This Is Effortless by Kennedy Fox…Release Day Blitz & Review

Title: Checkmate: This is Effortless
Series: Checkmate Duet Series (Drew & Courtney, #2)
Author: Kennedy Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Friends to Lovers
Photographer & Designer: Sara Eirew
Release Date: April 25, 2017


Introducing book 2 in the new Checkmate Duet Series from a secret duo of romance authors who teamed up under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox! This friends to lovers romance will have you swooning and laughing from the first to the last page! Are you ready to play the game?

Courtney Bishop is as sugary sweet as her famous blueberry muffins.
Southern belle at heart, Cali girl by choice.
She barged into my life and easily became my best friend.

All was great as roommates and just friends, but then I fell for the girl who could chop firewood, deliver baby calves, and bail hay without breaking a sweat.
She’s the perfect mixture of sugar and spice, and I love her.

Being more than friends and trying to build our future isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Moving forward and creating memories is all I want for us, but when the past continues to come back and haunt me, I’m not so sure she’ll stay for the ride.

Loving her is easy, but losing her will break me. Burning passion combined with an undeniable chemistry constantly pushes and pulls us together. In the end, I’ll prove we’re worth the fight, even when the game is far from over.

Checkmate, sweetheart.

*Recommend for ages 18+ due to sexual content and adult language.*

**This is book 2 in the Checkmate Duet Series–a friends to lovers romance. You must read book 1, Checkmate: This is Reckless first. Highly recommended to read the Checkmate Duet, This is War and This is Love first, but not necessary. This can read as a standalone duet.**

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2kXYv8O
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2lHUCCe
B&N: http://bit.ly/2lPZjtN
iTunes: http://apple.co/2lWnKbx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lHVmae
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2misCIy
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2miCXnz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHECKMATE: THIS IS RECKLESS (BOOK 1)
*MUST READ THIS ONE FIRST

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2glfeyX
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2gD5XQz
B&N: http://bit.ly/2gl8b9q
iTunes: http://apple.co/2g40cKx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gZZUX8
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2gDae6G
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2hkirfW

 

THE CHECKMATE DUET (TRAVIS & VIOLA)

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2nH2tkk
ALSO AVAILABLE ON OTHER PLATFORMS

BOXED SET AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2oUZ6Wr
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2nSXXze
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2nzWSKR
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2o5taBy

 

 

 

A secret duo of romance authors team up under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox who share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

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Website: www.kennedyfoxbooks.com
Email: kennedyfoxbooks(at)gmail(dot)com

Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey…Release Blitz

TOO HARD TO FORGET

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: TOO HARD TO FORGET
Author: Tessa Bailey
Series: Romancing The Clarksons, #3
On Sale: April 25, 2017
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $7.99 USD
eBook: $5.99 USD
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The third book in New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey’s Romancing the Clarksons series about four siblings on a cross-country road trip, perfect for fans of Gena Showalter and Julie James!

This time, she’s calling the shots.

Peggy Clarkson is returning to her alma mater with one goal in mind: confront Elliott Brooks, the man who ruined her for all others, and remind him of what he’s been missing. Even after three years, seeing him again is like a punch in the gut, but Peggy’s determined to stick to her plan. Maybe then, once she has the upper hand, she’ll finally be able to move on.

In the years since Peggy left Cincinnati, Elliott has kept his focus on football. No distractions and no complications. But when Peggy walks back onto his practice field and into his life, he knows she could unravel everything in his carefully controlled world. Because the girl who was hard to forget is now a woman impossible to resist.

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Too Hard to Forget is the third book in this series and is Peggy’s story. I have to confess that I wasn’t real excited to read Peggy’s book in this series. Peggy had been my least favorite character up to this point. However, my feelings have done a complete 180. This is my favorite book so far in this series.

Too Hard to Forget is a story full of angst, regret, heartache, hope and second chances. And I loved how Tessa wrote Peggy and Elliot’s story. There is a lot of angst – ALOT! But it’s so damn good and works perfectly for this story. I went back and forth from cheering them on to rooting for Peggy for standing up for herself.

Let me back up and explain why I didn’t care for Peggy before reading this book. Peggy from all outside appearances is the perfect cheerleader who gets what she wants and walked away from great people because she was selfish. Yea – I could not have been more wrong about her. And this is what I love about this book. Tessa was able to make me go from loathing a character to absolutely loving and wanting to protect her. Peggy is something else – as her mother put – she is a Rubix Cube.

Back to the book. As much as I wanted these two to get their HEA, I was so happy to see Peggy find her confidence and realize she deserved so much more from a man. She is worth more than he was willing to give. But it was when she realized this, that he also realized he was losing the best thing in life, for a second time. And I won’t give you any more than that because the reasons behind everything is what makes this story so good.

Tessa wrote a beautiful story. I told Jillian (co-blogger) that the best part of this book was the journey. I won’t go into details but Peggy and Elliott’s path is one filled with a lot of curves, potholes and unsuspecting left and right turns. And it just makes the whole story that much more entertaining.

What I am trying to say is go read this damn book. It is in a series. Do you need to read the others to understand Peggy’s story, no. Should you read them in order – if you want the full effect, yes. Because there are snippets of each siblings story embedded in the previous books that it gives you glimpses of what is to come. But it is not necessary.

Ok – now go read!!!

