Category: New Reviews

Dirty Little Promise by Kendall Ryan…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

Conflicted in the depth of her feelings for bad boy Gavin Kingsley, lonely librarian Emma Bell knows he’s all wrong for her—yet the heart wants what it wants.

But if she gives into his dark, erotic desires will she lose herself completely?

Passion, drama and suspense combine in the highly-anticipated conclusion to Emma Bell’s love affair with the alpha and enigmatic Kingsley brothers. Secrets will be exposed, sides will be chosen, and nothing will ever be the same.

This is book two in the series, following Dirty Little Secret.

 

Amazon | Nook | ibooks | Kobo

 

 

 

3.75 Stars 

If you read my review for the previous book in this series, you know that I was not exactly thrilled with how things were playing out; nor did I care for two of the main characters as they gave me whiplash with their actions. However, Kendall revived herself with this book and the continuation of their story.

Dirty Little Promise starts off where Dirty Little Secret ended – Emma found out about Gavin’s ex and her trust has been shaken, a lot. And she had to found out through Gavin’s brother, Cooper. As you know from the first book, Emma was “dating” the two brothers and I say that loosely because really, she was just dating Gavin and being a friend to Cooper because her feelings for Cooper never went beyond that (Cooper’s feelings were a whole other story and one we only see through Emma and Gavin’s view – more on this in a bit).

Anyway, Emma no longer trusts Gavin and has been avoiding him. Gavin is a total headcase over this and has no clue what his next steps should be. He’s a total control freak and hates not having any control, especially in situations that are new to him – he’s doing the chase when he’s always been the one to be chased. Gavin’s alpha tendencies are explained better in this book – he’s just a control freak in every aspect and that definitely has to do with this upbringing.

I love that Emma gained a backbone in this book – FINALLY!!! My biggest issues in the first book are addressed and “fixed” in this book and allows their relationship to flow much better. I am able to understand their actions and emotions more in this book and things don’t seem to jagged. These two learn to talk and trust one another instead of just doling out commands and expecting shit to happen. Gavin is able to let go some of his control and let Emma live her own life with him by her side.

There are a few mishaps along the way that try to tear apart these two, but it only helps make their bond stronger and show everyone that they are fierce pair together. Things aren’t happy-go-lucky with the brothers, but at least they aren’t tearing each other’s throats out. As I mentioned before, we get a few glimpses of Cooper in this book, but he’s MIA for the majority as if he off licking his wounds and trying to heal from Emma breaking his heart. Again, we only know of this through Emma and Gavin’s eyes, so Cooper’s true feelings and what he’s thinking through all of this is only known based on what we view through these two and not from Cooper’s POV. It’ll be interesting to see how his story plays out in the next book.

Overall, it was a nice conclusion to the first book and a great segway into the Cooper’s book. I am definitely looking forward to his book.

 

 

 

 

The start to a sexy new series from New York Times bestselling author, Kendall Ryan…

 

She’s much too innocent for me, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting the sweet, young librarian. I’m dominating and possessive, and my control streak runs a mile wide.

The way she looks at me—like I’m one of the heroes in the books she loves, like I’m broken, and she wants to be the one to piece me back together—it only complicates things further. I’m nobody’s hero.

But there’s no denying my tragic past reads like one of her favorite literary classics. It’s raw. Visceral. Captivating. And together, we’re a perfect mess.

How am I expected to resist when the sexual sparks zap between us and set me on fire? The need to control, and claim her force my walls to come tumbling down, but when she learns my dirty little secret, will my world come crashing down with it?

 

Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

 

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

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Jordan’s Shadow by T.R. Cupak…Release Day Blitz & Review

Jordan’s Shadow by T.R. Cupak

Dark Erotic Romance

Release Date: October 6th

Cover Designer: BexHarper Designs

Cover Model: Drew Leighty

Photographer: Travis Lane

Teasers: @bellelovebooks

 

Buy Links

Amazon — iBooks

Synopsis

Jordan
This story isn’t about love, like, lust, or a happily ever after. This story, my story, is about struggle, pain and suffering. Fighting to stay afloat while being pulled under by what feels like the murky and powerful undertow of the ocean. Fighting for strength I so desperately need when all I am feeling is desolate and weak. I’m a girl who exudes hatred when a normal girl of my age and pedigree should be the picture perfect portrait of love.

Alcohol consumes me. Drugs numb me. Sex for money feeds the hollow abyss deep within me. How does a soon-to-be twenty-five year old escort turn her life around when the last several years of her life has been spent traveling down a very dark path?

The Shadow
She became my obsession, my every thought. She is the reason I wake up in the morning, plotting, scheming, exacting a revenge she so desperately deserves. But will she take my offer once she learns my true identity; sees the darkness within me, or will she hate me for lying to her all of these years, leading her to lose herself to the drugs and alcohol that have kept her ghosts at bay? Will she be my Precious?

Add to Goodreads TBR

 

If you have read any of Tesha’s previous work, please be prepared for her to take you on a totally different ride with this book. As the blurb states, this book is not about HEA’s. It’s not roses, unicorns, butterflies and rainbows. It’s life of one woman who at one point had at all; then one harrowing night changes her entire world and being.

My opinions may be slightly biased because I did edit this book, and as an editor, I wouldn’t allow my authors to put out a shit book. But I also thoroughly enjoyed reading this story when it was all said and done. What I loved about this book was Tesha’s ability to push herself out the norms of her other books – to write what’s begging to be written. It’s not as dark as originally planned only because she wanted to ease her existing fans into a different genre, but also still pull in new readers too. But it still has the dark tendencies with the edge of suspense built in.

The story line is about a young woman who is raped at the young age of 17 and how that one night changes and shapes her into the woman she becomes. It’s not pretty, but it’s real, raw and ugly. But everyone once in awhile, there is a beacon of light in those dark places. And Jordan’s beacon of light is The Shadow, Hunter Knight, someone she never anticipated becoming more than just another one of her outlets, her addictions.

Hunter (Shadow) and Jordan may not have the most conventional type of relationship, but it works for them. Crazy attracts crazy, right?! They somehow are able to find the rhythm that works for them – an imperfectly perfect balance.

But the main reason for Hunter ever finding himself in Jordan’s life to exact revenge for her for all the ways she had been wronged in her past. Jordan may not think she can ever face her demons, but with Hunter by her side, there isn’t anything that can stop these two.

I enjoyed reading this as Tesha put the story together – seeing how everything falls into place. Seeing how fucked up two individuals can be and that for some people, there are no boundaries when you’ve been to hell and returned with those scars. It’s an enjoyable suspense not just between Hunter and Jordan, but how things play out in the very end for everyone.

