairly short, I enjoy the depth that Tera puts into each book.

This book is about the joining of Morgan and Grey and finally starting the Silver Wolf clan.  While the is fairly seamless, as the news reaches other packs, things are going to start to heat up for them.

I really enjoyed reading about Grey and Morgan finally being together and watching them bond together.  The story has left a few twists that I am hoping to read about more in the next books.

This story is much more “lighter” in the ways where there is more love than not so much fear and ugliness.  And Tera continues to build her world of werewolves and their ever-evolving clans.

If you have not started this series, I highly recommend it.  All the books are fairly short and the story is intricately told in each book.  You can definitely catch yourself in a few days.

This is a perfect “interlude” from where Morgan and Grey were to where the Silver Wolf Clan will be headed and the challenges they will face.

C signature

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tera Shanley

Hybrid author, Tera Shanley, is the twisted mind behind the zombie-rific Dead Rapture series. Schooled in weaponry and with an alpha male of her own, the dystopian romance genre was a natural draw. She has several books published through Omnific Publishing/Simon & Schuster and Lyrical Press/Kensington. A happy inhabitant of cozy, small town Texas, she spends her days chasing around her rambunctious family, spending time outdoors, reading, and typing up the stories her characters demand she write.

For More Information

Visit Tera’s website.

Connect with Tera on Facebook  and  Twitter.

Wicked Ride, Myth and Magic Banner

No Comments »

Caught by Clare James…Blog Tour & Review

Caught_1600_2

Caught

Release date: 6/30/15

BLURB

 

 She was hired to clean up his image. He wants nothing more than to get her dirty.

Watching sex tapes at the office is just part of PR professional Vivian Blake’s job, especially when she has to clean up a celebrity’s image. Except that her newest client isn’t quite that easy. Racecar driver Jarod Cage is beyond hot, and his onscreen “performance” is already compromising Viv’s cool professionalism.

While Jarod hasn’t exactly been discreet about his personal life, he never thought his reputation could cost him both his sponsor and his racing career. Now he has to put his future in the hands of a tiny, pixie-like publicist. Which is becoming a problem, because the heat between them is about to redline. But when you go this hard and fast, putting on the brakes is the most dangerous thing you can do…

Amazon * B&N * Goodreads * Entangled

REVIEW

Caught is an interesting story of a PR rep and a race-car driver.  I like that it’s about something other than MC club, rock-star or some sort of fighter.
Viv is very strong-willed, focused and determined woman.  She’s been working her up the ladder and this is her chance to shine.  As long she doesn’t blow and have her new client lose his job.
Jarod finally has the opportunity to win big for the first time in his racing career.  And he could ruin it all if he doesn’t get his crap together.
You can sense the sparks between these two the minute they are in the same room.  And once you light the match, there’s no way to stop the fire that is sure to follow quickly afterwards.  But can these two keep things strictly business and not risk either of their careers??
Clare does a good job of building up the tension between these and the temptations they both try to resist.  I really enjoyed the details about the racing world and everything that entails.  It really made the story become more real as you were reading.  The banter between Viv and Jarod was entertaining and came across very natural.  While some people may feel that there are parts that seem too “unnatural” or goes against the moral of the character, I thought it showed another side of the character and that there is a lapse in judgment due to unknown feelings taking over.  I think it made the book more delightful.
I enjoyed this quick read.  I found myself wanting to know how this relationship was going to pan out and how everything would unfold.  I liked that is held my attention and kept things light and funny.
C signature

About the Author:

ClareJames_HeadShot

Clare James writes contemporary romance and new adult novels with spunky heroines and sexier-than-sin heroes. Her books have made several best-selling lists including the tender love stories in the *Impossible Love* series; the steamy romantic comedy *Dirty Little Lies*; and the touching family drama *Wednesday*. Her new title, *Caught*, is the first in a series about the women of Elite PR and their very naughty clients. It will be published with Entangled Publishing’s Brazen line in June 2015.

A former dancer, Clare still loves to get her groove on – mostly to work off her beloved cupcakes and red wine. She lives in Minneapolis with her two leading men – her husband and young son – and is always on social media chatting with readers.