EXCERPT

 

“I don’t know, Peggy.” He whirled on her, closing in until she was forced back onto the desk. “I had an All-American on my squad this morning and now I don’t. That’s all I know.” He pointed a finger toward the window. “I solve problems down on the field. Saving people isn’t my job.”
Saving people. God, there was such a wealth of regret and pain in those two words. But he couldn’t hear it and she couldn’t address it. Letting him know she saw right through his façade to the hurt beneath might force Elliott to close himself off. “You didn’t always limit yourself. Why are you doing it now?”
“Accepting things that can’t be changed isn’t a limitation. It’s realistic.”
“But how will you know if something can’t be changed unless you try?”
“When it comes to certain things, Peggy, trying leads to losing.” He was in her face now, the mint from his toothpaste familiar and inviting where it slid over her lips. “And I don’t lose.”
No one ever stood up this man but her, and she wouldn’t be cowed now. “No? You’re out a receiver.” She hitched herself up on his desk. “I’d call that a loss.”
The tips of his shoes met Peggy’s, his hands gripping the furniture on either side of her hips. “Who do you think you are, little girl? Coming into my office and telling me what I’ve done wrong?” His eyes were brilliant in their vexation, the attraction he was trying so hard to fight. “Where do you get the goddamn bravery?”
“The bravery is what you liked best about me,” she breathed, heat sizzling in a downward V toward her thighs. “Isn’t it?”
“No. That bravery is what almost led to my downfall.” His hands found her bottom, jerking her to the edge of the desk. “I resented it. Still do.”
“Liar,” Peggy whispered, easing her thighs wider. “You’re dying for an excuse to head for another downfall.” When her legs were as open as she could spread them, she leaned up to Elliott’s ear and let her breath shake loose. “One thrust.”
Elliott’s right hand came up out of nowhere, molding over Peggy’s mouth as his hips crowded into the notch of her legs. With a quick maneuver to recline her halfway back, Elliott’s erection found the apex of her thighs, delivering an aggressive pump against her underwear that sent a scream climbing up Peggy’s throat, only to be trapped by his hand. Knees jerking up out of reflex over the rush of sensation, an orgasm almost—almost— broke past the surface, sending her waters rippling out on all sides. Her legs wanted to hug Elliott’s waist, her voice wanted to beg for one more, one more, one more, but he shook his head, denying her, even though his gaze was hot, a low groan issuing from his harshly masculine mouth.
He leaned in and nipped the lobe of her ear. “Next time, ask for two.”

DREAM CAST

For the record, this is SO HARD. For the Romancing the Clarksons series especially, I have a specific image in my mind for each character and none of them match an actor/actress perfectly. So I am going to take Elsa’s advice and Let it Go (let go of the images in my head, that is). Enough rambling! Here is my dream cast (the main characters, anyway) for TOO HARD TO FORGET!

Coach Elliott Brooks: Jon Hamm. Now, I’m not talking about suave Don Draper. If Jon is going to pull off my hard-ass football coach, he’s going to need some scruff and a bad attitude. There was an episode of Mad Men where Jon went juuuuust the right amount of dominant and that’s what makes him my Elliott.

Peggy Clarkson: Ashley Greene. This one is a little easier. I think Ashley Greene is incredibly beautiful and she could also pull off Peggy’s devil-may-care flirtatious presence, while still guarding secrets with her eyes.

Kyler Tate: Christian McCaffrey. Okay, so he’s not an actor. He plays for the Broncos. But he has the perfect sexy charmer smile and a ton of charisma. I would pay for his acting classes myself!

Alice Brooks: Kiernan Shipka. Might as well stick with a Mad Men theme, right? She already played Don Draper’s daughter (Sally Draper) and can exude angst like nobody’s business, so she’s a great choice for Alice!

THE ROMANCING THE CLARKSONS SERIES

TOO HOT TO HANDLE, #1
TOO WILD TO TAME, #2
TOO HARD TO FORGET, #3
TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK, #4

Series Page on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

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The Player by K. Bromberg….Blog Tour & Review

 

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00074]Baseball has never been sexier in an all-new novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, K. Bromberg.

Easton Wylder is baseball royalty. The game is his life. His passion. His everything.

So, when an injury threatens to end Easton’s season early, the team calls in renowned physical therapist, Doc Dalton, to oversee his recovery. Except it’s not Doc who greets Easton for his first session, but rather, his daughter, Scout. She may be feisty, athletic, defiant, and gorgeous, but Easton is left questioning whether she has what it takes to help him.

Scout Dalton’s out to prove a female can handle the pressure of running the physical therapy regimen of an MLB club. And that proof comes in the form of getting phenom Easton Wylder back on the field. But getting him healthy means being hands-on.

And with a man as irresistible as Easton, being hands-on can only lead to one thing, trouble. Because the more she touches him, the more she wants him, and she can’t want him. Not when it’s her job to maintain the club’s best interest, in regards to whether he’s ready to play.

But when sparks fly and fine lines are crossed, can they withstand the heat, or is one of them bound to get burned?

 

iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Paperback

 

 

 

OMG!!! I was so not expecting this book to end in a cliffhanger til I got about 90% through and shit was not wrapping up, if anything, the hype was just getting even more gritty. Damnit, I need book two PRONTO!! And thankfully, we do not have to wait long for it. Yes, I know it says The Player, #1, but I was assuming that each book was going to be a different player, not a duet. But I am not complaining in the least.

Kristy has given a hot and sweet sports romance with the perfect blend of angst in it. I love that story surrounds Easton and Scout and their attraction to one another, but there is a deeper story there for both of them. You can tell Kristy definitely knows the sport well and that plays into the story and keeps things exciting.

Easton is the golden player. He’s the son of famed baseball player and is looking to be just as a great. An injury has him on the DL list currently and his goal is to finally get back on the starting roster quickly. But he also struggles with the demands from his father and the new owner’s unknown endgame.

Scout is Easton’s trainer and understands what it’s like to live up to a legendary father. Her father was the trainer Easton thought he was getting and when he’s stuck with her, things don’t start off that great. Scout is used to working in a male-dominated field and knows how to handle herself when it comes to their jarring and comments towards her. But her assumptions bite her in the ass this time.