If Tesha is a new author to you, I urge you to give this book a try, if you can stomach a twisted romance with dark undertones. If you’ve read Tesha’s previous books, be prepared for something completely opposite of what she’s given us before.

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

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T. R. Cupak was born and raised in the California Bay Area. She now lives in a quiet town south of where she grew up with her husband and their shih tzu Harley. She is obsessed with cars, especially fast ones, and enjoys her music louder than anyone should. When she’s not at work or busy writing, you can find her curled up, reading and enjoying a fabulous glass of wine or a Dirty Shirley.

Despite her lifelong love of literature, Cupak lost touch with her creative side in her early twenties. Her passion for reading was rekindled six years ago, however, and in 2013 she started journaling. This practice helped Cupak hone her creative aspirations, and soon she saw her characters come to life. She has rediscovered her passion for storytelling and wants to share her words with everyone who wants to read them.

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Show Me The Way by A.L. Jackson….Blog Tour & Review

 

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Show Me the Way

The first stand-alone novel in A.L. Jackson’s brand-new Fight for Me series…

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“This book is absolutely perfect.” – Corinne Michaels, New York Times Bestselling Author

READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

The first sexy, captivating, stand-alone novel in the brand-new FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
Rex Gunner. As bitter as he is beautiful.
The owner of the largest construction company in Gingham Lakes has been burned one too many times. His wife leaving him to raise their daughter was the last blow this single dad could take. The only woman he’ll let into his heart is his little girl.
Rynna Dayne. As vulnerable as she is tempting.
She ran from Gingham Lakes when she was seventeen. She swore to herself she would never return. Then her grandmother passed away and left her the deed to the diner that she once loved.
When Rex meets his new neighbor, he knows he’s in trouble.
She’s gorgeous and sweet and everything he can’t trust.
Until she becomes the one thing he can’t resist.
One kiss sends them tumbling toward ecstasy.
But in a town this size, pasts are bound to collide. Caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and disloyalty, Rex must make a choice.
Will he hide behind his walls or will he take the chance . . .
​​

 

4.5 Stars

I think my eyes are broken because this is the second book is just a week or two that has caused them to leak with this watery stuff and it won’t stop coming out. Damnit. Or I am just becoming a sapp in my old age.

Amy (A.L.), this book was more than I expected from you. I have read many of your books and that all touch a part of my heart and soul with your characters and their stories. But this book, it touched me most. And I have to say it’s the story line that tugs at me most. I love a great love story that comes from a tough road but when you throw a young child into the mix, my heart just checks all smashed up because they are my weakness.

“Rynna
Fucking Rynna.
Little Thief.”

Rynna (love this name) was raised by her grandmother after her mom took off. Her grandmother owned the diner in town and was known for her amazing pies. Aside from having her awesome grandma raised her, Rynna had her own troubles growing up. She was insecure and when anyone paid a little bit of attention to her, she thrived on that. Until her eighteenth birthday when her world was shattered and her only option was to run. Eleven years later, she finds herself returning to the town she swore she’d never return to; but she felt in her bones that she needed to honor her grandmother’s wishes and return to her smalltown and continue on her grandmother’s legacy.

Rynna was someone Rex never anticipated shaking up his world from across the street. And he tried his best to steer clear of her because he was not going to have another woman enter his and screw everything up, again. Frankie, his little girl, was his life and all the love he had left was for her. But Rynna had other plans in mind.

Rynna and Rex were something else. I loved Rynna’s determination to never give up on Rex. She knew when to push hard and when to pull back. And she slowly wormed her way underneath Rex’s hard exterior. But their story isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. Both of their pasts come back to haunt. And it ways, I had not expected at all.

Amy wrote another heart wrenching story that will have you rooting for Rynna and Rex. And your heart will smile brightly when Frankie Leigh graces your pages – her previous little self lights up the pages. If you are new to Amy’s books, I highly recommend reading this as it’s a start of new series and one I am sure you will love.

Bring on the next book, which I am hoping is Ollie’s. And I have no doubt in my mind it’s going to be another gut wrenching one if any of the tidbits I gathered in here are any clues to that.

Giveaway

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A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Be sure to check out her newest series, Fight for Me. The first novel, SHOW ME THE WAY, is out now.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 24587 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
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Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
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Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor

The Next Generation by S.C. Stephens…Blog Tour & Review

S.C. Stephens’s THE NEXT GENERATION is available TODAY and paranormal lovers won’t want to miss this one! Read an excerpt below and pick up your copy today!

 

About THE NEXT GENERATION

Fitting in can be hard for anyone. But for Julian and Nika Adams, it’s especially challenging. Born as partial vampires, a rare offshoot of pureblood vampires, the twins have had to deceive people their entire lives—distancing themselves from their peers.

Nika desperately wants a hero, a soulmate, someone she can trust with every fibre of her soul—someone as amazing as her father. The boys at her high school aren’t impressing, but luckily for Nika, Hunter Evans has moved into the neighborhood.

Julian desperately wishes he could sever the empathic bond he has with his sister. While it was fun to experience each other’s emotions when they were kids, now that Julian finds himself pining for a girl he can’t have, sharing his feelings is the last thing he wants to do.

Add THE NEXT GENERATION to your Goodreads shelf here!

 

Get your copy of THE NEXT GENERATION now!

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Read an excerpt of THE NEXT GENERATION now:

A slice of anger ran up my spine—I shivered with the strength of it. As I closed my eyes, intense, rolling hatred seared my body, tightened my muscles. I wasn’t angry at Arianna’s comment; I actually found it rather amusing. No, the anger scorching my soul wasn’t coming from me, but from Julian. And it was strong. He was pissed.

My eyes snapped to where I could feel him in the gym. He was moving away from the massive room, hopefully coming out to join me. Curiosity and concern blossomed in my chest. I really wanted to know why Julian was so angry. Although, knowing him, I did have one guess…

“I’ll work on that…” I murmured to Arianna as I felt Julian leave the gym and enter the boy’s locker room. Frowning, I wondered what the heck he was doing. His anger had spiked as he’d left the gym, not diminished. My concern heightened. I should go see what’s wrong with him.

Knowing Julian could feel me just as well as I could feel him, I tried to squelch the worry bubbling inside my stomach. I even tried sending calming feelings Julian’s way, but it wasn’t working. Whatever had him riled up wasn’t letting go; he was getting angrier and angrier.

Arianna laughed, then she started going into elaborate detail about all the dates she wanted to go on, and which boy she wanted to take on them—she had about five or six mapped out already. Tuning her out, I tried listening for my brother. I couldn’t hear him through the people and structures in the way though. My ears just weren’t enhanced enough. It irritated me sometimes that my family’s gifts were weaker in Julian and me—the two of us were much more human than vampire. But that allowed us to feel more normal than the others, and I did appreciate that fact. The limitations were just really inconvenient at times. While any of the other vampires in my family could have easily picked out the conversation Julian was having, all I was getting was low, husky murmuring. But his emotions were simmering, and that was all I needed to know.