Connect with Clare:  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Excerpt

“Okay, so about the quid pro quo?” Jarod circled back.

“Yeah, about that. You want to watch one of my sex tapes—is that what you’re asking?”

“Well, that’d be great, actually.” He chuckled. “Level footing and all of that, Vivian.”

“Sorry pal, you’re barking up the wrong tree. I don’t have one.” It was the truth, and she wondered if that made her seem prudish to a guy like Jarod.

“No boyfriend then?” he asked.

She shook her head, and thought she saw the trace of something resembling relief wash over Jarod’s face. Or was that wishful thinking on her behalf.

“Well, you have to give me something,” he said.

“Like what?” she asked, caught up in his spell. Dazed. He had such finesse in the art of talking—or was it flirting?—something the men in her past lacked. She was ill-equipped to handle his sweet-talking ways.

He simply raised an eyebrow, and deep down, she wanted to give him anything he asked for. She was tired and stressed to the limit. So was he. Maybe that’s why they continued with the juvenile banter.

The scene was becoming more and more surreal. Having Jarod Cage this close in her office was the equivalent of having a porn star in her bedroom. She had seen this man do things that nobody should see. Especially if that person was your client. She considered giving him something, the quid pro quo, knowing that’s all it was—nothing more, just something to even the playing field. She needed to take action to gain his trust if this was going to work. They were both putting their futures in the other’s hands.

Something had to break here, and that something just might be her. It might not be such a bad thing. Once they cleared the air of all the sexual tension, they could get back to work.

Jarod didn’t say a word when she pressed him for an answer. But Viv, in her wound-up state, knew just how to shut him up. Act like a man. Take the challenge. She would not lose this project. She’d get Jarod Cage to his little race and secure her position in New York, but first she’d have to tame the beast. Then he’d be out of her system.

PR Rule Number 3: Be proactive.

Caught_TourBadge

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Button_Basic

1 Comment »

The Allure of Julian Lefray by R.S. Grey….Release and Review!

Title: The Allure of Julian Lefray
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: June 29, 2015
Find on Goodreads

From: JosephineKeller@LLDesigns.com

To: LilyNBlack@gmail.com

Subject: Justin Timberlake Nudes!Lily, you predictable perv. I knew you’d open this email faster if I tempted you with a glimpse of JT’s “PP”. Well, put your pants back on and grab some bubbly because I have much better news to share.

I GOT A JOB!

As of tomorrow, I’ll be the new executive assistant at Lorena Lefray Designs. I am SO excited, but there’s one itty bitty problem: I won’t be Lorena’s assistant. I’ll be working for her older brother, Julian.

I know what you’re thinking- “But Jo, what’s the problem?”

Google him. Now. He’s the man in the fitted navy suit whose face reminds you that there’s hope yet for this cruel, ugly world. Keep scrolling…Do you see those dimples? Yup. That’s the Julian Lefray I will be reporting to tomorrow morning.

Lord, help us all…

XO,

Jo

REVIEW:

R.S. Grey really knows how to write a fun, sweet and captivating read.

Jo is the type of woman you will want to be friends with.  She just recently moved to NYC and is hoping to make in the big world of the fashion industry.

Julian is in the city temporarily and is trying to help build his sister’s fashion business back up with his savvy business and investment skills.  He’s not typical domineering businessman.

The friendship these two build is amazing.  I love the flirty interactions and how they both fight the attraction they have towards one another.  At times, I felt myself going, “just do something already” I absolutely enjoyed it at the same time.

Grey does a fantastic job of having a great secondary characters that help build the story.  Their additions really round out the story well.  And told from both Jo and Julian’s POV – I never once got confused as to what was going on and really liked viewing scenes from both perspectives.

The Allure of Julian LeFray is a great romantic-comedy that I highly recommend to anyone. It’s light, refreshing and realistic.  Even if you have never read anything by R.S. Grey, well, you’re crazy.  But that aside, you must read this one!

C signature

Amazon

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things… everyday.

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I’m a comedy geek and love all things “funny”. Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

 

No Comments »