Kristy makes her characters real and relatable. You can see their struggles and feel what they feel. The banter between Easton and Scout was very natural and flowed beautifully. I love how they knew when to push and when to pull back with each other. And like I said earlier, just when I was hoping everything was coming together, it seems as though things are going to get stirred up even more.

I still recommend reading this now and waiting the short time for the follow up to release. It’s a great sports romance you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HeadShot ColorNew York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow.

Since publishing her first book in 2013, K. has sold over one million copies of her books and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times.

In April, she’ll release The Player, the first in a two-book sports romance series (The Catch, book 2, will be released late June), with many more already outlined and ready to be written.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales HERE

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Walk of Shame by Lauren Layne…Review Stop

Sparks fly between a misunderstood New York socialite and a cynical divorce lawyer in this lively standalone rom-com from the USA Today bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Love Story.

Ballantine Group; Loveswept | On Sale: April 18th, 2017 | ISBN: 9780399182082 | 203 Pages | Price: $4.99

Amazon

Synopsis

Pampered heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollow—and a whole lot lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing him is the most fun Georgie’s had in years—and the fuel for all her naughtiest daydreams.

Celebrity divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesn’t have much time for women, especially spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual job. Although Georgie’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also everything Andrew resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it. But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise kiss—a kiss that’s caught on camera—all of Manhattan is gossiping about whether they’re a real couple. And nobody’s more surprised than Andrew to find that the answer just might be yes.

Georgianna Watkins needs to be a real life friend of everyone is this world! I adore this character! Lauren Layne really hit this story out of the park. Walk of Shame is such a refreshing twist to a romance story! I was just in love instantly.

Georgianna Watkins is a socialite in New York City. She is just hilarious! I have to say that I am usually more of a fan of the male characters but Georgianna Watkins really is one of my all time favorites now. She is funny, sassy, friendly, fun and just down to Earth. You will route for her the entire time you are reading Walk of Shame.

Now don’t let me forget that heartthrob divorce attorney, Andrew Mulroney. Yum Yum Yum ladies! Smart, successful, and reserved- you know he needs a feisty lady in his life. If there was ever a couple, you cannot see together but want them to be- Georgie and Andrew are that couple. The banter between them is hysterical and completely what you would do with a crush. They are simply just hot with a capital H.

However, besides being funny to read, this story is romantic and swoon-worthy all at once. It was really such an enjoyable read that I would recommend it to anyone who was sick of the same old romantic novels where the girl needs to be rescued or a tragedy strikes for the characters to finally declare their love for one another. I mean really it needs to be in the purse of any woman I know. Walk of Shame is by far on my top lists for that beach vacation!

About the Author

Lauren Layne is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels. Prior to becoming a writer, she worked in e-commerce and Web marketing. In 2011 Lauren and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where she decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite Lauren’s ardent assurances to her husband that it would take only three). Since then, she’s gone on to publish ten books, including those in the bestselling Sex, Love & Stiletto series, with more stories always in the works. Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and their spoiled Pomeranian. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

 

 

The House Mate by Kendall Ryan….Release Blitz & Review

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house mate_amazonWhat’s sexier than a bad boy? A bad ass man who’s got his shit together.

Max Alexander is nearing thirty-five. He’s built a successful company, and he’s conquered the professional world, but he’s never been lucky in love. Focusing so much time on his business and raising his daughter, adulting has come at the expense of his personal life.

His social skills are shit, his patience is shot, and at times, his temper runs hot.

The last thing he has time for is the recently single, too gorgeous for her own good young woman he hires to take care of his little girl. She’s a distraction he doesn’t need, and besides, there’s no way she’d be interested. But you know what they say about assumptions?

 

This is book 3 in the Roommates series, but each book can be read as a complete standalone as they all feature new couples to fall in love with.

 

 

 

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Another cute and sweet read from Kendall Ryan. I was hoping to be more wow’d by this book but for me it was just ok. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. It was just right down the middle of the road for me.

Max is a single father to a one year old – a one year he just learned about having. His life is sort of turned upside down and he needs to find a nanny to help him out with his little one.

Addison recently lost her job, house and boyfriend all in one day – at one time – if you want to learn about all that, you need to read the book. Anyway, she’s in desperate need of a house and job immediately and Max’s ad for a live-in nanny is perfect.

Max is immediately won over by Addison and how easily she makes herself a part of Max and Dylan’s life. They both feel an attraction to one another but Addison has sworn off men and Max has never been in committed relationship. Plus she’s the nanny. HA! You can see where this is going.

I enjoyed the plot line, but everything just played out exactly how I thought it would. And that’s ok. There isn’t much angst or drama in the book for either of them to handle. I felt everything sort of happened a little too fast for my taste. I wanted them both to get to know one another a little more – meet each other friends, family, etc. It just felt rushed and I was hoping for a bit more depth to the story.

Overall, it’s a cute story that you will read fairly quickly. I would call this a great beach read. If you want something that has no angst and is just light and fluffy with very little depth in it, this is the prefect book for you.

 

 

 

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Kendall Ryan author picA New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries 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. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

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

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The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan….Release Day Blitz & Review

 

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TheHotShot Amazon-2First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…

What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.

No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

 

 

AMAZON | iBooks | B&N | KOBO | Paperback

 

FINN

 

She sits quietly as I eat, and shakes her head when I offer her a sandwich section. Because I’m hungry, and because I don’t like the idea of her having to wait for me to eat, I wolf down my food. The brownie follows with a few, quick bites.

Wiping my hands on a napkin, I set the plate and empty can on a side table, and then let out a contented sigh. “Thanks. I needed that.”