Glancing at Arianna, I gathered all my stuff and zipped up my bag. She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t pause in telling me all about her imaginary date rock climbing with Jake McKinley. Giving her a soft smile, so she didn’t get too suspicious, I started to stand. “I’ll be right back, Arianna, I—” Dread locked up my muscles, and I halted mid-sentence and mid-stance. Fear. Julian was feeling fear now. His anger had been rising to a boiling point, but now it had shifted to stark terror, and I had no idea why. Dropping my bag to the ground, I hauled ass across the football field.

“Nika? Where are you going? What’s wrong?”

I ignored Arianna’s concern and kept running. I had to get to Julian. I could have blurred to him in a split-second, but hampering my abilities had been drilled into me since birth, and I wouldn’t go against that training unless the situation absolutely demanded it. And when Julian’s fear shifted to panic…I began to believe that the situation demanded it.

But knowing that Arianna was staring at me as I ran away curbed the desire to blur to Julian. I wouldn’t freak out my friend if I could help it. And aside from extreme panic and lingering fear, Julian was okay. Well, he wasn’t in pain at any rate.

Pulling open the doors to the gym, the metal singing in complaint at my force, I suddenly felt a rush of agony. Gasping, I paused in my step. The zing of hurt had exploded over me, almost like I’d felt it myself. I hadn’t, though; it was separate from my own feelings of fearful concern. The pain had come from Julian…and renewed anger came right behind it.

Once I was inside the gymnasium, my hearing finally picked him up. He was cursing, and there was a lot of scuffling. It sounded like he’d gotten himself into a fight. Odd. Julian wasn’t one to pick on people. But then again, if what had happened earlier in the gym to make him so happy was what I was afraid it was…then yeah, he might have started this fight.

Cursing under my breath as another bout of pain lashed Julian’s body, I glanced around the empty halls. Seeing it was clear, I sped off after Julian. In mere seconds, I was at the edge of a group of people in the boy’s locker room. They were all cheering on a couple of guys going at it in the center. Two bodies were sprawled on the tile floor of the open shower, wild punches being slung everywhere.

From the blood bond and our emotional connection, I knew Julian was amid the melee. Silence shocked me for a second as I stood on the periphery and watched my brother through the cracks in the teenagers surrounding him. He’d gained the upper hand and was straddling a senior: Russell Morrison. I watched in horror as Julian successfully landed a punch to Russell’s jaw. So many racing heartbeats thudded in the room…it was nearly deafening. What the hell?

Knowing that our supernatural strength was superior to every other kid at this school made fear cut through my startled state. Julian could seriously hurt Russell if he wasn’t careful, and with the amount of pain and anger Julian was feeling right now, he didn’t seem to be worried about being careful anymore. He was completely out of control.

“Julian!” I screeched, an edge of panic to my voice. He could not get in a fight with a pure human. He’d accidentally kill him.

 

 

 

How I was unaware that S.C. wrote a paranormal series before now, is a little upsetting to me. I love paranormal reads and I love S.C. so I am little baffled that I am just now finding this out. This may be the fourth book in her Conversion series, but it’s also a spinoff off the first three books. I can attest that you don’t need to read those books to read this one; however, I would recommend reading them if you can before reading this so you understand the whole background on the family and how everyone came to.

Now that I have gotten over living under a rock and not knowing about this series, I am seriously fixing that and reading the previously three before continuing on with the next book (I am assuming there’s another book based on the open ending in this one).

The Next Generation is the twins book and is told from both their POV’s. I love the bond that they share. It’s unique that they can sense each other’s feelings and where they are in relation to them. I get that at times that will get annoying (no privacy) but to share that strong of a bond with someone is quite cool if you think about it.

S.C. really knows how to build her stories and characters. Nika and Julian are typical teenagers going through normal life problems at their age, but they are also part of a vampire family. Their true family has to remain a secret to protect not only them but everyone else too. Watching these two juggle their teen issues along with their struggles on being secret vamps, it’s quite interesting.

I know I am not giving a whole lot away and being vague but it’s hard not to give anything away by saying one thing. It’s a great start to spin off for this series and I look forward to reading more about Nick and Julie’s elders in the previous three book. And then continuing their story in the next book in 2018.

 

 

About S.C. Stephens

S.C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love triangle charged with insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the literary world by storm. Amazed and surprised by the response to the release of Thoughtless in 2009, more stories were quick to follow. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out the movies and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.

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The Lawyer and the Tramp by Soraya Naomi….Release Day Blitz & Review

 

 

 

Title: The Lawyer and the Tramp
A Chicago Syndicate Series Novel
Author: Soraya Naomi
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Blurb
The Lawyer
Carmine
Montesi is a killer disguised as a refined lawyer.
He’s a
loyal member of the notorious mafia – the Chicago Syndicate – and the boss just
happens to be his brother.
He has
wealth, influence, and sinful looks and is rejected by no woman.
Until the
moment feisty Eva ruins his New Year’s Eve, when one heated encounter starts an
illicit underworld game, placing them on opposite sides.
The Tramp
Eva Conley
is an escort.
She’s
working to make the money she desperately needs to pay an outstanding debt.
That is, until he gets her fired.
He’s an
ass.
She’s the
enemy.
They hate
each other from the first time they meet.
Carmine’s
only supposed to be her assignment.
And Eva’s
the one woman he isn’t allowed to fall for.
Because
neither of them can sleep with the enemy and make it out alive…
A
standalone novel from the Chicago Syndicate world.
From Soraya
Naomi, International Bestselling Author of For
Fallon and For Luca.
Novel
Grounds Semi Annual Literary Awards 2014 winner of Best Breakout Novel For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate, #1).
Purchase Links
 
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS
PAPERBACK

Soraya Naomi not only knows how to write a damn great story, but she truly knows how to write a great mafia story; she’s the master of this genre.

You do not need to read any of the previous books in this series to read this book. Previous characters do make appearances; Soraya does a phenomenal job of explaining what those characters roles are within in this mafia world and she does it without any confusion.

Now for those who have never read any of her mafia books before, I will let you know that this one is probably the least suspenseful when it comes to the mafia drama and suspense and it should be. This is Carmine’s book – he is the Consigliere (counselor/lawyer) for the Chicago Syndicate, fourth in command. While he is there for the majority of the meetings, it’s rare that he would be involved in anyof the ugly parts of the mafia.