Her smile is small and quick. “I should have fed you as soon as you got here.”

“I’m good now.”

Chess braces her hands on the seat and leans forward to watch her feet as we slowly rock the swing. Silence descends, thick and awkward, and for the first time in her presence, I’m at a loss for words.

I don’t know this girl. Not really, and yet I’ve inserted myself into her life with a determination I usually reserve for winning games. Except I have no endgame here. I told her I want to be friends. But how does that work for us?

Our friends and lives couldn’t be any more different. Parties for me are self-congratulatory events, filled with people whose one focus seems to be bolstering my ego, followed by me searching for a quick hookup. And my friends are all part of football in some way. We talk football or sports. It’s a narrow focus life, but it’s my comfort zone. That chafes too, knowing I live a life that seems wild and free to outsiders but is actually small and structured on the inside.

The silence has stretched too long. I should go. But I don’t move. If I go, I know it will be the end of whatever this is. Embarrassment will have me avoiding seeking her out again. Likely, she’ll do the same. And that will be that.

The knowledge sits like a stone on my chest.

“I’m sorry about my friends,” Chess says. “They can be uncomfortably brazen.”

“So can mine.” I shrug. “Your friends are…fun.”

Her lips pull tight. “They can be. But they were definitely giving me—and by extension—you shit tonight.” She bites her bottom lip. “I don’t think they know what to make of you.”

“So I wasn’t imagining things.”

“’Fraid not.”

The novel sensation of being a fish tossed into the wrong pond grows. I’ve taken away Chess’s fun by coming here, and I’m sorry for it.

“I shouldn’t have asked you to come here,” Chess says in a low voice.

She’s only echoing my thoughts but the stone sitting on my chest pushes harder against my ribs.

Chess makes a small sound, as if she’s trying to laugh but can’t. “Parties suck when you arrive halfway through and don’t know anyone.”

“I know you,” I point out quietly.

She turns and the porch light illuminates her face. Green eyes met mine and hold, as a slow, true smile curls over her cherry lips. Something inside of me shifts and slides. I want to kiss Chester Copper. Haul her onto my lap and make out with her like we’re teenagers hiding out at our parents’ party. But that’s not what she invited me here for.

“I wanted to see you,” she confesses in that husky morning voice that goes straight to my cock. She turns away and stares out into the darkness. “It’s weird, you know? But hanging out with you was so unexpected it kind of felt like I imagined the whole thing.”

I know exactly what she means. My hand settles next to hers, close enough that our pinkies touch. That small point of contact sparks along my skin, makes me want to move closer. I hold steady because I don’t trust myself not to act. “I wanted to see you too,” I tell her. “It’s been a long fucking day.”

I hadn’t planned to admit that, but it feels good to tell her.

Chess eases back against the seat and then curls her fingers over mine with a light squeeze. The unexpected touch holds all my attention. It’s nothing more than a simple offer of comfort, and here I am twitching in my seat as if she’d cupped my dick instead. I’m in so much trouble here because this woman is getting to me in ways I don’t know how to navigate. But I don’t pull away. Not one fucking chance of that.

Chess speaks, pulling me attention back to our conversation. “So tell me about it.”

I can’t remember the last time anyone asked me to tell them about my day. Likely, no one ever has.

So I do. And with every word that leaves my mouth, a little bit more of my stress eases. No, I don’t yet truly know Chess. And yes, our lives are different. But there’s no way I’m ending this. Because when it’s just her and me, everything else falls away. I’m not going to let myself forget that again.

 

 

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The Hot Shot is the fourth book in Kristen’s Game On series, however it can easily be read as a standalone. And I can attest to that as this is the first book that I have read in this series. Other characters from previous books are mentioned, but to be honest, I had no idea if they were or weren’t from previous stories because when they are mentioned, it’s just how they all know each other. It just makes you want to go back and figure out their stories next.

Back to the book. Kristen has written another fantastic sports romance. Finn and Chess – these two are complete opposites in so many ways. They both admit that neither if their typical type, which shows the one thing they do have in common – they say what they think. And that’s the best to start to any relationship, even when you aren’t looking for one.

Finn and Chess are both looking for different things in life right now. And they both respect each other’s decisions but find it hard to not have the other in their life. They slowly and unintentionally become a part of each other lives as friends. They unexpectedly finding that they need the other in the routine, but are both afraid to give into the attraction they both feel.

This journey of friends/frenemies to lovers is very entertaining and heartwarming to see play out. I loved how they bantered so easily and naturally. I couldn’t stop smiling throughout this whole book. Yes, there are some bumps in their road, and there is one part that while inevitable, it was still difficult to watch them go through. It was like watching my two best friends fall apart and not being able to help them piece things back together.

Kristen really knows how to let things play out naturally. And things didn’t always play out the way I was expecting them to and that made me love this story even more. I won’t spoil anything but it’s nice to see that not everyone writes the same clichés. I am excited to see what she writes next in this series and I want to go back and read the other three books.

 

 

 

 

KCauthor

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal , best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Anchor Me by J. Kenner…Blog Tour with Review

anchor me available now

 

 

 

julie_anchorme300dpi625x1000FROM NEW YORK TIMES AND #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR J. KENNER comes the highly anticipated fourth novel in the fast-paced series including Release Me, Claim Me, and Complete Me. This sexy, emotionally charged romance continues the story of Damien Stark, the powerful multimillionaire who’s never had to take “no” for an answer, and his beloved wife Nikki Fairchild Stark, the Southern belle who only says “yes” on her own terms.

 

It’s a new chapter in the life of Nikki and Damien Stark …

 

Though shadows still haunt us, and ghosts from our past continue to threaten our happiness, my life with Damien is nothing short of perfection. He is my heart and my soul. My past and my future. He is the man who holds me together, and his love fuels my days and enchants my nights.

 

But when tragedy and challenge from both inside and outside the sanctity of our marriage begin to chip away at our happiness, I am forced to realize that even a perfect life can begin to crack. And if Damien and I are going to win this new battle, it will take all of our strength and love …

 

Amazon | Print  | iBooks  | Kobo  | B&N  | Google Play  | Amazon UK  | Amazon AU  | iBooks UK  |

 Kobo UK  | Google Play UK

 

Anchor Me teaser 7

 

I stand there for a moment, enjoy the view and letting my imagination fill in the blanks. But I want more than imagination, and so I peel off the nightgown and let it drop onto the floor. I don’t usually sleep in one unless there are guests in the house, but I’d been wearing it on the couch last night, and Damien hadn’t undressed me when he put me to bed.

Now, I stand naked and watch the shape of him move in the steam. I’d been aroused even before I entered this room, simply from the thought of him. But now, seeing him in this wet heat, my body is on overdrive. My nipples are hard, my sex clenching with need. I want his touch—and I damn well intend to have it.

His back is to me when I open the door, his face in the pounding water. I’ve let a wash of cool air in, though, and he turns to face me. As he does, I see the heat flare in his eyes. More interesting, though, is the way his cock hardens, the immediacy of his reaction making absolutely clear that Damien has no objections to my joining him here this morning.

He opens his mouth to say something, but I press a finger over his lips, then step closer. He’s almost finished his shower, so his body is no longer slick with soap. I consider that a good thing, because as I kiss his chest, he tastes fresh and clean.

I move slowly down, licking his skin, teasing the light smattering of hair on his chest. I flick my tongue over his nipple and am rewarded by the way he grabs my hair, his body stiffening beneath my hands that are sliding down his body, too, keeping time with the progress of my kisses.

I go lower, dropping to my knees as I reach his navel. His abs are rock hard and the muscles quiver under my lips. I can tell I’m driving him crazy, and he tightens his grip on my hair even as his other hand reaches for the side of the stall to steady himself.

Lower and lower, my lips teasing his skin, tracing that magical line of hair that leads from just below his navel all the way down to his cock. And when I reach it, thick and wet, I draw my tongue along the velvet steel as Damien moans under my ministrations.

With purposeful slowness, I lick around the head, then flick the end of my tongue over the tip, tasting the pre-come. Then I draw him in, and as I do, the hand that Damien has twined in my hair shifts to the back of my head. At first he just holds me steady, but as I suck in long, deep strokes, he groans with satisfaction and longing, and tightens his grip.

Right now, I’m the one in control, but I can feel that control slipping from me. No, not slipping. Damien is grabbing it by grabbing me—by holding tight to my hair and keeping me in place as he fucks my mouth, totally turning the tables on me.

But I don’t care. I’m too turned on to care, and as his cock fills my mouth and water pounds down over us, I slip my hand between my legs and touch myself, then whimper softly. I’m slick and swollen and so turned on it’s painful, and as I suck my husband’s cock, I tease myself, seeking release.

I’m close, too, so close I can feel electricity filling my body like an approaching thunderstorm. I can feel the tension building in Damien, too, and I know the explosion is coming.

Doesn’t matter. He pulls back, leaving my mouth open in surprise. Then he pulls me to my feet and turns me around, his hands gliding over my wet skin as he spins me. “Hands on the wall,” he demands, and I comply eagerly as his fingers slide over my ass to find my core. And then his cock is there, and he’s pounding inside of me, his hands tight on my breasts as he orders me to “finish what you started, baby. Touch yourself. I want to feel you come with me.”

I don’t hesitate, and as Damien’s wet body slaps against mine—as he thrusts deeper and deeper inside me—I tease my clit, feeling the shockwaves gather inside me, readying for an explosion.

And when Damien’s body goes rigid—when he thrusts hard that one final time—when he releases completely inside me, that’s when I finally go over, my deep cry of satisfaction ringing out in harmony with his as our bodies shake and quiver together from the force of our simultaneous release.

When the shockwaves have faded, he turns me gently in his arms, then rinses me off before shutting off the stream of warm water. He opens the door, and steam curls into the rest of the bathroom.

He leads me out onto the fluffy bathmat, then uses a thick, cotton towel to dry me off.

Only then do I lean my head back, smile, and speak to him for the first time. “Good morning, Mr. Stark.”

“Yes,” he says, matching my grin. “It is.”

Just when you thought a couple was done with their story J. Kenner takes them to a whole new level! Wow, I cannot say too much about this book because it will give it away but it had a hold of me the entire time! I loved that this story is about a married couple that loves each other deeply and with such passion. Nikki and Damian Stark are soul mates who find out that love is strong enough to save someone. Nikki finds herself fighting to be strong and not crumble when people in their past keep coming out of the wood works. This is when Damian steps up to protect her not only from them but her mother. I know this might seem cheesy but this story is what marriage is all about- being there for each other even in the darkest times not just the best. Oh I wish I could tell you more but it would be like reading the last page of the book first. It is such a good book!

J.Kenner has such an ability to get a reader invested in each character she writes. Anchor Me is just a great next chapter in Nikki and Damian Stark’s life. If you need a series to read that will only get better as you go to each new book, The Stark Trilogy is a must!