Carmine never saw himself as a guy that would settle down and be a family man. He’s always been ok with just needing a woman to pacify he needs at that time and then going about his business. He never anticipated a woman from the escort side of Club 7 to entice him; especially after their first two encounters within the club had him feeling nothing but annoyed by her.

Eva becomes Carmine’s assignment while he is on mafia business. And unknowingly, Eva finds herself admits a mafia showdown when she is asked to snoop on Carmine during their interactions. I have to say that Soraya plays this out very well. Eva has no idea what she’s really doing and uses her gut instincts on who to trust. For the first time ever, Carmine has a difficult time on how to handle Eva and what he’s feeling.

I really like Eva. She’s just trying to make money to pay for her brother’s care and be able to live a normal life. And when she’s thrust into this mafia world, she holds herself up very well. I love that she doesn’t back to Carmine either; she challenges him at every angle.

Carmine – he’s more than I expected. He was more ruthless and cunning that I thought. He was just more than I ever anticipated. Soraya shocked me in a very awesome way with Carmine. And I really enjoyed learning every bit about him and then watching Eva turn that upside down. These two couldn’t have been more opposite if they tried; but they also brought out new sides to each other.

Soraya wrote an amazing suspenseful and emotional story. I love that The Lawyer and the Tramp was about two individual who couldn’t be any more different, especially in the mafia world. Her words will have you begging to know what happens and how things pan out; how these two interact and not kill one another every time they are together. I love it!!

Another great mafia story from Soraya!!

Author Bio

 

 

Apart from indulging in chocolate pastries much too often, Soraya Naomi is also an avid reader. She has a passionate obsession with the written word and reads many genres but favors intense, seductive, and provocative novels where the male character loves fiercely, without remorse or boundaries. She adores Dark Romances, Romantic Suspense, Historical Romances, New Adult, and PNR.
Her debut novel For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate, #1) was released on July 26, 2014. She’s honored that For Fallon won “Best Breakout Novel 2014” in the Novel Grounds Semi Annual Literary Awards.
Author Links

Touched by Mara White…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

 

AP new - synopsis.jpg
–Does your sister let you touch her, Gemini?
-Barely, but, yes, more than anyone else. I remember even in preschool when the teacher would grab her hand, she’d stare at the spot where their skin connected as if it were an affront to her existence. Just stand there and glare like she wanted to hurt someone.
-Junipera suffers from a rare phobia.
-Please, what does June not suffer from?
-When did she start chasing storms?
-In third grade she started obsessing about the rain. Full blown? I’d say after hurricane Katrina she never looked back. And she didn’t just chase them, June became those wild storms.

Junipera and Gemini Jones, Irish twins born during the month of June, survive a childhood of neglect and poverty by looking out for one another. Destined for a group home, the girls are rescued by a rich aunt and uncle who move them from Northern Minnesota to Fairfield, Connecticut. One sister thrives while the other spins out of control. A violent assault leaves Gemini searching for clues, but what she finds might be questions that are better left unanswered.
Praise for Touched


“Fresh, raw, relevant. TOUCHED slips under your skin with lush prose, unforgettable characters, and a story like no other.”
        -Leylah Attar, New York Times best-selling author


“Hauntingly beautiful and downright emotional, White grabs you by the soul in her latest novel, Touched, and leaves an indelible mark.”
-K. Bromberg, New York Times best-selling author

“Mara White has crafted characters so real and complex, they live and bleed. Watching their story unfold was heartbreaking, beautiful, and riveting. Touched is stunning work.”
    -Nikki Sloane, Best-selling author of the Blindfold Club Series

“Touched is a truly beautiful book. It’s raw, real, and possessing of a quiet poetry.”
        -Emma Scott, Best-Selling author of the Full Tilt Duet

“I can confidently say, without a shred of doubt, that this story and these people will stay with me for the rest of my life. I bow down, Mara White. You wrote a category 5 masterpiece.”
-BB Easton, Bestselling Author

“A phenomenal, mesmerizing and unforgettable masterpiece!
This story blew me away! I cannot put into words how beautiful this story was! Absolutely astonishing! A must read!”
    -The Book Queen

“The writing is voracious and hungry and insatiable. Touched is a story that will devour you as you stuff your face with it. I’m not only touched, I’m digested. Just read it.”
    -Suanne Laqueur, Best-Selling author of the Fish Tales Series

Touched is a story that I will soon not forget. This is my first Mara White book and most definitely will not be my last. While I had some difficulty reading this book due to how it was written, I was still able to feel every bit of Mara’s writing.

This story is completely different from what I’ve read in the past. In all honesty, I think this may be my first women’s fiction book. I had no idea what to expected when I jumped into this book. The blurb doesn’t even come close to giving you the true depths of this book. It’s about so much more.

“God makes us each how we are, June. Unique, special, different from others. You touch people with your actions, with your heart. I can see that and I just met you.” 

Gemini and Juniper are Irish twins who grew up in poverty. But they made the most of what they had. Gem was the most resourceful of the two, making sure they both had what they needed to survive. June was the more free bird of two; nothing stopped her once she had heart and mind set on something. And these two were inseparable; they were dependent upon one another in order to survive. But Gem suffered from a phobia that caused her a lot of hindrances as they grew up – she didn’t like to be touched by anyone, aside from her sister. Until they met Alaric. These three formed a bond like no other – it was very unique bond too.

“The good Lord made us the way he intended us to be. There are no mistakes in His divine hands.”

There are so many important characters in this book, not just Gem, June and Alaric. Each characters plays significant role in their own way. But June really stood out to me. She was an enigma. How largely she lived without ever touching anyone but still touched them each in different ways, speaks volumes about her as a person.

“For a girl who didn’t touch people and refused all physical affection, June had discovered a beautiful strength hidden in her imperfections. If she wanted to let go, she simply had to grab hold as hard as she could.”

I know that my review may seem as vague as the blurb as to how truly deep this goes. It’s a book that you have to experience on your own. I will state that titles of each chapter will be a huge help in reading and understanding as you go along. Mara flips between past and present within the chapters and it sometimes got confusing, but you are able to figure out where she is going with her story. As I said, this is a book that I will not be soon forgetting.