 

 

Anchor Me teaser 3

 

 

Julie - J Kenner Author PhotoJ.Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy,  and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million  copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas.  She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YouTube | Amazon Author Page

 

 

Ends Here by M. Robinson….Blog Tour & Review

BLOG TOUR
ENDS HERE (Road to Nowhere Book 2)
RELEASE DATE: APRIL 4TH
COVER MODEL MARSHALL PERRIN
COVER DESIGN THE FINAL WRAP
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY WANDER

 

 

Ashes to ashes.
Dust to dust.
And all that fucking shit.
I had killed.
I had sacrificed.
The innocent and the corrupt. I knew blood and I knew
violence.
Never imagining I could know love too.
Mia Ryder was a woman to love. To cherish. To fucking claim.
Now, forever, and every day in between.
If there was anyone I’d go to Hell and back for, it was her.
Even if meant, going to war with…
My fucking brother.
 M has done it again!!!! She’s sucked me into her world and her characters that I am left feeling everything.

This book MUST be read after Road to Nowhere or you will be thoroughly confused. And if you read my review from that book, you know that I was left reeling with so many emotions and they all returned as soon as I started reading the conclusion to Creed and Mia’s story. And damn was it one hell of an amazing ride!!

As with most my reviews, I won’t give any details about what happens in the book. I hate spoiling things and especially with books like this one, you have to experience everything yourself without an knowledge of what to expect. M really knows how to put you right in her characters shoes; and not just with one character, but with them all – male and female. You feel their anguish, love, vengeance, desire and you also understand their reasons behind their actions – you relate to them. M really killed my nerves with this one – I could feel myself getting very worked up over different scenes, my heart beating erratically and had me clenching my kindle very tightly throughout the whole book. AND I LOVED EVER SINGLE BIT OF IT!!!

And for those of us who love the Good ‘Ol Boys – we get to see snippets of a few in this book. She doesn’t leave them out. And El Diablo – lord that man does me in (read his book if you haven’t – you won’t be disappointed in any way). M even gives us a new man to look forward to – Damien Santo/El Santo. I am extremely intrigued about this man.

M delivers another amazing and emotional book to us. She has an undeniable and phenomenal talent when it comes to writing these stories. I don’t know how she does it, but I just pray she never stops. Another must read to add to your TBR list!!

 

 

“Tell me you don’t love me. Tell me you don’t wish it were me who held you in their arms. Tell me you don’t want me to kiss you right now, yeah? Touch you, take you to our bed and make sweet fuckin’ love to all night long, until there isn’t an inch of your skin I haven’t kissed, licked, or
touched. Tell me you don’t feel me,” he whimpered, placing his hand over my heart, “here.”
“Creed,” I whispered in a voice I didn’t recognize. Trying to reel in my feelings, hide the fact that he still had an effect on me.
After all this time.
“Tell me any of that, and I swear I’ll leave you alone, cuz at the end of the day… All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, and if that’s not wit’ me, then at least I have the memory of the love of my fuckin’ life.” He placed his forehead on mine, bringing his hands up to frame my face again. “Say the words, babe,” he groaned in a tone that made my stomach flutter and my body warm. His mouth so close to mine that I could feel him breathe on me. The smell of cigarettes and mint took over my senses. As if he was testing me, he licked his lips
slowly, provoking me. Proving that he was right. I shut my eyes. I had to. Therealization was too hard to admit, and I knew he could see it in my gaze.
He knew me. “Creed,” I panted, my breathing mimicking his. “Please…”
“Please what, baby?” he rasped as if he was hanging on by a thread.

Waiting for me to say the magic words that would
set us both free.


 

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HAVEN’T READ BOOK ONE?! 
ROAD TO NOWHERE 
 

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USA Today Bestselling Author of Keeping Her Wet, Road to Nowhere, EL Diablo, The
Good Ol’ Boys Standalone Series, The VIP Trilogy, Tempting Bad, and Two Sides.
 
M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has
angst, romance, triangles, cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been
reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein. 
She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa Fl. 
She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces.
They have two German Shepherd mixes and a Wheaten and a Tabby cat. 


 

$20 Amazon or I-Tunes Card your choice 

 

Hate 2 Lovers by K. Webster and J.D. Hollyfield …Blog Tour & Review

Hate 2 Lovers

by K. Webster and J.D. Hollyfield
2 Lovers Series #2 (May be read as standalone)
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy

Purchase: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

She hates him and his big head.
He likes her and her big t*ts.

She hates him because she somehow ends up naked every time she sees him.
He likes her because she somehow ends up naked every time he sees her.

She hates him because the big oaf knocked her up with his kid.
He likes her because she’s carrying his child.

She hates the way he gets inside her head.
He likes the way she lets him see glimpses of her heart.

Andie: I hate you.
Roman: I know…but I’m going to change that.

***This is book two in the series. It is best if you read book one first to fully understand this couple’s story.***

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this book more than the first only because it was somewhat more realistic and I liked Andie and Roman more than Dani and Ram. However, there were parts that again, seemed a tad bit out there and that’s what held me back from loving it.

Let me warn everyone first that some people will find Andie’s antics a bit ridiculous and her aggression towards Roman a tad off balance. Yes, I agree that as many times as she hits and throws things at Roman, it’s out of control and shouldn’t be downplayed. However, I know a lot of this had to do with the authors creativity and not that they think abuse like that is ok. With that being said, it is her crazy ass outbursts and her anger that had me not loving this book because there is open scene that I felt was really pushing it and would had me walking out of that relationship (she throws glass coasters at Roman and then attempts to smashes a glass lamp all before trying to attack another woman. Yea, totally not cool and that shit would’ve been reported immediately to police). Sometimes the creativity gets a little too outside the box and it smears the character.