 

 

Alaric
Alaric was used to being tossed off, so it didn’t surprise him or especially hurt his feelings when his grandfather passed him on to another group home. Three months had been enough for the old coot. Buyer’s remorse. Maybe driving him to school every day put him over the edge. He took the high road and took in the kid, but then soon realized it was a crazy idea. Too much of a responsibility. Besides, he hated people, let alone a grandson. Alaric was needy and Thorn didn’t do needy.
He did miss the room he’d quickly become attached to. He missed choices for breakfast and the hum of the loud refrigerator. He even kind of missed how his grandfather grunted instead of speaking full words, how he’d catch him studying his face like he was trying to decipher a code. Alaric knew he looked like his father, that the fact both pleased and aggravated his grandfather. A second chance the man didn’t ask for and obviously didn’t want.
Alaric realized he was slipping in his game. He shouldn’t have feelings for a bed or a ceiling after only a few weeks of staying in the same place. The trick was, he’d let himself think it was permanent and allowed himself to believe his home wasn’t going anywhere. Turned out he was half right—his home wasn’t going anywhere, but apparently, he was. Alaric reminded himself that nothing was permanent, change was the only guaranteed constant in life.
The other thing he missed were his nightly summer visits with Gem and June. Even though they pretended not to know each other at school, in the few months he’d been there, June and Gem had snuck over almost every night to watch the television in the garage. They shared snacks and laughs, secrets and intimate moments of fun. Although he’d never hung out with girls before, he’d imagined it would be boring, tedious and maybe even petty. How wrong he was, because Gem and June were electric, their curiosity was infectious, their fearlessness—almost troubling. He was, admittedly, a little bit scared of them. Especially June, whom he’d seen eat a bug, let a spider crawl down her turtleneck, poke a dead cat with a stick and turn it over so they could see the maggots, try a sip of beer from a can someone discarded on the curb, ride Freddy Bullet’s dirt bike down the dirt hill at full speed with her legs held out to the sides, hold her head under water in a bucket of freezing water, touch tongues with a teenager from the middle school who dared her to, drive her mother’s car to the other side of the street for alternate side parking. Phew! He would never challenge June to something he wasn’t readily willing to do. Because June would do it and leave him crying in the dust.
***
Junipera and Gemini turned ten and eleven in June. Alaric was ten in August. Midway through the year, Albert Thorn felt guilty about abandoning his grandson and came back to get him. Alaric was most excited about seeing his neighbors, Gem and June. He felt closer to them than he did his only living relative. Their reunion was spectacular. They smiled so hard their cheeks hurt, eyes dancing with the possibility of another summer spread out before them.
Life wasn’t easy, but they lived it fully and sometimes secretly. Fun was a reality they trusted much more than adults or rules or the surreal transformation that was growing up. If something appeared fun, it carried with it a truth that spoke directly to their hearts. A joke. A puddle to be splashed, a doorbell to be rung and ditched, sidewalk chalk to spell out pastel curse words, the pink heart dotting the I on the word shit, slides to slide upside down and two by two or three if they could fit, wrestling matches to reenact the ones they’d seen on TV—June could do full body slams until purple bruises appeared on her hip bones—they’d gossip and whisper stories from warm lips to ears, candy, costumes, screaming, running, laughing until tears or until June wet her pants. The magic of summer and having friends to share it with; they didn’t take it lightly and reveled in its bewitching yet innocent power.
Alaric would make videos that starred June and Gem. They didn’t reenact stories, he just documented their interactions, the two girls giggling and telling inside jokes, yelling at the television to egg on their favorite characters, fighting over seats or sticks or candy—Alaric found everything they did to be fascinating. He liked to zoom in close on both of their faces, record the flashes of expression and subtle eye movements that informed their unique communication. Once he filmed June outside dancing in the rain. He and Gem stayed in the shelter of the garage overhang while Junipera soaked her white nightgown all the way through. She threw her arms to the sides and spun in circles, tipped her head back and opened her mouth. Thunder crashed around them like the crack of a cosmic whip; purple lightning split through the dark sky making them both jump and cower. June was oblivious.
“Junipera, come back in. It’s dangerous and you’ll get sick,” Gem screamed at her sister.
Alaric panned to her face, which was twisted up in concern, then back out to June, who was laughing openly at the sky in some kind of trance-like rapture. Her feet were covered in mud up to her ankles, her nightgown soaked transparent and advertising her blue underwear. Gem could even see her navel. Greenish lightning zapped through the rapacious clouds and moments later, another clash of thunder shattered their ears. Gem and Alaric bumped shoulders as fear moved them involuntarily. The lightning lit her up in intervals like the glitz of a macabre disco. The vibration of the storm rumbled low in their bellies and when the thunder struck it shook the earth beneath them.
“June, I’m serious. Get back in here!” Gem screamed. Alaric filmed her face, concentrating on her brown eyes filled with panic. “What if she gets hit?” Gem asked him, her palms turned upward in defeat.
“Well, then she’d stop dancing for sure and you and I could go save her.”

 

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Mara White is a contemporary romance and erotica writer who laces forbidden love stories with hard issues, such as race, gender and inequality. She holds an Ivy League degree but has also worked in more strip clubs than even she can remember. She is not a former Mexican telenovela star contrary to what the tabloids might say, but she is a former ballerina and will always remain one in her heart. She lives in NYC with her husband and two children and yes, when she’s not writing you can find her on the playground.

 

Author Links

 

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Hot Stuff by Kim Karr…Release Blitz with review

 

Title: Hot Stuff
Author: Kim Karr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 27, 2017
Blurb
Get ready to fall in love with this new standalone sports romance from New York Times bestselling
author Kim Karr. 
He’s the newly drafted
quarterback.
Hot. Arrogant. Too
sexy for words. 
Ready to score.
I’m an athletic
intern, and the coach’s daughter.
Driven. Determined.
Prepared to conquer the world.
Completely off-limits.
You get the picture.
The NFL is full of
rules. Rules I’ve never broken. Never challenged. Never even scratched—until
the day Lucas Carrington crashes into my life with his hard body and
I-don’t-give-a-f*ck attitude.
After I almost
injure my father’s star player, I volunteer to make sure he’s in top
shape. At first, it’s hell. I don’t like his cockiness, his easy smile. Don’t
like the way he oozes sex. Or how his penetrating eyes follow me
everywhere. 
That doesn’t stop me
from wanting him.
He’s meant to be a
distraction—something to occupy my mind for these precious few remaining hot
summer nights before I’m forced to leave football behind forever.
I know what we’re
doing will lead nowhere good. I know we’re crossing the line. And I know my
father will never understand.
None of that
matters.
But maybe it should.
Rules aren’t meant
to be broken.          
Or are they?

 

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Trailer

 

Excerpt
Disappointed, she unwrapped her arms from her body, and then
pivoted on her toe in the direction of the open door. “Then it looks like we
have nothing further to discuss, Lucas.”
I reached for her and tugged her to me. “I don’t want to
want you,” I breathed, my mouth hovering just centimeters from hers.
Gillian tried to pull away, but not whole-heartedly. If she
wanted me to let her go, I would have, but I knew she didn’t. “Then stop,” she
sighed.
I took her face in my hands. “I can’t. I don’t know how to.”
“Neither do I,” she whispered.
Unable to stop myself, I crashed my lips to hers and drove
my tongue into her mouth to retrace every inch that I had explored days ago.

Kim Karr, did you just make me want to watch football? Yes, yes you did! Hot Stuff is a mix of forbidden fruit and cocky athlete behavior that works amazingly well together. Lucas is the new quarterback on the Chicago Bears and he has something to prove. He must wipe away his bad attitude and most importantly seek the approval of his coach who has banked on him to carry them to the Superbowl. The only problem is he falls for the coach’s daughter, Gillian. Gillian is equally a great character as well. She is smart, funny and can hold her own (which I loved).

As Lucas and Gillian start to fall for each other it becomes harder to keep their relationship hidden from everyone. I am telling you I never got to the point where I was like “for the love, just get it out there already”. Kim Karr not only held my attention the whole time but also made me fall in love with the story of Lucas and Gillian. I love when an author knows when to pick up the pace of a story or slow it down. I cannot wait to see if we read more about the rest of the team hint-hint Kim lol

Also Available
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
Reader * Chocolate Lover * Writer * Coffee Lover * Romantic
* Beach Lover * Yoga BeginnerKim Karr is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen
novels. Best known for writing sexy contemporary love stories, she enjoys
bringing flawed characters to life.Her romances are raw, real, and explosive.
Her characters will make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel.
And her happily-ever-afters are always swoon worthy.From the brooding rock star to the arrogant millionaire. From the witty
damsel-in-distress to the sassy high-powered business woman. No two storylines
are ever alike.

Get ready to fall in love.

Author Links

The Beautiful Now by M. Leighton…Release Day Blitz & Review

The Beautiful Now, the new contemporary romance from New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is LIVE! Get it for the release price of $3.99 while it lasts, or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Grab your copy here.

 

✩¸.•*´¨)✩ ¸.•*¨) ¸.✩´¸.•*´¨)✩

Dane James worked my stepfather’s fields. He was the boy next door.

Strong.

Hardworking.

Forbidden.

From the moment we met, we were star-crossed lovers—always wanting, never having. We loved each other for most of our lives, but right from the beginning destiny had other plans. She knew we would fall in love. She knew we would fall apart. Over and over again, like the curse of a recurring nightmare. Or the hope of a familiar dream.

Our past was tumultuous. Our future was bleak. But the one thing we always had was the beautiful now.

Until that was taken from us, too.

✩¸.•*´¨)✩ ¸.•*¨) ¸.✩´¸.•*´¨)✩

 

Get it for the release price of $3.99 while it lasts, or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Grab your copy here.

Here’s what early readers are saying:

✩ “This is the best book that I have read in 2017 yet!!” — Heidi

✩ “I truly wish I could give this one more five stars, I would definitely give 10 if I could. This is one of those books, you just know from the beginning is going to pull at your heartstrings and it really does. I’ve read of ton of books this year and this one just moved to the top of my favorites list.” — Catherine

✩ “The Beautiful Now is exactly that – Beautiful. It’s love story of epic proportions.” — Courtney

✩ “What I loved was that their story transcends the span of 22 years and shows that love can last forever even when all the odds are stacked against you. That there is always a way even when we think all hope is lost. That even when we do what we think is best and hurt the ones we love that their is forgiveness to be found and second chances are a blessing not to be taken lightly. And when faced with the harsh realities of life, love can still prevail over all.” — Jennifer
✩ “I started reading – and I kept on reading. I couldn’t stop. It was all so heartbreakingly sad and beautiful and sweet and frustrating and I just could not stop.” — Bianca

ALL THE STARS!!!!

Damnit, Michelle. You pulled at this momma’s heart strings, big time. How I made it through this book without ruining my kindle from the tears falling, is beyond me. This book is just so much of everything, I have no idea where to start or what to say.

The Beautiful Now is exactly that – Beautiful. It’s love story of epic proportions. It’s not just about the love between a man and a woman, but a mom and dad and their child. It’s about the love we have for another that runs so deep, we’d do anything so that the other person is living a happy life, even it means we have to give up our lives for them. Damnit, I am crying writing this review. This is what book did to me. All the feels.

Michelle’s previous book, The Empty Jar, she made my heart ached; with this book, my heart took another beating of epic proportions. And it hurt for some many different aspects in this book. But she also mended it and made my heart sing. I laughed at the silly nuisances between Brinkley and Celina; I cried over the heartache that these two had to endure; I felt hope and love between them all.

I love that Michelle tells this story from Brinkley’s POV in both the past and present. It helps show the undying love between Dane and Brinkley; how something that deep can never be severed – no matter the time, no matter the reason. It’s soul crushing. Even though they knew everything was against and they could never be, they still chose to try. But fighting the inevitable, hurt them more in the long run.

Dane – wow, that man is something is else. I love that he never cared what anyone else thought. He lived his life the way he wanted and chose not to let anyone’s opinion sway him. His strength bled into Brinkley. He was her rock.

As a mother, this book really hit home for me. I pray I never go through anything that Brinkley did with her daughter. But that unconditional love is something as a parent you just can’t explain, it is just there from the beginning and only grows stronger with each beat of their little heart. The closeness that Brinkley and Celina share as mother and daughter is raw and honest and it’s one I have with my own daughter – I would give anything for her. She’s my sunshine, my reason.

This was another emotional read from Michelle. She doesn’t hold back on taking you to the heart and soul of a story. She gives you everything that reaches deep within you. I highly recommend this book to everyone. But know that going in, your soul will get blasted and come back feeling refreshed.

Thank you Michelle for writing another epic story about life and love. My heart goes through the ringer with your books, but I am forever grateful to experience everything I do with your books. I felt this book deep in my bones. <3

“We didn’t have a future. We couldn’t possibly. We both knew it. But we had the now. The beautiful now. And that was better than nothing.”

The Beautiful Now by M. Leighton….ARC Review

THE BEAUTIFUL NOW
M. Leighton
Coming September 26, 2017

Dane James worked my stepfather’s fields. He was the boy next door.

Strong.
Hardworking.
Forbidden.

From the moment we met, we were star-crossed lovers—always wanting, never having. We loved each other for most of our lives, but right from the beginning Destiny had other plans.  She knew we would fall in love.  She knew we would fall apart.  Over and over again, like the curse of a recurring nightmare.  Or the hope of a familiar dream.

Our past was tumultuous.  Our future was bleak.  But the one thing we always had was the beautiful now.

Until that was taken from us, too.

SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER TO GET AN EMAIL THE MINUTE IT GOES LIVE:  http://smarturl.it/MLeightonNews 

 

 

 

 

ALL THE STARS!!!!

Damnit, Michelle. You pulled at this momma’s heart strings, big time. How I made it through this book without ruining my kindle from the tears falling, is beyond me. This book is just so much of everything, I have no idea where to start or what to say.