On to the story – I really enjoyed this plot line so much more than the first book. Andie and Roman stared off things in the last book as fuck buddies or really just hate fuck buddies. LOL There was a lot of hostility (most Andie) between them. It was Roman’s calmness that evened them out. He didn’t take her crap and that’s what fueled this strange relationship. But what I loved most was how Roman was able to play to Andie’s vulnerable side as her emotions started to run rampant. He found ways to calm her and Andie herself slowly realized that the unnecessary stress and chaos she caused was not good for the baby. Andie grows the most in this book – she learns to chill and not be so vulgar and rude.

I enjoyed getting to see the softer side of Andie. We got to learn more about her step brother and father. The authors played out this part of the story very nicely and it complimented the main the plot. Everything flowed nicely and I really enjoyed the ending. And Webster and Hollyfield have left us with itching to read about 2 new characters – Reagan and Linc. I can’t wait for the book to come out. I may enjoy that even more!

 

 

It’s the start of nothing good.
I fired off a storm of raunchy text messages…to the wrong number.
And he replied.
Him: Show me a picture.
Him: Tell me your name.
Why does the lure of anonymity have me craving to indulge a stranger?

It’s the start of everything right.
I received a slew of text messages…when everything in my life was wrong.
And she made me laugh again.
Her: You’re probably a creeper.
Her: Possibly a stalker.
Why do I have the overwhelming need to find this stranger who saved me and make her mine?

Him: Take a chance with me.
Her: This is crazy.
Him: I need to see you.
Her: What are we doing?
Him: We’re about to find out.

Her: PHOTO ATTACHED
Him: PHOTO ATTACHED

About K. Webster

K Webster2

K Webster is the author of dozens romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers.

Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.

You can easily find K Webster on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads!

Website: www.authorkwebster.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bllgoP

About J.D. Hollyfield

Author JD Hollyfield

Creative designer, mother, wife, writer, part time superhero…

J.D. Hollyfield is a creative designer by day and superhero by night. When she is not trying to save the world one happy ending at a time, she enjoys the snuggles of her husband, son and three doxies. With her love for romance, and head full of book boyfriends, she was inspired to test her creative abilities and bring her own story to life.

Life in a Rut, Love not Included is her Debut Novel. J.D. Hollyfield lives in the Midwest, and is currently at work on blowing the minds of readers, with the additions of her new books and series, along with her charm, humor and HEA’s.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Where Good Girls Go To Die by Holly Renee…Release Day Blitz & Review

Cover Design: Regina Wamba / Mae I Design & Photography

Release Date: April 13, 2017

 

Synopsis

It was a bad idea from the beginning.

He was my brother’s best friend and the definition of unavailable.

But I didn’t care.

I had loved him for as long as I could remember.

He was worth the risk. He was worth everything.

But then he broke my heart as easily as I fell for him. He watched me fall, spiraling out of control, and as I reached for him, he wasn’t there to catch me.

So I ran.

Four years later, I never expected to see him again.

He was still my brother’s best friend, and he was more unavailable than ever.

He looked every bit the bad boy I knew he was, covered in tattoos and a crooked smile.

Guarding my heart from him was top priority because Parker James was where good girls go to die.

Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t a good girl anymore.

 

Goodreads

 

 

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon US ~ http://amzn.to/2oV5ttA

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Amazon CA ~ http://amzn.to/2ph0LG2

Amazon AU ~ http://amzn.to/2oVt2Ta

 

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card and Signed Paperback for Where Good Girls Go To Die

 

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Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d24/?

 

 

 

 

4.5 Stars

WOW!!! Hot damn!!! I devoured this book in no time. I couldn’t stop reading once I started. And even though it played out how I thought, I enjoyed this book so much!!

Where Good Girls Go To Die is my first book by Holly, but I can tell you, it most definitely will not be my last. This book starts off with bang and ends with huge fireworks. And in between is so much angst, love and passion to set it on fire.

Parker and Liv were young lovers torn apart too early and too quickly because of lies and secrets. Years later, they run into each other at her job and things don’t go so well. Liv is drug back home by her brother, Mason, who also happens to be Parker’s best friend. And things just get better from there.

Watching all the hate, betrayal, undying love, anger – you name it – unfold between Parker and Liv really adds some charge to this book. And then toss in Mason, Brandon and Stacie to the mix and this book was amazing. All these characters together really made this book so much more enjoyable. This book is told in both Past and Present and from both Parker and Liv’s POVs, but it’s not confusing at all. You immediately know who’s POV you’re reading without the author saying. This really helped give the book more feeling and insight to both Parker and Liv.

As I said earlier, I knew how this book was going to play out. There were a few small surprises but I still enjoyed this story a lot. The author doesn’t really go into how Liv went from her college life to the job she has when seeing Parker again after 4 years, aside from failing out, but it’s assumed she doesn’t want to return home and her options are limited. It doesn’t really play into the story too much so it’s something that most will overlook.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this story. It’s a shorter book but it’s still an amazing read and one I won’t forget any time soon. It’s very fast paced with lots of hot, sexy scenes so I don’t recommend reading this in public.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Bookaholic, firm believer in grand gestures, and obsessed with happily ever afters.

Holly Renee is from the small town of Maryville, TN where she was born and raised. She currently lives with her husband and fur baby, Luna. (Yes. She was named after Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.)

Holly Renee is the author of her debut novel Letting Go.

During the day, Holly spends her time as a nurse, but once her shift ends, she falls deep into her passion of reading and writing.

 

Connect with Holly Renee

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2n8bQLt

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mnsMyF

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2n8lq0N

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mnzt3Q

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2ngPffW

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2mOWwkd

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2nET9R2

 

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Tortured by Nicole Williams…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

 

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AP new - synopsis.jpg

 

When he left for a twelve-month deployment, she knew it would feel like forever before they saw each other again. She didn’t realize how right she was.