The Beautiful Now is exactly that – Beautiful. It’s love story of epic proportions. It’s not just about the love between a man and a woman, but a mom and dad and their child. It’s about the love we have for another that runs so deep, we’d do anything so that the other person is living a happy life, even it means we have to give up our lives for them. Damnit, I am crying writing this review. This is what book did to me. All the feels.

Michelle’s previous book, The Empty Jar, she made my heart ached; with this book, my heart took another beating of epic proportions. And it hurt for some many different aspects in this book. But she also mended it and made my heart sing. I laughed at the silly nuisances between Brinkley and Celina; I cried over the heartache that these two had to endure; I felt hope and love between them all.

I love that Michelle tells this story from Brinkley’s POV in both the past and present. It helps show the undying love between Dane and Brinkley; how something that deep can never be severed – no matter the time, no matter the reason. It’s soul crushing. Even though they knew everything was against and they could never be, they still chose to try. But fighting the inevitable, hurt them more in the long run.

Dane – wow, that man is something is else. I love that he never cared what anyone else thought. He lived his life the way he wanted and chose not to let anyone’s opinion sway him. His strength bled into Brinkley. He was her rock.

As a mother, this book really hit home for me. I pray I never go through anything that Brinkley did with her daughter. But that unconditional love is something as a parent you just can’t explain, it is just there from the beginning and only grows stronger with each beat of their little heart. The closeness that Brinkley and Celina share as mother and daughter is raw and honest and it’s one I have with my own daughter – I would give anything for her. She’s my sunshine, my reason.

This was another emotional read from Michelle. She doesn’t hold back on taking you to the heart and soul of a story. She gives you everything that reaches deep within you. I highly recommend this book to everyone. But know that going in, your soul will get blasted and come back feeling refreshed.

Thank you Michelle for writing another epic story about life and love. My heart goes through the ringer with your books, but I am forever grateful to experience everything I do with your books. I felt this book deep in my bones. <3

“We didn’t have a future. We couldn’t possibly. We both knew it. But we had the now. The beautiful now. And that was better than nothing.” 

 

 

 

 

Join us September 27th at 7:30 pm EST!!

 

 

King of Code by CD Reiss…Blog Tour & Review

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King of Code, an all-new intriguing and sexy standalone from CD Reiss is available NOW!

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King of Code by CD Reiss
Publication Date: September 18th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

From New York Times Bestselling author, CD Reiss, comes a sexy tale of secrets, intrigue, betrayal, and a love worth crossing a continent for.

Taylor Harden is a man on the edge.

The edge of fame. The edge of untold wealth.

The edge of utter humiliation.

He built an unhackable system, and in front of everyone, it’s hacked.

His reputation goes from king to goat in a split second. Boom. Like that.

Some dude in Barrington, USA (AKA Nowhere) has locked down Taylor’s code, and if he doesn’t get it back, he’s going to be wearing a monkey suit for the rest of his life.

Except, this guy? This hacker from Nowhere? He’s not a guy.

Harper Watson’s all woman. And she has a plan for Taylor, his code, and his body.

 

I am going to be brave and admit this out loud to you all: this is my first CD Reiss book. Yes, I know, I am an idiot for not reading any of her books before. I have no excuse as to why except I am an idiot – I’ve said it, you can all agree and now we can move on. LOL

Since my husband is a huge tech nerd, when I come along books that are about hackers or the tech world, I am immediately intrigued and have to read the book. Not because I want to see if the author is correct in their tech verse, but because that world is interesting to me. So yea, the synopsis pretty much had me begging to read this.

I have to say that I am so happy I finally got to read a book by CD Reiss. Her writing style keeps me glued to the pages and vested not only in the story, but the characters. With this particular book, I was definitely more taken in by the plot line than the characters so I think that aided in my being able to overlook the ability to not connect on the emotions with these characters.

Taylor Harden is the King of Code. He’s on the cusp on releasing his newest and best computer system, when it’s somehow how hacked right before going live. This system was built to not be hacked, until it was hacked. And now Taylor is on a mission to track down this hacker and save his reputation and his company.

Harper Watson grew up in small town in the middle nowhere with wealth and privilege at her finger tips. But she learned early on, that life gives no guarantees, to anyone. Harper now holds the code that Taylor so desperately needs. But she’s not willing to just hand it over to him.

I really enjoyed the suspense of this technical tug of war between Taylor and Harper. Harper has her reasons for choosing to Hack Taylor’s system. When Taylor discovers that his hacker is a she, that changes things for him. Things he had intended on. And this is where the title comes in to play, twofold. Taylor is great behind the computer. But when it comes to interacting with others outside of that realm, that’s where he’s learning to decode things in a whole new way. And with Taylor by his side, he learns to decoded emotions he never felt before.

This book was WOW for me. I loved everything about it. Again, I didn’t feel too much in this book since I was so engrossed in the plot but I can’t fault the author for that. It didn’t hurt the book in anyway for me and I enjoyed every bit of it. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

Excerpt:

“About time!” the older lady shouted.

“Is Harper back?” I asked, handing the bags to the blushing redhead.

As if summoned, Harper came through the swinging door, keeping it open so everyone could get past. She looked at me through the screen.

“You coming in?” she asked.

“We need to talk.”

“Did the decryption key work?”

The door slapped closed behind her as she came out, and we were alone. The way the setting sun hit her cheeks made her glow, and the strands of gold hair at the edges looked translucent. She belonged on a postcard.

I kept forgetting she was holding me hostage. I kept forgetting I needed to think strategically. I had more at stake with this girl than I’d ever had with another.

“Did you doubt it would work?”

“Not really. I’m just making conversation.”

“What are the thorns about?” I pointed at the thorn bed that had eaten my phone and went down the stairs to the yard.

She came after me. “Don’t you have these where you’re from?” She snapped a dry twig off the end.

“Roses? Yes. Impenetrable, groomed thorn bushes in our yards? No.”

“It’s not normal to give the gardeners in town something to do?” We walked around the perimeter.

“You are not normal.”

“It still blooms in spring. It’s really nice. You should see it.”

We were at the back end of the yard, where the very top of the factory’s roof cut the horizon.

I took her hand, pulling her to a stop. “Harper.”

“Taylor?” Her hair flew in her mouth when she turned, and she drew her finger across her cheek to get it out.

What was I supposed to tell her again? That I knew we’d interviewed her. That I didn’t give her the job despite her having a leg up on everyone else we saw.

But was I contrite? Accusatory? Was I just going to relay information? What did I want out of her after I told her I knew?