When Lance Corporal Brecken Connolly gets taken as a POW, Camryn hopes for the best but steels herself for the worst. In the end, steel was what she needed to survive when he didn’t. She moves on the only way she knows how—gilding herself in more steel.

Years go by.

She builds a new life.

She leaves the old one behind.

Until one day, she sees the face of a ghost on the news. Brecken seems to have risen from the dead, but she knows she can’t perform the same miracle for herself. While Brecken was held in a torture camp for the past five years, she’s been trapped in her own kind of prison. One she can’t be freed from.  

The man she mourned comes back to join the living, but the girl he wanted to spend his life with isn’t the same woman he comes back for. Brecken isn’t the same person either. The past five years have changed them both. While he’s determined to put the pieces back together, she’s resolved to let hers rot where they shattered.

 

Broken or not, Brecken wants her back. He’ll do anything to achieve that. Even if it means going against the warden of Camryn’s personal prison—her husband.
“It’s been six years. Everything’s changed. I have. You have.” My eyes lifted. “Why? Why are you trying to win me back?”
He exhaled, his lips parting. “I’m going to win you back.”
When his hand slid around the bend of my waist, winding behind my back, I jerked. His touch was different tonight, hungry, determined. My head clouded, blocking out reason or letting it surface to the top, one or the other.
“I married him,” I whispered even as my hand found his chest.
“But you belong to me.”
My eyes closed as he bowed me against him. I wasn’t sure how two bodies that had been as broken as ours could be so strong when joined. “How do you know?”
“I can see it in your eyes. Every time you look at me.” His other hand lifted to my chin, tipping it until our eyes connected. His brow rose slowly, like I was proving his point right that very moment.
“That’s a confident statement.” My voice shook, but my body felt steady. Unwavering.
“It’s the truth.”
My chest was moving so hard, it brushed his with every breath. What was I doing? Where had I found myself? The man holding me had died only to be resurrected six years later. It was too late, but it wasn’t over.
No matter what, Brecken Connolly and I would never be over.
“Twenty-six days,” I said slowly. “That’s all I have to give you. That’s all I have to give. Four weeks. Once he’s back, you know the way it has to be.”
His face broke, but his hold didn’t budge. “It’s not enough.”
My fingers curled into his shirt, looking for some way to hold on to him. “I know.”
His other arm suddenly looped around me and he lifted me off the ground, his grip going around my backside when my legs tied around him. “But a fucking eternity wouldn’t be enough either, so it’ll just have to do.”
He carried me through the sand and up the stairs of the cabin, then he propped me against the wall so he could open the screen door. Something slipped out of my mouth when he flexed his hips into mine.
“Told you it wasn’t a morning issue,” he whispered in my ear, but I could hear the smile in his voice. “Just a Camryn one.”
He made the same motion with his hips, applying a little more friction this time, causing a louder sound to echo from my lungs.
Opening the screen door as silently as he could, he carried me inside.
“You can set me down, you know?” I whispered.
“I know,” he said, his arms tying tighter. Once all of the lights were off, the cabin closed up for the night, he padded down the hall.
“You know where you’re going?”
His head nodded beside mine. “I’ve always known.”
My hands went behind his neck. His skin was warm and familiar. “And where’s that?”
He exhaled against my skin as he closed the bedroom door. “Toward you.”
He set me down once he’d untied my legs from around his waist, and he took a few steps back. He stared at me for a moment then reached for the lamp on the dresser.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Turning on the lights.”
I watched him flip on another. “Why?”
“Because I want to see you. Because I want to watch your face as I move inside you. Because I want to see your skin flush when I make you come.” He flipped on one more light, then all of his attention turned to me. “Because I want to see everything.”
My heart took off as I imagined being intimate with him with every light in the room on. My body wasn’t the same one he’d left. It had carried a burden; it bore the scars of a shattered soul and a broken body. “I don’t want you to see me. Not like that. In the dark, you can imagine the way I was before.”
When I reached for the closest lamp to switch it off, he stopped me. “I don’t want to imagine.” His hand curled around mine, guiding it away from the lamp. “I want the real thing. I want the real you.”
“You’ve seen my body. You know what I look like beneath all of this.” I motioned at the fresh clothes hanging off of me, covering me from my wrists to my ankles to my neck.
“When I look at you, I see beauty and strength, and the one person in the world who gives me a reason to live and a reason to die.” He drew me to him, his face creased in lines of concentration. “That’s what I see when I look at you.”

 

Tortured is the perfect title for this book in so many different ways. This book tortured and mended my heart all-in-one.

Nicole is one of those authors that I will always read, no matter the genre. Her writing technique always has me lost in her words and feeling every once of her characters.

“My eyes welled when I realized that he’d given me back my wings. One man had clipped them – this one had fixed them.” 

My heart ached for Brecken and Camryn. And for some many reasons. The heartache of losing someone not just to death, but to a life you want to save them from. The torture of believing you are doing the write thing to keep others safe.

I will warn you that this book may be harder for some to read due to the content. Nicole does an amazing job of not sugar coating anything and making this story all the more real and raw. It’s a beautifully, haunting story that you will love.

“I never asked to be the world’s hero. All I ever wanted was to be yours.” 

I love Brecken and his perseverance when it comes to Camryn. No matter what, he will live up to his promises. He won’t let anyone or anything stop him from loving Camryn, even though she is married. Camryn made her decision a long time ago, thinking it was the right one. And now that Brecken is home, she knows she still can’t have him.

 “I don’t care that you married him or that you have his last name. You’re mine. To love. To honor. And to fucking protect.” 

Nicole wrote an amazing story with really strong characters. Yes, the story line is easy to follow and there really isn’t anything that is unexpected to happen, but it’s the tone and the characters that will have you loving this story.

Another fantastic book from Nicole!!

 

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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