“Thank you for helping today,” she said. “If you’d asked me when we met, ‘Would Taylor Harden help clean the factory?’ I would have said, ‘No, not for any reason.’ But there you were. Pushing a broom. Scooping up shit. Not being an asshole.”

“My watch was at stake.”

“Yeah. Whatever. You can say what you want to keep your reputation as a shithead intact.”

“I have a reputation as a shithead?”

“You know you do.”

I did know it, and I reveled in it.

She faced me and put her other hand out. I took it, holding both hands between us. I couldn’t help it.

“Well, you guys are such a bunch of sad sacks I had to help. And let me tell you, every guy in Barrington has a little asshole in him. Trust me. I’ve played pool with them.”

“I want to say…” She stopped herself as if she really didn’t want to say. “Let’s get together tonight and get you another decryption code. But… saying this is stupid.” She bit her lip.

“Say it anyway.”

“The sooner you get four codes, the sooner you leave.”

I looked at our hands so I wouldn’t have to look at her.

“I’m not sure if I want that,” she said.

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About the Author

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.
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Website: www.cdreiss.com
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Exes With Benefits by Nicole Williams…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

 

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***He wants a second chance. I want a divorce. To get what I want, I’ll have to give him what he does.***

From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Nicole Williams:

The only benefit I want from my ex is a divorce.

We got married for all the wrong reasons. The one thing we got right was our separation. I should have known better than to think I could bet on forever with a guy like Canaan Ford. Everything about him screamed impermanent, from his wild eyes to his restless soul.

When I left him and the small town I’d spent my whole life in, I swore I’d never go back. Never only turned out to be five years. Canaan claims he’s changed, but he hasn’t—same knowing smile, same rough demeanor, same body crafted from sin and sinew. And yet, something is different. He thinks this is his chance for redemption. My disagreement comes in the form of divorce papers dropped in his lap. He refuses to sign them. Unless . . .

He wants a month to prove himself to me—that’s his offer. One month to make me fall in love with him again and if I don’t, he’ll sign the papers. As much as I want to say no, I agree. I can suffer my ex for a short amount of time if that’s what it takes to be free of him once and for all. I fell for him once; I won’t make that same mistake twice.

He says we’re not over. I say we were over before we got started. Only one of us can be right, and I can’t let it be him.

 

“One month. That’s nothing in the scope of a person’s life.” He slid a bit closer.
“One month is everything when it comes to opening myself back up to you.”
He didn’t argue that. He let silence speak for him instead.
“What exactly are you expecting during this one month?” I might have winced when I heard myself say those words.
He rubbed his mouth, trying to hide whatever was trying to form. “For you to give me another chance. For you to be my wife.”
The term made me nauseated. “Your wife? As in your indentured servant? No way.”
It was a smile he was trying to hide. Not very successfully. It made me thankful I’d slipped into these old boots so I could give him a solid kick in the ass if necessary.
“Like be willing to spend time with me. That’s it. That’s all,” he added when he correctly interpreted the question in my eyes. The question.
“What will we be doing during that time we’re spending together?” I pulled at the chest of my dress when I noticed the way his gaze had lingered there a moment too long.
His shoulder rose. “Got any ideas?” There was an unmistakable glint in his eyes.
“No,” I answered instantly.
“You used to have plenty of ideas for filling the time.” He took a swig of his Coke.
“And then I learned how to use my brain.”
He studied my fake smile, almost like he was contemplating what it would feel like against his mouth. “Dinners. Dates. Simple stuff like that.”
I held my best poker face, considering his offer. I didn’t want to stay married to him. If one more month was what it took to be free of Canaan Ford, I could suck it up. I’d already made it five years. “No expectations of anything of a physical nature?”
“If I remember right”—his eyes narrowed as he rubbed the back of his head—“it was generally you who instigated all of that back then.”
I shoved his chest. Bad idea. Solid. Firm. Home.
My jaw ground as I worked to erase that word from my conscious where he was concerned. “And you were just the perfect gentleman.”
Canaan snatched my hand before I could pull it away. Holding onto it, he dragged me closer. Not so close that our bodies touched, but close enough the separation was painful.
“Exactly,” he said in that low voice of his. The one he’d whispered my name in so many times as he moved inside me. “A gentleman gives his woman exactly what she needs. As many times as she need it. Just doing my part.”
“How noble.”
“That’s right. So if you want to make any changes to this one month agreement, consider me your humble servant.” When his hand dropped to my waist, his touch hesitant at the same time it was insistent, I didn’t flinch out of instinct the way I should have.
Instead, I had to remind myself to pull away from him; to flinch at his touch. “I have a boyfriend, Canaan.” Even to my ears, it sounded like a weak protest.
His hand didn’t fall away when I stepped back. “You’re a married woman, Maggie.”
“My husband forfeited his rights years ago.” My eyes found his, expecting them to shoot away once mine made contact.
They didn’t. His gold eyes held to mine. “He’s here to reclaim them.”

 

I have written and deleted the start of this review I don’t know how many times. First and foremost, there is not one book that Nicole has written that I have not loved entirely. I fall in love with her characters and their stories so easily. That’s what Nicole’s writing does to me – she captures me completely and I never want the story to end.

And this happened once again with Exes with Benefits. I have to say, this was different than what I anticipated and that’s not a bad thing. The story was actually way better than I hoped and was nothing like I came to expect.

In Exes with Benefits, Canaan and Maggie are married at the early age of 18. Maggie leaves one night after a year of marriage because she can’t stand by and watch her husband kill himself slowly. And the constant fighting over that was enough to finally push her past fighting for them.

“We might have been good together, but we weren’t good for each other.”

Maggie is forced back home when her grandmother passes away. Her grandmother raised her since her parents passed away when she was a little girl. Canaan was awaiting her return and is dead set on winning his wife back. But Maggie has other plans; she is ready to pack up her grandmother’s few things, finalize their divorce and move on with her life. Canaan isn’t a pushover and asks to give him one month to prove that he’s man she married, not the man she walked away from.

I rooted hard for Canaan to win Maggie over. Lord knows she wasn’t going to make it easy on him and he had to earn her trust back before winning her heart over. As much as Maggie wanted to deny she no longer wanted Canaan, deep down her heart did, but her mind just got in the way. Canaan really touched my heart with his romantics and how he battled against Maggie, proving her wrong at every turn. How Maggie was able to hold back on not jumping Canaan every time he was nearby, is beyond me; that woman has amazing restraint, and he was her husband!!!

As I said before, Nicole has a way of sucking me into a story and never wanting it to end. I blasted through this book within one sitting. I didn’t want it to end, but I couldn’t stop reading it either. You will love Maggie and Canaan and their story. Thank you Nicole for writing another beautiful story that has me grinning form ear to ear like a love sick puppy.

 

 

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

 

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